#elsewhere

Sam feels something similar to glamour but nto quite... as the philodox's gifts search her friend for insight

"You didn't abandon me. I know you have stuff. Important, world-saving stuff. I just had college."

"I know you, you're always world saving" Lupe says "In ways i don't always remember. "

"Mmph. Not so much, lately."

"It hasn't... I dunno, it wasn't the best year."

"You were out of your comfort zone, I knew that. Not easy, mi hermana, not easy at all. Didn't make any friends at college?"

"Not like you guys."

"I didn't... Sylvi and Symon were so busy, and..."

"I met some people who were nice enough, maybe. But not the same."

"Sounds like the students there are wimps when it comes to make friends. They should so it like I did, threaten to climb up to your head and shake you until you saw things right, that is... MY way" a snort, mostly joking "And Symon was busy and so was Sylvi? Shit. Yeah that sucks. Damn, I'm sorry . You must have felt alone"

"I'm used to it, though."

"Was."

A brow, almost as telling as Brekke's

"Was used to it. So I should know better?"

"I thought I knew better, I dunno. I didn't want to read about May's new friends and her moving on and realizing that, you know, things were over."

"And now they are over and she moved on, so good job Sam, right there." Bitter.

For awhile, there's a quiet space of silence, then Lupe asks "Did you mean to punish her?"

A wince. She shakes her head. "Not... not intentionally. I don't think." A creeping doubt.

"Okay, before you start worrying if you did it subconciously, that's not something we have as much control over. So don't beat yourself up, it's not the same as being a DELIBERATE bitch. I know, I've done both" Lupe sighs "Look, May maybe angry, but she'll forgive you... and you better LET her forgive you, or it will just make you AND her more miserable "

"And I need her Mea Culpa too " A frown

She drags the pad of her thumb along a chip in the table's laminate top. "Things change, when people leave. That's how it is, and I just... " A sigh.

"So, maybe you haven't messed things up beyond repair with her? And she says she's coming on Wednesday."

Lupe puts her hand over that hand over the chip "Things change, they don't have to end. And they can change for the better, but it takes work. Since when have you or I been afraid of the work?"

"I'm not afraid of work. I'm not."

"damn right." A nod "So nothing is beyond repair, not for either of us. Not if we work hard enough. And we are going to work to help our friend. "

She swallows and nods. "So you'll help?"

"I will work WITH You. You will be BESIDE me when we greet May and talk, and we'll figure out what's gone wrong for her and how to undo the harm. Accounting? Seriously, good work I suppose but it's not where she'll be happy and we both know it"

"I have an idea of what happened."

"Help me understand" A nod hand still in hand

"It's... well, like, spiritual harm? With... our magic, not yours."

"Oh shit, things get hazy there"

"But she was hurting before that happened, but that is part of why she was vulnerable for it."

"She got taken advantage of by someone while vulnerable"

She nods.

"Because she is special, and powerful."

A nod back. Both of them know it. You don't have to know what a Dreamer is to know May has a certain..something. A creative spark that lights a room

"I genuinely don't know how to fix it."

"First rule of tending a wound? You have to look at it up close to see the best way. We'll both need to talk to her. it may not be a quick fix."

"I don't think it will, no."

"Okay. I ..re read some of the scripts, the last one was ... geezus. Dirk would probably like it, but I hated it."

"It was good? AND I hated it?"

"It was good, yeah. But not May."

"Not a happy May, at least."

"She had nightmares after that."

"So now she's on pills that turn her into an account. It's like a Twilight Zone episode. Old show. Sour likes it"

"He would."

"And yeah - I wanted to just steal the pills all at once, but Sy is worried that withdrawal might hurt her, too."

A frown "There are.. gifts.. that help fight toxins? I wonder if that would help?"

Her eyebrows lift. "Maybe?"

"Can't count on gifts to be a cure all, but maybe it will inch us.. can we lower the dosage? Can Sy find like... the next level down?"