Flight Poll: Orville

[Velox]

Vote here for your favorite Flight story; entries have been randomized. Please MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL ENTRIES BEFORE VOTING.Voting begins now and will end on June 4th at 11:59 PM EST. Entries that do well will move on to the Flight Final Poll, which will be posted at the conclusion of the 12th round preliminary poll.

• [*]To Overcome Toa Nuparu stood on the edge of a very steep cliff, roughly 200 feet above a large lake. Behind him stood Turaga Onua, four other Toa, and the majority of the Matoran from his village. They were all on this high mountain ledge for one reason: to help Nuparu overcome his fear of heights. Nuparu, who only had been a Toa of Earth for a few days now, had an extreme fear of heights that haunted him for as he could remember. This wouldn't have been a big deal, except that the Toa of Earth had been given a Kadin, a Mask of Flight, as his Kanohi. So scared of heights was Nuparu that he couldn't even concentrate to activate the mask. The Toa tried to trade his mask for one of the other Toa's Kanohi, but Turaga Onua refused to have it. "Destiny gave you that mask, so you should be the one to use it." The Turaga simply said. So when Nuparu asked Onua what he should do, the Turaga suggested that the Toa put himself in a situation that would force him to overcome his fear. Which led to Nuparu standing on the edge of a cliff, mentally preparing himself to jump off it. "Why couldn't I have gotten a different Kanohi?" Nuparu thought as he moved slowly towards the ledge. He took a deep breath. There was no going back now. Nuparu braced himself. He raised his arms, closed his eyes, fought the urge inside him to back away from the edge, and jumped off the cliff. The Toa felt the wind rush past him as he plummeted towards the lake below. He made the mistake of opening his eyes. He saw the lake rushing towards him, and panic began to overwhem him. "I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" Nuparu repeatedly thought as he fell. Tried as he might, he couldn't get those words out of his head. Deep down, he knew he wasn't going to die. At worst, he would hit the water and only receive a few sore muscles from this nightmare. He was in no danger at all, really. "But the villagers will see me fail." He realized suddenly. "They will see that I'm not able to overcome my fear, even now that I'm a Toa." That startling thought snapped him out of his panic. He closed his eyes again and quickly started concentrating on his Kanohi, trying to activate it before he hit the water. He had only seconds to stop his descent before he slammed into the lake. Suddenly, the feeling that he was falling left him. He opened his eyes and found that he was now slowly flying up back towards the ledge he jumped off. Turaga Onua, the other Toa, and the Matoran above all cheered in joy at the sight of Nuparu using his Kanohi Kadin. "Hey, this isn't too bad." Nuparu said to himself. Seeing everyone cheering for him above, the Toa of Earth attempted to increase the speed of his ascent. But, with his skill with the Kadin not perfected, he instead unintentionally slammed himself into the rock wall in front of him. The blow dazed him, but it did no serious harm to the Toa. "I should definitely practice some more with this mask before I hurt myself." He thought jokingly as he began to ascend back towards his friends on the cliff above. -----[*]Tamaru’s Journey Tamaru stood, legs dangling off of the brittle platform of one of the many Le-Matoran huts. He sighed. Looking up, he saw gukko birds soaring through the wind. He smiled, longing the soaring air and thrill of flight. Looking down once again, his doubts began once more. A Le-Matoran sat down right next to him. It was Kongu. “What’s wrong Tamaru? We’re all celebrating, and you’re here, come and join us!” Kongu began to smile, but Tamaru still frowned. Tamaru picked up a rock and threw it at a tree in anger. “Here’s the thing: I want to fly, so bad. It’s been my dream. But then I look down…” Kongu laughed. “Why didn’t you say so? Before we let the new recruits of the Gukko Force go up wind-riding, we have them glide a couple feet above the ground, come on! We’ll take Ka out and you’ll get your wish!” Kongu took Tamaru to a long stretch of clear land. The ground was trampled from previous flights. Kongu gave a short whistle and Ka dive down through the trees. Kongu turned to Tamaru. Alright, you drive, I’ll ride as second. Just pull the reigns in direction you want Ka to go, it’s that simple. The two matoran got up on the Gukko Bird, and Ka began to run. Tamaru concentrated. He pulled up on the reigns and Ka started to glide. Tamaru laughed. “WOO HOO! I feel like Toa Lewa!” It was a couple minutes before Kongu spoke. “Alright Tamaru, take her down whenever your comfertable.” “No.” Kongu took at Tamaru. His determined posture revealed he was about to do something. Tamaru pulled up quickly on the reigns. Ka looked back at Kongu, with a questioning look in his eyes. Kongu smiled and nodded. Ka screeched out and rose through the thick, green canopy. Tamaru looked around him. Bright green canopy could be seen far below him, and Mount Ihu could be seen in the foggy distance. The Le-Matoran peered down at the ground, but was not afraid. “I’m flying Kongu, I’m flying!” Tamaru cheered and did a nosedive. He could see Le-Koro in the distance. He began to lower and landed on the main platform of the village. Le-Matoran were still playing their instruments, and Tamaru joined in this time. Hours later, Kongu came upon Tamaru, in the same dangling position as before, with a more determined glance in his eye. Kongu sat down. “Tamaru, you did excellent.” Tamaru turned to Kongu. “Thank you.” Kongu stood up. “We don’t get many good Gukko riders here in Le-Koro, I would like if you joined the guard. Think about it, it can be dangerous.” Kongu walked off, and Tamaru ran after him, his answer already decided. -----[*]He should have known. But not really. He seemed to have lost his way, but he didn’t have a way to lose. Before him stretched an expanse of pale ground swirling with grey dust. Somewhere high above, he could see an imposing grey shell. Light filtered in through a sickening crack high above, about which moved several smaller beings. Not a single block of the precious solid protodermis would go to waste. Despite this, he was sure that they were too high up to see him, even though his color – green – would have stood out against the dismal landscape. There would be no assistance from them. Instead, the Toa walked across the area, toward the only landmark visible; the smoking remains of a dead volcano. Before it, he reached a yawning chasm, out of which a vile stench reached his nostrils. Nonetheless, he plunged in, jets on his back firing as his armor adjusted to the new environment. His eyesight sharpened, showing him a bruised, battered hulk of metal. He remembered the forcefield; but it was gone. The old gate was ajar at an odd angle; like so many other things it was broken, shattered by the waves of savage rule. It was dark within, but that didn’t stop him; it took only a few seconds for his armor to adjust. Besides, these tunnels were old friends, mostly free of wreckage and debris. His body glided gracefully through them, headed for no particular destination. For once, it felt good to be here, to be in a familiar place after his recent experience. Mostly, it just felt good to fly. But the tunnel was too short. Soon he emerged into an expansive cavern, ringed by gaping holes of shredded metal, like the bulk that had been raked by giant’s claws. The floor was littered with wreckage, but the impressive features of the power conduit remained, waiting for a call that would not come again. But that wasn’t what he had came for. The thought dawned on him, soaring over this sea of memory. He dived off into a side chamber, viewing the old hangar. A flash of red caught his eyes. He landed, sending twin dust clouds into the air; such a thing demanded walking. Touching its side, he swiped off a thick coating of dust to reveal a name. Axelara T9. You know, I have fought many hard-battles lately, thought Lewa, Toa Nuva of Air. It’s time for some party-fun! * * * Garan heaved the final load of supplies into place. It had been a hard day of getting the tools they needed out of Voya Nui, but the Spherus Magna sand stalkers had been most helpful in this regard. Now all they needed was to get the pack animals and themselves out of this area before nightfall. “Hey!” said Balta. “Look at that!” A huge flying vehicle emerged from a nearby void, blasting through the crack in the sky’s widest point. “it is fair and just” said Kazi. “A large package is fine for a large thing, but if it’s not needed, a small package will do better” said Velika. Garan looked on; he could note the glow in the Matoran’s eyes, the plans of a true inventor. He heard a whoop in the distance. Maybe we don’t have to be always on the run, just trying to survive. Maybe we can do more. So much more… -----[*]The Gift of Flight The setting sun cast a crimson light across the horizon, the combination of the light and scenery creating a breathtaking scene that few ever had the chance to behold. One of those select few was currently staring into the sky, his orange eyes attempting to pierce through the heavens and see what lay beyond. He remained that way until the sun disappeared completely, at which point he awoke from his reverie and began the trip back to the place he called home. For a while, he walked in silence. However, as he neared his “home” a weary voice cried out to him from the darkness. “Ah, there you are! I’d hoped to find you before you left, but was afraid I’d missed you.” The Toa looked at the older being, an indecipherable look in his eyes. The wizened figure was the closest thing to family he had left, but he still had no intentions of being treated like a child. “Master, with all due respect-“ The elderly individual lifted up a hand in interruption and said, “I’ve a gift for you.” The Toa bit his tongue, afraid that out of his irritation he might say something he would later regret. However, he couldn’t help but be curious as to what this “gift” was. “I spent a long while contemplating on what to give you before your departure, and this is what I eventually decided upon. If you insist on calling yourself by this new name, then I think it’s only fitting that you’re given this.” From with his robes, the being pulled out a Kanohi mask. Its visage was fierce, almost like that of a monster’s, but it had a certain streamlined quality to it nonetheless. Although difficult to properly examine in the dim lighting, the Toa immediately felt as if the mask was perfect in every way. Its shape, its red and black coloring, everything about it simply seemed like it had been made for him. Noticing his student’s reaction, the elderly being smiled gently. “I’m glad you like it,” he said, “but the true value of a Kanohi lies not in its appearance but its ability.” Although both of them knew that, he had felt the need to say it anyway. There had been times when his student had become a little obsessed with some detail and ended up completely missing the point of the main lesson. Of all the lessons he had taught, this one was possibly the most important, and the one he was most determined to get through to his pupil. “The ability of this particular mask is flight, making it a Kadin. I’m sure you’re familiar with its power well enough to not need any further explanation.” The Toa nodded, his mind already imagining what he could do with this new ability. A whole new style of combat lay stretched out before him, and he was eager to begin exploring it. His mentor, however, had other ideas of how he should use his new mask. The hope had been that once his student experienced some of the joys the world had to offer, he would give up on his path of revenge-laden “justice”. To him, the Kadin was a gift, a chance to see the world in a brand new way. In a way, he was right. The Toa thanked his master for the gift and, after placing the mask upon his face, soared off into the night, his flying unsteady due to inexperience. “Go, Salamander. May my gift help you soar amongst the light and keep you from falling into the darkness...” -----[*]Mata Nui's Flight Mata Nui flew. He flew into the void. He flew away from the shattered remains of Spherus Magna, planet of his creation. As he flew, his newly-awakened mind reviewed what he knew of the universe. ___ I am Mata Nui, creation of the Great Beings, all that remains of the once-great spirit of Spherus Magna. Within me exist myriad forms of artificial life, like myself...but inferior... that labor to keep me well and properly functioning. I am to maintain the proper balance of their universe and watch over their well-being, for my own is dependent upon theirs. The world of the Great Beings has been destroyed in a vast Shattering. It is my purpose to repair it. But the remains will not be stable enough for re-formation for approximately 100,043.07 years. In the interval. I am to observe other regions of the universe, gathering information for the aid of Spherus Magna and the Great Beings. My immediate objective is flight. Then, I shall begin my observations. When the time is right, I will return. ___ The forty-million foot tall robot jetted into space. From their refuge, three Great Beings - the three who had first conceived of Mata Nui, who had overseen and developed every stage of his creation - watched the sight in awe. Their world was in ruins, their Agori peoples destitute, and they felt that strongly. But as they watched Mata Nui, a new emotion temporarily overrode their grief and guilt. "It flies," one muttered incredulously. "Just as we planned it to." "Our greatest creation," the second said. "It works. It works perfectly in every detail." "A forty million foot tall robot," whispered the last. "And it flies." They gazed at Mata Nui's flight, filled, amid the sorrow of the Shattering, with the pride of successful creators. ___ Unknown to them, another being, within Mata Nui, was feeling the same pride. He could not oversee its movements, in his new identity. But everything was going just as they had hoped it would. All was well. Even he could tell that. We did it, he thought. He's flying by now. And then he moved back to tasks, his assumed life, and his observations, as Mata Nui flew on. ___ Lesovikk, Toa of Air, flew through the sky. I can almost feel the presence of the Great Spirit, he thought. He flies with me, and I with him. A sudden downdraft caught him. Still a novice in the ways of his element, he was nearly dashed to the ground - before another gust carried him upward again. "Thank Mata Nui," he gasped, recovering his poise in the air. Lesovikk, and Mata Nui, flew on. ___ Mata Nui, creation of the Great Beings, salvation of Spherus Magna, Great Spirit of the Matoran Universe, flew on. All was well within him, and his great heart was filled with raw energy. That was good, for upon him depended the welfare of two worlds. But within that heart, in a perpetual stasis, slept six. Six nanobots of Mata Nui's many subjects. Six pieces of the grand machine that was the robot. Six heroes of the Great Spirit. They slept, waiting, lest Mata Nui's flight ever came to a halt. -----[*]Tree-Bound Le Matoran Tamaru sat in the Kahu hut; his head drooped down, staring at the wooden floor. The rest of the Gukko Squad had left for the Nui Rama hive. For as long as he can remember, Tamaru had wanted to join them, to fly in the skies above Le Wahi, but they all told him, “Sorry, you’re always scared of heights.” One of these days, he thought, I will show them, I am not destined to be tree-bound, and I shall be one of the great wind-riders of the Gukko Squad. He sighed, Tamaru the Le Matoran, always ground bound forever. Or so he thought. Tamaru heard a loud squawk. Startled, he looked around quickly, taking a while to notice… one lone Kahu. It surely cannot be Kongu’s Ka! He looked down, instantly noticed a small piece of paper in front of Ka. He took a few steps forward, not to distress the Kahu rahi. It ignored him, prompting him to move towards the note faster. He picked it up, reading it, To Tamaru, For years you had wanted to wind-fly with us Gukko Squad, but you never had the courage. Well, I have smart-spoken to Turaga Matau, and we agreed to lend you this Kahu, Ka. Wind-fly him well! Kongu Tamaru couldn’t believe what he read; the Turaga approved him to wind-ride the Kahu?! After a short while of stunned silence, Tamaru sighed, and leaped onto Ka. It took him a short while to fully mount himself. Almost immediately after he had fully mounted himself, the door opened, blinding him with light. The giant bird instinctively knew to walk out of the hut, into the crowd of Le Matoran, all wishing luck to the new Wind-Rider. They cleared out of Ka’s way, all except for one lone Le Matoran, wielding two lightstones. Tamaru’s heart jumped into his throat, he instantly knew…This is it. I am really going to wind-fly! As the Le Matoran lifted the lightstones up and down, Ka flapped his wings slowly in sync, then speeding up. A loud noise filled the air, rising in tone. Then suddenly, the Le Matoran lifted his arms, Ka’s eyes glowed, and its wings turned green. The Le Matoran threw the lightstones down, and Ka sped forward at top speed and left the tree village of Le Koro. Tamaru woke with a start; he was still in the Kahu hut. He looked around, searching for Ka or any sign of the Gukko Squad. The hut was entirely empty, except for him; even the Kahu stall was empty. The lone Le Matoran ran out of the hut quite quickly. He didn’t stop running until he came to a halt at the edge of Le Koro. He looked downwards, the swamp of Le Wahi below looked a thousand bios tall. Any leaf-runner would find jumping down and wind-sprint across the home-realm easy, surely if he cannot windfly, maybe he could do that instead. Tamaru just stood there, his foot moved slightly across the edge. I can do it, he thought to himself, I can do it, I can do it, I can… I can’t. Tamaru let out a long sigh, moving his foot back onto safety. He turned around, walking back into the Le Koro square. He shook his head as he accepted his fate, as a Tree Bound Le Matoran.

[Excelsior]

I voted for 3.-Excelsior

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I voted for entry one.

[fishers64]

Shameless self voting...

[WriterofReapers]

I voted for number 4 (AKA, my own), but it was a tough decision between that and entry 5. In the end, I found its sudden changes of focus to just be (while seemingly necessary to the story the author was trying to tell) a bit too well... sudden for me to really feel immersed in the story. Not to say my own story is any better, since personal bias can blind you to the most obvious of errors...

[Ballom Nom Nom]

I voted for number five, for being a good nostalgia-inducing read while also tying in nicely to the theme.~B~

[Velox]

Polling period over; poll closed.