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 |  Random topics. |
| For entering activities around the site. Can get touchy with words. |
| After training all the creatures I collected, and, yes, I collected all 18 pairs, bringing me to a total of 20 creatures, I headed to the next town. The Grassy Path was pretty clear and I had no troubles along the way. Now all of my creatures were at level 10. All, of course, except for the mysterious comet creatures. Those creatures were still at level one. That was okay. They had gained some training experience in battling and fighting. I had gone for Abudo Dieties too, not just Dieties. It was just a rank in who could mind control them. It also affected me too. I am virtually out of range to being mind controlled by someone else. There is also the fact that my element was Pure. Pure Ebil Healer the strongest. All other elements falls lower rank. Did this mean I had a pure heart? No. Any normal person could be a Pure element too. But I had a move that I knew would only affect corrupted hearts. That made me question if I had a pure heart. I tried the spear on multiple animals and creatures but to no effect. It didn't harm them. It didn't heal them or hurt them either. Still, I had this move. It must be useful for something. Not just everyone can brag about it. Pure Heart Spear. That was what it was called. It was a special move. Then I decided on one thing. This outfit could be used in emergencies. I needed to train in a disguise. Leave this outfit for the training and emergency use only. I would choose healer. Of course, I didn't have any special gloves or helmet on. Just a fancy looking dress. I needed gloves and a helmet to match, even if it got torn away by my powers. This outfit was special. I needed to go to the store. Maybe I could buy a Healer outfit for $2,000. Outfits were pretty expensive in the first place. Mack caught up to me just as I was about to call it a night and book myself a room in the hotel. "Hey, you beat me to the hotel first. I want to see how many creatures we both have. Looks like 20. We are tied. You won first because you made it here first. I got a bit carried away from my training. So I just have myself to blame. Hey, since I would like to be your friend, not just a rival, how about I treat you to supper?" Mack held open the door for me. "Sure. And I think I have a plan. This plan can wait to be told when we change outfits. That's right. We're going to have to train two outfits. Since the creatures are all leveled, we can't use creatures to train anymore. It would be by hand. I'll spare the details over at the restaurant. Just how much money do you have?" I knew it couldn't be a lot. "$20,000. I think you have a good idea there. Can't wait to hear about it Lilah." We both checked in and went to our rooms. A couple hours later we came back out. The outfit shop was still open. I had $9,535. There was no such thing as cents. It existed in other regions and here, but not with this currency. This currency was top notch. Cents didn't exist. When we got to the outfit store we saw three outfits: healer, smith, and crafter for $1,645 each. There was a bandana weather mask and gloves. Perfect.I took them all;. The total came to be $5,814. That still left me with something. I wasn't interested in smith and crafter but had a feeling they would prove useful. It turned out we both had developed a rogue bond and it affected everything. Ourselves and our creatures. We needed to get to the first realm, Realm A, before it became common. At the restaurant we sat down and ordered our food. I chose the healer outfit, he chose smith. Now was the time for me to bring up the idea. This idea lingering in my head. We could be heroes while we weren't qualified to be Realm Warriors. Many fall short of the requirements. Just a select few are chosen. "Mack. We could be heroes. Protect the pure from the corrupted. We could be heroes in our overpowered outfits. I can be Quakelisa and you could be Aqilizo. What do you say?" I pulled out my phone. "Brilliant idea. We go through the training the hard way. But take the easy way out in case of emergency." Word count: 775 "The Bradbury"  |
| Diety eggs for grabs, this day only. All starters included. I cherished this moment of reading the sign by the Grassy Path sign. I would be able to have my pick of starters after all. I planned to train my creatures as I go along too. Level 5 would be the highest in this path to the next town. I knew that level 10 would be a good stopping point. The point the creatures would still obey me. That would give me a leverage against the first task. What kind of task I needed to pass I didn't know. Even in the same town it could be different for everyone. I thought of Joe and Lily and checked their stats. Their next level up is unknown. Then I checked my starters- the spiders. Their next level up is 50 points. So it would be easier to train them to level 10. Comet levels were completely different. Not on a planetary level. Mack was beside me, breathing in sharply. "Looks like we can have a race- let's see who can collect all the starters and creatures of this path and reach the next town first. That will be a challenge. Looks like there are Abudo Dieties being given out too. I will aim for them both to maximize benefits. Rival on, Lilah?" Mack nudged me in my shoulder. "Rival on. I get a head start." I knew my pace. I went onto the path. This felt like just a video game. A video game with a never ending end. Here I was just starting. I found Mack was 20 years old like me. Also homeschooled. He was training to become a Warrior. A Galactic Warrior. Me? I was content at where I was. I didn't want to leave the hotel. But here I am away from the hotel and registered with the Planetary Flantia Castle. That castle is said to be linked to all the other planets and the headquarters. Did he see potential in me? Or was he up to being my rival just because he was assigned to? We both attended the same event. We both had equal chances. I figured it was best to focus on my task first. There were six hours left in the day. Training had to wait for later. This challenge had to be focused on first. The first set of eggs she found were Diety. Afirtuan Phoenixes. Rainbow healing element. I wouldn't mind having these as starters. The spiders were very difficcult to train. Sometimes they used the wrong moves. Still, they used moves. I checked in, then went to the eggs. The soft vibration and calming hum told me I succeeded. I pulled the eggs out. The egg collector already had another set waiting to be put onto the table. I set the eggs on the ground, not letting go. The eggs hatched. The phoenixes looked up at me expectedly. I laid my hands on them and felt a surge of bond flow through. Wait a second, this ability was rumored to be only in existence in the realms. It rarely happened here. But it happened. Was this comet creature I had of the level of the realm? I didn't know. It was more common with them too, though still rare. "You- you have that rogue bond ability. That can be a burden or a blessing, and will affect your partner too. Lilah, you are special. You may be able to go through dozen of planets at ease, but there will be a point you will meet your match. Go on and bond with the others." The egg collector bowed his head. Word Count: 610 "The Bradbury" |
| I had won my first match against that mysterious guy. He didn't even tell me his name. He just vanished without a trace after he lost. The professor healed me and my creatures up. It wouldn't be long before I venture into the grass. As predicted, Andrew and Kelsey were really hard to teach them their moves. I used up all my stacks of potions too. I didn't have too much anyway in the first place. Professor Kalia came up to me and gave me some money. $2,500, not bad. "I was afraid there would be trouble Lilah. Now, this boy, Mack, has four creatures too. Why don't you become his rival? It is a tradition that everyone who starts out on their journey gets a rival. You and Mack don't have rivals yet." Everyone moved away as Mack and I got into position. The crowds cheered. We set our phones against each other and saved each other's contacts. He was handsome all right. Compared to my Navy Blue highlights in black hair, turquoise skin, and hazelnut eyes, his were flame red hair, silver skin, and light blue eyes. I wore my Comet-themed outfit and so did he. Mine was a heavy, elegant dress with a hoodie in colors of black, very light blue, purple, and red. Mostly black. I loved it. His were white, tan, brown, and blue. Mostly white. It blinded my eyes. I stared down. "For the love of Flantia and everything in it, I will help you get your parents back. You are healed and so am I. Let's get this match started." I sent out Andrew and Kelsey and he sent out Mud and Bray. Bray was short for Bradbury. The creatures looked like wooden ragdolls. Only they moved. It wouldn't be easy to win though. Rainbow and Prism together both had a weakness of dirt and mud. I suspected that was what their elements were. BHoth of our creatures lunged at each other. Then we clashed too. My creatures and I won this round, but he had another set of creatures up his sleeve too. I withdrew my own and summoned Joe and Lily. They seemed to be of equal plain as his new creatures. I wonder if he had achieved second at the contest I had gotten Joe and Lily from. This meant I had equal footing against him. He would be my true rival where all others would fail to match my strength and power. I would need to learn to master my powers. His were of the bad, mine were of the good, yet opposites color wise. Neither of us held ordinary creatures. He may be the right one who could help me go against D. I won the match. "Excellent. Now, I want you two to follow me. I've shown the others what to do on their journey and here to show you two what to do on yours as well. You both fought excellent. I can see the love and closeness you two have with your creatures already. One of the best. It looks like you two will get along fine with each other very well. Congrats on getting first and second at the big event! This journey may change your mind about staying in a hotel and working an everyday job all the time, Lilah. It would be an eye opener for you Mack. Keep her on her toes. Slacking off isn't an option if you want to master all the elements. There is a special going on at Grassy Road. You can't tame wild creatures and animals. They are for you to train with. But you can try to bond and hatch any eggs you see. Diety is at the top. You got those. Next is Epic. Then Big Legendary. Then Small Legendary. Then Omega. Then Alpha. Beta. Finally, Follower. Abudos have the same hierarchy. The person who is balancced with both can't be mind controlled. Consider that on your journey to becoming a Master. Realms exist far beyond our reach and hardly any planet dweller could reach the realms in their lifetime. But you have a chance." Word Count: 691 Activity: Brtadbury |
| "Step right up and pick your starter set- it looks like you are left with the mystery eggs donated courtesy of Albino." The professor waved his hand.l "Go ahead, Lilah." I was late picking my favorite starter. That was okay. I could still trade for one. I loomed over the mystery eggs for a minute. I had all the local creatures and their weaknesses memorized, but these eggs couldn't be the rare and exclusive ones I'm recognizing them as. They had to be from some other region. Just had to be. No one would give up such a valuable pair- unless they couldn't hatch them. That was a possibility. Joe and Lily were at my side. Yes, they wanted to protect me on my journey to the other side of the world. But first, I needed to find the 12 Comet Balancers. I knew there was only one way I could do that. It wasn't just sitting around in a hotel and going to interviews. I had to be the doer. I had to go on an adventure to save my parents. There was no other way around it. So I touched the eggs. They warmed up and hatched on the spot. Out came two unusual-looking spiders. They were from this local area. I had the Rainbow and Prism Folklore Spiders, the type of pair at the top of the hierarchy. They were rainbow-colored, striped with a clear tail that also produced rainbow colors. The legs were as long as a Grand-Daddy. For five feet long, they were huge. I gasped. I actually got a creature that was desired by most, except those who feared spiders. I had to not scream in fear when they moved closer. They were also the hardest to control and master. I would be at a disadvantage. Not only did I have a disadvantage, but someone, a mysterious figure, came straight toward me. "Give us a reason to fight." One spider turned toward me. I gulped. "For the universe to be protected from D and his schemes. I stand against him." "I stand for D. If I win hand over your creatures. He will be pleased. If I lose then you may keep them and I will leave. Show me what you have." The mysterious figure summoned scorpions, the easiest to train. "Show me what you got Andrew and Kelsey." Word Count: 395 "The Bradbury" |
| I went home with Joe and Lily by my side. They would have kept calling me Master if I hadn't been convincing them to call me Lilah instead. I was no master. Anytime soon. I had interviews to attend and submitted the fact that I had earned my PhD. Job opportunities at that level were in high demand. But now I had creatures. Did I really want to miss out on the opportunity to travel throughout the world and other planets of the universe, or did I want to stay home and work 24/7? These creatures came from outer space. I don't know if they are space creatures or creatures belonging to a whole new planet. Still, they kept that icy look. The first move they had was a question mark. My Encyclopedia didn't even have a name for them. They were more mysterious the more I glanced at the rearview mirror in my car at them. I wanted to stay home and work at a job I loved. I didn't even think I would like to travel all the time. But traveling improves character. I still lived at home. I was happy to be at home. My parents retired from traveling. I was the youngest of all of my brothers and sisters. "So, what are you going to do now that you have us, Mast- Lilah?" Joe hissed in a manner that comforted me. I smiled. I couldn't help it. "You picked the wrong person to hatch to if you wanted an adventure. I'm staying home and taking care of my parents. They are 45 years old after all. Would that be okay with you two?" I didn't want to admit that in this world, you had to have a creature to travel. That was why my parents were able to take me everywhere. "Yes, Lilah," Joe and Lily spoke at the same time. "Now, first thing first, I need to get you to a research center. The Encyclopedia needs updated with your data in it. Somewhere they would have all of the information about you, but not here. I don't even know what you are called. Oh, I have to check the mail too. You two are too big for this car in fact. Luckily you are skinny and long. But you aren't improving the gas guage and I can't see if you hover. Gotta be something. There just gotta be something." I turned the corner and looked in shock. "What is the matter Lilah?" Lily asked as the car screeched to a halt. "The house- it's gone!" I stammared. Then I put the car in park, turned it off, then let the other two out of the car. They half walked, half slithered out of the seat like a snake and a raccoon. Odd, very odd. Out in the sunlight I got a good look. Part fox, part wolf, part eagle, part fish or eel, part cat, and part rat. All with slick, icy details on their fur, feathers, and scales. A true sign of a comet creature. There was no hint of them being magical. Everything spoke of magic. I couldn't explain how and why.But a mix of creatures all in one creature should be a sign.Maybe it even had the colors of a rainbow too. I would certainly have to melt them to be certain. I didn't want to do that. I ran to my parents. "Mom, dad! What happened? What is that letter?" I rushed to their side. "Dear, what kind of creatures did you hatch? They are unlike anything I've ever seen yet all the elements of comet creatures combined into one at the same time." My mom held out her hands and I took the letter. Chills ran down my spine. "Dear Lilah, if you want your parents to live, then you must bring me the comet creatures you hatched to the other side of the world and prove to me their infinite power of ice and rock. These visions of your parents are just holograms. This letter is real. D." With that I immediately swooped at their feet. Holograms of my parents. "No!" "We will help you. Just think outside the box. Find the 12 comet balancers and you can face any situation." Joe moved his head to my hand. "Are you serious about that? That means I have to travel! This is a catastrophe. What can I do? D is the most wanted criminal from the Wayrise Comet. Comet creatures are more powerful than any other in the universe and nobody knows the Epic Comet Creature either." I sat down on the curb. Now I'm stuck to travel with nothing. I decided to do one thing. I stood up. Suddenly my car exploded in flames. First, the houyse, next, the car. I didn't know what to think. Then, I saw him. D. "I would hand them over if I were you but your parents are already on their way to Comet Volcano. So meet me there. I bet you you wouldn't be able to find the balancers in time." D laughed and teleported away. Word Count: 854 "The Bradbury" |
| I rushed past the first-place rope and crossed the finish line. Victory! Now, I knew what I had to do: tell the most interesting story to please the crowd. The first part was done, making it across the finish line. The next part was the story. Now, I've told many stories before, all of them were short, but I haven't had success with longer stories. My dark brunette hair and pale skin glittered in the sun as glitter landed all over me. I just needed to wait until the others finished. One by one, they crossed the finish line too. Just a little bit longer. The slowest one had to finish, or else they would be disqualified. The slowest one was, of course, half a snail. Even the half turtle crossed the finish line. My role was half dragon. So, of course, everyone trailed behind me. I was expected to win. I had taught my fellow animals everything. Dragons were the speediest. Next came the serpents. Then the griffins and phoenixes. Then pegasi and unicorns. The list went on forever. There were 100 competitors. Everyone seemed to be following the stars and comets. Advanced technology helped to track them down. Every so often, a comet would get close enough for us to gather resources from it. Those unique minerals and rocks, as well as the touch of ice, held space magic. A magic that could only be achieved from space. There were creatures on it, too, that we captured and brought down to Earth. They multiply rapidly on this planet. A pair of them was the prize. If I win the two writing rounds, I will win these creatures. They were the most unusual eggs yet. Nobody knew about them or had seen them, and they wouldn't hatch for just anyone either. I did my research. They say it came from Earth, but I found the truth and will not speak it aloud until it's too late. "Half dragon, would you come up to the podium and speak your most interesting story?" The announcer announced after the podium was set up and the half snail made it. I quickly walked up to the podium. I couldn't slow down now. Dragons were supposed to be quick. Everyone won the race, doing what they were supposed to do. That was the easy part. When I tapped on the microphone, a tapping succession came right back at me. Good. The microphone worked. Now, I could be the worst; there were so many good improvisational storytellers out in the field waiting to tell their story, but I knew I wasn't bad. I was usually good. Grammar and spelling were the things I struggled with the most. I decided to tell a story about a dragon from one of my best attempts. Maybe it would be interesting. There was no such thing as multiple winners for the first-place eggs, but there was such a thing as multiple winners of the other kind of eggs. They knew at this time quality mattered. I could barely read what I typed up. "On the way to space, this dragon had to take a leak. It searched and searched for the right place to leak. Then the shuttle landed on the comet. So the dragon geared up and prepared for the icy journey. It took as many samples with it. Then, as it gathered everything, it noticed a pair of the most unusual-looking stones it had ever seen. Of course, these stones wouldn't break. But these stones had to be eggs. These eggs came from an unknown type of space creature. Hence, a contest over these eggs. Who can hatch them when they didn't get destroyed by anything or hatched from someone else's hands?" I couldn't think of anything else to say next. This was all from the research I had done about the first-place eggs. The audience cheered. "And it looks like the first may be a winner. Let's hear the others, though. This story was fascinating indeed. Something like that could happen." The announcer gave me a suspicious glance. He knew. He must have known these eggs well. The rest spoke theirs, and I turned out to be first-place. My story had given everyone the creeps. The eggs looked more mysterious than ever. Did they hold power over the influence of this contest? Either way, 50 had been disqualified. Their stories just didn't hold up. I felt sorry for them. The eggs were knocked down to 50 pairs. The next round. Everyone held their breath as I went up again. I had a different dragon story, this time I bonded from those very eggs as I had a dream. The dream felt too real. Once more, the audience cheered. The others did great as well, in different levels this time—multiple ties. But I came out on top. More for me! "Now, we want to see if you can hatch these eggs. It appears to be picky about its owner. Not even the top could hatch them. They are still ice cold like the comet they came from. It wasn't a dragon that found these eggs; it was a human. Let's see if they are worth something or if they were a dud. Time to reveal, winner of the eggs, Lilah!" The announcer clapped his hands as I went forward to collect the eggs. At first, nothing happened. Then the eggs seemed to melt in my hands literally. A flash of light beamed, and out popped what appeared to be some space aliens. These were no ordinary creatures. I had success in hatching them! "Master!" They both said in unison and bowed their heads. Already, they were like 15 feet tall. These were no ordinary eggs, and I was no longer creatureless. "I'm going to name you Joe and Lily. That is fitting. How mysterious you are! We don't know anything about you, but someone may know from outer space. Why not join me and we'll search about you all over the Earth and other planets. Maybe some aliens would know what to do and what our fate is meant to become. You look ancient already! How cold and shiny your scales are- well you got feathers and fur too, untypical of a dragon. You must be the Comet Dragon of Legendary Proportions or something of the sort." I bowed in respect to them bowing to me. They came back up. Word Count: 1,070 "The Bradbury" |
| "Welcome to planet Lique. Please be seated as we descend to Aszora City. The time will take approximately an hour." The host switched the pager back to music. Aszora City. Mica dreamed of arriving on time for the bonding of the most sacred eggs laid once in 25 million years. She heard that happened yesterday. She closed in fast. Her name for the show of bonding appeared one of the first. The Epic Omega eggs would be bonded first. Followed by Super Omega, then Omega. Same with the Alphas, Betas, Chai, and Coffee levels. The followers were the last. Epic Omega creatures laid the most eggs and were the rarest of them all. Each planet had two. She wasn't picked on her own planet. They decided on this planet. One month away from her own planet. 24 hours of light and 24 hours of darkness. That she knew, but she didn't know what kind of creature she faced. The good one or the evil one. Just elemental-wise. They were all good, except when they chose an evil person. The bearers of these highest-ranked creatures were pure in heart. She settled in her seat. Not all things seemed in place. She missed her family immensely. One month felt like eternity. Tears rolled down her face. Why so far away? Yet this distance covered the distance of the Asteroid field separating her planet of 36 hours in a day to here. All wasn't lost, though. Maybe, like her school, she could chat with her family online. It still didn't feel the same. She wanted home badly. "Arriving in Aszora City. Please wait for a full stop and preparations before exiting." She sniffled. Her parents expected her to follow through with the customs. They were pleased she had been picked for one planet. The Algorian Lion and Sunyasian Tiger were considered equals everywhere. No one knew which planet they existed on. The lion represented all good things, and the tiger represented all evil things. Together, they brought balance to the universe. They were the only ones of all Epic Omega creatures. In fact, rumors of the others spread so much that no one knew which creature belonged to which planet. Only rumors. Now, rumors were circulating that the universe was 25 million years old. The Earth, made of 24 hours in a day, lay barren in a faraway galaxy called the Milky Way. Still young. No life there. The ship lurched to a stop. "We have arrived. Please gather your things and go to the front. The doors will open shortly. Beware of any gas that leaks in from the outside, and use an oxygen mask as you travel inside. Welcome to Aszora City!" Great. Now she had to face the eggs on a different planet. Just her luck. If only it weren't so far away from home. Word Count: 475 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| A notice, so soon? I ran to the door. Sergeant stood there, saluting me. I saluted back. "Be at the airport 13:00 promptly. Duty for Israel." I nodded. War isn't over. Yet. Line Count: 13 Nationality: American Activity: "Honoring Our Veterans - Challenge" |
| Alyssa sighed and pushed the swing upward. As long as nobody got on her nerves, she would be safe. The big news was all over the newspaper. The Guardians’ creatures laid eggs. Now they had a complete set of 800 eggs to hatch if the worthy could hatch all 800 species. She signed up for the Omegas and had to wait until next week to go there and see if she could bond with them. Something felt off. She was missing something. Maybe creatures could fill the gap. Maybe she was adopted. She looked nothing like her parents. People have commented how she looked like Casskull and his wife. No, it was all about the eggs, and soon she would be 10. Those eggs were everything to her. Then her mom came, looking very pale. “What’s wrong?” “Those eggs you wanted to go for. They were stolen.” “Stolen?” She couldn’t have heard right. Plunk! The seat broke, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on the ground. Her swing was torn to shreds. Maybe she did it yet again. Things happened around her. But she could heal. She loved to heal. “Oh dear, the swing broke again. Listen, those eggs were your only hope of gaining control over your powers. You are mastering healing, but you need more. Learn your other elements, too. I know you care. Deep down inside. Now that hope is gone.” “No, that can’t be. I had those same hopes, too. I need those eggs. To prove I am not evil.” “What matters is what is in your heart. The great creatures blessed us with balance. There will always be a way. Maybe you can meet Isaac Thomson’s parents. They are the ones who lost their eggs.” “Maybe I wasn’t up for it after all. Maybe I’m not up for anything. I am not worthy.” Alyssa stood up. “Bad things happen when I get involved. Always. These eggs are no different. Something bad will happen to them.” “Now you know very well it’s not your fault. Isaac disappeared, too. It wasn’t you. It has been happening to other eggs, too. We believe Casskull is behind their disappearance. He has always been greedy for power ever since he picked up that sword 500,000 years ago.” “I don’t want to hurt you like I destroyed the swing I was on. I don’t know how to control it. I am better off without powers. I hate myself. I don’t fit in.” “You will fit in. You have to learn who you are and accept yourself as you are.” “The eggs-” Alyssa didn’t know what to think. Her life depended on it. Just the same luck as getting her hands on the Vortex Staff. It could change into any weapon and reveal her true powers. The healer element was one power. The rest she didn’t have a name. Word count: 484 Activity: Bradbury and Octoprep |
| The lab bustled with activity as more and more children were were taken in. Slowly, they became monsters and were taken to the beach, where Casskull took them to various places to brainwash their minds. The children were under heavy illusions, but few managed to break through these illusions. Even the workers were under illusions. The most loyal ones were exempted. The smell of dung and urine leaked through the air, no matter how much air freshener was used. All the children could smell was lilacs and roses. The illusions were strong. Few knew the truth. Casskull was their boss from freedom to slavery. Outside provided little relief from the smell. Those who opened their mouths and complained were executed. The land was always for sale. Trees surrounded the lab and beach. Was there no end to this madness? Word Count: 318 Activity: Bradbury and Octoprep |
| Casskull paced back and forth. Power. Rule over the planet. There was no question about that. He lost his strength and power 300,000 years ago due to the Guardians. And was blocked during that time from gaining power. He thinks he broke the barrier. Dark magic was slowly returning to him. He lost a child. Yet again. Alyssa. He hoped he could find her and turn her to his side before it was too late. Nine years had passed by. The longer they were separated, the harder it became. The bond was unusually strong. Then he looked up to see that one of his monsters had entered. “Yes?” “I got cut on my face. Please heal me. Please.” He went over and observed the face. Sure enough, there was a cut on the monster’s face. Weakling. “I can only inflict more damage. Go see a nurse and do not eat her.” The monster left. He stared after it. When will this life end? In fact, he didn’t want to die. He was tired of being powerless. Turning human children into monsters allowed them to live up to 1,000 years, compared to the standard 100. The balance can shift. He knew it could. Then he turned around and went up to the sword. It had lost its ability to speak, but he could feel its emotions. It promised powers. Power beyond his imagination. And it had happened too. It was tired of being powerless, too. He didn’t know if it was controlling him. It should be the other way around. He's controlling it. The sword was only half his age. Could this be the end as he knows it? Then a spark flew from his hand to the sword. Hope. The barrier was breaking. Word Count: 295 Activity: Bradbury and Octoprep |
| Alyssa sighed. She had to break out of this illusion. She ran away. It seemed like everyone was watching her every move. But she seemed to notice a pattern. When the illusion was empty, that meant someone was watching. When the illusion was complete, that meant nobody was watching. The illusion flickered. An open door! Full. That meant nobody was watching. She broke the barrier through the door. The illusion fell. A dead end with lots of hiding spots. She went over to the curtain. Something was hidden in it. She went closer and closer to it. Her body began to show signs of turning into a monster. A monster that had red skin. Behind the curtain was a pair of large eggs! She used her hands to measure. About three feet tall. But too late. The eggs started humming and vibrating under her touch. She had bonded with them! She moved them to the ground and noticed the rings. She put on those rings. For clothing and food, she activated it. Immediately, she was wearing a heavy robe with a hood. Any clothes she was wearing got shrouded. She checked her skin. Back to brown. These eggs had healing powers. Word Count: 200 Activity: Bradbury and Octoprep |
| “Bad boy! You broke the vase!” My mom screeched as I picked up the baseball. “Sorry.” I cried. “You know what? I’m going to tell you a story.” “Not another made-up story. They are awful.” “Now, this story has purpose. There is a real lesson in it.” I dropped the ball. I wanted one thing: to make it on the team in the league. If I get grounded now, then all the kids will laugh at me. I wanted to prove them wrong. “Once upon a time, there was a knight in shining armor. He wanted to get into the upper-level school. So he studied scrolls in his off time.” “Mom. That’s not how any fairy tale goes.” “Now, now, Jacob. Please sit and listen.” I went and sat down on the couch and looked at the time. 3:00. “The other knights called him a bookworm. A battle loomed in the distance. He was to guard the city.” I looked at my bat. When will she come up with the grounding? “So this knight carried scrolls with him. He was the laughing stock. Then, on his break, he opened up a scroll, and the page sucked him right in.” I looked at the clock. The secondhand moved ever so slowly and steadily. The seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. “Now, what is the moral of this story?” “No more breaking vases?” I had no clue what she was getting at. “You didn’t pay attention. Now, how should I ground you?” “Please, Mom. The kids will laugh at me if I don’t make the league.” “The league isn’t important. Your grades are more important. You will be expected to focus on your homework, do the daily chores, and earn some money to pay for the vase. It’s all about sacrifices. You may try it out if you do these things. No more video games. Is that clear?” “Yes, Mom, that is clear.” I sighed in relief. “Be a good boy. Play outside where you won’t break any windows or vases.” Mom smiled. “I will. Can I play outside then?” “After you take out the trash.” Word Count: 356 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| She waited in line for her turn to pass. This weekend was all about drills. Then she will be sent to another country to participate in peace-making negotiations. She looked forward to it. What would be the cost? Everything was covered through federal aid. Sweat poured down her face. Her name will be different for the trip to the Arabian Sea. Her duty came first. She was tasked with negotiating drinking water for her country. "Besbie Ann. Your turn." The command was simple and direct. Not a single word more was needed. The humidity blasted her in the face. Businesses were going out of business left and right. She needed to do something for her country. It was collapsing. If they fulfilled their duty for aid, then they would have a small glimmer of hope. They needed to bring hope for the people. She thought of this as she went through the drill. Pushups were next. Finally, running. "You are ready, Mrs. Besbie Ann. Report for duty tomorrow." It was already dark when she got into the bunker. One day achieved. Now, she needed to get these papers in order by sunrise. One mistake would be a fatal blow. As first, Bs second, Cs third. Slowly, she drifted through the papers. Some needed to be filled out, others were just explanations. No questions asked, she knew what to do. Her job depended on it. The next day was the same thing. When it passed by, she got word about the papers. They were in the correct order, and her contract was renewed. Glad about that, she headed into the bunker for the night. Then the Sergeant stopped her. "You are doing a mighty brave thing for our country. Peacemaking isn't an easy thing. Don't mess it up." She agreed with a smile. Of course, she will do her duty. There was no question about it. She made it through the drill. Word Count: 325 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| "Good night mommy," I said with a smile on my face. I dug my face into my pillows and pulled the blanket up over my shoulder. School break here, and I'm ready to sleep in. A knocking on the window was heard, but I saw nothing. I was allowed to sleep in. The wind was raging outside. I presumed the knock to be a branch hitting the window from the wind. I imagined dragons in a world of peace—a place where war didn't exist due to no disagreements. Splat! Frozen water hit my face tenfold. I woke up with a jerk. This one I wasn't imagining. My blanket and pillows were soaked. Looking to my left, I saw a beautiful rainbow colored dragon the size of a horse staring down at me. It barely fit in my room. I recognized what type of dragon this was immediately. A Stifhurando Dragon. 'Give me some weapons so I can fight. There is a village after my treasure, and I want to protect it.' The dragon bowed its head. "You can breathe fire and fly. Why not wack them in the head with your tail and knock them all out unconscious, and when they wake up, threaten them to do it again as you're not afraid to destroy them if they don't heed your warning?" I wondered when the dragon needed to protect its treasure. The villagers weren't greedy before. 'Something is wrong. The villagers weren't like that before. I believe someone is possessing them. I was able to find a cure with a list of ingredients. But I am big and can't fit through the doors of the houses. Like here, I had to pop in from outside. If you can, please help me cure the villagers. I am afraid dragon slayers will rise if this problem goes on long enough.' "I will help you find the cure. But first, let me sleep. Maybe someone exists in there immune to the curse. I will tell you if I find one. This can't be the end of dragons." 'The cure needs to be sought now.' "If I go, I might be infected too. Now, let me sleep. Maybe you can find me around your house. Well, cave. I have teleporting abilities as well as shapeshifter abilities." 'Very well.' Word Count: 385 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| She looked up. There was certainly something different about today. The sky was cloudy. She preened her sleek, black and white feathers and then looked around. There was an ocean wherever she saw. The ice she was on broke off from the mainland, and she didn't know where she was going. All she knew was that home was far away from her now. Then she turned to look at Cabway. "Uh, I think we are far away from home," Cabway said. "There is an ocean all around us, Tusbia. I don't see the mainland anywhere, and I'm hungry." "Lix had a wild ride the other day with the Orcas. May he be remembered." Tusbia fluttered her wings. She was hungry too. "Let's dive in together and get food and come back to the ice block together. Three, two, one- go!" She dove in like there was no tomorrow. There were a few fish around, and she was able to grab them all. Then she went up for a breath of air. Something was off. She thought she felt the presence of an animal larger than her. What she hoped was that it wasn't an Orca. She spotted the ice block and dived again. Then she saw it. Big teeth coming straight at her and an annoying pitch that made her dizzy. An Orca was here! Claws dug deep into he side, and she blacked out. The next thing she knew when she woke up was lying on her back on an ice block. This was the same ice block she and Cabway were on. Only in a cave? She looked toward the sky but was met with rock structures. Then she looked beside her and saw him. He was breathing. He was okay! So was she. Then he woke up. "Where are we?" He looked around, blinking his eyes. "I don't know." Tusbia wasn't confident, but she felt this place was familiar from the stories. "Look out!" There, at the end of the cave, was a huge bird with glass-like feathers that exceeded the size of both of them. She thought they were the largest birds around. It bowed its head before raising it again. She trembled. The Great Ice Phoenix! Yet it saved them instead of eating them. What did it want? "Greetings, penguins of the Antarctic. Feel free to make yourself at home. You are in my sanctuary. There will always be plenty of food to eat for you. I need you two to go on a mission. Find the source of the rise of Orcas. The journey will be difficult. But only penguins could do it. I am too large. Your number is dwindling due to them. Just like our number is dwindling from a lack of food. We feed plenty on meat. Orcas included. Now prepare yourself to freeze. They won't go near you with this magic. Close your eyes." She closed her eyes. A chill went through her body. The feeling was slow at first, then rose rapidly. Then it stopped. After this, a warm sensation overcame her. She opened her eyes and saw a Fire Phoenix beside the Ice Phoenix. Then they were left alone. The ice block didn't melt from under their feet. She was surprised. Never had she heard a story of meeting the Phoenixes. Just myths and legends about them from her parents. "What was that? And we are on fire now! Not literally. Why isn't this ice block melting? What are we waiting for?" Cabway looked around. "Plenty of food to eat here!" "I'd say we take our fill of food and then wait for the Phoenixes to come back for further instructions. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Tusbia concluded. "Indeed." Word Count: 621 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| It was a long night in the prairie, and the temperature lingered at an all-time high. The grass stayed still, and no movement could be found. One little fox just couldn't sleep. She ventured out of the den to end up face-to-face with a bird so big it looked as if it could carry her away. With a bald neck and face with skin flapping down, it turned its attention toward her. "Well, well. Look at what we have here. Food in the middle of the night. This heat is steaming me up, though," the bird cawed in a way of laughter. "I'm Zayla, and I think I know what to do to bring the Western wind to this prairie. Will you help me?" Zayla wondered what the bird was thinking. "If you can bring the Western wind out, I'll be in your debt. What do you need in order for that to happen?" "I need four different cubs. One of yours, one raccoon, one owl, and one prairie dog. Please find them and bring them to me. I can't sleep in all of this heat." "Your wish is my command. I can't see in the dark, but I can smell. I will find them." "Don't eat us, please." So the bird flew off without another thought. Zayla watched as he left into the sky. Now she needed tools. Without the proper tools the magic just didn't work. Off she went until she found a circle of magical mushrooms. Smiling, she went close and marked the spot. Then she went over to a tree with magical maple seeds and started collecting the seeds. A rat distracted her attention for a moment and took a mouthful of seeds away. Growling, she collected them until she reached 35. The rat made an appearance again. "Why do you keep taking them away? I'm going to use it to summon the Western wind," Zayla growled defensively. "Oh, in that case take all you need. Need a guard for them?" The rat perked its ears. "Yes, please." "I can do the job." When they arrived at the mushroom circle, the four pups and the bird were already there. Everyone went to their places. Then Zayla began enchanting. The others followed suit. At first, nothing happened. Then, a breeze came in. Still not enough. They continued some more. Then a gust blew constantly. They stopped and cheered. Now the prairie felt cooler even though it was the hottest night of all time. The bird returned everyone back to their homes and Zayla fell fast asleep. Word Count: 429 Activity: "The Bradbury" |
| Smoke filled the air. I smiled in delight. For all the years I served Pakistan, this was the best celebration yet. It was the middle of August and I was beading with sweat. The smoke bombs, as I called them, were just the beginning. The clouds looked dark and ominous against the blue sky. I had seen green sky too. "It's going to rain. We did most of the daylight fireworks—time to go inside for tea and sweets. Bring the fireworks in. You get the first choice. You're a veteran." My mom rubbed her hijab in a way to cover her hair. I picked up the fireworks and brought them inside. Behind me, rain started pouring. I sighed. If it didn't stop raining and clear up by Magrib, then they wouldn't be able to celebrate at night. I looked at all of the journals and medals I collected over the years—time to start a book about serving Pakistan. I smiled at my accomplishments. "Dad, it won't stop raining," a grandchild of mine spoke up. "It never lasts long. Come and enjoy sweets." My mom was busy putting pans on the stove and chopping up vegetables. She asked for help only to set the table. Things I knew how to do. I didn't know anything about cooking. That was more for the ladies. I knew the fields. Delicious food grew here. "Magrib time. Isaac, will you lead us into prayer?" My son asked. "Of course. I will." I felt delighted by the honor. After Magrib prayer, we checked the weather. Still raining. Slowly, the rain subsided and the sky cleared, revealing stars and the moon in the night sky. In the distance, we could hear and see fireworks in the air. Now we could continue celebrating. We started with fountains. Word Count: 300 Activity: "Honoring Our Veterans - Challenge" "The Bradbury" |
| The red and orange flames flickered in the breeze as more wood got added to it. The campfire was in full swing. The sky was filled with glitter in the otherwise darkness. Nearby was the lake where they spent fishing during the day. Farther away was the cabin where they stayed. They were out for one thing: S'mores under the beautiful moonlit sky. They were both a friend of each other. "How would you like to have another?" Jessica asked. "I would love to make another. They are so good." Kible munched his last bite and swallowed. "You know, I have been thinking of going out with someone. Someone special." "That's great! Who?" "Meglo. He's real sweet deep down." "I'm not sure about him. He seems shady." Suddenly Jessica's hand slipped and landed on Kible's chest. Kible chomped down on his last bite and caught her with his two muscular arms. Slowly, he let her fall on him. "Are you okay?" "Yes, I am." Their lips brushed each other as she struggled to get back into her side. Then they looked at each other silently. Was it just her imagination? "Maybe we should be more than just friends. That felt good. I'm going for the wrong person and you are single too." She played with her hair, reliving that moment. "You're right. We known each other for a long time. We graduated together. Why not me?" "Yes. Meglo can find someone else." Prompt: Campfire, S'mores, Cabin, Lake, Friend Word Count: 242 Activity: "The Weekly Quickie Contest" and Bradbury |
| My teeth chattered. It had been a long journey. The more I rode on the back of the dragon, the colder it got. I'm sure this was the right thing to do. Hiring someone was too expensive to do. Riding on the back of a dragon was the cheapest option. They fly quickly too. I reached for the side of my backpack. Good. The passport was still there. My husband was fast asleep when I left. It was all according to plan. I passed the checkpoint at Canadian border with ease. Snow in the middle of summer. The North had its disadvantages. The only cure for our daughter was located up in Alaska. I had the prescription in my backpack. I was sure he would hate me for it, but I must go on. If I didn't do it, she would die. The cold bit into my skin. How much further are we? All I saw were trees and towns below. The other people seemed to be enjoying themselves. I wasn't enjoying the cold wind that passed through around me. Then we reached the border of Alaska and slowed down to a hover. The officials marked our passports before letting us continue. Finally, I reached my destination. Instead of grabbing a bite to eat, I went to the only Pharmacy that held the cure. I felt stiff all over. Frozen. Snow started coming down. I had to hurry. I found the Pharmacy among the store. "Please, here is the prescription. How long will it take?" I asked. "One hour. Please sit and wait. Have some coffee- is that your stomach growling?" Taisy, the Pharmacist, replied. "Yes, I haven't eaten for hours and am cold," I said, looking down. "There is a station giving away free meals four blocks from here. Straight ahead, walking distance. Go warm up." "Thank you." I headed in the direction she said and sure enough there was a station offering free meals. I took my share and ate it. Then I looked at my watch. Two hours! I hurried back to the Pharmacy and got the medicine. One hour before departure and I got what I came for. I rushed to the takeoff center and made it to the dragon just in time. This one was gold in color with striking, feathery wings. I sneezed. The snowstorm grew worse. Flight delayed. Now what are my options? Shivers crawled up and down my spine. I couldn't stand the cold. Then came a break in the storm and all dragons flew at once. Evening and my phone was out of range. The flight back went smoothly. I rushed to my daughter's side. Sure enough, my husband was boiling. It didn't matter though. I took out the cure and gave it to my daughter. Then she passed out. Everything went still. Tears rolled down my face. It was too late. The stillness ate me up. Suddenly, a response showed and she woke up. Now I cried tears of joy. I had made it after all! Prompt: I was sure he would hate me for it, but I must go on. If I didn't do it... Word Count: 510 Contest and Activity: "Starting Stories" Bradbury |
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