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Sylanwood, Tarrabria: Science Field BOE, Time: 5:00 PM
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Back in the science field, everyone was busy with their field of study. It was crowded, as expected from the best scientific company with zero competition.
Kristen was clapping her hands, "Sell more, people! The person who sells the most will get to become an employee of the month and get a paid raise!" Her stall was selling Custodiae, Periculum, and Discrimen.
Harry's stall was booming with people as he proudly showed off the mech prototype. "See all of this! This is the most advanced science will ever be!" He was enjoying himself as he presented everything he got.
Barbara also had a large crowd, but it consisted of elementary school students and their teacher, "See this right here? If you combine these chemicals, it will cause a massive explosion! That's why you need to be careful with these things, kids!" The kids were curious as they continued to watch the projection.
Dorothy was showing a projection of how distortion portals could appear, with eldritchs coming in and out, gathering resources for themselves and their own race. Sometimes, old primal mammal projections appeared out of a big projection with Dorothy smirking to herself.
Trevor was showing a bunch of gadgets to some pirate crew to help out at sea, "This one could read the weather and predict if it's going to be a large storm or not." The pirates were raising their money, wanting to buy the product immediately.
However, one of the stalls wasn't attracting people, either because of disinterest or fear. It was Lucy's stall, as her space was as empty as the desert.
Her finger was tapping against the wooden table, waiting for something to happen. Her assistants tried to suggest, but Lucy just glared at them. Lucy sighed; she knew that her pay cut might be imminent at this rate.
"Oh my god, it's Lucy from the Head of Eldritch Research! Can I get your autograph?"
Lucy finally woke up to see a fan handing her a paper to sign an autograph. She took it, ready to sign it.
'I just wanna go home at this point...' Lucy thought to herself before looking at the contents of the paper. It was a marriage contract.
Her face flushed scarlet before looking up at the person she knew. It was Sugar.
"Hey~" Sugar put his face under his hand, leaning closer to the chair. He was crossing his legs while doing this.
Lucy's embarrassment quickly turned into anger, "You idiot! What are you doing here? I said I will meet you at midnight!" She whispered. Okay, now her day is slightly better.
"What? I am just here to see you, Lucy." Sugar winked at her before looking at his surroundings; it was desolate.
"Jeez, have you tried advertising? Why is no one coming to your stall?" Sugar lifted his eyebrow, not sure what was happening to her.
"Sugar, I have no idea, but I don't care." Lucy hid her face in her arms, gaining a sympathetic look from Sugar.
"I could help out if you want." Sugar lay his head on the table with both of them staring at each other.
"What else can you do, Sugar?" Lucy was about to argue, but he decided to let out the radioactive chicken and siren out of the cage.
"You should let these two out of their cages." Sugar stated, and both of the eldritchs finally breathed in the fresh air instead of the rusty cage lead.
Lucy was about to yell at him, "You mor-" She stopped when she realized that Sugar was tending to eldritch.
"Well, we're gonna try our first method to attract more people to your stall." Sugar was treating The Siren with some perfume while grooming her hair before getting her ready for the show.
"Lower your voice if you have to, okay?" Sugar stated, and The Siren nodded, starting to sing a song. Lucy had forgotten that her stall had a small pond for The Siren.
Sugar then settled down, and The Radioactive Chicken started breakdancing out of nowhere. Lucy questioned if Sugar drugged it or something.
People started to show interest now, with more visitors coming to the stall.
"Hehe, yeah!" Sugar was celebrating; his first method worked.
"Ah, screw it." Lucy decided to play along with all of this, "It's still not enough for us to reach the top. What should we do, Sugar?" Lucy asked, and Sugar laughed with his hand on his lip.
"That's simple, dear! Prepare the fort!" Sugar ordered, leaving Lucy confused at what he was implying before a bunch of stuffed bags appeared in a stack.
"Quick, this method might be deadly for both of us." Sugar started stacking the bags around them, with Lucy helping with her normal telekinesis.
It took a while, but they managed to construct a bag fortress around the stall, and it was completed.
"Okay, Lucy. Could you step back for this one? This might be deadly." Sugar appeared in front of the fortress, spraying a throat spray inside his mouth.
"What the hell is he doing?" Lucy watched him, curious about what would happen next.
Sugar took a deep breath before shouting out.
"BOY HAREM! BOY HAREM! COME GET YOUR 'I'LL WIN THE HEART OF THE MALE LEAD HERE!'"
It was silence, dead silence. It felt like time just stopped before suddenly everything started shaking.
A crowd of fangirls came into the tent, crowding around Lucy's stall and ragdolling Sugar out of the way to the back of the stall.
Kristen was shocked, "Well, someone's winning the first day, huh?"
The swarm of fangirls shrieked and shoved, growing riotous in their quest for the promised 'boy harem.' Lucy struggled towards Sugar who was dusting himself off after being trampled.
"This stunt is getting out of control!" she shouted over the chaos. "We need to placate them with...I don't know, something!"
Sugar snapped his fingers, grin returning. "Say no more, I've got just the thing!"
Lucy watched dubiously as he made an exaggerated show of rummaging through empty air. With a triumphant "aha!" he then pulled out a suspiciously convenient book titled 'I'll Win the Heart of the Male Lead' and brandished it skyward heroically.
"Ladies, BEHOLD!" he declared loudly, instantly drawing the mob's attention. "Signed premium limited edition copies right here!"
A symphony of high-pitched 'KYAAA's echoed Lucy's stall as Sugar smugly opened the book to a random page. Scrawls of indistinguishable signatures were already crammed over every inch. With a wink at the stunned Lucy, he then began selling more at blinding speed while the girls nearly rioted trying to get close.
As her assistants scrambled to handle the rabid sales surge, Lucy pinched herself wondering if this was all a stressful dream. But the baffling reality remained.
Somehow that infuriating, ridiculous man had exponentially increased profits and headaches. She sagged against the bags, equal parts bewildered, furious, and reluctantly impressed.
"Unbelievable...," she muttered. Yet she couldn't tear her gaze away from his stupid, charming smile.
The other exhibitors gaped in astonishment as the frenetic book signing escalated Lucy's stall situation further into chaos. None more so than a stern woman observing coolly from the back of the crowd - Dr. Dorothy.
"Well, well...this is certainly an effective if unorthodox publicity gambit," she remarked to Kristen beside her. "Quite curious my sister would utilize such...flamboyant methods."
Kristen whistled loudly. "No kidding! Never seen her acting so shamelessly before!"
They watched as Lucy frantically manned the rapidly dwindling book stacks while Sugar continued whipping the mob into a lusty frenzy.
"Think it has something to do with Mr. Heartthrob there egging her on?" Kristen chuckled, elbowing Dorothy conspiratorially.
But the psychologist merely pushed her glasses up her nose, scrutinizing the bizarre scene. Specifically Lucy's frequent glances towards her preposterous assistant when she thought no one was looking.
"Perhaps my sister has come under the influence of a volatile variable that has...lowered certain inhibitions," Dorothy mused. As Sugar blew kisses into the audience, she caught Lucy averting her gaze quickly, cheeks flushed.
Kristen's eyes widened with devilish delight at her implication. "Wait wait, are you saying your serious sis has the hots for funboy there? No way!"
Dorothy gave a noncommittal hum, neither confirming nor denying. But the hints of a sly smile playing on her usually stern lips suggested volumes...
Kristen guffawed loudly at this bombshell gossip while Dorothy observed the curious pair more closely. What had gotten into her staunchly professional sister lately? These irrational antics seemed most...intriguing to analyze further.
For scientific purposes, of course. She adjusted her glasses again, sharp gaze glinting. Perhaps she needs to tease her confession out somehow...
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