COUSINS
Chapter 6: Shopping Madness
Cupcake landed in the river—she cursed at the fact that her outfit was "dry clean only", but her cousins and friends were relieved that she was not hurt. The animals remained in Violet Meadows until 7:00 PM that evening, after which they walked to T-Bone's house for dinner underneath an ever-increasing cloudy sky, and it began raining a few hours later. The animals returned home after thunder sounded threateningly in the distance, thanking T-Bone for his hospitality before they left.
Mail from Tom Nook's had arrived earlier than usual the following morning. It was a leaflet from the shop detailing an upcoming sale to be held on May 22nd, which was considered one of Veltron's independent holidays: Spring Shopping, voted as such by its residents five years beforehand. Cupcake's eyes glittered when she read the advertisement and she started working additional hours for more money. Her cousins knew it was inevitable that all of it would be spent on the day of the sale.
May 22nd was a depressing day. It was raining heavily and most umbrellas were not capable of withstanding the torrential winds blowing throughout the region, according to the forecast on the radio. It was 7:45 AM and the cousins were drinking coffee in the living room, listening to the seven-day weather report. Cupcake had almost fallen asleep in the armchair because it was very irregular for her to wake before 9:00 AM. Cheri and Olive were also tired.
"These days always bring me down," Olive commented after a stretch of silence as she uncurled a strand of hair from behind her ear. "Do you think it's going to continue raining? Cupcake doesn't seem motivated enough to get off that chair." Her gaze fell on her pink cousin, who was blatantly ignoring her by bringing her shoulders to her ears and rubbing them austerely. Olive shook her head and said, "Maybe Nook won't even have that lamp you want." Her tone was unenthusiastic.
Cupcake's attention was absorbed into her cousin's convincing language. "What are you saying?" she inquired forcefully. "I've been working overtime to earn enough cash for this day! You should have seen me designing, modelling, stitching, and wearing myself out in that nightmare of a shop for the last few days! I am not staying home. When that place opens at 8:30, we're going to be the first ones in line. Believe and trust me."
Cheri laughed. "Yes, we'll do that. There's no need to oppose this girl's fury. I'll get changed now." The red bear rose from the couch and entered her bedroom, mimicking Cupcake enthrallingly as she walked.
"What made you think that I wasn't going to burst through Tom Nook's doors this morning?" Cupcake asked Olive after Cheri had exited the living room. She readjusted her position before standing and sitting next to Olive on the couch. "You and I have known each other all our lives and you honestly believe that I'm just going to skip out on this opportunity? Where has your faith gone?"
"Don't worry yourself," Olive responded defensively as she set her mug on the coffee table. "You'll buy so much that we'll need another house." She followed her witty tease with a smile, revealing all her teeth. Cupcake nodded gawkily, but reassured her that a second house would be unnecessary.
---
Olive had chosen not to join her cousins at the sale for unconfirmed reasons. Cheri and Cupcake detailed their disappointment and how she would not be able to purchase several low-priced merchandise, but Olive had already made up her mind. At 8:20, Cheri and Cupcake left the house and quickly hurried their way through the blustery town to Tom Nook's. As they had predicted, they were the first ones there, accompanied only by the rain.
"At least we know that we'll get in," Cupcake commented apprehensively. "Do you think Nook will give us some sort of traditional Veltron balloon for participating in this sale? Vesta told us something like that yesterday after the movie." Her voice continued rising, but Cheri shook her head and brushed her cousin's anxiousness aside.
The two bears stormed into Nook's when the doors opened at 8:30 AM. The store was beautifully-decorated and posters reading Limited stocks must go! covered the walls. There was generally Gracie-brand clothing resting on hangers spread out across the first floor, while some Nook-styled outfits hung with other merchandise, including stationery. More than ten furniture series, sets and themes also occupied the first floor, surprising Cheri and Cupcake because the floor did not seem as though it could carry that many items.
"Cupcake! Run upstairs while I check out this area!" Cheri howled, pointing in the direction of a gigantic refrigerator.
Despite accurately following her cousin's directions, Cupcake had not heard a word Cheri had said and she was already on the second floor, where a handful of merchandise had been assembled. "That modern lamp must be around here somewhere... let's see, there was that very fashionable figurine here a few days ago, but would Nook still have it? ...Oh no, the other animals!"
As numerous footsteps began entering the store, Cupcake made a break for a set of checkered-coloured end tables. Although the modern items she wanted to buy were similarly styled, they were not on the end tables and she quickly headed down an aisle of unmistakable Gracie-only fashions. However, Cupcake owned countless Gracie clothing and she decided that she was only going to look for the modern lamp that day.
"If I can't find it, maybe I could get that pothos from yesterday," Cupcake speculated aloud, brushing her hands against the outfits. "Interior designing has become so popular in this country. There's also that painting Fauna magazine recommended last month, but it's almost impossible to find at this place. Nook needs better stocks, for sure." As she power-walked down the aisle, a plethora of colourful animals appeared behind her, gripping their wallets firmly.
Taking a left, Cupcake came across two large plants, both shimmering in the decorative confetti. She eyed them closely before suddenly jumping at the realization that one of them was a pothos, an elm-like tree that she had been wanting to plant in the garden since moving to Veltron. Sticking her fist in the air, she bellowed, "yes!" and picked it up speedily.
"At least I have this baby," Cupcake commented. "Now a shopping cart would be useful..."
Cupcake was horrified to discover that she did not want to buy anything else. She had exuded an impatient sigh and began descending the stairs to the first floor—more than thirty animals were in the room, most of whom were fighting for various low-priced items, including batteries, flower seeds, paint, stationery, and summer accessories. Cheri was fighting for an umbrella with a penguin that neither of them had met, provoking intimidation and patent nonsense at each other.
"Cheri! Pry that umbrella off that penguin!" Cupcake encouraged her still-struggling relative. "Come on, I know you can do it!"
A moment later, Cheri let go of the umbrella out of tediousness and the penguin fell on the floor, panting heavily. Cupcake moved toward her cousin and gave her an avaricious smirk, one that Cheri, who said, "You have no idea how tough he was", would soon not forget.
As the penguin ran down a different aisle, the two cousins stood there mystified. They both agreed that the sales Nook planned were not extravagant and seemed to be very watered-down into something rather undetailing and unexciting. The main floor had already transformed into a pig pen—they joked about how Nook was going to complain when it came time to tidying the store, one of his overly bad habits.
"Why don't we go up to the next floor?" Cheri interrogated Cupcake, pointing to the stairs.
"I just came from there though. Believe me, there's nothing interesting but some designer gowns I already own."
Nonetheless, Cheri walked up to the second floor, finding a mob of animals standing in choppy queue lines, waiting for various clothing and furniture. Most of the males were crowded around a humongous television set that cost about 500,000 Bells, though it seemed that some of them were unaware of the price, sending vicious reminders of poor-paying jobs at each other. The females were running up and down the aisles of designer outfits—however, strangely the majority were being reshelved despite their inexpensiveness.
"Oh wow!" exclaimed Cheri, astounded by the collection of items Nook had for sale. "There's a Rose Shirt over there... um..." She fell silent.
Cupcake stood next to her cousin. "Like I'd said, who has the time to bother with something as frantic as this? I don't think I'd want to get caught up in this kind of shopping madness again. For one, even animals from other towns came in to get a hold of the products, and two, this reminds me of the Fortune Field sale held back at home last year. I swear I landed on my face twice that day."
A sigh came from Cheri. "Don't tell me that means we're already leaving. This place is almost as bare as winter trees and it's only been about nine minutes. I can't believe that!" She sighed again. "Well... I guess this sort of stuff happens at a sale with prices like none other in the country. So... come to Veltron! I should be a saleswoman, shouldn't I?" she concluded as she faced Cupcake, who gently nodded before chuckling somewhat.
A lemonade stand had been erected at the far right-end side of the second floor, where the girls headed and bought a drink each. As they sipped from their styrofoam cups, they watched the ruckus of the sale begin to clear by 9:00 AM and the customers make their way to the lower level, exiting at the digression of Nook. The lemonade stand closed at 9:10.
The first floor was virtually unoccupied by the time Cheri and Cupcake had finished their drinks. Only an employee of Nook's and the raccoon himself were dusting off some countertops and other surfaces. Upon noticing them, however, Nook's expression mellowed and he approached them gleefully, holding his head high.
"Well, well, well!" he began avidly, "I see that the town's new and improved famous trio—or duo as it is today—decided to shop at one of my fantastic sales! I do not understand any of your intentions though. Why would you decide to shop when you are clearly in a state of debt and have to pay off what seems like a fortune? About 150 000 Bells remains, my dears." He flashed a toothy smile, emphasis apparent on his workplace status.
Cupcake glared deeply at the raccoon. "You are nothing short of stupid!" she snapped. "Honestly, you love bickering at us and it's one of the most transparent things you've done since the day we arrived in Veltron. Can't you just leave us alone?"
Cheri marched over to a red tulip bag lying on the floor. It was very dirty, but she picked it up anyway and inspected it closely. "Cupcake, don't bother trying to convince him to change—you should know that when somebody's overly stupid, it sticks like honey, impossible to leave them. Ignore him and let's get out of here."
"No," Nook said from behind them. "You will not exit my store with that in your hand, Cheri. You will either pay for it or put it down this instant. Do you even have enough money to pay for it? You have probably blown all of it on the other stuff you already bought."
Sighs emerged from the cousins and they began speaking concurrently, twisting phrases and words that Nook was unable to make out. They finally looked at each other, breaking into a short laughter before replacing their attention on the raccoon. Cupcake, being the suspicious animal she was, inspected his business outfit twice over and contemplated a thought quickly. She said without acknowledgement, "You're lucky that you even got into a business like this! An overweight raccoon doesn't usually make it big on his own with a body like that. Now my cousin and I are going to do you the favour of getting out of your face... good riddance!"
Cheri blinked. She did not know what to say and merely giggled.
With a frown on his face, Nook responded, "This is very sickening! Now no more insults from either of you!", causing the two bears to jump nervously. "Do you think it is okay to walk into this establishment and make fun of the owner? Leave immediately! Out!" He pointed in the direction of the door and ranted on about their ignorance, which the girls chose to ignore.
"I'm surprised that he stood his ground," Cheri commented as they stepped into the still-rainy environment. "At the same time... you know, never mind."
Cupcake laughed bitterly.
Although the rain had started to ease, it was questionably difficult to perceive most of their surroundings, making the journey home rather lengthy. They had opened their umbrellas, spinning them for the sake of creating amusement, amidst attempting to prolong a conversation. There were few topics that either bear had wanted to touch upon though since Olive was not with them. They reluctantly noted how Olive had become acquainted with more animals in Veltron than she had known for her entire life in their hometown, where she had been a loner.
Mother's Day was upcoming and Cheri and Cupcake joked about the presents that they were going to send their mothers, both of which were somewhat clueless about modern trends. Because neither was keen on mailing money, they had figured that a dozen white roses would best-suit the occasion. Cupcake especially speculated whether or not Olive would agree with their idea.
"Since when is it foggy during rainstorms...?" A voice transpired from in front of the cousins, who were taken back by the suddenness.
Mathilda, the black kangaroo the cousins had met in Violet Meadows, was standing near one of the town ledges. Binoculars were hanging around her neck, though neither bear had the courage to ask her why she had them in her possession. An umbrella in the shape of a hat hovered above her head.
"Good morning, Mathilda," the bears greeted her placidly.
The kangaroo mused at the sound of her name, turning to see Cheri and Cupcake. She grinned bafflingly and responded, "Why hello! Oh, you're the animals that dress like loose prisoners. Yes, yes, I would assume that you just came from the sale? I swear that this is the most gorgeous gown I've bought in my entire life!" She modelled the Gracie-brand Watermelon Shirt she had purchased.
"Yes, quite, quite." Cupcake brushed aside the kangaroo's spicy attitude. "However, I've owned that one for years."
Mathilda snorted. "Well, as a matter of fact I hadn't had an interest in this outfit until just recently because of some very convincing gossip. Of course, you wouldn't know or even need to for particular reasons. I've got every other Gracie gown, minus the Zebra Shirt, which I'll be getting as soon as possible." She waved her hands aimlessly at the bears.
Cheri and Cupcake had stopped paying attention to Mathilda and were already continuing on their trek home. They had chosen to walk around Veltron in the rain for a little longer to "soak up the atmosphere", as Cupcake had referred to it so specifically. Looking shy-like, Cheri examined the items that they had purchased from Nook's and concluded that she was not going to attend another sale because she had been let down with the selection and experience itself. Her cousin shrugged, unwillingly to respond with agreement yet with disbelief.
After another five minutes, the two relatives arrived home. There was no response to the constant knocks on the door, forcing Cupcake to withdraw her house key from her wallet, which she was not happy about. Olive's shoes were not on the entry mat—she had gone out.
"I wonder where she went today?" Cheri wondered aloud as she placed her umbrella on the floor to dry.
Cupcake yawned. "It's still early in the morning. She's probably gone to Vesta's or someone else's. Don't worry, we're not going to lose sleep over it."
The two bears went into the kitchen, which appeared gloomy from the front door because of the weather, and they sat down at the table lazily. "I suppose you're right," Cheri said. "Anyway, I think I am going to try one of those fruit juice mixtures that some of the townsfolk have been babbling about lately. Do you want to try some?" The bear stood and walked to the counter, not allowing Cupcake the opportunity to answer. "We will suffer together if it doesn't taste that great."
"Oh, fine," Cupcake responded. After preparing the smoothie-like beverage, Cupcake took a deep breath and sucked down the delicacy.
Her reception consisted of a gargled screech, which swayed Cheri not to drink it.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I apologize if this was a boring chapter for you. I had one heck of a time writing it... I guess sales and such just aren't my kind of thing when it comes to putting it down on paper, or in this case, the computer. Either way, please R&R and I'll update as soon as possible!