Stolen Memories of a Stolen Century

[umbrastaff]

who: Lup + anyone
what: memory share + catch-all
when: October
where: Places
warnings: Death, skeletons, Tom Arnold

Closed Memories (Just hit me up @ draiol if you want one, new and old CR alike!)

you and me, always

It starts in a semi-dark and cramped space, a small door opened just a crack to let in light from the outside. The legs of people in some sort of formal clothing can be seen walking around outside, making the space recognizable as a closet or pantry. The jam at the right might sell the latter idea.

Inside it are two small identical elven kids, all knees and awkwardness, too big ears and noses. They cannot be any other than twelve, and even that might be a stretch. Especially since one of them is wearing a way-too big dress with a belt barely holding it together over what might be the same formal tunic and pants that the other elf is wearing.

They both look solemn, eyes puffy and red from crying as they lean to each other for support. The murmur outside is a little difficult to make out, probably because there was just too much going on at once - but some voices finally pick up above the rest.

"I must say this will be difficult. It's a miracle that their aunt managed to take care of them for so long. Who is going to take them now?" One says, taking a drink of something. The 'concern' falls flat in their voice. It's only gossip to them.

There's a long-suffering sigh from another. "There are no more close family, and there will not be room for two of them in any of the homes." That last word makes the twins huddle together even closer. There was no such thing as 'homes'. This was home!

"I heard it was hard enough for them to stay in once place before their aunt, and now they're known for getting in trouble. It would be easier to split them up to raise independently." Says a third, and, at least from the memory, she sounds nearly happy about it.

Lup grabs her brother's arm tightly, trying to control herself even though her other hand is making a fist to get ready to fight. "They can't split us up! I won't let them!" She whispers, fury in her eyes and hopeless fear in her gut.

Where she is anger and fury, Taako seems numb as he holds on to her as well, but that manages to calm his sister down enough to dim the need to rush out and kick shins. Instead they sit in silence for a long time until the chatter outside seems to move on elsewhere.

Carefully opening the door, the twins sneak out and head for their room as fast as they can. Entering this safe haven, this place where they had felt happy and at home for years, they simply look at each other and nod. Grabbing a bunch of stuff into two bags (blankets, clothes, important but useless knickknacks), they carry one each before lacing their fingers together again.

Leaving their room, they sneak by the kitchen where two elves seem to be looking for them, and head for the door. It has always creaked a bit when opened, but tonight it seems like they are blessed with silence as it swings easily to reveal the big vegetable garden outside.

Lup remembers hot summers, cool autumns and beautiful springs spent here, getting the ingredients for whatever their Aunt was cooking. Things that now would go to whoever bought this old cottage. They would get to eat the beans she planted. Not her or Taako. It makes her stomach feel sour and she stops for a moment, looking at the garden and then back at her brother.

He meets her eyes, and nods. As one, they descend upon what could be harvested now, refusing their hard work to be taken by someone else. They grab vegetables from the familiar stalks and fertile earth, shoving them in their bags and probably squishing a few as they do.

Then they leave the garden, and the cottage behind them. Side by side, connected and whole, existing as the other's heart. Nothing would ever pull them apart for as long as they lived, they promise as they step into the woods and disappear in the undergrowth.

his best day

The light is coming in through a window in a room, shining on a bed where Lup is sitting next to a sleeping man. She looks soft and happy, wearing a red robe and fully dressed while running her fingers through his short brown hair. Leaning in, she gives him a kiss on his temple.

"Hey Bar... it's time to get up, babe. I got a day all planned for you!" She says softly, smiling brightly as this 'Bar' mumbles something and turns to face her. He's a human man, middle-aged and slightly chubby (with a close resemblance to Tom Arnold). He yawns, wraps an arm around her and sleepily leaning up for a kiss. "Is that so?"

Lup nods happily, meeting that kiss with barely contained excitement. "I let you sleep in for once, you workaholic." She affectionately pokes his thick nose with a slender finger. "I've got food waiting for us, and then we gotta get going."

She reaches to hand him his (extra nerdy) glasses and then abruptly pulls the covers back. Thankfully, the man is wearing boxers. (Traditional white ones with little hearts.) "Babe!" He laughs, getting out of the bed with a grin to find his clothes. The first thing he puts on are a pair of blue, sturdy jeans before he slides a shirt over his head - and gets his glasses a little tangled in it.

Lup saves him from that conundrum and then melts into his arms for a while. There's a silent, comfortable moment before he kisses her on her forehead and begs for coffee. Together, they head out to have a crazy breakfast with a ton of pancakes, toast, Fantasy Poptarts that he likes and she loathes the very idea of... and nicely fresh-pressed coffee that Lup puts way to much sugar in.

He drinks it anyway and they have a moment of peace in this kitchen that seems large enough to hold far more people than just these two. It was their chance for some alone time between all the hustle and bustle with the rest of the crew. After finishing their breakfast, they lazily leave the dishes in the sink as Lup pulls the man with her towards the door. "I know this is your day and your faaaavorite thing is working yourself to death, but I got something else planned." She winks at him as she walks down what looks like silvery stairs to the quiet world outside.

They are standing in front of what looks like a silver space ship, and Lup leans in to Barry and whispers something in his ear. He immediately looks both excited and a little pink, and they head off together.

Hand in hand.

wave echo cave

And We See Lup...

for megabond

Lup goes off in in the mess that is the robot world, and the speech afterwards. (Serious/Funny/Sad)

Merle brings her a horrible gift. (Funny)

Open Memories (Feel free to hit up her inbox or thread here if you see one of these!)

Lup's Final Battle Speech (Epic)

Lup crushes the pre-space flight interview and micdrops. (Funny)

The best day ever, including setting a DMV on fire. (Funny)

Telling her brother she's gonna become an undead monster for the greater good. (Sad)

Lup finds a gun??! (Funny)

Also Available: Shared Dreams!

Comments

[umbrastaff]

[For a moment there's nothing, but then Lup sticks her head out through the door (literally). She makes a face at him and then smiles.]

Heey, Cisco! Come in! How are you doing?

[Popping her face back inside, she opens the door with mage hand and lets her friend inside. Floating ahead of him, Lup makes her way into the living room, since it had the most open area for her to not awkwardly phase through things, and nice seating for people with butts.]

What's up?

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco is getting used to Lup as a lich, but it does still give him a bit of a fright, when she sticks her head through the door like that. He startles, and then immediately laughs, more at his own jumpiness than anything else. He is still shaking his head at himself as he walks in the door, closing it behind him as he follows her in to the living room. ]

I come bearing gifts.

[ He lays out the bubble gear on the coffee table, for her to inspect whenever she'd like. He makes himself comfortable on the couch, saying, a little evasively: ]

Since when do I need an excuse to hang out with you?

[ It's not very convincing, though, and he knows it. Cisco sits forward, sighing shortly, and admits, with a small shrug: ]

Actually I, uh, stopped by because I had a vision about you. Not a vibe. I mean the kind of vision that everybody's been getting these last few days. With people's memories and whatever. I just. Wanted to tell you, I guess.

[umbrastaff]

[ She's giggling as he does, amused at the startle but pleased that he didn't freak out. That was exactly how she liked her lich scares. Magnus made the best sounds.

It would be a lie to say she didn't notice his slight weirdness, but she chalks it up to being a little unused to a floating ghost. Plus, he was bearing gifts so she's easily distracted by the strange contraptions he brought, wondering if it was some kind of plasticy magic wands. ]

Of course you don't! I was just curious. Like... and what are these?

[ Lup picks one up with mage hand and twirls it a bit, but almost drops it again when Cisco mentions getting a memory from her. She should have suspected that, seeing she saw one of his. ]

Oh man, really? Was it cool, at least?

[ She'll take cool over horrifying deaths or anything like that. ]

[franciscoramon]

[ Rather than launch into a complicated explanation, Cisco merely holds up a single finger beckoning her to wait. He unscrews the top of the bubble solution, dips one of the wands in, and holds it up. Then, he blows a stream of bubbles, with precise accuracy, towards Lup's somewhat skeletal face. ]

Bubbles! It's just a toy, from my world. I thought you might have fun with 'em. You can do it this way, too.

[ He dips the wand once more and then drags it through the air in quick arcs, leaving trails of shimmering bubbles as he goes. They drift gently towards the floor, some popping in the air, others when they hit the coffee table or floor. ]

You know I'm not really sure cool's the exact word I'd use.

[ Cisco smiles softly, a little lopsided, and a little melancholy. It's always a bit risky, talking to any of the IPRE folks about things from the cycles. Even the memories that seemed innocuous might be painful, and Cisco doesn't want to cause pain. Particularly now, and particularly to Lup, because he knows that her emotional state is somewhat more volatile, as a lich. She needs things that make her happy, that remind her she is loved, and of the person she is. But Cisco believes this can be one of those things. ]

There was a planet full of these robot people, and they needed this crystal to keep living or something, and you were defending it 'cause... Taako wanted to destroy it, I guess. And then... back on the ship you gave this speech about how you all couldn't let yourselves get that dark ever again, and get just as bad as the Hunger. You were talking about how you believed you were going to save everybody that it ever consumed, and you had to hold onto that hope to keep going.

[umbrastaff]

[ Okay, that's really cool! The bubbles just float right through her, which is... honestly hilarious, because she looks like she's carbonated for a moment.

Curious to try it for herself (and relieved that there was a way to do it without breath), Lup picks another wand up with mage hand, grinning as she whips it around and leaving a trail of bubbles around herself. ]

Woo!

[ Let her be five for a second, okay? She needs it, as Cisco tells her about the memory he got. The lich frowns for a moment, floating closer to him. ]

I did believe. For a long time. It wasn't true, though. All the places the Hunger ate... they're just part of it now.

[franciscoramon]

[ If there is any friend who will be tolerant of Lup indulging her inner five-year-old, it is Cisco. In fact, it's exactly the sort of thing he encourages, on principle, and what he was trying to do by giving this gift in particular. Nothing out there simpler and more harmless and joyful than making bubbles, and he has a feeling those are things Lup is in need of in her life at the moment.

CIsco's soft smile slowly fades into a faint frown of concern. Lup had sounded so sure in that memory, so hopeful. What had happened since to change her mind? He has to remind himself that it had been a long long time ago, for her. She's seen a lot, and been through a lot, since then. Still, he can't help saying: ]

And who's to say that's permanent?

[ It's true, that he doesn't know what he's talking about. Doesn't know the rules that govern the Hunger, how it works, how it consumes. He doesn't know how much it is alive or not. It's possible that Lup is right.

But it's also possible she isn't. And even though she'd been the one giving the optimistic speech on the Starblaster in that memory, that doesn't mean she's never going to be in need of hearing one from someone else. From the sound of it, she could use a little booster shot of hope, right now. Lucky for her, Cisco's got plenty to spare. ]

You don't know what's going to happen when you beat it, right? Just because two things get combined doesn't mean they can't ever be separated again. It happens all the time in science, in tons of different ways. You can do it with motion, and heat, and chemicals, and electricity, and I could keep going but you get the idea. All you're gonna need is... the multiverse's biggest centrifuge.

[umbrastaff]

[The bubbles fly around her as she stops her twirl, and she puts the wand down for now.

Cisco is so sweet to try to remind her of her conviction from before. But shit, it had been so, so long ago - and when she finally got out of her umbra staff, what was she fighting?

The people whose worlds had been destroyed. Twisted and destroyed by the Hunger.

She mentions this to Cisco, but his centrifuge idea kind of makes her laugh in the middle of it, which is slightly awkward and weird. Lup brings her hands to her face with a sigh.]

They're gone, Cisco. Even if they're still in the Hunger somehow, we're about to seal the Hunger in forever.

[She flops on the ground (or at least floating as close to it as possible.]

I'm never getting those fifteen bucks!

[franciscoramon]

Oh.

[ He understands, when she mentions fifteen bucks, what she's doing. She had mentioned that silly little debt, in the memory, as her reason for holding on hope. A joke then, the same way it is now, but standing in for much more. There must have been so many things left undone, on her own world. People she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to. Places she would never visit again. Easier, he's sure, to joke about some dude named Greg never being able to pay her back, than to speak genuinely about the reality of her home being lost. ]

Obviously, you know more about magic and the Hunger and all that than me. If you say they're gone, maybe they are. All I'm saying is... I'm just saying, you can never be 100% sure until it's actually over, and even then, sometimes, stuff finds a way of surprising you.

[ He picks up one of those little bubble wands and blows a shower of them into the air, to shimmer and hover, oddly incongruous with the sudden somber mood of the conversation. ]

Well, I'm still glad you stopped them from destroying that crystal. Even if you don't end up ever saving those robot people. It was still heroic, and... and the right thing to do.

[umbrastaff]

[He's sweet, really. He is - and from what Taako said after his last 'update', maybe things would come around in the end.

It didn't mean that it wasn't gone, though. Places she could never reach again. People she would never see. It really is easier to make a goof about it, because that's just how the Taaco twins deal.

Cisco tries to repair the damage with some bubbles, and she smiles, using mage hand to pop one of them.]

It was the right thing to do... and it saved us from a really dark path. Even if it meant I had to use the big sister voice with Taako.

[franciscoramon]

Well, that's what big sisters are for, right? Making sure their brothers are okay, even if it means telling them no sometimes.

[ Cisco feels a little pang of jealousy then - not an uncommon feeling, when he's talking to Lup or Taako and he is reminded all over again of how devoted they are to one another, of how they had always had each other in their corner. Sometimes he is grateful that he never had that much to lose - he knows what the loss of Lup, even temporarily, had done to Taako. But sometimes he wonders how different he would be, if he'd had a sibling like Lup. Someone to remind him what was right and what was wrong, to keep him closer to the correct path.

But he sets those thoughts aside; they're pointless, and unhelpful. Right now he needs to focus on cheering Lup up, because no way is he going to be the reason her day was less bright. He blows another shimmering stream of bubbles her way and then launches into a very enthusiastic and totally harmless story about how he had found these toys out in the abandoned city. ]