Chapter 118: A Gift for Pom-Pom
"Conductor!" the three of them shouted in unison.
Pom-Pom froze mid-task, turning to face them. Its gaze swept over the items in their hands, lingering on the familiar little propeller device in Stelle's grasp. The conductor's long, fluffy ears twitched.
"Conductor Pom-Pom, this is a small token of our appreciation," Dan Heng began, his voice as steady and reliable as ever. He placed a sleek, metallic device on the bar counter. "This is called the 'Star Rail Tea Brewer.' It can replicate most known beverages in the universe. We hope it will add some convenience to the Astral Express's hospitality."
"Pom-Pom... thank you, Passenger Dan Heng." The conductor's large eyes widened with a flicker of curiosity and delight as it examined the beautiful machine.
"And mine! Conductor, look!" March 7th eagerly presented her gift box as if offering a priceless treasure. "It's the 'Warm and Gentle Constant-Temperature Plush Care Set'! It's specially designed for grooming your beautiful fur! It even has a massage function—it's super comfortable!"
Her enthusiasm was practically bubbling over. "From now on, we'll help you comb your fur every day! We guarantee you'll be the most stunning and comfortable conductor in the galaxy!"
"Ah... this... Pom-Pom also thanks Passenger March 7th..." Pom-Pom looked at the high-tech, fluffy-looking comb, a hint of bashfulness coloring its response. Despite its apparent embarrassment, its eyes were practically sparkling. "It's too extravagant, Pom-Pom..."
Finally, it was Stelle's turn. A wide, beaming smile stretched across her face as she hurried forward and presented the bamboo-copter.
"Hehe, Conductor Pom-Pom, this is from me! A spare bamboo-copter, just for you! From now on, when you need to clean high places or check on the roof, you can just zoom right up there. It'll save you so much time and effort!"
She leaned in, trying her best to look earnest and helpful. "What do you think? Super practical, right? I've been worrying my heart out over your workload!" Her attempt to curry favor was transparent, driven by a deep-seated fear that Pom-Pom might stop lending her its good luck.
Pom-Pom accepted the small device, examining it carefully. It then looked up at Stelle's overly bright smile and fell silent for a few seconds. Raising a paw to its mouth, it gave a light cough.
"Ahem... Passenger Stelle, Pom-Pom... is very happy that you thought of giving Pom-Pom a gift." It paused, its round, dark eyes looking directly at her with an unnerving earnestness. "But... if you could be a little more... hmm... respectful to Pom-Pom in your daily life, Pom-Pom might be even happier."
The implication was crystal clear: I've accepted the gift, but I haven't forgotten your past offenses.
Stelle's smile froze on her face.
"Right, right, right! The Conductor is right!" March 7th immediately chimed in from the side, pointing an accusatory finger at Stelle with righteous indignation. "You really need to be more mindful! Stop making our dear Conductor angry all the time!" She conveniently forgot that she, too, had been part of the posse that had chased Pom-Pom with a camera, hoping to film its "dark history."
Stelle stared at her friend, a deep sense of betrayal washing over her.
To break the slightly awkward atmosphere (and mostly to try out the new gift), March 7th immediately picked up the comb from the care set and looked at Pom-Pom with pleading eyes.
"Conductor, Conductor! Don't mind her, just try this comb first! The effect is supposed to be amazing! Just let me comb you a little bit, okay?" She launched her ultimate pouting offensive.
Pom-Pom looked at March 7th's expectant gaze, then touched its own soft fur. In the end, it couldn't bring itself to refuse such a kind offer.
"Alright... alright, just this once, Pom-Pom," it mumbled softly, obediently turning around to present its back.
"Hehe, leave it to me!" March 7th's energy returned in full force. She carefully activated the constant-temperature comb and began to gently brush Pom-Pom's fluffy fur.
As the heated teeth glided through the tufts, a gentle warmth spread across its skin, coupled with a perfectly calibrated massaging vibration. A wave of pure comfort washed over the conductor's entire body.
Pom-Pom, who had initially held its small body taut, soon began to relax. Its tense muscles loosened, and its eyes narrowed into contented slits. A very subtle, cat-like "purr" even began to escape its throat, a sound so quiet it was almost felt rather than heard.
That sound was too rare! Too cute!
Standing off to the side, Stelle's eyes widened. An opportunity! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
'Oh my god!'her inner gremlin screamed.'When have I ever seen Pom-Pom so unguarded? So soft and adorable? It would be a crime not to record this!''How else will I tease... ah, no, how else will I remind myself to cherish this beautiful moment later?' Stelle's troublemaking radar was blaring at full volume. She had to act, and she had to act now.
With lightning-fast reflexes, she pulled out her phone, pretending to casually scroll through some intergalactic gossip feed. In reality, her camera was already silently aimed at Pom-Pom, who was blissfully enjoying its "emperor-level" grooming service.
On her screen, the "top-secret footage" was perfectly captured: Pom-Pom, purring with its eyes closed in bliss, its fur combed into a state of perfect, fluffy smoothness.
Fortunately, the entire process was brief.
Just as Stelle pressed the stop-recording button, before she even had a chance to admire her "trophy," Pom-Pom's blissful immersion was shattered. It was as if it had sensed a sudden, inexplicable crisis. The subtle purring stopped abruptly.
Its ears twitched. Its eyes snapped open, darting vigilantly from left to right.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, Pom-Pom quickly turned around, its small face looking a little flushed. "It's... it's alright, Pom-Pom! Thank you, Passenger March 7th!"
It hastily took the comb back from March 7th's hand, hugged it along with the tea brewer Dan Heng had given it, and thanked the three of them again. Then, with its short legs moving at a near-sprint, it scurried back to its private lounge, leaving behind a somewhat flustered silhouette.
"Phew..." Stelle let out a long, quiet breath, her heart pounding in her chest. That was close. She'd almost been caught. Luckily, her reflexes were top-notch.
She quickly pocketed her phone, her heart brimming with joy. This was definitely precious material, worthy of being included in the "Astral Express's Dark History Compendium."
Dan Heng had been standing quietly to the side, a silent observer of the entire process. He had frowned slightly when he saw Stelle surreptitiously pull out her phone to record.
Now, glancing at her expression—a mixture of relief and smug satisfaction—and the unmistakable glint of mischief in her eyes, the ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger.
'That girl...'he thought, shaking his head with a helpless internal sigh.'She must have recorded something she shouldn't have.'
He could almost foresee this "blackmail material" becoming the fuse that would ignite a new round of "war" on the Astral Express at some point in the future.
For now, however, he decided it was better to focus on the present. Instead of worrying about the trouble Stelle might cause later, he would return to the data bank and thoroughly research the "Crimson-Bearded Dragon Pearl," an artifact that held the secrets of an otherworldly dragon race.
'I wonder what similarities and differences there are between the essence of that world's draconic power and the power of the Vidyadhara's Dragon Lord?' The scholar's thirst for knowledge temporarily outweighed his concerns about the daily antics aboard the Express.
Back in the spacious observation car, only Stelle and March 7th remained.
After the whirlwind of gift-giving, fur-grooming, and secret recordings, both felt a little mentally drained (though in Stelle's case, it was mostly guilt). They collapsed onto the comfortable sofa in a heap.
"Hehehe..." March 7th was the first to recover, pulling out her phone with a face full of uncontrollable excitement.
"No way, I have to share this with everyone in the group chat right now! I'm the second lucky person to get a purple-tier weapon after Paimon! And it's a super powerful Zanpakuto!"
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