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fandomweekly2020-08-15 04:59 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2020-08-15 04:59 pm
Entry tags:
[#062] Arise Ting Ting Like Glitter and Gold (Original)
Theme Prompt: #062 - Transformation
Title: Arise, Ting Ting, like Glitter and Gold
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 969
Summary: A shopping trip goes awry and Malcolm has to make a choice.
Like most fae-touched children, Malcolm keeps his fair share of secrets.
It’s often necessary in a world where your talents will be used and exploited if you’re not careful. Malcolm learned that the hard way at a young age what to tell the humans around him, and being an orphan only drove that home. With no parents to protect him, he had to make sure he defended himself.
If anyone was going to exploit the lucrative nature of his genetically born talent, it was going to be him and no one else.
He started carrying a knife when he was old enough to learn that not all adults respected the word no when it came to a child. He learned to use a bow as soon as he was strong enough to pull back the string. He learned how to dress like the child of someone wealthy, so no one questioned him having the kind of currency he managed to carry.
After all, when you can turn any metal into gold with just a thought, you have to make sure you look the part, so no one suspects. And get away fast enough that the temporary effect doesn’t fade away when you’re still in the vicinity. So the fewer questions people asked, the better.
Asheron lounges casually against the far wall, watching as his sister darts between stalls. Malcolm knows what she’s doing, dipping hands into pockets and pulling out whatever pocket change she can get her hands on, but her gift means she’s deft enough that he can’t even see what she’s doing, and he knows it’s happening, which means their marks certainly wouldn’t be able to catch on. But Asheron’s face is troubled, concerned, and Malcolm knows him well enough to know that it isn’t for no reason.
“It’ll be fine, Ash. You know they’re not going to catch her.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Asheron replies, not even glancing at his best friend as his eyes scan the room for some sign of trouble. Of the three of them, Asheron’s fae-touched gift is the most weighing, with visions of the future he doesn’t always understand. Malcolm wonders if it’s a vision that has him feeling this way, or if it’s something different, something more comfortable to push away. “We shouldn’t go for more than we have.”
“We haven’t eaten in three days.”
“I’m aware. I’m not saying we shouldn’t spend the spoils at all. I’m saying that we shouldn’t get greedy.”
Malcolm adjusts his tie before looking out over the marketplace. “If I do, we’ll be able to take enough to eat for a month.”
“If you do, you will get caught.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Please, Malcolm. Listen to me.”
Malcolm turns his attention back to the town square, watching as Asheron’s dark-haired sister makes her way back, hands deep in her pockets with whatever she happened to find. “We’ll see what Kira brings back.”
It’s not a no, but it’s not a yes either. And for now, it will have to be good enough.
- - - - - -
Everything goes so wrong so quickly.
One minute, everything is fine. The next, Malcolm can feel his concentration flagging, and the color of the coin in the merchant’s hand fluctuates right in front of his eyes. All too quickly, the guards are there, beating him into submission, followed by Asheron being there, trying to come to the rescue of his best friend.
Malcolm manages to get away, but Asheron’s sister isn’t as relieved to see him when she realizes he comes back missing a significant person.
“Where is he?”
Kira’s voice is shrill and sharp in his ear, her anxiety at the loss of her twin coming through loud and clear. When Malcolm doesn’t respond right away, she reaches forward and punches his shoulder, hard.
“Ow!”
“Where is my brother, Malcolm?”
“They took him,” he whispers. “The guards took him.”
The look of horror on Kira’s face is palpable, but he grabs her by the shoulders to steady her. He knows that if he doesn’t try to stop her, she’ll run off after him, and then they’ll both be caught.
“I’ll fix this. I’ll make this right.”
“How, Malcolm? What happened?”
“I got caught.” Just like Asheron said, he would. Just like Asheron knew he would. Swallowing hard, he steps away from her and holds up a hand. “But I’ll fix it. I’ll make things right.”
“How?”
“Trust me. Go home and trust me.”
Kira does as he says, but he doesn’t think she trusts him. He knows it’s only a matter of time before Azira receives word of what’s happened to her child and goes to retaliate. If Malcolm can get Asheron out before then, maybe there’s time. He storms back to the palace, back straight and head high, before confronting the pair of guards standing at the gates.
“I’m here to see the Empress of the Isles.”
One guard snorts. “Empress is too busy for a street rat like you.”
“Oh, I think she’ll make time for me.” He reaches into his pocket, holding up the blade of his best knife between two fingers and watching the guards' faces as that blade begins to change from steel to gold, right before their eyes. “I want to make a trade.”
The guards look at each other briefly, before nodding as they open the gates, gesturing for him to make his way inside. Malcolm nods before walking down the paved path to the front doors. Malcolm knows what he’s about to do is stupid and goes against everything he chooses to be, but the young man doesn’t believe he has many choices left.
If you’re going to sacrifice your secrets for someone, it might as well be for your best friend.
Title: Arise, Ting Ting, like Glitter and Gold
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 969
Summary: A shopping trip goes awry and Malcolm has to make a choice.
Like most fae-touched children, Malcolm keeps his fair share of secrets.
It’s often necessary in a world where your talents will be used and exploited if you’re not careful. Malcolm learned that the hard way at a young age what to tell the humans around him, and being an orphan only drove that home. With no parents to protect him, he had to make sure he defended himself.
If anyone was going to exploit the lucrative nature of his genetically born talent, it was going to be him and no one else.
He started carrying a knife when he was old enough to learn that not all adults respected the word no when it came to a child. He learned to use a bow as soon as he was strong enough to pull back the string. He learned how to dress like the child of someone wealthy, so no one questioned him having the kind of currency he managed to carry.
After all, when you can turn any metal into gold with just a thought, you have to make sure you look the part, so no one suspects. And get away fast enough that the temporary effect doesn’t fade away when you’re still in the vicinity. So the fewer questions people asked, the better.
Asheron lounges casually against the far wall, watching as his sister darts between stalls. Malcolm knows what she’s doing, dipping hands into pockets and pulling out whatever pocket change she can get her hands on, but her gift means she’s deft enough that he can’t even see what she’s doing, and he knows it’s happening, which means their marks certainly wouldn’t be able to catch on. But Asheron’s face is troubled, concerned, and Malcolm knows him well enough to know that it isn’t for no reason.
“It’ll be fine, Ash. You know they’re not going to catch her.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Asheron replies, not even glancing at his best friend as his eyes scan the room for some sign of trouble. Of the three of them, Asheron’s fae-touched gift is the most weighing, with visions of the future he doesn’t always understand. Malcolm wonders if it’s a vision that has him feeling this way, or if it’s something different, something more comfortable to push away. “We shouldn’t go for more than we have.”
“We haven’t eaten in three days.”
“I’m aware. I’m not saying we shouldn’t spend the spoils at all. I’m saying that we shouldn’t get greedy.”
Malcolm adjusts his tie before looking out over the marketplace. “If I do, we’ll be able to take enough to eat for a month.”
“If you do, you will get caught.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Please, Malcolm. Listen to me.”
Malcolm turns his attention back to the town square, watching as Asheron’s dark-haired sister makes her way back, hands deep in her pockets with whatever she happened to find. “We’ll see what Kira brings back.”
It’s not a no, but it’s not a yes either. And for now, it will have to be good enough.
Everything goes so wrong so quickly.
One minute, everything is fine. The next, Malcolm can feel his concentration flagging, and the color of the coin in the merchant’s hand fluctuates right in front of his eyes. All too quickly, the guards are there, beating him into submission, followed by Asheron being there, trying to come to the rescue of his best friend.
Malcolm manages to get away, but Asheron’s sister isn’t as relieved to see him when she realizes he comes back missing a significant person.
“Where is he?”
Kira’s voice is shrill and sharp in his ear, her anxiety at the loss of her twin coming through loud and clear. When Malcolm doesn’t respond right away, she reaches forward and punches his shoulder, hard.
“Ow!”
“Where is my brother, Malcolm?”
“They took him,” he whispers. “The guards took him.”
The look of horror on Kira’s face is palpable, but he grabs her by the shoulders to steady her. He knows that if he doesn’t try to stop her, she’ll run off after him, and then they’ll both be caught.
“I’ll fix this. I’ll make this right.”
“How, Malcolm? What happened?”
“I got caught.” Just like Asheron said, he would. Just like Asheron knew he would. Swallowing hard, he steps away from her and holds up a hand. “But I’ll fix it. I’ll make things right.”
“How?”
“Trust me. Go home and trust me.”
Kira does as he says, but he doesn’t think she trusts him. He knows it’s only a matter of time before Azira receives word of what’s happened to her child and goes to retaliate. If Malcolm can get Asheron out before then, maybe there’s time. He storms back to the palace, back straight and head high, before confronting the pair of guards standing at the gates.
“I’m here to see the Empress of the Isles.”
One guard snorts. “Empress is too busy for a street rat like you.”
“Oh, I think she’ll make time for me.” He reaches into his pocket, holding up the blade of his best knife between two fingers and watching the guards' faces as that blade begins to change from steel to gold, right before their eyes. “I want to make a trade.”
The guards look at each other briefly, before nodding as they open the gates, gesturing for him to make his way inside. Malcolm nods before walking down the paved path to the front doors. Malcolm knows what he’s about to do is stupid and goes against everything he chooses to be, but the young man doesn’t believe he has many choices left.
If you’re going to sacrifice your secrets for someone, it might as well be for your best friend.
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Fascinating.
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