[lovage]

bump - a week left to finish anything

[fish-soda]

username. fish-juice • name. larimar • gender. male • favorite memory. ⤵

xxxThe rain fell in a downpour - continuous, relentless. The large drops had become painful, and caused stinging rivulets running from his hair to pool into his eyes. Vision blurred and unsteady, Larimar could only feel through the tall, slick grass with the dwindling hope of finding some kind of path. He couldn't remember now when the storm had formed, but it had so fast that he had no chance to find shelter from it; he only wished he paid more attention to the dark clouds when they first overcast the sky. After wandering to the point of near exhaustion, he could faintly make out the large trees at the edge of the swamp (which was unbeknownst to him in that moment). Desperate for any type of relief, he tried to run towards the foggy silhouettes with the last burst of strength he had; this attempt was short-lived, as the flooded grass quickly gave way into the sloping mud. Tumbling down into the water, he instantly felt it's force against him. Gasping for air as he struggled to stay afloat, he could now only paddle himself into the direction that he was being pulled. His sight darkened as his head was pushed under the water with every other breath. While he didn't truly believe this anymore, all he could think of was that he should've never left.

xxxWhen he opened his eyes, the rain had stopped, leaving the heavy feeling of the next incoming storm in the air. Pulling himself up from the soggy patch of bank he had been washed up onto and marveled that he was still alive, Larimar tried to shake himself off and catch his balance as he slowly stood. Realizing now that he was in the swamp and feeling completely lost, he only weakly stood in place as he took in his surroundings. He wasn't sure how he could even leave where he found himself now, unless he risked swimming through the water again; the idea was still as frightening as before, as he knew what creatures were in it. Feeling the last traces of hope fade, he simply lowered back down, turning his attention to the water striders gliding about each other.

xxxSome time after falling into a doze, the sound of wet footsteps jolted him fully awake; he instantly searched for the source, yet the sky was growing darker; he helplessly glanced in any direction, fear causing him to draw closer into the water. He jumped in surprise at the sight of the figure who had suddenly appeared next to him. They had an intimidating appearance - small feathers and what looked like bones hung from the bands in his hair, which itself was very messy and clung over his eyes. His fangs protruded like tusks, and his eyes weren't even visible. However, when the stranger spoke, he had an oddly calming tone. "Try not to be so afraid. I saw you were carried by the water and I didn't save you, which I am sorry for. I've never had a reason to save anyone, or apologize for not doing so. But I've been observing you, and.. I believe you're the one I've been looking for." Unsure of exactly what he meant and taken aback by the unexpected apology, Larimar tried to swallow his fear. "I.. I don't know what to do. I.. had no choice but to run away, but. I've almost lost my life for it many times." Already familiar with the kit's story and dropping it for now, Demersion moved to the side and gestured in a direction away from them. "There's shallow water through here - I live a little farther this way. If you follow me, I can take you somewhere more safe than here. It'll be night soon." Automatically feeling an amount of trust, Larimar stood again and drew closer to the stranger's side. "I would really like to. I have nowhere else to go. I have no one."

xxxYears had passed since the swamp became Larimar's home. Many would say he was foolish for following such a mystical stranger so quickly, but as young as he was when he was found, he could only place his trust in the one who had offered him a new life. If he had not, he may have not survived - but this wasn't the only reason why he took the offer. His strong intuition had led him right, and now he had been growing strong under Demersion's care. He still, however, had a lot more to learn from him (and, a while longer to continue growing). He thinks of him as a mentor and a father. After learning the story of his father's past and his specific abilities, Larimar was fully decided that he would stay with Demersion as his family and help him to confront his dark past. Becoming just as reserved and rugged towards others, adorned in feathers and small bones as well, Larimar has been shaping his image after his father's in respect and wishes to be as strong as him.

xxxThe memory of when he and Demersion had first met after that violent storm, and the many unspoken promises of what was to come with his new life; this is undoubtedly his favorite, and keeps him surviving. [878]

[lovage]

this has been extended to june 30th.

[cocoa]

Username colour54
Name cypress
Gender nb, she/her they/them
Favorite Memory

dark circles dug into the skin under cypress's reddish-brown eyes, hair dyed blonde hanging around her face in spiky clumps, obscuring one side of her face and keeping the nape of her neck warm. her hands twist of their own accord, fingers lacing and unlacing impatiently as her ears twitched in place, a delicate fluff in contrast to the rough texture of her dark, acne-scarred face.

cypress was no one of note; most knew her as nothing more than an orphan. cypress knew herself as someone that tended to disappear behind society's face of perfection; dismissed as another rebellious teenager out a bit too late, oh, of course she had loving parents to go back to. this fact was viewed with a great disconnection in cypress's mind, for the moment she allowed it further evaluation it would consume her: those feelings of injustice, anger at her abandonment, anger at society's willful ignorance of the forgotten lives outside of their perfect bubble --

it was no matter. disillusionment, mindful forgetfulness was better than the pain at thinking of such things.

she lives by the scrape of her palm across pavement, by each shopping trip bought by the coins she finds in the streets and the countless sandwiches she makes from the same loaves of bread and slices of cheese. one would perhaps look at this life and think it empty of happiness. yet, cypress had learned, in learning to forget bitterness, that happiness lingers in the places that few never stop to watch.

happiness is in the gentle blue of the sky. it is in the breeze that ruffles cypress's sweaty hair after a hot day. it is in the first bite of food for the day, the flavor of the cheese and bread melting together in her mouth and filling the gnawing ache in her stomach. it is sitting by a stream, the dirt on her feet washed away by the cool rush; it is the taste of drinking up that water until her throat no longer twinges in dehydration.

it is those small reliefs to her misery. or, that is what she thought it was, before the day she came across her.

yvette, someone who was at times, cruel and proud and hungry for power did not stop to wonder before she took cypress and pulled her straight into the uncertainty of the universe. cypress had always been certain she would always live on the streets, in the shadows, in the woods.

yvette had no beliefs in such certainty: she brushed it all aside with little thought or doubt, saw cypress and pulled her up by her collar, asked her if she wanted to do something, carve her name into the starships of old and new, take off into galaxies beyond and finally get the chance to make fun of people lesser than her, because she wouldn't be at the bottom of the food chain anymore. yvette took one look at her, and saw potential. it wasn't the kindness cypress had always quite dreamt of, it wasn't the warm hand and comforting embrace of a parent and a safe, unassuming home. it was a kindness that cut straight through everything cypress had mindfully forgot, every disillusionment she placed before her eyes to protect her sanity. it was a kindness that tore down walls, that unleashed anger and fanned flames of strength high, and tore every ship from shore and into a raging sea.

she was a purple so brilliant, so unnatural in the way it reflected the sun, the way she glowed at the oranges of her tail and the streaks in her hair. her grip was strong and unafraid to hold cypress's weaker one.

of all her memories, she remembered this one the most. it burns into her mind some nights with a fervent joy, the kind that draws a knife, raw, against her chest, and all the emotions within her well faster than the blood of a cut. her eyes reflect the brilliance of yvette's image, her heart the simmering, burning rage that floats high into something soft enough to also be happiness. and the shake of their hands, firmer than anything else in cypress's life of opportunities and hopes slipping through the calluses of her fingers, strikes a sound louder than the ringing of any bell.

it wasn't what she had planned to do, but cypress lands among the stars.

[733 words]

[-Novacaine-]

Username -Novacaine-
Name Carson
Gender male
Favorite Memory Carson's favorite memory is of his best friend, Nadeko, who was a small bunny they used to play with. They would run in the fields all day and just fall asleep together after playing. After a while, Nadeko had stopped coming to play with him, and he didn't understand why, so he kept that memory in his mind, missing his only friend.

[lovage]

bump - a three days left to finish anything

[Audria]

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⚒ ★ Username: Ivytea

⚒ ★ Name: Cooper

⚒ ★ Gender: Male

⬤ A ⬤ A ⬤ A ⬤ A ⬤ A ⬤

⚒ ★ What is their favorite memory?:

Some children like to play with toy trains and cars. Others like to play with dolls, brushing their hair and giving them love. However, there is a certain element that just adore taking things apart and putting them back together again. You may be thinking -- what a strange interest for a child to have! -- but, thus is the life of Cooper.
Cooper's a bit of a strange child, and always has been. That's not a bad thing, of course -- his uniqueness makes him stand out from the general herd. He's always had a fondness for fixing, crafting, and using his hands. Those hands, he knew, would go on into a lifetime of helping not only himself, but others in their daily lives. Whether they held a hammer or not was up to his own choice.
Perhaps it started when he broke his first toy. It was a rusty little bike, perfect for a small kit like himself to enjoy. That bike used to be red, Cooper's favorite color, but had aged quite disdainfully, turning more rust-orange with every passing day. He'd received that very bike as a birthday present, and took it with him almost everywhere. Like all things, it eventually broke, sputtering into quite a sizable amount of pieces.
Much to his parents' dislike, he spent hours upon hours a day attempting to fix that very bike. It started off simple -- "can I have some glue?" He'd ask, folding a shiny golden lock behind one of his ears. To Cooper's disdain, that glue was too melt-able for the steamy summer days of their neighborhood. That then transformed into "can I have some tape?" Oh, right, some simple clear tape. Surely Cooper wouldn't have meant heavy-duty packaging tape, correct? Nope. Every single run to the grocery store was a packing tape spree. It worked for a little bit, you see -- the dearest boy had wrapped at least 3 rolls of it around the middle stem of the bike, and, though it was stiff, it worked. One day, however, it split right down the middle in two again, shoving the now-riddled tape to the edge of the sidewalk -- Cooper with it, at that! And so, it was back to the drawing board.
A teacher at school, whom Cooper confided in quite often, suggested incorporating twigs and other pieces of raw nature into his project. Cooper, at first, was utterly shocked -- how could something as weak as sticks and mud compare to actual, you know -- "fixing" materials? But then, thanks to both that teacher and a burst of anticipation, he got to it.
Sticks, mud, grass, hay -- almost everything that one could think of was on his supply list. As a gift for his troubles, his parents bestowed upon him a small hammer to help, as well.
That hammer was something that Cooper truly loved. It signified his desire to fix his tattered bike, and gave him enough independence to continue with this brilliant project. It was child-safe, of course, but the very thought of him securing his calloused hands around that brushed iron forced adrenaline through his veins.
The next morning, Cooper awoke in excitement to begin his newer plan. He hopped out of bed, brushed his teeth rather quickly, and flew down the stairs. His parents, bewildered to where all of this sudden energy arose from, exchanged a puzzled look between each other. Cooper grabbed his hammer, his bamboo sack full of earth, and made his spot in the garage.
The bike, broken in two still, was fastened in one hand, hammer in the other. Every couple of moments, a chunk of earth would be added to the wound -- mud, merging the two pieces together, and grass, to add support. He wrapped some flexible twigs around the base, fitting it circularly up and over to the top, to force them to be one. His hands, completely hardened with work and sweat, wiped some dirt off of his small face occasionally. It was difficult, of course, especially for a young child like Cooper at the time. However, deep in his heart, Cooper needed and wanted to not only fix his bike, but to prove to himself that he could do it.
His brother Crow had come out to the garage with him at one point, holding a cold glass of honey lemonade, stunned to see his simple sibling so jarringly focused. He set the beverage on a surrounding shelf, puzzled, as Cooper didn't even bother to address his presence.
The project was almost complete, and Cooper could feel it. To his shock, the bike actually was staying in place, held together by the mud and twigs. He hammered on it for good measure, although it probably didn't help very much, and set it outside to dry for the night. He slept restlessly that evening, eager to show his family his creation.
The time had finally come, and Cooper called everyone out of the house for a family meeting. His face, redding further and further by the second, couldn't get any more nervous. He held the bike, spun the wheels eagerly, and placed it firmly on the pavement. All eyes were on him.
Cooper whirred the bike to life, flinging his hind legs onto the pedals, and sped down the driveway. It felt even better than it had before it had broken, despite sustaining significant damage. Hearing the noise of his family clapping from behind him, his grin widened and encompassed his entire face. The joy he felt in that moment was exhilarating, and -- quite honestly -- was probably his most favorite memory of all time. When he returned, his parents -- as well as Crow -- enveloped him in a warm, proud hug, so incredibly in awe of what he'd done. Cooper could barely let go of that bike for the rest of the summer, still thinking about himself relishing in that limelight so long ago. [982 words]

(Art by me)

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[lovage]

bump - a one left to finish anything

[lovage]

this is now closed. any edits or forms past this point will be disqualified.

i’ll get this judged as soon as possible.

[lovage]

sorry about the delay in judging -
it took a bit to narrow down to just one winner when many of the forms were so well done. so, let’s get onto the winner of the competition. so, the winner is fish-juice. your form was able to bring the character alive very nicely. and, it was just an absolutely fun to read!

good luck to everyone in future competitions, and have a nice rest of your day/night!