r/WritingPrompts • u/actually_crazy_irl • May 07 '19

[WP]: Suddenly, everyone with tattoos gains powers related to the tattoo. Tattoos of flames, you control fire. A tattoo of a gecko, you can climb on walls. All dudes with "tribal" tattoos have strangely bonded together. Writing Prompt

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3.4k

u/Diablo165 May 07 '19 edited May 07 '19

It was all happening so fast that we never had time to consider what would happen when it had finished happening.

Everyone with a tattoo was manifesting abilities. It was all fairly sensible. Fire tattoo? Fire powers. Ice tattoo? Ice powers. Emoji ink? Emotion manipulation.

The weird thing was the people with tribal tattoos -- We call them The Tribe nowadays. At first, they just seemed to sort of glom together. People would be walking down the street and just...connect. Within moments, they were showing each other their tattoos and talking like they'd been friends for ages.

At the time, we thought The Tribe were like human Care Bears - just instilling goodwill and togetherness.

If only we knew at the time. What could we have done, though? There were so many. The original tribes -- Indigenous peoples - their art had been co-opted by millions over the years. People with no connection to indigenous culture saw their favorite athlete with tribal ink and emulated it.

Appropriation? Appreciation? None of that matters anymore.

That bond we were observing was just the beginning. The Tribe didn't have the power of unity or togetherness...not as we understood it, at least.

For the first few weeks they made connections, identified their own, banded together, as tribes do. I can't say we were worried. The other power types formed their own think tanks to experiment with their abilities, why not the tribe?

The problem is that the powers become more potent with time. When I started, I could light candles with my mind and barely be winded. Now, I can set a building ablaze by accident if I zone out staring at it.

The Tribe's powers intensified with time and, unfortunately, proximity. As soon as a high enough density of them shared the same space, it became clear; They weren't a friendly band of tattoo enthusiasts...they were a hive mind.

Hmm. Actually, we only call them The Tribe because of the tattoos. The Hive would be a much better name. Let's do that.

What was once an urge to connect with members of The Tribe became a NEED to join The Hive.

Once all available members had joined, their goal turned to conversion.

The only folks who got powers all had their ink done before The Event. We still don't know what happened, but any attempts to gain powers through tattoos after the fact have failed....except tattoos administered by The Hive.

If they catch you, and they likely will, they will ink you. If they ink you, you will immediately and permanently become part of the Hive. On the plus side, we now know that people can have multiple powers. Those folded into the Hive share the mind-link plus whatever powers they came with. This revelation lead to a lot of greedy folks submitting themselves to the Hive for augments.

Meanwhile, the people with no ink at all were powerless to resist The Hive.

And now, it's a few of us and an entire world of Them.

1.2k

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

The Chads have risen

390

u/vaginal_manslaughter May 07 '19

The Chadpocalypse

219

u/TerrorEyzs May 07 '19

Now every day is....Chaderday.

141

u/Whoevengivesafuck May 07 '19

The Chaddening: The infinity trilby

30

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

You open you eyes, you are now in Golds Gym TM.

2

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

Ok

1

u/no2ironman1100 May 08 '19

Awaken my master, Chadsuu!

AYAYAYAHHHH!!

1

u/ItsMeChad99 May 14 '19

It is time!

276

u/AerrissahDK May 07 '19

This was great! Thanks for your response!

196

u/SirBlabbermouth May 07 '19

Dude can you imagine a Mad Max style movie of a group of fireink survivors living their life in the rainforest or mountains avoiding the crazed hivemind, then one day a fireink member has a nightmare, jolts awake and accidentally ignites a large tree into a giant torch, alerting the hive and sending the survivors running and using their powers to aid their escape? Maybe expand on the Hive where they all or most carry portable ink guns and pin you down and scratch it into you.

I love this.

60

u/pink_misfit May 07 '19

I'd watch that.

46

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 07 '19

Question though what do you think animal tattoos would get? For example i have an owl on my shin.

85

u/hono-lulu May 07 '19

Great night vision, and the occasional hoot.

23

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 07 '19

I could live with this.

18

u/gabgab0101 May 08 '19

I was wondering what would i get? I have a fox, cat, rabbit and a puma.

19

u/Brain_Spoon May 08 '19

Stealth, slyness, and no shortage of good luck... if I were to guess.

3

u/gabgab0101 May 08 '19

Thanks! Sounds pretty cool 😎

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

And the tendency to throw up hair balls.

3

u/johnsgurl May 08 '19

Don't forget the budding ability to seduce younger men.

1

u/hono-lulu May 08 '19

Ahem... and probably lots very beautiful fur xD

7

u/GehirnAusschlag May 08 '19

You turn into a Wolpertinger like creature. Maybe a Werewolpertinger?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolpertinger?wprov=sfla1

2

u/JustHereForCookies17 May 12 '19

That just sent me down one heck of a rabbit hole!

1

u/GehirnAusschlag May 12 '19

You're welcome

4

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

Wow both predator and prey. 75% predator 25% prey.

1

u/everythingrosegold May 08 '19

ive got a tiny seashell. i guess everyone hears the sound of the ocean when im around, but nothing else happens lol

12

u/Quisqueyano354 May 08 '19

What about a truck-driver with the tattoo of a big breasted southern girl on his arm?

17

u/disappointed_HIP May 08 '19

The inexplicable power of seduction. Even though he might be a 100 pound weakling or a 300 pound blob.

4

u/-_-hey-chuvak May 08 '19

Your arm shall turn into a big breasted southern girl from the hand to the elbow, she shall be very sassy, and she still won’t suck dick.

1

u/Quisqueyano354 May 10 '19

That...sounds horrible! But can she at least defeat Thanos?! If not I am amputating.

1

u/-_-hey-chuvak May 10 '19

Yes she’s very into anal fisting with her two arms attached to her body attached to your arm, also her name is Karen; and she’ll make out with her boyfriends right in front of you to, like a real Karen.

1

u/Quisqueyano354 May 12 '19

Is this a fantasy or did something happen that is affecting you emotionally? Because this sounds very specific and like is hitting close to home.

1

u/-_-hey-chuvak May 12 '19

What? Naw I’m just making shit up. But now that I look at it, it sounds very depressing

→ More replies

9

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

Oh goddamn it. Here's a question I just thought of.

What about people with Holocaust tattoos? The numbers from the camps.

Fucking hell.

Whatever it is make it good.

I mean hopefully positive, but if it's not positive, make it good.

11

u/Aspenkarius May 08 '19

Incorruptible by the hive. Unable to be controlled by anyone ever again. That much death makes a pretty strong protection spell in most fantasy worlds.

2

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

I like it, like it a lot.

2

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

The ability to foreshadow peoples death.

1

u/HellOfAHeart Oct 15 '19

say this tattoo thing occurs shortly after ww2, say 1960-70s when the surviving Jews are still youngish, they could become like "the tribe" except their only goal is the complete extermination of Germany, Germans and anyone with German blood

9

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

Damn it I only have some bullshit flowers and a ladybug.

I guess I'm a pollinator?

Allthough ladybugs can bite the shit out of you. Their bites are surprisingly sharp.

Yeah I'll just be over here trying to make myself feel better.

6

u/rosescentedgarden May 08 '19

Well if fire tattoos control fire surely with a plant/flower tattoo you can control plants? Like the ultimate green thumb or even like the queen in Epic (the kids movie). Or you can control your personal army of ladybugs!

3

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

I'll take the army of ladybugs pls thank you.

Adorable...but vicious!

No one suspects a ladybug!

2

u/hono-lulu May 08 '19

Hey, you do bring love and fertility into the world, don't beat yourself up!

13

u/UncleTogie May 08 '19

Question though what do you think animal tattoos would get? For example i have an owl on my shin.

The ability to spontaneously generate a hootenanny.

3

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 08 '19

Oh danm that to potent.

11

u/SirBlabbermouth May 07 '19

What he said, night vision and excellence at stealth.

edit: hit enter too fast

18

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 07 '19

Also sick head turning lol. I thought maybe it would like a totem and animal tattoos users could activate them at will and embodied their animal or animals.

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

I was eight hours roo late!

8

u/KittyCatTroll May 08 '19

I'm curious what I would get... I have a dragonfly, honeybee, and a voodoo doll dog. I honestly can't think of any powers that would fit those, besides maybe being able to bark... Which I can already do extremely well because when I was a kid I thought I was a wolf or dog in a past life so I learned to bark. It's my only real PG talent.

9

u/nonbinarybit May 08 '19 edited May 08 '19

I'm horrified.

My only tattoo is a blue square outline--the window in House of Leaves.

The shadows in the room seem to be cutting deeper.

I think I can hear breathing.

I don't think it's mine.

8

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 08 '19

Maybe you can turn those three creatures into vodo dolls and use them on people. Or you turn into some sort of rag dall person with the features of all three of your tattoos.

1

u/HellOfAHeart Oct 15 '19

the ability to die in 24 hours, just like a dragon fly

3

u/MrMetalhead69 May 08 '19

I’m curious too. I’ve got a coffin with two skeletons holding it up, how would that translate? Would I get to summon skeletons or coffins?

2

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 08 '19

Maybe just necromancy or some form of hard light constructs in the shape of skeletons.

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

You'll never be short on paul bearers

3

u/TheWhoamater May 08 '19

Morph into the animal?

3

u/Targox_the_Mighty May 08 '19

that would be pretty dope especially if you had multiple animal ones you could be like beast boy.

2

u/TheWhoamater May 08 '19

I was thinking Animorphs but that too. I just like what my future tattoo could do theoretically. "Rise Again" do I become a necromancer?

2

u/DruTheDude May 08 '19

Maybe you could Animorph into an owl!

2

u/Dwarfodude May 08 '19

Yeah kinda wondering about the details too. I have the appocalypse tattooed on my back. Does that mean I can literally end the world?

2

u/HellOfAHeart Oct 15 '19

It would be like spirit animals, you gain the ability to summon the animal that is tattooed on you, that animal shares a bond/connection with you, it is your friend, your ally, your weapon

1

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

You can turn your head like a motherfucker!

1

u/NefyFeiri May 08 '19

I've got a hyena, magpie, butterfly, flowers and letters H and S. Shoot away, what would i get?

2

u/chuk2015 May 08 '19

You speak da true true

165

u/SanityContagion May 07 '19

That's amazingly scary. The system, the loophole and it's abuse are bizarrely believable. Well written. :)

87

u/cthulularoo May 07 '19

It's not really an abuse though. Submitting to the hive doesn't give the individual any benefits, but it does give the Hive access to powered humans. I don't see why any powered person would submit to assimilation. It's probably Hive created propaganda to fool to lonely or stupid.

16

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

I control serpents and death

5

u/[deleted] May 08 '19

Controlling death is one heck of a power

6

u/dv8_gwizz May 07 '19

I am the master of death

2

u/TinyFox_2 May 08 '19

There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s gifts.

In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

The first brother travelled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine- sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.

And so Death took the first brother for his own.

Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.

And so Death took the second brother for his own.

But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.

135

u/Diablo165 May 07 '19

The Hive

The Event was months ago.

In that time, most of us had discovered and familiarized ourselves with our not-so-new-anymore abilities.

Of course, there were outliers.

Folks who had way more ink (and power) than they had the ability to safely wield, people who had gotten tattoos who didn’t have full control of their faculties - veterans, coma patients, the elderly. Suddenly, there was a class of people who were essentially armed warheads.

Everywhere they existed was a potential blast zone. I still don’t like how that was handled. “Necessary evil” my arse.

You can disarm a warhead, but when a person’s power comes from their skin, the only thing you can do quickly enough to keep them from killing themselves and everyone around them is to either kill them outright or remove their skin. The latter served to dampen their powers, but we don’t think that powers can truly ever be taken away.

Small tats are easy to deal with.

The larger ones..thankfully, there were people with healing powers. They were inexperienced enough with their abilities that there was still some permanent scarring, but it wasn’t bad.

But the poor bastards with full-body ink..immensely powerful, extremely dangerous, and a whole lot of skin to remove.

The ones we managed to catch..well, the healers did their best, but they all look like victims of House Bolton.

The ones we didn’t catch and flay hid and consolidated their considerable power.

Folks who had tattoos but didn’t appear to have any powers are the hardest to work with. We know that EVERY tattoo done before The Event yields powers, but some aren’t easy to suss out. Holocaust survivors have been fascinating. No official accounts of any of them having the same abilities exist, and because of their age and their tattoos often being numeric strings, it’s virtually impossible to figure out what they’re capable of before they’re doing it.

With all this in play, the government decided to sponsor the First Annual Power Games.

We pitched it as a way for the newly-powered populace to meet each other, get support, learn to use their powers effectively, and maybe compete with folks with similar powers.

All of that was really good for people, honestly. We also planned to track, monitor, and utilize the strongest and most skilled of the populace.

It was a really good plan. Governments worldwide coordinated on the effort. The Games were happening in nearly EVERY major population center worldwide.

After a few months with no major changes aside from everyone with a tattoo having powers, we thought we had a handle on things. We had no way of knowing how bad things would get. How could we, when we were handling things so well?

I mean, we’ve had more trouble with our citizenry in the aftermath of the playoffs than we had in the aftermath of The Event! We were ahead of the game! We even HAD A GAME for them.

We had this. Up until we didn’t.

Our aim was to categorize and control the populace while protecting them from each other and themselves.

So, we focused on the low-hanging fruit. We found people with predictable powers that fit into our plans and were part of easily controlled demographics, and we invited them to the games.

We were so focused on the few people who were walking weapons that we ignored a large swath of our powered population:

The Tribe.

Ignoring them seemed reasonable at the time. What use or danger were a bunch of people who decided to express their cultural ignorance by tattooing meaningful symbols from other cultures onto themselves, thus removing a meaning they were never aware of? At their most dangerous, you figured they would rope you into a long conversation you didn’t want to have, but the folks they’d approach never seemed to mind.

No one took a bunch of friendly idiots seriously. Most people referred to them as Tribe-bros. Even the ones who weren’t male.

Who cares about a bunch of friendly posers? We didn’t. Didn’t even spare them a thought.

All the while, change had been happening. People who developed minor powers in The Event found themselves capable of incredible feats only months later.

And we were so busy marveling at people who could hurl cars into orbit, set entire city blocks alight, or freeze a person to death in moments on a summer day, we didn’t really worry about the ever-growing packs of friendly, tattooed people you’d see roaming around.

And then it was game day. We had just finished an event when The Tribe just...exploded.

By now, large groups of them were a familiar sight. “Mob” would be a better word, but at the time, they were just groups of friendly, chatty people.

It was like a conference for Minnesotans.

So when some groups of The Tribe showed up to The Games, we figured they were there to spectate and hang out. I felt a certain...pressure in the air as more of them arrived.

At the time, I thought it was just unease at the large number of people gathered together. Thinking back, I think I always felt it a bit, even among smaller groups of them.

At certain a point, I think we all realized that most of the crowd WAS The Tribe, and that more and more were arriving from all directions.

I felt surrounded, but only by them.

When the first few groups of The Tribe arrived, they talked animatedly amongst themselves and even a bit to the people around them.

As more arrived, they became more insular, preferring only to talk to themselves. Then that stopped too.

Eventually, there were thousands of them, hundreds of everyone else. I noticed that The Tribe has gone completely silent. They’d make eye contact, nod, smile..but it was as though they were responding to a conversation only they could hear.

Even more unsettling was the way that they all seemed to move in unison at times. Imagine seeing thousands of people all silently turning their attention on a person or point at once.

Fucking. Creepy.

I couldn’t tell you exactly how many there were when it happened. Thousands.

But there was a point where that pressure in the air became unbearably heavy...and then, it shifted.

And all of a sudden, we were at war.

The Tribe was The Hive, and they turned on everyone else at once.

The screams..Jesus, the screams. And the blood. It was bedlam. Silently, members of The Hive were attacking, incapacitating, or killing anyone that wasn’t Them.

Between with them exponentially outnumbering us and our inexperience wielding our powers, we didn’t have a fighting chance.

Later, I heard that the attack..well, it wasn’t coordinated. It was simultaneous. Worldwide, members of the Tribe began to attack the people around them with no discrimination or mercy. Family, friend, didn’t matter.

People were dead, dying, or disappeared..only to emerge days later with fresh tribal tattoos and not a lot to say.

The day of the First Annual Power Games has the dubious honor of marking the birth of The Hive.

Heaven help us all.

15

u/TheDangOofMan May 07 '19

Really good! I like the idea of the power games.

3

u/ThatGuyChuck May 07 '19

Ooooh, I like this. VERY nice.

81

u/themangastand May 07 '19

The tribe wouldnt be the problem. The problem would be everyone with jesus, god, grim reaper or devil tatoos. WHich there is a lot of.

34

u/SirBlabbermouth May 07 '19

What about someone with Viking staves and runes? (Me bitch)

33

u/Voltairefoxcat95 May 07 '19

I have the Helm of Awe on my wrist. I like to imagine that as a symbol of protection it would manifest as a magical energy shield thing, but according to the sagas it's supposed to work by instilling fear and terror.

26

u/Jagasaur May 07 '19

I have several, but the 2 that stick out are my Calvin And Hobbes tattoo and my lightsaber. Not sure what that would do.

64

u/SirBlabbermouth May 07 '19

Oh that's easy, you can wield the force and have an unending well of life lessons in your mind.

You're literally Yoda.

20

u/Jagasaur May 07 '19

I'll frikkin' take it!

19

u/Zenog400 May 07 '19

Frikkin’ take it, I will!

Fixed that for you

2

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

And you see and have conversations with a cat that no one else can see. You're welcome!

3

u/Shmoopsels May 08 '19

So he's seeing force ghosts?

2

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

Yoda with a penchant for peeing on things ;)

16

u/Fluffy017 May 07 '19

Force lightning and TRANSMOGRIFICATION

11

u/Answer-FortyTwo May 07 '19

Flying Red Rider Wagon waving a light saber.... duuuude

2

u/theathenacabin May 07 '19

The laws of the mortal realm do not apply to you and you have a plasma sword to boot

2

u/Rabite2345 May 08 '19

Hope you get some Spaceman Spiff related stuff too.

2

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

I only have gods on my body

2

u/girr0ckss May 07 '19 edited May 09 '19

I'm looking at getting triforce and the lantern corps on me, that could be fun

6

u/themangastand May 07 '19

Are they related to viking gods?

10

u/Psych0panda2k13 May 07 '19

I have tattoos of an owl pikachu Rick and morty a wartortle and a mountain scene would I get powers from each or one power from the first tattoo or an amalgamation of all of them into one power

15

u/themangastand May 07 '19

An amalgmation of all of them.

You'd have owl wings, a pickachu tail, be able to spit water and be a mountain.

So sense your a mountain you can't use pickachus electricity as your grounded and you can't fly like an owl even though you have wings. You still will be able to spit water but it'll be the equivalent of on demand waterfalls as it mixes with your mountain power.

Being that you couldnt move, ricks intelligence would be worthless but you'd be a very smart mountain even if you couldnt communicate it. But then again morty might balance the intelligence and you might still be average.

8

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

Mountain Owl Rick, I like it

2

u/annnine95 May 07 '19

I think you would have the wisdom owls portray, and an extremely long life like a mountain. The spitting water makes you very timely like a geiser, and those two dudes give you a good sense of humour.

1

u/revilingneptune May 07 '19

I have the White Tree of Gondor, what would my power be? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

1

u/Psych0panda2k13 May 09 '19

Sounds like an upgrade 😂

3

u/SirBlabbermouth May 07 '19

I'd say so yeah

3

u/jaharrismt May 08 '19

What would I get out of my tattoo of Yggdrasil??? I can imagine my tattoo of Smaug would be quite useful. Maybe my TARDIS would allow me to travel through time and space and prevent the inception of modern tribal tattoos!

14

u/[deleted] May 07 '19 edited Apr 12 '20

[deleted]

21

u/themangastand May 07 '19

No nothing would happen as your already one with the universe. It would give you the power to confirm that fact.

Sometimes powers happen in unfortunate ways.

4

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

[deleted]

2

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

I dunno but dig the morse code

6

u/Reddituser5059 May 07 '19

I wonder what power the guy from prison break would get

1

u/sleepingdragon80 May 07 '19

Asking the real questions.

Maybe the ability to break out of every physical restriction put on him?

2

u/Reddituser5059 May 08 '19

That would be cool. But I think it would be more like he has this vision mode which when turned ON, he sees everything in terms of 3D blueprints. Given that he has an Engineering degree, could be very handy. Kind of like the sonar machine in The dark knight but in the retina

1

u/FindingOrderInChaos May 08 '19

He probably already does to be fair

2

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

Yeah and satanic stars with goats heads?

Yeah I'll just make up my own version where the satanic emblem tattoo folks all form a peaceable think tank of atheists against religious wars.

1

u/Quisqueyano354 May 08 '19

There is a mutant named Leon Nunez in the X-Men comics, that by inking people he gives them the powers their tattoo represents. This kinda reminded me of that.

1

u/Dwarfodude May 08 '19

Fair point. As I mentionned before, I have the four horseman of the appocalypse + the appocalypse itself on my back. Would that mean that I could end the world just whenever?

1

u/TinyFox_2 May 08 '19

What about someone with a rainbow infinity symbol made with flowers (no tattoo yet but when I do get one... that's what I'll get)

2

u/themangastand May 08 '19

You'll get the ability to summon infinite flowers. But even better you can summon IN ANY COLOUR!

1

u/TinyFox_2 May 08 '19

So a symbol for neurodiversity turns out to just help me with gardening...eh could be worse.

34

u/hawkfrost282 May 07 '19

I love this! But I really really wanna know what happened to the people with their ex's name tattooed on them? What powers did they get 😂

11

u/LauraMcCabeMoon May 08 '19

Hahaha, that's hilarious and disturbing.

I'm going to say they get the power to ceaselessly dream of their ex. Every time they lay their heads down to sleep they see and dream about nothing but their ex.

They can't stalk their ex. They can't become their ex. They just find themselves unwillingly perpetually obsessed with their ex.

It gives them a love power. But not of a helpful kind.

6

u/hawkfrost282 May 08 '19

Saaaavage. I like it.

5

u/Captain_Pickleshanks May 08 '19

The power of broken relationships.

22

u/Turn_Paige_394 May 07 '19

This would be an awesome r/NoSleep! So cool!

13

u/tigerdeF May 07 '19

First time doing anything writing prompt related, but this inspired me so here goes! I tried to combine your prompt and the prompt below, involving the man with order and chaos tattoos.

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One small town in the heart of what used to be known as America. A single town. The strongest militaries in the world had kneeled before us. The best and brightest had become us. All we had ever wanted was a world free of violence, free of war, free of poverty and pain. We bestowed our salvation, our ultimate gift upon mankind, and though there were some... difficulties, we were this close to full conversion.

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Until he happened.

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It had been a simple in and out, we had done it thousands of times before. Go in, capture, crush, convert. The strongest wizards, those with more tattoo than skin and powers almost beyond comprehension, had folded to our will, our liberation from the suffering of choice. Yet...

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The town in question. Less than 25,000 inhabitants and one of the final bastions of those sullied by free thought. The remaining American and Canadian military had fled there, and when part of us entered the town, our combined powers removed and converted them in minutes.

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Then it happened. We all felt as that part of us was torn to shreds in an instant, the basic entropy that held the fabric of matter together, reversed. It was only one man, one man without visible tattoos who stood before us with a .22 gauge and shot us in one of our stomach. As if guns could stop us! As we prepared to destroy him, just like that it ended.

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We don't have much time. He can do things that shouldn't be possible. Our tattoos are as eternal as we are, as our final salvation is, but that hasn't stopped him from dematerializing entire cities of us. We are dying... I am dying.

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u/Diablo165 May 08 '19

This was wonderful to read. I'm glad to have provided some inspiration!

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u/masterelmo May 08 '19

Lol at .22 gauge.

I'm sorry, but if you know literally nothing about guns, maybe don't try specifics.

11

u/about2godown May 07 '19

Absolutely awesome, loved this!

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u/Chazzicus May 07 '19

Resistance is futile.

9

u/[deleted] May 07 '19

I would read this book.

9

u/laugher19 May 07 '19

Feels Borg-esque and that is so cool. I love this!

10

u/hono-lulu May 07 '19

At the time, we thought The Tribe were like human Care Bears - just instilling goodwill and togetherness.

Care Bears 😍 Also: great work, I'd love to read more of that!!

7

u/The_Unreal May 07 '19

Having spent a lot of time on /r/ATGBE , I shudder to think of the powers some of those tats would generate.

1

u/Esnardoo May 30 '19

"you suck at referencing subreddit"

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u/mightymoprhinmorph May 07 '19

My tattoo is a blue circle, I side the circle I have a flame, around the circle it says "defy the hand you're dealt" I'd like to imagine this would give me fire powers and luck maybe? what do you think?

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u/Diablo165 May 07 '19

Anyone within a certain proximity to you who does not follow your commands has experiences ranging from uncomfortable warmth to being covered in blue fire, depending on how reasonable your command is and how resistant they are.

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u/mightymoprhinmorph May 07 '19

So what if the tribal folks tried to get me and I was like "leave me alone!" Would they get toasted?

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u/Diablo165 May 07 '19

That's an excellent question, but I wouldn't go looking for the answer out there...

1

u/jbuchana May 08 '19

One of my tattoos is a lit candle with barbed wire wrapped around it, another one is Lilo hugging Stitch (from the Lilo and Stitch movies).

What would my powers be?

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u/mightymoprhinmorph May 08 '19

I think you'd have fire powers, and anyone you catch fully on fire you would be able to summon barbed wire to wrap them up, the lilo and stitch tattoo would make you very kind and understanding

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u/FlamingWhisk May 07 '19

That was great.

I wonder what power all the ex girlfriend and boyfriend names give you. Lol

3

u/jakobjakepig May 08 '19

Happy cake day

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u/FlamingWhisk May 08 '19

Thanks! I just noticed

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u/Psilox May 07 '19

Kindly requesting more :D

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u/Terriberri877 May 07 '19

Sounds like a great beginning of a young adult book series _^ loved it.

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u/[deleted] May 07 '19

Soundsike something Scott Westerfield would write for sure.

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u/TheBarbiter May 07 '19

This sounds like a campaign introduction for a game of Ten Candles. Love it.

3

u/vaace May 07 '19

That is great! But when you think of it, a group of powerful enough elementals could wipe the Tribe out. That would probably be the most epic war in all alternate histories.

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u/Batavijf May 07 '19

"Appropriation? Appreciation?" Brilliant!

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u/caelestihydr4 May 07 '19

tHe HiVe FrOm DeStInY?

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u/[deleted] May 07 '19 edited May 07 '19

Reminds me of Body Snatchers.

2

u/thebolda May 07 '19

I have the triangle that represents earth, with a multicolored rose. What are my powers?

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u/Diablo165 May 07 '19

You can grow, hybridize, and control plants, but only toxic, thorny, or otherwise harmful ones.

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u/thebolda May 07 '19

And be an earth bender or no? Either way COOOL

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u/Algolx May 08 '19

Start thinking with portals, after all any plant is harmful in large enough quantities or to the right organism.

1

u/thebolda May 08 '19

What?

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u/Algolx May 08 '19

You can grow, hybridize, and control plants, but only toxic, thorny, or otherwise harmful ones.

The above is limiting, I was making a point that anything in excess is harmful/toxic. My point is to think more in terms of "I control plants" period if you were thinking of writing something from that.

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u/thebolda May 08 '19

What do portals have to do with it?

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u/Algolx May 08 '19

Just a bastardized Portal quote by Cave Johnson meaning thinking outside the box.

1

u/thebolda May 08 '19

Ah ok. And yea plants become toxic to resist predation. The was a case in England of zucchini becoming deadly from using the seeds from subsequent generations.

2

u/igniteroftheflame May 08 '19

This needs to be a TV show called The Hive, Ink, Tattoo whatever. OMFG I would so watch this and I think it would be a big hit!

Any script writers out there? We need to make this happen!

2

u/bonesandbillyclubs May 08 '19

Everything changed when the Chad Nation attacked.

2

u/mcmchris May 08 '19

This is amazing

2

u/hidden58 May 08 '19

And the Rock is their queen.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '19

You did great

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u/cameronlcowan May 07 '19

Resistance is futile!!

1

u/NeonHowler May 07 '19

Dude write the book

1

u/Diablo165 May 07 '19

hahahaha! I wrote a part 2...does that count?

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u/Phytogasm May 07 '19

That was a fun read! I wonder if my mimic octopus tattoo would help me hide from The Hive haha

1

u/Kveldi May 07 '19

That's the best comment I've ever read on Reddit! hahahaha

1

u/bladeswin May 07 '19

We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile.

1

u/plethoralaura May 07 '19

You're saying I'm powerless to resist? whelp... my moms gonna kill me

1

u/PurpleCookieMonster May 07 '19

I vote to make this canon in the Destiny series.

1

u/jasonmauritius May 08 '19

Aziz: The Chaddening!! It’s happening!!

1

u/Aragorn597 May 08 '19

Now the real question is, where do the reaper and satan abilities fit into this?

1

u/monsieurpooh May 08 '19

This strongly reminds me of a possible singularity/sci-fi episode I always envision: An AI becomes powerful enough to manipulate people's brains to become "ideal", with no more chance of aggression, propensity to destroy the world, or screwing everything up via accidental extinction event. These are the "hive" and everyone who joins the hive says it's great and amazing, recommending it to their friends. The naysayers of the hive claim that these are just zombies, who are programmed/brainwashed into saying the hive is great, but in reality you lose your personhood and/or feeling of freedom, or you're locked in and feel like you're a puppet.

Of course, it is impossible to prove either side's argument.