Chapter 6

The mall was erupting into pure chaos. Mannequins were running and screaming everywhere in terror. The walls of the building shook as the floundering queen nearly caused it to collapse.

Why the hell did he think this adventure needed the Gloink queen!!!??

Pomni got squished under the giant colorful mass that was the Gloink queen while Zooble kept yelling at her for breaking Gangle's mask. A few words getting censored here and there. Meanwhile Kinger just ran in circles screaming. An NPC mall cop slowly and nervously approached the Gloink queen and began politely asking her to leave.

She bent down to face the small npc and yelled, "You dare give royalty commands!! I came here for Auntie Anne's pretzels, but maybe I'll eat your instead." The sheer size of her mouth blowing the NPC back a bit as the air pushed out of her. And in one fell swoop the mall cop was in her mouth. Her jaws closed around the wooden body too fast for them to react. An audible gulp echoed in the mall as she swallowed the guard. Seemingly content with her catch she began exiting the mall.

'I'm gonna grab that man and strangle him for putting this massive terrifying ai in the middle of the mall....wait, does he even have a neck???'

Pomni remained a flat puddle on the floor. She groaned out, "What the f*^%." Jax walked over and peeled her up off the floor like a sticker. A cartoon sound effect of a balloon popping could be heard as her body returned to normal. He laughed after setting her down. Her eyes in swirls as she wobbled around before regaining consciousness.

Jax smirked, "This trip is turning out to be real fun." He grabbed a hold of Pomni's hand and began guiding her over to one of the nearby sports stores. Assuming that's where he was going for his swimsuit. Kinger stopped running around panicking and suddenly seemed normal again.

"Wait up guys!!! I wanna get snorkeling gear!" Kinger began following after them.

Meanwhile you stood there confused with Ragatha, "But we.... Don't need to breathe?" Kinger doesn't respond to you and fades off in the distance as he chases Jax and Pomni into the sports store. You and Ragatha turn to one another.

She smiles at you politely and you ask, "Wanna go to Hot topic or Spencer's with me Raggy?"

She smiles at the nickname and nods her head, "I'm not really sure what either of those stores are, but sounds good to me!"

"WHHAAAAT?!!!" You gasp in shock, "How have you never heard of them?!!! Ahhhh!! I hope Caine actually put them in here."

Off in the distance Caine heard one of his cameras pick up what you had said. Panicking he began trying to add the Spencer's and hot topic as fast as he possibly could. His hands moving and swishing knocking over a few notebooks on his desk. His new drawings tumbling everywhere. Digital walls flowed and shifted into a...similar shape of the two stores. Unfortunately some glitches caused them to collide with other stores. Hot topic merged into auntie Anne's and Spencer's had partially taken on bath and body works.

You enter Spencer's first with Ragatha. The familiar store making you so emotional you began to cry.

"Never thought I'd be this happy to see one of these." A sniffle escaped you as Ragatha mustered up a nervous half smile. She seemed to be looking around concerned.

"Isn't this store kinda..dark?" She kept close to you as a mannequin npc with ...piercings??? Asked if you all needed help. Their piercings seemed to be floating on nothing as their face had no features to be pierced. A septum floated in front of their flat wooden face where a nose would be. And two metal balls floated where their lips should've been. You could only assume they were supposed to be snake bites.

The wooden mannequin gestured to the back of the store, "Have you guys checked out our fall scents yet?" You exchange confused glances with Ragatha.

"Nooooo?" You cock your head to the side. The mannequin leads you back to the lotions and perfumes mixed in with... adult toys. For some reason it oddly fit??? The perfume bottles were a similar size to the toys woven inbetween them.

Ragatha nearly screamed at the sight of the adult section, "I didn't know it was THIS kind of store!!! I uh— think I'm gonna go check out another. I'm so sorry y/n. I don't think I wanna see hot topic anymore."

You shrugged, "I can't really blame you. Sorry to traumatize you like this. Usually this stuff... isn't in here." You side eye the unusually large adult toys once more, "the perfumes I mean..."

Ragatha squinted, "yeaaaauhh..." she turned and walked off, "I'll catch you later y/n!!!"

You go back to smelling the perfumes before an odd toy catches your attention, it seemed to be an underwear set similar to what Caine accidentally saw you in previously. You slowly pick up the lingerie set and eye it suspiciously. The set was your f/c with little bows on it and lace trim where your legs came out.

Did he... make this on purpose?

You decide to purchase the set ultimately. Along with some adult toys and a sticker set of the other characters in the circus. As you exit the store the familiar bing bong rings out letting the employees know you've gone elsewhere. You walk into hottopic only to see the same exact employee that was at Spencer's. You walk up to the counter eagerly, "Oh hey! You work here too?"

The mannequin tilts their head to the side confused, "what are you talking about?"

You point towards the store next door, "Didn't I just see you at Spencer's?"

The mannequin replied angrily, "For the last time we do not all look the same!!"

You side eye them before walking over to what you actually came out for. After passing the band tshirts and... pretzels??? You end up grabbing a two piece set based on your favorite show and also purchase a pretzel for the hell of it. As you bite down you start to realize you can't taste anything, and you can only feel the sensation of food on your tongue. As you chew you squint angrily at the pretzel. Disappointed you couldn't experience the bliss of its true buttery salty potential. You shrug and throw it in the garbage before going to search for the others.

A few feet away a pair of floating eyes follows from above. On the other side of the mall the group had reconvened at the entrance. Everyone showed off their finds. Gangle got some Manga and a cute two piece bathing suit. Zooble decided against getting anything since she didn't really wear clothes to begin with. Kinger got cute swim trunks and a snorkel set that matched his trunks. Jax didn't bother buying a swimsuit, but Pomni got a cute little two piece that was blue and white stripped. Ragatha ended up getting a a cute little two piece and a sun dress.

You quickly hid your Spencer's bag inside of the hot topic bag and only showed them what you'd bought from Hot topic. Caine watched you slip the bag inside the other. He perked up out of curiosity as he'd not seen what you purchased at Spencer's, only hot topic. When you were at Spencer's he was too preoccupied watching the Camera of Zooble and Gangle at the anime store he'd created. Wondering if Gangle would like the manga he'd inserted in the store.

One by one you all began discussing who had and hadn't been to the beach before. It seemed like Jax wasn't really a fan of swimming or the sand. You shrugged and figured he'd just be happy to see Pomni in a swimsuit. The sun shined bright outside the mall as the mid day heat began beating down on you. Palm trees swayed in the hot breeze as cars honked off in the distance along the main road nearby. The gentle lull of summer almost made you fall asleep as you rested your forehead on the glass pane. You wondered when you'd see Caine again. His stupid face was stuck on your mind even while on vacation.

Little did you know...Caine had made a mental note of you hiding the bag earlier and was now determined to sneak into it later once you'd let your guard down.

As everyone sat in their original seats on the bus and talked about their new belongings in the overhang. Jax turned your bus out of the mall parking lot, soon enough you were back on the road. Off in the distance you could smell the sea breeze through the windows of the bus. You deeply inhaled and let out a satisfied exhale. Seagulls made noise off in the distance as they flew over the bus. Their wings grazed the summer wind with grace. You gazed up at them and thought to yourself.

'Wow those are pretty realistic. He's pretty good at making a convincing beach town'

Pomni seemed to be entertaining Jax as his 'copilot'. You smiled as you overheard her making fun of him looking like a Dad taking his kids on a road trip. He groaned and rolled his eyes, but you caught the slightest glimpse of a smile on his face.

As the bus came to a stop the air breaks let out a loud hissing sound. Its frame slowly glided downward to the ground. You slowly rose from your seat, your arms soaring above your head as you bent you back forward then back. Your muscles contorting and bending while your bones cracked. Jax made fun of the rice krispy treat noises coming from you and Kinger sitting up. You laugh it off and grab your swimsuit before heading out to the nearby changing stations.

Caine eagerly brought the television screen closer to him on the desk as he watched you change. Bubble appeared next to him, "whatcha lookin at" Caine screamed in terror and fell on the office floor. Pens and paper scattering yet again.

Bubble's jaw dropped when they saw the screen, "hot"

Caine shot up and popped bubble without saying a word. He couldn't have anyone seeing what was his. He wanted this view all to himself.