BEEP. . . BEEP. . . BEEP. . . BEEP . . . BEEP. . . BEEP!
"Huh? Wha...?" Tred slowly awakened from his deep sleep.
Amanda came cheerfully bounding into the room. "Rise and shine Tred!"
"Who set that stupid alarm? And why are you here? Shouldn't you be in school?
"Tred! It's a Saturday! We don't have school! I set your alarm because we are taking you shopping." Amanda started leaving the room. "Come on, you can eat with us."
"Wonderful." Tred began to get dressed in some clothes that Erica had 'borrowed' from her older brother. Since the Sailor Ronins had helped stop Queen Beryl and Lord Talpa's plan of taking over the world, he had been living in the apartment that Tracy and Amanda's parents rented out. Tred had finally regained his full strength and powers so that he could stay in human form. He had decided to accept the offer of an apartment so he could help guide the Sailor Ronins. On days like this he was beginning to regret that decision.
Tred finished getting ready and headed into their kitchen. Tracy was in there making pancakes. "So what's with this shopping thing and why do I have to come?"
"We need to get you your own clothes. You can't wear Matt's clothes forever. I think he's starting to notice that they're missing." Tracy put a plate of pancakes in front of him. "Hurry up and eat."
"Are you sure about these things? They don't look too appetizing." Tred picked a piece up with his fork, looked at it and put it down again. "I'm done."
"You didn't even eat anything!"
"I'm not really that hungry anyway." Just then the doorbell rang. Tred rose to answer it.
"Fine! Don't eat! But you're not getting anything at the mall!"
"Fine with me." When he opened the door, Danielle, Candice and Erica stood there, all looking very excited.
"Hi Tred! This is going to be so fun! Hey, food!" Danielle pushed past Tred and went into the kitchen. Candice and Erica followed her. When Tred walked back in, the three girls were downing his abandoned pancakes.
"These are super good, Tracy." Erica stuffed another piece in her mouth.
"Well at least somebody knows good food when they see it." Tracy pointed at Tred. "He's not allowed to eat anything at the mall until we get lunch."
"All right, I'm ready!" Amanda walked into the kitchen carrying a purse. "I got your credit card too, Tracy."
"Thanks, we're gonna need it. Tred definately needs a new wardrobe."
"Like yours is any better," Tred mumbled as he walked out to Tracy's SUV. "I'll be waiting for you guys in the car."
Tred sat out in the car for awhile, but no one else came out. He waited another ten minutes. What's taking them so long?! He got out of the Durango and went back in the house.
"Hi Tred!" Danielle was still sitting at the table.
"I thought we were going!"
"We were, but then Amanda spilled her milk and it got all over Candice so she had to change. Then Erica decided that their outfits clashed and she changed too. Then Tracy didn't like her shirt so...."
"I get the picture. Jeez! Girls!" Tred was starting to get annoyed. While he was contemplating on whether it was really worth it to be their guardian, the other four girls came downstairs. "It's about time."
"Quiet, Tred." Tracy grabbed her keys and the others raced to the Durango.
"I get the front!"
"No way Candice! You always make us listen to crappy music!"
"Do not! Besides, like your music is any better! I hate Korn!"
While Erica and Candice were arguing, Amanda quietly slipped in the front seat. Tracy gave the others directions on where they had to sit. As they go in, Tred stood in the driveway, looking nervous. Amanda noticed him. "Whats wrong Tred?"
"I'm not sure I want to be in a vehicle that your sister is driving."
"I heard that, Tred!"
"I'd watch it, she's the one paying for everything. Come on, once we get to the mall you'll be in a better mood."
* * * * *
Amanda had been wrong. By the time they reached the mall, Tred had the biggest headache in his life. Amanda and Danielle had been singing loudly and off-key the whole way. Erica and Candice were still arguing over bands and Tracy had decided to drive as bad as she possibly could just to scare him. To make matters worse, he was starving. Every time they passed a food stand Tred's stomach started growling, and Tracy would give him a little smirk.
"All right lets hit the department stores first and then go to the little ones." Danielle grabbed Tred's arm and dragged him into Kaufmans.
As they walked through Tred was shocked. "There's so much stuff!"
"Well of course, different people need different things. Lets get you some shirts and stuff first." Candice led them to the men's department. She started picking out clothes and putting them in Tred's arms. "You'll need a sweater vest, and some Dockers, and..."
"Hey wait! He's gonna look like a prep if he wears that crap!" Erica handed Tred a few pairs of baggy jeans, long t-shirts, and a leather jacket.
"He'll look like a gangster if he wears that stuff!" Danielle walked over. "Here Tred, why don't you try some cargo pants, some normal jeans, and some of these nice shirts."
"He definatley needs a hockey jersey. Tred, who's your favorite Sabres player?"
"I actually don't really like hockey..." Tracy completely ignored him as she handed him a Martin Biron jersey.
Danielle looked over at Tred, who was starting to disappear under the mass of clothes he had been handed. "Hey guys, maybe we should let him try those on first."
"Fine. Tred, go into those rooms over there and tell us if everything fits you. Make sure you come out so we can see." Tracy pushed him in the direction of the fitting rooms.
After a few moments, Tred came out wearing one of the outfits Candice had picked out for him. "How's this?"
"Great!" Candice and Danielle said in unison.
Erica looked him over. "Very...preppy. Keep the kahkis but ditch the tech vest. Try on the jeans now."
"Yes ma'am." Tred headed back towards the fitting rooms and sighed. "This is going to take awhile."
* * * * *
A few hours later they were all sitting in the food court reviewing their purchases. The girls had sent Tred into the bathrooms to put on one of his new outfits. When he came out, he looked somewhat nervous. "How do I look?" He was wearing a light blue t-shirt that had a black and silver vest over it with black pants.
"Great! Somewhat preppy, but great!"
"Thank you, Erica." Tred looked around the food court. His stomach started to growl again. "Could we get some lunch now?"
Tracy looked thoughtful for a moment and then grinned evily. "I don't know, I'm not really that hungry..."
"Oh, let the poor guy eat! He's learned his lesson already!" Amanda dug around in her purse and handed Tred some money. "Here you go, get whatever you want." Tred nearly sprinted towards the food stands.
"Hey! Wait up!" Danielle followed him.
Amanda was rummaging through the shopping bags. "So...we got him pants, shirts, socks, hee hee. . . boxers, a jacket, what else does he need?"
Candice looked up. "We might want to get him a watch and maybe a wallet too."
Danielle and Tred returned, each carrying a tray piled high with food.
"Didn't you just eat breakfast, Danielle?" Tracy asked.
"Yep. Thats why I'm just having a little snack." Danielle shut up and started eating her salad.
Tred looked weary. "So, what kind of torture are you planning for me now?"
"Well, we were just going to get you a few more things..." Amanda grabbed a few fries off of Tred's tray, munched thoughtfully, opened a few packages of salt and took more fries.
"Save some of those for me!" Tred looked extremely hungry as he gobbled down his food. "What are these 'few things' you were planning on getting me?"
Danielle happily began to rattle off different stores that they still abosolutely had to go to, and all the things that they were going to buy him from each. As Tred sat and listened, he got more and more confused by the minute.
Erica pushed back her chair. "We better get going. If we want to hit all those stores we're going to hafta move it." She grabbed some of the shopping bags and headed off towards Foot Locker. Everyone else slowly got up out of their seats and began to follow her.
* * * * *
After hours of thankless and tiring shopping, they were finally on their way home. Amanda and Danielle were sitting beside Tred in the back seat, listening to Smashmouth and trying with all their power to give him a headache. It appeared as if their efforts were paying off. Tred rubbed his temples as they sang, louder than ever, their favorite song on the CD.
"I said yep, what a concept, I could use a little fuel myself and we could all use a little... *SMACK* ...OUCH! What was that for Tred?!?!" Amanda snickered as Danielle rubbed her head. "It's not polite to hit a lady you know!"
Candice turned around to face Danielle and folded her arms across the top of the seat. "I don't blame him, Dani. You guys are good singers and all, but take my advice and stick to soprano."
Tred smiled in victory as Amanda exploded into a fit of giggles for no apparent reason. Danielle was still a little bit ticked off, but she calmed down as they all sat back and enjoyed the ride.
