Her overwhelmed stance moved her closer to him. Though the slightest of movements toward him, it was noted and enjoyed. Garrett hoped that as time marched on there would be closer moves with more forethought. For now, it was a matter of coaxing the sweet turtle from her shell. The look of fish out of water coming from her bangs really endeared her to him. " Well, we'll just walk and see what we find. But try to relax. The mall is a place where you can just be free to look around. We have plenty of money, so don't think you can't get what you want, okay?"

They started walking among the many people. The two of them looked quite unique, which brought certain looks from one social subtype and others from others. None lingered for long beneath Garrett's still hazel gaze. Windows flashed and called out to them with colors and style, texture and substance. He watched her to see if her head lingered in any particular direction. Conversation might help the situation, he pondered. " So, what were you running away from the Mansion for? I understand, whatever the case. I have spent half of my time among mutants trying to leave. Just haven't ever made it too far." So sad but terribly true.

A shop caught his eye that might please her senses. He had seen her Chuck Taylors before, they were one of the things he had adored since he himself wore some, refusing to take them off until it was nearly time to duct tape the sole back on. As real as that sentiment was and remained, Garrett thought she might enjoy a new pair. " Ah, here we go. Converse. Let's get you some new shoes." They walked in and a twenty something hipster sauntered over. Garrett had the distinct impression there might be mention of a little sister with the looks moving about in the guy's orbits. " Hello, my friend here needs to see your Chucks. Hers are a little ragged. Classic, but still, not so good in the rain. "

Relax… Easier said than done, but Maddy nodded, following him as he started to move through the shopping extravaganza. She could feel eyes on her, and didn’t know why, but since they stopped fairly quickly she thought it must be part of the mall experience. Glancing around as they walked, Madlaina was surprised by the types of stores they had, all packed in next to each other with a myriad of different and strange things in the windows.

At his question, Maddy shrugged noncommittally but felt the need to correct him. Running away was fear and weakness... “Not run away. Just away. Is different there, not like I think…” It was hard for her to explain how it felt there, because it was hard to put into words and even harder to put into English words.

She sighed. “Is not like old home, is not like street too. Is weird.” Weird, a word she had heard quite a bit since arriving at the Mansion, came out a bit forced; she wasn’t used to saying it and had only just figured out what it meant. It wasn’t the most explanatory word, but it was the easiest way to describe the strange combination that was the Mansion. If he had left, not far but just far enough it seemed, then he probably understood. If not he would say so and she would figure out what to say then.

Turning his question around on him, she raised her eyebrows and smiled with the corner of her mouth. “Why you run away?” There were a many reasons she turned his words back on him, the biggest ones? She was a bit miffed, not hugely mad or upset, that he seemed to think she was a coward and somewhat childishly wanted him to hear how it sounded to be accused of that, and maybe by hearing his explanation she would better understand her own. Madlaina was a lot of things, but coward wasn’t one of them.

She had been looking at a strange window a bit down the walkway, trying to figure out what it was, when he turned into the shoe store, and it took a moment for her to change direction and follow him. The smell of the shoe store, a familiar and distinct mix of leather, rubber, and new boxes, was easily recognizable and strangely pleasant. Maddy found herself looking around and tried to curb that impulse, hard when there were several interestingly colored and pattern pairs lining the walls, when a strangely dressed man approached.

When Garrett spoke to him, Maddy at first tilted her head at his tone of voice. It was rather… commanding? Then realizing he had impinged the honor of her shoes she looked down at them. Yeah, okay, they weren’t in the best shape, after all she had gotten them from the thrift store and were kind of the wrong size… and beyond broken in… and torn in a few places… and maybe there were some stains… But she couldn’t help the soft “Hey…” that came out, her tone indicating half agreement and half protest.

Perhaps Garrett was starting to melt the ice around her slightly. Ever so, and only in a mode of friendship, but Rome wasn't built in a day and neither would they be. Her lack of protests over money were a step in the right direction, but it seemed his musing over departures from the Mansion had struck a chord.“Not run away. Just away. Is different there, not like I think…is not like old home, is not like street too. Is weird.” That was a thing he could definitely understand. " A change? Somewhere you can be yourself and not have to try to be what others want? I know all about that. It's taken me some time to figure that out." It wasn't a place in the Mansion or the Sanctuary. It was a place inside of him, but existentialism was for another day, preferably after she'd learned some more English.

“Why you run away?” Her tone had the slightest edge to it, perhaps like the sting of a paper cut. Silent, yet lingering. It was only fair that he answer the same questions he put forth. it would be a fine way to see how well they were going to mesh anyway. " Well, I left because I have a hard time finding myself. Who I really am. Unlike most of the people at the Mansion, I believe that mutants are superior to humans. Not better, but just naturally superior. Like people are to ants. Both have their place in the system. Unlike the Order believes, I just think it is our duty to watch over humans, since we are the more advanced race." he had no interest in whispering. If any human disagreed, they were welcome to step up and say so. If they ended up jerking around on the floor, then superiority would be evident.

In the shoe store, the attendant, now caught up with his place in the scheme of things had picked up one of the metal foot measuring devices and asked Maddy to take her shoe off so they could measure her foot. Hearing the slight protest over her shoes, Garrett smiled. " I just want you to have some new ones for school, Maddy. You can keep your old ones too. Just pick out some kinds you like and we'll see if they have them in your size." Looking at the guy, he mentioned, "I need a pair of high top black Chucks myself, size twelve."

When he accurately described some of the feelings she had about the Mansion, Madlaina both nodded and shrugged at the same time. It was part not wanting to have to live up to other people’s standards, standards that didn’t really apply to her anymore after the growing up she had done, but part something else. Like she was trying to put herself together but other people kept getting in the way, too many people at the Mansion, too many memories that weren’t her own, too many other pieces trying to fit in her puzzle… making her leave parts of herself out in order to fit. She needed to be complete, or at least mostly together before she tried to add so much.

But, in the way a coin had two sides, so did Maddy. As grown up as she was in some ways, in others she was much younger that kids her age thanks to not experiencing normal things. But this was normal… And she didn’t know how to respond to his statement. Did she agree? Yes. Madlaina knew mutants were superior to humans, but unfortunately, she was still mad at them for what had been done. It was hard to see how or why she should protect people who would rather see her dead or in prison. Luckily for them, she hadn’t quite figured out how to use her powers to act on her feelings.

So instead of responding, her hands shoved in her pockets as she stood next to him, she looked away from him and leaned, bumping her shoulder against his arm. It was a brief contact because soon the attendant was asking her to take off her shoes and she pulled away; but covered skin to covered skin, it was the first truly voluntary touch she had initiated.

Watching the man carefully, Maddy glanced at Garrett wondering if she should tell the man not to touch her skin, her socks only protected up to her ankles. Instead, she took a page out of Garrett’s book and turned her gaze back to the worker, her tone attempting to be imperious like his was as she pointed at her own black pair. “I want like this.” What she didn’t realize was that would give them a matching set.

The man nodded, and when he measured her to be at a 7 and1/2, he quickly moved off to get what they had asked for. Madlaina didn’t really blame him. If she was in his place she would probably do the same. From her seated position, her socked feet tapping and playing with the floor, she looked up at Garrett again.

”Is okay? We is done?” She wasn’t sure how many pairs of shoes he planned to buy, but she knew if she stayed here too long she would want more. Maddy was half hoping he would let her leave at one pair, and more than half hoping her would let her stay. Her math was wonky, but she didn’t really care to think about it too hard.

Madlaina seemed to do alot of thinking. She thought carefully about her word usage before responding, doing so in a simple yet eloquent way. Garrett hoped that once her mastery of the language was honed, she would still retain the trait. Whatever effect his words had on her, the movement following spoke volumes as she purposely bumped against him. He wanted to put his arm around her, but he did not. Not out of some teenlike angst, but more that he demanded self control, so sometimes he had to deliver, even when it made little difference in an outward fashion.

As the man attempted to size her feet, she looked up at Garrett, who kept in mind that the man shouldn't touch her skin. he decided though, that the attendant was professional enough not to do that anyway, so he let it slide. he'd remember to mention it in the future. She did appear to have nice ankles, after all. She pointed at her own high top blacks, telling the guy she wanted the same kind. He podnered if it was out of convenience or whether she wanted to have a pair like his. He let his fantasies win, choosing the latter.

As the attendant flashed Garrett a knowing smile after nodding to her and moving off to the back, his little angel looked up at him.”Is okay? We is done?” The compulsion to reach down and run his fingers over her hair was maddening, but he didn't flinch, just grinning slightly at her. " I told you, dear. Get whatever you like. If you want more shoes or shirts, get them. I want you to have what you want. If you are happy with the one pair, that's fine. This is only one store and there are plenty more to look at." His eyes remained soft, an approving nod trying to reinforce the idea that she could have whatever she liked. He was completely satisfied with her company and her occasional touches.

When he said shirts Madlaina looked around. Sure enough, there were shirts and a few other things on the walls. Unfortunately, looking around also brought her eyes to what she had been trying to avoid. Shoes that called to her. She tried not to like them too much, but even after the salesman came back and confirmed that 7 and ½ was the right size and provided the pairs they had asked for, she kept glancing back at the shoes.

Giving in to what seemed like the inevitable, she pointed them out to the man who immediately fetched the proper size in the colors she indicated. Mostly high-tops like the black pair, she tried on a yellow pair, a purple pair, a red and black plaid pair, and one low top with yellow and multi colored dots. She liked the high tops, she was used to them, and they helped support her ankles which tended to be fragile without help. But Maddy finally rejected the solid yellow high tops, worried that they would get dirty too easily.

When she tried to narrow it down more, she didn’t do very well. Garrett wasn’t saying ‘no’ which made it hard for Madlaina to tell it to herself. She eventually ended up with the black, the purple, the plaid, and the low dotted pairs. But she only got the low-tops after making sure to not get any shirts from this store. That was the deal she made in her head. She was glad when she caught sight of the price tags. She nearly swallowed her tongue. One pair cost more that she had saved, and few of them were nearly double. But of course, trying to put a few back didn’t work either.

Madlaina was embarrassed when they left the store, blushing that after all her heel-dragging, she ended up with four pairs of shoes. But at least that meant they didn’t need to go in anymore shoe stores, right? She hoped so.

As they walked some more, Maddy tried valiantly to not look to the sides, but after caving in at the shoe store, it was harder to not look at other things. One store caught her attention, and she again reached out to Garrett. This time to tug his sleeve as she slowed down to look in the window. She didn’t know the word, but she did know the name that meant what she had seen. But instead of going for the fancy, new, expensive items, she put her gloved finger against the glass, and grinned at the odd little box.

”Poloroid!”

Garrett watched with interest and a sort of glee at Madlaina's erosion of defiance. Once it was made clear that she could have whatever she wanted, she set about the store with the consultant, picking this and that. He simply waited for her at the counter, monitoring his Blackberry as she moved around the store. He was happy that she would be getting not only shoes she needed, but shoes she wanted. It made her eyes shine and that was a sight for sore eyes. Eventually the shoeboxes were brought up and he paid the guy as she seemed to nibble her lip and look coy. He knew she was genuinely like that, but it didn't make it any less appealing.

As they left the store, he carried her bags for her so she could loosen up further and enjoy the sights and sounds of the mall. her head swiveled from bright window to bright window, until Garrett felt a gentle tugging at his sleeve, directing him toward a shop that seemed to sell all sorts of electronic devices, both old and new, big and small. Like a child at a candy store window, she pointed with glee at a small camera. "Poloroid!" The shrill yelp of a noise caught others off guard. Garrett could only smile and indulge her further as they entered the shop together. Inside, the shop seemed to be the size of two normal shops, with small rickety shopping carts inside. He put the shoe bags in it and began to push it, finding the boxed versions of the cameras on a nearby shelf. He handed the box to her to inspect. " Same rules apply. I might even get a thing or two this time." He smiled and winked at her, happy to have her company.

Following him in, somewhat amused at how he looked pushing the cart but making sure to not laugh, she was surprised that he handed her the camera box when they were inside. Madlaina shouldn’t have been, and she mentally scolded herself… of course he took her excitement as want. And she did want it, but it had caught her by surprise and she was happy to see a camera so similar to the one she had back home in Romania. It had been old, passed down from older siblings and probably now belonged to Emiliana, but Maddy had taken many pictures with it.

Idly wondering what had happened to those pictures, she looked at the box but after only a few moments realized it wasn’t the same thing. Putting it back on the shelf with careful hands, Madlaina’s gloved fingers ran over the other boxes looking for the camera that would pop out pictures on those little cards. After a moment of searching, she found something with the same name, but it wasn’t the same. Staring at the box in confusion brought a store employee.

”Can I help you with something?” After a moment’s indecision, she glanced up at Garrett before she nodded. “Where is old one? With pictures get out…?” Now it was his turn to look confused, by both her language and the question. Then as if he figured it out, he looked at the wall for a moment. When he reached for a big metal stick leaning against the wall, Maddy’s head retreated from the interested tilted forward position she had previously exhibited. But when he only used it to get a box off a top shelf, she relaxed.

Looking at the new box she was handed, she smiled. This was the right thing! And it came with a cute little photo album and a small pack of starter film, probably to help sell it. It had a big red sticker on it that took a moment for Maddy to decode, but then it made her grin again. It was on sale. Holding it out to Garrett for him to look at she looked around for a package with the right film cartridge. Finding it she put it with the box. “Is okay?”

At first glance it might seem odd that a mutant girl who experienced more than enough memories would want to record more on pictures. But these would be Maddy’s memories, the ones she wanted to remember, so she wouldn’t lose them in all the memories that came from others.

Gadgets galore, standing at attemtion on every shelf, hoping to be the selected item to be used. That was probably a little intimate for cold technology, but after all, as mature as the world had made him, Garrett was only a few years older than Madlaina. She handled and inspected the camera box, though ti seemed something wasn't right about it. He tried looking over her shoulder, but he didn't want to seem too imposing so early. It was apparently the wrong model, so he stood back and let his little bundle of dynamite handle her own business as his eyes lazily scanned the units on the shelf nearest.

An associate of the store came to join her and aid her in her search. It seemed that the one he had handed her was a newer model that carried the name, but didn't pop the pictures out. his grin widened as she seemed toretract from the stick the man used to get a different box down. He didn't let her see it, though, since his mind naturally assumed that it was something about Romania and her past that made her believe a common store employee might actually hit her. Her glee was infectious, spreading both to himself and the older man who waited on them. Garrett would find himself very fortunate if he could persuade her to be with him all the time. Baby steps for now.

She held the box and the film out for him to inspect, asking if the purchase was alright. He merely flourished with his hand at the empty shopping cart. " In the cart, dear." He continued to push down the aisles, looking for things that might pop out at him. A strange circular device, like a C-shaped open ring found his attention. It had a slot for batteries and he fumbled with it, looking at the small placard nearby. 'Stay cool every day with the Personal Cooling System!" Finding the power button on the demonstration model, he placed it around his neck as shown in the picture. The device whirred to life as multiple fans blew against his neck and head, surprisingly making the room feel much cooler and comfortable. Did they come in a smaller size, he wondered? Or could they be made to? If so, it would fit very well beneath a suit made mostly of leather.

With a short burst of a smile at Garrett’s approval, Madlaina quickly and carefully plopped the box and the film in the cart he was pushing. Then shoving her hands in the pockets of her shorts, she followed behind him looking around. Maddy didn’t know what most of this stuff was, she was a bit behind the times with technology, so it wasn’t all that tempting to her. But that didn’t stop her from being curious about the different things.

Different shades of metal, different finishes, different colors, lights and other strange materials covered most of the display objects. Other than the obvious televisions, cameras, and music stuff, she had no idea what any of it did. So when Garrett picked up something, she only watched for a moment with her head cocked curiously, before loosing interest and investigating the texture on a weird looking object nearby.

When he lifted it to his neck however, her attention swung back. Depositing the object back where she had found it, a child’s toy she had discovered, Maddy moved back to his side and looked at the display in an attempt to read and figure out what it was. She didn’t really understand, but got the fact that it was supposed to cool someone off. But why would Garrett need something like that?

Turning her eyes back to where he was fiddling with it around his neck, she blinked at him with questioning eyes. “You is hot?”