Music Poll: John Williams

[Velox]

Vote here for your favorite Music story; entries have been randomized. Please MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL ENTRIES BEFORE VOTING.Voting begins now and will end on June 10th at 3:59 PM EST. Entries that do well will move on to the Music Final Poll, which will be posted at the conclusion of the 12th round preliminary poll.

• [*]The Flute I sat inside my sparsely-decorated hut of leaves and twigs, my project of the last few weeks held gently within my hands. After all those failed attempts, all those late nights spent working on it and improving it, had finally culminated into something magnificent. In my hand rested a new kind of instrument, something I had decided to call the flute. Its design was comprehensible to only one such as myself who had spent countless weeks tinkering with said design. It was beautiful, but I cared not for its appearance. No, all that mattered was the sound. The sound,thatmattered immensely. I wanted to try it out, but something stayed my hand. I wanted to be the only one present when it first sang. I wanted to be not only the creator of the first flute, but the first person to listen to its sweet melody. But where to play it? Since he wanted secrecy, the village was out of the question. The swamp was also a bad choice to how dangerous it was. So it had to be away from the Koro, perhaps even the Wahi. Kanae Bay might just work… After all, we Le-Matoran avoid water almost as much as Po-Matoran. With that, I exited the village. It was one of the few times I was glad to be relatively unknown, for none of the few people who knew me were out and about as I left. As much as I valued their companionship, I was preoccupied by my desire to try out my new instrument. But of course, that was only natural. I made my way to the shoreline, thankful once more for our aversion to water. A few seabirds flew overhead, but other than that there was no sign of life. It was there, on the deserted beach situated before a lush jungle, that I first played my flute. It was just as beautiful as I had hoped it to be. Its sweet melody rose gently into thee, caressing my ears with their loveliness. To me, it felt as if a whole new world had opened up before me, beckoning me to step forward and immerse myself in the music. I wasn’t sure if the sound would carry any great distance, but I imagined for a moment what the other Matoran would say when they heard it. Surely I would get the respect I deserved, now that I had wrought such an incredibly instrument. And then a Kewa bird dropped from the sky. I jumped back, startled by its sudden arrival. The Rahi looked at me with an expectant gaze, its eyes asking me something I could not decipher. I glanced down at my flute, the beginnings of an idea forming in my mind. Had it been summoned by my playing the flute? And if so, would I be able to replicate the task? Playing it once more, I waited to see if another would arrive. It didn’t take long. Within moments, an entire flock of Kewa had descended upon me, each somehow drawn by the melody I had played. Oh yes. A whole new world had indeed opened up before me. -------[*]Spiriah's Symphony Again, the pounding rhythm in her ears was threatening to split her head in two. For as long as she could remember, the beat had been with her. Of course, it hadn’t always been so torturous and agonizing. Before, it had only been a nuisance, with the squabbling of everyday life enough to drown it out. The soft, melodious chatter in the market used to play as a background. The varying patterns of thumping footsteps entering and milling about her shop used to syncopate most elegantly with her own rhythm. Resonating tenors and sweet contralto used to swirl about her, harmonizing in pleasant accompaniment. The wind used to mosey on in through her open shop windows, humming a carefree tune, tickling the curtains into laughing some days. Back then, the song that she lived in was peaceful and harmonious. And then Makuta Spiriah came to Zakaz. Cursed Makuta Spiriah had distorted her gentle lullaby into Karzahni’s own twisted symphony. No longer was the cadence inside of her steady and reliable. Now it hammered erratically and cracked like some ghastly kind of thunder, always trying to pound its way out of her head. Even over time, the dreadful new throbbing didn’t subside. Once she realized that it wouldn’t go away, or get any better, decided to go on living live as she always had; finding music in everyday tasks to accompany the tempo. But it was very clear that her old life was not enough to satiate the new rhythm. One day in the shop, one empty day, and she had almost been overwhelmed by the pounding monster inside her mind, deaf to anything else. She lived alone, and she used to be solitary and content by nature. But there was nobody to stop her when she started going out and experimenting with different ways to try and drown out, or at the very least, make peace with her new rhythm. Arrows thudding into flesh, clubs crunching protosteel armor, bones being snapped over her knee, and extremities crushed beneath her stomping feet now played in counter to her beat. Swords ringing on armor and maces screaming through the air threw their respective notes into the din. And on really and truly horrible days, like today, when the thrashing in her head threatened her sanity, the only vocals that could complete this new song, the only vocals powerful and worthy enough to soothe the beat within here were the agonized screams and final, howling curses of the enemies she’d made over the recent years. All of this was now contained in a day’s work, a day’s musical and glorious work. After a job well done, the repulsive, echoing beat of her empty heart was just a bit calmer in her ears. -------[*]Taipu and his Music Deep in the mines of Onu-Wahi, the Onu-Matoran worked tirelessly as they dug through the earth and searched for protodermis. The Great Mine itself had struck an impenetrable rock layer, but the Matoran had adapted and began to spread their tunnels out elsewhere. Shaft BC-12 was one of the furthest reaching of the new tunnels, and it extended so far north that it was reaching the coastline of Po-Wahi. However, the Matoran had been making many hopeful discoveries of protodermis, so they continued digging in hopes of opening a successful new branch. Unfortunately, the conditions in this new mining tunnel had deteriorated. It wasn’t due to a lack of lightstones or numerous Kofu-Jaga attacks. Rather, Taipu had jointed the team. Taipu had been one of the hardest working Onu-Matoran, and he could dig for hours without tiring. But he had recently been on a trip to Le-Koro, where he had embarked on an adventure with the Chronicler. And during his stay in the treetop village, he had picked up some new habits, like singing to himself. Now, while Taipu dug away, he hummed or sang out lyrics to himself to pass the time. But Taipu wasn’t the brightest Matoran, and his songs lacked appeal to everybody but him. So as he sang to himself, his fellow miners cringed at his singing voice. “I’m a-digging through the rock,” he would sing. “There’s no time to talk, cause I’m a-digging through the rock. Don’t bother checkin’ the clock, cause I’m a-digging through the rock!” The other Onu-Matoran began to complain, but Dosne the Mining Captain refused to move Taipu to another location. He was still doing his work well, so there was no reason to relocate him. Then came the day that the Blade Burrowers attacked. The miners first felt a slight tremble, and then the nearest wall caved in and two of these Rahi stormed into the tunnel. The Matoran instantly drew weapons, but they knew it was for naught. The Blade Borrowers were fearsome Rahi, and few Matoran lived through an encounter with one, and not without withstanding many injuries. But the Rahi suddenly hesitated as one Matoran stepped forward. It was Taipu. “Back, mean old Rahi, get back!” he started to sing. “We don’t want you to attack. We don’t want to be your snack. Get back, mean old Rahi, get back!” The Blade Borrowers had an excellent hearing, which they used to help find their prey. But their hearing was now turned against them with Taipu’s music. Perhaps it was his gruff voice, or his tacky rhymes, of just the fact that he seemed to be enjoying his little song, but the two Rahi found his music distasteful. They quickly retreated under the influence of Taipu’s melody, and the threat was over almost as soon as it had begun. The miners were quick to congratulate Taipu, since he had managed to save them when they felt all hope was lost. And they decided to keep him within their company as they continued to dig in search for more protodermis. And they even didn’t mind his consistent singing, because now they knew it would also scare dangerous Rahi away. Instead, they invested in ear muffs to keep out the sound. -------[*]Cave Song The Matoran, Triax and Krinil, ventured deeper into the cave, intent on proving once and for all what was inside. No one really knew, and so many who had come this way had never returned. But they had reached it, and they intended to return with their stories. “Hey, do you see that?” Krinil pointed into the distance at what looked to be a faint light. The two of them scurried onwards and emerged into a huge, domed chamber. In the centre was a pedestal with a strange, glowing rock. The walls were made of a substance they had never seen before. They seemed crystalline in nature, yet were as reflective as any metal. “This is incredible!” Triax gasped. The two of them moved towards the light, gazing around in awe. As they passed within arm's reach of it, the rock started to hum. The Matoran had not noticed, but their entrance was blocked by a sheet of the same crystalline material that covered the walls. The rock began to hum louder, the light pulsating slowly. The walls reflected the light in a myriad of directions, making it hard for the Matoran to focus. The sound grew louder still and began to echo, filling the room. As the sound bounced from one wall to the next, the pitch changed. The walls themselves seemed to reverberate with the sound and began to emit similar, yet subtly different, sounds. Soon the air was filled with dozens of notes, each echoing and arranging themselves into something whole. There was no discord. Every sound overlapped perfectly with another, and the combined notes rang out in unison with a dozen more. As it grew, a tune began to emerge. It was subtle, hidden beneath the many layers,, yet each one seemed to feed into it. The tune was something slow, something beautiful, both distinct yet intrinsically part of the background humming, which was music in itself. The result was something more incredible and more profound than either Matoran had heard before. They could not tell how long they stood there, just listening. It seemed to touch something deep within them, making them feel free and glad in every way to be alive. Yet there was also a sadness. A deep, unreserved sadness that they could not contain or understand. The humming began to fade. Layers of the music peeled away, stripping it down to its base components. The tune, that impossible, magical tune, still whispered through the air, growing fainter and fainter, until even that was gone, leaving only the sound of their own silence. They said nothing to each other as they left the cave. There was nothing to say. They staggered out into the bright sunlight, shielding their eyes against its vibrant rays. “This...is not where we were,” Krinil remarked. The cave they had entered was set deep into a mountain. This cave was part of what could only generously be called a hill. Ahead of them stretched an empty plain; a far cry from the rocky crags they had expected. Triax shrugged. It didn't seem to matter. They stood silent for a few more minutes, not sure what they should say or do. “What happened in there?” Triax finally asked. Krinil shrugged. “We'll probably never know. I thought I could see things. On the walls. Shapes, images, things that couldn't possibly be there. Did you-” Triax simply nodded. The two of them picked a random direction and began to walk. Behind them, the cave entrance faded and vanished as if it had never been there at all. ------[*]Battle Hymn of the Resistance Garan sat miserably on the ground, his Pulse Generators falling to his side. Balta looked at him worriedly, and Piruk scrapped his claws in the corner. The others simply sat in silence, waiting to hear his answer. “I just lost most of my friends to some Toa pretenders, and you want me to lead a resistance? I…I don’t know if I have the energy…” Dalu stepped forward, offering her Chargers, but Garan just shrugged her off. “I mean, how do I lead after this much loss?” “We all are going through what you are now, Garan,” Balta replied. “It’s times like these that we need a leader.” “But why me? I’m just an Onu-Matoran who’s broken and left on here to rot.” “No, Garan, you are more than that. Remember the hurricane a few years ago? You wouldn’t stop until every Matoran in the village found high ground, even at your own risk. Even after the hurricane, you directed the rebuilding of the village. You and Balta were the first to find out about the Piraka, and you know more about them than we do. You are the only candidate.” “And what if I refuse?” “Then,” Velika responded, “we’ll just choose someone else. It was your idea to form the resistance group, and now we are asking you to lead it.” He lent a reassuring hand to Garan who blankly stared at it. Suddenly, a voice filled the air with a soft melody, followed by a strong chorus. After recovering from their shock, the resistance team turned to face Dalu, the hardened warrior, singing her heart out. It was a song they had all heard from Turaga Jovan, who had heard it from his Turaga, and so on as the song was passed down through generations to inspire courage in a weakened leader’s heart. His spirit rose as the volume did, and he noticed that Balta had joined in, followed by Piruk and Velika. Soon, the small cave was ringing with the sound of Matoran voices who had forgotten their troubles outside. Once the verse was over, Garan spoke. “I’ll do it, on one condition. That’s our battle hymn.” The five other Matoran nodded their agreement as they prepared for the battle to come.

-----

Months passed, and in that time, a new hope had appeared on Voya Nui. The Toa Nuva had arrived, and after some misunderstandings, the Voya Nui Resistance Team had formed a strong bond with the Toa, who promised to lead them and their village to freedom from the Piraka. Today was the first battle to regain the Toa’s Kanohi and Tools, which had been taken earlier. Already, Garan was beginning to see the signs of weakness in Tahu’s maskless face. The attack would have to be as soon as possible. First of all, to get inside the door, the Resistance Team convinced Toa Lewa to taunt Reidak and get him to smash the door. From there, a simple path leads to the Trophy Room, where Piruk had said the Toa’s Kanohi and Tools were kept. The second stand was to be made against the Piraka, but that’s where everything went wrong. The Piraka had made a new friend: Brutaka, former protector of the Matoran with the power of Dimensional Gates. His massive power to protect was used to destroy every bit of resistance the Toa had in them, and then capture them again. Garan was not so lucky. He awoke to find himself in the Chamber of Truth, the Piraka’s interrogation room. Hearing the few familiar notes, Garan could smile, knowing help was on the way. -------[*]Sing The rising sun’s rays painted the trees with streaks of red. They turned their leaves toward the sky in gratitude as a stiff breeze flowed among them, greeting each and every plant and animal in its winding path. The period of silence between midnight and dawn, when both nocturnal and diurnal Rahi slumbered, remained only for a minute more; then the first birdcall rang to the distance like a fervently rung bell, and slowly, the jungle of Le-Wahi drew itself from semiconsciousness. Small birds were the first to awaken; their shrill melodies joined and intertwined, stirring the hearts of those still sleeping. The raucous cries of Brakas monkeys began soon after — they were intermittent, but their contribution to the forest eidos was nevertheless indefeasible. Minutes passed. A Gukko called out as it skimmed the treetops. Ground-locked Fikou spiders continued their silent work, apathetic to their environment. The signature pok-pok-pok of a Pokawi reverberated in the chill-tinged air, soon intermingled with the harsh buzzing of distant Nui-Rama and Nui-Kopen searching for food. A rustle told of the appearance of Ash Bears, or perhaps Ussal crabs; one could not know which. Melodious twittering soared above all other sounds. The jungle did not take notice. Beauty was intrinsic to its ecosystem. Why should it notice of something so obviously meant to be? The melody throbbed with energy as more voices joined the choir. No time signature, no tempo, no clear rhythm... and yet it was somehow more real than a song with structure. Perhaps there was a structure, just one so complex, so undeniably vast that no Matoran could ever hope to replicate its beauty. There was, however, another possibility: With such beauteous tonality, was structure required at all? A small bird hopped from one tree branch to another. Its breast was white, its wings and back light gray segueing into a mottled light and dark gray on the bird’s scalp. It canted its head and opened its beak. The melody burst forth with surprising ardor. Perhaps the little bird lived for its song; the jungle was privy in regards to its priorities. Again the bird leaped; its dainty weight barely shook the branch upon which it landed. Its high, throaty vibrato was perchance more palpable than its mass. From a distance, another bird let out a similar call. The first bird responded and spread its wings, crouching to better leap off the branch— Twang. The arrow that pierced its chest pushed the bird sideways. It tumbled through the air before landing out-of-sight amongst the undergrowth. It would sing no more. The Le-Matoran Tamaru lowered his bow and inclined his head before retrieving his meal-to-be. ------

[Ballom Nom Nom]

Again, a difficult poll, although two won out.~B~

[Excelsior]

I voted for 2.-Excelsior

[Legolover-361]

I voted for myself.

[fishers64]

I'm giving 6 the nod. All of these were good, though.

[Velox]

Difficult poll. I liked most of them; decided to go with #6 in the end, however.And Polling period over; poll closed.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Velox