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 Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:07 am
In the middle of the guild forums, one man stands. Dramatically he turns about, looking at the forum around him, at the emptiness he observes. The crystal-wood acorn hanging from his neck sparkles light brown hues as it swings about his neck. Nothing. No one. This place was devoid of life. It saddened his heart, leaving him with only one thing to say. "Where the hell did everyone go?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:08 am
With a sigh of wind, the former captain stepped out of the Void. The long sleeves of the autumn-themed kimono hung over her hands as she clasped them before her. Eerie, pale... Belonging, yet out of place, like a ghost returning to its former home. She offered the warrior a sorrowful smile of greeting.
"It's my fault. I cannot tell you where the sparks of life have gone, but I can tell you why they are gone. I did not make this place, our home, lively enough to hold interest. I failed to make the time, to find the inspiration, needed to create events and reasons for everyone to come back. I hoped friendship was enough to run a guild, but obviously I was not ready for guild leadership.
"Even if this can't be a daily, weekly, or even monthly meeting place, I want to set up a comfy couch here, where any of us can come when we'd like a breather from the Outside. Maybe, just maybe, we can bring the fun atmosphere back..."
The lady paused, contemplating. After a moment of looking beyond the Void, she found a determined smirk forcing its way onto her face. "Heh, can't very well let the Fire Trickster win this easily!"
Ayeali bowed to the warrior, hands over her knees, hair falling over her eyes. "I am sorry, Mekryd. I am sorry, everyone, for failing you thus far. I will keep trying, until you remove me."
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Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:25 pm
Mekryd smirked. He'd grown older since he'd been here, and his character had gone through a total-history rewrite, because it was just that much cooler afterwards. From it, he'd grown a bit more sarcastic, in a playful sort of way. He was also... not human. Not quite.
One finger went up across his mouth, in a shushing gesture, then to Ayeali's, as an action both to silence her, and to press her out of her bow. His eyes sparkled. "Say no more, ma'am." He shook his head, disturbing his long bangs and spikey pony-tail. "The liveliness of this place can't depend on solely one person," he said. He then seemed like he caught himself making a mistake. "Ah, except for perhaps, a comedian. But even then, an audience must be there to laugh."
"Leadership?" he scoffed. "What good is leadership when it comes to enjoying one's self in others company if there is no friendship? I don't want a leader, so much as just... a place with people. I myself don't like talking to others so much, but it's just... comforting to see people."
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:35 am
Surprised at everything - his appearance, the gesture, the words - Ayeali straightened, brightening a bit. "Thank you." Then she gave a little laugh and shook her head. "Though you can't shut me up just yet! I want to. . . explain properly."
Ayeali noticed a boulder and sat back against it. She had always found expressing herself to be difficult. This was important to her, though, so she had to try. Fingering the hem of the kimono sleeve, Ayeali let out a breath. "I felt so. . . awkward after being voted Guild Captain. What we had on the Elements thread was just a bunch of us having fun. Then after we came here, people didn't post as much. The guild started looking so empty, so depressing. . . Since everyone was so quiet, I felt like, as captain, people were expecting me to do something. I tried a couple things, but they didn't work. People started disappearing for longer periods, and then I had RL troubles to deal with, so I was also absent for long periods. . ."
She winced, aware of her own rambling, yet desiring to say everything on her mind.
"CRAFTI seems to have fallen apart. Perhaps I'm not solely to blame, but. . ." She let go of the sleeve and looked up. "I can't accept that some of the others would let this place die. I can't accept that they wouldn't want what we had to continue. I thought of the Elements thread as. . . well, my home away from home, and all of you as my friends. I came when I wanted to hang, when I needed to be around people without the pressures Offline people placed on me, but mostly I came because I just enjoyed y'all's company." Ayeali smiled. "Such a crazy, wonderful atmosphere with such awesome (and often loony) people! What we had was good, right? I don't want it to fade away.
"Even friendship requires some heartfelt maintenance to flourish, I guess. What should we do? How do we bring CRAFTI back? It's worth it, right?"
She gave a wry grimace. "Heh, and if I ever write something that long with so many "I"s in it again, please shoot me." She motioned at another boulder. "Got time to sit a while and talk? I'm curious about your new history, as well. And uh," Ayeali bent forward in a quick bow before looking at Mekryd again, with a grin. "Thank you for the pep-talk. I'll shut up now, if you like." ^_^
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:08 pm
(( >_>; I swear, I saw this post only day after it was posted. I just sort of couldn't think of a reply. ))
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:26 pm
(( *sweatdrop* Oh, great, I posted a conversation stopper! gonk ))
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:00 pm
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:09 pm
(( This kinda confuses me... what with the OOC blending into IC... Profile for character is in my journal... ))
"Shut up? No, that's no good. Whenever is it, silence, when around friends in a good mood?" Mekryd said, grinning broadly. He had, since his earlier words, drawn away from Ayeali. "What needs to stop is the self-bashing. Friendship needs maintenance... and a reminder of its existence... I even forgot this place was here for so long."
With one hand he kept two fingers on his right temple, flicking them off with his head tilted, in a sort of informal salute. The bracelets of crystal-wood on his arms shifted as he did so. "And of course it's worth it, ma'am!" he said in a mock-military fashion. "As for shooting you... Coincidently, I've actually made a magic gun, of sorts... But I don't think it'd be pleasant for you to use."
Smiling, Mekryd sat down upon the ground and made himself comfortable, putting his arms behind him to prop himself up. "I'd love to talk. It's been so long since I've been able to talk about nothing entirely serious... My recent time's usually been spent being attacked, defending, or talking about magic..."
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:10 pm
*has so not done this sort of thing in forever, and hopes no one minds 'him' butting in*
Another figure, dressed in blue, approached the two figures quietly, listening to the conversation, and the brief lack-thereof.
"Hey guys, how've you been?" JMT plopped onto the ground unceremoniously, looking first to Mekryd, then Ayeali. "It's not any one person's fault, you know, that the group has drifted." He offered a smile. "I know I certainly haven't done my part to keep involved. You've been an excellent 'leader', in every aspect one can expect from such things. But it's true, CRAFTI has always been about a group of what I'd like to consider friends being together and enjoying one another's company."
He chuckled to himself, then turned back to Mekryd. "Sorry, so much for the not being entirely serious. I just felt that needed to be said." A small breeze picked up, rustling the shock of blue hair atop Tenku's head and he reached up to smooth it down in vain. "So... how 'bout them Christmas carols?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:41 pm
With the appearance of another crusader, Ayeali roused herself from daydreams in the Void and smiled a welcome. "I was distracted by thoughts of snowballs, actually." She gave Mekryd an apologetic nod and straightened from her lazy position against the boulder enough to give JMT a sitting bow.
"I've been well enough. How have you faired on your travels?" Her eyes darted from his hair to his clothes with an amused twinkle unable to be hidden. "Still blue as ever! Mekryd seems to have changed the most, being non-human 'n what." She laughed and shook her head. "You're too kind with your compliments, but enough of that! As soon as you mentioned Christmas carols, I thought of something creative the three of us have yet to do."
The combination of appraising looks and all-too-amused grins the young woman directed at each of them could only spell one thing. Trouble. And since it was originating from Ayeali. . .
Assuredly trouble of the silliest kind.
"And it has nothing to do with eggnog. Probably." Producing sheets of parchment and a brush from where they had been tucked in her kimono's obi, she leaned back once more and began humming as she tapped the wooden end of the writing brush against her quirking lips.
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:39 pm
Tenku raised a cautious blue eyebrow, but couldn't hide the smirk forming on his lips.
"What do you have in mind, o wond'rous leader of ours?"
Still sitting, he scooted forwards and leaned over his crossed legs eagerly, like a child waiting to hear more of an enchanting story. His eyes took on a scheming glint... or was it the lighting?
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:02 am
She walks in, her clothing tattered and torn as if she had been just in a gale, gasping for breath because she couldn't catch any of that fierceness in the wind for her own use. She drops to her knees.
"Forgive me, colleagues and mistress of the elements. I believe I bit off more than I could handle. I've walked off into dark places, where life happens. I no longer know how to talk to people. I feel scared and guilty for being away, though the year I've had would make anyone just try to cling on for dear life. There has been a good thread-- that I am now wed but even that does not come without trials. Does anyone know how to stop this spinning, does anyone know how to beat the wind of life?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:13 pm
A year in the growing, both cobwebs and troublesome ideas were dusted off as Ayeali startled awake. "Spera, my friend! Your eyes are cloudy." She dropped her parchments and brush, and creakingly rose. After hurrying to the other Wind Knight's side, she pulled a kerchief from her obi and softly pressed it to the lady's forehead. "Welcome! Rest here a bit, with us. You've been missed."
Ayeali smiled gently then, and a little shyly, lowering her arm to offer the kerchief to her weather-beaten comrade. "You ask what I once asked, over and over. This was my only answer from the world, and I’ll pass it along.”
"You must not fear the energy the Wind forces on us. There is no beating the Wind, and even in embracing it, we will tire. We must become our own Winds.
"Yet, even if we choose to brace against the gale, there is a brief place of rest nearby. The Wind may blow forever, but it is not constant. It is so like us."
Ayeali settled back on her heels, closing her eyes briefly. Like me. Then she nodded toward the parchments she had left and smiled more mischievously. “Those were to be filled with CCCs, or CRAFTI Christmas Carols. In other words, I was about to pen a holiday-themed CRAFTI ballad.” Ayeali coughed. “Err, perhaps it was just as well it was delayed, but… No matter! Tis the season once again!” Ayeali’s fingers twitched in the direction of her brush…
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 11:50 pm
...but thankfully she was distracted, finally having noticed the gleam in JMT's eyes. She laughed as she stilled the hand.
"Or perhaps it really should wait until we're enrolled in the same insane asylum."
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:01 pm
Tenku laughed. "It has been a long time. For all of us. But it is good to know there is somewhere to come."
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