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Magpie's always up first.
They're the earliest bird, the quickest worm as Drift calls it, and they enjoy the wee hours of the morning before the Sun eases its way between the leaves to replace the gentle chill of the night-time air with warmth in the couch cushions. While both Drift and AJ were noisy- not that Magpie minded!- some alone time was appreciated every now and again, the ability to just let their mind wander down whichever path it so desired at its own pace was something they would never trade for the world.
Magpie hums to themselves as they make the bed, even their critters carefully cradled in the embrace of the thin blanket, still slumbering. There was all the time in the world here to relax, any outside troubles left by Basketon's edge. Was Glyph awake? They suppose they could check- it wouldn't hurt, after all.
The stroll past the library towards the alcove is silent barring the chirping crickets and Magpie's own footsteps, too early for even the morning shipments of fresh vegetables and meat to the general store. When they reach the Ladybug Roost, Magpie can't help but smile seeing Glyph and Fern curled up next to each other, the dim lighting of their cave-like rest giving the place an almost smoky glow. Nico didn't tend to follow their sleeping schedule, so he was probably outside somewhere- Magpie had made sure the dragon knew he could come and rest at any time, even if AJ had grumbled that "he was just a chud who didn't know how to fly properly".
A chirp draws Magpie back to the present, Glyph looking at his rider expectantly. "Hey, Glyph," Magpie chuckles, stepping forward to sit next to their companion. "Did you rest well?"
Glyph chirrups in response, shifting to lay his head on Magpie's thigh, preening under the attention he receives when Magpie offers pets, rubbing gently against his scales. It's when his tongue lolls that Magpie understands he's returned to sleep after a while, breaths low and even. Fern hasn't moved the entire time, still pressed up against Glyph, snout against his side.
Magpie extricates themselves from the dragons once hints of twilight coming into view betray the Sun's presence. They promised to wake AJ and Drift up to see the sunrise, anyway. With a final pat goodbye to the two sleeping dragons, they head back to the treehouse, waving hello to the merchants already setting up their stalls for the day's business.
---
The first thing Drift notices, still mostly asleep, is a distinct lack of AJ. She rolls over to her right, trying to grasp at the smaller girl, instead finding herself dragged away from the comfort of her side of the bed.
"It's time to get up, Rynn," Magpie holds back a giggle as Drift clings onto her thigh, groaning into it. "You said you'd come see the sunrise with us, love." Their hands tenderly card through the princess' tangled hair, soothing her in the process, as if to relieve the burden of wakefulness temporarily.
Drift only speaks up after a while, speech still slightly muffled, "Where's AJ gone?" Her arms wrap around Magpie's waist enticing her to share their drowsiness.
"She's gone to freshen up, Rynn."
"But I wake up first!" Drift pouts.
"She woke up faster than you did today, probably because of the alcohol."
"Damnit," Drift sighs, using Magpie's arm to pull herself into a sitting position. "Stupid alcohol… And don't tell me that I had some to drink last night, too! She always drinks so much more than me."
Magpie just shakes their head in disappointment. They always drink so much! Granted, they did too- but only when bad things happened, and they were trying to do that less because AJ said it was unhealthy. I can't believe these two still drink so often.
"I have to go check up on the coffee, okay, Rynn? Magpie smiles when Drift pouts again, pulling the former into a tight hug. "You won't fall asleep again, right?"
"I won't, but I want you to stay, please?"
"I'll be right back, cariad, don't worry. It'll only be a minute."
Magpie separates the two of them once more, quickly padding down to check up on the kettle. It would be wonderful if they could get the coffee brewing and ready before Rynn fell asleep again.
---
"How do you get the likeness down so well?" Drift asks, curled up on the couch with her coffee, head tilted as she stares at the camvas upon which Magpie was painting. They had requested AJ and Flick be some of her 'studies' for a project they were doing- one Magpie had claimed was about their experiences in the Academy. As such, the tinkerer now sat begrudgingly on the couch, Flick perched on her shoulder, one wing proudly extended. The Sun leaves its mark on Flick's back, outlining it in an amber sheen. Convincing AJ had been a nightmare involving several rounds of bribery and acquiescing to frankly unreasonable demands, but they had made it work eventually.
"Well, I start by blocking out the largest shapes, then gradually get more and more detailed as I go," Magpie answers, brow furrowing as they attempt to properly define the slight cloudiness of AJ's goggles, brought about by the sheer number of times they had been scratched from her carelessness. "It's hard to explain, really. It just sort of… comes to me naturally. I paint what I see on the canvas."
"I'm bored- hey!" AJ whines, only to be cut off by an indignant caw from Flick. Neither Drift nor Magpie could communicate with the crow as well as AJ did, but the glare Flick fixes upon her is truly quite unmistakable. "Fine, Flick," AJ grumbles, "I'll be still, okay?"
Magpie giggles at that, escalating to a full, hearty laugh once they notice the slight trembling of Drift's mug. It's the infectious, airborne kind that spreads to all three in mere moments, Flick hopping off of AJ's shoulders onto the coffee table to avoid being squished, quickly joined by said coffee mug, Drift clutching her sides as all three double over with laughter.
Once they finally manage to calm down, they get AJ back in the same pose, Flick assuming its spot with a happy hop, several stray giggles escaping Drift when it once again extends its wing. Flick caws at her instead, and the trio just about manage to stay composed enough to continue.
While Magpie paints, the scene before her illuminated in the morning light, Drift finds her mind wandering towards her past, a meandering path that winds away from Basketon and out of the main continent, explaining herself to her pocket lint.
I want to go back to Thornreach in future, but as a traveller instead of a princess. It's not really for her anymore, but being able to walk down the city streets instead of getting transported across them in a royal carriage would be nice.
I like the Academy for this reason. Here, I'm just Drift, Rynn- however they want to call me- no higher or lower than any other Dragon Rider here. I get to make my own decisions and choose what to do every day when I wake up, and I truly treasure that so much.
I can spend my days here in Basketon, or in AJ's village, or working on the Glowberry Grove with them. Life here's great now, and I'm glad I have all my friends here to experience it together with me.
Mom always taught me that home was where the heart is. Now that I'm a little older, I think I'm starting to get what she means.
I'm home.