bakerstreet | MUSE BY SENTENCE MEME

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MUSE BY SENTENCE MEME

muse by sentence meme
Tell a story in one sentence

Inspired by our muse community musebysentence . We know that not everyone is interested in joining comms, so we thought we would host a meme based on our community concept and if it is successful, possibly make it a monthly thing.

If anyone enjoys the meme, they are welcome to join us on a regular basis at musebysentence , where we offer weekly prompts for muses with open membership. Muses tell their stories in a single sentence about any facet of their life, with first person or third person stories welcome. Sentence stories can be a stand-alone post as merely a snapshot of your character's life, or also act as kick-offs for open RP in response to the sentence like other like RP comms out there, which is our premise for this meme today.

Sometimes, a single sentence can paint a bigger picture. Select from one of the 100 prompts below from our prior prompt sets and write a single sentence story for your muse as your starting point. It can literally be about anything. It can be in first person to kick off a conversation, or third person to kick off a whole scene. The choice is up to you. Snapshot a tiny piece of your character's life and others are welcome to tag replies to it.

Alternatively, much in the spirit of TFLN, you may prefer to "borrow" a sentence for a starting point from www.onesentence.org that suits your character. If you do, please just note at the bottom of the post a credit to this site so we are aware it's not your own original work just out of courtesy. If a sentence is your own work, no need to add any credits.

RULES:
♦ Leave a comment with your character's name, fandom, and any preferences you have in the subject line. Add here if you have a preference to first person or third person replies, also. If you don't mention a preference to style, taggers can assume anything goes.
♦ In the comment box of your post, put your sentence, whether it is original or from the above website. Remember to add a small credit at the bottom if it's not your work.
♦Try to make your sentence something people can inspire a scene from, which is ultimately the purpose of the meme. On the flipside, taggers are encouraged to think outside the box in their replies - be as creative as you want in coming up with a scene in response to the sentence! Maybe you have overheard the person musing to themselves? Maybe it's an online chat? Maybe you're in a mutual location that fits the mood of the sentence? Anything goes.
♦ Smut welcome if you're happy for it, but remember to state yes or no to it in your preference. If you're not bothered either way and happy to see where it goes, just leave it blank.
♦ Have fun, enjoy, and remember if you enjoy our premise, you're always welcome to join us at

musebysentence, where you can post sentences just for your own enjoyment or as an invitation to open RP any time you like!

100 PROMPTS:

Three Word Prompts:
1. Dare to dream
2. Seize the day
3. Yours and mine
4. Pull yourself together
5. In the mood
6. Make it count
7. Less than perfect
8. Living it up
9. Drop dead gorgeous
10. Do your best
Adults Only Prompts:
11. Breasts
12. Sexual
13. Handcuffs
14. Oral
15. First time
16. Kinky
17. Caught
18. Seduction
19. Masturbation
20. Orgasm
Two Word Prompts:
21. Shit happens
22. Love you
23. Trust me
24. I'm pregnant
25. Shut up
26. Case closed
27. Kiss me
28. Miss you
29. Marry me
30. Just dance
31. Shattered pieces
32. Feeling isolated
33. Rescue me
34. False hope
35. Killing time
36. New beginnings
37. Bright light
38. Young love
39. Small world
40. Zero tolerance

Movie Title Prompts:
41. He's Just Not That Into You
42. Boys Don't Cry
43. Clueless
44. Dangerous Liaisons
45. Dressed To Kill
46. The Full Monty
47. Great Expectations
48. A Night To Remember
49. Risky Business
50. Some Like It Hot
Song Title Prompts:
51. Pretty Woman
52. Leaving on a Jet Plane
53. Wild Thing
54. It's Now or Never
55. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
56. Lonely Boy
57. Always On My Mind
58. It's Not Unusual
59. The Power of Love
60. I Love The Nightlife
Common Cliché Prompts:
71. Thinking with the wrong head
72. Time flies when you're having fun
73. Tear you a new asshole
74. Don't get your knickers in a knot
75. Taken for a ride
76. Your place or mine
77. As cold as ice
78. Leave your mark
79. Sick as a dog
80. Thanks but no thanks

Famous Song Lyrics Prompts:
61. "All you need is love"
62. "Before you accuse me, take a look at yourself"
63. "Where am I to go, now that I've gone too far?"
64. "Nobody said it was easy"
65. "Behind blue eyes"
66. "Optimism is my best defence"
67. "I can feel it coming in the air tonight"
68. "It must have been love, but it's over now"
69. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find, you get what you need"
70. "You're dangerous 'cause you're honest"
Single Word Prompts:
81. Sympathy
82. Injury
83. Secret
84. Deceit
85. Crime
86. Holiday
87. Tattoo
88. Special
89. Romance
90. Date
91. Shirt
92. Blue
93. Oblivious
94. Mistake
95. Scream
96. Hotel
97. Friend
98. Avoid
99. Powerful
100. WILD CARD - Your choice

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"Certainly it is. To invade another's mind, and threatening to do it because you are not getting your way, is the threat of an attack," he said, speaking calmly and casually. "So it is not a threat but a promise to take what you want. Is that what you mean?"

"Is there some reason you won't answer the question?" Alice frowned slightly. It was somewhat difficult for her not to pluck out the answers she wanted, it came as second nature to her and it was often harder to tune those nearest in proximity out.

"To answer your question, no. I don't take what I want. It's a dangerous game venturing into others. One can easily get lost in a strange mind. It's like..." Her voice softened, grew more distant and her eyes glassed over. "Diving too deep in the sea and getting caught up in the currents. If one isn't careful, one may never come up again."

Pale blue eyes snapped back to focus and they turned back to Bane. "I saw what you did. Such a man as you, I wouldn't dare venture lightly into your mind unless my very life depended on it. I don't expect you to believe me. Very few do."

"I will assume you had me checked medically," he pointed out. "Therefor you know how I am feeling. So therefor you're asking to try and make this a social moment. Why do you need this from me," he asked, putting the question back onto her.

"You can say you do not wish to look, that it is harmful, but let's be honest. You are asking me to trust you when you say you have every option not to be trusted.

"What I did was follow my beliefs. Nothing more or less. You have not even offered your name but expect me to tell you what you want."

He made a valid point, though she failed to see the importance of a name. Such an arbitrary thing assigned by others at birth or some later time. She unfolded her hands and rested them palms down on her thighs.

"They call me Alice. Before that, our..." She stopped short, wincing at the word. "My designation was #38 of a series of subjects. It's my understanding that sympathy and a measure of affection are the most effective ways to form a rapport with others. Is that incorrect? I thought it might be better to simply offer care and feeding as one would in an effort to tame a wild beast." In spite of the insinuation of an animalistic nature on his part, there was no derision in her voice. In fact, it was the opposite.

He was trying, mostly because despite someone having seen to the rocket blast, he wasn't wholly himself once more. He was a bit broken and still sorting it out and definitely not ready to make his break.

Of course, he might change that when spoken to like that.

"A wild beast," he asked, trying to sound amused and not livid. "Is that what you see? I am the lion with a thorn in my paw and if you're nice and remove it, you've tamed your own pet? If I don't, what then? A beating and a stick," he asked. "You may wish to learn more about people and what all they have been through before calling a man like me an animal."

Alice fixed a bland stare at him. "I have more respect for animals than for men," she droned. "There are no pretences in them. As for you sir, yes, you are a lion. Fierce, deadly, and wholly untameable. There are no delusions about that. If I wanted a pet, I would have a dog. I understand they're fine companions."

Alice paused and folded her hands in her lap once more. "My company disturbs you. Would you like me to go?"

"It isn't your company, so don't play the wounded party when you insult others and expect them to be cheered by it. I do not expect your respect, or your help. Nor did I ask for your threats. If you do not see where you made such a threat, you need to examine your actions, rather than expecting me to answer you sweetly," he said, lecturing her like he might a child, if he spoke to children.

A frown tugged at her lips, but it was more from confusion than hurt. "Please explain it to me," she uttered, completely serious. Her interactions with people were limited at best and Alice had been taught to rely on her gift to know what the right thing to say and to do was. Without gleaning the right answers from this man, she definitely found herself failing. "I'm unaccustomed to speaking plainly with others."

"You have referred to me as an animal, something you demand things from and offer a beating if I don't behave. That you don't offer physical abuse doesn't change that," he pointed out. "What do you want from me that you have me here? Who do you work for?"

Her head jerked to the side, her surprise genuine. "My apologies. Insults and threats weren't my intent." Now, his question posed only a slight problem. She wasn't supposed to talk about the people who pulled her strings.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much about them. They have no designs on you, so anything I say about them could be potentially harmful. Since I took it upon myself to get you here, I'm responsible for you until you're mended enough to go. It wouldn't do to put unnecessary danger in your path."

He considered her words, what it was she meant. She worked for someone but...

"They didn't send you, did they," he asked, arching a brow. "You came for me on your own. Why? For yourself, or for them?"

He needed to know. He had to know what was in store for him so he could prepare against it.

Her expression, so carefully crafted, so focused as with every aspect of her to avoid slips in control, softened around the edges. A slight relaxing of her jaw, a faint, almost imperceptible widening of her eyes, a subtle cant of her head. Only a second before she looked away from him, perhaps looking to see if someone else was coming, perhaps simply to avoid his probing eyes.

"It gets very lonely here," she murmured.

He moved to try and look into her eyes once more. He knew of loneliness, remembering those days after he'd helped Talia to her freedom. He had trusted she would come for him and yet, he had many lonely days waiting.

Now she would never come back.

"So why find me to make life less lonely?"

Her lips pressed together into a faint pout as she thought on a proper answer. Finally, Alice turned her attention back to him and slim shoulder shrugged, completely nonchalant.

"You remember darkness clearly. Like calls to like, I suppose. And..." Her brows drew together, creasing just above her nose. "I didn't see any purpose in letting you die. I'm sorry." He probably didn't realise how rare those two words were coming from her. Alice rarely felt regret and expressed it, or anything else, even less frequently.

"They're afraid of you," she added in a more hushed tone, nodding toward the door and presumably the people outside. "But they won't dare raise a hand against you. They're afraid of me, too, but they keep me locked away instead."

He wasn't sure what he thought of her answer, or that he believed she would even answer. This could well be a game by many and he had to be careful until he knew who and why.

"I do not remember it. I was born in it and it is where I belong," he corrected in a low voice. "I'm sure you believe you have known darkness," he said, though he wasn't accepting it. So had the Bat and he was just one of the grey as so many were.

"To save people and to save lives. Why most would have," he said, watching her with narrowed eyes if she did not see that.

"They should be afraid of me, whomever they are. Do you mean the city or people with you," he asked. "The difference is the stand you make."

"Well," Alice said, her tone one of concession. Finally, the collected mask dropped, signalled only by a flicker of uncertainty in pale eyes and the chewing of her cheek. "I wasn't prying, I just noticed it." As if catching her lack of composure, Alice straightened and looked off toward one of the plain, white walls. There was a distant look in her eyes, but her tone didn't reflect it. "I've known a kind of darkness, not the same as you have. Not the same at all."

Her attention slowly drifted back to him, focus snapping back to her features as she did so. "My keepers. The people of this city only fear a memory of you, now. They think you dead."

"Then you need to be strong because of it," he said without hesitation. "You should seek to find that strength. It is one thing that can often abate loneliness." Except it hadn't for him any more than it was likely to do for her. He knew that well enough.

"A memory fresh with blood and pain. Perhaps they will learn from the things I've done. If they do not, then I will find a way to continue with the world I came here to do."

"I don't think that's true," Alice stated, quickly amending it with, "for me." There were fundamental differences in their situations. As he himself pointed out, he was born in darkness. Well, Alice was plucked from light and cast into the dark. To this day there's still a level of fear, though, if she really thought long and hard on it, she'd realise it wasn't the dark but the isolation that frightened her. Additionally, his was a prison, a place of cruelty and violence whereas her home was a laboratory and an institution of sorts. "Is it bad to find strength in another and not entirely in oneself?"

Ah, but such things to speak on! Alice was pleased, though didn't show it, that he was willing to speak more, even if it was in an offer of advice. She didn't try to stop the smile from coming her her face at his comments. "I hope that you do continue it."

Edited 2012-10-15 06:36 (UTC)

"If you have strength, if you are unwilling to bow to the whims of anyone but yourself, why would you not seek that? Seek what it is within you that will bring you through whatever you're enduring," he suggested, just as he had done. Yet for him it had been Talia. All that time it had been her and now, now she was gone.

"No, that is never bad. It is... I know of that kind of strength. The downside though is that, eventually, you will have to face that you can and will lose them. Then where will you find your strength?"

It was where he found himself. Lost without her.

"Anything I have isn't my own." Everything she knew about people, about drive and strength and any other thing a human can feel or hope to achieve she gleaned from others. It wasn't important for her to nurture herself, but to better hone her skills and be a weapon. If Alice was even capable of her own strength, she likely wouldn't recognise it.

"How can you say that. No matter who has held you captive, no matter what they've done to you, you are still your own woman. You are still your own being," he said, meaning it as well as believing it. "How can you say that what is in your heart isn't your own?"

Alice blinked slowly, a severe, almost cold look fixed in them when they opened once more. "It's arguable that there's anything in my heart at all." There was a sigh in her tone, as if it was something she'd long since grown tired of hearing. In truth, she wasn't as utterly without empathy as her handlers lead her to believe, though she did believe it.

“Then I feel for you,” he said, though there was little emotion to his words. “That would you give up and accept a dead heart rather than the passion of your convictions if pitiable,” he said, giving his head a shake.

"Do you?" She asked with a curious flash in her eyes. She couldn't blame him for not understanding her situation. A creature such as her, living in an isolated place like this was required to repress whatever unique sense of self she developed if the wanted to continue.

"Passions of any kind are frowned upon by my keepers," she admitted, a note of bitterness in the words. The unspoken implication was there: that she did in fact have goals of her own of whcih she would not speak.

"As much as I am capable of," he said, revealing no more than that. It was not something he felt the need to reveal, not to anyone. To do so was opening himself up further than he had any desire to do.

"Of course it is. Passion is what leads us to great things. If you refer to them as keepers, then it is not surprising at all that they would want to keep you from such emotions."

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