Retribution

[SIZE=1]Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it. I've been obsessed with the color of red as of late (as you could probably guess from my past few works), but I hope you don't get tired of it. So far I've been making more 'professional' graphics, as in something you'd see advertising a product, or in a department store. You don't see abstract sigs hanging in a department store. lol... so take a look, and leave a comment. I'm giving the links because these are kinda sizable. [b]Union Station[/b] [url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/unionstation.jpg[/url] [b]Wingman[/b] [url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/wingman.jpg[/url] [b]Art of Silent War[/b] [url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/silentwar.jpg[/url] [b]Melt[/b] [url]http://img15.imageshack.us/my.php?image=melt2yq.jpg[/url][/SIZE]

[quote name='Morpheus']I agree with Retri on all counts minus "the people are the problem, not the religion." The people are a problem, but without the religion, they aren't as much a threat. Most without the promise of Eternal life(and sex) in heaven would not do such things.[/quote] [SIZE=1]Yes, however, the message of such religions are, for all intents and purposes, 'pure.' It's the humans who are the weak link, and the extremists who want to kill for twisted reasons. Humans are the weakness in the cycle, not religion. Actually, the concept of jihad is grotesquely twisted in modern day terms. Holy War was for self-defense purposes. It's sad that jihad now means war of suicide bombing or some other such nonsense. Therefore, the promise of sex (I'm assuming you mean Islam) wasn't there to spur people to take over other lands. However, I'm not really well-educated in the affairs of Islam. But I'll reiterate that humans are the weak-link in the cycle, and religious morals (love thy neighbor, etc) are good messages for the world, and it is not flaws in the religions that spur people to kill one another. More so primal instincts and a fanatical twist of what should be a pure message.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Reading your post agitated me quite a bit. Now I'm not going to start some uber-flame-war because of this, just express my erm... views on what you said. [QUOTE=Gavin]Takuya As I said, the Catholic Church has committed acts of violence in the past, but the Crusades were not instigated by the Church. Rather the Crusades were a geo-political war, rather than a religious was, the Holy Land was important not just for religious reasons but also military and defence reasons. The fact remains that wars between Powers in the Middle East and Europe were common place, the fact that these for both trade reasons and those of religion does not mean that religion itself was responsible. As I stated before, those acts are not at the core beliefs of any major religions, whether Catholic, Protestant or other Christian based, Islam, Judaism or other religions.[/QUOTE] You must've gotten yourself slightly mixed up there. Last I checked, the Crusades were followed by the chant "God wills it!" They went to go slaughter the "heathens." And the main reason was because the Catholics were up in a fix that if they didn't control the Holy Land when the Apocalypse came about, they would all go to Hell because Jesus would not be pleased with them. They were expecting the Apocalypse to come at any time back then, so they went wild like bees in the fall. Their religious fervor tied together rivaling kingdoms, and they fought for the "Greater good of Christaindom" or some such cause. The Crusades were almost entirely fought for religious reasons. [QUOTE]The Spanish Inquisition took place during what was basically a civil war, a religious civil war but a civil war none the less, Catholicism had been the only Christian religion and with the advent of Protestantism it was causing a schism is the Church. Violent acts took place on both sides because it was for better or worse a civil war between Catholics, however it was because of that civil war that the Church was able to finally get rid of it's crippling abuses. I'm not trying to justify that violence, it was wrong and any Catholic today would accept that, but are you seriously saying that violence that occurred during the American Civil War was not wrong because it wasn't religiously based. That those who owned slaves in the South and treated them as sub-human were not wrong because it wasn't religious based.[/QUOTE] While I agree with your last two sentences, the rest I'm at-odds with. The Spanish Inquisition had almost nothing to do with Protestantism and the rise of it. It had to do with pushing the Muslims and Jews out of Spain to "purify" it. Queen Isabella started this 'civil war,' which was more of a slaughter than anything else. Religious intolerance drove her, and she sincerely believed that it was her duty to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ that she drive out the "heathens" from Spain. There was really, nothing involving Protestants except they were forced to convert or die. Jews' businesses got stolen, and they were violently expelled. Those who didn't make it out in time or refused to leave were executed publicly at [i]auto-de-fe[/i]'s, or Acts of Faith. [QUOTE]All jokes aside as I have state before religious beliefs are not responsible for hate, unless of course the core beliefs stipulates as such but no major religion of this world comes anywhere near such a belief system.[/QUOTE] But I'm pleased to say that I do agree with this statement. Religious differences aren't the reason the world is so topsy-turvy. It's because of extremists who misinterpret their religion's message. All the 'mainstream' religions I've heard of are extremely peace-seeking, and if everyone followed their messages, the world would be perfect. Religion DOES NOT cause stubborness. Unless your religion is saying that you must kill those who are not in agreement with you, the people are the problem, not the religion.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]My favorite show on Adult Swim is Robot Chicken. Most people I've talked to don't like it at all, but I find it utterly hilarious. The claymation makes it much funnier than an animated version of it could be. Although, Family Guy definetly outmatches Robot Chicken alot... I suppose it's a tie.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][spoiler]The Heir to Gryffindor theory has already been shot down by JK herself. I'm glad it was anyway, because it would make Harry some extreme god-mod, which I would hate. Just because the kid defied Voldy doesn't mean he's all the sudden a descendant of Gryffindor.[/spoiler][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]When you step back and think about it, it wouldn't do anything if we had a spam, I mean, introduction forum. New members would all post the same thing, "Hey, I'm new here," or more properly "lolwtf yo im new eher... i

[SIZE=1]Alright! Let the voting commence! Sean has submitted his piece, and I didn't realize it, as he edited his post and the topic never bumped. [B]Voting will close sunday night at 12:00 PM EST (midnight)[/B] EDIT: To the mods, this wasn't a double post. Doc deleted his post. Thanks, and sorry for the confusion.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]As far as submitting your own work, you don't need to search for another person's thread to do so. Actually, it's against the rules to hijack another person's thread for your own work. It's been a while since I've given in-depth crit, so forgive me if I'm rusty. [b][1][/b] I think it has potential, but it looks as if you just lowered the opacity on the stock, overlayed an image with some filter effects, and called it a day. It looks as if the man is in a car, passing through a city's neon lights (reflecting off the window), but there's picture frames in the background. Hm... [b][2][/b] In my opinion, this was your best graphic. Not because it was flashy and had awesome effects on it, but because of its clarity and simplicity. I recommend finding a more '.hackish,' if you will, font. Perhaps something a bit more techy, enlarge it, and make sure it's noticable on the dark background. The burgundy color you picked was definetly a good choice. You may also want to consider cropping on the left and right sides, as there's a bunch of stagnant space. [b][3][/b] Not all that font of this one. While simple, I think the blending mode you applied was a bit too harsh. In short, it ended up a little too psychadelic. For most banners, you want to keep it to a certain color range to maintain harmony, whereas in this one, there's all sorts of color flying every which-way. I think what you did was have a simple render layer, and blended it in to give it that colored effect. Not a bad thing though -- sometimes the best banners are done with the simplest tricks. Don't stress over how many effects you've applied, or if it doesn't look modified enough -- sometimes I just crop out a picture, add in typography, and call it a day. Oh, and a border would be nice. ^_^ [b][4][/b] You?re on the right track. But I see that you didn?t keep the ?harmony? I mentioned earlier, so the plasma effect looks misplaced and perhaps random? I like how you didn?t try too much with this, just cropping, a slightly tweak, and adding a border. One final thing that didn?t sit well with me was the angle the stock is at. Sometimes a sideways stock is good, but this isn?t. I?m guessing because she?s standing, and not doing something dynamic. [b][5][/b] Hey! There we go! Nearly nailed it, I?d say. You have a good image, a crop, a slight tweak, and a border. However, the border is on a gradient, which doesn?t really work for this one. As a general rule of thumb, borders should be solid. *shrug* The last thing is the font choice for ?FLCL.? It looks a bit too? hm? sharp, I think is the word. I would pick something a bit more graceful, yet in-your-face. Impact is a good example, but I don?t think you should use that for this one. Just a point in the direction I?m talking about, as my comments can seem confusing at times. PS: I. love. the. thumbnails! Great idea![/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Kamuro][SIZE=1] Karma will come around, and you will be dealt the hand you deserve. Mocking those who know true pain, you'll wonder where everyone is when you've fallen. As strong as you may be I'd like to see you go through life with no one there to comfort you, and you'll deserve every ounce of pain you're given, and we'll see just how strong you are. What you may veiw as whining could be simply someone's life, the things they've been through and the trials they've endured. Perhaps you'd understand if you took time to listen rather then boast your own strength by putting down those you deem "emo." I'd rather someone kill themselves then have to suffer the ridicule of people like you.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]*blink* Wow... Kammy... some of those comments were not needed. First of all, with the karma thing. That is [b]not[/b] acceptable, to wish pain and anguish upon someone's life. Just because they put you down does not mean you are given the permission or the right to wish pain and strife upon their own. You should want to comfort that person, to forgive them for their blindness. Think Jesus... whether you believe if He was real or a fairy tale, the general principle behind the lessons he gave are still applicable to this world. Secondly, it is not a good thing to want someone to die, rather than be brave and courageous and stand up to scathing ridicule. Someone wisely said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It took my breath away how it summed up my views on it. I understand that living in a dark world, devoid of all warmth and hope is hell. Perhaps I don't understand it, but I see where you're coming from. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that if the person happens to have some sort of strength and resolve to want to live through the pain and suffering, it's a beautiful thing. Doors open after you get through the dark times. Life is good again. It's hard to see that when everyday is living hell, but if someone does happen to see it, it's admirable and courageous.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hey-hey! Glad you could post your art work! ^_^ Anyway, I don't draw so I can't really comment well on all these pieces, but I'll take a stab at it. [b]Control Anger[/b] I love. The theme (I thought) was subtle, and well executed. The "MUTE" could be a bit more solid, it's kinda hard to make out. Perhaps that was your intention though, making your audience look for the theme. The man in the TV looks more [i]fearful[/i] than angry, but I see what you're hinting at. His hair line looks kinda shifty, and the blood looks semi-fake, but on the whole, he's drawn well. The remote control is very good, but I'm not too fond of the ... 'stuff' to the left of the TV. It's kinda ... neutral space with floating objects. [b]Do You Know Me?[/b] Ironic -- I'm listening to a song "I Don't Know." So there's your answer. Anyway, I love this -- very interesting, and well drawn overall. I think the zipper's the best part though. Very realistic with all the ripples in it. The lighting is very well-done as well. I applaud you.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Marcus Nown [B]Age:[/B] 19 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Appearance:[/B] [url=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=8&pos=11][link][/url] Marcus stands at 5?11?, is athletic, and weighs in at 160 lbs. Most of the time, you can catch him wearing black cargo pants, and a t-shirt with insightful quotes or funny images. His eyes are deep gray, with a black outline to his iris. Marcus lets his hair grow to about the middle of his neck, at which point he keeps it trimmed. [B]Starting Weapon:[/B] Fork(s) [B]Personality:[/B] Marcus is a very logical, but kind-hearted man. He approaches problems with planned out strategy, keeping a level head in difficult situations. His personality naturally anchors other people down, keeping them in touch with reality. He tries to be courageous in the face of danger by putting other?s safety before his own. However, if he feels he is in mortal danger, he will cast logic to the wind, doing whatever he can to preserve his own life for another day more. [B]Worst Fears:[/B] Marcus is most afraid of death, and also dreads facing things alone. He?s a natural team player, and feels more secure when with a group of well-trusted friends. [B]Character Snippit:[/B] ?Marcus? Marcus? You there, baby?? Her voice was soft, softer than the dim lights of the small, cozy room. She was a slender lady, and lay on her side on the leather couch, calling for her boyfriend. To her answer, there was the sound of liquid being poured, then footsteps following. Marcus emerged from the hallway, carrying two margaritas in his hand, and took a seat on a leather recliner. He set the glasses of alcohol on the table. ?Would you like a drink?? He smiled his warm, relaxing smile he always gave people. She, on the other hand, cut to the chase. ?No thanks honey. C?mere? please?? She caressed her own leg, then gazed upon Marcus with lustful eyes. Marcus felt taken aback, and wanted to talk to her. Not sex for once. Just talking, like people who actually cared about each other. ?I guess you don?t want to hear about what I was working on in my study?? He had felt sorry for putting his work in front of his girlfriend, but the guilt had quickly buried itself. ?In a minute? but I [I]need[/I] you right now.? Seeing that Marcus would not come to her, she sat up, then stood, and took a sip from the margarita glass. ?So how about it?? She set the glass down, then walked towards the sitting down Marcus with a seductive swagger of her hips. Immediately, she sat down on his knee, and leaned in to whisper in his ear. ?Make me feel special?? ?No.? Her brows furrowed, she sat upright once more. Cold reality gave her a firm slap in the face. Marcus looked apologetic, but stood by his decision mutely. ?What do you mean ?no??? Her attitude was clearly apparent in the tone of her voice. She seemed agitated, tapping her foot on the carpet, her hand on her hips, waiting impatiently for a response. ?I just want to slow things down, you know? I think we?re moving too fast and if we conti--? ?Look, hon. If you don?t want to go all the way, I?ll call you, okay?? ?Fine. Goodbye.? He rose to walk her to the door, but no sooner had he risen, she was slamming the door on him. ?Fine. Goodbye?? he repeated to the door. After staring at the grain for a few minutes, sizing up his emotions inside, he concluded he felt glad he was rid of her. He wanted someone who was less shallow, less physical. ?I don?t even want to know your name anymore.? He turned away from the door, and walked back to his study.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Well, yeah, when you're ready is always best. For me, I would prefer to lose my virginity to a girl who I love very much, and could actually see a long-term relationship with. Not just some ****-buddy, or a friend with benefits, but someone I care about. I think it's standard for a guy of about 23 and under to have lost his virginity already. [quote name='James']As a novel idea, why don't we worry less about what people think is "normal" and instead focus on what we feel is right for us?[/quote]I agree with you on this one, James, but to answer your question... "Normal" exists because the majority of people do something. As humans, we want to fit in (primal instincts engrained deep within), so we strive to be "normal" (most of the time), whatever that may entail. While your suggestion is wise, it's not going to realistically happen ever for the majority of folks. [quote name='Umbra II']To judge someone on their sexual inactivity seems a bit strange.[/quote] But it happens. It's the social norms that I was talking about just a few sentences earlier.[/SIZE]

[quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']And Retri, what's with the necrophilia? I've always found it hypocritical for people to be so puritanical, but to jump to some sort of sexual depravity as their first conclusion about things. I mean, geeze, lighten up. lol[/font][/quote] [SIZE=1]I'm not trying to preach a gospel or anything... but a man falling in love with a dead corpse? I'm not trying to be hypocrtical, nor do care about necrophilia because this person 'is going to hell' or whatnot. It's more of ... a social stigma. It's kinda hard to enjoy a movie went the main character's love interest is losing limbs and whatnot. >_>;; Just a personal preference, mind you.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I mean, yes, in the beginning he's afraid of the Corpse. But as the movie goes on, it's clear he's going to fall in love with ... it? her? That fact alone makes the movie kind of queer. I enjoyed The Nightmare Before Christmas; and if I remember correctly, it had a happy ending. The only way for this movie to be happy in the end is if Victor loves the Corpse, which I find quite disturbing. I'm glad you find it fascinating at least.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I don't really like the whole premise for the movie. Is it just me, or does this movie say "Necrophiliac" all over? I liked The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I'm not really a Tim Burton fan. I heard the Chocolate Factory movie was pretty weak... Anyway, I guess I'll give it a chance. >_>[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Rafael stood utterly alone, with the wind blowing through his hair, biting at his face as it passed by. He was on a mountaintop, and sharp, unsure footing surrounded him. At once he was confronted with an ever-moving foe. It danced aross the rock face with shining magnificence, gleaming a neon yellow color. At once he registered it as electricity. "Wait... what the--" He was cut short by ungodly amounts of electricity pulsating through him, as the beast struck him with what resembled a hand. He spasmed as the volts made their way out of his body. Rising again, he drew his rapier and dagger, but realised he had been knocked back at thirty feet. Quite a powerful blast. His back gave a dull ache, his clothes were singed. "Who--what are... you?" Rafael stuttered in awe. The juggernaut was making its way towards him. "[i]Giusto[/i]" It muttered, slightly shaking the ground as it spoke. The monster approached faster towards his position. Out of fear, not courage, did he dive to the right immediately before the mass of electricity haul through his previous location. He pointed his rapier towards it, as Giusto turned around; it shook slightly -- he had not the nerves to keep it still. Breath came more difficult to grasp with each gasp he took; he was locking up under the battle stress. Giusto did not spare him. The beast sprinted towards him, smashing Rafael in the face with more electricity coarsing through his body. His left hand was still twitching involuntarily, and would not stop. Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he did not whimper; he mustered all the strength he had to slow his breathing, to control his body again. [i]I do the breathing, not Giusto. I do the breathing, not Giusto, I do the breathing, not...Giusto![/i] Instinctively, he thrusted his rapier towards Giusto's chest, and the blow landed. However, he was shocked yet again, his body smoking all over, laying on the sharp rocks. He managed control over his twitching left arm, and stood again to look at his opponent. Giusto walked foward towards him, sizing up Rafael and shook his head in disgust. [i]Father... why? Why this? And how do I possibly defeat him?[/i] Giusto shot out his right arm in a punch towards Rafael's head. He immediately ducked, and rolled on the ground to the left to avoid Giusto's stomp. His raged burned within him, and he plunged his dagger into the electricity. A small aura appeared around the tip of his dagger, and it sparked as if it were being sharpened on a stone, but Rafael forced it in, and twisted it for good measure. Giusto let out a scream of pain, and jumped away, the dagger still lodged within his ankle. "I'm going to murder you..." Rafael said, he clamped his teeth together, but not out of fear. It was a raging bloodlust, the desire to live another day. He sprinted towards Giusto, and swung at his head with the rapier. Again, a small aura appeared on the blade, but Giusto parried the attack with his arm. The electric current visibly climbed down his blade towards the hilt, but stopped, crackling and sizzling on the blade. The metal smelled as if it were being burnt, and Giusto forced the current down farther. Rafael withdrew the blade from the attack, and the electricity discharged. He shook with determination, with hate of his loss of control in the battle. Letting the enemy direct the battle was nearly as bad as losing, he reasoned. Rafael got back into his stance, which encouraged his reflexes to work their magic. Once more, Giusto ran at Rafael, but jumped towards him and swung down with both his arms, attempting to smash him into the rockface. The decision was an important one, attempt to block the attack and possibly die from the force, or dodge and attack at another point. However, he waited too long, and he acted upon his last resort. He raised his rapier to block, willing his body to hold under the significant force that threatened to crush him. Again, the electricity leapt towards his hilt, but Rafael did not worry about completely stopping it -- he only wanted to slow it down. There was an aura of hot white surrounding the edge blocking Giusto's arms, but Rafael used his remaining strength to push deeper. They hung there for a moment, Giusto's arms clashing with Rafael's rapier, the current slowly approaching. Then, they both screamed a cry of agony as Giusto's arms were cut off, and Rafael was shocked with the voltage of two of Giusto's arms. His clothes were blackened, and his body bled crimson through it. Rafael desperately hoped Giusto would not have the strength to rise, but he was mistaken. Giusto stumbled to his feet with much difficulty, and looked at the stumps where arms had once been. The ends sizzled as a frayed wire with discharged electrical current. He was losing his power quickly, he understood that, and let out another cry of rage. It was primal, and made the earth tremble. Rafael flipped himself to lay on his back, barely containing the violent sobs that shook him. His rapier lay a few inches away from his fingers, and he could not reach it. "[i]Now... you... [b]die...[/b][/i]" The monster managed to choke out amid his savage yelps, and stumbled towards Rafael. He knew that all Giusto had to do was collapse upon him, and he would die. His body would not be able to be knocked with force away from the voltage -- he would be smothered between rock and electricity, spasming until his internal organs stopped working -- either from the current, or from shock. In terror, Rafael extended his fingers, clawing at the rock. [i]Only... a... cent.meter...[/i] His mind was shot, but he clenched his teeth through the agony as he moved his body to pick up his sword. Giusto only had a few more feet to go, then finally stood at Rafael's feet and smirked at the burnt, bloody man. "[i]We both die here. Goodbye.[/i]" Giusto collapsed, falling towards Rafael. In a last-ditch effort, he pulled the sword to his belly and pointed it up, praying to Jesus that he would be saved through some divine intervention. Giusto's body was suspended on the point, where his rapier struggled to get through. He task sapped his strength, and his vision went black. He took waking up with his rapier lying idly on his chest, and the absense of Giusto to mean he killed the monster before he passed out. With a satistfied smile, his body forced another shut down, in an attempt to preserve his life in the cold, after being exposed to countless shocks. The world slid out of vision, and into darkness once more.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hm... not funny, Chaos. Anyway, I met someone with the last name "Sweat." It's pronounced regularly too. Imagine all the jokes he must've gotten in elementary and high school. Heh. Poor guy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][B]UPDATES![/B] First of all, let us warmly welcome [B]Deucalion[/B] to the Club! He is eligible for battle, so step up and challenge him! Also, he's written the most in-depth letter thus far, standing at three very sincere paragraphs. Try to top him and you get a cookie! ^_~ Next, [B]Round One of the Last Man Standing Tournament has begun[/B] -- be sure to check it out every now and then for the battles.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]If anyone's been keeping up with my dA, you will see that I've been cranking out alot of graphics that I've been failing to put here. That's because it's a hassle to re-edit the first post and add in new links for my updated works and so forth. However, I'm really proud with this next piece, and I want to show you all. Tell me what you think about it -- I haven't really gotten criticism on it except from Doc and Hebbeh. [b]Jehut Calligraphy[/b] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/jehutcalligraphy.jpg[/IMG][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Yeah, there is. And there's a very large selection of them to do so with. I enjoyed that alot -- and about midway through I realized that the entire movie was about you guys trying to stop being losers. "It's a journey," so it is said in the beginning. And most importantly, very entertaining.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]*sigh* Done. [URL=http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=seanbattledraft22or.jpg][IMG]http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/277/seanbattledraft22or.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I thought the overall book was kinda 'meh' for reasons outlined by other people. [spoiler]I mean, the romance stuff didn't bother me, it was stepping back and realizing the clear lack of plot apparent in ths book. The ending pissed me off, with all the corny, cliche crap left to slog through. I also thing Dumbledore's death was pretty minimal; I mean, one would think that someone as good as Dumbledore would be able to perform some kind of magic without a wand. And I found it incredibly hard to get into for the first ... oh, say 200 pages. It was a bunch of inconsequential Ministry crap. What does it matter, who the minister is? Bah.[/spoiler][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]When I was little, I read a book about how each president was assassinated. It deeply disturbed me, especially Lincoln's unsuspected death. I had bad dreams of people murdering my family and such, which really scared me. And before that, I used to have a fear of kabuki masks, samurai helmets (ones that were designed to look fearsome), and statues with disproportionate eyes. Apparently when my parents drove me by Crystal City (a city near DC), I covered my eyes when passing a huge statue of a samurai (red, yellow, and orange color scheme). My friend's mother was a constume designer, and had ALOT of kabuki masks. One in particular was a pale one, with red slits for eyes, to mimic makeup I suppose. That one freaked me out the most, and it was at the bottom of the steps. I always sprinted by it back then, now I just kinda grit my teeth. I found that this ... distaste of masks, disproportionate/fearsome statues still holds today, I discovered. My friend requested that I make him a signature of the Aegis and Athena. My God, that statue freaked me OUT. I told him right away of my deep seated fear of those things. Most disturbing was not the Gorgon on the Aegis, but Athena's head. Her eyes... so... large.... so lifeless...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]OOC: I hope I got everything right... PM me if you want something about your character changed.IC: Santus readjusted his shirt as he walked out into the hallway, only to see Requius and the rest of his group proceeding up the lift without him. Immediately, he questioned why they were leaving behind their other 1st Lieutenant, and why Requius was not telling them to wait for him. "Halt immediately," Sanctus snapped at them. The lift stopped, everyone looking down with an expression of slight shock, disbelief, and finally, an awkward silence fell upon them. "Explain yourselves. Why are you leaving a first lieutenant behind?" "Very sorry, Sanctus; I thought you had already left." Requius' explanation was suitable, but Sanctus remained questioning. "Is that so? It's protocol to be sure of these things, Requius. For now, I will overlook this, just bring back down the lift, thanks." The metallic cage moved back down its track, and the gates opened up. Sanctus realized how cluttered the lift was, but found a way to squeeze himself into it, and effectively shut the doors. Boxes of gear lay about, probably holding assorted calibur rounds, light ordinance, or replacement parts for computers. But the gear paled in comparison to Kera, his stunningly beautiful co-worker. He had harbored a secret soft spot for her, but dared not make it known that a first lieutenant was soft. "When we meet Asceon, give him your best salute. Nothing sloppy; just crisp and firm. Address him formally, a bit more formally than you treat Requius and I." Requius briefly grinned at truth to statement, and proceeded to add in his own two cents. "Sanctus is right. Not only should your salutes be crisp, but your mission execution as well. Nothing other than the best -- We're the elite!" The pep-talk was cut short by the lift halting, and the doors swinging open to reveal a waiting Asceon.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=ChemAngel]what words could I possibly say that will make you feel better? I believe that things happen for a reason and perhaps there is a reason to this. maybe, this will make the two of you stronger as a couple if he does decide to go back to you. or perhaps maybe being apart will help you gain the strenght that you need to raise your child in a good way or maybe he just wasn't ment for you. If he isn't ment for you, you should be relieved that it happened early on in your life...instead of later on. Because if he IS seeing other people, despite having an expected child with you....then there would be no guarentee that he would not do the same thing if the two of you should have married. Perhaps, it is better that he did this to you now...while you still have the support of you parents...then if he would have done this to you at a later time....perhaps when your parents could not help and you would have been truly left alone. Either way....you need to ask the father to support his own child and give you the money you need. He cannot simply leave you to fend by yourself financially (it did take two to tango) I just want you to know what you DO have. A supporting family and a beautiful and healthy soon-to-be-child I'll be praying that you have the courage to do what is right...and to have the strength to continue fighting for whatever it is that is coming your way.[/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]Very well said, ChemAngel. I believe that you should try to factor him out of the equation, instead of helplessly hoping he will come back. If he ditched you, a very good friend and fiance for some vague aquaintance, you shouldn't marry him. As previously stated, what makes you think that this won't happen again later on? Make him pay you child support, and if he refuses, take him to court. You should be able to win, as it's (generally, I think) the law. Count your blessings, even when they seem few and far between. Confide in friends and family, they're there to support you. Most of all, use this adversity to make you as both a person and a mother stronger. Best of luck to you.[/SIZE]