RicoTranzrig

[COLOR=darkblue][i]They lay on the couch for what seemed to be a long time. They had confided their souls in one another and they were, in essence, one. Whatever happened from that point on, they were inseperable. Like salt and water, only the light could seperate them and the light didn't shine yet. Even then, in time, the darkness would settle over and rain, then they would be together again.[/i] Rico: After this is all over, would you care to join me in a classic ritual? Valeigh: What would that be? Rico: Eternal courtship... [i]Before she could give a response, the wall near them slid out, revealing the door to Harlequin and Spyder's room...[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue]Rico: But I sure hope everyone out there finds love for someone, or something. Valeigh: Why? Rico: It's made everything better in my life and I'm sure it has in yours. We struggle for a lot of things, but at the end of the day, is it all worth it if we don't have anyone to share with? Valeigh: I guess not...but if we're on our own, then it's better if we're together. I don't like being alone...living for nothing. Rico: I used to live for my neighbor where we lived, but he died and I was left alone. Valeigh: I'm sorry to hear that. Rico: Like you said, these things happen and we can't stop from dying...well with a few exceptions. Valeigh: *wink* Rico: Still, some part of us decays inside and it hurts us. The least we can do is take our mind off that pain. Valeigh: I understand...even though I don't really know the concepts that you've grasped in your time alone, I think I might come to know it in time. Rico: I don't really have much, and I'm still thinking it through, but I know something exists in our emotions that banishes evil and horrible things.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico let out a breath through his nose. He had no idea on what he was going up against with his words, but if he was a causer of harm, then he felt it was right turning to the only other force he knew and longed for deeply inside him. He felt there was someone else holding them together. Ever since Rico felt this way, the brighter side of everything begain to unveil in front of him. Questions and thought ran through his mind again. What if others experienced this? When they experience love, they feel something greater is in their presence... Even though his words were not complete, even if it is more than he had come to know. Love meant so many different things to him, he couldn't wholly grasp the concept. Suffering can't destroy love, it was an act of faith that love was stronger than even death and nightmares. Faith based on the experiences they endured through together...and seeing absolute beauty in that.[/i] Rico: Do you think there's an opposite to Ochkik Haddah? Someone who cares and doesn't have the tendency to do evil? [/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i][/i] Valeigh: You make things bearable; I won't be able to be taken against my will anymore. Rico: The Ochkik Haddah... Valeigh: He won't take me again. Ever. Rico: I'm starting to think that pyramind head person didn't bound you to me. Valeigh: He said he has, but he can be deceptive. Rico: He's far from abducting you. I think this is the miracle of our own hearts. Valeigh: That's a thought. Rico: There's no real point in tracing it to an unreliable being. He cowers, hides constantly, and strikes the most vulnerable. The one without strength. [i]Valeigh thought about Rico's words and questions began to drift through her mind. Was she strong? Did she have strength before? Was she...loved?[/i] Valeigh: They took me before because I wasn't strong. I was not bound to anything to keep me from being kidnapped and hurt. Rico: Don't worry...whatever's still bothering you will leave you alone in time. If he claims that he has the power to bind and unbind us, then you rely on him and you'll let go of me. If you have faith that we are bound by love and nothing else, then you rely on a force that gives us peace and creates beauty all around us. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]He reciprocated by leaning forward and hugging her warmly, choosing not to kiss her. The damage was surfacing and he was making it comfortable for her if that hurt inside escaped from the confines of her mind.[/i] Rico: I have you, and you're safe with me. [i]Tears began to form at the bottom of Valeigh's eyes.[/i] Valeigh: I know...I can feel it everytime you're near me. I love it when you care for me because it hurts so much. It seems like you have it all together while I barely have a grasp on anything at all. I would lose myself if I didn't have anyone holding me because of me, nothing else. Rico: I do this because I feel something everytime I'm near you, when I hear your breath or voice. I know you're around and I know that you like being with me when you look for me in battle so we can fight side by side. Everything that you do tells me that you love me. We guided each other to this place. Without each other, we would be lost, we wouldn't have a light or bounded hearts. We might still have a long way to go, but I won't break my hold for anyone execept you.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]The fire still burned strong in front of them. They held each other, no longer cold, and stared into each other's eyes.[/i] Rico: Don't worry, whatever happens, you don't have to face it alone again. Valeigh: That means a lot to me. [i]Rico sat up and stood. He walked behind the couch with Valeigh staring at him. He pulled the curtains of the window open to see that dawn had come again.[/i] Rico: It's been a long time that we've been here already, yet it didn't feel like it. Valeigh: Mmmhmm... [i]He looked below at the courtyard and saw two hooded figures walking around, holding their staffs.[/i] Rico: Lightbearers? [i]Valeigh leaped from the couch and joined Rico's side. She saw them too, stalking the front gate.[/i] Valeigh: The new Sellum might have something to do with our safety. Rico: Do you think she has them under control? Valeigh: Perhaps...but as long as we're not being harmed, I have no problem with that. [i]They shut the curtains and sat back down. Rico held Valeigh in his arms again, this time, brushing his cheek against hers and kissing the sides of her lips. She responded by turning her head slightly and kissing him. As groggy and disoriented as they were from sleeping, they enjoyed it and they held the kiss for quite some time.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico was careful not to touch her hair but he continued to explore her body from the outside. Even though she was wearing a layer of clothing, protecting her skin, her mind unraveled at the thought of him running through her body. They had no other option in their minds besides to be joined in all ways.[/i] Valeigh: Rico? Do you love me? Rico: I do. I've had time to think and there is no one else I would want to spend the rest of my life with other than you. [i]They sat, caressing each other by the fire, waiting for Harlequin and Spyder to come forth...and they had all the time to wait for the next occurance of events.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico grunted when he hit the wall, then smiled and walked right behind her and placed his head on her shoulder.[/i] Valeigh: Yes? Rico: Do you know when we have to meet them again? Valeigh: Well, whenever they call us. I guess. So in the meantime, we can do whatever we want. Rico: Wanna explore around? Valeigh: Not far though...I don't really feel like walking after what we've been through. Rico: Okay... [i]Rico opened the door for Valeigh and they stepped back outside into the foyer. The door leading to Harlequin and Spyder's room was now hidden so they went on to explore the main floor. It was gloomy and dimly lit by their flame, but it sufficed. Luxury lined the entrance, rugs were clean and detailed, wood had a polished look to it. It was as if the castle had never been abandoned at all. They found a fireplace with fresh wood. As they neared it, Rico crouched and looked around for matches. Valeigh looked up on the shelf above Rico and found a book of them laying there. She picked it up and bent down behind Rico, pressing her chest against his back, and held the matches in front of him.[/i] Rico: Thanks. [i]He took the book of matches, but Valeigh never left his side. He tore a stick off and slid it across the rough strip on the back. He threw the match in and the fire started slowly. Rico stood up, Valeigh matched his movement. Rico turned around and hugged her with eyes closed.[/i] [/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]The warmth of the water encouraged his senses, ceasing his minor shaking. They were both kissing each other with closed lips. Valeigh parted slightly and Rico followed, opening their mouths wide. He could feel her teeth when he pressed slighly harder into her. The insides of her mouth felt incredibly smooth and comforting and that started something inside him that he never truly experienced. Lust...intertwined with love was what both of them felt. They barely noticed their actions were stirring the water past the boundaries of the porcelin and onto the tile. Their bodies became alive with energy, and the light they once had turned into a wild flame that almost boiled them alive. More than half of the water was on the floor or in the air before they settled down. Rico lay flat in the water, the peak barely covering his hands. He was breathing deeply as Valeigh lay on top of him, holding his shoulders and resting her head on his chest. He held her close across her chest and and brought her up face to face.[/i] Rico: The wolves know about this huh? Valeigh: We'll worry later... [i]A spike of energy came over her. She darted for the side of his neck and used her lips to pinch his skin sharply, then she lifted her head and continued to kiss him. Her tounge darted all over, eventually finding home inside his mouth. They fell passionately for hours until the candles beside them began to flicker and the only light that stayed strong was the one they created in their heat.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Oh well, Rico was shy about it, but he didn't mind getting his body clean and his mind relaxed at the same time.[/i] Rico: Okay. [i]His heart began to pound slightly as he removed his padded jacket and boots.[/i] Valeigh: C'mon...you're taking a bath...you don't take baths with your shirt and pants on do you? [i]He closed his eyes and removed his shirt, then pants, leaving his body exposed. He opened his eyes to see Valeigh leaned over on the edge with her hair wet. Strings of light steam came off her skin and out of the tub, making everything moist. Her breasts were concealed as she rested her on the edge porcelin with her arms crossed. He closed the door and looked around. The room was huge and the tub occupied a good amount of space inside, just enough for two people. Valeigh sat up and extended her arms, water dripping on the floor. [/i] Valeigh: Join me. [i]Rico briskly walked over. He was shaking of the cold. Valeigh slid back with her front body facing him, allowing him more room. He slipped in and his body froze for a split-second. He opened his eyes again and found himself laying beside his love. They embraced.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico smiled and looked around coyly.[/i] Rico: It's very rare to get this much luxury...even a bath is hard to come by. Valeigh: I'll take this opportunity. You should too... [i]She paused for a few seconds, holding the sides of her shirt.[/i] Valeigh: Yeah. You should. [i]She thought on whether or not she would let anything happen during her vulnerable time in hot water. In other words, she was deciding on whether or not to leave the door open. Rico caught on and he felt a heaviness on his chest.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico and Valeigh looked at Spyder with a confused look.[/i] Rico: I don't seem to understand, the essence of the leader inhabits you or did you drag his being out of the liberating depths of hell and chained him again to this world. Spyder: I prefer to think the latter. Valeigh: I hope this doesn't produce any negative consequences. Harlequin: Don't worry, we won't hurt you two...just as long as you find another suitable room for the time being and leave us in peace when it is neccesary. Spyder: You'll find the closest room not too far from here...there's thousands to pick so be at home.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue]Yes, a lot of us have: [URL=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=13377&highlight=xenogears]Refer Here[/URL] to see what a lot of us think since there seems to be a lot of threads about it already. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]They kept walking along the same hall for what seemed to be an endless corridor. Ancient paintings and petroglyphs lined the walls showing many different images of animals and people. Each of the human figure held a type of crude weapon and an animal passed by, a passive display. As they continued walking, the same animals and humans were shown in a gruesome display, humans killing animals, animals killing humans. One showed a human wearing a bird mask holding a spear. A bull lay in the distance, dismembered with the other spear laying beside it. A few minutes later, those images turned into humans killing humans. Depictions of masochistic rituals lined the walls. As opposed to the previous paintings, these ones were recent. Highly detailed and done in a realistic fashion, it seemed to depict the last two centuries with the destruction of cities and the upbringing of the lightbearers. A man being set on fire by a figure wearing a white coat, holding the flame. The figure seemed to be bleeding, blue blood poked through his clothing. The man on fire was kneeling as if he were asking for it...[/i] Valeigh: Tch, I'm not like this... Rico: Probably a propaganda thing for people who entered this place. Maybe it was a lightbearer's centeral gathering place. Valeigh: The last time we encountered them was with the Ochkik Haddah skewering me in front of you. [i]Rico looked behind her head and saw the very same image.[/i] Rico: Turn around. [i]She followed and saw the scene that they experienced some nights before.[/i] Valeigh: Someone's been here... Rico: *sigh* We'll worry about it later. The exit's right up ahead of us. Valeigh: Good...I get really agitated in closed spaces. [i]Their light approached the door. On the top half of the frame was a photo-realistic picture of them holding hands, in dark clothing, with the light beaming on the doorknob they touched. They knew that the longer they stayed inside, the longer the hallway was going to be. So they opened the door and entered the foyer...the subtle music of a piano caught both of their attention. It sounded mysterious a tune they never heard before.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]As they passed through the threshold, their clothing changed from the tough outer clothing they wore into dark, zipped, black leather, loosely fitted. They looked at themselves and shrugged.[/i] Rico: What? Valeigh: I think someone is giving us the proper clothing before we meet our hosts. Rico: It feels strange. I've never worn this kind of material. It's heavy, but tough. Valeigh: You'll get used to it...they hurt me a lot with whips of the same making. [i]Rico moved around a little and noticed a weak spot of his leather vest on the left side of his chest. He ran his hand through it.[/i] Rico: Can I check your clothes? [i]She stopped.[/i] Valeigh: Sure. [i]Rico turned her around and pushed her against the wall with a slight hunger. He hugged her and felt around her back for any places where the padding seemed to be absent. Nothing... He moved his hands up on her shoulderblades, rubbing them, then her neck muscles, there was nothing, and she sighed. Then he was sure it was in the same place as his. He moved down and started massaging her chest, then her breasts...the weak point was there on her right.[/i] Valeigh: Mmmhmm... Rico: It's strange...I wonder why it's designed this way, our hearts are exposed. Valeigh: I don't think we will be getting into very many battle situations in this place. I don't feel any other presence. Rico: How about the other three? Valeigh: They're still too far away from us...the wolves tell their essence of love came from the back of this fortress, on the very top of the second tower. Rico: Traps? Valeigh: ...I'm wary of that...it could happen. Rico: ... Valeigh: But I don't think if one of us dies, the other will fade...no...that could be wrong. Rico: Hmm...maybe you're right. When I got lost in the darkness...you were still there in the natural world...but concealed from everything. Valeigh: One of us can revive the other, but...try hard not to get killed if there happens to be anything up ahead. Be careful, love. Rico: I will... [i]As they continued onwards, deeper into the long hallway. The lack of windows made the door the only source of light. They held hands and the bright light shined their way. The intensity of the light pierced the walls and gave it a near-transparency. They looked around...Valeigh used her keen vision to see ahead...there was no deception and it was safe to pass.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Light began to streak through around him and he could feel the soft touch of someone familiar. He could hear their flesh press deeply against each others. He closed his eyes and he could see the light poking through. He opened them and saw her eyes, face blue. She was kneeling by him once again and her arms were on his shoulders. She could hear her breath closely, feeling her warmth. He embraced her gently, then harder. Both stood in the center of the courtyard where one of the beams of light fell upon. There was a garden, alive and taken care of. Water passed by around them; the door that they ran through was behind them and the smaller door leading inside was not too far away. Rico was warm again...[/i] Rico: Never...I won't leave you... Valeigh: I'm glad that you ran back to me...and a little further so I could find you waiting inside. Rico: You could see me? Valeigh: Barely...I spotted your shadow...it was longer than what it is now. [i]Rico gave up on the bench he sat in, laying down along the wooden blocks, and rested, smiling...[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue]I lay in bed I cry, Because I know there's no body There any longer who could Love me like the way a mother Would love a child. In the sheets, I am shrouded, Dreaming of a life I yearn for, instead of The darkness I stare at. Everyday, My heart breaks, I can't stand here with you And not feel the pain Being pushed deep down. But you're all I need Is you, Unconditionally, With heartly truth.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Time passed and they swapped many different stories, teasing each other with gentle touches and staying close to each other. They never paied attention to the huge fortress in front of them until the shadow of the gate befell over them...they looked up at the stone-metal construct.[/i] Valeigh: Okay, so now what? Rico: They said Harlequin and Spyder were here... Valeigh: Yeah! Rico: What about Liam? Valeigh: They haven't found his scent yet...he may still be wandering...but I told them to look out for him and guide him to this place. Rico: He doesn't speak the language of the wolf... Valeigh: I don't know how they work...but we'll see him again. [i]Rico walked up to the door and pounded on it...[/i] Rico: And what about this door? Valeigh: Well, if we're apart, then we can cross right through. Rico: ...it's worth a shot. I guess. So...ladies first? Valeigh: Age bef...oh...nevermind...I just remembered you're younger than I am :bluesweat: Rico: Okay, I'll see you on the other side. [i]Valeigh winked at him and looked at him as he backed up. Not losing sight of each other as Rico walked away. He lifted his hands and noticed he was still concrete, but Valeigh was disappearing...so was the world around him...[/i] Rico: What!? [i]But Valeigh couldn't hear him...his existence was fading before her very eyes. He was being consumed by the world, taken...none of them realized it...but Rico was leaving... He tried running back, but as much as he ran in the direction of her...he continued to grow distant. He felt lost again...consumed by the darkness of the earth and his own lonelienss that he held onto for most of his life. He couldn't find anyone to turn to...by the time he looked in the direction of the castle, he saw nothing... "It didn't work...I should have never left her side," he said with eyes wide open, tears streaming...[/i][/COLOR]

Well, it always does good rent it first to get a feel for the game. I haven't seen the reviews on it yet, nor have I tried it myself, but if you like what you see, I recommend trying it out.

[COLOR=darkblue]I would think the X-Box has the advantage in online gaming so far. Microsoft has tons of experience in building stable and secure servers. The X-box live program shows that. Even if you have to pay a fee, you're getting good quality. Online gaming for PS2 is very solid as well...but the networks vary per game...you might be paying a fee for one online game, and then paying a fee to play another online. Thankfully a lot of the popular games have no fees to play online. Gamecube is still behind on online gaming, but they have included ports for devices. Even though....the 1-4 player experience is still very fun. It's personal preference if you really want a challenge that isn't avalible locally or those MMORPG's that are coming out soon. As for the GBA/GB, I think it's a companion system to the Gamecube. It's very affordable and a lot of the SNES games are being remade/ported to the GBA. It's the only handheld system out and selling at stores anyway.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Dawn began and the rose with the sun. Valeigh grabbed her jacket and walked by Rico's side towards the pillars of light.[/i] Rico: Do you have any clue on what they're doing? Valeigh: Not really...the wolves could sense their love so they could be in a safe haven. Rico: That direction still? Valeigh: Yeah, your feelings are right... Rico: Hey, gotta trust your own feelings. [i]Valeigh gave Rico a slight nod and squeezed his hand a little. They cleared the path of trees and they could see the dark stones of the roof of a huge building, conceleted by deep forest. The two beams of light were shining on those towers.[/i] Valeigh: That's gotta be it... Rico: Well, just a few more hours then. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue]Rico: When there's nothing left, you are everything to me... [i]He rocked her gently, slowly sidestepping to the side of the long trail. The feint glow extended across their bodies, lightly revealing a dead tree. Rico quickly moved behind Valeigh and carefully guided her down to sit with him, holding each other.[/i] Valeigh: Do you really mean that? Rico: I have nothing else to lose by giving my love to you. [i]Valeigh sat beside him and collapsed into his arms, looking down, then turning around and looking directly into Rico's face. Rico stared back at her looking at hear with complete calmness. He had nothing to worry about now that they were both safe. It got warmer and the light shown brighter than ever when they held hands again. She removed her jacket, folded it neatly and set it down on the dry grass beside Rico. There, he saw her wounds throughout the years that never really came to heal. Her black sleveless shirt was very durable and survived many battles. Bruises lined her shoulder and circled her neck, down to her chest, and perhaps a couple more where her shirt conceled her pains. On her left arm she had a piece of torn cloth tied tightly to a wound that stopped bleeding, but never closed. He could see a patch of washed blood poking through. He placed his palm over it...[/i] Valeigh: A battle, long ago...I was shot by a poison dart and was left in agony underneath the sun for months before I gathered the strength to stand again. [i]Rico took his hand off the piece of cloth and both his hands trailed down the side of her body until they rested on her stomach, when he wrapped his arms around her again and held her close to him. Bits and pieces of her true feelings began to seep out of her heart, into her eyes, and onto the ground...the deceased tree behind them drank from that tiny piece of her hapiness. As the night went by, they could not sleep...Valeigh lay motionless in Rico's arms, loved by him for who she was. Rico attempted to sleep, only to lay beside her. When there was no long any light from the sky or from their hands, Valeigh turned around and embraced him tightly, with a deep unconditional love, that sustained each other.[/i][/COLOR]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]The sniffles and hard-pressed release of breaths pulled Rico back out of deep thought. He noticed the light had gone a pale white and he looked at Valeigh, the stream of tears sparkled in her face. He stopped and tugged on her arm gently. A bleak silence befell their surroundings.[/i] Rico: I'm not upset about being bound to you. A part of me wanted it and a part of me wanted to be alone. Valeigh: ... Rico: You sacrificed yourself for me and the Ochkik Haddah reflected what shown inside your heart. [i]Rico pulled up his sleeve and displayed the feint outlines of Valeigh's blade.[/i] Rico: I got this because I didn't want the world to take you. Valeigh: I didn't want to leave you to die... [i]As much as Rico held himself back...he couldn't anymore...[/i] Rico: We're alive because we love each other. We cared for each other before...and we still do. Valeigh: It's hard for me to go on now that I'm lost and... Rico: Don't say anything...listen.....listen around us. Valeigh: There's nothing...I can't hear anything but us. [i]They turned around and saw the newborn plants behind them, covered in Valeigh's sparkling tears.[/i] Rico: I don't think there is a way to describe what you and I are feeling right now. Valeigh: ... [i]She let go of Rico's hand and held both of her hands in a clasped manner between her chest, head bowing towards the plants. Rico stepped foward and became closer than he ever was to her.[/i] Valeigh: Just hold me... [/COLOR]

[color=darkblue]I'm going to let this as long as intelligent and good points can be made. But once flaming and harsh words are being thrown, this thread'll close. Each system has their strengths and weaknesses. At this point it's difficult to really say which system is going to come on top. My friend and I were talking the other day about how we both bought PS2's and we don't play with them much anymore. There are very good titles out for the console, but there's a lot of sequels, prequels, varations of an old game, etc. Tech-wise, the PS2 is at the bottom of the charts. But as long as the game is fast, fun, and addicting, I don't really care how not-complicated the gfx are. Up to this point, the Gamecube is a fun system with a nice selection of titles avalible. But Nintendo's quality rules are very strict, preventing some good games from coming out on that system so it's hard to develop for the system in the sense that makers have to make it really good for it to pass, or at least be well known. The X-Box is an improving system...better titles are coming out as the months progress and capabilities of the hardware are very good. The presentations are great when I boot up a game, but after a while, a lot of games aren't worth more than a rental. I say it has a promising future.[/color]

[COLOR=darkblue]Whoever raises the child is responsible. A child is very observant and has a good chance of adopting the morals and behaivors of the one they're most attached to.[/COLOR]