To My World and Back Again Chapter 9
Shopping Days
By Ghost
Patrick: "Lying? What do you mean I've been lying to all my friends? They never asked, and I never spoke. That's why I didn't tell her!"
Lucca: "Well, Mr. 'I Can Read Minds,' it's called lying by omission."
Alleged conversation between Patrick Simmons and Lucca Kepler
May 9, 2006
10:35 AM
Jenny's Clothing Store
You're not only smart, but you're a fashion model Lucca thought to herself.
Lucca was in Jenny's, a four-story clothing store in a mall in the middle of Oxnard, courtesy of Michelle Miller. She was on the second floor in a dressing room, approving of a two-piece, fire-red swimsuit Michelle had suggested she try on. Lucca was a bit skeptical that the swimsuit would fit her style, but after a bit of encouraging, she was ready and willing
Lucca was definitely an eye catcher for sure. Her slim, yet toned body was that of an angel. Her neck-length lavender hair and glasses only complimented her body, and if she ever put two and two together, she would realize that her great, great grandparents had gotten their wish. She was a woman who was as intelligent as she was beautiful, but her love for books and knowledge had secluded her from many would be boyfriends in her world.
"My, oh my, aren't you a man killer." Michelle said playfully as she approached Lucca from the rear."
Michelle had mostly supervised over the shopping. She tried to help the travelers the best she could to find the clothes that would match their personalities and allow the three to blend into the new society. Actually, though, Marle and Lucca seemed to be all right on shopping. Supposedly, they had plenty of experience in blending in with many different societies in different time eras. Crono, on the other hand, seemed a little inexperienced with the situation.
Lucca turned to meet Michelle's smile. "Ain't it the truth," Lucca roared arrogantly with laughter. Her laughter went on for a moment, and she suddenly stopped and turned quite red, turning around in shame. "Well, that is it's I mean that "
Michelle placed two calm and comforting hands on Lucca's shoulders. "Enough with your modesty act, Lucca. Besides, you don't act very well. There are women out there in the world that would trade everything they owned for your looks."
Lucca made a shy look as she gazed once again into the mirror in front of her, this time with modest eyes. "Well, if you say so."
"I know so, Lucca." Michelle waited for Lucca to change out of the bathing suit as she waited outside the small changing room. When Lucca emerged in her old garb, Michelle put an arm around her shoulders as she led her out of the dressing room toward the women's clothing. "Now, let's see what else we can find to fit that body of yours."
Same
"So which shirt should I go with? There are just so many, I don't even know where to start." Crono placed a fist under his chin with his other arm supporting the elbow.
"Man, should I go with the red, green, blue, cyan, orange, indigo, pewter, or black T-shirts?" He asked himself aloud in the men's department, trying to find what would look the best on him. He still wore his previous clothing since he had not picked anything to wear yet. With all the different types of clothes, it was a chore just to find what would fit. Even Truce, with it's wonderful stores did not have a store that could match the store, with such variety in type, texture, and color of clothing, he was in at that moment.
Quietly, Marle approached him from the side and looked at the shirts, which he was judging. She seemed to walk like a kitten, each step soft and quiet as if sneaking up on some prey.
"What do you think, Marle," Crono asked, used to his girlfriend's stealth's, "what color would look good on me. I just can't decide what to try on."
Marle, her pendant, made of the red rock known as Dreamstone and framed by a beautiful blue lining, dangling from her neck and already wearing a lovely white blouse and women's blue jeans that Michelle had purchased for her earlier, had the perfect answer. "Just try them all on, silly. That's all you have to do."
"Huh?"
"That's what shopping is all about, Crono. Didn't you know that, silly." She let out a giggle. "You try on whatever you like, and you don't have to buy a thing unless you want to." Marle started gathering shirts of all colors and patterns and prices in her arms. She had a pile when she was through and gave the burden, which nearly covered her eyes, to Crono. She then proceeded to guide him to the men's dressing room while he tried to avoid other shirts, hanging on their racks.
"But do I have to try them all on? I mean I can tell which ones I like just by looking, you know." Crono complained as he stood just outside the dressing room.
Marle had a ready reply, "I know you think you can tell what you like, but you have to get the feel of the clothes before you can make an honest choice. Now try something on and come out so I can tell you what I think."
"What you think? I thought these were my clothes?"
Marle let out a giggle. "They are your clothes, Crono. That's another thing about shopping. We have to find out what you think when the clothes are on you, and I have to make sure they match your personality. So come one and go try something on already. We don't have millennium." She let out another giggle.
"Oh all right, Marle," Crono said, finally giving in and grinning, "but remember, this is my body these clothes will be on, not yours."
Marle replied with a wink. "And a handsome body you have, you hunk." She gave him a light nudge toward the dressing room. "Now let me see how that blue one looks on you first, okay?"
Same
Patrick smiled as he watched the little side show in the men's clothing department. He was on a bench to the side of the walkway trying to keep an eye on the two lovebirds. Patrick could say he felt slightly envious of the two, having found one another. Crono and Marle definitely was a lucky pair.
I'll never get that lucky. I'll be a bachelor for life.
With the show over, he fell into his boredom again. He never did like to watch others shop. It always took so damn long. The only time he could put up with shopping was when he was the one doing the shopping. Of course, even those times were sparingly. He would always just buy what he knew would fit. Just something simple was all he needed.
"What happened to variety," came the childish voice. The little blue-hair child was in his blue jeans and black shirt with white tennis shoes and was standing right by the bench. It made Patrick think about the child's statement. That child wore the same thing the last time they met. On the other hand, Patrick had changed clothes.
Hypocrite.
Patrick felt very annoyed, and his voice reflected it. "What now? Wasn't this 'Destiny' you spoke of referring to Crono, Marle, and Lucca? I was sure it was considering they recently appeared just like you foretold."
The child sat on the bench beside him, looking in the direction that Patrick was facing previously so not to meet Patrick's gaze. "The three travelers that came through the gate you created are just the beginning. They will help you realize and strengthen the power that is growing within you. Then you must decide how you will use that power. All of this is just part of your destiny. You will understand soon."
"Kid, I'm getting tired of this power you talk about. What is it anyway? Are you talking about my telekinesis and telepathy? I mean, you know I am not the only one that can use it."
The child hopped onto the floor. He crossed his arms and looked Patrick in the eyes. "That itself was the beginning of the power that you know of, but your power exceeds even the amount you realize now. You may know that several people hold the power to move things or transmit thoughts with mere concentration, but do you realize how easily you are able to use that power? Or how powerful you really are?"
The child continued looking to the female dressing rooms. "One of the time travelers you no Destiny has brought here will be the key to first realizing the power you have. The other two along with the key will help you channel and strengthen that power for they understand it more than yourself. Then the time will come when you must decide how you will use that power. You must have patience until the time is come. It will be shortly after that you decide whether or not you will accept the destiny you have been handed. Nevertheless the time will come."
Patrick looked up to where Crono was showing Marle the blue shirt he had tried on. One of them will be the key?
"Which one will it be," Patrick asked aloud as he looked to where the child stood. Once again the child had disappeared. It was as if he knew exactly when to come and go. It was as if he had read Patrick's mind.
With the child gone, Patrick folded his arms together. The annoyance in his voice came back once again as he said, "I really wish he would stop doing that."
10:51 AM
"Splendid, Lucca, just splendid." Michelle complimented.
Lucca had modeled a fabulous set of clothing: loose, but comfortable, black shorts and a long, baggy orange shirt. The combination was fitting for Lucca, in Michelle's opinion, since it gave her that "I'm an inventor, I'm comfortable, and I love it" look.
Lucca checked herself thoroughly in the mirror. These are just like my old clothes, and they fit just as nicely.
Michelle, in a sleeveless yellow shirt, short shorts, and sandals, walked into the dressing room that moment. Lucca saw Michelle's reflection through the mirror.
"So, Michelle, what do you think? Please," she gave a grin, "be brutal."
Michelle, looked her over a couple of times, judging Lucca's choice of clothing. As she did, she made approving sounds and finally gave her an award winning smile. "Lucca, if I didn't know any better, those look quite similar to the clothes you wore before. They even look as comfortable."
Lucca raised an eyebrow at Michelle's choice of words. "Hey, those were my exact thoughts." A wide smile suddenly grew on her face. "Wait a minute, you can read minds just like Patrick can, can't you? He taught you how, right?"
Michelle adopted a confused expression. "What do you mean? Patrick can read minds?"
Lucca felt her face turn red. There was no telling how much damage she had done to Patrick with that simple question. She thought a moment. The trick was not to come up with a solution. Coming up with solutions was her specialty. The trick was to keep Michelle from knowing that she was lying. However, she had a thought on her mind.
So who cares if Michelle knows. Maybe Patrick had pried into her life, and she just never knew it. Oh well, I might as well try. A challenge is a challenge after all.
"Oh, I got you there," Lucca said with a laugh. "I had you fooled didn't I? You see, that's an old joke from where I'm from."
Her laugh was strong at first, yet it seemed to lose its effect. Michelle gave a light smile as she told Lucca in a simple manner. "Lucca, I know you're lying."
Lucca held her head low as she sighed in defeat. There was no way out of it so she would have to tell Michelle the story. Lucca suddenly adopted a smirk upon her intelligent face. Or did she?
"Oh, I guess you got me there, Michelle. But why don't you ask him yourself? I'm sure he could explain it to you much better than I could.
Michelle thought about this for only a moment and told Lucca that she was right. She then proceeded to walk out of the women's dressing room and passed Marle, who adored Crono in a blue shirt with a pair of black pants to finish the set and said as much. Patrick had seen Michelle heading his way with a smile, and as soon as he saw the look on Lucca's face well, he didn't have to read her mind to know that something was off-center, and prepared for the worst.
"Hi, Patrick," Michelle said with a knowing smile on her pretty face. Her voice seemed to leak with the knowledge of a revealed secret and the tone in her voice made her sound like an eager teenage girl, "You know, Lucca said the strangest thing just now. Would you like to know what it is?"