#andy's writing

[link-the-feral-anon]

I read your post on the Writing Prompts page in response to the witch constantly cursing you to force you to learn a lesson. I loved it! It felt like I was reading an actual story.

!!! Thank you!!!

[fine-not-fine]

Sometimes I feel I don't do happily ever afters and happy feelings. My words come out as oil and dark bubbling twists of my turmoil. I use it like a spicket and pour my hate and pain into a paint can. I forget that to my neighbors it's all they see me do. I forget that anyone can uncover the paint can and see. So sometimes I need to put the can away and plant something in my garden instead, so I can leave something to fill the gaps where the pain was and give someone else a reason to keep their sweetness.

[link-the-feral-anon]

The Mage, The Protagonists, and the Antagonist

Chapter One: The Beginning of the End

"You're weak!"

"That's true."

"You can't win in a drawn out, full on fight with me!"

"That's true too!" They nodded with a grin and a giggle.

She growled, "You're powerless! so why-"

"Hold on, that bit's not true. I may be weak, but I'm not powerless." They crossed their arms. "I'm fast. I've got grand powers. They just aren't for offence. They're for defence." She opened her mouth, most likely to shoot down defensive powers, but, "I'm not done. You haven't hit me once yet, remember?" They grinned again, fluttering their wings slightly so that they hovered an inch off the ground. "Don't you want to know my grand powers?" They were teasing her now. Luckily, she fell for it. Just a little more time.

"Grand powers? What, running and hiding?" She spat.

"Exactly." They said, matter of factly. They had her now. "For example, in a physical fight without powers, if you were to swing a punch at me and miss, that would take twice the effort." They tilted their head. "It's the same here. You can fire at me with all your powers, but if you can't hit me, you'll only end up draining yourself. So much that even a weakling like me could finish you off." They flew back a bit and did a flip in the air. "Easy peasy, lemon squeazy."

"That's a coward's plan! I expected better from you!" She shouted, clearly offended.

They frowned and narrowed their eyes. They mustn't, they told themself. I have a code.

"That's not my plan. My other grand powers, want to hear them?"

"Don't give me that rubbish about people underestimating you." She rolled her eyes and readied another attack.

"That's one of them." They nodded. "But also, they overestimate me."

*"What?"* She shook her head. "That's not possible. You can't overestimate someone while underestimating them."

"You can." They insisted. "In fact, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out, my best power, my real plan, after all that time we spent together."

"Yes, yes." She waved her hand dismissively. "You're a wonderful strategist. Don't forget though, you promised it would be you who defeated me."

"There you go." They shook their head, now flying higher, looking down on her. "Overestimating me again. I'm not exactly a good person, Cassandra."

"Bullshit, Landrow."

Landrow smiled wickedly. "You really don't know? You don't know my role at all."

Cassandra frowned. "What-"

"I'm the decoy. The distraction, the bait. The Shaggy and the Scooby-Doo, if you will." They flew up much higher now, out of range of... something.

"... What are you talking about, Landrow?" Her voice shook and she stared at them.

"You changed, and I changed, Ca-ssan-dra." They tilted their head more with every syllable of her name. Suddenly, they flew in close, whispering. "I'll let you in on a secret, before you die, Cass." They grinned a horrible grin and she began to wonder what they were really planning. Cass. They didn't call her that normally. It was a signal. But one that meant the guards were coming, to play along with those horrible games. What did they mean by it now? "I'm not weak. I've got powers beyond compare. I could've killed you even back then. What did you think I was doing there, Cass? How do you think we escaped?"

"We- There was an explosion! We got lucky!"

"Did we?" They hissed, grinning still more wider. Then they flew back again, quite suddenly.

"Goodbye, Cass. I am.. saddened that we didn't stay on the same team." And they were. "But don't worry. An antagonist isn't always the bad guy. Look at L. And Light! The protag isn't always the good guy." They quickly shut their mouth when their team came in and grabbed her.

"Good job, Landrieu!" One of them shouted. Landrow just nodded and wiped at their tears. "Oh, don't cry. We can rehabilitate her. You'll have your friend back." Landrow just smiled back and nodded. Cassandra didn't understand. Why did they say their name so funny? That wasn't how it was pronounced. And.. Rehabilitated? Cass...

"I have to admit." Another one said, "I was worried you'd try to kill her." Cassandra squinted. Kill me? She thought.

"They have a code. They don't kill." She said. She had an awful feeling about just what else was in their code. Why it was there. Why they were in that horrible place.

"Can't, more like." Another joked. "They only know defensive spells."

Again. Not true. Strange, how little these new friends of theirs knew about them. Landrow smiled sheepishly. They did know the other spells. They just sucked at them.

... right?

[link-the-feral-anon]

You know what I haven't done since my Quotev days?

Pick a fandom, if I know it, I'll do a little one shot songfic for it using Set It Off songs

[fine-not-fine]

Walking Forward Bound

Somewhere along the like a sky there was a time we lived It was a strange life full of differences and oddities alike We met somewhere wandering on a road of plight Life is like this, so they say. We walked an empty trail anyway Spotty steps and pebbles clicking around like marbles in a bowl It wasn’t long before we looked deep into a sky of old I made words of thread and yarn and spun it, you listening like it kept you warm You made colors and patterns out of leaves and honey, something I wish to do I learned a lot about the history on ground, stimming solely from you I don’t know what you learned from me, probably nothing or total atrophy Thank you dearly for your time, I know I can be wily and unkind You let me move forward, away from the their bite Now often we spend time, enjoying the night I’m excited to see you, outside of a screen I’m hopeful we’ll make it as a team You’re a spark in the dark of what I wish I could have been So thank you so dearly, for being my friend @insomnibun happy birthday you nerd- i’ll try to do something better soon

[fine-not-fine]

Lost in a good way

Second nature meant something that came as easily as instinct. This was Arsenic’s second nature. His steps gingerly glided across broken pathways and gnarled roots of old trees. They were past the outskirts now, so far away it felt like nobody could touch them. Every pathway felt like nonsense, but it made sense to him. He walked as if he’d done it a million times. Moss did more than speckle the trees; it blanketed them. Mercury fell in behind Arsenic, casting concerned glances upward. The clouds rolled in puffy gray sheets. Mercury said nothing, but surely Arsenic noticed. The creeks rushed downhill so effortlessly. They always blended in with the pathways. Poisons of this kind always walked like deer or herons. Gentle tentative steps that made them blend in with the surrounding life. The water rushing by had an odd comforting lure to it. It soothed their sore ankles in its cooling waters. Rocks hung around ever dip and corner providing a place to sit at any time. A drizzle started up, but Arsenic ignored it. It relaxed him more than it bothered. The drops chimed against the leaves and creeks gently and the air around them cooled. Mercury never understood his cousin, not completely anyway. Under the clouds of green and the maze of tall tree trunks and rocks, Arsenic was at peace. Something about this made sense to him in a way that it didn’t to Mercury. It soothed him, coddled him, welcomed him. Arsenic was different here. He walked as if he knew where they were going. Thunder rolled far into the distance and the rain got heavier.

“Arsenic. It’s raining.” Mercury broke the strange non-verbal string they had.

“Just a little farther.” Arsenic replied, his voice barely above the pattering of water. It was silent again.

Leaves recoiled from the weight of the sky’s hits now. The thunder grew increasing louder like an animal growling and stalking closer. Mercury could see lightening every so often. It was pleasantly cold and numb now; however, Arsenic was trembling. He didn’t stop, but his body rattled like the dead. He sat on a mushroom-covered, fallen tree and looked at Mercury. They sat together while Mercury peeled wet bark and dirt away with his nails. He liked spending time with his cousin, but his cousin felt more…real. His cousin was a full-blooded poison. This is how they were. They were tall and thin, blending in with the trees. They had pretty, wide eyes and graceful movements. They were smart and quick, anything could be done with hard work. Arsenic seemed to know everything. He knew every bird, bug, and mammal that walked the path. He knew how every creek and brook bent and every creature hiding below the surface. He knew every plant and towering tree. He knew the weather and all its power. Mercury wasn’t like that, but sometimes he wished he was.

“Arsenic?” Mercury hummed as rain soaked their clothes. “Why are we sitting here?”

“When you find something that is a part of you,” Arsenic cooed gently, eyes level with whatever was before them. “You find yourself lost in it. If you find yours, Mercury, please loose yourself. It’ll heal you. Not completely, but it’s a start.”

The two poisons, one makeshift and one homegrown sat together. They were still family, even with a difference between them. Mercury saw light in his older cousin’s eyes. That was enough. It was enough.

[fine-not-fine]

Val discovers he can time travel

Should he even be doing this? This was the thing that changed lives. Reworded history. Val had never been one for impulse control. He went back, far into the past to a house he’d never known. He looked around, confused and amazed. This…This must have been his parent’s house. He heard footsteps and scrambled towards the closet. Oh fuck oh god shit. He could see from the gap in the door. A man who was unquestionably his father piddled around the room. He had Val’s hair cut short, brown eyes, and soft glasses. He was tall and thin and wore gloves. He looked…afraid, pale, and consumed by something. Val noticed he had no fangs. Val heard a car pull up and someone get out. Dread crept over the man’s face. The tallest woman Val had ever seen came through the door with the pride of a lion. Her hair was just like his. That was his mom. She cupped her husband’s face and kissed him tenderly. “D-Doctor’s appointment went well huh?” The man asked. Val’s eyes shot over to the paper’s the woman was holding. Harpor and Aiden Forter. They sat on the couch. “Honey I have some news!” Harpor sang, a broad smile on her face.“I do too. I think I should go first…” Aiden bite his lip as that joy left his wife’s face slowly.“The hospital called and…it’s terminal. I’m…I’m sorry honey.” Aiden held her while she cried. Val watched in shock. “What was your news, dear?”“I’m pregnant…” Harpor’s voice lost vigor. She was helpless here. Val had enough, he went forward. He was in the hospital and a flood of panic reach him. White walls. He began gasping, regretting his choice. He wandered towards the maternity ward and drank from the fountain before familair crying stopped him. He looked up, seeing Aiden sitting with a nurse and sobbing. What he overheard made his guts curdle.“How could she not have made it?! What happened?!” He wept. Harpor…died? Val stared from the corner of his eye, confused, then a nurse brought out a child and placed it in Aiden’s arms. Val wanted to vomit. He was his mother’s killer. He expected hate in his father’s eyes. He expected rejection and screaming. Instead, Aiden held the baby close with confused, pained, and loving eyes. Val forwarded again, enough to see his father show up at his brother’s doorstep with his younger self. He couldn’t have been more than two days old. Uncle Isaac’s face looked younger as he answered the door. He watched Isaac be hit with three terrible tragities at once. Harpor was dead. His brother was dying. He’d have to care for his nephew. They both cried while Val watched from the shrubline. Then he followed Aiden as the man went to die. He wouldn’t stayed with Isaac. Val could feel it, but it could exposed his uncle who was very wanted by police. Val went back to his rightful time, tears burning his eyes. He hid away somewhere and cried. He cried until he sleeves were far past soaked. Isaac had always told him his parents loved him. He was right. 

[fine-not-fine]

Barfight

It was way too quiet. Not like that pindrop quiet. The bar was still pulsing with a light chatter. The bartender kept his hazy eyes towards the counter as he swept away a light spill. Val settled down at the corner of the bartable, watching the tv idlely. He felt like pure hell. Maybe he should have went to Connie’s. It would be a lot better to lay down than to keep as he was. Just as he was thumbing over her contacts, two men sat down nearby. Really? With nearly nobody at the bartable they had to be that close? Granted, it was still about two seats away but all in all Val wasn’t pleased. Then there was snickering and Val’s spine coiled like a viper. “Hey buddy why the long face?” One chimed, daring him. Val knew better than to think this asshole cared.“Choke.” Val sneered back, making the bartender glance up.“Hey now prickle don’t be like that.” the other laughed. “Leave him be.” The bartender huffed, his eyes wary of trouble. They ignored the warning of course.“You sure gotta mug fella. Something they could put on tv.” Valentino’s blood ran cold as the news turned on. A reporter informed with dazed eyes that the murders had continued throughout the south. His stomach turned as blurred pictures filled the back screen. Val took his moment, he smashed his near empty, glass cup of gin into the man’s temple. It wasn’t a deep cut but it certainly gave him a nasty split. The hometown bar was sent into a state of ruin. Valentino was thrown into a back table. A frail dark haired man lept behind a woman in gym clothes to get away from the splintered wood. A teen reach out to Val, but he shouldered him away. A shard of broken wood in his hand in lunged. Tightening one man’s shirt into a fist, he rammed that damn piece of hickory into the man’s ribcage. The other was stunned as he stopped trying to jerk Val off in favor of fleeing. Val’s arm caught the man’s hip as he released the other pathetic soul. He curled his fingers through tufts of that man’s pretty hair and smashed his face into the nearby table until its legs cried out and bent. Val’s lapped at his fangs, given in another scenario he would have let their ivory flesh stain with a candy apple red that never failed to satisfy. He glanced around at his work with consisted of: a bartender with his hand over the telephone, a few terrified witnesses, and two bloody men. “I don’t know who sent you, but I’ll bet money they won’t try that twice.” Val cackled, his voice brimming with triumph. He left the terror stricken bar with his head high and hair swishing behind him like the tail of a happy fox who’d finally caught that fat pigeon. The streets lit up blue and red that night. Police and their dogs swirled around looking for the hurricane of a man who’d torn the bar in half. They never found him. Val had begun to think they never would.