Lily Thompson's Journey: Deception

[Kadael]

"Ah--!" Lily squeaks, springing up to her full height. "You again? What do you want with me?"

She thought she could just forget him. A mistake.

[Seon]

"Oh, nothing," Jack said.

"Actually, that's a lie. I have a job for you. Well, request actually. I don't think I'm in a position to just "give" you a job. Listen, are you cold? Because it's really, really important that you listen very well to this."

He took off his coat and draped it around Lily. "Keep warm, and take this too." He picked up the kitten and thrusted it into her arms. "Your job is to take that kitten somewhere and have fun. Good luck, bye, see you later. Don't tear up my coat more than it already is."

He walked away towards the lighthouse.

[Kadael]

Lily just stares for a moment, dumbfounded. It takes a bit for the warmth of Jack's coat and the fluffiness of the kitten to sink in.

Well, it's better than getting stabbed. And that is a pretty classy kitten, with its bowtie and all.

Time to have fun.

[Laraqua]

The unread letter is cool in one hand. The kitten warm in the other. There is a part of the jetty that heads left towards the vessel.

[Kadael]

Lily adjusts her hold on the letter so she can read it. Discarded correspondence is always of interest.

[Laraqua]

The letter seems to be a romantic one penned to some sort of person.

My dear love,

Oh, how my heart has trembled with the chance to see you again. I had hoped and prayed that I might get back before the next great offensive but how could I be sure? There is a chance, perhaps, that I will reach you before this letter does! Such is the method and the madness of the Army Post. I have, unfortunately, had to cope with this for so long that it must be months since I have received any of your letters. Never fear. I await with bated breath for each letter and have faith that they Army hasn't lost them and that they are on their way.

When I see you again what shall I do? Shall I run to you and lift you into the air and spin you around? Shall I walk up behind you and sweetly nuzzle your neck and indulge in the scent of your hair until you turn to see me, smiling? Shall I walk to you plainly and then hold you close to me, safe and secure the knowledge that we are together again?

When I am once more on the American shore, I will wire at once to pay for tickets on the La Bella Sinclair so that we might spend a romantic evening upon the waters of Toluca Lake?

Regards,

Declan O'Connor.

[Kadael]

Lily looks it over twice, her mind filling with every war movie cliché in the book. Poor guy's probably dead, or at least been Dear John'd. She really didn't think men this decent-sounding existed in real life, though.

Then again, he's probably full of crap and just covering it up with pretty words.

Hand-space is getting a bit tight, especially with this inexplicable cat. Lily tucks the tarot card and the old coin into the front of her dress, then heads left on the jetty.

[Laraqua]

The kitten mewls at her and snuggles warmly into the palm of her hand as she sets off across the jetty toward the lights of the vessel. She turns left at the end of the jetty and strides toward its end where a man in a tail coat stands beside the gang plank. She can hear the sounds of a four piece band playing on this old-fashioned yet rather large double-decker paddle steamer, coming from inside the deck, and the burble of voices caught in conversation.

He gives her a shrewd look up and down and quirks an eyebrow. "Do you have a ticket, ma'am?"

The kitten meows in response.

[Kadael]

Well, damn.

"No, I don't," Lily says, very conscious of the state of her... everything. "But maybe you know how I could go about getting one?"

[Laraqua]

"You step along, that's what," says the man disapprovingly. "This vessel is utterly booked for these festivities.



"Veronica!" calls out a man, coalescing out of the fog on the deck of the vessel. He leans against the railing and grins at her from beneath his hat. "Don't I look totally ridiculous? You did say not to come back a New York gangster and I just couldn't resist."

"Do you have a ticket for this woman?" asks the man.

"Of course, I'm holding it for her." The stranger almost skips down the gangplank, he seems so excited. "I'm so glad you came. I'd almost believed.... No, never mind." He comes down to face her and she realises that it's a rather handsome young man.

[Kadael]

How beautifully convenient. Lily can't resist playing along, though it's going to take a lot of effort. Who the hell is Veronica?

"You're lucky I even recognize you, Mr. 1930's!" She puts her non-catted hand on her hip and throws him a grin. The dark lines on her face stretch awkwardly. "Sorry I'm such an awful mess, the worst things happened today. At least you're here."

[Laraqua]

He grinned at her and swept her up in a hug, pulling back just so as he can gaze down at her with those clear brown eyes, then turns to eagerly give the man two tickets printed on rather old fashioned looking brown card. "Come on, there's cocktails and dancing and everything I ever promised you."

[Kadael]

Lily is a bit slow to hug him back, distracted by thoughts of the role she's playing. Is this right, morally? Should she care?

"Sounds like fun. Lead the way."

[Laraqua]

The stranger nods and takes her hand, guiding her up the gangplank and onto the deck. All of the signs are in a wonderfully art deco script although the ship itself seems a bit old with faded paint that peels just a little. It's none too surprising. It probably cost quite a bit to repaint a historical vessel. The windows are blacked out from the inside but she can hear the burble of laughter, the chinking of glasses, voices talking about Silent Hill and occasional bits of gossip about people she hardly knew filtered out toward them. He leads her toward the rear of the vessel and she spots the name upon a wall: La Bella Sinclair.

"Come on, this way, it's most beautiful on the top deck though damn this awful fog," he says, flashing her a grin and keeping his warm hand gripping hers. He starts up the stairs.

[Kadael]

...wire at once to pay for tickets on the La Bella Sinclair...

So apparently this is the locale of that romantic evening Declan's sweetheart was promised. It's not surprising, considering that it's a beautiful ship. The atmosphere feels just right. It's something Lily might like very much herself, if only she were with someone different.

But she shouldn't throw her enjoyment overboard just because of that. She can have fancy drinks and meet interesting people and be away from her brother regardless of--

Wait.

...wire at once...

Wire? That's a weird term. An old one. Like, really old. The letter should be unreadable...

As Lily's wondering what the hell is going on here, her thoughts drift further and further from the task at hand: this man who calls her Veronica.

[Laraqua]

Declan guides her up a stairwell onto the back of the vessel and takes up his position by the railing, leaning the small of his back against it, and gazing at her affectionately. "I'm so glad you came.... I worried you wouldn't. I know that things weren't working out as well as they should." He sighed deeply. "After that letter you sent ... I wasn't sure but then I felt your call and I had to come. I've been waiting here for so long it feels." He shakes his head, releases a sigh. "Do you like to dance?"

Soft strains of romantic old timey music waft out through the deck boards from beneath as he holds out his hand, reaching through the shrouds of fog. There's no one on this upper rear deck that is lined with benches around the sides but is otherwise an open space.

[Kadael]

Lily smiles through her haze of strange thoughts. Felt your call? "You know, I would love to dance, but I really should get myself cleaned up first. And find some place to..." She looks at the kitten in her hand. "All right, the strangest thing happened. I was just on the beach, and this man comes up to me and hands me this cat and his coat. I really ought to put them somewhere safe."

That, at least, is not a lie.

[Laraqua]

“It’s a cute kitten but I don’t think it’s yours,” he said quietly. He lowered his hand, dropping it to his side. “I ... suppose we could find a place. There’s a coat room downstairs, I’m sure. I can go to one of the ship’s men and ask him to take your coat and a spot for that little feline.” He moved to go behind here. “Here. Allow me. You should have a chance to relax and not have to seek anyone out, though I can’t imagine why you would want to be rid of your coat in this weather. It’s hardly a summer’s day.”

[Kadael]

Lily shrugs a little, sighing as the coat comes off her shoulders. "Well, it isn't my coat. I don't mind the cold. And... thank you."

He is the very model of an old-fashioned gentleman. In a different world, she'd be swooning, but instead it just leaves her with a strange kind of loneliness. Veronica is someone else, and she's a liar.

She touches one of the kitten's ears. "I don't suppose there's anywhere I can scrub this horrible makeup off my face?"

[Laraqua]

"Your makeup is a little ... different," says Declan good-naturedly. "If you'll come with me...." He holds out his arm to her, the other arm now having a coat draped over it. "I shall lead you down to the women's bathroom. It's not much and it's quite small but it should do."