[Ami] Frolic in the Sun
Who: Ami, Rose, Mayday, Tara
Where: Outside the Medical Facility
When: Day 22 continuing from What You Don't Know (before and during Cops and Sociopaths)
Invited: Open
Status: Complete [Closed ( Read more... )
Where: Outside the Medical Facility
When: Day 22 continuing from What You Don't Know (before and during Cops and Sociopaths)
Invited: Open
Status: Complete [Closed ( Read more... )
“Sun and shade and ground and green. All you need in one place. Ants not invited, but spiders welcomed.” River stood there in her bare feet a small half smile on her lips.
“River, you have to make a bit more noise when you’re about.” Rose didn’t want to admit she’d jumped a bit at the sudden, unexpected movement.
“Once taught hard to unlearn. Pounded in like nails till it hurt.” River sat down almost primly. “Needed out, like you did. Needles and pain, cut to see you bleed, clings to the walls. You think their hands are red with blood, but they’re not, they’re blue. Play with little girls with their sharp bright toys.”
Rose looked to May, who had likely not yet met River, to see what she thought of the strange young woman.
“May, this is River. River, this is May. She helped the rest come and get us.” Rose tried polite introductions.
“Always helping. Can’t not. She has daddy issues.” River looked at Rose. Then her dark eyes fell on May. “She’s not quite right. Not all there. They took out pieces and tried to fit in the wrong shapes. The River doesn’t flow smooth, but has hidden depths and dangerous tides.”
Rose suddenly remembered that apparently Doctor Crane had been one of those killed on the beach. “Oh, River, I’m sorry. About Doctor Crane.”
“Don’t be. He wasn’t one of the good ones.” River patted the sheet. “Shall the teddy bears have their picnic then?”
{I just love playing with her...)
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The only warning May got before the sheet was snatched from her was a slight tingle of warning. She turned her free side in that direction, instinctively trying to shield Tara while supporting her. Of course, that only made it easier for River to grab the prize. Her fears were slightly allayed when no one else seemed alarmed at the strange girl's appearance or her theatrics; just harmless weirdness and par for the course around here.
“Sun and shade and ground and green. All you need in one place. Ants not invited, but spiders welcomed.”
Or not.
Startled, May could only gape at River in shock as the other girl sat down. First Faith, now this. (Do I have it tattooed on my forehead or something? Or did I grow four more arms when I wasn't looking?) It wasn't as seemingly random as Faith's nickname, though; the way the girl stared at her it was like she was looking right into her.
River's next words were even more disturbing, and May's frustration turned to concern as she pieced the imagery together. Had DHARMA experimented on River, too? She'd only heard about Rose, Ami, Claire and Daisy, but it had been a whirlwind since she'd been dumped here and she could have missed something.
(Daddy issues?) May opened her mouth to retort, then closed it again. "Well, that's one way of putting it," she murmured wryly. She imagined her mother's reaction and snorted - Mary Jane would probably fall over laughing at that one.
Tara stumbled a bit, leaning more heavily on May as she regained her footing. "I think I need to sit down now."
Grateful for the distraction, May set down her bundle of goodies on the sheet and helped Tara ease herself down slowly into a comfortable sitting position. "That makes two of us."
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(And I'm supposed to be the psychic.)
"Hello, River," Ami greeted her with a warm smile. She was glad to see the young girl, especially after all this time. And she was particularly glad to see that none of the weirdness had seemed to sink too far into River or ruffle the girl too badly.
She did catch May's startlement at River's words, and figured that once again, River had hit closer to home than most people were comfortable with. Once upon a time, Ami would have lowered her voice, but now she knew River well enough to know it wasn't necessary.
"River's a psychic, May. She's a reader. She can't help herself. And she's not from around here either," Ami explained as May helped Tara sit down. To River she said, "I'm glad to see that you're all right."
"You're more right than you were before. Stronger. Bigger pieces."
"I know," Ami nodded. "But I'm not ready to use it yet. Sometimes bigger isn't better."
From the confused looks, Ami knew that the others had no idea what they were talking about, and Ami didn't know how it was that River knew Ami's powers were stronger and sharper now. But it was something that Ami wasn't going to ask, or dwell on, for at least another twenty-four hours.
[OOC: Sorry, couldn't resist the title!]
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Rose felt a shiver down her spine despite the tropical heat.
"Well now, we didn't bring all this food out here to stand about. Let's dig in and enjoy the day." Rose took the 'sack' with their food and set it down.
She'd made eight sandwiches, in case everyone wanted two, but with the rest of the stuff they brought, it would all easily stretch to include River without anyone going hungry.
Rose pressed a PBJ into Tara's hand. "You, eat up. We all intend to. And I have it on good authority you sometimes forget to eat right after doin' your mojo. *I'm* not brave enough to face down the irish setter, thanks. Might wanna take my chances with Ripley first. Least she's wounded and slower."
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She came back to the present as Rose handed Tara a sandwich. The witch's smile faltered a little bit at the mention of her magic, but she laughed a bit at Rose's description of Molly. "She's only looking out for me," Tara said, taking the offered sandwich.
As the sandwiches were passed around, May deferred, indicating that she still had a mouthful of apple to work on. And the way Rose was attacking her sandwich, it looked like she needed it more. May couldn't help but laugh at the rapturous expression on Rose's face at the first bite. "Okay, that's the first time I've seen someone have an orgasmic experience from peanut butter and jelly," she giggled before she could stop herself. "I haven't even broken out the chocolate chip cookies yet."
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After swallowing Rose just licked her lips. "God, this is better than sex. At least if I can remember right. It's been so bloody long since I've had either."
She looked at the collection of food. Yep, chocolate chip. "Chocolate. Mmmm, death by chocolate cake, still warm a bit, and french vanilla ice cream meltin' into it. Now that would be perfection. What about you? What food do you miss most?"
River daintily nibbled at her sandwich, apparently enjoying it almost as much as Rose.
"Quary does not apply. Was fed only properly nutritious foodstuffs with little flavor for three years five months and seventeen days. Pre-packaged protein for the past seven months, with occasional fresh fruit and vegetable matter. Everything here is full of flavor even if the nutritional value is unbalanced."
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She bit into the sandwhich. She wouldn't be able to eat it all, or eat it quickly, but her stomach rumbled enough at the offering that she wondered if she had a demon hiding out somewhere inside. She was slightly embarrassed, but still laughed along with everyone.
Under Rose's scrutiny, she managed to eat half the PB & J before her stomach started to protest. She knew she looked skeletal from the weight loss, but healing was taking it's own sweet time. She could feel the strength returning to her body, but still no magic. Tara yawned widely. (Perhaps I can feign sleep and meditate to figure out what's wrong.)
While everyone chatted, including River, Tara put her head down and closed her eyes. She really was tired, so it took some concentration to meditate rather than sleep. Somehow she managed it.
She knew she needed to start slow. Examine the externals and move to the core. She wasn't sure how far she'd get. The first image she conjured was her kitchen in her apartment when she first met Willow. Being a kitchen witch, the literal kitchen was always a central location for concentrating her magics. Warm and full of light and color, kitchens were always a safe haven for her, even at home. Father rarely came into the kitchen, deigning it to be a woman's place.
Once the image was conjured, Tara opened her inner eye and gasped. Her kitchen was no longer a place of warmth and light. It was a place of chaos and destruction. The entire room was shades of gray. The appliances were ripped from their spots and strewn all over the room. The refrigerator was sitting at an awkward angle, door hanging open, melting ice puddling on the floor. Sparks flew from the torn connections and the flourescent bulb flickered weakly, providing barely enough light. The cabinet doors were askew on their hinges, or ripped entirely from their places. Dishes were broken and cast about. Silverware was stuck everywhere...walls, ceilings, doors. Glass and ceramic crunched beneath her bare feet, cutting her soles. However, the pain and broken room was nothing compared to what really horrified her. The cupboards were completely bare, fridge empty, pantry hollow. No food. And no food meant no magic.
Tara began to cry. (If this is the damage at this level...my magical core must truly be gone...)
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She relaxed when the conversation turned to less important and trivial things, such as food and chocolate being better than sex. Considering that her sex life bordered on the tantric - or had before DHARMA grabbed her - Ami wasn't sure that she agreed with that assessment. But she didn't argue with it.
There was confusion when she felt Tara's emotions spiraling out of control, particularly considering the other woman was supposed to be asleep. But when Tara gave a soft whimper, there was no denying the woman was awake - or having a bad dream. Ami moved to wake her gently when the cascade of despair and distress rolled over her. Inhaling sharply, Ami felt tears rise to her eyes as she choked off a sob.
(Not my sorrow, not my pain,) Ami recognized dimly. Still, she fumbled at her shielding and struggled a bit to separate her own emotions from Tara's strongly projected ones. Ami moved towards Tara without thinking, reaching the young woman's side before the sobs truly started in earnest and remembering at the last moment to throw up a shield between herself and Scott.
(Not necessary,) Ami remembered, feeling the restriction of the link she shared with her husband. (It likely wouldn't have reached him anyway.)
"Tara? Tara what's wrong?" Ami reached for the witch, hoping to send a pulse of concern and calm through her touch. Instead the simple act of touching Tara's arm pulled Ami back down towards Tara's wellspring of despair. Another fumbling few moments and Ami managed to put up her shields, buffering against some of the stronger waves of emotion.
But not before she heard Tara's thought of If this is the damage at this level...my magical core must truly be gone...
"Oh, Tara," Ami whispered softly, taking the witch's hand. (What has this sodding place done to you?)
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Tara looked up and happened to see outside of the kitchen window a vague shadowy form. Tara recognized the form as Ami. Ami must have picked up on her distress, of course. Ami, who was in so much distress of her own. Ami, who cared enough to open herself up on the link even when she wasn't fully healed. Ami was likely expressing her concern to the others by now. They would be trying to wake her, but she wouldn't be waking up. Rose, May, River...They would all be getting scared, but they would do whatever they could despite that fear to help Tara out. Help get her back, and from where? A self-imposed prison/sanctuary.
Tara felt shame. She couldn't...wouldn't do that. Not to her friends. Life without magic was one thing. One horrible thing. However, life without her friends was what was truly unlivable. As long as she had friends, she'd stand alongside them, witch or not.
Tara took one last look around at the devastation, knowing her life would not be the same ever again. Then began to leave the room, sending a pulse of love and gratitude towards Ami. Not knowing if she would feel it, but not really caring. The tears still fell freely over her loss, but she knew she'd heal in time.
As Tara turned to walk out of hte kitchen and return to the others, her kitchen radio suddenly turned on and began to play snippets of music.
"Ley, lady Ley...Ley across my big brass bed."
Ley-la, beggin' darlin' please, Ley-la"
"Ley it down. Make it alright"
"Paddy ley back, twas a cold and dreary morning"
it continued.
Tara was confused and just listened to the music when it hit her. "Of course!" Tara literally facepalmed herself as she ran out of the kitchen eager to get back to the others.
ooc: mispelling intentional
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I have way too much interest in the supernatural. Clever. I like. :) Plug In, baby.
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At least she was just weeping. Not thrashing and screaming. She'd woken up to the occasional scream in the last eighteen months. She always found him thrashing as if fighting something off, or trying to put out flames. But Tara's quiet weeping was just as disturbing in its own way.
"She's not waking up." Rose set aside her food and moved closer to Ami and Tara.
River started to rock back and forth, weeping as well. "Not even a bone in the cupboard, so the dog had none. Empty and hollow, a husk. Needs filling, fill me up, don't leave me a pretend girl."
Rose looked up at River. "What? She's not... like... in her body? Is that what you're sayin'?"
River gave her a Duh look, eerily simalar to the Doctor's when he'd just speiled out something at 90 miles an hour and expected you to keep up.
"No spirit agriculturist present. Soul resides. Pale rider symbology does not apply, as he went elsewere for now. No, she is hollowed out, poured to the ground till only the vessle remains. It hurts. Make it stop before the void consumes all." REiver had not ceased her rocking and weeping in time with Tara as she spoke.
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May nearly jumped up at that, wishing George or Daisy was here to confirm. (Oh, God!) She would have, too, if River hadn't explained. Kind of explained.
It was like being back in Literature class, trying to pick meaning out of the most obtuse passage Mr. Slattery could find to drive his students up the wall. Only the author wasn't Joseph Conrad or Thoreau, it was River.
Fortunately, she had an A in Literature for a reason.
Unfortunately, that still didn't sound good. (Wish Molly was back. Or Chris.) "Tara? Tara, can you hear us?"
((OOC: I figure May was out cold when Molly got back, so she doesn't know she's back yet.))
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Not that May understands exactly *what* River's talking about, but she can pick out the gist enough to know that Tara's not out of her body, but whatever's really happening is probably magical and thus out of her league.
(And I spent part of this weekend attempting to clean out my office and stumbled across some old AP English notes, so reading that I went, "Wow, it's like deciphering something Mrs. Snyder would try to throw at us to make sure we were awake!")
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