Creative Writing Sessions: Assignment two - featuring BJD's

Missing you.

I found solace in the natural cave by the sea, off the coast of Cornwall, far enough from most of the people that now inhabited the land. The rhythmical crashing and clashing aided my concentration as I summoned my passage home. This trip has been a long one full of hustle, bustle, and mounting lies. The tales of Tintagel have only become less credible.

It breaks my heart to see generations of people defiling the land, many of them should know better. We did not live there long but it is still home to me. My caves have been named well for I still use them at low tide, free from the tourists and transport that dominate the area.

I stepped through the portal and soon landed home. I missed the welcoming smell of tea and incense that used to engulf me. I missed the layers of thick enchantment over every nook and cranny. I missed finding you curled up in our bed, clinging to a soft toy that I had once brought back for you and enchanted so your eyes could see it.

No matter how old you grew you always looked so innocent. Time never seemed to leave its mark on you as I would return to you after trips away.

You would stir and sit up as you sensed someone near, a puzzling drowsiness demanded you ask who it was. I would smile and took your hand, whispering gently in your ear “Athame. It is I, Merlin”. Even when it sounded foreign to you deep down you knew it was me, there was no-one else that knew how to find you or our home.

You would reach out to stroke my face, sometimes immediately frowning and questioning me about my changed appearance; others slipping back off to sleep or preparing spells and food. I know that it used to hurt you when I return changed in body but to me it is almost like changing my clothes after a long day of work.

The covers of our bed would shift around your form as you would turn away or towards me. You would speak to me in that soft voice of yours nearly whispered in your gentle voice and settled back down to rejoin your dreams or welcome me fully. I usually made sure to return around the same time of day for you so that if you were in the mood I would explain everything there and then to you, or I would let you sleep and adjust yet another change from me.

I would slip off the bed and get ready to sleep or tell you more before carefully laying on top of the covers, free from the roar of the waves, howling winds, and bitter emotions. I would put an arm around the covers that surrounded you while the magic in them flowed through my skin.

It was hard work, but during your childhood I managed to change the shades of everything in our home. It had seemed that you could still see items that were enchanted for what they really were beneath. It was a while after you lost your living sight that you confessed to me of the blue haze you could see. It seemed that the magic itself was fuelling your sight and keeping you from hidden dangers that even I struggle to anticipate. Quite early on we learnt together the limitations of certain spells and reasoned that for its own motives magic acted much like light.

Our home... My home felt so empty after I dispelled all of the enchantments and spells, it felt as though part of my very soul was missing. Memories of you and I together are imprinted all over the dwelling.

If you had having trouble sleeping with me disturbing you, not used to the noise or smell of someone so close. I would always for nostalgia's sake sing the same old song I used to sing since you were a baby...

“Cry, young one, cry. Cry to the heavens, let them know you're living down here far from home. Cry, young one, cry. Let them know you're well. If you're not then go ahead and let it all out to them.

“Sleep, baby, sleep. Shush, stop your bawling, it's clear now that you're tired so go to sleep in peace. Cry, 'Thame, cry. Cry all no more for the angels will not come to one that cries in vain....”

The words died on my tongue as I sat alone at our dinner table. It now resembled a desk since tomes were stacked and scattered on it... No-one was going to clean it up, I have yet to be in the mood to want to keep things clean.... My whole home could burn or rot. I would trade everything to bring you back.

I later woke to sunlight filtering through my eyelids. I realised groggily that I had passed out while pouring over necromantic tomes. It would be a breach of all I knew but you were the only person in the universe that understood me and had yet to judge. I had raised you as a child and apprentice and you nurtured me as a human being.

Feeling quite the old fool I got off of chair and changed my clothes, muttering cleansing charms under my breath. I would shower... no I would bathe later. I had again forgotten about the facilities back at our home. It was much less troublesome to heat a large mass of water than a constant spray which needed to be controlled, I had learnt that the hard way after trying to `improve' our way of living. To replicate the modern world's amenities into a medieval dwelling would never end well.

You would frequently stop me in this task and tell me to just go and immerse myself in the water as soon as possible. However, I rarely see the need to keep myself presentable these days. I would ensure I looked and smelt clean whenever I left the remnants of the tower so there would be no fear in that.

I ate alone after conjuring up what could be considered edible and poured over more books. There were pressing matters in the United States of America that related heavily to their old begrudged ally Japan. In my day wars were wars between nations that were fought with relative honour and by warriors, not with explosives that could travel miles and decimate entire cities with women and children more abundantly than my time.

Sometimes I do miss the way the world used to be, but, then I remember the human technological advancements. You would be amazed at some of their achievements, movies didn't have much significance to you where audio books and speaking computers amazed you. Sometimes I did forget you were born in the dark ages and you lived a natural life.

Well, as natural as one could when locked away in a tower suspended in time and space. I made you take the occasional trip out with me to experience parts of the world, yet you never finished learning the newer things. Braille was a mystery to you and continued to be, I would see you running your fingers along book pages and signs to try and understand them. You refused to let me create an enchantment layer and you were persistent in living as a more modern blind person would.

You, my dear Athame, lived up to your name well. You were a wizard's tool that soon became a companion. You lived with me as a child and soon became a son, a brother. My only regret is that I did get so attached to you. You were a bastard son that would have been killed if not for my blind compassion and loyalty to a past ward. You were an awkward person to teach, stubborn and overly curious, and your sight leaving you hindered absolutely everything at first. But in all honesty I would never have had you any other way. I miss you, I love you. And I will miss you forever...

~♥~

Lysander Meets Chiron

Lysander sat in silent curiosity as Mitani excitedly typed to friends about the newcomer that should be arriving soon, it had been the soul topic for weeks since the new doll was ordered and it was past the arrival date. The laptop previously being typed on was hurriedly left on the bed he was sitting on, as the human left the bedroom to get to the front door before the postman was missed.

Lysander sneakily moved to the laptop and pressed his vinyl hand on the mouse pad to check on what had been discussed. The same names kept popping up over and over again “Rain” and “Chiron.” He supposed he would have to find out later since he heard movement coming his way. The inquisitive little doll scurried back to his place as Mitani returned to the room skipping with glee, and an oversized box on hand.

“Oh my Gosh! Lysander honey, my Chiron's finally arrived!” Mitani giggled immaturely before putting the box down on the bed and typing many a copy of `brb' into several instant messaging windows. “Let's get him out of the box...” Lysander could only watch with the painted smile on his face as the box was opened and piece by piece the other doll was taken out and laid out on the bed.

It took quite a bit of cursing but after a while Mitani had set up the large doll. “Alright Lysander... um...” Chiron had fallen over since his weight hadn't been distributed properly, “this, is Rain.” The Centaur was put into a sitting position near Lysander so they could apparently get a better look of one another. The brunette was a little shocked to be dwarfed so much by the bigger doll and he felt he was absolutely tiny in comparison.

He didn't need to spend much time to dwell on the size difference in silence as Mitani cursed and left the room suddenly, grabbing a backpack on the way out “I gotta go! Play nice boys!”

With that said and the dolls now alone, Lysander could only look up at this taller newcomer and resist his impulses to glare at him or be possessive of their parent. He stood and pouted a little, he was tiny in comparison. With his black boots on he stood at a meagre 30cm to what he could guess at the 65-70cm. He put his little hand on the arm of the centaur out of curiosity and was surprised to feel a resin composite. `Rain' sure was an expensive one since he wasn't vinyl.

“Done poking are we..? Lysander right?” The white skinned male looked a little distant and irked at the same time, almost as if recovering from a light hangover.

Little Lysander nodded after jumping what felt like feet and looked up to the unsteady Zenith. He was understandably disorientated from the package journey and there was a high chance that he may have to be restrung later. “Yes... And, I'm Lysander. Mitani-mama's first MSD” He replied to the fellow brunette after remembering it was rude not to answer questions.

Rain smiled and let out a short chuckle “Don't worry, I'm not here to replace you. All `Mitani-mama' talked about was you as she carried me here.”

Lysander perked up instantly and looked down at his arms for a moment, he was a little embarrassed and tried to think of what he felt when he was newly made. One of the first things he remembered after being strung together was being dressed “did Mitani-mama buy you clothes? I don't remember seeing any for you here...”

“You really think I'm going to need them?” Rain laughed as Lysander went to say something then stopped to thought about it. There was no reason he needed clothes at all really.

Both of the male dolls stood in silence for a while before jumping as noises erupted from a cage by the side of the cabin bed. That ruddy hamster had a bad sense of timing that was for sure. He glanced up to Rain who was undoubtedly confused. “That's Scruff, you'll be introduced later” Lysander smiled and tried to look reassuring.

The pair stood in silence for a while before Lysander had an idea “want a tour of the house?” He looked off the side of the bed and at a pile of clothes abandoned on the floor from a recent lost key raid.

Rain followed his sight line and the side of the cabin bed. It would be a pain but he could climb the stairs to get back on the mattress of sanctity. “Climb on” He lowered to his knees and hinted for Lysander to get on his back.

“... Alright, I direct, you do the walking” the black clad Obitsu clambered on leaving his shoes on the bed “Im ready... JUMP!” The little one clung to the larger and hoped for the best as his mount let out a short laugh before plunging them both to floor level.

They both scrambled up after quite the pathetic landing, Rain had no idea how his weight was distributed and having a passenger really threw him off.

On Lysander's instruction, he walked to the hamster cage where he was just tall enough to see the mink critter chewing at the green bars. He moved his body parallel to the cage so the other would have chance to see and prattle on about the messy creature that almost took a chunk out of him on their first meeting.

Lysander relished his role of tour guide while on the back of the Soul Doll, it made him feel useful and more included as a vital part of the `family'. Rain either hung off his every word or just pretended to listen when it suited him, which was perfectly acceptable really, Mitani-mama would probably give him a similar tour over time either way.

When the tour was complete, and the stairs were miraculously tackled by the both of them to get back up to the bedroom, they had a whole new experience to overcome... Getting a hooved supersized doll back up the cabin bed ladder and onto the mattress where they would be able to wait and talk comfortably till Mitani returned. Even Padmé, an older non ball jointed doll, had to pitch in and drag the custom dolls up to their resting place.

“Phew! You guys are heavier than you look...” The plastic and nylon girl soon sat back where she had been left and wanted nothing more to do with them. If they wanted to go gallivanting around the house it was their problem if they got caught.

“Yeah? Well you're just a Barbie reject” Lysander stuck his tongue out at the Star Wars doll that shared his wardrobe. That earned him a clip round the ear from Rain. Rain, of all people!

“She didn't deserve that, she helped us” The centaur almost lived up to his namesake with the way he reprimanded little one.

“You don't have to put up with her and the attention her hair gets” It was true that Lysander envied her long hair, it was much more versatile than his which only reached down to the back of his neck. He pouted up at Rain who was ignoring him slightly and making his own wig fit better. His hair was shorter than Padmé's proportionately but, enough to be played with comfortably and style a little. “It's a conspiracy...” Lysander grumbled and sat where he was before, he didn't really see it as fair that he got less attention paid to his appearance. He deliberately neglected all of the time Mitani had spent making him clothes or hunting them down online.

Rain had laughed at his pouting and moved to his previous sitting position, it was clear the vinyl doll had had enough of him for one day. That suited him fine considering he couldn't do any more walking for fear his leg strings would snap. Their friendship would take time and he was surprised they had hit it off so well.

Mitani eventually returned home and started being snap happy with the camera. Shots of all three of the dolls were taken and occasionally they were posed for more ascetic pieces too. Rain received his much needed restring which was tricky but nonetheless it got done and then the obligatory hamster welcome was cringingly performed.

Scruff sniffed at the resin shell before waddling off, clearly uninterested in Rain, around the bed and started sniffing ominously at Lysander. The hamster was pulled away just before he started gnawing on him, instead. He was re-caged shortly after and Mitani started putting the dolls away. Lysander in his set up room, Rain was placed sat beside it, and Padmé was put in a drawer out of the way. Mitani went to bed and was out like a light.

The ball jointed dolls shared a smile in the secret of the night, before switching their own minds off and going to sleep until the next day when they could meet properly.

~♥~

NOTES:

Missing you1357 words

The protagonist of this tale is Merlin. Although, this isn't the only interpretation since any wizard will suffice. `Athame' is a traditional name for a Wizard's crafting knife that would be used to whittle wands. It was only fitting that an apprentice would share that name.

Also I thought it was clear enough that Athame was actually dead rather than missing or having left the wizard. This does not have to be the only possibility but it is by far the strongest one.

Lysander Meets Chiron1514 words

Both Lysander and Chiron are Ball Jointed Dolls (BJD's) The Chiron model is here: [http://www.souldoll.com/shop/step1.php?number=1678 ] for more information and Lysander is a custom Obitsu from Parabox [http://parabox.jp/eng/index.html] using the 27cm `slim' body type (Wikipedia would be a good place to learn a little more about ABJD's/BJD's/Dollfies in general. More specialised sites are easy enough to find through search engines)

Padmé is a doll that I have had for years. She is from the Star Wars movie franchise and has survived many a sell on. She is the same size as Lysander and occasionally they will share clothes from the same box.

SD- SuperDollfie 1/3 scale dolls (55-60cm)

MSD- MiniSuperDollfie 1/6 scale dolls (25-30cm)

SELF ASSESSMENT

Originally I did have a 3000 word story that was all planned out, after months of planning and pinning down a storyline it just refused to be written. Circumstances at home provoked the name of this two strong collection and I ended up just sitting at my laptop and typing away with no planning. Missing you is based on a project I had already started and I changed the content to create a short reminiscing passage -- that in its own way tells a whole story -- which I tried to make accessible to almost any reader. It focuses on what it is like to miss someone who isn't there while trying not to think about them as much as you should.

Lysander Meets Chiron was a free-type that focuses on the character I project onto my BJD Lysander and his reaction to me finally getting the Chiron model. This story also helped me pin a name to the doll if I should ever buy him. The audience is a little more selective and I hoped to make it entertaining to almost anyone who would read it.

Linkin Park, Hanz Zimmer, Bryan Adams, and various other artists helped inspire several parts of the stories at different points, for example, Missing you uses “I miss you, I love you. And I'll miss you forever...” which is a parody on the Enigma song I Love You...I'll Kill You[“I love you... I'll kill you...But I'll love you forever”], and the `lullaby' is a rewrite of Jim Steinman's song Cry to Heaven (performed by Meat Loaf).

For writing styles all I can comment on is that I used a 1st person perspective with Missing you, and a close 3rd person perspective in Lysander Meets Chiron that focussed on Lysander for the most part and his actions (implied and active). Mitani is my nickname and I thought it fitting to place it in the story since Lysander is my little dollfie, though he isn't to be confused emotionally with my little baby Scruff who is in fact a living being.