unpopping Delirium from The Sandman

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

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.))

Comments

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

He looked at her with concern. "Maybe if you get some of his favorite treats, he'll follow you?"

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

""

Barnabas might not necessarily find that appealing. But she could do it.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"You can make sausages that do somersaults?" A blinked, imagining it. "I don't know if I would find those appetizing."

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

"" She reached out and shaped the air in front of her, forming what quickly turned out to be a greenish-yellow octopus. Or something like one. After a moment she paused, frowning, and looked back at A. "" The creature had about seventeen, by now.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"There, um, I, I think there are usually eight." There were definitely more than eight on this one!

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

"" She took the creature in her hands and examined it for a moment, before holding it out to A. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A pulled back reflexively, looking startled. "I, no, I, it's not the sort of thing I usually cook." He smiled weakly. "Chairman Kaga might have an idea?"

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Or you could put it in the lake!" A proclaimed. "Maybe it could be friends with the Giant Squid."

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

She clapped her hands, the dekaeptápus hurriedly clinging to one arm to avoid being thrown off. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

It occurred to A that naming this odd creature was as safe a 'gift' as he could receive from this new arrival.

"Anemone?"

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

Delirium nodded. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I, my name is A." He felt a bit ashamed, realizing that in his unease he hadn't introduced himself. "What's your name?"

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

She tilted her head, curious. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

He took a step back, averting his eyes. "It, it, it was, it was a designation. I, I was, I was a first attempt."

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I, I don't know how you know that. I don't want to know how you know."

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

"" Delirium bit her lip. She'd messed that up and now things were bad again, nasty and red and sticky. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A backed away, eyes open wide, arms wrapped tightly around himself.

"I don't know what you are. I don't trust you."

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

Her lip trembled. ""

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

Now she didn't just sound disturbing and creepy, she sounded confusing, as if he'd done something to hurt her and she had the right to be upset.

"What do you want?"

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

"" 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-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"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.

[wineandleather.livejournal.com]

""

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

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

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

"I don't understand."