#Was just goofin around with this one but the vibes check out

[jet-teeth]

"The Raven King"

[post-itpenny]

cathedrals

@grotesquegabby field trip time for Alex and Magpie.

It had been a long week for Alex. Ever since his run-in with Magpie in the bad timeline it was as if bad luck seemed to be following him. Little things: lost items, stubbed toes,small crowds at the clubs, small things that added up to a long week.

Not that it got him down, it took a lot to get under Alex’s skin and no creepy version of his bestie was about to drag him down with her bad vibes.

Not when he knew someone who could fix that right up anyways.

Alex knocked on the door of Adeline’s cottage and found the elder answering the door with a secretive smile. “You picked a good day to visit Alexander.”

“Oh yeah? Wha- ouch!” Alex cried out as he somehow managed to bump his head on a doorframe that was several inches taller than him.

Adeline grimaced, “why don’t you go to the sitting room. I’ll bring you some ice.”

Alex nodded as he rubbed his head, walking into the living room where he stumbled to a halt.

There Magpie was, sitting in one of the armchairs with a blanket over her lap.

She looked more like her old self then she had in months. Wearing a simple dress with her hair halfway up in her signature red bow.

Alex grinned, “oh shit! Look at you Pie!”

Magpie gave him a look as if to scold Alex for his language, but Alex was too excited to notice.

“Dang girl! Look at you up and with the living! Haha!”

Adeline chuckled as she walked in, passing an ice pack to Alex. “She’s been a model patient. We still have a long way to go but I’m beyond pleased. We’ve just started leg exercises so she can’t walk on her own yet, but I felt a change of scenery would be good.”

Adeline and Alex chatted away over tea. Magpie’s own movements were slow and weak, struggling to hold her own cup without her hands shaking but she seemed insistent on not needing any help. It was the friend Alex remembered, stubborn with a smile. But there was something else that seemed to be returning, a melancholy look in Magpie’s eye. Something Alex was all too familiar with.

At one point a strange cat walked into the room. One with many eyes and legs, as well as a letter in its mouth.

Adeline accepted the letter and skimmed over it with a frustrated sigh, “I have to pick up a new patient but it should be a short trip. You two,” she said pointing at Alex then Magpie. “You two will stay out of trouble am I clear?”

Alex gasped in surprise, hand over his heart in offense, “granny! No need to be trippin on us like that. Why, Lady Luck and I will be the perfect angels! Do you doubt me?”

Adeline narrowed her eyes, “yes.”

Alex laughed and held three fingers in the air, “scouts honor and all that jazz. No goofin, no trouble making.”

Adeline frowned, clearly not believing Alex but having no choice but to leave the two of them alone.

As soon as Adeline had left Alex noticed Magpie eying the window, an idea coming to his mind.

“Hey, how about a field trip?”

Alex carried Magpie out of the cottage piggy-back style. From the door was Adeline’s strange cat who was clearly annoyed with them. Alex offered the creature a grin and kept walking. Afterall, Granny said no trouble. Not anything about no field trips.

He walked in whatever direction Magpie pointed, she was clearly delighted with the turn of events and was quick to have Alex help her explore. They first visited the garden outside Magpie’s bedroom window, then down a path where Magpie kept having Alex stop so she could see different flowers. Finally they reached a clearing where Alex decided it was time for a short break.

“Gotta say Lady Luck this day has been hella awesome.” Alex laughed as he set Magpie down in the grass and took in his surroundings. There clearly had been a building here at some point, but now that remained were piles of stone and the occasional pillar. An old space Adeline must have used for something long-long ago. 

Magpie slowly ran her hands over the mix of moss, grass, and stone. Seeming to recall the textures of these things. She bit down on her bottom lip, tears threatening to form in her eyes.

Alex knelt down beside her in panic, “hey now Pie what’s eating ya? Thought we were having a good field trip?”

Magpie grit her teeth in frustration, nodding in agreement looking around for something. Finally giving a snort of air and patting her throat.

Alex nodded in understanding, “ol voice box still giving you?”

Magpie nodded, gripping her hair in frustration.

Alex sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Did this make you remember something?”

Magpie nodded.

“Not a good thing?”

Magpie nodded again.

Alex looked around, trying to understand what could have possibly triggered the memory when he heard a rustling.

Alex turned, in the edge of the clearing was a very frustrated Adeline.

Alex gave a guilty grin as he stood up and walked over to the elder. “Hey Granny what’s shakin?”

“Alexander Calamity,” Adeline scolded, “I’m not even gone half an hour and you kidnap my patient.”

“Whoa, whoa. Chillax Granny this is just a little field trip no big deal.”

“Alexander this is why- what is she doing?”

The both looked over to Magpie who had her hands raised in the air. Eyes closed and her mouth clearly moving as if speaking, as if singing to herself. A foot twitched and Alex mused that if Magpie could would she be dancing.

Perhaps it was not a bad memory she was recalling, just another thing she had lost. Alex and Adeline watched as chunks of walls rebuilt themselves, colorful glass shimmering into existence. It was not a whole and complete building but it was clear what Magpie was doing.

With the way the trees intermixed with the stone pillars and the grass and moss still ran free over a marble floor, Magpie had built herself a cathedral.

“It’s beautiful,” Adeline noted, “but what’s it for?”

Alex grinned, watching the flowers and insects appearing around his friend. “Doesn’t have to be for anything you know what I’m saying?”

Magpie seemed pleased with her work, lying back in the grass, hair fanned around her like a halo. Whatever memory that troubled her seemingly dealt with.

Adeline hummed in understanding, “its moments like this in honesty that I wonder if she would be better at Blackwood’s job then he is.”

Alex smirked but said nothing. Walking back over to his friend to find Magpie had exhausted herself and passed out.

Alex carried Magpie back to the cottage with Adeline, noting that the bad vibes that had been following him around all week seemed to have gone away.

“Gotta ask Granny, you know about the luck thing yeah?”

Adeline looked to Alex with a nod, “oh I found out about that ages ago. She doesn’t know however does she?

“Nope.”

Adeline nodded again but said nothing, “I’ve been working one speech but she can’t even get out a squeak. Her vocal chords are fine so I wonder if it’s more psychological. Her own self-induced bad luck.”

Alex shrugged, “maybe more field trips in order then? Take her out to have a good time and all.”

His grin widened the deeper Adeline’s frown went.

“Alexander,” she warned.

“It will be like Magic School Bus you know? I’ll be Frizzle and Franny can be the pet lizard.”

“Alexander.”

“What, might get an answer to what that cathedral was about. Besiiiiides, little party never hurt anyone, vibe check the bad vibes and all.”

“Alexander!”