They left the fast-food restaurant, still chuckling.
"Well, what now?" asked Jenny, looking around in the late-afternoon sun.
"How about the other great place to hang out, Middleton Mall?" answered Kim.
"Ohh, shopping!" said Jenny, then her face fell. "But I don't have any money."
"Don't worry about it. I can afford you some basics," said Kim.
Jenny smiled shyly. "Thank you," she said in a low voice. "Keep track of what I owe you,
and I'll pay you back when I can."
Kim waved her off. "It's on me. Think of it as a "Welcome to Our Universe" present."
Jenny and Ron had to laugh, and Rufus chuckled as well, even if he didn't really get what the joke was.
KPKPKP
As they walked down the main floor of Middleton Mall, Jenny looked around in wonder.
"I've never heard of most of these stores. I mean, I know the kinds of stores, just not the names. There are a few I'm familiar with, though."
"Well, there's ONE you'll definately come to know..." said Kim.
Ron rolled his eyes. He knew which one she meant. Suddenly, salvation for Ron appeared unexpectedly in the form of their friend Felix Renton, who rolled up in his cyberobotic wheelchair.
"Ron! Kim! Hey!" he called.
"Hey, Wheel-man!" said Ron, giving him a high five.
"Felix Renton, this is Jenny Wheeler," said Kim, introducing them.
"Hmmm... maybe we're related," said Felix, thoughtfully.
Jenny looked at him in confusion. "Sorry?" she asked.
Felix grinned. "You have the name, and I have the wheels," he replied.
Jenny cracked up, while Ron chuckled and Kim smiled with a red face. She still wasn't entirely comfortable with his humor, even though she'd known him for months, now.
"Nice to meet you, Felix!" Jenny grinned, shaking his hand.
"Same here. Ron, I was hoping to run into you. They're giving away demo CDs of Zombie Mayhem IV at Game World!" said Felix.
"I am SO THERE!" said Ron. "Catch you later, KP, Jenny."
"Sure Ron, later, you too, Felix," said Kim, as the two headed off.
Jenny looked at Kim.
"He knows where to find us," said Kim, and turned toward the store she had been heading for, Club Banana.
Inside, Jenny oohhed and ahhed at the clothes, and immediately headed for some blue blouses. Kim went to the counter, finding who she was looking for.
"Hey, girl!" said a young woman with chocolate brown skin, large dark eyes, and long, curly black hair looking up from a catalog. There was a form on a clipboard by her, where she was making notes.
"Hi, Monique," said Kim with a smile.
"We JUST got in some skirts I think you'll love!" said Monique, putting down her pen, and coming around to Kim.
"Can't afford them today, but show me next weekend," answered Kim, "I'm kinda on a mission."
"There's one I know you won't be able to resist. I'll put it away for you," said Monique.
"Thanks!" said Kim with a smile.
"Whoa, who's that?" asked Monique, catching a glimpse of pink hair a couple of racks over.
"That's my mission," said Kim, turning toward Jenny. Monique followed.
Jenny was holding a blouse very similar to the one she usually wore as a villian, and wondering if she should stay with that look, or go for something different.
"Hey, Jenny, I want you to meet Monique Robinson, my best girl friend," said Kim.
Jenny put the blouse away and turned toward them, smiling.
"Um... hi," said Monique, holding out a hand. The odd girl standing before them had caught her entirely off-guard.
Jenny shook it. "Hi, I'm Jenny Wheeler."
Monique narrowed her eyes, giving Jenny an apprasing once-over. "If you're going for the punk/goth look, those clothes aren't going to cut it," she said. "Wait a sec. Kim, aren't those YOUR clothes? From a couple of years ago?"
"Yeah, she didn't have anything to wear, and these fit her," answered Kim. "She dropped in unexpectedly."
"Well, we'll have to do better than THAT," said Monique. She went over to the same rack where Jenny had been, looked through some blouses, and pulled out the exact same one she'd been looking at. She turned and held it against Jenny. "That's more like it."
"Actually, Monique, we came to the mall for more basic stuff. She literally didn't bring anything with her. I brought her by to meet you, and get a few things," said Kim.
Monique looked disappointed. "Okay. Jenny, when you're ready, come back in and find me.
I'll get you looking fine, girl."
Jenny grinned. "I'll do that."
"She means it, too," added Kim, "Nobody knows fashion like her."
"Got that right," grinned Monique. "Hey, it's about my break time. Want to go get some smoothies? I'll buy."
"Sure!" said Kim.
"I guess..." said Jenny. "What's a smoothie?"
At Monique's confused look, Kim said, "It's a fruit drink. You'll like it."
"Mmm.. sounds good. Let's go," Jenny said.
A few minutes later in the food court, Jenny was enjoying her first smoothie.
"MMMM!... this is really good! Thanks, Monique!" she said.
"Glad you like it. The strawberry is my fave," answered Monique. Then she turned serious.
"Jenny, can I ask you a personal question?"
"Sure," said Jenny, looking up from her drink.
"That's... really you, isn't it? You're not wearing makeup and contacts," said Monique.
Jenny glanced at Kim, who nodded. "You can tell Mon anything. I trust her completely."
"Yeah, it's really me," Jenny answered, and launched into a short version of her story.
Monique sat and listened closely.
"So, let me be sure I've got this right. You're from another universe, you have bad-luck powers, you were in prison, and this guy tried to get you out with a transporter thing, and you ended up here instead?" asked Monique.
"Yeah..." said Jenny, feeling a budding friendship slipping away. "But I'm gonna change my life here. No more evil."
Monique looked at Kim, who raised her eyebrows, and Jenny felt even sadder.
Monique looked at Jenny, and grinned. "Well, all I can say, girl, is welcome to Middleton!"
"Y-you accept me? Even knowing that about me?" Jenny was surprised. She expected Monique to get up and leave. Hastily.
"If Kim's your friend, I'm your friend. You need me, you let me know," said Monique.
Jenny's smile got even wider. "I haven't been here a day, yet, and I've got more friends now than I EVER had back home." Then she burst into tears.
After she calmed down, Monique asked, "Does everyone where you're from look like you?"
"No. Actually, people and things look pretty much like here, unless you have some blue and green-skinned people I haven't seen. I'm pretty unique," she answered.
Kim snorted. "Shego-- that girl in the warehouse? Has green-tinted skin because of her powers, and her boss Dr. Drakken has blue skin because of a lab accident. But they're the only ones that I know of."
"What powers?" asked Jenny.
"She can throw hot green plasma from her hands, can fight very well, and is one of the most dangerous people in the world," said Kim.
Jenny grinned. "Sounds like an actual challenge. I'd like to meet her again, just for that kick she gave you and Ron."
"You might get a chance," murmured Kim. She was starting to get an idea.
KPKPKP
As they approached Club Banana, Monique suddenly stopped short. Kim and Jenny ran into her, and had to catch their balance.
"Monique, don't just stop like that," said Kim.
"Yeah, someone could have some bad luck," said Jenny.
"Ohmygod..." whispered Monique.
"What is it? asked Kim, seeing her wide eyed.
Monique pointed at the counter in Club Banana. "Marcie is getting robbed!"