Summer heat and humid air hung over the small beachtown of Savannah, a small settlement that had emerged from the remains of what had been before the cataclysm. It was a far cry from what it had been, but hints of its former self remained. Cobblestone streets occluded by weeping willows still made up the core of the downtown, but elsewhere much had changed. A town of just a few thousand now, it had become something of a safe haven for those in the southeastern US that wanted to avoid the broader geopolitics going on around the world. It maintained a neutral stance with enough of a militia to ward off would-be-bandits, allowing any entry to its port so long as they didn't cause trouble. Growing pains started to show in the past couple of years as more and more people came to find a peaceful life, but it was limited to heated political debates rather than open conflict. Wealthier people looking for just its sort of quiet life to wind down in -- or, perhaps, lay low in after having attained their riches through less legal means -- had begun to morph it to more of a ritzy community, thriving on its clean ocean waters and swaths of available land. With them came a more vibrant arts and entertainment scene, from music to theatre to fashion shows and even water sports.

It was exactly this sort of environment that had drawn a certain young woman here.

"Ugh, does anyone even work here?" Lauren griped loudly as she cast a glance at an employee -- a teenage girl leaning on a counter, engaged in quite the flirtatious conversation with a boy who looked like he lived his whole life on a surfboard. Her complaint garnered a slight head tilt, a laugh and an eye roll before she went right back to ogling the boy. Lauren tossed up a hand, scoffing and shaking her head before heading to another aisle. The redhead was sick of looking through rack after rack of swimsuit without finding even one that she both liked and fit her size. Not that she made it easy for herself; indecision was among her closest allies. This was supposed to be one of the nicer places in Savannah, but it wasn't seeming like it. Sure, their clothes were pricey and nice, but the service was leaving a lot to be desired. Making it all worse, she felt the clock ticking. She had just a few hours until she was set to meet up the with her photographer for their first shoot, and she was expected to have a least a half dozen outfits for him. Without even a single one picked out, she was really feeling the pressure.

"This one...?" She held up a bikini top to herself, turning to a nearby mirror. Scrunching her mouth up, she tossed it aside and held up another, twisting and turning to get a feel for it from the sides. Too conservative; the colours were all wrong; the fit wasn't right for her; too elaborate... Complaint after complaint about her perceived appearance ran through her head, the woman able to convince herself of a flaw in every single one she tried. Her frustration wasn't just visible. By now she'd unwittingly cast quite an aura on the place with her displeasure, a subtle irritation that pervaded all in the store with her stress.

"Why did we pick this place again?" Josephine asked, hands at the back of her head to hold long pink tresses away from her neck, sweating under the oppressive humidity as the sun beat down upon the identical set of five making their way down the quaintly cobbled streets as they looked for a destination only the sister at the front knew. It appeared two of the quintuplets weren't as excited about their sister's choice of vacation as the others, Josephine and Philippa lingering behind the others, Jo's complaining augmented by the perpetual frown gracing Philippa's face the moment they felt the swampy heat after landing. Undeterred by this however, the sister at the front of the group turned, happy to be there despite the heat.

"Because," She said, waving a finger as if educating misbehaving children, "It's my turn to pick and I want a new swimsuit!" she turned away with a huff, a squeal of delight escaping her as she found a pricy looking store selling just what she was looking for, eager to run through her father's cash.

"But this place is gross, Sue" Josephine responded miserably, "And I couldn't find any derbies or anything to at least skate at."

"You got to pick last time," Elizabeth answered, quiet until then, fanning herself with her small clutch, the airflow it generated brushing her hair in little waves, "And this is a lot better than that terrible rodeo you took us to last time."

"They had genetically engineered cows, Liz!" Josephine shot back, "Perfect cows!"

"Very exciting." Elizabeth answered flippantly as she followed Susan into the store, who was already eagerly flicking through swimsuits as her sisters joined her. She held up two equally flashy and skimpy bikinis to them, indecision on her face.

"Which do you like best?" She asked, alternating holding both against her body curiously, "This one's half off..."

"I was wondering where the rest of it was." Philippa deadpanned, looking around to see if anyone competent actually worked in this store. Susan frowned.

"You guys are the worst." Susan griped, eyes roaming the aisles until she saw a flash of crimson, and smiled. The girl made her way to the other customer, clearing her throat politely.

"Excuse me~" she said, tone friendly and mild, "I'm sorry to bother your shopping, but I was hoping you'd give me the benefit of your opinion. Which of these do you prefer?"

"Ugh, about time...!" Lauren responded flippantly, turning around with a bikini of her own held up to her sundress and a sour expression on her face. Took her long enough to do her job... Only it wasn't her. Instead the much more pleasant face of a girl she'd never met was waving around a couple of bikinis of her own, asking advice. Lauren's face reddened as a bit of guilt overcame her for snapping at the girl, even if it was (probably) apparent she wasn't the target. "Oh! Umm, sorry about that, I thought you were... Nevermind, sure, I'd love to! Hold them up and let's see?"

She took a step back and hung her own choices on the nearest rack, waiting and watching as Susan showed each. "Mm, I like that one," she said after the first with a nod.

"Oh, but that one looks great, too...!" She curled in her lips and placed a finger to them thoughtfully. Both were a good fit for the girl; she had a good eye for fashion. The styles were fairly different, though, so... "Guess it's all up to what ya want. The first one's cute, and ya can't go wrong with cute, but the second one's... sexier," Lauren smiled as she adjusted her glasses, glancing at the more revealing of the pair. "That's the one I'd go with. A good bikini is all about showin' off, right?" She nodded twice with enthusiasm, flashing a provocative smile before continuing, "Why don'tcha try it on?"

Stepping aside she motioned to the changing room nearby. "It'll look great on you, for sure. Def the best choice. And when you're done, maybe you could help me out? That girl ain't comin' anytime soon, and I've gotta get a few..." A roll of her eyes punctuated her annoyance with the clerk.

A bit taken aback by the girl's initial reply, it soon became obvious to Susan she had taken her for the... preoccupied shopkeeper. Still, she was kind enough to help her, and gave her opinions honestly. Susan smiled when the girl pointed out the dressing room near them, giving an agreeable nod.

"Oh, good idea!" She said, "Won't know until I can see them on, right? I'd love to give you a hand, too-- I'm Susan, by the way."

"Susan made a friend!" A cheerful voice rang out from behind the pair, as Susan's most exuberant sister found her through the aisles, decidedly carrying nothing that had to do with beachwear but somehow had managed to find an inflatable tube with a unicorn's head, "Is she gonna come to the beach with us, Susie?"

"Caroline, don't run." Philippa said, joining her sisters shortly thereafter, "You'll hurt someone."

"Pippa look, look!" Caroline cried, bouncing (bouncing a lot...) on her heels as she pointed excitedly at Lauren, "Susan's friend is gonna go to the beach with us!"

Philippa's expression looked a cross between annoyed and defeated as her gaze found Lauren's face for a moment, before looking to Susan in a way that seemed to ask 'is that so?' and then back to Lauren.

"Lucky her." Philippa... apologized? Her tone was monotonous and sarcastic all at once, emotions tightly restrained, "I'm not sure whether to thank you or say we're sorry."

"Yeah -- sometimes the design's all wrong when you put it on, ya know? Oh, right! Lauren," she said, starting to extend her hand. The name brought back some memories, and she wondered just where the Susan she knew had gone. She never did find out, and Lena was tight lipped about the whole thing for obvious reasons. Her little recollection was cut short as a playful voice interrupted the pair. "Friend? Well, I dunn..."

Turning, the thinner girl found herself a bit perplexed. First it was the adorable unicorn tube that caught her eye (and a smile, as it was impossible not to), but only a moment later did she realize the girl had nearly the same exact appearance as Susan did. Lauren had to turn her head back to confirm before turning back to Caroline. Sure, the hair was a bit different, and their personal style was almost as different as could be, but there was no mistaking everything else from the shape of their face to the way they could...

Bounce.

Lauren caught herself staring just a bit at the bubbly, bouncing sister, gears in her head turning before she remembered that twins were a thing. "Oh, y'all must be sisters! Twin sisters!" Lauren exclaimed knowingly, hands on her hips, with a tone that contained a bit more pride than was called for in determining something so obvious. She smiled and bent over a bit, feeling a compulsion to treat Caroline more like she was a young girl. "I was just helpin' your sis choose the best lookin... Ah?"

A third girl walked up, and Lauren tilted her head with visible confusion. A third! A third that looked the same! "A third twin...!" She exclaimed, unable to contain her surprise. The stupidity of her word choice didn't quite cross her mind, but Lauren wasn't known for her brilliance by most. The glasses tended to lead people to the wrong conclusions in that regard...

Between the shock of three twins, the excited jiggling of Caroline, and frets of picking out her own swimsuits, Lauren was beginning to get a little flustered. "Oh, no, we aren't goin' to the beach together, I was just helpin'... Well, I mean, no, that's not right, I mean I don't wanna go to the beach with y'all --- No, er, I don't NOT wanna go to the beach with y'all, I've got some plans later but I'm totally free for a while and then that's happenin' on the beach anyways so I definitely could, and..." She ran out of breath, forced to take a deep one and fan herself. She'd forgotten how hot the summers could be around here. Red-faced, Lauren held out both hands and waved them in front of her.

"Sorry! I um, get a bit... Nevermind! My name's Lauren, and I'd love to go to the beach with y'all if y'all want me there...!"

"Oh, I know!" Susan agreed quickly about trying on the suits first, "Of course you're welcome to join us."

She smiled at Lauren's surprise as her sisters approached-- well, Caroline was a bit... much, at first. Still, the idea was fine and it would be nice to have someone familiar with the area join them.

"Yes, these are my sisters Caroline and Philippa," Susan introduced, as Caroline trotted forward, her voluminous breasts bouncing in-rhythm with the bobbing of her inflatable unicorn-tube's head with every step. The energetic quint grasped hold of Lauren's hands, shaking vigorously.

"Oh!!" She cried merrily, "We're going to have so much fun!"

Meanwhile, Philippa looked to Lauren with an expression that brokered much less amusement. third twin. Great. She was one of those sorts of people. Still, she let out a defeated sigh and a standoffish 'whatever' as she turned her attention to the last pair of the quintuplets as they made their way to the assembled group, Elizabeth already holding a yellow bikini draped over one arm.

"What's this?" Josephine asked, sizing up Lauren as if she were an enemy mobile suit, "Fresh meat?"

"This is Susan's new friend Lauren!" Caroline sing-songed her response, "She's gonna beach with us~"

"Oh yeah?" Josephine asked, "How's the surf in this place, anyway?"

Susan's eye, however, caught sight of Elizabeth's swimsuit, and she let out an avaricious squeal, "Oh thanks, Lizzie!" she cooed, snatching the garment from her sister quickly, "This would look awful on you, it's a good thing I'm here to wear it instead."

"O-Oh, but--" Elizabeth began, easily cowed by her sister. Philippa scoffed.

"We all look the same, Susan." Philippa rebuffed, "Why is it taking you so long to find something, anyway?"

"Well that's easy for you to say!" Susan shot back, "Nobody cares what you look like, but I have to look nice for..." She trailed off as her gaze caught a trio of handsome guys walk past the boutique window. Philippa shook her head. It was going to be one of those vacations.

"Great! I'd love to! I'm here by myself, so I would'a gotten kinda lonely after my photoshoot's over," Lauren said to Susan with a smile, before turning to Caroline and Philippa. It was such a weird feeling being surrounded by the same person on all sides... Well, not quite the same, but visually at least. Already Lauren was getting a good feel for their personalities: not just from their words, but her extra senses as well. For whatever reason she could just feel some sort of disappointment or disdain from Philippa. Had she offended her...?

No time to think about it, though, as the overwhelmingly effervescent Caroline grasped her hands and tried to pull Lauren onto her frequency. The results were quite incomparable. While Caroline jiggled and bounced, Lauren might have most aptly been described as a ripple. The more petite girl was a bit transfixed, and a pang of jealousy struck out from inside her. Enough the others might could feel it, were they cognizant with such things. Even if they were, Lauren was staring for a good two seconds with no response but a nod. Even with her pads, it just wasn't much of a contest. Was it really all genetics? All three of them...

"O-oh, yeah, tons! It's been a long time since I've been to the beach, so I'm totally looking forward to it! But I need to--" Another voice?! Lauren's attention snapped to the newcomers and her eyes went wide. Another set of twins?! Was this possible? She'd never heard of five twins! Three twins, sure, but five?! And they were all...!

"M-more sisters?! Holy cow! Y'all're ALL twins?! Th-that's crazy!" Lauren didn't even try to keep herself reserved at this point. It wasn't exactly the wildest thing she'd ever seen -- she'd seen her share of very weird things -- but it was unusual enough she couldn't contain herself. "Oh my gosh, this is like... One of those movies about clones or whatever! Hey, y'all aren't gonna like... turn me into a clone or somethin' are you?" There was an actual look of concern on her face for just a moment, but then she giggled a bit (nervously). "Haha, just kidding..." Right? That totally wouldn't happen. Right? That sort of thing doesn't happen...

"But, um, gosh, five twins -- are there any more of you? There can't be! But hey, y'all must have it easy pickin' out clothes, right? You can totally just try on an outfit each, huh? Oh, that would be so cool! I always wanted a sister, but it's a bit late now..." Lauren looked around as she spoke, just taking in each of the girls in turn once more. "Hey, y'all aren't all the same! Your hair's different, right?" She responded to Philippa, nodding as if she'd said the wisest thing in the world. Maybe she had, in her world.

"Hey though... Maybe all y'all can help me out? I need to get a bunch of different swimsuits for my photoshoot! If all'a'y'all can pick out one that'll look good on me I'll be done in, like, half the time, easy! That's just math!" She gave a nod, and adjusted her glasses smartly.

"Photoshoot?" Susan asked, all of her attention on Lauren suddenly, even as Caroline continued to dance (wiggle?) with the other girl, "You're a model?" she appraised Lauren's beauty with envious curiosity, before she heard her request, suddenly snapped into her element "Oh yeah, we'd love to help you find clothes!"

"We would?" Josephine asked, not as keen to the idea, but Susan's quick glare had her holding up her hands to yield, "I mean of course we would! We're gonna get you kicking some camera-butt!"

"Oh, what fun!" Caroline giggled, slipping off her unicorn to slide over Lauren's slim form, "Now Prince Rainbow Starchild, take good care of Lauren while we find her something nice to wear! We won't let you down, right Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth flinched hearing her name, looking up from an assortment of sandals that had caught her eye, "U-Um... yeah. Go team."

They seemed set to disperse on their garment finding quest before Lauren's surprised response to their identicality made them all stop, and with a long, pregnant pause they all stared at the redhead.

Then Caroline giggled. "Of course we're not gonna clone you, silly!"

"I suppose in a matter of speaking we're clones." Philippa said, "Quintuplets actually. Whoever heard of five twins." She took something sleek and black from the rack next to her and practically slapped Lauren with it when she thrust it out in front of her, "Put that on."

"Hey! She wanted my advice, Philippa!" Susan said, wrinkling her nose at the depressing swimsuit, "Besides, that thing is hideous." She placed a skimpy crimson two-piece in Lauren's hands with pride, "Everyone will really be able to see your great figure in this."

"They would be able to see her liver in that." Philippa retorted, and Susan rounded on her.

"You always do this! She was my friend first! Besides, she's going to a fashion shoot, not a funeral!" Susan seethed, ushering Lauren toward the dressing room with her, cooing gently to her, "Don't mind her, just try it on and see..."

"Well, kinda-sorta, this is kinda my first real, um, professional shoot outside of..." Lauren blushed and shook her head, deciding it best not to pursue that train of thought. There were too many little caveats to explain away, and not all of them were good memories. Hopefully -- probably? -- they'd never really come across the more scandalous entries of her past. So long as they didn't search her name, anyways. Regardless of her sudden embarrassment the quints all seemed to be taking the ball and running with it anyways, so no topic change was necessary. Better, they seemed keen to help. Most of them, at least.

"Oh, thank you! I can't thank y'all enough!" She clasped her hands together, before Caroline plopped her inner-tube-icorn over her and frolicked away. Or did, before they all turned back on her in unison with looks like she'd uncovered their deepest, darkest secret. Lauren swallowed, shrinking down into her new protective unicorn. Such strange comfort it provided...

"Ah... Ahaha, yeah, silly me," she laughed with still a bit of nervousness. Maybe it was worse that Caroline said it so sweetly. She'd seen enough horror movies to doubt the innocent-seeming-one's true intentions. A black swimsuit smacking her face changed the moment all over again, and Lauren blushed a little more from her matter of fact tone and correction to her word choice. Not that the girl really got it. "Oh, y-yeah, twintuplets... That's what I meant," she mumbled just loud enough for the closest girls to hear, before grabbing Philippa's bikini and appraising it. It was cute enough: a good contrast to her pale skin and a modest design, but it Susan might've had a good point about it being a little less than tropical. Susan's exceptionally stringy offering was certainly a lot more her personal style.

"It's all about variety and showin' off different styles and stuff, so it's fine, I like both of 'em!" Lauren tried to diffuse a bit of the sisterly hostilities, though maybe it was more because she didn't want to disappoint Philippa. Not even disappoint... More like avoid having her talk down to her. Lauren already got the feeling she was far too good at that, and she didn't need any more bullies. Lena was enough. "I don't mind showin' off as much or as little of--Oh, yeah...!" Further explanation to try and assuage Philippa's choice was cut short as Susan began to haul her off to the changing room, probably for her own good. If she got going again there was no telling how far she could put her foot in her mouth trying to be nice.

"Y'know, for bein twins y'all're all pretty different, huh...?" Lauren remarked, entering the same room as Susan without a thought. Prince Rainbow Starchild was allowed to slide delicately to her feet and got set in a corner. "I mean, y'know, in taste and stuff -- kinda weird. But y'all seem to get on pretty well, it must be nice having so many sisters..." She wasted no time in pulling her sundress up and over her head, before hefting up the skimpy thong bikini Susan had picked. "This really is more my style, for sure, I bet it's gonna look great."

Clearly proud of her victory over her sister, Susan guided Lauren toward the changing rooms with her, slipping the elegant black swimsuit Philippa had chosen from Lauren's arms as though she were doing away with a dead snake, discarding it onto a bench with a prissy little shake of her wrist.

"Now, we'll just get rid of this thing," She said as she ushered Lauren toward the doors with her choice-- the only right choice-- remaining. She laughed softly at the girl's observation. She could tell critical thinking wasn't really this girl's strong suit. But then, she liked that. It reminded her of Caroline, "I suppose we are pretty different-- we have to be, I think. Our own people, to be taken seriously."

Her gaze grew distant for a moment before she shooed Lauren toward the door, a grin blooming on her face, "Well, go on! Let's see what a good choice I made!"

"I FOUND ONE!" A bubbly chirp rang out from the aisles behind them as Caroline bounded toward them with a one piece patterned with colorful seals and sporting a little skirt, "Isn't it cute? Go on, try it!"

"Carrie, she can't wear that to a fashion shoot," Susan said gently, her eyes unwilling to leave the oppressively cute design, "It's, um..."

"What's wrong with it?" Caroline asked, beginning to pout. Susan waved her arms to ward off the possibility of oncoming tears.

"What if the photographer likes it so much he asks her to wear more from the same designer? Could you find more?" Susan lied desperately with a smile. Caroline thought for a moment, and then smiled.

"I guess not, I don't know who made it," She admitted, "Thanks, Susan! You know so much about clothes!"

"I do, don't I!" Susan praised herself. Somewhere beyond Caroline, Philippa's scoff sounded from behind the racks.

"Oh, but I..." Lauren started as Susan dropped Philippa's choice like a piece of trash, but she was being pushed along and felt pressure not to protest it. She really didn't want to hurt any of their feelings... On the otherhand, it didn't seem like Philippa cared too much about this. At least not any further than to butt heads with Susan. Honestly, that sort of relationship made her happy. It wasn't unlike her and Lena's to some degree, and as infuriating as Lena could be Lauren still considered her a good friend -- most of the time.

"I totally get that, though," the slender redhead called out from behind the door, continuing a different line of thought. "Y'all must get compared all the time, and sometimes you just wish you could be your own person, right? Or be someone else, Or just look different. Standout in ways you can't, and stuff, right...? An' I bet there's all kinds'a pressure to live up to the best aspects of each other, too, huh?" There was a brief silence from inside the room after her little monologue, but an attentive Susan could hear a sharp inhale of breath and a disappointed groan. Inside, Lauren was pouting at her reflection in the mirror. The swimsuit looked great, for sure, but there was a small problem.

The door opened slowly, and Lauren was looking down at her feet with a flushed face. "You had a pretty good eye for my measurements, but, um..." The problem was immediately apparent to anyone with a fashionable eye. The bottom fit fine, showing off her thighs and butt wonderfully, but the top hung just a bit loose. Loose enough that some unique jewelry could be seen if Susan's eyes were adventurous enough. "I was... wearing pads, so..." The words came out slow and painfully, accompanied with a total refusal to look at her new friend. This was actual torture to have to admit. She wanted to just disappear as she finished saying, "I need a smaller one..."

The timing couldn't have been worse for Caroline to run up with an actual child's swimsuit, or at least what certainly looked like one. It was as cute as could be with little cartoon seals on it; the exact kind of design she'd have loved as a little girl herself. Anytime other than right now Lauren'd have found it just the right sort of cute, but she was undergoing her regularly scheduled self esteem crisis. Lauren froze staring at it, face turning a brighter and brighter red. On the one hand, she knew Caroline didn't mean anything by it. On the other hand, she was literally being offered a child's swimsuit. That wasn't enough, though, as the cruel boot of reality was also shoving her into an early grave with the realization it would fit her without any problems.

"I... I think I need to sit down," Lauren said as the air started to get a little too hot and her head began to spin. She tried to take a step backwards but her brain forgot how knees and ankles worked, tripping her up with literally none of the grace of a model. Instead she stumbled against the doorframe before falling face first out of the changing room.

"Right, you get it!" Susan said, with a flick of her cerise bangs, "Of course, I stand out the most."

She was getting pretty full of herself with Lauren's praise. She did have a good eye for clothes and measurements. This girl was going to look fantastic for her shoot. That is, until the girl's voice broke her from her thoughts. Smaller...?

Oh.

Susan saw the issue.

Her eyes scanned the fabric as it swung baggily over the other girl's chest for a moment before she smiled, and shook her head comfortingly to Lauren, "That's alright, no need to worry," Then, she called over her shoulder, "Carrie! What section did you find that one in?"

Her voice carried loud throughout the store, easily overheard. Maybe outside. Maybe to Jupiter. Caroline answered.

"Coming~"

Philippa responded too.

"The kiddie section is out near the front of the store." it was flat, embarrassingly matter-of-fact. And when she poked her head in to check on the girls, her snort said a lot more than her tone did. Caroline joined them quickly.

"I'm here!" Caroline said, carrying a water-rifle in the shape of a pink porpoise, "I can show you where I got it, you want the same kind?"

No need to worry? Far too late for that. It would have been good advice for her 10 years ago when her chest stopped growing, but now... Well, some things couldn't change. "H-hey, not so loud!" She squeaked out in response to Susan, who in contrast seemed to shout across the world. She prayed Caroline didn't shout back. She knew where she found that swimsuit. Hearing it would be bad enough; having it shouted for everyone in the store to hear... Lauren cupped her face in a hand and stumbled back into a seat, her other grasping the heart shaped lock on her collar and squeezing it anxiously. No sooner had she than Philippa appeared and said precisely what she dreaded most, followed by the most condescending suppression of laughter she'd heard in a while.

Lauren groaned painfully and uncovered her face, staring up at Philippa with narrow eyes. It might've been a scary look, if her face didn't look sun burnt from how flushed she was. "I don't need things from the kiddie section! J-just because my boobs're small, doesn't mean... Some people like smaller chests, y'know! Kit says they're perfect! So did some of my..." Of course, that was leaving out the part where she never, ever believed Kit when she said that. Not with the sort of taste she had in other women. Standing up and grabbing the ill-fitting top, she continued, "Do these look like a child's?" She pulled it open shamelessly and exposed her modesty to the gathered trio. A pair of dangling silver rings seemed to be the actual emphasis of her question, as if they changed anything about the size she could wear.

Being a bit too preoccupied with her insecurities, she didn't even notice Caroline's water gun. Her eyes were shut, in fact, head tilted up like she was revealing the most glorious and amazing showcase of all time. And, of course, her back was arched as most as possible, giving herself just that extra bit of curve and emphasis. A fantasy might have even been playing out in her head about how impressed they all were with her ability to go to a shop and get a piercing, as though it were the most incredible feat one could accomplish. Cheers, too, there were definitely cheers. She could hear them so clearly...

Philippa and Susan blinked as Lauren defended her diminutive chest to the three girls gathered near the changing rooms, a long and heavily pregnant silence punctuating Lauren's triumphant outburst accentuated by the glistening silver rings which hung provocatively from the girl's nipples. Susan and Philippa stared at Lauren for a very long moment, the quiet after her speech stretching uncomfortably as they turned their gaze from her to each other.

"Oh! I've never seen those not on someone's ears before!" Caroline cried, breaking the long silence with incredible energy, "B-But I thought only cows got them anywhere else..."

She thought hard for a moment, and Philippa's expression shifted to one of boredom.

"Maybe an A?" she asked her sister, who gave a thoughtful hum in response.

"I'm not sure if their shoot is looking for anything too juvenile, Caroline's choices may not be the best after all..." Susan said ponderously, before her eyes caught Elizabeth carrying a gorgeous lavender and white two piece to the register and she let out a little gasp.

"Oh Lizzy that's perfect! I knew I could count on you!" Susan said as she dashed to her sister, snatching the swimsuit out of her hands, "Does it come in anything a little more..." She fished for the right word, "Petite?"

"O-Oh, but I was going to--" Elizabeth began before Susan stole the purchase from her arms, "A-Ah... okay..." She sighed in defeat, "Um... I found everything over there..." She pointed to the section she was previously at with a timid finger.

The delusional scenario concocted in her head couldn't withstand such an elongated, judgmental silence. Such awkward, long seconds passed in which she could ponder the inappropriateness of her action in full. An eye peeked open, then another, as her smile turned to a nervous gnawing on her lip. She exchanged a glance with Susan, then Philippa, before they turned to each other with such blasé expressions. The petite girl didn't cover herself up, standing frozen and committed to her actions even as the discomforting tension grew stronger and stronger.

"..Well?!" She burst out, just as Caroline broke the ice at the same time. Sweet Caroline, melting away all the awkwardness with at least some show of enthusiasm. Lauren brightened immediately and placed an arm under her breasts, preparing to make a show of things and tell Caroline all about their merits and how much fun they were, or something of the sort. Her follow-up, though, sort of ruined the little bit of triumph she was about to revel in. From smiling to frowning, then back to smiling and now frowning again...

"C-cows?! What? No! They ain't for -- They're cool! Mature! Erotic!" Her arm squeezed, lifting and pushing for the slightest bit of jiggling emphasis. She quickly turned her head towards Philippa as she so casually sized her, then to the equally nonchalant Susan who agreed. Pained, wide eyes accompanied her incredulous response, "A? A?! These are-- They ain't-- How could you think they're A cups!?" More deliberate bouncing ensued using both hands, now, as the girl appeared nearly on the verge of tears. "B! They're Bs! Healthy, perfectly respectable, perky Bs...! There's a world of difference!"

Susan's vocal musings frustrated her more, having so quickly just dropped the subject like that after (unintentionally, perhaps) wounding her so. "It's not juvenile at all, it's s'posed to be sexy! A beach shoot, sexy bikinis and lots of skin and maybe I'll even go -- hey! Where're you going?!" As Susan took off Lauren hesitated for just a few moments, puffing out her cheeks with indignation. Casting a glance at Philippa, she thoughtlessly scrambled after Susan.

Lauren collided with Elizabeth as she stopped, forcing her way into Susan's view by nestling up next to the sister she had only barely been acquainted with. That didn't stop her from hooking an arm around Elizabeth's arm, her other pointing at Susan. "Hey! P-p-petite?! They're not petite!" Said the petite girl with her petite chest still bared, "modest! And c'mon, you didn't even say anything about 'em!? What, they don't look good?! They're -- Oh, wow, that's really sexy, where the heck were you hidin' that one? I mean, I liked the other one, but this one's amazing! I guess I do need multiple, but y'know, still, couldn't you'a shown me this one first?" Mid rant at Susan, Lauren's eyes caught the two tone bikini and her eyes lit up. It was exactly the mix of provocative yet classy she wanted. Not even realizing she'd just taken it from Elizabeth, she turned to the girl she had gotten uncomfortably close to. "Your twin has the best eye, that's gonna look just perfect on me, don't you think?"

Cool!

Mature!

Erotic!

Philippa met Lauren's eyes, blue on blue in a deadpan as the girl went off, and with deadpan harpoon punctuated a final listing, "Small."

She didn't much catch the world of difference Lauren was referring to, but she quickly followed Susan out of the changing room, leaving Philippa to wonder whether or not she was aware she was prancing around the store all but naked at this point. Well, she supposed if she got in trouble at least it would be Susan's problem. Then she would get to relish the 'I told you so' later. She looked at the strappy black one-piece she'd selected for herself, then toward the mirror. Well, as long as she was in here...

"Right?" Susan said, turning to Lauren as she held up the bikini she had pilfered from her sister, "If you wear more like this, your shoot is sure to be a success! It's a good thing I found it, huh!"

Elizabeth's shoulders sagged with defeat, but she put on a shy smile, only to have it falter the moment she heard a disgruntled "HEY YOU!" from behind them. Susan turned, coming to the gaze of an irate shopkeeper, her target's attention long since having been stolen by the silver rings which shimmered from Lauren's pink nipples.

"This isn't that kind of store, Miss." She sneered, gesturing to the other girl's chest with a flippant flick of her wrist, "Not that you have much to advertise anyway." She gave a triumphant smirk as her eyes caught the men's swim trunks Josephine was looking over, then returned her attention to Lauren, "Though with how you look, those may be more your speed."

Philippa's precision strike wasn't lost on the girl, eliciting a sharp "Ah!" in response and a mental note to give her an earful after she was done with Susan. Surely Philippa would be so very threatened by those intentions, had she the ability to read minds.

Fortunately for her (or fortunately for Lauren, perhaps), she'd gotten a bit distracted for the time being. Feeling the material of the newest bikini, she nodded several times in succession. "Mmmhm, definitely, definitely! I can't wait to put it on, just need to... Huh?" As she was so busy gushing over the newest choice, she didn't even notice the attention she'd garnered. Nor why, for that matter.

She turned her head to face the shopkeeper, confused and surprised to even hear her. Surely she'd been far too wrapped up in her boytoy to pay them any attention. "Eh, me?" Lauren motioned to herself with a finger, as the woman motioned downwards. About that time she noticed the direct stare and smile from her catch, causing her to glance downwards. Her face filled from bottom to top with red, but then the girl just went ahead and ran her bitchy mouth.

With a scoff, Lauren stepped back and put her hands on her hips, glancing over at Josephine's particular tastes before back to the girl. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just came out here to try and get the right size since you aren't helping, but it looks like at least someone thinks they look good!" A gesture with her left hand singled out the guy, who was still staring her down and giving a thumbs up behind the girl's back. She spun around and his hand and gaze quickly shifted in the nick of time. Lauren's hands swept up behind her back, untying the ill-fitting top until it fell free. A seductive little shimmy accompanied it, effortless for the former dancer, stealing back the guy's attention. The brat of a shopkeeper spun back around just to be hit when Lauren flung the top at her. "Now that you're not busy, I could really use this in my size. 32B, by the way," emphasis was given with directed pushes and bounces of her hands, and despite the shopkeeper's insistence the store had suddenly turned into a stripclub. Lauren turned about, whipping her hair as she did and looking over her shoulder. "And don't worry about the bottom, it fits just fine," she finished in a sultry tone as her fingers pulled the thong up, giving plenty of emphasis to her backside as she strutted away to the changing rooms.

The second she turned the corner her front dropped and she clutched her chest. "Not small, not small, not small not smallnotsmallnotsmallnotsmallnotsmall..." She repeated aloud to herself over and over, hurriedly opening the door to the changing room she'd left and shutting it behind her.

Back with Susan and Elizabeth, the shopkeeper was giving the beach boy an evil stare. "Hey, nipple rings are hot. You should get some, babe, would totally look great on you," he said in a poor attempt to defuse the situation.

Susan stared after Lauren, mouth agape at the girl's magnificent defense of her modest breast size to this incredibly rude cashier. It was about time someone put her in her place, really. What kind of person ignores customers on the job? She would take care of the rest of this!

"Well, that information is handy, isn't it?" She said, trotting contentedly to the shopkeeper's easily distracted boyfriend, taking possession of his arm for herself, "Now that we know, will you help me pick something out in the appropriate size?" She flashed him a charming grin as she began to tug him gently away from his inadequate lady friend, who watched the two with mouth agape with indignation.

"Hey! HEY! Why you--"

"U-Um, but I wanted to buy..." Elizabeth breathed, and the bitchy girl rounded on her at once.

"You're not carrying anything to buy!" she snapped, making the timid quintuplet flinch, "If you're going to--"

She was cut off by a pair of swim trunks and a bikini top slapping her hard in the face as Josephine returned to the register at last.

"M'buying this!" She snarled, "Carried 'em over and everything."

"B-But these are mismatched!" the cashier complained venomously, her eyes darting helplessly between the garments and her man as he was lead away by Susan, "You can't just--"

"HAH?" Josephine griped loudly, and the girl swallowed hard, "I can't, huh? Lizzie, go find somethin' nice while I finish my purchase."

"N-No fighting...!" Elizabeth protested softly even as she glided back toward the aisles.

Meanwhile, Philippa was stepping into her swimsuit when her own impressive chest was met with a painful knock as another person barreled into the changing room with her.

"Ow!" She cried, "This one's occupied, for Pete's..." she trailed off, recognizing Lauren by her hair alone immediately, "You! Why are you back!? You don't even have anything new to try on!" she covered her own chest, cheeks flushed, why was she just walking in on people now!?

"Oh, uh, hey there babe," came a distracted reply from Susan's target, who was having trouble himself splitting his attention between the shopkeep, her, and watching Lauren leave. Fortunately for him, Lauren turned the corner and Josephine came to tie up the cashier, so... "Yeah, I'll totally help you out, like, no problem," he said with suave confidence, especially now that he'd looked Susan head to toe to chest. "Just gonna help her find her friend's top, I'll be back later, kay?" he directed at the fuming girl as he was pulled away, though he didn't even turn to look at her. Newer, better sights had piqued his interest.

"Name's Brody by the way, but everyone just calls me 'The Duke,' or ya know, just 'Duke,' whatever, 'cus I really tear it up, ya know? Gonna catch some waves later, you should come, maybe bring your little fiery topless friend along and we can all have some fun, it'll be like a totally chill time." A bit emboldened by everything that was unfolding, he really laid it on thick. The further he and Susan moved from the cashier, the bolder he got. "Little fun in the sun, y'know? Some of my boys'll be there too, so like, everyone can come. Then after we're gonna have this rockin' party at night down the beach a ways, everyone's gonna be there..."

Meanwhile, Lauren had run face first into quite the pillowy problem. She practically jumped into her in her frantic scurry to get back in the privacy of the room, and now her face was buried in Philippa's impressive... stature. Not quite understanding what happened for a moment, she glanced up. "N-not small..." she muttered in something of a daze, before scurrying backwards. Lauren's flush matched Philippa's, and though she tried to look her in the eyes her submissive nature prevented her from doing that. Well, that, and as her head tilted down she couldn't help but stare.

"I-I-I... Um...!" The girl stammered, holding up her hands defensively before trying to explain, "I had to come back in, cause I can't be topless in the store, and the cashier got all bitchy with me, so I ran back in here, I'm sorry...!" She worked her way along the wall to put as much distance as there could be between her and Philippa, right up until she was in a corner and couldn't possibly inch away anymore.

"You and your boys?" Susan asked, biting at the crescent of her bottom lip as ideas formed in her head, blue eyes studying the surfer for a moment before she spoke again, "Yeah, that sounds like fun, if everyone's going to be there..."

Her gaze found Elizabeth as she passed like a shadow between racks, holding another ravishing swimsuit in one of her hands. Susan smiled, turning her attention back to the Duke as she hooked an arm in his, allowing the strong trunk of his forearm to rest softly against her chest, "And all of my sisters are invited too?" the question was innocent, but she thought briefly of Caroline and swallowed a little thickly. Philippa would keep an eye on her, surely...

"Of course not, I've actually hit puberty," Philippa shot in response to Lauren's dazed comment, before holding herself with irate modesty under the other girl's scrutiny, "And stop looking!"

Philippa worked the black swimsuit over her figure, until it stretched tight over her hips and chest, adjusting the tight fabric with a fast snap as she hooked her fingers under the edges at her thighs. Her impressive bosom bounced as she looked cooly over toward Lauren then, tossing her hair over her shoulder with more than a little attitude.

"I'm assuming Susan is finding you a top more suited to whatever you have going on up here," She gestured noncommittally at the girl's torso, "Hopefully she didn't get too distracted."

Philippa pulled the curtain back, making her way back into the store. Her walk was showy in her haughtiness, with a lot of hip to it. It was then that Caroline's face popped into view from the side of the entryway, her hand stretched out to shake a dangling bikini top toward Lauren with a big smile.

"Found it!" she chimed, wiggling the garment at her new friend, "Do I win a prize?"