"The sign over his head reads 'Wedding Gowns'," Jaren replied without missing a beat, as if to justify his staring at that general direction. In any case, that was the extent of his explaination for his actions.

Nadia stared, then circled him in a way that could as well been dancing, and looked at the direction stated as if to check the veracity of the statement. She looked back, and seemed to consider him before she could come with the comeback she liked the most... and she had too many.

"I don't see you in a white dress," she finally blurted, "but whatever floats your boat." For extra effect, an inquisitive raise eyebrow. "Aren't you a little too young to be considering marriage, though, Jaren?"

She had problems bitting down her snicker as she stared at one delicate looking dress at the back, maybe picturing Jaren into it.

ooc: What the--

Jaren raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what Nadia was getting at.

"The sign points out this section that you've been shopping in," he said, as if to clarify, ignoring her comments.

ooc:

"Ah, am I?" Nadia started to look around, finally spotting the actual area. She frowned. "I'm getting married," she blinked in realization. Drat. How did the joke turned on her? Well, at least she had gotten the satisfaction of telling Jaren white didn't suit him. It was worth the small episode. "But pink? Pink for a Wedding Dress?"

She scratched her head pensively. Then looked at her dress, then back up. "It's Paris after all."

ooc: *DIES*

Zekke had been sharing a relatively easy silence with Jaren - he too found it difficult to stare at all the ruffles, colors, and lace for too long - and had been about to say something when Jaren mentioned 'Wedding Gowns'.

He glanced up and snickered and scooted over so that instead, he stood under the sign that read 'Tuxedos (and other Formal Wear)'. He didn't mind being the center of attention at times and the teasing didn't bother him either, so he took no offense.

"I might dress... more... fancy than you guys with my occasional frock and finery, but I would certainly look atrocious in a dress and in a wedding dress no less!" He laughed.

At his laugh, the sound of a woman's voice could be heard somewhere in the background.

"My, my, my, I do declare, Lily! I believe young de Barticot is here for a visit. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Mr. de Barticot, is that you~uuu?" A sweet voice, sweeter that sugar and as melodious as a lyre floated down from the second floor of the shop. "Allyriane, dear one, guess who's he~re?"

"Dieu! Merlin's Beard!" Zekke's face turned ashen and he cursed under his breath. He shot Jaren and Nadia a "SAVE ME!" look.

Footsteps could be heard slowly coming down the stairs and he backed up with each footstep towards the door. His eyes were as wide as saucers and he looked as if he might bolt at any second.

Nadia waved a hand, "Don't worry, your fanclub would grow even if you appeared on a giant paper bag." Nadia swung her bag over her shoulder and looked around distratctedly, or trying to look distracted, because suddenly being in awarence wasn't the nicest option, and then the voice of the woman was heard, booming like an omnimous chant.

But even as Zekke was staring at them with that 'help me' look, what could they do? Not even the two together could hide Zekke if he stood straight. Well, maybe if the three piramid-ed into a walking totem. Blinking, her best skills on sign communication made her point the changing stool, and then seconds later, the exit. Good to know they had 'options'.

Jaren immediately scanned the perimeter for possible discreet exits...and found that the closest possible hiding spot would have to be either the men's or women's changing rooms. Nadia's suggestion--he took the pointing as a suggestion--lacked cover. The door...was out of a question, but perhaps--

--his eyes fell upon a collection of overly frilly and laced dresses on a circular rack that would, perhaps, conceal the tall boy...in fact, due to the extravagence of the cloth and material...

Jaren gave Zekke a pointed shove in the right direction into the center of that set of dresses as the footsteps came closer. The set was close enough to the fire exit door, so while they...distracted perhaps, Zekke could slip out and they would join him later.

"We're tourists," he muttered to the other two quickly.

Following Jaren's lead, Nadia found herself with the two boys (now where did Ganymede get herself at this moment?), followed into place where Zekke was shoved.... and only for some assurance and desguise, threw some of the varied frilly dresses over the tall boy to cover the rest of him from you. Though his leather boots were giving her some trouble.

Of ALL places!!! Zekke mentally groaned and shot Jaren and Nadia a look, but made a dive for the circular rack of clothes even as he was shoved in. He disappeared into the rack and out of sight and covered with one of the dresses just as the woman appeared on the first floor. With some scooting around, he was able to hide his feet, msotly, but unfortunately...

The woman was actually probably rather beautiful if it weren't for the cake of makeup on her face and the fact that well... nevermind.

Trailing behind her was a girl about their age with strawberry blonde hair that fell in ringlets around her heart-shaped face and she wore a dress of the most fashionable style. She wore a pouty expression and looked as if she had either just thrown a temper tantrum or was about to.

"Mu~um, I KNEW you were hearing things!" She yelled and stamped her foot. "Zachary isn't here!"

"Now now pet, I'm sure I heard him! You'd recognize that lovely voice anywhere. Madame Beaumont? Madame!" The woman's voice was shrill and loud. She sniffed, looking around the first floor and her eyes brightened when they settled on the young teenagers in the store.

"'Scuse me, but... have you seen the Madame? And where did Mr. De Barticot go?" Her voice gave the notion that she was absolutely positive she had heard Zekke's voice and she continued to scan the room.

Her daughter started giving Nadia looks that could only be described as jealous or condescending, or both. When her eyes fell on Jaren, they widened a bit and she offered a flirtatious smile.

Jaren did his best to look confused. "Um...pardon?" He said, deliberately masking his voice with the French accent to make it sound like Zekke's. In fact, it was fairly convincing, he supposed, unless one was fine-tuned and accustomed to hearing the real thing, at which point he was no match for. "Who are you looking for?"

"My mum thought she heard the voice of one of my childhood friends, Zachary de Barticot," the girl explained, her French accent especially marked as she shifted between English and French. "He's a rather important person in the community as is his family, non, and he does a lot of traveling so I haven't seen him since the last soiree..." Her voice trailed off and she blushed a bit.

"Allyriane and I have... matters... to discuss with Mr. de Barticot and his family. A very urgent and pressing matter, indeed." The girl's mother nodded importantly and sniffed again and started walking in the direction of the circular rack of clothes.

"Oh, Ally, dear, look at these lovely dresses!"

Nadia turned around sharp, looking like a shoplifter trying to look incospicuous, which wasn't a good thing but oh well. She looked up, hands behind her back politely, just to listen that the same people addressing a so-called Zachary were also, or just sounding like it was the same person, looking for Zekke. She would have stared oddly at the girl if it wasn't for the fact that she was stared at oddly first. Nadia could only stare back, blinking and wondering. She didn't remember being looked like that before.

The question about the madame was easy to respond in the very same mutte fashion she tried with Zekke; Nadia only pointed at the direction of the register. At this point, better let Jaren do the talking, she decided while trying to look distracted. In all honesty, she didn't want to try lying such a blunt lie. But she kept on the look out for Ganymede, just in case....

To make matters wose... there was the girl going to the rack of clothes! Nadia looked a bit uneasily, again looking more like a shoplifter rather than a normal girl just hanging about, since she shifter on her feet rather too... much. Meanwhile trying to come up with something as the girl drew dangerously near the rack...

"Oh, deBarticot! I think I have heard that name!" she finally blurted, not really knowing what the heck she was doing.

"Ohhh?" Momentarily distracted, the girl turned around and gave Nadia and Jaren her most winning smile. "You mean he was here? Where is he?"

Her mother had just pushed aside some dresses when she heard Nadia. Upon hearing Nadia, she turned around, just as Zekke scooted out of the rack and hid behind another rack right in front of the exit to the fire escape.

"Yes, dear?" She purred, looked right at Nadia.

"Heh," Nadia said with a sheepish smile, a pensive finger over her lips trying to compensate or shadow the guilty look, "Well, actually, I thought it sounded it from some place. Was it an actor?" She looked pensive or distratced, it was hard to tell, really only giving Zekke some time to escape. But feeling like she was loosing the attention of the pair very soon, she was soon to add so they wouldn't turn around.

"Oh, now I remember! Not such name like Zachary, though, but a student in Hogwarts has that surname. Yes, I believe that's where I heard it."

"Hogwarts, my dear? What sort of a name is that?" The woman looked at Nadia strangely.

"It's the... school... in England, mere." The girl looked at Nadia and Jaren slyly. "Didn't Zachary transfer to that school? I'm from Beauxbaton, myself."

From the tone of her voice, one could tell that she thought her school was superior and at the word 'transfer', her nose wrinkled.

Behind the clothes, Zekke seethed with fury and indignation.

UGHHHHH! What in Merlin's Beard were they doing here?! The Beauchamp family hated anything to do with the muggle world, so why were they in Paris?! And why did they have to run into each other?

Slowly, he made his way to the emergency exit...

Jaren remained silent as Nadia babbled, mainly putting two and two and two and two together at the speed of light while taking in the appearance of the girl (who kept staring at him) and her mother.

Role play, Jaren, role play, his brain hissed at him, and he mentally kicked himself into the role of being more...polite and cultured.

"I've never known of a student there called Zachary," he said in the same accented voice, tilting his head slightly to one side. "Though deBarticot seems to ring a bell somewhere...I believe I read it in a book..." He then shook his head. "I'm sorry to be of little help in that regard, but I don't think we should be discussing these matters here openly," and here he referred pointedly to the very Muggle surroundings. There was perhaps no Muggle in the vicinity, but one couldn't be too careful. "Perhaps elsewhere?" Here he gestured politely towards the main entrance/exit to the far right of the fire exit, as if to suggest maybe they move outside to a nearby cafe or something.

Zekke obviously knew these people, and they knew him from Beauxbaton...and his reaction to knowing that these people were there...

Apparently tonight was the celebration of "The Past Has Come Back to Haunt You" night.

"Oui, oui. We musn't speak of such things here..." The woman agreed and pursed her lips together in consideration.

"Mmmm... perhaps... dear Allyriane is right... I must be missing the handsome de Barticot so much - he really is such a sweet thing - that I've been... hearing his voice. Perhaps I mistook your voice, young monsieur, for his. How rather embarrassing, but ah well. His father did say he was home for the summer and would therefore have the chance of attending the event... Ater all... Allyriane is making her official debut into society and he'd make the perfect escort." She sniffed and waved a hand and gestured to her daughter.

"Come 'Riane. We must hurry if we want to make it to the other store in time to pick up your things. The formal is only a week away and it wouldn't do to put everything together at the last minute."

All the while her mother had been talking, Allyriane had been poking around the racks of clothes close to where Zekke was hiding and all the while, Zekke was creeping from one hiding place to another.

At this point, he was considering making an appearance dressed in the gown that Nadia had yanked over his head, but the idea of hearing from his father about this was enough to make him have second thoughts... But really... the situation was getting a bit desperate... If Allyriane came one step closer...

Nadia had to admit Jaren's little act was convinving to her. It could almost made her wish he would act that polite with her. Well, with everybody, any case, it just came as something that crashed slighly with the only seconds earlier previous mental image of Jaren in a dress. Or Zekke in a dress - but she was disgressing now.

To make matters worse, she didn't know what to take from Jaren's sudden offering. Like, didn't they want to get rid of these people? And if so, why was Jaren tying them with this girl and her mother? And why the sudden voice - the sudden purring in his voice? Her eyebrows knighted together and Nadia felt the need to pout. Was this part of the act or was it possible that Jaren was flirting with the girl? And, why, just now! Not her idea of a good plan, huh? Where they going to make Zekke wait in that rack of clothes up there or--

Nadia turned, as the woman spoke about formal presentation and a escort, to the rack in question and checking the younger girl go though her clothes. Only as her eyes popped open with some panic, she realized the rack this girl was revising wasn't any more the rack Zekke was hidding at, but he had switched at some point. Nonetheless, if the girl continued that way...

"Hi there," Nadia started quite lamely, placing herself on purpose on the opposite place from where Zekke was hidding. "You said you went to Beauxbaton, no? I mean, it's so interesting! I don't supposse you know professor Surreaux, no?"

Anything to call her attention would do, 'non'?

Jaren simply nodded as the woman spoke, adding "I see" and "Oh really?" in the appropriate places until he noticed the girl wandering off to pick dresses roughly in the vicinity of Zekke. Nadia immediately went over to deal with that.

"A formal function? I see..." His mind was still generating possible scenarios to somehow get the two women away or distracted long enough for Zekke to make a break for it. "I take it you have know this Zachary for a long time?"

Nadia bit her lip. She could just SENSE she was going to loose this girl interest if she didn't do something fast. An idea coming to mind, and because it really wouldn't make a difference, no? Nadia put an interested smile and turned to Jaren while muttering to the girl, "You know, I think he likes you, my friend. I haven't seen him really be so keen in conversation for anyone."

Which was more or less true. And Nadia was working hard on keeping any trance of outragement (or, why not, jealousy) from her voice as she spoke.

"Do you really think so?" Allyriane purred, glancing from Jaren to the dresses while batting her eyelashes. "But I'm more or less already spoken for... Not that he isn't... handsome or anything..." With a cute giggle, she winked at Nadia and returned her attention to the dresses...

Meanwhile...

"Why yes, yes indeed. Allyriane and Zachary met in primary school and our families have been good friends for years and years," Mrs. Beauchamp cooed at Jaren.

"In fact, the two of them get along so well that we've spoken about -" she began, but was interrupted by her daughter squealing.

"Mere, mere, come and see!" With a girlish glee, Allyriane twirled around while holding one of THE poufiest and most ruffled and ribboned dresses of the entire dress selection up against her chest.

While her back was turned, Zekke took that moment to make his escape attempt.

Mrs. Beauchamp immediately walked over to her daughter. "Oh why, that is absolutely lovely, my darling! Why, I- Mon Dieu!"

"Mere? What - OH MY GOD!!!!!" Following her mother's trembling and pointed finger, she let out a full-throated scream at the sight of Zekke stuffed into a dress with his face outlandishly made up with soot from his floo powder and wearing an indescribable expression on his face.

Oh god, I got caught, what am I going to do?!

"Someone called my name?" Eyes twinkling a bit in mischief, he sauntered over to the gang, winking at them all. He had intended to strike up a conversation with Allyriane, but it turned out that there was no need to.

Not recognizing Zekke in the outlandish getup, Allyriane screamed again as he advanced and grabbed her mother's arm and dragged her out of the store, screaming and shrieking all the way and swearing up and down that they'd never shop at that establishment again and that and that Zachary's mother was going to get an earful about this.

Zekke could only stare after them in silent surprise. He hadn't expected this getup to work quite THAT well...

ooc: I can't decide. Should I go with or ?

Jaren blinked once, then recovered quickly, dropping his facade like a ton of bricks.

"I suggest we get going before they call the police," he muttered, returning the favour Zekke had done him earlier in not asking any questions about the incident.

Spoken for? A back on Nadia's mind was cursing the thought that crossed her mind with such a ridiculous idea. Though she was sure that Jaren made a good distraction. Oh she knew, but still had problems going with this story enough to lie and say Jaren just asked her for her number or out on a date or something. Er, yeah, there was limits, and a troubled part of her mind that said 'no, please, don't.'

The rest was a blur, even if Nadia tried to get a recollection of the facts it was useless with the screams of one perturbed girl, Nadia jumping repeatedly at every scream, while trying to find an explanation to the drag queen before them, something concerning a prank, a sticking charm and unremovable make-up. With Zekke walking over to them with that smirk (and, honestly, what was with the make-up?), Nadia thought the last of her plan would work with her laughing her head off and tried hidding behind a model figure.

As the woman and daughter left the store, Nadia came back out pushing her glasses up and wondering if all Paris people got that disturbed by a male in women clothes and whatnot. She turned to Zekke and mock frowned. "I don't know what's their problem, I personally have never seen you look better."

Zekke's answer to both Jaren's and Nadia's comments was an arched, "Indeed?"

Finally over the shock of the screaming girl, he finally allowed himself to laugh a bit uneasily.

"Mere's going to have my head for this if she hears about it." He sighed then laughed again and shrugged.

With a shake of his head, he shot both of them a 'You better not say anything about this to anyone' look and excused himself to the men's changing room where he changed out of the dress and cleaned off his face.

Without saying a word, he purchased the dress - it wouldn't do to just... leave it there after he had already worn it... sort of - and reminded himself to inconspicuously dispose of it while the madame wasn't looking.

"Now that that's been taken care of," he coughed and tried not to blush. "Where's Ganymede?"

Well we'll make sure that she doesn't hear of it, Jaren replied mentally to Zekke's silent request. It was easy, really. Make it sound like they had mistaken a random slightly tipsy and maybe giddy teenager for the one they were looking for. After all, what proof did the two have?