Mall Rats Return

[Danni]

It had been 17 years since the destruction of the city by Mega. The remaining Mall Rats had fled via the water and sailed to new lands. Time has passed and thoughts of returning home had faded with each passing day. They moved on, made a new life for themselves and eventually drifted apart. Sometimes thoughts turned to their lost friends, and although questions were never asked they were there… what had The Chosen done with their captured leaders, what had The Technos done with their prisoners and those who were deleted, but like with most things, life got in the way and those questions were never answered.

It was a normal day when the first letter appeared, nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a red envelope was passed to them. The first question, of course, was who on Earth had access to red enveloped in this new world, the second more pressing question became ‘how did whoever send this know I was a Mall Rat’ and then ‘how did they find me?’

The letter was a simple invitation to return home by Winter, easy enough to ignore, the following letters however were less easy to ignore and eventually the individuals once known as the Mall Rats found themselves making a journey, back into an almost unrecognisable city to congregate at the place they once called home.

Character list
• Alice TAKEN
• Amber OPEN
• Andy TAKEN
• Bray OPEN
• Brady TAKEN
• Brayden (Bray jr) OPEN
• Callan TAKEN
• Cloe TAKEN
• Charlie OPEN
• Darryl OPEN
• Dee TAKEN
• Ebony OPEN
• Ellie OPEN
• Gel TAKEN
• Hawk OPEN
• Jack RESERVED
• Jade TAKEN
• Jay OPEN
• KC TAKEN
• Lex TAKEN
• Lottie TAKEN
• Luc TAKEN
• Mouse TAKEN
• Patsy TAKEN
• Patch OPEN
• Paul TAKEN
• Ram OPEN
• Ruby OPEN
• Ryan TAKEN
• Salene TAKEN
• Sammy OPEN
• Slade OPEN
• Tai-San OPEN
• Tally TAKEN
• Trudy TALEN
• Ved OPEN
• Zandra TAKEN

NON PLAYER CHARACTERS

The Everglades
Will
Dawn
Nate

The Serpents
Alix
Jaz
Bekah
Liam
Zane

Sam (Samantha)
Kyle

Matthew

1. Please don’t magically appear back at the mall pregnant: to have a baby, you first need to have a relationship with someone. And no babies found on the streets either.
2. Per calender year, only 2 people may give birth in the Tribe, to make sure the Mall doesn’t get too crowded. Please ask the RP lead about the planning of a future baby.

Plan of the mall

[Danni]

Please start by creating a basic profile of your character

BASIC INFORMATION
BIRTH NAME:
DATE OF BIRTH:
AGE:
AGE AT THE TIME OF VIRUS:
FAMILY (any siblings, cousins etc):
HOME:
HAIR COLOR:
EYE COLOR:
TRIBE:
RELATIONSHIP STATUS (please agree this with another player if you want to have a relationship with another Mall Rat/Character:
PAST RELATIONSHIPS:
CHILDREN:
PLAY-BY (your username here):

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
PERSONAL FAVORITES:
TALENTS:
HABITS:
SECRET(S):
DISLIKES:
FEARS:
STRENGTHS:
WEAKNESSES:
PERSONALITY:
BACKGROUND:

[Danni]

DANNI

The strap on my bag had snapped about half a mile ago but I hadn’t bothered to stop, just moved it to my arms and cradled it like a baby. If I stopped I wasn’t sure I’d keep going but at the same time there was no going back. Every day before I left had been a blur of repetition and sadness, the ache never left and nothing I did made it better. The age old ‘time heals all wounds’ felt like a lie, but then that probably only worked if the wound healed, and mine hadn’t. It had festered and turned into something hollow and broken.

Bracing against a gust of wind I continue my journey, they’d begged me not to go, my family, but I couldn’t stay. Not when he haunted every room, every sound, his presence should have comforted me but it pushed me away.

The red envelope shoved in my pocket felt like it was burning a hole, I could feel it through the fabric of my trousers although there was a chance that was just my imagination playing tricks. I remembered the first one, the gentle invitation, it had been quickly shoved into the rubbish and forgotten but soon the message had become more persistent, more threatening, and had eventually given me the push to leave.

[Danni]

CALLAN

There’s a new crack in one of the walls, I’d noticed it in my way home but hadn’t bothered to report it yet. Luc wouldn’t be that interested and would probably tell me to figure out how to fix it myself, I could just wait and see if anyone else noticed it and let them report it… would make my life easier.

I’d done a ‘trade’ run early in the morning, before first light, and had successfully pilfered us some breakfast. Freshly baked bread wasn’t always easy to come by but when you knew which windowsills to check things were a little easier. I’d got enough for everyone, as long as no one went crazy or had brought home a friend…

The sewer entrance to the mall was my preferred go to, it had long since dried up of any actual sewage and even the rats didn’t bother using it, but it was well hidden which meant no one saw my coming or going, gave me more freedom which is how I liked it.

Pulling the manhole shut behind me I make my way into the mall, it had deteriorated over the years but the Phoenix statue remained. It had been vandalised a few times and the remnants of graffiti still stained the stone but it still stood out.

I’d made my room in one of the old shops on the second floor, so after dropping off breakfast in the cafe I head to my room for a well deserved kip.

[Zandra]

Luc

As part of my usual morning routine, I was already awake and finishing my workout in the basement which was mostly used as a gym and training area. At one point I was working out upstairs but the hustle and bustle of people talking and moving around drove me insane.

Not many of the others came down here, although some would come down occasionally and try to chat with me however most have learned from the icy stare they would get.

Grabbing my towel I headed up to shower, thankfully most of the tribe loved a lie in, my only real competition to the shower in the morning would be Callum but I was glad to find it empty. Grabbing the timer I set it to three minutes and stripped.

I had to put a share water plan in place if we are using hot water, it took a lot of getting used to having to shower with the other guys however I have been lucky enough a handful of times to share with one of the girls.

Sighing as the timer went off, I turned off the water and wrapped the towel around my waist, and headed to my room.

[Zandra]

Zan

I’d already reached the city last night but now I was here the idea of going back to the Mall was daunting, what was I gonna to say ‘Hey guys, just me who you buried alive, thanks for that’ even thinking it in my head made me roll my eyes.

I had decided to stay the night at a stopover house, it wasn’t the best but I couldn’t exactly sleep on the street and now it was the morning I needed to decide what I was going to do.

Sitting on the bed I chew my nail nervously, a bad habit that I still struggle to break when feeling anxious, I knew I had to get it over and done with at some point, it would have been a wasted journey to come all this way, sleep in a crappy stopover house and head back to the bar and knowing my luck the red envelopes would start coming again.

“Come on Zan” I muttered to myself as I pushed off the bed moving to stand in front of the mirror, no longer was the gossip girl with the pink and blue hair but a strong, independent woman who has been through hell and come out the standing with flaming hot hair.

Picking up my lipstick I applied it smoothly, smiling at my reflection “You got this” I tell myself turning and grabbing my things and heading out the door. I know its early but its not like I have much else I can do.

[Salene]

Salene

The Past

It has been a while since I saw or heard from any of the other Mall Rats, after landing on the beach after the virus we stayed together for a while but eventually people started to go their own way to explore and find their own places… I went off on my own, I found a small little house with a well, away from everything and made it my own… It was a little run down, I taught myself how to repair things and soon I called it home…

I found a small over grown vegetable patch and managed to clean it up, in the cottage I found some seeds for different vegetables, using the knowledge from helping with Alice’s farm now and again I learnt how to grow enough to live on… My diet was bland and boring when I remembered the things Pride had taught us about wild foods that were safe to eat, I found the courage to go out and explore, to search for some wild fruits, vegetables and herbs… Soon there were red envelopes appearing… I didn’t open them, choosing to bury them in a drawer, how could anyone know I was here, I haven’t seen anyone in years…

Now

I stretch waking up… Smiling to myself as the sun fills the room, I have forgotten all about time, my watch stopped many years ago… I now get up with the sun and go to bed when the sun goes down… I hear a rooster crowing… It’s out there some where although I never have been able to find him… I stretch and climb out of bed, I use the cold water from the well to have a sort of wash before I dress, I am so used to the cold water now that I only get goosebumps, it’s enough to wake me up… I go down to the kitchen, as I pass the front door I spot yet another red envelope…

"Not again" I sigh

I pick it up and take it to the kitchen, I throw it into the drawer not even bothering to read it… I make a glass of water, I remembered Dal and Jacks filter they made, I managed to make something simpler to filter the water, some times I have crushed juice from what ever fruit I find… I’m miles from anywhere and don’t have the luxury of fresh flowing water or electricity… I have a huge selection of candles that I found in the cottage, whom ever lived here before was prepared for the apocolypse… There was lots of stuff stored in boxes in a room that looked like a panic room… I sit at the table, the red letter in the drawer niggling at me, I want to know what it’s about but also refuse to read them as I’m happy in my own world, I don’t want to let anyone into my bubble, my sanctuary… I sigh… Standing up I grab my wicker basket that I use for berry collecting and decide to go into the woods and look for my breakfast…

[Tribelover15]

Lottie

I never thought I would return to the city, I really thought it was all behind me. But those damn red envelopes with those letters. It had confused me so much at first and still did, I had not been a Mallrat for that long all those years ago. But still, I had been part of it and whoever sent this seemed to know it. Soon enough as the letters kept on coming the pile kept on growing and just sat there and it seemed like it was staring at me waiting for me to make a move.

With a heavy heart and maybe a coward’s way out, I took this as a chance to leave. I didn’t really want to leave but it was hard to look at Matthew and not be with him. I did write him a letter before I went on my journey back towards the city. I did bring the letters with me, I wasn’t sure what was waiting for me in the city but I kept on making my journey back to a place I had called home once upon a time.

[Jack]

Eciov

Life as an Everglade was what I had always dreamed of so why was I returning to the city of doom that I fled from all those years ago… Those poxy red letters of course etched with my old name ‘Mouse’! They always had a way of finding me.

They were my secret up until yesterday. But this red letter felt different. The fear and uncertainty of what could become of me and my tribe hit me if I chose to continue to ignore it. So, I confided in my tribe members who represent the heart, the brain and the muscle of the Everglades.

United in their decision they were clear the sender and whatever these letters meant could not stay buried and together we would take the journey to the city.

Which is where we find ourselves now. Walking together through the woods, the birds above us chirping, the wind whistling through the trees, the pitter patter of our feet on the hard ground and our voices rattling away as we discuss what we think the city could be like now and why now after 17 years I was being invited back? I once was a Mall Rat when the Techno’s invaded but now I am an Everglade and once we have answers my friends and I will be doing this journey back to the rest of our tribe. The wilderness is where my friends and I belong.

Suddenly, I noticed someone up ahead picking berries so with a swift signal I raise my hand. Silence falls across us and we all come to a halt. Whoever she was, she was oblivious to our presence.

It was then I realised I recognised the face. Softly, I whisper to the gang, “I know her…” I signal to Will, Nate and Dawn that we can proceed and quietly say, “That’s Salene, an old Mall Rat. She’s harmless. One would assume she hasn’t been taking any notice of the red letters either…”.

Salene was clearly in a world of her own as she still hadn’t noticed us so it was time to make her aware. I bring my left hand up to my mouth, curling my fingers in to create a hole for my mouth to blow into to create a hooting noise like a horn.

@Salene

[Salene]

Salene

I hum away as I collect berries, mushrooms, different wild roots, wild onion and garlic grow close by… I smile as I think of the delicious soup I can make tonight with all of this stuff, I have had to become almost vegetarian, I can do alot of things but hunting for chickens is past my skills level… The last time I tried I ended up on my back with the chicken standing triumphant over my head… I gave up and settled for taking the eggs that were not fertilised… I smile at the memory and of how much Pride and I would have laughed at that… Not to mention the others… I hear a loud whistle and freeze… Jumping up nervously I am paused to run but something inside me stops me… I stand looking at the four people infront of me… Two guys and two girls, the one who whistled seems to be the leader… I stare at her, unable to place her, she seems familiar but who is she… She grins at me, she obviously knows who I am… Is she the one sending me those letters, how did she know I was even here, I haven’t seen another person for years and I have been happy with that, it hurts when people break your heart, being alone means my heart stays protected… She looks at me as I move nervously…

"I’m… I’m sorry" I stutter "There… there’s plenty more berries and things if you want something to eat…"

I look the direction of my cottage, I want to go home, if I run I’d never out run the two men one of whom looks at me strangely… I’m not running, I’m not showing them where I live… The girl in charge looks at the two guys beside her, she gives them both a look…

"W…wait, I know that look" I say "Mouse?"

@Jack

[Zwenja]

Phoenix

The flames of the little campfire are dancing in the breeze. The hare that was so unfortunate to cross me, as I was hunting with my bow, is roasting over the fire. Sam is an excellent cook. One reason more for Kyle and I to kiss her feet (and other parts…)

She has a natural feel of using the right wild herbs. She keeps a bag of thrm always with her. It’s her treasure. Kyle found wild mushrooms for us. He’s got a fail proof knowledge of what’s eat able. His father had been a wild ranger and as young boy he dreamt of becoming one too.

We three built a failproof unit that way. I get fish and meat. Kyle gets the vitamins. Sam cooks something nice. In our hideout far in the south, we have a small vegetable field. As we all have been held as slaves a good deal of our childhood, we learnt a lot useful stuff about growing and harvesting food. Sometimes I think we could really survive without the payment of the bounty hunts… But then… You need flour to bake bread… Eggs… Fruits.

We live in a secure area where lots of people continued their families farms and businesses. One tribe owns a mill and fields with wheat. Another tribe has pigs and cows, evrn makes cheese. Another tribe grows tea and coffee… We even can get cacao and chocolate from a farm.

Food wise I live way better then I ever experienced in the mall. But then again… It were the first years. Now as adult I understand what a pressure has laid on the older teens.

"Soon done guys…" Sam says, moving her hands swiftly along while speaking too. The sign language Kyle and her use with me is different to that I learnt as a child. I was missing many words as I grew up. I didn’t have anyone doing sign language for me for five years before I met those two.

That’s why I am really happy to have my smart little translator. Otherwise I’d be probably not be able to communicate with any of my old tribe at all. I’ll probably even will have problems to understand Patsy…though…she always had a way to get through to me.

"How long do you think we’ll need?" Kyle signs to me. I sigh, turning to look at the white Dome that thrones above us. I know it was called EAGLE MOUNTAIN. It was some observatory thing. "It’s maybe a day from here? No real idea…"

We didn’t climb up to the old building, who knows if it’s safe, who knows if someone lives there. No we stayed hidden under a line of trees, minding our own business.

"You stay with the plan?" He now signs. "Yes… No one will recognize me. They remember me as that small mousy haired boy, always afraid, clinging to his sister. We won’t reveal who I am. We’ll watch the mall, look who goes in and out…and first then I decide if I really want to see any of them…"

"Dude…if your sister is there… You can’t just turn away again…" He hastily signs. “Kyle… It’s his decision!” Sam hisses (I read her lips) “We are his partners. We are entitled to let him know if a decision is DUMB!” “It’s not DUMB! Where were they when he needed them? His sister can’t have turned a lot of stones to find him…” "Gracious Sam! She was a child herself… Back those days you had to survive day to day… For all they know he did run away…"

I sigh and turn my face from them, switching off my little smart device. Now it can’t catch their words and transcript it for me into written language. Kyle and Sam are queen and king of bickering.

Even before I was part of their relationship, when only they both dated… They actually often discussed and fought. With me it became balanced. None of us can imagine it being different now. Seven years already. That’s more then many straight couples manage.

But it doesn’t mean that they don’t drive me mad sometimes (). I pull out the last red envelope. Will those still arrive at our house? Or does the mysterious person have a way of knowing I am on my way? A moment I picture a pile of red envelopes stacking up in front of our beach house.

My eyes travel into the direction of the city. What is waiting there?

[Jack]

Eciov

The hoot certainly startled Salene. She stared at us looking uneasy. I smile to try to reassure her we were not her enemy. I keep my eyes locked on her’s. Even without her bright red hair, I had quickly recognised her, but it seemed me, the not so little ‘Mouse’ wasn’t so easy to recognise as she said there was plenty for us too. My legs were shaking like jelly on a plate, I was dying to run towards her. I wanted to hold her and tell her how stunning she looked with her long wavy brown hair.

I give Will and Nate a look. It was similar to the look I gave Salene when we first met. Dawn is crouched down tying her shoelace to not be privy to the look I had given the boys. She looks up as she hears Salene say Mouse.

Annoyingly I can’t help but squeak and as fast as lightening I run towards her and throw my arms around her carefully to ensure I don’t knock her very full basket that contained a range of berries, mushrooms and so much more out of her hand. She must be part of a big tribe. I squeeze her a little.“It sure is. Well, actually it’s not. But it is. I go by the name Eciov now. It’s voice spelt backwards fyi.” I smile and realise that we are not that much different in height now. "Love the hair by the way! You look so radiant!"

@Salene

[Salene]

Salene

One of the girls bends and starts tying her show laces, I see her head fly up when I say the name I knew the young girl well woman by… Suddenly Mouse is flying towards me, her feet barely touching the ground as I wrap my arm around her, the muscled guy who was giving me a strange look smiles and takes the basket from me so I can wrap my arms around Mouse… The last time I saw her she was about five or six years old and was begging me to stay with her and the Eco’s… I couldn’t and went back to the mall thinking I could do some good there… HA what a joke that was…

I took Mouse and Charlie in before Charlie went missing…

“It sure is. Well, actually it’s not. But it is. I go by the name Eciov now. It’s voice spelt backwards" I smile
"Love the hair by the way! You look so radiant!"

Tears stream down my face, happy to see how well she has grown up… I push the hair from her eyes, her eyes showing unshed tears of happy…

"Look at you" I sniff with a whisper "I can’t believe how well you look, Pride would be so proud of you"

I pull her back into my arms again for a huge hug…

"Come with me, come and have something to drink" I smile "My cottage isn’t far"

I smile and watch, the others follow Mouse’s instructions… She nods and we start walking… There’s sooo much to catch up on…

@Jack

[Zandra]

Zan

Reaching the Mall I walk straight in and welcomed with the site of the grills down, not that I am really surprised though there also isn’t any welcome back banner either.
I stood silently for a few moments, from what I could see the statue vandalised, cracks clearly visible in the walls, it looked pretty shit compared to what it used to be.

Pulling the red envelope out of my bag, I start banging hands against the grills “Hello?!” I called loudly, not overly bothered it was so early.

[Danni]

CALLAN

I don’t manage to get any sleep as the first thing I notice when I enter my room is that my clothes have been disturbed, again. Sometimes I had a feeling that I was the only person in this tribe who did laundry. Grumbling about the laziness of people I head to the hideaway, which I used for storing the majority of my stuff and unlock the door, at least no one had tried to get in here. Grabbing some fresh clothes I chuck my bag inside, I’d unpack the rest of todays findings later when I had more time.

Heading to the showers I manage to miss whoever had been in there, most likely Luc as none of the others were particularly keen on this time of the day. I quickly set the timer before stripping off, the water is warm but already cooling which is disappointing. One of us would need to get someone to look at the water system again, another job to add to the list…

The timer buzzes and I get out of the water and hit it off before towelling dry, three minutes isn’t much but better than nothing. Pulling on a clean outfit I bundle what I’d been wearing into a pile to take out later. I’d probably feel better after breakfast and passing on my report to Luc, for some reason I just felt like something was off but I couldn’t put a finger on it.

The mall was a weird place to live, especially for the seven of us. It was big, probably too big, but it was secure and dry which was its main appeal.

As I head into the main part I pause for a moment, noticing a patch of colour where it shouldn’t be. ‘Motherf•••er’ I grumble under my breath as I focus on the red envelope. Moving to the grille I grab it and shove it in my pocket, we still hadn’t caught whoever was leaving these but when we did… I turn and walk away heading up the stairs to find Luc but before I make it very far I hear a voice calling ‘hello’, I turn back around and head back to the grille. A pretty red head clutching a red envelope stands on the other side, for a moment I’m taken by her appearance before my brain catches up, ’hello? Is that all you have to say after leaving this sh••?’ I question pulling the crumpled envelope out of my pocket and brandishing it at her, ’you can take your cease and desist and b••••r off, we aren’t going anywhere!’

[Zandra]

Zan

The guy who comes to the grill takes me by surprise, he didn’t wasn’t a MalIrat from when I was there, but it has been years. I don’t hide the roll my eyes “Firstly why would I want you to go to anywhere? You are welcome to the Mall” I shrugg “And secondly I’m not leaving anything, I’ve been getting my very own red envelopes for months, this was an attempt to find out who the hell from the Mall even knows I was still alive”

Though if he thought I was leaving these, it means its not them sending them.

[Danni]

CALLAN

I’m half tempted to believe her explanation but I’m also not a complete idiot and I know no one tells the truth all the time. ’Right, you look pretty alive to me so I imagine a few people know you are,’ I comment before shoving the envelope back in my pocket. I hadn’t thought that other people might be getting red envelopes, to be honest I hadn’t thought about it much apart from handing them off to Luc. It made no sense that after all this time someone had decided they wanted us out, no one had been here for years before we moved in.

How to proceed, this girl could be anyone and as much as she had a pretty face that didn’t mean anything, not in this world. The prettiest person could smile to your face while stabbing you in the back. Hopefully one of the others had heard her yelling, a second opinion would be quite helpful about now.

[Zandra]

Zan

“Well clearly you have no idea who I am otherwise you’d get it” I tell him before adding “Oh wait, your not just one of those pretty boys a tribe keeps around for numbers are you?” I let out a short laugh and shove my envelope through the grill “Believe me when I say that I wouldn’t be back here if I thought these stupid letters wouldn’t keep coming. I lived here well before you did and I can assure you I haven’t missed it”

I shift slightly on the spot “So where are the rest of the goddamn Mallrats?” I ask crossing my arms over my chest. Why the hell would someone send these letter but not be here for them actually to come. This whole thing was leaving me a little uneasy on what was going on.

[Danni]

CALLAN

Girl has an attitude that’s for sure, I can almost picture one of those old magazines with a celebrity saying ‘don’t you know who I am’, just need her to stomp her foot and we’ll be sorted. She shoves her envelope through the grille and I take a step forward to grab it, ok same envelope… that is a little weird, who the hell had envelopes nowadays? I pull it open and glance at the letter, same handwriting, or at least similar? Whoever was sending them obviously knew that the recipient knew how to read, so weird.

’Mallrats?’ I half scoff at her question ’they all fled the city after f•••ing it up for everyone,’ I pause, there hadn’t been any noise of mallrats for years, they were like an urban legend you told the youngsters to frighten them, ‘careful or the mallrats might get you’, we all knew they were just as bad as the chosen or technos, or maybe even worse… ’no mallrats here, so you can take your attitude someplace else’ I shove the envelope back through the grille before stepping back. I really should probably speak to Luc, but at the same time I was finding the situation rather amusing.

[Zandra]

Zan

The look on his face gave it away he really didn’t have any idea about who was sending these letters. He talks about the Mallrats and I give a small laugh “That does sound like them, they always wanted to fix the world” it was true they did, most of the Mallrats always wanted to fix the city and make it a better place and from the rumors she had heard they had made a good attempt of it.

“Whats the point of going anywhere, these letters are gonna keep coming and the hell I’m going to head back to my home for this shit to keep coming. And if they aren’t here now, they’re gonna be” She smirked “If the person sending these has found me, the others will be child play”

This clearly wasn’t going how I thought it was going to, I thought when I got here the answer to the letters would be clear but this fool is as clueless as she is on this whole thing.