Break away to answer the bell (costs 20 guts)

It isn't easy, but you manage with great effort to tear your arm away from Bubblegum, who is trying very hard to stop you from answering the alarm sounding from the back of the shop. Once you're free and have gained a little distance, you hold out both hands to make your profile wide, like you're trying to intimidate an animal that's ready to charge you. Thankfully, instead of preparing to pounce over the counter, she seems to have settled for stewing silently, but the glare on her face is so sharp it feels like it might cut you. Her earlier friendliness and her cute smile have both vanished entirely, replaced with a frown of malcontent.

You try to explain to her that neither one of you are going to be able to get any work done if that bell keeps going off. It's going to drive both of you crazy! There's no way she can just ignore that, right?!

"I'm quite used to ignoring it," she answers with a pouting frown, crossing her arms beneath her impressive bosom and sinking her head down. "Look, there's a reason they call me the Helpful Clown: because I help rookies! And I'm telling you nothing good will come from associating with my co-manager. You can either spend your time up front with me, learning all the ins and outs of this place," Bubblegum continues, momentarily adopting her graceful smile and posture, "or you can go learn all the wrong lessons from Licorice." She ends by sticking out her tongue in an expression of open disdain and holding up her hands in a sort of mocking, "blah blah blah" sort of gesture.

If Bubblegum has a co-manager named Licorice, that probably means Licorice is also a cute clown! And if she's a cute clown, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't go and meet her! This seems like a no-brainer.

Bubblegum grabs hold of your arm one more time-- she must have actually leapt over the counter at some point, because now she's right beside you. "You'll stay with me, right, Bowie? Let's start over and get to know each other," she encourages you, fluttering her long eyelashes with an adorable smile on her pink-painted lips.

The other bell in the back of the shop keeps ringing, encouraging you to stay the course. It could be your imagination, but it seems like its ringing louder and more insistently than before!