The Clash, Book One

Chapter 11: Beauty, Part B

Ivy hadn't made it very far into her search when she saw Alena and the girls. She rushed over to them to be met with a puzzled expression and furrowed brows from the blonde.

Ivy then asked, "Did Lucy catch up with you?"

"Uh...no," Alena slowly answered. She then questioned, "Why would Lucy be with..." trailing off as the answer hit her.

Her eyes widened as she asked, "Did she run away?"

Ivy rolled her eyes before she pointed out, "Why else would I ask if she was with you?" She then began rushing off when Alena grabbed her elbow.

The brunette snatched it away before she pointedly spoke, "What do you want? I have to find Lucy."

"Let me help you," Alena suggested.

"And deal with your self-righteous, 'I know what's best' attitude? No thank you," Ivy threw back. Before she could rush off again, Alena continued, "Look, this isn't about us, okay? It's about Lucy, and the more people there are looking for her, the better chance we have of finding her."

Ivy narrowed her eyes for a moment. She then sighed and resigned, "Fine. But don't get in my way."

Alena simply nodded before she bent down on her girls' level. She then explained, "We're going to help Ivy find Lucy. She, uh, went off by herself."

Both girls gasped before Lily asked, "Why she go?" Emma then added, "She okay?"

"I'm sure she just wanted to get candy from somewhere else," Alena placated. She then continued, "And I'm sure she's fine. Let's go find her, okay?"

"Otay," both girls answered before Alena stood up. She then turned to Ivy and asked, "Where to first?"

"Jacinda," the brunette simply answered before swiftly walking away, leaving Alena, Emma, and Lily to follow her.

At Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack, Jacinda was serving a family of four dressed as the Incredibles. She spoke as she handed them their order: "Four 8-piece nuggets with a side of Scary Sauce and Fright Fries," smiling at the two children.

As the family sat down, Jacinda couldn't help but look wistfully at them. Henry then stepped up to the counter and chuckled slightly before he asked, "So, this Scary Sauce Is it like, Exorcist-level scary, or is it more like Gremlins-level scary?"

Jacinda grinned as she answered, "Exorcist-level." "Oh, good. 'Cause I can't handle Gremlins," Henry told her with mock seriousness.

"Henry, are you actually gonna order something, or did you just come here to tell me you were scared of puppets?" Jacinda teased with a light laugh.

"Uh, yeah," Henry nervously began. His nerves didn't exactly fade as he continued, "Uh, yeah, uh, well, actually, I was I came by because, uh, I was just kind of wondering if - like, later, sometime..."

Jacinda then saw her step-sister looking through the window. She then told Henry, "Excuse me," before she walked from behind the counter.

"Yeah," Henry responded before Jacinda headed outside. She then demanded, "Ivy - what are you doing here? Where is Lucy?"

"I assumed she'd come to find you," Ivy answered. Jacinda grew both angry and upset as she questioned, "You lost her?"

"I didn't lose her. She ran away from me," Ivy pointed out as she checked her phone for a moment. She then told her stepsister, "Now, help me find her before Mother finds out."

Jacinda argued, "My daughter's running around on her own, and all you care about is what your mother will think?" just as Henry came outside.

"Please, I'm sure she's fine," Ivy stated as she waved her hand in dismissal. Her stepsister then pointed out, "This would have never happened if you had just let me take her trick-or-treating."