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Rouge's shopping list was now longer than the ripped up 'highly confidential' report she had written it on the back of, yet still she squinted at Omega. He ignored her, and fired another round of bullets at the target for the admiration and/or terror of the agents around him.
"Yes, I do think we need to spring for the gloss lacquer. If we buy cheap, we'll only kick ourselves when he rusts up."
"Buy?" Shadow grunted. Rouge curled her lip, selecting a small rubber bullet gun from the rack on the wall, swiping an ID card as she went.
"Acquire. Okay, fine, if it'll mean you come shopping with us I will buy everything." She sighed. Shadow nodded, and chose to believe her. It still didn't understand why she wanted either of them to come to the outlet tomorrow, but she didn't give it time to think:
"Okay, you wanted to show me how to shoot? Come on then, I can't exactly learn from Omega, can I?"
Omega watched out of one eye as Shadow corrected Rouge's posture. He registered pointed ears and perky tail from Shadow as Rouge asked it questions about weaponry, which had become something of a fixation for Shadow since it had enrolled in G.U.N. and discovered the training room. He also noticed Rouge subtly correcting her own posture when Shadow became too focussed on one thing. Omega shot with his other hand, enjoying the rush of positive feedback from his wrist, and wondered why she was letting Shadow show her how to do something she'd been doing since before they met. As she aimed for the target and the rubber squeaked near the centre of the bullseye, Shadow's plain face lit softly with joy, glowing brighter as she aimed better the next time to hit the target nearly perfectly.
"Shadow enjoys being deceived?" He asked simply. Shadow frowned at him and puzzled, but Rouge stretched her eyes wide and shook her head subtly. Omega did not move or retract, so she sighed dramatically.
"Okay, I confess I actually have shot this one before, but a while ago, and I thought I should make sure I was doing it right before I graduated to the next one! And, what would that be, Shadow?"
Shadow's tiny gloom flicked back to tiny excitement again, as he nodded seriously.
"It's good practise. Logical. The next to master is…" He took the gun to the wall and browsed, muttering to himself. Rouge glared at Omega:
"Shush! Don't be rude!" She snipped
"Rouge is fully qualified with all artillery in this section." He remarked, but she muffled his speakers.
"Well, I'm out of practise! Look, just don't say anything about that in front of Shadow! Talk to me later. When Shadow's not here."
So Omega stored the question, as Shadow returned with a more powerful gun.
Shadow tapped its foot as it sat on the subway next to Rouge. Omega was staring at it again, or both of them, Shadow couldn't tell. What he could tell was Omega was taking up half the train cart, nearly got stuck on the way in, so was certainly going to cause another scene on the way out. In close proximity, his general aroma of gunpowder and petrol was making other passengers nervous. Shadow suspected the whole trip might be one of everybody stopping them, asking them about him, and trying to arrest them all for bringing him around. Rouge flicked in her magazine, seeming unperturbed by this, and Shadow tried again to telepathically communicate to her that it wanted to go home. She wasn't watching, but Omega was:
"Rouge has something on her face." He offered. Rouge looked up, patting her skin.
"Do I? Where, why didn't you say?"
She took out her compact and admired her painted skin from every angle; "Nope, I'm flawless. What's your issue?" she rounded on Omega again. Omega pointed to Shadow.
"Shadow stares at you." He remarked. Shadow consciously constricted the vessels in his cheek to ensure he didn't appear as flustered as he was. It glared at Omega.
"Well, what? You've seen my mug before." She laughed awkwardly, tilting her head slightly away so it couldn't stare at her. Shadow furiously stared at the floor, as Rouge subtly dabbed at her skin, suddenly seeming to Omega to be smaller and less confident. Omega watched them curiously, then decided this was a helpful time to list all the deadly ingredients he had heard could be found in makeup.
"Right, so I think getting Shadow a phone and my winter gear are going to take the longest, so let's start with the phone to make sure we get it done. Then, we've got to dip into the big mechanics for nice stuff for Omega, then I'm sure we'll have time to check out shoes, mine are tired. Ooh, and we need to get some specialist quill stuff, I'm not having another brush break. That'll be in the drug store, I'll just dip in for some restocking, check out the seasonal line. Silly me, got to squeeze lunch in somewhere there." She murmured, staring at the big map of shops, alight with excitement. Shadow bristled, its insides queasy. People were already staring at Omega, and Shadow and Rouge by association. Somebody in a uniform was cautiously creeping towards them, pretending to be idly looking around, but with a baton behind their back.
Shadow wouldn't have minded the stares if they stayed stares, but the public often approached them, and it was always an unbridled mess of a communication. G.U.N. had rules, common courtesy; people didn't ask questions about Shadow and Omega, and only spoke to either of them when absolutely necessary. It was subsequently the only populated place he tolerated. The outside world, however, was full of confident amblers and busybodies, and whatever Shadow did seemed to be the wrong thing, to lengthen the conversation, or to make a fight. With someone already trying to approach them, and how many people had bothered them about Omega getting stuck in the train doors, it was shaping up to be a day he wanted over.
"Shadow is greasy." Omega observed, before he switched his red eyes to the security guard. Rouge looked up, nose wrinkled, and looked Shadow over before noticing the guard.
"Bathroom." It said sharply, and hastened in another direction. It hid behind a wall, watching Rouge and Omega talk to the uniformed person. Omega looked angry, then completely unbothered again in just one moment. The security guard left, and Shadow waited a minute before returning: in its corner, nobody looked at him. Its dark colours blended with the display behind, and it felt calmer without all the attention. But Rouge and Omega looked bored.
"All good?" Rouge asked breezily, but she gave it a sharp once over.
"Fine."
"Shadow did not find the bathroom." Omega remarked. Rouge pulled a face and frowned at it.
"Um, ew?"
"I didn't- I just wanted to be somewhere quiet." He hissed, glaring at Omega again. Rouge tutted and shrugged.
"Right, sure. We can take a break whenever. Maple Electronics, then-"
"I can go alone. I'm not a baby." It said suddenly, and inwardly cringed. She laughed breezily.
"Well, sure, but you hate talking to people. C'mon, I don't mind."
"I don't need you to speak for me. It's more efficient to go separately."
It thought Rouge glared at him for a moment, but she was nonchalant already when she turned and shrugged.
"Fine, but then Omega go with Shadow: I think you'll do better at haggling a price."
"Unnecessary. He will go with you."
"Oh don't be daft, Omega would you rather look at coats or gadgets?" Rouge laughed. Omega looked between them for a moment.
"Shadow does not want company: it will be unpleasant to be around. Rouge is needy; she will benefit from my unit's excellent opinions."
They both instantly glared at him, but Rouge laughed it off, elbowing Shadow.
"Gawd, we can't take him anywhere, such a nut!" She giggled, but jostled her bags; "Fine, meet us in the department store, yes? Or you can call, here's the number again, ask the people in the store to help you- Oh okay, bye?" She wrapped up suddenly as Shadow sped away from her. Her laughter died, and she glared at Omega again.
" Right . Well, just as well - we need a talk, young man."
Mission 1: Find the Maple Store.
Shadow had not committed the map adequately to memory. It circled the shopping centre twice before he found the store: it didn't have any maple outside, just a clean gold aesthetic and a heavily stylised leaf.
Mission 2: Buy Phone
Shadow stopped outside the store. The doors were wide open, but there were people in matching uniforms inside, standing between Shadow and the electronics. But its working theory was that he alone wasn't interesting enough to stop, so it went in.
"Hi there, how can I help you today, sir?"
Shadow immediately left the store, faster than the shop assistant could spot.
"Correct statements are helpful. Meatbrains frequently forget or fail to notice information due to inefficient storage and nonsensical feelings. Unit is ensuring that key data is available." Omega declared, as Rouge shuffled another coat on and admired herself in the mirror.
"Okay, and can you listen and take on this key data: you're rude."
"Opinions are not data."
" Mine are! You are rude, and you upset people. And that's inconvenient, so figure it out."
Omega wondered about this, but added it beneath the list of questions. It seemed now was a good occasion to ask:
"Why do you lie to Shadow?"
"When? I never lie. I'm lovely like that." She huffed, throwing off the puffer coat and pulling a faux-fur one off the rack.
"You are more proficient with guns than Shadow is."
She laughed, and shot him a look.
"Don't tell Shadow you think that."
"Not an opinion. Provable fact that you will not verify. Why?"
"Shhh! Be cause !" She snapped like that meant anything.
"Incomplete sentence."
"Ugh, c'mon big guy, you know this. It would hurt his feelings. Not a fact Shadow needs right now."
"Neutral fact! Shadow could benefit from your teaching. You will not be able to learn from Shadow. Time is wasted in this pretence."
Rouge threw the coat off and rounded on Omega, ready to shout, before she softened her stance but not her glare. She spoke through gritted teeth.
"Shadow is having a tough time right now. All this new stuff, and half of G.U.N. thinking it's to do with this crazy alien hoax. Feeling like it's good at the guns is making Shadow happy. So don't ruin this for all of us!" She snarled, jabbing Omega with her gloved finger. Omega frowned back at her, but she turned away again.
"Now onto important matters: does this make me look old? It's been all the rage since the runway this year, but I think it ages me, looks like what my Oma would wear." She spun in the long brown coat, pulling a fluffy hat off the rack to pose stupidly.
"Unit is unfamiliar with Rouge's ancestry."
"Yeah, well, I already decided it's a no. Come on, many more to try - if you want this over you're going to have to give some opinions. Nicely , mind."
Mission 1.5: Enter Store
Shadow had circled around to the Maple store again. The same shop assistant was still there; they hadn't died or found a new job in the past fifteen minutes. It gulped. Time was wasting, and every minute in this busy shopping centre was spreading hives under Shadow's quills. He steeled himself, and entered the store.
"Hello, how can I - oh, have I seen you before?" They asked. Shadow's quills stood on end. It shook his head, and tried to walk past them. They followed .
"Were you interested in our smartphones today, sir? This one's the latest to hit shelves, it's got a camera, and-"
Mission 1.75: Escape Stalker
"We're nearly there: this, or that?" Rouge posed seriously to Omega, raising the two coats to herself. They were both variants of purple-pink, but one was all soft fur like a teddy bear, and the other sleek patent and shiny.
"They are both coats."
"More."
"Of the rights size."
"A bit more."
"That you could acquire from this establishment."
Rouge groaned.
"Come on, those aren't opinions! Now you're being too careful! Just a little bit of judge-y please?" She chided. Omega whirred hard, and tried to parse which statements were 'true', 'polite' and 'relevant', as they were practising
"They are both ridiculous. They provide no cover and are not bulletproof. You will be easily targeted in garish colours. Neither of them have sufficient pockets for weapons."
He was even careful to add polite pauses, and put one thumb up after he spoke to signify the friendly tone of the kind advice he had given. Rouge held them both down and stared at him.
"Helpful?"
" No! " She snapped, but immediately started giggling at his blank stare.
"Are you pleased or displeased?"
"I'm… frustrated? I don't know, you're just - ridiculous! How you can be so normal sometimes, and then we find this - a whole branch of basic talking you just don't get? Amazing." She sighed. Omega didn't know what dissonance she was referring to, but he just waited for clarification.
"Okay, so somewhere in between. We're looking for differentiation here, what shapes are better, colour difference, style- any of that. This is girl 1-0-1. You gotta figure this out buddy. This or that. Any questions?"
"Why is lying a skill this unit needs? For what reason am I enrolled in remedial girl? And is the coat being assessed on water or cold resistance?" Omega listed, crouching down to inspect the coat.
"Because I'm trying to help you get by in the world without getting arrested; talking is necessary for that. Because - I need someone to girl with me, and you two take up all my time. And - actually, good point, I already have a designer raincoat and matching umbrella - fluffy coat it is!" She grinned, tugged the tag off the fluffy coat, and stuffed it in her bag.
"If-"
"Is it a quiet voice question?"
Omega lowered his volume: "If the intention was to take item without paying, why was a gruelling selection process necessary?"
Rouge stared at the patent coat hard, then at Omega.
"Why didn't you say that earlier? That is a helpful opinion."
The store assistant kept talking at Shadow about every phone it saw: this one had a full touchscreen, this one came with data plan, but this one had a stylus and space for a phone charm. They were floundering to sell to him, but had no idea what would resonate with it. Shadow also had no clue what they were talking about, but it had looked at all the phones in the store now, and knew that it really just wanted to go home. He walked them back to the one with a black and red case.
"Oh, I see, yes that one has an excellent battery life, and it-"
"Is it fast?" He managed, almost vibrating with stress. The employee blinked, entirely surprised it had even spoken.
"Yes, our phones are the fastest on the market, but of course depending on your data plan-"
"Does it make telephone calls?" It interrupted.
"I - yes, pleases don't pull that-"
Shadow tugged the phone out of its display holster, and a wire snapped. The security guards behind the doors instantly had their hands on their belts, but the employee grasped Shadow's wrist first.
" Sir that is a display only-"
"Don't touch me." He said quickly, flinging them off. The security started to approach. It was all wrong. Shadow knew it wasn't supposed to, but it got ready to Chaos Control away.
"It's fine, it's fine, I don't - you didn't mean to hurt me, did you sir?" The employee said exasperated, sighing as the cracked their back; "Did you have a spasm or something?"
Shadow's mind was in a panic, fingers ready with glittering energy hidden in its gloves to whisk it away, but he also saw a chance. This mission could be a success, so nearly, if it could just close this deal, and then it would prove Rouge wrong.
"Yes. No. I did not mean to hurt you. This phone is too flimsy."
The employee gestured to the guards, but one of them stayed to supervise Shadow.
"Right, yeah, well, that's not a phone, and you need a case for that. They're over here, do you want to look while I get your phone?"
They gestured to a wall of plastic in individual cellophane wraps. Shadow inwardly screamed, as people jostled around it.
Omega had thought they were doing well now that the element of scarcity was removed from the shopping. Rouge swanned about, loading everything into his chest plate whenever employees weren't watching, and used his magnetic nose to remove security tags. But now they were stopped in front of a dress.
"Searching for correct size…" He prompted, but she just waved him away. So he looked around the store as they walked. He and Rouge were being watched by some shoppers and the store attendants, but this was a busy day, so they continued their work. He watched the other shoppers too; one older lady had been observing Rouge disdainfully as she shoplifted, but when Omega stood still as a statue, he watched her slip a bottle of perfume in her bag. And the store assistant looked at her, rolled their eyes, and yawned. It parsed the internet on the slow wi-fi it found.
"New information: the employees here are lowly paid and unmotivated. We should acquire more free things."
"You're damn right they don't care. Don't push it though, if they literally have to they'll catch you."
"So, you will take the dress?"
She huffed and fussed, tugging the end of it. Omega analysed her carefully, trying to compare like instances of mildly distressed behaviour. He was certainly the smartest and cleverest robot, but he felt he was stepping onto the moon for the whole of robot kind as his mind made new connections and ways of looking at people all day in the shopping centre.
"You are… hungry?"
"No. Well, actually a bit, but no. I'm wondering if I can do this." She sighed.
"You excel in theft; all prior instances suggest you are more than capable to obtain this dress."
"… thanks. I meant the colour."
Omega looked at the dress. It was a colour within the spectrum of visible light to most mobians, and within his gamut. He was missing something, and stretched his mind.
"How is a colour 'done'?"
"I mean, I don't wear blue clothes. I like it, like for makeup and stuff, but I'm told it paints me pale, and light colours like this make me look chubby. I mean, that doesn't matter, but I can't wear blue without thinking about it."
"… hue is unrelated to saturation and weight."
"Thanks."
"Saturation and weight meaningless metrics?"
"Sure."
Omega whirred furiously as he thought. Her opinions on colours he could take or leave, but her temperament did matter. He couldn't seem to find a problem to address, so he racked the records for other helpful things to say.
"The dress is… not waterproof?"
"You're right. I shouldn't risk it."
"Dress is risky?"
"If I get this one, it'll sit in the cupboard mocking me." She huffed, then knocked on his barrel chest full of stolen goods; "And that's your job."
"I am not paid!"
"No, you aren't. C'mon. I'm done, I want lunch. I thought Shadow would have found us by now."
She turned on her heel, and walked towards the exit. Omega grabbed the dress in her side, de-tagged it, and stuffed it up his sleeve.
Mission 1.75 was failed, but Shadow was so close to completing the overall goal. His ears were ringing. It grasped the tablet pen before it and ticked 'yes' to every add-on.
Then it was presented a card machine.
"How many rings?"
"We're a U.F. company. We don't take Mobian currency." The shop assistant's eye twitched as they spoke.
"What do you take?" Shadow asked, its voice dropped low and dangerous.
"It's fine , sir. Do you still have your checkbook? Or, does anyone know your bank details?" They said slowly. Shadow could see the security guard creeping back over its shoulder. The employee shook their head.
"It's fine, he's just a bit confused, you understand now, sir?" They smiled too wide, dropping their speed of speech as they turned from the guard to Shadow. Shadow smacked its hand on the bag they held.
"I'll be back."
He Chaos Controlled to the apartment. Mission Accomplished .
Rouge sat on the bench near the department store, swinging her legs and sipping a smoothie. Her own arms were now filled with bags, too, from the mechanical materials store: she had needed receipts there, in case anything proved to cause a problem, so to both of their sadness they had actually paid for them. Omega had finished cataloguing information for the day, and was now just watching people pass them by. He was also sitting on top of a children's ride, because it was easier than trying to fit on the bench, and he had seen a child fall to tears over desire of this ride. He didn't see what was so excellent about it, though.
"I hope Shadow's okay." Rouge sighed.
"Shadow is immortal."
"Yeah, but not immiserable. I wanted it to see this is all okay - uncomfortable, but okay, at least? That might have been a mistake."
Omega scanned for a Shadow-like reading, but nothing returned.
"Well, thanks for coming with me. I had a good time, anyway." She said warmly, gently biffing her ear on his arm affectionately.
"Shadow is embarrassed by me."
"What? Shadow doesn't get embarrassed!"
"I am not offended. I am making observations."
Rouge frowned, and slurped her drink as she thought.
"I don't think it's so much embarrassment as it is… I don't know, Shadow just doesn't like being perceived at all. But he's not great at all this stuff, like it's learning too, he's needs- oh, whatever. Not my problem. Shadow doesn't want help." She huffed. Omega scanned for Shadow again.
"Oh, it's that lady who stole the perfume. Ha, what an amateur." She murmured, watching the woman that had side eyed Omega get stopped at the door of the department store.
"Illogical. Surely security guard detects her need for perfume." Omega said at lowest volume. Rouge was always pleased when he lowered and raised volume when she did. Now she was especially pleased, and cackled into her smoothie.
" Savage . And you say you don't have opinions, you do roasts ."
"All observations are accurate, not subjective. Woman creates air of camphor, sensors detect. Security guard dislikes, by facial analysis. Rouge is the best thief; proven. Blue is neutral colour, not inferior to others; common sense."
"Ugh, don't make me regret that."
"Regret unnecessary." Omega shook the dress out from his cuff. Rouge caught it, looking him over quizzically.
"Why did you do that?"
"I am learning remedial girl. This includes theft and reducing deliberation for companions."
"I - yeah, sure, it does. Thanks, Omega. I think I know what you mean. I appreciate it."
He nodded, hoping he meant what he meant. Still, it seemed an acceptable time for questions.
"What purpose does this day serve?"
"Well, getting the shopping done." She shrugged, but corrected herself before Omega could ask again; "Yeah, also relaxing. And, I dunno, doing something different? We do a lot of fighting, and guns, and blowing stuff up. Actually, that's all we've done, the three of us, since we met."
"Those activities are righteous and satisfying."
"Yeah." She sighed; "but there's other stuff people might like doing. Or, I guess there isn't for you guys."
Omega scanned for Shadow again, as Rouge looked around tutting her tongue.
"Drug store is next."
"Oh, but I thought Shadow would be back."
"Shadow can take care of itself. We have its assurance."
Rouge looked anxiously over her shoulder.
"Just one more minute; check this out!" She said, taking a ring from her purse.
"Is it a necessary purchase? Remedial Girl indicates-"
"It totally is." She said, as she placed the ring in a slot on the ride. Immediately the chair clunked to life, and screeched as it tried to wiggle under Omega's weight, as he smashed his hands on the buttons.
Shadow revelled in the quiet and peace of Rouge's apartment. It hadn't realised how loud the fans in the shop were, or how many people had been staring at him. But here, Rouge and Omega were out, and so it sat on the ground and stared at the rug quietly.
An unknown amount of time passed. Shadow listened to the gentle tick of the clock and familiar whirr of the refrigerator, and the cars outside. It was a familiar feeling, sitting here feeling so overwhelmed, but the sounds and lights and smells of the apartment that had once been so unbearable were now what comforted him. Grimly, it noted it was disappointed that after these months, he hadn't perfectly adapted to Mobius; sometimes he felt so alien he had dreams he was floating above it, looking at it peacably from the stars, when suddenly the dream would become terrifying as the planet came crashing towards Shadow, or Shadow came crashing towards the planet. That was when it came in handy that the room was full of familiar grounding noises, and Rouge was listening to soft music to sleep in the next room, and Omega was charging next to it.
Shadow finally finished his thought loop, and concluded it was unwise to go without them. It felt so shackled by Rouge's constant care, and Omega's presence over his shoulder, but without their protection it exposed himself to the full extent of his disconnect with the world.
Rouge checked her phone as she picked things up for Shadow, and browsed the makeup disinterestedly.
"That is a colour." Omega offered helpfully. He could barely move in the drugstore for all the displays, but he tried to be there next to her. She held a hand to her chest.
"Thank you. It is a colour. Would you mind checking for Shadow around the shops? I won't leave this store, don't worry."
Omega almost sprinted away, but he waited another moment more.
"Acquire all colours for maximum… colours?"
"Got it. You go look."
Her heart burst as he turned away, and she selected the brightest colourful palette to peel the stickers from and slip in her bag.
Omega fled the store. He spun his arms joyfully at the space and sensible task, then whizzed through the shopping centre, scanning. He noticed nothing; specifically, no Shadow sensors were pinging. This was alarming, so he assessed slower for unusual activity. Finally, he noticed the Maple store was closed, with guards and police all around. He scanned it, and was sure there was no Shadow inside.
"Shadow has left. An incident has occurred at the store it was in. I also observed many cars, extra public safety officers, and a young man trying to take pennies from the fountain." He beeped excitedly as he returned. Rouge huffed, less than thrilled, and payed for one lipbalm, leaving with a full jingling bag.
"Oh, that arrogant, stupid- Fine. Home we go, drop this off, then we look. This was supposed to be the point, get him a phone, and we won't lose it every time it loses it."
Shadow was finally finished configuring the phone when it remembered it was supposed to meet Rouge and Omega outside the department store. It had been five hours. Surely, that wasn't too long? Shadow Chaos Controlled out of the apartment.
Five minutes later, Rouge and Omega shoved through the front door. Omega had extra scuffs and scratches on his shoulders from too more escapades in and out of the Metro doors, and did his best not to hit the frames this time.
"Shadow?" Rouge called into the empty apartment.
"Shadow is not present."
"Yes, astute observation. Right, better go back out then."
"I will go. I am contactable should he arrive. You await his return here." Omega said, unclipping his chest and letting clothes spill out on the floor. Rouge sucked her teeth.
"Thank you. Seriously. Thanks. I - I've had a fun day, in spite of everything. You're passing girl 1-0-1 with flying colours."
"Not dissimilar to Introduction to Stonemasonry and Practical Patisserie. I excel in my every pursuit." He declared joyfully as he struggled through the scuffed door. Rouge picked up her bundle of clothes, and started hanging them out.
When he didn't find them, Shadow tried to ring Rouge on the phone he had put together, but a poorly automated voice informed it that credit was needed. Inserting its bank card didn't help, so it Chaos controlled home to try a different one from Rouge's drawer of many cards.
To its surprise, she shrieked; she was half dressed in the living room, lacing up a blue dress. Her brilliant sharp instincts led her to throw a newly bought shoe at Shadow, which it caught and threw back on instinct to. She wasn't expecting the return, so hissed as it hit her.
"What's wrong with you? Get out!"
Shadow was getting tired from using Chaos Control on chaos drives not an Emerald, but it prepared to leave again, but as it concentrated was hit with the other shoe.
"Wait - stop that - I meant the other room! Where have you been?!" She snapped, shuffling behind a cupboard door to finish dressing.
"Here. I was in the shop, then I came home." He explained dimly. She howled.
"The Maple Store has police swarming! We had no idea where you were!"
She appeared around the door. Shadow thought she looked awkward, not carrying herself with confidence like usual, but it couldn't think about that with her shouting at it.
"I was unable to pay with money. I had to return with the plastic card…" Shadow cut itself off, as he wondered whether in his haste it may have forgotten something crucial. Rouge shoved her face in her hands.
"Right, I have to ring Omega, he's gone out to look for you. How you're worse at this than the guy who talks to the toaster, I don't know." She huffed, taking her phone from her bag as she rubbed her eyes.
"You were right. I did need your help." Shadow said quickly when it hoped she wasn't watching. She looked it up and down, and nodded, tapping on her phone.
"Fine, that's okay. Did you have a good day?"
"No. But… it is over." It offered lamely. She smiled, and he didn't know why, and that turned to shock when Shadow produced the brick he hadn't been able to operate.
"I will retrieve Omega on my way to return this. It does not work. I also did not pay."
She put her own phone down and looked at the thing in his hand. Her eyes were wide and greedy
"Shadow that costs thousands of dollars."
"Not yet. Currently it's free."
"What's wrong with it."
"'No credit'."
She stared at him; it wished it was better at reading faces, and supposed it would have to ask Omega what was going on, until her face cracked into a broad and tired smile.
"I'm so proud of you. Don't bother. We can fix it. Let me phone the big guy then."
Rouge sounded happier. Omega needed to find a way not to spoil that.
" - I mean, can you believe that guy? Anyway, thanks for popping out. You come back when you can, yeah? "
Omega looked around at the people staring at him. Their horrified faces juxtaposed Rouge's relieved and tired voice so well. He didn't think telling her there were colours here or that people smelled bad and were worse than her would really cut it here. For all his careful people-watching and learning, there was no soft half-truth to give.
"I am stuck in the train doors. Please send help."