potassiumboron

~I'm drinking coffee on a trampoline~
Original poster
MYTHICAL MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
  3. One post per day
Online Availability
3pm - 1am (GMT / BST)
Writing Levels
  1. Beginner
  2. Elementary
  3. Intermediate
  4. Adept
  5. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
  3. Nonbinary
  4. Transgender
  5. No Preferences
Genres
Monsters, supernatural, fantasy, romance, criminality, slice-of-life (modern or set in past, usually with some twists)
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Nepra. The planet that was supposed to bring hope to humankind; offer a piece of hope for when Earth as the home they knew became uninhabitable. That would be millions of years in the future, but thanks to new technology and scientific discoveries, space exploration had become not just possible, but incredibly easy.

Thus, they could begin to explore their universe, seeking out planets that were habitable and able to accommodate human life ready for when Earth gave them its last possible day. And they had found one; a beautiful planet light-years from them that hadn't taken too long to reach; just six short months. They could breathe there; it had water; it had beautiful landscapes and, for the first week, the human exploration team, including Charlotte, assumed that it was uninhabited and the perfect place for the future generations to flock to to carry on human existence--

But nothing was ever quite that simple. Charlotte had spent that first week on this new planet in complete awe at the beauty of the plants and nature around her. She took cuttings from plants to examine and she spent nights staring up at the vast stars in the sky, the night sky obviously unaffected by air pollution, thus offering a proper look at space her city back on Earth just couldn't. She adored her job, had left everything behind to pursue this, and for that first week everything was perfect.

And then they came. The 'aliens', as they deemed them. Of course, on Nepra, Charlotte and her fellow scientists were the aliens. They were the intruders, the ones arriving uninvited and claiming the land. Was it any surprise that the civilians of Nepra reacted by hunting them down and killing them? Thus, the 30-strong explorers had been whittled down to just 10, including Charlotte.Their spaceship was wrecked, supplies were on a minimum, and they'd spent the last 3 weeks huddled in a small cave the aliens were too big to really get into. So far, they had hidden safely, hoping to go undiscovered until they could find a way to get home.

But that was looking more unlikely by the second.

Charlotte, currently, was a wreck. Like her other scientists, she'd lost weight. Her clothes were ripped and worn. Her skin marred by bruises and scars. Her hair messy and wild (but that was typical from her). Simply, she was clinging to the lat piece of hope that others around her had lost. Regardless how useless it all seemed, she had to continue to be positive. If she lost that hope, they may as well just sit around and wait to die, and she wasn't prepared to do that.






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Aliens had invaded their planet. It was a time of shock, devastation, and fear for the Nepraians. What were these strange looking creatures? They were as small as toddlers, violent, and just plain repulsive to the eyes. They came to their world, and...Started just ruining things. When Zyrt received word of strange beings coming to their planet and trying to make it their home, he didn't like it one bit. So for that first week, he didn't attack them. No studied them. He had to learn their language, and he did. You see Nepraian's were far smarter than humans. Able to learn a language in just a week. But Nepraians focus more on being rather than wanting. They live off of their land, which was why their planet was so healthy, and beautiful. They didn't try to destroy it like humans were doing to their Earth. Zyrt studied their habits, which he found odd. They didn't even have a Life Stone. A Life Stone was a stone you were born with that was embedded in your chest. The color of it depends on what family you belong to...Yet these beings didn't have one. Also, they kept cutting up their plants. These humans really liked dead things for some reason. He watched as a man picked flowers to bring to a fellow human to show. Like...Why kill the flower? Why not bring the human to the flower, why end its life? Also, the animals seemed to avoid the humans...IT was completely odd. And the most noticeable thing about them? Was that horrid smell of theirs. They smelled terrible. That's probably why the animals avoided them.

So after that long, and terrible week, he decided to strike. These beings were not welcomed nor were they peaceful. So he began hunting them down. The Chosen One Zyrt and his forces were rather successful in his hunt for the humans because now only a third of the original beings were left. But the humans proved to show intelligence. They hid down in this tiny cave. He knew children used to go down their and play in those caves, but he forbid it since it seemed to be those humans hiding spot now. He didn't want to risk their lives. He decided to just wait. Those creatures would need to eat sooner or later. Their supplies could last forever, he knew this. So he would have to wait until they ventured out of the tiny little cave. It was crazy how small these creatures were.


In the cave, a scientist named Mordecai leaned against the stone wall that was softly dusted with moss. He wasn't your typical scientist. He was actually buff, from working out, and was probably the strongest they had of their little team of humans. However, he was now missing an eye from a run in with an alien. He was thankful that's all that happened. He thought for sure he would die. His clothes were ripped and dirtied. His hair was a mess. He was covered with small cuts and bruises. "Ughh!" He let out a frustrated cry, looking around the small cave of humans. "....This...This is insane! I'm....I'm gonna go crazy in here! We're going to die in this cave! We need food....We....We need to leave this damn planet!" e72b90140e03e9f5aed5eb67e5ab4d14.jpg
 
Each and every person of their group that had been killed was a terrible loss to Charlotte. These people were her closest friends. They understood her when nobody else did, and not only did they understand her dedication to her work, but they appreciated her. They didn't call her boring; they praised her and took interest in her findings. Every person that had been lost, therefore, was like losing a member of the family.

But Charlotte would gladly admit that she was glad Mordecai wasn't dead. Out of everyone who had joined the expedition, he was easily the strongest. Hell, he'd been attacked and still come away alive, only losing an eye in the process. He was tough-- which was why hearing him sound so defeated wasn't the greatest thing to witness.

If he was defeated, then she was struggling to keep her optimism levels up to. She stood no chance of surviving, at least not without Mordecai, who was not just the strongest but one of the smartest people she'd ever met.

"...Don't say that," she murmured quietly from the corner of the small cave, holding her knees to her chest in the effort to hold herself together. "...We'll... get home, I... I used to do survival classes as a kid. I... I'm sure I can... find a way out, it's... c-can we not give up hope? W-We'll... be fine, I-I'm sure..."
 
"....You're right....You're right...We...We aren't going to die in this place. We...We're going to...to get out. But...We need food. That's something we all need." He mumbled, glancing around at his friends, knowing they were all hungry. "....Remember when we first got here...And...And there were those fruits? They were giant!...Just two of them could feed all of us...I...I could go up there...And get them-"

"No!...No, that's a stupid idea...Going up there...You'd die, we need you, Mordecai." A woman begged, grimacing softly, before looking at her knees. "You...You're strong...You survived an attack from one of those monsters..."

"But what's the point of my strength if I'm not going up there, trying to get food? Listen...We need to get food. We need to eat. And that tree isn't far from this cave."
 
There were a LOT of risks involved in Mordecai rushing out of the safety of the cave. Aliens could attack him, he could faint from exhaustion or hunger before he got to the tree, he could fail to climb it and get lost... And if he somehow managed to get there unscathed, gather the fruit and get back, how were they to know that the fruit was even sate to eat? In that first week where they had explored without risk, they had had their own supplies to eat and drink from; none of them had tested the fruit to see if it was safe to consume. Now their ship was broken and battered, and their equipment ruined, they couldn't test it - it was a huge risk to get the fruit and eat it, unknowing if it was going to kill them.

But, it was a risk worth taking. Charlotte knew that much.

"I'll come with you," she decided after a moment, the small woman pushing herself up with a determined nod. "I... I know how to defend myself, and I'm a biologist! I... I can inspect the fruit, see what it's like. I'll... come with you, as backup. We'll be fine if there's two of us, I'm sure."
 
"Great!, We can grab some bushes or something and tie them around ourselves as a disguise. That way they won't be able to spot us." He mumbled, obviously have given this little plan of his some thought. "This is our only chance of survival. We...We need to stop acting scared, and fight for our lives." He mumbled, before heading up the long cave, walking to the exist.

When they were finally out and had bushes and plants tied around them to blend into the forest, Mordecai nodded to Lottie, before crouching down, and making his way to the tree. All the while, The Chosen One Zyrt, and his forces watched them, from twenty miles away. That's how great their eyesight was. "Chosen One Zyrt...Should we take them out?" Asked a woman in force.

"....No, let's watch. They're such interesting beings right? Look at those terrible little costumes. Do they think they blend in?" Chuckled the man, causing every alien around him to laugh softly. "These vermin...Such funny beings..."
 
Charlotte had no idea they were being watched. She glanced around and saw nobody at all near them-- but that was not an indication that they were safe and unobserved. She hadn't had a chance to actually examine these aliens up close, get to know about their anatomy and their behaviourisms. Thus, nobody in the group knew how amazing their eyesight was, and so she felt rather.... safe for the first time in a long time as she silently kept watch while Mordecai climbed to collect the fruit of the tree.

As she did so, the biologist and the lover of nature came out in her. She should keep watch, give that task her undivided attention, but typically for Lottie, her love of nature and beautiful plants took over. As she stood watch, she knelt down a little to take a flower head gently in her hands. She didn't uproot it or tear it from its home, but almost cradle it. Having something of such exquisite beauty, something so delicate and fragile, in her hands like that was breathtaking. Sure, at the end of the day it was just a flower, but to Lottie, it was much, much more than that, and the sight of it made her feel more happier than she had been for a whole month. Something so simple brought such a wide grin to her face.
 
Zyrt obviously thought she was going to kill the flower. Instantly he grew angry. Humans loved dead things, and he didn't understand why. Her friends had selfishly ripped flowers from the home, to present to other humans as if it were a trophy. He didn't understand it at all. When Zyrt saw her actually cradle the flower, and not kill it, it surprised him. That human was different. He should study her closer. "....I'm going to speak to her." He told his forces. "Don't kill the male." He told them.

Obeying their leader, the group went in. With their amazing speed, they were able to reach the two while they were heading back to the cave. When Modercai saw the group of tall aliens surrounding them, his eyes widen. He obviously thought they he was going to die. They were all eight feet tall, some even taller! He was only six feet tall, and obviously, they were stronger than he was. Handing Lottie the fruit, he looked at her desperately. "Run back to the cave! Go, I'll distract them!"

The aliens held the weapons up before Charlotte could run, and aimed their spear-like weapons at Mordecai. "Don't go anywhere," Zyrt said, using their language.

Mordecai looked at him surprised, his eyes almost bugging out his head. "....You...You understand us?...You.."

"Female. Come with me. If you want your friend to live."
 
If Charlotte knew that cradling the flower would have captured his attention, she wouldn't have bothered doing so. Granted, if she didn't pay the flower any of her attention, Zyrt wouldn't cast her out as different. He wouldn't see that she wasn't entirely like the others' that, even in these tough times, she saw the beauty in this world. That could possibly save her life. If she hadn't acted like that, he'd assume she was just another horrid 'alien' to his planet, and possibly would have killed her for it.

Really, she'd just saved her own life by doing what was natural to her. That wasn't to say she wasn't scared out of her mind though, her neck craned back to stare up at these creatures, trembling on the spot as he seemed to actually single her out to talk to her-- if he wanted to talk. For all she knew, he was singling her out to kill.

"I... d-don't... why... M-Mordecai, I... I..." She began to understandably whimper, her eyes flickering towards her friend in horror, worry, confusion, fear... everything, really. But if she wanted his safety, she apparently needed to follow these creatures, the ones who had massacred two-thirds of her exploration group; her friends.

But what choice did she have but to obey them right now?

"F-Fine, I... fine. I can... come, s-sure-- but he doesn't g-get killed, okay?"
 
"That's what I just said." He replied, arching his brow, wondering why she was repeating his words. In his world, people didn't break promises. They just didn't. It was unheard of. So, of course, he wouldn't kill him. Mordecai watched helplessly, the fruit back in his hands as they took her away.

"L-Lottie!" He called tears in his eyes. He didn't want her to die. And of course, that's what he thought they were going to do. Sure it was odd they were taking her away to kill her. They killed the rest in front of them, but they were taking her away. His bottle lip trembled as he reached out to her, but of course, he couldn't go after her. The group of Nepraians were mostly slightly as they headed back to their camp. They had set camp in the forest to watch the aliens up close. They were a long ways from home, but Zyrt wouldn't leave until he rid his planet of the terrible beings.

Once they reached their rather nice camp, with beautifully vivid tents, Zyrt grabbed her wrist, pulling her to his tent. "Come now, stop shaking so much." He told her, grimacing at her horrible human smell. It was more prominent now they were alone in his tent. Making her sit, he sat across from her, his eyes studying her. Her body was small. So frail. He could see from where he had gently grabbed her, (gently for his kind) it started to swell and bruise. Why were humans like this? Such weird creatures. "Earlier, in the forest." He began, leaning back to rest in his chair. "You touched a flower. But you didn't kill it....Why? Your kind seems to be fond of dead things, so why didn't you kill the flower?" He asked.
 
As soon as he grabbed her, however gently he thought he was being, she assumed that her death was going to swiftly follow. To her, it was far from a gentle grab. It made her pale skin bruise painfully, instantly darkening and showing the extent of his strength on her much weaker body. She was safely going to assume that he wanted to kill her, and she began to mentally prepare herself for it. She was not going to die sobbing and crying, not at all. If this was her time to die, she was going to see her life out bravely and with the utmost calmness. No way would she allow him to get satisfaction from her screams.--

And then he just... asked her a question. No beating, no bleeding, no pain. He was interrogating her out of a position of... curiosity? He'd been watching her and wanted to know why she'd done what she'd done? That was... well, it shocked her and it was surprising. She didn't know why such a small little act seemed to catch his attention, and she didn't know how to answer-- but he clearly wanted to hear a reason.

"...I... I study living things," she began as calmly as she could, still staring up at him even though he was now sat down. "I... I'm a biologist, I... adore nature. Flowers are... my favourite, I just... I admire the beauty o-of them here, that's... that's all."
 
"Huh...Really? That's quite interesting. Those other ones seem to enjoy the death of flowers, the way the kept cutting them and inspecting them." Mumbled the man, before looking at her wrist. "Why are you humans so...Weak? I barely touched you yet your bruising and swelling...And why are you incredibly tiny? You're the size of toddlers." He mumbled asking her questions he hadn't had the answer to.

He knew enough about humans to hunt them, but not really, really know them. And he was a curious man. And she seemed okay enough to hold a decent conversation with. "And why did you come here? Why did you come here, killing our planet? That aircraft you had is poisoning our planet."
 
"Maybe I'm not weak. Maybe... Maybe you're just too strong. You're a giant, you're too damn strong and... and I don't think I'm small and weak. I think you're too big and too strong," she declared with a sudden bout of bravery, a smile gracing her lips before she could even help herself. She didn't think she would even be able to talk without stammering, so to go as far as to make a playful comment, to tease this frightening alien who had murdered so many of her friends... well, it happened, but she didn't think it would. It was hard to imagine ever being playful with someone lie Zyrt. But she had been.

Hopefully he recognised that for what it was, and not as a sign of disrespect.

"Our planet is... it's... going to die one day, we were just... exploring," she continued with a faint frown, her voice now lowering to a whisper. "I... w-we... assumed this place w-was uninhabited."
 
"....Maybe your planet wouldn't die if humans took better care of things. Our planet is billions and billions of years old, and it's completely fine...And to just assume we don't live here is rude." Answered the man, before standing up, and getting something to drink. He made something that appeared to be like tea. Having a cup for himself and for her. He handed the cup to her, before realizing how big it was in her small hands. Humans are so...Small.

"Here, drink. It'll make you feel better." He mumbled before sitting down and drinking his own tea. "...What are you called?" He asked randomly. "I am called The Chosen One Zyrt. What do your peers call you, female?" Crossing his leg over the other, he looked at her curiously.
 
"...Charlotte. O-Or Lottie. Either one is fine," shrugged the human as she warily stared down at the cup. For all she knew, it could be poisoned or laced with some drug to knock her out, or bring on heaps of agonising pain. It wouldn't at all surprise her if that happened. She'd seen most her friends from the exploration group be massacred down with no sympathy. Something as sadistic as poison in a cup of tea really wouldn't be that far out of the ordinary-- but her thirst outweighed any negatives, leaving her sipping at the drink regardless of her fears.

"I... I want to... we just want to go home," she began as quietly as she could. "I... I don't know why y-you're talking to me-- are you going to kill me, is that it? Use me for information a-and then kill me?"
 
"I don't like death." He replied to her honestly. He didn't like death. But all he foresaw from the humans were them killing his planet, so he had to kill them. But she was different. She wasn't like those humans. "...I won't kill you. You are...You are good. You're...The perfect garden." He suddenly realized, his eyes blinking as he studied the woman.

By garden...He meant...Well, she was perfect for him to...'plant his seed' so to say. He needed an heir, and he was curious about humans. How would her body act hosting a child from him? It would definitely be something to study. Watching her, he cocked his head to the side. "Fem- I mean...Lottie, do you have questions about me? Surely you're curious about my kind."
 
It was hard to believe him when he said he didn't like death. She didn't know him or his kind all that well, but all she'd seen from them was them murdering her kind. Yes, Lottie had technically invaded, but they hadn't tried to take them in and talk to them like Zyrt was with Charlotte. They'd attacked and now they were all like this; the humans cowered away in a small cave desperate to defend themselves and get home.

Shrugging that thought off, however distrusting she was of the leader's statements, she fiddled with the hem of her shirt with a faint frown. She didn't want to stand here, talking to him like they were budding friends. No, she just wanted to leave and escape any possibility of him killing her, which she still believed could happen. But clearly, he was anticipating a question, and the last thing she intended to do was anger him.

"...What's that?" She mumbled, pointing to the beautifully-coloured stone on his chest. "I mean, i-it's... beautiful, really. Is it like.... jewellery or something?"
 
Looking down at his dawn-tinted pink Life Stone, he smiled a bit before shaking his head no. He had seen other humans wear jewelry so he understood why she would think so. "No, this is a Life Stone." He replied, before looking at her. "All of my people are born with it....The color depends on what family you belong to...I'm amazed humans don't have one...Or do you hide it under your clothes?" He asked seriously, wondering if they maybe hid their Lifestones.

But then again, she wouldn't be asking if she had one. "Sit, Lottie. Why are you standing? Do...Do humans find it more comfortable to stand? Strange. You are a strange creature...You are different from your kind. You have characteristics my people have, like appreciating life. If only you didn't have the horrid smell all humans have. Why do you humans smell like that?"
 
Her knees were shaking, knocking together second by second in her understandable nervousness. However 'safe' the alien seemed to want to make her feel, with his promises that he wasn't going to hut her, and his relaxed demeanour, casually remarking she take a seat, she couldn't relax that easily. Hell, could any human relax in the presence of a gigantic, unbelievably strong alien who had form for killing her kind?

As much as she doubted it, she reluctantly took a seat. At least it stopped the pain in her knees from all the anxious shaking she'd been doing.

"Life stone. That's... no, we don't have them," she admitted after a moment, unable to hide the genuine interest and intrigue she had as her eyes locked with the beautiful gem fixated to his chest. It was nothing you'd find in her world, but she couldn't be too surprised. These people, despite their semi-human appearance, weren't humans. To Charlotte, they were aliens. They were gong to be different than he, it was inevitable.

Just like how he considered her to be strange, exotic and unique, and apparently she had a weird smell to her. That was something she frowned at - nobody wanted to be told they smelled weird, after all.

"That's rude," she muttered under her breath, albeit with that same sort of smile playing on her lips. "...We don't smell weird. I smell of... lavender. That's what my parents say, that I naturally smell of lavender."
 
Hearing her call him rude, he instantly felt bad. He didn't mean to offend her, but she didn't seem too angry, she was smiling a bit. Being...almost playful. They were complicated beings, huh? "Lavender?" He asked as if testing out the word in his mouth. "...I don't know what that is...Well...I'm sorry I said you smell weird. Perhaps you don't smell as bad as other humans." He told her, before putting a kind smile on. Trying to lighten the mood.

"Now...Why don't you have snags? How could you possibly eat with such dull teeth? Wouldn't the meat break your teeth?" He asked, leaning in close to inspect her dull teeth. Aforementioned animals on this planet were...far tougher than animals on Earth. And their mat was harsher to chew. But that's why they had snags, which were basically fangs.