The Exchange Job

4. My nerves

**Buster POV**

Okay today that jester is really getting on my nerves. First of all he offered me some gum from a package and it shocked me! Then he exploded some of his smoke bombs in the candy tubes! How is that even possible. That smoke smelled awful. Must have been a stick bomb. Then a package arrived addressed to me. Of course I was suspicious of the package and opened it away from my face. Nothing happened, so I peeked inside. And the next thing felt, is a boxing glove hitting me. That guy is extremely annoying today. I swear to whatever higher being there is, if he does one more thing today, I will do something about him. Dammit I sound like Maisie!
Well maybe the jester came to reason. He has been quiet for half an hours. I relaxed a little in my seat. Until a telephone rang? I looked to my left and there was a telephone? Since when was that here. Maybe for orders? I doubt that it was here from the start but picked it up anyway. I asked: "Hello?" The voice said in worry: "Hello is Dy here, first name Can?" I answered: "Don't worry I'll check. I? There a Can here? Is Can Dy somewhere?" Laughter erupted everywhere and a custom said: "Yeah, everywhere! We're in a candy store!" I felt embarrassed, until I heard an all too familiar laugh from the phone. And I know exactly who it is. I hung up. This was the last straw! I stood up and tried to find the Jester. I just needed to walk around a little until I heard his laugh. He was hiding in the bathroom. I entered the bathroom and he suddenly went quiet. I stood there with my arms crossed. And he started laughing again!

**Chester's POV**

Oh my God he was pissed. This is too precious. I couldn't stop laughing. After my laughter died down he asked: "Enjoying yourself?" I caught my breath and said: "Yeah!" But then he came closer to me and said: "Well I ain't! And now there will be consequences!" Wow I was taken back. Never thought that guy could get scary. I expect him to shoot me, so I used my hands to protect my face. I waited for an impact, but it never came. Instead I could feel myself being picked up. I looked up and saw that Buster picked me up and carried me under his arm like a bag. I asked: "Ehm what are you doing?" He answered: "Taking matters into my own hands." He sounds like a superhero in a movie. We arrived in the main room where he plopped me down in front of his throne. I was genuinely confused. What was he planning? He sat down on his throne and everything went silent. I asked: "So what is this now?" He answered: "Time out. You will be staying here until my next routine starts. Which will be in 1 and a half hours." I was shocked. Time out?! What am I? A toddler?!? So I tried to stand up and walk away, but then he yanked me back on the belt of my box! I fell on the ground again. That man got some nerve. I tried a few times more and he just yanked me back every single time. Urgh! I gave an annoyed glance to the guy. He just looked back at me with that unclear expression. Was ist Anger? Annoyed? Disgust? I don't know!! Damn these glasses! Since I couldn't do anything against this, I decided to just roll with it. You know like a break. And it went well. I asked: "Soooooo Buster, what do you do when you're not a king that struggles to keep a jester from causing trouble?" He answered with a proud tone: "Well, I am a writer of movies. I bring joy to the people small and tall. To woman, men, basically everyone and everything. My movies are the gate to a better world. Full of imagination. Also, not to brag, I am a great actor! Along with my bro Fang, we are the best!" Then curiosity got the better of me and I asked: "If you love your job so much, then why are you here?" He looked a little annoyed? I'm getting better at reading that guy. Because he said with a hint of annoyance: "Well my co-worker signed everyone up. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have to be here! For three months! That's a quarter year!" He seemed very upset, I mean relatable. I would also be unhappy with me forced to do a job that I don't like. I looked at Buster and asked a bit saddened: "Soooooo, you hate it here?" Buster looked me straight in the eyes and answered with a nice tone: "Well not hate. I would say, it's more of a rollercoaster. Has its ups and downs. You sounded a bit upset. *Gasp* Do you worry about my stay here? Do you care about me?" He sounded very sarcastic.

Before I could reply with an argument, the door burst open. Three people stood in the doorframe, currently unrecognizable by the light. I leaned forward and squeezed my eyes only to seeeeeee. Oh no. So I rightfully whispered: "Oh nooooo!" Buster heard me and asked: "What? Who is it?" I answered with a hint of nervousness in my voice: "That, in the middle, is a trouble maker. The one that did more damage in one rampage than me in an entire work month. The one that Mandy banned from ever entering the store again. The other two are either their friends or their gang." He asked, now nervous as well: "Why would they do that?" I gulped and answered: "Because we once ran out of her favorite bubble gum."

A girl with a big bat, a crow with a hoodie and a big man with a shotgun entered the candy shop.

This situation is way to dangerous so I decided on a plan. I turned to Buster and said: "Buster, let me handle this one. Please? Am I ungrounded?" Buster hesitated, but nodded. I stood up and approached the candy table to greet the 1,5m away approaching Retropolis gang trio. I gave a smile and said: "Bibi! Nice to see you again! It has been a while, hasn't it. What brings you and your friends to Candy Kingdom?" I was sweating bullets. This trio could destroy an entire apartment building in one day! Before my train of thoughts could go further she answered: "I am here for my bubble gum. Sweet Strawberry Tilt." I asked: "H-how much do you want?" And she answered with a cold stare: "Your entire stock." The entire! I'm the past she only took 100 per visit. I answered: "Okay let me get them real quick." I walked off to the storage, buzz was also there. She asked: "Hi Chester what are you doing in storage?" I exhaled a huff of comfort, since I'm not there anymore and answered: "I need the entire stock of Sweet Strawberry Tilt bubble gum." Buzz looked shocked, she probably knew who wanted them. She nodded and walked off. It took ten minutes for her to return with a big cart. She said: "In there are 650 bubble gum packages. Here." She pushed the cart to me. I asked: "You're not helping me delivering it?" She answered with a laugh: "Oh no but I'll watch from the side lines. You know, if something goes wrong." I looked at her with a disappointed look and said sarcasticly: "Thank you for that." I pushed the cart into the main room, Buzz followed me but stayed to the side. I pushed it to Bibi and said: "Those are 650 bubble gum packages of Sweet Strawberry Tilt. We take coins, gems, credit cards, bi-" I got cut off by Bibi laughing. She said: "hahaha. Mr. Bat can you believe him? Chester you don't except me to pay for it. I would offer you a fair trade. We take the gum and this place won't get trashed." I looked behind Bibi and saw Crow taking out his knifes and Bull getting ready to shoot. I gulped, Oh boy this is serious. I gulped again and said: "Let me talk to management for a sec." I walked over to Buster with a worried expression. No, more like a 'We're fucked' expression.

**Buster's POV**

Can't believe it. That girl wants 650 gum of whatever for free. Surely Chester is not going to let that happen so I asked in a whisper tone: "What's the plan?" He looked nervous and whispered: "Surrendering and giving her the gum." I looked shocked and almost yelled: "What?! Why!? You never give up!" Chester scratched his neck and said: "If they thrash this place, it's on your cap, but if we give them the gum you won't get blamed. Listen, I may not be the nicest, but I don't want anyone to solely pay for the amount of damage they'll cause. You would be broke x12! Some strange winter people once showed up here and tried to fight us. They also trashed this place, Mandy had to work double and triple shifts to scrap the money for the restoration together. Out of pity, I also helped her. I helped Mandy! That is rarer than Sandy being awake for 6 minutes!" He actually seemed to care rn. I smiled at him, stood up and put my hand on his shoulder. That guy was at the edge of a nerve collapse. I said with confidence: "Dw I will take over from here." I started walking towards that Bibi girl with my projector. Chester was following behind me. Bibi looked at me and asked: "And who are you?" I answered, now 1,5m away from her: "I'm Buster, the King of this store. And for your request I'm happy to say: No. Shove your deal somewhere else and leave this store!" Chester gasped and Bibi looked at me with a cold stare. She asked: "And what do you do if I don't?" I smirked and said: "This!" I shot her with my projector.