After a second cup of black tea to help drown out the yawns for another couple hours, Blake stepped outside. The bright light was still shocking, despite it having shone through near every window in the house. Mid-morning sunrises tended to always shine right into her eyes, and today was no exception. She mentally tallied off everything she wanted to do that day – she wanted to stop by the library and see if the book she requested was in, grab some lunch later, possibly with a Ruby and Yang, and ask Coco and Velvet if they knew any good websites to get yourself out-there as a creative mind. Oh, and the obvious elephant in the room:
She had no idea what to do for the potluck portion of the festival.
She'd done various things "alone" in the past, like reciting poetry that she wrote or chatting up friends and townsfolk at the festival, but bringing something to the potluck was almost a rite of passage in the town. So, no pressure or anything.
Blake took a deep breath, letting the cool morning air calm her nerves, even if it would be temporary. Stepping down off the meticulously-kept porch, she stretched her arms out, shaking the rest of the sleep out of her system that the tea missed. Walking past the bushes and trees that were starting to bloom always made her pensive, and appreciative for the new year that had started. After all, if plants could grow and adapt, so could she, right? Before she knew it she reached Coco and Velvet's place.
The visage of the house was simple at first glance, bearing simple, monotone vinyl siding. But if you looked closer, you'd appreciate it for its simple beauty. The flower beds were perfectly symmetrical, and exactly in the middle between the door and the sides of the house. The windows had shutters, but they were decorated with tapestries and doilies that Velvet somehow convinced Coco to put up. Blake knocked on the front door gently, careful not to disturb any birds that may or may not be nearby.
The door opened and a rabbit-eared Faunus appeared. She was still in her pajamas, an oversized cotton shirt that most definitely belonged to Coco at some point and soft-looking flannel pants. She only half-peered around the door, wary of who may see her in her bed clothing, but seeing Blake gave her a sigh of relief.
"Blake, how are you?" She asked, "I haven't seen you in a few days!"
"Sorry, I've been busy. I was wondering if you and Coco had a few minutes to talk. Nothing important, just a friendly chat." Blake said, "If it's too early I'm sorry."
Velvet opened the door wide and swept her hand, inviting Blake in without a word. "It's perfectly fine, Coco actually just had her coffee so you didn't come too early."
"I've never seen her without her coffee, is it that bad?"
"Let's just say her shades hide her dark circles perfectly. But you didn't hear that from me." The two girls giggled, and soon a third voice joined them.
"What did I just miss?" Coco appeared in the doorway to their kitchen-dining room hybrid, holding a still-steaming cup of coffee. "Or is it a morning-person only thing?"
The two Faunus shared a glance and laughed again, before collecting themselves. Blake was the first to talk. "No, I was just stopping by to ask something. I've been wanting to find somewhere to put myself 'out there' as a writer, but I've been having trouble finding anywhere that would let me get taken seriously."
"You mean aside from stuff like Joltpad? I've heard stories actually get published from there and make big bucks." Coco said. "But I've also heard it's the butt end of too many jokes."
"Yeah, I was wondering how you two got your start with your blogs and whatnot."
Coco had run a fashion blog for several years, modeling the latest trends and accessories almost before they became the "new hit thing". She found Velvet's photography blog while randomly perusing the internet one day and was astounded by the picture quality she took. With even the simplest of cameras and the simplest of material, she was able to make anything worth a second glance at minimum. She contacted Velvet the next day, asking if she wanted to visit her in Apis Mellifera and chat, and maybe Velvet could get some photographs of the local wildlife. Before they knew it, Velvet was the photographer for Coco's blog.
The creative minds combined, with newly-framed pictures of Coco and a new lease on wildlife for Velvet's blog, the two amassed a following fairly quickly, even gaining the attention of major fashion designers. Coco was quick to entertain the thought of being a top of the line model and making millions, but as soon as the producers said they'd be using their own photographers, throwing in a snide remark about Velvet's Faunus heritage, she slammed the door in their faces. Soon after that, the two realized their feelings for one another, and Velvet moved in with Coco. The rest, as they say, is history.
"Well I could say you should start your own blog, but it could be hard to gain followers quickly without some sort of endorsement off the get-go." Coco said, "Plus people could steal your ideas and pawn them off as their own."
"Yeah, that's one of my worries." Blake said.
Velvet rubbed Blake's back, "Don't worry. If you'd like we can try to pair some of your poetry with some nice photographs I've been meaning to upload for a while. It would be a good way to get your work out there professionally."
"I think that'd be nice." Blake said, "But would it compromise your blog? I don't know if my writing is good enough to grace your followers."
Coco laughed. "Well I for one haven't read your poems in a long time. Why don't you bring your laptop over here and we can all choose the best ones for each picture?"
Blake's ears perked up, and a smile bloomed across her face. "You mean it? This is the first time I can remember someone besides my parents wanting to hear my poems."
"Yeah, we're free all day, so we can help you with whatever." Coco gave Blake a thumbs-up and took a swig of her coffee. "Now go get that laptop, we're burning daylight!"
Blake nodded fiercely and turned around, flinging the door open and nearly colliding with the person on the other side – their faces nearly inches away from one another.
"Blake?"
"Yang?"