2023 Three Sentence Ficathon - Post #1

[3sfmod]

Welcome to the 2023 Three Sentence Ficathon!
As of 16 Jan 2023 this post is NOW CLOSED TO NEW PROMPTS! PLEASE POST YOUR NEW PROMPTS HERE, IN POST 2! Do continue to fill prompts here but please put all new prompts in Post 2.



This post will remain open for new prompts until we hit 4000 comments, at which point we'll open a new one to avoid captcha as long as possible. New fills and comments on fills will always be welcome.


How to Prompt

Prompts should be one prompt per comment, formatted in this way: fandom, character(s), prompt word/sentence

Example: Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I don't like sand

Prompts may also be open ended, unspecific, or anthropomorphic, such as:

any, any, I don't like sand
or
Earth geography, sand, I don't like humans very much, either

Prompts for relationships are welcome; a / is used for romantic/sexual relationships and an & for platonic. A prompt that uses both means the relationship can be written as either romantic or platonic, such as:

Star Wars, Anakin/&Obi-Wan, I don't like sand

Prompts may be repeated if they are unfilled; there is no obligation to read through every prompt to make sure yours isn't a repeat. This year's 3SF will stay open for new prompts through Sunday, February 12th.

How to Fill

Respond to your chosen prompt with a short fic of three sentences containing the fandom & characters requested!

Prompts can be filled more than once, as many times as someone has a new idea for them.

Notes & Rules

No, fills do not need to be exactly three sentences! It's more of a guideline. Please abuse grammar and punctuation as much as desired.

3SF is a Choose Not to Warn space. Spoiler and content warnings are not required, though writers are free to add them if they please. If you see something you don't like, just scroll until you do!

A Dreamwidth account is not needed to participate. Anonymous prompts/fills are welcome, or you can use Open ID.

Cross-posting is encouraged; there is a 3SF Collection on AO3 if you'd like to post fills there as well.

Note that the comm is searchable! Tick the 'include comments' button when searching to easily find prompts for your chosen fandom/characters.

And most importantly, have fun! If you have questions, check the Sticky Info post and if they're not answered there, head to the Contact the Mods post.

Comments

[elementalraven]

Narnia, any, “role”-swap of … and …

Young!Jadis and her sister travel to Narnia in its Final Days as a Magician's Nephew swap

[last_haven]

"Jadis," her sister whines, tugging on her arm like she's still a toddler, "we shouldn't be here! Say the Word to take us back before something else bad happens!"

Jadis shoves her sister onto the rough floor of the stable they'd appeared in. "You're still just a baby, Lazuli. Don't get in my way." She didn't bother to add Or else because she could already hear her sister sniffling. Instead, she creeps to the stable door and peeks out--there is fighting going on, two sides massacring each other in the sort of glorious combat her father's minstrels would write ballads about. Damn, if only her wand hadn't slipped from her fingers during the jolt of the spell's activation--then she could get out there and have some fun of her own.

She is still tempted to run out there anyway, but her sister's horrified gasp makes her roll her eyes and turn back to snap at her to keep quiet. But in the darkness of the stable, she sees something stir. There isn't a logical reason she missed the presence in the shadows, but even as it steps into the light, her mind reels.

The four reaching arms part the shadows like a curtain and Jadis can see the merciless curved beak and the knowing gaze of something Jadis can only reasonably call a god. No resident of Charn with a lick of sense in their head would believe in gods, but even Jadis knows down to the marrow of her bones that his not some war shaman or elaborate hoax. The being is the sort of god she could believe was worshiped by her ancient ancestors and part of her thinks that if this being showed up in Charn right now, he might still inspire awe.

He clacks his beak together quickly and it sounds like mocking laughter. "You should listen to your sister, little girl," it sneers as it steps past them, heading for the door. "This world is dying and you'll be caught with us if you stay."

And then it is gone and Jadis can only stare after it while Lazuli weeps on the floor. Somehow, her sister picks herself up enough to grab Jadis's hand again. "Sister, please, take us home! We aren't safe here--we should-!"

But Jadis isn't listening. "It said this world is dying. It must be very weak," she murmurs and then her lips stretch into a smirk.

Weakness, after all, was the best way to exploit fools to gain power, and Jadis is very, very good at that.

[elementalraven]

Narnia, any, art

[elementalraven]

Narnia, any, magic

[elementalraven]

Narnia, any, science

[elementalraven]

Narnia, Queen Helen, Helen rules

[arveldis]

“I’ve been thinking about something ever since the coronation,” Frank said, turning to Helen as they lay on the soft grass beneath the twining boughs of the new-grown trees, the bower their people had given to them until their new home could be built.

Helen rolled over onto her side to listen to him, lifting up onto her elbow and propping her head in her hand; her fingers trailed over his new raiment, which he still felt was much too fine for the likes of him, even if he did feel more fit for his newly acquired station in it.

“You’ve always ’ad a ’ead for maths and geography and ’istory and the like, and you can negotiate a right good bargain at the shops, and when you speak, people listen,” he continued, lapsing into his old manner of speech now that it was just the two of them, alone beneath the trees, as they had been back in England in their youth, when they had spent long summer days together exploring the forests and fields of the country, away from the crowded streets of London. “I’m a plain man, always ’ave been and always will be, no matter ’ow many layers o’ finery I’m dressed in and no matter what the Lion said at the coronation, but I’ve always thought that you’re, well, a step above my station, as they say.”

Helen’s fingers stilled upon his chest as she listened, and her expression turned curious.

Frank wrapped his hand around hers as he said with deep earnestness, “I think that you’d make a fine ruler o’ this land, like the ol’ queens o’ England; you have all the wisdom and grace o’ a queen, and there’s no one I’d rather stand at the side o’ than you, Nellie. And the Lion crowned us both, didn’t he? You’ve as much a right to rule over this land as I do.”

Squeezing his hand with a smile, Helen said, “I think that’s a fine plan, and there’s no one I’d rather have at my side,” and she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

[elementalraven]

Narnia, Mabel Kirke, Mabel is drawn to Narnia

[elementalraven]

Narnia, Susan Pevensie, Susan withstands a siege

[last_haven]

In an odd way, it's a blessing that Susan wasn't at Cair Paravel--Cair Nallins isn't as big or grand as her home, but it's lonely spot on the cape makes it a tempting morsel for pirates and raiders who have fallen on hard times since the Narnian navy grew large enough to defend the coast. It's lucky that one of them was at the castle, taking stock of supplies after the long winter and starting to replenish them, and Susan's glad that at least her siblings are not the ones in danger.

Staring out at the raiding ships on the water, knowing that already many of the enemy has disembarked to circle around them and block escape routes, Susan listens to reports and knows what must be done. Cair Nallins is not a military stronghold--it's barely more than a shrine for the local sea gods--and most of the warriors here were actually her guards and escort she brought with her. But, the walls were tall and thick, and there didn't seem to be catapults on the ships, let alone Greek Fire. She just hoped the messenger birds she'd sent would reach her siblings in time.

And in the meantime, she had work to do. "Go over the numbers of barrels of flour we have and calculate how many we will need to hold out before one of my siblings arrive with reinforcements. Once you have figured that out, bring the surplus to the outer gates. Should they charge the hold, light the barrels on fire and roll them in the direction of the attackers--when you do light them, they must be pushed away quickly, or you'll be caught in the explosion, do you understand? Good. Now, go."

She moved on from there, giving orders, and closely watching as the ships crept closer and closer. At last, she heard one of the gates open, a pause, and then an explosion farther off. Hopefully, that would make them think twice about getting close again.

But if it did not...

Susan's grip tightened on her bow, one arrow waiting to be notched; well, if the attackers thought that Susan the Gentle meant Susan the Coward then they were going to get a harsh lesson in underestimating the Narnian queen.

[elementalraven]

Narnia, Susan Pevensie, Susan lays siege

No Posturing, Just Results

[silveradept]

"Rabadash!" Susan shouted cheerfully at the gates of Calormen, "it's been a while since I've seen you without your most charming ass-ets!"

"You won't break us, Queen of Narnia," one of the guards shouted back, "you're weak, you have no water, and your animals will wilt in the desert heat."

"Good thing I sent the wombats in last night, then," Susan replied cheerily, as the unmistakable sound of walls and fortifications succumbing to gravity and the Narnian sappers began to echo throughout the city.

[zimena]

Genshin Impact, Cyno/Alhaitham, "do not think you can escape my judgement"

[zimena]

Genshin Impact, Cyno/Alhaitham, dangerous

[zimena]

Genshin Impact, Cyno/Alhaitham, Akademiya sweethearts

[zimena]

Genshin Impact, any, "since when does that even matter?"

[(Anonymous)]

any, any, Jerry's pizza

Qualifying Round (Catherine/Henry, Northanger Abbey)

[woodmr]

Since Eleanor had a closed press event, Henry and Catherine shared lunch at the nearby food trucks already crammed with other skaters, sponsors, and spectators.

“I wonder who Jerry is?” Catherine mused aloud while they waited in front of a pizzeria’s mobile unit, and the dramatic scenarios they envisioned became so involved that they had to plan another not-a-date to continue the conversation.

---

Skating AU begun during last year's challenge.

[rthstewart]

from this fill, https://threesentenceficathon.dreamwidth.org/1632.html?thread=181600#cmt181600
Anthropomorphic; 3SF, English language and grammar; "I'm gonna kill you."

[(Anonymous)]

"I. Will. Kill. You. All." English seethed as the abuses of its rules battered against it. It always happened more this time of year, with that annoying 3SF thing. At least it wasn't as bad as those handwritten essay exams that happened with great frequency twice a year—those actually broke the rules with painful frequency—but it would still absolutely love to kill every one of those pesky little writers who abused its rules for their own purposes.

[ultra_fic]

any, any, the moon and the stars

Naruto, Izuna/Tobirama, the moon and the stars

[livewareissue]

Tobirama looks at his rival, limned in the light of the moon, and steps back into the shadows.

Some people, like his brother and Madara-sama, burn brightly with the conviction of their passions; while others, like Izuna, are complementary figures - cooler, less likely to burn, a gentler light but still one that dominates the sky.

Tobirama knows himself though, and he does not shine as they shine, he does not attract attention as they do.

For who would look at a star when they could have the moon?

[ultra_fic]

any, any, nobody puts baby in the corner

[ultra_fic]

White Collar/Leverage, any, you didn't see that coming?

[dariaw]

Peter rolled his eyes, saying, "What do you mean someone stole it first - aren't you supposed to be the best?"

"Parker was there," Mozzie said as if that explained everything, and Peter just threw his hands up, confused.

Neal raised an eyebrow and commented, "Peter, you're in charge of White Collar and you've never heard of Parker - that's the funniest thing I've ever heard," as he and Mozzie laughed and avoided Peter's glare.

[ultra_fic]

White Collar, Neal/Sara, happily ever after

White Collar, Neal/Sara, In this life

[sheenianni]

In a hundred other timelines, their story goes a different way. Maybe Sara can't soften up; maybe Neal is too much of a conman to settle down; maybe one or both of them marry other people; maybe one or both die a violent death from a thief, a thug, a cop; maybe, the stars just don't align.

But in this life, they grow old together. They share their joys and woes, failures and triumphs; they welcome three children to the world; they stay together even as the years go by and their faces turn wrinkled and they can barely remember the past anymore. And when Neal kisses his wife's grey hair and closes his eyes the night of their thirtieth wedding anniversary, he knows he wouldn't exchange this life for anything; not for a life of adventure, not for any treasure in the world.

[ultra_fic]

Quantum Leap, Sam, home at last

Quantum Leap

[mxcatmoon]

Sam basked in the familiar surroundings, the faces of the people he loved, and the home he’d missed for so many lonely years while he was traveling through time and space, living other people’s lives and wondering if he’d ever see his own again.

Now they encircled him with their solid physical presence, a fortress of loved ones anchoring him to his own time, his family, laughing and crying and celebrating the victory with him.

“Welcome home, Sam.”

[ultra_fic]

Agent Carter, Peggy & Jarvis, best friends forever

[ultra_fic]

Agent Carter/MCU, Peggy & Tony, Aunt Peg is the best

[zimena]

Genshin Impact, Azar/Alhaitham, traitor

[(Anonymous)]

any, any, ultraviolet

Fill (Original Work)

[swirlsngirls]

There was a reason he always had a few layers on, even in the middle of winter, and he was finally ready to show her. He opened one side of his leather jacket so his bare chest was exposed to the bright sunlight. She watched, fascinated and then horrified as a shimmery haze that seemed to dissipate and re-shape itself every few seconds formed in the air above his skin and he yelled as the sun, sparkling and merciless, burned him, carving red-hot blisters in a line straight down his chest.

[(Anonymous)]

Any, any, aquamarine and ultramarine

[marquisguyun]

Any, any pairing, would-be lovers separated by their sense of duty

[ravenlilyrose]

He loves her and she loves him: that has never been in doubt, not since a brief period of dancing around each other when they were both still teenagers. But Obi-Wan is a Jedi, with a duty to the Republic and its people, and Satine is the leader of her own people, with a duty to them. There is no way they could truly be together unless one or the other relinquishes their position and neither of them will neglect their duty, so he loves her and she loves him, but they can never be together.