shelley_winters | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's Earth.

A bright day, as warm as English Spring ever gets, and Shelley is sitting under a tree, reading a book.

She has no idea what book, but she likes it. It would be better if those goblins would stop lurking, like she can't see them, they're right there, she isn't blind!

One shuffles sheepishly behind a rose bush as she eyes it sternly.

Really.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Shelley looks briefly confused.

"Oh..." she says doubtfully. "I didn't realise. Aren't you really real, then?"

Dream grammar, apparently, is also somewhat vague.

"Oh, I'm really real", he assures her. "And really here. But this is a dream for all of that."

"It's not too bad," she says thoughtfully. "The sun is very realistic."

She looks down at the page again, and sighs.

"But I'm never going to know what happens in the end, am I?"

He smiles faintly at that.

"No. You're not, for sure. But that's what I came to tell you - it'll be a good ending."

"That'll be nice," she says, with a smile that's not quite right, but happy nonetheless.

"Do you do this often?"

"Visit other people's dreams?" He shrugs. "Only when I've got a reason to. It's Isabel's talent, really, and doing other people's tricks always takes it out of us."

Shelley eyes him worriedly.

"Well, don't do anything to yourself. That would be a fine thing, wouldn't it?"

Any minute she'll ask him if he's been eating his greens.

Michael laughs.

"Don't worry so much. The worst that'll happen is I'll need to sleep a bit longer."

"Oh. That is okay."

She continues to eye him, book vanishing as her thoughts no longer focus on it.

"So do you? Have a reason to? although just for a chat is fine by me."

"Of course I do", he says, smile fading a little. "I haven't seen you for a long time, and... I wanted to talk to you."

She looks down, and the book pops into existence again. On the cover are the words See no evil, speak no evil.

She doesn't think that makes any sense.

"That's true. It has been a long time, I've... well. There have been things, and the door won't open any more."

Oh, it would solve so much.

"The doors are like that", he agrees. "Except when my door stops opening, it's... it's going to be because we seal them. And it's going to be soon."

Shelley is very quiet for a moment, running over what he had said, and what it means.

"Why?" she asks, finally.

Because there has to be a why. They wouldn't just do it for no reason.

"To save my world", he tells her seriously, despite the drama of the words. "I don't know from what, but I had another dream. If we don't do it real soon, it's going to be too late."

"...Too late?"

That does not sound happy.

A cloud passes over the dream-sun, or something, but the world grows darker as her face grows sadder.

"Too late", he repeats quietly. "There's warnings you get that you have to listen to."

He doesn't want to tell her everybody's going to die if he doesn't do this.

She can guess.

Perhaps, maybe a year ago, she wouldn't have known what he meant, but she's changed. Sometimes you can't help it.

"Oh."

Her whisper is miserable, but understanding. If they have to, they have to. Michael wouldn't just give up on a slight possibility.

"But, hey", he says gently. "I'm asleep in my bed in the palace now, and you're in Tackleford, not in the bar. If I can do this once..."

She smiles lopsidedly, trying for brightness.

"Like a long-range telegram system!"

Or not.

"Sure", he agrees. "Something like that. I can't promise anything, and it probably won't be often, but... I'll come visit you again if I can."

She nods.

"That'd... I'd like it if you could."

Make her feel less lonely, now the Bar seems to have sealed her off. Even if she can return there some day, they won't be there.

"...All the others. They'll be shut off too?"

It sounds like it, but with the door, you never know...

"The ones who come in from Antar will be. I don't know, maybe the Heart of Gold crew can still come in from there..."

She nods silently.

After a moment,

"I'll miss you all."

"I'll miss you too", he says honestly. "A hell of a lot."

"Don't you dare work too hard," she says fiercely.

"I'll know. Somehow, and I'll hunt you down, okay?!"

"I work as hard as I have to", he says, amused. "I always have. But for you, I'll take time off."

"You'd better believe it," she says meaningfully. "Plus, I brainwashed Sesh. He'll keep you in order for me."

Then, biting her lip,

"Can you say goodbye to him? And- well, everyone. I can't get to the bar, or I'd say it myself. But Faith, and Max, and Maria and Alex?"

"You know I will." It's quiet, but sincere. "Even if you've done whatever you did to my clerk. I'll make sure they all know."

"Thanks."

So they'll be gone, and she'll be alone.

Alone with him.

It starts to rain, and the soft growl of thunder sounds above.

Michael glances around, uneasily, and starts to stand

"I have to go", he tells her quietly. "But I meant what I said. I'll try to come back."

She nods in silence. The black mark around her finger feels almost heavy as she looks back at him.

"I suppose. Goodbye, then."

"Goodbye, Shelley."

He's on his feet, looking down at her. And then he turns, and walks back to the tree he came from, and steps behind it.

He won't be there if she looks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only