[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

[scholiast]

(She's even such a worrier at seventeen!)

Well you don't have to worry about it, now: you get in.

[dancingmd]

And you have no idea what a relief that is! I've wanted to be a doctor in Starfleet since...

(She falls quiet for a second.)

Did she... did I ever tell you about Arvada III?

[scholiast]

No, I don't think so?

What is it?

(They've reached the right apartment building; she holds the door open for Beverly.)

[dancingmd]

(She pauses outside the door with a frown.)

Is it okay if we wait until we're inside?

[scholiast]

(Lucretia only looks confused for a moment before she smooths it over.)

Of course. It's just a couple floors up.

[dancingmd]

Thanks.

(There's a pit building in her stomach as they walk up. She's never actually had to tell anyone about this before. Everyone at home just knows. If you say you're from Arvada, that's enough. They've seen the news and you get a sympathetic and uncomfortable look. People don't know what to say so they'll quickly change the subject.

When they reach her apartment, the kittens come trotting up with expectant and hungry mews, only to stop when they see her. Christie, true to form, runs to hide under the coffee table. Agatha approaches cautiously to sniff Beverly's shoe. Apparently, she passes inspection because Agatha then proceeds to butt her head against Beverly's leg. Beverly is more than happy to oblige the kitten, scooping her up to cuddle. It's hard to be too sad with a kitting purring against your chest.)

She's so little!

[scholiast]

(She can tell something's off by Beverly's silence, but she won't press until they're safely in the apartment. Even when they finally make it over the threshold and Beverly is instantly distracted by the kittens she doesn't mind; it's good, as always, to see her smile.

For a silly moment she tries to coax Christie out from under the coffee table to come say hello, but she gives that up pretty quick when she's resolutely ignored. At least Agatha is an attention seeker.)

They're both very new still. The one you have is Agatha; Christie is skulking under the table, there.

[dancingmd]

Wow. Future-me is kind of a nerd, huh?

(Sorry to break it to you, kid, it's kind of a requisite for Starfleet. Beverly makes her way over to the couch and nuzzles Agatha, who purrs loudly, like the engine of a starship. For a moment, she just sits, not sure where to begin. So:)

Arvada was the planet I grew up on.

(It's a start at least.)

[scholiast]

(Lucretia laughs, and chooses the armchair to sit in, looking instinctively into the air for Junior. Hmm. It must be in its tank.) A little, yes.

(The tone of the conversation takes a more serious turn then, and Lucretia links her hands contemplatively in her lap, nodding.)

You've mentioned the name before.

[dancingmd]

(She nods. It's not entirely surprising her older self hasn't said much more about it than that. She certainly doesn't like talking about it either.)

It was a really small colony, way out in the middle of nowhere. Even at Warp Nine, it took three weeks to get from there to Earth. Only a few other families had settled it before Nana brought us there.

(Agatha rubs her face over Beverly's hands, demanding more pets.)

Nana's really good with plants. She was supposed to help them start their greenhouses and farms.

[scholiast]

Mmm.

(She watches Agatha vying for attention as Beverly speaks, because it's a little hard to look directly at her. She seems upset, and she's only a teenager; it's sad that something happened to her at such a young age. As much as Lucretia very much wants to know whatever story she's leading up to, she's aware that this is an effort to talk about, so she clears her throat when Beverly pauses.)

You... don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to, Beverly. Please don't push yourself to talk about it for my sake. I can always ask about it later.

(Or not at all. It's not like she isn't holding a few things back from Beverly too.)

[dancingmd]

It's okay. I think... it'll be good to um... talk about it with someone besides Nana. And the therapist.

(She gently strokes Agatha's ears, lulling the kitten into a calmer state.)

Besides, she... that is, me, the older me... You must care about her a lot too, don't you?

(Why else would she be taking so much time with a teenager?)

[scholiast]

('The therapist', huh. She wants very much to sit next to Beverly, perhaps put an arm around her, but this isn't her Beverly just yet, so...

She watches her stroke Agatha's ears, and nods.)

I do.

[dancingmd]

(She would not say no to a hug, but she's not expecting it either. It's enough, though, to know Lucretia cares, even if the situation is strange for the both of them.)

The colony was doing really well, at first. Our crops were flourishing, babies were being born, I had friends and school and Nana had her work... it was small and quiet and kind of boring sometimes, but it was home.

[scholiast]

I know the feeling.

(Her home was much the same: school, work, friends and family. Nothing particularly exciting until she joined the IPRE.)

Did... did something happen to it?

[dancingmd]

(Beverly nods. Her voice is shaky as she speaks, but she doesn't cry. Maybe she's cried too much over this already.)

I still don't know how it started. I don't think anyone does - the planet's been quarantined now. Like here, except there's no one left.

There was... a plague, is the best word for it. We weren't equipped to deal with anything like it and our medical supplies quickly ran out. We wouldn't get restocked for weeks, even once we sent out a distress signal. Nana turned to traditional herbal remedies but...

[scholiast]

(Lucretia swallows, suddenly uncomfortable. A plague that stole across her home planet, and left nothing in its wake? They really do have a lot in common, don't they. The shake in Beverly's voice is enough to prompt her to stand, and come to sit next to her, bumping their shoulders gently together for support.)

I'm sorry, (she says, watching the slow rise and fall of Agatha's little body as she snoozes.) Did the traditional remedies work at all?

[dancingmd]

(Automatically she leans against Lucretia. Beverly's always taken comfort in physical contact.)

They did. Nana saved lots of people. But others... all we could do was ease their pain.

[scholiast]

You did the best with what you had.

(It must have been hard, though. What sounds like the two of them, versus all of that.) I'm sorry that happened to you.

[dancingmd]

It was awful. Sometimes I still see them, in my dreams. Nana says I probably always will. But I think that's a good thing - I don't want to forget them, any of them.

[scholiast]

That's a lot to carry around with you.

Have you thought of writing about it? Whenever I have nightmares, I try to write about them. It helps.

[dancingmd]

(She shakes her head.) I haven't but... that's a good idea.

(Tentatively, she rests her hand on Lucretia's forearm.)

I'm sorry that you have nightmares too.

[scholiast]

Thank you. They're getting better.

(That's because of Beverly of course, but Lucretia won't tell her that!)

I know that it's hard now, but it won't be like this forever.

[dancingmd]

(She can tell her another time. Adult Beverly would be very happy to know that!)

Is... adult-me pretty happy then?

[scholiast]

Yes.

(She'd like to think so, at least!) She works at the hospital; I get to hear a lot of stories about that. She's very hardworking and dedicated.