Ezekiel

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][CENTER][U]Part 12[/U] It was Monday and, once again, Ezekiel was pacing the office worriedly with a mug of coffee in hand. Something was different this morning, however. Something wasn?t sitting well in her gut. For one, Seraphim hadn?t arrived yet and he was never, ever late. Secondly, when Ezekiel had called Hevn she?d told the detective that her husband had left even earlier than usual. This was getting ridiculous, it really was, and Ezekiel needed to know what was going on. While there hadn?t been any more bodies recently, Raiyuu and DDG had been keeping track of missing persons reports, and one name had jumped out at them. Sakura. She, if anything, was one of the ?higher ups?, as Ezekiel called them. Those members who had made a name for themselves due to their kindness, length of time in the OB and outstanding quality when it came to work. Even though Ezekiel didn?t know Sakura on a personal level, she had dealt with the woman and knew that she was a very responsible, very capable member. If she was missing, it was because of foul play. And then there was Seraphim. Now he was missing, too. Christ, and they had interviews in half an hour, too? [B]?Detective!?[/B] the excitable and heavy-accented voice of Sean met Ezekiel?s ears and despite her best efforts she could only greet the younger man with a scowl. [B]?I?m busy.?[/B] [B]?Haven?t you heard??[/B] Sean seemed to be bubbling with excitement, that manic look of determination that only a reporter held was sparkling clearly in his eyes. [B]?Heard what, Sean??[/B] Ezekiel sighed, feeling a headache building between her eyes. [B]?About Seraphim? You noticed he?s not here, obviously. Though you would have realised, being the police and all.?[/B] Ezekiel stiffened, closing the small gap between herself and Sean so that their gazes met. [B]?If you know something, Sean, I swear?you tell me now or you?ll be losing your license.?[B] Sean jutted his jaw out and grabbed Ezekiel?s wrists, pulling her hands from the lapels of his jacket as he stepped back. [B]?Seraphim?s been in an accident,?[/B] he said, his voice not portraying any of his dumb friendliness, [B]?Ice on the road or something. He?s in hospital.?[/B] Ezekiel stared, feeling as though her legs would give way. [B]?Accident??[/B] was all she could manage, her voice just above a whisper. [B]?H-How bad??[/B] Sean shrugged, pulling his collar up to shield the back of his neck from the razor winds rushing through the open doors at the front of the building. [B]?I hear he was pretty smashed up, unconscious, all that shit.?[/B] He reached into his pocket for his notebook before getting out a pen. [B]?Any comments??[/B] [B]?Yeah, Sean. Go to hell. You hear me? From this point on you are banned form this building and mark my words, no reporter is going to hear a thing about this case. Now fuck off.?[/B] Ezekiel shouldered her way past Sean, knocking his notebook onto the floor. The reporter grinned and shook his head, picking it up before scratching his pen across the page. One story was all he needed. [COLOR=DarkRed]***[/COLOR] Sakura sat shivering in the dark, her knuckles pressed into her eyes as she tried to block out the sounds around her. She was so disorientated and the fact that her eyes were only just adjusting to the light made things worse. She could see the outlines of things but couldn?t guess how far away they were or, in most cases, what they were. Still the shrieking went on and, as a detective working in narcotics, she knew all too well what was making that hideous noise. So many times she?d had to break down doors during a raid and now one occasion sprang to mind. The butchers, the one who provided most of the OB with its meat. It was the place where animals died and where they were packed. Sakura had hated it even before she found out about the large amount of cocaine stashed in the frozen bodies of pigs. As she and her team had broken into that huge place the same shrieking had been going on in the background. It was the sound of a circular saw cutting bone and Sakura was convinced now that she was in the hands of a madman. The shrieking continued and Sakura covered her ears. Hell. This was Hell.[/CENTER][/COLOR] Arg. The problem with leaving a week gap between writing this is that I always forget what I?d planned on doing next x_x While I know I wanted to include Sean, I?m pretty sure I didn?t plan on turning him into a bastard. I certainly didn?t plan the incident with Seraphim, either, but it?s definitely given me a much better opening now and a clear view of how to finish this. As always, comments/suggestions/death threats are welcomed. =D Note: I know Sean is now Perfection, but I can?t be bothered to change his name again. Yeah. [/SIZE]

[COLOR=#ff4403][SIZE=1]So, really, I needed to say a couple of things about the powers used and what will really be happening plot wise. I guess this would be the place to say it, due to the fact I may get questions. [U][B]Powers:[/B][/U] God and Lucifer have pretty much the same powers. Well, I imagine they do anyway. Really, though, Gabriel will urge God's chosen to use things such as the ability to answer prayers, the ability to heal, empathy etc. while Belial is going to encourage burning destruction, terror and fear, yeah? Your characters can use their powers how they see fit, but keep in mind they have been chosen for a reason. God will be choosing those he feels will be responsible with their powers, so don't make your character a psycho that kills all redheads just because they [I]can[/I]. [U][B]Plot:[/B][/U] I wanted this to be one of those relaxing, fun RPs where you don't feel like you HAVE to post something that is life changing and makes people dribble at your incredible writing skillz. That's why the plot is pretty loose and there's the chance to just take this whichever way you want. In the end, there will be a fight and angels and demons will be involved, the chosen will all stand together instead of trying to fight each other, and one side will win. That's all I have really. How we get there doesn't really matter. Any questions, suggestions, death threats etc? You know what to do.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=#ff4403][CENTER]Today, Gabriel was not looking forward to the venture 'down below'. Of course, it was never a pleasure, but today he realised would be particularly uncomfortable. He checked he had the necessary scroll once again and sighed, deliberating for the umpteenth time to just beg God to make Michael do this. It was unethical! It was immoral! It was a waste of his time! Of course, though, the angel wouldn't go back on his word and an order from his Boss was an order he must carry out. So, as he descended the long stairway down to the mortal realm, Gabriel practiced just exactly how he was going to explain this. Lucifer, meanwhile, was already aware of the visitor that would soon be arriving and lounged lazily with Belial, chuckling to himself at the thought of what God was up to. The look on Gabriel's face would be priceless, no doubt, and that alone would make Lucifer's day. It wasn't long before Gabriel was escorted in, two lower demons flanking the nervous angel as he gripped the golden scroll tightly to his chest. [B]"Master."[/B] the one demon said, his voice like venom in Gabriel's ears. The angel shivered. [B]"I know, I know. You may leave him," [/B] Lucifer waved his hand and the two demons left, Belial standing up to keep guard at the large door they had just come through. Lucifer then turned his attention to Gabriel and smirked, [B]"Gabe! Please, take a seat!"[/B] The fallen angel swept his arms wide, gesturing to the chair opposite him. Gabriel's top lip curled and he shook his head, golden locks falling elegantly about his face, [B]"I'd rather not. I just need to deliver this. He...He wants to have a bet."[/B] "Another one!" Lucifer laughed, loud and arrogant. [B]"I thought we were going to stop at Job..."[/B] Gabriel sighed deeply at the memory and let his scroll unravel, clearing his throat, [B]"The Father wishes to play a game. A game where the heavenly powers shall be tested. He will bestow His powers upon three human youths with no rules binding them. You, as the Liar and Deceiver, will be allowed to try and steer them off the path of righteousness. God wishes to see if His powers will be used by His people for good, or if you will be able to manipulate them into evil,"[/B] Gabriel stopped, shuddering at the thought, hoping that Lucifer would just laugh this off and tell him to go away. Unfortunately, Lucifer smiled. A bad sign. [B]"My...I do like the sound of that. But may I propose a slight change?"[/B] [B]"I don't thi--"[/B] Gabriel started; his voice full of worry, but Lucifer cut him off. [B]"How about my old friend chooses three youths that will take his place and I choose three that will take mine? That way, I don't have to ruin my reputation by deceiving innocent children." "But you?ll just turn three innocent children into monsters with your destructive powers.? "Yes."[/B] [B]"You disgust me, Lucifer."[/B] Gabriel turned to leave, already feeling a headache coming on as he twisted the scroll in his elegant hands. God knew everything, so he must have known Lucifer was going to propose a change to the bet. If He weren?t going to agree to it, He wouldn't have sent Gabriel down here in the first place. Behind him, Gabriel could hear Lucifer laughing, and despite his growing need to shut him up, he knew it wasn't the most angelic thing to do. So he left, grumbling all the way. ***[/CENTER][/COLOR] So, I was watching Bruce Almighty a couple of days ago... :p Yeah, I thought this would be fun. If I was a little unclear, the basic premise is this: God and Lucifer (not Satan, I don't like that name) are having another little bet, this one a bit more testing than the one they had a couple thousand years ago. Basically, they want to see how humans would manage without their help and how the followers of tomorrow will react to having these amazing powers granted to them. God is just wanting to have a little bit of fun and prove to Lucifer that good children with his powers won't bend to their own will while Lucifer wants to recruit more followers as well as show God that human needs are more powerful than faith in this day and age. Now, I will need three of you on each side. You don't have to believe in God to have his powers, or visa versa. But to have God's powers, it's obvious your character is going to be nicer than the ones who get Lucifer?s powers. For example: Someone who gets God?s powers may be a good student, always do their homework, and never tease anyone. Someone who gets Lucifer's powers may be a loner, disliked by people, and listen to death metal. Not necessarily a bad person, just someone easy to manipulate. As for a plot, there is actually one, don't fear. Even though God and Lucifer think that this will be a silly little game, the demons and angels have other ideas. They're out to set tests for the youths and will, most likely, start an apocalyptic war. If that was all very confusing I'm extremely sorry, I know what's going to happen, it just may not have come out as well as I would have liked >_> If all the places for the teenagers are filled, than angels and demons will be loved.

[color=#ff4403][SIZE=1]Ah, Macbeth, that would be fun. Last time we done that in school I doubled up as Lady Macbeth and the head of the Witches. XD Twelfth Night is an awesome play, as it has been pointed out, but seeing as you haven?t studied it, it would be hard for you to do an RP based around it. I'd say that the Taming of the Shrew would be fun, as well as A Midsummer Night's Dream. I don't really know Hamlet very well, though the storyline has always intrigued me. I'd definitely want to take part if you started a Shakespearean RP, regardless of what play it was based on.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1]See, I had a brief experience with this. But dude, it was the weirdest thing ever. When I'd first had my hair cut quite short, it was a boyish style and it was at that time I was going through my guy phase (wearing leather jackets, baggy t-shirts, loose jeans etc). I was staying with my dad and his girlfriend in Istanbul and whilst they were looking around in a clothes store, I decided to be 'cool' and slump against a clothing rack. I guess because of the way I was standing my jacket was covering my chest, and I have broad shoulders anyway, so when I looked up this girl was staring at me...and then smiled in that way girls do when they see a cute guy. o_O; I was so frightened and just sort of...shuffled off. Also, my friend told me, and I quote, 'If you were a guy, you'd be so hot.' Yeah >_> And as to getting confused about the opposite sex? ULX looks like a girl! XD *runs away*[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1][QUOTE=Sara][color=#b0000b][size=1]Silly thoughts and "I love you"s can be fun... although they seem to belong in a cheesy song more than they do in a conversation. Personally, I think it's much sweeter when he says "I thought about you today when...." or "This reminded me of you." I like knowing that he thinks of me when I am not around.[/size][/color][/QUOTE] Yes, yes, yes. Yes. I agree >_> Also, about 'girls sometimes ask how much a guy loves them'? Dude, I would never, ever do that. You can't just ask someone how much they love you and expect them to spread their arms wide and yell 'THIS MUCH!'. It's just...not romantic and I can't imagine why anyone would want to know that way. Simple gestures like asking how your SOs day was, remembering something important they had going on and asking about it, those kind of things really matter, not a cheesy line. Even though Trevor and I mess around with our [B]'I need you more than a drowning man needs oxygen'[/B] lines, we have our moments where we don't even have to say 'I love you' to know how much the other really cares.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1]Well, Hisao, considering OpS said "I'm workin' on different styles of [B][U]her[/U][/B]" I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Jaki is, indeed, female. Sarcasm aside. This is an incredibly good picture, what draws me the most is her right arm and legs. Seriously, the details you've put in are incredile, I'm in awe. As for advice, I don't think you actually need any. The great thing about weapons is that, unless you're purposefully trying to copy an existing weapon, it doesn't matter what they look like. I can't see anything wrong with the sword at all, because I know it's your own creation. If you really want any comments on it, though, I'd say that it needs a wider handguard and, possibly, to shorten the extra blades coming from the side, because it would be unbalanced and hard to use if it were an actual weapon. But honestly, you shouldn't worry about it, because it looks great! Edit: I just read Chikara Kokoro's comment (I really should read other replies first) and with regards to the material of the sword, I have to agree with (her?). It doesn't look like metal, but to me resembles bone, which I guess would fit in well with the character. Just thought I should comment on it, because it's a good point.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1]As if on cue, the large doors to the mansion swung open with great force, revealing a well dressed, tall man, his face covered by a curtain of silver and black hair. He looked up as he walked through the doors and up steps before smirked, his eyes flashing dangerously as he spotted Mario. [B]?My name is Victor Delacroix,?[/B] he stated, not even glancing at Ada, [B]?I believe I?m now a part of the wonderful Plumber Bros.?[/B] Mario raised an eyebrow as Victor swept his cape across his chest as he bowed, before he laughed heartily. [B]?Mama-Mia, you remind-a me of-a my old-a team mate,?[/B] he smiled and brushed two fingers across his moustache before extending a gloved hand to Victor, who squeezed it confidentially. [B]?This is my first experience in one of these games, I do hope I fair well, dear Plumber.?[/B] Victor bowed again and gritted his teeth against the urge to leave, being good wasn?t working so well for him. Mario laughed again and was joined by Luigi, who shared his warm smile,[B] ?There?s no need-a for formalities here-a, Victor, we?re all-a friends.?[/B] Victor nodded and smiled a, what he hoped to be, friendly smile. He then turned to Ada, who he seemed to have only just noticed, and reached out for her hand, kissing it before she could pull back. [B]?My dear, I didn?t catch your name.?[/B] [B]?Ada.?[/B] The Asian woman stated, a little shocked, [B]?The name?s Ada.?[/B] [B]?How pretty.?[/B] Victor said, without much conviction. He had a feeling he wouldn?t last very long with this. [B]?Now, when can we eat? I?m starving.? [/B][/SIZE]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1]Arg, why no [COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Orange Range[/B][/COLOR] love? >_< They're one of my favourite bands ever, mainly because they have such an awesome variation in their style. They did the first BLEACH theme, Asterisk, and the third ending of Naruto, Viva Rock. You get songs, like Chest and Kiri Kiri Mai, which are really heavy rock, then something like Hana which is so gentle it makes you want to fall asleep. They're amazing, really, and some of their songs are such fun. You should seriously check them out if you're into JPop/JRock.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1]Well, any questions you need to ask go here. I will also be posting the map and final list of students here as well as any extra information. When people start dying, check here for an updated list of students so you can keep track properly. I've probably left something important out of the sign up, so if you need anything clarified, just ask.[/SIZE]

[B][COLOR=Red][SIZE=1]Warning: This RP will contain extreme violence, as the basic theme of it is to kill each other. If you're not keen on gory, bloody scenes, then don't join.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [FONT=Courier New][CENTER]Government Internal Memo 1997, No. 00387461 (Top Secret) Dispatched by Central Authority Secretariat Special Task Force Defence Supervisor and Battle Experiment Advisor of the Special Defence Army To: Supervisor in Charge of No. 12 1997 Battle Experiment No. 68 Program (May 20, 18:15) We have confirmed evidence of an intrusion into the central government operations system. The intrusion was undetected on the date of its occurrence, March 12. We are currently investigating and additional evidence of re-entry. The suspect?s possible identity, purpose and any possible information leaks are also being investigated, but because the suspect?s computer skills were highly advanced, we anticipate a significant delay in producing the suspect?s profile. The Central Authority Secretariat Special Task Force Defence Supervisor and the Battle Experiment Division of the Special Defence Army were informed that data from Program No. 68 may have been corrupted, and as a result we immediately considered the postponement of Program No. 12 for 1997. However, because preparations for No. 12 are complete, and because there is no indication that the above data has been leaked into the civilian population, we have concluded that the program should proceed as scheduled. As the supervisor in charge of executing the experiment, you, supervisor of Program No. 12 are to proceed with extreme caution. This information is classed as top secret and is to be treated as such.[/CENTER][/FONT] [SIZE=1]The Program is an event that occurs every year in Japan and is classed as top secret until it has concluded. However, once the few days the program lasts for are over, the media swoop in and everyone across the country knows what has happened. Because of this, everyone knows exactly what it is from when they are mere children. It has even been covered in textbooks from the fourth grade onwards. Here is a quote taken from the [I]Republic of Greater Asian Compact Encyclopaedia[/I]: ?[B]Program[/B] [I]n.[/I] 1. A listing of the order of events and other information [?] 4. A battle simulation program conducted by our nation?s ground defence forces, instituted for security reasons. Officially known as the battle experiment No. 68 program. The first program was held in 1947, Fifty third-year junior high school classes are selected annually (prior to 1950, 47 classes were selected) to conduct the Program for research purposes. Classmates in each class are forced to fight until one survivor is left. Results from this experiment, including the elapsed time, are entered as data. The final survivor of each class (the winner) is provided with a lifetime pension and a signed card from The Great Dictator?? Battle Royale is a novel by Koushun Takami, which originally sparked controversy because of its violence, but soon became a runaway best seller. It?s also been turned into a manga series and movie, both by the same name. If you haven?t read the book/manga or seen the movie, it honestly doesn?t matter, because the basic plot is really easy to understand and this RP won?t contain any spoilers. You will all be playing as a student from Third Year Class A, Seto Junior High School. The class has 17 girls and 23 boys all with different strengths and weaknesses. Some are bullies, some are loners, but all of them are just normal 15 year olds. By this I of course mean I don?t want super humans here. Having experience in martial arts or being good at brawling is fine, but I don?t want [B]anyone[/B] trying to get away with making a character that killed five guys with his bare hands when he was 6, yeah? That would totally take the fun out of this game. [B]Before you sign up, there are a couple of things you need to know will be happening [/B] ([COLOR=Red]Please, please read this[/COLOR]): ?The students all believe they are going on a study trip and have packed their bags for a few days away. They are all on a coach and have no reason to believe anything odd is going on. ?You all start off wearing [URL=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/Jun1.jpg]this uniform [/URL] but if your character chooses to take the chance of getting dressed into their own clothes during the game, that?s your choice. ?This is a survival game. I will be participating, but I?ll die pretty early on, as I?m the one who decides who lives and who dies. There is no voting system, but you have to prove to me that you are deserving of winning this game. Post quality, good decisions and enthusiasm give you brownie points. ?There aren?t going to be big duels spanning three posts in this. If you encounter an NPC, you can kill them without me having to intervene, but as soon as all the NPCs are dead (there will be quite a few, I?m guessing) then you?re going to start killing each other. Once you encounter another player, you should start the fight, let them continue it and then leave it at a point where either of you could die. I will then decide who will win the match and PM the one who dies. The victor will then end the fight. This makes things fair, you see. ?When the game starts; I will be PMing those accepted with their ?Day Bags?. This ?bag? contains a map of the island, a list of students (I?ll make a full list, including the NPCs names), simple food, 1 litre of water and a random weapon. As in the book, the game isn?t designed to be fair, so don?t expect me to be giving everyone sub-machine guns and katanas. More will be explained in the Underground/when the game starts, so I?ll get on with the sign up. [B]Name:[/B] (Japanese) [B]Gender:[/B] [B]Appearance:[/B] (Remember, everyone is wearing the same uniform when the game starts, so you don?t have to describe clothing.) [B]Personality:[/B] [B]School File:[/B] (This is where I want you to tell me how your character acts in school, what their motivations are, what they are good at and what relationships they have with other characters. This can obviously be edited as more people sign up and I have no problems if you don?t fill it in at all until much later.) I?m pretty sure that?s it; so if you have any questions, post them in the Underground thread. ^_^ Thanks for reading.[/SIZE]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Victor Delacroix [B]Game:[/B] Chaos Legion [B]Portrait: [/B] [URL=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/clegionart026.jpg][[B]Here[/B]][/URL] [B]Experience:[/B] Victor, being a sociopath and psychotic with a lust for power, has had much experience in killing, summoning dark monsters and stealing power from those less fortunate. He's also very good at getting his revenge (or so he thinks) and appears to be someone who's excellent at thinking out strategies when it comes to planning out said revenge. He's also very nifty with a sword. [B]Reason:[/B] I feel that I should change my ways slightly, as they generally cause people to avoid me. I miss friends and greatly dislike being attacked by heroes attempting to save the world from destruction. This will be the perfect opportunity for me to mix with better people so I can leave my old life, and terrible memories, behind.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1] [COLOR=#ff0000][B]Name:[/B] Unknown [B]AKA:[/B] Goes by the alias Kage (shadow) [B]Age[/B]: 27 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Appearance:[/B] [Please refer to attachment] [B]Personality:[/B] Kage, as his name suggests, is a man people rarely notice. Despite his looks and unique fashion sense, he somehow manages to blend in with the crowd in almost all occasions. He?s excellent for assassinations because of this and no one to date is aware of his real identity, except for a name. He likes to change things up a lot, constantly revamping his style and weapon choice. He does, however, always keep two things the same: his steely determination and cold demeanour. He isn?t in this job to make friends and is adamant that being a highly trained killer isn?t a profession that requires a large network of friends, just allies. He?s extremely intelligent and a good judge of people, but tends to make enemies easily because of how distant he can be. Despite his usually calm attitude, he?s prone to violent outbursts if someone pushes him a step too far. [B]Biography:[/B] Kage sat down at his desk, his flat dark in these early hours of the morning. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, his glasses lying at an arms length away under the soft light of his desk lamp. The young man ran a hand through his hair before reaching out for a Dictaphone, pushing the Play button down with a click before he started talking, his voice hollow, still with a hint of his near-lost Japanese accent. [B]?This is for anyone who cares to know about me, if I so happen to die in the days to come. My story is an interesting one, I suppose, and everything that has happened in the last few years is surely going to come out some time. I suppose it?s my duty to help the policemen who work so hard.? [/B] He paused and looked out of his window at the expansive night sky, not blocked by clouds or mist on this summer night. [B]?My alliance with The Man, as many refer to him as, started only four years ago. I was bored and naïve, and needed some kind of tension release that didn?t involve drugs or sex. Those things just don?t appeal to me, not because of the danger, but because of the absolute emptiness one feels after coming down from the high. I suppose most people would rather take drugs to killing any day, but I?m not like most people?anyone involved with The Man is quite far from normal. ?He was friendly when we first got involved and came to me one night, seeming to know more about me than any of my so called friends. I was shocked, of course, but intrigued and agreed to have a meeting with him about an ?exciting proposition?. He explained everything I?d possibly need to know and I suppose one might have described me as ?hooked?. I needed to know more, I realised, not just about him but his life-style. I agreed to become one of his men, to help see his cause through to the end by any means possible. I felt above the law, and in some ways, I still do, and the rush of a fight is something I could never tire of. ?Of course I was scared at first, I can?t imagine who wouldn?t be, but his encouraging words and praise drove me on. I guess he was someone I could look up to, and after growing up with an alcoholic for a father, that was something new for me. I wanted to help this man, and I wanted to make him happy. Coming home soaked with another man?s blood didn?t, and still doesn?t, faze me. ?I suppose anyone sane enough listening to this now will think it?s a pretty sick story, but unless you?ve done it, you honestly can?t believe the unreal satisfaction that comes with hearing the dull thud of a corpse hitting the ground and the spray of warm blood on your skin. I suppose it?s a matter of taste, really.?[/B] Kage flicked off the recorder and set it down, leaving it there as a constant reminder of his mortality. He picked up his glasses shortly after and strode back into his bedroom, getting ready once again for the only job he?d ever loved. [B]Weapon:[/B] Kage is an unconventional man and prefers to use weapons that people won?t expect to come up against, for example, meat cleavers. He is, however, well known for using a [URL=http://knifedealer.net/becker-knife-tool/BK6-patrol-machete.jpg]machete [/URL] and is feared by many who?ve heard the gruesome rumours of his skill with it. He?s quick and accurate and knows how to kill a man simply and efficiently. [B]Alliance:[/B] Tokyo Elite[/COLOR] When I started reading this I was like ?Hmm, this seems familiar.? Then I realised it was you. Oh my God, Sean, I swore you were a girl XD. Glad to see this back now we?ve improved, though. [/SIZE]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1]I rather like the set you've got going this time, KW, mainly because of the red you've used. Even though I'm not a huge FMA fan, I like the picture of Edward you used, and the cropping has been done very nicely. The only thing I'd suggest, though it really isn't necessary, would be to bring in some yellow to the banner. Seeing as it's a big part of Edward's overall colour scheme, it would make the banner's background seem more interesting and fitting with the stock. I give you a 7/10 ^_^[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=1][B]Firstly:[/B] Thanks so much to everyone who replied to this. When I look at the Alex picture again, I realize what you mean about the angle of the arm and such. Thanks for pointing it out, I draw that position a lot for character designs so I'll be sure to look our for it next time. [B]Second: [/B] I know I've been crap and haven't updated, but that's because I haven't really drawn anything new except for, hum, [URL=http://photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/?action=view¤t=imric003.jpg]this[/URL]

[SIZE=1]Raphael smiled to herself as she stood under the spray of the shower, letting the water beat down on her neck as she dipped her head forward. Belial was behind, soaping her back with a sponge, and equally smug smile planted firmly on his handsome face. A knock came, hard and urgent, snapping the two out of their relaxed state. [B]"What the f--..." [/B] Belial trailed off and stepped out of the shower, throwing a towel around his waist as he strode to his door, which was now being positively pummelled. Raphael turned off the shower and stepped out, too, throwing on a cosy robe before following her lover into the entrance hall. Belial was standing with one of his agents, who was trying to tell him something obviously important between panting for breath. Belial clasped his shoulder firmly and the demon regained his composure, looking up at his boss worriedly. [B]"Something?something is happening in the club,"[/B] he wheezed, clutching his chest. He wasn't the fittest of men, and Raphael simply couldn?t imagine why Belial kept him around. [B]"A fight?"[/B] she spoke up, sneering slightly, [B]"Not all that scarce, are they?"[/B] [B]"No,"[/B] Belial answered, looking only slightly worried, [B]"A large fight?"[/B] [B]"No sir...but something seems off,"[/B] the demon was sweating now, and he dabbed his forehead with his sleeve. Belial sighed and patted his friend on the shoulder, shaking his head, [B]"If it gets too rowdy, let my men sort it out. This was no reason to interrupt me, okay?"[/B] Nodding, the lesser demon left and Belial just shrugged, extending his strong arms to pull Raphael to his bare chest. [B]"I'm sure he's just had a few late nights, he always gets twitchy around young ones."[/B] Raphael nodded and placed her slender hands on her demon's chest, stroking his damp skin gently. [B]"You don't think--"[/B] she began, but Belial cut her off, knowing what was coming. [B]"No, Raphael, they wouldn't dare."[/B] [B]OOC Crappy, but at least it's done.[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][CENTER][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][U]Part 11[/U] Ezekiel woke the next morning with her vision hazy, a single slash of bright light hitting her face through a small gap in the curtains. She glanced at her digital alarm through narrowed eyes, allowing herself a small grunt as she read the time as eleven-thirty. She couldn?t even remember last night, except for the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed, but the headache she would have to be nursing was more than enough evidence of that. It was only when she sat up ten minutes later did she realise that something was not quite right. Not bad, per se?different. The smell of coffee was in the air, despite the fact Ezekiel didn?t own a coffee machine, and her room seemed a lot tidier than it had the night before. It was tidier than it had been in the last few months, come to think of it. She stood on unsteady legs and found that she was still in her clothes from yesterday and, rather than feeling like a tramp, had a quick, reviving shower. When she walked into her living room, however, she was at a loss. All her books were away and her files stacked neatly on the coffee table. Things looked in general order, and the smell of fresh coffee once again found it?s way to her nose. [B]?Morning,?[/B] Ezekiel jumped, staring at Xion as he leaned back in a dining chair, a glass of orange juice in front of him. He smiled warmly to the detective and gestured for her sit, breakfast and coffee already set out. [B]?I??[/B] [B]?I?ll explain later,?[/B] Xion chuckled, his voice soft and warm and somehow comforting, [B]?Eat this first, I hear a good breakfast is great for hangovers.?[/B] Ezekiel didn?t even bother to protest and joined Xion at her dining table, only talking to him again when she was full. It was then that he explained what had happened, and Ezekiel couldn?t help but feel ashamed. He had planned on leaving her after he?d got the file, but wasn?t expecting an emotional and drunken detective to be clinging to him as she sniffled her way through a painful rant about everything she?d done wrong. He?d ended up putting her to bed and staying to clean up her flat, because he much preferred it when their work relationship wasn?t like a cold war and this had seemed like the perfect opportunity to mend it. Ezekiel had seemed satisfied, if a little embarrassed, and that pleased Xion. He chose not to mention the part about watching her fall asleep, however. He wasn?t as good with handling shame. [COLOR=DarkRed]****[/COLOR] The harsh screech of an owl is what woke a woman from what had been an undisturbed sleep. She sat up, her back rigid, and tried desperately to pull thoughts back from her chloroform-clouded mind. A man?a strong man, she recalled, had attacked her. He must have grabbed her on her way home from work, and drugged her before she could put up a protest, because she wasn?t a woman who would go down easily. She brought a hand to her chest to check that her clothes were intact and found that thankfully, they were. She couldn?t see very well and only knew that she was sitting up on what seemed to be a bench, not dissimilar to ones doctors have. [B]?Sakura, calm down??[/B] a soft voice said, laced with a whisper of amusement, [B]?I haven?t hurt you yet, have I??[/B] Sakura drew in a sharp breath and searched frantically in the gloom, her eyes darting quickly for any sign of a person. She could barely see her hand in front of her eyes and could only draw herself into a protective ball, quivering from fear and cold. She head footsteps and what sounded like a person handling cutlery, her mind creating all kinds of situations. She could feel her senses burning, the instinct to survive kicking in, but knew that she had a better chance of sitting there rather than making a break for it. In an act of courage she reached out a hand to her right, slowly extending her arm to feel for a wall or obstacle of some sort. Her hand only met air and she felt a little unbalanced, quickly drawing her arm back to her side. She could smell something, too?something sour and rotten. She whimpered softly as the smell grew familiar and squeezed her eyes shut, praying that her mind wouldn?t torture her with any more thoughts.[/COLOR][/CENTER] That was worse than I thought it was going to be, but I honestly don't care. I have managed to get out of this...writing rut, finally, and I know where I'm heading (how often have you heard me say that?). I know there was a lot of Xion/Ezekiel crap in this, but it was necessary, and next chapter will have Seraphim/Hevn along with Sean and, if all goes to plan, JJ. Comments are loved and, please, if anyone has any suggestions of characters they'd like to see more of, r things they want to find out that I've made a little unlear then please ask. It's really good to know for future reference.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Jamie sat with a dismantled gun in her lap, polishing the barrel as a near-finished cigarette drooped from her bottom lip. JJ was late, and she was starting to get worried?plus she was fast running out of cigs. She heard the crunch of a boot on the harsh gravel just beyond the entrance to her bunker and snapped to attention. A large part of her knew it would be JJ, but there was always something in the back of her mind telling her to be on alert 24 hours a day. She reassembled her gun as quickly and as quietly as possibly and crossed her wrists, resting her gun hand on her bottom arm to keep it steady. JJ walked into sight and just quirked an eyebrow at the gun pointing at his head and set down his backpack. Jamie sighed and lowered the gun, rubbing her temples wearily as JJ began unpacking the supplies he?d found. [B]?Miss me??[/B] he asked, no sign of real emotion in his voice, only exhaustion. [B]?Yeah,?[/B] Jamie replied, stretching her arms above her head, [B]?It?s not the same when you tell me my bad habits will kill me.?[/B] JJ shot her a wry grin and held out his hand, [B]?Speaking of which??[/B] Soon, the two friends were sitting with a meagre meal in front of them, both smoking and a little happier than they were before. As if on cue, however, JJ?s smile slipped to a frown and he grew silent. Jamie tented her fingers and leant forward over the table top, talking with one corner of her mouth tightened over the end of her cigarette. [B]?What is it??[/B] she asked, quite bluntly, surprising JJ in the slightest. He shook his head and, as if to answer her question, reached over to a shelf with a can of fruit on it, passing it Jamie. [B]?Even if we do survive the relentless mutant attacks,? [/B] he began, voice monotonous and low, [B]?Eventually, food is going to expire, run out, or be destroyed. We won?t be able to find anything to eat.?[/B] The red head merely waved him off and stumped out her cigarette, tossing the can back to him as if it were all a game. [B]?If it makes you feel any better, JJ, I promise to put a bullet in your skull before that happens.?[/B] [B]?You?re a pal, Jamie.?[/B] **** Night had fallen, and despite JJ?s odd and frantic warnings, Jamie had decided to venture out in search of a new food supply. She preferred searching at night because, despite the hordes of mutants, it was cooler and easier to stay hidden. Plus, she was hoping to find other members, and figured that any other survivors would rest at night, making it easier to track them down. It was then that she heard the shuffling of dirt and the suspicious sound of metal against metal. Jamie immediately slammed her back to a wall and edged along until she reached the corner, peering around ever so slightly to see what was going on. She didn?t see a mutant, as she was expecting, but walked straight into the barrel of a gun. She gasped and went rigid, fear instantly rushing through her. She didn?t even see the person who was pointing the weapon at her, but was greatly relieved when he lowered it. [B]?I thought you were a mutant,?[/B] a voice said, gruffly. It was male, and hardly apologetic. Jamie breathed out in relief and untensed, looking up at the taller man. [B]?Easy mistake, I guess,? [/B] she said, trying not to let on how incredibly ecstatic she was to find someone else alive. Regardless of the fact he?d just pointed a gun at her forehead. The man himself was also relieved, it seemed, because rather than turning away he stepped forward, allowing Jamie to see his face through the sparse moonlight. [B]?Blayze,?[/B] he muttered, extending a dirty and bloodstained hand. Jamie smiled slightly and took his hand in her own, shaking firmly. [B]?Ezekiel,? [/B] she said, not trusting him with her real name just yet, [B]?It?s a pleasure.?[/B] [B]OOC: Take it away, Phil, I don?t have any plans as of yet, so you?ve got free reign over this.[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]There are some obvious nicknames for me...some that have a little story attached. Some are just down to my friend's insanity. My name is Jamie, so the obvious "[B]Jay[/B]", "[B]James[/B]" and "[B]Jimmy[/B]" are used frequently. I don't have many odd nicknames, as some people have, but there are odd things my friends (always male) refer to me as. [B]Mr Sulky:[/B] I sulk, yes, but the main reason for this is a little more...amusing. Whilst looking through the pictures on my phone, my friend Joe came to the conclusion that ULX looked like me in a certain picture. The picture was named 'Mr Sulky' and it kind of snowballed. [B]Human Vending Machine:[/B] Another one of Joe's creations. I usually feed him in school, and it's got to the point where all he has to do is hold out his hand and I put food in it. He does actually call me this, which is a little frightening. [B]Imi:[/B] A name I adopted a couple of year?s back, and what most people know me as online. Simple enough. [B]Boozey:[/B] Trevor's affectionate nickname for me. Just because I happen to drink Bailey's on the odd occasion, he has it in his head that I'm an alcoholic. I honestly don't mind him calling me this, though, and find it infinitely more loving that 'muffin'. I don't generally give my friends nicknames, except for Joe, who is [B]'The Hair'[/B]. No one else thinks it's funny, but I always amuse myself (Because I'm pathetic like that). Joe gels his hair all the time, and freaks out if anyone touches it. Thus, the hair has feelings and is a being by itself.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Sad I didn't get an award u_u (But really, who wouldn't be?) But I'm really pleased that Gavin did. *high-fives him* Thought it was totally necessary to comment on the wonderful layout. I did a double take on "How do you pronounce your username" because the header graphic looks exactly like a dictionary page. Retri and Delta really outdone themselves for this, and it looks simply amazing. (Congrats to everyone who won this year. You all deserved it. ^_^)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]You flatter me, Spence. (The image looks darker because I lowered the opacity after adjusting the brightness) [B]Aizen:[/B] I really love this new banner, mainly because of the [STRIKE]hot guy[/STRIKE] bright colours. I adore bright colours and high contrast images, so this looks terribly awesome to me. I'm glad you used the anti-alias control for your text, too, though I think in this case it might have looked better in a pixel font instead. Something about the banner leans itself to sharp and graphical rather than smooth and elegant. Overall, 9/10. Very nice. =D By the way...who is that guy? He's cool.[/SIZE]

[COLOR=#f8223d][SIZE=1]Oh, man, this request has definately taught me to save my files so I can edit them. *thumps forehead* I redid the text in pixel font, but white so you can read it, and did another version with fancier writing. To answer your question: I found the picture on a Google Image search. I typed in 'Raphael soul calibur' I believe.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#f8223d][SIZE=1]Gave this a go, seeing as you seemed desperate, heh. [U]Banner-[/U] Edit: Arg! Typo on the banner I've only just noticed. Gah, I'll re-edit when I've fixed it. u_u Re-Edit: Okay! Fixed...rather crappily, but at least it's spelt right >_> Sorry. [U]Avatar-[/U] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/raph_avi.png[/IMG] Hope they're okay. ^_^[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#f8223d][SIZE=1]"Loving someone and doing everything you can for them. Then you realize you can never have them?" Definately. It's better to have loved and lost (or never had, as the case may be) than to have never loved at all. It would be painful, but something that I could get over with time. And while on the pink subject still? I adore hot pink, I'm getting the front of my hair dyed hot pink this summer, even. [U]Okay, then:[/U] [B]-Lose the love of your life, but be left with your friends to comfort you or; -Lose all your friends, with only your significant other left to console you?[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#f8223d][SIZE=1]I only done the one set, though I was tempted to do them both. Hope this is okay. =/ [U][B]Banner-[/B][/U] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/illusion_ban.png[/IMG] [U][B]Avatar-[/B][/U] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/illusion_AVI.png[/IMG] Enjoy ^^[/SIZE] [/COLOR]