Brid carried her bag up the stairs and dropped it on the bed. She unzipped it and began to unpack. The tolietries went into the bathroom and the tank tops and the couple of pairs of jean cutoff shorts went into the dresser. Working with horses all day, every day, Brid was used to mostly wearing jeans. Most of her shorts were just worn jeans that she had cutoff. She put her worn, battered boots on the floor in the closet. She didn't know why she brought them, perhaps because that was what she was always used to carrying.

At the bottom of her bag, she pulled out a cloth wrapped bundle. She unwrapped a picture in a rustic wood and barbed wire frame. Sadness and longing filled her gazed down at the picture. She sank to the bed as her eyes started to burn. Before the tears could start though, she heard Takahiro's voice calling up from the foot of the staircase.

"Come on up," she called swiping at the moisture in her eyes.

"Is that your horse?" Takahiro asked as Brid set the photo on her nightstand.

"Sadly no." Brid stroked a finger down the picture of her on the black stallion. "Its a long story," she added at his raised eyebrows.

"You ready to go?" Takahiro asked, sensing that right now Brid wasn't ready to talk about it.

Brid nodded and they left the suite, after getting directions through the ship to the shopping mall from Jenkins. Brid's jaw nearly dropped when the reached the shopping mall on the ship. There were shops for everything from nails and massages to jewelry and formal gowns. There was even a whole shop devoted to swimwear, from one pieces and bikinis to board shorts, rash guards and full wetsuits.

"Where shall we start?" Takahiro asked, voicing Brid's thoughts.

"I have no clue," Brid said turning in a circle. "I don't do a lot of cruises or shopping. Heck I have never had a manicure or even a pedicure."

"I don't know either," Takahiro said. "But I have an idea." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Senpai, I have a question," he said into the phone as he moved away a bit to talk.

Before Brid knew, an hour and a half had gone by and Takahiro had convinced her to get a mani/pedi. Then Takahiro had told her that she would need gowns for the fancy dinners, so it was off to one of the gown shops. One of the female workers helped Brid pick out some gowns. She got one green and black ball gown type and the girl also convinced Brid to by one with a fitted top and high slit. Finally it was off to the swimwear shop for a swim suit for Brid. She finally settled on a nice, modest tankini.