Like every other week on Sunday, Gage's family went to the mall. It was a tradition they'd been doing since Maria was born. It was suggestion from a counselor--go out, find one place that could be all theirs to be completely normal. And it worked. Sure the mall changed and kiosks came and went, but having come here his entire life, Gage could walk with freedom. His parents too could let him. Maria of course drove their parents insane though, wanting to be independent and making their parents more protective. Though that overprotective streak might be his fault.

Maria let go of Gage's hand by the fountain in the food court. Their deal? To not watch over each other. "So we'll meet back here in thirty minutes," she said, her voice light and easy to pick out over the general din of the courtyard. And the smells. Oh lord the smell of this place. He reveled for a second before nodding his head.

"Don't spend all your allowance in one place," he hummed and mimicry of responsibility before he turned away, knowing Maria was already racing off. It wasn't like he wouldn't do that same if he could run off like her. Tapping his bracelet, he headed for the music store on the second floor, between the shoe and the candle store whose fragrance always alerted him to its presence. A few of the small shops next to it though, he wasn't sure what were.

Not far from the music store, he heard something. Gage stopped in the center of the hall, not even doing his echolocation. He didn't need that now, wanting to focus with his ears. He thought he heard a faint melody, but it stopped. He moved closer, unsure why. It was just interesting and a little intricate. No doubt he wouldn't find new music to suit that kind of taste anyway, so he followed the melody. A few yards later, it picked up again, but this time as violin. He found himself finding the edge of a store opening with his hand where he stopped, listening to the music coming from inside.