The morning suns shine through trees that line the cobbled path running beside the apothecary. Long shadows criss-cross the road as it weaves through the misty wood ahead.
Pip stands at the road's edge, gleaming under the sunlight of twin suns like a properly polished piston. Vuvi kneels down beside him, carefully unfolding a massive sheet of parchment, revealing a detailed geographical map.
"This is it, Pip. The road to redemption! The pathway to paradise!" she declares before slapping a finger onto the map like a general planning a siege. "This is the route we're gonna take to save the kingdom! Wait… was it… this way?"
She twists and turns the map, eyes narrowing as she tries to make sense of her own directions.
"Well… that's not important. Fate is flexible. We'll figure it out as we go."
Pip leans over her shoulders, peeking at the parchment that is filled with wild scribblings like "Dragonkin here?" and "Beware the snake ladies!!!". A crude drawing of a stick figure being roasted over a fire sits below the words "Orcs!!! Bring food!"
"Oh, right, we're here!" Vuvi exclaims as she points to the centre of the map. "The Green Vale, pretty much in the middle of the continent. We'll start our journey in Market Town, it's a day's walk north, from there we follow the Forest Vein west, pop into all the villages along the way. We hit the Fire Mountains and then we cut south and make our way through the Feral Tribelands. They've got cat-girls, bunny-folk, wolf-kins, you name it. Ooooh… maybe we'll even see a Sand Sprite! Better bring lots of lube."
Pip beeps nervously as he gives a hesitant thumbs up.
"Then we move East." Vuvi says as she drags her finger across the map. "We cross the Zenirith Plains, hit the lakeside towns around the Solemn Sea and then the elven settlements that line the Dragontail Mountains."
He nods slowly.
"And then, we reach the port city Solsene, follow the drow villages along the shore northwards, swing back west through the noble lands and finally, we reach the royal capital. We plead our case with King Thorobrin and hopefully he'll allow us into the Demon Lands."
She rises, posing triumphantly before Pip, hair billowing in the breeze like a roaring inferno.
"Every city, every town and every village. We're gonna leave behind a trail of satisfied customers and empty coin purses. By the time we reach the King, his kingdom will be screaming out your name!"
He straightens his posture, metal heels clinking together as his hand hits his chest.
"That's my little soldier!" Vuvi smiles proudly as she slaps him on the back. "We're gonna have so much—"
Just then, the front door of the apothecary flies open with a bang, sending birds and small wildlife scrambling through the trees.
Reena stomps out of the building barefoot, and barely covered, in a milk-stained tunic, eyes puffy and scowling through yawns.
"Why didn't you wake me?!" she scolds.
"You looked like you needed the rest." Vuvi answers, flicking her hand non-chalantly at Reena. "You were snoring like an asthmatic dragon. Clearly, Pip did his job well!"
The half-minotaur sneers at Vuvi as she struggles to adjust her barely contained chest.
"You're lucky I'm still numb from all those orga—" she hesitates, mouth curling into a grin as she turns to Pip. "I haven't felt like that in... forever! You really moooo-ved me back there." she says with a sly whisper.
Vuvi grins. "Then spread the world! Let every woman know that you've been satisfied by the Prince of Pleasure. Let them know that Vuvela Blackthorn has the answers to their prayers!"
Reena rolls her eyes and turns towards the road, bounding off dramatically, her breasts bouncing like seismic events.
"I'll spread the word." Reena yells over her shoulder. "You better bring some hope into this sad little world, Pip! And then, you better come back here and break my backside again!"
Pip raises his hand toward his head in a sturdy salute while Vuvi folds over giggling beside him
Before Vuvi can turn back to the map to plan their mission, a sudden, cold chill sweeps through the trees as Maribelle oozes out of a shadowy garden path.
Barefoot and barely-covered. She approaches slowly, her steps measured and deadly.
"Heading to Market Town?" she asks, her voice calm and commanding like thunderclouds wrapped in silk.
Vuvi nods. "...do you really need to walk around with your boobs out all day?"
"Who cares?" Maribells scoffs, as she turns her head toward the open fields around them. "I haven't had a man look at me, properly, in twenty years... and I hate bras."
"Whatever..." Vuvi groans, "Gotta start building his reputation somewhere. A little word of mouth and a happy noble or two should get us going. That's why we're going to Market To—"
"Go south, first, to the Green Sea."
Vuvi blinks at her mother, confused. "What?! Why?!"
"Centaurs." she smirks. "Once a proud warrior race. Now the men do nothing but laze around, smoking numbing-herbs and muttering about celibacy and sacred sufferings. The women run the tribes now. Fierce, strong and frustrated to the edge of sanity."
Pip shivers as Maribelle steps closer, brushing her hand across his chin.
"Take him there, see what he's really capable of. He's good. But can he satisfy a tribe of centaur warrior-women?"
"Is that a challenge?" Vuvi grins.
"A warning, my dear." Maribelle smirks. "The centaur women don't need cuddles and kisses and sweet words. They need someone that can bring powerful warriors to their knees."
She turns to her daughter, her voice softening slightly.
"I love you, Vuvela. I live for you. But this world is broken. I wish I could believe like you do, have hope like you do…" she says as she runs her fingers through her daughter's fiery curls. "But if you're right… if your little Pleasure Prince can prove he's more than just divine metal and thrust settings… maybe I could find it in myself to believe in hope again..."
Vuvi lunges at her mother, grabbing her in a tight embrace. "Just wait! We'll make you believe again."
Maribelle bends down and smothers Vuvi's forehead with a long, gentle kiss.
Pip stands stiff as a stick, his brain processing through a thousand thoughts.
"Relax!" Vuvi grins as she wraps her arm around his shoulder. "You're going to bed hooved royalty. A centaur warrior-queen! That will definitely boost our reputation!"
He stares at her as she grins even wider.
"Come on, Pip! We're heading to the Green Sea. Centaur country!"