Results [Issue 57] Dramatic Gold

[Night-Sisters 2,139]

 

And, the results of Dramatic Gold are in! After much deliberation, here are the top entries for your reading pleasure. Well done to all who participated, and thank you for a host of interesting reads. I enjoyed running this one, and hearing all about the best golds of your respective TO careers.

 

 

In first place winning 25,000 crystals:

 

@Bugs.meeny

 

 

 

 

 

   Good Times

Now I ain't yur regular, "Run O' the mill" gold-hunter. In fact, I ain't a gold-hunter a'tall, but I reckoned my ol' story was worth mentionin. Twas back back in the winter of '14, I was just a youngster, but at the time I was top O' my game, mighty proud of my new Hornet n' Isida M2 . . .

 

[Wind howls, snow swirls by :New Scene]   (Flashback)

 

"Wow, Isida M2 is OP!" I say to my friend Abdo, as we fight for our lives to hold the icy cave in Polygon Deathmatch. He is using his favorite combo, Rico-Mammoth M1, and we are allied, companions even in the bloody free-for-all where most abandon their friendships to gain the top "Gladiator" position. 

 

Soon angry cries of "Clear the tunnel!" were heard, and our enemies began to swarm us, trying to break our hold over the game. Before we can be overwhelmed, the siren that once warned of incoming air-raids blasts through the map. Twice.

  

A few seconds of silence follow, before the chat is flooded with the shocked tankers expressing their surprise and disbelief. Two golds at once didn't happen, it wasn't supposed to happen, yet here it was.

 

I rush out of the cave, hoping to find at least one of the zones, and see Abdo lumbering out as well. We didn't have to go far, because just outside the center square of Polygon, the two drop zones lay, a few meters apart. I quickly dash back inside the cave, fearing I would be killed by the eager gold mongers. Sadly, as I turn back, I see my friend Abdo, slowly trying to get to safety with me. Too slowly, and he is destroyed before my eyes.

 

 

The two boxes come into view, I see Abdo's chat pop up saying only, "Its up to you". I make a great leap from the cave, perfectly timing it so I would land on a Titan's back as he charged for the gold. But me hopes were smashed when as I jumped, a stray railgun shot smashed into my hull, flipping me. Like a turtle flipped on its shell, I was helpless, but managed to stay on the titan's back somehow.

 

The crowd of what seemed like hundred of tanks surged together, along with my unknowing helper. I was hurled atop the crowd, sliding on my back, catching not one, but both golds. Angry tankers pounded on me with all their might, demolishing me, but I only smile as I read Abdo's new text, "U got one for me :} ".

 

[Wind howls, snow swirls by :New Scene]  (Present Time)

 

Yep, twas a great day. Kids these days got "The goldbox supply" *hmph* Back in my day catchin golds was not only a great sport, but a tough one, and only the tough got 'em.

 

 

476 words
True story (obviously dramatized) 

P.S. Yeah, I pretend gold catching was tough back in 2014, its just a joke, I dont need any "older" tankers lecturing me on how it was so tough "back in my day"  :D

 

 

 

 

In second place, winning 20,000 crystals:

 

@bc200214_777

 

 

 

Dramatic Gold Story

 

Like how every cliché begins, the blue, cloudless sky was brightly illuminated by the mid-morning sun in an Aleksandrovsk CTF. Only Corporals with machines uncontaminated by metal attachments roamed the beautiful landscape. At the time, I enjoyed spraying ice shrapnel at invincible buildings and thought that the only controls of the game were the arrow keys and the spacebar. My speedy Wasp gave me the minimum time of survival for each of the infinite lives my tank somehow had. The billboards expressed holiday season, or more specifically, May Holidays, 2015, the day that everyone had been anticipating for with extreme excitement when gold crates falling from the sky - also known as "Gold Boxes", worth 9k crystals would be attainable. My friend had introduced me to the game, and he made a new account just to play with me and attempt to teach me the basics. He had also shown considerable enthusiasm over this day. He was one of the more, experienced tankers. We were playing without too much purpose, with my friend dominating the game. Then:

 

"GOLD!"

 

Having the latest reactions, I gaped at him as he immediately entered insanity mode. I watched as he frantically pressed 5 and looked for the gold with his Viking, out of all the hulls he could've used.

 

"What are you staring at? Hurry up and look for the gold!" he screamed at me.

 

Snapping out of my trance, I remembered when he was lecturing me about perfect gold hunting etiquette. A chill went down my spine as I imagined myself getting the gold, which had become my Tanki career goal since my friend brought the topic up. It gave me a sense of adventure and something more than just crashing into walls and trees and buildings. However, it would be near to impossible for me. I had no speed boosts, double armor, nor repairs. I felt a mixture of anxiety, panic, and exhilaration. I remembered my friend's next words verbatim: 

 

"Golds usually drop after around 25 seconds, with the last 5 seconds for the gold to drop from the sky. The last 5 seconds being when the Tanki gods finally answer our pleas."

 

His second statement was very questionable, but I went along with the first. My heart beat once each second until it proceeded to beat with even more vigor as the seconds dwindled. No one had apparently found the gold yet.

 

When the timer hit 30, I was completely aghast. I took my hands off from the keyboard, wondering if my friend had played a trick on me, as I did not see the orange text pop up in my notifications. 

 

But just when I turn around to get furious at my friend, I see as he finds the gold, in a remote corner of the map.

 

I pleaded and pleaded, with the best puppy eyes I could muster, and my friend grumbled, annoyed that he got suckered into letting me have it. 

 

As he shifted away, and as I finally saw the shiny, smooth edges of the Gold Box, with its intricate pattern and the special design made for the May Holidays, for the very first time, I almost shouted with glee. However, I turned the corner, and I see a Shaft-Wasp, inconspicuously sniping, oblivious to the Gold Box. I slammed the accelerator with my tense fingers and my engines revved, my nimble Wasp hurtled towards my career goal. However, curse my luck, the moment I did so, the Shaft finally let go of his spacebar. He spotted the gold, and he, also frantically turned and charged towards the box Time slows down.

 

He's closer to the gold.

 

My heart beats with anxiety.

 

The distance between my archenemy and the gold is minuscule.

 

But,

 

because we are positioned right next to a ramp, and 

 

because he slid onto the ramp carelessly,

 

I glimpse at his tank

 

and I see him attempt to curve up and off the ramp.

 

His tracks 

 

are 

 

blocked. 

 

And like an Olympic runner,

 

like an ecstatic winner,

 

I finally come in contact with the gold.

 

The gold being my medal,

 

My ribbon,

 

My finish line.

 

And yet,

 

I had only begun the real race.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

(699 words not including the title)

 

Here's a rough sketch of the drop site: (Red X indicates "archenemy", Blue X indicates me)

http://prntscr.com/cfb2gx (Do please excuse my artwork)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In third place, winning 15,000 crystals:

 

@Jwimmer

 

 

 

 

When I clicked on an actual battle in the normally parkour-ridden Year 2048, I should have known something incredible was about to happen. The game itself was a first- I had never played a real game on this map, so I was caught in the moment. This was not a normal battle, as I had just gotten hornet M3 the day before, and was getting used to what was my dream combo- Hornet and Thunder. The first battle was close; I think the final score had the teams within two flags of each other. The game ended, and I decided to stay, with my mind wholly on dominating the next round. The second game started, and within the first three minutes, my team and I got three captures.

 

Then, something that had not even crossed my mind happened, as an orange message appeared across the top of the screen. I then looked at what I was equipped with- a low health hull, a high, self-damaging turret, and a paint that did not protect a bit from Thunder. At this point, it was too late to change my equipment. I spawned in, and quickly equipped a double armor while starting to search for the yellow and white marker somewhere on the massive map. I was sweeping my team's base, and rather quickly got to a bridge. That is where it was. A few teammates were nervously waiting for the right time to make a move, so I joined them. I was nervous an enemy would kill me, so I went down a ramp, away from everyone else, waiting.

 

As the parachute appeared, I sprung into action. I drifted around the corner and up the ramp, with the noble ambition of jumping on top of a teammate and easily gliding underneath the gold. I jumped…off center. Disaster struck as the corner of my tank hit the corner of my enemy. My beloved new hornet violently jerked to the side, and I ended up wheels up. My whole body groaned, and I just knew there was no way I could take this gold. Luckily, I decided to not self-destruct, in hopes of getting a nice view of the pile for the gold. Then, I looked back at my tank, and realized I had somehow managed to stay on top of the teammate that flipped me.

 

My heart fluttered, with a fraction of a spirit welling back up in me that I could get the gold. My teammate, of course, drove over to the gold, with me in, or should I say on, tow. I was lucky here, as he got to a great spot. My tank suddenly twisted around, so it was laying in a perpendicular direction on top of his. I shot backwards, with the plan of somehow getting my tank upright- but something even better happened. My tank went vertical, long ways facing up. I was trapped in between four tanks like this, and looked to the ground below me to realize that I was squarely in the center of the drop zone. I raised my camera angle, to see a parachute covering up my tank. I then instinctually turned my turret to the ground, and shot. The kickback from the shot, combined with the explosion of the Thunder shell launched me up in the air- and brought down my health to about 1/16 of my total. Luckily, I timed it just right so that I rammed into the gold box.

 

The relief hit me as I saw the magical phrase "Jwimmer has taken the gold box" appear above me. After the tanks cleared and I respawned after self-destructing, I started to think about the incredible event. This was my first time playing a real game on this map, the first gold I had seen on the map, and, most importantly, my first gold taken using Hornet M3. To add on to all of these firsts, I finished first place. This was an incredible game, and one that remains, to this day, one of my all-time favorites.

---

 

676 words

-Jwimmer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honorable Mentions, winning 5,000 crystals each:

 

[entry here]

 

[entry here]

 

@austen_pierce [entry here]

 

 

Crystals will be distributed on the 10th of October. Congratulations to the winners!

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Hexed

[Bugs.meeny 1,013]

Ty :)

[DESTROYER_13 1,019]

Ty :)

waw

[Crip 4,735]

Ty :)

Congratz bro :D

[TTK_229 1,080]

Hmmm. Wonder what I did wrong.

[bc200214_777 582]

Ty :)

Haha I knew you would win ^^ I can't believe that I won too o_O Thanks Night-Sisters!! First Newspaper contest I've won ._.

[marc.jp_44 20,837]

Wow. I was so hopeful for this contest, too.

[Magenta 5,165]

:huh: ?

[austen_pierce 1,948]

Glad to get honorable mention

[AkiliW 210]

Fantastic reading :). Well done, everyone. 

[Night-Sisters 2,139]

 

:huh: ?

wellp, guess that didn't get linked.  :ph34r:

 

 

you saw nothing.

[Magenta 5,165]

wellp, guess that didn't get linked.  :ph34r:

 

 

you saw nothing.

#BlameTheNS