Recent comments in /f/WritingPrompts

Lost_Carcosan t1_j9958kl wrote

I really like this! I like the way the lines lengthen as each stanza goes on but the rhyme scheme holds steady; It makes it feel like the pace of the poem picks up, rushing feverishly forward. The narrator is burning up over how he will be perceived and whether he will succeed or fail, but is able to use that fire nonetheless. I think my favorite line is >It feels queasy and uneasy and discordant in that spot.

where I feel like the rhythm really pays off.

I'm not totally sure what 'trope' means in the context of your third line and maybe a different word could pair with 'tire' there? Might just be me missing it though.

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ShySilverSurvivor t1_j992qe8 wrote

Hideki found more than just a sword from his former world. He went to the tavern and saw an orc showing off a smartphone to his comrades. The phone didn’t work, though. It was cracked. He saw a woman on a bench reading Fifty Shades of Gray. There was a fairy wearing shutter shades.
He sat in the tavern. Then, he saw her: his girlfriend from his world. She stood in the doorway. He ran to her. She looked surprised and then hugged him. “How long have you been here?”, he asked. “A few minutes.” “You can live with me.” He led her to his house just a few buildings down.

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NextEstablishment856 OP t1_j992c7u wrote

Tzovinar looked at the body she now inhabited. Male, young, a bit thin and pale for her tastes, but she'd fix that soon enough. Not that she had much choice. How long had she been trapped? At least a century, though likely more. His clothing was strange, and incredibly dark. His fingernails as well, and she thought he was diseased until a check showed it was some sort of paint. Fascinating.

"BOY!" The voice echoed around the chamber. In his mind, she felt him jump, but she kept his body still.

"Yes?" He seemed to still control his mouth. She was certainly weaker than she'd thought.

"Who is your god?"

"Uh, well, that's a big question. I guess, none, really. I'm what you'd call agnostic. Or more apathetic, being honest. I don't have enough time for any sort of God, ya know?"

"I do not," she replied, struggling still to grasp how a man could live with no god.

"Uh, why do you ask?"

"I seek followers of Tzovinar. Surely they are seeking me."

"Tzovinar? That your name? Never heard of you. That Russian?"

"Never heard of me? The Storm Queen? Mistress of Thunder? Daughter of the first gods? The Grand Tempest? Nothing?

"Can't say I have."

"That explains why I'm so weak. Come, I need new followers. Have you more dark and painted allies?"

"Uh, I have couple goth friends, but most aren't."

"That is fine. Any converts are acceptable. The more we have the more power we get."

"Oh I like that plan."

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NextEstablishment856 t1_j98yxu4 wrote

"This is a corpse," Florbeek said. Bear in mind, his name is not actually "Florbeek," but it the closest approximate spelling to the sounds of his name.

"We are aware, sir," Nalpod said. See the note on Florbeek's name? Yeah, that applies to Nalpod's as well.

"We found him like this," Walrus added. His name actually is Walrus. It's a surprising anomaly of linguistics that every planet has at least one language that makes use of "walrus" in some capacity. Theories abound, but no one really cares but the linguists, and the last linguist we all cared about was better known for his fiction writing.

"Well, clearly. He is well decayed."

"Yes, but he is their leader," Walrus tried again. He felt it was important to justify the find as he'd had to do the digging. And by hand as the digging bot had refused to desecrate corpses. He would have to talk about a reprogramming session at the next bot care meeting, though he suspected it would have him watching another sensitivity training.

"So you are saying the humans actively follow this rotted body?"

"Worship might be a better word." Nalpod said, while sliding in front of Walrus. Her partner was sometimes... oversensitive about failure. She'd still not figured how they had screwed up, but this was obviously not right, based on the wobble of Florbeek's flanges. The captain was growing more angry the more Walrus spoke, but her words seemed to have calmed him some. "There are impossible stories of him. One of my favorites is a preposterous claim that he was shot by an assassin, survived, and mocked the man's failure in a speech immediately after. Ah the legends these humans create, embellishing the lives of their heroes."

She had stopped watching Florbeek as she rambled on, or she'd have shut her vocal flap on the word "favorites" on seeing his flanges. They shook like a flag in a hurricane.

"Clearly, this Theodore Roosevelt is not the active leader of these backwards yokels. I'm giving you a second chance here to get it right. Now go."

"Do you want us to put him back?" Walrus pointed at the corpse.

"I don't care, as long as you get it out of my ship," he said, and disappeared through the wall leading to his personal quarters, hoping a soak in some hexane would relieve his stress.

"I told you we had the wrong one," Walrus whispered.

"I know, I know."

"Ok, so you can dig up Franklin yourself."

"Fine, but at least help me put this one back."

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Smart-A22 OP t1_j98ynqh wrote

I like the direction you went with this prompt.

When I first made it I imagined a reality warping event affecting the entire world except for one person, but in your story the world of heroes basically kidnapped a normal man and made him a hero.

It's amazing, and a little unsettling, how comfortable his girlfriend is with the whole replacement goldfish scenario, but as a superhero I guess she's used to clones, time travel, and all of those other wacky hi-jinks.

This was a great story! I hope to see more of your work in the future.

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NextEstablishment856 t1_j98vkxv wrote

"It's hardly the first time," he says as the smoke clears. "I've played god before when it seemed necessary. It's a hassle to get out of the role, but sometimes, you need a firm hand, a captain for the ship as it were."

The general ordered another volley of missiles. The grunts obeyed, and once more, he was surrounded by explosions, then smoke and dust.

"You can keep this up," he called out in that pleasant voice. "Or we can discuss this without the pointless interruptions. I think it best to save some taxpayer dollars."

The general ordered what was now the sixth volley, and the immortal rolled his eyes. This was it. Right here, this was why he had to take control. Somewhere, they'd fallen into this... Mindless violence.

Once it had been slavery. The monuments were impressive, but soaked in blood. Once it had been gluttony. What was that fool's name? Greek fellow, just massive. Once it had been pure lust. A challenge to beat that one. He could list every sin that humans got lost in, that he'd pulled them back from. And yes, they still struggled with them, but not like the first times. He worked hard to put blocks up. It wasn't easy but it was always worth it.

"General, can you please ask your superiors about this? With any luck—" Volley seven interrupted him.

He was actually prepared for this. He would talk until they ran out of missiles, because that's the one thing that would make this general stop. And that's exactly why he chose this man. It always started by showing the broken strategy fail on him, then he'd get them listening, and he'd show why it didn't really work in any situation. It usually took time to spread the word, to show enough people. He was hoping the internet could help with that this time.

"With any luck, they'll call you an imbecile." Volley eight. It was truly impressive, like the Talmuk monuments. And just like them, he'd tear it down, so no one would even remember what came before except the lessons learned.

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TentacleJihadHentai t1_j98q6a2 wrote

YOU ARE WORTHY TO ENTER ELYSIUM, THE PARADISE THAT YOU DESERVED BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ALIVE

Matthew, son of Marius, finally looked up.

"B-b-but-"

YOUR LACK OF BELIEF IN US, AND LACK OF WORSHIP TOWARDS ME IN PARTICULAR, DOES NOT ENTER INTO THE EQUATION

"T-t-t-thank you, oh Great Hades."

The humanoid purple flame dwindled, to reveal a tall woman of flowing black hair, porcelain complexion, and purple-blue eyes like that of azure diamonds.

"Persephone, but pretty decent guess overall," her voice, now like that of wind chimes accompanying a young mother's, boomed yet flowed like silk into his consciousness.

Isn't it March? Why is she here?

"You died today, March 19th, one day short of the Spring Equinox. Lucky you, being my last soul reviewed for the half-year. Also, mind reading is an ability of mine."

"I see," Matthew replied, finally calm. He remained knelt however.

Now then Matthew, to Elysium you go.

"Thank you, your Grace"

And he was elsewhere.

///

Silver trees that eclipsed the heights of Great Mount Ceceri filled the landscape. Indeed, was the entirety of land graced by these trees. Their trunks and branches like that of the purest silver, their leaves purple-blue flames like those of comets. And each of them did shine forth these lights instead of the moon that once filled the man's eyes. The grass of elysium was myriad in color, for each was like a gemstone, crystalline and lustrous, in a mosaic unison of sapphires, topaz, emeralds, jade, aquamarine, tanzanite, and others that escaped the recognition of this poor dead miner.

"I-I could never..." he fell face first into the grass. The texture of which made the most luxurious of silks feel coarse and unfit to wear. Their warmth, was almost alive.

Warm clear streams flowed forth from his eyes. They splashed and scattered and graced the land with their testimony.

"Thank you, oh Great Persephone, you are truly fair and just."

Tyrian purple flame manifested and embraced him.

Rest Matthew-Germanicus, oh son of Marius. You can spent an eternity here. Why not a long sleep here, then?

And he let the benevolent darkness shield him.

///

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