bottlecaplogs | [OPEN] Dreams & Ghosts

Who: Mayaka & you !

What: 2 open prompts (reviewing dreams from last month + attempting to get over her fear of ghosts) and wildcard option

Where: Around Bottlecay Bay + Skull Town

When: Beginning of Feb

Warnings: none atm

a. dream review

Perhaps you're passing through the Archives, or the living hall in Skull Town when you spot a Sneasel sitting at a table furiously scrawling out various drawings on paper. Mayaka's gloves have been set aside neatly beside her for now, because she finds it easier to hold onto the charcoal pencils using her bare claws. She's experienced some weird dreams from last month. Though she doesn't remember the exact details, she's been dutifully drawing out the images that lingered in her mind upon waking up. Now, it's time to try to make sense of them. On the table you'll find the following drawings:

1. What appears to be a spaceship, though Mayaka's drawn it to look more like a truck with four wheels underneath.

2. A primordial-looking fish creature. She has given it a pair of cute, anime-sized eyes to make it look more approachable.

3. A black cat with an extra pair of eyes on its stomach. More cat-like than Mimikyu at this point.

4. The drawing she's currently working on, and struggling to capture. She's trying to remember what the alien beings in the final big nightmare looked like, though the large and erratic shapes on paper may not look recognisable to anyone. Mayaka is finding it difficult because she doesn't have an image in mind to associate with what she saw in the nightmare.

She's too caught up with this to notice if someone were to approach...

b. how to deal with ghosts

If you're wandering around Bottlecap Bay, you'll find Mayaka outside her house in the Lum Berry housing area, rooted on the spot.

Her attention is focused on a small clay sculpture she's placed in the garden of her front porch. It's a little handmade ghost figurine with a hairbow on its head. While it might look strangely cute, the more you look at it, the more you'll notice that it's two eyes seem to be gazing directly at you with an unblinking Stare™.

This is the ghost that's been chasing her in her dreams, but she's too scared to get rid of it! (Also, the fact that it was a gift to her from Catrina doesn't help!)

The Sneasel is shaking a little, and it's not from the cold weather. She's standing a safe distance away from the figurine, muttering to herself: "It's just a doll... it's just a dolll..."

(Dolls are creepy too, though??)

c. wildcard!
for any other threads or ideas that come up!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Parvati seems content with her lot in life, Mayaka, on the other hand, hasn't ever been truly satisfied. If it's not feeling anxious about how she should be a better artist, it's that she should be a better student, or librarian, or friend.

"... I don't think I'll ever be happy with myself."

Rather than being pessimistic, the Sneasel thinks she is just being pragmatic.

"That's no way to look at it, is it?"

Mayaka's just a kid. And kids can be all sorts of dramatic, as if the world pressing down upon them is the end-all. And she gets it. But that's no way to live. She's not the best person to be giving advice when she's still floundering about this sort of stuff herself.

Parvati shrugs. "I get it. But sometimes you've gotta pick your battles."

The Sneasel props her chin against her claw, considering Parvati's advice.

"I just don't want to count myself out before I've given it a good try. You know?"

Parvati nods. "Yeah. I do." She tilts her head to the side. "Growing up I always worried I'd never be as good as my dad. He was a good teacher, patient and reassuring. But even with natural talent you've still gotta learn your skill, right? It's important to know when to give up so you can come back later."

She thinks that's where she's going with this. She's not really sure, honestly. She's never been good at reassuring people, that's decidedly literally anyone else in her crew's thing.

Mayaka's used to thinking in absolutes: right and wrong, winners and losers, giving up or persevering though. The casual, gentle way Parvati defines giving up is new to her.

"Even if I give up something for now, I can try again later?" she asks, sounding almost hopeful.

"Yeah! Well, maybe that ain't a good idea if you're making your dinner, but... most cases, I think." She nods. "Giving up doesn't gotta be forever. It can just be for as long as you need."

Parvati scratches at her cheek absently.

The Sneasel chuckles as she mirrors Parvati's little nod. Mayaka thinks she's still got a bit more fire in her to keep trying for now. Still, this advice is comforting.

"Thanks, Parvati-chan. You're a good listener."

A soft smile. "I do my best."

She's back to looking at Mayaka's drawings. "I'd like to see more of these, next time."

Mayaka fidgets with her claws, working up the nerve to say what's on her mind.

"I'm still working on improving my art. But, if there's ever anything you need drawn, let me know if I can help. I'd like to try."

With the plans she's drawn for the roadworks at Skull Town, Mayaka's starting to realise that maybe her skill can be put to some good use, beyond just chasing her own dreams.

Parvati thinks for a moment. "I'd appreciate it. It'd be nice to get a second pair of eyes on my schematics."

She thinks Mayaka's drawings are already plenty impressive, so the idea of her constant aspiration for improvement is exciting. It's good to have dedication to your craft.

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but count me in. It'll be fun to learn how to build stuff with you!"

"I ain't sure how good of a teacher I'll be, but I can give it a shot."

[OPEN] Dreams & Ghosts

good to tag a bit more if you'd like !

welcome back!

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replying to this while doing art school work OOF big mood mayaka

(˶◜ᵕ◝˶)⸝♡

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