20. Fairy tale Part V

Anise was too confused to answer or do anything, but she somehow found her hand in his, and she was being guided across the dance floor. And in the way that dances go, she felt as if something in her heart moved. And she felt that she had perhaps fallen in love with him.

And after, they married and Anise started another garden on the palace grounds. However, she still kept her old garden and people still came to her to buy the beautiful blooms. And the flowers still spoke to her and gave her advice whenever she needed and sometimes when only they thought she needed it.

And they lived happily ever after.

The Challenge:
A girl with white hair, ice cold blue eyes and a gun called “The Moon.�

Create a character template. So give her a name, a personality, a history, make her into someone that I can have a conversation with and believe I’m having a conversation with her. And expect me to come up to you and have demand to have a conversation. Please avoid Mary Sues and flat characters. ^^

Her name is Mistraal. She is the only daughter among the many sons of Lord Hier, the great ruler of the seventh tallest peak in the Zero Range. He would be ruler of the tallest, however, the six tallest peaks were found to be inhabitable.

Her brothers are fiercely protective of their baby sister even though she was one of those girls who were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. In fact, it was she who often looked after her brothers--not usually in the ways of fighting for they would never stand for that, but she was more aware of the dangers from intangible weapons.

She loved shooting. She had followed her brothers every week to the shooting range to watch. Her brothers found her amusing and taught her. She learned quickly, and for her sixteenth birthday her favourite brother told her he would give her the moon if she shot it. She laughed at him and shot it easily, and he gave her her cherished "Moon."

RANDOM - My Own

I've found myself to actually prefer the company of my own than the better known company of the perhaps center group. The popular crowd seemed too flighty. They were always of a one track mind that I seldom followed. We just had too little to converse on, and their ways didn't match with my own.

I like my own, and they like me. I don't mind the others, but I'm not sure if they care for me. That's the other thing about those people. It's hard to tell. I mean, they're more readable in some ways, but harder in others. And they seem to always joke when I seem to joke less often.

It could also be the environment--the circumstances--the situation. If I weren't to have met them in a place where I must act and be polite and proper, perhaps we would like each other better. However, I have come upon them in this environment and while my nature is like so.

I would like to like them. I would like to hang out with them. I would like to be close to them. However, I wouldn't enjoy it. I would kill myself out of boredom. For although they are nice people, we simply do not share many of the same interests. We are truly opposite ends of the spectrum.

And the girls are the worst. I can stand the boys. I can talk to the boys. The girls are just so... flighty. And where I can stand the boys normally, I can't stand the boys when they're with the flighty girls because the girls seem to change the boys and convert them to flightiness too. However, on their own, the boys are fine. But the girls seem to infect everything that they come into contact with.

Except for mine and my own. We are safe from that power's effects but still do suffer the experience of the results.

And thus is why I prefer my own.

RANDOM - Bitter Part I

It's always been our grade's joke that we were bitter--not closet romantics as we were so christened by our favourite english teacher (which is saying something since our class didn't take well to many teachers). We've been called cynics and worse things.

Another teacher remarked that we were the smartest grade there at the time according to test scores and whatnot. However, she immediately followed that compliment up with "when you have too much up here," she gestured to her head, "you don't have much down here," she gestured to her heart. So she basically called us intelligent but heartless. Of course, she wasn't saying this to us--she wasn't that stupid. She was talking with someone else while another student from my grade happened to be there.

I didn't mind it before. In fact I was, in a way, proud to be a part of my grade. We bonded in our "bitterness." I knew I was something of a romantic back then, but I didn't really think I was bitter.

But within the year or so, I've begun to realize it really was the truth. And today I realized it anew.

RANDOM - Bitter Part II

I hate happy couples.

I didn't think that I did. I mean, I love them in stories and stuff, but I found out that I hate them in real life. Everyone's initial reaction is to go "awwww, how cute" or "I'm happy for you." Whereas my first reaction is "awww", but it's a rather bitter "awww." Like it's cute, but there's something ugly behind it.

And I hate myself for it. Why can't I just be happy for them? They're my friends. I love them both. They deserve this. What right do I have to take it away from them?

But I can't really help how I feel. I mean, I can control my actions, but I really can't do much about my emotions. What am I supposed to do? Turn into something completely apathetic?

As much as that was our class' other title, I don't think I could ever achieve that completely. It's true--we seem like we don't care about much. However, another teacher insightfully said that he didn't think it was that we didn't care at all--it was just that we needed to find something to care about. I believe he was right.

The problem is that I haven't found something to really care about yet. I mean, yes, I love art. I love writing. I love my family. I love my friends. But it's somehow not enough.

I think the problem is that it's not true love.

RANDOM - Bitter Part III

They call it agape love. They say that's the way that God loves you. It's true. It's real. It's unconditional.

But I'm not feeling it.

And I know it's there. It's just that it seems like for some reason or another I have subconsciously put myself out of reach. I am the one at fault, and I could come running back home and be received with open arms. But for some reason I just can't turn around.

I feel like I need to be shown something, like I need to be pursued.

The hardest part about running away is knowing that you'll never come after me.

I need someone to come running after me. Like a literal person. I've always thought that I would fall in love and realize the nature of love and thusly be enlightened, but that may not be the plan. ...of course, it very well could be, and I'm just getting impatient, but I don't know.

It's just that the longer I'm without love, the bitterer I become.

And it feels like it's been too long.

aww, yes I agree with feelings, yet as being pursued sort of once, it is a bit of a pain, and enlightenment is a weird way to put it but yes it happens. By the way, in some ways I hate my couple, I am bitter about most romance to this day, even mine, if you haven't noticed.

I am impatient to, but it is something that we can be together, I am not patient at all. In the end you'll understand the twistedness i have become because of the bitterness you feel, as do I.

Now off to write a drabble as response

RANDOM - Love me not (This is strange. It's another poem. I don't write poems. I don't write love poetry for goodness sake! I don't know what's happening~~~~! >_<)

Love me not
For I am not worthy of a passing glance.
I do not deserve a moment of your time.
I cannot catch your attention.

Love me not
For I am not as good as you could get.
I am less than her--less than them.
I cannot ever measure up.

And oh, lover!

Love me not
For I am far too desperate.
It is not right nor is it healthy.
To love me would put me on overdose
And I would die.

Love me not
For this feeling of craving
Is what drives me in this love.

Were you to love me
This gaping hole in my heart
Would disappear.

And the love would be gone.

RANDOM - Obsession and Beauty Part I

Suddenly the world seems colorless. Suddenly my previous pastimes seem foolish, and my work feels empty. Everything not to do with you is purposeless. It leads me to ask the question of why I am I pursuing it when you are not a part of it. Life without you seems almost wrong.

It was too quick--this obsession of mine. A few days ago I would seek my solace in writing in friends, and not I seek it in you. It's not very healthy--not healthy at all.

But it's a passing thing--for sure. I can't love you like this forever. It's not even love. It's simple infatuation. Unreal. Impossible. Truly nothing could ever come of it for you are not even real.

It's silly--this obsession of mine. I really need to stop obsessing over characters and unreachables. They can never ever be mine and so much disappointment--even if it's expected--must do something to the psyche. Hey, it could explain the bitterness.

Not that being bitter over something you knew you could never have is very reasonable or logical, but oh well. It happened anyways. It's simply my irrational way.

It's crazy--this obsession of mine. It's driving me to do things I would never do. It's almost like love in that sense. Never did I think I would be doing this for the sake of a pretty face.

RANDOM - Obsession and Beauty Part II

But ah, Beauty, that one has had me in her grasp for a long time. There is very little that I wouldn't do for a pretty face--if only the pretty face would ask. Luckily, I'm usually never approached by the pretty face, and so my slavery to my mistress remains unknown. But oh, were one to find out, I could be so terribly manipulated.

Of course, the manipulator would have to either have a pretty face or be also manipulating someone else with a pretty face. ...and those with pretty faces generally don't take interest in me. I dare to dream that a pretty face will notice me, but follow a friend's philosophy that good looking people only end up with other good looking people, and that the rest of us wander around in the background like goons. I am a goon. No, I don't believe that I'm a pain to look at, but I don't belong in the category of good looking people who belong with other good looking people.

And that is the very sad part of being a slave to the mistress Beauty. I am doomed to forever love her children and never allowed to touch. Such is misery business.

RANDOM - Obsession and Beauty Part III

And this slavery to this mistress makes me feel wretched. It's something that I can't help. I am unwittingly drawn to Beauty like a moth to a flame and I can't stop it--even though I know the flame will burn me, even though I know that there are safer sources of warmth out there that aren't so bright and scalding. It's just an attraction that I can't control. I love beautiful things, beautiful people. I love to admire them.

And I cannot help but covet those things bright and shun those things dark. I know that there could be hidden lights in the dark, but Beauty has made me shallow. First impressions affect me strongly. And the very first glance can determine everything.

There's a theory that it is so for everyone, whether you believe in Beauty or not. Good looking people get hired for jobs with less exertion than not so pretty people. It's just that it's hard to get past the exterior, and when the exterior's nice, it puts one at ease. Pretty people have it a lot easier.

Of course, it's not a rule that pretty people are better; it's just that as humans, one is more inclined to like the prettier person at first glance.

This is so for me but on a more extreme level. I fall for Beauty--not the person. It is as if features are my muse and I become inspired. I understand why there are so many poems praising the virtues of a person's looks and not necessarily their personality--Beauty is seductive. It is easier to fall for her in your love's stead.

The Challenge:
Create a World.

You must have these following things.
4 Citys (names, history, something about it, why people go there)
1 Species (other then humans. Preferably stay away from clichés like angels and demons and dragon people).
3 Holidays (again, be creativity don’t use Earth Holidays or similar Earth holidays, seasonal holidays excluded.)
1 Ocean
Time Era!
Anything else that makes this world unique.

Cities
Zero Range isn't the world. It felt like the world to Mistraal and those living in it. They were full of the power of ruling over an isolated place or sick with the misery of being locked in such an unforgiving land.

Thusly, it could be said the Zero Range is a world in itself. There are cities scattered about in the peaks and rulers of each. Mistraal's father rules the highest inhabitable peak. This is the greatest and wealthiest city of all the peaks, despite it's inaccessibility. There was a certain prestige to be gained by taking the highest mountain and surviving. Because of this, the people are revered and honored for their courage and endurance to live in such a treacherous place.

There are three more great peaks that garner honor for such hard living. And they do not lord their height over each other even though it is something that is sometimes done in jest, but they help each other out. There is a kinship between them--a brotherhood.

Seventh Peak deals with politics and the rulings of the mountains as well as some military issues. Eighth peak deals with the food--farming and the raising of animals as well as cooking. Ninth Peak deals with the bulk of military issues but could not lead a take over as it is dependent on the other peaks to survive.. There is no tenth peak city for the tenth peak is home to many strange and exotic creatures of the mountains. No one lives there. The Eleventh Peak is the last of the four great cities and deals with trade and the outside world.

Of course, there are fights and disagreements between the four, but the skirmishes never last long for hard living forces compromise.

The Challenge:
Create a World.

You must have these following things.
4 Citys (names, history, something about it, why people go there)
1 Species (other then humans. Preferably stay away from clichés like angels and demons and dragon people).
3 Holidays (again, be creativity don’t use Earth Holidays or similar Earth holidays, seasonal holidays excluded.)
1 Ocean
Time Era!
Anything else that makes this world unique.

World
Zero Range is the most desolate mountain range in Tier. Tier is a fallen world. If one were to look at it hanging in space, one would see something like a doughnut with the middle part floating below it. Tier is the middle part. The upper part, which doesn't really have a set name, is said to be where the angels reside and a better place, but no one really knows because no one can get there. However, the "angels" have been known to visit.

There is a waterfall that feeds the circling river the runs on the inner edge of Upper Tier and flows to create another circling river on the outer edge of Lower Tier. The water then falls down from Tier and goes to who knows where. The water source and ending are unknown.

The Challenge:
Create a World.

You must have these following things.
4 Citys (names, history, something about it, why people go there)
1 Species (other then humans. Preferably stay away from clichés like angels and demons and dragon people).
3 Holidays (again, be creativity don’t use Earth Holidays or similar Earth holidays, seasonal holidays excluded.)
1 Ocean
Time Era!
Anything else that makes this world unique.

Species
Of course, the inhabitants of Upper Tier aren't really angels. The people of Tier simply think of them in a similar manner for they do things that they cannot. These people of Upper Tier are human as you and I but for one difference.

They have the power of believing. There is the saying that if you believe in something enough, it will come true. This is, of course, not always the case. A human can try to believe that he will sprout wings and fly away and it will never happen. However, it would happen for a believer.

There is a balance to their powers, of course. Otherwise, their world would simply be destroyed with all of the selfish desires taking reign. It would soon reverse and become the fallen world were it not kept it check. There are two things that hold the believers down--the strength of heart and the lack of imagination.

These people cannot simply believe something like the world being destroyed and have it come true. It takes something out of you--your heart--your soul. These things need to exist and work in order for it to work. There is also the fact that these people, although they have extraordinary powers, do not have overly active imaginations. Of course, every so often the world is gifted--or cursed--with one who has the ability to dream and great things happen, but believers do not usually dream. They are content with their lives and are a calm people.

They are not immortal, but they have extended life spans. No one is quite sure why, but it was most likely the wish of some believer long ago.

The Challenge:
Create a World.

You must have these following things.
4 Citys (names, history, something about it, why people go there)
1 Species (other then humans. Preferably stay away from clichés like angels and demons and dragon people).
3 Holidays (again, be creativity don’t use Earth Holidays or similar Earth holidays, seasonal holidays excluded.)
1 Ocean
Time Era!
Anything else that makes this world unique.

Holidays
In Zero Range there are few holidays but more than one would expect of the cold, haughty country. The reasoning behind that was that holidays increased morale and made life more bearable. Thus, rulers declared more holidays in hopes of lightening the mood of the people.

There is, of course, the holiday of harvest and the holiday of delivery. Since the peaks rely upon each other for some of their food source, they celebrate the day that their food is harvested on their own peak and on the day that they receive the food delivery from Eighth Peak.

And then there are holidays of victories. These are local to each peak for they are often of triumphs over the other peaks. There is usually one for each moon cycle. The rulers found that having something to look forwards to with each cycle made the people happier. Of course, they weren't huge holidays. They were just called special, and sometimes just that made the day more bearable.

The Challenge:
Take the Girl you made a character template for and the world you just created. Make a storyline.

DO NOT WRITE THE STORY
Rather show me how you’ll plan it. Where do you start? Big Events? Small events? Minor characters? Scraps? Scenes? In order? By chapter?

Storyline Part I - it's just there in chronological order. I think it's pretty comprehensive.

The peaks were once a prosperous place to live, and although the living was rough at times, they got by. Suddenly, nature takes a turn for the worse and crops fail and animals die. It's a bad time.

Mistraal's father, once wise and though a bit egotistic was reasonable and fair, is now desperate. His sons are nervous and become more and more overprotective of their baby sister. Mistraal is oblivious to the politics of it all until her father has arranged a marriage for her.

She's outraged. She refuses to marry. She especially refuses to marry the outsider--a man not even born of the peaks. He would never understand her ways. He would make her become "lady-like" and have her stop shooting and give up her beloved Moon.

The favorite older brother is the only one who understands and takes pity upon her. He helps her escape and flee to the ninth peak where she lives in disguise for awhile.

She is able to successfully enter their military academy and become trained in their ways. She befriends Cade, the son of the Peak's ruler. Of course, he eventually finds out who she is, and he tells her he'll let her leave before he tells his father. It's not that he wants to expose her but he is duty bound. She understands and flees.

Storyline Part II

She doesn't know where to go after that. She doesn't particularly want to go to the eleventh peak--they're almost as bad as outsiders with all those people coming and going from other lands.

She ends up wandering around the mountains, barely surviving on what she finds. She puts everything she learned from the military academy to good use.

She goes to the tenth peak, not knowingly and out of desperation for shelter. She meets a hermit who has taken refuge there. She stays with the old woman for awhile and helps her. The two live in peace for awhile.

During the time, Mistraal learns the old woman's trade. She works with the animals of the mountain. There are great beasts like horses but with thick whip-like tails like serpents and armor on their bodies. The woman has trained these formidable beasts and has taught Mistraal the same. In the Eleventh Peak, she told Mistraal, these beasts are caught and sold as exotic creatures. It is a great crime but is overlooked because there's such a great profit to be made. However, they are dangerous creatures, so trainers like the woman were employed. The woman could not stand the treatment of the creatures and so left with a her herd and took to the mountains.

However, Mistraal begins to get restless. She can't stay here forever. She tells the old woman this. The woman does not argue the idea. Instead, she makes a gift to Mistraal of the pheo that had become particularly attached to the girl. She knows that Mistraal would never sell the creature and would care for her like her own child.

Storyline Part III

Having nowhere else to go, Mistraal heads to the Eleventh Peak for although she was raised to distrust outsiders, the woman had told her great tales of the place. She became curious and her curiosity overrode her initial attitude of the place.

She entered riding her pheo and caused quite a spectacle for apparently such things were not done with such dangerous beasts. It was a whole new world to experience for her.

She becomes a trick rider with her pheo in a attraction show to earn her living. She gains a following and many admirers. Mistraal takes none for although she has grown up in body, her mind had not yet followed.

But then her pheo sickens. She fears that it misses its herd and free and wild life. She sympathizes with it, knowing all to well what the feeling of being caged is like. She releases it and ensures that it's able to get out of the city free.

She could always be a trick shooter at the attraction show, but it begins to bore her. It doesn't seem quite right without her companion. She leaves and works as a bartender. She is happy for the springs she spent at Eighth Peak learning how to do all the flair tricks of bartending because it saved her from becoming one of the barmaids with nothing between her and the drunken customers and a skirt. This way she at least had a counter as well.

Storyline Part IV

Bartenders hear lots of things. They get to listen to lots of stories and advise people. Mistraal wasn't so good at these things. She could listen and give reasonable advice but it wasn't her thing. She was better at putting on a flashy show with the flames and the juggling of liquor bottles.

But there was this other guy, Seth, who was just the opposite. He was alright at flair bartending but was the one everyone wanted to talk to. He had and easy nature and just made one feel at ease. There was a certain air of charisma that he possessed that attracted Mistraal, and she soon found herself like the others, pouring out her secrets to him.

And he listened to her and told her some of his. He became her first love and through him, she began to realize that she had been a selfish, sheltered little girl of the mountains. She realizes there's much more to the world than just the peaks and decides that she wants to see all of it.

She tells this to Seth, and he encourages her. He says but she must first listen to one last secret of his.

Storyline Part V

He had always been the black sheep of his family. They were of power--merchants--and nearly ruled the city. Few knew and those who knew him didn't care. He didn't want them to. He didn't want to be a merchant. He wanted to become a philosopher. Of course, his family didn't approve and had forbidden him to become such. So out of spite, he became a bartender. It actually wasn't that far off the mark. He would listen to people's thoughts and whatnot. A few years ago, his brother had been promised to a girl in the higher peaks. The girl had run away. The father had been furious and promised to find the girl and still give her to the family. It would be a prosperous alliance, so they waited. However, Seth's older brother died. The offer then transferred to Seth who politely refused. Of course, his answer had been garbled by his family and become an agreement to the Lord of the Seventh Peak.

Mistraal doesn't know what to say. She likes him. He was her first love. She feels like she could tell him anything, but she still feels like she isn't quite ready. She tells him so and that she would give him an answer when she returned. He agrees to wait, and she sets out to see the world...

End Volume I

The Challenge:
Write first chapter/prologue/paragraph of your story now.
Lure me in, get me interested! Have me demanding you to tell me more!

Part I

Bang!

The sound of the gun startled Mistraal. That was strange in itself because although Mistraal was only a child of twelve on a shooting range, she had grown up around guns and in a cold world where she couldn't afford to be startled.

"Hey Misty." It was one of her older brothers. There were too many to properly remember them all, but they all remembered her because she was there one and only baby sister.

"Don't call me Misty." She put Moon back in its holster and leaned against the wall.

"Whatever, Mist, Dad wants you. He was in a mood."

She sighed. Her father seemed to be constantly in moods these days. The harvest was bad. The animals were getting sick. There were more skirmishes than they could afford. It was simply a bad time, and bad times made her father's temper short. She'd best hurry lest he complain of her tardiness.

* * *

The Challenge:
Write first chapter/prologue/paragraph of your story now.
Lure me in, get me interested! Have me demanding you to tell me more!

Part II

"No."

"Mistraal, you have no choice in the matter. I am informing you of your duty."

"I won't," she said stubbornly.

"I command you to do my will as your Lord and Father--"

"No!" It was the closest she had come to shrieking. She threw the word at his face and fled. She raced to her hidden hill and shot Moon in the air. Every shot fired was emotion released.

She couldn't marry. She didn't want to. She couldn't say she was too young because she could marry at this age. It's just that not many girls did. She didn't have anything against those who did and she might consider it if there were actually reason behind the alliance, but not this marriage.

The man wasn't of the Peaks. He was an outsider, some merchant. His family pretty much controlled the Eleventh Peak underneath the Lord there, but they were not local. They had come from somewhere else and settled there. They didn't know her ways--the Peaks' ways. They would expect her to become like one of their ladies and become docile, not shoot, and wear dresses.

And the dishonor...

Mistraal couldn't marry an outsider. It was like she had committed a disgrace and had been sentenced a punishment.

She sank down to her knees in the snow and looked at the crystal flakes with unseeing eyes. She couldn't marry him.

The Challenge:
Write first chapter/prologue/paragraph of your story now.
Lure me in, get me interested! Have me demanding you to tell me more!

Part III

"Mist?"

She turned around to see her favorite brother, Wolfe. She wasn't one for physical affection, but she leapt up and tackle hugged him around the middle.

"Woah, woah. What happened to my Mist?" He stroked her hair and embraced her back.

"It's unfair, Wolfe. Father wants to me to marry an outsider! I can't do it. I won't." She shook her head angrily.

"Shh. I know. I thought you would feel that way. That's why I'm going to help you."

She blinked. "How?"

"I'm going to help you escape."

RANDOM - What's between us. (Part I)

"You two are the same."

"You two bicker like a married couple."

"Are you guys gonna get married or something?"

"Alright, alright honey."

I swear nothing's there--nothing more than a friendship built over many years and a love like family. But none of it really matters. I have a history with you in this world of strangers, so what? I didn't really know you back then. I mean I knew who you were; I heard about you; I talked to you on some occasions; I hung out with you sometimes; but I never really knew you.

Yet other people seem to insist that we're a pair. Maybe we are. I don't know. But there's no way we could be. Not now at least. Neither of our hearts are free. Yours is with some one else, and mine is simply not ready. I know this. I'm not ready for anything like this. Honestly.

Of course, perhaps to only way to really learn is to just jump right in, but I don't feel very inclined to jump right now. I'm comfortable right here on my little ledge, looking down and not falling. Besides, if I were to jump now it would be pretty stupid, seeing as there are brambles over the garden.

I suppose I'll just have to wait.

Maybe I have one of those complexes of wanting what I can't have. It seems to happen often enough. ...and I lose interest as soon as it becomes available.

But the weirdest thing is your slip of tongue sometimes. I don't know if it's done out of sarcasm or a Freudian slip. It just confuses me. I don't know what to think about it. Perhaps I'm overanalyzing. I most likely am. You see it happen all the time, and then the girl finally works up the courage to ask the guy what he's talking about; and then the guy is like what the heck are you talking about? I was just telling you that I wanted you to close the door because it was cold! I don't know what you're talking about!

Yeah. I'm probably overanalyzing things.

But other people have said things, and it just makes me wonder. Are they seeing something that I'm not? I really do wonder what is between us.

RANDOM - The Perfect Couple Part I

You're not supposed to need each other. You're both supposed to be wonderful, self possessed people who are able to get along perfectly fine on your own.

What happens is that you just so happen to meet and find out that there is a whole different dimension beyond fine. It's crazy--extraordinary. You feel like you were walking on your own two feet and now you're flying. You don't need to fly, but now that you've flown, walking just isn't enough.

That's the way it's supposed to work.