The Tea Tree

(Prompt from an old Bingo Card: trust)

( Meander? )

A young Meander (estimated 12-13 years old) talks with a sailor to be smuggled to the continent of Welen.

Meander was orphaned very young, with no name or identity. I imagine he went through an orphanage or two before living in the streets instead. He understands the Eroqi tongue (not sure which one it is) very well, but cannot speak it as well, and can only read a few words (even then, he's associated that "symbol" with the object, so not "true" reading). What he DOES have is a more-than-photographic memory thanks to untrained telepathy. Hence, when he remembers things, he can cough them back up in the exact same voice, emotion, etc. Ability to do so fades as he forgets, of course, but some memories are strong enough for them to stay vivid... Like the mystery stranger who gave him his name.

Edit - Leaving a note mostly to myself, though you're welcome to ask for details (TW anxiety on those, though):

"My brain is in the feedback loop FROM HELL"

Originally posted here over a year ago. I usually don't go back to short stories, but I <3 these two, so yeah.

It's gotten pretty long (about 6.2K words), so have some excerpts.

( TW for hints at SI, some casual sexism and classism )

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( Sexism, yay! )

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( Tegre is all D: about this journey )

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( Blankets and >:| from Tegre, TW for mention of rape )

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( Last but not least, these two are SO BAD at hugging )

So yeah. I need to make a lot of edits here and there, but otherwise, completed a short story, yay.

Now to sleep. If you want the whole thing to read and/or critique, let me know and I'll send it over.

So yesterday I was just minding my own business at work, putting samples into storage, when my supervisor came over and asked me to come with her, because one of the lab directors wanted to do an "evaluation". We have three-month evaluations, but this was early for that -- like, a month early. "Dammit, I wish I had had time to STUDY", I thought as I went out to the front and followed my supervisor, the chief science officer, and the lab director into an office.

"You're not in trouble, so don't be nervous."

It's like they know me already. I relaxed a bit, now mostly just curious. The lab director was holding papers.

"To start off, we really like you."

I replied to that comment with a cautious "Thanks?" I don't know how to take compliments. He continued.

"You're very intelligent," then something else I don't remember, and then "But we feel that you could be doing more for the company than just processing samples."

At THAT point I got nervous again, but cautiously agreed. And that's when he told me basically, that he wanted me to move into the QA department that they were planning to start on. While also taking on some of my supervisor's work to relieve her of some of it. He told me that I already had the writing and communication skills for it, so what did I think?

I said okay, sure, and got congratulated by the chief science officer, which is what mostly gave me a hint that this was more than just a department change. Also, my supervisor asked me as we left "So was this completely out of the left field for you?"

Yes. Yes it was.

Too bad it hasn't stopped my brain from being insane. ( Trigger for depression, suicidality, anxiety )

In other news OMG ALAMEDA NATURAL GROCERY. You know those overpriced, healthy-crazy places that have hordes of rices and lentils and stuff in bulk and all kinds of weird fruit? Yep, one of those places. I'm in love. It reminds me of my cousin, who is very similar to me in many respects, and we would sometimes go to a natural store much like this one, and so that further gave me fuzzy feelings. As did the fresh produce. And the chocolate. They have Green & Black's which is SO hard to find out here :D Love.

Also work out routine is slowly coming along. Trying to remember to actually work out, joints seem a bit better, though today after barely 15min of swimming my head was pounding (?). Will keep trying.

And finally...

( I feel guilty just posting about my life, so have a fake person's! )

The vampires keep giving me images of them being grinning and mischevious-looking in my head -- and yet I cannot draw well enough to get them out and share them with the world.

Curses.

I would say more, but I'm kind of in a distracted mood tonight, and trying desperately to write and failing, so I may just load a video game for a bit to try and get my brain to settle down from its "O_O LOOK THE INTERNET" mood.

Here have random prose.

( What if Oerdum had diplomats? )

In which Mahli saves a town, and finds the other sentient inhabitant of the private zoo.

( Trigger warning for unwanted mind control, description of dead bodies, general trauma )

Not sure my feelings about the demon's current reactions. Or the prose. Or anything.

Title: N/A, pretty much
Genre: Fantasy
The Troops: Tegre and Eilís
Status: Complete, but relatively rough
Rating: PG-13 for swearing, a bit of violence
Summary: Everyone needs some extra money. And there are some interesting ways to get it...
Prompt: N/A
Author's Notes: I was talking with raze and Hari about what job Tegre may take once he's back from the civil war. He won't be a soldier again to be sure, but probably some private guard... And then I realized. BOUNCER. Then Hari showed me a picture of a cat while I was writing and I thought that they need a cat. And thus this was born.

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( Snow, Wind, and Thought )

( If I publish this, no one will believe my world has happiness )

So much horrible stuff happens in this story. So. Much.

From the short story I am considering publishing.

Title: The Ghosts [pending something better]
Genre: Fantasy
The Troops: Tegre
Status: Complete but likely still rough
Rating: R for this one. You'll see why.
Summary: In the darkness of your mind, what will you find? What ghosts are following you?
Prompt: "walking with ghosts"
Author's Notes: Next time I say "Oh I can't write creepy imagery that easily!", smack me upside the head. Because this is... Yep. Kind of an experiment to see what I could do. Fun times!


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( Maggots. Lots of them. )

Title: Pending
Genre: Fantasy
The Troops: Gareth, Andy
Status: Complete but very rough, likely typos everywhere
Rating: PG-13, just in case
Summary: In running from yourself, you may just run into others.
Prompt: "Run"

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( This was supposed to be depressing )

Title: The Wild Children
Genre: Fantasy
The Troops: Gareth
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13, just in case
Summary: Children are cruel. Children are even worse when some aren't human.

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( Man Summer School Sucks )