Paradise Preliminary Poll - Duty

[Velox]

 

Vote here for your favorite Paradise story; entries have been randomized. Please MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL ENTRIES BEFORE VOTING.Voting begins now and will end on July 8th at 11:59 PM EST. Entries that do well will move on to the Paradise Final Poll, which will be posted at the conclusion of the 10th round preliminary poll.

 

Choice #1:

 

"He Got It from the Discount Aisle"

“Well this is shameful.”

“I’ll say.”

(Gosh, Artakha! Such a mythical, wonderful place of rest for hard-working Matoran. And hey, no boring work! It might as well be paradise.

So…this was Artakha?)

“I don’t think this is Artakha, Moden.”

“Ridiculous. Didn’t you see the sign? The sign said Artakha. It was on the sign. ‘Artakha.’ In big fat round letters.”

“No, I know but, this…wasn’t this meant to be a sort of paradise realm?”

“It’s not…that…bad.”

“Yes. Yes it is. We were promised something more paradise…ey. Paradisical? Parasitical. Paradispy? Paradingy.”

“You done?”

“Paradissiful?”

“I think the proper term is paradical.”

“That doesn’t sound right at all.”

“Either way, I don’t disagree that this is a poor fit for our expectations, but maybe they were just too high.”

“Moden?”

“Yes, Qoroo?”

“The ground is screaming. The freaking ground is literally freaking screaming right now. That the ground not be screaming is not ‘high expectations,’ unless you are seriously deranged.”

“…You’re right. This is just…wrong.”

“Right.”

“…but maybe we’ll get used to it!”

“Moden.”

“Yes?”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes.”

“You are acting like a total imbecile right now.”

“That’s harsh, brother.”

“We are not staying here, and I don’t care what the sign says, this isn’t Artakha!”

(So I suppose we’re leaving. Qoroo is right, obviously. This…place can’t possibly be Artakha. It’s preposterous. And we simply cannot stay.

But…what can we do? My arm won’t work. Qoroo doesn’t say anything, but I know his eye pains him, and his foot must be killing him. The trip here was hard enough. Where will we go?)

“What are those?”

“I…think we should head back.”

“Now that, my young friends, is a wonderful idea!”

(This day just keeps getting better. Monster crabs. Gold and black-armored giants.

Just.

Great day.)

“Tell me, good Matoran, why would you ever want to leave my realm? Isn’t it wonderful?”

“Sir, no disrespect, but we were seeking Artakha.”

“Artakha? Why would you ever want to go to that awful place? This here is Karzahni! A brighter paradise couldn’t have been imagined by the Great Beings themselves.”

“So this isn’t Artakha! I knew it.”

“Why would you ever think my realm was anything like that terrible island?”

“Uh. It was the sign, sir. The sign that said Artakha.”

“Oh, that old thing? I thought I tore it down ages ago. Oh, but I’m ever so sorry to have misled you with my sign. That was unfortunate…or rather, rather fortunate. Now you have the chance to stay on Karzahni, which is far superior! Indeed, follow me!”

(That…guy… has gotten all excited and run ahead. Me, I can’t figure it out. This place…how can it possibly be a paradise, by any standard?)

“That guy is insane.”

“I noticed.”

“Where did he even get this ‘paradise’?”

“I don’t know. But wherever he got it…”

“He got ripped off.”

“Yeah. I know.”

------------------------------------

Choice #2:

"Paradise"

Paradise.

It's an ideal, a virtue, a dream. It's a beautiful ideology of a utopia, a place where everyone is happy and no one has to feel alone or excluded. A place where people can live their dreams and do what they love.

Paradise.

It's a thing that beings always strive for. Any land full of abundance and peace could be considered a paradise. Any place where beings are happy and prosperous and joyous is a paradise.

Paradise.

It's a thing that many beings have fought and died for. Beings who believed so strongly in their ideals and cared so much for their people that they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifices in order to achieve the dream, if only temporarily. If only to hold back the crushing grip of darkness for a time, that people can live in light for as long as there are heroes to fight for it.

Paradise.

Who wouldn't want to live there? A place where hard work, perseverance, and dedication can make miracles happen? A place where your dreams can literally come true? Unless you want to live in Fairy-Land. Sorry, but without a mask of Interdimensional Gates I don't think it's gonna happen. But then, if that's your shtick and you want to work hard enough to come by such a mask, then more power to you.

Paradise.

Seriously, who wouldn't love utopia? A place where everyone's a brother and a sister and where each has personal responsibility of some form or another to preserve the sanctity of the society. A place where people are free to work hard in the way they choose, where no one will offer negativity but always encouragement. Unless you're the type who likes to be challenged, in that case I'm sure they can offer that, too. A place where hard work is always rewarded in more ways than one and every moment of every day is filled with joy and peace and beauty of some variety.

Paradise.

A place where everyone is family, and everyone is pure and good. This is my dream.

This is what I fight for.

This is what I've always fought for.

This is what I lead warriors into battle for.

This is why I lead my fellow Matoran against the tide of darkness, to strike in the name of righteousness in this paradoxical world.

This is why I'm willing to die if need be, or to live if need be, to preserve the reality of my dream.

This is why I die every day and bear tremendous burden. This is why my fellows possess undying loyalty to me and my cause. This is why we brave the shadows where no one else is willing to go.

I'm surrounded by war and violence, chaos and destruction. Every moment is filled with fear and doubt. Yet every moment is filled with joy and honor. Because I know what I am fighting for:

Paradise.

What are you fighting for?

------------------------------------

Choice #3:

"Paradise? What Paradise?"

A paradise. That was what they called this island. A paradise.

Agni wouldn’t currently call it a paradise. It felt more like Karzahni.

It was raining; the downpour drenched Agni and turned the ground around him to mud. He was wet and cold and miserable.

Normally he wouldn’t feel like this in Ta-Wahi. In fact, those in Ta-Koro were not in such a state. The heat of the lava around them turned much of the rain to steam, and even then, the fact that they had roofed huts protected them from the precipitation.

But Agni was not in Ta-Koro. Instead, he a guard was stationed in the burnt forest, on the lookout for Rahi. The remains of the trees offered no cover from the torrential rains. Winds swept across the land and sprayed the rain water through his mask and into his eyes.

This was not what paradise was supposed to be like.

Agni heard something hit the ground nearby. Perhaps one of the dead trees had fallen over into the mud. He trudged through the muck towards the sound, but froze at the sight of a Kane-Ra. The mighty bull Rahi was crawling through the mud, heading towards Ta-Koro. And it was not alone. Sand Tarakava and Nui-Jaga followed behind it, trudging through the tread marks in the mud left by the Kane-Ra.

That was another reason why this island wasn’t a paradise; there were too many infected Rahi out to get the Matoran.

Agni spun around and started to run towards the village. He needed to warn them of the oncoming attack. But his feet sunk deep into the mud, and make loud slurping noises every time he took a step. Even with the roar of the storm, the noise was enough to get the Kane-Ra’s attention. It sighted the Matoran and changed direction.

At least the Rahi weren’t going to attack the village first, Agni thought. They would get him instead.

He tried to run faster, but the mud slowed him down, and the rain water clouded his vision. The Rahi were closing in behind them, but they were also slowed by the mud and the storm. Unfortunately, the Kane-Ra was able to power through it faster than the Ta-Matoran.

Agni cursed to himself as he pushed on. He was done for. He was a well trained guard, but the storm was hampering his abilities to run and fight. The Rahi would surely get him. And then, what would it all be for? To protect this island paradise? It wasn’t worth it.

Agni stumbled one last time, and fell mask first into the mud. He was barely able to pull himself out before the Kane-Ra caught up to him. The beast roared, and snapped its head forward, where it would break Agni’s body with its horns.

But something struck it mid-stride, and the beast drew back. A volley of bamboo discs flew threw the air with the raindrops, striking the Kane-Ra’s infected masks and knocking them off. With a final grunt, the now uninfected beast decided to retreat from the mud and seek shelter elsewhere. The Sand Tarakava and Nui-Jaga fled from the mighty bull, now that it was no longer their ally and leader.

The Rahi would be back, but not until after the storm had abated.

Agni pushed himself up, and although his vision was blurry, he could see the squad of Ta-Matoran walking towards him. Another of the guardsmen had sighted the Kane-Ra chasing him, and had gathered a resistance to fight the Rahi back. Had Agni not diverted the Rahi’s attention, they would’ve managed a successful sneak attack on the gates of Ta-Koro.

The other Guards helped Agni out of the mud and led him back to the warmth and shelter of the village. After all, Agni was their comrade and friend, and they had gone out of their way to help him. An Agni knew he would do the same for all of them.

No, this island wasn’t a paradise, Agni thought. It was full of dangers and discomfort. But he had good friends on this island, and they were worth fighting for. He could tough it out with them. And together, they could build their own paradise.

------------------------------------

Choice #4:

"Ten years"

Paradise island. Lush trees, singing Rahi, adventure hiding behind every bush, tree, mountain. Mystery in every cave, secrets frozen in the glaciers. Peace and unity in every Koro, love in the hearts of the Matoran. There's no place like Mata Nui.A great city like no other, Matoran fill the streets, hard working to keep peace. Automated police patrol the streets, enforcing order. A prospering enterprise, the headquarters of the universe. Metru Nui.A savage island, weathered by strong-willed inhabitants. Raging seas all around, a raging volcano within. Danger and adventure always guaranteed. A treasure of immeasurable worth below untamed Voya Nui.Mahri Nui. A township like no other, survived by sheer will, awaits below sparkling waves. Fear creeps from the deep, the darkness of the ocean, the recesses of the Pit.The Great Heart, the life force of the universe; Karda Nui. A deep caved choked with light, the delicate candle of the world flickering, shrinking, challenged by sliding shadows.A desert beyond the universe, a world united, Bara Magna becomes Spherus Magna once again, suffering ended and strife over. A world to explore, a universe to discover, and possibilities endless.Paradise. Adventure. Bionicle.

------------------------------------

[dotcom]

I went with my silly own piece, #1. Though it appears that the italics were lost in translation...Doesn't look like any of the other stories got italics either.

[Excelsior]

I voted for #1. I liked the idea of #4, but I didn't think it really fit the theme.

 

May the best story win!

 

-Excelsior

[BBBBalta]

You can always tell which story is dotcom's, haha. Ninety percent dialogue and not the slightest bit serious.

 

I voted for number 1.

[dotcom]

You can always tell which story is dotcom's, haha. Ninety percent dialogue and not the slightest bit serious.

 

I voted for number 1.

Hahaha. Last year all my stories were SUPER SERIOUS BUSINESS and all prose, believe it or not. The fact that I never write dialogue and suck at humor is precisely why most of my stories this year were just dialogue and all silly.

[Velox]

Polling period over; topic closed.