Tses felt a bit envious for a short moment as Penelope talked. She always wondered what would have happened if Kelarii and her had stayed together. Sure, there was more of an age gap between these two girls, but they seemed to be doing ok, so maybe it would have been similar for Tses. Would she be annoyed if her sister stayed up late or sung too loud? Kelarii was always too sweet for that, but perhaps when she got older she would have been more of a handful. In many ways, Kelarii never grew up in her mind. She was just the same little wide eyed bright smiling girl.

Regret tainted Tses' mind, and she pushed it aside, giving a little chuckle and focusing on the present. Her sister was gone, Penelope was here now, and that's all there was to it.

"Who's Mrs. Tickle? Is that your rabbit?" Tses asked, glancing at the little toy. She never had an attachment to objects growing up, but Ty had that tiger that meant a lot to him, so she figured it was more normal than she thought at first. Maybe it was something her mom gave to her, like Ty's was. Or maybe it was just a toy she liked playing with.

Tses never really had toys growing up, so she didn't really understand when she saw kids playing with them. Her only 'games' were trying to get someone's money without them knowing, or running down a snowy street and sliding across it for the rush. Hacking was sort of a game too, in a way. She wasn't a great reader, but codes were different. They were symbols that meant something, and she just had to piece together what it meant. She wasn't sure if this rabbit was a symbol, or an actual play thing.

Penelope could feel the pressure just a tiny bit. She had mentioned and thought of Mrs. Tickle far too much so apparently the personality’s attention was grabbed. The young girl really didn’t want this to happen but as much as she tried to deny mutation a voice, Penelope knew that it was pressing on her mind now. She had to stop thinking about her, otherwise she was going to inadvertently open the door she didn’t want open. That would be a bad circumstance, especially here. Far too many people for Jezebel to hurt.

Attempting to force herself to not think about her, Penelope focused on looking for her sister. Lilith had to be around this mall somewhere. But, seriously, how could she just walk off like that? Who just leaves their sister behind? Who doesn’t come looking for them?

Because she hates you.

Shut up.

She took a steady breath and hoped that would be enough to silence Jezebel for now. She tried to keep her attention focused on seeking out her sibling.

>> "Who's Mrs. Tickle? Is that your rabbit?"

She looked up. Tses was addressing her about Mrs. Tickle. Darn it, that meant that she had been paying attention when she was talking. It was always dangerous to bring up the red Amazon, but Penelope couldn’t just let the question hang either. It would only prompt the woman to prod and question further.

Softly she shook her head.

“This is Mr. Tickle,” she said with a nod. “He’s married to Mrs. Tickle.” She tried to mutter that sentence quickly as she focused her attention on more of the shops and away from her alterego. A distraction. They needed a distraction— “OH A HELLO KITTY STORE!” she grinned to Tses. “Maybe Lilith is in there! Come on!”

Lilith hated Hello Kitty. But Tses didn’t need to know that. Fingers gripping Tses’ unoccupied hand, Penelope began her best to pull her towards the store.

Tses was a little confused by the turn of conversation, but it wasn't an unusual feeling with her. Kids in general made her nervous, so any conversation would confuse her a bit. She wasn't sure if all kids talked like this, but from what little she'd seen, she figured that was pretty common. Or, she liked to think it was common.

Kids made too much mental crap to deal with.

>> "This is Mr. Tickle, he's married to Mrs. Tickle."

Well, that explained a lot. Not. Well, Mrs. Tickle must be another rabbit then, maybe the girl had her at home. Or maybe Mrs. Tickle was really some really well drawn super model figure, because that was what they did in Who Framed Rodger Rabbit. Jessica Rabbit was most certainly NOT a rabbit. She had always thought that movie was a little bazaar, especially when watching it after Aladdin. She made a note to better prepare for spontaneous movie nights when breaking and entering in malls.... Whatever, didn't really seemed relevant now. The current problem seemed to be----

A Hello Kitty Store.

"Kid, I don't think your sister is going to be in there! It's....cute... and pink. Let's go check Hot Topic or something!" She protested, but found herself being unwillingly dragged towards the store with adorable white kittens in the window. Her eyes widened, and she had memories of build a bear flashing through her mind, and inwardly, she was screaming not again not again NOT AGAIN!. However, she wanted to get rid of the girl, right? Best place to do that would be someplace cute and cuddly, and with plenty of parents with children who might be able to help Penelope who weren't serial killing grandma's.... "It just so... kidish...."

There had to be better ways to be a good Samaritan and help people that DIDN'T involve humiliating herself. She wouldn't make the kid go to the cops, sure, but was a lady with kids that bad? Where was that girl's sister, anyway. This search was getting more and more hopeless, and she was risking actually getting attached to the little brat. Which was risky.

Very risky.

>> "Kid, I don't think your sister is going to be in there! It's....cute... and pink. Let's go check Hot Topic or something!"[/color]

Penelope giggled as she kept pulling Tses with all her might. Though she appreciated the suggestion, she knew that Lilith wouldn’t go into Hot Topic. It was too dark and harsh for her. Plus, Lilith used to work in one and had steadily grew a distaste for that particular store. No, if Lilith was searching for Penelope at all, she knew that she would check stores like the Hello Kitty store. If only because she knew how much Penelope loved all the stuff in here.

But also Penelope just wanted to see the store. Though she knew that she should be looking for her sister, there was nothing wrong with also staying in one place with a new friend, right? Besides, Tses may even like some of this stuff! Maybe Penelope could find matching friendship bracelets!

It took some tugging and pulling but eventually Penelope’s mighty kid strength, and determination, managed to pull the young woman into the store. Together, they stood side-by-side as Penelope lifted her gaze and grinned wide, looking over all the cute, cuddly, bright items that were around her. There…was just so many colors!

“Awesome…”

>> "It just so... kidish...."[/color]

She nodded with a grin and peered around inside the store, wandering in and taking a gander left and right. There was just everything Hello Kitty! She loved that plushie white kitten so much that she had at least one of everything. It was one of the things that her sister knew she could present to her and that Penelope would love dearly. It probably helped that they were pretty enough to even calm Mrs. Tickle, but Penelope still loved them more!

Giggling, she picked up a spray bottle of patented Hello Kitty body spray and suddenly turned, squirting a mist or two of the lovely, sweet smelling concoction at Tses.

“That should help with the chili smell!” she beamed innocently and in such a helpful manner as well!

The store was everything Tses dreaded it would be. Cute, cuddly, and adorable. And Penelope seemed to fit in, with her wide smile and her energetic personality. There were tiny white kittens EVERYWHERE, as well as some other little animals like puppy dogs and rabbits. Tses wasn't one for cute and cuddly. The cutest object she owned was a tiny white tiger Ty had gave her, and she wasn't even sure why she kept that still. Sentimentality, maybe. Just like this girl and her rabbit, possibly?

A few kids scampered around underfoot, and Tses felt like she would run one of them over if she wasn't careful. She was going to murder someone by accident. There would be a news report sometime in the near future. "Tragic accident took place in the Manhattan Mall. Several children and stuffed animals were injured when a hello kitty store exploded. There are still reports coming in, but sources say a young teenager lost control of her mutant abilities and took it out on the largest stuffed animal she could find. The stuffing remains are all that we could collect."

They should leave now.

Then, she found herself spritzed with a Hello Kitty body spray, and gagged on the sweet smell that flooded her mouth and nose. She stumbled backwards into a display of stuffed kittens, knocking a few to the floor, and tried desperately to get fresh air. "What the hell was that?" She squeaked, making a face. "Wholly, molly that was worse than walking to the thirst story of Aembercromie and Fitch!" She felt like she had been bathed in the smell of an animated children's show. She was going to puke hearts and rainbows now.

"Put it back before you suffocate us all!"

SPRITZ SPRITZ![/b]

Penelope smiled wide. Oooo, it was watermelon! She had to grin once the scent of the sweet fragrance tantalized her nose. She always loved this sweet smelling stuff, but only when it was the fruity kinds! There were others that were supposed to smell like flowers or things like that, but to her they never did! They always just smelled so…weird! They were too much! But the fruit ones always had just the right amount of scent to them.

Penelope liked the watermelon one especially. She was sure that her new bestie was going to like it too.

>> "What the hell was that?...Wholly, molly that was worse than walking to the thirst story of Aembercromie and Fitch! Put it back before you suffocate us all!"[/color]

She giggled! Tses could be so funny sometimes! She liked to talk loud and pretend that she didn’t like these things but what girl didn’t? It just didn’t make sense in her mind. Tses was probably pretending again, like when she was pretending to be overly mad at her for staining her shirt. Such a kidder.

Smirking, she shrugged as she tucked the follow of watermelon body mist back into its spot on the shelf before moving back to Tses side. As she walked she peered around the small store but there was no sign of her sister here either. She could probably wait here because eventually Lilith would think to check Penelope’s favorite stores.

But…there was so much she wanted to see with her new friend! Hmm, surely if they kept moving they would eventually run into her, right? After all, it was not as if the mall was that big. Offering Tses a big smile, she nodded to her.

“Yeah, looks like she isn’t here. Come on, maybe we should try—“

“Penelope Peyton Pepper?” came a slightly snotty and condescending voice off to the side.

Penelope winced. She knew that voice. It was the voice of someone that caused her to shrivel up inside and void of her the mirthful light that shined behind her eyes. Her eyes rolling as she glanced to Tses, Penelope turned on her heel. Before her was the owner of this voice, a slightly taller young girl, the same age as Penelope, but with fiery red hair, shining emerald eyes, and clothing that just seemed to shout taste and money. The young girl was obviously well off…and she knew it.

“Crystal,” Penelope mumbled her eyes downcast a bit. “Hi.”

Crystal arched a brow as she eyed Penelope…then eyed the woman she was standing with. Her eyes, though young, were harsh and penetrating. She eyed the strange for a few minutes before she fully locked her gaze on Penelope.

“Penny,” she muttered in greeting. “What’re…YOU doing here?” she asked as if she was personally insulted with Penelope’s presence in her mall. Then her eyes lifted to Tses, though she was still directing her voice to the young girl. “And what is THAT?”

Tses wasn't amused anymore. She smelled like fruit and children and she was surrounded by stuffed animals. There was going to be issues very very soon, and her temper was finally giving out. The kid didn't have a clue, honestly, she didn't! She was just laughing and enjoying herself, and it didn't even seem to matter how Tses felt. She was just having fuuuun. Ugh, she needed a bath now... she smelt like....watermelons?

Lovely. Now the smell could match the green tendrils of powers she would have when she blew up the mall.

"We really should get going..." Tses started to say, then she was caught off guard at the approach of another child. Then they were back to square one.

>>"Penelope Peyton Pepper?"

Oh, the ever threatening full name. Full names were something you genuinely avoided hearing, at least, that was what Tses understood as a child. She always hated hearing her full name. it made her feel like she was under interrogation. One of the street kids wiggled it out of her when before she got her powers, and then teased her with it whenever she tried to get away. Ever since then she kept her name to herself. She was Tses, only Tses, and you could just deal with it.

She watched Penelope closely, and a small protective edge flickered inside her. While Tses was a jerk, and she could be a punk at times, she didn't like bullies, especially not with younger kids. Sure, she tried not to step in when it was an even fight, because the only way a kid learned to defend themselves was to stand up for themselves. But the tone in this girl's voice seemed to be beyond the 'stand up to them' phase. This seemed too personal, and too long going.

>> ""What’re…YOU doing here?" ----- Casually, Tses listened, and picked up the watermelon scented body spray while the two girls were occupied, and looked up as the conversation drifted. ------- >> "And what is THAT?"

Pause for a moment, evaluate the situation. Two younger girls, one angsty girl typically described as being a 'time bomb', and a little container of watermelon body spray enter the scene. There is a conflict between the younger females, while the young woman is is already annoyed, and looking for someone to take it out on. Her weapon, the body spray, is perched in her fingers, ready for action. Then...

SPRITZ!!!

She squirted a massive amount of the stuff on the girl, then looked completely surprised. Oh sure, it was on purpose. But she could act a little when she needed to. "Oh my gosh, I am sooo sorry, the nozzle was totally turned the wrong way! You didn't get that in your mouth, did you? I hear it really doesn't taste like watermelons!" Tses put on her dumb blond face and put her hand to her mouth, acting like she was horrified by what happened. But she did manage to move a bit closer to be slightly between the two girls.

Penelope narrowed her eyes at the young girl who was looking at her new friend so accusingly. She really didn’t like Crystal. The girl was so snobby that sometimes Penelope just wanted to hit her over the head with a Hello Kitty plushie! So obnoxious was she that Penelope usually did her best to avoid her at school and almost never ran into her when she was out with her sister. But, for whatever reason, today was the day that proved to be the exception to the rules of her world.

Crystal was here. They were crossing paths. And, worst of all, her new friend was being mocked.

Penelope lips twisted cruelly as she was about to tell the girl off when, over her shoulder, she heard the distinct sound of a body spray bottle going…

SPRITZ!!

She jumped as suddenly a cloud of the sweet mist flew through the air and covered Crystal’s face completely. A small amount of it fell on the young Penelope’s shoulders, but she didn’t mind. Crystal, on the other hand, definitely seemed to mind. She sputtered, and spat, and gagged as she attempted to wave the stuff away.

Penelope laughed out loud as she turned to Tses…

>> "Oh my gosh, I am sooo sorry, the nozzle was totally turned the wrong way! You didn't get that in your mouth, did you? I hear it really doesn't taste like watermelons!"[/color]

“Ugh! Gross!!” Crystal gasped as she glared at both Tses and Penelope. Her accusing eyes turned squarely onto Tses finally. “Gawd! Stupid! You’re just as much a freak as Penelope is!”

Her attention snapping back, Penelope narrowed her gaze on the young girl. “You stop that! I’m not a freak!”

Crystal rolled her eyes as she began to wipe the liquid off her face. “Of COURSE you are! Only freaks live with their sisters! Only freaks have their parents killed! Only freaks hang out together!! Freak! Freak! Freak!!” Crystal began to chant out, laughing at Penelope maliciously before snapping her gaze back to the tall woman. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re probably just as much a freak. Though…maybe not as much as Penelope.”

Penelope sniffled and began to wipe the tears from her eyes, trying to keep her emotions contained. Quickly it was failing, though, as a laughter filled the back of her mind. A laughter fueled by the sounds of the word “FREAK” resounding inside of her head. She couldn’t stop it now. As much as she wanted…she couldn’t…

Freak.

Tses hated that word. She'd heard it a few times when she was younger, after she first discovered her powers. It always stung deeply in her mind, and cut into her heart. Such a simple word: five little letters, but it carried so much force. Freak. The k was shart and sliced as it settled into place, and the F made the speaker's face curl into a snarl, a little expression of natural disdain. Everything about the word was negative and bitter.

Freak.

Tses hated that word. And her hands glowed powerfully to prove just that. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a problem with mutants. I hear it's like an allergy to some people. You know, see one and you just start sneezing all kinds of rude statements." She glared, and glanced back at Penelope as the girl kept talking. She felt concerned as she saw the tears, and glared back over her shoulder at Crystal. There was one thing that bothered her even more than the word freak, and that was a bully.

"Get out of here kid, or I'll show you why people don't like mutants." She growled.

Freak! Freak! Freak! Freak! Freak!

Too many times she had heard that word and too many times she felt angry about it. That was the one word that her parents absolutely hated. They told her that it meant something being abnormal, something that doesn’t belong. Penelope belonged! She belonged in this world and no one had any right to tell her otherwise. Her parents did everything they could to drill that into her head so that she would never feel hurt by that comment.

But she was hurt. Not just because she didn’t like the word, but because it made her think about her parents. It made her think about that night that she lost them. And, worst of all, it opened the door that she never wanted to have open…

Heheheheehehhehe…

She ground her teeth and she tried to hold her head. She didn’t want to hear that voice right now! Why couldn’t she ever get mad without having Jezebel come out and jeopardize everything?! Why couldn’t she get mad like everyone else? WHY WAS SHE A FREAK!?

Freak….hehehehehahahahe~!!

>> "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a problem with mutants. I hear it's like an allergy to some people. You know, see one and you just start sneezing all kinds of rude statements."[/color]

Penelope snapped her attention back to Tses. Tses was getting awfully mad at Crystal, not that she could blame her. Crystal was being a bit of an issue right now. But as much as Penelope wanted to comfort her friend…she couldn’t. Her grip on Jezebel was waning, especially when she saw the flickers of green around Tses’ hands. A mutant? Jezebel HAD to meet her.

Skin dotted with red, Penelope growled under her breath as she felt the sensation of her body being covered over. Red oozed out of her pores and began to compile and amass around her entire body. The few people that were still in the store, upon seeing this, immediately began to back up with slack-jawed expressions. Within moments they were gone as the young girl who was covered in red was replaced by an extremely tall, red Amazon, with a musculature that put more men to shame.

Worst of all, beside the molten yellow eyes and the crooked, sadistic smirk on her face. Jezebel was out to play…

***

>> "Get out of here kid, or I'll show you why people don't like mutants."[/color]

Crystal rolled her eyes at the woman’s threat at first. She had no right to speak to her like that. Her parents were very important and she could sue the woman if she wanted it! But she wasn’t because she was better than that.

But then the young, bratty girl saw the green energy and quickly she began to recoil.

“Another freak? Oh no! You shouldn’t be in the stores! EW!” she shivered as she began to back away. But in backing away, she immediately caught sight of the large, red behemoth that stood directly behind her former target. “A-A-A-A-A…h…”

“Whatcha say about…FREAKS…sweetheart?”[/b]

Tses always liked to think her powers made her more ‘understanding’ around mutants, but that wasn’t always the case. She’d encountered some strange individuals over the course of her life, but their variety of shapes and sizes made it hard to really grow ‘used’ to it. She’d encountered a bird man, a tiger woman, and someone who turned into dinosaurs; those could hardly be ‘related’ in many more ways than just being unusual by human standards. Mutants were so broad, every time she encountered one she had to take a step back in surprise; sometimes literally. But she usually recovered fairly well and repaired any damage to her ego with some snarky comment.

So while she was hoping to scare the little kid, and hopefully not freak out Penelope with her powers, she was pleasantly surprised by the actual outcome. When she heard what sounded like a growl, she started to turn, then found herself facing Penelope as she finished changing into….

What…she wasn’t even sure what she would call the figure. A red she-hulk?

Unfamiliar with the term Amazonian, Tses felt her eyes widen just a little, and listened to the voice. It sounded catty and nasty. Tses smirked ever so slightly. Well, maybe she could get along a little with this mutant. Red skin and yellow eyes didn’t really bother her, at least there were no visible teeth or claws. Although, the figure was pretty intimidating; she looked close to 7 feet tall, nearly towering over Tses now, and her eyes had a sort of glow to them that reminded Tses of a glowing ember. Her hair had streaks of red that seemed to match the skin, and she reminded Tses of a fire, the jet black hair with red like flames licking coal. She envied that hair in a way. Her own boring blond hair seemed pretty lame all of a sudden.

Ignoring the girls response, she crossed her arms and looked up at the figure, and slowly a little piece of her brain ‘clicked’ back to the earlier conversation. ”Mrs. Tickle?” She ventured cautiously, looking around for the rabbit that Penelope had just moments before. She squinted slightly trying to see if Penelope was still ‘there’. She’d encountered one person with a ‘rage’ form before, and that seemed to bury one emotional state under another. She’d have to figure out what this …person?.... was, and rather it would be friend or foe. Heck, for all she knew, her and all the little hello kitties in this store could be in the line of fire for a deadly mutant.

That would be a delightful surprise, in her mind.

Jezebel grinned as she stared down at the young girl who only moments ago was calling both Penelope and Tses freaks. It seemed that the young girl’s bravado was wearing thin as she was quickly shunned into silence. It was painfully obvious that she knew she bit off more than she could chew because she was shaking so terribly that one would think that she was going to fall apart. But that was not the only sign. The stream of yellow that was coursing down the young girl’s leg was yet another signifier of her predicament.

The whole picture only made Jezebel grin all the wider as she cracked her knuckles.

Around the tall, behemoth of a woman, the variety of patrons who had been in the store were quickly beginning to disperse. Men, with gaping mouths, ran out and left their kids behind, children cowered and cried behind toys and whatever furniture that they could find, while female either protected their children by shielding them, or ran out screaming as if they were going to be murdered.

The cacophony was a wonderful torrent of sound to Jezebel. She loved hearing it every time. As a matter of fact, if she could have recorded it and placed the sound into her iPod, she probably would. But that darn Penelope would probably just erase. Such a killjoy.

>> ”Mrs. Tickle?”[/color]

She blinked as she turned her attention to the voice. Who was addressing her?!

Molten yellow eyes roamed down until she caught sight of the young woman who had been escorting Penelope around. The woman, whom she remembered to be named Tses, was looking up at her with some sort of grin on her face. Hmm, Jezebel had to admit that she did like the woman’s style and attitude. Plus, she was a mutant! So there was no need to rip her head off.

Yay for new friends!

“Tses, I presume?”[/b] she grinned as she leaned her massive frame down and plucked up the red and white striped rabbit that Penelope had been carrying. Silently she held it in her hand. She always promised Penelope that she would never leave it behind. So far…she hadn’t. “What must you be thinking?[/b] Jezebel grinned darkly.

Tses was in a rather unique situation suddenly, unique enough her stress and fear melted away for the moment. This was the type of distraction she had hoped for, although it definitely wasn't what she expected when she ended up splattered with chili a short while earlier. Tugging at her arm bands, she glanced out of the corner of her eye as the younger girl quivered in fear, and tried to ignore the little puddle she saw building. She almost felt bad for the bratty kid. Almost. She still sorta thought it would have been amusing to knock her into the stuffed animal display.

Around them, the sounds of distress and chaos were starting to build. Parents gathered their children, whispers of mutants were heard throughout the store. It was like a the buzz of static in her headphones when she couldn't quite get the right station: it was the sound of fear, something she both hated, and twistedly enjoyed.

>>"Tses, I presume?"

The voice sounded different, and acted with its own personality it seemed. This was certainly 'Mrs. Tickle', and Penelope was nowhere to be seen. She could only imagine what it would be like for the young girl to have this figure trapped inside her. Tses felt like a monster sometimes, but this girl may literally turn into one. It was difficult to assess what this individual was. Did she look like a monster only, or did she act like one too? By the way she picked up the little rabbit, Tses guessed appearances weren't really everything.

>>"What must you be thinking?"

Tses blinked, and glanced at the figure. The molten yellow eyes didn't give her anything to read or to look at. Not that it really mattered. She didn't like looking people in the eyes anyway. But she did notice the smile, and a dark grin that reminded Tses of the wild adrenaline junkie she held back in the corner of her mind. She chuckled and crossed her arms, and looked up at the tall figure. "I'm thinking that Hello Kitty has never been quite this interesting." She remarked.

Tses glanced around, and noticed that the cashier had abandoned her post. A familiar tickle of temptation took over her hands momentarily, and she gave a nod in the direction of the cash register. "Are you one of those goody two shoes mutants,, or would you be opposed if I liberated something from that lonely little cash cage?" She was testing the waters with her new companion. Every mutant was different, and it was always good to know who you were standing with. Minor looting was one of the lesser evils she seemed to engage in, so it seemed a fair place to start.

>> "I'm thinking that Hello Kitty has never been quite this interesting."

Jezebel. Smirked.

Her initial thought of this woman was that she really didn’t know what to think of her. She knew that Penelope liked her, but what so what? Penelope liked everyone; she definitely was not the best judge of character. But Jezebel, on the other hand, had a far more scrutinizing eye. And both those yellow cores were aimed directly at Tses.

And they found that they liked her. She passed round one.

Arms crossed over her massive chest, the red Amazon, sneered as she twisted her neck to the side to crack it and relieve some of the tension. She could feel Penelope twisting and trying to wriggling back some control, but Jezebel wasn’t ready, at all, to go back into the hole. She was anxious to stretch her legs since it seemed like a piece since she was last allowed a chance to skip out and play. She needed this right now.

Raven black hair stretching down the length of her very nude body. She really needed to always make sure that Penelope had some extra clothes for her on occasions like this! But, she could find something, even here.

Jezebel smiled wickedly to the young woman as she seemed to be staring back at her. Both were obviously attempting to gauge the other. So far Jezebel liked Tses; she hoped she wouldn’t be proven wrong in that respect.

>> “Are you one of those goody two shoes mutants,, or would you be opposed if I liberated something from that lonely little cash cage?"[/color]

Her wicked, full-lipped grin stretched even more. Uncrossing her arms, she gave a tiny bow to the woman as she gestured to the register.

“By all means,” she muttered. “I guess I should leave SOME stuff to the imagination.”[/b] She cackled wildly as she hunched down, stepping across the store and knocking over anything that happened to get in her way.

She hummed as she peered over the clothing section, leaving Tses to do as she pleased with whatever money she happened to “find”. In the mean time, Jezebel grabbed the largest sweatshirt and sweatpants she could find and managed to somehow slip them on. Though they were still vastly smaller on her than they should be, at least they covered her up some. Though she had to admit that she probably looked like some Hello Kitty-themed tramp, with a sweatshirt that barely fit over her bosom and sweatpants that probably looked like short-shorts now, she really didn’t care.

As the red woman moved, Tses became rather aware of her state of....nakedness. The initial shock of seeing the red skinned individual had taken away some of the surprise of the lack of clothes, but as that settled, the woman's appearance was more.... awkward. It was sort of like looking at a painting, and admiring the colors used in it, only to realize the subject was nude. Then you realized you had been rather impolite by looking at them in such a state. Thankfully, Tses hadn't looked at much more than her face in her initial assessment, so she wasn't as uncomfortable by the encounter.

As Mrs. Tickle moved to find clothes, Tses quickly scurried over to the cash register. Flipping her powers on, she let the green energy crawl it's way down her arms, then condense in the palm of her hand. Slipping the orb into the key slot, she waited for the familiar pop that unlocked it and pulled it open, picking out the 5's and 20's. While the larger bills were useful, they always seemed more suspicious so she avoided stealing them when she could. Plus, she was trying to be on her best behavior. If she couldn't stop stealing completely, she could at least try to steal less. Folding the money, she tucked it into her pocket, and glanced to see Mrs. Tickle dressed more appropriately. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about glancing at the wrong thing, which was hard when the woman was so much taller than her.

"So, I told Penelope I would help find her sister.... " Tses remarked, pushing her hair out of her face. "And even if she did cover me in chili and then try to clean it with her spit, I typically try keeping my word. Do you, well, she... I don't even know how to deal with this now." She admitted, and rubbed her temples. "I guess I just don't want you leaving Penelope somewhere bad when you change back." It was a bold request considering the towering silhouette of the woman could probably knock her to the ground without much effort, but she didn't want to deal with the guilt of leaving a kid somewhere worse than the mall. She had no idea what this new figure would do now that she was out and prowling, and that concerned her a little.

The store was cleared of people by now, and Tses leaned back against the counter, surveying the little shop. She never expected to be hanging out in a Hello Kitty store with a rage powered mutant, but life had done stranger things. She just had to deal with one thing at a time.