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Post by Gelquie on Jan 15, 2019 23:58:53 GMT -5
So I thought it was past time I made a thread for all of my general stories. I meant to have them for any RP-related stories that aren't Medieval, but those... never got finished. This thread will contain RP-related stories, story snippets of other things I may write, or even just character snippets and explorations. I've posted a few onto Tumblr that I may cross over to here if I find them. They're not all stories per se. Most of the time, they involve exploring a character in some way or another. And I figure they may be easier to find here than in my mass of tumblr that basically has no theme and also reblogs posts that may not always be conducive to NTWF rules. Hence this collection. But there will also be unique posts, I hope! (And maybe one day I'll have a story to post; we'll see.) The rest of this post is reserved for links to stories or the like. Thread of my Medieval fics |
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Post by Gelquie on Jan 16, 2019 0:16:53 GMT -5
First, something that came from a Discord conversation about summarizing characters briefly, and the difficulty in doing so. (Mainly because characters can be so multi-dimensional that it's so difficult to boil them down to just one thing or one line.) I decided to challenge myself by creating some taglines for my characters from previous RPs. Anything spoiler will be in a spoilerbox marked for a particular NTWF RP if the secret has already been revealed. If it hasn't been revealed, then you get nothing; nyah! Mafia I:Glenda - Tea solves everything; something's seriously wrong if you refuse it. Mafia II:Julie - There's never a wrong time for a song. Julie - Don't shoot the messenger; she might kill you first. Mafia III:Kylie - Loves horses and a nun. Hates her story. Clue:Rochelle - He stole her heart, and now he's dead. Medieval:Elin - She will fight for you. Literally. Clare - Life is easy, raising my niece is easy-- wait, no it's not. The Town:Cori - Cori used Nag! It's not very effective... Hero City:Espin - Who needs morals when you have technology? (Alternate semi-spoiler:) Espin - Who needs morals when you have a lightning gun? Wrighton:Alexis - Adventure is out there-! Oh crap, adult problems. Athene - Ah, normal boring life-- oh crap, kid-roped shenanigans. D&D EuroAtlantis (close enough) Amani - Find your peace, unleash your spells. |
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Post by Gelquie on Jan 16, 2019 2:00:48 GMT -5
Cross-posting short drabbles I wrote on tumblr that are about my RP characters. Note: I'll be posting links to tumblr which has my stories cross-posted. The rest of the blog may not necessarily be safe for NTWF. I've made a few edits from the originals, but they're only grammar or wording edits. 1.Prompt for spoiler Medieval character. - What if your character lost their powers? Medieval spoilers ahead.One day, somehow, Elin loses her powers. She doesn’t notice at first; she feels a little weird at times, but she brushes it off. She won’t notice that she’s not accidentally mimicking so much, continuing to brush off the feelings that something didn’t turn out quite right. She realizes it when she first tries to use it deliberately, and she suddenly learns that she can’t. She tries again and again, wondering if it’s just a fluke, or if she somehow did the method wrong, despite using her powers for all her life. She keeps trying, but inwardly, she already knows. Her powers are gone.
By this point, she’s already had some training in how not to rely on her powers to learn new things. She begins to try learning things the normal way without fear of her powers flaring up, without needing to monitor her magic use, without risk of falling ill from carelessness, overuse, or both. She’s relieved in a way; she no longer has to worry about the consequences, feeling fatigued, falling ill, or even dying if she pushes herself too far. She gradually learns how to live without it, and she even feels assured knowing that she no longer needs to worry about her powers getting the best of her. Her only limits are the ones set by her mind and body.
But even as she goes along, she finds she’s missing a part of herself. Everything always feels off, particularly when she’s doing something new. The process of learning is slow. When she’s stuck at a point, she can no longer copy someone else’s attempt and then adapt her learning to muscle memory, or know how it feels when an action is performed exactly right. In spite of the many skills she’s picked up and memorized to be used at any time, she’s suddenly lacking them when she truly needs them. She can’t pick up an enemy’s skill to mimic to understand their technique so that she knows how to best counter them. All new skills that she’d need at the moment no longer come quickly.
But most of all, she feels a part of herself has been erased. For all the ills it had brought her, it also brought her much good, and a great advantage. She’d struggled through her power use in her early years before she learned what it was and how to live with it. She had continued to struggle, but understood exactly how it worked. Her experiences made her a valuable teacher to her youngest daughter, who inherited her traits. And now she feels as if she had lost personal connection to her own past experiences.
She presses through as she always does. She still gets good work done. But sometimes, she can be seen groaning in frustration, growing silent at talk of magic, or flipping through her skillbook one evening, tracing her finger over the lines she drew, the lines detailing the techniques to follow for a successful mimicry. And when she thinks no one is listening, she wishes that she could have it back. Cross-posted from TumblrFirst posted: October 12, 2016 2.Prompt for Alexis - A Flash of Anger Wrighton spoilers aheadAlexis was staring into space again; sitting on the couch for uncharacteristic periods of time, occasionally furrowing her brow or biting her lip at no external source. Athene had learned to recognize these moments. They were part of why she forced her daughter into therapy in the first place. She knew it would take time and a few therapy sessions before any real progress would be obvious. But she was confident in the fact that they had chosen the right therapist and that it seemed to be helping Alexis.
Which was why Athene was so concerned about this. Alexis had returned from her session only just a few hours ago. Generally, Alexis was fine after a session for the rest of the day. The therapist told Athene afterwards that they spent most of their time digging through Alexis’ memories—or Amyn’s, rather—and that combined with Amyn’s guilt may have left Alexis feeling more drained than usual. But drained was a far different beast from what Athene was perceiving. If they were working through the guilt transferred to Alexis, shouldn’t she be feeling at least a little more upbeat?
It took some consideration, but Athene finally wheeled over to her teenaged daughter. “Alexis, are you okay?”
“…M'fine,” Alexis muttered, avoiding eye contact.
“…Alexis, you don’t look fine,” Athene pressed.
“It’s… it’s nothing,” Alexis muttered, still not looking at her mother.
“…‘Lexis, please, if something happened, at the session, you can tell me. I can talk to the therapist if he was too much, or if he’s a bad match we could always switch to another. I can give them a call and–”
“I don’t know, mom!” Alexis snapped, physically turning herself away from her mother. “I don’t know what to tell you because I don’t know what it is, okay?!”
Athene blinked. “'Lexis–”
“Just don’t, I just, I don’t know. Leave me alone!” Alexis grumbled before shunting herself off the couch and walking to her room, shutting the door behind her.
Athene blinked. She’d seldom seen Alexis quite have an outburst like that. She’d been resistant to Athene’s pressings before, but never quite to this level. Something was clearly up. And if Alexis wouldn’t tell her, then maybe she’d call her therapist to find out if something did happen, and if she should chew him out if he–
The door opened, and Alexis tip-toed into the room, her eyes stuck on the ground.
“…I’m sorry,” she said quietly, her voice on the edge of breaking. “I’m sorry mom, I didn’t mean it… I just… I don’t know, it’s… it’s not that he’s bad, at least I don’t think, it’s just we talked about so much, and there was so much Amyn went through, and now the guilt might not all be theirs, that maybe I have some too, and... why is there so much to do, I should be better by now, and I’m not, but I should be after this long, and I don’t… I don’t get it.”
Athene extended her arms, offering a hug, knowing it would be the prelude to a long talk, reassuring her that it takes time (certainly more than 4 sessions), that there might always be more to work through, that some therapy sessions might be hard, but also that she should bring this up with him, or if Athene should help her switch therapists if he truly is a bad match, that none of this means that she’ll never get back to normal. Alexis stared at the gesture for some time, then sat down in a chair next to Athene and learned over to accept the hug, planting her face into her mother’s shoulder.
“I’m not mad at you,” Alexis muttered. “I’m mad at me.” Cross-posted from TumblrFirst posted: May 24, 2018 3.Prompt for Espin - Stars and Space Hero City; no spoilers<Years Ago>
“Wait, Ian, if you’re gonna check the charts, put on the red filter. You don’t want to ruin your night vision.”
“Oh, right, right.” Ian complied, fumbling through the filters to cap on to his flashlight. He glanced up for a brief moment and paused, before nudging his companion. “Eugene, quick.”
Eugene Espin looked up just in time to see a shooting star streak through the sky, except this one was significantly brighter than the others they’ve seen. Eugene leaned closer.
“A fireball,” he breathed before explaining. “Significantly higher magnitude than other meteors. Maybe not the brightest, but I haven’t actually seen one before. …Till now.”
“Thanks to me,” Ian said with a smile, leaning into Espin’s shoulder. Espin, in turn, rested his head against his. A long silence passed between them as they just watched the stars.
Then finally, Ian spoke up. “Hey, Gene-y,” he said quietly. “You ever wondered what it’d be like to be there. Y'know, in space?”
“As an astronaut?”
“Sure, or on one of those space station things, or something. Or maybe more; a lot can happen if that invasion means anything about what we can do.”
“It does mean a lot for what could be accomplished,” Eugene confirmed, a smirk playing on his face. “In any case, sometimes, yes. I may not be physically fit enough to be an astronaut, and I don’t know for sure if the studies I have in mind would get me there. But it can be intriguing to think about. With the right equipment, there’s a lot I’d be able to do up there that would be much harder on Earth. I wouldn’t mind taking a closer examination at all that alien tech if I ever had the chance. If only they weren’t hostile.”
Ian snerked. “Always back to technology with you,” he teased. Then quickly added, “No, but you’re right, it probably is interesting. I was just thinking of living life there while doing that. Zero gravity, everything in space… It’d be quite an experience, wouldn’t it?”
“It… If it were possible to reach everything…” Eugene paused. “…Yes, that would be quite an experience. Seeing and experiencing it first hand. You do have a point there. There’s so much that could be done there. I wouldn’t mind visiting, if the opportunity ever came up. If only it were more feasible.”
“Yeah. If only. I’d love to go there myself.”
“Perhaps not for long, though. Being honest, I would miss Earth. There still so much more to have and find here.” He tilted his head so he could give Ian a smile.
Ian let out a soft laugh and drew an arm around Eugene’s shoulders. “For sure. Absolutely no arguments there.” Cross-posted from TumblrFirst posted: May 24, 2018 4.Prompt for Julie - Making a Speech/Toast Mafia II spoilers ahead“Then if we’re all set on this,” Julie said with a smirk as she looked to her companions, “I have a few words to say. Before we take our first venture together.”
Julie stood up at the head of the rickety table, inside the closed-off room in which the mafiosos were making their plans. She grasped her glass of water (it was too soon for alcohol) and nodded to the others to do the same.
“I just want to say that I’m really pleased to be in on the action again. It’s been over a year for me, I think, since I was with a group, doing the work and playing my tune the way I do. I’ll admit, this’ll be different compared to what I’m used to. The city plays a bit differently compared to a small town like this. It’s quieter, easier to be spotted. But then there’s so much naievete here, and we know how it truly is. We know how to take advantage of that; I’ve had lots of practice. We’ll be able to get everyone under our fingers, and we’ll set the stage as we play.”
She tapped her glass thoughtfully before continuing. “That is, performers don’t come to the stage to set up. They’ve come to play. But… Some stage setting is always necessary for a good performance. Or the audience won’t follow, or worse, they’ll catch on and react before it’s too late to stop us. We just need to play our parts well, get them on the right track, and eventually we’ll get to the finale. And then we’ll be able to take what will be ours, and no one can stop us. But the journey is just as important. So let’s start strong, but slow, and go out and give these businesses and ourselves a wonderful opening night.”
She smiled and raised her glass. She waited for the others to follow suit and then began to sing a short song.
“Though difficult, if we take heed,
Together we’ll take what is ours.
We’ll play our parts and we’ll succeed
And be noted among the stars.” Cross-posted from TumblrFirst posted: May 27, 2018 |
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Post by Gelquie on Jun 26, 2019 17:21:42 GMT -5
Have some cross-post drabbles! (Which are canon or at least sorta-canon unless I indicate otherwise.) So the first prompt, we were given a list of words, and someone had to send us a word which we had to include in a short drabble. Often, people sent two words, to be incorporated into the same drabble. The second prompt was a 'shipping prompt. We'd be given a line starting with "things you said when...", followed by a 'ship. The 'ship doesn't have to be canon. Theeese... don't read too much into them. Here are my results! Mafia II(overgrown, collapse) (asked by Thorn posted on 6/16/2019) (SPOILERS) It had been a long time since Julie had returned to Wafflenet. Since she was interred in Netwaffle and since she escaped to Aifam Cove, many things had changed. Her powers were gone, for one; she was basically useless now.
She had finally found her old house, flood-damaged, condemned, and overgrown. With all the chaos that happened that year, no one had bothered to repair it. Anything worth saving had already been looted, she made sure of that. It wasn’t as if she could loot it herself.
There was nothing left for her here. The only ones who remained were townsfolk she didn’t know or didn’t care to know. All that stood was the site of her group’s failed plan. Not even for the better; this place was a ghost town now.
But when her powers disappeared, she couldn’t help but be reminded of this place. This place where she spent many years operating her scheme, playing her songs to willing ears, trying new tunes and new ways to use them to her advantage…
There was nothing left for her here. So why did she come back?
Was she growing sentimental?
She heard a creak, and she watched a segment of the roof collapse. The place meant nothing to her anymore; it was just an old home she had long abandoned. And yet she found herself wincing. She supposed, in a sense, she still thought it as her home. Why?
Maybe it was too important to her? But why? When she died, her first thought was that this place deserved to burn to the ground.
But it had been a long time since that anger scorched her thoughts. She tried to think it still, but she couldn’t drum up the fervor.
“…No,” Julie thought. She turned and left Wafflenet as quickly as she could.
There was nothing left for her here. She’d already written all the songs she could about it. She’d be foolish to cling to this place, and it was foolish of her to return. She needed to stop being foolish.
Maybe she was just bored. That’s all it was. Medieval
(candles, nightfall) (asked by Lizica posted on 6/17/2019) (SPOILERS) She could have ended work much earlier than she did. Done the delivery while the sun was higher in the sky and been done with it. But she’d put it off. She’d made all the excuses; she wanted to talk to a friend, they wouldn’t be using the meat until tomorrow anyway, it’d be easier to make the delivery when the sun was setting and thus not be working in the heat. And now, it was close to nightfall when she finally set off to make her last delivery.
But unlike how some adults commented, such hesitation was in no way unintentional. After all, she had to be at the right place at the right time, for all the right reasons. Or this wouldn’t work.
She hesitated just a little ways before the guarded entrance to the manor, making a show of fatigue from the work and taking a moment to rest. She couldn’t see the guards at the entrance, but it was just as well; they couldn’t see her either. It was best if they didn’t, not just yet. She’d waited long enough, it shouldn’t be long now…
There it was. A faint flicker from another alley; someone had lit a candle, a tiny beacon from where they stood. They moved their hand in front of the flame once, first to get their attention. And then they repeated a practiced pattern. Elin smiled. Perfect.
The guards were all of different types, and the Shadows made sure to study them well. There was one guard who was very by the book, would take all the measures to ensure utmost security. And as that light just told her, he had retired from his shift a good fifteen minutes ago.
Another minute more. And then she pushed her cart out, making her way to the guards, whom she would talk in. These guards weren’t careless, but they wouldn’t care enough to watch her every move, or refuse to let her help unload the meat. After all, this was merely part of her job; of course it was no problem, she insisted.
She wouldn’t be allowed in for very long. But once in, she could make the measures to prolong her stay, and put herself in just the right position at just the right time to hear exactly what she needed.
She talked to the guards, and they helped her inside to the kitchens. Now it was time to truly begin. Hero City(illusion, breeze) (asked by Moni posted on 6/15/2019) (SPOILERS) It was a nice sunny day, and comfortably warm. A light breeze had picked up, caressing the skin of one who stood within the sun’s rays.
This was particularly unusual given that he was indoors staring out the window in a recreation block of ADMAX prison. But for a moment, he was swept up in the moment, doing nothing but standing there savoring it, until he remembered where he was.
“Queen, please, enough of your illusions,” Eugene muttered, trying to tear himself away. “It’s not helping.”
He received no answer. Nor could he entirely turn away. Maybe it was indeed the Queen (somehow). Maybe his mind was playing its own illusion in an attempt to ease his mind. Or maybe…
Espin surreptitiously checked the area, hoping to find some sort of source for the breeze. He didn’t know what he could do if he did find something, but if he did… It could well be the start he needs. (Eugene Espin x Tabitha Kingsley, "things you said when you thought I was asleep.") (asked by Thorn posted on 6/16/2019) (Not canon (at the very least for timeline and also because I don't know if I'm IC for Tabitha; this is IC for Espin) I wrote Tabitha Kingsley for this, but Tabitha belongs to Celestial) How did they even get in this mess? They were fighting, as usual, and then it seemed as if the whole world blew up around them. Espin didn’t remember any plan like this, and Miss Kingsley looked just as surprised. If one of his own went rogue on his plans, he would have to have a serious talk with them.
Espin and Kingsley were knocked into an alley in the blast. At least, that was the last thing Espin remembered before he blacked out. He came to, and he surmised that he was not out for long, nor did he feel any signs of a concussion. He must’ve passed out from the shock. He craned his head and noticed that Kingsley seemed to be the same way, albeit not yet come to.
He groaned as he pushed himself up, feeling his muscles aching from the impact. There was still chaos outside, but at least here, it was relatively peaceful. Enough for him to collect himself and find out what’s going on.
Still, he kept looking at Miss Kingsley. …He could stop her here. It’d be so easy. …But he didn’t feel so inclined to.
“It’s a shame, Miss Kingsley,” he started, almost to himself. “I was enjoying that. Unless one of my colleagues decided to act without my knowledge, it looks like we have a third party to contend with.”
He paused, unable to keep from staring at her form. “If neither of us can ally to them… Would we have to fight it together? Wouldn’t that be interesting; something we could actually agree on. At least you’re good conversation; it’s rare to meet someone with almost as good a brain as mine. Someone with a touch of sense. It’s really too bad you never even consider the practical, that you never consider what you could gain from villainy. The thought of you fighting on our side, the things we could create together…”
His tone turned almost wistful. “Wouldn’t that be great…”
He paused, and then was ready to turn away from the alley and investigate the issue when he heard a light laugh. “Oh ho! My, you know as well as I do that that is never going to happen, doctor!”
Espin froze, his muscles turning stiff for quite a different reason.
“I’m so sorry, I couldn’t keep that in!” came Miss Kingsley’s voice again as she stood up. “The commotion is strange indeed. But you should know by now that I would never stoop to your deplorable depths, even if we do end up both fighting the same faction. But I’m willing to bet it’s your colleague Nyx who just went overboard!”
“…You. Might be right. About Nyx.” Espin grudgingly admitted. “It’s too bad though. You could do so much more; be more open to my techniques, so much more efficient, get exactly what you want.”
“And be a hardened criminal who destroys lives? Hardly what any good person would ever want!” Kingsley shook her head. “You have so much to learn, Doctor. Just so you know, you might indeed be good company at my side if you just knew your ethics.” She walked into his line of sight, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Perhaps you should invest in some manners, take some tutoring from me, and then maybe I’ll think about it.” She winked.
She laughed and left the flustered, stuttering Espin behind as she walked forward. “But enough; if you’re not keen to stop me, I have a scene to investigate, as I’m sure you do too.”
Espin tried to collect himself. “Y-yes; if it is a third faction, I want to know about them too. And I can show you just how much more you can get done when you stop playing nice.
“Ah, I don’t think that has worked so well as you think! Well, we’ll talk about that in lesson one.” Tabitha tilted her hat before walking back into the field. “Take care, doctor.” Wrighton(overgrown, collapse) (asked by Thorn posted on 6/16/2019) (Heavily implied spoilers) "We'll make it today, right dad?" Alexis asked as she finished off her breakfast.
"Should only be a few more hours," Omir confirmed as he packed up his cooking tools. "I wanted you to spend as much time there as possible."
Alexis beamed in excitement, and set to helping her father with packing camp as she moved to collapse the tent. Her mother would say that her father liked to overtalk everything, but in all the camping trips they've been on, Alexis has never been disappointed. Even if it wasn't all that it seemed, it was nice enough just to be able to go on such adventures, and see everything along the way. Plus, it didn't mean that the place was bad.
Their practiced hands made short work of camp, and they moved back on the uneven, untamed path full of overgrown brush. It was only an hour in when the forest closed in entirely.
"Time for your-"
"I know!" Alexis reached over and rolled down her pants, making them long again.
"Thatta girl," Omir said with a smile as he bent to roll down his own pants. He'd taught her well. Of course, this was just forest, not the place he knew she'd eventually want to go. As much as Alexis was good at camping, he knew she wasn't ready for that. He certainly knows he wasn't. One day, he kept telling himself. Maybe well after she reached adulthood.
They traveled through the brush, eventually taking sticks to make easy work of moving away the bushes, and keeping the mosquito repellent Alexis' mother gave them on hand. It made for effortless travel, and soon, they reached…
"Oh my gods," Alexis stared wide-eyed at the massive waterfall before her, the air completely moist and a rainbow forming in the mist. The waterfall pooled into a massive, deep lake below, only exited by a river.
"Welcome to the falls," Omir said beaming. "Well, what do you think? Think this is a good place to spend a ritual and then spend hours forgetting about it?"
"Think it is? I know it is! Hang on!"
Alexis had already set down her gear and was busy taking out her swimsuit, and soon disappeared into the trees to change. Omir chuckled and began to set space for themselves and take out his own swim skirt. It was a good thing humans hadn't over-developed the area around this. The thick brush ensured that they were unlikely to be disturbed. Maybe one day, that'd change, but he certainly wasn't about to speed up the process.
Just a ritual to perform, but then an entire day to themselves in a wonderful secluded area. They couldn't think of anything better. (ALEXIS X BIKE, "things you said with too many miles between us") (asked by Moni posted on 6/16/2019) “Mom?” Alexis called. “Do you know if they’re done fixing my bike?”
“Sorry; I haven’t received any calls,” Athene responded from the kitchen. “They said it’d taken them a few days, and it’s only been two. It may be a lot longer.”
“Oh.” Alexis tapped her left foot absentmindedly. “Okay. Um, thanks.”
Alexis wandered outside and began pacing around the front yard. There were so many places she’d like to go. And sure, she could walk; she wouldn’t mind it. But without her bike, it’d take her longer, and it wouldn’t be long before her mom called her in.
Besides… She liked her bike. How she could go anywhere with it, how she could shift gears with ease, its reddish paint, all the adventures she took on it, how she could always rely on it, how no matter what was happening she could always quickly escape to a trail and feel the handles in her hands and the wind in her hair until she momentarily forgot everything that was bothering her…
But how do you bike the troubles away when the bike itself is in trouble?
She leaned against the fence to the backyard out of guilt, knowing that it was her mistake that led to the loss of the bike. She was a little too careless, went a little too soon, something she’d been lectured for a long time about while she already well knew the lesson, but perhaps it was deserved. She was able to get herself out of the way in time before she could hit the wall (albeit she skinned herself badly), but the way the bike went…
It was repairable. Certainly worth more to repair it than to replace it in this case. But it would take time. And knowing why it was there…
“…I’m sorry,” Alexis muttered. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I should’ve been more careful. Should’ve… listened to mom that time. I… Now you’re stuck at the shop. You’ll be okay, but um. I kinda want you back.”
She sighed. She was already in the habit of biking everywhere she pleased, but as soon as they’d sent the bike in, she’d been feeling the urge to go on all these adventures, take a weekend bike ride through one of the longer trails, or just go anywhere with it. And now, of course, as soon as she had that feeling, she couldn’t.
“I wish I could see how you were doing,” Alexis said, looking away. “See how you’re coming. Maybe they’ll make you better than before. And then I’ll learn to be more careful with you. I promise.”
She shifted to the side, and upon this, the door to the backyard clacked as it resisted being opened, a device still blocking the gate. She thought to herself, then reached over to remove the block and walk into the backyard, where the pool lay. She stared at it for some time.
She supposed she couldn’t bike her troubles away, but at least she could swim her troubles away. That’d work too.
She re-did the block and went inside to put on her swimsuit, ready for a senseless hour of swimming.
“Still.” Alexis thought. “Be better soon. And maybe I’ll be too. And then I’ll take you on a long responsible ride again, okay?” D&D Euroatlantis(this was a mistake, trembling hands) (asked by... someone posted on 6/16/2019) "Did you forget your gloves again?“ The young half-elven girl put her hands to her hips as she stared at her younger sibling.
“I-it’s not a big deal!” the younger half-elf pouted, turning away, trying to hide their trembling hands.
“Am, it’s winter. And I know you’re lying. Just look at yourself!” The young girl walked forward and grabbed her sibling’s hand, as if to show them just how cold they are. The two yanked away at the same time.
“Ra, don’t do that-”
“Yikes, Am! Seriously, where’s your gloves?”
The younger child hunched their shoulders sheepishly. “I-I think I left them on the table while we were getting ready.”
“I told you to get them!”
“You told me to get a lot of things!”
“Like gloves! That’s basic!”
“Oh, basic! What else is basic to you? Portal making?”
“This isn’t even-!” The sister groaned. “This was a mistake. You’re not gonna get along with him.”
“C-c'mon, we’re almost there anyway, aren’t we? I-I wanna talk to him. Please?”
“…Fine,” the younger sister relented. “But stop forgetting your gloves, or I’m going to ‘forget’ to help out.”
“Fine,” the younger half-elf rolled their eyes. “Let’s just go.” (the ill-fated romance of amani and sexy tree) (asked by Moni posted on 6/16/2019) (NOT CANON) “The tree with silver moss.” The bandits’ meeting place. That was all I knew about you, at first. You were just a means to our end. A site to identify so we could fight the bandit leader.
When we got there, though, I didn’t appreciate you enough at the time, but I did notice how beautiful you were. I already knew you had to be pretty with that silvery moss, but seeing it in person versus imagining it… Nothing beats the real thing, does it?
And you rose so high too, towering over us all. I think I got intimidated, to be honest. That’s why I had Basil climb the tree instead of me; he wasn’t so afraid. But now that it’s over, I wish I had climbed the tree, gotten the chance to see from up high from your beautiful branches.
I should have at least gotten to know your silver moss better, the way it lined up your sides. I don’t know how you were so well-fated to have such wonderful moss, but it suits you well.
Perhaps it’d have suited us well, if I’d just given you a chance. If I didn’t just write you off and focus so much on the centaur.
I don’t know if we’ll ever return. I hope one day, but I can’t make promises. I just hope you know you’re the most beautiful tree in the world. May you tower ever longer with your beauty. |
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Post by Thorn on Jun 26, 2019 22:29:20 GMT -5
I haven't seen the sexy tree one before omg. PERFECT! xD
Such a sad love triangle going on with this tree...first Meallan, now Amani...hopefully there's enough Sexy Tree for them both!
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Post by Celestial on Jul 2, 2019 5:46:37 GMT -5
I finally got the chance to read these. They're all so good!
You did get Tabitha spot-on in terms of characterisation, even if her speech is a little bit stilted. Only a little. It still works well and it carries across her mannerisms and politeness well. I would have written it differently but you still did an excellent job! Plus you know how much I love seeing these two interact and how much I love this 'ship. xD I 'ship it, even if I know it would end badly. So that piece of writing was a joy.
=O We get to see some of Amani's sister. Hello, Amani-sis! I look forward to seeing you more. But that was a really cute little snippet of their life, aww. It seems like theywere close.
xDDD Amani and Sexy Tree, oh my goodness. Sexy Tree has so many admirers. I hope this does not create a rift between Amani and Meallan. They can share the sexy tree's love. <3
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Post by Gelquie on Sept 16, 2019 0:37:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies, all! I didn't have words, but I enjoy the responses. ^^ I did a prompt thing to try to help me get out of a funk and writer's block. So I played a little loose with these (not fast; couldn't go fast), but I kinda like them enough to post anyway. The prompt was to be given a pairing, and then a list of short prompts to work with for that pairing. Except I took the word 'pairing' at its most bare-bones definition meaning 'two people,' so don't expect romance. I just used them as excuses for prompts. So here are the cross-postings! -- Alexis and a Puppy; "Puppy Love"Alexis was staring wide-eyed, scanning the gated area containing several puppies stumbling over each other. They were just big enough to adopt, it was explained to them. And if they were going to get one, now would be the proper age to start.
Assuming, of course, that they were going to get one.
The whole ride over, Athene was very quiet. She was only just persuaded to come along with Alexis to check out these puppies. And she had told Alexis that she had only promised to look; she wouldn’t promise to take one in. She still wasn’t sure if it was a good idea.
Or maybe it was because it was still too soon.
Still, Alexis certainly wasn’t putting on an act when she pet the puppies, a huge smile on her face. She looked at each one in turn, happily overwhelmed by the choices before her. If there was a trace of memories of Theo, she wasn’t showing it.
What was she doing? It had been years. The pain no longer stung as it did. Yet all this time, she insisted that she could handle herself with minimal help, that they didn’t need to get another dog right away.
After all, Theo was her dog. She couldn’t just replace him.
Alexis agreed for a long time. But some time after the incident in Wrighton, once the summer months started, she began asking again. Athene only agreed to this to assuage her. Athene still wasn’t sure if she was ready.
Alexis didn’t need to pick a favorite, for a favorite came to her. When other puppies had lost interest, or couldn’t connect to Alexis’ enthusiasm, this one was still begging for her attention. Alexis took to them, accepting the ease and allowing the dog to nuzzle against her. Eventually, she was allowed to play with them separately, calling out commands and getting a feel for the dog.
She seemed… well at ease.
It wasn’t as if Alexis had never been happy. But she was still trying to sort through her memories, still trying to deal with everything new she’d found out about herself. Alexis would hide it, but Athene could tell that such matters tinged her mood at times. Here, the puppy was a happy distraction. And they seemed to take to each other. It was instant puppy love.
“…Alexis. Can you call him over here?”
Alexis obliged, and the puppy came toddling over to Athene. They lifted their front paws onto the footrest of their wheelchair, sniffing the new person intently, occasionally batting her foot with their paw.
“It’s okay,” Alexis assured needlessly, as the puppy looked up with their tail wagging. Alexis lifted them up so that Athene could pet them, which they did.
“…Well, they’re certainly happy to see us,” Athene commented, any skepticism blunted as the puppy stared at her, wagging its tail.
“Yeah!” Alexis assured. “Um, I know you weren’t sure if you wanted to. But uh, if you wanted, I could train them…”
Athene paused. She’d gotten attached already. And yet she couldn’t say she blamed her.
“…Could you set him down?” Athene asked.
Alexis did so with trepidation. But Athene merely reached her right hand over the side of her wheel chair.
“C'mere,” she called gently, tapping her fingers against the side of her chair.
The puppy happily obliged, and reached up to meet Athene’s hand.
There were a few more tests. Obviously, the puppy wasn’t fully trained. But it was clear they had potential, and already seemed fond of the family. Athene had to admit, it was easy to forget her fears with them. And they seemed to distract Alexis as well. And perhaps Alexis was ready for the responsibility of training them. It could do them both some good.
Though true, they weren’t quite like Theo. Theo was much more calm, and a different breed at that. But that only helped. This dog was new to life; it wouldn’t be fair to compare them to Theo. They could only judge them by what they did. And what they did…
“…I’ll tell you what, Alexis,” Athene said. “Why don’t we take the rest of the week to decide this? If we do, and if you’re okay with doing the training, I’ll get stuff together.”
Alexis’ eyes lit up. “Really?!”
“Now Alexis, we can’t make fast decisions; we’ve hardly met this one. But if you still want them at the end of the week, if they keep this up… I’ll let you have him.”
Alexis could’ve jumped. “Th-thank you! Thank you! I’ll do what I can! No, I’ll do it all!”
As usual, it took time to get Alexis to calm down enough, although the puppy simply mimicked her excitement. Athene merely sighed and smiled.
Perhaps this was exactly what they both needed. Vid & Espin - “good enough”“So you want me to get out there, and hold off multiple superpowered people at once while you fire up this device?”
“Someone’s been listening,” Espin drawled. “Yes, precisely.”
“And what exactly does this device do?”
“Why should you care? You’re a mercenary.”
“Sure, but that doesn’t mean I’ll burn down a village just because someone tells me to.” Vid folded his arms. “What does the device do?”
“Oh, nothing to be concerned with. I’m constructing something with a rare material. Personal use only.”
“…Right. Personal use. Answer my question. What are you going to do with it?”
“I don’t think you’d comprehend-”
"Try me."
Espin gave a gruff sigh. “Fine. I’m using it to repair the base’s security. Given how they’re at our door, I don’t have the luxury of a full-scale repair, or even fully operable security. But I would like to not be utterly surrounded and blanketed by waves of heroes before I can even blink. Is that good enough for you?”
Vid stared, taking this in.
“…You yourself called them heroes,” Vid put plainly.
“I’d consider that more a title than anything.”
“Maybe. But what does that make you?”
“A different title given to us.”
“Answer my question.”
“A villain. By their standards.”
Vid stared. “How do I know they’re wrong?”
“Judge that for yourself if you’d like. It doesn’t matter. It’d buy me time.”
“If you finish repairs, what would security do to these heroes?”
“As I said, I don’t have the time or luxury for full-scale repairs. I suspect I’ll only be able to create overall surveillance and basic traps before I must proceed to the next plan. Now, I already told you my payment and I have work to do. Do we have a deal or not?”
Vid hesitated, weighing the deal in his mind. On the one hand, he didn’t particularly want to dirty his hands in this feud. On the other hand… he did need the money… And besides…
“…Alright, it’s a deal. Tell me where to go.”
And that was how Vid found himself just outside the villain base, lying in wait for the oncoming heroes to arrive. Of course, he knew they were superpowered. He could hold his own, but more than likely, he’d be taken down quickly if the heroes were in any way smart. But of course, he could still ensure his survival if he played his cards right. Let his shield take the blows, let him fall easily, maybe manage to slip in a few words of that scum scientist’s plan while they were at it…
It wouldn’t be his fault, after all. He was just doing his job. Half-Elf Siblings; "shooting star"“C'mon Am, you can at least be a better sport about this,” the half-elf girl huffed.
“Maybe I don’t like going out at night like this, Ra,” the other half-elf child complained.
“I think you don’t like going out at all.” Ra rolled her eyes. “C'mon, there’s supposed to be shooting stars tonight. That’s something!”
“…Really?” Am had never seen shooting stars before. It wasn’t as if they didn’t want to; they always have. They just never had the opportunity before.
“Really! So stop your grumbling and watch with me,” Ra insisted, pulling her coat tighter around herself and indicating for Am to do the same.
Am did so and lay down on the ground, looking at the stars. They stared for a while in silence, and Am wondered briefly if they would just end up falling asleep.
Then-
“Look, look, there!” Ra pointed, but Am was already following the trail with their eyes. It was… much less grand than they anticipated. It was a star with a trail. And yet despite its simplicity, Am couldn’t stop staring.
A moment of silence passed between them.
“So, what’d you wish for?” Ra asked.
“…Huh?”
“You heard me! What’d you wish for?”
“I…” Am paused. “…I didn’t think to make one…”
“Ugh!” Ra flopped down. “That’s obvious to do.”
“I hadn’t seen one before!” Am protested. “I didn’t expect to see one!”
“And you were falling asleep, I know.”
“No I wasn’t!” Am insisted.
“Shut up, yes you were,” Ra sighed. “Well, I wished for… ah, no, I probably shouldn’t tell you.”
“If we’re not supposed to share wishes, why’d you ask me for mine, then?”
“…You know, that’s a good question. I already know what you’d wish for.”
Am looked away, biting their lip.
“…I thought so. Really not sure why you didn’t wish that right away.” Ra sighed. “Guess it doesn’t matter. There’s no magic to wishing on shooting stars anyway. Not really. I read about it. But I wanted to see if it did anyway, just in case.”
Ra shivered, and she held her hands together and created a warm light in her hands. Am only briefly looked before focusing back on the stars above.
“Just take a break, Ra…”
“Says you, the one who I had to drag out here. …” Ra sighed and stood up. “Fine. I’d better not be waking you up later. I’ll be right back.”
Ra walked away, leaving Am to themself. They looked up at the stars, feeling the chill and emptiness around them, yet not feeling the urge to rise and follow Ra either.
Ra seemed sure, yet she doubted enough to want to try this anyway. Of course she’d seem sure; it was just like her. But they doubted there was anything magical to shooting stars either. Maybe she was just bored. Why she insisted on dragging them along, they weren’t sure. They supposed it was slightly better than staring at the ceiling.
As luck would have it, another shooting star did grace their vision, making a little arc across the sky.
Am made their wish.
But they already knew not to count on it coming true. Espin and family, "Happy Birthday, I'm not wearing that"“Dear Genie,
Happy birthday, dear! I know you have too busy a week to come visit. We know you have work. (And I suppose Ian is taking some time away!) But we weren’t about to let your special day pass without a single word from us. If you have any time, please call so we can talk, or we’ll see you when you next visit. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy these! The little package is from your grandma, and the sweater’s from the rest of us. I know, grandma’s present is a little corny, but don’t refuse a gift so easily! You don’t have to wear them outside, and the fabric’s comfortable. Anyway, don’t worry about washing any of this; we already did it. Another gift to you.
Have a good day. Love you,
-Mother”
Corny indeed. Well, perhaps not so much the sweater. It was a tan sweater with blue diamond-shaped simplistic patterns. Not what he would’ve chosen, but he supposed they would do for clothes. And perhaps it was time for a different style anyway; he wasn’t quite satisfied with his current one. Now the smaller package…
…Surely she was playing a prank on him.
“I’m not wearing that,” he scoffed, setting aside the pajamas and boxers, each dotted with hearts and cherubs.
His grandmother knew full well what he was like, and while his mother would never admit it, she’d played her share of pranks. This was surely one of them, probably upon finding out that he had a boyfriend now. He supposed he should’ve seen this coming.
You don’t have to wear them outside, and the fabric’s comfortable.
…Was it, now?
Eugene reached out and felt the fabric to the pajamas… And true to her word, they were very comfortable. That was probably part of her plan. Make them comfortable so he could embarrass himself more easily.
Well, he’d show it’s not so easy to be embarrassed. After all, he didn’t have to wear them outside. And how many people would know about the boxers? Not many, if he was careful.
Besides… it was free clothes.
He resolved to try on the pajamas later as he went to try on the sweater. He would have to remind himself to thank his grandmother later, for bringing him the challenge. Elin Ryer and Ivy Lynn, "Puppy Love, Happy Birthday"“Ivy? Where’d you go? Ivy!!”
Elin didn’t need to call far, for the young 9-year-old girl had only lingered behind a few steps, where a young juvenile dog had intercepted her. Ivy had gone down to her knees to pet the puppy, and in turn the puppy had put his front paws atop Ivy so as better to enjoy the attention. Others in the market glanced in her direction, but otherwise weaved their way around her.
“Ivy…” Elin wandered back to where she was.
“I know, mom, but look!” She spent some time petting the dog. “Where’d you come from? Are you lost? Aww, hey, that tickles!”
Ivy giggled in response to the dog licking her. Elin carefully tucked the basket she was carrying behind her left arm to prevent the dog from getting it as she knelt down to examine them.
“Where did he come from?” Elin wondered aloud.
“Uhh, well, they don’t have a collar,” Ivy said between pettings. “I dunno, they just came up to me. Uh, d-do you think they’re lost? O-or maybe they’re a stray! If they don’t have a home, then…”
“Ivy, we can’t take in another dog,” Elin said firmly.
“But mom-”
“Ivy, we just have too many animals as is. Now, are you sure it’s a stray? What about their coat?”
“It’s soft!”
Elin smiled. “Okay, it is. Can you tell how clean it is?”
Ivy took all the excuses to pet the dog further as she examined their fur, and soon, the realization dawned over her. “Uh, yeah, it’s really clean…”
“That’s right. I think it just got out somewhere.”
“So it’s lost, then?” Ivy asked. “We have to find them!”
Elin looked between the two and her basket, and then the direction they were going, frowning to herself.
“C'mon mom, please? I think they’d get it.”
“Ivy, I’m sure they’re waiting, and it’s your birthday…”
“It is. A-and I want to spend part of it making sure the puppy’s okay!”
Elin paused, finding herself staring at her daughter. She smiled. “Alright. We’ll find them. I don’t think they’d have gone far.”
“How do we start?” Ivy asked, looking around the marketplace, craning her neck around the passersby for any sort of hint.
“Hm, why don’t you keep an eye out for anyone looking for a dog, or anywhere they might have come from? I’ll ask someone.”
Ivy took the puppy in her arms and followed her mother as she looked around the shopping district. She paused when her mother did, alternating between petting the dog and looking around her.
“Excuse me, sir?” Elin asked the nearest stall-keeper. “Have you seen this dog from anywhere?”
“Oh, did he get out again?” the stallkeeper asked. “That’s the second time today. Actually, I don’t know if he ever made it home. Anyway, sorry, I don’t know where he came from. I think Samuel’s been trying to sell a litter, though. Maybe this one’s from his batch?”
“The tailor?” After receiving confirmation, Elin nodded. “Worth a shot. Thank you!”
They went up the market for some time, going in the direction Elin remembered was the tailor’s shop. It wasn’t long before they got there. However…
“Agh, really? A day off today?” Elin sighed, staring annoyed at the sight of the closed shop. Ivy only stood nearby, petting the puppy’s head absentmindedly as she scanned her surroundings.
“Sorry Ivy, looks like they’re not home. I wonder if we could leave the puppy here, but if this really isn’t his home, I don’t know if we should ask Samuel to take care of this without asking. Hm, Ivy, if you’ll be okay by yourself for a while, I think I know a way I can get a good look-”
“There.” Ivy pointed a little further up the road, where a small crowd composed of adults and other children her age had gathered around. It was hard to tell what they were gathering around, but after a moment’s silence, it became clear what it was when they heard a distant pup’s yelp.
Elin blinked. “I-Ivy… I think you’re right. Good job! C'mon.”
They hurried up to the crowd, and sure enough, there was a circular cage around a gaggle of little puppies, each looking similar to the one Ivy held in her hands. Upon seeing the other puppies, the little puppy struggled in Ivy’s hands to join them.
Ivy gave him a brief but gentle petting. “It’s okay. You can be with your family again now.” She let him down, where the puppy quickly ran up to the cage and barked at his siblings inside, who barked in return.
“Ah, so that’s where the little guy went!” the vendor Samuel declared. “Did he make a mess of things?”
“N-no, he just ran after me, that’s all. We found him down there.” Ivy pointed to where they were.
“Ah, I should’ve known. He ran off this morning, before we had a chance to round him up. He must’ve known something was up. I can’t tell if he’s too smart for his own good or not. C'mere.” Samuel picked up the puppy and rubbed the little one’s head before setting him down with his siblings.
“Will he be okay?” Ivy asked, staring at the puppy.
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure. Better than here; I just can’t take care of them all.”
“I know what you mean,” Elin commented. “We’ve been getting stray after stray lately.”
“But mom, I… I think we can have another…” Ivy trailed off.
“Ivy, I’m sorry, I really meant it when I said the last one was the last one. We just can’t keep up with all of them.” She gave Ivy a sympathetic look. “But well, you made sure he didn’t become a stray. I’m sure he’ll find a nice home.”
“…Yeah, maybe.” She looked down at the dog, smiling. “Goodbye, buddy. Thanks for spending part of my birthday with me!”
“Oh, happy birthday!” Samuel declared. “That’s really nice of you. I’ll have to make it up to you two sometime.”
“Ah, you don’t have to. But thank you. Good luck selling them!” Elin turned to Ivy. “Well, we should probably make it.”
“I’m sorry,” Ivy lamented. “We’ll probably be late now.”
“Oh, don’t be, your heart’s in the right place,” Elin said with a smile. “We’ll just explain it to them. And you can tell them all about it!”
Elin smirked. “Besides. There’s a good shortcut from here.”
Ivy jumped and followed Elin excitedly, only stopping to turn to wave goodbye to the puppies, letting the rest of the crowd close in. Sure, she wouldn’t get to the party on time. But it didn’t matter. This puppy love alone could make for a happy birthday. Tim and Melissa, "first kiss" and "that hurt"((This one is particularly dark. But not because of the relationship.)) It was all slowly coming back to him.
He didn’t know who this woman was, at first. He thought he should, but he didn’t. Something about her face, the way she talked, the way she smelled, the way she looked at him…
He couldn’t comprehend it at first. He only knew what his master told him and taught him. Taught him not to act out too much in public, not to attack humans or humanoids. Enough that he could be present without being present. He was docile, docile enough for what he was. He had no way of knowing he wasn’t himself.
He was still shambling about the forest, making a meal out of whatever unfortunate soul came his way, beyond what he was taught not to attack. Acting upon first instinct, barely holding back. Basically a monster with the mind of a child.
His mind was only just held together when she found him. He knew she was looking at someone special. Someone he didn’t know, but knew at the same time. He approached her like the others, and found a surprising amount of patience. Did she know too?
She was looking for someone. A boyfriend who had disappeared a year ago. She showed a picture. He didn’t know him, but he knew him. His head began to feel strange. Why did he know her? Why did he know him?
While he was talking, his masters had disappeared in a panic. He didn’t understand it. She seemed to. She took him away, and they talked.
And now, it was slowly coming all together. How suspicious his masters were. Who this woman was. The fact that he was someone else, before he became a werewolf zombie vampire. That he didn’t become who he was out of his own accord.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
His memories were slowly coming back to him. Flashes of who he was before. Seeing himself in the mirror. Sharing it with the woman… Melissa. That was her name. Them meeting each other in college, talking to each other over lunch, and then at any opportunity they could afford. The chills of excitement when they confessed to each other. Their first date. That fateful walk. A moment on the bench to rest that turned into a deep conversation. How it led to their first kiss.
And the times thereafter. How their relationship grew. How he helped her get through her stresses. Bouncing off of each other, for serious or for fun. The time he graduated. It was a nothing degree; he could work anywhere. He only wanted to be with her. And he did.
The time he went on a trip to see more of the world. How they spent their last night together, making silent promises to keep in touch while he was gone while knowing that of course he would because he seldom missed a call, how he promised to take so many pictures and explain everything to her, how he promised they could make a trip of their own once she was done with her last semester, how he’d be right back in a month, how they’d go right back to before.
Their last kiss.
Before he forgot her.
That hurt more than anything else.
But now that he knew her, now that she was there again, he would do whatever it took to keep her in his mind. Make sure he didn’t lose his memory of her again.
Perhaps he was “Fluffy” for a time. Perhaps he still was.
But he was Tim too.
For now he was both. Maybe one day, once again, they could be “Tim and Melissa.”
One day, when his mind would finally finish coming together. |
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Post by Gelquie on May 8, 2020 19:27:52 GMT -5
Some Amani-centric Euroatlantis fics from their past! Based on some Tumblr asks. (Prompt words: Water, Hold Amani is a young teenager in this fic.) Hold On“Hold on, Am! Hold on! That’s it!”
“What else am I supposed to do?” Am thought as they clung to the rope, trying anything to keep their head above the lapping waters.
It was cold. Too cold. Not that they were ever a fan of the cold water. Living in a cold environment didn’t foster much of a desire to make it even colder for themself. Not for Am, anyway.
Sure, they could swim. But only a little. It wasn’t as if swimming was ever a big focus for them before. Besides, if anyone ever fell in the water during one of their field trips, “we’ll just use magic to pull you out, or pull yourself out!”.
Yes. Pull themself out. And why not summon a giant sea shark to ride to shore while casting another spell to send a wave of water to the other students as some prank while they were at it? Y’know, as a spectacular show of power they completely have?
If only…
Suffice to say, they didn’t feel the need to swim often.
Well, at least the ship’s crew cast out a rope for them. It was kind enough after Am’s sudden slip. Now, if they wanted to keep this as humble as possible, the least the rest of the crew could do would just be to pull the rope to drag them back up, and make it seem as if Am did some of the work to save themself–
Nope. There was a spell. Of course there was a spell. Am felt themself lifted out of the water. They had to admit, the spell’s form looked neat; it was very sparkly. And also rendered Am completely useless in this situation they brought upon themself.
What else was new.
Soon, Am was dropped on deck. The crew busied themself congratulating each other, with a few others actually looking over Am and casting spells to dry them off (“even a novice could pull off that one,” Am thought knowingly and bitterly), while their mother took to their side to ask if they were alright.
All Am wanted to do was get below deck to their bunk, wet clothes or no. And they got up to do so at the first opportunity.
But not before they were stopped, because their mother felt compelled to grip them in a big hug.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Naila said. “If you hadn’t held on…”
…If they hadn’t held on… what?
…Would they not have been able to catch Am?
…No, of course they would. They were casters.
“You made it easier,” Naila assured them, as if getting a sense of their thoughts. “But the important thing is that you’re back.”
…Am supposed they couldn’t deny the point…
They let themself be hugged by Naila, and kissed on the head. It did feel better, having her with them like this.
Even if they knew it was selfish, after what happened. (Prompt word: Quiz Amani is... about 10? In this fic?) Amani's Quiz((Note: I don't know how accurate these questions are to the magic or world, or if they're well tailored to the class; think of the questions as General Ideas of what they may be, and this whole thing as a draft.)) “You have 30 minutes. If you finish early, you may drop your parchment at the front with me and meet with your teacher to do your practical.”
The invigilator looked over the classroom, and the varied children around. The class composed mostly of elven children, with one exception who sat near the back; a young half-elven child Am, who stared with worry at their paper.
The invigilator began the quiz, and at first, it didn’t seem so bad to Am. An arcana question there, they studied that! And a spell that would displace water? They could think of one. Was that right? ...Close enough, they’ll come back to it. The specifics behind a Mage Hand cantrip…
...Oh no.
There were a few students in the class who could already cast the cantrip. Even the others who didn’t know it had some frame of reference for casting, or were getting the idea. But… Amani had still yet to get the hang of any cantrips. They weren’t even sure if they could do one; any idiot high elf can do one!
And they tried to read about it, they tried looking up how to do cantrips. But it was like trying to read Dwarvish. Except if Dwarvish made even less sense and used even more confusing letters and spelling for a language that didn't make sense.
And if they didn’t answer it, they were going to get it wrong. And then they were going to get a low mark. Again.
And that’s nothing to say of the practical coming up! What were they even supposed to do? They can’t cast spells, they know that! They painfully know that! Everyone in the class talks about it! The teachers claim they don’t, but they do. The students act like they didn’t say it, but Amani heard them. “Do they know what they’re doing?” “Isn’t their sister good at magic?” “Shouldn’t they be too? After all...” “Maybe they’re just too human.” “Maybe they’re just dumb. I mean, c’mon, Phann got that one right!”
“I don’t care if Phann can do it! Maybe if the books didn’t explain things poorly, maybe I could get it! ...So what is it?”
“You have 10 minutes,” cut the invigilator through Am’s thoughts.
What? Already?? No, no, they weren’t even halfway! Should they just give a wrong answer?
Reaching a hand out even further until it goes.
...That was a stupid answer. And they knew it. They felt embarrassed even writing it.
But the next question. An illusion cantrip? Oh, easy, Minor Illusion. Where does the illusion come from?
...Where does it? Come from? Is that a trick question?
Magic
Why do they even try.
How to direct an enchantment spell? How should they know? What sources evocation? They could name a few, but nothing specific, they could list them… What would you cast if you wanted to help a plant grow? They… they could…
Their neighbor got up, and Am only noticed now that half the class had already left. And they still had to get up for the practical. What would they even do for the practical? Would they be the very last one? Would they even be able to be tested?
“Five minutes."
How was it down to the last five minutes?? Okay, they just had to answer something, anything…
They filled in some answers they knew were entirely wrong.
And of course, when they did get up, they were one of the last ones up.
Am kept their head low as they handed over their paper, looking away as if in apology. The invigilator said nothing; merely directed them to the teacher’s room.
They could just… leave.
It wasn’t like they were going to do a good job anyway.
...No. Their Ren said they needed to at least try it. They couldn’t keep leaving mid-test. They wouldn't have it, of course.
Am stepped into the classroom, empty except for the teacher.
“...Alright, Am,” the teacher said; Am could swear she was holding back a sigh. “I’m not going to ask you to cast anything, or get it exactly right. Just. Can you give me the movements needed to cast Mage Hand? And the rough pronunciation?”
...Rough pronunciation?
What about the pronunciation of magic wasn’t rough? And for that matter, made sense?
And the movements. How would they even…
...They stretched out their hand in front of them, and grunted some guesses that sounded embarrassing even to them.
Silence. The teacher stared, as if expecting something else. What else?
It quickly became clear Am had nothing else.
“...Thank you,” the teacher said; Am didn't miss the apology in her tone. “You may go to lunch.”
Am wasted no time. They burst open the door and walked down the hall blindly. “Give it a try anyway,” what was the point? To give them every opportunity to do poorly?
And of course they did. They already knew that. It was only a matter of time before they’d get the grade back. Would their parents be called in again? Could Am get rid of the result this time? Would they get the opportunity?
How much could they get away with anyway, when they can’t even begin to magic it away?
Am vaguely heard their name being called, but they ignored it and pressed on. Towards the lunchroom… And then a right. Down the emptier hallways. Towards a lesser known entrance. And then out of the school.
They could do just as much outside as inside. But at least they wouldn’t have to keep failing in public. (Prompt words: Amani x Adventure) Spark of AdventureAmani had to admit. The past few months on their own, they… could’ve gone more places than they did. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to go places; it gave far more quiet and far more interest than what they usually got at either home. It was just that stuff kept… happening. Like nearly that entire winter, for one thing. Or they had to stick to the familiar. There were dangerous roads out there. For anyone who wasn’t prepared. For anyone who didn’t have the skills to fight back. For anyone like themself.
But that. That had changed.
A whole new prospect. A whole new outlook. A whole new them. They were more than content to spend the first while just getting used to everything. They wouldn’t mind just staying that way forever! But there were places to go, things to do. And besides…
For the first time. Amani felt they could explore their surroundings, and finally appreciate them.
The prospects ahead! The places they may see! How more beautiful it all felt, down to the glossy shine on the dewdrops on the leaves, to the silence of the night and the peace that it brings, the stars above beaming down their heavenly light and guiding their way if they could learn. And oh, the things they could do, everything they could now accomplish! Enough work on their powers, and the whole of Eaine could be at their disposal! Nothing could stop them! They could go anywhere without fear!
Instead of approaching a town and begging for work so they could have a comfortable place to sleep that night, they could accept the peace that lies beneath the stars, no matter where they lay. For such things could always reach them, no matter where. When you had that, it didn’t matter if you were lying in a bed or on a bedroll on a forest floor.
And instead of approaching a town and begging for menial work at all, they could do so many things! Perhaps things they hadn’t even dreamed to ask! The wonders they could bring to the town, and perhaps help in more meaningful ways! Now that they had the ability, they could do this without so much as lifting a finger to do such menial chores except to cast the cantrip that would solve it quickly! With no one’s need to get their hands dirty!
They could do other things. Maybe they could do the things heroes are lauded for. Could they… save someone? No longer sit and wait with the others while someone more competent tracks the lost one down to bring them home, but actually going out and be the one who does that? And that for once, they would be the one being cheered on?
But more importantly! The adventures ahead. The things they’ll do. The path laid out for them. Able to walk any path, and appreciate its glory all the more. The things they’ll accomplish that before they could only dream of, and yet still feels so much like a dream. The things that happened, the things that will happen, the path ahead of them, the sights, the glory, the deep feeling of peace now welling within them, readying them all the more for whatever may lay ahead while letting their heart be at rest...
“If this is a dream…” Amani thought to themself. “Then let me never wake up. Let me feel this, let me be this… forever.” |
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Post by Gelquie on Jun 4, 2020 16:55:17 GMT -5
(Before I begin, in light of recent discussion about feedback communication, I wanted to make clear that it's perfectly okay to post story comments here. Only if you want to, of course! "Likes" are also fine.) I did another prompt! Well, two, but one's not really related to my characters, and I'm not sure about the content for here. But I did do a drabble for The Town that kind of became a significant post-RP point. Based on the prompt word: flower (SPOILERS for The Town) The Eternal FlowerCoriander Nix had a quiet moment alone wandering outside. The pub had closed, all the drunken patrons had tottered off, she had just finished helping with clean-up, and she still had no need to sleep. It wasn’t a particularly unusual night at the Ghost Pub, but something had been wearing at Cori, and so she decided to take a moment alone at an isolated area in the town of Melville.
What was wearing at her?
Not even she really knew.
And yet she once again found herself upon that abandoned shack, now filled with anti-Old Council graffiti, where a number of murders had taken place… including her own. That wasn’t new; this was over a year ago now. Dissent in the Town had finally settled down, and the new government was making good headway with reforms, both to the Town and within its own organization to ensure a better balance of powers.
And the ousting of her own uncle… Who turned out to well deserve it.
…It was over a year ago.
How could so much happen in so little time?
It was still hard to believe the changes.
Absently, she touched her hair, only to feel the flower tucked behind her right ear. It was still there, still giving off its sweet scent. She unholstered it and stared at its ghostly petals, long outlasting its living form.
She had bought this the day of her death from the man who would murder her. She didn’t remember the reason why; it was probably a flippant reason that served her at the time. She didn’t hate having the flower there; if she was going to be stuck in one form forever with whatever she was wearing, she was content with this. But it occurred to her that its scent never really left her. That scent of the festival, the flower she bought that day, her connection to the living world, the chaos at the time, the fate of her sisters, whom she still struggled to connect with even when she finally found her voice for the living…
Was it any wonder she couldn’t move on, with such a connection to her life and death?
…Was that the reason she was still here? That she hadn’t… disappeared?
…She instantly found herself repressing the thought. No, she couldn’t just disappear. She had to do more, for her sisters, for…
For what?
She’d found her place at the ghost pub, yet she still never felt like she fulfilled her purpose. She thought it was to her sisters. And maybe it still was. But she still felt empty, and listless. And it occurred to her. When was the last time she did anything for herself?
When she was a young teen, her life was shattered in an entirely different way. Her mother died, and then her father… her father…
She had to do something. For herself. For her sisters. For their lives. She gave up her schooling. She gave up the thought of any relationship. She gave herself to her job at the bakery, and allowed her thoughts to be sunk into its dough.
By the time she was a ghost, she… didn’t know what to do with herself. When she was offered a job at the Ghost Pub by a member of the Resistance… She didn’t even feel the energy to resist. And it hasn’t been bad. For all that she originally thought of Ene, she was a fair hostess, and Cori's coworkers were supportive. And that helped. But…
The feelings of emptiness never really went away.
But a part of her must’ve been desperate for something. Who else would join a whimsical cult at the promise of anything else, she didn’t even know what? Stupid decision, stupid stupid. Though the chaos certainly had its effect on the Town, and on her. The way she was killed by her sister’s love interest after having bought a flower, and yet now he’s also her coworker at the Pub, and now she has to swallow so much at the sight of him and Ranumgen, and that flowery scent her gave her, but knowing that he’d already paid his own punishment and that she couldn’t do anything about it anyway, so she just had to get over it, get over the past, which lingered so much, still clung to her like a scent that that gave nothing but broken memories
She tossed the flower to the ground and moved across the street.
For the first time, she smelled… well, as much as she could smell as a ghost. But something that began to be free of the sweet fragrance of the flower. The air, it smelled… different. From what she remembered. Even the environment, the river that flowed, the smell of added foliage, or work on restoring some of the historical sites, how much was being added and reformed and its affect around her…
The Town really had changed.
She just hadn’t changed with it.
And not for the better.
...She had to try.
…But it wasn’t the flower’s fault what happened. It wasn’t even a bad scent. Wasn't even bad for her, for a while. But if she was going to try to let go, try to change…
She doubled back and picked up the flower before looking to the site of her murder. She floated over to the spot of her death--nothing but a small cramped floorspace inside the shack--and set her flower upon it. The same spot where her living form fell.
She floated in place for a time, watching it. Then turned to leave.
She didn’t know what would happen. What was ahead. How much of her would change.
But she could feel it. Something within her was changing already. |
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Post by Celestial on Jun 4, 2020 19:33:28 GMT -5
I really like this. You managed to capture a really melancholy air to the whole piece. Cori's reflections are wonderful and it's good to see her thoughts and feelings on that ending. The flower is also lovely imagery.
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Post by Gelquie on Aug 11, 2020 22:29:25 GMT -5
I wanted to assuage my writing mood, but I also don't have the time for big-time writing. So drabbles from prompts it is! I only got two this time, and one was old, so two you shall get. A Normal LieVerse: EuroatlantisIt was easy for Naila to pick up sound sources in the house, being one who knew it and her family so well. She knew the creek of the shop door when a family member would come up behind her. The footsteps that accompanied a quiet swoosh was a tell-tale sign of her spouse. A footstep of determined placement, or quick patters; a sure sign of Ra. Some more varied but nevertheless quieter steps, as if skirting around places, it had to be Am, and that was what she heard now. Her youngest child must be home from school.
It was odd, though. Am was early. And the footsteps were slower, then more erratic.
She stood a while in the empty shop, trying to decide if she should intervene this time. If Am was just early, Naila knew it would be difficult to talk them out of skipping school. But Naila had been informed of an important assignment coming up, and Asariel was determined to go through the results with them this time.
If she didn’t intervene, it would probably cause more drama later.
She put up a sign on the shop indicating a break before going to the back of the shop and opening its door to the house. “Am?”
Am yelped and rapidly turned to face her, their hand on their pack. Yup. They were definitely hiding something.
“You’re home early again; is everything alright?”
“Y-yeah!” Am said too loudly. “Just… I need a break! That’s all!”
Naila approached, ready to give Am the hug they would absolutely need if they just needed a break. Am would always accept them, leaning in, except this time they stepped back, putting their hands on their pack again and shifting something papery around.
“Um, uh, I’m carrying something fragile, hang on!” Am said, moving to set the bag down by the staircase with a bit more energy than something fragile would easily take. They took a bit more care to ensure the absolute safety of the bag, and was still glancing at it when they moved to accept the hug from their mother.
Naila enveloped them in a hug, allowing them to get comfortable, before whispering to them: “You know you can tell me if something’s wrong, right?”
Am stiffened. “Just… just the normal things...”
Naila was silent. But Am wasn’t budging.
“If you show me,” Naila said. “We can talk about it first, before anyone else.”
They could feel Am shake. “I-it’s nothing...”
Naila remained silent again. They were caught out, and Am knew it. Sometimes it just took time for it to sink in…
True to form, Am relented, stepping back and avoiding her gaze. “I-it’s just the same stuff...”
“I’d still like to see.”
Am hunched their shoulders, hesitating. But slowly, they lifted up the bag again.
“D-don’t tell Ren...” they whispered quietly. Their hand hovered over the bag’s strap, shaking. Naila put a steady hand on their shoulder, encouraging them to take out a crumpled sheet of paper, marked with red lettering all over.
Naila barely needed to look at it to tell what happened. “...I’m sorry Am. You tried your best.”
Am looked on the verge of tears. “...I don’t know if I did. I can… I have to do better… But they were really wanting...”
Naila enveloped them in a hug again, letting Am cry. She gave them a long moment, not wanting to interrupt this so soon.
“...It’s okay. We’ll… figure out how to deal with this.”
“Same way as always,” Am sniffed quietly.
“They know how hard you’re working,” Naila reassured.
“It never matters,” Am mumbled bluntly.
“They care, Am. ...Just. Please let me know when this is happening. You can tell me.”
Am was silent for a moment, and Naila wasn’t entirely sure how much this would sink in. They eventually spoke, with a quiet: “...I’m sorry for lying.”
Naila merely hugged them tighter, wanting nothing more at the moment than to help their youngest child. WhirlwindVerse: April Showers“Ohmygosh, look at this look at this look at this!!”
“Era, we need to get to safety...” Era’s unfortunate friend was tugging on Era’s sleeve, trying to direct them away from the front of the house and down into the basement.
“Oh, I will, I will! Basement’s right there! But wow, that funnel! I gotta get my camera!” Era scrambled out of their friend’s grasp and rifled through a drawer, looking for their good camera.
“You gotta get downstairs,” their friend insisted.
“Honestly, you probably should go,” Era said as they pulled out their camera case. “I know I’m taking a risk, and you don’t need to take it with me. But I’ve never gotten photos or videos of a tornado on my own!”
“Yeah, you have trained professionals doing that--”
Era had already finished setting up their camera and was taking pictures out the open window. “Ah, look at these shots! Ooh, look, I think that’s that real estate billboard up there!”
“All the more reason to close the window.”
“Be right there! Video time! Hi, this is Era, and we’re looking at this huge tornado that just touched down 5 minutes about, several miles out of own, so--”
BANG
A scrap of debris hit against the side of the house, giving both of them pause.
“...And now it’s time to go inside, all the other windows are boarded!” Era stopped the video and closed the window. The friend wasted no time in replacing the cardboard barrier. Era lent a hand and waited as he finished the attachment. Then Era grabbed the entire tripod and ran down towards the basement, somehow making it there before their friend. With that, they shut the storm cellar.
“Phew! That was excit--”
“Don’t ever do that again,” their friend rasped.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, I really should’ve been more prepared. I really thought it’d be another few minutes. I must’ve misread that. I’m working on it, promise! Thanks for letting me put my books down in your basement, I can look over what I did wrong.”
“It’s a bit more obvious than taking data,” their friend sighed, but Era was already setting down their stuff and nabbing up their books. “Honestly Era, you’re the real whirlwind here.”
“I really am sorry, I don’t mean to drag you into it,” Era said, looking up from their book. “It’s just… It’s the first thing I’ve really got going for me in a while, so being able to see one in person… I got carried away.”
“That’s not new,” their friend sighed. “Maybe you can… at least find some safer places for that? Not that I don’t like having you here, just. Y’know.”
“I’ll look into it,” Era promised. “Thanks again for letting me stay here.”
“Of course, I’m not about to turn you out. And… honestly, it is kinda cool, just a little scary for me. I’d rather save the excitement for our inevitable board games we brought down here.” He sat down, crossing his legs. “Lemme know what you find?”
“Of course!” |
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Post by Celestial on Aug 12, 2020 14:10:53 GMT -5
Oh my gosh, both of those pieces. I loved them so much. A few small comments:
Poor Amani. I can feel their devastation in this fic, poor kid. =( Naila, however, excels at being a supportive parent here, making sure they know they are loved and it's okay. It's also interesting to see such a crucial part of their life and identity actually explored. Them struggling with magic will totally have consequences in the future, yes...
Also, this is making me want to write similar things with Meallan, since he has that experience, just with nature magic (although with no grades). *shoves them together* Taaalk about your trauma, children.
The Era fic...was that inspired by the conversation on Discord about storm chasers and reckless people during tornadoes? Either way, this is excellent. Very in-character for Era, who handles this with the same energy and cheer that they approach...well, most weather phenomena. It isn't exactly the most responsible thing that they're doing but I cannot be angry at them because a) science and b) look at how excited they get. <3 But I totally get their friend's exasperation. Though I suspect Era won't learn.
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Post by Gelquie on Aug 12, 2020 23:12:13 GMT -5
Celestial - Aw, thank you for the feedback! (And to others, thank you for the likes!) I'm glad Naila came across well here, and as I intended. Amani... had a rough time then. </3 Their parents did their best. This was actually a fic I had in mind for a while, though I didn't write it till recently. Before, it existed only as a mental image that helped inform me while RPing them. Also, I absolutely approve of seeing a Meallan version of the fic! They do have a lot of similarities with some of their experiences, even if it ended in very different ways for them. (They need to talk moooore. But Amani insists that they're fine. </3 But don't worry, you're all on the right track to proving them wrong.) Re: Era fic - It was not, actually! I just know what meteorologists are like and have met stormchasers who basically behave even worse than Era did, according to stories of them. (When they hear about a tornado, they go "okay students, get in the truck!!". It's wild.) But yeah, I wanted to portray a nice balance, to show their excitement at the really cool thing while not downplaying the reality that you really shouldn't do that. xD
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Post by Gelquie on Aug 12, 2020 23:16:09 GMT -5
And now another fic! I posed this question to the Euroatlantis party: "What was your character's first memory?" ...And then realized that I could only really answer Amani's in mini-fic form. Amani's First MemoryVerse: EuroatlantisThey heard the vaguely-comprehended encouraging words of their mother as they turned to look at the sparkling lights and the image of an equally sparkling cat ahead of them. They stared at it for some time, entranced, before they toddled forward to get closer. The light also seemed to approach them, and they tried to grab at the sparkles as they walked.
And then… it was in their reach! They thus reached out to touch and pet the kitty… Only for their hand to go right through it.
There was laughter from their parents. “Aw, Am, it’s just an illusion!”
Yet the illusion nevertheless pawed at Am playfully. Am giggled, pointed at the cat to each of their family members, including their sister who was busy with the other sparkles. Am then proceeded to play with the illusory cat that their Ren absolutely created. |
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Post by Gelquie on Aug 20, 2020 17:06:47 GMT -5
Weekly Writing Prompts Week 1My pieces for these prompts! I did all the prompts but my own, for lack of brainspace and time. Images from the seabed(Wrighton-verse) (Teeechnically there's spoilers for my character arc for this piece... But I'm not confident with how I set up that said part of the character arc, and I don't want an RP to get in the way of probably more writings with these characters, and said thing doesn't spoil the main RP anyway. So look. I'm giving this one to you, the general public, as a present. Happy birthday.) “Oh, that is a nice clear upper ocean today!” the green one squealed in delight.
“Fairly blank, though,” replied the blue one. “Not a lot of traffic.”
“Give it time!” the green one assured. “But look, over there. That mound with coral starting to grow on it? C’mon, let’s get in the right angle!”
The two merfolk swam towards the mound the green one was referring to, then swam around it, looking for the best way to juxtapose the coral with the rest of the environment around them…
“Oh, you’re right! Here!” the blue one called the green one over. The blue one was leaning back, looking up at the coral, and the green one came to join them...”
“Ohh, yes, perfect, that’s perfect! I’ve got to get this one down!”
The green one rummaged through a makeshift pack and pulled out a slab and a glowing orb, before handing it to the blue one. “Okay, get on the other side! We’re getting this one!”
The blue one complied and took the orb before swimming to the other side of the coral and the other side of the green one. They took some time trying to get the right angle before…
“Yes, right there, perfect, don’t move!” the green one said. The green one proceeded to hold the slab in front of them, trying to get the right angle, moving their webbed, smooth hands in front of their eyes, double-checking the precise angle… Before positioning themself and shutting their eyes!
“Taking in 3! One… two...”
A moment. Then a large, persistent flash. For a moment, they were still, letting the light get captured onto the slab. There was nothing but silence between the two of them as they waited.
After a few minutes, the blue one deactivated the light. “Alright, done!”
The green one opened their eyes, ready to look upon their handiwork! However, for the moment, they were… distracted...”
“Behind you!” The green one called. The blue one whirled around as they saw two figures approaching downward, in their direction.
“Oh, how rude,” the blue one called. “They’d better be less sentient sea creatures, otherwise they should really know better than to interrupt a shoot.”
“Right? There are only so many slabs.” But seeing that there was still some distance between the two figures and them, the green one took a look at the slab. “Oh, it came out perfect, though!”
“Great, cool! Let’s make sure those aren’t predators!”
The blue one swam quickly behind the mound with the coral, and the green one swam to join them, setting the slab carefully upon the side as they peered out. It took a good long time; they were descending so slowly. But eventually, they came into view. Enough to see that they were in fact merfolk… But…
“Is that… Are they what I think they are?” the blue one whispered.
“I don’t know, I don’t even know what I’m looking at,” the green one replied.
“They should be shark-mer,” the blue one continued. “But they look so… so...”
“So mammal...” the green one suggested.
The two newcomers came into clearer view. Indeed, their tails were just like those of porbeagle sharks, suggesting a farther away clan of merfolk than here. That would explain their smooth skin. But their shark skin didn’t extend to their whole body, and was cut off at some point, leaving olive skin on both of them. They even had… was that fur, on their heads? A good amount of it too! Although nothing below their… what should be ears, but looked so much more rounded. Just like their noses, which were much bigger than they should be. How did they even survive?
One was littler. And they looked like they had never been this far underwater in their life. In fact, they were regularly pausing for depressurizing… They were clearly not very good merfolk. But they weren’t not merfolk either…
“Ohhh, I think I know what they are...” the green one whispered.
“Shh! What?”
“The Sea Queen mentioned stories about them. Merfolk who made a deal with her, willing to be her scouts, her seekers… But in exchange they life on the surface.”
“Whaaaat?” the blue one was shocked. “That’s… Who would do that? How would they survive that?”
“Their bloodline is enchanted by the Sea Queen, so they can switch as needed. I think they have… uh… those two dangly things instead of tails...”
“Tentacles?”
“No, not tentacles, like strong tentacles…” the green one thought. “Legs! Legs, that was it. For land walking.”
“No wonder they’re not swimming so fast.”
“Of course not, they don’t spend their lives doing it. I thought maybe it’d be cool, they’ve given so much knowledge, they’re the reason we have these jobs!”
“But to be so far away, not living with the mer--”
“Behind!”
The blue one turned around to see that the two strange shark merfolk had found them, and were staring intently. The two not-strange merfolk were staring back.
The younger strange-merfolk turned to the older one and signed something they could barely make out. “THAT MER?”
“YES MER” the older one signed back
“WOW” and the younger one beamed at the sight of them, and began swimming around them frantically, taking them in. The blue one recoiled slightly, unthreatened but uncomfortable.
“Yes, we’re mer, who are you?” the blue one asked.
The young mer tilted their head, before looking apologetic. They pointed to their mouth and opened their mouth only for bubbles to emerge, before shaking their head.
“They can’t even talk like us anymore...” the green one said. “Not even bubble-speak; it’s too random.”
The blue one exhaled a great deal of bubbles before signing. “YES WE MER LIKE YOU AND NOT LIKE YOU, YOU WHO?”
The young one tilted their head, looking like they only partially understood. And no wonder; their hands barely had fins anymore. No wonder they were so confused, they looked mostly like surface dwellers now.
The older one must’ve had more experience, because they were quicker on the uptake and signed some clarification to the young one.
“WOW OK I ALEXIS” the young one signed.
“I OMIR” signed the older one.
The mer stared. Their matter of spelling their name was… different. Some of those weren’t even letters. What were they supposed to do with them?
Alexis spoke up in their hesitation. “NICE MEET YOU, YOU LOOK COOL”
It took a moment for the two mer to understand what they were saying… And they blinked. Looked… ‘cool’? Cool was a measure of temperature.
“WE COOL BECAUSE THEY WARM-BLOODS” the green one signed.
The blue one emitted bubbles, indicating that they understood.
The strange mer were paying attention, and after some clarification, Alexis rapidly signed. “NO NO… OK MAYBE BUT I MEAN YOU LOOK GOOD AND… DIFFERENT”
“...AWESOME’?” the green one clarified.
After checking with Omir, the young one excitedly confirmed.
“Uh...” the blue one switched to sign. “THANKS”
Alexis bounced excitedly.
“YOU COME FOR SEA QUEEN?” the green one asked.
“YES” Omir signed. “PARTLY. ALSO I SHOW DAUGHTER.”
“CITY THAT WAY” the green one pointed.
“SEE LOTS”
“THANKS” Omir turned to their daughter, only to see her gazing at the slab the green one was holding.
“WOW HOW YOU DO?” Alexis asked excitedly.
The green one urged Alexis to back away. “NEW TECH. PHOTOGRAPHY. FRAGILE.”
Both the strange mer looked confused, and it was clear the sign for ‘photography’ was why. The green one hesitated, then took out their orb, and mimed showing it on a blank slab.
The blue one shook their head. “They’re not going to understa--”
But both the strange mer looked at each other in understanding. Alexis mimed by putting their fingers together and pressing their index finger down. Omir nodded.
“PHOTOGRAPHY” Alexis tried to imitate the miming.
“PHOTOGRAPHY” the green one corrected.
“PHOTOGRAPHY” Alexis tried, doing better, but still incorrect.
“WORK ON IT” the blue one signed as Alexis and Omir continued to try to perfect the movements on their own.
“ASK SEA QUEEN” the green one suggested. “SHE TAKE IDEA FROM LAND DWELLERS”
This gave the two strange mer pause, in part to understand, and then to look at each other with a mixture of feelings. The two not-strange mer looked at each other two. Did they… not know this?
Omir then signed to them. “THANKS WE GO TO CITY”
“YOUR IMAGE LOOKS COOL... AWESOME” Alexis signed eagerly as they swam away. “WE AROUND. BYE”
As the two strange mer left, the two not-strange mer looked at each other.
“They’re almost like tourists,” the blue one commented.
“They are tourists,” the green one confirmed.
“How long do you think they’ll stay?”
“Depends on the Sea Queen. Especially if they quit or if she decides to help them stay.”
“Do you think they should stay?” the blue one asked.
“As a servant of the Sea Queen or as a mer?”
“Both.”
“As a servant of the Sea Queen, of course I hope they stay and serve the great ones who give such great gifts to us,” the green one commented by rote. “As a mer, I’m not sure they’ll last a month.” Notes: So I had a bit of a time figuring out how to portray the sign language! Thing is, when I was learning sign language and we had to write what signs meant, we usually transcribed it exactly like that. And I realized afterwards that it might look weird to people who don't know sign language, but I'm honestly just following ASL grammar!
I looked up afterwards that apparently there's some debate on how to portray signing in works, and I'm not sure which is best either. I see some saying to follow English grammar anyway, because ASL grammar can be misinterpreted as uneducated speech, but I also am one who tries to fight the idea that it's uneducated. I tried to highlight that here by not having the merfolk reacting to the mer tourists respond negatively to the sign language. (Though their attempts are probably more rusty by comparison, but I imagine the two tried to stay versed.)
On the other hand, there is going to be a lot of signing in the story, and there may be some story beats that involve a lot of exposition or signing, so I wonder what is the best way to do that.
So I guess I'm wondering how the sign language comes across? And whether it helps future plot beats that involve deep communication. -- No Hidden Motive(No previously established characters either) “I mean, seriously,” Captain Awesome complained, staring up at their nemesis, Lord Amazing. “The fire traps over the oil pits?”
“Well, yeah,” Lord Amazing said casually, sitting upon their throne.
“With the spikes on the ceiling above the fire spouts?”
“Yes. What are you trying to say?”
“Look, we have our fun with our traps, your evil schemes, with you setting them up and me finding a way through. Kidnapping the local mayor just so I can test out your new labyrinth. But this, that was more deadly than--”
“Ohhh, oh I see!” Lord Amazing sat upright. “No no no, I don’t know how, but it looks like we’re having a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? I play the hero, you play the villain, we do some quips on morality, and we both get high ratings. I always assumed that was the deal.”
“That’s your problem; assuming.” Lord Amazing clicked a lever next to their throne, causing a cage to fall over Captain Awesome, trapping them inside. Captain Awesome tugged at the bars, but found that they were too strong.
“No, see, things like this, this is great!” Captain Awesome said. “Really gets my mind going--”
“Yes, and you find some way out, so I reinforce it for the last oversight I did. Just as I did for the traps before, back when I was inexperienced and didn’t understand your quirks. That mayor thing? I wasn’t looking for you to rescue her.”
“Well yeah, you have to say that for the camera--”
“No, I was going to keep her and send the whole city into disarray, distracting them from my next-! Nevermind. Look. My point is. You aren’t my nemesis. And I’m not your nemesis. That we happened to look that way is by chance.”
Captain Awesome blinked. “Uh, by definition, though? You know how dueling we are--”
“Because it’s always you, because I’ve never had a chance to get you yet! But now, I think I’ve worked out the kinks of my cage trap. Try it out while I correct your little misunderstanding.”
Captain Awesome did indeed try, but their movements were slow as they paid attention to Lord Amazing’s words, ominous as they approached, not too far, but not too close.
“This isn’t a game of cat and mouse. This isn’t something for the ratings. Perhaps that show gave me an idea, but I intend to go through with it. Those traps I set up? They weren’t for entertainment. Nothing for the show. All for the effort, or working out a trap that will finally get you.”
Lord Amazing leaned in. “Because this isn’t some fun rivalry. There’s no subtext. I have no hidden motive. I will take over this city, use it for the machinations I have in mind. But you? My only intent is to kill you. No flash. No glamour. Just a stiff unmoving corpse who can no longer get in my way. Do I make myself clear?”
Captain Awesome blinked, stunned. “But… what we had… our quips...”
“Just because I may have gotten carried away once or twice doesn’t mean I have any affection for you. You would be wise to not confuse that. Then again, if you were wise, you’d realize that I’d never throw you into a death trap if my intent wasn’t to kill you.”
“But if you do succeed in killing me… You wouldn’t have me to help work out your traps anymore...”
“Because it finally works and thus I don’t need you. Pay attention. There is no lost love between us, aside from what’s maybe unrequited. And now, finally,” Lord Amazing pulled out a gun. “I can end this. And these misunderstandings will be a moot point--”
Lord Amazing wasn’t able to finish their sentence, because as they were talking, Captain Awesome was nudging at the ground with their foot, and seemed to have found a way. Because within seconds, they had pounded the ground with their fist, causing them to fall through into the darkness below.
“...Right. The floors.” Lord Amazing put up their gun. “And I didn’t leave a trap below. Now I know to look for that. Your victory will be short lived. And besides, maybe you won’t survive the acid piranhas. I’ll kill you one day. That is assured.”
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