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ryqoshay · 3 years ago

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Tri-Arame: Sleepover Night

Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu Words: ~3k Rating: G Time Frame: During their 2nd year in high school Story Arc: Stand Alone

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Author’s Note: My µ’s muse is rebelling against the drama I’m trying to write for my PTX set. So here’s some more fluff.

Summary: Setsuna took a rain check on watching the anime series that inspired her Koppe Pan order back in Ne, Wanna Bite? Now it’s time to cash in.

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“Uhm, Okaasan?” Nana asked trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Why had she waited until the last possible minute to ask permission? What if she was denied? She’d have to cancel the plans to which she had looked forward all week.

“Yes, Nana?” Mrs. Nakagawa replied, looking up from her paperwork.

“Would it be alright if I stayed at a friend’s place tonight?”

“Oh? Someone from the student council?”

“No, a friend associated with the student council who is assisting with a project.” Nana explained. “There is a lot of preparation work that still needs to be done and I wasn’t the only one busy with tests this week.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. Ayumu had indeed helped her with student council work several times. So had Yuu, for that matter, as well as several other members of the idol club. Usually, their aid was reasoned away by them simply wishing to assist a friend, as well as allow her to more easily participate in club activities. This often led to her wondering if they knew how much their help was truly appreciated.

As for the mentioned project… Well, the club did have a Live coming up. And a member of the student council was participating. Granted that member was her, but…

“I see.” Mrs. Nakagawa nodded. “Very well then.”

Excitement bubbled up within Nana, but she quashed most of it, offering only a polite smile. “Thank you, Okaasan.”

Her mother offered a similar smile in return. “Have fun tonight.”

“I will.” Nana said before turning and heading to her room to pack.

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Setsuna was giddy with excitement as she undid her braids on the train. Her first sleepover with friends!

It wasn’t her first time visiting a friend’s home, but she hadn’t even done that in years. She had lost track of her childhood friends over the years, due in no small part to increasing expectations from her parents as she advanced in grades. The ban on her favored pastimes had been the final blow as she had to sneak around to continue to indulge, and that was best done alone.

Then she joined the student council and managed to become its president. Suddenly she had an excuse to stay out later or even just be out on weekends. She hated having to lie to her parents and did strive to be as truthful as possible, though she knew full well that a lie by omission was still a lie. But that had become her only way to become a school idol, to join the new club, to shop for manga and doujin and to hang out with friends.

And to spend time with those two.

Ayumu and Yuu had quickly become her closest friends after she joined the idol club. They had graciously given her an outlet through which to focus much of her enthusiasm for her hobbies. And this weekend they had agreed to marathon one of her favorite anime series with her. For the second time, Setsuna would be able have an actual conversation with friends about a beloved story, instead of just a one-sided explanation; the first being earlier that week as the three hung out together and purchased the latest book of Heavenly Life.

And she couldn’t wait.

Honestly, the train couldn’t arrive at the station quickly enough. And Setsuna knew she would have to resist the urge to run to the apartment complex where Ayumu and Yuu lived. For the sooner she arrived, the sooner they could start watching. And the sooner they finished the series, the sooner they could start talking about it.

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“Ah, Nakagawa-san.” Mrs. Uehara said upon opening the door. “Welcome. My daughters said you would be coming.”

“Daughters?” Setsuna couldn’t help repeating. Did Ayumu have a sister?

Mrs. Uehara chuckled. “I’m sorry.” She said shaking her head. “It’s a bit of a habit of mine. But Yuu is over here so often that she’s pretty much family at this point.”

A tiny flash of envy shot through Setsuna. How nice to be so close to someone. And not just them, but their family as well. Perhaps someday she could be that close to someone, or someones…? as well.

“Ah, pardon me.” Ayumu’s mother said after a slightly awkward moment. “Come in. Come in.” She opened the door fully and ushered Setsuna inside, introducing herself along the way. “Forgive my asking, but do you prefer to go by Nakagawa-san or Yuki-san?”

“Oh, uhm, actually,” She calls Yuu-san by her name, so maybe “Setsuna is fine.”

Mrs. Uehara smiled. “Setsuna it is then. I’ll go tell my daughters you’re here.” She laughed lightly again at her joke before taking a couple steps toward the hall. “Ayumu! Yuu! Setsuna is here!”

Before Setsuna could even finish removing her shoes, a twintailed girl was scampering around the corner.

“Setsuna-chan!” Yuu greeting joyously.

“I’m glad you could make it, Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu added, following at a more modest pace.

“I’ll have dinner ready soon.” Mrs. Uehara said, moving toward the kitchen. “I’ll send your father to fetch you once he’s home from work, Ayumu.”

“Thank you, Mama.” Ayumu replied.

“Thanks, Ayumama!” Yuu added, earning a blush from Ayumu and a chuckle from Mrs. Uehara. “C’mon, let’s go.” Yuu then said, grabbing both Ayumu and Setsuna’s hands before leading them down the hall.

Yuu opened a door, pulled the other two inside and…

Pink.

That was the first thought that came to Setsuna’s mind upon entering Ayumu’s room. The walls were pink. The clock and lamp on the headboard were pink. Pink curtains framed the balcony door, pink cloth decorated the shelves on the wall and a pink blanket covered something under said shelves. And what wasn’t pink was still some other light, fluffy pastel color. It was all… very Ayumu. Yes, that was the best description Setsuna could think up based on what she knew about her friend.

But beyond the cute colors, it was also very comfy, soft and warm. And welcoming. Setsuna immediately felt at home in the room.

Then her eye caught something. Or rather, a lot of somethings.

“They’re so cute…” She said, finding herself drawn to a display of plush animals.

“I know, right?” Yuu was the one to respond. “Ayumu wanted to pack them away because she thought they were too childish.”

“Y-Yuu-chan…” Ayumu protested.

“I should show you my collection sometime.” Setsuna said, resisting the urge to grab several animals and hug them, as she did not yet have such permission. “I have Kirara, Kyubey, Tamago Onsen, Dera Michimazzi, Kuroneko-sama, Sakamoto, Taroumaru, Ryo-Ohki…

Yuu started to chuckle. “Aren’t those all anime animals?”

“Yes.” Setsuna affirmed with a nod.

“I thought your parents forbid anime? I mean that’s why we’re having the marathon here, right?”

“Oh, uhm… my parents… don’t know they’re all from anime…” Setsuna admitted. “I haven’t told them, and they don’t seem to have looked into things online or anything. Posters, figures, and the like would be too obvious, so they’re the only merchandise I can display openly; I can pass them off as just being cute plushies.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And they’re not all from anime. I have Toothless as well.”

Yuu grinned. “A good choice.” She declared.

“Anyway, these are really cute too, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna turned her attention to the redhead.

“Thank you.” Ayumu replied. “You can touch them if you want, Setsuna-chan.” She added with an amused tone in her voice.

Was my desire that obvious? Setsuna wondered to herself. How embarrassing…

Setsuna swallowed down a blush and offered a smile instead. “Thank you.” She said, reaching for a pink rabbit to inspect. A pink bear had also caught her eye, but the rabbit seemed so Ayumu-like that she couldn’t help picking it over the others. It really was very cute, and she could easily tell why Ayumu liked it.

I wonder if there is one like Yuu-san here… Setsuna thought to herself as she continued to investigate the display.

“So, should we get a couple episodes in before dinner?” Yuu suggested.

“Yes.” Setsuna agreed enthusiastically, her attention reverting back to the original reason she was visiting.

“What site is the show on?” The twintailed girl asked as she sat down on a green pillow and opening what Setsuna assumed to be Ayumu’s laptop. “My parents have several accounts, so if its on one of them, I can sign in to it.”

“Actually, the series is old enough to be on the free sites.” Setsuna explained, choosing the blue pillow, and leaving the pink one for Ayumu.

“Oh, alright, uhm… here.” Yuu slid the computer over.

Setsuna started typing in the address, though as she did, she noticed both Yuu and Ayumu moving their pillows to either side of her. “Hm?” She hummed quizzically as they sat down.

“Since this is one of Setsuna-chan’s favorite series, she should have the best view of the screen.” Yuu answered before she could actually give voice to her question.

“But I’ve already seen it…” Setsuna rebutted.

“Setsuna-chan is also our guest and should have the best seat.” Ayumu added.

“Oh, uhm… alright.” Setsuna conceded. “Will we all fit?” She noted the tiny table did not have room on any one side for three people.

“It’s fine if we do this.” Yuu scooted in until her shoulder touched Setsuna’s.

So close… Eh? As Setsuna’s focus was on Yuu, Ayumu slid in from the other side, though not quite close enough to touch like Yuu. Setsuna wondered how red her face was as she quickly typed the title of the anime and found the first episode.

Setsuna was very much not used to watching anime like this. For so long she had watched alone, hiding from her parents and anyone she worried might not keep her secret. But this was simultaneously comforting and distracting.

Distractingly comfortable… Was that even a thing? While most of Setsuna wanted to pay attention to the anime on screen as the opening title began, there was no denying the part that wanted to focus on the surprisingly soothing warmth radiating from her two friends. She had only sat this way with her parents as a child, and the frequency had decreased dramatically as she grew older and her parents became busier with work.

As Setsuna felt her heartrate start to return to normal and the heat dissipate from her cheeks, she started to settle into the idea that this was a nice arrangement. She could get used to watching anime like this. She could probably even get used to Ayumu leaning in closer.

Yuu giggled, bringing Setsuna’s attention back to reality.

Ah yes, the protagonist’s introduction. Definitely a humorous moment, but there were funnier scenes yet to come, even in the first episode. What would Yuu think of those? Well, they did intend to talk about everything afterward, so perhaps she should just enjoy the show for now.

Setsuna relaxed and turned the entirety of her focus on the anime.

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Setsuna startled at the sound of knocking on the door. She turned her head to see said door open and a man she assumed to be Ayumu’s father poked his head into the room.

“Ayumu?” Mr. Uehara spoke. “Your mother sent me to say that dinner is ready.”

“Thank you, Papa.” Ayumu responded, starting to get up.

The man’s gaze shifted. “Hey, Yuu.” He greeted with a smile. “And… Setsuna, was it?”

“Yes.” Setsuna replied, getting up as well before bowing. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me tonight.”

“The pleasure is ours.” Mr. Uehara’s smile grew. “Ayumu and Yuu have told us a lot about you. It is nice to finally meet you.”

Ayumu-san and Yuu-san talked about me? Setsuna hoped it had been at least more good than bad, though judging by both Ayumu’s parents’ actions towards her thus far, that had been the case. And that realization caused warmth to spread through Setsuna’s chest.

Setsuna couldn’t help smiling as well as she followed the other three out to the Uehara dining room.

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The notification chime sounded on Setsuna’s phone as she got out of the bathtub. She padded one hand dry on her towel and unlocked the screen to find a message from Rina. The first-year was inviting the school idol club second-years to join a game she was playing. Well, except Ai, though Setsuna assumed she was already playing. She tapped the link so the app could download as she dried off, deciding the game might make for a fun activity to pass the time while Yuu and Ayumu took their turns bathing.

A few minutes later, Setsuna padded down the hall back to Ayumu’s room, already fully engrossed in the game’s tutorial.

“Yuu-san, Ayumu-san, this game… oh…” Setsuna cut off as the other two girls looked up from their own devices.

“It’s fun, isn’t it?” Yuu grinned as she set down her phone and stood before heading toward the door.

Ayumu had also put down her phone and traded it for a hair drier. “Come have a seat, Setsuna-chan.” She motioned to the pillow she was in the process of vacating before kneeling behind it. “I’ll dry your hair for you.”

“Oh, I can do that myself.” Setsuna declined. “Thank you for the offer though, Ayumu-san.”

“Are you sure?” Ayumu seemed confused and… disappointed? “I’d be happy to do it for you, Setsuna-chan.

“Ayumu just wants an excuse to play with your hair, Setsuna-chan.” Yuu chuckled.

Setsuna startled. She hadn’t realized Yuu was still in the room, apparently having stopped to watch. In response to the teasing, Ayumu’s cheeks flushed and Setsuna imagined her own were close to matching.

Although, why was she declining anyway? Memories of the braided bun lesson from earlier that week were still fresh in Setsuna’s mind had certainly caused her to want to accept, and yet she hadn’t. But accepting wasn’t forcing those desires on Ayumu or inconveniencing her or the like. Ayumu had made the offer.

“A-Alright…” Setsuna said after an awkward moment before taking a seat in front of Ayumu.

“Back in a few.” Yuu tossed over her shoulder as she left to head to the bath.

Ayumu flipped on the hairdryer and began running her fingers through Setsuna’s hair to spread out the strands for easier drying.

For her part, Setsuna was just about to relax into the session, when her phone pinged. She checked the screen to find Rina had sent an in-game gift. She accepted excitedly and began to play again.

“Uhm… Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu said after a moment. “I don’t mind if you play, but can you stop moving around while you do?”

“Oh… uhm… Sorry, Ayumu-san…” Setsuna replied, chastising herself for being rude while her host provided a wonderful service. Still, it would also be rude not to use Rina’s gift to the fullest, so she resumed her game, but made sure to remain still for Ayumu.

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Setsuna stared up at the ceiling, laying on her back on one of Ayumu’s guest futons. As sleepy as she felt, she was still buzzing a bit with lingering excitement from the events of the night. The three of them had successfully powered through the entire season with a few breaks for snacks and stretching before spending the next couple hours talking about the story. It was well past midnight, but it was the weekend so they could sleep in late in the morning before having a late breakfast, or early lunch, before Setsuna would head home to study.

Or perhaps… maybe she could study here? She had brought her books, even though she didn’t really expect to use them. And she really liked the welcoming atmosphere of Ayumu’s room, though really her apartment and family as a whole, if she was being honest. However, she didn’t want to impose by overstaying her welcome, and she certainly wasn’t going to just invite herself to stay. Still, it was a nice idea. Perhaps someday…

“Yuu-chan?” Setsuna heard Ayumu murmur, distracting her from her thoughts.

She heard the mattress shift and turned her head to see Yuu’s silhouette sliding under the duvet. She couldn’t quite understand Yuu’s response, but both girls in the bed fell silent after.

Strange. While it didn’t surprise Setsuna that a dating couple would share a bed, she couldn’t help wondering why Ayumu would bother setting out a guest futon for Yuu. Or question Yuu joining her.

Perhaps they were hiding the fact that they were dating and setting out the futon was a visual prop to convince Ayumu’s parents? No, that didn’t seem right. Neither Ayumu nor Yuu seemed the type to hide much, if anything, from their parents. Unlike Setsuna herself… Also, if Yuu’s parents were anything like Ayumu’s, Setsuna believed they wouldn’t have much of an issue with their daughters dating. The Ueharas already considered Yuu part of their family after all.

Were they, perhaps, not actually dating? That would explain Ayumu’s protest. And knowing Yuu’s casual approach to personal space, it wouldn’t surprise Setsuna in the least if she just did as she pleased. And Ayumu would let her. Still, that didn’t seem quite right either. Setsuna was fairly certain they were a couple. Their close bond was obvious to anyone who spent more than five minutes with them.

In any case, whether they were dating or not really wasn’t any of Setsuna’s business. So perhaps pondering the possibilities was inappropriate.

What was far more worth her mental energy was focusing on memories of how much fun she had this evening. For the first time, she had been able to not only watch anime together with friends, but also talk about it with them. All in person. Not over the internet. She had shared a meal with her friends’ family and gotten to know them a little. Setsuna couldn’t remember the last time she had gone to bed feeling so welcomed, accepted and… loved? Was that the right word?

Surely, she didn’t mean to imply that she went to bed at home feeling unloved. She knew her parents loved her, even if their way of showing that love was apparently very different than Ayumu’s parents. But even having only been in the Uehara home for not even half a day, she felt loved here. They were all so kind and Setsuna hoped she could come back and experience it all again.

Setsuna closed her eyes, allowing her mind to begin yet another replay of the day. Sleep would come eventually, but right now she was content just being this happy.

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Author’s Notes Continued in Followup Post

#YuuAyuSetsu #Takasaki Yuu #Yuki Setsuna #Uehara Ayumu #Tri-Arame #Love Live Nijigasaki #fanfic

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brialavellan · 4 years ago

Note

Malapert, something with Briala? 😊

Malapert - Clever in manners of speech.

Oh boy, I really tried but this was really hard (you have to be clever to write clever characters, who knew?)

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No one suspects the servants.

Their games are trifles compared to the fates of nations, but the servants still play. They grovel for status much like any noble, hoping to be raised to favored, especially the servants in the Imperial palace. The servants parade their masks in public with pride, as close as they can get to flouting wealth as any noble. Their prestige cannot be ignored.

However, some servants in the Imperial Palace do not settle for petty favor and a well-paid position. They aspire for even more, and play the Game more like spies and bards. These are the servants Briala is trusted to watch, those who seek to reach beyond their grasp.

She paces the hall and sees the girl she is looking for scurry from the room, arms piled high with sheets, a sheen of sweat creeping at her brow as she looks behind her. She doesn’t even notice Briala standing before her until she almost collides with her, stopping short and dropping the linens with a frightened yelp.

She gathers the linens that she dropped with shaky hands. Briala helps her gather the sheets, her hands swiftly searching for any hidden treasures tucked within the folds.

"What happened?" Briala asks her, keeping her tone casual.

The slightest tinge of blush creeps underneath the pastel pink of overapplied blush. She nearly sputters, "I don't have to tell you anything, rabbit. It's none of your business!"

Briala pauses. This servant doesn't resort to slurs until she has something to hide.

"Of course," Briala says. A conciliatory concession. She'll give a little ground for a greater reward, "I was just worried. You look flustered."

"Oh...I'm sorry, I'm just...the chambermaid yelled at me just now for the dirty linens. She said the Marquise made such a fuss. It's not my fault Laurette is so lazy!"

“Ah, that’s odd,” Briala replied, “The chambermaid isn’t one to usually yell, is she?”

“Well, no,” the laundress tucks a blonde curl behind her ear, “but I think she’s just in a bad mood today. She’s been like that all day. And she keeps going in and out of the Comtesse’s room. I -”

She stops, her lips tightening at the realization she has revealed too much.

“Have you heard something?” Briala said, coaxing her to the side and lowering her voice. The laundress looks down at the pile of linens still in her hand.

“Aislin...” Briala addresses her by name to put her at ease, to coax her into incrimination. "If you have seen or heard something, you do not want to be the one who takes the blame...do you?”

“No.”

“Then if you share with me what you have seen or heard, then I can vouch for you. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

It is a lie, but a lie she swallows, gulping down her fear and opening up.

“I saw the chambermaid go into the marquise’s desk and put some papers in it. I didn’t think anything of it or see her steal anything, but she got very angry...I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“You won’t.” Briala says with a smile. “I’ll keep your secret. It’s just a rumor, after all.”

“Ok. Thank you,” a slight pink blush returns along with a broad smile as she walks away.

Briala waits until she turns the corner before she pulls out the note she snatched from within the folds. A note from the chambermaid to the laundress. A ploy to steal any intelligence directly from Celene and to relay it to the Marquise Cosinne de Montsimmard. Briala will inform Celene personally. Both the chambermaid and laundress will be dealt with, fattened on falsehoods first before sent to slaughter.

No one is innocent when it comes to the Grand Game.

~~~~~~~~~~~

#ch: briala #misc: asks #fic by brialavellan #i shouldn't be so self-deprecating///#i am smart but I'm not good at espionage and puzzles and shit///

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marvelstud10s · 5 years ago

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Cupid’s Bullet | 01

Summary: Leading a life of mystery and quiet, she has everything under control as her impeccable life as an assassin. Except this one time.

Pairing: Eventual Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

A/N: Legit screaming at how bad this looks, but I really like this AU thing I did, but ignore my rookie writing don’t let the beginning fool you (I put ethnicity and race in there cause I don’t want people assuming I only do one race hehe)

Chapter 1

The frosty November air nipped at Y/N’s sensitive skin, causing her to shiver and shrug deeper into her blue knit scarf. The cute little cafe seemed to be closer the last time she checked her GPS, deciding to walk instead of taking a cab to save money. Y/N could barely make out the cafe’s sign as she jumped on her tip toes, weaving her way throughout the bustling New York crowd. She kept glancing down at the time, not wanting to be late. 9:42 AM, the clock read. Four minutes until showtime.

Y/N walked into the almost deserted cafe, but still very pleasant. The air smelled of freshly roasted coffee beans and vanilla, soft jazz music playing through the speakers. She looked to her left, looking at her first client, Owen, white, a tall brunette with soft doe brown eyes. He was a paramedic, and good at it to. A good Christian boy with morals and astonishingly kind. As if on cue, he looked up and gave Y/N a wave and smile, showing off his pearly whites. She did the same hesitantly, then headed over to the other side of the shop to wait for her second client.

A jingle of the store bell made Y/N look up from her clock, seeing Victoria, her second client, enter the store. She was average height, neither tall or short, sharp brown eyes, Latina, a mole under her left eye, making her look more intimidating. She was an up and coming business owner for a beauty company. She walked with confidence, glancing at her watch. Punctual, Y/N concluded.

Just as the second hand reached the twelve. 9:46 AM.

Victoria turned and glanced at her watch once more, not seeing Owen shoot up from his spot, finally noticing he was going to be late for work. The coffee is going to be tough to clean out, Y/N thought to herself, as, seeming in slow motion, the two collided with each other, and Owen’s coffee flying through the air and splattering all over Victoria’s ironed blouse. Victoria stumbled a bit, staring down at her, now coffee brown and lavender, shirt with an open mouth. Owen grabbed her arm and steadied her. “Oh my gosh, are you alright? I am so sorry, I’ll get that cleaned up right away, I didn’t mean to-, gosh I’m so clumsy.” Owen rambled as he quickly grabbed napkins and dabbed her shirt repeatedly. You dug through your sleek black leather bag and fumbled with a small red handgun, with a little tiny white heart on the side (adds a little feminine touch, she thought). Y/N closed an eye and focused, pointing the barrel of the gun at Victoria. Y/N took a deep breath, not daring to move a muscle, not even huff a breath. And in one go, pressed down her pointer finger, the force of the shot pushing her backwards a bit, hitting Victoria, the invisible and harmless bullet going through her first client, then going into her second. Y/N slid it inconspicuously into her bag, doing what she’s done thousands of times without a hitch.

Perfect. No more, no less. Victoria gasped in a breath as she was ready to scream at him, but then she stopped herself, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. “I-it’s alright, everyone has those days,” she says, gently grabbing the napkins from him. The two looked at each other, time seeming to slow down just for the two of them. “How would you like it if I took you to coffee sometime, as an apology. I promise I won’t spill it on you,” He chuckled. Victoria smiled and bit her lip. “I’d like that very much.”

Y/N smiled to herself as she crossed two names off her list.

I guess you could call me cupid. But the idea of being compared to a floating baby in a diaper isn’t exactly flattering. I like to think of myself more as a “love” assassin, I don’t know what else to call myself really, my job is more of just a morning routine. Each night, every night for as long as I could remember at 11:15 PM sharp, I would get a letter, a pastel red envelope with a pretty little heart on the front in metallic gold, no return address, no name, no nothing. A deep, almost blood crimson wax seal would conceal the paper, with an arrow indentation on it. The paper inside would be a perfectly shaped rectangle stationery, fit for the envelope, with gold flowers and light green leaves lining the side of the white paper. All the paper would say is a time, two names, and two descriptions. When I come back from the missions, I would find $500 in cash in a similar envelope on my kitchen table. I would never get a location of the mission, that was for me to find out. I’m still stumped as to how I know where to go, I just find a place that seems fitting, and I’m always right, always on time. Never had an incident, never had a mess up, never late. Never imperfect.

Except for one time.

The day was Monday, January 27th, 7:38:23 AM. Y/N was up and doing her daily workout, preparing for the mission, which was at 4:39:03 PM. It wasn’t sharp, Y/N hated missions that didn’t end in a sharp. She mumbled and complained to herself about the early hours, but she couldn’t sleep last night. Her hand twitched on the dumbbell, almost dropping it on her foot. She set it down gently, not wanting to get lost in a daydream and hurt herself. She shuffled to her tiny kitchen, preparing a breakfast, feeling something deep in her gut, figuring food could solve it. Butterflies, and they wouldn’t go away. “Pancake mix, pancake mix,” she murmured, looking through her cabinets. “Dang it,” she whined, knowing she was out, and settled for a PB&J. Y/N bounced her leg up and down, nervously chewing on her sandwich, scarfing it down without even noticing. Her missions always go right, always, but she always had the tendency to get nervous.

She always made sure she wasn’t fidgeting, shaking, sloppily shooting or foolishly letting somebody see her. But she can’t help but worry something is going to mess her up, and she doesn’t even want to know what’ll happen if she does. Maybe the magic being who sent her the letters would stop and kill her in the middle of the night? What if her gun stopped working and she couldn’t do her job anymore? Wh- Her thoughts got cut short as she heard her doorbell ring. Y/N shifted her eyes to her leather bag, not jumping, her instincts always on high. She swiftly grabbed her gun and put it in her thigh holster, then grabbing a real gun and holding it up, pointing it at the door. She cautiously gazed around her apartment, quickly going over how long it would take to double check her nailed down windows. No, too much time. Trust yourself, she thought to herself. She never let her eyes wander from the door, never letting her gun trail from it. She ran from her spot and by the door, the doorknob farthest from her. “Who is it?” She asked in a firm but innocent voice, as she took the safety clip off of her gun. “Uh, delivery?” A wavering voice said from the other side, sounding like a teenager. Y/N’s composure let up a bit, but opened the door with her foot. She quickly stepped out and hid the guns, putting on a fake smile. “For whom?” She asked. He looked up at her nervously, his blonde hair falling onto his face.

The delivery boy stuttered, scratching at his growing acne. “Um, Miss L/N?” He asked. She signed the paper and sent him on his way, then setting the box gently on the floor, recognizing the pastel red color and multiple gold hearts. No address. Y/N briskly walked to her window, looking at the delivery boy and wondering how he knew where to deliver it. One part of her wanted to just throw caution to the wind and open it, seeing the familiar packaging. But letting her guard down meant laying her life down. She glanced down at the boy again as he walked down to his car. He hopped in, but didn’t start it right away, instead, reaching for something on his neck. Something wasn’t right about how he scratched it though. The delivery boy pulled on something, a sort of blue fabric coming off of his face, revealing a woman, pulling off the blonde bowl-cut wig, revealing her red hot hair. They made eye contact, a split second of mutual, controlled panic washing over them. The redhead reached up to her earpiece, saying something. Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to read her lips. “We have a problem.”

That’s not good.

Before Y/N could even blink, a bullet came breaking through her living room window, effectively shattering it. Y/N ducked and ran, picking up her bag, staring at the mystery box, deciding to take the handheld box and put it into her bag, but then throwing it, chastising herself for tolerating something that obviously put her in danger. Her door slammed open as a man with a mask with an “A” on it, threw a red and white shield at her. She kicked it back at him and whimpered, never seeing these people before in her life and wondered what they wanted. Y/N limped a little, the shield really taking an impact on her boot clad foot. She hurriedly grabbed her shoes and ran into her bathroom, tossing open her mirror and crawling through the tunnel, closing the glass behind her. The cold, damp tunnel gave way and she dropped, a small gasp leaving her. She put on her shoes quickly, grunting at the rush.

A light could be seen at the end of the supposed rabbit hole, the freezing wind making her squint at it, a dumpster pile speeding up faster and faster, cushioning Y/N’s plummet. She tried to be as noiseless and fast as possible, jumping over the dumpster, almost tripping over the gravel under her black combat boots and jumping onto her black motorcycle, quick and quiet, a stealthy black helmet already being fastened onto her head. She started the engine up, without it making a roar, making her smirk and she sped off without looking back. She turned into an alley, deciding to take the long way around the building, not onto the streets, not taking any chances to get caught. Y/N stepped harder on the gas, coming up to a gate that led to the freeway. A wooden ramp was coincidentally there, as if on purpose. She took it anyway, the ramp giving her leeway and making her look pretty cool as she dropped onto the freeway, passing every car easily.

Her engine revved as she swerved between lanes, multiple cars honking at her, many of them throwing expletives at her. “What am I lookin’ at?” Y/N wondered allowed, her computer screen inside the window of her helmet showing her the nearest exit and safe house. “Who were those people?” She asked again. Six faces showed up on the screen, a brief bio on the left side. “The Avengers, six super human heroes, Black Widow,” she looked at the picture of the redhead, recognizing her immediately. “Steve Rogers, AKA, Captain America, Tony Stark, also Iron Man, blah blah blah,” She muttered, quickly trying to learn as much as possible. A red alert popped up on her screen. Incoming impact, it read. “Send an emergency car ASAP, I need to get out of here quicker.” She instructed. She cleared the screen off her window, and looked to her left to see another motorcycle with a man firing at her wheels. Y/N switched lanes and went behind a car, evading the bullets. The man came up behind her and started shooting again. Y/N turned and shot, grunting. “Where is that car!” She yelled, getting impatient. As if on cue, the black car pulled up beside her, the drivers seat opening, the computer already opening it up for her. She stepped on the brake quickly and jumped off the cycle and into the car, the motorcycle crashing into the man and making him fall. Y/N closed the door and huffed. “Auto-drive. I should really come up with a name for you, like Tony did. What about, Saturday?” She asked jokingly. The computer swerved the wheel a little in objection. Y/N laughed, shaking her head. The car turned and pulled into an exit quickly, hoping not to be seen.

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chrysaliseuro2018 · 6 years ago

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In Praise of the Malteser

A long held ambition for us is now being achieved. We have landed in Malta. This section will be a bit of a sum up as the hectic days and sociable pace of the first month of the trip has meant the blog has been somewhat tardy on the production front. Or perhaps we are just getting old. Some brevity and celerity is required. Neither being my long suits. Anyway we'll try. We had had an early start, 6.15am for the bus to pick us up and one of those round all the hotels jobs (we were the first ones on) followed by a flight from Cappadocia and then 6 hours or so at Istanbul airport. This meant that by the time we got to Valletta around 5.00pm we didn't fancy public transport. It must be said though that we were heavily saved by the Priority lounge at Istanbul which we were able to "lounge" around in (an Amex bonus) for at least 4 hours. A few nibblies, a couple of beers and a rose for Liz. Helps pass the time and coupled with wifi all you need really. Anyway we landed at Malta and the cab seemed the easiest option. Yet again we had a bit of a bizarre cab ride. It's a set fair so no prob on that front unlike Istanbul. However, the driver no sooner had we told him the address of our apartment started a loud (and I mean loud) phone conversation in what sounded like Arabic. He had the earplugs in so we could only hear one half of the conversation (that's actually 90% of the conversation as the yellee on the other end was not getting much of a word in). And so it proceeded for the 15 minutes of more drive in. There was no "where are you from?" no landmarks pointed out, just this raging cacophony. Obviously he was not happy with the person at the other end or Pharos that's normal discourse. Not the cabbie's job to be the face of the city but it's often the first face you really see or person that you have interaction with (let's forget customs) so perhaps municipalities need to put some work into schooling them. With our ears ringing we headed for our apartment which was just in the "restricted for vehicles" zone in Valletta. Keypad access to the apmt and we had the code, all worked well and it was great - bright, clean, virtually newly refurbished and very central. After settling in, we headed for a stroll around town. Plenty of English voices. Lovely 3/4 story older apartments with balconies, typically a sandstone colour but also painted in pastels. Not all in the best of nick but quite charming. We strolled around town for quite a while. It was pretty lively with restaurants opening onto the street. Many served fish but also basics such as pizzas and burgers. Catering very much for an English glut of visitors. We saw a restaurant that we quite liked the look of which served traditional Maltese dishes and breads but it was getting a little late to take full advantage of, so we booked for two days time and ate at a small bar opposite the restaurant sitting at a table in the street. It was very much a local bar with just a couple of tables outside and the small crowd there all seemed to be speaking Maltese. Owner was very friendly. Liz had a salad and me a sandwich so nothing too heavy but a nice rose for Liz and a couple of craft beers for me so all good. We went to bed pretty tired. Liz was not feeling 100% first thing the following day with a migraine so took a couple of tablets and I disappeared round town so she could sleep. Thankfully she felt better by late morning and in the afternoon we went to the national war museum which is in Fort St Elmo down by the harbour. Malta's history is fascinating. Founded by the Knights of St John it was laid siege to by the Turks in the 16th century - surviving that - just. Napoleon also decided to intervene there and famously it held out in the 2nd World War against blockades and air raids particularly by the Italians with the island eventually being awarded the George Cross medal for heroism by King George 6th. This museum, with the assistance of some very good graphics and videos, painted an interesting picture of the history of the island and its inhabitants. The difficulties of getting supplies through to the island in WW2 was a particularly gripping aspect with large naval escorts required for supply ships because German submarines were menacing and sinking many merchant ships. Naval vessels were also targeted by the submarines with many losses. The bravery of the merchant seaman and naval forces against an unseen but deadly enemy was inspiring. That night we ate at one of the many street cafes. A little draughty as the evening weather not quite as warm as we expected but comfortable enough to sit out. Liz had rabbit stew which was good and I had an octopus casserole which was very tasty. Service good and friendly and we did ask what the ingredients of the casserole were. Seemed to be a bit of everything on the herb front though tomato based. Must try to cook in Melbourne. Perhaps the highlight of the evening was watching the World Cup - Spain vs Portugal sitting on the steps outside a bar. Liz did very well as all seats were taken but she squeezed us onto a reserved table at which the reservers never turned up so we had a great view. 3-3 with Ronaldo scoring an equaliser around the 90 minute mark with a sensational free kick. Atmosphere was really good with supporters of both sides there but all really convivial. Next morning was admin with flights to be booked home. A painful process as we have changed our return date and options getting limited. We then headed off to the same bar as the previous night to watch the Socceroos play France in the World Cup. 2-1 loss unfortunately. Our admin as it turned out was poorly timed as the cathedral which we had planned to see that afternoon closed for the afternoon. We had also booked to see the Malta experience which is an IMAX type short movie with the background to Malta which also closed at 3.00pm so we missed that too. Ahh!! Traps for players and we kicked ourselves as we did want to see the Caravaggio in the Cathedral museum though we were able to just look in the door and see the wonderful interior of the cathedral itself. Malta still operates on British country town hours of the 1950s! It's basically closed for biz from pm Saturday through to Sunday, apart from restaurants and bars. We did though manage to go into the Grand Master's palace which until recently was the location of Malta's parliament. Specifically we visited 5 State Rooms which are still used for official purposes including greeting foreign ambassadors and delegations. Some wonderful and large tapestries hanging in one of the rooms picturing also sorts of exotic animals and scenes from Africa. The other rooms were pretty grand too. Touch of Windsor castle. The palace is still the official residence of the President of Malta. Also, by coincidence, the palace was hosting a small exhibition of Picasso drawings and Joan Miro paintings. Unusual stuff from Miro but worth a look. Pablo is, well, Pablo. I pressed on to look at the armoury (with the usual collection of arms and armour through the ages) while Liz went WINDOW SHOPPING. That night we dined in the restaurant we had spotted the first night which promised interesting local produce. Liz had a fish soup which was fine and I had the octopus casserole again which was not a patch on the previous night. Slow service too, so no tips handed out. C'est la vie, one of those days when not everything went right, especially the Socceroos losing!!, though the State Rooms were good. Last day in Valetta, tomorrow we take a car and head off around the island(s).

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wandering-artist-and-writer-ded · 7 years ago

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Monster Capital: Haven

You walk down the pristine road. The bright, multicoloured, stone guides you through the lively forest. The clear sound of birds signing accompany the click of your pace as you make your way down. The road gives ample room for people to pass, on foot and by carriage. Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colours adorn the side of the road, yet not one plant peaks through the stone.

Although it is midday you know the scenery at night. When the sky goes to rest... no, when the sky comes alive with a different life. The world never rest, it just lives in a different way, and this path reflects it as well. The stones glow bright, illuminating the flowers around, when the trees far above are alight with the array of pastel colours. The pattern built into stone below reflecting in blurred accuracy lights above. It guides you just as well when dark as when the light greets you from above, whether you care for the night, or the light more. It cares for you.

The trees part as you reach the base of the mountain, although the peaks are by no means bare, a forest does stretch it’s length but here, it lets you see the glory you are about to ascend. A house open for all travellers to rest at sit, quiet and well maintain. You walk into it, the door opening with a gentle creak, as it welcome you into it’s warm embrace. Stepping in you see the furnishing, modest, humble, and yet still covered. Although the royal family pays for it to always be well stocked, furnished, and in great repair, many travellers often leave pieces of themselves, fragments of so many lives to be open to the new people. I wind chime in the window, make of old glass and wrecked pieces of a city, A shelf caring a battered book, inside lays only drawings, many of them unidentifiable due to age. Old antique cutlery, some of which can not be used due to age. On the beds lays unique draping of distant lands. A battered doll snuggled into one of the large beds, painting of mysterious animals. Or a simple stick,have shaven, and broken.

People leave a part of them here, if they desire, to welcome everyone else who steps foot in here.

You step up the stairs, the occasional one creaking as it finds itself in use. And you make your way to one of the beds, the decoration was appealing to your eyes, the colours blend in a way you find breathtaking. Either organized and carefully placed, or carelessly strewn around a mix of many things, many stories. You fall down into the bed. It’s soft and comfortable, curving around you to give you the most support it can. Immediate the weariness of your travel’s wash over you and your eyes close.

When your eyes open you are refreshed, ready to take on the day. and you smile enjoying the songs of the birds outside. Light filtered in through the window, a bright day outside calls to you. You get off the bed, the hurry down the stairs. As you reach fr the door it opens, and a figure stands in the doorway, stopping as you appear in their many eyes. They blink, each eye blinking at a different time as it focusing you in it’s many pupils. Then they open their mouth, a soft welcome greeting rolling off it’s tough, around the few large round teeth that are embedded within it’s gums. They looks delighted to see you, and they extend a hand in a welcoming gesture. Before carefully making their way to the side, allowing you to pass by to where you were going. As you head out, they wave at you, a gentle smile on the Monster’s face. Overjoyed to see another new person. They like to make new friends after all.

The road starts to incline up. Gently turning to spiral around the mountain, It is a long walk up, and there are detours one can take t make it more direct, stairs for you to walk up if you chose, they span the entire mountain, you could find the path from anywhere on the mountain if you desired. to take the long path designed to allow those with wheels up, or the one of the many stairs to hike up the mountain. The choice is yours. Either way you are greeting to vast beautiful sights as you make your way up, a river that comes from the very peak of the mountain rush down the side, under various bridges built over them, perfect untouched clear water. Dipping your hand into it to take a sip, it is pure, fresh water. It returns your strength as is passes your lips. As you are about to leave you see a doll floating down. Luckily undamaged, but soaked by the water. the pastels blues and greens were untouched by the powerful liquid. You pick it up as it slowly passes your hands

It’s soft, yet strong. You examine it more closely and find places where it has gone dull, from time. It is obviously loved dearly.

It remains in your hand as you continue your climb. Under the soft trees, and around the gardens all scattered about, it’s filled with life, birds flutter arcs the tree tops, rabbits run from their holes, and bees buzz. You sit dfown for a rest on the side of the road, falling back onto the soft grass and flowers. Your head tilts up, and at the top of your sight you spot some glass, squinting your eyes you make out a window, and two curious eyes looking through it. They jump up, trying to get a better look at you and wave, big shiny eyes stare at you with excitement before jumping down from the window. A door opens from somewhere near by and a monster possessing two huge eyes on their head comes out, trotting on their bizarrely formed legs, They lacked a neck, infact they jade no joints whatsoever. In their hands was a glass of some yellow drink, the come to yoiur side and kneel down, offering you the beverage. Lemonade they tell you, as you take the glass and look at it with with curiosity. And you take a small sip. Which reveals that it was, infact, lemonade nice and cool, a perfect mix of sweet and sour. You smile graciously as you slowly drink the offered refreshment, and they look pleased, chubby cheeks smiling with lopsided teeth.

You talk with the Monster a little. and hold out the doll for them to see, they [pick up the doll and turn it over. remarking it’s a beautiful thing, but not theirs. They would like one like that though, so the person who lost is but be very sad. They hope you find the owner of it.

So you continue to walk up the mountain side, over the paved, worn paths, The gentle stairs. Everything was worn with many travellers, everything was carefully crafted, and lasting. There appeared to be no caretakers, and yet, it wasn't chipping.

And at last, the trees part, and bright blooms replace them. a bright vivid city coming to veiw. the light colours, soft as everything melt together to form a tapestry even from this distance. and you feel safe, even with no guards, even though you stand so close to the top of a mountain.

You know, You are safe. You have arrived at Haven. The capital of the entire monster empire. Out of all the continents, all the other rulers, this is where the head of all of them lies, this is where the royal family to whom every monster in the world heralds to.

You step upon the stone path, heading into the city, no walls surrounded it, only flowers. organized and cared for. A large monster knelt down into the bed, their back was to you, but you could see his orange and red hair, braided down his back, incredibly long. He has white fur with a few hints of yellow in the tips, and a pair of large horns, that curved back and then up, thick ridges evenly spaces out on the white horns.

He was large, and humming as he waters the flowers, stopping to let one rest in his hands here and there. You stop, staring at him. Despite his stature he was so clearly gentle, if you couldn't tell by the song bird lazily perched on his horn. You think about going up to him and addressing him, but you deside against it as a younger monster, which many visual similarite4s to him comes running up, laughing with their arms out to give him a large huge smile find its way onto your face as you see them embrace, and the larger one hold the monster over his head with glee and pride.

The both of them, so happy. You turn to head into the city.

A monster of slime, with gems glistening from the shimmering liquid nearly bumps into you, ten eyes suddenly open on the side near you and they change their course, ensuring to not disturb you with a gentle gurgle.

A ball of feathers comes rolling down the street, an eye occasionally visible. slowly rolling down and swerving around the two children that just darted in front of them, one covered in crystals, and the other looked to be made out of water. chasing a red bouncing ball.

A collection of basic shapes also walk down the streets, three paper bags filled with fruits, some exotic, and some you saw just last week, and bread in their arms. What appears to be their head turn to look as you as they pass, and they nod at you, perfectly aware of your location despite not having any obvious eyes. you smile and nod back. The scent of fresh bread filling your nose as they go by. they stop, turning towards you again, before a gentle repeating chuckle comes from them, it sounds distant, as if it was an echo. And they take one of the loaves of bread from the bag, and hands it to you. You try to refuse but they do not seem to care, placing the loaf upon your head as they turn and walk away.

You see a figure, a possessing a long tail curled around them lays, hunched away in a flower patch, head buried in their tail. And before you could start to approach another monster, a fluffy feather crest running down their back, and animal paws kneels down next to them, and even another, a skeleton plops down next to them, and they speak, they talk, you don't understand what about.

But as you watch the com[passion they are showing to this monster is clear. And slowly they help them to their feet, and start to walk among the flowers. The grieving monster already looking better. So you smile and walk away, assured they would be alright.

You find yourself coming upon a fountain, water being shot up into the air and coming down in careful formed, glittering drops that hit the crystal water with clear splashes. a melody only in the sound of water going up and coming down. as you head over to the fountain and lean over, you see something move in the fountain.

Your eyes. flash down, looking for whatever move. and before long a pink head peaks out at you, two increadibly long fins trailing of from their head, and a feather bread stretching far into the water. They smile at you,, pruple pearl eyes closing, and tiny sharp blue teeth opened to the air.

And then they turn and dive back down, splashing the cool water on you a little. And they vanish before you have any time to question them. No sign of them remains in the fountain, but as you stare into the water its clear that the fountain does not have a visible bottom.

It goes on for far beyond what you can see. You stick your hand into the water, it feels refreshing to your skin, the perfect temperature to cool you down. and as you remove your hand it looks much brighter than before, it feels much better even.

You dip your other hand into it, and the same happens, the aches you hand wishing away and all the grim vanishing. No sign of dirty in the water. Your tempted to take a sip of the water, feel this refreshing effect upon your entire body, down your chest. To feel much better with just a single sip of this cool clear water.

AS you leave the fountain, content with what you have seen today you start to look for a place to rest, you will be here a while and having a shelter over your head would be nice. it doesn't take long to find a place, a large wooden sign holding a moon and star hangs out. and you head in. seeing if this place would welcome you.

Bright light flickers inside, covering the many monsters and wicker chairs in a gentle flickering orange light. a fire sits in the far wall, humming peacefully.

a group of monsters, one large and wrinkly, with five arms, one small, frail, almost a skeleton, a couple of floating elementals of fire and earth, a small little goblin all sit at a table, laughing, their distinct laughs filling air with their joy, one of them opens their mouth and tells another joke, you cant help but to smirk at the bad pun as they all burst out screaming with laughter again.

A small fluffy monsters peeks over a table, needing to stand on their tippy toes to see the board game being played by the two monsters sitting comfortably at the table.

they move the brightly coloured pieces, faces furrowed with concentration, and yet they still gave enough attention to rub the little ones head.

your turn over to the counter, looking for so

Looking for someone, some monster to speak with to get a room.

A bright face greets you, two gleaming eyes and a mouth upon a floating head, there were clothes beneath it, although they seemed to move independently of them

A warm greetings rolls of their lips in an upbeat sing song. And you ask for a room and, the price of a meal.

They laugh as they spread their arms, reaching under the counter for a key.

They inform you that the first night and meal is free for any newcomers to the city. Courtesy of the King.

They drop they key in your hands, they lacked actual arms, merely floating hands mocking around. They tell you that they will have weeks special sent up to the room in a few hours. and they bid you a goodnight as you turn, having to stop as a four legged monster darts in front of you, barely coming to your waist. You see a hint of yellow and blue, but it moved too fast to make out any details.

you step up the stairs, the only sound they make as your feet hit the wood, is the steady click as your feet hit the ground, firm steps steady beneath you.

You head into the door, who's symbol matched the one inscribed on the key the innkeeper gave you, a simple spiral is engraved on the metal key, however the door is more elaborate, colours swirling around it, and gems in the wood of the door.

You notice the door lacks handle, and your key lacks anything to open a lock. On a guess you reach your hand out and try to push the door open, the spiral on the key and on the door starts to glow, it lasts but a few moments, before fading. and the door opens with the lightest touch of your hand.

You head into the room, locking around at what you have been generously provided with. the far wall has a large window, allowing the darkening sky to pour the last rays of light into your room. the draippings were of a bright colour, and imagery embroidered flawlessly onto them

to the side and below the window sits a large bed.

The bed is soft, curving to fit your form as you lie into it, as as you feel the pillow the gentle feathers within it are made clear. Two blankets are provided, a warm, fluffy one, always soft to the touch, and a larger, firm, quilt lay folded resting at the foot of the bed. each where made carefully by hand, and the pictures told of ancient myths.

a vanity stand rests on a adjacent wall. In the topmost drawer waits a brush, with firm but soft brisles on a polished wood handle, A comb of just as high quality, polish which upon inspection poses an image of shiny scales, a jar of cream which shows an image of hide. Each item was fresh, not a hair bent out of place, and jar packed fully with no intents, the polish full to the brim.

The rest of the drawers were empty.on a stand in the corner of the room was a large pot of water, and a cloth sitting next to it.

the last thing in the room was an empty shelf... no not empty, a single row holds a some books of different subject materials, and a lounge chair next to it, a single magenta colour, and soft, you sink into it. the books are in easy arms reach for you.

As you lean back into the bed you see out the window, at the fading light, the twilight taking over. you see many monsters usher their children in. but at the same time you see more monster leaving their homes, wide awake. small ones jumping to the roof as the sun falls, ready to go.

Your eyes start to close, and before you know it you've drifted off to sleep.

#FUDGE EDITING THIS MAYBE INA YEAR OR SO HA #long post #3000 words guys 3000 words #ugh #undertale #fanfiction

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creativedivias · 5 years ago

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Pastel Easter Eggs, Bunny Rabbits Return Address Label

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chuckimation · 7 years ago

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Discovery: Process Pt 1 of 3

The Illustration Master Class is an annual, week long, intensive illustration workshop held in Amherst Massachusetts. Organized by Rebecca Leveille Guay, the event provides the opportunity for those wishing to develop and learn as illustration artists (such as myself) to study and explore creating illustration art with some of the most illustrious illustrators working today.

I attended the IMC for the first time last summer and decided (as many participants do) to return. I had a better idea as to what to expect this year - and knew it would be an intense and exhausting experience.

Isaacius and the Snake: The illustration I created at last year’s IMC

The event actually begins about one month before the trip to Amherst College. The participants receive Prompts; illustration problems from which you can select to address in the illustration you create during your week’s time at the IMC. Participants are asked to select a prompt and create one to four thumbnails exploring possible visual solutions.

Required for ALL Focus Groups [students select a focus group when registering, 1a is the narrative traditional illustration (my selection), 1b is narrative digital illustration, and 2 is the Gallery group]:

Come to class with 1-4

concept sketches for the crit wall on day one. These thumbnails by Greg Manchess are a good representation of what we

would like to see for concept sketches: a clear border for the piece, clear gestures and shapes, and an indication of the overall value scheme.

Creating multiple sketches helps to flesh out your concept from different angles and will give the faculty members a selection from which they will center their critique around the concept with the strongest potential.

There were quite a few prompts provided; I selected two to explore, but also pursued thumbnails revolving around a story I am creating - as the IMC also allows participants to set aside the prompts and work on a personal project. The prompts I explored included:

1) From Irene Gallo (Art Director: Tor Books)

Mystical Discovery / Remnants of Ancient Culture

Fantasy or science fiction.

A single person or group comes across a mystical place. It could be an ancient temple or half buried structure (fantasy or alien structure on a

planet), a magical beast, or even the landscape itself (a particularly impressive waterfall, tree, etc.) The idea is to create a sense of wonder and/or a setting with an ancient past unknown to our characters.

2) From Cynthia Sheppard (Art Director: Magic: The Gathering)

These are hypothetical Magic: The Gathering card art assignments.

Art Title: Woodland Summoner

Size: 3334 x 2449 pixels / W: 53mm x H: 40mm • Sketch Due: 6/12/2017 • Final Due: 6/18/2017

Art Description:

Setting: Nonspecific

plane.

Color: Green creature

Location: Deep in a forest

Action: We see a male elf shaman raising a wooden staff in some kind of summoning ritual. The head of the staff is carved to look like a stylized animal's head, and its “eyes” glow with green magic. On either side of the elf, forest creatures are emerging perhaps

a wolf, a stag, a wild boar up to you. All the creatures’ eyes glow with the same green magic, as though they’re under the shaman’s control.

Mood: “All the forest is my protection"

Focus: The elf

Notes: Elves in Magic have taken many appearances depending on their plane of origin since this isn’t set on a specific plane, pointy ears are the only requirement the rest is yours to design.

3) Ambush The piece designed to illustrate a moment from the story I am writing is captured in the following text:

Lucky and Jinx had found their father. The signal fire that had drawn Patch’s attention lit the glade, shadows leaping as the flames danced. Their dad, sword extended in both hands, stood back to back with Patch and two other armed rabbit warriors. On the ground, another rabbit lay motionless. The rat the boys had followed through the wood joined another, very large rat, and two goblin warriors (one walking with a noticeable limp) encircling their father and his companions. The rabbits were in trouble.

I like to sketch in Procreate with my Apple Pencil on my iPad Pro. I set the background color to a neutral brown, sketching with a darker brown and white. I sketch with various Procreate brushes, predominantly using the HB, 6B, and Pastel Chalk tools.

Not knowing which direction my work may progress (my initial sketches changed dramatically after the first day of critique last year), I still decided to shoot reference in preparation for the week. Even with the substantial changes made the year before, the reference imagery I had prepared served my very well. I shot a lot of reference for each prompt and for each of the thumbnails.

One of the ideas was situated on a quiet, reflective body of water. I built a clay model and shot the image set on a mirror.

I built reference for the rats and rabbits.

I also gathered inspirational imagery, stills from films and inspirational art. I am only displaying a very small selection of the reference imagery I created and collected here.

I printed the three sets of thumbnails to pin up during the critique. In advance of the IMC week, we were asked to sign up to have our work critiqued by select faculty groups. Last year I had registered with Greg Manchess, Irene Gallo, and Mike Mignola. This year I elected to receive Critique from Donato Giancola and John Jude Palencar, figuring it would be good to mix it up a bit. The faculty spend time with everyone during the week, so I knew I would receive feedback from both Greg and Irene as the week progressed.

Ready for the week, I packed up my resources, supplies, clothes, etc. and boarded a plane for the east coast!

To be continued!

Tools Used:

iPad Pro

Apple Pencil

Procreate app

Canon Rebel SL1

Discovery Pt 2 can be found here. Discovery Pt 3 can be found here.

by Chuck Grieb

#imc #illustrationmasterclass #fantasy #Illustration #kidlitart #process #gardenclan #chuckgrieb

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