EVERY MALL HAS ITS OWN POWERS.  EVEN A NORMAL MALL LIKE THIS ONE HAS SOME MAGIC TO IT.

“So a mall could give someone the power to mind-control someone else?”

IF SOMEONE IMAGINED IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR A MALL, THEN YES. ANY MALL SOMEONE IMAGINED CAN EXIST.

Abby swallowed. “I really, really want to say nobody would say that was a good idea for a mall to be able to control your mind, but shit, Shit, I can think of so many ways that might happen.  People wanting to stop violence, so they start with ‘the mall doesn’t allow violent thoughts.'”

“People want profits, so the mall strongly suggests you spend a minimum when you go there.”  ‘Via made a face. “Or a percentage of your income.”

“Stores want to push certain products so the mall makes you think those are The Best Thing,” Olly added. 

“People… want a fantastic environment, so the mall makes you see yourself in a forest with elves instead of in a hall with a whole bunch of boring suburbanites?” Liv offered.  “I… I was watching a youtube show and I thought that would be awesome. No costumes, just all in everyone’s mind’s eye.”

“That’s… well, that’s no so bad,” Abby admitted.  “And I can see how that could get really abused.”

ANYTHING CAN BE ABUSED.  EVEN FOOD. BUT THE MALL-COMPLEX THAT THIS MALL IS PART OF HAS BEEN ABUSED, TOO.  AND THUS IT IS DARKER AND MORE LIKELY TO LASH OUT THAN IF IT HAD BEEN LEFT TO ITS MAGIC.

“Please don’t lash out at us,” Olly muttered. 

THIS MALL WILL NOT.  THIS MALL WILL BE KIND TO THE FOUR WHO HAVE BEEN MAKING IT A HOM- DANGER

DANGER

DANGER

THIS MALL HAS COMPANY THAT WAS NOT INVITED.  BE WARE. BE AWARE. BE CAREFUL. THIS MALL HAS NOT MANY DEFENSES.  BE CAREFUL.

The mall fell quiet.  

“Where?” Abby murmured. 

The mall did not answer.  Abby stood up, casting around.  There wasn’t anything in the food court that she could use as a weapon. 

Then again, she wasn’t sure that a weapon was the best idea. 

“Come on,” she murmured.  “Are you ready for this?”

“No.”  Olly shook her head. “Not at all.  But it’s what we have to do, isn’t it?  We have to solve this. If we ever want to go home.  If we-“

“-this place is magic,” Liv put in quietly. 

‘Via nodded slowly. “We should fix the magic.”

“It’s what we have to do,” Olly agreed quietly.  “It’s the responsible thing to do, but… it’s…”  She bit her lip.  

“Yeah.”  Abby looked between her three friends and smiled.  “I suppose we could say ‘what would Aslan do,'” she teased. 

“Aslan would roar.”  Liv found himself grinning. 

“Then let’s roar.”  She reached out to her friends and, just like they were going to go through another doorway, they held hands and walked towards the middle of the mall.