Gift of the Card - Why Would You Buy This?!

Marcia walked downstairs heading towards the living room where she could hear giggling coming from. As she walked in she spotted Janna and Star snickering over something. To be more specific her wallet.

"Billie's Ballet Shoe Emporium. Our discounts are on pointe. Marcia, why do you even have this? You don't dance anymore," Janna said

"For your information, I do dance at home to keep up my flexibility. Plus they also make incredibly comfortable shoes to wear around the house. What are you guys doing looking through my wallet anyway? Can't a girl get any privacy?" Marcia said crossing her arms.

"Nope," Star answered

"Hey, what's with this weird card? It's all shaky," Janna asked pulling out a card from Marcia's wallet.

"Let me see that," Star grabbed the card, "Hey, this is the Quest Buy gift card I got for you, Marcia. I can't believe you haven't used it yet. I got this for our six-month friendship-aversary so you could get yourself something special. I use your gift," Star pulled out a pink hand knit blanket that had a star in the middle of it, "If you don't use this gift card, it'll expire."

"Look, Star, it's not that I don't appreciate it, okay? It's just that the last time I went to Quest Buy, I almost got killed," Marcia said

"But Marcia, it expires tonight. Come on!" Star said

Marcia gave Star a sigh, "Fine. Let's go."

Star cheers standing up, "Yay. Perfect!" She pulls out the dimensional scissors and opens a portal, "We'll be back in a bit Janna."

"Laters," Janna waved as Star and Marcia vanished in the portal.

Inside the large store known as Quest Buy, a portal opened and out came Star Butterfly and Marcia Diaz.

"Alright, let's get you the perfect gift!" Star smiled

"Oh no." Marcia groaned

"See anything you like?" Star gave a gasp running over to a shelf, "Look. There's a Skullaroid camera. Takes pictures specifically of ghosts."

"Uh, I don't think so," Marcia put the camera back. "I'd rather have peace of mind and not know what spectators are lurking around my home, specifically in my bedroom."

Star picked something else up, "Ooh, how about some spooky haunted garden gnomes?"

"Hmmm they may keep the neighborhood kids out of the garden but I don't think so." Marcia looked at the massive shelves, "Ugh, look at all this stuff. This is exactly why I do not like shopping. I can never make up my mind."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy there, Miss Picky Pants. Luckily, we got until midnight." Star said

Location - The Diaz House

Janna was sitting on the couch while eating a bowl of Marcia's cereal. She was unfazed as a portal opened in front of her and out came a giant reptilian creature holding a chainsaw weapon.

"Tell me where Princess Star and Princess Marcia are located," Rasticore demanded

"Uh, loud," Janna complained. "They went to Quest Buy."

"The one near the galactic vortex, or the one with the big parking lot?" Rasticore pulled out a tracking device, "Never mind. I found them." He pulled the cord on his chainsaw trying to start it up. "Come on." After a few more pulls he gets the chainsaw going and creates a portal jumping through.

Janna rolls her eyes as Rasticore leaves. "Why did you even ask if you already knew?"

Location - Quest Buy

Star looked up at a large clock, "Ooh, that's getting a little too close for comfort. Marcia, I don't mean to rush you, but it's been hours. If you don't find something soon, the card will expire and go to waste."

"You know it's hard for me to shop in public, that's why I always shop online. Plus, I'm just not that into Quest Buy gear," Marcia reached out for a necklace, and she had to quickly pull her hand back as the necklace tried to bite her.

Star groaned shutting the necklace display case, "Ugh, Marcia! They have literally everything in the universe here. There has to be something you want. Please! Hurry up!"

Marcia picks up a salad spinner, "If you're going to rush me, then I'll just buy some piece of junk now, and come back to exchange it later, okay?"

At that moment Marcia's purse lifts up into the air.

"Huh?"

The purse exploded revealing the floating Quest Buy gift card.

"My purse!" Marcia exclaimed

The card fires a laser at Marcia's hand, and she drops the item she was holding.

Marcia shouted grabbing her hand, "What the heck⁈"

Star gave an awkward laugh, "Oh, yeah. That. I may have forgotten to mention that this is a 'Friends to the End' gift card. You have to truly, deeply want the item you spend it on, or else it won't work."

"Star, why would you give me a card like that?" Marcia asked

Star gave Marcia big puppy eyes, "Because I wanted to get you something you really liked."

Marcia gave an exasperated sigh, "Okay. Fine. Just, uh, nothing in this section."

A Chicken that was in a bottle gazed a Marcia from a shelf, "Good, 'cause I don't like you either."

"I see why you're on sale," Marcia rolled her eyes.

The card vibrated and glowed ominously next to Marcia and Star.

Marcia put up her hands and continues walking, "Alright, alright. Ugh."

As the girls walked down aisles Star would pick up random things holding them out to Marcia.

"How about this?" Star held up a toy robot.

"No, no," Marcia shook her head.

"How about this?" Star threw a towel.

"Too gaudy," Marcia answered

Star held up a one-eyed keychain, "How about one of these?"

Marcia put her hand up, "Another keychain? I'll pass."

"Oh, how about one of these?" Star held up a sandwich press.

Marcia gave the item a scrutinizing look, "Uh, maybe. Nah."

"How about this?" Star held up a red sweater that had a three-eyed cat saying "No".

"Ugh. Star, you know the neck is gonna stretch out on that," Marcia said

The gift card glows red then zaps Marcia in the back.

"Ow! Alright, alright. I'm sorry, but I really can't decide under this kind of pressure. Maybe we can get an extension on the card," Marcia said

"Well, we can try," Star said

Star and Marcia walked over to customer service. Star approached the employee behind the counter who was reading a magazine.

"Excuse me. I have a question," Star said

"Not my department," The Worker said not looking at Star.

"But you're customer service," Star pointed out.

The Worker looks up at the sign he was sitting under, "Oh, yeah. We really need to ditch that sign. Fine. How can I help you?"

Star grabs the floating gift card placing it on the counter, "Is there any way we can extend the expiration date on this card?"

"Shouldn't be a problem," The Worker pulls out a tablet and swipes the card, "Uh, you know what? No. This is a 'Friends to the End' gift card. It's not only impervious to change, but when it expires, so do you."

"Whaaaaaat⁈" Marcia screamed. "Like, we die?" She panicked along with Star.

"Geez. Everyone's gotta die some time. This just guarantees that you'll die sooner. It's all here in the contract your friend signed," The Worker pointed at a blue glowing floating contract that was bordered with chains. "If you don't use it by midnight, zap, ha-ha. Both of you get blasted into oblivion."

"Zap?!" Marcia turned to Star. "Tell me again, Star. Why did you get me a card like this?"

"I didn't know. I never read the fine print," Star said

Marcia threw her arms up. "Always read the fine print Star. I mean look at this contract." She gestures to the contract.

"There's gotta be something we can do," Star said

The Worker shook his head, "Nope. Sorry, dude. Um, dudes. You know, seeing as there's only a few hours left, you better go find something you really like."

Star and Marcia immediately start running down the aisles screaming.

Somewhere else in Quest Buy a chainsaw rips through the air opening an X shaped portal. Rasticore tries to get through the small opening and after some struggle, he finally pulls himself out.

A Worker goes by spotting Rasticore, "Uh, yes, before you ask, this is not my-"

Rasticore holds out his mechanical hand up blasting the worker.

"Ow."

Star held up her wand displaying a clock. "Oh no. Ten minutes to midnight."

"We're toast," Marcia said

The Quest Buy gift card suddenly lets out a charge of electricity. The electrical charge forms a solid figure, with the Quest Buy card being its face.

"Activating expiration mode."

Star screamed holding up her wand. "Shooting star explosion!" She shoots several stars at the card but it just absorbs the attack.

"Enough nonsense. Choose your gift. Your life depends on it. Commencing countdown to your expiration date. You have ten minutes." The Card displayed a timer on its body.

Star and Marcia start screaming again as they run down the aisle.

"See anything you like Marcia?" Star asked

"No," Marcia shouted

"Nine minutes until expiration." The Card said

"What about gourmet hairspray?" Star asked

"No," Marcia said

"8.5 minutes until expiration." The Card said

"Why do you have to be so picky?" Star said

"I'm not picky. I'm just...highly selective." Something finally caught Marcia's attention making her stop running. "Wait, Star. Hold on." She walked over to a display case that had a plum colored wallet in it. The wallet had locks on it and it had a skull on the front. "The ultimate in privacy. It's even my favorite color. And a thumbprint privacy setting hehe."

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." Star lifts up the display case, "It's yours, Marcia. Get it, get it, get it out."

Marcia tries to pull the wallet out but it won't move. "It's stuck."

"Sorry, mam. That's a display model," The Card said

Marcia and Star shout as they start running.

"We gotta get the Quest Buy sloth employee to help us," Star said

The girl's run all the way to the worker's lounge, once there they both start pounding on the lounges window shouting.

When the employee's don't hear their frantic shouts Star pulls out her wand.

"Stand back." She blasts open the window and the girls step into the lounge.

"My friend Marcia needs one of your privacy wallets," Star said

"Uh, well, I am on my break, but, sure, let me check," A Worker said pulling out a tablet.

"Can you see if they have it in plum?" Marcia asked

"Uh, sorry. Looks like we're out of stock," The Worker said

"No. It can't be," Marcia cried

The Card finally caught up to the girls floating behind them. "One minute to expiration."

"This is all my fault. I should've let you know there was an expiration date," Star started crying. "And I wasn't being lazy when I bought that thing, I promise. I genuinely thought you would love to pick out what you wanted."

"Sorry. Did you mean jeans pig unwanted?" The Card said

Marcia started crying too. "I know a lot of this wouldn't have happened if I was easier to shop for."

"Okay, I will search for cheesier mop store," The Card said

"Let's hug, so when they find our charred skeletons, they'll know we were friends," Marcia said

"Not just friends, bestie-sisters," Star said

Marcia and Star hug as the Quest Buy card hovered over them.

"Sorry. There was zero results for snow made worm pants," The Card said

"Wait! I know what I want! Hey, there's only one thing in this whole stinkin' store that I could ever want. Star's my best friend, and friendship is the greatest gift I could ever receive," Marcia said

"You need to pick something you can purchase from the store," A worker said

Marcia face blanches along with Star's, "Well, it was worth a shot."

"It was still sweet Marcia," Star said

"Preparing to honor expiration," The Card said

"Good-bye Marcia."

"Good-bye Star."

The Card starts charging up and the girls grip onto each other sacred. Suddenly something fell from the ceiling crashing onto the card.

"Holy!"

Rasticore stood up from the pile of rubble he had made. "Where are the stairs in this place? Princesses, my name is Rasticore Chaosus Disastervaine. Miss Heinous sent me. Prepare to-"

Rasticore's terrifying speech was cut off when he was zapped and vaporized by the Quest Buy card.

"Invalid entry. Expiration imminent." The Card said

"Hold it." A Worker pulled out something from a box, "We do have one more privacy wallet in stock."

Star and Marcia smile cheering.

"Only, sorry. We don't have it in plum. Just, we have it in, um, Blushing Maroon," The Worker held up the wallet.

Marcia started sobbing and ran over to the worker. "Oh, it's perfect. It's the perfect shade of Maroon. I love it even more than plum."

"Sheesh. So dramatic," The Worker sighed

"Good doing business with you mam. Contract obligation fulfilled," The Card turned back to normal. The Worker picks up the card scanning it. He then slips it into a metal case and the card explodes. He then reached into another box handing a purse over to Marcia.

"What's this for?" Marcia was confused as she stared at the purse.

It was all maroon and had a black bow on the front. On the bow was a small gold skull emblem.

"Special sale. Every wallet purchase comes with a free matching satchel for men and purse for women." The Worker explained

"Oh," Marcia stared back at the purse before putting it on her shoulder, "Neat."

"Well, that completes your transaction. Have a good day," The Worker said

"We found you the perfect friendship gift!" Star cheered

"What is with this thing? How the heck are you even supposed to open this?"

Star sat on the couch with Janna. In between the girls was Marcia's new purse and in Star's hands was Marcia's new wallet. Star was struggling to open the wallet but was having no luck.

"Yeah. Let me see that," Janna took the wallet.

Marcia walked in hands on her hips a proud smile on her face. "Nice try, girls. Its thumbprint lock will allow no man or magical creature to ever break into-"

"Got it," Janna declared holding up some things from Marcia's now open wallet.

"Janna, get out of town!" Marcia shouted eyes wide.

"How did you do that Janna?" Star asked

"I got Marcia's thumbprint. In fact, I've got all of your sensitive information, Marcia," Janna held up several cards.

"Get outta town!" Marcia screamed. "You scare me."

Janna just gave Marcia an unsettling smile in return.