Ezekiel

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Elizabeth spluttered as the lifeboat crashed through heavy waves, the small dinghy getting more waterlogged with each slow bit of progress they made. She paddled as hard as she could even though she could feel her muscles burning from exhaustion. Survival was all that was in her mind now and she managed to push the pain of fatigue back so that she could concentrate solely on getting to shore. To land. To life. Then it hit, that massive wave seemed to come out of nowhere and the force of it knocked her body clean off the boat. She gasped as all the oxygen was knocked from her already depleted lungs and all she drew in was icy water. It seemed to come upon her so quickly, that never ending darkness swallowed her up as she struggled against the pounding water. She was disorientated and didn't know which was to swim and panic, as well as water, was slowly flooding her. She managed to gain a little control over her body and realised she was floating upwards, tugged by the life jacket strapped tightly around her torso. In a few seconds that seemed like an eternity her head broke the surface of the foamy water, the salt stinging in her eyes and throat. Instincts kicked into gear and Beth thrust her arms up into the air, noticing the small rubber raft turning to be hit by another wave. She felt so guilty and desperately wanted to shout for them to leave her and head to the island but almost immediately a hand was gripping the middle of her forearm and Beth lifted her soaked head to see another woman looking down at her, a determined but never the less exhausted expression on her gentle features. Beth reached out with her other hand to grasp her saviour?s wrist, forming a strong link between the two women. She saw the woman's mouth moving, though the rushing of water around Beth's ears meant she couldn?t hear a thing. She knew what was going to happen though and almost immediately freed herself from the grasp of the brunette in the boat, pushing herself as far away from the boat as possible. In dismay she watched as it lurched violently to the side, it's passengers thrown out with amazing force. She couldn?t watch much longer and instead paddled to the shore, her body screaming in protest. She wasn't strong enough, she knew it, and the seawater that had already flooded her lungs was still there. Even though the shore was only a short swim away, Beth felt her head spin and she slipped into darkness, twisting in the waves until she was eventually washed up to shore. When she woke up she saw Alexander above her, his face settling into an expression of relief as she sat up slowly, a small trickle of seawater mixed with saliva running down her chin. Beth coughed and some more water spilled out, all she could do was nod her thanks to Alex as he stood and helped her up. She swiped the back of her hand over her chin and followed, a little shakily, to where everyone was collected in a crowd. Alex soon took the incentive and addressed the crowd, introducing himself to get the ball rolling. Eventually others did the same and Beth noticed the woman who had saved her introduce herself as Kat and suggested that people start rubbing their chests to warm themselves up. Beth took the advice and got shakily to her feet to introduce herself. [B]"My name is Beth and I think I can be quite helpful when it comes to food. I studied cooking for quite a number of years and it's certainly paid off, if anyone can provide me with food I should be able to make a good meal for everyone." [/B] she saw quite a few relieved faces. "[B]Also, like Kat, I keep myself in good shape so if anyone needs help in building or collecting supplies I'll gladly give assistance." [/B] she sat down again and looked around the crowd to see who would stand up next. A nice warm feeling of lethargy was settling over her body but Beth knew that sleep wasn't what she needed. Warmth came first, then organising somewhere to stay. She hoped dearly that everyone here would at least try to get on, given the extreme circumstances. [B]OOC Hope that's all good ^_^ [/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Elizabeth 'Beth' Archer [B]Age:[/B] 27 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=6&pos=46]Beth[/URL] Beth, not your usual 'lawyer type', has always had an obsession with shocking people, especially her parents. When she was 15 she came home with her naturally brown hair dyed cerise pink, a piercing through her eyebrow and the musty smell of liquor hanging on her breath and clothes. She threw up shortly after in her mothers lap. When in work, Beth wears her [URL=http://www.donkihote.com/images15000000/8484345.jpg]glasses[/URL] for reading, though she doesn't need them every day. She has a penchant for bright clothing, but manages to reign in her love for startling colours when she dresses for the court room, usually wearing a black suit which is tailored to fit her curves, making it a little more feminine. Beth has a well toned and slim build, though not the most feminine curves. She has not developed in her younger years (her mother insists it's due to the boys she played with) so when she can she will wear clothes that try to enhance what little she has. Usually seen in hipster jeans that are extremely baggy from the waist down and stomach showing tank tops that fit tight enough to show her chest, Beth looks more like a scruffy teen than a well respected and successful lawyer. She wears this [URL=http://www.ethicalwares.com/images/bean.jpg]beanie hat[/URL] almost constantly and her clothes are usually very bright colours, though not in bad taste, as they suit her perfectly. [B]Personality:[/B] Like her clothing style, Beth is bright, colourful and 'in your face'. She is confident and proud, but not cocky, and likes to get out there and make friends with someone who is looking a little out of place. Whenever she tells someone she's a lawyer, they always assume it to be for families, then she has to go through the gruelling task of explaining that she is, in fact, a criminal prosecutor. England's very own Beth Archer moved to the States when she was at the young and rebellious age of thirteen. Beth has, in actual fact, grown from her rebellious teen ways and is a very well respected person due to the fact that she is extremely polite and very funny. She likes to help people, but is also a very good judge of character and she isn't one to throw her trust around wildly. While she may seem gullible at first, Beth is no such thing; she is a very clever woman who likes to listen before speaking. [B]Place in the Group:[/B] As mentioned, Beth lives to please and loves it when someone can thank her for a small thing she has done to help them. She has never once accepted money for doing something a little extra nor does she expect people to 'owe her one' if she ever needs help. She's one of those kinds of people who can't sit back and watch if someone needs help, she has a guilty conscience so does all she can when she can. Because of this she'd probably try to do four different things at once if it means she can help out on the island. [B]Special Skills:[/B] It comes in handy when you have a mother trying to drive her girl away from boys and make her a proper young lady. Beth studied a course in cooking for four years and even when she was studying Law visited the evening classes on the odd occasion. She is a superb cook and can make a meal out of nothing. If someone tells her it's edible, then Beth will cook it. She has the knack that household cooks don't when it comes to whipping up a dish and she knows from just the smell of something whether or not it would be good for a certain dish. Also, her slim and toned body means she's fit enough to help with more manual things. [B]Record of Events:[/B] Beth hummed to herself as she leant on the railings, over looking the beautiful and crystal clear ocean being churned up in the boats engines. She smiled as the sea breeze ruffled her hair gently and lifted a slim fingered hand to tuck some blond locks behind her ear. The sky was clear behind the boat and the sun was shining strongly, a promising sign for a beautiful break in Hawaii. Sure, she could afford the trip if she chose to go, but it was finding the time to actually get herself away form the city that was a problem. Her mind drifted momentarily to her days in England, the family had been happier then and the drastic move to America caused Beth to become rowdy and rebellious. She regretted it now; she'd hurt both her mother and father because of her own selfish needs. Still, past was past and now she was on a gorgeous boat on her way to Hawaii. Certainly a good way to spend the afternoon. After the wind began to pick up Beth decided that it was time to go in, but as she turned around she felt a shiver go up her spine. The sky ahead was practically black with the heavy clouds and the air seemed to be getting denser and more humid. The blonde gulped and made her way inside to the lower deck where she ordered a shot of Bailey's and sat herself down at the bar. Others were seated there, some she recognised, and some she didn't. She had even been in court with some, the ones who supported criminals instead of putting them in jail. She scowled at a familiar face and was given and equally cold glance in return. It wouldn't be any fun if it were all laughs and smiling faces, after all. Beth downed her shot and rubbed her temples. That's when she felt it, the sudden lurch in the water as the boat was battered by a wave. She gasped and looked up as the door came banging open and two sailors came splashing in, spluttering and gasping form the hot air and violent rainfall. A summer storm, one of the worse kinds. Beth shot up immediately and didn't waste time in getting to the life jackets. The sailors didn't need to tell her twice and as soon as she had pulled away form the stores everyone else was on their feet, grabbing for a jacket. She pushed her way through the crowd and pulled on her jacket, noticing someone she had met briefly, Alexander, trying to open the door to get to the lifeboats. She rushed over to help him wrench the door open and both of them was covered in the harsh seawater currently flooding the upper deck. Soon they were joined by others and the race to get the life boats filled, dropped and started was on. In a whirl of what must have been ten minutes Beth found herself sitting on a bobbing lifeboat, the yacht behind sinking slowly into the tossing depths of the ocean. She drew a shuddering breath and then pushed her face into her hands, quaking form the effort of holding in her tears. [B]I meant to sign up for this two days ago. Why didn't you badger me, Alex, why?! T-T[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Alright, I thought I'd posted here, but guess not x.x I bring works of Hyung-taekim. I know a lot of these are from separate video games, but I figured that since his work is so recognisable, I'd go for a new category. If not, secondary category is next to first. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/joan.png[/IMG] Name: Joan Category: Hyung-taekim/War of Genesis III [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/coolchick.png[/IMG] Name: Oxide Woman Category: Hyung-taekim/Honestly, I have no idea, it's from his art book... [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/carian.png[/IMG] Name: Carian Category: Hyung-taekim/Magancarta [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/awesomething.png[/IMG] Name: Soul Calibur 2 Poster Girl (Forgive me, I don't know her name) Category: Hyung-taekim/Soul Calibur [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/angelthing.png[/IMG] Name: Angel Girl Category: Hyung-taekim/Video Games [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/o.png[/IMG] Name: Rith Category: Hyung-taekim/Magnacarta [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/Lehas2.png[/IMG] Name: Rith 2 Category: Hyung-taekim/Magnacarta [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/untitled2.jpg[/IMG] Name: Viola Category: Hyung-taekim/War of Genesis III [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/untitled4.png[/IMG] Name: Adora Category: Hyung-taekim/Magnacarta [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Avatars/justina.png[/IMG] Name: Justina Category: Hyung-taekim/Magnacarta[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Okay, I didn't want to reply to this thread at first because I knew someone would say something to really rile me. I think that what has happened to these boys, and any others that are persecuted for their differences, is utterly wrong, no matter what part of the world you are in. I accept it is the law of their country, but morally I just don?t understand it. [QUOTE=Rasetsutaisho]i think marylin manson would punch you in the face... honestly laws are only restrictive when you go against them... i belive that country is trying to preserve a more pure and simple way of life... if you know anything about history you'd know that just about every civilization falls apart right after or when their about to reach their peak... just look at the roman empire... and look how much it mirrors our own! i know this is off topic but... i think their really wise in doing things like keeping women covered up all the time! i mean take an honest look back in your life... how many of your problems had something to do with some girl that you liked? and did you even really like her? ... that whole problem wouldnt have even happend if the girl was covered! im not saying we need to switch to that what im saying is its sickning to see some one be so double minded... you accept gays? but not ppl with a different way of life? besides that its not like they live anywhere near us... we dont have to worry about it that much[/QUOTE] Now, you, my friend, are an idiot. Sorry, mods, but it's true. What kind of a comment is this? You have no idea what you're talking about! "A pure and simple way of life"? Do you know whom you sound like? Adolf Hitler. Shall I tell you who he is since your grasp on history seems to vastly differ other peoples? Hitler was head of the National Socialist German Workers Party; also know as the Nazi Party. He was the polar opposite of the idea of Communism, being put into play in Russia (and failing miserably due to Stalin's tyrannical rule and disregard for his peoples lives). Hitler believed in one [I]pure race[/I], the Aryan race, which had blonde hair, blue eyes and no blood in their bodies apart from German. Hitler killed Jews, he killed gypsies and he killed homosexuals. These people had done nothing wrong, they were living out their lives but they were massacred because Hitler himself did not believe that they fit in with his "pure race". Most of this self-proclaimed pure race weren?t all that pure, anyway. In fact, the leader of the SA, Ernst Rohm was found with another man when Hitler raided the headquarters as he rose to dictatorship. Now, you are saying they want a pure and simple way of life? Okay, so they won't hunt down and hang rapists and murderers but they'll kill innocent boys who happened to be drawn to each other? Yes, that sounds pure and simple to me. God, I would just love to live somewhere like that. No, actually, I'd probably be dead. [QUOTE]i know this is off topic but... i think their really wise in doing things like keeping women covered up all the time! i mean take an honest look back in your life... how many of your problems had something to do with some girl that you liked? and did you even really like her? ... that whole problem wouldnt have even happend if the girl was covered![/QUOTE] I'm not even going to start because this has made me so unbelievably angry. You little chauvinistic pig. You say that it's the girls fault because [I]you[/I] like her and [I]she[/I] messed your life up just because she was pretty. Just...Jesus, read some books. And while you're at it, research Persia; in their ancient history it was acceptable to be homosexual. And they weren't called homosexual, they were men who had sex with other men. Also, as a side note, incest and homosexuality was big in ancient Rome, too. [QUOTE]im not saying we need to switch to that what im saying is its sickning to see some one be so double minded... you accept gays? but not ppl with a different way of life?[/QUOTE] I believe the term is [B]close minded[/B]. And we are not that, as we are not gay, homosexuality is a different way of life. We accept that. Got it? What we don't accept is the brutal punishment for a law that really is way behind in its time. Yes, I realise they broke the law but to have the punishment be so harsh in this modern day world when [I]morally[/I] they hadn't done anything wrong...it just baffles me, it really does. I'm also deeply sorry to see that there are people like you, Mr Rasetsutaisho, who ramble about BS that way. James, you hit the nail on the head but I had to add my bit in.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I totally agree with Gavin, in fact we were talking about this not so long ago on AIM. I'll admit, I have done some pretty horrible things in my younger years which I am in no way proud of now and I don't really want people to know about it because, looking back, I'm quite ashamed of myself for purposefully hurting someone for my own amusement. Reading this thread and knowing what some of my "friends" think is amusing both sickens and saddens me and I think it would be safe to ask if Hack could close the thread down because really, this isn't exactly encouraging good vibes around the OB when the people who have posted seem to be proud of their actions.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Ibashin'en Shakaku (Surname, forename) [B]Age:[/B] 24 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Role: [/B] Phoenix [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://www.dreamworldstudio.net/manga/transcendence/transcendence_tassia.html]Shakaku[/URL] Usually seen in those very bright and elaborate clothes, Shakaku was deeply angered when she was banished to the Southern lands, her glorious clothing taken from her to be replaced by a brown and drab dress. She had to cover her hair and make herself seem normal in the humid temperatures of the jungle lifestyle. Now, the young woman is making every effort to stand out as much as she possibly can, with golden bangles and earrings hanging from her tan skin. Her expression is usually one of seriousness or anger, her deep blue pupils taking on a much darker hue as her rage builds up. When in battle, her eyes blaze red with an angry fire and her skin flushes with the heat of her attacks. Shakaku has always had naturally rosy lips and for this reason she finds no reason to wear any kind of make-up, no matter how simple, to enhance her exotic features. A proud and strong woman, Shakau always has excellent posture and walks with her shoulders squared and chest forward, a confident show if there ever was one. From her skill with her weapon and her agile movements, Shakaku has a well toned but full-figured build and walks with a natural sway in her step. Many people think she is a dancer because of her graceful movement. [B]Weapon:[/B] Shakaku uses a complicated weapon, applying the ball and chain idea. She developed the weapon herself and had it made by an excellent Japanese blacksmith when she was still training at the age of 14. The weapon came from the idea of a Mace, with the ball attached to a chain. This weapon instead has a centre bar for Shakaku to hold with two extendable chains coming out of either side. On the end of each chain is a small but dense lead ball, about five centimetres in diameter. The weapon isn't heavy to lift, but extremely hard to control once it picks up momentum. With the speed Shakaku is able to wield the weapon, each ball carries immense force and could easily crush a skull or snap a bone. The weapon takes a lot of effort and Shakaku becomes tired if she has to use it for too long, usually swapping between using it and her Pyrokenisis powers. The chains are able to go back into the centre bar so that the weapon can be belted to Shakaku's side when it isn't being used. She is currently trying to discover a material that will be able to sustain heat so she can charge her power through it. [B]Power:[/B] Pyrokenisis--Shakaku can manifest fire in the palms of her hands, throwing these fire-balls a great distance. If they are heated enough, the balls of fire will explode on contact or cause the very earth to melt with the intense heat. She is also able to encase her whole body in flames, acting as a shield against most attacks. She is resistant to fire and thrives in heat. [B]Personality:[/B] While a serious person on the outside, Shakaku is by no means cold or horrible. She warms to people quickly, sometimes in more ways than one, but has a hard time expressing how she feels towards them unless she knows them very well. She is, however, an excellent judge when it comes to people's character and knows when and when not to trust someone. She still doesn't quite understand how she ended up with Ginryuu. Shakaku doesn't share many secrets and has become known as a mysterious woman in the area she now resides, annoying the women and enticing the men without even trying. She only travels into the village when she needs supplies, now, as she hasn't been welcomed very warmly. Shakaku hasn't grasped the art of humour all that well and is one of those people who is funny without trying to be, usually gaining laughs from her disciple when she makes a sarcastic remark or comes back with a short and fiery reply to something a villager shouts to her. She is, on the whole, a proud, confident and determined woman with a fiery spirit. She will never go down without a fight and will die for those who she holds dear, even if she won't ever admit it. [B]Character Snippet:[/B] [B]"Come now, Keiji! We must make haste if we wish to make it to the village before night fall! Kami-sama knows I'm not staying there for the night..." [/B] Shakaku halted her horse and turned to see just where her disciple had gotten himself into. She hadn't heard his horse for a while now but assumed that he had dropped behind as he was daydreaming. Now she saw him, reaching up into a tree to try and grab an apple. The redheaded woman rolled her eyes and trotted over to Keiji, arm still outstretched for the enticing fruit.[B] "You'll strain yourself." [/B] she said flatly, almost frightening the teen from his steed's back. [B]"Shakaku-sama!"[/B] he gasped, clutching his horse?s reins with both hands. [B]"I'm sorry, but I was hungry..." [/B] he looked down with the look of a young child who had been caught stealing from the cookie-jar. Shakaku sighed again and let her horse carry on it's way to the village, Keiji falling into step behind her. Eventually the pair reached the village, Shakaku having already lifted her hood up despite the awful humidity in the dank and heavy evening air. Keiji always thought it was a shame that Shakaku had to hide her brilliant hair; it wasn't fair that the village women went out of their way to drive her away every time they came into town. It was a wonder she even came today, but they needed a lot of supplies and one horse wouldn't have been enough. So bravely on they went, Keiji entering a shop to order the supplies while Shakaku minded the horses, keeping her face and hair out of sight. She looked down at the pendant Ginryuu had given her not so long ago and sighed deeply, her need for him seeming to grow deeper every day. [I]'Not long now, love'[/I] she thought, [I]'Just please be patient enough to wait.'[/I] [B]Disciple?:[/B] If anyone feels up to it. ^_~ The rest will be completed later.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84C20][SIZE=1]I try not to label styles of music now because I either end up getting flamed for it or utterly confused. Example: I've bought two Jimmy Eat World albums from two different stores in the last week; both of them were in the metal section. Never in my [I]life[/I] would I have considered Jimmy Eat World to be metal. Not that I don't like most of the things classified as metal (in the shops, I mean) I just never expected this band to come under that genre. Now, onto the topic at hand. I like Evanescence; I have one of their albums, though I don't listen to it often. I'll admit I haven't heard any songs that aren't on the Fallen album, so I'm not going to say "OMFG!! You suck Evanescence pwn you!". I did, however, go to one of their concerts and I thought it was excellent. Now I'm not putting them in any particular genre, I just based the music from the sound of it and it sounded great. They are a band who I could go to see live more than once. (As I side note, I adore Nightwish, but I'm not even going to attempt to classify them) Why does music need to have these labels anyway? It's all different, so why can't we just listen to what we like instead of arguing over what kind of genre it should be? Just a thought.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84C20][SIZE=1]I was still making small graphics, I swear! I just...kind of...got lazy XD Thanks for your warm comments, Gavin, we need to talk on AIM more. :< [B]?Random Banners[/B] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/Image4.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/random.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/1.png[/IMG] [B]?Speak Up[/B] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/love_banner.png[/IMG] Another J.E.W inspired graphic. The lyrics are from "Kill", on the Futures album. I'm probably using this for a banner when I get bored of my flowery one. [B]?Nothing Wrong[/B] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/NothingWrong.png[/IMG] Yet another J.E.W inspired graphic. Lyrics from "Nothing Wrong", also off of the Futures album. Man, I love those guys. c&c is loved.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Awesome, this coincides with my getting Guild Wars...which should be happening tomorrow. I need to talk to Annie and possibly James more about that, though, if either of you are free to give me some pointers for the game. ^_^ I really like this idea as it's something original and unique (at least, I haven't seen it anywhere else). It will offer a good collecting point for members of the Board who maybe aren't as well known, who play the same games as the more experienced or better respected members, such as James, Annie and Des. Conclusion: Top notch stuff. ^_~[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]Well, Gavin, with both Sean and I in the same house there would certainly be mayhem...not to mention having Annie with us. >:3 I'm also quite flattered you'd like to spend six months with me. ^_^ For me I'd say having [B]Unborn Lord Xion[/B] (

[COLOR=#F84E20][SIZE=1]I was reading this with the old Liquid Skin. Obviously I needed to refresh for the new skin to load but...wooow. Annie, I so agree with you, that man is yummy >> You must tell me who he is later. I really like this new skin, but I agree with Baron about the Juke Box...I think the side bar being all blue with the grey box breaking it up spoils the effect, but I do love it's design.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#F84C20][SIZE=1][quote name='Gavin][SIZE=1']I'm as sane as any man who puts a sock on his hand and pretends it's a talking snake.[/SIZE][/quote] You have the best lines for quoting...and that is so going in my sig. I didn't have just one imaginary friend...I had about four! But I didn't give them names or anything, that would have been silly (^_~). I'm an only child and when I was younger (talking about 6-9 here) I was alone most of the time because my dad would be at work and mum would be doing things around the house. I didn't mind, of course, and I used to keep myself occupied by making up fatasy worlds and people. I don't think it's bad thing to have an "imaginary friend" when you're little, because it helps build creativity. Though, if you still have one when you're above the age of thirteen you're either very lonely or...well, you know. Eh heh. Talking to myself, however, is something I did and still do very often. I don't see a problem with it, so I do it. It's not like I mumble in public or something...but I may have a conversation in my head. Yeah...I'm not crazy, I swear.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1]I would have voted last night, but I was rather tired after my journey so I doubt it would have been very detailed. Eh heh. [B]Retribution:[/B] I think you managed to capture the essence of life better than Sean did, what with showing 'scenes' from a child's life. Most people associate the young with the pureness of life anyway, so I think this was great use of symbolism. Going away from the theme of this competition, I think your image is very clean and very controlled. The colours mix well and the lighting is lovely. Also, that child is gorgeous! [B]Sean:[/B] I think you pulled off 'Life' pretty well, I like your image but I don't think it symbolises the essence of what life is about as well as Retri's does. You used the effect well and it hasn't distorted the image, which is good, you managed to give it a very nice painted effect like it had been done with oil paint. I don't like the little black box type...thing by the text, but I like the text itself. Thing that scares me--the open eye looks like mine. o.O; Overall, my vote goes to [B]Retribution[/B]. Well done both of you.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I do quite like the idea, but then again, lots of people liked the idea of Communism and we know how that turned out... I think it's one of things that's a great idea [I]if[/I] it worked properly. But I don't think it could for a couple of reasons. ?Quite a few people (I'm not saying all) like to have matching sets, so they'd end up having different banners and avatars that may not go well together. ?New members would see the thread and you just know they would end up going "hey i like that Star Wars banner but Yoda sucks so do one with Darth Vadar because he owns and put my name on it plz." It would be another request forum. ?Also, banners are more artistic than avatars and most of the time match the artists feelings/likes/inspiration, so it would be hard to do good banners for the masses unless it was just pictures cropped down to size. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea, I just can't see it working out too well given the above, and other people's, reasons.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Good God, how far back was this thread? T.T I bring new stuffs. [U]?Cherry Lipstick[/U] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/cherry.png[/IMG] If you're a fan of Jimmy Eat World, you'll recognise the text as two lines from their song "Night Drive" on the Futures album. Jimmy Eat World have really inspiring lyrics (for me, anyway) so I have a lot of graphic ideas to come. [U]?Ichimaru Gin[/U] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/gin.png[/IMG] A little graphic I done when I was bored going along the same theme as the Renji one. I love how the colours turned out. [U]?Lovely Colours[/U] [I]Orange-[/I] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/orange.png[/IMG] [I]Silver- [/I] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/AzureImi/silver.png[/IMG] Nothing really needs to be said. Silly Graphics=boredom. I may do more of these just for the hell of it. And that's it for now, please C&C ^_^[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Fayth had been terrified from the start, this strange place, and these strange people...what would her parents think? She was still wearing her summer dress and light slip on shoes when the meeting room had seemed to dissolve. She found herself a few seconds later in an open field, brightly lit from what seemed to be two suns. Fayth's eyes adjusted to the brightness and she took her hand away from her eyes, surveying the area. It was horrible, something from a nightmare. Everything was dead or dieing, the trees surrounding the area were all drooping and black, scorched by many fires. The grass underfoot still seemed to smoke and crackle from a recent blaze and Fayth stepped quickly over to a group of rocks, seemingly untouched amongst all the destruction. She looked to the sky from under her flaxen curls and saw that it was blood red, two fiery orange orbs glowing brightly directly above. Fayth became scared once again and yelped as a small lizard scuttled over her foot. She stumbled back and landed on the other side of the rock, wincing from the jolt of pain as she landed. It was then she discovered her spear strapped across her back. She reached behind her and tugged it free of its bindings, letting the now loose belt drop around her ankles as she stood. She vaguely remembered the speech of that roguish looking man and gulped, a faint feeling of curiously welling up inside of her at the thought of meeting something from...another world. A while ago the idea seemed absurd, but look at what had happened recently, Fayth was ready to believe anything now. She climbed the rock in front of her to see out across the scorched field, noticing that settling in a clump of trees was a cave; it's opening seeming to dip under the earth. She built up enough courage to walk over to its entrance, the heat getting more intense as she walked. Beads of sweat broke out on her skin and her lips went dry. Something dangerous and powerful was lurking within the heated shadows of that cave, but Fayth knew she would have to fight it if she ever wanted to see the beauty of earth again. Then, all of a sudden, a huge wind blasted out of the cave's entrance, forcing the young redhead over with a cry of surprise. Fayth shook her head and tried to regain her footing, now very dizzy from both the heat and a knock to her head. She suddenly regretted opening her eyes with the sight that met her bright green orbs. A serpent, no, a dragon, slowly emerged from the cave's entrance, it's sleek head framed by light red whiskers, giving the look of a mane, while long fangs protruded from blistered and dry lips. The dragon lifted it's magnificent head and seemed to drift out of the cave, looking down at Fayth as it's full crimson form was raised above her, hovering in the sky. It's muzzle stretched into what looked like a grin, it's ivory coloured teeth gleaming in the eerie light given off by the twin suns. Fayth shivered despite the heat and tried to scramble back, tripping over the now torn and dirty hem of her dress. The dragon laughed, but it wasn't a sound that filled the air, more like it echoed in Fayth's head. She whimpered as she felt another blast of hot air knock her to the ground. [I]Fayth...why do you run? Do you not want to have my power? The power of the Dragon Dance?[/I] Fayth could only murmur her incoherent reply and the dragon laughed again. [I]You will refer to me as [I]Ryuujin[/I], the Dragon King, I want to fight you...to show you that you have power and that you can use it well. Fight me Fayth, or I will kill you.[/I] Fayth gripped her spear and nodded, her hands still shaking despite her feat of bravery. She stood and faced her opening as he puffed out his chest. As the putrid smell of gasoline filled Fayth's nostrils she jumped to the side, instinct telling her what was coming. As soon as she had dived away a blast of flames shot from Ryuujin's mouth, the white and yellow flames flickering around the edges of what was left of the vegetation. Fayth gasped for breath as she watched the ground ripple and steam as it seemed to melt and turn molten, Ryuujin turned his head lazily to glance at her, his dark eyes swirling with both knowledge and kindness. [I]I don't want to hurt you, but you must understand, it would disgrace me if someone unworthy were to wield my power.[/I] [B]"I understand."[/B] [I]Good...then I think we can really begin.[/I] [B]OOC Changed power to "Dragon Dance" because it seemed...cooler.[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][quote name='kaisha']You have serious issues.[/quote] I Agree. Anyway, I thought mine was quite accurate, despite one point. Rather interesting when you think about it, kind of a shame to think that I'm not all that unique after all, though. [CENTER][CENTER][B][U]January[/U][/B][/CENTER] Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet [B]easily jealous[/B] (You have [I]no[/I] idea, mate). Very Stubborn and money cautious.[/CENTER] The only thing that isn't right is the 'loves children' bit because, hey, I can't stand kids. But I used to, maybe I'm just getting petty in my teen years, heh.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Nozomi shook slightly in Renji's one-armed embrace. She looked at Jidanbou, but didn't really see him...a strange feeling had taken over her body, that kind of mild-shock before the real stuff. The harsh pain and sadness that would come in a few hours once the initial shock had faded. [B]"Nozomi...we cannot dwell on his death, we must be strong now in this time of danger." [/B] Renji's voice was quiet and seemed to be the only thing that was getting through to Nozomi at the moment. She merely nodded and closed her eyes, two tears leaking out from under her makeup smeared lids. Eventually she shook Renji's arm off of her and he stepped back to give her room. Nozomi turned and walked to where the group of four Shinigami were, her expression still sad and vacant. Sakura patted her shoulder, an equally sad expression on her generally happy face. [B]"Hikari-fukutaicho, you must collect your Zanpaku-to."[/B] Gin's voice was low, but not stern, he could see the pain in Nozomi's drooping green eyes and he had been fond of her when she was still in training. She nodded and drifted off towards her quarters as he heard Gin addressing others who also needed to collect their Soul Slayers. On the way, Nozomi was met by Akuma, who looked torn between so many emotions she doubted he even registered her presence. [B]"Akuma-taicho..." [/B] her voice was barely above a whisper as she addressed the captain. He lifted his head with an unusually distant [B]"[I]Nani[/I]...?" [/B] and recoiled slightly at she sight of the drenched Nozomi. "You were at my quarters?" Nozomi inquired, a part of her curious as to why the Third Squad Captain was in the Sixth Squad area. [B]"Anou...I wanted to check up on you but-" "I wasn't there, I know, I was with Renji-san."[/B] Akuma nodded slowly, [B]"So Jidanbou is dead." [/B] it was more of a statement than a question and Nozomi merely nodded, seeing as Akuma already knew the answer. [B]"I must get my Zanpaku-to...that[I] bastard[/I] hybrid is behind this."[/B] her anger was seeping through now and Nozomi thought it best to push past Akuma before she done anything she might regret in front of her superior. She merely muttered her apologies when she knocked hard into his shoulder, almost sending his sprawling on the slippery floor. She left without turning around again, rushing to her small quarters to get re-dressed and fetch her weapon.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]You know, I think you pulled this off so well that it looks like a basic poster image. When I first saw it I was wondering what exactly you'd done to it except add text and a border, but once I looked again I could see just how much work had gone into this. Well done! My favourite part has to be the horse; I just love the way it's sticking out of its little circle thing. The way you added the Palladin's hat, weapons and, well...face, is truly masterful. Great stuff all round once again. ^_^[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Nozomi started as she felt a wet hand slip around her drenched shoulders. She slumped further, her usually perfect posture ruined by the rain pattering down on her head. She didn't lift it, knowing that it was Akuma who sat next to her. [B]"Hey, Nozomi-chan..."[/B] He didn't say anything else, sensible, really, as Nozomi wasn't one to appreciate verses for comfort. She merely nodded and sighed, the rain always depressed her and her Taicho was probably back in his quarters by now. [B]"Thank you for coming to see me, Akuma-taicho-sama, but I think I should go..." [/B] she pulled herself from Akuma's comfortable embrace and bowed to him. His face looked a little unsure, confused, even, but Nozomi paid it no heed and left, walking to Renji's quarters. She knocked, happy to hear the sound of his bare feet on the floor. He slid open the doors and blinked, [B]"Nozomi...you looked like a drowned rat."[/B] [B]"Hai, the rain is pretty heavy, may I come in?"[/B] Renji nodded and stood back to let his lieutenant in, closing the doors behind him. [B]"Where you sitting out there or something?" [/B] He knew how the rain depressed the redhead and wasn't surprised to see a sad look on her usually serious face. [B]"I sat by the fountain,"[/B] she replied,[B] "Akuma-san came to comfort me."[/B] "[B]Ah." [/B] was all Renji said in reply, keeping his voice steady and calm.[B] "Would you like something to drink?"[/B] [B]"Hai, taicho-sama."[/B] Nozomi sat down at his desk and shivered a little, gasping as Renji then dropped a towel on her head. [B]"Come on, dry up, or you'll get sick."[/B] Nozomi smiled a little and nodded, [B]"Arigatou, Renji."[/B] [B]OOC Hope that's all okay, Raiyuu-san.[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][CENTER][U][B][CENTER]Chapter One--Power is Released[/CENTER][/B][/U] [U]Characters-[/U] All [U]Chapter Info-[/U] The young boy, Bishamon, has released his dormant spirit energy and has such alerted Shinigami, Quincy and Hollow alike. The guide, Tahashi Kokoro, immediately sets out and reaches the boy just before a group of Hollows attack. The Quincy, not far behind, are the ones who meet the Hollows first and destroy them in a one-sided battle. Meanwhile, Bishamon escapes with his guide to a secret dojo sealed by magic where he is told of what exactly has just happened to him. [U]Chapter Length-[/U] No more than two posts each, I know it?s a lot of ground to cover for one chapter, but it shouldn?t be too hard. Will extend if needed.[/CENTER] [LEFT]Nozomi sighed as her Spirit Energy was drained. It was frustrating, but necessary if she wanted to go out and join Sakura and Jizou. Again the girl sighed and she flicked some black hair from her eyes, the bow on her arm slowly dissipating as her Spirit Energy was lowered and collected before being released far enough away. [B]?All right, Nozomi, you can go. Good luck.?[/B] The girl nodded and then left, jogging as soon as she was out of the clinic. He caught sight of Sakura and called to her, smiling a little when the young woman turned. [B]?Ah, Nozomi?so you were able to make it.? ?Of course.?[/B] The Quincy, a group comprised of Jizou, Sakura, Nozomi and two others, then left to where the large amount of Spirit Energy had suddenly been released. [B]?Now, Nozomi, don?t go charging in ahead of us all, we don?t want you getting reckless in your condition.?[/B] Nozomi nodded and hung back a little, watching as the other Quincy talked and laughed to each other, sighing at the twinge of envy welling up inside of her. She looked to the sky, frowning as it darkened and swirled in the way that predicted bad weather and bad fortune. She didn?t like the rain; it made her sad and slowed down her reactions?not a lot of good when she was a supposed master of projectiles. No matter, a fight would cheer her up and release tension, but Nozomi was secretly worried that her??condition?, as some called it, would prove to be a real problem if she got any closer to the source of this huge Spirit Energy. Eventually the Quincy reached the area where the energy was, all of them instantly activating their weapons, all except Nozomi, who as always was instructed to wait until it was absolutely necessary. Then the Hollows appeared and Nozomi snarled, trying to push forward but finding one strong arm wrapping around her shoulders to stop her. She looked up to Jizou who was serious as always. She nodded and stepped back as he dashed off to the Hollows, his lithe body twisting as he made a backslash directly between a frog-like Hollow?s eyes. It looked like it would be a short fight, but Nozomi had to wonder, where was the Spirit Energy now? It seemed to have moved, become fainter. Going after it would be no use so she just sat back, watched and waited. [CENTER]---[/CENTER] [B]And there we have the start of As History repeats, Pumpkin, I haven?t seen you online for a while but if you could finish your sign up that would be great, I believe we may be having another Shinigami sign up, but I?m not to sure. Anyway, thanks for you guys being patient and for signing up in the first place. Please enjoy and have fun.[/B][/LEFT] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Right, Revelation, I'm sorry but I have to start the RPG soon. I'll be starting it this afternoon, my time. It's now 07:00 here in England, so you have quite a few hours to finish your sign up. If it isn't done before I start the RP then I'm going on without you, I really want to get this done and I'm using the chapter system. Since you're playing the guide, who's needed in the first chapter, I couldn't start without you. Sorry for the delay, guys, this will be up in a few hours.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][URL=http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?ijy5axokuxs]Le moi[/URL] Holy Fandango that's so bad...gimme a break, it's 11PM XD You'll get the Steve the Pirate referance if you've seen Dodgeball.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Nozomi was fast, especially when riled, and grabbed her kimono, sprinting ahead of the other two women after Utamuro. She snarled as he ducked around a corner and noticed a low level member of the 4th squad carrying some bokken. She walked over to him and snatched one, startling the poor boy and causing him to drop his load. She ignored him and stalked after Utamuro, keeping her Spirit Energy radar on high. Nozomi eventually found her prey at Kenpachi's memorial. She sighed and lowered the bokken as Utamuro's back was turned to her. [I]'I guess...he has feelings'[/I]. She grumbled and walked forward, standing next to Utamuro but not looking at him. [B]"Ah, Nozomi-chan...I suppose you want to exact your revenge on my sorry hide?"[/B] Utamuro looked down at the shorter redhead with a sort of sad smile. Nozomi merely ignored him and stood with her hands crossed in front of her, reading and re-reading the name etched on the memorial. [I]'Kenpachi...I always knew your blood lust would send you to an early grave.'[/I] She bit her lip to hold in a sob. Kenpachi had been a good friend, helped her when she was training and saved her life on more than one occasion. He was a good, no, a great man and Soul Society was worse off without him. The next thing Nozomi felt was a strong but strangely comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Utamuro for the first time to see that his usually cocky smile had turned sad and thoughtful. Her lips quivered slightly before she turned, dropping the bokken to the floor and leaving quickly, avoiding Sakura and Tatsuki on the way out. She needed to find Renji. Renji would make it all better, he would say something stupid and funny without even trying and Nozomi would cheer up...it was finding him that was the problem. Eventually she gave up and slumped down on the edge of the fountain, her usual 'thinking place'. It was at that moment that the heavens opened and rain came crashing down. Nozomi sighed and just sat there still--rain was good for the soul. [B]OOC ...It does rain in Soul Society...right? O.o;[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Alrighty then, my apologies to both Sun and Helba for not posting this sooner. [B][U]Sun:[/U][/B] While I do think this image is very pretty, clean and well presented, it is no where near as good as some of your other pieces. I don't like the way you have two separate boxes for the women and I don't like the placement of the text, it seems to throw the picture off balance. I do like the use of colours and the clever way you used a praying position for one of the women, that part I get, but it looks like the other one is stuck in there for the lingerie and nothing else =P If you see my point. [U][B]Helba:[/B][/U] Okay, firsts with what I don't like about this pic, and there isn't much. The text you used for her name--I'm not fond of it or its placement. I do like the boxes you used in the background, it adds a nice touch and they aren't all that overpowering. I'm always a fan of the stock being solid and bold but still matching the background and I think you pulled this off really well, I also like the paint splash effect you used on the background. The image fits well together and the stock goes nicely, well done. And, after that, my vote goes to [B]Helba[/B], though both were very good.[/SIZE]