[yeena]

username: dave. name: hoshi
gender: male homeland: mothers graves
main story: 924 words out of 1000

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[extra story] (438 words out of 500)


XXXHis paw pads were cracked and he felt
like a golem that has just awoken from a o-
ne hundred year nap but.. he carries on. Th-
rough wind and rain and heavy storms, leav
ing an essence of harmony in his wake that
almost calmed the rage around him. He had
traveled through many beautiful places; ma
ny places he wished his soul would have clai
med to be his but, alas his plans differed fro
m what his small mind would want. 

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Dragging the oversized bag behind him he tri
ed to remember old days while moving aroun
d, traveling with his family, it almost made a s
mile cross his tired face. He remembered som
e things as if they were yesterday.. and then s
ome were vague. Too vague to speak of. But n
onetheless they had all put a great impact on h
is life, from every tired argument to the excited
family chirps when they reached a new destin
ation. Such happy times to think of. 

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He waddled behind his mother, eyes wide
and bright and a small duffle bag hanging
down on him, the voice recorder on and lis
tening to the world around him. His mother
cast a tired look behind herself at her only
child, a beautiful smile gracing her lips whi
le looking. This made the small kit yip and
yap excitedly, always adoring his mothers
smile. He liked his mommys friends smile
as well ! She was a sweet girl and he was h
appy his mom had such a nice friend like h
er to accompany them. 

Speeding up to stand beside his mother he
pressed himself against her narrow leg, the
soft fur and warm feeling dragging him in. "
Mommy, why do we travel ? " he didn't know
where the question came from honestly. It ju
st.. slipped out. But it definitely made a huge
difference to how he thought about things..
his mother tensed a bit but continued walkin
g, letting the pup calmly rest his wide head a
gainst her leg while walking. 

" Well.. I guess you can say we're looking for
a.. happiness no one can feel. Only us. It does
n't matter where it is, it doesn't who its with-" a
t that his mommy looked forward at her chubb
y and stout friend ahead of them, he didn't mis
s that bright sparkle in her eyes. She must be r
eally close with Helly ! "- its all about the journey
! " she finished, turning to grin down at the pupp
y. He pondered these words, gears ticking in his
small head, but soon he stared right up at his m
om, grinning as well.

" I'm going to travel the world when I'm big ! I'll b
e just like you mommy. "

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XXXThe voice recorder. Xxxxxxxxx

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He raised his nose to the sky, sniffing, twitching his nose he took deep breaths, picking up smells that could be miles away. There was the fresh dew smell, his paws actually getting slightly wet due to the small droplets and then other natural scents but.. something stood out. Standing still in his place he closes his eyes and raised his ears higher, became alert. The smell was not threatening what so ever.. it was almost peaceful. It made him feel.. ended. Over. Not in a bad way but a way that.. made him want to lay down and sleep. 

He needed to investigate.

Shifting into motion again he held his head high and tail straight out behind him, moving as fast as his fat puppy legs and overweight bag would allow. He was not sniffing anymore, some kind of ''sixth sense'' per se, guiding him on some imaginary trail that was sending him into an unknown terrian. It was almost a scary thing but something was telling him it was alright.. that he'd be alright.

His paws suddenly felt heavy.

It wasn't a tired heavy really.. just.. almost relaxed heavy. How one may feel before taking a nap.. or how you feel when in a comfortable position. Flattening his ears and letting out a soft sigh he stuck his tongue out, panting slightly. Ah. His body was used to traveling indeed.. but that doesn't mean he didn't get tired quickly. Especially under thick undergrowth like this.

He was getting closer.

Nobody could tell how he knew such a fact. Maybe it was the fact that his matted and mud caked fur slowly felt like it was new and clean, sleek and shiny. It wasn't of course but it felt like such. Just like he felt that relaxed feeling spreading, getting warmer, stronger. He felt like he knew this area, it seemed almost familiar.. alas he had never seen such trees before. Never been in a forest.. he had been in many, many, many forests but none quite like this.

He was almost there.

Just around the corner, whatever he was wanting, he was almost there. So close. His paws must've had thorns dug deep into them, stuck under the webbing between his small toes, thistles were probably hidden under his chub and fur but he still felt clean. It was a sign. He took it as a sign. A sign he was almost there.. so close. So very close. He could feel it, whatever it may have been he could taste the harmony in his mouth almost. Almost.

He had made it.

Breaking out of the forest he looked like a wild animal, not even mentioning he was, but his bag looked worse.. but he had popped out into a meadow.. tall grass growing proudly around him with colorful wildflowers here and there. A perfect scene. In any other times he would've felt.. intimidated. Scared maybe ? No. He wouldn't have feared such a beautiful place.. and at first, he thought it was just another place that had called his name, a place that called him to relax, but standing there he knew it wasn't like that. This was something more to this place.. which is why he willed himself to press through the tall grass, eyes wide and curious like long ago when he was a small pup.

He wandered aimlessly in the sea of grass, the tall blades bright and full, tickling his nose with each one that slapped his face. His bag left a broken blade trail behind him though, claiming a ''revenge'' almost on the greenery. He felt lost though, above all. He had that comforting feeling running through him.. he could feel the peace in his chest but he didn't know where to go. He was small and short. He had no plans for this. He didn't know what to expect. 

It felt like after forever when he broke through the sea. Hitting another clear area. This didn't excite him too much, thinking it meant he was just halfway through but.. he saw the tall tree in front of him. Long limbs reaching down at the ground, twisted and curled on the ground, untouched. It was beautiful. It was his.

He padded forward slowly, bag dragging slowly behind him. He was wide eyed. Amazed. It was.. rare almost, to see such a tree untouched- unharmed, by human life. Slipping the bag off of his shoulder he slowly crawled under the overgrown branches dangling down. A weeping willow.. what a sight. Avoiding the large roots he stared at the shelter that had been made around him, the trees branches shielding unwelcomed eyes. Perfection. Traveling around the wide trunk he nodded, paying mind to the small creatures scampering around, including the tiny crawling bugs. It was a home to many already.. hn. Traveling around the tree he stopped at what he assumed was the front, standing in front of two small stone slabs. Graves.

He investigated, leaning in to read the old and faded but in tact print. It took awhile for his mind to comprehend what he was reading, the names, the dates.. everything. 

It was his mom and Helen's gravestones. His happiness was here with his two loved family members.

As he was at his journeys end, a sad but amazing thing. Yes he would miss traveling the world, he would miss those friends he made, but he had found his secret happiness after so long and he couldn't be more relaxed.

He had found his happiness.. and home.

[mairon]

Marking to watch because this is the cutest mako ever hhh

[dr pepper.]

Username: dr pepper.
Name:
Gender: Genderfluid, prefers he, him pronouns
Their homeland: [Where they belong]
Story/art: [Up to 1,000 words about how they found where they belong and why they belong there, OR up to three pieces of art showing where they belong and how they found it. Each panel in a comic counts as one piece of art.]
Extra: [Up to 500 words OR 2 pieces of art; can also go with 250 words and one piece of art]

[dilly.]

Username: dilly.
Name: Tell (possibly changing)
Gender: Male
Sexuality;; Panromantic Asexual
Their homeland: [Where they belong]
Story/art:
Extra:


When memories and imagination mix, and you can't tell which is which.
Tell remembered as he dreamt. Or dreamt as he remembered. Does that make sense?
The smell of buttery biscuits, the best in France, fades into the lights of the Eiffel Tower.
Kayin's wide range of expressions, from the quirk of his eyebrows to the lift of his tail.
Two pups, older than they looked gazing at a scene that never failed to impress.
A serene smile on Kayin's face as he worked with his element; machines, his passion evident.
A goodbye. No, there was none. Only slipping away, no word nor warning. A coward's way out.
***
On the streets of France, a lone figure whose years had not marked his face, but instead lay upon his shoulders like a heavy mantle. But yet his head was held high, chin raised, even while covered in mud and dust. Nothing in his stature showed his weariness or his overwhelming desire for sleep and to forget the world.
Tell had been travelling since young, and he belived in destiny, in fate. In a world shaped like a clock, every being a gear making it turn, everyone with their place. But on occasion, his belief is called into question. Such as now, as he trudged through the streets of yet another city. Tell grimaced as his belly soured in hunger. 'Keep your chin up, bud,' he muttered to himself.
He turned down a side lane at chance, hoping to find a suitable place to camp. What he found, however, was a shop selling what looked like to be clockwork toys. It was the bag of biscuits left on a bench that appealed the most to Tell, however, with no one to guard it. Tell was desperate for something to sate his hunger and in one fluid movement grabbed the bag.
Metal clinked onto the floor, and Tell heard a gasp, from outrage, anger or shock he couldn't tell. He turned around to see another makoatl gaping at him, presumably the owner of the biscuits. Without thinking twice, Tell took off.
Tell thought he could hear shouting as the stranger gave chase, but there were no decipherable words.
Engaging in a chase with a native turned out to be a stupid idea. The stranger knew every turn of the streets, while Tell floundered and got lost. It quickly ended when he cornered himself at the train station. The stranger showed up immediately after, leaving him no time to escape. Now Tell got a good look at him. He looked like he was trying to keep his face in a stern expression, somewhat failing. He froze, staring at Tell's mouth. At where a bag of biscuits used to hang. Tell dimly remembered tripping, only now remembering dropping something. Tell was entranced by the other's shift in expression. While he was saddened by the loss of a good dinner, the other seemed woefully heartbroken. The silence stretched and Tell was compelled to break it. 'Uh... Hi. I'm really sorry... About your food. Just... I haven't eaten for days and it smelled so good so I just you know...' Tell spoke quickly, wanting to get it over with. The other stared at him. 'You don't have... Food either?'
'Yeah...'
'No parents?'
'I'm traveling alone. '
The male nodded after a pause, almost to himself. '... I'm Kayin.'
'Tell. Nice to meet you. Sorry I can't pay you back for your food. ' Kayin finally met Tell's eyes directly. He thought he could see amusement in the lines of Kayin's eyes, but his face was impassive.
Tell quickly learnt Kayin was alone, a fact they shared. A tentative acquaintance was built from then on, since Tell had to help Kayin earn back his money. Tell insisted, feeling guilty. But even after that, Tell stayed, eventually helping with maintaining the clocks. It took a long while for them to trust each other with their secrets, and both had forgotten how to speak openly.
•••
I loved watching him work. Sometimes I would get things wrong on purpose just so he would fix it.
Our shared secrets bloomed like flowers, inside jokes and smiles.
He would quirk an eyebrow at me and I would wiggle my nose.
But that was a chapter of the past.
•••
Grey seas was to be seen for many miles around. Tell had been afloat at sea for a week, and his well thought out but meager supplies were dwindling. But he was getting close. A city under water, where all sorts of people gathered. Untouched by humans. A legend, passed only by word of mouth, so many variations of the tale no one was sure which one is real. But now Tell was occupied in keeping himself afloat, as the wind whipped the sea up in a frothy mass. His bag, while mostly empty but still contained something sentimental to him fell overboard.
A little clockwork train. It seemed poetic that Tell should leave the same way they met, stealing something.
It sank while Tell watched in horror. Jumping overboard, he dived after it, the cold shocking him.
Curious. Tell caught clockwork toy and noticed an underwater bridge. A sign, although covered with algae, looked unusually new. Tell squinted to read it.

Evolantiss.

But what do you do if your heart is in two?


[explantion;; Most of it is about Tell and Kayin in France, because that is the sole event in his life preventing him from going off and living alone happily. There are two possible 'homelands' for him in this story, France and Evolantiss. This is because I believe home is where the heart is, and the connections you make there tie you to your home. Tell connects physically with Evolantiss and emotionally with France, and is therefore undecided. But home is where you decide to make it. ]

[972 words including explanation. ]





extra;;

Do I stay or do I go?

The question followed Tell like a ghost. He needed to leave. But he wanted to stay. Only if just for one person. Just a taste of the life here was enough to form a tether. Did he want solitude after this bustling city? But the lure of home, a basic need, lingered. Need and want, which weighed more?

Time marches on. Won't you come with me?

But Tell knew Kayin wouldn't. "Follow me to a place I've only seen in my dreams." What a question. Tell wanted both, the promised land and companionship. But gain some, lose some. Which should he choose? The clock tower ticked, a slow rhythm echoing around the room within the clock. Kayin kept the machinery well oiled, and the gears turned silently to tell the time.

Two choices. Life was simpler when I only had one.

Companionship in exchange for a promised land. Kayin in exchange for home. Tell's motto was to keep moving. They said chase your dreams. How long would a companionship last?

Do I stay or do I go?

I go as the clock strikes eleven, silent in the night.
[Up to 500 words OR 2 pieces of art; can also go with 250 words and one piece of art]

[Zuppe]

Username:
Name:
Gender:
Their homeland: [Where they belong]
Story/art: [Up to 1,000 words about how they found where they belong and why they belong there, OR up to three pieces of art showing where they belong and how they found it. Each panel in a comic counts as one piece of art.]
Extra: [Up to 500 words OR 2 pieces of art; can also go with 250 words and one piece of art]

[Wolfsplash]

Username:
Name:
Gender:
Their homeland:
Story/art: [Up to 1,000 words about how they found where they belong and why they belong there, OR up to three pieces of art showing where they belong and how they found it. Each panel in a comic counts as one piece of art.]
Extra: [Up to 500 words OR 2 pieces of art; can also go with 250 words and one piece of art]

[Keys to the Sky]

Username: Keys to the Sky
Name: Colm
Gender: Male
Their homeland: The library
Story/art:

The day started out no different than any other day. As the librarian took her kettle off the stove the warm scent of cinnamon wafted through the air. Ahh yes, the Makoatl thought to herself, the only way to start the day right is with a good cup of apple cinnamon tea. She wandered off to her desk, placing the steaming cup down. And at a quarter to nine, she opened the library for business.

At half past nine, her first patron wandered in. Drat, she thought to herself, as she laid her book down, I was just getting to the good part. A small head peaked over her desk.

“Excuse me,” said the cubby Mako pup, “but I’m looking for books with an adventure.”

“Hmm, let me see,” the librarian said, flipping through the list of books that sat on her desk. A cloud of dust had flown off the top when she flipped it open; children rarely came into the library. Truth be told, Makoatls rarely came into the library. No one appreciates a good book anymore, the librarian thought. Well, except for this little fella. The Makoatl pup that had come in was short and chubby, with caramel brown fur and a bright green tongue and eyes. The librarian was happy to give him many books, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Lord of the Rings. When the pup had said that he had never had chocolate before, the librarian made sure to put some out on her desk the next day. She helped him make a staff like Gandalf’s and a pretend sword like King Arthur’s Excalibur. She helped him look up words he didn’t understand and listened intently to every theory he had about the books he read.

The pup had soon become as normal as the librarian’s cup of apple cinnamon tea. She learned that the pup’s name was Colm (she found that out when she got him his own library card), that his favorite food was jelly beans (when he had stopped eating the chocolate she left out for him, the librarian had to ask why. He said it was very nice for her to give him chocolate, but he much preferred jelly beans), and his favorite word was “serendipity” (he liked the way it sounded and that it must be the best feeling ever).

“How about you read Harry Potter?” the libarian finally asked Colm one day, leading him to where the books were. His eyes glowed when he saw the cover, and he took it eagerly from her hands.

“Thank you!” he said, as he took off to the nearest corner and started reading.

After a week had passed, the librarian heard a small cough and looked down to see the young pup standing at her desk again.

“I finished,” Colm stated, smiling. “I think Harry is a lot like me.”

“Oh?” the librarian said. She smiled. Of course this little pup would love to think that he was like the magical boy who went on wonderful adventures with his friends.

“Yeah. I never knew my mom or dad either,” the Colm replied, his smile fading. “But at least I don’t live with people like the Dursleys. I live with nice foster families. But I just want a home, like how Harry has Hogwarts.”

This gave the librarian pause. The little pup had always been so happy when he came in, but she could see now how truly heartbroken the pup was. But before she could say anything, Colm thanked her and left for the day.

That night, as the librarian returned to her apartment above the library, she thought long and hard about what Colm had said. Every young thing deserves to have a home, she thought to herself. But what on earth could she do? The librarian tossed and turned, until finally she had an idea.

The next morning, when Colm came into the library, the librarian greeted him with a smile.

“How would you like it if I said that the library could be your home?” she asked him with a grin.

Colm beamed. “You mean live here? With you?”

“If that’s alright with you,” the librarian replied. Colm said nothing, but as he leapt up to give the librarian a big hug, she knew that everything was going to be just perfect.

***

Now, when you enter the library, it still smells of apple cinnamon tea, but you can find a bowl full of jelly beans by the entrance. Most rooms have a hint of green in there somewhere. And if you ask the new librarian in training (a chubby pup by the name of Colm), he’ll say that the library is the only place he’d ever want to call home.

Extra: Personality: Colm is a happy, bubbly young pup with a mind hungry for knowledge. He loves adventure, but unlike most pups, he knows that adventure can come in many forms. He loves the typical adventure with knights in shining armor and princesses and dragons (in fact, those are his favorite bedtime stories), but he also loves the idea of an adventure into space searching for new planets, an adventure that takes him to faraway libraries in search of old texts and ideas, or even an adventure in a laboratory, searching for a cure for a disease.

Colm is a daydreamer by nature. Before he was adopted, the young pup would spend hours imagining what his family would look like and spent even more time imagining what his home would be like. Maybe it would be a mansion like Daddy Warbucks’ from Annie or maybe a castle like the olden days! Colm has asked the librarian many times for a moat around the library. She has said no.

Colm can be very clingy sometimes. The librarian attributes this to the fact that he never knew when he was going to leave his foster families. Colm will often follow the librarian everywhere and hates going into far corners of the library alone to look for books. Even though he tells himself that it would never happen, sometimes a little voice in his head tells him that when he comes back, the librarian will have left him. He slept over in the librarian’s room so often that she finally decided they would share a room.

Colm’s title of junior librarian was truly just an honorary title. Colm isn’t a very responsible pup; you can ask him to go get the second book of the Lord of the Rings series and find him hours later, reading an encyclopedia article about volcanoes, having completely forgotten his task. He is, however, getting better at remembering to make apple cinnamon tea each morning.

[Novi]

Username: tsuya
Name: November, nicknamed Novi
Gender: Biologically male, identifies as genderfluid
Their homeland: Novi resides in a church house with a lovely elderly couple.
Story:

Not many sinners would normally go to a church, but strangely enough, that's where November found himself.
The young Makoatl had been wandering through the summer heat of the small town, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted theatrically - he always did have a flare for the dramatic, that boy. His feet were starting to blister from the burning pavement, but it mattered not to him. It honestly just added on to his list of reasons to keep going.

As he traveled down this rocky path, November was soon starting to believe that this road would never end; that, just like his imagination, it would go on forever and ever, an endless void into the unknown. He was sincerely beginning to think he would die out here, and his body would turn up weeks later, when a hiker would wander out and find poor November's corpse, surrounded by buzzards, and-

November shook the thoughts out of his head rather quickly. He was getting off-track again, working himself up over nothing at all. He wasn't going to get lost; this he knew for a fact. There were signs all over the place. Should he lose sight of a sign for more than five minutes, he'd turn around and head back for the village. Simple as that.
However, as he continued walking, the worrisome voice returned, whispering one simple question.

"What if they find out?"

November paused for a solid minute as he mulled this over in his mind, pondering the possible outcomes. You see, he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms into... Well, anywhere, to be completely honest. The kid was a sinner, no way around it. He'd steal, lie, beg, cheat... If he wanted something, he was going to get it, whether or not the people of the town liked it or not. Such determination and ambitiousness was normally admired in any case - all except for November's, it seemed.

Nobody really liked November, for some reason. It wasn't that he was a bad kid. ...Okay, maybe it was because he was a bad kid. So what? It's not like anyone really kept track of his petty thefts and the likes, right?
But the reason almost nobody took pity on the poor child wasn't because of his crimes. Moreso, it was that the boy's tenacity was something that should be approached cautiously. People like that could turn on a dime, and if they did, you did not want to be on their bad side.

But let's go back to our current situation, shall we?
November shook the question out of his head, a soft groan rumbling in his throat as he continued on down the never ending road. Signs sprung out of the path before him: "Dale's Thrift Store," "Berlin's Barber Shoppe," "One Mile to City Limit"... Okay, that last one was pretty handy. A ghost of a smile hinted at November's face as he continued on. Hopefully, the boy would find what he was looking for soon. Admittedly, he was getting pretty tired.

Not so long after - maybe twenty or so minutes into nearing the end of his travel - November took refuge from the sun in the nice, cool shade of a tall building. He flopped down in the grass, sighing blissfully as the cold air and leaves surrounded him. It was rather nice and peaceful...
For the first five minutes, at least.

November soon found his relaxation time to be quite boring, and on top of that, he was parched. His entire mouth was abnormally dry, and his stomach ached for a cool glass of water. Heaving himself up, the boy turned back to look in the direction of the building, and blinked in surprise.
It was an old church - small, made of brick, with a bell tower and everything. Just like he'd seen in the movies. There was even a wishing well out front, much to the boy's amusement.

November scrambled to his feet quickly, hurrying over to the wishing well and peering down into it, only to give a soft whine of disappointment merely seconds later. There was no water in it; in fact, it looked like it'd been dried up for years. The young Makoatl tilted his head back, looking up at the bright blue sky.
Even with his head up, he still didn't notice the small elderly woman hobbling towards him. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, November shrieked and jumped back in fear, raising his arms in defense, should this old lady try and attack him (which honestly seemed very unlikely).

The female blinked twice before offering the boy a kind smile. "My my, young man," she chuckled warmly. "I'm terribly sorry I startled you... It's just that we don't get many visitors nowadays. In fact, you're the first person I've seen in quite a while."
November lowered his arms slowly, breathing soon returning to normal as he processed what she said. A place away from people... He wouldn't be bothered, nor would anyone even find him, maybe...

He honestly meant to tell the old lady that it was alright; he didn't mean to lash out like that. But the first thing that escaped from his lips was just simply, "Water." Upon realizing what he had said, November's face burned red in embarrassment, but before he could apologize, the woman laughed heartily.
"Of course, child," she smiled, turning towards the church house. "Come inside and we'll fix you up a nice glass of water."

---

Soon after he'd gone inside and quenched his thirst, November began chatting with the elderly woman - Marianne, her name was. It turned out she was the priest's wife, and that not too many people passed through this part of town, if at all. When Marianne admitted that it was quite lonely most of the time, November offered his company. He didn't need to think twice; this woman had shown him more kindness than anyone ever had. It was the least he could do, in his opinion.

1000/1000
Personality:

November is an unusually quite soul, not usually being the one to hold a decent conversation with anyone, really. In fact, he doesn't really seem to be in the slightest bit hospitable. The boy has a calloused facade masquerading his true identity, and prefers to keep to himself most of the time. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that he's rude; moreso, it's that November simply likes being alone. The only regular social interaction he gets is with Marianne, or anyone who happens to stumble upon the church. It's not that he's antisocial. He just doesn't know what to say most of the time.

November, once you get to know him, is actually really kind and sweet. Mostly shy, the boy tends to be rather reclusive, and will oftentimes be found twiddling his thumbs if met with a conversation. He loves people, he really does; it's just that he's afraid he'll scare them away. Once being known as a thief, the title doesn't exactly wear off; instead, it lingers, popping up and making itself known in places you don't want it to be. He doesn't want to be known as a thief. He just wants to be November; good old November. Not his old alias: "Stopthief". He wants those days to be left in the past, to be only a forgotten, faded memory.
222/500

[Yukiine]

Username:
Name:
Gender:
Their homeland: [Where they belong]
Story/art: [Up to 1,000 words about how they found where they belong and why they belong there, OR up to three pieces of art showing where they belong and how they found it. Each panel in a comic counts as one piece of art.]
Extra: [Up to 500 words OR 2 pieces of art; can also go with 250 words and one piece of art]

[Guest]

This was a really hard decision, and I'm sorry I took so long to judge. That being said, I was absolutely smitten with the character underfaker made for this bab.
Please enjoy your new pup !!