Chapter 23: Plans for the Evening

I began to scarf my food down, each piece of fried chicken having been cooked to perfection. The crunchy breaded skin crackled with each large bite. I took care not to bite into any of the bones.

Mashed potatoes with brown gravy sat waiting for me. Taking a large spoonful, I filled my mouth with a scoop. The rich, savory warmth hit all the right spots, giving me the kind of instant comfort only real home-cooked grease and salt could provide.

"Slow down, Sam. You’re going to choke," Damara called across the table. "You act like it’s going to run away."

After forcing down the bite I had taken previously, I explained that I had a surprise and got excited.

She just grinned at me before returning to her plate. Her amused expression told me she found my frantic pace endearing, though Katrina merely watched the chicken vanish with wide, calculating eyes.

I bounced my leg, finding it incredibly hard to not just bail right now and set everything up. I couldn’t ruin this perfect dinner, however. With the women nearing completion of their meals, I grabbed my phone, a habit I had in my past life, and started scrolling.

My balance was so high there wouldn’t be a need to worry for a while. It seemed like the amount of favor I was receiving never stopped. Achievements I didn’t even remember doing. Small stuff. The point values added up quickly. I wasn’t going to complain.

Once everyone was finished, I hollered for Ignis. A few moments later, he made his way to the dining room. Without even asking, he began cleaning the area. He placed each plate in the sink, returning to the table to grab all the glasses.

"Would you two mind joining me in the living room?" I asked, stepping into the open area. "I’d like to share something with you."

They both looked at each other, cracking a grin before answering. In an instant, they had closed the distance. Their shared curiosity hung thick in the air, neither of them having the faintest idea what kind of modern absurdity I was about to introduce them to.

"I love surprises," Katrina blurted, her tail swaying behind her.

I pushed the BUY button on the item I was most excited about. A wide portal opened at chest level right in front of us. A brown box slid out slowly, dropping to the floor with a thud. Across the front, in very large text, it said: 100" OLED TV.

The golden shimmer of the dimensional rift dissolved into thin air, leaving behind a cardboard behemoth that practically dominated the rug.

"What is that..." Damara said, her mouth wide. "Wait... who is that?"

In several spots, Celestia herself was printed onto the box. Some were winking playfully, and a few looked like they were blowing me a kiss.

"Some crazy Goddess who’s just a bit full of herself," I answered, ripping the tape off the box. "We’re going to have ’The Smith Manor Movie Night,’" I added, flipping the box over gingerly. "Do you guys have movies here?"

"Explain," Damara said, raising an eyebrow.

I lifted the opened side of the box to reveal the giant piece of technology inside as packing peanuts littered the floor. Revealing a large black TV, with Celestial Market where a manufacturer badge would be.

"I honestly can’t. The idea seems so foreign to try and convey it using things you would understand," I answered, rubbing the back of my neck. "Give me a bit and I’ll show you."

I ordered an entertainment center to place it on. To my dismay, it came in an IKEA box. In the bottom left corner, a message was written. I leaned down to read it.

"Some assembly required my ass," I blurted.

I dumped the contents onto the floor, immediately regretting it as a dozen wooden planks and a plastic pouch of silver cams clattered against the hardwood. Katrina crouched beside the mess, poking a stray wooden dowel with one claw.

"What is it?" she asked, tilting her head until her ears twitched.

"It’s modern craftsmanship, supposedly," I grunted, wrestling with the instruction booklet that contained nothing but stick figures and terrible directions.

With a borrowed hand, the stand came together in record time. Five minutes of frantic hex-key turning later, the sleek wooden console stood solid against the wall, ready to bear the weight of the absurdly large TV.

We hoisted the monstrous glass panel onto the top surface together, the glossy screen. Once we had assembled the ensemble, a thought struck me, forcing me to click my tongue.

"Will you two wait here for a second?" I asked, turning toward the stairs. "I know she said she doesn’t leave her dimension, but it feels wrong not to ask."

They both nodded as I left the room. I leapt up the stairs, taking three steps at a time. I opened the door to the hot springs, entering after a wave of warm air hit my face.

The aroma of mineral salts and wet immediately swept over me, carried by a steady hush of burbling water that echoed against the nearby rocks.

Sarah was bathing in the spring. Her slender shoulders rose above the swirling surface of the pool, the ripples catching the light as she soaked quietly.

"Hey, Sarah, quick question," I said, walking up.

She turned her head, her expression shifting to excitement the instant she saw me. She yelled, "Sam!" as she got out of the water. My face turned red as I looked closer. My brain immediately short-circuited as she rose from the depths without a stitch of fabric or hesitation.

"Sarah! Where are your clothes?" I yelled, trying not to stare.

Her turquoise hair fell just over her breast, just enough to obscure my vision. But she was wearing no bottoms.

Water ran down the delicate curves of her waist and thighs in sparkling beads, pooling around her bare feet on the stone steps.

"You can look, Sam. Honestly, I want you to look," she said, her voice smooth and calm.

A mischievous grin grabbed the corners of her lips, daring me to tear my eyes away.