xp_logs | Well. That was unexpected.

Because the idea of Sarah getting recognized in public is far too funny to not do at least once. Besides, it gives me a reason to show off my knowledge of beach towns before tourist season. :) Nothing really important happens.

They were in a tiny beach town, so quiet and nearly empty that Sarah hadn't thought twice before volunteering to get more eggs and milk from the store a couple of blocks down the road.

There was an old man buying fishing bait at the front counter from an obviously disgusted teen girl when she walked in. He looked at her, a cup of nightcrawlers in his weathered, grimy hand and nodded in her direction. "Lucky you're here when you are. Two weeks ago you'd have had to drive into the city instead." He gestured to the cardboard sign still propped up by the door. "Closed for the winter season. Reopen in March."

Sarah smiled. Must've looked like a tourist. "Lucky us."

The man finished his purchase, and left with a wink to both the girls, grabbing the long fishing pole he'd left by the door before heading out in the opposite direction from the cabin Sarah and the others were staying in.

"He's a local," the girl behind the counter said dryly, flipping through a magazine. "Need any help finding anything?"

Sarah looked around, winding around racks of silk-screened t-shirts and sweatshirts, and buckets filled with too-perfect seashells. "No thanks. Just looking around."

Wound around the back of the store was two refrigerated sections, one devoted entirely to beer and other liquor, and the other with the bare-essentials in perishable foods for the nearby guests. She rummaged through the milk first, looking for a carton that wouldn't expire within the next day or two.

"Hey, are you... nah, nevermind."

Sarah gave her an odd look, and went back to comparing the expiration dates on the milk bottles. The girl behind the counter went about her business, or so she thought. A few minutes later, the girl came up to her. "You're Shinobi Shaw's girlfriend, aren't you? I wasn't sure at first."

"I... what?" This had to be some sort of fucked up dream. She wasn't getting recognised, right? Fuck.

"Shinobi Shaw's girlfriend. ....I don't think they've ever gotten your name, but I saw a picture of you in last month's "Seventeen", and you've got to be her. Except you had these crazy horn mods on your forehead. My boyfriend's been trying to convince me that they're sexy."

Sarah looked around, noticed the rolled up magazine in the girls hand. ...She's been where? "...yeah," she finally managed, "that's me." She rubbed impulsively at her forehead, luckily bone-free. "I'm on vacation with some family," she added quickly, when the girl looked like she was about to ask more questions. The girl's grin faltered a little, and then she shrugged, and held out her hand.

"I'm Val." If the whole situation hadn't been so damn surreal, Sarah would have been annoyed. All she wanted was eggs and milk, not a goddamned friend. But she put the milk and eggs down anyway to shake Val's hand.

"Sarah." The look on Val's face was slightly worrisome. She was definitely thinking far too hard for somebody who was just going to ring up her groceries.

"Sarah and Shinobi... S and S! That'll be nice when you get monogrammed towels. Are you--" Sarah, looking vaguely horrified, cut the girl off in mid-sentence.

"I really have to go. There's two little boys back at the cottage who were sure they were going to waste away if they didn't get their pancakes soon when I left. By this point, they're raiding the cookie bag." She grabbed the milk and eggs from the shelf where she'd set them, and started for the front of the store, hoping Val would follow her and get this over with. Luckily, she did.

Sarah handed her the cash, and managed to get her change and a receipt before Val started asking questions again. "So is he into body mods? I mean, I've seen his eyebrow ring, but does he like it when you've got horns?"

"Yeah. I've got to leave now. Hungry brothers...?" Sarah held out her hand to get the bag Val was holding, the last thing she needed before she could get back to the sanity of the cottage. But Val wasn't finished talking, apparently.

"I'm sorry, I keep babbling, don't I? It's just, we don't get famous people in here most of the time." Sarah leaned forward and snatched the bag handles, pulling it toward her as quickly as she could without yanking Val's arm off too.

"Famous, me?" Sarah laughed, wrapping the handles around her wrist and quickly retreating to the door, "Hardly."

On her way home, Sarah decided that Shinobi needed to be thrown into the ocean again. Very much so.