#xkcd No. 3316
Date: 2026-10-26
Title: Siege Engine
Alt text: They initially thought the containment structure alone would be sufficient, but for good measure they decided to include the Elephant's Foot inside.
https://xkcd.com/3316/

Hold up kid. Pop that slot; no chips, no exceptions. Haha no—you made it yourself is no exception. The spinal ward at General is full of skaters who had their agent code up a skillsoft for some new trick. You ride these trails barebrain or you ride somewhere else.

#Tootfic #MicroFiction #PowerOnStoryToot #Title_Skill_Issue

RE: https://mas.to/@Jgbird/117509624638185626

Speed. I am speed.

@futzle

🎶Store dilithium crystals in the galley sink 🎵
🎶Give a pair of borg drones a seductive wink🎵
🎶Let your Padawan surrender to rage and hate🎶
🎵Park your starship too close to an Alderson gate🎶
🎶Dumb ways to die-ie-ie so many dumb ways to die🎶

ETA: context https://youtu.be/IJNR2EpS0jw

It's Drawtober the 26th and the prompt is Cauldron. I'm going a bit lateral here, because it's Kambarang, heading to second Spring, and not Autumnal at all, and my prompt list is Autumn themed.

When I was in primary school, in the late 70's it was decided by the powers that be that some campfire activities would happen. So we made damper, and Mum gave me a small piece of steak to wrap in foil and a potato to likewise wrap in foil and bake in the school fire coals.

It was great! I decided to make a billy for myself at home. So I got a baked bean can and asked Mum if I could have a wire coathanger, and spent an industrious afternoon getting the wire to the right length and boring holes in the billy to put the wire through.

I felt very accomplished at the end of it and my mum, grandmother and sister were all a bit startled that it turned out so well I think.

As a child, being able to make a practical object, that could be used over time, felt great. I hope all children experience what I did then.

Anyrate, in the old times, in Nyoongar country, this is the time to be moving toward the sea. The billycan was taken up with enthusiasm by swagmen and Nyoongar travellers alike, and billy tea was famous across Australia wide.

How to make billy tea. Get the fire going, unless it's fire ban time. Fill your billycan with water and put it over the fire. Onces it's boiling, cheer and put in enough loose black tea and a gumleaf (eucalyptus leaf) or two depending on how big your billy is. Don't mistake poisonous leaves for gum leaves, leave it out if you can't tell a gum tree from a 1080 bush.

Let it boil a couple of minutes and then take it off the fire. You can swing it around vertically ostensibly to settle the leaves and disperse the flavour if you like but you don't have to risk covering yourself and others in boiling tea if you don't want to.

Add milk if you want/have it, add sugar if you want/have it and enjoy.

I enjoyed the memories, and the colours drawing this. Ink and wash, dip and Diamine all the way. Kakimori steel nib and the glass dip. Inks are br Pick Me Up, Upon A Star, Salted Caramel, Spiced Apple, Fruit Cocktail, Sugar Snap, Wishing Tree, Fortune's Gold, and Lemon & Lime.

#NoAI #DrawingWithoutANet #FountainPenInk #DipPen #InkAndWash #Drawtober #Drawtober2026 #OriginalArt

@rdm @leece I wrote a short story once called "The Crocodile Twins" about twins who get kidnapped/adopted by a crocodile... One twin sleeps beneath the crocodile's tongue and the other rides in its mouth, holding onto its teeth. Eventually their real father rescues them. I wrote it as a folktale to go with a community in a novel I wrote...

Anyway! Just to say, this crocodile has kin in other things I've written :-)

The crocodile king was resting on the mud, contemplating with bewilderment the curly-haired boy stretched out beside him. The boy's skinny legs waved in the air by the end of the king's snout, and the boy's face was right beside the king's left eye. The boy's own brown eyes were reflected in that amber orb. With one hand, the boy was #stroking the ridge above the king's eye.

"Kitty, kitty, good kitty," he was saying.

What a strange, confused child, thought the king.

#wss366 #microfiction

The Fascist next door

There is a low fence between our properties. Every year he would pass a shopping bag of tomatoes to me in high summer, and I would give him apples later in the year. We talked about the weather mostly. It was polite but reserved. He would choose his words carefully, guardedly.

What did he think, I wondered? It was a thought I always had. What was behind the politeness? But I could never see.

When the government changed, things changed. That year, I still got the bag of tomatoes. He said the summer was looking good. Not too hot, I said.

The next week, someone threw red paint on my house. The blood of my people's crimes. He came home to me painting the wall, and walked quietly past me with his head down, saying nothing.

Our conversations grew shorter and more awkward, until eventually they stopped. Later in the year, as I gathered the apples from the tree, I knew I would not offer him some. The attempt at connection would only increase distance.

That year was also when the first flagpole went up in our street, and the national flag fluttered busily in the breeze.

Then it seemed a flag was going up every month. A house here, a house there. My neighbour wasn't the last to put up a flag, but it didn't matter. It wasn't long before every house except mine was flying one.

One flag was not enough. One person added the Party flag to their pole, and like students standing up for the teacher, all the houses fell in line.

I am looking out my window at the flags flapping silently on the other side of the double glazing. Each one of them is a tiny surrender. A sign that the house behind the flag will comply.

If things get worse, they will not help.

Maybe they think "it's just a flag". They don't need the trouble. Maybe they tell themselves if things get serious, then they will take action. Of course they will. They know they are good people.

Here he is, walking up the drive into his house. He looks relaxed and safe. It's like he doesn't see the red paint on my wall.

Yes I am angry with him. Did all those meaningless conversations about the rain or wind count for nothing?

Was he always a fascist?

Or is he still the same? Polite when that is expected, obedient when that is expected.

And if one day the Party is gone, he will offer me a bag of tomatoes again, because that is what neighbours do in the polite times.

#microfiction

A post-party mess. The little robot vacuum slid around the penthouse apartment cleaning up crumbs, champagne, and broken glass.

The music had been loud enough to rattle its bristles, rowdy laughter had assaulted its sensors. Then there'd been a torn sleeve. Sobbing. Stumbling steps.

Now there was its owner, the cause of the sobs by the balcony. One little scoot, a little scooch, under one foot, the other. The trash screamed all the way down.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #Writing #TerylsTales #SciFi

Okay so today's #Drawtober 's prompt is 'Mask'. So I thought, aha, I have a photo I took of a Masked Lapwing over on Wadjemap, but then I did a bit more research and it turns out that the bird I saw was a Banded Lapwing, soooo behold, it is an Unmasked Lapwing.

I used the glass nib, the Rotring Art pen and a water brush. Inks used were whatever is in the Rotring, and a bunch of pretty Diamine colours Brandy Dazzle, Bucks Fizz and Bubbly.

#DrawingWithoutANet #WildOz #Bird #Drawtober #FountainPen #FountainPenInk #NoAI #Art #Drawtober #Drawtober2026

RE: https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xwg24vshr4rskn3hz5ztjzhq/post/3mypdb3yc6k24

So, unless I read this wrong, there are a bunch of biochemists proposing breeding potatoes to boost their production of heat-stable tranquilizers.

Ladies, gentlemen, other folk of distinction, this is how #Reavers come about.

#Firefly #Serenity #SFF

"Fare thee well, brave knight." I waved a silk hankie.

Clanking platemail almost drowned out the reply. "If it please you, wish me a farewell, lady."

"Fare thee well. Again." I raised my voice. "Shouldst thou #perish, I shall—"

"No, my armour's already polished, thank you."

I gritted my teeth. "I said, shouldst thou perish—"

"What? I'm invading a kingdom, not a parish!"

I drew a deep breath and shrieked, "Begone!"

#MastoPrompt #MicroFiction

@ami_angelwings
Dear Aunt Rose,

I am a respected professional in my field, with a global reputation, and my exploits have been reported in newspapers across the planet.

Lately however, instead of a thrilling chase and daring escape when I am interrupted in my work by some rich idiot in a cape, all that happens is I am given a small nod, and handed a business card for Lady Miller's Memorial Catgirl Trust.

It is hurting my pride in my work and my professional reputation.

What can I do to salvage my career?

-Lady Felis

Dear Lady Felis,

It is rare for me to receive a letter to my personal desk without my knowing. Please consider me duly impressed.

Further, I would like to say that you a hero and role model for my daughter. She will be thrilled to know you have chosen to contact me personally.

However, you have come to me for advice.

Given the nature of your work, I doubt that attempting to reason with your counterpart would be helpful. However, you might find it useful to speak with the Trust directly. I imagine your skills would be of considerable use to them. Perhaps some sort of honourary membership could be arranged?

Lastly, I note that there is a small chain missing from my collection. I trust we can arrive at a reasonable settlement for its return.

-Aunt Rose

See also: https://aus.social/@rdm/115469533737433713

And please pay no attention the rasp marks where the serial numbers were.

25th of Owltober!
Luta the Eastern Screech Owl suffered a broken wing that wouldn't heal well enough for him to return to the wild. The good news is he became an Ambassador at Ohio Wildlife Center. Want to donate to OWC? https://ohiowildlifecenter.org/donate Source: https://fb.com/1514376434068912 #owlsintowels 💛🦉

you’re telling me there’s Vallium in these fries

I’m gonna need some right now idc if it’s 6am

Time to make mention of a local business who have possibly the most ludicrously long legitimate website and domain name I have seen in many, many years:

Congratulations to https://thewestaustraliansandalwoodnutcompany.com.au

(They also happen to have yummy native foods, but we're all about the crazy long domain name here.)

They could have shortened it in any number of ways, but decided, no, this was a day for violence, and spelled out everything. You shall use proper English here.

#DNSAbuse

Tails of Lady Miller's Memorial Catgirl Trust: Catgirl Column

Dear Abby, p48, National Daily Times, xx October xxxx .

Dear Abby,
I have a catgirl in my class. How do I talk to her?
Curious, London

Dear Curious,
The important thing to remember is that catgirls are just people. Treat them like you would like to be treated yourself, and you will not do too badly.
-Abby

Dear Abby,
A pair of catgirls have moved in next to me. Should I be worried?
Concerned, Stoat.

Dear Concerned,
Not at all. Catgirls are just people. You should be no more worried than if any other minority group moved in. If this is a problem for you, however, it is more likely to be a 'you' issue, and you should probably examine your own prejudices.
-Abby

Dear Abby,
My cousin is dating a catgirl. Do I need to do anything?
Confused, Liverpool.

Dear Confused,
The best person to ask is the person your cousin is dating. According to the Lady Miller's Memorial Catgirl Trust website, all catgirls are different, and may have different requirements. Like most people, the best expert on them is themselves.
-Abby

Dear Abby,
I think there is an illegal catgirl laboratory next door. What do I do?
Worried, Hampstead.

Dear Worried,
Contact Lady Miller's Memorial Catgirl Trust at once. They will know what to do.
-Abby.

Dear Abby,
I was turned into a catgirl eight years ago, and lost my memory. Research by the Trust has uncovered that I used to have a human family, but they believe me to be dead. What should I do?
Not Dead, Miller Estate.

Dear Not Dead,
That is both terrible and wonderful news. I suggest you seek out a professional counsellor and have them help you through your thoughts. I will say that your family will be missing you, even if you have no memories of them, so do consider making contact. If you do, do make sure that you have the relevant medical records ready, as they will at some point need proof.
Good luck.
-Abby

Dear Abby,
I am a catgirl, and there I have a human friend I think is interested in me. I think I might be interested in them, too, but how do I make sure that it isn't just a fetish thing. For either of us?
Maybe in Love, Miller Estate.

Dear Maybe,
Be honest with them, and let them know your concerns. No matter what, in any relationship of any kind, good communication is the key. If you both remember that, you will be in a good place.
-Abby.

#Catgirls #SF #SFF #microfiction #tootfic #microfic #IAmWriting

For, as always, @ami_angelwings .

Magnum Ötzi

Drawtober 24. The prompt here is 'candy'. It's thought that in early to mid spring, so it's a bit past that now, that Nyoongar people might have made cuts in the bark of the jam tree, or Mangart, to encourage the outwelling of its edible, sweet sap for collection in the hot Birak and Burnulu times later in the year.

When cut the wood is sweet, fruity smelling.

I haven't damaged my tree, I'm going to let it give me sap if it wants to, at this stage.

Drew this with the Pelikano and Van Diemen's August 2024 Ink.

#NyoongarSeasons #DrawingWithoutANet #FountainPen #FountainPenInk #NoAI #FountainPens #Drawtober #Drawtober2026

"What are these?" Death asked the man in the sawmill.

"These? They're #planks in the political platform of that candidate who's the apostle of the billionaires."

"I see," said Death. "Well I have to ask: do you know how to /build/ a platform?"

"... Not really."

"Then let me help you. It should have the form of a narrow bed with walls. It should also have a lid. When the candidate comes to collect it, have him lie in it. Then put on the lid. I'll take care of the rest."

#wss366 #microfiction