Wombat's Writings

Imaginary - Chapter 28 - Self Defense

“Where exactly are we going?” I asked, pushing open the classroom door and holding it for everyone else. Even though Olivia and Amelia only took a second to slip through, Hairy took his time, leaving me standing there waiting for him. Once he stepped out I had to rush to catch up. 

“To the training hall, supposedly,” Olivia frowned, staring at her tracker. She tapped at it a couple times, scrolling through all the different displays until she came back to the first one. “...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 33 - Artistic License

I felt slightly inspired by the previous chapter, and didn't want to immediately jump to the next destination, so we get this. It's both a good reminder of why Alan can act like a dumbass, but also another nice family piece. Hope you enjoy.

After enjoying a casual lunch on the observation deck we took the kids down to the former park to run around. Although there were a couple places where you could visit a ‘forest’, they were typically highly curated loca...

SS - Chapter 44 - The Crossing

Soooo.... I'm not sure about this chapter yet. I kind of had an idea going in, and I'm still not sure how well it worked. I'll have to read through it, and think about it some more. What do you all think?

It took us a while to get back to the citadel. Not only were the springs a little ways into the forest, but they were located on the opposite side of the massive lake that ran along the north side of the citadel, so we had to go around. 

“We shou...

Book 5 - Chapter 32 - Expanding the Repertoire 

Didn't expect this chapter to go the direction it did, but I'm not disapointed. Lot of personality and growth in the end. I liked it.

Also: It was pointed out to me yesterday that St. Louis isn't south of Ohio. I apparently can't read maps and was looking at Iowa instead... Yeah... I'm going to have to do a minor rewrite of the previous chapter to fix that.

Once we’d finished planning I directed Spooky to slowly move the stratocarrier eastwards. It wa...

Imaginary - Chapter 27 - Disruptive

“We’re going back to B-213? Don’t we have to move classrooms?” I asked once I caught up to my friends.

“That might be how they do things in other schools, but not here. Since there aren’t enough students for multiple classes in each grade we stay in the same room, and the teachers switch,” Amelia explained. “I guess it’s easier that way.”

“And it keeps students from running around all the time, and increasing the chances that a rift could open out in the atri...

Unwanted Guests - Interlude 7 / Epilogue - The Return

It done!...? I like this as an endpoint, but I'll MAYBE add a short section with Teddy appearing back on earth. I dun think it's necessary though. I really liked how this chapter kind of mirrored the first two or three and how Teddy dealt with a similar shock when she arrived. What do you all think?

I stared at the tiny girl across the table as she stuffed a chicken sandwich into her mouth. Looking at her now, with her hood down and helmet off, she didn’t lo...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 31 - Planning for the long haul

So... I tried to come up with some interesting places for the family to stop, but was stopped by my terrible knowledge of American geography, and the fact I kind of made Teddy unwelcome in a large area. I think the current plan is good enough, but I'd like to hear what everyone thinks.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stick around longer?” Jane asked, as I collapsed into the chair across from her. “You really seemed to enjoy seeing all your friends agai...

Unexpected Guests - Chapter 20 - Aftermath

Yesterday was rough, but we're back! I always hate missing posts, it stresses me out and I always seem to lose followers after a single missed post. Maybe that just my anxiety talking, but that's what it feels like.

Thanks for putting up with my unexpected absence. We're back in business!

I awoke with a start, attempted to sit up and smashed my head against something hard. It took me a moment to regain my senses, and realize I was back in the project...

No Chapters today

Sorry all... I just spent the last four and a half hours trying to write today's Unexpected Guests, the time it usually takes me to write an entire chappy, and only managed to do half a page.

I realized about half way through that I'd forgotten to take my ADHD meds today, and probably over the weekends too. Since it takes a couple days for them to build up in my system (and a single day to get flushed out of them) I probably won't get anything done today... despite my best attempts. 2025-09-01 17:47:08 +0000 UTC View Post

Unexpected Guests - Chapter 19 - All In

It all over! Chappy slightly shorter than usual, but seemed like a good place to end. Hope you all enjoyed. Only need a couple more chapters to wrap things up... I'll try and finish next week!

If it was difficult to maneuver around the arena before, it was a complete nightmare now. There were damaged, and destroyed tiles every, and the floor was covered in debris. I’d been half relying upon the sound of tiles snapping shut behind me to know where it was safe...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 28 - A view from the top

Not the end of this arc, but I don't want it to go as long as the last one so we're moving it along... still have some travel chapters then the second big stop to go and we're almost half way through the book already!

The Space Needle’s restaurant was one level down, in a narrower ring that had massive plate glass windows and an entirely plate glass floor. They’d put a couple tables together on the harbour side, so we’d have a good view of the surroundin...

Unexpected Guests - Chapter 15 - Taking our Chances

“Okkkaaayyyy… this is new. Where is everyone?” I asked as we stepped out of the safe room and into the parlor. 

I’d expected a couple comfy couches, a plush carpet, and maybe even a large stone fireplace to heat the place up. Instead I found what appeared to be a small gambling hall filled with tables for things like poker, blackjack and roulette, all separated by dividers that broke up the sightlines. 

It wasn’t a big room, maybe two hundred meters square, wit...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 27 - Old Friends

The elevator opened onto a large, open, atrium area decorated with brushed metal, and fake wood panelling. I knew that the place normally catered to a higher class clientele, not many people came here for the view anymore, but I was surprised at how few people there actually were wandering around. Most of the visitors appeared to be sitting in the various large glass lounges, and meeting rooms, that were spaced around the interior of this floor.

I didn’t get it. Why would someone both...

Wombat's Writing Index - Aug 22, 2025

I remembered! Huzzah!

That's another week down, see you monday!

SS - Chapter 43 - Spa Day

“Facinating,” Siegward muttered as he swirled a vial of water around, using the bright sunlight in the clearing to inspect the crystal clear water. “It’s obvious that the wellspring is purifying the waters in the area, but there’s something else too…”

“I know you told everyone about the spring because they wouldn’t be able to resist investigating today, so you could hear the results while we were lounging” Camille hissed quietly. “I’m on to you.”

Of cours...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 26 - Supervised Visitation

“What’s this thing?” Eddie asked.

“It’s called the Space Needle,” Alan explained, as he inspected the strangely shaped building. “It was apparently a famous landmark from old Seattle. Once they finished building the megacity the government apparently salvaged the structure, and moved it here.”

Jennifer tilted her head to the side. “So, why is it on the top of a megabuilding?”

“Well, according to the guidebook, it’s because it was originally built as a...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 25 - Warm Welcome

I cooperate with another FF author when it comes to the Cascadia region, and he hasn't had a chance to review this yet, so there might be changes later. If it's anything big, I'll let you know.

“One of the samurai cruisers in the harbor is tracking the Strato Carrier with its weapons,” Spooky reported when I came to check on him in the morning. 

“Really?” I frowned. “Both the Family and the government knew we were coming. You didn’t appr...

Imaginary - Chapter 25 - Lunch Hour

Still trying to figure out what chapter to do next. I know TBoB is scheduled, but I'm not quite sure who/where Teddy would visit first. Gotta think about it. Might do SS if I can't think of something during my break... we'll see.

Since we were the last ones to leave the room I half expected the mezzanine and surrounding hallways to be absolutely packed with people rushing to lunch. However, when we stepped outside I found the area to be relatively quiet....

Imaginary - Chapter 24 - Amelia

I litterally have to run out the door to get to my appointment. Later!

“Come in,” a raspy voice called from the other side of the door. 

Pam gently pulled open the door and stuck her head inside. “Mr. Palmer, I’ve brought your two newest Students. I’m sorry they’re a little late, but Dr. Michaels wanted to have a word with them.”

I craned my neck to look past Pam, and take a look at my new teacher. He was older, probably in his ea...

Unexpected Guests - Interlude 6 - Revelations

I have a couple different doctor's appointments tomorrow, so I may not have enough time to complete a chapter, but I'll do my best!

“They are golems!” Bella exclaimed excitedly. “Look! Gun’Thur tore the skin right off the big bear and its metal underneath!”

“Extremely intricate, extremely advanced golems,” I confirmed. “Who would go to all the effort of creating that level of articulation, or create eyes for them?...

Book 5 - Chapter 24 - Access Denied

This chapter took much longer than usual, and it feels a little rough. We spent far longer in Vancouver than I originally expected, and I still have two more stops to make, so we need to move things along! It's not terrible, I just had trouble stringing it together... hope it reads okay.

“So… What do you want first? The good news or the bad news?” Layla asked sheepishly after I finished giving her a tour of the Strato Carrier. 

“Go on, give ...

Unexpected Guests - Chapter 14 - The Clouds have Eyes

The floor took significantly longer than I expected. Bob ended up going through the floor four times until he found a way across.

I couldn’t exactly blame him for that. Well, I could blame him for wrecking the floor in the first place, but not for his pathfinding. Each attempt seemed to be solid right until the floorboards splintered and sent him plummeting back to the entrance.

Although the delay was annoying, it did give me enough time to recover. The painful churning feeling ...

TBoB - Book 5 - Chapter 23 - Memories

I added a tiny bit to 22, so Nimbletainment left some stuff for them. It's only land, but I'll add it to the previous post if you want to see it.

I lost track of the number of times that Issi forced me to ride the ‘teacups’ while we were waiting for the others. Despite there being dozens of rides around the park, Issi hyper fixated upon this one ride, and refused to go anywhere else until we met up with the others.

It wasn’t that bad, most of the t...

Wombat's Writing Index - Aug 15, 2025

I remembered this week! Almost all the stories have a new file too!

Enjoy all!
-Wombat

SS - Chapter 42 - Relaxing

So, I've been thinking about the story and I really like it, for the most part. I did come to a realization though... Selena is such a non-character right now. I had long term plans for her, as a character that shook things up then slowly engratiated herself with the main group, but that didn't happen. Through most of the story she was just kind of there. I don't know if I should change her origin, make her another long term friend of Medea, rewrite a lot of the current scenes to ...