Caged Bird Act 5

Dove left the dark alley and re-joined the warm light of Mookaite. The largest shop sat on a corner, brightly lit from the shade of green emitted from inside. This shop belonged to Kitty and Peggy Moonan, twin sisters that she knew from their days at Chiaroscuro, as they were in the same allotment. Chiaroscuro Chamber was a small academy of training sorceresses, and sorcerers. It was heavily female dominated. Like all witchcraft. Although being twins, Kitty was the one who wore glasses, and Peggy had changed her hair to pink (The rest of their family had golden hair, although Peggy was changing the colour every week, she could never decide- she once had it bright green for a year, now that was interesting in classes).

The trio of Peggy, Kitty and their other dormmate, Heather Bridgers, were quite possibly the most well-known, but not so well-liked students that ever-graduated Chiaroscuro. They had each gone up against the evil Countess Sypha in the battle years ago, making sure the darkness stayed dead. Vampire-hunting were some of their strongest suits, not to mention their ability in deferruming (removing iron from a body. Helpful with blood-eating vampires). The large white sign told customers that Mooney’s Tearooms was open, closing at one in the morning, and Dove heard whoops of laughter from within, alongside the tempting smell of pumpkin tea. It was probably the happiest little place in the whole street. And for the most kind, people only thought it was somewhere to go for a cup of tea. Dove knew it was much more than that. She decided to head in, as the Moonan twins were people you want to be around when you’re feeling particularly sorry for yourself. She wasn’t exactly feeling that sorry, in hindsight, but she’d had a rattling couple of days. She needed to see her friends. People who knew her.

Heather had spoken to Dove first, back when they’d just joined the academy. Dove and Heather shared a passion for art, the red-haired girl with a desire to write, for Dove it was to paint and draw. Heather stood taller than the whole group, a short red bob and a freckled face. Her eyes were the sort of green Dove wishes hers were. Like emerald jewels. Kitty and Peggy had made Dove laugh like no-one else. Heather and Peggy had fallen in love over the years they all spent together. They had found each other, just as Dove had found the three girls. They were like specks of sunlight in the darkness of winter. Kitty and Peggy were non-identical twins, Kitty had dyed raven hair, Peggy had cotton candy pink hair. Kitty wore black, round glasses, usually dressing very differently to her twin. Today, she was clad in a sage green summer dress with purple boots, whereas Peggy was wearing black dungarees, and a white pullover. The doorbell chimed, and Kitty smiled from a table at the back, sending teapots and cups whizzing off to be cleaned with the flick of her wrist.

“Levany! It’s about wretched time!” Kitty called, and the smell of brewing vanilla tea suddenly filled her nostrils, as she glided over. The air had the same tinge of pumpkins too, Dove breathed it in as she made her way over. It was always comforting. A feeling of home. It was more the people though.

“Levany? Did you say Levany?”

“Down here! She’s come to raid us!”

“Moons! This place gets even more insane every time I see it.” Dove was laughing, as Peggy descended the large oaken stairs that stood in the middle of the large Tearooms. There were thumping noises from upstairs, along with the strong smell of earth magic (the Moonan's centrals, whereas Dove’s central magic is fire, of course, the rarest of them all.)

“Don’t flatter us, Vivi.” Kitty winked, and she laughed.

Peggy leant against the banister and, quirked an eyebrow.

“Looking for something in particular, my old friend?”

“I just thought I’d pop in. I’m staying here for a bit now. At least I’ll have friendly faces in Mookaite.”

“Independent woman now, is it? Much too mature to be lingering in lowly tea houses.” Peggy snickered. The twins knew what it was like to be independent, even before owning their business.

“Shut up, Moonan.”

Dove felt a small thrill at the word independent though. She supposed she was. And not doing too bad at it either. Apart from of course, the odd tall, strange man appearing in your room. Or being tracked down in your hometown. The usual. Nothing to stress over, naturally. She wandered over to a stall nearby, pink and black potions glimmering. The two girls had invented their own type of teas and coffees, and the menu was so long Dove hadn’t a clue how they remembered how to make them all (magic, I suppose). There were also various bottles of potions for sale too. Fire-spittle, for sorcerers whose fire-powers needed a boost, moon fall drops, to attract moon pixies into your garden, and Dove’s eyes landed on the brightest potion from the stand.

“Love potions? How riveting.”

Dove traced the print on a small bottle and entertained the idea of finding herself in the hands of in insane romance. She blinked, looking away from the bottle to the teapot section. She’d thought of a blurry, earthy man. A man she did not know. A man that knew everything about her. Kitty’s voice came to her, allowing Dove to climb away from her mind.

“Want to know how they work?”

“Oh, they work, do they?”

“Take one, on the house,” Peggy added, and slipped a heart-shaped vial into Dove’s bag. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She needed a change of topic.

“What else is new, then?”

After having tea and watching the gorgeous displays on the walls (they moved along the walls, etching themselves onto the ceilings and floors too.) Right now, the image of elves on horseback jumped around the Tearooms seating area, etching flowers and blossoms growing around them. It was from a fairytale. Dove was chatting away with the twins, when a group of wizards passed the windows, and Peggy’s smile dropped as she watched the ensemble. They lingered outside, looking like a horde of ogres in the shadows. One had an eye patch, the other one white eye. They didn’t look particularly dangerous, but Dove still wouldn’t want to be caught in their path. And there she was, looking for escape from dangerous men in the same alley.

“Even after the bloody ‘Reign of the Countess,’ there are still lunatics wandering about.” Her voice was a low murmur.

“Yeah. Places like Mooney’s are still as important as they were in the war. Sure, they’re no mass murderers. But dark sorcerers like some of Sypha’s old fighters always slither back.”

Dove thought of Gav. She thought of the Hunters. The man in her dream. Under the tree. She swallowed thickly and kept quiet.

“The legislation at the Sanctuary...” Dove hesitated, but only momentarily. “They’re causing some trouble. Have you heard of what they’re doing to werewolves?” Her voice was a whisper.

The twins' faces grew with a look of understanding. Funny, they always had the same look on their face.

“Lovell’s had the brunt of it. As if he hasn’t fought enough for those bastards.”

“Right. And it’s my own blessed father who’s been doing…everything. Everything he can to prove that he hates them.”

Dove made sure to keep her voice as low as possible. She didn’t want people knowing she was the daughter of a bigoted Sanctuary official.

She’d already felt disgusted when her father’s position had elevated her from the atrocities some sorcerers faced during Sypha’s war. The thought made her grimace.

“Yeah… does that have anything to do with why you’re on your own now?” Kitty’s voice was gentle, but Dove still burned at the question.

Think you can survive out there, uh?

“I just…well. I needed to get my own place. Henry and I don’t get along anyhow.” Dove thought of the shocks. The heat. The room in which she couldn’t breathe. It was strange. Calling him ‘Dad’ felt alien. She was past that part of her life anyway. All kids eventually found their own way. The Moonan’s didn’t live at home anymore either. Her position was no different, really. (Sure, about that, Dove?)

“We get that,” Peggy’s reply was casual. “Heather’s parents want her to move out too. They’re not really...getting along at the moment. Post-war stuff, and all that. Her folks have no idea what she did, not even taking on Sypha face to face. But it’s best they don’t, for now anyway.”

“Blimey your girlfriends a bloody hero, Peggy.”

The twins grinned.

“Bloody hero, indeed.”

Dove was shown around to peer inside bright red cabinets full of new stock. Along with teas, coffees, mysterious potions and cherry tarts (the necessary items, of course), Peggy and Kitty sold other little trinkets, mostly disguised as prank toys. There were dancing teaspoons, singing clocks, French-talking candlesticks and much more.

(She definitely didn’t picture running into Skirmir with an exploding teapot).

The main event, however, was upstairs: The Brewing Chamber (otherwise known as the fighting room). Peggy and Kitty felt it necessary to teach sorcerers how to defend themselves after the outbreak of vampire attacks in the last decade, prominently led by Countess Sypha, who had been eventually defeated by a handful of sorcerers after years of battle. The Countess had murdered Peggy and Kitty’s father. He had been trying to save his wife. Her throat was cut. The twins had never let the vampire get away with it. They even had vampires fighting on their side. Not all agreed with the Countess. She was deranged after all. And evil. And when does evil win, really? There will always be people like the Moonan’s. Dove loved visiting upstairs, mostly witches sparred one another, mixing physical fighting with duelling. The three headed upstairs, Dove staring at how gorgeous the staircase was, reminiscent of a fairy tale castle. Their Tearooms really were magic. They came to a huge door, with a large sign printed:

NO WIZARDS PERMITTED. CAFFEINE ENCOURAGED.

And below, in blood red:

DARK CREATURES WELCOMED (EXCEPT ON FULL MOONS).

Although it was common knowledge that the Moonan twins had battled the Countess for years, there was little bad blood between them and other vampires. Of course, Sypha’s evil horde had been locked up forever, those who’d chosen to attack all magic kind for no other reason other than power had paid the price. The Moonan’s knew to not spread fear to those who hadn't done any wrong. I mean, they knew first-hand what it was like to be hunted even though you’re innocent. It’s not like they can control who they are. Like Peggy had said to Dove once, there was little point in clumping the bad with the good. If you can’t recognise a good person because you’re blinded by their appearance, how are you ever going to know who’s on your side, and who isn't? You wouldn't, and you’d end up fighting forever, even those who don’t deserve it. That’s not how you win these things, and you know it. However, even if the Moonan’s shared these views, it didn’t mean everybody did unfortunately. Vampire and werewolf hatred stayed strong, even after the victory against most. Magic kind did not forgive them, and most definitely did not forget. Dove supposed the growing restrictions on those with lycanthropy would start another blasted war if sorcerers were not careful. What if all the magical creatures stood against sorcerers and mages? They would be hilariously outnumbered and outgunned. People, Dove thought, had to stop demanding superiority, when there was nothing in history that ever said any specific creature was better, let alone deserved it.

In front of Dove, Poppy Tulip and Morris Lemontree were putting on quite a show. Blue sparks jumped from Poppy’s hands, the smaller of the two, blonde ponytail swinging as she darted and dodged Morris’ attacks, the tall black-haired one with muscles, whose white waves shot towards her, aiming for her torso. Water-central magic was helpful for shielding attacks against Morris’ airpowers. Poppy clearly demonstrated this to those who watched, friends on the floor encouraging the two girls. The blonde sorcerers’ fingers turning blue, and a look of concentration passing her freckled face, she conjured the water from her fingertips into a huge shield of ice, deflecting Morris’ blasts of wind. This got some cheers from Kitty, as Poppy held her own against it, pushing the air-magic back. However, Dove saw Morris smirk as her tactic switched. She threw a gush of white magic past Poppy, seemingly as if she just missed, but the white sparks rebounded off the wall behind Morris’ opponent, and crackled into Poppy’s back, sending her down with her shield dissipated too.

“Circe’s swine, that was sneaky!”

Poppy jumped up, wiping her mouth and laughing. Morris chuckled too, and they shook hands amorously.

“Wicked fight, ladies. Pop, your shield work is getting much better. Strong attacks, as well Lemon! However, make sure to work in some defences too, as you don’t want to be weakened or hurt.”

Dove smiled, listening to Kitty give the girls feedback, and snorted as Peggy was taken down by a girl no older than thirteen. She wandered around, smiling at everyone, and decided to practise some of her fire magic in the protected areas of the large chamber, where targets were set up to be used. She chose one close to another sorceress, who’s central was clearly earth, as thick branches coiled around the person-sized practice doll on the floor, burying it with thick grime. A gratifying way to go, one could say.

Dove’s opponent, a doll with metal horns, lifted its pale hand and prepared to strike. The heat of fire danced behind Dove’s fingers. She felt it rush through her arm too. The feeling shocked her slightly, and she lost her focus as she lowered her eyes to study her arm. It felt like it was burning. Magic bubbling inside. This was not normal. But then again, she hadn’t felt particularly normal for a while now. In the few seconds it took for her to turn her eyes away from her opponent, the doll had struck her square in the chest. She shuddered but did not fall. Snapping her head up, the doll had closed in. Dodging to her left, Dove splayed her hands and took aim. Dark red flames snaked out of her hand, connecting with the doll’s abdomen, attaching like fangs. If it was a person, it would be screaming, right now, Dove thought. Bleeding. She blinked, momentarily surprised at her violent thoughts. The doll hit the ground with a crack, but she wasn’t done with it. Its pale hands were aimed at her head, but with a swish of her fingers, it was driven to the ground by her flames. They were pulsing as thought hungry, needing to absorb the doll’s entire lifeforce. If it had one. She then tore the flames from its lifeless body, causing metal chunks to zip through the air. Dove then blasted it, causing it to crackle and bubble until it was almost a pile of dust on the ground. Panting, she grinned to herself. Then realised nearly every eye was on her, and the spectacle she had just put on. Pigs.

“Circe, Viv, how had I almost forgotten what your fire magic was like?”

Dove grinned bashfully, as she heard the doll on the floor start to construct itself. It seemed to struggle to find the remains of its horns, and Dove looked away before she started laughing.

“That was next to nothing, my dear Pegasus.”

“Okay, then,” Peggy was smirking, mischief aglow in her eyes.

Double pigs.

“Challenge accepted. Let’s see you do something a little harder. You against…” She looked around the room. “Kitty and one of the stronger dolls.”

Dove eyed Kitty, who was heading over with a smug smile on her face. Dove raised her eyebrows, arms crossed.

“Easy.”

“For now,” Peggy winked.

Dove chuckled, rolling her shoulders back and thinking of the fire she could feel coursing through her. The way magic had never felt like this before. She thought of a curse, and something flashed in her mind. She focused on her breathing, and watched the doll roll its shoulders back. She let it form an attack position, and knew Kitty would move in as soon as the first blow against Dove was made. She’d watched Kitty fight too often, and fighters became predictable.