Instant Story

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #03898-J246: A Slightly Deeper History Lesson

"Why do you throw bird seed and blow bubbles at weddings?"

"Humans used to throw dry rice, but that would swell up in the crops of birds and make them very sick or even kill them. This is a lot safer." -- The New Guy

"There's also confetti that will grow wildflowers, but the park wouldn't let them be part of this ceremony."

"Some ceremonies just flat-out throw bird food suitable to the locals. As long as it doesn't stain the celebrants' clothing of course."

Companion Kam arrived at the slow realisation that the Humans were talking to them as if they already knew all the details about complicated Human ceremonies in general, and the specific one that they had just attended. "That is not a suitable response to the question I asked."

"Oh you want the long and complicated, not the short and easy," crowed Human Troy, already divesting herself of some of her ceremonial headgear. "Boiled down to lies-to-children level? Uh... people used to throw grains as part of a fertility thing, and rice became the cheapest grain available."

"And then Humanity learned that rice could hurt the birds that tried to eat it, added Human Beck, as ze escaped hir cufflinks. "We have way more empathy for cute animals so we changed our ideas about what to throw practically overnight. Ways for the guests to wish the celebrants well, and Humans like to throw stuff."

"The symbology hasn't really changed, even if the biology won't necessarily match."

"Though instead of babies, it's generally to wish the couple success and a happy life."

"There's absolute manuals about what we do and why we do it," complained Troy, rolling her eyes. "It's a big ceremony, and pretty rare, so... y'know, make it one worth all the build-up."

"Mostly to make us say, Thank the Powers it's over, let's not have to do that again," quipped Beck.

"Wanna hear all about the cake?" asked Troy in perilous enthusiasm.

"I would rather eat the cake," said Kam.

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Challenge #03897-J245: Chasing Hearts

A: “You know Ryan? The one I usually race with? Apparently he’s the fastest one in our group and been letting me win all this time. I feel conflicted.”

B: “Ani, I’ll be completely straight with you with a guy perspective. There’s only two reason why he would do that. 1: He likes seeing your smile when you win. 2: He was starting at your ass the entire time.”

A: “Wait, he likes how I smile?!” -- Anon Guest

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Challenge #03896-J244: Welcome to the Universe

Three newborn humans, two very exhausted parentals, and a ship full of friends ready and willing to help. -- Anon Guest

"Triplets?" asked Companion Drask. She had heard of the concept, but it still boggled the mind.

"No, one had twins and the other had one." Companion Morq repeated himself. "Both our Humans were pregnant." He belatedly remembered that Drask was oviparous. "Hatching."

"I thought they were mates. Humans are dimorphic, aren't they?"

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Challenge #03895-J243: Mnemonics Exist for a Reason

A small child bumps into Jay and Lilicoon. They're lost and ask help to find their parentals. And can they help the child tie their shoes? -- Anon Guest

They had been enjoying a good night out, and it almost time for it to end. They were both dawdling on getting to the 'goodbyes' for the evening. Walking slower. Finding things to mention and have another conversation about it.

"'Scuse me," said a little voice. A very small child. "Are you good

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Challenge #03894-J242: Visibly Strange

An elf ended up with a health problem that, after they recovered, made them unable to grow back their hair. It was intensely rare, but not completely unheard of. People remind their children not to stare, it's rude. And the kind elf doesn't deserve people to be rude. -- DaniAndShali

The common name was Nahripox, and it doesn't kill. People therefore believe that it is harmless. What it can do, especially to Elves, is scar. Some lose the whole or part of

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Challenge #03893-J241: Obscured Needs

Their friend was sent to rehab after caught, yet again, self-harming. The first time was passed as accidental. The second time was the warning that their friend needed help. They visit their friend in the rehab center and hold their friend through the tears. -- Anon Guest

Rescue Humans can have all possible quirks. Not all of them at once, that would be what is technically known as "A Mess".

Human Shae was almost wholly within the 'mess' category. He remained food

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Challenge #03892-J240: A Burning Desire to Repeat

The Archivaas learn of the history of humans banning and burning books and other reading material, and how some DeRegulations STILL do it, to try to hide information from people. -- Lessons

Knowledge is power. People have known this for centuries. Whoever controls the knowledge has the power over those who cannot access all of it. Interestingly, it only takes a few fragments of misinformation to spawn a million conspiracy theories.

Some people will believe anything if it thereby makes them the

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Challenge #03891-J239: Your Threats Are Empty

I'm a coward, and I am well aware of this fact. Many things terrify me. But, you have made a grave error. One thing I am not afraid of is death. -- Anon Guest

"Unlock it or die," said the brigand, knife at Mort's throat.

"Kill me. You won't be able to unlock it even when I'm dead," said Mort. The Hellkin courier seemed cooler than ice under the threat of death. "The only way to open it is when it arrives

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Challenge #03890-J238: Between a Rock and...

A human child hidden in a small cubby made of stone throws fireballs at the powerful wizard and hir friends. The child is calmed, the ones there are not the hunters. When they come out, everyone sees what they're protecting. Skinny, frightened, other children, some wearing chains, who've been on the run far too long. -- Anon Guest

It looked like a small crack between the stones of the pass, with just enough room nearby for a band of travellers to stop

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Challenge #03888-J236: Actionable Correction

"I noticed there was a lot of loud noises coming from your family's quarters."

"Oh, yeah. I yelled at the kids a bit."

"You shouldn't yell at your children."

"And my children shouldn't roughhouse in the kitchen while I'm using sharp things to prepare ingredients next to an open flame. We're all working on it."

"...ah. I see." -- Anon Guest

It's not merely yelling at children. It's how or when one chooses to raise one's voice. One who yells in fear

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Challenge #03887-J235: Kind Hands of Faith

In the center of the town, a huge Temple of Helping Hands. An Academy of Magic is within the town, and children are brought to the temple starting at the age of 5 for baptism and to learn the ways of the Helping Hands. And who is it this entire rare town worships? The living god known as Wraithvine. His words are their codes of life itself. -- Anon Guest

These are the commandments of Wraithvine the Wanderer, so that we may

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Challenge #03886-J234: A Joke Too Far

An adorable little fae-dragon is quite the trickster. Imagine how much fun it is to drop glowing little rainbow scales down the back of people's shirts and be able to flit away and giggle. -- Anon Guest

Nanogh, otherwise known as the Plane of Magic, is home to many strange creatures. Sometimes, it takes things literally. Like dragonflies. Or rather, Fly-Dragons. In the primary mortal plane, intelligent Dragonkind gets no smaller than Kobolds. The smallest of Dragonkind in the mortal plane is

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Challenge #03885-J233: Forewarned is...

The person had the power to predict the future. Sadly, it usually only worked when it was predicting disasters. Yet, each time they warned a village, or city, or kingdom of it, they were usually laughed at and told to go away. Only to be blamed when the disaster struck. Why won't people listen? It always broke their heart. -- Anon Guest

Cassandra Syndrome: The condition of exact prognostication, with the inherent curse of not being believed about it. -- The Multiversal

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Challenge #03884-J232: Mind This For Me

There was a battle, the human shoved the last four besides them into a life pod. Their companions and a very small human infant placed in their companions arms before the pod was shot out into space while the human remained behind to fight. -- Anon Guest

The infant Deathworlder slept through all of it. They were still asleep now that they were all far from the recent upsets. Unaware that their parental had just sacrificed herself to ensure the rest of

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Challenge #03883-J231: Not Available in This Location

The difference between cultures aren't just the things they show off, but the things they assume everyone has, and are baffled that to discover that you don't. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5A3gR6f9TM -- Anon Guest

[AN: Offensensitivity warning for swears in the video]

They had been in the service of a devilborn lord for two months, and things had settled down somewhat. There was a routine to the days, and Venn had ceased being so nervous about being so close

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