Delta

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] ?Hey, how about this?? Vanilla pulled out a dark green dress from a rack. ?What a lovely silhouette!? ?Um, we sell it for three gold pieces.? ?Wow? that?s pretty steep.? ?Of course. It?s the only dress we made in that style.? ?In that case, I?ll try this on too!? [CENTER][B]~o~o~o~o~[/B][/CENTER] ?Ask me what I was doing these past 2 hours,? Caramel sighed as her rider finally left the store. ?Well?? Vanilla twirled in front of Caramel. She was wearing the three-gold-pieces dress. It was sleeveless, body-hugging and had a high slit down the right leg. ?Lovely, isn?t it?? ?Don?t you feel cold in that dress?? And the dragon laughed at her own joke. Her rider, on the other hand, frowned at her. ?What, it took you two hours to think that joke up? Anyways, I?m done shopping.? Vanilla put on her cloak and led the dragon down the well-lit streets of Celebrynn. ?Where do you want to go now? Every pub?s offering beer at half-price!? ?Well, I think it is time that we went back to the castle.? ?Are you sure don?t want beer?? Caramel shook her head. ?Let's call it a night.? ?Whatever suits you, loves.? As they soared above the city, Vanilla tapped the dragon and asked, ?Hey, do you Aceras will like this dress?? [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkSlateGray] Another slow day in Fourth Avenue Café. So far, there?ve been only 10 customers since they opened the café 2 hours ago. Their eleventh customer has been there for an hour and ordered only a cup of coffee. Fille was eyeing him from behind the coffee maker for thirty minutes now. [i]Hmm? maybe he?s waiting for someone. Then again, maybe not. He looks like someone with lots of time to kill. Right, he?s a bum then. When is he going to order cake?[/i] She looked at Manager, who was reading the paper in one of the tables. Suddenly, the man stood up. He gave Manager a quick nod and ran for the door. "Oi! Fille!" "I?m on it!" Fille jumped from behind the counter and ran after the man. [i]Darn these people! Don't even know how much a good cup's worth![/i] Suddenly the man stopped. His brown overcoat swept gracefully as he turned to face her. He started walking towards the girl and only stopped an arm's length away. "I don't get chased by beautiful women often," he said as he tipped his hat. "Good morning, ma'am." "Hey, that coffee was worth 50 gil!" The man grinned. "I've no gil with me right now. Perhaps I could pay in kind?" And with that, he closed the gap between them. Fille's lips curved into a smile. [CENTER][B]100 EXP gained! Exeter obtained![/B][/CENTER] Fille entered the café and laid a silver shotgun on the counter. ?Hey Manager!? Manager emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of small cakes. This man is the owner of Fourth Avenue Café and Fille calls him Manager. He?s still in his early twenties and can bake really good Castellas! ?Fille, I hope you didn?t make him pay---? His eyes traveled towards the rip on her dress. ??Oh, so you did.? ?Um, well, he said that he doesn?t have the money so?? And she smiled sweetly. ?Ah, well.? Manager picked it up and examined the shotgun. "My, my? You've really outdone yourself this time, Fille,? Manager chuckled as he handed the shotgun back to Fille. ?That? that is an Exeter. One of the best shotguns around.? Fille replied with a blank look. Manager shook his head and smiled. ?Um? keep it!? She jumped to the other side of the counter and busied herself with brewing coffee. Manager, dumbstruck, stared at the shotgun for a longish time before going back to the kitchen with it. The bells chimed and in came a customer. ?Mornin?! Welcome to Fourth Avenue Café!? (OOC: Hey, can somebody be the customer? Please? :love2: ) [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkRed] [B]Name:[/B] [u]Red Cupid[/u] [B]Age:[/B] [u]27[/u] [B]Gender:[/B] [u]Female[/u] [B]Appearance and History:[/B] Known in 17 counties as the most heartless bandit alive, she was nicknamed ?Red Cupid? because all her victims died of a bullet lodged in heart. She grew up in the company of her mentor, Raven, and his famous band of outlaws, One-Hit (much like Misao Makimachi in Rurouni Kenshin). From them, she learned how to shoot and got most of her twisted values. Raven once told her that her parents were killed in a massacre twenty-four years ago and that they found her in the arms of her dead mother. Little did he know that she still remembered that event. The next day, the townspeople found Raven?s body hung on a tree in the town?s outskirts. His corpse was being preyed upon by birds yet the town doctor said that he died of a bullet in the heart. She left the gang and though they knew that she was the one who shot Raven, they didn?t dare avenge their fallen leader. The Red Cupid was born. Of every group she kills, she leaves one alive. That lucky one would speak of a murderous dark-haired woman whose eyes were kept hidden under the brim of a hat. Rumor has it that her cloak was once white as the rest of her outfit and that she used blood to dye it red. [B]Weapons:[/B] The twin pistols [u]Heartbreaker[/u] and [u]Chaser[/u]. Heartbreaker is made out of rose gold while Chaser is of platinum. Both heat up pretty quickly so she rarely uses both at once. Her trademark shot is done more often with Heartbreaker. It stays in the holster on her right hip and, when drawn, readily points to the left half of the chest, where the heart is. She also has a knife in her left boot which she fondly calls [u]Melissa[/u]. [B]OOC:[/B] Hope my sign-up's alright. PM me if I still need to change anything, ultimamilz. I'm signing up for the role of Bandit#5 :love2: [/COLOR][/FONT]

[size=1][color=DarkRed] You draw really well! Maybe this site could help you in CG-ing: [U][URL=http://polykarbon.com/index.html]PolyKarbon[/URL] [/U] Love and Peace! :love2: [/color][/size]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen][B]Seven Riders were lying on the fiery platform of Celebrynn fir.[/B] Their weapons glowed bright red across their chests as the hands that held them blazed. Of the seven dragons that once stood near the platform, only four remained; three had walked into the fire, sat and burned silently. A foul stench rose from the bodies, overpowering the scent of smoldering wood. People approached the platform and threw flowers into the fire. And then they left. [B]Nine Riders wearing the force?s distinctive cloaks remained with their dragons.[/B] One of them held a bouquet of white roses and a bottle of wine. The Rider approached the pyre, opened the bottle and poured the sparkling pink liquor on the roses. A second later, the roses were set ablaze. ?I got you the best roses and wine I could find. Had the mind to drink half of this but then half a bottle isn?t enough for seven Riders, right?... I wonder how many bottles would they throw in if I was with you?? There, the Rider lingered. A silver dragon approached and gently nudged her rider. [I]Caramel? This is so sad. [I told you not to come. Now you weep for people you do not even know.][/I] [/COLOR][/FONT]

CLAMP characters are from anime drawn by CLAMP Examples: 1. Sakura from Card Captor Sakura 2. Noboru from Clamp Campus Detectives 3. Tsuzuki from Yami no Matsuei 4. Everyone from Magic Knight Rayearth :D

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkRed]OOC: What a weird RPG! Ah well. Heads up! [CENTER][b]~o~o~o~o~[/b][/CENTER] [B]Name:[/B] Fille du Tresoir [B]Age:[/B] 19 [B]Sex:[/B] Female [B]Class:[/B] Warrior class. If this were FFI, my name would be "FIGHTER". [B]Equip:[/B] Whip... still hoping to upgrade it to something extra-original-super-special, something like... you know... "Ultima Whip". Just wait? I'll kill that Weapon someday. [B]Magic:[/B] Blue Magic. I've got tons of spells but I only have 24 MP. Tough luck. [B]Special Abilities: [/B] [U]Devour[/U]: With the help of cutting edge CG technology, I am able to eat my enemies whole. Whether I spit them out again or not is another matter. [U]Mad Rush[/U]: I turn berserk and attack my enemies until they?re knocked out. I don?t use this often because when I become myself again, I find my dress torn in the wrong places. (I also know [U]Gamble[/U] too but it's pretty useless. I'm *very* unlucky.) [B]Experience Level:[/B] Level 3 (Luck: 1) [B]Appearance:[/B] Nope, I'm not a big-breasted bimbo. I'm cup B, if you want to know. I've dark chin-length hair and lovely gray eyes. If you open my closet, you?ll find a line of very short brown dresses: short-sleeved, body-hugging and zips up at the front. I keep the zipper halfway up my breastbone because if I zip it up all the way, I?ll choke myself. When my whip?s not cracking, it?s usually strapped to a wide leather belt that wraps diagonally ?round my hips. There. That?s detailed enough. Ah, wait! How could I forget my boots? It?s the generic knee-high, flat-soled boots? in shiny black leather! [B]Personality:[/B] As I said before, I'm *very* unlucky in gambling. But I love them high-stakes games so... Unlucky Person + 10000 gil bet = Poor I?m pretty good in PR and cooking (hence, the ability Devour). I?m a nice person, ain?t I? [B]Biography:[/B] The last casino I worked in changed management after they finally let me play for the house. Guess what my bet was? Yup, that's right! I bet the WHOLE casino. After that, Manager offered me a job in the Fourth Avenue Café because I can make really good coffee! A month after I started working, a creepy guy started showing up every night. He would ask around for information about ?Elemental Crystals.? Manager told me not to mind this suspicious character. But? hmm... maybe I?ll try talking to him tonight. [/COLOR][/FONT]

Isn't Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure a parody of Neon Genesis Evangelion?

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Indeed, there is an easier way than using the polygonal lasso tool ! presenting... *drumroll* [Size=2]THE AMAZING ADOBE PHOTOSHOP TRICK #43!!![/Size] [b]1.[/b] Scan the pic in Grayscale (or set the mode to Image>Mode>Grayscale) [b]2.[/b] If the pic still says [i]Background Layer[/i], go duplicate it (Layer>Duplicate Layer...) and delete [i]Background Layer[/i]. In this post, the new layer hereafter shall be known as [b]"Layer Outline".[/b] [b]3.[/b] Go to Level Adjustment (Image>Adjustments>Levels... or Ctrl+L). Play with the white and black arrows until the pic becomes pure black and white (or manageable. just make sure your pic is drawn in heavy black and white.). Sliding to the left White erases the noise and sliding black to the right deepens the black (or dark gray) parts. [b]4.[/b] Go to the Channels tab (near the Layers tab) and hit the "Load channel as selection" button (the button with a circle in dotted outline) at the bottom of the pane. [b]5.[/b] Hit the Delete button. At this point, only a faint outline should remain in Layer Outline. Ctrl+D to deselect. [b]6.[/b] Make a new layer, fill it with white and put it under Layer Outline. [b]7.[/b] Select Layer Outline and lock its transparency (Layer pane>Lock transparent pixels.) [b]8.[/b] Select a LARGE brush ( I recommend the Hard Round) and select Black as the color. [b]9.[/b] Paint over Layer Outline. The outline should turn darker. [b]10.[/b] Return to RGB mode (Image>Mode> RGB Color) Voila! You're now ready to color your scanned image! *audience clap* Don't harm Outline Layer! Just use different layers to color the image so that if you mess up, you won't have to start all over again! Love and Peace! :love2: [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

Hair worthy of CLAMP characters! All the joints are in the right places! miss_adriana's right. give the girls more curves especially in the hips. note the differences in the shoulder-breadth and the bust-waist-hip proportions between the male and female bodies. You've got potential! Hope that helps! :blush:

It's like this: Your RPG has to have a plot and characters. Aside from the usual "Name" or "Appearance" try asking for more relevant specifics like "How are they related to the main character". Then the plot. We have what we call "elements of a plot." [U]1. Exposition:[/U] Basically a sort of introduction to the story. It tells you everything you need to know to understand the story. This is where the story unfolds and the stage is set. You absolutely must write this. [U]2. Rising action:[/U] In here, the conflict is revealed. Make clear the real problem of the story. You only have to give the characters an idea of what they have to do so as not to make your RPG "too constricting." Then go wild with it! Then it's up to the characters: [U]3. Climax:[/U] or "turning point," as some would put it. [U]4. Falling action:[/U] a series of inevitable events that arise from the climax [U]5. Resolution:[/U] The End. Hope that helps! (And please correct me if I got anything wrong. It will be most helpful]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen][B]They landed as quietly as they could in the far end of the garden. [/B]Under the shadow of the trees, Caramel sat and Vanilla took her usual place beside the dragon. For a long time they didn?t speak to each other. [I][Are you still awake?] Barely. [Then go rest in the castle. I fear for your health.] ?Maybe later, Caramel. It?s still too early to end my birthday. And besides, I?ve a match to settle with my beloved, haven?t I? *sigh* I wonder where he is?[/I] [B]Vanilla stood up and surveyed the garden.[/B] The other Riders have arrived with their dragons and were talking merrily amongst themselves. A few riders, though, were slumped on the backs of their dragons. Their dragons? heads were bowed as they made their way to the castle. Soon, the path they tread shone with silver drops. [I]Hey, they?re crying? [Of course. Their riders have fallen... Perhaps tonight, at the moon?s zenith, they will build a great funeral pyre.] Let?s see their souls off then. Tonight. [No. The send-off is not a sight for the jovial.] As it should be. [You do not understand. A dragon who is left behind will hold herself responsible for her rider?s death. As redemption, some choose the pyre over life so that they can at least fly the riders? souls to the Fields. I know you are aware of that peculiar behavior of ours.] That?s why I told you not to follow me if ever? you know? I die. Because I know you will. [You will be dead by then. How can your foolish ghost stop me?][/I] Caramel chuckled. Vanilla turned towards her and grinned. "More reason for us to attend the funeral, then. I want to see what our pyre would have looked like--? [B]Only then did they notice the growing sound of heavy boots trudging.[/B] ?I?m impressed.? Vanilla turned around and found Valo standing in front of her. A gasp escaped from her lips and her dragon snorted. ?You did a lot better than I thought you would.? [I]Be still, my fluttering heart![/I] ?Oh, shit.? ?What?? Vanilla asked. ?I do not need this. I do [I]not[/I] need this.? ?Need what?? [I]Might this be the start?[/I] And for the second time that day, her cheeks were invaded by a rosy shade. ?You,? Valo snapped. Caramel, unable to suppress her laughter, burst. ?Your pretty obvious infatuation will undoubtedly result in you doing something very stupid, probably more than once. I was right when I marked you as a liability, but not for the reasons I thought. Your infatuation with me will probably end with you getting yourself killed while trying to impress me. Don?t try, because it won?t work.? [B]Vanilla caught his hand as he turned to go.[/B] ?Heed, my beloved: I am also a Dragon Rider. I am here to protect Celebrynn. Your presence in the force is merely a lovely bonus for me. My heart grieves, for conceit made you think so lowly of my cause.? And there they stood as their dragons looked on. ?Let go.? She loosened her grip and watched him walk away. [I][My, my. Your knight IS pompous.] I know. [Will you still seek him?] *giggle* Why not?[/I] [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] As Brielle and ScytheWing soared, Vanilla?s eyes fluttered open. She sat up and turned to her dragon. ?What happened?? Caramel gave out a squeal, or something that sounded like it. ?You?re alive! You?re alive!? She shook her head and great drops of silver fell from her eyes. ?Of course I am! Remind me to thank her later, will you? But my dress?? Vanilla sighed. ?Oh well. Can?t mend it now, can I? But for the mean time, we ride.? She leaped onto Caramel?s back and clenched her teeth. Though her wound has closed, it still burned with pain. [I]Stop smarting,[/I] she said to herself. [I]We've dragons to skewer.[/I] The pair hovered above the city and scene slowly unfolded before them. The streets darkened with shadows of combating dragons. Not too far away were her fellow Riders, fiercely fighting off the raiding dragons. Black mist rose and lightning struck. Dust surged where falling dragons crashed. Beyond, a host of dragon spirits joined the melee. In that fateful day, it rained blood in Celebrynn. Vanilla brought Dulcet to her lips. The deformed dragons that remained turned their heads to her as she sent the first notes. She played a bright tune that pierced through the dragons? roars. A number of dragons slowed down. She glared at them and the dragons came to a full stop. Now under her control, the dragons smiled idiotically and started swaying their tails with the music. They fell into formation in front of the pair. ?Lovely day for hunting ducks, isn?t it?? ?Indeed, it is,? Caramel replied. And they flew away as a Rider blasted the dragons to oblivion. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkRed] "Neither a prisoner or a guest," she smiled. "A patient then, I guess. Content yourself with the thought that I am not an enemy." And with those words, Ituile left the room. [/COLOR][/FONT]

Yay! Harvey Birdman! Finally a show that seeks to bring to light Scooby Doo's true nature!

They didn't even do justice to my Boromir... :crying: Ah well. Good thing they made him say: "...I would have followed you, my captain, my king." (or something like that.) Quenya did show up! Oh happy day! Even in Enya's song we hear Elven-speech! And The Hobbit wasn't boring. I reserve that adjective for The Silmarillion. *throws The Silmarillion away only to pick it up later and read the story of Beren and Luthien* Note on Tolkien's female characters: In the Silmarillion, Luthien (whom they say looked a lot like Arwen) rescued Beren (a guy, mind you) when he was imprisoned in some eveil place. Galadriel also fought alongside Celeborn in some battle to defend Lorien... so they say.

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] No! Finish the story first! It may sound awful to you at first (trust me, it doesn't), but you can always revise it to fit your taste later on. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] I just finished reading The Fellowship of the Ring published by Houghton-Mifflin (spelling?). You all know what it's about: A group accompanying the hobbit Frodo in a journey to destroy the One Ring. As always, I advise that you read the book before you watch the movie (too late for some, perhaps). Boromir was depicted differently in the book Though half the story was left out, it's still a nice movie. [I] Memoirs of a Geisha is a good book! It's very descriptive. Loved the cover too![/I] [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] The muffled sound of heavy feet approaching reached the pair?s ears. [I][Your knight in shining armor has arrived.][/I] Valo planted his feet in front of Vanilla. "I'm not going to be very nice, but I am going to tell you what's true. I do that with everyone, not just you. I tell people what I think about them, and I think you're way too self-entitled. I saw you ordering Heero around." [I]Wow, he's sooo cute [Can you be any more dense?][/I] "Hey, I wasn't ordering him around! Besides, he--" "I know. Fact: it's your birthday. Fact: nobody gives a shit. Fact: based on what I've seen of you, you're going to be a liability in a dangerous situation." He drew his weapons and skillfully brought Vanilla to her knees. "See? I could have killed you had I wanted to." "I didn't know you were going to attack me, love," Vanilla replied. She flipped her hair and picked up her flute. When she finally stood up, Valo saw no change in her proud countenance. And though he stared at her long, he didn?t notice the rosy color that now spread on her pale cheeks. Valo continued: "That's not relevant. Danger can come from unexpected places. But if you're so sure you'll do better when you know it's coming, then why don't you prove it? In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm challenging you to a fight. Will you accept?" Vanilla gazed at the man for a long time. As the wind softly blew, light glinted and danced off his ebony hair. [I]Ah! *sigh* To be this close to him. Lovely are his eyes of russet and raven. Yet loveliest is the sight of my eyes in them. [Vanilla, this is not time for fair words. Please try to be serious. Mind that it is not Aceras you are dealing with.][/I] Undeterred, Vanilla smiled at him. ?If it would please you, love, then I cannot refuse.? She drew Dulcet to her lips but quickly drew it back when the bells of Celebrynn pealed. And they heard the princess yell. ?The Bells are ringing! AN ATTACK HAS HAPPENED!? [CENTER][B]~o~o~o~o~o~[/B][/CENTER] The company found themselves rushing towards Celebrynn?s outskirts. The fastest dragons went ahead of the group and among them was Caramel. A black streak was fast approaching the company and made no sign of stopping. And then it made contact. Caramel felt her load lighten. Crimson blood glistened on her silver hide. [I]Caramel?[/I] A great gust issued from around Caramel as she dived after her rider. She fixed her eyes on Vanilla and saw a deep gash on her side. Yet her rider stretched out her arms and smiled at her. [I]Please don?t follow me?[/I] And with that, the Rider closed her eyes. A roar echoed throughout the city and a ferocious wind rose from the ground beneath Vanilla. It traveled swiftly upwards and gently caught the body with its soaring arms. And the dragon wrapped its mighty claws around her rider and descended to the earth. [B]OOC: [/B] Vanilla simply likes Valo. Saw him once a-wandering and has been enamored of him since! Shallow, isn't it? :D Lovely twist! A Rider has fallen, but she?s not dead yet! [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=Navy] I prefer mimes to clowns. At least mimes shut up. :bellylol: Yeah, this is a really weird topic! [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] [I][B]??Now I ask you to help the people of Celebrynn and protect them. Will you do this for me??[/B][/I] The hall rang out with declarations and pledges to fight for Celebrynn to the bitter end. Through the din, Vanilla closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. [I]Lovely day to decide Celebrynn?s fate[/I], she thought. [I]And on my birthday, too! The fact that there?s no alcohol is making my mood fouler.[/I] [I] [So, what will it be?][/I] From the back of her mind, she heard Caramel?s voice. Every word the dragon sent to her was accompanied by a subtle sound of whistling breeze. This was how the Caramel spoke to Vanilla in times when matters are grave and she must converse with her rider. [I]What? [Stop thinking about where the next drink will come from! A more pressing issue is at hand!] I WAS listening? [Your fellow Riders do not seem hesitant.] Yes, I notice that. [Then why do you falter?] It?s not just the Rider who sticks her neck out for the enemy to try and lop off. And your hide?s not exactly made out of mithril either. [I know.} Hey, stop acting cool. YOU?LL get dragged into this mess too, if I said yes. [Vanilla, audacious you may be, but never did you force me to do any of your bidding. Yet know this: if you plunge into the waiting spear tips of Zervenia?s guards, I?m sure to follow you.] Then if our time comes, may our hides roast together! [/I] The pair laughed madly, much to the surprise of the Prince who was seated beside Vanilla. She promptly stood up and shouted: [B]?Then let the trumpets sing throughout your realm! Celebrate, Celebrynn, for the Dragon Riders have returned!?[/B] [CENTER][B]~o~o~o~o~o~[/B][/CENTER] The pair was again in the garden, much against the wishes for them to stay inside. The flute Dulcet sang to those they met and they passed without much resistance. Vanilla brought out a bottle of Celebrynn wine and swigged a mouthful of the rosy liquor. ?Ah! Lovely!? She smacked her lips and offered the bottle to Caramel. The latter shook her head and declined. ?So, Caramel,? Vanilla started, as she swigged another mouthful. ?Are you related to that other silver dragon?? ?Hmm? it is interesting you should ask. Though dragon hides come in but a few colors, silver is rare. Yet it is only second in rarity. It is surpassed only by gold and I have yet to see a dragon of that color,? the dragon explained. ?Which means?? ?Which means nothing,? Caramel smiled. ?Now heed. Yonder is the boy Heero, who is deep in thought---? ?OOIII!!! HEERO!? Vanilla stood up and shook the bottle at his direction. ?Come have a drink with me!? [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][COLOR=DarkRed] [B]"Well met, weary traveller and elven brother!"[/B] "You were at the bottom of a canyon when the people found you. I guess they took you as half-dead and immediately brought you here... I hope you meant to be found." Ituile's guest attempted to sit up yet he failed miserably. "Do not strain yourself for your condition is still fragile," she quietly reprimanded. Her guest looked around. The moon was already hovering above the western horizon. Where its light entered the room were his effects. The rest of the room was dimly lit by a few candles save for the spot where his host stood. In her hand was a lamp that glowed with a quiet, ethereal blue. "Oh, how forgetful of me! I haven't introduced myself. [FONT=Book Antiqua][I]Ituile eneth nîn. Heniach nin?[/I][/FONT]" The guest nodded. "I am Tusco." He noticed the curious look in her eyes, as if she was examining him and thinking deeply at the same time. "What is it?" Ituile shook her head and smiled. "I noticed... You wear a most unusual crest. Though my knowledge of crests is vast, yours is foreign to me. Perhaps you would tell me more about it?" [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkGreen] [B]?CARAMEL, VEER!?[/B] A red dragon whizzed by on their right, missing them by an alley?s breadth. It was heading straight for the castle! ?I suppose that was Styx?? murmured Caramel. ?And wolf boy Lionel,? Vanilla added. The pair hovered for a while and watched the red dragon and its rider dive as they struggled to avoid the castle. ?Oh dear? That?s the marketplace, isn?t it?? ?Correction. That [I]was[/I] the marketplace.? Vanilla sighed and shook her head. ?The boy never learns. His dragon may be fast but his reflexes aren?t. Nor his wits? And with that, Caramel made for the castle. ?You?re too full of yourself, Vanilla. Someday, it will get the better of you.? Vanilla laughed and patted her dragon?s back ?Yes, I know. But I have you to make sure it doesn?t.? Caramel snorted at her but she just hugged the dragon tighter. [B]As they neared the castle,[/B] the rider straightened up. ?Hey, do you think Sir Valo will turn up?? ?You have been after him for half a year! If you can?t find someone for that long a time, he?s sure to be hiding from you. I?d rather have you tease Aceras than go after Valo. At least the former does seek you.? Vanilla sighed. ?Yeah, whatever.? [B]They landed [/B]in the courtyard and got the customary ?Hail, Dragon Rider!? from the palace guards. The lady rider led her dragon to the waiting royalty. When crowned heads came in sight, the dragon turned her head towards Vanilla. ?Why don?t you dote on Prince Kai instead, like every other girl?? ?Because I?m not one of them ?every other girl?,? Vanilla snapped. ?And besides, I don?t go for royalty. They?ve a penchant for problems?? [B]At this point,[/B] the pair stopped. Vanilla bowed and Caramel lowered her mighty head. ?Glory to the Lord of this Realm in whom the blood of the great Celebrynn dwells. And glory to his faithful Lady through whom the stars shine here on earth.? ?Welcome, great Dragon and eloquent Rider,? replied King Orion in acknowledgement as Queen Lillyana gave her a graceful nod. Only then did Vanilla raise her head and turn to face the remaining three. ?To the Prince, upon whom the Hunter twinkles in the hours of darkness, I give my best wishes.? ?And to the Princess, tamer of the Spirit Dragon and dear guildsister to the Dragon Riders, well met.? ?And my regards to the Sir Lionel,? and she turned and winked at him. ?I trust that you are well?? [/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=Navy] [B]Earlier...[/B] ?Seen anyone suspicious around here?? Captain Aceras whispered as he placed a coin on the counter. The bartender leaned towards him. ?That lady over there. Just came in.? He raised his eyebrows and looked sideways towards the end of the bar. There, a figure was running a finger around the mouth of a bottle. Her eyes were shadowed by a brown cloak yet Aceras felt that they have been on him from the moment he stepped in. ?Thanks.? As he approached the end of the bar, the red lips under the cloak arched and thinned into a smile. ?Oh, how I love persistent suitors,? the lady began. Aceras rubbed his nose and his operatives behind her slowly stood up. ?Want to see me locked up in your cell?? She stood up and leaned against the bar. ?Pretty kinky, isn?t it?? Aceras? eyebrows met. ?Yes, I?d like that very much,? Aceras said. His grunts started walking towards the hooded figure. ?Well then...? The figure threw off her cloak, pulled Aceras closer... [I]... and kissed him.[/I] ?You?ll have to do better than that, lover boy!? Vanilla smashed the bottle on his head, threw him towards the advancing guards, and made a run for it. The guards struggled to get Aceras up. And in gratitude, he gave them each a whack on the head. ?After her! You! You! I?ll kill all your families if she gets away!? [B]In the outskirts of Celebrynn...[/B] ?Hey, Caramel!? Vanilla waved a piece of paper at the silver dragon grazing under the tree. ?Look! Mail!? [INDENT][I][SIZE=2]Vanilla: Urgent. Go to castle. Bring dragon.[/SIZE][/I][/INDENT] Moments later and they were aloft. Caramel turned her head towards her rider. ?You know, you shouldn?t have teased them like that.? Vanilla hugged the dragon even tighter and gushed. ?But he?s really cute!? ?And what if he manages to catch you?? Vanilla and Caramel burst out laughing. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][COLOR=DarkRed] NEVER take [B]Tatsumi[/B] from [B]Yami no Matsuei[/B] on a date because he will make you pay for the food. Or just take you to one of those roadside ramen stalls... and still [i]insist[/i] that you pay for the food. [/COLOR][/FONT]