Before the turn of the month, I reached out to the head of the writing group I'm with. I proposed a contest for the group, using prompts that I had already determined. He told me that the group is not used for competition, but recommended proposing to other members of the group. I did just that. I reached out to them, explaining my proposition.
There's a story behind the series of prompts. For my nostalgia month, I wanted to build on prompts, the same names as those of title songs from the anime that made my childhood, the original Japanese version. Those prompts: Voice, Shuffle, Wild Drive, Warriors, Overlap. The chapters or short stories, built upon each prompt, had to be connected.
Only two people could play my game, but I wanted to share my thoughts on them.

The first was by Zakaridus, about his fursona. The universe of this story has both magic and modern technology. He is tasked to obtain a lost item of importance.
The first section builds on "Voice" by a speaker or representative. This sets up the job along with his character's line of work.
The second section is literal on "Shuffle" with cards. I don't follow his lore. So, I wouldn't know the game mentioned, let alone whether he made it up, but the interactions are good. The implication of weapons leads to how dangerous the profession is, and the setting is just what I thought, an underground casino. The scene breaking out leads to a potential faction war.
The third section is also literal about "Wild Drive", which is even said. This is where he is fickle: good with guns, yet keen on not killing. The chase scene is short but intense and fast-paced. He also displays being street-smart, knowing what types of bribes would help him keep a low profile.
The fourth section changes in approach. He is stealthy, and he is skilled, but not perfect. That part makes for good writing. Him wanting to avoid a fight makes sense. The "Warriors" prompt is incorporated into the street gang.
The fifth section is the conclusion of a heist. The key item is found, and he learns how it got where it is. He finds an ally in a captive, who works for the gang's rival. The "Overlap" part is for how their paths and missions cross with each other. It ends returning to the character from the beginning. I saw proper closure. Add that I have a soft spot for a moment reminding me of James Bond, and you got me.
I consider this story a profound story compacted into a fun one-off.

The second story was by Wertyda, an original, contemporary, and human-only, first-person narrative. It's very short, about a relationship between a boy and a dog as he grows up.
I had to think about where he got the prompts as English is not his mother language. I deduced that he got the dog's bark from "Voice", the dog's unpredictable attitude from "Shuffle", "Wild Drive" being literal in that the dog comes off wild when they go for a walk, a makeshift gladiator arena for the dogs from "Warriors", and "Overlap" built on how the same dogs could compare running a course. Honestly, I first expected the narrator and his best friend to make a gladiator arena for themselves, too.
I must give tough love. The only spaces between segments are the numbers. There is no proper formatting for a transition. It's a slice-of-life story, which is fine. The only problem is that even though he describes the moments, the time jumps make for confusion.