You know that feeling you get when you go to the local cafe and take in that rich coffee smell? What if the blends were dragon roasted?

Today’s story is “Dragon Roasted Coffee Beans” by Jay “Shirou” Coughlan, who has written for the anthology ROAR 7 by Bad Dog Books and for Vancoufur, his local convention. Though not a coffee drinker himself, the idea of a dragon roasting her own coffee beans in a local cafe was too cozy of an idea not to share.

Read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and today’s story is

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“Dragon Roasted Coffee Beans”

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by Jay “Shirou” Coughlan,

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who has written for the anthology

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ROAR 7 by Bad Dog Books and for Vancoufur,

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his local convention.

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Though not a coffee drinker himself,

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the idea of a dragon roasting her own coffee beans in a local cafe

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was too cozy of an idea not to share.

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“Dragon Roasted Coffee Beans”

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by Jay “Shirou” Coughlan

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Crisp autumn sun streamed through the windows

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of the Dragon Roast Café.

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Lazy gold and crimson leaves floated down from the massive maple tree the café was built into.

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Many decades ago,

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as a favour to the proprietor,

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Elven magic and skilled carpentry had been used in concert

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to make the café and ancient tree one.

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The floors and walls were made from the natural wood of the tree,

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which still grew and thrived.

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Even the tables, chairs, and counters had all been made of the maple wood they had removed.

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Inside the café, the air was thick with the warm, bitter scent of roasting coffee and fire.

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The tell-tale tickle of torched air hung about in a gentle, comforting haze

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while the bright,

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electric scent of the brews energized the room.

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Some said that the scent of the coffee alone was what made the maple so massive over the years.

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Many of the shop’s regulars had joked that the owner,

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a storm gray dragon called Madeline,

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was growing a third floor.

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Madeline had always chuckled at the thought,

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she knew that the tree was already large enough for many more floors than that.

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The door opened with a tinkle of the bell.

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A cold draft of crisp autumn air drifted in the first patron of the day,

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a few amber leaves dancing at her feet.

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A young doe in a thick felt jacket and red-gold scarf came in.

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In her antlers stood a jet-black crow, clutching one of the doe’s branches

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as his beady eyes took in the café.

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Instantly Madeline turned from her morning preparations to greet the guest.

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“Wendy, good morning!” She said.

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Her muzzle split into a warm smile.

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“You’re up early.” “Ah, yes, sorry about the mess,”

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Wendy said as she approached.

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“I need to get studying,

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would you mind if I stayed here for a bit?”

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“Not at all,” Madeline said.

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She nodded her head towards the balcony.

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“The second floor is usually quiet,

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you’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”

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Wendy quickly gave her thanks,

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and trotted up the stairs,

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eager to get going.

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“She should be paying for something if she’s going to use our space,”

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Archimedes grumbled.

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He was a grouchy gryphon,

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with fur of copper

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and feathers of bronze.

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He was Madeline’s partner both in life and in enterprise.

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Madeline shrugged but didn’t have time to retort

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as the first wave of morning customers began to file in.

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Noses flared and sniffed the air as the rich, silky scent of roasted beans began to wake them from their morning stupor.

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Coffees of all sorts were snatched from the counters almost before the orders were called.

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Cappuccinos, brews, lattes, and espressos were all prepared and served with swift precision.

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Many decades of practice

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had made Madeline the fastest server in town.

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Meanwhile, Archimedes was busy preparing the ingredients,

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cleaning out the machines and the drip trays, and making sure his employer was unimpeded in her work.

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They danced their familiar steps together,

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each practiced and swift in the routine,

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serving more drinks in an hour than they would the rest of the day combined.

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Just as soon as the rush began,

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the coffee shop emptied out and only a fraction of the crowd stayed.

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Patrons, both regulars and newcomers alike,

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milled about the shop in a lazy orchestra.

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With the crowd thinned,

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Madeline began her ritual of refilling her stores.

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The smell of roasting beans wafted up through the café,

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carried on an updraft of heat

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and fire. The familiar crackle and roar of flame filled the air.

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Everyone’s heads perked

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and turned to watch as Madeline used her dragon-fire to roast the beans.

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Ghostly, white-yellow flames with a sky-blue core

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licked at the base of a heavy cast-iron bowl

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she held in one hand.

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Unfazed by her own heat,

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her wrist rocked the bowl in a practiced motion,

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the beans inside shaking and shifting,

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making an orchestra of noise as they clattered against one another,

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landing at the bottom for a moment of scorching heat

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before being swept up again.

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Everyone’s nose twitched,

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almost in unison,

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when the beans were thrown into the air,

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their scent thrown out into the wilds.

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The show went on for a few minutes.

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Many patrons returned to their conversations and beverages,

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but some of the newer customers kept watching.

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Eventually, the flames died down, and the storm-gray dragon caught her breath.

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She gently lowered the hot bowl onto a marble slab so as not to burn the wood of the counter.

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She rushed to washed her hands in the sink, dried them,

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and began scooping her claws through the cooling beans,

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rotating them slowly to even out the heat.

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The gentle shff, shff, shff, of the beans

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bled into the cacophony of sound in the café,

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letting those still watching know the show was over

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and they could return to their conversations.

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With a metal scoop in hand,

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Madeline scooped the beans into a sealable bag and passed it along with three drinks

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to the dark-skinned human woman across the counter.

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Her child, maybe about 6 or 7 years of age was ecstatic,

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almost wetting himself when he watched Madeline roast the marshmallow

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on his hot chocolate with a quick wisp of fire.

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Seeing his excitement

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warmed her old heart.

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She beamed and almost refused to take their payment,

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delighting in the afterglow of making someone’s day that much more of an adventure.

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Madeline’s throat rumbled a soft hum

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and she prepared a few more drinks to take out to her guests.

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She placed them all on a tray and quickly wiped down her workstation.

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“I see that extra coffee,”

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Eyed Archimedes as he returned with a pile of cups placed in a satchel over his back.

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“I don’t recall anyone ordering that.”

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“And here I thought you were too busy grumbling at misplaced sugar bowls to notice,”

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Madeline smirked.

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Archimedes frowned

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and hopped up so his fore-claws were perched on the counter.

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“I can multi-task.” Madeline crossed the short distance between them

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and put a gentle claw on her partner’s head,

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gently stroking between his ears.

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His tall, feathered ears flicked back but the dragon could feel his muscles relax just a little.

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He frowned, but let the motion continue.

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“I would point out your wasting money,

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but it hasn’t changed your mind before.”

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Archimedes continued to refill the to-go cup displays

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and clean the front counter.

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“You’re welcome to keep reminding me,

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I might listen one day.”

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Madeline smiled and walked out of the counter with a swish of her tail onto the floor

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Sitting by the door

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was a kitsune couple,

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white and orange respectively.

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The lads had met at that very spot, years ago.

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They were uncertain,

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testing the waters of a new relationship.

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Now they came by every week to enjoy tea

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and each other’s company.

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Every year on their anniversary,

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Madeline would delight them with free drinks,

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and a special treat to share.

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“A rose-green tea for you, Yukiko,”

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Madeline said as she placed the simple mug next to the white kitsune.

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Yukiko nodded in thanks,

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“and a cappuccino with extra chocolate

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and an extra espresso shot, topped with whipped cream for you, Ami.

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I’m not sure how you manage that sugar.”

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She smiled, passing it to the orange kitsune.

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“It smells amazing as always, Miss Madeline,”

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Ami said. He brightened as the scent filled his nose.

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He took a finger

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and stuck it into the whipped cream, scooping a large chunk out

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and popping it into his mouth.

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His four tails fanned out in delight.

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Yukiko rolled his eyes but smiled at his boyfriend’s antics.

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“I did bring you a spoon for that,”

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Madeline said, slipping a spoon from her apron pocket.

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“Too slow,” Ami said through his mouthful.

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Then he wiped his claw on a napkin and took the spoon from the dragon.

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“But I don’t think Yuki wants me to tussle his fur with sticky claws,

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thank you for thinking ahead of me.”

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“Someone has to, right Yukiko?”

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Madeline asked. Yukiko chuckled.

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Ami took little time in scooping a big chunk of whipped cream off the top and stuffing it into his muzzle,

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wisps of the white fluff catching on his whiskers.

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Yukiko reached over to wipe the whipped cream from Ami’s face,

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but once the white fox tried to pull away,

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his orange other half leaned forward to lick it off Yukiko’s finger. Yukiko’s ears flicked back,

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embarrassed by the act.

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“You two are so cute together,”

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Madeline smiled.

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Both sets of kitsune ears flicked back,

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but Ami wore a big smile on his face.

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“It’s all Yuki, he mellows me out,”

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He said with an ear-to-ear grin.

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“Really?” Madeline teased, raising her eyebrow.

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“I’d hate to see what you’re like without him around.

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Do you bounce off of walls?”

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“When he was studying for his finals a couple years ago

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I was basically home alone.

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I re-arranged all of our furniture and managed to break almost every plate we owned.

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He nearly transmogrified me into a statue!”

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“He would have deserved it,”

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Yukiko chimed in,

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his voice soft but rough like stepping through crunching snow.

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“It would have been the best use of my diplomas so far.”

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Ami stuck out his tongue and Yukiko flicked his nose, playfully.

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“Well, you two enjoy your drinks,

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but if he gets on your nerves I am looking for new décor,”

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Madeline said with a mischievous grin.

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Yuki chuckled and Ami grinned sheepishly.

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She excused herself from the two

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and walked over to the next table.

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Two tables down sat an elven author.

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Her visits were sporadic but became more frequent

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as deadlines and writer’s block loomed. She often

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ordered multiple coffees a day,

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each as dark as her skin, and as sweet as her voice.

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One hand would be scribbling with a thick feathered quill,

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the other would be holding her mug to her lips,

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mid-sip as inspiration held her,

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or as she desperately tried to put words to paper to make her own magic happen.

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More than once the dragon hostess would take a quiet moment to sit with her,

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reading over her latest prose, and making recommendations or suggestions.

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They were rarely good,

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but they often got the ink flowing.

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Today, Alara was staring at her sheaf of parchment,

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eyes glazed over.

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The dragon picked up the empty coffee mug and placed it on her tray.

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“Refill, Alara?” She asked with a knowing smile.

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“Yes, please.” Mumbled the elf,

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her eyes didn’t move and her hands remained trained on her temple.

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“I’ll be back before you know it,”

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Madeline said with a swish of her tail.

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She still had a coffee to deliver before refilling the author’s mug.

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She ascended upstairs,

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tail lifted to avoid the steps as it trailed behind her.

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It swished with a

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lazy serpentine sway.

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The upstairs portion of the coffee shop was a half-floor mezzanine that looked out onto the first floor below.

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Spiralling stairs creaked with each footstep.

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They used to be young,

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crisp, and straight when this café was built decades ago.

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They had never bent or shifted,

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made of fresh, clean maple wood.

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But now they had stains from too many coffee spills

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and they had soft, wide divots recessed into each wooden step

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from decades of use,

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warped and misshapen from a thousand feet walking up and down them.

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But, though they complained,

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they remained sturdy with no signs of giving in to the pressures foisted upon them.

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Shelves of books and knick-knacks lined the walls on the second floor.

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Leather-bound volumes filled the shelves,

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all old and weathered.

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Many no longer had their original cover on them,

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having been rebound.

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Some had pages replaced,

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others were just on the cusp of being loved too much,

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with weak spines, their passages held on with hope and dreams.

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But even the most battered and beaten of these books

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held every single word from the original text.

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Many of these books were old fantasies and romances,

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some were largely exaggerated accounts of notable adventurers going on quests or

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encountering new and exciting creatures,

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yet others were tomes of old knowledge,

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magic spells and incantations long since outdated.

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The books were broken up into sections, demarcated by the various knick-knacks from the café owner’s life.

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A large globe sat between two sections.

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Its surface was faded with time and its landmasses outdated by several decades at least.

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On the globe were several small markings,

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little X’s in various places.

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Those with a trained eye could see though that the markings were not random.

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Every other trinket on the shelves could be placed at the locations marked.

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There was a jade dragon statuette

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that seemed to depict the café’s proprietor in a majestic pose.

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Another large gold medallion had words written in a long-lost language,

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but the engraving in the center clearly depicted

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a draconic face with sapphires in her eyes.

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More wooden tables sat on this second floor,

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a few were pulled together so Wendy could sit and study for her classes at the academy.

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Papers and textbooks

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filled every inch of space,

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as she poured over formulas and incantations.

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Cue-cards were scattered about,

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covered with notes and questions to test her knowledge.

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Corey sat in her antlers,

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not at all fazed as the student’s head

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moved about and jostled his perch.

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She rarely purchased a drink or food,

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having to save her money for school until she was able to get a job like her mother.

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In many ways she was already much like her mother,

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who used to sit in this exact spot,

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reading over similar notes, years ago.

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Wendy didn’t shift until Madeline had settled the hot mug on the table with a clink.

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Her head rose, bleary-eyed,

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and she stared at the drink.

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“I… I didn’t order this,”

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she said. “I know, it’s on the house.

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I thought it might help keep you focussed.”

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Madeline smiled,

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looking over the tables pulled together for this study fest.

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Corey, the crow, hopped down from Wendy’s antlers

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and poked his beak at the coffee, seeming to enjoy its warmth.

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He gave a gentle caw of appreciation,

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hopping around the cup.

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“Thank you, Miss Madeline,”

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Wendy said. Her whole body seemed to relax a bit

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as she took in a deep breath,

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enjoying the scent.

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“You look like your studying isn’t going so well.”

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Wendy shrugged. “You wouldn’t happen to know the basis behind Romulus’s theorem on temporal spells, would you?”

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“Nothing relevant to this century, I’m afraid,”

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Madeline said. Her mouth curled into a sympathetic smile.

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Then her tail tensed,

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a sense of déjà vu coming over her.

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She had heard this question before.

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“Actually…” Madeline strode over to her bookshelf.

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Her claw briefly ran over the titles

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and plucked a rather large volume from the center.

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The dragon opened it in the middle

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and began flipping through old, yellowed pages, gentle but quick

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until she found the passage she was looking for.

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“Your mother found this section very helpful.

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Some of the details are out of date,

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but she found it just made a lot of things click together.

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She was so excited when she found it she came running up to the counter to tell me.”

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Madeline set the book on top of Wendy’s notes.

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The pages were yellowing and stiff, and the writing was beginning to fade and blur into the page,

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but it was more or less legible.

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The doe’s eyes scanned the page briefly

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and she picked up the page with ginger hands.

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“I can’t remember my mother being terribly excited about anything.

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Did she study here a lot?”

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Madeline nodded.

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Wendy set the book down and leaned back in her seat.

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“Do you know her well?”

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Madeline smiled

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and put her hand on Wendy’s shoulder.

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“Do you like the coffee?”

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She asked. Wendy nodded.

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“That was the same thing your mother used to order during her study sessions.”

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She said, a twinkle in her old eyes.

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“Oh, it is really good,” Wendy said with a warm smile. Light was returning to her eyes. “Thank you very much.” “Any time,” Madeline

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said.

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“I’ll let you get back to studying.”

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Wendy nodded, but her eyes already looked to the distance,

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contemplating a question as her mind returned to her notes.

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The dragon slipped down the stairs and back into her nook,

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preparing her patron’s re-fill.

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Alara perked up as if alerted by the mere aura of coffee.

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“Oh, thank you, Madeline, you’re a treat,”

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She said. The dark elf

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eagerly cradled the cup in her hands,

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taking a deep breath of the brew.

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“How’s the progress going?”

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Madeline placed the tray down on the table

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and slid into the seat across from Alara,

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looping her tail into the back.

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“Awful,” Alara sneered.

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“I’ve put my quill to the page ten times today,

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and I think I might have written down twelve actual words.”

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“Progress is progress, even if slow.”

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Madeline chimed in.

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“Well progress isn’t worth much if you don’t get far enough to meet your deadlines, I’m afraid.”

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“What’s the passage about?”

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“The main characters are entering an ancient cathedral,

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half-buried and lost in the desert.

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I’m just trying to get the emotions right,

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get the readers to

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really understand the feeling of a

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hot desert sun on their backs, the sand in their shoes,

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a whipping wind in their face.

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At the same time,

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the awe and just sheer might of the cathedral

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need to be introduced,

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this is really the part where everything starts to come together, I think…”

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“Well, I have been to a couple of desert temples in my life,

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although they weren’t ancient when I first went there.”

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Alara’s attention was piqued,

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her hand reached for a blank piece of paper

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and she re-dipped her quill.

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“How am I still surprised?

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Tell. Me. Everything,”

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She said, a lust for knowledge in her eye.

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“Well, I don’t think words will ever do justice to the sand there.

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Soft, almost mushy beneath your feet,

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it gets everywhere,

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I mean everywhere,

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if you’re in it long enough.

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It’s also hot, burning,

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you’re essentially baking in an oven.

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Even I felt uncomfortable out there.

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The evenings are beautiful though,

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you still have the sands baking beneath you, warm and cozy,

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but the night sky is cool

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and bright with a thousand twinkling stars.”

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Alara scribbled down each word with chicken scratch writing,

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cleanliness swept aside for speed.

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“That sounds beautiful,”

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She said after a moment,

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putting down her quill.

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“It must be amazing to actually get to visit and stay in these places.

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Inspiration must be abundant in you!

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I’m surprised you don’t have novels bursting out of your head!”

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“Oh hush, you.” Madeline flushed with a coy smile.

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“I never had the patience to develop writing as a skill,

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I’d much rather read what you’ve come up with.”

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“All the places you’ve seen,

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all the things you’ve done.

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I’d love to sit here for hours just

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picking your brain for those details.

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I’d be bursting with inspiration!”

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Alara grinned wide from ear to ear.

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“Owning a coffee shop must seem terribly dull after living a life like yours.

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Especially as a dragon!

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Most dragons you see are out there in important roles,

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like owning merchant trades or

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leading countries.

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Why do you even stay here?”

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“I think most other dragons are craving something,

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they all want to fill some void, so they stash it with

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treasures and objects of value

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and power of one sort or another.

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I think they’re missing the point.

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This,” Madeline gestured

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out to the crowd, the shop,

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“Is no less important.

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It took me a long time to find this.”

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“I’m not sure a coffee shop quite compares to leading a country,”

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Alara said, “Not that I’m saying it isn’t worthwhile.

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worthwhile.” She hastily added.

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The sound of something crashing

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and a strangled cry from upstairs interrupted their conversation.

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Both of them whipped their heads up to the mezzanine.

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Archimedes had already launched himself upwards,

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skipping the stairs entirely with a flap of his wings,

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and landing on the railing.

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The way his ears flicked back clutched at Madeline’s chest.

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“Please excuse me,”

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She said to Alara.

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She slipped out of the chair and dashed up the stairs,

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taking them three at a time

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until she could see the scene. Wendy

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stood over her tables,

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staring helplessly at her notes and books.

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Her mug was toppled over,

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brown liquid spilling, spreading darkness across the pages.

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For a moment, there was relief as no one appeared to be hurt and the tension in Madeline’s chest

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relaxed somewhat.

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“I’ll go get something to clean this up with,”

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Archimedes muttered,

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and he lept off the balcony back to the first floor.

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Wendy began to helplessly pick at the mess,

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lifting a coffee-soaked note

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then setting back down, uncertain where to even begin.

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Corey was hopped up on the railing,

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looking over the carnage.

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His beady eyes seemed somehow sad.

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“I just... I don’t know,

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my notes are ruined.

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I forgot the cup was

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there I reached for a page and-

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and-” Madeline crossed the distance between them in swift strides and gently guided Wendy to her chair again.

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“Shh, it’s all right. We’ll get this sorted,” she said,

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reassuring the doe.

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She frowned inwardly at herself for bringing the unexpected coffee.

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“Oh.” Alara had followed Madeline upstairs and gasped upon seeing the wreckage.

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She came over as well,

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poking at the notes.

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“Well, it’s not so bad as it seems,”

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She said with a smile.

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Alara picked up one of the notes,

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letting it drip sadly over the table.

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“I’d hardly be a writer if I didn’t spill my share of coffee over my work!

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I have a spell to remove spilled liquids from paper.

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It may take some time using it to this extent,”

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She puzzled over the mess,

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eyeing it up for the size of the spell she’d need.

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“B-but mid-terms are to

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-tomorrow, and I’m already behind on projects and- and-”

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She was having a hard time catching her breath between ugly sobs. “I-I’ll ne

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-never pass, I won’t get a good job, mo

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-mom will be mad-” Madeline put a heavy hand on her back and began to massage the doe.

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“Nonsense, Wendy, you will do great,

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and your mother will still be proud of you,”

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Madeline said. “E-easy f-for you to say,

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you don’t li-live with her,”

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Wendy retorted, a fresh wave of tears bursting forth.

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Madeline couldn’t help her muzzle from splitting into a gentle grin.

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She pulled up a chair with her tail and sat next to Wendy,

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pulling her closer.

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“She’s not going to be mad,

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we’re going to fix this,

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and even without your notes

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I know you’ll pass with flying colours,”

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Madeline said. “I just need you to take some deep breaths.”

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Wendy gulped back some tears,

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and Madeline softly led her through some breaths,

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calming her down through ugly sobs.

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There was a flash of blue light and both of them turned to Alara, who was holding a yellowed sheet of now dry notes.

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“Good news, the notes are legible!

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Bad news, the sheet is still yellow,

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not much I can do about that.”

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The author grinned,

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handing Wendy the page.

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The doe sniffed

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and wiped her nose before taking the sheet. “Th

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-that’s incredible,

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would you teach me the spell?”

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“It would certainly make the process faster,”

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Alara smiled. There was a flutter of feathers as Archimedes returned to the railing next to Corey,

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making the surprised crow leap and caw indignantly.

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“Hush, bird brain,”

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Archimedes snapped. “There’s

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a reason I got the railing reinforced,”

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Madeline whispered, leaning over to Wendy.

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The young witch giggled.

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Archimedes rolled his eyes then dropped to the floor, pulling out a pile of cloths from his satchel

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and beginning to mop up the building puddle.

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“I brought a couple of friends for you three,

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the foxes wouldn’t stop bugging me until I told them what was going on,”

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Archimedes grumbled.

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As he said that, Ami and Yukiko both crested over the stairs,

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ears perked, curious.

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“What he forgot to mention,”

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Ami added, “Was we brought the mop and bucket.”

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“Figured if they were going to be nosey, they could help out,”

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Archimedes muttered.

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“Is he always a grump?”

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Ami asked as he began mopping the floor around the table.

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“Only when he’s awake,”

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Madeline winked.

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“Thank you for helping out, you really don’t have to.” “Heh,

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it’s our pleasure, Miss Madeline,”

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Ami gave a playful bow before dunking his mop back into the bucket.

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Alara was demonstrating her cleaning spell to both Yukiko and Wendy, who watched on studiously.

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After the example,

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Yukiko frowned, picking up one of the textbooks.

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He placed his hand on the top and muttered the same words Alara had,

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igniting a bright blue light.

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However, the book remained dripping,

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unchanged. “They have anti-magic spells on them,”

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He said with a frown.

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“Prevents cheating and copying.”

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“And cleaning,” Alara added with a grimace.

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Wendy’s heart dropped. “I

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-I can’t afford new books...”

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“I could try roasting them,”

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Madeline suggested,

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“They might end up singed though.”

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Yukiko smiled and shook his head.

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“I have these at home,

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only a couple editions old,”

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He offered, “You can have them.”

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“Oh my gosh, thank you!”

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Wendy cried, wrapping her arms around Yukiko.

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He looked a bit uncomfortable at the contact,

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his muzzle tilted to avoid her antlers,

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but after a moment put his arms gently around her

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and returned the embrace.

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“Come on you two!” Alara laughed,

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waving her hand. “We’ll get these notes cleaned faster if you guys stop hugging and start helping!”

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Wendy and Yukiko set to work immediately,

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dropping the destroyed quills and books into a bag to contain the mess.

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Madeline took up a few rags and began sopping up the coffee on the table,

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delighting in the comradery.

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“You’re all amazing,” She said,

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dropping her soaked rag into the mop bucket.

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“Coffees are on the house for everyone!”

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She announced, making Archimedes groan.

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“Actually, Miss Madeline.

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We had something we wanted to ask you.”

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Ami stuck his mop in the bucket and rummaged through his coat pockets.

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He pulled out a small, white envelope, sealed with a wad of golden wax,

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addressed to the dragon in cursive.

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“We’re getting married!

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And we were hoping you’d come.

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Well, actually,

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we were kind of hoping you’d let us rent out the café for the ceremony.”

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He said. His tails seemed to flick nervously.

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“Its been such a huge part of our lives.

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We promise the ceremony won’t be too big!”

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A tear burned at the corner of Madeline’s eye

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and her heart swelled with pride.

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With a breath, she held back the joy threatening to ruin her composure.

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“You’re the first invitation as well,” Yukiko said. “Of course, you’re invited too.” Ami pulled out a second envelope and handed it to Archimedes. The gryphon blinked, eyes wide and confused as he looked at the envelope. “Well, I guess we

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could.

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I mean, if we’re given sufficient notice...

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I don’t think there’s a good reason to say no,

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so long as it’s paid for.

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I mean-” Archimedes flustered,

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lost at the invitation.

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He looked up to Madeline who was clutching the invitation to her chest.

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“Of course, you can,”

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She said with a smile.

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“We would be honoured!”

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Ami’s muzzle split into a wide, goofy grin as his tails wagged like massive flags.

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Yukiko smiled as he packed up Wendy’s notes into her bag.

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“We’ll work out the details later,”

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Ami said, sliding over to his fiancé.

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“Come on, Wendy! Let’s go get those boring, old textbooks!”

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“I’ve got some tips for the exams that will help,” Yukiko said before he turned to wave behind them as they left.

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Corey soared overhead,

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following the three

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and circling above.

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“Would you mind taking the invitation and putting it in my office for now?”

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She slipped the envelope into Archimedes’ satchel.

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“I’ll bring the mop bucket downstairs.”

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“This has been too much excitement for me, honestly,

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I’m going to go on my lunch break,”

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He said. He leapt onto the railing once more,

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then paused for a second.

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“It is nice of them to invite us both,”

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He added, with the ghost of a smile in his eyes.

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Then he grunted and shoved off,

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gliding down to the floor below.

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“I think I see why you stay around this shop,”

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Alara noted, smiling as her hands brushed over the worldly trinkets.

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“It’s not for everyone,”

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Madeline admitted.

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“But I love it.” “I admit

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I didn’t expect there to be so much excitement in a cafe,

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it’s certainly inspired me to get back to work,”

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Alara said. “But you’re right.

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It may not be like running a country,

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but still important.”

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“Go write your novel, Alara,

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I’m sure it will be a

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best-seller,” Madeline said as she waved the elf off.

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They shared a grin

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and Alara left down the stairs.

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Madeline stood and looked over the balcony,

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looking over the expanse of her domain.

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Few dragons bothered with something as small and meaningless as a café.

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Preferring to rule of world of economics or politics,

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taking up roles as bankers or owning vast chains of markets to control the sale of goods.

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Madeline didn’t care for any of that.

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This, here, was her hoard.

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A thousand lives ran through her café

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each in a million short snippets.

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All the hearts she’d touched,

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all the generations she’d seen grow up.

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Entire stories unfolded before her eyes;

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the marriage she’d help blossom,

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the adventures she’d helped start,

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the wonder she’d put into a child’s eye, all from a simple little coffee shop.

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All for a taste of Dragon roasted

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coffee beans.This was

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“Dragon Roasted Coffee Beans”

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by Jay “Shirou” Coughlan,

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read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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For more stories you can find us

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wherever you get your podcasts, or on the web at thevoice.dog.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog