Ellen had already shown her approval in the most practical way possible: she speared a slice of berry tart with her fork, blew on it, and took a bite. The flaky crust and the sweet-tart filling made her eyes narrow in delight.
"Mmm... not bad." She promptly reached for a second piece.
Alice cut a delicate slice with her knife, lifted it to her lips, and tasted it slowly. A spark of wonder flashed in her eyes. She dabbed her mouth with a napkin and spoke with grave sincerity. "The baking is flawless, the sweet-sour balance perfect. The crisp shell and the tender filling create a marvelous depth of texture. Miss Tineva, your skill is astonishing."
On the display at her waist, a huge (☆▽☆) glowed with unreserved praise. Tineva's cheeks flushed scarlet; she gave a shy, delighted laugh. "I'm just glad you like it..."
The forest-flavored dinner continued in warm, easy harmony. Outside, the last afterglow painted the sky a rich violet-crimson, and the woodlands of Sixth Street lay wrapped in quiet dusk. Inside the cabin, lamplight was warm; laughter and the scent of food chased away the other-world night's chill and brought a touch of "home."
Luna Belle watched Ellen, Alice, and Tineva around the table, and Little Slime bouncing at their feet, and she couldn't help smiling.
After the meal, Tineva insisted on clearing every dish, firmly refusing any help from Luna Belle and the others. Ellen and Alice carried deck-chairs into the small yard and lay back, enjoying the evening breeze.
Luna Belle stretched. It was time to summon the recruit. She went to the parlor and, with Fairy's help, set up the VCRs and televisions from her storage space. Standing before the bulky cathode-ray set, she drew a breath and tapped the glowing summon icon that had appeared on the screen.
"Come to think of it..." Luna Belle couldn't help complaining, "A TV that looks older than I am still has a touch screen?"
"The set itself doesn't have one," Fairy's voice carried a note of pride. "I simply read your intention and pressed the virtual button for you."
Luna Belle pressed a hand to her forehead. "So that's the crude fix..."
Even as she spoke, the screen flared with soft, brilliant light. A tall, athletic figure solidified from the glow and stepped into the room.
The woman had short, tousled black hair gathered in a low, choppy ponytail; a few unruly strands framed her face, adding a hint of wildness. Heavy engineering goggles sat on her crown, their orange lenses matching her vivid amber-orange eyes. At the moment they were pushed up, revealing her inquisitive gaze. She wore only a close-fitting black cropped work-vest, zipped and buckled in utilitarian grey, baring toned abs and a slender, powerful waist. Dark cargo pants of tough cloth followed, tight enough to show long, strong legs, their many pockets and straps proclaiming function over fashion.
Hands on hips, she swept a curious look round the wooden room, then fixed her orange-amber eyes on the stunned Luna Belle.
"Belle?" she asked, familiar. "I got your commission on Qiao-Qiao. So this is the other world you mentioned?" While speaking she flicked a gleaming screwdriver from her pocket and spun it round her fingers, grinning with anticipation. "So, where are the cute kids that need fixing—or a little tender loving care?"
Luna Belle came back to her senses and hurried forward, grasping Grace Howard's fingerless-gloved hand; the palm was warm, slightly calloused.
"Grace! Easy!" Luna Belle tried to calm the tech-mad woman who had arrived already buzzing. "Welcome to Sixth Street in the other world! But it's a western-fantasy realm—modern machines are pretty rare..."
"Eh? A western-fantasy world?" Grace Howard's orange eyes showed open disappointment. She slid the screwdriver back into its holster with a sigh. "So nothing to maintain or... research?"
Seeing Grace's mood plummet, Luna Belle added hastily, "But a fantasy world should have magi-tech—machines powered by magical energy. Novels and games always show them..."
"Magi-tech?!" Grace's eyes lit like lanterns. She seized Luna Belle's hands so tightly she winced. "Magic plus mechanics! Alien tech! New transmission systems, new energy cores! I can't wait to take them apart—uh, invite them for a friendly study of their inner workings!"
While she raved, her other hand drifted to her tool belt, eyes blazing as if a hulking golem already stood before her waiting to be "understood."
"Cool it, Grace!" Luna Belle watched the almost visible urge to dismantle radiating from the tech maniac and rubbed her brow again. "We haven't even opened the shop yet. We settle in first, then we hunt for magi-tech. And not every construct wants to be disassembled!"
"Mm... fair point." Grace reined in her enthusiasm a notch. She released Luna Belle's hands and turned to the VCRs. "Hmm? These retro little fellows... how do they run without electricity?" She stepped toward the machine, fingers flexing, ready to whip out tools and start an on-the-spot teardown.
"Emergency detected, Master! Fairy's safety is under threat!" Fairy's voice piped in Luna Belle's ear. Laughing and crying at once, Luna Belle quickly caught Grace's arm before she could reduce the VCR to spare parts...