Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
Good to see you firefly.
Actually none at this point. A few peeps suggested writing a Welkin fic where he gets involved with Alicia, Juno and Selvaria for laughs.
I remember someone said in FF.net that there's a Metal Gear fic crossed over with Valkyria Chronicles.
Aside from that mate, I suggested an Avan/Audrey story from VC2.
As for the crossover, I'll put in later how the story will go.
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Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
I know.
Anyway, I do like to bring attention to Avan/Audrey as another unusual pairing aside from Welkin/Selvaria.
I'm just taking a break from dinner so the just for the crossover story I propose will come later.
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Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
It's in War Stories: Gallia.
Here's a quote.
Quote:
Still looking for the FMA X VC and B:BC X VC. Also interested in a… lets see, no Star Craft, FEAR's too brutal, Metal Gear already has one… I know! I want to see a Killzone crossover! With Knute as Hakha, awesome! Catherine could be Lugar, and Jane Rico. Templar could be… maybe Wavy or Welkin, I don't know.
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Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
A true Killzone crossover (as opposed to a fusion, which is what the quote implies) could be a bit awkward to set up but not impossible. Given that there are a couple of fics where segments of the Wehrmacht find their way over via experimental dimensional portals, we could see something similar happen in the years leading up to the invasion of Vekta, during the purges that were part and parcel of Visari's consolidation of power as Autarch.
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White Knight of the Order of Mihoshi Enthusiasts
"Destroyed overnight, or the next one's free." Arc Nova
The Metal Gear crossover was pulled down ages ago. It was one of the first stories in the section. You guys didn't miss anything though - it was an angst ridden yaoi in which Old Snake finds his new life after MGS4 with, like, Mica or someone like that.
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
Oh well. Never mind on that.
Anyway, I just want to gauge opinions on Avan/Audrey as another unusual opinion.
I got some ideas for the crossover already, but I'll go and list them down later.
__________________
Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
My fanfic story is no longer here anymore. After my laptop crashed, I lost some stories, included the short fanfic story's, Hidden Stories, and its eight edited chapters. I don't remember what I wrote about Johann and thieves, anymore. I also deleted a female character 'cause she's a minor character, so it is not so important anymore. But, I got some great ideas for a video-game-like story. (I already uploaded it at my dA account.) I think about to change Welkin's original home to somewhere else in Empire, and to change his seven squad and him from soldiers to thieves. I think it'll be more interesting how it goes, but I am not sure if it is great idea... But, I prefer to do some short stories-- at least 12 chapters that I can do it.
The another story is, fortunately, not lost to the crash. So, it is about Cosette and her colorblindness story. It is about 3/4 complete left now, through I re-wrote it a few times to make it better. Sorry, Runty, if it took so longer to work on it...
Well... I tried... but I can't! I can't just can't leave the fanfic the way it ended! It was so sad and I don't write bad endings! So I aimed for a 'slightly Happier ending'
Spoiler for Chloe Blixen fanfic final preview, finished!!:
Two weeks had passed since that terrible, terrible day at Highever. But for most of the class, life was beginning to return to normal. All except for one, that person being Chloe Blixen. She had stopped attending class since that sad day. She even missed the awards ceremony that was held for those of Class G who took a major risk by going back with only the supplies on their backs and no tank support in the middle of a blinding snowstorm.
She was gone from class for so long class that Cosette was beginning to worry that she'd so fall so far behind that she'd be expelled. Fortunately, she was one of the few who knew where to look to find her, so she decided to check up on Chloe. She also had other reasons to go and see her, so she headed to the art room and peeked inside. And just as she predicted, Chloe was inside. She was still standing in front of a large white canvas. But from her position, Cosette could only see the back of it and had no idea if there was even anything painted on it.
In the past Cosette knew that Chloe never liked to be disturbed while painting, so after checking up on her to see that she was alright, Cosette usually closed the door and left her alone. This time, however, was different. So Cosette pushed open the door while knocking to get Chloe’s attention and not surprise her.
Chloe simply looked over and didn’t say anything, then looked back at the canvas in front of her.
Cosette swallowed hard, even with her dark glasses on, Cosette knew that Chloe was glaring and despising her presence in the art room more and more with each passing second. So she decided to get right to the point.
“Hello, Chloe… I just came here to--” But she stopped as she rounded a table and saw two suitcases on either side of Chloe. “Chloe… what are you--”
“I’m leaving, that’s what I’m doing.” Chloe responded coldly.
“But why?” Cosette asked sadly.
“I’m done. I don’t have anymore in me,” Chloe responded, “I don’t have it in me to fight anymore… I don’t have it in me to help people anymore… and I… don’t even have it in me to paint anymore…” Her voice cracked a little this time.
Cosette rounded the canvas and snuck a peek, but it was completely blank. Chloe noticed, despite how quick Cosettes glance was.
“I’ve tried… everyday since we got back to paint something, anything, to help get my mind off of what happened. But… my creative spark is gone…” Chloe explained, “And what happened out at Highever proved that I’m a failure as a soldier as well… There’s nothing here for me any longer, so I’m leaving.”
Chloe then picked up her bags and was about to leave, but Cosette stepped in front of her and it was now that Chloe noticed a large glossy wooden box in her hand.
“Wait, I have something here for you, Chloe.” Cosette said as she flipped open the box and revealed a large silver medal lying on top of a large felt blanket. “You missed the awards ceremony, to which you were the main guest of honour.”
Chloe turned her head and looked away, “I don’t deserve that, so get rid of it for me.”
“But you do, Chloe!” Cosette responded, “Your boldness in heading back to the village on foot inspired the rest of Class G to do the same. Were it not for you, we probably would have all waited until we got the trucks and tank moving before we even tried. But then even more villagers… or perhaps all of them would have died in the second attack.
You even risked your life for that little Darcsen girl on more than one occasion. You fought your way half-way across the village battlefield to get to her house and then headed up a mountain path in snowstorm and risked hypothermia or death.
And… that was the bravest and most awe inspiring thing I have ever seen… when you came back to the village carrying that little girl in your arms after having given her all of your warm clothing to try and save her life.”
Chloe shook her head, “You don’t understand… I didn’t do it all for that one little girl… I did it because of something that happened during the last war against the Empire.
When I was a just painter in that war, I was sent to a Darcsen settlement that had just been hit by a hunt. The army wanted me to paint a picture showing the devastation while it was still as fresh as it could be. Much of the army then moved on to continue patrolling, leaving Cassandra and I with little protection while we worked.
I painted while the remaining Darcsen villagers cared for their wounded and buried their death… then another Imperial hunting party had returned and attacked the village once more, slaughtering even more of the Darcsens…
I ran for my life and took cover behind a small hut… that was when I came across a family of Darcsens inside the hut. Two children and their mother, who had been shot multiple times and was dying there on the dirt floor. I’ll never forget her face as she begged me to take her children to safety with her last dying breaths.
When that moment to do the right thing came… I froze… I was nothing more than a simple painter at the time, not a soldier. So I ran… I abandoned those poor kids to their death in order to get away from the battle and save my own life…”
Cosette raised a trembling hand to her face, “Chloe…”
“The guilt and trauma that I suffered because of my selfish choice nearly destroyed my ability to create my art and even carry on living day to day… What I did was wrong…” Chloe continued, “I came here to start over, taking up a fighting position in this war to try and atone for my sin… another selfish choice I suppose. I felt that if I saved a child this time, then it might erase the guilt I felt from before and bring back my artistic spark.”
“…” By this time, Cosette was doing her best to hold her tears back and emit the sobs that were building up in her throat.
“No more painting… It all stops now.”
“No! Don’t say that, Chloe!” Cosette begged, “It’s who you are, Chloe! It’s what you do!”
Chloe placed her hand against her forehead, “You don’t understand, Cosette.” said Chloe, “I used to love to paint, and there were once times when I had hundreds of ideas flowing through my head at once. So much so that it made choosing which one to paint an incredibly daunting task.
After that day when I left those poor children to die, I began having less and less ideas and the spark to create paintings of my own, so I simply painted whatever I was told to. You can’t possibly imagine how that feels to a once great artist… to have their spark burn less brightly as it did for me back then.
Then… when 'Chloe' died in Highever… it stopped. My spark is completely gone and my mind is now as blank and as quiet as this canvas…”
Chloe then closed her eyes and sighed, then heard the sounds of quick approaching footsteps, then felt a pair of arms wrap around her and embrace her in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry, Chloe…” Cosette whispered in her ear.
Chloe was so shocked by Cosette’s sudden affection that she remained standing still, but she managed to ask, “For what?”
“I severely misjudged you from day one, Chloe.” Cosette said with a sad cracking voice, “I thought that you were nothing more than a grumpy, solitary girl who despised everyone around her. But my eyes have been opened now… I see a girl who is and has been in so much pain and has suffered inside for a very long time.
But that’s not all there is to you, there’s also a whole lot of good inside you, Chloe. You showed everyone that when you went back to Highever. And I don’t believe it was simply to undo a past sin, I think it was because you really and truly wanted to try and save her that day.”
Chloe’s eyes were beginning to well up with tears, and she was now really grateful that her dark glasses were covering this up. But she gasped loudly when cosette reached up and removed her glasses from her face. Chloe shut her eyes and tried to turn her head to the side, but Cosette softly held her by the chin and turned her face back to her. And the moment Chloe opened her eyes, two tears fell from them and ran down her cheeks, leaving visible streaks.
“All these emotions that I never knew you had… If you can transfer them to here-” Cosette said as she tapped the canvas next to them, “Then you’ll paint works that no artist can match, I just know it. So you see, Chloe… you can‘t leave, and you can‘t give up doing what you love to do.”
“But I can’t--”
“Yes, you can.” Cosette encouraged as she patted Chloe on the arm, “None of us, not even the other Chloe from Highever would want you to stop painting. Everyone loves your art, even someone like me.”
“What do you mean by 'someone like you'?” Chloe asked as she rubbed her eyes, trying to dry her tears.
“I… I’m colorblind, Chloe. But I don’t need to see the colors of your art to appreciate it… I can feel it! I feel the raw emotions that you put into your work and it’s breathtaking!”
Chloe shook her head with her mouth open, “I never had anyone ever tell me that…”
“It’s the truth, Chloe.” a voice interrupted. Chloe and Cosette looked towards the door and saw Cassandra standing there. She then approached the two, they saw that she was carrying something in her hands. “And I’m sorry, old friend. I never took the time to appreciate your work, both before and during the last war.
I was far more selfish than you ever were… I did it all for money, you did it to portray the horrors of war so that other’s may see it and understand…”
Cassandra then set down the folder she was carrying, “These are all the pictures I took of Highever that I was able to salvage from my camera… And I won’t submit a single one… not even the one that was worth the most… your photo, Chloe.”
“Cassandra…” Chloe said as she attempted to swallow down a knot that was forming in her throat, tears still fell from her eyes.
Cassandra then flipped open the folder and picked up the picture on top and passed it to Chloe. Chloe’s other hand covered her mouth as she looked down at a black and white photo of her and the small Darcsen child who had died. She was kneeling down on one knee, the child was across from her and she had her hand against the young girls arm in what looked like a kind, affectionate gesture.
“The picture turned out after all, Chloe… And I think it’s the only one worth saving. The rest can go in the trash.” Cassandra said as she began to walk backwards towards the exit, “I’m hanging up my camera from this day forth and going back to Randgriz, Chloe. I’ll find another way to contribute to this war and not profit from other people’s suffering any longer.
I don’t think we’ll see each other again for a very long time, my old friend. So before I go, promise me that you’ll try to continue painting.”
Chloe looked at Cassandra, then over to Cosette and she nodded. “Alright… I promise.”
Cassandra smiled and bowed, “Good, farewell… my old friend.” She then left the art room.
Chloe then looked down at the photo and continued to cry softly. She knew this child had so much potential and possibly wanted Chloe to teach her. She wanted the artist she admired most to take her under her wing. Suddenly, from the centre of her heart and soul, Chloe felt the spark begin to return and burn within her, quickly growing and growing and the ideas began to return as well. It was a wonderful feeling to have come back to her, and she began to cry even harder as she held a hand against her beating heart.
“Chloe, are you alright?” Cosette asked worriedly.
Chloe nodded and began to push Cosette towards the door, “I’m fine. Please, leave me be. I’ve got to get this down before it fades!”
“You mean!?” Chloe chuckled and nodded her head while wiping away some tears. “That’s wonderful! I’ll leave you to it!”
Chloe then put on an apron, grabbed her palette and quickly began squeezing out tubes of paint onto it and mixing it up with her palette knife. Then, after she mixed some colors together, she slowly extended her trembling hand out towards the white canvas. The moment her brush made contact with the canvas and she started the first few strokes, she laughed while crying at that familiar feeling of joy that once got and feared was gone forever.
The next evening, Cosette returned to the art room with Zeri and Avan in tow. They knocked on the door and then entered. They saw Chloe sitting on a stool, her white uniform dress shirt stained with paints of all color, but she now had a smile on her face as she looked at the canvas in front of her.
Cosette, Avan and Zeri quickened their pace and stood on either side of Chloe as they looked at her new painting.
On the huge canvas was a picture of the village of Highever once again. Only this time, the village was completely intact, the sun was shining, revealing the full beauty of the snow capped mountains in the background. Fluffy white clouds were passing through the sky, while down below, Chloe was on one knee with her hand wrapped around the small Darcsen child named ‘Chloe’s waist from behind. Her other hand was helping to guide a paint brush held in the small girls hand, going along a canvas set up just outside her house. On the canvas was a picture of a white snow rabbit that was nearly completion with the help of Chloe’s skilled hand. The child’s grandmother was sitting on the steps of her house and applauding the duo, while the other small Darcsen children of the village were gathered together behind them and watching the two artists paint together, almost as one body, one mind, one soul. It was a perfect picture of a master painter teaching her new apprentice.
Cosette cupped her hands over her mouth, completely awe struck by the detail of the portrait. Though she couldn’t see the colors, she could ‘feel’ the emotion, love and yearning that it showed.
Avan was running a hand through his hair, “Chloe… This. Is. Amazing!”
Zeri crossed his arms and smiled, “Wonderful. Simply wonderful.” Zeri complimented, “It's so nice to see a picture that doesn't portray only the suffering my people have had to endure. There's a lot of love and happiness here...”
“Now that my spark has returned and burns even more brightly than ever before, I think I can spread the gift to others and teach them to paint like I do.” Chloe said, she then walked up to the portrait and held her hand against the part that showed Chloe helping the younger ‘Chloe’ paint a perfect picture. “My only regret is… that she’ll never get the chance to be my first student…”
With her spark renewed, Chloe made a promise to return to Highever one day and collect the first batch of students for her new art class that she wished to teach. Her first class would be all Darcsen students, in honour and tribute to a fine young Darcsen artist who never got the chance to become a fully fledged and well renowned artist like her hero, Chloe Blixen.
Well... I tried... but I can't! I can't just can't leave the fanfic the way it ended! It was so sad and I don't write bad endings! So I aimed for a 'slightly Happier ending'
Spoiler for Chloe Blixen fanfic final preview, finished!!:
Two weeks had passed since that terrible, terrible day at Highever. But for most of the class, life was beginning to return to normal. All except for one, that person being Chloe Blixen. She had stopped attending class since that sad day. She even missed the awards ceremony that was held for those of Class G who took a major risk by going back with only the supplies on their backs and no tank support in the middle of a blinding snowstorm.
She was gone from class for so long class that Cosette was beginning to worry that she'd so fall so far behind that she'd be expelled. Fortunately, she was one of the few who knew where to look to find her, so she decided to check up on Chloe. She also had other reasons to go and see her, so she headed to the art room and peeked inside. And just as she predicted, Chloe was inside. She was still standing in front of a large white canvas. But from her position, Cosette could only see the back of it and had no idea if there was even anything painted on it.
In the past Cosette knew that Chloe never liked to be disturbed while painting, so after checking up on her to see that she was alright, Cosette usually closed the door and left her alone. This time, however, was different. So Cosette pushed open the door while knocking to get Chloe’s attention and not surprise her.
Chloe simply looked over and didn’t say anything, then looked back at the canvas in front of her.
Cosette swallowed hard, even with her dark glasses on, Cosette knew that Chloe was glaring and despising her presence in the art room more and more with each passing second. So she decided to get right to the point.
“Hello, Chloe… I just came here to--” But she stopped as she rounded a table and saw two suitcases on either side of Chloe. “Chloe… what are you--”
“I’m leaving, that’s what I’m doing.” Chloe responded coldly.
“But why?” Cosette asked sadly.
“I’m done. I don’t have anymore in me,” Chloe responded, “I don’t have it in me to fight anymore… I don’t have it in me to help people anymore… and I… don’t even have it in me to paint anymore…” Her voice cracked a little this time.
Cosette rounded the canvas and snuck a peek, but it was completely blank. Chloe noticed, despite how quick Cosettes glance was.
“I’ve tried… everyday since we got back to paint something, anything, to help get my mind off of what happened. But… my creative spark is gone…” Chloe explained, “And what happened out at Highever proved that I’m a failure as a soldier as well… There’s nothing here for me any longer, so I’m leaving.”
Chloe then picked up her bags and was about to leave, but Cosette stepped in front of her and it was now that Chloe noticed a large glossy wooden box in her hand.
“Wait, I have something here for you, Chloe.” Cosette said as she flipped open the box and revealed a large silver medal lying on top of a large felt blanket. “You missed the awards ceremony, to which you were the main guest of honour.”
Chloe turned her head and looked away, “I don’t deserve that, so get rid of it for me.”
“But you do, Chloe!” Cosette responded, “Your boldness in heading back to the village on foot inspired the rest of Class G to do the same. Were it not for you, we probably would have all waited until we got the trucks and tank moving before we even tried. But then even more villagers… or perhaps all of them would have died in the second attack.
You even risked your life for that little Darcsen girl on more than one occasion. You fought your way half-way across the village battlefield to get to her house and then headed up a mountain path in snowstorm and risked hypothermia or death.
And… that was the bravest and most awe inspiring thing I have ever seen… when you came back to the village carrying that little girl in your arms after having given her all of your warm clothing to try and save her life.”
Chloe shook her head, “You don’t understand… I didn’t do it all for that one little girl… I did it because of something that happened during the last war against the Empire.
When I was a just painter in that war, I was sent to a Darcsen settlement that had just been hit by a hunt. The army wanted me to paint a picture showing the devastation while it was still as fresh as it could be. Much of the army then moved on to continue patrolling, leaving Cassandra and I with little protection while we worked.
I painted while the remaining Darcsen villagers cared for their wounded and buried their death… then another Imperial hunting party had returned and attacked the village once more, slaughtering even more of the Darcsens…
I ran for my life and took cover behind a small hut… that was when I came across a family of Darcsens inside the hut. Two children and their mother, who had been shot multiple times and was dying there on the dirt floor. I’ll never forget her face as she begged me to take her children to safety with her last dying breaths.
When that moment to do the right thing came… I froze… I was nothing more than a simple painter at the time, not a soldier. So I ran… I abandoned those poor kids to their death in order to get away from the battle and save my own life…”
Cosette raised a trembling hand to her face, “Chloe…”
“The guilt and trauma that I suffered because of my selfish choice nearly destroyed my ability to create my art and even carry on living day to day… What I did was wrong…” Chloe continued, “I came here to start over, taking up a fighting position in this war to try and atone for my sin… another selfish choice I suppose. I felt that if I saved a child this time, then it might erase the guilt I felt from before and bring back my artistic spark.”
“…” By this time, Cosette was doing her best to hold her tears back and emit the sobs that were building up in her throat.
“No more painting… It all stops now.”
“No! Don’t say that, Chloe!” Cosette begged, “It’s who you are, Chloe! It’s what you do!”
Chloe placed her hand against her forehead, “You don’t understand, Cosette.” said Chloe, “I used to love to paint, and there were once times when I had hundreds of ideas flowing through my head at once. So much so that it made choosing which one to paint an incredibly daunting task.
After that day when I left those poor children to die, I began having less and less ideas and the spark to create paintings of my own, so I simply painted whatever I was told to. You can’t possibly imagine how that feels to a once great artist… to have their spark burn less brightly as it did for me back then.
Then… when 'Chloe' died in Highever… it stopped. My spark is completely gone and my mind is now as blank and as quiet as this canvas…”
Chloe then closed her eyes and sighed, then heard the sounds of quick approaching footsteps, then felt a pair of arms wrap around her and embrace her in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry, Chloe…” Cosette whispered in her ear.
Chloe was so shocked by Cosette’s sudden affection that she remained standing still, but she managed to ask, “For what?”
“I severely misjudged you from day one, Chloe.” Cosette said with a sad cracking voice, “I thought that you were nothing more than a grumpy, solitary girl who despised everyone around her. But my eyes have been opened now… I see a girl who is and has been in so much pain and has suffered inside for a very long time.
But that’s not all there is to you, there’s also a whole lot of good inside you, Chloe. You showed everyone that when you went back to Highever. And I don’t believe it was simply to undo a past sin, I think it was because you really and truly wanted to try and save her that day.”
Chloe’s eyes were beginning to well up with tears, and she was now really grateful that her dark glasses were covering this up. But she gasped loudly when cosette reached up and removed her glasses from her face. Chloe shut her eyes and tried to turn her head to the side, but Cosette softly held her by the chin and turned her face back to her. And the moment Chloe opened her eyes, two tears fell from them and ran down her cheeks, leaving visible streaks.
“All these emotions that I never knew you had… If you can transfer them to here-” Cosette said as she tapped the canvas next to them, “Then you’ll paint works that no artist can match, I just know it. So you see, Chloe… you can‘t leave, and you can‘t give up doing what you love to do.”
“But I can’t--”
“Yes, you can.” Cosette encouraged as she patted Chloe on the arm, “None of us, not even the other Chloe from Highever would want you to stop painting. Everyone loves your art, even someone like me.”
“What do you mean by 'someone like you'?” Chloe asked as she rubbed her eyes, trying to dry her tears.
“I… I’m colorblind, Chloe. But I don’t need to see the colors of your art to appreciate it… I can feel it! I feel the raw emotions that you put into your work and it’s breathtaking!”
Chloe shook her head with her mouth open, “I never had anyone ever tell me that…”
“It’s the truth, Chloe.” a voice interrupted. Chloe and Cosette looked towards the door and saw Cassandra standing there. She then approached the two, they saw that she was carrying something in her hands. “And I’m sorry, old friend. I never took the time to appreciate your work, both before and during the last war.
I was far more selfish than you ever were… I did it all for money, you did it to portray the horrors of war so that other’s may see it and understand…”
Cassandra then set down the folder she was carrying, “These are all the pictures I took of Highever that I was able to salvage from my camera… And I won’t submit a single one… not even the one that was worth the most… your photo, Chloe.”
“Cassandra…” Chloe said as she attempted to swallow down a knot that was forming in her throat, tears still fell from her eyes.
Cassandra then flipped open the folder and picked up the picture on top and passed it to Chloe. Chloe’s other hand covered her mouth as she looked down at a black and white photo of her and the small Darcsen child who had died. She was kneeling down on one knee, the child was across from her and she had her hand against the young girls arm in what looked like a kind, affectionate gesture.
“The picture turned out after all, Chloe… And I think it’s the only one worth saving. The rest can go in the trash.” Cassandra said as she began to walk backwards towards the exit, “I’m hanging up my camera from this day forth and going back to Randgriz, Chloe. I’ll find another way to contribute to this war and not profit from other people’s suffering any longer.
I don’t think we’ll see each other again for a very long time, my old friend. So before I go, promise me that you’ll try to continue painting.”
Chloe looked at Cassandra, then over to Cosette and she nodded. “Alright… I promise.”
Cassandra smiled and bowed, “Good, farewell… my old friend.” She then left the art room.
Chloe then looked down at the photo and continued to cry softly. She knew this child had so much potential and possibly wanted Chloe to teach her. She wanted the artist she admired most to take her under her wing. Suddenly, from the centre of her heart and soul, Chloe felt the spark begin to return and burn within her, quickly growing and growing and the ideas began to return as well. It was a wonderful feeling to have come back to her, and she began to cry even harder as she held a hand against her beating heart.
“Chloe, are you alright?” Cosette asked worriedly.
Chloe nodded and began to push Cosette towards the door, “I’m fine. Please, leave me be. I’ve got to get this down before it fades!”
“You mean!?” Chloe chuckled and nodded her head while wiping away some tears. “That’s wonderful! I’ll leave you to it!”
Chloe then put on an apron, grabbed her palette and quickly began squeezing out tubes of paint onto it and mixing it up with her palette knife. Then, after she mixed some colors together, she slowly extended her trembling hand out towards the white canvas. The moment her brush made contact with the canvas and she started the first few strokes, she laughed while crying at that familiar feeling of joy that once got and feared was gone forever.
The next evening, Cosette returned to the art room with Zeri and Avan in tow. They knocked on the door and then entered. They saw Chloe sitting on a stool, her white uniform dress shirt stained with paints of all color, but she now had a smile on her face as she looked at the canvas in front of her.
Cosette, Avan and Zeri quickened their pace and stood on either side of Chloe as they looked at her new painting.
On the huge canvas was a picture of the village of Highever once again. Only this time, the village was completely intact, the sun was shining, revealing the full beauty of the snow capped mountains in the background. Fluffy white clouds were passing through the sky, while down below, Chloe was on one knee with her hand wrapped around the small Darcsen child named ‘Chloe’s waist from behind. Her other hand was helping to guide a paint brush held in the small girls hand, going along a canvas set up just outside her house. On the canvas was a picture of a white snow rabbit that was nearly completion with the help of Chloe’s skilled hand. The child’s grandmother was sitting on the steps of her house and applauding the duo, while the other small Darcsen children of the village were gathered together behind them and watching the two artists paint together, almost as one body, one mind, one soul. It was a perfect picture of a master painter teaching her new apprentice.
Cosette cupped her hands over her mouth, completely awe struck by the detail of the portrait. Though she couldn’t see the colors, she could ‘feel’ the emotion, love and yearning that it showed.
Avan was running a hand through his hair, “Chloe… This. Is. Amazing!”
Zeri crossed his arms and smiled, “Wonderful. Simply wonderful.” Zeri complimented, “It's so nice to see a picture that doesn't portray only the suffering my people have had to endure. There's a lot of love and happiness here...”
“Now that my spark has returned and burns even more brightly than ever before, I think I can spread the gift to others and teach them to paint like I do.” Chloe said, she then walked up to the portrait and held her hand against the part that showed Chloe helping the younger ‘Chloe’ paint a perfect picture. “My only regret is… that she’ll never get the chance to be my first student…”
With her spark renewed, Chloe made a promise to return to Highever one day and collect the first batch of students for her new art class that she wished to teach. Her first class would be all Darcsen students, in honour and tribute to a fine young Darcsen artist who never got the chance to become a fully fledged and well renowned artist like her hero, Chloe Blixen.
So... what did you think? Better? Worse?
Ehh, it feels more your style, but there's a number of things I'd change.
Spoiler for Changes:
- First and foremost, don't have Cassandra hanging up her camera. That just feels way too out of place for her; she should still give Chloe the photo while getting rid of the rest, and should say that she's "making an exception" in terms of her profits. That way, you can keep her open for other one-shots.
- Second, when you have Zeri and Cosette returning to see Chloe, they should find her suffering from a lack of sleep. It'd show just how devoted she was to completing her work.
- That last paragraph felt a little bit weird. Not really necessary.
I'll say that this made the story feel more complete, though I did like the tragic ending. Still, enough tragedy to make the happier ending seem... well, bittersweet still.
I hope to see the polished version soon. Once you're done that, we can then get to the Coleen/Morris oneshot.
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
I'll think of another way to tell the Avan/Audrey story. For now, the crossover story ...
Spoiler for The said story:
Well the background is in the modern era, but I'll need to work out the history and stuff with Europe having a big landmass to accommodate Gallia and the Imperial Empire. 'Cause of that, the Gallian Army won't have its blue uniform and instead have camos. For the lancer's anti-tank/mortar/anti-personnel lances, it could still be there and all aside from the Imps being the only military have Middle Age-style armor and all. Only onward to the story since I'll have to think whether they'll have reloadable anti-tank/personnel weapons.
So there's the usual threat of Gallia being caught in the middle of the NATO (Which'll take the place of the AF) and the Imperial Alliance. But guess what? Ultranationalist Russia's backing the IA in secret. So Task Force 141's deployed there to conduct anti-terrorist missions in cooperation with the Gallian Army while looking for Ultranationalist terrorists being recruited by the IA in addition to Legionnaire mercenaries. Also the US Army's 222nd Battalion's deployed there to work with both the militia and the 422nd Squad to take on the IA after there were NATO reports that Russian forces are being mobilized to help the IA's invasion of Gallia.
A security specialist company is also involved with its Gallian branch, heavily mobilized to evacuate foreign diplomats/VIPs/nationals who wish to leave Randgriz and other cities. But ultimately, the board of directors all decide to let its specialists covertly work in Gallia to hunt down the ones who were trying to start another continent-wide war in Europe.
I'll list down the mediums involved aside from the VC series later. I don't think I can get a few cartoon characters involved in this crossover now... Perhaps same with books/novels except Tom Clancy and a few spec ops action thriller writers like the former.
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Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
I'm not sure how I can do the ending...
Spoiler for Ending:
While it'll have the ending mixed from VC/VC3, Makarov can use what he knows about the Valkyria to have his own group create artificial ones for his terror campaign, which forces the 22nd Battalion to work together with TF 141 to further flush him out of hiding and kill him. Then you have the Modern Warfare 2/3 stuff mixed in too.
__________________
Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
*Phew* after a 12 hour day, I finished it, 10:30 A.M. to 10:30 P.M. with a tiny break in between, which I used to update at the fanfic site.
btw, was 'A Painters Plight' a good title? I thought it could mean either Chloe or the Darcsen childs situation, both situations were unfavourable. I also had, 'A Painters pain' 'A Painters Peril'. Did it work?
*Phew* after a 12 hour day, I finished it, 10:30 A.M. to 10:30 P.M. with a tiny break in between, which I used to update at the fanfic site.
btw, was 'A Painters Plight' a good title? I thought it could mean either Chloe or the Darcsen childs situation, both situations were unfavourable. I also had, 'A Painters pain' 'A Painters Peril'. Did it work?
Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines
I may have a revamp/addition on the mixed crossover for a Valkyria Chronicles fanfic...
Maybe I'll go poke Firefly later too.
__________________
Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island
2011-09-16, 21:21
I also deleted a female character 'cause she's a minor character, so it is not so important anymore. But, I got some great ideas for a video-game-like story. (I already uploaded it at my dA account.) I think about to change Welkin's original home to somewhere else in Empire, and to change his seven squad and him from soldiers to thieves. I think it'll be more interesting how it goes, but I am not sure if it is great idea... But, I prefer to do some short stories-- at least 12 chapters that I can do it.
