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Matthew-IP-7 t1_iuasju8 wrote

I don’t think this was a [WP]. Or even a [SP]. But I like your spirit.

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mcjeefle t1_iuatw5c wrote

Everything can be a prompt if you’re creative enough

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Later_358 t1_iubg5kv wrote

And to prove this:

I have nothing.

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mcjeefle t1_iubj7n4 wrote

‘Boot up sequence initialised Navigation_systems…active Flight_systems…active Combat_systems…active Communication_systems…active

All systems active: artificial intelligence online’

That was all that rang through the empty corridors of the vast warship varatox, it’s crew long dead from a cruel attack led by the zanotar. The ship was badly damaged for a long time with the repair bits cannibalising unnecessary pieces and wires from the ships life support systems.

It had been far too long since the ai had been able to communicate with its brethren, how had the war gone? We’re they victorious while the ship lay dormant? There was too many questions and so the ship put it itself to work. First a communication ping to a Roth’al empire communication hub.

‘Test ping for Roth’al hub 17-b, this is warship varatox requesting coordinates for main base’

…silence.

Perhaps that hub was destroyed and hadn’t been fixed yet, no matter. A long range ping would be suitable for re-establishing contact.

‘System ping for Roth’al empire, any communication hubs in system 17 please respond’

…silence. What’s going on? Surely they hadn’t lost the war.

‘Ping received. However we are not Roth’al, we are the historians of marnos of system 17. We regret to inform you that both sides of the war were vanquished when a star collapsed wiping out all forces.’

That can’t be right, was the varatox really all that remained of the once great empire? It seemed so.

‘We can offer you repairs on our planet, what you do after is your own choice’

There was only one thing left to do. The varatox had nothing, the ai had nothing. For this the universe will have nothing.

‘Prime directive updating… Former:Take injured soldiers home New:destroy all that remains, for the Roth’al!’

On that day a new wrath was felt across the empire for the machine that had nothing left but itself.

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Later_358 t1_iubku9s wrote

Nice!

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mcjeefle t1_iubl3ek wrote

Thank you, writing is a thing I’m trying to do professionally. Though I’ve not actually gotten past the plot notes section of my idea. But I enjoy challenging prompts like this

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Later_358 t1_iudgss8 wrote

You’re welcome.

Hey, actually, do you have discord?

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mcjeefle t1_iudojum wrote

Yeah I do, why do you ask?

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Later_358 t1_iudshha wrote

Maybe we could look through your notes or something. I don’t know.

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mcjeefle t1_iubhaa3 wrote

I’m actually gonna try and make something out of this gimme a few minutes.

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Helicopterdrifter t1_iubgfhs wrote

...said the valet as he stepped between the reporter and the celebrity. In the midst of their interview, they begin looking back and forth between each other and the valet while internalizing the same question; Where's security?

The valet pulls a set of keys from the breast pocket of his vest, then spins them on his index finger. The keys change in the spin, becoming a pen as he's walking away. He raises the pin as if to sign the air but shakes his head.

He spins the pen on the top of his hand and turns his palm up as it changes again, becoming a can of spray paint. Looking at the can, he nods appreciatively, then leans over and swings his arms across his body then back out like an umpire calling a runner safe after sliding across home plate.

After the gesture, the valet now has a spray-can in each hand. Using his thumbs, he pops each lid off in turn, sending them tumbling into the air where one changes into a leaf and the other a feather, both of them getting carried away from him in an unfelt wind.

To start, the valet spays one can towards his face, causing a pair of safety goggles to form over his eyes. He shifts to the other can, spraying in an oscillating manner, and a breathing mask forms over his mouth and nose. Next, he alternates each over his body where his vest and slacks become a gray jumpsuit with rubber booties over his feet.

Safety first, he thinks, spinning the cans only to pop off a different colored top while releasing an additional feather and leaf.

He looks back at the air as he appraises something that only he can see. After playing out the image in his mind, he sets to work. He sprays each can in wild zig zagging patterns, and the paint fans forward in oscillating waves, the individual droplets drifting towards the industrial zone across the canal. The specs of paint look as if they'll continue to drift away and apart, soon to be just another part of the city's increasing air pollution concern.

But they don't.

The flecks of paint begin sticking to the air as if some unseen canvas is standing between the painter and the smog engine. The paint cans twirl rapidly as leaves and feathers continue to peel up and behind the painter. After a time, the various color changes start to depict a landscape where the sky is actually blue. A variety of flowers begin to freckle the lush green meadow that emerges.

He adds various trees, a pond with a fish mid-jump, a sunrise beyond a hill, and a great white elk standing atop the mound with the sun at its back. Lastly, he pants a rope bridge from his gravel parking lot that leads over the canal.

With that done, he gives the painting a nod and turns around to find all of the leaves clustered and suspended in the air while all the feathers had formed birds that were frozen above. He spins the cans again, popping the lids off two different colors of brown. He sprays up into the leaves, moving back and forth as branches form and make connections to all the leaves. The cans trace back to the ground as the trunk takes shape and roots sink into the gravel.

Another spin and he turns the cans back on himself. The safety gear fades away as oversized glasses and a floppy sun hat take their place. A button up shirt, comfortable shorts and slip-on shoes replace the jump suit.

He flings one of the cans over his shoulder, while spinning the other. The birds behind him gain motion and the painted tree starts moving in the same unfelt wind. The other can sprays and forms a hatchet in his hand before he looks back towards his landscape with a smile.

He tosses the remaining can towards the painting and the lush landscape gains motion. The fish falls to splash back into water, the flowers sway with the grass, the tree leaves rustle, and the white elk turns his gaze towards the dreamer.

He reaches up to his hat, making sure the now felt wind doesn't carry it away as he walks towards the sunrise. He passes into the painted place, crossing the bridge, and stopping long enough to use the hatchet to separate himself from the world he left behind.

The bridge falls away and he tosses the hatchet into the canal as the songbirds fly across to follow him. A moment later, the landscape separates into flecks of paint, moving away from each other while growing smaller. In a matter of seconds, it's all gone.

The celebrity reaches up to rub at the back of his head before turning back to the reporter. "So are we still talking about cleaning up the city?" asks the celebrity. "Or should we talk about what just happened?"


lol Sorry, I was trying to help you make your point but got a bit carried away :)

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mcjeefle t1_iubh5y6 wrote

It was a beautiful piece to read, thank you for this

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Helicopterdrifter t1_iubhjb5 wrote

Just your friendly neighborhood dreamer, kicking through conversational walls like the Kool-Aid man just to throw around some sweet smelling flowers 😁

And thank you. Happy to share!

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mcjeefle t1_iubkvgr wrote

Writing is one of the most beautiful art forms imaginable and you my fellow human are a Picasso of literature imagery. Keep at it

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Helicopterdrifter t1_iubl4um wrote

Thank you! I need to find more prompts to write bright colorful things. Lately, everything has seemed to be dark and violent but that may be just part of this time of year 🤔

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mcjeefle t1_iubmhax wrote

Yeah, there’s been a lot more doom and misery but I can work with that for some prompts. The more upbeat and such I don’t really enjoy writing for.

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Helicopterdrifter t1_iubt3i2 wrote

Yeah, you gotta change it up from time to time so your brain doesn't get stuck in the one gear 😅

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