Che

[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]*cracks knuckles* Okay, let's see what I can do here... - -[/COLOR] At first, Katsuki had pushed the door open with her back, her eyes sealed tightly. She was still innocent, in her own sense, and she was going to remain that way. [COLOR="Navy"]"Cover your shame, men," [/COLOR]she called, entering the bathroom. After there was no noise or confused murmurs or any signs of motion at all, the teen braved opening her eyes. Empty. [COLOR="navy"]"Thank God," [/COLOR]she sighed, before walking into the stall the other employees had described. Katsuki sneered. [COLOR="navy"]"Gross..." [/COLOR]she breathed, looking around at the bathroom entirely. [COLOR="navy"]"Men are sick."[/COLOR] The gnome was heavy in her hands, but she was doing her best not to think about it. The gnome, for the most part, was Kayla's idea, and, for once, Katsuki was rather hesitant. After all, it was [I]creepy[/I]. It just [I]stared[/I]. Nothing else. Just staring and smiling. The girl shuddered and placed it in the toilet bowl, as agreed. Making sure that her favorite employee wouldn't get [I]too[/I] violated should he forget to look where he was sitting, Katsuki added one last touch. Perhaps it wouldn't be noticed for weeks, but she just couldn't help it. Taking out a pen, she wrote on the wall. A number, and the phrase, [COLOR="navy"]"For a good time.

[FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="1"]Sometimes, I know that it's really unhealthy to have voices in your head. A lot of times, I really don't care. S.E. and Id have been there for me for as long as I can remember, and they've gotten me into and out of a lot of trouble. To be perfectly honest, I trust these two entities more than I trust my own family. [COLOR="Blue"]Brother.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Yes, Sister?[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Is he trying to tell us that our Evaline wouldn't be able to handle it?[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]That's certainly what it sounds like.[/COLOR] Sometimes, I realized just how protective of me Id is. A lot of times, I never really notice. She looks out for my best interest and counteracts most of what S.E. says and suggests. She cares for me like a mother, I suppose. Although, sometimes, she bases [I]her[/I] ego on [I]mine.[/I] [COLOR="Red"]Are you going to do anything about it, Sister?[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]I'm not sure what I should do...[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]I say prove him wrong.[/COLOR] Sometimes, I become afraid of what S.E. is thinking. A lot of times, he's violent and debaucherous, although Id cancels him out when he tries anything. Still, he's the one who tells me what to do in my time of need. I've won a few fights thanks to his instructions and saved my own skin multiple times; I won't mention how many of those times were his fault. This time, though, I knew that, should the two agree on this, there was no getting out of it for me. Not that I was about to complain. [COLOR="Blue"]Evaline.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Go for it.[/COLOR] [I]You got it,[/I] I responded, ignoring the girl who walked in the room (why was she naked? Did she join a sect?) I walked forward, past the man with the gun, past the stern looking woman, past the scary looking man, and to the counter. "My name is Evaline and I'd like to join the Assassin's Guild," I told the man behind the counter, who smirked at me. Now even I was determined. [I]I'm not some curious little Alice peering into a rabbit hole... I can do this...[/I][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="1"]"St-st-st-stalking?!" I repeated, eyes widening and taking a step back. No, that's not right! Only strange men in cloaks and hoods stalked people, not me! I was... I was just following him. Yes, that's right. There was a distinct difference. "I wasn't stalking, I was following!" [COLOR="Blue"]Child, you were stalking. Face the responsibility of your actions.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]And there's no shame in that. It [I]was[/I] fun, wasn't it? Maybe next time, we could work on our stealth and-[/COLOR] [I]Shut up,[/I] I snapped at the two. Judging by the glare the other man, the scary one, was giving me, I figured I said something wrong. My lower lip quivered a little in fear... he was really scary. But... "Listen!" I began again. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something important or if I'm somewhere I shouldn't be, but if this is the place where I can get a gun and learn to shoot it, please tell me!" [COLOR="Red"]'Atta girl.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]You're going to regret this, you know that? I don't see why we couldn't just join a nice, quiet guild...[/COLOR] If anyone was going to say 'yes', it seemed, then it would be the man who she had fo... stalked. "Please?" she asked him.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="1"]Sorry I'm late, all. :) - - - - - [COLOR="Red"]Steak. Buy the steak.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Buy the apples. Child, you need healthy foods, not something that's been rotting in the sun for the past week.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Steak keeps just as well as apples.[/COLOR] I bit my lip and, out of pure indecision, I closed my eyes and grabbed something off the stand at random. Oh. An orange. I smiled and paid the merchant before turning on my heels and walking the other way, taking out a pocket knife and peeling the fruit. "So, what's on the agenda today?" I asked the two in my head. Of course, I knew this would end up in an argument. S.E. would want to do something reckless and fun and, more than likely, super dangerous. Id would opt for something quieter, safer, and, without a doubt, boring. They would argue, I would wait, and would probably end up following whatever silly compromise the two ended at. [COLOR="Red"]Good question. Hn... let's steal something.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]No. Absolutely not. Can't we just buy a book or join a sect or do something productive?[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]A sect? Like that freaky skyclad sect? You of all entities should be wholly against [I]that.[/I][/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Fine, fine. Point taken. Well, we're not stealing. What about a guild? Why don't we join a guild?[/COLOR] "Here we go again," I sighed, throwing the peels of my orange into the trough of a pigpen. The swine looked back up at me with beady eyes full of gratitude before they tucked in. Smiling, I leaned against the fence and watched, for lack of anything better to do, as I chewed on my citric fruit. [COLOR="Red"]If you even think of the Mage's Guild...[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]Well, then, there's no room for negotiation about the Thieves Guild.[/COLOR] [COLOR="Red"]Fine! What's that leave?[/COLOR] [COLOR="Blue"]A lot of guilds...[/COLOR] I caught something glinting just out of the corner of my eye. A gun... a filthy gun, but a gun being pulled out a disgusting cesspit by a man. Quickly, I jumped the fence of the pigsty and hid behind the still eating pigs. They didn't mind and provided the cover I needed, although the muck that was swallowing my ankles I could have done without. The man washed the weapon, and I watched intently. I don't know what it was, but the silver glint of the gun was hypnotizing me. My throat constricted and my mind shut off. There was only me and that gun. [COLOR="Red"]Heh. You like it?[/COLOR] "Yes," I whispered. The man began walking away. [COLOR="Red"]Follow him.[/COLOR] "Alright," I murmured, scrambling out of the filthy sty and paying no mind to the nastiness that coated my feet and ankles. By the time I caught up with the man, he was in a building with other people. One, a girl, left already. I watched her go. But he remained inside with another girl and a man. [COLOR="Red"]Do you want to join a guild, Evaline?[/COLOR] "Yes..." [COLOR="Red"]What about the Assassin's Guild?[/COLOR] "Do I get one of those?" [COLOR="Red"]Possibly.[/COLOR] "Then yes." Biting my lip, I walked into the building. Everyone turned to stare at me, and, as they did so, my teeth bit down harder and my lip began to bleed. Oops. "Umm... is this were I can get one of those?" I asked, pointing at the ever-mesmerizing gun that the man was still carrying.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Arial"][SIZE="1"]Name: Evaline Age: 15 Gender: Female Appearance: [URL="http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4664/p2wm0.jpg"]Evaline[/URL] Sample: I hummed cheerfully as I sat on the bench, swinging my legs back and forth. Truth be told, I couldn't really remember what I was doing here, but the people in the other room told me to wait here while they "decided," so I did. Actually, now that I thought about it, I wasn't quite sure where "here" was. Squinting, I saw a faded sign outside. "Assassin..." I murmured as I read. Ssassin's Guild? Well, that wasn't like me. [I][COLOR="Red"]Eating meat isn't for you! This is for me![/COLOR][/I] Someone shouted in my head. I nodded. Well, that was okay then. As long as I didn't have to kill anyone. [I][COLOR="Blue"]She isn't the brightest one here. Maybe we should have picked the Mage's Guild?[/COLOR][/I] That was a different voice. "No, no. I don't like alchemy," I argued with it. [I][COLOR="blue"]I suppose you have a point.[/COLOR][/I] [I][COLOR="Red"]You baby her. She needs to start doing things she doesn't want, if she wants to grow up sometime soon.[/I][/COLOR] "Grow up? But I'm hardly fifteen," I protested, furrowing my brow. There were two of them. They always argued about me, and in the end, I never really knew what was decided until it was too late. In any case, the two men from the other room came out. One of them handed me a gun and a dagger. "Welcome to the Assassin's Guild," he said simply as I took them.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Of course, of course! I don't mind at all. :)

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]Ayame snorted indignantly. [COLOR="Navy"]"Takuo... I had a run-in with the jerk once a couple weeks ago. From what I can tell, he's just an arrogant punk who thinks he's the hottest stuff on a bike. He's got a weak jaw, though. He was buggin' me, trying to get me to go with him, and -whack- I kicked him in the jaw after he tried grabbin' me. Jerk. Anyway, most biker delinquents rely on their friends a lot, so we're probably going to take the whole gang in, you know?"[/COLOR] Surprisingly enough, she was grinning. [COLOR="Navy"]"Yeah, this is great. Our first assignment, and we're already taking out the trash of the streets."[/COLOR] Suddenly, Ayame blinked and looked at Chas before grinning sheepishly.[COLOR="Navy"] "Sorry. I guess I'm a bit of a hypocrite. Ever since I was little, I've always dreamed of taking out the bad guys, and getting as famous as L, maybe even meeting him one day. I guess... I'm still just a little kid."[/COLOR] Laughing at herself, Ayame blushed and thumbed her nose.[COLOR="Navy"] "Oi, M. How's it going over there? And everyone else, why're ya just sittin' there? Start working! I'll call the station and start on that equipment."[/COLOR] Taking out her cell phone, she proceeded to do just that.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]Something strange was going on... Ayame knew this. She didn't know [i]what[/i] was strange, but it was odd. Seconds away from stating her observation, a loud, high-pitched tune sang, causing the room to look her way. Ayame blushed and picked up her phone. [COLOR="Navy"]"Oh!"[/COLOR] was all she could gasp before fumbling with it until she turned it on and spoke. It was one of the police from the NPA. He was her superior for now, since Chief Yagami was busy.[COLOR="Navy"] "Ne, ne, Matsuda-san. What are you doing, calling me now? I'm bonding with my future detectives!"[/COLOR] There was a chuckle from the other end of the phone, and it was completely audible, even to the rest of the room. Light raised an eyebrow, easily recognizing the man. Ayame blushed again and turned her phone off speaker. [COLOR="Navy"]"The Chief asked me to see how many people turned out, and if his son came. Light-kun did show up, right?"[/COLOR] [COLOR="Navy"]"Of course he did. He was a little late, but he showed. And we've got six, including me, and I know that's not a lot, but what we lack in numbers, we make up with talent! Let me tell you, we may even put you out of a job!"[/COLOR] Ayame bragged, grinning at her fellow detectives-in-training. [COLOR="Navy"]"Good, good. Six people should be enough. We've got an assignment for you guys. His name is Takuo Shibuimaru, and goes by Shibutaku. He's the leader of a bike gang that's notorious for harassing citizens, even going so far as assault. Not a bad first assignment, ne?"[/COLOR] Oh... just a street punk. Resisting the urge to sigh - Mastuda seemed so pleased with himself for this - Ayame nodded, though he couldn't see it. [COLOR="Navy"]"Gotcha. Shibutaku. We'll get 'im, no problem. Talk to you later, Mastuda-san."[/COLOR] Snapping her phone shut, Ayame bit down on the piece of pocky that was still in her mouth. She grinned. [COLOR="Navy"]"Thankfully, none of you left. It seems we have work to do."[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT="Courier New"][SIZE="2"][COLOR="Navy"]"Ideas?"[/COLOR] Ayame repeated before climbing into a chair next to Light, sitting in it Indian-style. [COLOR="Navy"]"Well, there's a lot of theories I've got about that. It could have been the stress of the situation - after all, there was no known motive; perhaps we don't know the entire story? The news may have been tampered with; there's no footage of him actually dying, and the police could have actually shot him, or one of the nursery school teachers may have fought him off. Then again, it may have just plain been divine justice? Okay, probably not, but still, it's a theory."[/COLOR] Ayame scratched the back of her head. [COLOR="Navy"]"Sorry. You asked for my opinion, and such a random heart attack just doesn't seem natural to me... Maybe I'm just over thinking things, or I'm overlooking something, but..."[/COLOR] Taking out her bag, the girl retrieved a box of strawberry pocky and put a stick in her mouth, nibbling it carefully. [COLOR="Navy"]"Anyways, all I'm saying is that it's suspicious, but if the police had anything to do with it, the news wouldn't talk about it as much as they are."[/COLOR] She sighed.[COLOR="Navy"] "I think I just confused myself...[/COLOR]"[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]Ayame looked around. [I]What a great turnout,[/I] she thought, grinning, before holding up her hands to ask for some silence. They obliged, and the girl felt as though the authority was going to go to her head. [COLOR=navy]"Alright, so, now that we're all ready, my name's Takanaka Ayame, but you can call me anything from Taka-kun to Aaya!"[/COLOR] She explained. [COLOR=navy]"This is the Junior Detective Club, as I'm sure you all know, and here, we're like rookie cops, pretty much. We go around, completing assignments handed down from the police force, and we have the normal equipment and authorities of regular police officers. The only problem is, if we step one foot out of line, we lose these priveleges, okay? So stay sharp."[/COLOR] Ayame was getting serious now, for some reason. Her grin had disappeared, and had been replaced by a scowl. [COLOR=navy]"We handle things ranging from traffic violations and shoplifting to domestic disturbances. We are [I]not[/I] heroes, and we do not rush in, guns in hands, kicking doors down. We are rookies, without guns, mind you, and we are basically in field training, for those of us who want to be a police oficer after school. We will [I]not[/I] be handling criminals like these."[/COLOR] Picking up a remote, the raven haired girl turned on a TV, which had the news already on. [COLOR=navy]"Earlier today, Kurou Otoharada, the 42-year-old who was holding eight hostages in a nursery school, died suddenly of heart failure right before the riot police stormed the building."[/COLOR] Promptly, Ayame turned off the TV, and her stony eyes didn't miss the look on Yagami Light's face... he seemed... conflicted about something... [COLOR=navy]"These criminals, these [I]monsters[/I], we leave up to the real police officers. The people who have more training, more knowledge, more experience. Anyone who wants to argue, get the hell out now."[/COLOR] Surprisingly enough, a few people, mainly punks, stood up and walked out, calling the club [COLOR=navy]"lame" [/COLOR]and [COLOR=navy]"useless"[/COLOR]. Ayame had to keep herself from snarling and throwing the remote at them. There was one, though, who stayed. She eyed him carefully before continuing. [COLOR=navy]"Well, for those of you who stayed, thank you very much. Please write your name, age, class, and phone number on the sheet of paper hanging on the door on your way out. I'm keeping this short today, because I know a lot of us have work or prep school soon, but don't worry, in future meetings, it'll be nice and long, and we'll have plenty to do. I'll get everyone's equiptment soon, before the next meeting, which will be next week, eh, let's say, Friday."[/COLOR] Her grin was back on her face, and she waved. [COLOR=navy]"Thank you very much for your time, and I hope to see you all soon."[/COLOR] She didn't leave, though, she simply stood there, gazing into space. Typical for her, an odd sight for others.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]OOC: Agreed. Only... I'd rather not wait longer than I'd have to. We're already dangerously close to fade out, I believe... - - - - - [COLOR="Navy"]Later, much later, an excruciating amount of time later, Ayame was free to run straight to the computer lab. They were going to come, no doubt about it! After all the spirited advertising she'd been throwing around all day, how could they resist?! Practically slamming the door open, she found that she actually was not the first one to arrive. A few people, a few she recognized, were waiting. Her grin returned to her face.[/COLOR] "Good afternoon, everyone!" [COLOR="Navy"]She exclaimed, running towards the front of the room, where the teacher would normally stand.[/COLOR] "And thank you for your interest in the JR Detective Club!" [COLOR="Navy"] A murmur of polite responses, and Ayame's face fell.[/COLOR] "You guys don't seem very excited..." [COLOR="Navy"]She sighed.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

Ayame grimaced, and pulled on her collar a little. "Uh, well," she stalled. The teacher had been giving questions to students out loud all hour. What did that say? She could hardly read it. Was that "X" or pi? Deciding to go with pi, she began counting on her fingers for a moment. "Takanaka-san, this is [I]not[/I] grade school!" The teacher snapped. Feeling her face flush, she let her hands fall, but continued counting on them. "Is it..." She started, before answering more confidently, "The answer is the... the square root of pi!" With a quick side glance, she saw two of the smartest boys in the class shake their heads, and mouth something to themselves. Reading their lips, Ayame added, "times X." The teacher nodded. "That's right," he sighed, "maybe next time you can get the whole answer without the help of Yagami-san and Odin-san." The two boys gave her an odd look, and she blushed before grinning sheepishly. "Thank you," she mouthed, though she knew they had no idea what was going on.

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="2"]OOC: Remember, everyone, sign-ups are still open! Go [URL="http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=791984#post791984"]here[/URL] to sign-up! : D - - - - - - Ah, the first day of school. The day of new traditions and continuing old ones. Catching up with friends, seeing what's new, and what kind of things they were going to do this year. Ayame grinned as she watched the school yard fill with people. So many candidates, so many possibilities! Finally, one dark blonde head caught her eye and she bounded towards him, nearly tackling the boy to the ground. She held a flyer in his face. [COLOR="Navy"]"Ne, ne, Yagami-kun!"[/COLOR] she began excitedly. [COLOR="Navy"]"You're joining, aren't you? I told your dad you were interested, and that's one of the reasons he supports it. The Junior Detective Club's first meeting is after school, okay, so don't be late, Yagami-kun!"[/COLOR] She ran off before he had a chance to answer. It was the pure excitement and adrenaline that was allowing her to get through her sentences so flawlessly today. She ran through the halls, shouting advertisements and propaganda to anyone who would listen, until she had to go to class. Even then, the dark haired girl managed to arrive before the teacher, and wrote at the top of the board: [COLOR="Navy"]"Remember, everyone! Junior Detective Club after school! Don't be late!"[/COLOR] Her handwriting, though, was horrible, and the message turned out to be less of message and more of a scribble. The teacher erased it as he walked in, causing Ayame's face to fall, and warned the students that drawing pictures on the board was inappropriate. The students around Ayame chuckled and comforted her in whispers, saying it wasn't her fault she wrote like chicken scratch.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Alright! Everyone's sign-ups are great, and the characters are interesting! You guys made me excited to start this thing, so I'm gonna go ahead and start, but I'll leave the sign-ups open. Okay! Let's get this show on the road! : D

[FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="1"]It took her the whole summer to organize. Between gaining support within the Administrative Offices, the student body, the police, and the parents, Takanaka Ayame hardly had any time to decide where and when meetings would be held. Instead of deciding it on her own, she decided to put up dozens of handmade posters all over the school before the semester even started. Of course, there were people there. The geniuses who took summer courses to get ahead of everyone else, getting good comments for their resumes for University. The slackers who couldn't get the credits they needed last year and were trying to make up for lost time. No matter who it was, they would bring something to the table, Ayame knew it. The upperclassman girl bounded through the empty halls, sticking the enthusiastic posters wherever she could. Her hopes were high for this; she'd been planning it since Junior High, when she had learned that it had not yet been established. She was appalled. [COLOR="Navy"]"What kind of high school doesn't have a Junior Detective Club?!"[/COLOR] Ayame exclaimed when she learned. Ever since then, every moment of her free - free time at school, anyway - time was devoted to planning making one herself. And she had finally done it! Careful not to cheer aloud, Ayame finished putting up the advertisements, and went home, grinning all the way. Who knew? Perhaps that genius of a boy Yagami Light would join? And maybe they'd gain enough fame that L would take them serious! [COLOR="Navy"]"Yeah, right,"[/COLOR] she scoffed, exiting the building. How was she supposed to know that she was going to be right in one of those accounts? How was she supposed to know that her club was going to be thrust into such an important case so soon after starting? Who could tell her how loyal her friends would be? And who she would meet? How was Ayame supposed to know about the Kira case? She was far too concerned about if she was going to eat ramen or cookies when she returned home. Perhaps she should bring something for her friends at the station?[/SIZE][/FONT] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Mai_Minase/JDC.png[/IMG] [FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="2"]Okay! So, that's the supposed back story! Basically, it starts exactly the same time as Death Note starts, when Light's in high school, and it begins as a few students join together to make a "Junior Detective Club". They're aspiring police officers and detectives, who, supported by the school and police force, are given very rookie jobs and a bit more authority than normal citizens. The Junior Detective Club is led by Takanaka Ayame. Eventually, they're make their own "Kira Division" and soon the whole club focuses on Kira, much to Light's dismay, as it's his school. Even after they graduate, they keep up their meetings, soon turning into a vigilante detective group, though they keep their name "Junior Detective Club" for the sake of less confusion. After graduation, they eventually get sucked in to the real Kira case, learning things about Kira, L, and each other. Of course, that's all eventually. For now, let's talk about sign-ups. I'm thinking about 6 to 10 sign-ups. Anyone willing to play canon characters (including Light and L) is welcomed. Here's the sign-up: [B]Name:[/B] Obvious. [B]Age:[/B] Preferably between 15-18 for students. [B]Class:[/B] What class are they in school. Classic Japanese style, being three years in High School. So it will be 1-A/B/C, 2-A/B/C/, 3-A/B/C [B]Occupation:[/B] If your character has a job after school (or if your character is out of school) [B]Appearance:[/B] Pictures or written. If written, please, please, please be detailed. [B]Personality:[/B] What do they act like? [B]Bio:[/B] Their life story in a few paragraphs. [B]Additional Info:[/B] Whatever you wanted to fit in, but didn't have a place. And... here's mine! [B]Name:[/B] Takanaka Ayame [B]Age:[/B] 17 [B]Class:[/B] 3-A [B]Occupation:[/B] She works part-time at her parent's grocery store when she's not busy. [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL="http://www.advancedanime.com/displayimage.php?pid=222732"]Click[/URL] [B]Personality:[/B] Cheerful most of the time, and sometimes a bit of an odd ball. She has a nasty habit of spacing out and thinking about what's going to happen five minutes from now, and often drifts into her own world while she's in the middle of saying something. [B]Bio:[/B] Takanaka Ayame comes from a distant and hard to connect line of police officers and detectives. Naturally, she wanted to become one, and especially when she learned of L from her father. Impressed and astounded by his record, and enthralled by his mystery, she wanted to grow up to be just like him. Years later, she remains similar. Ayame studies hard and visits the police station often, even before she had the idea of the Junior Detective Club. Since she was so young, most people ignored her, but there were a few who didn't mind her presence, and even asked her opinion on things. Ayame is admittedly very bad at reading and writing, and prefers to keep away from math, though she is very good at it. Her pastime is drawing and 70s American detective movies and the like. [B]Additional Info:[/B] Ayame is easily snuck up on, and sometimes very spastic. Hates pigtails and loves fuzzy socks. Her favorite celebrity is Amane Misa.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Blue"]Alright! DDG has assigned me the task of conducting the meeting-post, and so I'm going to do my best! I know I'm not the best at serious posts, so please bear with me! *pumps fists* Yosh[/COLOR] - - - - - Katsuki called out to her friend as soon as she saw the girl walk into the cafe. [COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]"Oi, Kayla! We're over here!"[/COLOR] Kayla trudged over, yawning and looking quite dazed through half lidded eyes. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Are you okay? You don't look so good, Kay."[/COLOR] [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"I didn't sleep well,"[/COLOR] Kayla responded. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Let's start this."[/COLOR] Everyone gathered around the table, and Katsuki handed Kayla the coffee she had ordered her. Kayla took the cup and sipped at it a little before standing up. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Kia and Mia both had their data modified, no doubt by Morganna, and combined them to make Macha,"[/COLOR] Kayla began, recapping what they already knew. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"To defeat Macha, Kite used Data Drain. The Data Drain caused a separation between Kia and Mia, resulting in Mia's disappearance and Kia's memory loss."[/COLOR] [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Right,"[/COLOR] Elk murmured, nodding his head. He'd been awful quiet lately as well... it must have been Mia. Fighting this battle must have hit him harder than the rest of them. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"So, what do we do about Kia's memories?" [/COLOR]Katsuki asked worriedly. Kayla shook her head. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"I have no idea. The only thing to do, I think, would be to continue going after the Wave."[/COLOR] There was a long puase, and everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Kite spoke up, [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Kayla, isn't there anything else we can do?"[/COLOR] Kayla gave him a quizzical stare, and he continued. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Not counting these incidents with Kia, we're following the same basic path as the last time this happened. Since obviously what we did last time wasn't a permanent solution, shouldn't we try taking a different approach to this?"[/COLOR] There was a murmur of agreement all around. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"I suppose, but..."[/COLOR] Kayla trailed off, thinking. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"We'll see. It's hard enough doing what we're doing now, so we may not be able to figure out another strategy, but we'll try."[/COLOR] There was another pause. Everyone began formulating their own strategy, but, when Katsuki asked, [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Anyone think of anything?"[/COLOR] No one decided to speaak up. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Any other concerns?"[/COLOR] Kayla asked. At receiving no responses, she shrugged, and sat down. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Meeting adjurned, then."[/COLOR] A few people left. A few people got on the computers. Kayla was still seated, thinking as she sipped her coffe. Katsuki frowned. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Say, Kayla," she said, standing up next to her, "you know what we haven't done in a while?"[/COLOR] Kayla shook her head. [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"What haven't we done in a while?"[/COLOR] [COLOR="darkslateblue"]"Let's go to the video store,"[/COLOR] Katsuki suggested, grinning madly.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="2"]The next morning, Katsuki stumbled into the bathroom and immediately proceeded to be sick. She was miserable. It took her hours to fall asleep after she logged out and even after she did, it was a sleep plauged with nightmares. The girl couldn't get the image of suffering Kia out of her head. [COLOR="Navy"]"Ki...a..."[/COLOR] She moaned before vomitting in the toilet again. They killed her. Sure, she came back as an amnesiac AI, but they still killed her. And Mia. Kia and Mia. Dead. Finally, after a few more moments, Katsuki picked herself off the bathroom floor and jumped into the shower, to clean herself of the sweat, tears, and fear of last night, and the grossness of this morning. - - - - - [COLOR="navy"]"Mom! I'm going to the cafe for a donut. You want anything?" "Blueberry muffin, please. Don't do anything dangerous." "I won't. Just a meeting."[/COLOR] - - - - - Walking in, Katsuki looked around, and instantly spotted her favorite male companion. [COLOR="navy"]"Sora!"[/COLOR] She called, waving and running over to him. [COLOR="navy"]"How are you doing?"[/COLOR] He asked, looking at the girl. She held out her index and middle fingers, making a V. [COLOR="navy"]"Better now,"[/COLOR] she lied chirpily. [COLOR="navy"]"You?"[/COLOR] He shrugged. [COLOR="navy"]"Fine, I guess. You see Kayla anywhere?"[/COLOR] Katsuki looked around, looking for her commander and chief. [COLOR="Blue"]--------- Let's get this thing going! Woo hoo![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Indigo][FONT=Arial]((Yargh. I couldn't and still can't think of diddly squat to write here. I think it was my brains that got smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a relatively large gold brick...))[/COLOR] - - - - - [COLOR=Black]Sakura knelt down next to Kia.[/COLOR][COLOR=Navy] "You mean, you don't remember us...at all?" [/COLOR][COLOR=Black] She asked hesitantly. Honestly, truthfully, she didn't want to know the answer. She wanted to log out right then and there, but... Kia shook her head 'no' and tilted her head to the side. [/COLOR] [COLOR=Navy]"Should I?" [/COLOR][COLOR=Black] She asked. There was a simuntaneous groan from the group. After all their efforts of saving Kia and defeating Macha...Kia didn't even remember them.[/COLOR] [COLOR=Navy]"Yes, you should,"[/COLOR][COLOR=Black] Sakura sighed,[/COLOR][COLOR=Navy] "But, since you don't, hello, Kia, my name is Sakura."[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial][size=2][COLOR=DimGray]Katsuki could feel pressure in the back of her head. In her chest. Her pulse was racing, she could feel it-No, she could [i]hear[/i] it. Her eyes stung, despite her tears. A few hiccups came here and there. The worst part was the nausea. God, she felt like she was going to throw up on her keyboard. But no, she held everything in. Sure, she hadn't been hit with a Data Drain, but she didn't need it. This? This was all fear.[/color] Sakura shook, eyes wide, staring straight at Kite. She hadn't known that the scream came from her.[color=navy] "Kite, please, don't,"[/color] she breathed again, her vocal chords. She didn't even realize what was going on. She wasn't seeing Macha attack everyone around her. She didn't see Kayla, Sora, Kite, Subaru, Silver Knight, and all the rest being attacked by not Kia, nor Mia, but Macha. She saw only Kite's wrist, glowing with the Bracelet. Threateningly, it sat on his gloved hand, waiting to be used against their friends. Kia had been their [i]friend[/i]. How could they fight her like this? The same with Mia! [i]We're comrades! Friends! Companions! We held bonds that went deeper than just 'online buddies'. Why are we fighting each other like this? It'll only result in comas, deaths, and other maladies and ailments.[/i] [color=navy]"I don't want this!"[/color] Sakura said, her voice finally reaching her own words. [color=navy]"I don't want this at all! I just want everything to go back to normal! I want Dad, I want Kia, I want Mia, I'm sick of this damn game! Of these Phases! Morganna, Aura, the damn Bracelet! I'm sick of it all!"[/color] She hadn't realized she went down on her knees. Or that she had dropped her weapons. Or that her eyes, both in reality and the game, were red and puffy and still streaming with tears. Her hands were on her head, and she was about to collapse on the ground completely. [color=navy]"What the Hell kind of life is this, where I'm supposed to kill my best friend?!"[/color] She shouted to the dirt. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Macha, hovering above, a sinister smile playing on her face. No sign of that emotion that held while Kia was in control, only a program, designed to kill. [COLOR=Navy]"d0N't y0U |1k3 tH3 g@m3, 5aKur@?"[/COLOR] Asked the Temptress. Sakura didn't even look up. Somewhere behind her, Kayla was screaming for her to get up. But she couldn't. Sakura couldn't will herself to get off her knees. [i]What would it be like, being in a coma?[/i] She wondered vaguely. [i]Will I become a trapped player? Or will I be blessed with a peaceful sleep?[/i] [color=navy]"Probably not..."[/color] She mumbled. Finally, she looked at Macha. Footsteps behind her signaled Kayla and Kite's approach. They would hassle her, if she was a trapped player. Wouldn't let the subject down. [i]Fine then.[/i] She thought, a new sense of determination coming from that simple thought. [i]If I can't get a moment's peace, then I won't take the offer at all.[/i] Staring at Macha straight in the eye was like staring at your worst fear. [COLOR=DimGray]Coincidentally, for a split second, Katsuki saw a clown in Macha's place.[/color] Finally, Sakura flipped through her inventory, and found the lone scroll she had left. [color=navy]"The Moon."[/color] With a sigh of relief, Sakura stared at Macha's status ailment, and waited for everyone to take advantage of it, seeing as she couldn't bare to do anything herself.[/size][/FONT]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Indigo]Seeing as DDG-sensei lied, I guess [i]I'll[/i] post next. :animecry: Sensei, you liar! Apologize! ---------------[/COLOR] [COLOR=Navy]"Kia,"[/COLOR] Sakura whispered. It wasn't happening. Not Kia. Sure, she was getting an attitude, but Kia was always nice, wasn't she? Sakura's eyes widened, and she stared upon the Phase. It wasn't Kia. It was Macha. Macha wasn't Kia, Macha was a Phase. A pawn of the system. A creation of Harold. Not. Kia. Sakura knew Kia more than she knew. And the memory came back to her. It hit her like a tidal wave. And it brought tears to Sakura's eyes. [COLOR=Navy][i]It was winter. Last year. Katsuki was 11. In one hand, she held a book. In the other was a hot chocolate that she sipped slowly as she read and walked. It was when she passed an alley that Katsuki noticed something. A girl? A girl with a laptop. [COLOR=Black]"Hey there,"[/COLOR] Katsuki greeted, [COLOR=Black]"You okay?"[/COLOR] The girl looked up and took off her Neuro Goggles. [COLOR=Black]"You're playing The World, aren't you? My dad's crazy about that game. Say, aren't you cold?"[/COLOR] She asked, stepping into the alley. The girl was wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans, in the middle of winter. [COLOR=Black]"What's your name?" [/COLOR] Katsuki asked, slipping her coat off and draping it over the girl's shoulders. [COLOR=Black]"I'm Katsuki."[/COLOR] [COLOR=Black]"Kia,"[/COLOR] the girl replied shyly. Katsuki smiled. [COLOR=Black]"Alright, Kia, if you log off, I'll buy you something to eat. My treat," [/COLOR] she offered. Kia lookeds at her, and nodded. Later, when the two reached an internet cafe. Katsuki looked around. There was that guy that worked part-time at the video store again. On The World. Again. Didn't he have a life? And then a little farther along, she saw a few kids from her school...And look, Kayla. Katsuki didn't draw attention to herself. Who knows what Kayla would say if she knew that Katsuki had dragged some strange girl to the cafe. "C'mon. I'll get you a coffee, and you can tell me why you were out there, okay?" After the two got settled, Kia began to explain. She ran away when she was 9. She was 13 now. Katsuki smiled sadly, and listened. After a while, the two were envoloped in silence, and Katsuki felt increasingly uncomfortable. Finally, she stood up and walked to the counter, and pulled out all the money she had on her. [COLOR=Black]"Get me whatever won't spoil,"[/COLOR] she ordered, [COLOR=Black]"And however much I can with however much this is."[/COLOR] Of course, this caused the clerk to glare at her, but obliged. When her 'order' arrived, Katsuki swaped the things in her bookbag with the food. [COLOR=Black]"Here," [/COLOR] she said to Kia, [COLOR=Black]"Take this with you. And keep my coat, okay? It may not be much when it gets colder, but it should be something. And I know it's not a lot of food, but it does taste good. I bet if you ration it out well, you could have enough for a few weeks. Okay?"[/COLOR] Kia smiled and nodded. [COLOR=Black]"Yeah, sure," [/COLOR] she replied. Katsuki smiled, and pulled out the change she still had. [COLOR=Black]"Keep this too,"[/COLOR] she said. Kia pocketed the money, and Katsuki nodded to herself, [COLOR=Black]"I've gotta go now. I'm late, and my mom's gonna kill me. It was nice meeting you, Kia. Be careful out there." [/COLOR] With that, Katsuki left.[/COLOR][/i] Sakura stood in the middle of the field, dumbfounded. Were they the same Kia's? What were the odds of that? The Runaway Kia had died later in the season, Sakura remembered seeing it in the news. She remembered...crying. She died playing The World. It [i]was[/i] her. [COLOR=Black]"Kia," [/COLOR] Sakura whispered. It wasn't happening. Not Kia. Sure, she was getting an attitude, but Kia was always nice, wasn't she? Sakura's eyes widened, and she stared upon the Phase. It wasn't Kia. It was Macha. Macha wasn't Kia, Macha was a Phase. A pawn of the system. A creation of Harold. Not. Kia. [COLOR=Indigo]------------------ Wow. I saddened myself. And managed to work in an insult to the Silver Knight in the process. Woo! Yes, I know this is a circular post thing...[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]They were travelling through the dungeon. It seemed as if they were going rather slowly. Sakura couldn't have been the only one who felt this way, right? I mean, sure, Kia was fighting Macha right now, and Sakura was worried as hell, but still. They were moving as fast as they could without wasting SP or scrolls. No, no. It was worry that was seemingly slowing them all down. At least in Sakura's point of view. They needed to move faster, or else Kia was done for. No matter how much she leveled up, she was still a newbie compared to the others. And besides that, she felt the pain, she could actually [i]die[/i], unlike the others. And then... They fought another monster. Another data bug. Another room. Was Sakura getting into a routine? [i]De ja vu[/i] seemed to be kicking in. Every Phase, they practically did the same thing. Fight, fight, next room, fight, next room, Phase. What would happen if, no, [i]when[/i] they finished? Would they start getting nostalgic for these days? Would they recreate the Phases, just to get the routine back? [COLOR=Navy]"Kayla?"[/COLOR] Sakura asked meekly. They were in the middle of a fight. A large monster, Magic Resistant. Kayla looked at her. [COLOR=Navy]"What? Did you get damaged?"[/COLOR] Kayla asked, noting the slightly weak way Sakura was speaking. She looked worried, as if something completely different from the task at hand was on her mind, [COLOR=Navy]"Are you okay?"[/COLOR] Sakura looked around. No, she wouldn't express her concern just yet. Not when they still had a Phase to fight, a Kia to save. [COLOR=Navy]"Uh, yeah, just...Can you replenish my SP? I'm getting a bit tired of this guy..." [/COLOR] To make it seem even more realistic, Sakura even managed one of her trademarked 'Let's get this over with' grins. Kayla nodded and did as she was told. As soon as that fight was finished, they found the door with the purple flames. And Sakura's worries had only intensified. Whatever was waiting for them behind the flames, Sakura knew it was going to be big. Bigger than just Macha alone.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Sakura sighed. She was bored. And hyper. And worried. And also a little frightened. Not to mention hyper. Kayla had specifically instructed her not to eat food many times before, because it gave her too much energy, and she always continued to eat food. And excess of food. Which gave her more than too much energy. Which was always very annoying, especially to herself. But, this time it was different.[COLOR=Navy] "What if I get Data Drained by Macha?" [/COLOR] She asked Sora, her fifteenth questin within fifteen minutes. Yes, this time, her imagination was running wild with numerous situations of the upcoming battle, and stating them all in questions to her not-so-patient partner-in-crime. [COLOR=Navy]"You're not going to get Data Drained, Sakura,"[/COLOR] Sora answered, monotone, also completely bored, but not as hyper or worried as Sakura. [COLOR=Navy]"What if [i]you[/i] get Data Drained?" [/COLOR] Sakura gasped. Sora rolled his eyes. This was about the third time she asked this. [COLOR=Navy]"I'm not going to get Data Drained, Sakura," [/COLOR] he replied. Sakura opened her mouth to ask another question, but quickly, the green-haired player killer interrupted, [COLOR=Navy]"Where do you think Kayla has gone off to?"[/COLOR] Sakura looked around the boat. Everyone had scattered but them, without her noticing.[COLOR=Navy] "Oops," [/COLOR] she mumbled under her breath. [COLOR=Navy]"Probably to go see Helba or something. Hey! What if Kayla gets ambushed by Lios in Net Slum?!"[/COLOR] Sora groaned. That was it. The last straw. [COLOR=Navy]"Sakura! Shut [i]up[/i]!" [/COLOR] Sakura, finally realizing all of her worrying had depleted all of Sora's manners, nerves, and care for the battle, laughed. Sora, who had never been able to stand being laughed at, revealed his weapons, and Sakura stopped laughing. [COLOR=Navy]"Uh, thanks for the chat, Sora. But I think Kayla just Flash Mailed me! Meet you in Net Slum, later!" [/COLOR] With that, Sakura quickly exited the boat, making a mental note never to laugh at Sora in a bad mood, and making a hasty retreat to Net Slum. [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]---------------- There is a conspiracy between DDG and Neko! Hence, I did nothing important but meet up with Kayla. I don't want to mess anything up :animestun [/COLOR] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]There they were. Millions. Trillions, even. [COLOR=Navy]"God, there're [i]zillions[/i] of 'em!" [/COLOR] Goku shouted, fighting a path through the wave. Gojyo grinned, never missing an oportunity to make fun of Goku. [COLOR=Navy]"Bakasaru! 'Zillion' isn't a number!" [/COLOR] He said over the roar and noise of the youkai. Twenty of whom he had just sliced off their heads with his shakujo staff. [COLOR=Navy]"Don't call me a bakasaru, you nympho kappa!" [/COLOR] Goku shouted back, attacking a few. [COLOR=Navy]"Then stop calling me a kappa," [/COLOR] Gojyo replied, all too calmly for this situation. He [i]was[/i] used to it, after all. Then again, so was Goku. Gojyo figured that the only reason Goku was fighting so actively at the moment was because he had successfully rattled his cage. But maybe he was just enjoying himself. Probably a mixture of both. [COLOR=Navy]"But you called me a bakasaru first, ya kappa," [/COLOR] Goku whined. Gojyo glared, but restrained himself from attacking the Monkey King. No matter how annoying he was, he was still on Gojyo's side. [COLOR=Navy]"Shut up, saru,"[/COLOR] he said instead. Which, in turn, caused the age old arguement to bloom again as they fought against the wave of youkai. ------ Sorry it's short...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Sha Gojyo [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Race:[/B] Child of Taboo [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Mai_Minase/Gojyo.jpg]Gojyo in modern clothes[/URL] [B]Personality: [/B] Gojyo is a flirtatious, sly, and (let's face it) flat-out horny rogue. His behavior may seem rough and vulgar at first (and it is), but to the friends who know him, he's the dependable older brother. [B]Character Snippet:[/B] [COLOR=Navy]Gojyo stared out into the distance as they drove, and soon his thought began to wonder back to three years ago. [I]The good ol' days,[/i] he thought, supressing a grin. Yes, fighting youkai on a daily basis, nearly having his head chopped off every week, and getting no chicks for months...definitely his idea of a good time. "Not!" he said aloud, causing his companions to look at him. "Not what?" Sanzo asked, with an annoyed look on his face. To retain his reputation of "sane", Gojyo thought fast. "What's 'not' is [i]not[/i] any of your business, my dear priesty," he said with a smirk. This, in turn, earned him a hard smack on the head with a paper fan. "And where the hell [i]do[/i] you keep that thing? If it's in your-" There was a gun not two centimeters from the bridge of his nose. "Keep talking if you want to die," Sanzo growled. Gojyo stopped talking. Immediately.[/COLOR] [B]Weapons:[/B] His favorite weapon is his shakujou staff that uses a chain to control it's blade- a messy piece in battle to be sure. [B]Powers:[/B] Gojyo has no actual powers, though he does have kickass fighting skills.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]NAME: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Jane Sasaki[/COLOR] [B]CODENAME: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Lucky Hare (Due to the fact that she has been purely lucky throughout her entire life. Especially when it came to her genes, and her recruitment.)[/COLOR] [B]POSITION: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Recruit[/COLOR] [B]AGE: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]20[/COLOR] [B]SEX: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Female[/COLOR] [B]DESCRIPTION: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Normally donning the FOXHOUND uniform, Jane doesn't usually get a chance to wear what she'd like. She has shorter-than-shoulder-length brown hair with brown eyes.[/COLOR] [B]PERSONALITY: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]Jane has a surprisingly upbeat disposition for being stuck in the middle of Alaska. Just like her father and grandfather before her, though, she's constantly humiliated by her comrades. Fortunately, the Chronic Diherea skipped a generation with her, of which she is truly grateful for.[/COLOR] [B]BIOGRAPHY: [/B] [COLOR=Navy]The daughter of Johnny Sasaki, who had survived Shadow Moses and Big Shell. Seeing as she was a girl, Johnny decided to stray only a little from the Sasaki tradition and name her "Jane" instead of "Johnny." In any case, after seeing that her father and grandfather had both been in the military, she decided to carry on [i]that[/i] tradition. She had attempted to join FOXHOUND, but had failed twice. Finally, she was recruited, but was stuck with any and all low jobs, including cleaning up after other recruits.[/COLOR] [B]WEAPON:[/B] [COLOR=Navy][U]USP[/U]- Developed by Heckler & Koch, the USP (Universal Self-loading Pistol) is used by armies and special forces throughout the world. A pair of universal mounting grooves are incorporated into the front of the polymer frame, meaning that the weapon can take a variety of accessories. This 9mm automatic can fire 15 rounds per Magazine and is equipped with a flashlight for night operations. The light is switched on automatically when aiming in the dark. Unfortunately, while this facility improves visibility it also attracts enemy attention. Only in the best case scenario will the glare blind your opponent. In contrast to the M9, the USP does not come with a suppressor. However, one can be fitted. The USP can be used to disable electronic devices such as surveillance cameras or infared sensor control units.[/COLOR][/SIZE]