#basafish

[talltoontales]

// Scale-Bound \\

Prompt: You are a mighty dragon king, the strongest magical being. You're determined to conquer the world, but a hero turned you into a cute small dragon. Now, you are looking for a human girl to help you get strong again and dominate the world.

Prompt by: u/basafish (Reddit)

Written: 03/13/2024

/////

As the sun sets, a party of adventurers parade through a small dirt road town, victorious from their last quest. The group barrels through anyone in their path, already drunk on their own egos. The largest of the group knocks over a little, raggedy peasant girl with dirt-filled pigtails, causing her to drop her toy.

“Eh?” says the brute as he picks up the toy. “The hells is this?” The toy resembles a baby dragon with bright red scales, a dark brown underbelly, small wings, and bright green eyes.

“My Babby!” yells the girl. She runs over to the brute and tries to get her toy back but barely jumps past the man’s knees. “Give me back my Babby!”

“You know wha?” The brute lifts the toy even higher into the air, putting it in better lighting. “This thing ain’t too shabby. Almost looks like the real thing. How bout it, Ankle Biter? Fancy a trade?”

“No!” yells the girl, “he’s my Babby! My momma made him only for me!” A man wearing a hooded cloak walks over and leans against the brute, glancing at the toy.

“Your momma’s got some gifted hands,” says the rouge, “maybe she can show me a thing or two?” The girl charges at the two men, who easily dodge her attempt. The girl then trips on herself and falls but is caught by a pillow of glowing blue water.

The girl looks up and sees a woman in a teal robe. Her face was shrouded in the shadow of her oversized hat save for one glowing blue eye that matched a gold, jewel-encrusted broach on the collar of her robe.

The light emanating from the witch’s eye quickly fades, dropping the girl into a mud puddle. The rest of the group laughs as they start to walk away, taking the dragon toy with them. As the girl picks her head up from the mud, she feels something hit her head. She wipes her face and looks down to see a moldy copper coin in front of her.

“Thanks for the souvenir, kid!” says the rouge. The girl watches, with tears in her eyes, as the group walks into a nearby tavern. The girl then calmly picks herself up, pulls a rag from her dress pocket, and cleans the rest of her face. She takes a deep breath, picks up the moldy coin, and walks away from the tavern.

“So far so good,” whispers the girl.

\\\\\

A few hours later, the party drunkenly runs out of the bar, some with half-filled mugs in hand. The bartender follows them out the door, yelling at them as they escape. The group stumbles through the town, throwing the dragon toy between them until they barge into a rundown inn.

After finishing the last of their stolen drinks, the party’s room quickly falls silent, save for the snoring brute who snuggles with the toy dragon. Bodies scattered around the room like a crime scene, with the rouge taking the only bed.

After a few minutes, the toy dragon’s eyes blink. Using its long neck, the dragon slowly looks around the room, its emerald eyes illuminated in the darkness. Its head suddenly snaps toward a window.

…they…asleep…window…clear…

A hand lifts the window to the room open from the outside. A short, hooded figure crawls into the room, quietly landing on their feet. The dragon’s eyes focus on the figure.

…hurry…human…FREE…!

“Stop yelling! I’m working on it!” whispers the human. The figure slowly tip-toes through the room, avoiding any of the sleeping warriors. The dragon looks at the human, annoyed.

…what…doing…?

“Trying not to die,” whispers the human. “Shhhh!” The dragon glares at the human before letting out a high-pitched roar, slightly shaking some of the smaller items in the room. The human freezes and their eyes dart around the room, looking for whoever may be waking up first. However, barely anyone moves. The figure looks at the dragon. “What did ya do?” The dragon flicks its tail and small sparkles of orange energy fall from the tip.

…humans…weak…

The hooded figure removes their hood, revealing herself as the little girl with her hair tied back in a bun and her face smeared with black paint. The girl lets out a small laugh as she casually walks over the passed-out adventures toward the brute.

“Ya know,” says the girl, “if I had better morals, I’d probably have a problem with ya, essentially drugging a bunch of people.” The girl and dragon struggle but eventually get the brute's arm off the beast. The dragon leaps onto the floor, stretching its entire body. “All right, do ya thing, Babby.” The dragon lets out another tiny roar.

STOP!

The girl holds her head and crouches in the fetal position as the dragon’s booming voice echoes in her mind. She pulls a rag from her back pocket and covers her nose while the dragon walks around the room. The girl pulls the rag back, finding a small amount of blood.

“Jeez, Bambak, ya going to kill me if ya keep doing that,” says the girl.

…and…?

“And good luck getting anywhere without this adowable face, distracting city guards,” says the girl as she pickpockets the brute. Bambak claws its way up the side of the bed.

…was…face…

“Dragon society must not have hypocrisy,” says the girl as she continues to pickpocket everyone in the room. Bambak pokes its head under the rouge’s cloak until the girl stops him. “Must not have thieves either.”

The girl pulls out a pocket knife while feeling the rouge's arms. She then feels a thin wire attached to a gold ring on the rouge’s finger. The girl follows the wire underneath the rouge’s cloak, finding a device with two vials of yellow liquid on each side.

“A Midas Trap,” the girl cutting the wire. “Take the gold ring, trip the wire, and get sprayed with paralyzing toxins. This guy’s got deep pockets.” The girl starts going through the rouge’s pockets. “let’s see what ya got.” The girl rummages through the rouge’s many pockets, taking whatever she can fit in her own until she pulls out a perfectly square stone. Bambak focuses intensely on the stone.

…Miiiiiiiine…!

The girl rolls her eyes as she drops the stone before Bambak. The dragon quickly wraps its body around the stone and purrs.

“Do I need to leave the room?” asks the girl as she offers Bambak her hand. The dragon glares at her before putting the cube in its mouth and climbing up her arm onto her shoulder.

…disrespectful…

“Ya welcome, Bab,” says the girl.

ENOUGH!

The girl stumbles a bit but manages to stay on her feet. She’s halfway out the window when the girl looks back at the rouge and pulls the ring out of her pocket.

“This look like real gold to ya?” asks the girl, showing the ring to Bambak.

…no…

“Didn’t think so,” says the girl as she grins from ear to ear.

/////

As the sun begins to break past the horizon, the girl walks along the rooftops wearing a cloak that’s two sizes too big for her. She looks at Bambak, his cube still in his mouth, purring on her shoulder.

“You know, ya kinda cute when ya hoarding,” says the girl. Bambak stops purring and glares at her. “I know, I know, the Dragon King isn’t cute. Ya terror incarnate. Ya the strongest magical creature in this realm, ya breath dims the sun, and ya presence withers all life.”

…again…disrespectful…human…

“Imala,” says the girl. " My name’s Imala, not that ya were asking.” The two walk in silence for a few minutes. “Sooooo, the first job went pretty well. You got your rock, and I got paid big time. Guess this is the part where we lay low and figure out which artifact to go after next?”

…hmmmm…

Bambak, begins to smell the air around it and shivers, holding its cube tight.

…lot…rain…

Imala raises an eyebrow as she looks toward the empty sky, even doing a full twirl for insurance. The duo stops above an abandoned shop with a hole in the roof.

“Sure, whatever ya say,” says Imala as the two jump down.

Several feet back, the witch in the teal robes stands on the edge of another rooftop. Her one eye glows as storm clouds begin to float from underneath her hat, spreading across the area. A thick cloud floats just beyond the edge of the rooftop. The witch walks onto it and floats toward the abandoned shop.

. . . . . Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story! If you have any comments, critiques, or criticisms, please don't be afraid to let me hear 'em (as long as they're constructive (or funny)). Stay safe, keep warm, and be kind to yourself and others. ToonMan, AWAY! (PS: I will never forgive Microsoft for what took from me.)

[garchameatshop]

Always fresh and hygiene.

Visit us - Garcha Bros Meat Shop

Learn more http://www.garchameatshop.com

[jamiesonwolf]

Tried something new for dinner! I made oven roasted asparagus with garlic and parmean cheese. It turned out so well! I paired that with lemon pepper basa fish and garlicaioli. . #scrumptious #nomnom #yummers #roastedasparagus #basafish https://www.instagram.com/p/CY48v5xMiqK/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mamasecretrecipes]

My rice tacos with scrambled basa topped with freshly grated white radish made such a yummy lunch today. So tired of making breaded basa filets all the time, that today I decided to make something different so they are more enjoyable. Basically I soaked them in coconut milk and salt then steamed just till they changed colour, then I fried some chopped onions separately, tossed in some finely chopped ginger, green chillies, salt, spices and cilantro. I added the steamed basa to the pan and scrambled it with the onion mixture. Finally I threw in some freshly grated coconut and flavoured it with dry ground yellow mustard powder. It was a simple lunch but so enjoyable! #basafish #sauteedbasafish #basafishtacos #madefromscratch #food4thought #scrambledfish #ricetacos #foodbloggersca #foodblogfeed #fbcigers #igersfood #foodstagram #huffpostaste #instagood #food52grams #epicurious #mamasecretrecipes (at Brampton, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWuYC3rgUIL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[pixie1013]

Lemon/Lemongrass Swai with Red Rice & Cheesy Cauliflower I used just a few Lemongrass clippings under the fish, but that little still imparted great flavor on the fish! Very strong. I grew some in the past that barley made a difference even of you wrapped the fish, so I was very pleasantly surprised! The rice is from @ralstonfamilyfarms here in the US, which sells boxes of Red and Purple/Black rices. We find them to be very nutty and flavorful than white rice but more palatable than brown rice. (And with none of that cardboard flavor.) The cauliflower was steamed and then briefly stir-fried with chopped garlic and parmesan and then seasoned with a little @oldbay_seasoning ...which is what I also used on the fish along with cayenne and spicy Greek oregano that is also from our herb garden. 🌿😋 #lemon #lemongrass #Swai #pangasianodonhypophthalmus #asiancatfish #basafish #redrice #cheesycauliflower #parmesan #irridescentshark #cauliflower #homemade #homecook #cooking #cookery #pescatarian #pescado #riverfish #basa #freshherbs #growyourfood #homegrown #greekoregano #blackrice #rice #purplerice #becreative #trynewthings #oldbay #lemonchili (at Pixieland Farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1IK5cHYwg/?igshid=1rn5ra08bsh4u

[fbtiffinservices]

#bakedfish #basafish #masalafish #winter #baking #bakedwithlove #foodorder #foodbankspecial #foodbloggers #foods #fooddeliveryservice #foodeating #foodphotography #fooddelicious #foodpic #food_bank_hub (at NCR) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWo23UnRue/?igshid=1ove4m15vul0b

[its-foodparadise]

One of the best fish and chips I have had in ktm @delamarcafe. It was light and crisp and liked the use of Herbs in the batter. . . . . #fishandchips#basafish#foodies#ktmdiaries#asianfoodies#foodpornstar#foodiesofnepal#instafood#foodposts#fotd#potd (at De Lamar Cafe) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFAzEEFIrN/?igshid=f2v787wytv9a

[delicious-foodathome]

🌮Taco Tuesday Baby 🌮 Crunchy Baja Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Zingy Lime Mayo 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽 - Delicious Basa Fish Fillets Coated in Mexican Spices & Panko Crumbs and Fried until Golden Brown and Then Wrapped up in a Tortilla with Lettuce, Roasted Peppers & Onions, Pineapple Salsa, Lime Mayo, Chillies and Corriander 😍 . 🎥 Be Sure to Check out my Fun Reel of This Dish 🎥 . . . 🌟 800 Kcals 🙌 🌟 I Added Extra Sriracha to Spice it up 🌶 🌟 Simply Substitute the Fish for Crunchy Coated Halloumi for a Tasty Vegetarian Version ❤️ . . . #tacos #tacotuesday #fishtacos #bajafishtacos #mexicanfood #pineapplesalsa #salsa #basafish #fishfordinner #dinnertime #dinnerisserved #spicyfood #coriander #corianderlover #lime #mayonnaise #roastedpeppers #goodfood #foodphotography #foodlovers #foodinspiration #instafood #creativephotography #foodblogger #feedfeed #food52 #f52grams #glasgoweats #cookingathome #foodie (at Glasgow, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEmyICvFvio/?igshid=11hbs45dh5t60

[psblackcoffee]

Spicy Tamarind Basa Steaks . . #fotd #dotd #homecooked #yummylicious #foodgasm #foodies #spicytamarind #basafish #foodporn #foodlicious #eattolive #livetoeat #allaboutfood #ps #sydneylife #lifeinsydney (at Sydney, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_evgHnnnQL/?igshid=l697rxwsfyeu

[atul-1002]

Butter Basted Basa, Tagliatelle pasta with Carrot Arrabbiata😋😘 Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime😎 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #cheflife #chef #chefsofinstagram #chefs #basafish #pasta #pastalover #pastamaking #pastas #pasta🍝 #foodphotography #foodporn #foodceleb #foodiesofinstagram #foodpics #food #foodie #arrabbiata @foodstarz_official @foodceleb https://www.instagram.com/p/B8yhRniJDOX/?igshid=1djpobps4uosw

[talltoontales]

MARCH Monthly Archive/ APRIL Update

Well, March was a better month for my writing, at least. Threw in two extra stories, so now I'm up by three weeks, and only had one story last month that I absolutely did not like. I'm also taking a few more days when writing some stories, and I feel like the quality has improved because of it.

On the more positive side, I blew up outta nowhere last month. Mostly on Tumblr, but Reddit showed me a little love too, and I gotta say it really made my month. I was just goofin' off at work when I saw a notice on my phone, and now there's definitely a video of me dancing like a kid on the security cameras. So thanks for that!

I'd also like to shout out to @agirlandherquill (Tumblr) & @kentuckyhobbit (Tumblr) for being my first followers! I hope you both enjoy the ride!

I'm also doing a new thing with these archive posts where I give you my "Best Foot Forward" story. Basically, if you had to read one story from me last month, the BFF would be it.

That being said, let's get to the archive:

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S10/Wk-10: Ruth-Less

Stated Writing: 03/07 Prompt: Your house is haunted by a ghost, and, upset it can't scare you out, you find it trying to be passive-aggressive now. Prompt By: u/NinjaProfessional823 (Reddit)

S11/Wk-11: Blinded Light

Stated Writing: 03/10 Prompt: "You don't even know what's out there!" Prompt By: @seaside-writings (Tumblr)

S12/Wk-11: Scale-Bound [BFF]

Stated Writing: 03/13 Prompt: You are a mighty dragon king, the strongest magical being. You're determined to conquer the world, but a hero turned you into a cute small dragon. Now, you are looking for a human girl to help you get strong again and dominate the world. Prompt By: u/basafish (Reddit)

S13/Wk-12: ToonMan #4 Vortech: Clog in the Machine

Stated Writing: 03/21 Prompt: "You called me." / "And you really came." Prompt By: @creativepromptsforwriting (Tumblr)

S14/Wk-13: Pandora's Box

Stated Writing: 03/26 Prompt: A mundane and antiquated sub-agency in the US Government was the 1st to stumble across AGI. An internal investigation determined a press release unnecessary. Unaware of the power they control, 12 bureaucrats are assembled to determine the policy and implementation of their new tool. Prompt By: No-assistance1503 (Reddit)

S15/Wk-13: Kung Fu Panda 4 Rewrite

Stated Writing: 03/29 Prompt: Kung Fu Panda 4 felt a little lacking, wanted to try my hand at maybe making it better. Prompt By: Me (ToonMan)

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Previous "Best Foot Forward" Stories:

JAN [S4/Wk-02]: ToonMan #1: Comical Crime Fighter

Started Writing: 01/12 Prompt: You have the superpower of slapstick comedy. Prompt By: u/Paper_Shotgun (Reddit)

FEB [S9/WK-05]: Not Enough Time

Started Writing: 02/02 Prompt: [TT] Theme Thursday - Exhaustion Prompt By: u/AliciaWrites (Reddit)

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Looking back, March was actually a pretty solid month. Let's see if I can keep it up going into April.

Stay safe, drink plenty of water, and be kind to yourself and others!

ToonMan, AWAY!

[katyworld09]

#fishthali Fish curry, fish fry, bhakari and solkadi😂😂😂 . . . . . . . . . #katy_world09 #fishcurry #fishfry #fishmasala #bhakari #solkadi #solkadhi #fishandchips #prawnthali #prawnmasala #prawnfry #bangda #surmaifry #surmai #pomfret #solefish #basafish #dorade #doraderoyale #mackrel #fishbiryani #chickenmasala #fry (at Paris, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7-ySRZI7zX/?igshid=1hkbz1upbz9o3

[garchameatshop]

Super Delicieux Poisson Basa Fish

Learn morehttp://www.garchameatshop.com

[cravezaika-blog]

#Repost @thelokalfoodie1 • • • • • • ⭐️ Soya Wine Chilli Fish ⭐️ ➡️ @zaikaclubaquaria . . . . . . . . #basa #basafish #wine #food #zaikaclubaquaria #zaikafood #foodporn #foodphotography #foods #mumbaistreetfood #mumbaistagram #bloggerstyle #foodbloggers #mumbaiscenes #igfitness #igfood #borivalifood #indianfood (at Zaika - Club Aquaria) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3mw3fwH8Z1/?igshid=16zly0xpitfm7

[akunerevahgi]

#akuner #fishfry #basafish #bite #foodbloggers #foodlover #mumbai #foodsofmumbai #thebestinstafoods #instafoods #foodoftheworld #takeabite (at Glocal Junction Worli) https://www.instagram.com/p/B26y7dFno8t/?igshid=6vvwziia7zgf