𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 ❀ 𝐂. 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 ➀

VIII. 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹

I could imagine a situation that would most definitely happen if their clothes weren't color-coded: when a shirt gets mixed up in the wash, and one ninja goes to complain to the other that their shirt was in their laundry. Resulting in a huge argument.

It was funny how I barely knew them (besides Nya and kind of Cole), but I knew that would totally happen.

Nya grinned, tugging me with her through the automatic glass doors of the mall, revealing the incredible sight the doors once concealed. Huge black stairs led to the next floor, and all around the center square of the first story were stores. Shops filled the walls, not leaving any inch untouched, or undecorated. The stores varied from restaurants to lego displays to clothing lines. It was incredible, and I couldn't believe there were more levels in this building, with even more companies.

"I know, right?" Nya smirked at my awestruck expression, gripping my hand and leading me toward one of the stairs. She stopped us at the bottom of it, and I realized that it was moving. The steps were rising up the stairwell, as if they were defying the very rules of gravity. "I'm gonna take a safe guess and say you haven't been on an escalator before?"

I turned to her, utterly bemused, "Escalator?"
Nya nodded, her cheeks puffed out, trying not to laugh at my bewilderment, "Yes, an escalator. It's a moving staircase. You just step on one of the stairs and it carries you straight to the top."

I stared at the black contraption, feeling strangely intimidated by the 'escalator.' The way it moved-- it looked like if I stepped on it, it would fling me straight off and break my leg. It was going so fast, I wasn't sure I would be able to even put my foot on it.

"Is it safe?"

"Of course it's safe. Look!" Nya motioned to a small family-- a mother with three triplet sons. One of the boys stepped onto the escalator first, and it seemed to almost go faster now that there was someone on it. The other two boys followed, the mother hopping on after them with a tired expression. "See? If little kids can do it, you can!"

I bit my bottom lip, looking at the place where the steps surged out of the ground. It was... okay, not gonna lie, it was a little terrifying. Like... where did they come from???

Nya clamped her hand around mine and yanked me onto the escalator. I squealed, gripping onto her for dear life as my slippered feet planted themselves onto the same step her combat boots were relaxing on. Nya had the audacity to laugh. As the ride settled, my nerves relaxed. It really was safe, apparently. It didn't move so fast once you were on it, it seemed.

When we reached the top, my grip on Nya's arm tightened. The steps ahead of us were getting sucked back into the ground at the top of the escalator, and when the marble flooring and the metal guard met, it looked like teeth.

Nya simply pulled me right off the black step and tugged me onto the metal platform, saving me from the chewed up fate I was sure I was about to have. Nya snickered at my dazed state, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

I managed a small scowl, pouting my lip. "It's not funny."

Nya clearly sensed the playfulness in my tone, so she knew I wasn't really offended, but she didn't say anything more. She led me down to the left, past some sort of toy train big enough for little kids to ride in. The track extended in a large loop all around the level, and I smiled at the short line of toddlers who were bouncing on their feet to get a turn. Nya dragged me to a store called Forever 31.

Through the large arch which acted as a door, was a spacious area filled with racks of clothing and shelves with accessories and makeup. It was a marvelous sight. It was almost baffling how much clothing could be in one place.