Ezekiel

[FONT=Arial Narrow][COLOR=#FF374C]Here here, Fallen, Kairi was nasty to me. Making me do naughty sexual things >>; That was an awesome RP though and I'd love to see it back again, please, please post it sometime soon as the boards have been lacking in original and exciting role-plays. (The few we've had in the Sqaure have died very quickly, unfortunately). I look forward to seeing your new story in the Inn.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR=#FF374C][FONT=Arial Narrow]Well, I've decided that I'm bowing out of this final round. It seems my break from making graphics dampened my spirits and I've totally lost the burn I had for this competition. I don't feel it's right to go ahead and make something that I know won't be my best effort. I don't have the energy to finish the competition and I feel it's only right if I let Alex win this because, in all honesty, he is far more skilled at making graphics than I am anyway. Thank you to everyone who I was in the competition with, we'll have to do it again some time. ^_^[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#FF374C][FONT=Arial Narrow][SIZE=1]Retri, I made that set for him. :p See? The man should learn from the woman's example. Now. [B]Thug Life:[/B] I agree with Retri on his comments, but as a PSP user I'd like to add something to help you. (If you don't mind, love) The text has a pixelly border, but the way to stop that is by choosing "Anti-Alias" in Properties. You'll see the difference immediately. There are a couple of Anti-Alias options, you'll see, just mess with them and see what effect you get. I already told you what I thought about the Lei-Fang banner and Retri said most of the crit. anyway. You are improving, dear, I'm very glad to see you're using stock so early, too.[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[color=#FF374C][SIZE=1]Kairi! Good Lord, it's been so long since I've seen you around. (What was my username last time you were here...Methuselah, Gabriel, Delacroix? Take your pick ^_^; ) Good to see you back again, in any case. I, personally, like Suspense/Action with a little bit of Drama and Romance added in for good measure. I think when those aspects are then put into a Real Life situation it can be really fun and successful, if the setting leans itself to that, of course. Though, I'll take anything if it's written well and catches my interest. I don't think I've noticed a trend around the OB, just some people tend to write more of one thing when they see it's been successful.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=Green]It had taken Era three days of preparation before she was confident enough to risk the lives of four team members on one time-leap. She flexed her fingers as she waited in the Green Team meeting room, reciting all the dates and memories she was going to use as ?holds? on this trip. Some of them weren?t all that pleasant but they were necessary if she was to backtrack to exactly the right period in time. Vietnam, World War Two, World War One, Jack the Ripper, the Elephant Man. All these situations created the ladder Era was going to use to pull the team back in time to Easter Island, 2000 BC. She had a petty clear image of the place in mind, HQ had made sure to supply her with all the knowledge she needed to form a clear enough image in her mind?s eye. Eventually the team arrived and they all gathered around Era. She smiled confidently and, just like the routine they had all practiced, the team placed their hands on her arms, with Kaida touching her shoulders to give extra support in case Era?s energy began to deplete mid-jump. When she felt she was ready Era closed her misty eyes and sucked in a deep breath. [B]?Ready, everyone?? [/B] her soft voice was shaky, and she hoped the rest of the team didn?t notice. They all replied with a unanimous [B]?Yes.?[/B] And they were off. Era felt as if someone had attached a rope to her heart and were tugging her backwards at unimaginable speeds. Trials, wars, deaths and places flew past her and it got to the point where she wasn?t even sure if it was in her mind or all around her. In only a matter of seconds the team had arrived on a stormy beach in an explosion of light but to Era it seemed to have taken years. She panted softly and held Arachnid?s arm to steady herself, listening intently to Kaida as she attempted to get her bearings. [B]"Forget being in the right place, are we positive we are at the right time?" [/B] Sakura had never been one to doubt but Era could understand her unease. It took all the confidence she had to give Kaida a firm nod when the leader turned to her for confidence. Era felt Arachnid pull away slowly to make sure she was standing steady and the witch squeezed his arm once to let him know she was okay. After a few more gasps of the salty air Era felt as though she could carry herself across the Island. After Sakura had pointed out the lightning Kaida was certain where they needed to be and the team set off through the harsh jungle terrain to find this ?rogue?. Era struggled at first, the loss of energy that had she had incurred made it hard for her to sense things in her mind and at first she wasn?t sure if what she was seeing was actually there. With the help of Liquid she managed to pick her way steadily, albeit slowly, over any obstacles that appeared in the team?s path. [B]?What is THAT??[/B] Sakura?s voice echoed around the area before the great rush of the wall of water obliterated all other sounds surrounding the team. Era hissed and braced herself for the oncoming crash but even when it came she felt all the breath knocked out of her. Her feet were swept up and her mind went blank, the speed and energy of the water seemingly wiping out all of her remaining energy. She clawed at the water madly, feeling panic flooding her body as she gasped for breath, only pulling in great mouthfuls of sour, freezing cold water. Trees and bushes battered her body as the water carried the team and on more than one occasion she was sure she felt a hand reach out to grab her. Eventually, thankfully, the water receded and the team were left spluttering and coughing on the forest floor. Era lifted her head, spitting out water as best she could, [B]?I have a feeling that?we?re dealing with something rather dangerous.?[/B] She was met by silence, but she knew the others agreed whole-heartedly and even as Kaida managed to pull her shaking and bruised body up Era sensed her previous nerves had increased. [B]?We mustn?t let this keep us back, team. Are we all alive??[/B] She was met by nods and a couple of croaky ?Yes, Kaida.?s. Era managed to roll herself onto her back, [B]?Kaida, I can?t see??[/B] she muttered, feeling despair and anger well up inside her chest. [B]?It?s okay, Era, we?ll make sure you?re okay.?[/B] Era felt someone grab her elbow and she was sure it was Liquid. She let herself be guided to where she assumed the rest of the team were, instinctively reaching out with grasping hands to make sure she wouldn?t hit anything. [B]?It may take a while for you to get your energy back.?[/B] Kaida stated and Era could only nod. She had great confidence in her team leader and would willingly be guided until she gained her sight?or became too much of a burden. [B]?Kaida, if I?? ?You won?t slow us down.?[/B] Era closed her mouth and sighed heavily, letting Liquid tug her gently in the right direction as the team made their way onwards again, all of them now acutely aware of their surroundings.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[color=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I did and you misread mine. When I said mass-role-play I did in no way mean amount of posts. Anime Stereotype High School had 20+ players and about 60 posts. I was not insulting you, Sage; please do not perceive my post to be doing so. I know you are no beginner to role-playing and neither am I, but from what I've read in your posts here you made yourself sound as if you were nit picking at every detail. I was pointing out that you seem to be throwing up a lot of ideas about what could go wrong in this role-play without letting it have a little bit of a run first. That's all I was saying, how you take it is very different. Now, to keep this on topic. I look forward to my turn in the missions and I'm rather thankful that I'm not one of the first to post. It seems I have more coursework than I first believed. Best of luck to the Team Leaders, I've spoken to the only two who've posted and it seems that it's quite a job to handle. (Zidargh, top-notch suggestion (^_~) I think I may just work on some short stories while the other teams carry out their missions.)[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[color=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Sage, I'm not sure if you were around at the time of "Anime Stereotype High School", created by Solo Tremaine, but that was a massive role-play and it worked out very well. Yes, it did actually die in the end and I think Solo realised that the RP didn't have enough control and people ended up taking it in any which direction. Considering you haven't been in a mass role-play before (I have, believe me, I know it?s hard if there is not enough control and restricted posting) and you are not the one who created and planned it and indeed you are not a team leader I do believe that you should stop hanging on every detail, picking out what [I]could[/I] go wrong before the RP has even got of the ground and let it run it's course. Shy must have put a very, very long time into organising this and I sincerely doubt he would have launched it if he hadn't considered every possibly way in which this project could go wrong. Give him a little respect by giving his event a chance without criticising his methods. Edit: Zidargh beat me to the post. I started replying before he did.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Shakaku's fiery hair fell from the hood of her cape as the wind rushed by, the gathering speed of the horses making it impossible for the thick locks of hair to stay in place. The women bent her supple body at the waist so she could flatten herself against the neck of her chestnut-brown stallion making the animal more streamlined. Keiji noticed her movement and followed suit, his dark black horse increasing in speed suddenly. The two of them raced at top speed through a small village, ignoring the angry shouts of the men and women behind, coughing weakly from the kicked up dust. Eventually, after a few hours of riding, the pair of horses tired and Shakaku motioned for Keiji to stop his steed by a small river. He did so and she followed jumping off of the back of her horse with practiced elegance. [B]"Keiji, I think it's high time I wore my old dress. Stay here and watch the horses while I go and get changed."[/B] the young man nodded and stroked his horse's sleek back, scanning the surrounding area for any threat. Shakaku meanwhile picked her way through a small clump of trees, one of her bags slung over a slender shoulder. She stopped, surrounded by bushes and undergrowth, and began to disrobe. The sound of water was near and she kept a mental not that a waterfall would not be far away. It wasn't big, no doubt, but the water would be filtered and cool and the pair needed somewhere to camp for the night. While turning these ideas over in her mind, Shakaku dressed in her golden and orange dress, slipping on many gold bangles and rings to round the effect off. She smiled happily when she was done and bundled up the old brown robes with every intention of using them on the fire tonight. As soon as she exited the forest, however, a worrying sound met her ears. First the harried whinnying of the horses followed by the dry whistle of one of Keiji's fiery punches. The young women sprinted out of the forest in time to see a large balding man hit the dirt, his right cheek swollen and bubbling with blisters as his skin boiled. She snarled as Keiji fought off another man, now noticing that at least four others had arrived. For now she didn't know where they were from, but it wasn't the time to be thinking about that. Immediately she felt the hot burn of anger and adrenaline course through her veins, a large ball of fire busting from the palm of her hand. She launched the burning missile at one of the man, catching him in his gut with enough force to send him spiralling to the ground. He wheezed in pain as the intense heat melted his skin and muscle causing the layer of fat protecting his body to hiss and bubble. Shakaku further advanced and stood next to Keiji, his face intense and serious with not a hint of fear or deliberation in his eyes. She was proud of him; maybe one day she would tell him so.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/uryuumodel.png[/IMG][/CENTER] [color=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Whelp, that's me done. ^_^; 'Model' featured-- Ishida Uryuu, of Bleach, by Kubo Tite. Drawing done by me. And tomorrow I leave you all for I am off to Portugal! To the sun and the sea and hopefully a tan! I'll get Sean to text me who got into the Final round. If I (by some miracle) get in, please give me a chance to post my piece before I get back (on the 23rd of this month), I promise I'll do it ASAP. Good luck to both Sean and Retribution![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1]The only time I?m certain I?ll be away without computer access is the 13th to the 23rd, obviously that isn?t going to affect my posting too much. Apart from that I should be able to post pretty often. When it comes to post guidance I?d say that mine are usually at the PG/M mark as I like me a little gore ^_^; [color=#F84E20][CENTER][B]Code Name / Call Sign:[/B] Era [B]Gender (If Applicable):[/B] Female [B]Location:[/B] The Yorkshire Moors [B]Age:[/B] No one knows, but she appears to be in her late twenties. [B]Appearance:[/B] Era, a woman shrouded in mystery, has the face of a woman who has no fears, nothing to hold her back and infinite knowledge. Her skin is a pale colour, seeing as she has spent her life in forests or caves, and her thick, black hair only succeeds in making her seem even paler, almost ill. She has pale grey eyes without pupils making anyone who sees her up close assume that she is blind. In essence, she is, because her sight is not that of normal humans. (Look to Abilities for explanation.) Standing at and impressive 5?9??, Era is an imposing figure no matter where she chooses to reside and it is because of this that she has chosen the life of isolation. Always wearing black or rich purple clothes as well as a light but warm black cape, Era seems as if she is trapped in medieval times. She has been banished from many towns in her past due to the fact that she looks, and acts, like a witch. Her hands are slender and her fingers are long, tipped by square-cut nails always painted black. Era?s long face is framed by her black hair, cut into a bob, and her high cheek bones only add to the aristocratic and removed appearance. Her lips are thin and pale pink, seeming to droop down in a constant frown. All of these attributes, however, add up to an elegant and strangely attractive appearance. Most men that Era have met have found themselves being oddly drawn to her which only makes the women even more certain of her being a witch. [B]Personality/Behaviour:[/B] Era, being the recluse that she is, isn?t the most talkative of people. She is the kind of person who would much rather prefer to sit back and listen to people rather than make a show of herself by talking too much. She is not shy, by any means, but likes the idea of collecting knowledge in the shadows while others are not aware of her. With knowledge that surpasses many, Era only speaks when she feels that she can contribute to a conversation and only shows her true wisdom when she is around those she feels comfortable with. On more than one occasion she has been ignored, laughed at and thrown out of places because of the way she contradicts people. It is because of this that Era doesn?t trust normal mortals and prefers to live alone. She can be serious when needed and in battle Era has the ability to shut out all other noises and people around her, concentrating only on what she can do. The thing that lets Era down is the fact that she finds it very hard to get along with people and she doesn?t work well in a team. Finding someone she feels comfortable around is very hard for her. [B]Personal History[/B]: I can?t remember where I came from or indeed how my powers came to be so powerful. I can?t even remember whether or not I was born blind. There are key events that I remember throughout my life, my date of birth and family aren?t one of them. The first memory, a hazy one, I must add, is how I discovered my powers. By this point I was blind and I?m still of the mind that my determination to see the world is what drove my powers out into the open. It was hard at first, a slow and painful process, but as time went on and I realised how to harness my abilities, their strength and my confidence grew. At first I couldn?t picture things, but it was as if I knew what they were like in my mind. A hazy picture, like I was looking through smoke, if you will. As I grew I learnt that my powers stretched far beyond what I had ever comprehended and just a simple tap on the shoulder was enough to send my mind searching for the person?s past and future. At first I couldn?t control it and it seemed as though too much power was leaking from me at once, but after practice and eventual isolation (my parents would not tolerate my ?hideous lies?) I mastered my abilities and moved far away to somewhere quiet and peaceful to hone my skills. That is how I came to be here, in the Yorkshire Moors. It is a wild and unforgiving place where no other human will dare to set foot, especially during the harsh winters. But I found a patch of forest and built myself a hut, another test for my ?mind?s eyes?, as I call it. I tried to fit in when I was certain that my powers would do people no harm, but it seems that I am unfortunate enough to have the appearance of a witch. I guess the fact that my parents kept me shut in from the world was a damaging blow to my severely lacking social skills. On more than one occasion I have been threatened, even beaten, by women and men who did not tolerate that which they could not understand. Of course, that was many, many years ago, before the idea of ?heroes? and ?legends? had even come to be. As time has gone on I seem to be caught in a rut. As my abilities allow me to bend time to suit myself I have, through no fault of my own, managed to keep myself in a time pocket, of sorts, where I do not age or change, only my knowledge grows with the ever-advancing technology. I?ve come to realise, in the recent years, that this existence is a pitiful and lonesome one and the idea of finding others who tolerate me and my delicate situation would be like a dream come true. Perhaps I should leave home to explore every so often. [B]Special Skills or Abilities:[/B] Era senses things, feels the past, future and present of everything around her. It makes her aware of things and allows her to eventually form images over time. She can see how people will be in the many years of their life to come, some even have such a strong path set a head of them that Era can see their deaths. She considers this ability to be far greater than the loss of sight she has incurred over her many years. Era is also a ?Time Witch?, as some used to call her. She can bend time, go into the past or even alter the future. This power is terrible and Era has to be very careful not to abuse it. She fights enemies by sensing their ?Life Lines?, plucking out the strand as they appear in her minds eye. It does not mean that she will kill her enemy, but this ability gives her the chance to make a life altering change in their past. If Era is not careful and uses the ability too often she risks the chance of hurting many innocent people. It is because of this that Era prefers not to fight but is keen to help plan and strategise in any way she can.[/CENTER][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Don't worry, Panda, I used to call my dogs all sorts of stupid names. >> Like "Jupi-boy", for my Ridgeback, his name was Jupiter. I really don't mind when someone uses a nickname for me, as long as it isn't too stupid or...sweet. If the nickname makes sense then I'll accept it. A few examples: ?Sean (OB Sean, yes) calls me Jim-Jam. I like that nickname ^^ it's cute. I call him Seany in return, so it's all good. ?Boo (and a few others) call me Gurt. The story isn't anything special--Boo decided I had too many usernames that he couldn't remember, so he christened me Gurt. At least that's what he told me. ?ULX calls me all sorts of things, but usually "babe", "love", and "pet" are what he uses. I also use "love" on him, with the occasional "baby". He also calls me Jay when we aren't being all lovey. ?Most of my friends call me Jay, which is actually what the vast majority of people I know calls me, even some teachers. ?My family calls me "darling" or "babe", which I really like, makes me feel loved and wanted. ^_^; ?Some friends call me Jay-Jay...but that really annoys me...not sure why, actually, just irks me to no end. And they know it. *shakes fist* As far as family goes, I stick with "Grandma", "Nanny", "Mum", and "Dad". My aunts and uncles I call by their first names only. I agree with Ozy, I think nicknames and whatnot are great if they aren't too silly, it makes me feel as if the people who use them on me (if you will) or comfortable enough around me to know they don't have to be formal.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Jeez, I'm pretty unsure as to what I am, but as far as I know (In my immediate relatives) I'm mostly English. My Grandmother is Scottish, so I've got that in me, too, but my Grandfather was English so the Scottish blood in me has been...watered down, if you will. From my surname I'm assuming I have some French in me, though I'm not entirely sure. My dad likes to think we go back to ancient roman times but I'm not sure I believe him. ^_^; Pretty boring heritage for me, there, but I've lived in quite a few places, if it counts for anything.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I'm assuming that, by wanting to have two images in your signature, that you want to show off your art. Make an art thread for yourself in the [B]Studio.[/B] Problem solved. Rules are here for a reason, if you don't like them, leave. And post quality does count, again, if you don't want to take the time and effort to make legible posts, leave and go to one of your other [I]many[/I] forums.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I'm actually quite a good swimmer, too, but that comes from being a beach bunny throughout my life in South Africa and Thailand. It was kind of mandatory to learn how to swim. I've been in swimming squads since I was about seven and from when I was eight onwards we lived in a house that had a rather big swimming pool. I also took up body boarding so it was essential that I could swim because my mum and dad can't. Which wouldn't have been good if I was caught under a wave...which happened a couple of times, actually. I've taught quite a few of my friends how to swim and body board over the years, and I took I life guard course when I lived in South Africa. But when you life in a country like that it's part of the syllabus, so it isn't surprising I picked it up.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]You think you have it bad, Kitty? My last name got me beat up once when I was a kid >> My surname is Payne, which is highly annoying, as you can imagine. As I've gone into high school people haven't made a big deal out of it...but when I was younger everyone found it hilarious *rolls eyes* My first name annoys me sometimes, too. I mean, when you look at it, Jamie isn't that bad, but because I'm a girl most people assume I'm a boy when they read my name. Gets very annoying when it comes to having new teachers in school. [/SIZE] [/COLOR]

[color=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Yeah, Aiyisha, you've just reminded me... Stalin made his people believe that God was speaking through him, that he was pure and was almost of God level himself. He killed more people than Hitler. They were his own people. Who supported him. Good guy, ne?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Thanks for your comments, Retri. Always a joy to read. Just one update this time, and a link to follow as the picture would be too big otherwise. This is a CG I just recently finished (I fixed the skin, Alex). Some of you may think the colours clash, I assure you, it's supposed to be this way...as this characters is extremely wacky. Yes, that eye-patch is indeed stapled on. He?s one of my bad guys...he?s just a little bit...flamboyant ^_^; [URL=http://photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/?action=view¤t=EyepatchGuy.png]Clicketh.[/URL] He needs a name, too...any ideas?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I enjoy religious debates, but only when I'm able to voice my opinion and see my "opponent" (usually my RE teacher) get that perplexed and annoyed look... I have one question that I'll leave to all of those who distinctly believe that what the Bible says is true when it comes to how the world became populated: If we all came from Adam and Eve who, to my knowledge, only bore sons...how in the heck are we all different colours and, well, don't have 12 toes? I always ask my RE teacher and they constantly ignore me.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Like Retri, I told you what I thought of a couple of these pieces on AIM, but I'll give a better comment here. [B]Twisted Vision:[/B] I think this is absolutely amazing. The clean and yet 'misty' effects you?ve managed to use on this are incredible. I love the white mist (sorry, it's the only way I can think to describe it) on the right hand side. I think it makes the image look brighter and shinier. The text suits perfectly and blends in without being lost in the whole image. You picked the colours perfectly and they look wonderful together. [B]Make Me:[/B] What amazes me about this image is how the seemingly senseless shapes have come together to make a really interesting and artistic piece. The colours are gorgeous and warm and once again the text suits well. The only thing I don't like it what the text says. "Make me" makes no sense to me when I look at the context of the image. If you would have had another quote or word there that suited the image it would have been batter...though I can't think of what exactly would suit that image. [B]Hack Helba:[/B] Cute, just...cute! [STRIKE]*squeezes Helba*[/STRIKE] He looks so cute in this picture and the colours you used reflect that well. I love the text you used, too, and the grid effect looks lovely here. [B]Edit:[/B] I sorry, Kitty! *goes to her ULX* I didn't mean it that way u_u[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[color=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Yay! My Blog has influenced you ^_^ [B]?One:[/B] I like the image best on this, all the lines have showed up well as well as the idea of blood and possibly torment? That's what I'm getting anyway. I'm not too keen on the text as it's kind of hard to read for some reason (colour wise, I mean). I do like the text placement, though. [B]?Two:[/B] I like this the least out of the three--the image, because of how dark the rest of it is, looks like it's lost in the vast blackness of the rest of the banner. Also, white text on the black background stands out too much and the text placement isn't as good as it was on the last banner. [B]?Three:[/B] I quite like the way the red turned out, but the only thing I can really say about this image is that the lines have merged too much, making the eyes seem a bit too dramatic. Apart from that, doesn't look too bad. (Text placement=

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Fayth breathed quickly as her brain tried to process a million thoughts at once. Her hands were slippery with sweat on the leather grip of her spear and the hot air around hot wasn't helping. She felt some sweat trickle down her forehead from under her thick, curly hair. Ryuujin reared himself onto his haunches. His large, twisting body seemed to stretch forever. Fayth knew from her books that he was a Chinese Dragon, more like a snake than the Dragons of European legends. She lowered herself into a fighting stance and braced herself for what was coming, her heart thumping as Ryuujin collected a large breath. She bolted to the side again as flames shot past her, the burn left in the very particles of the air searing her skin as she twisted on one foot, spiralling once again to face her opponent. All her senses seemed to be burning and she launched forward immediately into an attacked, bringing her spear down heavily against Ryuujin's underside. He didn't even flinch and Fayth soon realised that she had hit scales. Solid, rock-hard scales. She jumped back as the dragon's tail swung to the side, knocking her into a burnt tree stump. She whimpered with the pain as her skull thudded dully, her eyes were fuzzy for a few moments as she gathered her senses. [I]You are better than this...show me![/I] Ryuujin advanced again and Fayth rolled forward as he seemed to fly over her. In an instant she knew what she must do and thrust her spear up with all the strength she could muster. A howl erupted from the beast?s throat and he seemed to spiral out of control, crashing in a heap on the ground. Fayth lay stunned, her face and chest splattered with the thick crimson blood of the dragon. Her eyes were wide and watery from the shock but she managed to pull herself together, getting shakily to her feet. [B]"Ryu...Ryuujin..."[/B] She walked forward, using her spear for support as her opponent?s blood trickled and dripped from her pale face. The dragon wheezed, as it's whole body quivered from the effort. Fayth dropped to her knees next to his head and stroked the burnt and blistered muzzle. She saw the life fading from Ryuujin's eyes and for a few moments was disgusted at what she had done to this creature. Slowly the dragon lifted his large head, his somehow darker eyes levelling with Fayth. [I]Do not worry child for the loss of an opponent?s life means that you yourself are still alive. You used your head and that is what I expected from you. You will use my power well, always remember, speed in both movements and thoughts are the key.[/I] With that he hauled his body from the dusty earth, small clouds of dirt being kicked up by his very being. Fayth stared after him as he dragged his ripped and injured body into the cave. She looked at the spear in her hands. It seemed to take on a new feeling and she suddenly knew the way it behaved, the way it would respond to her actions in battle. She smiled slightly to herself before the world shattered around her and she was plunged into a cold darkness. [B]OOC A little lame for ending a battle, but it worked[/B].[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Talking about Hitler...I also wonder what would have happened if the Treaty of Versailles had not been so harsh in the eyes of the German people? Makes you think, doesn't it, as that was one of Hitler?s main ways of convincing Germany that they should fight for their country. All these factors that add up to one thing, history is fascinating, in my opinion. ^_^;[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1][quote name='Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Garamond]Massive arms races, secret alliances, grabs for power, all were causes for WWI. The Archduke of Austria-Hungary was killed in his own country by a Serb from an Terrorist orginisation known as the Black Hand, that is widely credited for the start of WWI. Quite simply WWI was unavoidable. The Franco-Prussian war, not to mention Germany-Prussia's countless attacks on French territory afterwards, had turned France and Germany into mortal enemies. England and France, which had been enemies practically since they first came into being, now found themselves close allies. The Russians, still pissed over the loss of much of their Baltic Territories, were itching to unleash their incredibly large armed forces onto the rest of Europe.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] Illium has got it down; the assassination of the Archduke was merely the spark, as it as known, for the start of WWI. I studied this in year nine and a little more in detail now I'm doing GCSE History. There was much hypocrisy behind the war with most of the countries wanting a simple excuse to attack each other. It's truly a shame how it all ended, though. I see what you mean, Sean, how the countries were being very obnoxious, especially the UK. We (speaking as someone from the UK) told our men that it would be something interesting for them to do, a good thing to get experience. The sad thing is, most men and boys thought it[I] would[/I] be good and considered it to be more of a holiday than a real war. I don't think many of them fully comprehended what war was even about. WWI was a tragedy, and my greatest sympathies go out to the brave men who lived through it all and have those memories to this day.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Okay, my opinions on cybering: If I were with a boyfriend in this country (which I'm not) I wouldn't do it because that's stupid. I happen to have found someone who isn't in this country, as others on the OtakuBoards have done, and I know him well enough to say I trust him and all that. So, yeah, we do cyber, big whoop. I also read explicit fanfics to boot. =P But seriously, when I look at the big picture, cybering is quite funny, I'm not denying the fact, and I don't take it seriously like I would a physical relationship. I still do it; it's just not really a replacement for physical contact. I think that's when it becomes an issue--people doing that instead of going out and looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend. As for me, I'm perfectly happy in the relationship I am in so I'll continue with what I do. Oh, and with regards to cheating. I wouldn't call it cheating, per se, but as Charles said it is a violation of trust, which shouldn't happen in a relationship. It's difficult when you're in an online relationship because all you have is typing to each other and when someone else steps in and says the same things you do to your partner it gets even more upsetting. So, IRL?Not to bad, online relationship?very bad. There's my two cents.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I hope Kitty doesn't miss the deadline, if I'm going to win I don't want it to be by default. Anyway, here's my submission. I don't think it's my best, but I found it uberly hard to express media in one image. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Media_LMS.png[/IMG] And...that's all I have to say. ^_^[/SIZE][/COLOR]