Trim

Knowing to trim the radiation deflecting field just right is an art form. Too loose around the ship, it weakens and becomes useless. Too tight, it leaves the hull exposed. Either way, you’re in for a slow roast.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

Isa hated waiting. While the others seemed to have no problem with the downtime, she alternated between studying her notebooks and peeking at the timer for when the gate would reopen. Another fifteen hours to go. Bjorn and the captain were deeply engrossed in a game of chess with the occasional outbreak of mild profanities; Marga had vanished in the feeds again; Ada was reading an antique paper book; and Rip had yawned, waved, and vanished. She groaned.

"Just get some sleep." Ada gave her a friendly smile.

"I... I can't." Isa had to stop herself from chewing her lip again. "I'm a little wired."

"Hmm." Ada nodded with a pondering face. "Come." She unclipped from her seat and pushed off, floating gracefully towards the ceiling hatch where she grabbed onto a handrail and looked at Isa expectantly.

Isa hesitated briefly, then followed Ada as she vanished through the ceiling. After a short, but dizzying, zero-g journey through the innards of the Tori, they were floating in one of the top cargo holds. Containers were locked to the floor everywhere, and the ceiling had the smooth, rounded contour of the Tori's upper hull.

Ada entered a few commands on a control panel, and the lights went out, plunging the room into absolute darkness, followed by soft hissing as the hull slowly pulled away, revealing a transparent canopy, with a breathtaking view of outer space. She took Isa's hand and pulled her gently up, until they floated just under the ceiling.

"Pretty." Isa sighed. "But I don't think this'll calm me down."

"I know." Ada pulled an evaporator from her pocket, took a tiny drag, and held it out. "We'll need to work on alternatives, but for now, this should do."

19/X

#writing #fiction #smallstories #tootfic #scifi

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Mikaeri Zaka/Look Back Ridge (Airisu POV) Post 30
#Wss366 Verdant #EarthDay edition

“So that’s the story of my first visit to the shrine,” Sumika said, finishing her saga.

I looked up from my hunt for cracker crumbs that had fallen between the car seats to reply, “And that didn’t clue you in that the kami there had an interest in you?” I asked, cocking my head and giving her a one-eyed examination. What kind of bubblehead had I hooked up with?

“I thought it was just some guy who’d come to our rescue.”

“Just some guy!?”

“Well, initially I believed it was a kami, but as I got older, I convinced myself that it was superstitious nonsense. Sis said they were both a couple of crazies.”

“You’re the weirdest witch I’ve ever heard of!”

“And you are the rudest crow ever to exist.”

“Clicky, crack. Don’t bet on it.”

At that moment, we pulled into a gravel turnoff and parked.

“We’re home,” she said. “My father owns it and rents it to me cheaply.”

We’d arrived at a rundown house surrounded by a surprisingly #verdant herb garden. Someone had put a lot of work into it. There were rows of rosemary, thyme, sage, and a bunch of Japanese herbs I didn’t recognize.

“Your garden?” I asked.

“Yeah, it helps me relax, and I use them in my magic. I told you I’m a whiz at potions.”

As soon as we were out of the car, I started hopping around the plants. “I’m impressed,” I cawed. “Why so many European species?”

“Those are the herbs Ariel-san is familiar with. She has been teaching me.”

“What’s this one?” I asked, pecking at a parsley-like leaf.

“Mugwort.”

“And this one?”

“Don’t peck at that! It’s devil’s trumpet, datura, jimsonweed.”

“Ack!” I called and hopped away. “Poison, poison; You are a witch!”

“You sound proud of that.”

“I am. You’re my witch. A witchy witch. Where’s the nightshade hedge?”

She looked troubled by my comment, but just said, “Let’s go inside. I’m tired, and we need to eat.”

“Chicken Nugs!” I crowed, flying up to Sumika’s shoulder.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #SlowBurn #Yuri

Rudder

A seaship only has a rudder. A spaceship had two handles, each of which has six degrees of freedom. You need a bit of training before you can fly with those.

#writever #MastoArt #FlashFiction #SmallStory #TootFic #MicroFiction

Slowly, the Tori coasted past one of the green-glowing perimeter buoys, across the invisible boundary, and into the gate. Isa tracked the seam, where the skies of 'here' and 'there' touched, where ships from the other side slid into existence from nothing.

"It boggles the mind." Marga whispered, her eyes closed, deeply immersed in the feed.

"It sure does." Isa looked at the large metal disks, now floating on both sides of the sphere, and remembered the hundreds of papers on their function she had read, none of which had produced more than fancy theories. "Literally."

The Tori had passed the half-way point.

Marga opened her eyes and looked at Isa. "Where do you think the new gate leads?"

"I have no idea." Isa shook her head. "Maybe to one of the gates we know, maybe not. But my hope is that with actual, hands-on research, we can find a way to choose the destination. All the research on the seven gates is done with your hands tied behind your back. No one will let you interfere with their new silk road. I can't wait to get my hands on it."

Marga smiled. "Every now and then, when the realization hits what we're actually doing and where we're going, I get shivers down my neck and butterflies in my chest. This is wild."

The Tori floated through the perimeter on the other side and made her way to a parking position.

"And now for the most important part of any epic adventure." Rip sighed. "Waiting."

18/X

#writing #fiction #smallstories #tootfic #scifi

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Mikaeri Zaka/Look Back Ridge (Sumika POV) Post 29
#Wss366 Pod

“Desist,” said a new, deep, commanding male voice.

Silence descended in the ginkgo grove. The woman’s harangue ceased; my sister’s mouth gaped, but no sound came out; and my screams froze in my throat.

Our rescuer continued, all the more frightening for his calm, stern tone, “You have brought violence to my shrine, desecrated it with your grudges, and assaulted a samayō miko. She has honored me with an offering and promises to dance for me, while you have nothing but venom.”

There was the snap of a fan, followed by the quote: “If a man has no reverence, what has he to do with ritual?”

I staggered as the woman let loose of me. I righted myself and turned to see who our rescuer was. There, in the ginkgos’ shadow, I saw a hawk-faced man, holding a fan. His dark, austere robes blended into the darkness, but his face and hands were visible.

“Depart and prepare yourself,” he said, “for those who are seen at the ox hour need only one grave.”

He must have been referring to how, if there was a living witness to your performing the Ushi no koku mairi, you would perish, your curse unfulfilled.

Without a word, the woman slunk away and disappeared into the darkness.

“Reibaku-sama,” he said, addressing me. “I am honored by your presence, but you are yet a green gagaimo #pod. Come back when the seeds have ripened and are ready to fly.”

Sis and I bowed and silently fled.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #NMFic #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #SlowBurn #Yuri