Who is Magpie?
Chapter 9- Bigotry and Special Tea

A knot in Kookaburra’s chest formed. Bluejay was the only clear head left as he commanded Kookaburra to go to the medical bay and have them prepare a bed. He would take Magpie through the seldom used servants corridors there, not wanting to make a spectacle of her being carried. Magpie had enough issues with the others without broadcasting injuries or making her the subject of conversation.

Kookaburra did her best to act natural as she walked to the medical bay, hoping no one who cared to talk to her would causally crossed her path. Fortunately no one did, and she was able to get there and replace a doctor quickly. They prepped a bed near where the corridor would open up and waited for them to arrive. Kookaburra had wanted to go in and meet them halfway, but the doctor had advised against it if she had never been; which she hadn’t. The corridors ran in between walls and under the structure, getting to nearly every area on the property and it was easy to get lost.

When she finally saw him with Magpie tossed over his shoulder she held the door open wide. “You couldn’t have carried her with more care?!” She demanded.

He looked confused as he laid Magpie on the bed gently. “This was more efficient, especially considering how narrow most of those halls are.”

The doctor let a sneer cross their old face at seeing their patient, one that was not missed by the other two. “Is there a problem?” Bluejay asked, hand on his hip.

“You didn’t say it was the human.” He groaned, putting on a pair of medical gloves.

“She doesn’t have leprosy, she’s injured her hands and has what is hopefully only a serious concussion.” Kookaburra hissed, looking at the pale sheen of sweat that now covered the girls face.. something was wrong.

Bluejay rolled his eyes. “I’m going to look for Swan. You,” he gestured to the man, “don’t touch her… Useless.” He stomped off towards the other areas of the medical bay.

The doctor pulled the gloves off and tossed them in the bin. “Gladly.” He sneered again.

Kookaburra locked eyes with him before he left. It was a look that pulled him in, holding his gaze like a bear trap, and he felt unable to look away as he began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. She continued to stare until she was sure she could control the volume of her next words.

“You are a disgrace to your profession, and you will never again be permitted to treat my wounds. To be honest, with your bedside manner, I relish in knowing that your days here are numbered.” Kookaburra spat, wondering if as a physician he knew about Magpie’s special teas, but decided she didn’t care.

She held the other girls hand in hers as Bluejay returned with Swan, who tsked with her tongue. “Oh Magpie, with how thick your skull is I am surprised how many times you’ve been brought here unconscious.”

“Has it been a lot?” Kookaburra worried, beginning to feel attached to the, what she considered a, friend.

Swan laughed a light lyrical laugh. “Depends how many you consider a lot. A dozen paper cuts wouldn’t be so bad, but…”

“She’s had a dozen blackout concussions?” Kookaburra gasped. “In how long?”

Swan tsked her tongue against her teeth again. “She’s been with us what.. Six years? Seven? But she hasn’t had one in a couple years now…”

Bluejay sensed her next question and interrupted. “She was a slow learner.”

The doctor began examining her, and more tsking sounds followed. “Going to need an X-ray for this one. Hard to tell with her thick head.”

Kookaburra had thought she had been kidding about the thick skull comment before, but in watching her get wheeled away realized how serious it was. “Her hands need attention too.” She called after her, but she wasn’t even sure she had heard.

Bluejay turned to leave but stopped when she didn’t follow. “You don’t need to wait for her. Swan will treat her, and then they will return her to her room until she wakes up.”

She was confused. “To her room? She won’t stay here for observation.”

He shook his head, almost laughing. “Even here she has a lot of enemies. She would need a guard to remain here to prevent them from messing with her while she’s unable to defend herself.”

The sad truths continued to surprise her. “Then I will wait with her to assure no one fucks around with someone who needs medical attention.”

Bluejay shrugged before leaving. “Whatever.”

When Magpie was returned to the corner from the X-ray Swan was surprised to see Kookaburra still sitting there. After an annoying back and forth, it was accepted that she wasn’t going to leave and Swan made her promise that she wouldn’t. For as much she didn’t want Kookaburra to sit in the medical bay all day, if she was going to insist she couldn’t change her mind and leave the other girl defenceless.

Kookaburra gently massaged the Sanaberry gel into the edges of the wounds on Magpie’s hands before applying a generous portion over the worst of it. Apparently she had cracked her skull.. Kookaburra wasn’t exactly surprised, and with their medicines she would be up and about in a few hours and completely healed in a few days, but that was a Fae timeline.

Kookaburra had drifted off at some point in the evening, having been brought her dinner when Magpie didn’t wake up. She was leaning over the bed when she felt the cover move beneath her and a bandaged hand patting her hair. She sat up slowly, feeling the hand linger for a moment before pulling back.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I was surprised to see you there, I thought I was having a dream.” Magpie said softly, her voice sounding different than usual. It felt like she was more herself, human, than usual, her voice having inflections and emotions.

“It’s fine, I’m fine, how are you feeling?” Kookaburra replied quickly, scooping up the other girls hands to check them over. Un wrapping them, they still looked sore, but the skin wasn’t so raw and tattered now.

“There’s still a dull throb in my head.” Magpie squinted at the pain as she rubbed her head. “But it will go away,.. was it serious? They don’t usually keep me in the infirmary.”

Kookaburra felt embarrassed all at once. “There was a fracture. I insisted they keep you here and not hide you away far from support or monitoring.”

Magpie laughed.

Kookaburra jumped back at the sound, despite it being light and delightful like a bird’s song, it surprised her to hear it. She didn’t know Magpie knew how to laugh, let alone smile, but here she was now doing both.

“That’s what they do. Hide the human. I would have been fine, but I thank you.” Magpie replied, clearly not noticing Kookaburra jump, or at least pretending not to.

Kookaburra looked at her carefully. “You seem… different. Are you sure you’re okay?”

She smirked. “Kay, I’m fine, ..”

“You called me Kay again.” She noticed.

Magpie’s eyes squinted again. “Is that alright? You said you liked it.”

“No I do… it’s nice, it’s different. My friends use the full word, or Burra, like everyone else. I don’t really like it, it’s so long.” Kookaburra sighed, tossing her bedhead about.

“Does this mean…” Magpie began, knotting her fingers in her lap. “That we’re friends?”

“Yes, of course!” Kay replied, not even pausing to consider it.

Magpie’s smile returned, and Kay thought about how much she liked seeing it. She wondered why she wasn’t like this more often, human or not the others would accept her more if she acted naturally like this. She began unwrapping her other hand to check on it when Bluejay came in with a large round tea cup. It was a deep blue porcelain with a matching lid set on top to maintain the heat and he walked quickly with it.

His expression at seeing the two talking was definitely shocked as he handed the mug to Magpie. “Your tea.” He said lightly and Magpie laughed again.

“Thank you Bluejay.” She replied, taking the cup carefully. “Everyday without delay. How do you do it.” She teased, taking her first sip, and a low hum came from her pressed lips.

“How is she doing?” Bluejay asked, more because he seemed to want the conversation and less because he wondered.

“She’s doing great.” Kay returned. “Better than before even.” She tried to convey what she meant through eye gestures and eyebrow maneuvers, but she didn’t need to. Bluejay knew exactly what she meant already.

A dry cough came from Magpie as she rest the cup in her lap. “Did the debrief go well?” She asked Bluejay plainly, and like that she was gone.

Kay eyed her worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing? My injuries are fine, though your concern is.. appreciated.” She gave her a small nod, a small kindness that would have been baffling from Magpie a few hours ago before Kay had heard her actually laughing.

“Bluejay, a minute?” Kay and Bluejay walked a short distance away into an adjoining room and closed the door. “What the fuck Bluejay? That cannot simply be Mensdillia flower, a minute ago she was smiling,.. and laughing, and now she doesn’t even realize she’s different!”

He nodded slightly, but didn’t elaborate on it. “That’s a bit out of your pay grade. She needs it now, she’s been on the Mensdillia flower for too long to just stop, it could kill her.”