A/N: 2022.04.22

I had to fight every urge in my mind not to subtitle this "Electric Boogaloo", most of you probably don't even get that joke. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this! It was a random idea I had since I started introducing Dana into this series. Also, there is a very special ANNOUNCEMENT at the end of this one! Enjoy!

Summary: Chelsea and Michelle go on another shopping trip. But, this time, Chelsea decides to make the trip extra special and invites Dana along. Post-"Iridescent".

Shopping Trip II

Ever since finally talking to Terry and Max, Dana found any kind of nervousness of coming to Gotham completely gone. A very welcome side effect from ridding herself of the last of those demons. This current trip saw Dana staying in town for at least four days, eight at the max. She decided to take some time to hang out with her friends. Of course, Chelsea suggested shopping, but, to Dana's surprise, Chelsea invited another friend along and it wasn't Max this time.

Dana rang the doorbell to Chelsea's townhouse, with Chelsea coming to the door a few minutes later.

"Hey, girl!" Chelsea smiled.

"Hey!" Dana greeted. "Am I late?"

"Nope. Right on time!"

"Schway!" Dana looked inside, cautiously. "Is, uh… she here?"

"Yeah, she is. C'mon in. She doesn't bite!" Chelsea stopped. "I mean… I think. I honestly don't know how she and her boyfriend get down. I wouldn't be surprised if there was biting involved."

"Chels…"

"Oh, whatever! She'll tell you herself if you ask her! C'mon!"

Dana walked in and Chelsea closed the door. They walked into the living room where Michelle was lying across the couch, reading a magazine.

"Hey, Shell!" Chelsea said.

Michelle lowered the magazine, looked up, and focused on Dana.

"This is Dana." Chelsea looked at Dana, "Dana, this is Michelle."

"Nice to meet you, Michelle," Dana greeted.

"Yeah. Same." Michelle got up from the couch, set the magazine down, and walked up to Dana, studying her intently.

Dana felt a lot of nervous tension flare up. Just from Michelle's eyes, Dana felt like Michelle could easily take her in a fight. And, like Chelsea told her beforehand, Dana had no problem admitting Michelle was one of the most physically impressive women she'd ever met, but Michelle also seemed to be one of the toughest people Dana had ever come across.

As Michelle began to circle around Dana, Chelsea giggled, "Em, what are you doing?!"

Michelle stopped in front of Dana and crossed her arms. "So you're Terry's ex?"

"Uh…" Dana said, apprehensively, "…yeah."

Michelle shifted her stance to put her hands on her hips. "How… the hell… did he find all these hot chicks?! What the freak?!"

Chelsea laughed, immediately, while Dana joined in a moment later, once her shock and worry faded away.

"I mean," Michelle motioned toward Dana, "he went from this hotness to Max?! That guy stays winning! He's never taken a loss in his life!" She looked at Chelsea, "And he hung out with you on a regular basis?! Was he ever not next to a sexy bitch?!"

"Awww, Shell!" Chelsea said.

"I'm serious!" Michelle insisted. "And all of you went to high school together?! What, was the school a modeling agency?! All good-lookin' people must've gone there! Meanwhile, my school looked like a bunch mole-people had children!"

Dana and Chelsea laughed again. "Oh, wow, I like her!" Dana declared.

"Told ya so!" Chelsea smiled.

Dana smiled at Michelle. "You must've been the exception to the mole-people children."

"Dana, congratulations," Michelle replied. "You're the second fastest friend I ever made. Chelsea was first."

"Chelsea being first is not surprising."

Michelle chuckled. "Good to meet you, Dana."

"Back at you, Michelle," Dana smiled.

They left Chelsea's house and went to one of the shopping districts in Gotham. While Dana and Chelsea found themselves falling right back into similar shopping patterns, Chelsea had to, per usual, goad Michelle into buying some things Michelle wouldn't usually wear. Until Michelle walked past a miniskirt and stared at it for a while.

Chelsea caught Michelle's gaze and grinned. "Imagining Hayate's reaction?"

Michelle smiled, dangerously. "Oh, yeah!"

"Can I ask a question?" Dana asked Michelle.

Michelle turned to her, "Shoot."

"How did you get him?! I have to know!"

All three of them laughed.

Michelle let out another laugh, "My feminine wiles and incredible bust size."

Dana and Chelsea kept laughing for another moment.

"Just kidding. Look, Dana… the honest answer? I have no idea." Michelle smiled, warmly. "When I met him… I was a way worse person. Hell, I was trash! You don't even wanna know. We ran across each other again, like, over a year later… maybe it was two? And I… was trying to be better." She shrugged, "I guess he saw something in me worth taking a risk for. I'm trying to make sure he never regrets it."

Dana smiled. "I'm willing to bet he doesn't."

"I hope not. I do my best."

"He doesn't," Chelsea said. "Trust me."

"You sound sure," Dana noted.

"They live together and she walks around his loft naked," Chelsea smirked.

Dana blinked then looked at Michelle. "Uhhh… lucky guy!"

"That's what I keep telling her," Chelsea laughed.

Michelle grinned. "It does boost my confidence when I can break that monk exterior. Like when he stares at me and walks into something." She groaned, "And the lingerie helps!"

"Told ya so!"

"Oh, you and your 'look at me, I'm right!'"

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Chelsea smirked.

Michelle looked at Dana, "What about you, Dana? You got some dude back in Coast City who's pining for you?"

Dana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Sorta."

"Whoa-whoa-whoa, wait, whoa, WHAT?!" Chelsea shouted, hurriedly. "Excuse me?! You've got a guy and you didn't tell me?!"

"A little…"

Chelsea put her hands on her hips. "Dana Tan! You little fire cat, you!"

Michelle chuckled, quietly, "Heh!"

Chelsea almost laughed as well when she realized she said "fire". She focused on Dana, "Alright! Out with it! Who is he?"

Dana shifted nervously on her feet. "You… remember Jared?"

Chelsea's eyes widened and she paused for a moment. "Jared? As in… Jared… Tate?!"

Dana nodded.

An elated smile formed on Chelsea's face. "SHUT! UP! You and Jared?!"

Dana blushed, "He… moved to Coast City a couple of years ago. We started talking."

"Another high school friend?" Michelle asked. "What? He gorgeous, too?"

Dana pulled up a picture on her phone. Chelsea and Michelle examined the pic for a few seconds.

Chelsea smiled. "Damn, he's lookin' good!"

"I know, right?" Dana smiled.

"Okay, what the freakin' hell?!" Michelle exclaimed. "I'm convinced! No one ugly went to your school!"

"I mean…" Dana shrugged. "Howard wasn't… all that?"

"Really? Got a picture?"

"Uhhh…" Dana went to a folder in her phone, specifically of teen memories. "Oh! Here's one!"

Michelle looked at the picture. "Okay, he's not like… GQ magazine handsome or anything, but he is so not the ugliest guy I've ever seen! Hell, before Hayate, he would've at least been a 6, maybe a 6.5, for me. Pushing a possible 7."

"7?"

"He looks like an optimistic guy. Optimism is attractive to me."

Dana laughed. "I'm guessing Hayate would be a 10?"

"You're being too generous, Dana," Chelsea smiled. "I'll bet Hayate's an 11!"

"Hayate broke the scale," Michelle exhaled. "Shattered it! Lord! That man…"

Dana and Chelsea laughed.

Chelsea focused on Dana, "But, seriously! When did this start? You and Jared, I mean."

Dana fidgeted a bit. "Not… too long after I talked to Terry and Max. I mean… it wasn't like right after. Maybe… it's been… just over a year?"

Chelsea gasped. "You've been dating Jared for over a year and never told me?!"

"I just… forgot?"

"Seriously?!"

"Wooooow, Dana!" Michelle said, jokingly. "I can't believe you wouldn't tell her that! How dare you!"

"You don't even know who he is!" Chelsea snickered.

"I know, but this is funny and I just wanna contribute."

"And you're an instigator," Chelsea pointed out.

"And I'm an instigator," Michelle agreed.

"She's like a redhaired version of Max," Dana laughed.

"It's why she's so easy to love," Chelsea explained.

"I just got compared to the hottest woman I've met in real life in the positive?!" Michelle asked. "HELL YEAH! This is one of the best days ever!"

Dana laughed. She looked at Chelsea, "I really am sorry I didn't tell you, Chels. I just… didn't wanna jinx it. We're… just trying to slowly give this a chance."

"I get it." Chelsea folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "But a year?"

"I… was making sure?"

"You both are hilarious!" Michelle laughed. "I was with Hayate for thirty seconds before I wanted to tell everybody!"

Dana and Chelsea laughed. "I bet you would've been great to hang out with in high school," Dana said to Michelle.

Michelle chuckled, "Not really." She exhaled, sullenly. "I… had a hard time growing up. Chelsea tell you?"

"Not a word. She only told me you had a tough time back in high school. Anything else is your business."

Michelle smiled. "You seem pretty trustworthy, Dana. If you don't mind a sad story… I'll give you the quick version."

"Only if you want to," Dana insisted. "It's your life, Michelle. You're friends with some of the best people I know. I don't need to know any more than that to know you're an amazing person."

Michelle studied Dana. "Okay. I can actually admit that I get it now."

"Get what?" Chelsea asked.

"Why Terry dated you. I knew it had to be more than looks. I mean, you're totally gorgeous but he's not that shallow a guy. You're a pretty awesome person."

Dana smiled, warmly. "Wow! Thanks, Michelle. So are you."

"Appreciate that." Michelle looked at the miniskirt and pulled it off the rack. "Let's keep getting clothes Chels is gonna make me buy…"

"Make you buy!" Chelsea mused, mockingly.

"…grab some food, and I'll give you the insane, sad story that is my life, Dana."

"It gets a lot better later," Chelsea smiled.

"Yeah, it does." Michelle looked at them both, "Present company being the part of the reason for it."

"You just met me!" Dana giggled.

"And I'm already declaring you awesome. So says I, the busty redhead! Our words are law, ya know."

Dana laughed. "I really, really like her!"

"Wait until you hang out with her more," Chelsea declared. "I guarantee you'll love her before the day is done."

"Bold declaration," Michelle pointed out.

"It was true for me."

Michelle shrugged, conceding the point.

"Well!" Dana said. "Tomorrow, me and Chelsea and Max were gonna to a spa." She looked at Michelle, "Wanna come with?"

"I don't wanna intrude. I know you guys are besties."

Dana studied her and shrugged, "Who says we can't add another bestie?"

Michelle smiled, appreciatively. "I… think I can clear my schedule. Thanks, Dana. You're pretty cool."

Dana smiled then looked at Chelsea, "Didn't take 'til the end of the day."

"I know, right?" Chelsea smiled.

A/N: So, what did you guys think? Let me know!

ANNOUNCEMENT!: So, like with "Chronicles", "Chronicles - Part 2" has gotten pretty lengthy. So... how about we do "Chronicles - Part 3"? In fact, it should be begin in just a few minutes!

Thank you all for sticking with me and I'll see you soon!