AN:

My Brain: Hey, remember that AU idea you came up with?

Me: Yeah, what about it?

Brain: Write.

Me: Well, I mean I have a few ideas, but not enough to make a full story so the closest I could do is a series of one-shots...

Brain: Write.

Me: But I don't eve-

Brain: [pumps shotgun] Write.

(Oh and by the way, if you haven't read my previous fic, One Trip Prevents Another, you're probably going to be a bit confused here. Just a heads up.)

Kamilopardaliphobia:

Vee stared forlornly through the glass of the enclosure. On the other side, a large snake stared back. "Luz…" she said, turning towards the girl in question, "why did you even bring me here?"

"Well you said you wanted to learn about human realm animals." Luz gestured around to the various exhibits lining the hall. "So what better place than the zoo?"

"But…" Vee turned back and placed her hand on the glass. "It's just so sad…" She glanced at the "Do not touch glass" sign and removed her hand.

Luz cocked her head. "How so?"

"'How so?'" Vee whirled around. "Spending their entire lives in a cage, unable to live their lives like they want, and you want to know what's sad about that?!" Noticing the questioning looks her outburst brought, she immediately shrunk in on herself. "Sorry, I-I didn't mean-"

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." Luz pulled her adopted sister into a hug. Inwardly she cursed herself 'Great move Luz, bringing the girl who spent most of her life in a cage to a place where a bunch of animals were caged, what did you think was going to happen?' Outwardly she said "We don't have to stay here if you like." Vee gave a silent nod. "Okay, let's go," she whispered. Maybe the library would have been the better choice.

The two made their way to the exit, but then one of them stopped. Surprisingly, it was not the one who wanted to leave. "Luz?" Vee asked, "What is that?"

Luz looked to the exhibit she was pointing to. "Oh, that's a giraffe."

"I know that!" Vee snapped. "Why is there a giraffe?"

"Um…" Luz looked at her in confusion. "Because it's a zoo?"

"S- so you just keep them out in the open like that?!"

Luz rubbed her head. "Okay, Vee what's going on?" She then realized something. "Wait, how do you even know what a giraffe is?"

"Everyone knows what a giraffe is!" She said in a harsh whisper. "It's why they were banished from the Isles in the first place!"

"Banished from…" Luz took a moment to process that before grabbing Vee and pulling her in close. "Are you telling me that giraffes are demons?!" she hissed.

"Yes!" Vee hissed back.

The two didn't move for several seconds before turning their heads as one to look at the creature in question.

A creature that was currently starring straight at them.

Luz didn't have much time to process this as Vee grabbed her and dragged her towards the exit. And while she didn't get a good look before her line of sight was broken, she was just imagining small tentacles sprouting out of its ears, right?

Right?

AN: So yeah, I tried, but for some reason I just couldn't get this concept out of my head. So here, have some slice of life.

On a related note, I am in the process of writing a proper follow-up to 1TPA, but it kind of got out of hand. Seriously, it's like twice the length of anything I've written before (which isn't that big an accomplishment, all things considered, but still). The problem is, I've kind of hit a wall on it, which sucks because I only have like one scene to finish. Hopefully I can get it out sooner rather than later, but in the meantime it's on the backburner. Though the funny thing is this is actually probably more accurate to my original vision when I came up with this idea, which was admittedly just an excuse for Luz and Vee to get up to shenanigans together.

Fun fact, I learned two things while researching this chapter; 1): There is actually a clinical term for fear of giraffes, and 2): Whoever comes up with these names is a complete sadist (though I kind of already suspected that, considering what sesquipedalophobia is the name for).

Anyway, let me know what you think. And if you have any ideas for short scenes like this one, feel free to send them my way. If I like them enough, you may just get your wish.