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Post by Stella on Jan 6, 2023 10:47:59 GMT -5
While there are no empty lines, there does seem to be higher spacing between paragraphs. That's interesting how they've formatted it. For my entries, I haven't needed to put in paragraph tags. I just do a double-enter between paragraphs, as you would make a new paragraph here. For bold and itallics, that's another story; those work the same way as forum bold and itallics tags work. As for the latest slot, I have an idea for this story that I've had for a while, but now is the time to try it. Time to attempt an entry after I eat! EDIT: Entered something. It's very long, so I don't know if it'll get in. xD If it doesn't, I'll post it here! By latest slot, did you mean the ending for week 930 or a story starter for the next competition?
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Post by Gelquie on Jan 6, 2023 19:20:02 GMT -5
By latest slot, did you mean the ending for week 930 or a story starter for the next competition? Latest as in the ending for 930. No story starters in mind yet, but if I did I'd have to wait till after the ending is posted. Alas, my ending didn't get in. But the winning entry has a pretty clever way to end it that mine didn't have. In any case, congratulations to the winner! And to be fair, my entry was really long; about 1700 words, and I couldn't find a way to decrease it. xD Plus, it's a lot heavier. I'll just post it here if people are curious. Reina nodded and took her own seat at the table. "Yes, that is something I want to talk about. But first, why don't you try a cup of hot cocoa? It's my grandmother’s special recipe." She smiled, taking her own cup.
Cherryrose was taken aback by the abrupt change in subject. "Wha- but. That's my daughter there wearing that cheap, tacky..."
Cherryrose’s sentence trailed off as Reina stared and gave her a wide grin.
"Well, she seems happy," Reina said cheerfully. "Now, some hot cocoa? Or tea if you prefer?"
Looking flustered, Cherryrose took a seat and accepted a mug of hot cocoa. When she brought it to her mouth, her eyes went wide in shock.
"That's... that's really good," Cherryrose admitted. "There's something here... Ginger snap?"
"Oh, you got it! My secret ingredient!" Meemaw said with a proud smile. "You've got a good sense of taste."
"Uhh... thank you." Cherryrose blushed as she continued to sip her drink.
"And it sounds like you want the best taste for Maddie," Reina said.
Cherryrose smiled, setting her mug down. "Why of course! And we have the Rainbow Fountain waiting for us after we're done here. She'll be so beautiful and refined when painted faerie and she’ll be the pride of this family!"
Maddie and Wilbur stared at each other, confused. Was Reina encouraging her? Maddie acted quickly and shook her head.
"But I don't want to be painted faerie!" Maddie yelled.
"Madison, don't interrupt!" Cherryrose scolded.
"No, I want to hear her too," Meemaw said evenly. "After all, she is the one being painted."
Cherryrose pressed her lips together. "You told me you wanted to be faerie, Maddie."
"When I was little!" Maddie complained. "Because you talked about it a lot, and you made it sound so neat. But it's not me! I don't want to be mean and forceful like you, I want to be like Reina!"
"Madison!!" Cherryrose scowled deeply at her child.
"Maddie," Meemaw said, calmly but firmly. "Say you're sorry."
"...What?” Maddie was incredulous. “But she's trying to force me-!"
"That is important, and so is your choice," Reina said. "But it's not nice to call your mom mean, even if you’re angry."
"Maddie..." Wilbur urged gently.
Maddie scowled, then let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry for calling you mean, mom," she said quietly.
Cherryrose just sat there, overwhelmed. "...I'm not trying to... I thought this was what you wanted," she said slowly. "I just want what's best for you, Maddie. it’s... you really think I'm forcing you into this?"
"You're making me faerie when I don't want to," Maddie said, about to cry. "What's not forceful about that?"
Cherryrose went quiet, staring at her child.
"...Cherryrose, would you rather be painted faerie?" Reina asked slowly.
"Of course, I would, but I can't!" Cherryrose's voice was like something had just burst. "I had a lab ray accident when I was little, when my mother was trying to make me faerie and pushed the lab scientist too hard. Now I can't morph into anything else! I'm gross, saggy, and ugly forever, and I can't even smile properly!" She paused to wipe a tear from her eye, before her face hardened in determination. "But my daughter doesn't have to be. She can be beautiful. And I've spent so long finding a safe way for her to be beautiful."
Reina pushed a few napkins across the table for Cherryrose to use. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. That’s awful."
"Harder to smile properly? Saggy?" Meemaw gave a lopsided smile as she gestured to herself. "Join the club! I'd say my skin’s even more saggy in my elder years." She let out a light laugh. "But ugly? Hardly. Your scales are still smooth. And the way you lit up when you enjoyed my hot chocolate? How Maddie enjoyed herself when she dressed up? That's a true beauty that a paint brush won't give."
Cherryrose stared, her expression uncertain. "...Even so, others will see her as cheap. They'll put her down, deny her opportunities. She doesn't have to put up with that."
"No one should have to put up with that," Reina said kindly. "My grandma's right, what's truly valuable and beautiful is how happy someone is. And I’m happy like this. I'm even a spokeswoman for the Advent Calendar."
Cherryrose was quiet, so Reina went on. "I don't know if being painted Christmas will make Maddie happy in the long run, but if she's painted something she doesn't want to be, then it won't matter how others see her, because she'll be miserable living under her grandmother's shadow."
Cherryrose blinked. "'Her grandmother's?'"
"You're trying to help her status. You're trying to keep her from being bullied. I think those are good, wonderful things to do for your daughter. And I think you're trying to protect her because those happened to you. Why did your mom want you to be faerie so badly?"
Cherryrose looked away. "...I did want to be faerie. I still do. But we could never afford a faerie paint brush, much less anything, and there wasn't yet a Rainbow Fountain. My mother didn't care, as long as I was a rare and good colour. And then after the accident, she focused on my sister Patsy. I was written off, all because I was ugly."
Wilbur was stunned. He knew of his grandmother, but he had only ever seen her once, and only briefly. She never came for holidays, and his mother always had a reason to not see her... no. Excuses. That's what they were.
"...But my mom didn't," Wilbur said. "I don't think my mom minds what colour Maddie is, or what colour you are. I don’t think anyone here does. And grandma isn’t here. I don't know why we never visit grandma, but, well, we never visit grandma."
In spite of what Wilbur felt was a shallow explanation, there was a silence among the adults as if he had said far more.
"...Who has called you and others cheap, exactly?" Meemaw asked.
But Cherryrose was silent. She had begun to gaze at her cocoa, albeit her focus was far beyond it.
"...It's fine," Meemaw said. "You don't have to paint Maddie right now either way. The Rainbow Fountain can wait."
"For now," Reina smiled. "Let's forget this and just have a nice time together. Would you like to stay the evening? We have some activities planned that I'm sure will make us happy. You can invite Patsy too, if you want. Either way, I hope you stay. My grandmother may have won you over with hot cocoa, but I hope to win you over with my teas too."
Cherryrose opened her mouth, then closed it. Then she looked up and nodded. "If you're so sure about what you call beauty... then go on and show me. Besides." She smirked. "If you’ll invite me tomorrow, then I guarantee you can't compete with my brownies."
***
Both families indeed had a fun time at the get-together, with Maddie hopping around joyfully in her Christmas garb, Wilbur and Patsy having friendly conversation with Reina, and Cherryrose indeed having a friendly competition with Meemaw over hot cocoa and brownies. They ended up visiting several times over the next several days, including Christmas Eve.
Maddie was still not painted. Occasionally she expressed impatience, given that the Rainbow Fountain was right there, and Cherryrose was still reticent about using a Fountain Faerie dip "for a cheap paintbrush." Still, she was more relieved that Cherryrose was finally silent about painting her faerie. Reina's influence also seemed to have an effect, as Wilbur noticed that Maddie had begun to apologize for teasing him.
The adults had brought together a potluck of dishes, with a soft competition between them that devolved into complimenting each others' food and gathering baking ideas. Wilbur and Maddie, meanwhile, were playing in the living room with some of the Christmas themed toys, with Maddie again wearing borrowed Christmas Aisha garbs.
Some time after dinner, Reina spoke up. "Oh! I didn't see you at today's Advent Calendar, did I?"
Patsy gasped. "Oh right, I'd been so busy cooking that I completely forgot!"
"Same with me," Cherryrose said. "But there's still time, isn't there?"
"Oh, there is!" Reina said cheerfully. "Actually, because I noticed you didn't come, I went and brought your share of gifts on my way here. You should open them now."
"Oh right! Before midnight?" Wilbur asked.
"Sure, just... open them," Reina said with a smile.
With a nod from their parents, Wilbur and Maddie opened their package from the day's advent calendar. Wilbur had just recognized the contents when Maddie let out a squeal.
"OH MY FYORA REINA I LOVE YOU!!" Maddie was jumping around, a Christmas paint brush in hand.
Cherryrose blinked. "You planned this."
"No actually, we plan this out months ahead of time," Reina said with laugh. Maddie soon enveloped Reina in a hug as she squealed out "thankyouthankyouthankyou thank you!"
Cherryrose stared, unable to look away from the smile on her daughter’s face. "You... really want this, don't you."
"I do!!" Maddie nodded eagerly.
"...Before I take you, I just want you to think,” Cherryrose warned. “What if this doesn't work out? What if it's just a temporary happiness?"
"Temporary happy is still happy," Meemaw said. "Besides, it's free!"
Reina nodded. "If Maddie ever changes her mind, you can always figure it out and paint her again later. After all, you've saved that Fountain Faerie dip."
Cherryrose sighed, then relented with a smile.
"Thank you!! And thank you! And you! And you!" She energetically ran to each Neopian in turn, giving them a hug each.
Wilbur blinked when he got his hug. "Huh? But I didn't really..."
"Yeah you did," Maddie smiled. "You helped me hide and then bring her here. You're my favorite cousin ever."
"Ha, I'm your only cousin," Wilbur teased.
“You’re still special!” Maddie laughed. "Oh, maybe we can match! After all, you got one too!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Wilbur smirked.
Shortly after, they made their way to the Rainbow Pool, and it wasn't long before Maddie emerged. She was finally the Christmas Aisha she wanted to be: Happy, fulfilled, and beautiful. And her family stood around her with pride and joy.
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Post by Stella on Jan 7, 2023 15:53:07 GMT -5
By latest slot, did you mean the ending for week 930 or a story starter for the next competition? Latest as in the ending for 930. No story starters in mind yet, but if I did I'd have to wait till after the ending is posted. Alas, my ending didn't get in. But the winning entry has a pretty clever way to end it that mine didn't have. In any case, congratulations to the winner! And to be fair, my entry was really long; about 1700 words, and I couldn't find a way to decrease it. xD Plus, it's a lot heavier. I'll just post it here if people are curious. Reina nodded and took her own seat at the table. "Yes, that is something I want to talk about. But first, why don't you try a cup of hot cocoa? It's my grandmother’s special recipe." She smiled, taking her own cup.
Cherryrose was taken aback by the abrupt change in subject. "Wha- but. That's my daughter there wearing that cheap, tacky..."
Cherryrose’s sentence trailed off as Reina stared and gave her a wide grin.
"Well, she seems happy," Reina said cheerfully. "Now, some hot cocoa? Or tea if you prefer?"
Looking flustered, Cherryrose took a seat and accepted a mug of hot cocoa. When she brought it to her mouth, her eyes went wide in shock.
"That's... that's really good," Cherryrose admitted. "There's something here... Ginger snap?"
"Oh, you got it! My secret ingredient!" Meemaw said with a proud smile. "You've got a good sense of taste."
"Uhh... thank you." Cherryrose blushed as she continued to sip her drink.
"And it sounds like you want the best taste for Maddie," Reina said.
Cherryrose smiled, setting her mug down. "Why of course! And we have the Rainbow Fountain waiting for us after we're done here. She'll be so beautiful and refined when painted faerie and she’ll be the pride of this family!"
Maddie and Wilbur stared at each other, confused. Was Reina encouraging her? Maddie acted quickly and shook her head.
"But I don't want to be painted faerie!" Maddie yelled.
"Madison, don't interrupt!" Cherryrose scolded.
"No, I want to hear her too," Meemaw said evenly. "After all, she is the one being painted."
Cherryrose pressed her lips together. "You told me you wanted to be faerie, Maddie."
"When I was little!" Maddie complained. "Because you talked about it a lot, and you made it sound so neat. But it's not me! I don't want to be mean and forceful like you, I want to be like Reina!"
"Madison!!" Cherryrose scowled deeply at her child.
"Maddie," Meemaw said, calmly but firmly. "Say you're sorry."
"...What?” Maddie was incredulous. “But she's trying to force me-!"
"That is important, and so is your choice," Reina said. "But it's not nice to call your mom mean, even if you’re angry."
"Maddie..." Wilbur urged gently.
Maddie scowled, then let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry for calling you mean, mom," she said quietly.
Cherryrose just sat there, overwhelmed. "...I'm not trying to... I thought this was what you wanted," she said slowly. "I just want what's best for you, Maddie. it’s... you really think I'm forcing you into this?"
"You're making me faerie when I don't want to," Maddie said, about to cry. "What's not forceful about that?"
Cherryrose went quiet, staring at her child.
"...Cherryrose, would you rather be painted faerie?" Reina asked slowly.
"Of course, I would, but I can't!" Cherryrose's voice was like something had just burst. "I had a lab ray accident when I was little, when my mother was trying to make me faerie and pushed the lab scientist too hard. Now I can't morph into anything else! I'm gross, saggy, and ugly forever, and I can't even smile properly!" She paused to wipe a tear from her eye, before her face hardened in determination. "But my daughter doesn't have to be. She can be beautiful. And I've spent so long finding a safe way for her to be beautiful."
Reina pushed a few napkins across the table for Cherryrose to use. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. That’s awful."
"Harder to smile properly? Saggy?" Meemaw gave a lopsided smile as she gestured to herself. "Join the club! I'd say my skin’s even more saggy in my elder years." She let out a light laugh. "But ugly? Hardly. Your scales are still smooth. And the way you lit up when you enjoyed my hot chocolate? How Maddie enjoyed herself when she dressed up? That's a true beauty that a paint brush won't give."
Cherryrose stared, her expression uncertain. "...Even so, others will see her as cheap. They'll put her down, deny her opportunities. She doesn't have to put up with that."
"No one should have to put up with that," Reina said kindly. "My grandma's right, what's truly valuable and beautiful is how happy someone is. And I’m happy like this. I'm even a spokeswoman for the Advent Calendar."
Cherryrose was quiet, so Reina went on. "I don't know if being painted Christmas will make Maddie happy in the long run, but if she's painted something she doesn't want to be, then it won't matter how others see her, because she'll be miserable living under her grandmother's shadow."
Cherryrose blinked. "'Her grandmother's?'"
"You're trying to help her status. You're trying to keep her from being bullied. I think those are good, wonderful things to do for your daughter. And I think you're trying to protect her because those happened to you. Why did your mom want you to be faerie so badly?"
Cherryrose looked away. "...I did want to be faerie. I still do. But we could never afford a faerie paint brush, much less anything, and there wasn't yet a Rainbow Fountain. My mother didn't care, as long as I was a rare and good colour. And then after the accident, she focused on my sister Patsy. I was written off, all because I was ugly."
Wilbur was stunned. He knew of his grandmother, but he had only ever seen her once, and only briefly. She never came for holidays, and his mother always had a reason to not see her... no. Excuses. That's what they were.
"...But my mom didn't," Wilbur said. "I don't think my mom minds what colour Maddie is, or what colour you are. I don’t think anyone here does. And grandma isn’t here. I don't know why we never visit grandma, but, well, we never visit grandma."
In spite of what Wilbur felt was a shallow explanation, there was a silence among the adults as if he had said far more.
"...Who has called you and others cheap, exactly?" Meemaw asked.
But Cherryrose was silent. She had begun to gaze at her cocoa, albeit her focus was far beyond it.
"...It's fine," Meemaw said. "You don't have to paint Maddie right now either way. The Rainbow Fountain can wait."
"For now," Reina smiled. "Let's forget this and just have a nice time together. Would you like to stay the evening? We have some activities planned that I'm sure will make us happy. You can invite Patsy too, if you want. Either way, I hope you stay. My grandmother may have won you over with hot cocoa, but I hope to win you over with my teas too."
Cherryrose opened her mouth, then closed it. Then she looked up and nodded. "If you're so sure about what you call beauty... then go on and show me. Besides." She smirked. "If you’ll invite me tomorrow, then I guarantee you can't compete with my brownies."
***
Both families indeed had a fun time at the get-together, with Maddie hopping around joyfully in her Christmas garb, Wilbur and Patsy having friendly conversation with Reina, and Cherryrose indeed having a friendly competition with Meemaw over hot cocoa and brownies. They ended up visiting several times over the next several days, including Christmas Eve.
Maddie was still not painted. Occasionally she expressed impatience, given that the Rainbow Fountain was right there, and Cherryrose was still reticent about using a Fountain Faerie dip "for a cheap paintbrush." Still, she was more relieved that Cherryrose was finally silent about painting her faerie. Reina's influence also seemed to have an effect, as Wilbur noticed that Maddie had begun to apologize for teasing him.
The adults had brought together a potluck of dishes, with a soft competition between them that devolved into complimenting each others' food and gathering baking ideas. Wilbur and Maddie, meanwhile, were playing in the living room with some of the Christmas themed toys, with Maddie again wearing borrowed Christmas Aisha garbs.
Some time after dinner, Reina spoke up. "Oh! I didn't see you at today's Advent Calendar, did I?"
Patsy gasped. "Oh right, I'd been so busy cooking that I completely forgot!"
"Same with me," Cherryrose said. "But there's still time, isn't there?"
"Oh, there is!" Reina said cheerfully. "Actually, because I noticed you didn't come, I went and brought your share of gifts on my way here. You should open them now."
"Oh right! Before midnight?" Wilbur asked.
"Sure, just... open them," Reina said with a smile.
With a nod from their parents, Wilbur and Maddie opened their package from the day's advent calendar. Wilbur had just recognized the contents when Maddie let out a squeal.
"OH MY FYORA REINA I LOVE YOU!!" Maddie was jumping around, a Christmas paint brush in hand.
Cherryrose blinked. "You planned this."
"No actually, we plan this out months ahead of time," Reina said with laugh. Maddie soon enveloped Reina in a hug as she squealed out "thankyouthankyouthankyou thank you!"
Cherryrose stared, unable to look away from the smile on her daughter’s face. "You... really want this, don't you."
"I do!!" Maddie nodded eagerly.
"...Before I take you, I just want you to think,” Cherryrose warned. “What if this doesn't work out? What if it's just a temporary happiness?"
"Temporary happy is still happy," Meemaw said. "Besides, it's free!"
Reina nodded. "If Maddie ever changes her mind, you can always figure it out and paint her again later. After all, you've saved that Fountain Faerie dip."
Cherryrose sighed, then relented with a smile.
"Thank you!! And thank you! And you! And you!" She energetically ran to each Neopian in turn, giving them a hug each.
Wilbur blinked when he got his hug. "Huh? But I didn't really..."
"Yeah you did," Maddie smiled. "You helped me hide and then bring her here. You're my favorite cousin ever."
"Ha, I'm your only cousin," Wilbur teased.
“You’re still special!” Maddie laughed. "Oh, maybe we can match! After all, you got one too!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Wilbur smirked.
Shortly after, they made their way to the Rainbow Pool, and it wasn't long before Maddie emerged. She was finally the Christmas Aisha she wanted to be: Happy, fulfilled, and beautiful. And her family stood around her with pride and joy. Oooh, I really enjoyed this! This cute little story about a paintjob really made me feel something lol
My entry was similar, but I didn't flesh out Cherryrose nearly as much!
I haven't seen entries longer than ~800 words from the previous weeks I flipped/skimmed through. Is that sort of an unofficial limit? I know the current editor handles all the creative contest entries, and that must be quite a workload even if there isn't as much traffic as there was before.
(I submitted a story opener for the next competition! I'm obsessed with Gundam lately, so I snuck in a sneaky little not!mecha that's hopefully not too egregious re:technology in Neopia lol. It's on Kreludor!)
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Post by Gelquie on Jan 7, 2023 23:05:47 GMT -5
Oooh, I really enjoyed this! This cute little story about a paintjob really made me feel something lol My entry was similar, but I didn't flesh out Cherryrose nearly as much!
I haven't seen entries longer than ~800 words from the previous weeks I flipped/skimmed through. Is that sort of an unofficial limit? I know the current editor handles all the creative contest entries, and that must be quite a workload even if there isn't as much traffic as there was before. (I submitted a story opener for the next competition! I'm obsessed with Gundam lately, so I snuck in a sneaky little not!mecha that's hopefully not too egregious re:technology in Neopia lol. It's on Kreludor!)
Thank you! I know, right? It's surprising how deep it can go! xD Cool that you did something similar! (And maybe shorter, lol. I guess fleshing out Cherryrose is up to the author. xP ) <800 words is about average, but there was at least one semi-recent entry that got all the way up to 1900 words, in part because there was a lot to catch up on before the end. So because of that I thought my 1700 word entry might have a chance. Super long entries probably lessen the chance in general, though. But that's just speculation. I don't know if there's an unofficial limit or guideline, at least not a recent one upheld by the current editor. Good luck on your story opener! Ooh, Kreludor! That's fun. =D
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Post by Kat on Jan 12, 2023 9:07:06 GMT -5
Congratulations, Bananas! Your entry was super fun but it also got my brain twisted up into knots, so we'll see if I have correctly untangled my brain for the next entry tomorrow. If not, depending on how this story goes, I may just watch how this unfolds instead of joining. I'm not exactly the best at uh, time paradox stories.
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Post by Bananas on Jan 12, 2023 14:01:14 GMT -5
Thanks! I'm apparently a sucker for people meeting their alternate universe selves; I'm like 30k words into another story (set in Altador) involving that concept.
I'll admit that Dimensional > parallel timeline hopping was maybe a bit of a stretch, but eh, I figured it was one explanation for the mistaken identity.
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Post by Azusa on Jan 12, 2023 22:59:52 GMT -5
Really enjoying the story so far! It kinda reminds me of Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. Definitely skipping this one. I barely know anything about futuristic stuff and my imagination is so limited. Heck, when I saw words like airlock and hangar and parallel universes, I had to search it up to understand how it worked (yes, that's how bad I am, but at least I knew the superficial meaning of those words ). I couldn't even bring up those words if you asked me to for fear of using them wrongly *shakes head* Looking forward to more plot twists and/or new aspects of space-time travelling. Maybe if I have time and I'm brave enough to embarrass myself in front of the person who manages the STC, I'll give it a go... (and submit the worst and most incoherent entry imaginable. Yeah, dream on )
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Post by Kat on Jan 23, 2023 18:15:49 GMT -5
Well, this is the first time I log in to see two entries already up. The beginning, and another entry already submitted.
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Post by Gelquie on Jan 23, 2023 18:52:21 GMT -5
Woah yeah, that is strange. I checked earlier in the day and saw only one, and just a few hours later a second one? That almost makes me think it was a mistake. Though on the other hand, it is a short entry. But that makes is more confusing.
It reminds me of a dream I had the other month, actually, where there was a Storytelling Contest that basically updated every hour and had over 32 entries (mostly short). The story went completely off the rails and didn't even have the same cast at some point down the road. I think it became a heist at some point.
Also, yay for a Tyrannia story! I have no ideas for the next segment, though, so I'll see what comes up.
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Post by Stella on Jan 24, 2023 1:00:50 GMT -5
I legitimately tried to write a part every day for last week, but drew a blank each time. I hope I can get the wheels turning for this week! (pun was not intended lol) That line about twenty years having passed, haha, literally me looking at the 15 year shield on my userlookup the other day and remembering how I agonized over which member of Winx Club I should have in my username LOL.
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Post by RielCZ on Feb 6, 2023 11:55:22 GMT -5
Congrats Azusa! Nice to see a sea themed story. Though, your win means my attempts to make this STC a scripted SpongeBob parody were unsuccessful. Ah, the sea... What an intriguing, wondrous place. Let us gaze upon Maraqua, filled with all sorts of colourful creatures. Mostly Maraquan. Maybe Maractite.
But look, there goes my favourite one of all! A sponge Kiko, fondly called K-man Kroundaid.
Yes, of course he lives in a sunken Chokato, you silly thing!
***
K-man jumps out of bed to the sound of his alarm -- three steamboat whistles. He tosses his blankets on the floor, then literally dives out of bed onto them. He swims around in his blankets before leaping out.
Sadie (his Slugawoo) watches him with attentive bemusement.
K-man (excited): Today's the big day, Sadie!
Sadie: Moo.
K-man: You understand!
K-man quickly gets dressed and does some light exercise, which is mostly him running around frantically.
K-man (pumped up): Let's DO IT! Let's do it let's do it let's do it let's do it--
K-man continues to chant as he dashes outside his home. He encounters his best friend, Chummy, a Maraquan Draik, just outside Chummy's coral home.
Chummy (curiously yet densely): Durrr, what's the "it" you're so prepped to do, K-man?
K-man (grinning madly): Let me tell you my good Chum... I kinda wanna subvert the cataclysmic cliffhanger of the beginning and make the nightmare something comically trivial, but I'll see if I come up with something heh.
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Post by Azusa on Feb 6, 2023 12:00:27 GMT -5
Oh my gosh, I've made a huge mistake! How in the world do I fix it? Hopefully, y'all don't notice it... yet. I'm facepalming myself so hard right now.
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Post by RielCZ on Feb 6, 2023 12:04:36 GMT -5
*rereads and checks the book of ages quick*
OH. Oh dear. Well, maybe I can introduce some multiverse hopping. But probably not because that is too recent a theme heh.
Maybe NM Stone?
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Post by Azusa on Feb 6, 2023 12:12:54 GMT -5
I don't watch Spongebob much but I understand enough of the references and find it hilarious! Buuut if your story had been chosen, I'd for sure be sitting out for another 2 weeks because I don't know how to keep up with that tone/style of writing LOL. Ooh, that would be a huge twist if you were to change the genre so early! I wonder if it's too early though. It might not get accepted. Also, why did you have to check? This is between me and you, kay. Stone's mailbox is full, so I put in a note in the STC submission box (out of desperation). Hope they see it *crosses fingers* Instead of multiverse hopping, maybe try switching souls or identities LOL.
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Post by Kat on Feb 7, 2023 18:53:42 GMT -5
I tried to fix the discrepancy. In all honesty if we're just going to proceed as is, I'm sitting out. The discrepancy bothers me too much alsjflsjf Perhaps, to another, it wouldn't be a nightmare. After all, in that nightmare, I was living in Maraqua. I glided with King Kelpbeard through its streets, greeted Swordmaster Talek, mingled with the Maraquans. I dreamed good dreams for them, and none of them ever told me I was a blight upon their lives.
It was a nightmare because Caylis was the one in my place. She was the one who dreamed bad omens, who was cast out of Maraqua, who was called a curse. It was a nightmare because Caylis became bitter and spiteful, and I couldn't take seeing her suffer and cry, all by herself in a dark cave.
I didn't know what it meant. Were Caylis and I destined to trade places somehow? But I never wanted Caylis to bear my burden. Seeing her happy in Maraqua, accepted and loved, was enough for me. Besides, the burden had been lifted off my shoulders when the nightmares started to ebb away like the waves from the shore.
Or so I thought.
I inspected a Cheery Plant that had begun to outgrow its pot. As I pondered these thoughts I picked up my shears and pruned the Cheery Plant.
I pondered whether I should see Caylis again and tell her what I saw. Part of me did not want to, but this dream was something I could not figure out by myself.
I would find out later on that I wouldn't have much of a choice.
"Isca!"
I gasped, dropping the shears. I turned toward the sound of my name and saw Caylis herself, swimming toward me with a distressed expression on her face.
"Caylis?" I opened my arms immediately to embrace my sister. I had never seen her that troubled in a long time. "Caylis, what's wrong?"
She pulled me toward my cottage. Once I had shut the door, she faced me solemnly and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"Isca," she whispered, "I had a dream. I've always wanted you to stay with me in Maraqua, with King Kelpbeard and everyone else, but...but in that dream, we traded places instead. You stayed in Maraqua, and you had the good dreams. I chose to live by myself and I had nightmares. Honestly...I, I don't know what it all means..." Perhaps, to another, it wouldn't be a nightmare. After all, in that nightmare, I was living in Maraqua. I glided with King Kelpbeard through its streets, greeted Swordmaster Talek, mingled with the Maraquans. I dreamed good dreams for them, and none of them ever told me I was a blight upon their lives.
It was a nightmare because Caylis was the one in my place. She was the one who dreamed bad omens, who was cast out of Maraqua, who was called a curse. It was a nightmare because Caylis became bitter and spiteful, and I couldn't take seeing her suffer and cry, all by herself in a dark cave.
I didn't know what it meant. Were Caylis and I destined to trade places somehow? But I never wanted Caylis to bear my burden. Seeing her happy in Maraqua, accepted and loved, was enough for me. Besides, the burden had been lifted off my shoulders when the nightmares started to ebb away like the waves from the shore.
Or so I thought.
I inspected a Cheery Plant that had begun to outgrow its pot. As I pondered these thoughts I picked up my shears and pruned the Cheery Plant.
I pondered whether I should see Caylis again and tell her what I saw. Part of me did not want to, but this dream was something I could not figure out by myself.
I needed my sister's help.
After a last glance at my plants and at the serene village I had called home for the longest time, I swam up and away from it all, toward Maraqua. I had to find Caylis, even if it meant enduring the suspicious, mistrusting glances of Maraquans -
"Isca!" I gasped. Swimming toward me was Caylis herself, and she slammed into me with a fierce hug. Despite the knowledge of my nightmare - or perhaps because of it - I held her tightly. When we broke away, I saw that her face was troubled. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyes were solemn. Uncertain.
"Caylis, what's wrong?"
"Isca, I had a dream," she said. "I don't know what it means, and I need your help."
Something prickled on the back of my neck. A foreboding sense...that seemed to tell me what Caylis was about to tell me.
"In my dream," she began, "we switched places. I had the nightmares, and I lived on my own, outside Maraqua. You lived in Maraqua and had the good, beautiful dreams...what do you think about that?"
Despite being surrounded by water, my throat suddenly felt dry.
"I think..." And these were my Sea starter ideas that I might resubmit for future STCs, I suppose. "The Giant Ghost Walein could eat the Krawken for breakfast - and still have room for dessert!" the old pirate Chia said, gripping his half-filled tankard and slamming it onto the sticky table. "It prowls the five seas, and legend has it that whenever a whirlpool forms in the ocean...that's just the Giant Ghost Walein snoring so deeply as it sleeps..."
"The Giant Ghost Walein isn't real," a green Lupe pointed out as he wiped down a table and gathered up the plates from it. "Everyone knows it's just a scary story told to keep Neopians from going out into sea alone." He shook his head. "You're getting senile in your old age, Grygor."
Grygor took a long draught from his tankard and growled. "Hah! I'm still as salty as the day I first sailed the sea - when you were still a tiny urchin, I bet!"
"Never mind him," the Lenny at the counter said as the Lupe approached them with a tray of dirty dishes. "Ol' Grygor has not been out to sea in years, not since his ship sank and he came running back here claiming to have seen the Giant Ghost Walein. Bet he's still shaken up about the accident."
"Am not!" Grygor cried. Several tavern patrons turned to look at the Chia and whispered among themselves. "I know what I saw! Great big ghostly head rearing up from the waves..."
"That was probably an island," the Lenny pointed out.
"Or another ship," a small pirate Aisha piped up from a back table.
Grygor jumped up from his table; short as he was, the gesture was not as intimidating or as imposing as he had hoped.
"Bah! If you lot have seen what I sa - "
The door of the Rusty Spatula banged open and a Mynci rushed in, with soaked and torn clothes. She was breathless, and clutched only a broken oar.
"I need help!" she wailed. "I lost my boat...and t-t-there was a giant ghost Walein..." Aellon sighed as he stared down at the "For Sale" sign in his hands, and looked up at his schooner, the Water Weewoo, docked at a pier just outside Warf Wharf. The schooner had a patched sail and looked as though it had several holes and breaks boarded up recently, but it nevertheless floated perfectly in the sea, as though awaiting orders.
The pirate Zafara took a deep breath, and prepared to hang the sign up onto the bow of the ship.
"Wait!"
He turned at the sound of the voice, and scowled when he saw who it was: a diminutive red Chia carrying a pack over his shoulder and running toward him. Though Aellon dropped his arms, he did not drop the sign.
"For the last time, Connor, I'm selling this ship. Maybe I'll make back all that money I spent on your wild Mallard chases." Aellon waved a hand dismissively. "I've had it with all your so-called leads on the so-called Golden Petpet Statues! We've never even seen any of them! What a wild Mallard chase that was!"
"No, you don't understand!" Connor cried. "This time's different! Please, one more treasure hunt, Aellon!"
The Zafara raised the "For Sale" sign again as though about to hit Connor with it. "No! No more treasure hunts! I'm done. We're done. Whatever you've got this time, it's gonna be a dead end like the other ones!"
At first, Connor didn't say anything. Instead, he pulled off his pack and dropped it onto the pier. He rummaged through it.
Aellon gasped.
In Connor's hands was the top half of a golden Kadoatie statue...
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