September Tries Its Best to Have Us Forget Summer

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About the Images

Ella Rose is wearing the pretty Lizette dress by Belle Epoque, which you can pick up for free as one of FabFree’s “Back to Cool” hunt gifts. It is paired with an older group gift from COCO, the appropriately named Tied Around the Neck Sweater, in a marigold color that happened to match the dress perfectly! Her basket of mushrooms was a recent weekend sale item by Ariskea.

Also new is Ella Rose’s skin, Sigrid, by TheSkinnery. I found it by accident while wandering the current round of Anthology and thought it would be perfect for Ella Rose. As with many skins, this one is styled for LeLutka’s Avalon head; I had to do quite a bit of shape-adjusting to make it Ella Rose’s Siwa head. I added an under-eye concealer by Izzie’s, along with her regular freckles and moles by WarPaint, to really make it “hers.” Oh, and she is wearing eyeshadow and lipstick, which were free gifts by Amara Beauty and TheSkinnery (respectively) at the current round of Uber. Full credits are below.

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The Story

The sun’s golden light filtered through the emerald canopy like liquid honey as Ella Rose wandered through the whispering forest of LeeLoo’s World. It was September, and the crisp autumn air had just begun to settle over the land, a gentle promise of the colder months ahead. Summer had been quietly slipping away, leaving behind a soft melancholy. The days were still warm, but there was a coolness to the breeze that whispered of change. In September, the world seemed to conspire to make you forget the long, lazy hours of summer sunlight, lulling you into the embrace of autumn’s slower rhythm. The golden hue of the sun carried a softer glow now as if it had grown weary from the long summer days.

LeeLoo’s World was no exception to this shift. The trees here had a soft glow, their leaves shimmering with a faint iridescence that only the most observant eye could see. But now, their green had dulled just a little, the edges of the leaves curling slightly, preparing for the slow fade to amber. The moss underfoot was still thick and spongy, but its once vibrant green had taken on a muted tone as if echoing the forest’s collective sigh that summer had passed.

Ella Rose carried a wicker basket lined with a soft cloth to cushion the delicate mushrooms she sought. She was on the lookout for mooncaps, a rare variety that only appeared in the late September afternoons when the sunlight hit at just the right angle. September, with its fleeting beauty, had always been the time for mooncaps. They were the perfect symbol of the season—delicate, fading quickly if left too long, their silver glow a soft reminder of the light that was slowly slipping away.

As she moved deeper into the forest, Ella Rose felt the pull of September’s quiet magic. The trees whispered their ancient secrets, and the air carried the scent of damp earth and wild herbs. The vibrancy of summer had been tucked away, the hum of crickets and the chorus of birds replaced by the rustling of leaves and the soft sighs of the wind. Even the creatures of the forest seemed slower, their movements more deliberate, as though they were readying themselves for the stillness of winter.

September was a trickster, coaxing you to look forward rather than back, to forget the brightness of summer and settle into the embrace of shorter days and longer shadows. It made you savor the last remnants of warmth while quietly ushering in the cooler winds. The transition was seamless—so subtle that one morning, you would wake to find the vibrant greens of summer were gone, replaced by the soft golds and reds of autumn.

After a while, Ella Rose came upon a small clearing, bathed in the soft, golden light of late afternoon. At its center stood an ancient tree, its bark gnarled and twisted with age. It was here, in the cool shadows beneath its roots, that she spotted a small cluster of mooncaps, their reddish crowns glowing faintly against the dark soil. She knelt, brushing her fingers lightly over the moss as she plucked the mushrooms, one by one, placing them gently in her basket. Each one seemed to hold a piece of the fading sunlight within it, their glow a soft reminder of the season’s transition.

As the sun dipped lower, Ella Rose knew she should head back soon. LeeLoo’s World was beautiful, but it changed at night. Shadows grew longer, and the air carried a chill that warned of the oncoming night. The woods, once familiar and welcoming, could become strange and unsettling under the twilight’s gaze.

Just as she turned to leave, a soft rustling sound caught Ella Rose’s attention. She froze, her heart quickening as she strained to listen. From the edge of the clearing, just beyond the tree line, she thought she saw a figure—a fleeting shadow, barely more than a silhouette. The forest spirits, perhaps? Or maybe it was just another trick of September, trying to pull her deeper under its spell.

Ella Rose smiled softly to herself, shaking her head. September had its ways, but she would not forget summer so easily. With her basket full of mooncaps and her mind on the mysteries of the forest, she turned and made her way back through the woods, the golden light fading into dusk behind her.

CREDITS

Hair: TRUTH Angel
Skin: Amara Beauty Sigrid (@ Anthology)
Concealer: Izzie’s Under Eye Concealer
Eyes: IKON Chimaera Eyes
Eyeshadow: Amara Beauty Valerie Eyeshadow (free gift @ Uber)
Lipstick: theSkinnery Agatha Lipstick (free gift @ Uber)
Body Blush: Izzie’s Face & Body Blush
Tan Lines: Izzie’s Bikini Tan Lines V2
Armpit Creases: Izzie’s Armpit Creases Double
Earrings: e.Marie Dahlia Earrings
Necklace: Kibitz Chelsy’s Necklace
Nails: Belle Epoque Joanne Nails
Rings: Vibing Emily’s Rings
Dress: Belle Epoque Lizette (FabFree “Back to Cool” Hunt gift)
Sweater: COCO Gift Sweater Tied Around the Neck (group gift)
Basket: Ariskea Mushroom Basket
Poses: Versuta Ayashi & Grace