First, I went downstairs so the cameras could see that I exited the hotel. Then I ducked into an alley and turned on my EMP with just enough strength to turn off any cameras, and stealth suit while making sure no one was watching. I then flew back up to my hotel room to bring down Ciri.

After, I flew Ciri and me down onto the street with my stealth suit on which was able to cover her thanks to me holding her arm. Once that was done I landed us in an alleyway, first making sure no one was there. Then I turned off my stealth suit and we proceeded to walk out into the crowd before I turned off the EMP.

"That was a lot of work. Why couldn't we have just left the hotel without going through all the trouble?" she asked as we were making our way to catch a cab.

"I told you, the hotel staff didn't see me go up with anyone, so if they saw me go down with someone, someone who didn't enter through the entrance no less, they'd be suspicious. The chances of them caring at all are nearly zero, but I don't want to risk it at all." I explained to her before I waved down a cab.

"Ladies first." I said opening the door for her as she got in with a smirk as I got in after.

"Where to?" asked the cab driver.

"Brookfield Place, please."

"You got it." he said before driving off.

~~

"Thanks." I said to the cab driver as I closed the door and turned to see Ciri looking behind me.

"What are you so awed by?" I asked.

"That." she said pointing at the nearly completed One World Trade Center.

"It is very beautiful." I said knowing what it would look like once completed.

"What's that over there?" she said pointing to the 9/11 Memorial.

"If you want we can go take a closer look at it while I tell you the story behind it before we go shopping." I asked her.

"Okay." she said before we started walking across the street to the memorial.

"Eleven years ago, there used to be two skyscrapers here that were once the tallest buildings in the world. They were part of the center of commerce in this country and were called the World Trade Center but colloquially known as the Twin Towers. Anyhow, on September 11 eleven years ago, an extremist terrorist group that hated this country decided to hijack four airplanes to cause mass casualties.

Two of those planes crashed into the towers, killing everyone onboard and causing many more deaths in the aftermath. While of the other two, one crashed into an important government building while the other was able to be taken control of by brave passengers, which unfortunately also crashed. These two holes are the foundation where the Twin Towers once stood. And etched in stone around both memorials are the names of those who were lost in that tragic accident." I explained as Ciri looked in melancholy at the memorial.

"Do you mind if we walk around both memorials?" she asked.

"Of course not." I said as we both began to walk around the memorial.

"How tragic. No matter the world, tragedy is always a part of it. How cruel."

"Yes, it is. And we can do nothing but pick ourselves back up and continue to live on. Unfortunately."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

~~

After walking around both memorials, we made our way back to the mall.

"It almost feels wrong to enjoy ourselves after visiting something as harrowing as the memorial." she said.

"Life is for the living, and death is for the dead. All we can do is remember and respect them, and continue to live our lives with purpose." I said reassuring her.

"Wow, you're surprisingly insightful you know."

"Yes, I am aren't I? Anyways, let's go get some new clothes." I said before opening and holding it open and saying "Ladies, first."

"That's twice now. That shows me you've learned some manners. Good." she said walking in while I smiled before she stopped.

"Uhh, I just remembered I don't have any money?" she said looking at me with a hint in her eyes.

"I was going to pay for it anyways, you don't have to drop hints. Also, I was the one who suggested it in the first place, so I wouldn't let you pay to begin with." I said a little baffled by how obvious her hints were.

"Yes! That means I can go crazy." she said with a big smile on her face.

"I mean, don't go too crazy either." I said with a little sweat drop coming down my face.

"Aren't you rich?" she questioned.

"Not in cash, yet. I haven't received my dividends just yet." I said while Ciri's face became a blank look.

"I see." she said while nodding as if she understood.

"Sorry. When you own enough shares in a company, as I do, the amount of dividends you receive is based on how much profit the company made. It's usually given every quarter and seeing as the most recent quarter just ended, I should receive it soon. But I don't have it just yet. I do have some from a past reward, but I don't have enough for you to go absolutely crazy. Just a little crazy."

"So, you don't have any money. You could have just said that." she said before walking towards the shops.

~~

I had always heard that women can shop till they drop, and I never believed it. Even if it was true, surely that doesn't apply to women from another world, where shopping sprees are pretty much nonexistent, right? Wrong. It seems as if being in a world with so much freedom unlocked something in Ciri.

"Ciri, please, no more." I said as I slumped down on the chair, exhausted at trying to keep up with her shopping.

"Don't tell me you're already tired? Have you done no training since you got your rewards?" she asked confused at my exhaustion.

"My rewards have been mostly mind related. I've had no need to train my body as of yet. But now I'm rethinking that." I said before taking a sip from my sports drink.

"You better. What's the point if all it takes is one poke with a sword and you're done? Aside from that, I just have one more store to go to." she said taking my drink from me.

"What? You've been to like 100 stores. And bought so much." I said as I took a look around where we were seated. Shopping bags from all sorts of luxury and designer stores, enough to make a small hill. While I had lost all desire to shop for myself, opting to order it online.

"You don't even wear dresses that much. Why'd you buy so many?" I asked remembering some of her purchases that I thought were bizarre. Ciri has always come off as a tomboy. You know, pants and shirt type of girl, not dresses and skirts, so I was a bit confused at her buying so much girly stuff.

"I like dresses as much as the next girl, but the ones back home are so ugly compared to these. Not to mention, I don't have much opportunity to wear them when I'm running for my life."

"Okay, fair point, and now I feel like a bit of dick."

"Good. Now, let's go to that store and we're done for the day. We can go eat somewhere since I'm starving." she said before walking to the Rolex store as I followed her while carrying all the bags while reinforcing my body with tk.

'Well, at least I'm training during all this.'

"Wait, why do you want to go to a watch store?" I asked her.

"As a thank you, I wanted to get you something. Since I am imposing on you and you've done so much for me today." she said.

"But you don't have any money." I whispered to her.

"I converted 100 points into money, so there's no need to worry." she whispered back.

"Why'd you do that? That's too many points wasted."

"I'll get them all back in one day." she said as if it was an obvious answer.

"How many points do you get on average for the daily check-in?" I asked.

"100."

"Average?"

"Every time."

"That's just not fair."

"Come on, let's see which one you want." she said before entering the Rolex store.

After taking a look around the store, and being stopped by different salespeople wanting a commission, I ended up deciding on a Datejust 40 with a black dial. I've never been into watches but I understand why someone would like them.

"Thanks for the watch. You really didn't have to, you know. I would've been fine with just a slice of pizza." I told Ciri as we walked out of the store.

"Pizza?"

"Food."

"Oh. And I wanted to. A small price for so much help. Besides, it's not like we can't make the money back."

"That is true."

"Now, to eat!" she said before walking to the exit.