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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #00923-B192: Unblinking Stare

http://thentheresthisspazz.tumblr.com/post/123284811011/mythological-creature-aus

Aaand again!

[AN: OK for future reference and my current incompetence, I’m using a checklist.

[ ] (In/Suc)cubus
[X] Siren
[X] Werewolf
[X] Cursed animal
[X] Dragon
[X] Frog
[ ] Vampire

thank you for your patience with me. Oh, and haimaee? Here’s more]

When you get down to it, there’s lots of things worse than being turned into a lizard. Bearded dragon, to be precise. Just so you know.

You know, once the dysmorphia wore off and I got used to it… it’s not that bad.

I can sleep through the night. Easily.

And -sure- Animal Control got on my case. They were right to. They didn’t know I was a human being in a lizard body. And it’s really hard to communicate when you’re concentrating on feeder crickets. Trust me on this.

Crickets are actually very tasty. Don’t give me that face.

Animal shelters are colder than they seem. Promise me that, if you want an animal companion, you are going to adopt one from the local shelter. You’ll be doing them a favour.

And speaking of favours… I owe my life to the rangy goth who volunteered there. He ripped admin up and down about the size of my tank (too small) the variety in my diet (crickets or starve) and how often and to what temperature my heat rock should be heated (three times a day, and warm but not scorching).

He bought me, in the end. And under that Nine Inch Nails T-shirt? My boy is stacked. Lithe, lean and supple. Just the way I used to like them when I was human. How I still like them.

Trev didn’t have a tank, but he did have a heat lamp that he jury-rigged to a timer. And I’m free to roam pretty much where I like.

The hunting’s good. It’s a cheap flat and the neighbours aren’t exactly the cleanest people in the world. The cockroaches are very well fed.

What? I’m a lizard, now. Get over it.

And… there’s a little unexpected bonus.

He likes to be nude when he’s home.

I could watch him going about his daily business forever. And at night when the heat lamp goes off full-time? I get to snuggle up against those lovely warm pecs.

Mmmmmmmmmm…

I don’t want him to kiss me. It would lead to way too many questions.

[Muse food remaining: 7. Submit a prompt! Ask a question! Buy my stories!]

Challenge #00922-B191: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

http://thentheresthisspazz.tumblr.com/post/123284811011/mythological-creature-aus

Keep going!

[AN: OK for future reference and my current incompetence, I’m using a checklist.

[ ] (In/Suc)cubus
[X] Siren
[X] Werewolf
[ ] Cursed animal
[X] Dragon
[X] Frog
[ ] Vampire

thank you for your patience with me. Oh, and haimaee? Here’s more]

He always came with the smell of smoke. Sharp and acrid. “Good morning, Princess.”

Emily automatically began making is Grande Soy Latte with a shot of chilli and three shots of caramel.

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Challenge #00921-B190: Heavenly Harmonies

http://thentheresthisspazz.tumblr.com/post/123284811011/mythological-creature-aus

Pick another one!

[AN: OK for future reference and my current incompetence, I’m using a checklist.

[ ] (In/Suc)cubus
[X] Siren
[X] Werewolf
[ ] Cursed animal
[ ] Dragon
[X] Frog
[ ] Vampire

thank you for your patience with me. Oyeah. And it’s not going to be Tailor Swift.]

“It’s all goooooooooooooooooooooooone to ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust…” Amy leaned her head back to rinse out the lather. “The mall shop’s a derelict skeleton, the disco’s dead

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Challenge #00920-B189: Awkward Re-union

A weightier prompt than usual - MSA Lewis meeting his family again post-mansion. (If relevant, assume the long awkward conversations and explanations are done and the trio+dog are mystery buddies again.)

[AN: I have decided to name Mr and Mrs Pepper “Bel” and “Cayenne” for no real reason other than shits and giggles.]

Vivi awkwardly polished a cracked heart locket with her hands as Arthur drew all the curtains closed. “We… have some news…” Vivi began. She was tense.

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Challenge #00919-B188: Here's to the Parents

a quote from historian Will Durant as I remember it. “Let me give tribute to all those Mothers, who over time dragged their children kicking and screaming through centuries of Civilization.” I presume he means the good Mums. Have fun.

“Say-shun! Say-shun!” Sprout ricocheted around the cabin, enjoying the free-fall before docking. “SAY-SHUN!”

Gavin fielded her on the fifth pass. “Settle down. Sprout. We gotta remember Rule One when we dock. What’s Rule One?”

“S'ay close.”

“That’s right. Good girl.

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Challenge #00918-B187: Hidden Treasure

Going to the antiques roadshow and finding out the thing you meant to bring is junk… but what’s that hiding in the tissue paper? That little piece of junk that fell in the box is actually…

“But it’s been in my family for generations. My great-great-great-great-great grandmother paid three guineas for it.”

“I’m sorry, but your great-great-great-great-great grandmother was duped. This is a genuine fake. It was forged at the time she purchased it. See this shade of green?

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Challenge #00917-B186: Hoaders Impossible

A chatty dragon with a hoard full of technically worthless things with amazing stories attached.

“You collect trash,” said the visiting Princess.

“Not… quite,” allowed the Dragon Freasha. “Pick out something. Go ahead. Just -ah- mind where it came from so it can go back?”

It was a very ratty teddy-bear. Much abused and on the verge of falling apart.

“Ah. That belonged to my first princess. Father made me kidnap her. She was four and very scared. I told him

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Challenge #00916-B185: Hoarders Unimaginable

I couldn’t resist.

A Dragon (note capital) being told her hoard is worthless.

“Avaunt, foul beast!”

The Dragon Shashannash groaned as she opened an eye. “I was trying to sleep,” she yawned. “I don’t have any princesses… What do you want?”

The knight seemed a little nonplussed. “I have come to fight for the vast wealth you are draining from my lands… er… foul beast.”

“Enough with the ‘foul beast’ I keep very clean, thank you.” She

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Challenge #00915-B184: Wheeeeeeeeee!

Rolling down a hill is a valid use of your time.

Rael reached the top of the hill. There were not enough sweet treats in the human lexicon to pay for this much ‘just wanderin’ to his mind.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “We’ve reached the top of the hill. Now what?”

“We lie down,” said Shayde.

“For the last time, I am not engaging in extreme haptic communication with you.”

“I’m no’ askin’ ye to,” she said. “We lie down. Then

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Challenge #00914-B183: Cautious Eaters

Some species evolved without certain chemicals in their background, or with them causing no effect. Therefore they never evolved a receptor for it. Meanwhile others had to identify toxins or marker chemicals immediately and are highly sensitive even if it’s unnecessary -ie bitter vegetables -. This leads to nonplussed galactic citizens wondering why the deathworlder took a bite of that boring stuff and immediately gagged or refused it entirely because it smelled like pure evil.

Food unites. Meals shared tend to

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Challenge #00913-B182: The Challenge of Challenging

So capsaicin is dangerous, and even the species that can eat it recreationally recognise the effects as painful. Mint, on the other hand, even in high doses, causes no such thing. (L-Carvone (spearmint) at least appears totally harmless). Safe fun food for everyone?

Humans are insane. No other species makes a game out of painful ingredients in otherwise harmless things. No other species combines schadenfreude and friendship, and expects the friendship to continue.

And no other species can convince otherwise sane cogniscents

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Challenge #00912-B181: Mama Hen-Bear

The adventures of Tyr’ip and her big scary bodyguard mother hens.

(does this make her technically the species ambassador? Not a galactic ambassador I guess since her people are already part of the community and if there was one for every species encounter there’d be billions of them but still)

[Galactic ambassadors generally stand for their native planet and, in the case of low-gravvers and nomadic ship-tribes, habitation construct.]

It had been quite the journey. The humans formed a walking

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In the slightly-paraphrased words of Robert Heinlein...

If need be, a human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization of role is for insects, not people.

(#00911-B180)

“Was he serious?” said Rael. “What happened

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Challenge #00910-B179: Origin Story

More of the Unexpectables please.

Find a need, the expression went, fill a need. And there were people, Munashe well knew, who needed a fairy godmother. She and Corinna came up with the idea over wine and badly-colourised old movies and so far… things had been going well.

Munashe’s first job had been making a power outfit for Corinna so that taller people would take her seriously. Corinna wore it, now, with a polished selection of makeup and refined jewellery

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Challenge #00909-B178: Howling Mad

http://thentheresthisspazz.tumblr.com/post/123284811011/mythological-creature-aus#notes

Pick a different one!

[AN: Today’s pick is: “i’m a newly-turned werewolf without a pack and i can’t really control myself well on full moon nights yet and you keep finding me passed out naked on your lawn” AU]

The first month, she called an ambulance for me. I was grateful for it. I had no idea what was happening, either. I still didn’t know what was going on in

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