bstalk

Bro, maybe we should just go back to the Pioneer Team...

Our fowlbeasts might be great at helping out with hunting and whatnot, but that's nothing to the city folks. They aren't gonna like 'em!

Don't say that!

How can you be so sure it won't work out before you try? What if that's exactly what they're into these days? Look at that girl there... She brought a whole gang of Metal Crabs! What are you so scared of?

Hey, I can hear you, you know!

You better watch out, or Peacake is going to bite you!

(Feigns ferociousness and waves claws)

Er, my bad, my bad—I didn't mean it like that, I was just trying to console him. Didn't expect you to hear me.

But I mean it, miss. Don't you think having ferocious fowlbeasts doing tricks could open up a whole new market?

Hm... I don't really know.

But like you said, I <i>am</i> bringing Metal Crabs to this contest, and fowlbeasts are more of a usual pet. You guys might just make it.

Hehe, and I just came up with an idea. Wanna hear it?

If you guys want to put on a good show, how about you work with me? I'll lend you some of my strongest crabs. They can work with your fowlbeasts and put on an amazing fight together!

Huh? That's awfully generous. For real?

Yep. I'm here to make a name for my Metal Crabs so that more people out there know how amazing they are.

If you guys make it big here, my crabs will follow suit and get famous too, right?

And even if it doesn't work out, they'll have learned some new tricks working with you guys. Either way, it's a win for me.

*whimpers*, thank you!

C'mon, the waiting times are long here. We've still got plenty of time for you to break the ice with them. Let me teach you what they can do!

Okay, focus, little guys! This is the waiting area, so let's start the training. And if you're good little boys and girls, I've got some treats waiting. The fancy stuff!

If anyone's not feeling well, now's the time to speak up!

Huh? They can talk?

(Move left claws and knock on their heads)

Hm, the flowers on your heads not feeling so good? Let me take a look.

(Turns around on the spot and lifts claw)

A rock scraped your leg? Ahh—There's a pebble stuck here!

Good job, Hammer. Be sure to let me know if you're not feeling okay anywhere. Don't be like Ice Cube, trying to tough it out without telling me.

(Stomps the ground)

Aw, don't be like that, you've been doing wonderful too!

Whoa—

Amazing, isn't it? I call this 'Clawspeak.' We've got our own unique way to communicate!

Watch this. (Puts right hand forward and swings it around)

(Turns right)

(Poses like she's drinking water)

(Hauls a bottle of springwater to her)

Just like that! Impressed? Aside from these daily life commands, they know even more for when I'm at work. They even come with me on some pretty difficult operations sometimes!

That's why I put together a special program just for this. Three minutes of showing off their ability to freely change their formation and follow all kinds of commands, then they'll interact with the judges for the last two.

I'll teach the judges a few commands to give to them, but until I give the order, the Metal Crabs won't listen to anyone else. That'll show just how professional they are!

Now I'm starting to get anxious. Pete, we gotta head back and work on our own show!

Hehe! I haven't been doing this for years for nothing!

Hrm...

Which one do you have your eyes on?

The girl brought who Metal Crabs. You don't see those every day. Unique!

Those furry beastlings have dominated the market for far too long. It's time for a new kind of pet: stranger, more exotic, and with more impact!

Slap on a few gimmicks and slogans, and we can jack up the price all we want. 'A perfect pet that executes all your commands perfectly.' How's that?

A terror of the wilderness, now at your beck and call with a cute flower on its head. Yeah, this will work!

Miss Beanstalk. That's a cute name you've got.

May I ask what this is about?

First, here's our advertising contract. Please take a look at it.

Hmm...

We've gone over the resume you submitted. I see you tried to sell something called 'Beanstalk's Fine Pet Food’?

Yep, so what did the committee think? I did amazing, right?

Right, you did make something of an impression...

But it's not enough!

What?!

The name and advertising don't have a clear theme. They're not extreme enough! They lack impact!

The advertising copy doesn't make a strong impression, and the story doesn't have enough twists and turns to it. There's not enough to stand out from the pack!

As a new product, both the name and the slogan have to be snappy. They need to be unique enough to grab customers by their hearts!

We don't need any gimmicks that are already on the market. What we need is something that's never been seen before!

Which is why even the subtlest word choice need to keep their interest. An eye-opener that'll awaken the masses' desire to buy!

Ooh—

...So that's how it is?

Ahem!

Miss Beanstalk, we make our evaluations in many different ways. Sometimes, we select from contestants who make it through our competitions. Other times, we reach out privately. You're very fortunate to belong in that second group—You can step directly onto the stage.

We'll provide you all the resources you'll need to distinguish your product, but you'll also need to work with us and film some commercials.

I see you've been flipping through the contract. So what do you think of my proposal?

Yeah, your offer really moved me.

In that case, we can go over the details of the contract, such as...

Huh? What did you do to the funding's number—

Whoops.

Guess you fou—

Wow, it's exactly the same as what we wrote in the first place!

Huh?

Heh, you're a pretty swell guy.

Haha, hardly.

Well then, Miss Beanstalk?

Take my signature!

Nice working with you!

Where have you been, and why do you smell so bad?

Gah... This is filthy!

Do you even have to ask? The Metal Crabs we just caught aren't behaving.

I took care of the most stubborn ones already. Tch, and it got on my clothes. The ones who are left can at least follow orders—I gotta make sure we have enough in stock after the show's over.

As for the ones the girl brought with her... She's keeping a close eye on them, though I'm guessing she wouldn't be able to tell if a few went missing.

...Whatever, I'm gonna go clean up. I still have to keep flattering Beanstalk and her crabs.

(Scurries over in a flurry)

Biggie? What are you doing here?

Weren't you guys resting up at the workshop?

(Puts claw next to face and gestures)

...What?

You mean... You can smell other Metal Crabs, but they're already dead?

(Points in the workshop's direction)

Around the back?

There's a small shed there, but isn't that a storehouse? I've passed by it a couple times, but the door's locked. Seemed like there were only boxes in there.

(Points claw at itself)

You mean there are other Metal Crabs trapped inside?!

(Whispers) Biggie, wait. Let's go somewhere no one will overhear us.

Okay, I see... I thought it'd be fine as long as I kept a close eye on you guys, but I never thought they'd go and capture wild crabs from the wastelands to train.

And they even killed the ones that wouldn't listen to them!

We gotta rescue them, Biggie!

So this is where you were, Miss Beanstalk. I've been looking for you the better part of the day.