Horendithas

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]Most awkward call . . . EVER. lol [CENTER][IMG]http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/fail-owned-swimmer-trapped-fail.jpg?w=500&h=337[/IMG][/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]The last chapter was fun. However, I would have enjoyed it more if some moron hadn't come into chat and said in all caps: [U]so and so is still alive![/U] [SIZE="1"][I]*headdesk*[/I] [/SIZE] So fun twist is fun, but annoying since I knew [I]before[/I] I read it. I am curious about the choice they're being given. I'd rather find out via reading instead of being told though. So with that in mind, I reamed the person who spoiled it so hopefully that won't happen again.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]If it was anyone other than the paparazzi, I might feel sorry for them. That guy does have a history of anger management issues. However, since it is the paparazzi... [I]*snerks*[/I][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]Oh I have no doubt that anything that causes more stress can result in an increase of domestic violence. However, that applies to more than just the economic issues they're saying is a factor. There is also the fact that people are more open about that kind of thing than they used to be. So my vote is for a combination and even then, I'm leaning more towards people just being more open about it. Though I'm not going to dismiss the very real reality that losing your job, among other things is bound to be very stressful and potentially contribute to the problem. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]I was not paying attention and therefore didn't include a lead in at the end of my post like I should have. So with that in mind, I have simply edited it to include the missing bit. Just letting you all know that you need to go and read the bit I added. =P[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]And with that I'm just going to remind you of what James said botar15:[quote]Rather than just having a catch-all thread where people whine about the state of things, I'd rather see people raise specific issues in their own threads where possible. It just makes things a lot easier to track and resolve.[/quote]We don't need a catch all thread, this [I]entire section[/I] serves that purpose; and the idea is to post a thread for a specific issue or suggestion so it can get the due consideration it deserves. That way it doesn't get buried or lost in a catch all thread with other suggestions or concerns. And since your question was now answered [I]twice[/I], I think this thread has served it's purpose. [B]Thread Closed.[/B][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][quote name='Gavin][SIZE="1"']Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction: like KOTOR but better.[/SIZE][/quote]So why are you up so late? You Irish bum. Go to bed Gavin! =P As for the roller coaster, ducking will never be an issue for me.[SIZE="1"] o_O[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][SIZE="2"][B]Shadows Of Death[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Gavrie couldn?t get the meeting with Nathan out of his mind. It was more than the knowledge that Shou Jian lived; it was what the vampire Victor had said about leaking information to the Council, if that was true? [I]Why the hell haven?t they done anything about it?[/I] That bothered him more than anything. It was his job to tie up loose ends like that, back during the war and since then. When he was not engaged in training, or enjoying lazy days on the veranda of his home, he was off taking care of issues Earth side. So why was a potentially huge problem like Shou something he knew nothing about? The implications behind that, including the possibility that they were using human souls for forging more of the black blades, was staggering. There were over six and a half billion humans, more than enough to make forging more of the blades an absolute nightmare if the vampire numbers were on the rise. If they didn?t need the original source to make it, there was no telling how many had been made. That alone, forgetting about Shou, was a disaster in the making. ?[B]I need more information.[/B]? He hadn?t realized that he had spoken out loud until Karl gave him an odd look and then looked away. That was another thing, ever since Isen had snapped at him, Karl had been moody. He was trying to hide it but they had been partnered for three thousand years. It didn?t matter what form Karl was in, Gavrie could see it. Karl was acting calm, but the slight air of distraction and odd look of almost pain that would vanish the moment he realized Gavrie was looking at him, had him convinced he was brooding. He supposed it was understandable; it had been at least half a millennia, if not longer, since someone had reacted so strongly to him being marked. Those who could remove the mark were long since dead and only his smaller form would hide the obvious visual reminder. It was no surprise that Karl preferred it, though most werecats did, mark or not. ?[B]You know,[/B]? Gavrie said off handedly. ?[B]Being moody isn?t going to solve anything.[/B]? ?[B]Weren?t you just saying that you need more information?[/B]? Karl?s eyebrow shot up as he gave Gavrie a look that said he was being stupid. ?[B]Surely that?s not what you were talking about.[/B]? ?[B]No, it?s not, it?s still true though.[/B]? Karl?s eyes narrowed slightly and Gavrie pressed on. ?[B]We didn?t get to finish our meeting with Nathan.[/B]? He explained. ?[B]What more was there to learn?[/B]? Karl kept his expression even. ?[B]We know that Shou still lives.[/B]? He fought to keep the bitterness out of his voice. ?[B]We?ve learned that they?re probably using human souls to forge the blades; and apparently the Council knows and seems to be sitting on their asses doing nothing about it.[/B]? Now it was Gavrie?s turn to give him a look like he was being stupid. ?[B]We got side tracked by Victor interrupting the meeting, among other things.[/B]? He finished meaningfully. Karl couldn?t resist rolling his eyes slightly. ?[B]I?m sure Isen would be [I]thrilled[/I] to have us return for another visit.[/B]? He clamped down on his irritation and shut up, not wishing to go down that path. ?[B]You could always check on Adrian and Astera while I meet with Nathan.[/B]? Gavrie grinned. ?[B]You know, to make sure he?s not slacking off on keeping fit.[/B]? ?[B]You?ve already made up your mind to go back.[/B]? Karl said flatly. He was not amused. ?[B]I already sent him a message.[/B]? His grin widened. ?[B]After all, I did promise to explain that lucky strike from our spar before.[/B]? ?[B]What did he say?[/B]? ?[B]I haven?t gotten an answer yet.[/B]? Karl stared at him through narrowed eyes. ?[B]You just want to spar with him because of who he is.[/B]? ?[B]That?s certainly possible,[/B]? Gavrie conceded. ?[B]However, there?s no denying that he?s very good. Other than a few back home, everyone has gotten soft over the millennia?s. There's hardly anyone around who can keep up with me in a spar.[/B]? "[B]Don't you mean beat you?[/B]" Karl smirked. "[B]I'm sure he could.[/B]" Gavrie said candidly. "[B]Like I said, there are few who can keep up let alone land a blow like he did.[/B]" Karl couldn?t argue that point, training simply didn?t go beyond the basics and hadn?t for a very long time. Cases like Adrian and Astera were few and far between. Over the centuries the training had steadily decreased until it was nothing more than a joke. Karl could perhaps understand not bothering with full training, but Reapers were eternal so time wasn?t an issue. "[B]Anyway, there's no hurry, we'll be on Earth for a while yet.[/B]" Gavrie said when Karl didn't respond. "[B]They've given me an additional list of targets to take care of.[/B]" Karl didn't seem to want to discuss it and Gavrie let the matter drop. He hadn't heard back from Nathan yet so it could wait until later. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was overlooking something though. [CENTER]-------------------------[/CENTER] Gavrie got an answer from Nathan, just as he knew he would. He was about to suggest meeting up in the city again when it occurred to him that it would be better to avoid any location where certain nosy vampires could conveniently show up. With that thought in mind, he suggested a halfway point between assignments, a location that was not on his schedule and therefore less likely to be known. ?[B]You?re going overboard on the caution.[/B]? Karl told him. Gavrie grinned faintly, ?[B]And here I thought you?d be pleased that we?re not going to see the others again.[/B]? Karl just snorted; saying nothing as they finally met up with Nathan and then came in to land in one of the many forests in New Zealand. He had nothing against Isen he just knew, from experience, how much his presence made other werecats uncomfortable. The same was true of some of the other Shinigami as well, even if they were more accepting of his situation. He put it out of mind and focused on what the others were saying instead. ?[B]I wanted to finish our meeting where certain individuals wouldn?t just happen to be strolling by.[/B]? Gavrie was answering Nathan?s question. ?[B]Starting with how your tech girl managed to get her hands on the information that Shou Jian is alive and well.[/B]? [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][quote name='botar15]It might just be me, but the OB is getting a little run down. [/QUOTE]Explain run down, generalizations don't really explain anything. How is it run down? Be specific. [QUOTE=botar15]The Theator is crammed with ancient threads that haven't been posted in for years, [/QUOTE]Usually the answer to something like that is to create new rp's or start threads with new topics, instead of whining because there are older threads in there that aren't active anymore. No one is stopping you from creating a rp or joining one to increase activity.[QUOTE=botar15]the invisible feature sucks[/QUOTE]Sucks or doesn't work? I'm currently using it and it works fine for me.[QUOTE=botar15]the Info kiosk is just run down.[/QUOTE]Again, explain how it's run down. That means absoutely nothing really.[QUOTE=botar15']If you have any, "Complaints" post them here. Lets make OB a bettet place, One member at a time.[/quote]Complaints are nice and all, but when they're generalizations that don't explain what's wrong or make suggestions on how to improve, they're ultimately worthless. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]Other than to wonder about legitimate health issues... I'd say it's kind of sad that they can't live on that much or claim it's not enough. [QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Actually it's more like extremely high levels of intuition and empathy filtered through logic. Ask [COLOR=DarkRed]Indi[/COLOR]. She knows.[/FONT][/QUOTE][FONT="Verdana"]¬_¬[/FONT] Don't make me [I]maim[/I] you. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]The recession hasn't changed my swearing habits at all. I don't swear very often and it certainly hasn't increased. I do agree with the article when it's talking about there being too much of it. Anytime I come across someone who can't get through any sentence without tossing in cusswords, all I think is... what an uneducated moron.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Harrison_Almagest.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Macey_Ellen.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Harrison groaned inwardly when Macey absent mindedly handed her bag to their one and only crewmember, Arnold Davis. He could see the startled look in the man?s eyes and he gave a quick shake of his head, hoping he?d just put her things away without a fuss. Obviously Macey was still used to being waited on hand and foot. It probably never occurred to her to consider that there wouldn?t be anyone onboard to tend to her needs. She had taken in his plainer dress and assumed he was a crewmember; and he was, but not the kind she thought. [I]The Maria[/I] was a specially built ship, designed to be nearly completely automatic. It was of course a little better than most pleasure cruisers since they would be heading to much higher altitudes than airships usually took, but in order to maintain a certain level of secrecy and keep things quiet, there was no crew to speak of. Colonel Tallis had the necessary expertise should things go wrong with the ship and though he didn?t have the official certificate just yet, Harrison could fly it if need be. To his relief the man picked up on it and simply turned and walked off with Macey?s stuff. [I]I?ll make sure to talk to her,[/I] he thought when she had left to go and see the others. Arnold was along to handle the chimeras they would be using, not to wait on Macey or anyone else for that matter. He watched her head for the bridge and groaned at what she was wearing. [I] I hope she brought something other than skirts.[/I] If what he had read about the summit was correct, she?d freeze in her current outfit. He shook it off and followed Mr. Davis, taking a moment to apologize to him before heading back to find the others. Considering how much Macey and Bavaria did not get along, he was not surprised to run into Macey first. It wouldn't have made sense for her to hang out on the bridge where Bavaria was. ?[B]Harrison,[/B]? She said warmly. ?[B]Perhaps you could show me where my quarters are since the crew seems to have vanished.[/B]? ?[B]They didn?t vanish.[/B]? He answered her, ?[B]We don?t have crewmembers.[/B]? ?[B]Don?t be silly Harrison. How else did my bag get to my quarters?[/B]? His eyebrow shot up. ?[B]That was Mr. Davis; he?s our handler for the chimeras.[/B]? ?[B]I see, then perhaps you could show me where it is.[/B]? She seemed unconcerned that he might have other duties. ?[B]We can catch up on how you?ve been.[/B]? He pointed down the hallway, ?[B]Take a left, it will be the first room on the right.[/B]? Harrison sighed slightly. ?[B]I hope you have something other than dresses Macey, otherwise you?re going to freeze.?[/B] ?[B]Of course I do. Don?t be snide Harrison.[/B]? ?[B]Macey, just be sure to be prepared.[/B]? He turned and headed to the bridge. [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Harrison_Almagest.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Macey_Ellen.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Ivan_Almagest.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/ladybavariaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Harrison just watched as Colonel Tallis brought the ship in to land in one of the snow covered valleys further up on the Vosper summit. [I]The Maria[/I] was vibrating violently from the winds but everything seemed to be under control as he set her down in a small clearing among some tall pine trees. ?[B]Right, let?s get going.[/B]? Tallis said once the ship was securely on the ground. ?[B]There?s plenty of daylight hours left and loading up the chimeras shouldn?t take long.[/B]? He turned to look at Macey and Bavaria who had changed clothing, it wasn?t as good as what he and Harrison had or Ivan and Arnold for that matter, but it was better than the dresses. With a slight glare at one another, the two left to go and get their things. ?[B]This is going to be fun.[/B]? Harrison said sarcastically once the two women had left. ?[B]I know it?s none of my business, but those two do not like one another at all.[/B]? Tallis grinned as he finished shutting the airship down before getting up. ?[B]We?ll just pretend that the two are best friends.[/B]? ?[B]Sir?[/B]? ?[B]Unless they actually fight, you just ignore any childish jabs or fighting. It?s pretty simple really.[/B]? He explained. ?[B]At least the cold will probably shut both of them up.[/B]? Ivan chimed in. Both of them turned to look at him and he flushed slightly. ?[B]I mean? uh? I doubt either one of them is used to it?[/B]? Tallis laughed. ?[B]Don?t worry lad. Just don?t go repeating that where they can hear you.[/B]? ?[B]I won?t.[/B]? [CENTER]-------------------------------[/CENTER] The wind was blowing fiercely as the group made their way through the snow. It was obvious that the chimeras were ignoring the snow that was nearly blinding them. To make matters worse, their compasses has stopped working properly almost immediately as they climbed upwards. They had a map but the blinding snow made it hard to tell if they were going in the right direction, other than up that is. Macey was right behind Colonel Tallis on her chimera with Ivan between her and Bavaria who was back by Harrison and Arnold who were bringing up the rear. ?[B]Are you sure the chimeras can take this[/B]?? Bavaria was huddled miserably under her thick cloak that had been given to her. ?[B]Of course Lady Bavaria,[/B]? Davis answered. ?[B]This type of chimera was actually bred for this kind of climate. They could curl up in the snow and their thick undercoat would keep them warm without any trouble.[/B]? Bavaria sighed. ?[B]If you say so.[/B]? She pulled the reins closer to her torso in an attempt to keep her arms inside the heavy cloak better. She pulled on the reigns, slowing the chimera down before it could catch up with Macey and Colonel Tallis who were well in the lead. "[B]The snow is certainly pretty isn't it Colonel?[/B]" Macey's voice echoed back to them, a definite edge of disdain could clearly be heard. Tallis just muttered a short reply and kept paying attention to their surroundings. The wind picked up again as it started to snow even harder, making it nearly impossible for Harrison and the others to see the two in front. There was a sudden flash followed by a sharp crack filling the air, causing the chimera?s to jump and shift sideways a bit. Ivan?s numb fingers lost their grasp and he tumbled off of his startled chimera to land in the white snow with a grunt of surprise. The chimera moved a few paces and then stopped, confused by the sudden loss of its rider. Harrison couldn?t help but snicker as Ivan tried to get back on his feet and slipped and fell face first into the snow, cursing under his breath. He still maneuvered the animal over and extended his hand to help Ivan get back up. He let go once Ivan had steadied himself, staying put while Davis brought the chimera back to where he was standing, brushing the snow off of his cloak. ?[B]Are you alright?[/B]? Davis asked him as Ivan climbed back on the chimera. ?[B]Yeah, my fingers were cold so I lost my grip when it shied sideways.[/B]? He explained. ?[B]Here,[/B]? Davis dug into one of his packs and pulled out a set of gloves. ?[B]This will work better than what you?re currently wearing.[/B]? He tossed them to Ivan who caught them and pulled off his other ones to replace them. ?[B]Thanks,[/B]? He stuffed his other ones into the pack resting behind him on the chimera. ?[B]We?d better hurry,[/B]? Bavaria spoke up. ?[B]I?ve lost sight of the others.[/B]? Harrison looked up the trail and sure enough, he could see no sign of the other two. Had they not realized that Ivan had fallen off? With a grim look they tried to follow their tracks as best as they could, but there was too much snow and they couldn?t be certain if they were actually following the right trail or not. ?[B]Stop.[/B]? Harrison finally said fifteen minutes later. ?[B]The Colonel wouldn?t just keep going without checking every now and then. We must have taken a wrong turn or something.[/B]? ?[B]It hasn?t been that long Harrison,[/B]? Bavaria pointed out. ?[B]He probably just hasn?t noticed yet.[/B]? Harrison shook his head. ?[B]No, he was looking back every minute or so?[/B]? Another brilliant flash assaulted their eyes. It was immediately followed by a deafening crack and then a deep rumbling sound. There was nothing the group could do except hold onto their chimeras who shied and shifted nervously. The group could feel the ground rumbling beneath their feet and then it was over. ?[B]What just happened?[/B]? Ivan cried. ?[B]It sounded like it came from the trail behind us.[/B]? Davis looked grim. ?[B]I?m going to check real quick, stay put.[/B]? He was only gone for a few minutes but his expression was even grimmer when he returned. ?[B]There was a small avalanche, probably triggered by the storm.[/B]? ?[B]Damn.[/B]? Harrison swore. ?[B]What about the others?[/B]? ?[B]I?m sure they?re fine, it wasn?t that big. There?s no way for us to backtrack and look for other trails though.[/B]? ?[B]I suppose not.[/B]? Harrison thought about it for a moment, what would the Colonel do?[I] He would stay calm and take the best route for finding the others. he wouldn't panic.[/I] He took a deep breath to steady himself. He would do the same. ?[B]We know that according to the map for this area, there?s an opening further up before you get to a canyon on the map. We should make for that and then see if we can spot them.[/B]? Harrison finally said. ?[B]Aren?t you forgetting the storm?[/B]? Ivan pointed out. ?[B]No, I?m not.[/B]? Harrison pointed towards the sky. ?[B]There are a few breaks so hopefully by the time we get there; it will have cleared off enough for us to spot the others.[/B]? "[B]And if we don't?[/B]" Bavaria asked in a worried tone. "[B]Then we'll look for a trail that leads back down to hunt for them.[/B]" Harrison glanced at Davis who nodded in agreement. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']The update to this story is that, apparently, these two are no longer together. I did read that a few weeks ago.[/font][/quote]That is what I read as well: [URL="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24634671-5006787,00.html"]Article[/URL] Anyway, putting the media circus aside, I find things like this kind of interesting. From the psychological standpoint of trying to understand how they happen in the first place. Not when children are involved though since those incidents are considered abuse. However, when it's supposedly consenting adults, the general thought is that the people involved have mental health issues. And that's what I'm curious about, whether or not that's accurate. Obviously more research and study is needed to determine if that is true or not. As for the actual practice, other than to find the idea of intimate relations with someone in my family repugnant, what others do doesn't really affect me. So I really don't care. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="1"]~snip~[/SIZE] [I]Speaking of which, where the hell does Nathan get off? [SIZE="1"]~snip~[/SIZE] Nathan said something about expecting some confrontation. He was probably putting it mildly.[/I] [SIZE="1"]~snip~[/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]There is one minor detail about your post that you might want to fix Ace. My character's name is Harrison, not Nathan. =P [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]kittens 3 was spreading this in chat so I'm sharing it with all of you. Enjoy! [CENTER][IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r201/zelda4ever/Legend%20Of%20Zelda/Zelda.gif?t=1237153333[/IMG][/CENTER][/FONT][/COLOR]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="Indigo"][CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/ladybavariaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Lady Bavaria calmly watched Harrison storm off after snapping at her. As much as she wanted to say something, she did not. It had been three years and yet she had been unable to mend the gap that had come between her and some of the other Almagests. There were some things that being a diplomat couldn?t cure. It was her job to smooth relations between countries and she had at least been able to mend the difference between Alecia, Alexander, Catherine and herself. Mainly because they had been mature enough to look back and see that they were allowing their emotions to get the better of them. Something, if she was honest with herself, she had done as well. Lady Bavaria did not regret ordering Anna to leave Rosengard, but she was at least a little willing to admit that doing so in such a public manner had damaged her relationship with the others. ?[B]Lady Bavaria.[/B]? She turned to find the Colonel approaching and she wondered if he had overheard the exchange between her and Harrison. ?[B]Colonel Tallis. I trust everything is ready for the trip?[/B]? ?[B]It is.[/B]? He replied. ?[B]It seems that Macey Almagest will be joining us just outside Brigit Town since she?s insisting on visiting Leonhart first.[/B]? He looked in the direction that Harrison had taken. ?[B]Once I take care of something, we?ll get going.[/B]? ?[B]Wait Colonel Tallis.[/B]? Bavaria waited for him to look back. ?[B]I?d like to ask a favor of you.[/B]? ?[B]What did you need?[/B]? He asked. She explained what had happened. ?[B]I?ll take care of that, we don?t need more shameful displays like that.[/B]? He nodded grimly. ?[B]I?ll do that right now in fact.[/B]? She raised her hand and he stopped. ?[B]Colonel, it was not shameful, just inexperienced. Harrison has yet to learn what needs to be addressed and what doesn?t.[/B]? She said firmly. ?[B]If he has genuine concerns, that?s something to be brought up with you, as is proper. And though there is some truth to what he says, sometimes it?s best to leave certain things alone.[/B]? He gave her a peculiar look. ?[B]What would you have me do then?[/B]? ?[B]Talk to him. What he thinks of me is not important. What is important is that such bluntness and talking back, even if he has a point, will end up hurting his career. Help him to understand that there is a time and place for certain things.[/B]? Colonel Tallis nodded, his expression softened. ?[B]I understand Lady Bavaria, you have my assurances that I?ll make sure he understands how important it is to not allow personal feelings interfere with his sworn duty.[/B]? ?[B]Thank you Colonel.[/B]? She watched him head down the corridor of the small airship. If she couldn?t have Harrison?s friendship, she would at least do what she could to ensure his success as an officer in the military. It was what a diplomat was best at. Doing what they could to keep things running smoothly regardless of how it affected their personal lives. That was another lesson she had learned from her father. [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Harrison_Almagest.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] This was going to be a long trip, Harrison could already tell as he stormed off from the cockpit of [I]The Maria[/I]. He wondered what had been going through Leonhart?s mind to posses him to consider taking someone like Ivan and Macey along for a trip to find some Xear artifact. A trip like that would have been better handled by the Military from the beginning. Ivan had no experience or training at all, Leonhart was, to be blunt, too old for such trips and his recent heart attack was proof of that, the fool was lucky it had happened now instead of during the trip. Without immediate medical care, he would have died. Probably the only one who was in a position to be gallivanting about was Macey. But now, thanks to the old man being sick, he was stuck with Lady Bavaria and once Macey came aboard? [I]That?s going to be interesting.[/I] Out of all of Leonheart?s children and other relatives, she hated Bavaria the most. He didn?t like her but his objection was that she was a diplomat, not an explorer. Macey on the other hand, loathed her more than he did. Harrison sighed before slamming his fist into the bulkhead of the ship. ?[B]First Lt. Almagest.[/B]? A voice said sharply from behind him, the tone making him wince.[I] Oh hell. [/I] He turned and cringed inwardly at the look of disapproval on Colonel Tallis?s face. [I]That bitch must have complained,[/I] he thought uncharitably as he snapped to attention and attempted to keep his feelings from showing. ?[B]Yes sir?[/B]? He said woodenly. ?[B]Care to explain why you?re behaving like a Cadet?[/B]? ?[B]Sir?[/B]? He looked at him in disbelief and then snapped. ?[B]Surely you jest![/B]? He exclaimed. Harrison gestured towards the cockpit with his right hand in an angry manner. ?[B]She doesn?t belong here and you know it![/B]? ?[B]Did I ask for your opinion?[/B]? Tallis said sharply. Harrison flushed, taken aback. ?[B]No sir, you did not.[/B]? He lowered his arm. ?[B]I?m sorry sir, it won?t happen again.[/B]" He looked down at the floor. ?[B]Harrison,[/B]? He looked back up. ?[B]Whether or not you think she should be here is irrelevant. You?ve been given an order by the Dynast to assist with this expedition. That includes working with the people assigned to it. Do you honestly think you?re in a position to judge who is capable or not?[/B]? Harrison flushed again, feeling really stupid. ?[B]No sir. I?m sorry sir.?[/B] ?[B]Good, keep that in mind.[/B]? Colonel Tallis said sternly. ?[B]As an officer you are going to have assignments that make no sense, and you [I]will [/I]be asked to work with people you don?t like. Unless you genuinely feel that their presence will comprise the mission, then you need to keep your mouth shut and do your job.[/B]? Harrison nodded. ?[B]I understand sir.[/B]? Tallis nodded in return. ?[B]Excellent. Now, let?s go and pick up Macey Almagest.[/B]? The Colonel grinned wryly. ?[B]I understand those two don?t get along at all.[/B]? Harrison grimaced. ?[B]You have no idea sir.[/B]? ?[B]Oh?[/B]? His eyebrow shot up. ?[B]In that case I expect you to do your best to head off any hostility between the two. You know Macey Almagest better than I do.[/B]? Harrison sighed slightly. ?[B]I don?t know about that sir, but I?ll do what I can.[/B]? ?[B]See that you do, we don?t want this mission to fail because of personal disagreements that have no place here.[/B]? Harrison nodded again. ?[B]Yes sir.[/B]? He watched the Colonel turn and head back to the cockpit of the airship. Gods, it was going to be a long trip. He sighed again. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]Guys, lets keep some of the bantering out of the backstage. the only fighting we should be seeing here is between the characters instead of each other, seriously. [QUOTE=Shy][size=1]I don't see where that comes from at all, but maybe I'm missing something. Several players have been quick to hate her since day one. But yes, the Bavaria rehabilitation process is coming. And soon. -Shy[/size][/QUOTE]Harrison doesn't like her, but he doesn't hate her. He just has a very low opinion of her. Remember, he's 17 and still quite young. Plus, he's never gotten to really know her so he doesn't know what she's truly like. As for the other... It will be done. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][quote name='Shy][size=1']The Czenovians haven't even left yet, but if someone wants to handle that feel free. We haven't gotten a formal introduction to Harrison's commanding officer... have we?[/size][/quote]Well the idea is that they left shortly after Harrison and Colonel Tallis arrived. Since I placed them there I figured that someone else would be posting to move that forward, but I can do so later if no one else does. As for Colonel Tallis, we'll see. Perhaps he's single or perhaps he has a wife and two kids back in High Czenoble. =P I can say that he's 36 years old if that helps a little. Try medium build, sandy brown hair and brown eyes. =P Anything else will come out as the story progresses. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"][QUOTE=Gavin][SIZE="1"]*Shrug* I don't really need one day to make me appreciate a culture I live in every day.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]Translation: Gavin is [I]LAZY.[/I] =P I don't do anything for this day. I wear something green if I remember, but that's it.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]So very spiffy looking, like always. Props to whoever did the Love Shack. [I] [SIZE="1"]*snicker*[/SIZE][/I] And of course congrats to everyone and everything that was nominated this year. Oh and I have to say this you know... I'M NOT MARRIED YET! That won't happen until November. lolz [/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Indigo"]No vampires. I figured there was no point. But there is a Chris! =P [I][SIZE="1"]*pokes Sabrina for no reason whatsoever*[/SIZE][/I] :D[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][B][SIZE="2"]Without Wings[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [B][I]-This ought to be interesting.-[/I][/B] Astera?s laughter rang through his mind. [B][I]?You find the idea of dodging cars and humans amusing.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-Of course. Even if I didn?t, I?d still do it.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-You realize this means you have to come up with ideas for training right?-[/I][/B] Adrian snorted. [B][I]?Of course. I?ll just take some of what Karl had us do and modify it.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-Cheater.-[/I][/B] She teased. Adrian just smiled a bit. He landed on the sidewalk as Astera took to the air and followed Nall. He pulled out the map and ran his mind over the path again, committing it to memory. Unless something happened, he should remember it just fine. ?[B]You ready?[/B]? Alex asked once he had tucked the map back into his tunic. Adrian shifted his existence slightly, feeling things pass through him was going to be odd, if he messed up and hit something that is. He wondered if it would throw him off if he did. [B][I]-So don?t hit anything.- [/I][/B]Astera snickered. [B][I]?Or you could do it on purpose to find out.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-Hush you.-[/I][/B] He shot back. Astera just laughed even more, making him smile a bit. Alex was still waiting for him to reply, giving him an odd look as he did so. ?[B]What?s the look for?[/B]? ?[B]You were talking to Astera weren?t you?[/B]? ?[B]Yeah.[/B]? ?[B]I wondered if that was what you were doing,[/B]? Alex pointed to his forehead. ?[B]You scrunch your eyebrows together a bit when you?re concentrating.[/B]? Adrian tilted his head to the side a touch. ?[B]Shall we start?[/B]? ?[B]Right, on my mark? [I]go![/B]? [/I] With a grin, Adrian took off. He figured it shouldn?t be too hard to dodge cars, even if they moved quickly; they still were limited by their traffic laws. [B][I]-Since when did humans ever obey laws?-[/I][/B] Astera snerked. He didn?t bother to reply, dodging between two oncoming cars, his left foot hitting one of the yellow lines that ran along the pavement as he ran between them. He felt a hint of a breeze tugging at his clothing since he was partially in the human world. A brief tickling sensation hit his left elbow and he realized it had brushed the edge of a mirror jutting out the side of the car he had just passed. [B][I]?Shit.- [/I][/B] At least he knew what it felt like but still, to hit something almost immediately? Karl would have never let him forget it. [B][I]-What makes you think I?ll forget?-[/I][/B] Astera needled him. Adrian laughed as he swerved to avoid a car changing lanes, barely missing the back bumper, but the move placed himself in the path of an oncoming car. He didn?t have the time to avoid it and he shoved off in an attempt to clear it, barely remembering at the last moment to not fly. [B][I]-I forgot to ask if we could jump.- [/I][/B]Shinigami could easily clear thirty feet, and he sailed over the car to touch back down between two more of them. [B][I]-Nall doesn?t know if jumping?s alright or not.-[/I][/B] Adrian let his momentum carry him forward, stepping to the right to avoid a truck and then immediately to the left to avoid a motorcyclist running between two cars illegally. [B][I]-I?m going to try and avoid it.-[/I][/B] Adrian replied. [B][I]?If I can simply jump, that makes it too easy.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-I agree.-[/I][/B] Astera said. The first major intersection proved to be a tiny bit more challenging; the traffic was going across, forcing them to slip between them. This time it was Alex who didn?t completely manage to dodge one of the vehicles and when he caught him glancing in his direction, he couldn?t resist a slight smirk. Alex just grinned sheepishly and continued. Adrian turned back and then cursed colorfully when he ended up going through half of a car before he could properly dodge. The sound of Astera?s laughter echoed through his mind and in the air. He couldn?t blame her, he had earned [I]that[/I] one. Alex had said it wasn?t a race against one another so other than to pay attention to where he was located; he shouldn?t have been smug about Alex messing up a bit. [B][I]-This is where Karl would be reminding me that I?m an idiot.-[/I][/B] He thought ruefully. He could tell that Astera was amused, but she didn?t bother to respond. Adrian made a note of it though. He was feeling competitive and that just wouldn?t do, at least not for something like this. They needed to work together and the only thing he should be worrying over was where Alex was in relation to his own movements. They would phase right through other things, but not each other. [B][I]-You run into Alex and I?ll tell Karl.-[/I][/B] Astera joked. [B][I]-If I?m that clumsy, I deserve it.-[/I][/B] He turned the corner, the first park coming up and he nearly halted in surprise. The park had a festival set up and it was literally teeming with people going about. Adrian had felt their auras but for some odd reason he had thought they were in a building. [B][I]-Lovely.- [/I][/B]There were too many of them and in spite of his best efforts, he ended up coming into contact with someone three times before he was back on the next street and dodging cars. [B][I]-Vehicles are a thousand times easier to dodge.-[/I][/B] [B][I]-It?s too bad they don?t have fairs more often.- [/I][/B]Astera said. [B][I]?I think you?d both benefit from it.-[/I][/B] Adrian had nothing to say to that. He knew it was just training, but he still hated messing up. He willed himself to let it go. He had the same problem when he had worked with Karl and Gavrie. He just wished he could move like Nathan could without needing to channel Astera?s ability. He was approaching the next park when he was surprised by a familiar aura suddenly showing up and a blur of movement in front of him caught his attention. Startled he faltered, running through a car before coming to a halt at the edge of the park. It was Nathan?s sister, Chris. [B][I]?What is she doing here?-[/I][/B] He hadn't felt her aura until they were almost next to her. Puzzled he looked over at Alex and then back to the park. Alex had come to a halt as well and Nall flew down to land on his shoulder. Adrian started walking in Chris's direction, the others following his lead. He wondered if she knew they were there, but then she turned her head and flashed a grin in their direction.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]Jared finished his daily stretches in his cell, [I]again[/I]. He sat back down on the tiny bed, resisting the urge to sigh out loud. If they weren?t going to bother to even attempt to interrogate him what was the point in keeping him at all? They may as well transfer him to a real prison and be done with it. At least there he would have some small contact that would let him better gauge the passing of time. This constant isolation made it difficult to keep track of anything at all, let alone how much time had passed. He knew he had been a prisoner for at least two months but it felt much longer. At this rate, they were going to lose out on quite a bit of information, not that he was going to tell them anything. He knew he shouldn?t be surprised by the incompetence of the New Alliance, but all things considered, he [I]had[/I] expected better. The door opened and his[I] it?s about time[/I] remark died before he even uttered it, his jaw dropping open in surprise as several people entered the room. He just stared at the trio, too startled to think. [I]How did Crystal??[/I] He closed his mouth and started to rise. ?[B]Stay put Jared.[/B]? She ordered, as she aimed her medical scanner at him. ?[B]Crystal.[/B]? He sat back down, glancing at the two with her. They were keeping a close watch as if they were expecting him to do something. But that didn?t make any sense and how had they managed to even find him? He hadn?t heard or felt anything to indicate a battle. It didn?t fit; he thought he was being transported somewhere via ship. No wait. Kiva Salqarian had sent him through a transport door into what he had believed was another ship. Had he been wrong after all? Something didn?t feel right, but he couldn?t place it. ?[B]What is going on? How??[/B]? Crystal raised one hand and he hushed. She looked at the scanner and then tucked it back into her pocket. She reached up to her right ear, touching the headset she was wearing. ?[B]Open a transport door to treatment room one immediately.[/B]? ?[B]Yes sir. Opening door now.[/B]? [I]Treatment?[/I] He stared as a transport door opened inside the cell. Uncertain, he waited for Crystal to tell him what to do. The whole thing just seemed too surreal. How had they found him? Where was he? How was the war? He had so many questions to ask her and it took all of his patience to simply wait. ?[B]Finish checking the ship.[/B]? Crystal ordered the two with her. ?[B]But sir?[/B]? ?[B]You have your orders,[/B]? Crystal said sharply. The two saluted. ?[B]At once Commander.[/B]? She waited for them to leave before turning back to Jared. She sighed and then motioned for him to get up. Crystal stared at him and then finally grinned before pulling him into a fierce hug, startled he hesitantly hugged her back. ?[B]You idiot![/B]? She chastised him when she finally let go. ?[B]I thought you were dead.[/B]? She looked like she was holding back tears. Jared grinned in return. ?[B]I?m not that easy to kill.[/B]? ?[B]You?ve been missing for over three months Jared.[/B]? She replied grimly. ?[B]We knew you had been captured, but we didn?t know if you were still alive or not.[/B]? She frowned darkly, ?[B]At least if they knew, no one bothered to tell me.[/B]? Jared started. [I]Three months?[/I] His brow furrowed, he could have sworn it hadn?t been longer than two and a half at the most. He recalled being drugged when he had first been captured, but it hadn?t seemed like he was out for very long, had he been wrong about that too? Crystal sighed. ?[B]Let?s get going before they think something?s wrong.[/B]? Jared nodded. He turned and went through the transport door, Crystal close behind. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Harrison_Almagest.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Harrison wasn?t at all sorry that the reception came to an end. He had been only too glad to take the transport back to the [I]Tempest[/I] and incidentally leave all of the family nonsense behind. There was something oddly comforting about having a routine that relied on more precise rules and regulations. There were exceptions of course but for the most part, one always knew what was expected of them. He did find some of his duties rather tedious but he was more than willing to put up with it. What he enjoyed the most was the specialized training. His sword master at CHAOS had been good, but quite a few of the teachers on the [I]Tempest[/I] were better. He?d learned a lot about using different weapons in the past three years, but he still liked sword work the best. And now, as his eighteenth birthday approached, he was being put through more training to prepare him for accepting even more responsibility. Harrison worked hard so he believed his superiors when they told him he had earned the commission. However, he still felt self conscious on account of technically not being old enough to enlist, at least not yet. [I]I should stop letting it worry me[/I], he thought as he finished getting cleaned up after his training session. ?[B]Second Lieutenant Almagest.[/B]? Harrison turned to see who was addressing him, the comb he had been using to straighten his damp hair in his hand. It was Colonel Tallis. ?[B]Yes sir?[/B]? ?[B]Come with me.[/B]? He turned and headed straight to where Harrison?s quarters were located. ?[B]Sir?[/B]? ?[B]Pack your things; you?re being assigned to co-lead an expedition on behalf of the Dynast.[/B]? Harrison?s eyebrow shot up. [I]What?[/I] He looked at Colonel Tallis, but he just motioned with his chin towards the door. Puzzled, Harrison did as he was told, gathering what he would need. It didn't take long. He didn?t have a lot of stuff anyway. He still couldn?t shake the confusion as Colonel Tallis took him to one of the many bays of the ship and boarded one of the smaller air shuttles. He was a little surprised when he had him stow his stuff in the back and then personally launch the ship once the hatch was secured and the two of them were in the cockpit. ?[B]Here, you?ll need this.[/B]? Colonel Tallis tossed a small metal stripe to Harrison who deftly caught it. It was the little pin for the rank of First Lieutenant. ?[B]Sir?[/B]? ?[B]Leonhart Almagest was planning an expedition to possibly retrieve Xear artifacts.[/B]? He looked over at Harrison. ?[B]I?m sure I don?t have to explain to you what that could possibly mean.[/B]? Harrison shook his head. ?[B]No sir.[/B]? He had been on the [I]Sentinel [/I]when the Cannon the Underdogs had stolen had struck it. There was no doubt in his mind that anything by the Xear had the potential to be extremely dangerous. He looked at the pin and then back at Tallis, ?[B]It doesn?t explain this though.[/B]? ?[B]Sure it does,[/B]? Tallis grinned slightly. ?[B]If you?re going to work as my second for this trip, you need to be more than a glorified errand boy.[/B]? ?[B]I still haven?t earned it.[/B]? Harrison insisted stubbornly. ?[B]Actually, this is like a final test if you will.[/B]? Tallis said seriously. ?[B]It?s unlikely that you?d fail and you were due to receive it shortly anyway. It?s not unusual for someone to receive a promotion in advance if the situation warrants it. We?ll be crossing into other countries and though the chance is slim, not having the proper authority could hamper our efforts.[/B]? It hadn?t occurred to him that they would be leaving the borders of Czenovia. Harrison nodded. ?[B]Understood sir.[/B]? He unfastened the other pin and replaced it with the new one. [hr=100]indigo[/hr] [CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Harrison_Almagest.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest%202/Ivan_Almagest.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/ladybavariaavatar.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] It took them what seemed like forever to get to where the ship for the expedition was docked in High Czenoble. Harrison wasn?t too keen on returning but at least he wouldn?t have to visit anyone at Rosengard, or Leonhart since it seemed he was in the hospital. Colonel Tallis had made it clear that they would be departing almost immediately. He grabbed his stuff and followed Tallis to where the ship they would be taking was docked. Harrison didn?t know who was more surprised when he ran into Ivan onboard. [I]What is that kid doing here?[/I] ?[B]What are you doing here?[/B]? Ivan asked as he opened the door to the small quarters to stash his stuff away. ?[B]I could ask the same of you.[/B]? Harrison pointed out. ?[B]Last I heard you?re on the brink of being tossed out of CHAOS.[/B]? Ivan stiffened slightly. ?[B]I was asked to come by Leonhart.[/B]? Harrison smirked. ?[B]Whatever kid.[/B]? He turned his back on Ivan and headed for the bridge of the airship, ignoring anything else he had to say. He was almost to there when he ran into Bavaria. [I]What the hell is she doing here?[/I] ?[B]Hello Harrison,[/B]? She said politely. ?[B]Come to see us off?[/B]? Bavaria smiled sweetly, ?[B]Oh no Harrison, I?m along for the trip.[/B]? ?[B]Oh?[/B]? Harrison?s eyebrow shot up. ?[B]I heard that Leonhart is in the hospital.[/B]? ?[B]That?s why I?m here since he?s not able to lead this himself.[/B]? Harrison kept his expression as neutral as possible. ?[B]So Colonel Tallis isn?t going to lead this after all?[/B]? ?[B]Oh no Harrison, you misunderstand. He?ll still be responsible for the expedition.[/B]? She explained. ?[B]If that?s the case, you should go and take care of Leonhart.[/B]? Harrison said coldly. ?[B]You did more than enough damage the last time he was incapacitated.[/B]? Harrison swiftly dodged around her and hurried to the bridge before she could answer. If this was his test, putting up with Bavaria, to earn the rank of First Lieutenant, he wasn?t sure he wanted it.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Arial"]I think Allamorph already did a good job of critiquing the stories so I'm not going to bother to get into that. Anyway, I did enjoy both of them but I can only choose one, so I'll just vote for the one that entertained me the most. In this case that would be [B]Anomaly[/B]. [/FONT][/COLOR]