Written for revertstar, because he asked for a story and said the magic word. Posted 140 characters at a time on Twitter, unpolished in all its oddball glory.
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Once upon a time, in a world cold and grey, there lived a young man. This young man was a sad young man, who had never been taught of love, of kindness, or of caring. The need for such wonders was an ache in his heart. He went to the doctor, and the doctor gave him pills and potions, but they didn’t help his ache. The doctor told him to go somewhere, somewhere bright, somewhere different, and see if it would change him. The young man agreed, and set off to see if he could find such a place.
He found it. Bursting with color and life and light, he found it. Strange rhythms moved his body and for the first time hot desire filled him. He danced under the moon and stars and planted a seed of beauty in his heart, in soil aching for a little bit of life-fire.
He returned to the grey place a changed man, and set the world ablaze. Ashes mixed with tears rained down on the people and washed the grey away. Tiny seeds burrowed under skin, hid in hearts, and let them beat again. Colors sprung forth vibrant, scintillating, and magical. A new rhythm grew, a rhythm of a city awoken, and everywhere was love and laughter and life.
And when the young man grew to an old man, and his fire burned him at last, the city wept tears of joy. The people planted a tree, glorious and shining, over his body, so even if he was forgotten he would be loved.