Cyriel

To start off, I've seen the threads on suicide, and this is NOT one of them. This is not where I'm discussing whether or not anyone's ever thought of killing themselves. This is a discussion of death, and the effects. You know we've all seen them. They litter our emails in forwards that we consider to be annoying and useless. Personally, I've read dozens of them, then promptly deleted them. All forwards that take up an increasing amount of space, and all saying the same message: make sure that at the end of your life, you have no regrets. Tell people that you love them, live every day to the fullest. Perhaps it never really hit me until now, for some reason. But it got me thinking... So now I'm asking you: what would happen if you died tonight? Tomorrow? What if you never got another chance to see your friends or family? What would by your greatest regret, and why? And if you had the chance, what would you do to change it? And...what would be your most cherished moment of life?

[CENTER][I]"For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow." ~Ecclesiastes 1:18, NKJV[/I][/CENTER] [COLOR=DarkGreen][CENTER][B]Adam[/B][/CENTER] Her funeral is today. Today, April dd, yyyy. Two days before her birthday, two weeks before graduation. She would've been eighteen, a student in her final days of high school. But her hard work won't be remembered - she'll never be valedictorian, she'll never go to college, never travel the world, never get married or have kids, never fufill her dreams... The list goes on. How can a lifetime be described in words? Even [I]her[/I] lifetime is indescribable, cut short as it is. And only endless pain can describe what she'll never be able to do; all the could-haves and should-haves. Especially the should-haves, on my part. It's sunny, and growing warmer. Mom and Dad are crying; Dad puts his hand on my shoulder. All I can think about is how the sun is making me sweat, and my neck is itchy. I hate ties - I've always hated tying them. She used to tie them for me. Tying a tie. I feel an insane urge to laugh. And for some reason that reminds me of the coffin again. It's a nice coffin - I lay down in it once, before they put her in it. They have padding in there to make sure she's comfortable. Oh man, I'm going crazy. God I miss her. And I wish the preacher would ********** shut the h*** up.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] They offered me freedom. They offered me reality. I chose to take both, along with all the other things not mentioned in the fine print. It's too small to read. Too twisted to understand until you take the plunge. They didn't tell me how much it would hurt - they did tell me that I couldn't go back. Not if I chose the truth. And I've always been one for truth, or so he would have said. Even now, he's part of me. At least that's what I believe. I remember waking up. I don't like thinking about it; it still gives me nightmares. Dammit, the whole thing gives me nightmares.... But I suppose I'm greatful, or as greatful as anyone can be at finding out their whole life never happened... Zion is...amazing. A real eye-opener. And the last surviving human city. Talk about a reality check. Still almost impossible to believe, but they say it'll come with time. They say I might still be in shock - you have to admit it's pretty stunning. They moved me in with Laurel. She was with me when I woke up - she was the person who actually found me first, offered me the chance... But she's getting a little old, and she's starting to think about getting a replacement for her on the ship. It's called Medea. I wonder if it'll meet the same heartbreak as its namesake.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkGreen][CENTER][B]Adam[/B][/CENTER] Graduation today. I don't want to go. I'm going to be drowning in the stupid robes; there's not going to be a breath of wind. And they're all going to start up another sob-fest - if only they'd all shut the ******* up. What are they trying to do - brand it into my flesh? As if it's not going to torture me for the rest of my life. As if it doesn't hurt so much already that I wish I had the guts to kill myself. As if it hasn't already... Jeez, she was everything. She was the other part of me!! She was my twin. Do they think I don't know she's dead? Do they want me to suffer more? God, those bastards... They're going to cry so much, comfort each other, reminisce about their memories of her. They're going to have her picture blown up three sizes, and have a video montage. My parents picked the music. They're all frauds. They used to make fun of us for God's sake. Yeah, we were Adam and Eve, the nasty ********** in the ********** garden. Those bastards. They used to make her cry - she hated teasing. It was so easy for them to hurt her. What do they know? Frauds. *********** bastards[/COLOR]. [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] I think Barthan knows what I'm doing. Yeah, he looks at me everytime I glance at the screens, searching the code. I'm learning quick - I have nothing else to do. The ship can't leave until something or other gets fixed - I don't know what it is. So now we're here...lounging around in Zion. Sometimes they plug me in, but Laurel only lets me stay in for so long. But Barthan lets me stay in longer occassionally; the fight programs are the best. Barthan's kind of a rebel - he's cool for an old guy. There are others: Gordon, Carver, Dolce, Arabella. Carver likes to go with me when I'm training; I think I'll try fighting him today. He needs his ego knocked down a notch or two. Not to mention, I have to get better at this. Fast. So that they'll let me go with them into the matrix. So that I can find [I]him[/I]. If he even exists. Look at the code again. He has to exist - he's in there... somewhere.... How do I know? We're twins, connected souls - I [I]know[/I]. I have to find him.[/COLOR] [I][B]Approx. one year later[/B][/I] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] Walking casually to the payphone with Carver. There's no hurry, and it's not ringing yet. No agents in sight. Carver goes in the booth first - he has the chip. The phone rings twice, he picks it up, he's gone. I put the phone back on the hook. It rings once, I pick it up. Stop. There he is. He's across the street, laughing with someone, his arm around her shoulders. It's [I]him[/I]. The phone is still in my hand. I hang it up. The cell starts vibrating; I pick it up. Carver's voice: "Eve! What are you -" *CLICK* I put the phone back in my pocket. And start to cross the street. He turns...sees me.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkGreen][CENTER][B]Adam[/B][/CENTER] Amy's a nice girl. Yeah, she's smart, funny, bright, and she's not clingy. Wait a sec...that...girl. She looks like Eve. She stares; I stare back. My heart stops for two seconds. Amy nudges me, "Is something wrong?" I shake my head, "No, nothing's wrong. I just thought I saw someone I knew." [I]Eve is dead. Stop trying to bring her back to life.[/I] I put my arm around Amy's shoulder again, I turn away, start to walk. A tap on my shoulder. [I]She's[/I] behind me. Her eyes are wide. Her mouth quivers. How can she look so...? She looks like [I]me[/I].[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] He turns after I tap him. His eyes go wide in shock, recognition. The girl with him looks at me blankly, then looks at him. And...my voice breaks free, cracking. I can't believe it's him. After I've been searching for so long... "Adam?" My soul is complete. And it's free. I'm free. And I can give him the chance, the choice to follow, to learn the truth. I can free him from the bonds of this false world, this fake reality, this facade used by emotionless machines. So I hold out my hand, tentative. My hand touches his cheek, barely. His skin is cool, heavenly. Tears come to my eyes, I bite my lip so I don't sob out loud. I'm finally here, beside him again. "Adam?" He closes his eyes, feeling my caress. He puts his hand on mine...[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkGreen][CENTER][B]Adam[/B][/CENTER] It's her. There's no other explanation. But she's dead. But she's here. I don't know. But I know it's her. I [I]know[/I] it's her. And her hand is so soft. Oh God, I've missed her so much. And she's here. With me. My soul is complete. I'm free with her. But I put my hand on hers...and I can feel her being. So much...wisdom. Pain. Sorrow. Truth. Knowledge. Experience. Despair. They're all here. She's here with me. I whisper. Her name hasn't been on my lips for so long. She's been kept in my heart. "Eve." [I]Eve[/I]. And she offers her hand to me. And she's offering me something else, something more, so much more... The Fruit of Knowledge.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] He opens his eyes. In their depths I see everything... I see his love. My soul is complete. I'm free with him. But...his hand falls away, pulling mine with it. He holds it for a moment, looks at it, running his over it. He studies every line of it, then my face, and tears slip out. My tears fall as well. We are matched in our whole, in our happiness, in our love, in our sorrow... And then I know. And I watch him study my face for a moment longer. He says my name again. And then turns. Walks away, the girl following him. And I know...I have to let him go. He's understood, somehow, something of me... And he's made his choice. He'll take what he can...[I]here[/I]. And I have to let him go. But...I'm still free. We're both free.[/COLOR] [I][B]Approx. two days later[/B][/I] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][B]Eve[/B][/CENTER] I still know he's in there. Somewhere. Leading his life. I can remember that last moment in my head, my mind. It's engraved on my heart. He disappears into the bright gold of the full glory of the sun... I blinked...and when I opened my eyes again, he was gone, hidden again in that facade of life. But maybe it's for the best. For this time...Adam refused the fruit that Eve offered. Maybe this time, he won't be banished from the garden of Eden. Maybe...maybe he chose right. I miss him. But I'm free. My soul is complete.[/COLOR]

Raven kept walking, and another figure joined him, with a languid, confident stride. She fell in step beside him; Raven didn't even blink. Walking, he was observing the village, coming up in his mind the most interesting (and thus horrific) way in which to utterly destroy the small, peaceful civilization. Leonie walked beside him, watching his focused expression. She laughed softly to herself, attracting Raven's attention. She shrugged, nodding her head in the direction of the messy remains of the warrior, "Didn't you learn to pick up your toys after you finished playing with them?" She shook her head, a cynical smile coming to her face. Raven merely shrugged, looking back towards the village, and Leonie's pale eyes followed. Her finger playing over the strings of her blades; she licked her lips in anticipation, "So, what's the count so far?" It caught Raven's interest immediately, "22 to 3, my advantage. You're so far behind me in the body count, I don't imagine how you're going to catch up." It was Leonie's turn to shrug, and she merely smiled, an arrogant twist in her expression. "Hmm...I suppose so. But don't count on that lasting. If you want to keep up, you'd better hurry." With that, she leapt off, clearing the village walls with one jump. Her flaxen hair gleamed as her profile was shadowed by the full circle of the sun. Raven took off after her, his dark robes billowing like the foreshadowing of the horrible night soon to follow.

Go with the classics, I say. I don't play any of the aforementioned games (except for Uno heehee). But the best card game s in the world? [B]Poker! Blackjack, ratslap, cal speed[/B]... and [B]The Great Dalmuti[/B] is awesome. As for [B]Magic[/B], my two little brothers are obsessed. Me? I look at the cards because I like looking at the pictures and reading the little quotes heheh. :D

Veil's in the house!! Woot woot! ;) hahahaha... Although, did you mention to forget Kilik?

OOC: Wow, there must be something about me that screams "Ignore me!!" ;) IC: Just as he was about to throw another attack, Gen felt a breath of air push by, and suddenly found himself behind Ayami; he watched as she seemed to float past him, leaving him only her back. Time picked up again, and she seemed to swoop up from the ground, her hooked pike gleaming in her pale hand. Enishi's blade came down, only to be met by the graceful resistance of the calm, collected girl. [I]Sshiing![/I] It was the dance of blades, thin metal colliding against each other in the silver strokes of death. As one hand reflected Enishi's persistent blade, Ayami's other hand quickly drew her wakizashi out of its sheath, gliding forward to take a sweep at his abdomen. Her blade slid through the cloth; it was cold against his skin, and Enishi quickly deflected with his own blade before it went any deeper. Only his lightning-fast reaction saved him from disembowlment. The two different weapons in her hands confused him for a moment; they were so out of touch with each other. But he forgot how unusual it was; his concentration was focused completely on Ayami as she spun out another attack. Even with the two unconnected weapons, her skill at wielding them was aweing, for they worked in complete harmony with each other, while still holding a dangerous independence. It lent a distorting sense of random activity, and Enishi had to work hard to keep his mind focused. She uttered her first words, the lilting voice distracting him, "You are Kobayashi, Enishi?" The distraction almost proved fatal, but a mistake in her footwork alerted him to the hooked pike that tried to twist his sword out of his hands. With a light flick and push, Enishi successfully battled away the silver pike, only to find that her wakizashi had come dangerously close to his throat. He only barely knocked her wrist away, and attempted to force the blade out of her hands. But she deftly rose into the air, stepping onto his knee to twist her body away. She turned to face him again, "Answer me!" His eyes narrowed, following her snaking form, "Yes, I am that which you call me. Who are you?" "You don't need to know." Ayami's reply was short and curt, frost curling around the edges. "Why do you seek to kill Lord Ishiguro?" She expected a reply; it did not come as quickly as she seeked. Slightly angered, she hastened to drive the answer forth, a flurry as she drove her attack on. The furious use of energy cost her; she stumbled as the dizziness returned. She clumsily blocked Enishi's blade with a messy swipe, but it wasn't enough; his sword sliced open her shoulder wound again. Hissing in pain, she leapt back, watching as Enishi's sword emerged with a line of blood on the blade. It was his turn to press forward, "Give me your name, girl." Ayami's answer was merely her fierce glare, and she clenched her teeth as she forced her arm to carry her weapon. She stumbled again, but managed to save herself by pushing off of his defending sword, and she slid back, trying to gain distance. Enishi pursued, intent upon his floundering prey; even he had noticed the signs that she was failing... He raised his sword, and she drew nigh, her lip set in determination as she prepared to defend herself. A blow came to Enishi's side, knocking him away. Quickly flipping himself upright, he turned to see the warrior that he had neglected. Ayami breathed, "...Gen..." A line of blood ran down her arm, dripping onto the floor. Nausea hit her once more, and darkness blurred her vision for a moment. Striving for breath, she squinted until her eyes cleared. Gen moved in front of her, wordless. But all she could think of in her mind was failure. [I]I...failed...to kill him[/I]. And even as Gen raised his fists to take his part in the battle, all she could feel was the guilt and anger weighing down her soul. She pushed herself upright, taking a stance beside Gen. He muttered to her, "Ayami, stay -" "Silence." Her tone conveyed total authority; Gen said nothing to argue. Enishi narrowed his eyes, examining each of them as they prepared to engage him once more. And once again, Ayami locked eyes with him as she looked down the hooked pike towards her foe. Her blood dripped to the floor. OOC: Ack! Shadowofdeath, I don't think that's going to work. I wasn't even in the hall anymore - I'm facing off with Enishi where he burst in, and Gen joined me. Not to mention, the poison was put in by the traitor doctor, which Ayami already figure out, so...yeah. ^_^;; Although...perhaps you could follow my blood trail to the room where I was, and then to where Enishi, Gen, and Ayami are fighting? Just a thought...

As Asim left, the doctor returned, holding clean bandages and a bowl. Arranging these beside where she was laying, he quickly and ably bound her shoulder. He nodded as she rotated her arm, testing if the bandages inhibited her movement in any way. "Is it alright?" She nodded, "Yes, it's fine." Her eyes were focused on something far off; she thought of the group of men that she had taken with her. Most had fallen - she had seen that with her own eyes...but it didn't allay the guilt she felt. [I]I'm so tired...why can I not be free?[/I] The doctor handed her the bowl, which was full with some sort of medicine. "Please, drink this. It will heal your wound the more quickly, and take away any soreness that might occur." He quickly cleaned up after he handed the bowl, and she watched him leave as he had come, sliding the screen door quietly behind him. Obedient as always, she quietly sipped a little of the potion, grimacing in distaste - it was bitter. Not finishing it, she set the bowl down, some of the liquid sloshing against her hand. Carefully wiping it off, she lay down again, resting her head on the cool spread. Sleep claimed her, but it was light, shifting against the small disturbance she felt... __________________________________________________________________________ The metallic, coppery scent of blood awoke her. The room was dark - night had fallen in a short half-hour, and her light rest had been troubled. She sat up. The quiet was too silent - where was the doctor? She was alone; the bowl was as she had left it, but the contents had turned sour, and the smell lingered in the air, along with the other metallic odor. "...what is this? Blood...?" Reaching down, she felt the bedspread. Her fingers came up dark against her light skin, tainted with the liquid that now stained the white sheets. "...I'm... What is this? I'm hemorrhaging??" The blood was warm against her legs, and she tried to get up, but collapsed again as a wave of dizziness assaulted her. "..ugh...what's..happening..." Her scarlet kimono was soaked through; the blood matched the color perfectly. Suspicion touched her; and she looked over at the undisturbed bowl. The scent was...familiar? Suddenly, she looked down at her hand: blisters had formed where the liquid had touched it. And then... she knew. "...Poison." [I]The jackal[/I]. He had mixed poison into the liquid, whatever it was. There was no doubt in her mind. She forced herself up, and another dizziness spell took hold. Taking the bowl, she dashed the contents out of the open window, and then promptly vomited into it. The greenish mass was putrid, and she turned her face away. Staggering out of the room, she tried to make her way quickly down to the doctor's office, her wakizashi in her hand. [I]If I find him...I'm going to kill that bastard[/I]. But the wing was silent; no one remained in his quarters, and his belongings and personal items were gone. He had fled. She made her way agonizingly to the expensive furnishings, throwing open the medical cabinets. Vials and various items filled them, and the light was dim. Lighting one of the lamps, her eyes flew over the delicate glass bottles - she had to find the poison. Desperately, she racked her brain, trying to remember the various things that the monks in the temple had taught her... [I]What is it? What did he give me? Oh god, what if it was foreign?[/I] Struggling not to panic, she brushed over everything, her hands trembling. [I]Please, let me find it. Oh, please...[/I] Suddenly, her eyes alighted on a dark, earthen jar. Opening the lid, the bitter smell overwhelmed her, and she collapsed to her knees, relief making her lightheaded again. The smell was clear now; [I]It's Savin. He used Savin. Thank god he was an idiot.[/I] Making her way back out of the room, she left the medical wing, blood still running down. It outlined her footprints, a grotesque trail that stained the floor. The first servant she saw started to scream. "Silence! Come here, now. Get me milk. Just get me some milk... And another kimono. Hurry." The cramps started in her stomach...she doubled over as her breath caught at the pain. Losing her balance, she fell against the wall. Other servants came out in a flurry, and she felt their cool hands leading her to another room. There, they stripped her of her bloodied kimono, trying to clot the blood that was still flowing freely. Holding her over a porcelean bowl, Ayami vomited again and again, emptying the contents of her stomach. The nausea got worse, and she could barely choke down the milk that was brought. The cramps lessened slightly, and they left her resting on the pallet. Two remained with her; on questioning, they confirmed that the doctor had seemingly deserted - he was nowhere to be found. She prayed that the others were with her father. And suddenly... The sounds of battle came from below. Men were shouting - loud booms resounded as someone started to kick the thick door of the main entrance of the castle. She bolted up, grabbing one of her pikes and wakizashi, and pushed the servants away. "Get out of the way!" Rushing past them, nausea assaulted her again, and she struggled to keep her balance. But she pushed away the dizziness, and ran on, her footsteps still light, if somewhat unbalanced. Literally leaping down the steps, she reached the main entrance hall just as the assassin burst through the door. The loud crashing rang in her ears, and the wood floor below it was splintered and cracked under the pressure. A figure leapt through the open doorway, "Ishiguro! Your murderer has come!" Her bare feet feeling the cold floor, her vision became hazy; she focused quickly, trying to banish the symptoms of the poison that still tried to overcome her. Ayami locked eyes with Enishi, and she slid into her stance, wielding the hooked pike. OOC: Please, everyone, try to remember that me being female doesn't make me a wuss. If I faint again, I'll butcher you. ^_^;; And a longer battle this time. Sorry Undefeated, I guess we didn't really get to fight. But there's always a chance... First up, Hatake.

Soundtrack for Princess Mononoke is pretty awesome. Even though some of them are short, it's still pretty good all around.

[QUOTE]When I was five I had a crush on Buddy Blue from Rainbow Bright.[/QUOTE] I used to watch that when I was a little kid!!! But my mom threw away the video...I've been looking for it everywhere. Do you know where I can get a copy? I wanna watch it again! And yes, Buddy Blue is pretty cute. ^_^

Hmm...if you want to get into the fantasy, I'd strongly suggest Michelle West. I'm in the final book of one of her series called The Sun Sword, and they are by far the best books that I've read in the realm of fiction. Of course, each of the five books is as thick as a dictionary, but her writing is amazing, and the characters are so in detail.... [QUOTE]I also like to read a lot of Time-Life book series'. The Revolutionary War, the Old West, the Civil War, the Korean & Vietnam wars, WW's I & II. It seems I have a thing for wars. Is that bad?[/QUOTE] Personally, I love reading about wars. I mean, it's not like I enjoy bloodshed and all that, but the politics and details are always so interesting... It's amazing how much information can be divulged about human nature and things from those sorts of books. Besides, I've always had a little thing for history. We have this amazing book called [U]WWII in Color[/U], and I have to say that the pictures make it all the more stunning. Not to mention, my dad has a collection of videos about the Korean War...which really has nothing to do with this, does it? But yeah, historical things are always fun to read for me. I just read the narrative of Frederick Douglass, and his imagery was so stunning, it sort of reminded me of [I]The Passion.[/I] But...those sorts of books really open your eyes to a lot of things.

Gen was just about to follow his friend, but was stopped as Ayami walked into the room, a serious expression on her face. She was about to speak, when she looked oddly at him. "...your wound has opened again." She handed him a clean cloth, and he wiped away the little blood that had started to flow from the shallow cut on his head. It soon stopped, and she took the cloth back, now stained with a line of crimson. It matched her scarlet kimono perfectly. Her dual pikes she had in one hand, and her wakizashi was tied with another cord to her obi. "Gen, it's been over two hours, and we haven't been able to find the assassin. Although...from what you say, I believe that it is the Ro-ken-jin." She spoke plainly, dropping the usual formalities that she used. The strain was evident on her; she kept tightening and loosening her grip on her weapons. "He must be hiding somewhere within the castle. The servants are in terror, but there are soldiers guarding the lower quarters. The rounds have been divided, and they're searching for him now. As for Asim, he's with my father now, and Taro just went to join him." Looking at Gen's affirmative nod, Ayami paused before continuing, "I've organized it so that three of us are always with him at one time. But one of us must go and smoke out the Ro-ken-jin. We'll take turns with the rounds. Go to my father." She started to leave the room, but Gen's voice called her back. "Lady Zeng! Wait! If I am going to guard Master Ishiguro...then...you must be going to find the Ro-ken-jin...?" Ayami's pale face was all he needed to confirm his suspicions, and he shook his head, "No, I cannot allow that. I shall rearrange the defenses - " She made a sharp gesture with her hand. "No, you must go and protect my father. I've already seen to the arrangements, and we must find his hiding place. He must be discovered as soon as possible." "Mistress Zeng, I cannot allow you to -" "[I]Enough![/I]" She was breathing hard, and her eyes were cold. "This is not the time to dispute my authority, [I]Sir Sukazuma.[/I] My father awaits your protection. Please be assured that I have thought this through, and I will not be the only one searching. We will each take the rounds, at different times. I am merely taking the first, as both you and Asim are injured. Taro will be able to make up for any lost strength, and I have not yet been disabled. Please, go." She turned away, waiting for Gen to leave the room. Finally, he did, his steps heavy and reluctant. Looking out the open shutters, Ayami watched the sky grow darker... Over two hours, and they still had not found him? Where could he be? He had broken through like fire, and then disappeared in the smoke. She had to find him; there was no telling what damage he could cause if he was left alone for any longer. Quickly making her way out, she called the patrol that she had organized. Soldiers also skirted the walls, and they walked the paths. Lanterns were being lit, in preparation for the approaching night. [I]One assassin...and the whole castle is in an uproar... This is almost laughable.[/I] But she said nothing, only leading the way down one of the paths. They followed obediently, their adrenaline making them extra alert to the growing shadows. [I] Luckily, so far there's only one tonight. Hopefully, more won't join.[/I] She mentally went over the entire layout of the castle and the surrounding grounds... Although not under heavy guard, all the men were well-armed, ready to defend themselves to any menace that might appear. [I]There must be something...something I missed? Where is he?[/I] Ayami bit her lip, placing her hand comfortingly upon her weapons. And then... It hit her. [I]That can be the only place where he is.[/I] Silently motioning her group to follow, she hurried down a familiar path, one that she had walked every morning since arriving here... Coming out from under the trees, the building loomed up, shadowy in the twilight. [I]The temple.[/I] OOC: Hey, Undefeated, now's as good a time as any, I suppose. But...don't try to beat the girl too easily.

Swooping down, she saw that the pilot of the [I]Errant Knight[/I] had finally picked up her ship. Shrugging, she readied some of the lighter weapons; she wanted the fun to last, but wasn't about to go blazing in with everything she had. No...it was more interesting drawing them to her. Flipping a couple more switches, Ariadne scanned the other craft again, and realized that Edel Hawke had recognized her. She smiled, the stars surrounding them causing shadows to fall on her face. [I]This should be interesting...[/I] Opening communications, she sent a link-up to Edel's craft. "Good evening, Errant Knight. May I ask what brings you out here to this empty part of space?" Smiling again, she fired several missiles, and then wheeled away, the inertia making her breathless. Her adrenaline was starting to pump, and her heart rate picked up. Excitement started to rise in her stomach, and she turned back, trailing as the missiles pursued Edel's ship. Twisting in various aerial maneuvres, the missiles finally started to catch up... Waiting, watching as he tried to shake off the explosives, Ariadne waited, her hand hovering over the controls. Finally, she flipped a switch. The missiles detonated, sending shrapnel in various directions. Her ship automatically put up shielding, blocking the blinding light. Edel's ship had disappeared, and she searched in vain with her plain vision; she didn't try scanning again, because the heat from the explosion would just distract them. Sighing, she frowned wryly as she watched the rest of the missiles detonate on her command, "...that was far too easy. I was at least hoping for somewhat of a challenge..." FWOOSH! The Errant Knight came barreling out of the lingering blasts, Edel whooping in glee. Ariadne grinned; she could hear his breathless laughter over the communication link. Powering up her ship again, she swept towards him, flashing by the stars, "So, I see that you decided to return." His voice crackled back over the com, "Hey, I never miss the firework show. Can you keep up, Lady Ariadne?" She was impressed; this pilot had done some research. And she hadn't been called 'lady' for quite a while now. [I]Time to throw the bait...[/I] She murmured lazily back, laughing quietly, "Hmm...do I sense a challenge?" Both heading straight towards each other, they both veered away at the last second, barely avoiding a collision.

The inner chamber was finely furnished; silk cushions had been carefully placed around a low, ebony table. The room was lit by small oil lamps arranged about to light the inner darkness, and around the closed shutters the lines of the sun outlined like bright gold. Motioning to the table, Ayami waited respectfully as the three others seated themselves around the table. Finally, she knelt gracefully at the table, folding her legs elegantly under her. Reaching under the table, she silently pulled out a brush, inkstone, fine rice paper, and a jade paperweight. Arranging them on the table, she never broke her grace, sweeping out gently with her arms as she ground the ink. The men waited in silence, their eyes on her perfect form. Finally, the black ink filled the stone, thick when she dipped the brush into it. Holding it above the fine paper, she began to write... But her cadence was broken; somehow her grace was jarred, and it was quite distasteful to behold, nothing like a beautiful woman should look like... It disturbed the silence and peace of the room. But she continued to write, and Gen frowned, looking at the character she had written. The black ink had mottled the paper; the way that Ayami had wielded the brush had caused the graceful strokes to become knotted, thick, ugly. But then, his breath caught in his throat, and he met Ayami's eyes as he understood her message. [B]Jackal[/B]. Infamous for being deceptive, cunning, silent, vicious, and a merciless killer. There was a spy in their midst, a traitor passing information to the assassins. A plot from the inside to overthrow Lord Ishiguro... Even her brush style had been a clue - being ugly and knotted, it showed the twisting nature of the spy. Ayami bowed her head in consent, and waited while Taro and Asim deciphered the meaning. Taro looked from the character to Gen, and then understanding dawned on his expression. Knowing Gen as well as he did, there wasn't much that either of them missed from each other. Asim stared, and then his eyes narrowed; a barely noticeable nod was all that gave away that he, too, had received the message. Lifting the paper up, Ayami held it to one of the lamps, catching the ashes in her other hand. They were still hot, but she took no notice of it. Opening one of the shutters, the bright light of the afternoon flooded in, almost blinding after the near dark they had been in. She let the ashes out of the window, and they drifted down out of sight, lost in the mountain breezes. She bowed, and slid open the doors again, "Thank you for your time."

OOC: Hey, if you guys are going to stick titles on my name, please put 'Zeng' instead of 'Ayami,' unless you're just going to call me by my first name. Why? Umm...it's a personal preference that can affect some of the game. I know, weird, but...if it works out right... ^_^ IC: The broken body of the assassin flew out the window; it disappeared into the oncoming mist, down onto the beaten ground below. Ayami watched with distaste as the body ended its flight with a distant thud as it hit the dirt. The servants would clean it...or the guards would toss it over the wall. Whichever it was, she didn't like the bodies piling up... There were already too many for comfort, and she swore that the scent of death was going to be permanent. Turning back to the three other men speaking, she waited until a pause to speak. Asim... The name was slightly familiar... Most here had read of the fierce warriors of the desert, hardened by the turning sands and harsh winds. Looking at him, he did nothing to impress upon her that he was anything but another warrior...but she wondered if there was something more. [I]Is he hiding something?[/I] She didn't agree with her father's call for fighters; it invited too many strangers, too many variables that could change their allegiance when the tide seemed to be turning against them. What made it sure that these hired mercenaries would stick to their word? After all, once her father was dead, they could raid the castle as they liked; there would be no one left to stop them... She spoke quietly to the others, "A plan? I feel that in this case, a set plan will not be effective. Too many assassins have been called; Lord Ino is a powerful enemy, and any wishing for a taste of foul victory will be drawn to him like flies. The best we can hope for now is that we can ably defend wherever my father is keeping his quarters. Each assigned to a quarter or wing, let no one pass. If so, then your honor as a skilled warrior is forfeit, as well as your life." It went without saying that if any of them failed, and she survived, she would kill them with her own hands. They all felt it, looking at the young woman's eyes. But then she cast them down to the floor again, and Taro gave an exasperated sigh. Looking up, she smiled faintly with apology towards Taro, "My apologies, Taro. I will try... But habit dies hard. For the time being, may I suggest we move into another room? I have something further to speak of with you all..." With that, she led them into an inner chamber, sliding open the screen doors silently.

Ack! Ender's Game!! That is an absolute work of art. Orson Scott Card is probably one of my favorite authors too... He is a master of literature. And although the plot for that does seem pretty cliche, it's far from being stereotypical. Even for people who don't usually enjoy sci-fi, definitely read this! Everyone I've talked to and recommended it to has enjoyed it. Stephen King scares me. Really. I cannot read any thrillers, or scary horror books, or that sort of thing. First of all, for some reason I always seem to end up reading them at all hours of the night when it's dark and freaky. Second, I'm a wimp! Those books will give me nightmares, and I won't sleep for days. :p

OOC: argh, just put the playing cards in my hand. IC: Staring at the bag, the firelight flickered on her face. Pretending disinterest, the other members of the group sat around it, but watched quietly, wondering what Edana would choose to do. The question rang in her head: [I]should I take it to him?[/I] Under the usual circumstances, she wouldn't even have considered it, but...the events of the battle made her wonder what kind of person Hayden was hiding underneath his egotistical outer shell. [I]Make that a very tough outer shell...that conceited male chauvinist. I've never met someone who's been so self-centered, arrogant, and infuriating. Not to mention, in absolute disregard for the number of diseases he could be picking up that are sexually transmitted from his various escapades.... But I suppose I owe him something... he at least deserves some gratitude on my part for tonight.[/I] Standing up, she brushed off her pants, and then picked up the bag with the tent. She walked warily to Hayden's position, but in the growing dark, his form couldn't be clearly seen. The others watched her with curious interest, and Cael called a warning, "Hey, be careful Edana." She waved in answer, peering into the trees, but not getting any closer than she already was. Looking at the bag in her hands, she was silent, listening for Hayden's breathing. Finally pinpointing where he was, she took a step closer, readied the bag in her hands...and tossed it. "Thank you!" she called. There was an answering thud as the bag landed on target, and Hayden's muffled groan. She laughed quietly, "Sorry!" Walking back to the others by the fire, she smiled. Cael just laughed. Edana shrugged, "Hey, I was being careful." Hayden didn't reemerge, but the bushes that contained him were rustling with activity, so they left him to set up his tent. Random muttering from his direction could also be heard, and Edana laughed quietly to herself again. Stretching, she headed off in a different direction, "I think I'll head to bed now too." The rustling in the bushes stopped. But then she called in a voice loud enough for even Hayden to hear, "I think I'll set my tent up by Acacia's." The rustling resumed at that, and Cael could only grin. Acacia shrugged, and then nodded. Edana poked her tongue out mischieviously, "Hey, safety in numbers." She walked off, leaving the other three by the fire, but Acacia soon followed her. Setting up their tents side by side, Acacia crawled into hers and disappeared. It was absolutely silent, and the darkness surrounded them. Edana lay down on the ground just outside her tent flap, staring up at the stars. The firelight could still be seen a little distance away, but it was far enough that it didn't interrupt her quiet musings in the privacy of the darkness. Smiling wryly, she felt her side again, amazed that there were no bruises, or broken ribs for that matter. Placing both her hands behind her head, she picked out the various constellations through some of the wispy clouds that sped away overhead. Another memory attached itself to her... [I]"Daddy? How many are there?" "Hmm...well, if you really want to know, you'll have to count them for yourself."[/I] She awoke out of her half-sleep reverie when there was a large crackle from the fire. Looking up at the perfectly clear sky, she was amazed at the magnitude of it all... She smiled to herself, "...count them myself..." Sitting up, she rubbed her chilled arms, and then traced the tattoo under her eye again. [I]Better go inside my tent...no doubt some foul beast might come wandering if I stay out...[/I] Lifting up the flap, she quietly went inside. Sleep quickly claimed her in the quiet, comforting dark, and soon all was still.

Ayami entered the room, bowing quickly to her father. "Father?" Gen and Taro quickly followed her in. They looked at the note silently, until Taro went over and ripped the note away. Ayami circled around the room, closing all of the shutters to the windows, and dismissing all of the servants. She returned, and the bowed again, "Father...I suggest that you move your quarters. Apparently, this wing is too large to defend effectively; there have been too many night visitors recently to be comfortable." Much too many... This was the fifth time that someone had gone unnoticed into his private quarters; it did not speak well for the skills of any of them. [I]Failure[/I], she thought to herself, [I]is not an option[/I]. [I]My life will be given before the blood of my father is even in sight.[/I] Oda Ishiguro was still upset; he waved them out of the room, "I will think on it. Leave." Bowing themselves out, all left, and Ayami reopened some of the shutters on her way out, letting light filter back into the room. Before she left, she saw her father by his bed, covering his face with his hands. A knife seemed to twist in her heart; never had she seen him look so...helpless. Forsaken. [I]No, not forsaken. I have not left him, and I will never let him be helpless.[/I] Blinking her own tears from her eyes, she felt her spirit sink... [I]I must protect him. I will. From this point on, no one shall pass by my hand.[/I] She silently closed the door, leaving her father to his own dark thoughts. Thinking of a few days earlier, she remembered the laughter of one of the would-be assassins... [I]"Bastard, you weren't suppose to scream until I have killed you!" Enishi laughed then sheathed his sword. "I have no intention of killing you scums yet."[/I] Her eyes flew open, and she bit her lip, running her fingers over the cords of her scarlet obi. [I]There is no way that any of those men shall pass by me. Not until my blood stains these halls, and my last fury haunts them beyond death.[/I]

Just from reading various books, watching loads of television, and spending personal funds on movies...I've always wondered what separates the good from the bad. What would you say makes the perfect villain? What makes an antagonist what he/she is? What defines their motives as bad or evil? Villainy is a skill. Whether the author/director provides a much hated character, or perhaps makes them actually loved by the audience, it is not something easily done. So what do you think makes a perfect villain? Who do you consider a much accomplished "bad guy?"

Hmm...how about instead of going for hot, what about cute? I mean, I think that some actors have that little innocent look which makes them absolutely...adorable? ELIJAH WOOD! He's so...cute in LOTR. Those innocent eyes of his always make me want to cry and kill those Nazgul. As for extreme good looks, I'd say Keanu Reeves is a pretty strong contender. Orlando Bloom is ok, but...I only really like him as Legolas. As for an actress that I absolutely envy for looks, I'd say Evan Rachel Wood, or the girl in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. What was her name? I think it was...Zhang Ziyi...

The ship computer beeped, jolting her out of her peaceful concentration. Letting the book fall to the floor, Ariadne tapped a few keys on the controls, bringing up images into close view. The fed ship she had already recognized; nothing else looked like a whale in space. Another small ship was in its tractor beam, defended by the larger and powerful shields of the feds. It was like no other craft she had seen before; and again, she couldn't recognize a large number yet, so that wasn't surprising. The two other ships she recognized. Quickly putting up communications, she spoke to one of the pilots, "Cyd? What are you doing here?" She had met Cyd a bit before, and they had accepted each other; Cyd was the closest thing to a friend that she had, so far. The easygoing, yet dangerous nature of the older woman had drawn Ariadne to her, and although the start was a bit shaky, they had emerged without ripping each other's heads off. Cyd's familiar voice came back to her, "Oh, hey Ari. Well, I was tryin' to get a couple morsels, but the feds want all the leftovers for themselves. I'll try to raid the fridge later." Ariadne smiled; Cyd always made her laugh. "Careful on your way out, cook. There's a blind mouse trailing your tail." "Cook? I am no coo-" Cyd's answer was cut off, as Ariadne powered up her ship, and took off. She headed immediately for the one that was tailing Cyd's craft, and recognized it. She had met it before; the [I]Errant Knight[/I]. Although she had never met the pilot, she had heard rumors... And remembered the last time she had met him - with guns blazing. Their dogfight had been in haste, interrupted by other crafts. Smiling again, she opened up her weapons, preparing to swoop down on Edel, "Here I come..."

She looked down at the grounds, and then placed her hands on her own hips, reflecting Lina. "...Vendetti doesn't know that his spy was also connected to me. I've already called in to get any potential rats taken care of; I was wondering if you'd just assure that the job goes well. I don't want anymore problems, and it wouldn't do to have both Vendetti and Vittorio at odds against us..." Lina sighed, shaking her head, "Aigo chamnae. Wae ihruhkkeh dwenneeh? (No translation. Why did this happen?)" Nari shrugged, giving a brief, if strained, smile, "Halsoo issoh? (Can you do it?)" Twirling the guns, she looked at Nari through lowered eyes, "Well...why is it to my benefit? Nothing comes free, Kye." Laughing, Nari nodded her head, "Yes, nothing comes free. Well, first off, there's the fact that if Vittorio finds out I'm connected...well, he could just stretch his bad feelings towards you too. That may just be chance, but there's always that small possiblity. Also...was there a young man in here today? Of this description?" She held out a picture to Lina, who took it. Looking at it, she recognized the photo; she had thrown him out of the club. "Geurae, waeh? (Yes, why?)" Nari smiled with regret, "Aigo, you let him go, didn't you? I know a little about the identity of the man... I'm sure you'd find it very interesting.... But it might get you riled up, so I won't tell you now. Besides, I have another business proposition; I think it'd be to the good of both our families if we merged. Asia already has too many little groups. Broken up and divided, they're all fighting for the same things, so in the end there's nothing worth taking. All that effort goes to waste. I don't want to be one of those little squabbling groups, and I'm sure you don't want to either. An alliance could be to our advantage, especially if we manage Vendetti to ally himself with our group also. Vittorio would be alone." Then, she paused, and continued, watching Lina, "And...the man who was in here today... He was Vittorio's son."

As she made her way towards Gale, she glanced quickly at Beatricia, who was petting the yellow chocobo. But her hands remained empty of her weapons; guilt weighed them down like lead. Instead, she turned to Gale, who was waiting, shading his eyes with his hands. "Well, Sir Gale, shall we start?" He laughed, "Hey, no formalities please. Just 'Gale' will do fine." She shrugged, and then turned away, leading out of the ranch towards some dense thickets. He followed, wondering what had made her cold all of a sudden. He no longer felt the companionable warmth of earlier, when she had chosen to follow them. Instead, Serisay was troubled again; he wondered about these sudden mood changes... Was she plotting something? Suddenly Serisay raised her hand, calling for a halt. Gale stopped immediately, and then looked in the direction she was pointing in: some bright orange feathers were caught on a thicket...and there was something moving beyond the first line of trees. Gale slowly circled around, stalking the twitchy chocobo, and Serisay did the same, going around the other side. The gold in her hair glinted in the sun, but then disappeared as she went into the undergrowth and shade. Crouching, moving silently until she could see the chocobo, she recognized it as [COLOR=DarkOrange]Mandarin[/COLOR], and waited for Gale to make the first move. But suddenly, it seemed to realize that something was there, and then quickly picked them out of the foliage. *Engaged in battle with Mandarin!* [U]Party:[/U] Gale - level 6 - HP: 300 - MP: 30 - Sword Art, Paysword Serisay - level: 6 - HP: 325 - MP: 45 - Paralyze, Mimic [I]Gale jumped out to make sure it didn't escape; Serisay almost thought of warning against it - would the chocobo get angry? But instead, it seemed to like the challenge, and was just about to take off, when Serisay stepped out. The golden trinkets in her hair chimed, and Mandarin stopped, eyeing them. It was almost as if...he [I]liked[/I] them. But that didn't stop him; he prepared to race off again...[/I]

She couldn't believe this; she was stuck in the world of her dreams...but with students from school. How ironic could things get? And then that boy opened his mouth, and Ingrid thought she wanted to desert these two and let them go on their own. She sighed.... [I]I can't do that; that isn't...humane. Guess I'll just have to stick with them...[/I] Hearing Lars's complaints clearly, she stood up, brushing off her clothes, "We're...in a new world, and all you can think of is food and your hat?" Her skeptical tone was quite evident, but Lars still stared at her. She looked at him, "What?" He looked down nervously, glancing at her through worried eyes, "Umm...I never said out loud that I was hungry..." "What do you mean that you didn't say it? I heard you loud and clear." He shook his head, "I thought it; I never said it." They both looked at Chi, and she nodded, agreeing with Lars. Ingrid's mouth opened in surprise; her expression was surprised, and she tried to think of an explanation. Lars looked at her again, "Can you hear what I'm thinking right now?" Ingrid raised her eyebrows in skepticism, "No." Chi shrugged, then said thoughtfully, "Maybe it's just an on again - off again thing. Pretty cool though." She smiled. Ingrid caught herself smiling back; [I]well, maybe these two aren't as bad as I thought...[/I] She looked over to the ruins.. "Well, no use in sitting here. Shall we go check it out?"

[B]Name:[/B] Lei Raiyans [B]Age:[/B] 18 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Mobile Suit:[/B] Since I'm not a regular player in these, does someone want to suggest one for me? I'd appreciate any help. -__-;; [B]Bio:[/B] As one of the few female pilots, she's tomboyish in looks and acts. Constant competition and hazing from male associates and students puts her immediately on her guard with all strangers; she's quick to anger, and eager for battle, to prove that she's just as skilled as any male pilot. And indeed, she can match any man in battle, and can completely hold her own. *EDIT* Whee, ok, thank you for the gundam suggestions! I'll just go along with those. Thank you again!

Edana shifted uneasily in her seat, putting as much distance as she could between herself and Hayden. The fire flickered, and the scent of food drifted from the large pot that was emitting steam. Cael stirred the contents, tasting a little, and then putting in a bit more of some spice or another. She had to smile at that; he reminded her so much of one of her brothers that she couldn't help laughing quietly. Once again, she stopped her laughter at a look from the ever-serious Tylan, and she blushed. Thankfully, her discomfort was soon solved by Cael dishing out dinner, and everyone's attention was focused on the piping-hot food. Especially Hayden, who was eating so quickly that Edana had to wonder if he was chewing at all. [I]Will he choke? And if he does...will anyone do anything?[/I] The thought made her laugh again; she couldn't keep her spirits down. When she smiled, she looked so much younger... Her training had forced her to mature, taking on the appearance and act of an adult, when in reality, she was still an adolescent, stuck in an adult world. And sometimes her childhood caught up to her, brightening her features, and providing a youthful laughter to outer appearances. When Cael looked at her curiously, it only made her laugh harder; she couldn't stop. Tears came to her eyes, and finally she tried to swallow her food. The laughter just bubbled up, and suddenly, she choked. Coughing as she tried to get her air pipes cleared, she could only think of the irony of the situation. Cael finally thumped her hard on the back, and her throat cleared, lending her the much-needed air. Filling her lungs, Edana's laughter now rang out free, lilting and silver in the night air. She fell back off of her seat, unable to stop, and tears came from her eyes, freely running down her cheeks. Cael merely shook his head, returning to his food. Acacia looked at Edana for a moment, who was rolling on the ground shaking with laughter, and then raised her eyebrows in question at Tylan. He shrugged. Hayden watched Edana, and then eyed the food she had left defenseless.