Orcus

I'm going to have to drop out, everyone. I'm having serious family problems, and attempting to juggle that with college is hard enough. My sincerest apologies. I hope you guys can still use Faust, though.

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"]Faust sat outside of the Leader?s Office, waiting patiently for Greg and Draco to finish their meeting. He tried hard not to make eye contact with attractive receptionist, Jenna, she had said her name was. He slipped up by accident, catching her gaze and couldn?t help but smile at her. She smiled back, and he sighed, relieved, as the doors opened. A man walked briskly by, too quickly for Faust to catch a look at his face. Draco walked out next, nodding for Faust to go in, then walking over to the receptionist and whispering something into her ear. Before she disappeared fro, Faust?s vision, he noticed she was blushing. Faust laughed softly and took a seat inside of the room. He looked over the room quickly, before Draco came back into the room. Faust instinctively got up and turned to greet his friend. Draco laughed and took his hand. [B] ?You know those formalities are no longer necessary.?[/B] Faust shrugged complacently. [B]?Well? Old habits and all.?[/B] Draco motioned for Faust to sit. Faust nodded and took his seat, and Draco sat across from him. They spoke again about nonsensical matters, as old friends do, until Faust found it a good time to bring up Mr. Souji?s arrival at his job. Draco thought on that a moment before responding. [B]?Hmm? I suppose there?s no getting around that eventual visit. But as we both know, he has nothing concrete on you, and he was merely going for routine.?[/B] Faust leaned forward in his seat and locked his hands, looking intently at Draco. [B]?Yah? But something odd happened? I was walking by, and I didn?t display any signs of guilt, or any emotion? And miraculously, as if he SENSED me? He spun around and gazed right at me. It was like he KNEW. I froze momentarily, but I regained my composure and left. It was unnerving.?[/B] Draco sat in silence, thinking over the matter. Faust simply brushed aside the matter and began speaking again. [B]?As for the modifications you were interested in making, I handed them over to my team with some personal touches that I made, knowing fully well you?d be alright with that,?[/B] Draco chuckled at that, [B]?and they?ll be on their way in no time at all. You have our full support.?[/B] Draco smiled and nodded. A sudden notice interrupted their discussion, though. [B] ?Draco, Draco sir! The attack on L3 colony has intensified.?[/B] Faust looked to Draco, inquisitively. [B]?What should we do? Do we go assist? We haven?t exactly recovered from the last battle? But we can?t leave our allies high and dry. Your thoughts??[/B] Draco took a moment to think, then spoke.[/FONT]

My bad Dragons Wolfie- I just posted, and I hope everything works for you. Faust's given the blueprints to his team, who will go over it and meet up with him and Draco at your base of operations. Good?

[FONT= Bookman Old Style]Faust landed in the hangar of Golden Echelons inc. and sat their sullenly, thinking over the battle and the blueprints he had received from Draco. He felt partly responsible for the hi-jacked Mobile Suits- had he been more of an asset in battle, or simply more aware, he might have been able to strike down the Mobile Suits before the Judges had managed to steal two. He disgustedly thought of how the Judges must feel right at that moment. Cherishing their precious thefts. A group that stood for justice and righteousness cherishing deception. It was almost too funny. Most rebel groups wouldn?t even stoop to attempting to rob the Judge Senate. And it wasn?t because they were afraid. It was because they were more than ready to use their own resources to combat the Judge Senate. Of course, should a rebel operative get in and sabotage their weapons, it would be a despicable act. If they did the same to the rebels, it?d be worthy of medals. But such was the way of war. Those inherent hypocrisies, contradictions, and propaganda were necessary to pull the tide of war in your favor. It didn?t sit any better in his stomach, but that was the truth nonetheless. He shook off the thought and reviewed the blueprints Draco had given him. He couldn?t help but chuckle at the fact that they were written on a napkin, but when inspiration struck, it struck. You didn?t question it. The reinforcements to their Mobile Suits seemed like a solid, viable idea. It would take time, but not much, especially if he sent some of his own men personally to assist Draco. He looked around the cockpit and smiled. [B] ?Whaddya think, buddy? Sound good to you??[/B] He patted the controls and jumped out of the cockpit, walking out of the hangar and delivering the plans to his personal team. He made a couple of suggestions, then walked off for the elevator. Before he had even pressed the button to close the doors, a voice came through the elevator. [B]?Mr. Faustus, a representative from the Judge Senate, a Mr. Tendou Souji is here to question the board of directors about suspected illicit activities and association with the illegal producing of Mobile Suits.?[/B] Faust froze, not out of fear, but of sheer discomfort. He had been around Judge members plenty of times before, but he had heard of Souji. He was one of the Judge?s best pilots, and had undoubtedly been involved in the battle today. It wasn?t as if Souji would recognize him from the battle earlier? But that didn?t settle his stomach any. After a long period of silence, Faust responded. [B]"Orders??[/B] The line buzzed, and then the electronic voice replied curtly. [B]?Stay away.?[/B] Faust growled and rolled his eyes. As if that wasn?t abundantly clear. Of course, the problem there was, this elevator wasn?t exactly common knowledge, and there was absolutely no way to make it from this room out of the building without passing the Grande Chamber. Faust sighed and put his hands behind his head, mumbling aloud. [B] ?Oh well? If he recognizes me in civilian attire, he should get an award.?[/B] Faust walked out of the elevator, and, unluckily for him, he could hear the door to the Grande Chamber opening, and faint voices obviously settling or ending a matter. He grimaced but didn?t increase his pace any- if he went streaking by he would like highly suspicious. He casually walked by the hallway, but he had been spotted. In what had to have been the most coincidental moment Faust had ever seen, Mr. Souji spun around and looked him dead in the eyes. Faust?s body froze, and he merely gazed back, and the two stood, interlocked, for what felt like an eternity. Attempting to break the silence, Faust spoke. [B]?Don?t look at me? I?m not buying you a damn soda,[/B]? he pulled his pockets out, revealing he had no money in them. [B]?Besides, that machine doesn?t work??[/B] Faust chuckled meekly after saying that, but he got the impression Souji hadn?t actually heard him. Faust nodded slightly at the man, the sped off, just needing to get out of that hallway. Next thing he knew, he was on the train going back to meet up with Draco. When he?d finally come to his senses, he noticed an attractive woman sitting across from him smiling at him. He grinned back and turned his head to the window, muttering under his breath. [B]?Damnit? I need to get laid??[/B][/FONT]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"][B]?Ey! Ey you! You wanna get us something to drink??[/B] Virgil looked up quizzically from his work, and noting the soldiers speaking to Cain, had his suspicions confirmed. The soldiers had been in his, or rather Cain?s, home for a deal of time, and they?d taken to personally trying Cain at any point they could. Cain had been lucky enough to survive his altercation with the officials with nothing more than a bullet wound and a physical beating, and that he hadn?t just been abducted or killed during the night. Unfortunately for him, most of the soldiers knew about his ?insubordination?, and made it their goals to hassle or harass them whenever possible. Virgil, however, wasn?t allowing them free reign with that. He got up from his work desk, grabbed some pre-filled glasses, and plopped them down without even looking at the soldiers. [B]?There.?[/B] The soldiers menacingly looked over at Virgil, took a drink from their respective cups, then ?accidentally? dropped their cups onto the ground. The head soldier feigned remorse. [B]?Oops! Clumsy me. My apologies. One of you should really clean this up.?[/B] Virgil began rising to take care of the mess when the solider held up his hand to him. [B]?No. Not you. Your friend here has done near nothing for us soldiers. We keep you people safe. He should show a little more respect, pull his weight more.?[/B] Virgil looked to Cain, who?s cheery expression was somewhat stained with pain and anger. Virgil replied to the man coolly, attempting to rise once more. [B]?Yes, but as you?ve undoubtedly noticed, that?s because my friend is injured--?[/B] This time, Virgil?s attempt was met with the barrel of a gun. The soldier coldly spoke once more. [B]?Like I said. Your friend here needs to show some respect. As should you.?[/B] The man turned to Cain venomously. [B]?Well??[/B] The room was silent for a great deal of time, with no single person making a move. Virgil watched Cain intently, hoping that Cain would and wouldn?t give in all at once. He didn?t want to see his friend get hurt, but he was less than interested in watching him obey those vile men. Luckily, all of the clocks in their home chimed instantaneously- it was midday, and that meant the soldiers had some final preparations to go attend to for the festival. The man sneered unhappily and got up, his lackeys following suit. He tipped his hat to Virgil and Cain, and motioned for his men to leave. He stopped in the doorway before leaving, and turned to speak to the two. [B]?Thank you for letting us stay in your home? Next time, the service should be better. Good day.?[/B] The soldier left without another word or gesture, slamming the door behind him. Virgil sighed and got up to clean up the mess, but was stopped once again, this time by Cain. Virgil?s raised his eyebrows, almost looking surprised. Cain shook his head and began cleaning up. [B]?No worries, buddy. We both know I?m perfectly well enough to do this on my own. But I do appreciate you defending me from those jerks.?[/B] Virgil shrugged and got on his knees anyways to assist his friend. The moment they were finished, the two ate lunch. Virgil gazed at the door throughout the whole meal, thinking about the upcoming festival. It wasn?t unusual for to be somewhat unnerved around this time every year, but this year, inexplicably, it seemed like the feeling was worst. He looked over to Cain, who?s eyes met his. He could tell his friend was feeling the same way. They ate the rest of their meal in shared silence, anticipating the lottery drawing.[/FONT]

[SIZE="1"]OOC: Darn you Vicky for taking my color before me. Luckily, your name inspired mine, so it's all good.[/SIZE] [CENTER]? ♥ ?[/CENTER] [FONT="Bookman Old Style"][B]Name[/B]: Virgil De Luce [B]Age:[/B] 28 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Village:[/B] Ash? Tar, but originally from Pandaemonium [Arizona] [B]Appearance:[/B] Virgil stands at 6?1?? and is known by all who come across by his fairly stereotypical ?clock maker? appearance- his square rimmed glasses barely cover the large bags under his eyes, the bangs of his shoulder length hair always falls over his eyes and he is very thin. The only deviation from the stereotype is his relatively tanned skin. [B]Occupation:[/B] Clockmaker [B]Background:[/B] Virgil was born to a clockmaker and a seamstress, Rafael De Luce and Alma Clementine. His childhood remained blissfully untouched by the Lottery and the government. Both of his parents were entirely content within this system established, and allowed the government to freely control them. They never delved into the mysteries of the past, or objected to the soldiers inhabiting their house. They raised Virgil to be a clockmaker like his father, and he was happy. He was a childhood friend of Cain [the same who would later relay the message of Cain?s father?s death] and the two spent almost every day together, and Virgil watched over Cain?s father the years after Cain departed. The only real discontent apparent in Virgil?s home life was present in his brother Augustine. He disappeared quickly once reaching his teenage years, but Virgil was always told that Augustine had left to make a life elsewhere. Virgil accepted this as fact immediately, and would often write letters to his brothers and request that the soldiers take them to him. This was frowned upon, however [as people taken by the government had, for all intentions, never existed] so his parents quickly stopped that. From that point in his life, his life gradually declined into madness. In his nineteenth year, in a stroke of horrid luck, every member of his remaining family ?won? the lottery, and Virgil was left alone in Pandaemonium. He acted as the only clockmaker for the village for a couple of months, before misery struck again; Mr. Maverin committed suicide. Virgil had just left the man only moments ago, and when he came back, he had hung himself. Virgil took his suicide personally- he had taken it upon himself to care for Mr. Maverin, and he felt that it was his responsibility for the man?s death. With the approval of the soldiers, Virgil traveled to Ash? Tar to relay the message of Mr. Maverin?s death to Cain. Since then he has lived nearby Cain, and even nursed him back to health after he was shot by the soldiers for resisting his wife?s trip across the wall. [B]Personality:[/B] Virgil is very distracted. He?s a very cheerful person, but it always seems as if he?s somewhere else, somewhere distant. He spends nearly every moment constructing clocks intently. He never ignores any companions present, but his eyes rarely move from his work. That?s not to say he isn?t caring, compassionate, or loving. When Cain was injured, Virgil spent months doing nothing other than taking care of his friend, devoting every moment to assisting his comrade. [B]Color:[/B] [COLOR="Gray"]Gray[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"][B]“Fa….Fau…FAUST!!!”[/B] Faust fell angrily out of bed, fumbling for the walkie-talkie like device that had violently woken him up. Once he’d found it, he slammed it against the table before responding kindly to the message. [B]“The hell? I was sleeping!”[/B] The Owner of Golden Echelons Inc. ignored his comment altogether and continued giving him orders. [B]“The Scavengers are under attack by the Judge Marines, and though the Nameless Ones have engaged in the conflict as well, they still require extra support. You’ve been requested personally by a Mr. Alucard. Hurry up and get to the hangar at HQ. Understood?”[/B] Faust grumbled in response and slammed down the communicator, throwing on his standard (and bizarre) normal battle outfit- a white, collared, button up shirt with thick black borders, black jeans, and a white scarf. The outfit was rather overdramatic for piloting, and detrimental in most cases, but he liked it nonetheless. He then grabbed his keys and bolted from his apartment. He made it to the main building in no time at all, and was contemplating the upcoming events while riding in the company elevators that led the “developmental levels” of the building only accessible by “the manager and certain employees”. He loved the secrecy of the underground factory, despite the fact that the Judge Senate already suspected that they were producing mobile suits illegally. He stepped out of the elevator, saluted his fellow engineers and stopped in front of his mobile suit, so that he could bow and speak to it before boarding, as was customary for him. [B]“You ready? Another battle together… I promise not to let you down, buddy.”[/B] And agitated voice called down from above, ordering him into the cockpit immediately. The order cause Faust to become stern immediately. His superiors always respected his attachment to his mobile suit, and his devotion to acknowledging it as more then a weapon of war, so if they were hurrying him along, things were serious. He boarded the cockpit in no time and all and was immediately linked mentally to his mobile suit, blinking his eyes once as his mobile suit’s vision washed over his eyes. He blinked again, and his vision returned to normal. [B]“Ready.”[/B] His commander voice erupted into the cockpit, briefing Faust about the battle, and relaying its coordinates. Faust mentally programmed them into his mobile suit, and took in a deep breath as his commander began to finish speaking. He didn’t enjoy fighting. He loved his mobile suit, every one he’d ever created, and he was a more than competent pilot- definitely the most skilled engineer- but he found no comfort on the battle field. But he fought nonetheless, because he had to. Because it was right. Because the Judge Senate had to be stopped. A single line cut through his thoughts. [B] “Pilot Alexander Faustus, Mobile Suit Rx93- 5274... LAUNCH!”[/B] In no time at all, he had been jettisoned into space, and was rushing off towards the battle field.[/FONT] [CENTER]† ♥ †[/CENTER] [SIZE="1"][B]OOC:[/B] Use Faust in battle anyway you please. I'd rather you incorporated him into your already ensuing battle so he can augment the fight instead of messing up any set direction for this battle. :D[/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]Ya know, Gavin, if they were doing a DBZ movie, they could cast Morgan Freeman as Kami. At least I think so. *shrugs* And as for Keanu Reeves ever being involved in a Dragon Ball related title [or anything that relates to my childhood in any way, shape, or form] would cause me to lose my mind and would require years of therapy to ever get over. I could deal with Shia LeBeouf As for the actual Dragon Ball movie in creation, I was disappointed when I first heard about it, I was disappointed when I saw the promo poster, and thanks to that god-awful shot of what James-Marsters-Piccolo looks like, I think I might need to go cry for a while. Will I see it though? You can bet your *** I will. And chances are I'll by crying the [B]whole[/B] week afterwords. [/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]I'm with Vicky on this one. The mature theme is definitely a draw in for me, as is the planned length with college and whatnot. And I'd be lying if I said that I didn't already really want to know the secret behind the giant wall. However, I have a question as well. I see that reference to the olden days before this backwards time is informally forbidden, so from that I get the impression that the government is highly tyranical and uses the military for oppressing it's people. Is that close? Or is it simply that the government is known to intervene in certain matters? But anyways, in short, you have my support. I believe in Darren.[/SIZE]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"][B]Name:[/B] Alexander “Faust” Faustus [B]Age:[/B] 24 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Organization Information:[/B] [I]Golden Echelons Incorporated[/I]- Located on Luna, this corporation is the primary provider of technology for Space Colonies and Luna itself. [B]Technology Basis:[/B] Nu Gundam [B]Character Bio:[/B] Faust has only suffered one blow from the Judge Senate, and it’s impacted him relatively little, though the incident was just enough to cause him to oppose the Judges. Faust was orphaned at childhood because his parents were members of the Judge Senate who simply felt they had no time for a child, and decided it would be far more practical to just give up their son. He grew up in a nice household nonetheless, so even knowing he was orphaned, he never cared much to discover more about his family other than what the orphanage relayed to his new family. As a child, he was discovered to be highly intelligent and proficient with technology, and this interest and ability only increased throughout the years. By the age of 16, he could hack almost any system, could improve the output and performance of all of the machinery in his house, and was even inventing new items that he would sell to smalltime corporations. These activities caught the interest of Golden Echelons Inc. and they offered him a scholarship through college, and offered to hire him once his schooling was completed. It was during his time in college that the “great mechanical gods descended from the sky”. The moment he began working for Golden Echelons, they placed him in the W.R.A.R- “Weapons Renewal And Recreation”- section of the company; a legitimate subdivision of the weapons department devoted to restoring older technology and recreating and modifying it. Publicly, that was what that department was known for. It’s secret experimentation had more or less the same parameters- only all of their work focused on fixing the fallen Gundam and mass producing slightly inferior mobile suits both for sale and for personal use. Faust and his team made numerous repairs and modifications in no time flat, and helped dramatically increase the output of mass produced mobile suits. Atop of this, Faust has interwoven a new set of subsystems into the Pyscommu system as a backup and an augment- however, that technology is still highly experimental and is only used in Faust’s customized mobile suit, given to him by company so that he can act as a mercenary of sorts for the company. Though employed by Golden Echelons, he can “merc” himself out to other organizations and groups for a profit, and whatever money he makes is immediately given to Golden Echelons. In exchange, Faust is allowed to keep his mobile suit personally and keep and future upgraded mobile suits, and all of his living expenses are paid for by the company. This has granted Faust an extensive knowledge of the other Gundam prototypes; however, due to his strong sense of honor, Faust refuses to reveal the blueprints of any organization’s model to any rival organizations, even his own benefactors, and doesn’t use any of the rival technology in his own personal work. [B]Mobile Suit:[/B] Rx93-5274 [Gundam Model- Number Produced]- The design is somewhat slimmer than the Nu Gundam, so Faust could make the moves performed through the Psycommus system more fluid and life-like. The color scheme is the same, and it houses the same weapons as the original Rx93 Nu Gundam: a fin funnel system, a beam saber, a beam rifle, and two head vulcan rifles. Faust customized his mobile suit with a number of fail safes and complimentary technology, as well. To compliment the Pyscommu system and relieve [somewhat] the stress of mentally control the Mobile Suit, he’s installed a massive keyboard and dual analog sticks. By pressing a preset combination of buttons the mobile suit will automatically perform an action, and he can use the pyscommu system to specify the parameters of the attack [like style, direction, etc]. If the Pyscommu system fails he can rely solely on this keyboard, and if the keyboard fails [in chance of extremely bad luck] he can use the analog sticks to control the Mobile Suit- much, much less efficiently. There are still plenty of drawbacks to his mobile suit, however. Piloting the Mobile Suit with the Psycommu system is extremely trying, even when using the most minimal amount of brain power. The Mobile Suit’s performance, despite the modifications, is still relatively choppy and less life like than God Gundam prototypes. Also, although his mobile suit is highly efficient at following commands, if Faust’s mind strays or he is overwhelmed with thought, his suit may stall, perform incorrect commands, or shut down all together. The process of bringing his mobile suit back to life usually takes a minute, but in the case of a mental breakdown, the suit may never come back to life, or may go berserk. Lastly, momentary stalling may also occur if his Mobile Suit is struck with a particularly powerful blow. Upon being struck, first the pain will render, than his mind is filled with a blank white space. This white space renders the MS immobile, and is somewhat difficult to recover from.[/FONT]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"][B]Name:[/B] Aura and Aaron [B]Age:[/B] 7 and 7 (in dog years) [B]Gender:[/B] Male and Female [B]Appearance:[/B] A “massive” double-headed-sharp-fanged-red-eyed Siberian husky, Aura and Aaron is the most ferocious looking fool in Rabbica. [B]Powers and Abilities: [/B] [LIST] [*][I]Bad Breath[/I]- Also known as Heat Stroke, Bio Haze, and the Revulsion Mist. It’s well known that most dogs in the human world are notorious for horrible breath, and in extreme conditions, said bad breath was more than likely to knock out anyone unfortunate enough to inhale it. It’s also common knowledge that the residue left behind from inexperienced magic “gone wrong” smells rancid. And just what happens when these two elements meet? Thanks to an unlucky last meal and a bumbling magician, our heroes just might be assaulted by the most powerful combination of funk ever to plague the universe. [*][I]What sharp teeth you have-[/I] Of course, on the off chance that Aura and Aaron hasn’t been knocked out by it’s own signature technique, and that it isn’t bickering with itself, it is entirely plausible that it might be able to tear a creature apart with it’s fangs and teeth. That remains an untested theory, however. [/LIST] [B]History:[/B] Born as twin Siberian Huskies, Aura and Aaron were adopted by the Clown family. This particular clan of Clowns had grandiose hopes and dreams for the dogs, hoping that one day they would be prized Clown animals. So, from the very first day they were brought home, they were trained in the art of comedy, along with the Clown’s son, Bobbles. Though the Huskies remained happy throughout most of their childhood- and who wouldn’t be, being raised by the Clowns- that changed when turmoil arose in the household. Young Bobbles Clown didn’t want to follow in his parents footsteps. He wanted to become a magician. Bobbles practiced his magic more furtively than his pie-throwing abilities, and his parents began to feel distanced from their son. This rift became apparent in Aura and Aaron as well; Aura believed Bobbles should follow in his parents large footsteps and take up the family horn, whereas Aaron believed that Bobbles should follow his own dreams and become the greatest magician of all time, no matter what the odds. Mr. and Mrs. Clown would give Aura bowling pins to leave on Bobbles‘ bed, and Aaron would take the pins and bury them, placing a magic hat and wand where the pins had been. This tug of war went on for a year, until finally Bobbles made his decision. And, it was the wrong one. He decided to go against his parents wishes and performed at a birthday party as a magician- and he was horrible. Roses exploded from the front of his new shoes, never-ending ropes of cloth tied his legs together, and angry doves burst from his sleeves and attacked him relentlessly. In a last ditch effort to save the performance, he attempted the ace in the whole for all magicians- the disappearing animal trick. Fortunately for him, it worked! Unfortunately for his pets, Aura and Aaron were left stranded in Rabbica as a new fused being- aptly named “Aura and Aaron”- lost, confused, and bickering. They were found by “The Master”, however, and were sheltered, and now serve “The Master’s” each and every whim, whether it be for good or evil. [B]Additional Info:[/B] Aura and Aaron is by no means inherently evil or mean, simply loyal to “The Master“. This lack of substantial evil, coupled with it’s constant arguing, love for theatrics and comedy, and tendency to knock itself unconscious, makes Aura and Aaron a depressingly incompetent henchman.[/FONT] [CENTER]+++[/CENTER] [SIZE="1"][B]OOC:[/B] This was a lot funnier the first time I wrote it... Now it seems like it's got too much excess baggage. Hate it when my internet explorer shuts down in the midst of spontaneous genius, haha.[/SIZE]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"]Our villain could be possibly be a horrible creation of magic gone wrong. Perhaps a magician on Earth got too cocky with his abilities and decided to try making two animals disappear at once, like two puppies or cats or something along those lines. The trick appeared to go off without a hitch, but when the animals came out on the other side, they were fused together. Then the villain would be a Cerberus type beast, seeking revenge for it's deformity. But if that's too bizarre, then I second Ace's idea about an embittered and aged wolf.[/FONT]

[SIZE="1"]Well, firstly, I'd like to say thank you very, very, VERY much for posting anything in this thread. I appreciate the comments you've both made, and though my first chapter isn't finished [embarrassingly, I might have lost inspiration to write after the lack of critique], I'd gladly like to address the points made by you both. [B]Vicky:[/B] [LIST] [*]Right off the bat, I'd like to thank you for the compliment about my writing skills. I'd be lying if I said i wasn't flattered. As for the flow of the prologue, I see where you're coming from. The first couple of paragraphs are rather lengthy and hard to follow, but I was trying to portray the character speaking as being overwhelmed with his thoughts, and thus relaying his thoughts in a very long-winded mannerism. Any ideas on how to depict that without losing the reader? Admittedly, while I was writing, I had to glance over my work a couple of times to make sure that I was following along, haha. [*]As for the commas, I do tend to get a little excessive when using them. Good to know I'm not alone though, haha. Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to review the prologue to see if I can spot any unnecessary punctuation usage. [*]Well, now that I see that I've caught some attention I'll definitely be working avidly towards getting the next chapter out. I feel slightly ashamed to say that I simply gave up on this project because of lack of interest, although in all honesty I have quite a bit of trouble finishing anything I begin anyways. I have roughly 4 stories on my comp that have been started... And that's about it. >_< Thanks again, though, for the compliments on my diction and the criticism on my passage. You're one of my favorite writers on here, so it means a lot to me. [/LIST] [B]Allamorph:[/B] [LIST] [*]Well, I used the strike-through tool because the prologue is being written by Gabriel, not spoken [which is actually revealed in the beginning of the first chapter]. But none-the-less, I suppose there has to be a better way to portray that. Any suggestions? [*]I made it the prologue because it's a quick overview of past events by Gabriel, for himself in a journal he's boughten. It's revealed in the beginning of the first chapter that he's written the same passage over and over again in numerous different languages because it's been plaguing him. Do you think it would work better simply as the beginning of the first chapter? [*]As for the exchange, I made it shorter simply because it was a recollection of the event through Gabriel's particularly sarcastic and cynical perspective. He was there when the meeting occurred, but hadn't payed a particularly large amount of attention to the event because he already knew how it would progress. But I digress- as for placing in more "lead in" material, could you...eh... explain what you mean by that? I hate to sound ignorant, but I'm not sure I get what you're recommending. Are you suggesting that I possibly not start off with the dialogue, but maybe describe Lucifer's arrival, the circumstances of the event, etc...? [*]Haha, well, don't worry about being an ass. I can take it, and in all honesty, I appreciate any and all comments that can help me improve as a writer, harsh or no. =) [/LIST][/SIZE]

[FONT="Palatino Linotype"][INDENT]Allastor made it on to the main island completely unnoticed by the guards, and began to creep his way through the thick forest that the shore led into. He was swift about it, wanting to get to the main town as quickly as possible. He needed to find Kara. If he let Kara know that two men from Daphner Run had possibly escaped, Kara would send all of his men to the find the escapees. With Allastor?s men, Kara?s men, and Allastor himself trailing after these two escaped soldiers, they would surely be found rather quickly. That wasn?t the important thing. The important thing was, that if anyone aside from Allastor or his men found them, he would have to keep that person from seeing their equipment by any means, even if, regrettably, it meant killing them. Though it had rained only a while ago, Allastor could catch glimpses of scattered twigs and oddly arranged wood- to anyone else, it would simply look as if a wild animal had come through quickly and knocked things into disarray. But he knew differently. The escapees had been through there. That did little for him, though, as they had cleverly shifted much of the scenery around to make it seem as if they could have possibly gone in a number of directions. He ignored all of their tracks and, sure he was far enough in not to be seen by random eyes, ran at a strikingly quick pace through the forest. The augments made to his body allowed him to travel the distance the soldiers had traveled in half of the time, maybe even faster. Once he hit the edge of the forest, he stopped abruptly, causing a ferocious gust of wind to travel past him and into the open field. Allastor growled openly, slowing his pace to that of a normal human being as he ran over the plains. He attempted to smile and appear as if he was enjoying himself, should some passerby catch sight of him. And, as if on cue, a wagon wheeled by, and a man inside of it hailed him over. The wagon stopped, and Allastor cheerfully ran over to it, leaning along the side of it, and breathed heavily, pretending to be exhausted. One of the men smiled and leaned towards him. [B]?Hey there, neighbor. Noticed you hiking along by yourself and I thought you might like a ride into town.?[/B] Allastor looked over the men quickly, and his smile broadened. [I]Bandits?[/I] He nodded and hopped in, keeping up his cheery facade. [B]?Thanks guys! I appreciate it. So, where are you gentleman heading off to??[/B] The man who had spoken to him earlier spoke again. ?Well, we travel from town to town. We never settle down for too long.? Allastor pretended to be puzzled, and spoke in a quizzical manner. [B]?Why??[/B] The man?s grin changed instantly, into one of conceit and vanity. He drew a long dagger from his side and pointed it at Allastor?s neck, as did the man sitting at his side, and the man at Allastor?s side stuck placed his blade into Allastor?s ribs. [B]?Well, because we?re thieves. It?s no good to stay in one place for too long. Can?t afford to leave any tracks. So, why not start by giving us your blades? Those look like they could fetch quite a bit of money.?[/B] Allastor pretended to appear frightened, and, shaking, reached for his blades. [B]?Yeah, sure, but please don?t---?[/B] And with that, he swiftly drew his left blade and beheaded both men opposite of him, and head butted the man to his left, knocking him out of the wagon. The man driving the wagon slowed it to a stop and jumped off the front to go and help his friend, but before he could make it past the door, a blade pierced deep into the side of his head. Allastor growled and pulled the blade from the man?s head, then jumped out of his seat, glaring down at the remaining bandit. The man was paralyzed with fear, and could nothing but shake violently. Allastor lowered his face to the man?s and looked him dead in the eye. [B]?Your friends died to quickly to hear the rest of my sentence. What I was going to say was, ?but please don?t stain my blade?. Think your blood would stain it??[/B] The main nodded his head furtively, finally coming to his senses and attempting to fumble away. Allastor frowned and looked at his swords, then sheathed them, walking towards the man again, and kneeling to face him. [B]?Hmmm? You?re right. And I don?t want to take that chance.?[/B] The man smiled shakily, until Allastor grabbed the man?s blade and examined it. He stabbed through the man?s chest and whispered into his ear. [B]?Looked dirty enough as it was. You should?ve kept you sword cleaner.?[/B] Allastor left the man, and his sword, in the dirt, walked over to the recently killed driver, stole his sword, then cut free one of the horses with it. He jumped onto the horse, tossed the sword away, and rode towards town. [CENTER][I][U]In the town?[/U][/I][/CENTER] Allastor threw open the door to the local pub and casually strode in, walking straight to the counter. The barkeep looked over to him and smiled, walking over and taking his order. [B]?What can I do you for??[/B] Allastor smiled and shrugged. [B]?Anything?ll do. I just need a drink.?[/B] The barkeep laughed and filled up a cup, placing it down in front of Allastor. Allastor gave the guy some money and smiled at him, grabbing his cup and instinctively walking to his usual seat in the back of the room. His smile broadened when he noticed that someone was already there- a familiar face. A friend. Allastor couldn?t help but smile when he saw him- the man was versed in the ways of war, but he didn?t look a day over twenty, and he was always smiling. It was? surreal, discerning and somewhat amazing all at once. Allastor and him had slaughtered numerous of ?the GodBot?s henchmen together, but as soon as the battle was finished, he was smiling again. A sincere, infectious smile that made you feel warm inside. [B]?Hey there, friend.?[/B] The man looked up at Allastor, and though his smiled remained unwavering, his eyes got brighter with recognition. But he had to be cautious, he couldn?t allow a spy in disguise to discern his identity. He merely pulled out the chair and looked, unflinchingly, at Allastor. [B]?A seat? You look tired.?[/B] Allastor nodded and casually plopped down, as if he truly was exhausted. They sat for a couple minutes in silence, both of them merely gazing off into space. Finally, after taking a drink, Allastor spoke to the man again. [B]?Why the smile, buddy? Especially with all the rain??[/B] The man looked over at him, having noticed that Allastor initiated their secret code. He shrugged non-casually and took a swig of his drink. [B]?I just have a feeling it?ll brighten up soon.?[/B] Allastor grinned and raised his glass to his friend. [B]?Well, it is always darkest before dawn.?[/B] The man laughed and tapped his glass against Allastor?s. [B]?At least it always seems that way once you?ve had a few.?[/B] They both laughed and took a drink. Allastor put his glass down and clasped his friend?s hand. [B]?Zimmer.?[/B] [B]?Allastor.?[/B] They both nodded, finished their drinks, and had a couple more rounds before they left. Zimmer left first, giving Allastor a ?tip? to stay at a local inn nearby, and then walked off. Allastor ordered one more drink after that, chugged it down, and headed out, paying the barkeep and giving him a tip. Allastor waved goodbye to the barkeep, and, in surprisingly good spirits, headed for the inn. He was glad to be himself again- he had grown tired of being the GodBot. [I]If only he would?[/I] Allastor shook off the thought, too happy to trouble himself with worries. He pushed open the doors to the inn and walked up to the counter. [B]?I need a room? Would you happen to have one without mirrors or windows??[/B] The attractive female behind the counter feigned curiousness, just as he had earlier. [B]?And why is that sir??[/B] Allastor smiled. [B]?So that I can see everything.?[/B] She smiled and handed him a key. Allastor bowed in approval, walking to the end of the hallway, to the very last door on the floor. Once in, he opened up the dresser in the furthest corner in the room and stepped into it, and suddenly he was falling. He quickly reached out, catching a ladder dangling directly in front of him. He held on for a moment, without moving, listening to the groans and moans of those below who had fallen into the abysmal pit. He climbed up the ladder all the way to the attic of the inn, and was met by both Zimmer and an even more familiar friend. Him and the man instantly grasped hands an embraced. Allastor pulled away and spoke. [B]?Kara, I have news for you.?[/B][/INDENT][/FONT]

[FONT="Bookman Old Style"][INDENT][B]Name:[/B] Ephraim [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Age:[/B] Young [B]Race:[/B] Kitten [B]Appearance:[/B] Ephraim is an all white kitten, with tufts of black hair directly in front of his ears, and a black circle over his right eye. He wears black square-rimmed glasses- because his vision hasn’t been so good since crossing over- a black cadet cap and a black, short-sleeved button up shirt. [B]Class:[/B] [I]Fighter[/I] The powerhouse. The tank. The wrecking ball. Whatever you want to call him, the fighter is known to pack quite the punch. Each blow has the force of a moderately sized rock [come now, a bolder would kill these tiny creatures], and he can easily finish of a lesser woodland creature with one strike. Although only decently fast, what he lacks in speed he makes up for in durability and defense. [B]Weapon:[/B] His hands and feet… or, rather, his paws. [B]Personality:[/B] Ephraim is an exceptionally jovial kitty, always laid back, cracking jokes, and enjoying himself. That’s not to say he doesn’t take things seriously, or to say he’s humorously inconsiderate- he’s simply cheery and optimistic, all of the time. Even when he’s beating a renegade mouse or a deformed rat monster to a tiny pulp.[/INDENT][/FONT]

[SIZE="8"][CENTER][FONT="Monotype Corsiva"]The Chance For Redemption[/FONT][/CENTER][/SIZE] [B][CENTER]†[/CENTER][/B] [SIZE="1"][INDENT][B]“Why… why would you do this? Why? You’re the hero of this world…Ahh!”[/B] Her face whipped back as his gloved hand connected with her face. He brought his hand back and pulled on the glove casually, watching as she struggled against the chains on her wrists and ankles. She lacked the strength, however, and only managed to glance at him for a moment before hanging her head with fatigue, her eyes overlooking the blood stained floor. He sneered at her, grabbing her long black hair and pulling it up. [B]“What did you think would happen? I couldn’t return to a normal life- I didn’t deserve one. And the things that I’ve done ‘for the planet’ mean nothing. But she’s given me a chance to put the world right. She wants me to do this. Once I’m done- she’ll have forgiven me.”[/B] Another voice from behind the man spoke out, younger and cockier. [B]“We’ve all been brought from our worlds- we’ve all been gathered, apparently by your friend, to set everything right!”[/B] A deeper, much more serious voice interrupted. [B]“We… we may have saved our planets. But we could have done more. We could have prevented the pain, the misery... We weren’t strong enough- and now we have to make it up to the planets.”[/B] The chained woman cried out in frustration. [B]“But you saved the planet! You did all that you could! The planet owes you, we owe you- if you hadn’t risen up there wouldn’t be a planet to mourn over! Doesn’t that count for something?”[/B] She turned back to look at her attacker, her former friend, her hero, and her eyes were weeping. [B]“Would she really want this? Is she that much of a monster?”[/B] His blue eyes lit up with anger as he rushed towards her, and he struck her again, vehemently. He quickly grabbed her throat and brought her back to his eye level, his voice uncharacteristically wild. [B]“How dare you! How dare you talk about her like that!”[/B] The woman sobbed uncontrollably, attempting to gasp for breath as well. [B]“Aren’t you listening to yourself? Don’t you know who you sound like? Do you -----”[/B] She stopped speaking and winced in pain as a brilliant light manifested in the middle of the room. It washed over the room, illuminating them all for a moment- and for one moment, the woman could see how much they had fallen, the heroes of lore and fantasy. What hurt the most was looking at his face; it was just to unbearable to see how defeated he looked, how lost he was. But soon she could see nothing, only the blinding light, but she felt free, like she was floating along in space, no longer bound by her restraints. Despite her hopeless situation, despite the pain in her heart, she felt peaceful, joyous, even. A voice spoke through the light, soft and loving. It spoke to the blond man who had defended it. [B]“You’re too sweet- I must be honest, I hadn’t expected this. But thank you. All of you. You’ve proven yourself loyal to me. Especially you.”[/B] The blond man smiled earnestly, with a child-like happiness. The voice continued, now addressing the previously chained woman. [B]“You seem confused. You’re right- these men have done great things for the planet. They spared each of their worlds from being destroyed. But look at the damage that has been caused.”[/B] The light exploded into millions of stars, and suddenly the group was floating through the cosmos. Scenes of great battles, of destruction, of peril flickered through their mind with every planet they passed. The warriors assembled by this voice winced with disappointment and shame as their ventures, their successes, and their failures were displayed. The voice spoke again. [B]“Their worlds have been reduced to ashes- the damage done to the worlds is… irreparable. Take into account your own world. Will the damage done by that company, the company you all could have stopped much sooner, and the damage done by that silver haired demon- could that ever be undone?”[/B] The woman lashed out against the voice, breaking free of the serene hold that had been placed on her. [B]“We did the best we could! We made mistakes, but we tried, didn’t we? Didn’t we all? We gave the planet all that we owed it. And we continued working for the planet even after our fights were over. We have nothing to repent for.”[/B] The voice giggled, and their journey through the stars halted abruptly- and then they were falling, the stars streaking off to the heavens above as they plummeted into the dark abyss. The woman closed her eyes and instinctively went to hold out her hands in front of her face, but she found, once again, she was restrained. Opening her eyes, she found they were back in the room again, but the voice still lingered. [B]“There’s still so much more that you need to repent for. And only those who accept that they have their sins to atone for can have their sins forgiven. These warriors are well on their way- and your dearest here proved that, by being able to bring you here, to do this to you.”[/B] The woman clenched her teeth angrily, crying once more, steeped in complete and utter helplessness. Even as her bindings were undone, she could find no relief. He walked up to her again, this time with the same compassion that he regarded the voice with. He held her arms and spoke tenderly. [B]“Everything will be alright. We’ll all get a chance for redemption. All of us. You’ll see.” [/B] The blond man smiled at her and leaned in close, bringing his lips to her ear. [B]“Just wait… You’ll see, Tifa.”[/B] She gasped painfully, her eyes widening in surprise. Blood began to drip from her mouth, and she gasped again in agony as the man removed his blade from her stomach. She could feel herself fading into darkness, and fading quickly. But before she was entirely gone, she heard the voice speak to the remaining people in the room once more. [B]“I forgot to mention, I found another willing to pay for the sins of his journey, though it took a bit of persuasion.”[/B] Tifa only managed to catch a quick glance of what appeared to be…dear god… [B]“A key-----?”[/B] And then all was dark.[/INDENT] [B][CENTER]††[/CENTER][/B] [I]The Redeeming Sinner’s Coliseum. An arena akin to paradise crafted with seemingly pure intent- to allow those who have committed atrocities to their planet, universe , or fellow man a chance to be forgiven of their horrible past and to return into the universe sin free. Since the beginning of time, this edifice has existed outside the folds of time, governed by it’s caretaker, simply known as the Goddess. At least, that’s what the legends say. The Coliseum and the Goddess have always been topic of lore and children’s tales. No one knows if this place and it’s keeper exist, or if it’s simply a dream created by the forsaken as a lingering hope before damnation. The truth, however, is about to be discovered. The Redeeming Sinner will, indeed, give deserving souls a new lease at life. But it is no paradise, and the “Goddess” is far from benevolent. Originally, there was no coliseum, nor castle, only a beautiful, lush, and warm paradise, known at the time as Pandæmonium, the home of the demons- beings neither good nor evil, simply animalistic and powerful. That is, until the “Goddess” arrived. A horrible, shapeless force, destructive and merciless, she attacked the land and tore it asunder, reducing the area to little more than the Pandæmonium of human tales. She merged the destroyed hills, fields, and buildings into two structures, terrible and fiendish, a coliseum and an adjoining castle. From her haven she watched over the human races through the gates connecting the coliseum and the human realm. She adored the creatures and their inhumanity, and loved to watch as they attempted to find ways to cover their crimes- whether it be with false ideals, or blind faith. It was this mortal lust for “forgiveness” that prompted the goddess to give her new home a purpose. She began abducting souls seeking salvation and bringing them to the coliseum, then putting them through terrible trials and forcing them, eventually, to fight and end one another. Those who survived, were returned to the world, and their souls cleansed and purified. There were, of course, catches: only souls truly filled with doubt and unrest [whether they be living or dead, though dead is more common] were allowed in, all who entered would have their body stored in the coliseum until they either: a) emerged victorious, in which case they’d return to their body and reenter the time stream, or b) they were defeated, in which case the body remained in the coliseum… and the soul was absorbed into the Goddess. Now, however, the Goddess has purposely manipulated the circumstances of the universe to bring the largest number of competitors ever to the coliseum- the great heroes and villains of the worlds that coexist on a plane of “Final Fantasy“. Mysteriously enough, the “main heroes” of each world and group- warriors such as Cloud Strife, Squall Leonhart, and Zidane Tribal- seem to be under the Goddess‘s control, obeying her every command, and they’ve changed drastically. Their hearts have been racked with an insurmountable amount of grief and anguish, and they seem to be responsible for bringing the masses of warriors to the coliseum… What have these former heroes done to their friends and enemies to bring them to this place? What will the trapped warriors need to do to escape from these twisted games? And ultimately, what is the Goddess’s true goal?[/I] [B][CENTER]†††[/CENTER][/B] [CENTER]Welcome to The Chance For Redemption! You’ll play as one of the heroes of final fantasy and kingdom hearts [save the main characters, who are off limits, outlined in the backstage thread] who have been brought through fiendish measures to this monstrosity to battle for your soul and “a chance at having your sins erased”. This RPG will consist of different elements: a main thread- where various missions and assignments will be dealt to our captive characters- the backstage thread- where I’ll outline certain characters, the worlds we’ll be visiting, the rooms of the castle, and we can brainstorm over possible future ideas- and, occasionally individual spars between characters. Don’t fret though- if your character loses their spar, that doesn’t mean their journey is done. There’s something sinister in store for you. But now, on to the sign-up sheet: [B]Name:[/B] [B]Origin:[/B] Planet name, region name, or name of the final fantasy or kingdom hearts game you hail from. [B]Appearance:[/B] Picture or written is fine [B]Personality:[/B] [B]Weapons:[/B] No limit, here, but keep it reasonable. [B]Skills:[/B] 4 special abilities and 1 limit break (i.e. Steal, Fire, Armor Crush, Poison, and Omnislash) [B]Greatest Fear/ Guilt:[/B] What is you character afraid of the most? Or which moment of his/ her life does he/she regret the most? [B]Brief Biography:[/B] This doesn’t have to be in depth, just a short overview of the events your character has been through. [B]Overseer:[/B] Are you willing to decide the victor and loser of any given spar? So the backstage thread should be up once I'm sure there's intesrest in the RPG, but if you have any queations before that, feel free to message me. Also, the characters Roxas [KH II] and Delita Heiral [FF Tactics] are also off limits.[/CENTER][/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]James is absolutely right. I just graduated from High School, and I'm about to start college, so I know how you feel. Big, vast, new surroundings, and nobody you know around. College is like living in a new city, and high school can feel the same. The most important thing is to just stay calm, and not make too much of it before hand. It'll come when it comes, and you'll deal with it accordingly. I only had one class with a friend my freshmen year, and that was really scary. But I got through that by being friendly and good-natured. People gravitate to you if you've got a sense of humor and you smile. Drama is a great idea. I knew a lot of drama kids, and they all were really fun people. It's an easy way to associate with people, and it makes your face known around campus [should you decide to act in performances]. But all in all, relax- AND ENJOY IT. It goes quickly. I know everyone says that, but it really, really does. And, despite all of the awful things that'll happen [because bad things do happen, just bounce back from them] you'll look back fondly when it's over and wish it never ended. [B]EDIT:[/B]Matter of fact, my sister's feeling the same way, kind of. She starts high school next week, and though she had a bit of a leg in with some of my younger friends still being at the school and having taken a class at the school, she's still nervous. So if at anything, take comfort knowing you're not alone. :D[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][LIST]To be entirely honest, I'm not too familiar with spars myself, having only joined one previously, and that was quite a while ago. I enjoy the concept- for those like me who, occasionally, just like to write out an action scene, it's an outlet more or less. However, I don't like the other elements implied. I'm not paticularly thrilled with the lack of a linear story [though I think I can get around that]- and it seems as if, being the one who's directing the events, I wouldn't get too spar at all. In judging the winner, if I thought mine was better it would seem snobbish, but I wouldn't want to cheat myself. Maybe a popular vote type scenario? [*]Well, my original idea, for when I was actually going to write it out, was that the teens would run out of heroic acts to perform [because nobody lives in meteor infected Smallville] so they decide to start creating accidents so that they can save people. Eventually, even that ceases to be entertaining, and some of the teens come to the only logical solution: become supervillians. This pits the characters against one another. What do you think? [*]Also, two things: 1) I really appreciate your feedback on my ideas, James, and, 2) If you wouldn't mind, could I hear about your superhero idea? [/SIZE][/LIST]

[SIZE="1"]Thanks for the feedback James and PWNED. [LIST] [*]PWNED- I actually decided a while back to start writing it as a story, instead of creating it as an RPG, because I thought it was one of the best ideas out of the pack, and I really wanted to flesh it out well. [*]James- You make a good point. Most of my story ideas carry the core themes you mentioned, usually because I like the escape from reality it gives. But, it might prove more productive to delve into other genres for the purpose of creating an RPG- as well as for expanding my familiariity with those story elements. I'm currently attempting to work on a Final Fantasy RPG, possibly a spar, but I can't think of a great story element that'd make it worth joining- the basic principle is that the main heroes from every world have been contacted by this goddess [believed by Cloud to be Aerith] who manipulated them into believing that all of the pain and destruction is directly attributed to their inability to stop the calamity of their world immediately. They gather the other heroes to make them repent for their crimes, whether it be by forcing them to do battle with one another, or sending them to do miscellaneous, horrible tasks that they have no choice but to comply with- or something along those lines. Any thoughts? I'm in the same boat for the Human Focus. Do you have any ideas/suggestions for fleshing out the Human Focus idea? [/LIST][/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]Hahaha, big O... But seriously, I don't see why we couldn't wait to put our confrontation in the next event. I'm sure P.J. McKrafty and I, if and when we post again, could simply post the events leading up to the big battle. Sound good Vicky and P.J.?[/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]=D Most splendid! So how to go about this... Would you like to do me the honor of setting up this epic showdown?[/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]I have a... [I]challenge[/I] for P.J. McKrafty. Your character and mine are gun proficient, so I think it'd be interesting to have a confrontation. What say ye?[/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"][INDENT][B]?I hate mob bosses. That?s all there is too it. Most of you are exactly the same- your suits, your fake accents, your macho attitude, and your misguided beliefs. There?s no difference- not in you nor the man that you hired me to kill. You rely solely on fear and loyal grunts- men who need you to fill their pockets so they didn?t starve. You?re almost right on one account; fear is a great motivator, and could get a man far, especially on this planet. You?re almost even right in trusting money. True, every man has a price. But you believe that if you find that price first, that pathetic wretch is yours forever. That he?d wait on your hand and foot if you keep providing him. Wrong. Essentially, you train your lapdogs to work for the highest bidder, or rather, to continue through with my metaphor, to run to whoever has the biggest piece of meat. That?s no way to create allies. What makes you think that bond would survive your dream? You think these men would ever follow you if you ever became the Black Zeitgeist? No. They?d kill you, in cold blood, taking the spot for themselves. They?d kill each other, matter of fact, until not-a-one was left, and the position was once again vacant. Does that seem worth it? Feeding these hungry mouths so they?ll keep chewing apart your competition- just to have them turn on you when you look more appetizing??[/B] [B]?Granted, your men are loyal now- which is all you need. Maybe at one time you viewed them as family- but a man like you has to have realized that to get to the top, you?d need to sacrifice anything that kept you down; like minor petty criminals below you, or even selling out your personal, loyal bodyguards. In all honesty, that?s pretty clever, if I say so myself. Not much in the way of character, but you?re a criminal. And, a lesser one at that. Most of your henchmen are more decent humans then you. Why? They don?t only use fear, they know fear. They fear death. They fear jail. And they fear you. So they put in their all to avoid any of the above. They?ll even step on and destroy anyone beneath them, without a second thought, to protect their own hide. Not in greed, but in self-preservation. That?s not evil, that?s survival. This planet fights to survive, the people fight to survive- even my brother and I fight to survive. But you do not. And that is why?um?I?m sorry, what was your question??[/B] Alexander smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. A room full of mobsters, angry mobsters, aiming guns at him, and he had spent the last 5 minutes monologuing? Well, at least he understood the appeal for villains now. A disgruntled mob boss dismounted his throne and drew his gun on Alexander. [B]?It wasn?t no question. It was join us, or die.?[/B] Alexander winced slightly and retorted. [B]?Hey, watch the double negatives friend. And to answer your ultimatum? Neither?? [/B]The mob boss laughed, and his henchmen laughed along with him. Alexander put on a puzzled look and glanced around. The only reason he even attempted to show any emotions anymore was because he was learning to manipulate his smile to show a decent range of emotions. Practice made perfect, right? But, back to the problem at hand; the angry mobsters with the guns. The mob boss spoke again. [B]?Look, obviously you?re skilled. Probably more skilled than my best men. Which is why I?m making you this offer. Don?t be stupid- you couldn?t take us all.?[/B] He took a moment to look around, mimicking Alexander, then spoke again. [B]?And seeing as your brother decided to skip out on this meeting, we?ll come after him next.?[/B] Alexander stared up at the ceiling and sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. He spoke without looking at his employer. [B]?And with our help? You?d eliminate all of the other gangs, criminals, villains, and vigilantes, and then rise to the position of The Black Zeitgeist, right??[/B] The gangster flashed a yellow, toothy grin in response. Alexander lowered his face back to the man?s eye level and shrugged. [B]?Sorry, no can do. I?ve only met a handful of criminals who?d make a respectable Black Zeitgeist? And I think Drake would do a better job than you.?[/B] Angered, the mob boss spat back at him. [B]?Who the fuck is Drake--?[/B] And with that sentence, faster than the eye could see, the portly man found himself at knife point. The other goons re-aimed their guns at the shadowed attacker. The assailant brought his face close to the mobster and whispered in a raspy voice into his ear. [B]?Drake, you say? I watched a Drake die once? You wanna know how??[/B] The mobster screamed as The Endless stabbed him in the side. His henchmen steadied their guns to take care of the figure, but Alexander wasn?t just about to let them ruin his brother?s fun. He quickly drew his handguns out and picked off four of them quickly. The others turned to finish him off, just as Alexander had predicted, but were struck violently between the shoulder blades with knives before they had the chance to fire. Alexander quickly rolled into the shadows and took care of the goons on the top floor. He could hear his brother talking to the mob boss as he continued to torture him, telling him about how their sister was killed in the same fashion. He sighed and straightened himself out, walking casually over to him, just as his brothers was about to begin sawing off the man?s head. Alexander put his hand on his brother?s shoulder leaned close to him. [B]?Drake.?[/B] He whispered it, but that was all he needed to do. The Endless was calm now. Alexander smiled down at the mob boss and shook his finger at him. [B]?You see? You see what I mean? You just couldn?t cut it as top dog. Hard times aren?t enough to create a true super-villain anymore. Now, you need a touch of insanity. Luckily for us, we?ve got plenty.?[/B] Alexander turned on his heel and grabbed the money they were too be paid for the hit, then walked back over to the mangled man, aiming his gun at him. [B]?Well, this goes without saying, but this is it for you. It was a pleasure doing business with you. And now, for the last order of business. Say it. Say his name again.?[/B] Alexander looked over to his brother and had to suppress a chuckle when he noticed he was wearing war paint. His brother?s serious expression only amused Alexander more. The mob boss, however, did not find the situation humorous. Being a bloody stump of a man at gun-point being forced to say the word that will undoubtedly bring him a slow, painful, horrible death was not, contrary to popular belief, the way most wanted to leave this world. He merely shook, speechless. Alexander smirked and shot him on what was left of his arm. [B]?Say his name!?[/B] He then began to kick all of the man?s wounds, until, in sheer pain and agony, he screamed out. [B]?Okay! Okay! Drake! Drake!! DRAKE!!!?[/B] The Endless closed his eyes and brought his knife back to the man?s throat. When he opened his eyes, his pupils had narrowed. He smiled and whispered to the man again. [B]?Drake, you say??I watched a Drake die once.?[/B] Alexander walked off to the other gangsters and retrieved their weapons, whistling to himself to block out the blood drowned screams and his brother?s psychotic laughter. [CENTER][U][I]At The Police Precinct?[/I][/U][/CENTER] All of the policemen gathered around the odd bag on their doorstep, guns at the ready. The Commissoner stepped forward, casually sipping coffee, his gun still perched at his side. He picked the card off of the bag and looked it over. He grimaced slightly at first, disturbed by the randomly placed ?ha?s? written on the note with blood. He read the car aloud, as his men drew closer to the bag. [B]?Dear Commissoner. I hope you?ll find this little gift as a peace offering between your men and my brother and I. We took the liberty of cleaning up to criminal bases for you- and we brought you their profits. Have a lovely afternoon. P.S. I apologize for the blood- my brother has a sick sense of humor. Yours truly, the Eckhart Brothers.?[/B] The commisoner scoffed and shoved the card into his pocket. He looked back over to the bag and dropped his coffee as he went to cover his mouth. A bloody, sawed off head rolled out as his men opened the bag- but the millions of dollars underneath it managed to settle his stomach.[/INDENT][/SIZE]

[FONT="Palatino Linotype"][B]Batman:[/B] Your chin is too big. [B]Superman:[/B] Your mask looks funny. [B]Both:[/B]... [B]Batman:[/B] Another drink? [B]Superman:[/B] You read my mind.[/FONT]

[SIZE="1"][INDENT][B]Name/Alias[/B]: Alexander V. Eckhart/'Venat'. While doing buisness with the police or government, he uses his full name, when dealing with criminals and mobsters, he usually uses his middle name only. [B]Age:[/B] 28 [B]Occupation:[/B] Elite Opportunist- Essentially, his brother and him are revered mercenaries without allegiances- it all depends on his brother’s current personality. [B]Weaponry/Skills:[/B] Alexander is more of a tactical, long distance fighter, quite the opposite of his brother. He prefers, if possible, to snipe his targets or enemies from a distance for convenience, but if it has to be up close, he’ll use one of the myriad of handguns housed on his person- normally one or both of the dual 92/98 Berretta customs that he stole at a young age. That’s not to say he couldn’t just as easily break a target’s neck or stab him to death -as he does have couple knives hidden in various areas on his person- he’s just more comfortable with his own means. He doesn’t quite have the thirst for blood and violence that his brother is prone to- in all honesty, though having been twisted by his brother’s insanity, Alexander would rather avoid murder, violence, and crime altogether- thus why violence is a last resort, and why he strikes from a distance. It removes any attachment from the death or person. One of Alexander’s most useful non-physical skills is his smile. In a world less corrupted, a man like Alexander would have been trusted and loved- but in a world of destruction, a man who smiles so honestly, all the time, is not only terrifying, but is to untrustworthy to not be trusted. Most fear any repercussions that may come their way for not dealing with someone who can grin broadly while unloading a clip into an opponent. [B]Description:[/B] Alexander is taller than his twin brother, standing at 6’1’’. He wears his black hair relatively short, and his front hair above his forehead is spiked up. His radiant, dark blue eyes glow through a pair of thin square-rimmed glasses, with thick earpieces. His white skin, dark hair, and his grin full of surprisingly sharp teeth give him a vampire-esque appearance. His attire isn’t anything particularly flashy- a black, collared, button up shirt, a blue tie, a black sweater vest with a blue, black, and white argyle design, black dress pants, argyle socks [that, subsequently, match his sweater] and black formal shoes. He wears an expensive watch on his right wrist [one that he pilfered from a hit after The Endless sawed off his arms] Alexander’s most distinguishing feature is his smile- he’s always smiling. Literally. It’s not a forced smile, as some would like to believe- he’s smiling 24/7. No matter how sad, how angry, how upset, he’s still smiling the same loving, caring, genuine smile. He finds that some of his targets are consoled by the smile while dying- whereas others are paralyzed with fear should they manage to catch a glint of their murderers smile from the shadows. [B]Personality:[/B] Alexander, from childhood, has always been a polite, caring gentleman. He was, and still is to an extent, the softer of the two brothers. He’s also the more calculating of the two- due to his lesser preference for normal childhood physical activities [save when it came to natural sibling rivalry with his brother], he spent a good deal of time stealing books to read, or stealing money to buy books. Nowadays, he’s a lot more devious and cunning- a necessity to keep up with his deranged brother- but it never shows through his “cheery, laid back and jovial” personality. This façade became his true state long ago- his whole mindset and personality, in actuality, were adjusted to match his brother’s highly unstable mentality. Alexander only ever “loses his grip” when his brother’s life is in danger. His facial features only change slightly- his smile turns into a toothy grin and his eyes narrow. From here on in, he’s merciless and murderous- he adopts his brother’s psychosis and bloodlust to protect him. His brother often laughs of the event afterwards, claiming that he is projecting his insanity into his brother’s mind to give him “the strength he needs”- and, arguably, this might be true. Often, Alexander can “hear” his brother in his head, and he can talk in the Endless’s as well. [B]Biography:[/B] Alexander enjoyed his childhood- he loved his family more than anything, and remained relatively shielded from the horrors and inhumanity of the surrounding world. His mother nurtured her children throughout the day, pouring her love, attention, and care into them so that their dismal situation would be bearable. His father contributed to the illusion- whenever he came from his ragged, stressful, underpaying job he would play with his sons and chide at his daughter, just like they did on the tv sitcoms. Despite the rising rates of spousal and child abuse in the community, his father never raised his hand in violence, never shouted or screamed at his family, and never left them on their own to fend for themselves. Alexander always thought his family life was just fine- little did he know of the extreme measures that his mother, father, and sister had taken to keep their lives from being entirely in the gutter. His brother and him never really took an interest in their families life at first. They grew up playing “make believe” as ancient heroes- Batman and Superman. They were “comic book” characters- ancient books that had been published for children’s entertainment. He would dress up as Superman, tying a bed sheet around his neck and running around the house while his brother- “Batman”- would throw whatever he could get his hands on at him. Interestingly enough, it was that game that did get them wrapped up in their family affairs. When they were playing late one night, Alexander accidentally pushed his brother into counter, and he fell over the counter and through the window. Frightened, he rushed to the window to see if his brother was alright. When he got there, he saw his brother rushing off somewhere- he later discovered he was chasing after Carilyn, their sister. Slightly shaken, he leaned back on the desk his brother fell over- and in doing so, made a startling discovery. On the counter was a gun and different substances; substances he later discovered to be various forms of drugs. Surprised, he quickly threw the papers over his discovery and tried to forget the scene. He never brought it up to any of his family, not even his brother, though on some level his brother knew of his activities, just as Alexander knew of his. While his brother would sneak out at night, Alexander would search the house for more clues as to the purpose and origin of the gun and drugs. He did notice, very early in his discovery, that the gun was almost always warm, and the drugs seemed to be steadily declining. He discovered the truth to one mystery relatively quickly- his mother was a drug addict. He caught her using them one day after she had locked herself into her bedroom. Peeking through the window, he caught her nervously hugging a bag of something, then snorted it obsessively. Alexander was disgusted. He couldn’t understand why his mother would be addicted to anything. In his opinion, his family was the most functional of any family he had ever seen- everyone at their home truly loved each other. At first his thoughts drifted to his father- maybe the reason she used drugs was because, secretly, he made her unhappy. Hoping to uncover the truth, he pretended to visit a friend one day, and instead, followed his father around. His day job was nothing exciting- just boring desk work for some crime boss. That was too be expected. It was what happened afterwards that scarred him. He followed his father to an alleyway and watched as his father made a drug deal with a novice group of criminals, and once it was finished, he watched as his father coldly shot them all down. Traumatized, he followed his father home like a zombie, just to receive the most horrible shock of the evening. At home, his father went straight into his mother’s room and kissed her passionately on the cheek. She coldly shrugged him off, shaking and grabbing her knees. She kept demanding that he give it to her or she’d leave him. She told him that he meant nothing to her, and that the only reason she stayed was for their children and…it. With the most sadness he had ever seen in anyone’s eyes, he watched as his father produced the bag of drugs and handed them to his mother. She happily grabbed the bag and squealed with joy, jumping up and kissing her husband, screaming, I love you, I love you! It didn’t take any time at all for Alexander to piece together the situation- his mother was a hopeless drug addict whose provider had fallen in love with her. At first, Alexander imagined, his father must have kept her around by promising to bring her more and more of the drug she loved so much, but eventually the tables had turned- sometime after getting married and having children, he had become so hopelessly addicted to her that she realized that she could place the threats now. He wouldn’t dare stop providing her, knowing fully well that now, she would leave him without a second thought if he stopped giving her what she wanted. But his father didn’t care- he was so in love with her that he would do anything to keep her in his life. Alexander had never, ever been as disgusted and disappointed in his life. He couldn’t believe his parents were so pathetic- but to mask his utter contempt for them, he began to smile more often than usual. This became increasingly difficult however, when his brother came home one night laughing hysterically and told him that there sister had been brutally murdered- and much to Alexander’s discomfort, his brother was horridly graphic, describing what every chunk of ripped flesh and tendon looked between each son and chuckle. Soon, Alexander found his new signature smile spreading across his face, and he began to laugh as hysterically as his brother- then he grabbed his brother’s throat, pressing him down to the ground as the laughter continued. His brother would be next, he thought. His brother would be the next to dissapoint him. He tightened his grip until he could see his brother begin to pass out, then quickly let go, apologizing profusely and holding his brother tenderly in his arms. His brother simply cried in his arms, saying he understood, and the two cried and laughed all night. From there on in, the two began to digress mentally- Alexander with his horribly unwavering smile, and his brother with his inability to retain a personality or to remember things properly. When, finally, his brother snapped in entirety and attacked their father, Alexander thought nothing of it. He watched calmly and sweetly as his brother beat his father savagely, and began to saw through his neck. He smiled gently to his mother as she crawled into the corner, screaming bloody murder and attempting to cover her eyes. As his brother got about halfway through his father’s neck, Alexander walked over to his mother and pried her hands away from her face, wiggling his finger in disapproval at her. He then kissed her on the forehead and sweetly whispered, It’s okay, mommy. You die next- then grabbed one of the knives his brother had brought with him and stabbed her repeatedly, first in her throat, then all over her body. Once he and his brother finished, he gathered there belongings, any money their parents had, and his mother’s precious drugs so he could sell them. He still retained a great deal of humanity, but he was corrupted, he was deadly, he was a monster in disguise- and the only real emotional attachment he had to anyone was his only living family member, whose name he kept stored in his mind long after that person had abandoned it… His brother, Drake Eckhart.[/INDENT][/SIZE]