Chapter 18: Those who do not Work do not Eat
Earth: April 5, 2014; 1:34 PM; Raph's House
"…and so, our greatest trial has come forth." Grape muttered grimly.
The others nodded.
"We are in dire financial straits, gentlemen." Grape continued, trading glances with each of his friends that were huddled on different sides of the dining room table.
He took a piece of paper from Raph's side of the table and took a decent look at the content.
Help Wanted was the only thing they were interested.
"We've been at this for three hours!" Matt cried out in protest as he stood up from the table and surrendered to the couch a few meters away.
"Well, part-time jobs aren't easy to find around here." Kyle reasoned, standing up from the table as well and moving towards the couch. He waved a collection of ads and a calculator in front of his friend's face. Matt just turned away and refused to look at the ads, too tired to even want to refuse to deal with it.
"The problem isn't that there are no jobs." Raph groaned, glancing over the ads for the umpteenth time before he too gave in and slouched onto the table. "The problem is that there are no jobs that highschoolers are allowed to do."
"Some of these, we can do." Grape commented, grabbing a few papers and then looking over them again. "They're not hard, even for us. But without a college education, they won't even let us try."
"…there's gotta be something we can do." Kyle replied, mentally exhausted, as he flopped onto the couch next to the one Matt was stubbornly refusing to leave.
"You guys find one. I'll take a break." Matt replied, his face buried into the couch cushion.
"WELL, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET SHIT!" A unified reply from his three friends just left Matt rolling around in the couch and groaning in protest again.
"Why don't you guys go out and find a place that will hire you?" Sakura's voice came from the staircase, and the guys glanced at her descending from the stairs from the second floor. Behind her trailed her sister Himawari, and the Lastation CPU Ayase with her sister Kureha.
"Yeah, I don't imagine there being no place at all that will let you in." Ayase added.
Matt sprung to his feet with new energy and faced his friends, pumping his fists. "Game! Let's commute, guys!"
"…do we have to?" Raph replied, already ready to fall over and take a golden week's worth of a nap.
"At least, I can go if we do." Grape replied, stretching his arms and walking around the living room. "My folks have been more flexible lately. I guess explaining the situation works well."
"Well, true." Raph conceded, standing up and nodding slowly. "I guess we've got no choice."
"Time for a road trip!" Kyle and Matt cheered, and they ran for the door.
Earth: April 5, 2014; 3:13 PM; Blue Strap Shopping Mall
"…so, why are we here?" Matt asked, completely lost.
The four of them stood in the midst of one of the most famous mall franchises in the country, Blue Strap. It was sprawling, with six different buildings connected by pathways and nature. With a little bit of Mother Earth mixed in with human ingenuity, Blue Strap was a very nice mall.
"This is where most of the wanted ads pointed to." Grape told Matt as he took a sweeping glance around, sidestepping and making way for people as he did. "Blue Strap's our best bet."
"Is it okay to just leave the CPUs back home, by the way?" Kyle pointed out, raising his hand.
"They can take care of themselves, don't worry." Raph replied dismissively yet reassuringly. "They've been here for a month already. They can take care of themselves."
I hope. Raph added in his mind, trying not to let his thought be voiced.
"In any case, we should start taking a look around." Grape suggested, taking another sweep of the area with his eyes.
"It's Blue Strap, man! There are a shit-ton of places we can go to for jobs." Matt replied, grinning and stretching his arms outwards.
"Alright, let's go get us some jobs!" Kyle cheered, pumping his fist towards the sky.
"Sure thing, but…" Grape replied, smiling uneasily and taking a self-conscious glance at the people staring at them. "Let's try not to disturb the other people here this time."
"Why?" Matt asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion.
"We've caused enough of a ruckus at Tockvell. If we cause a ruckus at every mall we go to, we might not be allowed in any of them anymore." Grape conceded, shifting his messenger bag strap on his shoulder.
"Anyway…" Kyle cut him off with another fist pump. "Let's go find us some jobs!"
Hyperdimension: April 5, 2014; 3:13 PM; Planeptune; Basilicom
Earth: April 5, 2014; 3:13 PM; Raph's House
"Wow, I can't believe this works." Himawari marveled, his fingers running over Raph's TV as if caressing it gently like a lover.
"Neptune, don't do that." Ayase reprimanded, grabbing her by the shirt collar and dragging the Planeptune CPU back to the couch.
Ayase turned back to the TV. "Sorry. Anyway, that's the situation."
"I see." Histoire's voice emanated from the speakers clearly at the volume that Raph would usually hear CoD playing on. It felt as if they were playing the game, and it was her turn in the conversation.
The rest of the girls were also gathered in various positions around the room, all facing the television monitor.
"Yeah. Well, that attack last month was our only lead." Himawari replied, placing her hands onto her hips and sighing. "We've got nothing on our end."
"Understood. I'll try and do what I can over here, then. I'll contact you if ever something comes to my attention." Histoire replied, nodding in affirmation.
"Thanks, Histoire." Yuki replied, looking up from the manga in her hand and giving the Oracle of Planeptune a smile of appreciation.
"By the way, you all seem to have gotten really comfortable." Histoire commented, her gaze surveying the girls in the room one by one. "From what I've heard, you've even gotten used to your cover names."
"Well, Raph, Matt, Kyle and Grape have been helping out." Ayase replied, flipping one of her twintails. "They've given us some very helpful advice, so it's easier on us. We can relax, thanks to them."
"I'm glad you're comfortable." Histoire said, smiling in relief. "I should really thank them."
"By the way," Histoire's eyes riveted on Sakuya, who stood the farthest from the monitor. "What day is it in Gamindustri?"
"Oh, it's the fifth of April. The year is 2014." Histoire said, her eyes narrowing in doubt. "Why do you ask?"
"Hmm…that's the same day as the day here on Earth." Sakuya said, taking a look at the calendar that was positioned conveniently on the wall nearby.
"Wasn't the day different when the guys were sucked in?" Himawari pointed out, performing a handstand as she did. "A few days, I think."
"Perhaps now that our dimensions have a connection to one another, their temporal flow has synchronized." Histoire thought out loud, her gaze darting back to something off screen. "Hmm…"
"So, the time here is the same as the time there." Blanc repeated, her gaze focused on the sunlight pouring through the window behind Histoire.
"I guess that's convenient, then." Himawari said, getting off of her head and sitting onto Ayase's lap. "As long as Plutie and the others can sub for us, we'll do just fine."
"Get off of me!" Ayase replied, her arms immediately moving to Himawari's underarms and trying to push her off.
"Aw, but you're thighs are so soft and squi-"
"Shut up and get off!"
"By the way," Sakura spoke up, and Histoire's gaze focused on the Planeptune CPU Candidate. "About the things we asked for…?"
"Ah, that's right." Histoire said as if she had just remembered something important. "They are ready to come over. They will be transported soon."
"Thanks. We owe the boys this, anyway." Sakuya replied, a smile of relief spreading her lips.
Earth: April 5, 2014; 5:48 PM; Blue Strap Shopping Mall
"Ugh…" Kyle, slumped and hunched over as he walked, groaned in exhausted protest as he shuffled forward slowly. "Finally done…"
"Yeah." Raph agreed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Now we just need to choose where to work."
"Easy enough." Grape nodded in conclusion. "So, how about we take a break and grab a bite to eat while we think about it?"
"PLEASE!" Matt's plea was so loud that Grape grimaced, and he glanced worriedly at the staring passerby before swatting Matt lightly on the shoulder.
"Alright, alright." Kyle replied, standing back up straight and yawning. "Let's go get some food."
"But where? This place offers so many options." Grape asked, surveying the whole mall laid out in front of them.
As they walked forward in their group formation, food stalls, fast food joints and restaurants were lined up. The busy chitter chatter and the fragrance of freshly served food attracted the hungry and tired teenage boys. In one direction to the right, the smell of fried chicken tempted. To the left, the wafting scent of churros beckoned.
A Japanese restaurant was also in the lineup, and the smell of tempura and ramen coming out only served to rumble their empty stomachs.
"…Mickey Ds?" Raph suggested.
"Sounds like a plan. Not like we can afford anything else. Mickey Ds it is." Grape said, laughing bitterly in reply.
Matt's cheer for joy was so loud that it nearly got them pulled aside by the security guard nearby.
"So," Raph paused, taking a bite out of the cheeseburger in his mouth. "What place do we work in?"
"Most of the jobs we can take have long hours," Kyle offered, taking a sip from his Coca-Cola. "But that means we get paid more."
"Well, some jobs that occupy the same amount of hours don't pay as much as others." Grape replied, sending a fistful of French fries down his throat. "We need to look carefully, and avoid those."
"Any jobs with less hours, but pays a lot?" Matt asked hopefully, munching on a chicken nugget as he talked.
"No, not really." Raph replied, laughing bitterly. "If there were any, it's probably taken by now."
"So, what's the middle ground here?" Grape asked, leaning forward as he drained the last of one of his drinks before reaching for his other cup.
"…these." Kyle replied, gesturing to the job application forms that were laid out neatly onto the table a safe distance from their food.
"…you sure these are the only ones?" Raph asked, uncertainty tainting his voice. He looked more closely at the forms, taking another bite of his burger.
"I'm game. Hell, I was already considering it." Matt said, downing the last of his nuggets in a flurry of munches and bites that brought stares from the other customers.
"…I can picture it already. This is probably perfect." Grape said with finality, a grin spreading on his face. "I've always wanted to try this."
"I guess we don't have a choice." Kyle agreed, sighing. "Anyone have a pen?"
Grape quickly zipped open his bag, reached in and handed them each one.
"…why do you have these?" Raph asked skeptically, looking at his friend while eying the pen in his hand.
"Thought we might need them." Grape replied, shrugging as he clicked his own pen.
"Never mind, let's just use them." Kyle said, waving off the issue and beginning to write on the form. The others, nodding, followed suit.
Thirty minutes later, they stood up from the table with their hands trembling whilst they held the paper in their hands.
"To the counter, right?" Grape asked, his voice cringing with excitement and nervousness.
"Y-yeah." Matt replied, shaking as well.
The four approached the counter lady, who received them with the usual welcome, dear customer smile. "Yes, how may I help you?" She asked kindly.
"We'd like to apply for a job." The four said in unison, varied smiles on their faces.
That day, the four learned firsthand the experience that was applying for a part-time job at McDonalds.