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Description

september monthly prompt

- Tell 000 a story -

.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

The warm, golden air of the conservatory cast it's glow over the esk. This particular section seemed to be an eternal golden hour. Among the soft grass and wildflowers bobbing in a gentle breeze lay the overseer of the conservatory. 000 was no more fond of this spot than any other among the place, but for now she settled down waiting for others to join her. She never had to wait long. The other esk always came; bright sparks of energy that glowed so bright compared to herself. They were so young, they had so much more time ahead of them.

Were this anywhere else there would be the gentle buzz of insects droning through the air, birds calling to one another in the trees nearby. There was none of that here. Just the gentle rustle of grass against itself and her fur. It was calm, peaceful, and it made it quite obvious when another approached. The rustling in the grass grew louder, drawing 000's attention downward. They were so small compared to her imposing form.

"Hello little ones, you have come so far." she mused softly, "Sit, join me for a spell." Her voice was deep and soothing, a soft rumble that hinted she was glad of their joining her. At her feet were the forms of two small esk, neither no bigger than a hand. She had seen them both before, though never together. In fact it was somewhat intriguing that one in particular was accompanying the other.

"Granny" the smaller of the esk began, "I brought my friend Thumbkin to hear a story."

The small esk was known as Lace- a dark fungus morph with brilliant mushrooms growing from their back and shoulder. However Lace was not the esk that piqued 000's interest right now, it was the other one. Their small, albino form was raised from the ground by four matching stilt-like appendages: plaster fingers. The fragile creature stared up at her with it's large, soulful eyes. There was nothing behind that gaze, no intent, no emotion. Staring into the creature's eyes was practically like staring into a mirror.

"I have met this one before, hello... Thumbkin was it?" 000 trailed off before receiving a nod of approval from Lace. "You have listened to my stories many times, little one, but never speak in return. Perhaps today you will tell me a story?"

"It doesn't speak, Granny" Lace piped up.

"There are other ways to tell stories than to speak, Lace."

"But Thumbkin doesn't say anything."

000 fixed her gaze back onto the albino esk. "Will you share with me, little one?" She lowered her large head down to the other esk's level and stared deeply into those placid, reflective eyes. The pale esk took a careful step forward, bringing it nose-to-nose with the wanderer.

"Come, little one tell. Tell me a story."

Darkness. 000 had not closed her eyes but suddenly the world was dark. It was not the shades of night, but the empty black of nothingness. It was only moments in her mind and vision but felt like a lifetime. And for the creature called Thumbkin she was sure it had been it's lifetime... if you could call it a life.

Then suddenly- everything.

NOISE

LIGHT

TOUCH

SMELLS

Everything began all at once. It was too much; it was chaos. The pain of creation all at once for a creature that had never lived before. It felt wrong. Where there should be nothing there were now sensations. A fragile body already shattered around them. Eyes that wanted to close and never open again to hide from the garish light.

What was this?

Why did it exist?

w

h

y

It was not alone. There was another there, another creature that glowed with the same spark that it felt within itself. But then it was gone, and it was alone again. It stayed there, wishing it could hide from the light but not knowing how. It stayed as time crept on until finally the light fled and the world was thrown into shadows. It wasn't the embrace of nothing that the creature had known before, but it was closer. The sounds around had quieted as the light faded as well. The chaos was less now.

From the shadows new creatures emerged. Nothing like the one that had been there at the start. These were small skittering beasts. They had sparks as well but they were different. It was strange, as if they were somehow both more and less than the creature before. Pale eyes followed their movements before them. The creatures mostly ignored it, but a few came closer to inspect of even crawl over its form. The sensation was strange. A larger creature moved within the line of sight of the pale creature. It had more appendages and seemed to more with more purpose than the others.

Follow.

For the first time the creature moved. Legs shuffled beneath clumsily like a newborn fawn. They were stiff and unfeeling, strange apparatuses that hoisted the esk from off the ground. In a way it resembled the new creature that skittered away. So perhaps it too should skitter away.

And with that 000s sight became her own again. "Thank you, little one. And I am... sorry. You were brought into this world and left alone, but you will not walk it alone. Continue on, little one. This life may seem pointless but you will find your purpose."

The tiny form of Thumbkin did not reply, but 000 had not expected one. Instead it shuffled backwards then tottered off in the same direction it had come, leaving Lace to scurry after bewildered at what had just happened. 000 was not sure what the future would hold for that little esk, but she felt something within it. There was more beneath the surface than those blank eyes showed, it just needed to find it.
.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

Featuring 000 , Lace , and Thumbkin .

Art and Thumbkin (1199) (c)

Lace (515) (c)

.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

Base Score: 9.5 GP (Writing: 986 words)
+1 GP (Monthly Prompt)
+6 GP (Storyteller Bonus: 6 GP * 1)
Total GP per submission: 16.5

Base Score: 19 AP (Writing: 986 words)
+10 AP (Monthly Prompt)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+10 AP (Other Esk Bonus: 10 AP * 1)
+20 AP (NPC Bonus)
+20 AP (Esk Interaction Bonus: 10 AP * 2)
+8 AP (Storyteller Bonus: 8 AP * 1)
Total AP per submission: 92

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body Bonus)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+10 AP (Conservatory Bonus)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+20 AP (NPC Bonus)
Total AP per submission: 70

- Grand total : 162 AP -

Description

september monthly prompt

- Tell 000 a story -

.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

The warm, golden air of the conservatory cast it's glow over the esk. This particular section seemed to be an eternal golden hour. Among the soft grass and wildflowers bobbing in a gentle breeze lay the overseer of the conservatory. 000 was no more fond of this spot than any other among the place, but for now she settled down waiting for others to join her. She never had to wait long. The other esk always came; bright sparks of energy that glowed so bright compared to herself. They were so young, they had so much more time ahead of them.

Were this anywhere else there would be the gentle buzz of insects droning through the air, birds calling to one another in the trees nearby. There was none of that here. Just the gentle rustle of grass against itself and her fur. It was calm, peaceful, and it made it quite obvious when another approached. The rustling in the grass grew louder, drawing 000's attention downward. They were so small compared to her imposing form.

"Hello little ones, you have come so far." she mused softly, "Sit, join me for a spell." Her voice was deep and soothing, a soft rumble that hinted she was glad of their joining her. At her feet were the forms of two small esk, neither no bigger than a hand. She had seen them both before, though never together. In fact it was somewhat intriguing that one in particular was accompanying the other.

"Granny" the smaller of the esk began, "I brought my friend Thumbkin to hear a story."

The small esk was known as Lace- a dark fungus morph with brilliant mushrooms growing from their back and shoulder. However Lace was not the esk that piqued 000's interest right now, it was the other one. Their small, albino form was raised from the ground by four matching stilt-like appendages: plaster fingers. The fragile creature stared up at her with it's large, soulful eyes. There was nothing behind that gaze, no intent, no emotion. Staring into the creature's eyes was practically like staring into a mirror.

"I have met this one before, hello... Thumbkin was it?" 000 trailed off before receiving a nod of approval from Lace. "You have listened to my stories many times, little one, but never speak in return. Perhaps today you will tell me a story?"

"It doesn't speak, Granny" Lace piped up.

"There are other ways to tell stories than to speak, Lace."

"But Thumbkin doesn't say anything."

000 fixed her gaze back onto the albino esk. "Will you share with me, little one?" She lowered her large head down to the other esk's level and stared deeply into those placid, reflective eyes. The pale esk took a careful step forward, bringing it nose-to-nose with the wanderer.

"Come, little one tell. Tell me a story."

Darkness. 000 had not closed her eyes but suddenly the world was dark. It was not the shades of night, but the empty black of nothingness. It was only moments in her mind and vision but felt like a lifetime. And for the creature called Thumbkin she was sure it had been it's lifetime... if you could call it a life.

Then suddenly- everything.

NOISE

LIGHT

TOUCH

SMELLS

Everything began all at once. It was too much; it was chaos. The pain of creation all at once for a creature that had never lived before. It felt wrong. Where there should be nothing there were now sensations. A fragile body already shattered around them. Eyes that wanted to close and never open again to hide from the garish light.

What was this?

Why did it exist?

w

h

y

It was not alone. There was another there, another creature that glowed with the same spark that it felt within itself. But then it was gone, and it was alone again. It stayed there, wishing it could hide from the light but not knowing how. It stayed as time crept on until finally the light fled and the world was thrown into shadows. It wasn't the embrace of nothing that the creature had known before, but it was closer. The sounds around had quieted as the light faded as well. The chaos was less now.

From the shadows new creatures emerged. Nothing like the one that had been there at the start. These were small skittering beasts. They had sparks as well but they were different. It was strange, as if they were somehow both more and less than the creature before. Pale eyes followed their movements before them. The creatures mostly ignored it, but a few came closer to inspect of even crawl over its form. The sensation was strange. A larger creature moved within the line of sight of the pale creature. It had more appendages and seemed to more with more purpose than the others.

Follow.

For the first time the creature moved. Legs shuffled beneath clumsily like a newborn fawn. They were stiff and unfeeling, strange apparatuses that hoisted the esk from off the ground. In a way it resembled the new creature that skittered away. So perhaps it too should skitter away.

And with that 000s sight became her own again. "Thank you, little one. And I am... sorry. You were brought into this world and left alone, but you will not walk it alone. Continue on, little one. This life may seem pointless but you will find your purpose."

The tiny form of Thumbkin did not reply, but 000 had not expected one. Instead it shuffled backwards then tottered off in the same direction it had come, leaving Lace to scurry after bewildered at what had just happened. 000 was not sure what the future would hold for that little esk, but she felt something within it. There was more beneath the surface than those blank eyes showed, it just needed to find it.
.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

Featuring 000 , Lace , and Thumbkin .

Art and Thumbkin (1199) (c)

Lace (515) (c)

.x. .x. .x. .x. .x.

Base Score: 9.5 GP (Writing: 986 words)
+1 GP (Monthly Prompt)
+6 GP (Storyteller Bonus: 6 GP * 1)
Total GP per submission: 16.5

Base Score: 19 AP (Writing: 986 words)
+10 AP (Monthly Prompt)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+10 AP (Other Esk Bonus: 10 AP * 1)
+20 AP (NPC Bonus)
+20 AP (Esk Interaction Bonus: 10 AP * 2)
+8 AP (Storyteller Bonus: 8 AP * 1)
Total AP per submission: 92

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body Bonus)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+10 AP (Conservatory Bonus)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+20 AP (NPC Bonus)
Total AP per submission: 70

- Grand total : 162 AP -