Fable - Ask 1/365th

[Takashi]

The day started early in the Kubo household. Like all in the Lower District it was a humble abode of only a few rooms that led onto the shop of the family store, a botanists.
Takashi always woke early, especially on this day of the year. It was a special day in more ways than one.

He plodded down from his room and ignored the scuffing on the stairs of fresh dragon claws.
Hands worked on their own to start the fire in the main room that would boil the tea and reheat the last nights congee, which with a bit of added crispy chicken would make up the days breakfast.
As it was heating he set the table and positioned it so that his seat looked at the wall with Ayane's ink portrait. She had it made when she found out she was pregnant. Almost as if she knew ahead of time but she often did things without his understanding.

"Another year."
He spoke to the portrait candidly and without prayer or ceremony. It had become his way over the years.
"Seventeen already. I barely noticed the time go by."
It was true, he was always so busy, twin daughters was one thing but with the added complication of dragons it seemed he never knew a moments rest save for this early time of the day. He rubbed his shaved head and let out a sigh he had been holding in all year.
"Agh, I wish you were here to teach them how to be proper young women. With them and the shop and the dragons, a man can only do so much!"
His eyes went to his tea as he betrayed a simple thought, one he had many times before.
"Perhaps if I had married again then..."
He slapped his forehead with his palm in embarassment.
"No, no, no, sorry, I'm sorry I just... It is hard and I sometimes feel I need a bit of help."
Another long sigh deflated him as he prostrated himself before the portrait.
"Forgive me. My heart is still buried with you."
Rising he poured himself some tea and raised it to the portrait of the woman he married.
"Please My Ayane, watch over us again this year!"

Stirring upstairs ended his morning solitude and broke the peaceful spell of the morning.
The dim light became clear and the musty air was cleansed by the breeze that seemed to start up time again and snatch the last of the world from the previous night's grasp.

"GIRLS! GET UP, YOUR BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD!"

Usually it was the girls job to feed the dragons but on this day Takashi put out bowls of chicken bits mixed with wildberries and goats milk.

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

A pair of deep amethyst eyes appeared at the window to the small house almost instantly at the scent of food. They tracked the man from his place sitting at the table as he made his way to the door, her quills standing up along her back in anticipation. Suddenly, she vanished from the window. There was a chittering noise and a scampering sound of claws on wood and stone, moving from the window to the door. Indeed, as soon as Takashi opened the door the pink spirit dragon was upon him, her two front sets of talons on either side of the man's shoulders likely sending him crashing to the floor.

The dragon's tongue rolled straight over his face and then she was bounding past him and up the stairs that were technically forbidden.

Upstairs, Yuriko groaned at the noise coming from downstairs. She rolled over, tugging the pillow over her head in a hope to muffle the noise, muttering beneath her breath about lay-in's being a part of birthdays. Of course, none of them had ever had such a thing as a lie-in even before the arrival of dragons. The botanists shop was open from dawn to dusk to take the most advantage of people on their way and way home from work wishing to buy flowers for any occasion.

The door burst open a second later and then the next thing she knew she was being assaulted by a big, wet tongue and talons that scratched away her feeble protection of blankets and pillows.

"Alright! Alright! I'm getting up," Yuriko laughed as her dragon buried her head beneath the piles of quilts and huffed.

 

[Airen]

Dawn had been the first thing Airen had seen when she opened her eyes. The second was her bonded dragon circling the skies, just waiting for their bond to awaken when she did. It was good of Blueberry to remind her of the time, and appreciated the soft wakings every morning to start their routine.

Airen liked serving the shrine in the early hours, when not many souls visited to pay their respects to the dragon goddess Rhaylaeris, one of the oldest white dragons in Thanasian history. She liked to sweep the walkways at this time, before the sun grew too hot to work under, and by the time her father would have organised breakfast for the household, she would have finished up her other duties and start the short walk back home.

It was nice to have a routine.

She could hear her father call to them, calling them all to spend a few moments as a family. Routine and tradition. Nothing was out of place, everything was just the same.

"I have cherries, fresh from the shrine." She greeted Pahpi, smiling and adding the basket of the small bunches to the set table. Blueberry decided it best to stay outside and catch a snooze in a sunny spot, especially after spending the whole morning messing with Airen's chores.

 

[Takashi]

"Agh!"
Takashi had never grown used to Bubblegum's eager affections and had scolded both Yuriko and the Pink Dragon many times she was not to jump on people.
Then it was away, ruining his floorboards with its claws.
"No not up the stairs!"
But the dragon was already gone.
Takashi lay on the floor for a moment and wiped his face with a sigh.
"You see what I have to put up with?"
Glancing up at the picture of Ayane again he rolled over with a grunt and stood himself up again then went to the foot of the stairs to examine the damage. What he saw made him hang his head, three new scars on the steps.
Letting out another sigh he gave the portrait one last imploring look.
Airen entered then, greeting him and with her own contribution to the morning meal.

"Ah, Airen. Good morning and Happy Birthday."
His face smiled, always happy to see her and the tension melted from him a bit.
"Cherries, oh these will go well thank you."
Sitting at the table he poured some tea for Airen from the still hot pot and beckoned her to sit with him.
Sometimes he wondered if she ever slept at all, she was often up so early but he had decided long ago that it was no bad thing. Despite being twins, Yuriko and Airen were still very different in many ways.
It was a wonder to him but he never questioned it, especially since their difference in mannerisms seemed to be reflect in the dragons and it meant that Blueberry tended to not invade the house as much as Bubblegum, most of the time at least.
"How was your morning?
Everything well at the Temple I hope!
Are the goffer's gone yet?"
He was determined to get as much peace out of the morning as he could but his eagerness showed in his small barrage of questions.

 

[Yuriko]

"Pahpi, let her at least have a cup of tea first," Yuriko yawned and threw herself onto one of the last rickety stool, though not before pressing a kiss to her fathers creased cheek. She pinched one of the cherries out of the bowl and popped it in her mouth. Bubblegum snuck down the stairs after her bonded - or snuck as much as a dragon could - and curled up expectantly at Yuriko's feet, though her wide pink eyes took in every movement that included food.

"You know it was our day off today, right? The Daishi said so," the kindly old man who ran the temple saw the girls as fondly as his own grandchildren and doted on them often on such special days as these. Out of most of the neighbourhood children it was they who had spent most of their time helping him tend to his place of worship. He hadn't hesitated in agreeing to them taking the day off when Yuriko had asked. But here was her twin, going without her! She shot a playful glare at her sister then subtly fed the dragon a cherry from her plate.

 

[Airen]

Airen gave her Pahpi an exasperated look, silencing herself with her tea, but her twin spoke for her. After warming herself with the perfectly prepared tea, she took a spoon and gently mixed the surface to her bowl of congee. "Yes, I know that, Yuri. I... was awake already and could not get back to sleep."

"Besides, Blueberry needed the stretch." She smiled, small but sweet.

It was only in the last couple of years that Airen began to shy away and become quieter, and her dragon did the same, although matched Bubblegum in energy when it builds up. But the youngest twin was happy to take things alone, to take solace in the peace she sought after.

"Who knows how many more mornings we have left to tend to the temple. It is our birthday and soon the Thunder will be recruiting us... have you heard anything yet Pahpi?"

 

[Takashi]

The question made him pause a moment.
"No, no, nothing yet."
His smile did not quite meet his eyes. It was not a lie, but gossip had weaved its web about their little home. Neighbors told him "Any day now!" and "Soon you'll be alone!" One even suggested Yuriko marry his son as soon as possible so that she could have "a reason to stay!" As if they needed any reason other than this being their home. The thought rested heavy on his mind and he could not deny that whenever he saw a dragon rider flying low his heart would begin to sink.
"Let's eat."
Eager to not speak of the Thunder as ever. It was not something he ever gave much thought to, dragons were a way of life, yes but not his life, not until the girls found them and brought them home. At the time he felt they did not know the extent of what might come of it but that seed of possibility had born a mighty tree and there was no digging it up now.
"You work too hard Airen, you need to slow down and relax a bit. You could learn a bit from Yuriko."
He smiled at his youngest and turned to Yuriko, his cheek still warm from her morning greeting.
"And it's okay today but you know when it comes to Bubblegum you let that dragon run amok. Look at Blueberry."
He drew their attention to the lazing blue creature outside the door.
"So well behaved. Airen, you have done very well with him!"
Of his children he truly had no favourites but of the dragons, he liked Blueberry best these days.

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

Yuriko was more than happy to fall upon the food. Their simple life meant that food was not always plentiful and the young girl ate like any child who did not know when the next full meal was coming. Though with a little more grace than a street urchin, for her father had raised them in a house and not a barn - as he kept reminding them. She did shoot him an incredulous look when he called out Bubblegum's behaviour.

"Pahpi! She's going to think you hate her," she sounded aghast and indeed the pink dragon did lower her head as though Takashi had dealt her a physical blow. With a small chitter she backed herself as much as possible for a creature her size under Yuriko's chair. Unfortunately for the young dragon all that fit was her head.

 

[Airen]

"He does not mean it, Bubble!" And although she knew most dragons would not care for cherries, their bonded dragons did. She had plucked one from the basket, tossing it into the air behind her sister and delighting in the pink dragon leaping up to catch the dark fruit between her maw.

"Besides Pahpi, Blueberry will liven up eventually." And she knew he would change his tune once that happens. He needed a near month to sleep and recuperate before going on his weeks long burst of energy. Only then will Bubblegum would look the picture of a godly saint.

 

[Takashi]

Takashi knew he had lost. Against them both there was no victory of any kind.
He cleared his throat before speaking.
"I don't hate her Yuriko."
Craning his neck he looked at the poor creature nestling under her.
"I don't hate you. I just want you to be careful. Floorboards are not cheap."
Empathy filled his voice as he could not stay angry at the dragons for long. Sometimes he wondered if that was because they were bonded to the girls, was some familial connection a part of that magic. The thought made him wonder.
Giving a short shake of his head he listened to Airen with some trepidation.
"Oh,"
He spared the blue dragon a short look. Outside he appeared so peaceful and content.
"Does he have to liven up?"
He asked with slim hope.

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

Yuriko reached down to run her hands over the pink dragon's soft scales. Beneath her touch Bubble gave a contented hum, all the while still looking at her bondeds father with those big, round, puppy-like eyes.

"Well you banned her from flying in the house, Pahpi, how else would she get up the stairs?" Yuriko had chosen to completely ignore her fathers heavy suggestions the dragons didn't come inside at all. It seemed abhorrent that she wouldn't sleep with the dragon she had nursed since a hatchling. She flashed her father a sweet, innocent smile then looked across to her sister.

"So what are we doing today to celebrate?"

 

[Airen]

Airen could not help the amused smile growing on her lips, splitting her face into a large grin. If their Pahpi cared so much for their floors, he should make the pair of dragons a roost like many other households with smaller and young dragons had on their rooftops.

The younger twin blinked at her sister, thinking hard on any idea to suggest to celebrate their birthday. Last year, the three of them went north to camp by the beach, other families having the same idea, and it had been a lovely few days out in the sun. This year, it was better for them to remain home in case the Thunder called upon them.

"Should we go to the market? We could do some baking today?" Something that didn't require them being out too long or asking too much of her to put herself out there in a social situation. She relied on Yuriko for that, to be that balance she could never be comfortable being. "Perhaps use some of our savings to buy chocolate. A chocolate cake sounds absolutely amazing!"

 

[Takashi]

"She kept knocking over the plants Yuriko. When she can fly without hitting things I'll consider it!"
That was only half of the reason for he also feared the portrait of Ayane might get damaged and he would sacrifice any object in the house save that picture but he didn't voice that part.
Instead he gave a sigh and ate a cherry and used the time to think. Airen's suggestion was a good one. He always closed the shop on the girls birthday and he had no deliveries today so the market was a good idea.
"We could get some fireworks too." He suggested.
"Unless you're both getting too old to enjoy them anymore."
A playful tease entered his voice. They had always liked sparklers as children and after that firecrackers on ribbons, the new years fireworks display was a joy for them as well. He remembered when he first took them, they had jumped and roared so much at the spectacle and exhausted themselves so much he had to carry them both home in his arms. The memory made him smile.
This year he was thinking he must do something special.

 

[Yuriko]

"Oh, a chocolate cake!" Yuriko gasped with pure, unadulterated joy. It wasn't often that the family could afford to splurge on ingredients such as sugar and chocolate that had to be imported from the deep jungles of Malakath. "Yes!" she gave her twin a grin.

Then their father made it all the better.

"Fireworks?!" Yuriko squeaked, squirming in her seat seemingly unable to hold in her excitement. "Did you hear that Bubble?" she reached down with a cherry for her dragon who snuffled the fruit before taking it carefully with her tongue. "Fireworks! Like you'll be able to do one day."

 

[Airen]

Airen let out a laugh, the excited energy of Yuriko affecting her too. Her grin was wide, excited, and her eyes brightened at the mention of fireworks. Of course, they were too old for them, but year after year, it made her realise how much she adored looking to the sky at night. The stars glimmered in the darkness, brighter than anything else, even when the moon would disappear for a night. She had taken to watching out for celestial events, and fireworks was one she counted.

"We should say home for them. Go to the rooftop and set the fireworks." She suggested, happily eating more of her congee.

 

[Takashi]

Takashis smiled as he brought the chicken to his mouth and ate it.
"It is settled then. Market to get cake and treats and fireworks then up to the rooftop to watch them."
He finished quickly, much as he liked this time he was wary that the market was always best just as things were opening and soon the crowds would be there.
It was always best to have few folk around, even though the dragons knew to behave when they needed to and the girls knew how to handle them, his habit of wariness in crowds was never fully lost. Even losing sight of them for a moment when they were younger caused him to break out in a cold sweat.

As he stood and prepared himself he slung his basket over his shoulder.
"Okay, okay. Let's see now."
He tried to bring to mind all that was needed and might be needed. He had money, his key and his hat. That should be enough. He patted down himself as if he had forgotten something but it was simply a physiacl habit he was in, busy work for his hands while he thought.
"Do you want to go anywhere else? The river or the tea shop maybe?"
He liked having a plan but he knew it was their day and if they went on a whim he would oblige so he tried to get them to think of something first.

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

"Oh! The Tea Shop please Pahpi," Yuriko adored the tea shop - especially the little pastries they served alongside each blend of tea. Like the tea merchant had carefully curated recipes based on each of the teas he offered in his shop. Overlooking the river, her favourite seat was in the small courtyard under one of the cherry blossoms. The Keom tree or the Bubblegum tree. The same one that had inspired her dragon's name due to the hue of her scales.

Putting on her shoes alerted said dragon to the fact they were leaving and the pink-scaled beast hurtled past them and out the door in a fit of energy, bounding onto her sibling to rouse him.

 

[Airen]

Airen could not hide her smile. Yuriko held an infectious energy that was the only way to get Airen to match the same. On her own, she would prefer to be more reserved. It also meant she made little in way of friends, due to her only being comfortable in Yuriko's presence.

Of course, that had been seen as a problem when the twins were growing up before things changed once they became bonded to their dragons.

"I guess that is our cue to go, Pahpi." Airen smiled. "Thank you for preparing this breakfast for us."

Moving to stand, she offered a bow of acknowledgement before moving to go slide on her slippers to go outside.

Blueberry was proving difficult to make any move to leave his comfortable spot, but the insistence of the pink dragon eventually made him realise she would not stop until he was up. He was only slightly larger in height than Bubblegum, standing tall and stretching much like a cat. Airen had often wondered if he mimicked the cats from the shrine.

 

[Takashi]

"Mind the floor...!"
It was useless, Bubblegum was already across the room and out the door by the time he finished the first word.
"Ahh!"
Shaking his head he put it past himself and smiled again. Not today, today was for better things.
"Okay Yuriko. Market, tea shop and then fireworks at home. It sounds like a plan."
As Blueberry woke he felt a bit like a stretch himself.
"You're welcome Airen. Now, make sure you both have everything. We'll be out most of the morning."
With that he left for the garden to wait them. The walk to the market was short and the bright sun was warm with a bit of the crisp of morning hanging onto it.
Above them clouds in the sky passed lazily and Takashi found his eyes wandering up and for a moment that fear that he would see a rider descend and what that would mean touched his heart.

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

Yuriko as always left without much care for if the weather would be sunny or rainy for the rest of the day, too caught up in the excitement of what was to come. Her younger sister was the more sensible of the two, more hesitant and careful in her planning, whilst Yuriko was as unpredictable as the wind.

"Sorry Pahpi!" she called as she skidded out the door after her dragon, trying in vein to try and scuff over the new claw marks her dragon had left. She would definitely, maybe, perhaps, remember to buff them out later.

As the family set off down the roads Bubblegum took to the skies; it was the place her dragon seemed most contented. The ground made her restless, but so did the fact her rider could not yet join her and she would often land to nuzzle at the birthday girl before taking off again.

"What teas do you think Mr Yue will have today?"

 

[Airen]

Blueberry provided shade to the Kubo family walking the path, his wings stretched out to keep the heat from tiring the humans. Flickers of the top of Airen's head came through the bond, and she turned to look over her shoulder, to the sky in which was swallowed by her dragon's silhouette.

"I do hope he has more floral teas. I quite liked the ones you brought home the other week Yuriko." They had gone nicely with the lemon drizzled cakes she had made that morning too, and it had been a cooler day of the summer then that they could laze in the garden. "Suppose we could ask for a birthday special." She grinned, turning to look at her family.

They often bought tea from Mr Yue, who had a farm for all his teas outside of Thanasis and protected from pests. The Kubos had visited once, when the girls were younger, and their dragons learning to be on their best behaviour.

 

[Takashi]

"Those teas were very good weren't they?"
Takashi agreed stroking his chin in thought. The flavour was sweet but lingered pleasantly in the throat and he swore he had better energy that night, perhaps the flower held a stimulant.
"Did Mr Yue tell you what they were Yuriko?"
As a botanist he knew of tending and keeping various plants but there were still many he did not know much about. Himself and Mr Yue had spoken of plants and their uses many times and he had kept meaning to ask.
Walking along in the bright sun he was grateful for Blueberry and the shade the young dragon provided and he smiled at Airen then.
"You must not expect too much of Mr Yue, he is old and has been good to us."
Pausing he followed his smile with a wink.
"But we can ask."

Yuriko
Airen

 

[Yuriko]

Yuriko watched the pink dragon as she soared through the skies in an almost lazy manner with one eye, whilst keeping her other eye on her family. She found herself split between the two more and more. A desire to be with her dragon and settle the restless spirit inside of her, but an inability to let go to the world as she knew it. The question rooted her to her present and she pondered it for a moment.

"Not specifically, but I definitely tasted notes of Butterfly Pea and dragon fruit in one, and Airen you really liked the one I thought was Echinacea and Lemongrass."

 

[Airen]

"Oh, that's right!" She smiled, looking over to her twin.

Yuriko looked older, as if their birthday already took to her well. She looked ready for the world, responsible, and eager to start going off on her own with her dragon. There was always going to be a day she would be without her sister, but Airen thought they might have a little longer.

Without her sister around, Airen would be too shy to ask Mr Yue what teas her sister bought the other week, too embarrassed to ask which of those teas had that lemon tang to it. She probably would ask her father, and gods bless him, he'd do his best at figuring out what tea it was, but it wouldn't be the same as Yuriko remembering what tea she liked.

The tea shop was not too difficult to walk to, and as soon as she stepped into the shade, she could no longer feel the heat rising from the stone path at her feet.

"I wish there was a breeze at least." She pouted, wiping sweat from her brow.

 

[Takashi]

"Bless your memory Yuriko. I would never have remembered all that."
Takashi smiled and wiped his forehead with his sleeve but there was more than a dead heat in the air. The question this morning about being taken to a Wing and all that would mean. It was a heavy chain between them all and Takashi could not help but feel his end was coming loose.
"Ahh so do I Airen. Any chance Blueberry could summon one?"
He knew little of dragons bar what they ate and could ruin and how much they shed but folk said often that they could perform magic. It beat him what that meant but as Mr Yue greeted them it was quickly forgotten.

The older man's smile was broad and while his eyes were not so strong his thick spectacles made up for it.
"The Kubo family, welcome."
He came out from the counter to greet them. The shop smelled like a spring valley. Patrons hoping to flee the merciless sun drank cold brews. Most of them locals.
"Should I fix a table?"

Yuriko
Airen