Bah, Humbug in Aisle Three

Add Comment | Related Links | TrackBack
Related Content

Bah, Humbug in Aisle Three

The rain had turned into a slushy, freezing drizzle against the neon-lit front glass of BlastersBB. Inside, Aoi was holding a warm cup of synthetic matcha latte with both hands. It was late December, and the megatropolis was plastered in holographic candy canes and aggressive holiday sales banners.

Aoi hated holiday rush shifts.

The chime above the entrance door chimed–not with its usual sharp electronic chirp, but programmed to play a tinny, festive 8-bit rendition of Jingle Bells. Aoi winced and mentally added "mute holiday chime" to her post-shift to-do list.

"Welcome to BlastersBB," she droned, her customer-service voice operating on pure muscle memory. "Where we weaponize your–"

She stopped.

Stepping through the automated glass doors was a man who looked like he had been dragged straight out of a 19th-century history holovid and dropped into a cyberpunk slum. He wore a long, threadbare black frock coat with frayed cuffs, a pointed nightcap pulled low over his forehead, and a pair of tiny wire-rimmed spectacles perched precariously on his pointed nose. He carried a flickering, battery-powered brass lantern that hummed with a loose wire, and he was glaring at the glowing store displays like they owed him rent.

Attached Image:

Ebenezer Scroog Walks into the Store.jpg

Virella
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 13:19:11 -0800

"Bah!" the old man spat, shaking his wet umbrella onto the clean showroom floor. "Humbug! A bright, noisy money-pit of worthless trinkets!"

Aoi blinked, setting her latte on the counter. "Uh. Happy holidays to you too, sir. Can I help you find something, or are you just here to avoid the freezing rain?"

The old man stomped up to the glass display counter, his wooden-soled boots clicking sharply against the polished tile. "I am Ebenezer Scrooge, girl. And I am not here to indulge in festive nonsense. I require a perimeter defense unit. A simple, low-cost locking bolt or a basic shock-mesh. My counting house was targeted by three absurdly bright holographic phantoms last night, blathering on about 'Past', 'Present', and 'Yet to Come'!"

He slammed a bony fist on the counter. "Unauthorized trespassing! Energy theft! I intend to make certain that if any more glowing spirits attempt to enter my premises to preach about 'goodwill', they receive a thousand volts of electric current!"

Aoi stared at him, her left eyebrow slowly raising. She took a slow sip of her matcha. Right. A Victorian cosplayer having a techno-paranoid breakdown. Just another Thursday night in the megatropolis.

Attached Image:

Aoi talking to Ebenezer Scrooge.jpg

Virella
Thu, 12 Nov 2026 03:31:51 -0800

Add Comment | Related Links | TrackBack
Related Content

Did your message disappear? Read the Forums FAQ.

Add Comment

Spam Control | * indicates required field

TrackBack

TrackBack only accepted from WebSite-X Suite web sites. Do not submit TrackBacks from other sites.

Send Ping | TrackBack URL | Spam Control

No TrackBacks yet. TrackBack can be used to link this thread to your weblog, or link your weblog to this thread. In addition, TrackBack can be used as a form of remote commenting. Rather than posting the comment directly on this thread, you can posts it on your own weblog. Then have your weblog sends a TrackBack ping to the TrackBack URL, so that your post would show up here.

Your Name: *
E-mail:
	Remember Me!
Comment: *
	File attachment is optional. Please do not attach a file to your submission unless it is relevent.
Attach File: (20 MB Max)
Spam Protection: *	Answer of 9 + 0?
	Click button only once, please!