[Souls of Paranoia]Eastwood Shopping Center - Girl Time [Week 2]

The Eastwood Shopping Center was one of the more popular shopping centers in the city. It took close to 250,000 feet squared of space and 4 floors. Over the entire mall there was more then 500 shops, trinkets, doodads, bakers, anything really. Due to the size of the mall there was even a trolly that ran throughout the mall to help shoppers move around quickly. In the basement was some underground tunnels that connect to major roads and transit ways in the area. This underground section of the mall housed various bus stops to allow people easy access to the shopping center.


The mall was only a decade old, as the city built it close to major tourist areas in the city. It also also easy to access from the various high schools in the city. The location and quantity of shops in the mall was causing other malls to fall onto hard times, which only drove up the desirability of the mall even more. At any time it was fair to estimate there were thousands people in the mall. Maybe not accurate, but fair. The prices were relatively competitive if a person knew what shops were tourist traps.


Ribbon loved the mall. There was clothing, ice cream, make up, anything and everything she could want. On her left arm was a bag of clothes that she had bought. Mostly she would get frustrated when shopping for clothes though, as her size was very hard to find, and Red was never overly helpful. Everything looked 'nice' or 'ok' to her. Until it came to underwear, where Red would actually have some... comments. Sure, She liked Red, but sometimes she just wanted to friend to shop with who would actually give her real advice.


As she walked through the mall she crossed a frozen yoghurt place. It looked quite delicious. To anyone who knew Ribbon as Jennifer, this may seem strange. Jennifer didn't have a job, she didn't have money, how could she afford such casual shopping? Well, as Red's ribbon, she had access to her funds, and her money. Red wanted her Ribbon to be happy. Over the time together, Ribbon never could find out how much money Red had, as nothing she has ever wanted was considered too expensive.


"I think I'm going to get some frogurt. Maybe blueberry..." Ribbon spoke to Red as she analyzed the various flavors available through the glass. "Oh, but the vanilla looks good too." Jennifer bit her lower lip as she thought.


"Frogurt? What kind of name is that? it's just frozen yogurt not frogurt. Besides, this stuff just tastes like cheap knock off ice cream." Red was mostly just picking fun of Ribbon. Though, she didn't like frozen yogurt.


"It's just a shorter way to say it. Like... How people say BLT instead of bacon lettuce tomato. it's quicker!" Ribbon was happy, she was always happy when shopping. It was a nice break, nothing too serious.


"I don't think that's really the same thing." Red was amused, happy. She liked when Ribbon was so carefree and excited. Ribbon was torn between the vanilla and blueberry and her position in queue was coming up quickly. "Get the strawberry. You always like strawberry."


Ribbon visibly smiled showing off her teeth. "See, this is why I have you! You make all the hard decisions for me."

Kim was impressed by the details of the Tiki man statue adjacent to a store kiosk, even if the carved wooden statue was wearing sunglasses. The Kiosk was one of the probable hundreds lining the main corridor of the Eastwood mall that tried to grab costumers attention. It resembled a strange tiki hut composed of a fake straw roof and white wooden planks. To Kim though it was uncanny as it felt out of place and looked like it should be placed on some island beach in the tropics.


Examining the Tiki man and the woman who wore an outfit equally colorful to Tiki statue, Kim was reminded that she needed to buy new sunglasses to replace her old pair. She loved her old pair, they were wide-rimmed and were polka-dotted. Unforunately, her last pair broke when Felix accidentally crushed them by sitting down carelessly.


"Listen, I apologized about that," Felix said to Kim. "I didn't know you wore glasses and I don't have eyes on the back of your head."


Kim walked over to the stand that had columns of racks each holding different pairs of sunglasses on each one of its sides. There was easily two hundred pairs to choose from, but none of them matched her beloved polka-dotted pair. Indifferently she tossed the idea to Felix, "Why don't you pick some out?" Kim said out of curiosity to see what Felix would pick. "I mean this is also your body, maybe you should help me accessorize. Give me opinions..."


Kim's idea was to provoke Felix to become more opinionated when shopping as Kim hadn't had a shopping buddy in some time to bounce ideas. Besides her step mother, who she didn't like to shop with, she hadn't really gone to the Mall with anyone for serious shopping since she moved. Likewise she hoped that maybe Felix wouldn't rush her if he had more consideration for clothing. But maybe she was being a bit too hopeful. "Huh? I don't really know that much about girl's fashion. I mean I know if something is cute but that kind of stuff is beyond me. I never really needed those kind of skills."


"Oh come on Felix, don't be a stick in the mud. Just try something..." Kim said as she started to examine the racks. However after picking up a few different pairs, Kim almost couldn't contain herself when Felix picked up the blue pair of Cat Eye sunglasses from the Kiosk rack. Looking into the mirror, she felt embarrassed. She looked ridiculous wearing such pointy-frame glasses with blue cheetah print. She wondered why anyone would buy something like this or why Felix of any pair would choose these one's to try on.


"Oh, you like that pair?" said the woman managing the Kiosk misinterpreting Kim's giddiness. "They've been quite popular this month." The woman stepped towards Kim and adjusted them on her face. "You look very pretty!"


Kim tried to hold in her laughter. Taking the sun glasses off and putting them back on the stand. "Thanks but I think wide-rim look better on me," Kim said to the manager.


"You sure? You look awfully pretty. Plus that pair is on sale, 60% off," the colorful woman said as she put on a similar cat-eye pair on her face. Her pair was white with zebra print it contrasted greatly with her darker skin and sheik haircut but Kim thought it would look horrendous on her.


"No, no" Kim said with confidence, "I think I want some of the wide rims."


"Alright," the woman said as she led her to the other side of the Kiosk. "They are more for men, but these are some simple wide-rim. Do you like any of these?"


Kim sighed a bit, the woman was overreacting to her comments. Yet she thought maybe Felix would have a better time here, after all they were men's accessories.

Jennifer held her frozen yogurt in one hand and scooped it into her mouth. "mmmm this strawberry is good! You should try some." Ribbon spoke to Red trying to get her to try dessert. Red wasn't a fan, she has had frozen yogurt before, but not in many years. She could also tell that Ribbon really wanted her to try it.


"Oh. Alright, but I wont like it." The switch was seamless as the two changed positions, with Red taking control of her body and trying a scoop of the frozen treat. It was surprisingly good. It seems that the flavor has approved over time. Red took another scoop of the dessert quickly.


"Hehe, you like it don't you?" ribbon teased her. "I thought you didn't like frogurt. I wonder what else you actually like." Red switched places with Ribbon, as she didn't like to be in control of Ribbons body when she didn't need to.


"I.. I didn't like it. I just wanted to make sure I didn't. Besides, it's frozen yogurt, not frogurt." Red was lying, and Ribbon knew, but she would let Red save face this time. Plus Ribbon didn't want to share the rest of her dessert, there was only a little left! She quickly finished up the desert and went to toss the cup away at a trashcan beside a sun glass kiosk. It was decorated like a tiki hut and was incredibly tropical in theme. The attendant of the kiosk was being very pushy about some cat eye sunglasses to a girl who was shopping around even after she didn't show interest in them.


"They are more for men, but these are some simple wide-rim. Do you like any of these?" Ribbon rolled her eyes at the girls comments and walked up beside the girl, picking up a pair of the wide rim glasses. They were solid pink, but looked pretty nice, though Ribbon didn't notice it was an expensive brand. She didn't normally pay much attention to those things since Red's account seemed bottomless.


"Mens? But these are pink! Besides, I think she would look cuuute in this pair!" Ribbon held the glasses up between her and the over girl to get a feel for how they would look. it was an easy match, Pink always looked good on blonde's anyway. "Though... you seem like a polka-dot kind of girl." Ribbon nodded her head in confirmation.


"Ribbon, are you... hitting on another girl?!" Red seemed hurt and mad at Ribbons actions, believing there was ulterior motives.


"What?! No! I'm just being friendly! This is just how girls - well, normal girls are. You know I wouldn't do that to you." The words comforted Red, who started to calm down. It was true, Red never really dealt with girls much in a average social situation. Actually, she rarely dealt with anyone outside of gang related activity.

Kim was frustrated by the woman supervising the kiosk. She didn't want to look at men's sunglasses just because she wanted wide rim. Though she did pick up one or two of the pairs and looked into the mirror, "What ya think?" Kim said rather unimpressed.


"I mean, I think you look good. You look professional," Felix said back to Kim. "Like you remind me of a previous body I lived within."


"Oh, was she pretty?" Kim asked out of surprise. "I mean, I didn't expect women to have wore these kind of glasses in the past."


"Well, pretty might not be the best word," Felix said playfully. "He was handsome definitely, but these type of glasses were not in style in the past. At least not when I have been around. They are kind of a new thing."


Kim wasn't really taken aback by Felix's claims. She remembered back when they first became together and that Felix was rather uncomfortable about her undressing. She was his woman body, she couldn't really understand why she forgot that. It's why he only seemed to talk about male bodies and how they responded. Felix was out of touch in these matters. "Meh, all guy stuff is rather the same when it comes to these things," Kim said as she put the sunglasses on the rack referring to both the glasses and Felix's opinion.


She was going to possibly ask the manager to see some other shapes, but a woman came out of no where from behind them. She was short and was able to reach for a pair that Kim didn't notice. The sun glasses were pink rimmed and had a bit of pink tint to the shaded glass. "Mens? But these are pink! Besides, I think she would look cuuute in this pair!" the woman said in a charming manner. Handing her the pair of pink glasses the woman suggested that she would look good in polka-dots.


"Oh wow," Kim said back to the woman as she placed on the glasses. The woman was right, she did look good in the pink glasses when Kim examined her reflection. Yet she wanted one with polka dots, seeing her chance against the kiosk cashier she raised her voice. "Come to think of it though, I would love polka dot versions of these? Do they exist?" Kim said.


The clerk looked a bit nervous when Kim brought up such a question. "Well the one you are wearing ma'am are Giovanni Vignola brand sunglasses. He's a foreign designer that specializes in woman's eye wear. However while those one's are on discount," the woman looked kind of around on the shelves. "We don't have what you asking for, you would need to go to a boutique if he makes them or get them customized designed with the polka dots if he doesn't. "


"Oh..." Kim said with some disappointment.

Ribbon was glad the girl seemed to like the glasses, though Red was distracted by another part of their entire shopping adventure. "Don't you find it strange that all these glasses are on discount? In fact, all those clothes we saw today were on sale or discounted..."


"I know, isn't it wonderful?" Ribbon liked the cheaper clothing, and everything. Usually she would buy more then she needed, since the deals were so great.


"No, it sounds like a scam. Over inflate prices then discount them down to the real price. People will buy it thinking they are saving all kinds of money." It was likely true, and would make lots of sense.


Ribbon thought about it, and decided it didn't really matter. If they just put the price at what the discount was, it would end the same. "Yeah... but it feels so good when something is 80% off!" While Ribbon and Red were discussing these details the sales woman was explaining toward this girl that they didn't have any in the style she would enjoy. The girl seemed disappointed with the clerks answer. "Red... can we do something nice for the girl and get her some glasses?" Ribbon asked with the best pout one could do in their own mind.


Red was mostly confused as to why Ribbon would want to do such a thing. "Why? She's not our responsibility. She can go and get them herself." Red never really understood the finer points of making friends. Though it made sense, Red never really had friends, only underlings or business partners.


"Because if you are nice to people they will want to be your friend. Red, I love you, but don't you ever want friends outside of just me?" Red didn't really care for friendship, all she really wanted was Ribbon. Though, she could tell Ribbon was feeling lonely, she was used to having more friends and wanted to make up for being lonely as a child due to her parents upbringing.


"I don't need anyone else. However, I guess for you, I'll try." This reply made Ribbon giddy, maybe Red would lighten up if she got some girl time. Though, Ribbon would be happy getting girl time herself.


Ribbon reached out to grab the other girls wrist. "You know what, I think there is a boutique on the third floor we could look at, I could show you were it is!" Ribbon smiled wide and looked up the the girl; she had to, the girl was close to a foot taller then Ribbon was. "It will be fun!"


"Ribbon... You may want to introduce yourself to the girl before you drag her away." Ribbon blushed when she realized she hadn't introduced herself first.


"Oh... I'm Jennifer by the way."

Kim's disappointment was replaced with confusion when the short woman offered to show her the location of a boutique. She didn't even know this woman, but Kim was surprised by her odd enthusiasm but decided to follow her. This was mainly because she didn't want to meet eye-to-eye with the glaring kiosk clerk who was annoyed with the short woman taking away her customers. Hearing the genuineness in the woman's dialogue when she said "It will be fun!" made Kim all the more certain to come with the woman. Kim didn't really have anyone to shop with and she needed more friend's than Felix. What was the worse that could happen?


"Huh?" Felix said as he pondered the situation. "Is this normal, like for women? I have never seen someone be so upfront unless they were two rookies sharing a dug-out." Felix explained a bit worried.


"Normal?" Kim said back to Felix in her head. She looked at the woman in front of her examining her apparel. Clothing wise, she didn't look anything special but she was decked out in jewelry. The most noticeable was the large ruby pendent around her neck but she had several other accessories such as bracelets and rings that all looked extremely valuable. Kim assumed she had money. "No this isn't normal, but I have met weirder people in the mall. Like this one guy who wanted me to tie his shoes for him. She's probably just helpful and she definitely knows the brand."


"Yeah, but didn't the clerk say the brand was expensive or something?" Felix said.


"Yes," Kim retorted. "However, we will see how expensive it is, I have been saving after all. Plus its woman is so fashionable, she might actually know how to get a discount." Kim paused as she watched the woman in front of her more move with so much enthusiasm. "Plus, if I can't get that. I could always just take them after freezing the place."


She could feel some grumbling from Felix after she made such a remark. She was going to say something back but the woman spoke up. "Oh... I'm Jennifer by the way," the woman said rather hastily as if she just remembered to say it.


Kim nodded and then smiled while replying, "Oh, uh I am Kimberley. People just call me Kim though." Kim paused for a second and then with more confidence said, "I actually prefer Kim."


"So Jennifer," Kim said as the two of them walked by a mall directory. "Where do you think we are heading, I know you said the third floor, but have a place in mind?"

Ribbon lead they way through the mall towards a pair of escalators. The girl introduced herself as Kim, which was a pretty nice name. Red however had her own commentary on the girl. "Kim is an alright name. She's like an amazon though. So tall." Ribbon chuckled a little.


"Well, you know from our perspective most people seem tall. She is tall for a girl though." Ribbon replied to Red as Kim asked if there was any place that Ribbon had in mind for the glasses. She didn't really know exactly what store to check. There were a couple of boutiques on the third floor, especially in the further corners of the mall. Mostly they were the expensive stores of the mall, where the better off people shopped.


Generally, Ribbon didn't like those stores, as she never felt right inside of them. She preferred to shop rather normally. Though Red liked to get Ribbon decorated in jewelery. Red liked to decorate out her Ribbon. "Oh, there are some boutiques down around the corners of the mall, we could check those out." Ribbon stated as they reached the escalators. She seemed to stop and look at the steps moving before jumping onto one of them, like she was trying to avoid touching the cracks, almost childish.


"So Kim, do you go to university? What courses do you take?" Ribbon asked of Kim inquisitively. "I went for nursing. It wasn't for me though." Well, Ribbon did enjoy Nursing, but with her grades, and situation it wasn't anything she could get into.

Kim watched as Jennifer jumped onto the escalator similar to a little kid. Playfully she hung on the the handrail as she leaned back and forth on her current step. "Seriously, what is with this girl?" Kim said to Felix but deep down she enjoyed the childishness and the carefree style of the woman. She was unique and very genuine, Kim liked that.


"Oh," Kim said speaking without thinking, she was uncertain whether to lie or not. She didn't know what major she would take and she only started applying for colleges in the area. She knew she was going to go to university, she wasn't a military person like her siblings. Nevertheless, she didn't want to seem lame to this new girl, but Felix spoke out before Kim could shape a believable lie in her head. "I don't go to university."


"I mean," Kim spoke up quickly. "I don' go to university, yet. I go to Kendall High. I am a Senior." All of the sudden Kim kind of felt like the childish one. "I just recently moved here though, living with my dad and his new wife," Kim said without hiding her lack of enthusiasm or interest in her dad.


"Uh well, Nursing is pretty cool still," Felix said to continue Kim's conversation. He mainly said it out of interest in the woman but also because Ruth was training to be a nurse when he left for war. By the time he caught up to her, she was already married and raising children of her own. Felix was pretty certain though she was a nurse back during war-time. Ruth was caring like that.


"What did you decide to do instead?" Kim asked.

Ribbon widened her eyes when the girl said she was still in high school. It never occurred to her, since the girl seemed so tall and put together. "You're still in high school! Wow, but you look so mature and put together!" Jennifer smiled at the girl to make sure she knew that it didn't really matter to her.


"A high school friend? Isn't she a little young? Plus, she doesn't seem that mature to me." Red asked of Ribbon. Not that Red hand any particular dislike of high school teens, most of the people buying drugs from her started in high school. But that's entirely different then friends.


"Eh, not really. I mean, your five years old then me! And why do you need to be so negative? You don't make friends that way!" Red was amused by Ribbons logic, since Red could be considered much older then just five if one thought about how long she had existed as a memento.


Kim mentioned that nursing was a cool profession before asking her what she had decided to do. "Oh nursing is really cool! And It's what I wanted but..." Ribbon looked down at the escalator making sure to jump over the section that sucks the stairs back around. "I just wasn't very good at it." Ribbon looked around, before picking a random direction and pointing to signal where they should go. "So now I guess I'm mostly just... a house wife for my girlfriend..." Ribbon never really thought about what she was doing with herself.


She never thought what her 'job' was, or what she would do with her life now. Red was the leader of a Syndicate, but she was left just being the arm candy. She never really considered it like that until she had to explain it to someone. "You know I don't care if you don't do anything." Red probably meant to comfort the girl but it didn't, it made it worse.


"I... I don't do anything?" Ribbons demeanor turned blue as her arm lowered from the point and her head hung with a small pout. She didn't even realize that she outed herself to a complete stranger. Normally Ribbon tried to keep it a secret, conditioning from childhood and her home life where such things were completely unacceptable.

"Oh that's cool," Kim said to Jennifer. "So you have a girlfriend?" Kim has a grin when she said that. She didn't know many lesbians, well girls who were interested in girls. They were always a mystery to her. Not to say that Kim bends that way, but she always wanted to know how two girls would work out. "Its okay, I only had a boyfriend before I moved. I don't do much since then besides school and stuff. I was looking for a job but nothing really came in for me over here. It sucks..."


Kim enjoyed the frankness of their conversation. How easily she could talk to this older woman. Maybe that is how those kind of relationships worked out, she thought in her head. Felix was quick to butt in, even though he had been through many bodies he still was unused to the idea of homosexuality, "Two women? That's still a unique sight to me." It wasn't to say Felix was naive, he encountered some stuff in foreign cities while he was abroad and he understood the closeness of men in combat, but that is far from saying that they could be in a relationship. "Though the times certainly have changed, I have witnessed a bit of the years but still."


"Oh come on now Felix, you did seem pretty interested in Sam," Kim said to Felix mocking his actions towards Sam and Daniel.


"What? No, is that what you've been getting at?" Felix said with frustration. "Quit with that kind of rap. Even in a bash, I wouldn't go after a him." Felix was flustered by the very accusation to the point he started using slang from his first life. True, he did have some feelings for his previous bodies but that was between two souls. A different kind of relationship that could be understand by mere living. "He reminded me of myself, that's all!"


"Yeah, yeah," Kim said playfully. She enjoyed the idea that such a topic got Felix out of his serious mindset. To her it humanized him a bit more than normal, deep down he still was a nineteen year old she assumed.


"So Jennifer, did your girlfriend buy you that beautiful pendent?" Kim asked as she tried to refocus onto the conversation at hand.

As Ribbon moped in her upset stupor it didn't seem to phase Kim who didn't seem that bothered by her statement. "So you have a girlfriend?" Ribbon just realized she came out to the girl. Fortunately Kim didn't seem to mind. It did put Ribbon at ease, and even caused her to relax. She forgot why she was so upset to begin with, since she turned very flustered and blushed a lot. "So Jennifer, did your girlfriend buy you that beautiful pendent?"


Ribbon grabbed the pendant in her hand and held it tightly before speaking up. "Oh... uh.... Yeah. It's like, I always know she's watching over me as long as I have it." Ribbon blushed and looked away from Kim. "Sorry. I don't often tell people. My parents... Dad espically wouldn't approve."


"You know it. I'll always make sure you safe. Promise." red's words helped Ribbon brighten up considerably.


Ribbon shook her head briefly before forcing a smile onto her face before turning back to Kim. "Though, I think you know what that's like... about feeling watched over?" Ribbon pointed at the pendant around Kim's neck. "That pendant looks worn, and beaten, but you still wear it. It must be very special to you."


Ribbon took the moment to wave Kim over towards the shops behind her. This section of the mall had mostly women's clothing stores, and some swimwear. The walls were littered with advertisements and posters for movies, and almost everything seemed surprisingly barren. That was because all the shops in this section were rather pricy.

"That's really sweet," Kim said in regards to the pendent given to Jennifer by her girlfriend. However she was little taken aback by the woman when she suggested the same about her locket. She picked it up from around her neck and lifted it to her face. "Oh yeah..." she said being a bit puzzled.


"Crap what do I say Felix? I don't just want to say 'Oh yeah! This is my locket that I got from my dad which I hated but the soul inside is now bounded to me and gives me powers over time!' " Kim said sarcastically to Felix in a panic. No one had asked really about Felix's locket so her uneasiness was understandable. She didn't want to lie to her new friend, but she hadn't even told her closest friends from back home about this. The only one was Sam and that was more or less forced upon her. "This was a gift from my dad," Kim said solemnly. "Funny enough I didn't like it at first, mainly because I was mad at him and he was buying this gift." Kim paused to regain her thoughts. "Well he was buying me this gift to make me not as mad. I thought I would only wear it once, just at one military event my dad was invited to and I would put it away." Kim brushed the locket with her fingers. "After that though, I felt kind of a connection with the locket. Apparently it was passed down by military personnel. Call me a nerd but its something from Great War. Its like a hundred years old."


Kim paused though when they reached the expensive portion of the mall. She felt alone when she stepped into the unknown territory. There were some cliques of people pacing around certain stores but the area was abandoned compared to the other portion of the mall. Overall it just felt quieter, like someone paid to remove the noisy kids and such. Looking at the stores around her, she was pretty sure someone did. "Though I do get that feeling, that someone is watching over me even though I have yet to fully meet them. I guess I am a bit strange" Kim said trying to shrug off any fact about the item possessing her. She thought she came out pretty eloquently.


"I haven't even heard of some of these places..." Kim said though trying to change the subject. However her phone buzzed. Taking it out of her pocket and unlocking it, she looked at the message. It was from Sam.


@Pineapple -




Kim was going to bugger more to find out what Sam's purpose was, probably a gift or something, but she was busy with Jennifer and didn't want to seem rude.

"That's really sweet," Ribbon closed her eyes and smiled. Silently thanking Red.


Ribbon listened to Kim's tale of the locket. It was actually very interesting. As Kim talked Ribbon browsed the movie posters and stores. It was actually a very sweet story about the locket and her story caused Ribbon to fixate on one of the movie posters on the wall.


The poster had the silhouette of soldiers and the faded image of a woman on the left looking down on them. The poster drew her attention because of Kim's story and the fact that it was a movie Ribbon had been interested in. The poster was very somber and seemed sad, but Ribbon grew excited and shuffled rather quickly over to it. At the top was the words 'A Soldier's Story'.


"Awww, your story was beautiful! Have you heard of this movie? Your story reminded me of it. I really want to see it, it seems sooo beautiful!" Ribbon looked at the girl. "It's about a war nurse and a soldier falling in love." Ribbon sighed slightly. "How romantic." Ribbon saw the girl texting someone. "Oh, who are you texting?"


"You know I don't like those kind of movies. They're so boring." it was true, Red didn't care for romantic movies.


"I don't care! you said you would take me to one, you promised! Besides, we saw those nasty horror movies you liked last week!" Ribbon was mostly poking fun, because she knew Red would take her. Well, she could just go herself. It was complicated.

Kim looked at the movie poster. It seemed like a typical war film, nothing academy award winning like some other classic war movies. She thought it was probably going to be sappy and played on the heartstrings of some girls. Kim wasn't much of the type to cry at movies but she did like dramas. However she felt this time things might be a bit different when she watched a war movie as she sensed a slight anxiety within her from Felix.


Within seconds that anxiety began to take over, Kim wanted to run away from Jennifer and from the poster. She wasn't sure what to do, her breathing got a bit heavier and her palms felt sweaty. She felt this panic that she never experienced outside of the first jump-scare in a scary movie. All of the sudden, she looked around her and looked away from the poster. She realized she must be hearing something or be paranoid and she wasn't sure why. However the panic from the inside subsided leaving only her confusion. As she looked away from the poster, Kim was just left puzzled.


"Oh god," Kim said insider he head, "What is happening, Felix? I have never felt this kind of..." Kim was lost for words in her head she wasn't sure what to call it. It wasn't fear, as she wasn't really scared. It wasn't really panic, at least not yet, she could still control her actions. Really she was unsure what this anxiety was coming from or why it was hitting her. "Felix?" she said wanting a response.


"Sorry," Felix finally replied as her feelings went away. "I was daydreaming because of the poster, I guess. I sometimes slip a bit."


"Daydream? Felix, that isn't daydreaming. Daydreams don't feel like this!"


"I don't know what you are talking about," Felix said quickly with obvious nervousness. "I was just thinking about Roy that's all, he had a nurse girl. A lot of guys did including one of the on my team..." Felix tried to explain solemnly.


As the overwhelming emotions seemed to be absorbed like a sponge into Felix, Kim became more aware of her surroundings again and was able to realize she was acting strange. She had been quiet for maybe a full minute while Jennifer was talking. "Oh sorry," she said looking towards Jennifer again but not the poster. "I, I - uh - don't really watch war movies. I just get worried about," Kim was not sure how to save her ass without seeming weird. She felt that maybe she should take the sappy angle. "I worry about my step-brother, I guess. He followed my dad into the military too and I don't know, I just hate for anything to happen to him." Kim tried to think of something else she could add to the story to make it sound more believable. "I may not look like it, but I am kind of a crybaby."

Ribbon could tell something triggered in Kim. She was having a moment. "Oh god Red. I think I said something wrong..." Ribbon started to feel warmer, and her palms became sweaty. She didn't want to upset Kim, she was just trying to make small talk. Ribbon approached the girl closer and spoke out to her carefully. "Are you ok? Did I say something?"


Red was curious about this, as her actions were reminiscent of many members of the Syndicate from back in the day. Though soon enough Kim seemed to calm down. Talking about how she worried for her brother who was in the Military. Ribbon understood then what it was about. It made sense, she worried for her brother. "Red, say something! You knew people who were in the military, right?"


It was true that Red knew people who fought in the war. Long ago when Men were Conscripted into the war she saw many men she knew have to leave. Yet, that was how she got power. With less competition Red was able to come into power. Many of the men who came back were heavily damaged, physically and emotionally. It made them a lot easier to control. "Ribbon, I don't think I can say anything that would be good."


"Red, you have to try or you wont make any friends! Try to be comforting! I know you know how, you always comfort me!" While true, Ribbon was easy to comfort since Red would know exactly what was going on. This was a stranger, she had no way to know how they are feeling, or what is comforting for them. "Just try for me! You will do better then you think!" Ribbon tried to forcefully change spots with red to let her gain control, which Red hesitantly accepted.


Red stood tall, or as tall as she could in Ribbons body. Looked over towards Kim and spoke up. "You should just breathe and calm down a little, you look shell shocked. Military is different now then it used to be." Red felt uncomfortable, and started to shift around on her feat trying to think up words to say. "Your brother likely spends all his time doing drills or guarding something. He's not going to be getting shot at in trenches as his feet rot off." Red spoke inwards to Ribbon after her spiel. "There you go, am I done here?" Ribbon accepted to switch and came back to control of her body.


"Sorry, I don't usually get so serious so it may have been a little strange." Ribbon smiled slightly towards the girl before trying to change topics. "We should just continue on." Ribbon looked around and spotted a boutique. "We could go check in there!"

Kim agreed with Jennifer, honestly war wasn't the same. Yet she had to hide her agreement, otherwise her lie wouldn't be believable anymore. "Yeah, you are right. I mean I am sure its unfair to think my brother is going through the same trouble as the guy who had this locket first. Still," Kim paused to make it sound earnest. "I do care about him." That was more of a lie, she hardly knew her step-brother. She didn't he know he existed until six or so years ago when they encountered each other at a family reunion that Kim was awkwardly invited to with her mother. He hardly has been around, serving a tour abroad, since her arrival into her father's household. However she wasn't just going to state that openly. It would make her entire story false and questionable. She also didn't want to lie to Jennifer more than necessary.


That is why when Jennifer pointed to the boutique Kim felt relief come over her. The strange feeling from before had receded to the back of her mind before disappearing entirely. She wondered what it was that she felt, it was as if Felix's mind was getting into her's. That hadn't really happened before unless Felix or her willed it to be. Why then did it happen? That is what made Kim nervous. "You okay there, sarge?" Kim tried to say in an accent similar to her father talking to her younger half-brother.


"Yessir," Felix almost said slipping into his old accent passively without realizing what he said. "I mean, what's with the language?" Felix said weirdly put off by weird word. "Yeah I am fine. I still find this girl a bit of a odd fish."


Kim was going to press the issue about what happened but she didn't want to get distracted again. "Yeah, but she's fun. A lot more fun than Sam is at school or one of the girls. You have to admit that much."


She almost felt a silent nod from Felix. She wasn't sure how but she knew there was some agreement from him about the whole situation. "Yeah, lets definitely check that one out," Kim said to Jennifer. She was completely clueless which boutique was what, it could be a dress store for all she knew. However it got everyone off the topic of war.


Her phone buzzed again, this time with another message from Sam.




Realizing that she might appear weird she responded to Jennifer's earlier question. "Oh nothing, its just this guy I met at school. He wanted to know if I wore earrings or something. He's weird like that..." Kim said without giving much thought about it.

Ribbon lead the way into the Boutique, the store was large, and highly decorated. The floor was freshly waxed, and directly in front was a large ceiling to floor display case. Inside was a mannequin wearing a pink cocktail dress and a matching hat. Around the mannequin were various jewelery and accessories such as bags or scarfs which accept the outfit. The dress itself was labeled at $1,295 while the smallest black handbag was only $280. Further inside there were many clothing of many different styles and colors all organized by brand. None of that mattered for their quest for sunglasses however.


As they entered the shop Kim was distracted by her phone going off again. "Oh, sounds like he likes you! I bet he's buying you some right now!" Ribbon smiled wide towards her. "Do you like him? what's he like?" Ribbon skipped briskly towards the back of the shop where there was a rotating display of sunglasses beside the counter to look at. Ribbon pointed towards them for Kim before turning towards some dresses off to the side.


"Ohhh... I think I'm gonna look around over there!" Ribbon's eye was caught by a small piece of fabric. It was red. She pulled it off the hanger and held it up in front of herself. i wasn't exactly what she thought it would be. It seemed like a dress but it was in a grouping of dresses, but someone miss shelved it. It was a red corset with black frills and decoration. "Oh, not what I thought it was."


Red had something to say regarding her find though. "It would look great on you, you should get it." Ribbon blushed as she thought about it. Though, they probably didn't have it in her size. Quickly she chucked the tag and it was labeled as 'extra small'. "Well, that covers your worries."

"Like him?" Kim almost laughed so hard she almost choked on air. "Not to sound heartless, but he's puny and just sheepish." Kim imagined how it was best to convey Sam to her. "Like he's a jock, fastest runner on the track team but his ability to talk to people is just bad, and to talk to girls is worse." Kim started laughing more at the thought of Sam. "No really, though Jennifer the guy is spineless. Not what you'd call a real man. Not saying you really care about men..." Kim said holding her tongue to the woman she just met.


However Felix who was regaining some control over himself since the problem seemed to be a bit more upset with her comments. "Being a bit harsh, aren't you?" Felix said.


"What? He's weird. He's awkward. I don't got to lie to someone else for him. I mean I get it you have pity on him because of Daniel but really..."


She could feel some disappointment from within her, from Felix. "Alright, alright, I will tone it down a bit."


"Though he's a nice guy," Kim said almost apologetically to Jennifer. "He's sweet and he means well but I don't think he understands the first thing about girls. Not that he doesn't like them, but he's just," Kim paused trying to think of a word that wouldn't be too mean.


"Clueless," Felix spoke up for her.


Kim stepped into the boutique a little confused. Every item in the store was on display like a museum item and each purchase had its own section with certain styles and colors. But Kim also saw how quickly Jennifer grabbed something from the racks and became nervous. Uncertain what to do, she kind of looked around and picked up something that caught her attention. It was green, a color that always looked good on her, but pulling further out of the rack revealed that it was some sort of decorative lingerie. Kim was a bit disgusted and put it back in. "So what do you have there, Jennifer?" Kim inquired about what Jennifer pulled off the rack.

As they wandered through the boutique Kim was talking about the Boy she had been texting, mostly negative comments about him. yet it seemed half way through she had an epiphany and began to turn around be be a bit more positive regarding him. Ribbon was going to comment on it sooner, but was distracted by the corset and Red. "So what do you have there, Jennifer?" Ribbon blushed as she was holding it.


"Oh I thought it was a dress, I love the colour." Ribbon blushed and put it back onto the rack. She wasn't going to buy it, especially not with someone else present, it would be too embarrassing.


"Though, that's not too important. Sounds like a lot of guys in high school. I remember guys back in high school, they don't get girls really." Ribbon had a reminiscing look on her face as she recalled the people she used to know from high school and her early years of university. "Some of those guys really came into their own after high school, a lot of the cool ones never really went anywhere." Ribbon was trying to be optimistic about the guy, though Red didn't agree with her.


"Though, not all of them. Some of those guys just stay awkward forever."


"Red! Why did you do that?" Ribbon was slightly upset that Red would try to bring things down, but had to remember not to show it on her face. Instead she would flip through the other clothing items on the rack, which were actually dresses.


"It's the truth. Guys like that, I've meet many of them. People are individuals, you can't make broad sweeping assumptions like that."


"That sounds like some sort of bias. You dealt with druggies. They are the ones without people to help them improve." Ribbon was frustrated but thought to maybe improve the situation. "That is, unless someone tries to help them improve." Ribbon smiled as she typically did at Kim. "I mean, you don't need to like them, I had lots of guys fall for me, it's not your job to return the favor. But a bit of kindness can mean a lot to people like that." As she was finishing her thought Ribbon stopped at a beautiful green sundress. It included a ribbon which ties into a bow around the waist. "Ohh so pretty!" ribbon held it up to herself before sighing. "Too big, and green always makes me look too festive!"

Kim seemed to notice that Jennifer tended to rabble a bit. Not that it was a bad thing, she certainly liked the woman. However when she said stuff sometimes she just kind of came off as indecisive, like she couldn't decide what she wanted to say before she said it. Yet her advice was still genuine and brought some good points. They were arguments that Felix brought up, except that one about guys staying awkward, that one was new.


"Well yeah, I know kindness can go a long way, but still," she said to Jennifer. "I mean I will definitely try to be helpful in the future. I don't want him to stay awkward for the rest of his life. He's kind of got a bad deal going for him right now, not like he's in trouble with the law or anything like that but he's got some issues that are a bit hard to explain." Kim tried to trend lightly on the idea that Sam was possessed by a soul which was one of the reasons he was so self-defeating.


"Though funny enough," Kim tried to say to change the tone of the conversation. "He dyed his hair red, almost the same as that, uh, piece," Kim said as she tried to think of other words for the lingerie. "Its cute of him, I won't deny it. Though I would never tell him that to his face."


Kim tried to look for more clothes inside the boutique, almost forgetting about the sunglasses entirely. In her search she found several different sizes of blue gowns. They were lacy and could be worn probably at a semi-formal. None of them were really in her size though. However when Kim looked up back at Jennifer she was holding up a beautiful green sundress that was just Kim's color. "Do you think it will fit me?" she asked with some curiosity. "I do really like it. Green goes well with my hair. Don't you think?" Kim said approaching Jennifer and holding her hair up to the gown's fabric.

Ribbon was glad that Kim was more open to the idea of helping or being nice to the guy. She didn't know him, but it meant she was a good person. Not perfect, but who is? Ribbon only really felt the need to make one comment on the boy before dropping the subject. "Oh, yeah. You tell him that, he wont leave you alone. I tell you, give a guy one compliment and they fall in love so hard." Ribbon giggled about it for a little while.


As Kim came over asking about the Dress she was holding and holding her hair against it. "Oh yeah it does!" Ribbon placed her hair beside Kims on the dress. "See, For me it just looks like christmas. I can only wear green now for 1 month a year."


"Green is never a colour we use in the Syndicate. Mostly red, black and white." Red was commenting on the situation, expressing her indifference towards the colour.


"Yeah I know, but that makes such a boring wardrobe!" Ribbon thought about it and decided to push the dress into Kim. "You should try it on!" She also felt the need to let Kim know that it would be ok. "When in a place like this, the fun is in looking and trying things on after all!" Ribbon turned around and scouted the far walls to the best of her ability. "I think the change rooms are over there..." She pointed off behind the main counter. "I'll look through the Sunglasses while you try it on, alright?"

Kim seemed a bit worried now by what Jennifer had to say, "One comment huh?" she said with a bit more concern. "That's all it would take?" She tried to seem like she wasn't honestly worried about Sam liking her by snickering. "You know, I could have him wrapped around my fingers, so easily. Such a cruel woman of me, its like I am one of those femme fatales in movies. Tricking men to their doom" Kim said with laughter and tried to think of a suitable reference for the kind of role she wanted, "Like Fransisca Barnette from The Solemn Reprisal, well she was actually more of a mob boss, but she tricked the main guy in that film to fall in love with her and then kill the rest of his group." The movie reference was very specific but it was just because Kim liked Barnette's response to them trying to first kill her in the beginning of the film and how she will get her revenge even in the after life. It was intense.


Kim took the green dress from Jennifer's hands with glee. "Alright, I will try it on," she said. Though looking at the price tag just briefly, Kim knew she could never afford this one dress. "Its a bit pricey, so I will try not to ruin it. Otherwise I will be stuck in debt for the rest of my life." Running off to one of the three changing stalls in the store, she opened one of the wooden thatched doors that were all painted white. The dressing room was pretty small, having just enough space for one bench, a mirror and a hook to hang the clothing item in question. It was obvious they didn't expect anyone to have more than one item in this stall at a time.


Removing her green t-shirt and blue jeans, she looped her arms around the green sun dress. It was a unique fit, a bit older in style but still beautiful. It didn't require any zippers to fasten onto her body, instead the dress just used some lace around the middle region to hold it all together. It wasn't really revealing but it was still showy in that classy way.


Turning to look in the mirror, she blushed a bit realizing how good she looked in the dress. The dress's tiny flowers matching her eye color almost identically. Yet she also blushed because she felt like she was being watched, that was when Kim came to the conclusion she was, from within.


"You look splendid," Felix said as he gazed at her reflection.

Jennifer got a kick out of Kim's spiel about becoming a Femme Fatale, it was in jest and slightly amusing. She giggled a little but stopped abruptly when she started talking about The Solemn Reprisal which brought her mood down. ribbon saw that movie, and she hated it, it always made her sad, and slightly paranoid about everything. Red would comfort her about it, but it still hurt her. "Yeah, that doesn't actually happen. Mob bosses aren't heartless." Red taking over was sudden, and shocked Ribbon.


"Red! You can't take over like that, and be so... so... obvious!" Ribbon's fluster seemed to override her upset nature.


"Well it's true! That movie was horrible! It puts people like me in horrible light. Makes us out to be the villians. it's wrong Ribbon." Red was stern, not backing down.


however Ribbon was one to back down. "Ok, i understand." Ribbon also realized her laughter and giggles stopped and she was frowning. "Oh uh, that's just what I remember reading about anyway. I was going though a bad period of my life when I saw it, and the movie always reminds me of that time..." It was a half truth, which is what helped ribbon say it.


When Kim entered the dressing room Ribbon went to work on the sunglasses. The display had many, so she started rotating through them all. It didn't take long before she found a pair of polka-dotted wide rim glasses. There was only a pair of blue glasses with white dots littering it. They were very cute. Ribbon looked over to see if Kim was coming out of the dressing room. When she saw that Kim wasn't Ribbon went to work buying the glasses. "So why are you doing this again?"


Ribbon was still upset about everything, but knew she would have to get over it. After all, it was just a movie. "I'm... I'm lonely Red. I love you, but I want more friends. I spent my childhood isolated and finally got to get out with people in university, but now I have no one since I dropped out. I just want some friends." Red didn't respond, but Ribbon could tell that Red was feeling conflicted, both hurt by Ribbon but also sad because she was the reason Red felt lonely.


The glasses were only $425 though Ribbon had already bought them and removed the tag ready for Kim.

Kim felt confident in her looks while in the dress but also felt a bit awkward knowing Felix liked the dress on her so much. "What's the big idea, Felix?" she asked. "I mean this isn't the first time you seen me change before."


"What?" Felix said nearly offended. "I am not snooping, I am just admiring your beauty. In that dress you look almost like Ruth."


"So Ruth was a dress-kind of girl?" Kim said kidding with Felix. She twirled around in the narrow stall. "Well good to know, I will try on more dresses if they impress you so much. Its interesting to see more sides than you just your typical preaching, makes you more... human."


"You said that like you were hesitating. What's the big idea?" Felix said questioning Kim's tone.


"Oh nothing, nothing at all."


Kim came out of the changing stall in the outfit to show Jennifer. By her surprise though the woman was already close to the door waiting for her with a pair of polka dotted sunglasses in hand. "How do I look?" she said, trying to ignore the glasses in her Jennifer's hand. They were exactly like the kind she wanted, but she wondered how she was going to afford them. "Its a shame, I can't buy this. Everything in this store is far too expensive for my high school budget," Kim complained.

Jennifer was waiting patiently outside of the changing rooms with the sunglasses as Kim emerged. "How do I look? Its a shame, I can't buy this. Everything in this store is far too expensive for my high school budget," Kim asked, and it took Ribbon a while to reply as she was slightly distracted.


"Oh you look... beautiful! That really is your colour." Ribbon was blushing, as she actually did think Kim looked really nice in the dress.The dress accented Kim's body much better then her jeans and shirt which did make a big difference it how beautiful she looked.


Red was also shocked, or seemed shocked. "Damn, did she just turn hot?" Red commented rather tastelessly. "I tell you, a girl in a dress is quite attractive." Red realized she might want to correct herself. "Still, she's too young for a girl like me. Besides, I like girls shorter then her."


Ribbon had to agree, even though she usually felt uncomfortable in them. They have been growing on her. Red's comments weren't really needed, but it did make Ribbon feel good to hear. "Yeah, most of this stuff is out of everyone's price range, always nice to dream!" Ribbon smiled wide towards Kim. "But you know what? Today is your lucky day!" She held the glasses up to Kim. "I had some store credit from a gift card and they were on sale. I don't really like much in here, so I thought I would do something nice."


"What? No you didn't, and they weren't even on sale. Besides, there is plenty here you like. Well, even more I like on you." Red said, though Ribbon just mentally sighed towards her.


"Red, you say stuff like that so they don't feel bad taking the gift."