--| glitch 4 [inscribing memories]

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[For once, Tobias isn't sleeping, in classes, or in the Training Center! Isn't that a weird thing to say about him. The boy's settled himself in the Quad with an army's worth of art supplies, and has simply begun drawing like the wind.

A bag beside him holds everything he's already gone through -- worn down pencils, markers, and torn out pages -- while to his left stacks the pads he's already completely burned through.

He doesn't seem to be drawing anything in particular: those who peer over his shoulder to get a glimpse see anything from landscapes both unfamiliar (likely his home) and familiar (places around Garden or the cities), creatures familiar (grats, T-Rexaurs, others) and unfamiliar (from the same place as him?), and even people unfamiliar (those he used to know?) and familiar (cadets and SeeDs both).

If someone's been hanging around the Quad long enough, they might be able to catch him looking at them occasionally, or even see their own picture on the paper in his lap.]

Comments

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[If Tobias notices him, he doesn't react, and simply goes on with what he's doing. Espio is definitely one of the ones being drawn more than once, along with Marco and Grell.

Some of them seem like simple drawings, but Espio might recognize others as events or conversations, especially with the notes Toby makes about them in the sides.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

Do I look that grumpy all the time?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He jumps in surprise, blinking back a little.]

Usually.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

Thanks. Nice to see that's recorded, then.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He looks down at the pad, falling silent.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

You know, you could argue that. Something like "smile more and I wouldn't have to draw you looking grumpy", I don't know...

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

It's not that. I'm...

[Pause.]

I don't want to forget you.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Forget me?

[]

You're worried about GFs?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He nods.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

Hey, as long as I stay around, you're not likely to forget so easily! Besides, the present's more important than the past - the past already happened, after all.

[]

Although... good idea to keep a record.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm writing and drawing everything.

Do you want me to fill a pad for you too?

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

No, it's fine, I'll deal with it myself. No need to add to the workload - besides, I don't think you could draw anything from the Special Zone, anyway.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

I could try. I don't mind.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

You want a story?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Sure, I'd love one.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

How about Mighty's Dad being kidnapped by a swamp monster?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He puts the current pad aside, picking up a yet untouched one -- how many of those did he have? -- and taking his pencil again.]

Tell me.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

We'd ended up looking after Mighty's Dad again - Blockhead Bill, old crimefighter, bit senile - because him and his partner Max had been off on some sort of rampage of mistaken identities. You know - assuming perfectly ordinary people were their enemies from way back? Because obviously the blue hedgehog was actually a red snake.

Anyway, on this occasion Bill had managed to get controlled by a giant swamp creature - Root - which he'd run into when collecting whatever-it-is that turns Max into a gigantic dinosaur. He failed his mission, so this overpowered swamp-thing used magic to yank him straight out of the air into the swamp, and we had to go follow him - he's crazy, but he's still Mighty's father!

[]

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[It's very likely. If it was yours, however, he'll buy you another if you tell him.

As always, Tobias listens intently, writing or drawing whatever Espio says, though he occasionally stops just to watch him fascinatedly. When the story does end, he writes for a while more, saying nothing until the entire story is jotted down to memory.]

Wow. Your world still sounds amazing.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Insane, more like. So, can I see?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He happily hands over the pad. He's drawn everything he could considering the information Espio's given him, and anything he wasn't sure about is simply written.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

[]

I like your take on Root. You didn't base that on one of your Pokemon things, did you?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

You didn't say much about what it looked like, so yes, I did.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Makes a good tree monster, whatever it is.

[]

Oi, Tobias... this works for what you're using it for, but why not try telling a story without writing it? Like comics without the speech bubbles, or something like that.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[Tobias blinks, looking somewhat thoughtful.]

I don't think I've ever tried that.

[Not that stories without words are strange to him -- they're the only way to KNOW stories when you can't read, after all.

He flips to another page, then starts thinking quietly.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Might as well give it a go, then, right? Not necessarily right now - maybe over the next week, with whatever happens. Assuming something does happen.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I will.

[Have a bright smile, grumpy gecko.]

Thanks, Espio.

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

No problem. You'll show me, right?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Of course.

[redcinemareel]

[Grell refuses to be sneaky and is in MOM MODE. Living up to his nickname, he curiously looks at his drawings.]

Such wonderful detail!

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Thanks. [Smile!

You'll be pleased, Grell -- his representation of you is extremely feminine.]

[redcinemareel]

You even got the features and proportions right. Such a good boy~! [HUGS TIGHTLY]

[Looks around, seeing...a lot of other drawings. Even a frowning Espio.] You've certainly been here a while.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[He clings back somewhat, not quite as tightly as her perhaps, but still.]

Yeah, I know. But I want to make sure I've got everything I can remember written or drawn, just in case...

[redcinemareel]

Just in case? [Raises an eyebrow] What do you expect there to happen?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

We can forget things just by using the GFs.

[redcinemareel]

Ah, you're concerned about that... [Green eyes look to the drawings] I'm not going to sugarcoat it, sweetie, but some memories are worth losing. Those being the bad ones. [Looks over to Toby, not as bright as usual. Grell like this is rare.] Yet who knows what memories could be stolen by using them.

Have you ever considered a journal?

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Bad memories I don't mind. It's memories of you, Marco, Espio -- all my friends and family, here and not here, that I don't ever want to forget.

[He nods.]

I did, but I draw things better than I write them.

[redcinemareel]

I don't want to forget those, too. [PAUSES] Minus Espio. It would be nice if I could guarantee that I couldn't forget you.

Well, no one said you couldn't do both. Make a small note about pictures you draw in it. A little detail goes a long way~. [Soft smile]

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

[Her smile gets one back, and Tobias flips to another one he's drawn -- of Grell and himself simply sitting together, with Marco in the tree above.]

I do, sometimes, but sometimes I just like leaving them like this.

[redcinemareel]

[Just has to look up, just in case Marco is actually up in a tree above them.

...no?

MOVING ON]

Good. Sometimes pictures can explain so much, yet so can words.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Words are still hard sometimes. I've been used to relying on pictures for years.

[redcinemareel]

Then it means you need more practice, but if you do have difficulty, your father and I will help.

[heartcorrupt.livejournal.com]

Thanks. [Beam!]