"Please," said the man, "can you do magic to make me be kind?"
"No," said the witch. "Magic cannot change anyone's nature."
"So there is no hope for me?"
"You ask the wrong question. Kind is not something you are. It is what you do."
"Is it that simple?"
"It is that hard."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

A young dragon landed on the thatched roof of the witch's cottage.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing."
She grumbled, but work called and she soon forgot about it. Then, after a month, she had a thought.
"Are you hoarding my cottage?"
"No," said the dragon.
"Me?"
"Um..."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

I was out walking, lost in thought, and paid little attention to where I was going. Imagine my surprise when I found myself in the Library of Unwritten Books.
I wasn't allowed to read any of my own unwritten books, but I read one of yours.
It was really good. You should write it.
#MicroFiction #SmallStories #TootFic

"Did you know a teleporter does not send the atoms your body is made of, only how you are put together?"
"Yeah! You are a completely new person when you arrive."
"That's why I'm not using them."
"Are you kidding? That's why I use them!"
#MicroFiction #SmallStories

"I see ghosts."
"Oh?" said the witch. "See them often, do you?"
"Depends on my chores for the day, where I go. They're always in the same places."
"I see. Well. Is that a problem?"
"I wonder... Is it impolite to look at them?"
"Oh. Right. If they don't seek your attention, yes."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories

"So," the medium said, "you think this place is haunted."
"Oh, we know it's haunted," the librarian said. "Every library is. So many readers with unfinished businesses."
"Er... I can't do exorcisms."
"No! They're also patrons. We want you to ask them how we can help them better."
#MicroFiction #SmallStories

The alien fleet waited, undetectable, ready to invade Earth. They'd strike soon. As soon as the humans had finished telling the exciting stories they were telling each other.
Eventually, the invasion was cancelled. The aliens still listen.
Now they call our planet Scheherazade.
#MicroFiction #SmallStories

We noticed a strange pattern in radio signal bursts from a specific location in space. It wasn't just noise.
It started simple with numbers and arithmetic, and built up to more complex concepts.
The final section was: "This is an automated test system. Replies are not monitored."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

** Hugo Award nominations are open. As usual, my work as a whole makes me eligible for "Best Fan Writer", should you feel inclined to nominate me.
Also, "The Princess’ Dragon" - live-written in 30 tweets (my apologies, fediverse - live-writing on multiple platforms was too daunting) over an evening - is eligible for "Best Short Story". http://microsff.com/the-princess-dragon
**

"That's not what I expected," the knight said.
"What?" said the princess. "It's a dragon hoard."
The knight tried to count the dragons cuddling in a pile.
"How?"
"I started with one, then found a couple of strays." The princess shrugged. "I guess I just started collecting them."
#MicroFiction #TootFic #SmallStories

@GargronI'm a big fan of Bodega. :-)