sisters reuniting in a new world • backdated, mid march
⚠ low; talk of home complete
Lucy looped her arm through her sister's as they stepped outside. The air was cool, and the sky was gray- Dunwich seemed very little like Narnia as far as Lucy could tell. But she had faith that if she had ended up here, then there had to have been a reason. Perhaps Aslan would visit and they would find out why. But that was for another day. The two had already spent most of the last two days together, and Lucy was very pleased that her sister was here as well; she couldn't imagine experiencing a change like this, a world like this, and not having any of her siblings to share it with.
They had just finished lunch, and Lucy had invited Susan along for some shopping. "There's a small farmer's market out by the nursery that I'd like to stop at before we head back to Pickman," she said, looking up at her sister. "But perhaps we could go in search of some clothes? I'm very grateful for what MIST has to offer, but it might be nice to have something that's truly ours."
Susan smiled as they stepped out together, giving her sister’s arm a little squeeze once they were looped together. It was so strange to be in this place at all, but honestly, she was glad that Lucy had arrived, because it meant she didn’t feel so alone. She still missed Peter and Ed very much, but she was less worried now that she wasn’t the only Pevensie around.
At the suggestion, Su nodded her agreement. “The clothes are so different even from what I remember from when we were children.” Dimly, she could recall looking through the newspaper or advertisements their mother sometimes came home with and staring at the pictures of women in far off cities like Paris or Brussels or San Francisco - they’d seen so different and beautiful, but none of the clothing fit with the current era, apparently.
“I was told of a few stores around that might have some things, but why not just pick a direction and we see where it takes us?”
"Me, too." Granted, Lucy hadn't paid all too much attention to fashion Before, but even compared to what she remembered Susan and their mother wearing, even their brothers and father, the fashion here was very different. She'd managed to find some clothes she felt comfortable in at MIST- a few dresses that weren't too revealing, and after some searching on her phone, she found other styles that she might like to try, depending on what they found in the shops.
"I like that idea. And if there's anything else you'd like to look for, or if you see any shop you want to pop into, let me know? I was thinking perhaps we could visit the bookshop, too."
“I second the bookshop,” she said with a smile, then started walking down the sidewalk with her sister. “Perhaps we can see about some new creams for our skin, or ribbons or other things for our hair,” she mused while they walked. “And I’d like some stationery, I think - I know that this isn’t our time or even our world, but perhaps we can write down stories and what we remember from Narnia, to ensure we don’t forget.”
It bothered her more than she liked to admit that London and their parents had become such a distant dream in the fifteen years they’d ruled Narnia, and she wanted to make sure no other memories were lost or misplaced.
"Ooh, I'd like that." Lucy nodded. "Perhaps a nice journal, to keep it all in one place." She couldn't recall if there was a stationary store, but she did remember seeing an art store on the list. Perhaps they'd have some supplies they could use.
They turned onto the main drag of town, where shops and small restaurants lined the street. It reminded her a little of Narnia, and for a brief moment, she wondered how her friends back home were doing. It was strange here, to see birds in the trees above and not be able to speak with them. Or squirrels in the yard of Pickman. She shook her head to pull herself from her thoughts. "Have you thought anything about what you might wish to do here? For a job, I mean?"
“Two then, one for each of us to write things down.” They had some money from the jar at Pickman, and she’d taken more than what she thought they might need, because things in this time seemed to be more expensive. So much was different here that she felt even stranger in this place than she had after initially arriving in Narnia all those years ago.
At her sister’s question, Susan shook her head. “Not really, no. Ruling a land of talking animals doesn’t seem to lend itself to work, exactly, but - perhaps they’ll have an opening at the bookstore?” She smiled and looked over at Lucy. “Have you?”
"Yes. I like that idea." Lucy kept her eyes open as they walked, taking in their surroundings. Everything here was metal and stone, angular where she was used to wood and natural curves. It was strange, and she was again grateful to have her sister here as well. "I think I'd like one in red, if they have it."
"No, but we've learned so many skills there that might be helpful. Diplomacy and negotiating and crafts and things that may lend themselves to something here." Lucy smiled. "I think you'd be wonderful at the bookstore! Or the library? I've thought about jobs, but I don't know yet what I might be good at. Or where I might be most helpful. The hospital here requires certifications and things that I don't have, otherwise I'd consider something there."
“With gold trim?” She asked with a small, teasing smile, since so much of what they had at court was exactly that color scheme.
“I don’t know how much of that will lend itself to working in a town in America, in the 21st century,” Susan pointed out, but liked the thought of possibly being at a bookstore or the library, and yet - “But I’m sure there have been a great number of books written in all this time, and since I’ve read so few of them, even that might be outside of my reach for the time being. Do you think we should perhaps enroll in classes instead?”
"Gold. Or florals. Some florals would be so pretty." Lucy sighed softly, happily, thinking about it. She couldn't help it, she did enjoy pretty things.
"Classes?" Lucy paused in her steps. "Would our education in Narnia not be enough? We've learned mathematics and the basics of the sciences. Agriculture, finances, defense- surely some of those skills would lend themselves to working a job here?"
She wasn't entirely opposed to the idea of classes, but how could they pay for classes without some kind of work? She was trying to be practical, but knew her sister would probably have a little more experience and some ideas on how to proceed with their lives here. "I saw that MIST does offer some one on ones if we want help learning about this world?"
“I’m certain we can find something appropriate,” Susan said as she smiled. Generally speaking, she was the one often more interested in such things so it was nice to see Lucy taking an interest, because it was yet another thing they could bond over together.
“They may, but there’s so much that we could learn here that we would never have in Narnia - such as the history of the past several decades, languages from cultures on Earth, literature that was published after our time, sciences that have changed or improved - such as these telephones we were given. I never would have dreamed such a thing as they could exist, yet here we are with them now.”
Susan loved to learn new things, and couldn’t wait to learn all they had missed, even though she knew it would take time. “I saw that as well. We should enroll in those, and perhaps someone will help us with discovering what we can learn and do for work here.”
"You're right. We'll find something." She fell quiet as they walked, listening to her sister. "Perhaps. But surely we aren't the only ones here who don't know all of these things and everyone else seems to be managing just fine."
Lucy didn't mean to be contrary, but she also couldn't imagine settling only into classes. She enjoyed learning, but often preferred to be doing instead of reading or listening to lectures. What better way to learn this new world than to jump in? "I'd like that. Maybe we can visit the MIST center after we finish our shopping."
She turned as they approached the clothing shop, thinking this might be a good start. A bell rang above the door as they pulled it open, and she paused to let Susan step in before her. "I don't know if I'm ready to try trousers yet."
“And surely some of those who are here have learned these things by going to classes or learning from others,” she pointed out gently. The possibility of all the knowledge out there was simply too tempting for her to ignore. Narnia had its history, of course, but it had been finite in that there were only so many lands to read on. Earth, however, simply had more.
“That’s a good idea. There’s a portal from Pickman to MIST, so we can drop off our purchases first.” As they stepped into the shop, Susan looked around and smiled a little. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she’d done something so simple as this, because shopping in Narnia had been vastly different from Dunwich, and she liked the simple action of being in a shop full of pretty things again.
"Well, yes." Lucy's cheeks flushed faintly. "But if they can learn, then of course we can, too." She nodded. "I'd forgotten about that. Some of the magic here is just incredible- I know we've seen a lot in Narnia, but nothing like some of the magic and technology here!"
She followed Susan inside, eyes widening. The racks seemed to go on forever, stuffed full of all kinds of clothing- dresses and skirts, blouses, t-shirts, and jeans. There were hats and other accessories hanging on the walls, and a sign indicating that there was even more upstairs. "Whoa. How do we even begin in here?"
“I know, there are so many incredible things here. It’s a little overwhelming, more so than I remember Narnia being, initially.” People here seemed to be constantly surrounded by noise and activity, especially in regards to the strange small telephones they carried. Even now, a woman was walking straight towards them without looking up for one, and Su moved to step out of the way, tugging Lucy with her as the woman reached the door and then left the store.
“Perhaps we should start at the back and work our way forwards?” Su suggested, but then her eyes were caught by a gorgeous ruffled dress, and she stepped over to it to examine it more closely. “Do you think this is a little too short in the front?” Su asked her sister.
Lucy watched with wide eyes as the woman didn't even look, and she was almost tempted to see if the woman would actually run into her, but then Susan tugged her to the side. "Rude," she said, frowning after the woman for a moment.
But she was easily distracted when Susan pulled out a dress. "I don't think so at all. Not compared to some of the dresses and skirts I've seen people wearing here. And if you're uncomfortable, I'm sure there is some sort of hose that you could wear."
Lucy smiled. "I think it would be beautiful on you. You should at least try it on." Stepping forward, she moved to the other side of the rack, relieved to find a few dresses that looked like styles she might wear.
“I don’t think I could wear some of the dresses and skirts I’ve seen around here,” she replied, sounding half-scandalized at the very thought. Many of them ended far above the knee, and Susan couldn’t even consider wearing those kinds of clothes.
“I think I will,” she said as she took it off the rack and draped the garment over her arm, then began to continue looking through the rack curiously. “Oh Lucy - this green one would go lovely with your complexion,” she said as she held another dress out towards her sister.
"Of course you could," Lucy replied with a laugh. "I imagine it's a matter of confidence. But that's the nice thing here. You don't have to. You can wear whatever you wish!"
Lucy smiled at the dress Susan held up for her. "It's beautiful," she agreed, accepting the hanger. "I'll try it on."
She pulled out a few more, then found another for Susan. "This blue would be so striking with your hair and your eyes."
“I know, but I’m not sure I’d be comfortable wearing things as high as, say, that,” she said as she pointed to a mannequin nearby that was displaying a mini skirt of some variety.
Su turned back to the racks and pulled out a few more - some blouses and skirts and another dress, then smiled as she took the one Lucy held out. “I think you’re right. Should we see about trying these on?”
"I understand." Lucy picked out a few more outfits, wondering for a moment about shoes and other accessories. But that would be for later- for now, she just needed clothing to cover herself and feel presentable.
She nodded. "Yes, I think we can." Oh! There was a display of jewelry! "We'll need to look at that case before we make our purchases, Su!"
“Absolutely,” Susan agreed with a smile at her sister’s excitement, then walked towards the back of the store. A few minutes later, they were in curtained stalls beside one another, and Su began to try on the different dresses, being careful to check each one in the mirror.
“The clothes here feel rather different, don’t they? Most of them seem softer, lighter somehow.”
"Lighter, definitely. Some of these are itchy, though." Lucy squirmed as a tag and a few seams itched on her skin. She pulled that shirt off, and tugged on a soft sweater, finding a skirt that felt lovely under her fingertips. She put that on and tucked the front of the sweater into the skirt, stepping back to view her reflection in the mirror.
She made her way through the rest of her clothes, then had several to keep and several to put away. "I think I've found some to purchase. How about you?"
“You’re right about that,” she replied absently. “But if the tags are a problem, I can always cut them off, then stitch over the spot so that it won’t irritate.” Susan was momentarily caught up in studying the stitching and materials on a few of the dresses, then shook her head to regain her focus when she heard Lucy again.
“Yes, I have as well.” And a few minutes later, Su stepped out as she pushed her long braid behind one shoulder, carefully balancing several items in her arms. “Shall we take a look at the jewelry now?”
"Maybe." Lucy made a face toward the offending garments and adjusted her hold on the clothes she intended to purchase. She reached for the ones she was going to leave behind and made her way out to the rack to hang those up for someone to put away.
"Jewelry sounds perfect. And then we can head toward lunch after this?"
Susan did the same with the items she’d decided against, then nodded at the question. “Sounds perfect. Perhaps we can find somewhere here that can make decent tea.” As for food, she’d been a bit overwhelmed in that area. After coming from Narnia where there were delicious foods, though somewhat limited in variety aside from fish since you didn’t want to eat meat in front of your friends who actually were Animals who talked - and London, where they’d been on rations since the War had begun - there was a lot of variety in Dunwich.
The day decided, and Su pushed aside thoughts of the past and lost homes and instead focused on the jewelry case she was following her sister to.
They’d adapt to this world, just as they had the last.