Silent_sword909

All was quiet. In Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the morning sun was just rising. Birds had yet to start chirping, and most people were still sleeping. The small apartment that Toru Uragashi called home was no different. Suddenly, an alarm sounded; it?s purpose to wake the new sensei. Instead, it just broke his mental concentration, causing the water he had been controlling in the air over his kitchen to spill over the floor. Cursing, he went to shut off the alarm. When the alarm was off, Toru ran his hands through his unkempt hair. He hadn?t been able to sleep; nightmares of his past had kept him awake. With a quick glance out the window at the mist-laden city, Toru returned to his kitchen to clean up. Today was the big day; he would be receiving his own genin students, in hopes of training them for the future. He desperately wanted to do the best he could, not just for the students? sake, but for himself as well. To him, this was a mission he had to succeed at, and also one he had never done before. This was just one of life?s many learning experiences, thought Toru, smiling to himself as he finished mopping up the water. Changing out of his night clothes, he jumped into his bathtub for a quick soak. Not less than 10 minutes later, he was standing in front of his mirror, combing his hair into his trademark spikes. He donned his black ninja suit, his green commander vest, and his twin short swords around his waist. He checked some papers lying on the table; he wanted to be ready for the kids he was handling. The last thing he did before leaving his house was to tie his hitai-ate leaf headband to his forehead. Then, POOF! He was gone. ******************************************************* Waking up was the farthest thing from Ichigo?s mind. He was having one of the best dreams of his life, when he was ripped from his thoughts by the incessant buzzing of his alarm clock. He got up slowly, and turned off the alarm, promising to buy one that knew when not to wake him up. He got up and made his way slowly to the kitchen, having already showered the night before. He ate breakfast with a sour taste in his mouth from the missed dream. Ichigo finished his meal, and dressed himself in his usual attire; his favorite white robe, with a blue belt around it to hold it up. On top of that, he also equipped his giant weapon scroll, along with his weapon bag and his magic sandals. After all, today he would be getting his squad, and he had to test their abilities. Smiling at this, ?pleasant thought,? he locked the door to his house, and walked off towards the academy. He noticed as he walked, that the morning sun had still not quite penetrated the mist, leaving the village hidden, for the moment. He didn?t know why, but he found this amusing, and started whistling to himself. This wasn?t his first time getting genins to train, but he still felt the slightest bit uneasy. There was always the uncertainty that you?d get someone you didn?t like, and that was no fun. He arrived at the Ninja Academy, and found the doors unlocked. Not thinking too much of it, he walked in. He wandered down the halls, finding his way to the jounin assignment room. Inside, he was surprised to find another jounin already there, as well as the current Hokage! Ichigo announced his arrival with a cheery, ?Hiya!? The two men turned, and the jounin with spiked hair replied, ?Good morning.? The Hokage glanced at Ichigo, and back at the other man. ?Ichigo, this is a good friend of mine, Toru Uragashi. This is his first time being a commander of genins?, so I trust you?ll help him?? Ichigo nodded, and said, ?Yeah, sure; I?ll hold his hand! Hahha, joking guy, but seriously, nice to meetcha!? They shook hands, and Toru smiled, ?I can?t wait to get my team!? The Hokage spoke, ?Don?t get too excited. Remember what I said?? ?And what would that be?? asked Ichigo, who was curious. ?This year, there has been a strange turn of events, that has forced us to shorten team rosters. Basically; this year?s graduating class was too small. So in order to fix this problem, we?ve only assigned one or two genin to each jounin. This will give them ample opportunity to learn and grow, as each jounin can concentrate more on fewer students. Do you see?? explained the Hokage. While Toru nodded his head, he added, ?Maybe this will be better for me, this being my first group and all.? Ichigo couldn?t help but feel a little cheated. He wanted a full team to be under him! It wasn?t as fun playing tricks on just one or two kids. ?Of course,? said the Hokage, ?the teams will get together for training missions. This will help with the teamwork element we seem to be leaving out this year.? Not caring for all the talking, Ichigo asked, ?So when are the kids going to show up? I?m kind of wondering just who?s on my team.? Stepping to a nearby wall, the Hokage pointed to a piece of paper. ?Here are the team listings. Toru, I gave you two students, so you could get more of a feel for the job. I also think that you can handle them.? While the Hokage went on, Ichigo looked over his team, as well as the others. This is what he saw: Jounin Teams: Team 1: Ichigo Byacu Student(s): Soku Airameke Team 2: Soma Arumaru Student(s): Dyuu Uchiha Team 3: Toru Uragashi Students: Tetra, Uchiha Kenji ?Wow, that?s interesting. Two Uchiha?s. And one of them?s mine. Plus, I?m team 1. Great! My lucky number! Heheh?? Ichigo tapped Toru on the shoulder, saying, ?Good luck with your team. At least they SOUND like a capable lot,? then he turned toward the Hokage, ?and when will the students get here? I wanna start already!? The Hokage laughed, replying, ?They?ll be arriving shortly. I sent messages to them to arrive around sunrise. They should be here within the hour. I have other business to attend to, so I?ll leave until then. You two stay here and welcome anyone who comes early.? The Hokage then left the two jounin, fully trusting them to handle their, somewhat slackened duties. While it was true that not many students DID graduate, it could also be said that he had never seen a more determined bunch of kids. Things were off to a good start, he thought. This year, will be just like the others; full of adventure and discovery, not to mention triumph and failure. Yes, the year?s had passed, but Konoha was still the same. As proud and unchanging as the roots of the greatest tree. Good luck to you all, he thought, as he arrived at his office, and began to sort through his papers. (OoC: Alright, this is the first post, so everyone can start posting now! This post count?s as Toru?s and Ichigo?s post, so both of their team members can post. Hope you all liked it, and let?s have fun with this! :D )

Alright, Rouroni, you're accepted. After I post this, I will work on the post, hopefully finishing it. Oh, and you'll be on my team, Rouroni. In fact, here's how the teams are looking right now: Jounin Teams: Team 1: Ichigo Byacu (garmeil) Student(s): Soku Airameke (MasterBoo343) Team 2: Soma Arumaru (Starwind) Student(s): Dyuu Uchiha (Blazerman32) Team 3: Toru Uragashi (Silentsword909) Students: Tetra (Tetra of Sound), Uchiha Kenji (Rouroni922) I will post the teams again in the post. I think it will work better if the jounins post first (I'll post for garmeil), and then the students on their team can post, ok? And from then on, that will be the order; jounins post first, and whenever a students jounin teacher has posted, that student can then post. We can change this if neccessary, afterall; it's two in the morning where I'm at :D. *Edit* Alright, addressing some issues that have been discovered with the posting order i just mentioned. If your jounin leader doesn't post for a while; what do you do? Do you just wait days or weeks for them to post? No! Very sorry about that, it was early in the morning, lol. Ok, here's how it will work: If you are waiting on a post from your jounin, and have waited two days or more, YOU HAVE PERMISSION to continue the storyline. Just, don't think you're god, and can control everyone's character the way YOU want to. Play their person in character, and go about your training or whatever you were doing. We will stick mostly to your teams early on, so this kind of stuff may happen. Alright? We good? Ok, well, that's all I've got. Any questions or suggestions, pm me. Thanks!! :D

Alright. Like garmeil said, I'm going to be starting this story off. I'm going to try and keep this as close to what garmeil wanted, so bear with me. A couple of nice guidelines I'd like to lay down. I've played in a couple of Naruto rpg's on OtakuBoards, and let me tell you; they were bogged down with disorder and short posts. Needless to say, they didn't last very long before they were shut down. I would REALLY like to see this particular story succeed where the others failed; especially with how awesome garmeil laid out the plot and open-endedness of it. First, I don't really want to see any posts shorter than 2 paragraphs. And I mean decent paragraphs of at LEAST 5 sentences. Also, don't post two or more times in a row. Rather, wait for the story to play out some, and then post. :) Second, try to check your spelling as best as you can. Third, and most importantly (I think); is detail. An rpg is a story where different people are telling it from their own points of view. To make this a story worth reading and playing along with, detail is important. Make sure that all your posts are interesting and detailed, so that everyone that is playing and reading along will get enjoyment out of it, and also that you can get your point across to them. Last, make sure to read the Adventure Square thread; it gives you the basics of what posting on an rpg is supposed to be. Phew!! Ok, now onto the better news: I should have up the starter thread in a couple of days, 5 days TOPS!! In my post, the jounins will be recieving their students. So start thinking of ways that could turn out, and write it down somewhere! Now, as I'm not the one who started this, I'm not 100% on everything. So, input is welcome from anyone!! Just pm me some ideas, and we can talk about it. That'd be great. Anyways, I'm on at least once everyday, so I'll get back to any pms pretty quickly. Thanks everyone! Sign-ups are still welcome as well. (We'll work something out)

*letter; it reads:* "Okay, well... As you asked Lord Hokage, I have chosen the student I wish to work with. After reviewing both of the applicants files, I, Toru Uragashi, have picked the kunoichi Tetra. She is to report to the training field tomorrow in order for me to assess her abilities, and if she is worthy to carry the title of "ninja." To be honest, I'm a little nervous; this being my first student, but I will do my best! Thank you for the oppurtunity! As always, wishing you the best! Long live Konoha! Signed, Toru Uragashi * (OoC: Okay Tetra, I'll be playing your 'mentor jounin' in this rpg! Lucky you! :D Seriously, let's have fun and enjoy ourselves, eh? Thanks! ;) )

(OoC: So sorry about the length! lol, I told you I'd get carried away! Thanks, hope you like it! :D) [SIZE=1][COLOR=RoyalBlue]Name[/COLOR]: Western; Toru Uragashi [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Age[/COLOR]: 25 [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Gender[/COLOR]: Male [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Ninja Rank[/COLOR]: Jounin [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Important Items[/COLOR]: Two short swords he wears horizontally across his waist. He had one like them when he was a genin, but it was broken. He was given these swords by his younger adoptive sister, and he has used them ever since. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Appearance[/COLOR]: Toru is tall, standing around 6 feet. His blonde hair is a little shorter than shoulder length, and he wears it spiked. He has an athletic build, and weighs somewhere around 190 lbs. He sports a clean shaven face; and he wears the usual ninja commander green vest. In the vest, he carries several scrolls, (one of which is a summoning scroll for Toru?s ninja dog companion). His usual attire, (other than the vest), is a form fitting black espionage suit, which has a scattering effect on opposing chakra. Other than the swords at his waist, he wears no other weapons, except for a pair of kunai in two thigh pouches. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Personality[/COLOR]: Toru has been through a lot. He?s been shunned, ridiculed, hated, banished, and despised; and it has given him empathy. Knowing what he has been through, he can better understand someone else?s situation. Toru is also a great judge of character. He has been known for spotting the weaknesses or strengths in a person?s fighting style, as well as their mindset. This is his first set of genin students, and he is eager to see them grow and become strong. Because of his, peculiar jutsu, his emotions command his power. When he is not in a battle, he is happy, optimistic, and kind; but when threatened, he can change his attitude to ruthless and cold. It used to have a bigger impact on him; but he has gained control over it. Though it has made his ?ultimate fighting jutsu? weaker; he feels it was necessary in order to live with a clear conscience. Toru is serious in a joking way, and will do ANYTHING for his comrades. Once thought of as, a lone wolf, he has grown out of it, relying on others as well as himself. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]History[/COLOR]: Toru was originally from the Vilage Hidden in the Waterfall. He has no memory of his early childhood, and his youth was spent training and developing his strength. His parents would not allow him to become a ninja, under ANY circumstances. (He later learned why, as you will when reading through the page.) His oldest sister was a great shinobi, and he admired her. His respect for her was the main reason to wanting to become a ninja, but like afore-mentioned, his parents wouldn't have it. So, one day, when he was around 10, he ran away from the Village, in order to fullfill his dreams of being a ninja. After some time traveling, he managed to make it to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He rested, and aquired residence with an older man, (who not long after, died). Before the man's death though, he enrolled Toru in the Ninja Acamdemy, and his training days began again. He was started off with younger students, but when they realized that he excelled in all areas, he was sped up through the courses, and eventually graduated with that year's students. His genin days were full of grunt missions and a few bigger missions, but nothing he couldn't handle. His team members were a girl and guy, and to this day, they have kept in touch and been best friends. He became a Chunin at around age 14, as did his teammates. Not long after, the three were traveling to a distant conutry for a mission, when his past caught up with him. His older sister, along with his younger sister, (both hunter nins) way-laid them. They said they had come to kill him, for endangering their Village's secrets. Toru's teammates were held in a genjutsu prison, while Toru fought his younger sister. Before he left, they had been close; she had been Toru's only friend. When he left though, she was made to train under her older sister, and became a feared assassain. Toru was overpowered, and eventually, his sister had him at knife-point. She couldn't kill him though, and turned on the older sister to release Toru's friends. Her reasoning was that, she had always looked up to Toru, and the fact that he was able to follow his dreams. Before they could defeat the older sister, though, she attacked Toru, and he fell, unconcious. The move had drained her too, and she also fell. Toru's little sister picked up her sister, and went back to their Village. Toru was in a coma, and his friends brought him back to Konoha. (This is the only mission he has ever failed.) He stayed that way for two weeks, and then awoke and was fine. Everyone noticed, though, that his attitude had changed. He was still outgoing and kind, but now, he didn't even speak sarcastically! What happened, was that when his older sister attacked him, she opened a seal on his bloodline limit. It had lain dormant, ever since he was little. This was what his parents feared; they didn't want him to understand it, because it would have given him an edge, and he might have killed them. So they had it sealed away, and didn't talk about it. The first time he got angry, he nearly killed his friend (the girl) when they were sparring. His chakra increased by around 3 times, and he (basically) lost control of himself in anger. After the episode, he rushed her to the hospital, and took off for weeks. When he came back, he could control 'it' a bit better. After getting forgiveness from his teammate, he began to go on solo missions, in order not to endanger anyone else. He trained for years, becoming a jounin at age 17. Eventually, he mastered control over himself. During this time, he met again with his sisters (where he got his new swords), and found that he had been adopted after his clan was massacered. With this in mind, he pushed himself even harder. In exchange for the mastery though, his "power burst" was weakened, but he can live with that. He now is trying to make up for lost time with his friends, on top of training new genin. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Bloodline Limit[/COLOR]: [COLOR=Purple]Personality Jutsu[/COLOR] Toru?s is a strange bloodline limit. His foster family knew its origins, but had it hushed up before Toru could find out about it. With the jutsu, your emotions control more than just your day-to-day feelings. They control the strength of your fighting spirit. When you're happy, and light-hearted, your chakra is normal. When you are truly consumed by a negative emotion, your chakra multiplies itself by the sheer FORCE of that emotion. It is a deadly weapon, but not without some drawbacks. For one, when first activated, (and until the user can control it) the possessor loses himself completely, and will attack friend or foe. Second, you become weaker when not in this form. Everytime you use it, you feel the "need" to depend on it, and thus you don't rely on your regular skills. Toru has basically mastered it; finding a nitch where he can gain all the power of his emotions, while still being in control of them. It has made it weaker, though, and is not as potent as when he last fought with his sisters. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Others[/COLOR]: [COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Waterfall style Taijutsu[/COLOR]- An original style of taijutsu created by Toru. It is unique, in that it's made from studying the Goken (Iron Fist) style, and the Juken (Gentle Fist) style, (once he arrived in Hidden Leaf). It has the destructive force of the Goken, while being able to use chakra to injure an opponents organs. Toru made the style, to be his trump card, and to be different and harder to read than other styles. The palms are the main weapon for this style. Before fighting, the wielder imbues his palms with chakra, (more than usual) and hardens it until it becomes harder than steel. The chakra is accumulated by rubbing the hands together, and can also be used to shield the rest of the body from attack. By concentrating chakra all-over the body, it can act as a sort of armor. This requires a lot of chakra, however, so it is rarely used. The reason he named it the Waterfall Style, is because when fighting, all the attacks come down. Even the palm strikes push downward. Toru has advanced his fighting style effectively; changing and adding things to make it more effective in combat. So far, no one else knows this style. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Ninjutsu[/COLOR]: [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]Grand Waterfall Jutsu[/COLOR]-(Attack) Creates a swirling mass of water that circles the user, and water erupts from under the opponent. They are then at the mercy of the water. [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]Waterfall Torrent[/COLOR]-(Attack/Defense) A vortex of water forms, and is at the will of the user. It can be directed for an attack, or can surround the user to protect from attacks. [COLOR=MediumTurquoise]Wall of Water[/COLOR]-(Defence) Creates a giant wall of water that is at the whim of the user. [COLOR=SandyBrown]Transformation Jutsu[/COLOR]- Can change into any person or thing. Toru loves to practice this art, and thus is especially proficient with it. [COLOR=SandyBrown]Shadow Clone Jutsu[/COLOR]- Can create several copies of the original person. Splits the user's chakra evenly between all clones. These clones are solid bodies, and can use any jutsu that the original person knows. Also, any knowledge gained by a clone is transferred to the original when the clone disperses. This is a great way to train. [COLOR=SandyBrown]Chakra Blade Jutsu[/COLOR]- Extends the the length of Toru's short swords, but with the ends not seeable by opponents. Catches them off gaurd, as they only realize after they've been cut. Can increase the length up to about 2 feet of pure chakra. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Genjutsu[/COLOR]: Though not being his strong point, Toru DOES know some Genjutsu... [COLOR=SeaGreen]Sly Mind Jutsu[/COLOR]-(area affect) With this technique, Toru can trick others into walking around in circles. Persons affected will continue to walk in circles, until they realize that they aren't getting anywhere. [COLOR=SeaGreen]Imitation Jutsu[/COLOR]- Can create an exact replication of any person or animal, as long as the user has observed them for a minimum of 5 minutes. Can also recreate places, but that requires more chakra. [COLOR=SeaGreen]Drowning Death Jutsu[/COLOR]-(Used when in or near water) Makes the affected think they are drowning and sinking into a dark, watery abyss. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Kinjutsu[/COLOR]: [COLOR=DarkOrange]Shadow Clone Ultimate 3-Way Split[/COLOR]- This is also a unique move that Toru has created. Combining Shadow Clone with some other jutsu's and endless hours of practice, he has managed to create a cloning jutsu that enables the clones to stay even after they are injured. Also, both of the clones created have all the chakra and abilities of the original Toru. No chakra is distributed, because they all have the whole amount! The ONLY drawback to this jutsu is, if either of the two clones get injured, after they are dissappated, (by Toru), then the injuries transfer over to him. He only uses this jutsu as a last resort, (and once to play a trick on his friends). [/SIZE]

Things were moving a little too fast for Hiro. He was used to moving at his own pace; with everything eventually finding a place. But today, it had gone from wanting to find out about the bracelet he had obtained, to inheriting the Legendary hero Kite's legacy, along with baby-sitting a rouge NPC! It was just too much! Sighing, (virtually and physically), Hiro began to walk around the room, while the NPC Zefie clung to his arm. His mind raced in many different directions. It's not that he MINDED looking after Zefie, he actually kind of liked her; she was cute. But being with her was a little, well, DIFFICULT. Technically speaking, she shouldn't exist, and the Cobalt Knight Brigade would LOVE to get their hands on her. That put Hiro's character account at risk, for being an accomplice to an NPC. But, he had had dealings with the Brigade before, and he hadn't warmed up to them then, either. He would give protecting and helping Zefie his all! But that wasn't his only thoughts. Zefie had said that Aura was her "mother." From what he knew about Aura, she was a super AI, and was a prime figure in the World, even if the general public didn't know it. How could she have had a kid? And, why wouldn't she be with her daughter? Given time, more questions would have formed, but, he heard Sinclair snickering to herself. Feeling it was aimed at him, he said, "What's so funny?" "I was just laughing because Zefie is so attached to you," she replied. He gave her a "fake angry look." Then, he looked down at Zefie,"Whatdoyah say we go see what the others are talking about?" Zefie stared at him thoughtfully, "Ok!" she smiled sweetly. He HAD to admit, she was starting to grow on him. Walking over to Shino and Sinclair, he gathered that Sinclair was waiting for a message from the hacker, Helba. Personally, he didn't like Helba. She appeared wherever something was going wrong, it seemed, (at least to Hiro). When a *bing!!* sound appeared, Sinclair excused herself. It seemed the e-mail had arrived. When she returned, she seemed full of energy. "Sorry about the wait you guys, that message was from Helba indeed. She told me that Morganna was a monster that was everywhere and knew everything. It was there and yet not there. She says that Morganna was created by Harald Hoerwick to help with the birth of Aura years ago." To this statement, Hiro replied, "The birth of Aura?" Zefie shouted in excitement, "That's my mommies name!" "Indeed it is," said Sinclair, and she explained what Helba had sent her. After a few minutes, Hiro said, "Sounds like she knew a lot of the situation." "She did," said Sinclair. "She is a hacker. But for the first 3 Phases, when they were defeated, they only caused trouble in The World. After they had defeated Fidchell, that's when things started to get into the real world. Helba says that before Fidchell disappeared and died he said: 'Like a frenzied horse that is driven, An unseen wind of plague shrieks across the border. Pandemonium, wailing, and stench of carnage fills the air. There is no place to run, no hope of escape. Those who are mourned will never return. The hands of time cannot be turned back.' I believe that it means that the ones who were comatized cannot be returned since time can never go in reverse. But that can't mean it because they came back. Hmmm... what do you guys think it means?" Hiro thought, a little confused. "Got me." He answered honestly. Hiro concentrated on the conversation, adding in, "Sounds like that it was beginning of something bad." This was turning out to be EXTREMELY interesting. He got lost in his own thoughts, until Zefie tugged on his coat. Apparently answering the question of if she knew where her mother was, she pointed at him, saying, "No, but he will lead me there. I'm sure of it!" Surprized at how much faith the little girl had in him, (and the shock of being torn from his thoughts) he replied, "I...I will?!" He looked at Zefie, and she smiled, nodding her head. He patted her head, mumbling, "Yeah...I will, won't I?" Sinclair was still on a roll, and Hiro had a question about what she had said. "I have a question Sinclair?" he asked. "Ask away. I might know the answer," she said. "What are the names of the 8 Phases?" At this, she nodded her head, and recalled them from memory,"They are: Phase 1 -Skeith, the Terror of Death Phase 2 -Innius, the Mirage of Deceit Phase 3 -Magus, the Propagation Phase 4 -Fidchell, the Prophet Phase 5 -Gorre, the Schemer Phase 6 -Macha, the Temptress Phase 7 -Tarvos, the Avenger and Phase 8 -Corbenik, the Rebirth, Attachments of Life, and the Pure Heart. The 8 Phases who were turned into monsters by Morganna Mode Gone." When she finished, Hiro gulped. He checked his stats and equipment; all in good shape and how they were supposed to be. "My ONLY OTHER QUESTION, said Hiro, sounding a bit taken aback by all the names and phases, "Is when do we start?" He looked down at Zefie, and smiled; to which, she smiled back. It wasn't hard for one to lose themself n The World, at least not for Hiro. This was the beggining of another adventure, and Hiro would make SURE, to see it through to the end. (OoC: Sorry bout the time, hehheh.. :animeswea Hope you like it!)

Joshua was up early; just like always. Even though it was a weekend, it didn't matter. Six o'clock was the time he awoke everyday. Today was a little different though, as he did not have to rush off to school. He would sit in his custom "computer room", and waste the day, playing an online game he loved called "The World." He could find nothing he enjoyed more than playing the game. When he logged in, he would play his character Hiro; a blademaster, who was everything Joshua wished he could be. A swordsman with nothing to tie him down, and a strong sense of justice. Who could ask for more? Before logging in though, he checked his e-mail, to find it empty. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something though, and rechecked his read messages. There it was! One of his good friends in the World had contacted him, wanting his help with a quest of hers. "That's just like her, to be snooping around the .Hackers legend. Still..." Joshua thought a minute, "Of course she can count me in! Plus... I need someone to help me figure out this wierd item I got..." And with that, he logged in. Stepping out of the Chaos Gate, he found himself in Delta server's Mac Anu, his favorite of all the root towns. Besides being a place where players could team up, trade items, and purchase new ones; the town was also known for being the starting place of all the players. When a new player logged in for the first time, it was Mac Anu that they visited. With all of the new players constantly arriving, there was always quite a bustle. And Joshua, (when he was on) wandered the the town, answering questions, or sometimes lending out items to newbies. He loved being able to help people, and he had a bit of a reputation around the town. Running his hands through his hair, he looked down at his simple attire; some light-weight armor over pants and a shirt, with an over-coat as well. His sword was strapped to his back, and he fingered the hilt gingerly, before heading for the meeting place. Some PC's greeted him as he walked, and he waved at them. When he did though, he noticed that he still had on that bracelet from days before. He quickly moved on, keeping his hand down. He had checked the internet and his guidebook for the bracelet, hoping to find it's function, but to no avail. He figured that it was a cheat item, and to top it off; it wouldn't budge! He couldn't take it off, even from his equip screen. He didn't want to get involved with the administrators; they wouldn't see his side, they'd just delete his account. So, maybe going to see his old friend Shino was not only a good thing for her, but for him as well. Hopefully, she'd have talked to Sinclair recently; he didn't have her address, but he'd worked with her before. She was a hacker, and might know something about the bracelet. All this rolled in Joshua's head as he (as Hiro) entered a small bar that overlooked the river that ran through town. It wasn't a bar, so much as a place to meet up with friends or find out the latest news. He liked the place; it was one of the few places that he called, "home" in the World. (He adventured so much, he didn't have a place of his own) When he entered, he could tell that business was slow today, and that was a good thing. He didn't want anyone to overhear his conversation. Anyway, Shino wasn't here yet, so he picked a table in the back of the room, and sat down. "She should be here in an hour or so; I might as well make the most of it." He sat back in his chair, and began to record everything he knew about the Legend of Twilight, along with the Legendary Dot Hackers. He recorded this information on a special document, which was in a portable information disk in his computer. The two subjects were different, but connected. He had searched message boards and heard gossip about the whole thing, but it had been awhile ago. Joshua just needed to refresh his memory, and he did this by writing it down. He sighed; it was gonna be a long wait.

Kaien woke up to the sound of his radio alarm going off. He looked at the time; was it that late ALREADY? He quickly hopped out of bed, and hurriedly combed his hair and brushed his teeth. Never knew when you would need to impress someone, he thought, his mind wandering to his new FEMALE partner. He called the shop on his cell, as he ran out of the hotel. They confirmed that his zoid was "rearing and ready to go." He thanked them and hung up, concentrating on getting to the shop. When he arrived, he was out of breath, and had to pause for a moment. Looking up, he spied his zoid amongst the many stationed here. It was decked out in new armor, black and deep blue, with new guns and a cannon on it too! He rubbed his hands together; man! This was gonna be sweet! He climbed the scaffolding into the cockpit, and sighed with relief; at least SOMETHING hadn't changed. Stepping out of it, he happened to see a woman talking to her zoid, a Storm Sworder. He immediately thought, "Zoe!" And he ran off to talk to her. He moved through all the workers, and came finally to where Zoe stood, still conversing with her zoid. He stepped up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. She spun around, and gasped, then smiled when she saw who it was. "Kaien! Don't do that! You scared me half-to death!" Kaien scratched his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to." He looked up at her zoid. "Sooo, YOU'RE the one that was flying this thing! And here I thought that you were a begginer!" He said, jokingly. Zoe laughed, saying, "Well, I'm not! So you better watch it!" "O, I plan to," said Kaien, smirking. Taking a few steps away, he said casually, "You, DO KNOW, that the the training session starts about now, right?" She looked at him, face showing confusion. An announcement came over the intercom, "The training session starts now! Pilots to your zoids." Kaien looked at her, "See? I wouldn't lie." He smiled. She snapped to, and rushed to get into her zoid. "I'll meet you out on the field. Don't worry; I'll find YOU." As she worked herself into her cabin, Kaien walked back to his zoid; once inside, he started the systems, and ran out into the field. There was a gathering of zoids on one end of the place; that's probably where the plans were being played out. He made his way towards the assembly, when he noticed that a zoid was playing in the water fall about 2 kilometers from the gathering. He made a split decision to inspect the situation, and get the doofus and his zoid to the meeting. He started his boosters, and took off, going very nearly Sharupu's top speed. He got within distance, and cut the boosters; he was gonna sneak up on whoever it was. It was their fault for not paying attention to announcements. Hehehheh... thought Kaien. He had gotten to the edge of the waterfall, when the zoid looked at him, and he knew he was busted. There was a young guy messing around near the feet of the Liger (because that's what the zoid turned out to be). Kaien got out, and climbed down, to stand on the little shoreline. He called to the guy, and he came over. He was soaked; Kaien laughed at the thought of his zoid malfuntcioning just because he took a swim. Turning to Kaien, he introduced himself, "Hey! I'm Haze! Who're you!?" Kaien looked at him; he seemed to be at least around 16, maybe 17, but that was giving him credit. Kaien stuck out his hand, to which Haze shook it, and replied, "Hi, I'm Kaien." Just then, some kind of gun went off, and in the distance, zoids could be seen moving about the field. Shit, thought Kaien, this guy's made me late. Kaien stuck his hands in his pockets, and walked back to his zoid. He called down to Haze, "Hey! You better get going! Or you'll miss the training entirely!" He got into his seat, and pulled up communications to the Liger. When Haze was in the cockpit, he radioed over, "Hey, watch your back out there; I know some of these guys from tournaments they've won. They're no slouches." He thought he'd give the kid fair warning; it was the least he could do. He reiceived a transmission from Haze, saying, "I know! That's what makes this FUN!" Kaien laughed to himself as he took off towards group of flying zoids.

Matthias was pissed off. He was stuck here in a stand-off with the thorny girl Omi, and the bastard Abaddon, while Tsubasa was in trouble with Drakkan for God only knows what reason. His hands were on his blade(s), where they should be swinging, instead of resting. If Omi thought she scared him, she was SADLY mistaken. He would go any distance for Tsubasa, and gladly face death. Let her have her fun, thought Matthias. Then there was Sora. His OWN TEAMMATE, had used her words to confuse him! She ought to know by now that Matthias stuck to the quick-and-simple! All this inaction was making him sick. It was like the whole WORLD was against him, and he didn't like it. If ANYTHING happened to Tsubasa... there would be... well, HELL to pay. He gripped his sword(s) hilt tighter. The situation defused somewhat, when Dronsu appeared behind his companions. "[COLOR=Sienna]So, I leave for a FEW MINUTES, and everyone has a falling out. How typical[/COLOR]." His sarcasm was obvious, and for a moment, everyone felt less tense. "[COLOR=Purple]Oh, so NOW you have a sense of humor[/COLOR]," Omi said darkly. Sora smiled, while Matthias scowled. He still didn't like any of this, though it was the most he had EVER heard Dronsu say in one sitting. Abaddon growled, "[COLOR=Red]It's not like you to be late, Dronsu[/COLOR]." Dronsu replied, "[COLOR=Sienna]And it's not like our leader to put himself at such odds with the angels[/COLOR]." At this, Abaddon snarled, saying, "[COLOR=Red]The Rider "Grace" (he spat this word from his lips) had stolen Drakkan's memories, how could he NOT be distraught[/COLOR]?" Matthias surprised himself; he jumped up to the demons, yelling, "[COLOR=Green]Enough[/COLOR]!" If Abaddon looked startled, it was only a moment. Omi smiled wickedly, "[COLOR=Purple]Has the head-strong angel realized that he's powerless in this situation[/COLOR]?" Matthias turned to her, saying, "[COLOR=Green]We NEED to work TOGETHER!! Why is this concept so HARD[/COLOR]?" He was practically screaming at them. Omi replied, "[COLOR=Purple]You're one to talk; you almost killed yourself by attacking Drakkan[/COLOR]." He looked over at the two leaders, in their secret conversation. "[COLOR=Green]I... WANT to be able to protect Tsubasa; it's true... But, I DO realize that I'm powerless if everyone is on different sides. I often wonder if it's too much to ask for angels and demons to work together. I don't think it is, though. We just need to accept everyone for who they are.. not WHAT they are[/COLOR]." He looked up at Abaddon, who towered over him. He was smirking. Omi, who stood beside him, was smiling her evil smile. "They must think I'm a fool," thought Matthias, thinking the same thing. Sora came up beside him, nodding her head. "[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Matthias is right, of course. We need to work together for EVERYONE'S benifit. Even if we can't stand one another, to survive, we MUST work together[/COLOR]." She finished with a smile. Dronsu stepped up, saying, "[COLOR=Sienna]That's a nice speech and all, but ultimately; it will be the leaders who decide our fate. We are theirs to command[/COLOR]." Matthias's hands gripped his swords even tighter, trying to be ready for anything, if his proposal wasn't accepted.

Name- Joshua Gaston; in the game, Hiro Age- 21 Gender- Male Personality- Joshua is honest, caring, and a good friend, but is also EXTREMELY studious. He doesn't have much time in the real world to mess around, but when he does; he's ALWAYS on the World. He loves the game, and he plays his character's attitude like he WISHES his could be; kind, but with a carefree attitude, with a yearning to master swordmanship, and the ability to travel the World to do it. Likes- Helping people; (noobs), Role Playing, wandering, gathering information, and his friends Dislikes- An unfair advantage, people that take advantage of new players, girls in distress, nothing else too much.... Class- Blade master Appearance-http: [url]http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/16788550/[/url] Bio- Being a student in college, it was hard to do anything other than study for exams and go to class. However, when Joshua manages to find the time, he is almost entirely devoted to the World. He found out about it from his gaming magizines, and that it was the most massive mmorpg that anyone had EVER seen! He bided his time, until it came out in America, and was one of the first to get a copy of it. He had to skip out on a history test in order to do so, however, and now applies himself VERY STRICTLY, only playing in his free time. He loved the fact that everyone on the American server was knew, (except for the visiting Japanese players), and wanted to set an example for the World. He began to train when he could, and eventually became a decently-high level. He had been visiting a dungeons alot at the time, when he met up with the rumor of the Legend of Dot Hackers. He was impressed by the sounds of it, and sought out any and all information regarding them. What he found, was a group of people who had nearly the same intention as he did; to find out more about the legendary Dot Hackers. The group was actually supposed to meet at a certain place, probably to decide what to do next. He just whistled a tune as he typed in the keywords; he was going to inspect the area they were going to meet in. Occupation- Wandering do-gooder Weapons- One katana that he takes care of meticuously. It gives him better reflexes and speed, and also a quick-draw and jumping slice attack. He recieved it as part of an event, (which he won, of course). Snippet- Leave for class at 10 in the morning, be there by 10:30. Fly through english and foreign language, (Japanese), and eat lunch at 2. Go back to class for History, and a writing course, heading home at 6. Study for 3 hours, and eat dinner by 10. Then, after all of the days studying is done, he signs on to the World for at least 2 hours. After intense training or just relaxed information gathering, he signs of anywhere from 12 (midnight) to 2 in the morning. This is Joshua's typical day. Sometimes, he doesn't have TOO MUCH to study for, so he can play for awhile. Most times though, he has to buckle down, and can't even TOUCH the game until the weekend. (OoC: Hope the snippet's ok... And here's my character as promised! Also, if I need a name for my weapon, tell me. Thanks! :) )

Zype woke to the sound of someone talking. He still didn't know the others names very well, except for the winged girl; Akuya. SHE stood out to him, what with the wings and all, and he remembered her PERFECTLY. Everyone else was a blur. He yawned, and sat up from where he had been stretched out agaisnt a wall. Looking around, he saw that everyone had gathered around a girl that was handing out food. His own stomach rumbled; he needed food also. Zype stood up, and slowly made his way to the others. Most of them had already gotten food, and there was no line when he got there. When the girl looked up, she smiled, saying, "What would you like? Though, there's not much left..." Zype shook his head, "It's ok, I'll just take whatever's left." He was handed two rice balls, too which he thanked her graciously. He took a seat beside her, and started to eat. When he had finished a rice ball, the girl asked his name. He replied happily, "My name is Zype; I don't know what it means, but, it works for me!" The girl laughed, and responded, "Well, nice to meet you...Zype, my name is Brisk." No sooner had the words left her mouth, then a holographic image of an old man appeared. ?Good morning, Gangirock Bearers! I suppose you seen it in you dreams last night?? The image spoke thus, and vanished. What had been peace and order just moments before, now became general disscussion; What dream? Did YOU see it? I don't know, I think I did. And the most frequently asked, "Did we all have the SAME DREAM?" Zype noticed the girl Brisk had moved away, to join in on the disscussion. He moved away from the group, in order to recollect his thoughts. He found solitute in the corner of where the raggedy sofa met the wall. He remembered, that... THERE HAD BEEN a dream; something about.. a meeting. There were these people, with a BIG screen-thingy (doesn't know what it's called). They seemed to have a purpose......but what was it? At that moment, Akuya burst into his thoughts, asking, "Are you hungry?" He looked up quickly, and said yes. He was still hungry, he didn't want to pester the other girl, Brisk, for more food though. He happily accepted toast and grapes, and ate silently. She sat down next to him, and he began to feel...something. He didn't know what it was, but he found this girl to be.... intriguing. "What do you make of the dream?" she asked, solemnly. Zype glanced at her, and then leaned his back against the wall. "Well...it's obvious that SOMEONE wants Gangirock. They said something about a 'true form', but I don't know how they would get that. Gangirock is just... power; isn't it?" He looked up at Akuya, and saw confusion on her face. "I don't know; I thought it was... but now..." She began to look worried, as if something was bothering her. "Let's go and see what everyone else thinks, ok?" suggested Zype. They walked over to join the others, who sat in small clustered groups, discussing what the dream meant, and how it would affect them.

(OoC: Before Tsubasa talked to Sora and Matthias) Matthias nodded, slowly. He had never been around the other angels much; this was his first time getting to talk to one of them; more than a simple 'hello' anyway. Putting his hands behind his head, he decided that it would do no good to be embarrassed about how he felt. As he spoke, he noticed the sun juuust starting to rise over the horizon, "[COLOR=Green]So, um... Sora, was it[/COLOR]?" The dark-haired girl smiled, in a good mood, for now. "[COLOR=Purple]Yeah, that's right. What are you thinking about; besides your conversation with Tsubasa[/COLOR]?" Matthias rolled his eyes. He was kindof tired of mentioning the subject already. "[COLOR=Green]Nothing much, just the fact that we're down one angel[/COLOR]." Sora looked at him strangely, and then brightened up, "[COLOR=Purple]You mean Snow? I haven't heard from her either... it's so STRANGE[/COLOR]." She toyed with her long hair; twirling it around her finger. "[COLOR=Purple]What are the plans for today, Matthias? I want a decent fight; last time, I was stuck guarding YOU while Tsubasa healed you[/COLOR]." Her tone was mocking, though probably only in jest. Matthias didn't mind, that much. "[COLOR=Green]Well[/COLOR]," he said, "[COLOR=Green]if the demons would have died like they should have, then I wouldn't have NEEDED healing[/COLOR]." He smirked, showing that he was joking. Sora smiled, saying, "[COLOR=Purple]Oh, so Matthias the pompous lightning is a FUNNY guy, huh[/COLOR]?" She walked over to him and poked him in the chest. The wind picked up, just from her movement. She grabbed his hands, and began dragging him towards the middle of camp; Matthias tried to pull away, but the wind pushed him forward each time. When the arrived, she halted, and spun around. "[COLOR=Purple]Now, that we're here... tell me about yourself Matthias; I know next to nothing about you[/COLOR]." Matthias stood, a little dumbstruck, "[COLOR=Green]Um... why[/COLOR]?" She leaned in close to him, "[COLOR=Purple]Because, if we want everyone on the same, "playing field," then everyone has to know about their comrades, am I right[/COLOR]?" Matthias gulped, nodding. This girl actually...WANTED to know about him? "[COLOR=Green]Well, um... ahh.[/COLOR].." (As you can tell, the conversation started well; it went on for around half-an-hour, and ended only when Tsubasa interuppted.) "[COLOR=Magenta]Seems like you two are finally getting along[/COLOR]," she said. Matthias blushed; he couldn't place why. The other two angels talked for a moment, while Matthias excused himself. "[COLOR=Green]I'm gonna go for a walk to clear my mind a little[/COLOR]," he replied when questioned. "[COLOR=Magenta]Alright, Matthias. But don't forget[/COLOR]..." At this he turned, "[COLOR=Green]Forget what, Tsubasa[/COLOR]?" She said, "[COLOR=Magenta]Nothing[/COLOR]," and returned to her conversation. Matthias walked out to the river, and basked for a moment in the sun's light. It felt GOOD to absorb so much energy!! But before long, he turned, and walked along the river bed, thinking. The night had been; trying. Trying to sum it up, he got confused and had to start over. He could hardly believe he had revealed his feelings!! He stooped, leaning himself agaisnt a tree. It had taken a lot out of him; to force out the secret. He needed sleep. He found his horse, grazing on the river reeds. Saddling him, he rode a ways farther, and then circled back the way they came. His attempt at scouting a bit before the days trek, had showed up nothing. He told his horse, to go back to camp, but take the longest way possible. It was time for a little well-earned shut-eye.

Name: Johnathan Stokes Age: 15 Gender: Male Personality: Even though he's only 15, he has an experianced view on life. Johnathan comes from a broken home, and it's made him think about life and it's values. He's quiet, and likes to think things out, rather than rush into things. People say he looks older than he is; maybe it's because he has such an emotionless exterior. He learned to hide his feelings during his parents break-up, and does it frequently. Johnathan doesn't have many friends, but he's loyal to the few he's been able to keep through the whole ordeal. He does feel, however, like everyone else. Sometimes, he goes off alone to think about things. Appearance: [url]http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/24421944/?qo=10&q=by%3Achristopherylee&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps[/url] Has brown hair, with blue eyes. The shirt he wears is blue, along with tan colored pants. Bio: When the ship's engine blew up, Johnathan was in his room. He had been thinking about what would happen to him when he got back home; he had had to sneak out of the house to go on this trip. He got off of his bed, and walked outside, where everyone was screaming and running around. He laughed to himself, and calmly walked back into his room. He layed down on his bed, and fell asleep; it seemed a better option than running around screaming. He thought better after sleeping anyway. When he woke up, he found that everyone was gathered on the deck. He also noticed that the ship looked to be fine condition, and that they had docked on the island. He was going to find someone to talk to, but everyone started to leave the boat. He then ran to look for a weapon, and hurriedly followed everyone. Johnathan silently cursed them for rushing so much as he caught up. Weapons: A push-broom he found in the maitence office. He didn't have too much time to check for weapons. Later on though, he'll get the sword in the picture :D.

[SIZE=1]Matthias awoke to the sound of water lapping gentlely against the river's shoreline. Sitting up, he found his horse close-by, sleeping soundly. He stood, going to rub his horse's mane affectionately. They had been through alot together, and they were about to go through so much more. With a sigh, Matthias checked his blade(s), and for the first time realized that the moon was up. He stared at it thoughtfully, and resided himself to his current mission; to disscuss what was to be done next with his Queen, Tsubasa. Working his way back to camp, he caught a glimpse of the fire, though there was no one to be seen around it. Coming around a curve in the path, he saw that there WAS someone there; the demon king, Drakkan. He had a forlorn look on his face, and he sat alone in the shadows cast by the fire. Matthias didn't know what to think of this; whether good or bad. He continued on until he reached the spot afore mentioned by Tsubasa, where she was supposedly resting this evening. She was siitting agaisnt the side of one of the pine trees, looking nowhere and not seeing. "[COLOR=Green]What's with all the saddness[/COLOR]?" remarked Matthias under his breath, as he made his presence known to Tsubasa. He bowed low, and in return recieved a wave of the hand; hopefully the sign that he could relax. He sat down opposite of the Queen, and crossed his legs; letting his arms rest on them. Matthias made no move or sound, for he could see that Tsubasa was thinking pretty deeply; even HE was not fool enough to distract the most powerful angel! After a time, she looked up; and seemingly for the first time noticing Matthias. She apologized, saying, "[COLOR=Magenta]I'm sorry, that was rude of me. You must forgive me; my mind has not been still for hours[/COLOR]." Matthias waved it off, replying, "[COLOR=Green]Forgive me if I interrupted anything, but I wished to speak with you about.... some things[/COLOR]." His tone was mysterious; even Tsubasa, who knew her angels well, could not place his mood. Intrigued, and forgetting for a time her own woe, she nodded. She wanted to know what he thought; he was a good thinker, when it was his mind, and not his mouth doing the speaking. Matthias began, "[COLOR=Green]Well, as you know, things as of late have not been...as one would have suspected them to be. We quarrel with one another over the least things, not to mention... INNER struggles... within the group[/COLOR]." At this, Tsubasa fretted, wondering if Matthias was hinting at what was going on between her and Drakkan. "[COLOR=Green]In the battle today, I noticed my powers were not CLOSE to what they once were. I usually can vanquish more than 100 demons with a single BOLT of lighting, yet as of today, I was lucky to kill ten[/COLOR]!" Matthias paused for a moment, then continued, "[COLOR=Green]And it's not just me; look at how Abbadon fared against that golem. Usually, over his element, he has complete control, but the golem was able to RESIST! I'm certain, that things are not going well[/COLOR]." When he finished his bit, Tsubasa said, assuredly, "[COLOR=Magenta]What you say is true; we do not and HAVE NOT gained back our full strength. So many years of unuse must wreak havoc with our powers, and it's only natural that we have trouble regaining them[/COLOR]." Matthias nodded, understanding her logic. "[COLOR=Magenta]Also[/COLOR]," she added, "[COLOR=Magenta]I too have noticed that we are having the same problems as before, about how someone in the group feels about each other, and how these feelings get in the way of their thinking[/COLOR]." At this, Matthias reddened, but only enough to notice slightly. But, again he nodded. Matthias then said, "[COLOR=Green]That's what I'm saying! Why are these feelings so important that they mess with our reasoning? I mean, you have to look at the situation sideways already; demons and angels working together, it JUST doesn't make sense[/COLOR]!" Tsubasa HAD to agree with him there. "[COLOR=Green]Our goal in our past life was to stop the war between heaven and hell, and we succeeded, at the cost of our lives. But now? What are we doing? We've been reborn, just to squabble about our FEELINLGS! I feel as if we're slowly growing apart again, and that soon, we will turn on each other. And being a fugitive from heaven already[/COLOR]," Matthias smiled grimly, "[COLOR=Green]that's not the course of action I would take[/COLOR]." Tsubasa listened intently as he went on, and explained how he thought they should work things; group decisons, battle tactics, so-on-and-so-forth. But it was the last part of his speech that caught her attention; "[COLOR=Green]We need everyone on the same level; the same playing field if-you-will. Personally, I know some things are better left unspoken, but I feel that in order to... to MAKE THIS WORK, we need no secrets left to hide, even... well, MY OWN secrets[/COLOR]." As he finished, Tsubasa couldn't think; he had just suggested that she TELL everyone about what she had done to Drakkan's memories! While the angel Queen battled with her emotions, Matthias raged a battle against himself; What HAD he done?! Not only did he reveal that even HE had secrets, he had said that he'd SHARE them with everyone! How could he explain how he felt; the pain of loving one, but being unable to reach them, JUST BECAUSE of angel heirarchy! He was too low-class of an angel to even CONSIDER her; she was from the top-of-the-top, and her power showed it. He was only picked as a rider, because he went above and beyond his status's limitations, fighting for them to change. It didn't happen, just landed him with the miserable job of being SO close to Tsubasa, but at the same time; far away. Suddenly, Matthias snapped out of the past, because that's just what it was; the past. He now realized, that what he had said was true, that he DID need to get this off his chest. It had been killing him for SOOOO many years, it was unfathomable! Looking to Tsubasa, he saw that she was watching him expectantly. "[COLOR=Magenta]Well[/COLOR]," she started, "[COLOR=Magenta]if you suggest that we need to share secrets, I might consider it. You are my most loyal angel, Matthias, and I trust your judgement. Also[/COLOR]," she said, looking at him with renewed interest, "[COLOR=Magenta]I'm curious to see what YOU'VE been keeping secret as well[/COLOR]." Gulping, Matthias cleared his throat. It was either now, or never. "[COLOR=Green]Well, my Queen, Rider Grace, and milady Tsubasa... I... have something that has been bothering me for awhile[/COLOR]." He stopped, nervously glancing around. Tsubasa wondered, what in the world was he going to say? This wasn't like him; he was usually so, STRAIGHTFORWARD. Matthias began again, "[COLOR=Green]I don't want this to change how you think of me; you said it yourself, "I am your most loyal angel." Well, the fact of the matter is... why I'm so loyal to you...Tsubasa... is because....I...I love you[/COLOR]." Matthias began talking fast, and didn't even notice Tsubasa; so caught up he was with explaining. "[COLOR=Green]I..I don't want you to take it the wrong way! I do love you.. but, I have for years so...I knew it would never work out. After all, you're a higher angel, and me? I'm low-class. I didn't even have MANNERS until I met you. That's what I mean...I admired you, so long from afar, I just...it wasn't right for me to have those feelings. So I hid them...and made myself love...instead of YOU...being close to you, and to do your bidding without question. It worked for so long, but I don't see why it should be a problem NOW[/COLOR]." He stopped, along with the pacing he had been doing, and fell to his knees. "[COLOR=Green]Maybe it's because, now; we don't have a home to go back to, or any other friends. When Drakkan asked you to marry him, my world collapsed. I knew it was impossible for ME to have you, but for HIM...dear God; he's a DEMON! THE demon king! For him to have you, it was too much, and I cracked. The last battle, I was the first to die...I took the arrows for you, and shielded you with my body. I...I know it didn't seem like it at the time; I was just doing my duty. But...to me, that was when I could be the closest to you, and I have always wanted nothing else[/COLOR]." At this, Matthias stood up, but stared at the ground. "[COLOR=Green]I know that this may not be the best time. You have your problems, as well as everyone else. I have seen the strain between you and Drakkan, and at the risk of me sounding selfish, I'd like to help you with...anything that you need. Tsubasa[/COLOR]?" Matthias looked up at her, for the first time since he had revealed his secret.[/SIZE]

Dragon Mist Clan Name: Matsu Takahashi Age: 27 Gender: Male Appearence: [url]http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/45119568/[/url] Bio: Good vs. Evil. Dark vs. Light. Ninja vs. Samurai. All of these things can be said about Matsu, who has experienced the best, (and worst) of both worlds. At the tender age of 6, he lived the simple life of a peasant farmer. He helped his father with the field, and his mother do the household chores. Then, without warning, his world was turned upside down. His town was raided, and the local lord and his men were nowhere to be found. Matsu tried to run, but was caught, though he fought fiercely. He would have been killed, had it not been for a lone man in the night. He attacked without warning, killilng all who came at him. Little did Matsu know, but his savior was none other than the ninja who had killed the local lord, preventing him from coming to his town's aid. The man, seeing Matsu's bravery, took him back to his clan, the Mist Dragons, who were feared throughout the southern region of Japan and it's coast. They accepted him as their own, after he proved himself by passing numerous, dangerous tests. He quickly exceled; becoming a master of both sword and diversion. By the age of 16, he was making a name for himself, through his combat skills, and his successful missions. He made a mistake, however, and that cost him everything. He crossed one of the meanest of the clans warriors, and was exiled from the clan. Being a renegade ninja, his life was not easy. The mean, powerful ninja took out many hits on Matsu, so that he was constantly going from battle to battle. Also, people who had heard of him, chased him out of town the minute they recognized him. Eventually, he got tired of going from city to city, so he went into the mountains. There he met an old samurai, who he be-friended and tutored under for 5 years. The samurai passed on his own secret fighting style to Matsu, and soon after, died. He then decided that he had lived in exile long enough, and came out of hiding. When rumors of his return reached the Mist Dragons, some of his old friends came to see him. They asked him to help them rid their leader from power; he was an evil man who listened to no one and killed as he pleased. They didn't think that he was good for the Clan's reputation. So he again fought, and succeeded in killing the leader, who was the same mean ninja from before! The Clan held a meeting, and elected to not only let Matsu rejoin the Clan, but to also make HIM the leader! Since then, he has changed the image of the Mist Dragon Clan; he accepts samurai into his service, as well as ninja and free men that he deems worthy. He keeps the title of samurai, though he can very well call upon his ninja training if need be. He is honest, though if neccessary, can twist his words to make the truth hard to find. He is calm and compassionate, and willing to trust others. His years of hardship and fighting has left him positioned against it, if at all possible. He would rather talk himself out of a fight then slaughter someone. He is also cautious, (perhaps due to his ninja training) and will sit and think rather than make a move first. He is well-liked by his clan members, and most people he lives amongst. The Amber Fire clan is his main focus right now; though he has heard rumors of invaders from the west. Weapons: Matsu uses a katana that was bestowed upon him by his samurai mentor. He was told it had mystical powers, and can only be wielded by the just. He keeps it in pristine condition, and it is his prized possession. He also has a short sword that he carries, and a knife he keeps in his boot. (OoC: Went a little deep into the bio, lol. I'll edit in another character or two in later. :D )