Lilly-Susan in Dreaming

[awesome_lilly]

The sun is warm here, by the lake, and in her dream it doesn't seem at all strange to be lying on a blanket on the shore, mostly-dressed in a new swimsuit.
 
One hand is tangled in the ribbons she's been braiding into wedding favors, the other is cast up to shield her eyes from the light.  Susan Delgado is relaxed and smiling.

Comments

[sai_delgado]

There's a splash -- mayhap the squid, mayhap a fish jumping. Susan sits up a little, looking out over the water.

[awesome_lilly]

It's the hair that catches her attention, long and blonde and shining in the sun. Lilly moves towards the girl by the lake, smiling. Veronica will help her, Veronica is awesome at figuring things out

but veronica's dead this isn't veronica susan's dead this isn't susan but it is only who is susan?

She stops a few feet away, her fingernails digging into her palms and the pain cuts through the voices just enough.

"Susan?"

[sai_delgado]

"Hi, Lilly."

Susan beams at her and lifts her other hand to wave, forgetting about the favors. Blue-white ribbons dangle together with golden ones, the color of sunlight or her hair.

Because this is a dream, and things make sense in dreams.

"Long days and pleasant nights."

[awesome_lilly]

Pleasant nights, and Lilly almost smiles.

it's always night when you're a ghost can't feel the sun it shines right through -no shadow- always in shadow

Almost.

[sai_delgado]

The ribbons fall (like water) from her fingertips to lie twisted together on the blanket (tangled like a nest of snakes) but Susan doesn't notice.

Concern now at the lack of a smile, writ clear in her face, and in her voice as well.

"Lilly...? Are thee-- are thee well?"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly has an almost automatic reaction to her friend's concern.

"I'm fine, Veronica. I'll be fine."

One way or another, it might even be true.

[sai_delgado]

Veronica.

She knows the name, Lilly's told her a little about her friend from Neptune. It's like a dash of cold water to hear herself called so again, waking her from the sleepy sun-dazed acceptance.

But not from the dream itself, nay, not that.

"Susan," she says gently. "It's Susan, do'ee ken?"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly doesn't, though. Water and sun and blonde hair, it has to be Veronica. Most of the voices know Veronica, anyway. Only one of them one of her knows Susan.

"Who's Susan?"

And right now, that voice is drowned out.

[sai_delgado]

And oh, but she's worried now--

(lost O Discordia)

--but this is a dream, and dreams are strange, oh aye.

Except that Susan knows better, even here. Lilly is one of the Dream-lord's. And Lilly walks in dreams.

She holds out a hand, beseeching.

"It's me, Lilly. I'm Susan. Do'ee not-- can ye not see me clearly?"

The breeze off the lake picks up, pulling at her golden hair.

[awesome_lilly]

breeze blowing hair in her eyes driving with the top down veronica laughing

No. Not Veronica. Lilly clenches her hands, lets her fingernails cut into her palms.

"Susan. I see you, Susan. Just... not very well."

[sai_delgado]

She gets to her feet and takes the few steps that separate her from her friend, holding out both hands now.

(same club)

"Can I-- how can I help thee? Please, Lilly, let me help-- there must be something--"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly tries to smile, can't quite do it.
please don't cry for me
"It'll be okay, Susan."
the life I waste is mine
She shrugs.
I rolled the dice.
"I mean, I knew this could happen. But... it'll be okay, eventually."
just give it some time.

Everything's okay, eventually.

[sai_delgado]

(we'll meet again in the clearing)

She shakes her head, hair flying in the increasingly-stronger breeze as she steps even closer, hands still outstretched.

"I won't have it, Lilly. There's got to be something-- there has to be a way, do'ee kennit? Somehow."

(ka like a wind and nothing can stand against it)

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly's holding her hands out to Susan, but she doesn't move close enough to touch the other girl. There are tiny drops of blood swelling from the half-moon cuts on her palms. It hurts.

But it helps her see, helps her know she's here.

"I'm trying. The only thing I know, but... it's so hard to find her. It's so hard to hear her, and... it keeps getting harder. They... they keep getting louder."

[sai_delgado]

(blood on her hands)

She pales slightly, biting her lip, as a cloud moves over the sun.

(her hands and my own as well)

"Who, Lilly? And who are they? Is there-- is there aught anyone can do to help ye find her? I'd try, thee must know it, and Alain, and others-- the Dream-lord, mayhap--"

(cook her red-handed)

[awesome_lilly]

The pain is fading, and so is her hard-won clarity.

"I have to find myself, Susan. No one else can hear her."

the Dream-lord, mayhap and Lilly goes dead white.

"Don't... don't look for him, he's behind now, if you look for him he'll... don't look for him, Veronica. Please, promise me you'll stay away from the wolf."

[sai_delgado]

And oh, she cannot stand it, as Lilly turns pale-- ignoring the shiver that passes over her as the sky darkens further and the wind rises, Susan closes the distance between them and takes hold of the other girl's hands,

(blood enough for both of ye - same club - red-handed)

urgently telling her,

"It's Susan, Lilly--" A sudden pause, and then a surge of fear.

"The -- the wolf?"

Outside the dream, Susan Delgado stirs in her sleep, making a soft noise not unlike a whimper.

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

And beside her, one arm wrapped around her waist, Cuthbert stirs as well.

His head raises off the pillow, blinking sleepily, and then tightens his arm around her, with a soft, soothing noise.

[awesome_lilly]

"Shhh," Lilly says urgently, pulling her hands free of Susan's. There's blood, her blood, smeared over both their palms now.

"Don't let it hear you. You have to go, Susan. Go before it comes this way."

Her eyes are intent on Susan Veronica. In the far distance, there is a noise that might possibly be an echo of a howl.

"You have to go now."

[sai_delgado]

Her breathing quickens, driven by the fear that is rising in her dreaming self, and Susan's sleeping form shivers violently at the sound of the wolf's howl that only she and Lilly can hear.

In the dream, shadows begin to stretch out from the trees like grasping hands, reaching for the two girls as the sky darkens further. Susan reaches for Lilly, helplessly.

"I won't leave you here like this-- come with me!"

The scent of smoke drifts on the wind, and Susan gasps.

(charyou tree)

"Nay--"

The desperate, nearly-moaned plea is spoken aloud in her sleep as well as in the dream, oh aye.

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly steps back, her face twisted with concern and her eyes wide with longing and fear.

"I can't, Susan. I have to keep going, I have to find her before..."

before it finds me, before the voices are so loud that I won't even hear it coming

"say sorry..."

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

Cuthbert is fully awake by this time, jerked out of sleep both by Susan's movements and noises and by sudden concern for her.

Low, but firm: "Susan."

He lays a hand on her shoulder and shakes, gently. Then again, harder.

"Susan."

[sai_delgado]

She bolts awake at the hand on her shoulder, jerking upright with a half-scream--

(shine little sunbeam Jonas had said)

--before looking around frantically.

"Lilly--"

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

Cuthbert sits up as well, one arm going around her.

"Susan." Urgent, now. "Susan, it's me."

[sai_delgado]

Familiar room, familiar presence, and although her breathing is still too fast, Susan leans into him, shivering still.

"It were Lilly, 'Bert-- she were there, in my dream, and she--"

Susan reaches out, as if to take his hand for comfort, and then suddenly freezes at the sight of her own.

(cook her red-handed)

Both of her palms are painted in blood.