Retribution

[size=1]I'm posting again because I want a new appraisal on my Avatar, Sig, and Username. Sorry, Tatsubei, but you were pretty far off the mark. [b]wayofthereversed:[/b] Your username clearly shows that you're a fan of Ruroni Kenshin, and your avatar is from Peacemaker Kurogane, which shows that you enjoy samurai/swords. As for yoru signature, the wise quotes tell me you're observant and conscious of the world you live in... you also have a knack for picking out nifty quotes.[/size]

[size=1]Well, I have no idea about the site, but as for the program you need for editing your manga? I don't think you really [i]need[/i] Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro -- they're nice to have, but artists have been getting along fine without that sort of technology for a while now. But, if you're set upon getting an editing program... I'd recommend [url=www.gimp.org][b]Gimp[/b][/url]. It's free, it's easy to use, and it'll get the job done just as well as Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. [spoiler]Or, you could pirate them if you were that super-crazy-hardcore, but that's illegal. ^_^[/spoiler][/size]

[size=1]FloopusControl, I think we were supposed to guess what the person above us' avatar/banner/signature says about you. And for the record, Chibi, this is an awesome thread! Hooray! I'll start out with [B]DarkSeraphim[/B] because no one commented on your banner/avatar/sig. Avatar: It's a hot chick from Magna Carta (I believe)... so you like beauty/that specific gal. It's also simple, so I think you can appreciate the simple things in life. Screenname: Erm... I'm guessing you have a facsination with the supernatural, and perhaps a perversion of those 'powers,' as seraphim are holy, but dark contradicts that. Sig: Well... your signature says something about a princess. I can't decypher the rest since I only speak English (v_v). But your banner is damn cool. I'm guessing it's a reflection of its owner. As for you, [b]Floopus Control[/b]. Avatar: I can see one thing. You like FMA. Screenname: ...I'm definitely missing something vital here. Heheh. Sig: You certainly have holiday spirit, and perhaps an artistic mind, if you created your banner all by your lonesome. As for the text in there, I can see that you enjoy Nyquil, or perhaps had a bad experience with it.[/size]

[quote name='Shinji][size=1][color=crimson] I already have a blogspot, and MySpace doesn't seem all that great to me anyway. I've since abandoned it primarily because it won't let me upload my pictures using FireFox, it's very MS biased.[/size'][/color][/quote] [size=1]There might be something wrong with either the file or your computer, but I use Firefox, and it uploads pictures fine. I wouldn't say I'm an [i]addict[/i], but I do enjoy looking at other's pictures and discovering a friend who had a MySpace but never told anyone. I find that it's alot more fun than a livejournal/Xanga/what have you, mostly because of the human interaction involved with it. Other blogs are just places where you spill your thoughts out, and recieved little to no feedback. On MySpace, I've found that things I post are read and commented upon by friends... so it's not a complete waste of time like generic blogging is.[/size]

[QUOTE=Derald][FONT=Lucida Console][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed] The periodical cicada is quite interesting as it spends a great majority of its life (13 or 17 years) as a juvenile nymph living underground, feeding upon the roots of trees. After this, the nymph finally emerges from the ground and works its way up onto a tree, where it will harden its outer shell and grow into an adult within, breaking out when the transition is complete. The cicada will now have a few weeks to live in which it must find a mate, lay its eggs, and start the cycle over.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [size=1]I'm very sorry, Derald, that I cannot contribute meaningful information to your thread. I just wanted to pop by and comment. By reading your post, I finally know what those shells where that freaked me out when I was little. I used to play on my grandparent's private playground thing in their backyard, and on the tops of the monkey bars, there were those curious shells... and I thought that the cicada was just being still, waiting for my fingers to reach up there so it could bite 'em. I learned a few years later, after mustering the courage to touch one, that it's just hollow. So thanks for telling me those were cicada shells.[/size]

[size=1][B]Name:[/B] Alexander Crowne [B]Age:[/B] 17 [B]Country:[/B] United States of America [B]Languages:[/B] Fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian (is learning Japanese). [B]Race:[/B] Human [B]Description:[/B] Alexander in pilot suit. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/mechinfinity/sparrow.jpg[/IMG] [B]Personality:[/B] Alexander is quiet, and enjoys solitude. Being an observant fellow, he watches people to find patterns in their actions, what fuels them, and enjoys the arts. Just because Alex is quiet doesn't mean he's depressed or afraid -- he prefers to keep his distance between strangers and himself. Once you get to know him, you will discover how abstract and interesting he really is. [B]Rank:[/B] Chosen Child [B]Bio:[/B] Alex grew up in an upper class neighborhood in New York City. It was by the off chance that his rich uncle had bought his middle class family an apartment suite, that his family was living in such a space. He had several siblings, and was the oldest of them; it was there he was forced to command them to do chores, and it was there he began to value solitude. He grew up with a handful of richer boys and girls, most of which who held the arts in high regard; on friday nights they'd drive to galleries, concerts, buy photography off the street corner, hang out in the famous coffeehouses of NYC nightlife. While most of his friends had to sacrified their studies to have such a good time, Alexander did not, due to his Mensa-rated IQ and abstract, far-off grasps of even the most solid concepts. He breezed through his studies, not worrying too much about things, as the work did not seem like work. It seemed like monotonous busy work. His father made him take advantage of his rich surroundings, and enrolled him in a fencing class. Alex signed up for the soccer team for the extra challenge, and managed to make it to varsity as a freshman. His father and mother expected him to do well -- his performance at everything else had been astonishing, and of course it was the same way once again. However, extra curricular activities could not wash away all the boredom that existed. In class, he began to pass the time by writing poems, drawing pictures, designing the floorplans to buildings, or even preliminary blueprints to theoretical star-ships. He found it quite fun, but shared such things with only his closest friends.[/size]

[size=1]Keiji felt an alien presence appear in his mind as the sync-test began. It felt familiar, but distant and dangerous at the same time. He recoiled his mental link after a brief, shocking contact. For a moment, there was no distinction between him and his Evangelion, but there was an instant repulsion from both parties afterwards. He had no desire to continue playing with fire, and the Evangelion did not consider him with its time. After two more minutes of rising and falling sync levels, red lights activated within his entry plug, and the link was completely gone. [I]?The test is over. Please exit your entry plugs after your LCL has drained. Follow proper exit-protocol to prevent contamination,?[/I] the intercom drone to him as the liquid drained out of his plug. He coughed up a bit of LCL, and stepped out of his plug with shaky legs. The three pilots exchanged similar glances of shock and awe over what had just happened. Sakura looked confused, while Kazuki had slightly enlightened countenance. Ayame strode through the airlock, past the security guards after flashing her identification card to bypass the checkpoint, and saluted the pilots. They crisply returned the sign of respect, and held it until Ayame said otherwise. ?At ease, pilots.? The three put down their arms from their salutes, and let their faces return to their bewildered state. ?What you just experienced was synchronizing with your Evangelion. You?ve already received the information as to why and how this occurs, so if you will follow me to see your results.? ?Yes, ma?am,? they chimed in unison, then followed her back to the observation deck, where a huge screen declared their sync-levels. [I][b]00-MIYAMOTO: 30.9% synchronization 01-CHIMÉITEKI: 0.061% synchronization 02-SHO: 61.01% synchronization[/b][/I] ?As you can see,? Ayame said as she gestured at the electronic board, ?Only Kazuki has adept control over his Evangelion. You two,? she said, pointing at Sakura and Keiji, ?require much more training if we are to combat the coming Angel, Orion.? ?When does he arrive?? Kazuki asked, not caring for the congratulations he had received over his skill. ?Approximately four hours, thirty nine minutes, and counting. As you can see, there is no more time for training. Only Kazuki and Keiji will be going to combat Orion. Sakura, you are until further notice deemed unfit to pilot.? Ayame?s eyes gave Sakura an unspoken ?sorry?, but her voice remained firm. Sakura?s fists clenched themselves involuntarily into fists as she tensed up with anger. Her teeth grimaced tightly behind her pursed lips. ?Why can I not pilot?? Sakura demanded, not accepting her failure. ?Because you will be killed if you do. You have almost nil control over your Eva. You?d be a sitting duck. This topic is not open for discussion. You are dismissed, Sakura. As for you two, follow me to Central Dogma.? Without further conversation, Ayame sharply turned away from Sakura and strode off towards an elevator to Central Dogma. Kazuki and Keiji followed quickly, not bothering to look back at their comrade. The lift ride down to Central Dogma was a silent one. Keiji stared at the metal wall in contemplation and utter fear of Orion. Kazuki looked neutral, uncaring, and aloof from the situation as he gazed at the digital number showing their current level. When the lift stopped, they were met by ten armed guards, and their captain who demanded their identification. Ayame flashed her identification card, and the two boys followed suit immediately, for fear they would be shot. ?Welcome to Central Dogma. It is here that the MAGI you were told about are held.? The place was vast and expansive, full of rushing techs and supervisors, all of which had a vital purpose in serving NERV. A huge hologram display hovered in midair, easily three stories high. Above it all was a platform, where the MAGI were held and its operators. They keyed in the commands to control the various holograms. On one of the many windows was a clear image of Orion maliciously orbiting Earth ? the image made Keiji?s heart sink with doubt and fear. For the next four hours, Ayame bombarded the two with as much information on tactics and strategy for their Evas, as well as information on Orion. Their orders were to eliminate it by any means necessary, even if that meant self-sacrifice. Their talk with Ayame was interrupted by a horrifying message. [I][b]?ALL PERSONELL REPORT IMMEDIATELY! ORION IS ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE! REPEAT: ALL PERSONELL REPORT IMMEDIATELY! ORION IS ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE!?[/b][/I] ?But it wasn?t predicted for another fourty minutes?? Keiji thought out loud. ?It was only an educated guess. Move it! We have no time to talk about why it came early. Get to your stations!? There was an immediate scramble all throughout Central Dogma to prepare for the coming threat. Tokyo-3 had been transformed ? it?s skyscrapers were now retracting into the ground to minimize the damage, warning messages had been dispatched through every possible medium, and techs were rushing to finish their service on Evangelions 00 and 02. Kazuki and Keiji sprinted through the madness onto the loading-dock, already suited up into their plug suits. Without a word exchanged, they entered their cockpits. ?Evangelion 00 ready for launch!? Keiji declared after running the automated safety protocol. Without another second?s hesitation, he was shot up the catapult and into Tokyo-3. Two seconds later, Kazuki joined him. They equipped their assault rifles, and stepped out of the loading platform and onto the streets of the city. High in the sky, Orion descended like a black sun setting in the sky. Keiji willed his body to remain calm, and fought down the constant urge to puke as he contemplated his oncoming death. ?Keiji ? flank him on the right and open fire at one of the eyes. I?ll be diverting him,? Kazuki ordered, then spared no instant waiting around. He charged down the street directly at the leviathan, opening up with his assault rifle. The shells ricocheted harmlessly off Orion and back into Tokyo-3, crumbling a few small buildings. Keiji?s movement was sluggish and cumbersome ? he had a very low sync level with his Eva, and his fear was only dropped it lower. ?Dammit, Keiji! Move it! This is no time for cowardice!? Ayame screamed at him in carnal rage. His mind snapped back, and his adrenaline kicked in as he moved to the right, peppering Orion?s eye with his small-arms fire. There was no response, save for the eye opening up and locking onto him. An orange glow filled it ? and Keiji realized it was readying its beam weaponry directly at his head. It fired with the brilliance of one thousand suns, and nearly killed Keiji. His reflexes saved his life, and instead of the Evangelion?s head being destroyed, his arm was now lying severed in the middle of an intersection. Needles of pain shot through his physical arm, and he screamed in horror. He could not hear the voice speaking to him through his headset ? he overpowered all communications to him with his agonized cries. ?GET THE FUCK UP! I?M GOING TO DIE, KEIJI!? Kazuki screamed back at Keiji, who was lying in the fire of the incendiary beam, which was burning through a formidable section of Tokyo-3. Summoning his strength, his screams died down, and receded to a constant whimper as he scanned the skyline for his comrade. He only saw Orion repeatedly firing a beam at the same general area, and guessed it was aiming for Kazuki. He could not stand, but rather adjusted his useable arm, and fired upon Orion with his assault rifle once more. His diversion was in vain, and instead resulted only in one of the other eyes swiveling towards him and firing once more. Keiji rolled to the side, crashing into another building, and stood up. The blood of his Evangelion cascaded onto the streets as he drew his beam saber, running down a four-lane road leading towards Orion. The angel had no difficulty firing another beam into the left side of Keiji?s torso. He cried out in violent suffering, but continued charging, despite the heavy blood loss of his Evangelion. ?Eject. I repeat, eject, Keiji. We can?t lose a pilot on the first angel,? Ayame pleaded. Back at Central Dogma, they debated severing his neural-link with Eva-00. ?Let him continue ? if we sever the link now, he?ll be defenseless, and Kazuki will be on his own.? ?He?s lost 40 percent of the Evangelion?s blood, not to mention what his own physical damage might be at the end of the battle.? ?He will continue to fight.? The words of Gendo Ikari overrode all other discussion, except for a few scattered ?yes-sir?s. Keiji jumped off of a skyscraper to provide extra height, and increased his AT-Field to 300% before swiping his beam saber across one of Orion?s beam-eyes. Their AT-Fields clashed mercilessly with one another for a moment, before Orion?s shattered. The eye exploded in a plume of black blood. In the back of his mind, he wondered exactly how Kazuki was doing on the other side of the massive opponent.OOC: So, Joko, you can either pick up from here, or post your views on the events mentioned thus far. Sakura, you can talk about your feelings and what you chose to do after he left.[/size]

[QUOTE=Sakura][COLOR=Navy]Have we changed it so my mother's still alive? Should I bother editting my Bio or just leave it? Because in my Bio it says she died when Sakura was only a few months old. And just wondering, how do you want me to fail the sync test completely? Like does it just not work, or do I panic with the LCL? I just need a slight point in the right direction.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [size=1]Wow. Looks like I totally misread your bio... my bad. But yes, I still want Sakura to fail the sync test. You don't need to panic with the LCL - just have it so that you weren't really feeling any connection to your Eva, and that should do it. Say something like you reached out to feel for a presence, and you didn't feel anything. [B]EDIT:[/B] I thought I should include the fact that we don't know everything about Orion, as its a foreign Angel, and all of NERV's information is only a conjecture. Keep this in mind, if you want to add to Orion's capabilities during our battle. Thanks again![/size]

[size=1]Stop looking. If you're actively seeking out a relationship, you're going to stumble headlong into something you won't actually want. Don't push yourself just to get a girlfriend, for the sake of doing it. Remain open to the possibility, and play your cards right, but don't actively search someone out with the thought "I need to get a girlfriend." Love doesn't work like that.[/size]

[size=1]Unfortunately, you cannot edit your sign-up to get into the RPG, although I appreciate your interest. I just don't think it'd be fair to everyone else, that you get a second chance for application. If you don't mind, I'd also appreciate it if these issues were brought to me via PM or IM.[/size]

[center][b]Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Children CHAPTER I[/b][/center] [size=1][b][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=51003]Underground (click here)[/url][/b] ? READ BEFORE POSTING [b]Objective:[/b] Get through training; defeat Orion [b]Notes:[/b] Please check the Underground Thread for further information about the RPG. ?Well, here?s your room, Keiji. You?ll be bunking with another young man by the name of Kazuki. I?m sure you two will get along! If you need anything, feel free to call,? said the bubbly voice of his caretaker. Her name was Ayame, and she would be taking care of the three pilots for their entire stay at NERV. By default, Keiji assumed they were a liability, not really a pleasure to have around. Therefore, he treaded lightly, nodding quietly to the information she gave him on the way in. Once inside the apartment, gave a sigh of relief. [I]Sort of nice for a military organization? I was expecting a barracks.[/I] He scouted out the rooms within the small suite before finally finding the one that he and Kazuki were to share. The room was comparatively small to that of the other pilot, Sakura, and he felt slightly jealous as a result. He unpacked his belongings and settled upon the upper bunk before wandering around. It was about another half hour before Kazuki arrived, and another forty-five minutes after that before Sakura came through the threshold. ?Hello. I?m Keiji. What?re your names?? he said to the other two watching television. Although he knew both their names, his father told him it was a good conversation starter. Apparently this time around, it wasn?t. ?Could you move, please? You?re blocking the TV,? Sakura mumbled offhandedly. Keiji apologized quickly, sidestepped, and continued to look at the two before Kazuki answered. ?I?m Kazuki. Nice to meet you,? he said. His eyes remained fixated on the screen. Another thirty seconds elapsed before Sakura chose to speak. ?Oh. I?m Sakura. How?re you?? Her response sounded genuine, but her eyes remained transfixed on the television. ?I?m fine, thanks. Do you know when our training commences?? ?0600 hours tomorrow,? Kazuki said, finally rising from the couch and moving to the kitchen. He opened up the refrigerator, obviously searching for food ? it was nearly midnight, and they had been given nothing to eat. He frowned at the lack of contents, and went into his room quietly. Keiji sat around the room, hoping to build a bond between his teammates, but ultimately retired with no success. [[One week later]] ?Please suit up immediately and enter the entry plug. I understand that this is only the second time you?ve done this, but relax as the LCL fills the entry plug. Panicking will fail you. Focus your entire mind on linking with your Evangelion.? The tech briefly spoke to them before scurrying to her console that gauged the sync-ratings of all three pilots. With a brief nod, he opened up the changing room air-lock doors. The inescapable feeling of nervousness and anxiety filled Keiji as he undressed and put on his forest green suit. As he suited himself up, his mind darted off to images of the First Impact, and what type of enemy he would be up against. If he passed this sync-test, he would be in the line of very real danger. His training had been a blur ? he had been briefed and educated in all the knowledge there was to have about the Evangelion in one day, and the rest of the time was devoted to a franticly paced training regiment. Every day had been grueling and merciless on their bodies and minds ? they had progressed by leaps and bounds since day one, but he was told it might not be enough quite frankly, by Ayame. [I]?Please enter your entry plug.?[/I] The airlock door shot open, and the hiss of decompressing air encircled the trio. Keiji walked up to the plug reading a bold ?00? on its front, and entered it after keying in a twelve-digit password and retinal scan. His stomach convulsed with fear, and the overwhelming urge to puke swept over him. With the training of the past week, however, the urge was suppressed, and he shut his eyes as the warm LCL washed over his body and down his air-passages. [I]?Synchronization will now begin.?[/I] [b]OOC:[/b] So thanks for reading all that, and PLEASE read the Underground before posting.[/size]

[size=1]Welcome to the Underground thread of [b]Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Children[/b]. Link to the RPG is [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=698402#post698402][b]here[/b][/url] [B]The cast is:[/B] [I]Retribution[/I] ? Miyamoto Keiji [I]Jokopoko[/I] ? Sho Kazuki [I]Sakura[/I] ? Chiméiteki Sakura and I will also be keeping my eyes open for cameos in the RPG. It's by invitation only, but if you really want to participate, drop me a PM and we'll work something out. [b]Chapter One Notes:[/b] First of all, I have completely skipped their training for the sake of getting to the action and cutting out the boring stuff. We basically learned everything there is to know (a rookie's understanding, mind you) about the Evangelion and Angels. Sakura, you're going to have to completely fail your sync test, as your mother has not died yet. I know it was not an RPG requirement, but please go along with it for now -- I have a great twist that'll get you in on the action soon. When you fail, Jokopoko and I will be dispatched to fight Orion [the Angel] when he is seen coming towards the Earth. Orion is a perfect sphere, 2 km in diameter, black in color. It has three eyes evenly spaced around him that fire incendiary laser beams, capable of destroying skyscrapers in a shot. Sakura will watch the fight from Central Dogma. Create an interesting way to destroy him, please. There's no set-in-stone weakness, here. Be creative, and keep the quality up! Also, make it a habit to try and post at least twice a week. I really would hate to see this die. Post any questions here![/size]

[size=1]Everyone knows that women are equally capable of holding the position of Presidency. Your gender really doesn't determine your leadership capabilities. As for whether the country is open-minded enough to have one, I'm going to say definitely not. If Hillary Clinton (or any other woman) were to run in the coming election, I think she'd be buried, yes, simply because she is a woman. True, people should vote for who they think is more capable for the position, and they do just that -- many think that women simply cannot lead a nation. I could care less if my President were a man or a woman. I just feel sorry for that woman's husband ... imagine all the jokes he's gonna get.[/size]

[size=1]Thanks for the comments, everyone. Here's another piece you all might like. [b]The Darker Side of War[/b] The fight-or-flight response left my arms twitching and shivering uncontrollably as I gazed down the barrel of a German eight-millimeter Mauser rifle. The man aiming it at me whispered in his twisted pig latin, and when I did not respond, began to yell in a panicked, offensive tone. My life did not flash before my eyes. I did not beg for mercy. The only hint of humanity on my wild face was a stream of adrenaline running down my mud-caked cheek. My teeth chattered for mercy behind sealed lips, taut with fear and anxiety. My loaded savior lay useless, two feet away from my frozen limbs. When he pulled the trigger, we both knew we were dead. When his gun muttered an empty, hollow click, dead silence suffocated us both. An instant of peace ensued, quickly followed by a brutal scramble to my pistol, and ended with his screams of effort as I wrested my ticket out of Holland from his twisted wrist, and unloading its mighty messenger into his writhing chest.[/size]

[quote name='Stark']I'm not saying stop--do what you will, because you'll only hurt yourself-- but I understand your need for release.[/quote] [size=1]You've heard of those stories where the drunk person drives friends home and they all end up dead, right? My point is that alcoholism not only hurts yourself, but others around you too. If you get drunk, you send messages to family and friends that you just don't care anymore. If you have younger siblings, you're making alcoholism an acceptable thing to do. Your parents will [probably] take action, and there you have it - a family life self-destruct.[/size]

[size=1]Judging from your previous topics about having sex to "try your boyfriend out," or your poor family life, and now drinking alcohol to drown sorrows, I'd say that you need to get a hold of your life immediately. I hate to preach, but perhaps if you were to take life a bit more slowly next time, cut the angst, and be optimistic for once, things might look up. Maybe your parents aren't buddy-buddy with you because you act like the world is dark and depressing -- I don't know. Maybe if you stopped having all this sex and drinking, you'd have no reason to cut or punch or smoke. Don't talk to me about how I'm "being judgemental" - what I'm saying still applies if you have a really crappy life in general. Being optimistic and aiming high can never hurt.[/size]

[size=1]Just so you know that I have every intent of signing up for this RPG, I'm posting this little placeholder here until I have a spare moment to edit it. That'll probably be sometime tomorrow... only a few midterms left. So, until I have a free moment, this'll stay here. Hope you don't mind, Mods. :p[/size]

[size=1]I'm confused... should we enter in what each of our custom titles mean, or just lock it up? Ah well, I'm going to tell everyone about my custom title, even if you call don't care. :p So right now, it's midterms week, and I have had a lot of work to do, studying to get done, and very high hurdles to leap. The first step to accomplishing such goals that seem to be insurmountable is to believe in yourself. If you do this, and fight your hardest for your goal, you will [probably, at least] succeed. For future reference, all my custom titles have a cool deeper meaning like that. Man, I'm a loser.[/size]

[size=1]I surprised myself by finding the time to create this piece. This week is midterm week for me, but I found a few hours to squeeze it in. I'm not going to have any time to work on it tomorrow, so I'm submitting it now. I've really enjoyed the whole thing so far, and I look forward to more tournaments in the New Year. Good luck to you, Kitty. [b]Nuclear Family/Society[/b] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/nuclearfamily.jpg[/IMG][/size]

[size=1]Pretty good sign-ups thus far, everyone. Jokopoko, digiX and Sakura, try to finish up your sign-ups soon. I'm aiming to get this thing started on this thursday, possibly friday depending on how much work I have. I encourage people who are thinking about signing up to do so -- sign-ups close when the RPG goes up, and it's gonna be a fun ride.[/size]

[QUOTE=Satoru]Heh ^_^ Some of my own and some premade. Don't get me wrong here, when using brushing like I do it's not which brushes, but how you use them. I have about 5-6 layers of brushing on this one, and I could send you the PSD if you want so you can see how it's done. But I agree with you and I try to use my own brushes as much as possible.[/QUOTE] [size=1]I understand that brushing takes a certain degree of skill, don't get me wrong here. But I don't really buy it that using pre-made brushes takes skill. All you really do is brush a few layers, then color balance the whole thing and toss on a stock and some typography. In general, it's a good signature, but I'm not fond of the words overlapping the stock's head.[/size]

[size=1]Joko, your Eva is quite alright with me - you could be the Third Child for all I care. [b]Name:[/b] Miyamoto Keiji (last, first) [b]Age:[/b] 15 [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/keijicrop.jpg][link][/url] Keiji is blessed with his mother?s jet-black hair, which he took the liberty of growing out. His eyes are a very dark brown, and nothing special to look at, but his face grows on those who study it long enough. Many would not consider him outright handsome, but above average in the looks department. His frame is not muscular, but athletic and toned from playing soccer on-season, and training off-season for the past eight years. He stands at about average height (~5?8? in Japan). He can usually be seen wearing white or gray, with accents of navy, and is fond of cargo pants and t-shirts. [b]Eva?s Appearance:[/b] [url=http://pixelheaven.pulsehost.com/walls/jehutywall.jpg][link][/url] Keiji?s Eva (nicknamed Oni) is not exactly a conventional one ? rather, it hovers by utilizing the propulsion generated by it?s own AT-Field. The luminescent lights seen in the crevices of Oni are powered by the same source. [b]Personality:[/b] Keiji is the type of child who would quietly accept the suffering if a bully were to shove him around. He hates social clashing, and prefers if the machinery were to operate smoothly with little friction between egos. Therefore, he has adopted the philosophy of a servant, and decides to do what is asked of him, rather than try to fight against it. Whether he wants to do it or not, he will usually follow his orders verbatim. He is not a socialite, but he is not a hermit either ? he internally craves acceptance, and attempts to receive it by following orders. [b]Insecurities:[/b] Keiji is afraid of death, more properly the death of others rather than himself. One might diagnose him with a fear to lose those who are important to him, but in all reality, Keiji is much more self-less than that. He fears for civilians, for people he doesn?t know, and is afraid that in the rare instance he can serve them, he may fail them miserably. He will let others survive at almost any cost, be it even his own life. [b]Biography:[/b] Keiji was born into a middle-class home, him being the oldest and only child of the family. His father was a computer technician, and his mother was a public defender for Tokyo-3. Keiji was smart, but not a genius, and received high marks throughout his school career. The first third of his life was happy, innocent, and carefree. He got excellent grades, his family was not struggling, and the future seemed to be an open road laid out in front of him, waiting for him to divide and conquer. When Keiji was five, his mother died from breast cancer unexpectedly. She was making a miraculous recovery, and right before his eyes, his mother was ripped out of his life forever. He and his father never quite recovered from the loss; they moved to a new house to escape the memories of his late mother, and Keiji enrolled into a new school. He stopped caring about his social life, and withdrew himself to his father; he became a pushover, the quiet kid in the back of the classroom that no one talked to. He always got perfect grades, though, which surprised everyone. No one understood how such a quiet child, who experienced so much loss would be able to salvage his life and maintain his scholarly path. His life continued in the same monotonous fashion through high school as well, with the only modification to the daily bore being soccer practice, which his father recommended to him to relieve the stress from his life. [b]Defining Moment:[/b] ?Daddy! Look! I got a one-hundred percent on my test!? Keiji?s young eyes danced with the lights of exuberance as he gazed at his father, waving his test in front of him. ?That?s ? great, but we need to talk about something very important.? His voice was soft, downtrodden and weary. His son?s eyes darkened with the fear of anticipation. A piece of Keiji screamed with fear at the tone of his father?s voice. His mother was in the hospital because of breast cancer, but she was expected to recover within the month. ?Is it mommy?? When the response did not come immediately, his eyes welled up. ??Yes. She died last night from the cancer. It?s just you and I now.? Then, the unexpected happened. The pillar of his life, his strength and sanctuary crumbled underneath him. His father began to cry inconsolably, quaking with the bouts of grief washing through him. Keiji wanted to weep with him, to morn his loss, but he could not. ?It?s my fault, isn?t it? If I had just kept telling mommy to get a check up ? why did I let her stop me? I just ?? Keiji looked at the floor, at a complete loss for words. As his father cried in the background of his mind, he slumped onto the floor and curled up into fetal position. His mother had died when he was only five. [/size]

[center][b]Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Children[/b][/center] [size=1]The pilots of the Evas are human children ? no older than 16, and yet, they are forced to bear the burden of the world on their shoulders. The magnitude of their actions affects the entire world daily. They have no choice ? they are drafted into service, and expelled when they are washed out from their intensive use. They are the saviors of the world. ?Welcome to NERV. You are here because you have passed our aptitude test with flying colors.? The children nervously glanced around the room, wondering when they had taken the test, what NERV was, along with a million other questions. ?The aptitude test was not a written examination; rather, it was the result of approximately fifteen years of constant surveillance on all Japanese youth. You were tracked, every choice you made factored into how compatible you were with the current Evas. As of now, you are part of NERV.? The man saluted them crisply, and handed each child their identification tags. ?What if I don?t want to pilot an Eva?? ?Shut up, girl! You should be honored that we were chosen to protect the world!? The children degenerated into chaos, debating the morality of declining to protect the human race for the sake of their own happiness. The shouts were ceased when they heard the voice of Gendo Ikari. ?I will not tolerate my pilots fight one another. Your enemies are the angels, no one else. You have forty-eight hours to move into your new apartments on NERV grounds,? he finished, and walked out of the briefing room, without décor or ceremony. ?You heard the man, move! You being training in two days, so you might want to settle in first. Welcome, to NGE: The Children! This is going to be an RPG based in an alternate universe of Evangelion? meaning any events occurring in the official version are now void, save the First Impact. The main story of this RPG will be the pilot?s struggles, both mentally and physically. [b]For your information:[/b] As for the format of the RPG once we get to playing, it will be in Chapter format, but with no posting order. The characters in the chapter will be listed, and only they can post within it. There will be an objective to complete for me to end the chapter? and usually, it won?t be too hard. You will be starting out by beginning your training. This will be brief and skimmed over, as this isn?t the most important part. Once the pilot?s training is completed, pilots will be dispatched to combat the angels. Only 5 pilots (in total) will be selected, so make your sign-up good. I will allow for people to sign-up for other positions within NERV, but no one can be Gendo. Please note that by signing up for these other positions, you will probably experience very little activity? there?s nothing I can do about that. [u][b]Sign-up Sheet[/b][/u] [b]Name:[/b] Japanese only [b]Age:[/b] I expect around 13 ? 16 [b]Appearance:[/b] An image is good, but descriptions get bonus points. [b]Eva?s Appearance:[/b] An image is good, but descriptions get bonus points. [b]Personality:[/b] In-depth, please. [b]Insecurities:[/b] I will be using this to decide exactly what angels you fight, your training, etc. [b]Biography:[/b] Quality over quantity [b]Defining Moment:[/b] A [I]very[/I] important moment in the pilot?s life. Make it evident why this is important in their life. I?m not looking for cryptic meanings here. Thanks, and work hard on these! I intend to post my sign-up here soon.[/size]

[size=1]Drake raised his eyebrows slowly and looked at the ground as she proposed that they travel together. Once again, he chuckled inwardly, but this time afforded an external smile. He raised his eyes to address her once she had finished speaking. ?So, I?m supposed to travel with someone who will kill me if I sneeze without warning?? She did not find his humor amusing, to his surprise. His smile slowly faded as he mulled over the ideas in his head. [I]She?s a mercenary too ? she?s cold blooded like the rest of us. So what?s the point of trusting her? Oh. Right. Safety in numbers.[/I] ?Alright, we can travel together then. It goes without saying, though, that we need to be alert for ambush ? Chiba Castle has just been overthrown, and ronin are lurking everywhere. Warn me if you hear any, since you?re a ninja,? he said, eyeing her lethal weaponry with great discomfort. Her hands rested on her hips, adjacent to them, one of which casually twirled what looked to be an acupuncture dart. ?But by the way, I?m not a big fan of needles. Could you?? he hesitated, not wanting to offend her, but she understood without him finishing. With a silent nod, she looked to the horizon. ?Then let?s go.? The trip would last at least four days, so Drake figured in his mind with his minimal knowledge of Japanese geography. They were, essentially, walking across a fourth of England, without horses. He knew what he needed to do to survive, with food dwindling and his fatigue increasing daily. They needed to steal horses from a passing ronin. The rifleman was having a hard time keeping pace with the ninja.OOC: Sakura, you can skim over the journey, get us some horses, and arrive at the Shogun gate. If you wan tto go into detail, though, go for it.[/size]

[size=1]Drake walked down the same path he had been strolling along for the past day in a haze of monotony and restlessness. He had gotten news of the destruction of Chiba Castle, and immediately set off back to the Shogun for further orders. In the back of his mind, he felt triumphant, exhuberant, and relieved, but those feelings did not override his hunger or boredom. "Are we there yet?" He whispered to himself in quiet meditation. At the words, the forest half a mile away whispered back to him. Someone was persuing him. Instinctively wanted to run for cover, but instead slightly deviated his path to coincide with a large rock. Running would warrant shuriken embedding themselves into his neck. Once he was close enough to the rock, he dove behind it, the feeling of nakedness and exposure waning as he pulled out his sniper rifle. It was already silenced, loaded, and ready for firing. He rested it against the top of the small stone, and zoomed his scope into the woods. It was to his surprise that he saw Sakura throw a shuriken right at his scope. He pulled his gun down, just in time for the metal star to clang harmlessly off the granite. "It is Drake Ashton - who are you?" "Sakura. You know the rest," she replied simply, knowing her reputation preceded her. Many would flee in terror at the name. He, instead, stood up, shouldered his gun, and gave a casual wave before taking back to the road. The wind gusted again, and before he could take his eyes away from the trees, she stood in his path, fully dressed in her mercinary attire. "Did you recieve word? We are to report back to the Shogun immediately." "Actually, I was on my way there when I heard you in the woods, hunting so it would seem." He smiled inwardly at his joke, but kept strictly to business when in the presence of another mercinary. They did not usually take kindly to his lighthearted demeanor. "Godspeed, Sakura."[/size]