Thistle

## Personality

Thistle isn't a talker, much less brave, and is deeply suspicious of new people. She often only talks and trusts those very close to her, and she is somewhat secretive, and may come off as rude. She doesn't give many answers to any questions and often asks to be left alone. Thistle only trusts those that are close to her. She's also quick to decline help and doesn't pay attention well.

## Appearance

Thistle is a purple stick figure (hex code: #D8BFD8) with indigo eyes (hex code: #3964C3). She wears a black-leather jacket with a hood, and very dark navy jeans. She has several scars on her face, knees, and stomach that look like tire tracks.

## Talents & Abilities

* Thistle can see ghosts. All ghosts, even those who have chosen to stay invisible.
* She is strangely skilled in breakdancing.
* She can, technically, become a ghost at will. But it is extremely hard to get back into her body after.

## Trivia

* The names of her ghost companions are Amber(she/her,), Carmine(he/him), Emerald(they/them), Robin(she/they), and Amethyst(he/him). Amber is a happy little child who can accidentally be dark sometimes, Carmine is moody, angry, protective and so on, Emerald helps out when they can and is generally kind, Robin is kind and social, and Amethyst charismatic, talkative and also an expert in helping others, and also an optimist and very enthusiastic.
* These OCs are based off of a book titled *City of Ghosts.*
* Thistle cannot get relaxed. This is because, when she gets too relaxed, her spirit lifts itself out of her body and then she's stuck as a ghost for the next [amount of time here] before she can control her body again.
* Thistle was actually good friends with Fuschia before the car accident. The two got in a lot of trouble together.

## Backstory

### Chapter 1

Mother sent me out again. Just for some errands, but I know she won't let me back in until late. That might be a good thing, because I actually hadn't left the house at all in 3 weeks. I walk into the store, ready for work, because I had nothing in my wallet and Mother had given me no money to get what she needs.

"Hello," I say to the cashier, a pink-ish stick figure named Cerise. "Finally, Thistle. You're back." I cringe. "Mother locked me in the house again. She wouldn't allow me outside." Cerise pats me on the head. "Poor thing. Locked up in the house, unable to get paid. At least the boss is kind about it." I nod. I'm only fourteen, but my parents forced me into a job the second my birthday was over. My dad went missing pretty soon after that. Cerise picks up her stuff and starts for the door. She gives me a warm smile. "Don't burn the building down, kid."

***Around 4 hours later***

"And have a wonderful day." I say to the customer, mustering the most amount of happiness and normal-talk I can into my voice. He mutters a, "You too." and heads out the door. I collapse down into my chair in relief as the clock hits 9pm.

For a minute I shut my eyes, relaxing for once and letting my face rest from smiling so much and being a polite employee all day. I hear the door open and Cerise's keys dangling from her lanyard. I know how incredibly tired I am, for no real reason. Before I realize it, I'm out like a light.

### Chapter 2

I can feel someone shaking me awake. "What." I ask bluntly, squinting my eyes open. The light is blinding. "Oh my God, Thistle!" comes a familiar voice. "Cerise?" I ask, puzzled. "What is it?" Cerise looks at me. "Kiddo, you passed out at the end of your shift. Are you alright?" Now that my eyes are fully open, I can see a couple of nurses and a doctor. "I guess I was tired." I say, which was true, but also not. I have a weird, drained feeling, but I don't necessarily know these people or what they might do if I actually said I was feeling light-headed. "I'm alright." I say.

After the people at the hospital *finally* let me go, I started walking home. I got to the crosswalk and waited for the cars to go. While doing so, I started thinking. About what, I don't know. Just thinking. I guess I'm wondering how mad Mother will be that I'm home so late. I assume the cars are waiting, or something, because I haven't seen one go by in a minute.

I wait a little bit longer, paying no attention whatsoever, and still no vehicles. I'm still thinking about how Mother is going to punish me when someone yells at me to go. I don't feel like talking, and the noise is scaring me, so I do.

I start walking through the road, pretty confident that there's no cars. I'm almost to the other side of the road, when I hear something. I'm not paying attention so I don't know what it is and I continue to walk. Then, a loud car-horn. Pain, splitting me apart, choking me. I can feel my knee break. Blood gushes down into my eyes. There's screaming, and I can barely open my eyes to see what's happening. Soon I can hear sirens, barely. The screaming gets much louder and I realize that I'm the one screaming. There's a huge flash of light and then everything fades, slowly.

### Chapter 3

I can hear someone trying to coax me awake. There's a baby crying nearby. My eyes fly open in terror. I look down at myself. I'm still in pain, a lot of pain. But I'm fine, other than a couple of scars. "What-.. what hap- happened?" I choke out. A purple stick figure is looking at me. "You got into some trouble and we helped you out!" He says, almost enthusiastically. "Sure." says a blue stick figure sarcastically. "'Some' trouble." A yellow stick figure is crying, and she looks incredibly young. She's clinging to the leg of the blue stick figure. "Hey, stop it." says the blue one. There was a green one who I didn't notice in front of me. "She would've died." continues the blue one.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" I ask. "What do you mean, would've?" The people exchanged glances. Now that I can see right, I realize that all of them are transparent, and have bad wounds. And then I also remember, what are they going to do with me? There's nothing I can do, and I shouldn't trust someone immediately, so I demand an explanation. "I need an exclamation, now." she says. The purple stick figure turns to me. "So. Not so much 'would've died', as 'did die'." he says. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DID DIE?!" I cry, horrified. "No! No, don't freak out, it's alright. We revived you." I take a minute to process this.

"Is this a dream?" I ask at last. "Am I dead in a dream?" The green stick figure turns to me and does some weird movements with their hands. "Just talk." I say bluntly. The red stick figure who's been patrolling in a circle around us says, "They can't, idiot." just as bluntly, like it was obvious. "They're trying to explain that it's not a dream." Explains the blue stick figure. "I think," starts the purple stick figure, "That an introduction is in order." I look at him, and the red stick and I say, "No." in unison. "No before I get an explanation." I state. The purple stick figure wilts. "It's.. hard to explain." says the blue stick figure.

***40 minutes later***

"So, you're telling me," I start, "That I got hit by a car and saved by *ghosts?* And somehow I'm not dead." The purple stick brightens. "Now you've got it!" he says excitedly. The green stick figure holds up a thumbs-up. "That makes no sense." I say, sounding obvious, because it is obvious. But as I start thinking about it, it somewhat makes sense, and eventually I figure it out: I'm stuck in between life and death. Forever.

### Chapter 4

I didn't go home that night. Or the night after. Everyone probably thought I was dead anyway. But I always get this weird, creepy being-watched feeling, which I hate. Like something's following me. I saw something flicker out of the corner of my eye. I glance at it, but nothing's there except the baby ghost, who I've been told is Amber. I pick her up, and tickle her playfully. The toddler laughs, wriggling out of my grip.

I feel that feeling again. The feeling of being watched, the feeling of being unsafe. I don't like it, not at *all.* We continue walking, trying to find somewhere for me to rest and the ghosts to calm down a bit.

Once we stop, I sit down by a tree. We get a fire going. Not for them, but for me, to make sure I don't die of cold. No one I really know would let me rest, let alone let me be warm and actually sleep. I lay down, feeling immensely relaxed. I sink into the tree and the ground, my eyes slowly closing. Slow. That's something I haven't heard in a long time. Soon, my eyes close, and I'm out like a light.

Something is prodding me. Kind of. It feels like liquid trying to poke you. I blink open my eyes blearily. The thing prodding me is black and oozy and weird-looking. I screamed, a shriek higher and louder then ever. I don't know what it is. I don't know what it wants. I only know that it is *not* good.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" I cry, grabbing a stick. I try to stab the thing, but the stick just goes right through. Robin gasps from behind me, a horrified gasp of recognition. "No. No." she says. "Thistle. We have to get everyone and leave, very quickly. Wake up everyone but don't be loud." Thistle was terrified. SHe picked up a sleeping Amber and then prodded Amethyst and Emerald awake, and both of them watched in muted terror at the thing.

Emerald looked up at me and mouthed one word: "Run."

### Chapter 5

Amber was screaming, but I didn't care. Carmine was flying behind everyone to make sure they were safe, Robin was dragging Emerald to keep up with me, and Amethyst was 5 meters ahead. Whatever the thing was, was chasing us, fast. I don't even understand why, but the terrified looks on the ghosts' faces made me hate this thing with my entire heart and soul.

"Just keep going and follow my lead. I know a place, a place that can drive them away." Amethyst called from the front. We've been running fast for at least thirty minutes, and I'm starting to get worn out. Most of the ghosts are going faster than me, but I continue running. I honestly don't think I've ever gone faster in my life, as my jacket thwipped me in the face. I don't know where I got this jacket. It's a black, comfortable jacket that I've had as long as I can remember. Mother says it was from my aunt, but Father used to say it was from my "real mother". I still don't know what he meant by that, but it might have something to do with why he went missing that day.

We're still running as fast as we can, but I'm getting tired and I can barely keep up with the ghosts. I'm gasping for air at this point, and the thing is too close to me for comfort. Carmine has been fighting it. but it's almost overpowered him, and it's still somehow caught up with me. There's a forest in the far distance, just off of the horizon, which I think is where Amethyst is leading us.

WIP- Spades