Writing and Editing Commissions {Temporarily Closed!} - Page 15

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Writing and Editing Commissions {Temporarily Closed!}

#561 :: June 1st, 2012 @ 11:17 PM

is a Billionaire

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@ Here goes:

Pet #1 Hanes

Pet #2 Havisham

Pet #3 Souless

I'm going to go with three choices for now. I have another pet that I'm trying to figure out what format to go with on, so I'm going to hold back on putting her forward for right now. Let me know whomever you choose, or if you have any questions or need something else from me.

I can pay with whatever you want. I have pure/CSC/tokens/items.

#562 :: June 2nd, 2012 @ 12:37 AM

Is Lonely

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Hello, hello. Anybody out there?...
_______________________________________

@
Yay! I edited my first post! *7*

If it's too much, then can you just do an entire story on Vitran? Same tone/genre/price/wordcount :3

_______________________________________
...Cause I don't hear a sound.

#563 :: June 2nd, 2012 @ 4:36 AM

Has a Massive Family

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Aw, can I get a slot maybe? c: Will edit with details in a sec~

Alright, so you can choose between two options, my pet Katharina or Hendrik (both humans). They are a couple and I'm planning to have their stories be intertwined with Hendrik's story being the part where they meet and become a couple and Katharina's story taking place a few years later.

Hendrik

Character(s): Here is what he looks like as a quad and here is what he looks like as a human. Hendrik is a boy in his twenties who grows up in the Vienna of the 1860s. He's a bit of a shy, nerdy character with pale but heavily freckled skin, unruly black hair and a soft face and overall a quite lean built, probably an orphan. He has a soft spot for tea, elegant clothing, poetry and writing - and his english bulldog Charles. As I said, Hendrik would be tied in with my character Katharina, a common couple’s daughter who works as a florist together with her dad. She's a polite, sweet and down-to-earth girl, probably a bit naive, too, who believes that everybody has a good side (even if it's just tiny tiny) and loves everything bright and colourful, baking and floral summer dresses, actually everything flower-y. (She also owns a super adorable white kitty named Snowdrop who hangs around at the florist's too being all lazy, haha.)
For the story I was thinking:
One day, Hendrik comes to their shop to buy some flowers for a hat and they fall for each other at first glance. He comes more often then, only to see Katharina and have a little bit of shy small talk with her (he’s really really shy and blushes and stutters a bit when nervous, but Katharina thinks that's actually pretty cute). They spend more and more time together as he offers to help out with the flowers a bit (good trick there, haha!). They end up hanging around in the nearby village's poppy and lavender meadows kidding around and kissing for the first time. The end.
I'd love if you could put all that jazz in a sweet story (including info about their characters and interests and stuff if possible, I'd love if Snowdrop and Charles made an appearance, too.) and elaborate a bit more on how their love evolved and stuff (you know, like maybe their hands touch when they work with the flowers and it's all MAGIC MOMENT and deep glances and Hendrik sits at home and ponders if/how he should confess his love for Katharina and then what happens next before they end up kissingm in the meadows and whatnot. Something along these lines.)
Format: General creative story please.
Word Count: Hm, I don't know. Not too short but not overly long either... Maybe 1000 words as a maximum? I'm pretty flexible there, though, however much words you need to get the atmosphere across.
Tone/Genre: Slice of life but obviously with a romatic touch I think.
Other Information: You have a lot of artistic freedom there and can play around and add stuff and whatnot, whatever is needed to make it a nice and sweet story (:
Price: I'll be paying in sP.

Katharina

Basically both stories revolve around flowers and love and stuff, haha!

Let me know what you think and if you need anything/anything is unclear ♥

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

Last Edit by: plum 6/02/12 - 5:46:34 am

#564 :: June 2nd, 2012 @ 5:17 PM

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@Totodile @plum
I actually love writing intertwined stories, because I never do them for my own pets. I'm so excited! I was grinning so much when I read your post, Totodile.

Plum, I'm willing to write both, but if you want me to do just one, I think I'll do Hendrik's. Let me know what you'd like!

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#565 :: June 2nd, 2012 @ 5:18 PM

Has a Massive Family

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Oh, I'm glad you like the idea of intertwined stories (: You can go ahead and do both if you want, no problem!

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

#566 :: June 11th, 2012 @ 11:41 PM

Gets Around

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Hey there! Would you mind taking a look at this? Thanks! =)

Spoiler (click here to toggle)

The afternoon lunch line at the cafe wove its way from the front of the counter to the door. Revei shuffled in at the back behind the other listless office workers and the parents with lined faces. He yawned; the accounting office had kept him well past 2am last night, and by the way things were going, it seemed like he would have to stay late again tonight. As he half slept, half stumbled his way through the line, he did not notice the girl behind the counter until it was too late.

Revei inwardly cursed his luck as he approached her. There was no mistaking it, she was definitely Rachana. Quickly shoving the packet of balance sheets under his notebook, he rushed to think of a way to extract himself from the situation. There was nowhere close by to get lunch, and he had to be back at the accounting office in 30 minutes.

He stared at her for a moment; the girl in front of him looked so different from the Rachana that he had gotten to know for the past 6 weeks. Over Skype, she was beautiful, with silky hair and makeup that accentuated his cheekbones. In person, her hair was knotted and stuck out in ragged wisps from her bun. Her face seemed pale and sickly without her makeup. Revei glanced down at his own wrinkled shirt and dull tie. He wondered whether the real him was just as disappointing.

She looked up when he reached the front of the line. Her eyes widened, then quickly darted away. He stared at the menu, fiddling with the handle of his briefcase, very conscious of the balance sheets sticking out from his notebook. She did not look at him when she tossed him his sandwich. He left without a word.

-----------------------------------------

That night, Revei did not talk to Rachana. They did not talk at all for the next few weeks. Every afternoon, he walked into the cafe, bought his lunch, ate, and left. She took his order, gave him his sandwich, then proceeded to the next customer. They never once acknowledged each other. After all, they were practically strangers.

Revei leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes to try to stay awake. He had spent the day tracking down missing cash receipts so that he could fix the monthly ending budgets, but despite countless hours of spreadsheet calculations, the budgets still weren't right.

Normally on nights like this, Revei would spend an hour or so on Skype with Rachana. She would tell him stories about seeing the world from the windows of hitchhiked cars and broken down buses and he could imagine that he was far away from the cubicle and out climbing up the slopes of the pyramids, or sampling fruits in Brazil, or just walking with her through the cities and landscapes that he had always dreamed about.

They were matched on e-Harmony 6 weeks ago when, on a whim, Revei decided to make a profile. Only instead of being Revei, the almost 30 year old accountant who had never left his hometown, he created Peter, a children's book editor who lived in New York City and spent his weekends hitchhiking. Her profile said that she was a 26 year old named Rachana who worked as a travel blogger and was currently on a trip to France. Before that, she was supposedly volunteering in China, and before that, she was supposed to have been hiking through the Pacific northwest. He knew her as a modern-day Gary Snyder, a rogue explorer in a world that made accountants instead of artists.

Tonight however, with the harsh florescent lights throwing his cubicle into sharp relief and the reflection of his own weary eyes staring back at him from the computer screen, Revei could not see the Rachana that he had gotten to know. Try as he may, the only image in his mind was of the girl behind the counter of the cafe with her tired face and her knotted hair. And as the image of Rachana wrapping sandwiches in a stained apron seeped into his thoughts, he could not help but feel as if he had lost something.

---------------------------------

His 30th birthday was spent in the office, matching boxes of documentation records, checking pages of numbers, calculating incomes, matching assets with liabilities, going through pages upon pages upon pages of numbers. By the time Revei finally got on a bus back to his apartment, his mind was heavy and his eyes could barely stay open.

It was past 2am. Revei rested his head against the cool windows and let out a deep sigh. His body laid limp in the seats, the weight of his exhaustion finally overwhelming him.

"Happy birthday to me," he mumbled to himself.

"It's your birthday?" a voice came from a corner of the bus.

Revei looked towards the direction of the voice. It was the girl from the cafe, still wearing her work uniform, and slumped into the seat, just like him.

"You told me your birthday was in the summer," she continued. "You said that you were planning on going surfing down in Mexico."

Revei snorted. "Well you're supposed to be shopping the Champs-Élysées avenue in France right now."

She laughed, a quiet, tired laugh, then moved to sit next to him. "Fair enough," she said. "happy birthday."

"Thanks," he replied. He opened the latch on the bus window and they both sat there, silently enjoying the cool night breeze together.

"Did you just get out of work?" Revei asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Believe me, I'd rather be shopping in France, but I have a college loan payment due soon so..." she shrugged. "Here I am."

Revei smiled. "I understand that."

With the girl sitting so close to him, Revei could see every detail of the bags under her eyes and the tangled knots in her hair. She could clearly see the accounting papers in his hands and the complete lack of the tan he would've had if he actually surfed during the summers. On the front of her uniform was a large coffee stain from a spilled pot. Revei's leather shoes were worn and peeling.

For the first time, she was close enough for Revei to see her eyes, and he couldn't help but admit that they were much prettier in person.

She smiled at him. "My name is Rachel by the way."

"I'm Revei."

"It's nice to meet you Revei."

"It's nice to meet you too Rachel."

------------------------------------------
The Optimist Project

#567 :: July 7th, 2012 @ 7:08 PM

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I apologize for the delay, but I'm finally finished! How fun that, as I'm currently drowning in overtime at my work, your story is about someone doing the same.

I really enjoyed your story, and I didn't have very many corrections. I highlighted the changes I made in bold.

My rate is 1,000 sP per word, and at 1,087 words, that's 1,087,000. You can pay on lot #5327272.

Thank you!

Edited Version

ETA:
@Totodile @Disney @Haunted @plum
Hey, guys!

Right after I opened up commissions last time, I got put on mandatory OT at my regular job. I've been exhausted all the time, which isn't really your fault, so I don't mean it as an excuse for taking so long. It looks like I'm finally going to have the mandatory OT lifted at work, so I'm hoping to have your commissions start coming in through the next few weeks.

I just wanted to check in, though, and see if that still sounded okay with everyone. c:

Last Edit by: twocents 9/23/12 - 4:25:01 pm

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#568 :: September 23rd, 2012 @ 4:49 PM

Has a Massive Family

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Aw, no worries dear, don't stress yourself into finishing those, I'm perfectly fine with waiting ♥ I hope everything settles down a bit for you in the next few weeks!

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

#569 :: September 23rd, 2012 @ 7:29 PM

is a mall rat.

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That is perfectly fine

I am hurry and I completely understand :p

#570 :: September 23rd, 2012 @ 9:50 PM

is a Billionaire

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@ UGH OT! Hope you're not too exhausted. I know what that's like. Take all the time in the world. Hope things slow down for you soon.

One caveat. I've already finished two of those pets, so the only one still needing a story is Hanes. I hope this is okay?

#571 :: September 23rd, 2012 @ 10:01 PM

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@Haunted
I hope so too! Especially with holidays coming up soon. My motivation for spending any time at work is non-existent right now.

Not a problem! I made a note of it. c: Thank you for letting me know.

EDIT:
@Totodile
Finished your story! If you're happy with it, you can bid on lot #5476481. Please let me know if there are any changes that need to be made.

Spoiler (click here to toggle)

Gravel crunching underfoot. Drops of rain sliding down leaves.

It was calm. Quiet. Dark.

Just as Vitran liked it.

He was picking across the landscape. He had finished a gym, but wasn't sure where
he wanted to go now. He had no intention of taking on the Elite Four. Sure, the
women and the fame would be nice, but it seemed like it could all be such a hassle too.

Regardless of his lack of direction, he could find something entertaining. He was
good at doing that. Perhaps he could just spend some time doing some basic training with his Pokemon. He had been in the last city for quite some time. Before he had arrived in that city, he had heard that particular gym leader was a particularly attractive lady, so he wanted to be sure that his Pokemon were mind-blowingly impressive.

Smirking at the memory, he recalled those moments from the last few days. Mind blowing, indeed.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tree shake, just slightly. With the wind and the rain, most people wouldn't notice it. Vitran, however, had a feeling that the tree's movements weren't a result of natural elements. What if someone was spying on him?

What if it was a hot woman?

Better go investigate.

Crouching low to the ground, he picked his way over to tree. It hadn't moved in an atypical way since he saw it, so maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was just an animal. But if it was a person, he didn't want him or her to know that he was out here.

Keeping an eye on his surroundings, Vitran took care not to step on any twigs or piles of leaves. No noises. He ran his right hand over the pokeballs on his belt. His Scizor, Yoh, was behind him, but if they were attacked with fire, Vitran wanted to be ready and prepared to protect both of them. Yoh hadn't made a noise as he followed his owner; Vitran suspected that Yoh must have seen the movement too.

He was now just a few steps from the tree, and he crept around a nearby bush to be able to evaluate the situation more carefully. High up in the branches, he saw the well-concealed form of a body. It was good. Between the branches, wind, and rain, someone who wasn't specifically looking for this guy wouldn't be able to spot him.

The clouds moved slightly, and allowed the moon light to shine through better. A flash of red-streaked hair was revealed, and Vitran relaxed. He let out a loud, mirthless laugh, which turned into a real laugh when the startled form flinched.

"Ah, Extraxi, what are you hiding up there for?"

A barely audible curse word floated out and was lost to the wind. Vitran smirked and licked his lips, pleased with himself at managing to visibly piss of Extraxi. They ran in the same circle of friends, but weren't friends themselves. Extraxi, despite his unwillingness to speak to him in general, had made it no secret the extent to which he loathed Vitran.

It was funny.

He waited for a moment, but he realized that Extraxi wasn't going to climb down. After telling Yoh to hang out for a bit, he grabbed the lower branches, and he began to pull himself up into the tree. Extraxi may not like him, but Vitran was reasonably sure Extraxi wouldn't kick him out of the tree either. Not literally, anyway.

Once up high enough to get a view, he saw that Extraxi had carefully constructed his face into his usual mask: calm and unshakeable. If only that was truth.

"What are you doing up here? This isn't your usual haunt."

Extraxi unfolded his arms from his sweatshirt and pointed out in the distance. It wasn't a good angle, but he could make out the large trunk that marked Extraxi's normal spot. It must have been raining frequently in the area, because the trunk was mostly underwater. He grunted his acknowledgement of Extraxi's plight.

Suddenly inspired by this unexpected run-in, Vitran decided on what he wanted to do now. "Hey, where's Vero?" He could go hunt down another friend, and maybe that'd bring him in another region with another gym that he could take on. And ladies. Emphasis on the ladies.

Extraxi and Vero were good friends, and while Vitran and Vero had a somewhat antagonistic relationship, Vitran knew that Vero enjoyed rubbing their friendship in Extraxi's face. Perhaps it should say something about what kind of person he was if his circle of friends enjoyed irking each other on such a frequent basis, but Vitran didn't want to analyze the situation that much.

Since he had asked a direct question, he swung his legs lightly while he waited. Extraxi loathed speaking in general. It was just a bonus for Vitran that Extraxi couldn't address the question without speaking.

Extraxi made a grunt of annoyance, and said quietly, "Helping Caedos out." Grabbing the trunk, he stood up, and Vitran followed his moves. He gestured out, and amongst the rain, they were able to spot faint lights from a town. "They’re meeting there."

"Ah, well, thanks pal." He clapped Extraxi on the back and laughed when Extraxi bristled at the contact. With an easy leap down out of the tree, Vitran gestured at Yoh to follow him, and left without another glance back. He knew it would only annoy Extraxi further; demonstrating how little he cared about Extraxi beyond his ability to supply information solidified their standing with each other.

Life's little pleasures, eh?

Vitran and Yoh picked their way through the rest of the forest without much difficulty. Very few people enjoyed the dark, rainy solitude like Extraxi or Vitran did. No one else was out and about.

They came out into a back alley of the town and Vitran sighed. Even though it was a tight-knit little community, it was much larger than it had looked from a distance. If Vero was helping Caedos out -- never a savory proposition -- then they wouldn't be anywhere obvious. There were, however, too many hideouts in a town of this size.

The alley emptied out onto the main street of the town, and Vitran nosed his face down into his scarf. Being under the street lights made him uncomfortable. He wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and he rather preferred observing people than potentially being under their scrutiny. It didn't matter who "they" actually composed of. He didn't want to be watched without his knowledge by anyone.

Just as the forest was empty, the town’s streets were mostly empty too. People were inside, keeping cozy and warm with their family in consideration of the weather. Yoh seemed uneasy, though. The Scizor was his first Pokemon, and Vitran trusted him without question. He turned toward Yoh to see if he could discern the problem and made a startled squeal instead.

"Don't do that!" he hissed while Vires laughed.

"Aw, did I scare you?" Vires smirked at him, while Vitran mentally kicked himself for allowing someone to surprise him like that.

"It's been a while," Vires said, walking away from Vitran. Vitran was forced to do an awkward skip-run to catch up, while Vires continued, "What have you been up to?"

Now this was something Vitran was good at. He put on his best smirk, and launched into a detailed description of his last couple weeks, finally ending with, "Ah, the ladies, man. Those ladies."

"Really? And that's the last thing you did before wandering into this town?"

"Yup, just trying to figure out where I want to go now."

Vires made a sarcastic "hmm" sound, and Vitran rounded on him. "What?"

"Extraxi texted me. Are you sure your story wasn't embellished a bit?" He chuckled lightly. "'Those ladies, man!'" His sarcastic imitation of Vitran made him laugh harder, and he stop while he doubled up in laughter.

"I- he- it-" Vitran stammered. He snorted angrily and righted himself. "He was not worth mentioning, and I embellished nothing."

"Yes, you're certainly known for your consistent honesty." Vires clapped Vitran on the shoulder, and he flinched. "That was a good laugh.

"Anyway,” he continued, without further acknowledging Vitran’s annoyance, “I heard what you were here for. Let's go inside and meet up with the others."

Vitran realized they had been led off of the main street to a quiet house that looked as if it had been carved into the hill. It was certainly unusual in design, but the design would allow the house to go unnoticed easily, especially on a dark, rainy night like tonight.

They went inside, and Vires picked his way through the dark house. There was no furniture, which was a bit unusual, but Vitran just chalked the whole situation up to Caedos being a bit unusual in general. At the back of the house, they entered a small room, lit only by a single oil lamp. Inside, they came upon Caedos and Vero talked in low voices.

"Knock knock!" Vires said cheerfully. "Look who I found sulking in the night."

Caedos nodded in acknowledgement, and Vero smiled at him. After his unpleasant conversation with Vires -- why did that smug jerk always have to be right?! -- Vitran was considerably cheered to come across a friendly face.

"Caedos got a promising lead on..." Vero let his voice trail off. Everyone in the group knew of Caedos's personal tragedy, but while Caedos was still investigating his parents' death, they wanted to keep it quiet. Caedos could be in a very dangerous position if anyone else knew what he was investigating.

"What? No smart comment?" Extraxi's low voice came in, and Vitran flinched slightly. Damn it, allowing people to startle him twice in one night.

He glared to show his displeasure, but left it at that. It was fun to pick on each other, but there was a line, and mocking Caedos's parents' death certainly crossed it. He didn’t want to risk even being accidentally misunderstood on that point.

Extraxi returned his glare, and addressed the others. "I saw something strange. It may be what you were looking for." He nodded at Caedos. Knowing how much Extraxi despised being around people and talking, if he went to this effort, it must be important.

Vero stepped forward and took the lead. Caedos, if it was at all possible, spoke even less than Extraxi did. Extraxi would at least address the situation if it was important or otherwise unavoidable. Caedos spoke to Vero and no one else, regardless of the circumstances.

"Let's go," Vero nodded at Vitran. "I'll fill you in on the way."

Caedos snuffed out the light, gathered their materials, and silently, they swept out into the streets.

Not exactly the “entertainment” Vitran was looking for, but he wasn’t going to walk away now.

Certainly, they were an awkward bunch of friends. But, for now, they had a job to do. In the dark, amongst the rain, they would put aside any differences. With a grim determination, they would handle it. Get in, get out, and leave no trace.

In the morning, the rain would drip quietly on nothing.

Last Edit by: twocents 12/09/12 - 5:39:48 pm

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#572 :: December 9th, 2012 @ 5:36 PM

Is Lonely

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Hello, hello. Anybody out there?...
_______________________________________

@
I LOVE. SO. SO. SO. VERY MUCH ;u;

You captured their characters zomfg, so well. /sobbing
I LOVES.
I offered!
P.S - do you mind if I change "Scyther" to "Scizor"?

_______________________________________
...Cause I don't hear a sound.

#573 :: December 9th, 2012 @ 5:38 PM

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@Totodile
I'm glad you're happy!

And of course! Gah, I'm so sorry. I had even originally had it as "Scizor" and then glanced at your charahub and wondered how I got it wrong and changed it to Scyther. ;_;

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#574 :: December 9th, 2012 @ 5:59 PM

Is Lonely

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Hello, hello. Anybody out there?...
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@
Totally fine!

And yesss I be happy! *7*

_______________________________________
...Cause I don't hear a sound.

#575 :: December 23rd, 2012 @ 7:43 PM

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This is STALKer territory.

@Haunted
Hanes's story is done. Please let me know if you'd like any changes. If everything looks good, you can pay on lot #5490764.

Thank you!

Hanes

Trumpets kick off the tune, and the rest of the players follow in a cheerful, loud, big band song.

A spotlight turns its attention toward the sultry lounge singer. Her husky voice accompanies the music, and no one can take their eyes off the stage.

Hooded eyes. Smokey lids. Deep red lips. A flush creeping up her neck as she sings. Small details that captivate and hold the audience.

And no one else can breathe.

The song ends with a low, rich note, and she leaves to prepare for the next act.

And everyone watches her leave the room.

Stories of the lounge are imprinted on the singer’s clothes. Hidden in a dress covered with pearls, among the shimmers in a glittery gold piece, beneath the sleek black feathers. Memories captured just as much as the scents of smoke, alcohol, and perfume.

And beneath the shiny dresses all of her secrets are stored. Tonight, she bares them in a pair of red sheer stockings. Pushing her toes in, she pulls the thin fabric up to meet her lacy black panties. The stockings are then hooked into a pair of black leather garters that, with the slit on her dress, are sure to show. Secrets indeed.

The drums begin to beat out the starting notes of the next tune: a seductive, effortless number. Time to go.

Strutting her way onto the stage, she swings her hips slowly, rhythmically with the music.

And everyone watches her enter the room.

It’s a slow dance song, and with the size of the room, with everyone holding their breaths, she doesn’t need the microphone to be heard. Moving slowly around the room, weaving in between tables, she loses herself in the song.

Her hands twist overhead as the she completes a musical run. Her feet glide across the floor as she holds on a particularly long note.

Is there anyone in the room anymore? It doesn’t matter. It’s just her. Her and her secrets. Holding tightly against her body as her stockings show under her skirt, her garter peaks out as she twirls. On display for everyone, but no one knows what they mean.

Captivated by her energy, the ease in which she has lost herself in the music, no one is searching for the answers to her secret questions.

And no one else can breathe.

The song closes out, and everyone lets out a collective exhale. Understanding hits them as they realize the fullness of the musical gift they have been given and applause erupts.

Smirking, she twists her hips away. More secrets for her to keep and hold and reveal as she wishes. A smart click-clack sound gets buried in the applause as she sashays back to her dressing room.

“Honey, I’m home!”

The wooden floors melt into carpets. The applause is suddenly gone. No one is watching her now, and no one should be.

Diving into the room and shaking her head to rid herself of her fantasy world, she kicks off the stockings, garter, and panties she had so carefully put on before.

Her mom was supposed to be playing her set at the lounge for at least another hour!

Scrubbing makeup off her face, throwing back on her jumper, and leaving the evidence tucked safely away, she walks downstairs, away from her lounge and applause.

“Hey, dear, how about shrimp for supper?”

“Sounds good!”

Having passed the initial greeting, she exhales. Her secrets are safely hidden upstairs in her mother’s dresser drawers for another night, another act.

@Disney
And Margay's story is done! I was inspired by the song from The Lion King: Just Can't Wait to be King. Since she's a chibi, I thought it'd be fitting to have that child-like adventure and boldness, but still making it clear that it's more a game to her than reality. Please let me know if you see any changes that need to be made. If you're happy, then you can pay on lot #5490814.

Thank you!

Margay

Softly padding footsteps are quickly covered up by the gentle gust of the day. It's just windy enough to allow for stealth, but not so much to distract from her goals.

Claws scratch on bark, but as the queen of the forest, who would bother to chase after her trail? Only a fool.

In the distance, light catches on something and casts a dazzling shimmer. Nodding decisively, Margay has determined her destination.

Excited by the prospects, she gains speed and crashes over trees, through branch and twig and leaf. No longer concerned about her stealth practice, she loses herself in the energy and thrill of the chase.

Small birds and reptiles dive out of her way, fearful that they are her target. It's good to be in charge, she giggles in her head.

Right now, however, she feels more like a magpie than the margay cub she was named for.

An ill-advised leap, though, brings her crashing to earth and reality. No matter. Despite her boundless youth, she was not made for long races, just small sprints.

Stopping to ensure her safety, she hides in the shadows cast by the large leaves of the tree she fell from. Gasping for breath and blinking to bring her senses back to normal, Margay nods to herself: back to stealth practice.

The sun is still out and shining brightly, orienting her toward her destination. It casts off easy, flickering lights. Anyone could spot them, be memorized, fall in love with them. Be as caught by their majesty as Margay is herself.

Creeping quietly now, with her back hunched and her eyes keenly observing the area, she adventures forward. The trees become more tightly knit together, and feeling exposed, she finds a good, strong tree to climb back up into.

Careful not to make the same mistake, she leaps from branch to branch, being sure to select sturdy branches within a range that she can actually jump to. Her ears prick up at a sudden sound: rushing water.

She is close.

A few more trees, and she bursts through the foliage to spot the source of her curiosity: a brilliant, lively waterfall. Strong, clear water bursts from a high source that Margay can't even spot.

Crawling forward on her branch as far as she dares, she allows the spray and mist to coat her generously. The air was clean and the water cold. It is energizing.

She can't help but be pleased.

To be in the presence of such a sublime wonder, the honor of it both calms and excites her. She might be the queen in her head, but this waterfall is the true ruler, a quiet, undeniable queen.

"Thank you for guarding me," she whispers to the falls.

Renewed, Margay dives back into the forest.

Time for the next adventure.

@plum
Hey, dear, working on Hendrik's and Katharina's stories now. I went to go confirm Katharina's appearance for Hendrick's story, and the link you have goes to a different user's pet. Can you please confirm the correct appearance/link for her?

Last Edit by: twocents 12/23/12 - 8:57:07 pm

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#576 :: December 23rd, 2012 @ 9:32 PM

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@ OMFG it's perfect! I adore it! What do I owe you?

#577 :: December 23rd, 2012 @ 9:32 PM

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@Haunted
I'm glad you're happy! It's right within my typical range, so just 2 million.

(BTW, I love your tree. It looks so cool!)

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#578 :: December 24th, 2012 @ 5:05 PM

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Oh gosh, sorry, I completely forgot to add that I changed both their names in a recent name clearing (finally got their actual names, yay!), it's been a while, haha! Here are the links to their profiles: Ann, Manuel, you can see them in my forumset, too
I hope the changed names don't cause any trouble, but I think it shouldn't since you are just about to start, right?

Happy Lumineve btw ♥

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

#579 :: December 24th, 2012 @ 5:11 PM

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I can definitely work with that! Thank you for letting me know. I'll try to get them finished up tonight if possible, but if not, then by the end of the week. (Oh, goodness, they are ridiculously adorable in your forumset.)

And merry Lumineve to you as well!

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#580 :: December 30th, 2012 @ 3:52 PM

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Sounds great! Let me know if you need anything else. But there's no rush, really, these days are so busy, I know what I'm talking about, haha!
D'aww, thanks, credit is all to there ♥

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

#581 :: January 5th @ 6:45 PM

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@Disney
Not sure if you missed the ping or something, but your story was previously finished.

@plum
Here you go! Let me know if you see any changes you need to either story. If you're happy, you can pay on lot #5507135.

I made the flower in Manuel's story after this, and tried to match it as best I could to the style in your art of him.

Manuel

It was the flicking of the cat's tail that caught his eye first. That drew him into the rest of his life.

As a hatter, he needed some fresh flowers for a hat for an important event. Everyone else would be wearing false flowers on their hats, but he wanted his hat to stand out.

After reaching that decision, he had gone into town to find the exact right flowers for the style. None of the other shops he had peered into had made sense, but his footsteps had led him here.

On the windowsill was a lazy, white cat sleeping in the sun. The front of the shop had a simple sign handwritten with the flowers that were on sale. The bell jingled as he entered the shop, and got lost in a maze of flowers, pots, watering cans, bags of seeds. To say it was over packed would be an understatement. He wasn't quite sure where the flowers ended and the store walls began.

"Hi!" a cheerful voice startled him. "Take your time looking. I know there's a lot to see. Let me know if you have questions, okay?"

Peering through the shelf, he found the source of the voice, and was taken aback. The clearest pair of blue eyes twinkled at him.

He inhaled sharply, and mentally cursed himself as he felt his face getting hot.

"Oh! Don't feel badly!" She mistook his blush for confusion at the store's layout. "I'll be over in a second. Don't move!"

She ducked out of sight, and he felt foolish waiting for her, but felt a bit better as he heard the distinct sounds of someone battling her way through plants.

When she popped up again, she let out an easy laugh. "Sorry, my parents just really love flowers. They own the shop, and I help manage the plants with my dad. I think they can't help keeping as many of them around as possible."

Waving his arms, and trying not to get flustered, he let out, "Oh, no, it's okay. I just, I just don't know what I want exactly."

"Well, let me show you around!"

How much time had passed? He enjoyed her cheerful personality and bright energy, and let her lead him around the store countless times. Or so he thought, as he still hadn't quite figured out the layout of the store.

They ended up deciding on a large hybrid tea rose with pink petals with hints of pale yellow running through it.

But even once he made his purchase, he didn't want to leave. Dawdling about the entrance, mentally rehearsing an impromptu speech, he ended up bumbling out instead, "I-i-it seems like you have quite a bit to tend to in the store. Maybe I can come back and help out sometime?"

An eternity passed, and without waiting for her to respond, he went on, "O-o-or not. Really. You seem very capable. I-i-i apologize for the rudeness."

He was stopped from leaving, though, with a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm Ann. I would appreciate your help. Come back again, okay?"

A grin broke out to match her comforting style, and he nodded his assent. "I'm Manuel. Thank you."

He visited again, frequently.

He learned that her cat's name was Snowdrop, and was a bit temperamental, but would warm up easily enough if fed small treats.

Ann's family was just a commoner's family, and while they did okay, the demands on her time prevented her from receiving a formal education. She had whispered it, clearly embarrassed, as Manuel's elegant clothing told her he had not suffered the same fate. After that, some days, he brought by books full of stories and poems and would read aloud to her while she worked.

Despite her background, she was cheerfully independent. There was one occasion when a customer rudely cursed at her, and Manuel angrily remarked about not letting the man visit again. Ann had simply placed a calm hand on his shoulder and said, "He always brings oranges to school children in winter." And that was that. When she observed a kindness, it stuck with her and allowed her to forgive small slights. He admired her willingness to always search for the good in people.

When she needed to visit a nearby village's poppy and lavender meadows, he volunteered to her father to ensure her safe journey there and back. It had been a warm, fine day, and he brought his bulldog Francis for the visit. Francis bounded ahead and jumped up at butterflies, chased after grasshoppers, and generally got into all sorts of good-natured mischief.

As she collected flowers, they laughed at Francis's excitement together. He bent down to help ensure that all the flowers were safely tucked into a basket.

Their arms grazed against each other. He was startled again, like he had been so many months ago, by the clear intensity of her blue eyes. And naturally, easily, their lips met.

He wasn't sure when he fell in love with her, but he knew for sure he wouldn't let the feeling go.

Ann

Is this is what it feels like, when your heart is shattered?

A tightness in the chest, an inability to catch your breath, the concern that if you don't choke back your tears, then there will never be a time when you can go without crying.

Ann and Manuel had met several years ago when he ventured into her family's shop one day for flowers to decorate a hat. The shy boy had caught her attention immediately with his heavily freckled face and dark curls and small, unsure smile. From there, they fell into an easy friendship which blossomed into love.

Throughout the course of her relationship, she learned that Manuel was Austria's royal family's personal hatter. He had been taken into the palace as a child, and as a result, he had enjoyed a relatively higher status than her. He wasn't wealthy, by any means, but he was educated and could afford some finer things. In return, he was a personal hatter to the royal family, a profession that came naturally to him, and she saw he found joy in it.

She had never felt worlds apart from him until the war broke out, and the royal family fled, taking "key support staff" with them. How did a hatter become a key staff member? But she wasn't a member of the royal family. Maybe if she had been a princess, then she, too, would feel the need to always have a hatter on hand.

They hadn't even let him say goodbye to her.

She heard about it through the town gossip, as the flight had apparently been rather unplanned. Part of her was glad to know he was safe, but she ached for him.

Her grief was compounded when, mere weeks into the war, their flower shop was broken into, and in the struggle, her father was slain. Her family had always done well enough for themselves, and the attacker assumed they had money to spare. It was a pointless fear that had driven the man, and even Ann, who could always find some tiny speck of good, could not see anything beyond the senselessness of the act.

No longer feeling like she could breathe in Vienna, she fled the memories of the city in favor of the Netherlands. Despite her near endless optimism, she knew it had been a fool's journey. But her luck had held out. With the money left over from the flower shop, she and her cat Snowdrop were able to move into a windmill situated on a beautiful field of tulips.

Her father, who has so loved flowers, would have been at peace here. That thought brought her comfort, and she found that her grief subsided. Ann and Snowdrop opened up a new flower shop, and somehow, life went on.

She wasn't sure how he found her. But he did. Manuel sent flowers every month with a short note. She knew he couldn't reveal his whereabouts, for endangering himself meant endangering members of the royal family. He always gave a bit of news, though, on what he was working on or what he saw or his thoughts and feelings on the situation, on her.

Even though she didn’t know precisely where he was at, knowing that he was out there and thinking of her gave her strength. His flowers told stories as much as his notes did. Black-eyed susans for encouragement. Carnations for gratitude, remembrance, and cheerfulness. Hyacinths for sincerity. Forget-me-nots and ivy to let her know he still held onto their love.

When the war ended, the notes stopped. She received no bouquets for months. Despite the peace she had found, she felt her heart cracking again. Had he been killed in the last days and weeks of the war? Her lovely, joyful, vibrant Manuel. She felt he had been stolen from her again in the night, but this time, no town gossip to confirm the truth.
She drowned herself in her work, dedicating herself more fervently to keeping the flowers alive and the shop going and strong. At least Snowdrop was always by her side. Between her flowers and Snowdrop, she was able to keep going, though doubt and fear continued to plague her at times.

Finally, on one lazy summer day, Snowdrop slept out on a bench in front of her store, her white tail flicking and capturing the town’s attention. The shop bell jingled, and she raised her eyes to greet the customer.

A lean man with heavily freckled skin and dark hair held out a bouquet of red roses.

Though no words were needed, she whispered one as she rushed into his arms.

"Manuel."

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#582 :: January 5th @ 11:09 PM

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Sorry! I must have missed the ping

I love the story!!!! Thank you so much!

#583 :: January 5th @ 11:20 PM

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@Disney
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for being so patient!

@plum
Wasn't sure if you missed the first ping or something, but your stories are done. Please let me know if you need any changes to anything.

Last Edit by: twocents 1/09/13 - 8:04:38 pm

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#584 :: January 11th @ 6:48 AM

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Gosh, sorry, I had a whole bunch of events when I returned from christmas vacation and must have missed your ping somehow, again, I'm terribly sorry, oops :/
I lovelove both of the stories, they're perfect in every little detail, you captured exactly the atmosphere I was hoping for and even included details that I just subconsciously imagined in my head so to say, I don't know how you even did that in the first place, haha! That probably sounds super strange

I'll go offer now

It's 4mil, right?

Ann & Manuel by the amazing grim.

#585 :: January 11th @ 5:57 PM

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@plum
It happens, no worries!

Thank you for your patience, and I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks for commissioning me; you always have fun story ideas.

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