[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced!

Inner Senshi Admin Activities Director

The Lucky 7 Casino is open for business, and it seems to have impacted the Writing & Roleplaying Guild as well! You find yourself surrounded by blinking lights and beeping machines, each tempting you to test your boundaries in the craft of creative writing! Instead of the usual announcement for the monthly contest, you find a large, elaborate machine with a lever.

It seems that if you want to enter the contest, you'll have to hope your luck holds!

What is a contest?
A contest is an event where Writing & Roleplaying Guild members submit secret entries, based on criteria, and then vote for a winner.
Find out more about Writing and Roleplaying Guild contests: Guild Challenges, Contests, and Games!

What are the requirements for this contest?
Using a random number generator, generate three (3) numbers between 1 and 5.
These correspond to the three (3) columns in the slot machine table below.
Incorporate these elements into your entry, being as creative as you wish!

Prompt A (Finding)	Prompt B (Object)	Prompt C (Action)
A1. A cure	B1. A popular song	C1. Never giving up
A2. Something unexpected in a pocket	B2. A card game	C2. Traveling up or down a ladder
A3. Gratitude	B3. A love confession	C3. Being exiled
A4. The neighbor's dog	B4. A pair of eyeglasses	C4. Eavesdropping
A5. Shapes in the darkness	B5. A magic potion	C5. Winding up stranded

Entries must be between 250 to 1500 words.
Entries must be rated PG-13 or lower.
Entries must be related to one of each themes from the three columns.
Entries must be new and written specifically for this contest.
Submit one (1) entry.
Entries must be kept secret until the results of the contest is announced. Voting for the contests are blind—the authors identities are kept secret until the voting period is over and a winner is decided. This helps to even the playing field and avoids favoritism as no one knows the identity of the authors.
Sailor Moon-themed entries are encouraged, but not required.
The winner of the contest receives a personalized winning signature and qualifies for a stamp based on their number of wins.

How do I submit an entry?
PM entries to Sailor Mercury with the title "July Contest" no later than Thursday, July 26, 2018! (Please tell her which prompts were selected for your entry!)

How do I vote on this contest?
Look at the wonderful entries, posted in this thread!
Please, don't vote for your own entry!
Vote in the poll before Monday, August 27 ends!
If you want to hear double voting points, submit feedback (via PM) to Sailor Mercury! Feedback will be provided to willing entrants!
Good luck, everyone!

Important Dates
Last day for entries: ~~Thursday, July 26~~ Thursday, August 23
Voting begins: ~~Friday, July 27~~ Friday, August 24
Voting ends: ~~Monday, July 30~~ Monday, August 27
Winner announced: ~~Tuesday, July 31~~ Friday, August 31

Remember, participating in and winning a contest earns points and helps you collect the super cute Writing and Roleplaying Guild Sanctioned Contest Stamps!
[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! UBEjo7B

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! UBEjo7B

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! Ry555Qh

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! YOh8WMo

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! X8BGQEA

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! RKtUK7z

Inner Senshi Admin Activities Director

This contest has been extended!

The new deadline for entries is Thursday, August 23!

Inner Senshi Admin Activities Director

Entry A

Entry A wrote:

Prompts:

A1. A cure
B5. A magic potion
C3. Being exiled

The faceted bottle fell from her grasp, shattering upon the floor. The silvery potion—the potion that was so important—glistened amongst the razor-sharp shards of glass. It sizzled, going to waste, calling out her failures.

But even as she listened, felt those failures deep in her soul, Mars paid the wasted potion no mind.

For her eyes were focused on the woman in white laying in a soft bed before her. Usagi was smiling, her last action casting brightness in a way the world would never see again. But the lure of that expression didn't warm Mars's heart, didn't make her own lips twitch in reaction.

Not now. Not this time.

She closed the chasm of distance between herself and her best friend, grasped at that soft white dress. Mars could feel outsider's hands trying to stop her, but she ignored them all for that frozen smiling face that would not change. She shook the unmoving woman, all the rage in her heart flaring with the motion. She shook Usagi, daring her to complain, to cry like she once did so many years ago. Something, anything, other than this contented smile.

How could Usagi let this happen? Didn't she believe it when Mars told her she'd be back? That she'd fix this? She'd get the cure, and everything would be alright.

Why didn't she hold on just a little longer? Usagi was strong, she'd proven that, time and time again.

But Usagi's smile did not slip, did not move. Her eyes did not open, her mouth did not speak "Suprise, Rei-chan!" like this was all some funny joke.

Nothing.

The fires of frustration cooled, faltered, unable to keep those flames burning against the cold truth in front of her.

Mars let the white fabric slip from her hands.

Words trickled in, soft and quiet. Ami's voice, Mars realized belatedly. "Gone for hours", that voice said. Hours. She'd been hours too late. Usagi needed her to do this, to find the potion, and she'd failed her.

Mars stepped away from the bed, her eyes stinging, unable to be in this room any longer. Hands grabbed her own, their warmth almost burning her. Had she ever felt this cold?

"You're not leaving now." Minako. She'd be the only one who would dare try to stop her. "We need to stay together, now more than ever."

Mars raised her eyes, staring into those sky blue depths, tears making the color seem brighter than ever. A distant part of her wanted to fight, to find a way to lash out against her grief. Minako would fight back, and maybe they'd both feel better for it. But the fires and the warmth were gone, now only ashes scattered in the wind. What was the point in fighting ever again?

"I'm leaving," Mars told her. When had her voice ever lacked such emotion?

Minako, no, Venus stepped in front of her, hands on hips. Her eyebrow rose as she straightened her posture, ready to fight back.

Mars stared at her. She could hear Ami and Makoto, voices wavering, telling them not to fight. Makoto got to Venus first, holding her back. Ami placed a hand on Mars's shoulder, but there was no need. Mars couldn't summon her sacred fire even if her life depended on it. The fires were gone, frozen somewhere in her chest.

"I'm leaving," Mars stated again, eyes finding sky blue once more, before turning and exiting the room.

She did not look back.

Submitted by: Sailor Saturn (Verdi)

Entry B

Entry B wrote:

Prompts:

A1. A cure
B5. A magic potion
C2. Traveling up and down a ladder

Sailor Moon looked up at the strange creature perched on the roof. It was vaguely reminiscent of an octopus, except for the soda-can torso. Stuck in its center was a face, or something like a face. The creature gripped a glass bottle while it leered at the citizens below.

“So much lovely energy,” the creature purred.

That was enough; Sailor Moon called, “Moon Crisis, Make Up!” She shook her head at the weight of her hairpieces and took a few steps forward. All her blonde hair and white clothes made her stand out, and the creature stared. “How can you possibly justify this?” she asked. “Taking energy from all these people? I can't forgive you!”

The creature laughed – at least, Sailor Moon thought it was a laugh. Still chortling, it shook the bottle. “I'm not going to do anything, little girl. This will take care of everything we need; all I have to do is spread it around.” The creature pushed itself from the building, vaulting across the road. Sailor Moon followed, though she had to sprint across on the ground.

She needed to get up. She glanced over the buildings until she found one where someone was working on an awning. Leaning against the wall was a ladder, and Sailor Moon grinned. She leaped up to grab the bottom rung and scramble up, the creature's laugh echoing in her ears. Reaching around the ladder, she activated her communicator.

“Attack in the park. Some kind of creature – I don't know what.” Distracted, Sailor Moon missed a rung of the ladder, slipping down. She grabbed frantically for the metal and scrambled back up.

Sailor Mercury's voice rang back, though Sailor Moon carefully kept her eyes on where she was going. “We're on our way,” Sailor Moon heard.

At the top of the ladder, Sailor Moon jumped across awnings and grabbed the edge of the roof to flip herself onto the rooftop. She glanced down to see the moving people below. None of the other senshi had arrived, but that wasn't a surprise.

She looked back over to the creature, who lurched over the roof toward her. It pulled back a tentacle, aiming the bottle toward Sailor Moon's head, and Sailor Moon looked at the glass shape . She wasn't sure what was in there, but she was pretty sure she didn't want to get covered in it.

“Moon Crisis Meditation!” She aimed at the creature's center, hoping that would stop it. The creature dodged, grinning at her and laughing while it moved slightly. The energy she had used slammed into the glass bottle, shattering it and dumping the liquid over the crowd below.

Sailor Moon stared at the creature as it laughed uproariously. “Well look there, little girl. I didn't have to do anything after all, and my mistress can harness all the energy she wants. Good work.” The face smirked at Sailor Moon, who glared at it.

“What's happening?” she demanded. The creature shrugged with it's front four tentacles and launched itself off the side of the building. Sailor Moon rushed to the edge of the roof to check on the people below, but she froze at the voice that powered through the air.

“Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!” Sailor Moon kept her eyes on the creature for long enough to know that it had dropped its weight and dodged the attack.

Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus balanced on the edge of the next building. Sailor Venus offered a jaunty wave to Sailor Moon, who nodded and grinned back. Sailor Venus jumped down.

Sailor Moon bounced over the building's ledge, using the awning and ladder to get back to the ground..

“What happened?” Sailor Mercury muttered. Sailor Moon didn't know if she was supposed to answer, so she just offered an answer.

“Some kind of liquid fell on everyone.”

The creature's voice floated down from above them, “I will tell my mistress about our new friends, and she will take care of you.”

Sailor Moon glanced toward the others when she heard Sailor Venus call, “Venus Love and Beauty Shock!”

The creature dropped to the earth in a flurry of golden light, and as soon as it landed, Sailor Jupiter tried again, “Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!”

The creature sank slowly into a pool of ooze, and Sailor Moon cringed. The thick ooze slid over the concrete. Sailor Moon turned away from the remains with a grimace toward Sailor Mercury.

“Well, it looks like there won't be any reports to any Mistresses, at least,” Sailor Mercury offered. She turned back to the civilians that littered the street. “Sailor Moon, you are normally a healer. I wonder if we can't re-purpose that skill,” her voice trailed off, and she hummed a little under her breath.

Sailor Moon stared at the people unconscious on the street for a moment. “I don't get it,” she admitted.

“You normally heal people who've been filled with negative energy, like with the rainbow crystals, but maybe you can heal other problems as well. This liquid is acting like a drain on people's energy, and that is your area of expertise. It is worth a try, at least.”

“People's energy?”

“I think so. The point is, this isn't physical, like what Tuxedo Mask heals. It stands to reason that it might be your area. Either way, you won't hurt anyone by trying.”

Sailor Moon stared at the body of a young woman, watching her breathe. “Umm..okay.”

Slowly, she reached out to summon her Rod and wrap her fingers around it. She pulled the Rod in front of her. With a soft voice, she called, “Moon Healing Escalation!”

Light spilled from the Rod, bathing the ground around her in pink light before it spread. Sailor Moon watched it reach the first prone body. A boy with his face turned toward Sailor Moon fell under the pink lights, and she could see his eyelids flutter.

As soon as his eyes opened, Sailor Moon grinned. She turned her attention back to her task and held the power steady, forcing it to continue to each victim until everyone woke.

Sailor Moon released her hold on the power and saw Sailor Venus smiling at her. “Good work, Sailor Moon. Though you could have jumped up and down instead of wasting time with the ladder.”

Sailor Moon scrunched up her face a little. “It gave me time to call for help”

“Right,” Sailor Venus drawled, smirking. Sailor Moon just rolled her eyes.

“It's true!” she insisted. Sailor Venus laughed and threw an arm around Sailor Moon before steering her down the street.

“Whatever you say. Come on, let's get out of here before the police come around.”

Sailor Moon reached out to snag Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury, who were having a conversation. “Come on, you two! I want milkshakes!”

Submitted by: Sailor Arkas

Inner Senshi Admin Activities Director

We received only one vote, but without any identification!

Lotus Crystal

my bad that was me

Inner Senshi Admin Activities Director

Thanks so much to our wonderful participants! These were both so fun to read!

The winner for July is...

Sailor Arkas!

Congratulations!

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! 8n3wELG

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced! 8n3wELG

» [Contest] May 2018: Be Prompt Contest - Winners Announced!
» [Contest] May 2018: Be Prompt Contest - Tiebreaker Voting!
» [Contest] September 2018: New Era - Winner Announced!
» [Contest] August 2018: Reverse It - Winner Announced!
» [Contest] October 2018: Ghost Stories - Winner Announced!

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced!

[Contest] July 2018: Prompt Slot Machine - Winner Announced!

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