Shopping Day (For Blue)

Haley/Ace yawned as she made her way down the aisle, on her bi-weekly trip to one of Tokyo's numerous supermarkets. Valley had suggested a couple supermarkets to keep Ace from blowing her money at Costco, which had a surprising popularity in Japan.

One thing the girl was happy to find was that the meats and veggies were always pretty fresh, certainly fresher than back home, so she didn't hesitate to load up two arm baskets full, contemplating adding a third as she looked around to see what else was available. After all, she could hardly be expected to go out and splurge every night, even with her above average bank account. Besides, it was good training to avoid overspending, as most of the supermarkets didn't take cards, forcing her to rely on cash.

Lu Jiao Jocelyn padded through the grocery store with one small basket. She was on her way home and just wanted to pick up a few things. The one thing she liked about Japanese markets were the bentos. They were something she could pick up that were easy and cheap, especially when they had super saver specials which were kind of fun for Jocelyn to pin down.

She didn't need to bargain shop because she pinched her pennies, but somehow slumming it a bit always made her think that she was sticking it to her dad. Plus, her mother always did like to preach frugality even with prosperity. As she picked up a half priced meal, she guessed it was the best of both worlds. Her food would taste a little more delicious tonight and she smiled at the thought.

As she turned the corner, she noticed Ace. Very unusual for a gaijin to just be walking around a supermarket like she lived here. At least Jocelyn looked Chinese so no one gave her a second thought. However, this girl seemed awfully familiar and she found herself staring at her with a wrinkled brow, nearly resembling a scowl.

She knew she'd seen her before, but without the silver hair, it was hard to place. She clearly wasn't a friend, Jocelyn didn't have any of those. So where did she see her? Did she live int he same apartment complex? Was she an AFW girl? She certainly didn't CARE, but now it was just bugging her!

Ace had been enjoying herself, until she turned her head, noticing a girl near another isle looking at her. Ace turned her head, before doing a double take, looking at the girl again before turning away from her, biting her lip nervously.

It was that bitch. Jocel-something or other. The one from the Friction World Cup tournament, who had kneed Ace in the crotch and assaulted her until Valley had made the save, damaging Ace's ribs and incidentally costing her the semifinal tournament match against Nikolette. That wasn't also counting the damage the attack did to Ace's confidence in her own ability, her self esteem. That attack had shaken Ace's faith worse than any of her previous losses had, and in a way, was still having an effect on her even after she had healed from it.

She gripped her baskets a bit tighter and took a breath, remembering the advice Taylor gave her at her party, to stick up for herself more, and how she had used that to unload on Akashi after the sumo had tried to humiliate her. Perhaps she had gone overboard, but still, if she could stand up to a pissed off 200 pound former world champ sumo bitch, then this bitch shouldn't faze her. Besides, Ace thought, she needed a low blow just to get Ace down to attack her.

She turned again and began making her way past the bitches position. If she didn't make a move, Ace could ignore her. If she tried anything though, Ace would be ready this time.

They made eye contact and then it looked like Ace was going to slink away. Jocelyn was still pondering when their eyes met. After a few moments, Jocelyn finally figured it out! "Oi! Crickey!" She blurted out with a wide grin. You're that bloke who got her poonce caved in!" Her grin widened.

"Oi, I'm surprised you're still not walkin bow-legged." She said and started laughing. Ahaha! Bloody rippah." She said and slapped Ace on the shoulder. Jocelyn had felt good letting off that steam onto Ace. And though she'd much rather do it again, she knew better than to fight Ace right here with all these people around. But, the slap to the shoulder was probably harder than it needed to be.

Ace was tempted to slug the Auzzie bitch after she "patted" her shoulder, choosing instead to glare at her.

"Yeah...thanks for the reminder. You fucked up my entire shot at winning that tournament. I could have handled Nikolette if you hadn't busted my ribs up. The names Ace, by the way, and I still owe you for that bullshit you pulled."

She said, though, like Jocelyn, Ace wasn't keen on fighting with all these people around, plus she didn't want to get kicked out of this store, not when they such good deals on such fresh veggies.

"Isn't it enough that AFW is filled to its brim with crazy bitches, or am I going to find Lukretia and Iron Maiden in the fucking milk aisle too?"

She shook her head, eager to move on, though she did turn and ask a parting question towards the girl.

"For the record, whats your name anyway? I never got it before you tried to crack my cooch."

Squeak-a-squeak-a-squeak-a

One pesky wheel on Cassie's little shopping cart just wouldn't cooperate. The other three glided along just fine, but the fourth was stuck and wobbled around in circles while she pushed the cart down the cereal aisle.

The green tops of a bunch of carrots nodded along over the side of the cart, the carrots nestled in between a sack of potatoes and several heads of different kinds of leafy greens. A coconut rode up front and rolled back and forth as she turned each corner. Her little orange purse sat perched on top of a loaf of soft bread.

While she strolled down the aisles, she let the heels of her flowery rubber boots scuff against the tile floor, and she swished the skirt of her baby blue dress back and forth while she looked for things. She wasn't sure what she was looking for anymore. She needed to get meat, but she was fresh out of dinner ideas. She had tried before to grocery shop with her housemate Akashi, but that didn't go as well as she thought it would.

"Hmm..."

Squeak-a-squeak-a-squeak-a

She rounded a corner and nearly bumped her cart into... Ace. Ace? Who was talking to Jocelyn. Of course.

She stared blankly at the two of them, unsure of what to say.

"Hi."

Squeak-a-squeak-a-squeak-a

She began to push her cart into the aisle past them. She would stay and talk, but she didn't want to interrupt... whatever they were doing.

"Well, I can say the same for you!" Jocelyn spoke. She pushed a hand against her chest and grinned. "I'd be at Summer Splash now if it wasn't for your fanny being where my foot was. Bloody chunder." She said, shaking her head. "I should be the pissed off one." Jocelyn said. Unrestrained, she felt good.

And then Cassie came down the aisle. Jocelyn's face immediately soured as Cassie greeted them and then tried to squeak by with her annoying fucking cart. Everything about her was just so grating.

Jocelyn's hand snapped forward and she curled her fingers into the side of Cassie's cart to hold it fast. "Oh, fuck no. You ain't goin anywhere, Red." She growled and flashed her almond eyes at the Canadian.

"Now it's my turn." Jocelyn said, her eyes focusing back on Ace. "So where the fuck is that seppo twat Bonnie Gastin?" She said, fully expecting the Texan to be around here as well. "Is that how it's gonna go? Cause I'll be rooted if I'm gonna let a bunch of freckles get the better of me." She growled, keeping her fingers locked on Cassie's cart and her eyes fixated on Ace.

"I'll get out clean. You drongos'll rot!" she taunted as she raised her free hand and beckoned Ace.

Cassie jumped when Jocelyn suddenly snagged her cart. Her hands leapt off the handles as if the cart had suddenly been charged with electricity.

"What? But I-I'm just looking for macaroni!" She said, and took a step to the side, away from Jocelyn, and put her hands back on the handle of the cart.

Ace blinked as Cassie just casually walked by, before Jocelyn decided to try starting shit.

"Woah, woah! Hold up! We aren't starting any shit in the grocery!"

Ace yelled, dropping his baskets and raising her hands.

"I don't even know who Bonnie Gastin is. Hell, I don't even know who you are except the crotch kicker lady."

She shot a look at Cassie.

"I only met Cassie once, and we aren't planning any sneak attacks in the same place we buy fresh meat and veggies for low prices, alright? You wanna fight, we can set something up in the ring, since I owe you anyway, but I'm pretty sure none of us want to get kicked out of here without any of our food, right? So why don't you calm down, and be a bitch another day?"

"Oh, no." Jocelyn said, throwing a nod in Cassie's direction. "She may be a ruddy cunt, but she's a fuckin dingo about it." Jocelyn jerked the cart forward just to nudge it roughly into Cassie's belly.

"And who the fuck are YOU?" She asked, squinting. "Only thing I know is that you're a dish lickin twat. That ain't good enough to get you outta here." The Chistralian said and kicked Haley's basket so it went zooming down the aisle, spilling its contents partially.

"And I do know that you like to have your dyke friends back you up!" She said and stepped closer, lifting the hand that held the bento in, extending an index finger and poking it hard into Haley's chest. "And THAT freckle's been known to muck up anyone's business. Both from the same place. Maybe you come in and start some shite cause you see here round. Big ol' Canadian twat slappin pals! Start shite here and she'll join in 'cause that's what she does! Gets in other people's shite and swims around!"

Jocelyn growled the words while she kept her finger firmly jabbed into Haley's breast, daring the girl to speak more lies.