[NEW] Eeveelution Café

[B2] Chapter 9: Slice Of Success (2)

"You're seriously okay with coming with me again after what happened last time?"
Snowbelle was concerned for Lavender's wellbeing, remembering what happened the last time they ran an errand at Town Square.
"Hm, yeah. Last time was an accident." Lavender shrugged. "Won't happen again as long as we both pay attention."
"Your eyesight..." The Espeon's eyes' transparency weren't that noticeable until you looked right into them for a few seconds straight.
"Well, I feel like since I have this weird trigger, I don't think my eyesight gets affected as much as others under normal "eye-damaging" situations, y'know? I've read a lot of novels under a flashlight just to test it out and nothing's changed." Lavender admitted, bowing her head a little.
"Wasn't a good risk to take, but okay." Snowbelle sighed. "Well, I can't believe we're going there to transfer out all of our money to pay off everything."
Lavender's eyes brightened a little, almost like it was being lit up by a torch of excitement. "Yeah, might even seem a little surreal, no?"
"Mhm."
Snowbelle smiled along with the Espeon, although her stomach felt uneasy. What would happen if she went completely blind? What would happen next, the curse that she had? Take away other existing senses? Take away everything that she has to rely on basic things?
"Hey, heyy!" Lavender waved her paw in front of Snowbelle's face. "You good?"
The Glaceon blinked, exiting her realm of delusions and thoughts in an instant. "Yeah, I'm fine! You?"
"Uh...I'm also fine?..." Lavender looked away. "Well...I was wondering if you wanted to grab something by the stores in town?"
"Sure, if you want. I'll take out some money from my account then." the Glaceon nodded, missing the very occasional times where she would occupy a certain table at a certain coffee shop that has long closed to read and enjoy the peace. 
Lavender's eyes widened. "Uh...nono! That's not what I meant. I wanted to pay. Y'know, to thank you and Willow for everything that you've done for me..."
Snowbelle looked at the embarrassed Espeon, the corners of her mouth lifting a little. "You're overexaggerating, Lav. It's really fine."
"If it wasn't for you two, I'd still be single...and delusional..." 
"Mm, I think that you would've moved on already."
The Espeon shook her head with some confidence. "No, it feels like I've always liked Volt."
Snowbelle, on the other hand, bowed her head while keeping her small smile. "Well, you wouldn't know, would you? You can't see every possibility but the one you're in right now."
"Yeah...you're right. I would love to see every possibility and outcome that can physically play out, though! It'd be soo cool!" Lavender's mood brightened along with Snowbelle's, and the rest of the walk into the bustling area seemed like it went past way too quickly.

"Are you willing to gamble away everything that you currently have?"
"Yes."
"Are you aware of the choices that you have to make?"
"Yes."
"Are you aware that you have regrets that even fires cannot uproot or melt away?"
"...Yes."
"Do you know what the time is?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to understand each and every ████'s true purpose?"
"Yes."
"Do you consent to the next progression of this experiment, meaning that you will gain all knowledge, wanted or not wanted?"
"..."
"Do you consent to all knowledge, whether wanted or not?"
"..."
"Do you consent to all of this universe's knowledge?"
"..."
"Let's come back later, shall we? Do you realize that your sense of self will be stripped away upon meeting direct gaze?"
"Yes."
"Do you consent to the next progression?"
"..."
"Let's come back later, shall we? Are you willing to sacrifice ████ ████ if you are proven to be an █████?"
"Yes."
"Do you consent to all of this universe's information, known or unknown?"
"..."
"Let's come back later, shall we? Do you consent to all of this universe's knowledge?"
"..."
"Let's come back later, shall we? Do you consent to all of this universe's knowledge?"
"...What, so you're just going to repetitively spew all of this trash?"
"Answer not registered. Let's come back later, shall we?"
"Shut up. I'm not here to waste time with you."
"Answer not registered. Let's come back later, shall we?"
"Shut up and let me see ███."
"Answer not registered. Let's come back late-%!^*(&^*%$"
"I didn't even have to consent to all of that idiocy. What a waste of time. The files are gonna know now. How great."

"Seriously, this bubble tea shop is AMAZING!" Lavender took a sip and sighed in relief. "Wills and Bonfire were right when they went for the first time!"
"Mhm," Snowbelle examined the logo on her cup. "Well, this was fun. Even our bank accounts are still as happy as us despite paying out so much."
"Yeah..." Lavender sat down on a bench by the statue in the middle. "Y'know, I've been thinking of a LOT of different stuff. How ironic everything turned out to be. Everything's just miraculously in our favor."
The Glaceon sat down next to her. "Uh-huh, what are you suggesting? We're being set up?" 
"I'm just not completely sure about any of this. Most beginner businesses don't have such smooth experiences."
"Well, most beginner businesses didn't get endorsed by the Mayor himself, right?" Snowbelle sipped from her bubble tea. "I think that we should just enjoy this while it lasts, because nothing lasts forever after all. And I won't say anything because I don't want to jinx anything."
"How do you jinx the inevitable anyways?" the Espeon gazed to the side, watching some Mons crossing the road. "If the jinx is meant to happen."
Snowbelle smiled a little. "I just think of it as...paying 10 gems to speed-up manufacturing."
Lavender thought about what she had just heard for a moment, before she also smiled along with the Glaceon. "Yeah, makes sense. Just makes it faster."
"Mhm." The world went quiet, the other conversations of strangers becoming simple background noise of a bustling town, and the two friends just drank from their bubble teas.
After a short while of just silence between them, Lavender finished her bubble tea and turned to Snowbelle. "Should we go back?" 
The Glaceon took the last few sips from her own before nodding, and the two tossed their cups into the garbage can before going to leave the town. 
Suddenly, all of the building alarms began to blare deafeningly. Lavender and Snowbelle froze where they stood, not knowing whether to exit or stay. Before either of them could react, the alarm was suddenly cut off and the announcement speakers fixed on the top of most buildings started speaking.
"WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE SYSTEM ERROR, THERE IS NO CRISIS. THE ALARM IS MALFUNCTIONING. I REPEAT, THE ALARM IS MALFUNCTIONING!" The instantly-recognizable voice of the Mayor himself rang out, and commotion of confusion began breaking out among the crowds.
"We should probably get out, I don't like this chaos." Snowbelle grabbed Lavender and the two left Town Square, the yells and voices of Mons still hearable until they were a fourth down the path. 
"What do you think that was?" Lavender stopped to look back. 
"A malfunction, like what the Mayor said." Snowbelle also stopped, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her voice.
The Espeon squinted her eyes like she could see what was going on if she did that. "Isn't that the alarm for like, lockdowns or dangers?" 
"So you think that something happened and the government's hiding it like those specific mystery novels?" Snowbelle narrowed her eyes. 
Lavender turned around and shook her head. "Not exactly, but this should be on the news. We should go back and see what's going on from the interviews."
"Just chaos, probably." the Glaceon predicted with a small huff. "But sure, it'd be informative enough. Those would probably be less chaotic than literally being in the mess."
"What I was thinking."

"Is it happening?"
"No, Aunt." 
Guinevere bowed her head while Tyche's eyes were still locked on the ceiling TV screen. 
"This is telling me that it really is happening. Can your dad figure everything out on his own, or does he need his sister?"
"Aunt-"
"Take care of this place until I'm back. Your dad's not that capable of handling that by himself."
Guinevere rushed forward to stop Tyche. "What about all of his workers? They can help him, Aunt, just please-" 
"Gui, listen to me, you don't want your dad to die, right?" 
Guinevere froze. 
"I've seen a future where you would make things way harder than it has to be. You know that you'll always be my sweet niece, and I don't want to hurt you in any way. So let me go, I'll be back as quickly as I can."
"Then I'm coming with you." Guinevere stepped to her side instead, her eyes glowing with determination. "Let, I dunno, Nocturne take over."
"Guine-"
"Aunt, please. He's my family too."
Tyche sighed, but her final decision wasn't visible. Guinevere scrunched her face a little, praying that she would agree for her to tag along and help. 
"Sure, but when the time comes, you will have to stay behind. If anything happens to me or your dad, you'll be the one to carry on with what we left for you."
Guinevere shook her head with confidence. "No, you two will come back safely. I'm sure of it."
Tyche sighed and nodded. "Well, alright then. Let Nocturne know first, I need to go."
"Okay." the younger Gardevoir turned to go back in the staff room. 
I'm sorry for what you'll have to deal with next, Gui.