A/N: Well.. Let's see where do I begin… First of all, I would like to state that this story nothing more then a way to practice my writing. I do have a couple ideas for the actual plot but I cannot promise you that this will be finished. Aside from that, welcome to my first ever Ib fanfic. I discovered this game from (like many others) Pewdiepie and Cry. I was immediately in love with the idea and soon found myself lost in the story. I decided to write myself a story of what happened after, specifically, the forgotten portrait ending.

TO CLEAR SOME STUFF UP!

If there is any similarity in this story to others, I apologize. I have not read more then one or two Ib fanfics and I guess it was just an off chance, maybe I read something and unconsciously put it to words in this story. I will not be changing anything though, you must understand this is not a serious story.

Also, I have never been to college. I do not know the normal workings of it in anyway. I feel I should, though I'm only in my second year of high school. This is all just me guessing what it is like.

I will end this extremely long author note now. I must apologize, there was much to say this time. Thank you much for reading, I know most of you will skip over it. So to those few that did read this- I thank you again.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ib nor anything referenced in this story. All rights go to their respectful owners.

Painting Flowers

Chapter One: Welcoming

Ib

I gaped up at the old Victorian house, it looked like something straight out of an aged horror story. The kind that had mysteries and ghosts lurking around every corner. It had to be three of four stories tall with a tower or two to add yet another floor. Every wall had at least three old dusty windows that were lined with cracks and framed by peeling white painted wood.

From where I stood on the front lawn, I could see two chimneys jutting out randomly from the huge house. The facade was dressed in old peeling gray-green paint that looked as though it hadn't been retouched since it was built. There was multiple decks that had been painted a blinding white but had faded to nearly grey over the years, it made the building look tangled in all it's archways and decks.

It was hard for me to believe that I was going to be living in this historical looking house for the next couple months. Though it was a lot nicer then the normal dorms I had seen on campus, it seemed to be more of an exciting experience. Especially since the huge rambling house was co-ed and each room had up to three dorm mates.

When I had first arrived at my college of choice I had went straight to the dorm section of campus, leaving my overly worried parents to deal with the technical stuff. I wanted to make sure that I had a room and quickly unpack my few belongings. But as I walked around looking for room 13b I found that it was already taken. How terrible that meeting had been. The girls shot me a glare and had shooed me off muttering something about me being a freak.

I was lucky to find Jackie, a short blonde girl with a dozen different colored streaks painted in her hair. Her big brown eyes had settled on me, noticing my worry and confusion instantly.

"Are you Ib?" She had said to me, her tone filled with excitement.

"Uh.. Yeah, maybe you could help me find my dorm? I'm assigned to 13b but the room is filled already." I had been caught off guard by her knowing my name, but the nonetheless, I needed help.

A bright smile filled her face, "come with me Ib, you'll be staying with us outcasts."

Now I was standing outside what had been designated as the freaks dorms. Jackie was bouncing in her spot next to me. Obviously over excited to have me here. Yet I couldn't quiet understand why I was being assigned to this area of campus. Was I really that strange? Maybe it had been my entrance submissions, they had been slightly off but all my artistic stuff was always slightly odd. Just a reflection of what I had been through all those years ago.

I shifted my weight to my other foot, getting a better grip on my bags as I glanced around the grounds of the house. The grass was mowed down evenly and a towering pine trees closed my view off from the rest of the campus. Though I could see the buildings tops through the branches off in the distance. I knew that just outside the pine trees was also a black intricate metal fence. It was as if we were cut off from everyone else, like they were afraid of us.

I was starting to feel more and more uneasy about entering the house.

"Ib! Come on, lets go in and get your side of the room set up." Jackie said. I turned back to her to see that bright excited smile again, her big brown eyes seemed to glow with happiness.

There wasn't anything wrong with this girl, sure she dressed in very colorful clothing that added a splash of color to the otherwise dull grey of the scenery but that didn't mean anything. Why was she stuck in here.

"A-Alright." I waved in front of me with a friendly smile, "lead the way."

She beamed at me again and quickly moved towards the door, a hop in her step that only further proved how excited she was to have me here. How did she know me in the first place?

The inside of the house was just as magnificent as the outside. The ceilings arched high over head and the huge windows brought in the calming grey tones from outside that made it easier for some who had anxiety problems such as myself to settle down. All the furniture was obviously worn down to a comfortable looking state and was bathed in a dark maroon with varying colored blankets draped over the back of the chairs and couches. One of the fireplaces of the building was set out in the living room, a large one that already had a small fire going. Though there was no one around to enjoy it's warmth.

"Hey Jackie?" I asked as I noticed this, "Where's everyone else that lives here?"

"I'm not sure, maybe off getting dinner ready, or out for a walk." I glanced at her she looked off in the distance. She looked back at me and smiled again. "Come on, this way's the dorms."

I nodded and followed her up the stairs, making sure to keep my bags close to me to avoid knocking them against the old cracked looking railing.

Upstairs was empty also, but I could tell that there were some people in their dorms, though all the doors were wide open. I could hear acoustic music playing from one of the rooms, it was soft but loud enough to be heard from the hallway. I smiled, glad to know that some people accepted the sound of a lone guitar. Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about my own strumming being to loud for my neighbors or room mate.

Jackie led me to a room at the end of the hallway, next to a staircase that led up. She opened the door, the only one that had been closed in the hallway. On the side of the door frame there was a gold plate that had my room number on it. 13b.

I entered the room, bathed by the scent of rain and I realized the window was open, it had began to rain outside, quietly pattering down on the roof. The light blue curtains folded at the side of the window moved slightly in the light breeze that blew into the room. It was extremely calming.

I surveyed my surroundings, I obviously had room mates as the bed in the center had been taken. I already knew who it was judging by the bright yellow comforter that had replaced the typical light grey one that was on the other two beds. The headboards of the beds were made up of three shelving units and this one's was filled with books and colorful bows and boxes of makeup.

"So, I'm guessing you're my roommate?" I asked, turning back to see Jackie bouncing in place again, the bright smile on her face silently told me the answer.

"Yup! I can't wait to get to know you better! I've heard soo much about you already." She said, laughing giddily and sitting down on her bed. She pointed to the bed on her right that was void of any distinguishing objects. "That's your side of the room. Feel free to do whatever you like with it. But I'd wait to ask Joey to put up anything on the walls."

I sat down on my bed, relishing in the softness of the mattress and I smiled. Any worries about a bad dorm room leaving my thoughts. Then I realized what Jackie had said. "Joey? Who's that?" I asked.

She laughed again, "Our other room mate of course!"

We had a boy room mate? I glanced over at the other bed to see nothing much set up anywhere. All I saw on the headboard was a framed picture and an old DS with a few game cartridges next to it. On the shelves were textbooks required for classes here. My parent's were going to bring me those later on, that reminded me to fish out my cell from my jean pockets and I set it down on the headboard. My first personal item to rest there.

"Well, I'm going to go look for everyone else. I'll let you unpack by yourself." She stood, "and oh… If one of the boys come in here just say painting and they'll leave you alone."

I blinked, confused and I looked up at her. "Why would they come in here? What does painting mean here?" I asked.

"They're really excited to meet you too. New girl, their college guys. You know how it goes." she laughed, "and painting is just code here. We can talk about it later though. See you soon." She waved and left the room, leaving the door wide open.

I frowned as she walked away, obviously things were going to be weird here. I would have to get use to it.

I stood from the bed and glanced around the room again, I noticed that each part of the room had it's own desk pressed against the same wall the door was on. Jackie's was covered with various things including a laptop with a neon orange case, a few dolls and her own textbooks laying half off the desk.

Joey's desk was just like the headboard, organized. A plain white apple laptop was set neatly in the center of the desk with a mouse placed carefully to the side. A couple school necessary stuff was set next to it like pencils and pens. On the side against the wall there was a painting of rolling Italian scenery, it was expertly crafted and looked real. Which only made me shiver, I loved art. Of course I did, I was at an art college, I had to like it a lot to be studying it. But every now and then a painting or sculpture will still give me the creeps.

I sighed and turned to strip my guitar case from my back and set it on the bed gently. I smoothed over the familiar black fabric before reaching down to grab my bags. I opened one of the clothing bags and pulled out a sweatshirt to throw on. I preferred it to be slightly colder in rooms but this was a little much, between the old house already having it's own draft and the window being open I knew I would be in sweaters a lot. Good thing I packed a lot.

I went to my other bag and decided I would set up my desk now rather then later. I liked to organize my things and I knew doing so would kill any of the lasting nerves from the trip here. I pulled out my own laptop and went over to the desk. When I set it down I finally realized that my desk wasn't completely empty.

Set off to the side was a vase filled with fresh looking red roses. I gasped, stumbling back a step. Did these people really know me well enough to know that I always had roses near by? It was something of a calming agent to me despite that they had been something of more dread to me while stuck in the nightmarish gallery nine years ago.

I reached up to touch the rose that was in my hair at the moment, it was starting to wilt. I normally just wore a fake clip but today I had chose to wear a real one just from the stress of moving into a dorm. I pulled it from behind my ear and placed the bent up steam into the vase. The color was nowhere near as vibrant as the others.

I sighed, storing away questions that were begging to pop up in my mind. I would ask Jackie later on. Right now I needed to finish unpacking things.

I walked slow down the staircase. I had changed into sweatpants and a black sweater with a red tank underneath. My hair was tied back with one of the roses twisted into my hair again. I peeked around the corner to see that there was a couple people sitting in the living room now. Jackie, a girl with long brown hair and a guy with long black hair that hung in his face were seated on the couch and chair talking and laughing. I sighed, I wasn't much of a social person but I did need to meet some new people. I stepped out from my hiding and was relieved when Jackie announced my presence.

"Oh! Hi Ib! You done unpacking?" She asked, standing to greet me in the doorway.

I smiled at her, "Yeah, all finished."

"Good, do you mind us seeing what you did?"

"Sure, you can go look." I said, looking back at the other two who were seated and watching. The long haired girl stood up and greeted me also, holding her hand out to me. I shook it.

"Hi Ib, I'm Joey. I'll also be living with you." she gave me a soft smile, I could tell she was a lot more fit to my pace then Jackie being so upbeat and happy so often.

"Oh, hi Joey. Nice to meet you." I had thought she was a boy, I felt bad now. Of course we weren't allowed to have a guy in a dorm. I don't know why I had even considered it.

Jackie and Joey moved for the stair case continuing whatever they had been chatting about before I came into the room. I glanced back to the guy who was sitting in the chair, he was watching me with a stern gaze that made me feel uncomfortable.

I walked further into the room, "would you like to come?" I asked, trying to be polite, this guy was friends with my roommates and he had been smiling and laughing earlier. Now he had something close to a scowl on his face. "I'm Ib, what's your name?"

He stood, "I'm Chase." he walked toward me and shook my hand, "nice to meet you too Ib. I've heard a lot about you." A smile graced his lips and I smiled myself. For a moment there I had thought he was silently judging me as a bad person.

Chase was a head taller then me, though I was short for an 18 year old he made me feel even less. His long black hair reminded me of someone else's but I wasn't sure quiet who it was. He had curled spike gauges and grey eyes.

I didn't mean to sound whorish but I had always gotten along a lot better with guys rather then with girls, I wondered if Chase was going to be my best friend here. Though I could tell that Jackie would be easy for me to get to know too, same with Joey. It was nice to think that I may have some friends here. I guess the people in this house couldn't possibly be that strange. If I was getting along with them at least.

We ran up the stairs, no words were spoken but I was surprised by how calm the quiet was. This building was just calming, shockingly. I was begging to feel extremely optimistic about being here for a while.

Up in the dorm room Jackie and Joey were marveling over my decorating skills. I had hung up a few band posters despite what Jackie had told me and my comforter was black with a light blue rose design that stretched over the fabric. A matching cut blue rose pillow that rested in the corner against the wall.

The entire bottom shelf of my headboard was packed end to end with books of art and fiction. The second had a collection of framed pictures and the top had some of my handmade intricate little glass sculptures. On top of everything I had my iPod home that double as a radio and cd player and cd's lined up next to it. The very corner had a painting I had done myself of two roses. It would be obvious to anyone exactly how important roses were to me.

Jackie started clapping her hands and turned to me, jumping in place. "Oh Ib I love it so much!"

Joey nodded, "yeah, I like it too." she glanced up at the posters and I chewed up my lip worried she wouldn't be happy that I hadn't asked about hanging things. "I don't know any of these bands but the posters are cool. I have no problem with having cute boys up on the wall." She laughed.

I laughed too, surprised by her response. "Thanks guys."

Chase rested his hand on my shoulder, making me tense. "I like the rose thing. Even though we all have a lot of reason to obsess over them ourselves I think you're the only person I've seen who's held onto that." He smiled down at me.

"Wait.. What?" I asked, his words made no sense, it almost sounded as if he knew about the gallery. How could he? I was sure that most of the people who were in the room were aware of the art museum not to far from here but the Guertena exhibition had only lasted a month. What were the chances anyone here had seen it. Plus I was sure there was no way that anyone but me and whoever that guy was could have possibly been stuck in the fabricated world.

Jackie gasped and turned back to me and Chase, "Chase! Shhh! Not until dinner." She laughed.

Dread found it's way to me, I took a step back. Were they… Were they all fake? Was I stuck in another painting somehow? Could they possibly be like Mary?

Mary? Who is Mary?

"Jackie.. Chase already gave it away, look your scaring her to death. You know better." Joey said after sighing.

Jackie frowned for the first time I had seen her and she nodded, "I guess your right." She looked back at me, "Ib, we know about the fabricated world in the Guertena exhibit."

A/N: Oh dear me. What have I done?! I deleted Garry from Ib's memory but she still remembers the gallery?! How dare I! don't worry, there's a reason that this is listed under Ib/Garry romance. This isn't going to be about Ib falling in love with this made up OC Chase or anything. Just hold on for Chapter Two. It'll twist things up a bit more.

Thanks for reading.