Horendithas

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]Weekdays, due to my high school routine, I'm usually in bed/asleep by about 10:30/11:00 pm due to the fact I have a 6:45 am start five days a week. Weekends, I don't really have a set time for finishing up at, although 1 or 2 am would be sort of pushing it a little, unlike some people I know, I can't say awake until 5 and 6 in the morning, yeah Crys, I'm talking about you. Heh. Part of that is also linked to the fact I never sleep that late, 8:30/9:00 in the morning is sort of the latest I'd ever wake up at nowadays. Although with three months off coming up soon, and college after that, I imagine that particular trait may be subject to change.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]Time off and especially college will change that for you, I just about guarantee it. :p Before college, when I was in High School, I'd stay up until around midnight to one am and get up between 6-7am. But once I started college and had varying schedules... that all changed. Part of what keeps me online and incidentally up so much is I'm forever having to read material and write stuff for school. Last semester was an absolute monster in that respect. So though I'd be on AIM for 10 hours straight nearly every night, 8 of those hours was spent doing homework, not chatting. The summer is going to be fun since I only have three classes and they only meet twice a week. So I'll have lots of free time and long weekends. I imagine my sleep schedule, other than the two days I have classes is going to be varied a lot. I don't get sleepy easily, so sometimes it takes being awake for at least 24 hours before I'm ready to rest again.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]Both of them were already wished a Happy Birthday shortly after midnight, well midnight for me that is. They'd better be having fun though. :p Anyway, shared birthdays like that are fun, as Darren mentioned. That was what initially let to the two of us talking to one another in High School. Once we realized that we shared the same birthday and year, we ended up being friends, something that has lasted for 12+ years. Now when I was younger my family usually held some sort of party, but when they moved back east and I stayed put in Utah that changed to doing things with friends. Like Darren mentioned, it is on Halloween so usually it's combined with some sort of costume party. It's never the main focus, but the well wishes are always nice. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Oh Lord, there's seven of you now. o_O[/FONT][/QUOTE]Oh I'm sure there are more. :p So welcome aboard amibasuki. I was born in New York City, but I now live in Utah. Ha! Also, the forum is less anime focused than what you were probably use to. Just take a look around and you'll see. Heh.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Lady Asphyxia'][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] Heh, it was always in my member title. It replaced 'of'. I never had it in my custom title. I don't think I ever had a custom title. :p[/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]Sure you did, instead of Member, you had Senior Moderator of Cultural District. :p A custom title until you retired. But since you are one of the coolest person's ever, that star stayed around. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]I have no caffeine fix. Soda just makes me want to throw up, literally. So I never drink the stuff. Coffee smells great and tastes horrid so I never drink that either. I've yet to find an energy drink that doesn't disagree with me either. So basically, I just about never get a caffeine fix. Fortunately energy usually isn't an issue for me so I don't really need one. I tend to get six hours of sleep and I'm good to go. Oh and breakfast to chase that tiny bit of sleepiness from waking away is usually good. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]Just a brief explanation as to why I posted as Greydon Kreid, a short while ago, due to having other things going on in their life, Blayze pulled out of all activities here at OtakuBoards. Including all the rpg's they were a part of. So, as a result, I handled his next objective since it was crucial to the plot. Something that they were fully aware of and expected to happen. Whether or not Greydon Kreid will be written out of the story after that remains to be seen. In the mean time, have fun reading the post... it only took me [I]way[/I] too long to write. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"]Jared had gotten the answer to his question, the one of who and why; but it was not what he had expected. Everything had pointed to an independent party being responsible for his abduction in sector one and he certainly had more than enough enemies who wanted him dead for one reason or another. He had been fairly certain that he was being transported to whoever was responsible, or rather so they could have the satisfaction of killing him themselves. Or even just that tiny bit of reassurance that would come from knowing he really was dead by virtue of being present. He wasn’t terribly surprised to see Kiva Salqarian, at least not in the context of being the one sent to retrieve him. No, he was more surprised that it had turned out to be the New Alliance who had caught him. Those who had captured him to begin with did not behave like true undercover operatives but more like freelancers. This in turn led to him wondering if it had been more of a coincidence than anything else, an issue of seizing the opportunity to catch someone who would be seen as valuable. It certainly explained why they did not kill him. If the New Alliance wanted information, he was useless if he was dead. It changed nothing in his mind, unlike others; he knew perfectly well how to deal with interrogations and the methods one would use. [I]I seriously doubt the New Alliance will be above using torture to attempt to get the information I posses.[/I] The thought brought forth a smile; it would be oddly entertaining to see just how serious or just how far they would be willing to go.[I] This will actually be fun.[/I] His only regret was that he still didn’t know who the woman was that had spent most of his trip, before he was handed over to Kiva, bantering with him. Once he had been transported by Kiva to her ship, the conversations had stopped. Once again he was left with no contact at all, something that did not surprise him since he imagined that Kiva would not be the one to see to his interrogation. A fact that held more weight when without warning he was transported to yet another cell, telling him that she had arrived at her destination. Considering the amount of time that had passed, so long as he had it correctly, it was possible that he was in sector nine. It had certainly been long enough for them to have taken him that far away. Jared just smirked and took a seat on the bed in his new cell and waited. If he was right, before long they would come for him, and then the real fun would begin. [hr=indigo]100[/hr] Every time he turned around, the timing was wrong for putting his mission in motion, leaving Greydon Kreid in the unfortunate position of needing to wait yet again. He had carefully worked his way into Commander Landers confidence and inner circle, but it was a fine line that could break at any time. Especially with the new security personnel Tarika Zaidin recommending that he should be shuffled to duties away from the Commander. It had been both a shock and irritation to finally manage to hack into her personal files only to come across a report indicating that her sole purpose onboard the [I]Liberator[/I] was to investigate him; along with a copy of her current report in regards to him. He had felt that she would be a problem, but he had not expected this. His only saving grace had been her inability to find anything on him. Something that was true for many who had left the Versilan military to join the New Alliance. But it was clear that flushing out those who were loyal to the Versilan Empire was a top priority when the order had come from the Representatives in sector nine to relieve close to ten percent of their personnel from active duty, placing them under arrest. He had spent most of the past couple of days helping to round up the individuals listed, placing them on a ship designated for shipping them to a high security facility elsewhere. The only way the New Alliance could have obtained the list was to have somehow obtained the military records from the databases in sector two. It was a good thing that the records for those in the Elite Specialists & Task Forces were kept in sector one. Otherwise, it was possible that even his records might have been found. Though seeing that he was one of their special covert operatives, even that was highly unlikely. At the moment, other than a select few, no one had a record of his existence. He couldn’t rely on that protection though; it wouldn’t save him from possibly being assigned elsewhere. As much as he would have rather waited, the time to act, if he was to have a chance of succeeding was now. The number of crew on board the [I]Liberator[/I] was reduced by not only those who were planet side assisting with the switch over to New Alliance rule, but also by the personnel that had been arrested and shipped off. It was far from a skeleton crew, but it was probably the best he was going to get. Decided he sent the order for all security to meet in the main security rooms, where most of the weapons were kept carefully locked up. The message indicated that he would be arriving shortly with an important and critical update, but instead he headed for the Commanders quarters. The two responsible for guarding him were still in place at their stations, something that almost made him smile as he approached. He had not sent the message about a meeting to the pair since doing so would have made the next part of his plan an issue and the timing was crucial to what he had in mind. The pair was due to be replaced by the next shift, only they had gotten the message along with an additional note that the current group would wait until the meeting was over for them to come and replace them. The two saluted once Kreid was within range. “[B]At ease. Both of you. I need to have a word with the Commander so you can go, I’ll stick around until the next shift arrives.[/B]” “[B]Understood sir.[/B]” The pair took off immediately, having no reason to doubt Kreid’s word or orders. Once they were gone he pressed the panel to let the Commander know someone was there to see him, a moment later and the door opened. “[B]Did you need something Kreid?[/B]” “[B]I’m sorry to trouble you sir, but there is a small security matter that I need to discuss with you. It will only take a few minutes.[/B]” “[B]Come in then.[/B]” Landers motioned for him to enter, turning around to walk back into his quarters, only turning around to face Kreid once he had entered far enough for both of them to be inside his quarters. Once the door was shut he looked to Kreid to see just what it was he needed to talk about. “[B]It has to do with this report here sir.[/B]” Kreid pulled up the program to first check the visual to see if the security personnel had gathered as ordered and then the one to set off the charges he had rigged the entire section with. He suppressed the urge to smile as the visual confirmed that the fools had gathered in the section as ordered. Without hesitation he sent the signal to detonate the explosives as he pulled up the command for the next location he had carefully rigged. He and the Commander were too far away to feel the vibration the explosion would have caused, but within mere minutes the internal monitoring system sounded an alert, something that before Landers could even say anything was cut off when Kreid immediately triggered the next set of explosives, blowing the main power grid to the[I] Liberator[/I]. The alarm along with the lights cut off for a few seconds until the emergency power kicked in. By the time the emergency lights came on Kreid had one of his KRS-200 series laser pistols trained on the Commander. Kreid had almost expected some stupid comment asking why, but instead the Commander after staring at him for a long moment merely stated the obvious. Something that though he despised the coward for joining the New Alliance, at least proved he wasn’t a total idiot. “[B]So you’re the mole that we’ve been looking for,[/B]” Landers was clearly struggling to keep his voice calm. “[B]And to think I actually trusted you.[/B]” “[B]I don’t give a damn about that,[/B]” Kreid dropped the pretense of actually liking the Commander, his voice biting and cold. “[B]What I do give a damn about is you doing exactly as I tell you. I’ve just destroyed the lockers where the weapons are kept and the main power grid to the[I] Liberator[/I].[/B]” He left out the detail that he had ordered most of the security personnel into the area for a meeting, effectively killing all of them in the blast. “[B]The next set of charges if you fail to cooperate will take out the medical bay.[/B]” Kreid paused briefly for the heated declaration from Landers that he wouldn’t cooperate but instead of saying anything the Commander merely clenched his fists in anger, saying nothing. “[B]Either you come with me to the docking bay or I’ll destroy the medical bay and simply stun you and carry you there. So[I] Commander… [/I]It’s your choice. You can cooperate and come with me, or you can refuse and everyone in the medical bay will die and you’ll [I]still[/I] be coming with me.[/B]” Landers just stared at him and then finally spoke, “[B]Stun me then, I fully expect you to destroy the medical bay whether I cooperate or not.[/B]” “[B]True,[/B]” Kreid squeezed the trigger, hitting the Commander with a light stun blast before moving to kneel besides Landers who had fallen to his hands and knees. He pulled out a small syringe he had prepared in advance, swiftly administering what was in it. The paralyzing agent wouldn’t last more than half an hour and it wouldn’t totally make him unable to move, it would merely impair him enough that to anyone else the Commander would look dazed. “[B]Logically, I should have just stunned you from the beginning, or even tried to manufacture a reason for you to need to come with me to where the [I]Transcendence[/I] is docked. But it’s amazing how many operatives blow their cover by making stupid mistakes like that, people [I]always[/I] notice odd or out of place behavior like that.[/B]” He said conversationally as he tossed the syringe aside and then proceeded to make a small cut above Landers’ left temple, back in the hair line, hiding the fact that the cut was intentional and not a result of something striking him. He sighed, “[B]I really hate using the more obvious ploy of helping someone who is hurt as well. Though it’s not as obvious as carrying someone who is unconscious.[/B]” He hauled the Commander to his feet, placing his right arm across his shoulders as he started to make for the door, ignoring the blood flowing down the side of the Commander’s face, even to the untrained eye it was obvious that the blood flow was not serious. Kreid just smiled inwardly as the Commander attempted to push him away. With the drug running through his system, it would look like he was either trying to hang on or attempting to move under his own power. All he had to do was get to the lift at the end of the corridor, he already had it programmed to take them straight to the docking bay where the [I]Transcendence[/I] was being kept. He was almost to the lift when the doors opened and Tarika Zaidin stepped out, clearly on her way to the Commanders quarters. Her eyes widened at the sight of the pair and then hardened immediately as she reached for her disruptor, instantly rolling to the side and coming back up to fire in one fluid motion. Kreid didn’t give her a chance, his shot catching her in the right shoulder instead of her head as Landers struggled to stop him, throwing his aim off slightly. The results were the same as the force of the blast sent her sprawling. He ignored her in favor of taking out the other crew members who were starting to react to the unexpected situation. Tarika Zaidin was starting to move but Kreid ignored her and shoved the Commander into the lift, letting him drop to the floor as he turned and entered the code to send the lift to their destination. Once it was on its way he turned his attention back to Landers who was attempting to sit up without success. “[B]You’ll never manage to get into the [I]Transcendence[/I].[/B]” Landers stammered, clearly struggling to fight the drug. “[B]I already have.[/B]” “[B]You’re an Elite Specialist.[/B]” Landers accused as the realization of how that would have been possible hit, just as it explained how Kreid had managed to stay hidden so well. Kreid just ignored him as he left the lift and headed for the ship immediately, pausing only briefly to set Landers down while he opened up the ship. He wasn’t going to tell Landers that getting into the [I]Transcendence[/I] had been the hardest part to arrange. He had requested and gotten emergency override codes before he had been required to maintain strict communication silence, but someone had overridden it and replaced it with a new code. It was likely that the traitor Kiva Salqarian was responsible, if not her, then someone else. It had taken him over three months to carefully hack it to get the code and thus access to the ship. With a hiss the hatch opened and Kreid quickly picked up the Commander and entered, shutting it behind them. By his calculations he still had another fifteen minutes before the drug would wear off, so instead of bothering to waste the time to immediately shove the Commander in a cell, he instead made for the bridge which was much closer. He dumped Landers unceremoniously onto the floor of the bridge and then took the command seat, his hands swiftly flying over the controls as he brought the [I]Transcendence’s [/I]systems to full power from the normal standby meant to maintain the anti transport shields active. Kreid ignored the queries from the [I]Liberator[/I] and instead, once the shields were at full strength, blew the doors keeping the ship separate from the rest of the ships currently docked. The ship moved forward, slipping through the now open path, Kreid just smiled as the outer doors were slammed shut in an attempt to stop his escape. This time he fired the more powerful missiles onboard, ignoring the shockwaves that rocked the ship a bit as the massive fireball engulfed the bay, destroying the other ships and crewmembers that had not gotten clear in time. “[B]Stop it.[/B]” His eyes flickered briefly to the Commander who was still trying to fight off the effects of the drug and then he fired a second volley to take out the second and final set of doors; opening up the bay and incidentally other parts of the ship to outer space. As emergency bulkheads slammed into place he took the ship out, keeping close to the [I]Liberator[/I] as the alert went out. Demands to surrender started to filter in but Kreid ignored it as he targeted the [I]Liberator’s[/I] engines with the remaining missiles onboard, firing them at nearly point blank range before taking off at top speed. It was easy to outrun the other ships long enough for him to make the jump to hyper speed. The ship suffered a few direct hits, but nothing serious enough to prevent his escape. He certainly wasn’t going to miss working with those New Alliance scum. Kreid set the ship on auto pilot and turned his attention to the Commander who was finally managing to struggle to his feet, a look of terrible anger on his face. “[B]Don’t bother with any speeches,[/B]” Kreid stood up his laser already trained on Landers. “[B]I’ve heard enough of your idealistic garbage to last a life time.[/B]” He motioned towards the door leading off the bridge, waiting patiently for Landers to comply. Even if the drug was wearing off it was clear he was still struggling to walk. Then once he had secured him in one of the cells, Kreid took a quick moment to check everything before heading for the nearest quarters to get cleaned up and rest. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]At the moment there isn't much in the way of news at theOtau. You see, theOtaku switched over to a new version and the past few months have been one of getting all the bugs and glitches worked out while slowly restoring some of the previous features. Which I understand will include a section for news. For now though the best place to check for the few news items that do get posted and updates for the site are here: [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/official/"][U]Official theOtaku.com World[/U][/URL] and here: [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/faq/"][U]theOtaku.com Network FAQ[/U][/URL] That's the best place to check for updates for the site. Adam did say that the news will be returning, but I have not seen a specific date just yet.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][SIZE="2"][B]Ambuscade[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Gavrie had left Astera sitting on one of the wooden posts for the fence surrounding the training area, it wasn?t often he had visitors, let alone so many in such a short time frame. There was no mistaking the aura of the one coming in, though it was tightly wrapped and concealed from anyone but him.[I] Just what are you after?[/I] Karl glanced in his direction briefly at the change in his stance and then went back to what he was doing. He strolled back up to the veranda surrounding the small home, picking a seat that was shaded and then waited patiently for his visitor to show up.[I] Let?s see in three, two, one and? [/I]with a tiny shift in spiritual energy the other was simply there, sitting casually in the seat next to him as they had been there all along. Gavrie just sighed out loud. ?[B]One of these days - just walk up and say hello like a normal person.[/B]? He turned to look at the Reaper who had come to visit, his aura still tightly wrapped up around him, cloaking his presence from both Adrian and Astera. ?[B]What are you here for? You know I?ve taken leave and I?ve got someone I?m training and testing.[/B]? He indicated the training area where Karl was working with Adrian. ?[B]True,[/B]? the other turned to watch, crossing his legs as he leaned back, tilting his head to the side as he observed the training going on, both of them sitting there for a while as Karl took Adrian quickly though one form and then another, only taking long enough to ensure that Adrian got each one down correctly before moving to the next. ?[B]Looks to me that you could easily leave for a few weeks without disrupting the training,[/B]? He turned to face Gavrie again. ?[B]He is remarkably quick when it comes to learning, but you and I both know that even if he?s suitable, you?ll be at this for well over a decade at least.[/B]? Gavrie shrugged, ?[B]True, but the agreement did not include me running off to take care of odds and ends for you while I was in the middle of training.[/B]? He leaned back, reaching up to place his hands behind his head. ?[B]Find someone else, it?s not like you don?t have plenty of qualified contacts you can call on.[/B]? The other Shinigami tossed his cell to Gavrie who lazily reached out with his right hand to catch it before it could land in his lap. He looked to the other Reaper, his right eyebrow raised questioningly. ?[B]Go ahead; the details of what I?d like you to take care of are in the first message.[/B]? Gavrie ran his forefinger along the front cover of the cell, contemplating tossing it back instead of opening it and then with an inward sigh, flicked it open. A moment later to access the message in question and then he sat up straight upon reading the content. ?[B]I thought I told you to not trust that fool.[/B]? He admonished as he closed the cell phone and tossed it back to it's owner. ?[B]You did, but I was not the one to make the final decision, you know that Gavrie.[/B]? He chided him. ?[B]I could send someone else as you put it, but you and I both know that the others aren?t up to the task.[/B]? Silence hung between the two as they both watched the training session for a while, Gavrie contemplating while the other merely waited as if he didn't have a care in the world. It would mean going to Earth for a few weeks, but his visitor was right, it wouldn't affect training at all, not at this stage. ?[B]Fine, I?ll tend to it, but make no mistake.[/B]? He stood up, facing the other Shinigami, ?[B]Once training has begun in earnest I won?t accept [I]any[/I] assignment.[/B]? ?[B]Well now,[/B]? his visitor stood up as well. ?[B]You?ve only just started with that one and you?re already certain he?ll be suitable?[/B]? He stared at him as if searching for something and then smiled. ?[B]No matter, I?ve always known that you have a list of who?s suitable that's separate from what you actually hand over. Considering recent events, it's no surprise that you've chosen to test[I] that [/I]one.[/B]? ?[B]And you my friend are done here.[/B]? Gavrie reminded him. ?[B]So I am,[/B]? He bowed slightly, almost mockingly, and then left; only a whisper of his aura remaining before fading altogether. Gavrie waited awhile, watching the training before finally heading back to join the group when the lesson was starting to come to an end. He smiled a bit at the thought that Adrian was bound to be unhappy about being left with Karl for training; even if it was only for a short while. He was not use to being treated with a certain amount of contempt and disdain. [I]It will be good for him, to get that from someone who will not respond to any immature outbursts[/I]. Not that he was expecting any, but still, Karl would make sure any impatient or reckless moves on Adrian's part would be carefully dealt with. For that kind of lesson, Karl was a better teacher than he was.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]Of course we will never know, you're right, we're not mind readers. But certainly do not summarily dismiss the potential for bias as "short sighted."[/font][/QUOTE]I am not calling for a dismissal for the potential, but rather calling the assumption that such bias[I] has [/I]to exist as short sighted. Just as it would be short sighted to think it couldn't. It goes both ways. It's something that has to be carefully considered before you start claiming or even thinking racism was a factor because it's all to easy to see something that may or may not have existed in the case. And some of what I've read, seems more like people who are only willing to see bias and nothing else, whether said bias/racism is there or not.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]However the subconscious criminalization of black men, and the moral abandon that accompanies the action [i]while not explicitly racist, is still racist.[/i][/font][/QUOTE]No, that's called excessive force that was not warranted for the situation at hand. It doesn't not equate to subconscious "criminalization of black men" There have been studies done that show the psychology behind the escalation of force used in police cases like this. It goes along the lines of rage over someone refusing to acknowledge the law when ordered to. And that was shown to go across all races/gender/etc. Racism can be a factor but not always, and it's short sighted to assume that such must be the case when we are not mind readers and don't know with any certainty what the officers were thinking.[quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]I understand this distinction is semantic, but I would argue it's still very real. By assuming that a black male has a gun (insofar as he is simply black and thus "dangerous"), and proceeding to shoot him 50 times, the cops did stoop to a very biased choice of response. I mean, let's not let the two black cops go either -- they too are just as capable of mentally criminalizing black males.[/font][/QUOTE]No one is saying it's not real, they're saying it's stupid to assume it's the [I]only[/I] factor that would generate a response like this. The sooner we get out of the mindset that all tragedies have some form of "racism" the better. Because they do happen, tragedies, stupid choices, etc where racism was not a factor.. And thinking racism has to be in there somewhere... just shows an unwillingness on both sides to put an end to that line of reasoning. It does happen, but we need to stop assuming that had to have been what happened.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]Saying it's racism implies that it wouldn't have happened period and that's skirting the issue completely. I think people are tired of the implication that only racism results in tragedies like this and that's just not true. Things went wrong and yes racism could have been a factor, but it's sheer ignorance to think it [I]has [/I]to have been a factor. People are a little too quick to jump the bandwagon of "it happened because of... [insert racism statement here]" Was it a factor? Possibly. Will we ever know for sure? Not likely. Was the verdict wrong? I don't see it that way, because I don't know enough about the case to give an accurate judgment on the decision. It's a high profile case and in no way a true indicator of how police work in general goes. In all honesty, the racism slant seems to get pulled out far to often as a scape goat when decisions are made that others don't agree with. Sometimes it's true, just as sometimes it's someone crying wolf when there [I]is[/I] no wolf. Being an idiot and making bad decisions is inherent in [I]all[/I] people no matter what race or color their skin is.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][CENTER][B] Hide[/B][/CENTER] Why were the doors locked? Who would do such a horrible thing? The empty streets and the cool crisp air, the silence was so heavy. It was just a wrong turn! She went left instead of right. The war couldn?t follow, could it? An unlocked door, a quick step inside; she turned. Nowhere to hide. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][CENTER]Soul Inner glow Transcending reality A journey to the unknown Quintessence of heart[/CENTER] [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]I decided to go with a variation for mine since it seemed appropriate for my opponent. Ironically, the number of letters/lines is identical to the original. [U]Fluffy Bichon Frises Rock[/U] [B]F[/B]ar more than the owner of a white little dog [B]L[/B]oyalty and devotion; for both is true [B]U[/B]nited she always stands [B]F[/B]inding uniqueness in all that she can [B]F[/B]ar more than a simple look [B]Y[/B]ou?ll never find one more suited, even if you tried [B]B[/B]eautifully poised with eloquence and grace [B]I[/B]t?s easy to see why she shines [B]C[/B]aring and sweet [B]H[/B]er talent more than something great [B]O[/B]h yes, it?s easy to see [B]N[/B]ow more than ever, you shouldn?t hesitate [B]F[/B]ar more to be seen, just look, all is not as it seems [B]R[/B]esourceful, talented and unfailingly kind [B]I[/B]n her - grandness can be found [B]S[/B]mart and resourceful make no mistake [B]E[/B]verything about her merely confirms [B]S[/B]he?s the one with the glow [B]R[/B]emember what I?ve just told you [B]O[/B]h don?t you dare forget! [B]C[/B]an you even compare? [B]K[/B]eep it in mind - Aaryanna should win [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]You forgot a few: Mother Teresa Mr. Rogers - In character Michael Jackson - Thriller Shakespeare - The author of course Chevy Chase - Any movie will do Arnold Schwarzenegger - Terminator Bob Newhart - The Bob Newhart Show :p[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]Pm's if I have any come first, then staff business followed by the section I moderate. Which means I start with the Manga Alley and work my way from there through all the posts in the AV District. Then, I tend to just move my way through the rest of the boards. I don't always check everything in all the sections, but I do check out what interests me in each area. I do subscribe to threads, but I tend to not even bother to use that function so I often wonder why I bother to subscribe. I suppose it's handy for finding something older that I was interested in that no longer gets posted in. Anyway, once I'm done posting in things that interest me and do a bit of Des stalking, I'm done. Though I often lurk while I'm doing school work and other things and I'll check back from time to time to see if there is anything new going on. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][SIZE="1"][CENTER][SIZE="2"][B]On Edge[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Gavrie was resting on a chair situated at the back of his home, paying little heed to the surroundings or to Karl who was sprawled out on the chair next to him. He was thinking and analyzing everything that Karl had covered in the training session with Adrian earlier; mapping out in his mind what needed to be covered and what did not. It was simple really, since determining whether or not a Reaper was a good candidate for extra training was something he had been doing for several millennia. If they couldn’t partially master a few specific techniques, then other than to make sure what he taught them was better than required, he’d send them on their way. Without being allowed to take the time to really teach someone, it was pointless to go into depth in any manner if they didn’t have some measure of natural talent. Those that did, he kept a mental list of. Some he tested further, others he did not. It was not necessary to test in this case though, not after getting a full description of everything that had happened with their assignment to take care of the Count. He was musing over what approach would be best when he was almost startled by a tiny chime indicating he had a message. [I]Now who could that be I wonder?[/I] He was not expecting a reply or call and Gavrie rarely bothered to socialize with others of his kind. Not that he disliked them, but more that he felt no need or desire to be connected. He had no trouble with sticking to himself and exercises to keep fit, he never neglected that. Karl was the same, though he had his own reasons for preferring solitude. Gavrie opened up his own cell only to be further surprised by who the message was from. He opened it up to read, his eyes going wide. [I]Now that’s a code I haven’t seen in… [/I]His expression hardened slightly upon reading what was sent. Next to him, Karl tensed at the slight spike in Gavrie’s spiritual aura. “[B]What is it?[/B]” “[B]Go get Adrian and Astera.[/B]” Gavrie did not bother to explain; getting up and heading inside to fetch Adrian’s own cell phone to take a look. He toyed with the thought of simply removing the device to destroy it and decided to wait for Karl to return with the pair who was further out in the field resting. Nathan’s message hadn’t been very enlightening as to why Adrian’s cell phone was bugged. This meant he’d have to see if Adrian would know who and why. It didn’t take Karl long to return with the pair and before Adrian could say a word Gavrie tossed his cell phone to him. “[B]Your cell phone has been bugged.[/B]” He waited patiently for Adrian to check and then remove the device before destroying it. His look of near rage was more than enough to tell Gavrie that Adrian knew who it had to be. “[B]So, care to explain?[/B]” “[B]Victor L’Envers.[/B]” Adrian spat after tossing the cell phone aside angrily. [I][B]-That horrible…- [/B][/I]he sputtered mentally, struggling to form coherent thoughts in his anger as he realized when it had to have happened. [I][B]–That means that he knows everything since…!-[/B][/I] For a brief moment he lost it; a red haze covered his thoughts, making it hard to even breathe let alone think. [I][B]-Adrian, please… calm down.- [/B][/I] “[B]Use regular speech Adrian![/B]” Gavrie said, sharply cutting into his thoughts. With a start Adrian came back to where he was located, staring blankly at all of them as if seeing them for the first time. With a rush the tension and rage collapsed in on itself and for a moment he felt dizzy, prompting him to take a seat on one of the many chairs on the back veranda of the home. “[B]It has to be the vampire Victor L’Envers that I told you about earlier.[/B]” Adrian looked over briefly at Astera as she settled back down on his left shoulder, his mouth set in a straight line. “[B]When Nathan and I first went to meet him, his goons took our things from us and didn’t return them until right before we left. It’s the only time someone else had my cell phone.[/B]” A fresh wave of anger threatened to surface. Adrian ruthlessly crushed it; he couldn’t afford to be angry, not when he was certain his first impression upon meeting Victor was correct. Friendly or not, he had been certain back then that Victor was more than capable of dealing with someone like him, as much as it galled him to admit it. “[B]So this Victor L’Envers knows the whole story or rather everything that was said within the vicinity of your cell phone.[/B]” “[B]Yes, that includes the details of our encounter with the Count, as well as the life bond… and even about you as well.[/B]” Gavrie seemed unconcerned as he finally took a seat next to Adrian. “[B]It can’t be helped, that sort of thing is going to happen, no matter how hard you try to keep something a secret, someone eventually finds out.[/B]” “[B]But he’s a vampire![/B]” Adrian objected. “[B]So what if he is? It still matters not.[/B]” He grasped his chin with his right hand, looking out to the field in thought. “[B]I can’t say that I know the name either.[/B]” He looked back to Adrian and Astera, “[B]the real question is what you plan on doing about it.[/B]” “[B]Nothing,[/B]” Adrian said bitterly, getting up to stalk off a bit, coming to a halt, facing the training area. “[B]I... I couldn’t even stop three of his underlings - if Nathan hadn’t shown up…[/B]” Adrian turned to face Gavrie when he grasped his right shoulder firmly before letting go once he had his attention. “[B]Good,[/B]” he favored him with a half smile. “[B]Good? What’s good about it?[/B]” “[B]I didn’t have to stop you from doing something really stupid, that’s what.[/B]” Gavrie gently shoved him towards the training area. “[B]Now, back to what’s really important, and that’s your training.[/B]” He mock sighed dramatically. “[B]You’re about as graceful as a block of cement falling to the ground, powerful, but sorely lacking.[/B]” Gavrie grinned inwardly at Adrian’s semi indignant expression. “[B]That second scythe of yours is a crutch; making you woefully inadequate in so many ways.[/B]” “[B]Thanks a lot.[/B]” Adrian returned sarcastically. “[B]You’re welcome,[/B]” Gavrie returned without skipping a beat. “[B]Now for the next part of your lesson, Karl will be taking you back down to the very basics, starting with unarmed combat. Once we get that drilled into you we’ll move to one scythe and then finally to two.[/B]” “[B]You want me to do that right now?[/B]” Adrian pulled up short of entering the training area. “[B]Yes now,[/B]” Gavrie gave him an amused grin. “[B]If you had enough energy to get [I]that [/I]angry, you have more than enough for simple exercises and stretches.[/B]” Adrian turned to face him as Astera took off to perch on one of the wooden posts. [I]But… I’m still sore![/I] However the look in both Gavrie’s and Karl’s eyes told him that there would be no getting out of another session just because he was still recovering from the last time. Karl had already switched back to human form by the time he entered the training area, a sardonic grin on his face. "[B]No enemy is going to care if you're tired or sore from a previous battle.[/B]" All Adrian could think about as he waited for Karl to explain what they would be doing next was to wonder how long or if he’d ever reach a point where he wasn’t sore. [I]This is what you wanted fool,[/I] he chided himself. [I]So stop complaining![/I] [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] The sad fact is, I know. I know, and knew, that people make the school. Even in college interviews, this is what I told my interviewer when they asked me my most important consideration in a school. I had just convinced myself that the people at Columbia would be the kind I'd fit in better with. And honestly? Probably. Probably, I'd fit in more with people at Northwestern than I will at UGA. And that's what makes me the most depressed. I know I'll find my niche at UGA, get awesome friends, but what holds me back is the thought that at another school I'd be surrounded by people of my mindset.[/font][/QUOTE]As hard as this whole situation has been, don't sell yourself or others who didn't make it in short. You may have thought you'd fit in better with people at a certain school, but the honest truth is finding those awesome people out there has[I] nothing[/I] to do with what school they attend. I know for myself what school [I]you[/I] attend is meaningless. That isn't who you are inside. It honestly sounds like you were in the unfortunate position of going into a life where you would have developed the mindset of judging others based on school and other visible merits instead of seeing them for what they really are. Others have said it, [I]where[/I] isn't what matters, at all.[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"]When I decided to go to UGA, I for some reason felt compelled to fulfill a more standard mold of a "successful" student. I considered pre-law and pre-med for the first time in my life. I felt as if since I was going to a state school, I might as well give up my dreams and do something practical with my life and try to get into Harvard for grad. And to be truthful, I still feel this way. I hate math, and science, but now I'm seriously considering pre-med. It depresses me, and I know it's horrible, but I can't make myself think of actually pursuing what I want.[/font][/QUOTE]Others have said it already, but if your dreams were dependent on where you were going to be attending, then you were focusing on the wrong thing. I know there's a lot of pressure out there to go somewhere like Columbia, and honestly at times, I want to smack those silly teachers and parents who have kids feeling like they're a failure if they don't make it in. But still, in the end, if it ties you up in knots this bad, it's not worth it, no matter what you or anyone tells you. It's not. You got a wake up call, a rather harsh one. Take that determination you had to get into Columbia and put it into getting your dream without worrying over which school provides the education. A lot of us who choose to not go down that path of attempting to get into a place like that, have no regrets whatsoever. I'm only sorry your parents were less than stellar in supporting you. In a tiny way, I can understand the feeling that you have to attend a certain school, after all, my father graduated from Harvard so I grew up with others thinking and telling me I had to go there. But my father was smarter than that and taught me to choose what would make me the happiest. And here I am, in[I] Utah[/I], getting my education.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Sandy']So yes, I had a great chance to cause so drama, but I decided not to do it.[B] How unbecoming of me...[/B][/QUOTE]That's what I was just thinking. :p Anyway since you'll be out of there soon enough Raiha, drama aside, even if you make an issue of pointing out they can't dictate who you invite over, any drama will be over with soon enough since you'll be leaving shortly.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Aaryanna'][COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]And what makes it worse, no real reading comprehension required. Nothing against manga, I just prefer my reading to have more too it. So in the end, I watch more anime than I ever read manga.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]This is a big turn off to me as well. Unless the story is engaging or the artwork really pretty, manga just isn't where it's at in my opinion. I do enjoy it, but I can honestly say I haven't even read any this year since I only follow a select few series. Now as for anime, most of the time I prefer it, especially for action sequences. Action is just all that much sweeter if it's you know... in motion. So for stuff like Bleach or Naruto, manga is a turn off since I'd rather see those moves in motion instead of on a flat piece of paper. Stories like say Fruits Basket can go either way since the lack of action makes it more appealing for both formats. Overall, considering that I watch far more anime than I ever read manga, I'd have to go with the statement that most of the time I prefer anime. And yes it depends on the series, naturally. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"]I prefer manga for those stories that have not been or aren't likely to be made into an anime. Just as I prefer it for stories like Yu-Gi-Oh where the anime is so edited as to be another story altogether. So in those instances, I prefer manga over anime. Overall, this is really something that is a case by case deal and not something where I can make the generalization of this one is better than the other.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]But other than that I could care less if they sat in the dark all year long. Without gas or running water.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]That's not the point, I doubt anyone expects you to care, but seriously, how hard is it to leave a note with your landlady indicating when the utilities will be shut off? If your soon to be former roomies are too dumb to see to that or even ask you about it, then that's their problem. But being petty just to be petty? You're better than that, don't sink to their level, no matter how much of a jackass the two are. And since Sabrina already covered the rest adequately, I'm not going to bother to rehash it. Because based on what you've told us, it sounds like they have no solid reasons to believe you or your friends took their things.[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='8bit;810772][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]You two posting this thread was like a teaser for the RP and now we've got even more information as a trailer. I feel like I'm waiting for the launch of a big movie! Come to think of it, around when will this RP launch? I'm a little excited. :p[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]Exactly, this is a teaser of what's to come as well as a bit of a trailer. Now as James said, we are going to wait until Almagest is over, however, that is literally in it's final run so that's not too far off. But since both of us are in it, we intend to wait until we put our final posts in before we start this so our attention is not divided.[QUOTE=Shy'][size=1]Anyway, will players be allowed to play as staff [i]and[/i] hotel guests, or will all of the player characters in the RPG be one or the other? -Shy[/size][/QUOTE]Bah, James beat me to it, but yes, players will be able to be both. There will of course be npc's that will close certain roles, but the rest will be fair game. [/COLOR]

[COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='8bit;810573][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]I have a question, though. Is going into space a normal thing for humans now or is it kind of like we have the technology but only rich people can afford to go frequently/stay in space hotels?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE][quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"']Building on 8-Bit's question, what kinds of characters would we be looking at in this RPG James ?[/SIZE][/quote]We're going to be adding some Chronicles to the first post, much like was done with Almagest as you can see here: [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58301"][U]Chronicles[/U][/URL] These will help to build a picture of just what the economy and situation is like in the rpg as well as help to answer what types of characters you'll see. James and I are working on those first Chronicles and we'll post them once they're ready. Anyway, right now as mentioned in the first post, the one thing you won't see is alien characters among the players. It will be open for a lot of diversity since this will be a space/hotel/voyage. So I imagine quite a wide range of people would be interested in taking that trip on the Von Braun.[/COLOR]