HAT: Now let's put Wendy in the mix! Also, for the question asked on if I believe the Stan Swap Theory here's my answer: Maybe. It's possible, but I also like to think that they are in their regular bodies. I don't settle on either yes or no because I- quite frankly- don't care all that much. Sure, I get into things and fangirl over them, but over all I don't care, I just wanna know how it resolves.

Disclaimer: So... characters aren't mine... but the plot is! Onward Aoshima (such a cool name)!


Stanford leans against the counter with his finger tapping against the wood. There are no tours today so he has the day free for only those in town. Soos- now fourteen and in his first year of high school- is now replacing the snacks in the vending machine with a happy tune being hummed. Stanford glances over at his employee and thinks about how the past two years have been. He's stopped going to Dolores' house other than dropping him off occasionally when his grandmother isn't able to, but- despite the protests- Soos is determined to get adopted by Stanford. What he doesn't know is that he- in a way- has taken in the young man as a son.

The door opens and Stanford turns to see Manly Dan waking in with his daughter and son with him.

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack! How can I help you?" Stanford asks, straightening up and plastering a fake grin on his face that came with such ease that it was almost natural after all of these years.

"Do you have any new axes?"

Why come here for them? Isn't there a special store for that? Stanford can't help, but think, but instead he glances at the inventory and nods. "I think I've got a few axes."

"Are they right-handed?"

"I'm not sure, I'm not an expert," he admits, leading the family of redheads to where he has the axes and points up to the top shelf. "They're up there."

So that certain children don't mess with them, he thinks remembering the first time Soos had gone near the axes. Needless to say Stan nearly had a heart attack and ended up paying a little extra for the kid to keep quiet about it so that Dolores wouldn't kill him for being so irresponsible with her grandchild.

Stan would have walked away, but he knows how Manly Dan can be so he stands there with his arms crossed over his chest as he watches the lumberjack as he goes through the axes. He feels his joints aching a little by the time the large man seems to be remotely interested in one.

"I'm gonna test this and show my son how a real man chops down a tree!"

"Sure, just keep it from damaging my stuff" Stanford grumbles before realizing that the girl- no older than ten- is still standing there while her father and brother are running outside. "Wait! You forgot your other kid!"

"It's okay, they do this all the time," the girl states as if it were a fact instead of being a little upset about it.

He frowns and follows her forlornly gaze outside where the boy is rooting his father on as he chops down a tree. "Oh..."

What else was there to say with a girl that was just left temporarily in his care?

Wait, what?! This kid's not my responsibility! Stanford corrects himself, glancing around for his actual responsibility. Crap, he's no in here... where'd that klutz wander off to?

"This is gonna take a while," the girl says, leaning against the shelf and making it wobble a bit so that the objects- mostly sharp ones- tittered to the edge.

Unconsciously he pushes the boxes of warp objects to a more secure position on the shelf and guides the girl away from what could be a cause of death. "Is that so?" Then he glances at the register when he hears a bell and internally curses at his rotten luck. And then the most brilliant idea struck him. "Hey, kid-"

"My name's Wendy," she informs.

"Wendy," he corrects himself. "Hows about I give you something to do until your dad gets back?"

"What?" She asks with a hint of wary curiosity in her voice.

"Man the register."

"I don't know how to do that," she says.

"Here, I'll teach ya real quick," he says, leading her behind the counter and showing her how to do things, being sure to answer her questions as best as he can before he's confident that he can leave her alone to search for Soos. He first circles the perimeter then goes into the employees only section to find Soos napping. He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a few calming breaths before ht takes a newspaper and rolls it up. Once more he takes a calming breath before he hits the teen over the head. "Wake up! How'm'I supposed to make any money when you're lolly-gagging around like there isn't work to be done?"

"Sorry, Mr. Pines," Soos says, laughing it off good-naturedly. "I just got really tired."

Now, Stanford had never been exactly a normal person, but he was never as happy-go-lucky as Soos. He'd often lost his temper and beat someone or- before that- curled into a ball and cry when no one was looking in the confines of his room- or more specifically- his closet. He finds Soos' behavior to be more than a little strange. Normal(ish) people would've blown a gasket over getting hit with a newspaper like a dog or would've demanded an answer, but they wouldn't laugh it of unless it were some sort of thing that friends would do to each other.

"Nevermind," he groans and turns to the curtain that separated his home form his work. "I gotta see how this kid's doing on the register."

"What kid?"

The older man doesn't bother answering as he walks out and sees the girl working with a cheerful smile on her face as she does what she'd been assigned to do. He goes to the side and observes for a few more minutes before deciding this child was a natural at the register and selling other items the customers hadn't considered buying before.

In a few more years- when her dad won't murder me- maybe I'll hire the kid, he thinks as he notices Manly Dan start to walk back into the shop.

Quickly he goes over and takes the girl from the register and sets her on the other side of the counter while praising her good work before attending to the last two customers and sending them on their way to wherever they were going.

"Gonna buy the axe?" Stanford demands.

"I will!"

The larger man slams the money on the counter and turns to his children. "Let's go chop down some trees!"

"Could I stay here?" Wendy asks, causing Stanford to nearly choke on his own spit.

"Why?" Her father demands.

She smiles. "I like it here, it's fun!"

Manly Dan looks at his daughter for a while before turning to Stanford. "Would she be able to stay and work here?"

Really? I thought I could get away with child labor once! He thought, before remembering that he had to answer this man's question. "Yeah, but since she's a kid she'll have to get a lower payment than the rest of my employees."

"I don't mind!" Wendy assures.

"I don't either," Many Dan says before turning. "Drop her off at home when she's done here!"

And just like that Stanford Pines had another employee.


HAT: Sorry it came out so late, but every time I wrote more I forgot to save it and ended up turning my computer off, I'm so sorry!

Bill: I-

HAT: What did the contract say?

Bill: *sulks* Not to come out until requested.

HAT: And you're requested when?

Bill: The next chapter.

HAT: Well, it's too late anyway, go ahead and say it while I make some rearrangements.

Bill: *blinks* Um... review. *notices sharp look from HAT* Uh- please?