Instant Story

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #03278-BONUS004: Meditative Downtime Activities

A ship of Havenworlders was out on the rim doing planet surveys. It's been stressful as they wait for repair parts to come in due to damage from raiders, fortunately their human chased the raiders off, and the human brings out a big stack of paper books with black and white images and a large box of colored pencils. They smile at their friends and say. "Here, one of my favorite ways to relax, de-stress, and clear my mind. I have enough for everyone to have their own coloring book." -- Anon Guest

The Edge Territories are full of unique perils. Previously undiscovered civilisations, warlike roaming bandits, Sargasso Schemes, the list goes on and on. Including the flora, fauna, mycota, and general landscapes of the planets surveyed by Planetary Survey crews.

This one had had mildly inconvenient biota, and a very inconvenient band of space pirates in the stellar neighbourhood. Which was why the survey ship was now in a ploughed crater caused by it's 'cheese grater' landing[1].

It was also why the crew were setting up a combination survey camp and replacement parts factory whilst they waited for rescue. At least the space pirates had learned why Humans had that reputation, and decided to favour the better part of valour for the foreseeable future. The real trick was keeping everyone entertained during downtime, since all the media entertainments had been fried by atmospheric entry.

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Challenge #03277-BONUS003: Asked and Answered

They say that if something can go wrong, it WILL go wrong. And today was one of those days. They were making camp, and it began to rain heavily. So they go to a cave, and it ends up almost flooding. They head for high ground, but then the lightning starts up. They find an abandoned cabin, and it's full of bugs and there's no firewood...argh, what next?? -- Anon Guest

There had been skittering and scuttling as Hafl entered the

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Challenge #03276-BONUS002: Guilty of Air Pollution

A human knomira is burning a ton of incense in their room to "purify the air of toxins" because "bad smells carry miasma and miasma is illness!" They learn why that is NOT allowed aboard ships, or enclosed spaces like space stations. -- Anon Guest

Some people should never be trusted with a Travel Multipass. Even if they did have the finances to get one. Dumei was one of them. Worse, they were one of those people who thought 'extra perks' meant

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Challenge #03274-H365: Of Moose, Mistletoe, and Minors

Wraithvine's friend, Pondermoore, finds a human child lost and afraid in the woodlands. They'd wandered away from home to pick fall fruits, and had gotten very lost. Wraithvine was trying to locate the child's home and family, and it was very dark out, so not all that safe to travel. While the child was curled up on a bedroll, they looked up at Pondermoore and asked "Tell me a bedtime story, please?" -- Anon Guest

Judging by the squeak as she picked

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Challenge #03275-BONUS001: Just Make it Go Away

Your ignorance is not as good as my scientific studies. You screaming that 'you're offended', is not a valid argument for this discussion. If you want to argue against these protocols, which are meant to protect yours and others' lives, have actual facts on your side. -- Anon Guest

They had asked for help against the endemic pandemic. Then they refused that help on moral, legal, and religious grounds. Deregger CEOs. They wanted all of the advantages and none of the work.

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Challenge #03273-H364: A Nice Warm Cuppa

They would sit as a human brushed their fur and ranted about a bad day. They sat as other humans quietly held their hands, sometimes rubbing their furry arms. This was normal for the life of a companion. If you didn't like being touched constantly, then working with humans was not for you. But they, sometimes had bad days, too, and needed someone to rant to.

But, sometimes, THEY needed someone to hold, to rant to, to cry to, about their problems.

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Challenge #03272-H363: Friendly Locals, Nice Scenery...

You know, I really hate people. They’re selfish, Ignorant, loud-obnoxious pricks, with basically no redeeming quality what so ever. I mean really look at all they achieved, genocide, global warming, reality tv. It’s just a never ending parade of failures and f#%* ups. They are without question, a complete write off a species, & HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CARE ABOUT THEM -- Anon Guest

An alien was living in Lower Widdlington. All the conspiracists, true believers, and people constantly

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Challenge #03271-H362: Draconis Rex

Silverwing, over the years, makes deals with other adventurers. Some even end up with families while living near the dragon's den. After a while a village has formed with one unified goal, protect their dragon friend. Other adventurers, dragon-slayers, come to try to take down the dragon, and find out that this village does NOT tolerate such behavior. They protect the dragon and the kolbolds, and in return, the dragon takes care of any deadly predators that threaten the village. Not to

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Challenge #03270-H361: Forced by the Invisible Hand

The person had been in that world as a "free demon" for some time now. Their friends, back on earth, realize they've not seen their friend for some time. They learn how to call their friends to that world and introduce them to the magic user that dragged them out of the "hell" that is earth and into that world, and how humans, apparently, have power there.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02300-f110-cut-price-demon -- Anon Guest

"So it's been a while, hi

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Challenge #03269-H360: Adopted by Potatoes

Their species is feline-like in origin. Several orphaned Skitty kittens start following them around, refusing to let the person out of their sight, getting distressed when the person is difficult for them to get to. -- Anon Guest

It was quite a thing to discover that one had been adopted by a small swarm of blobby potatoes. That was what Human Zeng would call them, but they were clearly Skittens. Skitty[1] kittens. They had also, very clearly, adopted Hurrasha as their

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Challenge #03268-H359: Unexpected Kindness

They had managed to turn their hobby into quite the lucrative business. Setting up in one of the busiest Alliance stations, their business, a confectionery shop specializing in homemade candies using recipes from Earth before the Shattering, was especially popular with families. And now, of course, was their favorite past time with all the extra Time they had after paying their bills, though they always made sure to set some aside in savings, shopping! It seemed like every day a new package

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Challenge #03266-H357: My World is Spring With You

Waking world you seem woven from the stuff of dreams, all shall fade away

Shifting seasons and elusive dreams, the ephemeral and fleeting, with thine companionship all are eternal. -- Anon Guest

Before anyone named him Kosh, he had never had a sound night's sleep. It had been a point of contention amongst his alleged caregivers as a child. Nobody wanted to believe that demon-kin like himself could have nightmares. Nobody could believe he would be disturbed by them so much that

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Challenge #03267-H358: On-Site Training Incident

They were not exactly soft-spoken, though their tones were often soft and polite. But there was a reason for that. When speaking in their normal tones, their voice carried! In their normal talking tone, they were loud, so it was not unusual to hear them actively modulate down to a softer tone to try to reign that in.

But this idiot was NOT listening to them. They kept doing stupid crud that was going to get them hurt, if not worse. Finally,

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Challenge #03265-H356: A Worthy Adversary

They met the four adventurers and challenged Wraithvine to a wizard's duel. To ensure the safety of the companions, the wizard used a strong magic to shield them. Introducing themself, they fought Wraithvine to a standstill. As they had the elven wizard on the ropes, they suddenly stopped, grinned, and put out their hand stating they were glad to find someone just as strong as they were, for a change. They almost never killed in these duels, only went as far as

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Challenge #03264-H355: Slowly Approaching Fine

After the investigation, the Havenworlders were carefully lead out by a team of therapists, but they found the human couldn't move, or rather, wouldn't. Sobbing bitterly, all she could do was sit there, shaking. In many ways, this had been far more traumatic for her than any of her charges. It was decided to carry her, gently, to a quiet place. The therapists had a lot of work ahead of them to deal with the trauma. In this case, the Havenworlders were

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