CHAPTER 61: THE MIDNIGHT DELIVERY

"I can’t believe this," Vuvi snarls, arms crossed, eyes narrow.

Pip slumps where he stood in the inn room doorway, a low, remorseful beep escaping his core. He pulses out a warm thought-wave. A ripple of guilt, apology, and a sincere desire to do better. The emotional projection washes over the room, hugging each member of the team in a blanket of mechanical remorse.

"Aww, Pip," Penelo coos, launching herself forward and wrapping him in a tight hug. "It’s okay. I know you were trying to help!"

Veena chuckles from the corner, adjusting her chest. "You really gonna stay mad at him, Vuvi? Look at that little faceplate. He’s just doing his job... a little too well."

Vuvi sighs heavily and drops into a chair. "Fine. Fiiiine. I can’t stay mad at you. But from now on? No more guarding duty if it involves any woman. I mean it. You’re too generous with your... ports."

Pip beeps happily, cheeks glowing faintly, and gives her a stern salute.

The morning sun spills through the inn’s warped windows, catching dust motes as the team gathers their gear. Outside, the air is thick with movement and joy. As they step out, they are greeted not by chaos or post-destruction grief, but the opposite.

Villagers are everywhere: hammering, laughing, hauling burned beams out of the way, patching rooftops, and planting anew. Music plays on a distant flute while children chase each other between barrels of fresh fruit. Somehow, a village half-burned by dragonfire had become the site of a festival.

Veena blinks. "Did we sleep through a restoration spell or something?"

"They’re rebuilding," Penelo says cheerfully, bouncing beside Pip. "I love it! Look how happy they are!"

Pip beeps in agreement, then rushes to a group of villagers lifting a support beam. With one smooth motion, he hoists the entire thing with one arm and begins helping them erect a barn wall.

"Of course he’s helping," Vuvi mutters, dragging her fingers down her face. "We’re here to run our service, not rebuild the country. He’s a pleasure construct, not a civic engineer."

Penelo immediately launches into helpful mode, skipping off to hand out drinks and snacks to laborers, fussing over sweaty brows and overheated farmers.

"You’re just jealous he’s better at multitasking than you," Veena says dryly.

Vuvi grumbles something about "priority protocol" and stomps toward the chieftess’s home.

The elderly woman greets them with open arms and a soot-covered smile. "Oh, darlings! You’ve come to bring joy, I hope?"

"We need a location," Vuvi says. "Where we can... set up shop. Comfortably."

The chieftess claps her hands. "Perfect! The old barn... it’s half-burned, but you’re clever. I’m sure you’ll make it lovely!"

The "barn" was more blackened skeleton than building. Vuvi stares at it for a long time. "Comfortable, huh?"

"I’ve slept in worse," Veena offers with a shrug.

Together, they get to work. Burned straw is cleared out, wooden panels replaced, silks and linens laid down, lanterns lit, and the atmosphere adjusted with careful application of incense and soft ambient spells. Penelo prances in humming, carrying a stack of folded towels and a basket of aromatic oils.

Within an hour, a velvet-draped desk stands at the barn entrance where Vuvi perched, quill in hand, taking bookings.

"And we’re open for business!" she declares, as Penelo begins hawking services down the street.

The response was immediate. A line of curious, giggling, and occasionally blushing villagers queued up. Some old, some young, all female. They eyed the barn like it was a temple, and Pip like the golden god inside it.

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By the sun hovered at the horizon, the barn’s lanterns glow warmly. The velvet linens have seen much use, and Pip has not stopped since midmorning. Yet he remains ever professional. Veena dutifully tracks each participant in her notebook, jotting down their species, post-session mobility, and psychological afterglow ratings.

The queue thins with the arrival of dusk.

"That’s it for the day," Vuvi says, blowing a hair from her face as the last client is carried away by two giggling attendants, moaning blissfully with a thumbs-up raised.

Penelo flops beside Veena and promptly falls asleep across her lap. Veena doesn’t flinch, she simply keeps writing, her hand moving smoothly over the pages.

Pip struts out of the barn, glistening faintly with polished oil and satisfaction. He strikes a victorious pose, and a chime echoes from his core. "Good job!"

"You are the weirdest hero I’ve ever met," Vuvi mumbles, patting his back.

As she turns to collect her things and gently nudge her dozing teammates, a shadow shifts at the edge of the road.

Pip’s sensors flicker on. He snaps to attention and pings a soft alert tone.

The team follows him, bleary-eyed and dragging their feet, down to the village’s edge.

There, walking stiffly down a slope into town, was a small, waifish figure. A girl,barely in her twenties, with horns peeking through tangled hair. Her tattered dress hangs off her shoulders as she carries, on her head, a crate filled with gold, silver, gemstones, and unrefined ore. Each step she took sparks tiny bursts of flame at her heels.

Then she sneezes.

A gout of fire bursts out of her mouth with a poof, and she spins, yelping and flailing.

"Dragon-kin," Veena whispers, suddenly wide awake.

Pip began forward. The girl sees the group and gasps, nearly dropping the crate. Her eyes widen in terror. She turns and bolts.

"Don’t let her escape!" Vuvi shouts.

A puff of violet smoke, a crackle of magic, and Veena appears in front of her, pointing out her palm. Chains of light wrapped around the girl, pinning her gently in place.

"Wait, wait! I’m sorry!" she cries. "I didn’t mean to burn anything! I just... wanted to leave treasure! I was trying to make up for—"

Pip steps forward and gently places his hand on her arm.

The moment his fingers brushes her, she stills. A warm wave of empathy pulses through her skin. Her panicked breath slows. Her trembling stops.

She looks at him, wide-eyed. "You... you’re the one everyone keeps talking about, aren’t you?"

Pip gives a gentle beep and nods.

Her lip trembles.

"I’m sorry," she whispers. "I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I just... I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’m hot all the time. My skin burns. I want to bite things, and... and roll in flowers and scream and cry and fly and.. kiss someone. All at the same time!"

Veena and Vuvi looks at each other.

"Ohhh," Penelo mumbles sleepily. "Her first heat. Poor thing doesn’t know what’s going on."

"I didn’t mean to burn the buildings!" the dragon-kin girl cries. "I try to hold it in, but then I change, and I fly, and things just catch fire. And then I feel terrible, so I bring treasure to make up for it. I know that’s what dragons are supposed to do, right?"

Vuvi steps forward.

"What’s your name?" she asks softly.

"...Ka’lula," the girl saya.

"Well, Ka’lula," Vuvi replies, "we’re going to help you. But first, let’s get you somewhere safe. And more importantly... someone who can help you work through those... feelings."

Ka’lula blinks at Pip. "You mean...?"

Penelo giggles. "Oh yes."

Ka’lula smiles nervously, clutching her crate like a lifeline.