[monochrome.]

So yeah I ran outta ideas and then this emerged. Theme song is "Burn" by The Pretty Reckless. Yay the last one! ^-^


Precontest Rules:
You can begin with your first blog post. It can occur the day before you "adopt" your Guardian. It should set the stage, laying out your training location, trainer tone, and plans.

If your Guardian is not claimed by Sunday the 15th of March, your Guardian will be put up for readoption.

Please submit the below form to claim your Guardian.

Code: Select all

[b]I'm claiming this Guardian![/b]
[b]Owner:[/b] trixyr
[b]Name:[/b] {You may leave blank until the Guardian is revealed if you wish}
[b]Gender:[/b] Female
[b]Fears:[/b] Fire, water, loud noises
[b]Past:[/b] Lived in a small apartment for the majority of her life. Some sort of explosion set the apartment building on fire (hence the fear of loud noises and fire). The owner and Guardian both escaped safely, but the owner was forbidden to bring pets to his new apartment building and was forced to toss the Guardian in the river, leading to the extreme fear of water.

General Rules:
You may keep your Guardian if you have a minimum of three blog posts for it by the end of the contest. Otherwise it will be put up for readoption.

You'll be added to the drawing on Saturday, after your Guardian is unwrapped. You may add objects and/or accessories to your Guardian (clip, bandanna, collar, etc.) but you may not edit the main lines in anyway major way.

[Trphlthdl]

I'm claiming this Guardian!
Owner: trixyr
Name: Spark
Gender: Female
Fears: Fire, water, loud noises
Past: Lived in a small apartment for the majority of her life. Some sort of explosion set the apartment building on fire (hence the fear of loud noises and fire). The owner and Guardian both escaped safely, but the owner was forbidden to bring pets to his new apartment building and was forced to toss the Guardian in the river, leading to the extreme fear of water.

Btw: listened to theme song, helped pick the name. Great song, sad though. Thanks for making Spark!

[Trphlthdl]

Day 0

-Spark-

I going to be adopted again. It'll just end like last time. I'll just get abandoned again. I can't do this. I have so many fears. I can't. I just can't. I can't think when I remember the explosion and fire. I can't think when I remember the river. I can't think. I'm sitting in a pit of fear I can't get out of.

I lead him out. I lead him out of that fire pit. I lead him out. I lead him out, and what do I get? I get abandoned. I get abandoned because he can't find the extra time to find a home that will take both of us. I lead him out, and I get thrown in a river.

I can't get abandoned again. I'm full of fear. I'm full of anger. I can't. I just can't. I can't get over my fear.

-Me-

When I saw the board to adopt a guardian Fox I loved the idea, and signed up immediately. When I was sent the picture of my Guardian I loved it even more. But I don't know how to help her overcome her fears. I don't know if she'll let me help her overcome her fears. I want nothing more than to help her out of this dark pit of fear she sits in, but I don't know if she'll let me.

For Sparks paragraph the first is fearful.the second is sadness, then anger, then sadness. The third is despair.

[Trphlthdl]

Day 1

-Spark-

Today is the day. The day my fate is sealed. Sealed to another abandonment.

As the people come in to pick up the other foxes, I am left here. Left all alone. The last. I hear the owners and foxes in the lobby, laughing and playing. I am already abandoned. I don't want to be adopted, but to have a possible owner and then have them abandon me right off the bat? Thats not fair.

Another person is led in by the person on their shift, and I wonder if she could possible be my owner. She doesn't seem to bad. No! Stop thinking like this, she'll just abandon me.

"Sorry I was late, got stuck in the roundabout." Says the young woman.

"It's fine, I get stuck there too." Replies the man on shift. "Anyway, here's you're fox. Spark am I right? Good name."

"Yeah Spark, thanks." She replies as she opens the door. "Hey Spark, hows it goin'?" She says softly.

No. No, no, no. I won't go, I'll get abandoned. I turn my back to her, and nose up stare at the wall. I glance back at her after a few seconds. She looks dumbfounded, like she's gone insane.

"Oh, no hon. I'm not going to abandon you. Not now, not ever."

I'm so afraid. She doesn't know my fears, and I'll get doused with water, or she'll have a loud party.

"Honey, I know your fears. I'm here to help, I really am. I'll help you overcome them." and she holds her hand out cautiously for me to sniff.

I stick my neck out and sniff her hand carefully, she gives me a small smile. When I slowly walk toward her, she strokes my head. I havn't been pet in so long, and it feels good. I continue walking toward her, inch by inch pausing occasionally. When I reach her I get on her knee and let her pick me up and walk out of the kennel area.

"Have a nice day!" she calls to the man as she walks out the front doors.

She opens the door to a blue pickup truck, and sets me down in the passenger seat. She walks around the front and get into the drivers side.

As soon as we get home, she shows me my room. It has a small shallow bowl of water outside the door, and the food bowl is just inside the door. My bed is in the far corner.

"I'll be just down the hall, if you want you can come and sleep with me." She waves and goes into her room.

I go to my bed and curl up, yawning. Not long after, I fall asleep.

-Me-

I'm finally at the kennel, and talking to Spark.

"Hey Spark, hows it goin'?" I say.

I hear a faint trickle of thought. No. No, no, no. I won't go, I'll get abandoned. It says.

"Oh, no hon. I'm not going to abandon you. Not now, not ever." I say in reply after I recover from the shock. I'm sure those were Spark's thoughts.

I'm so afraid. She doesn't know my fears, and I'll get doused with water, or she'll have a loud party.

"Honey, I know your fears. I'm here to help, I really am. I'll help you overcome them." I cautiously hold my hand out for Spark to sniff, and she sniffs it carefully. After a moment of thought she comes closer, and I stroke her head. She makes her way towards me, pausing occasionally. When she gets to me she puts her paws on my knee and hops on it. I pick her up, and make my way towards the door.

I'm still worried. She might still not let me help, but only time will tell.

[Trphlthdl]

Yes, I am aware that the hand is REALLY bad.

[Trphlthdl]

-Day Two-

-Me-

As soon as I wake up, I run over to Sparks room to check on her. I slow to a walk when I reach the doorway, and walk in.

"Good Morning Spark!" I exclaim, and she glances up from her food dish.

I continue towards her and get about halfway before she turns around and runs out the door and through the house. She's under the table downstairs when I find her.

"Spark, I was going to talk you for a walk. Just a walk, and I was hoping to avoid the leash but I can't now can I? How can we go leash free if I can't trust you not to run away from me INSIDE the house? It took me 15 minutes to find you."

I grab the leash and collar of the hook and hold it out to her.

"Are we going for a walk or not?"

Spark come towards me with her head down, and sits in front of me. I slide the collar on over her head and attach the leash.

"I understand you don't want to get abandoned again, but you have to trust that I won't ever abandon you." I say as we walk out the door.

She nods uncertainly.

"I don't know how I can prove I won't abandon you, but I swear I won't."

We walk down the road to the boardwalk. I live on the beach, but my personal boardwalk got torn down after it started interfering with the dunes. I love the ocean view, but it cost a very large amount of money. Good thing I'd been saving for a house one the beach since I was 15.

"Ever seen a... oh crap! I was going to show you the beach, but you're afraid of water. We'll just have to skip that." And we walk past it, sticking to the sidewalk.

After about a mile walking, during which we had gone onto a few different roads, we come up upon my house again. Spark makes a surprised yip, and turns to look at me.

"I've lived here awhile, I don't need to take the same path back."

But that's not why she yipped. I look back to the house and see a red car, my parents car in fact. They told me they'd be coming soon, but I'd lost track of the days. They've had to be driving all night, its a long trip from their home to mine.

"Hello honey!" My Mother calls. "Yes, I know we're early. You're father insisted we continue to drive all night," she shot a glare at my father. "and wouldn't listen to reason."

"HEY! you wanted to get here soon too!" He tries to pin some blame on my mother. "Whose that you're holding?"

During the course of the conversation Spark had jumped into my arms, like she had when a few of my neighbors called hello. She is very skittish around people, it seems her abandonment has made her think the worst of them.

"This is Spark, be careful she is very skittish. I signed up for a guardian fox event to help them overcome their fears."

"That's great honey, do you get to keep her?" asks my Mother.

"Yes, she's mine now."

"What's she afraid of?" Inquires my Father.

"Loud noises, Fire, and Water."

"Pumpkin, ya live by an ocean."

"Doesn't mean we've gotta go on the beach right now."

"She's got a point there." says my Mother while nudging my Father.

"Let's go in and talk." I say and lead the way in. "We'll worry about luggage later."

-Later...-

Spark and I are in the backyard,and I've pulled the kiddie pool thats been in the shed since I moved in onto the grass. I then filled it with about an inch of water, and put it in the back corner. Spark is eyeing it warily. I decided to skip to here since she is fine with the water in her bowl.

"Spark, we're going to get you over you're fear of water. There isn't much water in the kiddie pool, and I'm not going to force you to get in. Though I'd like it if you did, it'll help."

Throughout that entire session, Spark never went within 5 feet of the pool. Not once. I'm currently trying to fall asleep in my bed, and can hear Spark finishing up her dinner. Soon she does, and I assume sleeps. It takes a littler longer for me though. I worry about wether or not I can help her overcome her fears.

[Trphlthdl]

-Day 3-

-Spark-

We took another walk, a different route though. I don't fully trust her yet, but she seems like she's honest about not abandoning me. I'm considering getting into the pool of water, because we're in the backyard training.

"C'mon Spark! You can't stay out forever!"

She's even in the water, I think she thought it would make me less scared. I come a couple steps closer, the rim right in front of my nose.

"That's it, come on!"

I hop in and the water splashes around me, and in panic hop out. I wasn't expecting a splash.

"Aww, Spark you almost had it!"

I look at her and make my decision. I will get over my fear. I can and I will. I'll need her help though, and I'll have to trust her. So I hop in.

"Finally coming to your senses, aren't you Spark?"

The water is only up to my ankles, but I'm still scared. I wade over to her.

"Good girl Spark, that was very brave of you."

I wag my tail hesitantly.

"See? It's not that bad."

I see that now. Water isn't bad, as long as it's your choice to get in it. So I splash, I splash. I can overcome my fears. I can and I will.

If I'd been told this would happen, I would've laughed. But it doesn't seem so crazy now. I know I can trust her. I know she won't abandon me. I owe her, she's the only one who could've gotten through to me.

"Spark, you think you're ready for more water?"

She sets the hose inside the pool, and turns it on. I can feel the current from the hose on my paws.

The kiddie pool is full now, and I'm almost able to swim. We've been in the pool all afternoon, breaking only for lunch. I dunk my head under and blow bubbles, and she laughs.

"All right Spark, I think that's enough for today." She says as she steps out.

I splash once more before following her happily, keeping pace at her heels.

"Think after dinner you're ready to see the ocean?"

I yip and spin in a circle.

"We gonna need to use the leash?"

I sit and shake my head.

"Alright, but if you get scared for goodness sake don't run away okay?"

I nod.

"If you get scared go stand on the board walk, got that?"

I nod again.

By this time we've reached the dinning room.

"Honey, you're soaked. So are you Spark." Says her Mom.

"For good reason." Replies my girl, as she sets a towel on her chair.

We eat the best dinner ever, and then go to see the ocean. I don't leave the boardwalk for 5 minutes.

"Spark, you can't stay scared forever. Sooner or later you're going to have to come."

She's right, and I know it. It's now or never. I make my decision. I look at my girl and nod. She understands me, I can feel it.

We sprint to the water. I can feel the wind in my fur, and whistling past my ears. Then we hit the water, it's cold. The water is oh so very cold, but I love it. The ocean is big, and I can't see the end. I can hear the waves crash, and the pelicans call to each other. I can smell the ocean, salty and wonderful. It smells most like happiness than anything else. My girl and I play in the water until the sun has almost disappeared. This was the best day of my life.

-Me-

Spark hops in the kiddie pool, and then right back out.

"Aww, Spark you almost had it!"

I will get over my fear. I can and I will. I'll need her help though, and I'll have to trust her.

Spark hops in.

"Finally coming to your senses, aren't you Spark?"

[Trphlthdl]

i'm aware its not great, but to be fair I'm more used to drawing on paper with a pen/pencil.

[Trphlthdl]

-Day 4-

-Spark-

As soon as I wake up, I race down to the front door so I can go see the ocean. My girl comes as soon as she's dressed and opens the door. I wag my tail at light speed, and we reach the board walk. Then the ocean comes into view.

"Go ahead, I'll follow."

And I do. I play in that ocean for hours, but all too soon its time to go in.

"Come on Spark, we've got to eat lunch."

I reluctantly follow.

After lunch we head into the pool room, at which point my girl closes the blinds and lights a few candles. I bolt under the couch and stay there.

"Spark I thought you said you were going to trust me and let me help you overcome your fears?"

She can hear my thoughts?

"Only some of them, the ones that are more pronounced or strong I assume."

That explains a lot.

"Yeah, I guess it would explain a lot."

How is she still hearing these? These aren't particularly strong that I think.

"I don't know Spark, and I don't want to eavesdrop on your thoughts but I don't know how not to."

At least she isn't trying to hear my thoughts.

"There is that, but Spark we need to overcome this fear."

I guess she's right, but not today. It's too soon after overcoming another fear.

"Fair enough, maybe tomorrow or the next day." She says, and proceeds to blow out the candles.

[Trphlthdl]

-Day 5-

-Spark-

It's training again, but I got to go to the beach this morning though.

"Spark, it's fine! It's just a candle!"

I'm cowering under the couch again. My girls got a candle on the pool table because she is trying to help me get over my fear of fire.

"Spark its a candle!"

I back farther under the couch.

"We've been in here for three hours and all you done is sit under that couch in pure terror. It's just a candle, and I'm only asking for you to at least be comfortable walking in the same room with it." She lets out a frustrated sigh, and plops down on the chair behind her. "You know what, we're done for the day. I'm getting a snack." She blows out the candle and leaves.

When she comes back she says to me "Look I know I was a little harsh, but you've got to get used to a candle. We don't even have a fireplace, you might see a beach bonfire but thats the only probable fires you'll see."

I know she's just trying to help, but I'm so afraid of fire.

"Lets get you your dinner, and I'll start cooking my dinner."

We walk up the stairs side by side, and she gets my dinner. Her parents are out on the deck, chatting I assume. I look over at my girl again and she's grabbing a cast iron pan out of the lower cupboard. I go back to eating my food. Suddenly theres a very loud clang, but I keep eating.

"Spark what was that?"

I glance over with a quizzical expression on my face.

"That was a loud noise. They said you were scared of loud noises, and you didn't even flinch. I flinched, but you didn't."

Oh, apparently I didn't flinch. I don't remember flinching.

"Spark, seriously."

She grabs a large metal spoon and bangs it against the back of the pot. I don't like the noise, its hurting my ears, but I'm not scared of it.

"This is hurting your ears, it's a loud noise, and you're not scared of it? This isn't adding up."

Do you want me to be scared of loud noises?

"No, I'm just comprehending this. Still."

Okay, for a second there it seemed like you wanted me scared of loud noises.

"Do you realize what just happened? Two fears down, one to go!"

I guess it is. Just my fear of fire to go.