Pipp knew she was in for a very interesting morning when she read the letter.
Her eyes looked in surprise at the contents, and as her eyes scanned down the page her mouth gradually dropped further and further down with the shock she was feeling.
Could this possibly be right? How was this happening?
She put the letter down, and put her head in her hands. How had she not thought of this?
Suddenly, her door opened, and Zipp looked in. "Sup, Pipp?"
Pipp looked over. "Nothing good. The local authority just sent me a letter."
Zipp looked surprised. "That doesn't sound too good. Normally they send letters saying the water's about to be cut off. Let me see." She picked it up and gave it a read.
When she put it down her face was pulled into a frown. "This isn't good. Where are we going to fix this?"
"There's only one way!" Pipp said quickly. "And that is to convene our friends! Send a message out via WhatsApp and tell them to meet at Sunny's house!"
"Aren't you going to ask Sunny if she's OK with us meeting at her house?" Zipp asked.
But Pipp was already well out of earshot.
Sunny was very surprised when her friends gathered outside her home. "Guys, what's going on?"
Pipp shoved the letter in her face. "We're in big trouble! We need to get this done and fast!"
Sunny gave it a read. "Why do we owe them over six hundred pounds?"
"Apparently we didn't get the correct planning permission to redo the factory," Hitch explained. "I did tell Pipp at the time that we didn't own the building, so we need to get retroactive planning permission or else they'll send a wrecking crew in there to rip everything out. And if they do that all we've done in there will be lost."
"Yeah, this is pretty bad," Izzy said. "So what's the plan?"
"I don't exactly have six hundred pounds lying about!" Pipp said. "But this is where the Starshines come in."
"I don't really follow," Sunny said.
Pipp sighed, sounding exasperated. "Sunny, your mom is amazing with money and numbers. We were thinking of asking her for advice as to what to do."
Sunny looked back. "It's Tuesday."
"And?"
"That's one of three days on the week she's in the office in Plymouth. She works from home on Monday and Friday. And I can't really phone her as she could be doing something really important!"
"Well, that's a bust," Zipp said. "So, how do we fix this and find the money?"
Pipp then looked up. "Of course! I'll organise a charity fundraiser to raise the money to get us back on track!"
Izzy looked over. "I have another idea. I think with a little bit of creativity I can cook up a solution to the problem. One of my ancestors was an alchemist, so could I borrow the basement?"
"I guess?" Pipp said. "Hitch, make sure to stall the council and tell them we're working on it!"
Hitch nodded. "On my way!" He dashed away into the town.
Later that day, Pipp was working on her charity stream when suddenly the house rocked. There was a bang, and some light.
"What was that?" She glanced back to the screen. "Sorry Pippsqueaks, I gotta go, love you lots, goodbye!"
She switched the display to read AFK, and then headed downstairs to the basement. "Why is all this smoke here? And it smells awful too!"
She pushed the door open, only to see Zipp running out, coughing loudly and running for the upstairs. "Zipp? What's going on?"
Izzy then appeared, her hair wild and in every direction. "I've done it!"
"Done what?" Pipp asked.
"I've finally done what the alchemists of old could not!" Izzy exclaimed. "I MADE GOLD!"
Pipp looked confused. "Really?" she asked, her arms crossed.
"Yes!" Izzy replied. "Come, look!"
She led Pipp into the basement, and to the table from which all the smoke was coming. "It's a little hot still, but it's certainly gold nontheless!"
Pipp stopped in front of it. "So, how did you make gold?"
Izzy grinned. "I used platinum!"
"Izzy, you are aware that platinum is more valuable than gold, right?"
"True, but nothing beats gold!" Izzy took a pair of tongs out and took out some round thing before placing it on a mat. "See! Gold! All gold!"
Once the smoke had cleared Pipp finally had a clear view of the object in question. And she was a bit surprised. "Izzy... I don't mean to be perdantic... but isn't gold normally, well, gold?"
Izzy peered at it. "Ah. It appears to be green!"
Pipp looked profoundly unimpressed. "Izzy, you haven't made gold. You've made... green!"
"Well, it could be passed off as turquoise if we applied a bit of paint to it."
Pipp facepalmed. "Well that was a waste of time. I can only hope Hitch is doing better."
Hitch wasn't doing much better. "So, you see-"
"This entire conversation has felt like an exposition dump," said the councillor. He looked very unhappy.
"The simple fact of the matter is that you didn't get the permission required," said another. "If we don't get the money by lunchtime tomorrow, we shall have no choice but to remove the changes you have made to the building."
Hitch looked very surprised. "Could we not have an extension?"
"No. Twelve tomorrow is our final offer," said the first councillor. "Good day."
Hitch was then escorted out of the town hall. "Well, that could've gone better. I can only hope Izzy's having more success with her gold project."
"Can we not really sell this green?" Izzy asked.
"Maybe on Etsy, but nowhere else." Pipp had noticed the substance had started to glow. "How do we know if that stuff isn't radioactive? I'd like to be able to have kids when I'm older!"
Izzy grabbed a geiger counter from nowhere and scanned it. "Nope. Not radioactive. The glowy stuff is glitter!"
Goldie got back in through the door after a long day. "Argyle, Sunny, I'm home!" she called.
Her husband and daughter soon appeared. "Did you have a nice day?" Argyle asked.
"As nice as can be had," she replied. "And you?"
"Well," Sunny said, "I did have one thing I wan-"
"Sunny, I appreciate it's important, but perhaps let your mother get changed, eh?" Argyle suggested.
"Of course," Sunny said. "Sorry."
About half an hour later, Goldie was done freshening up and returned to the kitchen. "What did you want to ask me?"
Sunny sighed. "We've been charged with needing to get retroactive planning permission for the shed we've been doing overhauls in. It seems Pipp didn't get he correct paperwork for converting the building in the first place."
Goldie nodded. "How much are they asking for?"
Sunny shrank down a bit. "Six hundred and twenty four pounds."
Goldie's eyes widened. "They're charging that much for retroactive planning permission?"
"I was wondering if you could give us some advice on what to do? Pipp's tried raising the funds through streaming, and Izzy tried making gold- without success, may I add."
Goldie nodded to this. "I understand. Well, there's no need to worry about any of that. I'll pay it."
"What?" Sunny said. "Mom, can we really spare that much?"
"Given what your father and I make a month, we can easily afford it," Goldie said, rubbing her daughter's head. "Don't you worry. I know how much this means to you and your friends. I'll be glad to help." She picked up her phone and waited for it to connect. "Jeremy, it's Gloria. Do you mind if I come in on Friday this week instead of Wednesday? Something's come up at home that needs my attention tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll be remote working tomorrow."
The next morning, Goldie walked straight to the town hall and paid the planning permission fee, much to the satisfaction of the council. Outside, she was surprised to see Sunny and her friends there. "Hello everyone. Haven't you got things to do?"
"There's something we need to do first," Pipp said, and handed her a cheque. "This is the money we raised yesterday, but as you paid that for us, the least we could do is pay you back."
Goldie stepped backward. "There's no need."
"Why?" Zipp queried. "That wasn't a small sum."
"I know," Goldie said, sitting down on the wall nearby. "But wanting to help others without expecting reward in return is always a positive thing to do. Seeing as you've done so much for the town it only seemed fair to do the same for you. Besides, you can put the money towards an overhaul or something like that."
"Good point," Hitch said. "Doesn't Charles need new traction motors?"
"And that gets us some of the way there!" Pipp smiled. "Perfect!"
As the team headed off for the maintenance shop, Goldie made her way home. As she knew well, a good deed was a reward in and out of itself.