I did some pictures~ ^_^
I've also written a scene from Josephine's perspective about meeting Lockette.
I'm happy with all of this progress. ^_^
To be honest, though, it still feels to me like I'm groping around in the dark in terms of specific story structure.
I've been working on this story for many years at this point~! So it's not like I'm "coming up blank". Rather, I have a million possible directions to take the story and am having trouble narrowing it down.
When I sit and think about what directions to take the story, there are often a few recurring directions, but during each of these planning (or even scene-writing) sessions, there are also a bunch of random directions that are there one session and replaced with completely different ones the next.
For example, the CG I posted here of Serra going through snow, broken ice, and water in a blizzard: this CG is for a very specific scene that I've had in mind for years regarding Tashen, Serra, and Amy. I even have a - by now very old - draft of the scenes surrounding the CG in a drawer, somewhere~~~~
I wasn't even thinking of including that scene when I was most recently planning a structure, and yet, without planning it, I felt drawn to make this CG, and I think it turned out quite well.
In fact, I feel that all of the art came out quite well. Making it is simply fun.
... I think simply having fun is the key, here. I've been working on this for so long that it seems daunting, and I feel like nothing's "good enough", whether it's art or writing.
But that artwork was just fun. I wasn't thinking about anything or worrying about quality, I was just drawing, and I enjoyed it. And I think they turned out good. I think I should approach the writing in the same way - think less and just have more fun.
After all, all this time I've been galvanizing my art and writing skills, anyway, and I already know many, many, many parts of the story inside and out, so what's there to worry about? If I just let myself have fun, I'll enjoy making this art and writing much more and, hopefully, actually get to release the VN ^_^
Also, because there are often some recurring directions, I should probably try to isolate them: doing so will likely help me form a structure.
I also feel that it's telling that, when wanting to make a CG, I automatically tend to make certain CGs regardless of any plans I do or don't have. This tells me that I subconsciously find some scenes to be meaningful, important, action-packed, and interesting, and I think should follow those feelings.
I don't know if this post made much sense. ^^;
Her, for those who would like to read it, here's the scene between Josephine and Lockette that I wrote. I won't always post writing snippets, but please enjoy.
There, in the yard, lays a girl.
She's a delicate being, and seems to be asleep...
She's so tranquil and still that she seems to be part of nature: as though she belongs where she lays.
However, I soon find myself thinking of her safety.
How long has she been here?
If she stays like this, rattids could make a meal of her when night comes.
Then it occurs to me that she's so pale and still that she may have passed away.
Cautiously, I approach her.
As I do so, I watch keenly for the rising and falling of her breath.
Unfortunately, however, I see no breathing.
At this realization, I stop where I stand and feel my hair stand on end.
It takes me a time to gather myself as I watch the scene, still keenly waiting for her to breathe.
Still, however, no breath comes.
I find myself sitting in the grass, still a fair distance from her and, sitting there, I think of this poor girl.
And I think of how curious this is... for, her skin is very pale, which would suggest to me that she's been gone for a long time.
Therefore, I find it odd that her body hasn't been disturbed by rattids in the night.
I think more on this... and conclude that, if her body's this pale, there should be traces of blood around it, in the grass.
I bring myself to my knees and carefully crawl toward her.
As I do, I notice one strange thing followed by another.
Firstly, there seem to be pale ribbons leading from the house to her and, secondly, on inspecting the grass around her, I can find no traces of blood.
I'm baffled...
In investigating further, I see that the ribbons seem to be the color and texture of her skin and they... seem to have been ripped from her feet, at some point, as though her feet and the ribbons were one, and as if the ribbons were made of her flesh.
I look to her face at this realization but, again, her body has a most tranquil expression.
After pausing and looking at the body, I tentatively smell.
Not it directly, but I smell from where I am... and it strikes me as strange that nothing smells particularly bad.
I kneel, looking at the body, puzzled.
Until, after a time, I decide to follow the ribbons from her feet.
They've broken from her feet and lead to the house, but they stop a fair distance from the door.
Attempting to open the door, I find it open into a quiet, peaceful place.
I see no traces of the ribbons from the doorway, and a delicate, ornamental vase of now-dead flowers sits on a stand near the door.
I close the door and sit on the step.
How can any of this be?
Everything here seems so peaceful, and those ribbons don't seem to enter the house.
The lack of blood and smell, the look of peace on her face, the strange ribbons, and the pristine condition of the extremely pale body...
I feel that I truly don't understand.
Then again, nothing about the fall made much sense.
But then again, again, surely she didn't die any time near the event.
I just don't understand, and the fall was even more insane: the bodies and blood of that event are simply out of my sight, so I've been thinking of that strangeness far less, as time has been passing...
But this is fresh, and the body's right here.
After a time, I resolve to look at the body once more.
It's as still and peaceful-looking as always.
Nothing about it has changed.
Why did I want to look at it, again?
Nothing's different, and nothing can be done to help her.
She's simply gone, now.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you, and I'm sorry that I don't understand."
As I look over the body for a final time, I see that her eyes have opened.
My own eyes widen, and my heartbeat quickens.
She's still not breathing.
"H-hello...?"
She doesn't answer, but not only are her eyes open, but I swear she's looking at me.
Still afraid, I slowly kneel down beside her and, as I do so, her eyes stay locked on mine.
I-is she really alive?
What in the world do I say?
Before I can think, she reaches toward me with a pale, clammy hand.
With hesitation, I reach for her hand and hold it.
She's cold...
She closes her eyes for a time in a painful-looking way, but soon opens them once more and, when she does, she sits up in the grass.
At the grand movement from what I so recently thought was a dead body, and after looking her over and seeing no apparent injuries, I let out a sigh of relief and slowly find myself smiling at her.
"This is nowhere to sleep, little one."
Thank you all for your interest. I'll see you in the next update.