stungunning | 1 [accidental voice post eventually filtered by Wolfwood from Knives, Legato and Yuber]

Entry tags:

1 [accidental voice post eventually filtered by Wolfwood from Knives, Legato and Yuber]

[There's the sound of some background noise; birds tweeting, shrubbery being trodden underfoot, but above all that there's the sound of someone- a woman- humming cheerfully.]

Oh my goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many plants before except in picture books! And isn’t it a lovely day? I’ve never had a dream before where I got to be in a forest, but if it means that I get to see lovely trees and animals like this then I don’t think I mind it at all!

[Some more happy humming can be heard, and footsteps through the undergrowth.]

My back’s all itchy. That’s funny, I don’t usually get an itchy back when I dream. Oh no, I’m not allergic to trees am I? That would be just awful! Magic Book, could you tell me if I’m allergic to trees?

[…]

Silly old Milly, of course the book isn’t going to tell you that, books can’t talk!

…I wonder if there’s a pudding tree? All my very best dreams have pudding somewhere, so it really doesn’t make a lot of sense if there isn’t a pudding tree…

[More humming, someone sure sounds cheerful. Then she stops.]

…I think I’m lost.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[OK. Something is up because he never calls her Milly.]

[Maybe she's forgetting him wrong, and that would be just awful.]

Oh no, my shoulders are much too broad for sundresses, they don't suit me at all.

[Oh look! A conveniently placed log! How clever of her to dream that.]

[She goes and sits on it, patting the space beside her.]

Aren't you going to ask me about what happened today? I have a lot of very important things to tell you.

[His shoulders sag. Important things...

How many times has she dreamt about these things...

Aren't you going to ask me

His face softens into a troubled, unsure look.]

I—

There's a lot of important things I have to tell you first.

I know just what you're going to say, and I know that I'm being silly doing this all the time. I'm going to stop dreaming about you one day, but can you please, please keep coming to see me until it stops hurting?

[She puts her book aside and puts her hands on her knees, gripping the fabric of the dress until it wrinkles.]

Mr. Vash has gone off to fight his brother, and Meryl needs me to be strong, and if I didn't get to see you in my dreams then I don't think I can be. You understand, right?

[... Oh God, Milly.

What kind of man hurts the people he loves so much? The thought's unthinkable, to make you have to say something like this—]

[He almost moves to comfort her already, but he knows it's not over yet; this isn't even...]

... You're not dreaming, Milly.

[She gives him a sad smile.]

I knew you'd say that too.

Well... How about this.

[... He crouches down, arms on his knees, and looks her in the eye for a moment. And then reaches over to her arm...

And pinches it sharply.]

Ow!

[That was really really mean of you Mr. Priest.]

[Rub rub]

[And it really hurt too.]

[...]

[...]

[Rub rub]

[It really hurts]

[Things aren't supposed to hurt in dreams.]

[...]

...Ow.

[...Hah. He's missed every single one of those expressions.]

... Not very dream-like, is it? Or is your dream preacher always so mean?

[And now she's leaping off the log as though it's made of fire and taking a big step back and away.]

What's happening? This isn't a dream is it? Is this heaven? Did I die? What's going on, I don't understand!

[He sighs; he figures this was a possibility. I mean, waking up in a weird place with wings and a dead man talking to you? Hello? But he's naturally calm at the sight of her panic, standing up and straightening his shoulders.]

You're not dead. I know it sounds like a dream, but... you've just been kidnapped here, from our world. Vash and Meryl are here, too.

[a pause, as his gaze softens]

They can bring the living... or the dead to this place.

But... but that's impossible! That just can't happen, and-

[She doesn't think she can believe it.]

This is just a really really strange dream, where you can pinch me and it feels like you actually really did pinch me, but it's just a dream.

[She wraps her arms around herself in her insecurity, only now does she realise that the reason her back is itching isn't because of a hypothetical tree allergy as her fingertips brush feathers.]

[She yelps and leaps forward, bumping into him- and he's solid.]

[He looks down at her, clasping his hands into weak fists.]

Those wings on your back—the people who took us put them on all of the kidnappees. I have them, too, under my coat.

[He looks down to the ground. This is the hardest thing he thinks he's ever had to do. Legato doesn't hold a candle to it, no matter how much he'd like to, the son-of-a-bitch.

His jaw tightens. Those bastards, bringing her to a place like Luceti. No matter how much he's happy to see her, it isn't right.]

Vash and Meryl have already been here for over a year, and I've recently appeared just a few months ago. I know it sounds crazy, but...

[She stands there, wide eyed, looking at him, then trying to look over her shoulder at the brown wings that are growing out of her back]

A whole year? But that's not true, I just saw Meryl before I went to bed and we said goodbye to Mr. Vash just this afternoon. And you-

[Definitely did not die months ago or it wouldn't still hurt like this.]

[Yeah don't mind her Wolfwood, she's just going to put her hand on your chest for a second there.]

[He doesn't mind; nothing but a few breaths and a slightly speeded heartbeat to greet her. He looks up just enough to catch her expression.]

Time at home doesn't move, when people are brought here. Vash was on his way to find his brother, just before he arrived... Even though he's been here for that long, nothing's changed since he left Gunsmoke.

[His mouth is an unwavering line, but his mind is picking apart the words he should be saying. It's difficult to keep up with himself. A hand reaches up toward her shoulder, but hangs in empty air.]

[She listens to his words carefully, but she's frowning in deep concentration. That's his heart beating.]

[It's really beating.]

[She stops frowning and meets his eyes for a second, then her eyes dart over his face.]

[Then. The tears start.]

It really is you!

[And this right here is a fullblown patented Milly Thompson fullbodied hug.]

[Expected that, but then, you've always been such a strong woman; he falls right on his butt, barely managing to keep himself upright with one hand while the other curls around her shoulders, lost beneath her hair.

Damn, you really are exactly the same. Was he really expecting something even a little different? He though... what if a few years had passed, what if she'd moved on to better things? But—this is exactly as she was.

He dips his chin and presses his cheek to hers, face contorting into a look of guilt.]

I'm sorry... I broke such an important promise to you. I shouldn't have left you there by yourself.

[The tears are streaming down her face and she can't quite work out if they're happy or sad, but it doesn't matter. Not right now.]

[She's holding him again.]

[She brings her hands up into his hair and turns her face into his neck, trying to urge him closer.]

You didn't break it. That doesn't count. You had to go, you wouldn't be you if you had stayed behind.

[Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action] 1/2

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action] 1/idk

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action] 3/6? I think?

Re: [Action] 4/6

Re: [Action] I lied, there's going to be more.

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action] done

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

Re: [Action]

[Action]