More Sightseeing

"So where to now?"Cole asked after he finished the last bite of his meal.

It was a good meal, very warm and filling. He was feeling a lot better after that trip to the park now that he had a full stomach. If Raven wanted to keep exploring, he was ready to go.

"There’s a sprawling mall nearby." Raven said as she folded open her travel book, "It was modeled after older open air markets but with the weather patterns, they decided to make it indoors. It’s supposed to still be rather humble and rustic compared to the larger commercial mall."

"You.., want to go shopping? Wait don’t we not have a lot of money?" Cole asked, taken a back y the idea. From her of all people, Raven in the comics wasn't a people/crowd person.

"Window shopping is free. And besides, I could use some new clothes." Raven answered as she closed the book to look at him, “More than that, observing how other shops function could be useful for our stay.”

“Fair enough. Lead the way I suppose.”

It was true, if they were to keep their cover as a 'book store', getting some info about how other shops operated could help. He just winged it yesterday but no one said a thing. Few odd looks though.

The pair paid and left without issue. The only bit of not was Raven pausing to ask if there was any good route from here to the market. When the waitress didn’t seem to recall one, Cole made a show of increasing the tip, which got them some pretty fast ‘remembered’ paths. Seemed hospitality stopped after the bill was paid.

With their coats and a meal, the walk wasn’t bad. The mist like rain was still around, but the city was designed for the weather and for walking. Or at least it was in the busier parts of town. A number of sheltered walkways and paths greeted them as the pair moved. While it was in the afternoon now, only a few other people passed by. They seemed warm enough, giving a slight nod or small wave as they passed by.

“Even here the people are the same.” Cole muttered after one awkward bout of ‘you go first’ played out with another couple.

“They do act like how they do back home. Their own wants and needs; feelings and opinions.” Rave noted as she walked a step ahead of him.

“I’d think Cupid would just stick us in like a utopia city or something given everything else seems to be set up for us."

“How fast would you be bored of that.” Raven asked as she turned her head back.

“… week? Waitress at least felt real.” Cole answered with a shrug.

“Same. I think I would go mad if everyone was just so cheerful and upbeat. That waitress wasn't mean just..., 'I have too much to deal with right now so forgive me if I can't give you more help when I'm not being paid', which I can understand." The heroine said with a sigh.

"You speak like you have experience." Cole assumed from just how that sigh came out.

"Perhaps. But if you're thinking I had to dress up in some cute or showy waitress suit you're out of luck." Raven replied.

Well... Cole hadn't, but now he semi was. Enough to the point he lost track of the last few crossings before Raven spoke up again.

"Anyway we’re here.”

The market or mall was an interesting site. Outside it looked more like a museum or even convention center. Inside it was like a normal two story mall with just one difference. There were far more single room shops and kiosks than big budget store fronts. Several shops even had a selection of goods hung up outside the store to better display them to passerby’s. The crowd flowed about all the shops, moving to and fro without any real pattern.

A fair more hectic experience, but far more honest. Or scammy.

Cole had seen a couple site ups like this back in his home town, or in the city those long street market like places. The spots you could get a good deal if you knew how to shop around and put in the leg work; but also easily parted with money as someone sold you junk from off the back of a truck. The truck they swore they 'knew a guy' and were 'good for'.

“And all these people too.” Cole thought as he brushed past someone.

After being alone most the day, the increased presence of other people thew him off. He took a bit to have to adjust to moving around people again. Schools must be letting out or something as the number of teens and families was above what he thought there should be on a workday. Wait was it a work day? He hadn't really processed the whole schedule of this new world just yet. For all he knew it was a weekend by their calendar.

Raven however just seemed to flow past without a problem. To the point Cole was sure she was using magic.., or just hovering. A small check showed her feet were on the ground.

“How?” Cole asked when he found the time and the closeness to ask.

“Whatever do you mean?" When Cole kept that annoyed look, she continued, "Oh, I don’t like crowds but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to move about them.” Raven explained, that small smile on her lips.

"... I suppose it's something you pick up huh." Cole muttered as he followed her. Considering that tailing someone was part of being a hero, moving through crowds was probably something to learn.

What followed was a bit of a whirl-wind to him looking back on it. The pair walked from store to store, little shop to kiosk, taking in the sights and sounds. It wasn't that different from back home either. Clothes, books, toys, little bakeries and one stall kitchens; even if the items were just a little off, it still felt like home. And it wasn't too strange either. Cole saw something akin to Corn dogs being sold but the breading was different. Music was played around them but sounded maybe a decade older than it should be.

They visited a bookstore, seeing what sort of books were in demand. It wasn't that much different from lists back home; fantasy romance and some alternate history. Cole was put off by the fact one of the book was about a great war..., that seemingly happened in his world but not this one. Besides that bit of WTF, most the books were pretty normal.

The shop wasn't run any different than theirs. Besides the fact of more employees and one guy not running around doing everything.

After that it was just a few little knick knack stores and shops. The kind that sold made at home accessories, weird 'natural' stones for mediation, and just the odd if interesting good. Raven noticed a few things, and spent very frugally, even arguing on a price for a small pendent that looked like a teardrop. Cole for his part just picked up another insulated jacket that seemed to fit him.

They passed by electronics of varying types, natural to greasy foods, 100% real this or that with a money back offer. Shoes, books, tables, masks, clothes, and beads. It really did feel like one of those trading fairs Cole had seen a few times. Just a mass of people selling what they liked, made or scammed. Made him feel a bit like back home.

There were a few bits of info to pick up, mainly about the pop culture. Cole saw a few cartoon characters on shirts that looked famliar but a little off. Like a different race or animal instead. Not all of them though; Raven held up a shirt and wondered if she'd look good in it. The boxer didn't know how to say 'yes' due to the fact he was fairly certain that was the shirt Gwn Tennyson wore. And he only knew that from certain..., images online. Gwen/Raven was oddly a popular thing.

Eventually the pair split up. Not far away, Cole sipped on a cup of soda while he waited on Raven. Personal shopping was the excuse, but he saw her duck into a fitting shop that seemed to focus on underwear. He wasn’t going to rock that boat with any questions.

Still the day had gone off pretty well. Even the whole memorial park thing, Raven had apologized over. Not a bad day.

Movement caught his eye for just a moment.

A little figure in a green dress.

The boxer saw a little girl being dragged hurriedly away by someone. Taking a second look, Cole realized it was the mother daughter pair from yesterday; the ones that made them open the store in the first place. He was about to call out to them when he saw the look of fear on her face and how she glanced over her shoulder.

He kept watching as she pulled her daughter down a small side passage, usually reserved for emergency exits or workers only. He waited a beat before a pair of figures wearing pulled up hoodies quickly ducked in after her.

Something was wrong, and he wasn’t sure what to do. Calling cops might take too long, nor did he have the number (Was 911 still the emergency number?). And he didn’t see any local security either. Ducking into the store to get Raven would be the safest option but they might lose the group. Or he could just run after them.