Mission one: I'ma put this on. When he see me in the dress I'ma get me some, hey. Mission two: Gotta make that call. Tell him get the bottles poppin' when they play my song, hey.
River huffed and backed away from the punching bag, shaking out her arms and panting. The scent of faded bleach and old sweat wasn't pleasant, but it was familiar and it was growing on her. The boxing gym was always empty this time of day, but pretty soon the after work crowd would be flooding in, cranky after their stint in the afternoon traffic jam. Absently, she checked in on the three cameras that monitored the first story of the building. She could see through their lenses as if it were a vivid memory, bright and clear. Jennifer, the owner, was the only one there, shut in her office on the other side of the gym. Lovely and forward thinking as she was, she had installed electronic locks on all of the doors. They would tell her if any of them were opened.
With a thought, she cut the feed to the one camera pointing her way and advanced on the bag again. As she did, her form blurred and a second her stepped away in the opposite direction. The pop pop pop of her gloves against the heavy bag was easily drowned out by the music blasting from the stereo, but it was still satisfying to feel. In her mind, she could see her double duck into the showers, setting the spray to a nice steamy temperature. She hit the bag a few more times for good measure and then backed away again, leaning down to brace her hands on her knees.
This was the third afternoon this week she'd spent at this gym. Normally, her exercise routine was limited to a run every morning and the occasional day or two spent covering for her friend who was a cheer coach. But lately it seemed that there was another new villain in Capetown every other week. She wasn't one to find herself in the field, but it at least made her feel better to be doing something. She smiled faintly as she made her way back to the showers. That would certainly be a good look, trying to punch one of the water-movers or giant hulking villains in the face. She chuckled as her double pulled her clothes out of her bag and laid them out and she jumped into the shower. A few minutes later, she was pulling on her clean clothes while her double grimaced and fought to blow dry her hair through her moving around. She reached out for her phone in her mind. It was still pretty early and she was starving. There was a shop a block or two away that was kind of a dive, but always had her favorite kind of chips in stock. She paused to let her double merge with her again and then dashed out of the door, flipping the third camera back on and waving to Jennifer as she slipped headed for the door.
"See you tonight?" Jennifer called after her. River grinned.
"Absolutely. I'll be the one in red." She set out on foot towards the shop, weaving deftly through the crowd. As she walked, she stretched out her senses, feeling for the cameras around her, surveying the crowd from above. It was a nervous habit, one that soothed her nerves somewhat. It made her feel better to see the crowds, to watch them flow like water. There were thousands of people all around her. Not alone, surrounded. Not alone. Not alone.
She ducked into the shop and grabbed her chips and a bottle of soda as well and then went to get in line. The shop was fairly empty. So far it was just her, the clerk behind the counter and a slight, brunette girl with a sandwich. She didn't look incredibly open to making friends, but the shop didn't have too much seating, and even less that was clean and in good repair.
"Mind if I sit here?" she said as she flashed a smile and dropped into the empty chair next to her.