Forgotten canvas - When the Colors Had Yet to Fade

When the Colors Had Yet to Fade

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Little Draft had no idea how long she had been staying in Liuli's world.

Time here didn't move in hours or days—

it blended and swirled like spilled paint,

measured only by new experiences, new emotions, and the small ways she grew.

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Liuli's world was far more complex than what Little Draft first saw.

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Back then, she thought the place was simply beautiful and dazzling—

a realm overflowing with colors.

But after following Liuli everywhere, wandering and exploring,

she realized every corner had its own rules,

every shade of color felt like a tiny living spirit.

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"Let's go see the Colorfall today!"

Liuli tugged Little Draft's hand with bright excitement.

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"Colorfall?"

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Just from the name, Little Draft could imagine something spectacular—

and she wasn't wrong.

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Passing through winds dyed with shifting hues

and stepping along paths that changed color at every turn,

the two arrived at the edge of a high cliff.

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From above, a massive waterfall roared downward—

yet it wasn't water.

It was paint flowing like liquid light:

red, blue, gold, green, silver, violet…

countless colors collided and tumbled together like living dragons racing down from the sky.

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"Woah…"

Little Draft let out a small gasp.

For the first time, she felt that color alone could be overwhelming.

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Liuli puffed her chest proudly.

"Cool, right? This is one of the places Mom put the most effort into!"

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Little Draft didn't know why,

but standing before the Colorfall made her body feel warm.

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She had always been a black-and-white sketch,

yet whenever she got close to strong colors,

her lines trembled as if longing to absorb them.

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She stepped forward without thinking.

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"Hey—Little Draft?" Liuli noticed something was off.

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Little Draft reached out.

Her fingertip touched a tiny droplet flung from the falling colors.

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— plip.

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A bead of color landed on her.

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"Huh?!"

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But instead of staining her linework,

the drop gently sank into her body—

and the thin curve it touched became steadier, smoother, faintly glossy.

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Liuli squinted at her in surprise.

"…Wait. Are you absorbing color?"

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"I—I don't know…" Little Draft panicked.

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"That's so cool! You can actually get stronger from color?"

Liuli circled her excitedly.

"You're not even from our world, but you can react to colors? That's amazing!"

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Little Draft lowered her head shyly.

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Yet inside, something bloomed—

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—Maybe…

just maybe…

she could really become a little better?

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On the way back from the Colorfall,

she kept looking at her own lines,

lightly brushing the spot where the color had touched her.

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For the first time, she felt she might truly be able to "grow."

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Liuli's world wasn't just beautiful—

it was alive with vibrant color creatures.

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There were color-song birds whose feathers changed hue with every note;

panda painters who carried palettes on their backs and splashed color with every step;

wind sprites made of pigment who could turn an entire forest pastel or gothic with a single breath.

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The first time Little Draft met the sprites,

they puffed her into a soft pink.

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Liuli immediately collapsed laughing.

"Hahahaha! Little Draft, you look like a strawberry!"

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Little Draft blushed to the tips of her lines.

"Stop laughing…!"

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She had never seen such lively, vivid beings anywhere.

It felt like she was a blank page

surrounded by passionate colors tugging at her, changing her bit by bit.

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And in the middle of all this, she realized:

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The reason she could absorb color—

was because she was unfinished.

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And this world happened to hold what she lacked.

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That thought made her feel both comforted and uneasy.

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One night, Liuli's mother appeared again.

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Her figure was like a goddess sculpted from glowing glass—

gentle, yet carrying the authority of a creator.

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"Little Draft, you absorb color much faster than I expected.

It seems… you truly aren't an ordinary sketch."

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Little Draft's heart skipped at the words not ordinary.

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In the real world, she was just a messy doodle no one cared about.

But here, she was hearing the opposite.

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Liuli hugged her arm and rocked it wildly.

"See?! I told you Little Draft is special!"

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Her mother gave a small nod, then her tone sharpened slightly.

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"But if you want to leave this world…

you must complete one task."

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Little Draft held her breath.

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She had always known she had no reason to stay forever—

but hearing the condition out loud still scared her.

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"You must take the 'Color Realm Trial'

and obtain your very first 'Life Color.'"

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"My… Life Color?" Little Draft repeated.

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Liuli explained,

"It's your real color! Not something Mom draws,

not something others give you—

but a color you choose, a color that comes from you."

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Her mother continued,

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"If you complete the trial, you will gain your own color.

Then you may leave… or stay.

But if you fail, you will remain as you are—

half-transparent, faint-lined, affected by colors

but never truly becoming 'yourself.'"

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Little Draft fell silent.

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She wanted to stay with Liuli longer,

wanted to feel the warmth and excitement of this world—

but she also knew

she didn't belong here.

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She took a small breath and nodded.

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"…I want to try."

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Liuli hugged her tight.

"Little Draft… don't be scared. I'll go with—"

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Her mother shook her head.

"The trial must be taken alone."

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Liuli froze, eyes trembling with worry.

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But Little Draft gently took her hand,

showing a small but steady smile.

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"I'll come back for you."

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Liuli stared at her—

the tips of her ears turning pink.

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The trial place was deep within the world,

known as the Bottom of the Color Realm.

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There were no bright hues—

only drifting gray and endless half-formed color spirits.

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The moment Little Draft stepped inside,

she felt stripped bare,

as if everything except herself had disappeared.

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"You came here because you are unfinished."

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A voice made of color fog whispered beside her.

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"Tell me—

what do you want to become?"

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"I… I…"

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Little Draft had never asked herself that.

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Her whole existence had been decided for her—

drawn, abandoned, forgotten.

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Even after arriving here,

she never really thought about her own answer.

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The voice asked again:

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**"On those screens you saw before,

there were so many beautiful people,

bright worlds,

beloved characters…

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Do you envy them?

Or… do you wish to be them?"**

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Little Draft breathed in slowly.

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Images flashed through her mind—

those perfect characters on the glowing screens,

their stunning designs and brilliant colors…

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Then she remembered the moment she met Liuli,

the warmth at the Colorfall,

the courage she felt forming inside her.

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Finally, she shook her head.

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"No… I don't want to be them.

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I just…

want to become 'complete.'"

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The fog paused—

then rippled softly.

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"Then walk forward.

Find your color."

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Little Draft stepped ahead,

her feet touching nothing but air.

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Color spirits brushed against her lines,

testing, questioning, feeling her intentions.

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One shade after another appeared—

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Fiery red—

but it wasn't hers.

Brilliant rainbow—

not hers.

Soft blue, warm yellow, mysterious purple—

she touched them all,

and all drifted away.

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Until—

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A faint glow rose from the distance,

almost invisible.

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It floated gently to her—

a soft, misty silver.

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Not bright, not loud,

but quiet and calm,

like a small light appearing in morning fog.

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Little Draft reached toward it,

but the color moved first—

slipping into her chest.

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Her body flashed softly.

Her lines steadied.

Her form felt lovingly filled in.

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"This is your Life Color.

Not dazzling, not dull—

but gentle, quiet,

the color of something unfinished

but willing to grow."

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Little Draft's eyes warmed.

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"So… I really can have a color…"

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When she stepped out of the trial,

Liuli immediately threw herself onto her.

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"Little Draft! Did you do it?!"

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Little Draft opened her hand.

A small glow of pale silver shimmered on her palm.

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Liuli's eyes sparkled wildly.

"It's beautiful… It's so beautiful!"

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Her mother smiled softly.

"A very rare color.

It means you have endless potential to change."

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Little Draft turned and hugged Liuli gently.

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"I'll come back."

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Liuli hugged her even tighter.

"I—I'll wait! You have to come back!"

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The silver light around Little Draft grew brighter.

She knew it was the sign—

the world was letting her go.

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She looked at the sky, the wind, the painted flowers…

and at Liuli.

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"…Thank you for helping me…

not be afraid of myself anymore."

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And then—

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The world lost its weight.

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Colors peeled away.

Light dissolved.

The ground vanished.

Air broke apart.

Little Draft's body was pulled into a thin, unknown seam.

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Liuli's voice faded into the distance.

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The world of color was swallowed by darkness.

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Little Draft reached out—

but touched nothing.

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At last, she fell into—

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complete darkness.

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