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Challenge #04780-M031: Gifted a Curse

Whilst perusing a market, Waithvine’s companion hands hir a small statuette of an odd winged God. Nothing seemed to be odd about it, but, when ze handed it back, and statuette soon reappeared in hir pocket. Try as ze might, it always returns, while the merchant who sold it is long gone and the mysterious curse grows ever tighter… -- Deathshead419

Wraithvine had grown used to Girrautuvit sticking her hands in hir pockets. She had yet to learn that it was inadvisable to do that. Especially with attempted withdrawals. But since Girrautuvit was a twig-thin, undersized waif with no real name, Wraithvine was willing to put up with a lot more from her.

This time, she made a deposit.

It was a small, gilded idol of a figure with wings and a beard. There was a heavy toga and boots in the figure's ensemble. There had been gemstones in the eyes, but only one remained. It looked angry, and seemed primed to strike out at a moment's notice. "Girra," Wraithvine warned. "What and why?"

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Challenge #04779-M030: Those Were the Days

King Nydon is gone, and the jubilation from his fall was real. Yet now years have come and gone, allowing memories of how bad things were to fade, had leaving King Reginald to deal with a burgeoning nostalgia for his father’s reign.

[Follow up to: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04632-l248-better-than-perfection ] -- Deathshead419

King Reginald of Bevuran and his Prince-consort Connow ruled wisely and well for decades. Raising a junior niece as the intended heir to the crown. Bevuran was no

Challenge #04778-M029: And a Little Bit of Lavender

The human's friends fill an enormous, deep tub with hot water, saposin rich flowers, and several doses of lavender oil. The human DID say they loved lavender scented bubble baths. -- Anon Guest

Space does not encourage water immersion for reasons that quickly become obvious the more you know about freefall. So when spacers come to shore leave on a planet, the first thing they do is head for large and indulgent bodies of their chosen fluid. It's no surprise that port

Challenge #04777-M028: Safety Inspection

This mine has an over 90% safety margin!/ "How in all the Holies you manage that??"

Meet the supervisors. /"These are Kobolds!"

Yep, best damn safety inspectors and supervisors we've ever had! -- The New Guy

Everyone knows that the world of Alfarell was made for Dragons and Dragonkind. Fortunately, after centuries of irreconcilable differences, the Dragons have deigned to share their world with smaller intelligent creatures. Fortunately for Dragonkind, the other intelligent creatures were willing to talk.

Unfortunately for the Kobolds,

Challenge #04776-M027: Words of Peace

They were an ordinary human, and loved to learn languages. They even learned the elven tongues, some fae language, the native tongue of kobolds, even voulspeak. Which allowed them to make quite a few friends, and helped otherwise distrustful to accept their kindness. -- Lessons

They should have been a Bard, and everyone said so. They insisted that Peony should sing... until she did. Unfortunately for Peony Black, they had the singing and musical instrument talent of a duck.

Peony's talent was

Challenge #04775-M026: Show Me What You Got

The entire species' culture was that of raiders and conquers. The humans challenged their champions... to a dance-battle?? -- Anon Guest

The cool thing about warrior cultures is that they have honour codes. Once you know the honour code, you're halfway towards gaining an understanding. Understanding is one of the keys to friendship and peace.

Humans will also pack-bond with ANYTHING.

When these two factors join, you get interesting encounters. Such as the confrontation on DF9405YJ-5 between the Humans and the Dolravyn.

Challenge #04774-M025: Waste Nothing

The human had two massive malamutes that required regular grooming. They washed the loose fur a second time after it was shed, dried it, fluffed it, and stored it. Several species bought the fur for projects, or lining for clothing, or for nesting material. -- Anon Guest

Human Uyn had two massive dogs which, according to hir, were "ninety percent fluff by volume". Whenever ze gave them their "weekly spa treatment", ze wound up with more fluff than dog. Carefully contained in

Challenge #04773-M024: The Unlikeliest Hero

The storm winds were so strong that wraithvine's hat blew off faster than ze could hold it down. Inside the sheltering cave a mixed species family soon hurried in, with a little kobold hatchling proudly prancing with the pointed thing in hir maw. -- Fighting Fit

In all other ways, it was just a hat. To Wraithvine, it was hir hat, a most special hat. Ze had made it when ze first decided to be a Wizard and ze had been repairing

Challenge #04772-M023: Read the Instructions

The sign is easy to read, with pictures. No fee via coin. Just leave a bit of honey, or some wool fluff, or split some wood, etc, and the place welcomed you.

Refuse even a small kindness for thanks? You will pay another way. And it's humiliation. You'll live, but the mortification is horrible. -- Anon Guest

It looked like any other roadhaus. Neat, clean, and orderly. The little farm attached to it was enough to support many visitors. The beds were

Challenge #04771-M022: Kindness to Strangers

Not all hunts go according to plan. This one went sideways almost from the start. Several young teens find the unconscious Jay and Sunshine, and help them recover. The two make very sure these kids are protected afterwards. -- Anon Guest

They were lucky to be alive when the gang found them. Generally, the enforcers were lazy enough to just shoot until the perp stopped moving. These two had somehow caught enough ire to get beaten to a pulp. There was one

Challenge #04770-M021: You'd Better Watch Out

While one spirit god gives gifts to all human children and other "welcomed" children, this spirit ensues all "unwelcome" children around the world also get gifts no matter who they are, or where they are. -- Anon Guest

Charity sighed and scooped up her child as ze came home crying. On one hand, the formalised schooling system allowed for a decent education, and allowed children to socialise with their peers. It also, unfortunately, enforced socialisation with bullies.

She wrapped up Wit in

Challenge #04769-M020: Not Infallible

It's not often the immortal wizard gets sick. But no one is perfect. Fortunately, hir dragon friend, and pet cat, are there to cheer hir up. -- Anon Guest

There are worse places to fall ill than the middle of nowhere. A forbidden temple, a rift between worlds, doorways to other planes, for example. Thus, Wraithvine was lucky that ze always had hir portable tower. No matter where ze was, ze could have a hearth and a comfortable bed. Unless it was

Challenge #04768-M019: Power's Responsibility

The kid asked what it was like to be a king. They were made king for the day. After a few hours the kid said it was absolutely no fun and by the end of the day? The kid was very glad they were not the king! -- Anon Guest

"Scuse me mister, are you th' king?"

Kosh had to lean to see who was speaking. Small for one of the Castle Boys, and very new to the uniform, too. He recognised

Challenge #04767-M018: The Touch of the King

Kormwind X was coming back with their party when they came across a group panicking as one of theirs, one who was young for this, was clutching their chest barely able to breath. Their healer realized the attack was lungs trying to close, and knew what to do. -- Anon Guest

Touring the realm took a lot longer since Dad conquered his way from Earl to King. For the business of the realm to continue, he had to tour it in stages.

Challenge #04766-M017: Luck Makes Itself

Respectfully touch a teufel horn, with their permission, your wish may just come true. Touch a horn that from a head has been shorn, death shall soon befall you. -- Anon Guest

They say a lot of things about the devilborn. Some of them are even true.

Touch a Teufel by the horn/ Making sure the head's not shorn/ Surely you will become bless'd/ If they tell you "be my guest".

Nobody knows exactly where it came from. Some suppose that the

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04780-M031: Gifted a Curse

Challenge #04779-M030: Those Were the Days

Challenge #04778-M029: And a Little Bit of Lavender

Challenge #04777-M028: Safety Inspection

Challenge #04776-M027: Words of Peace

Challenge #04775-M026: Show Me What You Got

Challenge #04774-M025: Waste Nothing

Challenge #04773-M024: The Unlikeliest Hero

Challenge #04772-M023: Read the Instructions

Challenge #04771-M022: Kindness to Strangers

Challenge #04770-M021: You'd Better Watch Out

Challenge #04769-M020: Not Infallible

Challenge #04768-M019: Power's Responsibility

Challenge #04767-M018: The Touch of the King

Challenge #04766-M017: Luck Makes Itself