Thanks for the interesting prompt, and for reading!

Diary of a Teenage Enby

It was puberty that did it.

Don't get me wrong, there had been stupid comments and snide remarks before that.

"That toy's not for you."

"You can't play with us."

"You're pretty strong... for a girl."

But, most of the time, at that age, I didn't have to think too much about gender. I wore what I wanted, with thin scraggly hair and without a care in the world for how I looked. I was often mistaken for a boy and didn't mind at all. In fact, I kind of liked it.

But it had to come to an end eventually. And that end was puberty.

The growth spurt hit, and my body changed into a shape I didn't recognise or want. Suddenly there were all these expectations for how I should look, what I should wear, and how I should behave.

I wish I could say that I stuck to my guns — that I kept being me with no apologies. But teenagers are cruel, and school is hard. So I learnt to play the part I'd been cast in. Someone who wasn't me. But at least she was happy — or good at pretending to be.

And that's how I got here. Unable to look at my reflection without my stomach tying itself in knots. Flinching internally every time I hear my name — hear myself spoken about. Trying not to blame the people who so clearly don't know me when I haven't even given them a chance to.

And instead of doing anything about it, I spend my time sitting under a tree at the bottom of the garden, scribbling all my secrets away in this journal rather than saying them out loud, too scared that my true existence will misqueme the world somehow.

I learnt that word in English today. Misqueme. Apparently, it comes from an old English root cweme, meaning agreeable or acceptable. I know that I should strive for the best. To be proud. To be happy. To be loved. But most days, I'd settle for acceptable, to be honest. Agreeable would be a bonus.

And the first person who needs to accept me, is me.

So that's why I'm determined that today is going to be different. I might still be sitting with my back pressed against the bark of the old apple tree in our garden, scribbling away. I might not say any of it out loud yet. It might only be a small step but soon, I hope to be able to accept my reflection a little more, because today, I'm ordering a binder.

I'm sure I'll tell you all about how it goes. After all, who else would I tell?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It arrived today, waiting on the porch when I got home from school. I grabbed it and hurried up to my room before I tore open the package.

Wriggling into it wasn't exactly dignified, and the fabric was stiff against my ribs. Constricting. But when I put my shirt on over the top and smoothed it down... It was the most comfortable I could remember being in years.

I couldn't stop smiling at myself in the mirror, joy bubbling up inside me until it boiled over into a fit of giggles.

It might not have been perfect, but it was more than just acceptable.

And it gave me the confidence to do what I needed to do.

Feeling its grip around my chest, as if embracing me in a tight hug, the stiff fabric was like armour for my heart as I marched down the stairs and into the lounge — to where my parents were.

And I told them. Not all of it. Not all the half-thought thoughts and questions and worries and secrets. But I told them enough. Told them about the lie of who I'd been pretending to be. Told them the name I'd picked out years ago in my head. Told them my pronouns. Told them who I really was underneath it all.

I'm fairly certain they didn't understand, not fully. But their smiles shone brightly through the tears. And I'm sure mine did too.

I know that the world isn't perfect. That they won't be perfect. That it will take time. But today I took the first step on a journey that I've been waiting my whole life to make, and of that, I am proud.

WC: 727

I really appreciate any and all feedback

See more I've written at /r/RainbowWrites

Such an interesting route for a story and really making the heroes turn into horror antagonists. Thanks for checking out my prompt!

Literary may be the wrong word. I'm heavily influenced by works of science fiction and low fantasy, not just in books but on TV. I've studied the Twilight Zone collection -- all four versions -- and I love finding prompts inside stories. Then, when the right prompt comes along, it's all about finding the strange angle no one else has.

TT and FMF are great practice for that because it's taking a start that's more open and working with it. I will say that's one issue I have with some prompts -- a lot of beginner prompts tell the story in the prompt. I want more open-ended stuff, and when I find it, I want to find the right angle to make for a story no one's thought of.

But some writers I like include Twain, Orwell, Bradbury, Dave Barry for when I'm feeling amused, and Asimov. If anyone spots any others, though, let me know. :)

"Your an idiot Margy."

"Shut it."

"I will not. What was it Mother used to say. ALWAYS do the background research. ALWAYS. If you had then you wouldn't be saddled with a baby."

Margy looked over at the crib, and the child within. As with all these bargains, she could not harm the child. He gurgled, wrapped in fine blankets but otherwise unadorned. Not even a day old and his mother, though tearful, had given him up. After all, they already had an heir.

A FEMALE Heir.

She should have realized that something was up was they had agreed to give up their first born son so readily.

And now her darling sister Henny was reminding her how once again her laziness had bitten her in the backside.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." She stood and went to the crib. The child was red of hair and green of eye. She knew already he would grow to be handsome. She sighed heavily and turned away from the babe, instead looking over at the pile of letters.

In that pile were requests for her help. Farmers wanting to trade their best cattle for a good harvest. Lords wishing for the strength to defeat enemies. Royals in need of-

"I've got the best Idea."

Henny didn't like the smile on her sisters face. Sometimes it led to a good and lucrative ideas. Mostly it led to trouble.

"I use that enchanted basket. The one that freezes whatever inside? I mostly use it to keep the bread fresh, but I've kept a chicken in there for a whole month with no issues."

"You can't put the baby in there."

"Oh, I can and will." Margy said and grabbed the letter she needed.

"The Good Lord and Lady of Griffinths Island want a child. They don't care how or where from, just so long as it looks like them and can be bought to them in nine months and passed off as theirs's!"

Griffinths Island? Isn't that the place where the first born of each generation is crowned."

"Yes. I give them the kid, they get to rule the Island in it's stead until he comes of age. If he gets discovered, it's not their fault their child was replaced by a Witch, is it. Happens all the time. And becuase the Childs already royal blood..."

Henny's eyes lit up, "He will pass any lineage test. Oh, that is clever. That may actually work. What are they offering you in return?"

"First choice of the royal vaults once their in charge, 10% of the Pryth root harvest and all the MerCow eggs I want."

Before Henny could say anything, Margy had thrown the bread from the basket and put the child within.

X X X X X X X

Nine months later and Margy had given the child a dunk in cowl after birth, and delivered him to the New Queen of Griffinths. She'd take one look at the child and smiled like it was her child. Even the king was satisfied.

"We're not bad people. It's just my Younger brother is nearly 29, and he still whose and acts like a man of 14. He cannot be trusted with the kingdom should be knocking up some unfortunate girl. That's how our Cousins wound up in a treaty with the Frathmites. No, we'll raise this lad to be a responsible leader."

Margy didn't really care beyond the fact that these two wouldn't hurt the brat, mean she wouldn't have to worry about keeping her end of the treatment clause up. There was a protection spell to warn her should he grow ill or at risk, but beyond that she wanted nothing to do with him.

She left within the hour with several bag of very expensive Pryth root and a sack full of eggs.

X X 17 YEARS LATER X X

Henny stood on her sisters now grand doorstep and waited. When a servant finally opened the door she rushed in, carrying the paper with her.

Her sister lay in bed and was not pleased to be woken. The paper that was unceremoniously thrown on her bed read the headline

' GREAT QUEEN ASTHERTIC TO BEGIN SEARCH FOR HUSBAND. '

"And why are you showing me this?"

"Guess whose sending their King for consideration?"

"Shit."

What an honor. Thank you all so much. Sure, let's answer a few:

1. I enjoy writing because I enjoy creating different situations. There's a huge escapism element to it, and I'm not afraid to admit there's a bit of Walter Mitty in me. But I've always loved to write. Senior year in high school I was taking a writing course for my English class, and considering my cough-coughth reunion is this summer, that's a lot of time.
2. I think the biggest theme is trying to do something different. That's been a commonality in the TT and FMF I've written; I tend to consider the theme but try to take it in a direction that is non-intuitive. It doesn't always work, but some of my favorite stories take the theme word of TT or the beginning of FMF and go in a way that is unique. (For example: when "Feast" for TT was proposed on Thanksgiving weekend, I looked at invoking a saint's guidance on their feast day.)
3. Oh, this one's easy. It's about being in a new world and becoming someone you're not. In this case, practically literally. I can't explain why, but that is the one that stands out. As part of NaNoWriMo, I built half a novel (the other half will come soon) out of a writing prompt along these lines. Working title was Two for One, but I'll probably change that. But it, to tie it in to the trope, is about a life that isn't yours, but you have to adjust to. Call it escapism at its best or worst, but that's where I stand.

Hopefully I can live up to the honor!

It was a Tuesday evening, I was hours from graduation — to becoming a semi-qualified hero — and it was the day I’d die.

“They turn them into supervillains,” I sputtered, face tomato-red, outrage almost suffocating me. We’d just come from of our final lecture, the last secrets of herohood revealed to us during it. ”Gaslight them into become villains. It’s not that they’re bad people, but they’re made bad.”

It was me, Corpse Kenny, and Jen Phoenix. We were stewing together in an empty locker room. They sat on slatted benches, heads down, as I marched back and forth in front of them. We’d gotten friendly over the last few months. Not my initial intention — my intention had been purely to scope out the hero course and to use any knowledge gained to my later advantage.

“We’re not fighting to make a difference,” said Jen Phoenix, not bitterly, just ruefully. A single flame of bright red danced over the fingers of her left hand, back and forth, back and forth.

“We’re fighting to not make a difference,“ said Corpse Kenny. Corpse Kenny was born with two skeletons, an extra on the outside. It was like he was wearing an armoured shell at all times. Not the greatest power, but he was as brave as a bullet.

I continued my polemic, “We wear sponsorships slogans on our cloaks and costumes. Come out of battles looking victorious against the scum of the earth. For what? To sell another cola. This whole thing’s rigged. We’re pawns.” By ‘we’ I’d meant villains — people like me. People tormented by the system, orphaned and mistreated, rejected by society and told it’s all just bad luck or our attitudes. But no, that was a lie; it’s premeditated rejection. Forcing us to become villains so the heroes have someone to defeat.

“People like us are getting used,” said Jen.

The pipes in floor beneath us screeched, twisting in response to my balled fists. I controlled copper. Not much of a power — but if I had a decent power they wouldn’t have made me a villain. I’d have been too dangerous. Too much of a risk to defeat.

”I don’t think I can do this,” said Kenny. “The hero thing.”

”Because it’s not a hero thing,” said Jen. She patted his hand. “And you’re a hero.”

The three of us had grown close, even choosing to group together during some practice missions. There was a purity to the pair of them that I had at one point hated — an innate goodness. I’d wanted to get near to them to slowly corrupt it, to make them see the world as I did.

But I knew better now. There is no world as I see it, or as they see it. There is only the world how the powerful see it.

The pipes groaned under the weight of my rage. I’d need to be careful; a water leak would give us away. And then a thought occurred.

”We could destroy this place,” I said. “We could destroy the Ministry of Heroes. Reset the entire game.“

”What?” said Jen, the flame leaping off her hand and down to the wet tiles where it extinguished in a sizzle.

”We destroy it. We flood it. Or we burn it down. All files and records. And then we show the world who did it — heroes about to graduate from this very institute. We’ll show the system is flawed. We’ll make everyone rethink. Or at least think for the first time in their lives*.*”

”I don’t know if I can,” said Kenny. “Ma thinks I’m a hero. She loves this placed and cried the day I got accepted. If she saw me destroy it…“

”I’ll take the blame then,” I said. “You two just need to help me do it. I’ll say that I forced you into helping me or I’d kill you both.”

Jen looked up. Her blue eyes met mine, hovered. I wondered if she’d imagined the same world I had over these last few months; a world where we graduate and we leave all this behind. Heroes, villains, all in our rearview mirror. We start something new together — a remote gas station far from the city, anything.

”I’m in,” she said. “This rot needs to burn.”

Her eyes flared bright with the hot hope of something better.

I should have known they were listening in. Of course — if they made villains then they knew who I was and would have been monitoring me this entire time. And they didn’t need cameras. They had supers who could feel every word said through the vibrations of the building.

They burst in. Heroes we’d all seen on television. The most powerful, popular.

”Sorry,” said Dr Bend. “But we can’t let you do that. You’d ruin a much too good a thing.”

There were eight of them; three of us.

”You,” Bend said, smirking at me. “You helped us find two more potential villains. Helped us kill them, too. For that, I thank you.”

Kenny charged forward yelling: Bastards.

Dr Bend was too fast.

With the sickening cracks of both Kenny’s spines, it became eight of them, two of us.

The piping in the ceiling, walls, floors, gutted itself as it coiled like an anaconda around the group of heroes, locking them in position, squeezing their life. For a second, I dared think I had them.

AntiMatter thought differently. The copper rusted like a dry autumn leaf between a child’s fingers. Dusted to the ground.

I looked at Jen and hoped my look said a lifetime of words. Then I ran at them

I felt my neck click. Then I was gurgling on the ground, coughing up a pool of red.

Someone laughed as I slowly died.

My final memory was of fire. Of the great flame that leapt from Jen, who had become blue and white, as fierce, wrathful, and beautiful as the sun itself.

They screamed as they burned.

​

***

​

Hours later we woke. The three of us. We weren’t fully reformed yet, our dust still pulling together like iron filings to magnets, our consciousness still rebuilding.

Phoenix.

I’d never known she had a second ability.

Maybe she hadn’t either.

For a moment our dust connected — me and Jen — as our minds rebuilt. We shared a single thought, or maybe it was all our thoughts.

An orange horizon unfurling to the distance like god’s palm. Sycamores whisking in a dusty breeze. A little gas station, the only building for many miles, with a cat sitting on the roof. Two people beneath the veranda, lazily rocking back and forth, sipping on iced teas with not a care in the world.

Congratz, Duke! It's been so much fun having you in our community!

swamp fire skunk

Congrats on the spotlight, Duke! Honestly didn't realize you didn't have one yet.

As is tradition, a couple questions:

1. What is your favorite environment to write in?
2. If you could only write one thing, what would it be?

More please!!!

Loving the mystery of the protagonist! Thanks for checking out my prompt!

[Click HERE to know more!]

Furious clicking intensifies

"And here's our newest member. He made it past the three trials showing his loyalty, and is now ready to take the test, to prove he can join us."

That was my queue. I walked up to the podium to start my initiation, trembling like a leaf. "Members of the council, i wish to join."

The council stared me up and down. They had all seen my file and knew today was the day, but they just wanted to act as if i came out of the blue. After some murmurs: What is your name?

I didn't see who asked it, but, i had to answer quickly. "Marsokan".

"Marsokan?" Some members laughed. "What do you wish to do to show you are truly a super villain?"

I saw it that time. The Elemental Queen was asking me the questions. That's perfect, she is exactly whom i wish to impress. She's been my idol for many years now.

"I am going to infiltrate the Super Hero Society."

"And how will that prove anything? You're an unknown, especially to real super heroes, and just need to act good for a while."

The others agreed with her, and she herself had a bit of disgust on her face.

I coughed, both nervously, and to act as if she had cut me off. "I am going to infiltrate the Super Hero Society and delete all the files they have on you in their famed master computer."

That got their attention. Nobody gets near the computer, even most the heroes. Having access to do anything, well, purportedly, only The Parrot has that.

"That would be impressive, and far beyond what you would need to do to join our society. Are you really trying to impress us?"

"Actually, i am trying to impress you."

The queen smiled while the others made some fun.

"So be it. You have your task, and must complete it in one month, or die."

The meeting was over. My reception was mixed. I heard the words: Bold, idiot, show off, prankster, young. And off i went.

I immediately applied to the Super Hero society, and they gave me the usual, "You have to be a proven hero with medals and affidavits to even apply. Please come back after you have achieved more." I hated those wods. I had heard them so many times since i was a kid, trying endlessly to join. No matter what i did, i never got recognized, and i tried charity, disaster relief, stopping small time villains (all the big time one get assigned, and you do not want to get in a super hero's way), and got awards. I even protected Speedster's house once when he was off on a mission, but he didn't even thank me, making it sounds as if i owed him the thanks. I hate them those stuck up brats!

But this time i was prepared. With my mild mental skills, i was able to convince the clerk to sign my application. It went into the small pile behind her. Step 1 was complete.

Step 2 is getting two supers to sign off on my sheet. It's nigh impossible to even get their attention, but i had to do it. I started with Speedster, thanking him for letting me save his house those years ago. It was humiliating bowing before that jerk, and he didn't remember me at all, but i lavished on the praises. I then asked him if i could have the honor of helping him some more, doing menial tasks, or better yet, coming on a mission. He looked at me with disdain and laughed at me.

"Could i at least get you're autograph?"

"Sure kid."

I used my powers to fog his mind ever so slightly, so that when he signed, he didn't realize he was actually signing my petition to join the league. I thanked him profusely and went off to The Brute. He was much easier to manipulate, and i brought him lots of food. He didn't even look at what he was signing when i asked for the signature. And back i went to the clerk.

The clerk looked down his nose at me. "Listen kid, you just used the two easiest members. If i walk into the council meeting on Tuesday with this application, i'll be laughed out of the room, and my job might be in jeopardy."

He started walking toward the nearby trash. I couldn't manipulate him when his mind was made up like this. Instead, i hid, and having thought i left, he went back to business. I stayed until after closing, took my application out of the garbage, stamped it with his stamp, and put it in the council room before leaving undetected. Steps 1-3 in one day isn't too shabby.

Now came the hard part. To join, i had to get most of the council's 67 members to vote yes, and i had exactly one day to do it. I was nervous, but my plan was working perfectly.

The next day, the supers were showing up to a charity event. Having this be the day before the meeting is what made my plan possible. All the heroes would be there, be in a good mood, and if past performance holds true, show off. That's when my super power would come into play.

First came Octopus Man. He got dirty while dragging a train in front of everyone. When he finished, he was filthy, and so i offered to clean his clothes. He allowed me to touch his sleeve, at which point i manipulated the cloth the squeeze out the mud. He had no idea what i did, but was impressed with the results. I told him it would be a great honor if he ever called upon me again. He smiled, and i left. Miracle Woman was next, and she proved just as easy. After the fifth cleaning, all the others had already heard of me and all asked for my service. Perfect. Things were going better than planned.

The following day, i waited in the lobby for the the council meeting to start. There were plenty of people there, hoping to catch yet another glimpse of heir favorite hero. After the meeting started, one of the supers came ut to the clerk, asked him who Marsokan was, and why he didn't hand deliver the application as usual. The clerk was dumbfounded, but i stood up immediately, "that's me sir!"

"You, the dry cleaner, want to join us?!"

"Please sir," i said in a respectful tone, "you are my idol. I want to join to help everyone look their best."

He laughed, but led me into the council room anyway.

"Marsokan, the the dry cleaner wants to join us." He announced.

Everyone laughed. I was used to it by now. I laughed too. They were now manipulatable, due to their light spirits. Luckily, The Parrot was not in the room. I was banking on that. And so i started to manipulate everyone else ever so slightly as i made my case to clean their clothes so they look their best at all times. And it worked. I even got 60 yeas!

The Turquoise Prophet announced my membership. "You are now officially a junior member of the Super Hero Council. Go fetch me a coffee."

Horny Stormy Horsey

All the interests. Please continue🥰

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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Congrats! I love seeing your name in FMF and at Character interviews! I’m so glad you got a spotlight!

Your superhero names are creative! Thanks for checking out my prompt.

Docketing fire shark

For Red Terror, it was easy to infiltrate the Hero's Society. Suspiciously easy, actually. All he had to do was change his pseudonym and put on a different costume. He had even been given a guided tour by one of the Society's biggest names.

Red Terror followed behind the tall, aggravatingly muscles form of Capt. Justice. The hero had been a thorn in Red's side for far too long. So he took far too much joy in asking the most annoying questions he could. He made his questions fanboy level at times, at least at first. He had calmed down during the tour itself. It was important to learn as much about the enemy's facilities as possible.

"And here we have the assignment room." The hero said. "Here's where you'll get your missions, and what city you'll be assigned to for most of your career."

Red looked in. The room was dominated by a large holographic map of the country, with computer stations set up circling it. All of the major cities were highlighted, and the few stations he could see showed a list of the heroes active in those cities. But there was something about what the Captain had said that tugged at Red's mind.

"Why would I be assigned to a city?" He asked. "All of them are covered by at least two heroes already, and the really big ones have more."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Just know that you'll be working with pros at every moment."

That was not as comforting as it was probably intended. Red knew sinister language when he heard it.

"Well, that's good to know." He said, storing the conversation away for later.

As the two left the room, another hero came down. She was a smaller woman, well, smaller relative to other heroines, in that she was not threatening to bust out of her costume at every moment. Red knew her as Shift, but he had never dealt with her.

"Hey, Cap." Shift said. "Who'd you peeve off to get newbie duty?"

"Hey, I volunteered for this one." Justice said. "He's very promising, you know."

"Uh-huh, sure you did." She said while obviously rolling her eyes. "Anyways, I'm sure you know this, but I'm Shift."

She extended a hand. Red took it and glanced quickly at her hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Red Surge." He said.

As their hands separated, he hid the note she had slipped him. She left without even a second glance. The tour continued. It was not until it was done that he was able to duck into a bathroom.

Looking at the note, he read quickly. 'Want to know the truth?' it said. Then it gave an address and a time. He took some time to memorize the address before disposing of the note. There was definitely something else going on here. Something he wanted to know. A weakness in the Society that could be exploited. And what kind of villain would he be if he did not do just that?

You've got my interest.

Congrats u/London-Roma-1980!! Hope you don’t mind stopping by and answering a few questions!

1. Why do you enjoy writing and how long have you been at it?

2. Are there any themes that seem to consistently come up in your writing?

3. What is your favorite trope?

And Thanks for being apart of the Writing Prompts Community!

Congrats, Duke! Love your TTs in particular!

Who would you count as your biggest literary influence(s)?

Lilly water giant-African-snail