Horendithas

[COLOR=Indigo]Retribution since I saw the previous avatar I agree with Athena, the new one is much more effective. In the other one the pillars distracted from it where in this new one he clearly stands out. I give it a 9/10 I like the simply black and white of your banner, it makes a statement without being too busy. The words we shall are a tiny bit blurred, but that could be because I?m using my laptop and it does have a LCD display. I give it a 9/10 as well. Excellent set.[/COLOR]

[QUOTE=eXo]I am a frequent Lucid Dreamer, but I disagree with your point. We don't just dream about things for no reason, I will agree that symbols may signify different meanings between individuals, but as far as knowing a starting base of a symbol, it gives the person more imagination to delve deeper into their dream and realize things for themselves. Not to mention, it can all come down to being fun and entertaining as well, which is how I meant it. Whether accurate or not. If we could fully understand our dreams, we would surely unlock secrets to our lives, which is why it will continue to be examined. So was the plate dream real at all? Or did you just want to provoke a debate? :animesmil[/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]I agree we don?t just dream for no reason, what I was trying to explain was that using a standard idea like ?seeing a cabinet in your dreams symbolizes the female body and/or the womb?, is inaccurate. When people dream they are influenced by events in their own life. Since each individual?s life and events are different the cabinet will have a different meaning for each one of them. Using standard symbolism can actually distract from an individuals ability to understand what their dream means to them. When helping individuals in therapy sessions to understand why they are having a nightmare, using standard symbolism is not recommended. I work as a volunteer at a Women?s Crisis Center as I am majoring in psychology with the intent of becoming a therapist who works with the patients either at that clinic or another one. Since we deal with victims of extreme abuse many of them suffer from repeat nightmares. The training I have received is based on the concept that when you are interviewing the person who had the dream you need to leave interpretations to the dreamer, the interviewer?s role is to ask the right questions so that the dreamer can make his or her own discoveries about what the dream means to them. It?s a very effective technique in helping the patients to deal with the nightmares that they often experience. Another good author is Gayle Delaney. The model we use at the center to conduct an interview is actually based on a questionnaire from her books. As for the dream about the plate, yes it was real. I had that dream shortly after the Thanksgiving Holiday last year. I never bothered to question myself as to what it meant, but I did have a very disagreeable relative show up unexpectedly and it could have been related to that, as her visit was very stressful. I was not trying to spark a debate, though I?m always game for discussing different aspects of dream interpretation. I see nothing wrong with using standard symbolism with dreams so long as it is only in fun. But for actual treatment I think it is more harmful than good.[/COLOR]

[quote name='indifference][COLOR=Indigo']One of the weirdest dreams I had was where I dreamed I was literally a plate and I went through the whole trip of being put in a dishwasher to be cleaned. It was really bizarre since once the dishwasher was done someone picked me up and put me in the cabinet. I woke up when the person closed the door to the cabinet. [/COLOR][/quote][QUOTE=eXo]This one is tricky... In the dream world, plates typically indicate your social advantages and a hunger for life, were you empty as a plate? An empty plate indicates that there is an emotional void in your wakinglife. You may be feeling left out. Alternatively, it suggests that you need to rethink your priorities. Since you went through the process of being washed in the dishwasher, suggests that you are moving on and planning for the next thing that comes your way. It also signifies that you are proud of your social life and personal endeavors. You may even receive some fame and prestige. Alternatively, it may symbolize the cleansing away of unhappy experiences or emotions in your life. To see a cabinet in your dream, symbolizes the female body and/or the womb. Alternatively, you may be hiding some family or personal secret. Consider what's in the cabinet or the condition of the cabinet for more clues. Hope this helps, .: eXo - the dreamz expert :.[/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]Attempting to interpret someone?s dreams based on the contents of the dream is not an accurate way to determine the true meaning of one?s dream. The idea that what you dream has a universal meaning is outdated. For over 3,000 years people have been trying to read things into dreams as if they?re fortune cookies. Dream dictionaries with so-called interpretations are as outdated as many of Sigmund Freud?s theories about dreams, which included the notion that knives and pencils always represented the male penis, while bowls and caves stood for the vagina. Dream symbols differ depending upon the individual. The person who actually has the dream is better able than others to recognize the link between the details in their dreams and their daily activities and memories. If you really want to understand dreams, at least your own that is, then toss out the dream interpretation dictionaries and read both Exploring the world of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge and Creative Dreaming by Patricia Garfield. I think you?ll be surprised at how differently you see your dreams.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]I am curious about one thing, if no one was concerned about your Aunt believing God talked to her over everything, was it something that slowly developed over time? It would explain why no one ever thought she had a serious problem. Though I suppose that since she is an adult you would not have been able to force her to get treatment. And obviously the court did not consider her serious enough to ensure that she got treatment by having her committed. If she is really that sick it is good that she no longer has custody of the kids though. As for the other argument well [B]Baron Samedi[/B]?s view fits what I think as well. Unless you are talking about a younger child, who often has to learn the value of sharing, that person is seriously not worth your time or effort. I am assuming you are talking about an adult here and if that is the case, they need a reality check, such obvious pettiness is painful to imagine in a supposedly mature adult. In fact it reminds me of one of my relatives who has always had everything given to her. She has never worked a day in her life and she is just as stupid, greedy and petty as the friend you are describing. The fact that you have attempted to keep the friendship for over seven months leads me to believe that the person is never going to get over their obsessive greedy nature. It sounds more like they will hold a grudge against you for as long as they live unless they somehow manage to change or grow up a little. So now I?m curious, are we talking about a family member or relative here? I can?t think of any other reason why you even talk to this person. After all it?s not easy to get rid of annoying relatives, It took living several thousands miles away to keep mine out of my life and even then I still run into them occasionally.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Who am I? Well for starters my name is Crystia. And I’m definitely a female. I was born on October 31, 1980 so that makes me 25 years old. I currently hail from Salt Lake City Utah but I was actually born in New York City, New York. Though my parents moved elsewhere shortly after I turned 4 so I really don’t remember New York, only a few vague memories. I am currently working on my bachelor’s degree in psychology, I’m technically a junior in college, and I plan on continuing to get both my masters and PhD. And if you are wondering why I am only a junior at age 25, well maybe someday I’ll explain why I didn’t even attend college for several years after High School. Anyway, I also work as a volunteer for one of the women in crisis centers here in Salt Lake City. I enjoy working there but sometimes its really heartbreaking to see just how horribly one human being will treat another. And at the same time its great to see the kind assistance given to help people get out of destructive relationships and move on. As for siblings, well I’m kind of not in the mood to discuss that so I’ll save it for another day. Now for why I am here at OB. I really enjoy anime because I like how so many of the shows deal with very realistic situations, and I like how they don’t avoid the reality of homosexual relationships or lesbian relationships. And it’s refreshing to see that just because you may be a good guy you don’t always win or even live for that matter. You can find such things in American movies as well, but it’s hard to find and even harder to find one that is well done. And perhaps the biggest reason of all is I can have real discussions with people that don’t include excessive smiles, there is such a thing as actual conversations and I really detest endless I lv u site! Posts. :::shudder::: I got more than enough of that at other forums. Well at least I use to. I don’t really go to very many other forums anymore. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]One of the weirdest dreams I had was where I dreamed I was literally a plate and I went through the whole trip of being put in a dishwasher to be cleaned. It was really bizarre since once the dishwasher was done someone picked me up and put me in the cabinet. I woke up when the person closed the door to the cabinet. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]It depends on the level of school as to whether of not I liked it. For me High School was a big drag. I was one of the few kids who didn?t belong to the major religion of the area and even teachers didn?t like me for that one stupid thing. And the actual studying and learning? Well truth be known it was very boring. Now I am in College and I really enjoy school. I?ve made lots of new friends and it?s big enough that what religion you belong, or don?t belong to, doesn?t matter since there are too many students for the teachers or even the other kids to keep track of. It?s also a lot more interesting as there are quite a bit more classes to chose from so you can take what really interests you instead of what the state tells you to take.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Pacifism is an ideal that is in my opinion flawed. Its biggest weakness is that it depends on the factor that deep down everyone wants to avoid a fight. If everyone really felt that way so strongly then quite a few of the major conflicts between nations would never escalate to the level that ends up requiring war. I also think it really does not work since the views on how disputes between countries should be solved vary widely due to different views and opinions on what is considered just. There are going to be cases where both sides will refuse to agree to a compromise. I also on some level think that being a pacifist requires walking a very fine line between working to come to a peaceful solution and knowing when to stand up and not be walked all over. It is one thing to avoid fighting and yet another to do nothing when another nation moves in and takes over. I know I for one would not sit still and do nothing. [/COLOR]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=DarkOliveGreen']Looks like there?s been quite the debate going on here. I?ll just skip that and answer the general questions; otherwise I?ll be here for an hour responding to everything. ^_~[/COLOR][/quote] [COLOR=Indigo]I think I will do the same.[/COLOR] [QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][font=lucida calligraphy][color=darkviolet]Well it's the end of the year folks, time for Chibi Horsewoman to make a debate thread. A tongue in cheek debate thread which requires maturity and lots of thought. Of course if we aren't ready for it yet, go ahead and close it. Also if the posting gets out of hand and really nasty close it. I'm asking people's opinions on homosexuality. Is it learned or inherited? Is it moral? Does it prevent you from being a good parent? Should gay couples be allowed to adopt? Should same sex marriages be legalized? Please share your MATURE well thought out opinions.[/color][/font][/QUOTE] [COLOR=Indigo]The ever old debate of is it learned or inherited. I honestly think that to a certain extent it isn?t inherited. It could be but so many of the things we do and consider normal are influenced by events and by those around us. We are greatly influenced by society and the social customs we grow up with. I say this since most children do not even know the difference between sexes at first and until someone comes along and explains the difference they are often equally attracted to both sexes. Then as we get older and learn how babies are made we learn that if we want children we have to be with someone of the opposite sex if that is going to work. We also learn from our parents or other sources that being attracted to the same sex is wrong and sinful, but for many of us it?s too late for that as we already feel attraction to the same sex. I don?t believe that it?s immoral, I think that?s something that people assume based on documents, whether religious or other types, which are written by people and there is no way I can believe that just because something is written it is correct. In my opinion, believing something is true just because it is written is ridiculous. In that respect I think being homosexual is something that happens naturally and then society and social pressure comes along and tells us it?s wrong. Does it prevent you from being a good parent? I can?t help but laugh at that. I work for a Women?s Crisis Center and everyday I see horrible husbands who abuse their spouses and children and parents who abuse their children. And nearly every single one of these husbands and parents are straight. One?s sexual preference does not determine their ability to be a good parent. If such a thing were true then so called straight people would be better parents. I certainly think gay parents should be allowed to adopt. So long as they go through the necessary background checks and can financially take care of the child. As for marriage; definitely. Denying gays the right to marry is just another form of discrimination. I often think that those who protest against gay marriage forget or ignore their history. There are so many things that use to be considered unacceptable that are now normal. Like women being allowed to vote. How can we consider ourselves to be an enlightened society if we deny some of our members the same rights we hold dear? A society that says sure you can get married, unless you are gay, isn?t a truly enlightened society. [/COLOR]

[QUOTE=aizima]Conichiwa! I'm back! Sorry it took so long for me to post again, but just recently I had a fire incident. Me and ma went to the hospital. Which brings me to my next subject: Does anyone besides me hate hospitals? [color=DarkGreen][b][size=1]I changed the title of your thread, as it wasn't really relevant to the subject, and people were mistaking it for a n00by intro thread. Hope you don't mind. [/size][/b][/color] [right][size=1][color=DarkGreen]-Raiyuu[/color][/size] [/right][/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]They certainly aren?t my favorite place, but I can?t say that I hate them. I?ve been in them myself when I?ve been sick, I?ve seen loved ones die and I?ve seen others recover from sickness that use to kill before modern medicine gave us the means to successfully treat them. So I guess I would have to say that though I hate being in one, I do not hate the actual hospital. In fact I shudder to think what life would be like without them. [/COLOR]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=DarkOliveGreen]Now for a new question. Do you ever wonder why people stay in a relationship when the other person is physically abusive? I see people do it and I just don?t understand why they stick around. Every time I?ve had a boyfriend like that I?ve always ended the relationship.[/COLOR][/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]One reason for people staying is that they are co-dependant. It?s a bit complex but people who are co-dependant let another person?s behavior affect them. They often become obsessed with controlling or attempting to control the other person?s destructive behavior. I won?t try to fully explain it since it?s a bit complex, but if you really want to know more there?s a good book called ?Codependant no More? that goes into depth on the subject.[/COLOR][QUOTE=Aaryanna][COLOR=DarkOrange']I say arrest the stupid person using the rabbit as a gimmick to sell a book. That?s just sick. And the other?s saying kill him? I mean come on! It?s obvious that they are just using the bunny to make money. You?re right, its just sheer stupidity. So I say kill the both the person selling the book and the one selling toys for saving him. Feh! Some people will do anything to make money.[/COLOR][/quote][COLOR=Indigo]Exactly what I was thinking. I thought it was a hoax at first so I was appalled to find that there actually is a book being sold on Amazon. A little more research turned up the fact that the date for when the so-called rabbit will be eaten has constantly changed. Obviously the owner of the rabbit has no intention of eating the very thing that is making them so much money. [/COLOR][QUOTE=Lix][size=1][color=slategray]Alright, my question... Which of the following do you think is killing off Americans quickest? Fats and starches, sugar and caffeine, or alcohol? (Merg... I have no comment on my own question... >>)[/color][/size][/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]I would guess that fats and starches are probably the main one. I remember reading an article that health problems caused by being overweight are on the rise and will soon be the number one killer among Americans. It?s certainly a chore to shop and find healthier foods in the stores these days, so many things are processed and very unhealthy. Here?s my next question. Do you believe aliens have visited the Earth? I know this is an old and worn out question, but I often wonder if all the hype among people who are convinced that we have been visited is just that, hype. I have yet to read or see anything that would convince me that aliens have ever visited here.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]I agree with you. The current team of moderators do an amazing job. But like you said there?s only so much one man of woman can do. I?ve noticed that the number of members has grown quite a bit and the incidents of spam has increased as well. Its not really an issue and it doesn?t bother me, but I can certainly see why more moderators would be a good thing. And not just for here I?m sure additional help would be a good idea for theOtaku and myOtaku as well.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]My family has a few traditions that we observe for the holidays if we can get together as so many of us live in different states now. One of them is that we go to a tree farm and pick out our tree together and cut it ourselves. Since I leave to catch a plane home today I will be doing that with my family tomorrow. It's always fun as there is lots of snow and everything is so beautiful. The other tradition is that we have a Christmas Eve party. We get lots of fun Christmas movies, snacks and Christmas music and spend the whole evening having fun together. Sometimes my siblings and I have stayed up all night watching Christmas shows. I love doing it. The other is one I do with my mother if possible, and that is we do our Christmas shopping together, so I'll be doing my shopping this week. It may be a mad house, but it's one of the few times I get to be with my Mom so I love every minute of it.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Quite interesting. I am very impressed by all the entries. Certainly a lot of talented people here at OB. Anyway, here is my attempt at a banner. It's a pity I won't get to see which one is finally choosen as I will be home for the holidays and my parents do not have an Internet connection. Good luck everyone and have a good Christmas. [/COLOR] [IMG]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/indifferencecry/OtakuBoardsChristmas01.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=James][font=franklin gothic medium]I don't know about the issue specifically with OtakuBoards, but I can tell you that one of our four servers has been acting up lately. I am not certain, but whenever that server acts up, OtakuBoards doesn't load for me, nor do myOtaku comments. Yet regular myOtaku pages do. So I assume that the sites encountering problems are located on the problematic server. But don't quote me on that. I am aware, though, that we've recently taken steps to fix some issues on the problematic server. As a result, some of the bugs that were occurring in myOtaku have now been fixed. However there does still seem to be some issues with the server going down now and then. Unfortunately I can't offer you anything more specific than that. Adam or Justin are welcome to post if they have more information. I can only tell you that we are aware of recent server troubles and we are attempting to fix the problems that have cropped up.[/font][/QUOTE][COLOR=Indigo]I too have run into the error telling me that access is denied just when I attempt to pull up the log in page for myOtaku. And when I do get on it is terribly slow. For the past few days I have been unable to visit people's sites as their page and my own does not load. All I get is the background picture and nothing else. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]I am currently working on a type of online questionnaire/article/survey for the staff here at OtakuBoards. I was looking through the section about the staff at theOtaku.com and realized that there really isn?t much in the way of information regarding the amazing staff that runs the various sites here. So with that in mind I am working on an article where not only do I ask some basic questions but where the community as a whole can submit questions that they would like to know as well. So here?s what I am looking for. There are two types of questions I would like to see. First of all a general question like ?what was the scariest thing you ever saw?? Basically something that could apply to any of the staff here. The second type of question is if you had one that was directed towards a specific staff member. I am planning on interviewing all the staff so if you had a question that only pertained to one staff member, then I would keep your request to use for when that person?s turn came up. If you don?t have a specific question right now, feel free to later modify your original post and add it, as I will be checking the thread before each person?s turn to see if there are any new requests. And if you have a question for more than one person, feel free to include that one as well. I would also like to encourage other staff members to participate as perhaps one of you might have a general question as well as a more specific one for one of your fellow staff members. I am also doing some research to include other fun information besides just a simple questionnaire so that the article is more broad based and informative. But overall I think it will be fun to see what the talented staff members have to say. So let me know what you want to know! If anyone has any questions, please drop me a PM and I'll do my best to answer it. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]This is a great idea. Here's a few that I have made.[/COLOR] [IMG]http://indifference.zoto.com/img/original/7778d1e02b390e945251d51d58f13b26.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://indifference.zoto.com/img/original/95178705d0cc9b6864b0a709457979f2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://indifference.zoto.com/img/original/9bd66ce62441080dad14f22c3460410d.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://indifference.zoto.com/img/original/4f236be4df12529adadb784ffabb31af.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://indifference.zoto.com/img/original/8058b75b532513cdb3a561fe8801f48d.jpg[/IMG]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]Retribution:[/B] First of all your piece is very nostalgic, it reminds me of something one would see in a museum with older pictures about Broadway. The thing that really distracts from this piece is the letters on the bottom and the extra space on the top. I also do not care for the tiny bit of color as it distracts from a piece that seemed to be more older black and white. Still overall it is very nicely done and represents Broadway quite well. [B]Baron Samedi: [/B] The thing I like best about your piece is how it just pops and grabs your attention. The red neon light with the character almost completely in grays and blacks with the tiny hint of color in his pocket really goes well together. The words are nicely chosen, and the only thing I don?t care for is the actual font that you used. It looks nice, I just don?t care for it. Now for my choice, although Retribution?s was nicely done I feel that Baron Samedi?s piece grabs your attention much better. I?ve read all the posts so far and looked at the picture that Baron provided. It?s an excellent example of restoring a photo and making improvements that make it pop even more. So for this round my vote goes to[B] Baron Samedi[/B]. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]Doc:[/B] I really like the pictures and the saying that you choose to use. It?s a nice representation of the concept of Hollywood. There are two factors to your picture that I feel distract from the piece. First of all the placement of the white circles, it makes the picture seem unbalanced as they are not centered. Then there is the little bit of color in the center picture, it distracts from the overall black and white look to your picture. [B]Kitty:[/B] For your piece I like the choice of pictures, the only part that seems a bit off in that respect is the award as it?s just a tiny bit to shiny and it seem slightly out of place. I like the addition of the description of Hollywood, but the center word is a little too large for my tastes and seems to distract from the over all piece as well. Now for the hardest part as there are things about each picture that I think out do the other person?s submission. In the end I am giving my vote to [B]Kitty.[/B] Both pictures are quite nice, but sorry Doc, I really dislike how the white circles are not centered.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Ruby continued to walk forward even after spotting the group of men waiting for his group. He continued forward until their leader raised his hand indicating they should stop. Ruby did so and the others stopped along with him. He patiently listened to what the Captain had to say, as he was well aware that they could have easily killed him and the others. Ruby carefully made sure to keep his movements calm and unhurried. He could see at least 13 to 15 soldiers surrounding the Captain and it was clear to him that they were well trained. And that didn?t account for the others he could not see. Their armor was worn and beaten from hard use and their stances alert and watchful. Facing Orcs was one thing, but well trained soldiers another. Their group was too small to take them on. Suzu stiffened at the mention of being arrogant enough to think that they could defeat them and Ruby reached over and grabbed his shoulder. Puzzled Suzu turned to see what Ruby wanted. Ruby just shook his head indicating that Suzu should not anger them. Suzu sighed and removed his hand from the hilt of his sword. Their Captain let his hand fall to his side, ?Shall we speak?? Ruby stepped forward and nodded his head slightly in respect. He had heard of Iscar Judas when he served as a military Captain, but he had never met him. Ruby wondered if he was the Judas that Javen had mentioned that they would meet. ?I am Ruby Chaos, former mercenary Captain of the Amber Squad.? Ruby saw Judas raise an eyebrow at that statement; after all it was pretty well known how he and his company had been overrun by the enemy and nearly destroyed. Ruby didn?t regret it as his group had chosen to stand their ground despite being hopelessly outnumbered. They had given the regular army the time they needed to evacuate the civilians caught by the unexpected attack in that region. Far more lives had been saved than had died that day. Ruby continued, ?I am leading this group in search of the Scion. We were originally led by Javen Ilkar but he was killed by a cave troll during our journey.? He paused for a moment before continuing, ?Javen instructed us to find a man named Judas who would help us with our journey.? Ruby left it at that after all Iscar Judas would tell them soon enough why he had deliberately cornered them. There were many possibilities as to why he would wish to speak to them. Ruby waited for the Captain to reply. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Kei quickly fired off three shots keeping the eater from attacking Brady who had fallen to one knee. It turned and stared at Kei as if debating which target to attack. Kei put the gun away and pulled out the blades that Brady and loaned him. This thing was going to be interesting to take down and he was better with blades than with a gun. Kei started to back away slowly and the Eater took that as a sign of weakness and ignored Brady to come after Kei. [I] That?s right.[/I] Kei thought. [I]I?m the one you want. [/I] He continued to back away slowly. Kei wondered what was wrong with Brady, as the Eater hadn?t hit him.[I] Did he get hurt earlier?[/I] Kei wondered. [I] I hope he?s all right. [/I] With a suddenness that was amazing the creature lunged at Kei, but he had been expecting it and he step sided neatly to avoid the attack thrusting the blade out to the side in the creatures path. The momentum of the attack resulted in the Eater being neatly sliced open along its right side. In spite of the horrible wound it turned around and leaped again. Kei could hear Brady struggling to get up behind him and once again he step sided the creature?s attack, this time slicing it open on the left side. It stumbled when it landed nearly sliding into Brady who was back on his feet. Distracted by Brady who was right in front of it, Kei took advantage of the distraction to bury both blades deeply into its back spine. It howled in pain and when it raised its head Brady took advantage of the situation to ram one of his blades into its skull. Both Kei and Brady pulled the blades free and stood back as the creature twitched a few times before finally dying. Brady swore and leaned back against the wall. ?What happened? Are you all right?? Kei asked. When Brady didn?t answer Kei took a moment to clean the blades before sheathing them and then waited to see what Brady said.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Ruby?s world narrowed to the intense concentration of facing the current target. It was almost like being in a trance as his sword parried, stabbed and sliced through the enemies. He focused on the here and now relying on his sixth sense to tell him what was occurring outside of his swords reach. Block here, step side and thrust here, spin and slash here. Like a dance of death he completely lost himself in the fight. A strange buzz followed by the thud of an arrow hitting a body caught his attention as even though he did now show any eleven features his hearing was almost as good as the elves in the party. It was different from the arrows that Kalysta had been shooting. [I]I was right they are still following us.[/I] Ruby thought. Again and again he caught the sound of the arrows that were not from Kalysta and just like her, they never missed their mark. The Orcs began to panic, making it easier for him and the others to finish them off. A few abandoned the fight and simply ran for their lives. Even the black rider that had been watching from a distance turned around and left. Ruby raised an eyebrow at that, as they would never leave unless a force far stronger than they were was around. Ruby met up with everyone in the center of the field. ?I believe you were right. There are those keeping an eye on us. But they seemed to have helped us, for the moment,? Sashanea said. Ruby just nodded. ?We don?t have much of a choice but to continue on.? Ruby just shrugged, ?We could just camp out here and wait for who ever is following us to come here, but it might irritate them as it seems they want us to continue. I don?t think they would have helped us if they didn?t want us to get there alive.? He didn?t bother to mention that just cause they wanted them alive right now didn?t mean they wouldn?t kill them once they walked into whatever trap they had set. Ruby sighed, he really needed to stop being so cynical. After all they might be part of the group Javen had mentioned before he died. ?I can?t believe the black rider left!? Suzu exclaimed changing the subject. Ruby smiled, ?Riders are cowards when faced with a force stronger than they are. If the arrows weren?t enough, the fact that they left is definite proof that someone is following us and keeping an eye on us as well.? ?I say we move on, I?d rather find out what?s going on instead of waiting here for them to come to us.? Ruby said. The others looked at each other and nodded in agreement. They quickly picked up their stuff they had left on the ledge and then took a moment to gather a few useful items from the dead Orcs. Once again Ruby led them off in the direction of the desert. They would be there in only a few hours.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Ruby continued with the others along the trail. They were moving quickly and silently, Sashanea looked bored, but she was still taking things seriously. When Sashanea motioned to them indicating that there was signs of recent travel, Ruby swore under his breath. Either it was Orcs or those who had been following them. ?Suzu, take a quick look ahead? Suzu grinned and dashed in front. Ruby motioned to the Elves to stay put while he took a moment to check behind them. No one was in sight, and he didn?t see any movement. [I]I don?t like this. [/I]He thought. [I]Something is wrong.[/I] It was looking like they had already been caught in a trap. He couldn?t see it, and he didn?t have any proof, it was just his instincts telling him that they had already been out maneuvered. They couldn?t go back and it was highly likely someone would be waiting for them before they got to the desert. Ruby sighed, if they were lucky it would be someone semi friendly to their cause, otherwise, well, not much he could do about it. Ruby walked back to where the Elves were waiting. There was no sign of Suzu so he motioned for them to follow him. They barely walked around some rocks to find Suzu standing over the body of a dead Orc, blood streaming down his face. ?Here.? Ruby said tossing Suzu a small flask of spirits. Suzu caught it and looked at Ruby questioningly. ?Use it on that cut or it?ll get infected, and change out of those clothes. Be sure to carefully wrap them up or the smell of blood will attract trouble.? Ruby and the others turned their backs on Suzu and kept watch while he quickly poured a bit of the spirits on the cut washing the blood off and then wrapped his bloody clothes up and stashed them away once he had changed. ?Be careful, I think we?ve been flanked by either Orcs or those who were following us.? Ruby said ?How can you be sure?? Sashanea asked. ?I?m not.? Ruby replied, ?It?s just a feeling. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. I think we are being herded in a specific direction. Why else would we find an abandoned camp? Even Orcs wouldn?t leave a meal behind unless they had no choice.? Sashanea thought about that for a moment and replied, ?True? she paused and smiled a tiny smile. ?I grow tired of all this sneaking around I say we ambush them.? Ruby just smiled and continued on. The others followed for a while until once again Ruby motioned for them to stop. ?Now what?? Sashanea asked a bit irritably. ?You wanted to ambush them, well here?s your chance.? Ruby said pointing towards some campfires in the distance. ?Based on the placement it looks like a small band of Orcs.? ?Good? Sashanea said. ?Any particular plan? Or shall we just rush them?? Ruby pointed to a small ridge overlooking the campfires and said. ?How about we use that to drop in unannounced?? The other?s nodded in agreement and they quickly and quietly moved to the ridge overlooking the Orcs. There was a huge bolder at the top and Suzu walked over to it with a grin. ?Care to help me with this?? He whispered. Ruby grinned and with the help of the two elves they pushed the bolder over the edge. It fell landing on top of an Orc smashing it?s skull in and then bounced though the camp a bit before picking up speed and rolling through the camp as it was on an incline. The Orcs scattered like mad in an attempt to avoid being smashed by the bolder. Before the Orcs could even realize what had happened Ruby gave a fierce battle cry and leaped down slicing an Orcs head off and neatly stabbing another one before the others even realized what was happening. Suzu and Sashanea followed suit cutting a path through the remaining Orcs while Kalysta stayed up on the ridge calming taking out Orcs with her arrows. Her aim was true as arrow after arrow found it?s way through either their throat or eyes, killing them instantly. Ruby smiled, as the next group of Orcs rushed them. They were going to have to do better than that to stop him and the others.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Kei hung on for dear life when Brady tore out of the place. Once he got going though Kei managed to brace himself and prepare to gun down any eaters that got in the way. Once they started getting closer to the school he could see the movement of the creatures who had made it outside.[I] Damn! There are a lot of them![/I] He thought. Brady floored it and Kei quickly gunned down those that were outside the school. One slipped through the gun fire and Brady ran it down without a second thought. Kei hung on while he drove over it and once they were past he pulled out one of the pistols and fired back at the creature nailing it between the eyes. ?Nice shot? Brady said as he brought the car to a stop outside the school. ?Thanks? Kei said as he replaced the gun in its holster. ?Now what?? Brady got out of the car and headed towards the school. ?What else? We get rid of them.? Kei got out of the car and followed Brady inside, [I]I hope Heart's all right[/I]. He thought.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Someone was following them, Ruby was sure of it. The question was whether or not they were friendly. He deliberately ignored the signs of movement coming from one of the bushes; the last thing he wanted was for them to realize that he knew they were being followed. Unfortunately Suzu noticed the movement and the Elves heard it. ?What was that?? One of the elves asked. Both Ruby and Suzu said, ?Don?t know.? Ruby continued on his way, if they were scouts then they would leave shortly to report to who ever they were working for. [I]That?s right.[/I] Ruby thought.[I] Return to your leader and tell them what you found. [/I]Once they did that he would take the group on a detour. It wouldn?t be too far off their trail and if the map was right the solid bedrock would leave no trail for them to follow. Though if their commander was clever enough he or she would think of that as well. Sure enough Ruby heard the tell tale whispers of movement indicating that who ever was following them had left. ?Quickly everyone, we need to go this way.? Ruby said. The others started to ask why but he cut them off. ?Someone is following us. Their scouts just left to go and report.? Ruby pulled out the map and pointed to the terrain. ?I intend to follow this ridge as the solid rock will hide our tracks making it harder for them to find us.? ?What about the symbol you mentioned that means Orcs are about?? Sashanea said pointing to the map. ?That path will take us right through where they are located.? ?True,? Ruby said. ?But this map is very old and there may not be any Orcs there anymore. Which do you want? The possibility of encountering Orcs? Or facing those who are following us? If they have enough men to send out scouts, the chances are that their group is much to large for us to face alone.? Sashanea looked over to Kalysta who nodded. ?Agreed, your plan is logical.? Ruby turned to Suzu to see what he thought. He nodded his head as well. ?Excellent plan, besides Orcs are easy to kill.? Ruby put the map away and headed towards the rocky ridge the map indicated was there. Within a short time they found it. Moving carefully to make sure they only traveled on stone to hide any signs of their passing, they continued towards the desert. At this rate they would make it to the desert in no time. [I] Now if we can just avoid running into any Orcs.[/I] Ruby thought to himself. He watched the Elves and Suzu as they traveled on the stone.[I] Excellent.[/I] He thought. The Elves were naturally good at this type of movement and the kid caught on quickly enough. Definitely a good sign. [/COLOR]