Alice 12 Inconvenience Store

She looked around the store.

At the register that accepted credits, favors, IOUs, and sometimes just intent.
At Alice’s soft hum—present, aware, neutral in the way only something ancient could be.

“Alright,” Mako said finally.
“I’ll tell you.”

Mako began plainly.

“Alice 12 is… a convenience store.”
The juniors relaxed.
Then she continued.
“In the same way a black hole is ‘just gravity.’”

They tensed again.

“It sells food, drinks, tools, books, artifacts, furniture, weapons, spells, emotions, and occasionally things that don’t technically exist yet.”
“If you can imagine it clearly enough, there’s a chance Alice already stocked it.”
A shelf behind them rearranged itself on cue.
No one commented.

[Why Does It Exist?]

This one took her longer.
“Because my sister wanted a place where she could buy snacks without being bothered.”
She glanced toward the fridge.
“But don’t worry. As long as Mei is happy, the store is stable.”

- Mako, Alice 12 Clerk