Nothing

...Nothing. I freaked out all evening and night while I played Tales of Symphonia with a locked door, and nothing happened. I feel better now, of course - daylight is always refreshing and cures my paranoia a bit.

I saw some of the weirdness spread, though - Slice, you alright? I can understand that you'd be freaked out, I never even noticed that image... I'm going to be stalking blogs for about half the day, and then just go to celebrate. A new year...

I decided on this before I made the blog - one of my resolutions is to learn how to climb fences. I want to learn parkour, but it's illegal without a certified instructor and I don't know where to find one... so for now I'll settle on something much smaller and easier to accomplish. It'll be useful no matter what happens, eh?

Gah, just a few entries ago, I didn't need to bother with this, but... stay safe guys. You better be alive and sane when I get back so I can force you to review more of my writing, or I'll pull you up from your graves and hold fake trials - just like the Church during the Scientific Revolution!

An "Oh Crap" Moment - A Milestone

I know where you are.
I'm coming for you.
Eyes open.
Be alone.

Such goes Vexil's message, which is confusing - I could have sworn he wasn't Hollowed/infected/whatever-you-call-it when he put up a blogpost earlier today. Unless this message is coded in binary to be comforting. That or someone hacked into his blog. Get better passwords, guys! Chemicals and really long medical drug names work great!

Trying not to think about how I'm getting constant chills up my spine. Geez, try to help one person by pointing them to information and I get this. Great, eh? I'm not ever making you waffles, Vexil. Just saying.

...Doing my best to laugh at this, as you guys can probably tell. Also, to distract myself, or maybe lure more theories out of my beloved followers, I think I'll tell you about a dream I had that I still remember pretty clearly. Because clearly the one thing you want to do is read about my weird dreams.

Starts off in a town in or near a forested mountain. I'm working with an unknown sister who I don't actually have - or, more precisely, watching kids younger than me make a cathedral out of plastic building blocks/jigsaw pieces. This goes on for a really short time, then this tall guy with black hair wearing a white, stylized hawk mask over half his face comes in and berates us all for doing a horrible job. Apparently we were living in the cathedral we were building, because he then kicked us out, took all our money and then singled me out to inform me that I would be forced to leave the town entirely with no food or extra possessions, and just... walk somewhere.

Yeah, a great guy, eh?~ And yet I'm totally willing to do this. It's hard to describe, but there's this feeling of insane adoration and respect for him. Worship, I suppose. Scene changes, we're walking on a path through the forest. He gives me a deal - either just leave, or accept his gift of not being able to die from hunger, dehydration or from exposure. In return, when I do die, it'll be a long, slow death with my energy and health being eaten away. I take it, then stalk him and continue to talk about... random stuff. Scene change to a beach at night, talk more about how I want to learn more about the goddess Diana (I am a big Artemis fan in real life). He then told me he was god of more than wildlife. Then dawn comes, I leave the town, dream decides the most interesting plot point is gone and fades away.

So... yeah. After that, I was convinced for a while that I was chosen for some divine purpose by a pagan god. It's been three years, though - not likely now. He did bear some resemblance to some Egyptian deities, though - Sokar and Horus, though the former more than the latter. Something to think about while I try to keep from looking over my shoulder, I suppose...

Reports, Meditation and Dreams

Yeah, this post isn't half as interesting as the title makes it sound. Since everyone wants me to be careful, I think I'll assure you guys that despite being someone who jumped at the call, I do take precautions. When I go outside, I either listen to music and scan the sparse green space around my complex, or have my dog with me. She hasn't barked at anything more extraordinary than cats or dogs or people on bikes. My music has not messed up at all when I listen to it. I keep my rabbit in my room at night as an alarm system. So far, all he's done is lounge like a hardened badass after consuming the lion's share of kibble, and then settle with a casual flair to fill my room with dung pellets. No alarm, no rushing like mad to get back into his cage. Woot~

Also, I live in a city, so trees are rather hard to come by except in parks. A pity - winter without snow makes everything bleak and bare branches are more paranoia-inducing than leafy forests.

As for meditation - just one of my crazy habits is to take music and then go swing at the park right behind my house for a good hour or more. I do it in the winter, until it rains too hard for me to bother, and all the time in the summer. It... clears my mind. I suppose it's kind of like meditation - just like sitting under a freezing waterfall! This time of year, I do freeze when I do this, and it clears my head and usually makes me feel better despite my hands going numb. I also clear my mind when I stickfight with my friends, but my last proper stick is rather useless now. I need to go find something better to practice with.

Trees have a great deal of importance for me, by the way. I've had recurring dreams of being a wolf (not relevant right now) and also of... a world tree. A tree so large that you need to hike up it for a while until you realize it's not a mountain, but a tree. Usually, it's like a massive national park that I visit all the time in the dream, and when I wake up, reality blurs for a bit and I convince myself that I'll go again soon. And then it hits me that it's a dream. Saddening, eh? I find the symbol of Yggdrasil, or the world tree to be comforting - like being in the shadow of a protecting deity, I suppose. Anyone remember the smiling trees that briefly posted on some blogs, including, I think, Seeking Truth? I might be mistaken and it was Dreams in Darkness instead - whatever it was, they were quite cryptic.

They Say

Whenever I see this title, despite the fact that I wrote it, "So They Say" from Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog always gets into my head. ;_; Anyways, here it is! Hopefully it will not remind anyone here of anything except fairytales and the focal point of a magic shop, and maybe rumourmongers. This is like, the only one of my works that does not have any italics. At all. I love to overload on italicized things. It does, however, have an unholy amount of dashes.

They Say

There is, in the woods, a shop.

They say the shop owner is a witch, and that she sells magic at high prices – wishes for your heart, or your dreams, or your memory. They say to not trust her, to leave the shop and do not look back until you are in the trees again.

They say the shop owner is a young man, charming with a silver tongue and feyfire in his eyes. They say that his words coax out your sense, make you agree and that he buys your soul and promises and bottle them up, to sell to others who can pay the prices he set. They say you should not turn your back on him, but thank him and lie with your eyes while your tongue says bare truths.

They say the shop owner is a robed figure, hooded and cloaked in shadow with a voice that is everything and nothing. They say that if you look away, he will be in a different place the next time you look, and that what he sells is too dear to ignore. They say he shimmers like a mirage, and that he keeps a scythe in the back of the shop – if you pay what he asks for, he can cut all bonds.

They say there are three shops – no, three thousand, the forest dotted with pavilions and arcane tents and odd-angled houses of stone. They say that they move – that you find your way with need, that you can leave but there is a price for that as well. They say –

Every shop sells you what you want, but only some sell what you need.

That if there are musical instruments, do not play them, because the harp has the strings of siren hair and the flute is carved from dragon horn.

That those who buy are watched carefully, but those that buy from the hooded one are not watched at all, and those that walk away more carefully than any.

That you can find your way to all but one many times if you leave; they know there are many chances in your life for dreams, for wishes, for change.

You can only find your way to the hooded one once.

There are not three shops, nor three thousand – there is one, and you see what you want to see every time you go to it.

You cannot kill the shop owners, but some have tried, all fiery chargers and banners flying and pride in ridding the world of witches preying on the weak. They do not return, and the shops dwindle shortly after, and return in the winter when no one is looking.

They say that it does not matter what they say, because they know the look in your eyes, that you will find your own path through the woods.

They say to find what you need, not what you want.

They say to be careful.

So...

In case some of my - eight now - followers did not notice, Jeff has joined the party. Jeff, who welcomed me to the Mythos.

...The Slenderman Mythos.

Joy, first time I typed his name/title/whatever on here or anywhere else for that matter. I'm pretty sure this all came about because I am a roleplayer. A writer. I adore playing stuff out with people, and I've been checking the main blogs since the beginning of December. Which meant I missed everything that happened on White Elephants, but that is not relevant. What is: I somehow found my way onto Jeff's blog. Where he reported that Nessa had regained her memories. From there, I went to her blog and commented as a bystander who had been following everything. I'm such a stalker, eh? But yes. I commented.

GREAT IDEA, NO?

Maybe Jeff followed me back because I followed him, or maybe because I decided, with my foolish, roleplayer heart, to leap into this problem and offer advice. Regardless, he's my eighth follower, and welcome enough for that. And now I'm more nervous, woot~ See, the line between reality and fiction is really thin, and that was what originally freaked me out. Are these intricate ARGs? Are they reality, a web of despair and running that I plunged into by sheer impulse? I've never had a good grasp on reality to begin with - this probably won't help the matter.

Regardless, I've ensconced myself now - I have a blog, followers, I'm following and commenting on other blogs... yeah, I can't really back out now, can I?

I'm not sure if I really do deserve congratulations, Jeff, for anything other than managing to grab your attention. However, I'm not getting out of this so... I guess I'll have to offer my services as a writer for your entertainment~ I'll be putting up a short story of mine, with loads of fairytale inspiration, today - I hope you guys will enjoy reading it.

I Never Thought I'd Need An Excuse...

To totally plug my writing and beg for reviews. And yet, I actually didn't so far - not until you guys all asked for me to link you. SO.

Fanfiction.net has all of my... fanfiction. Not much of it, currently working on a Pokemon fanfic as priority, with a xxxHolic and Shaman King crossover one-shot following, aaaand an Okami drabble - yes, Okami is amazing, I adore it for how cute and yet serious it can be - bouncing around in my head. My profile is here: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1544775/Stormecho. IF YOU LEAVE REVIEWS ON ANYTHING, I WILL LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

;_;

SO MUCH.

My deviantart also has some fanfics, more based on some roleplays I did, and some original work, so I will link in the comments if you really want to take a closer look at that. x3 Hm... think that's it. A hearty welcome to all of my new followers - I feel really surprised that I already have six. <3

Holiday Fun - Note Sarcasm

Alright, so my holidays were... interesting. My family is Polish, so we tend to celebrate a big Christmas Eve dinner - 13 courses, no meat, a massive amount of fish, some holy bread before we eat, borscht with mini pierogies, more fish... Great, except for the fish, which I can tolerate but don't like. By tradition now, I tend to eat some sliced baguette, the borscht, wince and down the holy bread as fast as humanly possible and wait or flee till dessert shows itself. Like I have now - everyone is eating some fried fish except for me. I have come upstairs to finally get the last few paragraphs of a fanfic chapter right, and to post over here. My aunt and grandmother are alternately being pushy at each other, at other people, or at me for not eating enough. My aunt is very uptight, rather strict - I always found her house a cold place, emotionally.

My grandmother I just have to put up with her steadily becoming more tipsy and more insistent on favouring me over anyone else. Such as making anyone on my side of the table shove other a few inches so I wouldn't be squished against the corner. She's mentioned this about... five times, tried to suggest it to me when the other chairs were unfilled, and due to me being a stubborn-ass Taurus, she got my back up and practically had me bristling. Also tried to sneak some fish on my plate after I already said I was full and didn't want any - a repeat of last year when she slipped some apple pie on my plate when I wasn't looking, which I then had to put back with many a glower while she pretended to be innocent.

I know, I know - it's petty, but most of our fights start over this kind of thing.

Hanging out with my brother and sister (technically his wife by common law, or his girlfriend that moved in or something) was fun, though, and they tried to make me drink some alcohol. Being 17, I could - but I only ever had two sips of beer and the rich reek of wine ensures I never tried some. Also, beers smells bad, tastes bad and is fizzy - I'll stick to my water. I got a shitload of muse to write yesterday evening and today, so I was a bit of a grump because I needed to write, and to hell with eating, getting some rest or helping out. Of course, I did all three, but sullenly...

Psh, I need some self control with that.

On other, far more awesome news... I have followers! I clicked around some of my favourite blogs to read and stalk, finally decided to follow them, and Holly Ven and Hosozokuri reciprocated! This makes me a very happy Storm, I feel free to inform you. I truly am honoured~ And I am no longer typing to a void of nothingness! Huzzah!

Also, Hoso - if I may shorten your name due to my horrible laziness - your songs are amazing. I seriously listen to them to set mood for my writing, and "Resolve" will randomly enter my head all the time. They're beautiful. <3 "Seeking the Truth" is also epic, and a worthy tribute to the blog.

...Not much else to say. A bit miffed that a very close friend of mine couldn't stay over for the dinner, but she and her mother and grandmother went to Christmas mass. I was hoping, but... it probably wouldn't have happened anyways. I really should work on that fanfic, and then maybe watch some old Beast Wars to feel a rush of nostalgia.

West of the Moon

So~ It's been quiet over here. I was just chilling with my friend for a while, which is why I wasn't on much. Ah well.

The solstice! Longest night of the year, shortest day, the halfway mark and a counterweight to keep the balance. Lots of stuff is apparently going on - the lunar eclipse, a blood moon - at least, that is what I've heard - and I can look forward to slowly seeing increments of daylight return in the late hours.

It's also officially the first day of winter, though it's been freezing up here for the last four weeks. And we don't have much snow, just some stubborn clods staying despite how sunny the last few days have been. It shames me that America is getting snow, but a city north of the border has to cling to patches of white. True, snowstorms would be useless with no school, but the sight of snow on the ground and light bouncing off of it is optimistic, in my opinion.

A land bereft of snow but bitterly cold is more depressing. Besides, Christmas lights look far more awesome on fresh snow, with more on the way, and I'm sentimental enough to want to look out the window in a warm house and see snow falling - perfect idea of a winter night, eh?

Admittedly, I know that a great many people don't have the luxury or the safety of being inside whilst snow falls, and my wish for a nice backdrop is outweighed by their wish for warmth, food and shelter. I hope their wishes are granted.

On the creepypasta front, it seems that the solstice is pretty important. Good luck to them for that - to use creativity and belief as weapons is something I definitely approve of.

...Not much else to say. Happy holidays and stay safe, non-existent readers~

A Rather Standard Introduction

So! Why hello, non-existent readers! Perhaps, one day, I will gain a follower and they will archive binge this whole thing and uncover this post and know, with a warm glow in their hearts, they I no longer speak to imaginary people.

Or not.

I tend to be a sarcastic, self deprecating person who attempts to be a Large Ham - key word being attempt - so please bear in mind that I will try to be funny very often here. Very, very often. You should flee in terror right now. That aside, and all hopeful readers chased off, I would like to inform the void here that I am female. I go by Stormecho or Storm, the latter being more popular because I believe everyone on the Internet is lazy and doesn't like to type more than they have to. I live in Canada, in an urban wasteland that sadly I cannot navigate, and I want to be a writer. And not a writer of anything, oh hallowed void of blogspace, but a writer of fantasy. I shall now do flashy jazzhands at the screen for your benefit.

Not specializing - I have some ideas for twisting at the focal points of some fables, some modern fantasy involving gods and belief which I will try very hard to keep from turning into a bad copy of American Gods - by Neil Gaiman, who is epic, for the uninitiated. Oh, and a high fantasy quarter-done thing which I like and yet hate. I have three styles of writing. Severely informal, which you are perusing right now, normal prose, and poetic prose, or my cryptic "dreams or character going insane or something very important!" style. I also write fanfiction. I like anime/manga series, mostly supernatural. I like ones marvelled to be awesome and deep and mindscrewy, and I also like gateway, overhyped ones that have too many rabid fans. I take pride in being relatively lowkey as a fan.

I said I am a wimp. This is true. Naturally, I spend my time reading creepypasta - not really into SCP, but some Pokemon creepypasta was interesting until I jaded myself to it by reading more - and I'm not really sure of where this is going to turn up, so I'm not mentioning the one thing I do read avidly. I don't watch creepy videos. The images get clearer in my head over time, watching portrayals will solidify it and then I'll never sleep again.

Other useless info: I love to read, play loads of video games as well as flash games, roleplay like crazy, and my biggest occupation seems to be avoiding school work. I am seventeen, turning eighteen soon, and I come from a Polish background, though my hatred of cheese and cheesecake means I am a freak. I was a weaboo, but learning Japanese cured me - I can now freely rant about particles and different forms for conjugation and 'i' adjectives that look like 'na' adjectives and more.

Finally, this blog will be for... something. I might put up entries of my old dream diary - I need to start recording them again, damn it - or some poetry and stuff from Writer's Craft, or my fanfics, or excerpts of what I'm actually working on.

Ooooor I might just rant about whatever topics catch my interest. You never know~