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Challenge #01666-D205: High Risk Employment

Beware the old ones in a profession where one dies young -- RecklessPrudence

Fast reflexes, an almost preternatural awareness of one's surroundings, instincts like a knife blade. These are the things that make a good asteroid runner. Being able to get in, snag the asteroid, and get out without causing orbital upsets in one's wake is a skill that one only has to get wrong once for a life and a career to be over.

It's a job for the young and the fast. For those with twitch reflexes and the kind of peripheral vision that the phrase "eyes in the back of their head" was invented for.

And then there's Old Barnaby.

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Challenge #01665-D204: What There is to Like

“Please be patient. Reality.exe has crashed and needs to be rebooted.” -- RecklessPrudence

All things considered, there are better ways to discover that life is merely a simulation and reality is a figment of some mystery coder's imagination. Regardless of the methods of discovery, it is quite a momentous reveal. And more than open to chaos.

For all that potential, there was nothing. Not darkness. Not light. No shape or colour. Not even static. The people were not falling. They were

Challenge #01664-D203: Damnit, Podsbury!

“Wait, do you mean you made a new friend, or you made a new friend?” “Uhh, the first one. Wait, no, the second one... Which one doesn't involve artificially crafted Lovecraftian horrors of medicine?” -- RecklessPrudence

"The second one," sighed Master Brubrik, "Does involve artificially crafted Lovecraftian horrors of medicine," she spared another glance at the thing on the slab. "Which of course means that you mean the latter of those two options."

It had a tentacle wrapped around Podsbury's arm. "Daaaa

Challenge #01663-D202: Conceptual Difficulties

Defying the Gods is an age-old tradition. How well it WORKS depends on who's telling it... -- RecklessPrudence

"We're having difficulty understanding this," said Sherlock.

"I sympathise," said Rael. "I'm having difficulty understanding it myself, and I was there to witness it."

"We have the footage and the audio, of course," Sherlock played it on one of his multiple screens. "She had a permit for incense and steam[1]. What was she doing with them?"

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Prompts

Challenge #01662-D201: The Motivation Game

“Please do not destroy the irreplaceable magical artefacts, no matter how annoying they are,” -- RecklessPrudence

The Orb of Vexation chortled at Verski. With a sigh of regret, Verski put it back onto its cushion and re-sealed the Gate of Infinity. Finally, he turned to his tutor and said, "But why?"

"Aw, da diddle baba gonna cry," said the Orb of Vexation. "Waaaah, waaah."

Maester Kalrix conjured Cone of Silence over the Orb. "No matter how trying they are, these are important

Challenge #01660-D199: Explosive Egress

[Scientist #1]: Where'd you get plastic explosives?

[Scientist #2]: Made it.

[#1]: It'll work?

[#2]: See, you don't worry if explosives work. You worry if they'll work too much. -- RecklessPrudence

V'tez considered their options. The downside of this situation was that they were trapped by a meteor impact and all methods of communication were cut off. There was only so much air, even in their livesuits. The odds of the ERT's finding them in time were remote.

And V'tez was working

Challenge #01659-D198: Kind and Dangerous Stranger

Never annoy a sleeping dragon, for you are fat and crunchy, and taste good with BBQ sauce! -- Fliss

At first, she thought it was a lava flow. One of those ones where the lava ran under a relatively whole, cooler skin. It was warm enough to be one. Then she noticed the way it flexed rhythmically, and realised that, in fact, this was a sleeping dragon. Fire was their element and this black-scaled beauty was no different. Their skin luminesced as

Challenge #01658-D197: Fallen From Grace

It’s like they used the power of righteous hatred the same way some people use the power of love. -- RecklessPrudence

Some hated him because he had committed treason and bragged about it. Some hated him because of what he had done to his wives. Some hated him because of what he said. Most hated him because of what he had done. They had cause to hate each other, but the hatred of the man who claimed to be their leader

Challenge #01657-D196: Spiteful Ascension

Depression Tips: Kill the gods and eat their flesh to rise above human chemicals into horrifying immortality

...Sounds more feasible than “just think positive!” -- RecklessPrudence

People around Lase would later swear that they all heard it when she snapped. A lifetime of hearing people say, "Just think positive," will do that to you.

"You know what?" she said. "I'm going to summon an Elder God, kill it, and drink its blood so I can rise above the need for mortal chemicals.

Challenge #01656-D195: Amazing How it Works

[Name]'s job description is less Indiana Jones and more "disarming multi-millennia old nuclear weapons without an instruction manual". - of an action archaeologist in a fantasy realm -- RecklessPrudence

Elbi was classed as a Rogue. Technically. It was her job to detect and disarm millenia-old deathtraps so that the rest of her team could safely document and investigate archaeological curiosities. And what never ceased to amaze was the fact that, despite eons of neglect, every single one of these traps was

Challenge #01655-D194: Expensive Reactions

On the topic of "Humans are Insane," I present: Every chemist who has ever willingly worked with something that ended up in the "Things I Won't Work With" guy's articles. Please note, many of said chemists were attempting to come up with new, better, rocket fuel, so it was designed to be highly explosive from the get-go.

(can't embed the link for some reason, gets flagged as spam) -- RecklessPrudence

Humans are recognised as patently unkillable across the Galactic Alliance. But even

Challenge #01654-D193: Puppet Power

Ventriloquist dummies, Muppets, they allow their handlers to be someone quite different. Some of the more famous being Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Topo Giglio the Mouse and charlie McCarthy and his handler Edgar Bergan, (the puppet is now in the smithsonian)... -- Anon Guest

They say, If you want to find the truth of a man, give him a mask to wear. And this is, to a degree, true. But if you want to weigh the nature of a soul, give

Challenge #01653-D192: Boys' Club

Female superhero puts her foot down and demands a practical costume. -- Knitnan

"Where's my costume?" asked Major Power, still in her civilian gear.

"It's in your locker."

"The only thing in my locker is a g-string bikini and a pair of ballet flats."

"Yup. That's your costume. Updated for market appeal." Mr Mann smiled genially. "It's for merchandising. The focus group doesn't lie."

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Challenge #01652-D191: Grass No Greener

Those "celebrities" who get their pictures taken Lots of times. either the "Buy my handbags, buy my perfume, you too can be as fabulous as me". Or someone who is stuck with the photographers Everywhere. -- Knitnan

They say it must be nice to live my life. All they can picture is the adoration and the luxurious lifestyle. Rubbing elbows with other rich and famous people. Never having a care in the world. They don't think about the flip side.

Having to

Challenge #01651-D190: Ill-Met By Neon

The city sleeps, if the city is large enough to support night workers, cops, nurses, cleaning staff and cab drivers, somewhere there is a place open with hot coffee, hot food, a place to sit and grab a meal or snack before heading home to sleep. -- Knitnan

Towns can sleep. Villages definitely slumber. Cities? Cities never close. There's always somewhere going. Some light that is on and someone who is using that illumination for something. Not always something nice, because the

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #01666-D205: High Risk Employment

Challenge #01665-D204: What There is to Like

Challenge #01664-D203: Damnit, Podsbury!

Challenge #01663-D202: Conceptual Difficulties

Challenge #01662-D201: The Motivation Game

Challenge #01660-D199: Explosive Egress

Challenge #01659-D198: Kind and Dangerous Stranger

Challenge #01658-D197: Fallen From Grace

Challenge #01657-D196: Spiteful Ascension

Challenge #01656-D195: Amazing How it Works

Challenge #01655-D194: Expensive Reactions

Challenge #01654-D193: Puppet Power

Challenge #01653-D192: Boys' Club

Challenge #01652-D191: Grass No Greener

Challenge #01651-D190: Ill-Met By Neon