hh_mirror | unpopping Delirium from The Sandman

The girl who appeared in the popcorn room is unusual, even by Hogwarts standards. It's hard to describe her, as her appearance shifts and changes - no two people are likely to see her the same way, although they might all agree afterwards on a few things. Her hair might float about her head, many-coloured, or be cropped short. Her clothes are mismatched and strangely fitting (and tend to involve fishnet stockings or gloves, for some reason). The only really consistent thing is her eyes, one green with silver flecks, one blue.

And, of course, right now she was drenched in butter.

Delirium looked about herself, wide eyed. "Ooooh. This is exactly not where I was planning to be. I think. But it's very interesting, don't you think, doggie? "

Nobody answered. She frowned, and looked down, to find herself alone apart from two or three tiny iridescent mice she'd created earlier and forgotten about. They ran up her skirt and disappeared again. "Doggie? Barnabas? "

Still calling, she wandered out into the corridor. "Hello? "

((Permission granted from Death-mun. If your character is or has been insane, on large amounts of drugs, or otherwise, well, delirious, feel free to recognise her ;). And let me know if you'd like her to recognise or know slightly too much about them - she can be very perceptive, but she's also forgetful and easily distracted, as you'd expect, really... ETA: Sandman is one of those 'all myths are true'-type canons, so any gods and goddesses or similar beings are also free to know her or know of her. Or not, if you prefer. Background info.))

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"" So many things. To not be all the bad red hurting things any more. For her family to get along all the time and be together. Everything to be okay.

""

"I don't know where your dog is! Try asking Wishbone, maybe he's seen your dog!" It had occurred to A that for all he thought of him as a friend with a different shape, Wishbone really was a dog. He hunched his shoulders, raising his hands as if to ward off a blow.

""

...and with that she collapsed to the floor in tears.

He dropped into a wary crouch some feet away, feeling certain he'd done something wrong.

"I don't understand."

Delirium looked up at him through her fingers. ""

"But I'm remembering things," he whispered hoarsely. Not exactly things he'd forgotten, but things that weren't part of his life anymore, that he didn't have to think about.

"You're not making sense." Still squatting, he wrapped his arms tightly around himself. It was confusing and it hurt, but he couldn't just walk away from someone so clearly upset, especially when it felt like his fault.

"" She shook her head, slowly. ""

"You're confusing me," he said plaintively. "I can tell that you're hurting but I don't understand."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!" A clutched his head in bafflement.

""

She punched the floor. Bits of stone flew up and turned into little beetles that scuttled away into the corners. It hurt, but it also seemed to make coherency a tiny bit easier.

""

He'd met Death briefly; they'd made a batch of cookies. The concept of a personification didn't baffle him the way it might someone who'd spent less time at Hogwarts.

And if she was literally Delirium...

He scuttled backward, staring at her with a low moan.

She flinched, curling up again, arms covering her head. ""

Attracted by the smell of butter, Wishbone trotted up. He stopped short when he saw two people huddled up.

And one of them was A!

Walking up to A, he tried sticking his head under A's hand (a trick he picked up from Schro).

A? he asked.

The affectionate gesture reached him even in his distress, and A scratched behind Wishbone's ears reflexively. "You found butter, Wishbone!" he laughed.

Delirium looked up, peering through her fingers. ""

Wishbone looked back and forth between A and the stranger, whimpering. Why do you two look so sad?

"I just can't stop remembering," he told Wishbone, trying to reassure him.

She nodded. ""

Wishbone did his best to crawl into A's lap and lick his face. Stop remembering, A. I don't like it when you're sad.

He hugged the small solid bulk of Wishbone, and staggered to his feet. "I think I just need a walk, Wishbone. To think about other things."

Delirium sat up a little straighter, arms wrapping around her knees. ""

I can walk with you? Wishbone asked. We can go to the mangosteen grove.

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i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com - 2011-02-12 23:15 (UTC) - Expand