"I suppose my budget stretches to a dress. Go ahead, knock yourself out!"

Ann grabs a deep pink one-piece dress off the rack and holds it up against herself. "What do you think, is it me?" 

Akira considers. "A little more cutesy than your usual style, but I could see it. I kind of like that in the white, actually." 

"Let's have you try that on, then." Ann riffles through the hangars on the rack. "What's your size again?" 

"Large." She's a little self-conscious about it. Her shoulders are broad for a cis girl.

Ann picks out the dress. "Okay, here we are. Want to try one one of those cache-coeurs or a turtleneck? Maybe one of the camisoles?"

"Sure, let's try one of the pink camisoles, they're cute. The skirts they sell here are mostly too short for my style though."

This is actually really kind of fun. The fear's fallen away and now she can enjoy it. Ann sees her.

Ann picks it off the rack and hands it to Akira. "Go, then, try them on. I'll be here when you're ready to show something off." She gestures to the change rooms.

Ugh, the change rooms are gender-segregated. Still, she is a girl and she is with a girl who will attest to her being a girl so nobody needs to know that she's trans.

She can just stay in one of these stalls and swap out her uniform for the thigh-length single-piece dress.

... It's got ruffles on it. Honestly, it makes her feel... kind of cute. Her shoulders are cold though, it's got barely any coverage. And that makes her feel really self-conscious. 

She slips out of the change room quietly, her head lowered.

"What do you think?" she asks. 

"Gosh," Ann says. "That's kind of adorable. It emphasizes your décolletage well. And the ruffles look nice. Very sporty, very spring chic. What do you think?"

What's a décolletage? Better not ask.

"I'm anxious that it makes my shoulders look big. And it's a little cold..." 

She looks at Morgana. "What do you think?"

Morgana nods and replies, "Very cute. The ruffles look fun."

Akira blushes a little.

... she looks cute in a dress?

"... Okay," she says. "I think I want to keep this one."

Ann checks the price tag. "Yeah, it's within budget. Want to stop there or should I get you the camisole as well?"

Akira ducks her head. It's embarrassing to have another girl offer to buy her clothes. 

"... If you wanted to cover the camisole I wouldn't turn you down," she says.

"Let's do that then. And that can be our shopping trip? I know you want to get back home and get talking to that doctor you said you wanted to."

"Yeah, okay. Can I just wear this out if you pay for it?"

"Yeah, I can pull off the tag and get it scanned at checkout, Shibuya shops are usually good about that. Come with me to checkout?"

"Yeah, sure."

And across the store they go.

"You ladies find everything you were looking for?" the cashier asks.

"Yeah, I think so!" Ann smiles. "Just a couple items for my friend here."

She pulls out her wallet again and pulls the tag off of Akira's dress.

Akira hands over the camisole for scanning, and then they're all paid up and on their way back.

"So," Ann says as they leave the shop. "Was that so bad?"

"... You're a good friend," Akira says. "Thank you. For... giving me my space and for the gifts, too. I promise we'll figure this all out in the end. It might get messy, but I'll do my best."

Ann is really kind of wonderful.

"I'm glad to be a good friend to you. I'll walk you back to the station, alright? And then I've got to get back to my own place as well." 

It's been a really intense day, but hopefully things work out okay.

"Alright!" 

And off they go together to take their separate trains.