Before the Show

Plenty of people find getting ready tedious, especially when it involves putting on a complex outfit with plenty of layers, but Glorp tries to think of it as meditative instead. Today, he starts with a skin tight insulative layer. He slides it up one leg and then the other, making sure that each stirrup is in exactly the right place to keep it from riding up. Then, he stands, getting the material up and over his hips before tucking his arms into the sleeves. They stay secure with thumb holes. Finally, he fastens the back, from the top of the tail all the way up to the high neckline, which sits just below his jaw. At first, that part was a challenge, but he’s been doing it the same way for so long it’s almost automatic.

Glorp takes a moment to appreciate the feeling of the base layer. It holds close, like a hug, with just enough weight to keep him grounded. It was specifically tailored to his measurements, and, with the stretch of the fabric, it moves with him, an almost perfect second skin. He has several like it, with slight design variations for temperature regulation and aesthetics. This particular one features a dark color, almost matching the black of his own fur, and bright purple piping. It also has a hidden opening that allows him to access his own pouch if he ever needs to.

Next, Glorp takes a moment to find the matching segment that fits over his tail, sliding that on and securing it to the base. Like his paws, the end of his tail is left free to maximize dexterity. He uses it as a third hand often enough to prefer it that way. The tail cover has a special lining at the far end that increases its grip, keeping it from bunching up uncomfortably.

Before starting to get ready this time, Glorp took the time to pick out the next pieces of his outfit. Sometimes, he waited until the base layer was settled before deciding, but he wanted to make sure he was well coordinated tonight. He turns back and picks up the top piece off the bed where he set it. It fits much looser than the under layer, though the sleeves gather back in at the wrists. It also has a large hood, which Glorp takes the time to arrange neatly on his back, since he doesn’t often wear it up. The top is shimmery with an almost pearlescent coloration that shifts from yellow to green. The bottoms match, gathering similarly at Glorp’s ankles; the back fastens just over his tail to keep them from falling.

Outfit taken care of, Glorp turns to some accessories. He adds a pair of rings to his left hand and then a third on his right. They each shine with gold. The first is surrounded with small peridot stones; the second contains no stones but is shaped as if dripping; and the third has a small labradorite with green flashes. Next, he slides a band onto his tail. It’s partially translucent and filled with golden glitter. A pair of small golden hoops goes on each ear. They’re only clip-ons, since Glorp hasn’t committed to piercing his ears yet, but he does still occasionally like how they look.

Glorp takes a look in the mirror, trying to decide if he’s added too much. He spins the band on his tail slowly as he turns and then pauses. He forgot he wanted to add paint to his claws for the evening. He hurries off to grab some in a bright purple that matches the evening’s under layer and sits down. His rear claws go by quickly since they’re easy to reach. He struggles more with his front paws. No matter how many times he paints them, it always seems to be a little difficult. He gets it done though and flaps his paws in the air, trying to get the paint to dry more quickly. A spot of slime flies from one of them, and Glorp stands up to wipe it off. Despite its purple color, it doesn’t usually stain. He is more in control of the slime most of the time, but his slowly building excitement might have loosened it unintentionally.

The xero takes a deep breath, flexing his paws slowly. A quick glance at the clock tells him it’s almost time. He takes another breath. Glorp picks up a black satchel and slings it over his shoulder. It’s got all sorts of things he might need and then a few extra for fun. It’s easier to keep the basics ready to go. He walks to the door.

There’s already music playing by the time Glorp arrives. He’s on time, but the organizers were prepared for people to be early. The room is dark, only lit haphazardly, though it’s full of color. The atmosphere is relaxed and jovial. Glorp takes note of the snack table before choosing a comfortable place to stand, close enough to the speakers that he can feel the bassiness. More people fill in the floor, many of them dancing to the music now. It’s going to be a fun night for sure.