#tsxopen

[urbanchampagne]

How Am I Gonna Be an Optimist? || Open

Picking a few loose hairs off of her skirt, Alice left the large corporate building with a harsh exhale of air. She had all been shooed from the building and her two bodyguards were nowhere to be seen. Apparently she looked like she 'needed a break' and 'was overworked' so she had the rest of the all-too-short day to herself.

Rolling her eyes, she made her way down the road and away from the prying eyes of the looming company. Sure, Funland™ was a wonderful place to work and be a part of, but sometimes Funland™ could get a little bit much. It always seemed that Funland™ was looming over her shoulder and that she could never have a minute's rest from Funland™ and the thoughts Funland™ brought.

She paused long enough to look at the sky. The clear blue was something she wasn't used to seeing. The tinted windows of the company made everything appear a different shade than what it naturally would be, and it took her a minute to process what she was staring at. She had way too much time on her hands. What was she going to do? She couldn't sleep for at least another five hours-something which definitely bothered her. She would rather be doing something productive, but apparently that wasn't allowed. It was even busy season!

Adjusting the leather purse, she decided to sit on a small brick wall with her back against a surprisingly tiny tree. It must have been there merely for aesthetic as it didn't really serve much purpose other than looking nice. It wasn't terribly strong, and she was careful not to snap the trunk as she positioned herself and pulled out a fairly large book.

Alice had managed to snatch the book before she was practically pushed out of her office. It was a little project she should have finished a long while ago, but put off until it wasn't viable to try and start it up while she was so busy with plans to expand the company.

She pulled out a highlighter and opened the employee handbook. She needed to look over this every other year, but she could scarcely remember the last time she actually did it. 

Better now than never.

With that, she went to work. Highlighting what needed to be changed, and circling procedures that were no longer in affect. She had more than a hundred pages to do and way too much time to do it in.

That sun was awfully warm though...and the handbook wasn't exactly the most exciting thing. she had made a note to make it more lively-if only to make it bearable for her to look over next time.

Why were the words getting blurry...?

The white-haired girl let out a yawn and her head slowly leaned back against the small tree. It wasn't too uncomfortable, which surprised her. Maybe just a few minutes of rest couldn't hurt. She did have the afternoon off.

With that thought soon gone, the young woman was asleep, high lighter still in the middle of a sentence she needed to fix and the ink spreading. It must have been a sight to behold.

[princesswithamnesia]

Cloudy Night | open

A quick glance upwards confirmed Frey’s thoughts. Clouds were blocking what should have been a clear view of a sky full of stars, glowing ever so slightly against a black backdrop.

Letting out a soft sigh, Frey cast her gaze back down towards the ground. By all accounts, she should have been back in Selphia by now. She’d only left to gather a few supplies in the forest, not get hopelessly lost. She had no idea where she was, and it was too dark to have any chance at reading her map.

She kicked at a rock that lay in her path, taking a few more steps before deciding it would be best to rest for awhile. Venturing a little ways off the path, Frey sat down and glared at the trees surrounding her.

The sudden snap of someone - or something - stepping on a twig startled Frey, causing her to look up in alarm, fully expected a monster. She soon found herself facing what was most decidedly not a monster.

"Hello?" she asked uncertainly, dropping her guard.

[forget-me-not-hurley]

Nice To Meat You || OPEN

Jack let out a sigh as he made his way out of the hand-me-down farm. He carried a large bag filled with something that was obviously heavy. He didn't seem to mind as he made his way through Forget-Me-Not-Valley. He wondered whether or not he should make the trek up the hill to the city to sell his old cow. She was a sweetheart, but well past her prime. It was nice that she could make him some money again.

He paused as he saw someone on the edge of the neighboring farm, nearing the edge of the hill. Well, may as well, right? Could generate some new business if he could sell this stuff himself.

"Oi! What're you doing over there?" He called, trying to sound as friendly as possible. His rough voice and permanent scowl didn't help much unfortunately. 

[floralphoria]

Peaceful Repose || Open

The whispery winds that had spiraled itself within an intricate design amongst the myriad of leaves settled nicely amid the heat exhausted village. It wasn't a welcome change in weather; the temperatures were still hotter than the kettle of an ironcast oven, but, for the moment, it at least gave some repose to those whose jobs took them outdoors.

Luckily for the violet-clad florist (and potentially those connected to him), the day in particular had taken him to the outskirts of Bluebell and away from the enclosed stature of the flower stand. Most everyone had been pressing the poor young man to take breaks from the monstrosity of the summer's cruel grip and he had backlashed: 'How would be make income?' 'What if someone really needed flowers that day?' 'Who would tend to the kittens?' Such questions had kept Cam in business for so long it had become second nature to him and he rarely thought of it. Most were apt to call stubbornness; he just ignored it.

Hands shoved idly in the pockets of his slacks, he traversed further until he happened across what he liked to consider his second home: the river. The aura coming from the mountainside was simply peaceful, no matter the colour the weather had painted for the day. A rare smile brushed over his lips, olive eyes drinking in the vast beauty of the green-and-tranquil around him. If he had an inkling of how to draw or at least sketch without making his art look like something a panda could do better he'd do it, just to have at least something to look at rather than recalling memories and looking silly when he got lost in them.

A few more intricate steps brought him to the grassy knoll of the river where he eased himself into sitting, drawing one knee to his chest and draping the correlating arm over it. Nature relaxed Cam and put him at peace – a much-needed escape from the diplomatic side of horticulture. Though he had been living in Bluebell for over several years now, he still put up a front when it came to selling flowers, reminding himself it was just good business to be frank and to the point. None of that mattered when he was at his resting spot, however. He was free to let his mind wander aimlessly and permit his heart to unlock all the worries he had been clutching on inside.

'Am I alone?'

Cam glanced from side to side, front to back, and forward again. Satisfied that it appeared he wasn't being watched, he leaned back into the lush emerald blades, crossing his arms behind his head to cushion it with his hands. His gaze took him to the cloud-riddled sky, bluer than the pure ire of the river. The little puffballs of cotton dotted the spectrum like a patchwork blanket, wisps weaving in and out and playing along upon the canvas that nature so idly enjoyed toying with.

The wind and warmth coupled, he soon found himself in the comfortable ploy of drowsiness. It whispered quaint things in his ear, lulling him in the relaxed fashion to be unobservant of who might see him at rest...

[seakissedwine]

Friends Don't Let Friends Write Drunk || Open

A wine bottle washed up against the shore. However, instead of delicious wine inside it was some parchment. If someone opened it they would find a letter inside that read: 

Dear Mystery Person,

I hope this actually reaches someone. I drank a whole bottle of wine just to do this so this better not be a waste. Although I didn't get the idea to write this until after drinking the bottle, but that's not the point. I guess I should be more friendly, though.

Hello! How are you? I hope you're doing better than I am. Working at winery with your family really sucks, you know? You can't even drink all the wine you want! I mean, why do they got to be so strict? Do you like wine? I hope you do, because I'm pretty sure it's my blood now. 

Oh, yeah. I had a reason for writing this. I was wondering what your town is like? Is it pretty? Are people nice there? Friendly to newcomers? 

Anyway, I hope you do write back. I promise I'll reply sober. Pinky swear. 

From the not mysterious, 

Karen

Below her name was an address to Flowerbud Village along with a very poorly drawn smiley face and a glass of wine. 

[tenderknight]

I Wanna Be A Princess! ||Open

So here she was in the largest city she'd visited in so long and what was she doing? Going out enjoying the sun? No. Visiting the lake to swim? No again. How about exploring and meeting people as always? Hahaha, she wished.

She sat in her room at the inn like she had been for days. She had only just started to feel better after that stupidly long trip. And when one couldn't afford to eat, one's stomach would most likely hate that even more. But today was the day she would get off of her lazy butt and actually so something. She didn't care what it was-walking around aimlessly, looking over the sea, whatever-she would do so happily because she would leave this dark old room behind for even a few hours.

She made an extra effort into her appearance. If she was going to be in a bigger, better city, she had to step up her game. She wasn't sure what the competition looked like, but she sure as hell wasn't going to lose simply because she made a silly little error. Oh no. She was going to make a point of attracting gazes no matter what.

With a subtle smile on her lips she headed out. The sun was warm on her skin, making her seem to glow even more than normal. Her hair was tied back into pigtails and the pale blue shorts seemed just a bit too short. Oh well. She was confident enough in herself to push away any negative thoughts or feels and to walk like she owned the place.

Now...Where should she go...? 

"Oh!" Her little outburst caused a few people to turn their heads. She smiled sheepishly as a light pink colour tinged her cheeks. "Sorry, um, a stone caught in my shoe," she said smoothly. Lying-even the little white ones and cover ups-were one of the easiest things to her. It seemed almost like second nature by this point. She never thought about it, never batted an eyelash. When one of these things escaped her lips she never tried to pull it back, merely go along with it and see what the outcome would be.

Rosalind smiled gently as she turned the other way and started to wander. She knew just where she wanted to go...but where was it? 

How hard is a stupid castle to find?!

She shook her head. She definitely needed a guide. Maybe someone who could get her into the deepest parts of the city even? Either one worked for her. She let her chest puff out slightly as she approached the first person she could from behind. They seemed to know the lay of the land.

"Excuse me," she said lightly, "would you know how to get to Selphia Castle?" 

[pineapple-player]

Bulletin Board Request - Open

YOUR NAME: Ann Green

DATE OF REQUEST: January 7, 2014

LOCATION: Mineral Town/Flowerbud Village (I dunno which name we're using anymore, since I saw Claire put Flowerbud @.@)

REWARD:  -1 x Horseback riding lesson  -1 x meal at the local inn or bar, your choice                                       -Some of my secret candy stash

REQUEST INFORMATION: My brother's going to be busy a lot the next while, so I'd really appreciate an extra set of hands to help me out with the animals over the next while.  I can do the gross stuff, so even if you can just help with brushing, feeding, and spending time with the animals, that'd be really great.

[freshliar-blog]

This Can't Be Healthy || Doug & Dylas

"Okay, okay, Granny, I'm fine. No--you just took my temperature, Granny, I'm fine! Lemme go outside!" Finally emerging victorious, after pleading with his grandmother for about twenty minutes, the redheaded dwarf sauntered through the door to the outside world, which he hadn't seen in ages. His face had lost its sickly pallor and the feverish glint had died from his eyes. He breathed in, relishing the fact that he could inhale through his nose at long last, and turned to call back inside, "I'll be back soon!" It was cold outside but gratifying to know that he'd kicked that bug to the curb. It'd taken him long enough, too; he'd been a wreck for the first couple of days. He didn't get sick often, but when he did it wasn't pretty. Granny Blossom even had to get Jones to come over to make sure he wasn't going to suffocate from his own illness. In short, it was good to be back. Trying out a whistle, Doug strolled down the road, his joints only a little stiff. The fire seething behind his forehead had finally gone out, and he felt better than he had in a long time.

[cliffbythesea-blog-blog]

Silent Night || Open

Snow was falling gently, silently in the empty town square. It was already dark, the sun had set hours ago and for some reason Cliff could not seem bothered to leave the bench he had been sitting in since the sun began to leave the sky. His blue eyes were turned upwards, watching the slowly falling flakes as they descended towards him and the ground. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the night.

It was so peaceful. Snow always reminded him of home.

He had long since abandoned the idea of finding shelter for the night and decided instead to spend the night here, huddled in his jacket, sitting calmly on this bench and pondering life's greater mysteries. Besides, everyone was fast asleep by now...weren't they?

[chocola-rain]

Wandering Castanet...

Chocola's muffled footsteps pattered along the white stone walkways of Castanet, sluggish from all of the recent walking in the past few days. She was going to leave yesterday, but a few more days wouldn't do any harm, right? Besides, everyone needed a break now and again! And it wasn't like Rosie didn't skip off on her duties now and again. As she crossed a bridge, she stopped a moment to glance down at the waterfall below. It was a long fall, wasn't it? Beautiful, all the same, though, despite how perilous it would be should the bridge's structure fail. Continuing her walk, she followed the path until she found the river's edge, which she followed as she watched the waters for any sign of life. She wasn't terribly interested in fish, but cooking them was a different story. As her vision fall in the completely wrong direction, she failed to notice the character she almost tripped over, and almost slammed her boot directly into them. "Gee, sorry about that! I should be more mindful, shouldn't I?"

[sunshine-chelsea]

Bulletin Board Request - Open

YOUR NAME: Chelsea

DATE OF REQUEST: January 7, 2014

LOCATION: Sunshine Island (or Blubell, since she's been visiting there)

REWARD: How about some snacks and tea with me? I'd also be willing to offer up a place to stay, if you want to come visit the island! I can give you a tour and stuff, too! And... I guess I can even offer up one of my precious stuffed animals, if there's one you like.

REQUEST INFORMATION: I've been really craving some new tea flavors because of this cold weather.  I'd be really grateful if anyone has some that they can share!

[floralphoria]

Forever Florals || Open

Morning.

The florist was usually up long before the sun made its first contact with the lush branches and bedecked leaves of the hillside trees. A quick glance from a sleepy eye determined that the day in particular wouldn't hold the case for him and he was up from the soft cloud of a bed in an instant.

How could I forget? It's today, isn't it? Crap.

Cam contained the urge to run out of the room upon dressing but moved with a reserved speed, appearing outside his bedroom door in minutes. A small smile threatened to break the steely mood upon his visage as he passed the kitchen area of the establishment, nodding a bleak greeting of the morning to the other two occupants before shuffling out of sight. The sweet aromas wafting and welling within the confines of the cafe were always a delight to wake up to, but the one thing that made the brunet happiest was idly sitting in another room.

I hope it's ready....

The florist quietly shut the door to the adjacent room, first making his way over to the window. A small sky-blue planter sat primly upon the ledge, eagerly soaking in the rays of sunlight that flitted through the crystalline pane.

“Ah, good morning...”

Olive-drab eyes softened, the smile that threatened to break him earlier bursting free across his lips. Little blades of sprouting stems were poking up through the dark, murky soil, jade contrasting and constricting, reaching vertical-happily to be bathed in the oncoming light. The sight delighted Cam, who reached over to pluck a small glass container of water off of his workbench to gently douse the floral statures in.

“Just a few more weeks, and you'll be ready,” he assured the plants in a quiet voice, fingertips sprinkling the little sprouts with droplets of water. “You'll be apart of the best bouquet I've ever had the pleasure of building.”

Cam set the glass down and turned to the one damning thing that had been hounding the depths of his mind since he had woken up:

“I hope you're ready, because I'm not,” he mumbled with a quiet sigh. Several bottles of different scented oils littered his opposite workbench, along with some odd-shaped glasses and flasks and an ivory marbled mortar and pestle. Frowning, he took grip of one bottle – rose-scented – and precariously dropped a few beads of the liquid inside the bowl of the mortar. He then reached above for a box containing some rose petals which he also placed inside the mortar. A few more miscellaneous items and oils and he was ready for the pestle.

As he ground up the pieces, Cam's mind wandered, tripping and traipsing over things. The perfume order was for a gentleman who had wanted to give a lovely gift to his betrothed. Such news rarely made his heart soar in excitement, save for the financial aspect of it. What was romance, anyway? He certainly wasn't sure about married life. The idea of being with someone until their dying day sounded like a far-off fairytale, enchanting words and whimsy made only for dreaming maidens and curious heroes. The florist felt as though he could not fully understand such thought and wondered if something along those lines were even possible.

He gently tapped the pestle against the inside of the mortar, allowing the remnants of the mixture to drip back into the bowl. When he thought about it, the brunet's emotions were about as varied as the lovely-scented mush he was grinding: mysterious and jumbled with nowhere to go except forward into a bottle.

Cam spent awhile staring into the ivory bowl before taking up the pestle again. He drowned himself so deep in his work that if anyone were to disturb him....

[cheerfulbelle-blog]

Spring Fair - Jail Time || Open~

Moments ago, she was innocently teasing the one boy at the kissing booth and had every intention of playing some other games before heading home… But she somehow managed to get arrested for unknown reasons. She wasn’t going to fuss since she figured it’d be like a five minute time out, easy to handle, so she went ahead and followed the jailer.

The person didn’t offer any hints for her arrest and quickly left once she was locked away. “Well that’s no fun…” she spoke out loud mostly to herself since she was alone in this poorly crafted cage. “Now what am I supposed to do with myself for the next hour? I feel that this is incredibly unfair…”

[tenderknight]

Some Girls Try Too Hard || Open

Now this was much more like it. The sun was warm and bright, making everything seem just so much more...perfect. 

She sat on the edge of the booth table, one leg crossed over the other. She made a point of wearing a short flowing skirt and an extra tight top. The jar was already half full-or maybe empty?-and the day was still new. She decided this was how she was going to make the next payment to the inn, and it was definitely working.

A coy smile played on her soft pink lips as she reapplied the lip gloss. Beside her sat a sort of menu. What each kind of kiss was worth and their pricing. On the bottom, however, was a little note 'your fifth kiss is free!' It had been effective so far.

Rosalind leaned back on her hands and gave a wink to the passing men who were with their dates. To the single men and men in groups she would play up her assets and puff up her chest, or try to pull them in with a gesture.

She was in her element and having so much fun. Of course, when business started to slow down she had to come up with a new tactic. She set her eyes on one of the males passing by.

"Come on, cutie!~ Wanna have a little bit of fun? It's completely worth it! Trust me~"

[childof-nature]

A Wanderer Appears!

The warm air of the summer day filled Imogen's lungs as she crawled among the tree. She was jumping from branch to branch, barely managing to land on her feet. She had gotten a little rusty from walking on the ground. Right now, she felt like a bird and birds rarely walked among the deer. No, they flew from tree to tree, branch to branch.

Imogen slipped, her foot rolling out from under her. She caught herself, hooking the branch under the crook of her leg. Imogen pulled herself up, hanging from the branch.

"This could work!" she exclaimed, swinging herself over to the next branch. Imogen did this until her hands were slightly blistered and she was tired. She allowed herself to drop to the floor and examine her hands. One of them was bleeding slightly while the other was only slightly chaffed. She would have to find some suitable leaves to bandage her wound more than likely.

Or, she thought, seeing the paved road in front of her, she wouldn't. Imogen followed the road for a ways before finding herself in a town. She wasn't sure where it was yet, but they more than likely had bandages. There happened to be a person walking past.

"Hey! Hey," she yelled, running up to the person. "Do you happen to know where I can get some bandages?" She held up her injured hands and wiggled her fingers, a smile plastered on her face.

[m-i-n-o-r-i]

Traveling to Mineral Town || Open

Once she made sure that someone would look over her farm and take care of her animals, she quickly packed her bags before finally hitting the open road. The cool breeze was blowing her hair all around, but her hat kept it mostly in place. It would be both fun and exhausting to take a one-horse carriage this time around...

A day's trip later... Minori found herself back in her old hometown, Mineral Town, and she was planning on getting cozy at the Inn instead of rushing off to see her parents right away. Doug was nice enough to give her a meal on the house since she did a lot of odd jobs for him when she lived here. Oh boy did it feel good to be home!

The brunette was just about to sit down with her plate when she noticed a semi-familiar face sitting at the table to her right. She paused for a second while holding tightly onto her plate, then she took a few steps towards the person sitting all alone. "Ah, h-hello there! I think I remember you... You're uh..."