[b][x] - A Limited Edition Anniversary 2B Statedler Scrivener. Constructed out of space-age materials, this pencil is said to be able to keep its mono-molecular sharpness forever. Only 50 of these pencils were distributed during the Pre-Fall era and only the head members of the Founding Clans have each of one. The Scrivener is considered by many in the Wal to be a holy artifact and in the Stationary Shogunate, you will garner respect amongst your fellow samurai for having acquired such an artifact.  Be careful not to lose this. [2][/b]

[x] -  A premium Wal-Pachinko lottery card. Many an aisler died attempting to get their hands on a lottery card and fewer have found a usable Wal-Pachinko machine. If you could find a working Wal-Pachinko machine, you would receive treasures that the Tronic Temple would gleefully sell entire tracts of their Department to buy. [1]

[hr]

You grab the instrument gently by its shaft, the metallic sheen of the golden paint glowing like sunlight. It’s light but your hand trembles as if you are holding a shake-weight. It feels unworthy. Holding a sacred artifact of your department in your hands, you can’t imagine anything else that would atone for your crimes to the clan than this pencil. 

“ Thank you, Haagen,” You bow courteously. “ You have honoured your side of the deal. I will not forget this. ” 

“ Whaddya expect? This is the Bargain Bin. Everyone expects a fair exchange in this department.” He mutters errantly, more focused on the package than you. “ ‘Besides, I’m not that type of person. I may be engaged in a little bit of shoplifting but then, again, who doesn’t?” 

You snort. Of course, everyone knew the truth of the Wal. Everyone was a shoplifter under the gaze of the automatons that lorded over their very lives and no one was a customer. No matter how well you tried to conduct yourselves, Security would always identify you as a worthless shoplifter. Then again, there were plenty of Departments and lesser factions that tried to convince themselves otherwise. Your mind wandered to the loud chanting of the Smilers as you tuck the Scrivener gently inside your belt. 

“ I could think of some,”you said “ Nevertheless, the Sakura Clan is in your debt. If you ever need a -” 

The floor beneath you begins to shake, making your feet stumble as you trip on non-existent ground. Poison comes to your mind at first but that thought soon disappears as you see the other occupants of the cereal box are swaying as well. This wasn’t a hallucination. Leash grabs you by the neck, stopping you from having a personal meeting with the cardboard floor. The shaking then stops. Haagen, however, is worse for wear, groggily clambering back up after falling down on his bum. 

“ Samurai, was this you?!” Haagen points at you accusingly. “ Did your clan come down here for Sport?”
“ No.” Leash sniffs the air like a hound, taking long draughts of the tepid air. “ Different smell. More clean. More plastic.” 

Haagen’s face then pales, white with fear. “ No, it can’t be…..”  He dislodges an ice cream scoop stuck on his table before running outside with Leash. You follow them both. Outside is an inferno. So much so that the smoke makes your eyes water. The lower levels of the Shelf are burning and waiting at ground level is a horde large enough to take over an entire Department. Thousands of flaming match-sticks held by the same maniacs you encountered earlier in the Bargain Bin. 

“ FOR SMILEY.” One of them at the front shouts. “ FOR THE GREAT SAM. PURGE ALL OF THESE SHOPLIFTERS, MY FELLOW SHOPPERS!”

You swear if you make it out of this alive to kill  any Smiler you meet ever again. Just out of caution. 

“ Useless knock-offs.” Haagen curses. “ All that Rocky Road I bribed them was all for nothing.” 

“ Alwaaayss Low Prices!” The first of the horde haul themselves on top of the Shelf and begin running in a loose formation towards you, shrieking prayers to Smiley himself with outstretched rictus grins. 

How do you respond? 

[X] - Escape the Shelf and live to fight another day. Some of your kin may call this dishonourable but you see it as a matter of common sense. After all, you do not answer to these inkless brigands.

[X] - Defend your martial honor like a samurai truly would. Although you may be without your weapon, you can still use something from the surrounding Shelf to help you survive. Cut through these Smiler dogs and spill their blood in the name of the Clan you fought for.