Vian Writes Stuff

So, this here is the deck of cards called "Talecraft".

It has 3 different types of cards:

The red sun one is called a "Genre" stack, the blue gender symbols are called "Archetypes", and the yellow key are Key cards.

I've pulled from the stack (after shuffling it, of course) one genre card, two archetype cards, and a key card which will be the prompt.

For the Genre, we have:

For the Archetype:

And for the Key:

So, let me explain what the actual prompt is:

Write a Forbidden Love Horror story with a Chosen One and a Coquettish Woman. You can pick which of the Archetype characters is the main protagonist and which one is the main antagonist. It can be an original story, it can be a fanfic. But, if you want to do this you HAVE to comment here a link to your work so that I can read it (and comment, of course).

So, for information's sake (because Tumblr is still acting weird for me with commenting on my own posts or on other's and also replying to them, I'm going to put the card explanation for the Chosen One card here (since it was hidden behind The Coquette card):

"The Chosen One. Must typically fulfill a prophecy to save mankind. Almost always portrayed as from humble origins, then sometimes discovered as from a noble family. Often portrayed as guided by a Wise Old Man. Examples: Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars, Harry Potter"

Kimberly Hart sat at her desk in her room, the soft vibrant hues of the cloudy afternoon sun basked her room with enough light that she didn’t need to open the lamp by her desk. She sat there for a reason, had been seated at her desk for much of the afternoon already. And, in all honesty, she should have been focusing on the opened textbooks in front of her, on the notebooks strewn haphazardly on her desk, on school assignments demanding her attention. But they ended up all fading to the background, like they were unimportant set pieces. Instead of diving into algebraic equations or historical dates, grammar and the proper use of punctuation, Kimberly found herself lost in a maze of thoughts and emotions as she tapped to a random rhythm with her pen.

It had been a whirlwind these past few months—months that felt like years. A whirlwind of emotions and events. It had been months since she made that brash and reckless action—some would call it a boneheaded move, a social suicide—that ended up destroying her reputation, getting her status as the ‘Queen Bee’ revoked and made her a pariah in school. That led her to a path she never dreamed would even be one possible to trudge on. It was so impossible and fantastical and something straight out of a comic book. It also led her to people—outcasts and misfits, like herself—that she would form a connection with. To people she would call her “family” and would call her theirs.

If she were to be honest, it felt like a lifetime ago. She felt as though the person she was then and the person she was now were from two different alternate universes. And, in the midst of all the drama, all the training and the struggles of trying to morph and the disappointment and frustration that came with failing to do so, witnessing a friend die and be revived, and almost dying herself in the process of defending their town...yeah, she would like to think that she had changed quite a bit. All the Rangers—Jason, Billy, Zack, and Trini—had.

But, in the midst of her thoughts of her journey as the Pink Ranger thus far, there was one thing that stood out to her as clear as daylight: the surprising bond she had forged with Trini Gomez, the Yellow Ranger. It was, if she was being honest, she had never thought Trini would be her closest in their friend group. After all, Trini wasn’t exactly easy to get along with. At least, not from the start.

The lonesome girl had been wary of her, and for good reasons. Still, they did end up getting along and now she considers Trini her best friend and knows the other girl thinks of her that way as well.

Suffice to say, it wasn’t the first time the Yellow Ranger wormed her way into the other girl’s thoughts.

Still, no matter how many times it has happened, it always managed to surprise her. She wasn’t doing it on purpose, so it wasn’t something she comes to expect at times or even sought after. But, regardless, it always had a way of creeping up to her. Sometimes it came slowly and insidiously. Other times it came like a freight train that comes barreling with such unstoppable speed and force. Regardless of how those thoughts invaded, they were always impossible to ignore. There was just something about Trini—her strong sense of individuality and fierce independence, rebelliousness to conforming to societal norms and social hierarchies, the confidence she seemed to carry that belied her years, and the juxtaposition she found with her hardened facade to her soft caring attitude.

She was captivated by the way Trini carried herself; captivated by the way her lips would quirk into a genuine smile—often a rare occasion to others, but one that had become somewhat of a norm recently whenever they have hung out together; captivated by the way Trini had been treating her as of late.

And yet behind that ruggedness that she showed and the lone wolf attitude she had initially portrayed, Kimberly found a multi-faceted girl that drew her in, like a moth to that proverbial flame.

When Trini was with her, Kimberly couldn't shake the feeling of solace and peace she felt. It was like a warm embrace, a fluffy blanket of comforting presence in the midst the hectic chaos that their life had become. At the same time, there was always something lingering—like a spark just about ready to ignite—whenever they interacted, making her feel something akin to an adrenaline rush. Kimberly found herself seeking out Trini's gaze, drawn to the warmth and depth of her brown eyes, deep and soulful.

As the Pink Ranger sat there in her room, she couldn’t help but wonder why she felt that way about Trini. Why did she crave Trini's approval, seek out her company, cherish each interaction they had together? Why did she feel a sense of loss whenever Trini wasn't around. Like a piece of her was, not necessarily incomplete but, missing? It wasn’t like that with the other Rangers. And, to be honest, she doesn’t remember it being the same way with anybody else. Well, there was somebody else, but that was before he cheated on her and—

—And then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit her.

This undeniable attraction she felt towards Trini was more than just admiration, more than just respect. It felt like it had morphed—pardon the pun—from something more than just friendship and a sense of camaraderie. It was now something deeper, more profound; something simple but yet oh so complicated. Something she had never felt before with another girl.

She had feelings for Trini. Feelings that went beyond platonic, more than just mere friendship.

The thought terrified her. Her mind couldn’t quite wrap itself around such an epiphany. She had never considered herself anything but straight. She had never entertained nor imagined the thought of being attracted to another girl, much more falling in love with one. But, as she sat there in her mess of a room it, strangely and jarringly, made undeniable sense to her, like puzzle pieces being put in quick succession into place.

It frightened her as much as it elated her. It made her heart skip a bit and thundered between her rib cage. Her chest constricting and breath hitching at the realization of her own desires; of acknowledging the possibility of her own queerness and sexuality and of the path her heart had suddenly decided to open up for her.

As she wrestled with these conflicting emotions, she caught glimpse of the photo she had tacked on the wall near her desk: the photo of the Power Rangers, taken as a group, during the celebratory campfire they had after Rita’s defeat. Her eyes gravitated and fixated themselves on Trini standing next to her in the photograph, grinning widely, skin glowing with the light of the campfire’s flames, and memories of her interactions with the shorter girl flooded her mind—from their first exchange and the chase that followed and every memory since.

But one memory stood out above all others: that night at the campfire.

In the midst of Zack’s suggestion to share about themselves—a proposition that irked Kimberly at that time despite what merits may be gained, what with not wanting to talk about the whole Amanda-thing and the shame that came with what she had done—in the hopes that they would trust each other more and be able to morph, Kimberly witnessed the strength and resilience beneath the tough exterior of one Trini Gomez. She saw the vulnerability and uncertainty hidden behind Trini’s bravado. After all, it takes quite a lot of courage to speak up about one’s insecurities the way the shorter girl had.

In that moment, Kimberly had felt a sense of awe and wonder at Trini, whom she initially thought was just someone with a lot of pent up rage and angst personified in such a small body. She felt something begin to form with the Yellow Ranger and with her desire to try and emulate such strength and get to know Trini further, get her to share more, to open up more.

That connection solidified itself and grew into actual friendship when Trini pulled her locker door out of its hinges after it had been vandalized and had offered her own locker for Kimberly to use. It was an act that she didn’t think she would be receiving from anyone. Certainly not something Trini would instigate without much egging. Granted, she didn’t know much about the girl at that time, but up until then Trini was pretty much aloof with her. They talked, yes, but she didn’t get a sense that the girl had any desire to be protective of her outside of their training until that moment. So, yes, that had come as a surprise. So much so that she distinctly remembered herself being at a loss for words.

And now, as Kimberly sat there in her room, her heart heavy and wrestling with longing and uncertainty, she couldn’t help but wonder what it now all meant for her. Did she really crave for something more? It did feel that way. Did she want to do something about it? More importantly, does Trini feel the same way? Does she want to risk what she had with Trini in favor of what they could have if the feeling was mutual? What would her parents say? What would everyone think? So many questions, one after the other, bubbled up to the forefront of her mind.

Any other day and those questions would have been ones she would be avoiding for weeks, pushing it to the back of her mind in favor of what little bit of normalcy was left in her life. After all, things were changing too fast, she wanted to slow down a bit. But now, there was nothing to occupy her mind with. It was simply fixated on the possibilities that lay before her...that was, if Trini did feel the same way.

And, she knew she was reckless. She knew it was, perhaps, her fatal flaw. Her recklessness was often tied to her emotional state—on what she was feeling at the moment and that energy being converted into some spontaneous action. It was that recklessness that often landed her into all sorts of messes in the past, and would no doubt continue to do so in the future. Especially when she does something without fully analyzing the consequence her actions would bring to herself or to others.

It was that sudden impulsiveness that had Kimberly reach for her phone, unlock it, and with trembling fingers type out and send a message to Trini without so much as second guessing what she was doing.

“Hey Trini, can we talk? It’s important.”

Yeah, if things went south, she could blame it on that. Or own up to it with the fact that one of the things she had learned with this whole ordeal with Rita was she shouldn’t take things for granted; that when the time to act came, she must be decisive about it, act on it. No regrets. Because you only live once, and once should be enough.

As recent as the revelation of her feelings for her best friend was, Kimberly felt it was time for her to come into terms with them, to explore them, to understand them and herself. And who better to do that with than Trini? She just hoped the other girl felt the same way.

As the three dots appeared on her messenger signifying Trini writing a message, Kimberly felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins.

Yes, this was uncharted territory for her. She didn’t know where this would lead her. It was the same with becoming the Pink Ranger and, well, she’d like to think she handled that as well as it she could—maybe even better than she think she would, all things considered.

Yeah, positive thoughts and all that.

With that thought in mind, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, only opening them when her phone notified her of Trini’s reply.

As the days after defeating Rita Repulsa passed in Angel Grove, Trini found herself constantly wrestling with her emotions. The peace that had settled over the city allowed her the time to truly delve into her thoughts and reflect on everything that has happened so far—from moving to Angel Grove, being caught in and surviving an explosion and later finding her Yellow Power Coin, surviving a car crash unscathed, forcefully being thrown over a cliff and down an underground pool that is hiding a spaceship and learning she was chosen to be one of the Power Rangers, training, fighting an alien menace hellbent on destruction and revenge, and everything in between. Yet, no matter from which angle she reminisced, her thoughts always seemed to circle back to one Kimberly Ann Hart. The Pink Ranger had effortlessly become a core part of Trini's life, and it both thrilled and terrified her. One afternoon, Trini sat in her room. There was no training to be had, no school-related activity to be done, no family responsibilities to take care of. It was just an afternoon all for herself with the sun casting a warm glow through the window. She held a photo of the Power Rangers, the team smiling brightly at the camera, that was taken during their celebratory campfire after defeating Rita. Her gaze lingered on Kimberly, her heart swelling with a mix of fondness and longing that shouldn't have caught her by surprise but did. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks—she was in love with her best friend. The fear that gripped Trini was suffocating. She feared ruining the delicate balance of their friendship, of losing the closeness they had developed. And, most of all, she feared Kimberly not feeling or swinging the same way; that she was just going to make a fool of herself if she confessed. The thought of rejection and loss made her stomach churn with anxiety. The "what ifs"—the consequence of being rejected, the fear of being laughed at, of what it could do to them, of being alone again—plagued her and made her feel like she was one step away from a full blown panic attack. But she knew something has got to give—was bound to give—and knew she couldn't keep this to herself for much longer. Trini knew that the weight of her unspoken feelings would only continue to grow until it consumed her entirely; that it would spring forth unbidden one time without much of her control nor foresight, like a volcanic eruption that is both catastrophic and mesmerizing to watch; a force of uncontrollable nature. It was a terrifying prospect, and not one that was new to her. After all, it was one of the reasons—many, her mother would say—as to why she had been forced to move to Angel Grove in the first place, upending her life once again. And even though she had sworn off ever feeling this way again, here she was, mind overtaken by thoughts of a girl. Her mom would definitely freak more than her coming to that realization if she finds out. But, the thing about almost dying and of thinking about a future that would force them to be heroes once again should anyone threaten the peace they had fought to achieve had Trini realizing yet another thing: that life was, simply, too short to not dare and dream and want and hope and love. Not long after that thought struck her did her phone pinged with a notification. She placed the photo she was holding down and replaced it with her phone that she took from her bedside table where she had left it to charge. Kim's name, and small profile photo, greeted her along with the message she sent. It was just a single line of text, but it was enough to make the cogs in her mind run on overtime.

"Hey Trini, can we talk? It's important," the message read.

Trini wonders if this was a sign from the universe. She wonders if it was a good sign or a bad omen. Was the universe pushing her to do it?

Taking a deep breath, she made a decision then. She would tell Kimberly how she felt, regardless of the outcome or what that "something important" Kim wanted to talk to her about was. She just hoped—prayed, really, to any god that might be listening—that it won't wreck their friendship. She doesn't want to be dramatic—she never was—but she honestly felt she wouldn't be able to take if it does. She would rather be stuck in a crazy time loop fighting Rita again and again by herself than lose the one thing in her life that made everything better. "I'll be there in a few," she texted back. That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Trini found herself standing outside Kimberly's house, looking up at her bedroom window. She took a moment to gather her courage before landing on the flat abutment near Kim's dormer window. Another deep intake of breath and she was knocking on the pane of her best friend's window. When Kimberly opened it with a smile gracing her lips, Trini felt her resolve falter for a moment. "Hey, Trini," Kimberly greeted, her brown eyes a mixture of emotions that played too fast for the shorter girl to grasp. "I'm glad you came." Trini took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. "Well, you said it was important. And I...I also have something important I wanted to tell you. Don't think it could wait either." Kimberly's smile faded for a moment. It made Trini feel guilt at being the cause of it. She stepped aside and invited Trini over the window saying, "Well then, come in." As they settled in Kimberly's room, Trini felt the weight of her confession pressing down on her. Kim quirked another smile that was bordering on playful, "So...should you go first, or should I?"

Trini knew that if she didn't go first, she would lose all resolve she had mustered and so she willed herself to volunteer to speak first. Whether Kim was surprised by that or not, she didn't show it. Her face was a mask of smile that Trini chose to interpret as encouraging.

She took another deep breath—which did nothing to calm the loud beating of her heart and the pounding in her ears—and met Kimberly's gaze, her voice steady but filled with vulnerability.