#tootfic — Public Fediverse posts

#TimeTravelingGhost EP 11: Post 120, 1191, The Castle of Nicosia (2 of 2 parts)

#Wss366 Boner #TimeTravelAuthors 07/29. proof/prove

Sir Sablé began winding down after the big announcement confirming the link between the book we had seen in the British Museum and the current meeting, saying, “Let the fruits of this gathering, our Garden of Gethsemane, be known as ‘The Covenant of St. Judas.’”

There were murmurs of dissent around me, and Sir Conrad's face showed his dissatisfaction. Frankly, I had to agree. I wouldn’t have been swayed either by the blatant heresy of his words.

However, the Grand Marshal was prepared for this and announced, “Some of you still doubt me. That is nothing new; even those who heard Our Lord with their own ears did not believe Him. Therefore, I shall show you the sign entrusted to me.”

He nodded to his attendants. They turned to leave, only to stop when Sir Conrad spoke. “And of King Henry?”

The Templar frowned and might have objected, but Conrad was too important a person to ignore.

“Henry is not privy to this conclave,” Sir Sablé said. “Let the Lord of England do what he does best: fight the infidels. Bois-Guilbert and Lancaster are here as John’s envoys. I have his noble word of support for our venture. Are you satisfied, Montferrat?” (So I was right; he was Sir Conrad of Montferrat. I was a tiny fish swimming with this era’s barracudas.)

“I am,” he answered. His face told a different story: grim, hard, and skeptical.

Sir Sablé’s knights left, soon returning with a metal canister. The sight turned me cold. Although the Grand Master presented it as a holy thing, I could sense its abominable nature. What fresh horror was about to be revealed?

#TootFic #NMFic #TimeTravel #HistoricalFantasy #UrbanFantasy #Mythpunk #Serial #Slowburn #Templar

#TimeTravelingGhost EP 11: Post 120, 1191, The Castle of Nicosia (1 of 2 parts)

#Wss366 Boner #TimeTravelAuthors 07/29. proof/prove

“You may be seated,” Sir Sablé said. The Grand Master of the Templars’ voice was dignified, higher than one might expect, but the tone was that of someone accustomed to command. “Bishop Dreux, will you honor this gathering with a prayer?”

I recognized the priest he had called on as the person who’d challenged Sir Conrad earlier. Even though he was a bishop, he was clearly also a fighting man: strong, scarred; the bulk of his robes hinted at chain mail beneath. I didn’t understand the brief Latin prayer he led. It was a pity I hadn’t learned Latin at university.

While we prayed, Emily left my side, moving to the dais so she could hear what the rabbits were saying to Sir Sablé. It was a decision that would later #prove disastrous. A real #boner, as some of my cruder students might have said. (Why did these memories come back to me when I couldn’t follow up on them?)

Once the prayer had finished, the Grand Master addressed us. “You have been called here in the Lord’s name and shall be blessed for your piety…”

He continued in this vein for a while, and most of what he said wasn’t worth repeating. However, other parts of his speech had stunning implications.

• “Though unworthy, the Lord hath lifted me from the dust as our Lord Jesus did Mary Magdalene, and a heavenly host has vouchsafed me words. Today, I humbly bear their message for your ears.”

Behind him the rabbits made ironic bows that he couldn’t see.

• “As Saint Judas Iscariot sacrificed himself to bring about our Savior’s glorious act of redemption, we too are summoned to make the ultimate sacrifice, our honor. We may be reviled for our deeds, but we the faithful shall show the same devotion, to God’s will, Abraham did when the Lord commanded him to sacrifice his son. We will hold fast, knowing that our obedience is required to invoke the Third Coming, bringing a fiery end to this sinful race, Adam’s kin, and to call down the final judgment when the Lord’s hammer smites the world once again.”

A groan escaped me. For an instant I could see the Cretaceous–Paleogene fireball streaking across the sky, setting me ablaze. Fortunately, Sir Sablé’s speech had everyone enthralled, or perhaps they thought it was a gasp of wonder.

It was part intuition and part logic that led me to conclude that the Lapin Cabal intended to bring a meteor down on the world, as had happened in Yucatán. How or why I didn’t know. To this end, they recruited the gullible, the ambitious, and the truly wicked to do their bidding. The Templars, Illuminati, Nazis, and ICE-Nine were just examples of this.

The implications were staggering, and from Emily’s face, she recognized it too.

#TootFic #NMFic #TimeTravel #HistoricalFantasy #UrbanFantasy #Mythpunk #Serial #Slowburn #Templar #Templars

Final check

Even if you're stacking maneuvers back-to-back to shake off an armada of pirate spaceships, you *always* run a final check before making a hypervelocity jump because you don't want to end up thinly sprayed over a hundred cubic parsecs.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

Ugh, I expected it would be cheap and cheerful but this transient accommodation I booked on Ell-One via wotif dot luna is more WTAF. A 30cm cryotube and a neural block is NOT “cylinder and charge” service, IMO.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

Ugh, I expected it would be cheap and cheerful but this transient accommodation I booked on Ell-One via wotif dot luna is more WTAF. A 30cm cryotube and a neural block is NOT “cylinder and charge” service, IMO.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

... users can be found giggling, crying, or simply staring into the distance saying "Whoah..."

We spoke to one, and asked how they feel about warnings that the practice is addictive:

"I could stop, but I don't want to."

Some experts say if reading was invented today it would be banned at once.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #SmallStories

McGruff's Bridge Part 3 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 Mecca

While waiting for Elaine to arrive, Saya listened to thrushes in the bush, and Sheila continued smoking, much to the displeasure of the troll, as the fumes wafted down under the stone span.

After a pause, The Adventure of Nike spoke. “I can’t believe that troll. It said that I stank.”

Picking up a spray of elm leaves that had fallen from the trees, Saya hid her amused smile behind it. “Maybe you should go back and complain.”

“Humph.”

The two fell silent again until Elaine, the Ashen Witch, strolled up to the bridge. [Again, in case you’ve forgotten who that very handsome witch who had just stepped on stage and the bridge is, it’s me.]

Indeed, like the others, the local gulls had forced me out of the sky, and I was making my way to the Three Goats Inn and Tavern. The thought of their famous bread pudding and cream puffs hurried my steps. My heart lept at the sight of the bridge. I hurried across it only to have someone bellow at me from below. “Who’s that crossing my bridge?”

Turning, I found a huge, lumpy monster climbing over the span’s parapet. At four meters in height, it was a dominating figure. The leprous skin covering its enormous frame resembled lichen as much as anything else.

“I’m Elaine, and if you’re thinking of eating me, you should reconsider. Instead, I can recommend in…”

“Shut up! Two previous women promised me a luscious dinner, and here you are.”

“It wouldn’t have been those two ladies, sitting under that elm,” I said, pointing to where Saya and Sheila sat. “This is truly a #mecca for scoundrels. Even for a troll, you were foolish to listen to them. One would think a mountain goat had kicked you in the head.”

“Enough,” the troll thundered and charged toward me.

Modesty forbids me from describing how I dealt with the troll, but in the end, it went sailing over the parapet and fell into the river, where it sank like a lead stone.

As for my fellow witches, they were obliged to treat me to as much sausage, bread pudding, and cream puffs as I could eat.

[FINIS]

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

McGruff's Bridge Part 3 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 Mecca

While waiting for Elaine to arrive, Saya listened to thrushes in the bush, and Sheila continued smoking, much to the displeasure of the troll, as the fumes wafted down under the stone span.

After a pause, The Adventure of Nike spoke. “I can’t believe that troll. It said that I stank.”

Picking up a spray of elm leaves that had fallen from the trees, Saya hid her amused smile behind it. “Maybe you should go back and complain.”

“Humph.”

The two fell silent again until Elaine, the Ashen Witch, strolled up to the bridge. [Again, in case you’ve forgotten who that very handsome witch who had just stepped on stage and the bridge is, it’s me.]

Indeed, like the others, the local gulls had forced me out of the sky, and I was making my way to the Three Goats Inn and Tavern. The thought of their famous bread pudding and cream puffs hurried my steps. My heart lept at the sight of the bridge. I hurried across it only to have someone bellow at me from below. “Who’s that crossing my bridge?”

Turning, I found a huge, lumpy monster climbing over the span’s parapet. At four meters in height, it was a dominating figure. The leprous skin covering its enormous frame resembled lichen as much as anything else.

“I’m Elaine, and if you’re thinking of eating me, you should reconsider. Instead, I can recommend in…”

“Shut up! Two previous women promised me a luscious dinner, and here you are.”

“It wouldn’t have been those two ladies, sitting under that elm,” I said, pointing to where Saya and Sheila sat. “This is truly a #mecca for scoundrels. Even for a troll, you were foolish to listen to them. One would think a mountain goat had kicked you in the head.”

“Enough,” the troll thundered and charged toward me.

Modesty forbids me from describing how I dealt with the troll, but in the end, it went sailing over the parapet and fell into the river, where it sank like a lead stone.

As for my fellow witches, they were obliged to treat me to as much sausage, bread pudding, and cream puffs as I could eat.

[FINIS]

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

_/Ok, team - I've checked and re-checked everything. I'm ready to make the copy when you are/_

The team was made up of Dominic's fictional, self-aware, characters who existed in stories stored on his laptop. A recent forced restart illustrated how fragile that state of affairs was, so he planned to upload clones of his machine to the cloud.

"I am SO not looking forward to a repeat of last time," Reggie lamented. The restart resulted in the team wandering an endless room of black for an hour. "I wish I could be knocked out for the duration."

"If our world has to be disconnected from Author's, I wish we could play a video game to pass the time, like the T-Rex game in the browser," Antonio said.

"Or have hold music," Jacob retorted. Groans all around. "Come on! It wasn't just a DARK room. The lack of sound was seriously disturbing."

"Author, can you create a customized playlist for each of us, and give Jacob the 'Best of the Elevator' mix?" Enzo asked, grinning.

#MicroFiction #FlashFiction #TootFic #ShortStory #SciFi #ScienceFiction

_/Ok, team - I've checked and re-checked everything. I'm ready to make the copy when you are/_

The team was made up of Dominic's fictional, self-aware, characters who existed in stories stored on his laptop. A recent forced restart illustrated how fragile that state of affairs was, so he planned to upload clones of his machine to the cloud.

"I am SO not looking forward to a repeat of last time," Reggie lamented. The restart resulted in the team wandering an endless room of black for an hour. "I wish I could be knocked out for the duration."

"If our world has to be disconnected from Author's, I wish we could play a video game to pass the time, like the T-Rex game in the browser," Antonio said.

"Or have hold music," Jacob retorted. Groans all around. "Come on! It wasn't just a DARK room. The lack of sound was seriously disturbing."

"Author, can you create a customized playlist for each of us, and give Jacob the 'Best of the Elevator' mix?" Enzo asked, grinning.

#MicroFiction #FlashFiction #TootFic #ShortStory #SciFi #ScienceFiction

Proof

'Here is the final one of your trials, the one that shall be proof for all that you are, like us, a true Dragon: you must bring us back a Knight...'

'Easy.'

'... alive...'

'... Okay.'

... and unharmed.'

"Sorry what?"

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

“You know, it’ll work better when it’s plugged in?”

“Huh?”

“You got a bad connection on the positive wire, there”

“Nah—wait, yeah. Shit, how did you know?”

“Ghost multimeter”

“Yawhatnow?”

“I was in this doco bar last week…”

“A which bar? You do know words mean things?”

“No witch bars near here; this was a documentary bar. You know what a sports bar is?”

“Well, you wouldn’t find me in one but yeah”

“Doc bar shows science documentaries”

“Fuck off”

“Trust me, you’ll love it. Anyway there was this film of declassified 1950s nuclear tests. I always wondered how they got the data from all those instruments after the explosion”

“And?”

“Ghost oscilloscopes. Instrumentation on the astral plane with the probes made of consecrated silver, existing in both realms”

“Bullshit, Anyway your multimeter?”

“I Shifted one of mine, this ring is the probe. Lets me feel voltages within a meter or so”

“This rig can wait. You’re making me one, now”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

“You know, it’ll work better when it’s plugged in?”

“Huh?”

“You got a bad connection on the positive wire, there”

“Nah—wait, yeah. Shit, how did you know?”

“Ghost multimeter”

“Yawhatnow?”

“I was in this doco bar last week…”

“A which bar? You do know words mean things?”

“No witch bars near here; this was a documentary bar. You know what a sports bar is?”

“Well, you wouldn’t find me in one but yeah”

“Doc bar shows science documentaries”

“Fuck off”

“Trust me, you’ll love it. Anyway there was this film of declassified 1950s nuclear tests. I always wondered how they got the data from all those instruments after the explosion”

“And?”

“Ghost oscilloscopes. Instrumentation on the astral plane with the probes made of consecrated silver, existing in both realms”

“Bullshit, Anyway your multimeter?”

“I Shifted one of mine, this ring is the probe. Lets me feel voltages within a meter or so”

“This rig can wait. You’re making me one, now”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

"So, I came here because I heard about the Princess," said the knight.

"And?" she asked.

"And the hoard..."

"Well?"

"The thing is, I've wondered ever since then. How DO you hoard dragons?"

----

#MicroFiction #TootFic inspired by @MicroSFF

"What is the deal with knights anyway?" the dragon asked. "What do you see in them?"

"I was told," the maiden said, "that they're very fit thanks to all training. And that I should admire men who are good at violence."

"Hm. And do you?"

"What else is there?"

"Hah! I'll let my princess tell you!"

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

McGruff's Bridge Part 2 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 Hobgoblin

An hour passed, and Saya began to drowse. The water of the stream sang her a lullaby, and the sweet smell of grass lulled her senses. The troll had long disappeared from view, its camouflaged skin blending with the stone of the bridge.

“Ah,” she said and pinched herself as a witch with two long blonde braids approached. The gray road dust begrimed her white coat and brown pants. And as the Charcoal Witch had guessed, a cloud of tobacco smoke surrounded the new figure.

“Who’s that crossing my bridge?” the troll bellowed as the woman neared the center of the span. Both of the troll’s hands and a set of horns, like rotting stink horn fungus, appeared over the parapet. A lopsided head with hair like Spanish moss; gigantic, goggling frog eyes; and jagged yellow teeth soon followed.

“I’m Sheila, the Adventurer of Nike, and who wants to know?” the witch replied, blowing blue-gray smoke toward the face.

“Cough, I’m… cough, McGruff the… cough, Troll, and I’m going to eat you, Miss Nike.”

“You’re not my type, big boy,” the witch said and blew another cloud of smoke toward the troll. “But there is a fair maiden close behind me in black robes and a pointy hat, with ashen hair and amethyst eyes. Oh, and she has a witch’s star like this,” and she pointed to one pinned to her coat.

Puff, puff.

“And you might ask, Mr McRuffian, who this person is?” Sheila continued. “It is Elaine, the Ashen Witch.”

[That’s me, the Wandering Witch!]

“Cough, cough. You stink!” the troll gasped.

Shiela readied her wand. “Have at me, big boy!”

“I’ll wait.” Cough. “I’d rather eat a #hobgoblin than you.”

“Humph,” Shiela said and continued on her way. Upon reaching Saya, her eyebrows went up.

Saya waved to a grassy spot downwind of her and said, “Shall we wait and see what Elaine does?”

Shiela nodded and took a seat.

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

McGruff's Bridge Part 2 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 Hobgoblin

An hour passed, and Saya began to drowse. The water of the stream sang her a lullaby, and the sweet smell of grass lulled her senses. The troll had long disappeared from view, its camouflaged skin blending with the stone of the bridge.

“Ah,” she said and pinched herself as a witch with two long blonde braids approached. The gray road dust begrimed her white coat and brown pants. And as the Charcoal Witch had guessed, a cloud of tobacco smoke surrounded the new figure.

“Who’s that crossing my bridge?” the troll bellowed as the woman neared the center of the span. Both of the troll’s hands and a set of horns, like rotting stink horn fungus, appeared over the parapet. A lopsided head with hair like Spanish moss; gigantic, goggling frog eyes; and jagged yellow teeth soon followed.

“I’m Sheila, the Adventurer of Nike, and who wants to know?” the witch replied, blowing blue-gray smoke toward the face.

“Cough, I’m… cough, McGruff the… cough, Troll, and I’m going to eat you, Miss Nike.”

“You’re not my type, big boy,” the witch said and blew another cloud of smoke toward the troll. “But there is a fair maiden close behind me in black robes and a pointy hat, with ashen hair and amethyst eyes. Oh, and she has a witch’s star like this,” and she pointed to one pinned to her coat.

Puff, puff.

“And you might ask, Mr McRuffian, who this person is?” Sheila continued. “It is Elaine, the Ashen Witch.”

[That’s me, the Wandering Witch!]

“Cough, cough. You stink!” the troll gasped.

Shiela readied her wand. “Have at me, big boy!”

“I’ll wait.” Cough. “I’d rather eat a #hobgoblin than you.”

“Humph,” Shiela said and continued on her way. Upon reaching Saya, her eyebrows went up.

Saya waved to a grassy spot downwind of her and said, “Shall we wait and see what Elaine does?”

Shiela nodded and took a seat.

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

Layout

'Come on, Theseus, you've trained this time, haven't you?'

'Yes ! But I could see the whole layout on the parchment then! And I could trace the way with my finger! And, most importantly, I was not being tailed by a homicidal monster!'

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 54
#Wss366 Steer #TimeTravelAuthors 7/24 What ever

The servants we were tailing gossiped about events in the castle. One woman was talking about something that happened by the well, and the others tried to #steer her away from the subject, especially as we drew near the guards at the gate.

Sumika edged closer to them, trying to eavesdrop, but all we could make out was, “Well, I wouldn’t have turned the Lord down! What did she expect?” This may or may not have had anything to do with Okiku, but it sounded ominous.

One good thing came of the discussion, though. The other ladies looked at the young gossip with distaste and tried to draw away from her. However, she was oblivious and followed them, so they ended up milling just outside the gates.

The guards seemed more interested in watching the show than doing their duty, and we slipped into the fortress.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 54
#Wss366 Steer #TimeTravelAuthors 7/24 What ever

The servants we were tailing gossiped about events in the castle. One woman was talking about something that happened by the well, and the others tried to #steer her away from the subject, especially as we drew near the guards at the gate.

Sumika edged closer to them, trying to eavesdrop, but all we could make out was, “Well, I wouldn’t have turned the Lord down! What did she expect?” This may or may not have had anything to do with Okiku, but it sounded ominous.

One good thing came of the discussion, though. The other ladies looked at the young gossip with distaste and tried to draw away from her. However, she was oblivious and followed them, so they ended up milling just outside the gates.

The guards seemed more interested in watching the show than doing their duty, and we slipped into the fortress.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

“Uh, hi, it’s Kevin…”

“Heh, I didn’t know synths used telephones, can’t you just use your head or something”

“Karen’s policy, sick leave on her team must be phoned in, voice call no texting. Between you and me it’s borderline racist.”

“I didn’t know synths got sick, either.”

“Snapped a belt in my hip drive, can’t get out of bed”

“Bed, gee I’m learning a lot today!”

“Oh, honey, you have no idea, but this conversation is getting enn ess eff dubleyoo. I’ll buy you a drink sometime and fill you in?”

“Uh, sure. Putting you through to Karen. Bye!” *click*. “YESSSSS!!!”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

“Uh, hi, it’s Kevin…”

“Heh, I didn’t know synths used telephones, can’t you just use your head or something”

“Karen’s policy, sick leave on her team must be phoned in, voice call no texting. Between you and me it’s borderline racist.”

“I didn’t know synths got sick, either.”

“Snapped a belt in my hip drive, can’t get out of bed”

“Bed, gee I’m learning a lot today!”

“Oh, honey, you have no idea, but this conversation is getting enn ess eff dubleyoo. I’ll buy you a drink sometime and fill you in?”

“Uh, sure. Putting you through to Karen. Bye!” *click*. “YESSSSS!!!”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

The message from the stars began with a sequence of numbers, but the rest took years to decode. Most was context to translate the message: "Those are the winning lottery numbers."

The numbers matched the next draw after the message was first received.

Now we received another sequence...

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

McGruff's Bridge Part 1 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 #Troll

Saya, the Charcoal Witch, hurried down the road, an urgent summons by the United Magic Association in her robes. Above, wheeled the country’s red and white Gulls. “Nasty creatures,” she said to no one in particular. “If it hadn’t been for you, I’d have finished this trip hours ago! I could have been flying, not walking.” She reached back and checked that she still had the tassel tying back her black hair. “Try to steal it, would you?”

The road she was on wound through a landscape of low scrub, climbing and falling as it paralleled the sea. The gray dust of the road had settled almost invisibly on her charcoal-gray robes but stained her black boots. Ahead lay the old stone McGruff’s Bridge, and a few miles beyond that lay the Three Goats Inn. White-walled, with a thick thatched roof, the inn would be warm. Saya dreamed of its smoky common room and the hot, steaming punch they served.

“D-mn gulls! If it weren’t for you, I’d be enjoying their punch with Elaina. She’s probably already there stuffing herself with their bread pudding and cream puffs.”

She turned to look behind her. Sheila, the third summoned witch, was just a dot cresting the ridge behind her. Saya could imagine the cloud of tobacco smoke that must surround her. It was going to be an interesting night when they all finally met up at the inn.

When she turned back, McGruff’s Bridge was in sight, its stone arch thick with lichen.

Hurrying forward, she was soon on it.

“Who’s that crossing my bridge?” came a booming voice from under her. At the same time, a mottled, gray hand the size of a dinner plate appeared on the edge of the parapet. It would have been hard to tell it from the lichen-encrusted stone if Saya hadn’t seen it appear.

“It’s little old Saya, the Charcoal Witch,” she responded and readied her wand.

“Well, Charcoal Saya, I am the #troll of McGruff’s Bridge, and I’m going to eat you.”

A second hand appeared with gnarled knuckles like walnuts.

“Mr. Troll, you don’t want to eat me. I’m small and have scrawny limbs like matchsticks. I would barely make a bite for you. But in a few years when I come back I will be nice and plump. Besides, another witch will be along in a moment, and she is full grown, tender, moist and juicy.”

“She is big?”

“Much bigger than I, sir.”

“She is tender?”

“Absolutely, sir. And sweet. Her teacher fed her nothing but milk, honey, and sweet baby vegetables.”

“Then you may pass, but I will expect you back in a few years.”

Saya hurried off the bridge and found a place to settle under an elm. The tree stood on a little hill and overlooked the bridge. Its rustling leaves blended with the rippling sound of water.

“What a delightful view,” she said. “This should be interesting.”

[Continued tomorrow]

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

McGruff's Bridge Part 1 of 3

#Fanfic #WanderingWitch #ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
#Wss366 #Troll

Saya, the Charcoal Witch, hurried down the road, an urgent summons by the United Magic Association in her robes. Above, wheeled the country’s red and white Gulls. “Nasty creatures,” she said to no one in particular. “If it hadn’t been for you, I’d have finished this trip hours ago! I could have been flying, not walking.” She reached back and checked that she still had the tassel tying back her black hair. “Try to steal it, would you?”

The road she was on wound through a landscape of low scrub, climbing and falling as it paralleled the sea. The gray dust of the road had settled almost invisibly on her charcoal-gray robes but stained her black boots. Ahead lay the old stone McGruff’s Bridge, and a few miles beyond that lay the Three Goats Inn. White-walled, with a thick thatched roof, the inn would be warm. Saya dreamed of its smoky common room and the hot, steaming punch they served.

“D-mn gulls! If it weren’t for you, I’d be enjoying their punch with Elaina. She’s probably already there stuffing herself with their bread pudding and cream puffs.”

She turned to look behind her. Sheila, the third summoned witch, was just a dot cresting the ridge behind her. Saya could imagine the cloud of tobacco smoke that must surround her. It was going to be an interesting night when they all finally met up at the inn.

When she turned back, McGruff’s Bridge was in sight, its stone arch thick with lichen.

Hurrying forward, she was soon on it.

“Who’s that crossing my bridge?” came a booming voice from under her. At the same time, a mottled, gray hand the size of a dinner plate appeared on the edge of the parapet. It would have been hard to tell it from the lichen-encrusted stone if Saya hadn’t seen it appear.

“It’s little old Saya, the Charcoal Witch,” she responded and readied her wand.

“Well, Charcoal Saya, I am the #troll of McGruff’s Bridge, and I’m going to eat you.”

A second hand appeared with gnarled knuckles like walnuts.

“Mr. Troll, you don’t want to eat me. I’m small and have scrawny limbs like matchsticks. I would barely make a bite for you. But in a few years when I come back I will be nice and plump. Besides, another witch will be along in a moment, and she is full grown, tender, moist and juicy.”

“She is big?”

“Much bigger than I, sir.”

“She is tender?”

“Absolutely, sir. And sweet. Her teacher fed her nothing but milk, honey, and sweet baby vegetables.”

“Then you may pass, but I will expect you back in a few years.”

Saya hurried off the bridge and found a place to settle under an elm. The tree stood on a little hill and overlooked the bridge. Its rustling leaves blended with the rippling sound of water.

“What a delightful view,” she said. “This should be interesting.”

[Continued tomorrow]

#TootFic #FairyTale #FracturedFairyTale #Mythpunk #NMFic

The tiny island community surveyed the devastation the typhoon had caused. Fishing boats were tossed onto the land, buildings levelled, and the bridge linking them to the next island had been torn apart by the waves.

On the horizon, the wall of the other side of the typhoon's eye approached.

From inside the storm shelter a voice yelled "There's an aid flight coming in! Wait! No! No! They've taken a lightning hit, and lost power! They're going down!"

The few who had left to do a quick survey ran back, but just as they reached the entrance they froze as a terrific roar filled the air.

Looking back, they saw a huge shadow in the storm wall. The enraged roar came again, and a giant reptilian shape burst from the clouds, bat-like wings beating against the wind.

The dragon flew at the island, and landed just outside the shelter, wings covering most of the remains of the settlement's buildings.

In the dragon's left foreclaw was the fuselage of an aircraft, wings ripped off. It set it down.

The hatch opened, and a woman got out. She looked up. The dragon raised its head and stared at her. "I told you I should have made the flight" it growled.
"If it hadn't been for that lightning strike, I would have been fine."
"And yet here we are."
"Sorry, love."
"You are safe now, that is all that really matters. And the emergency supplies are here."
The woman looked at the small group huddled at the entrance to the storm shelter.
"And this is why I thought I should do it."
The dragon lowered its head. "I suppose."
She called out "Don't worry, she's here to help. I need a hand getting the supplies out before the eye passes. Come *on*."
One man, braver than the others started towards her. "Miss?"
"Freddy", she gestured to the dragon, "and this is Emerald." She climbed back in, and a larger hatch at the rear opened. "Come on, form a chain. Quickly!"

The rest of the small group who had ventured out, formed a line, and passed the packages of supplies and equipment into the shelter.

Emerald rumbled "Inside Freddy. I'll guard."

Freddy reached up, and kissed Emerald's snout "Thanks for the save, love", then she turned and ran into the shelter.

The doors closed just as the winds of the typhoon hit again. Emerald gripped the ground, and used her wings to protect the wrecked aircraft. It might be so much junk now, but it was Freddy's pride and joy. So she would protect what was left of it.

#SF #SFF #Fantasy #microfiction #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting #Dragon

The tiny island community surveyed the devastation the typhoon had caused. Fishing boats were tossed onto the land, buildings levelled, and the bridge linking them to the next island had been torn apart by the waves.

On the horizon, the wall of the other side of the typhoon's eye approached.

From inside the storm shelter a voice yelled "There's an aid flight coming in! Wait! No! No! They've taken a lightning hit, and lost power! They're going down!"

The few who had left to do a quick survey ran back, but just as they reached the entrance they froze as a terrific roar filled the air.

Looking back, they saw a huge shadow in the storm wall. The enraged roar came again, and a giant reptilian shape burst from the clouds, bat-like wings beating against the wind.

The dragon flew at the island, and landed just outside the shelter, wings covering most of the remains of the settlement's buildings.

In the dragon's left foreclaw was the fuselage of an aircraft, wings ripped off. It set it down.

The hatch opened, and a woman got out. She looked up. The dragon raised its head and stared at her. "I told you I should have made the flight" it growled.
"If it hadn't been for that lightning strike, I would have been fine."
"And yet here we are."
"Sorry, love."
"You are safe now, that is all that really matters. And the emergency supplies are here."
The woman looked at the small group huddled at the entrance to the storm shelter.
"And this is why I thought I should do it."
The dragon lowered its head. "I suppose."
She called out "Don't worry, she's here to help. I need a hand getting the supplies out before the eye passes. Come *on*."
One man, braver than the others started towards her. "Miss?"
"Freddy", she gestured to the dragon, "and this is Emerald." She climbed back in, and a larger hatch at the rear opened. "Come on, form a chain. Quickly!"

The rest of the small group who had ventured out, formed a line, and passed the packages of supplies and equipment into the shelter.

Emerald rumbled "Inside Freddy. I'll guard."

Freddy reached up, and kissed Emerald's snout "Thanks for the save, love", then she turned and ran into the shelter.

The doors closed just as the winds of the typhoon hit again. Emerald gripped the ground, and used her wings to protect the wrecked aircraft. It might be so much junk now, but it was Freddy's pride and joy. So she would protect what was left of it.

#SF #SFF #Fantasy #microfiction #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting #Dragon

@ami_angelwings
The Catgirl Visitation 2/2

Doctor Smith started to stand, and Silver jumped down from the arm of the chair to help him. "Lady Miller", he inclined his head, "I am Doctor Smith, and this is Silver."
Ami felt Twilly go very still next to her.
"You" Twilly hissed.
Silver tensed again, but the older man just raised a hand "I suspected you might recognise me. I come seeking aid."
Twilly made her fur settle, and then took the seat opposite the one the doctor had been sitting in. "Rayo, please serve tea."
Rayo brought the trolley over, and served tea, first to Silver, then to Lady Miller, then the doctor, and finally to Ami.
Twilly took a sip, exhaled, and then spoke "Now Doctor Smith, why should I aid you?"
"Because I am dying, Lady Miller. And Ai was not the first cyborg I built. The project that created Ai let me siphon off materials to create Silver here."
"Why?"
"Because my dear little girl was dying, Lady Miller. She was dying. Cancer. But I still had to deliver on the project. I knew the late Lady Miller had been snooping around. I may have been less careful than I should have been with some records."
"On purpose."
"Indeed."
"And how can the Catgirl Trust aid you, doctor?"
"It was Silver's idea, although she has since had second, third, fourth, fifth, and many subsequent thoughts about it. I find it elegant."
"And what is that idea?"
"That your people, aided by my blueprints, should do to me what I did to my kitten."
"Again, why?"
Silver spoke up "Because Joseph is dying, Lady Miller. Lung cancer."
Ami inspected the doctor with more care "Metastasised?" she asked.
"Yes. The estimates are three to six months" Silver replied.

Twilly looked from Silver, hovering over the doctor protectively, to the doctor himself, and then looked to Ami. "Second opinion?"
Ami considered for a moment "It is a big step for us, but I think your mother would approve."
"I agree. And he did what he could to save Silver. Rayo?"
"Señora, it feels right."
"Ai," Twilly raised her voice a fraction, "Come meet your sister."
The door opened and Ai entered cautiously "Sister?"
"Yes, Ai, this is Silver. And Doctor Smith, I believe we can help you."

#Catgirls #SF #SFF #SciFi #microfiction #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting

@ami_angelwings
The Catgirl Visitation 2/2

Doctor Smith started to stand, and Silver jumped down from the arm of the chair to help him. "Lady Miller", he inclined his head, "I am Doctor Smith, and this is Silver."
Ami felt Twilly go very still next to her.
"You" Twilly hissed.
Silver tensed again, but the older man just raised a hand "I suspected you might recognise me. I come seeking aid."
Twilly made her fur settle, and then took the seat opposite the one the doctor had been sitting in. "Rayo, please serve tea."
Rayo brought the trolley over, and served tea, first to Silver, then to Lady Miller, then the doctor, and finally to Ami.
Twilly took a sip, exhaled, and then spoke "Now Doctor Smith, why should I aid you?"
"Because I am dying, Lady Miller. And Ai was not the first cyborg I built. The project that created Ai let me siphon off materials to create Silver here."
"Why?"
"Because my dear little girl was dying, Lady Miller. She was dying. Cancer. But I still had to deliver on the project. I knew the late Lady Miller had been snooping around. I may have been less careful than I should have been with some records."
"On purpose."
"Indeed."
"And how can the Catgirl Trust aid you, doctor?"
"It was Silver's idea, although she has since had second, third, fourth, fifth, and many subsequent thoughts about it. I find it elegant."
"And what is that idea?"
"That your people, aided by my blueprints, should do to me what I did to my kitten."
"Again, why?"
Silver spoke up "Because Joseph is dying, Lady Miller. Lung cancer."
Ami inspected the doctor with more care "Metastasised?" she asked.
"Yes. The estimates are three to six months" Silver replied.

Twilly looked from Silver, hovering over the doctor protectively, to the doctor himself, and then looked to Ami. "Second opinion?"
Ami considered for a moment "It is a big step for us, but I think your mother would approve."
"I agree. And he did what he could to save Silver. Rayo?"
"Señora, it feels right."
"Ai," Twilly raised her voice a fraction, "Come meet your sister."
The door opened and Ai entered cautiously "Sister?"
"Yes, Ai, this is Silver. And Doctor Smith, I believe we can help you."

#Catgirls #SF #SFF #SciFi #microfiction #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting

The Catgirl Visitation 1/2

Outside of routine deliveries, visitors to the Miller manor were rare. Rarer still were unexpected visitors. It was, therefore, a source of considerable curiosity when a cab - all the way from London - pulled up unannounced on a Monday morning. But as curious as everyone was, no-one approached. They waited.

Two people got out. One had a tail.

Rayo, dressed in an approximation of a butler's uniform, answered the door. Standing at the door was a man in his fifties, just starting to grey at the temples, leaning on a cane. Next to him was a catgirl with bright blue ears and tail, dressed in a neat business blazer and skirt.
"Good morning. I am Doctor Joseph Smith, and this is Silver. I apologise for arriving unannounced, but I need to speak with Lady Twillychiss Miller", his voice had a slight wheeze to it, but still had a strength.
Rayo considered the pair for a moment before replying "Of course, señor Doctor and señorita Silver. This way."

She led them into a study, and went to Twilly's office. "Señora Miller? There are guests in the west room. A Doctor Smith, and one of us, señora, named Silver."

Twilly put down the intelligence report and looked up "I don't recognise either of those names. How curious. Please fetch tea, and I will be down in a moment."
After Rayo departed, Twilly picked up the phone "Please have Ai and Ami join me outside the west room in five minutes."

In the west room, Silver perched on the arm of the chair that Doctor Smith was sitting in "Are you sure about this, Joseph?" she asked.
"Yes, Silver, for the umpteenth time, yes, I am sure."
"I sensed many weapon systems in the area."
"We expected that. Your sister, at least, is here."
"All the same, I don't know that I can keep you safe."
"They are being polite so far. What about the one that answered the door."
"She had no weapons. I think she was completely biological."
"See? Quite polite."
"There are three of them outside. One has extensive weaponry" Silver's eyes widened as she spoke, and her tail started to lash.
"Easy now - they are probably just taking some precautions."

The door opened, and the Siamese-coloured butler catgirl entered "Lady Twillychiss Miller and señorita Ami" she announced . Rayo left the door open for a moment, then wheeled in a tea trolley. She stood by it, closing the door.

#Catgirls #SFF #SF #SciFi #microfic #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting

@ami_angelwings your namesake is back on screen :)

The Catgirl Visitation 1/2

Outside of routine deliveries, visitors to the Miller manor were rare. Rarer still were unexpected visitors. It was, therefore, a source of considerable curiosity when a cab - all the way from London - pulled up unannounced on a Monday morning. But as curious as everyone was, no-one approached. They waited.

Two people got out. One had a tail.

Rayo, dressed in an approximation of a butler's uniform, answered the door. Standing at the door was a man in his fifties, just starting to grey at the temples, leaning on a cane. Next to him was a catgirl with bright blue ears and tail, dressed in a neat business blazer and skirt.
"Good morning. I am Doctor Joseph Smith, and this is Silver. I apologise for arriving unannounced, but I need to speak with Lady Twillychiss Miller", his voice had a slight wheeze to it, but still had a strength.
Rayo considered the pair for a moment before replying "Of course, señor Doctor and señorita Silver. This way."

She led them into a study, and went to Twilly's office. "Señora Miller? There are guests in the west room. A Doctor Smith, and one of us, señora, named Silver."

Twilly put down the intelligence report and looked up "I don't recognise either of those names. How curious. Please fetch tea, and I will be down in a moment."
After Rayo departed, Twilly picked up the phone "Please have Ai and Ami join me outside the west room in five minutes."

In the west room, Silver perched on the arm of the chair that Doctor Smith was sitting in "Are you sure about this, Joseph?" she asked.
"Yes, Silver, for the umpteenth time, yes, I am sure."
"I sensed many weapon systems in the area."
"We expected that. Your sister, at least, is here."
"All the same, I don't know that I can keep you safe."
"They are being polite so far. What about the one that answered the door."
"She had no weapons. I think she was completely biological."
"See? Quite polite."
"There are three of them outside. One has extensive weaponry" Silver's eyes widened as she spoke, and her tail started to lash.
"Easy now - they are probably just taking some precautions."

The door opened, and the Siamese-coloured butler catgirl entered "Lady Twillychiss Miller and señorita Ami" she announced . Rayo left the door open for a moment, then wheeled in a tea trolley. She stood by it, closing the door.

#Catgirls #SFF #SF #SciFi #microfic #microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting

@ami_angelwings your namesake is back on screen :)

A spaceship landed in the park. A door dilated and a distraught alien emerged.

"What's happened to the library? It's gone! The one thing your civilization had going-"

"They moved to a new building," a passer-by said. "Don't you have ways of finding these things out?"

"Yes. I ask at the library."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

Nitpick

Ok, technically the "Total Wipe" satellite gigawatt laser that was supposed to eradicate all billionaires from the planet missed a hundred, but seeing as they have suddenly decided to massively fund everyone's wellbeing, let's not nitpick.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

The plumber turns up and he’s flying an empire-surplus star destroyer. No, you can’t park that thing inside our orbital zone it’s completely inappropriate. “But I neeeed it for WORKKKK” he whines. Fucking tradies, being, it’s all about ovipositor size with those exhaust ports.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

The plumber turns up and he’s flying an empire-surplus star destroyer. No, you can’t park that thing inside our orbital zone it’s completely inappropriate. “But I neeeed it for WORKKKK” he whines. Fucking tradies, being, it’s all about ovipositor size with those exhaust ports.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

"Excuse me," the man at the bar said, "but I couldn't help overhearing. Are you really saying you refuse to pick one?"

"I don't see why I should have to."

"It's a core part of one's identity!"

"My gender and sexuality-"

"Oh!" He looked relieved. "I thought you were talking about football teams."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

#TimeTravelingGhost EP 11: Post 119, 1191, The Castle of Nicosia

#Wss366 North #TimeTravelAuthors 07/25. unite/together

Things in the council chamber soon settled back to how they had been before, with people ignoring me. I was small potatoes and, having incurred the ire of Sir Conrad, I was not someone to befriend.

Meanwhile, talk of King Richard advancing from the #north towards the Holy City was rife at one end of the room. On the other side of the room, Sir Conrad was extolling the need to #unite under his banner, emphasizing how feuding over the throne of Jerusalem weakened the defense of the lands they’d secured. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I warned him that he would be assassinated by the end of next year.

Silence fell as two knights entered and ascended the dais. Everyone rose, and the Templars dropped to one knee. The rest of us bowed our heads as a lean, muscular man followed them. His face was that of a warrior: short, grey-streaked hair, darkly tanned, a trimmed beard, and a scar over his left eye. A lapin dressed as a Templar page stood on either side of him.

His human attendants announced, “Sir Robert IV de Sablé, Grand Master of the Holy and Valiant Order of the Knights Templar, Lord of Cyprus.”

#TootFic #NMFic #TimeTravel #HistoricalFantasy #UrbanFantasy #Mythpunk #Serial #Slowburn #Templar #Templars

#TimeTravelingGhost EP 11: Post 119, 1191, The Castle of Nicosia

#Wss366 North #TimeTravelAuthors 07/25. unite/together

Things in the council chamber soon settled back to how they had been before, with people ignoring me. I was small potatoes and, having incurred the ire of Sir Conrad, I was not someone to befriend.

Meanwhile, talk of King Richard advancing from the #north towards the Holy City was rife at one end of the room. On the other side of the room, Sir Conrad was extolling the need to #unite under his banner, emphasizing how feuding over the throne of Jerusalem weakened the defense of the lands they’d secured. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I warned him that he would be assassinated by the end of next year.

Silence fell as two knights entered and ascended the dais. Everyone rose, and the Templars dropped to one knee. The rest of us bowed our heads as a lean, muscular man followed them. His face was that of a warrior: short, grey-streaked hair, darkly tanned, a trimmed beard, and a scar over his left eye. A lapin dressed as a Templar page stood on either side of him.

His human attendants announced, “Sir Robert IV de Sablé, Grand Master of the Holy and Valiant Order of the Knights Templar, Lord of Cyprus.”

#TootFic #NMFic #TimeTravel #HistoricalFantasy #UrbanFantasy #Mythpunk #Serial #Slowburn

Typo

A typo in a deal with the Devil always has major consequences. Take for instance Norman Faust, who, apparently, wanted health beyond the dreams of a varice, and was struck with it for the whole agreed-upon ten years.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

“We are sorry but your civilisation has not met one of the Galactic Commons membership criteria. We will return next rotation to reassess you.”

“Oh, Darn. Was it the wars? We could stop—well, try to.”

“Alas it is more serious; the single planetary paper size requirement. We admire your A series; perhaps if you focused your wars on the recalcitrants?”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

“We are sorry but your civilisation has not met one of the Galactic Commons membership criteria. We will return next rotation to reassess you.”

“Oh, Darn. Was it the wars? We could stop—well, try to.”

“Alas it is more serious; the single planetary paper size requirement. We admire your A series; perhaps if you focused your wars on the recalcitrants?”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

Control

Wizards systematically control every new spell in order to to assess its effectiveness.

Witches systematically control every new spell in order to ensure that it poses no risk to others.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

As one of only two permanent members of the UN security council without any superpowers, the Confederated Tribes of North America relies on technology shaped by their cultural heritage.

Did AI write that? Skip to the cool part about how Holy Roman X-Legion magnetic powers were no defense against nuclear-tipped wooden arrows.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

As one of only two permanent members of the UN security council without any superpowers, the Confederated Tribes of North America relies on technology shaped by their cultural heritage.

Did AI write that? Skip to the cool part about how Holy Roman X-Legion magnetic powers were no defense against nuclear-tipped wooden arrows.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

"I'm bored," Zenon said. "Are we there yet?"

"I told you," Odysseus growled, "to stop asking that."

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do, somehow double the time we have left to go?"

"Yes! Every time you ask! Just to spite you!"

"Pfff. Are we there yet?"

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

My mother began to cry as we left Dr. Briar's office. Nothing dramatic, just small tears and shallow breaths that made it past the chaos in her head.

Irremediable.

Her hand was squeezing mine so hard that it hurt, but I understood. Through the crowds of the city and the subway, she held me and only let go when we stood before my room.

I took a big step to avoid the bleached spot on the floor, lay on the bed, and shut my eyes. The door closed, and I could hear her slump against it. Sobbing.

Sadness welled up in me as I reached out into the darkness behind my eyes with my hurting hand.

They coalesced from the shifting haze and flashes, reaching for the pain in my fingers and my soul, tearing it away, but it just whetted their appetite.

They turned towards the door, lusting for the sensation that lay behind, and it took all of me to hold them back.

All of me and the promise of another sacrifice.

#writing #microfiction #tootfic #smallstories

::This plan has risks, Dominic::

_/Yes, but so does doing nothing, Nesso. The team - my fictional characters - becoming self-aware is nothing short of a miracle. I want to do everything possible to preserve that, and this is the first step. They can't exist on this laptop forever/_

Dominic re-checked the settings of the cloud infrastructure he configured. Clones of his laptop, and the team with it, would be installed in three different data centers around the world, for geographic redundancy.

The AI interjected again. ::The team exists purely in the stories. Will those stories now diverge?::

_/No, we'll keep them in sync. A story published to any one of these data centers will be copied to the others within milliseconds/_

::Will they experience that delay?::

_/If they do, it'll look like-/_

::A black cat walking by?::

_/Who let you have access to "The Matrix"? Again?/_

#MicroFiction #FlashFiction #TootFic #ShortStory #SciFi #ScienceFiction

“Ow my eyes! What is that thing?”

“It’s a lightbulb”

“Make it stop!”

“Better?”

“No, it’s too dark, why is there no light? Are your walls broken?”

“Oh, I get it. This building predates SmartPaint™. Have you really not been in a room with a lightbulb before?”

“Why would I want to do that? Next you’ll be telling me there’s no nullgrav in the bedroom.”

“I’m not sure you’re going to enjoy Earth…”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

A #Pastiche in Time: Algernon Blackwood Part 2 of 2

#FanFic #AlgernonBlackwood
#Wss366 Ace / Baron von Richthofen / Red Baron #TimeTravelAuthors Fixing

The doctor nodded encouragingly.

“It was when I returned it happened. I own a book containing rare and previously unpublished letters by Hemingway. To my astonishment, there was one from his time during the Spanish Civil War. In it, he perfectly described me and my prediction. Nothing has been the same since. The experiences grow ever longer, and I have increasing trouble waking. It’s not as if I can avoid them. A billboard can set it off or the blurb on a food package. On one occasion, Baron von Richthofen, a World War I #Ace, almost shot me as a spy. That was due to a serial box. Another time, a billboard for rum dumped me on a sugar plantation in Puerto Rico, and I was mistaken for a worker. The conditions were terrible. The sugar company treated the workers like slaves.”

“I am terrified every time it happens,” I said.

He nodded again, “Yes, that would be awful.”

I showed him my copy of “Three John Silence Stories” and said, “You have to help me; it’s happening again.”

[FINIS]

#TootFic #MicroFiction #NMFic #FanFiction #TimeTravel

“Oh no, what’s with the moon boot?”

“That storm last night; lightning strike caused a power glitch and the SoftStairs in my apartment phased out just as I was climbing them”

“Ouch, Sorry to hear that. Kinda glad I live in a house made of stone. “

“But programmable architecture is just so convenient—my cousin visited last month and we used a macro to temporarily rearrange our four bedrooms into five slightly smaller ones”

“Yeah nah, you can keep your I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-Matter thanks”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

A #Pastiche in Time: Algernon Blackwood Part 1 of 2

#FanFic #AlgernonBlackwood
#Wss366 Brief / Hemingway's birthday #TimeTravelAuthors Fixing

“Doctor Silence, it is the most disconcerting feeling. I can no longer read. If I pick up a book, I soon enter a fugue state and am transported to that time and place.”

I was seated in a room painted a calming green. A servant had provided me with a chair that was inexplicably nailed to the floor. The doctor sat across from me listening intently.

If I had to describe him, I would first say he matched his name. He gave off a quiet air of calm, despite an eerie aura. His whole manner left you convinced he was both incalculably benevolent and knowledgeable. As for his dress, he wore a tasteful plum smoking jacket, for I had arrived at his consult in the early evening, far past normal visiting hours.

“Go on,” he said. “How did it start?”

“The first time it happened, I was reading ‘Time Machine’ by H.G. Wells. I was nearing the end when I had the most realistic dream that I was walking under a dim sun by the sea. On the beach were alien, muddy-brown crabs of enormous size. The experience was quite #brief, and I awoke presently.”

“Only it wasn’t a dream, was it?” the doctor said.

I relaxed; he understood. I knew there was an alternate chamber with padded walls for delusional visitors. That they hadn’t taken me to it should have been reassuring, but it was good to see tangible evidence that Dr. Silence accepted my bizarre story.

“No, but I didn’t know it. It seemed too fantastic to think I was actually traveling to those times and places.”

Forgetting the chair was immobile, I attempted to scoot closer to my audience. After a nervous laugh, I continued. “I had several more experiences of this nature: a visit to the Khyber Pass; Paris during the French Revolution; and a 1920s speakeasy. I rather enjoyed the dreams. They were so vivid and realistic, each longer than the last. I felt quite safe, since if anything bad happens, I’ll wake up, which is something I can generally force myself to do.”

“When did you realize?” Silent asked.

“I was reading #Hemingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ and found myself in a crowded Spanish tavern. There was a fellow American there, and I offered to buy him a drink. We fell to talking, him about being a war correspondent. I was excited to actually be talking to a famous author and, well, one thing led to another, and I told him I was from the future and that the Republicans would lose the war. He laughed. I don’t think he believed me.”

[Continued tomorrow]

#TootFic #MicroFiction #NMFic #FanFiction #TimeTravel

Dominic's series of sci-fi stories featured a team of very intelligent characters. That were self-aware. And could talk to him through the fourth wall.

But a recent restart of his laptop threatened their existence.

"A good portion of a business continuity plan involves backing things up to the cloud," Sophia stated.

"And the question for us is whether we'd be preserved in the backup process," Enzo finished.

"Exactly. Author, what about-"

_/Virtualization?/_

Sophia smiled. "Yes - could we clone your laptop and put it in the cloud?"

_/Definitely/_

"But we'd want multiple copies in the cloud, for redundancy," Enzo said, hesitantly.

"Yes, but- oh," Sophia stopped short, realizing where Enzo was headed.

"Would that lead to multiple copies of us?"

A brief silence before Antonio exclaimed, "Multiverse!"

"No, no," Jacob responded. "Our story isn't a poem, this would be a multiPROSE."

#MicroFiction #FlashFiction #TootFic #ShortStory #SciFi #ScienceFiction

I lifted the nightly curfew on the RTC bus just long enough for a timestamp to squeeze through. 778333:3.

I sighed.

The noise from the party downstairs was bypassing all audio filters and manifested as rhythmical, physical jolts. Someone had invested in diabolical audio hardware.

I reached over to the other side of the bed, gently tapping Miun on the back.

“Any senseplugs left?” I whispered on the emerg frequency.

Instead of an answer, I got a dissatisfied grumble and a flying box, which bounced off my head.

For a few seconds I fumbled in the dark, then gave up and booted my eyes.

Empty.

I groaned.

#microfiction #writing #tootfic #smallstories #inspiredbyreallife

#WordWeavers 2026.07.20 — If your antagonist could improve one thing about themself, what would it be?

[Yes, I plan redemption arcs for my antagonists. Not saying they're easy to earn, or if they'll grow to deserve them.—R]

Improve himself? Learn how to make real friends, or figure out some way to do so. His current life as the goose that laid the golden egg is certainly comfortable, but lonely. His interlude with his courier (the woman MC of the story) made his loneliness worse because though she clearly hated him, she set that aside and demonstratively enjoyed having fun with him while remaining unerringly direct and open in their conversation, and now, that she's left, the house seems hollow. He knew what she felt. He's even thought of giving her all of the evidence he blackmailed her with, to see how she'd react, if maybe he could get her to join with him—but the syndicate that's made him its beating heart might react badly if she could freely leave if she chose to. His action might make her less safe, no, undoubtedly it would. He knows it's a bad idea. How can he make friends when he's as trapped by his own machinations as those he's trapped?

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

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“Fifty rounds of Winchester Silvertip in 25ACP please?”

“You still carrying that Beretta? God dammit it will be the death of you, gurl.”

“Meh, precision beats punch in the Werewolf hunt. Besides, the price of silver is fucking criminal right now. How’s business?”

“Well I’m not making any extra margin on ammo, all the profit goes to the stackers. This business in Persia is displacing a lot of Djinni. You want to make sure you have a fresh polishing cloth on you. Have this one, on the house”

“Miss Susan, your blood’s worth bottlin’”

“I am not aware of any cryptids susceptible to my vital fluids”

“Oh, you”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot

Desert-Hearts: Part 4 of 4 Alexandria II

#FanFiction #AscendanceOfABookworm #HanneloresFifthYear
#Wss366 Arabesque #ScribesAndMakers A can of worms of a barrel of monkeys?

•⋅☾A week later, Alexandria☽⋅•

“Would you be in a good mood?” Rozemyne asked Ferdinand.

It was a fair question, considering the dark circles under his eyes. He had spent the last three days in his private study. The duke met the question with a skeptical look as he took in the baked goods and an #arabesque tea-set on the table.

“I’m not in the mood for taste-testing. Ask a courtier; they’ll be happy to help,” was his reply.

“No, that’s not it. Hannelore sent these: rose-scented tea and cookies that their chief invented. They’re nice, like lemon drops. It’s like a White Day gift.”

Rozemyne’s voice trailed off. Her husband was smiling, and it sent a shiver through her. She recognized that expression. It was the smile of someone about to order the drowning of a litter of kittens.

His voice was as chilly as his smile, “I’m tired; we’ll talk later in your private room.”

Rozemyne frowned. Private discussions were never good, but later was better than now.

“She sent you a present too,” Rozemyne ventured, producing a white handkerchief. “She even embroidered it with cute cornflowers entwined with edelweiss.”

The duke sank into a chair, gulping a cup of tea, notwithstanding its temperature.

“Rozemyne, is this what you want?”

“No, it’s for you.”

“Rozemyne! Are you a total idiot!? They mistook your gifts for a marriage proposal. I knew they would. Since Hannelore can’t marry you, they assume you intend for her to become my second wife.”

“What? A marriage proposal?” the aub looked stunned.

“It’s obvious that at the next Council of Aubs, Dunkelfelger will approach me about this. If you wish to bring Hannelore here to be part of our family, I’ll agree. It wouldn’t hurt to have a stronger alliance with them. But if I accept, she becomes your responsibility. I have no interest in a second wife.”

Ferdinand rose. “Think about it. I will get your answer later.”

Rozemyne watched him leave. “Marry Hannelore? My book-buddy? Like in one of those yuri romances from my former life? Humm…”

[Continued in “Edelweiss Entwined”]

#TootFic #NMFic #Serial #Yuri #GL #Bookworm

“What the heck, why is there a wind turbine sitting on the ground in your backyard?”

“Granny flat!”

“What?”

“Well, you know how some offshore wind farms have keeperhomes where folk live under the turbines?”

“Yeah, never saw the point…”

“I grew up on one, it was magical! My mum retired last year but she misses the Life.”

“And?”

“And I got this turbine shell for a song at auction. She’s moving in next month.”

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot