~Brynn

Today I walked down to the beach. I was hoping that there would be some people to meet, but it was really quiet. I was disappointed, but ended up getting a paddleboard and trying to jig on it without falling off. It didn't work, but since I stayed in the shallows only my legs got wet. It was cooler then it has been. Sort of cloudy, sort of breezy. Fall seems to be taking a long time to actually happen.

I've been thinking about words lately. Like "series" and "ovaltine". Like, ovaltine's logo has an oval and a tine, and you pronoune tine so it rhymes with line, but in the name "ovaltine" you pronounce it "teen". It makes no sense. And the word "series" doesn't have a plural. It's like series, serieses, seriesum, serei, seriae, serendipity, or whatnot.

Anyway, when I got back from the beach it was getting pretty windy and Skye was freaking out about some cat.

~Skye

I was going about my business when I looked out the window and sitting there is a cat. I have no experience with cats whatsoever, and did not. know. what. to. do. with. this. cat.

I yelled "Brynn!" because she's probably an animal whisperer or whatever only to find that she was at the BEACH, of all places. I thought the beach was a place for philosophical AEs to think, so who knows what Brynn was doing at the beach. Seriously.

While I was puzzling over Brynn and the beach, the cat noticed me and hopped through the open window.

I stared at the cat.

The cat stared at me. 

The cat walked over and sat on the floor next to my chair and opened its mouth. I thought it would bite me, but Brynn said afterward it was probably yawning. It sat there for about a minute, and then I thought "perhaps it won't bite me if I pet it". I pet the side of its head and it sort of wove its way around my legs. I took this as a sign of endearment. I pet its neck and it rubbed against my legs again before hopping out the window.

About half an hour later Brynn came back.

"What's the haps?" she said.

"Ohmigosh Brynn why did you go to the beach also I tamed a wild cat and I think we're friends now." 

"A WILD CAT! Awesome! Like a cheetah, or a lion?" 

"Um, a housecat. I'm going to name it Metro because I don't know its gender and I think Metro is a good androgynous name for a cat."

"Pffff, that's not wild." 

"It jumped through the window-" 

"I'ma leave now." 

Brynn does not appreciate my courage whatsoever. Sometimes I wish she'd take me more seriously, but Brynn takes almost nothing seriously.

I hope Metro returns tomorrow. 

English pronunciation can be very inconsistent. I looked for the plural for series for years, and, if I remember right, I found some place that said the plural of series is . . . wait for it . . . series!

Admin

(For future reference, Counter uses the pronouns he/him/his.) 

Counter~

The water looks cold and at first I dance at the foamy edges of the waves, hesitant, until I decide to be brave and run straight into the surf. It is cold, but it feels good and I love how the water caresses me as I jump and duck in the waves. The ocean is so beautiful. I stretch out on my back in the water, floating, cradled by the sea. The clouds are interesting; one looks like a gladiator, a gladiator with wings, riding a giant boar. Behind him, fire flows from the mouth of a crouching dragon, licking at the heels of his steed. As I watch, the fire engulfs the boar and the warrior launches into the air, flying away from the dragon. It's like a story. Like if mythology was in the clouds instead of the stars. 

A wave washes over my face and I snort sea water up my nose. Spluttering, I regain my feet and look around. There's something on the beach, far away. It comes closer and I decide it's a person. It's human shaped. As I watch, the figure begins to run toward me and I recognize the long hair whipping about in the wind. Sea Glass! 

I sprint out of the ocean and abruptly stop, because I have no idea what to say to xem. Thanks for coming? It was an agreed upon event with no date, I can't say that. 

Sea Glass stops a little bit away from me, which somehow makes me feel more awkward. "Hello," Xe says quietly, "You are Counter, correct? I am so sorry to have kept you waiting." 

"You're fine! I mean, we didn't set a time or anything. Which was kind of a mistake, I guess. But it's ok. I mean, you're here now. So that's good." I sound rambly and probably slightly unhinged, so I stop to gake a breath. Try again. "The water's really nice right now, super calm and sparkly." That's marginally better. I think? 

Sea Glass nods, looking towards the water. "I can see." A pause. I don't trust myself to break it because I'll probably start babbling again. "I enjoy looking walking on the beach. Sometimes I find interesting things." 

"Would you like to do that now?" I ask, not knowing what else to say. Xe nods. "Let me get my stuff." I jog over to where I put my things and scoop up the t-shirt and power bars, draping the towel around my shoulders like a purple and blue cloak, then back to where Sea Glass waits. Xe picks a direction and, side by side, we walk along the beach. 

@Leeli: Do you want to do a time skip of some sort, wrap up the visit quickly? I think it would be a narratively acceptable way to get to the end of the visit quickly if you're busy. It seems like what would happen is I show you how to make a flower crown and help you make your own, and Nymph shows Devin around Rosedale and maybe a couple other forests without mentioning her gender or their relationship again, so we could gloss over the details if you want.  

Leafpool's AEs are back. Arwen, Jarnen and Serene. And they do not support nonbinary genders. Meaning they do not like me. 

I think.

We have not spoken. But I'm almost entirely certain that they will eternally consider me unpleasant. Because I am aporagender, and because I use alternative pronouns; even Nymph is always she and her. Perhaps I ought to switch to they/them. Or ask Viola? to make me a girl or a boy. What if I change and Celeste stops liking me? Does ae like me? What if I've ruined my chances? Ae hasn't responded in days, although that has occurred before. No matter what I am, there will always be someone. Why do I crave praise, such total acceptance? Nymph is okay without being universally loved, so why can I not worry about the same? How selfish. I must be self-centered. And to think about it, to be doing this instead of anything else. I should go to the beach. Forget. Could I forget? I will go to the beach.

It won't help. I'm sure.

The sky is so clear today. And pale, unlike in spring. Then, it was so dark, so deeply blue; ten in the morning and sunny in May. I looked up. There it was. But now, so clear and gentle, delicate, washed-out. Like robin's egg watercolor. Colors affect my mood. Will this help? No, mustn't think of it that way, then it stops working. Does it? I mustn't consider that. It might, and that is enough. 

The sea...

It almost takes my breath away. I did not know it could still have this effect on me. What shall I do, when I reach the shore? Dry sand on my fingers. Yes, that is it. Did not someone once say that Viola? would be good at sand art? Whatever they called it? Mandalas, patterns, complex beauty, and then blown away, becoming new once more. Was that meant to be sand on another surface? Surely not. Yet perhaps. Alas, I have not another surface. Unless there are any rocks big and flat and clean enough. I shall have to settle for the way that is available to me, I suppose.

The sand is uninterrupted here. No, I should look for rocks. But if I do not find one that is suitable, I will come back, I shall return. 

Not this one.

Not this one, either.

These are all too small. I'll go back to the sand. 

A circle. That is the start. The beginning. What should I do about my footprints? Smooth them over when I come to them? I expect I must. I shall need to take care not to step on what I've already done.

Triangles.

Dots.

Petals.

What now?

Wings. Or feathers. Both. Wings first, now, feathers later. 

Lines.

Irregular shapes? No--I've got it, another sort of pattern. What was it called? Scrollwork? Scrolling. That sounds like computer scrolling. It is not. The distinction will be clear visually.

Perhaps another.

Back to triangles.

The sand makes this different. The medium changes the art, of course it does. Is this something we must leave for Viola? No, we may share. She gets so irritated when others attempt to define what she does. 

Now what? 

More scrolling. But like actual scrolls this time. So just swirls, spaced out, I suppose.

You, you, you oughta know...

What was the rest of that song? I cannot remember.

More dots.

Another scrolling pattern. And after that, tentacles. Will tentacles work in the sand? Perhaps... we shall see.

Petals? Or no? Perhaps divided petals. Or different ones. Pointed. Pointed? No, nested. Yes.

Dots.

Swirls.

I think it is done.

I do feel better. I still wish Jarnen, Arwen and Serene liked me, though. But who knows? Maybe they will. But probably not. I'll just hide from them. What if I am with Celeste and encounter them? I'll hide anyway, bring aer with me, and tell aer why. I do not believe they will do anything. I just wish... 

Ah, well. The sky is blue.

I just thought of something: Never Be Famous by Hussalonia. That's what's up with Sea Glass. Kinda. Maybe. Sort of, anyway.

SG's mandala, in ink. I might do this as it would've looked in sand later, maybe as stippling practice...

@Viola? your art astounds me. I would be grateful to have a hundredth of your talent.

Midnight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The clouds that shrouded the dome of Soren's mind were mostly gone; she had had identity problems, but she's better now, and while she's still sad about her Uncle and friend's mom, the pain is not as fresh in her mind, and the difference is very noticeable. Her mind is back to its whimsical self- to Sage's great pleasure.*

*We welcomed three AEs back to the CB today. I ventured out to a new place in Soren's mind, a stretch of forest I had never seen before. Dewy was beside herself with delight at this news. Of course, she's almost always delighted about one thing or another, but anyways. She transformed into a parrot and flew off to get aquatinted with the creatures residing in it. I myself took some excellent photos of it.*

*It was the afternoon, the off time where it feels like the day is about to end, but really there's still so much more time to whatever away. I was studying the properties of Jupiter when Soren waltzed into the house through the back way. None of us looked up; Lev had a book, I had my chart, and Sage was staring intently at a Nintendo switch, muttering, "spew fireballs at yourself, Bowser, make my life easier" , and Dewy was still in the new forest. I did, however, pay attention when she said, "er, Midnight- could you come over here?" *

*Obediently, I followed her to her bedroom. I feel the sense of being in trouble- but I don't recall doing anything relevantly negative. I wasn't in trouble though. She just asked me to go and reread the thread welcoming back the three AEs. I followed her instructions, going out the back way and down a hill to a path labled CHATTERBOX. I followed it down to where it branched off into six areas- one very forlorn one labled This Month, one a bit bigger called Blab About Books, and four equally big ones marked Chirp at Cricket, Down to Earth, Inkwell, and Pudding's Place. I followed Down to Earth and saw the usually amount of threads up. I clicked on the link, reading untill the end.*

*LGBTQ+...*

*That's you, pinhead, I thought to myself-*

*Hmm. I don't see why Soren made such a big deal about it. I am who I am, and I am gay. Soren, Sage, Dewy, Lev, and Boo love me. That's all that matters.*

*I need another service project...*

*I changed it to midnight.* 

Fun fact: If you make her mad, Nymph will completely explode at you, but she doesn't actually know enough about people to be able to effectively mess with anyone. This results in her hating you forever and taking every little jab at you she finds the opportunity for, but never setting circumstances up for those jabs or actively trying to ruin something you care about. Like, let's say there's a fair you love. You're talking about it when she's in earshot, so she'll jump in and denounce you for anything you say, and if she gets wind of the fact that you enjoy it she'll try to stall a ride, stain your clothes, or get you to drop whatever you're holding, but she might not be adept enough to really embarrass you, and she'd never get the people who run it to stop coming around/organizing it again. Sea Glass, on the other hand... wait, no, Sea Glass would actually just get lost in the details and never think of the really bad stuff either, plus xe's too nice and avoidant to try something anyway. Xe'll just avoid and silently agonize over you until time smooths over the hurt. 

*Here's a top. I hope this isn't too much about the ball. I just needed to put this somewhere, and the ball thread isn't in action yet.*

Before I knew it, there was a ball to prepare for.

It's not fair. I want to stay here, at home, forever, without ships or stress to deal with. Life could be a bliss of string art and sewing sequins to purses.

But, weeks (or is it days) before the ball begins, Icy pulls me into the living room and forces me to try everything. After a half hour, I'm standing in front of the coffee table in a dark sunset-colored gown that contrasts nicely with my hair.

The gown has a far larger skirt than Thirty's tight, form-fitting white dress. It's too satisfying when I twirl, sending the skirt fanning around me without revealing anything. I doubt Thirty could twirl without tripping in that dress--but I'm being too judgemental. Her dress is pretty, all silken white fabric. The small glitter designs at the bottom of her dress catch my eye every so often as she moves.

I don't focus on any of that, though. I focus on Icy as she yanks a brush through my hair and forces foundation and powder onto my face with rough swipes (her hair's tangled and she never wears makeup, for your information). 

I'm secretly counting the time until I can leave. When she finally lets me go and takes a reference picture, I'm running upstairs to the bathroom to wipe off the makeup. Then I'm fleeing back down the stairs (like Cinderella, fleeing her identity, Thirty said) and retreating to my room.

In my room waits a mask. But I don't use it. Not yet.

I've decided to find and copy/paste sections from every character sheet I can find for Sea Glass and Nymph. Sorry if this is long and boring. 

Her highness, the radiant Nymph, magnificent beyond imagine, ruler of the forests that I just made up that are probably called Rosendale or something for absolutely no reason. Oh, there are five woodlands; Rosedale, Cyr Wood, Aquom, Kryphos and Brismut. And Nymph lives in/guards/rules all five. Right?

No, but close enough. 

Irritable, abraisive, snarky, mischevious, bossy, awkward, sharp, bold, competitive, stubborn, can be surprisingly calm and sincere at times (a lot to deal with, but well worth it)

I think she's mastered a lot of her abilities, but is very awkward socially unless she's in command, and unless that command has something to do with war or crisis, it probably won't end well.

I bet she knows a lot and she's just not telling us. 

Personality: Snarky, abrasive, awkward, irritable, mischievous, competitive, lofty, bold, can on rare occasion be quiet and sincere. Doesn't love people or parties, and has been a little tired lately. Prone to blushing and/or stammering when embarrassed or confused. Somehow tolerates her CBer. Is slowly becoming fond of Evil Devin.

Okay, okay. Nymph is my only AE so far, and she's a shapeshifter, although she prefers to be various dragons and humanoids, so you can draw her however you want. She's all salt and sass, with plenty of brag and general dislike of everyone except Evil Devin--You're still shipping us? I haven't seen him in forever!--and she prefers to be alone in her forests most of the time. (Don't tell her I said so, but I think she might secretly be a cinnamon roll.) I heard that! Go to your corner!

Personality: Grumpy, lofty, snarky, hates shipping, somehow tolerates Viola?--maybe otherwise she gets bored? Not afraid to make enemies, slinky and catlike. Presents herself as lofty and graceful and is not at all quick to undermine that, though she may do so unwittingly. Antisocial and would probably be an Internet troll if she wasn't so hissy about computers. Not great at communicating, slow to help others. 

Quick personality: Grumpy

Personality: Brazen, bold, unabashedly snarky. Nearly antisocial, slightly misanthropic. Competitive, lofty, blunt, impulsive, headstrong, hates shipping. Doesn't care for analysis or definition.

Strengths: Shapeshifting and all the abilities that are granted by it, so literally everything phyisical. Unfazed by most horror, can take anything seriously, confident, sassy... Good limb-eye coordination, an understanding of Viola? (me), will sometimes sit in a corner with someone having a rough time. Never simply awful, will take charge (and likely be effective) if everything is falling apart and she has sufficient motivation. Can take a hit and stick it out. Surprisingly smart.

Weaknesses: Literally anything involving talking to other beings. Often rude, arrogant and uncooperative. Loves sneak attacks and will generally interact by acting up and being annoying. Can be bossy, a perfectionist, a sore loser, and bad at taking care of herself. Won't ask for help in a tough situation, won't do anything she doesn't have to when all is well. Romance. Being under siege. Long-range combat. People who won't be bothered. Fancy/formal anything. Authority. Evil Devin.

Appearance: Shapeshifter (possibly unlimited? Usually doesn't have more than one body, though)

Personality: Snarky and lofty, competitive and impulsive. Extremely self-reliant, never asks for help, expects herself to be able to do pretty much whatever she needs to, and sometimes gets in over her head that way. 

Personality: Grumpy, snarky, antisocial, competitive. Somewhat arrogant and dramatic, easily upset by the wrong people. Hates shipping. Thoughtful and subconsciously sensitive, independent and physically infinitely capable, won't accept help from anyone. Not above pranking. Surprisingly smart, feels like she should be able to do anything and everything, but doesn't necessarily want to. Has respect for anything that is older and more powerful than her and yet is humble. Has absolutely no respect for those she actively dislikes. Hates being wrong.

Personality: Grumpy, irritable, sarcastic. Bluntly honest, takes things personally, and not afraid to make enemies, which can and has gotten her into trouble. Confident, impulsive, smart, arrogant, not fond of other people. Quick to judge and act. Content to either wander off stand nearby being annoying and unhelpful if a task does not immediately involve her.

Personality: Bold, antisocial, quick to judge and act. Snarky, aggressive, slow to trust. Arrogant to some degree, not afraid to be different or make enemies. Competitive, hates to lose, and will never back down if sufficiently provoked, which can and has led to conflicts. Has little regard for any rules she had no hand in making.

Skills: Shapeshifting, anything athletic, possibly handling praise

Worst fear(s): Being rendered weak, incapable or powerless, especially in the face of an enemy. 

Personality: Bold, antisocial, quick to judge and act. Snarky, aggressive, slow to trust. Arrogant to some degree, not afraid to be different or make enemies. Competitive, hates to lose, and will never back down if sufficiently provoked, which can and has led to conflicts. Volatile, independent, speaks her mind when she speaks at all.

AE personalities: SG is sad and socially awkward, extremely polite and rather shy. Nymph is more outspoken, snarky and irritable, lofty, immature, and saltier than the sea that SG spends half her time at.

Sandy blonde hair and light aqua eyes, usually barefoot. Wears short-sleeves shirts and well-loved bracelets.

Quick personality: Poetic and sweet 

Gender: F, but I'm a little shaky on that. Her being seems to transcend it. 

CB appearance: Not tall, nor short. Thin. Long, wavy ash blonde hair falling untamed around her shoulders. Eyes the color of the sea, possibly changing? Wears summer clothes and a lot of handmade bracelets.

Personality: Self-deprecating, quiet (on the outside), socially awkward (staggeringly so, which embarrasses her, making her avoid people, which leads her to not develop social skills) and hides it under a pile of manners and purple prose. Easily influenced by others, retreats into herself and agonizes whenever something goes badly, a precious cinnamon roll and if anyone dares to hurt her so help me I'll do things I'm not allowed to talk about. *ahem* Where was I? Ah, he's. Has a long memory when it comes to stuff like borrowing things. Spends a lot of time on self-reflection, could probably interpret dreams.

Appearance: Androgynous, long sandy hair that's usually a mess, summer clothes and a pile of bracelets. Sea-colored eyes often cast down or wide open.

Personality: Quiet, too polite for their own good. Sweet and awkward, a bit of a shy cinnamon roll. Terrible liar, a nagging conscience, thinks long enough before she speaks that not everyone realizes she's going to answer.

Gender: Aporagender ("Separate gender"; neither male, female or in between, but not without gender), uses xe/xyr pronouns.

Personality: Quiet, polite, extremely socially awkward. Introverted and antisocial, yet achingly lonely. A dreamer. Formal, sensitive, shy, obsessive. Avoidant, but agonizes over it. Nervous, sad. Won't do things xe disagrees with, but won't speak out against them. Rarely smiles. Quick to please.

Favorite color: Pale blue, not too bright.

Appearance: Straight dull blonde hair falling windblown and messy past well-defined shoulders, slightly long face with a sharp chin, androgynous build, aqua eyes. Wears piles of bracelets, mostly handmade, and goes barefoot when possible. Prefers summer clothes in pastel colors.

Perceived age: Maybe 17

Skills: Introspection, apologizing, waiting, walking for long stretches, keeping secrets

Worst fear(s): Excessive and/or undeserved attention, being trapped, being a burden 

Personality: Nervous, soft-spoken and polite in a Victorian-influenced way. Lonely but awkward and withdrawn. Sweet, serious, surprisingly mature for a teenager. Moody, has a hard time staying engaged in conversation; can be very poetic and profound, a good writer, but is terrible at speaking in person, and not one for small talk.

Okay, that's a lot. If there's more than this, I'm too lazy to look for it.