I have actually finished a FD. For the first time this month. :D
So, since this is the month of the 1000-words, world-never-before-written in FD, I have tended to fail miserably. Um. I promise to do better next month? Anyway, here's mine. Which is actually less explained than the one I didn't quite finish, but specific world-rules are specific and only alluded to here.
And because I wasn't QUITE at the word count, I started a second that was supposed to be a short drabble. It exploded. ^^"
Title: Glitter
Rating: G
Word Count: 939
Summary: Young love between bug-people. Yum.
As an adolescent, Peta obviously had many more freedoms than she would as an adult. The councilmen of course advised her to find enjoyment in practical pursuits, but Peta was an energetic child and a bright, cheerful adolescent, and she was determined to enjoy what she could before she became a “stuffy,” as her best friend Selphur had dubbed them when they were both merely three. She had no real attachment to the old men, so she wasn’t going to try to pleas them by doing what they wished her to. She had higher status than them, as queen-to-be, and she took advantage of that to get her own way while she could.
Which was why she was going exploring today with Selphur. He had found the most amazing set of caves recently, and had promised to show them to her. Peta had an especial love of underground caverns, and she had the feeling that Selphur had been saving these for something special. But then again, that could quite easily be wishful thinking - she liked him, and sometimes she thought that he felt the same way, but other times she was sure that she was just fooling herself, because he treated her the same as always.
“They’re down this way,” Selphur said, gesturing to a steep slide of rocky gravel that curved into a ravine. Peta frowned a bit - she could hear running water nearby, which meant that they would have to be careful to keep their wings dry because it would be nigh impossible to climb that slope. But then, that was what made it more fun, and she grinned with renewed enthusiasm.
“Hurry up, then!”
Selphur let her have a head start - as a queen, she wasn’t built nearly as strongly as the rest of the city, who were all equipped for life outside, and so he caught up easily, with plenty of time to lead her to the hidden alcove underneath the overhang of the cliff. He’d found it by accident, having slipped while searching for any openings on the far wall of the ravine and dropped a good twenty feet before catching himself in the air. It was a small hole, only accessible from directly underneath and not visible from any other angle, and it was a tight fit, but when it opened up, it was onto some of the most incredible caves they had ever discovered.
He let her walk into the open area first, admiring her wings as she unfurled them slowly. They were the most brilliant yellow he’d ever seen, laced with fine veins of orange and red, and they shimmered in the sun like fire. Even here, with only the faintest of lights from the cave opening, they seemed to radiate with an incandescent beauty. There was not even the faintest hint of camouflage; she would never need it. The thought made his stomach sit heavy in his abdomen, and he moved to take the small lantern from her hand to distract himself.
“Watch,” he breathed, and closed the lantern door. For a moment, everything was black, and then slowly, all around them, soft green specks of light began to glow, a field of stars beneath the earth.
“It’s beautiful…”
Peta turned to her friend, though she could barely see the glint of his eyes in the dim light. She reached out a hand to grasp his shoulder, to properly convey her gratitude, but instead her fingertips grazed the edge of his wing, where it only just began to curve inwards again. Her eyes widened and she jerked back, flushing hard. Touching someone else’s wing with your bare hand was considered one of the most intimate gestures of all, because unlike accidental wing-to-wing brushing, it was deliberate. If someone allowed you to touch their wing, it was a sign of the ultimate trust, because despite their adaptation for the outside world, a wing was easily rent in two by more powerful muscles and tools. It was a gesture usually reserved for the closest of partners, those who risked their lives together and braved the greatest dangers their world had to face, and lovers.
“I… Sorry!” she fumbled, and stepped back. Selphur uncovered the lantern slowly, and his eyes were just as wide as hers. With the restoration of sight, she could see where she had made her mistake; he was standing just a breath to the side of where she had last seen him, making the angle all wrong and putting his wing directly into the path of her hand.
“Sorry,” she said again, looking at the ground. Frustrating, that’s what it was. Their time together was supposed to be free of constraints and the stupid rules the stuffies were always trying to hold her down with, and she’d just muddled it up. Even if it was an accident, the red of her cheeks was bound to give her away, and then everything would be awkward between them. It wasn’t fair, she thought miserably. It was her only refuge, and fate was going to take that away from her too.
“It’s… okay,” Selphur assured her, and his voice was decidedly odd, almost catching in the middle of his words. She dared to look up, only to find that he was just as red, if not more so, than she was.
“Oh,” she said, and slowly smiled. His answering smile was small and soft, a bit nervous and reserved, and hers grew wider. Shyly, he moved to take her hand before shutting out the light again, and when the earth once more lit up from the inside, she squeezed his hand, content.
Title: Breeze
Rating: G
Word Count: 733
Summary: Falling in love with a queen isn't the best course of action, but it's one he never could help.
Selphur put off visiting her for as long as he could bear. At first it was easy - he had his new job to worry about, and since his company, like every other, was understaffed, he ended up doing paperwork ceaselessly. It worked until he caught up with the backlog, having worked so long and so diligently in an attempt to forget everything that after a few weeks of work, all he had left to do was keep up with the output. He tried exploring on his own to pass the free time, but without Peta’s cheerful encouragement, he found that old haunts had lost their charm, and new discoveries were significantly lackluster. And he missed her, no matter how afraid he was of what he would find, and the longer he stayed away the more he began to convince himself that whatever was waiting for him, it couldn’t be so terrible.
He eventually did, sneaking past the stuffies on guard as easily as if it were child’s play - it was, as he’d done it countless times before, but those times he’d never exited alone, always with Peta following in his wake - and into the room where she was kept.
Wincing at the sight of her slightly swollen stomach, where her body was practicing for the day it would bear more than just the five or so eggs she was incubating currently, he placed a hand on the edge of her knee, shaking to wake her from the light doze. Embroidery dangled from her fingertips, a mass of gaping, uneven stitches that formed nothing resembling a distinguishable pattern, the thread all a mottled gray that would never be used for anything in the city. For Peta, who had always loved bright things, it was unimaginable that she could be happy with such trash. He shook her a little bit harder.
“Peta. Peta, love, wake up.”
She stirred, and slowly those beloved eyelids rose, revealing the startlingly golden eyes that always reminded him of sunlight. But they were dark with sleep, and didn’t focus properly on him.
“Hmm? Oh. Hello. Can I help you?” she breezed, voice airy and unconcerned.
“Peta, it’s me.” Horror curled deep within his gut as her eyes finally focused on his face, but the dull, empty sheen didn’t vanish.
“So it is. Have you come to play? There’s a lovely rainbow in the air that I haven’t been able to catch, but you’ve always been quicker than me. If you catch it for me, I’ll give you a kiss.”
The entire monologue took more than what a short sentence should have lasted, wandering and dipping through the curves of her syllables lazily. He choked back a sob; he’d half-expected something to be wrong, but that the councilmen had drugged her, so that she was more witless than the most out-of-tune addict on the streets…
“Can’t you see it? It’s floating above your ear. Maybe it likes you.” Peta giggled, an empty sound. Tears stung the back of his eyes, and he reached out a hand, holding the closed fist in front of her.
“Here’s your rainbow. I have to go now. Be safe.”
“So soon? At least let me give you your kiss.”
He leaned closer at her beckoning and tried not to flinch when clumsy lips pressed against the corner of his mouth. Giggling again, she pulled back.
“You’ll come see me again? I’ve… It’s lonely, sometimes,” she confessed, and briefly, he thought he could see a glimpse of the old Peta. It was a glimpse he knew was going to haunt him, another fleeting hope that maybe if he returned another day, she would be better, lucid. Trying to smile, he nodded.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll come again, so wait for me.”
She didn’t answer, attention caught by the haphazard patterns on the fabric in her lap. He wasn’t sure whether it made it harder or easier to leave, that she’d forgotten all about him so quickly. Still struggling not to break down, he slipped out again and flew to the rooftop of the largest building in the area, not ready to go home, not ready to escape the net that speaking with her after so long had inevitably tangled him in. He wasn’t yet sure what there was to be done; but somehow, he was certain that he would find a way to save her from her fate.
And because I wasn't QUITE at the word count, I started a second that was supposed to be a short drabble. It exploded. ^^"
Title: Glitter
Rating: G
Word Count: 939
Summary: Young love between bug-people. Yum.
As an adolescent, Peta obviously had many more freedoms than she would as an adult. The councilmen of course advised her to find enjoyment in practical pursuits, but Peta was an energetic child and a bright, cheerful adolescent, and she was determined to enjoy what she could before she became a “stuffy,” as her best friend Selphur had dubbed them when they were both merely three. She had no real attachment to the old men, so she wasn’t going to try to pleas them by doing what they wished her to. She had higher status than them, as queen-to-be, and she took advantage of that to get her own way while she could.
Which was why she was going exploring today with Selphur. He had found the most amazing set of caves recently, and had promised to show them to her. Peta had an especial love of underground caverns, and she had the feeling that Selphur had been saving these for something special. But then again, that could quite easily be wishful thinking - she liked him, and sometimes she thought that he felt the same way, but other times she was sure that she was just fooling herself, because he treated her the same as always.
“They’re down this way,” Selphur said, gesturing to a steep slide of rocky gravel that curved into a ravine. Peta frowned a bit - she could hear running water nearby, which meant that they would have to be careful to keep their wings dry because it would be nigh impossible to climb that slope. But then, that was what made it more fun, and she grinned with renewed enthusiasm.
“Hurry up, then!”
Selphur let her have a head start - as a queen, she wasn’t built nearly as strongly as the rest of the city, who were all equipped for life outside, and so he caught up easily, with plenty of time to lead her to the hidden alcove underneath the overhang of the cliff. He’d found it by accident, having slipped while searching for any openings on the far wall of the ravine and dropped a good twenty feet before catching himself in the air. It was a small hole, only accessible from directly underneath and not visible from any other angle, and it was a tight fit, but when it opened up, it was onto some of the most incredible caves they had ever discovered.
He let her walk into the open area first, admiring her wings as she unfurled them slowly. They were the most brilliant yellow he’d ever seen, laced with fine veins of orange and red, and they shimmered in the sun like fire. Even here, with only the faintest of lights from the cave opening, they seemed to radiate with an incandescent beauty. There was not even the faintest hint of camouflage; she would never need it. The thought made his stomach sit heavy in his abdomen, and he moved to take the small lantern from her hand to distract himself.
“Watch,” he breathed, and closed the lantern door. For a moment, everything was black, and then slowly, all around them, soft green specks of light began to glow, a field of stars beneath the earth.
“It’s beautiful…”
Peta turned to her friend, though she could barely see the glint of his eyes in the dim light. She reached out a hand to grasp his shoulder, to properly convey her gratitude, but instead her fingertips grazed the edge of his wing, where it only just began to curve inwards again. Her eyes widened and she jerked back, flushing hard. Touching someone else’s wing with your bare hand was considered one of the most intimate gestures of all, because unlike accidental wing-to-wing brushing, it was deliberate. If someone allowed you to touch their wing, it was a sign of the ultimate trust, because despite their adaptation for the outside world, a wing was easily rent in two by more powerful muscles and tools. It was a gesture usually reserved for the closest of partners, those who risked their lives together and braved the greatest dangers their world had to face, and lovers.
“I… Sorry!” she fumbled, and stepped back. Selphur uncovered the lantern slowly, and his eyes were just as wide as hers. With the restoration of sight, she could see where she had made her mistake; he was standing just a breath to the side of where she had last seen him, making the angle all wrong and putting his wing directly into the path of her hand.
“Sorry,” she said again, looking at the ground. Frustrating, that’s what it was. Their time together was supposed to be free of constraints and the stupid rules the stuffies were always trying to hold her down with, and she’d just muddled it up. Even if it was an accident, the red of her cheeks was bound to give her away, and then everything would be awkward between them. It wasn’t fair, she thought miserably. It was her only refuge, and fate was going to take that away from her too.
“It’s… okay,” Selphur assured her, and his voice was decidedly odd, almost catching in the middle of his words. She dared to look up, only to find that he was just as red, if not more so, than she was.
“Oh,” she said, and slowly smiled. His answering smile was small and soft, a bit nervous and reserved, and hers grew wider. Shyly, he moved to take her hand before shutting out the light again, and when the earth once more lit up from the inside, she squeezed his hand, content.
Title: Breeze
Rating: G
Word Count: 733
Summary: Falling in love with a queen isn't the best course of action, but it's one he never could help.
Selphur put off visiting her for as long as he could bear. At first it was easy - he had his new job to worry about, and since his company, like every other, was understaffed, he ended up doing paperwork ceaselessly. It worked until he caught up with the backlog, having worked so long and so diligently in an attempt to forget everything that after a few weeks of work, all he had left to do was keep up with the output. He tried exploring on his own to pass the free time, but without Peta’s cheerful encouragement, he found that old haunts had lost their charm, and new discoveries were significantly lackluster. And he missed her, no matter how afraid he was of what he would find, and the longer he stayed away the more he began to convince himself that whatever was waiting for him, it couldn’t be so terrible.
He eventually did, sneaking past the stuffies on guard as easily as if it were child’s play - it was, as he’d done it countless times before, but those times he’d never exited alone, always with Peta following in his wake - and into the room where she was kept.
Wincing at the sight of her slightly swollen stomach, where her body was practicing for the day it would bear more than just the five or so eggs she was incubating currently, he placed a hand on the edge of her knee, shaking to wake her from the light doze. Embroidery dangled from her fingertips, a mass of gaping, uneven stitches that formed nothing resembling a distinguishable pattern, the thread all a mottled gray that would never be used for anything in the city. For Peta, who had always loved bright things, it was unimaginable that she could be happy with such trash. He shook her a little bit harder.
“Peta. Peta, love, wake up.”
She stirred, and slowly those beloved eyelids rose, revealing the startlingly golden eyes that always reminded him of sunlight. But they were dark with sleep, and didn’t focus properly on him.
“Hmm? Oh. Hello. Can I help you?” she breezed, voice airy and unconcerned.
“Peta, it’s me.” Horror curled deep within his gut as her eyes finally focused on his face, but the dull, empty sheen didn’t vanish.
“So it is. Have you come to play? There’s a lovely rainbow in the air that I haven’t been able to catch, but you’ve always been quicker than me. If you catch it for me, I’ll give you a kiss.”
The entire monologue took more than what a short sentence should have lasted, wandering and dipping through the curves of her syllables lazily. He choked back a sob; he’d half-expected something to be wrong, but that the councilmen had drugged her, so that she was more witless than the most out-of-tune addict on the streets…
“Can’t you see it? It’s floating above your ear. Maybe it likes you.” Peta giggled, an empty sound. Tears stung the back of his eyes, and he reached out a hand, holding the closed fist in front of her.
“Here’s your rainbow. I have to go now. Be safe.”
“So soon? At least let me give you your kiss.”
He leaned closer at her beckoning and tried not to flinch when clumsy lips pressed against the corner of his mouth. Giggling again, she pulled back.
“You’ll come see me again? I’ve… It’s lonely, sometimes,” she confessed, and briefly, he thought he could see a glimpse of the old Peta. It was a glimpse he knew was going to haunt him, another fleeting hope that maybe if he returned another day, she would be better, lucid. Trying to smile, he nodded.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll come again, so wait for me.”
She didn’t answer, attention caught by the haphazard patterns on the fabric in her lap. He wasn’t sure whether it made it harder or easier to leave, that she’d forgotten all about him so quickly. Still struggling not to break down, he slipped out again and flew to the rooftop of the largest building in the area, not ready to go home, not ready to escape the net that speaking with her after so long had inevitably tangled him in. He wasn’t yet sure what there was to be done; but somehow, he was certain that he would find a way to save her from her fate.