This episode takes place immediately after (the new) Dynamite Powerchord disbanded at the end of Chapter 3!
Once Wataru, Aria, and Résistance had all said their goodbyes to Rick, they cheerfully left the rehearsal studio!
“Phew! That was a close call, but I’m glad we made it out all right!” Wataru commented!
“Right!” Résistance agreed!
They were nostalgically looking back on the travesty that had just taken place at the Wind Continent Ultimate Rock Band Tournament two days previously!!
Aria stopped in her tracks and spoke up! “Wataru... Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Hm!?” Wataru crossed his log-like arms in confusion, as he had no idea what Aria was insinuating! “Forgetting something...? What are you talking about!?”
“When you dragged us into the band, you said that you’d buy us the new Payblades! Remember!?”
“...Right!!!!! I did say something like that!!!!!”
If this promise has slipped your own memories, Dear Readers, go back and read Chapter 3 again! Buy another copy of the book, while you’re at it!!
“Well, now that you remember it, let’s go get those Payblades right now!” Aria said, tugging at Wataru’s arm!
“R-Right now!?”
“Of course! Come on, Résistance, let’s go!”
“Wait, I’m going, too!?”
So, Wataru and Résistance reluctantly allowed Aria to drag them to the toy store!!
Toys ‘B’ We was the largest toy store in the Sky Kingdom. It was a continental chain that had grown rapidly all over the Wind Continent, famous for their variety of products as well as for low prices derived from buying their inventory wholesale. Their Sky Kingdom location was located around a corner from the end of the main-street market.
“Here we are!” Aria declared with wholehearted joy! “Welcome to Toys ‘B’ We!”
The giant, warehouse-like store was painted in vibrant colors to better appeal to children! Its walls were adorned with a cute cartoon of their mascot character, a green goblin!! This was truly a world of wonder, stuffed to the brim with the hopes and dreams of children!!!
“Huh. I didn’t know they had a toy store around here! It looks like a pretty fun spot!” Wataru said!
Résistance spoke up as well! “Indeed. I’ve never been to this location of Toys ‘B’ We, but from its size, I’d imagine that they’re well stocked.”
When all was said and done, they both seemed pretty excited about this, too! The trio stepped into the store!
Wataru was astounded! “This place is huge!!”
The expansive store was stuffed to the brim with shelves, all packed tight with toys! They seemed to have everything imaginable here, from normal toys like stuffed animals to strange objects covered in eerie designs none of them could decipher the use of! To Wataru, it was practically a theme park! It was two o’clock in the afternoon, and the store was already bustling with families!!
“Come on, the Payblade section is this way!” Aria slipped through the crowd with a brimming smile! She was much more excited about this than a seventeen-year-old should probably be!
Résistance chuckled. “Hey, Aria. Don’t get carried away.”
The trio had made it to the Payblade section of the Toys ‘B’ We! A group of boys were hanging out by the display, their glimmering eyes nailed to the newest Payblade models!
“There are a lot of different Payblades, huh!?”
Wataru was right. The displays were packed tight with various models, each one in packaging decorated with cool-looking designs that appealed to boys, like a dragon or phoenix!
“So, which one are you getting???” Wataru asked.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Aria picked up a particular model! “This one!” The box had the same green goblin that was drawn on the exterior of the store! “This one’s the Blade of Justice Mk-II (Toys ‘B’ We Exclusive Edition)! Like it says right here, you can only get it in Toys ‘B’ We!”
“Cool!” Wataru was genuinely uninterested!
“The normal Justice Blade Mk-II has a red body with silver trim, and the dragon symbol in the center! But this Toy ‘B’ We exclusive edition has a blue body and gold trim! Best of all, the symbol at the center isn’t a dragon, but Goblob! The mascot of Toys ‘B’ We! Remember the character we saw when we came in?”
“Cool!” Wataru was still genuinely uninterested!
However, Wataru was faced with one serious problem!
“Wait a minute, Wataru. You said you’d buy us the new Payblades if we joined the band, but you don’t have any money, do you?”
“...Right!!!!! I forgot about that!!!!!”