Doublehex

I've been writing for the past ten years, seriously for the past three. I am an excellent writer, or so I am told by my friends, family, fellow writers and English teachers.

Thing is, I suck at drawing! Altough I am taking Art I next year (senior year), I highyl doubt taht would be enough for me to qualify for [I]any[/I] type of comic company.

While we are on the topic of storytelling in comic form (since manga is really just comics that are read from right to left), after reading the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, I have become somewhat interested in becoming a story writer for comic companies. However, I don't know if they will accept just pure storytellers...as in, does a 'storyteller' need to have excellent drawing skills as well?

Perhpas you could tell us a little bit about your character, like his personality, special traits and history.

I enjoyed Neon genesis Evangelion mainly because of it's deep meanings...it's much more than just an mecha anime, but an investigation into the psyche and the psychological.

I think Shadows of the Colossus(sp?) would make an excellent anime. Of course, you'd need to add some characters to help the main character out, but I really do think SotC would work very well in the Anime medium.

[quote name='aoi_ame_tenshi']Sure I would, but I'd probably want the first issue for free so that I'd be able to preview the series that would be in the magazine. I also think that I would probably want a variety of genres, a action series, a romance, etc.[/quote] I agree. Variety is the best thing for a manga magazine, even though I have never read one.

Now, I have not seen Trigun, but personally, I don't think you can go wrong with the Wild West, so the more cowboy anime is out there the better!

Personally, the best anime couple that I have seen is Shinji X Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion. From all the possible pairings in that series, it just seems that is the most likely, and they compliment each other very much (Asuka gives Shinji a spine, and Shinji gives Asuka a controlling of temper).

This isn't even the right forum, you know? Dosen't this belong in Anime Discussion, or something? unless he's talking about a book, but then shouldn't you tell us WHICH book?

Thanks for the CC. Chapter 2 is being worked on as we speak. I have ATM 5 and a half pages. Might get it done by Sunday, but I ain't making any promises. EDIT: Looks like I got it ahead of schedue. ;-) Well, here we go! [QUOTE] [b]Chapter Two ? Friends and Enemies are One and the Same[/b] Shinji struggled to his feet, his pale and incompetent hands holding onto his cracked rib cage. He grimaced, and took a few steps forward onto the beach shore before falling straight on his face. Salt water rolled beside his cheek, with some of it stinging his eyes. He squinted his eyes shut, hoping somehow that the sting would fade away. When it refused to pass away, he tried to lift himself up. His strength faded, and he fell again on the sand. Shinji sighed out of disappointment, and closed his eyes shut. He puckered his lips, unintentionally kissing the beach. Deciding not to let the salt water stain himself anymore, he dragged himself, relying more on the strength found in the fingers than any muscles in his arm, to the top of a sandy dune that overlooked the shore. He didn?t look back onto the shore, or to his and Asuka?s entry plug that was half buried into the beach. He was too busy trying to hold throw up. Mucus, as well as half-consumed meals, sipped between his fingers, and littered the dune. His head became heavier, and he started to breathe harder. He closed his eyes for several minutes, to try to gain control of calm himself, thinking that it will stop making his stomach turn. When that didn?t work, Shinji dragged his weak body to a smooth and flat rock, resting his back against it. For whatever reason, Shinji grabbed a handful of sand, and allowed the dirt to slip between his fingers. When there was nothing left, he grabbed another handful to continue the process. This cycle continued for several minutes. Asuka?s capsule was off into the distance, the orange pod half buried by both sand and sea. Shinji, as concerned as he would be for the red headed German if she was in danger, didn?t lend a finger to pry the entry plug open. Asuka was too tough a nut to crack to be killed by a mere crash into the sea. Besides, if he did open the entry plug, she would just yell at the innocent Shinji, calling him stupid and cursing him in her native tongue. It would be for the best if he just let her be. He sighed deeply, wiping some sweat off of his brow. He took another deep breath, thinking that would relieve some of the heat. Unfortunately for him, it only made the situation worse. ?What the hell happened?? the EVA pilot pondered to himself a few minutes later. ?Why the hell were we in the sky? Why were those?whatever they were, attacking us? They looked like EVAS?a little bit, I mean. They sure as hell looked like a metal monster. But, where am I?we going to go now. I mean, I don?t have an idea what?s going on, and Asuka sure as hell doesn?t, with her being in a coma and all until now?whenever now is!? Shinji sighed again, and pounded the earth with his fist in frustration. ?I don?t want to kill,? he announced out loud. ?Not again, not after those screams.? He licked his lips, and ripped the head bands that acted as a link between him and his EVA off. ?I?m not going to kill anyone ever again, no matter what happens. Even if I have to die?I won?t kill.? He heard a light chuckle, and he turned his head to the source. A red eyed Asuka stood there, wiping sweat from her head. She smiled that infamous smile of hers that formed across her face whenever she mocked Shinji in some way. ?What?s up with you, Third Child?? Shinji smiled. He could at least trust the German to have an idea of what to do. After all, between the two of them and Rei, Asuka was always the brawn, and sometimes the brains of the trio. Whenever they had to think fast, Asuka was there to conduct some half-crazed scheme. Of course, more times than not, her plans usually created even more problems for the three EVA pilots to get themselves out of. ?Nothing.? ?Yeah. Right,? she said sarcastically. ?Well, it doesn?t really matter. We?ve got to get out of here.? She headed up the dune and away from the beach. Shinji didn?t follow. ?Haul ass, Third Child. We?ve got to move.? ?It?s Shinji?? he mumbled. The German turned her head towards Shinji. ?What?? ?It?s Shinji. My name is Shinji.? Asuka only sighed. ?Come on, Third Child.? Knowing that it was hopeless to convince Asuka of anything, Shinji followed. He would think that after being so long in a coma, she would at least be grateful to see Shinji. Shinji prayed that she might of have even changed, to be someone he could talk to, someone to know how he was feeling, to help him, and vice versa. But, alas, things didn?t turn out as Shinji had hoped. Asuka was still the same insensitive jackass as before. As he followed the red headed German, he started to wonder if it was too late to change. [center]* * * * *[/center] The sea is a dark and foreboding place. As much as it is a place of unrivaled beauty, tranquility and peace of mind, the darkest depths of the water realm holds dark secrets, and even darker tribulations for those that looked for them. Uriel squad Uruz-seven had left Boston harbor three hours ago, a sudden and unexpected deployment in the middle of the day. Usually, the clawed submarines were used at night, where they could best do recon work. The order came right in the middle of their rest period, after six days of recon work elsewhere with little rest. However, they took pride in knowing that the task came directly from Lady Hamae, and they all secretly dreamed of the elegant woman praising them in private upon completion of the mission. The six submarines slip their way through the cracks of the ocean rocks. They were here searching for something?an enemy from the past, the Lady had said in the report. It would be a lie if any of the crew members said that they weren?t afraid. It was said that nothing short of an army could of threatened Kalem, nevertheless injure him to the point where sacrificing his Full Metal was his only option. Their large numbers eased themselves somewhat, however. Suddenly, out of the dark a form slowly became visible. The six Uriels simultaneously flicked don their lights, more by reflexes than by discipline. The purple armor of EVA 01 was in their sights. A few feet off, EVA 02 was also somewhat visible. A few of the submarines slowly approached the sleeping gods, their captains sweating nervously. They were certain that once they approached the monsters, their ghoulish eyes would glow, and their claws would rip them to shreds in an instant. The EVAS never woke up. Finally, one of the Uriels radioed head quarters. They found them. [center]* * * * *[/center] A week later, at seven AM, Norwood High School was the same as it always has been: a stream of student drivers transporting themselves and their friends, buses dropping students off at sidewalks, and a few prodding pedestrians regretfully walking to the thirty plus year old building. The High School, despite its appearance of a government building, never did hold a student body larger than five hundred. For as long as anyone in Norwood could remember, whenever a family would move out of the suburb another family would be quick to take their place. Despite being a mere half hour drive from Boston, Norwood never did become a large town; impressive, yes, but never large. Despite its small size, Norwood was a town that took a sense of pride in its appearance. The roads were certainly better paved than most of the surrounding towns. The sidewalks were rarely, if ever, littered. Even in the Fall the trees acted just as much as glorified décor as things of nature. The buildings and houses were never too close together, but they were barely too far off. The grumbling of a many high school students could be heard among the morning drama. Some complained of sore backs, but most were just mad that they had to wake up before eight just to go to a place they could care less about. All of them being juvenile complaints, and nothing more. Amongst the group of students were two exchange students from Neo-Japan. Of course, no one initially recognized them when they entered the halls: after all, it?s not exactly easy to distinguish new students from the existing five hundred. The students of Norwood High were introduced to the students at first period, in Mister Murphy?s Algebra-II class. The Math teacher certainly looked like his class: with his long, but somewhat muscular body, wrinkled face and rimmed glasses. His voice was deep but sturdy, and all of those who were in his class were quick to tell you that the first time you heard him you get a sort of fuzzy feeling under your skin, like you were talking to somebody who was worth talking to. He was also a man whose first self-imposed assignment was to carve into his mind all of his student?s names and faces. So, when he saw two new faces entering his classroom that November morning he had a few guesses as to why they were here. He approached the thin, but good intending looking lad and his fiery haired companion with a slight smile on his face. ?Morning to you both,? he said in his deep voice. The two looked at him for a split second before doing the customary bow. He waved his hands in protest. ?No need for that. You two are from Japan, right?? ?Y-yes sir,? the boy said somewhat nervously. ?Well, take your seat. We have two spares in the back. You can have those if you want, or if you can convince someone to trade spaces with you, I won?t mind taking your pick. Well, I?m Mr. Murphy. Can I see your schedules to make sure you?re in the right class?? They handed it over to him. ?I won?t tell you how many times on the first day I get students who don?t belong in my class. They must love Math so much,? he noted to himself as he read their schedules. He turned to face the boy. ?Shinji?Yamamoto? Did I say it right?? ?Y-yes, Murphy-san.? He smiled warmly. ?I told you, my name does not have to san in it, or at least the last time I checked. Just Mr. Murphy will do.? He turned to face the female. ?Asuka Kazade?? ?It?s KAZ-A-DUE, actually. Close enough, though, I guess.? ?Well, don?t you fret young lady, I?ll get it done by tomorrow, I assure. Now, when the bell rings, go introduce yourselves to the class, won?t you?? They shrugged in agreement. Despite their differences in both name and appearance, the old Mathematics teacher couldn?t help but think that they were related somehow. He shrugged it off as him just getting too old. Suddenly, the bell rang. He coughed, signaling them on his own terms to stick to the plan. The two exchange students walked to the front of the class. Half of the class was still in the morning ruckus as it were, and Mr. Murphy took it upon himself to settle them down. In a few moments, the class was in their place, facing the two new students. Shinji was obviously sweating nervously, and his fellow classmates noticed this, and a few whispers concerning the ?new guy? were somewhat hearable. ?Okay, settle down, all of you,? the Math instructor demanded of his students. They did as were instructed of them, knowing full well how the old man could get when caught in a temper. He nodded to Shinji and Asuka. ?Introduce yourselves, please.? Asuka nudged Shinji. He coughed nervously. ?Well, uh, um, I?m Shinji Yamamoto. I come from Neo-Japan, as an, err, um, exchange student.? He quickly backed off, allowing the red haired German to take his place. ?Well, my name?s Asuka Kazadu. I?m from Neo-Japan too, for the same reason as this idiot behind me.? She smirked with obvious sarcasm. Mr. Murphy rolled his eyes. ?Any questions for our new classmates?? he asked the class. A few raised their hands. He randomly picked one from amongst the crowds. ?Are you two dating?? a man wearing a football jacket asked. ?HELL NO!!? the two said simultaneously. A few noticed them blushing. Mr. Murphy coughed, obviously ignoring the language his newest students have just exploited. ?Yes, well, are there any other questions?? Another hand rose. No other hands rose, so Mr. Murphy proceeded to begin the class. He instructed the two to take their seats, and joked successfully to those in the back to make sure the two didn?t flirt. And thus began Shinji?s and Asuka?s first day in an American school, and moreover, their first day trying to figure out what was going on in the world. It was around lunch time when the two managed to dig up some information. Instead of eating, they silently decided to head for the Computer Lab. All that was required of them was to sign on a sheet of paper their name, class and lunch number before they were given access to the thirty something computers. Five minutes into their investigation, Asuka ushered Shinji over. ?Hey?Third Child?over here,? she whispered a few seats down. ?Take a look at this.? ?SEELE reported yesterday days ago that the cause of Colonel Kalam?s ahead of schedule return to Earth was not four meteors that penetrated the atmosphere as predicted, but a malfunction in his transport.? ?Four meteors??, he whispered. ?Us dumbshit.? ?I know that! But?what are they trying to hide?? ?And what?s up with SEELE? Weren?t they the ones who funded NERV?and us?? ?Yeah, but why are they trying to hide us in the first place. Hell, why were we in space at all?? Asuka rolled her eyes. ?If I knew that, I wouldn?t be on a ten year old computer searching the internet looking for answers! Jeez Third Child!? Shinji just moaned. For the rest of their half hour rest block, the two didn?t find anything in their investigation. It was obvious to the two, who were from the inside, as it were, that SEELE was hiding something. Their were indications that NERV was now a offensive organization instead of a defensive one, but mostly just rumors. On top of that, there was no mentioning of the UN in any articles for the past two years. Even Asuka was starting to get worried. [center]* * * * *[/center] The bell rang at two thirty, signaling the end of the school day. Most of the buses were lined up, but Asuka and Shinji just walked home. Their apartment, which was a mere twenty minute walk from the school, was funded by two forged exchange student cards that Shinji made after seeing a copy of one off of a young boy on the streets. Asuka was still somewhat amazed that Shinji was so good at making a fake ID that looked legit, although she?d be damned if Shinji ever found out she appreciated something he did for her. Shinji yawned lazily when they entered the apartment, unwillingly dropping his backpack to the floor. Asuka followed suit, dropping almost dead on the wooden floor. The apartment, excluding the two bedrooms and one bathroom, was simply furnished with just the essentials: a cough, a few beds, some cabinets and a somewhat dated television. They were fortunate that the owner of the complex didn?t recognize some of the flaws in Shinji?s fake IDs; they were also lucky to get the one spare apartment meant for exchange students. ?Man, today sucked?, Shinji groaned as he dragged himself towards a counter to rest his heavy head on. ?I didn?t understand anything on paper.? Asuka mumbled something unintelligible. Shinji didn?t ask what it was. ?Not to mention that I think that girl in Spanish class was looking at me in ways nobody should be looked at?? ?Oh stop your complaining!? Asuka ordered as she got up. ?At least your ass didn?t get slapped in the hallways between periods.? ?You?re kidding me,? Shinji said in a tone that showed he wasn?t surprised at all. Back in Tokyo-3, the boys sold explicit photos of Asuka for a fair amount of yen, and he wasn?t surprised one bit that the Americans were already hitting on her. ?Don?t you start with me, Third Child! Gawd!? She pulled on her hair frustration. ?And I bet that jockey was hitting on me in Math class?why do we have to go to school anyways? Me in particular! I went to college!? ?We?ve got to fit in!? ?Yeah, a gorgeous German and a Japanese nerd who can?t even read English fits in just fine.? ?You?re one to talk! You couldn?t even read Japanese.? ?Aw, shut your face Third Child. When?s dinner? I?m starving!? ?We don?t have any food. We?ve got no money.? ?WHAT! You expect me to do both of our homework?s on an empty stomach?? ?Who said you had to do mine?? ?You can?t read English, so I have to for you!? ?Like that would help me,? he mumbled. ?So what do you want me to do? Teach you to read English?? ?Now, that would help.? ?In your dreams, pervert. Wait; don?t even think about it in your dreams. I bet you have all types of fantasies when you snooze off, now don?t you?? ?At least I wasn?t attracted to somebody who was in his thirties!? He got punched in the face for the effort. When he came to, Asuka was already slamming her bedroom door shut. Shinji rose to his feet, his hand rubbing at the bruise Asuka left on his forehead. He sighed depressingly. As much as he wanted to apologize to Asuka, he knew that it wouldn?t be of any use. She would just criticize him for apologizing. It was times like this that made him wonder why the hell any guy would want to get involved with women. Suddenly, a mental image of Kaji popped into his head. He was like an older brother to the young EVA pilot?somebody he could turn to when he had troubles that only guys would get into it. Yes, he was more or less an idiot, but he actually knew things. And more importantly, he was kind. He remembered something Kaji told him concerning women. ?Shinji, if there?s one thing we guys have to learn, it?s that we can?t live with those adorable babes, and we sure as hell can?t live without them. As much of a pain in the ass they are, no matter how much we can?t stand them, we guys need women, and they need us.? Shinji sighed, and walked towards the cough, when he then proceeded to drop head first on. He groaned aggressively. He also remembered that he hated it whenever Kaji was right about women. A half hour later, a starving Asuka exited from her bedroom. The first thing her eyes laid upon was the motionless body of Shinji Ikari. ?What you thinking about now, Third Child?? ?Who says I am?? he mumbled through the soft exterior of the couch. ?Because whenever you shut that big mouth of yours, you?re thinking about something. So spit it out, before I make you.? Shinji lazily flipped over. ?I was thinking about Kaji.? He paused for effect. ?About something he said.? ?That being?? ?How even though women are a pain, we guys can?t live with you.? The red haired German placed her hands on her hips. ?Pervert,? she smiled mischievously as she went back in her room. Shinji stretched his arms lazily. He was beginning to understand what Kaji meant. He yawned sleepily before falling asleep. [/QUOTE] [quote][b]Chapter Three ? Through the battlefield[/b] In the country of Toujimae, a dark and bloody civil war rocked the populous. It was a horrible spot on the nation?s already stained history, the historic tomes recording hundreds of bloodthirsty and selfish rulers and self proclaiming dictators who used civil wars much like this one to expand their own powers. At the central spotlight of this particular conflict was Sergio Cortez, a man in his late fifties with frizzled black hair, and a graying moustache. His opponents, although scapegoats would prove a far more accurate description, were refugees who were pouring into his country for who knows what reason. He could care less. This war was a way to expand his influences, particularly to SEELE, who granted their blessing on the conflict and promised they would not interfere. He rode in a beat down Hummer, and a huge number of attack jeeps were surrounding him, ensuring he would survive this day. However, if by some odd day in hell that the refugees managed to destroy those, three Ramniel class Full Metals were practically on top of him. If anything could save him from an assassin?s bullet, it would be those demons. They turned a corner onto the main street. An interesting image caught his eye: a beaten down church, were hundreds of wounded refugees laid. Women and children attended to their wounds, and the occasional elder could be seen among them. They were totally helpless against any sort of attack. Sergio Cortez smiled. Perfect. He climbed onto the hood of the Hummer, and raised his hand to halt the advance. A multitude of whispers and gasps were easily heard. Cortez pulled out his pistol. A feeble man donning priest?s clothing approached the dictator. ?Please! You must not do this! This war must end!? Cortez licked his lips. ?It will end when all of you good for nothing refugees are out of my country!? ?Please sir! We just want a place to live!? ?Shut your useless mouth old man!? He raised his gun. The priest gasped. ?God will never forgive ?? He never finished the sentence. A bullet ripped through the pacifist?s head. ?Where is your God now?? the murderer smirked villainously. He raised his free hand, preparing to drop it, signaling a slaughter. Some of the women shivered with fear, bundling their children close to them. Some began to cry. A few old man, got on their knees and began to pray. The signal was set: two of the Ramniels raised their gun and were about to pull the trigger. That is, until they were ripped to pieces by a hidden enemy. They exploded in a blazing inferno, with burning metal spraying everywhere. Cortez gasped at the sight. ?What the hell?!? A Uriel, not painted with the tanned paintjob of Cortez?s forces, but rather, sporting the obsidian colored metal of NERV, appeared mid air, its front already exposed to the ground. It flipped onto its feet. It raised its one eye towards the remaining foe, and rolled out of the way as inaccurate shots were fired its way. By the time it got to its feet, the dictator?s remaining Full Metal was already scrap metal. ?Retreat!? the half crazed Dictator swore. His entire battalion sped off without a complaint, none of his militia wishing to face the demon god that was the Uriel. When the last of the militia sped off, the Uriel turned to see that four of its companions had come to join it, all sporting the black paint job as him. At the front of this pack was Colonel Kalem. ?Good to see you haven?t lost your touch Jonathon.? The younger Full Metal pilot nodded, his weapon copying the friendly motion. ?VR does tend to help keep me in shape, sir.? The Colonel sighed, still disappointed that his son refers to his ?official? name even on the battlefield. Then again, should he really be surprised about his son?s behavior? ?Well, the helicopters should be here any minutes?? And almost as if on cue, six NERV helicopters turned off their camouflage, lowering themselves to the ground. One of the Uriels faced the crowd. ?Everyone, get in! We will transport you to a safe location!? Without hesitating, the crowd practically leaped onto the helicopters, although a few were kind enough to carry the murdered priest?s body onto a helicopter with care. A random collection of radio chatter could be heard from the helicopters and the Uriels as they prepared for the safe evacuation of the refugees. However, a certain Dictator was not out of the picture yet. He slammed hard on the dashboard of his Hummer. ?Damn them!? he cursed. ?Where did they come from?? his driver asked. ?NERV?? ?NERV?? the militia fighter arched his eyebrows, never hearing of either NERV or SEELE before Sergio Cortez came into power. ?SEELE?s military dogs.? He scowled. ?I should of have known this was going to happen when ADVENT came into the picture.? He sighed. ?No matter! Those refugees won?t escape. We?ll launch the AAs!? He pulled out a walkie-talkie out of the side of the door, and talked into it, sending his orders to those who needed to hear it. The listener on the other side acknowledged the orders, and Cortez hung up. He smiled grimly. A helicopter numbered Wyrd 43-6 hovered over the town hall, scouting for any signs of the guerilla fighters. It reported none: almost the entirety of Cortez?s forces disappeared, as if they evaporated. It was possible that they had hidden themselves in some underground tunnels, which were common practice by guerilla fighters in Asia, but the pilot had his doubts about that theory. Regardless, he reported in to his superior. ?Lady Hamae?? In head quarters, the elegant lady twirled hair around her finger. ?Yes, Wyrd forty three-six?? ?There is no sign of the Cortez?s guerrilla fighters??. Suddenly, over the intercom, they heard the booming sounds of a missile slamming into the copter, obliterating it. The lady was unmoved. ?Status?? ?It was an anti-air missile, ma?am,? a voice responded. ?It was not detected on the radar, so it?s likely it was cloaked.? Hamae sighed, and ordered that a comm. link be established with the Colonel. ?Colonel. The dictator in question has heat seeking anti-air missiles that are also likely to be cloaked. The helicopters must not be let off the ground.? The Colonel?s sigh could be heard. ?So, they mean to surround us then? To keep the helicopters in one place?? ?And squash you like ants.? ?Affirmative, ma?am. I?ll send one of my Uriels to deal with the AA battery.? ?See that you do.? With that, she waved her hand, and the comm. link was cut. On the battlefield, Kalem?s Uriel turned to his squad. ?Who will volunteer?? His son?s Full Metal approached his father. ?I will. Do we have any coordinates?? ?Judging from where Wyrd 43-6 was shot down, as well as the direction of the explosion?? he paused for a moment, allowing the computer on his Full Metal to finish all of the technical data, ?33.6 North!? ?Understood!? With that, Jonathon Kalem?s Full Metal leaped over a building, heading for the target. His father, on the other hand, wasted no time as he prepared to move the helicopters to a more appropriate position: none at all. They would keep on moving, low enough to keep out of the range of the missiles but high enough that they could move and not waste any fuel. In laments terms, they were hovering barely a few feet above the road. One of Cortez?s random soldiers gazed in fear at the hills. For the past fifteen minutes he and others at the post, which was nothing more than a worn down warehouse, had been hearing the screams of other posts that went down one by one. It was like some horrible phantom was consuming their souls. He swallowed, and stared at a pitcher full of water. The earth was thundering, and the glass was vibrating. The soldier blinked repeatedly, hoping that with each blink the thundering would stop. It never did. He licked his lips as the thundering become more frequent, and by the time the pitcher rumbled every second the peasant soldier felt his heart was going to be torn from his chest. Suddenly, he heard a yell. He stared up, only to see the sprinting form of Jonathon?s Uriel. That was the last thing he saw, before he and his comrades were engulfed in a fiery explosion. The pilot licked his lips. Sweat slipped their way down his forehead, but he just ignored the annoyance. A soldier learns not to be distracted on the field of battle, especially when out numbered. The fact that he was out numbered by ants made little difference to him. Cockiness was a weakness that could prove to be easily exploited by even the most reckless of soldiers. The Uriel sprinted over the hill. The AA missile battery was easily seen. Only a few soldiers were guarding it. As much as he hated to say it, it was too easy of a target. There weren?t even any tanks to handle any possible armored opponents. It was clear to see that Cortez did not anticipate the Refugees to have any sort of armored weapons. It was also clear to see that Cortez was a foolish man. The rifle fired off a series of rounds. The battery exploded into a blazing fireball, taking the soldiers that were stupid enough to stand near it along with it. The image of his father appeared on a smaller screen in Jonathon?s cockpit. ?Jonathon, the radar shows no sign that AA launcher. I hope it isn?t an error,? he said with a smile, not doubting his son?s expertise. ?Affirmative sir.? Jonathon smiled back. He knew how much his father was irritated by the formality, even though it was on the battlefields. ?Hold your position, son. A carrier is coming to bring us home. The Lady said we are done here.? Home. The word had such sweetness to it. Jonathon closed his eyes and allowed his mind to be overwhelmed by it. He was going home. [center]* * * * *[/center] A week later, another helicopter loomed over the ruins of the city. It was, however, not owned by either NERV or SEELE. The leaf symbol of Sephiroth was not branded onto the copter, nor were the six eyes of SEELE. Rather, the words ADVENT was painted across it in a very blunt manner. A man in his early forties was on the copter. He was bald, minus the hair went down from his sides. His double chin was large and nearly impossible to notice, and he wore a pair of glasses that made him appear intelligent. He was looking at the destruction below through a pair of binoculars. He was leaning over the helicopter carelessly, and surely I fallen over if his assistants were not using their own weight to anchor him down. ?Oh look! Look, look, look! At precisely, I must surely guess at precisely 14.05..7.05.69 point blah blah blah hours, we seemed to have an intruder in our mist! Oh yes, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind about it! There?s no possible way around it! NERV must of have come! Oh the bastards always ruin our fun!? He frowned a moment, before he continued to scan the carnage. ?Oh, what?s this? A helicopter crashed! The cause, what was it? I must know! I must, oh yes, I must! Uh, uh, uh?ah, very interesting, he used our missiles! Hmmm?a little anxious are we? That will not do at all, not at all. Ah well?hmm, let me see here?ah! Egads!? ?Sir egads is not a word. I think you mean egad.? ?Quiet you fool!? With that, he pushed the intruder off of the helicopter into the lake. ?Now, what on earth did he do that for?? The man shrugged. ?Ah well?now, where was I? Ah yes, now I remember, yes I do! I was just about to comment about how our puppet was too much of an idiot to not put up detectors for cloaked enemies! The fool! The bumbling fool! He probably trips over his own shoe laces! He must! There?s no way about it, not at all!? He looked down to one of his assistants who were holding him down. ?Don?t you see?? ?I do not sir.? ?Then you are an idiot! NERV used cloaking devices to jump right on top of the poor fool?s battalion. And we lost all of our Full Metals we lent him! Curses!? He sniffled a bit before continuing with his commentary. ?Oh, a Uriel separates from the group! Why? Oh, must be after the missiles. Ah, I see. Making sense it all is, yes it does. Anyhoe, there he goes! He?s off! Oh he is so off I can hardly believe he is this off of the offity on ground! Do you see what I mean?? ?No, sir.? ?Shut yo? mouth, who asked you anyways? Oh, oh, oh, ah! There he goes! He found the missiles! And blast it all, he blasted it to blasting blasted smithereens! Aw, those NERV always have to ruin my fun. Why, oh why oh why!? He shrugged. ?Ah well. Bring me to Cortez!! I?m going to kick his ass! And where are those twins? Get me them too!? [center]* * * * *[/center] The apartment was dark, and cold. Its filth attracted hordes of vermin: spiders and rats sprinted across the cracked wooden floor. Mold seeped through the cracks on the wall. Even the shower heads brought forth a huge variety of stomach turning smells whenever it was turned on. Two naked forms were on the form; both of them were Japanese, and twins. One of them, a male, scrapped soap against the wet back of his sister. He would fling her long, seductive hair of the way when he needed to. His sister breathed slow breaths. ?Father will contact us soon, won?t he, Souske?? He nodded. ?Of course he will, Kanomai. Until he does, we have to follow Christopher-Ryan.? She spat in disgust. ?I hate that man. He?s disgusting.? She shuddered. Souske massaged his sister?s shoulders, calming her. ?Don?t worry. We?ll make it through this.? Believing him, Kanomai nodded. All of a sudden, a phone rang. Souske stood up, and answered it. Just as quickly as he answered, he hung up. He turned to his sister. ?He wants us.? She nodded, and reached for her clothes. Souske did the same. [center]* * * * *[/center] Cortez was sweating uncontrollably, although the ninety degree weather was hardly the cause of it. He licked his dried lips uncontrollably, and his hands were shaking as if he was going to have a heart attack (although he did wish that it would occur right here and now). The dictator was pacing back and forth in his tent in a nervous and repetitive manner, his hands clenching and unclenching rhythmically. ?He?s going to kill me! Fredicoh is going to kill me! There?s no way around it?he is gonna have my head! My head! I?m a dead man...? Cortez had already made preparations for such an event: a small ambush. After all, it was doubtful that ADVENT would send any more than fifteen soldiers to clean up the mess. It just wasn?t in their style. Have the low men like Cortez do all the dirty work on the experimenting of their weapons, and sell the finished results to the highest bidder, whoever that would be. No matter how good he tried, there could be no way he would survive this day. By the end, he and all of his men will be dead men. But, maybe he could take a few of ADVENT?s men along with him?maybe even the crazed Fredicoh himself. The dictator?s nervous pacing was interrupted when one of his men entered the tent. ?Sir, he?s here.? Cortez rushed out from his tent, his lackies following him. The helicopter landed onto the plain with relative ease. They saw the frown Fredicoh had. They saw the straight faces of two dark eyed teenagers standing by them. They never saw the maniacal smile he was beaming just moments before, when they were still in the air. Fredicoh was insane, and he was probably a bastard, but he survived by not being an idiot. He could tell a trap when he saw one. It was obvious by Cortez?s confident smile and his nervous sweat stricken face that he had a trap set in store for ADVENT?s soldiers. Fredicoh turned to the pilot and drew his hand across his neck. The helicopter blades began to slow, and the ADVENT leader nimbly hopped down from the helicopter. Fredicoh stretched and yawned. ?Oh Cortez, I am so sorry, but you have, oh how should I put it?? He paused for a moment, his fingers tapping his double chin in a suggestive manner. ?Bah, forget the formatives! You failed us, not that we were really expecting you to do anything good anyhow.? ?Failed? [i]FAILED[/i]? You failed [i]US[/i]!? Cortez was raging. ?You son of a bitch! You [i]KNEW[/i]! You knew that would happen! If anything, it?s [i]YOUR[/i] fault!? ?Aw, thank you Cortez! I?m glad I?m not the only one. But, really now, you have to die. Bye bye!?, he waved with a wide smile. Suddenly, from the behind the rolling hills several sharpshooters began to fire upon Cortez?s men, including those that were originally supposed to do the sharp shooting. Christopher-Ryan turned to the two teenage assassins by his side. ?Get to it.? With that, the Miyamotos leaped into the fray, their assassin blades drawn. The two murderers created a beautiful dance of blood and death; with every movement, with every precise slice of their swords, they created something that was as lustful as it was monstrous. Blood sprayed from the wounds of the dead, onto their faces. But at the gruesome sight, the two never flinched nor were they deterred from the dance of death. And all the while, the man of ADVENT sang a beautiful song, his hands lifted up to the heavens as if he was singing to God himself. When it was all done, which took less than thirty seconds, the man pouted. He wanted it to last longer. It was so fun to see the killing twins as work. ?Ah well, that?s that.? Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He reached into his red coat. ?YEAH, what do ya want?! Oh, okay, that works for me. Adios, see ya, smell ya later alligator, and all that jazz! Love ya, bye!? He rushed over to the twins, who were wiping the blood off of their faces like someone would a squished bug. ?Hey kids! What do you feel about going to BOSTON?? They arched their eyebrows, but offered no other form of complaints.[/quote]

Chapter One ? Falling from the heavens into despair / From sacrilege a life is given anew Cold. Freezing pain. Winds that tear the skin from your flesh. Is this your heaven, Shinji Ikari? You?re solitude? Your resting place? ?YES!? Do you wish to die here? ?Yes! I?I mean no! No!? But the pain, it is great. Why bear it? No response, Third Child? Look Third Child, a playground. A swing sways lazily in the breeze. Children hop continuously on a sea saw. Old men talk of better days. New mothers gab eagerly amongst each other. Then it is all consumed in a fiery wrath. [center]* * * * *[/center] Four capsules orbited around the lunar planet. Two of them were barely large enough to hold a human, while the others were large enough to hold a colossal weapon. The weapon they held were the EVAs. For many months the four capsules had floated as useless objects, caught in the low gravitational pull of the Moon. The advanced engines and calculating systems stored on the capsules ensured they would not wander into infinite space. If there was any intelligent life outside of Earth, that inhabited the stars or deep space, they would have been no doubt caught in awe by these attractions. And there would be little doubt that these supposed life forms would have been caught off guard when the capsules ceased to orbit the moon. Small engines activated themselves, to point them towards their target. They were pointed for Earth. Portions of the capsules melted away to reveal large engines. The newly awakened machines roared so loudly a beast would have been caught off guard. A blue hue surrounded the engines, preparing themselves for their last voyage, and they sped off towards the Earth. [center]* * * * *[/center] There is only the realm of darkness in Asuka?s mind. The illusion of the hanging doll slowly appears, her malicious smile that of death. The head separates from the doll. Its form collapses on the ground. Asuka is crying, her knees pulled up to her chest. She doesn?t want to see anyone or anything. She would rather be stranded alone in her depression than be forced to actually converse with a soul. But there were those who would not be satisfied with such a conclusion. [center]* * * * *[/center] The Third Child shivered horribly as the voice instructed him a second time: Look again Third Child; a woman. She is beautiful and cared for you very much. She says something to you, to run away. Then there is more bloodshed. She falls, clutching a wound. She mutters something intelligible before you are wisped away. All of a sudden, Shinji is returned to the play ground. It had been restored. Nothing has changed. The children still play. The old men still talk. The mothers still gab. There never was an explosion. [center]* * * * *[/center] In the Saint Almarea base, Lady Hamae twirled her hair around her finger, her delicate features hidden behind a white Victorian mask. She wore the uniform of the Earth?s ruler, SEELE. After the Seventeenth, and final, Angel was murdered, the EVAs and their pilots went missing. So, SEELE conquered the world in the name of justice, and peace. After all, if Humanity could not reach the status of God, they could at least be ruled by those who nearly reached that state. The Lady saw an interesting figure on the screen. Four unidentified objects were heading for the Earth, at a very high speed. At the rate they were going, they would enter the atmosphere within a half hour. She curled her lips seductively behind her mask. They were here. [center]* * * * *[/center] In the darkness of Asuka?s mind, a child approached the pitiful soul. ?Do you want to live?? ?No! I don?t want to live! I wanted to die, but they found me! Now I don?t know where I am, or who I even am anymore! Am I dead? Alive?? ?Do you want to live?? ?No.? ?Do you want to die?? She didn?t hesitate for a moment. ?No.? ?You want everything and nothing. This is impossible. No one can have everything and nothing. Now, which of these do you want?? ?I want nothing! I don?t need anyone to survive.? ?Why is that?? ?Because! I am Asuka Langley Sohryu!? [center]* * * * *[/center] Look once more Shinji Ikari: a man in a white suit. His skin glows as if he was God. His hair is snow white, but his face does not look a year over twenty. His smile gives peace. His hands are crossed in a peaceful position. He is waiting for someone. He turns towards you and smiles. He moves over to the other side of the bench, to make room for you. Sit, Third Child. ?Is this heaven?? Shinji didn?t have an idea as to why he decided to ask that question. He didn?t believe in God, so why would he believe in a Heaven? The man smiles. ?No?. ?Where am I then?? ?Here?. ?Where is here?? ?Here is there?. ?Damnit, stop making things up!? ?Heaven is what you make of it?. ?Who are you?? ?I am I, me is me. I am many things, because single things eventually become one. I am the person who is simply here to guide.? ?Rei?? [center]* * * * *[/center] The spirit child sighed in frustration. ?That is why you are here. That is why you are lost. That is why 02 refused to let you pilot it.? ?I am strong! I don?t need anyone.? ?You apparently need the EVA.? ?I?m useless without it!? ?It is merely a tool. A tool does not control the wielder.? ?Just shut up and let me die!? ?Why?? ?Because?if I do, I won?t have to suffer. Because others won?t make me suffer.? ?Who caused you suffering?? ?Everyone?? ?Or did you cause it to yourself?? ?Shut up?shut up!!? [center]* * * * *[/center] Soldier,? the elegant lady said in her plain but tranquil voice. One of NERV?s guards turned to her and saluted, just as much out of lust for her voice as much as respect for her command. ?Are there any soldiers patrolling the area?? ?Yes ma?am. Colonel Kalem is on his way back from Earth from his inspection of the Liberi Fatalis as we speak.? ?Ah, good. Are there Full Metals on aboard?? ?There should be, knowing the Colonel. He is always ready for combat.? ?Inform him of the objects coming his way. Have him destroy them at once.? The soldier saluted his superior. ?Yes ma?am!? He turned to face the intercom, ordering a fellow soldier to find the Colonel?s frequency. Lady Hamae knew that the intruders would not be destroyed so easily, despite the Colonel?s skill and honor. They would be wounded, certainly, but beasts of that power could never be destroyed that easily. She twirled her elegant hair some more. They must strike fast, and corner the beast before it has the chance to strike back. [center]* * * * *[/center] The pilot flicked the switch to off. He turned to his Colonel, Marcus Kalem. With his long brown hair and almost divine features, the soldier appeared as if he was taken right from the works of Tolkien. But looks alone does not redeem respect, and indeed the Colonel?s command and love for his fellow soldiers had earned him the respect of all who had served under him. ?What should we do Colonel?? ?Prepare two of the Sariels,? the warrior said rather emotionless, as if it was plain as day, ?the Lady did give us orders to eliminate this threat, and we must comply.? [center]* * * * *[/center] The child approached the weak German. ?If you opened your mind to it, the EVA would let you pilot it.? ?I tried!? ?That was when there were Angels.? ?Then I have no use. I?m worthless!? ?Others don?t think so.? ?Who? Tell me!? ?Shinji.? ?Shinji?? [center]* * * * *[/center] ?No. I am not Rei. She has not left her final mortal shell yet?. ?Who are you?? ?Someone you would call an angel?. Shinji was shocked at the revelation. ?A?angel!? ?Not the ones that you were trained to kill. I am one to guide you?. ?What?s your name?? The man smiled. ?I need no name. Call me what you wish?. ?Why am I here?? He shrugged. ?Because you want to be?. ?I just want to die.? ?Do you now? Are you sure?? The answer seemed obvious. ?Yes!? ?I thought you decided to stop hating yourself?. He dipped his head low. ?I thought I could. But now, I just want to rot.? ?Why? There is still a life for you to claim?. ?What life?? ?A life to fight for. A woman to fight for?. ?Asuka?? ?Perhaps?. [center]* * * * *[/center] The NERV pilot turned to Kalem. ?What should we do Colonel?? ?Prepare the two Sariels,? the warrior said rather emotionless, as if it was plain as day, ?the Lady did give us orders to eliminate this threat, and we must comply.? ?But Sir, shouldn?t you be taking at least two guards with you, as per protocol?? ?I am. I am taking a Ramniel?? ?But Sir, that?s a land based Full Metal!? He rose up, and two of his fellow pilots did so likewise. ?I always prefer a challenge.? With that, they left for the hangar. Of the fourteen Full Metals that were stored in the transport, only four were in the hangar, three of them the massive, lizard like Sariel models. Sporting an almost reptilian tale, and an armored head that was too similar to that of a dragon of ancient myth, the Sariels were weapons of the sky. The usually navy blue colored weapons were the most dangerous thing to ground troops, with their ability to perform hit and run tactics with amazing ease. The Sariels could not hold their own in combat, however. They would be decimated under the shower of bullets. Never to be weakened by any sort of disadvantage in their army, NERV and SEELE created the Ramniels. Dark green in color, the Ramniel were eerily similar to the EVA 00 in that it had a single, round eye. It was bulkier than its ancestor, however, but that was its purpose: to act like a tank for the Sariels so that their airborne cousins could do all the damage. Of course, the Ramniels were equipped with the latest in armed technology, but its bulky weight wouldn?t allow it the maneuverability of other Full Metals, even with a small jet pack. Cranes lifted two Sariels and the single Ramniel to the ground, the mechanized beasts bending over to let the pilots get into its chest, and the cockpit respectively. The weapons beamed on with pride. Despite the fact that these Full Metals were not living weapons like their ancestors, the fact that they looked alive gave a sense of superstitious fear to those not knowledgeable of the technology that fueled the weapon. One of the pilots driving the transport opened the hatch. The Sariels went out first, intent on protecting their beloved Colonel. [center]* * * * *[/center] ?There is hope yet for you?. ?I did something horrible to her. She could never forgive me.? ?She already would?. [center]* * * * *[/center] Off in the distance, the soldiers could see the approaching invaders. The fire of the atmosphere was already heating them. As much as he knew it would not occur, Kalem wished that the capsules would be obliterated. His senses proved the stronger, as he saw that the capsules moved through the invisible wall of fire. They would not be decimated without outside assistance. Kalem was intent on remedying that fact. ?Move in, on my orders!? he addressed his personal guards. They nodded in agreement, and moved in ahead of their commander. Soon, the soldiers were nearly on top of the massive objects. He was about to order a barrage upon the massive capsules when he saw two smaller ones, puny in size to their Full Metals, orbiting each of their larger siblings. Deciding that those were the pilots, he ordered them to be shot. But he realized them too late: a tube sprung out of the massive capsules, and the smaller ones slipped into them. Kalem cursed under his breath. ?Open fire on those carriers at once!? he ordered, and without hesitating, the soldiers fired a horde of bullets on the carriers. Their efforts, however, were at best ineffective and totally meaningless: the capsules increased their speed threefold. By now, a glimpse of the landmass below was somewhat in sight beyond the dense clouds. [center]* * * * *[/center] ?He is waking up soon. He is going to fight again.? ?I don?t care about stupid Shinji!? ?Why?? ?Because he beat my synch ratio! The ratio that I worked for years to earn! And he just beat it out of dumb, good for nothing luck!? ?So, you decided to hate everything, and everyone?? ?Yes!? ?But you went to visit Shinji when he was in the hospital after that encounter with the Angel.? Asuka mumbled something illegible. ?I beg your pardon?? ?Because I cared about him! I was worried, all right!? ?Despite the fact that he was weak? A coward, even?? ?Yes!? ?Would a weakling have risked his life to save you from the magma?? ?He was probably ordered to?? ?He wasn?t.? ?Then why didn?t he try to save me when that Angel was screwing up my mind?? ?His EVA was not ready. He would not have been able to get to you in time.? ?He could of have thought up of something?? ?He would be dead. And if by some miracle that he did manage to save you, what would you have had done?? ?Yelled at him?called him stupid?? ?Precisely. Why do you keep pushing him away?? ?Because he?s a fool! Because he can?t see that he?s weak! Because ?? ?He is just like you.? ?Yeah?? [center]* * * * *[/center] ?Am I dead?? ?No. Merely waiting to awaken?. ?Is Asuka dead?? ?No. She too is merely waiting to be awoken from her nightmares;. ?Are you God?? ?Would it matter if I was? I am simply here to guide. Who I am or was matters little in the long run. You still have a purpose Shinji. It is time to make use of it.? ?What do I have to do?? ?Awaken?. [center]* * * * *[/center] The child approached the tear stricken Asuka. ?Are you ready? The world needs the EVAs and their pilots again. It is engulfed in conflict. Will you accept the task? Will you accept pain and suffering as well as happiness and joy? Or will you stay here forever, hurting yourself and so many others?? ??I?m ready.? ?Then awaken.? [center]* * * * *[/center] The Colonel switched his Full Metal?s rifle for a missile launcher. The speed that they were descending was shaking his Suit widely, and the Ramniels never were known for their accuracy. Regardless, Kalem took his time. Precision was everything in the battlefield. Finally, he fired, the missile roaring towards the slower moving target. The cruiser screamed in protest, and rolled faster towards the Earth. Smoke escaped its grip. Kalem eased himself a little bit more. He took his aim on the other survivor, and was prepared to fire when he and his soldiers heard a deafening roar. He quickly turned to see that the cruiser was ripping itself apart from the inside. Something was escaping its hold?and it was powerful enough to rip through metal in the atmosphere. The image of the monster was confirmed another assault later. The top half of the rolling cruiser was split apart, revealing a Full Metal the Colonel had never seen before. More monstrous than mechanical, it had massive shoulder pads that reached for the sky, and its purple armor was as much flesh as it was shining metal. Where an immobile mouth should have been was an almost demonic jaw. Stray canines overlapped the gray lips of the beast. On its arm was printed the words EVA 01. The beast stood up, almost using the falling cruiser as an air board. Where there should have been a jetpack was a wide circular device, with a wide wire coming out of it loosely and penetrating into its spine. The beast stared at the three NERV soldiers with its demonic eyes. Then it leaped, its claws outreached, intent on tearing the Full Metals limb from limb. The other soldiers, more out of shock than reflexes, moved flew out of the way. The soldiers fired, but the bullets bounced off the armor. Rifles would have no effect on this monster. ?Move in!? he ordered. ?Surround it. Use hand to hand weapons!? ?Will that work sir?? ?I don?t know, but our guns aren?t!? Seeing his point, they charged in, giant chainsaw-blades drawn. Hearing a new series of sounds, Kalem looked up. Three more Sariels saw the beast emerge and were closing in to aid the famous Colonel. Right when the reinforcements approached the second, undisturbed cruiser, it shattered, another of the beasts awakening from its slumber. It was nearly identical to the first, minus its scarlet armor. In the same place as the first monster, the words EVA 02 were painted. Four green eyes stared back at the surprised soldiers. It sprung at its prey, a soldier too caught in fear to avoid the assault. Claws dug into the camera-eyes, digging upwards until gears and oil flew upwards. It just as quickly penetrated the chest of the Full Metal, oil seeping into its fingers. With a deafening roar, the monster ripped the Suit in two, explosions thundering around its hands. Oil spread all over the monstrosity. ?My god?? the horrified Kalem muttered. He turned his Ramniel towards the other enemy, but saw that instead it was right on top of him. Or nearly at the least. The Ramniel raised its massive shield, which endured the series of assaults the purple monster gave him. He swung his shield arm, and the monster fell down. Seeing the cable, he reached for a blade. He struck at the cable slicing it in half. The monster roared defiantly, insulted that it had allowed someone to harm it. Screams echoed in behind him, the second demon already decimating the reinforcements. Kalem was alone, right in the middle of two inhuman creatures who didn?t give a second thought to abominable slaughter. He had only one choice. Speeding towards the mutation, Kalem spun his blade into his off hand, and stabbed it in the shoulder. It prepared to strike, but by now the Earth?s gravity was slowing it down too much. It had not yet adjusted to the limitations of Earth. Kalem increased the output of the jetpack, increasing the speed they were both descending. When they reached the point of immobility, Kalem ejected from the Ramniel, and watched as the two creatures were swallowed by the sea. Despite his victory, he sighed. Nothing as powerful as those monsters could be defeated just by plunging into the sea, and the pilots surely escaped. He pulled a microphone from his helmet, and called the transport to pick him up. This was only the beginning.

[QUOTE=PaganAngel]Oh my... a thread where I haven't mentioned yaoi once. I feel disappointed in myself. Well, X does have innuendo, so I at least have that consolation.... But steering back on track, I think that Evangelion is a must. It's the godfather of mecha and more thought-provoking than The Da Vinci Code. One of those shows that'll wake you up at night wondering what the heck the ending meant. Despite my severe energy problems, I like a show that can do that.[/QUOTE] Yeah, my friend told me about it. He's gonna leand me his copy when I go over in a couple of days. From what I hear, I should keep a really open mind on my first watch through.

[center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/3.jpg[/IMG][/center] As Ferin stood on the deck of his meager ship, he couldn?t help but notice how the storm had not died down as of late, which was even more perplexing considering he first noticed the storm two days ago. It wasn?t exactly phenomenal for a storm to last a few days, but three days were pushing it, and this storm wasn?t even close to ending its messy affair. To Ferin, it was obvious that this was a very special storm: it didn?t have the virginity of something from the Planet. It had the touch of Man upon it. Esthar apparently does not want anyone to retrieve its prize. ?Damnit Ferin!,? Seifer yelled off from a few feet away, his rain coat drenched and his steps slowed down by all of the water his clothes had taken in. ?We need to turn back or something! Got to get some shelter, you know?? Ferin was unmoved by the suggestion. ?No.? ?[i]No[/i]? Are you out of you?re mind jackass? We?ll drown if we don?t get to a safe place!? ?We will survive.? ?Damnit!? Seifer raised his arms into the air in protest, and walked off. ?Why the hell did I even come with you!? ?Maybe because you were as drunk as horse.? Seifer grumbled some swears before he headed into the more warm quarters of the boat. Coming to the conclusion that he would not get to where their prize laid any faster by staring at the storm, Ferin followed Seifer in. The ship was on autopilot; it would get their when Time decided to. ?Just where the hell are we going anyways?? Seifer said, shaking his head like a wet dog. He threw his rain coat off of him, throwing it onto the soggy floor. Ferin followed likewise, not willing to explain anything in such a degenerative piece of attire. ?We are going after a ship.? Seifer?s excessive shivering stilled somewhat, as if Ferin?s answer warmed him. He turned to Ferin, his eyes full of interest. ?A ship, eh?? ?One of three ships designed to transport the Sorcerers Adel from Esthar to that jail that orbited the Lunar Planet. It boasts the highest technological aspects Esthar had ever created, and will surely be invaluable to us.? ?You?re talking about the Ragnarok, aren?t you?? Ferin nodded. ?What the hell do you want that for? Do you really want the biggest freaking country in the world to go after you?re scrawny ass?? ?We need it.? ?Come on man! There are tons of other airships! Just buy one!? ?Don?t be an idiot Seifer. The Ragnarok-II is the best airship around. If we can get, we might as well.? ?Damnit, I?m dead! I?m dead!? He stormed out into his room, not wanting to hear any more excuses on why they should go after the Ragnarok-II. Ferin just poured himself some coffee. [center]* * * * *[/center] A few hours later, Seifer was awoken suddenly when the roar of thunder announced itself to the meager ship. The tilting of the ship thanks to a tidal wave threw the ex-Knight off of his bed. It was one thing to be awoken by sirens: he could handle the roar of battle wakening him up from his sleep. It was another thing altogether to wake him up by throwing him from his bed. Seifer was not a happy camper. With the fury that would make even a Ruby Dragon green with envy, Seifer rushed out of his room to find Ferin lying comfortably on the toppled table, sipping some more coffee. ?Whet the god damned hell is going on? Are you trying to get us sunk to the bottom of the good for nothing ocean, Ferin?? ?It was merely a tidal wave, Seifer. Control yourself.? ?[i]Just[/i] a tidal wave? It threw me off my bed!? ?Oh, shut your face, will you? We?re there.? Seifer?s rage vanished almost immediately, the man intrigued in what exactly Ferin mean by ?where?. ?What do you mean?? ?Our destination; our point of interest; where we want to be, stuff like that.? ?I didn?t mean it like that you dumb ass! Where is there?or here, or whatever!!? ?We are south, off of the tip of the Centra Empire?s Ulevntiem province.? Ferin was referring to the third world country of Centra, which named itself after both the famed continent and the ancient race of legend and supposed history. Although it played a slight but important role in the Second Sorceress War, in letting the party of Squall Leonhart explore its ruins in pursuit of the Guardian Force Odin, it was practically ignored by the historians that recorded the War. It was not even invited to be a part of the United Legislation. ?Esthar hid the Ragnarok-II in a part cove, part high tech mini fortress a few miles ahead of us. My guess is that cove is where the storm is originating.? ?Oh joy. Time to head right into the eye of the storm. I take it life boats won?t save us from fifty foot waves, huh?? ?Actually, there are no life boats here.? ?Well, that?s just great!? ?Oh, shut your trap. We?ll be safe in a few minutes. The storm acts like a somewhat natural shield around the island. Once we?re behind that shield, we shouldn?t have any problems.? Almost as if on cue, a tidal wave slammed into the ship, sending the two flying. A knife missed Seifer?s head by a few inches. Seifer growled irritably. ?If we can even survive for a few minutes.? Ignoring Seifer?s biter sarcasm, Ferin rushed to his feet and the bridge. But before he could get there, the ship was slammed in from behind by another tidal wave. The push certainly gave it some distance, but it also tipped the ship to the point where some water was pouring in, although it certainly wasn?t enough to sink the vessel. ?My life sucks,? Seifer concluded. For whatever reason, he decided to follow Ferin to the deck, thinking it was better than staying below deck. He grabbed his rain coat and Hyperion, and opened the door. He was greeted by gales and skin ripping winds that more anything but welcoming. Seifer was certain that they were doomed, but then another tidal wave hit the ship, sending Seifer down the stairs. In return for Seifer?s headache, the ship was brought to proper balance. Seifer decided to lie on the wet ground, not exactly looking forward to facing the storm. The wind seemed to rip apart the old ship?s weak metal frame, render asunder the engine that kept the vessel afloat. The constant thunder echoed across the ship, the almost rhyming beat of the rocking of the ship; Seifer was certain the vessel would go down sooner or later, with him on it. Suddenly, the storm stopped. The symptoms of the doomed ship passed away. More than a little curious of the whole awkwardness of the whole situation, Seifer got his feet, not forgetting to grab Hyperion, and walked for the deck. He opened the door to find Ferin leaning against the rail, his Flamberge in hand. He didn?t comment on what must have been Seifer?s late arrival. He simply said, ?Let?s go,? and that was the end of it. When they found themselves off of the deck of the ship and onto the inner platform of the island, Seifer realized that he was in as much a man made fortress as a thing of nature. Metal was fused with the navy blue rock, and even the ramp that led into the fortress was as much stainless steel as it was rock and natural irons. Stalactites hung from the roof as if the poor support was to release them at any moment, some of them hanging right beside lazily swinging lights. A metal arch led the two warriors into the main heart of the small fortress, where spinning gears and rock made a tunnel of flashing lights crystallized ores. As amazed by the spectacle as anyone else would be, the two didn?t say a word to comment about it, nor did they slow their pace to further examine it. There were more important things to worry about than a mere technological masterpiece. The end of the tunnel revealed the main chamber, the primary attraction being the Ragnarok-II, being suspended in the air by hundreds of metal wires and metal platforms. Seifer wanted to point out that the Ragnarok-II was totally identical from the model Squall and his friends piloted, or at least that is what he could recall from his drunken memory, but Ferin was already rushing for the ladders to the platform. Deciding it was not necessarily the best time to talk about the subject, Seifer started to follow when an explosion knocked him to his feet. ?Damnit!? Ferin swore from above. ?They found us. Seifer, get in here!? ?No need to tell me twice!? Seifer said, agreeing with the man, and he rushed for the platform. The sounds of boots echoed across from the end of the tunnel. A few reconnaissance troops arrived as Seifer was ascending the ladder, and they were quick to open fire. Thankfully, their aim was off somewhat, and the bullets did nothing more than make Seifer duck his head. Ferin, not willing to let the Esthar troops start firing on him, proceeded to open the door. He pushed on a small rectangular button off of the door, and a door swung open. ?Seifer!? he called out before heading inside, ?Hurry up!? Seifer had other things in mind. He noticed a metal crate a few feet off from where he was, on the platform, and he rolled to it to get some much needed cover. He practically ripped it open between rounds, and found an Estharian machine gun lying inside, with some rounds neatly packaged next to it. He grabbed the gun, loaded it, and opened fire. Those who weren?t killed in the opening shots were slowed down. Finding no further use for the weapon, Seifer dropped it and rushed inside the Ragnarok. He followed the hallway, guessing half the time on which pathway to follow, when the found the cockpit room, and Ferin along with it. Suddenly, as if the ship was waiting for the gunblade wielder to arrive, the dark room lighted itself. ?[i]Greetings[/i]?, came a wise, and somewhat tranquil voice from the ship?s hull itself. ?[i]I am Odin, the AI of the Ragnarok-II[/i].? Ferin tracked the voice to a small circular device that was implanted to the roof of the room, with a yellowish image growing whenever ?Odin? spoke. ?[i]Excuse me, but I do not sense the crew on board[/i].? ?We are the crew!? Ferin answered. ?We?ve gained possession of it from pirates.? ?[i]Pirates? Oh dear, that will not do at all: the most advanced intergalactic ship in the galaxy cannot be claimed by such troublesome people as pirates. Very well, I shall be as quick about this as possible[/i].? The AI proceeded to assign the two positions on the ship, assigning it with what their personalities and strengths and weaknesses would allow, as well as register the two as part of the crew. ?[i]All done. Ferin, you are the Captain of the Ragnarok-II. In short, you are in charge of main piloting and, when the occasion desires it, the wielder of the Ragnarok-II?s grappler arms[/i].' ?That?s great and all, but what about me?? ?[i]Seifer, you are the head of weaponry. In laments terms, you are in charge of missiles, gun turrets, mines and the laser cannon[/i].? Seifer cracked his knuckles. He had a feeling that this was going to be a good day. ?[i]Ferin, please get into the captain?s seat, which is the central one, and proceed to initializing the activation phase[/i].? ?Activation phase?? Seifer questioned, not at all knowledgeable about the ship. ?What the hell does that mean?? ?[i]Yes, Seifer Almasy. You see, since the Ragnarok-II is such an advanced ship, I require a major activation phase every two years, if I am not in use during that time you see[/i].? Not needing any more explanation on the matter, Seifer leaped into the captain?s seat, pushing a glowing button to his left. No physical reaction on the ship?s part came as a result, but Odin seemed quite please. ?[i]Very good. All secondary and minor systems are off line. However, the engine has not been activated. How odd?. Regardless, it can be activated manually. Seifer, please follow me[/i].? Suddenly, a small cube-like robotic, with two miniature arms, popped off from the ceiling, and was suspended in the air by a piece of metal. It darted off into the hallway, and Seifer, thinking that it was the AI, followed it. Odin led Seifer towards the back of the ship, where a large golden machine laid lazily. Four tubes with a holding device attached to each end of them were fused with the machine. They were all numbered one to four in a clockwise order. Seifer had a really bad feeling about this. ?[i]I was told that is all the rage with other ships in the Esthar fleets[/i],? Odin stated, thinking that it would make Seifer feel better about the situation. It didn?t. Ferin fired off a few more rounds from his pistol, forcing some soldiers to use support beams and crates as cover. The soldiers gave him a few bursts of fire as a thank you favor. ?Odin!? he cried out between shots. ?Can?t you help me out here?? ?[i]Affirmative, Ferin. Firing gun turrets in t-minus two seconds[/i].? True to his words, the fix or so turrets that lined the defending side of the Ragnarok-II took aim, and fired combined bursts of shrapnel and laser fire, sending more than a few soldiers flying from their position. ?That helped,? Ferin muttered to himself before ducking his head back inside the ship to avoid some bullets. ?Or maybe it just pissed them off more.? ?All right,? Seifer said as he stretched his muscles, ?What you want me to do?? ?[i]It is quite simple, actually. Pull the levers of the designated engine generators in this fashion: one, four, three, one, two, three, three, four, four, one, one, two, two, four, and lastly, three then four[/i].? For a moment, Seifer didn?t say anything. He just stood with, there a clueless look. ?What the fuck did you just say? Minutes passed, with no progress going to either side. Ferin and the Ragnarok-II?s turrets would fire off their rounds, while the soldiers fire off theirs, both sides ducking or rolling for cover when the other fired. Ferin knew that sooner or later, he, then the Ragnarok-II, would run out of bullets, and that was when things would get messy. ?Come on Seifer, get it moving!? he growled under his breath, irritated how long it was taken the Gunblade wielder to activate the engine. After all, if he could help a mad sorceress to nearly bring the end to the world, an engine should be a peace of cake. Suddenly, as if on cue, the roaring of an engine echoed across the holding chamber. Saying a private praise for Seifer, Ferin closed the door and rushed for the cockpit. Seifer was already in his seat when Ferin got there. He got into his seat as quickly as he could. He pulled on a lever by his side that sent the Ragnarok-II hovering above the platform. ?Seifer, blast those platforms!? Already considering the plan before Ferin made his appearance, the platforms were quickly raining fiery death on the soldiers unfortunate enough to be waiting below. The cables were soon ripped off by the velocity of the advanced vessel, and the ship?s laser cannon made the hangar gate nothing but scrape metal. The Ragnarok-II was quickly outside, in the vicious storm, when a series of Estharian ships fired on it. A small cruiser hovered thousands of miles above, raining destruction. The island keep was soon nothing but rubble. Two ships roared in behind the Ragnarok-II, firing. ?[i]Ferin[/i],? Odin suggested, ?[i]Now would be a good time to enter grappler combat mode[/i].? ?Understood Odin. Erm, how would I do that?? ?[i]Why, just ask[/i],? the AI remarked, as if the answer was as clear as day. Suddenly, the cockpit room dimmed into a dark red, with multiple screens flashing on all around the two. Even though everything but straight ahead was metal, Ferin could see what was going on to his left, right and above. Ferin felt a clamp on his arms, and noticed that a metal gauntlet of sorts had snapped onto his wrist. ?[i]That is your link to the ship?s Grappler Arms[/i].? A light poured in from the darker end of the cockpit into Ferin?s right eye, but he felt no pain from it. In his right eye, he saw a blank screen. Sensing Ferin?s confusion, Odin explained the purpose behind the light. ?[i]Whenever the Ragnarok-II locks onto a target, the specs will appear there[/i].? Ferin nodded in approval. ?Okay then, let?s get this show on the road!? he announced, and he felt a great weight lifted from the front end of the ship. Knowing that it was the Grappler Arms, Ferin got himself to work. A ship roared in from above, bullets firing while a grappler arm shaped more like a spear than an actual arm, was prepared to slice into the Ragnarok-II. Not willing to let that happened, Ferin grabbed both the blade and the cockpit itself. The pilot could do nothing but scream as the Ragnarok-II tore the ship in half, creating a giant fire ball in the night sky. Ferin licked his lips, sweat slipping down his face. He closed his eyes. He breathed harder, slower, then faster. He felt as if his heart was going to be ripped out of his body in a beautiful display of gore and tears. So much energy, spirit and power, all of them were at his disposal, at his hands, in this ship. It was all his: and yet, the he felt that the ship made him its property as well. Somehow, someway, he knew that the Ragnarok was a beast in itself, a flying colossus of metal and technology fused into a beautiful display. He felt that he was as part of the Ragnarok as the Ragnarok was of him. Bullet fire from the side shook Ferin out of his subconscious. He flew forward, moving in every direction minus towards the sea to avoid the hail of bullets. Ferin tightened his grip. He clenched his fists. He swung. The arm slammed into one of the pursuing ships, sending it into a wild spin before it crashed into the sea, exploding beneath the harassing waves of the storm. The other arm grabbed the remaining attacker, and ripped it open as a cannibal would a corpse. Gears and oil splattered across the Raganrok-II?s hull. Ferin then threw the useless hunk of metal towards the sea. Another eruption of water and sea coral occurred below the sky battle. The cruiser sent another barrage against the Ragnarok-II, with missiles trailing behind them. Ferin did his best to weave between them, and Seifer, despite Ferin?s erratic maneuver, managed to shoot some of the missiles down, but there was simply too many to dodge. Three missiles and dozens of explosives thundered across the Ragnarok?s bottom hull. ?[i]Captain[/i]!? Odin thundered, its voice full of concern for the vessel. ?[i]We cannot take another hit like that without significant damage to the engine and other vital components[/i].? Ferin swore under his breath. He needed a plan and fast, but there were too many things to occupy his mind. The ships, the cruiser, the storm, the waves, it was all too much! Then, a thought came to his head. ?Odin, can we make it through the waves?? ?[i]I believe so Captain, if the engines are at maximum speed that is[/i].? ?All right then, we?ve got something! Seifer, hold on!? ?Aw shit?? The Ragnarok-II dove down beneath the black storm, lightning flashing on its sides. Dozens of ships followed, unaware of what Ferin had in store for them. He weaved to the right, avoiding a wave of bullets. He saw a massive tidal wave forming, large enough to easily engulf any of the pursuing ships. He barrel rolled through the wave, the engines at maximum throttle. The ship cleanly sliced through the wave. Dozens of ships attempted the same maneuver, but they were inadequate for the task and were engulfed beneath the lumbering wave. Several additional ships were taken down by the wave of exploding metal from the deep sea eruptions. Four more times this would happen, and each time the result would be the same: Estharian ships would follow the Ragnarok-II through a tidal wave, only to be crushed beneath it. In mere minutes, nearly half of the cruiser?s fleet was beneath the sea. Seeing it as a lost cause, the cruiser left. They would get the Ragnarok-II another time. They would reclaim their lost prize. [center]* * * * *[/center] An hour later, the crew of the Ragnarok-II was out of harm?s way. They had either snuck or fight their way through the few patrols from the stubborn cruiser. The dimmed room lighted itself up, the metal gauntlets releasing their grip of Ferin?s hands. He leaned back, rubbing his red eyes. Seifer wiped some salvia from his chin. ?Now I get why scar face liked this thing so much. It?s a power house!? ?[i]Agreed; the Ragnarok-II is the most powerful and advanced small-crew ship in the known galaxy[/i].? ?Yeah yeah, whatever,? Seifer said, waving his hands in a sign of ignoring the AI. ?So, what we gonna do now?? Ferin told him, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Seifer went pale at the revelation. It was going to begin.

[quote name='Hunter DX][COLOR=DarkGreen']Without a doubt FMA should be first.Great chacters, story and animation. Then Outlaw star great animation, chacters, horrible ending thoguh. Followed by Gundam WIng which is the best Gundam series.[/COLOR][/quote] I've already watched all those though. :-/

I have watched the following Anime, and I am unsure of where to turn to next. Based on what I have watched, can you give me any suggestions? -Elfen Lied -Full Metal Alchemist -Full Metal Panic -Ghost in the Shell and Ghost in the Shell 2 -Gundam Wing -Hellsing -Last Exile -Outlaw Star -Wolf's Rain As you can see, I am an action/war buff that enjoys good characterization. Do you guys have any suggestions?

[b]Name[/b] Alex Glesen [b]Age/Sex[/b] 18/M [b]Race[/b] Diclonius [b]Allegiance[/b] For his entire life, Alex had shown allegiance to only man: himself. Ever since he killed his entire family fifteen years ago, he had depended only on himself to the harsh obstacles of the world. [b]Alignment[/b] [i](Neutral Evil)[/i] A neutral evil villain does whatever he can get away with, shedding no tears for those he harms. He has no love of order and holds no illusion that follows laws, traditions, or that would make him any more noble. However, he doesn?t have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has. The criminal who robs and murders to get what he wants is neutral evil. Neutral evil represents evil without honor and without variation. [Source: gamebanshee.com] [b]Vector Traits[/b] When Alex was initially brought into the GARM facility, his vector levels were at level that were of a severely low standard of those in charge of CERBEREUS: however, the more they tested on him, the greater his vector?s strength grew. However, there was a cost of the forcing of nature?s hand: most Diclonius wield four vectors with a length of two meters. Alex has two with a length of three. They are also weaker than the standard vector of other Diclonius his exact age and health. [b]Physical Appearance[/b] Years of being confines to a small and restrictive research chamber has not been exactly kind to Alex?s appearance: his long brown hair is greasy and dirty, adding to the grisly appearance of the pale man. His skin, with it not being exposed to any sunlight for nearly eleven years, has become almost ghostlike, his only indication of his desire to live being his fiery green eyes. [b]Personality[/b] When one thinks of a cold and psychotic murderer, they often presume one is a mad man of sorts, the one most associated with a maniacal madman laughing arrogantly in the face of his victims, his eyes showing that of a heartless individual. Alex, although cold to humans but caring to other Diclonius and animals, is one to have the opposite personality of the clichéd madman, sporting a sarcastic voice and grin. [b]Pet Peeves[/b] Being a Diclonius, Alex is annoyed over almost any trait of ?arrogant? Humans, whom he considers a lesser race. [b]Special Possessions[/b] A necklace in the shape of a gothic-styled cross.

Maybe for Cloud but not for Snake...he was featured in the trailer!!

This the OOC thread for the Elfen Lied roleplay Dark Paradise. We are currentley in the recruitment phase, with one person having already signed up while an other has devoted himself to the RP but has yet to send in a character sheet. The sign up thread can be found [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=737864#post737864]here[/URL].

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/dp.jpg[/IMG] [i]He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. -Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Aphorism 146[/i][/CENTER] Dear Administrator, As per the request given unto those of my position and rank within the facility harboring the aptly named project CERBEREUS by our benefactors, which requires as stated in statements 3, 17, 34 and 93 of Chapter 39 clause 43 in the handbook of all those involved with the facility, GARM, and the project named above that is in no way, shape or form public knowledge, write a detailed and thorough report on the progress of the project specimen that the said person had been assigned to. Specimen sixty-four is showing a significant amount of progress the more we test on him; when he first arrived here, as was stated in my last few reports, seven years ago the signals that originated from his vectors, which number two but can reach a length of three meters, could have a level of only 0.9, a incredulously low amount even among children Diclonius. However, after performing our daily expirments on number sixty four for the past seven years I can easily claim that his vector signal can now reach a level of 4.6, which is slightly lower than the natural level of standard level of most Diclonius? vectors at his age of seventeen years. Sir, I must say that despite the fact that his vector?s levels are not as high or powerfull as we had all wished, he has made an excellent comeback in one area: his tactical knowledge on all battle situations is tremendously higher than that of other Diclonius; rather than heading directly into enemy contact?s range of fire, he uses fear, shaodws, the landscape, and other traits of the specific battlefield to his upmost advantage; we suspect that if he were to face the infamous ?Lucy? from the Kamakura sector of CERBERUES, there would be at least a three out of nine possibility that he would deal at least maximinum damage to her before his likely death, which altough may sound negative and unfullfiling is three times higher than other Diclonius from all of the other sectors had been able to achieve, with the exception of 34, but even she met a fatal end after facing Lucy. As I have stated earliar, number sixty four?s vectors? signals recentley reached the level of 4.6; as such his vectors are not nearley as powerfull as those of his fellow Diclonius of equal age and health; number sixty four is easily capable of propelling objects that weigh no less than three hundred and twenty pounds at superhuman speed, as well as using his vectors to ?tear? apart his opponents. However, due to his lower vector level, it will take longer for him to kill his opponents within his three meter range: approximately two seconds, compared to the usual half second of the standard Diclonius. Minus his weaker than normal vectors, specimen sixty four has one other major disadvantage: his psyche could easily be compared to that of a serial killer who had lost all grasp on reality. Which brings me to my next point: I cannot decipher the purpose behind the increased scheduling of experiments on specimen sixty four. If anything, these experiments are the cause of his psychological defects, and an increased output will surely result in nothing but disaster, psychologically speaking. I hope that I need not remind you of the incidents following Lucy?s escape; that it was an increased output of experiments that gave her a chance for escape, which she utilized to disastrous results, and even after nine years of searching for her we still have yet to find and capture her. I digress, specimen sixty four is progressing well enough, with his share of faults that can be expected from any sort of experimentation on the Diclonius. - Chief [size=2][b]CHARACTER SHEET[/b][/size] [b]Name[/b] [b]Age/Sex[/b] [b]Race (Human, Diclonius or Silpelit)[/b] Diclonius are Humans that have the codenamed GARM genes (thus the reasoning behind the facility expiermenting on them called GARM), which gives them two horns pertruding from the sides of their head and the use of vectors. Silpelits are Diclonius are the offspring of Humans that came into contact with vectors but somehow survived. Silpelits cannot reproduce minus infecting another human. [b]Alliegance (GARM or none)[/b] GARM is the name of the organization and facility in North America founded by both unnamed benefactors and the United States government to work on project CERBEREUS, which is the expiermentation of Diclonius. [b]Allignment[/b] (Neutral, Good or Evil) [b]Vector Traits[/b] (Diclonius or Silpelit only) [b]Physical Appearance Personality Pet Peeves Special Possesions Background[/b]

It's probably just you: they look nothing like the soldiers from FF X to me.

[URL=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-3/final-fantasy-xiii/706089p1.html]LINK[/URL] Altough it came as no surprise to any of us that S-E would announce the next game in the FF series, the fact that it would be spread across multiple consoles is somewhat of a surprise to me. Personally, I think the only reason they would do this is because they want to make as much money off of it as possible, but my choice on wherether or not to give S-E more of my money will depend on the qualityt of Final Fantasy XII.

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/opd_poster.jpg[/IMG] [I]The man, a tortured soul? A battle, weary in his heart? Anguish, his only companion. His Love is his Betrayer, His corruption, His torture of the mind, His rendering of souls, An ancient memory. His past is a horrid one A father, cruel and malicious, Shattered glass and needles by his bedside, Sporting a breath that reeked of death. It was then, That the man became the Wolf. The Wolf is tortured by the day? He longs for the night? He prowls the cities like a beast after his prey, Seeking those who rendered the children. He who longs for the ones that caused that horrid battle, That battle long ago, The same battle that remains a constant nightmare in his dreams. He seeks their blood. He will have his tithe. But while the Wolf hunts, The God waits, King of Time and Space, Father of an Ancient kind, Of those who brought liberation and tyranny to the Planet, And the Child of the being that knows neither of the great Colors. The Wolf Hunts. The God waits. [/I] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/prologue.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] A castle, dark and foreboding of a horrible future for all of mankind under the moonlight, a fog wrapping itself around the countless towers and chains that kept the fort afloat above the earth, swallowed in by its gloom. This castle was once the symbol of a great nation and king; its bricks pure gold and crystalline, the wooden frameworks perfect in form and construction, allowing no natural force to move them even the slightest of an inch. None had inhabited this ancient mansion for thousands of years, save one. He was a man once, but his soul had decayed long ago, making his physical appearance only a hollow shell. But this man, despite his curse, was a mastermind, the ancestor of an ancient and benevolent race that long before the Pawn of Heaven summoned the Death from Above, ruled the planet for thousands of years. The man was infuriated when the Planet killed nearly all of their descendants just so the Planet herself could survive. But now, something will change all that. The man wiped away at his long, golden hair, his face long and narrow but still full of strength. His armor was black and golden, the shoulders long and rigid like daggers. The emblem of a lion pouncing its prey was melded onto the chest plate, and in the lion?s jaw was a scarlet jewel. A red cape enveloped the man?s armor, adding to the image of a once powerful man. The chamber was once a great throne room, its master a benevolent king. The throne was made of gold, the armrests massive lion paws, and the tip of the throne revealing the jaw of a wise and ageless lion. But the man had changed long ago, morphing into dust, and the throne followed in a similar suit: the great paws became threatening and demonic claws, the lion?s maw now that of a horned monstrosity. The throne room itself, once bathed in an eternal light that gave hope to all, was now filled with a senseless void that reeked death and infamy. Then the man felt something. He smiled. His child had found him, the one he would use to restore the world, and his race. Good. Gaia had protected their ilk for a long time, but her strength weakened by every attempt of their Enemy. Now, the process of making the Ancients a great and ruling race over the planet would begin?and none could stop it now, save the man who crafted the plan itself, the man who sat on the dark throne. ? You?ve found me, child. Good, very good. ? The man smiled a smile full of dark intent. That knowledge sent a shiver down the sleeper?s spine as he slept. ? Fear me not child, for there is much to be done. ? The sleeper couldn?t help but ask what it was he must do for this king of an empty castle. ? Now, now child, you must learn the value of the word patience. I will tell you of my, our plan, the plan that will make you and I kings. But now, rest. You have your schemes, and I have mine. Farewell and let us meet again. ? [CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/1.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The man had awoken with a sweat, the dream of the man in black armor having frightened the veteran warrior. Throwing the thin blanket off of him, the man went over to the sink to splash his face with water, allowing the icy cold liquid to create goose bumps across his neck. The man gazed at his reflection in the dirty mirror, the thin piece of glass cracked and stained. The man stared at his dark, blue eyes, and at the messy affair of his jet black hair that seemed unruly and full of filth. His chin was wide, and his shoulders hinted how the rest of his well trained and disciplined body appeared: full of muscles that were trained day in and day out for twelve years, constantly being pushed to the limits that God had placed upon them. The man formed his hands into a pitiful bowl, filled it, and drank the fluid that had not managed to slip between his fingertips. Purposely falling over, the man slowed his breathing, trying to make sense of the nightmare that had stalked him during the night. [i]?It was just a dream?wasn?t it??[/i] Again silence hung the air, creating a sense of great fear that seemed to make everything else silent. The man?s beating heart slowed, with each beat creating the illusion of stilling time to an infinite space. Sweat flooded the man?s hair, and the longer the man laid there, the more water that dripped from them. The man swallowed hard, completing one of the many precautions to gain control of himself, now that he was back in reality. [i]?He knows me?? ?He knows what I?m planning?? ?Do the others???[/i] It wasn?t the dream itself that brought so much fear to the man; despite it seeming so real and factual, that if the man wanted to he could actually touch the horrific demonic statues that glorified the halls of that castle. The thing that horrified the man the most was the figure in the black armor; not the series of chest plates that created the daunting figure, nor the physical appearance of the individual in question, but the eyes of the man. They were the type eyes that could look into people?s souls, their dreams and desires, eyes that could see what every man sinned and how they had glorified in it; they were eyes that nothing could be hidden from, eyes that could look into the darkest desires of every man, to see a man?s lusts, his contempt?s and warmongerings. They were eyes of a God. [i]?Damnit, get control of yourself Ferin! It was only a dream?a result of reading too many fantasy books. Get focused! You?re almost there; you need to stay on task here!?[/i] He stood up, staring again into the mirror; his eyes had gone bloodshot red and his face pale with fear. The man attempted to steady his breathing, to try to keep still long enough to compose himself, but it was no use. The horrible nature of that man?s eyes proved a much stronger force of emotions. Running into his bedroom, he threw on his clothes: a red trench coat that over lapped a meaningless black t-shirt. He slipped on his black leather gloves, and strapped his blade onto his back. Leaving his small cabin, he entered the calm realm that was the sea. The blade itself was brought off the Galbadian black market in Deling three years prior, and it was an expensive necessity, with it being developed by RA-NHIS, the weapon manufacturer that made itself famous with the creation of the gunblade twenty years ago. The blade, called a Flamberge after the dragon of ancient Galbadian myth, was constructed in the buster sword style; with its long handle that supported an equally long blade. Unlike its ancient predecessor, the Flamberge was double edged, allowing the user to strike from any angle. Never to be satisfied with any of their weapons until it would become far too expensive to mass produce, RA-NHIS added one final feature: they had the Flamberge constructed out of Marliem Alloy, giving it an almost weightless advantage. Ferin?s mode of transportation was an old fishing vessel he had acquired through persuasion and the luck of the drink in Galbadia a month prior. He gave the ship?s owner three strong alcoholic beverages that the captain enjoyed a little bit too much, and before the man passed out from all of the alcohol in his bloodstream, he practically handed his vessel over to Ferin, who paid the intoxicated captain barely a percent of what the fishing vessel was truly worth. That?s not to say that this fishing vessel, which reeked of rotten fish, sported a sputtering engine, and was equipped with a sonar system that was more often than not inaccurate, could even be considered worth any price. He stared at the dark skies: the night before the sea clouds were dark but were at peace. They had remained steady; with them slowly gathering towards the center of what Ferin presumed was the center of his field of view. Then were dark but full of spirits: but now they are black, full of a storm that was waiting to emerge through their slowly weakening and detouring armor. The distant sky flashed with a great light. A storm was coming: he has to get through it before it gets too dangerous. If he didn?t, waves would form and surely overwhelm the ant of a ship. Ferin rushed to the captain?s deck, and grasped his hands on the steering wheel. The distant sky flashed again. He had to move faster. [center]* * * * *[/center] An airplane threw the clouds, its engines tearing away at the white gases that surrounded the vessel. The plane turned slightly, allowing the nose of the metal bird to point directly towards its destination. The island of Balamb came into view, now the size of an ant to the General and the woman onboard, but soon enough the island known for its exotic fish will be gigantic the two of them. The General was that of Galbadia, and if one were to be formal would call him General Hemmingway, but the blonde haired man in his fifties refused to be called by such a term that signified a man that ordered others to kill in times of near peace. Now, he would insist that he be referred to as simply [i]Mister[/i] Hemmingway, although a rare few would continue to refer to him as his official title. Hemmingway leaned towards the glass window, so that he attempt to see a better view of the island, even though it became evident enough to both him and his daughter that he will get a better view when the helicopter pilot was kind enough to get closer to Balamb Island. ?It?s been a long time Cid,? Hemmingway mused out loud. ?Are we going to get another long flashback now, dad?? Hemmingway?s daughter, Alladra, asked. The woman had turned twenty just a month ago, on October, and the girl almost radiated beauty, with her long blonde hair and mesmerizing blue orbs. The young girl loved her father dearly, and meant no offense with the remark. The General knew that as well, learning long ago that his little girl was a sarcastic one. ?No, I don?t think so. Cid will probably do enough of that once we get there.? The girl rolled her eyes. ?Oh [i]great[/i].? Four and a half minutes later, the airplane landed at an area determined and paved earlier by Balamb Garden, and the landing site was a mere four minute drive to the legendary war academy, a privilege much appreciated by the members of the United Legislation, a global organization comprised of individuals from every country in the world dedicated to preventing any wars from arising. Although it had good intentions, it did not succeed every time, for the will of man to fight with guns and blades rather than the tongue constantly proved the stronger, but whenever the United Legislation did manage to score one for peace, it was always considered a revolutionary event. Within moments, the black limousine that picked the two up at the landing pad drove onto the pathway that was the entrance to Balamb Garden, with an eager Cid Kramer waiting at the entrance. ?Joe!? an open armed Cid proclaimed , and before the embarrassed Alladra could roll her eyes in a pitiful sign of protest, the two old friends were caught in a bear hug with each other, neither willing to let go before the other lost breath. ?All right Cid, you better let go before my daughter get?s embarrassed again,? the old General said with a grin. The Headmaster complied with his old friend?s request, and eagerly loosened his embrace. ?It?s been a long time Cid. How long has it been, ten years?? ?I couldn?t tell you even if I wanted you to Joe,? the Headmaster chuckled at the irony. ?I barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday.? ?Before you know it, you?re going to forget that Edea is your wife!? Cid grinned. ?At least I won?t have to understand the way a woman?s mind works.? ?Nor will I have to understand the way a [i]man?s[/i] mind works, Cid,? revealed a black-gowned Edea. ?It?s good to see you again Joe.? The elder Hemmingway nodded with a grin. ?Same here Edea. Why, you look just as good as the day my wife introduced Cid to you.? Edea turned to face Alladra. ?And is this little Allie? Oh good lord, you?ve grown. How long has it been? I can?t even remember?? ?Please Edea, don?t tell me you are going to get all teary eyed on me now.? ?Oh I wouldn?t go all teary eyed per se, but just seeing you brings back far too many memories.? ?And headaches,? retorted Mr. Hemmingway. ?Like me proposing to Edea here!? Cid smirked as he wrapped his arms around his wife. ?Oh no?,? Alladra groaned. ?A bunch of old people talk about the good old days,? she said with a sarcastic grin. ?At least back then I didn?t get a bad back every other step,? Cid reasoned quite accurately. ?And back then I wouldn?t have to rub it.? Edea?s comeback brought a chuckle from everyone. After the chuckle died down the elder sorceress turned to Alladra. ?Now dear, let me show you to your room.? Edea waved her hand in the air, signaling one of the SeeD students selected to assist the visitors to collect Alladra?s belongings and follow. ?This way, and let?s have the old men talk of the old days, and we woman can talk about the important things.? ?Like arranging rooms for five hundred plus guests when you barely have enough room for six hundred students?? Alladra suggested. ?Precisely,? Edea grinned, and with that she led the young woman to her room on the fourth floor. ?I don?t remember Balamb ever being this big,? Alladra noted as they walked down the halls. ?Well, educating the warriors that saved the world does have benefits. Fame, an increase in student population, which is fine and all, but getting a huge amount of money from nations that want to get on our good side is probably the most helpful. Adding three floors, defensive and offensive systems and refining of the Centra technology are the results.? They turned down the hall, two SeeD students carrying Alladra?s luggage following a steady pace behind. They quickly reached Alladra?s room, and she couldn?t help but ask a question that?s been on the edge of her mind. ?Is Squall going to be coming?? ?I?am not sure of that Alladra, but that is a question no proper young lady should be asking. Do you understand me Alladra?? ?Yes ma?am.? [center]* * * * *[/center] Rinoa sat on a steel stool that leaned against a counter wall in her room at Balamb, her warm hands wrapped around the mug of coffee that she had prepared for herself a few minutes before. The steam from the mix of coffee beans and hot water created an aroma that the caffeine fueled beverage was somewhat infamous for, especially in cafes. She gently sipped some more of it before she recollected the reason why she was back in Balamb, besides to get some alone time from her father. Then in an instant, it came back to her in a rush, and she smiled at the fact that Ellone would be coming in just a few short hours. After the Second Sorceress War, the two girls had gotten close enough that any outside viewer would of have had likely assumed that the two were either twins or sisters. Unfortunately, for the past few months the two had not been able to see each other at all, mainly due to Rinoa recently becoming the daughter of the first president of Galbadia in twenty something years and Ellone equally busy with being President Laguna of Esthar?s foreign representative along with vice-president Kiros. But now, the two were able to get the chance to see each other in what seemed in their naïve and biased opinions an eternity and then some. Of course, they would be representing their countries and relatives as members of the United Legislation, but in truth it really was just an excuse for the two ladies to get a chance to see each other. Rinoa stared down at her watch; it was 3 minutes to two. Ellone was expected to arrive around three thirty, along with her uncle Laguna. Rising up from her stool, Rinoa sipped more of her coffee before putting on a neat and practically stainless black cotton coat over her pink t-shirt and exited the room. She was getting hungry and thus decided to head to head for the cafeteria to see what food they had available. She never expected for them to have any hot dogs ready: a hot dog at Balamb Garden is usually eaten and paid for within minutes of it being placed on a bun. Fortunately, Rinoa was in the mood for a salad, which was always in high supply, and she was a big fan of the salads. On her way to they cafeteria, Rinoa saw many faces that were both alien and unfamiliar to her, which was not expected: after all, it had been nearly three years since the Second Sorceress War, and most of the students that Rinoa had seen walk the halls then surely must of graduated by now. It was common sense after all; Squall would tell her of how much he wanted to graduate, to become a full SeeD. No one ever wanted to remain a student forever. But the fact that her second home could actually change was a slap in the face to her ? it just seemed like something that could never happen. A few moments later, Rinoa stepped into a bustling cafeteria, filled with students in their break periods getting a meal or conversing with their friends, visitors from the UL relaxing and preparing themselves for the long ceremony tomorrow honoring the Headmaster for his peace efforts four months ago. For every occupant that left the cafeteria, another would enter, and meld with the somewhat long line that wrapped itself around the food counter, grabbing another barely washed plastic tray. Sighting at how at least the cafeteria had not at least changed, Rinoa entered the line. In twenty minutes she was sitting at an empty table, which in itself was a rare sight, starring down at the plastic dish full of salad, small tomatoes, chopped up cheese, and salad dressing. She ripped the plastic bag containing the dressing open, and spread it across the fruit. She was about to tear the plastic casing that held her knife and fork when a familiar hand grasped her shoulder. ?Zell?? she gasped in disbelief when the wide grinned martial artist waved back at her. ?Oh my god?! What are you doing here? I thought you opened up a karate school?? ?I did,? he answered as he took a seat next to her. ?But, you know how it is; when old Cid wins an award for stopping a war, I couldn?t help but stop by, ya know?? Rinoa nodded. ?Good to see you again Zell.? ?You too Rinnie. Now, can I have some of that salad??? he asked slyly as he reached over to grab a leaf. Always being the one to be territorial with her food, she stabbed him with her plastic fork. ?Hey! That hurt.? ?[i]My[/i] food,? she giggled behind her teeth. ?Yeah yeah, whatever you say Rinoa. Well, I?ll just get it next time.? He yawned, for whatever reason Rinoa couldn?t guess; he didn?t look tired at all, his blue eyes as clear as day. ?So, uh, you heard from Squall?? ?Nope; not since he went to college in Esthar.? ?Yeah, you know, it?s funny: he loved history. He always got A?s in History, and always would get debated with Instructor Kaldar about the legends and crap. So, it wasn?t [i]that[/i] big of a surprise to me when he enrolled in archeologiaea.? ?Archeology,? Rinoa corrected. ?Whatever!? ?You think he?ll come down?? ?I don?t know, I mean driving for an hour from Balamb to here is one thing, but flying across the world? That?s going to be pretty expensive, and college took a lot of Gil from his wallet. From what Irvine told me, your dad even gave him a few thousand here.? ?Yeah; it was really expensive, and all the benefits from those movie and book adaptations didn?t come in until like last year.? Rinoa ate some more of her salad. ?What about Selphie and Irvine?? ?Oh they?re coming all right; from what Irvine told me, practically all of Galbadia?s instructors are taking a ride here, although I?ll bet you anything that cowboy was over exaggerating again.? ?You know, I?m surprised Selphie didn?t retire from SeeD.? ?Yeah, that?s probably the weirdest thing about this whole ?heroes after the great adventure thing?: that innocent, annoying and flower gazing and teddy bear pointing and hugging Selphie is the only one out of us that stayed at SeeD! I mean, even tough old Squall retired.? ?You know that Ellone is coming, right?? Rinoa said, trying to change subjects from Squall to someone more pleasant. ?No, but I had a pretty good feeling that she was. I mean, isn?t she one of Esthar?s ambassador?s now or something?? Rinoa nodded. ?Well, good for her then. Anyways, I?ve gotta run; places to see, hot dogs to eat, an old Matron to hunt down; you know how it is, right?? Rinoa nodded in approval, and Zell dashed off in search of the items on his list. [i]?It?s good to know not everything has changed,?[/i] Rinoa noted to herself as she finally got around to eating the rest her lunch. [center]* * * * *[/center] Ellone and Laguna arrived at Balamb right on schedule, a few hours after one, and they found Cid and Edea at the front steps of Balamb greeting them along with all of the other Esthar members of the UL that had arrived in the same airplane them as they did, although as expected Edea and Cid gave a far warmer greeting to the President and his niece. ?President Laguna!? the Headmaster greeted the President. ?It?s so good to see you again.? Laguna smiled at Cid, a sign that he still considered the Headmaster his good friend from his early days as a Galbadian soldier. ?Same here Cid, now will you [i]please[/i] stop calling me President? Or am I going to have to call you Headmaster?? ?All right, [i]Laguna[/i],? Cid said with a smirk. ?It?s good to see you as well, Ellone,? Edea pointed out so that the two men would not forget about the black haired woman standing behind Laguna. Ellone couldn?t help but chuckle when she saw Cid blush out of shame for not acknowledging the woman before. ?It?s good to see you too Ellone,? Cid said as he gave Ellone a light hug and kiss on the cheek. ?Same here Cid. It?s been way too long since I?ve been here. A year, hasn?t it?? Edea nodded. ?Well if you don?t mind I?m going excuse myself. I want to get all comfortable and the such for that award ceremony of yours tomorrow Cid.? With that an attendant grabbed her bags and directed her to her room. ?Well Ellie seems in quite a rush, now doesn?t she?? Cid noted after Ellone had walked halfway up the ramp towards Balamb. Laguna crossed his arms in a lazy stance. ?Yeah well, she and Rinoa have practically become sisters you know.? ?True.? While the three adults outside of the famed war academy were caught in idle chit chat, Ellone and Rinoa were squealing like school girls on their way to their High School prom, with the term ?ohmigod!? popping up frequently, as well as both of the ladies referring to the other as girlfriend, although they never had any inappropriate relationship in reference to it. ?It?s been too long Ellie!? Rinoa announced to Ellone as if the long haired woman was on stage and Ellone her audience. ?These four months have been going way too slow. Everyone is about as interesting as fried fish in my dad?s cabinet.? ?Oh come on Rinoa,? Ellone said as he accepted a cup of coffee, ?Not everyone can be as interesting as seafood.? ?Girl, I am [i]dead[/i] serious. I mean, one time, I could of have sworn not a single soul but me blinked in an hour long meeting.? ?All right, now I [i]know[/i] you are exaggerating.? ?I know, but still, it?s been way too long Ellone. I can stand not talking to someone with a personality and who can stand my jokes for so long, you know what I?m saying?? ?Of course?except Kiros and Uncle Laguna can?t help but crack jokes every other minute. And most of them [i]will[/i] put me to sleep.? Rinoa laughed at the joke. ?I mean, even Squall is funnier than Laguna sometimes!? The smile faded away from Rinoa?s face almost instantly, and Ellone realized just how fresh old wounds still were. ?Oh Rinoa, I?m sorry -? ?I?m all right.? Ellone wasn?t so convinced. ?You?re sure?? ?Yeah, I just don?t understand exactly what he meant, by us being a relationship of convenience. I mean, I know I loved him then?I mean I still do?I think?but, well, I just don?t know what he meant. I mean, didn?t he love me too?? ?I?m sure he did Rinoa. He?s probably just as confused as you are. Just give him some time.? ?Isn?t a year enough time? It?s been a whole year?it?s been awhile.? ?Squall takes things nice and slow. Remember, it took him eleven years to actually talk to people longer than saying ?whatever? okay? He?ll know the real answer sure enough, mark my words.? [center]* * * * *[/center] Esthar Flight No. 486 flew smoothly threw the night sky as it slowly reached it?s destination of Balamb Island. It had left with no trouble at 6:39 AM, a few minutes off schedule, and despite the fact that it had to make a detour around Galbadia so that to avoid a lightning storm that could of possibly interfered with it?s systems and likely cause the plane to crash, No.486 would land at Balamb International Airport just a half hour off schedule at approximately 10:36, and this would cause no interference with the Airport?s other flights. Squall Leonhart sat in the sixth row, to the left of any airplane attendees that would walk up an aisle from the Captain?s seat. The ex-SeeD stared out of the window, towards the giant mass of gray clouds that surrounded the passenger plane as it tore its way through them. At eight thirty, the man who had just a few years prior saved the world from total destruction was exhausted, a state that nearly all of the movie and novel contracts failed to inform the general public was something that he went through. They also failed to let on that Squall was, quite the surprise to any common man woman or child he met, was human and imperfect, a fact that annoyed the man on more than one occasion. But movies and novels have always had the habit to make modern day heroes perfect and god like in practically everything they are and do, so it was something that could not truly be helped. It was eight thirty at night and Squall yawned so long and wide that it would have had made even a Bear blush. Placing his heavy head on the soft chair, he grabbed a small lever and pulled on it, pushing the chair back, far enough to be in a comfortable state but not so far as to annoy the person behind him. He then quickly fell into a deep sleep. It would seem like only a minute before he was back in Balamb. [center]* * * * *[/center] News of Squall Leonhart?s arrival at Balamb Garden spread faster than wildfire. Cid and Edea barely had a half hour?s worth of relaxation before they got word of it and had to redress somewhat to say hello to their old son, and Irvine and Selphie, who arrived just an hour before him and were just about to call it night, brought up a storm dressing themselves in hopes they could reach their old friend before the whole school crushed him. Everyone was there to greet the old war hero, except Rinoa. The group was surprised to see just how much their old friend had changed in appearance: his brown hair, which before had allowed itself to drag down a few inches short of his neck, had been grown out of proportion, outliving it?s former length and moving downward past his neck. On top of that, Squall was not wearing his iconic feathered jacket that they were so used to wearing, but rather a leather jacket that was cut at where his ribs would be, with the iconic symbol of Griever printed in red on the short sleeves. ?Whoa?? Irvine rubbed at his eyes, a mixture of his exhaustion and the disbelief of Squall?s radical physical change. ?Squall! What happened to your hair?? ?I let it grow, so what?? ?But it?s long! I?m supposed to be the dude with the long hair!? Squall just grinned in ignorance. ?Whatever Irvine.? Seeing that everyone would want to focus on Squall?s new appearance rather than the fact that he was actually here, Zell decided it was best to change the subject. ?Where?ve you been Squall?? ?Just college Zell. No major battles or anything like that.? ?No bar brawls?? Irvine questioned curiously, a mysterious flare in his eye. ?No?? ?Damnit!? Irvine stomped the ground in protest, and handed over to Zell a few gil. The Gunblade master couldn?t help but chuckle. Squall quickly gave a quick glance at the group that surrounded him, glad to see everyone was there?except for one. ?So err, anyways, where?s Rinoa?? Even though the two of them were no longer in a relationship, Squall still looked to the young Sorceress as a close companion, a sister even, but considering her refusal to answer his phone calls, Squall had already guessed the answer to his own question. Selphie placed her arms on her sides. ?Squallie, do you really need to know the answer to that?? ?Guess not?? Squall answered in a low voice. ?Yeah, you had a ton of guts Squall?? Zell said not thinking but Edea quickly butted in, her gray eyes infuriated. ?Enough of this talk, all of you!? Edea commanded. She refused to have her ?children? battle amongst themselves at their first reunion in two years. She refused to have her dear ones brawl openly at an event designed to celebrate an achievement of peace. ?Let?s just be happy that we are all here. Now, I think it is time we all head back to our rooms and get some sleep: I?m sure we?re all exhausted, as I?m sure Cid is.? ?Ahem, when did I say you could speak for me?? ?When you recited your marriage vows in front of Father Jacob,? the elderly woman corrected slowly to her husband. Cid nodded in understanding. Edea turned to the others, a fiery flare in her eyes, although not one of hate, but one of a fiery determination; a determination of a wife, and worse yet, a mother that had seen too many families fall apart due to bickering. Her lips went stern, and in a commanding voice she demanded that her children head off to their rooms, to calm themselves so that they can be in a better attitude in the morning. Knowing how Edea gets when she?s argued with, especially late at night, the children decided it was best to comply with her ultimatum. [center]* * * * *[/center] Like a lion confined in a cage, Squall circled around his room given to him by Cid and Edea, his mind caught up at the way his old friends had reacted to him when Rinoa was brought up. He knew that they were all bitter at him; the two had not left each other on the most pleasant of terms, and the way Squall worded the parting, it sounded as if he was dumping her, which was surely not the case. He merely just wanted to part ways. But why do they have so much hatred towards him? Aren?t they family? Are they brothers and sisters to each other? Didn?t they risk their lives for each other everyday for four months? Didn?t they feel the need of total reliability on each other that if just one of them died they wouldn?t know where to go next? Where did that feeling go? Squall never realized truly realized until now how bitter everyone, Rinoa in particular, was over the separation. That is, until now. Even when she didn?t return any of his calls or e-mails, in his heart Squall was certain that she had gotten over the separation. And now the truth had finally decided to show itself and reveal it?s monstrous of a head, and spread word throughout Squall?s aching heart like a dagger that dug deeper and deeper into the lifeblood of every man: his friends loathed him for the action he took those years ago, although not nearly as much as that of his rival Seifer, but that brought little ease of pain and mind to him. His friends still hated him for that act of separation between him and Rinoa. Squall allowed his weary body to fall onto his bed, the soft mattress bringing some relief to his aching back that irritated him greatly, despite the fact that he performed no sort of manual labor that should have brought the affliction to it. He turned over onto his side and stared out onto the clear night sky that almost seemed to sport an infinite amount of stars. When he was a child, he would always love to stare out at those infinite numbers of miracles of time, of how no matter how long time will pass, there will always be stars looking over the elderly Planet, and the stars would always fascinate man. That fact always comforted the juvenile Squall in some way whenever immature and foolish problems would emerge themselves. Staring into the glow of the stars, Squall began to wonder if he could fix everything that he screwed up on. Was there hope yet? [center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/2.jpg[/IMG][/center] The Estharian weapon depot KARAM-64 was located deep in the heart of what was the Salt Flats, an area made infamous through urban legends and a many folk tale for being the birth place of Esthar, which had defended itself for hundreds of years with the use of knowledge and power intertwined with dark, calculative and deceiving politics that could easily be related to a boy bullying those younger and weaker than him through fear of getting into juvenile and foolish conflicts. If urban myths can have any reliability at all, the Salt Flats were a thousand years ago used as a project by Esthar to create an ultimate weapon; a way to use decaying death as an actual fuel for a weapon of mass destruction. The table turned on them, however, when the secret project went through some type of accident, and murdered thousands in the local vicinity. Not being the ones to be totally heartless, the leaders of the project abandoned both it and the wasteland that was fueling the project, and with that decision came the consequence that the true story of Esthar was lost forever. Alas, hardly a soul in Esthar was interested in learning any sort of connection between the frozen hell and the ancient days of their nation; any place that reeked of death would not be well accepted in being a birth place of the nation that is supposedly the place that has the greatest life style the Planet can offer. And so, after little debate, the Salt Flats were destroyed. Obviously superior technology available to only Esthar was used in the task, but the actual method was kept on closed ears. Few knew exactly how it was done. Then again, even fewer cared. The Salt Flats were a constant embarrassment to Esthar?s name since the beginning, and it was a welcomed relief among man of the country?s populous when it was finally eradicated. If one heard that someone was to search for this facility, KARAM-64, one could also presume many things; one of them being the person in question was either a maniac or a fool. Nonetheless, most people that would go out and search for the weapon depot would find nothing: just a flat, pale and lifeless plain that seemed to stretch for miles, with the occasional mountain and boulder that rose from the Planet?s flesh. To the unprepared, it would be a hopeless mission. To the prepared however, and those willing to walk a few dozen miles off the beaten path, KARAM-64 is a surprisingly easy military facility to find. All one needs is to simply fiercely and violently kidnap and interrogate an employee of the famed Lunar Gate Research facility who was foolish enough to leave his place of employment late at night and alone, giving no witnesses to any sort of crime. Using the night as cover, the elusive Ferin ?the Wolf? sprinted from one large protruding rock to the next, never staying still in any place for too long, taking heed the warning from his ?informant? that there were underground sensors that sensed unmoving objects. From one boulder to the next, the Wolf sprinted onward, never allowing the occasional hill or careless fall to slow him down for too long. If Ferin was to have his watch on him at the time, the large and small hand would have reached eleven the moment he set his deep blue eyes on the weapon facility, engraved away in a mountain that was miles off of the paved route given to the regular traveler. The weapon depot was a small, unthreatening and deceiving facility, with its physical appearance resembling nothing more than an over expanded concrete bunker. A poorly placed and constructed fence of rolling barb wire was the depot?s only sort of protection beyond the sensors that dotted the surrounding area, but even they posed no immediate threat to any invaders such as Ferin. They merely gave an alarm, and those at the depot, numbering only about ten or fifteen soldiers and one captain, would ask for aid from another neighboring facility, wait for an unknown period of time for a response, and depending on that response would go out and investigate the sensors? signals. Of course, by the time they would get there the things that very well could of have had triggered off the sensors would of have been long gone. Or in Ferin?s case, right at their doorstep. Drawing his Flamberge, Ferin slowly revealed himself from the boulder that was his cover for the brief seconds that he examined the weapon depot?s pitiful defenses. Licking his lips, narrowing his eyes, gripping the red handle of his weapon, Ferin charged through the barb wire, swatting the foolish fence with his blade as if it was a fly. The half drunk guard in front of the entrance could barely aim his rifle at Ferin before he met his fist, knocking out the foolish soldier for a few hours at the least. Using his shoulder as a battering ram, Ferin practically tore apart the rusted door, and two soldiers sitting idly by were caught by surprise of his arrival. One went flying with a swipe of Ferin?s blade, the wave of energy that erupted from the action knocking him out. The other was pinned against the wall with a well tuned kick in the stomach, and was knocked out when Ferin slammed the soldier?s head into the wall. Treading slowly now, Ferin paved his way through the remaining soldiers that remained, using every means necessarily to not murder a single one of them. The only exception to this rule was the captain, who had dashed for the radio in a poorly made attempt to gain reinforcements and capture Ferin. Not allowing that to happen, Ferin regrettably threw the massive blade into the captain?s back, killing him in a gory and inglorious blow. When he drew his blade from the dead carcass, Ferin felt his stomach turn: he had killed an innocent man. The Captain was merely performing his duties. He knew not of where this captain had hailed from: for all he knew, Ferin had just made a wife a widow, and some son or daughter fatherless. That last statement nearly made the warrior burst into tears. Forcing them back, Ferin sheathed his blade, and made his way through the dazed bodies towards the room containing the item he had fought and killed for. It was Hyperion. [center]* * * * *[/center] It is said that men?s dreams come and go on ships. What exactly the ship sails on does not matter to them; the skies or seas didn?t affect men?s mind and opinion on the vessels. As long as they sailed on something, as long as they bring news from far away places, as long as they give the idea of leaving an old life and brining a new one, ships will always remain the memorizing and almost mythical vessels that carry men?s dreams. Of course, there were exceptions to the rule: some had seen this dream, and were tired of it. Seifer Almasy, with his dirty blonde hair, stout chin and vertical scar that seems to almost stretch across his face, Seifer shows the appearance of a man who has seen the truth behind the dreams that ships export and import whenever they dock at Fisherman?s Haven: dreams are death. Dreams are destruction; dreams are oblivion. Worst of all, dreams are a tunnel that one sprints through, hoping dearly in their hearts to find the end of. And when they reach it, they find nothing. No happiness, or joy, no sense of completion or self discovery; no indication of becoming a better man at all. The only thing he found at the end of that long and grueling tunnel was depression. At eight thirty two on the fourth of March, Seifer was at where he always was at this time: a bar. This was the only place he wanted to be, the only place he needed to be. He didn?t need to be doing work of any kind, or enlisting in some bullshit army. He could hardly care what was going in the world around him. The way he saw it, the world didn?t need him and he didn?t need the world. The only thing he gave a damn for was his vodka. The old knight stared into the glass holding his vodka, the oval container barely five inches high. Holding it between his thumb and pointing finger, Seifer swirled the colorless liquor, starring into its transparent contents, seeing an eerie imagery to his own life. Before, he was so full of life, sarcasm and the occasional empty death threat. Now, he was a grumbling old veteran in a depression that no one short of God could be capable of pulling him out off. [i]?Shit?[/i] he though to himself. He swallowed the vodka down, draining the glass. He ordered some more, never one to be satisfied with just one glass of the drink. As he drowned himself in his miseries, he transported himself years long before he met Ultimecia and his entire life spiraled down to hell and below, even before his first failure at the SeeD exams when he was sixteen. He remembered that week when he was just fifteen, when his over excitement got the worst of him, and he almost killed a friend. [i]?To be fourteen is to be young, arrogant and a major fucking pain in the ass. I remember that day to screw up all days like it was just yesterday. Raijin got detention for trying to set up fireworks outside the girl?s dorm. And being that the big idiot that he is, he practically set the whole freaking school on fire. And there was nothing for me to do without the big lummox since Squall was no where to be found, no matter how long Fuj and I searched for scar face: it turned out he was in some long ass meeting with some instructors for special treatment or some screwed up excuse like that. So there were me and Fujin: bored out of our good for nothing lives in my dorm. It really does suck not having anything to do: during class at least we actually had crap to do. Then it makes it easier to sleep. When there isn?t even crap to do, it?s practically freaking impossible to get some z?s. So then I came up with this great idea to head for the training center, just because I was feeling trigger happy.? ? ?Why? There?s nothing fun there Seifer. Just a bunch of plants that move. They couldn?t even nibble on us.? ? ? ?So, I?m bored and it?s better to chop up sorry excuses for plants than hand around doing nothing, right?? ? ? ?I guess.? ? ? ?Come on then, lets go already!? So, I got my gunblade, Fujin got that shuriken of hers. Anyways, we made our way to the training center. The first time I was there, when I was likes eight I think, I was totally mesmerized by all the plants and flowers. I never saw so many big trees in the same place, not to mention all the birds that were there. So, I was kinda like ?holy shit!? or some totally over exaggerated look like that. But by then I had seen the center like a billion times, so it was not a big deal. We hunted a bunch of weak beasts for like an hour, since that was all that could really stand up to me and Fujin. Now, if the whole trio was with us, those poor excuses for plants would have been gone in like ten minutes. Then again, we were definitely over cocky; more times than one I almost got the three of us in more trouble than we could chew. Raijin and Fujin even admitted that one day there was definitely going to be a time when I was going to get the three of us into some trouble we would never be able to get us out of. I was too much of a dumb ass back then; caring for the then and not the after, not what could happen after; not caring of what could happen to my friends. I thought myself invincible; I thought that nothing bad would ever happen to me.? ?I was never more wrong.? ? ?Oh, hell yes! That is the way to do it, you worthless good for nothing shits! Hell yeah? And while I was showing off my stupidity, I was slashing empty air in a pitiful attempt to show how much I was a badass. And then, I did something I would always regret, for as long as I can remember anything. I twirled around, and slashed what I thought was empty air. The only problem was, I didn?t slash empty air. There was a scream?Fujin?s scream. I went pale. I slashed Fujin right across the right side of the face. Her face was covered in blood, her dark red hand covering her eye. She kept on screaming, and I just kept watching as her blood dripped onto the green arena, creating a scene of pure and complete horror. As much as I wanted to, I couldn?t fir the longest run over to here and help her. I was too horrified.? ?I found out that my friends and I aren?t invincible, that were just like everybody else.? ?I finally managed to muster enough courage to place Fujin?s head on my lap. ?PAIN! MUCH?!,? she screamed that maniacal voice of hers that she would become synonymous with. ?HELP!? ? ? ?Fuj?? ? ? ?HELP!!? ? ?I may of screwed up, but there was no way I was not going to help my friend when she needed me; so, I lifted her up, and brought her to old doctor Kadowaki. The moment Fujin was in the infirmary, I was practically thrown out by one of her assistants. I pounded on the door, wanting to be let in. Of course they wouldn?t though: trouble causing Seifer should never be allowed in a quite place like the infirmary, that?s probably what they said. So, I decided to man it out. I got comfortable, and waited outside the infirmary. I wanted to be as close to Fuj as I could. It was an hour later until Doctor Kadowaki came out and let me wait in the waiting room. So, I waited in there for a long time: it was so long I could barely remember what time it was when the Doctor came out.? ? ?How is she?? ? ? ?She?ll be fine Seifer. But why? Why do you have to be so reckless? Why do you always have to be the one to prove himself? Fujin almost died because of you, don?t you know that. What can?t you be like Squall? At least he can control himself: he doesn?t slash people across the face and make them lose an eye and pop a blood vessel.? ? ?Squall?again he was part of my life. Again he was the better: again he was the one who was better at everything I tried to be. Squall was the reason why I lived: to beat him. To constantly face him, so I could prove that I am not just Seifer. I am THE Seifer. Again, Squall was my better: he was a better person. He knew how to control himself. I did not. He can keep cool: I could warm coffee just by touching it. He knows what it means to be ready for the next corner: I live for the now.? ?Once again, Squall was my superior.? ?Then Kadowaki told me that her eye was pretty much useless, so they had to plug it out. A synthetic one would be imported from Galbadia as soon as they filled out the paper work. Of course, Fujin never wanted me to remember what I did, so when she got better she just got an eye patch. Of course, the eye patch was more of a reminder what happened than if she had just gotten that fake eye. That wasn?t the bad news though: that blood vessel that popped will affect her speech forever: she would only be able to speak in screams and short, unintelligible sentences. She would be seen as a mental retard for the rest of her life.? ?And it was all my fault. Everything was my fault. My scar, Ultimecia, Fujin?everything bad that ever happened to anyone I knew was my fault.?[/i] Hours had passed since Seifer had drunk himself useless. He could hardly how much vodka he drank; nor could he remember how long he was in his memories. The only thing that gave him pleasure these days was the drink; an odd contrast from the proud young man he was in his youth. Like most, he could be considered that of a bully and somewhat of a moron, but at least then he was proud of who he was. Now, he was just another washed out veteran drinking his misery away. ?One more drinks, tender!? the drunk said, swinging his glass in the air lazily. The bartender said nothing as he poured Seifer another cup of vodka. The knight swallowed the fiery liquor down his throat, ignoring the fact that in a few short moments the taste would escape his lips, and he would demand another drink, adding more to his drunken state. ?Another one, if you wills please,? Seifer requested, tapping his slimy cup affectionately. ?Don?t you think you?ve had enough?? the bar tender demanded more than asked. ?I?ll tell you when I have had enough, and right now, I don?t think I?ve had enough. The two of you cants fools me now! I?m am nots even close to be drunken!? ?I think you should take a break Seifer,? the bartender said in a commanding tone. He took the glass away from the drunken mercenary. ?Aw shits,? Seifer moaned pathetically before lying his head on the bar counter, allowing his drool to stain the worn wood before he fell into a drunken slumber. Seifer was awakened from the dream hours later with a splash of freezing cold water from the bar?s kitchen. The now somber Seifer groaned as he lifted his lazy head up, his body still weary from the slumber. ?All right bonehead, time to wake up. It?s closing time.? ?Shit,? Seifer mumbled under his breath. He managed to get his aching body up and out the door a few minutes later, after falling to the floor a few times. Leaving the bar, the Knight made his way through Fisherman?s Haven?s many alleyways and roads, avoiding contact with the few pedestrian when needed, never in the mood to scan the growl or face of disgust on some fool?s face. He eventually made it to his house, a pitiful house given to him by Mayor Dobe more out of command from the United Legislation than anything else, and the condition of the house showed it. The house was made completely out of scrap metal, the floor was not even paved, and when Seifer first received the house it?s door barely hanged on its hinges. The shack was caught between two much larger buildings, the pitiful structure giving the appearance of being pushed into oblivion by its larger counterparts. It was truly a pitiful home for a pitiful existence. Seifer walked through the empty doorway, the door having fallen off of its hinges long ago. The one room house was in complete darkness, since the lone light bulb that was Seifer?s only source of light when night came exploded months ago after overuse. Seifer walked through the darkness to where he knew there was a table holding a nearly burnt away candle leaned on it?s curved side. He waved his hands lazily by his side, to try and get the ache out of them. Of course, that didn?t work. He felt the cold, rotting side of the table, and he searched for the candle, which he found easily enough. His hands searched for the pile of matches that he used to light the candle on a nightly basis, but they weren?t where they were supposed to be. He didn?t even find any ashes of where they probably would have been. It was like that one area where they were was cleaned spotless. ?What the hell??? Suddenly, the room was lit. A man in a red trench coat was in front of Seifer, on the opposite side of the table. Seifer jumped back in shock, not exactly expecting a well trained man wearing a trench coat holding who knows what behind it to enter his house. The fact that the man was grinning devilishly did not help much either. ?Who the hell are you?? The man licked his lips and threw back his black hair. ?I am Ferin?Ferin Alengar. Do you remember, Seifer Almasy?? ?Fuck no! Why the hell would I? Did I kill a friend of yours or something? If so, you?re probably wanting a little payback, right? Right? Well tough luck shit face! I could care less what you do to me.? Ferin chuckled, and his grin lessened from a wide one to a small and calculative one. ?Interesting. You were so proud Almasy, so very proud. Well, would like to know how I got this?? Seifer?s eyes trailed down, realizing Ferin?s hands were holding something. It was a blade, silvery in color and appearance, a straight sword. It had no sword handle, unless you counted the handle that resembled that of a pistol. Seifer?s eyes went wide. It was Hyperion. Seifer cursed under his breath. ?Where the hell did you get that?? ?I took a detour around Esthar.? ?What the hell do you fucking want?? ?Simple. I want answers.? ?To [i]what[/i]?? ?The truth; I want the truth from you. Were you really possessed by Ultimecia?? ?I?what? I told the judge that!? ?Did you? Were you being truthful?? ?Yeah, why wouldn?t I?? ?It is not exactly hard to lie. Of course, you don?t have a sword pointed at your throat.? ?What sword?? ?[i]This[/i] sword.? Before Seifer could say anything in protest, Ferin was on top of the table, knees bent and at eye level, with his Flamberge in his hand, mere meters away from Seifer?s pale throat. ?Willing to talk?? Seifer mumbled a yes, and stepped backwards slowly as Ferin made his way off the table. ?Good. Now, were you or were you not possessed by Ultimecia.?? ?I..I?? ?Will the sword away from your throat help at all?? ?S-sure man?whatever you say.? Ferin nodded, and sheathed his sword over his shoulder. ?Now, talk. And don?t lie.? ?I?I?wanted...wanted my dream?? ?You allowed her to control you then?? ?Fuck no, you kidding me? I hated teacher bossing me around at Balamb! Why would I let some old bitch take control of me literally?? ?So, she did it forcefully?? ?Yeah?? Ferin paused, rubbing his knuckles sensitively. ?Seifer, do you enjoy living the life of a drunk?? Seifer didn?t respond. He just turned his back. ?You never wanted this did you? You thought you get freedom, when you got only shit to live under. Would that be a true statement?? ??Sure.? ?Do you want redemption? Seifer?s head turned slowly to face Ferin. ?What did you say?? ?You killed our brothers at Balamb. I am offering you redemption.? ?Our brothers? What the hell do you mean, our brothers? I don?t even have a mom or dad!? ?The Crash of the Gardens, you drunk idiot. When you and Trabia?s Generals led Trabia Garden to attack Balamb Garden at Centra.? Seifer dipped his head down out of sadness. ?Do you want it?? ?What the hell can I do right? Everything is my fault?the war?Fujin?this scar?everything bad that happens is because of me. What can I do to fix that?? Ferin turned to the table, taking Hyperion off of its surface. He then offered it to Seifer, handle first. ?Take it. Follow me.? ?Follow you?? ?We?ll fix everything we ruined in our pitiful lives. They say that sometimes you must let God resolve the sins of man. I am not going to wait for it, and neither will you. If you are truly innocent, you will follow.? ?And if I am guilty?? ?You will die a slow and pitiful death here; in this pile of shit you call a home. You, the Knight of a sorceress, will die here. Do you really want that?? Seifer grinned. He then grabbed Hyperion from Ferin?s hand. ?I?m no Knight?but I?ll follow. I?ve got nothing better to do anyways. Dobe is a really big fucking pain in the ass, you know what I?m saying? He doesn?t like me?then again no in does. No place being in a place you?re not liked.? Ferin nodded. ?Follow me then.? He walked for the exit, and Seifer followed him to where his boat was. And then, they sailed off into the South, towards where the sun rose over the orange sea. It was there, Ferin would later tell Seifer, that their journey would begin.

The anime that I want to be continued is Elfen Lied. I mean, they left it at a HUGE cliffhanger, and it would be a huge dissapointment if they never continued it.

I watch animes whenever I have time...which is all day. Altough the fact that my friends always burn me animes that I can watch on my PC helps.