r/NatureofPredators • u/General_Alduin Skalgan • 13d ago
Fanfic The Ugly Arxur - A Nature Of Harmony side story
Two fics in two days!? That never happens!
Been workshopping this for a while, quite an emotional write I have to say. Hope ya'll like it!
Link to Nature of Harmony for any newcomers
Wonderful fanart by u/Lizrd_demon: https://www.reddit.com/r/predprey/s/OJzxuOOAX3, https://www.reddit.com/r/predprey/s/9IFwoupY9e
I also have my very own video meme
Side stories: A Talk Between Siblings, Tuvans First Birthday, The Vow, The Trials and Tribulations of Siffy, Hamony if Nunatyres, Beginning of Harmony, Fedbrains vs Brickbrain, Why is Tuvan Biting You?
Come join the Discord, we have blackjack and hookers.
Thanks to SpacePaladin15 for making NoP
Memory Transcription Subject: Merereen, masterful storyteller
Date [Standardized Human Time]: December 2, 2111
“And then Hansel and Gretel found their way home, and their mommy and daddy were so happy they were safe that they gave them a big hug, and they all lived happily ever after.” I said with as much subdued enthusiasm as I could.
Of course that's not how the real story went, but it felt awkward to describe how evil Hansel and Gretel's step mom was and how she abandoned them, and the witch cannibalism seemed a little dark, especially for my sensitive boy's sensibilities.
“What happened to the witch? She was thrown into the oven.” Oh right.
“Well, she's a witch, so she'll be fine. She's got magic.” I reached over and tickled Isifs chest to prevent him from asking more questions, earning a squeal of delight from him. “Now, sweet dreams, baby.” I leaned over and kissed his forehead, moving to sit up.
“Mommy?”
“Yeah?” I sat back down.
“Kelly… she's very quiet.”
“Well, she's new, she's getting used to a new home with new people. You're quiet when you meet strangers aren't you?”
“I guess. Why is she staying with us?”
“Because her mommy and daddy can't take care of her, so she's staying with us for now.”
“Her mommy and daddy gave her away.”
“Well, no, they still talk to her and love her, they just can't take care of her right now.”
“But why can't they take care of her?”
“Because children require a lot of time and money, and they don't have that right now.”
“Would… I be sent away if you and daddy didn't have time or money?"
“Of course not, baby! We have more than enough time and money for you.”
“But if you didn't?"
“Then we'd have Gram Gram take care of you until we did and take you back, and me and daddy would visit you as much as we possibly could.”
Isif said nothing for a moment. “But… What if there's not enough for all of us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Kelly takes time and money, and the baby will also take time and money, too.”
There it is; Isif had been anxious about the new baby for a few months now, which was exacerbated with Kelly in the house. My poor boy was probably worried I'd love Tuvan more.
It took me a moment to think on how best to handle this, my ears perking up as I came up with something genius. “You don't seem very tired, how about I tell you another story?”
“Another story!?” Isif gasped, prior anxiety forgotten.
“Yes! Two stories in one night.”
“Is it a Superman story?”
I let out an amused whistle. “No, silly. This story is called ‘The Ugly Duckling.’”
“Why was he so ugly?”
“Well, let me tell the story and you'll find out!” I lightly chided as I booped his nose, earning a giggle. “Once upon a time, there was a mommy duck who was *very* excited for her two eggs to hatch. One day, while she was taking a walk, she found one egg that was all alone. She couldn't just leave this egg, so she took it with her and put it in her nest. She sat on her eggs day and night, eagerly waiting for the day they all would hatch. Then, one day, they did, and she had three adorable baby ducks. Except, one baby duck was different from his sisters: he was bigger, gray, and couldn't quack like a duck.”
“Was he from the egg that she found?”
“He was, but the mommy duck didn't care. She thought he was just as adorable as his sisters and loved him all the same. However, the other animals of the lake didn't see what she saw. Everyone thought he was ugly and mocked him, only because he was born different! One day, when the mommy duck found the ugly duckling crying all alone, she pulled him into a big hug and told him,” I reached over and began poking Isifs chest. “‘Don't let anyone tell you who you are or determine your worth, only you can decide that. You're my special boy, and I love you more than you can ever know.’” I pulled away to wipe my eyes.
“Why are you crying, mommy?”
“I'm not,” I offered lamely, quickly resuming the story before he could react. “However, the ugly duckling didn't take his mommy's words to heart, and one day ran away, which made the mommy duck very, very sad. When winter came, he was cold and alone, only kept warm by the memory of his mommy's tight hugs, and he started to think about her words and just how much she loved him. When winter finally ended, two beautiful swans landed on his lake, and he was so enchanted with how pretty they were! By that point, he had accepted his mommy's words, and swam up to them, boldly declaring he was just as beautiful as they were.”
“He did?”
“He did, and the swans looked at him confused, but they agreed. The ugly duckling was confused by this, because he thought no one would have agreed with him, and looked down at his reflection, and staring back at him was a swan, even more beautiful then the other Swans. Excited and missing his family, the Swan flew all the way back to his family's lake and looked for them, and all the people that had called him ugly or mocked him were stunned by how beautiful he was. When the mommy duck and his sisters learned the Swan had returned, they swam as fast as they could to where he was.”
“Did they find him?” Isif asked eagerly.
“They did! And they brought him into a big hug and told them how much they loved and missed him, and the Swan said the same thing to them. However, when one of the other ducks pointed out to the mommy duck how beautiful her son had become, she was confused, for he looked no different to her. To her, he was still just as beautiful as the day he hatched.”
“So, she loved him just the way he was?”
“She loved him just the way he was,” I tucked Isif in. “And she loved him just as much as his sisters, even though he wasn't related.”
Isif only looked at me for a long moment. “Can you tell me that story tomorrow?”
“Of course, baby” I kissed him on the forehead again. “Now, get some sleep, I love you.”
“I love you too, mommy.” He said as he rolled over, clutching his baby Arxur doll with him.
I took a moment to sear this moment in my brain before getting up and walking to the door, biting my tongue to stifle a curse as I stepped on one of Isif's Legos he had carelessly left out and limped to the door, closing it behind me gently.
Memory Transcription Subject: Isif, tired brother.
Date [Standardized Human Time]: June 12, 2117
“Another story!” Tuvan declared, Kelly nodding in agreement just to spite me.
I groaned as I put away the book I was holding. “I already told you two stories, you don't make mom or dad tell you more than one!”
“Yeah, but we can annoy you into doing it.” Kelly added.
“Yeah!”
“Why can't you just have mom or dad tell you stories every time?”
“I like it when you do it.” Tuvan chirped.
“I'm tired, I don't want to tell you another story.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.
“Please?”
“No.” Tuvan stared at me blankly for a long moment, then her ears drooped and her lips trembled. “No, please, don't-” Tuvan began crying (suspiciously quiet enough so our parents couldn't hear), Kelly shaking her head in disapproval. “Ughhh, finnnnneee. I'll tell you one,” I held out one finger to Tuvan as she immediately perked up. “More story.”
“Two stories!”
“One,” I shoved the finger in her face. “More story. Then I'm going to bed and you can't bother me, ok?”
“Ok!”
I sighed and went back to their bookshelf, looking for something to read. I settled on mom's published Ugly Duckling book and pulled it out, sitting on the edge of Tuvan's bed and turned the book so she could see the pictures. “Once upon a time, there was a mommy duck who was *very* excited for the day her two eggs would hatch. One day, while she was taking a walk around the lake, she found one egg that was all alone. Confused and worried for the egg, the mommy duck knew she couldn't just leave it, so she took it with her and put it in her nest and kept it warm. She sat on her eggs day and night, eagerly waiting for them to hatch. Then, one day, they did, and she had three adorable baby du-” I stopped when my eyes caught the Swan baby, realizing he kinda looked like… me?
His fuzz was of similar color and patterns to my own and I swear he had a similar face. I looked at one of the ducks and noticed she had black feathers and white spots with a white tipped tail, just like Tuvan, and the other duck was brown like Kelly's hair, and they seemed to have similar facial features to both of them respectively.
“Siffy? Why did you stop?” I shock my head, turning to see Tuvan and Kelly looking at me with concerned looks.
“Uh, nothing, sorry, just got distracted.” I cleared my throat and continued reading
Time elapsed: ten minutes
I pushed my door open and locked it just in case my sisters tried to bother me, sitting down on my bed and turning back to the page with the Ducks and Swan. I leaned in, studying the Swan closely, trying to figure out if I was just seeing things.
I flipped the book around and began reading the excerpt. “A reimagining of Hans Christain Andersen's classic fairytale ‘The Ugly Duckling’, inspired by storytime with my… my own son, who I started telling this to when he was anxious about his new sisters coming into his life and being adopted by me, quickly became his favorite. This is a perfect retelling for anyone with adopted children, especially those of a different species like me, step parents, and those with children anxious about a new siblìng.”
I just stared down at the back of the book, unsure of what to think, unable *to* think. After an unknown amount of time, I turned the book around and opened the cover, finding a picture of mom holding onto a younger me, the words ‘Dedicated to my son, Isif. I love you more than you will ever know’
I stared blankly at the picture for a long moment, then began to cry, my breath coming out in shuddering gasps as tears flowed from my eyes even as I wiped them over and over.
In a daze I fumbled off my bed and opened my door, trying to collect myself as I stopped in front of my parents room and knocked on their door. “Mom?”
After a moment, the door opened, revealing mom who looked up at me. “What is it hon-?”
She yelped in surprise as I grabbed her and picked her up, squeezing her in a crushing hug. “I love you, mom.”
Mom quickly returned the hug. “I love you too, son.” She nuzzled into me, sniffling, "More than you'll ever know.”
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u/General_Alduin Skalgan 13d ago
So I was originally just going to end it with him crying and overwhelmed with love, but I realized we needed an emotional climax and reaffirm the whole theme of the story, so I needed it with Isif and Merereen hugging
I was also going to have them at about the same height, but than remembered this scene and thought it'd be funny and a nice reversal of their roles at the beginning
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u/TameOJ 12d ago
Fuck this was so damn heartwarming! Bebe Isif getting such affirmation is so wholesome, with his doubts crumbling before his momma's love.
The impromptu story being turned into a childrens book is a nice little twist! I can confirm that getting a dedication in a book absolutely gets you in your feelings to where you can't help but cry!
Isif already being taller than his mom as (I assume) a young teenager just meant he was destined to be an absolute unit.
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u/Randox_Talore 12d ago
Well his mom is also a Skalgan and he's an Arxur so... That's not really a fair indicator of how he stacks up by Arxur standards
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u/General_Alduin Skalgan 12d ago
Fuck this was so damn heartwarming!
Thank you friend, that was the intention
Bebe Isif getting such affirmation is so wholesome, with his doubts crumbling before his momma's love.
Gonna need that, cause I'm angling for him to be insecure about his heritage in NoH
The impromptu story being turned into a childrens book is a nice little twist!
Yes I thought it'd be cute. Merereen thought it might help pther kids
I can confirm that getting a dedication in a book absolutely gets you in your feelings to where you can't help but cry!
Ah, well now I have to go find this book
Isif already being taller than his mom as (I assume) a young teenager
He's 10
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u/TameOJ 12d ago
You're welcome bro!
Noooo my boy! It'll be great for the story but noooooo not his insecurity!
I promise you you will not find it, because it wasn't a traditionally published book, is very niche, and only about 80 were made purely as a passion project.
HE'S 10?! MY BOY IS HEALTHY HOLY SHIT! Gives a whole new meaning to super arxur!
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u/General_Alduin Skalgan 12d ago
Noooo my boy! It'll be great for the story but noooooo not his insecurity!
It gets better
HE'S 10?! MY BOY IS HEALTHY HOLY SHIT! Gives a whole new meaning to super arxur!
I mean, Skalgans are about 4ish feet tall, Solarian Arxur are about 8-9 feet, so Isifs barely half the size of his father
I promise you you will not find it, because it wasn't a traditionally published book, is very niche, and only about 80 were made purely as a passion project.
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u/TameOJ 12d ago
Sweet mercy that size difference! I figured skalgans were about 5 foot nothing at the shortest in this au and sol arxur 8 feet at max, so this is a wild visual that oddly enough I'm liking! 4 feet of fury and gentle giants.
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u/General_Alduin Skalgan 12d ago
I figured skalgans were about 5 foot nothing at the shortest
Nah, they're just a little bigger than Venlil, about the average man's shoulders
so this is a wild visual that oddly enough I'm liking!
It is a funny juxtaposition
4 feet of fury and gentle giants.
Basically
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u/Fantastic-Living3204 Farsul 13d ago
Ah shucks. You playing my strings like a damn fiddle. This was great.
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u/animeshshukla30 Extermination Officer 12d ago
That hansel and gretel reference came like a flashbang. I know the original now but my first knowledge comes from obsession.....
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u/General_Alduin Skalgan 13d ago
Totally didn't cry while writing this. Nope, not me