Chapter 17

Think of Six Impossible Things

-~:{+}:~-

"Not everyday I see your face, librarian. Normally you don't get much sleep."

The silver-haired incubus was floating above man with glasses who had entered his dream realm.

"Gottschalk. Here to explain what a foreigner is doing in Wonderland perhaps?" Irritation was obvious in his voice.

"You know, maybe you could try to be a bit friendlier?"

"Not likely."

"But you're willing to offer her a place to stay for the night?"

"T-That was just because she'd probably get lost in the woods or something…"

Nightmare chuckled, reading his thoughts. "And she put the books back. That's a small little thing to care about. Though I do agree that she would likely get lost."

Giving the incubus a scowl, Roland shook his head. Not much complaining about it now. The girl was likely asleep at this point. "So what is she doing in Wonderland anyway? You're the roleholder who watches the borders. Shouldn't you stop people from simply crossing the border?"

"Well, it's rare foreigners even make it close to the border. The previous foreigner to be brought to this world did need some, guidance."

"You mean she was smuggled. Surprised you and that rabbit were forgiven so easily for bringing that girl." The bespeckled man rolled his eyes with the comment. "But what of Tenniel? I doubt she just waltzed across the border like that."

"Hmm. She seems to have a fairly open mind. I suppose anything is possible… Perhaps it's relative?" He seemed amused at the last statement, getting a confused expression from Roland.

"What's possible and impossible isn't relative."

"I can't claim to know all the secrets of the universe here. And regardless of your opinion, she's already arrived, and needs to fill that vial of hers, so I would focus what's happening now."

-~:{+}:~-

The students had gathered in one of the three art classrooms. This area of the school building was always bustling with the more creative, artistic, electives. Strange, how this hallway was almost an offshoot of the school's "math corner." It was a critique day. Something Elise both loved, yet it made her worry to no end. Not because she worried about her own artwork. She was confident in her skills, yet was self critical enough to be surprised when people didn't notice major issues with her work. Art classes were something she once expected to be fun, filled with people that she could agree with, the people that weren't trying to be either different or normal. She knew that there were plenty that "slipped through the cracks" as she saw it, but things didn't go quite as she expected.

"I like the composition of this piece. The colors are very well done and the craftsmanship is wonderful- a very high level of skill- but what is the meaning behind this piece? The message." Violet was in her class, and was bothering to give people to scorn her a proper critique. This girl never seemed to retaliate, and instead acted like a proper artist, always asking the right questions. The questions the students never have the answer to.

"Well the message is traveling, of course."

"But that was the prompt, wasn't it? Anyone here can say that. I don't mean the theme or concept. That was a given. What is the meaning behind it."

A girl in the class interrupted the conversation. "Well, it doesn't have to have a meaning like that. Can we move on now?" This girl wasn't trying to be mean, but she seemed annoyed at Violet asking the same question to every student to be critiqued so far. A group of students snickered, as the teacher spoke up.

"Alright then. Who hasn't gone next…" He scanned his clipboard covered in sticky notes and glanced at the class. "Why don't you go, Vivi?" Violet responded to her nickname. This teacher, called "Thorny" by students, was a laid-back, mellow man, and often used students' nicknames if they already had one.

Elise tried cheer her friend on. "Don't worry Vii. You're piece is amazing."

{I do love her piece. I'm a bit envious. I'm terrible at adding such strong meaning. I can add meaning to a piece, but most of the time I don't even realize it… It's like it's subconscious. She knows exactly what's she's going to do. And the story is always powerful, and very human- if that's the right word… If only she wasn't so self-critical.}

She placed the piece on the board, supporting it with pushpins, careful not to stab the paper. It was a piece of winding roads and a person traveling on them. The road had gone many which ways, from the background, to upside-down, to crumbling, to looping. And there were multiple forms of the same person, holding a map, each version of this person drawn in an entirely different style. The meaning of this piece was the journey people travel on throughout their lives. How they change and can't settle upon a form or style, yet many things about them stay the same, as the character's clothes did despite the drawing style. The colours were bright, and popped, the drawing of the character in the foreground had no colour, however. Elise wasn't sure if that was just because she couldn't think of another style, or wanted to make it pop out from the background, but something about it made her wonder. If people can add meaning into art without intending to do so, what of this?

The other students, although trying to be "nice" when called upon, the same two sets of students just gossiped and snickered. Elise was skilled at keeping a calm face, but her blood begun to boil when she heard some of their conversation.

{What kind of art class is this! You don't make fun of an illustration because it's an actual art piece! All art has meaning, or a story, or emotions, or just, something. That something. That something that separates art from craft. Why are they making fun of it because this has meaning and thought and feeling? Don't they understand that many of their works are just extremely skilled craft and not art. They think they understand what art is, but it's not just drawing a hyper realistic face. That may be one of the farthest things from what is art… Art doesn't exist to be pretty. It exists for itself. To express. Why do I always feel sad when I see one of Vii's serious works…}

Violet cried at lunch that day, cursing and sad. None of the critiques for later assignments were verbal.

-~:{+}:~-

The sky was bright again. Elise didn't feel like she got much sleep at all, then again, she rarely got a proper amount of sleep. She was a bit surprised she had a decent amount the previous nights here. Readying herself to leave, the girl stepped out of the room, and noticed that the study filled with unsorted books was still open. Approaching, she saw someone at the desk there, head down, sleeping.

{So, he's the type person who works till he sleeps? Figures. He must really love these books, considering what Faris said. I wonder if this job is important…}

She let out a sigh, seeming a bit amused.

{But I guess that doesn't matter. I don't want to just leave, but I don't want to wake him up. Doesn't seem like he rests as often as he should…}

The dark haired girl came up with an idea. She had a pen in her pocket, and she doubted that he would miss a little piece of paper. Besides, she was a little fidgety from not drawing.

{Welp. Nothing's better practice than drawing from life. They'd never let me into art school without something from life. Even if I decided to be a potter they'd ask me if I could draw. Of course, I can't sculpt at all anyways.}

Her eyes barely looked at the paper until she was almost complete. She was supposed to be drawing what she saw anyways, and that wasn't on the paper prior. If it was, that would defeat the entire purpose of the illustration. After finishing her work, the sheet was left on the desk, and she crept out the door, heading down the leftward path.

When Roland woke up, he readjusted his glasses and saw the message placed on his desk.

Thinking of six impossible things before breakfast is a bit stupid, but maybe thinking of something improbable instead could be better. Might give it a higher likelihood of occurring. So, one, I'll leave you with a Thank You, seeing as you're not as bad as I first thought, though being friendlier would help. Two, don't work yourself so much, it'll be the death of you. And three, you should finish the list, as I'm too lazy to do so.

"Is this drawing supposed to remind me to sleep at night or something? Plus I think she just screwed up on her own list. Strange girl..."

Notes: Yeah, another memory of her's. And art rant. Personally, I do see this all the time even with supposedly advanced art students. They don't even have a proper concept of art. And don't use the excuse of surrealism or dada. The meaning is no set meaning. Which is kinda confusing, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense after you understand it properly. It's still expression. There is a thin line between art and craft, and although I find nothing wrong with craft, and you should need some sort craftsmanship in artwork, honestly believing pure craft is art can be a big mistake. Or at least in my mind, so there's my little rant of the day.

And yes, twas a doodle of him sleeping. It doesn't take that long to sketch out a person's face, even in pen. I do it all the time in about 5 minutes during class when people aren't looking, so don't think it took that long.

Plus, she did kinda screw up her own list. She stated what happened, not what's improbable. (Or did she? *strokes nonexistent beard*)