Night had fallen over Amritpura, and the gentle sounds of crickets filled the quiet air. Most of the village was asleep, the stars glittering above like a spilled bag of sugar on black silk. Inside the Raghavan hut, soft breathing echoed in rhythm—Meera curled beside Sania, Raghavan on the other side, and Rohan sprawled awkwardly like a fallen warrior who had fought valiantly against the Emperor of Dreams.
And then, in the stillness, two small eyes popped open.
Me.
Of course.
Sleep? That elusive concept? Still avoiding me like it owed me money.
I wiggled a little in the blanket, carefully pretending to be asleep as I activated my greatest invention so far—my magical bird, codename: Feather-001.
"Begin Operation: Sky Snack Surveillance," I whispered internally, because apparently being a baby with superpowers still wasn't enough—I needed spy flair.
The bird, perched on the edge of the roof, fluttered its soft Persian-blue wings and took off silently into the sky. The mind-link flared to life in my head, clear and perfect. No lag. No static. Even my past life's internet couldn't match this quality.
From above, I could see the entire village sleeping in peace. Some lanterns still glowed faintly in far huts. Dogs napped under carts, oxen blinked drowsily in their shelters, and one poor uncle was snoring like a thunderstorm.
"Alright, Feather-001," I whispered, "let's find food."
Yes, that was the mission. Not treasure. Not lost magic. Not secret scrolls.
I was hunting… for snacks.
It had been four full days of goat milk. Delicious? Sure. Nutritious? Definitely. But mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—I craved crunch.
So the search began.
Feather-001 dipped and glided quietly past the rooftops. My vision zoomed as we scouted kitchens, storerooms, and courtyards.
"Oho?" I said in baby dialect.
Old Granny Latha had left a tray of dried banana chips under a net.
"Marked. Potential target acquired."
We zoomed on.
One hut had half a roti tucked behind a clay pot.
"Suspicious behavior. Worth investigating."
Then, jackpot.
Behind the house near the well, someone had roasted peanuts in a small iron wok and left it to cool. The warm scent practically slapped me through the vision.
I squealed softly. "Mission Objective Confirmed!"
Feather-001 hovered, noting the location and returned to the rooftop. Phase One: Recon, complete.
Now, to create the delivery mechanism.
I couldn't leave my blanket or crawl—yet—but I could use All Creation. With intense focus, I created a small squirrel-shaped pouch drone. It was a fat fluffy thing, made of woven leaves, powered by a tiny drop of Sakti, and built to carry small items.
It blinked at me cutely before scrambling toward the rooftop, guided by Feather-001.
The bird led the way. Together, they set out—tiny agents of my midnight operation.
The squirrel drone hopped into the peanut bowl, filled itself expertly, then scurried back to our hut. Feather-001 flew as aerial support.
They returned like war heroes.
"Mission: Peanut Crunch acquired," I thought with reverence.
The drone dropped the pouch beside my blanket. I reached slowly, very slowly, with the tiniest hand and—
Crunch.
Sweet. Salty. Toasted.
Tears welled in my eyes.
"I did it," I sniffed silently. "I've tasted victory."
Another crunch. My cheeks puffed with joy. "This is what living truly means."
But then… the blanket shifted.
"Uh-oh."
A sleepy Sania mumbled something and reached over, patting around until her hand landed—
Right on the peanut pouch.
She blinked.
Then stared.
Then gasped.
I stared at her.
She stared at me.
"What's this?" she whispered, eyes sparkling.
I pointed a finger at the pouch.
"For me?"
I sighed internally. 'Not again.'
But her innocent joy melted any plan I had to refuse. She took one, nibbled it, and her eyes widened.
"So crunchy… so warm…"
She hugged me again. "You're so magical, smally."
I rolled my eyes but allowed it. "Wawa woo," I said in baby-speak. 'You're welcome.'
"I won't tell Mama," she whispered. "But only if you share!"
I nodded like a wise elder giving approval.
Together, we munched in silence. A baby and a silly girl, sharing stolen peanuts under a shared blanket while the rest of the world dreamed.
Suddenly, Sania whispered, "Can you make sweets too?"
I blinked.
And so, of course, I tried.
Summoning my power, I created a small pink ball—a gulab jamun, warm and dripping with syrup.
Her eyes sparkled brighter than any star in the sky.
"Smally! You're really magical!"
She popped it in her mouth and squealed into the blanket to avoid waking Meera.
Her joy was so pure I almost forgot I was supposed to keep everything a secret.
"Well," I thought, "maybe she can be my official taste tester."
Feather-001 circled above lazily now, like a guard owl, scanning the village for danger… or dessert.
Sania yawned, hugging me gently. "I love you, Kaira."
I blinked.
Then leaned my forehead to hers. "Uwu," I whispered back.
She yawned again. "I'm your big sister, okay? I'll protect you."
My heart squeezed a little.
This silly, chattering, mud-loving girl was now my first friend in this new world.
Outside, the wind blew gently. Inside, we drifted into sleep—me curled against her arm, the peanut pouch clutched protectively, and Feather-001 watching like a guardian spirit from above.
And that's how my third night in another world ended—not with magic, mystery, or mayhem… but with peanuts and jamuns under a shared secret.
Tomorrow, I plan world snack domination.
But tonight?
Tonight, I sleep—with a smile.