Lily walked back into the main lobby of Starlight and found it, thankfully, empty. The garbage run she had just completed was the most peaceful part of the day. While she didn’t have any idea where Isabella disappeared off to, Lily was pretty confident Danniel was doing his final patrol of the store. It was common for someone to get too lost in a book in the Shifting Lounge or miss the closing call over the intercoms while perusing the shelves, so the final sweep of the store served to gather any stragglers lingering about. 

Closing the door behind her, Lily followed the sound of voices into the cafe. She was just in time to see Sandra disappear into the back, leaving Bastion alone. Lily stepped softly up behind the bear tending to a small platter of fruits and cheese. Just as he went to throw a piece of melon into his maw, Bastion caught a glimpse of a hand slipping away with a piece of cheddar. 

“Bloody bells,” Bastion called out in shock as he finally spotted Lily. He flinched hard, dropping the fruit as he clenched his chest. Lily just casually ate the small chunk of cheese while looking up at the bear. It was almost as if his reaction didn’t register with her. Instead, she plucked a few more pieces from the platter and held them in her other hand, serving as a makeshift bowl. 

“Hey, new guy. So, how you liking it here?” Lily asked while popping another piece of cheese in her mouth. 

“I’d like it a bit more if you wore a bell. Otherwise, it's not too bad for a first day. It's nice to see Danniel again, too. It’s been a while.” Bastion answered while catching his breath.

“You know Danny?” 

“Aye. Being as close as our families are, I saw him plenty growing up.” 

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Lily grabbed a napkin and put the handful on it. She glanced over her shoulder for a moment before looking back at Bastion. Though his eyebrow was raised, he nodded to her question. “That thing on your mom’s eye patch. What is that?” 

“Oh, my ma’s colors? That was her last unit. Mr. Collins and Danniel’s pa were in it too. Ma was never big on her time in it. She probably talked ya bleedin’ ear off about her time in the Grande Hordes.”

“No clue what you’re talking about. Most of the time, she talks about growing up on the farm or her hunting trips.” Lily informed. She watched as the mention of his mother’s hunting trips caused Bastion to tense up. Behind his glasses, the bear’s gaze turned blank as his focus became locked on the far into the distance. 

Lily turned to see what Bastion was looking at but only saw the dark lobby. She turned back to find Bastion had fallen silent with a look of sheer horror plastered across his face. She stood on her toes and waved a hand in front of his face. That was followed up with a few snaps. When neither got a response, she returned to the table and her waiting napkin. She plucked a block of cheese and hurled it right at his face. 

 “Where’d you go?” Lily asked before eyeballing the spread.   

“Oh, thistles. Apologies. Ma’s hunting trips are,” Bastion paused as the color faded from his face. “Harrowing.” 

Before Bastion slipped into another fear-filled memory, two quick whistles drew his and Lily’s attention. Entering the cafe were Danniel and Isabella. Danniel was the one who whistled, and it was meant for the bear. He greeted Lily but moved past her and headed to the kitchen with Bastion in tow. As the two disappeared into the back, Isabella distracted Lily while grabbing a berry. 

“Hey, Esmerelda left you something. Like, I’ve got it up front,” Isabella directed, heading back toward the cafe entrance.

“Really? Like what, a bag of wasps?” Lily said, following her out into the lobby and behind the counter. 

“Um…no. Doubt she’s gonna propose to you, Lil.” 

“Wait, what?” Lily came to a stop as Isabella ducked down. 

Isabella pulled a small cloth sack from a compartment under the counter. She removed a leather-bound book and a small paper-wrapped object bound in twine from inside. Isabella handed over the items, though she didn’t release the book right away. Instead, she observed what happened when Lily touched it. Just like earlier that day, the surface began to heat up. The heat’s growth was far less gradual this time. In the blink of an eye, her fingertips felt a sharp stinging heat. Thankfully, the book soon slipped from her hand as Lily excitedly looked the items over. 

“You want to tie a bat down, give ‘em a bag of wasps,” Isabella answered. “Hate to break it to ya, but you’re not her type. She’s turned off by the ‘You being alive’ thing.” 

Lily snickered as she put the paper on the counter and looked the book over. The leather was pitch black, and impressions of feathers decora the cover. She turned to the bat with a smirk, “Surely the Goddess has forsaken me. I was sure that crotchety corpse was my soulmate. So, what exactly did she leave me?” 

“Esmerelda didn’t tell me much. She just gave me the note, the book, and nothing else. I just had to get it to you.” Isabella shrugged.

Lily groaned as she moved from the book to the paper-bound object. A quick tug on the twine undid the knot and found a small booklet wrapped in the paper. Said paper had a note scribbled on it. The writing bordered on chicken scratch and barely legible, but as it looked like Isabella’s, Lily could make it out. 

“Long ear,” Lily read aloud. She rolled her eyes at the opening before continuing, “You’re a Quila. Congratulations. Inside this note is a Quili translation guide. The book is a Quili spell book. This is my only spare. Those two words will open it. Wait until you are out of the store. Good luck.” 

Lily dropped the note and turned back to the book. Like the one they delivered earlier, this book, too, had a locking latch holding it close. She thought about speaking the two words again but hesitated. If the bat said to wait, Lily thought it might be best to heed the expert’s warning. 

“Oh, Lily!” Sandra sang as she stepped out of the kitchen. In her hands was the white cake box, the warning conspicuously X’d out, with a knife and paper plates on top. Both Lily and Isabella returned to Starlight’s cafe. Upon seeing the box, The rabbit broke away and hurried to the bear’s side. 

“It’s beautiful,” Lily whispered, staring at the box. 

“Winter’s grace, child, you haven’t even seen what’s inside.” Sandra moved the items off the box, shaking her head after setting it down. 

Lily looked up at Sandra, exasperation clear on the rabbit’s face. “Look, I have been through a lot. A lot for even Starlight. The only thing that will make up for it is inside that box. So please let me have this, Mama Bear.” 

Sandra couldn’t help but see the rabbit’s point of view. That and Lily did behave herself. Well, for the most part. Though she couldn’t pin anything on her, Sandra could have sworn she caught Lily peeking through the door before the book delivery.

“Alright, alright, I figure letting you have the first slice is only natural.” Sandra relented. 

Opening the box, Lily finally saw what was inside, and it was as impressive as she had hoped. Inside was a two-layered blessing in the form of a cake. The frosting was silky and snow white, with thin slices of apples spaced evenly along the sides. Along the top were more apples. There were quarter slices with slices of blueberries between them. The creation was completed with a healthy drizzle of honey along the top. 

“Sweet blessed goddess,” Lily whispered, almost prayer-like, “I give thanks for this sign of your eternal love. Your instrument has made this day good. Amen.” 

“So that sounds like you like it?” Sandra said with a laugh.  

“Absolutely. I hope you are about to slice it because I’m about three seconds from just biting the thing.” Lily said while slowly leaning closer to the confection. 

Sandra hooked a finger into the collar of Lily’s shirt and pulled her away from the table. The rabbit huffed and watched as Sandra grabbed a plate and the knife. The blade slid effortlessly through the cake, revealing the golden brown insides. The sweet aroma of cinnamon and apple filled Lily’s nose when her slice was brought close. The first bite was worth the all-day wait. It contained chunks of carrots and apples nestled in a light cinnamon cloud. The rabbit wiped away a tear while she savored the payoff for the day leading.

Isabella dug into her slice while Sandra prepped a few more. As Sandra got around to enjoying her handy work, Bastion stepped out of the back with a collection of beverages. Behind him was Danniel. He was carrying a small sack of cups and a paper bag with a few containers peeking from the top. The group, sans Lily, Isabella, and the now-arriving Gonzi, finished setting up two tables for the event. Danniel pulled the containers from the bag and laid them on the table next to the one sporting the cake. Inside the boxes were sets of three large meatballs complete with light brown gravy and a bamboo toothpick to eat them with. Beside them were bowls containing small assorted containers of candied berries and fresh chocolate puff pastries.

Lily watched as Danniel, after dropping off the food, returned to the back. She tried to go back to her cake, but the rabbit couldn’t shake her interest in what Danny was up to. There was an urge to follow Danniel to see what he was doing. Unfortunately, Sandra and Lily had come to an agreement shortly after joining up with Starlight. Lily would keep her perpetually hungry self out of the food prep area during work hours, and Sandra wouldn’t get angry. Lily wasn’t really interested in what a furious version of Sandra looked like. She was taller and larger than Lily by a good bit. That and her readily available knives were enough reasons to stay out. 

Eventually, Gonzi cleared his throat. He was sitting in a chair retrieved from one of the tables in the center of the cafe. The horse had, like Lily, already cleared a plate of cake. His metal leg creaked as he made it back to his feet. 

“So, Thorne.” The gravelly words grabbed Lily’s attention as well as the others gathered in the cafe, “I would like to say thank you for sticking around for a year. It has been an interesting time. There may have been a few headaches, some arguments, late clock-ins, you don’t listen very well, oh and-” 

“You are supposed to be saying nice things, Gonzi.” Sandra reminded him. Though her words were said in her usual cheery tone, the quickly sharpening smile on the bear’s face belied her true feelings. 

“I was getting there.” Gonzi responded as he got off the chair and headed toward the remaining cake, “As I was saying, despite a few problems here and there, we do appreciate you sticking with us at Starlight. I can say there are perks to having you around. First and foremost, Sandra’s cake output has tripled since you joined us.” The horse completed his remark with a smirk while holding up his second slice of cake. His smirk expanded to a proud smile while Sandra stared daggers at him. 

Lily smiled in return. It was rare to see. Gonzi was always a bit of a stick in the mud, and smiling was only really seen when new stock came in. It wasn’t like this one. This was the rare one Lily loved seeing. Sandra was the one who could get him there, for good or ill. It went both ways between the two. They bickered like an old married couple about minor details around the store but always served as a unified force for Starlight’s best interest. It was clear that they shared a level of respect only obtainable through years of friendship.

“But in all seriousness,” Gonzi grabbed another prepped slice and offered it to the rabbit of the hour, “There are a lot of good to having you around. Though I would never admit it during working hours, I appreciate you for sticking around, and we hope you stick around a while longer.

“Aww, thanks, Gonzi. That means a lot.” Lily beamed while taking the offering from her boss.

“It’s Mr.- Gonzi started before Sandra jokingly hit him in the arm. 

“Would you let it go? It’s her night. If you must pull rank, save it for tomorrow.” Sandra chastised Gonzi.

Gonzi paused before shaking his head. “Fine. Just tonight. Anyway, there is one more thing we’re going to give you—the actual thank-you gift. Danniel!” the horse called back toward the kitchen. 

Lily turned to the kitchen door just in time to see Danniel walk out with a long black box tucked under his arm. She watched as the wolf passed by her, instantly following Danniel closely while trying her best to figure out what it was. Paying more attention to the object than the person carrying it, Lily found herself running into Danniel when he came to a stop. Thankfully, though she stumbled back after making contact, Lily was able to recover and keep the slice from sliding off the plate. She moved around Danniel and looked at the box.

She read the swishy, silvery word with increasingly widening eyes. 

“Like, ta-dah,” Isabella said flatly while half-heartedly waving her hand over the box. 

A sharp gasp escaped from Lily as she finished reading. She repeatedly whispered, ‘No way,’ as her hands ran across the cover. Lily looked at the others gathered around her before returning to the gift. Through her excitement, Lily’s shaking hands made it hard to grip the edge of the box.

“Goddess’ blessing,” Lily said while whipping away a tear, “How did y’all know?” 

“Call it a hunch,” Sandra spoke up. The others shared in a disorganized yet knowing chuckle. 

After taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Lily opened what her friends were so kind to get her. The cover slipped off quite easily. And there, inside the solid black box, sat a single-neck guitar nestled in a luxurious black velvet lining. The solid body was in the shape of an arrow point and sported a coat of glittery orange paint. A black pickguard along the upper point sported a few dials. She ran her fingers along the wooden body and down the crystalline strings stretched down the fretboard. Gingerly, Lily removed it from the box and sat with it resting across her lap.

“Um, there’s no jack,” Lily paused as her hand patted down the lower prong of the body, “Speaking of which, did you guys bring an amp? I don’t have mine. Anymore, I mean.”

 Danniel pulled the manual from inside the box and flipped it open to an earmarked page. He folded it back and offered it to her. “This is made for battlefield use. The amp is, for lack of a better term, built in. It has a lock similar to the one in the front counter. Says here to hold your hand over the bridge and focus your energy.” 

Lily took the manual from Danniel and skimmed over the instructions. There, in plain text, was what Danniel had said, plus a lot more. The lock used magical energy as an initial power source. It also served to turn the instrument from its ‘electric’ guitar setting to an alternative bass setting. Any additional energy was drawn through the secondary ports—those being through the fretboard and its six strings of spun glass.

“Says here it can channel magical energy,” Lily said while looking up from the booklet. 

“That’s right,” Gonzi said while puffing out his chest, “I’ve got a friend and former squadmate who works for BardTec. What you have there was made to the standards of Admiral Dorothee Spanghero’s Combat Troupe. Had it built that way due to what Clovis told me. Didn’t take your magic into account. Happy accident, I suppose.”

“Wait, what did you tell him?” Lily asked, looking at Isabella. 

“That you broke the last one over some dude’s head or whatever,” she said while grabbing another piece of cake.

“Oh, right,” Lily said sheepishly. Wordlessly, she changed the subject back to the instrument in her lap. She placed the manual on the table behind her and closed her eyes. She did as the manual instructed and placed her hand just over the instrument,  focusing on the moving parts inside. 

When the energy moved from her fingertips this time, it felt different. This morning, What had felt like a numb, slightly tingling sensation felt soft and warm. It was akin to the sensation of holding her hand at the flame of a dying campfire. The energy spread through her skin and up through her fur, eventually winding its way into the instrument proper. In her mind, she saw a simple ring lock buried inside the guitar’s solid wood body. With a bit of focus, her wisps of magic grabbed hold of the switch and turned it from off to its first setting. From deep in the body, a familiar hum could be heard. 

“By the goddess, the amp’s inside,” Lily remarked. She lifted the instrument and held it up to one of her ears. Though she couldn’t pinpoint where exactly the sound was coming from, it was undoubtedly there. She brought it back down and started to fiddle with the tuning pegs at the top of the bridge. The Cafe soon became filled with the sounds of uneven plunks and growls while Lily tuned the instrument for its first play. It wasn’t long before Lily felt the strings were set and ready for a test run. 

Her hands moved into position and began to test the instrument’s scales. Lily felt like the guitar was made for her as her hand slid down the fretboard. She closed her eyes and let her hand dance while her claws plucked away. The sound was growly and low with a hint of reverb.

Lily’s coworkers watched as she expertly played her new instrument, ending its maiden voyage with a few angry-sounding chords. When Lily opened her eyes, her friends greeted her with one last gift for the night. This one was a round of applause. Scanning the crowd, Lily found herself stopping on Danniel’s reaction. If she had played for him before, Lily couldn’t tell. He looked impressed, stunned even. Something about it caused her cheeks to warm. Lily had to make sure to play some more for him. The mixture of pride from the response to her playing and the pang in Lily’s chest Danny caused the rabbit to beam. 

“Well,” Gonzi’s heavy hand fell onto Lily’s shoulder and interrupted her train of thought. “Sounds like a good investment there. No playing during work hours.” The subsequent groan from his employee drew a deep belly laugh from the horse as he limped back to his chair.  

Isabella broke away from the crowd and approached Danniel. She fished out a wooden box with an eye covered in its face from inside her pocket. She popped the lid open and pulled one of the cigarettes from inside. “Stepping out. Craving some fresh air.” 

“Fresh air, huh?” Danniel remarked while gesturing at the cigarette held between her fingers. 

“Like, mind your business. When you gonna jump?” Isabella tapped the box against the heel of her hand, causing a single match to slip out. 

Danniel stopped and looked up to see what Lily was currently doing. She was chatting with Sandra while digging into her third piece of cake. The rabbit must have felt someone was looking at her because she turned towards him. Lily smiled at him after downing a mouthful of Sanda’s cake. Danniel’s tail began to sway gently as the smile hit him. 

“Now, actually. Wish me luck.” Danniel answered while he gestured toward his usual spot near the entrance of Sandra’s cafe. Lily tilted her head before nodding to him. 

“You’ll need it. Don’t choke.” Isabella said mockingly before making her way to the door. 

As Isabella left him, Lily strode up to Danniel. She finished the last piece of cake before pitching the plate into a nearby bin. The two walked back to the wolf’s usual spot as Lily glanced back at the guitar, which she had returned to its box. 

“So it looks like you dig the guitar?” Danniel asked, having caught her looking back at it. 

“She’s a beaut, isn’t she?” Lily beamed. She looked closely at her claws and huffed, “Ah shoot. Chipped a claw on the strings. Eh, no biggie. Did you need something?”

Danniel froze for a moment as he looked into Lily’s eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded. When the wolf spoke, his words came out shaky, “Um, yeah. There’s been something I’ve been wanting to ask you. You see- ”

The sound of the bell over the front door interrupted Danniel’s train of thought. He thought it was Isabella stepping out, but the subsequent exchange with someone caused concern. The other voice was smooth and melodic with a baritone tenor. Though it didn’t ring a bell for Danniel, it did for Lily. Her thoughts were confirmed when she saw Isabella walking back with someone behind her. 

“Like, Lily. Someone’s here for you,” called Isabella.