I have to say one thing in my defense, walking barefoot through a mall is fun. At least until you realize how dirty the floor must be.
Despite that I found myself standing outside of The Club Banana. It was like a new age Gap, but trendier. I have to say it felt good to think that the very girl who had adopted me to keep me from facing the wrath of a very annoyed Global Justice had standards in what she dressed her pet in.
Even if the arrangement was only temporary.
We were walking from the escalator towards the Club Banana store when we saw a neatly handwritten sign in the window next to the doorway.
‘No Insects Allowed’
Below it was a small, not so neat looking scribble:
‘Service Insects Permitted’
“Service insects? How in the heck am I going to claim to be a service insect?” I stared at Kim, hoping the teenager could think of something.
“Well Monique will probably let you in anyways…and if anyone asks you supply a way to carry extra bags.”
“I’m a baggage handler now?”
She smirked, “Why not? You already double as a nightlight.”
I’ll admit it. That shut me up right there. I grudgingly followed the girl into the store, trying not to mutter obscenely. She had me fair and square with that one, and there was no point in griping about it.
Monique turned out to be an African American girl with a lot of frizzy hair tied into a mass that looked like an attempt at a pony-tail. For most people it wouldn’t work, but she pulled it off some how.
“Kim, girl, how are you?” The squealing ritual of the meeting friends had begun.
“Monique, I am doing great!” And now the ceremonial hugging.
The two checked each other over for new tattoos, piercings, even hickies. For a brief moment it was like watching Animal World featuring a special on the grooming habits of social mammals.
Needless to say for a moment it was very weird.
“So Kim…what’s with the woman on the end of the leash?” Obviously the sales girl meant me. If the leash didn’t give it away her pointing finger did.
“I’m Kim’s new pet.” I was probably too smug, but then again, when am I not smug?
Monique’s jaw looked like it was being held onto her head by her lips as she stared at the teenager who held my leash. “No. Way. You own a person as a pet?”
“Actually….according to her genes she’s a firefly…”
The salesgirl looked like she was going to pass out at this rate. I couldn’t help but find it funny.
Then again I think slasher movies are funny.
“Relax…she’s not going to harm the store, alright? We just need to get her some clothes, socks and a pair of shoes. That alright?”
The salesgirl was staring with wide eyes as she nodded slowly. It was obvious she needed a break.
“Come on Pumpkin…I think I hear a shelf of jeans calling my name.” I tugged on the leash playfully, leading Kim to the jeans, and away from Monique, who looked like she –really- needed a break now.
“Kim! Hold it right there!” The voice was loud and annoying, and I felt the leash jerk, and I started to fall backwards, until old reflexes saved me.
Old reflexes meaning I grabbed out for the nearest thing available. Which happened to be Kim. The two of us ended up in a tangled mess on the floor with a very annoyed brunette standing over us.
“Kim, who the hell is that on a leash? Do I need to warn the squad you’re into S&M?”
“Bonnie….No. She’s my pet. She’s a firefly, got it? So go mind your own business elsewhere.” Kim was up on her feet, and I got up after her, trying to understand the two women.
“Well for a bug she’s pretty sexy.” Bonnie was looming rather close for my comfort. She poked my nose with a small smile. “Beep.”
And she was gone.
“That….was weird,” Kim stared off at the teenager who sauntered off.
I nodded weakly. The moment was weird…but dang…that girl had a body.
We were walking back to Kim’s house from the mall, a couple of shopping bags laden with new clothing in hand when a very familiar ring tone went off. I knew that ring tone because it was the same one that went off whenever that PDA Kim owned had a call from her techno geek friend.
Out came the device and it beeped as it came one, “What’s the sitch Wade?”
“It’s Dr. Director from Global Justice…she’s requesting a private meeting with you.”
“When?” Kim’s eyebrow was raised. I loved that no nonsense look she got when she was wondering what was the problem.
“Right now…the football field at the high school.”
Kim sighed and looked over at me, I shrugged weakly, “Sounds good if you want…Mistress.”
Kim blushed, “Let her know we’re on our way.” She clicked off the device, with a smirk, “Careful with calling me that…I might start to get used to it.”
“Oh Mistress!”
We found ourselves trudging through knee-deep snow out onto the field. I had heard rumors of what the Director of Global Justice looked like, but the eye patch was the only constancy in the stories.
She was wearing some kind of dark blue jumpsuit and matching jacket as she waited for us, a cigarette in her lips. “Miss Possible, I’m sorry to call you out like this, but I felt an apology was due. You see I am the Director of Global Justice, but I’m not in charge of the organization. It is headed by a board of more politically minded individuals.”
The woman paused and inhaled on the cigarette, and blew smoke as she spoke, “Shego…when the discovery occurred I wanted to get rid of the evidence, it doesn’t help me because as an animal you’re not responsible for your actions. Instead legally you are operating on instinct, or your owner’s directions. It actually tied my hands.”
She inhaled on the cigarette again, “Well actually it made it so you could be classified as a dangerous animal, but that’s not my thing. The board decided otherwise.”
She paused, “So…I’d like to apologize for the inconvenience, and thank-you Ms. Possible for correcting the problem I was facing. I’d rather offer the chance for reform than to just kill a person for performing an illegal action, or even several of them.”
She turned and started to walk away, “You take care of her Ms. Possible. She’s redeemable if given the chance.”
A/N: And we explain GJ, and bring up a new question. Just where am I going with this? I’m not telling you yet.