Summer followed the map to the marked location, and upon looking up from the paper she found herself in front of a small clothing shop. It was quite small, no bigger than an average house. The windows were covered with lacy curtains, but firelight flickered in the reflection and she knew it'd probably be nice and warm inside.
A dilapidated sign swung from a post outside the house. Grim Sisters' Seamstress Services. Opening the gate to the front yard, she walked up the path to the door. The entrance wasn't as old or grand as Mrs. Mortimer's residence, but it still held that outdated vibe, as if it had been picked up from years ago and deposited in the future.
She knocked three times on the door. Stepping backward, Summer waited for someone inside to answer.
The door unlocked and opened slowly, drifting backwards with a loud squeak of the rusty hinges. Summer frowned when it became apparent no one had opened the door. Basically, the door had opened itself, and it was really creepy. She peered inside the house, seeing only a dark lobby with a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Gripping Penguin's present a little tighter, Summer hesitantly walked inside.
The wallpaper in the front room was peeling, and darkened with age. The designs had at one time been flowers of various colors, but it now resembled a dark grey background with several stains all over it. Beneath her, an old throw rug covered the wooden floor, and a large staircase led to an upstairs. The house hadn't look so large from the outside, and Summer knew that it didn't look like two stories from out on the street.
'Why do things always have to be so weird…' She thought, recalling her strange encounter with Mrs. Mortimer earlier.
Gathering her courage, she cleared her throat. "Hello? Is anyone here?"
"Clotho, go greet the guest!" A female voice said. It sounded to be in a room further into the house, and another female spoke up in response.
"It's never been my job to greet people! Why can't Lachesis do it?"
"Because I'm busy making the garment, remember?" There were several thumps, and Summer frowned, wondering if she should just leave the house and look for a gift elsewhere. The sounds became louder, and the next moment a very tall, very thin woman appeared at the doorway. Her green hair stood out against black of her uniform.
"You must be Summer. Come on back, dear." She turned away immediately, and Summer was able to do nothing except obey. Walking on autopilot, she observed the halls and rooms of the house in more detail. The wooden walls were beginning to rot away, the wallpaper no longer covering most parts of it. Old pictures and portraits of people who had to be dead at this point decorated the walls. Some had fallen over and leaned the wall, never returned to their original location. One pictured a barn full of geese, with a farmer picking the eggs from each roost. Why it was there, she would never know.
"We've almost finished putting the collar together, but it shouldn't take more than a few minutes." The green-haired woman said, leading Summer into what she could only describe as a work room.
The biggest sewing machines she'd ever seen littered the room, with spindles and threads and needles hanging from every shelf and countertop. Fabrics were stacked to the side, reaching as high as the ceiling. Several standing models were stuffed in one corner, plastic arms and legs that had fallen off placed beside them. Everything was so cluttered, it was a wonder if any work could get done at all.
"Clotho, Lachesis, don't just stand there, say hello!" The woman said, and Summer finally noticed the two other women working behind machines. To her surprise, they all looked identical, the only think setting them apart was their hair color. They seemed to coordinate their outfits with their designated color.
"We're almost done, don't go rushing us!" The pink-haired woman shouted with a huff, pulling a needle and threat through a mass of feathers. Summer didn't know what she was trying to accomplish with that, but apparently it qualified as 'work.' The blue-haired one, sitting at another machine, scowled at the pinkette.
"Lacheses, you should learn to be more considerate! Don't mind her, she's just a grump." The one Summer assumed to be Clotho said.
"I'm Atropos, by the way." The one who had escorted her said, flicking a bit of green hair out of her face. "Don't mind my sisters, they can be rather distracted sometimes."
"You're one to talk." Clotho muttered, continuing to spin the thread for their sewing. It looked very simple, but Summer was willing to bet that the whole process required years of practice and perfection.
"So-" Summer began, but Lachesis cut her off.
"You're here for your gift right? For that pirate?"
It shouldn't be natural, the way everyone knew who she was and why she was there, but it seemed to be the norm that day. After her meeting with Mrs. Mortimer, nothing could really surprise her at that point. Shrugging, she decided to see where things took her.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure what to get him."
"Well, that's easy. We're almost finished making it!" Atropos clapped her hands, going to sit down at her own sewing machine. She grabbed the dark blue fabric, which was suspiciously in the shape of a long-sleeved shirt, and the feather creation that Lachesis had been working on, and began working on it herself.
"Hey!" The pink and blue sisters cried, outraged that their work was being taken over.
"Oh hush." The green one said,
"How is your life progressing thus far?" Clotho asked suddenly, turning in her seat to look at Summer. The blonde's brows rose, surprised by the question.
"Umm…fine I guess?" Frustrated, the blue-haired woman shook her head.
"After all you've been through with that scientist and the government, all you have to say is 'fine?'"
"Well, what do you expect me to say?" She defended, deciding not to question how in the world they knew about her past.
"Well, how is your career as a pirate? Exciting? Adventurous?" She leaned in closer, and Summer backed away slightly. The eagerness at which Clotho asked the questions was rather creepy, but from the state of the house, and the behavior of the sisters, they didn't get out much.
"Yeah, all those things. It's fun, and I love my nakama."
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Lachesis joined in the conversation, leaning against the back of her chair. She rested her arms on the top, setting her chin on her arms. "But surely that Trafalgar Law keeps you on your toes, what with all the teasing and such?" Summer laughed.
"He's definitely a jerkwad sometimes, but he's still my Captain."
"I wonder what it would be like to sail the seas." Lachesis said dreamily, and Atropos quickly jumped in.
"You'd be killed by an opposing pirate crew, Lachesis, so don't get any fanciful thoughts." The green-haired woman was tying off the ends of the threads, pulling and tugging at each seam to make sure they would hold.
"Hand it over!" Clotho said, grabbing the garment and checking it over. "Hmm…" She inspected over everything with a careful eye. "Looks fine to me."
"I'll be the judge of that." Lachesis stole it from Clotho's grasp, triple checking every piece. "I guess you're right. It looks perfect."
"As they always are." Atropos mentioned, looking rather pleased with herself. The pinkette flipped it so that it was no longer inside out. To Summer's surprise, Law's jolly roger sported the front half of the jacket.
"Wow! It looks great." Summer reached for it, feeling the soft feather collar and warm fabric. "This is perfect. I just hope he likes it." She expressed her doubt and Clotho waved it off.
"Oh, the man will like it!"
"Now, off you go! It would do no good to be late for dinner! Casper needs help with the soup!" Lachesis stood, pushing her out into the hallway, shoving the jacket into Summer's arms. She was still carrying Penguin's gift, and she juggled them in the crooks of her elbows.
"Oh, alright then." She said, flustered but unable to really make sense of anything.
"Don't forget to wrap it!" Atropos supplied, but Summer was being pushed closer to the door and couldn't reply.
"Be safe out there!" Lachesis called, effectively shoving her out the door and onto the porch. It was a much less friendly departure than with Mrs. Mortimer's house, but she knew they didn't mean any harm by it. Either way, she almost lost her balance, and she slipped on the snowy path leading to the gate. Before she was able to turn back around, the door had already shut.
"Well then." Summer said aloud, straightening her own jacket before heading off to the gate.
'This town sure is strange.'
ns 15.158.61.48da2
