#desperate love letter writing on Hob's part and Rachel as his wingwoman

[teejaystumbles]

The Last Unicorn AU anyone?? I saw a post that I can’t find anymore (and I did search my blog and favs but no luck, please let me know and I’ll link it) where Dream was compared to the Lady Amalthea and I couldn't shake it since.

I guess it can be a fairy tale setting or more like an apocalyptic modern AU but essentially I imagine it like this:

Roderick Burgess has captured all the Endless and Dream is the only one left. He hasn’t realized it at first because he and his family are not close, but the dreams of the sleepers have turned disturbed, people can’t die and madness and desire run rampage in the Waking World, destruction on their heels. Just imagine succumbing to delirium and then despair and trying to kill yourself but you can’t. It’s not nice. It’s hell. Dreams are the only refuge and even there, the madness is creeping in.

When Dream realizes that something is Wrong, getting no answers from his gallery, he sets out into the Waking World to find his siblings.

He reluctantly teams up with Johanna Constantine and her friend Rachel. They tell him that Roderick Burgess seems to be blissfully spared by all the terror and madness and is making a fortune off of other’s troubles. All who live at his mansion seem to be safe, but he does not share this safety willingly with many.

When Burgess attempts another ritual to capture the last of the Endless, Johanna, in a desperate attempt at saving Dream, uses a rare spell she found once and saved for a particularly nasty demon. She turns Dream into a human, and it is Not Good.

Dream is beside himself with anguish and terror, he can no longer feel the dreamers, his connection to his realm cut, but he knows it is crumbling more and more the longer he stays in this mortal body, only making everything worse for all humans, now that not even dreams are a safe place.

Johanna is convinced that disguised as a human he can now infiltrate Roderick’s mansion and free his siblings. She is also convinced she can turn him back. (She is in fact not entirely convinced but would sooner die than tell Dream.)

Dream hopes desperately that she is right, because he can already feel his mind slipping, being now influenced by the absence of the Endless like any other human. He goes along with Johanna’s plan because what else can he do, now? At least once they’re in the mansion they won’t have to worry about the side effects any longer.

Roderick Burgess invites them in when he sees Dream, almost as spellbound by his appearance as by the rare book Johanna presents him as a gift to get them inside. They take up lodgings at Fawny Rig and while Johanna shares her knowledge of the supernatural with old Burgess to keep him occupied and distract him from the otherworldlyness her friend is exuding despite being human, Dream searches the halls for any hint of his siblings.

Also living at Fawny Rig is one Robert “please call me Hob” Gadling, who has bought his way into Burgess’ favor with rare antiques and special services (he’s a bit of a mobster and mercenary). He is supposed to keep an eye on newcomers and when he spots pale, blue-eyed Dream, he has every intention of doing just that. Very thoroughly. From preferably as close as possible.