As they turned the "L"-shaped bend of the narrow Ice Tunnel, the Pirates' eyes suddenly lit up...
It seems, Motive, Opportunity, and Means had finally come together... and the pirates had struck gold?!?!
Well, in a manner of speaking.
As a veteran great grandmaster reader of this novel, you would of course know by now that sometimes - ok very often, things did not always turn out the way one might expect...
Indeed.
We recall that Pyers had, in his own mind, 'cleverly' overheard the earlier thread in the story which mentioned 'just... desserts' and 'shaved... ice'...
And accordingly, he had ingeniously put two and two together.
Now, Pyers was... 'egg'-ing Firs and Sinbad on, having discovered that it seemed all the staff and workers in the Central Convenience Store had engaged in some kind of wild dessert party, with well stocked refrigerators open, shaved ice everywhere, and they were currently all snoring contentedly, clearly wasted from their wild... sugar orgy.
"..."
"Is... that even a thing? A sugar orgy? Come on...!!!" As usual, Pep-Z Guy was keen to say more unpopular truths, since he had seen the 'big men' 'take care of' Socielle Activisté and Isgoné Toofar earlier, and a teeny weeny, very small part of him felt... neglected...?!?! 👉👈 🫢
"It is now!!!"
"Shut up, Pep-Z Guy!!!"
Pep-Z Guy cast a quick glance at the exit, but the 'Big Men' were nowhere to be seen...
Aww...
"-It's okay, Pep-Z Guy, I've got you!"
-Suddenly, a kind voice piped up!!!
Oh! Socielle had returned! Not only that, She actually slid him a Powerstone, and a... Smile?!?!
She also slid closer, and whispered coyly in his ear...
"Actually... I think it's... kinda cool that... you're not afraid to speak your mind..." She murmured...!!!!
"O-Oh!!!" Pep-Z Guy went pink, even as he began to silently praise Author for this latest development?!!!!
Hehehehehe. Meanwhile Author grinned, as he again shamelessly utilised his Writing Powers to subtly 'improve' his In-Story Quality-of-Life conditions!!!
Heh. He brushed the dust off his hands as if completing a job well done. That should sort out Pep-Z Guy...!!!! Now that Pep-Z Guy would be delightfully distracted by the sweet Socielle, Author would have an increasingly freer hand to write whatever the hell he wanted without random, unpopular but true things getting pointed out!!!
Hahahahahahahaha...!!!!!!
___
In addition to the apparent Sugar Rush, it appeared that they had also stumbled upon a Gold Rush...
Or to, be more precise, a Gold-en Rush.
For there it was. A fabled dessert that they had only heard of, whispered in hushed tones in myth and legend...
In the very last freezer... was a box...
of Golden Gayétime?!?! [1]
[1] N.B. This is a reference to the "Golden Gaytime", an iconic and beloved Australian ice cream and dessert that is quite… hard, if not impossible to find overseas 👀✨
"Yes!!!! Arrrrr, Why not?!?! Go ahead, and Do it!!! What are you waitin' for?!"
After huddling around the precious dessert, Pyers had gotten Sinbad, the muscle, to do what he did best - namely, tear open the box, in order to access the spoils!!!!
"Hyeryghhhhh!!!!!"
With sheer power, Sinbad grasped the cardboard box and swiftly tore it open…
And now… after getting Sinbad to also unwrap them one each ("Hyearwghhh!!!!" Hyearrwghhhh!!!!" "Herrrrghhhh!!!!"), the Pirates were, perversely, thoroughly enjoying themselves, their eyes rolling back in bliss and pleasure, as they savoured their treasure…
At last!!!! They were, each, having a delicious, Golden Gayétime together…?!?!?!
✨👀💀
Mmm… As they tore off the wrapping and into the… ingeniously named dessert, they closed their eyes in contentment, as they began to lick and plunge the girthy, sweet treat into their mouths with relish…
"W-Who is this Author?!?!"
"Why is this so cursed…?!"
"I'm never eating a Golden Gayétime again...!!!"
___