After breakfast, Raphael outfitted Deirdra with three further accoutrements necessary to a DOOM duelist: a chaos duel disk, a Paradius company credit card, and the keys to a brand new motorcycle that was parked in the basement. He also showed her where her real quarters were located. She was relieved to know that she wouldn't be spending another night in the store room. Mai, however, seemed more excited by the credit card and suggested that Deirdra go shopping. "You really need to update your look. It's a bit...pedestrian", she said, carefully choosing the last word. "Really?", Deirdra asked. She had never thought much about her clothes before but, looking down at her plain blouse, dowdy skirt, and Reagan-era jacket, she realised Mai was right. There was no excuse for looking so matronly at 18. She needed to shake things up a bit. So to the store she went, and with Mai's help, selected several new outfits. Emerging from the fitting room in a purple graphic tee, a boxy black jacket with heavy duty zippers and detachable sleeves, and black skinny jeans, she asked "How do I look?" "Super. As soon as you lose the schoolgirl haircut", Mai answered. They hit up the salon next, where the stylists worked their magic to transform Deirdra's boring mid-length into a modern and uber-cool shag. Mai, ever the beauty maven, made a point of suggesting that they colour her hair as well. They did and it turned out beautifully -a dark chocolate brown. Mai looked on approvingly as Deirdra struck a model's pose outside the salon later. "You look fabulous", she said, adding "I'm sure Alister would agree". Deirdra stared at her, not knowing what to say.
"Don't look so surprised. I heard you two used to be involved".
"The key words being used to be."
"What happened?"
"What happened with you and Joey?"
"None of your business."
"Well, what happened with Alister and me is really none of your business."
"Okay. Fair enough."
Mai couldn't argue with that. "So what do you say to getting a latte or something?", she asked, changing the subject. "That's fine by me", Deirdra replied, but she continued to think about Alister and her failed relationship. Maybe if she had been honest with him in the beginning, he would have stayed. But in her heart she knew that had she been honest with him, he wouldn't have gave her a chance. He had far too much hatred for the family of the man who had taken his brother away. A family that included her.