Kwai

[size=1][color=navy]OOC: M-a-b-o-r-o-s-h-i... not Moroboshi... it sounds like a food or a game... IC: Maboroshi cocked his head lightly to the side, and looked back at Enishi with slight confusion. Reason? Did they need a reason to be here? Some people got worked up way too much with the whole revenge concept... "I'm here because I am payed to be here." Maboroshi shot a quick glance at Ino just to make sure - a slight nod from Ino assured him about the payment. "You're ... just payed to be here?" Maboroshi shrugged slightly, and nodded. "A hired assassin. Obviously. What other reason is there?" He took the moment to savor the look on the two's faces, both accompanied with disbelief. Apparently, they thought he had no right to be here, especially since he had no personal vendetta against this man Oda... whoever. He shrugged again, and stood up quickly. He didn't want to get into a pointless argument about who kills who and why they have the right to kill him and what not. It was a waste of time. "Charmed to meet you both. I must take my leave now." With that, he swept out of the room, leaving an awkward moment, followed quickly by a burst of somewhat aggravated words, probably from the two other assassins left in the room. Maboroshi took a step out into the street before Ino's house, and looked up at the full moon. It was a nice moon. It reminded him of his earlier years, speeding through the night along the side of Ahn. He never was able to catch up to her, he was used to seeing her back far ahead of him. Nonetheless, in Ahn's definition, he probably surpassed her by now. He did, after all, defeat what she couldn't. Either way, it was all a part of the past now. "Chotto... shyugyousuruka... (A bit of training...)" He took the path leading to a nearby bamboo forest, and stepped into the thick overgrowth. He reached into his clothing and took out a black skull, perfectly waxed and polished. Maboroshi smiled at it softly, then placed it on a nearby stone, making sure its eyes faced him. This was how he trained. Dead or not, having her eyes on him helped with his concentration. Maboroshi breathed slowly, then performed a Nagi Iaijutsu, sweeping everything before him in a ninety degree radius. The bamboos were sliced diagonally, the upper portion of the sliced bamboo cast up into the canopies of the forest. Maboroshi returned his kotou to the sheath, and looked up. The bamboos that he sliced off flew up in the air, then after a moment, came cascading down towards him, each a deadly lance of its own. Maboroshi smiled softly, then laughed as he felt his entire body become charged with his suppressed energy. "Seijutsu Uraken... Kijutsu...!" The lances above him exploded simultaneously, showering Maboroshi with bits and pieces of the bamboo. Maboroshi smirked softly, then looked over at the skull. "Kekkou umaku nattadesho? (I've gotten better haven't I?)"[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]OOC: Koku? That's more along the lines of property instead of currency. For example, one would say a Daimyo has forty thousand Koku, which would be a measure of his entire wealth, including property, rice output, and all that. I'll just stick with 'sen' for currency. IC: Maboroshi sat on the bench located outside of a rather shabby looking tea shop, sipping the tea innocently, blending in perfectly among the laborers that just finished their days work and were on their way home. The only thing conspicuous that separated him from the others was the sword hanging from his waist, but none would have dared take a guess that he hacked away the life of seven people that day. For Maboroshi, it was a clean conscience. To him, he was the same as the other laborers. They worked, got their pay, and came by to take a quick break, perhaps joke with their co-workers before heading home. Maboroshi also did his work, got half his pay upfront (the other half, sadly, wasn't payed due to his employer's death), and was sitting in front of the tea shop, drinking the tea and eating the rice cakes. He didn't care to mingle with the others, but nonetheless, he fit in perfectly. "Ehto... kyowa sanbyakusen ka... mah ato suujitsu wa korede iideshou... (Let's see... I made three hundred sen today... well, I suppose this would last me a few more days)" He stood up slowly, then smiling politely to the other laborers that grunted and nodded to him in farewell, paid for the tea and the rice cakes, and left the tea shop. He was headed towards the nice little conflict brewing in Oda's castle. In his hands was a red envelope. In it was his new assignment. One of the workers were, in fact, a messenger. Maboroshi carelessly threw the red envelope away on the side path, and continued along, opening up the letter and glancing through it. The letter read thus. "Maboroshi, your services are required again. I employed you once. That decision is not part of my regrets. You will be payed handsomely. You know where to find me." Maboroshi's face curled into a thin smile, as he shredded the letter carefully, letting it fall in small pieces into a nearby river. "Mah... mouchotto kaseidokeba... ikkagetsuwa motsudaro... (Well... I suppose this would support me for a month...)" Maboroshi smiled softly to himself, then stretching his arms, headed for Ino's abode.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Maboroshi sighed quietly in exasperation, then trudged into the darkening forest. The dark wasn't necessarily due to the approaching dusk, but more due to the thick foliage of trees that impeded the light from coming in. The forest held a rather depressive atmosphere and seemed to contain not one living creature save the ancient trees that were, of course, the cause of all the depressive aura. Maboroshi sighed in annoyance, then continued in. It was another job, to be truthful. His job for the day was to go bury Master Ono, who was probably crossing the River of the Dead, and another. Master Ono was the easy one. The hard one, the one he was heading for now, was supposed to be some head of a local group of Onmitsu (ninjas). That was nice and all, but couldn't they pick a location for a hide out that would be easier for him? Like a nice little Ryotei (restaurant) located on Main Street instead of a freaking endless forest? From what he was informed, the Ono person and this little group of Onmitsu were the local distributors of drugs and prostitution. If he guessed correctly, they probably held a monopoly over the entire business in the region as well. Not that it was any of his business. As long as he got payed, he cared little for who his blade tore apart. The forest cleared up, much to Maboroshi's joy, and unfortunarely to Maboroshi's dismay, the clearing was filled with roughly a dozen Onmitsus, all of them pretty damn well armed. Maboroshi stopped dead in his tracks, then looked around at the gathering with an annoyed look. Most, if not all of them had some sort of weapon pointed at him, most prominent the shurikens. A little green glint on the edges told Maboroshi that they probably were poisoned. A burly man was sitting on what seemed to be an altar in the middle of the clearing. He was clearly the leader. Maboroshi scratched his head for a moment, then addressed the leader. "Ehto... Kumajiro dono desuyone? (Er... I take it you're Master Kumajiro?)" The burly man smirked for a moment, then with apparent triumph, answered. "Sou... Hyakuningiri no Kumajiro to wa orenokoto... de, kisama ga ore wo koroshinikita Maboroshi toka iu bakaka? (Yes... Kumajiro the Slayer of One Hundred is I... and, I take it you're Maboroshi, the idiot sent to kill me?)" Maboroshi smiled faintly, looking very out of place among the entire legion of Onmitsu, all of them dressed in black. "Ehemah... nanda, boku no yatoinushi koroshichattandesuka? (Well yes... does this mean that you killed my employer?)" "Sou... kubi, soko ni aruze. (Yep... his neck is right there)" Sure enough, the severed head of a man slightly past his mid fourties was hanging from a nearby tree. Maboroshi tilted his head for a moment, then turned around. "Jyah iiyah... kane moraenainara boku mo anata nanka korosuhitsuyounaishi... (Well, forget it then... if I'm not going to get payed, it will be a waste of time killing you...) Kumajiro chuckled grimly, then held up his hand. A flurry of shurikens were let loose on Maboroshi, each of them missing him with a miniscule margin. Maboroshi stopped, then slowly turned around again. Kumajiro chuckled, then spoke with a deadly voice. "Souwa tonyaga orosanae... (Well, it doesn't exactly work like that...)" Maboroshi sighed, then faced Kumajiro, standing confidently, his hands hanging loosely by his side. "Mah... soudesu ne... maekin morachattashi... yappari anata wo koroshimashouka... (Well... I suppose... I was payed half upfront... I suppose I should kill you then...)" Maboroshi smiled lightly again, then drew his blade slowly. The Onmitsus froze slightly, looking towards their leader for cue. The leader laughed hysterically, amused by the bold challenge, then reaching to the side, picked up a huge Naginata. "Kozou... sonnani shinitaika? (Boy... are you that eager to die?)" Maboroshi smiled politely, and with a slight chuckle, returned the challenge. "Ie... shinunowa anatadesu. (No... you're the one to die)" Kumajiro smirked for a moment, then slowly drew the Naginata back. His eyes lost all sense of amusement, and turned cold and bestial. Maboroshi, on the other hand, still had that light smile on his face, as if he was amused at the situation itself. Kumajiro crouched slightly for a moment, then in a blink of an eye, rushed forth, bringing the Naginata in a full horizontal sweep at Maboroshi. Maboroshi held up his blade boredly, and a clash of steel, followed by a dull, heavy thud was heard. "Shoubu... aridesune... (The game... is set...)" The Naginata blade was sliced completely in half, the tip of the blade lying a few feet behind Kumajiro. Maboroshi smiled appreciatively, then took one step forward at the dumbfounded Kumajiro, bringing his blade all the way back in mimic of Kumajiro's previous attack. "Anzu san, Kanshashimasu." With that, he returned the exact same Nagi sweep, and Kumajiro's look of surprise was torn in half as his upper face was severed from his lower, and an eruption of blood followed shortly. The burly body shook slightly, then crumbled down, dead. Maboroshi sheathed his blade slowly, then looked around at the twelve members of the Onmitsu clan with the same innocent smile. "Hoka ni, imasuka? Boku no shigoto wa owarimashitakedo nan nara kokode minna shimatsushitemo iidesuyo? (Anyone else? My job is done here, but if you guys prefer, I can free you from your body right here.") There was no reply, no movement, nothing save the terrified look, obvious even under the black mask. Maboroshi shrugged, then left the clearing, following the path he took. His job for the day was done. He hoped to get a quick snack at a nearby tea shop before continuing on his way.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]There was that usual gay laughter of drunkards, mingled with the annoying high laughter of the Geishas. The laughters were simply out of drunkenness at first, but as time progressed, it slowly turned from simple entertainment to that of perverted pleasure. After a few more, the laughter divided, each respective man going to a different corner of the house with his favorite Geisha. Then the laughter subsided, replaced by giggles and the sexual moans of bodily lust. Maboroshi removed the ceiling board lightly, then slipped down onto the remains of the drunk gathering. The room was thick with the smell of sake, and he thought he could even smell the lust and desire of the men. He held his arms in over his nose; he felt sick at having to deal with such low lifes. No matter. With a few quick steps, he was out in the hall. There were three different couples from what he could discern up in the ceiling, and his sensitive ears gave him a good sense of where each of the couples were. He went off to side of the house, then trailed around to the magnificent garden. Sure enough, there was one couple, working it out. He watched them for a moment, then in a quick bound, was two feet above the two, blades drawn. The man didn't see it, but the Geisha did. She was just about to scream when the blade pierced through the man's heart, then the Geisha's in one deft move, drowning her voice out as blood spilled out. One down, two to go. He kept his blade drawn and this time went to the dark corner of the house, a small bedroom, probably for children. A few groans informed him that those inside were by no means young. He opened the Shouji door just slightly, then went in. The groans stopped suddenly, and he came out again, the blade still bloody. Two down. The last couple was in the deepest location, the magnificent bedroom. Maboroshi didn't bother for stealth this time. He took care of the potential witnesses, so all he needed to do now was to kill the remaining two and it will be done. He went up to the Shouji door and kicked it down. The two were inside, each head turned towards him. The man had a somewhat angered, embarassed look, the half-naked Geisha had a look of terror. Maboroshi twirled the blade around, showing off the blood for the two to see. "Ono dono... Oinochi choudai itashitaku sanjyoitashimashita... (Master Ono... I am here to take your life...)" The Geisha screamed, the man called Ono quickly leapt back and drew his blade. The Geisha tried to scamper away, but in one leap, Maboroshi landed in front of her, then severed her head with a horizontal sweep. Ono gasped, then gripped his blade tightly, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. His eyes darted around, obviously in hopes of a rescue. "Hoka no yonin nara mou shindemasuyo (The other four are already dead)" Maboroshi smiled sympathetically, watching the color slowly drain from Ono's face. He took one step forward, then slowly raised his blade above his head. "Oinochi choudai itashimasu (I will graciously take your life now)" Ono saw the young man before him suddenly disappear, then reappear in front of him, except there was two of Maboroshi now. In panic, he swung his blade wildly, then in the next second, a straight Tsuki (stab) from behind impaled his neck. Maboroshi retracted the blade, and the body fell with a dull thud, coating the Tatami flooring with crimson blood. Maboroshi took a white piece of paper from his Obi, then wiped the blood off of his blade. He sheathed his blade quietly, then melted back into the shadow. A light tap of footsteps were heard in the ceiling, then silence. Nothing left to enjoy it except the six corpses.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I ended up here searching for something about Evangelion episode summaries, finding theotaku, then clicking on forums on a whim, then making account... et cetera. I used to be around to spam the anime lounge (I recall I had a daily quota to have 10 posts per day), but that cooled off at around 250 posts back in v6. After that, I slowly switched from the anime lounge to the batte arena, then over to the adventure arena. These days, I'm mostly here for the rpgs. Even though the quality tends to slip and slide every now and then (not to mention some rpgs never go up... *cough* Annie?), I suppose I stick around since I have no other forum to visit without running into one sentence posts, illegible internet lingo, spammers, trolls and such.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I would recommend then, Sciros, to take a look into the Trigun Mangas. Currently in Japanese, Trigun 1,2,3, and Trigun Maximum 1 - 10 is out. The first three books, Trigun, basically follow the same storyline as the anime. Maximum 1 through 10 takes a completely different path from the anime, exploring the difference between the plants and the humans, not to mention they delve much deeper into each of the characters, especially members of the Gung Ho Guns. There are a few different characters as well. The two GHGs in the anime, Chapel the Evergreen and Caine the Long Shot, are replaced with Livio the Double Fang and Razlo the Trip of Death. In any case, the Trigun Anime is a worthless piece of **** compared to the Manga. Before you give up on Trigun, give the manga a chance.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]OOC: First off, nice to see you posting mod-ish Arcadia :p Has the dry spell cleared up yet? Send me PM ^_^ I have a little query with Undefeated's character. The setting, as I recall, is in the feudal era. The feudal era is far back before the Tokugawa Shogunate started. This gives you two little problems. It means that you cannot use the Yagyu Shinkageryu style (since that is a sword style used during the Tokugawa dynasty years), and you cannot use the Miyamoto Musashi's Nitoryu style (since he lived during the Tokugawa era). You might want to fix that. IC: [b]Name:[/b] Maboroshi (Illusion) [b]Age:[/b] 19 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Nationality:[/b] Japan, specific area unknown [b]Side:[/b] Assassins (Duh) [b]Appearance:[/b] [url]http://twilighthush.com/sora/gallery/seta/seta03.jpg[/url] [b]Styles:[/b] [b]Genjutsu (Illusion):[/b] Human beings possess five senses. They are what alert us to what occurs around us. They are what tell us that there is danger approaching. They allow us to see reality and factor out illusions. But it can fail. Genjutsu is a supplementary form of combat that evolved through the exploration of how one might manipulate the five senses of his opponent. This is attained through a thorough knowledge of the human psyche, as well as the ability to cast mild hypnosis, along with the fluid body movements to confuse the opponent. What would you do if you see three of your opponent, all about to attack? You have less than half a second to choose. You block the middle. Wrong. Good day, rest in peace. [b]Mojutsu (Copy):[/b] Any martial art, no matter how famous (or infamous) it is, whether it is designed to kill or to disable, is completed through the practice of the forms over and over again. This takes time. But there is a hidden form of combat that exists out there, where the ones that mastered this form allows them to replicate the opponent?s exact movements in a matter of nanoseconds, and return the opponent?s attack right at them with equal strength and speed. This form of legendary combat, called Mojutsu, is something that cannot be done by anyone. It?s either you get it or you don?t. As such, almost none know of, and even less are able to use this technique. [b]Seijutsu (Silence):[/b] A fool is always loud. Those that boast and brag about their styles know nothing. The fools, even if they master that style, will be loud in combat. And that loudness, that noise in combat will be their downfall. Some know this. The majority doesn?t. Those who know develop the silence in their combat. The fools continue to drone on about how imposing their Ki is. They talk about how their Ki can oppress the Ki of others, thus allowing them to completely dominate their opponent in mind and body. Those who practice Seijutsu say this to such theory. Bull ****. Ki is a double-edged blade. You use Ki, you *might* successfully be able to intimidate the opponent and achieve victory. But that Ki also announces your presence. And after many battles, many slowly begin to comprehend that the best way to detect the opponent?s movement is by reading their Ki. But those that mastered Seijutsu know this. They know that fact far before an ordinary martial artist only begins to comprehend it. Thus, they diligently train to kill their own Ki. In the end, when they achieve mastery, they lack the Ki. Their movements become completely undetectable in the battle of masters, when each fighter depends heavily on detecting the opponent?s Ki and act accordingly. Seijutsu users have no Ki. And thus, the greatest weapon of a warrior, the unique sixth sense that detects the Ki of the opponent, is sealed. [b]Weapons:[/b] [b]Kotou (Ancient Blade): Yakumonji Norimune:[/b] A Kotou is a katana that is at once both rare, incredibly sharp, and durable. Kotous are a katana, except made far in the past, by the master smiths that worked for noted warlords. The blades made by the smiths today are a blasphemous imitation of the blades made in the past. A Kotou is hard to obtain, especially if one desires a Kotou that can kill efficiently. Despite it?s rarity, a truly well made Kotou is something that can easily slice through a modern blade with barely any movement, while being near indestructible. This particular one was made during the Kamakura period by the sword smith Norimune who was a personal sword smith for the noted Miyamoto family. The name ?Yakumonji? implies ?A child of ill luck?. The blade has lived up to its name thus far. A good lot of men and women fell under its stroke, a good number of throats were slit, more bodies were impaled, plenty of heads taken off of the respective bodies. The only downside? The blade seems to be cursed with securing a rather violent death for its owner. All of its previous owners lived at most a month after the blade fell in their hands, most of them by committing suicide with the very blade they owned. Maboroshi, however, had the blade for the past two or three years. Whether the blade has lost its curse or is simply waiting for the right moment, none know. [b]Personality:[/b] He is always quiet and soft spoken, rarely striking up a conversation or continuing one. He blends in with the background naturally, and his presence goes unnoticed for the most part. He cares little for the petty things in this world, the money, the greed, the life, the ideals? they?re all nothing to him. What he loved once was torn away from him in a glint of a blade, and he consummated the act of vengeance quite a while ago. He doesn?t have any goal in his life, but he just continues living holding onto the memory and ghost of the past, unwilling to let it go lest his identity fails. He lives the life of a hired assassin simply because she lived it. He has no affection for it, nor does he have any dislike. It suits him and he suits it. He takes no pleasure in the last moment of assassination as his blade slices through the skin and bones, and when the blood erupts from the wound. He is passively impassive and ruthlessly gentle. He doesn?t have anything that holds him onto his life, and should he die tomorrow, he will accept the coming of the pain followed by the bottomless pit of darkness. After all, by his definition, life ended when the news of Ahn?s death reached him. Thus, he has no reason to fear death at all. [b]Bio:[/b] It?s difficult to say where Maboroshi is from. His dialect, habits, and other factors that aid in determining the general origin of a Japanese is all too vague to provide any substantial clue to where he was born or raised. He remembers little about his early childhood. All he knows is that he was born poor, raised poor, and lived poor. He left home early on to search for a better life, surviving barely on what he could beg or scrounge up. His turn for life came when he was eleven. There was an interesting feud going on at the town he stayed in. Three local gangs each owned and operated by a noted merchant, each seeking to overthrow the two rivals and thus gain complete control of the small coastal town. There were, of course, plenty of skirmishes that broke out in the streets, and probably more that went on under the dark cover of the moonless nights. It was one of those nights when Maboroshi strayed out of his habitual bedding (which simply happened to be a corner in the alleyway), which was totally against his habits. Why he went out he doesn?t know. Perhaps it was the guidance of inevitability. Anyway, he went out, and in wandering across the town, he came across a killing. The killing was no ordinary killing, however. One of the three merchants, who, unfortunately, just happened to be returning from a trip to a nearby town (most likely to finish a business transaction) was slain before Maboroshi?s eyes. The four guards and two bearers were all dead, each lying in their respective pools of crimson blood. A slim shadowy figure was standing, holding the man by the throat. The assassin murmured a few words, and the blade struck through the neck. Maboroshi?s legs grew weak, his mouth closed quickly to prevent throwing up (not like he had much to throw up, but anyway). The assassin noticed quickly, and in a flash, was up in front of Maboroshi, the eyes blazing silently in an eerie pale manner, the blade raised high to split him in half. The blade struck down, and by luck, Maboroshi dodged to the side. The blade swung again and Maboroshi dodged again, and again. After the fourth swing, the assassin rested the blade. The eyes went calm, and a slim hand extended towards Maboroshi. ?Come with me.? Maboroshi took the offer. He was very surprised when he found out that the assassin was a woman, slim and pretty, at the age of twenty and seven. He was further surprised when he was offered to learn from her. He learned eagerly. This, after all, was the chance he had been waiting for. The female assassin, who was just called ?Ahn?, was a lone assassin, working on a single payment rather than an extended service to anyone. Unbeknownst to Maboroshi, she too was surprised with his natural talent. Despite the fact that he was severely weak (he didn?t eat for a week before the encounter), and also despite the fact that she cast Genjutsu on him, he managed to evade her blade four times. She could have killed him, but something in her induced her to take him in. Perhaps it reminded her of the son she once had, who would be the same age as Maboroshi if he lived. Maboroshi eventually grew to become fond of her as a mother and a master. Maboroshi lived with her and traveled with her far and wide, learning the ways of silence and deception. But silence and deception, once penetrated, is useless. Ahn fell before the fury of an infamous Yojimbo, or a personal guard. Despite her Genjutsu and Seijutsu, her attacks proved useless before the man who was forged harder than steel, and his furious Nagi (horizontal sweep) attack that tore apart the entire room in one blow. In one sweep her life expired as her head was torn off brutally by the giant blade, her ways of illusionary silence killed off in a split second. Maboroshi was not there when she died, as she had instructed him to secure them a room in the inn a day before. He waited for a day at the inn to see if she would return, and growing impatient, went to the mansion of the target. Ill news greeted him of a supposed assassin, and her death. Wrought with anger and sorrow, Maboroshi made a suicidal attempt to complete what Ahn failed to do and to recover her body for a proper burial. An entire legion of guards was killed off ruthlessly, and at last Maboroshi faced off against the Yojimbo who killed the one who he truly loved and admired. The battle began, and two seconds into the match, Maboroshi saw death as the same Nagi attack that annihilated Ahn came sweeping towards him. He saw death clearly in that moment, he knew that what Ahn taught him was about to fail before the Yojimbo. Here, the last talent that even Ahn failed to realize, was unlocked. Out of natural impulse to survive, Maboroshi?s body returned the exact same Nagi attack towards the approaching blade, matching it evenly. The legendary form of combat, Mojutsu, the last and strongest weapon hidden inside Maboroshi, awakened. This signified two things. First, the Yojimbo?s entire arsenal of attacks was Maboroshi?s as well. Second, the fact that the Yojimbo launched the attack first and that Maboroshi countered it and matched it evenly means that his counter copy attack is faster than the Yojimbo?s. The Yojimbo fell. The upper portion of his face was ripped off by the same Nagi attack that killed Ahn and came so close to killing Maboroshi. Maboroshi went off to complete the job (basically eliminating the primary target), and recovered Ahn?s body, which was nothing more than a pile of charred bones. He took the skull and disappeared. Since then, he spent a wandering life, keeping to the carefree way of living that he spent with Ahn. He carries only two things with him wherever he goes; Ahn?s skull, which is now covered with tar to prevent decay, and the Kotou that Ahn bought him as a celebratory gesture when he mastered her ways of art. He holds onto these two remnants of her memory frantically; it is the only thing that keeps him sure that he is who he is. Oda?s assassination, to him, is nothing more than a passing phase, another person to eliminate to earn his daily bread.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I'm about to make a completely random, and possibly pointless point. I was browsing through the last couple of episodes on Evangelion during my Spring Vacation (which, sadly, is about to end), and I noticed something about the last three angels, excluding human kind. I'm talking about Arael, Armisael, and Kaworu (or Tabris). Now. Notice something about them? Or rather, let me put it this way. Put them all together. What do you get? Arael is a wing. Armisael is the circular halo. Tabris is the human body. Now let's add them all up. You get the typical image of a normal angel. A wing, that golden circle-ish crown on the head, and a human body. Not to mention that these 'parts' of a typical angel are the ones that [spoiler]each tried to hold a contact with the Eva pilots. Arael invaded Asuka's mind. Armisael tried to unite with Rei. Kaworu approached Shinji with love.[/spoiler] If that little discovery of mine was already thought of, I'll probably just be embarassed and delete this post.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy][b]OOC:[/b] As promised, I'm casting myself into the ring. [b]Name:[/b] Metatron [b]Other Names:[/b] Itmon, Batsran, Mitspad, Estes, Giatyah, Ozah (Uzah), Uvayah, Eved, Galiel, Mivon, Sktas, Zerahyahu, etc. [I]Translation:[/I] [i]Metathronos (Greek):[/i] Meta - Next to, after Thronos - Throne ?The one who occupies the throne next to (after) the divine throne? [b]Race:[/b] Archangel [b]Age:[/b] 8,500 yrs. [b]Title:[/b] The Supreme Angel of Death, The Angel of Presence [b]Ability:[/b] [b]Immunity:[/b] Dealing with death, or rather, to be in charge of death for a couple of millennia does have a strange effect on a being. After all, all negative spells or wicked crafts inevitably lead to the cause of death. So then, if a being is in a constant relation with death, what are those harmful spells to him? Absolutely nothing. Metatron, put simply, cannot be the target of any harmful negative spell, whether it be a direct damaging spell or some form of curse. [b]Catharsis:[/b] By summoning the Light of the High Heavens, Metatron is able to incinerate the denizens of the underworld of Hell. Conversely, the same light is capable of healing those within the heavenly alliance, saturating their body and spirit with the Light of Life. A damaging spell and healing spell all in one, Catharsis is the chief magic employed by Metatron in battle. [b]Death and Decay:[/b] Despite his Archangelic status, Metatron still is the Supreme Angel of Death. As such, his ultimate spell utilizes his dominion over the area. By evoking his full mastery over Death, Metatron is able to create a vortex of decadence that slowly saps the life out of any creature, mortal or immortal that is caught within its reach. Should the opponent be foolish enough to stay within the spell?s range for its full duration, death will inevitably be the result. [b]Weapon:[/b] [b]Gotterdammerang Rune Blade:[/b] An ancient blade that has been in existence since the creation of Earth, it has been rumored that the blade has been crafted from the primal energy that took existence before all else, a source of energy that has been the beginning for all life that exists today, mortal, immortal, angelic, and demonic. This form of energy is the purest that can be achieved, and as such, is destructively powerful. Though it is coveted by many heavenly and hellish beings for its rarity and power, none have dared attempt to contain its awesome might for fear of their lives. The only artifact that has contained the primal energy effectively to date is this blade. The blade appears to be nothing more than a large piece of crystal carved into the shape of a sword, though as the mortals say, ?Do not judge a book by its cover?. [b]Appearance:[/b] In his human form, Metatron prefers to take the appearance of a child. He has a special liking for children, especially those with a spiritual gift, and enjoys their company. In his angelic form, he is a bright, radiant figure with thirty-six pairs of wings and innumerable eyes. His exact appearance in his angelic form cannot be accurately described due to the harsh radiance, not to mention the fact that the many descriptions attributed to him in the scriptures tend to be in conflict with each other. [b]Personality:[/b] Somewhat on the reserved and quiet side, Metatron rarely leaves his sanctum located in the High Heavens. He does not have any liking for the blood of battle, but will take up his blade to smite out his wrath should there be a necessary need to do so. His authority as an Archangel does not make him arrogant in the least; his favorite pastime is mingling with the mortal children. Despite his affability towards mortal children, he falters not when he is ordered to take away a soul, even if that soul is one of his earthly companions. He is, in most cases, calm and composed, though in the heat of battle he undergoes a rather drastic change in nature. [b]Bio:[/b] Metatron, along with his twin brother Sandalphon, is one of the two in the hierarchy of the Archangels whose name does not end in the suffix of ?el?. Incidentally, he and his brother are the only ones in the archangelic order that were once a human. In mortal life, Metatron went by the name of Enoch, a prophet and a scribe. However, he was given ?The Book of the Angel Raziel?, which explained the celestial order as well as the history of creation. For this reason, he was taken up to the Heavens after his death, and was transformed into the being he is today. His brother, whose original name was Elijah, became Sandalphon, the Archangel of Birth. Such is the mortal history behind Metatron. In the Heavens, Metatron was given an occupation similar to what he had on earth. He is a celestial scribe who keeps the record of all the occurrences in the Heavens, the mortal world, and recently, Hell. As such, he has a fairly good knowledge of what goes on in the entire universe. He penned the birth of the two sons Marcus and Lucas, as well as the apparent conflict that ensued after the succession of Marcus. He cares little to be honest, and recorded the matter accordingly when Fate assigned Marcus into the Angelic Order. Again, Metatron cares little about Marcus. Simply another angel amongst the multitude. But with the denizens of Hell growing unruly yearly, as well as the inevitable clash of Heaven against Hell involving the two brothers, Metatron may have to drop his pen and take up his blade. In ages past, there are one or two records that indicate that Metatron did indeed make use of his mystical blade. One such account tells of a quarrel that nearly rose to a civil war in the Heavens, caused by a pack of rogue fallen angels sent by the demon Lucifer. The records state that Metatron appeared before the fallen ones and summoned his blade from the deep sanctums of the Heavens. What followed was complete annihilation of the former agents of God. Though an angel is supposedly unable to kill one of its kind, Metatron defied the law completely. The fallen ones were not damned to the pits of hell, not punished with God?s wrath, but obliterated, simply wiped out of existence. Though he has not taken up the blade since, the legend of his feat still remains, making his presence both respected and feared. [/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Ahh duel masters... I recall reading it when it first came out on the Koro Koro comic (a monthly manga magazine). I think the whole idea of bringing it into the U.S. is stupid. The manga itself was only for promoting Magic: The Gathering in Japan. Nothing more. Bringing it over in the U.S. where Magic started seems a bit pointless to me. I'm not too sure on how the whole game of duel masters is because I quit reading the magazine shortly before the characters stopped dueling with MTG.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Eh... I suppose I might as well jump on the band wagon and say 'welcome back', 'where have you been', 'how the hell are you' and the like. But firstly, start posting in the adventure arena. It's boring over there these days. Oh yes, and Arika is a liar. Good to have you back. Don't you dare leave us again. (Do so, and I will make it my personal business to drag you back kicking and screaming)[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]My favorite quote is the unsaid quote that leaves much room for speculation and debate. It's from the [i]End of Evangelion[/i], right before [spoiler]Ritsuko is shot by Gendo. It is her final word, but what really leaves us to think is what Gendo said shortly before she is shot.[/spoiler] Gendo: "Ritsuko Akagi, I truly... (Gendo's lips move, but you can't hear him.) Ritsuko (surprised, but then smiles): ... Liar... [spoiler](Gendo shoots Ritsuko, who falls back into the pool of LCL before a ghostly Rei.)[/spoiler] That is my favorite quote out of all the animes I saw thus far.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I admire a person who sticks with one thing and sees through whatever he/she may start. Even if what they may believe in happens to be incorrect, seeing through something to the very end, or to stick to one path is something that very few people can do today. So consistency, perseverence, endurance, and all that ranks the highest in my opinion.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]It's funny when people say Kimchee, octopus, squid, and other Asian oriented food is unusual. I'm too accustomed to seeing them (and occasionally gutting them) that the shock wears off. I personally love the octopus, squid, kimchee, natto, konyaku and such. The best way to eat an octopus is basically tearing apart a live one, putting some Kochujyang (Korean hot paste) on it, and eating it raw/alive. They're still semi-alive so the suction cups stick in your mouth for quite a while. Most unusual food I've eaten probably will be... Inago no Tsukudani, or... pickled (not too sure) locusts. They're black because it's soaked in some kind of liquid for some time, and is pretty sticky. I ate it over rice, and it wasn't too bad.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I never saw the series, but I possess all the 6 mangas that are out at the moment. The enemies are Nazis. Remnants of the Nazis out to create their own private army of undead, or the Letzt Battalion and rule the world. There are quite a few characters that are not in the anime, I believe. Yumiko/Yumie, Tobalcain, Vervolves, Ripvanwinkle, etc. Great manga, but very gory. Every battle seems to be followed inevitably by some sort of blood bath and/or vampiric feeding. No objections to that. My current favorite is Rev. Alexander Anderson. The last manga was particularly awesome with [spoiler]him leading a legion of the Iscariots and facing off against the Nazi undead[/spoiler].[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Come on you all... remember Studio Ghibli? Princess Mononoke? Grave of the Fireflies? Spirited Away? My favorite goes to them. Though all the other studios have done a fantastic job in creating anime, what is most recognized in Japan, and what receives the most publicity is Studio Ghibli for every movie they produce. As such, expectations are high and they usually are up to par with the expectations. I find their storys very dynamic, adventurous, but also comforting. There are plenty of their works that have not come to the U.S., and there are some that came over but have been horribly dubbed ('Laputa, the castle in the sky' comes to mind...). My favorites are: Pocco Rosso (The Crimson Pig) Whispers of the Heart Grave of the Fireflies My neighbor Totoro All very heartwarming indeed. Not to mention that their soundtracks (excluding Nausicaa of the Wind Valeey) are all fantastic. I personally love the theme song for 'On your mark'. Chage & Aska have such outstanding voices.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Astro Boy... Heh... I never got used to that American version of the name. They call it "Tetsuwan Atom" in Japan. 'Tetsuwan' means Iron Arm, and 'Atom' is the name of the main character. I think he was Tezuka Osamu's first major and probably the most well known character in all his creation. We see Tezuka's picture, we picture Atom. We see Atom, we picture Tezuka. But anyway, for the series itself... I don't recommend people to watch it. As Semjaza noted, a good deal of content is lost in the process of a remake, and unless you happen to be a die-hard Tezuka fan, you'll probably become bored with the storyline quickly. It's mostly going to be Atom beating up on big bad guys with his super robot strength. The may have put in some drama to fit the current times, but I would rather shoot for a different modern anime for drama instead of Astro Boy. Hopefully, they will far exceed my expectations (and also overturn my opinions here) and make it into something spectacular. [/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Online... I basically believe that the whole internet system is a network of lies, deceit, exaggerations, and everything but the solid truth, so it's hard to pinpoint my social standing simply because I don't really trust the statement people make about themselves online (more so when they begin pushing the boundary of common sense). These days, I find myself wondering alot about the validity of the actions that are listed in the online blogs of online 'friends'. Thus, little friends (if, indeed they can be called 'friends') and I'm in a closed circle. I just talk to whoever has the audacity to IM me and interest me... Offline, on the other hand... there's more room to validate whatever claim people make about themselves. There's the facial expression, tone of voice, body language, etc. I do have a fair number of friends offline, but I'm not flexible at all. I'd rather stick with one group rather than traverse through the different social classes and adapt to each one in turn. Besides, I've always had some dislike for the 'populars'. Best to stick with the outcasts. [/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]Ick... anime songs converted into English are usually bad... I have the entire collection of Inuyasha songs, and I see a lot of lyrics in it that's going to be difficult to translate. Sure, there's always the literal translation, word for word. But the subtle meanings and nuances that's there due to careful coordination of the words and phrases will be difficult to mimic in a different language, especially considering the stark differences between English and Japanese. Back to Inuyasha, I do like the song 'Change the World' (though it's like... four years ago), but I prefer 'Fukai Mori' by [i]Do as Infinity[/i]. I like the guitar intro (I just like guitars in general), but I like the lyrics best of all. There's that hopeful outlook for the future, but the touch of doubt and despair. My favorite line is the ending: "Tachisukumu Koemo naku Ikiteiku Eienni", which (according to my not so accurate translation skills), means "I stand/cower, voiceless. I will live forever."[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]The only factor that really decides the matter for me is how violent each side is. Or how sadistic they are. Or if they use swords, blades, etc... sharp shiny objects of the nature. In most cases, this tends to lean more on the side of evil, so I usually prefer villains over the do-gooders. There are exceptions, of course. Hell Sing has a nice, violent vampire as the good side, and also a blade wielding priest on the semi-good side, so i would prefer the do-gooders over the villians in this case. Cowboy Bebop, on the other hand, has Vicious as the villian so I would lean towards evil. Case by case as someone mentioned.[/size][/color]

[color=navy][size=1] [QUOTE]We get a Korean newspaper, so I don't see how closer to the source you can get...[/quote] But does it say what we have in Japan? As close as the Korean newspaper might come to the Korean source, its still only about one side, Korea. [quote]You can watching friggin' live drama shows on the cell phones in Korea..it's like a mini-television.[/quote] My cousin in Japan also watches drama shows on her cell phone. Live. [quote]Last I checked, Korea was exceding Japan. [/quote] You wish. :p Korea and Japan has always been in strife of 'we are better than you' 'no we are better than you' kind of thing. The same old Japan vs. Korea (or Korea vs. Japan if you become picky on the order) rivalry. I think the text messaging professors in class is an excellent idea. The atmosphere in the class room is usually centered around the lecture of the professor, and thus is usually a bit awkward for a student to interfere in the middle of the lecture to ask a question. Using a cell phone eliminates being held up in the spot light, so you can ask what you want to ask without any fear of being ridiculed. There is always the fear of asking a 'stupid' question no matter what teachers say about 'there are no stupid questions'. Sadly, some people become too attached/addicted to their cell phones that they committ suicide when they lose/break it. Other than that, most of the stuff on the article is old news. [/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]I don't recall ever using anime for any school assignment. I guess anime was too close and too common to me that I never even thought of it as a topic or alternative that could be used for school work. Besides, if I had to do an essay on how Japanese culture influence the U.S. or what not, I could always pull up other sources without depending on anime. Anime, if I ever use it, would probably be the last resort.[/size][/color]

[size=1][color=navy]OOC: Took me forever due to procrastination, occasional computer crashes, cat going berzerk and what not, but here I am. [i] [b]Name:[/b] Maboroshi Rikaku Vas’Naurnae (The Verifier of Illusions) [b]Age:[/b] 731 [b]Race:[/b] Drow Mutant [b]Class:[/b] Faith Guard [b]Weapon: Rensatou:[/b] A blade designed to be deadly in any situation, ranged or melee. The weapon consists of two kodachi blades linked by a long chain at the end of the hilt. The fact that kodachi blades are light gives it high defensive capabilities, more so because of there being two. The chain connecting the two blades allows the kodachis to be thrown and retrieved, as well as being used to entangle and disable the opponent. [b]Spells:[/b] [b]Aiki:[/b] The source of every magic lies within oneself, or the mana. Though most anti-magic spells center around destroying or disabling the opponent’s mana pool, ‘Aiki’ is unique in the aspect that instead of approaching it with hostile intent, it accepts the flow of the magic. By opening oneself to the opponent’s source of mana, Maboroshi is able to regulate the flow of the mana through the opponent’s body. Though this skill can only be maintained through physical contact, it prevents any spell from being cast, as well as disrupting the harmony between the mind and the body. [b]Mo:[/b] A specialty of Maboroshi used in combination with Aiki. When the Aiki contact occurs, Maboroshi is able to gaze into the variety of spells the opponent possesses and copy them. If the contact is sustained long enough, even the most difficult spells buried within the opponent’s arsenal is at his command. From the multitude of spells that he ‘stole’ from his past opponents, Maboroshi has kept a select few for himself. His original spells only consist of Aiki and Mo, but there are much more up his sleeves. [b]Personality:[/b] An absolute believer who never falters, nor will compromise. A fight started must be fought to the bitter end and won. To him, the only option present at the end of the ravaging blades and the sparks of magic is victory. Despite his obsession for victory, he is calm in all manners, careful to avoid conflict where needed, and will not participate in quarrel without good reason. In a battle, however, he exceeds all his clan members in violence. His manner of violence is that which underwent a catharsis, the result an absolutely pure form of violence. Petty politics, emotions, or situations do not sway it. A raging storm that, once unleashed, wreaks havoc to all around it with impartial fury. [b]Description:[/b][url] http://www.animecowboy.com/gallery/Cowboy_Bebop/Vicious/VIC11.JPG[/url] [b]Bio:[/b] Maboroshi was born a mutant into the clan. Or, in truth, it’s highly doubtful if he even is a full Drow. His agility and sensitivity far exceeds that of an ordinary Drow, and the select few who know of his existence suspect that he has some arachnid blood within him. Nonetheless, he was trained from his earlier years by the former council of faith guards to protect and serve the Vas’Naurnae faith, as well as disposing of any foreign element of religion that threatened to taint the clan. Despite his youth in comparison to his peers, Maboroshi time and again surprised his instructors with his speed and perceptiveness. Over time, the dormant power within him, the power to manipulate the mana of others, slowly began to form and stabilize. Great was the joy of the council members when they found out about this gift. However, his body’s strength and endurance began to rapidly deteriorate, running inversely to the development of his mutation. His speed and cunning remained, and combined with his new ability, it served him much better than his former brute strength and endurance. Currently, Maboroshi is the third captain of the five divisions of Faith Guards that are scattered about the Vas’Naurnae’s underground policing system. His division concentrates on eradicating foreign sorcerers and mages, a position that seemed to fit Maboroshi the best considering his physical weakness. To support him, he raises his own horde of driders, both to serve as his bodyguard against physical assaults, as well as a form of transportation over long distances. He keeps a fair amount of potion on him as well, to sustain him when he enters his raging form.[/color][/size][/i] [color=navy][size=1][i]The blood trickled down in small droplets at first, but in a matter of moments, turned into a sick crimson cascade. Driders scattered apart, then quickly closed in on the body impaled upon the wall. Grotesque crunching sounds of bones being shattered, ripping of flesh off the bones, and the last, agonized cry ensued, before the cry was smothered under the carnivorous mass of arachnids. Maboroshi stood idly by, keeping his stare away from the feast out of pure respect for his underlings. The sounds behind him died down, and after waiting for a moment to be sure, Maboroshi turned around. The only remains of the poor guard was the red blotch of blood left on the wall, which was quite common in Vas'Naurnae territory. Maboroshi yawned slightly for a moment, then pulled back lightly on his chain. The katana that was impaling the poor fool to the wall dislodged itself, and flew back towards him. Maboroshi catched the blade, then twirled it idly. His gaze went up the wall, and fixed on the small horde of driders perched about a half way up. They were rustling restlessly, waiting for the next meal to be fed. Maboroshi smiled up at them, then his eyes trailed off to the side at the two cowering figures. Two missionaries. One mercenary sent to be their guard. The guard, currently resting in little bits of flesh and bones within the pack of driders waiting patiently. Maboroshi walked up to the two casually, then bent down and put his face close to theirs. Instinctively, they recoiled, trying to keep their distance. Maboroshi snickered, then stood up. His gaze returned to his underlings, and he hissed softly. A chorus of hissing and clicking erupted from the driders, and the pack rustled hungrily. "Why not then?" Maboroshi raised his hand slightly in the air, then with a smirk, brought it down towards the two missionaries. On cue, the driders homed in quickly on the meal, and again the terrified screams were quickly drowned out by the cannibalistic sound of flesh and bones alike torn and ripped apart. Maboroshi turned around, and walked out of the alley. A shady cloaked figure was waiting right outside the alley, hovering an inch or two off the ground. "Done?" "Yes, done." "Need we clean it up?" "No, not really. Their bodies are already being taken care of." "Being assigned as a clean up for your division is such an easy job..." "Heh..." The shadey figure shivered for a moment, then his entire being seemed to be sucked in towards the center of his body. Maboroshi, too, shivered, then followed suit, leaving thin air behind. The ravenous sound died down, and a quiet scattered sound was heard. A blotch of blood on the wall, and a rather large blot of blood on the corner, was all that was left.[/size][/color][/i]

[size=1][color=olive]OOC: I was considering going 'poof' from OB, but I might as well do some posting. I'm sick, I'm in a bad mood, and I'm currently in school. *sniff* I'll try to post now and then, but other than that, I'll be temporarily off OB. [i]"Omoshirokunai. (Not interesting.)" Gen was pacing in a darkened room, on what appeared to be a small stage. A podium and a microphone stood a few steps away from him, but he seemed to pay no attention to it or have any need for it. When one's eyes became used to the dim lighting, it was evident that there were roughly a dozen or so soldiers, all with a glistening silver badge attached to their uniform - a sign of Une's elite squadron. A slight rustle of murmurs went through the room as Gen spoke the words calmly, quietly. "Zen zen omoshirokunai. (Not interesting at all.)" Gen stopped abruptly, and the slight murmurs stopped suddenly as well. All eyes were on the young pilot, or at this moment, the commander, and to incur his wrath matched the fiery pits of hell itself. After all, he did pilot Hell Fire. Gen slowly lifted his gaze to the wall, then his eyes slipped into a blank state, as if in a trance. His blank stare slid across the room, and the entire room relaxed a bit. "You." His voice dropped an octave lower, and his stare quickly switched back to the silent, piercing gaze he had a moment ago. His glare radiated upon an unfortunate soul, the leader of the squadron. The squadron leader flinched as if something was thrown against his face, then struggled to recompose himself. A slight shuffle was heard as the rest of the soldiers uneasily distanced themselves from their leader. Gen held up one hand lightly, and waved it slowly. "As I recall, this squadron of yours... is supposed to be the elite squadron of Fuir Une... hmm?" The soldiers shivered, and the gap widened. "Ye- yes sir." was the feeble reply. "Then, logic dictates that such a squadron should, at the very least, be capable of destroying a gundam or two... correct?" "I, I believe so, sir." "You have failed miserably then soldier. You are dismissed." The squadron leader flinched again, and looked at Gen questioningly. A cold gaze met his, and he shrank back from the pilot before him. A glance around the room told him that he was alone in this. His comrades, no, his former comrades didn't match his eyes. His shoulders dropped out of shame, then he bowed quickly before turning around to exit the room. A little click was heard, followed by another rustle of murmurs and shivers, simultaneous with the sudden crack of the gun, followed by the thud of the body. "Failure is not tolerated." Gen smiled softly, then with the small pistol in hand, looked at the 11 remaining soldiers. They were absolutely silent. "Gentlemen... do you know of a book called 'And then there were none'?" A small laugh echoed again.[/size][/color][/i]

[size=1][color=olive][i]A green square flitted across the screen. A red square, entering from the opposite side, also made its way to the middle, to join its counter part. A triangular shape was shifting in the middle, as the two squares slowly closed in on it. The moment the two squares were locked, Gen's thin fingers clasped the controls just slightly. The simulation screen displayed the mock Mobile Suits lose its course, then lost in the haze of smoke and flame. Of course, nothing real. All a figment of virtual reality. "Next." This time, the squares were gone, as were the triangle. Only the bold image of a cluster of Mobile Suits closing in on his screen was visible. The training program of aiming with the naked eye. Laughable. With another clasp and twitch of his fingers, the distance between himself and the Mobile Suits opened considerably, shortly followed by orange spurts of bullets tearing at the pursuing MS from the right hand corner of the screen. A blaze filled the screen again, a bit larger than the one prior. "Last one." Again the visual screen, but this time with a dot far off in the distance, barely recognizable by unaided eye. A few clicks, and a zoomed up figure of the MS with a large sniper rifle pointing in his direction. "You have ten seconds before the MS fires major." A few quick clatters were heard as Gen adjusted his controls, then a groan as a sniper rifle, an exact replica of the one that was stolen a few hours ago, was hoisted onto the shoulder, the gun point concentrated on the miniscule dot far ahead. A mask stretched out from behind Gen, and covered his upper face. Again, the flickering squares came up, slowly closing in on the triangle. "Seven seconds major." The square lazily moved across the screen. "Five." Almost there. Gen gripped his controls loosely in his hands, raising his elbows slightly, delicately. "Three... two...." The squares crisscrossed each other faintly but quickly, and Gen, with a slight smirke playing on his lips, pulled the trigger, bringing his elbows down as he did so. A beam of yellow light pierced the blue background and the distant dot expanded in a burst of yellow before disappearing altogether. "Well done major." The entire chamber in which he was situated hummed for a moment, then faded into darkness. Gen cracked his knuckles slightly, then stretched back. Not that he needed it, but his superiors insisted on him having a full training session with the upgraded Hell Fire. They claimed he was too 'rough' on it. Bull Shit. Nonetheless, his aiming, as far as he could tell, was impeccable. Wasn't that all he needed? His train of thought derailed as the door to the side opened, a thick shaft of light filling the room. Gen smirked, and slowly stood up, then left the room. [/size][/color][/i]