[open] dancing queen young and sweet

[dancingmd]

who: Beverly Crusher, as a teenager
what: Flower-swap that leads to a deaged Beverly
when: April 9
where: Riverview Central Park
warnings: n/a


i. blossom picnic

[All of this is... weird, to say the least, waking up on a strange planet with no memory of how she got here, with only the word of a very concerned-looking older woman clutching a bunch of blue flowers (Nana would know what they were, surely, but it doesn't look like anything they grow on Caldos) that she's safe. She can't say why exactly, but she does trust this woman implicitly, as if she's known her all her life. So when Lucretia (the woman's name - she really is very nice) tells her she's actually thirty years older and that a magic flower turned her back into a teenager she accepts it much more readily than she ought to or normally would.

And now she's here, at a picnic, wondering if there's anyone else here that she's forgotten, anyone else who knows her as Dr. Crusher (which is cool as hell, by the way - and she's in Starfleet!!!), not plain old Beverly Howard. It's an uncomfortable thought but ice cream always makes everything better, right?

She stands staring at the menu, taking an impossibly long time to decide.]

I don't know which one I should get...

ii. dances

[Once she starts feeling more comfortable with this whole situation, she can't help but be drawn to all the dancing going on, especially out on the streets. And while adult Beverly is an excellent dancer, teenage Beverly is simply phenomenal (After all, it isn't that long ago that she won several big championships). Pretty soon, she's got a little crowd watching her tap dance on the sidewalk, her feet going at a frantic pace and her grin as big as they come.

Or perhaps later you might see her outside a jazz club arguing with a bouncer.]

Come on, I'm seventeen, that's practically the same thing! [Sorry, kid, but he remains firm. She huffs.] Yeah well... your music probably sucks anyway!

[Great comeback, A+]

iii. wildcard

[Got another prompt in mind? hmu!]

Comments

[dancingmd]

(Excuse you, she's seventeen!!!! That's basically an adult!!!!)

Well whatever you call it, I take it that's how you'll get us in?

(Because she doesn't see a teleporter anywhere.)

[scholiast]

(Sure.)

Yes, if you'd like to go.

[dancingmd]

Please!

(She rests her hands on Lucretia's arms and looks up at her in as a persuasive of a manner as she can muster.)

And I'm sorry for calling you old!

[scholiast]

(Aw. She can't help smiling despite herself.)

Don't worry about it. It isn't a crime to call it as you see it.

(And she teleports them into the building without much fanfare. Just off to the side, near one of the walls so nobody really notices them warping in.)

[dancingmd]

[The teleportation itself doesn't faze her in the slightest, but still she's excited once they get in.]

You are the coolest!

[They came in at the far end of the room, away from the band, so Beverly immediately starts to weave her way through the packed tables to get closer to the stage. She stops and looks back.]

Are you coming?

[scholiast]

(This is tragic, but Lucretia had found it nice to listen to the muffled music from outside, but in here there's too many people, too much going on. Still, Beverly is looking expectantly at her, so she dutifully follows her into the crowd. She can stay for a couple songs and then leave, that will be fine.)

It's very loud, (she says, point made by how she has to raise her voice to be heard at all.)

[dancingmd]

Isn't it great!?

[She's beaming, overwhelmed by how cool and adult this is!]

Look there's seat right up front!

[scholiast]

(It's something alright! But Lucretia comes to sit dutifully anyway. How are you supposed to hold a conversation with somebody this close to the band omg)

Are you going to dance?

[dancingmd]

(Beverly's eyes light up - it's clear she really, really wants to. But... she bites her lip and looks concerned.)

I don't want to leave you by yourself.

(She may be old but she did get Beverly in here after all. And it's not like Beverly really knows anyone else.)

[scholiast]

(Lucretia's expression softens; she's so sweet.)

It's okay. I'm not a very good dancer, so you're probably best to leave me here by myself. (She makes a little shooing motion with her hands.)

Go have a good time! I'll hold down the fort.

[dancingmd]

(Beverly doesn't need to be told twice and with a flash of a smile she disappears into the crowd of dancers, flowing among them as if she was born to do this. Even without a partner, she seems to be having a lot of fun.

But then several songs later there's a commotion on the dance floor. The crowd parts to reveal a man doubled over, clutching at... well, his crotch. Beverly backs away from him, hands over her mouth and eyes wide. He looks up and growls out a crude curse before lunging at her.)

[scholiast]

(Lucretia watches her dance away, the crowd shaping itself around her. She's never seen Beverly really let loose before and she's mesmerising to watch. She dips in and out of the crowd and Lucretia sits, listens to the music, thinks about ordering a drink.

She still hasn't moved by the time the crowd abruptly parts around Beverly and somebody unknown to her. Lucretia has barely grasped the gist of the situation before he's lunging toward her, his hands out as if to strike and Lucretia doesn't think, just shields Beverly on instinct and counters with chill touch. A ghostly, skeletal hand knocks her would-be assailant aside none too gently, and he staggers and falls with a hard thump.

In the short silence that follows Lucretia rises slowly from her table, dissolving her shield. She can feel everybody staring at her as she touches her hand briefly to Beverly's elbow.)

Are you okay? (They should... leave now, maybe. Out of the corner of her eye, she's noticed one of the staff giving quiet orders to one of the bouncers.)

[dancingmd]

(Wow. If she was questioning the legitimacy of Lucretia's magic before she sure as hell isn't now. It's both impressive and terrifying at the same time and Beverly is really glad Lucretia is on her side. Her nerves fried, she jumps a little when Lucretia touches her, but then she immediately wraps her arms around Lucretia.)

Thank you, thank you, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for anything to happen!

(Meanwhile, the bouncers are moving closer.)

[scholiast]

(Lucretia, arms hovering slightly on either sides of Beverly like she's unsure as to whether she should hug back or not, relents enough to give her a cajoling little pat on the back. Is this what Beverly felt like about Lucretia when she was visibly much younger?

Thankfully the band has started back up again, giving the crowd something other to look at than the pair of them.)

Don't worry, (she says, her voice lowered,) it isn't your fault.

(The bouncers are advancing on them though, so she gently plucks Beverly's arms off and steers her toward the exit, trying very hard not to roll her eyes. Sure, she had caused a distraction but she hadn't done anybody any real harm. Hopefully they'll be treating the man who tried to come at Beverly with the same thinly veiled hostility.)

[dancingmd]

(Beverly doesn't offer any resistance and allows herself to be led out of the club. Even if the bouncers weren't coming for them, she finds she's suddenly lost any interest in being there. She just wants to go home... her real home, not the apartment of a 50 year old woman who is her and not her all at the same time.)

Dammit!

(As soon as they step outside she wipes furiously at her eyes, mad at herself for starting to cry.)

[scholiast]

(Oh, oh no.

Lucretia knows it's probably more from frustration that she's crying rather than any sadness but she still rests a hand comfortingly on Beverly's shoulder, gives it a little squeeze.)

I'm sorry. I could have done that much more subtly. (She's not too sorry, though. Thinking of the look on the man's face as he'd lunged at Beverly... Lucretia's silently annoyed she didn't hit him a little harder.)

[dancingmd]

(She shakes her head.)

No, I'm glad you were there. You were amazing, I just... everything's so different here.

[scholiast]

I understand.

(It's strange, being in a new place and having to adjust abruptly. Lucretia knows this very well: she's done it a hundred times.)

Do you want to go somewhere quieter? (She could take Beverly back to her own apartment, to see the kittens. That would probably calm her down.)

[dancingmd]

(Kittens are always a good solution!

She nods quietly.)

Thank you.

[scholiast]

Of course.

(They start to walk; they're really not that far from Beverly's place at all.)

What were you up to before this happened?

[dancingmd]

(She frowns. Her memory is a little fuzzy when it comes to that.)

I think I was in the garden. With Nana.

[scholiast]

(Lucretia can understand the timeline after a moment's pause. She nods, unable to help smiling.)

How is she?

[dancingmd]

She's fine.

(She glances at her sidelong, not suspicious exactly but at least curious. Seems like a weird thing to ask if she doesn't know Nana.)

Why do you ask?

[scholiast]

You've spoken to me about her before, that's all.

(Not in great detail, but enough for Lucretia to naturally want to ask after her.)

[dancingmd]

We must be pretty good friends, huh?

(She smiles softly.)

But yeah, she's doing well.