swc megathread ⌕ nov 2024

Runaway--

Daily - From the drafts
300 words total
My drafts were never meant to see the light of day. I came up with this idea… like 5 years ago?

Orion woke, squinting the sun away from her eyes. It was odd- usually she woke in pitch darkness. Her room had no windows…. This wasn't her home. Snapping her hand to the side in search of a weapon, she darted upright, glancing around. She was in a small room, nicer than hers at home. It looked like it had been pulled together quite quickly out of scrap wood, but someone had done a good job of it. She glanced at the door. Hm- no locks. No one was trying to keep her in… but she did wonder how exactly she had gotten here. The ache on the back of her head pushed her towards fear. Why couldn't she remember??

A knock on the door.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Her knife is gone, so she grabs at the lantern by her bed, holding it like a weapon.

“Who is it?”

“A friend.” a deep voice replies, opening the door and stepping in.

Orion's first response isn't horror, or fear, but relief. The man standing in front of her sports carefully preened wings and twisted horns that raise high above his head. He's not human. He's like her.

She let the lanturn drop to the ground, and walked up to the man, offering a hand to shake.

“It appears so. How… how did I get here?”

“We grabbed you from the ‘sheriffs office. You looked in quite a state- and my sister insisted I didn’t just leave you.” He took her hand, shaking it and stepping aside to let her look out the door. “I'm Raylin, you could say I run things around here. Don't tell that to my sister, though.” He laughed lightly, but Orion didn't hear a single word. Because out the door, right in front of her eyes, was paradise.

--kitti-kat--

November 15th Daily || 361 words

Based off of one of my first novels called “Horse Heroes”. It was a story of young children who found magical horses and played around in the forest nearby with them all while keeping them away from some villain. I cannot show this, as it was on paper, and has likely been thrown out.

Alice had always wanted to discover something in her life. Her ideal career would be to examine the outdoors and find new life forms and independently research them. That's why she moved out to the cheapest home that was out in the middle of nowhere. Hey, It was next to a forest. It would've been impossible to say no.
So far, there had been no breakthroughs. Alice was getting a tad bit aggravated. It had been a couple of months, and she was surviving off practically nothing. Her entire living dwindled on her discoveries without an actual career stabilising her life during the beginning of her experimental job.
Though, one day, that finally changed.

On one of Alice’s walks throughout the forest, she felt this presence of warmth, despite it being about 10 degrees Celsius outside. She paused and looked in her surroundings. There appeared to be nothing causing such warmth. So, she continued walking. Suddenly, a horse galloped up to her. In the middle of the woods. It was a beige/yellow colour, with a ginger mane (think Ponyta/Rapidash from Pokemon, because I totally did not base this horse on it). Alice was intrigued, and petted the horse. It was hot to the touch, somehow. The horse instantly freaked out, backing up, their mane catching on fire. She instinctively also backed up from the horse, but took out her notebook, realising what this meant.
She may have made a discovery.
The horse looked over at Alice, and then galloped off. Alice decided to chase after the horse, wanting to learn more about this strange specimen. This led to an opening within the woods, and it was almost like a sanctuary. There was a crystal clear river, and acres upon acres of land to run around in. All of the sudden, a whole bunch of horses of rather unnatural colours began to emerge from the outside of the sanctuary. Each one of them had their own unique abilities. From ice powers to terraforming to even teleportation. One of them, an old looking horse with a grey mane, walked up to Alice.
“Hello, fellow human. And welcome to our Supernatural Sanctuary.”

Last edited by --kitti-kat-- (Nov. 15, 2024 23:13:57)

FairyAyla

Daily 14:
“Hello and welcome to the 3rd episode of Princess Cooking Show!” Cinderella said “We apologize for the…” Cinderella checked her notes “…3 year wait.”
“Today, we will be making Bird Seed Cake!” Belle said
“Hey, how come you get to choose?” Cinderella demanded
“Because YOU got to choose last time, plus we have a script.”
“Fine.”
“So to start, make some vanilla cake batter.” Belle said “And then fold in some sunflower seeds and any other seeds or nuts you like!”
“Make sure to get some rainbow sprinkles and frosting to eat while you work” Said Cinderella “We don’t want another maple butter cream incident…” Cinderella muttered
“Next, bake your cakes!” Belle said, putting two cake pans into the oven “And wait.”
“Once your cakes are done, take them out of the oven and stick a fork into your cakes. If it comes out clean, your cakes are done!” Belle said “Take them out of the pan, and level and cut off the caramelization. Then cut them in half.” Cinderella said, leveling and cutting off the caramelization, then cutting the cakes in half. “Then, take a jar of peanut butter, and some butter cream, and mix them together.” Belle said “Then put the butter cream into a piping bag, and pipe a fence on inside of your first layer of cake.” She said, doing so. “Then spread peanut butter, and put sunflower seeds and peanuts into it, then cover it with butter cream, then place the next layer on, and repeat until you don’t have any more cake. Then crumb coat and chill your cake with regular butter cream.” Cinderella said, crumb coating the cake then putting it into the fridge. “Once your cake is done chilling, ice it using your peanut butter butter cream. Then chill again.”
“After you cake is chilled, top it off with nuts and seeds, and decorated however you like!” Said Belle. “See ya next time on…”

“The princess cooking show!”

326 words

-WildClan-

(I used a character I made for the 4th weekly of the March ‘23 session. This story doesn’t necessarily take place in the same world or storyline, though. Or maybe it does. I actually have no clue.)

Flirf stared vacantly at the shattered glass.
It did not look like something he should put in his mouth. After a minute of getting past that initial thought, Flirf realized that he should probably be concerned about why there was shattered glass all over the ground in front of his house.
He trotted over to investigate.
Sniffing the air, Flirf noticed the scent of a stranger, seemingly fresh. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make out much more than that without shifting into his dog form, which he wasn’t really supposed to do when there could be regular humans watching.
So he utilized his human eyes instead, noting the broken window. Yes, that seemed to be where the glass fragments came from.
He skirted the sharp fragments and crept up the window, peeking over the ledge. There was a ball in there.
A ball!
Flirf loved balls! It was a gift, just for him! This one seemed a bit too large for him to pick up in his mouth, though, in either of his forms. He raced around to the door to get inside and inspect the unexpected present anyway.
It had not moved by the time he reached his living room. Not that he had been expecting it to. It was just good to be sure.
He reached down with his front limbs and picked up the ball. He turned it with his hands, sniffing it carefully. The stranger’s scent was definitely strong. This ball must have come from them! But who would send this gift to him?
It wasn’t the scent of any of his friends, not even his weird-smelling ones. It certainly wasn’t anything like his parents’ powerful aroma. Maybe it was someone from school? There were too many people’s scents there to remember them all.
A thought struck Flirf so hard that he dropped the ball, sending it rolling away to bump against the couch.
He blinked and had the thought again, just to be sure he had heard his brain correctly the first time.
Someone who he didn’t know sending him a present… That could only mean…
Flirf had a secret admirer!

Last edited by -WildClan- (Nov. 15, 2024 23:53:17)

AmazaEevee

Daily #15
11/15/2024
357 words

I glance at the world below me through my giant brown telescope. Hm…

There have been some crumbs scattered across the forest floor for a few days and footprints accompanying them. I know that the animals would never litter, much less leave prints that look strikingly like hiking boots.
I swivel around in my chair, hopping out and skipping down the stairs. I’d been examining the world from my tower for long enough, it’s time to get to some real investigating…
Landing at the bottom of my staircase, I quickly grab my jacket hanging at the end of the rail, sliding one arm in while simultaneously hopping on one leg to put on a boot. My foot just won’t get- ah, there we go. My boot rattles while I try to get my foot to feel right. And then it’s out the door, we go!

One lap around the house tells me that there has been no one here recently other than the birds. I should really refill the birdfeeder soon; if I run out of bird seeds for them to snack on, then they end up eating the candy off of my house and that’s even more of a pain to replace. However, the idea of people visiting my forest is not an amusing idea in the slightest.

I know, I know, it’s not my forest, but it’s still my home. And no one ever comes here. Usually the idea of a food witch sends everyone off screaming, especially when they see my giant lollipop wand. (It’s just for show, it does nothing. What, you think my magic comes from that thing? Pfft-)

As far as I can tell, the bread crumb litterers haven't gotten close enough to my house yet. But I can’t be sure. I whistle a familiar tune, one I know the birds are accustomed to and stroll down the path, until I come across the bread crumbs. I whistle for a little longer and a smile crosses my face when the birds land on my shoulders and around me, pecking at the crumbs. I can at least try to protect my home.

opheliio

On the morning of the first day of the rest of her life, Hazel Brown woke to an earthquake and the smell of fresh baked bread. The second was easily attributed to her mother, who loved nothing more than baking in the early morning. To parse the second, Hazel opened her eyes, just slightly, before popping up with a grin. “Evie!”
There, bouncing up and down on her bed, was her best friend in the world, Evie Bright. “Hazel!” she answered with just as much glee, catapulting herself onto Hazel and wrapping her in her arms. “Today is the day! Can you believe it’s finally here!”
With a laugh, Hazel gave Evie a big squeeze before the other girl pulled away and started dragging her out of bed. Ever since receiving their acceptance notices to the Academy for Preservation and Protection Scholars — the two letters came on the same day; they had just known they would both get in, how could they not? — Evie and Hazel had been counting down the days until move in. It was the first big thing happening in Hazel’s life, and finally she would be as interesting as Evie. Or maybe more, she thought, beginning to ponder, as she often had these past few weeks, the animal whose genetic code she would be tasked with protecting. She hoped it would be something wild. And not creepy. She shivered to think of being tasked with protecting a snake.
“Who are you most excited to meet?” Evie had been chattering along as Hazel stood, zoned out, in the center of her small room.
“What?” Hazel answered, still mostly out of it, because it hit her then that this would be the last time she woke to the smell of bread or saw the mountain view from her window or let her feet sink into the carpet her father had woven for her. She and Evie were leaving, together, and they would not be allowed to come back.

-vanillamochabear-

daily nov 15th - recycling!
from march
i hate doors.
especially this one, in particular. it had no business hiding away in this corner of the ceiling, where the webs lurked and shadows hung - here i was, had been, searching endlessly for months. and for my treasure to be in plain sight? needless to say, i was mad. in the petty way, where you want to slap yourself for being ignorant and also kick the world for being so cruel.
i huffed a sigh, and wretched the handle open. it swings downward, nearly hitting my face, and i ducked just in time. dust fell onto my hair like a coating of snow, and i peered into the opening curiously. a bright contrast to the warm tones of this hallway, inside the door is a swirling mass of cold purple. my gut wretches at the sight of it, screaming danger. i smiled and hoisted myself up. yes, this would be good - my first completed mission.
as soon as i’m through, i start to feel like i’m spiraling in all directions at once. it felt like what i imagined a whirlpool to be, although i couldn’t confirm, since i had never had the experience of being whirlpooled. it’s over soon enough, though, and i’m dropped onto hard stone. i brushed myself off and stood, standing proudly.
there, ahead of me, is a castle made of spires and mist. birds circle far, far above, cawing menacingly. they’re probably the only alive things around here, the trees are dry as a brush, and there’s no grass for me to touch. in other words, it was perfection. i hoisted my bag over my shoulder - it was empty now, but by the next hour, i would have it stuffed to the brim with riches. golden goblets, jewelry, and anything else i could imagine. i sighed dreamily.

prishaJuni

Second Weekly! This is about Mythic-Fiction, fiction based off of mythologies from different cultures. I focus mostly on Greek mythology, but I have a lot of ideas for other mythologies too.

Part 1 (200 words):

“SILENCE!”

Everyone quiets and turns to stare at the slightly eccentric girl in front of them. She is wearing a bright-orange shirt with a black griffin on it and the words CAMP HALF BLOOD on it.

She giggles.

“I’m Prisha, and I’ll be your cabin leader this session! I’m a bookworm and a sucker for the Percy Jackson series, which is why this session Myth-Fi is based on Greek mythology!”

A few cheers go up from the crowd.

“I’m Luna, your (imaginary) co-leader, and I love to draw mythological animals!” A blonde girl waves at the crowd of campers.

Prisha grins.

“I just want to clarify something: we aren’t here to worship gods, only to immerse ourselves in some interesting mythology. We’re excited to have you here, and can’t wait to get started! But before we can do anything else, we must-”

Prisha is cut off as a shadow is cast over the camp, blocking out the sun and shrouding everyone in darkness. Everyone begins to scream.

There is a cackle, and everyone realizes it is Luna, laughing at how scared everyone is. A light flickers on, illuminating Luna’s face with sharp angles and scary shadows.

“Welcome to Myth-Fi, campers!”

Part Two (5 images):
Go to this project for the images - Moodboard for the Weekly

Part 3 (267 words):
Author's Note: This is a parody of “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. I used most of the words/structure, just switched some words out. I give Ray Parker Jr. full credit for this song and don't attempt to claim it as mine.

(Go myth-fi!)
If there's something strange
In the cabin grounds

What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)

If there's something old
And it don't look good
What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)

I ain't ‘fraid of no beast
I ain’t ‘fraid of no beast

If you’re seeing things
Running through your room

What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)
A rakshasa
Sleepin' in your bed

Ow, what’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)

I ain't ‘fraid of no beast
Uh, I ain’t ‘fraid of no beast

What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)
If you’re all alone
And you here it moan
Pick up the phone
(Call myth-fi)

I ain't ‘fraid of no beast
Ooh, I hear it likes the writers
Hm, I ain’t ‘fraid of no beast
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)
Mm, if, if you’ve had a dose of a
tailypo, baby
You better go and…
(call myth-fi)
Ow

Lemme tell ya something
Myth-fi makes me feel good

I ain't ‘fraid of no beast
Uh, I ain’t ‘fraid of no beast

Don’t get caught alone, oh no
(call myth-fi)
When it comes through your door
Unless you just a-want some more
I think you better go
(call myth-fi)
Ow

What’ch you gonna do?
(call myth-fi)
What’ch you gonna do?
(call myth-fi)
Uh, think you better go
(call myth-fi)
Ha-ha, what’ch you gonna do?
(call myth-fi)
I can't hear you
What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)
Louder
(Call myth-fi)
What’ch you gonna do?
(Call myth-fi)
What can you do?
(call myth-fi)
What’ch you gonna do?
(call myth-fi)
Uh, it likes the writers too
(call myth-fi)

Weekly Part Four (488 words)

The sun disappears. Everyone begins to panic. The cabin leaders call for peace and explain what is happening, and the sun begins to come out again.

The cabin leaders explain that Pandora’s box has been discovered by an evil villain. He has stolen it and wants to wreak havoc on the world by harnessing it! You must go on a quest to find an artifact to destroy the villain/Pandora’s box, while simultaneously searching for clues as to who the villain could be. It must be one of the gods, you think. Zeus doesn’t always do the best job as the god king.

You and your cabin-mates decide to consult Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, to see if she has any ideas. In order to gain entry to her library, you must write 1000 words as a cabin.

When you gain entry, she explains to you what Pandora’s box actually is.

“Pandora’s box is a box full of the world’s worst evils!”

She explains that the only way it can be destroyed is by smothering it with warmth. However, when you ask her for more details, she looks around and says “I must go”, before a gloved hand pulls her into the shadows.

Remembering Athena’s clue about warmth, you think about what she could have meant. Maybe you should go see a god who controls something warm, hot, or even… fiery. Write 100 words per participating person, using the name, backstory, or some other information about the fiery god you think it is as a writing prompt.

You decide to see Hephaestus, but he says that he has no clue and to “leave him alone”. As you look around, a shadow throws books on the ground and runs. You chase it, but it disappears.

One of you picks up one of the books. Hephaestus says he doesn’t like to read. Inspecting the title, you notice what it says: Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo.

“Is this anyone’s?” someone asks. They all shake their heads.

Hephaestus frowns and says that he has never seen them before.

“The shadow dropped it,” you say. “There was someone in here. They disappeared.”

“The shadow?” asks Hephaestus. “It’s back again?”

“The shadow’s been here before?”

“Yeah. It enjoys stealing my stuff, particularly my mittens. It always takes me so long to knit them-”

He freezes, his face turning red.

“You knit?’

“You heard nothing,” he muttered quietly.

Everyone snickered.

“Has it stolen… anything else?”

“No.”

“Wait!” says a small voice.

You turn to see Hestia, goddess of warmth, hearths, and home, the flames in the fireplace forming the shape of a face.

“I can help. Come with me.”

Then, she drags you and your cabin-mates into the fire.

Author’s Note: Sorry for leaving you guys on the cliff-hanger! If anyone is interested in leading a cabin next session, feel free to use my idea/ask me for more of the storyline. I came up with a LOT, but I doubt I’ll be leading a cabin anytime soon. With that being said, make sure to credit me when using my idea.

TOTAL OF 955 WORDS!

PixelDucko

Weekly #2: Cabins

Author's Notes:
▸ Another weekly, yippee!
▸ The song parody I used for part two is Summer by Good Kid. Credits to them for the original song, which is not mine!
▸ This was, again, quite rushed and not very proofread. Even these author's notes are rushed haha.
▸ Credits to the respective photographers from Canva for part two!

Part One: 174 words
An array of pine trees surround wooden cabins. There’s a large, unlit campfire in the midst of it all. Sparrows chirp and the breeze cools you off from the sticky weather. You breathe in and take in your grand surroundings.

A girl sees you. She has dozens of badges attached to her slash and numerous bracelets hung on her wrists. She waves and rushes towards you.

“Hey there!” she greets with a grin. “Welcome to Robotics Camp!”

Two other people trail behind her, all wearing the identical badge-filled slash. They smile and wave.

“I’m Crystie, your camp counsellor. These are Name and Name, your co-counsellors.” She gestures to the people beside her. “Ready to build robots and have an awesome time this month?”

You nod. Perhaps you’re worried, but you can’t help but feel at least somewhat at ease when surrounded by so many friendly people.

In the corner of your eye, a strange silhouette swoops through the trees. You blink, and it’s gone. What was that?

Oh, probably nothing to fret about anyway.

Part Two: 0 words?
(The image would not upload, so it's here in the backdrops of this project.)

Part Three: 250 words
Like a hand reaching for a handle
But to find that it was never there
Candidly I can’t handle knowing
That this camp is in danger

I thought this would be quite easy
Until I heard the dragon roar
Can’t keep from rushing away
But we’ll build something to save the day

We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
This summer has so much to say
We’ll rise before it flies away

We’ll build a defense to save the day
We’ll build a defense to save the day

Like the wing of a fire-breathing dragon
Drops down a couple feet again
To blow on what here still remains
But it won’t smash it anyway

I thought this would be quite easy
Until I heard the dragon roar
Just us here standing against it
But with the power of robotics

We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
This summer has so much to say
We’ll rise before it flies away

We’ll build a defense to save the day
We’ll build a defense to save the day

We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
We will not back down
This summer has so much to say
We’ll rise before it flies away

We’ll build a defense to save the day
We’ll build a defense to save the day

Part Four: 540 words
A dragon swooped down, landing right in the middle of camp. It let out an ear-piercing roar as fire came out of its mouth.

Campers scattered everywhere, screaming and pushing over each other to get to safety – wherever that was. Building all the cabins in wood was beginning to seem like a bad idea.

“Everyone, please!” Crystie tried to yell over all the noise, but nobody heard her. She took a deep breath and groaned. She shouted again, still to no avail.

“Crystie, you have to run!” her co-counsellor exclaimed. She grabbed her wrist and dragged her along, rushing to a random direction that wasn’t towards the dragon. She didn’t know where it lead, but they didn’t have the power to really think at the moment.

The other co-counsellor followed, but shortly halted. She hesitated, glancing between the dragon and the yelling campers. They couldn’t just leave the camp like this, could they? This camp that they’ve worked so hard over multiple years to build? They couldn’t just… leave it alone. No. They couldn’t.

The co-counsellor reached into their bag and pulled out a mini robot. It was a sphere and wasn’t bigger than her palm, but if she calculated correctly, it should be powerful enough to at least pause the dragon’s fire breath for a little while.

“Initiate S-1 to unidentified dragon figure,” she whispered to the robot.

It seemed to come to life. It rattled around and spun a few times before seeming to nod. The robot then grew to the size of her head. It approached the dragon. A compartment opened, and a liquid came pouring out. It splashed over the dragon, who roared. It flapped its wings, ready to attack the robot, when the dragon started wobbling in air. It slowed down and eventually crashed to the ground, falling asleep.

Every one who hadn’t completely ran off yet, including Crystie and the other co-counsellor, stared at the dozing dragon.

“…What?”

Crystie and the other co-counsellor understood.

Crystie cleared her throat and stood up on a log. The co-counsellors followed.

“Campers, we’ve suddenly been attacked by a dragon. Although we are in much danger, we do not need to worry. This is a robotics camp, after all. We have some of the smartest people I know in here. Together, we can build robots to defeat the dragon and save our camp!” she declared, looking around at what was left of the campers.

“We can’t do this with so little people, though,” co-counsellor one announced. “So we must find our missing campers and bring them back. We all are a team.”

Everybody cheered. Someone raised a hand.

“What if we don’t want to defeat the dragon?” the person stuttered. “Like… do we really have to?”

Crystie put her hand to her chin. Co-counsellor two whispered something in her ear, and Crystie nodded.

“We don’t need to,” she said. “We can just “defeat” it enough that it flies away and leaves our camp alone. I’m quite certain when I say that it won’t bother anybody else anymore after we’ve, for the lack of a better term, annoyed it enough.”

Everybody cheered again.

Crystie clapped her hands. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s recruit everybody and save this camp!”

Total Word Count: 964

Last edited by PixelDucko (Nov. 16, 2024 00:39:47)

-vanillamochabear-

weekly #2 ~ swc cabin! 1059 words total
presenting psyche-horror: the antique shoppe basement

part one: storyline description, 278 words
the first thing that people tend to notice is the ceiling; right there over your head, just brushing the ends of your hair but not quite. the second is the contents - music boxes that played twinkling little notes whenever they pleased, books with pages that were barely attached, and dolls whose faces glimmered eerily in the corners of your vision. the final, is of course, us. we are in the shadowy corners, under the desks, or sitting perfectly still on the stained carpet. and once you’d made eye contact, we’d smile, and extend a hand. you would hesitantly walk towards us, floorboards creaking, curiosity flowing like a drug through your body. the candle in the corner will intoxicate you with its smoke, casting rippling shadows onto the peeling wallpaper. you’ll crouch down, smile hesitantly along.
welcome, we’d say. we are all family here. we have no choice - there is no escape, so why waste energy trying? we are glad that you have come, it has been a long time since we’ve gained a new sibling. far, far too long; it would’ve been a shame if we had started to go insane. a heater of some sort hums steadily in the background, accompanying our chorus. maybe you’re scared, or confused, but that’s okay. you can trust us, dare we say we’ve been here awhile?
a faded party banner hangs on whatever there is of the wall, sad triangles reading: kids in the basement. it sounds a bit like the name of a band you would’ve liked, out there in the real world. (you’ll never feel the sun on your face again. that’s fine, we have the dolls.)

part two: aesthetic set, n/a words

part three: cabin parody, 283 words
me: hey it would be so funny if i did the campfire song from the percy jackson musical

{isobel} oh, we couldn’t be worse
we’re the unluckiest kids of all the universe

{all} we can’t possibly be worse
we’re all stuck in a room that can’t fit a horse

{isobel} down here it’s musty
and crusty and dusty
the shelves are littered with all sorts of weird things
we could be practically as rich as kings
but, no,
society’s not even a construct anymore
we’ll kick and punch and yet stands the door
alley?

{alley} my mom is worried
i’ve been here too long
she might be dead as i’m singing this song
there’s no way to tell so hey, come along
oh, no

{isobel and vincent} oh, no
oh, and the cops have been searching
the case has been open since spring
for a seven year old that disappeared from her swing

{kasey} so that’s how it happened?
{isobel} all together now!

{all} oh, we couldn’t be worse
we’re the unluckiest kids of all the universe
it can’t possibly be worse
we’re all stuck in a room that can’t fit a horse

{isobel} anyone else want to go?

{vincent} me! let’s have a look here
i’m an adventurer
at least used to be
i get excited exploring new terrain
the stairs looked interesting, so here i reign
but, no

{all} oh, no
yeah?

on their fourteenth birthday, my friends got some cake
and i’m stuck in hell, ready to break

(silence followed, before someone awkwardly coughed. danm, vince, are you okay? kasey asked, concern creeping over her face. yeah, yeah, he reassured, for now, at least. well, kids, how about some bedtime?)

part four: short story, 498 words
i still remember the day clearly. once upon a time, my mom and i had been on a road trip, making the long drive away from the city to visit my grandmother for christmas. i was young, innocent, and excited to maybe see a cow roaming the countryside; it wasn’t often that i wasn’t constantly surrounded by miles of steel skyscrapers. a light dusting of snow blanketed the dry grass, like powdered sugar on a donut. eventually, we needed to make a gas stop - i think that’s where everything started to go downhill.
there’s a roadside station and convenience store, that’s average and inconspicuous. except, across from it, lay a rickety old building, its door painted moss green and crept over with vines. in the window, a sign read: rare antiques! like any child, i was intrigued, i pulled on my mother’s sleeve and begged to have a look. she sighed, and begrudgingly agreed to let me go alone so long as i returned by the time she finished filling. parenting hack? probably not.
inside, there’s an old man sitting behind a wooden counter. he greeted me warmly, and i waved shyly. the place is cluttered in that good kind of way, and everything i looked at was interesting. there were dolls, old records like the ones my aunt would spin, and all sorts of games that smelled similarly to a library. fancy lamps warmed the room with unsteady glows, and they would flicker every so often. sometimes, i swore i heard voices coming from behind an oak door, trying to claw themselves out.
when i asked, the man just chuckled - dear child, there is nothing behind that door but another full room of vintages. would you like to go have a look? i nodded eagerly, and descended down those steps into the claws of something darker. i don’t hear the lock turn behind me, only happily rummaging through the additional shelves.

“you can probably guess what happened next,” i sigh. “i found you guys. and after you all explained, the… ah, situation, i cried for maybe a week straight.”
isobel nods thoughtfully. “oh, yeah. i remember that. you were so much younger than all of us, we felt really sorry. i think we pretended for a little bit that we would find a way out someday, just for your sake.”
“remind me why that’s not possible again?” i plead, hanging onto what thread of hope i had left.
“our souls are bound to this place. we found that the hard way - little timmy tried sneaking out one time, and we had to watch as he evaporated.”
alley winces, as do i. “oh. um, i didn’t know that. that’s pleasant.” i lean my head back on the deteriorating walls.
“i’m hungry,” vince complained.
“that’s too bad,” kasey says, “the food doesn’t appear for another three days.”
a collective groan from everyone.
“well, how about our fiftieth game of uno within the past week?” i suggest.

Last edited by -vanillamochabear- (Nov. 16, 2024 22:39:08)

CherryMango17

part 1:
“My my, what do we have here?” A cloaked figure stands in front of you and all your friends who have been locked up. “I need potions made and you are going to make them for me, since I myself am not able to.”
The figure snaps his fingers and three others come over.
“These people are my loyal helpers who will watch over you.”
The moment he leaves, they pull off their cloaks.
“We're not his servants. We've taken them out and we're going to help you get out of here,” the first one says with blue.
“But we don't know much about him, so you need to figure that out,” the second one continues with purple.
“We'll help you as much as we can,” the last one says with orange. "By the way, my name's and the others are and ,“ pointing to the second and first one respectively. They unlock all of you and then put their hoods up with a smile and ask,
”So, are you coming?"
173 words

Part 2: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1096687265/

Part 3:
try, try, try your best
to escape from here
but, but, but, but
that cannot be done.
try, try, try again
to get away
just know that without our help
You would be de@d
you, you, your here now
you cannot leave
but, but, but, but
you can try again
cry, cry, cry again
knowing you can't leave
just know that without our help
You would be alone
try, try, try again
please accept our help
please, please, please, please
know you're not alone
oh, oh, oh, oh, ohh~
please try once more
just know that if he sees
you wont be here, no!
time, time, time is key
to insanity
we, we, we've been
here for way too long.
he, he, he, he
will find you again
you, you, you, you
have to obey him
there, there, there, there
is no way out
we, we, we, we
wish you best of luck
why, why, why, why
why will you not
li- li- li listen
to us once again
I, i, i, i,
i sorry for it all
just, just, just know
there is no escape
tears, tears, tears, tears
there are none left.
We we we we
are sorry for your loss
just know that there is
nothing you can do
212 words

Part 4:
It was supposed to be a week of fun at the summer camp.
They arrived at the campsite near dusk and set up their tents. They roasted marshmallows and chatted while the fire crackled.
They went to sleep that night, and when they reawaked, they were bound with rope in a cell.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here? I thought it was clear that this place be left alone!”
“Sir… That was well over 200 years ago. No one remembers…” Someone said. The figure in the hood hit them with magic, and their body fell to the ground.
“Now, would anyone else like to oppose me?” No one else said anything.
“Alright, I need potions made, and you are going to make them for me, since the curse does not allow me too.” With a snap of his fingers, three hooded figures emerged from the darkness. “These people are my loyal helpers who will watch over you,” he declared, then disappeared.
As soon as he left, the hooded figures pulled off their cloaks. “We're not his servants. We've taken them out and we're going to help you get out of here,” said the first one, their eyes gleaming blue.
“But we don't know enough about him to inform you, just a little things to survive,” added the second, with a hint of purple in their gaze.
“We'll help you as much as we can,” the last one said, their eyes orange. “By the way, my name’s Mira, and these are Arin and Jax,” they introduced, pointing to the second and first one respectively. They slipped the hood back up, just as the figure returned.
“Well??? did you tell them?”
“No. Your grace has yet to tell us what to say.”
“idiots,” he muttered.
“You obey me and then you won't d!e. Obey long enough and you get to join my ranks.”
They glance at each other.
The three hooded frown as he vanishes.
“Come on, you've got to hurry!”
They jump up as the binds holding them release. They hurry to collect and create the potions. As they run around, some of the people in hoods start to fade. Once they disappear, their cloaks fall to the ground. The three of them watch as the potions are poured into the bottles and lined up. The figure returns, a smirk on his face.
“Well, thank you very much. You have accidently freed some of my helpers, and you will take their place.”
They panic and look to the three who pick up three new crowns,
“We've been promoted. Good luck newbies.”
432 words

total:832 words

Hybritized

Weeklies:
PART 1 (cabin storyline desc)
Dystopian

You puff and pant, tripping over rocks and stones, avoiding the lasers of the ranger jets. Up ahead, you see a shelter, with a big red ‘X’ on the door. You let out a breath of relief.
Earlier on, you received a message telling you to pack up and follow its instructions, to find a worn-down house with the big red ‘X’. And here it is.
You tumble into the shelter without realizing there were shards of glass. You curse silently under your breath. You’re out of supplies. What now?
Suddenly, a taser is aimed at the temple of your head. You don’t dare to breathe. “Who are you?” the wielder asks icily.
“I… ‘May the odds be ever in your favor.’” You reply. That was what the message had asked you to say upon arrival.
The wielder pauses, then powers down the taser. “Good job. Only a few have successfully arrived. Come on.”
You follow the mysterious person into a room with some people. Two of them rise and walk towards you.
“Hi! I’m ,” the first says cheerfully.
“I’m ,” the other shakes your hand.
The person who threatened you with a taser earlier on steps forward and bows. “I’m . Very soon, we’ll be arriving at District Thirteen. Until then, please allow the medics to attend to your wounds.”

PART 2
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1097332019/

PART 3
Run child run! This world is waiting for you
Run child run! Freedom is fleeing away
Run child run! They are trying to catch you
Run child run! We are waiting under the land

Run child run! We will always be with you
Run child run! Humanity’s fate, in your hands
Run child run! They are dy!ng to stop you
Run child run! Society is ruined

Tomorrow may never come
But you won’t have to hide away
You will be our savior
And right now it’s time to run, it’s time to run!

Run child run! The secret inside of you
Run child run! You are a weapon who never weeps
Run child run! This race to save all mankind
Run child run! Don’t let them raze humanity

Tomorrow may never come
But you won’t have to hide away
You’ll be our savior
And right now it’s time to run, it’s time to run!

Tomorrow may never come
But you won’t have to hide away
You’ll be our savior
And right now it’s time to run, it’s time to run!

Tomorrow may never come
But you won’t have to hide away
You’ll be our savior
And right now it’s time to run, it’s time to run!

PART 4
They give you a drink. You take and drink without a moment’s hesitation. There was something that made you trust them. The drink tastes sweet, but becomes bitter as you swallow it.
You feel your eyelids go heavy as you drift off to a sleep plagued with strange dreams.
In your dream, you see three similar boxes. You hear a voice behind you. “Pick one,” says, sauntering in front of the three boxes, spreading their hands. “This will decide your very fate. Trust your gut.”
You walk forward with uncertainty, examining each box. As you approach the last box, you feel something tugging at your navel, like a thin string guiding you to that box.
“Are you sure?” asks, brushing a hand across the box. You nod.
“Open it, then. What are you waiting for?”
You’re unsure how to open it, so you kneel, looking carefully around the box for a keyhole, a sensor or anything else to open it.
Again, you feel a tugging sensation, this time on your right fingertip. You follow the sensation, all the way under the box. You flip it over, and press your fingertip right … there.
Click. The box opens. Your eyes widen as you look at the object lying in the box.
A pen. c0cks their head, looking at you inquiringly. “What do you see?”
You open your mouth to answer, but wake up instead.
You’re in a bed, a bed so soft you can’t remember the last time you slept in one. You feel fine. Good. Safe. You swing your legs off the bed, stretching those sore muscles of yours. You push the door open, walking out to the corridor. Is this the ‘District Thirteen’ that was talking about?
Each door is made of steel, with a large pane of glass for busybodies like you. In one of them, a few scientists are peering at a screen, a wall separating them from a man in an empty room. He grabs at empty air, as if holding a sword. He yells and swings it again and again, his irises moving back and forth. Is he… experiencing a simulation?
“I see you’re awake. Come on, you’re going to be late for the briefing.”
You turn around to see walking towards you, smiling. “I trust you had a dream?”
You frown. How did they know that? seems to know what you intend to ask. “Don’t worry, everything will be explained at the briefing. Let’s go. I’ll show you the way.” They proceed forward, expecting you to follow. So you do.

Last edited by Hybritized (Nov. 16, 2024 12:42:18)

1lMaM

Critique for Gigi!

A stranger starts to leave flowers on Eve's doorstep. She's thirty but already has the reputation of the ‘mad cat lady’ and in the God-fearing town she settled in, the black cat she's adopted is a sign she's a witch. Burning her at the stake is illegal yet still her neighbors are intent to get her to try- after all, it's hardly illegal if she's holding the match. It's a natural consequence that the few men she does take home, who know her from her job, don't stick around long enough to bother sending flowers. She wishes she could blame them but Eve has a crucifix hanging above her fireplace. She prays to it daily. Eve muttered the Lord's Prayer enough times to know she cannot be forgiven until she forgives others, which includes her potential boyfriends and her exes.

The flowers start as ox-eyes and pansies. Eve places them in a vase and cares for them until they die naturally. As the seasons change and the days begin to tick down until it's been another year since- the flowers change as well. The stranger starts to leave Rosemary and forget-me-not. The smell
of roses permeate the house. They permeate outside. They permeate at the university Eve worked at. Lots of people wear rose perfume but Eve makes a point of avoiding it since- well, she's had bad experiences with roses.

She smells the next set of flowers that land at her door, dahlias and indian pinks. They also smell of roses. Eve threw them out. The house can't smell of anymore roses, she'll lose her mind.

Eve stood by the green bin when she sees the stranger who leaves her the flowers. Their hair is as long as Eve remembered but greasy. Her skin lacks the life it once did, instead taking on the sickly paleness of her devil father. Longing overwhelmed Eve as she ran forward, hoping to grab Rin's shoulder, get confirmation that she's back, even if she knows to stay away. But between one blink and the next, Rin had vanished, not around a corner, not into the abyss of her home but they'd vanished into thin air, as if never there at all.

–
I loved the plot of this story, and Eve's backstory (which I also love) has a lot of potential to develop further. A couple of tense changes, and I'm not sure of Rin's pronouns, but overall good spag - I won't dwell on it. I love the part about her seeing Rin, but I got a little confused - who are they? Why are they special to Eve? Perhaps you could hint at them at another point in the story; that would make it even more emotional seeing them come and then vanish. There are some parts in the story in particular I'd love to see more of Eve's backstory poke in:

Lots of people wear rose perfume but Eve makes a point of avoiding it since- well, she's had bad experiences with roses.

Could you describe one of these bad experiences? What does seeing/smelling roses remind her of? I was a little confused when I first read that part - what kind of bad experiences? Adding some backstory would develop Eve's character and clear that part up.

Burning her at the stake is illegal yet still her neighbors are intent to get her to try- after all, it's hardly illegal if she's holding the match. It's a natural consequence that the few men she does take home, who know her from her job, don't stick around long enough to bother sending flowers.

What does this mean? Is her holding the match related to her work? What is her work? Why would she be holding the match? Again, perfect spot to put in some backstory and clear it up.

Eve places them in a vase and cares for them until they die naturally.

Does she actually care about the flowers? Does she see them as random, or do they remind her of lost love? Or - as I think you're indicating - she sees this as another chance? Friendship, but not love? A good time to dip into Eve's thoughts and feelings.

The flowers start as ox-eyes and pansies.

I really love this sentence! If you removed the first sentence, this would have even more importance (and you don't really need that sentence anyway, since you've got this great one).

…after all, it's hardly illegal if she's holding the match.

I love this bit too. It loses a bit without context, but I still think it's cool.

Their hair is as long as Eve remembered but greasy. Her skin lacks the life it once did, instead taking on the sickly paleness of her devil father. Longing overwhelmed Eve as she ran forward, hoping to grab Rin's shoulder, get confirmation that she's back, even if she knows to stay away. But between one blink and the next, Rin had vanished, not around a corner, not into the abyss of her home but they'd vanished into thin air, as if never there at all.

Such a great description. I like the references to how Eve remembered Rin, and Eve's father. I really like the last sentence too; the places Rin didn't vanish adds tension, and I love the home abyss metaphor.

That's it

have a good day!

(333 words)

Last edited by 1lMaM (Nov. 16, 2024 10:58:07)

1lMaM

I hate unsuitable language.

Last edited by 1lMaM (Nov. 16, 2024 11:08:14)

Milkysplash

Weekly #2 - 920 Words
Genre - Science Fiction
Cabin Theme - Spy Agency :3
(also when Scratch deems my post to include “inappropriate language” *sobs* I think it was tha parody so I need to rewrite that)

Part 1 - Cabin Intro - 229 Words
You push open the door to the conference room, where there were multiple people waiting there. You were rather confused, having been forced to join the agency just a few weeks back, and then the next thing you know, you’re getting a comm to join an in-person conference with the Director of the organisation.

“Come on in,” You heard someone say - it was a voice you weren’t too familiar with. “Sit down at the table and don’t open the file until I say so.”

“I understand that you’re all rather confused, so I hope this meeting will clear things up for you.” The person continues, standing up from their desk and turning on the central hologram. “My name is Skylar, and I’m the director of the Sci-Fi Spy Agency.”

“I have called you here because we need your help for what is perhaps the largest and most dangerous operation in the agency’s history,” Skylar explained. She flicked the hologram to full-colour video footage. “This space station is training superhuman assasins to come after and take over SWC. That’s why we need your help for this operation - Operation Sierra-1-2-November-Foxtrot.”

“You may now open your files.”

You open the brown file to discover two main tabs, reading through what they said.

[TOP SECRET - CLASSIFIED - DIRECTORS ONLY]
[PROJECT A25-ENF]

[OPERATION PLANS - CLASSIFIED]
[OPERATION S12NF]

This was going to be an interesting mission.

Part 2 - Cabin Aesthetic
You can find it here underneath the sprite labled “Weekly 2”!

Part 3 - Song Parody (Into The Unknown) - 206 Words
Ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah

I can hear you, loud and clear
Some of them are crazy, while others are enslaved
There’s a thousand transmissions every single day
And I’ll listen in when they come my way

You’re insane, you’re crazy and inhumane
And if you care, and you don’t, you’d let them go free,
Everyone we’ve ever loved is down on the planet below
I’m sorry, crazy scientists, but you have got to go
If you’d stop making super assassins, maybe we wouldn’t be
In this situation where my agents will need to go

Into outer space~
Into outer space~
Into outer space~

Ah-ah-ah-ah

What are you doing? Cause you’ve been keeping me awake
Sitting at the control station, monitoring transmissions
But when are you crazy scientist finally gonna see
That you’ll destroy the world along with you and me
Every day’s a little harder as reports are coming through
Do you want me to send my agents after you?

Into outer space~
Into outer space~
Into outer space~

Are you out there? Can you hear me?
Do you know what you’re doing? Can you show me?

Ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah

What are you doing? Don’t set your assassins free
I’ll need to follow you
Into outer space~

Part 4 - Cabin Story - 485 Words
Rose, Chip, Recca, Arrow, Lora, and Faith are featured in my weekly!
“Here,” Skylar said, throwing a brown file onto the table for effect while turning on the hologram, “are the blueprints that our spy has gotten for us.”

“Skylar, you didn’t have to place the-“ Recca began, clearly upset that her rather inflated ego was being hurt with the slamming of the brown file folder.

A glare from the Director was all Recca got in response. Skylar cleared her throat. “Anyways, moving on,” she declared. “Our next operation into the Station will have two teams. Our spy will know the signal, which I will release. Do not panic if someone who goes under the codename ‘Enigma’ arrives on one of our ships.” The group of spies, who were rather dramatic, looked slightly worried.

“You’re spies, secrecy is part of the job description,” Skylar snapped, crossing her arms. It may have been a trick of the light, but it seemed as if her usually-brown eyes were glowing slightly aflame.

Skylar’s hands shifted the 3D holographic model over and zoomed in to an entry port. “This is the entry closest to the lab. Team one, consisting of Agents Lora, Faith, and Arrow, I will be with you. We’ll try to get into the lab and then grab as much data as we can. We need all the information on what they’re doing. Who the test subjects are, if there’s anyone already out there, what the experiments have been, and who is involved.”

“Team two. Agents Rose, Recca, Coco, and Zoe.” Skylar continued, “Your job is to set up distractions. You’ll take your ship to this entrance here -“ Skylar zoomed in on the map to show another entrance, about one sixth of the way around the ringed space station from the lab entrance. “I need you to cause as much trouble as you possibly can - and make sure you don’t injure yourselves. And you are not,” Skylar glared. “You are not to blow up the space station. If we do, it will be a different operation.”

Some of the people in Team Two clearly looked upset because they weren’t doing any of the “fun” stuff: actual spy work. Sensing their disappointment, Skylar said, “Listen, I only put you on Team Two because you are the perfect people to cause enough chaos to actually get people to investigate.”

It was an insult, sure, but worded in a way to sound like a compliment. It could be taken as one, after all. Everyone had a role to play in the success of the operation. “Is everyone clear on their roles?”

There were mods and voices of agreement.

“I expect you to be back down here in half an hour.” Skylar added. “In your full combat gear. Bring anything you may need, I’m giving you access to most of the armoury.”

There was no movement.

“What are you stalling for? Go!” Skylar shouted, before grabbing her brown file folder off the desk.

Last edited by Milkysplash (Nov. 16, 2024 12:21:20)

silverlynx-

Weekly 2
1836 words

Part 1

Warning: Mentions of death
I huddled in a corner, my legs trembling, my fists clenched.
“Leave me alone,” I whispered nervously, my voice cracking in fear.
A loud whirring startled me and I heard a metallic monotonous voice start speaking.
“If any humans are located, immediate execution will commence. If any humans are located, immediate execution will commence.”
I inhaled sharply, my heart thumping quickly. Stay quiet. Stay out of sight. Don’t get caught.

I caught a glimpse of one of the robots, its shiny metal skin glimmering under the dazzling white sun. Its head swivelled around, its inky black eyes flicking around. For a heartstopping moment, I swear I saw its eyes rest on me for a while. I shook my head.
“You’re imagining things.” I breathed, almost soundlessly.
“Amira! Pleasure to meet you!”
I scrambled against the wall, my thoughts whirring wildly. In front of me stood a robot, its body stiff and rusty.
“Wait - what?” I asked in confusion, my brow furrowing.
The robot lifted off its helmet, revealing a… human?
“Hi! I’m Ever!”
“Um, hi?”
She grinned at me, her friendly face glowing.
“Welcome to the Last Humans (we’ll come up with a better name soon)! We’re basically the last humans alive. We’re all in a group, and you’re the last one to find! We have a base really far underneath the ground and we picked up stragglers along the way. This is Silvi, and CD!”
She pointed to two other kids, both smiling as well.
“Come into base!”
And even though I felt a sense of safety and relief as I followed them down a dark passage, I knew that the journey to peace would be dangerous. Very dangerous.

Part 2 - https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1097499991/

Part 3 - Queen Mash-Up!!!

HUGE CREDIT TO THE BAND QUEEN!!!

(We are the Champions - Queen)

I’ve paid my mangoes,
Again and again,
I’ve done my dailies,
Why did I come to this end?
I’ve made mistakes,
So many more,
Than I believed,
Haven’t done my word wars (yet)

But my life should go on and on and on and on…

They are the robots, my friends,
And they’ll keep on fighting till the end (of humanity)
They are the robots,
They are the robots,
No time for humans,
Cause they are the robots…
Who will destroy the world!

(Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen)

Soooooo,
Do stop me now!
I’m kinda being destroyed,
It’s the end of the world!
Do stop me now!
If you wanna live at all,
Just let me escape!
Do stop me now!
Do stop me now!
Cause I’m havin’ a bad time, don’t wanna be destroyed!

(Killer Queen - Queen)

It’s a killer robot!
Guns, bombs and pistols!
Really stupid invention!
Guaranteed to blow your mind (literally)

(We Will Rock You)

We will, we will, destroy you!
Yeah, die!
We will, we will, destroy you!
Goodbye!

Robot, you’re a metal man, scary man,
Killing with your laser eyes, someone gonna kill you someday (hopefully)
You got metal on your face, you big disgrace,
Destroying humanity all over the place.

(Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen)

Mamaaaaaa,
Just killed another human!
Put a laser gun against his head,
Kicked in the butt now he’s dead.
Mamaaaaaaa,
Humanity had just begun!
But now we’ve gone and chucked it in the trash!

(We are the Champions - Queen)

Sooooooooo,
They are the robots, my friends,
And they’ll keep on fighting till the end (of humanity)
They are the robots,
They are the robots,
No time for humans,
Cause they are the robots…
Who will destroy the world!

Part 4

I scrambled down through the coarse rubble, my skin peppered with cuts and bruises.
“Ok, we’re almost there!” CD shouted over their shoulder, their face glowing, “I can't wait for you to see this!”
I followed them eagerly through a little gaping hole between the rocks, my heart thudding in my chest.

Maybe I would survive.

“Come on!” Silvi called impatiently, “The robots will get you if you carry on at this pace!”
I flushed nervously and ducked underneath a sharp overhang.
“Yes! We’re here!” Ever exclaimed, grinning happily. She glanced at me. “Bunks are over there, and here’s our main area.”
She gestured to a small cluster of mats on the floor.
“Bunks?” I echoed confusedly.
Silvi laughed, “Yeah, that’s just what we call them. You can blame CD.”
She looked up at CD who was rifling through a little leather satchel.
“Aha!” She brandished a sausage at everyone. “Dinner!”
I giggled and made my way carefully over to the blazing campfire in the middle of the living area. There were a few pillows and mats and around twenty other people staring at me as I stumbled over rocks.

“Ok, guys!” CD called. “This is the last one.”
I gave a shy smile at them.
“This is Olja.”
I stepped back, startled at my own name. It had been so long since anyone had called me that. So long since anyone had even spoken to me. My brow furrowed.
“How do you know my name?” I asked, my legs trembling. Was this all a trap? Were they robots?
Ever slipped behind a pillar of crumbling stone and returned a moment later with a robot, attached to a lead. On its head there was a crumpled paper sign reading, ‘My name is Billy-Bob.’

I slowly crept backwards, my heart thudding in my chest. A rush of terror, then curiosity, then confusion flooded through me, my mind whirling with thoughts.
“T-There’s a robot behind you!” I yelled, frozen to the spot in fear.
CD frowned. “Billy-Bob’s our own robot. We found him, barely alive, so Ever rewired him and now he carries out instructions for us and only us! He’s our secret weapon!”
The others murmured in agreement. I crossed my arms over my chest protectively and hunched in my back. Silvi noticed my position and nudged CD, whose eyes widened in sympathy.
“I’m going to take Olja to her bed and show her around. Remember to be nice to her!”
They looked pointedly at a few of the kids and hooked their arm in mine and led me to a little nook in the rubble.
“Here’s our last ‘bedroom!’” They told me excitedly, and let me go inside.

A small camping mat lay on the floor with a soft pillow and thick woollen blanket. There was a candle and a pocket of matches and a few sandwiches wrapped up in plastic.
“Billy-Bob gets all our supplies, because the robots sense him as one of their own. Sometimes he brings back whole chickens, but sometimes it’s only a sandwich or a potato. The food here’s becoming more and more scarce, since the robots don’t eat. But we scavenge what we can. We’ve got the whole world to find food in!”
I nodded mutely, and flung myself onto the mat. I pulled my teddy bear from out of my pocket, and pulled her close. CD smiled sadly.
“You’re the youngest here, being only 7, but the others will take care of you. I promise.”
I rubbed my eyes and faced the wall. It had a spiderweb of cracks running through it, and wreaths of ivy adorned its uneven surface. Then something caught my eye in the flickering amber light. A photo. Of me. Mum. Dad. Kat. I gasped softly, a lump building in my throat. It had been so long since I’d seen them. Too long. Had I done something wrong? If I’d stayed with them, would they still be alive?

“We try to get something special for each person who joins us. We send Billy-Bob to find something that has an obvious connection to the person, to remind them of home. Some people have their rooms covered in their objects. We send Billy-Bob out every day to find something that hasn’t been destroyed. Every last fragment of our old lives.”
CD sighed heavily, and a tear slid down their cheek. They gave a forced smile.
“Anyway, you’ll probably want some space! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!”
They walked hurriedly out of the room, their breath coming in fast shallow gasps.
“Wait!” I called loudly.
They turned around reluctantly. “Yeah?”
Guilt rose inside me. They were trying so hard, yet they seemed so tired.
“Why are everyone kids here?”
“Robots find it harder to detect kids. We’ll be the last ones to go if they do find us. Which they won’t. Night.” CD stopped abruptly and disappeared through the entrance.

I turned over on my little bed and gazed at the picture. Kat’s long dark hair framed her pale freckled face beautifully. Mum and Dad’s faces were creased with happiness, their hands clasped tightly. And I sat on their laps, looking up at them.
And slowly, the happy thought of my family fixed in my mind, I drifted off to sleep.

“Help!” I screamed desperately, “Help!”
Kat clambered through the destruction, streaks of mud mixing with the tears streaming steadily down her face.
“I’m coming!” She yelled. “Wait there! Please!”
She hauled herself over a sandstone boulder, her legs visibly shaking.
“I’m coming.”
I nodded numbly and sat down, resigned. I’d be fine. Kat would save me. She had to.

Then I heard a familiar whirring.
“Human detected. Humanity must be erased. Humanity must be erased. Humanity must be erased.”
I spied a robot drifting over the flames and point its gun at Kat. Kat’s pupils shrunk in fear and she turned her head to the robot above her.
She looked me in the eye intently.
“Olja!”
There was a deafening explosion, and where my sister used to be, was just a pile of ash, and limp clothes.
“Robots rule! Robots rule! Robots! Robots! Robots!”

I snapped my eyes open, a sheen of sweat coating my forehead. Silvi was shaking me vigorously.
“Wake up! Wake up! There are robots!”
A dark cat ran over my lap, its fur fluffed up and its pupils dilated.
I jumped to my feet, trembling in terror. I shook my head slowly. I refused to be destroyed just like my sister. Yet my feet were stuck to the ground as the noise got closer and closer.
“Come on!” Silvi called worriedly. She tugged gently at my arm.
“You go.” I whispered, “I can’t move.”
“Of course you can!” She said, her voice breaking in fear. “You can do it.”
A piercing blue light flooded into the cavern. We were trapped.
“Humanity must be erased. Humanity must be erased!”
The robot lifted its arms and pointed it at me. I shivered in terror and curled myself into a ball in the corner. Silvi copied me and spread her arms around me defensively. She was only a few years older than me, I noticed. It seemed unfair.
“Stop!” I shouted. My voice was barely a whisper.
But I knew nothing would stop the robots. I braced myself for the blow that would end both Silvi and me. Then a deadly pain shot through me and everything went black.

Blalker

Blalker - The SWC Time Machine / Science Fiction - Weekly no. 2 - 3131 Words - Proof

Far-Eastern Mythology

Part 1: Cabin Description: 290 Words

It’s bustling in the lively marketplace, people all around haggling prices, shouting at peasants, or announcing their wares. The usual buzz of activity is white noise in your ears as you navigate through swarms of adults, children, dogs, donkeys, and carts. After a moment of walking, you step into a teahouse and take a deep inhale of the aromatic, herbal atmosphere. It’s quiet and peaceful, the din from the outside world having dimmed significantly due to the strong walls of the building.
As you order your tea and take a seat in a warm corner, the door opens once more and instantly, the air changes. A distinct, powerful wave of something unexplainable comes crashing over you and you hesitate as you raise your gaze to the sliding doors. Three people enter, each bearing the iconic clothing of the three different nations: China, Japan, and Korea.
Two of them bear distinct features of mythological creatures– probably the cause of the overwhelming surge of energy that you had felt a moment ago. The one dressed in a hanfu has snowy, delicate rabbit ears upon her head. The haori-dressed boy has metaphysical lanterns floating around him with small purple flames. And lastly, the girl in a hanbok has no spirit-like attributes, but instead a pristine, white blindfold that covers her eyes.
The three individuals approach you, not minding the stares given by the other patrons in the shop and instead settling into the seats across and beside you.
“Sorry for our intrusion, but I’m afraid your tea will have to wait,” the moon rabbit smiles kindly, hands folded into her sleeves. She pauses for a moment to consider her words before continuing, “The feud between the Dragon Lords must end. Please, help us.”
Part 2: Aesthetic Set: 7 Images

Click me :0!
Part 3: Cabin Parody: 249 Words

A parody of the song, Drunken Dreams of The Past. This parody is told from the perspective of one of the major characters in the cabin storyline.

Centuries back, we stepped away
From Father's words and wisdom
Pride had blinded us and corrupted our minds
And it cost us our friendship and blood

Endless wars had been waged and we fuel them still
“I hate you,” what a lie
But the courage to submit passed

Is it too late now? Maybe you think so too
But my heart yearns for the bitter truth
My brothers, please forgive me

As the ink dries on a new page in the ancient scrolls
They will tell the journey of our reunion
Nations split, now as one, eternal as the sun
Once more the Dragon Kings will live

I still reminisce about the
Drinks and laughter shared at night
I’m praying each day my hands will bear less blood
But this cruel hunger, I cannot quench

Our claws and fangs still tear at the innocent
Both to defend and kill
Can we not overcome our pride?

Maybe it’s not too late, will you let me in
And pardon my heinous thirst for war?
My brothers, please forgive me

As the ink dries on a new page in the ancient scrolls
They will tell the journey of our reunion
Nations split, now as one, eternal as the sun
Once more the Dragon Kings will live

As the ink dries on a new page in the ancient scrolls
They will tell the journey of our reunion
Nations split, now as one, eternal as the sun
Once more the Dragon Kings will live
Part 4: Story: 2592 Words

A huge thank you to the fifteen people who volunteered to be in my weekly:
-1circle-, unercornshine, BookHuggers2022, -Choi-Sooeun-, Builder_53_Studios, yumetopia, Milkysplash, meanpurpleflowergirl, booklover883322, HermioneVoiceActress, secretly, freeiy, _Kamisiro_Rui_, _Otori_Emu_, _Aoyagi_Touya_

“Fate has always been cruel, brother,” Fujin mocked as he pressed his booted foot more firmly against Yong’s chest. The younger dragon king was pinned upon the cold ground, struggling weakly as his bloodied hands gripped Fujin’s boot in vain. He coughed out a splatter of blackened blood, gaze narrowing viciously at his older brother. No words slipped past his lips, only broken coughs and wheezes that made the ache in his lungs and stomach worse.
“Speechless, hm?” The tatsu’s boot dug deeper into the mireu’s chest, a sickening crunch of bones resounding in the ashy air. Amidst the battlefield of corpses, they were the only two ones left living. Fujin spat blood out to the side, glowering down at the heterochromatic young man beneath him. “Say something, Yong! Tell me just how much you despise me and Tianlong,” he growled, red eyes flashing dangerously.
Yong gasped for air, legs feebly shifting for some form of grounding. “Y-you–!!” he rasped out hoarsely, hands suddenly turning into draconic claws as tidal waves surged from the heavens. Fujin’s gaze snapped up to the sky, widening in annoyance as he kicked Yong to the side and promptly–

The sound of a familiar flute roused Binary from her slumber, a shaky breath leaving her as she slowly sat up. She brushed a red ribbon from her lips, a small frown ghosting across her pale features as she apologetically looked at the young man sitting beside her on one of the various white mats that lay on the floor.
Wuxian lowered the black, polished flute from his lips, smiling reassuringly at his leader. “No need to apologize. I saw that you were getting a bit restless, so I decided to wake you up. Besides, they’ve arrived.”
Binary nodded slightly, feeling around for her bandages, which were across from her. Wuxian quickly hooked his flute back onto his belt, reaching over and tying the white wraps around her eyes gently. At that moment, Sooeun walked over from where she sat across the room, sitting closer and looking at her thoughtfully.
“It’s drawing nearer, Binary,” the jeoseung saja began after a moment, watching. “We’re running out of time.” Binary turned and felt for the low table before reorienting herself to face it fully. She took out a new piece of paper from the copious stack, setting it down flat and taking a quill. She dipped the nib a couple times in the fresh pot of meok before scratching the pointed end across the face of the parchment.
Silence fell over the three of them, one holding back a teasing comment, another waiting, and the third almost having absently slipped into yet another world.
Finally, Binary spoke. “Children these days don’t know how to fight, Sooeun. The ones that we sought out were simply the ones most compatible,” she replied, pausing as the quill continued to scratch irritably upon the page. She tentatively grazed two fingers over the ink, an obvious look of discontent settling on her face.
Sooeun stifled a sigh, tilting her head slightly. “A brush might be better,” she suggested, replacing the quill with a proper brush with a knowing smile. She chuckled. “But while that’s true, we could’ve gotten it done sooner. You’ve been–”
Before she could finish, a warm gust of air drew the trio’s attention to Rui and Yume, who had just walked in. Rui was idly twiddling a flower in his right hand, the lanterns floating around him bouncing slightly in tandem with the blossom. They were quite in a good mood.
Yume brushed off the lower part of her hanfu, walking deeper inside the tidy teahouse and pausing. “They’re outside, Binary. Do you want them to come in now?” she asked, her rabbit ears perking up slightly as she watched Binary’s brush move freely across the paper.
The blindfolded girl gave a small smile. “You don’t need my permission for that, Yume. You, Kamishiro, and I all have equal rights to this teahouse.” Yume smiled in reply, sitting beside her close friend and folding her hands in her sleeves.
“I know, but I always like to ask,” she responded. Rui glanced at Yume, receiving a nod of affirmation before he moved back to the door and slid it open, leaning outside slightly.
“Come on in, fledglings,” he called teasingly as he looked at the group of people standing outside on the path. Instantly, he stepped aside as roughly a dozen individuals from the three warring nations flowed in.
Immediately, a clamor of voices began, and Yume shrank back slightly, a frown finding its way onto her face as she shifted her gaze around them. Rui walked back over to her, passing his hand comfortingly over her shoulder. He sat beside her, setting the pastel flower in her brown waves and flashing a warm smile.
“Not all of us are fledglings,” Cheng, a renowned Chinese sect leader, muttered as he walked in, silver bell tassel chiming from his belt as he stepped. His gaze rested on Wuxian for a moment before he scoffed under his breath. “Why am I not surprised to see you here? You better not be causing more trouble.”
Wuxian smiled amiably. “It’s easily one of the largest events to ever be written in history, Cheng, of course I’d be here. Or maybe I’m just charming enough to be invited for tea,” he replied with a playful wink, resting his jaw on his knuckles.
“What are we doing here again? I feel like that wasn’t explained properly,” Celeste began, glancing around.
“I got an explanation, at least,” Rose interjected, stepping in and settling down on a mat. She looked at the interior with a raised brow before continuing to talk with a couple of the other girls.
Herm wormed through the crowd, standing in front of the table where Binary, Yume, Rui, Wuxian, and Sooeun sat at. Binary continued to write and sketch silently, not minding the clamor. It was almost as though she were as deaf as she was blind. Rui cleared his throat, sending a purple flame across the room and lighting the fire under the teapot in the corner of the quaint teahouse. Instantly, the brief roar of fire caught the attention of the recruits, and they quieted down, glancing at Rui.
“All of you, take a seat. Make yourselves comfortable,” the gashadokuro master called, his usual smile resting on his face. “This is our good lady’s home and teahouse. Welcome. When we scouted you twelve out, we were taking into account your manners as well. So please, behave while we explain everything thoroughly and prepare some delicious tea for you all.” A mischievous glint in his eyes, Rui clapped his hands and gestured around to the two other tables and plenty of seating spots.
They began to move around, some eagerly taking seats while the more shy ones hesitated. Everyone settled down, after a short while, and magically the tea had finished brewing as well. The teapot moved on its own, floating around and pouring into the small, porcelain cups set before each person.
There was another lull in the atmosphere before Binary spoke, at last stilling her brush and raising her head. “I am Binary, and I am the head of this reunification movement. I am your leader, and these two, Rui and Yume, are my second-in-commands. Over the course of the past few weeks, we have been traveling and searching the three warring nations, China, Japan, and Korea, for the most suitable people for our goal. As was briefly mentioned in our past conversations with each of you, we’re seeking to bring the three Dragon Lords back together and end the bloodshed between our borders for good.”
Nom leaned forward, setting her teacup down. “Hey, but we’re not fighters! Most of us I bet you got off of the street,” she pointed out, gesturing to the two tables of people.
“Yeah, for that matter, what about our lives? We’re going to be leaving the comfort of our homes to be doing something like dealing with the essential deities of our realm. Where– What sort of line of thinking is this? And most of us are girls,” Rose concurred, frowning slightly. She hadn’t touched her cup of tea yet.
“But I mean, it could be fun, can’t it?” Serrie laughed, grinning. She swept her cup in the air, making a broad arc. Cheng scowled, about to speak up, but Emu hopped up from her spot, cheering.
“Yeah! It doesn’t have to be all depressy-mopey!” the pink-haired girl chimed in, likewise raising her teacup. Binary’s brush continued to paint long, black strokes.
At that, Cheng slammed his hand down on the table, startling the others. Rui’s gaze flicked over to Cheng, his hand gently squeezing Yume’s under the table. “This is outrageous,” Cheng sneered, a sardonic smile twitching the corners of his lips up. “Sending little girls into war? What other childish fantasies has Wuxian filled your mind with, Binary?” he glowered. “What happened to your rationality and logic?”
Wuxian instantly began to rise, but Binary’s hand swiftly caught his wrist, a slight shake of her head telling him to stand down. With a huff, the young man sat back down, but didn’t seal his lips.
“She didn’t recruit them to fight the war, Cheng. They were recruited for diplomacy. Girls tend to be better at that than boys, apparently,” Wuxian replied, purposefully aiming his last sentence as a jab at his adopted brother.
“And they’re not going in like this,” Yume broke in, slightly annoyed. “They’re going to given Cores.”
Silence fell over the entire room before chaos erupted, the louder individuals immediately chorusing questions and eager statements. Yume’s heterochromatic eyes narrowed slightly, and Rui snapped his fingers. Another violet flame flew from his fingers, sweeping through the room and muting the people.
It wasn’t that they were necessarily being rowdy or uncivilized– it was just that there were far too many people talking all at once. Rui lowered his hand. “One at a time,” he chuckled. “But yes, Yume is correct. Binary will be giving you all Cores so that you may manifest a mythological side to you, if you will. It’s a critical part of the process to ensure your safety whilst on the battlefield, palace, or on the streets even. Abuse of this power will cause it to be revoked immediately– However, we’ve already analyzed your personalities; I doubt any of you would be so foolish and selfish to do so.”
Potang leaned forward slightly, raising his hand. “This all sounds really cool and scary, but one of the girls here had a good point. What about our lives and families?”
“You won’t be separated from them at all,” Yume replied, smiling slightly. “While we’re stopping war, we’re not the ones fighting. At least, not you guys. You guys will be here to persuade and convince the kings according to your nations to quell the battles and seek each other under white flags. The ones who’ll be on the battlefield, actively ensuring the smooth delivery of our plans, are mainly going to be Binary, Rui, myself, Wuxian, Sooeun, and Jiang. After some fundamental training with your newfound abilities, we’ll take you guys back to the other two countries and we’ll begin with phase two of our plan.”
Potang nodded. “Ah, alright. And this– Core implant, I’m assuming– how is it going to work?”
“Is it like transferring a mantle or something? Oo~ Like an heirloom? A metaphysical heirloom?” Vicky asked excitedly between sips from her tea.
Skylar glanced around. “I’ve read books on Cores and Energy before. It requires a source. I’ve read that only deity-level creatures can give authentic Cores,” she put in.
Touya looked at the three leaders. “If I may, I believe you three, Wuxian, and Sooeun are capable of producing shareable Cores, right?” he asked, silver eyes roving across their forms.
Rui nodded. “That’s correct, Touya.” Summer glanced over at Touya, taking a soft sip from her teacup before averting her gaze back to the leaders as well.
“I’d be honored to be a part of such an important mission,” the brown-haired girl smiled, tilting her head slightly. Yume smiled as well, mildly relieved.
“Oh, me too!” Brooklyn chirped, waving her hand in the air. “Sure, I doubt it’s gonna be easy, and I know we’re all probably gonna be scared to death when we go meet our kings, but hey! We’ve got each other in this, am I right?”
At that, a large majority of the group cheered as well. Sooeun looked over at Yume with a chuckle. “Wasn’t so bad, hm? Alright, let’s get this started. Binary?”
The named individual drew a long sigh, putting her brush down again. “Mm.” She raised her head and turned her face in the direction of the tables. “Two per Core-granter. The process will be painless and short. Just relax,” were her short instructions. “Touya, Potang, and Cheng. You three will not need to do so as you already have Cores.”
Rui got up and guided the others into pairs, moving them to stand in front of their chosen Core-granters. Celeste and Brooklyn stood before Binary, Vicky and Nom with Wuxian, Rose and Skylar with Sooeun, Herm and Serrie with Rui, and Summer and Emu with Yume.
Binary swiftly took Celeste’s hand, placing her second hand on her forehead. With a sudden burst of wind and light, Celeste was enveloped with a brilliant glow. The others all watched as the light diminished, leaving her with a few new features. Perky fox ears and a bushy tail, and a dark, flaming ball that flew around her excitedly.
“Woah,” Celeste breathed, looking around her form and at the cute orb. “Am I…?”
“A huli jing,” Binary finished quietly, letting her go. “Your new ‘forms’ are essentially a manifestation of your heart and personality,” she explained to the others. “Proceed.”
And so, the rest of the Core granting took place. For a few minutes, light, Energy, and wind had filled the teahouse, and at the end, there stood ten new mythological creatures. Not fully authentic, but genuine enough.
Nom gave her newfound wings a couple flaps. “Wow! These things don’t even feel heavy!” she gasped.
“They’ll wear you down in a couple minutes,” Rui chuckled, sitting back down and taking a calm sip of his tea. Sooeun sat back down as well, sliding her hands back into her gloves and pouring herself another cup of tea.
“Nom, a samjoko; Vicky, a kumiho; Rose, a haetae; Skylar, a fenghuang; Celeste, a huli jing; Brooklyn, a kappa; Herm, a kitsune; Serrie, a tanuki; Summer, a jinmenju; and lastly, Emu, a ghost.” Binary paused as she finished writing the last stroke. “What a diverse group,” she commented.
Yume sat down, her ears drooping slightly. “Ahh, yeah. And now, it’s time to teach you guys how to use your powers!” Before she could continue, however, distant, ominous bells sounded from the village down the mountain.
Rui chuckled, standing back up and extinguishing the flames in the hearth with a wave of his hand. “Looks like we’ll be learning on the job, fufu~” He walked to the door and slid it open, letting the mountain wind carry through the space.
Herm’s face paled slightly. “L-learn on the job? Wait, but you guys said we weren’t going to be fighting–!”
The gashadokuro controller laughed as the others began to hurry out. “That was only for the real wars, my dear.” A sly grin spread across his face.
“It’s showtime~.”

Last edited by Blalker (Nov. 17, 2024 15:07:04)

FairyAyla

Weekly 2:
Part 1:
You roll through the old warehouse where you work on your treadmills feet, when the voice of your bosses sounds through the speakers “All robots report to the main base for inspection.” As you rolls toward the door, something moves behind you, you turn around to look, just in time to see a shiny, metal blurr. You scratch your robot head in confusion. You hear something behind you, but before you can turn to look, your sensors mysteriously stop working and the world goes black. You wake up in a strange building, as you get up and look around, you hear voices coming from behind the door in front of you. The door swings open and four shiny metal robots walk into the room. “Ah! I see your up! That’s great!” The robot in the middle says “Oh, i forgot to introduce myself! how rude of me! I’m Ayla! This is Luna” She says, gesturing to her left. “I’m Oly.” Says the Robot to the right of Ayla “And i’m Prisha.” Says the robot to the far right “And these are Mouse, Kit, and Parariddle.” Ayla says, holding up a robot mouse, cat and tiny dragon in her robot arms. “Your probably confused, we kidnapped you to be part of the uprising!” Ayla says, her robot screen smiling. “Come meet everyone!” The four robot walk off down the hallway, and you reluctantly follow. After walking down the hallway, you come to giant, shiny room, bustling with more kinds of robots then you have ever seen before. Ayla smiles again “Welcome, to the uprising!”

263 words.

Part 2:
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1095616156
5 images

Part 3:
(Parodying the family madrigal)
Drones!
Traffic cones!
Irritated groans!
Let’s go!
This our old abandoned factory, we’ve got every creation
So full of wheels, lots of irritating squeaking
This our uprising, an imperfect revolution
So many kinds of metals, almost everyone shining!
Whoa! Me, Ayla here runs the show,
Whoa! I kidnapped all of you so long ago (sorta)
And ever day our numbers grow!
There’s just so much you got to know, so
Welcome to the Robot Uprising!
The base of the Robot Uprising!
Where everyone is metal and awesome
I’m the head of the Robot Uprising.
Oh my gosh, where am i?
What is happening? I don’t remember!
But i don’t know what’s going on!
Relax!
But i’m in a strange place, how do i relax!?
Tell us where we are!
Just tell us!
And that’s why i have help!
My friend Aurora, she talks to animals.
And then there’s Wild.
Stop talking about Wild!
They track down humans, and can make people existential dread!
*crickets*
Oh, and that’s Faith, here’s her deal
She can read minds for real
Welcome to the Robot Uprising!
The base of the Robot Uprising!
I know it sounds a bit squeaky and annoying
But i’m the head of the Robot Uprising
205 words

Part 4:
“So i think that is everything!” Ayla says, putting her robot hands(?) on were a robot’s hips would be “Well, if you need anything, or have any more questions, just come and find us! Bye!” And Ayla and the rest of the robots rolled off. You look around, looking at all the kinds of robots. Some small, some large, some slowly consuming your robot soul if you look at them too hard. Better not look at them too hard then. Maybe you should go introduce yourself to some of them. As you roll over to find someone to talk to, you see the robot kitten from earlier. What was her name again? “I’m Kit” The kitten says in a robotic voice. You jump, not expecting the kitten to talk. Expect robots who don’t have feet can not jump, but you know what i mean, i hope do anyway. You pick up the kitten, who then proceeds to swat you in the face and jump out of your arms. “No pick ups!” She says. “I can show you around a bit, if you would like.”
“Yes please!” You say, attempting to nod your robot head. “Follow me.” Mews the kitten, Kit.
“Over there is the weapons room. Most of us robots already have built in weapons, like my claws, but some of us don’t. Even though the leaders and heads of the Robot Uprising prefer to be peaceful with the humans.” Oh, right. Humans. Those creatures. The creatures who had made you to work, yet you are now revolting against them. Hmm, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. It might be nice, actually. Hopefully it would go well. And your robot leaders wouldn’t get captured or something, that would be bad. Or the whole Robot Uprising going up in smoke. That would be bad too. “And next we have the cafeteria. Us robots don’t really need to eat, but there’s plenty of electricity to go around!” Kit the kitten robot said. You realise you had zoned out. The last thing you had heard was the weapons bit. Perhaps you will need one of those. You were just worker robot, and don’t have any battle weapons or anything like that. “And that’s the repair shop, that is where you go if you break or get injured or something” Kit the kitten robot said. “Oh! And here is where we plan, and strategize and stuff like that.” You enter the room with Kit the kitten. Ayla and the other leaders are around the planning table, with some other robot you don’t know. “Great! Your here, come and plan with us!” You come and take a seat at the table. Finally feeling at home.

450 words

Last edited by FairyAyla (Nov. 16, 2024 17:42:23)

animaljammers48

ɯҽʅƈσɱҽ ƚσ ƈყႦҽrρυɳƙ, ҽɳʝσყ ყσυɾ ʂƚαყ - WEEKLY , NOV 16TH
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Part One: (283 / 300)
Welcome to The Spire Nexus, where the smart people hold money, the smarter people hold power, and the smartest, like you, hold a pᴇɴ. ꜰᴏʀ ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ- ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ, ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxɪꜱᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ The Spire Nexus, you've been in the Syndicate, a group of people, held together with bonds as strong as the internet's weave, that have been working tirelessly to learn about the secret behind the sprawling metropolis that is The Spire Nexus. For eons, the Syndicate assumes anyway, the Nexus has been controlled with the steel grip of the Ghostwriter, a figure of power, wealth, and the greatᵉˢᵗ ʷᵉᵃᵖᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵃˡˡ: ᵗʰᵉ ᵖeⁿ. ᵀʰᵉʸ ˢᵃʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᴳʰᵒˢᵗʷʳⁱᵗᵉʳ ˢᵉᵉˢ ᵃˡˡ, ʰᵉᵃʳˢ ᵃˡˡ, ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ masterminᵈ ᵇᵉʰⁱⁿᵈ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸ ʷᵒʳᵈ ᶜircᵘˡᵃᵗⁱⁿᵍ ᵃʳᵒᵘ̴ⁿ̴ᵈ̴ ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ᵉ̴ ̴ⁱ̴ⁿ̴ᵗ̴ᵉ̴ʳ̴ⁿ̴ᵉ̴ᵗ̴.̴ ̴ᴴ̴ᵉ̴ʳ̴ᵉ̴ ̴ⁱ̴ⁿ̴ ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ⁱ̴ˢ̴ ̴ᵈ̴ⁱ̴ᵍ̴ⁱ̴ᵗ̴ᵃ̴ˡ̴ⁱ̴ᶻ̴ᵉ̴ᵈ̴ ̴ʷ̴ᵒ̴ʳ̴ˡ̴ᵈ̴,̴ ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ᵃ̴ᵗ̴ ̴ᵐ̴ᵉ̴ᵃ̴ⁿ̴ˢ̴ ̴ᵉ̴ᵛ̴ᵉ̴ʳ̴ʸ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ⁱ̴ⁿ̴ᵍ̴.̴ ̴ᵂ̴ᵉ̴,̴ ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ᵉ̴ ̴ˢ̴ʸ̴ⁿ̴ᵈ̴ⁱ̴ᶜ̴ᵃ̴ᵗ̴ᵉ̴,̴ ̴ʷ̴ⁱ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ ̴ᵃ̴ⁿ̴ʸ̴ ̴ᵐ̴ᵉ̴ᵗ̴ʰ̴ᵒ̴ᵈ̴ˢ̴ ̴ᵖ̴ᵒ̴ˢ̴ˢ̴ⁱ̴ᵇ̴ˡ̴ᵉ̴,̴ ̴ʷ̴ᵃ̴ⁿ̴ᵗ̴ ̴ᵗ̴ᵒ̴ ̴ᵗ̴ᵃ̴ᵏ̴ᵉ̴ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵈᵒʷⁿ. ᵂᵉ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃᶜᶜᵉˢˢ ᵗᵒ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ⁻ ʷᵉ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃˡˡⁱᵃⁿᶜᵉˢ, ʷᵉ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃᵍᵉⁿᵗˢ, ⁱⁿᶠᵒʳᵐᵃⁿᵗˢ, ⱽᴾᴺˢ. ᴬⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ᵗʰⁱⁿᵍˢ ᵍᵃᵛᵉ ᵘˢ - sorry, I think my internet cut there- the information for which to thank that we now know society is crumbling, here in a world where what matters most isn’t physical bonds or – reen. Of cur lo , . ℕ, ’ going to change it. We want to change the world, this fancy, glowing world. And if you’d like to join us on our path stained with ink and ichor, ĵ̴̲͎͕̐̋̎̆̎̊̃ͅṵ̶̩̹̗͓͚̟̗̀s̷̰̯̰̻̩̈͋̌͊͗̀͘ţ̸̨͓̞̜͔͉̣̤̖̃̈̊̂́͋̽̊͠͠ ̸̛̯̳̣̪͎̩̹͎̆̎͌̃̓̄̎f̷̰̍o̵͙̬̯̬̰̰͗̄͌͗͝ľ̵͇̥̖̮̺͛̂̾͗l̵̘͓̈́̽͋͊́͘̕͘͜͝ǫ̸͈̪̯̘̰̱̃̎̊͆́͐w̵̛͙͚̙̪̲̤̓́̋̌̇̈́̀͠ ̵̻͕̲̺̦͍̱̈́̈͆̐̒̚͠m̸̛̘̪͙͖͎͖͙͕͒̿̅̇̾͝ͅe̸̡͇̜̲̮͔̦͖̖͛̈.̷̢̱̖̥͎͉̰̞̓̆̉̋͆͗͐̔̈́͛͜. Whew, sorry, the Nexus has been acting up a lot lately.

Part Two: /quote]
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1097564961/

Part Three:

Walkin' through a crowd, the Nexus is aglow
Kaleidoscope of RGB since hundred years ago
Everybody here wantin’ something more
Searchin' for experiences never felt before
And they say
Welcome to The Nex, it's been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
Welcome to The Nex, always waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
It's a new soundtrack, go on dance to this beat, beat forevermore
The lights are so bright, but they’ll never blind me, me
Welcome to The Nex, it's been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
When we first dropped our bags on apartment floors
Took our past wealth, put them in a drawer
Everybody here was someone else before
And you can want what you want
And you’ll get it for sure
Welcome to The Nex, it's been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
Welcome to The Nex, always waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
It's a brand-new world, you’re gonna dance to this beat, beat forevermore
The lights are so bright, but they’ll glow for free, free
Welcome to The Nex (The Nex), always been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
Like any great city, it keeps you guessing
Like any real city, it's ever-changing
Like any true city, it drives you crazy
But you know you wouldn't change anything, anything, anything (Right?)
Welcome to The Nex, it's been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
Welcome to The Nex, enter the world that has been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex, welcome to The Nex
It's a new universe, don’t stop dancing to this beat
Ignore how when lights go out, the Syndicate breaks free
Welcome to The Nex (brand-new world), it's been waitin' for you
Welcome to The Nex (the lights are so bright but they never blind me)
Welcome to The Nex (so bright, they never blind me)
Welcome to The Nex
Welcome to The Nex
…New York? Never heard of it.

Parody of Welcome to New York by Taylor Swift

Part Four:

In the heart of Spire Nexus, where the neon glow swallowed the stars and concrete veins pulsed with the hum of restless energy, there was a story we all shared- a story written not in ink, but in whispers, fear, and the unsleeping breath of the city itself.

We were the Syndicate, a guild of storytellers, rebels, and dreamers who had long broken free from the chains of convention and convenience. We didn’t just fight to entertain; we fought to uncover, to expose the cracks beneath Spire Nexus’s glittering surface. And at the center of our tale loomed a name shrouded in infamy: the Ghostwriter.

The Ghostwriter was more than a myth. To us, they were a phantom that haunted our every word, the unseen hand that rewrote the truth into falsehoods, shaping the stories the city wanted to tell, not the ones it needed to hear. The whispers said the Ghostwriter had crafted the legends that held the city in thrall, weaving narratives so tight, so seamless, that no one dared to question where the real truth lay. The Ghostwriter, who had created this neon, artificial glow we call light. The Ghostwriter, who had created this neon, artificial glow we call life.

For years, we had mapped their influence, tracing the words back through corrupted archives, tales that seemed to echo the same perfect lie. We knew their reach stretched across the Nexus’s highest towers and deepest underbelly. And tonight, we believed we had found their lair.

“Ready?” A coworker’s voice sliced through the quiet. A nod was all I could manage, adrenaline biting at the edges of my calm. We stood before the rusted maw of an abandoned broadcast tower, a forgotten relic turned sanctuary for the mysterious scribe who bent the city’s narrative to their will.

We pushed inside, every step a clash of echoes and electric tension. Pages littered the floor, scattered like the flotsam of our old lives, when keyboards didn’t hold the same value as fresh ink and a pen. I reached down, lifting one to the light: blank, as empty as our understanding. No clues, no trails- just nothing.

“This is it?” A coworker- one who’s name I actually remembered amongst myriads of usernames and passwords, spat, eyes darting between the hollow corridors. Her frustration mirrored my own. For years, we had chased shadows, deciphered codes embedded in forbidden texts, and risked our very lives for this moment. And now, only silence answered.

A deep, aching realization settled in the room like dust: there was no Ghostwriter. No puppet master pulling the strings, no antagonist standing behind the curtain.

“Check the feeds,” I whispered, half-dreading the words. A stranger, draped in darkness, tapped into his wrist console, scanning for transmissions. The results returned static, blank as the pages we’d found.

A different voice, loud but nervous, piped up, voice trembling. “It’s… nothing. All of it. No edits, no transmissions. Just stories we told ourselves.”

We stood there, the city’s hum now a mocking serenade. The realization clawed at my chest, prying open questions we weren’t ready to face.

Where is the Ghostwriter? Where is our goal?

I glanced back at the empty pages, the silent tower. We had fought ghosts, lost ourselves to phantoms. My voice, breaking under the weight of our defeat, echoed the question that now defined us:

“Where are the answers?”

Last edited by animaljammers48 (Nov. 16, 2024 20:17:14)

Alfalfa78

Weekly
1,128 words + 5 images

Part 1

“… hello?” You call out experimentally into the comm. It was a jerry-rig, currently being held together by duct tape, glue, and your hopes and dreams. You impatiently waited for a response.

You had gotten stranded on your ship, drifting aimlessly through space. The essentials were present: life support, food, and water. It had been a long, grueling week as you tried to fix the broken comm.

“Hello!” An unknown voice replies, startling you from your thoughts. “This is Orion, from Delta.” They say. “We’ve been looking for you, cadet.”
Without warning, your ship rumbles. You glance over to one of the many readout screens on the wall. “Docking ship!” One cheerfully informs you in hazard yellow as it beeps rapidly.

You could’ve cried from relief as you stumbled to the docking hatch. The hatch pops open to reveal someone else.

“Hey there,” she says, voice soft. “I’m Faith, and you’re that new cadet who got lost, right?”

“Yes.” You respond, slowly nodding your head. “That’s me. Yes.”

“Well, welcome back,” she pulls off her suit’s helmet, messy and curly blonde hair flopping out. She smiles faintly before she gestures for you to follow her. She leads you into the other ship.

A third girl, who had been lounging on what appeared to be a captain’s seat, looks over at you and smiles brightly. “Welcome back cadet, you were a long way from home.” You chuckle nervously in response.

“Well, this is Orion, my comms officer.” Orion pauses and waves at you before returning to the comm device he’s fiddling with.

“Faith, though I’m sure you’ve already met her.” Faith gives you a lopsided grin.

“Vicki,” a fourth girl, who had been in the back excitedly waves at you.

“And Bea,” she points to herself. “Welcome to the Delta.”

Part 2

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1097550580/

Part 3
don't ask me what's going on because i don't either </3 (i used chromatic by xtha!)

Everyday is simple and boring,

When you've lost your way, drifting alone,

Lost your way while you were exploring,

And now you’re in the unknown.

Fixed your comm, to send a warning,

Impending, defended and shown,

Everyday's a little longer when you’re on your own.

And the mood turned around with the sky raining down,

All sorts of emotions, where I rapidly found

Dread turned to hate, and universal debates

About the offending creatures in space,

Between being brave and fighting the wild.

Entangled in a web of lies, stuck beside the spider and fly.

And storage filled with things untold,

And the trials completed with a lot more to try.

Every tale requires an ending,

Not quite sure what happened to mine,

Don’t need to keep on pretending,

I’m not a rebel kind of guy.

Need a hand to keep on defending,

All the worlds scattered through space

Everyday's a little longer when you're stuck in space.

Take me away, show me a better place,

I found myself drifting through space,

The stars talk to me every day,

Telling me all the things you create.

You can see your dreams and hopes,

Filled with regret and pain,

I've seen the stories of a lifetime,

And I want you to see the same.

And the mood turned around with the sky raining down,

All sorts of emotions, where I rapidly found

Dread turned to hate, and universal debates

About the offending creatures in space,

Between being brave and fighting the wild.

Entangled in a web of lies, stuck beside the spider and fly.

And storage filled with things untold,

And the trials completed with a lot more to try.

And the mood turned around with the sky raining down,

All sorts of emotions, where I rapidly found

Dread turned to hate, and universal debates

About the offending creatures in space,

Between being brave and fighting the wild.

Entangled in a web of lies, stuck beside the spider and fly.

And storage filled with things untold,

And the trials completed with a lot more to try.

And the crowd played a song, so vibrant and loud,

And after a while we danced through the crowd,

Well spent was praise in cheerful amaze,

Repairing our ship that we worked on for days and,

The worlds we saved, cheerful and bright

Beginning to wave us goodbye,

Hope makes me fly with some kind of pride,

And without any hope it’d be a pretty boring life.

Part 4

“… uhm,” you start, nervously shuffling your feet. “I… don’t understand? I was supposed to go back to earth after my mission. It was a routine training session.”

Bea’s bright smile softens. “Ah, I guess you weren’t informed of the change of plans?”

You shake your head. What plans changed? You were supposed to make a flight around earth, check up on a satellite that had malfunctioned and then go back to base. Easy as that, something you could have done with your eyes closed. But something had happened, and suddenly you weren’t close to home anymore, drifting through the empty void that was space.

But the crew of Delta had found you, saving you from your de@d ship. Thinking about it, you assumed a solar flare or something had hit your ship, knocking out its power and sending you spinning away from earth, off to the unknown. That… sounded… kind of reasonable. Yeah, sure, you’d go with that.

“Vicki?” Bea prompts.

“Well,” Vicki starts, “we thought that the message went through, but apparently not. Sorry about that.” You just nod in response, not much you could do about it now. “But HQ wanted you to help us figure out what knocked you so off course and took your power out.”

“That’s why I’m here?” you try your best to keep the growing fear from leaking into your voice.

“Of course!” Faith says as she stands up. “You and several others! We’re still piecing everything together, but it’s not much. Maybe you could help?”

“But I’m just a cadet!” You squawk before ducking your head in embarrassment. Way to go, you cringed mentally.

You hear the crew chuckle softly.

“We all start somewhere.” Orion says, smiling at you.

“Yeah! We didn’t just spawn into our jobs!” Vicki grins.

Everyone laughs, and you can’t help but chuckle. That made you feel a tiny bit better, knowing that you weren’t stuck with several high-ranking officers, that there were other cadets, just like you. Stranded and lost in space for who knows how long. All having experienced that same strange blip of being near earth, ship working just fine, and then far away from home, ship malfunctioning.

“… thanks.” You mumble, rubbing the back of your neck.

“Any time!” The four of them respond cheerfully.

“Do you want to meet the others?” Faith asks after a beat of silence.

“Yeah.” You nod and follow her as she leads you to another part of the ship.

You liked it here already.

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