Allamorph

[quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]HOLY BUTT CRACK! That's a lot of FLCL! That's like.... 6 x 58 times! I don't know what that number is off the top of my head.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]6 x 58 = 3 x 116 = 348 Holy butt crack, indeed. ([I]Holy butt crack, Batman! It's an evil plumber![/I])[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]DELETED!! [B]Edit:[/B] And of course the poke and zap miss. Thank goodness I'm the Gingerbread Man. [B]Edit 2:[/B] The previous content was struck because I am weary and its intended audience hadn't seen it at the time of this edit, making it basically moot. Also, I phail.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Actually, if you notice, [spoiler]Haruko leaves her bass behind because she has the fused guitar of Naota and Atomsk. To her, Naota was just the means to an end: getting the power of the Pirate King for herself. Her bass was a tangible reminder to Naota that the events since her arrival actually happened, since in his words "...nothing exciting ever happens here."[/spoiler] (That's a lot of black.)[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]But what I'm getting at is I've lived long enough to know that men, [U]especially teenagers [/U]are [B]clueless as hell[/B] when it comes to the concept of 'menstrual' performance.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Exactly my point. (Although, I [I]am[/I] interested in what you mean by menstrual 'performance'. O_o ) Right, so posting tonight at Late O' Clock. And I'll actually do it this time. On my honor as an Old Guard. ([I]"By the honor of the Quincy"?[/I]) I'll have to disagree with you, Rach. From the photo she put up earlier (elsewhere, naturally) I'd say she does in fact look late thirties. I just don't understand why people think 35-40 means you're Old. I mean, sheesh. Old is nigh-on sixty, guys. [COLOR="DarkRed"]SunfallE[/COLOR] looks mature.[/FONT]

[quote name='Revolver][COLOR="DarkOliveGreen"']But expect a menstrual preformance from Shalua and her quirky familiar.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]I expect both of our female comrades to critique him on his menstrual efforts. As a construct that doesn't have to deal with that kind of thing, I can't say anything, but I'm certain you two can. :p I just want to make it through tomorrow morning intact. Then maybe I'll be alive to write. [center]:([/center][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I have decided not to post until Thursday, due to a combination of schoolwork, life obligations, crappy internet between 9:00 and 12:30, and the fact that I'm not sure if .... umm .... [COLOR="DarkRed"]Premonition[/COLOR] is going to want to be posting before we start the modulation to our next key. [spoiler]Sorry, buddy. You make it so easy to pick on you. (^_^)[/spoiler] Yeah, the server around here (TTU) is absolute crap. [I]I[/I] don't think the cache is big enough, but what do I know? I think I'll complain to ResLife. (I hate this university's admin.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]For further reference, I'm including the Reuters report and the story from the FOXNews web page. And let me say right now, the spin on FOX's article absolutely disgusts me. [URL="http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=66698&feedType=RSS&rpc=23&sp=true"][COLOR="Blue"]Reuters[/COLOR][/URL] // [URL="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297197,00.html"][COLOR="Blue"]FOX[/COLOR][/URL] Something else that pissed me off: [I]"Two campus officers have been placed on [B][U]paid[/U] [U]administrative[/U] [U]leave[/U][/B], University of Florida President J. Bernard Machen said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon."[/I] What the hell?! They screwed up this badly, and they're still getting bloody [I]paid?![/I] Forget whether Meyer was being a jackass at the mic; they had him pinned?[I]six[/I] of them had him bloody pinned to the freakin' ground?and they needed a [I]taser?![/I] And for this they're on paid vacation!! Skull and Bones, eh? Research time. :animeangr[/FONT]

[quote name='Charles']I'm sorry if the thread came off as a place where people simply introduced themselves and no one could say anything back.[/quote] [FONT=Arial]Naw, I just hadn't got around to sayin' anythin' yet. So hi! [I]*cough*[/I] So, [COLOR="DarkRed"]ForsakenUndead[/COLOR], I find it's kind of ironic how you're a squeamish zombie-movie fan and what. :p (Also, I probably would have recommended either a shorter username or one that [I]didn't[/I] abbreviate to FU.) (Just sayin'.) [B]Edit:[/B] Oh, and don't mind [COLOR=DarkRed]DB[/COLOR]. He's a twerp.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I've started working on our way out. It is not terribly contingent on the specifics of people's posts, though?by which I mean my content is malleable?so if anyone wants to slip something in real quick to just add to any ideas or randomness to the situation, let me know before midnight and I'll hold off on posting until you work yours up. As for your characters, they are still searching for a way out....of the Twilight Zone. ([COLOR="DarkRed"]Rach[/COLOR], expect a brief missive after I post.)[/FONT]

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=#9933ff][font=lucida calligraphy]I need to make a mental note to not start things after a twelve hour shift. Nothing ever turns out right. :animesigh[/color'][/font][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Not so, ma'am. Quite to the contrary, it turned out well. But if you know something, then be decisive about it. Don't 'think'. Thinking is for when you don't know. The worst thing that could happen is that you could be wrong, but then what's so bad about that? Point is: say it like you mean it. All the time. :animesmil [quote name='indifference][COLOR=indigo']Arguing the semantics of how in the end someone is the one to make that choice is pointless.[/COLOR][/quote] Not so again. And I already knew your point, milady...as is usually the case when you say I've missed it. :p [QUOTE][I][COLOR="indigo"][M]any religions see it as their duty to attempt to make that choice for people. // We're talking about how it should be a personal choice from the standpoint of excluding those social factors that would say otherwise.[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] Yes to the second; no to the first. After all, there's a marked difference between saying "you can't" and "just don't". The former is a requirement only for those in the Catholic and Jesuit priesthoods (I can't at the moment think of any others), but remember that first a person must choose to enter the priesthood?they are not forced into the position (the Jesuit draft?)?and that they can also choose to leave it if, for instance, the strains celibacy become too great; and second that there is nothing but the person themself compelling them to confess their erstwhile affairs, since deception is not difficult by any means. I do not know of any other situations where "can't" is forced down a person's throat, so to speak. As far as I have found, the "rules" just say "don't". (Arg. Too many quotation marks.) The individual still has to choose to follow them or not. As for the religions that would control the individual, as you said, that is generally the mark overly pious, pride-filled individuals who feel it their business to tell you both how depraved you are and how holy they are at the same time, as much as possible. No human can or does answer morally to any other human; humans did not make the Law, so how do [I]we[/I] presume to enforce it? That does not mean that I encourage the behavior. It only means that, just as in everything else, the individual is given a choice to make. I believe, though, that what most people balk at on this issue is the [I]label[/I] given to the choice. According to the Bible, the more popular decision is the Wrong one. So when you say [I]"it should be a choice"[/I], what I hear is [I]"it should be [U][B]just[/B][/U] a choice"[/I]. There's nothing overtly wrong about it; in fact, when pressed most Christians would say they don't know why it's wrong, but that it's just wrong. So if there's no reason for it to be wrong, what's the deal? Along the same lines, the university I attend requires a student to take a total of twenty-two credit hours worth of Honors classes and two Honors colloquia in order to graduate [I]in cursu honorum[/I]. Why those numbers? Why can't I graduate [I]in cursu[/I] if I only want to take eight hours, and I don't happen to like any of the offered colloquia? I did, after all, graduate "in the course of Honors", did I not? Damned if I know. Still, they made the rules, and so I follow the rules, even if I don't know why. Same thing here. Even if I haven't got Clue #1 why it's wrong, He made the rules. I can't argue with Him. This scenario is interesting, though, because the punishment for me breaking the Law doesn't happen until after I'm dead. Additionally, I've already been given a pass/Go by virtue of my faith?the whole "forgiveness" spiel that I'm certain you've heard numerous nauseating times. :p So then, if I'm not 'punished' immediately, and I'm forgiven anyway, what's holding me back. I believe Paul (formerly Saul) said it best. I beg your indulgence while I toss scripture at you....but first, some backup to one of my earlier statements: [QUOTE]Reference: [B]Romans 2:1[/B]; New King James version [FONT=Arial][I]Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.[/I][/FONT][/QUOTE] In less words, I can't say anything about anyone else, 'cause I'm just as guilty. Moving on. (Reminder: according to the Law, Wrong = sin. Synonyms, if you will.) Here, Paul is speaking to those of the Roman church; i.e., those already 'saved'. [QUOTE]Reference: [B]Romans 6: 1-4, 8-9, 11, 14[/B]; NKJV [FONT=Arial][SIZE=1](I'll truncate some of the redundant stuff.)[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT="Arial"][I]What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who have died to sin live in sin any longer? Or do you not know that as many of us were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. //snip// Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. //snip// Likewise you also, reckon yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God.... //snip// For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.[/I][/FONT][/QUOTE] And Paul goes on in further lawyer-esque detailed proofs?at one point, he uses an interesting analogy involving a woman remarrying, and how she is not called an adulteress if her first husband is dead. :p (Divorce in Jewish law was basically nonexistent.) Basically, though, we have no incentive to commit Wrong acts. We are dead to it, and, in the words of King James, it profit us naught. Or not. Same thing. Anywho: [QUOTE][I][COLOR="indigo"]I would have thought that the fact that so many people do have sex would indicate that they do want that [U]singular kind of intense pleasure[/U] as you put it.[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] Yes. So, umm...now what? [QUOTE][I][COLOR="indigo"]...pleasure is not the only motivator, if the other person isn't desirable or even likable on some level, pleasure or not many of us would not have sex with them.[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] Pleasure in many ways, milady. Sexually, visually, conversationally, ecumenically.... [QUOTE][I][COLOR="indigo"]There are lots of people who live together, have kids and are not married.[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] Really, that is still a family. [QUOTE][I][COLOR="indigo"]Saying you don't care is sad, sex is part of a healthy relationship whether or not one is married, and how can you say you don't care when it sounds like you've never even had it? Stop processing multiple strains of information and don't wait for a moment when you're not. There's no such thing as the perfect moment, to some degree, you make that moment with your partner. And like Sandy said... Sex is just as important as the other aspects of a relationship.[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] I find it is not sad at all; I have several healthy relationships, thanksabunch; and I can say that I don't care very easily. (To the knee-jerk response of "have you ever even had a girlfriend?" I say yes. It was an accident, though, and I rectified the situation as quickly and genteelly as possible; I wouldn't wish me on anyone. :p) You have no idea how bizarre my mind is. The only times it is [I]not[/I] 'processing multiple strains of information' is when I am either playing music or ensconced in listening to it. In the former case sex is quite impossible, and in the latter my entire body shuts down, leaving only my ears, my auditory processor, and my threat proximity identifier active. As for the waiting bit, umm....I'm not waiting....at all. I'm just, well, [I]Not[/I]. As in, Not is what I am, not what I am doing. I would like to ask [COLOR="DarkRed"]Sandy[/COLOR] what he means by 'abstinence movement'. Are you referring to the whole advertising bit? If so, I don't think it counts, 'cause people will advertise [I]anything[/I] over here. We're rather a bolloxed country, if you haven't noticed. :p (The least of our problems being that the apprenticeship system is defunct.) The analogies in this thread are insanely amusing. :D I will say, though, that comparisons to non-sentient, non-moral-conscious species who weren't given souls is at best ineffective. (I wish cats had souls....:()[/FONT]

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=#9933ff][font=lucida calligraphy]I think it's all about personal choices.[/color'][/font][/quote] [quote name='indifference][COLOR=indigo']I agree with the personal choice bit,....[/COLOR][/quote] [quote name='Aaryanna][COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I think it should be a personal choice,....[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Beg pardon? You [I]think??![/I] No. No, there's no question involved, guys. It [I]is[/I] a personal choice. [U]You[/U] say yes, or [U]you[/U] say no. Whatever your history is?be it your rearing, your religion or lack thereof (which is technically still a religion, guys), or your hormones?the decision in the moment is you. I mean, think about it. A person might have been raised by devout Methodist parents and taught just how to act 'appropriately', but that person is not required to stand by that belief. They choose to, and so it is not the religion that restricts them, but they that restrict themselves, [I]based on[/I] their ties to their religion. As far as sex itself goes, there are two functions it is designed for: reproduction, and pleasure. Within marriage, both have a functional place. Outside of marriage, the reproductive aspect is diminished by the absence of the family unit, and I would even go so far as to say that pleasure is the only motivator here. So then the question becomes, do you want this singular kind of intense pleasure? Personally, I have no need for it. I just don't care. At all. There might be other reasons besides that, such as the fact that my habit of processing multiple strains of information at the same time would make such an intimate situation quite awkward (I doubt that sex works well at the same time as schedule-planning, for instance...or even how baseball and mathematics are intertwined), but ultimately it is my total lack of interest in our culture's pastime that explains why I don't seek it out.[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I think you're more likely to get the bonkers response from the others. lol However, even though Lucia seems calm, she is, in fact, not. She's highly confused by what just happened. Confused enough that on some level she's more concerned with figuring out what just occurred instead of wondering about the others. lol[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]No, you did in fact go bonkers a little bit. I wasn't just talking about the reactions. I was talking about the environment as well. You seem to be doing that anyway, though, so you're on the right track.[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]But I'm not so sure that they were going with the intent to commit genocide. After all, until they got there they couldn't have known if there would be anyone there or not.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]True, but once the Europeans found out that other people lived there, they might have attempted to coexist. (The French [I]did[/I], actually.) I say that the issue of Columbus's hero-hood is irrelevant. He is just as guilty as Cortéz and Pizarro, the English Crown, and the settlers. In fact, he didn't even get the "New World" named for him, and all we do on Columbus Day is close our banks and post offices. Whoop-de-frikkin'-doo. No, Columbus Day isn't really even a holiday, so there's no reason to debate whether he should be hailed or hated. Most of the people I see just ignore him. Not a bad idea.[/FONT]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"']does 'your post had me laughing my ass off' answer some of your questions? Honestly, could you possibly have not trusted ME to throw in an extreme plot twist of epic proportions that spins your head in circles within the first 4 chapters? Honestly, you didn't think too hard just now, lol.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Umm: no, and I don't think you want me to answer that last one there. And you're right; compared to last night, I wasn't thinking too hard. :animesmil That logic finished in about 0.048 seconds?it's the writing/speaking part that takes time. So spin my head in a circle already. :p [QUOTE][I][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Also, I have no idea what 'that'll be adequately taken care of' means,....[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] Exactly. If I'd told you, then you'd know. But, I haven't told you....yet. :D[/FONT]

[QUOTE=SunfallE][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][list][*][B]Transportation door technology: [/B]It's not like what you would see in say Star Trek as things are not broken down and then put back together again at the new location. It's more like folding space.... Recent developments have resulted in doors that open above a person, move down and thus transport them without the need to physically walk through.[/list][/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]This is also known as a tesseract, or the theoretical Fourth dimension, which is basically completely outside of ours. The actual transportation, or the 'tesser', is the space in which the Fourth and the Third intersect, usually through artificially induced methods. Einstein's Fourth dimension [I]Time[/I] should really be called the [I]n[/I]th+1 dimension, for continuity's sake.[/sci-fi geekdom] [I]*tries to think of a good way to get involved without dying*[/I][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][I]*thinks this should really be the Abyss/Ragnarok UG*[/I] I'd love to jump in with you guys, [COLOR="DarkRed"]Sandy[/COLOR], but I'd rather have done it outside the school year. The style you came up with (which I love, by the way) mandates even more involvement than The P did, and I barely made the minimum in that one. I blame brass class and Joe Alessi, and a little bit of Life in general. If I could just spend eight hours a day writing, I'd be so happy. But no.[/FONT]

[QUOTE=2007DigitalBoy][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"][B]Allamorph[/B]: As long as your plan DOES NOT involve killing the Count, I'm interested in what will happen. In any event, the big man cannot die yet. So, today, I plotted out the direction of the rp all the way to the end ^_^ It's all planned for once! Anywho, a few hints that may be important - the first (and shortest) 'Part' will consist of 4 'chapters' (you're on the third) and there are 3 total parts. [/COLOR][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]It's okay: your undead pedophile doesn't factor into the current scenario, aside from the fact that he is the captor of the shinigami. I will say, though, that if he survives Part One then I will be quite displeased. I've been getting the impression that he's basically a beginner-stage opponent; the Seras Valkyrie has a more troublesome potential, I feel, than does Monsieur le Comnt. Additionally, the fact that he has the most followers, [I]numbering around forty[/I], seems a bit off to me. If forty is all we have to worry about, then we might get the only decent action in the whole RP sometime in the next two weeks...and considering what indifference has tipped about Adrian, along with what's been emerging (for me) about Nathan's background, and counting the two dragons, that's not going to last very long. Maybe three posts, taking perspectives into account. But that's just me. [QUOTE][I][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]On that note, I'd like to stress that the less of the Count's minions ya'll kill this chapter, the more fun the next one's gunna be ^_~[/COLOR][/I][/QUOTE] That'll be adequately taken care of. :smirk:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Okay. So, after [I]thoroughly[/I] discussing the various ideas had between us, [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rach[/COLOR] and I have hashed out exactly what we're going to do. First order of business: government-sanctioned random crap from everybody! Hooray! :animesmil Seriously. The four of you should feel free to go absolutely bonkers. Make me laugh. Make me go [B]O_O[/B]. I don't know what Aeru's going to do. Ummm....think of something, [COLOR="DarkRed"]DB[/COLOR]. Just, no sex, please. 'Aight?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]All right, I need to ask you all a favor. [I]Please, please do not find a way out just yet.[/I] I got a really amazing idea during class today, and I think you all will love it?[COLOR="DarkRed"]Rachmaninoff[/COLOR] especially. In fact, I'd like to talk with you about it, since I think you could really add to it once I fire it. In the meantime, panic, confusion, or whatever is all good. My next post will need that kind of a set-up, so I'll post again when the timing's right. Until then, Nathan is off-camera. Seriously, [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rach[/COLOR], you should get a major kick out of this. (Ooohh, I feel like Victor. :D) [/FONT]

[quote name='indy][COLOR="indigo"']As for the post already... I'm just poking you. Heh.[/COLOR][/quote] [quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="DarkRed"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Allamorph... I was deliberately misunderstanding that post just so I could poke you. :p [/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Sometimes I wonder if you guys even [I]have[/I] a sense of humor. :rolleyes: Other times I worry you forget that mine never leaves. At least I'm not like Rach, here, who couldn't take a joke to save his life. (j/k [spoiler]and boy, if you even [I]think[/I] about replying with a "yes I can!" post, I'll order a mercy killing on you. Capice?[/spoiler]) Your logic would make sense, Beth, if it weren't for the fact that I already look forward to what I'm planning, since I already know it, and what. It'd be kind of hard to do that any differently.... (There aren't any smilies big enough for this post.)[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR="DarkRed"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Allamorph is schizoid? :bawl: Why am I always the last one to know about these things?[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]You dorf. I was talking about [COLOR="DarkRed"]Revolver[/COLOR]/[COLOR="DarkRed"]Premonition[/COLOR]/[COLOR="DarkRed"]ForgotteÑ-HerÖ[/COLOR]/[COLOR="DarkRed"]Split Keyblader[/COLOR]/whatever-he-was-before-that. At least [I]I[/I] know who all I are. :p [QUOTE][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="DarkRed"]One: Nathan told Isen to check into the clue and I can't imagine him heading to the mansion without first checking to see what she found out.[/COLOR][/FONT][/I][/QUOTE] True. Still, I did mention to you (in our own set of PMs) that Nathan trusts Isen a great deal, so he'd assume she'd be competent enough to come looking for him as well. I still think your idea is better, since Isen pretty well knew what Nathan was up to, and I doubt she would willingly risk exposing herself after he'd so obviously sent her away for just the opposite purpose. There's a little unspoken stuff going on between them usually. [QUOTE][I][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="DarkRed"]So I have to concur. It definately sounds like Adrian needs his, as you put it, [U]little, shrill-voiced security blanket[/U]. :p Which tells me she has something in mind for when we get to the mansion.[/COLOR][/FONT][/I][/QUOTE] Either that or he just can't go on without her. :smirk: I think I'm going to keep mention of all future nifty ideas to myself. You guys don't seem to understand the concept of "good things come to those who wait". :D[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]^ OB's #1 schizoid member. I was originally intending to have the familiars meet up with the boys after the nasty was over, [COLOR="DarkRed"]SunfallE[/COLOR], but I think your idea makes more logistical sense. (Adrian sounds like he needs his little, shrill-voiced security blanket. :D) [quote name='indy][COLOR="indigo"']So post! Heh.[/COLOR][/quote] Ye're just a bloody impatient little devil, now aren't ye? Aye, and ye'll just be havin' te hold ye're horses on that count, lassie. Ye cannae be rushin' me.[/FONT]

[SIZE="1"][align=justify]After a while, I had flipped on the television for a distraction; if I’d continued to sit and think along such bitter lines I would have driven myself crazy, like my mother. I keep the volume low for my brother’s sake and surf for a while, not committing myself to any one show because today I work the night shift, as I do for most of the week. It is not a desirable shift, especially because the night is when all the low-lifes come in to play, but the owner knows that my will is stronger than most of the other girls’—and I know my body is stronger than most of the customers—so the task usually falls to me. I am almost always joined by an android, which, though it makes for terrible company, at least means I am not alone. [B]“Wait…go back.”[/B] I look down in surprise. I had no idea that Alejandro had woken, for he hadn’t stirred in the slightest. [B]“What?”[/B] I ask him. [B]“That news station,”[/B] he says, somewhat groggily. [B] “It looked like a riot, or a protest or something.”[/B] I oblige him, still stroking his head. It is a protest, and according to the “LIVE” icon at the bottom of the screen, it is still going on. We watch it in silence for a while, listening to the spin coming from the reporter on the scene. Despite the reporter’s claims that the protest represented Septu’s collective population, the protestors appeared to be almost exclusively upper-class citizens who had probably inconvenienced several times too many by the lower half. I wonder briefly that the police do not arrest the criminals standing blatantly in their view; they surely have the advantage of numbers and weaponry, though they may also be worried about losing containment of the mob they are trying unsuccessfully to suppress. [B]“Why are they doing this?”[/B] my twin sighs. I know what Abuela would say: that she’d been expecting this to happen since she’d first been deported; that she was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner; that somehow society always found someone else to discriminate against. I know that she’d probably have a long argument with my mother about not attempting to turn tail and run immediately. And I know that most of me wants to agree with her. Instead I snort derisively. [B]“They obviously don’t want us here anymore.”[/B] [B]“And why not?”[/B] remarks Alejandro. [B]“It worked in Australia.”[/B] [B]“Yes,”[/B] I concur, [B]“but then the original population there couldn’t do much about their land and their way of life being overrun by convicted felons and cultural rejects. These people have money, and influence, and most importantly, news coverage.”[/B] Alejandro chuckles at my sardonic humor. It feels funny on my thighs, and I laugh with him. We watch the broadcast for a few more minutes until he says to switch it, and I surf again until it is time for me to leave, promising him to return as soon as my shift is over and telling him to call me or Abuela if anything should happen, and he tells me to be careful. It turns out that the protest is happening just down the street from my dive. Naturally, I find the place crawling with criminals taking refuge from the outside, and I start work already tense, my body quivering with the anticipation of trouble I can almost smell. Sure enough, I’ve barely been there an hour when one of my patrons punches a hole in another’s chest. I’d been eavesdropping as I’d made my rounds, and so I’d caught the entire conversation. The attack wasn’t exactly unexpected, but still very shocking, especially the man’s speed and the placement of his blow. [B]“Impressive,”[/B] I comment drily. [B]“You wouldn't think someone with such strength and...let's face it, insanity, would be so well-spoken.”[/B] The man—Kessel, I think he said his name was—turns slowly towards me, a quiet, disturbing smile resting on his face. [B]“Mmm?” [/B]he says. [B]“And what might be the name of the lovely young thing I am addressing?”[/B] I set down my tray and move behind the counter, picking up a white rag out of a tub of soapy water sitting in one of its cavities. [B]“I am Elena de Mercado,”[/B] I inform him, matching his calm, superficially genteel tone, [B]“and if you will take your seat again, I’ll clean that up for you.”[/B] Kessel looks down at his handiwork. [B]“I don’t know,”[/B] he muses. [B]“I like it where it is, I think. It lends the place such a…distinct atmosphere.”[/B] [B]“Certainly,”[/B] I return, [B]“but it makes the other customers nervous, and we can’t have that.”[/B] I summon the T-model android and have it go about removing the corpse. While it does so, I dispose of the limp heart myself, tossing in the dumpster outback, then return and begin scrubbing the floor, cleaning up what blood hasn’t already seeped into its oak boards. [I] –This smell is going to linger for weeks[/I], I mourn inwardly, steeling myself against the man’s calmly scrutinizing stare on my back. The odor he exudes is one of dominance and dementia; I believe he enjoys killing like this. I will myself not to show the fear I feel, to match his composure. Perhaps if I do so, it will not provoke him. As I return to the counter to dispose of my foul rag, the man named Kessel appears to consider another statement.[/align] [CENTER]-----------------[/CENTER][/SIZE] [FONT="Arial"][SIZE="1"]OOC: What say you, [COLOR="DarkRed"]Blayze[/COLOR]?[/SIZE][/FONT]

[quote name='Shy][size=1']Allamorph, for example, came up with an awesome idea for 'Otaku Talent Night' during Final Quest for Glory 2, but we ultimately decided to run the Bermuda Triangle Mystery instead.[/size][/quote] [FONT=Arial]I think that was [COLOR=DarkRed]Wondershot[/COLOR]'s idea, actually; otherwise, I have no earthly idea what you might be referring to. This is supposed to be the part where I say something kind of intelligent and pithy regarding the topic, but I don't actually have anything besides a general agreement to what everyone else has already said. And now I feel all twitchy. :animeshy: Oh, except to poke fun at [COLOR="DarkRed"]Revolver[/COLOR], 'cause [COLOR="DarkRed"]indifference[/COLOR] [I]is actually[/I] a category mod. :p[/FONT]

[quote name='Revolver][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"']I'll show up then. I'm going to delete my last post, cause' it was just filler. [/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Why? There's no reason to scrap it just like that. It'd be better for you to find a way to string it together with the rest of the action. I mean, none of us went off and deleted our intro posts because they were just unimportant intro stuff and had nothing to do with the story. We looked at where [COLOR="DarkRed"]DB[/COLOR] was going with the plot and worked our subsequent posts to make things line up. The best thing for you to do is adapt and improvise, not erase and start over. You won't get any better by constantly redoing, but if you start trying to make your 'mistakes' work (which actually don't look all that much like mistakes unless you say they do) then you can start getting a feel for transitioning stuff. Also, does that mean that you'll just show up at the Count's place all [I]hey, Presto![/I] like that? I'd advise against it, unless Shalua is insanely intuitive. I tried to give you a bit of a hint in my last story post, and I'll repeat my previous underground one to you: coordinate with Beth.[/FONT]