Taking Up The Baton

Well, I was afraid things would go this long and possibly lead to this, but...with how things are, I feel like this is what he might want if wasn't wherever he is. For those who don't get what I mean, I'm talking about . To explain the subject to those who might not know, he and I have known each other since May 26, 2011. He and I stayed together for over three years total, though we obviously had our bickering matches and depressing incidents. We suffered the "loss" of a close friend, not to death, but instead to interests that sort of tore him away from us. This friend and I still talk now and then, but things are clearly very different from what they used to be. Aside from him, there was also an incident earlier this year, before our third anniversary happened, where JB got fed up with the chaos that was going on between him and I, as well as with another couple people. After 35 days, he was found on tumblr, making new friends and spending time with them, which...he could've been found earlier, but I completely spaced on tumblr, needing a close friend of his to actually tell me about it instead. JB and I talked for a bit, which led to him apologizing for leaving and then coming back, so everything was back to normal...or so it felt. We spent a good bit of time dealing with me being afraid he'd leave again, though he repeatedly promised he wouldn't make that mistake again. He kept true to that promise and we went back to our norm of working on drawings, watching videos and streams, chatting to each other, as well as gaming somewhat consistently, something we usually didn't do often enough. Everything between us seemed like smoother sailing until the beginning of August. Friday went fine, Saturday went fine, Sunday started fine, but something happened that typically happened, which was that JB's internet went out and didn't come back. This frequently happened from weekend to weekend, usually putting a cap on the time we spent together. Unlike other times, he never returned. He sent a message on Skype during the night, about his internet acting really weird, followed by a text or two explaining that it wasn't working and he was sorry it (he) wasn't very reliable for consistently show up. At the time, we thought nothing of it, because it did happen frequently...until a week went by. Then a second, then a third, a fourth...and so on. We're here now, on October 1st, just under a whole two months of him disappearing, with the same amount of info we had when he disappeared. The information, for those wondering, is absolutely nothing. Searches haven't found him, calling him hasn't worked, no one else has reached him or had to ability to try reaching him, leading to him just disappearing into the ether. I even tried asking for help on here and was met with...not much, so, again, if anyone would like to try and reach him, please, just let me know and I'll offer what I can. If he's alive or dead, I don't know, but since he and his art doesn't seem to be around like it used to be...I honestly feel like this is something I should do, and I hope everyone understands.

Now, since you're all asking what I'm talking about by this point and what I mean by taking up the baton. Well, I'm talking about taking "ownership" of JB's characters in his absence. For those who know me and the relationship I had with JB, being his LBBFF, you know that he and I worked very closely with his cast. We both worked to develop their personalities, their designs, their friends...everything. They weren't just shells for the sake of art, they were living beings to us that we truly cared for and wished were real. As such, with him and I already sharing ownership of a few characters, most notably Shade, Orion and Quinn, I feel he'd want me to take them in if anything like this happened. I don't have his word, but I have the hope of his blessing. I do this for the sake of keeping his characters in loving hands that want to keep their, and his, memory alive. Due to things between him and I, usage of the characters was always limited, if not outright denied, so he said for people to ask him for permission before doing anything, but that can't be completed with him being gone. I'd still keep to that, with wanting to be asked before anything is considered, but asking me instead of JB is probably not what many want to do. Sadly, I do this to stay safe, which I hope can be understood, because there's no intention of malice with this decision. Even if I've lost the real JB, I'll always be happy to have the creations he and I made with each other over the last few years. This means that I might also choose to upload some old and more recent things he and I did, just so they finally get some public appreciation, because his style has always been one I, and many others, love to see.

JB, if you're out there and see this at some point, all you have to do is contact me to let me know your thoughts on this and if I should stop. I won't call you out or force you to come back, but I don't want your cast to vanish because you feel you can't use them without being caught in the act of leaving again. On that subject, if you'd allow it, I'd still like to be your friend, even if it's nothing like we've had before. Just being your acquiantance and knowing you're around is better for me, and everyone else who misses you, instead of not having you here at all. You brighten up the lives of so many people, while leaving only darkens our days and yours with all you're sacrificing. Know that all of us here love and miss you. You're always welcome back to the "family" you've gained on dA. And in the unfortunate case that you're gone because you've passed away in an accident or something...may you rest in peace. I'll do what I can to keep your creations and memory alive, and...I'm sorry I never got the chance to say goodbye. You'll forever be missed, for you were a wonderful friend and brother. I'd never give up our time together for anything in the world. You were, and always will be, my BBBFF.

*sigh* With all of this out of the way, I think I should stop my rambling here. There's already plenty to read and I had a lot to get off my mind and chest, so...there it all is. If you have any questions or comments, please, feel free to say them. If you don't want to say it on the journal, you're free to send a note instead. Until next time, remember to treasure the time you have with your friends and family, because you never know when it might be taken away from you.