#aaaaa and we have a trip coming up in two weeks and then my job starts in full and just
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(face in hands) (again) men will simply feel the walls closing in around them
#my brother got covid from hanging out with his boyfriend. again.#and by the sounds of it they want to quarantine at our house.#ih his room which is. you know. directly adjacent to my room.#aaaaa and we have a trip coming up in two weeks and then my job starts in full and just#if he comes here iām literally leaving to go stay at my partnerās instead#but itās killing me because iāll have to leave my pc and tablet behind and just#aaaaaaa i feel stressed i feel stressed#iāve been in an exhausted fog for the past two weeks and it feels like i canāt get anything done#itās like time has just been slipping by me and it makes me So So Upset#like what do you mean weāre more than halfway through august!!!!#and yet also: FUCK!!!!! I TOTTED THROUGH AUGUST!!!!!#iām coming dangerously close to feeling the way i did during spring semester#when my brain is craving a release like crack cocaine but itās not coming#every other day iām dealing with work crap and hassling with irl things#and when iām not doing that iām rotting at my desk fatigued out of my mind#trying my best not to pass out until 9pm when itās reasonable to do so#just staring at whatever video i can put on and blaring it loudly so i donāt fall asleep#aaaaaā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦..i want out of thisā¦ā¦ā¦. iām on my break and yet i still want out aaaaaaā¦ā¦..
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Sunday,Ā āEverestās Loneliest Creatureā
!! After more than five hours of writing, two hours of editing, here it is, in all its glory: Everestās Loneliest Creature! Okay, time for some life lessons:
What Iāve Learned:Ā Journals are so hard to write. ;u; People who write stories with just letters, holy frick, props to you. Seriously, making this entertaining without making it seem like a regular piece was... difficult (not gonna say very because that makes for weaker writing see I definitely know what Iām doing).
Props to more people: historical fiction authors. It was hard enough researching something current. How you all can do it for something that has been gone for like at least 50 years, no clue.
EVEREST TAKES FOREVER TO GET GOING. LIKE, HECK, FORTY DAYS TO REACH CAMP IV? REALLY? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WRITE A SHORT STORY AAAAA! no iām not bitter
Characters are really fun to develop behind scenes! I thought that I would just throw the friends who came with Mallory to the side, but they were really fun to write about. I think that I gave them, certainly simple, but interesting personalities. I actually think that the characters are believable in this story, which is something that I think I struggle with a lot.
Final Word Count: 8,986
Final Time Spent (writing/editing): 8Ā hr 14 minutes
Trigger warning: being stranded somewhere, storms, big monsters whoāll love you to death, and sadness :(
Everestās Loneliest Creature
February 28, 2018
Hello there, journal! Iām going on the climb of my life with my friends, Jasmine and Casey. Weāre going back to my familyās birthplace, to a small country housing the most giant of mountains! A small fry taking reign of the largest shark! A teeny mouse housing a fierce African elephant!Ā
Thatās right, weāre going to Nepal to climb the one and only Mount Everest! Just writing that feels unreal, wow!
Casey suggested the idea to me last year, around April or something. We were studying deer behavior in the field when he suddenly said that he wanted to climb Everest one day. I rolled my eyes at him and said that we would never have the money. I make plenty to keep myself afloat, but to afford an entire trip to Everest?Ā
Besides, I told him, Iām not great at keeping jobs. To do something like climb Everest when Iām not even sure if the research program is going to want me tomorrow would be dumb. He and I laughed about the time that I abandoned my (infinitely and endlessly boring) task of documenting the edible plants in Yellowstone to follow a goose and her goslings, and my subsequent firing. But, itās fine. I didnāt really like the people who employed me at that time anyway.
After we stopped laughing, he said to think about it. I rolled my eyes, but agreed. Of course, I wasnāt planning on doing anything with the idea, but Casey is really persistent. He kept bothering me about it, and finally, I threw him a scrap and said Iād talk to my parents about it. Now, mind you (or me, I guess?), I donāt need their permission to do it. I just thought that if I were to go climbing on Everest, they would want to know. Plus, it wouldnāt hurt if they could give me a little money, right?
So, I came to their house, served them a gourmet dinner of oven-baked dino nuggets, and then told them what I was thinking about Everest. I told them that it would be a good way to connect with great grandpa Hiranshās roots.Ā
Mom looked at dad, and the two shared a concerned glance. They told me how dangerous it was to climb Everest, and Iām sitting here like, come. On. I am a field biologist. I work with giant snakes and bears, already have spent lots of time climbing mountains, in very dangerous areas, and you donāt think that I know that Everest is dangerous?
Anyways I just nodded as they warned me, smiling and occasionally saying, yep, yep. Or, yeah, Iāve heard that. Nothing disrespectful, just enough to show them that I had done my research.
Eventually, mom said what I was thinking--expenses. She looked over to my father, her hands wringing in her lap. She said that a permit alone could cost me greatly, but I told her that I had already done research on how much it cost. But, I also said, I would love if you guys could spare a hundred or something so I donāt, like, freeze to death on the mountain because I couldnāt afford a coat. My dad laughed at that, but my mom just bit her lip. I promised to pay them back.
My mom and dad talked, and they finally came to an agreement to give me $500. My dad said, jokingly, that if I didnāt pay them back, that he would get to shave off what remained of my hair. (long story short: I decided to get a pixie cut and dyed the tips of my hair dark green, and I think it looks pretty bad. Casey says it looks good, though, so maybe Iāll keep it like this)
So, I left with an extra $500. It wasnāt much, compared to the monumental expenses of climbing Everest, but it was a start. I had to basically empty my spend account and dump it in my growth account. Who knows, I thought. Maybe by the time I climb Everest, Iāll have a whole extra dollar! (I actually ended up getting about ten dollars! Score!)
I started to train for the expedition. At first, I just worked normally at the gym, and then I started to use a mountain training mask. Basically, it just lowers how much oxygen your body gets, and it gets you ready to breathe the thinner mountain air. I also had to work really hard at my job to work up enough extra money so I could go to Nepal and not be bankrupt by the time I got back. I volunteered for every job, even the extra boring ones, and did my best to stay on track. Gradually, my bank account grew.
My friend, Jasmine, heard about this and decided to jump in. Jasmine is more serious than I am (job wise, at least), and, although sheās only like 20, sheās really smart. Her parents were able to afford insanely great schooling for her, and they chipped in for a lot of our trip. We probably we would have had to delay it another year if they hadnāt helped us so much. She and I get along well since she can kind of reel me in when Iām ready to run off.
So, while I was training, I was slowly buying the equipment I would need. Of course, I got the usual clothing--sweat-wicking underwear, long-sleeved shirt and long pants, fleece jacket, coat, and then a larger, bulkier coat, etc, etc. Pretty boring stuff, if you ask me.
But the coolest thing I bought was this air tank. First off, it is a lot lighter than other air tanks, but it can last a climber much longer, because of an incredibly incredible reason that is so incredible that it might just blow your incredibly uninformed mind. It is split into two compartments. One is filled with oxygen, the other is the air breathed out by the climber. Thereās something techy about breathing in opening a valve and then breathing out closing it, so it leads to two different compartments, but Iām not really in that field of science, so what do I know? The air that is breathed out is filtered into the one compartment. Thereās this bio paper thing thatās kind of like a plant in which it takes in the CO2 to make oxygen, but I literally have no idea how it works. I think thereās something to do with genetic manipulation, maybe? Who knows.
Iāve worked with it more than any of my other tanks and I love it to bits and pieces. I think it can last up to a week and a few days before the bio paper becomes worn out. After that, it becomes basically just a normal air tank.
So, anyways, weāre taking a plane tomorrow. This is like the only notebook I havenāt written in yet, so Iām taking it along. Luckily, itās really sturdy. Not exactly my taste in books, since it is butt ugly. Itās from like five years ago, so that doesnāt help either. Well, whatever. Itāll do.
Itās going to take more than an entire day to get to Nepal, but weāre making it! I just finished packing not even like five minutes ago. Wait, just glanced at the clock. This has taken me a lot longer than I thought--forty minutes, actually! Well, I better sign off, if Iām going to catch the five oāclock flight tomorrow morning. Getting up at 3:30, driving out for thirty minutes, going through security, and then boarding. Sounds like fun, right?
See you in the morning!
Mallory Woodruff
March 01, 2018 (well, technically, itās the second but it still feels like the first sooo)
Casey snores so loudly. I swear, my seat is shaking with the sound of him. I donāt want to wake him up though. If I could manage to fall asleep, I would too. But Iām not a great flyer, so Iād probably wake up and vomit all over myself.
Jasmine isnāt sleeping either. Sheās still getting caught up with work. Sheās kind of a push-over and takes other peopleās unwanted work even when she doesnāt feel like doing it. She says that itās not because she doesnāt want to stand up to them, itās because she wants to get a promotion. But, if getting a promotion equals ten hours of work on a plane that has spent forever sputtering its way over eternal turbulence with no overpay, uh, thanks, but no thanks.
Iāve been passing the time by reading about Everest. Of course, lots of the writing is the āexcitingā stuff that has happened on Everest, i.e., death, destruction, and the like. Maybe I should stop reading it. Itās interesting, but I guess itās also kind of morbid for me to be reading it right now? Like, is it giving me bad karma? Does karma work like that? I donāt know.
Weāre hitting more turbulence, and I doubt Iāll be able to make any comprehensible sentence in a few minutes. Weāre supposed to land in like an hour, and then we take one final flight to Nepal.
Mallory Woodruff
March 03, 2018
Okay, so weāre in Nepal, and itās warm. I mean, I know it was supposed to be warm, but I wasnāt actually expecting it to be this warm. With Everest so cold, itās strange to me that, so close to the mountain, itās warm. Anyways, update time.
So, we landed in Nepal smoothly. It was late, around one oāclock, when we landed. The other flight was supposed to get us to Nepal at ten, but it was delayed due to a storm. Talk about a bummer.
When we landed, I wanted to go out and eat somewhere nice. Casey had wanted to sleep some more, but when he heard about my idea, he instantly wanted to go, too. Jasmine eventually caved in, because, first off, food, and, second off, food.
So, we ate out. It was really nice, and I was so happy to not be eating plane/awful fast food. It was like a miracle, to have delicious spicy food again. I gobbled down my entire plate and then proceeded to wistfully mop up the remains of my dish and lick them off my finger. Casey had all of his, too, but then threw up later since he hadnāt eaten anything in like the past fifteen hours. (note to self: spicy food on an empty stomach is a no go. Learn from Caseyās mistake) Jasmine just ate some rice and had water.
Anyways, we have to take a short plane ride to Lukla tomorrow. We stopped in Kathmandu because it is gorgeous and I insisted on it. I accidentally left my camera at home, so youāll have to make due with some crappy phone pictures.
The city is amazing, and, the best part, there are forests nearby. Like, national parks and stuff. If I were to move to Nepal, I would definitely come here. Itās really great. Wow, I sound so enthusiastic ending that sentence with a period. Shall I do it some more. Wow. Iām so excited that Iām going to climb Everest. Wow. Okay, Iāll stop now, haha. But seriously, it is beautiful around here!
Itās getting late, so Iām going to sign off. If anything cool happens on the flight, Iāll let you know!
Mallory Woodruff
March 04, 2018
The flight was only around 30 minutes, nothing crazy happened. The landing was terrifying though--the runway is so tiny! I swear, I was gripping Jasmineās arm so hard that Iām surprised I didnāt break it. But, weāre safe and sound!
Today, we met with our guide. He speaks very limited English, but Iām sure that it wonāt be a problem. After all, taking people places usually doesnāt require any words! Iām pretty good at reading expressions anyways, I think. Working with animals all the time has actually helped me learn peopleās emotions and what they want to convey really well! Itās surprising, but sometimes I can guess what a personās going to say even before they open their mouth. Itās a useful skill to have, I think.
Weāre going to start our trek to Everest Base Camp today after we stretch for a little bit. Iāll probably write something once we stop.
Mallory Woodruff
March 04, 2018
Hey, for once I kept my word for doing something! For starters, let me talk about the villages.
So, people live on Everest. I donāt know if thatās common knowledge (I didnāt know before I started researching), but there you have it. They live in these small towns, with stone roads and stone houses. Although that sounds bland, they also have these amazing red roofs. The sun shines off of them softly, without the pernicious glare that reflective things back home have.
All our guide had to do was gesture at the village with a smile for us to freak out. Even Jasmine was in awe. There are a few cylindrical structures, with a small roof place on top. Tassels hang from the roof, which is shaped like a triangle but is kind of curvy. There are words written in a foreign language, in yellow-painted blocks. The main body is covered in red paint, and yellow and green designs line the top and bottom of the cylinder. It is just gorgeous!
They also have this line that runs throughout the village. There are faded cloths attached to it, colored in dim red and almost blushing blue shades. They are apparently prayer flags. Our guide told them that itās not for gods; itās for love and goodness. The flags apparently are made specifically to fly in the wind, to spread peace and joy. The village people believe it, and, if Iām being honest, watching the lines flicker in the wind, I do too.
We set up tents and are sleeping off the side of the trail. There are little lodges called tea houses, but we passed one, thinking weād be able to make it to the next, since we were moving faster than expected. We were wrong. So, yeah.
Iām sleeping in Jasmineās awesome tent (you can unzip parts of the tent for windows! In a tent! I wish my family was rich, then I could have cool tents too!), Casey brought his own tiny one, and our guide obviously has his own. Iāve seen at least six yaks, and we nearly ran into one on the trail. We had to walk around it, and the detour took a good twenty minutes to find a safe path, take it, and then get back to the trail. Definitely worth it, though! What I would give to study those yaks, thoughā¦
We have around another week to go before we make it up to base camp. Iāll try to update tomorrow!
Mallory Woodruff
March 09, 2018
Okay, so maybe I forgot about this and by the time I remembered I was too lazy to actually write in it. But! Iām writing now! Weāre taking a quick water break and catching our breaths. Iāll catch you up on whatās happened since the fourth.
Weāre about a day from base camp. Weāve actually made great time, and the weather has been super cooperative. The landscape has turned from green and gorgeous to pebbly and full of shrubs. Itās still pretty, and there are still prayer flags up here, itās just not as welcoming as it was lower on the trail. Kind of crazy how different things can be just a little further up.
Remember those tea houses I mentioned? Well, weāve only had to sleep in tents once since that first night. Our guide wanted us to be comfortable, so weāve been able to sleep in one basically every night now. To sleep in beds is incredible, even if they are pretty stiff. You can also eat there, and by doing so, Iāve met a few people. Most are just going to base camp, hiking around, and then heading back down the mountain. A few have said that theyāre attempting a summit, though! Glad to know that there are other crazies out there :)
Anyways, yesterday was the day that we had to sleep in our tents, and today we will too. The air is crazy thin up here. I am so happy that I trained really hard for this--I donāt think I would be able to make it up to camp otherwise. Our plan is to get to base camp, spend two days hiking, and then climb up to the higher camps.
So much has happened in the past nine days. Reading my old passages feels like theyāre from a lifetime ago! Itās crazy; I donāt think time has ever held such meaning for me! Looks like weāre getting ready to move. I promise I will write as soon as we get to base camp.
Mallory Woodruff (why am I signing my name? I know itās me. Maybe I should stop? Eh, too late now. Conformity!)
March 10, 2018
Haha! I did keep my promise! Weāre here at base camp, and there are quite a few other climbers with their tents pitched. Some of them are really friendly, but most of them just want to be left alone as they enjoy the mountains. Our guide is going to accompany us on our first summit attempt, but after that, heās leaving. (totally not because we couldnāt afford him any longer) He warned us against attempting a summit without a guide, but, although we didnāt tell him, weāre definitely going to do it anyways. Well, at least Casey and I will. Jasmine doesnāt seem too thrilled with the idea of climbing without someone who actually knows what theyāre doing.
Anyways, like I said, weāre going to hike around for two days and then start climbing to the second camp. Itās going to take a really long time to get up to Camp IV, which is the camp directly before we attempt a summit. Like, 40 days long. Iāll try to update, but weāre probably going to be pushing pretty hard. :) See you later, I guess.
Mallory Woodruff
March 31, 2018
Halfway there! We just reached Camp II. Itās rough. So far, no need for oxygen tanks. Once we get to Camp IV, weāre going to need them, though. Itās crazy--every day feels incredible. Although, I do miss my bedā¦ and the warm Wyoming sunā¦ and my gardenā¦ BUT! It is still incredible to be on Everest. Besides, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Iāll always be able to sleep, sunbathe, and garden, but I wonāt always be able to climb Everest!
Our camp is situated on a bed of rocks. Not exactly the most comfortable, but itās the least slippery surface out here. Thereās also a large ice wall-like thing behind us that keep the wind from, you know, blowing us off of the mountain in our sleep. Despite all its discomforts, it has a killer sunrise. Seriously, the colors tint the mountains in gorgeous shades of oranges and yellows, and the sun pokes his head out between the peaks, as if playing a game of peek-a-boo with me. Itās beautiful.
Sorry I havenāt been able to write recently. Also sorry that this entry is so short. I kind of want to focus on the trip while itās happening, though. Otherwise, itāll be over and Iāll have no memories but writing in this old journal! Plus, Jasmine and Casey got into a fight over something dumb. Jasmine is paranoid about work, and Casey told her to relax, Jasmine was like, Oh, shut up. You donāt work at all. Casey called her a rich asshole.
So. Yeah. Thatās unfortunate. They havenāt talked to each other in like the past two days, but Iām sure theyāll eventually get over it. Besides, thereās not much else for one to do up here but think and talk. So I bet, in a few more days itāll blow over.
Mallory Woodruff
April 03, 2018
Yep. Theyāre back to normal now. Jasmine is still worried about work, but Caseyās cooled off from her jabs. Iām glad itās over--they were kind of using me as a shield against the other person and it really sucked.
We should get to Camp III in about a week. My brain feels numb from all of the snow, but, holy cow, I am happy that I have sunglasses. Itās blinding sometimes, even with them on! The way the sun smacks off of the snow and into your eyes--it hurts! Iāve avoided sunburnsĀ since Iām basically covered from head-to-toe. I am so glad that I have all of this equipment.
Oh! I also decided to take only two of my air tanks with me. The trip up to Everest will take only a day. When our guide learned that I was carrying four tanks, he just laughed and told me to pick one. I decided, hey, why not take two?
One will last me around three days, and the other is the super special one that I was talking about earlier. Really, there is probably no need for the first one, since the special one will probably sustain me just fine. But, you know, just in case. :)
There are only a few puffs in the sky today. Itās gorgeous.
Mallory Woodruff
April 09, 2018
Again, we made good time and arrived at Camp III a whole day early! That leaves us some time to chill, and, for me, to write in my journal!
Iāve been taking some wickedly great pictures. I wish I could print them out right now, but Iāll have to wait until I get back home. Even then, theyāre not going to be of the highest quality. But, Jasmine has a camera (as I have learned in recent days), and I have been slowly mooching it off of her. Maybe I can convince her to print out some photos from it when she gets home? Hopefully!
Our guide is really kind and helpful. Heās been sure to keep us safe. If thereās any sign of a storm, he warns us to be careful and sometimes turns us back. Nothing has happened, thoughā¦ yet! Haha.
Anyways, from here on out, itās going to be really tough. Things are going to be slow, since the airās so thin up here, and weāll have to stop every half hour or so. When weāre not moving, Iām going to be catching my breath. So, youāll just have to wait until we get there for an update. Iāll make sure to give you all the ādeets,ā though! Iām sure Jasmine and Casey will have another absolutely awesome fight to talk about.
Mallory Woodruff
April 20, 2018
Finally made it. Christ, I am tired. As expected, Jasmine and Casey are fighting again. The air isnāt the only thing thatās running thin up here.
I think Jasmine has gone into super high-stress mode now that her phone has no service (i.e., no communication to work, i.e., no way to make sure that everythingās going alright, i.e., Jasmineās hell). Sheās even short with me. I try to remind her that we are, after all, climbing Everest, but she wonāt listen. To her, itās probably not even that special. Her family could probably afford a summer home on Everest.
Caseyās been alright. Heās quieter than usual, probably because of the drama with Jasmine and stuff, but at least heās not yelling at me.
With no one really to talk to, I guess I have some time to write. But I donāt really know what to write aboutā¦
Weāre going to spend a day restingĀ and then go attempt our first summit, at midnight. Our guide said that itās best to start the climb at midnight, so we can make it up the mountain before the light dies the next day. He said we should get up there by morning, hopefully.
Itāll probably be our only try, since Jasmineās head is going to explode if we spend much longer up here. Iām inclined to agree with her. I think all of this time spent together is somehow doing our friendships more harm than good. Once we get back to the States, this should all be undone. Hopefully.
Anyways, Iām probably just going to take more pictures tomorrow. Donāt miss me too much, journal.
Mallory Woodruff
April 21, 2018
Ascent day! Iām really excited! Not even Caseyās and Jasmineās bickering can make this day go badly. I am determined to make the most of this day/night. In about 30 minutes, weāre going to start climbing. There are a few clouds, and the wind has picked up a little bit, but our guide says it should be alright. He feels bad for how Casey and Jasmine have been bickering and promised us to try his very best to get us to the summit.
I should probably stop writing and help out. Iāll write laterĀ hopefully, once we reach the summit! Not much though, Iāll probably just write āsummit!ā or something, since Iāll want to enjoy the view as much as I can. Iāll make the word very pretty though! Maybe Iāll curve the S specially and make the t wind underneath the whole word--that would look pretty great. :)
Mallory Woodruff
April ???
Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit.
I have no idea what day it is. At least three days have passed. Iāve been out for almost all of it, I have no idea what to do.
Shit.
Iāve lost everyone. I canāt move, either. The storm blew in way too much snow, every step is a risk. All I could do was build a snow den.
I have enough water for a while. Iām asleep (well, passed out), most of the time. I have no idea when rescue will arrive, so Iāve set my air tank to its lowest setting. Christ, I just need to explain everything.
We were climbing up the mountain when the winds began to pick up. It was about an hour after we had started. Our guide, being the careful man that he is, said that we should stop and go back to camp. He even offered us a free day of his labor so we could attempt the summit again.
So, we turned back. But the storm had crept up on us in the dark. The winds picked up, and kicked up the snow. My flashlight could barely scout out a few inches in front of me. It was pitch-black too, so that didnāt help anything either.
The howling gusts overpowered our voices. I screamed for Casey and Jasmine, but I never heard a response. Eventually, I had to assume that either they had run to camp, or they were dead. I built a snow shelter, basically a glorified hole in the side of the mountain.
I collapsed and turned my air tank down to the lowest setting. I think it has a day left in it. Thatās what the meter says, anyway.
I am so infinitely happy that I was carrying my extra tank. I also have at least two dozen bottles of water. I have some food, but not enough for more than a few days. At least since Iām barely awake, I donāt need as much to stay alive. My clothing layers are all thatās keeping me warm enough. But I can already feel the beginnings of frostbite. You arenāt meant to stay still when trekking on Everest.
The snowstorm hasnāt stopped yet. Itās crazy how powerful it is. On one of the days I remember, I had to clear out my den, since it was filled with a fine powder of snow. Also, the fact that the storm isnāt over yet poses another risk--rescue. They obviously canāt send a chopper in this weather, so Iām just going to have to hold on as long as I can.
This might be my last entry ever. If so, mom, dad, I love you so much. I doubt that youāll ever read this message if I die, but on the off chance that you do, know that I love you more than my job, despite what you probably think.
Jasmine, I love you too. Please chill once in a while. It helps all of us, but mostly you.
Casey, never stop being you. Find yourself a nice woman and have the romance youāve been dreaming about.
I donāt even know why Iām writing. I should stop.
The storm is finally over. My first tank is empty, but it doesnāt matter because I have my second. I attached it without any issues.
I cleared away some snow and laid out my empty water bottles and bags of provisions, and my air tank. Forgive me for polluting, but this is the best way for someone to spot me. In my snow hut, Iām going to be invisible, despite my bright orange coat. But I canāt go out, in case it starts to snow again. Plus, everything is unsteady. If I took one step beyond my garbage signal, I would probably tumble down the mountain.
All I can do is hope, and wait. Iām too tired to continue writing. I have to turn my oxygen back down, just in case. Itāll make me pass out, but Iāll have enough to last me at least a few days. Iāll eventually wake up. I will.
Okay, so let me start this off by saying I have no idea what the hell happened.
I woke up in a strange cave. My stuff is all in the corner, but the floor is dirt and the ceiling is ice. So, if this is the governmentās rescue mission, they chose a strange place to put me.
What concerns me is the shape of the cave. Iāve worked in the field for a long time. When an animal lives in an area for a long time, especially dig-outs, the walls become smooth from them constantly rubbing past them. Usually, the area has to be pretty small. Otherwise, their bodies wonāt reach everywhere.
This cave is showing the same signs. However, it is a large cave, so the animal that supposedly lives here must be massive, easily eight or nine feet tall. More likely, its height is in the double digits.
At the same time, it just canāt be an animal den. It feels more like a personās hideaway than a den. There are no bones or discarded branches. No urine smell. Iāve never seen an animal keep its den this clean. Hell, I donāt keep my house this clean.
Finally, there was just a pile of blackberries waiting for me. Fresh. As if picked a few hours ago. Do you know the last time I saw vegetation?
Before we reached base camp. Which is now more than 3,000 meters below me.
What. The. Hell.
Maybe itās the abominable snowman, but he grows a really nice garden and heats it using his magic. Maybe heās super civil and shit, and enjoys a strong cup of tea. Brushes his fur every night with a comb elegantly carved from pine wood. Heās probably so nice that he brought me FURTHER UP THE MOUNTAIN.
Oh yeah, not kidding. Iām definitely higher up. Iāve had to turn up my oxygen input, because I will not wake up if I turn it any lower. Not in this temperature. Plus, I donāt want to be surprised again by whatever took me up here. My tank has about a week left in it, I think.
I need to start moving. Iām going to eat the blackberries and then head out. Thereās no way that a rescue team will think to search for me higher up on the mountain than where I was when the storm hit. Theyāll just assume Iām dead. Iām going to start walking down.
Okay, so I have two things to say.
One, Iām not going to be heading down the mountain for a long time.
Two, I found what brought me up here.
So, I walked out of the strange cave and not even five feet away was a gigantic creature. I have never seen anything like it. It has no fur. Rather, it looks like it only has scales. But thereās no way that itās a regular reptile. A cold-blooded creature would freeze to death in seconds at this height. Anything would, but especially something that has no internal body temperature.
Its jaw jutted from its face, and massive teeth spike out from them. Angular horns formed from the side of its head and flanked its jaw. Crown-like ice structures (or perhaps more horns) poked out on its head. It looks like that, naturally, it would be white, but it is pale blue on every edge of its body. Almost like itās suffering from frostbite, but all of its limbs have remained intact.
Its claws are massive, easily closeable and made for crushing. Its shoulders are rough and powerful. It has a tail with a claw-like appendage at the end, the use of which I can only imagine in my nightmares. Its belly is plated with sharp, curving scales that fold over each other to allow easy movement.
Although my biologistās mind noted all of this in a moment, I was instantly drawn to its eyes. They were the only part of the creature that stuck out from the snow. They were a deep orange, blazing with life. I could see recognition in them. The way it focused on me was not in a normal, animal one. It was likeā¦ it knew me. I think itās intelligent.
Iāve never seen something like it. I have no idea how itās alive up here. Why hasnāt anyone seen it before? Why havenāt I heard of it?
After I saw it, I didnāt scream and I didnāt run. If thereās one thing Iāve learned during my time on the field is that the best thing you can do during a situation is be calm. I just turned around and walked back into the cave. Every step caused more blood to flow from my head and into my feet. Once I felt the dirt underneath my shoes, I passed out.
And now Iām awake. Iāve checked my tank--I havenāt been out long. Perhaps an hour or so. There are more blackberries on the ground. I have now realized that it put the blackberries there earlier. Itās keeping me alive. But why? Why not just eat me?
Thatās another reason why Iām drawing the conclusion that it is intelligent. There is no other way to explain its strange, un-animal-like behavior. Iām going to go out again, but this time, Iām going to try to see what I can learn about it. I donāt think it means me harm. If it does, thereās not much I can do anyway. Iām bringing my journal, in the rare chance that I can get a sketch of it.
Wish me luck. I hope I donāt die.
Itās night now. Let me explain what happened during the eight hours in which I didnāt write anything.
It definitely means me no harm. When I came out again, it did nothing but watch me with those warm sunrise eyes. I approached and, despite my best abilities, I was shaking pretty badly. When I reached it though, all it did was lift its head.
It stared at me, as if drinking in every detail. From the tip of my hat to the toes of my boots, it memorized me. If I had any doubts about its intelligence, I forgot them then.
I felt like I was on the field again, but the roles were reversed. Suddenly, I was the animal being studied under the watchful eye of a giant. It was terrifying but thrilling. In a strange way, I felt as if I was being cared for by it, like its recognition was something to be treasured.
As the day wore on, our āfriendshipā grew. It showed me to its berry storage. There were dozens of fresh branches. How it brought them up the mountain, I donāt know.Ā
It also allowed me to sketch it. I have a few pages filled with drawings and rough measurements. My phone is dead, though, and Casey was the one handling the solar panels and extra batteries. So, no photos.
It is way more intelligent than I previously thought. I talked to it out of habit (and partially out of loneliness), and it looked at me withā¦ interest. Understanding. Like it was learning the English language as I was speaking to it. I would kill to get a brain scan of this creature.
In less than three hours, I have been able to communicate it using simple hand gestures. It picked up on them quickly, far more quickly than even a moldable-brained toddler could. However, it doesnāt just know the hand signs, it understands them too.
We watched the sunset together. I sat with it near a cliff face. It stared at the sun as it dipped behind the tree line far below, its slitted pupils dilating and growing as they adjusted to the changing light. I watched the sunset by looking at the reflection of it on the creatureās eyes. It never looked at me once, entranced by the beautiful colors. Occasionally, it would close its eyes in a manner that I can only describe as longing. It would tilt back its head and breathe in deeply, its nostrils flaring, as if marking this moment in time, a sweet memory to savor in dark times. I understand the feeling.
When it was dark, the creature stood. Stretching, it motioned at me to move. We returned to the den, and there was just enough room for the both of us. I turned on my flashlight and tried to communicate more with the creature using hand signals. It couldnāt reply well, but it was obvious that it understood me.
I motioned at myself and held up one finger. Then, I gradually began to add more to my hand, until I had all five fingers up. Then I pointed down the mountain. I gestured at it and raised one finger, tilting my head inquisitively. The question was clear: where is your family?
The beast didnāt do anything for a second, silently staring at my finger, single among the other folded fingers. It closed its eyes and laid its head on the ground. Confused, I craned my neck to see why it had ignored me. A small tear leaked out of its closed eye, instantly crystallizing on its cheek. I turned away, my heart thudding painfully.
There are none left of its kind.
Is that why it took me? How long has it been alone? I think itās lonely, really lonely. Maybe thatās why it hasnāt killed me yet.
ā¦
I havenāt thought about escape much. Well, until now I suppose. This creatureā¦ whatever it may be, it is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to me. I canāt think about Jasmine or Casey. I have to focus on whatās going on in front of me. If they are dead, my tears will not help, and if they arenāt, then I have no reason to cry.
Iām going to sleep now.
Today was wonderful. The creature gave me more berries to eat. Although they are getting old (and are quite frostbitten), they still are tastier than the pre-packaged food Iāve been living off of for the past few weeks.
Iāve managed on my water well. I have to be careful, though. Itās cold enough up here that any dribbles will freeze. I donāt think itās cold enough to freeze my mouth, but Iām going to be careful, just in case. I think if I drink about two bottles per day, I could live up here for about a week.
I have started calling the creature Hiransh. I donāt know many Nepali names, and, plus, I think my great grandfatherās fits him perfectly. Hiransh doesnāt seem to need food or water. Of course, he must eat and drink at some time; all creatures must. I believe that he is a predominantly hibernal animal. Almost like mountain goats, I think he spends most of his life on the mountains, coming down occasionally to eat, but, unlike goats, spends lots of his time sleeping. It makes the most sense to me.
His tail is the strongest part of his body, that much I have learned. Four large claws sprout out of the end of it, and, as he once allowed me to inspect it, I have discovered that, inside the claws, it is covered with tiny, hook-like bones. They curl inwards to the center of the tail.Ā
Here is my theory: Using his tail for balance, he climbs up and down the mountains every few months to get food. His tail is used almost like a fifth leg. He relies on it to grasp surfaces as he moves along the terrain, and, on occasion, to support himself as he climbs directly upwards. Despite his bulky build, he has shown himself to be fluid of movement. I would ask him if Iām correct, but heās been icy since my question about his family. Pun definitely intended.
Anyways, Hiransh has kept me safe. He canāt keep me warm (he is cold-blooded, as I have found out. Still no clue how his body can deal with that), but he does block most of the wind with his gigantic body. I think he has come to see me as almost a hatchling of his own. With no one else around, it seems perfectly natural for him to do that.
He showed me a new den that he has been building. It is much bigger than his old one. He sat at the entrance, staring after me with a pleased expression in his eyes as I explored his cave. I have noticed over time that heās meticulously neat--no piles of snow clutter the inside of the cave, no claw marks gouge the carefully patted-down floor, and branches from the berries are stacked in the corner.
I wonder how many caves heās built. On top of that, I wonder how long heās been alive. I would bet he has been around for quite a long time. He has an ancient, all-knowing air to him. Maybe thatās romanticizing things a little bit, haha.
I have to think of him as less as a subject to be studied, and more of as a friend. Perhaps it is because I am alone up here, but I like to think that, in any circumstance, Hiransh and I would get along well.
I almost wish I could stay up here forever. Hiransh is the discovery of a lifetime.Ā
Perhaps my mom was right. Maybe I do love my job more than my friends and family.
Spent three days without writing anything. Very sorry! I have been really busy--will tell you more about it tomorrow!
So, Iām heading to bed now. Let me tell you whatās happened over the past few days. So, the first out of the four that I have to talk about. Hiransh worked on his den. I couldnāt do much, but I helped pack in the walls, so they were more structurally sound. He was appreciative of my workĀ and grumbled a low thanks in his chest. It made me feel warm inside.
We worked well together, with him doing the moving and me doing the sculpting. He was doing work that wouldāve taken me weeks, and I was doing work that he would have to rely on time to accomplish for him.
By the end of the first day, the den was mostly done. It wasnāt perfect, but it was much larger than his last home. Instead of his back scraping the roof, he would have to stand on his hind legs to brush it with his head. Iām serious when I said it was big!
We moved my stuff to the new den. I kind of just slung it in the corner, and plopped down. Hiransh shuffled around before coming to sit beside me. When I turned to look at what he did, I saw that my backpack and all the other things that I was carrying were neatly reorganized.
He and I are more different than two creatures could be. Heās in his comfort zone up here; that much is obvious. Iām notā¦ but that has been made quite clear by recent events, right? Heās also meticulously neat for an animal. He rarely has a scale out of place, where, here I am, sometimes not able to remember which way is left and which way is right.
But, we do make quite a pair.
So, after that day, he let me ride him. Yeah, you heard that right. I rode this snow creature. It was terrifying, and he didnāt go faster than a trot, but it was incredible. I was so high up, and I felt almost connected to him through the roll of his muscles. I never stopped squeezing my arms around his neck for dear life, though.
He showed me how he hunted. Itās something that Iāve been wondering about. Surely a creature of his stature couldnāt survive on berries alone. He demonstrated with a tiny branch that has already been stripped of its blackberries. So, he buries himself quickly underneath the snow and, if needed, into the dirt. Then, he covers himself with the snow and waits for something to walk over him. When it does, he bursts out of the snow and catches the creature in his jaws.
Let me tell you, seeing this massive snow lizard erupt out of the snow just to ākillā a twig the length of my forearm is actually the funniest thing Iāve ever seen.
We watched the sunset together, again. This time, I didnāt stare at him, though. I just looked ahead.
Yesterday, we just hung out in the snow. He and I dug random snow pits. Of course, his were always bigger. But mine were more elaborate, if I do say so myself. I love the idea of some random climber stumbling upon them and thinking that there are aliens on Everest making weird snow shrines. Hehe, but still not as funny as Hiransh killing a stick.
Today, he took me to where he finds his berries. Itās actually not that far down the mountain, surprisingly. If the gigantic claw marks in the wall have anything to say, I think that he actually planted it himself.
He has dug out a wide pit for the berries, down to the rock of the mountain, and filled the hole with soil. On top of the soil, he put dark black rocks, which is something I never wouldāve thought of in a million years. Itās genius that heās using colors to keep the berries warm. He lays thin layers of snow on top of the rocks, which melt and water the plants. Everything he does just makes me think that heās that much smarter than I thought before.
I also sketched more pictures of him. Iām always learning something new about him. It seems that there is no end to his secrets. If only I had access to better lab equipment, I might be able to run some actual testsā¦
Well, Iāll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, Iām tired. Tomorrow, weāre planning on some more snow fun! Maybe I can teach him how to make a snowman. Doubtful, with those big, clumsy claws of his, but I can try. :)
Iām back at base camp.
Only a day has passed.
Iāve never felt so hollow before.
May 13th, 2018
I think I can talk about this now. Iām sitting in a hotel room right now. Casey has finally left me alone. Tomorrow Iām leaving for the States. Goodbye, Nepal. Goodbye, Hiransh.
Let me explain what happened.
I woke up in the middle of the night. Coughing. It was so bad, I had to breathe in every five seconds, but I never had enough air. I was sick multiple times, all over myself.Ā Hiransh woke up as well, his orange eyes snapping open instantly. I was grasping at my throat, trying to remove the empty air tankās mask. Hiransh understood what I was trying to do and slashed off the mask with his claws. In his terrified rush, he left a deep cut on my cheek. Despite the mask being taken off, I was coughing and unable to breathe.
Finally, Hiransh seemed to come to a decision. He carefully scooped me up in his jaws. Strangely enough, the only teeth that he has are outside of his mouth, so instead of being impaled the moment he picked me up, I was just bounced along inside.
He made it down the mountain in record time. I passed in and out of consciousness. Only the splash of snow on my face kept me from slipping away. He would bound, bound, bound, skid to a stop, kick up snow, and then bound, bound, bound again. It was jarring.
Finally, we were far enough down the mountain that I could breathe. I took in the air in gasps, planting my hands on the side of Hiranshās face. Once he realized that it wasnāt a fit for air, he let me from his jaws. Pebbly earth met my boots.
I held Hiranshās massive head in my hands, feeling the rough scratch of his scales against my skin. A tear slipped down his face, but this time it did not turn to ice.
āHiransh,ā I whispered. I realized he wouldnāt understand me, so I tried to sign to him that I was heartbroken.
I told him that I couldnāt breathe up there. I was never going to be able to live with him. His shoulders slumped, and his ice-blue eyelids closed over his inner fire. Iām so sorry Hiransh. Heās alone. No one will ever be able to stay with him.
I told him that I would come back. I promised that I would meet him by the berry patch in the summer. I vowed to return.
I will return.
Hiransh, please do not give up.
2 Feb.Ā ā81
This took hours to find. My old bones made it such a pain, too. But, I have to, before I fade away.
Since I suppose that this journal will be given away, I must explain a few things. Like what happened with the rest of my life.
Well, I just kept living it. People discovered me where Hiransh had left me. I was stumbling down the mountain, crying and without a backpack, my phone, or anything really. All I had was the journal that was in my hands when I fell asleep. Luckily, the winds blew snow over Hiranshās tracks. He was never discovered.
Of course, people were curious. I managed to hide the journal in time, but the press bothered me for days afterwards, when all I wanted to do was mourn the loss of a friend.
Casey and Jasmine were both alive. Jasmine had severe frostbite on her ears, and on three of her left fingers. Her pinkie had to be amputated. But, otherwise, they were miraculously unharmed. Our reunion was tearful. I donāt remember much but a blur. It seems as if all of my memories are like that nowadays.
I continued with my job when I got home and never told anyone about Hiransh. I hid the journal--I knew I shouldāve burned it, but I feared that, if I did, I would lose my memories of Hiransh, convince myself that they were just a dream. So, I held onto it, quietly.
I went to therapy, obviously. Eventually, I stopped having panic attacks and got over my chronic sadness. I was able to stop when I was 35, 12 years after the incident. I was never the same, though. Never as excitable, never as fun-loving, never as... naive.
I never forgot Hiransh, like I had feared I would. The place he scratched me when trying to save my life has turned into a scar. I think of him almost every day, wondering how he is doing alone. It breaks my heart to have the terrible knowledge of him, alone on the mountain. Unless someone out there discovered him and is as good at keeping a secret as I am, I doubt heās been found.
Casey and I married when we were 38. I know, a little later than most, but we wanted to be ready. We adopted a Nepali girl, four years old. We named her Lily. We had our first grandchild when we were 68. A boy named Thomas.
And then thereās you, sweet child. You were always my favorite grandkid (donāt tell your brother that). You loved my work so much. And so I will pass it onto you.
I have spent a lifetime tracking down the berry patch that Hiransh showed me all of those years ago. I have attached the coordinates, as accurate as I could make them, to this journal. You may choose not to believe me, but I implore you, please, please, please, travel to Everest, visit the berry patch, and you will find that I am telling the truth. Grandma Mallory was never one for dementia, right? Donāt be stupid, either. Tell people you are going, but donāt bring them with you. Take a guide, but leave them before the summit. Donāt tell anyone about him, even if you choose to not believe me. Go during summer, in April. He will be waiting.
I know he will.
I love you. Remember me when Iām gone.
Mallory Woodruff.
*wipes sweat off of forehead*
Finally done! If I ever want to revisit this story, it would be quite fun to write about Malloryās grandkid, and maybe about her grandkid, and so on and so forth. Maybe it would gradually be integrated into the Woodruff family, a treasured family secret, perhaps? But, thatās a story for another time. :) Thanks for reading!
- L.E. Silva
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Hello! After so so long Iām finally posting another story! This story was co-written with my friend @tomatofox-ship, and betaāed by @wishfulina and @flautist4ever! Hope you guys enjoy!
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USERNAMES (In order of appearance) Lila Rossi: ItsPastaBedtime/WhosThatFoxyLady Chloe Bourgeois: Queen Bourgeois (Admin)/Whatever Chloe's Username Is (Admin) Adrien Agreste: Under Agreste (Co-Admin)/Meow or Never (Co-Admin) Alix Kubdel: LesBeansOnWheels Rose Lavillant: Smells Just as Sweet Nino Lahiffee: DropTheBass Marinette Dupain-Cheng : Bringing DuPAIN/TheOneWhoRisesforMemes Nathanael Kurtzberg: Redheaded Retrospect Max Kante: Max-ium Velocity Sabrina Raincomprix: RainySkies Alya Cesaire: Ladyblogger/All'a'y'all Le Chien Kim: French Dog/Kim-chi Juleka Couffaine: Purple Haired Pansexual Ivan Bruel: RockHard Johnson Mylene Haprele: #whyiseveryonesnameapun
As soon as Nathanael got home from school, he slid into his computer desk and pulled up Skype. The chat was just starting to pick up since this morning, which was fair since they had all been in school. He pulled out his sketchbook, which he had been doodling in during Chemistry, and started talking to his Internet Friendsā¢ while he kept working on one of the designs inside.
When he started doing fashion and design, he hadnāt been thinking of it as fashion design. Fashion design, as most boys his age tended to think, was frilly dresses and girl things. No, heād stuck his toe in the water by drawing a few costumes for superheroes. Even now, his designs tended to have that flair and extravagance, like something a hero might wear as a civilian. Heād never dare show it to anyone at school--they all thought fashion design was āa girlās job,ā and āonly gay men would do fashion design.ā Which was preposterous, considering one of the global fashion icons was a very-much-straight (or at least bi or pan, but who knew but him?) man. But heād stumbled upon this group chat--Central European Time Zone Fashion Club--filled with teens his age talking about fashion. Heād been quiet at first, as usual, but one day daringly sent a few pictures of his superhero costumes. The chat went wild after that, and quickly pulled him into their circle. They were basically the only friends he really had.
He had loved that chat. He loved it even more after Lila Rossi joined. She was a super bold outgoing girl who doesn't take any crap from anyone. She had awesome designs that looked like the stuff that millionaires would wear. Everyone loved her work except Chloe--but she Ā hates everyone's work. Chloe made it difficult to feel welcome sometimes, but it's impossible to kick the maker of the chat out so they just dealt with it. It was hard for Nathanael at first, but eventually he found her rants about his work hilarious. Most of the time.
ItsPastaBedtime: whatās up French Nerds
ItsPastaBedtime: hon hon hon la baguette
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): oh go back to eating pasta in your gondola
ItsPastaBedtime: yeah sure lemme shove some down your throat first
(Chloe Bourgeois ( Queen Bourgeois ) kicked Lila Rossi ( ItsPastaBedtime ) out of the chat)
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): finally
(Adrien Agreste ( Under Agreste ) added Lila Rossi ( ItsPastaBedtime ) back into the chat)
ItsPastaBedtime: iām back bitches
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): dammit
LesBeansOnWheels: now now Madame Bourgeois, the daughter of the mayor shouldnāt use that kind of language.
Queen Bourgeois: shut it, Alix
Smells Just As Sweet: can we get along for more than three minutes ever?
DropTheBass: no
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): wow thanks Nino
DropTheBass: just telling it how it is, broham
Bringing DuPAIN: back from school
RedHeadedRetrospect: oh hey same
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): see the name of this group chat?
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): that means we all live in the same time zone
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): therefore, we all get off school at the same time
Max-imum Velocity: well technically
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): quit announcing your back from school or else Iāll kick you
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): shut up Max
Bringing DuPAIN: yeah and Adrien will just add us back
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): ugh youāre right
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): you bet
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): i need someone to be co-admin whoāll lay down the law
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): someone i can trust
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): Sabrina youāre co-admin now
RainySkies: YAY
Ladyblogger: you do realize literally anyone can add people back right
ItsPastaBedtime: I was about to say that
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): shit
LesbeansOnWheels: screenshotted
LesbeansOnWheels: lets see you try to trip me again, Bourgeois
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): doubleshit
French Dog: I leave you guys alone for five minutes
French Dog: and thereās already Discourse
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): go eat your fucking kinchi kim
French Dog changed their name to Kim-chi
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): so did anyone do any actual designing today??
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): because I may or may not have snuck some pics from Fatherās photoshoot to show you
Bringing DuPAIN: OOH GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMME
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): but only if someone actually practiced at all today
PurpleHairedPansexual sent five photos
Max-imum Velocity sent two photos
Nathanael sighed and took a deep breath. Everyone else was sharing their work. He took a glance at his sketchbook. None of them were all that great, but he was quite fond of one of his sketches--a suit set that came with a nice cloak. He snapped a photo and sent it before he could convince himself otherwise.
Redheaded Retrospect sent a photo
Bringing DuPAIN sent 10 photos
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): woah mari chill alright I'm sending it
Under Agreste sent 21 photos
Bringing DuPAIN: AAAAA ADRIEN THOSE ARE AWESOME
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): its just what one would expect from THE Gabriel Agreste
ItsPastaBedtime: stfu Chloe he can't hear you stop kissing his ass
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): maybe I just have respect for high quality fashion and their designer unlike some Italians in this chat
DropTheBass: Could you guys chill for once in your life's honesty
Nathanael agreed, they could get out of hand, but he wasn't about to say anything. When those two got to arguing, it was usually best to just stay out of the way.
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): oh my god
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): I just saw all of those designs you sent in and theyāre absolutely pitiful
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): I mean just look at Nathanaelās
Bringing DuPAIN: hey shut up, you havenāt sent anything in a month
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): just absolutely trash
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): who would actually wear that anywhere outside of some dumb comic convention
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): um
Under Agreste (Co-Admin): me
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): it looks fake guys i mean come on
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): no one in their right mind would wear something like that in public
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): and thatās the first thing youāve sent in a week, and thatās what you send?
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): keep at those dumb comics because you clearly wonāt get anywhere in fashion
Nathanael sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at the computer screen. Another glance at his sketchbook, and all of his fears were found to be true. Heād drawn five little doodles that day, and had sent the best one out of the bunch, and it wasnāt even that great. It wasnāt practical, and it looked horrible. Too many damn stripes, why did he always go for stripes. And the weird green color was just horrible, all of his designs were horrible. He was about to take a pen and scratch out every single dumb doodle in that book when his computer pinged with yet another notification.
ItsPastaBedtime: stfu Chloe. His design is great and I love it and it looks totally great and maybe the color just needs a small tiny bit of adjusting but itās freaking beautiful you ignorant musk ox how dare you go on insulting everyone's hard work like that. This chat was supposed to be to support each other while we design, yet here you are trying to bring everyone down. At least weāre working. What have you sent in the past month? Nothing.
RockHard Johnson: that was mean Chloe
ItsPastaBedTime: everyoneās designs have been great. Meanwhile the, what, five you send all look like little triangle dresses that a three year old would draw. You think youāre better than everyone else just because youāre the daughter of the mayor of Paris. Well iām out of your jurisdiction so your dumb pettiness has no effect on me. You bring others down to make yourself feel better, but all it does is show what a bully you are
RainySkies: whoa whoa whoa Chloe isnāt a bully
ItsPastaBedtime: plus Iāve seen pictures of you online. You wouldnāt know fashion if it jumped from the ceiling and hit you in your pretty little face with a folding chair. Your face is all youāve got, your face and your fatherās dumb political corruption. I havenāt even met you face to face but i can already tell youāre despicable. You suck.
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): yeah well soās your face
(Chloe Bourgeois ( Queen Bourgeois ) kicked Lila Rossi ( ItsPastaBedtime ) out of the group chat)
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): nobody add her back
To say he was touched by what Lila had done was definitely an understatement. Sure, she and Chloe had fought before, countless times even. But usually, when Chloe started railing on him about his designs and his worth as a fashion designer, people stayed quiet. Maybe a few āhey that was meanā messages, or a weak attempt to change the topic. But no one had gone as far as Lila had just then. Sure, it could be said, she had gone a bit too far. Too far, however, was the most he had ever gotten, and sure felt a lot better than silence, or not far enoughs.
He usually wasnāt one to add people back to the chat. Heād wait for someone else to do it first. Adrien tended to take the task onto himself. If he failed to, and no one else did, heād usually wait until night to re-invite them. This time, though, as soon as he realized Lila had been booted yet again, he typed the quick command to add her back.
(Nathanael Kurtzberg ( Redheaded Retrospect ) added Lila Rossi ( ItsPastaBedtime ) back to the chat)
Queen Bourgeois (Admin): DAMMIT NATHANAEL
Redheaded Retrospect: thank you
Redheaded Retrospect: for standing up for me
Bringing DuPAIN: yeah go Lila!
After that the conversation kinda simmered down and people left to do homework. Nathanael did most his in class today so he tried to design, but ended up drawing her. He's only seen two pictures of Lila but he still draws her and using it as reference. He wishes he could meet her. Her, Rose, and Juleka were his best and only friends. He's never even seen any of them face to face. On this thought he made a bold move.
He turned back to his computer and started a new conversation. A private conversation between himself and her.
Lila looked away from her homework to see she had three new notifications on her phone, which had caused it to buzz on her desk. Homework could wait a few moments.
Nathanael Kurtzberg ( Redheaded Retrospect ) started a new conversation with you
Nathanael Kurtzberg ( Redheaded Retrospect ) renamed the conversation New Conversation to What DOES the Fox Say?
Redheaded Retrospect: hey. I just wanted to thank you for sticking up for me back in the big chat.
Lila smiled softly and typed back a response.
ItsPastaBedtime : of course. I was sick and tired of her going after you all the time.
Redheaded Retrospect : me specifically?
ItsPastaBedtime ; well, I hate her going after everyone
ItsPastaBedtime : but she seems cruelest to you.Canāt stand it. Not like you ever did anything to her.
ItsPastaBedtime : i think she just doesnāt want to admit your designs are better than hers.
RedHeadedRetrospect: : well thatās debatable, really. Beautyās in the eye of the beholder
ItsPastaBedtime ; some things are obvious
ItsPastaBedtime : imagine a bright neon green and fluorescent orange jump suit. Thatās clearly not a good idea right? Nobody would wear that.
RedHeadedRetrospect: : well, thereās joggers.
Lila let out a laugh at the message. It reminded her of her weird neighbor, who went out every morning, right when people were getting up and getting ready for work, and jogged laps around the neighborhood in fluorescent sweatshirts, sweatpants, gym shorts--sheād never seen him wearing anything that wasnāt an eye-searing color. She was mildly surprised he hadnāt painted his house neon yellow or something. She was pretty sure the only thing holding him back was the neighborhood rules on Exterior Decorations.
ItsPastaBedtime: Thatās true. Joggers are a plague to the eyes.
ItsPastaBedtime: Didnāt Gabe come with a sportswear line? If it werenāt so expensive I bet theyād wear that instead.
Redheaded Retrospect: wait oh my god did you just call Gabriel Agreste GABE?!
ItsPastaBedtime: you bet I did. We're besties me and him. Hang all the all time.
Redheaded Retrospect: haha of course.
This is when Nathanael started freaking out. The conversation was awkward and lulling. He wanted to become better friends with Lila or maybe more, but he can barely think of words to say.
ItsPastaBedtime: well, Iāve got homework to do.
ItsPastaBedtime: see you later
Nathanael sighed but typed back his response. He wasnāt sure if she actually had homework, or if she was getting tired of him, and there was really no way of telling.
Redheaded Retrospect: alright, see you
Even after she had finished her homework and eaten dinner with her family, she still couldnāt get that design out of her mind. Nathanaelās design really was amazing, at least she thought so. And she hadnāt announced it to the group yet, but her father was flying to Paris in a few weeks for business and had invited her along. Maybe, with Ā a few minor color modifications, and cashing in a favor or two with her friend who actually owned a sewing machineā¦
āWho are you texting?ā
Nathanael looked up from his phone and turned to his desk mate. Today it was a nosy girl named Alice, who was currently leaning over to look at where heād been holding his phone under the table. She had been awfully loud with her question as well--luckily the math teacher was half-deaf, otherwise his phone would have been taken.
āItās none of your business. And be quiet.ā he sighed. She didnāt seem to listen to his request.
āOoooh do you have a girlfriend, Nathanael?ā she asked. Nathanael felt his face heat up.
āNone of your business!ā
āDoes Nathanael have a crushy-crush?!ā
āShut up!ā he growled. But it was too late. Mr. Bunting turned around, eyes aflame with fury.
āAlice and Nathanael! Both of you, detention, after school!ā
Nathanael groaned and let his head fall onto the desk. He wasnāt getting his phone taken, at least, but now he was stuck at school for an extra hour and a half.
It turned out to be quick and painless. The teacher was just talking, and he was chatting with Lila and the gang. Sharing designs and listening to Chloe's nonsense while Alice read over his shoulder. It was kinda nice. It felt like he belonged.
It was about a week or two later when Lila popped into the group chat with a big announcement
WhosThatFoxyLady: yo guys guess what?
Whatever Chloeās username is: did you finally decide to quit fashion?
WhosThatFoxyLady: ha you wish
WhosThatFoxyLady: My dadās coming to Paris for a business trip or some shit next weekend, weāre going to stay for like three or four days
Mr.TomatoHead: oh my god what
TheOneWhoRisesforMemes: oh my god no way youāre coming to Paris?!
Allāaāyāall: Girl, weāve gotta meet up to show you around!
Meow or Never: Iāll see if I can clear up my schedule enough to come see you!
Mr.TomatoHead: oh my god WHAT
#whyiseveryonesnameapun: look like someoneās excited. ; -)
To be fair, Nathanael was excited. He had been dreaming of seeing Lila in person for awhile now, but heād never thought it would happen until they were much older. Now his wish was coming true, and in a week.
Shit. one week. He had to get his hair cut, pick a good outfit, plan what they would do, oh lord, it was going to be a mess.
Those thoughts were replaced with new ones as soon as they came though, because he realized the likelihood of him seeing her was low. Painfully low. Like might-as-well-not-be-in-the-same-city painful low. Which made it so much more painful. Not only was Lila in the country, she was in the city! Lila, his Lila Rossi was gonna potentially be a walk away. There was only one thing that could fix this. He's just gonna casually message her in a normal way.
Mr.TomatoHead: hey foxy
WhosThatFoxyLady: hello my tomato boy.
WhosThatFoxyLady: we are we today?
Mr.TomatoHead: im great. just wondering where youll be.
WhosThatFoxyLady: in your heart hopefully ;)
WhosThatFoxyLady: you meant in Paris
WhosThatFoxyLady: yeah sorry I have no clue
Mr.TomatoHead: you're always in my heart Lila
She didn't reply after that. They saw each other in group chat but other that they hadn't spoken. Nathanael was miserable , to say the least, panicked thoughts rushing through his head. Had he gone too fast? Had he made things awkward? Gosh, that was no way to confess a crush; over IM, really?! He could do better!
The next day, Marinette and Alya had worked together to create a list of the best places in Paris to visit. They discussed it over the group chat, when and where to meet up so they could all greet Lila and show her their beloved city.
Nathanael breathed a sigh of relief. The two girls, it seemed, had already solved the problem of not being able to see her. Now everyone was discussing gifts to give Lila, so she would remember them and Paris. He mulled over her favorite things in his head. Foxes, the color orange, olives, fashionā¦ what was he going to get herā¦?
Lila grinned at the group chat as everyone excitedly chatted about where to go and what to bring. She had been hoping sheād be able to see her friends in the city; now it was near guaranteed. Thank God. All that work sheād put into her outfits would have gone to waste otherwise. Especially one she was certainly fond of...
The alarm blared beside him, waking him up with a groan. He ran a hand through his horrendous bed head as he stared at the dark window trying to figure out just why the hell he had set his alarm to wake him so goddamn early in the morning.
Then he remembered. Lila Rossi was probably boarding a flight any moment now, and then sheād be checking into a hotel room and meeting up with them--the entire Fashion Group Chat (or the Meme Green Fashion Team, as Adrien had renamed it)--by the Louvre for a day seeing everything Paris has to offer. He was going to get to meet her-- in person. Heād woken up early so heād have time to freak out.
After pacing the room and panicking for a full thirty minutes, the sun was rising and he was feeling a bit better. Just a little bit. Enough to focus on doing his hair and grabbing a small breakfast.
Now, the outfit. What would he wear?! He looked good in black and white stripes, but also purple, but also orange?!?! Should he go for casual, formal, preppy, lazy--what was he going to do?! He decided that since none of them know how he normally dresses it wouldn't be weird if he dressed to impress. he looked through his closet for something believably casual, but also would make him look good. He ended up in a weather appropriate blazer jeans combo that wore way too often but whatever he gets compliments on it almost all the time.
Oh God, his nerves were weak as hell today. Heād felt full before, but now he was hungry again, he was burning so much energy through worrying. He was going to need some more toast.
She was listening to her music and sketching out some designs in her sketchbook when her father tapped her shoulder from beside her.
āWeāre here, hun,ā he said quietly, gesturing to everyone else on the plane gathering their things and getting off. She quickly tossed her things into her carry-on bag and waited until her father was ready, rocking on the balls of her feet. He grinned as he watched her waiting impatiently. āExcited?ā
āYeah, duh, dad! I get to see my friends--and Chloe,ā she stuck out her tongue in disgust at the thought of seeing the blonde.
āAnd that redhead?ā
Lilaās cheeks felt like they were on fire when her father waggled his eyebrows at her. āA-And Nathanael--stop looking at me like that!ā
āI sure hope you two wonāt be up to any trouble while Iām in my business meetings, hm?ā
āWeāll be fine, Dad!! We need to check into the hotel now!ā
āWell, youāre in quite the hurry,ā he said jokingly, but took his briefcase and headed towards the exit.
As soon as they were in the terminal, she sent a text in the group chat.
WhosThatFoxyLady: Guess who just landed in Paris!
Bringing DuPAIN: Oh shit I gotta get ready or Iām gonna be late!
Allāaāyāall: But youāre always late.
Bringing DuPAIN: but this is a special occasion!
Lila grinned. Hell yeah, it was a special occasion! Lila Rossi was here to see the sights and kiss redheads--and her hotel already had a view of Paris.
They got their bags and headed out front to catch the shuttle to their hotel. The ride wasnāt long, at least not unbearably so, because her pent-up excitement was making the time fly by.
Nathanael wasn't the first one there; Rose and Kim were already there. It was strange because Kim was was so big it was scary and Rose had the eyes of an anime character. As they got there he noticed those āthingsā about each of them. Those defining things. Like for Mylene it was her height and colorful hair. Max it was his stereotypical nerd outfit. Ivan was big, bigger than Kim. Sabrina had giant glasses and cute orange hair; the definition of a ginger. Alix had pink hair with one half in a pig tail. Adrien was a model boy, clearly, the damn kid practically glowed. For Chloe most people noticed the hair or the ārich girlā aura but Nathanael was focusing on her weirdly thin lips and her face--she looked like Barbie. Ninoās was his red cap and headphones; he was able to spot him from across the plaza. Juleka was a perfect stereotypical goth. Alya was the definition of āstrong independent womanā in the best way. Marinette looked tired like she hadn't gotten a full night's rest in a year. And Lila...
Was wearing his design.
Nathanaelās heart thundered in his chest when he saw the taxi pull up to the plaza, and it damn-near stopped when Lila stepped out, whisking her cape out the car behind her. Sheād modified the outfit a little--it was more of an olive-green than the strange lime his color pencil pack had provided him--and had added a pair of brown heels to match. But she looked gorgeous, stunning, amazingā¦
āOh my God, Lila! Hi!ā Rose squealed, running up.
āIs that Nathanās design?! You look amazing!ā Alya added, following Rose.
āIs that Nathanael's design? Ugh of course you would pick his to wear.ā Chloe said, trying to hide a grin as Sabrina shadowed her, openly smiling.
āGood to see you too Chloe.ā Lila said. āIt's good to see all of you face to face!ā She finished as Rose let her go from a hug that Lila pulled her back into as everyone else piled into a giant hug. Some people were crying.
Eventually they let go and started wandering the city all of them saying things about various buildings that they had connections with, sometimes taking breaks because a lot of the girls were in heels. It was perfect except for Nathanael hanging in the back. She wanted to talk to him alone. She needed to talk to him alone. It's all she could really think about that this might be her only chance to see him and he has hardly spoken.
She let herself fall back in the group until she was close, then leaned over. āHey,ā she greeted. Nathanaelās face erupted into a mad blush and he quickly looked away.
āH-Hey,ā he stammered out.
āOh, not as charming in person as you are over text, are you?ā she teased. He blushed more before grinning.
āI-I mean, do you want me to be?ā
āYouāre justā¦ youāre being quiet. For a second I thought you werenāt excited to see--ā
āO-Of course Iām excited to see you! I just--I am--I was--well, Iām--shy.ā
āI can see,ā she said with a giggle. He pouted a moment before hesitating.
ā...you really liked that design, didnāt you? To wear it here in the middle of Paris.ā he asked quietly, brushing a bit of hair from his eyes. She smiled.
āOf course. I loved it. It may not be Chloeās style, but her designer wear can be a bit plain. I like my clothes to have a bit of flair, if I werenāt too shy.ā
Nathanael laughed a bit. āYou? Shy?ā
āHey, Iām not as shy as you are, tomato, but this fox is still a bit shy. I canāt exactly wear a cape and heels to school.ā she grinned, flourishing her cape.
āSoā¦ itās what you would wear, if people didnāt judge so much, and you had the money and budget and confidence to do so?ā
ā...yeah. Like that.ā
Nathanael smiles. āWell, this was really a nice surprise. Iām really glad youāre here, foxy.ā
āMe too, tomato boy,ā she looked up as they reached the Eiffel Tower, smiling as she took the red-headās hand in her on before kissing him on the cheek. āMe too.ā
#anipwritesart#anipwrites art#tomatofox#lila rossi#nathanael kurtzberg#nathaniel kurtzberg#nathanael#ml nathaniel#nathanael miraculous#ML Nathanael#lila ml#ml lila#miraculous ladybug lila#lila rossi miraculous#long distance AU#long distant relationship
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Nagatsuki Yoru : Kondo Takashi
é·ęå¤ : čæč¤é
[0:05] One, two, three, four... Okay! I think Iāve collected all the reports. Oh? Ah, I see. Youās report isnāt here. Geez, that You. He needs to follow the rules. (sigh)
Thereās no helping it. Iāll go and get it from You. Where he isā¦ Uhā¦ Well, I can somehow imagine where. Werenāt we childhood friends? Uhm, I donāt think itās that awesome.
(door opens)
(door closes)
(While walking:) Somehow, everyone is imagining it. I guess that's normal. Weāre going on a field trip next week. We're going to Tokyo after all. Iām getting a bit careless and restless as well too, I guess.
A huge part of one's high school life, huh... And handing in a report is a part of it. āLetās be free in Tokyoā that kind of feeling.
Even teacher said, āAs long as you hand it in, it's fineā. It would've been better to just do it then.
You can do anything if he tries, but the fact that he doesnāt do anything is a bad side of him.
(wind blowing) Nice weather~ Where he would be in this kind of weather is...
[10:30] (While opening door:) Okay.
Ah! It's so bright! And itās hot! The sun still hasnāt set and itās hot! The roof in this season is a good place to be in, itās pretty hard for me to believe. But probably... Ah! There he is!
An open place, but not many people there. A high place is good. In other words heās easy to read. If you look at it in elementary school when I was searching for him, he would always be on the top of the jungle-gym or on the last staircase leading to the rooftop, huh. He looks more mature now but thereās proof that he didnāt change in the inside.
(While walking:) The time we didnāt talk to each other at all in the middle school I wonder if he was at the roof then.
[3:18] [Flashback]
Haduki You from Class 1? Uh? Um, I know him. Does that make us childhood friends? I knew You before I joined Youās team. And we go to each others homes. We used to play together a lot during elementary school but latelyā¦ not much. Weāre don't talk much anymore.
W-why, you say? Hmā¦ From the start, there is that Class 1 and I are pretty much separated. But, You is, you see, he seems to stand out really much! Even if we go in the same hall so is it hard for me to talk to him. It feels like I got left behind.
Do you understand? Of course. Ehehe. He really stands out. (sighs) I wonder if Iām the only one whoās getting bothered by it. But... I wonder why. Ever since I stopped trying to talk to him so is it suddenly hard for me. Iām no good, right?
When we were children, these kind of things was no problem at all.
[End of flashback]
I just remembered nostalgic things. During middle school we couldnāt talk at all. I lost our usual clothes and we got school uniforms. There were some people who suddenly got more mature but, for me it looked like You did change.
Hm. I started to remember it, I started to remember it. But as a result You didnāt really change that much. His height changed really much though. The way he wore his school uniform is the best way to wear it, he became popular with the girls. And somehow it got harder to approach him. Itās not that much though, but couldnāt get closer to him. When we meet each other in the hall so do I get nervous.
But during our third year so did we end up in the same class again. And when we got our places so did we end up in front or behind each other. And when I tried to talk to him it was totally normal! I got carried away and laughed.
(sigh) You! As I thought, youāre here! āYou did a good job figuring out Iām here,ā you say. Well, of course.
Put that aside, You. Are you okay sleeping here? Wonāt you get a heat stroke? āCome here and youāll understand,ā you say! Uhā¦ Oooh! I see. If you do it like this so will it get cooler right away!
Umā¦ Ehā¦ Is it okay if I lay beside you? Thank you! Then excuse me.
(Lies down)
(Wind blowing)
[7:06] Ahhh~ The wind feels nice. Itās really cool. Oh. Ahah. I can see it from far away. The town, the mountain, I think I can the the ocean beyond it too! Haaa~
[7:35] Ah. My house is hidden so I canāt see it. Youās house though is pretty big so i can see it. As expected. Ah! That is the main temple building, right? Even if you see it from here so is it really big!
That's our elementary school! And that's the middle school! I didnāt know that the roof was this nice! Eh? Aaaaa! Iām sorry, Iām sorry! I was about to forget the main reason I came here.
I came to get Youās report. āWas there even something like that?,ā you say? (sighs) There was something like that! There is something like that! Here! The thing about Tokyo! They told you to hand it in before the field trip!
Uwah, he made the face that says āThis is such a pain.ā (sighs) Geez! You, youāre the type that gets jealous easily if someone gets something. Donāt you think itās better to do it before you think itās a pain?! If you follow the rules, I wouldn't need to say such annoying things!
I'm not scolding you; I'm giving advice, okay? Come on, come on, stop complaining and get up! Get up and go to the classroom and make the report! Yes, yes, then let's go!
Your body hurts? Well, that happens when you sleep on such a hard ground. By the way, after youāre done with the report so is the plan for the moving around freely plan waiting for you. Thatās what Iām saying, even if itās a pain, this is necessary for the field trip so thereās no helping it
Umā¦ Here! Stop saying āitās a painā and think of it as something fun! Things like whehre you want to go. I? The place I want to go to? I.. .Um... Tree... or Tower or something..., or something... Ah- You donāt have to laugh! I want to go there so what about it?! Thinking and coming up to it is normally! So? Where do You want to go?
#ććć¦ćæć9ę#ććć¦ćæ#tsukiuta#tsukiuta month 9#tsukiuta september#tsukino talent production#tsukino park#nagatsuki yoru#kondo takashi#é·ęå¤#čæč¤é
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