Embers in the Dark

Sword Swallowing

Once the memory ended, everyone opened their eyes and took a few moments to process what they'd just seen.  Arthur didn't know what to think.  What he just witnessed hit him real hard, especially since he'd been through a similar, albeit a less terrifying experience.  Arthur wanted to tell Lilly anything, but there were just no words.

The closet was full of stunned silence before Lilly cleared her throat and got up, looking around for some clothes.  "Did ya happen tah get any áo dài dresses? I like how the sleeveless ones look."

Lugh was the first to speak.  "Um, yes...even though ya dunna like dresses."

"I'll still wear one for Arthur," Lilly said quietly, grasping a red and black sleeveless áo dài dress.  "Oh, this one looks good."

"Lilly?" Arthur said.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Do you...um...want to talk about what just happened?"

"Not particularly, no," she sighed before starting to put the dress on.  "Why?  Do you guys wanna talk about it?"

Sean lifted a finger before pausing and pressing his fingertip to his bottom lip.  Karen looked around as if she were looking for something better to focus on.  Vu and Tora just kept gawking at Lilly while Arthur was trying to come up with an answer.  Brigid and Lugh looked at each other with very grave expressions.

"Lilly, you..." Lugh began but stopped with a grunt.  "How can ya be so calm about this?"

Lilly started looking around for shoes to wear after having finished getting the dress on.  "Because I've been dealin' with it fer almost three years now, Lugh, and that weren't the only time she needed tah feed so I've...gotten used tah it."

"Tah...feed?" Sean asked incredulously.

"Mmhmm."

Lugh gulped.  "So she needs energy sources.  I see...and which thing in that memory was, uh, her target fer nourishment?"

"All of it.  It's the same thing every..." she growled before slipping on some red shoes.  "...fuckin' time.  She shows up and only I can see her, she swallows me whole, she goes on a fuckin' rampage and eats and eats and eats, then the souls she's eaten scream at me and beg fer me help, and it..." she sighed before tightening her hands.  "...god damn erks me!  I mean, I got in the same fuckin' way they did!  What the fuck makes 'em think I can help?!"

"Because yer the host," Lugh replied.  "Rose is the parasite and obviously the souls think ya can get them outta there before Rose...oh, does she consume the souls as well?"

Lilly shrugged.  "Probably.  Ya saw how she was just...horkin' down on everything' like it was a fuckin' banquet?" she giggled.  "Say what ya will about her, but that bitch can eat."

"So can you," Vu chuckled.

"Speakin' of Rose, shouldn't you put another net on me?" Lilly asked them.

"No.  Now that ya have a bracelet, Rose wilna be coming out any time soon," Lugh explained.  "But I do have a question about her."

"Yes?" Lilly asked as Arthur started dressing in his tuxedo.

"The song.  Does it play every time...ya become her?"

"Oh yeah.  She likes having a...soundtrack, is what she called it," Lilly explained as she grinned.  "So...this, uh, thing you folks got going on in my honor.  Is it a play?"

"Kinda," Arthur said as he tried to mess with his tie.

Lilly looked at him and shooed his hands away before beginning to tie the bowtie.  "Will I be allowed to perform a song?" she asked.