SF's "Write Your Butt Off" Competition HD II.5 Remix

[TheSilentChloey]

2 hours ago, SoulWeaver said:

A curious entry, definitely intriguing. You did miss the 'n' in 'rednuht' and I assume 'rof' was supposed to be 'morf' but other than that it looks pretty good.

Thanks for picking that up XD fixed it 😄

[Ottservia]

21 hours ago, TheSilentChloey said:

I had a stupid week long ban from charging my stuff thanks to my Dad, so not as much done as I would like,

The Entry is here: Dragontouched

It's around 1,600 words.

 

Post read notes

  Reveal hidden contents

Hel- Dragon of the Dead son of Loki the Dragon of Tricks and Imp the Dragon of Tragedy.

Thór- Dragon of Thunder aka God of Thunder

Neptuna- Dragon of Water

Adrian- (aka Aquarius), a human child capable of using water magic to both defend and heal others

Kiran- A Felinia who is Dragontouched or Blessed by Thór.

Ice Elves- an ancient and powerful Elvish race who see humans as slaves to do with as they please.

 

Not bad though I can see how you would say this is incomplete. 

[Anacybele]

I've finished my entry! This uses some characters I've never written in here before. They come from my main FE fic, Dawn of Darkness and are major characters in that story. Bryan is one of the lead males, in fact. He and Skye fit this prompt absolutely perfectly, though, so I had to use them. I gotta warn y'all now, you might tear up a bit at this.

Title: That Fateful Day
Fandom: Fire Emblem (on a continent in the same world as Tellius)
Words: 4321

Spoiler

That Fateful Day

 

“Stop it! Give it back!” a young boy with olive green toned hair cried, tears welling up in his eyes. “STOP IT!”

“Aww, the wittle boy wants his precious wittle book back!” a somewhat taller boy with brown hair taunted as he tossed a small blue covered book over the smaller boy’s head. Another taller boy with red hair caught it.

“What’sa matter, Cryin’ Bryan? Too puny to reach? Nya nya!” the red-haired boy teased.

“STOOOP!” Bryan continued to cry out. He then began to wail, no longer able to hold his tears back.

“Oh, get over yourself, you loser wimp!” the red-haired boy retorted, flipping the book’s pages. “Why do you even care about this kiddy stuff? A fairy tale spear girl? Get real!”

“B-But…I like my books…” Bryan said between sniffles. “A-And I don’t have any f-friends to--”

“Gee, I wonder why!” the first boy interrupted and shoved Bryan to the ground. “Crybaby weakling!”

“Oww!” Bryan cried as his knee hit the stone street of the town he was in. It had been skinned and was bleeding.

“Even the grown-ups seem to think you’re just a waste of time!” the first boy continued.

“Haha, yeah! And your dad always has to run that shop of his! He doesn’t have time for you and your whining, does he?” the second boy added with a laugh.

“H-He does too!” Bryan blubbered. “My daddy loves me! He’s…the only one that loves me…”

“Heh, sure… And you don’t even have a mom!” the second boy pointed out. “I bet she left you two because she couldn’t stand you anymore! Ahahaha!”

“…THAT ISN’T TRUE!” Bryan screamed, though whether it was more out of anger this time than sadness, he wasn’t sure. “JUST STOP!”

In truth, however, Bryan didn’t know if his mother ever cared for him. He had never known her and she had never been in his life as far as he could remember. And Bryan’s father rarely talked about her at all. For all he knew, she really had never loved him and did abandon him and his father. But of course, he could never admit this to these bullies.

This train of though led him to wail harder than he had been so far. Why didn’t he ever have a mother? And why couldn’t Owen talk more about her or go find her?

 “Oh, stop your stupid whining and crying!” the first boy demanded and threw the book at Bryan, smacking him in the head. “It’s really irritating!”

Being hit with the book only caused Bryan to continue weeping, however, as he covered his knee with his hands and his book sat on the ground next to him.

“UGH! That’s it!” the red-haired boy snapped. “It’s time we taught you a lesson, you snot-nosed brat! COME HERE!”

With that, he yanked Bryan up off the ground and held his hands behind his back. This only caused Bryan to scream.

“LEMME GO! NOOO! LEMME GOOO!”

“Shut it! You need to toughen up!”

“NOOO! STOOOP!”

All Bryan could do now was be dragged away by his arms, and quite literally kicking and screaming.

***

“Sigh…” a young boy with unruly turquoise hair said as he strolled into town. In his pocket he carried a small coin purse.

“Always the same thing…” he continued. “Mom and Dad go away on some “mission” and I’m left to make sure me and Kye can eat and have clothes. Miss Dora can help sometimes, but not enough. She’s too busy and she’s not our mom anyway! Even if she is nice…”

Skye continued down the street towards the town shops, glaring at the sidewalk and not paying much attention to his surroundings. He soon bumped into a passing woman and apologized. Why was he stuck with so much responsibility? He’d much rather get to spend more time with his parents and playing outside with other kids than having to look after his younger brother all day. Kye was still fairly young to talk much or play many games, so Skye could only try to entertain himself a lot. Not to mention that playing only with Kye all the time would get boring.

“I care about you more than anything, Kye, but…” Skye continued to himself. “I want a little more time for me… Mom and Dad need to be home more and I want us to stop being all by ourselves so much…”

Skye had only one treasured belonging since his parents couldn’t afford much, that being a wooden slingshot. He enjoyed shooting things with it and practicing, and yet he never had much time to because of his having to be more or less a second parent for himself and Kye.

Skye knew things could be worse. At least his parents did provide him and Kye with money and a place to live. But was it so hard to just be around a little more often or help them find some more company in other ways? Even when they would share a meal together, Skye would often see his little brother feel the same way, and the most common thing he’d ask is “When are Mommy and Daddy coming home?” And Skye would be unable to give an answer. He hated it.

“Just…when will things change? When can I make things change?” He wondered. “What can I do…?”

Suddenly, Skye’s train of thought was interrupted by the sound of loud grunts and laughter. He looked around to see a small group of kids ahead of him near the entrance to the market square. A few were girls, who appeared to be the ones laughing. One or two were throwing things at something as well. Then Skye realized what their attention was on: three boys were taking turns punching a smaller boy in the face and torso while a fourth was holding him. The boy was crying and moaning and begging for them to stop and let him go. He had blood running down his nose and leg and his face and olive hair had spots of mud.

“What in…?!” Skye gasped upon the awful sight before him. “I’ve seen that kid a few times before… Is this how he’s actually been treated by these jerks?!”

He wasn’t sure what exactly had given him such an instinct to intervene. But before he could think, he found his legs moving fast and charging right into the group. And he certainly had a chance of getting walloped himself. He was outnumbered by these punks. And yet Skye couldn’t ignore their actions.

“LET HIM GO!!” he screamed as he rammed himself into the boy that was holding the victim. The boy’s grip was loosened, allowing the olive-haired boy to crawl away cowering and crying.

“You little rat!” the red-haired boy snapped.

“How dare you ruin our fun?!” one of the girls complained. “We were just seeing the crybaby finally forced to stop being such a wimp!”

“Yeah, we were just toughening him up,” a brown-haired boy added and then looked at his victim. “Heh, fine! You’ll get more next time then! How about it? Hahaha!”

The olive-haired boy was still on the ground next to a wall, shaking and tears falling down his cheeks. The tears mixed with blood and snot that still ran from his nose. A bruise was forming around one of his eyes and on his cheeks as well. Skye also noticed that the blood on his leg was coming from a scrape on that leg’s knee. These kids must have pushed the poor boy around as well before they “toughened him up.”

“SHOVE OFF!” Skye snapped. “I’m warning you! He didn’t fight back, but I will!”

“Ha, you can’t take all of us on by yourself,” the red-haired boy sneered with a laugh. “But since we just got through that crybaby, we’ll give you a break. Your lucky day! See ya!”

The boys laughed as they left, followed by the girls who were groaning with disappointment that the “fun” was over already. It took the rest of Skye’s willpower not to keep going after them. But he also had to see to the olive-haired boy, who was still near the closest wall.

Skye turned and approached him, holding out one hand to show he meant no harm.

“Hey… I’m sorry about what they’ve been doing to you,” he said. “I saw you getting picked on before. I wish I’d helped you then. But I guess… I didn’t see what was really happening. But don’t worry. You’ll be okay now.”

“I…” the boy began, though it was uncomfortable to even talk at this point due to the aching in his face. “I didn’t think… Anyone cared…”

“What? Why?” Skye wondered, arching an eyebrow.

“N-Nobody…did. Those kids call me names…” the boy continued. “And the grown-ups…think I cause trouble… Or just think I’m weird and cry too much…”

“Seriously? That’s so lame,” Skye commented. “Well… Someone cares now. Me. I’m Skyler. But you can call me Skye. What’s your name?”

Skye continued to offer his hand to the boy, a swarm smile on his face. The boy still didn’t do or say anything for a few moments. Was it this unreal to him that someone was showing him kindness? How could he be so unused to it?

“…Bryan,” Bryan finally answered and took Skye’s hand. “…Th-Thank you…”

Indeed, Bryan still couldn’t completely process that at last, someone decided to help him instead of call him names, push him, hit him, or throw mud or trash on him. He’d spent so much time crying or bruised or bleeding that he’d taken that to just be what his life was. The idea that someone could be kind to him was, in his mind, unfathomable.

“Heh, no problem,” Skye said as he helped Bryan off the ground. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I can take you to the healer I know. I have to go into town to buy my brother and I our food for the rest of the day anyway.”

“…Buy your food? What about your parents…? Don’t they do that?” Bryan wondered.

As the two began to walk away from the wall, Skye noticed Bryan’s knee injury had caused him to begin limping. It must’ve hurt too much to put a lot of weight on.

“I wish…” Skye replied. “They’re pretty much never around. I always have to look out for my brother… I don’t mind helping him, but I do wish my mom and dad would come home more. They go on a lot of missions or something. They don’t tell us much about their work.”

“Oh…” Bryan said with a frown. “I’m sorry…”

“I’ve gotten rather used to it, I guess. Hey, I see that you’re limping though. Let’s move as fast as we can and visit the healer first. The food can wait a little longer.”

“…R-Really? You would…do that for…me?” Bryan uttered. He didn’t seem to want to make much eye contact or talk a lot.

“Sure! You’re in much worse shape than I or my brother,” Skye pointed out. “Also, you don’t have to be shy. I can be your friend. I won’t pick on you like those other kids did. Not ever.”

“My…friend?”

“Yep!”

Even the word friend itself was strange to Bryan. This was entirely unreal. It felt like a dream. And yet it was reality. He paused for a moment before saying anything else. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, a small smile dawned on his features.

“My…friend.”

Skye returned the gesture without hesitation.

I’m thinking that too, Bryan. Finally…a friend.

Later that day, after the healer had treated Bryan’s injuries and Skye got the food he needed, the two had gone back to the latter’s house to meet and check on Skye’s brother, Kyle, Kye for short, and eat. Bryan didn’t want to take any of Skye’s food, but Skye insisted, saying that he always made sure to have extra just in case anyway. One good thing he had learned from his parents despite their long absences was that emergencies could happen and that there could be times where he’d be unable to go out for a while, such as during bad weather.

“Wow… You’re so good at this,” Bryan complimented as he began eating.

“Yeah. Though I kinda have to be,” Skye admitted.

“And I still miss Mommy and Daddy…” little Kye, who couldn’t be more than three or four, said. “I wanna hug…”

“I know… You know I can always give you a hug, though.”

“Yeah, but… I want hugs from Mommy and Daddy too…”

“…Yeah, I get it.”

“Your home is as nice as my dad’s shop though,” Bryan complimented. “I guess your mommy and daddy at least make a lot of money?”

“They do make more than some people in town,” Skye admitted. “So I guess that’s a thing, but…yeah. We’re so bored here a lot though.”

“Huh… I could come over more,” Bryan offered. “If…if you want.”

“Really? That’d be cool!” Skye agreed. “Thanks! I’ll show you my slingshot. It’s awesome.”

“Wow, neat! Come to my dad’s shop sometime too. My dad and I live above it. His name is Owen.”

“Oh, Owen’s! I’ve been there a few times before,” Skye realized. “I’ve had to pick up supplies there every now and then. Mr. Owen has the best variety. I didn’t know you lived there. Or that Mr. Owen even had any kids.”

“Yeah! And…well, I kept to myself upstairs a lot because… I didn’t have friends.”

“…Oh, yeah. I can see that. Well, you don’t have to do that anymore!”

“Heh, I guess not!”

Bryan’s smile was now probably bigger than it ever was in his entire life. Skye was glad to see the boy had become more comfortable with conversing with him.

“I guess you read books? You’ve had a book with you since before I found you earlier,” Skye wondered.

“Yeah, it helps me forget…well, everything, I guess. My dad tries to help me, but he can only do so much with having to run his shop.”

“I see. I was wondering how you put up with all the horrible things those kids do to you.”

“Well, now you know.”

“Hmm…”

Skye thought for a moment before continuing to speak.

“Hey… You know, you could stand up for yourself more,” he advised. “Instead of crying, try fighting back! Those jerks won’t bother you as much if you hit and kick them when they go after you.”

“Oh… My dad said I could defend myself too, but…” Bryan replied. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t like the idea of hurting someone.”

“Ah, I get that. But crying and whining doesn’t make them stop either,” Skye pointed out. “You could still do that less anyway. Crying’s not cool.”

“I…I can’t seem to help it. I’m sorry. But I can try. I don’t want you to hate me like pretty much everyone else does…”

“No, no, I won’t hate you, even if you cry. I’m just trying to help you. You’re nice and cool to talk to!”

“Heh… thanks. Hey, let’s get your slingshot and go to my house after this. …I mean, if someone else can watch Kye.”

“Ah, don’t worry. Kye takes a nap after lunch. And a neighbor comes to check on him. I got a little time.”

As if on point, Kye let out a big yawn after taking the last bite of his food.

“Yeah… I get sleepy a lot after lunch…” he said.

“Oh, great!” Bryan commented. “Let’s go as soon as we can then!”

Skye agreed, and after cleaning up their dishes, the two then helped Kye to his room. Skye carried him in his arms as if he was the father rather than the brother, and by the time they got to the bedroom door, Kye was basically out cold. Bryan had followed to make sure the door was open. Sometimes Skye closed it out of habit even when Kye wasn’t in there. He also explained that he shared the room with his brother too, so Kye wouldn’t be lonely on nights their parents were gone. Skye certainly was a good big brother.

Skye then gently put his brother on his bed and tucked him in.

“I’ll try to be back before you wake up, little bro,” he promised, even though the sleeping Kye wouldn’t hear him.

Skye then quietly grabbed the slingshot off his shelf and he and Bryan left the room.

“Wow, that thing is so cool!” Bryan complimented. “Also looks…kind of familiar.”

“That’s probably because I bought it from your dad a while ago,” Skye explained. “My parents let me because I convinced them I could learn to protect us with it. Which is part of the truth, but not entirely. I like shooting things too.”

“Wow, neat!” Bryan said. “But…you don’t shoot people with it, do you?”

“No, of course not, not unless I really need to,” Skye said. “…But I know some people you’d probably love to see get shot with it, right?”

“Well…”

“Come on!”

Skye then took Bryan by the arm and out of the house. They rushed back to town after Skye filled the slingshot with some special ammunition that he only used on certain…occasions. After peering down a couple streets and alleys, the two found the red-haired boy and brown-haired boy that had been beating Bryan earlier. They were loitering near another shop.

“Watch this,” Skye said quietly as he aimed the slingshot right at the red-haired boy. With a light grin and chuckle, Skye let the small round object in the slingshot fly.

When it struck the red-haired boy, it suddenly exploded in a cloud of smoke that enveloped both him and the brown-haired boy. The two yelped and waved their arms around, complaining about a horrible smell. A moment later, one of them tripped on the other’s foot and fell right into some mud. Eventually, both ran off without looking to see who might have caused all this.

Skye burst into laughter and had to sit on the ground himself to contain his amusement. Bryan eventually couldn’t help but do the same a moment later.

“See, I knew you’d find that funny!” Skye said between breaths from laughing.

“Hahaha, yeah! That got them good!” Bryan admitted. “Oh, but… we shouldn’t let them find out it you did this and that I was here.”

“Yeah, maybe not. At least not yet,” Skye agreed. “Anyway, that was one of my miniature stink bombs. I made them out of boredom and to have something good to shoot when I need to teach someone a lesson.”

“Cool! And you don’t really hurt anyone doing that,” Bryan praised. “At least I think. But it’s still cool!”

“Yep!”

“Well, let’s keep heading for my dad’s shop,” Bryan suggested. “He might be wondering where I’m at now. Sometimes he asks me to run errands for him too, and he might need me for one.”

“Oh, alright then. No problem.”

“I can show you some more of my books too, if you want. I like to read about warriors who wield lances and spears. I want to wield one someday.”

“Oh, awesome! Though…you said you didn’t want to hurt people.”

“Yeah… Well, learning to use a lance still sounds cool to me anyway. Even if I never once use those skills against another person. I know it sounds weird, but…yeah.”

“Well, if you say so. But I still want you to think about using that idea to defend yourself from those bullies someday. Just think about it, okay?”

“Oh… Alright. I promise.”

“Thanks!”

The two then began making their way closer to Owen’s shop. Bryan smiled at Skye again, feeling legitimately happy for probably the first time in his life.

“Skye… You’re my very best friend,” he said.

“Heh. You’re mine too, Bryan,” Skye replied, putting an arm around his somewhat shorter buddy.

“We’ll always be friends forever. Won’t we?”

“Totally!”

 

Thirteen years later…

 

“Skye,” Bryan greeted his closest friend in the Astryn Palace garden. “Sorry I couldn’t get us some us time sooner. All these new responsibilities I have and whatnot…”

“Yeah, I get it,” Skye replied. “I’m just glad we got more time to talk now. Since…”

“Since what?”

Before Skye could respond, he began to tremble a bit.

“Well, firstly… I’m really proud of you, man,” he began. “When we were kids, you said once that you wanted to do great things and prove all those people who picked on you wrong. And you sure as heck did!”

A bashful grin formed on Bryan’s features.

“Ah. Well, I have to admit that saving an entire kingdom and becoming its king wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he replied. “But yeah, you’re right. I’m glad I could help so many people, even despite the road bumps I ran into along the way. And…finally achieve the one goal I’d had my whole life in finding out who my mother was.”

“I definitely understand that. I don’t think anybody expected your mom to have been a princess from another country! But anyway…”

At this, Skye’s hands shook even more, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He grimaced and allowed his hands to turn to fists.

“It’s just…” he uttered, before pausing again and turning to his friend.

Skye suddenly threw his arms across Bryan’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Tears slowly trickled down Skye’s face as he couldn’t hold in his emotions anymore.

“Whoa,” Bryan said, completely thrown off guard by the gesture. Though he returned it after anyway, bringing his arms to Skye’s waist.

“You’re…crying?” he wondered. “What’s wrong, Skye? This isn’t really like you. Crying was my thing. Ha ha.”

“Heh,” Skye lightly chuckled at his best friend’s joke. “Sorry… But… It’s just hitting me that…we can’t spend time together anymore. You’re king of Astryn now. And I have to return to Talgria to help lead our old platoon for Lady Azura in her earldom. We…we never were apart. Not since that day we met… And now…”

Now it was Bryan’s turn to pause. Skye was right. In all the years they’d been such close friends, they’d never had to spend much time apart. They could visit one another every day when they were growing up, and then they’d joined the Talgria army together, serving in the same platoon. And for the first time, the two had new duties that would force them to live not just in different towns, but different countries all together.

“Oh…” Bryan finally said. “Yeah…”

Bryan gave Skye a light pat on his back as he slowly let him go.

“That is true. We do have to live far apart now,” Bryan continued. “And yet… I can’t seem to cry about that myself. Isn’t that ironic?”

“Wow, sure is,” Skye agreed, wiping his eyes. “I’m…just going to really miss you, man. I can’t believe this has to happen, even though I understand why it does.”

“Indeed. I’m going to miss you a lot too,” Bryan admitted. “If it weren’t for you, Skye… I don’t know what I would’ve done with my life. I was living under the presumption that I’d have no friends, no one to care for me, and have to live all alone, and the only human interaction I’d get was people picking on me.”

“And I finally had someone to talk to more other than my annoying toddler brother at the time,” Skye half-joked. “It’s incredible where we are now. You’re a king and a major hero. I’m practically being called the best archer on this continent. We primarily had only each other for support and reasons to push ourselves as much as we did. And it all began when I decided to save you from those kids who were beating you half to death that one day.”

“Yeah… And because I decided to go read outside instead of staying in my room then. I did like some occasional sunlight. Looking back, we really did impact each other’s lives more than anything.”

“Definitely.”

Skye sniffled as a short silence ensued.

“Skye,” Bryan continued with a big smile. “Thanks for all you’ve taught me and for being there for so long. I never had a better friend. I’m really proud of you too.”

“Heh… Thanks,” Skye replied, sniffling again. “It is amazing how the scared crying kid I helped turned into one of the greatest warriors this world’s ever seen. I still won’t forget that time you practically covered yourself in a bandit’s blood out of rage. I’m glad I could help you.”

“…Weeell, I would like to forget that thing with the bandit, but otherwise, yeah,” Bryan commented in slight embarrassment, scratching the back of his head.

“But…” Skye said with a sniffle. “You also taught me, Bryan… That it’s…it’s okay for a guy to cry sometimes.”

“Aww,” Bryan bashfully replied. “I’m glad I could also help you. And hey, I know we have to say good bye soon, but… Remember, it doesn’t matter that I’m sitting on a throne and you’re all the way in Azura’s castle commanding troops. We’ll always be friends forever. We promised each other that.”

“…Yeah, that we did,” Skye realized.

“And you’re always welcome to visit me here. Don’t say that I might be too busy, because I could never be too busy to make time for you when you arrive. I’ll be sure to drop by Elhorhi to see you sometime too.”

“That sounds awesome. Thanks so much,” Skye happily obliged.

“Of course.”

With that, Bryan pulled his best friend into a hug once again, glad that he could give his friend some comfort even with Skye’s impending departure from Astryn. The archer was still a little tearful, but some of those tears were now joyful rather than sad.

Post-Read Notes:

Spoiler

- Years ago I started writing Dawn of Darkness with the concept that Tellius only believed they were the only continent to survive the Great Flood and later found that at least one other also made it out. That continent that is featured here is Altarais. Talgria and Astryn are just two of the several countries in it. Elhorhi is the earldom Azura eventually rules within Talgria's borders.
- Azura was created and named long before Fates Azura was a thing, just to point out.
- I probably could have ended this without the time skipped scene, but I feel it adds more depth and meaning to the piece.
- There's a reference to Disney's The Fox & the Hound somewhere in this. I thought it was a perfect fit here.
- I get that Bryan's backstory of being a secret prince is kinda cliche. But I liked the idea because I kinda have a thing for rags to riches stories and stories where someone overcomes people picking on them to rise to greatness. It's kind of because I put up with quite a bit of bullying myself growing up, and Bryan's backstory was kinda inspired by that.
- Skye's parents are assassins, btw. They weren't very responsible parents. They did care for their children and didn't ever mean to hurt them, but they didn't understand how their lifestyle was affecting them. And in the end, it cost them. They actually wound up getting themselves killed and never got the chance to fix their relationship with their boys. What's more, Kye spent a good portion of his early life hating them because they also nearly caused him to get killed too. They irresponsibly took him on the same mission they died in, though they did keep him away from the main combat zone.

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Anacybele

[TheSilentChloey]

Okay did some polishing of the entry and finished it off.

[AnonymousSpeed]

On 1/20/2020 at 1:25 AM, SoulWeaver said:

Also @AnonymousSpeed I forgot about your last reply to me about God having a physical body. It's a doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 130, Verse 22. Hopefully that gives you the insight you were after as to my thought process involving the journey to perfection in mortality.

Something something aphthartodocetism. Very interesting insight indeed.

[SoulWeaver]

Not a fabulous entry, but meh.

Spoiler

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KJixUYxcMw50dfgqK6IWJIKW6kI3_2OA34BK6xbgdwU/edit?usp=sharing

Notes:
 

Spoiler

This one was somewhat in the spirit of Chloey's 'The Silent One,' though I think hers was written better. Not really much more to say about it, it's pretty much there so I don't have this round hanging over my head this week.

 

[Benice]

We'll see if I can actually get around to finishing mine this time; it's about a 50-50 chance, I'd say. I also think (if I finish it,) that it will be another weak entry. But hey, I can still try!

[Ottservia]

20 minutes ago, SoulWeaver said:

Not a fabulous entry, but meh.

  Hide contents

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KJixUYxcMw50dfgqK6IWJIKW6kI3_2OA34BK6xbgdwU/edit?usp=sharing

Notes:
 

  Hide contents

This one was somewhat in the spirit of Chloey's 'The Silent One,' though I think hers was written better. Not really much more to say about it, it's pretty much there so I don't have this round hanging over my head this week.

 

This song played in my head as I read this:

or at least the beginning portion though it’s not a bad piece. I quite enjoyed it

On 1/23/2020 at 8:56 PM, Anacybele said:

I've finished my entry! This uses some characters I've never written in here before. They come from my main FE fic, Dawn of Darkness and are major characters in that story. Bryan is one of the lead males, in fact. He and Skye fit this prompt absolutely perfectly, though, so I had to use them. I gotta warn y'all now, you might tear up a bit at this.

Title: That Fateful Day
Fandom: Fire Emblem (on a continent in the same world as Tellius)
Words: 4321

  Hide contents

That Fateful Day

 

“Stop it! Give it back!” a young boy with olive green toned hair cried, tears welling up in his eyes. “STOP IT!”

“Aww, the wittle boy wants his precious wittle book back!” a somewhat taller boy with brown hair taunted as he tossed a small blue covered book over the smaller boy’s head. Another taller boy with red hair caught it.

“What’sa matter, Cryin’ Bryan? Too puny to reach? Nya nya!” the red-haired boy teased.

“STOOOP!” Bryan continued to cry out. He then began to wail, no longer able to hold his tears back.

“Oh, get over yourself, you loser wimp!” the red-haired boy retorted, flipping the book’s pages. “Why do you even care about this kiddy stuff? A fairy tale spear girl? Get real!”

“B-But…I like my books…” Bryan said between sniffles. “A-And I don’t have any f-friends to--”

“Gee, I wonder why!” the first boy interrupted and shoved Bryan to the ground. “Crybaby weakling!”

“Oww!” Bryan cried as his knee hit the stone street of the town he was in. It had been skinned and was bleeding.

“Even the grown-ups seem to think you’re just a waste of time!” the first boy continued.

“Haha, yeah! And your dad always has to run that shop of his! He doesn’t have time for you and your whining, does he?” the second boy added with a laugh.

“H-He does too!” Bryan blubbered. “My daddy loves me! He’s…the only one that loves me…”

“Heh, sure… And you don’t even have a mom!” the second boy pointed out. “I bet she left you two because she couldn’t stand you anymore! Ahahaha!”

“…THAT ISN’T TRUE!” Bryan screamed, though whether it was more out of anger this time than sadness, he wasn’t sure. “JUST STOP!”

In truth, however, Bryan didn’t know if his mother ever cared for him. He had never known her and she had never been in his life as far as he could remember. And Bryan’s father rarely talked about her at all. For all he knew, she really had never loved him and did abandon him and his father. But of course, he could never admit this to these bullies.

This train of though led him to wail harder than he had been so far. Why didn’t he ever have a mother? And why couldn’t Owen talk more about her or go find her?

 “Oh, stop your stupid whining and crying!” the first boy demanded and threw the book at Bryan, smacking him in the head. “It’s really irritating!”

Being hit with the book only caused Bryan to continue weeping, however, as he covered his knee with his hands and his book sat on the ground next to him.

“UGH! That’s it!” the red-haired boy snapped. “It’s time we taught you a lesson, you snot-nosed brat! COME HERE!”

With that, he yanked Bryan up off the ground and held his hands behind his back. This only caused Bryan to scream.

“LEMME GO! NOOO! LEMME GOOO!”

“Shut it! You need to toughen up!”

“NOOO! STOOOP!”

All Bryan could do now was be dragged away by his arms, and quite literally kicking and screaming.

***

“Sigh…” a young boy with unruly turquoise hair said as he strolled into town. In his pocket he carried a small coin purse.

“Always the same thing…” he continued. “Mom and Dad go away on some “mission” and I’m left to make sure me and Kye can eat and have clothes. Miss Dora can help sometimes, but not enough. She’s too busy and she’s not our mom anyway! Even if she is nice…”

Skye continued down the street towards the town shops, glaring at the sidewalk and not paying much attention to his surroundings. He soon bumped into a passing woman and apologized. Why was he stuck with so much responsibility? He’d much rather get to spend more time with his parents and playing outside with other kids than having to look after his younger brother all day. Kye was still fairly young to talk much or play many games, so Skye could only try to entertain himself a lot. Not to mention that playing only with Kye all the time would get boring.

“I care about you more than anything, Kye, but…” Skye continued to himself. “I want a little more time for me… Mom and Dad need to be home more and I want us to stop being all by ourselves so much…”

Skye had only one treasured belonging since his parents couldn’t afford much, that being a wooden slingshot. He enjoyed shooting things with it and practicing, and yet he never had much time to because of his having to be more or less a second parent for himself and Kye.

Skye knew things could be worse. At least his parents did provide him and Kye with money and a place to live. But was it so hard to just be around a little more often or help them find some more company in other ways? Even when they would share a meal together, Skye would often see his little brother feel the same way, and the most common thing he’d ask is “When are Mommy and Daddy coming home?” And Skye would be unable to give an answer. He hated it.

“Just…when will things change? When can I make things change?” He wondered. “What can I do…?”

Suddenly, Skye’s train of thought was interrupted by the sound of loud grunts and laughter. He looked around to see a small group of kids ahead of him near the entrance to the market square. A few were girls, who appeared to be the ones laughing. One or two were throwing things at something as well. Then Skye realized what their attention was on: three boys were taking turns punching a smaller boy in the face and torso while a fourth was holding him. The boy was crying and moaning and begging for them to stop and let him go. He had blood running down his nose and leg and his face and olive hair had spots of mud.

“What in…?!” Skye gasped upon the awful sight before him. “I’ve seen that kid a few times before… Is this how he’s actually been treated by these jerks?!”

He wasn’t sure what exactly had given him such an instinct to intervene. But before he could think, he found his legs moving fast and charging right into the group. And he certainly had a chance of getting walloped himself. He was outnumbered by these punks. And yet Skye couldn’t ignore their actions.

“LET HIM GO!!” he screamed as he rammed himself into the boy that was holding the victim. The boy’s grip was loosened, allowing the olive-haired boy to crawl away cowering and crying.

“You little rat!” the red-haired boy snapped.

“How dare you ruin our fun?!” one of the girls complained. “We were just seeing the crybaby finally forced to stop being such a wimp!”

“Yeah, we were just toughening him up,” a brown-haired boy added and then looked at his victim. “Heh, fine! You’ll get more next time then! How about it? Hahaha!”

The olive-haired boy was still on the ground next to a wall, shaking and tears falling down his cheeks. The tears mixed with blood and snot that still ran from his nose. A bruise was forming around one of his eyes and on his cheeks as well. Skye also noticed that the blood on his leg was coming from a scrape on that leg’s knee. These kids must have pushed the poor boy around as well before they “toughened him up.”

“SHOVE OFF!” Skye snapped. “I’m warning you! He didn’t fight back, but I will!”

“Ha, you can’t take all of us on by yourself,” the red-haired boy sneered with a laugh. “But since we just got through that crybaby, we’ll give you a break. Your lucky day! See ya!”

The boys laughed as they left, followed by the girls who were groaning with disappointment that the “fun” was over already. It took the rest of Skye’s willpower not to keep going after them. But he also had to see to the olive-haired boy, who was still near the closest wall.

Skye turned and approached him, holding out one hand to show he meant no harm.

“Hey… I’m sorry about what they’ve been doing to you,” he said. “I saw you getting picked on before. I wish I’d helped you then. But I guess… I didn’t see what was really happening. But don’t worry. You’ll be okay now.”

“I…” the boy began, though it was uncomfortable to even talk at this point due to the aching in his face. “I didn’t think… Anyone cared…”

“What? Why?” Skye wondered, arching an eyebrow.

“N-Nobody…did. Those kids call me names…” the boy continued. “And the grown-ups…think I cause trouble… Or just think I’m weird and cry too much…”

“Seriously? That’s so lame,” Skye commented. “Well… Someone cares now. Me. I’m Skyler. But you can call me Skye. What’s your name?”

Skye continued to offer his hand to the boy, a swarm smile on his face. The boy still didn’t do or say anything for a few moments. Was it this unreal to him that someone was showing him kindness? How could he be so unused to it?

“…Bryan,” Bryan finally answered and took Skye’s hand. “…Th-Thank you…”

Indeed, Bryan still couldn’t completely process that at last, someone decided to help him instead of call him names, push him, hit him, or throw mud or trash on him. He’d spent so much time crying or bruised or bleeding that he’d taken that to just be what his life was. The idea that someone could be kind to him was, in his mind, unfathomable.

“Heh, no problem,” Skye said as he helped Bryan off the ground. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I can take you to the healer I know. I have to go into town to buy my brother and I our food for the rest of the day anyway.”

“…Buy your food? What about your parents…? Don’t they do that?” Bryan wondered.

As the two began to walk away from the wall, Skye noticed Bryan’s knee injury had caused him to begin limping. It must’ve hurt too much to put a lot of weight on.

“I wish…” Skye replied. “They’re pretty much never around. I always have to look out for my brother… I don’t mind helping him, but I do wish my mom and dad would come home more. They go on a lot of missions or something. They don’t tell us much about their work.”

“Oh…” Bryan said with a frown. “I’m sorry…”

“I’ve gotten rather used to it, I guess. Hey, I see that you’re limping though. Let’s move as fast as we can and visit the healer first. The food can wait a little longer.”

“…R-Really? You would…do that for…me?” Bryan uttered. He didn’t seem to want to make much eye contact or talk a lot.

“Sure! You’re in much worse shape than I or my brother,” Skye pointed out. “Also, you don’t have to be shy. I can be your friend. I won’t pick on you like those other kids did. Not ever.”

“My…friend?”

“Yep!”

Even the word friend itself was strange to Bryan. This was entirely unreal. It felt like a dream. And yet it was reality. He paused for a moment before saying anything else. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, a small smile dawned on his features.

“My…friend.”

Skye returned the gesture without hesitation.

I’m thinking that too, Bryan. Finally…a friend.

Later that day, after the healer had treated Bryan’s injuries and Skye got the food he needed, the two had gone back to the latter’s house to meet and check on Skye’s brother, Kyle, Kye for short, and eat. Bryan didn’t want to take any of Skye’s food, but Skye insisted, saying that he always made sure to have extra just in case anyway. One good thing he had learned from his parents despite their long absences was that emergencies could happen and that there could be times where he’d be unable to go out for a while, such as during bad weather.

“Wow… You’re so good at this,” Bryan complimented as he began eating.

“Yeah. Though I kinda have to be,” Skye admitted.

“And I still miss Mommy and Daddy…” little Kye, who couldn’t be more than three or four, said. “I wanna hug…”

“I know… You know I can always give you a hug, though.”

“Yeah, but… I want hugs from Mommy and Daddy too…”

“…Yeah, I get it.”

“Your home is as nice as my dad’s shop though,” Bryan complimented. “I guess your mommy and daddy at least make a lot of money?”

“They do make more than some people in town,” Skye admitted. “So I guess that’s a thing, but…yeah. We’re so bored here a lot though.”

“Huh… I could come over more,” Bryan offered. “If…if you want.”

“Really? That’d be cool!” Skye agreed. “Thanks! I’ll show you my slingshot. It’s awesome.”

“Wow, neat! Come to my dad’s shop sometime too. My dad and I live above it. His name is Owen.”

“Oh, Owen’s! I’ve been there a few times before,” Skye realized. “I’ve had to pick up supplies there every now and then. Mr. Owen has the best variety. I didn’t know you lived there. Or that Mr. Owen even had any kids.”

“Yeah! And…well, I kept to myself upstairs a lot because… I didn’t have friends.”

“…Oh, yeah. I can see that. Well, you don’t have to do that anymore!”

“Heh, I guess not!”

Bryan’s smile was now probably bigger than it ever was in his entire life. Skye was glad to see the boy had become more comfortable with conversing with him.

“I guess you read books? You’ve had a book with you since before I found you earlier,” Skye wondered.

“Yeah, it helps me forget…well, everything, I guess. My dad tries to help me, but he can only do so much with having to run his shop.”

“I see. I was wondering how you put up with all the horrible things those kids do to you.”

“Well, now you know.”

“Hmm…”

Skye thought for a moment before continuing to speak.

“Hey… You know, you could stand up for yourself more,” he advised. “Instead of crying, try fighting back! Those jerks won’t bother you as much if you hit and kick them when they go after you.”

“Oh… My dad said I could defend myself too, but…” Bryan replied. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t like the idea of hurting someone.”

“Ah, I get that. But crying and whining doesn’t make them stop either,” Skye pointed out. “You could still do that less anyway. Crying’s not cool.”

“I…I can’t seem to help it. I’m sorry. But I can try. I don’t want you to hate me like pretty much everyone else does…”

“No, no, I won’t hate you, even if you cry. I’m just trying to help you. You’re nice and cool to talk to!”

“Heh… thanks. Hey, let’s get your slingshot and go to my house after this. …I mean, if someone else can watch Kye.”

“Ah, don’t worry. Kye takes a nap after lunch. And a neighbor comes to check on him. I got a little time.”

As if on point, Kye let out a big yawn after taking the last bite of his food.

“Yeah… I get sleepy a lot after lunch…” he said.

“Oh, great!” Bryan commented. “Let’s go as soon as we can then!”

Skye agreed, and after cleaning up their dishes, the two then helped Kye to his room. Skye carried him in his arms as if he was the father rather than the brother, and by the time they got to the bedroom door, Kye was basically out cold. Bryan had followed to make sure the door was open. Sometimes Skye closed it out of habit even when Kye wasn’t in there. He also explained that he shared the room with his brother too, so Kye wouldn’t be lonely on nights their parents were gone. Skye certainly was a good big brother.

Skye then gently put his brother on his bed and tucked him in.

“I’ll try to be back before you wake up, little bro,” he promised, even though the sleeping Kye wouldn’t hear him.

Skye then quietly grabbed the slingshot off his shelf and he and Bryan left the room.

“Wow, that thing is so cool!” Bryan complimented. “Also looks…kind of familiar.”

“That’s probably because I bought it from your dad a while ago,” Skye explained. “My parents let me because I convinced them I could learn to protect us with it. Which is part of the truth, but not entirely. I like shooting things too.”

“Wow, neat!” Bryan said. “But…you don’t shoot people with it, do you?”

“No, of course not, not unless I really need to,” Skye said. “…But I know some people you’d probably love to see get shot with it, right?”

“Well…”

“Come on!”

Skye then took Bryan by the arm and out of the house. They rushed back to town after Skye filled the slingshot with some special ammunition that he only used on certain…occasions. After peering down a couple streets and alleys, the two found the red-haired boy and brown-haired boy that had been beating Bryan earlier. They were loitering near another shop.

“Watch this,” Skye said quietly as he aimed the slingshot right at the red-haired boy. With a light grin and chuckle, Skye let the small round object in the slingshot fly.

When it struck the red-haired boy, it suddenly exploded in a cloud of smoke that enveloped both him and the brown-haired boy. The two yelped and waved their arms around, complaining about a horrible smell. A moment later, one of them tripped on the other’s foot and fell right into some mud. Eventually, both ran off without looking to see who might have caused all this.

Skye burst into laughter and had to sit on the ground himself to contain his amusement. Bryan eventually couldn’t help but do the same a moment later.

“See, I knew you’d find that funny!” Skye said between breaths from laughing.

“Hahaha, yeah! That got them good!” Bryan admitted. “Oh, but… we shouldn’t let them find out it you did this and that I was here.”

“Yeah, maybe not. At least not yet,” Skye agreed. “Anyway, that was one of my miniature stink bombs. I made them out of boredom and to have something good to shoot when I need to teach someone a lesson.”

“Cool! And you don’t really hurt anyone doing that,” Bryan praised. “At least I think. But it’s still cool!”

“Yep!”

“Well, let’s keep heading for my dad’s shop,” Bryan suggested. “He might be wondering where I’m at now. Sometimes he asks me to run errands for him too, and he might need me for one.”

“Oh, alright then. No problem.”

“I can show you some more of my books too, if you want. I like to read about warriors who wield lances and spears. I want to wield one someday.”

“Oh, awesome! Though…you said you didn’t want to hurt people.”

“Yeah… Well, learning to use a lance still sounds cool to me anyway. Even if I never once use those skills against another person. I know it sounds weird, but…yeah.”

“Well, if you say so. But I still want you to think about using that idea to defend yourself from those bullies someday. Just think about it, okay?”

“Oh… Alright. I promise.”

“Thanks!”

The two then began making their way closer to Owen’s shop. Bryan smiled at Skye again, feeling legitimately happy for probably the first time in his life.

“Skye… You’re my very best friend,” he said.

“Heh. You’re mine too, Bryan,” Skye replied, putting an arm around his somewhat shorter buddy.

“We’ll always be friends forever. Won’t we?”

“Totally!”

 

Thirteen years later…

 

“Skye,” Bryan greeted his closest friend in the Astryn Palace garden. “Sorry I couldn’t get us some us time sooner. All these new responsibilities I have and whatnot…”

“Yeah, I get it,” Skye replied. “I’m just glad we got more time to talk now. Since…”

“Since what?”

Before Skye could respond, he began to tremble a bit.

“Well, firstly… I’m really proud of you, man,” he began. “When we were kids, you said once that you wanted to do great things and prove all those people who picked on you wrong. And you sure as heck did!”

A bashful grin formed on Bryan’s features.

“Ah. Well, I have to admit that saving an entire kingdom and becoming its king wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he replied. “But yeah, you’re right. I’m glad I could help so many people, even despite the road bumps I ran into along the way. And…finally achieve the one goal I’d had my whole life in finding out who my mother was.”

“I definitely understand that. I don’t think anybody expected your mom to have been a princess from another country! But anyway…”

At this, Skye’s hands shook even more, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He grimaced and allowed his hands to turn to fists.

“It’s just…” he uttered, before pausing again and turning to his friend.

Skye suddenly threw his arms across Bryan’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Tears slowly trickled down Skye’s face as he couldn’t hold in his emotions anymore.

“Whoa,” Bryan said, completely thrown off guard by the gesture. Though he returned it after anyway, bringing his arms to Skye’s waist.

“You’re…crying?” he wondered. “What’s wrong, Skye? This isn’t really like you. Crying was my thing. Ha ha.”

“Heh,” Skye lightly chuckled at his best friend’s joke. “Sorry… But… It’s just hitting me that…we can’t spend time together anymore. You’re king of Astryn now. And I have to return to Talgria to help lead our old platoon for Lady Azura in her earldom. We…we never were apart. Not since that day we met… And now…”

Now it was Bryan’s turn to pause. Skye was right. In all the years they’d been such close friends, they’d never had to spend much time apart. They could visit one another every day when they were growing up, and then they’d joined the Talgria army together, serving in the same platoon. And for the first time, the two had new duties that would force them to live not just in different towns, but different countries all together.

“Oh…” Bryan finally said. “Yeah…”

Bryan gave Skye a light pat on his back as he slowly let him go.

“That is true. We do have to live far apart now,” Bryan continued. “And yet… I can’t seem to cry about that myself. Isn’t that ironic?”

“Wow, sure is,” Skye agreed, wiping his eyes. “I’m…just going to really miss you, man. I can’t believe this has to happen, even though I understand why it does.”

“Indeed. I’m going to miss you a lot too,” Bryan admitted. “If it weren’t for you, Skye… I don’t know what I would’ve done with my life. I was living under the presumption that I’d have no friends, no one to care for me, and have to live all alone, and the only human interaction I’d get was people picking on me.”

“And I finally had someone to talk to more other than my annoying toddler brother at the time,” Skye half-joked. “It’s incredible where we are now. You’re a king and a major hero. I’m practically being called the best archer on this continent. We primarily had only each other for support and reasons to push ourselves as much as we did. And it all began when I decided to save you from those kids who were beating you half to death that one day.”

“Yeah… And because I decided to go read outside instead of staying in my room then. I did like some occasional sunlight. Looking back, we really did impact each other’s lives more than anything.”

“Definitely.”

Skye sniffled as a short silence ensued.

“Skye,” Bryan continued with a big smile. “Thanks for all you’ve taught me and for being there for so long. I never had a better friend. I’m really proud of you too.”

“Heh… Thanks,” Skye replied, sniffling again. “It is amazing how the scared crying kid I helped turned into one of the greatest warriors this world’s ever seen. I still won’t forget that time you practically covered yourself in a bandit’s blood out of rage. I’m glad I could help you.”

“…Weeell, I would like to forget that thing with the bandit, but otherwise, yeah,” Bryan commented in slight embarrassment, scratching the back of his head.

“But…” Skye said with a sniffle. “You also taught me, Bryan… That it’s…it’s okay for a guy to cry sometimes.”

“Aww,” Bryan bashfully replied. “I’m glad I could also help you. And hey, I know we have to say good bye soon, but… Remember, it doesn’t matter that I’m sitting on a throne and you’re all the way in Azura’s castle commanding troops. We’ll always be friends forever. We promised each other that.”

“…Yeah, that we did,” Skye realized.

“And you’re always welcome to visit me here. Don’t say that I might be too busy, because I could never be too busy to make time for you when you arrive. I’ll be sure to drop by Elhorhi to see you sometime too.”

“That sounds awesome. Thanks so much,” Skye happily obliged.

“Of course.”

With that, Bryan pulled his best friend into a hug once again, glad that he could give his friend some comfort even with Skye’s impending departure from Astryn. The archer was still a little tearful, but some of those tears were now joyful rather than sad.

Post-Read Notes:

  Hide contents

- Years ago I started writing Dawn of Darkness with the concept that Tellius only believed they were the only continent to survive the Great Flood and later found that at least one other also made it out. That continent that is featured here is Altarais. Talgria and Astryn are just two of the several countries in it. Elhorhi is the earldom Azura eventually rules within Talgria's borders.
- Azura was created and named long before Fates Azura was a thing, just to point out.
- I probably could have ended this without the time skipped scene, but I feel it adds more depth and meaning to the piece.
- There's a reference to Disney's The Fox & the Hound somewhere in this. I thought it was a perfect fit here.
- I get that Bryan's backstory of being a secret prince is kinda cliche. But I liked the idea because I kinda have a thing for rags to riches stories and stories where someone overcomes people picking on them to rise to greatness. It's kind of because I put up with quite a bit of bullying myself growing up, and Bryan's backstory was kinda inspired by that.
- Skye's parents are assassins, btw. They weren't very responsible parents. They did care for their children and didn't ever mean to hurt them, but they didn't understand how their lifestyle was affecting them. And in the end, it cost them. They actually wound up getting themselves killed and never got the chance to fix their relationship with their boys. What's more, Kye spent a good portion of his early life hating them because they also nearly caused him to get killed too. They irresponsibly took him on the same mission they died in, though they did keep him away from the main combat zone.

 

I greatly enjoyed this one and I had this track in my head the whole time as I was reading it.

I dunno this track just fits especially the earlier scenes which reminded a lot of Rock Lee and Inari actually. Also can I just say how much I love Toshiro Masuda as a composer. Dude is talented.

[SoulWeaver]

If I'm being honest, I think this track is more what plays at the end of each day for me.

Spoiler

 

The track name's actually really deep if you take it as representative of the endless feel of life.

[TheSilentChloey]

I liked it XD

[Anacybele]

8 hours ago, Ottservia said:

I greatly enjoyed this one and I had this track in my head the whole time as I was reading it.

I dunno this track just fits especially the earlier scenes which reminded a lot of Rock Lee and Inari actually. Also can I just say how much I love Toshiro Masuda as a composer. Dude is talented.

Yay! ^^ And wow, that song DOES fit the situation well, doesn't it? It's really pretty too! In fact, I felt a bit sad at it. And that just makes it all the more fitting imo. This is very good music indeed.

I can't say I'm as into that Megaman song up there though. It's okay, just not as good in my opinion.

[AnonymousSpeed]

The best Mega Man song is actually Quint's Theme, even in its original pitch.

OP updated.

[Benice]

I have decided not to put in an entry this time around; my entry kind of makes my eyes bleed. I really should stick to Original stuff, I suck at Fan fiction.

I may try to slap together an entry at the last minute, though. If it's decent, I'll submit it.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Benice

[Ottservia]

On 1/27/2020 at 9:41 AM, Anacybele said:

Yay! ^^ And wow, that song DOES fit the situation well, doesn't it? It's really pretty too! In fact, I felt a bit sad at it. And that just makes it all the more fitting imo. This is very good music indeed.

I can't say I'm as into that Megaman song up there though. It's okay, just not as good in my opinion.

Yeah Naruto’s soundtrack in general is just really good. I listen to it a lot when I write. It helps set the mood I’m going for in any given scene. Like I said Toshiro Masuda is talented. He really knows how to capture that feeling of just exhausted loneliness and grief. There’s a reason Sadness and Sorrow remains one of the most iconic anime tracks of all time. It’s just really good.

[Anacybele]

5 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

Yeah Naruto’s soundtrack in general is just really good. I listen to it a lot when I write. It helps set the mood I’m going for in any given scene. Like I said Toshiro Masuda is talented. He really knows how to capture that feeling of just exhausted loneliness and grief. There’s a reason Sadness and Sorrow remains one of the most iconic anime tracks of all time. It’s just really good.

Wow, I see. He must be really good then!

[Ottservia]

16 hours ago, Benice said:

I have decided not to put in an entry this time around; my entry kind of makes my eyes bleed. I really should stick to Original stuff, I suck at Fan fiction.

I may try to slap together an entry at the last minute, though. If it's decent, I'll submit it.

Come on I believe in you. Most of my entries are actually put together in no more than a few days . you can do it!!!

[Shoblongoo]

I'll take a crack at this one. Might get back into this whole freewriting scene again if time permits. 

Short little 40k inspired piece that doesn't actually require any knowledge of 40k. And that sets the stage for me to maybe start working on some Warhammer/Fireemblem crossover material I've been mulling around for a while, in future installments.

TITLE:  "One"
FANDOM:  Warhammer 40k
WORD COUNT: 1,100
 

 

 

There were none like him. He was the only one of his kind.

In a year’s span he grew from infancy to a man larger and more perfectly formed than any in his village—then larger still.

He had visions. Remembered things from past lives. Saw things he could not possibly see and knew things he could not possibly know.

 

His tribesmen worshiped totemic images of folk spirits and angry gods carved of rock and bone; told stories of how the heavens and the earth and all things upon it came to be by their hands.  He looked to the sky with an instinctive understanding of the universe slowly unfolding in his mind: the stars, the vectors between them, and the means by which they could be traversed.

He had loved once.  A long, long time ago. He had had friends. Companions. Kin.  

That that had been before. Before he truly understood the distance between them.

A 100 years passed. Then 200. Then 2,000.
 
Villages became Cities. Cities became Ruins. Kingdoms became Empires, Empires became Histories, and Histories became prehistoric myths and legends.

….5,000 years.…

Where once the tribe had hunted, shepherds tended their flocks and farmers worked the land. He walked among them in plain garments of woolen fleece and spun cotton. Everybody wore them.

He remembered a time when they would have seemed like nothing less than the finery of the gods, to those accustomed to hides and pelts.

…10,000 years…

Where once the shepherds tended their flocks and farmers worked the land, man and machine populated a concrete jungle. Burning oil propelled engines of locomotion and flight. Tamed thunderbolts and fine wires produced displays of sound and light. He walked among them with a device in the palm of his hands that housed more texts than every library of the ancient world combined; everybody had one.

He remembered a time when wars had been fought for less.

…15,000 years…

He remembered the village. The shamans. The pelt-clad savages barking at the moon and dancing around their totems and staring in wonder up at the night sky; telling stories of what lay beyond the eyes of men in that great unknowable realm of gods and spirits.   

…He stood upon the hull of an orbital dropship, preparing to disembark upon a newly colonized world. Machine-intelligence calculated survival protocols and performed the necessary labor. Men simply lived to indulge lives pleasures, grow in knowledge and experience of all things, and produce triumphs of art and music and poetry worthy of their glorious civilization spreading throughout the stars.

…25,000 years…

All was as it had once been. The pelts and hides. The tribes and savageries. The stories of the gods and spirits, and the starry-eyed wonder of looking up at the night sky in ignorance of why it was there and what lies beyond.

The Golden Age had come and gone and had destroyed itself; wars fought with apocalyptic technologies annihilating even the memory of what had once been.

Occasionally one would come across a pyramid in the desert or a ziggurat in the jungle that seemed—impossible—and wonder just how advanced ‘The Ancients’ who constructed them must have been.  But it had been millennia since men had even told tales of a time when burning oil powered great engines and tamed lightning produced light and sound, and ships sailed the stars. Now village elders cracked wishbones upon altars of simple stacked stone, and professed that the portents warned of plague and famine…

He was home.
He had never been more alone.

And he gazed now at the night sky not merely with the loneliness of one who knew he was the only one of his kind (for still there were none like him).  For this was an old loneliness and one he knew well enough; it no longer troubled him.

But standing now as the only living memory of what had once been and what had been lost…the glories of that golden age come-and-gone…

A loneliness born from the depth of a loss that no other man alive could even begin to fathom.

…Perhaps that was why in this age, he would finally do what he did…

…Reveal himself to humanity.
…Make his true identity and ancient wisdom known.
…Declare himself the Supreme Master of Mankind, and his word Unbreakable Law

How many would die in his conquests?
How many non-compliant worlds would be put to the flame?

In the millennia that followed, It would be said that he was a benevolent and selfless protector. That with the entirety of his godlike being, he sought only to bring mankind back from the brink. Provide the guidance and unity of purpose that the species required.   

…Perhaps it was so…

Or perhaps he was simply a lonely old man, raging against his cursed fate.

It would come to pass, either way, that the charge would be leveled against him:

“YOU, who have lived amongst humanity for 40,000 years and never once truly understood what it means to be human. YOU, who has no love for any mortal man because you cannot fathom what it is to exist on a mortal scale. YOU, who in the depths of your timeless, lonely existence could witness one man die or witness 10 billion men die and see no meaningful difference the two. YOU, who demands humanity bend to your will and says it is an act of love. How can it be said that YOU are lord and protector, and that all that you say and do it right?”

How indeed?

He could not dismiss the question. For it was a fair one.

It was true—he was the oldest of all men. The strongest. The wisest. The most learned in the ways of art and history and technology and speechcraft; all the great feats of humanity that humans prided themselves on making them human.

And yet he was the least human among them. An anomaly. An anathema. A lone ageless being who could never truly call any man his peer.

…but…

A peer, he did have.

There was something else. Not a man. But—a thing that had been around as long as he had. Seen all that he had seen. Understood all that he understood. A reason that he had been lonely but not unbearably so all those millennia of being the only one of his kind; a thing that existed on as grand a scale as he did.

“Hear me, and hear me well.” He would answer. “It is true that I love no man. I cannot. However: I do love Mankind.”
 

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Shoblongoo

[TheSilentChloey]

I think this lacks your usual level of polish, but hey, midnight writing does that to some people.

[Shoblongoo]

6 minutes ago, TheSilentChloey said:

I think this lacks your usual level of polish, but hey, midnight writing does that to some people.

Oh this isn’t even midnight writing. I wrote that at work on my lunch break. 

[Ottservia]

5 minutes ago, Shoblongoo said:

Oh this isn’t even midnight writing. I wrote that at work on my lunch break. 

Now that’s definitely next level. I respect you for this

[Anacybele]

I was just telling Dcat that I thought Shoblongoo took this to the next level myself. Neat coincidence. lol

[TheSilentChloey]

2 hours ago, Shoblongoo said:

Oh this isn’t even midnight writing. I wrote that at work on my lunch break. 

Try writing stuff while you're not on lunch break, I used to do that all of time whenever it was slow at work.

[AnonymousSpeed]

OP Updated. Let the voting begin.

[Ottservia]

This was honestly a really hard toss up between Ana’s entry and SoulWeaver’s. Ana’s is essentially what I was looking for with this prompt but Soul’s is just so grounded and relatable. I went with Ana’s but that might change. Both are really good. I’ll give full feedback tomorrow when I’m more awake

[SoulWeaver]

Shoblongoo came out of nowhere and slam-dunked it for me, so I guess he's taking my vote this time. It's definitely something not many people think about the consequences of, living forever.