Why Can't I Live In a Quiet Peaceful Life?!

Episode 15: Part-Time

Val placed the candy bars in the shelves, holding an empty cardboard box. She was resupplying products for a general store.

"You work fast," said Adrian, "What motivates you?"

"I just want money for this winter I guess," replied Val.

The door to the general store opened, with Styx and Jak looking for stuff to buy.

"Woah!" gasped Styx, "There's these cool mango gummies that I've seen from tv. I've heard that they help digest your stomach easier so that you don't get constipated."

"Are you sure that it isn't just some sort of vitamins?" asked Jak.

"I think it works just like prune juice. I don't like the flavor of prune juice though. It's way too much prune for me."

"I think the point of prune juice is to have prunes in it.."

"Styx, Jak, hi!" said Val as she noticed them.

"Hey Val," said Jak, "What do you think is better, diarrhea or constipation?"

"Uh.. what a weird question. I'd feel like diarrhea would feel much more better than constipation from the relief of releasing all the.. unnecessaries."

"Wasn't there this one Roman or Greek emperor that died from diarrhea?" asked Styx.

"Imagine having 'died of diarrhea' on your gravestone," replied Jak, "And being an emperor too? That's just embarrassing."

After a few minutes, Styx asked for Val's opinion on which candy to get. Then, they left after paying for their snacks.

The door to the general store opened. This time, Brian and Jazz entered the place, looking for anything fun.

For a long time, they wandered around the place, looking at snacks, candy, and soda. However, they stopped near the appliances section, staring at something.

"Hi Brian. Hi Jazz," said Val, peeking out of an aisle, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're just staring at this cool lamp," replied Brian.

The lamp was an LED flamingo. When Jazz pressed a button, the flamingo would light up, glowing pink. Somewhere, someone thought that making a flamingo lamp would be a good idea.

"I could find a use for this in my bathroom," said Jazz.

"They also come in blue," announced Val.

"They what?" asked Brian, "Why would they come in blue?"

"I don't know. They gave us pink and blue flamingoes when they gave us the packages."

"Why would a flamingo be blue?" asked Jazz.

"I just work here.." replied Val, "Anyways, I think that the blue flamingoes are kinda like those gleaming Bitmon from the Bitmon games."

"So.. blue flamingoes are a 1/500 chance of finding in the wild, huh?" said Brian, "I'll take two blue flamingoes from your stock."

"I'll just have a pink flamingo for myself," said Jazz.

Right after Brian and Jazz left, Neos and Kaleb entered the general store, looking for video games to play.

"I don't know about you Neos," explained Kaleb, "But video games in general stores are a whole lot cheaper than the ones you'll find in actual retail malls."

"That's because the video games in general stores are old, has bad reviews, unpopular, or in the bargain bins," Neos replied.

"You're dead wrong about that, Neos."

Kaleb and Neos both stopped at the bargain bin, looking for video games that they could play at home for the winter break.

"What about this game?" said Neos as he showed Born to Battle, "It looks kinda cool."

"Born to Battle?" asked Kaleb, "That didn't gain as much popularity as Watchover, and because of that, it flopped. You need better taste in video games."

"You know that we're still in the bargain bin, right?"

"Ooooh! Let's get this one! It's a classic!"

Kaleb showed Neos a cartridge of Boom!: The Speedy Blue Echidna!

"I didn't know you were a Boom fan, Kaleb," said Neos.

"I played it back on the GESA Genesis," Kaleb replied, "I loved how fast he went."

"This cartridge looks like it's only compatible on the GESA Genesis though."

"It's alright. I think I have my old GESA Genesis in my attic."

"If we buy this and it turns out you don't have one, it'll be on you."

"Fine fine.."

When Kaleb and Neos walked up to the cash register, they noticed Val.

"Oh, hi Val," said Kaleb, "We're gonna buy this Boom game."

"Oh sure," she replied.

"Have you ever played a Boom game?" asked Neos.

"I was more of a Marzio gamer," replied Val, "I've also seen a lot of Boom fan fiction that kinda made me stray away from it.."

"Yeah.. there's a lot of weird fan fiction."

Neos and Kaleb then left to go play their game and the general store remained quiet once again. After a few minutes working, Adrian tapped Val on the shoulder.

"Hey Val," he said, "Do you want to go on a trip that my family is going on during the winter break? They said I could bring my friends."

"Oh, what trip is it?" asked Val.

"We're going to an island," he said, "Gonna enjoy that tropical life."

"Sure, I'd love to go!"

"Alright! After you're done, I'll text you the details!"

Somewhere deep down, Val knew she was gonna get a quiet and peaceful vacation. However, it didn't seem like it was going to be so quiet and peaceful.