one abstraction

[dandelionwine]

[Although she'd gone to sleep in a small, quiet, dimly lit room and awoken the next morning in very similar surroundings, Rin had known immediately she was nowhere she'd ever been before. The strange book lying next to her head had only confirmed her suspicions.

Now she is planted in the castle's large lobby. Any passersby might notice the girl sitting against a wall, hunched over her journal and turning the pages carefully with her feet, as she has no arms. She's taking in all the information she can, learning with every turn of the page. After a while, she speaks up, more to herself than to anyone or anything else.]

Am I the only artist here? The only student? Lots of butterflies are making it confusing.

Comments

[silentrunning]

[Chell wanders into the lobby, and notices the girl hunched over the journal. She finds the fact this girl is turning pages with her toes to be downright fascinating, but she tries not to stare. Instead, she drops down against the wall somewhat nearby and grins at the newcomer before digging out her own journal and writing...]

Hi. Welcome to Paradisa.

[dandelionwine]

[Rin blinks at the other girl. It only takes her a moment to understand that her writing is what's making the words appear.] Hi. Paradisa. Is it your castle?

[silentrunning]

[Chell grins and writes back.]

No. Not my castle. I just live here. The Castle's an odd place. It takes something from you, from every one of us. It's nice to meet you. I think it's cool that you can do so much stuff with your feet. I'd like to learn.

[She smiles, to show she means absolutely no offense whatsoever.] ,/i>

[dandelionwine]

It didn't take my arms.

[She may have misunderstood Chell's comment, but her response is dry, lacking any remote self-pity.]

Dictated

[losemycherry]

I pretty much suck at doing art, but I really admire those who are good at it.

Dictated

[dandelionwine]

Art is so nice. It makes difficult things easier.

[In Rin speak, this is akin to saying "you should try it sometime."]

Who are you?

Re: Dictated

[losemycherry]

I'm Yamada! And who, may I ask, are you?

[dandelionwine]

Rin.

Is this your castle?

Dictated forever

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Bunny is still busy painting eggs, but he takes the time to paint a pretty flower in the journal]

No, you're not the only artist.

...Butterflies?

Dictated forever too

[dandelionwine]

[The flower gets her attention. So, a kindred spirit is here after all?]

Butterflies, blue and fluttering behind my eyes. They make it hard to concentrate. But they like your painting.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Interesting]

How long have you had those butterflies, darl?

[dandelionwine]

For a long time.

[Don't worry, Bunny. She's not as crazy as she sounds.]

How long have you painted flowers?

written!

[nukeoleptic]

im an artist, too :D
(and by that i mean i like to draw
not that i am excellent at it!)
but hello, my name is jade

dictated

[dandelionwine]

Hi. I'm Rin. Do you ever paint?

[Talking to new people isn't her strong point, but art is something she can get behind discussing. Might as well jump right to it.]

dictated

[nukeoleptic]

[ She switches easily to speech, then, voice light and friendly. ]

Sometimes! Not very much here, though. Is that what you do?

dictated

[dandelionwine]

Yes. I paint all the time. [And that's not much of an exaggeration.] Can I get paints and canvas here?

dictated;

[storiestotell]

I'm sure there are other artists in the castle. I myself enjoy drawing and writing.

dictated

[dandelionwine]

Writing is so much harder. [She sighs.] I hate writing for school. I'd rather paint.

dictated

[storiestotell]

You can tell stories with paint too. Pictures can express a story just as well as words can.

dictated

[eat_me_beat_me]

Dunno what butterflies have to do with it but I'm an artist. I redecorated the lobby just the other day, actually.

dictated

[dandelionwine]

Butterflies have everything to do with it.

[She pauses to look around at her current location.]

This looks lobby-ish. If I were a lobby, this is what I'd be. Did you do this?

dictated forever

[eat_me_beat_me]

Nah it gets rid of the art I do. I paint the walls and it's gone the next day.

Lobbyish? Are you new?

;action

[fluthlu]

[Rose is on her way through the lobby with her nose stuck in a thick paperback when she hears Rin's dictation.]

Considering the large number of residents here, I would presume that you are not.

[She observes the girl for a moment before taking a few steps in her direction.]

Have you just arrived?

[dandelionwine]

In life, no, I didn't just arrive. In this place, that's probably the best way to put it.

[She doesn't bother to sit up from her hunched position, but does glance up at Rose.]

Who are you?

[fluthlu]

... A thorough analysis. Well, welcome to Paradisa, in that case.

[Rose walks over, lowering her book and examining the girl more closely.]

My name is Rose. And yours?