1.2 Rising Part 2

Legacy looks around as she follows Scott about. He has got about half of their money with him plus a couple of bags slung over his remaining arm. Legacy also has a bag that Scott tossed her as they left the basement.

I can’t help, but wonder what these shops will be like. I can remember ever going shopping before.

“What is it like?” Legacy decides to ask.

“What is what like?” counter-asks Scott.

“Shopping,” explains Legacy, “I haven’t done it before. Or at least I don’t remember if I have.”

To Legacy’s surprise, Scott laughs. She ignores it, patiently waiting for an answer to her question.

“Sorry Legs,” replies Scott once he is finished laughing, “But it’s common knowledge that shopping is a favourite pastime of teenage girls such as yourself. Well, maybe not you, but then you’re… special.”

“Any reason that those of my age and gender enjoy this particular activity?” inquires Legacy.

“None that I know of,” says Scott.

“Oh,” mutters Legacy before remembering something, “You never answered my original question.”

“Oh right,” says Scott before actually answering the question, “Shopping is where we go and use money to buy goods and products. The money we paid with has to be equal to price of the products that we-”

“I know that Scott,” Legacy cuts him off, “I was wondering what the experience is like.”

“Hmm,” mumbles Scott as he thinks, “I guess it varies from trip to trip. Today it won’t be crowded due to the earliness of the day. I want to go to a local gun store. It’s a family-run business and I know the owner. He won’t do anything illegal, but he trusts me enough not to ask any unwanted questions about where we got our money and what we’re going do with what we buy. I want to get you some proper combat gear. Better than the low grade stuff you been using. I also want it to be personalised to fit you so we’ll need your measurements.”

“Will that take long?” asks Legacy.

“No,” says Scott, “Matt won’t take long with it. He might get his daughter to help, but she might ask some of those unwanted questions. If you’re not sure what to say, stay quiet. Do not talk about anything related to the Guardian or anything that might help her connect you to the Guardian. That applies to other people as well.”

“I understand,” says Legacy, “But can I ask why I need to keep myself secret?”

“Yourself sec-, oh yeah,” replies Scott, “Forgot you think of yourself as. But to answer your question, the longer you keep your identities separate, the more you can safety interact with public. And at the moment, you get more out of having a secret identity than you do having a public one.”

“That makes sense,” agrees Legacy.

“Quiet now Legs,” says Scott as they reach the edge of the Battle-Zone, the term for the area left destroyed by the battle between Blastout and Washdown., “We going to start encountering people now.”

“There are people in the Battle-Zone,” points Legacy.

“But those people aren’t interested in folks like you or me,” says Scott, “People in the rest of the city are more likely to listen in on our conversation so we can’t talk about the secret stuff.”

“I get it,” says Legacy, “How far until the shop?”

“Not too far,” replies Scott, “Only about twenty minute walk. We shouldn’t meet too many people. Not many folks get up at dawn like we do. Matt’s only opening this early as a favour to me.”

As Scott predicted, they barely encounter anyone under rising sun. As the inner city is a stark contrast to the Battle-Zone with all of its building intact and paths and streets clear of debris and rubbish.

The lack of destruction is slightly unnerving to Legacy. For as long as she can remember, which admittedly is less than two weeks, Legacy has been lived and travelled amongst the ruins of the Battle-Zone. The consistent reminder of the battle has been a constant in her life, just like her powers.

It’s weird and strange in this part of the city. I don’t scare easily, but fighting gangsters, getting shot at and having people trying to kill me is normal for me. But even then, I always had a weapon of my own creation at disposal. To be out here in the unknown with no way to defend myself is terrifying.

Legacy instinctively reaches out with her power. Over the last few days, Legacy has been able to sense and feel all advanced technology in a few metres. The more advanced the techology, the easier it is for Legacy to interact with it.

Legacy can feel the unmoving metal contraptions as the pair of them passes them. Cars are what Scott calls them. She can also sense phones on the people passing them. It seems everybody has at least one of those devices on them with the exception of Scott, Legacy and the other homeless.

Legacy relaxes as she realises how safe she is with access to so much technology if they were attacked. She could easily defend herself and Scott if someone would be so foolish as to actually attack them