you dance on a tightrope of weird

↳INSTAROYAL @SKYLARKBELL UPLOADED A NEW PIC!

Orange you glad to see me in front of the camera for once? #badpun #spiritday #whydidwegettheworstcolor

You never know! I have 20/20 vision and at the health fair they told me that I might need blue-light glasses because my 20/20 seemed less certain than it used to be and my vision was getting blurry. It is! And you’re right, it totally means more than a Swipe. He’s already talked to me and he wanted to go with me to get ice cream, so I must be at least kind of interesting! 

My glasses have had blue-light filter to keep them healthy no matter how much I stare at computer screens, I'm fine. Or at least I hope I am. If I went blind, I'd need you to forever tell me what everything looks like and you have bette things to do than to be my seeing-eye Riley. You're all kinds of interesting but if it takes more people saying it for you to believe it, I'm glad this is happening. Is it, like, a date? Do you want it to be? Or is it like a ‘get to know you before a date’ thing?

Riley: WHAT IF I STARE AT MY OWN FACE SO MUCH I THROW UP?

Riley: Whaaaat? Why don't you like the second one? The second one's so good! I thought it was the third one that most people took issue with! And this is apparently why this is my RILEY ALONE-TIME CHEER UP series!

Riley: I DON'T THINK THEY HOOK UP AS MUCH AS WE THINK THEY HOOK UP! I THINK THAT THERE ARE JUST A FEW WHO TALK ABOUT IT SO MUCH THAT WE ASSUME TOO MUCH ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T TALK ABOUT IT! But!!! What if she's doing quickies in the piano closet or something???? Does she ever look disheveled to you?

Skylark: WHY WOULD YOU? YOU'RE GORGEOUS!

Skylark: The second one felt really racist and sexist and just really rude mean cringy humor to me in a way the first and third weren't in my opinion. Maybe that's just me!

It’s your thing, I think you’re allowed to be a little pretentious. Besides, some art calls for it. Like a classic Monet? Be pretentious about it. There’s a reason they’re classics, not exactly the same thing I can say for the books people praise these days. Maybe if people got excited about older books that deserve it, I’d pick up a book more often. Hey, pictures are worth a thousand words, right? No reason you shouldn’t use them instead. I told you! It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, I might need a refresher. Really sounds like I need to rewatch, so I’ll take that challenge. I’ll even Zap you during to prove that I’m not crying.

Thanks for the allowance because sometimes I can't help myself and the art snob pops out of me. Like it does around a Monet, for instance, despite him not being my favorite. What kind of books do you think deserve it then? I'm sure we have some book snobs among us that could point us in a good literary direction. I guess it makes sense that not everybody remembered the iconic notecards at a doorway imagery; I haven't forgotten it seen I've seen it but I blame that on my image-heavy brain. But please Zap me! I'd love to see someone's elses reactions. Especially if we have vastly different ones.

Tori: LOL no. Being a mermaid's lit, I'd rather people just think of me as being half and half than never get to swim like that again ever. But I feel like I've got like... too much to not spill over and be both at the same time so yolo.

Tori: I ACCEPT THAT TITLE. CAN I BE THE SHARK QUEEN LIKE DAENERYS TARGARYEN IS THE DRAGON QUEEN? SHARK QUEEN SOUNDS BETTER.

Tori: Wow what a NOT subtle segue, why do you want to know about Kendall? He likes dad jokes and brunch and going with the flow and he loves his family but for premium information you're going to have to tell me WHY.

Skylark: Its funny, I wish we could switch the way people think about us. For the most part, people don't even realize I'm a fairy until they're reminded and idk they think I'm either solidly one or the other, not half and half. And I'll choose to be solidly one someday but until then it's not that simple.

Skylark: OF COURSE. TORI TRITON, FIRST OF HER NAME, MOTHER OF SHARKS, THE UNDROWNED, THE BREAKER OF NETS AND DEFENDER OF THE SEA.

Skylark: It didn't need to be subtle, it needed to be effective :-P I need more info on what he's like dating.

Hadley: Well, you show people beauty through your pictures and not through your words, right? Just like I feel like I communicate best with music instead of with words. I'm sorry you didn't feel like Pixie Hollow was the place for you, though. I'm guessing that means you don't have a plan to go back there someday? Photography doesn't seem as fun when it's itty bitty, although you might do a huge service to scientists that way. Harp, cello, flute, timpani, and the trombone, I think. But that's subject to change. Oh! Wow, now don't I feel silly for assuming you liked taking pictures the best. Being well-rounded sounds nice, though. Not being boxed in.

Then your mind probably saw it all on its own and was just in denial about it. Nah, people could train their bodies to get over those addictions if they really tried, they’re just all weak-minded and strong-stomached, since they can shovel crap in all the time and not die.

Nope, my mind sees what it reads, so don't write gross things please. A lot of them seem to have some sort of bonding process that goes into sharing pastries; do you think that could ever be the same with veggies?

I’ll make sure I get to know you better. I wouldn’t want to make another mistake like that. I don’t think I’d want to go camping either. It’s being outside with no protection! I really don’t understand how anyone could like it.

Thank you, my hypothetical game self who doesn't want to die is very grateful. Growing up in Neverland was kind of like camping all the time, its garbage; I was always a city boy at heart, I guess.

Yeah, eventually. It just sucks when you’re stuck in the middle of it. Okay, thank you! More words and pages doesn’t always mean better, and I always feel like it’s the thicker books that get all the attention and praise when it comes to “good books.” Sometimes a big book is just too exhausting to really enjoy! Hey, I get it. It’s more of a sentimental thing, not really anything you can explain. You don’t even have to try. Anger isn’t always a bad thing, like when it comes to social injustices and that sort of thing. But for this kind of thing? It’s something I want to be proud of, and I’m not exactly proud of that time in my life. I’ll be the first to admit that maybe I was a little bit childish in how I handled things, and the texts remind me of it. I guess it’s more the remorse hitting me than the anger. Okay, and you telling me this just tells me how little I actually remember the movie. Might be worth revisiting because, wow, I thought I was better at remembering movies than this. Like I remember liking the movie, but details? Not a one.

That's because it's always literature snobs who lead the discussions on what makes a good book; now, maybe as an art snob I can't say much because I'm sure I'm just as pretentious when it comes to my thing, but still. And phew, good. Not that I don't want to explain myself to you, but I'm more used to using images to express myself than words anyway. I see. Remorse is a strong one but it's also heavier than it is strong sometimes, I can't blame you for not wanting to get weighted down by it. The "to me, you are perfect" cards are iconic! And so so self-destructive honestly. Watch and try not to cry or cringe challenge.

Hasira: It's called s a r c a s m! Wait so even when you were a child you got to do whatever you want? I guess that sounds like the isle except yours is in a "you're grown" not a "I don't care" kind of way.

Hasira: Why wouldn't you want to live there? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Skylark: I love sarcasm but over text is the worst place to try it lmao. And yep, pretty much. Everyone in Pixie Hollow is their own person, huzzah, revolutionary. Who wants to know what a real mom feels like anyway?

Skylark: THAT was sarcasm lol :-P

Nova: I'm gonna go light my face on fire so I look creepy like The Hound from Game of Thrones instead! BURN, BABY, BURN!

Riley: I'M GOING TO NEED A PHOTOGRAPHIC SIDE BY SIDE TO ANALYZE FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL I CAN MAYBE SORT OF FIND A WAY TO AGREE.

Riley: EVERYONE FROM PITCH PERFECT IS SACRED IN THEIR OWN WAY! I watch those movies so many times!

Riley: HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK OUR CLASSMATES ARE SEEING NAKED ON AVERAGE? And oh my God, you're right! (Also, you're one of the quiet ones!) I still don't think Claudine's doing it, though, but what if Hadley is??? She's so busy talking about pianos and dogs and student government all the time that I don't know much about her personal life! Now I'm going to be so on-high-alert around her, thanks a lot!

Skylark: THAT CAN VERY VERY VERY VERY EASILY BE ARRANGED!!

Skylark: LOLOL the movie IS pretty superb. The first one, anyway. I'm still upset I had to watch the second with my own two eyes.

And I wasn’t even trying to validate you on purpose this time, imagine if I turned on my concerted-effort-charm! Oh. I mean, you’re right, it probably would make me a little bit uncomfortable, but not because I don’t think it’s really sweet and amazing that you see me that way! Just because I’d, I don’t know, think maybe you needed to get your eyes checked. Or maybe he already swiped left! Although if he swiped left, why did he invite me to go get ice cream with him? The world is so confusing. 

I can't even imagine, I'd blush so hard that I wouldn't need extra lighting at my photo shoots. My eyes are perfect, especially when it comes to you, thank you very much, but keeping those thoughts in my head is easy enough, don't worry. I won't make you feel weird if I can help it. Did he? That's great, then. Isn't that what you wanted? And like I said, it probably just means he hasn't seen you in the app yet or that he hasn't logged on. Someone inviting you to do something says more than a swipe does.

Hadley: It sounds really nice there. Sorry if that's such a lame response to such a beautiful description, but I don't know, I've always thought nice is one of the best things something or someone can be. Cricket-whistling-talent, though, wow! Is it the same noises we hear from crickets here, when we're big, or does it sound different from fairy-size? And none of those sound like piano :-p Not that that's a bad thing. I wish I knew more instruments. I'd play six of them if I could, but I guess it's better to be truly good at one than just moderately good at a few. Um... Not really? Well, that's not true. Maybe Cassie, we're in student government together and she loves animals.

Right? And then he went on to say that simple problems have simple solutions. I’m just… over it to be honest. No point stressing over it when he had no idea what went into it all. Oh, okay, short is good. I’ll be honest, the longer the book, the less I wanna read it. Your old texts gotta be more emotion provoking than mine, the only emotion I get is anger if I scroll far enough to see all the arguments between my dad and me. And I dont want to go back to that you know? I think me and him are finally getting in a good spot. Okay, wait. Which part of Love, Actually is that? I dont remember anything like cry worthy.

Oh right, because as we all know, artist's block is the easiest of all problems. At least it always passes eventually, right? I love The Little Prince's simplicity, some stories think they need to be a thousand pages to explain what a better book could do in five. And I don't know, old texts can hold memories of old times and even if nothing was really happening at the moment... it's hard to explain. Just suffice to say personal internal interactions are quite inspiring. Arguments with your dad sound good! Anger is a powerful feeling! But if you don't want to go back to those, don't. I don't mind hurting myself and reopening wounds in the name of art but I'm aware that that's not, uh, healthy. And all of if? I guess? The part with the "to me you are perfect" cards make me cry, mainly because I don't know how that dude could lower himself and subject himself to that. What a bad friend. What a jerk move to do to Keira Knightley. And what, all because he couldn't hold his feelings in?

Tori: I mean, I can be a mermaid, but that makes me feel like I'm like... different. When I'm hanging with the humans I feel just like I'm one of them, so I'd rather think of it as I can be both instead of as me having to be one or the other. I DIDN'T WANT TO BUT NOW I DO, DANGIT.

Tori: And that's part of why you're one of my favorites, thank you :-p WE COULD MAKE IT A VERY SOFT DOOR! THEY'RE USUALLY JUST MADE OUT OF LIKE, PLASTIC AND NOT SOMETHING THAT HEAVY! And if it hurt they could just stay with me forever :-p

Tori: Well giving me shit when I'm being nice and helpful might ACTUALLY knock you off of the fun cool people list :-p You're not looking for an all you can eat buffet here, greedy! Just like, a kindred spirit, wandering the halls alone too. But maybe buy a museum annual pass just in case you strike out on your first couple of trips :-p

Skylark: I get that. Would you give up being a mermaid for the rest of your life to feel like you're not different? I'd give up being a fairy, easy. TORI TRITON, MASTER OF THE AIR AND SKY!

Skylark: You're welcome :-P OKAY THEN THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. You're going to be the world's first old shark lady I swear lol. Or young shark lady since you're basically a shark lady already.