Aiko really hated tediums, like shopping. Especially shopping with a person that somehow makes it more tedious.

Somehow, Tracy was making a scavenger hunt for supernatural residue, surrounded by government forces searching for them boring!

It was the dead of night. In a lightless part of the Mall, not warped but still destroyed stores that barely stood firm. The only light was something, ironically, Noumena-occurring—a pale blue mixed with lime green light shining from the night’s sky, shading the entire place.

The layout of this floor was an upside down T; multiple stores aligning the walls, spaced out, leading to the grand prize at the end.

The duo were sneaking, low to the ground as possible while still being on two legs. Skittering across the broken floor—they tried to search for a massive store, hiding within the ruins of the others as a bright light was cascading across not seconds later.

The Extant Forces were searching too, shining search lights as they explored the siVis site. For anything, anything that can help their cause out more.

They were still on the ground floor, but shining their lights upwards—by Aiko’s estimation due to how close the rays were, they’re near the escalators to get on this floor.

It didn’t help that Tracy Goodwin was basically against her back, peering over her while shaking, damp hands clambered onto her shoulders. Even while hiding in pure darkness, in a corner, with abilities to either flip over the floor or take over an object: she was still scared.

She guessed that she understood. But Aiko knew how suffocating “understandable” fear was. It only becomes irrational, and ever present, in the end.

Aiko quickly shook her head. She didn’t have time for this, even if she did have some!

As soon as the lights moved back down a level, Aiko darted forward out of the store and took a hard left , running while crouching downwards. As long as she got to the middle, towards the runway where the massive store lie, she didn’t worry about a thing.

She did, however, had to look back—to see Tracy in soon-to-be-deer-in-head-lights.

It seemed like she paused, was following after her—may or may not have scolded or questioned why she ran so fast with her rather high voice. And as Aiko looked, and saw a light crawl along the walls and reached the ceiling—she knew the lady was petrified because of that.

Aiko sighed. Whatever. They have super enlightenment abilities—their opposition have designer suits that still suck against what their intended purpose was.

She ran back for Tracy, yanking her arm forward—and as she made a pained sound, Aiko just sighed more and used siVis on her legs—doubling her speed in seconds as they rushed down the hall.

The brand—the logo—the title of the mega mart was ripped up. Chewed up and spat out into the corner that got beaten due to the impact. It was still glistening with saliva.

Aiko pulled out her phone, glancing down as she still runs. She wondered briefly if Jackie wanted some weird spit for her plan or something…

The aside was interrupted by Tracy collapsing on top of her mid-strut, causing the two to barrel across the floor and slam into the already broken glass windows—when the entrance was a wide, open space where the detectors were already ripped away.

Meaning they were on track on just getting away with it, now completely thrown away due to anxiety.

To make it clear, it seemed like all of the remaining glass shards decided to fall and crash loudly into the floor.

“Tracy—” Aiko was laid out on the floor, face up, with a confused expression on her face. “—You do know what stealth means, right--?”

“yoU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS RUNNING PAST PEOPLE’S EYE LINE--!” Tracy began to shout.

The series of lights, that instantly were trained on the floor, made the two shut their mouths.

They both got up, shaking off the glass shards on their person, and just started to dart forward—sprinting now.

Aiko looked down at her phone, looking at Jackie’s list that she messaged them.

-Plastic Bucket

-Trash bags

-Duct Tape

-Rubber Fitness Bands

***

N’atural was foaming at the mouth, snarling, as the spittle dripped upside down her mouth.

Jackie could barely see the monster girl on the ceiling, as she wedged herself into a massive gash in the wall, something she off-handedly created. Her tense, blue eye glanced over towards Maddie, taking the same lead on the other side, her much smaller frame benefitting her placement.

River, was the problem and was in so much shit than either than them.

She took a gamble. N’atural did scream bloody murder, so maybe there could’ve been a chance that she ignored the siVis call—despite it always going first before any other “sound” is made due to it’s… Utterly ridiculous design. Regardless, it seemed like she didn’t pick up on an ability being in use.

River is completely phased in the wall, in her smoke form… Which radiates steam as long as she’s in it.

Also, as long as she can hold her breath.

So Jackie hoped with all of her heart that N’atural’s psychotic break will last at least a minute or less. Otherwise, it’s the fight of their lives. Trying to escape.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The smoke was slowly filling the tunnel, causing N’atural to snap her head around. Confusion. Paranoia. Puzzled because she can’t hear any mechanical hissing.

If she didn’t delete her memories—maybe she would’ve recognized it, Jackie thought to herself in a sneer.

But she lifted her claw, looking at where it gripped at the ceiling. She did, manage to grip and bust a pipe in her zeal.

The problem was, there was no smoke coming out of it to make it convincing.

Jackie was getting worried. She was so tempted just to jump out, to distract. Due to feeling her stare, she was sure Maddie was cursing at her in her mind.

The steam suddenly deepen, causing N’atural to look over at the source.

She had to squint, but she managed to see an outline of a beaten pipe at the side she unearthed, when she crawled along the wall.

River must’ve moved from her spot, to just make it convincing. Jackie fought the urge to do a little fist bump.

N’atural stared and stared. And then sighed to herself.

“I’m going insane. Well, more insane.”

The girl walked solemnly, through the mess of smoke. Jackie and Maddie trying to listen out, waiting to hear the patter get distant and distant.

Jackie clawed her way out of her hole, Maddie jumped out of hers. They looked around, forward, to see where River was.

She was on her knees, doing her best to keep breathing softly from her nostrils.

Jackie literally wanted to pat her on the back, but she knew they weren’t done yet.

***

Aiko was running with a bucket, a fitness band—in possible pursuit of government officials. She was having the time of her life by thinking about the sentence alone.

Tracy was beaming towards her, with two boxes of trash bags in her sweating hands.

“Why can’t shopping be like this all the time?!” Aiko laughed.

“whY DO YOU KEEP FORGETTING THAT THIS IS A SNEAK-Y THING,” Tracy bemoaned.

“I mean. We’re already found out, might as well—”

Aiko quickly gestured, towards the custom entrance that the Mall had—a shot to go back outside.

Judging by Jackie’s list, they would have to also run back to the grand entrance.

Ready or not, Aiko continued to sprint forward—dashing towards the shattered doors—only to use a jump just to get out of it.

From afar, she saw the multiple Extant vehicles stationed around their destination. She recalled that Maddie called them “Cinderblocks”.

Regardless, she took a glance across the horizon—surprisingly only a handful of operatives, all spread out.

This was her chance!

She continued to dash, getting close to one of the closest Cinderblocks, crouching and standing still. She waited for 30 seconds, and darted towards the next, hunching over.

She crawled on her hands and knees, getting across the vehicle, and peaking out her head when she got to the end.

An A.R. fence, blocking off and cornering the site as the very few walked down and went into the Mall’s entrance.

Aiko nodded, at the challenge.

She got up, backed up a few feet, so much so that Tracy was at her side again.

“We’re jumping--!” Aiko informed before bolting.

Once again, her siVis enhanced legs sparked her speed to phenomenal levels, and the pieces intersect and hardened into the shape of her leg—causing her to leap over the blue walls.

Landing hard, she looked around the path she and the others were just on hours ago. Many indents, impact, and most importantly, scattered remnants of abilities marked up like a crime scene.

Aiko glanced at the list again.

-Find the Smell Bombs

-See if vines are alive—if so, grab it

-Abandoned staple-boomerangs

-Surprise me

She was still running, as she put away the phone.

She looked around. She should be around the place where the balls started to appear.

She was proven right, as she saw a few at the sides of the path. She darted about, scooping every single one she can in the bucket—trying to keep them from juggling out or exploding, still keeping her pace.

Used fireworks. Scorch marks all over. Created acid puddles. Aiko did debate on the last one, but there was no way she could’ve gotten that, so she decided to keep looking for the main prize.

She then saw brambles, broken apart and is just rendered into something akin to twigs.

Still moving.

Aiko made it, throwing in the wiggling brambles. Two out of three/four and doing it with speed, Aiko was panting and smiling manically.

“AIKO, THEY’RE COMING OUT RUN HIDE PLEASE—” Tracy was the voice of reality she always dreaded.

Looking forward, she saw the multiple Extant members run out in a sprint.

And kept running to their left.

Aiko turned her head, seeing a Cinderblock rock with intensity—all with a very familiar, boisterous laugh. Shooting her eyes down quickly, she looked at the brambles—not responding to their master. Independent.

Her head rocked towards the Cinderblock again, and saw the bark-covered vines slowly take over the truck.

“TRACY!” Aiko screamed. “This is our chance--!”

“For what?!” she screamed behind her, out of breath. “To join them?!”

“They’re distracted! They don’t care about us anymore! They need all the help they can get! We’re nobodies—remember?!”

Aiko took her extended silence as acceptance of the plan.

She bolted, running towards the entrance before making it in record time. Unknown, unstopped despite everything.

Once she was in the lobby, she looked down as she hopped about, seeing glass shards—AND, this reddish, taffy like substance.

Aiko scooped it up, as it started to… In a weird inverse of hardening in her hands, it got more lose—more sticky.

She waved her hands, dumping it quickly without a second thought. Now she needed one more item.

Going towards the store they hid in, she bent down, swiping away the glass and rubble.

“C’mon—c’mon—c’mon---!” Tracy coughed out, practically.

A glint of metal flashed in the corner of her eye, Aiko screamed in excitement as she pulled out the metal staple, throwing it in.

“WE DID IT--!” Aiko screamed, turned to Tracy, grabbing her arms. “WE WON! WE WON SOMETHING, TRACY!”

She jumped for joy, causing even a wary Tracy to get infected by the mirth.

A light flashed on them as they stopped.

***

“…Misery cannot grow… / If you mend… The heart you know…”

The trio was following the singing, ways away from her, keeping distance.

“Daaaarkneeeesss shouldn’t be your drive… / If you waaaanna…. Keep yourself alive…”

Jackie looked to Maddie, as she was a listener of her music before everything went downhill. She only shrugged. Jackie guesses it wasn’t some hit or something.

“…I hope you liked this song, stranger. It's called 'Umbra'.”

Jackie signaled everyone to stop. There was a pregnant silence.

“It was… One of my favorite songs that I had to put on the cutting room floor, you see… It was too dark. I had to ‘distance’ myself from my tragedy… I was losing my mind, and they wanted to continue to brand… A brand I’m sure, if I really did succumb to my state—would’ve been some boone of tributes and memorial memorabilia. A shallow life, am I right? You get how I got so insane as a result?”

Without warning—they heard scrapping against stone. Practically roaring all but produced by human vocals.

River, just as surprisingly, pushed Jackie and Maddie to the sides, and activated her siVis once more.

A plume of steam ensued—N’atural rushing through the ghastly River in the middle—skidding across the way and causing the steam to waif.

She snarled, huffed, looking around despite not being able to see.

She once again, sadly rose back up.

“Stupid girl…” N’atural grumbled. “You’re not scary... You don’t even know what you’re doing…”

She walked away, leaving the trio to stew in that. Soon, after two minutes, River manifested back. Jackie lightly patted her shoulder and then squeezed it.

What gall. After all she’s done, after all she’s going to do—and she has the ego to act so sad about it? Suffering, and yet inflicted a new kind of suffering that no one has experienced before?

It made Jackie angry. It sparked that need within her again… To make things right. A balance, needs to be achieved.

She told the two just to rest here. Lean against the wall, wait for the others.

And what was 20 minutes or so—Tracy and Aiko jogged down the hall.

Aiko gave a thumbs up, and handed the bucket to Jackie. She looked in.

Good.

Without warning, she turned left, ready to face the monstrous faker.