Crystal: Hey everyone! I've got a new OC out!
Anna: Really? Who? And please tell me she doesn't like to hug people.
Blair: I think that's the last thing we need right now.
Nihil: HEY!
Lunar: Anyway, nice to meet you, who are you?
Grace: I'm Grace.
Crystal: Well, then let's head to the Disclaimers! Oh and the pictures of Grace and the cover for this story will be on my deviantart account.
Disclaimers: I don't own Ib or the characters from it. I only own Grace. So, hope you enjoy this and please, no flames.
Chapter 1: Down into the Painting
"Grace, are you finished with cleaning the frame for that painting. The curator is waiting." I nodded and pointed to the frame on the table. "Thanks." The guy said as he and another man came and took the frame.
"Hey, have you heard Grace ever talked?"
"Yeah, once and a while but really you'd never guess she would fight with the curator all the time."
"Yeah, an English major doesn't have a place in talking about art." I heard them laughing and I sighed. Yes, I'm into English and I know little about art but really people should at least listen to others opinions. If it weren't because I need the money, I wouldn't even work here. I don't need the abuse of how people laugh at whenever I open my mouth to say an opinion! I shook my head and looked to a picture of a small blonde girl surrounded by yellow roses.
"Either talking or not talking, I still get mocked. What's wrong about liking art when I'm into English?" I sighed, sitting at my table looking at the picture. It's this picture that has kind of been my only friend while working here. It was this picture that kind of sent me on different terms with the curator. I wanted to have this picture in the main gallery because of it's simple beauty but I was told the picture wasn't important so it was never placed in the gallery. I tried for a long time to fight for this painting to be in the gallery for at least a week or a few days but he won't do anything and people laughed at my many attempts.
After a while, I just gave up and decided to take care of the painting as best as I can while doing my job and I guess after all that's happened, I didn't like talking to anyone at work anymore. They keep laughing and saying I shouldn't even be saying anything about art because what I'm learning as well as I'm only eighteen. When I find another job or get enough money to pay for the painting, I can kiss this place good job and these jerks that works here. But because of that, this painting has become kind of my only companion. A lonely painting in the back, not seen or heard by anyone.
"We're really similar, aren't we." I said, looking up at painting, and smiling. "Two lonely beings, I guess that's why I can say you're my only friend in this place." The clock went off and I looked to see it was 1 pm. "Guess it's time for lunch. I'll be back a little late. I need to get some roses for the front desk while I'm out. See you later." I said and walked off.
Lunch was simple, eating at the cafe a block away from the art gallery and going to the flower store as well to get a bunch of pink roses. Naturally, they told me to find a fancy vase to put it in and of course, they're in the back. That's another thing, they only keep me around because I know the storage area like the back of my hand. Still, because of how big that place is, it took me forever to get that vase they wanted. Still, I took one pink rose with me; I paid for the roses I at least deserve one of them! So by the time I returned to clean the painting, it was about 3 in the afternoon. Well, I just hope I'm not called to do any thing else.
"Okay, time to clean you up." I said, taking a new cleaning rag and went to the painting I love so much only to nearly drop my picture. The painting was empty, the girl on it was gone! "What happened? This is impossible!" I ran to the painting and touched the canvas to see that nothing seems to have changed. It was dry and didn't seem like anyone tampered with it. 'I have to tell someone about this!' I thought, running out of the storage room only to see things got a little creepier. The whole place was empty even though the gallery was showing a popular exhibit and on top of all that, it looked like it was nighttime. In fact, I checked the whole place and no one, not even security, was there. What in the world is going on here?
Bang! Bang!
I jumped and turned to a window behind me to see a hand print on the glass. Who else is eve here with me. "If anyone is out there; knock it off!" I yelled and my voice echoed ominously through the place. Maybe I shouldn't kept quiet as usual. I walked on to see a piece of fruit near a painting. Well, I thought it was a fruit because it looked like one but it smelled strongly of paint. In fact, I noticed a bit of paint splattered on the floors and walls. Great, some kids must be fooling around here. Seeing as I work in the back and has a few dark corners, I always have a flashlight on had, which I carry around in my pocket. I quickly lit it and walked to find those people messing around. But I really don't think it's kids or anything. I stand corrected.
I jumped as I heard footsteps but I turned around to see no one around. "Okay, if you're a worker here, this is not funny!" I yelled, really this is freaky. I walked on and I heard a cat meow. When I looked though, the only thing there was a painting of a black cat's face. "He he he. I must be hearing things. Yeah, that's it." The painting meowed again and I started at it. "That's it, after this I'm going to make an appointment with a therapist." I walked only five more steps and I thought, 'maybe I should just check into the hospital.' Right in front of the painting I remember is called 'The Fabricated World' and really it was a mess but also creepy. Blue paint was dripping from the painting but on the floor in red paint read, 'COME IB'. Ib? Who's Ib? I touched the blue paint to see it was already dry, but that doesn't make any sense. On top of that, the blue painting read, 'come down below, Ib. I'll show you someplace secret'. I would've heard something and it looked behind me and jumped in fright. On the wall in yellow paint said, 'Come Grace. I'm waiting down below for you. We can play together in my special place'. I just sank to my knees at reading this.
'Who would write this?' I thought, terror gripping me. I felt the air get stuck in my lungs and my hands tremble. If this is the staff's doing, I'm reporting them to the police once I get out. First I have to get out. I got up as best as I could and ran to the front door but was locked.
"Where are those lazy bastards!?" I yelled, trying to yank the door open but to no good results. Suddenly, someone banged on the door and I ran screaming only to slip and fall on my face. "Ow… my nose…" I sat up rubbing it and looked to see what I slipped on. I was next to the 'Abyss of the Deep' floor painting and I slipped on some blue paint that was on the floor. What was really weird was that it looked like footsteps going into the painting. That's really odd, the painting didn't look damaged at all but when I touched it I felt water. What the? I took my hand back and looked to see the cover of the painting turned into water. 'Okay, I know I'm gonna regret this.' I thought, getting up and moving to the floor painting. "If I die, I swear I'll find a way to haunt this gallery for this." I said and jumped right into the painting. How many weird things am I gonna come across? Going down the painting felt like I was sinking into a pool and I think I even saw the giant fish from the painting as I sank, then I appeared in a blue colored hallway. I looked behind me to see a staircase as well as two paintings on either side of the stairs. Well, at least I can go back. But I got knocked over as someone crashed into me.
"Are you alright?" I looked up to see a little girl about nine years old with brown hair and red eyes sitting in front of me.
"Yeah, I think so." I said, helping her up. "Where are we?"
"I don't know. One minute I was in the gallery, everything went dark, and I came through a painting to get here." The girl said, as I nodded.
"Me too. Have you seen anyone else?"
"No, and this place is really scary." The girl said, looking at the door behind her. "I took a rose from a vase, I saw a picture changed, and someone painted on the walls that I'm a thief. Hey, you have a rose too."
"Huh?" I looked down at the rose in my hand. I forgot I had it with me. I'm surprised it managed to survive this long with me clutching to it. Still, it looked different. Sure it was in full bloom but it looked unnaturally pretty now for some reason. "Anyway, we should stick together get you back up those stairs. Your parents must be worried."
"What stairs?" I looked to the stairs to see just a wall there.
"Great, now how do we get out?" I said, folding my arms.
"Let's look around. Maybe someone else is here too. I'm Grace by the way. I work at the gallery." I said, as the girl nodded.
"I'm Ib, nice to meet you." Ib? This is Ib? Who would want to hurt this little girl?
"Well, you'd better stay close. We don't know what weird things going on around here?"
"Right." So we walked on to whatever awaits us. Hopefully, someone else is here to get out of this place. I can't help but feel like someone's watching us. Probably whoever brought us here, but for what? I want to know. That and getting out.
Blair: Wow, Grace. We have something in common.
Grace: What?
Anna: We all have stalkers. Well, except for Lunar since she's a keyblade and Nihil is kind of a stalker.
Lunar: Still, kind of a stalker. Don't worry, it's okay.
Nihil: I don't know, whoever is calling out to Grace also seems to call out to Ib too. And I'm not a stalker!
Blair: You kind of are.
Anna:...
Nihil: Am Not!
Crystal: Now you guys, calm down. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter. Join us next time in chapter 2: Dangers of a New World. See you soon!
