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Hi, everyone! I am pleased to finally announce the release date for my upcoming epic, In the End. Originally I said I'd post it sometime in early or mid 2014, but I have now set an official release date for it. Here it is: Monday, March 31st, 2014. Because I don't want to be posting In the End alongside The Shika Trilogy Omnibus, I have also decided to change the posting schedule for the Omnibus. I will be posting one chapter a day every day for the rest of this month, starting today (as soon as I finish writing this blog post, actually). This works out because the final epic in the Omnibus, An Unlikely Alliance, has 30 chapters (plus an epilogue), so unless something goes wrong, I should have the entire epic posted by the end of this month. I also hope to post at least one more blog post in the Looking Back series before the month is over, but no promises. That's all for now, so see ya, -TNTOS-
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Looking Back: Top Four Favorite Stories from the Shikaverse
TNTOS posted a blog entry in blogs_blog_1200
(NOTE: For those who don't know what this is series of blog posts is, please check out the introduction here.) Continuing the "Looking Back" series, today I will talk about my top four favorite stories from the Shikaverse. Four may seem like an odd number (although it's actually an even number*), but that's because I wanted to talk only about the stories that I actually, genuinely enjoyed writing or thought were good, rather than picking out enough stories to fit an arbitrary number like five or ten. I just happen to have four favorite stories from the Shikaverse. Anyway, let's begin this list with: #1: Dimension Hoppers Out of all of the fanfics I posted on BZP, Dimension Hopppers is the one I am most proud of. Its experimental nature -- two first person narrators, -- was a big challenge for me and I am happy to say that it worked splendidly. In fact, it worked out so well that I haven't tried that again, for fear that I will either repeat myself or fail to do it right again (although I have not ruled out doing another story with two first person narrators in a future story entirely). Three of my favorite characters from the Shikaverse -- Isarot, Kiriah, and Darranas -- were introduced in this fic. There were a lot of cool settings in this story as well, such as the Almighty Ones' warehouse, World's End, and Ehlek's ship. It also expanded the Shikaverse significantly, giving more characters, locations, and ideas that have heavily influenced later fics (such as The Ghost King's Tragedy and the Dawn Duology, for example). #2: An Unlikely Alliance** This is one of my favorites because it's the first epic I wrote that I think was actually good. It's not nearly as good as Dimension Hoppers, to be sure, but I did enjoy writing it and it really was a big turning point for my ability as a writer. It's the epic where I first developed what I call the Three Draft Formula, a formula I still use for epics and novels to this day. Another reason I like this fic is because it serves as a good ending to the Shika Trilogy, resolving a lot of plot points from the past two epics and answering a lot of unanswered questions. It proves I can end a trilogy satisfactorily and without leaving any important questions or plot points dangling needlessly. Yeah, AUA is not my best epic, but the lessons I learned from it will be highly useful if I ever write another trilogy at some point in the future. #3: Glatorian Chronicles #9: Reluctant Allies I consider this short epic to be the best short epic I've written. The two protagonists, Ackar and Kiina, are well-developed and distinct. The plot is very focused and doesn't go off into any random tangents (except possibly for the frozen village scene, which maybe could have been cut without harming the story's plot). Xocion, the Element Lord of Ice and primary antagonist of the story, was a fun character to write for. Shame I didn't get to do much with him. I would like to write a short story or something about him, but as I am getting close to done with the Shikaverse, that seems highly unlikely unless I get an idea that I absolutely MUST write no matter what. #4: Paranoia Out of all of the Shikaverse stories, Paranoia was the only true horror story and the only horror story I've ever really written. Despite that, it received a lot of good reviews when I first posted it. I even reused its setting -- an alternate universe where Brutaka takes over the universe using the Mask of Life -- in Dimension Hoppers I enjoyed it so much. This short story cannot be found on BZP anymore, due to the deletion of the Archives. I still have it saved on an external flash drive, but I don't think I am going to repost it. As much as I liked it, there is a reason it's number four on this list and not number one. I've thought about rewriting it, though, if only because I think I could do the idea better now that I've come so far as a writer. - That's it. Next post in the series will be about the Shikaverse's themes. You know, stuff pretentious literary types like me like to talk about . *Yeah, I made a math joke. Yeah, it kind of stands out. Yeah, I probably shouldn't be drawing attention to it with this note. Yeah, I know starting every sentence with "Yeah" is getting annoying. Yeah, I'll cut it out. **Like Paranoia, An Unlikely Alliance cannot currently be found on BZP due to the deletion of the Archives. However, you will soon be able to read it once I repost it in "The Shika Trilogy Omnibus" in the Epics forum, which can be found here. -TNTOS- -
As of this morning, I posted the epilogue of my latest comedy, My Little BIONICLE: Friendship is Explosive. At 15 chapters, it is officially complete, so I'd say this is the perfect time to read it, especially if you are a Bionicle or MLP fan. In other news, I recently started reposting the Shika Trilogy in an omnibus format here in the Epics forum with a five chapter a week schedule. It's the perfect opportunity to snark at my old writing, so I'd take it if I were most of you . Regarding In the End, I have not yet started editing the third draft. I have a bunch of other projects at the moment that are a bit more pressing. I will keep y'all posted on this leading up to its release. I am going to be doing more blog posts in the Looking Back series, although again I am not sure how many. The next one will be about my favorite stories from the Shikaverse, although I won't say what they are just yet or when I will post it. I intend to get that blog post out before the end of the month, so stayed tuned for that. That's all for now, so see ya, -TNTOS-
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Looking Back: Top 10 Favorite Characters from the Shikaverse, Part 2
TNTOS posted a blog entry in blogs_blog_1200
(NOTE: For those who don't know what these series of blog posts are, read the introduction here.) Continued from this blog post. #6: Toa Oggakia First appearance: The Recruitment of Axonn (cameo) Quote: Nailed it . . . Ive been lying and deceiving everyone, even Jokao, all this time. Almost everything I have said is a lie; every single bit of it. I have lied about my past, my connection with the Tuikas, and many, many other things that you dont even know about. And if I tell you or anyone else the t-truth . . . Everyone will hate me. B-but if I say nothing at all. . . . ("An Unlikely Alliance," Chapter 18: Truths & Falsehoods) As her quote indicates, Toa Oggakia always had trouble trusting others. This is primarily due to how she was raised. She spent a good chunk of her life on Daxia in seclusion from the rest of the world. When you factor in the Order's policy of strict secrecy, it's no wonder she never learned how to trust or open up to others. Even when she did get real friends who loved and trusted her, she still kept secrets from them. She learned to become less secretive, of course, but she still has this habit of keeping secrets from her friends even when they would benefit from knowing those secrets. In all likelihood, she will probably be this way for the rest of her life, although she can always get better While I believe she's one of the more fleshed out characters from the Shikaverse, I do wish I could have explored her guilt a bit more. It's subtle, but if you pay careful attention to her dialogue in An Unlikely Alliance, you can tell that she still feels guilty about betraying her people 100,000 years ago. Even though she was justified in betraying the Kra-Matoran tribe, Oggak still considers herself one of them and so continues to feel guilty about betraying them, although it's not as severe as it once was. Like Kiriah, I liked her so much that I decided to use her in more epics. She was a main character in The Ghost King's Tragedy and played a small role in Dawn of the New Century. She will also make an appearance in In the End, where her final fate will be revealed. #7 Toa Teivel First appearance: Tapestry of Evil Quote: "Freedom is a fickle thing. You never appreciate it when you have it, and when it is taken away from you it becomes almost an obsession to have just a taste of freedom. That is how I feel now; I, along with every other blasted inhabitant of this land, wish to be free to roam the universe once more, as I did 100,000 years ago." ("Tapestry of Evil," Chapter 1: Shodios) Out of all the characters on this list, Toa Teivel is the one I wished I could have explored the most. He was the most mysterious of the Shodios, the Shikaverse's all-Toa of Shadow Toa team, and the evilest as well. He didn't start out evil. He was originally good. I honestly would have loved to explore exactly how he went from being a generally good Toa to a cold, calculating villain who cared little for the welfare of others. I do have an idea for a prequel epic focusing on the rise and fall of the Kra-Matoran Empire, in which he surely must have played an important role, but with In the End coming, I highly doubt I will ever write it. One thing I am certain about, however, is that he, out of all of the Shodios, really wanted to be free. He despised Wyoko with every fiber of his being. He believed it was the right of the Kra-Matoran tribe to rule the Matoran universe. Wyoko is basically an external manifestation of his failure to lead his people to victory. #8: Toa Darranas First appearance: Dimension Hoppers Quote: Yes, although thief is a term I do not prefer to use. I would call myself a hero, a crusader of righteousness and light who was chosen by destiny to purge the multiverse of evil. Any sane person can see that. ("Dimension Hoppers," Chapter 16: Questions Answered, Questions Raised) Here's one of the few characters in the Shika Trilogy whom I feel justified in calling evil. Out of all the antagonists and villains in the Shikaverse, I'd say Toa Darranas was easily the most dangerous, in part because of the scope of his plans, but also because he was absolutely convinced that he was the good guy, no matter how many evil things he did. Other villains, like Makuta Hajax and Toa Teivel, were at least capable of recognizing that some of their actions were not wise or moral. Darranas, on the other hand, was so convinced of his own righteousness and perfection that he thought that anything he did was good. Unlike some of the villains on this list, I don't believe Darranas could be redeemed. Redemption is only possible when you believe you need it. Darranas did not believe that he needed to be redeemed from anything. That is also what made him so interesting. Darranas's black and white view of the world meant he did not believe anything was off limits if it brought him closer to his overall goal. Whereas Kiriah and to (to a slightly lesser extent) Isarot dealt frequently with their own self-doubt and uncertainties, Darranas never doubted his own righteousness for even a second. He was probably one of the scarier characters for me to write because I understand how alluring the certainty that a black-and-white view of the world brings, even if I wholeheartedly reject it. Darranas didn't start out this crazy, but even before he turned, he always had a tendency to view his enemies as unrepentent villains who deserved whatever they got. I think it's too easy for someone with that personality to cross the line from justice-seeker to revenging crusader. Though Darranas spoke often about punishing villains, in the end, I think he became just as bad as the people he fought, if not worse. And that is always sad. #9 Raider First appearance: An Unlikely Alliance Quotes: "I may very well have to take this island all by myself. Oh well . . . I did it once. I could so easily do it again." ("An Unlikely Alliance," Chapter 21: Target Locked) Raider was a Dark Hunter, one of the best and oldest. His personality was professional and efficient. He did not allow himself to be distracted by emotion or petty quarrels, at least while working. All he cared about doing was getting the job done, whether its putting down a possible Dark Hunter rebellion or investigating the theft of an object that the Shadowed One had his eyes on. His personality, I believe, led him to become a sniper. While he can hold his own in a fight, he is absolutely deadly with a sniper. Looking back, I probably should have named him Sniper or something. I tried to justify his codename in An Unlikely Alliance, but the explanation always seemed a little too incredulous to me (he raided whole islands by himself? Really?). I guess Raider is a pretty cool name, though. What I like best about Raider, however, is the role he played in An Unlikely Alliance. To me, he was that kind of character whose mere appearance is enough to jack up the tension in a scene. He didn't succeed in killing any of the protagonists, but every time he appeared I was never sure who he would kill (or try to kill, at least) next. Unpredictable characters like Raider are awesome to read and write about. I can confirm that he will appear in In the End. I felt like I needed to bring him back one last time before the Shikaverse's end, considering that several of my other favorite characters have all appeared in the Dawn Duology so far. #10 Kafor First appearance: Dimension Hoppers: The Other Tale Quote: Do you wonder why I live here? Its because the Dark Hunters never come around here. I am safe as long as I keep quiet." ("Dimension Hoppers: The Other Tale," Chapter Four) Kafor is an interesting example of a character. While writing Dimension Hoppers, I knew she was going to play a large role in Dawn of the New Century. So I introduced her early on in Dimension Hoppers: The Other Tale, primarily to foreshadow Dawn with her future-seeing ability. She is definitely one of the more cowardly characters I've written, although she would probably describe herself as shrewd. Due to the fact that the Dark Hunters have been on her tail for many years, she has a hard time trusting anyone except her sole friend, a bartender named Barc. Looking back, I wish I could have figured out exactly how the two of them became such good friends in the first place. Maybe I will figure it out in In the End, though that seems unlikely to me. Due to living most of her life on the run, Kafor has always had a difficult time thinking longterm. She thinks as far ahead as is necessary to protect her life from the Dark Hunters. This is one aspect of her personality that I tried to explore in Dawn and will hopefully bring to a satisfying conclusion in In the End. In the Dawn Duology, she now faces the possibility of a Dark Hunter-free future, the implications of which she is just starting to grasp. I like writing her dialogue. She's extremely sarcastic, which annoys pretty much everyone else. Even better, she doesn't see a reason to apologize for her sarcasm, either. When most of the people around you are stupid or hate you, why should you treat them considerately? Of course I cannot say what her final fate will be. You'll have to read In the End to find out that. I have a couple of announcements about the Shikaverse I'd like to make. First, I just finished the third draft of In the End. All that I need to do now is go through and do the usual three rounds of editing that I do with every epic. I still cannot give a release date any more specific than early/mid 2014, though. Second, because some readers have requested it and because it is currently no longer available on BZP, I will be reposting the entire Shika Trilogy right here on the BZP forums. Instead of doing three separate topics for each epic, however, I will be posting the entire trilogy in one topic, which will be called "The Shika Trilogy Omnibus." Expect to see the omnibus in the Epics forum on Wednesday, January 1st, 2014. See y'all later, -TNTOS- -
Looking Back: Top 10 Favorite Characters from the Shikaverse, Part 1
TNTOS posted a blog entry in blogs_blog_1200
(NOTE: For those who don't know what this is, you can read the introduction here.) To kick off this series of Looking Back posts, I will start off with my top ten favorite characters from the Shikaverse. Due to the length of this post, it will be split into two parts, with the first five characters in this post and the last five in another. Also, there be spoilers ahead. If you don't want my stories spoiled, then I suggest not reading this, at least until you've read my works. I chose to start with characters because the Shikaverse was written without any outlining or extensive planning. Therefore, it was crucial I had strong characters capable of carrying the stories they starred in from beginning to end. They range in variety from heroic Toa to evil Makuta and everything in between. I hope that by the end of this two-part post that you, my readers, will understand why I like the characters on this list so much. With that out of the way, let's start the list with: #1: Toa Barilo First appearance: The Tales of Shika Nui Quotes: "You know, Nastan, you and Nonzra always used to argue, but it was friendly arguments. I, however, think you're holding the team down with your morals, so I figure I ought to get rid of you now." ("The Tales of Shika Nui," Chapter 11: Not A Hero Anymore) "Okay, Nastan, I admit, I did try to kill you under my own free will. I didnt do it just because I was going insane (though for the record I was slightly out of my mind at the time). I did it because I was angry, I had the power, and I was willing to do it, too. But now. I have seen my mistake and I ask you for your forgiveness. Please, Nastan, find it somewhere in your heart to forgive your fellow Toa for wronging you. Please." ("Tapestry of Evil," Chapter 20: Wanderer's Mission) "This is the only way to stop him. I have realized this. I dont care if I die in the process; so long as you take him out, Im fine. Just hit me with everything you got now and no holding back!" ("An Unlikely Alliance," Chapter 29: A Hero's Sacrifice) Out of all the characters I wrote in the Shika Trilogy, Toa Barilo, Toa of Gravity and deputy leader of the Toa Shika, probably got the most character development out of them all. Over the span of the trilogy, he went from being a self-centered thief to redemption-seeker to unashamed hero, which can be observed in the three quotes I chose above. What makes Barilo a remarkable character, in my opinion, is that his development was not planned at all. When I first stared the Shika Trilogy, I had no idea Barilo would become so central to the story. In my opinion, I believe his character developed the way it did because of his interactions with another character from the Shika Trilogy: Toa Nastan (who is not on this list). Nastan was your typical do-gooder Toa who often held the rest of the team to high standards, which initially annoyed Barilo. They got along so badly that Barilo even tried to kill Nastan at one point. Though the two were ultimately reconciled after that, that act haunted Barilo afterward and was probably what caused him to begin his journey from selfish thief to humble hero. In the end, I consider Barilo to be the true hero of the Shika Trilogy. While there were certainly other heroic characters in the trilogy, it was Barilo who ultimately saved the day in the end, despite his rough beginnings as a selfish thief who cared for no one other than himself and his small group of friends. #2: Makuta Hajax First appearance: The Tales of Shika Nui Quote: "One day, I would like to visit Destral and give my brothers a surprise welcome . . . after I have gotten an army big enough to crush that island into little more than fine powder, of course." ("An Unlikely Alliance," Chapter 18: Truths & Falsehoods) Makuta Hajax, Makuta of Shika Nui, was an interesting character. He was a Makuta who hated other Makuta. Technically, he only hated Teridax, who he saw as desecrating the name of the Brotherhood of Makuta, but his feelings toward his brothers and sisters who served Teridax were negative all around. Like Barilo, Hajax got his share of character development. Originally, he wanted to overthrow Teridax and turn the Brotherhood back into a force for good. His methods were often questionable, but at heart he did have good intentions. So you could plausibly consider him a hero of sorts. Unlike Barilo, however, Hajax became worse as time went on. He eventually came to the conclusion that he not only needed to take over the Brotherhood, but that he had to rule the universe itself, too. His reasoning was that Mata Nui was in no shape to rule anymore and that he probably wasn't all that good of a ruler anyway if he had been defeated so easily by Teridax. In order to accomplish this goal, he often manipulated the Toa Shika. In particular, he focused on Barilo, whose vices made him more susceptible to Hajax's machinations than the others were. He was so successful at playing with Barilo that he even ended up possessing the Toa's body, a move that advanced Hajax's plans more than anything else. Due to the scope of his plans and his close relationship with Barilo, I would call Hajax the true villain of the Shika Trilogy. In some ways, he was a tragic villain. He started out with noble intentions, but they eventually led him to becoming the very thing he had fought against (like another character on this list, in fact). #3: Toa Kiriah First appearance: Dimension Hoppers Quote: "Oh, I forgot about that. Um, sorry." ("Dimension Hoppers," Chapter 13: The Expedition Begins) Kiriah is awkward, overly apologetic, forgetful, and quite clumsy. Because of that, she is one of my favorite characters to write for, though she only makes number three on this list. I loved writing for her in Dimension Hoppers so much that she went on to play a major role in The Ghost King's Tragedy and, more recently, Dawn of the New Century. She will also appear in In the End, as you may have guessed. She had an interesting history as a character. She wasn't even in the first draft of Dimension Hoppers. I only added her in the second draft because Greg confirmed Psionics as a Toa element and I thought it would be cool to have a Toa of Psionics character in one of my fanfics. In addition, Isarot was boring by himself, so I thought throwing in a second protagonist would spice things up, which was a good move on my part, if I may say so. One reason I like her so much is because she is partly based off myself. In particular, I gave her my absentmindedness. She is the only character in the Shikaverse who comes closest to being my self-insert, though she's different enough from me that I think most people who read about her wouldn't guess that I had based her off myself unless I told them. I cannot yet give a final verdict on her character as a whole, however, because I have not yet finished In the End. I hope to give her a good ending, though, whatever it might ultimately be. #4: Isarot First appearance: Dimension Hoppers Quote: "We promised to protect the Time Stone with our lives, even if it was stolen by some dimension-hopping thief. Even if our sanity was in danger of being destroyed, we would have no excuse for letting some thief get away with it without even trying to retrieve it." ("Dimension Hoppers," Chapter 1: A Decision is Made) If you asked me which of the Three Virtues best describes Isarot, without hesitation I would at the second virtue: Duty. Isarot was consumed by duty. Duty to the Time Stone, duty to his people, duty to his Baiji (elder, for those of you who don't speak Tagiki), and duty to his best friend. As a result, he was probably one of the best guardians of the Time Stone ever, considering how seriously he took his guardianship. Yet I'd hardly call Isarot a mindless protector. He had a strong sense of right and wrong and utterly despised dishonest people. He would always try to keep other people around him honest. His honesty would even compel him to call out his superiors when he thought they were lying, something he might never do under other circumstances. Although Isarot was a loyal and honest friend, he was by no means perfect. He could be highly judgmental and unforgiving towards people he didn't like or trust. His desire to put the safety of the Time Stone above all else meant that the only real friend he had was Kiriah. (It is interesting to note that, despite their wildly differing personalities and tastes, both Isarot and Kiriah generally felt out of place among members of their respective species.) He was not always patient with dumb or slow-witted people, either. In general, I think Isarot is one of those people who, in real life, you would either love or hate. He was not particularly cuddly and lovable, but he was extremely loyal to those who he considered friends. He never cared about universal popularity. He only cared about doing what he thought was right. #5: Masqouth First appearance: Dawn of the New Century Quote: "I just cant believe it. The Kra-Matoran are free and people will die and I will be just like my parents. It's amazing." ("Dawn of the New Century," Chapter XXVIII) Masqouth is a fun character to write, probably because he's different from other antagonists I've written. Other antagonists, like Hajax and Darranas, were cold, calculating, cruel, and cynical. They may have had some redeeming virtues, but in the end they lived their lives causing more harm than good and so are easy to hate. Masqouth, on the other hand, is warm, spontaneous, fun, and idealistic. He is rather childish and naïve and rarely feels hatred for his enemies. Unlike other antagonists, Masqouth is hard to hate, which is what I think makes him an interesting character. His biggest flaw is probably his naivety. He easily trusts other people to the point where they can manipulate him, often without him ever being the wiser. He often jumps to conclusions and acts hastily, much like a child. His understanding of good and evil is extremely simplistic. He honestly does not see anything wrong with manipulating tensions between species to start a world war (although that does not excuse what he did). Like Kiriah, his final fate will be revealed in In the End. Out of all the characters in the Dawn Duology, his is the character arc I most wish to give closure to. The next part will probably come before the end of the year (EDIT: Read Part 2 here!). I will also make a special announcement about the Shikeverse in that post, so keep an eye on this blog for that, too. -TNTOS- -
As most of my readers know, I am in the process of writing a sequel to my most recent epic, Dawn of the New Century. It is currently titled In the End and will be released early or mid 2014. It will also be my final epic in the Shikaverse and my final epic on BZP in general. For those of you who don't know, the Shikaverse is my Bionicle fanfiction universe. Nearly every epic and short story I have written and posted on BZP is set in the Shikaverse, starting from my earliest works all the way to my newest. I've been writing in the Shikaverse for a little over five years, I believe, which is a pretty long time when you think about it. Only my comedies do not take place within the Shikaverse, although I did write a comedy parodying one of my Shikaverse works once. The name "Shikaverse" comes from the name of the very first story set in that universe, my first epic called The Tales of Shika Nui (which you can't read on BZP anymore due to the deletion of the Archives). The island of Shika Nui is a defining feature of the Shikaverse, even though it does not appear in every story. As a result, I can think of no other name more appropriate for that universe than the Shikaverse. When I started writing The Tales of Shika Nui, I had no idea that it would grow into this sprawling, complicated, and (I'll be honest) sometimes contradictory universe. I have had no other collaborators to help me keep the facts straight or write my stories. Aside from showing a few of my works to friends and family for feedback before posting, the entire Shikaverse has been written, edited, and posted by me. So I take full responsibility for every word I have written: the good, the bad, and the just plain strange. And I honestly would not have it any other way. As much as I love the Shikaverse, I've known for some time now that I can't write in it forever. In order to pursue my dream of being a professional writer, I have to stop writing fanfiction. While I am currently juggling fanfiction and original fiction, I know that only one will get me published, only one will make me money, only one will help me build my platform, and only one will help me grow in ways that the other cannot. And that one is original fiction. Because I knew this, I am determined to end the Shikaverse on my own terms. I will not simply abandon it to rot in the darkest corners of BZP. I love it too much to simply abandon it. I have to give it a good ending. More than anything else, I need a sense of closure, which I cannot get if I do not write and finish the Dawn Duology. I planned Dawn specifically with this in mind. I had hoped for Dawn itself to be the Shikaverse's ending, but the story ended up being too big for a single epic, so I have made it into a duology. I was aware that could happen, as I tend to write organically, but it does make ending the thing a bit more complicated than I had thought it would be. I am convinced it won't become a trilogy, however, so don't worry about that . I have no idea if anyone else really cares about the Shikaverse. My works have never been very popular. I have certainly built a reputation here (I think?), but I don't consider myself one of the big time BZP writers like, say, GaliGee, for example. As I said above, I am writing this to give myself a sense of closure more than anything. If there are any readers who have been following my works from the beginning, then they, too, shall receive closure. Over the next few months, leading up to In the End's release, I will be talking more about the Shikaverse. I will be talking about favorite characters, favorite stories, favorite moments, and lessons I have learned from the Shikaverse. It won't be all sunshine and rainbows, though. I will probably also talk about my least favorite moments, stories I wish I could have rewritten, characters I felt I should have developed more, and even stories I regret writing at all (all writers have works they regret writing and I am no different). Consider this post an introduction to a series of posts about the Shikaverse. There will be no regular schedule. I will try to get it all posted before the release of In the End, but there is no guarantee for that. I have no planned number of posts to put up, although if I had to guess I'd say it will consist of seven or eight. But again, no guarantees. I doubt this will appeal to many people and I don't expect a lot of people to follow this little series of blog posts. Certainly I would be happy if people read and commented on this series, but ultimately I am writing this for my own benefit and enjoyment. If anyone else enjoys it, well, that's a bonus. Posts in the "Looking Back" series: Looking Back: Top 10 Favorite Characters from the Shikaverse, Part 1 Looking Back Top 10 Favorite Characters from the Shikaverse, Part 2 Looking Back: Top Four Favorite Stories from the Shikaverse That's all for now, so see ya, -TNTOS-
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Hello. My name is TNTOS (what does that stand for? It's a secret to everybody) and I have been writing and posting fanfics on BZP almost since the day I first joined. As a result, I have quite a collection of stories, ranging from epic multichapter stories to quiet short stories and everything in between. I have over 50 fanfics in Comedies, Short Stories, and Epics combined. I made this library to be a one stop location with links to all my fics (well, except for the older ones lost when the Archives were deleted, but most of the links here do work). The library is divided into three areas: Comedies, Epics, and Short Stories. Each story has a rating (ranging from G to PG-13), a status ("Beginning," "In progress," "Complete," or, very rarely, "Discontinued), a summary (detailing what the story is about), and a new feature, genre (what kind of story it is). Epics and chaptered comedies contain number of chapters (how many chapters they have). COMEDIES (13): My Bionicle Road Trip Rating: G Chapters: 108 Status: Complete Genre: Action-Adventure Summary: My first fanfic posted on BZP, My Bionicle Road Trip follows the adventures of a teenage boy named Timongo, who is transformed into a BIONICLE set and goes on an adventure around the world to collect the Bio Symbols, the items that will turn him back into a normal human boy. A Normal Day in the Life of the Barraki Rating: G Genre: Comedy Summary: While Timongo and the other BIONICLEs are on their worldwide adventure, the Barraki at home gather to discuss important issues such as stealing the Bio Symbols from Timongo and getting dinner, where hilariy ensues! My Bionicle Sets Stories Rating: G Chapters: 18 Status: Discontinued Genre: Comedy Summary: The sequel to My Bionicle Road Trip, Timongo, now a human again, tries to live a normal human life, although that is exceedingly difficult due to the craziness of his Bionicle sets and their adventures. (Author's note: Discontinued due to lack of interest.) Transformers PSA (Parody Service Announcement) Rating: G Genre: Parody Short Story Summary: Optimus Prime tries to teach two stupid kids, Billy and Billy, not to jump off a cliff, which leads into an all-out brawl with Megatron for supremacy over the boys' education. Parody of the 80s G.I. Joe and Transformers PSAs. G. I. Joe PSA (Parody Service Announcement) Rating: G Genre: Parody Short Story Summary: Billy and Billy are deadly afraid of going to the doctor, so it's up to G. I. Joe medic Doc to teach them not to be afraid. But he clashes with Cobra weapons supplier Destro, who for some poorly explained reason wants to keep Billy and Billy fearing the doctor. G. I. Joe and Transformers PSA (Parody Service Announcement) Rating: G Genre: Parody Short Story Summary: G. I. Joe first sergeant Duke and Autobot spy Bumblebee team up to teach Billy and Billy the evils of buying knockoff toys in this third PSA. PSA #4: Halloween Edition (Parody Service Announcement Rating: G Genre: Parody Short Story Summary: For the first time in their lives, Billy and Billy are going trick-or-treating without adult supervision. It's up to G. I. scuba diver and resident creepy guy Deep Six to instill fear in their souls to teach them their mistake. Can't I just be a Chronicler? Rating: G Genre: Satire Short Story Summary: Kopeke, the Ko-Matoran Chronicler of Metru Nui, is trying to avoid becoming a Toa. But everyone seems to be conspiring against him as he dodges crazy Turaga who wants to stabilize Metru Nui's economy, lighting bolts from the red star, and a Toa of Fire who hands out Toa stones like candy. Can Kopeke succeed in staying as a Matoran or is he doomed to failure? BIONICLE: The Legend Reloaded Rating: PG Chapters: 34 Status: Complete Genre: Action-Adventure-Parody Summary: Ten years after the great war, Mata Nui, an ex-war hero, lives peacefully with his girl Kiina, until the fateful day he returns home from hunting cybernetic demon wolves. He finds a note from the mighty Tuma, leader of a notorious gang called the Skrall, explaining that Kiina had been kidnapped and that Mata Nui has to turn in ten billion and a half dollars in cash to the Tuma by the end of the night, or else he'll never see Kiina alive again. Mata Nui - after seeing so many horrors during the great war - finally snaps and decides to settle his problem with the Tuma cowboy-style. He recruits his three old war buddies and best friends - Ackar, an elderly man who can still kick butt; Gresh, a young guy who is quick with a pistol and as fast as death itself; and "Double Barrel" Berix, a psycho one-Agori army known for his inability to listen to silly things such as reason and logic - and sets out to confront the Tuma and his gang of Skrall in the awesomest TLR parody ever written. BIONICLE: The Legend Exploded Rating: PG Chapters: 19 Status: Complete Genre: Action-Adventure-Parody Summary: In this sequel to "BIONICLE: The Legend Reloaded," Dah Element Lords have kidnapped Gresh and Berix. Angered, Mata Nui, with Ackar and Kiina at his side, goes to kick Dah Element Lords' butts once and for all . . . oh, and save Gresh and Berix, too. Along the way, Mata Nui recruits four new allies: Bucket-head, the intelligent Skrall that everyone hates; Tera and Likus, two air guitar champions; and Oris, who may or may not be Orlando Bloom in disguise but sure isn't nice. With new and old friends alike, Mata Nui sets out to do the impossible and outdo himself in this unnecessary and frankly stupid squel to the BIONICLE: The Legend Reloaded. BIONICLE: The Legend Imploded Rating: PG Chapters: 27 Status: Complete Genre: Action-Adventure-Parody Summary: The Legend Trilogy comes to its awesome conclusion as Mata Nui's old foe (who was never heard of until now), Makuta Teridax, returns with a vengeance. Teridax proves far too powerful for Mata Nui to defeat on his own, which forces our psychotic hero and his equally mad friends to go on a grand adventure across the entire planet in search of the six golden armor pieces, which if brought together will give Mata Nui the power he needs to defeat Teridax once and for all. But Teridax is aware of the golden armor as well and sends his own minions all over the planet to find the golden armor pieces before Mata Nui and friends do. The race is on as Mata Nuis friend's and Teridax's minions try to get the golden armor pieces first, resulting in epic battles, bizarre meta-jokes and pop culture references, and even stranger plot twists that would make any observant reader cry (not because they are beautiful or sad but because theyre so stupid). My Little BIONICLE: Friendship is Explosive Rating: PG Chapters: 15 Status: Complete Genre: Action-Adventure-Crossover Summary: Twilight Sparkle's day went from bad to worse much quicker than usual. First, her crown was stolen by a bitter ex-student of Princess Celestia, a unicorn named Sunset Shimmer. How that was even possible when Twilight kept the Elements of Harmony under lock and key in her home, she didn't know. Second, the crown thief escaped into another universe. This wouldn't be that bad, except that Celestia absolutely forbids Twilight to bring along any of her friends besides Spike. That complicates things a bit. Third, upon arriving in this new universe, Twilight meets the oddest, possibly most demented and certainly most violent couple she has ever encountered before: Mata Nui and Kiina. The two biomechs have a score to settle with Sunset Shimmer and offer to form an alliance with Twilight and Spike, which the alicorn princess reluctantly accepts. And finally, it becomes clearer that the entire situation is much deeper than any of them know, but for the life of Twilight, she just can't figure out what Sunset's final end game is. It doesn't help that Twilight is noticing her harsher, more violent side beginning to take over the longer she stays in this universe, which is only encouraged by Mata Nui, who doesn't seem to realize just how bad that is. Can Twilight and her companions retrieve the crown and defeat Sunset Shimmer? Or will the evil unicorn's true plans destroy them all? Dimension Cookies Rating: PG Genre: Parody Short Story Summary: Isarot is awakened by Kiriah, who alerts him that a thief is stealing the cookies! Can Isarot and Kiriah stop this cookie thief or will the cookie jar be lost forever? Based on epic Dimension Hoppers. EPICS (11): The Shika Trilogy Omnibus Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 69 Status: Complete Genre: Omnibus Summary: For the first time ever, the entire Shika Trilogy is in one convenient location. You will be able to read all 69 chapters of the Shika Trilogy from beginning to end as one continuous story, just as the author intended. As an added perk, you can laugh at the author's old writings, a rare opportunity that few people ever receive. Includes The Tales of Shika Nui, Tapestry of Evil, and An Unlikely Alliance. The Tales of Shika Nui (NOTE: Links to the Shika Trilogy Omnibus edition) Rating: PG Chapters: 16 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: Six Matoran thieves steal Toa stones from the local Toa and end up becoming Toa themselves. Now they must master their new powers and learn what it means to be heroes to save their island home, Shika Nui, from the Dark Hunter slave owners that rule it. Tapestry of Evil (NOTE: Links to Shika Trilogy Omnibus edition) Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 23 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: The six Toa Shika arrive in Wyoko, the land of shadow, where six evil Toa of Shadow and a Turaga of Shadow rule. Everyone is out to get them because they are light dwellers and the Toa Shika are on the run. Can they escape this blasted realm alive or will they fail, unleashing the Kra-Matoran so that they restart their conquest of the universe? An Unlikely Alliance (NOTE: Links to Shika Trilogy Omnibus edition) Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 30 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: In An Unlikely Allinace, the third and final chapter of the Shika Trilogy, the Toa Shika return to Shika Nui to find it has changed much since their adventures in Wyoko, and in more ways than one. Forced to ally with new friends and old enemies alike to stop an evil greater than any they have face thus far, the Toa Shika are about to prove themselves as true Toa and as true heroes. But will they learn to work with their new, rather unlikely allies or will their disunity allow the might of the mysterious Tuikas monsters to crush them? Dimension Hoppers Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 20 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: When a valuable treasure is stolen from the island of Tanjo Nui, its two guaridans discover that the thief is a dimension hopper. In order to chase the thief and retrieve the Time Stone, Isarot and Toa Kiriah use a Kanohi Olmak to dimension-hop after the thief. Will they succeed? And if they do, will their dimension hopping give them the wisdom they need to understand the Time Stone's true purpose? Dimension Hoppers: The Other Tale Rating: PG Chapters: 10 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure Summary: Taking place during "Dimension Hoppers," Toa Nasis and Toa Ahova investigate the possibility of Dark Hunter involvement in the recent theft of the Time Stone. The Shadowed One soon learns of the Time Stone's theft and sends one of his top Dark Hunters to steal it. What will happen when the Toa clash with the Dark Hunter? The Ghost King's Tragedy Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 10 Status: Complete Genre: Tragedy-Suspense Summary: Toa Akuna, Toa Kiriah, Toa Oggakia, and Toa Ahova are gathered by a mysterious being known as the Master of Mist for a special mission: To go to the island World's End to seek the secret to defeating Makuta Teridax, thus saving the universe. But the quest isn't as easy as it seems, for the dreaded Ghost King rules World's End with an iron fist and will do everything in his power to stop the four Toa from completing their quest, even if that means fighting against destiny. Will the Toa succeed in their quest or will the Ghost King kill them all? Glatorian Chronicles #4: The Fallen Warrior Rating: PG Chapters: 3 Status: Complete Genre: Suspense-Mystery Summary: Tarix finds a strange message from a being known only as "The Fallen Warior." Coupled with some mysterious murders and yet another message challenging him to fight in Sandray canyon, will Tarix discover the identity of the Fallen Warrior before it's too late? Find out in the fourth installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #9: Reluctant Allies Rating: PG Chapters: 6 Status: Complete Genre: Suspense-Adventure Summary: The Core War has rippled through Spherus Magna like a wave, striking everywhere its combatants choose to battle. One of these soldiers, named Ackar, is isolated from his troop after a clash with the Water Tribe army and has to ally himself with the Water Tribe warrior, Kiina, who has also been isolated from her army, in order to survive and return to their respective armies. Can the two learn to work together and reach their armies, despite their differences? Or will their distrust of each other be their downfall? Find out in the ninth installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Dawn of the New Century Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 29 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: Fifty-thousand years after the death of Makuta Teridax, a messiah-like figure named Masqouth appears seemingly out of nowhere in Zisar, the capital of New Zakaz, promising freedom and prosperity to the enslaved Skakdi people. He backs up his claims by miraculously healing wounded or sick Skakdi, all the while hiding his true intentions for these people. At the same time, a Skakdi named Kafor is kidnapped by two Dark Hunters, one a Skrall codenamed Night and the other a Vortixx codenamed Heavyweight. Kafor knows the fate that awaits her at the foot of the Shadowed One's throne, but cannot escape her kidnappers no matter how hard she tries. In the city of New Atero, detective Toa Niham investigates two similar kidnappings while trying to balance her precarious love life with the famous Glatorian Rubella the Red Star. Little does she knew just how intimately related these two kidnappings are, nor the hidden secrets they will lead her to uncover. Meanwhile, Toa Kiriah, veteran guardian of the Time Stone, is summoned by the Almighty Ones in order to help them deal with a new threat. But an unexpected attack forces Kiriah to change her plans and work with people whom she never though she would find herself working with. The lives of these people are destined to intertwine in ways none expect. And when they collide, they -- and their world -- will be changed forever. In the End Rating: PG-13 Chapters: 20 Status: Complete Genre: Adventure-Mystery Summary: In this sequel to Dawn of the New Century, the Dawn Duology comes to a thrilling conclusion as the conflict between the Almighty Ones and King Atuje finally comes to a head with Atuje's acquisition of a new physical body. With his new body, Atuje goes to finish the Almighty Ones once and for all, as well as anyone who allies with them. Night, Kiriah, and Jetrupi attempt to stop him, but Atuje banishes them to a universe none of them have ever been to before. Even worse, they must survive a dangerous maze created by a mad female Skrall who names herself after a trickster goddess, a maze so dangerous that only few have ever came out of it alive. Meanwhile, Rubella the Red Star, a famous Glatorian fighter, enlists the help of the mysterious Toa Cina to rescue her girlfriend, Niham, from the clutches of Masqouth and the Echoes. Though Cina is friendly and helpful, she seems to be hiding something from Ruby, but Ruby may not find out what it is until it's too late. As for Masqouth, he currently believes that all is well and that he will be reunited with his parents shortly. Yet doubt begins to creep in his mind as to the trustworthiness of Atuje, forcing him to decide who he is really loyal to. In the end, all of these threads will come together for the grand finale. When they do, there is no telling who will live and who will die. (Author's note: This is the FINAL epic in the Shikaverse.) SHORT STORIES (30): The Recruitment of Axonn Rating: PG Genre: Action-Mystery Summary: Axonn is one of the greatest Order of Mata Nui members to have ever lived. But how exactly was he recruited into that mysterious organization? And what was his first mission as an Order Agent? Check out this short story to read my interpretation of those events! Icarax's Broken Heart Rating: PG Genre: Romance-Action Summary: During the period when Makuta Teridax took over the Brotherhood of Makuta and ordered all unloyal members to be killed, Icarax develops feelings for Gorast. Will he manage to win her love? Or is their relationship doomed never to blossom? Paranoia Rating: PG-13 Genre: Horror Summary: In an alternate reality, it has been 2000 years since Brutaka stole the Ignika from Voya Nui, killed the Piraka, Toa Nuva, Toa Inika, and Axonn, and took over the universe. But as he is getting older, he starts to become more paranoid with age. He is starting to have visions where he sees Axonn returning to kill him, even though he knows that Axonn is dead . . . or is he? False Hopes Rating: PG Genre: Mystery Summary: This story follows Mantax and Pridak as they attempt to steal what might be an important, previously unknown treasure from the Zyglak of the Pit. Pridak believes it will give the Barraki the ability to breathe air again, while Mantax privately thinks it is proof that someone had betrayed the League of Six Kingdoms all those years ago. Will they succeed in their quest? An Abrupt End Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: Makuta Koghi, the Makuta of the Southern Islands, attempts to take the island of Shika Nui by striking at what he believes to be its weakest defenses.But when the battle suddenly turns in the favor of his enemies, will the Makuta live long enough to regret his hasty decision? A Change in Plans Rating: PG Genre: Suspense-Action Summary: When the Dark Hunter Flamer is defeated and jailed by a Toa team, Guardian is sent by the Shadowed One to eliminate the captured Hunter before he can reveal Odina's location to the Toa. However, when Guardian arrives, he learns from a badly wounded Flamer that one of the Toa, a Toa of Psionics named Varian, managed to learn the location of Odina from him and has gone to inform her allies. This forces Guardian to go after Varian, before Odina's security is put at an even greater risk than before. Will he succeed in capturing her or will he fail? The Triumph of the Toa Rating: G Genre: Slice of Life Summary: After escaping the destruction of their village, Turaga Mohadias tells the Matoran with him a tale of the triumph of a Toa team from long ago, although Mohadias doesn't understand why they want to listen to it in such dark days. Two Tales Rating: G Genre: Slice of Life Summary: A compiliation of TNTOS's Flash Fiction Warm Up entries. Includes "The Curse of Vagueness" and "The Test." The Final Answer Rating: PG Genre: Suspense Summary: Entry for the Fortnightly Flash Fiction Contest. Theme: Surrender or Run. What I Should have Said Rating: PG Genre: Romance Summary: Toa Chimoy remembers the day he was rescued by his friend Nonzra from slavery in an attempt to make sense of his feelings for his late friend. Glatorian Chronicles #1: Gresh's First Match Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: Gresh is one of the youngest Glatorian known. But how did he first become a Glatorian? What inspired him to become one, anyway? Find out in the first in the series of short stories called the Glatorian Chronicles! (Author's note: This story isn't called a GC in its topic because this was before I decided to make it into a series) Glatorian Chronicles #2: Malum's Exile Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: Malum is an exiled Glatorian from Vulcanus and is considered highly dangerous by most. But how did he get exiled? And how did he end up leader of a pack of Vorox? Check out the second Glatorian Chronicles for my answers to those questions and more! Glatorian Chronicles #3: Intruders Rating: G Genre: Suspense Summary: Follow from the point of view of a female Vorox named Sril as she tries to get intruders out of her territory. Will she succeed in the third installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series or will she fail? Read it and find out! Glatorian Chronicles #5: Honor versus Greed Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: In the fifth installment of the Glatorian Chronicles, Strakk makes a deal with Metus to betray the villages to the Skrall and Bone Hunters in order for him to survive. What Strakk doesn't count on is the Skrall and Bone Hunters being defeated, forcing him to run for his life to escape the wrath of his fellow Glatorian. He broods over his fate, but is interrupted when Kiina and Mata Nui stumble upon him in the White Quartz Mountains. Will he fight them or will he flee? Glatorian Chronicles #6: New Beginnings Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: With Tuma defeated by a strange warrior clad in yellow armor, the Skrall army has been scattered all over the face of Bara Magna, and the Skrall named Branar finds himself alone in the vast desert at night. Here he encounters a baterra, but will he survive his encounter with the shape shifting entity or wille he die in this final confrontation with one of his worst enemies? Find out in the sixth installment the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #7: Confrontation Rating: PG Genre: Action Summary: Lead by Mata Nui, the Glatorian and Agori take on the Skrall and Bone Hunters in one last battle for Bara Magna. Vastus, the Prime Glatorian of Tesara, is isolated from the rest of the group and engages the Bone Hunter Fero in combat. Will he defeat Fero or will the Bone Hunter walk away with Vastus' weapon as his prize? Find out in the seventh installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #8: The Stranger Rating: G Genre: Mystery Summary: A mysterious Glatorian called Jetrupi has arrived in Tajun. Rumors that he has mysterious powers caused Kiina to believe he might be from another world. She decides to figure out for herself, but is she prepared for the truth surrounding the mysterious warrior or is she in over her head? Find out in the eigth installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #10: For Fame and for Fortune Rating: PG Genre: Action-Suspense Summary: During the Battle of Roxtus, the elite forces Skrall Stronius escapes into the Black Spike Mountains after wounding the Glatorian Gelu. However, Gelu heads after the Skrall, but soon finds himself up against a foe he is not sure he can defeat. Will Gelu survive his encounter with Stronius or will he die? Find out in the tenth installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #11: Obsidian Among the Frost Rating: PG Genre: Action-Horror Summary: Stronius and an unnamed Skrall lieutenant find themselves separated from the rest of their squad following a fierce battle with the Fire army. They are stalked by a monstrous mutation that is attracted to sharp objects, of which they have plenty of. Will Stronius and the Skrall survive this ordeal or will they be eaten alive by the monster? Find out in the eleventh installment of the Glatorian Chronicles series! Glatorian Chronicles #12: The Future begins Where the Past Ends Rating: PG Genre: Action-Suspense Summary: After the death of Makuta Teridax, Mata Nui returns to the Mask of Life, partly to refrain from intervening in the day-to-daye lives of the Spherus Magnans and partly to deal with Ignika, who has been getting increasingly harder to get along with since Teridax's death. Will Mata Nui be able to make peace with Ignika or will conflict prevail between the two? Find out in the twelfth and final installment of the Glatorian Chroicles series! The Biological Chronicle: 2001 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: The first in a new series of flash fics, this story depicts the scene of Tahu's arrival on the island of Mata Nui. The Biological Chronicle: 2002 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the second installment of The Biological Chronicle, Onua sets up a trap to obtain the final Krana he needs to complete his collection. The Biological Chronicle: 2003 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the third installment of The Biological Chronicle, Kopaka finds himself facing six Rahkshi at once. The Biological Chronicle: 2004 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the fourth installment of The Biological Chronicle, Krekka is annoyed by a Po-Matoran carver whose work he accidentally destroyed. The Biological Chronicle: 2005 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the fifth installment of The Biological Chronicle, Norik is surrounded by Visorak and must survive. The Biological Chronicle: 2006 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the sixth installment of The Biological Chronicle, Zaktan has to act Toa-like in a precarious situation. The Biological Chronicle: 2007 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the seventh installment of The Biological Chronicle, Kalmah confronts Mantax about harm that the latter's snacking preferences are doing to the Barraki's ammunition supply. The Biological Chronicle: 2008 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the eighth installment of The Biological Chronicle, Gavla makes a new friend in Metru Nui on the day of Mata Nui's awakening. The Biological Chronicle: 2009 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the ninth installment of The Biological Chronicle, the Element Lord of Ice makes Surel an offer. The Biological Chronicle: 2010 Rating: G Genre: Flash Fiction Summary: In the tenth installment of The Biological Chronicle, two Great Beings discuss the possibility of the Makuta rebelling and how to combat them should that happen. -TNTOS-