Rules: Okay you goofballs, you’re writing a story. Every response goes in spoiler tags. Look at _only the most recent comment in a thread before adding your own piece of the story. Aim to contribute a paragraph. A paragraph is roughly five sentences, but if you’re really feeling a Muse breathing down your neck, go longer. Just don’t get too Dickensian in any sense of the word.
Also if you hate my prompt and want to do something else, just indicate as such in a new top comment and know that you’re hurting my feelings.
And away we go:
spoiler
PI Ace Magnum knew this was not going to be an ordinary case. For one, whatever had walked into his office didn’t fit the shape of his usual clientele. Or any shape he could put a name to, for that matter. Were those feathers? Yeah, he’d allow feathers. Anywho, it had eyes and could speak decent English (Ace found that out when it filled him in on the case), better than him at any rate. And, more importantly, it knew how to talk money. The sum being proffered for his services was much larger than his typical fee, but, for all he knew, the prospective client was lowballin’ him because this was one doozy of an ask. But there was money up front and enough for him to put paid to his many debts if he solved the mystery. The only question he had to answer was - was he in or out?
After the proposition was mulled over for a minute, the feathered being received a barely whispered reply: “I’d never even make it through the front door. I’m simply not equipped for this.” This was, of course, exactly what xey expected. Negotiations were off to a good start, and money could often solve more problems than it caused, but it was also what got xem into this in the first place, so buying xemself out of trouble this time was seeming like a less likely prospect than it had in the past. With eye flaps fluttering in a manner intended to convey an appropriate level of contrition for xer actions, Aaglagan shuffled backwards and muttered “I should have known better than to think you’d be capable of taking this on.”
spoiler
A missing person’s case. A doozer of a case, too. “How long’s the fella been missing?” Ace asked. His new acquaintance had the classic combo, bandana tied over the head and big sunglasses. This was someone trying to hide their identity. But with legs up to here and wings out to there, it wasn’t hard to recognize an international star like this. “A few weeks. He was talking something crazy about making his own way.” His yellow beak dipped with sadness, “I think he was talking with The Frog, and got some idea about making a name for himself. It started innocently enough. Pay raise, more screen time. Then he started refusing to leave his trailer. He was a fan favorite so they started filming a whole section there he’s just in a room, and had an extra outside the window.”
I hate your prompt and wish to hurt your feelings.
I want to play chess.
E3
Spoiler
Knight to E3, the black knight captures the white pawn. Oh. NO. This is white genocide, and I partook in it. How will I ever be credible again when denouncing the atrocious crimes of the South African regime if I can be so thoughtless as to accidentally engage in the same criminal behaviour?
As Ace briefly considered how best to respond, he noticed that his eye stalks were starting to oscillate in the same way as they had in the minutes leading up to when Judy called off their engagement (minutes before they said their vows) and (quite literally) bit his sister’s head off. Something was wrong, but even the extraordinary nature of the case shouldn’t have caused a premonitory reaction like this. In a flash, he knew that there was no way he could accept. Especially at the proffered payment. By rote, his mouth disagreed: “Consider it done.”
