Instant Story

Challenge #05028-M279: Mistaken Protection

They leapt in front of an attacker to save a deathworlder. The attacker fled in terror at a giant snake striking at them. -- BKF

[AN: Cogniscent species must have tool use to get into space, so interestingly snake-like sneople it is]

The Edge Territories have been likened to a box of chocolates. First, you never know what you're going to get. Secondly - it's highly dangerous for a lot of people who exist in there.

Shissothi didn't think of Trading Station as the edge of anything. Not until he heard other cogniscents using the term.

It made him wonder what it was the edge of, but there was always something interesting to see. And in this encounter, someone. They were an awkward-looking thing, moving around on long, thin appendages rather than a stable and reliable tail. The arms swung around as if they had minds of their own, and the entire being looked far too fragile and squishy to be out amongst so many dangerous alien life. One of the meaner ones was approaching the fragile creature. Big, tough, and already posturing in a fighting stance.

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Challenge #05027-M278: Little Devilborn, Lost

The human child was young, lost, and scared. Then a raven alighted upon their shoulder and gently, through soft pecks and the occasional hopping on the ground to lead, helped the child back to the Inn where their parents had taken up residence until hir mother gives birth to their sibling. -- BKF

The city was big and pretty and smelly and very, very distracting. Bug had slipped from Mama's hand, just for a moment, to look at something bright and shiny.

Challenge #05026-M277: Wait, They're What?

A large band of rowdy adventurers came across a large village of those normally viewed as 'unwelcome ones'. They drop their swords, shields, and armor, seeing the village's main bridge was washed out in the last storm, and get to work helping clear debris and cutting wood so the village can have its bridge back. Others of the large band go to help the fields until the main group of villagers can get back out there, safely. -- BKF

They say that

Challenge #05025-M276: Greater Treasure

"I'm too Fat" You're healthy. "I'm too old." You're mature. "I'm ugly" You're beautiful. "Why are you being like this?" Being like what? "So nice to me." Because you are the kindest, most wonderful person I have ever met. -- BKF

No matter what kind of Unwelcome People there may be, there's always somewhere where they may be welcome. The trick is finding where that is. There's the city ghettos, of course, where the Unwelcome are at least permitted. Sometimes, they're even

Challenge #05024-M275: Clinic Sub Rosa

I was asked by a person wearing red, yellow, and black what I wanted for patching them up. I stated that all I wanted was to run my clinic, and no longer be afraid to help those who truly needed my help. To no longer be punished for giving the care I trained years to perfect, to those too poor to go anywhere else. -- BKF

The words, First and foremost, do no harm, are written above my clinic door. Very few

Challenge #05023-M274: A Needed Repetition

The Goddess of Death came to claim me. Her hands were gentle as she lifted me from my bed and carried me to the door. I was old, tired, and in pain. Then when my eyes opened again, I was young, in a cradle, and I remember her words whispered. "You died a person who believed in kindness. Hold that in your heart, for I wish you to teach it to others." -- BKF

Grace had spent a life doing little things

Challenge #05022-M273: Persistence Predators

Several Alliance members, and other species not in the Rim, challenge the humans to a 20 k race. The humans show why they survived to become the apex predators on earth. -- BKF

[AN: Alliance space is more than the galactic rim. Thanks to wormholes, parts of the Alliance linked by Hyperspace could be ANYWHERE]

The funny thing about Humans is - they don't look like Deathworlders. No horns, claws, fangs, or venom are on their side. They look like lanky awkward,

Challenge #05021-M272: Honing All Weapons

Mr Sunshine teaches a person to defend themselves in a very dangerous polity. -- BKF

The hunter surveys what should be his prey. Timid and twitchy. Hunched as if to hide. Keeping close to the walls and the shadows, much like a mouse hoping to remain unobserved and thereby unattacked.

That sort of behaviour drew in predators like honey drew in flies.

Mr. Sunshine could tell that his host, Raf, knew that Sunshine was a dangerous man. It was all in the

Challenge #05020-M271: Support Animal

A small havenworlder has a highly trained Saint Bernard as their mount, their protection, and their friend. -- BKF

Humanity had the same joke for large dogs for centuries: "Put a saddle on that thing," they would say, or, "Have you tried riding it yet?" And for centuries it got at least a sympathy chuckle. Until Humanity met species that actually could ride those things.

Tiny Havenworlders using enormous dog breeds as mounts and personal security became commonplace almost overnight. Often the

Challenge #05019-M270: Exploited Loophole

It is tradition that for Boxing Day, the masters of the house trade jobs with the servants. For one day, the servant gives the orders and the master obeys. Unfortunately for the king, his servants are very pissed off this year, and feel like this is an excellent excuse for a coup. -- Tergon

[AN: Gonna change the holiday so it fits in one of my worlds]

Trickster's Day. The day after Midwinterfeast. The time of year that the authority of the

Challenge #05018-M269: Far-Reaching Kindness

The therapists struggled to try to get them to care about their own life, at least a little. Their self-sacrificing, working to aid others to the point of detriment to their health had become starkly noticeable to say the least. Then Jay came in to talk to them, and soon left angry, and began hunting. -- BKF

Civilisation is relative, depending entirely on those naming it such. This is doubly so in the Edge Territories, where some species view their Ship's Human

Challenge #05017-M268: Time to Smell the Flowers

I've watched over this house a long time, never had problems with inhabitants being a problem until now. This human keeps pushing themselves finishing all the work. I like having something to do, so I'm going to start slipping something in their evening tea to make them sleep, so I can have work, too. -- BKF

[AN: May be in relation to Little Tricks ]

Some people have no clue. They're not willfully ignorant or under-educated. They know what they need to know

Challenge #05016-M267: Its Inventor's Voice

A human listens to a very strange, and ancient, device. A music player that uses cylinder shaped medium. -- BKF

If there is one truth in the Galactic Alliance, it is that the Archivaas will preserve, restore, and archive everything. Anything and everything Humanity made, at first, but then everything and anything that Humanity encountered. Documents, recordings, items, and sometimes animals.

Every kind of media and every means of experiencing it.

It's easy to get lost in their mega-complexes, so they take

Challenge #05015-M266: Let it Shine

the voice of a devil, in this sacred place- doesn’t sound much different than an angel -- Weirdlet

The Dawn Lord, known in the northern realms as Albavaljeta[1], is well known as the god of life, rebirth, new beginnings, and sometimes also fertility. So it's understandable that their temples often become alternate depositories for unwanted babies[2].

It's far from unusual to see the temple grounds being maintained by young acolytes of Halfbreds of the Unwelcome People. And Hellkin of

Challenge #05014-M265: Message in Threads

What you wear is a statement. Especially if you go to Renfairs -- Knitnan.

Sparknight began as a foundry for peace between Nanogh and Mundis Mortalidae. The Plane of Magic and the Mortal Plane. The mortal nobility were charged with attending by invitation in their most extravagant wear. The Arch-Elves of Nanogh were charged with the lighting that would show it off for a maximum of aesthetic appreciation.

The mortals either didn't know or chose to ignore that the Sprites providing that

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #05028-M279: Mistaken Protection

Challenge #05027-M278: Little Devilborn, Lost

Challenge #05026-M277: Wait, They're What?

Challenge #05025-M276: Greater Treasure

Challenge #05024-M275: Clinic Sub Rosa

Challenge #05023-M274: A Needed Repetition

Challenge #05022-M273: Persistence Predators

Challenge #05021-M272: Honing All Weapons

Challenge #05020-M271: Support Animal

Challenge #05019-M270: Exploited Loophole

Challenge #05018-M269: Far-Reaching Kindness

Challenge #05017-M268: Time to Smell the Flowers

Challenge #05016-M267: Its Inventor's Voice

Challenge #05015-M266: Let it Shine

Challenge #05014-M265: Message in Threads