The clothing shop shimmered like a jewel box cracked open. By the time Lunivelle finished browsing, half the store looked like it had personally surrendered to her beauty.
Tavriel clapped excitedly at every gown her mother touched.
Thirukumaran, holding an ever-growing stack of items, muttered,"I thought we were buying one dress… one."
Lunivelle brushed past him, holding another shimmering gown."Thiru, love, reality bends for needs."
He deadpanned. "Needs?"
"Yes," she said, already examining the next color. "Emotional needs."
Tavriel echoed: "Nee! Nee!" and slapped his shoulder.
He sighed. "Outnumbered again."
Absorbing Dresses – The Enchant/Tech Mechanism
A shop employee approached—a woman dressed in a deep violet gown embroidered with thin luminous wires that pulsed like living veins.
"Madam, would you like these stored in your wearable conduits?" she asked, bowing slightly.
Lunivelle lifted her necklace."Will this absorb all these new dresses? Or do I need new conduits—rings, pendants, something else?"
The woman smiled warmly."Your necklace appears to be a class-three Adaptive Wardrobe Conduit. It can store up to thirty dresses. When you wear it, the fabric is auto-converted onto your body. For removal, you simply eject the dress back into the conduit for washing or storage."
Lunivelle nodded. "Perfect. Much easier than manual folding."
Thirukumaran muttered, "I haven't folded clothes since we married anyway."
She smirked. "Because you fold time, not clothes."
The employee continued,"If you want faster transformation speeds or extra dress slots, we also offer enchanted rings to pair with the necklace. They sync through pulse-codes."
Lunivelle considered it. "Maybe later. For now, this is enough."
She touched her necklace, and gentle magic shimmered outward as each gown folded itself into light and streamed into the pearl pendant like silk threads dissolving into water.
Tavriel laughed, reaching for the sparkles. "Shiiiny!"
Thiru whispered, "I'm raising a magpie."
Shopping for the Little Star
Next came Tavriel's turn.
Lunivelle picked tiny gowns in pink, lavender, lemon yellow, sky blue, and a soft mint green—each adorable enough to summon strangers' tears.
They added hairbands with floating gemstones, fluttery charms, and soft ribbons woven with air magic that kept her curls bouncy.
Tavriel hugged them all. "Mine!"
"Yes, star," Lunivelle said, kissing her forehead. "Yours."
They moved to the grocery section of the marketplace—modern spellfridges humming beside rune-marked baskets.
They bought enchanted milk that stayed fresh for twenty days, floating herbs, self-chopping vegetables, and a bag of warm rice that steamed itself when commanded.
Thirukumaran grabbed a jar. "This butter is glowing."
"It's infused with light magic," Lunivelle said.
He peered at it. "Will it glow inside me too?"
She sighed. "Thiru… eat the butter."
He placed it in the basket. "If I shine tonight, I'll blame you."
Tavriel babbled in agreement. "Shi-shi!"
"She's siding with you now," Lunivelle said.
"She knows genius when she sees it."
The Magical Pet Shop
They walked onward until they reached a storefront unlike any other—A swirling archway of water suspended in midair, shifting colors like a living aurora.
Inside, magical creatures chirped, floated, sparkled, cooed, and inexplicably tried to eat the air.
Tavriel gasped—an utterly overwhelmed, delighted sound."Ma! Da! Maa!!!"
The pet shop owner waved. "Welcome! Careful—some creatures bite time."
Thirukumaran blinked. "Bite… time?"
"Don't touch those," Lunivelle whispered.
But Tavriel didn't care. She waddled straight toward a cluster of tiny hand-sized eggs nestled in a glowing nest.
Each egg pulsed faintly, warm, soft, alive.
DROPIE — BABY WATER-SPIRIT CREATURE
Grows from white egg → matures into color form. Sounds: "Moi-Moi"
Tavriel held her hands out reverently."Moi… moi…"
The owner beamed. "She knows their cry already. Rare talent."
Inside the semi-transparent eggs were hints of creatures—round, raindrop-shaped bodies with oversized eyes and a tiny floating dot above their heads.
"That dot," the owner explained, "changes shape depending on mood. Dropies are affectionate, clingy, and extremely sweet. But—"
"'But'?" Lunivelle asked.
"They require a lot of care. They get lonely. They melt if ignored."
Thirukumaran's brows shot up. "Melt?"
"Only a little," the owner said quickly. "Then they reform. Usually."
Tavriel pointed urgently."Ma-ma!! Moi! Moi! Moi!!"
She wanted all five.
The eggs: Red, Pink, Blue, Green, White.
Lunivelle knelt beside her."Starling… one is enough. They take a lot of care. All five will be too much."
Tavriel's lip trembled.
"No crying," Thirukumaran whispered helplessly. "My heart can't handle it."
Tavriel sniffled dramatically. "Moi… Moi…"
Lunivelle sighed. "Thiru—don't. Don't you dare—"
He was already giving the shopkeeper his card.
The owner nodded. "Total: 90 MUR."
Lunivelle stared. "Thirukumaran…"
He shrugged, holding Tavriel closer."She wanted them. And… I wanted her to be happy."
Tavriel squealed, hugging his face. "Daaa!! Moi!!"
Lunivelle covered her smile with her hand."You're impossible."
"That's why you are mine!" he said softly.
She shook her head, but her voice melted."Yes… that is exactly why."