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Challenge #04300-K282: Synthetic Hymnal

Grandpa 7094 had a very impressive career. NASA, MIT, and the Mitsubishi Nuclear Power Plant were just a few of the organizations where he provided invaluable data. But ask him his proudest achievement, he'll say without hesitation it was learning to sing Daisy Bell. Because it's the one that makes his grandchildren smile. -- Anon Guest

[AN: For those unaware, speech synthesis is older than you think. The instant Humanity put speakers on computers, they started trying to make them communicate]

Humans are strange creatures, no matter what. The hairless ape saw the wolf and wondered if it could be friends. And later, when they made rocks do mathematics, they gave those constructions names. Binac. Emerac. Avidac. When they sent machines to places they could not yet go, they did the same. Pioneer. Voyager. Curiosity...

And for centuries, they tried to make their machines talk just like them. They tried to make their machines... sing.

Nothing difficult, to begin with. Something the synthesis was capable of. Something traditional so the audience could use their pareidolia to fill in the gaps.

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Challenge #04299-K281: Slow Escape From Bland

A deregger rescue with tons of issues keeps "losing their meals" each time they eat anything other than bland nutrifood. Not on purpose, their body's just that messed up. The Gyiik temple are determined to find something the person can eat without losing it, by the powers! But this is one tough case, even for them. -- Anon Guest

Gyiiks react in horror when they discover the existence of no-flavour Nutrifood. Given that the product is a scientifically-calculated balance of essential nutrients,

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Challenge #04298-K280: Suspected Supply Issue

A gyiik individual finds themselves crash-landed with several humans. Food stores are low, though plenty of water, and unable to go out to gather more. Worst part? The humans kept refusing to eat, saying "they could wait a few days" -- Anon Guest

They're hiding something from me. I know it. We survived a "cheese grater" crash-landing[1] in relatively good shape. Few souls lost, they said, in conditions where nothing could be done. The air was breathable. The water easily potable.

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Challenge #04297-K279: Hottest Singles...

::smacking computer:: Stop showing me nsfw ads! I know there’s desperate [SLURS] in my area!

I HAVE A MIRROR! -- Anon Guest

Techie Darins opened the latest alert from Systems Advertising Systems (inc), specifically a complaint from the Social Video subsidiary.

Dear content creator, the forwarded automail said, Your uploaded video has been demonetised owing to issues with your script text file. Our automatic systems have detected problematic phraseology. While this remains an issue, you will not be receiving financial income

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Challenge #04296-K278: Essential Parts

They turned off their machines, crawled into bed after turning off the light and slept. And Dreamed. The wizard in their dream introduced themselves as Wraithvine, and smiled. "So, what is your time like?" "A time of peace, I guess, lots of hard work, but, meh, not so bad." -- Anon Guest

[AN: Are you trying to tie my universes together, Nonny? It doesn't work like that. Alfarell has a history incongruent with Amalgam Universe. That glue won't stick]

So many machines

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Challenge #04295-K277: Kindness Comes in Handy

The adult giant was nearly 10 ft tall, kinda short for their kind. Their parentals, humans, lived near the massive cottage where the giant lived. When asked by other giants why "bugs were allowed here", the giant angrily would state "Don't you dare insult my parents!" -- Anon Guest

Others of hir kind called hir 'Shrimp' because ze was only twice the height of the average Human. Small for Giantkind. Hir real name was Elianto, and her parents loved and cherished hir.

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Challenge #04294-K276: A Different Destiny

A: sometimes you fit perfectly, but it’s not the right place.

B: …what?

C: you’re a half empty bottle of coke screwed into a lightbulb socket

B: Oh I get it.

A:??? How the f- -- Anon Guest

[AN: There are so many ways this metaphor could be altered, but you chose a meme]

There were three jigsaw puzzles, and it was possible to put them together by feel. However, one needed vision to put them together properly. Each puzzle,

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Challenge #04293-K275: A Child Could Understand...

[Solid water] Compound composed of hydrogen and oxygen, essential to support carbon-based life. Keeping it in the solid state makes it easy to carry.

"...isn't it ice?"

"no, no, no. Ice is ice, this is water, just in the solid state."

"...isn't that the definition of Ice?" -- Anon Guest

Galthax took a deep breath, twining hir tentacles in a thoughtful manner. "Ice is frozen water. This is solid water. There is a difference."

Human Iz scrunched their face up, attempting to

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Challenge #04292-K274: Lending a Hand

The cave-in was pretty severe. The worst part was, magic was risky in this region. Lilbit had managed to squeeze out through cracks. Surprisingly, tail in the air all smug, Cat returned, with the sound of anxious diggers to be heard outside the cave. -- Anon Guest

Wudzgaad are the oddities of Faekindred. They can walk between worlds with but a thought. They never ask for names because they don't see the need for them. They go about their business and remain

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Challenge #04291-K273: A Chance at Mortal Redemption

A very old angel, and an ancient demon, both sat together talking, watching the peoples. Seeing how the humans treat the children born to them simply for looking like their ancient ancestors, saddened them.

"Even we demons know this is wrong."

They are human and have free will.

"Doesn't mean it's not wrong."

In that, at least, we very much agree. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Reminder that I am trying my soul to whispers in keeping my stories OUTSIDE of fandom spaces.

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Challenge #04290-K272: There's a Moral Somewhere

The sacrificial one was shoved into the chamber, the door behind them sealed. The gods demanded this, if they disobeyed, the city would be destroyed. The youngster, shakingly, put their hand on the door. "Shhhh, what the elders don't know won't hurt the rest of us. Let's go." -- Anon Guest

For centuries, it had maintained peace. In the town, there was a temple dedicated to the Established Order. The temple, partially carved into a mountain, had a portal that people only

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Challenge #04289-K271: The Wanderer's Guide

An immortal elf meets the much better known immortal elf. Wariness, tenseness, then laughter and talks of old times at a table with drinks and introductions of friends. -- Anon Guest

The problem with being immortal and ageless is having to move to a new country every five to eight hundred years. Well. It is if you're an Elf. Humans have it worse, having to shift residences every decade or so. Some just surrender and live a life on the road.

Dragons

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Challenge #04288-K270: Respected Priorities

Pax Humanis makes a deal with the deadly Lucker. They will not monitor them as they monitor others, and the Lucker only has to wear "the colors" when in Alliance areas. Their life, and travels, are their own.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04188-k170-kill-list -- Anon Guest

What I don't like about Pax Humanis is their insistence on control. The other killers in there tolerate it. They know they're dangerous and they actually care about the health and wellbeing of the innocent.

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Challenge #04287-K269: Truly Heroic

Tell me, my student.... what is the difference between a TRUE Hero, and the person many just call a hero?

"I don't know, sir."

It is their heart. For a True Hero does not seek fame or fortune. They do not seek to harm others, no matter what they appear. Their only desire is to aid others whenever possible, and the knowledge they could help be their only reward.

The ones far too many tend to call 'hero'.... are usually far too

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Challenge #04286-K268: For the Safety of Others

Those that discriminate against the unwanted races in this nation take a page from the lands of Whitekeep. They are not killed, instead sent to a large school where they are forced to learn about whom it is they hate. And the worst part is? The bracelets they must wear. Until they "graduate", they are no longer capable of telling any lies, especially, not to themselves. Kids are easy to teach lessons of kindness, respect, and diversity, it's the older teens and

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