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Items tagged with: SmallStories


"What is the meaning of this?" King Arthur demanded.

"We swore an oath," Lancelot said, "to aid damsels and accept their quests."

Galahad nodded. "I met a lady who requested free universal healthcare."

"Basic universal income," Percival added.

"And universal suffrage," Bors said.

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"A stick," the sword said.

"Really? As a sword, I thought-"

"I met a bronze sword, once. It was made in a mould, there were hundreds like it. Not all enchanted, but still."

"But you're steel-"

"And I was beaten into this shape. No. A stick grows as it wills. It is the best."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


A spaceship landed in the park. A door dilated and an alien stepped out.

"Greetings, Earthlings! You may recall we landed here not long ago, and asked to meet your leaders."

The alien paused.

"We met the Earthlings you indicated. Very funny. Now, take us to your real leaders."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"Yes," the Fairy king said, "the stars in our sky are the same as yours. Our realm parallels your world, not any others."

"Then, graceful majesty," the astronomer said, "I ask permission to build an observatory in your realm."

"Why?"

"It is hard to see past our own lights."

"Ah."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"I heard someone at the market say there are monsters walking along us."

"Monsters?"

"Masked, trying to appear as normal as you or I!"

I keep my expression neutral. "Yes, there are people wearing masks, but they're not the monsters."

"Then who are?"

"Those who make masks needed."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories #NotAboutRespiratoryMasks


Its origin is lost in the mists of mystery, but throughout the galaxy there is no war cry more feared than Humanity's "It's find-out time!"
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories #140characterThrowback


"As a knight," the king said, "it is your duty to kill dragons."
"Very well, my liege," the knight said. "Um. May I ask why?"
"Because they hoard wealth without sharing, and people live in fear of their capricious moods."
"Very well, my liege," the knight said and drew his sword.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"Ah," the robot said, "now I understand."
"Understand what?"
"The concept of 'uncanny valley', where something is subtly wrong, unnatural, but you can't pinpoint why. I've experienced that now."
"Oh? How?"
"I talked to ChatGPT."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"Wait, you're a shapechanger?"
"Yes?"
"You can take any shape?"
"Preserving mass, yes."
"And you chose to look like that?"
"You're a phrasebuilder?"
"What?"
"You can say anything you want?"
"I mean..."
"And you chose to say that?"
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"I want," the man said to the art robot, and then described an image in some detail.
"Certainly," said the art robot. A printout came out of its chest.
"Thank y- Hey! What's this?"
"A list of artists who make images of the kind you describe, and who are accepting commissions."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"The problem with these chat AIs is that they give an answer, but there's no guarantee it's true."
"Yes. So I developed one that always tells the truth. Try it."
- Who killed JFK?
- I don't know.
"I guess that's true."
- What is 1+1?
- I don't know.
- What do you know?
- Nothing.
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"Is... Is it okay to be weird?"
The witch studied the young woman.
"No."
"No? I thought you'd understand."
"Don't be weird," the witch said. "Be yourself."
"But..."
"Now, some people may call that weird, but that's their word, not yours. Be yourself, however that is."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic


"You can't hoard princesses!" the knights shouted.
"I don't," said the dragon. "Tima, for instance, is a farmer."
"That's not what... You keep them locked in!"
"The lock is on the inside."
"What?"
"They're not locked in. You're locked out."
"They can't do that!"
"I see why, now."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


She peeked over the edge of the bed.
"Are you still there?" she whispered.
The monsters under the bed did not reply.
"There is an elf on my shelf."
Silence.
"It watches me, and reports to Santa."
A hoarse growl came under the bed:
"Turn the light off."
She smiled.
"Thank you."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"Please," said the man, "can you do magic to make me be kind?"
"No," said the witch. "Magic cannot change anyone's nature."
"So there is no hope for me?"
"You ask the wrong question. Kind is not something you are. It is what you do."
"Is it that simple?"
"It is that hard."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic


I stare at the genie.
"What?" I say.
"I will grant you two wishes. Riches, health, fame, wisdom, knowledge, power, contentment, beauty, whatever you want."
It's too... I can't- How could I... I'll get it wrong!
"I wish I will never regret my wishes."
"Granted. And your second?"
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic


The reader turned the page. The characters of the finished story gathered for a debrief.
"That was new," the Sage said.
"Nobody pictured us like that before," said the Masked Lady.
"I haven't felt that alive in ages," said the Colonel. "To be seen with new eyes..."
"A new life."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories


"I struggle to understand how humans can communicate," the alien said.
"Yet you phrased that perfectly."
"Your words have no intrinsic meaning?"
"Correct. It's all by consensus."
"So if enough people are 'wrong', they become right?"
"For better or worse, that's human history."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories