VOTING IS UP!

The Galaxy Cauldron is proud to announce its newest writing contest! The theme for this contest is "Fairy Tale." You are free to interpret the theme as you like. The rules are as follows:

Rules:

Please vote for your favorite entry by May 20, 2014. All questions may be directed to Artemis.

you mean send entries to Artemis

I may do this if i have time.

ooops! thanks for seeing this, Hikari! and yeah, do join in!

I'll try this...

ooooo I have an idea

I'll go for it too.

my idea started to get too long.... D: so i will just make it be chapter one and use that for the contest and write the rest for just posting after all of this is over, along with what was used here

My PM box is soooo empty! =(

Boooooo I wish we could have a beta reader for these XD 

   Mine's finished (exactly at 1000 words XD) but I don't know if it's coming across as I want it to come across.  

i know, right? i'm not really inspired, but i wanna try my luck on this as well. who knows what may come out, right?

I'm writing mine now.... i have to fix the gramar.. and such...

got one entry! c'mon, show me your stories!

I really want to do this but I've got no ideas so far. XD

well, you still have two more days, who knows, right?

on other news: i've got two more entries!!!! =D

this topic can have so many angles to write on..

Last day today!

c'mon! let's write some! i'm accepting these until the time i wake up tomorrow. so far we have three entries =)

Entry 1

Life is Not a Fairy Tale.



People say life is a fairy tale when you are a Prince living in a castle but it's not.. My brothers pick on me all the time,  three of them act like I'm not real.. it was funny at first because I thought they were playing a game, it's be going on for one year.   It's not funny anymore..  
They use trip me and then laugh when i cried., They still trip me but I don't cry any more.This is not a fairy tale, they are suppose to be happy.   

My dad is too busy helping my 3 oldest brothers to become king...  my mom got really sick and pasted away 3 years ago.  But when she was around she sometimes spent time with me, but she also had to spend time with my brothers. Did I mention I have 12 older brothers? 

how i wish my life was like a Fairy Tale, ones my mom use to read to me at night.  
 If my life was like a fairy tale what would be nice. or at lest my brothers would be nice to me.. 
Speaking of my brothers, they tell me I'm just a Spare...   *looks in a mirror, a Young boy with messy red hair and green eyes looks at himself as he fixes his hair* 

*starts to sing*
Spare...? Am I really just the spare
I’m not part of the town, not born to be King
Just somebody hopelessly in-between
they are scholars, athletes, and poets
I’m the screw up, don’t I know it
But then who could ever compare?
*walks thorough the halls of the castle*

So I’m the extra button on a coat
In case another one comes loose
But if I have to be a button
Why can't I be a button that’s of use?   *smacks self in the nose*.  "oops!"
I may lack style and I may lack grace
And once in a while I might fall on my face  *Trips and falls over.. then gets back up*
But this little button deserves a place in the sky
This button wants to fly  *giggles*  Wait, buttons can’t fly, it doesn't make any sense!

*walks into the Barn*   "hello there Boy"   Reaches up and pets a horse on his nose  "At lest someone notices me"   *starts to sing again*

So I’m a rusty horseshoe hanging up
Over somebody’s old barn door
And I’ll be hanging there forever
Just wishing the horse had one leg more
And maybe I can’t be the perfect one
And maybe I run on the side of fun
But horseshoes need a chance to run somewhere
This horseshoe is more than just a spare


*leaves the barn and walks over a bridge and looks into the water*

Someday I’ll find my thing
A thing that’s on my own
That thing that makes me part of something
Not just all alone
If only all this feeling I have in my heart
Could mean something to someone, how I’d love to play that part


*heads up a hill that over looks the kingdom*

So I’m just the thirteenth born brother
Who most of the town ignores
Like a button, like a horseshoe
Like a boy who’s bad at metaphors

maybe I don’t have a talent as such
Just this heart with much too much to share
So I’ll never be the heir, but I’m more than just a spare___
*finishes singing*   
 
I'm 12 years old and I'm Prince Hans 13th prince of the Southern Isle. 
Someday I'll make my own fairy tale, I'll find a nice princess to marry and become A King. I'll no longer be ignored. I'll be somebody and of course I'll bring my horse with me.  Then my life will be a Fairy Tale.

 -We need more fairy tale in our romance, Mamo-chan.

Mamoru was listening to Usagi, while at the same time  reading a book about Babylonian culture. Due to extensive training, he was usually perfectly able to keep track on both a current book and conversation with his girlfriend. This sentence was however pronounced with such enthusiasm and dedication that he knew that this topic required his full attention and careful answer.

-Usako, I honestly don’t think our relationship is lacking fairy tale aspect, in comparison with most couples…

The girl’s face grimaced – But we aren’t like most couples, Mamo-chan! Have you honestly  never wanted that too?

Mamoru pondered over the question for a while:

-And what should we gain from this fairy tale? Seriously, for me the best thing is what happens after the happy end, which isn't shown in fairy tales. This is the moment, when prince and princess are finally able to live peacefully in happiness, without being threatened by anyone. When for example princess lays her head on his shoulder as he reads a book and they can both admore beautiful lake and trees and grass... And prince can buy his princess cookies and ice-cream.

-Ice-cream and cookies? – Usagi’s eyes brightened – but with whipped cream as well, Mamo-chan, right?

Whipped cream was confirmed and they went to buy the sweets. Usagi then focused on them, while Mamoru was watching her tenderly.

-So what fairy tale would you like to add to our lives? – he asked, when she ineffectually tried to remove cream from her cheeks.

-I don’t know… But something super romantic! You know, Mamo-chan – Usagi blushed – when I was reading Chibiusa fairy tales before going to bed always imagined that this is really the story about us. Chibiusa actually found most these stories boring and complained, that ungrateful brat! Only when I was reading her a story about Glass Mountain, she showed interest. But in the end she got annoyed that the princess didn't end up together with the winged horse. She claimed that  it was unfair, as he did all the work. Now we know why...
-We should be really happy that your parents didn't lock you on the Glass Mountain or in the tower – Mamoru said, as dealing with Usagi’s parents was for him the hardest part of the romantic relationship.

-But it would be so romantic! I could wait for you to come and free me like Rapunzel did her whole life!

-Did Rapunzel wear her hair in odangos? – wondered Mamoru, gently caressing one of them – besides, I believe that such scenario would surely result in your parents banning our dates for a long time…

Usagi sighed, but then livened up with realization:

-I know! My parents will be actually not be at home next Saturday. So I’ll bribe somehow Shingo to spend night at the friend’s house. And the… scenario may happen then.

- All right then – Mamoru finally decided – so next Saturday evening you'll have our fairy tale, with your knight bravely pursuing you in your prison tower. Getting to your balcony seems quite easy.
-But it can't be too easy, as it won't be a true fairy tale! So it would be much better to imprison me in old Chibiusa's room.
-Usako, it's in the attic...
-Attic is no obstacle for the brave knight! – Usagi stated with absolute conviction, which Mamoru had no heart to argue against.


 

-Never do that again! - Usagi cried, when Mamoru finally managed to push himself through a small window - you know, what I went through watching you climb? I was deadly mortified!
-My beautiful princess, your humble knight came here to free you. And nothing absolutely could deter me.
Usagi took his hands and they both sat at the bed - Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all - she sighed.
-I believe that it was the perfect idea - as now we are here together. And we can write our very own fairy tale - we could release you or maybe I could be imprisoned here with you for a while...
-At least till my parents come back - exclaimed Usagi with regained enthusiasm.


And then there was happiness, without the end.

Entry 3

“Once upon a time—“

An explosion rocked the air, booming solidly in the distance. She held her daughter closer to her chest, covering the girl’s ears and rocking her back and forth, almost yelling over her fearful cries in an attempt to quiet her. “Once upon a time there was a beautiful queen who lived on the moon!” she projected, her voice barely carrying to the walls of their hiding place despite the volume. Her heart beat faster as she glimpsed the red glow of fire through the single soot-covered window; she stroked her daughter’s hair, her story flowing faster from her mouth as the distraction she had started for her daughter slowly became her own source of calm and strength. “She was beautiful, and she was strong, and she was fair, but she was lonely, as lonely as the moon amongst the stars. ‘Oh, I wish,’ the queen would say, ‘Oh, how I wish I had a daughter to share my life with! I would read with her, and laugh with her, and dance with her, and love her more than all the stars in the sky!’”
 
The cold floor beneath them shook as dust and rock fell from the concrete ceiling; she glanced up fearfully – would the shelter collapse?! – but she continued with her story, her daughter’s cries lessening. Feeling her eyes, she stared down at the tiny child in her lap and hugged her tighter, kissing her forehead tenderly yet fiercely, silently promising herself that they would not give up. “She wished this wish for years and years, praying on every star in the night sky. The moon moved around the earth and the earth around the sun, but still the queen did not have a daughter, and she was very sad, and very lonely.”
 
Her daughter’s breathing quieted, listening intently; the war beyond the windows momentarily forgotten. “But then one night, as she slept, she was visited by a tiny dream fairy. ‘I’ve heard your wish for a daughter,” the dream fairy said, ‘Is it true?’ ‘Oh, yes!’ the queen replied, ‘More than anything, I wish I had a daughter to share my life with!’ ‘If I gave you a daughter, would you love her?’ the dream fairy asked, and the queen promised, ‘More than all the stars in the sky.’ ‘Then from your heart I will give you a daughter for you to love and to be loved by you!’ and when the queen woke, she knew she would soon have the daughter she had always wanted, whom she loved with all her heart before she had even met her – “
 
The door burst open and she recoiled, clutching her daughter to her and turning away, fearing the worst. Instead a familiar voice called urgently to her, “Your Majesty, we must go!” Soft hands urged her up. She gently guided her child from her lap, the toddler’s tiny hand keeping hold of hers as her bright blue eyes followed her movements; once standing, she reached down for her little girl and carried her, keeping her close. Her little arms wrapped themselves around her neck and her little face nestled in the hollow of her throat as they followed her Sailor Senshi out of the bunker and into the violent night, moving quickly and silently through the maze of Crystal Tokyo.
 
---
The wagon trundled on, rocking back and forth on the dirt track as the horse carried them forward. She sat with her legs curled beneath her, her daughter perched before her; their years of exile had changed their attire drastically, but one thing would never change. “And when her daughter was finally born, the queen loved her even more,” she spoke, separating her little girl’s bright red hair into two sections, continuing to tell her favorite story as she brushed the tangled mess and pulled each side into high pigtails. “And they would read together and laugh together and dance together, and surely she loved her more than she loved the stars in the sky!” With a few deft twists and a handful of pins, the buns were complete. “But the night was dark, and sometimes dangerous, and so to keep her daughter safe the queen plucked four of the brightest stars from the night sky and asked for their protection. They became the Sailor Senshi, and loved her daughter nearly as much as she did. They would protect her.”

Finished, her girl turned around and watched her with those bright blue eyes; she reached forward and brushed the bright red hair from her face, making minute adjustments to her daughter’s odangos, and smiled softly. The wagon slowed to a stop, and her senshi poked her head through the canvas covering, telling them it was time to go.

---
 She smiled, pulling her teenage daughter to her feet and keeping her hands as she guided her into the open clearing, her smile nearly coaxing a similar expression from her sullen girl. “And so the six of them lived together in peace and prosperity, and they would read together, and laugh together – “ she pulled her daughter into a spin, their hands keeping them connected as their feet turned in tight circles, their long hair flying out behind them as they leaned back into the spin; in short accord, she had her daughter laughing as she spun and stared up at the trees above their heads and the waxing gibbous moon far above those. “—and dance together, and surely the queen loved her daughter more than the stars in the sky!”

---
“But not everything can last forever,” she repeated quietly to herself, watching as her young woman strode forward to address the fearful crowd. She wore her power on her sleeve, her Sailor Senshi uniform drawing eyes and demanding respect. Her awakening answered a question that had persisted for centuries; the reemergence of the Silver Crystal both proving their right to rule and condemning them once again to a life of hardship.

so hard to choose.

Wonderful submissions!

i know, right???

i did vote, it was hard

Voted!

I hope everyone voted in time!

when is the voting over?

Mi stated it ended the 20th so I'm sure she'll be announcing the winner soon.

Yup! Brit is correct!

Therefore...

The results are in, the entries are as follow...

Entry #1 - Sailor Swifty
Entry #2 - Moonlight Lady
Entry #3 - Sailor Uranus

and... our winner is...


Congrats, Kyra and thank you all who have joined!

Your siggie will be here soon! =D

Congrats Kyra!!