Mall Mayhem
Lily laughed as she ran with Rachel along the mall corridors and pathways. Ignoring the strange looks she got she skidded around a corner and nearly missed Rachel turn into a store. Happily she bounced into the store along with her redheaded friend, "R-Raph-san wasn't kidding w-when he said he'd get A-April-san to get you to come to t-the mall," she breathed heavily and then closed her eyes, concentrating and finally calmed, "Didn't think she'd drag me along, too…if Don hadn't insisted I would've stayed at the hideout…"
"Apparently not. That turtle neck is mine." Rachel grumbled as she placed her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. She got up and rubbed her arms through the sweater absently. The bandages were still wrapped around her arms, the cuts haven't healed. She absolutely refused both Lily and Bria the pleasure of healing out. She stood up straighter and looked over her shoulder. "So, what do we do now in this maze of hell?"
"I don't know…I've never been to one of these places," Lily bit her lip nervously, "Maybe…look on our own? We're here after all, might as well look."
"Alright," Rachel said with a smile. "It's been a while since I did this with someone. With anyone," She gently grabbed Lily's wrist, "Let's go look around then. This is just so I don't lose you, the stores so big I'd probably get lost……I don't have the best sense of direction."
Lily nodded, "Sure. I do have decent sense of direction so no worries," she smiled and let Rachel lead her around.
Her eyes scanned for the store that would have her size and Lily's. When she found it she gently let Lily's wrist go and walked over to the rack. Her face frowned as she looked through. When she couldn't find something in one rack, she moved on. "I think this is the first time we've ever really been alone besides that one time back in Mrs. Morrison's apartment. I tried to See…but I guess I've been away for too long...I don't know how she's doing."
Lily also looked through the racks and picked out the things she found might fit and she liked, "Bria-san keeps in contact with her so I guess she's fine…" she said absently, "How does your power work?" she asked curiously.
Rachel frowned as she looked at the jeans with great distaste, "Well...how can I explain this....imagine this." She picked a pair of jeans and went off of find a shirt. When she came back, she held them up. "Let's say that the shirt represents a person. A normal every day, run-of-the-mill person. Now see these jeans? Think of them as "wires". Now imagine if this person just brushes against you." She gently demonstrated it, "And the wire's click in a socket in your brain. Their aura mingles with yours. I can judge the character, and I briefly see what destiny has in store for the aura."
Rae looked at the shirt and jeans and folded them over her hands. "When someone comes up to me, sometimes my visions can be "Forced". Sometimes they come too willingly. To tell someone's fortune, I have to force myself to accept their aura. I'm forced to see their future through their eyes. Because auras, believe it or not, are connected to the spiritual plane as well as the lines down on the ground and I merely brush that plane to see five minutes of her destiny. Now, if I did this to a child, a new born, I see everything."
"Everything?" Lily tilted her head and grabbed a couple more clothes before she dragged Rachel with her to the dressing rooms where they could talk a bit more privately.
"Everything." Rachel repeated. "My mind selects the things destiny wants me to write down. I suppose you could say that in addition to being a seeress I'm also a prophetess." She smiled faintly. "It's one of the tricks that seem to backfire on me when I need it the most."
"Why does it backfire? How does it?" Lily inquired as she stripped and tried on a pair of blue jeans first, wincing when it pushed against her tail and she was forced to let it hang low, and she put on a purple sweatshirt with a white rose design on the side.
Rachel looked over at Lily and smiled as she looked at the jeans, "I can tear a hole in that, if you like the jeans and you'll think it fits around the waste. Don't worry, I'm pretty good at stiching. Sewing...heh, isn't my strength." She looked at the two things she brought with her and also decided to strip and put them on. "Why? Because most of my visions don't have anything to do with what goes on. If I'm by someone's aura that it starts to feel familiar, I can see their future more often than I can of a stranger or of a nation."
Rae paused. "It's a cruel thing. Sometimes when I force myself to see, even what I want to see doesn't come true. Instead, I'm thrown to another place, another destiny that doesn't connect to the one that I want. An important object is normally what I use when I force myself or a person's hand. I can't just stand there with my hand against the wall, unless I want to see something that doesn't even occur on this country."
"Another reason, is that I can never see my own fate." Rachel said with a bitter smile. "Someone else has to tell it to me, but even then the answers I get will be vague. I will never know what happens to me, only to those who surround me. I guess I'm lucky, I don't have to worry if I ever will see my death or not."
"How and why do you Force it?" Lily smiled, "And I do like them…" she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, "I think Donny will like this outfit," with a glance she examined Rachel's clothes and tapped her chin, thinking about it.
Her jeans were a little tight and the front was a little low. Her shirt was perfect fit, a nice fuchsia color that had a blue rose design on the front. "Like I said, I just open my soul up to their aura and I brush their spiritual plane and see what will happen and pull away. If I stay, I might go brain dead. Why do I force it? Because their easier to control. When a vision comes unwilling, I go into a fit. Sometimes I scream, sometimes I cry, sometimes I laugh, sometimes I just shake myself out of it. It all depends on what I see."
"Have you seen anything recently?" Lily blinked, "I think Raphael-san will throttle you if you buy those pants, but the shirt's great."
"That's why I'm getting them." Rachel winked at her. "Because I know it's going to make Raph angry. Have I seen anything? Not since that fight." She paused as she thought about something. Her eyes went over to Lily. "Why?" She asked softly. "Is there something you want to know?"
Lily shrugged, "I think it's obvious to everyone except Don…but…I'm starting to really like him…Isn't there anything for us, even something small?" she tried on another outfit she had grabbed.
Rachel smiled, "I don't know for certain if you and Don will be together in the long run. I can answer that Don is really interested in you. There's just one thing that holds him back…" Her face fell. "I only have a hunch of what that something could be. I could be very, very wrong." She took off the pants and put on a pair that wasn't too tight but wasn't baggy either. It had two pockets on the legs and two that were up on the waist. "Hmm this does feel nice." She said as she did a half turn.
"I approve," Lily gave her two thumbs up, "Very nice," she put the clothes she didn't want on the waiting rack and tried on a layered flowing dress which started out with dark purple fading out slowly towards white and it ended at her ankles, "I like this dress...maybe for Thanksgiving or Christmas?" she tilted her head and then bit her lip, "What's…holding him back?"
Rachel bit her lip and looked at Lily. "I honestly shouldn't be telling you this. It could be a number of things. Regret, fear, anger, sadness…Fear and regret are the two biggest things that tear relationships apart. It's not because he's scared of you...he's scared of what power a relationships holds. Not only that..." She touched her heart. "If he's harboring something underneath his plastron, in his heart and into a deep abyss in his mind...then that also can tear something aside. Secrets are the world's best and most powerful way of destroying a relationship...even one that could prevail. I know you and Don like each other, but I think he's holding a secret from you. Not because he doesn't trust you, but because he's afraid. I understand that completely."
Lily nodded, "I understand...is there anything I can possibly to ease him out of his cave at least?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
Rachel frowned, "I don't know." She said softly. "Being there and helping him out will be a big plus...also...maybe just invite him. Don't do it too often, but do it once in a while. When accepts, don't make a big deal out of it. When doesn't, don't fuss. Just try again at a later time. I have a feeling that's another reason why Donny tends to stay in his "Cave"."
Lily nodded, "Alright…thank you," she smiled, "You're a great help…Hey! Tell me what you think of Bria and Leo?" she giggled.
Rachel paused as she looked away. The words that Raphael told her rang through. "I can see Bria falling for a pretty boy like him". "I'm...at a triangle of how I feel about those two now." She said softly. She stripped off the shirt and the pants and pulled on her old outfit. "I think that they do feel for each other. Neither of them know how to initiate it since one is a turtle and the other is pure human." She sighed. "It shouldn't be a problem, but it is."
"Is there another you think is better for Bria?" Lily frowned.
"I don't know." Rachel said again, this time sadly. "I know a person who would probably love to have her by his side. He…is a kind person. He went through something painful though so I can't really match them up. He'll find his special person and if that's Bria…that would make me so happy."
"You have your own family, don't you?" Lily said more of a fact than question, but it was still a question.
"Huh?" Rachel looked over at her and smiled. "I used to have my own family if that's what your asking me." She looked at Lily. "Why do you ask?"
"I want to meet them! Please? Please?! I won't tell, I swear!" Lily jumped up and down.
Rachel stared in surprise. "You want to meet...my family?" She blinked a few times before she started to smile and said, "After we pay for these things. Let's do it now! Once you get dressed that is!"
"Alright! I'll wear the dress, by the way, for good impressions…or should I be more casual?" Lily blinked at her with a grin as she opened the door when they were done getting dressed and went to the counter.
"You should be casual. If you walk in with a dress I have a feeling there would be more confusion than there wouldn't be." Rachel said with a smile. "You know...you're going to be the first person besides two others that have met my family. I hope they won't scare you off. They can be quite intimidating when they want to be."
"I'm fine," Lily giggled and after they bought their outfits once they left they found a restaurant and they went into the large bathroom, locking the door. She looked at her choices, "What do you suggest?"
"How about these jeans," She held up a pair of jeans that had been a little baggy, enough to hide her tail and still fit. "Along with that shirt you were wearing…this one!" She held up a dark blue shirt that had a deep red flower that was the main design on the corner of the shirt, on top was a purple butterfly.
"Alrighty!" Lily grinned and put on the outfit, "Arigato!" She looked at herself in the mirror, fixing up her hair, "Tell me a bit about your family so I know what I'm up against," she requested.
Rachel took in a deep breath. "A group of supernatural beings…" She said softly. "I'm merely a branch of the family. I'm what you call an Informer. There are three of us in that branch. Ian is the one, ah, he's what you call a Soul Brother, who helped us become that." She paused trying to think. "I think you know the leader of the Informers, so I'm not going to say. What I will say is this, whatever they say about Fireside, is only for facade. We're actually Protectors, Defenders. There's more to Fireside than just a gang." She paused again and rubbed her head. "How can I put this, we're a sanctuary. Anyway, you're mainly just going to meet the Protectors, and if we have time, we'll go see the heart of the city."
"Really?!" Lily laughed, "I'm so excited!" she grinned, "I'm so glad you're sharing a piece of your life with me."
"Bria knows only enough not to get herself worked up." Rachel said softly. "I was very vague when I told Raphael. I hope to keep it like that." She looked at Lily with a smile. "Now, let's see how they act around you. Come on!" She grabbed the bags that were resting on the floor and dragged her out.