New Identity ~ MCU/SWCW Story

|<Chapter Four>|

Chapter edited as of July 15th, 2021 <3
**Please look at my author's note at the end of the chapter**

"Buckle, right?" A certain icy-haired girl guessed as they pulled up to a store with familiar-looking decor.

"Bingo," Bethany sang as she shut the door of the Lexus behind her. Once Ashley was following at her side like a little puppy, the brunette swung her hand up over her shoulder and locked the car without even looking back. "The store where your denim dreams will be fulfilled. Flares, skinny, shorts... you'll find plenty of good pairs here."

"So these are the clothes that are... trendy?" Ashley asked. Her tone appeared as though her tongue was testing out the word and trying to decide whether it liked it or not.. She snaked her head to the right to see shelves upon shelves of denim apparel, shirts, and some accessories. She swiveled her head around to the left, but this time she was met by more masculine clothes.

"Some of them," Bethany nodded, "but you need to have a good eye and taste for the ones that really pop. That is why, my dear, that you have me," the woman proudly boasted, directing the two of them towards one of the circular racks on the right.

"Ah. Lucky me, then," Ashley joked, thumbing through the shirts. She stumbled across a dark yellow crop top with a skull design and displayed it to the woman, "how about this?"

"Put that back down or so help me God," Bethany gagged, "that is way out of style. I mean honestly, I don't ever think it was really in."

"Alrighty then," the white-haired girl replied, hanging the shirt back on the rack and raising her hands in surrender. "Be my guest, then."

Bethany confidently nodded, then set to work. After several minutes of searching through racks with Ashley constantly by her side, she surfaced a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans, some distressed shorts, and flare jeans. Several staff members of the store had sought out the pair and asked if they needed any help, but Bethany had repeatedly waved them off and insisted she was fine.

"There's a good variety that should provide you with an option for every occasion. Not to mention, this material is incredibly soft and breathable."

Ashley shot her a slightly confused and amused look at the brunette for the last point she made. Bethany chuckled with a sarcastic roll of her eyes, "Darling, if you aren't comfortable in it, don't buy it. Pain may be beauty, but comfort is grace."

"Advice noted," the icy-haired girl said, turning her attention back to the displays of clothes. Her fingers stumbled across the familiar, smooth texture of cotton. After a moment's evaluation, she picked up one of the folded articles and held it out.

"What about this?" Ashley proposed, studying the graphic tee that she was presenting. It was black, and was labeled with something called 'AC/DC'. Upon seeing the letters, her mind began aching with knowledge of alternating currents and direct currents.

"Not too revealing," Bethany positively hummed. "It's a classic band you can't go wrong with... I'd say you picked yourself a winner!"

"Wait seriously?" Ashley gasped, "I thought it was going to be 'so 2014' or something." However, as she was speaking, her mind began to throb even worse. Apparently the trigger in her brain had realized that the shirt was not referencing to electrical currents, but instead an old rock band that was dear in the hearts of many.

"Nope," Bethany giggled, then pointed to some multi-colored shorts displayed on one of the mannequins, "but those are."

"I d0n't even remember that year and I already agree," Ashley laughed, raising a hand to her eye as to shield her from the horrendous sight.