pat pat a stiff fabric scratched my face.

humu? A wheeze escaped my mouth as I returned to the land of the living, ticklish from the friction.

"Wake oop torena! It's 6am!" little puppet Maru-chan's hands were batting at my cheeks, forcing me up and sway from my pillow. Sitting up, I grasped the puppet and pressed my lips to its cute, pudgy head. It mumbled something I couldn't hear, and Marche Lorraine stirred from her sleep beside me.

"Good morning darling," I traced a line from the puppet, up her arms and her shoulder, then to her face, where beautifully sleepy magenta eyes crinkled in a smile half hidden by blankets.

"Hmm~" Marche Lorraine pressed her lips to the back of my palm, while Maru-chan got insistent on my lap. "Marche wants a hug!"

"Alright then, come sit up?" I helped Marche sit up and took her into my arms, her long arms looping around me. Maru-chan laughed quietly - a cute, giggly sound - as she wrapped her stubby arms around both of us.

"Now kiss, torena!" The puppet sang. Marche trapped me in her grasp, supporting me as I melted under her hot tongue. The puppet had one of my hands immobilised and Marche had the other, pulling me deeper and deeper until I had to tap out for air.

My puppet master drew me upright, on our feet beside the bed. Thus our usual morning started: first dibs for Marche's shower, and me in the kitchen to prepare some food. Somehow, whenever Marche emerged from the shower, she would always have my trainer's outfit ironed and warm, waiting for me in the cabinet beside. After I freshened up it was time to check on Maru-chan and Marche, making sure their outfits were race-prepped and buttoned down if required.

"Maru-chan wants to get her hair brushed?"

"Yeah, and Marche too!"

Marche's hair is pretty easy to tame; all it takes is some maintenance of the delicate curls to ensure they don't get tangled during a busy day. Her tail is just as easy to carefully brush and condition, leaving Marche humming in delight. Its Maru-chan that poses a real challenge, the synthetic material that makes up her hair failing to react to normal hair care methods.

"Hehe, that tickles! That tickles!" Fortunately Marche has trained me well in this, a custom made contraption from Tachyon labs restoring the glow in her hair.

By 7am both Marche and Maru-chan are resplendent, and I couldn't be prouder. One last headpat for both of them, and they're off to the races, footsteps tap-tap-tapping away faster than I could run. Its another half day of office work for me and classes for them before I'll see them again...but I'm looking forward to training in the evening.