Allamorph

[QUOTE]Dominick waved. He stepped off the wall.[/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]O.O Crap. (Actually, that's not [I]quite[/I] what I wanted to say there, but I'm somewhat averse to hard cursing.) Crap. I'm dead. That's not cool. Ah, well. It was a long way down, but a short death. Best of both worlds, neh? *sigh* [quote name='kalon']Really, I can sympathize with all of them, because each has a piece of myself. And there is not a single character I dislike, either, no matter who's being labeled as the "protagonist" or "antagonist." Those terms change depending on whose viewpoint you're seeing.[/quote] I agree with statements 1 and 3, but only half of 2. You may choose not to dislike your villains, but I am kind of stuck [spoiler]and for the sake of security, I'll explain that via PM if you so desire[/spoiler]. I find it almost inpossible to create a character without imbuing any of them with at least some part of me. Fortunately for me, I can be a lot of different people, so I have a bit wider personality base to draw from. (^_^) And yes, most villains do not view themselves as real villains ? the only evil that views itself as real evil is the Darkness that corrupts all of the villains in every real story. (Bleah!, that's vague.) [quote name='kalon']Just think of what would happen if I ever wrote Elise's story.[/quote] I would probably enjoy it anyway. Some pixies deserve what's coming to them. [quote name='kalon']I can't play SC to save my life, button masher that I am, but I adore the character(s) Siegfried/Nightmare.[/quote] I am sorry for you, for I have been known to tear button-mashers to shreds. The only one I ever had trouble with was Nightmare in the hands of a novice; I had yet to memorize Talim's aerial kick, and he had Soul Caliber, so.... And just so you know, Talim is the stuff. As far as curing button-mashing, try repeating one or two moves in Practice Mode until you have them memorized, and also remember what specific type of move your character can 'ride'. For instance, Yun-sung is mainly a kick-based (K) fighter, while Seung Mina is almost exclusively vertical (B), and my dear little Talim is about even in everything (and her Double Crescent Blades are the best weapons in the game). Learna few moves, play Arcade Mode to make sure they're set, learn a few more, etc. Also, make sure you're set up in single-button mode ? I have a friend that swore by the quick access combo set-up, but once he played single button for a while his skill skyrocketed, and he actually proved quite a challenge to me. While the quick combo access makes heavy hits easier to get to, it eliminates almost all of your character's speed strikes, which are the ones you can chain-hit to keep your opponent reeling. My suggestion for characters are, in order of your increasing skill: Kelik; Yun-sung or Assassin (his moves are [U]gorgeous[/U]); Nightmare; Seung-Mina; Talim; Xianghua; Talim; Kelik; Maxi; Mitsurugi; and then start re-doing all your characters. Once I actually own the game (permanently) I plan on becoming highly trained in Talim, Xianghua, Seung Mina, Taki, Kelik, Yun-sung, and Mitsurugi, with a smattering of Raphael, and I will know the weaknesses of all characters. I like that game. [quote name='kalon']The translation of Columbina is "little dove."[/quote] Figures. I didn't even think of translating her name. [QUOTE]She had visited this room with its large table and many chairs a week earlier when she had first arrived....[/QUOTE] That's what I'd thought.... [quote name='kalon']Do you really want to see Goth!Sue come out.[/quote] I was more referring to the fact that she has no balance, even with the 'wangsty' past. (Another should-be word.) Mary Sue has too much pink, Goth Sue has too much crimson and black; whatever happened to good old Deep Blue or Burgundy, or White, or Oak Leaf Green? [quote name='kalon']Are you familiar with all the forms of Mary Sue?[/quote] Until I read that peragraph, I was unaware that such a tragedy existed. And, being a little nervous, I went back and tested Jason against her ? he scored a little worse than I might have liked, at least until I tested James Bond on the same rubric. Poor 007 scored a dismal 75 points, even without me being able to answer all the questions! (Jason scored 43, so I'm not [U]as[/U] worried as I was.) Thank you for the heads up. [quote name='kalon']If you need names, I find random Wikipedia searches extremely helpful. (Names can stop my writing cold if I need one and can't get one that fits well enough.)[/quote] It's not really my style to fit names to characters; I have noticed, thought, that the names I choose fit by sheer accident. [spoiler]This will also be reserved for the PM system.[/spoiler] [quote name='kalon']Question, how can you llok?[/quote] Hmmm, not sure. Perhaps it's Welsh? :D [quote name='kalon']It seems you're my only faithful reviewer, Allamorph. (And for the last few posts, my only reviewer period! Thanks for reading!)[/quote] Are you kidding?! I can't just walk away from something like this, you know. Not that I'd want to.... [quote name='kalon][size=1']Only one chapter to be posted after this![/size][/quote] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *pant. pant.* Oh well. All good things.... -------------------- I have a few theories on Azoth, including being killed by either Misaki or Grier during alchemic experiments, but I'll guess he was bitten by a snake. "Last Dinosaur", which was the only track common to all three Furi Kuri albums. (In a related "well-duh" news item, it was also the only song with those initials, and I'm presuming a favorite of yours.) Great series, FLCL, if only because it made fun of almost everything imaginable. (^_^) -------------------- [QUOTE](As another young girl of ink and paper once said, ?Curiouser and [B]curiouser[/B].?)[/QUOTE] Interesting. Most interesting. *[COLOR=DarkRed]Allamorph[/COLOR] is eaten by [COLOR=DarkRed]Gavin[/COLOR]* [QUOTE]Her arms moved [U]smoothly[/U] as she walked, her dress flowed with her, and her feet seemed as if they never touched the ground, but instead glided [U]smoothly[/U] across air.[/QUOTE] I got called once on reused adjectives, and I'd spare you that chagrin. (Mine was 'slightly', three times in one paragraph. But none in the same sentence.) [QUOTE]Hilde headed for the man, knives held in front of her. Harlequin grabbed his club and aimed for Arisa?s head. Virgil and Mikasi restricted Hilde. Harlequin stopped the baton from hitting Arisa with less than five inches to spare. Arisa?s eyes fluttered closed, and then her mind told her adamantly that, despite almost a week without it, she would not sleep yet. Fragment scoffed at Eldee for asking if she wanted to play jacks. Things stilled.[/QUOTE] You mentioned earlier that you have difficulty describing motion? I have no fault with this paragraph (excepting perhaps the last sentence...), it just reminded me. I will make a note to flesh out one of my more intricate combat sequences for you (cyborgs are fun) so you can judge my use of syntax in controlling time flow, and also so people can catch my screw-ups. But mainly for you. -------------------- Seems like I have less to pick on with each post. I like that. But, man, is that death depressing. Wow. You say "thanks for reading." I say, "Thanks for letting me read." Truly, it's been a pleasure.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Ooh, a challenge. I thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I have a few questions about them I would like to ask. First, though, I shall use this post to address some of the previous statements. [quote name='Rachmaninoff']Ah, in other words like DeadSeraphim's response, which was relative to everyone and therefore not absolute. Or rather the answer would vary depending on who answered it.[/quote] Exactly. [quote name='Rachmaninoff']I guess the does God exist could fall under that category, but the other question is a better example. One that is less likely to spark a debate since others aren't so quick to get upset if someone doesn't think something is delicious where the implication that God doesn't exist tends to get people worked up. Well at least the people where I live that is. I don't know about the rest of you.[/quote] I really don't think it matters where you are inside the States, there will always be people who are offended by religion. I would hazard that Christianity is the bone of contention with almost all of them; I have yet to see someone fired up and ranting about Buddha. Interesting, that. [quote name='Azarath']There is such thing as a question an answer.There are hundreds in fact.[/quote] Although I'm glad we agree, I must say that any assertion without so much as a hint of thought to back it up comes off as incredibly lacking ? you have nothing for anyone to support or counter, so, aside from this statement of mine, you're probably going to end up being ignored. :( Sorry. Now to the main event. [quote name='Fasteriskhead][SIZE=1]Also, keep in mind that language here is meant to describe [U]facts[/U], not just [U]things[/U']....[/SIZE][/quote] I am not entirely sure how to approach that statement; I suppose my hesitation is due to wondering what exactly you mean here by [I]things[/I], and how you (or Wittgenstein) would define [I]ideas[/I]. Also, you restricted yourself in the rest of your post, as in that sentence, to only talking about 'facts'. The only thing that bothers me there is that you said [I]"...not [B]just[/B] things...."[/I] This phrase indicates to me that language is not solely intended to communicate 'fact' either, but both in tandem, and possibly others besides, whatever others there might be. I say this because of one of your later statements: [quote name='Fasteriskhead][SIZE=1']A question is something posed by a subject capable of representing facts in his consciousness (this is even true in solipsism) regarding objectively existent states of affairs (which include not only world-facts, but also self-facts). An answer brings some relevant fact to the subject's consciousness to resolve the question. To say there is a question with no answer is to say, "there is no fact capable of resolution."[/SIZE][/quote] The one item you failed to address is the question [I]"Why?"[/I]. This question only concerns facts in that it is probing their purpose. E.g.: [QUOTE][I]"Dad, why is the sky blue?" [right]"It involves light refraction. Light enters our atmosphere and passes through little water droplets in the air, and the angle we see the light at tints the color blue."[/right] "Yes, I know that, but why [U]blue[/U]?"[/I][/QUOTE] Obviously the father in this scenario could go on about wavelengths and other such rot, but he'd still be missing the point: what was the purpose for that particular color? And all preexisting items, and even questions about them, are subject to the probing of the question [I]"Why?"[/I]. I would like your take on the [I]"Why?"[/I] aspect. Then there is the last part of that statement: [I]To say there is a question with no answer is to say, "there is no fact capable of resolution."[/I] That was not what was stated. What was intended was "there is a question with no [B]one[/B] answer," or in your words, " 'there is no [B]one[/B] fact capable of resolution." -------------------- I realize that you used the HUP in a purely demonstrative sense, but I would like to make some additional statements in its regard. Heisenberg said that, of two conjugate variables ("a" and "b"), the more accurate our measurement of "a" becomes, the more uncertain our measurement of "b" becomes. However, another (rather irritating, from my perspective) property of measurement in science is that there can be no completely accurate measurements. Since there then is no possibility for a definite "a", there is no im-possibility about "b", and thus no contradiction. -------------------- Other than that, I have nothing else to add or pick at. Your post was very mentally provocative, and I thank you for it. -A[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Wow. This has got to be one of the most depressing subjects I've ever seen. Of course, it's also a great way to find someone who'll say "Hey, try this!", so.... Honestly, most of the things I'm not really good at are just the things I haven't ever tried to do. Like welding. I couldn't sauter a joint well if my life depended on it, and I'm not so hot at working on cars. Well, that last one I've done a little of, but only in the hand-me-a-wrench sense, nothing actually intensive. I don't have a clue what a camshaft or a crankshaft does, or what the difference between them is, or even what they are. Excuse me; my cat's asking me to turn on the water faucet for him. He's a bizarre animal. Why he can't just drink from the water bowl like the rest of them is beyond me. -------------------- Okay, I'm back. Sorry about that. Anyway, I'm also not good at actually emoting. Being a very mental person and what, it's always seemed to me that I manufacture my emotions instead of naturally producing them on the spot, like the rest of humanity seems to do. Essentially, what people might read as coldness or aloofness or insensitivity or too much control is actually me reacting in my head and not seeing any particular reason why I should make an open showcase of the process. Laughter and irritation are the only exceptions: laughter is easy, good-feeling, fun, and (generally) doesn't offend anyone; irritation is something I affect for the devil of it ? just so you know it's supposed to irritate me, or just to be funny. And in case you're wondering, yes, I actually talk like this. I talk in correct syntax by reflex, and I'm not just some show-off who knows how to string words together. Trust me, it's not that great a habit to have, especially with a high vocabulary to boot, and it contributes a lot to the cold, insensitive appearance. But yeah, I'm blithering again, so I'll shut up now.[/FONT]

[quote name='kalon]If you think an adult insomniac Arisa would be scary, just think of Dominick or Virgil that way. (Unfortunately, [i]their[/i'] cases of insomnia won't be shown in this story.) But it only happens once in a blue moon, so it would be years before she went through it again.[/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, Dominick might be a little worrisome.... On a completely random subject, and since I feel such a kinship to Dominick, I should like to know whom you most sympathize with. [quote name='kalon]No, [i]meridiem[/i] is correct when talking about time and the abbreviations. Meridiem is a Latin word, and together with post it means "after midday." [i]Meridian[/i'] refers to lines of longitude, and while it can be used an an archaic expression for midday, it is not the correct word for the p.m. abbreviation.[/quote] Thank you. I always appreciate new information. [quote name='kalon']Parallel is both an adjective and a noun, so, uh, no, paralellity isn't a word. But it sounds like it would be a fun one.[/quote] Oh, I knew it wasn't. I just have that Shakespearian quality about me. That's probably where I obtained the monstrosity "quasiorganesqueish", which is basically as many ways to say "organ-like" as possible in one pronouncable word. [quote name='kalon']Although, you better be careful when you tell me to describe the color, because right now I'm tempted to change it to pixie-blood red.[/quote] Good grief; what is with you and pixies?! I'm starting to think you really [I]are[/I] a faerie molester. (I like writing faerie that way. ^_^ ) [quote name='kalon']To be extremely generic, "Happy winter holiday season to all!"[/quote] I dislike generic phrases like that. They always remind me of the time I tried to eat Wal-Mart brand Frosted Flakes. (I also dislike the taste of cardboard, so....) [QUOTE=kalon]What is the connection between Harlequin and calling someone "little dove"? From whom do I get the name "Siegfried"? (Hint: I named my Siegfried after another nightmare of a fighter. My Siegfried, however, is more of a rapier-type of guy.)[/QUOTE] Then perhaps his middle name is Raphael? I am sorry, but I must yield on the first one. Besides, you stunned me with the Carrol/Bradbury reference earlier, so this one [I]must[/I] be good. Still, if the little trivia bits tire you, then I will not demand you to continue them. I just find your references fascinating, that's all. [center]----------------------------[/center] [QUOTE]She had visited this room with its large table and many chairs [COLOR=Red]a week[/COLOR] when she had first arrived....[/QUOTE] This sentence confuses me. I honestly have no clue what you mean. [size=1]HELP![/size] [QUOTE]So [U]they walked[/U] up streets and through alleyway shortcuts. [U]They passed[/U] street vendors and paperboys. (Arisa had the fleeting wish to sell papers when she got older if only because paperboys can be spiffily called mercuries.) [U]They passed[/U] the Clockworks as the bells chimed in the eighth hour of Sunday morning. [I][U]They arrived[/U][/I] in front of a shop with a sign proclaiming it to be Mary Sue?s Antiques Shop, Bakery, Orphanage, Toy Store, and Psychiatrist?s Office.[/QUOTE] I have noticed and enjoyed your use of repetitive sentences for effect thus far, but this one seems a bit off, like a paragraph written over the course of several hours during which time the author (most likely stricken with insomnia, or with writer's block, or with Arisa for that matter) kept forgetting how they started their sentences. Only the last sentence bothers me, though, so a simple tack-on phrase should do. E.g: [I]"[COLOR=DarkRed]And then[/COLOR] they arrived in front of a shop...."[/I] or [I]"[COLOR=DarkRed]And at last[/COLOR] they arrived in front of a shop...."[/I] or [I]"[COLOR=DarkRed]And finally[/COLOR] they arrived in front of a shop...."[/I] or [I]"[COLOR=DarkRed]And, sadly,[/COLOR] they arrived in front of a shop...."[/I] or even [I]"[COLOR=DarkRed]And, unfortunately for the men,[/COLOR] they arrived in front of a shop...."[/I] ....yeah, I think I should probably shut up about that now. (^_^) [QUOTE][QUOTE]Mary Sue Mary Sue?whose full, self-given name, Mary Sue Isis Selene Terpsichore Hecate Eris Thalassa Rhiannon Undine Euterpe Amelia Rose Cendrillon Hyacinth Eva Nirvana E?bony Mira Yvonne Ophelia Felicity Winter Rhea Ivory Thalia Iris Natalea Guinevere, trounces those of the Irving women?is too many things to be described in one entry. Her past is tragic and angst-filled, and too horrible to ever be written. .... She?her?the? GYAAAAAAH! FOR THE LOVE OF WRITING, MAKE IT STOP!!![/QUOTE][/QUOTE] Oh. God. Why. Someone get this chick some Evanescence. Or some Nightwish. Or some Wagner. Something [U]not[/U] [U]happy[/U]. I need a shower now.... [QUOTE]?No, little parrot child,? answered the jester in a pleasant, laughing voice. ?I may need therapy, but I come for the scones.?[/QUOTE] Don't we all. [QUOTE]Harlequin pulled this light apart, the same as before, only much more speedily. He pulled Arisa with him into the strange world of misty nothingness.[/QUOTE] As much as I hate saying/hearing this phrase, these sentences feel choppy. (I have just been lessened for saying that.) Also, it took me a moment to catch that Harlequin was pulling the light the same as before, and not that the light was the same as before. Which it probably is anyway, but the point remains a little unclear. What about: [I]"Harlequin pulled this light apart [B]in the same manner[/B] as before, only much more speedily, [B]dragging (or drawing)[/B] Arisa with him into the strange world of misty nothingness."[/I] Again, I'm not trying to rewrite your stuff. Suggestions only. [center]----------------------------[/center] 'Aight, that's all from this end. I may post some more of Jason sometime in the next week, should I finally decide on a few names, designations, movement sequences, and weapons. Oh, I almost forgot: [QUOTE]...Isis Selene...[/QUOTE] I showed my mother [U]that[/U] [U]name[/U] (which you might try having Arisa say about forty to fifty times ? it might help the insomnia), and she said the first thing she thought of was 'isosceles'. -A P.S.: I am beginning to wonder where [COLOR=DarkRed]Nothing[/COLOR]'s gotten off to. Harlequin didn't off him when I wasn't lloking, did he?[/FONT]

[quote name='Raina][COLOR=Blue']Hey someone give me a really bad pick up line. I want to try it out on my boy friend and see his reaction![/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]If its the dregs you're looking for, then who else but Weird Al Yankovic to ask? Taken straight from his song (in no particular order): [I]"Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?" "You must have fallen from heaven - it would explain how you messed up your face." "I don't have my library card, but do you mind if I check you out?" "You'd look like [U]Venus de Milo[/U] if I just cut off your arms...." "I'll bet your outfit makes a lot of noise in the dryer...."[/I] (umm, do [I]WHAT?![/I]) [I]"My lips are registered weapons; can I invade your personal space?"[/I] And the list goes on....[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Guess who! (You know, this doesn't really work too well when my name is shown automatically.) Right, I'm back, and I found Arisa the Insomniac entirely entertaining, though the thought of an adult Arisa under the same affliction unnerves me somewhat. There's no telling where [I]those[/I] uncontrolled thoughts might be headed.... [quote name='kalon]Concrit. [B]Con[/B]structive [B]crit[/B']icism.[/quote] Wow. That made me feel about [SIZE=1]this big.[/SIZE] I feel like Watson after Holmes explained one of his deductions to me. But I'm glad you don't find me a snot. :animesmil [quote name='kalon][SIZE=1]I like to save [italics'] for special occasions, because I think using italics overly much is like adding way too many exclamation points. They are more powerful than you realize.[/SIZE][/quote] Agreed. Which is why I don't use them in every paragraph. Italics can only be used above a certain point of stress, and that's when I use them. When I said "any and all inflections in speech" I wasn't referring to the natural rise and fall of the voice, I was referring to the emphasis placed on certain words that make them stand out. I am sorry; I think 'inflection' was a poor choice of a word there. Like I said, it felt good in that particular statement of Dominick's. [quote name='kalon']I suppose you might understand why I'd rather not place the bulk of my plot on t3h intarwebz for anyone to read?[/quote] Absolutely. For the exact same reason, I plan on posting bits and pieces of Jason's story/history, but nothing too important. All of my characters' personalities reside safely in my head, and no one segment (or three together) can adequately reveal them. Also, I [I]despise[/I] plagiarizers (plagiarisers?), and I will tear utterly apart anyone who I see doing it. 'Accidental' is excusable the first time, but other than that I cannot and will not tolerate it. Just so you know. :animesmil Which reminds me, you might want to include Bierce's name in your text, just for safety's sake. What, no trivia for me? Aww.... And I was so very much enjoying our little game, too. ---------------------- [QUOTE]...the exact hour thirty-seven minutes past four post [U]meridiem[/U]....[/QUOTE] Did you perhaps mean 'meridian'? [QUOTE]The already bone-white vampire paled, reddened in anger, and bid [B]Hilde[/B] to leave with a flourish of her hand and a dramatic scoff.[/QUOTE] Oops. :animesmil [QUOTE]If Arisa were in the country, she might have been attacked by a savage nymph or a crazed bunny or something of the sort. If Arisa were in the city, she could [B]have[/B] be[B]en[/B] kidnapped by a strange philosopher or forced into labor by evil innkeepers or something of the sort.[/QUOTE] Parallelity, my friend. Parallelity. (Is that even a [I]word?![/I]) [QUOTE]A warning in red seventy-two point font flashed in Arisa?s mind.[/QUOTE] Given your to date wonderful descriptions, I can't help feeling that your 'red' here is somewhat normal. What kind of red is it? Bright? Glaring? I just feel that you might could do with a little more pop there. :animesmil 'Cause I know you want the [I]"a-OOOOO-gah! a-OOOOO-gah![/I] Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson!" sentiment. [QUOTE]Virgil?s expression changed from fear to the I-wish-to-set-you[COLOR=Red][B]-[/B][/COLOR]on-fire-with-my-mind look when he glared up at Mikasi.[/QUOTE] Another oops. [QUOTE]Does day six give you shivers? It should.[/QUOTE] Wait, I thought this was day five...oooohhhh. You're asking about [I]tomorrow[/I]. I see. Well, what about this instead, for clarity's sake? [I]"Does [B]the thought of[/B] day six give you shivers? It should."[/I] I just think it helps the intent come across, that's all. ---------------------- I also had some double-take moments, not all of them yours. [quote name='kalon']But Errant Gardens was not in the country, nor was it in the city, nor was it in Ohio.[/quote] Do [I]WHAT?![/I] [QUOTE=kalon]?I hate him,? Virgil said. ?I hate gum drops,? replied Dominick.[/QUOTE] But what about gum drops [I]in Ohio?[/I] :p [quote name='Li'l ole Me][FONT=Arial]Well, I have to say that dialogue is probably my [U]stongest[/U'] point....[/FONT][/quote] ...oops. I reread that paragraph just this evening, and I was immediately reduced to a heap of guffaws, if that image of me even makes sense. [U]Stongest[/U] point, indeed! Boy, I swear.... :D I hope you're having a merry Christmas, and I look forward to the remainder of your posting. -A[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Aaaaall [I]right[/I]-y then! Time for me to play Professor Man. [quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]In my mind whenever a question of absolutes comes up you must also delve into religion, unfortunately. You see, the way i see it is that with a god there is an absolute, that being his word; without a god there can be no absolutes. So without divine influence there is no such thing as an absolute.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] Unfortunately is right, and the reason is simple. If we disavow the divine, [U]all[/U] laws and rules must be man-made in origin, rendering them subjective to interpretation, since no one of us is any better or has any more right to impose their rules on people than does any other. The divine, being naturally above the human race, is able and has the right to set a standard to hold us to and for us to follow, and thus absolutes actually function. [quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]I'm agnostic so whenever the question of absolutes come up i can never take an absolute side....[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] I'm terribly sorry. :p [quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]I used to think if anything was absolute it was math...but there are ways around that. Math is only a representation of our world, a means to understand it, like science. But if our world changes then so does our math. So if you say math is absolute you must also state that our world is absolute, in a sense. Uhm...yeah, that's a bit confusing to me even though it makes perfect sense? Yeeaaah, nevermind.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] Well, perhaps if you explore that idea a little more, it will make more sense. I would love to see the rationale. Still, # # + # # # = # # # # # . Whether you call it two, dos, deux, zwei, or whatever, it holds, and I am unsure what is relative about it. [quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]Anyways, i usually take the side of relatives. I don't believe in absolutes, for the most part. I simply believe that absolutes are a possibility. I just lean away from it.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] Right then, so you say that absolutes [I]may[/I] be possible? :animesmil I'm terribly sorry about this as well, but that statement feels more like a cop out then an actual belief, like you just want a way to get out of talking about the issue more than you want to actually believe something. Whether or not that's actually true of you is not the point ? you still sound wishy-washy. It would probably benefit you a great deal to pick a side, right or wrong, and hold to it. If you offend people with your stance, then so be it; they probably would have been offended anyway, so I woudn't worry about it. [quote name='The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]Ok, then which one is it?[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] As to that question, .... "The category is [U]Absolutely[/U] [U]Relative[/U], for $200. And the answer is: 'A question that has no absolute answer.' " *[I]buzz[/I]* "[COLOR=DarkRed]DeadSeraphim[/COLOR]?" [quote name='DeadSeraphim][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial][COLOR=Indigo]"What is delicious?"[/COLOR][/FONT'][/SIZE][/quote] Thank you, man. That was great. (He's right, though. Deliciousness is a concept that varies from person to person.) [quote name='Rachmaninoff']Actually if the original question is relative to one's own point of view, he can't answer that and tell you what the question is as it has to be one that would be relative to your point of view and not his.[/quote] The original question was only relative because it asked for the answerer's opinion. With my answer, all that is required is that I provide a question where my answer is different from his is different from yours is different from John Doe's is different..., etc., etc., yada yada yada. Make sense? Oh, and DeadSraphim did a fantastic job of providing just such a question. The beauty of the absolute is that it does not depend on one's belief in it. It exists if you (or I) think is does or think it does not.[/FONT]

[quote name='Lonley Fighter']Do you think there's such a thing as a question with no real absolue answer?[/quote] [FONT=Arial]The thing I like about that question is the phrase "do you think", which can be restated as "in your opinion". In essence, the entire question has been made relative to one's own point of view. From [I]my[/I] angle, the two possible anwers ('maybe' doesn't count, as it's not absolute) enter one into a logical paradox as long as one thinks only of this question. My answer: [indent]Yes, but it's not this one.[/indent][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]It always felt to me like the [COLOR=DarkGreen]Underground[/COLOR] was a general discussion table and the [COLOR=DarkGreen]Town[/COLOR] was for formal debate.[/FONT]

[quote name='BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma'] I feel bad you had to be left out Allamorph but I wanted to give Ikillion some time so he could participate with the rest of us.[/FONT][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Hey, no problem, I'm fine with a bye for the chapter. It gives me more time to watch and learn.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]So, then, it appears I shall spectate for the entire chapter. Anything in particluar you'd like Marth to do while he waits? I'm sure you can understand how the whole "hurry up and wait" bit might chafe on a man who has decided to fight. Or, any others who'd like to check on the lord during the fight(s) are welcome to do so. Just throw something my way. :animesmil Mmm, I'm not so sure about having two characters. [COLOR=DarkRed]BK[/COLOR]'s issue could be resolved by putting both characters a player controls on the same team, but then the final matches would be rather interesting, and probably somewhat boring. Either way, at some point we'd run into the problem of having to fight ourselves, and what fun is that? In retrospect, it might have been interesting to have set this up similarly to the way [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR] handled The Labyrinth, with players signing up privately as characters and then having matches where players are assigned a character to use in a certain match. While making it easier for one player to knock another out, it also would have encouraged versatility in character usage, and then we could add extra characters without a problem. Also, it might not be to a player's advantage simply to spar poorly with a character they didn't initially ask for, so what have you. That's just me exploring ideas; I am not attempting to tell you, [COLOR=DarkRed]BK[/COLOR], that you did anything bad in setup. Both ways have their advantages and flaws, and I'd personally much rather continue with what we have going now. (I actually prefer your setup, anyway. It's easier on the brain. :animesmil )[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][I]?Hmph, it would seem we have no choice.?[/I] ------------------- After the ?representatives? had been divided into teams and given their first ?assignments?, Marth left the group to brood for a while. [I][B]?Can this really be all?[/B][/I] he thought despondently. [I][B]?Was there no one else willing to come to the assistance of their common friend?[/B][/I] It was such a meager group that had assembled on Star Hill; out of twenty-four champions, only ten had answered the call. Truthfully, Marth was more disappointed at the absence of his brother-in-arms. He had assumed that the Pheraean lord would come ? in fact, he had expected Roy to beat him here. The presence of the son of Eliwood and the powerful Sword of Seals that he bore would have been a comfort to Marth. He guessed that there must be a dire threat to Elibe indeed if Lord Roy had been prevented from coming. Marth refused to believe that Roy could have just chosen not to aid his friends?. It didn?t matter. All that mattered now was to play the madman?s little game until it was possible to defeat him and save the Mushroom Kingdom, along with all the others. Marth drew Falchion from its sheath and examined its tip. The sword was powerful enough to slay Dark Druids and dragons; surely it would be enough to overcome a pompous, oversized smithy with an ego complex. Marth snorted in amusement, grinning in spite of himself. It was decided, then. He wouldn?t worry about the people who weren?t here defending their worlds. He would fight for them, he would use his memories of them as impetus. [B]?For Roy.?[/B][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]It appears we shall once again match our wits, my friend. Haha, I do love a challenge.[/FONT] [indent][size=3][FONT=Times New Roman]za'- ny: [I]n.[/I] 1.) a fool, buffoon, or clown. ....[/FONT][/size][/indent] [FONT=Arial]Like I said, I've read the dictionary. I need to read it again, though.... Ah, yes. The poem. For this, I have little to say. I like it, but poetry is not my area of expertise, not having praticed it much, but since I have been tracking you I feel honor bound to say at least [I]something[/I]. I did like the clock reference and the meter, the latter of which I hold a very important element in most poetry, and I thought your ending stanza was well executed. (Whatever that means.) I may or may not have some puzzles for you to solve in the future ? it all depends on how much I end up posting. I do feel that playing our little game both ways would be most entertaining, so we shall see. Very nice.[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue']First of all I think you?ve got an interesting story here, there isn?t enough of it for me to truly gauge what I think of it, but I will address what seems off to me. The first thing is your use of empty space to make it seem as if the person is in a state of semi-consciousness, though it?s effective, it?s also a bit overdone and the constant need to scroll just to read a sentence or two was a bit distracting.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, I'm acutely aware of that unfortunate fact. What also contributed to the empty space was the lack of the first-line indent option I am so used to. I had actually planned on possibly condensing that text a little after seeing what it looked like on paper. I was actually going more for the mind separated from the body, but semi-conscious works too. [quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue']I?m kind of curious as to what the morphine sulfate is suppose to do. Only because I understood it to be a painkiller and not something that would stop the type of reaction he?s having, my medical knowledge is very limited and that part confuses me.[/COLOR][/quote] [I]GAHHH!![/I] Of all the things for you to call me on, that had to be it. I need to go back and check my data, but what I was trying to emphasize was the 1600 mg. I know morphine is a painkiller, but at the time I was just throwing down a placeholder until I found a suitable powerful sedative. After I finish [I]that[/I] bit of research I will increase the dosage appropriately; I am aiming for something just past lethal. Remember: [QUOTE][FONT=Arial]He began issuing tense commands to his orderlies, [U]injecting his rapidly deteriorating patient with sedative after sedative[/U], attempting to quell the struggling body with any method he knew.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Jason's already got a crapload of drugs in him and is still unaffected. It will make sense (much) later, but at this point I am trying to make him as much of a peculiarity as possible. [quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue']The next part you switched from calling one character major and then to calling them lieutenant and then back to major again. Unless you actually are referring to two different people with that conversation, because I got the impression that other than the doctor and his staff there was only the major there.[/COLOR][/quote] You're right. There are only the doctor, Jordan, and the nurse staff. I had just recently nailed down my military ranking systems for Andromeda, and since 2nd and 1st Lieutenant are the lowest officer positions, I felt Jordan needed to be a bit higher, especially handling such a weird case as J. Sterling. Just me missing an edit. [quote name='kalon']And towards the end, I think there's an italicization mistake....[/quote] Yep. Forgot a slash. (Jays, formatting this thing was a nightmare!) [quote name='kalon']Finally, at the beginning where you explain the setting and events a bit, why not make it into a prologue? That's what it felt like while reading, but's it's all a matter of personal taste.[/quote] I did. Just to remind you, the header for this segment read: [center][size=3][B]II. [U][I]Più lento, ma con disagio.[/I][/U][/B][/size][/center] This is a musical solo reference which means "Movement two ? More slowly, but with discomfort". The section before this was where I began the Sonata, with "I. [I]Allegro con scossa[/I]", or "Fast, with shock" (translations are...interesting), and the information about Kestrel Prime, as far as the characters know, is given there. I started with the Voices (who are referring to mortals in general), in the Prelude. Incidentally, the left Voice is Vigilance, while the right Voice is Wisdom. Don't ask about the third ? he isn't fully revealed for a long time, and I'm still not completely sure who he is. O.o I know his name and his appearance, but I can say nothing. The main reason for my pithy intro was to set some facts straight, such as the plasma blade. It is so named because the blade's metal when inside the hilt is held in a plasmatic state, due to the micro-gravity well. An electric field is used to stimluate the transition from plasma to solid and back. I just wanted to distance myself from Halo, since I came up with the concept/name before the game's release. Thanks for the comments and encouragement. I shall see about posting other segments here, since I have good people to bounce things off of. Don't count on it being sequential, though....[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]This is a section of the rather large maelström of a story that's been swirling around in my head for the better part of six years. It's (the story's) current state is no longer the production of an immature, meandering adolescent imagination; it has long since morphed into something much larger than I could ever hope to completely contain in my memory. What started as a simple "Ooh, what if I was a ____" short story has now grown to demand at least five full-length novels (if I should ever get it all down on paper), and has sprouted two, probably three additional timelines. I do, however, see it fit to present the possible reader with a small bit of information regarding the following segment, as I am not certain he/she could glean enough from my writings at this point to understand when and where I am. And so, if you will indulge me: It is currently the year 3887. Why? No particular reason, aside from me wanting to give Earth ample time to develop efficient and timely interplanetery and intergalactic travel and communications. (Is that confusing or what?) Earth has now colonized all of the Andromeda and Pegasus (Andromeda's tiny neighbor, and no relation to SG Atlantis) galaxies, as well as others which I shall determine when I have time. Science and technology have advanced appropriately ? to what extent I am unsure, not being a hardcore nerd/trekkie and all. I do know that weapons have advanced beyond the need for bullets, relying instead on lasers (which require finite cartridges in order to produce lethal wattage) and charged plasma (also ammo dependent) as projectiles. All other firearms, deemed 'fossils' since they used fossil fuels for charges, have been banned and mostly eliminated, though (obviously) they remain on the Black Market, as well as in museums and collectors' auctions. Melee weapons are still around; most swords are now distributed as 'plasma blades', combining micro-gravity wells in the hilt with the concept of 'memory' in metals to assume a preset shape, effectively storing the entire blade inside the hilt until activated. (Somewhat more practical than a lightsaber, eh?) Plasma blades are a fairly recent innovation, so they have yet to fully catch on in the public market, but most militaries across the current colonized world issue plasma battle knives as a standard sidearm. Recently, a distress call from the planet Kestrel Prime, industrial and commercial icon of Andromeda's beta sector, was recieved by the military of the nearby planet Cirra (nearby meaning closest system), and when the dispatched aid arrived, the planet was found to be utterly desolate. It was evident that fires had ravaged the entire surface, but what was astounding was that there was no ash left anywhere, nor was there any remaining water ? the planet was completely barren. One survivor was discovered in a coma on the Northern hemisphere, completely unscathed. He was taken back to Cirra and placed in a military medical facility until he should wake up. Enough of my ramblings. On with the narrative. [center]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center] [center]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center] [center][size=3][B]II. [I][U]Più lento, ma con disagio.[/U][/I][/B][/size][/center] Silence. Void. [I]How odd. Am I? [indent]I suppose I am.[/indent] Well, where am I? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. [indent][indent]?how odd.[/indent][/indent] I recognize this as nothingness, yet, by recognition, I am not a part of that nothing. Whatever that is. Whatever [B]I[/B] am. What am I, anyway? I am something; I stated that earlier. Besides, abstract thought must come from being, therefore I exist. Thank you, Descartes. Whoever you are. [center]?Interesting.[/center] I must have some knowledge, or else I would not have mentioned this Descartes. But where did I acquire it? Ehhh?. Knowledge, but no memory. Except for this?this? [indent][indent]?nothing.[/indent][/indent] Right. Okay, different tactic. [B]Who[/B] am I? Andrew. Brian. Calvin. Duncan. Edward. Frank. Gregory. Hugh. Isaac; Joseph; Louis; Kenneth; Jordan; John Jack JaredJacobJames?[/I][/FONT] [FONT=Courier New][COLOR=Green][JASON][/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][I]Well. That works. And it gets me where? Brother. [indent]This is enough to drive a being insane.[/indent] But this makes no sense. I must be something. I can?t exist and be nonexistent. That would contradict existence itself, which is impossible; I?. Wait a minute?. (get this, I?m telling [B]myself[/B] to wait for me) What was that? Sound? No, it was nothing. Just a?. [indent][indent]?there it is again.[/indent][/indent] Focus?. [/I]??something, sir, but I can?t?.?[I] Can?t what? What can?t you do? [/I]??harder, damn it, you?ve got to try!?? ??very faint, sir, in and out?.? ??think I heard ? yes! Definitely a heartbeat, sir. It?s extremely unsteady, but it?s getting stronger??[I] Hmm. I hope they pull him through. Whoever he is. [/I]?Sir, cerebral activity is approaching normal.? ?He?s breathing, sir!? ?All lifesigns are stabilizing! We?ve got him!? [indent]*cheers*[/indent] [I]Hooray, they did it. That?s great. I think. Hold on?. (again with the waiting) What?s that? It looks like a white (white? what is white?) dot. How did it get there? It?s getting bigger. Where did it come from? When did it get there? Why didn?t I see it before? It?s moving towards me; how do I know that; why is it moving towards [B]me[/B]; why is it moving towards me; what does it want with me can I run how do I run I can?tturnIneedtorunawaywhatthehellisthisthingwhycan?tIrun?[/I] ------------------------------- The alarm on the internal monitor began sounding frantically. Michalson bent over the viewscreen. ?His pulse rate is increasing. His adrenaline levels are skyrocketing; he?s going into synaptic shock!? The major turned to the panicking doctor. ?Do whatever you have to, anything you think might work. Just don?t lose this guy! He?s the only link we have!? Michalson turned back to the table, his mind racing. He began issuing tense commands to his orderlies, injecting his rapidly deteriorating patient with sedative after sedative, attempting to quell the struggling body with any method he knew. In spite of his efforts, the patient became more and more violent, wrenching and thrashing against the restraining harnesses. At length, in a final act of desperation, Michalson pulled out the last weapon he had. ?Sixteen-hundred milligrams morphine sulfate,? he said curtly, extending his hand. The nurse with the hypodermic froze. ?Doctor!? she gasped. ?What are you thinking?? Michalson threw up his hands. ?What am I supposed to do?? He stabbed his finger at the internal monitor screen. ?Look at those numbers! I?ve never seen anything that high in my life. Any other patient of mine would have expired by now, to say nothing of the effects of the drugs we?ve already pumped into him.? He stood beside the table with the look of a man who had tried his best and failed. ?I don?t have any other options,? he finished tiredly, running an exasperated hand through his sandy hair. ?Just give me the damned hypo.? The nurse obliged, recognizing her doctor?s anguish. Michalson pressed the contact against his patient?s neck and shifted so that he could see the IM. There was no reaction. Michalson sank into a chair, his head in his hands, utterly defeated. The major swore passionately. He ran to the straining body and grabbed its shoulders. He started shaking it violently. ?Damn it, Doe, wake up!? he screamed at it. ?What does it take to snap you out of this?? Michalson?s head jerked up. ?Stop!? he cried. ?What are you doing?? The major was heedless of the doctor?s warning. He continues screaming curses at the unconscious flailing young man. Michalson leapt over to him, trying to wrest him away from his patient. ?What happened to your planet?? the major continued, fighting the doctor with half-crazed fervor. ?Wake up! Don?t you know how much time we?ve invested in you? Goddamn it, man, wake up!? He turned his attention to Michalson. ?Let me go! Let me at him. He?s our only way to find out what happened on Kestrel Prime!? Michalson continued to push the major away from the table. ?Sir! You don?t know what you?re doing! Calm down!? The two men?s struggle was abruptly arrested by the scream of one of the nurses. John Doe had broken the harnesses and was sitting bolt upright on the table. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- The male?s expression was one of pure shock. He was looking around the ward as if he was seeing for the first time, seemingly unaware that he was holding a plasma blade out across him at arms length. ?Don?t hurt me,? he said haltingly, as if testing his neural speech centers. Michalson looked at him in amazement. ?Hurt you?? he replied incredulously. ?I wouldn?t dare come near you while you?re holding that sword.? John Doe regarded the blade in his right hand with a curious fascination. ?Interesting,? he commented. He spun it a few times and pointed it at the far wall. ?It?s remarkably well-balanced,? he observed calmly. He then pulled it to him and scrutinized the hilt. ?A touch sensor.? He stroked it gently. An electric field ran across the blade, and it collapsed into the hilt. ?Ingenious. A portable lethal weapon.? The young man looked sideways at the major. ?How did I come by it?? he queried. The major was flabbergasted. ?I was about to ask you the same question,? he responded. All trace of desperation had left, and he was back in control of his emotions. ?And, given the?singular nature of the current situation, I will require that you relinquish the weapon to me,? he added. ?Certainly,? the boy answered without a hint of misgiving. The major stepped to the table and extended his hand for the hilt, which the boy dutifully placed in the outstretched palm. The major stepped back a pace so as not to seem imposing. ?Now,? the lieutenant continued, ?let?s get down to business.? He turned to Michalson. ?Doctor, would you mind removing the rest of the restraints?? Michalson looked at the major dumbly. ?The restraints, doctor. If you please.? Michalson snapped out of his stupor and moved over to undo the harnesses still holding the patient?s lower body to the table. The major pulled up a chair for the young man and settled himself into another. John Doe sat, his demeanor placid. ?If I could have a moment with the boy, Doctor,? the major requested. Michalson nodded and motioned the nurses out of the room. The major gave Michalson a hard look. ?Alone.? ?With all due respect, sir, he is still my patient,? said Michalson. The lieutenant glared at him; Michalson held his ground. ?I need to monitor him in case he has a relapse.? The lieutenant let it go. He knew better than to press this kind of issue with Michalson; the doctor was one of those few who held their practice higher than their rank, and besides, after their brief wrestling match he doubted he could force the deceptively slender doctor from the room, despite his training. He turned to the young man, pulling out a datapad. ?My name is Major Jordan,? he began. ?I am going to ask you a series of questions, and I sincerely hope you will answer them to the best of your ability.? It bothered him a little to be so direct in his speech, but the young man had clearly demonstrated ample mastery of his intellect, so Jordan saw no reason to treat him a child. The patient nodded assent. ?Right, then. First off, who are you?? The young man looked confused. ?I beg your pardon?? ?Who are you?? Jordan repeated, giving the young man a curious look. ?What is your name?? ?Ah.? Comprehension flashed across the young man?s face. ?I am Jason.? ?Jason?,? the majort prompted. The boy thought for a moment. ?Jason,? he mused. ?Jason, Jason?.Sterling. Yes,? he finished, ?that?s it. Jason Robert Sterling.? ?Jason...Robert?Sterling,? Jordan repeated slowly, his fingers moving across the datapad. He sent a queer look in Michalson?s direction. ?All right then, Mr. Sterling, how old are you?? ?I don?t know.? Jordan started and glanced at Michalson, who had already bent over a display screen. ?About twenty years,? the doctor supplied. ?Years?? asked Jordan. Michalson shrugged. ?His physiology is very similar to Earthlings.? ?Really,? Jordan noted. ?Then you aren?t a native Kestrel,? he told the young man. ?Native what?? Jordan began to be slightly suspicious. ?What was the last thing you remember before waking up here?? ?Nothing.? The major was visibly staggered. ?Do what!?? ?Nothing,? the boy repeated nonchalantly. ?That?s it. Just a lot of nothing.? ?Go on,? encouraged Jordan slowly. ?It was dark,? the young man began, ?really dark. So dark you could write on it in black and it would show up. And then I realized it was dark; that there was nothing there, and I wasn?t part of it. I realized that I must exist and began attempting to find out what I was. After a while ? it could have been a?minute or?a year ? I heard noises: you,? he said, pointing to Michalson, then to Jordan, ?and you. You were talking about something ? me, I guess. Then I saw a white dot that kept growing larger and then I was here.? Major Jordan shot a quizzical look at Michalson, searching for a sign of understanding on the doctor?s face. The doctor was astounded. ?Was there anything before that? Anything at all?? the major pressed. The young man thought. ?No, just?nothing,? he replied. Jordan tossed his datapad onto a nearby table. ?I guess that?s about does it, then,? he said resignedly. ?I can?t very well ask you anything about your past if you don?t know who you are.? He turned his chair towards Michalson. ?Any thoughts, doctor?? ? I ? well I ? no, but ? ? Michalson spluttered. ?I mean ? well, I?ll have to run the usual tests ? ? ?As per protocol; of course, doctor.? Jordan rose, collecting his pad and the hilt of the plasma blade. ?Well, since there seems to be nothing else I can gather here, I suppose I?ll let you get started. I have superiors to meet with.? As he left, he placed a hand on Michalson?s shoulder and leaned in. ?Oh, and doctor?? he added quietly. ?I had family on Kestrel; if you wouldn?t mind, could you keep my little?indiscretion out of your report? I?d appreciate it.? Michalson was silent until Major Jordan had left and the door had hissed shut behind him. He sighed. Of course he wouldn?t say anything. The past few days had been emotionally taxing for everyone, himself included. He wondered who could possibly remain unaffected after the loss of such an industrial crux. [I]The Massacre of Kestrel Prime[/I], the media was already calling it. An entire planet destroyed in less than two hours, burnt completely to the ground, and this boy the only survivor. This ?Jason Sterling?, found on the surface without so much as a scratch on him, to say nothing of burns. This enigma, who was the only key to the mystery of the planet?s destruction, who conveniently held no memories save his name. This enigma, whom he now had to run standard immigration tests on. He pushed the button that signaled his on-duty nurse. ?Well,? he said, smiling, ?this won?t take long. Shall we get started?? ?Certainly,? Jason replied. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- [I]I do not understand. Was this necessary?[/I][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]Of course.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][I]But this is madness! It makes no sense. [right]I am afraid I must agree. The darkness has claimed many lives unchallenged. Your methods confuse us.[/right][/I][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]I know.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][I]Then you must explain yourself![/I][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]I say what I have always said.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][right][I]And that is?[/I][/right][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]Wait and see. My plans are set in motion. All that happens now, happens.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][right][I]So then, your hope is with them?[/I][/right][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]Yes.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][I]I suppose now the question is, will they recognize what they have been given? And will they know to use it?[/I][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]We shall see.[/FONT][/indent] [FONT=Arial][I][right]Which is all we can do at present. As always, we will trust your judgment in this matter.[/right] Yes.[/I][/FONT] [indent][FONT=Freefrm721 Blk BT]So it begins.[/FONT][/indent]

[FONT=Arial]I live about twenty, twenty-five minutes from Little Richie. He shops at our Kroger pretty regularly. Honestly, though, I don't ever make a big deal about it. If I see him I just nod. I figure he doesn't need any extra crap in his day.[/FONT]

[quote name='Tekkaman][font=Century Gothic][size=2][color=gray]- [color=indigo]7 people are left in the town and there are 4 positions filled[/color] (Mafia, Detective, and Priest). That means that there are 3 townspeople left if [color=indigo]Sandy's[/color] information is correct.[/color][/size'][/font][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Remember, we haven't finished [COLOR=DarkGreen]The Night[/COLOR] yet, so before we analyze too much, we need to remember we will soon be left with only six. And, dude, make up your mind. Am I the Detective/Priest or am I another innocent? Or am I Moriarty, running you all in circles while I manipulate your alliances? Jays, man, you're drawing more attention to me than [I]I[/I] was! It doesn't matter [U]what[/U] I am, it still make me nervous. :animedepr [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Have I ever mentioned that I [I]do[/I] so enjoy reading your work? Great stuff. It feels very Hitchcock, with just a touch of Poe. Interesting, too, that your character recognized the extent of his sin and yet was unwilling to abandon it. The only thing that bothered me was your ellipses. (By the way, I cannot determine what the devil the plural of that word is.) In most cases, you attached it to the preceding word and detached it from the word following. Choose one or the other each time you use it, not both. Both is reserved for the end of sentences, which brings me to the specific incident I wish to mention.... [QUOTE]Asher?s sin was?. He supposed it started with the man called Alistair, the snake who tempted Eve in the Garden, the wolf that shall destroy the people of Jerusalem.[/QUOTE] From what I can tell, the thought is continuing; Asher (or the narrator) is just attempting to find a way to properly address Asher's sin. I see two things: [I]Asher's sin was...[COLOR=Red](well,)[/COLOR] he supposed it started....[/I] or [I]Asher's sin.... He supposed it started....[/I] Up to you, but the way you wrote it feels less like Asher is reflecting on his sin and more like he has a short bout of Alzheimer's all of a sudden. Other than that, I love it. [I]Kudos.[/I][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I said earlier that you've got a pretty good grasp on dialogue. I stand by that statement, despite the few mishaps you've got here. What bothers me right now is that dialogue is all you're giving the reader. I can hear everything, but I can't [U]see[/U] anything, and of all the stories I've read, the ones I remember the most are the ones I could see happening. I know what's going on in your head, too, for I've dealt with the same problem myself. Since you can already see what's happening in your own head, you're just throwing down the bits you feel that go with the story's flow, and you're neglecting to remember that the reader doesn't have the privilege of seeing inside your headwhile they're reading. From your perspective, getting to chapter four has taken a it of time, since you know exactly what's going on without needing paper to tell you. For me, though, it's felt like all of a minute and a half. Ninety seconds. Spend more time on detail. Describe all the little things, even in the middle of the action sequences. It may feel like an eternity spent on the same scene to you, but when I read it afterwards I am able to see everything that you see. Right now that's not even close to happening, which is a shame. Also, proofread your work. You've got spelling and grammatical errors rampant in your text ? there's too many for me to hit them all, so I'll leave that task to you. Overall, your great idea is being overshadowed by all those little yet important things that could be fixed by just spending some more time reading what you've written. Be hard on yourself. And by all means read Tolkien, Bradbury, Carrol, Lewis, and any other quality fiction authors you can get your hands on. Learn from the masters. -A[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Sooo, a little blue faerie that says "Hey, listen!"; wait.......Navi? [I]You hate Navi?!?[/I] I ? you ? but ? you hate [I]Navi?[/I] What on earth for? She's just a little bugger. (Hah, she's a bug-er. hee-hee.) And it looks like you mean to rip her wings off! [I]What's wrong with you?[/I] [right]Hmmph. Faerie molester.[/right] Yeah, I kind of gathered that Arisa was bright; she reminds me of me at that age, except I wasn't aware of Tennyson yet, so I settled for the dictionary and any encyclopedia I could get my hands on. :animeshy: Yep, I'm a wierd one. And I feel that there aren't [I]enough[/I] characters who are so sickeningly talented. I mean, who wants to read something about another average yutz who gets everything right by sheer force of mishap? No, I think your talented characters are fine, even if they do belong to a bygone age, like I think I do sometimes. Hunh. I've never heard of Theda Bara before. Wow. Although I want to say "Thank you for the complement," I am currently unsure of what you mean by 'concrit', so.... [quote name='kalon']I'm afraid wordiness is one of my problems, so nitpick all you want. Especially with dialogue. I can never find a balance of dialogue and description to make me happy.[/quote] Well, I have to say that dialogue is probably my stongest point, so feel free to fall back on me if you need flow help. I understand the doors completely. If your referring to my edit suggestion, then I am confusticated (but not to the point of bebotherment), but if you mean my geometry reference, then that was just me throwing out a random quip. Trust me on this ? visualizing your stuff is nothing compared to L'Engle's tesseract. [I]That[/I] was a bear. [quote name='kalon']For the weather, I hate when things are dark and stormy for the mere purpose of adding a sinister atmosphere.[/quote] Well, it works in some situations, but I find it generally overused. And it just wouldn't feel right in your style anyway, so I'm just glad you don't much care for it either. [FONT=Courier New]program startup: [system_editor.exe] >initializing data checksum --> checksum complete >initializing memory checksum --> checksum complete >all systems online and responding normally engage[/FONT] [QUOTE]Hilde[B], who[/B] was a kind person when not threatening to knife someone, said she always wanted a little sister, and offered to share her room.[/QUOTE] I know what you were wanting there, but that's a passive verb followed by two actives and rather confusing. I'd use the shown appositive instead. (My mother is an English major and I talk in correct syntax naturally. I can't help that I know this stuff. Sue me.) [QUOTE]"Never release a fairy into a laboratory filled with explosive objects. Illuminate.? At the last word, every will-o?-the-wisp in the lab flashed on. ?Gratias ago, phasmata. Opiferrimae estis.?[/QUOTE] I'm honestly not sure how to approach Latin in dialogue. My wont is to italicize it, but that's up to you ? it might help distinguish between [I]illuminate[/I] and illuminate. [QUOTE]?I thought,? said Dominick, ?you would like me to save one for you. There?s no reason to kill [B][I]all[/I][/B] the flowers.?[/QUOTE] Speaking of dialogue, I would highly suggest stressing any and all inflections in speech, as it communicates easier to the reader. Take that one, for example. Without the stress it reads rather blandly. Since (I think) I can pretty much feel how you want your characters to sound, I read (red) the passage with the stress in and out simultaneously (hah! and you thought your doors were hard!), but I doubt others will read (reed) it and catch on so conveniently. [QUOTE]"...and I was gonna let the fairy out but then I decided [B]not[/B] to but maybe I was...."[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]...even more than the average six-year-old is capable of producing ([strike]and[/strike] a horrifying thought)....[/QUOTE] That's what [I]I'd[/I] do, anyway. [QUOTE]Again, for those who do not speak this language?which should technically have no capitalization and no punctuation and run all together?which is also a common language in science[B][COLOR=Red]?[/COLOR][/B]this basically translates: [I]Elise, the night is lovely. The death, too, is lovely.[/I][/QUOTE] You're still jumping tracks with your train of thought, so make with the extra dash. It serves to keep the slightly random bits of quality info separate from the main thought. [QUOTE]"...but not when [B]it[/B] is cold...."[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]Logically, Arisa assumed mistress meant nursemaid.[/QUOTE] Incidentally, so did I for a long time. :animeblus Imagine my chagrin.... [FONT=Courier New][end program][/FONT] That's all I can see right now. If you've anything that bothers you, let me know.[/FONT]

[QUOTE=Kurayami Oji][SIZE=1]Would you rather eat a cooked turtle? Or.... Would you rather eat a cooked snake?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]Two words: [I]turtle soup[/I]. That's all the explanation I need to give. Would you rather play SSBM as... ...Marth? (Finesse and agility) or ...Roy? (Power and flame)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]If [COLOR=DarkRed]Doublehex[/COLOR] and [COLOR=DarkRed]Venge[/COLOR] [I]do[/I] re-sign, then I don't think you'll have a problem. And the final "three-for-all" would be quite interesting (assuming four teams of three; three of four would work just as well). If not, meh ? I'm sure you'll think of something. :animesmil [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Komui: "I am Supreme Commander of the Library Fort! None can stand against me, for my walls are built on knowledge itself! [I]Ha ha hahahahaha-ha!!!![/I]" Allen & Rinarī: " . . . . "[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]And now I shall choose the winner(s). First place goes to.... [indent][COLOR=DarkRed]Ikillion[/COLOR][/indent] And close behind are [COLOR=DarkRed]The13thMan[/COLOR] in second and [COLOR=DarkRed]Keyblade Wielder[/COLOR] in third. All right-y, then. [COLOR=DarkRed]Ikillion[/COLOR], do your thing.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]So then, random smilies.... [right]...whatever floats your boat, man.[/right] I have three favorite animals. One is, like [COLOR=DarkRed]shadowmovement[/COLOR]'s, a wolf, because they seem to have all the intelligence and quiet pride that their dog cousins didn't quite get as much of. [I]I[/I] at least consider them noble animals. The other two are both from the feline family: the black panther and the domestic cat. I admire and view the former as my alter ego ? calm, yet coiled, silent, and deadly. I like housecats because they're almost human. Well, mine are, anyway.[/FONT]