Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'd like to try for the Flower whe dresses the most like their avi-IRL.

xp

xd *pokes green twisty*

xd

Hey AF, do we just get random art for whatever titles we win? Or will the art have something to do with the title?

whee

Chapter 1 of 2 to be posted.

Laysek Street was busy again today. Jen could never remember a day when the two lanes of her street didn't have traffic coming in or going out of the city. Moving trucks, high speed sports cars, minivans, mopeds, motorcycles, all with people heading to work, making a delivery, stopping in the area. Laysek was always full of vehicles.

Jen didn't have a car; no need when she could walk and avoid traffic. She started her trip to the market as she did every Wednesday, weaving in and out of the other pedestrians on the sidewalk as she always did, greeting a few people she has seen most of her life, and looking at the scenery of the woods across the street.

The funny thing about her city was where it was built. Rather than out in an open area where the city could grow, it was built right next to Halpher’s Forest, or as some called it, the Forest of Mystery, or, Halpher's Enigma. Laysek Street ran parallel to this enigma, which made a great view for Jen to look out at every morning. Noting better to wake you up. Not even Espresso can do it as well as that view, Jen always believed.

The forest got it's nicknames from strange events and spectacles that have been seen by the inhabitants of the city. Some have seen dark creatures, dark because they never had color, and creatures because they moved too fast to be called anything better. Others, at night, have heard inhuman sounds come from the forest, unlike any animal God has put on the Earth. Still others have claimed, but never proven, that a man flew over the forest, picking up speed as if he
were falling sideways.

Jen has seen and heard the animals that have been rumored, but no one bothered to search Halpher's Forest for the creatures and the man. Never has one of the creatures left the forest, and never has one of the noises harmed a human being, at least outside of the woods.

People have tried unsuccessfully to enter and explore the Forest of Mystery. Upon
entering, the animal's otherworldly cries have driven them into temporary insanity. A few have come in contact with the creatures, but not peacefully; the dark creatures attacked with blinding speed and fury, and the few who have seen them are glad to be alive.

Jen was thinking about these creatures and looked into the woods. Hard to believe such strong and beautiful trees could contain such heartless cruelty and unsolved mysteries. So odd, she thought, as something else odd caught her eye; a man wearing an entirely blue suit on the other side of the street, walking away...

She was struck by him. Who was he? Why was he here? Where did he get those clothes? All she knew about him was she had to meet him.

At the next corner, marketplace forgotten, she crossed the street and followed the man. She watched as other people looked at him in strange ways as they passed him, but he went unflinchingly, walking with a purpose to some unknown destination. She caught up soon enough, and, with slight hesitation said, "Hello."

The man responded without stopping, "Hello." At this point Jen noticed a black mask over his eyes, with two gleaming white ovals where his eyes were underneath. "Weird," she
thought, "Why would someone wear that? I'll ask him." He seemed uninterested in talking at the moment, however, and kept walking.

At this point, Jen was walking beside the man. Determined to make more conversation, at least find out something else about him, she said, "Nice weather today, huh?"

"Yes, not too cloudy," He said. Onwards he walked.

"Good day for a nice walk."

"Yes, I agree."

"What's your name?"

It took a while for him to answer. There was something, Jen thought, that he was keeping secret, something he had to do, and he didn't want her to know. She would find out anyways. As she was about to ask again, he said, "My name is Corian." Still, with a mechanical pace, he went on his way.

She still followed, wondering if he would ask something of her. If he was, she didn't give him time to. "My name is Jen," she said.

"Nice name," Corian replied.

Jen blushed and said somewhat shyly, "Thanks," but realized her new acquaintance was no longer beside her. "Where did he..." she started to wonder, when she saw a hint of blue in the forest identical to Corian's suit.

"First the mask, now this? This guy is mad!" Jen exclaimed to herself. "He'll be coming out any second now."

But he didn't. About ten seconds past and no sign of blue anywhere but the sky. Jen was worried. "Where did Corian go? I'm going to find him." She went to the edge of the woods.

"I must be crazy to do this," she thought as she stepped into Halpher's Forest.

(0|(1@n, //4! l337 5|<1||5 7074|l`/ |>wn _|00|)5...

Corian, my leet skills are much better than yours!

Nah uh. I totally pwn you guys. xD onceuponatimetherewaslykethis
n00bwhofellinlovewithKenchan,soshekn00ckedandscreamedathisd88randbl3wthehouse
downwithn00bylove.Theend.