Wonka's Sweets Shoppe | Saturday

[shapethecentury]

There seemed to be more people milling about the island than there usually were. Bucky had paid no mind, though, beyond smiling pleasantly at some of the new ladyfolk he'd seen on his walk to work.

He was a little more concerned with what he could have only decribed as a strange feeling of... anticipation, inside the store. He spent an embarrassingly long while pacing around the store, trying to find something that could have caused the feeling. Like something out of place.

But he found nothing.

So he hung the HELP WANTED sign on the window again (graduation had not been great to his employee roster), and tried to go about his business. Making sure the shelves were stocked and there was all the candy anyone could possibly want to be sold to any newcomers on the island.

(open!)

Comments

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

Wonka might have made a couple of detours before he found his Sweets Shoppe, but that's only to be expected on an island as strange as Fandom. Many people and creatures were in need of candy after all, and Wonka wouldn't dream of not supplying it.

But now he was here, ready to begin his very serious inspection!

He stepped inside, beaming. Inspections should always start on a positive note. Wonka was certain the candy could tell that he expected the best and the candy would then, naturally, be the best. "Oh my sweets!" he said, happily.

[shapethecentury]

Oh, thank God, someone to maybe help Bucky focus on something other than the weird feeling in the store today.

Or so he thought, anyway.

He straightened up behind the counter and smiled. "Good day, sir, what can I do for you today?"

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Bucky might want to prepare himself for a weird day in general.

"Excellent greeting, most satisfactory," Wonka said. A clipboard appeared in his hand as if by magic (but actually some very impressive sleight of hand) and he ticked off the first thing on his Inspection List. He beamed at his employee. Or franchise owner. Something. Wonka wasn't too clear on how this worked.

"Now, let's talk chocolates. Which are your best sellers? Do you feel they need improvement?"

No, Wonka still hadn't introduced himself.

[shapethecentury]

Which made this really weird. And that was saying something for someone who'd hired a talking pony.

"Uh," Bucky said. Intelligently. "I guess the Wonka bars? They, um, they seem to sell pretty steadily. But usually whatever's on display seemes to go pretty well. I mean... yeah."

Sorry, he was a little taken aback.

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," Wonka said again. This inspection was going really well so far! Wonka offered him an Approved by Wonka! sticker.

Then he started looking and poking at the candy on the shelves. The candy seemed to, weirdly, impossibly, become extra candilicious when he looked at it. "I haven't been here in such a long while, but it looks like you have everything under control!"

Of course, a superficial inspection wasn't enough. He would have to taste test as well.

[shapethecentury]

"Thanks?" Bucky said. He knew that wasn't supposed to be a question. He did. Too bad he couldn't stop it sounding that way anyway.

He looked at the sticker. Then back at the man. Then the sticker again. Then he cleared his throat. "So, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but... Who are you?"

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

"Why, I'm Willy Wonka, of course!" Wonka looked surprised that he had to actually say it. Didn't everybody in the entire multiverse recognize him on sight?

[shapethecentury]

"Won–– Wait, Wonka, like in the signs?"

And, y'know, on a lot of things inside the store. Because it was in the name. "Are you the owner?"

Shit, he hadn't done anything to mess things up so far, had he? "Uh, sir."

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

Wonka beamed. "Indeed I am!" Whether he signed any checks, or, indeed, had any idea who he employed was a different matter entirely.

He spun around in a little circle, taking in all the displays. "I am here for the Once-Every-Decade Candy Inspection!"

At some point he might stop speaking in excited exclamations, but all things considered, probably not.

[shapethecentury]

At least dealing with Pinkie had primed Bucky for handling enthusiasm in unprecedented quantities. Somewhat.

He found himself almost standing at attention, which was impressive considering he was yet to actually make it into the army. (It was just that he was very attached to this job. The pay was ridiculous compared to the hours, especially from a late 1930s perspective.) "And... how are we faring so far, sir?"

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

"Very well, very well," Wonka said approvingly, then remembered himself. It wouldn't do to be too approving before he knew for sure, so he added, "So far!"

Wonka knew nothing about talking pink ponies yet, but probably wouldn't have found that too weird. Possibly he'd be concerned about said pony's ability to handle the candy, but that was about it.

"Perhaps you can show me around? Have you sold any chocolate birds recently? I'm considering an upgrade! What do you think about chocolate peacocks?"

[shapethecentury]

The pony was surprisingly good at handling the candy, although how exactly that worked, Bucky preferred not to think too hard about.

"Chocolate birds?" he asked, steppig out from behind the counter. Perhaps a little cautiously. "I don't think I've sold any. Would –– would the peacocks work the same way?"

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

"I don't see why not!" Wonka said. He contemplated it for a moment. He wasn't the most successful chocolatier in the world by not considering the practicalities however. "Well, perhaps the activation strategy should be different."

A peacock's tail unfolding in somebody's mouth might be awkward no matter the size of the peacock or the mouth.

He turned to give Bucky a look. This was definitely part of the inspection. "What do you think?"

[shapethecentury]

"I think the chocolate birds are terrifying to begin with."

Okay, so apparently he was going for honesty now.

"I, uh, would not buy a chocolate peacock. But ––" And here he was going to soften that up somewhat. "–– this island is strange and has people with different tastes, so it might still sell. People would at least try it once."

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

Never let it be said that Wonka couldn't listen to constructive criticism!

Admittedly, there were four children who would happily point out that Wonka then had a habit of totally disregarding said criticism, but certainly he listened. Sort of.

"If they try it once, they'll try it again, when it is the best chocolate they have ever tasted!"

[shapethecentury]

"Maybe," said Bucky, who'd pretty much used up all his willingness to be too contrary at this point. He scratched the back of his head. "We, uh, also do various specials on different kinds of products. Like these do-it-yourself candy kits from Japan? That kind of thing."

He hoped that showed some initiative.

[mrwwonka.livejournal.com]

"Do-it-yourself candy kits from Japan?" Wonka looked puzzled. "Are you having people make their own candy?"

That was really against everything Wonka stood for! He made the candy! His valued customers ate it! That was how it worked!

Wonka was maybe not so impressed by that initiative. Quick, Bucky, distract him with something shiny. Like gum balls. Or jawbreakers.