Timewaster's Guide Archive

Prompt: Write a five- to ten-page two-character dialogue with no tags or blocking. Try to evoke character, conflict, and plot using only dialogue. Include: a problem, two distinct individuals, a fantasy/sf element. Avoid: long monologues, exposition. Use context, not explanations.
So, anyway, five to ten pages is just a suggestion—about a thousand words or so— but you don't have to make yours any particular length. It can be a short short, standing on its own, or it can be a short story. Or it can be the start of a novel, or just an excerpt of dialogue from an ordinary story. Basically, this doesn't need to be a complete story. The goal is to see how much you can get across without exposition and with a fast-moving dialogue.

“And just where do you think you’re going?”
“Out for a walk.”
“It’s the middle of the night Katsue, and we’re going to war tomorrow, you need your rest.”
“That’s just it, Tameyoshi, I’m not sure I want to go to war, this whole thing-”
“You’re nervous aren’t you?”
“I was thinking about just running.”
“You want to desert us do you?  It’s understandable considering what we’re going up against but I don’t think I can do this without my best friend, if you go, I go and the blood of nations’ is on our hands.”
“I know, it’s just, what if we fail?”
“We won’t fail, we can’t fail.”
“We’re up against Shotgun. We’ll be lucky to survive, let alone kill her.”
“Katsue, look at me.  We. Will. Not. Fail.  And on the off chance we do, well we’re the last defense, we’ll be in the history books one way or the other now won’t we?”
“That was in horrible taste Tameyoshi.  You‘ll have to do better than that to keep me around.”
“Maybe so, but sometimes bad jokes are the only thing standing between hope no matter how false and true despair.  So I’ll be keeping the joke book close.”
“I suppose you’re right, but do you really think we can win?”
“Honestly, I don’t know but does that mean we shouldn’t try?”
“Of course not!  This is our home we’re fighting for, we can’t just abandon it!”
“Heh. Now there’s the Katsue I like to see.  There’s that fire, you’re going to be a great leader when this is all over princess.”
“Tameyoshi, you know how much I hate being called by that title, it hasn’t had any meaning in eleven years.”
“Yeah, I know not since Shotgun took over, I was there, remember.  On the marrow though, when the battle is over you’ll take your rightful place as you should’ve many years ago and you’ll get a nice pink dragon skin purse out of the deal.”
“The battle is one thing but, I don’t know anything about running a country, I never got the proper training and I practically have to rebuild Nesh from the ground up, I’m not sure if I can do it.”
‘Katsue, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there and we’ll make do somehow.  Besides, like we always say, your back is my back, that’s for more than just battle you know.”
“Tameyoshi, why do you have so much faith in me?”
“Katsue, Katsue, Katsue, that’s like asking how I know the Sun will rise in the morning, my reasons are hard to miss and impossible to refute.  We’ve known each other most our lives and I can honestly say, you are the single most amazing person I know and the main reason I made it through these last eleven years.  That’s why.  I’ve seen who you are and what you can do.”
“I’m not that amazing, just a silly little girl.”
“True you are silly but that’s part of what’s so great about you.  Just about everything you do makes me smile, not many can even get me to smirk.  If anything, I wonder why you‘re hanging around me.”
“You’re my friend, that’s why.”
“Princesses are allowed to have friends now?  Have you breaking the rules again Katsue?”
“Only because you taught me how.”
“Fair enough.”
“…It’s going to be odd going home after so long..”
“Yeah it will be, we’ve been gone for months, I wonder if Yakov’s kicked the bucket yet.”
“Tameyoshi!”
“Okay yeah, even I’ll admit that was in horrible taste, sorry, you know me I say stupid things, you’re the smart one around here.”
“Apparently I am, you‘re just lucky Echola didn’t hear you say that.”
“Oh come on, she thinks her brother is a lazy bum too.”
‘Sometimes, but she still loves him, and she’d slice your head off  with one of those fans if she’d heard you say that.”
“You wouldn’t let her do that to me… would you Katsue?”
“I don’t know…”
“Oh come on! I was joking you know that; I didn’t mean it!”
“I know.”
“Girls...”
“Like to mess with boys’ heads.
“Amen to that.”
“You like it and you know it.”
“You’re just lucky we are friends.”
“That wasn’t very nice.”
“Neither is your teasing.”
“But that’s just it, I was teasing, joking.”
“I know.”
“…Do you think our parent’s would be proud of us?
“I don’t know, I barely remember mine, it’s so hazy.  I hate it, I know their names and  I know they were great warriors but the actual people themselves…”
“I remember a little bit, my father mostly, he was mischievous, if he were alive right now he’d probably decorate my room with pictures of boys I hung around while I slept.”
“Sounds like my kind of guy.”
“I’m sure he does, you’re a lot like him.
“Is that compliment or an insult?”
“I’m not sure, whichever you take it as I suppose.”
“Then I say complement , because I don’t want to think my best friend just insulted me.”
“So, I’m your best friend?”
“Of course you are Katsue, of all my friends you’ve always been the one who’s had my back.  When the guys were jerks and I thought I was alone, I’d think to myself, there’s still Katsue.  You have no idea how many times that’s saved me from myself.  I just wish I could repay you in some way, I feel like I owe you so much.  I know, that’s stupid.”
“No, it’s not, it actually explains a lot.  You don’t owe me anything Tameyoshi, you know that; I just did what any real friend would do.”
“I know, but that doesn’t change how I feel.  That’s why I’ll do anything I can to protect you.  If I could fight Shotgun without your help, I would.”
“I can take care of myself Tameyoshi.”
“I know, and you love to remind me of it, but just because you can that doesn’t mean you should have to.”
“Wouldn’t that apply to you too?”
“You got me there Katsue, it’s probably some outdated chivalry notion I picked up from my father, the man has to protect the girl.”
“You intend to lock me up in a tower and never let me go anywhere?”
“Did I say that? No, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
“Well that’s what they did back in those old chivalry days, locked the women up in towers like possessions.  I for one am glad we’re past such times.
“So  am I, I just… I’m an idiot, I said the wrong thing, I do it all the time, you know what I meant.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Do you know why I decided to get to know you all those years ago?”
“No, how could I?”
“Sorry, rhetorical question.  Do you want to know?
“You obviously want me to know, you brought it up so just tell me.”
“Well, shortly before were enslaved I saw you from afar.  I barely knew who you were back then, even if you were my princess.  I saw you running.  You were wearing a pink dress.  I was too afraid to go up to you so I just watched.  I watched you run around and for the first time in months there was a smile on my face.  It was right then that I promised myself I’d get to know the pretty girl who liked to run.”
“Pretty?”
“Yeah I thought you were pretty when we were younger.”
“You said thought, past tense, does that mean you don’t think I’m pretty now Tameyoshi?”
“I’m not going to answer that.”
“And why not?
“It’s a loaded question, no matter how I answer, it’s going to sound bad.”
“Bad how?”
“Well, if I say no, you’ll be insulted and if say yes, well… you know.”
“I see.”
“I slipped, I said something I shouldn’t have, forget I said anything Katsue.”
“Why, are you embarrassed that you had a crush on me when we were kids?”
“No that’s not it at all.  I mean, you’re beautiful, smart, and funny.   Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
“Then what is it?
“I…”
“You what, spit it out Tameyoshi!”
“I don’t think I deserve you okay?!”
“What?”
“I’m madly in love with you Katsue, but I don’t deserve you.  You’re a princess and I’m no prince.  I’m just the son of a couple knights, the only people lower than me are the serfs.  You’re the elite and you deserve the best, you’re that amazing.”
“…You’re madly in love with me?”
“Yes, and you don’t know how hard it was for me to say all of that, it felt like giving up but I have to let go, so that if I die tomorrow, I can do so without any regrets.”
“You really think you’re not good enough for me?”
“Yeah I do, but that doesn’t change how much I love you or the fact that I’d do anything to protect you.  I suppose I’ve just been trying to prolong the inevitable rejection.”
“Tameyoshi, you’re my best friend so I’m going to say this as gently as possible.  You’re being rather stupid right now.”
“How so?
“You’re saying your not good enough for me based on a class system that hasn’t been used in over a decade.  If you haven’t noticed we’re both escaped slaves.  Our class is equal and if we win tomorrow and by the grace of the Immortal Spirits, I pray we do, I’ll be the monarch.  The one who makes the rules.  So your whole argument doesn’t make much sense.”
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better Katsue but you don’t have to let me down gently.  You can just go ahead and tell me you’re not interested; I’m a big boy, I can take it.”
“Sometimes you can be really stupid Tameyoshi.  I guess I‘ll have to spell it out for you.”
“…You just kissed me.”
“Yes I did.”
“Does that mean what I think it means?
“That depends, what do you think it means?”
“I think it means that you have feelings for me too.  But that would mean-”
“We’re dating, yes.”
“If this is a dream, I’d better not wake up.”
“You’re not dreaming.”
“Well then I died and went to the Realm of the Gods.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“A goddess just kissed me, I don’t think there’s any other explanation.”
“Goddess, you really no how to charm a girl.”
“I would’ve said angel but it just didn’t do you justice.”
“Okay that deserves another kiss.”
“Remind me to compliment you more.”
“Knowing  you, I won’t have to.  Just promise me you won’t die fighting Shotgun.”
“Well you’ve certainly given me a reason to live and I’d just hate to disappoint my girlfriend.  Girlfriend, By the Spirits, I love saying that.”
“Shh.  What would Echola say if she heard you invoking the Immortal Sprits in such a manner?  You know how zealous she is about religion.
“I think she’d make an exception in this case Katsue.”
“And why is that?”
“She’s been waiting for us to get together for years, I confided my feelings in her long ago.  She’ll probably want to throw a party when she finds out.”
“I see.  That should be interesting considering how stiff she is, I mean, she’s my best friend but she’s a little too much by the book at times.”
“Yeah she is.”
“So when should we tell her?”
“In the morning before we leave, it’s getting pretty late I should probably head back to my tent.”
“Without giving me a good night kiss?”
“I’ll fight dragons but can’t say no to my girlfriend, what will the history books say about me now?”
“They’ll say as great a warrior as you were, you were an even better boyfriend.”
“Shotgun had better watch out now, I feel invincible!
“Tomorrow, we take back our home and then we can have a normal relationship.”
“What’s normal for a couple of teenage wizards who can easily vaporize a city?  Especially when one is a princess?”
“Touché “
“ I love you Katsue.”
“I love you too Tameyoshi.”
“I’m glad I cold help with your doubts.”
“And I yours.
“Good night Katsue.”
“Good Night.”
“Wait, I don’t have to worry about you running off do I?” This wasn’t some sort of trick to get me to leave you alone was it?”
“Do you really think I’d do that?”
“Stress makes people to strange things.”
“I’m going to my tent, where I will stay for the night.  I suggest you do the same or we’ll have to breakup on the same night we got together.”
“Alright, alright, I believe you, I’m going.  By the Spirits I’m weak, I just melt in front of that pretty face.”
“See you in the morning.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”

Mistborn RPG?  Forum or not I'm in.

Yes I know, I'm saying it'd be easy, just possible.

Quote from: Technomancer on April 18, 2010, 09:52:32 PM

Quote from: Comatose on April 18, 2010, 09:07:32 PM

Nightblood is steel right?  What if a feruchemist stored speed in it?  Maybe nightblood could steal it, maybe the feruchemist would get a surprise when he/she tried to withdraw his or her speed.  What it was used as a hemalurgic spike?  Scary stuff, the possibilites are endless.
Oh, I got it.  Nightblood has speed stored in it, then is stabbed through the body of an elantrian, into it's waiting hemalurgic host.

but Hemalurgi spikes steal allomantic powers, would it steal the powers of an Elantrian?   Plus Nightblood would just suck it's new host dry if it were used as a spike.

Actually a hemalurgic spike can steel allomantic powers, feruchemical powers or just plain human qualities depending who kill with it and where it's placed int he recipient.

I knew that I just wasn't thinking, still Elantrian powers are a bit different.

Nightblood is steel right?  What if a feruchemist stored speed in it?  Maybe nightblood could steal it, maybe the feruchemist would get a surprise when he/she tried to withdraw his or her speed.  What it was used as a hemalurgic spike?  Scary stuff, the possibilites are endless.
Oh, I got it.  Nightblood has speed stored in it, then is stabbed through the body of an elantrian, into it's waiting hemalurgic host.

but Hemalurgi spikes steal allomantic powers, would it steal the powers of an Elantrian?   Plus Nightblood would just suck it's new host dry if it were used as a spike.

Do you think that Brandon's magic systems are so closely interlaced, that perhaps it's on purpose?  Like Hoid and the Shards of Andolasium?  That perhaps the systems are some kind of 'sister magics'?

Or perhaps I'm reading too far into this.

But that leads into how far the magic systems are entrenched within the shards...

No I think you're on to something.  When he told me about Nightblood's immunity to Allomancy and mentioned that there would be other metals that would also be immune to Allomantic effects he refered to an "overarching magic system".  This does make sense as it the Shards that provide the power for the magic and they were all once part of Andolasium.

However a new question comes to mind about Nightblood's immunity, since it's a living sword it's immune to iron and steel but what about zinc and brass?  Could Nightblood be Soothed or Rioted or perhaps with the addition of duralumin, controlled like a kandra or koloss?

Quote from: Technomancer on April 17, 2010, 04:32:23 AM

On a side note: I was at Brandon's signing in Lincoln last night, and according to him due to its sentience Nightblood would be immune to the affect of an Allomancer trying to push/pull on it was iron and steel.

This interests me. . . .

Why would sentience change the affects of Allomancy?

The way I understood it was that was something like metal piercing the body not being affected.  A sword is metal and Nightblood has a, I guess you could call it a soul so the metal is its body and this makes it immune.  Of course this all came from the question of who would win in a fight between Vin, Vasher, and Raoden on an even playing field. (the answer was Vin btw, her faster magic and somewhat ruthless additude being sighted as the reasons.)  Of course he mentioned that Nightblood would be trouble for the Elantrian and Mistborn, to which I noted it being made of metal and fair game for Vin; the statement about sentience was his reply.  He also stated that in future books we'd being seeing other such metals that would be immune to Allomancy due to all of these worlds being in the Shardverse.

Wasn't it said that an alloy of Larasium and another Allomantic metal would create a Mistling that could burn that metal.  Ajtium Mistlings (Seers) have been shown so I would assume that a Larasium-Atium alloy would just create a Mistling who can only burn Atium.