PART 3: THE BREAK OF A NEW DAY
Dart awoke in a serene atmosphere that could've been mistaken for a dream. Everything around him was white, cool and engulfed in the beauty of silence. The window was open and the thin, colourless curtains moved in the soft breeze, forming small oceans in a real-life painting within the windowframe.
Dart still felt Raja, laying next to him. He looked at her; she was like a child in her sleep; warm breath and shy, sweet dreams. An innocent and peaceful look on her face, but that was always the case. She was all cuddled up, forming a shell of protective warmth around her little son, and pressing her body against that of Dart to get some warmth for herself. Her hair was a silky waterfall, that flowed over her shoulders and his chest.
Angelic. She looked angelic, this strange girl, who had been old enough to get a child of her own, but so undone by the world and the need to grow up she could crawl into someone's bed in the middle of the night, merely because it was so cold in her room. She amazed Dart.
This girl, this this girl that had been too weak to resist the man that had made her pregnant, this girl that acted like a child at times, someone that was limited and weakened by her innocence and overall kindness, how could she possibly amaze him? What was so special about her?
Nothing. She couldn't amaze him. He couldn't love her. It would merely destroy him; a warrior is without emotion.
Dart grabbed Raja's shoulder and pinched it hard, so that the girl woke from her peaceful slumber with a gasp.
"It's morning. Get out, go do something useful,"Dart told her in a cold voice.
Raja looked around, a bit bewildered. For a second she didn't remember how exactly she ended up here. She was laying next to Dart, in his bed, and her baby was laying in her arms. Oh yeah, she remembered now, it had been cold. Nothing happened.
She spotted Darts extremely cold glance, that made her cheeks turn hotred with shame. She jumped of the bed, holding little Aaron and left the room quickly, without a word.
Somehow Dart couldn't help feeling disappointed when she did.
*
"Breakfast?"Iz asked Kera, who was standing in the cafeteria.
"Not much... We pretty much used up everything last night. We're going to have to gather some food today,"Kera said with a sigh. She looked at the pitiful amount of food that was still left, and started to regret last night's party. Where would they be able to find some food here? She had seen supermarts and groceryshops on the way to the hospital, but they had all seemed pretty empty to her.
Iz looked at the plate Zion had left on the table, in case Jax would decide to come down after the crowd had left. That plate was untouched, still carried last night's food. It was now cold, but still looked good.
"Yum,"Iz said, and she ate some of it.
Zion just entered and saw Iz eating. "That's Jax's food,"he said.
"Hey, I saw it first!"Iz defended herself.
"I left it for him last night,"Zion explained with a sigh. So Jax hadn't come down to eat something.
"Well, he didn't eat it, so obviously he doesn't want it. Ah, don't worry, I'll share it with the others,"Iz said with a careless gesture of her hand. She ate on and didn't really seem intending on sharing anything, at least not to Zion.
He wondered if Jax would at least come down for breakfast.
*
Jax lay in his room. He was so tired. More dizzy-spots dancing in front of his eyes. He hadn't slept all night. He couldn't sleep in this place. He had been afraid that as soon as he would fall asleep, as soon as he would lose guard, the walls would close in on him, would trap him and leave him no space to move and breathe at all.
He hated it here. He had hated living in the city back in the old days, before the virus. And because of all the time he had spent in nature, he hated it even more now. God, all he wanted was to leave again. To be surrounded by the sweet incense of trees. to have the tall grass dancing around his legs in the fragrant breeze, to look at the sky and somehow figure that it was higher than it had ever seemed.
He hated it here.
*
Jax wasn't the only one. Raja didn't really like this place either. In some ways, Raja and Jax were alike. Raja had loved to walk around the countryside with her son, have fun all day, have so much time and freedom that she could go back to herself. To she could let herself be amazed by a seemingly insignificant flower, by the way a fly washed itself. If you watched a fly wash itself for long enough, she figured, you'd never be able to squash one again.
Wouldn't she lose that ability here?
Besides, this place had been disappointing for her. Raja's face turned red as she thought of how Dart basically kicked her out of his bed, while she was still wondering how exactly she got there... She wondered how she could ever make that right again, and make sure Dart wouldn't look down on her. Because she knew he did.
Raja, in her sweet, loving nature, had always been kind, and loved every creature on this planet. She saw the good in every humanbeing and helped them. She didn't expect anything in return for her love. But what would she have to do, when the time had come she did want something in return?
*
"Okay, and now: the food-problem,"Kera said. The whole Argonaut-tribe (still save Jax, Zion started to worry) sat in the cafeteria, even though they had already finished their pitiful breakfast.
"There isn't any food,"Iz said, interrupting Kera in her co-leader-speech.
"Right,"Kera said with an exasperated sigh. "And that's why we gotta go search some, in the city. We'll split up in three groups. Zion will go with Kita, Jax and Raja. I will go with Scott, Justine and Randy. And Dart will go with Trojan and Iz. Try looking in conveniencestores, warehouses-"
"We know where they used to sell and store food, Kera, we're not completely retarded,"Iz interrupted the co-leader. Kera looked at her, indignated.
"Now can we leave, I can't stand sitting still for this long,"Iz said.
"You guys leave already. I'll see about Jax,"Zion said and he left the cafeteria.
Iz put her arm around Dart. "Well Dartmeister, looks like it's just you, me and Tro over there. Seeing we're a team now, can I borrow you're samurai- sword in case we get in any trouble?"Iz asked enthusiastically.
"No, you may not,"Dart said.
"Fine, fine. I'll get my own then. I'm sure there are places in the city where they used to sell stuff like that. Oh, while we're at it, can't we go on a little shoppingtrip, coz I desperately need some new clothes,"Iz said.
"Idiot,"Dart whispered and he left the hospital.
*
Zion knocked on Jax's door. No response, so he just went in.
Jax was sitting on his bed, fully dressed. He looked pale, worse than ever, like he had just heard some horrible news.
"Are you okay, man?"Zion asked. "Why weren't you at breakfast?"
"Oh, nothing... Just nauseous again. I don't even wanna think about food,"Jax said and that last thing was definitely true. He was too nervous to eat. He doubted if he could even chew properly.
"You look pale. Are you sick?"Zion asked.
Jax wondered what he could answer to that. He didn't want to feel like he had to go down to the cafeteria to eat, but he also didn't want to give Zion the feeling that it was his duty to worry about him... so Jax just shrugged his shoulders.
Zion was a little confused. "We're going to see if we can find some food. But you know, you can stay here if you want too. We don't really need entire groups. I was gonna tell Raja that she could also stay home, you know, else she'd have to drag little Aaron all across the city. So she'll be here too then, if you need anything,"Zion said.
Jax nodded, and Zion wondered if the boy had even listened to what he said.
"Well, I'll be leaving then. Good luck,"Zion said, and with these words, he left Jax alone in his room again.
*
The streets of the city were an endless, grey maze. A labyrint that didn't share any simularities with nature's cool, green labyrint, the scene the Argonauts were used to. The sky was dangerously close above those high buildings that towered out above them, throwing shadows over them. Like incredible giants that were looking down, standing still, until all of the sudden they would strike.
Streets were boring, pitchblack wounds on the face of the earth, with thin white lines in the middle. Iz, Dart and Trojan followed the path these roads created for them, and it all seemed like a terrible dream, the one in which you picture yourself lost by everyone. They wouldn't have to be afraid that cars would drive over them, and that was the scariest thing.
Does a forest seem empty when you find so humanbeing in it? No, only natural. But these dark streets and high buildings, that made you feel uunbelievably small, had been made for people to inhabit, and the sight of all of that, an entire city that had once been buzzing with activity, now totally abondoned, was just downright scary.
Iz shivered, even though it wasn't cold at all. She had heard of ghosttowns, but never of ghostcities. Something this massive and large, built halfway into heaven, gives you a weird feeling, like the feeling you get when a rollercoaster all of the sudden takes a dive down the rails.
None of them, not even Dart, would really like to stay out here for a long time. There was too much of a wrong feel to this entire place. Like when watching a horrormovie: with pounding heart and big eyes you see the tension building up before your eyes, before it comes to a gruesome climax in the finale. But comparing this city to something from a horrormovie didn't really do more well.
It got on everybody's nerves, especially because (at least) this particular group hadn't succeeded at what they had been sent out to do yet. They were supposed to collect food, but found every conveniencestore, groceryshop and warehouse empty. Ofcourse people had raided those for food as soon as the virus had broke out. Some people had believed that it was the Apocolypse, the end of everything, that it was God punishing mankind for their sins.
The virus was very symbolic ofcourse. Vanity had always been one of man's greatest sins. Caring to much about the exterior, only interested in prolonging their life, to a point that they would think they were above God. So the virus made you age rapidly.
Other people merely thought it would be the downfall of civilization. Whether it was just that last thing -which had definitely happened- or the will of God -God had given the earth to the innocent children to make something better of it, so many had said- the people had undoubtly gathered food like hamsters, and now there was nothing left.
"This sucks,"said Iz in a tough, irritated voice, not showing the others that she was really both scared and disappointed. This would mean they would have to leave the city to gather some good old naturefood -hey, not such a bad thought afterall. Iz cheered up immediately.
"What's that?"Trojan asked, nothing his head towards something.
"Waz wha?"Iz said uninterested.
"Phoenix Mall,"Trojan said, making another nod towards the big building.
"Mall?" This changed matters for Iz. "Oh great! Let's check it out, I haven't been to the Mall in ages. Maybe they've got some new clothes there, I could really settle for those. These clothes are... starting to smell a bit funny,"Iz said, pulling up her nose.
"They might have food,"Trojan said.
Dart didn't say anything -typical- but just walked towards the building, the two members of his party following him.
*
They entered the Mall, and Iz was delighted right away. "Yeah, I remember this place. I used to have a cousin in this city, and I came to visit once, and we went shopping here,"Iz said. En passant she posed in front of the big fountain like a model.
"Yippy,"Trojan said unenthusiasticly.
"There was this great shop here. And this place where they sold these funny little cookies... Aw man,"Iz said, sparkles in her eyes.
"Uh, Iz, we didn't come here for funny cookies or something... or actually we did, seeing it's technically food. Well, we came her for food,"Trojan stated the obvious.
Iz nodded in agreement, although her excitement created a smile that beared all her teeth and split her face, and made her look quite scary actually, at least according to Trojan.
"Who the hell are you and what do you think you're doing here?"a loud voice said. The group looked around confused, and Trojan was the first to discover the source of this voice, standing at the top of the stairs: a young woman with dark skin and an enormous amount of braids, dressed fully in red leather. She had a red flame on her forehead and a lot of dark around her eyes.
"A freak!! Oh... wait, it's a humanbeing. Oh! A humanbeing, there are still people in this city! What luck...,"Iz said.
"What luck indeed. I like,"Trojan said, eying the pretty girl.
"You better have a damn good explanation for trespassing in our mall,"the strong young woman said in a harsh voice.
"A mall is public property, sweetie,"Iz said, narrowing her eyes.
"Not anymore it isn't,"a lower voice with a heavy accent said.
The group saw a guy dressed in full black, with long black hair, appearing next to Red Leather-girl.
"Ah, SM-queen and Jax-look-a-like. And they claim they own the Mall. Weirdo's,"Iz sighed.
Dart pushed her aside. "Who are you and what gives you the right to claim this place?"he asked, cold and casual as usual.
It appeared that the dangerously looking girl in red leather, went by the name of Ebony, and the guy with black hair was called Lex, the sheriff of the city, so he said himself.
"Oh, the mallcop. Hey, watch it, robbery at the donutshop there,"Iz mocked.
"I said sheriff, you dumb cow,"Lex shouted to her from the top of the stairs.
"What? What?! Did he just call me a dumb cow!? Oh, he did not just call me a dumb cow. Dart, hand me your samurai-sword, I'm gonna chop him to bits!"Iz yelled, enfuriated.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you idiot, this is not a samurai- sword,"Dart said coldly.
"Well, whatever, just hand me the sword,"Iz said, eyes rolling.
"Er... It is okay for him to call you an idiot, but it's not okay for me to call you a dumb cow?"Lex asked, a little confused.
"He called me a dumb cow again!"Iz screamed.
"People!" A clear voice pierced through the arguement all of the sudden. A nice-looking young woman with blonde hair tied up in a lot of knots appeared all of the sudden.
"We have guests,"she said in a calm voice. "Maybe they would like to join us for dinner."
*
Dart, Iz and Trojan all looked at the beautiful woman that had appeared at the stairs in anxious amazement. She had darkblonde hair, tied up in a chaotic, yet stylish group of knots, and she wore simple, yet fashionable clothes. Her face was very natural, and so was the expression. She walked with a grace that was influenced by some sort of deserved pride, she had clear eyes that gave away her ability to think everything through properly and she had a kind of motherly warmth over her.
"Who's Miss My-Hairdo-Exploded?"Iz asked, in a whisper that the people on top of the stairs couldn't possibly hear. But the woman with the knots in her hair must've known what the small group of people downstairs were thinking, because she introduced herself: "Amber. I'm leader of the Mallrats, the tribe that lives here."
"A tribe lives here?! Ah, nips. Well, guess we're gonna have to find food somewhere else then. Come on, guys, let's clear out,"Iz said, disappointed and annoyed again.
"You came here to look for food?"Amber asked.
"No, we came here to ask you if you would join us when we go down the streets with tambourine's, dressed in pink robes, singing: 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna...' Yes ofcourse we came here to look for food! Why do you think we look so damn hungry!"Iz said irritated. She had to take this out on someone.
"Well, I think I already said that you could join us for dinner,"the young woman called Amber said a bit confused.
"A generous offer that we cannot accept. We were send out not to find food for only ourselves, but for the entire tribe,"Dart said right away.
"What? Shut up, Dart! You can starve to death if you want to, but I'm going to get something to eat. I haven't eaten all day, we hardly had any breakfast, I burnt all the calories in my body by walking through that stupid city... I want food,"Iz said clearly.
"We don't give to mendicants,"Ebony said, treating the charitable Amber on a cold glance.
"We're not mendicants,"Iz said insulted. "What's a mendicant?"
"It means that if all you came here to do is beg for food, we got just one answer for you: get lost!"Lex said.
"And don't come back,"Ebony added.
"Or what? You're gonna chain us and hit us with your whip?"Iz mocked.
"As I was saying,"Amber said all of the sudden, in a very clear and loud voice, "I wouldn't mind giving you something. We don't have too much ourselves, but enough for everybody. Seeing how you don't have anything at all, you-"
"Could get a job,"Lex interrupted her.
Amber shot Lex an annoyed look.
"Hey, err... You know, we could trade! Trade for food. Iz has this really beautiful wristcuff, and er... Dart has a fantastic samurai-sword, which you can use to cut basically everything!"Trojan said.
"Shut up!"Iz and Dart said in unison.
"We get a lot of our food from a farm just outside of town, and from the markers too. Maybe you could try getting some there as well. In meantime, you can have some of ours,"Amber said.
"We thank you for this. We shall return the favour one day,"Dart said, remembering honour and promises, and all the value's he held high. They received their gifts from their newfound friends the Mallrats- the first tribe they met. The mall's inhabitants had some food to spare. Not much, but it would do for tonight. Tomorrow they would just have to see for that farm, or this market that the Mallrat's leader had talked about.
*
"Well, I say that was pretty succesful,"Iz said on the way to the hospital, inspecting today's harvest. "We got something to eat, at least tonight we do. Let's go back, I think the guys will really enjoy our surprise."
Dart awoke in a serene atmosphere that could've been mistaken for a dream. Everything around him was white, cool and engulfed in the beauty of silence. The window was open and the thin, colourless curtains moved in the soft breeze, forming small oceans in a real-life painting within the windowframe.
Dart still felt Raja, laying next to him. He looked at her; she was like a child in her sleep; warm breath and shy, sweet dreams. An innocent and peaceful look on her face, but that was always the case. She was all cuddled up, forming a shell of protective warmth around her little son, and pressing her body against that of Dart to get some warmth for herself. Her hair was a silky waterfall, that flowed over her shoulders and his chest.
Angelic. She looked angelic, this strange girl, who had been old enough to get a child of her own, but so undone by the world and the need to grow up she could crawl into someone's bed in the middle of the night, merely because it was so cold in her room. She amazed Dart.
This girl, this this girl that had been too weak to resist the man that had made her pregnant, this girl that acted like a child at times, someone that was limited and weakened by her innocence and overall kindness, how could she possibly amaze him? What was so special about her?
Nothing. She couldn't amaze him. He couldn't love her. It would merely destroy him; a warrior is without emotion.
Dart grabbed Raja's shoulder and pinched it hard, so that the girl woke from her peaceful slumber with a gasp.
"It's morning. Get out, go do something useful,"Dart told her in a cold voice.
Raja looked around, a bit bewildered. For a second she didn't remember how exactly she ended up here. She was laying next to Dart, in his bed, and her baby was laying in her arms. Oh yeah, she remembered now, it had been cold. Nothing happened.
She spotted Darts extremely cold glance, that made her cheeks turn hotred with shame. She jumped of the bed, holding little Aaron and left the room quickly, without a word.
Somehow Dart couldn't help feeling disappointed when she did.
*
"Breakfast?"Iz asked Kera, who was standing in the cafeteria.
"Not much... We pretty much used up everything last night. We're going to have to gather some food today,"Kera said with a sigh. She looked at the pitiful amount of food that was still left, and started to regret last night's party. Where would they be able to find some food here? She had seen supermarts and groceryshops on the way to the hospital, but they had all seemed pretty empty to her.
Iz looked at the plate Zion had left on the table, in case Jax would decide to come down after the crowd had left. That plate was untouched, still carried last night's food. It was now cold, but still looked good.
"Yum,"Iz said, and she ate some of it.
Zion just entered and saw Iz eating. "That's Jax's food,"he said.
"Hey, I saw it first!"Iz defended herself.
"I left it for him last night,"Zion explained with a sigh. So Jax hadn't come down to eat something.
"Well, he didn't eat it, so obviously he doesn't want it. Ah, don't worry, I'll share it with the others,"Iz said with a careless gesture of her hand. She ate on and didn't really seem intending on sharing anything, at least not to Zion.
He wondered if Jax would at least come down for breakfast.
*
Jax lay in his room. He was so tired. More dizzy-spots dancing in front of his eyes. He hadn't slept all night. He couldn't sleep in this place. He had been afraid that as soon as he would fall asleep, as soon as he would lose guard, the walls would close in on him, would trap him and leave him no space to move and breathe at all.
He hated it here. He had hated living in the city back in the old days, before the virus. And because of all the time he had spent in nature, he hated it even more now. God, all he wanted was to leave again. To be surrounded by the sweet incense of trees. to have the tall grass dancing around his legs in the fragrant breeze, to look at the sky and somehow figure that it was higher than it had ever seemed.
He hated it here.
*
Jax wasn't the only one. Raja didn't really like this place either. In some ways, Raja and Jax were alike. Raja had loved to walk around the countryside with her son, have fun all day, have so much time and freedom that she could go back to herself. To she could let herself be amazed by a seemingly insignificant flower, by the way a fly washed itself. If you watched a fly wash itself for long enough, she figured, you'd never be able to squash one again.
Wouldn't she lose that ability here?
Besides, this place had been disappointing for her. Raja's face turned red as she thought of how Dart basically kicked her out of his bed, while she was still wondering how exactly she got there... She wondered how she could ever make that right again, and make sure Dart wouldn't look down on her. Because she knew he did.
Raja, in her sweet, loving nature, had always been kind, and loved every creature on this planet. She saw the good in every humanbeing and helped them. She didn't expect anything in return for her love. But what would she have to do, when the time had come she did want something in return?
*
"Okay, and now: the food-problem,"Kera said. The whole Argonaut-tribe (still save Jax, Zion started to worry) sat in the cafeteria, even though they had already finished their pitiful breakfast.
"There isn't any food,"Iz said, interrupting Kera in her co-leader-speech.
"Right,"Kera said with an exasperated sigh. "And that's why we gotta go search some, in the city. We'll split up in three groups. Zion will go with Kita, Jax and Raja. I will go with Scott, Justine and Randy. And Dart will go with Trojan and Iz. Try looking in conveniencestores, warehouses-"
"We know where they used to sell and store food, Kera, we're not completely retarded,"Iz interrupted the co-leader. Kera looked at her, indignated.
"Now can we leave, I can't stand sitting still for this long,"Iz said.
"You guys leave already. I'll see about Jax,"Zion said and he left the cafeteria.
Iz put her arm around Dart. "Well Dartmeister, looks like it's just you, me and Tro over there. Seeing we're a team now, can I borrow you're samurai- sword in case we get in any trouble?"Iz asked enthusiastically.
"No, you may not,"Dart said.
"Fine, fine. I'll get my own then. I'm sure there are places in the city where they used to sell stuff like that. Oh, while we're at it, can't we go on a little shoppingtrip, coz I desperately need some new clothes,"Iz said.
"Idiot,"Dart whispered and he left the hospital.
*
Zion knocked on Jax's door. No response, so he just went in.
Jax was sitting on his bed, fully dressed. He looked pale, worse than ever, like he had just heard some horrible news.
"Are you okay, man?"Zion asked. "Why weren't you at breakfast?"
"Oh, nothing... Just nauseous again. I don't even wanna think about food,"Jax said and that last thing was definitely true. He was too nervous to eat. He doubted if he could even chew properly.
"You look pale. Are you sick?"Zion asked.
Jax wondered what he could answer to that. He didn't want to feel like he had to go down to the cafeteria to eat, but he also didn't want to give Zion the feeling that it was his duty to worry about him... so Jax just shrugged his shoulders.
Zion was a little confused. "We're going to see if we can find some food. But you know, you can stay here if you want too. We don't really need entire groups. I was gonna tell Raja that she could also stay home, you know, else she'd have to drag little Aaron all across the city. So she'll be here too then, if you need anything,"Zion said.
Jax nodded, and Zion wondered if the boy had even listened to what he said.
"Well, I'll be leaving then. Good luck,"Zion said, and with these words, he left Jax alone in his room again.
*
The streets of the city were an endless, grey maze. A labyrint that didn't share any simularities with nature's cool, green labyrint, the scene the Argonauts were used to. The sky was dangerously close above those high buildings that towered out above them, throwing shadows over them. Like incredible giants that were looking down, standing still, until all of the sudden they would strike.
Streets were boring, pitchblack wounds on the face of the earth, with thin white lines in the middle. Iz, Dart and Trojan followed the path these roads created for them, and it all seemed like a terrible dream, the one in which you picture yourself lost by everyone. They wouldn't have to be afraid that cars would drive over them, and that was the scariest thing.
Does a forest seem empty when you find so humanbeing in it? No, only natural. But these dark streets and high buildings, that made you feel uunbelievably small, had been made for people to inhabit, and the sight of all of that, an entire city that had once been buzzing with activity, now totally abondoned, was just downright scary.
Iz shivered, even though it wasn't cold at all. She had heard of ghosttowns, but never of ghostcities. Something this massive and large, built halfway into heaven, gives you a weird feeling, like the feeling you get when a rollercoaster all of the sudden takes a dive down the rails.
None of them, not even Dart, would really like to stay out here for a long time. There was too much of a wrong feel to this entire place. Like when watching a horrormovie: with pounding heart and big eyes you see the tension building up before your eyes, before it comes to a gruesome climax in the finale. But comparing this city to something from a horrormovie didn't really do more well.
It got on everybody's nerves, especially because (at least) this particular group hadn't succeeded at what they had been sent out to do yet. They were supposed to collect food, but found every conveniencestore, groceryshop and warehouse empty. Ofcourse people had raided those for food as soon as the virus had broke out. Some people had believed that it was the Apocolypse, the end of everything, that it was God punishing mankind for their sins.
The virus was very symbolic ofcourse. Vanity had always been one of man's greatest sins. Caring to much about the exterior, only interested in prolonging their life, to a point that they would think they were above God. So the virus made you age rapidly.
Other people merely thought it would be the downfall of civilization. Whether it was just that last thing -which had definitely happened- or the will of God -God had given the earth to the innocent children to make something better of it, so many had said- the people had undoubtly gathered food like hamsters, and now there was nothing left.
"This sucks,"said Iz in a tough, irritated voice, not showing the others that she was really both scared and disappointed. This would mean they would have to leave the city to gather some good old naturefood -hey, not such a bad thought afterall. Iz cheered up immediately.
"What's that?"Trojan asked, nothing his head towards something.
"Waz wha?"Iz said uninterested.
"Phoenix Mall,"Trojan said, making another nod towards the big building.
"Mall?" This changed matters for Iz. "Oh great! Let's check it out, I haven't been to the Mall in ages. Maybe they've got some new clothes there, I could really settle for those. These clothes are... starting to smell a bit funny,"Iz said, pulling up her nose.
"They might have food,"Trojan said.
Dart didn't say anything -typical- but just walked towards the building, the two members of his party following him.
*
They entered the Mall, and Iz was delighted right away. "Yeah, I remember this place. I used to have a cousin in this city, and I came to visit once, and we went shopping here,"Iz said. En passant she posed in front of the big fountain like a model.
"Yippy,"Trojan said unenthusiasticly.
"There was this great shop here. And this place where they sold these funny little cookies... Aw man,"Iz said, sparkles in her eyes.
"Uh, Iz, we didn't come here for funny cookies or something... or actually we did, seeing it's technically food. Well, we came her for food,"Trojan stated the obvious.
Iz nodded in agreement, although her excitement created a smile that beared all her teeth and split her face, and made her look quite scary actually, at least according to Trojan.
"Who the hell are you and what do you think you're doing here?"a loud voice said. The group looked around confused, and Trojan was the first to discover the source of this voice, standing at the top of the stairs: a young woman with dark skin and an enormous amount of braids, dressed fully in red leather. She had a red flame on her forehead and a lot of dark around her eyes.
"A freak!! Oh... wait, it's a humanbeing. Oh! A humanbeing, there are still people in this city! What luck...,"Iz said.
"What luck indeed. I like,"Trojan said, eying the pretty girl.
"You better have a damn good explanation for trespassing in our mall,"the strong young woman said in a harsh voice.
"A mall is public property, sweetie,"Iz said, narrowing her eyes.
"Not anymore it isn't,"a lower voice with a heavy accent said.
The group saw a guy dressed in full black, with long black hair, appearing next to Red Leather-girl.
"Ah, SM-queen and Jax-look-a-like. And they claim they own the Mall. Weirdo's,"Iz sighed.
Dart pushed her aside. "Who are you and what gives you the right to claim this place?"he asked, cold and casual as usual.
It appeared that the dangerously looking girl in red leather, went by the name of Ebony, and the guy with black hair was called Lex, the sheriff of the city, so he said himself.
"Oh, the mallcop. Hey, watch it, robbery at the donutshop there,"Iz mocked.
"I said sheriff, you dumb cow,"Lex shouted to her from the top of the stairs.
"What? What?! Did he just call me a dumb cow!? Oh, he did not just call me a dumb cow. Dart, hand me your samurai-sword, I'm gonna chop him to bits!"Iz yelled, enfuriated.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you idiot, this is not a samurai- sword,"Dart said coldly.
"Well, whatever, just hand me the sword,"Iz said, eyes rolling.
"Er... It is okay for him to call you an idiot, but it's not okay for me to call you a dumb cow?"Lex asked, a little confused.
"He called me a dumb cow again!"Iz screamed.
"People!" A clear voice pierced through the arguement all of the sudden. A nice-looking young woman with blonde hair tied up in a lot of knots appeared all of the sudden.
"We have guests,"she said in a calm voice. "Maybe they would like to join us for dinner."
*
Dart, Iz and Trojan all looked at the beautiful woman that had appeared at the stairs in anxious amazement. She had darkblonde hair, tied up in a chaotic, yet stylish group of knots, and she wore simple, yet fashionable clothes. Her face was very natural, and so was the expression. She walked with a grace that was influenced by some sort of deserved pride, she had clear eyes that gave away her ability to think everything through properly and she had a kind of motherly warmth over her.
"Who's Miss My-Hairdo-Exploded?"Iz asked, in a whisper that the people on top of the stairs couldn't possibly hear. But the woman with the knots in her hair must've known what the small group of people downstairs were thinking, because she introduced herself: "Amber. I'm leader of the Mallrats, the tribe that lives here."
"A tribe lives here?! Ah, nips. Well, guess we're gonna have to find food somewhere else then. Come on, guys, let's clear out,"Iz said, disappointed and annoyed again.
"You came here to look for food?"Amber asked.
"No, we came here to ask you if you would join us when we go down the streets with tambourine's, dressed in pink robes, singing: 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna...' Yes ofcourse we came here to look for food! Why do you think we look so damn hungry!"Iz said irritated. She had to take this out on someone.
"Well, I think I already said that you could join us for dinner,"the young woman called Amber said a bit confused.
"A generous offer that we cannot accept. We were send out not to find food for only ourselves, but for the entire tribe,"Dart said right away.
"What? Shut up, Dart! You can starve to death if you want to, but I'm going to get something to eat. I haven't eaten all day, we hardly had any breakfast, I burnt all the calories in my body by walking through that stupid city... I want food,"Iz said clearly.
"We don't give to mendicants,"Ebony said, treating the charitable Amber on a cold glance.
"We're not mendicants,"Iz said insulted. "What's a mendicant?"
"It means that if all you came here to do is beg for food, we got just one answer for you: get lost!"Lex said.
"And don't come back,"Ebony added.
"Or what? You're gonna chain us and hit us with your whip?"Iz mocked.
"As I was saying,"Amber said all of the sudden, in a very clear and loud voice, "I wouldn't mind giving you something. We don't have too much ourselves, but enough for everybody. Seeing how you don't have anything at all, you-"
"Could get a job,"Lex interrupted her.
Amber shot Lex an annoyed look.
"Hey, err... You know, we could trade! Trade for food. Iz has this really beautiful wristcuff, and er... Dart has a fantastic samurai-sword, which you can use to cut basically everything!"Trojan said.
"Shut up!"Iz and Dart said in unison.
"We get a lot of our food from a farm just outside of town, and from the markers too. Maybe you could try getting some there as well. In meantime, you can have some of ours,"Amber said.
"We thank you for this. We shall return the favour one day,"Dart said, remembering honour and promises, and all the value's he held high. They received their gifts from their newfound friends the Mallrats- the first tribe they met. The mall's inhabitants had some food to spare. Not much, but it would do for tonight. Tomorrow they would just have to see for that farm, or this market that the Mallrat's leader had talked about.
*
"Well, I say that was pretty succesful,"Iz said on the way to the hospital, inspecting today's harvest. "We got something to eat, at least tonight we do. Let's go back, I think the guys will really enjoy our surprise."