Happy Hour Halloween Writing Contest (NOW CLOSED)

[Vacant]

I want to say first of all a massive thank you to all the Contestants and judges for taking part. It turned out to be quite successful after all if i do say so myself.  So without further ado...I shall now post all four entries for you to enjoy! Comment away on what you liked, or who you would of voted for even

Legomaestro

A Tale of A Future Past

I don't really remember my name anymore. Though I do remember this city. Although it is deserted and overgrown with grass, although its once proud skyscrapers and roads made of material that should've lasted millennia are worn down, although not a lot of the signs stand anymore, I know this place was once a city called Manga and Anime Central.

I remember hating that name for some reason, though times always changed, did they not? Like the time that raider called Hasith had left. He'd been sort of important to the grand scheme of things I remember. I remember the whole city being shaken by that. And when the new administrators came in, everything got worse.

There is a headache. I am annoyed that I have amnesia like some bad cliché. And I also do not want to remember the after times. When Manga Raiders became M n' A Central. When the censor hunts in the writers' district began, and when the artist district declared independence and a war broke out.

As the memories bled out I kept on walking throughout the city, the pitiful green coat wrapped around my shoulders. My sight was perfect. I was a cat after all. Though, I wasn't quite clear why my fur was green and I had a mane of orange hair pouring over my eyes.

I walked to one of the most prominent buildings. Something that had clearly once been the tallest, but was now snapped off at a point. What used to be the top couple hundred floors was now a portmanteau of destruction.

I still searched the first floor. There was a marble floor that still shone, and a lonely receptionist desk with a dead robot. Without knowing how I knew, I held out my hand to scan it and bring it to life. Black mist emanated from my hand. I sensed that there seemed to be a massive superstructure underneath. Endless tunnels and connectors. I smiled as I remembered the size of the city with fondness.

The robot came to life.

"Hello there! Welcome to Manga and Anime Central! I am Unit zzt Thirteen Thirteen Four!"
Unit 13134? That wasn't an unlucky number at all.

I needed a moment before I could speak. My voice only came out after a bit,

"My name is... Animemaestro." I spoke a name I remember hating and never accepting as my own.

(We must fully show off our anime colours and be obvious. No more random usernames! Change your damn avatar too!)

The robot suddenly roared: "ALERT! ALERT! FUGITIVE 06 LEGOC FOUND! INITIATING PURGE!"

"Tsk." I prepared for battle, but the robot just kept roaring on and on. No one came. Nothing came.

(There is nothing anymore. Not even 4LK survived time's endless embrace, and the horde of spam ninjas erased the rest. What was there to censor or erase any more when even language itself became uncool? When anime and manga wasn't even wanted anymore? When entertainment was simply broken down to constituent chemicals that gave people an entertainment high, there was no need to be dedicated to anything)

A headache hit me as I remembered. In anger and frustration, I decapitated the robot with a slash of my hand. But no sword came. I seemed to have forgotten how to fight. Ah right, I was one of the others who had conformed.

(Legoc, no one likes some violent warlord. Use your nanites logically too! Who needs fancy magic science? Make useful stuff like furniture or something)

I looked around and walked out of the Tower. There were probably real historical answers here in the records, but the memories were coming back double fast now.  I just wanted a familiar place.

I sat in the pub at a seat. I remember the laughs, the fights, the rage, the life of the pub. I remember almost losing my life several times - almost always self-provoked - and loving every moment of it.

There was bourbon on the shelf I poured for myself, sipping at it; I looked around the empty shattered pub. Amongst the broken glass rotting wood and yawning holes in the floor there were ghosts of the past walking around and filling the room with sound.

There was the bartender NO1SEY, there was pub-tan, there was MR-tan, there was Churro, there was Coryn, there were Hasith and Corycaly, there was - what? Since when did SHE come back? There was Echo, there was Toasty, there was Vio, Vacant, there was Gelmra - or was it Lord of Darkness now? I forget his name at the time.

There was someone rocking out to a guitar, and someone else with a monkey on his shoulder, and what’s-her-face with the shape shifting pencil - and that guy who always said 'Cha' and - and not to forget the super average one who chose to come and go as he pleased. Even a bunch of guest specters were part of the memories now.

And now the memories fast forwarded, and became dark. The laughter decreased. There were looks of hollow faces, serious faces. There were screams, and then there was death.

The spam ninjas - no the spam monsters attacked.

The new administration that had taken over the city could not in the end promise the very security it had boasted.

"Hasith. This place only got lucky lasting for so long. But it's time to face facts."

Lego remembered yawning, knowing that Hasith wouldn't give the latest cooperate scumbag wanting to buy the city off. They still weren't the biggest, they weren't the center of the world or anything, but Raiders had a pride that was unrivaled by anyone else. At least, that's what he had thought at the time.

Then suddenly, the name change came.

Suddenly the Writers' District was put under Totalitarian rule. Given guidelines and specific rules writers essentially became story churning machines, and even that had been a kindness until the new Masters said,

"We've perfected the software to write stories. You are no longer needed. Unless..."

Some writers took up the next offer: Simply act as placeholder authors for already churned out stories. Personas were double manufactured to fit written stories. Scandals were made for fun and fame was produced at a whim.
All the fun and loyalty was reduced to numbers.

The Artists’ and Writers' relations went sideways and off the grid: They demanded independence and cut all ties with the forum. It was a vicious fight.

And even then there was still hope. There was a rebel force fighting against the forces that be, but friendship was lost. Enmity remained, and when the hoard of spam monsters came along - when the age descended into the unholy chaos that wasn't even interested in celebrating the art form anymore - just to sell things instead then it was over.

Monsters chanting ungodly combinations of advertisements and famous characters came on the scene. They devoured people, made them go mad if they were lucky, or turned them into other mindless abominations.

Everything destroyed. Legoh died in that fight too, and Legoc and a few others decided the city was lost and the only choice was to escape and perhaps start somewhere else.
They didn't make it.

"Or wait. Did we? Why am I here?" Legoc looked around. His memories were back. He was back. In Manga and Ani- no in Mangaraiders. He was still alive. There was nothing here but he was alive.

"I must've survived somehow. The others must be here!"


Legoc  around the city, looking, shouting, and calling names. But no one came.
After a month of searching. Hefinally admitted that nobody was there, and that no one was coming.
He met several spam monsters but avoided them. It was impressive that they were still there.
He had been keeping himself busy cutting down the spam monsters - now he could at least make a crude spear out of the nanites. Healmost died several times but his memories were intact now. He even had a trench coat and boots to match. Though they were tattered and nowhere near the quality of Corycaly’s stuff.
Slashing his spear, one of the spam monsters groaned in a horrible death rattle that reverberated in Legoc's mind,

"Lego......"

Instantly, He knew the answer to my question. Legoc felt sick as he stared at the dissolving mass. Like a cruel joke, the remaining monsters murmured in an echo that went on and on.

"Once a raider, always a raider, once a raider, always a raider, once a raider..."

Legoc didn’t have the will to fight anymore.

(...always a raider.) He finished the thought.

Neoraise:

Untitled

"Neil!..Neil..!

Neil..wake up,are you okay?..what happened?"

As i opened my eyes while everyone gathered around me.

That night,i cant seem to understand why everyone is so worried and why im lying on the ground,feeling dizzy with an empty cup of instant noodles at hand.

With just a little burnt because of hot water on my palm,more of it i cant remember what everything i did earlier from day.-"I dont know"

-One summer when i was still in highschool while every teen of my age still decides how to make their vacation unlike the others,

For over two years of active member as a relief worker of a certain movement,ive luckily chosen to be a part of team that will deliver a sum of relief goods unto the place we called as "The Dark Continent"-also known as Africa.

With a reason why i joined that organization?-i dont know..

At first i refused because me and my sister have no parents to pay for the expenses,
Thus they explained that everything will be answered by them.

Upon the invitation of from our neighbor,my sister decided to have a vacation somewhere with them,that way i wont be able to worry about her being alone at home.

With just 3 weeks of schedule of 8 members,we head out.

It took almost 3 days by plane and land travel until we reach the facility in Africa which we gather up with the other private organization and U.N personnels.

58 People,Men and Women,

With Doctors,medical staffs etc,Teachers,Logistics officers,Soldiers/Peacekeepers etc.and along with a bit clumsy student joins the league-me

Different kinds of professions,language,nationalities altogether in one place that ive seen for the first time.

Cargo trucks in numbers moves forward-like a grand parade with no drums nor cheerleaders to follow.

At day the scoarching heat will dry you,
At night the freezing cold will break you.

and it took us 2 days to reach one of our camps.

As we arrived,the only thing that ive seen is "starvation"..the rest is all you can see in tv and news.

That day we were so busy unpacking the relief goods out especially water and give it to people esp children,

Everybody became very busy that day and as the night comes-early as 7 p.m everyone goes asleep including me.

but in 2 oclock in morning i just felt a sudden call of nature and take a few steps away from the tents to take a leak.

As i turn around theres a girl more or less 9 or 10 yrs old helding her hand out seems like asking for food.

I cant understand African that time but her actions tells me shes hungry.

I look at her face carefully
With nothing to give,i remembered to carry a biscuit inside my pocket that became a habit wherever i go later on..so i just gave it to her.

In addition i told her to stay because ill return with a hot  noodle but with some reasons i fallen asleep while doing so.(i remembered everything after a week)

Nairbons:

Newcomer

    There were no trees in the plastic city, but the leaves still fell. In the darkness of the street, Iris stared as the yellowed leaves danced underneath the streetlights, casting fleeting shadows on the grey plastic road. Blown by a breeze that Iris did not feel, the leaves moved silently, never accumulating along the featureless path she walked down.
       Iris lifted her gaze upwards towards the glistening plastic buildings around her. The streetlights that illuminated her path made it difficult to make out the tops of the skyscrapers. Further down the road, the buildings continued uniformly into the horizon. There were no lights on inside any of the buildings, and the soft glow of the streetlights reflected on the plastic windows made it difficult for Iris to see anything inside. Along the plastic street, Iris could not see an entrance to any of the grey towers.
     Instead, Iris could only see the leaves passing harmlessly through the buildings. Silently, the leaves floated into existence, phasing through one plastic wall and drifting lazily into the light before disappearing into the building on the opposite end of the street.
       Iris walked into the center of the ring of light cast by the nearest lamp. She lifted her arms and opened her fingers. The leaves passed harmlessly through her hands without any sensation of touch. Iris looked down, noticing that more leaves that had been passing through her body.
       More than ever, Iris began to notice the silence that permeated the plastic streets.
       Illuminated by the streetlight, Iris tried focusing on the individual leaves that glided without form or substance. Without being able to grab any of the leaves, Iris wasn’t able to get a good look at the phantom pieces of foliage that would appear and disappear so quickly from existence.
       “It’s only a seasonal thing,” called a voice from further down the street. Iris’ hands snapped defensively into fists at her sides, her posture becoming more rigid.
       “The leaves will stop falling in a few more days, but we probably won’t see the sun again for another few months,” the voice continued. Iris guessed that whoever was speaking was female, and not quite an adult. No longer caught off her guard, Iris also began to realize that there was no malice in the words directed towards her. Instead, the speaker an impression that leaned on boredom.
       Along the side of the closest plastic tower, Iris could see a young girl walking towards her. Obscured by the clouds of leaves that moved between the streets, the young girl stepped into the road that was lit by the row of streetlights. Iris could see that the young girl was wearing a decorative black dress and a pointed hat that was unmistakably meant for a witch. The girl smiled.
       “We like to get into the holiday spirit here,” A worried expression suddenly crossed the girl’s face. “Oh! But, I could see where this might be strange for your first visit. You haven’t even registered yet!”
       The witch-girl hurriedly shuffled towards Iris as fast as she could, obviously not used to the ornamental dress that restricted her movement. Underneath the dress, Iris could hear the girl’s boots clopping at an uneven pace against the plastic street. When she was finally close enough, the witch girl grabbed Iris’ left forearm with both hands. Lifting her arm, the girl took a moment to admire the grey plastic of Iris’ hand.
       “Look at you!” Cooed the small witch “You’re still just an observer here! Just a watcher, huh?” The witch girl looked into Iris’ eyes with a look of pity. “I’m sorry. You still can’t talk. Guests can’t do much here but look.”
       A passing leaf tumbled silently through the grey of Iris’ outstretched arm, but brushed briefly against the arm of the witch. The red-gold of the leaf clung momentarily against the hand of the girl that continued to grasp Iris’ arm, then blew harmlessly away beyond the light of the street.
       The young witch delicately let go of her grip, letting Iris’ arm drift back to her side.
       “You’re just passing through.” The girl nodded, her eyes drifting towards the ground. “I hope you stay. I’d love to know what you’d be like. We could always use new voices here.” The girls’ hand gestured towards the city, leaves catching on her arm as it cut through the air.
       “I’d love to see who you become.” The girl nodded respectfully towards Iris, and turned to slowly shuffle away from the streetlight and disappear back into the city.
       Iris stood alone amongst the swirl of the falling leaves on the plastic road.
       She took a step away from the circle of light that was cast by the lamp above her. Iris continued moving away from the light and into the darkness of the plastic city streets, feeling the leaves that caught against her as she walked.

Echo_River:

The Spade in the Squash

Spoiler

Spade in the Squash                                 

On this particular evening, the MR Disciplinary Task Force was working.

"Churro," a hoarse whisper sounded as the door to her office opened slightly.

Churro started, seeing a serious face peer up at her from the gap, "Yes, Echo?"

"Can you help me with something?"

Churro glanced at the computer before her. Listed there were names of members who had already committed offences today. Today being Halloween.

It was her duty to ensure the safety and happiness of raiders who were out trick-or-treating. Safety meant chasing those causing injury to others and themselves or not preventing an injury. At the moment, 6 names and their offence descriptions were typed out.

[Vacant - 20:00 Along with 4 others, started a beer bottle juggling contest. Accidentally dropped bottles and made a mess at the Pub.

Lego - Ditto

Sherbert - Ditto

Swearzy - Ditto

Nairbons - Ditto

Coryn - 20:00 Stood by to watch contest. Did not intervene.]

Right now all of them were still out on the streets, but had been issued a first warning. No other commotions seemed to be happening, so Churro guessed she could step away from monitoring to assist this member.

"Sure, what is it?" Sliding off her pink swivel chair, Churro started towards the door.

Echo disappeared for a moment and grunted. When Churro opened the door, Echo stumbled in as she hauled a pumpkin into the room, arms wrapped around it.

"Wow, where did you get that?" Churro followed her to the desk as Echo set it down panting.

"Bought it."

"What did you need help with?"

"This," Echo pointed at the tool buried halfway into the top of the pumpkin.

"Carving it?"

"Well...." Echo scratched her head, looking slighty concerned, "Yes, I wanted to get the innards out."

Churro chuckled worriedly, "First off, you're supposed to use a knife... not a spoon."

"Er, it's not a spoon, it's a spade."

"...you're still supposed to use a knife." Churro turned to the drawers in her desk and produced a long knife from them.

"...I thought we're supposed to use a knife, not a katana. How did you even fit that in there...."
"No worries, I can handle both pretty well y'know," Churro winked, "And this will be more efficient."

Echo nodded, impressed. She stepped back, albeit warily, "Go ahead...."

Churro rolled the pumpkin sideways and started by taking out the spade. Or at least, she tried to.
"H-huh?" Hand gripping the handle hard, Churro tugged at it. The spade didn't budge. Using more arm strength, she endeavored to yank it out. It didn't move anymore than it did before. Feet now planted on the pumpkin, Churro pulled backwards with all the force in her reserves, "E-cho! Did - you coat this - with crazy glue before you - put it in?!"

"No..." Echo pulled the hood of her cloak over her eyes, "I just, like, stabbed it in normally, y'know, like one usually stabs things."

"Really?" Churro fell back panting, the spade unyielding, "That's very strange." Standing, she took her katana in hand, "We might have to chop off alot."

"That's okay," Echo stepped back further.

"Alright, here I go," Churro took a breath, closing her eyes. She rose the sword over her head... the shifted - and swung down.

Thunk!

Churro's arms were jarred by the katana's striking a hard surface and halting there. Her eyes shot open, and to her surprise, the blade hadn't gone further than 3 inches.

Echo's eyes looked on wide-eyed as, "Wow."

"W-what?!" Churro grabbed the sword hilt and began heaving as before. The entire pumpkin lifted, the blade still embedded into it. A sudden suspicion entered Churro's mind and she turned to Echo with a sharp look, "What is this?"

"A pumpkin."

"Really?"

"That's what the sign beside it said," Echo took out the receipt and showed it to Churro, "Or... it's not or your katana is just dull."

Churro took the paper and searched straight for the shop name -

[SyncOrTreat's All Halloween Merchandise]

"Supermarket my foot...." Churro quickly turned to her keyboard and hit the keys energetically.

SyncOrTreat - 21:00 Suspected for selling strange merchandise to members.

Finding the store number, Churro grabbed the phone receiver on her desk and dialed.

"SyncOrTreat's All Halloween Merchandise outlet. This is Sync, how can I help you?"

"Sync, this is Churro, I'd like to inquire about your pumpkins."

"Oh, you mean the special cursed pumpkin special?"

"Yes - that. Do you have any more in stock?"

"Yep, about 10, 657. Are you interesting in ordering?"

Churro glanced at Echo, "Actually no, I'm calling due to a member complaint."

Sync hesitated, "Is. That. So."

"Your pumpkins are not carve-friendly."

"My apologies. They don't like to be carved I imagine. If you'd like, I can provide a refund - "

"No, thank you," Churro tapped her fingers on her desk, "As is it, we've lost a spade and a katana attempting to carve this pumpkin. Would you be able to restore those?"

"I'm... unable to do that."

"Why is that?"

Sync hesitated again, "Well, you see.... 15 other members also purchased this product... and called back with similar complaints... we tried to solve this problem but we can't provide responsibility for the lost items. After all, it was plainly stated the pumpkins are cursed."

Churro nodded to herself, "Alright Sync, thanks for your time. I think I've heard all I need to. Have a good night."

Echo stood by awkwardly, staring forlornly at her spade. Churro offered an apologetic smile as her fingers moved to the keyboard.

"Don't worry Echo. We'll get your pumpkin carved. Very soon we'll be having Sync here to solve our problem. And if he doesn't... well, maybe we'll stick him in the pumpkin till he does." Churro pressed a button on the underside of her desk. An affirmative from the Mobile MR Disciplinary Taskforce came to her soon as they headed out.

It was another successful and peaceful Halloween night for MR.

[legomaestro]

The narration does justice to Echos' story indeed.  Love your entry to Nair!  Coryn, maybe these holiday stories should have a section in the MR Canon for permanent prosperity! Mwahahahaha!


This was really fun guys! Here's to having more succesful ones in the future. 

[Coryn]

hm. yes...

*pushes fingertips together*

I did have a section for them...but I kinda forgot to update it...for about 2 years now...