Ben

*ticks of fingers* Solo, Raiha, Me, terra, Boba. Okay, that's everybody who has posted semi-recently. Well.....within a reasonable amount of time. Or something. A few points about what is going on. [list]Ben, Crystal, Jedgar, and Rena are all at the entrance to the cavern where the human base is located. Alaris is slowly stumbling towards the Capital to obtain reinforcements. Of what nature they may be is undecided. Neoclone and Yoda's characters are considered NPC's by now, and are stationed at the Bird Dwelling. The Sense Leader, Grim, is leading the Sensers through the caves towards a smaller human outpost where the psychic dampener is located. [/list] [I]Some things to think about....[/I] Does anybody have any ideas as to what Ben and the rest are to do while they wait for Alaris? >_>;; What sort of clones should Alaris call for, if not some massive combined force? (The massive combined force could work too. :p) Crystal left a large force of bird-clones on the planet's surface, are we just going to leave them there? Or can we do something with them? The Sense Leader and his small army [I]will[/I] overcome the human outpost and get their powers back. Ben's will be restored as well. There will be three big contenders of psychic power; Grim, Ben, and Kione. Grim and Ben are on the same side, though, which puts Kione at a disadvantage should he be alone. The Sensers are much more skilled with their psychic abilities than the humans. Mostly, the humans use telekinesis to force things to move, or to simply focus force in a given direction. The clones are adept at playing mind games and various forms of shielding, as well as the telekinesis. I've worked out a way where the human psychics can still use their powers and the clones can't, unfair as it may seem. The psychics have weak powers of their own, as the result of genetic tampering and hyper-induced evolution. The real strength behind their abilities lies in the neuro-implants they have on various regions of their brains. A small attachment at the head of their spine (or base of the neck) shields them from the dampener's nullifying wave. The attachments are imperfect, though, and will fail every now and then. I'm opening this RPG to any and all ideas. I can see that it's nearing the end of player participation, but I just don't know where and how to end it. I could really use some input. Ten pages is too long to simply let it die out. =P

*eases into a rocking chair* I remember back in the earlier versions of OB, Recruitment and RPing were both in the same thread. People would simply insert a "Can I play?" into the middle of the story, and generally the answer was "yes." Things were very relaxed back then as far as RPGs go, especially when compared to today. People just seemed to be much more at ease about the RPGs, and didn't worry about changing the plot. A lot of times, the plot developed from the posts of the participants. The creator of the RPG was just another participant, not always exerting any more control than any other RPer. Heh, in one of my first RPGs, the participants often overruled the creator in favor of a more workable plot. Unrestricted RPGs can go one of two ways, I think. #1. With no inhibitions concerning plots, mature RPers can develop their own story and delve deeply into their own characters. They're not as concerned with introducing new NPC's and scenarios of their own. Cliffhangers wouold often be left to allow someone else to carry the story on from that point in their own fashion. #2. The RPers are too free to do as they please, or are not mature enough to handle the freedoms granted to them. Their characters may receive g0dly powers accidently, or somehow they discover the secret to saving the universe when nobody had in ten thousand years. SOmething screwy happens, and everything goes to hell. Unrestricted RPGs can be fun, but they're not always the best. :p

Okay, everybody. I finally got off my arse and decided to come and start this thing. >_>;; I'm going to let everybody who signed up participate, but if I do not like the way you are posting, I reserve the right to remove you from the RPG. If you can't handle that, then please do not participate. I'm looking for good grammar, well thought out posts, and ideas that [I]make sense.[/I] All too often I've see a Yu-Gi-Oh RPG go to waste because somebody's character [I]accidently[/I] stumbles upon the [I]one thing[/I] that can defeat the enemy and save the entire world. I mean, come on. Be realistic. Let's see if we can make this one of Otakuboards' better Yu-Gi-Oh RPGs. Good luck to all, and let's try to have some fun.

Mount Gaia. Once it was the most glorious sight a monster could see, and monsters from around the world would travel for years just to see it. Now it sat shrouded in mist, with its peak totally invisible to the naked eye. The sky around the mountain swirled in a constant spiral; a dizzying effect if one stared at it too long. Dain watched from behind a tree as a line of wagons came into view, carrying food and supplies across the barren landscape towards the silent mountain. Assorted Spellcasters lay in wait behind him, their hands, staffs, or whatever other implements they possessed already beginning their spell weaving. On the Dark Paladin's command, they would attack. The wagons were being driven by Psychic Kappas, amphibious creatures with a small resistance to enemy attacks. Tongues too long for their mouths lolled out of the Kappas' beaked face. Sparse purple hair decorated a small, vulnerable head. They are weak, Dain thought. Easily overcome. Expendable. The Dark Paladin ordered the attack, swinging his mighty bladed staff forward. Silently he charged, with others behind him shouting savage war cries and bellowing incantations. The assorted mass of Spellcasters unleashed their attacks at the hapless supply train, and it had appeared their ambush would be a success. Dain realized his mistake far too late. Out of the sky emerged a giant slithering mass of metal plates. With curved, glowing red eyes it glared at the ambush party, and settled above the supply wagons. All of the Spellcasters' magic attacks ceased to exist when they reached the Kappas and their entourage. Magic was useless against a Metallizing Parasite-Lunatite. A sudden mist blew out from the base of the mountain, and started to enfold the valued resources in its shadow. A Sorcerer of the Doomed stood nearby, uselessly flailing his staff. "What do we do?" he quickly asked the Dark Paladin. "Our magic is useless against the Lunatite!" "Send in the Maha Vailos to attack the wagons. Their Axes of Despair should make quick work of Kione's supplies." "What about the rest of us?" the skeletal sorcerer inquired. "Follow them in and attack when the Lunatite is destroyed." Dain replied. Then he ran off into the mist. Suddenly, out of the shroud of water particles emerged a Fenrir, its mouth agape and drooling. Dain quickly cut it down, but noticed that several packs of them were present in the concealing mist. He could hear the screams of hapless Spellcasters as they fell to the ravenous river dogs. Dain ran onward towards the hulking Lunatite in the sky, felling more Fenrirs as they ran in to stop him. A Metal Fish stood just ahead of him, beneath the Lunatite. Dain jumped atop of the aquatic machine and leapt from there to the Lunatite's back. The metal monster bucked beneath him, sending Dain hurtling down its elongated spine. He managed to slip one of his hands in between the plates, though, and clawed his way back up the creatures back. When he reached the head, he pulled back his great bladed staff and drove it through the creature's head. It bucked violently and fell to the ground, and Dain felt his magic once again flow through him. "Giant Trunade!" he thundered, unleashing a great whirlwind. The mist shrouding the supply train vanished, and the Fenrirs suddenly became more than just shadows of the mist. They stood starkly out against the dark wasteland they stood upon, and the Spellcasters made quick work of them. A Dimensionhole was quickly erected, and the injured were sent through immediately to receive care at the nearest Alliance camp. "Nice try, Kione. But you'll not catch me unawares next time." As if in response to his remark, a jet of flame erupted from one of the higher regions of the mountainside. Dragons were coming. "Let's move out." he ordered tersely. The Dimensionhole was closed, and the Spellcasters set off for home at a brisk pace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you haven't already, please check out the Recruitment Thread before posting. Any questions, comments, and the like can be directed to me via PM or AIM. I'll be setting up a thread in the Arena Underground for discussion just as soon as I hear back from certain people. Have fun.

[FONT=Arial][B]Character Name(s):[/B] Yabaku28 [B]Anime Stereotype:[/B] Dazed and confused domestic robot. [B]Age:[/B] 3(?) [B]Gender:[/B] N/A, but appears more masculine than feminine. [B]Year:[/B] Senior [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://www.comune.modena.it/glamazonia/mij/cronologie/p-z/imm_p-z/super_robot_28-anime-th.jpg]Take out the remote controller.[/URL] [B]Alignment:[/B] Good [B]Extra Subjects:[/B] -Monster Control w/ Applied Spirit Taming -Magic Casting -Metalwork and Forgery -Transformation -Cooking [B]Accommodation:[/B] The space between the soda machine and the snack machine. [B]Bio:[/B] Yabaku28's memory started the first day of school Freshman year. He didn't know much about the world, or the school, or anything, for that matter. Upon coming online, he noticed a letter in his hand. It read: [I]Yabaku28, you are to study at this school for the next four years. If you leave the school grounds, you will self-destruct. That's about it. See you at your graduation ceremony, where I will explain everything. Yours truly, Your Creator[/I] Puzzled by the message, and still a little unsteady on his feet, Yabaku28 lurched around the school. Confused, uneasy, and otherwise uncomfortable, he was unfortunate enough to walk into the Senior quarterback of the football team. The kid laughed at him and taunted him. He got a couple of his friends together, and introduced Yabaku28 to Mr. Swirly, the school's excrement facilitator. Luckily for Yabaku28, his circuits scrambled and zapped the humans, who ran away scared. A staff member came into the bathroom and gently guided the dripping robot into his office. Through his foggy vision receptors, Yabaku28 saw a sign on the office door. [B][I]"Guidance."[/I][/B] He was saved! [SIZE=1]Or so he thought...[/SIZE] The Guidance councillor was a very energetic and optimistic man. He said that Yabaku28 should avoid those extra classes that would be best fitted for him, like the Engineering or the Use of Oversized Weapons courses. He instead suggested a few more enlightened topics, like Cooking, Monster Control w/ Applied Spirit Taming, Magic Casting. Things that would bring out another, better side of him. The industrious guidance councillor had already put down three of the classes before Yabaku28 got his wits about him once again. He halted the man's happy advance and made him put down two of what seemed to be more suitable classes. Metalwork and Forgery, and Transformation. After all, what robot doesn't want to be more than meets the eye? The first year was horrendous for him. More often than not, the creatures feared his cold steel touch, or they were accidently squished by Yabaku28's large feet. Several times he had to save the class from some of the larger creatures, which gained him marginal respect. The spirits totally and utterly ignored him no matter what he tried. Magic was much along the same lines. Yabaku28 could not cast a single spell or enchantment, although he was quite capable of accomplishing almost the same effect by his mechanical prowess. Cooking, though, was a blessing in disguise. Ironically, Yabaku28 made a fabulous cook, even though he himself could not eat or smell anything. His cookies were the best, his cakes were the best, his soups were the best. Everything he made totally annihilated the competition. (That only happened once literally, though.) Yabaku28 was asked to help the lunch ladies after school, which he does with much enthusiasm. More than anything, Yakabu28 wants to know why he was made, why he has to stay at the school, and who created him. He had no real purpose, except to take classes at the school and graduate. And why couldn't he leave the school? It just wasn't fair.... Yabaku28 would do [I]anything[/I] for the chance to leave the school. [B]Special Powers/Abilities:[/B] Inspector Gadget/ Jenny from My Life as a Teenage Robot-ish mechanations. [B]Sworn Enemy:[/B] Kids who put quarters in him by mistake. And jocks, whom he absolutely despises.[/FONT]

[QUOTE=Balmon][U]Lady Cathryn and Skythar[/U] Elys ? Castle Peryson ? Dungeons (3rd sub-floor) The 3rd floor dungeons held men far too dangerous to even themselves. These were the madmen, the utterly ruthless, the damned. Rarely were they let out of their cells, and if they are, no fewer than five Royal Guards are set on them. ?One-Split, you there?? inquired a deep voice from one of the cells. ?What do you want, Rutledge?? replied another voice. ?He said he was coming tonight, right?? ?Keep track of your own fucking dates,? growled back One-Split. One-Split referred to the hideous weapon he had used on the outside, a blade so sharp it could split a man from head to toe in a single slice. ?Hey, whoreson,? that was an actual fact, ?he has an interesting offer for us. Before you fire off your fucking trap again, this time, listen to what he has to say. He?s obviously patient, and so far, each time you?ve opened your bloody mouth, he?s left?? he trailed off as he saw a guard making the rounds. A small group of footmen guarded the entranceway to the prison, and so far tonight, little had passed between them besides money. Another evening of a friendly game of dice? though from the look of things so far, the friendly game could quickly turn not so friendly. ?I win again! I can?t believe my luck!? shouted Warrean. It was actually his 5th take tonight, out of 7 rounds of rolling. The 6 other guards watched in disbelief as three guards lost their bets to Warrean again. ?This is unbelievable! I?ve never won anything like this in my life!? No one really liked Warrean all that much. Frankly, if they had to sacrifice a guard to the monsters in the cells, Warrean would be their first pick. Losing to him was worse than losing to their own sisters. They were about to start another round when they heard footsteps coming down. They all quickly placed their hands on the hilts of their swords and lined the walls of the entranceway?[/QUOTE] The door burst suddenly open, and a dark figure stood sketchily outlined by torchlight. The guards squinted through the darkness, swords still held menacingly forward. "Show yourself!" one of them demanded. Skythar stepped forward, condescension clearing showing on his face. He was quite close to sneering at the lowly footmen. Drawing back his dark overcoat, he pulled out his own rapier with a steely hiss. "Get out of my way or I'll pin you to the wall." "My...my Lord Skythar! We had no idea you were coming! We were just...uh...we were just...." the guard looked at the dice uncomfortably. "Leave me with the prisoners." snapped Skythar shortly. "I would have words with them, and I don't feel like sharing those words with all of you." "Ye-yes my lord!" the guard stammered. The rest of the guards put away their swords and picked up the dice. They all slowly shuffled out, and one of them turned back at the door. "Oh! We missed a pair of dice. My lord, if you don't mind...?" Skythar picked up the dice and casually bounced them on his palm. "They're loaded." he said. "Whoever was using them was cheating." All eyes were on Warrean when Skythar closed the door, and he heard a scuffled breaking out as he approached the cell that housed the two most vicious criminals of the whole lot. He had come to them several times before, stufying them, mostly. They knew that he was up to something; something that required them in some way. "Good evening, gentlemen." Skythar said to them. One-Split sauntered easily over to the bars of the cell. "What do you want, pansy?" "Respect, for starters. If I can't get respect from you two animals, then I certainly can't begin to trust you." "What do you need us for, [I]sir?[/I]" asked the other, called Rutledge. Skythar smiled faintly at the small gesture of humility. "I've got a job for you two. Obviously it can't be done while you're in here, so the first thing I'll do, should you accept, would be to get you out of here." "You've got [I]my[/I] attention." said Rutledge. "Mine, too." nodded One-Cut grimly. Skythar leaned in closer to the cell. "I want you to kill the king for me."

[center][b][font=Trebuchet MS][size=3]Issue 2: Insurance[/size][/b][/center] Friar?s Diner always had the pleasant aroma of freshly baked bread about it. Even though it was now a dining establishment and not just a bakery, some things did not and could not change. The aforementioned fragrance being the most noticeable of these things, the abundance of flour in the workplace and the homey warmth of the place lent to the thought of Friar?s Diner as still being a bakery. Not too long ago, the place was known as Friar?s Pastries. Several patrons still referred to it as such, either out of habit or just indifference to the change. Larry Friar did not mind the reputation in the least. So long as at least a few people knew that the Friars were also serving meals, that side of the business was both manageable and profitable. Larry liked both of the results. He liked it when he could serve people in short order, and he especially liked his family making a dollar here and there. Since his father?s retirement, Larry?s family had not needed much in the way of money, and the Diner was as much as a second home as it was a family run business. Extra income helped support Timothy, who alone did not contribute to the family?s ventures. Larry looked up from his grill as his eldest sister, Agatha, walked into the kitchen. She was a tall woman, with iron gray hair and an only slightly wrinkled face. Larry watched as she stooped her lean frame over one of the numerous ovens, peering inside for a moment before carefully shutting it again. She adjusted one of the dials of the machine and straightened herself. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead with a flour-covered hand, she spoke. ?You?d better have someone come and take a look at this oven, Larry. It?s about fifty degrees off.? she said seriously. Then her demeanor changed. ?What?s so funny?? Larry was chuckling slightly, his face broken into a broad smile. He turned back towards his work station, not answering his sister?s question. He began cutting several carrots to be put into a salad, skillfully avoiding injuring his own calloused fingers. Several scars could be seen faintly beneath the rough exteriors of the digits, a testament to Larry?s education in the culinary arts. Knives made good teachers, and their instruction remained long after Larry?s first cut had healed. Agatha had given up on getting a response from her younger brother, and instead called in their youngest sister, Amy. Amy walked through the double doors to the kitchen, and quickly put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Her slim figure was bent over, with hazel eyes peering out over fingertips. ?You?re face, Agatha! You?ve somehow gotten flour all over it!? she exclaimed. Larry smiled broadly, his back to both sisters. Several order sheets came in through the window, and he hastened over to get them. Larry looked them over, and then went to prepare the meals. Amy walked out through the double doors to prepare coffee for the waiting customers. ?Agatha, I?m going to need two baskets of rolls for here and a loaf of bread to go.? he said. ?Alright, Larry.? she affirmed. She had just finished letting her sister wipe the flour from her face. Now she was on her way through the divide between the kitchens, back to the flour filled bakery section. Larry was in a good mood, and he quickly and carefully poured out four large bowls of beef stew. As soon as the first basket of rolls came, the order would be ready to go. Larry hastened over to his grill, where he began to cook two grilled cheese for the second order. Larry hadn?t noticed it yet, but the diner had become unusually quiet. The idle chatter that usually permeated through to the kitchen was absent. Even on slow days, there were at least the regulars that came in during their breaks to talk and enjoy a cup of coffee. Suddenly, a slip came through the order window. The first order had cancelled, and the customers had apologized for the inconvenience. Then another slip. And another. All the orders had been cancelled, each with sincere apologies. Despite the apologies, Larry was slightly irritated. While it was not much trouble to ready the meals, if the prepared plates were not sold soon, they would get cold and go to waste. Nettled and a bit curious, Larry stepped out into the quiet diner, unconsciously still holding his metal spatula. ?Come on, toots. Just a little peck on the cheek.? Larry came to an abrupt stop just through the doors. Two well-dressed men were the only people present in the diner, besides the Friars and a very few of the regulars. One of the men, named Evan, was massive, with thick arms and a broad chest. He was holding Larry?s third sister, Melissa, with her arms behind her back. The second, named Stan, had cornered Amy, and was slowly leaning in towards her face. SLAM. Larry?s spatula came down hard on the counter next to him, demanding the attention of the two men. Startled, the two jumped at the sound and looked around quickly. They turned their attention to the Fat Friar, releasing their holds on the two women. ?Melissa, Amy, go to the kitchen.? The two women fearfully complied. ?Everybody else, I must kindly ask you to exit. If you have not already paid, the meal is on the house. Please leave. Now.? Larry kept his voice level, despite the twinge of fear he was feeling. He knew these two men. One was short and wiry, with a narrow, pockmarked face. The other was huge, standing slightly over six feet tall and with a chest like that of a horse. They were representatives from the city Mafia. They had been around before, harassing customers outside of the diner and sometimes coming inside to call on Larry. Their presence was bad for business, and they knew it. Every couple of weeks they would come inside and make the same request. If indeed it could be called a request. Larry scowled. The two Mafia flunkies kept asking him to pay for ?insurance? from the Mafia. When he had initially refused their proposition, they had sent threatening letters to Larry?s parents. Past that, they sabotaged food deliveries to the diner, tipped over trash cans in the area, and then finally they killed one of the more generous regulars; an elderly Jewish banker. The whole situation had the family in shambles. Neither Agatha nor Larry thought that the payments should be made. They did not want to give in to ?that underworld scum? as Agatha had put it. Amy and Melissa were both terrified by the situation, particularly after the murder. They wanted more than anything to just give the Mafia men what they wanted so that they could be left alone. Larry had seen the two men traveling around the town, similarly threatening and ruining other smaller, family owned businesses. Larry was getting tired of the whole thing. ?What do you want?? he asked rather pointlessly. ?It?s not what [I]we[/I] want.? replied Stan, the smaller of the two men. ?It?s what [I]you[/I] want.? said the second man. ?Don?t you want a nice, safe environment for your fine establishment?? pressed the little one. ?We can do it for you. Our new boss just wants one little, itty, bitty donation.? ?A month.? added the bigger man. ?New boss?? Larry arched his eyebrows. ?This is how it is, fat man.? snapped the weasel-like Mafioso. ?If you wish to practice your culinary arts in our area, you need to have insurance. And in order to get insurance, we want a regular donation.? ?Like once a month.? Evan supplied. ?Thank you, Evan.? Stan nodded appreciatively. Larry shook his head adamantly. ?I?m still not paying.? ?The repercussions of that action could come back to haunt you.? warned Stan. ?We of the organization would hate to see something happen to your sisters.? ?Don?t you [I]dare[/I] threaten my family.? Larry quickly replied in a firm voice, clenching his free hand into a fist. The little Mafioso pulled out a switchblade, and the big one cracked his knuckles ominously. ?Or what, pray tell?? he demanded. Then he glanced to the side and puckered his lips. Larry looked over and saw Amy?s frightened eyes peering through the order window. That was the last straw for him. ?Amy, RUN!? Larry?s spatula swung in a wide arc from his side, smashing into Stan?s pockmarked face and causing him to stagger sideways. The head of the spatula snapped off, and Larry discarded the rest of the instrument. He charged the stunned little man, pushing him over and kicking his knife towards the door. The big Mafioso grabbed him by the collar, dragged him back, and punched him squarely in the face. Larry?s senses reeled, and he staggered back and tripped over a stool. He went down to the ground hard, still trying to focus his eyes. ?Kill the fuckin? bastard!? came Stan?s shrill command. Larry regained enough of his vision and balance to stand up, and he could see the huge wall of man that was slowly approaching. Larry bent his head under a massive punch and buried his shoulder in Evan?s stomach. The two fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. They rolled around on the floor, grappling back and forth. The Mafia man eventually got on top, and put his large hands about Larry?s neck to squeeze the life from him. For a minute Larry thought his end had come. He was going to die on the floor of his family?s diner. Alone, with two petty criminals the cause of his death. ?Come on, Evan, you can take him!? encouraged the little criminal One of Larry?s arms was futilely trying to dislodge his assailant?s grip, and the other was desperately grasping the man?s throat. Larry was beginning to black out, his vision fading and sounds beginning to dull. In his mind he could see his sisters, his parents, and then finally his brother; the poor one-legged drunkard. Something deep within him stirred, and quite suddenly, his failing senses were revived. The huge hitman was still situated atop of Larry, but his hands were at his own throat, not Larry?s. He was making strangling noises, and he haphazardly got to his feet. He could not breath, and blisters were slowly beginning to form on his feverish skin. An animal sort of panic had overcome him, and he stumbled around, blood-flecked foam coming from his mouth in weak half-coughs. The smaller man watched in revulsion as Evan?s face turned various shades of darker colors, and then the massive man finally collapsed to the ground. Dead. Larry stood up from the ground, rather shaken by what had happened. He was shivering in fear, panic, and emotions he could not recognize. A man lay dead on the floor of his family?s diner, killed by some sudden, unimaginable sickness. Larry looked down at his own hands, the calloused digits of his fingers peering back at him. Had he somehow done this? Larry did not have much time to ponder the question, though. The remaining Mafia man was angry and upset over the death of his partner, and had begun a charge at the overweight chef. Larry reached out and grabbed Stan by the shoulders, halting his furious run. Then he punched him across the face, sending him head over heels past the edge of the counter. The little man scrambled to his feet, blinking through a sudden heavy sweat. Then he shivered violently, as if he were suddenly struck by cold. Shaking unsteadily, the little Mafioso ran out the door, picking up his knife on the way out. ?You ain?t heard the last of us, Friar! We?ll be back, and you?ll be dead!? then he coughed violently and staggered down the street. Larry picked up a stool and sat down. He was exhausted. Physically and mentally, it seemed, he had overextended himself. He was drenched in sweat, and he could feel his heart pounding within his bruised chest. Larry glanced down at the corpse lying at his feet, and then reached over towards the phone. He dialed three quick numbers. ?Officer Johanson? This is Larry over at Friar?s diner. There?s been an accident.? It had been two days since the incident at the diner, and the police hadn?t really been of much help. They concluded that Evan could not have been murdered by Larry, but rather was killed by a very peculiar illness. It was as if his whole body was afflicted with some major failure. His autopsy had revealed much of the nature of the disease, including what had ultimately killed the huge criminal. His throat had swelled shut. The esophageal tissue had been scarred and had swelled exponentially, sealing off all airflow. The doctors discovered blood clots, all throughout the Mafioso?s bloodstream. Ulcers had erupted in his stomach, the digestive acid leaking out into the body and collapsing more tissues. His kidneys had failed, his heart was seized by a massive attack, and his brain had suffered a stroke. A sudden and violent spike in body temperature had caused his skin to blister horribly. All of these problems seemed to have emerged almost simultaneously, and no one knew how or why. It was a medical nightmare, and a mystery. Larry shuddered inwardly at the policeman?s awful description of the symptoms. They were all so terrible separately. Together, they left no fathomable chance of survival. He got the idea that he was in some way responsible, but everybody else believed otherwise. After all, they said, he was just an overweight cook at a small family diner. There was nothing extraordinary about [I]any[/I] of his existence, except perhaps his cholesterol level. It was all very scary and confusing. Larry fervently hoped that things would clear up and be better soon.[/font]

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']Hey, don't blame me, I was being perfectly mature.[/color][/quote] [quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']Actually I'm more jealous of the fact that you can write your name in the snow with your pee and I can't. Damn you with your Y chromosome! I want to write my name in the snow too.[/color][/quote] Perfectly, indeed. [quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']I doubt that seeing a woman's exposed breasts on a regular basis is going to cause a rise in teen pregnancies. I think that would be more along the lines of a limited distrubution of condoms and contraceptives than to the fact that some 45 year old is walking around topless.[/color][/quote] I had meant it as an indirect cause. If more girls start walking around topless, guys may get hot over it and be more amped to get laid. Who knows, the extra freedom and fresh air might turn on some girls, too. *shrug* [quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']As for a rise in abortions in adults. If an adult has a steady income, what's to stop him or her from purchasing impliments to prohibit pregnancy or impregnating someone.[/color][/quote] Indeed, what [I]is[/I] to stop them? You tell me. Topless world or not, there's still the same problem. Most of what I said before was based on the idea of an [I]enforced[/I] toplessness. I wasn't thinking about the gradual integration. My apologies on any and all confusion brought on by the matter.

The CG animation would be a nice twist, I think. I'd watch it, had I cable on my TV. Even if it is too late for hardcore digimon fans, there's still new generations of kids to pick up on the series and carry the merchandise market. I'm still trying to puzzle just who it is that is standing off to the left in that first picture. It looks like some sort of hyped-up Wargreymon. The middle is obviously Omnimon, although I've now idea how they plan on fitting him into the series; considering his formation on the Internet and whatnot. The third is that Bio-merge from 03, isn't it? That'd be an interesting explanation too. Is Takato trapped in the Digital World? Oh, this sounds like fun. v_v

[quote name='Harry']I'm glad you're just making stuff up with no proof and all. Actually there's proof against you since Europe isn't one big pedophile orgy.[/quote] Geez, forgive me for speculating. :rolleyes: Europe is also different from our own country, with many diverse cultures, different from our own. Who knows how a healthy German or French teen may react in comparison to a heavyset American man who doesn't think he's ever going to get laid? I don't know. Maybe you do. *shrug*

[quote name='shadowofdeath13][font=Century Gothic][color=darkred]I disagree because I think people would get used to the sight of breasts and they wouldnt be viewed as a sexual object anymore or at least not so much. So maybe then people would start to relate a nude body to beauty more than sex.[/color'][/font][/quote] I will agree to that. Change can and will indeed happen, with time, and with new and different people. But what of the first few days, months, and years of this? It does take time for change, and during that time, the things I've listed have a good chance of increasing, I think.

So much for the requested maturity of the thread. Thanks a lot, Chibihorsewoman. =/ Just a quick thought on the subject though; think of the effects that encouraged toplessness could have: [B]Increase in:[/B] The amount of teenagers having sex. The number of teenage pregnancies. (And tied into that, the number of abortions by unwilling and unready teens) Heck, the number of abortions by adults. The number of reported (or not reported) rapes. Pedophilia. Maybe even Necrophilia. 0.o What I'm getting at is, if a man was to go walking around in an environment filled with something that he views as sex objects, his sex drive could be exponentially hyped up. The number and frequency of the events I've listed could go up. Is that something we want to happen?

I always thought it was pretty tragic whenever Vectorman died in his games. I mean, the guy literally fell to pieces. Pitiful.

People who think they're smarter than everyone else. But they really are [B]far[/B] from it. Or people who think they're making intelligent discussion and valid arguments, but are really just annoying.

*murmers* So many, many memories of OB. I don't recall appreciating much when I first came onto OB. I was younger, and [strike]insufferable [/strike] [strike]very arrogant[/strike] arrogant. My first topic, I think, was entitled "Bring it On." It was in the Digimon forum, and it was a challenge to everyone to test my digimon knowledge. I was unshakeable in my supreme knowledge of all things Digimon-related. Ginny and a certain cynic were more than happy to bring me down to earth. Disproving my opinion that I alone was the supreme knowledgeable being of the Digimon forum, they quickly became my close friends. Beyond them, I remember befriending nintendo_era and Digimon Creator (Maker?). More friends followed, as did more threads and I eventually branched out of the Digimon forum. My first RPG. Heh. It was a Digimon one, naturally. I believe that Renee started it, and it had been going for some time before I came into it. Things were much more informal back then and I leapt right into the story. I was a kid with a Puppetmon, and I'd randomly show up saying something like "If you ever need help, just call." Naturally, nobody called. So I wound up showing up in the midst of things and saying: "You didn't call." It was an interesting time. I think it was either deleted or lost in a version change. I don't believe it just died. [B]The Digistory.[/B] This was perhaps the single most influential series of threads in my entire history here at OB. It was the first one I actually signed up for, I think, and the one I followed closest to its end. It was incredible. Sara, Ginny, ZeroSama, Kitell (went by some other name formerly), and later on KariKamiya. Zero and I would constantly get into arguments over the direction the RPG would take. He would post something, and it would usually be ignored because of its stubborn senselessness. It sort of fell apart after the first few chapters were deleted; wiped away by a version change. Gee, I suddenly feel nostalgic.

[FONT=Arial][CENTER][U][B][SIZE=4]"The Daughter"[/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B]Weapon of Choice:[/B] A pair of unique hybrid weapons. While functioning much like the [URL=http://www.gungfu.com/pics_general/pics_weapons/weapons_traditional_yuanyang_razors.jpg]Yuan Yang Razors*[/URL], the addition of [URL=http://www.freewebs.com/benjimon/Spiked%20Handles.JPG]spikes*[/URL] around the handle and the curved metal of a [URL=http://www.chinavoc.com/kungfu/images/hook.gif]hook*[/URL] on the longer end lend these weapons a greater ability to control. Blade weapons may be directed elsewhere if caught between the [URL=http://www.freewebs.com/benjimon/Spiked%20Handles.JPG]spikes*[/URL] . Likewise, the hooks can catch certain attacks and effectively ensnare the weapon. With the incredible dualism inherent in these weapons, they function not only as hooks, but again, as [URL=http://www.gungfu.com/pics_general/pics_weapons/weapons_traditional_yuanyang_razors.jpg]Yuan Yang Razors*[/URL]. With the length of the blade running down the forearm of her arm, The Daughter is able to use the smaller blades on the opposite end from the hook to guard and for closer ranged fighting. [SIZE=1]*Hyperlinks.[/SIZE] [B]Appearance:[/B] See the attachment, please. [CENTER][U][B]Sample of "The Daughter"[/B][/U][/CENTER] ?Do it again.? ?[I]Again,[/I] Sensei?? ?Yes.? ?But I just now did it for the first time.? she protested. ?Then, you will do it for the second time, next.? ?I won?t do it. You can?t make me.? SLAP. ?Do as he says.? ?Wha-? Father? What are you-? SLAP. ?Now.? ?Yes, father.? she replied tearfully. With that, Kyoko set herself in her fighting stance. She got control of her breathing, and then attempted a flying leap at her Sensei, her Hybrids pressed firmly against her forearms. The old master?s katana flicked upward to slice her in half, and Kyoko whipped the right blade out to intercept it. The two collided, and the old man?s blade was deflected upward, and Kyoko whipped the right blade out from her other arm. But the old man was too swift for her, even despite the stage of life he was in. His katana moved right back down to block the second offensive. Kyoko landed softly on her feet. The drill was over; done in only a few seconds. The master was unharmed. She had failed. Master Yhan, her sensei, was not pleased. She did not feel like listening to his reprimand, and turned away. [I]CLANG![/I] It was pure luck that saved her. Yhan had suddenly made a strong horizontal stroke at Kyoko?s head, which could have severed her head from her body. She had just raised her hand to brush her hair back when he struck. The katana forced her own weapon against her head, knocking her over and momentarily disorienting her. Kyoko heard the old man let loose a savage cry and she desperately rolled out of the way, tucking in her arms to prevent being cut by the Hybrids. She could hear the katana slice through the practice mat behind her. She ran into a wall and stopped. She screamed. There was an incredibly sharp pain in her leg, and she was shocked into immobility, still shrieking herself hoarse. She had been stabbed, she realized. The old b****** had stabbed her! She gave an agonized wail as the blade retreated from her leg, but gritted her teeth and flipped up to her feet, leaning noticeably on her right leg. She blinked back tears and saw her former tutor being restrained by clan members. Her father stood nearby, watching with controlled anger. ?Why didn?t you kill him?? Kyoko lost control of herself for a moment and fell back against the padded wall. He was angry at [I]her?[/I] After what had just happened? After one of his men tried to kill his own daughter?! She was crushed. She had done for her father; suffering hours of merciless tutelage under different martial arts masters, striving to achieve [I]his[/I] dream . It was his twisted dream to make her his perfect bodyguard and assassin. He had told her so. Yasou had hid none of his plans from her. She was his confidant, his one and only trust. He had told her that, too. And that was what had eventually sealed her loyalty. She wanted to please her father, more than anything. And right now, what he wanted was an old man, dead by her hands. ?I?ll do it.? she croaked. ?Let him come.? ?What?? her father snapped. ?I will kill him for you, father. Just release him.? there was a lump in her throat and she wavered unsteadily on her feet. Yasou sneered. ?I might as well. It?s apparent that my dream has failed. You?ve disappointed me.? ?LET HIM GO!? Kyoko screamed. ?Let me prove myself to him!? The two clan members reluctantly released the master, who promptly picked up his katana. He ran his hand up the blade, and then killed the two men who had just restrained him. Yasou?s father pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. ?I will get you for that, if she does not.? Yhan shook his head arrogantly. ?I am prepared to die.? he said. He began his approach on Kyoko, who also advanced, albeit slowly. Yhan?s katana was low, and he was relaxed. The girl was skilled, and knew much, but he was a master of his style. No [I]teenage girl[/I] would kill him, that much was certain. His thoughts were more concerned with the Yasou, and how to disarm him. Yhan?s divided concentration would ultimately cost him his life. Yhan was so preoccupied with Yasou?s gun that he did not notice the girl?s stance. It was different, with the weapons's longer, hook-edged sides facing outward. Not the close ranged forearm technique he had been teaching her to use. The stance left her open, though, and he took advantage of that, lashing at her chest with the katana. She had begun to move before him, though, and something very unexpected occurred. Kyoko had hooked the two end of her Hybrid?s together, and was swinging them in a circular parry that would have deflected the katana. But, instead of the edges of the two weapons striking each other and the katana being driven away, the sword's blade traveled through the Hybrid?s handle and was hurled from Yhan's grasp. The Hybrid flew off with the blade, leaving a surprised Kyoko with one weapon, and chagrined a Yhan with none. The teary-eyed sixteen year-old girl flipped her remaining weapon to the shorter, pointed edge, and plunged it into Yhan?s chest. The old man's eyes widened, and he coughed up blood. Kyoko let the weapon go, and Yhan fell to the ground. She looked up at her father with a red, blood spattered face and a wan smile. Yasou clapped softly and then spoke. ?You?ll have to be faster next time.?[/FONT]

Here's what I've got currently. Suggestions, questions and comments would be more than helpful. ^_^ [B]Tribute Monsters[/B] Machine King Airknight Parshath [B]Non-Tribute Monsters[/B] Cyber Jar D.D. Crazy Beast Zolga Hyper Hammerhead Newdoria Man-Eater Bug Mataza the Zapper Dark Jeroid Zombyra the Dark Spirit Reaper Slate Warrior Giant Orc Giant Orc Giant Orc Archfiend Soldier Sangan Witch of the Black Forest Exiled Force [B]Magic Cards[/B] Rush Recklessly Rush Recklessly Banner of Courage Banner of Courage Nobleman of Crossout Mask of the Accursed Kaiser Colosseum United We Stand Monster Reborn Dark Hole MST MST MST Change of Heart Graceful Charity Harpie's Feather Duster [B]Traps[/B] Imperial Order Magic Cylinder Horn of Heaven Magic Drain Waboku Jar of Greed Everyone and their mom seems to have a Jinzo in my area (besides me :P) so I put in several things to combat them. The most obvious should be Horn of Heaven, one of the few Trap cards able to seal Jinzo's power away. [B]Mask of the Accursed[/B]; stalling with a little burn. [B]Banner of Courage and Rush Recklessly[/B]; overpower Jinzo. [B]Exiled Force, Man-Eater, Newdoria, Cyber Jar[/B]; Kill the *******. [B]Slate Warrior + Dark Jeroid[/B]; Drain Jinzo's ATK Points. [B]Slate Warrior[/B]; if I get lucky, Slate Warrior can match Jinzo with its Flip-Effect. [B]Hyper Hammerhead[/B]; I can either hope for an attack, or ram it into Jinzo. Either way, Jinzo leaves the field. EDIT: [B]Machine King[/B]; The second Jinzo comes to the field, Machine King gets another +100 ATK points, making the two of them even. This Deck isn't specifically designed to destroy Jinzo, mind you. I've just taken steps to account for the many duelists in my area who have them.

Questioning a bit further on Skill Drain; does it negate Flip Effects? And does anybody know where I can get an official ruling; so as to prove to others at the nearby tournament of these facts? We have no moderators who play the game themselves. Just worthless store employees. :p Thank you, DB, for reminding me of the chainability factor inherent in Jar of Greed. ^_^ Something I just thought of, as I sorted through my cards... Would a Jinzo negate the effect of Dark Coffin? Dark Coffin-PGD-047 [Trap Card] [I]When this face-down card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, your opponent must select and execute 1 of the following effects: Discard 1 card in his/her hand. Select 1 Monster on his/her side of the field and destroy it.[/I] Additionally, could this effect be activated when your opponent has no hand? Or no monsters on the field? If it could, would it force them to take the alternative effect? Ah, I love asking questions. :p

I'm making a Skill Drain deck, and I'd like to hear the official ruling on it and what effect it has on certain cards. Does anyone know where I could find it? Or if they know it, could someone tell me? In your opinion, would Jar of Greed be worthwile in a deck of 41+ cards? Would the speed be justified for the space? One last thing for now, could Lightforce Sword interrupt a card summoning? For example, your opponent removes a monster from the field to Tribute Summon a monster, could you activate Lightforce Sword to remove the Tribute monster from play at that time? I only ask because it happened in the show. I wasn't sure if it was just another discrepancy. EDIT: I just remembered something that happened last week at the tournament. If my opponent attacks with Spear Dragon, and I activate Magic Cylinder, would Spear Dragon still switch to Defense Position, even though I 'negated' the attack? Or would the negation cause it's effect to be nulled?

[QUOTE][I]Heart of Clear Water keeps the Fire Princess and Inferno alive until their effects can be used.[/I][/QUOTE] I could be mistaken, but I think the text on Heart of Clear Water prohibits its usage on monsters with ATK of 1300 or higher. I'm fairly certain that Fire Princess has 1300 ATK points, which would render the combo useless. When I tried to make a Pyro deck, I put in a [I]Little Chimera,[/I] and then used [I]that[/I] with the Heart of Clear Water. All in all, they look great, though. ^_^ I'd love to try out the Deck Destruction one, but sadly I lack most of the cards required. :p

[FONT=Arial][B]Name:[/B] Larry Friar [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Age:[/B] 47 [B]Biography:[/B] Larry Friar grew up in a well-to-do neighborhood of Key City. His family was not by any means rich, but they got by on what they owned. Larry?s father was an electrician, and often worked late doing jobs for large companies. Being a kind man, he spent his days applying his trade to the various family-owned shops and diners in the city, free of charge. He was always on the lookout for the underdog. Larry?s mother was the typical housewife, managing the home and children while her husband was away. Larry was the middle child of five, with two older sisters, a younger sister, and one younger brother. Every now and then his mother would take a job knitting some item of clothing or another, bringing in a few extra dollars. She was an excellent cook, and was very well appreciated by her family. Time passed, and Larry?s family had grown up. His father was retired, and his mother still did the occasional knitting. His sisters had opened up a bakery on the far side of town, which Larry?s mother frequented. [I]Friar?s Pastries[/I] is was called. The sisters hadn?t wanted anything to name it anything spectacular. ?After all,? they said. ?It?s just a [I]bakery.[/I]? Larry?s brother, Timothy, grew up and got a scholarship for football in a nearby town. He had tried out for the quarterback position, but wound up tripping in a gopher hole and breaking his leg. Not only did he fail to get the position, but his scholarship was revoked and he was kicked out of school; as the family could not afford such an education at the time. Worst of all, a distinct lack of physical care and a feeling of apathy (both results of the accident) led his leg to becoming infected. A month later, it was amputated. In his own eyes, Timothy?s future was ruined. At the time of the accident, Larry was working at a shipping company, unloading and loading cargo on the docks. It was heavy labor, and Larry was the fittest he had ever been. When he heard about his brother?s accident, he fell into a bit of a depression, and he slacked off of work. He began to spend more time at Friar?s Bakery, consuming cupcakes and Danish as a way to ward off the gloom. Larry grew guilty of mooching off of his sisters, and decided to work off his feelings in the kitchen. In his spare time, he talked to his mother about cooking, and learned the tools of the trade from him. Working as much as he was in a bakery and having quit his job at the docks, Larry began to put on weight. A few years later, Larry and his sisters made the decision to change the bakery into a well established diner. They still kept their baked goods, but expanded on the building. Booths were put in, and meals were to be served. Larry himself put together the menu. Such a family venture had never been done by the Friar?s as far back as can be remembered. It would be the beginning of something great. [I]Friar?s Diner[/I] was open, with the ?Fat Friar? at the grill. [B]Personality:[/B] Larry loves his family, and would do anything for them. His sisters hold a special place in his heart, as a result of working everyday together. He has grown somewhat distant from his father, but he keeps in constant contact with his mother and brother. Timothy is now an alcoholic, and lives in a run-down apartment paid for by welfare. Larry pities him, and visits every Sunday. Larry enjoys the new diner immensely, and loves the constant influx of new people just as much as the regulars. Working with food makes him happy, especially since he?s surrounded by family. Larry is a strong believer in loyalty, and would be crushed if anyone deceived him. His diner and his family make up the things he loves, and he knows little of religion. [B]Profession:[/B] Head chef and manager of Friar?s Diner. [B]Physical Description:[/B] See attachment.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Ack! My bad. Sorry about the late sign-up. :p [B]Name:[/B] Skythar Triforus [B]Age:[/B] 46 [B]Sex:[/B] Male [B]Kingdom:[/B] Elys [B]Role in Kingdom:[/B] Head Military Strategist [B]Description:[/B] [URL=http://www.nd.edu/~tchapman/Sheriff+of+Nottingham.jpg]A dark fellow.[/URL] [B]Personality:[/B] Triforus is one of the best military minds of the kingdom of Elys. He likes to think that he plans his actions ahead of time, but is apt to make quick decisions on the spot. This description refers to his actions on the field and at court. Prone to scheming and deceit, Triforus knows many assassins and underworld leaders. His trust extends no further than them. Most others he holds in contempt. [B]Background:[/B] Skythar Triforus grew up in a soldier's household. His father made sure to teach him how to use a sword and bow, and bade him to take good care of them. Skythar neglected the instruments, and they soon became useless. His father's wrath, though great in measure, was stemmed by the boy's progress in school. Skythar had a brilliant mind, and his father was very proud of him. His father was stubborn, though, and insisted that his son take a military calling. And so he introduced the boy to the king's military advisors, who identified him as a child prodigy. His tutelage was swift, and carried out at the cost of hundreds of men. Skythar wept at the end of each battle, as he was forced to watch the decisions he had made taken into effect. The sooner you learn to make better decisions, the military men said, the quicker the victories, and the fewer the casualties. Skythar eventually was forced to order his father into battle. The outcome, predictably, was the worst. Skythar was too worried about losing his father, and he made a poor choice. His father paid the price of the choice, as did many other good men. Skythar was devastated. In haste and anger, he rallied the men, who by this time were loyal to "The Boy" more than to their commanders. He pulled off the greatest military coup of all time, overthrowing the king's generals and having them shipped to cannibal tribes of a tropical island. The men were his, and the king gladly accepted him into his service. [I]Year later...[/I] The king has aged, and Skythar has been in his service for some thirty years. Skythar watches the king grow more and more senile with the passing days, and watches him make careless mistakes in the kingdom. His patriotism roused, Skythar can see that the king is killing the kingdom, and that something must be done. With no heir named, and no one in the court (by Skythar's standards) tactful or intelligent enough to be king, he sees himself as the only candidate suitable for the position. Skythar has been in close contact with the thieves and cutthroats of Elys, and at the price Skythar offers, they too are willing to do whatever it takes to see the king taken off of his throne.[/FONT]

[B]Name-[/B] Arceous [B]Age-[/B] 35 [B]Gender-[/B] Male [B]Bio-[/B]Arceous is the illegitimate offspring of Harisae and a mortal thief. He is a bastard, as neither he nor his divine mother know just who his father was. This has been the cause of many a joke and degradation of his social standing. Both in the mortal world and among those who do not die. The mortals jeer at him in light of his father's profession, and the gods find it humorous that Harisae hadn't been satiable enough to ask her lover's name. Her only defense in the matter, much to Arceous's chagrin is: "It was just one night." That "one night", Arceous's father had sneaked into the goddess's household in search of treasures or something tangible he could steal. He was not in any way a pious man, and stealing from the gods seemed no more despicable than stealing from men. Harisae found him, however, and was intrigued by him. That led to further activity, but in the morning, the thief was gone with several of Harisae's fine candlesticks. Arceous himself has grown to develop a foul attitude as a result of his life of mockery and shame. The development of his immortal abilities just recently came about, and their emergence was like a new and eternal sunrise. No one would mock him again. [B]Misc-[/B]Arceous resents Kalaus for having bedded his mother. Having been occupied elsewhere at the time, he returned home to find Kalaus and his mother together in private. The demigod's anger rose from that point on. When the mortal Kalaus left, Arceous vowed to never let him return to Harisae. It was this anger and resentment that caused his divine powers to emerge. Arceous would rather deceive Kalaus into never returning, but his anger is such that he will make an appearance if the occasion demands it. He employs the aid of certain barbarian tribes, who revel him as divinity. When the primitive nature of these beings prove ineffective, Arceous calls upon the dark resources of his kinsman, the gatekeeper of the underworld.

Happy Fourth of July from me to everyone who reads this post. : ) My plans for today include: 1. Getting to sleep soon. (as it's 2:23AM right now) 2. Getting up for 8:30 Mass. (maybe get up earlier to take a shower) 3. Mowing my godfather's lawn. 4. Mowing my own lawn. 5. Getting a screen for my window. 6. Spending numerous hours at my grandparents' house for their party. 7. Watching fireworks shot off by many people in CT, because they can now legally do so. Yeah. Have a great Independence Day, all you Americans. And beware the many-tentacled psychic aliens who would seek to destroy you. o.o;;

Just as soon as he met them, it seemed, the three boys separated themselves from Dose. Dose pretended to look over his shoulder and took a whiff of his underarm. Dose plucked his shirt out as if he had caught sight of a stain on it. A quick sniff convinced him that it wasn't general body odor either. Nope, no stench out of the ordinary. He had just bathed last week. The effect seemed to have carried over. Content that he hadn't driven the other boys away with his rugged forester's scent, Dose seated himself by the fountain. He had already conducted all the business he had planned in the town, and was beginning to question why he had suggested they return. Dose stretched his legs out in front of him and closed his eyes, ignoring the people that he nearly tripped. One of them kicked him as they passed, and Dose's eyes flashed open. He tugged an arrow from the quiver at his back, and neatly slit open the bottom of the haughty man's purse. Several coins fell to the ground, causing several people around to scramble towards them, bowling over the man who had kicked Dose. In the scuffle, a 100 Dran coin rolled out within Dose's reach. Dose grinned and picked up the coin. Then, seeing the man get up, disheveled and miserable, Dose began to feel guilty. He got to his feet and put the arrow away. "Sir!" he called. "Sir!" The man stopped and looked at Dose miserably. "What do you want?" he snapped. Not satisfied that the experience had made an impact on him, Dose decided that he would [I]not[/I] give the man his money back. "Oh, I just thought you'd like to know that your purse has been cut." "Any imbecile can see that! What are you stupid? Get out of my way." "I was afraid you'd see things that way." replied Dose. He flipped the coin. It landed in the fountain. "Have a good day, Sir." Dose returned to the fountain and began to sharpen one of his kama with a whetstone. He could not stand rude people, but disliked robbing them for his benefit. Well, sometimes. Satisfied with the kama's blade, he hitched it back to his belt and put the whetstone in his back pocket. Dose lay down around the edge of the fountain, settling himself carefully so as not to lay on either of his kama or his bow. Snuggling up against the fountain, Dose fell asleep, slowly leaking drool. Suddenly Dose's left foot twitched. An elderly man, walking carefully with the aid of a cane, was unfortunate enough to pass by at that exact moment. Dose's foot caught the old man's cane, and he collapsed on Dose's leg. The cane skittered away on the ground. Dose smiled and dreamed of pretty girls good food.