The utility closet was rather large, but it held no blind spots that could hide the large slime pods that were held inside the room.
Although Nate couldn't prove it, he could tell that someone else, someone like a Faden, tampered with the things inside the room.
Although he could swiftly say that the pods were just a part of the Slimestuck Faden's body, it seemed a bit different than the blue slime that he felt, but more akin to something different, like a Faden's energy and the energy related to his own power.
It could be that the Slimestuck Faden was somehow helped by a third party. Or maybe it was probably something weirder than the things before.
Regardless of what he thought, it appeared to Nate that he was a bit unknowledgeable of the topic of Fadens and the Theomin.
If only Colten Marnsip, the bounty hunter that he met at the cliffs overlooking Vivid Forest, would explain to him more deeply about the topic. But chances are, it would be likely that the two wouldn't cross paths again in their short lives.
It would be helpful for someone to teach him the basics of using the Theomin, if he were to find another green crystal and the abilities he would gain.
Nate could only grimace as he looked down dejectedly.
There was nothing here that he would find, hoping that the law enforcement who would encounter this hidden room could find something noteworthy here.
Finding himself in an empty room with nobody around made Nate realize that he should leave before anyone else found him in his current state, as that would immediately shatter his veil of being ordinary in the city of Standart.
Instead of going through the ruined bathroom exit, where he would potentially run into people who might discover him, he would escape at the utility closet exit, where chances were that there would be fewer people there.
Back then, when he first woke up from his unconsciousness on the floor, he could hear the screams of so many people, including the rage of Jed, which was followed by a continuous buzz that was sent out.
It must have been shocking for Jed, as Nate thought it was some kind of weapon that could stun people, even though the way he held his pocket knife seemed odd and kind of glowed weirdly. However, he left the area and went inside the men's restroom before he could learn any more details of the situation.
Besides, his mind was really focused on whether or not the Slimestuck Faden was vanquished, or if there were more of the monsters lurking by.
But based on his feelings as he enveloped from the utility closet's area feelings into him, he could say for certain that the place was cleared of Fadens for now... or at the ground floor of Honowal Mall.
Getting out of the utility closet, he could see that it was in a hidden corner away from the stream of passersby; it was highly unlikely that someone would notice him if he cleaned himself up.
Noticing his clothes appeared a little shabby, like he had been run over by a truck, he had to purchase them at one of the clothing stores. Small holes were scattered around his shirt and pants, to the point of almost getting loose, and some mysterious grime he must have gotten when he was dragged out of the bathroom and into the outside.
"Drat, now I am definitely broke when I get some of these moderately cheap clothes, but... I should be thankful that my wallet was at least in an okay condition..."
***
Tasty Pasty Pizza looked colorful as ever, exhibiting the aura of a nostalgic era of stickers and snazzy appliances. A large pizza symbol was placed in the middle of the sign at the front.
Nate went in with his new pair of clothes. The trousers and t-shirts he brought were not that much of a difference from his previous clothes, but he wouldn't accept walking around in public in an outfit that would practically fall out at any second.
Inside the restaurant, he noticed that it was quieter. A room of silence meant that, obviously, there must be fewer people here.
The chairs that were scattered away from the table were unaligned, as if most did not have time to put them in properly. The tableware was all over the place, even on the ground. Plates of food were left uneaten, and the meals looked desolate as no one would consume them all.
The only tables that were still occupied were a group that he knew. And that group was the Quad Four, looking confused as to what the commotion was about before they all went away.
Even Sheila was there at the table, who went back here without Nate. Her head was still buried in her thick slab of a book.
Nate went up to them, wondering if they would notice his newly purchased set of clothes.
"Hey, guys, why's it all so empty here?"
Cloey got up from his seat and shook him vigorously despite her petite size.
"Oh, it's you, Nate. You must have seen what was going on, have you? Because Sheila arrived here without you and we were all so worried..."
"Not me, though. I thought Nate was strong enough to handle getting back on his own!" Sam reassured her.
"I-I just saw that... things are so chaotic outside; it was like someone was killed, and lots of people are getting out of the mall," Nate stated.
"You're maybe not wrong about that," Manson said. "When I checked outside of the restaurant, I heard from someone that, apparently, a loud commotion was in one of the bathrooms, and that cops were involved. Hope it wasn't some kind of knife-wielding assailant nearby."
"Knife?! Did I hear that right?!"
Sam gripped his own fists, with noticeable shaking from within.
"Cloey! You should stay right beside me. If these people are trying to hurt others, then I won't let them touch even a single part of you!"
Hearing his words, Cloey huddled in her own hands, desperate for the protection she could cling to. "Sam... You're always rushing in to help me up. Shouldn't you care more about the others...?"
"Guys," Manson said to the group. "Don't get too worked up on this. It's probably some false alarm that people escalated the issue too far. And even if there was someone with a knife, I'm sure that the cops stationed in Honoway wouldn't have dealt with this matter in an instant; then we are right back in our normal routine."
Nate looked at him, trying to hide his uncertainty spreading on his face.
"Do you really believe that, Manson?"
"Of course! That's how people here usually handle things that are normal and easy."
"Right... ordinary enough to handle easily..."
The group didn't utter a single word for a moment. Their nerves must have been frozen, but Cloey broke through with her shining optimism without wasting a second.
"Hey... don't get too depressed. If Aliana were here, she would tell us to think about the positives and how we can even be safer... I think that's what she said. Also, we have Sheila safely back from her bathroom break. With Nate now back together, all five of us are now together, as the Quad Four, a group of friendly friends."
Manson was irked at the label he was placed under. Nate could feel that he was a bit disturbed by the fact that he was under a group called the "Quad Four", which he tried to convince Cloey and Sam to rename the group after a long time.
"That last part seems redundant if you ask me, also with our name being kind of weird-"
"You're right, Cloey! We can't let fear get inside us. We have to be strong for the sake of everyone in this city! I, Sam Davis, won't let anyone try to hurt my friends and family!"
He grabbed a chair and placed it in front of him. Now standing on the seat itself and towering over his friends, not that he wasn't already taller, he cupped his hands and yelled out in the restaurant.
"IF YOU WANT TO HURT ANYONE HERE, THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO GET PAST ME, WHICH I WON'T LET YOU. I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU, SO I WON'T HOLD BACK!"
Sam's booming voice echoed throughout the enclosed mall, and voices could be heard from a distance as though other people who sounded like Sam repeated his same words. It repeated until it was silent, Manson with his hands over his ears, sensitive to the loud noise from the sportsman's throat.
"Be quiet... everyone can hear you!" Manson hissed, but Sam did not seem to hear him, maybe from his own voice that disrupted his hearing?
Sam continued. "Now that our food is eaten, we should get out of this mall just for safe measure."
"Like. Right now?" Sheila quietly asked.
"Yeah, before something else might happen, who knows what?"
He hurried the rest of his friends out of Tasty Pasty Pizza and went to the other side of Honoway to descend downwards to the exit.
As his friends crept close to the exit, made easier to traverse with the majority of the Honoway Mall's visitors exiting out of the building, and potentially going into the vast parking lot.
As they were practically herded like cattle, Manson tried his best to make his voice reach Sam's focused ears.
"Sam, don't you think you're a bit too paranoid for this?!"
"It's no use!" Nate loudly said to Manson. "Whenever he is like this, it's hard to stop his tracks at all; it's like he is focused on us getting out of here at all costs!"
Nate believed that Sam's heroic tendencies were just as large as his sporty build and messy red hair. It was sometimes hard to leave early if he felt that something was wrong.
As they finally raced to the outside, the breeze whipping their clothes repeatedly, they panted for breath from the insistence of Sam making them run.
"Nate... I know... this is a bad time... to say this..." Cloey tried to say as she tried to breathe between words,"... but I wanna say you look good in those clothes. Had a shopping idea in one of the stores? I sometimes get those too..."
"I guess you could say that..."
Sam finally stopped, his hands around his waist, with little bother from the hot summer sun.
"Alright, Team Quad Four, now that we're out of the danger zone, I guess we should split up and go to our houses then-er-for you, Manson, it should be a trailer, cuz you... live in one...?"
"There's nothing wrong with that!" Manson pointed out," And we're just supposed to go home, away to find out what was so exciting that made these people run away in fear?"
Before he could argue further, Cloey placed her hand on his shoulder, intending to calm him and stand down.
"I know it seems unfair, but Sam is just trying to protect us-give him a break, will you? Let's just do what he says, for the good of the group."
"I agree, it may be best to return home. I feel a bit lightheaded from being in a stuffy mall for a long time," Sheila added.
"See? Even Sheila says that this place is bothering her."
Even when feeling bad for Manson as he seemed to enjoy going to Honoway Mall for once, though his feelings looked like they were heightened at a possible threat, introducing themselves to the mall's visitors, Nate had to agree to go home a bit early.
Facing the Slimestuck Faden in a cramped bathroom took a toll on his body, especially when he used his stage to improve his physical abilities. He should rest for a while in his comforting room and lessen the chance he would pass out again, but this time it would be in the middle of the streets where people would be watching.
Manson sighed in defeat. "Fine, when everyone says so, I guess I'll have to get along with this plan..."
"So..." Nate began. "Is this the part where we split up and go our separate ways?"
"Unfortunately so, though it would have been nice if we all had more time to enjoy the entertainment at Honoway Mall. If it wasn't for an incident involving those on the first floor, the police should be able to handle it when they're there," Sheila stated to him.
Cloey then wrapped her arms around Sam, not bothering him one bit. Both of them were walking in the opposite direction into the bustling streets up ahead.
"Okay then, guys! We'll see you tomorrow at school, and hopefully we will all put this stress behind our backs!"
"Later!" Sam shouted before he disappeared around the corner.
Manson left in turn afterwards.
"I'm going home to take a true break, with no one bothering me at all, especially if it's Sam and Cloey."
Sheila then shuffled out of the area towards Aliana's home.
"It's been nice hanging out. Glad to see you safe again, Nate."
As such, Nate was the only one left alone after his friends parted ways. Perhaps this was tradition, and that all of them knew it, or maybe it was pure luck that he was dead last to return home.
With nothing much to do outside, he resumed his stride to the path towards the Elfirm residence, his ordinary home.
***
Nate opened the door and peered through the cracks, seeing if anything had changed in the foyer and part of the living room, except that the television screen was racing through the variety of channels available.
The screen changed colors until it finally settled on a single channel, called the Ultisa's Beauty Product Galore Showcase, one of Nallie's favorite shows to watch, with a dedication to watching new episodes whenever she had time.
He went inside, put his shoes next to the cupboard, and went in to get a glass of water. He could finally see who was watching, and it was none other than Nallie, lazily sitting on their green couch.
"Hey, you're finally back? Did you bring anything to eat?"
The television screen showed a variety of beauty products with details etched around the corners. With no interest in mind, Nate continued to think about the sleepiness clawing in his mind.
"Not really, just brought the need for something to quench my dying thirst from walking so long..."
"Sounded like a fun time, I had to get a half-dead guy, who was getting his butt beat by this bigger guy, into a medical station... bleeding all over the floor and all that..."
"Oh? Not just studying up for the test while holed up in your room like you usually do?"
"Nate, you're the one who spends your time doing who knows what in your room far longer than I, which points to you being more suspicious..."
"Whatever, just let me have a drink..."
Nate went to the water dispenser by the window, and then, with a plastic cup in hand and poured water in by pushing the lever in. The cold refreshment that he drank felt good, but a proper rest on his bed would be even more invigorating.
So he placed his cup onto the sink and went upstairs. Hopefully, Nate would have his energy replenished after a well-deserved rest in the comfort of a familiar environment.