See? Fashion can be fun!
— Leni Loud
Mall Rats
(also available here and here) is a fanfiction of The Loud House by the author of Peeking Through the Fourth Wall and Irrational Fear.
It is about Lincoln having to spend a few hours at the mall with Leni. At first he is reluctant because he finds the mall boring, but then he learns to enjoy the mall and actually learns a few things from Leni despite her low intelligence.
The fanfic also has a subplot of Lincoln trying to avoid his bullies and Leni eventually giving them their comeuppance.
Has no relation to Mall Rats.
Mall Rats provides examples of
- Accidental Pun: Ned observes that it's sweet of Leni to treat Lincoln to ice cream, but he didn't intend that as a pun.
- All Women Love Shoes: Discussed when Lincoln wonders why girls are "infatuated with shoes" because they seem insignificant compared to jeans and dresses.
- Batman Gambit: When Lincoln suggests that he and Leni leave because of the jocks, she thinks he's being rude, so he brings up the romper she wants to buy.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Leni is normally a ditzy, kindhearted fashionista. But bully anyone she cares about and she will kick your ass.
- Big Sister Instinct: When Lincoln's bullies harass him, Leni gives all of them a Curbstomp Battle.
- Blah, Blah, Blah: Lincoln tunes out during Leni and Erin's high school drama talk, resulting in him hearing mostly "blah blah blah blah blah like blah blah blah like blah blah blah blah blah blah blah like..."
- Chewing the Scenery: As a joke, Lincoln acts like a butler while helping her try on shoes.
- Continuity Nod:
- Leni remembers the time Lincoln made Ronnie Anne cry, which happened in the canon episode "Save the Date".
- Lincoln recalls the events of "The Loudest Yard", and the bullies from the Royal Woods Roosters appear as the story's antagonists.
- When meeting Jolene, Lincoln is reduced to stammering, "Ba... ba... ba...", like his sisters did to Hugh (and how he reacted to Ms. DiMartino) in "Study Muffin".
- Crappy Homemade Gift: Lincoln apparently has a history of making these sorts of gifts. In fact, the previous Christmas, he had made Leni a coupon book full of favors from him, following a last-minute shopping spree and a dress he was intending to buy for her getting sold out. Leni has since kept it, and cashes in two coupons—one for the main shopping spree, and a free hug—during the story.
- Cuddle Bug: Erin, Leni's best friend, hugs Lincoln and Leni and tousles Lincoln's hair.
- Cute Kitten: Discussed when the fictional detective Hermie Parker is said to have a cute kitten named Archie.
- The Ditz: Leni shows signs of her low intelligence when she thinks "rock, paper, scissors" has lots of strategy, takes Li Wei's comment about "dragging Lincoln along" and her teacher's words about "fight or flight" literally, reads the note "UR a QT" (you are a cutie) as "yurakt" (and when Lincoln translates it for her, thinks he's calling her a cutie) and describes someone's trousers as his "bottom".
- Double Standard: Lincoln ponders the double standards of men and boys not being "supposed to" like fashion.
- "Eureka!" Moment: When Lincoln is complaining mentally about Leni "turning [his suggestions] down flat", it reminds him that Leni has a pair of flats that she can wear with her teal dress instead of the heels, wearing the heels with the romper.
- Everyone Has Standards: Lincoln has apparently broken promises before, but never ones made on Christmas.
- Fainting: Discussed when Lincoln worries that he'll faint from his crush holding his hand.
- The Fashionista: Leni's love of fashion shows itself when she and Lincoln are shoe shopping and she wonders whether certain garments "go" with each other.
- Flipping the Bird: The tall bully flips off Leni.
- Genki Girl:
- Leni is described as "bubbly" and she frequently skips and talks in singsong.
- Jolene is described as "vibrant" and "energetic".
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: The fanfic ends with Lincoln taking a nap.
- Guilty Pleasure: Apparently, Lincoln doesn't want to admit that he finds escalators fun.
- The Klutz: Leni's clumsiness is referenced when Lincoln has to tug her to prevent her bumping into people and things.
- Limited Wardrobe: Referenced when Leni thinks Lincoln's outfit of an orange shirt and jeans is "getting old".
- Literal-Minded:
- When Li Wei, the owner of the restaurant "Wok This Way", asks Leni if she's dragging Lincoln along, she replies that he can walk on his own.
- The reason Leni can fight is because she took "fight or flight" literally and thought flying wasn't an option.
- Must Have Caffeine: According to Lincoln, Leni usually needs coffee to be energetic in the morning.
- Named by the Adaptation: Papa Wheelie's real name is established here as "Sheldon Parson".
- Not a Morning Person: Lincoln is surprised at Leni waking up on a Saturday morning perky because she's apparently not usually a morning person unless she's had coffee.
- Original Character: The fanfic introduces many original Royal Woods Mall employees, alongside other shoppers like Leni's friend Erin (although she may be one of Leni's friends from "Sound of Silence" and "Overnight Success", which would make her Named by the Adaptation).
- Perpetual Frowner: One girl who Lincoln and Leni meet at the shoe store has a "perma-sneer".
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Leni says, "Leave. Him. ALONE!" when she hits the bullies.
- Pungeon Master: Discussed when Leni describes Luan as "she makes a lot of puns" and the movie character Hermie Parker is said to make a lot of puns.
- Puppy Love: Lincoln and Ronnie Anne are said to be practically a couple at age eleven and Lincoln also gets a crush on the woman painting his nails.
- Shaped Like Itself:
- Lincoln doesn't break his promise to Leni because "a promise is a promise".
- After his manicure, Lincoln says to Leni, "When you're right, you're right."
- Shout-Out:
- Lincoln compares a pair of shoes to the Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
- When Lincoln wears a leather jacket, Jimmy tells him that he looks like the Fonz (from Happy Days). Later, Lincoln tells his bullies to "sit on it", which is the way the characters on Happy Days say, "Shut up".
- Apparently, Ronnie Anne once told Lincoln he threw like a hobbit, which are little humanoids from The Lord of the Rings.
- Movies in the movie store include "The Littlest Elf", "Middle School Musical", "Astronaut Accountants from Outer Space", "Mr. Poe & Yogul in Vegas", "Alan Smithee's Alice in Wonderland" and "Santa's Super Sleigh: The Movie".
- The opening credits theme to the "Hermie Parker" movie was performed by Glocks n' Tulips, and Adam North voices the owner of the mansion.
- The ice cream parlor at the end is Marcus Kane's, with the signature flavor "Sweet Tooth".
- Smug Snake: Frank, the owner of the movie store, is pretty arrogant and goes on about how he's the best at picking out movies.
- Toilet Humour:
- When Leni tries on the romper, Lincoln wonders how she's meant to pee while wearing it.
- Leni remembers a time when a boy said that he really liked her top and she replied that she really liked his bottom (referring to his pants), but the boy ran away.
- Discussed when Lincoln and Leni want to rent a movie with gross-out humour so Lana can enjoy it.
- The Triple: The second chapter is titled "Kindness, Friendship, and Shoes".
- Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Discussed when the movie that Lincoln and Leni rent features a cat graphically throwing up onscreen.
- You Are Grounded!: Discussed when Lincoln thinks his parents would ground him for a week if he quoted the slogans on the punk hoodies.
