Chapter 36: Inventory Day

"Okay, kids. If you're gonna chill here, you're gonna do some work." Jenna stacked the portable printers and mini price scanners onto the counter. The kids gathered to the counter.

"Isn't this against child labor laws or something?" Huey picked up a scanner and examined it.

"I'll pay you each the same wage as Donald out of my own pocket."

"Done!" Louie grabbed a scanner. "So what do we have to do?"

"Basically, I need everything with a scannable ticket. Find the item on the computer and print out a sticker. Slap it on the merch and you're done." Jenna said, pulling her curly red locks into a messy top bun.

"We should probably get a system together so we can ticket all the items properly." Huey said. "Dewey, you take the left half of the store. Webby, the right. I'll man the printers…"

The kids huddled together to formulate their plan. Jenna walked into the back office. Donald sat a desk, setting up a large RFID scanner.

"How's it goin' there Donald?"

"I'm trying to set up the scanner to the WiFi. It should be ready soon." Donald plugged a cord into the base of the scanner and connected it to the computer. "Thank you again for letting the kids stay during my shift."

"It's no problem, really." Jenna shrugged. "I'd prefer to have a team of like, six, during the overnight inventory shift, but obviously we are understaffed."

They laughed. The scanner beeped and lit up.

"You know…if I added more to the staff, I could put you on as a supervisor…I'd just have to get some approval from the district store-"

Donald's head perked up. "I've only been here for a week, how could-"

"You don't need to know whose strings I'm pulling. Just say you'll take the job."

"Oh boy…gee, Jenna. I can't-"

"You can, and you will accept this promotion. You're a great worker, Donald. You deserve this. Just take the offer, okay?" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Donald. "I'm gonna go check on the kids right now and see how they're doing with the equipment. Finish setting up the computer for the inventory scan. We'll talk about the promotion later."

Jenna stepped out of the office. Donald looked down at the desk and smiled.

"There! All items have a scannable ticket, are sized, and are arranged according to color with the lighter colors on the outer corners and the dark and printed designs in the center of the tables." Huey presented the detailed table with pride.

"Wow, maybe I should hire you next, Red." Jenna smiled.

"Do you mind not calling us by our colors? Its kinda rude." Louie said. "We have names."

"Of course, how sorry I am…Stalker." Jenna flipped her hair. Huey and Webby laughed as Louie's cheeks turned pink.

"Don't call me that!" Louie hid his face into his hoodie.

"Then don't stalk me, kid." Jenna turned to the office. "Hey Donald! Is the computer ready?"

"It'll be ready in twenty minutes!" Donald yelled from the back.

"Perfect!" Jenna put her hand on her hip. "Okay, Red…You go take the scanners back into the office. Pinky, take the printers back too. Stalker-"

"Stop calling me that!"

"-The registers. I can trust you to close them, right?" Stars filled Louie's eyes.

"You probably can't" Dewey said. "He'll try to pocket some."

"I would never!" Louie stuck his beak in the air. The kids all looked at him, unamused. "Okay…I would. But for you, I won't pocket anything."

"Awww…how sweet. Got a soft spot, eh?" Jenna bent over and winked at him.

Louie's face went red and he ran to the register. She chuckled as he hastily opened the till and began counting. Huey and Webby took the printers and scanners into the office.

"And what do I do?" Dewey asked.

"How 'bout you and I crush some boxes and take them to the recycling bin? We do have twenty minutes to spare...and I tend to let the boxes pile up." Jenna scratched her head and led Dewey to a door marked "Authorized Personnel Only."

"What's in here?" He asked.

"The stockroom, loading area, trash, blah blah blah." Jenna opened the door. The stockroom was dusty and dimly lit. The laminate tile had grey scratches from stockroom racks whose tires were gross and covered with dust bunnies. Large palettes of boxes with shipment dates sat on large dollies. A pile of half crushed boxes sat between a service elevator and a loading dock door.

"Dang, it's gross in here." Dewey cringed. "Who cleans this place?"

"No one, really. Especially because of the rats and the ghosts." Jenna walked over to the pile of boxes and picked one up. "C'mon, Dewey. Just pull apart a few boxes."

He carefully stepped up to the pile as she tore with her hands the flaps of the box, tearing the packing tape apart. She flattened the box and stepped on it.

"Dewey." He said, picking up a box. "You called me Dewey."

"Uh, yeah? That's your name, right?" She picked up another box and broke it apart.

"You called Webby 'Pinky,' Huey 'Red,' and Louie 'Stalker.' But…why-"

"Why did I call you by your own name?" Jenna turned to Dewey and smiled. She tucked a finger behind her messy red hair. The volume of her hair flew forward, and a long, white braid spilled from the back of her head. She held the red, curly wig with one finger and pulled off the fake eyebrow piercing.

"Cause you're much smarter than people give you credit for, Dewey." Winnie said.

A/N: OH MY GOSH SAY WAAAAAAAT?

So if you have worked in the dreaded realm of retail, you know the horror of inventory. Basically you have to tag, detail, and organize the entire store so the inventory crew (could be a third party or nah) can scan all the items in the store to catalog them in the store. Its a pain in the ass and i hate it.

Anyways, it is time for our second clue of The Senzu Showdown!

The second clue is: There will be alot of anime references in Senzu.

And there we go! Please guys remember to favorite, follow, and review!

Thank you guys!

~Alex