Clear the darkness; paint the light

[obscurchroma]

hello everyone and sorry for the sudden disappearance. irl happened and because of school and the fact 2 people quit suddenly, my job took over. (we still need to hire 2 new hires rip)

anyway, my muse for gustave returned. my muse for maelle, is v low. but, because I feel reinvigorated, I got the idea to just boot Gustave to his own blog and give him his own space.

gustave's been moved to @lumierelegacy if you're still interested in writing with him. I know its been like a whole month since I did anything so I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to drop everything. but if not, I can just move everything I have there and reply to it or we can start anew and fresh!

[obscurchroma]

in between gaming and work and school, I’ll be going on vacation with some family soon but rest assured I am still thinking about my silly little muses here.

and I still have a starter to write for Alicia and this is mostly a note to myself but if you’re also interested in writing with her def hmu. I just gotta get back in the zone of things.

[obscurchroma]

anyone wanna do some plotting? I have 1 thing i need to get to writing but I figured I would throw out a plotting call since i have some new mutuals too.

[obscurchroma]

anyone wanna do some plotting? I have 1 thing i need to get to writing but I figured I would throw out a plotting call since i have some new mutuals too.

[obscurchroma]

sometimes I think Gustave is a little lonely even though its clear that he has a lot of friends and people in his life. He jsut has a sort of lonely vibe in a way. the fact that we learn so much about him through maelle and how he was also considering a bit of a weird kid.

the fact that he became so involved and so bent on making Maelle feel welcomed with support because he saw himself in her.

the fact that he goes out of his way to be welcoming and friendly to people so they don't have to feel like he feels.

he's a bit of a lonely soul sometimes, yea?

[audaciious]

"Disasters can sometimes be fun or amusing. Hang around the Gestrals long enough or help with one of their plans and see how quickly it becomes disastrous," Melisandre smirked. "I agreed to join one who had the bright idea of trying to take out a group of Nevs by sending a battering ram-type cart down a steep hill. Little did I know we'd be in the cart sliding into them. Now that was a complete disaster, but amusing now that I look back on it."

Of course, she knew the truth in Maelle's words. Disasters were more often moments of darkness that could siphon hope from the strongest individuals. It was too easy to allow despair to seep into every chamber of your heart and to the marrow of your bones, where it festered and gnawed at everything you once were. Knowing from her own experience how desperately you have to fight and claw your way from the depths was why she HAD to at least try to make it a bit more bearable.

"I've spent enough years out here to know all the places where you can pretend it's not infested with Nevrons. Wish I could say it gets easier, but it doesn't." Mel admitted with a soft sigh. "You sound like a Gestral. We could goad Monoco into a duel or go find some Nevrons to beat up if you want to relax."

[obscurchroma]

❝ Well, I did become friends with Noco. ❞ Maelle chanced a glance towards Noco and Monoco who were talking about something in a rather animated way. Cosnidering Noco was trying to become the best merchant, it was likely to do with some good merch he found. Maelle wasn't paying too much attention, but she did chance a fond glance toward the pair of Gestrals. They were a lot easier to deal with than people sometimes.

Altho Mel was pretty easy to deal with. Maybe it was because she spent time with Gestrals? Sciel too but she also spent a bit of time in the Gestral village.

Maelle decides to let Melisandre put her idea in to place, humor her so to speak. It couldn't hurt to pretend they were normal living in a normal world with a normal picnic. She has a feeling Verso and Monoco will have something witty to say that'll make them all laugh. ❝ No. Why don't we try your picnic and forget we're in mortal danger strategy? We could all use a break right? ❞ Maelle isn't exactly convinced but she isn't dissuaded either. Rather, she felt neutral, but maybe it's because she's already been through so much. Maybe a part of her does want to just feel a little normal for once. It's worth a shot.

❝ I'm going to dub it the disaster picnic. ❞ A genuine smile does make its way to her face. ❝ Gotta stick with the theme, yeah? It's in name only so long as no trouble shows up. ❞

[fatedmuses-archive]

Gustave is, once again, correct. Actions speak louder than words, and Verso has done very little to prove himself in that regard. So he can't even be upset when Gustave takes a moment to size him up, trying to decide what exactly he should ask.

Of course, the first question doesn't really come as a surprise. That's always the first question.

"Renoir. Commander of expedition Zero." And his father, but that's not currently pertinent information. "He believes his immortality comes from the paintress. Thus, he strives to protect her from the expeditions."

Also not a lie. Although, Renoir is correct in that his immortality comes from the paintress. Just... not the way anyone in expedition 33 would expect. Or believe, probably.

He gives Gustave a half smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "He believes it's a blessing. On that front, we disagree."

[obscurchroma]

The unique thing about Gustave is how friendly he is. Even though Verso was not being forth coming and quite frankly it felt like his entrance into their expedition was planned - Gustave still cannot find a reason to not be friendly to him. This didn't have to mean he had to explicitly trust him, but until proven otherwise, Verso was good. Maelle seemed to have taken to him and Lune seemed interested in him. If either of them gave pause, then Gustave would likely not be as laid back.

They're all trying to survive out here anyway. They had to contend with Nevrons, the paintress, and every other thing out here trying to kill them.

❝ So you're immortal because of the paintress too? ❞ Gustave feels like that was insinuated given the words Verso explicitly used. Reading between the lines, so to speak. ❝ You met with the paintress and now you both are living forever? Is there anyone else alive too? More of you? ❞

It gives Gustave a little pause. Taking the paintress out was in fact their objective, but what if there was a way to convince the paintress to not do the gommages? Of course, if there wasn't, Gustave was ready to do more than throw rocks so to speak.

Ultimately, doing what's best for his family: Emma and Maelle - came first.

❝ And you know a direct route to the paintress too from what I heard? ❞

[obscurchroma]

anyone wanna do some plotting? I have 1 thing i need to get to writing but I figured I would throw out a plotting call since i have some new mutuals too.

[obscurchroma]

my sub term is wrapping up so I submit final assignments today and tomorrow and then hopefully I will have more time to be here again.

[obscurchroma]

i said i wasn't interested in shipping but every so often I do think gustave has the perfect hands for holding in both shippy and non shippy ways.

[fatedmuses-archive]

"It is," Verso agrees with a soft laugh. "Besides. You seem stubborn enough I don't think it would do any good."

Alicia had always been stubborn. Kind, and soft spoken, usually, but also stubborn to a fault. The whole family was, really. Maelle was different, than Alicia, but still the same, in some aspects. The determination and stubbornness ran through both of them like iron.

But Maelle was more outspoken, than Alicia had ever been. Perhaps because she hadn't been raised with two older siblings. Or perhaps just not with Clea.

Verso wishes he could explain to her why she never seemed to fit in. These others, they were creations of maman's. Background characters for her happy little life in the canvas. They all belonged here, more than Maelle did.

But to tell her that risks everything he's doing, to free them from this nightmare. So he doesn't.

"You know, you didn't really answer my question," he says, a gentle tease in his voice despite himself. "Are you alright? It's fine if you're not. I know life on the continent is... tiresome."

[obscurchroma]

Maelle always had a feeling she never fit in and never quite figured out why. No one wanted to take her as an apprentice and she never fit in enough to find a foster family. The nightmares, talking to herself, and constantly running away meant she was rejected up until Emma and Gustave took her in. She was thankful to them both, but, she fit in more with Gustave than anything.

Verso's right that she's incredibly stubborn and strong willed. That's why she's here. This life out here, she'd thought it'd be better, but, really it was a walking nightmare. Maelle doesn't want to say that. She still wants to keep up that tough exterior. Maybe it's because she was rejected so often as the weird kid, but she never wants to get too close. She's already lost so much . . .

❝ I didn't answer because I didn't need to. I'm fine. ❞ She's pointedly going to ignore the breakdown about death she had right before they buried Gustave. After all, it's normal to be emotional after grief, right? She's perfectly fine outside of the nightmares and death surrounding her on this disastrous expedition.

Maelle decided to keep playing it cool. ❝ We've got a mission to take care of. Even if I wasn't fine, nothing we can do but push on, yeah? ❞

[obscurchroma]

I haven't written alicia but like.... I am very interested to write pre or post game alicia for the first time just to get the feel for how different she technically is from when she's maelle in the canvas. would anyone be interested?

[obscurchroma]

this is primarily targeted towards mutuals I haven't interacted with but anyone who is interested can like this if you want a liner (or more) from maelle or gustave. specify who you'd like and multis specify which of your muses you want it for.

[fatedmuses-archive]

"Well, we can't exactly build you another one in the field, so maybe try not to let this blow up in your face," Julien teases. His apprentices really had done an excellent job on the arm, that was for sure. They didn't have the resources out here to recreate it, nor would Julien want to. He'd prefer Gustave to keep at least one of his arms.

The familiar guilt settles in his stomach, but he pushes it aside. No time for that. Not now, not out here, when everyday is a fight for survival. They could throw a pity party after they got back to Lumiere.

If they got back to Lumiere.

"So your converter really works, huh?" Julien asks, more as a distraction from his own thoughts than anything else. He studies the prism hanging off of Gustave's bag thoughtfully. "I knew if anyone could do it, it would be you. Did you find any of the supply caches I left behind? Just in case?"

They didn't have anything much. Some spare parts and tools, in case they needed to adapt something on the converter, or any of their other tech. Things didn't always work out in the field, they both knew that all too well.

[obscurchroma]

❝ Yeah, it does. We tested it in theory but seeing it actually work in the field is something else. ❞ Gustave says, pulling the Lumina Converter from his pocket and holding the device in his hand. Still in awe that he even came up with it in the first place. At least it was proof that he wasn't just daydreaming silly thoughts in his head. He could actually put them to practice.

Gustave sets the device down and glanced at his prosthetic arm for a second before shifting his gaze back to the project at hand. ❝ Yeah, I did find a few of them. You know they came in handy. Every little scrap we can get out here comes in handy really. Know anymore you left out here? Maybe we can gather them up. ❞

They really didn't have much out here in the continent. Even just finding basic necessities was challenging. Gustave stops tinkering for the moment, prosthetic hand running through his hair. ❝ Makes me miss back home all the more. We're so focused on the paintress that we don't really think about the toll being out here takes on us all. Some days . . . I really just want to go home. ❞

Actually, he almost did. He'd told Lune that when they found Maelle, he was going to take her home. At that point, he questioned his commitment to the mission. Still does some times. But he's doing this for everyone, so that she paints no more deaths. That's what's keeping him going.

[obscurchroma]

this is primarily targeted towards mutuals I haven't interacted with but anyone who is interested can like this if you want a liner (or more) from maelle or gustave. specify who you'd like and multis specify which of your muses you want it for.

[obscurchroma]

also to no one's surprise, I was so deep in detroit become human I picked up a muse from it and if u know me u know who it is.

[obscurchroma]

as someone who writes maelle, my wish list is literally just to write w/ a renoir bc there is so much to explore.