Respite

We proceeded to the Arcade where Darcy and Garret continued their rivalry playing shooter the full array of the two player arcade games; shooter, fighter, rhythm etc. Every game they played gathered a crowd with people chanting one or the other's name. It seemed that they had quite the following in this place. When I checked the leaderboard on the games that they played the top scores were the first three letters of their names GAR in first and DAR in second. No wonder they were famous.

Personally I had decided to play more of the bullet hell games mostly to stand out less. The shooter games and dance-like rhythm games would give away my abilities a little too much. While I was playing I was able to over hear some idle chatter from other students.

"Have you noticed that Overlord Frank has been a bit more active lately?" One student asked

"Yeah, he seems to have some sort of scheme in the making," their friend replied

"Oh, don't say that. His last one put several of my friends in the hospital. And it wasn't just them, some other schools felt his wrath as well," a third person chimed in.

"Dude, stop talking that's way too scary you're giving me chills. We should stay out of the Overlords way until things blow over," the first person stated with a shudder.

It seems I wasn't far off in my assessment of Frank. A schemer and a thug. But he's also quite powerful. I could sense that much. Turns out the mall will probably be a good place to gather information. Even if some of it is just hearsay. Once I have more committee members I'll have to assign some of them to hang around here for the purpose of information gathering to watch for any potential delinquents.

"Hey, Mordecai, we're headin' out and splittin' off here. Who're you goin' with first?" Penelope asked.

"Hmmm. I think I'm gonna be stopping at the department stores first I don't have much for clothing here. So I guess I'll be going along with you girls for a little bit. At the very least have them lead me to a place that I can shop at."

"Gotcha we'll be sure ta take ya ta the right place. They've got a couple of good places around here."

Darcy ran up immediately and grabbed my hand and began to run off dragging me behind. She was a surprisingly friendly girl. And Penelope was just as helpful as I thought as I thought despite her slightly rough speech style. "Come along Mord. We'll show you the best places."

"Uh sorry guys I guess I'm going now. I'll catch up with you in a bit I have other things to get as well." I shouted back at the other three. Before turning my attention towards Darcy I noticed a look of sympathy on his face. "You know you don't have to ho--"

"Don't bother she's like this with everyone. Especially new people in the group or ones she finds interestin'," Penelope said to me as I started to protest the hand holding. If Penelope was a mother or older sister type then Darcy would be the energetic younger sister.

"Brother doesn't let me do this anymore. He says that he's to old or he doesn't want to hurt me but I think he's just embarrassed." Darcy said back to me. It took us a few minutes but we eventually stood outside a big name clothing store. "I do think that you're interesting. You're background, skills and abilities. Their all pretty eye catching."

"Thanks for the compliment but I really don't want to stand out. I was a hitman and my job was about hiding in the shadows. I need to find people that are willing to help and that can take the spotlight for me." I explained to Darcy as we walked in. "Well I'm gonna go this way. See you two later."

"Oh no." Darcy said as she caught my wrist. "You didn't think we'd let you get away with coming with us and not starring in a fashion show." With that her face provided a mischievous grin. "We are going to pick out some outfits for you and then you are going to judge outfits for us."

"W-w-what?" I was genuinely shocked at what this new thing was. I had been in many situations but none requiring me to judge the quality of something. Even though I had battled Captain Valor this would still be the most harrowing event I would be involved in.

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A few minutes passed and the three of us were at the changing rooms with me going first. Rather than letting me pick out my clothes they had gone around after asking me my size and picked out about ten outfits to wear. I sent a text to Garret as I had just remembered the face he and the others had made.

"Hey what's takin' so long in there. I thought guys were fast at changin'" Penelope said with a hint of mocking mischief in her voice.

"Come on Mord, I wanna see how you looook hurry uuup. And do one of mine first." Darcy chimed in.

I sighed resigning to my fate and removed the clothes I had been wearing since this morning. I looked at the options of clothing and threw on the first one that Darcy had chosen. It was three part outfit that included a blood red leather jacket with Electric blue hero stripes down the sides matched with a pair of torn jeans the same color as the jacket and a graphic tee that had a lightning storm for the image. I stepped out of the changing room I had used and was greeted with both the two girls I was with and some of the surrounding girls giving a collective "Oooooo" I had never in my life been more embarrassed or in the spotlight.