#bergen_county

May chokes "I... friends like me are dangerous, Sam"

"May. May. Listen to me."

Sniffing, May nods., Listens

"I've known monsters. Real monsters."

"You do not contain an ounce of that in you."

"You are afraid of evil, in ways that are vivid and powerful. But you don't desire it. You don't wish for it."

"Shes' right" Lupe says " We've fought monsters, she and i... and you are the good we fight for, May. You have no idea how much we need that. It wears at you. Protecting a crapsack world. But you clean the crap off with your imagination, your stories, your smile. You make it.. you help US from keeping numb. It's not parasitical, it's a kindness. Because that's who you are, Chica. Kind and bad ass"

"Your fear took shape. But fear doesn't have to be in control, yeah? Fear can be fought, and even if it's there, you can still... do things."

A dry laugh. "I've been terrified for weeks, when it comes to facing how much I hurt you."

"You and Dagmar, you're both trying to be uber-responsible for screwing up. That's the right instinct...but you can't just stay in that spot. Either of you."

"I'm a magical, nine foot tall fairy knight, and I'm afraid, okay"

A sympathetic grin at Dagmar's admission.

"Dagmar, May you two are the magic ones. You two should be fine without me I... I.. wanted to be speical then when I was, I worry it hurt folks" May says "I just... what if all that's good in the world is just stuff I made up? "

Then May looks down as something nuzzles her "Wait, you're not mine. I ..didn't make you?"

A voice speaks up, one very proper and..familiar to Sylvi especially "Certainly not. But I thought I'd help by showing a dream that wasn't your fault either way. Frankly my creature was a young girl who loved a stuffed bunny animal so hard he became real. Old story really. But a good one. Now the bubble fairy and the monsterress? THey're YOUR creations and under your control. Listen to Sam, to LUpe, and then make your choices of what kind of world you want. I'll be here regardless"

At that, May who was already crying, Hugs sam again "YOU.. I choose you, a 9ft tall fairy knight who fights despite her fears! Who is my friend! Who never tried to control me but always let me share my dreams with her because I WANTED TO! Who sometimes seemed sad, so I told her about bubble fairys and flying whales!"

A smile at Flopsy's voice. "My hero," she says, and means it.

"Oh, I see you were already going to... " Flopsy tuts "Well, no cavalry needed here eh?" He hops over to Sylvi "Actually I think she was already won over by Dame Dagmar's confession and kind heart. Trolls really are amazing. "

Sylvi says, "As soon as I'm sure this nightmare isn't a threat, you are getting SUCH a hug!"

"You're my friend, May. You're that first, before your magic and your dreams... but those are part of you too, yeah?"

Sylvi clears her throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but...May, if this bubble fairy were about to defeat this nightmare, how would she do it?"

"Yeah" May says to Dagmar "They are." Then at Sylvi's point May looks over at the monstress "Well, she'd probably go with the classics... and this bubble fairy' name is Alice... so she would say ..."

"You talk a lot about power... fine, that includes over me, and over you" The bbubble fairy says just as if she were in a story "And if she wills it? You'd go out bang like a candle. In fact? Stop playing games with her. Instead she'll play them with you. You're nothing but a stack of cards" She blows a bubble that pops against the monstress... and the monstress breaks apart and turns into a deck of 52 cards... three queens on display. One wearing Lupe's face, the other Dagmars, and the last one? Queen of Hearts- Mays.

"I do love a classic reference" May smiles

Dag laughs.

"WOW" Lucia says trying to not look scared but.. WOW

"You did that, May. How can you ever think you aren't special?"

Sylvi joins in the laughter!

May laughs, seemingly charged up on the glamour that didn't work the first time

Lupe touches her head "Am I wearing a tiara?"

So is Sam, so is May

She finally relaxes and sets her spear aside...then makes good on her promise to give Flopsy a very big HUG.

But May looks at this and grins "Why not? You get a tiara" ANd one appears on Lucia "And you get a tiara" One on Gerd "EVERYONE gets a Tiara!" As does Sylvi AND Flopsy

Brown Dog is very confused but looks dashing in his

Floppsy enjoys the hug "You'll never be rid of me, you know? Well, not easily to be sure. Sorry I came late, Sylvi"

Dag starts giggling.

Sylvi puts Flopsy down and adjusts hers, preening just a little.

Gerd's is gothy "COOL"

"You arrived like a wizard, exactly when you meant to," Sylvi assures him. "And I'm so glad."

"I knew you wouldn't hurt me."

"And May, that's the trick, what you just did. When you dream up something that might hurt somebody, you've gotta dream up something that'll stop it from hurting, even if it's something totally random and silly."

"Because you can. I believe in you."

"You knew better than I," May says delighted to Sam, nods to Sylvi, "Not often a dream believes in the dreamer" , pulling in Lupe with her other arm so she can hug both her and Sam "We have pizza, friends, PJs and Tiaras. Let the Princess Pajama movie watching sleep over begin!"

"Also, you might know I'm a really lousy liar."

"So it has been declared!"

"It's true, she sucks at lying" Lupe says, grabs the remote and hits play "Honestly, it's embarrassing how uncool you two are" A grin

Sylvi turns to Gerd. "I am so glad that tea worked. I was about to resort to light-as-a-feather, stiff-as-a board."

"Stay in your lane, rockstar" The witch troll smirks

Another laugh, and it's down to pizza and snacks and movies and tiaras and maybe sleep at some point.