Candlelight flickers softly over velvet table clothes and artistically prepared, gourmet foods. Crystal glasses clink with rare, fine wines and cutlery dances across plates, bringing morsels of ambrosial delight to eagerly awaiting mouths.
The team sits in Market's Town finest fine dining establishment, The Kings Plums.
The marbled marvel is abuzz with murmured chatter and gentle lute music. But all of it fades to background noise for Vuvela Blackthorn, who sits in silence, pushing her salad around with a fork as old, long-buried memories claw their way to the surface.
Penelo, sitting beside her, tilts her head, flopping her ears about. "Hey, Vuvi? So who were those cat-kin back there? They were total bullies. Are you okay?"
Vuvi sighs, "Raenly and Mysa Mystbern. Siblings." she groans, tossing her fork aside.
She leans back, eyes staring at nothing. "You ever live in a big, beautiful place where everything just… fits? Except you. And you end up feeling like the smallest, loudest, ugliest thing in the room. Just… existing in the wrong place."
Pip sighs with a slow, solemn whistle. He knew the feeling all too well.
Veena stops mid-chew and raises an eyebrow, listening more closely.
"I lived in a place like Market Town." Vuvi says, swirling her wine. "Before the curse… and the wars… and everything. My mother, Maribelle Blackthorn, The Twilight Blade, she was a noble. A war hero, honored by the Crown, rewarded lands and riches. We lived in a huge estate close to the capital… had everything."
She pauses, stares into her glass and takes a long sip.
"I hated all of it."
"W-Why?" Penelo asks, ears drooping.
"I… was different. I wasn't like the others. I didn't want to fight, or learn magic, or how to be a proper lady. I wanted to build. Break things! Makes things better. Some people didn't like that. My fellow students thought I was a freak."
Veena leans forward. "Were those cat-kin fellow students?"
"Yeah, they went to the same school as me. Raenly Mystbern and his sister Mysa, heirs to Mystbern Mechanics, producers of most of the commercial constructs you still see today. He never liked me, but we had an understanding. A friendly rivalry. But… he's hated me ever since I made him cry at the Alchemist Guild's junior showcase."
Penelo gasps.
Then slips an entire cream tart down her throat.
"He built this stupid little vibrating, self-warming teacup. Made the weirdest noise." Vuvi's face spreads into a bitter smile. "I showed up with a self-condensing low-flow mana-siphon that could convert used spell scrolls into pure, condensed energy crystals. He burst into tears when he saw it working. Everyone laughed. Even his sister… especially his sister."
Vuvi's grin fades and she sighs again. Deeper.
"Mysa laughed, but she hated me for embarrassing him. Embarrassing their family. She made my life miserable after that. Constant torment. Tripping me in the halls, glitter in my hair, sabotaging my tools, anything just to mess with me. Eventually I developed a full-blown fear of felines. Couldn't even look at a housecat without twitching for years."
Penelo leaps from her chair and grabs Vuvi in a tight hug. "My poor gear-gremlin. That was awful!"
"Thanks Fluff." Vuvi smiles, leaning into the bunny-kin's warm plushiness. "I just hate that they're here. Mother moved us out into the country to get away from people like them. They were always watching me. Laughing… I… I just want to shut them up. Once and for all."
Veena leans in, smirking slyly. "Now you're speaking my language."
"No!" Vuvi scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Not if your language includes murder!"
"What?! No… well, okaaay… but… fine!" Veena pouts, falling back in her chair. "At least enchant their beds with a tickle-curse and bind them to it for a few days. That's how bullies are handled in the Demon Lands… or… uhhh… so I've heard."
Penelo giggles. "That sounds fun!"
Pip nods with a playful chime.
Vuvi pulls away from Penelos' hug, chuckling softly. "As fun and unethical as that sounds, I have a better idea. And, we'll kill two birds with one stone."
She reaches into her bag and whips out a crisp, golden-lettered pamphlet with the title in gilded, calligraphic script.
"The Grand Alchemist Guild Showcase: A Celebration of Diligence, Discovery & Delight."
Vuvi lifts her hand over the table and extends two fingers.
"One." she says with a grin, folding back the first finger. "We have Pip's unveiling at the showcase and get official recognition from the Alchemist Guild."
Penelo ears perk up as she stuffs her mouth with glazed carrots. "Ooooh!"
"Two. We win the grand prize for best invention and make Raenly cry. Again!"
Pip gives a low boop, eyes flickering red, he slowly lifts a thumbs up then points it down.
Veena chuckles at his cute show of malice. "What about Mysa?"
"Don't worry about her. She has a… thing… for constructs. Once she's convinced Pip is the real deal, she'll come begging for a go. We'll decide what to do with her then. And once Raenly finds out we've got Mysa wrapped around Pip's glow stick, he'll be tearing out his fur!"
"Delicious!" Veena smirks, liking her lips.
"This is getting spicy!" Penelo giggles.
Before the girls could finish a toast to their plan of revenge, the restaurant doors swing open with a bang.
Two knights in gleaming, gold and white armour march in, their metal boots clacking against the polished tiles. Patrons gasp and lean out of the way as they approach Vuvi's table menacingly.
"By order of the Crown." one exclaims, voice deep and commanding, yet clearly feminine. "We request the presence of Vuvela Blackthorn and the construct known as The Prince of Pleasure."
Penelo's ears droop over her face as she sinks into her seat.
"Oh nooooo. We're in big trouble now."
"Relax." Vuvi says, forcing a smile. "They're being polite. No one's swinging swords yet."
The second knight raises their hand. "We escort a representative of The Church of The Great Mother. She requests an audience."
"Well, as you can see we're in the middle of—"
Vuvi's words are cut short as the two knights part and bow their heads.
Stepping between them, as if floating on a cloud, was the most radiant woman Pip has ever set his eye-cameras on.
Dressed in a simple, flowing white gown, transparently sheer, and thin as a fleeting thought. Beneath it, her skin shimmers like moonlit pearl, her long, golden-blonde hair kiss her ankles, the faint outline of small, pink nipples tug at her gown, and her eyes sparkle like starlight on an untouched spring.
To Pip, she looks… divine.
His optics flicker through various zoom-levels as he closely inspects the woman's glorious figure.
"Ba-Diiiing"
A soft chime escapes him.
The woman bows deeply, as if accepting it as a grand compliment.
"I am most honoured." she says calmly, her voice like music. "I am Sister Lihona, sixth tongue of the Maiden Mother, and Saint-Sister to Market Town and the Green Vale. I come bearing questions from the High Temple."
She raises her head, and turns to Vuvi.
"There are rumours of a red-headed woman and her invention. A metal man. Divine in construction. One who fosters a new kind of healing. Not of herb or scripture. But one of pleasure. A pleasure that soothes pain and brings about peace."
Vuvi cocks an eyebrow. "So what? You want him to give you a sermon or something?"
The Saint-Sister turns to Pip, her eyes gleaming as she smiles softly at him.
His core crystal sparks faintly as his eyes glow brighter in response.
"I've come to see if there is truth in the rumours. The Church of the Great Mother, nor the Crown, will tolerate blasphemy in the name of the divine… or heretics of any sort."
"There's about two dozen women you can ask around town, Sister." Vuvi scoffs. "Trust me, we've been getting glowing reviews."
"No." The Sister' replies, her soft smile slowly turning to a smirk. "I must experience the truth myself."
She swings her hands across her chest, untying her gown in a single, fluid motion.
Penelo gasps, cheeks glowing red as she grabs them with her paws.
Veena simply sips her wine and nods approvingly.
"Ugh…" Vuvi sighs. "Here we go again."
Lihona lets her gown fall to the ground like a fluttering flower petal, slowly and gracefully.
The room falls silent in an instant.
No chatter. No music. Not even a breath.
Until…
"Ba-diiing"
Before Pip stood a Saint-Sister. Bare, glowing, ethereally beautiful and completely unshaken by dozens of eyes staring at her in stunned awe.
"I offer myself for this divine purpose." she says softly, as she stalks toward Pip. "The results of my time with him will be reported to the High Temple. If the rumours are true, his power will be granted the official status of a miracle. Should they be false… then, we shall discuss repentance and penance."
Vuvi bolts to her feet. "Look lady, you can't just come into a public restaurant, get naked, and demand experiences."
"And yet I have." Lihona says, smiling gently.
"She's like… like a sexy ghost…" Penelo whispers, eyes wide with wonder.
Pip nods, letting out a faint whistle of appreciation, and then a bow.
Lihona returns it with a smirk.
"Shall we?" she beckons with an outstretched hand.
Veena sips on her wine grinning through everything. "I love this new family." she mutters.
Vuvi slaps her forehead in defeat. "This is our life now, isn't it?"