Chapter One: Shopping, the Best Thing in the World
"Argent, why do I have to go shopping again," Jinx whined as an earnest lady dressed in a strapless black and red dress dragged her down the street by the ear.
"Jinx, it's obvious you need a new wardrobe," the lady, known as Argent, replied coolly in a relaxed British accent, pausing for a moment to catch her breath. "Look at this dress! It's hideous!" Argent exclaimed in horror as she tugged vigorously at the sleeve of a neon pink, winter coat-like dress that Jinx had selected for her latest date with Kid Flash.
"What's wrong with my dress?" Jinx cried, blushing violently.
"Darling it's too…pink," Argent concluded with a dainty wrinkle of her nose. She glanced at what appeared to be a midnight black bracelet with a large bead in the middle. "We're behind our schedule, Jinx! Come along, we must get to the shops!" Argent announced, after squinting at the large bead, an extremely small clock. She looked toward the glistening shops ahead of them and went back to dragging a protesting Jinx behind her.
"Finally, you know darling next time I suggest that you walk…or else," Argent threatened, glaring at a sore and bruised Jinx, who lay crumpled on the lush carpet of the first clothing store. Argent swiped at a loose piece of her red hair, fitting it neatly back into the arching bangs over her unique pale face. A rack of dresses caught her eye and Argent briskly started to flip through them, muttering to herself. Once in a while Argent would find something that fit her requirements, and she would pull it off the metal pole and fling it to land neatly on top of Jinx, who still lay in a daze. Argent had gone through most of the store, when Jinx woke up, groaning from an increasing weight that was being added on top of her. She blinked, and then blinked again. She didn't remember it being dark. Jinx rubbed her eyes tiredly wondering if she had slept for a long time. Jinx suddenly stiffened, but wasn't Argent forcing her on another shopping spree? Where was she now? Jinx stuck her hand up…and she suddenly realized that what was being thrown onto her was…"CLOTHES!" Jinx sprang up sending the cloth hill scattering.
"Jinx, look what you did to all these clothes, they were neatly folded before!" Argent declared, striding over with another pile of clothes. "Well anyways, bring them along you need to try them out." Argent told Jinx as she carried her miniscule amount to the dressing room. Jinx slowly followed, staggering from the weight of the cloth mountain that swayed, looking like it was about to fall any minute.
"Argent, a hand would be nice next time," Jinx advised, but Argent was ignoring her, intent on getting the fashion show on the road. She pulled Jinx into a dress that was too tight. "Maybe just a bit too tight, Argent," Jinx gasped trying to breath in a little air.
"But darling it looks so perfect on you," Argent replied, clearly disappointed. Jinx hesitated, allowing Argent to swoop right in. "Kid Flash would fall head over heels for you in that dress,"
Argent continued.
"Can we get in a bigger size at least," Jinx said ignoring the red color of the dress as she pulled at the dress, frantic to get out of the fabric that was trapping her air supply. Argent smiled as she placed a bigger size she had already had ready in the basket. Jinx still struggling with getting the dress over her head, didn't realize that she had just agreed to wear a dark shade of red that she despised to her next date. Well, it does look really good on her, Argent thought as she paid for it along with a couple other outfits Jinx had agreed to.
"We have much more places to go to Jinx darling," Argent called as she handed the bags to an already tired Jinx, who lugged them after her. "Luckily, you didn't have any plans. We have the whole entire day free for shopping!" Argent exclaimed gleefully as she peered into shiny windows looking at the different displays. Jinx rolled her eyes behind a big paper bag, not noticing the uneven cobblestone in front of her. Bags flew every which way as Jinx scrambled to retrieve them before…."Jinx dear..." Argent began. Jinx collected the last of the bags, cursing her slow reflexes. If she had gotten them all together before Argent had noticed, then she wouldn't be hearing the "Jinx you shouldn't be so clumsy" lecture for the third time this week. "Sometimes it just seems like you trip over your own feet," Argent lightly added, oblivious to the look of offense on Jinx's face. Jinx took three deep breathes letting them out in huffs, but Argent didn't notice. "This has happened quite a few times this week Jinx and I'm starting to worry, maybe you should….." Jinx watched in a mixture of confusion and happiness as Argent stopped.
"Argent?" she quietly whispered to her friend, whose gaze had been directed to a shop window. Jinx, not getting a reply from Argent, maneuvered around Argent to peer into the window. To her relief, Argent was watching a small cat bat around a little fuzzy ball. Jinx smiled, her weariness melting away, as she watched the little cat and the puppy beside it sniff curiously at each other. The Siamese cat, content on knowing her neighbor wasn't harmful, started to groom herself. Argent abruptly stood up from her bent position, beckoning Jinx to follow her into the pet store.
Jinx stared, this had never happened before. Was she in her various dreams where it started out as a nightmare, but turned good? When the bell on the door finally tinkled a welcome as Jinx entered, Argent was at the end of her sentence. "That would be absolutely lovely!" was all Jinx heard as she walked up to Argent. Argent smiled pleasantly as she walked over to the pets beside the window. She gingerly picked up the Siamese cat, who instantly stopped her grooming to purr soothingly at Argent as she nestled down in the Prada trench coat. "She's perfect!" Argent beamed, her white teeth gleaming. "Now Jinx, we must get….Vera a few things," Argent instructed as she paced through the store, Vera still in her arms. The cat didn't seem to mind, liking the name Argent gave her.
Soon Argent had bought half of the store as plushy beds, toys, treats, food, dishes, accessories, brushes, shampoos, conditioners, collars, ribbons, litter, litter boxes, and some small bells covered the counter, threatening to overflow the shop any minute. "There we go, how much would that be?" Argent asked from behind the assorted cat supplies. The amount flabbergasted Jinx as her jaw dropped to hang loosely. "Thank you, Jinx, for giving me these fabulous good gifts!" Argent replied as she hugged her pink haired friend tightly. Vera placed one of her paws on Jinx's shoulder, her blue eyes shining. Sighing, Jinx released the hot anger inside her and reached for her wallet, handing the clerk a pink visa card. The toys were placed in bags, and the slip signed by Jinx with a flourish. Argent then left with her cat happily beside her. "We'll get you some real things later Vera darling," Argent reassured her new cat as they walked side by side. Jinx followed a few blocks behind, bags covering her body as she tentatively made her way to the black hybrid convertible waiting for them in the mall V.I.P. area.
When Argent had finally dropped Jinx off at her apartment, she collapsed on her bed. Looking up, she saw all the pink hearts that she and Argent had painted last summer. The day had taken a lot out of the ex-villain who quickly drifted off, the predictable ending of a day with Argent.