Sandy

I just started reading [B]Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows[/B] in Finnish ("Harry Potter ja Kuoleman varjelukset"). I've already read in English last summer, naturally, so even though the Finnish translation (which is great, by the way) was published two months ago, I didn't get into reading it until now. It's not my favorite part of the series, but it's a sweet end to it. Perhaps too sweet... :/

The beginning was like every other story that has elemental powers in it, but it got progressively more interesting. The portrayal of Shadow as a person instead of a dark cloud or devil or something like that broke the mold somewhat, and so did the princess. But there's still not enough story to say anything beyond that. I just have my fingers crossed that the eight elements aren't plainly fire, water, wind, earth, thunder, ice, wood and metal, but knowing your Elements-RPGs, I assume they are. ;D Anyway, I hope that in the chapters to come, you put some twist to this elements-theme, because you and I both know that it's been done before so many times. I'll definitely keep an eye on this story. Oh, and interactivity with the readers is a marvelous idea, and I'll be looking forward to how much you let other people affect the story.

[FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="1"]I have experienced a wave of nostalgia recently, and it sparked me to rewrite my semifamous Digimon fanfiction, which I originally posted [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=22305&highlight=Avatars][U]here[/U][/url]. This version will follow the same story and the same characters, but with improved quality. So here it is, revived and revisioned...[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE="7"]DIGIMON[/size] [size=5]AVATARS[/SIZE][/center] [U]EPISODE INDEX[/U] Prologue: The Seven 1: Holy Light, Come To Me! 2: Guardian Angel Within 3: At The Path Of Uncertainty 4: Mind Of A Survivor 5: Spawn of Disorder 6: Wild By Nature 7: He Had A Dream... 8: Together And Apart 9: Enter The Daemon [center][U]PROLOGUE[/U] THE SEVEN[/CENTER] The Seven gathered high above the Purple Peaks to behold the Digital World. It was on the verge of destruction. In the scenery there were places that seemed to collapse together, pull their surroundings into a hole that couldn?t be seen. But the Seven saw these holes and knew that they were watching Nothingness take over their realm. The end of the Digital World was approaching fast, and the Seven were helpless. But then, among their subjects, arose a certain one. He was wiser than any of the Seven in their wisdom, and he knew what had to be done. So it was done, and the lives of seven individuals from another plane of existence were changed for good. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] In the Material Realm, day was turning into night as a ginger-headed teenage girl walked towards home from her first-aid course. She felt that participation was her duty with things being the way they were in her home area. People were mad, that was all she could say to excuse her neighbors? actions to herself. Countrymen assaulting countrymen... for what? For their religion? The girl knew that the God she believed in did not approve such methods. The girl didn?t notice that she had arrived to the door of her home until it opened suddenly. ?Eirica! There you are! You?re late. I was beginning to get worried...? ?It?s alright, mother. I?m here now. Nothing happened?, the girl explained as she stepped in to the warmth of her family?s house. ?Oh, you?re such an angel, my child. Taking those courses, just in case of an emergency... I have truly been blessed?, her mother said with a warm smile, eyes full of pride. ?It?s my duty for Ireland. With these religious disputes tearing our country in half, you never know who is going to be the next victim. Why must people fight, mother?? Eirica asked. ?Oh, my child! You are too good for this world! How proud your father would be if he was still alive.? Eirica thought of her father. Would he really be proud? After all, she wanted to help both catholic [I]and[/I] protestant people, and make the fighting stop. Her father had always hated the Protestants, so much that it had killed him. She awakened from her thoughts and climbed upstairs to her room. ?Supper is ready, Eirica!? her mother shouted after her. ?I?ll be down in a minute. I?ll just check my e-mails.? She opened her computer. It, too, reminded of her father, for the computer had belonged to him before he died. She clicked an icon to open the internet. But in that instant, the screen started to shine a light so bright that Eirica had to close her eyes. Few minutes later, her mother came to her room to look for her. ?Eirica, your plate?s getting cold... Eirica?? The room was empty, and the computer screen was dark. [CENTER][U]EPISODE ONE [/U] HOLY LIGHT, COME TO ME![/CENTER] The light began to faint slowly, and Eirica dared to open her eyes. But things weren?t as they were supposed to be. She wasn?t in her room, but in a never-ending white space. Strange colorful patterns floated past her. They looked like some sort of encryption code. She felt lighter than she should be, and her skin looked sort of transparent. ?Where am I?? she shouted to the vastness surrounding her. No answer, not even echo. But after a few seconds of total silence, a distant beating sound began. The pulse grew louder and louder, until Eirica had to put her hands into her ears. She closed her eyes in panic, and fell to her knees. It was then when she realized that she wasn?t standing on anything. She floated helplessly in the bright light, while something approached her. The temperature rose quickly, until it was hot as in a desert. [I]Open Your Eyes, Human, And Face Your Destiny[/I], a voice thundered. It seemed to come from all around her. But she gathered her courage, and peeked. She was faced with a creature made of dazzling light. ?A-are you... God?? Eirica whimpered at the sight of the being. [I]God? I Am A God, One Of The Seven. My Supremacy Is That Of Light, But I Cannot Contain It Anymore. Our World Is In Grave Danger, Human, And We Need Help From Those Who Created Us.[/I] ?This is a misunderstanding! I didn?t create anything... I?m just a girl from...? [I]You Are My Chosen One, Human. You Must Take Responsibility Of The Actions Of Your Kind, For My Kind Has Done Everything They Can. Now, Open Your Soul, And Let The Light Fill You![/I] Eirica didn?t know how to respond, until the being surrounded her with his light. Suddenly, she knew her purpose. She was meant to help others, and share her big heart with them. [I]With Love And Faith For Light, You Will Succeed[/I], the voice said, and then the light swallowed Eirica again. Once again Eirica came to her senses, and she knew instantly that she wasn?t back in her room, yet she wasn?t with the being of light either. She was lying on a beach. She heard gentle waves crushing to the shore near her, she smelled the salty sea breeze, and she felt the soft sand on her hands. She also knew she wasn?t alone. She opened her eyes, and sat up. She was faced with three human boys ? although actually only two of them were looking at her, while the third, who had oriental features, stood a short distance away. ?Finally, Her Majesty decided to wake up!? one of the boys said arrogantly, turning his orange cap backwards. This boy was obviously the youngest of them all. His hair was dyed pink, but he was clearly of Mediterranean origin. ?Cut it out!? a boy of about Eirica?s age with blonde, curly hair snapped. ?Are you okay?? He stepped closer to her and offered his hand to lift her up. She took it shyly. Then she shook the sand off her blouse and skirt. ?My name is Ari Karisto?, the blonde boy ? seemingly from Northern Europe ? said. ?The boy with the loud mouth is called Rocco Casafiore, and the grumpy one standing over there said his name's Kang. Did one of [I]them[/I] speak to you too?? ?Them...? You mean did God speak with me?? she asked back. ?If that?s what yours introduced it?s self. Mine said she was ?the Preserver of History?, and what I heard from that Kang-guy over there, the one he met introduced himself as ?the Ultimate Source of Power?. These guys have really lost their sense of modesty!? Eirica couldn?t help chuckling, but she quickly regained her seriousness. ?So there are several of these fantastic beings. Did the one you confronted... do anything to you?? she asked carefully. ?Nothing big. Just gave me its powers, that?s all?, the boy called Rocco said sarcastically. Then he gave her an encouraging smile. ?So, Miss Mysterious, have you got a name, or are you here incognito?? ?I am Eirica Mallory. But I?m still very confused. Where exactly are we?? She looked to the turquoise sea, which looked peculiarly clean, like in the pictures of Pacific Ocean she had seen on television. ?You remember the last place you were, before you got dragged here?? the Asian boy Ari had called Kang said, speaking for the first time. Kang looked like he had been taken straight from a kung fu-film ? total opposite to Ari, who looked like your common boy from next door. ?Umm... Yes. I was sitting in front of my computer, when it started to... No. You can?t mean...?? ?Yes. Welcome to the Digital World?, the gloomy youngster said. ?Hey folks! Come to check this out! I found a snack bar back here!? the boy called Rocco shouted from a high dune near them. The three of them followed him to a shaky looking kiosk with a large ?Hamburgers & Ice Cream? sign above it. Rocco peeked inside over the counter. ?Hope there?s something inside... Whoa! There?s a gigantic hamburger here! I was beginning to get hungry... Eek!? the rascal somersaulted from the shack, his face all pale. ?What is it?? Ari asked as he ran to the boy. ?I-it moved!? Rocco gasped. ?The hamburger... MOVED!? Then the snack bar exploded to pieces, and as the dust settled, the kids were facing an angry monster with a hamburger for a hat. [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/Burgermon.jpg[/IMG] [U]EPISODE TWO[/U] GUARDIAN ANGEL WITHIN[/CENTER] ?What is that?? Rocco screamed, pointing at the monstrous hamburger. ?What are [I]you[/I], I ask?? the creature retorted. ?You?re certainly no digimon, that I can tell. You must be the ones behind this whole mess! Grr, you won?t leave this place in one particle!? ?Digimon? As in... digital monster?? Ari asked cautiously. ?Yes! I?m Burgermon, and I?m RAVING MAD!? Then the monster attacked them without a warning. Rocco stood up quickly, and went to hide behind a plant growing nearby. But the plant did not like it, and it rose to its feet. ?How dare you touch me in such manner, mister?? a green monster with a pink flower on its head shouted, and slapped Rocco with its leaf-like arm. "I'm a decent Palmon, and I will not be treated like that!" [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/palmon.jpg[/IMG][/center] ?Ari! What are these creatures?? Eirica screamed. ?Apparently they?re some sort of assembly of data... creatures formed of it... oh, I don?t know!? he cried as he ducked Burgermon?s mayonnaise-bomb. Suddenly Eirica heard the voice of the light being inside her. [I]The Light Is Within You![/I] Then she felt something warm against her chest. She brought her hands to it, and felt something materialize under her palms. The heat disappeared, and she looked at what she had received: a golden device, with a small round screen, few buttons, a slot on the side, and a yellow crest shaped like a sun. There was also a figurine of a winged shield standing on a pedal that seemed to fit the slot in the device. ?What are these?? she wondered aloud. Yet somehow she knew what had to be done. She lifted her hand holding the device. The she put the figurine on her other hand into the slot, and suddenly strange words spilled out from her mouth. ?[I]The Power of Sun is my Assurance![/I]? Then the device began to glow brightly, and its light surrounded Eirica. She felt streams of digital power going inside of her. She felt her shape shifting: she grew in size, her orange hair got longer, her clothes changed into an armor from the antiquity, and most peculiarly, she felt a pair of brown owl wings growing to her back. She became a messenger of Sun, and she had a new name, which she cried into open air. ?[I]For Peace! Minervamon, the Human Avatar of Sun![/I]? Everybody stopped for a moment to watch the sight of a whole new figure had appeared among them. And she spoke. ?Listen, Burgermon! We have come here to save your kind, not harm you. We are the intermediaries of your rulers, the Ancient Digimon. Let us go in peace, and I promise you that the future will be brighter.? Burgermon, still dazzled from the appereance of the angelic figure, couldn?t do anything but nod and back away. The plant digimon scurried over a dune, and suddenly everything was serene again. Minervamon felt her powers diminishing, and in a gleam of light, she was the human girl called Eirica again. Ari and Kang ran to her. ?What was that? You just transformed to that angel?? Ari interrogated. ?I-I think so... It happened after I got these.? She showed the device and the figurine to the boys. ?When combined, they gave me the power to transform into an avatar of the Ancient Digimon of Sun. It was something... indescribable.? From the corner of her eye Eirica saw Kang looking at her device with a strangely intense look in his eyes. ?That was [I]awesome[/I], bambina!? Rocco shouted with glee as he ran down the dune where he had hidden. ?Yes, indeed it was?, an old, hoarse voice said behind them. Another digimon had come to them. [CENTER][U]EPISODE THREE[/U] AT THE PATH OF UNCERTAINTY[/CENTER] The newcomer was a small cat with large, white moustache and beard. It stood upright and wore pink bunny slippers and a blue velvet cape. But he wasn?t alone. Behind him came a tiny, green creature resembling a rat with a squashed tophat. The rat monster carried an oversized book on his back. Immediately Eirica felt sorry for the little fellow. ?Greetings, children of the Material Realm?, the old cat said. ?Let me introduce myself: I am... am...? He looked at the kids in puzzlement. The green rat sighed. ??E?s the mighty Sagemon, and it?s me pleasure to be ?is ?umble servant, Chapmon?, he replied in a peculiar accent. ?And how do you know about us, if I may ask?? Ari asked. Chapmon looked at his master from under the book. The old geezer called Sagemon frowned his forehead, and a glint of wisdom returned to his deep grey eyes. ?Ah, I beg your pardon! I really am getting old, and my memory isn?t like it used to be. Well, where should we start? Boy, come here with that book of mine.? Chapmon did as commanded, and Sagemon fingered through the pages until he found the right part. ?So, you have come to the Digital Realm?, Sagemon announced. ?Yeah, we figured out that by ourselves?, Kang snapped. ?Err... right. You were summoned here by the Ancient Digimon...? ?Old news?, Rocco coughed. ?Uh... you have their powers dwelling inside of you...? ?Yes, we know that by now?, Eirica said benevolently. ?Alright then... Let?s see... A-HA! You have the power to transform into the avatars of these digital gods with your personal amplifiers and link statues...? ?Been there, done that!? Ari interrupted. ?I?m sorry, but what are you aiming at? Your information comes a [I]bit[/I] too late, sir.? ?Well, [I]excuse me[/I] for being too old for you young Rapidmons! I was given a mission, and I will damn well do my best to fulfill it!? The furious wizard lifted the big book, and threw it towards the children, missing them by several feet. ?Oh, we?re so sorry, Master Sagemon! We didn?t mean to hurt your feelings? Eirica hurried to say in a mediatory voice. The old digimon looked at the girl confused. ?Huh? How did you hurt my feelings? My feelings are just fine! Besides, who the heck are you, anyway?? Now it was the children?s turn to look confused. Chapmon hurried back with the book, and gave the kids an excusing look. ??E?s like that offen, that mastah o? mine. ?E?s ?ad problems with ?is mem?ry ever since... Err, nevah mind.? ?Ever since what? Do explain now that you started!? Ari demanded. ?Well, ever since ?e felled into that ?ole. ?E was lucky to get out ? nobody else ?ave.? ?What hole? A rabbit hole?? Rocco asked jokingly. ?Don?t act smarter than ye look, kiddo!? Chapmon retorted. ?I?m talking about the ?Ole of Nuttingness. There?s plenty o? those buggers around nowadays.? ?Hole of Nothingness... Does that mean... that the Digital World is collapsing?? Ari pondered. ?Oh, aren?t we clever, eh?? Chapmon said sarcastically. ?We?re at the verge of doom, lad! That?s why ye?re ?ere!? ?Exactly!? Sagemon shouted suddenly, snapping out of the apathy. ?But... there are only four of you. Where are the rest?? ?What rest? We were the only ones on this beach?, Kang said. ?Very peculiar...? Sagemon muttered. ?Boy, we must find the others, before the Nothingness finds them first. Come now!? ?W-wait!? Eirica shouted. ?What are we supposed to do now?? ?See that link statue on your hand? There are many of those scattered around the world. Your hearts will find them. Combine them with the D.A.D. ? Data Amplifier Device ? to use the powers of the Ancient Digimon. Oh, and take this with you as well.? He whistled, and a small book with wings and a metal cover flew to him. Sagemon pointed the children and it fluttered into Ari?s hands. ?What is that?? the boy asked. ?It?s called Digipediamon. It contains a log containing information about most of the digital monsters here. I reckon it will be very useful. Now, on we go, ol? Chapmon!? The rat digimon lifted the heavy book on his back again, and rushed after his master. Suddenly, the two of them vanished. Ari examined the book digimon he was holding, and found an info-screen inside. ?Whoa, wasn?t that weird or what?? Rocco said to himself. Then he turned to the others. ?Well, where are we headed now? Anybody have any special tickling in their hearts?? ?Actually, I do?, Kang said, and started to walk away from the ocean. [CENTER][U]EPISODE FOUR[/U] MIND OF A SURVIVOR[/CENTER] Xu Kang had lived his whole childhood in an orphanage in South Canton. At the age of twelve he had made an escape, and joined a gang of street kids. They had done some minor crimes, robbed cash registers and sold stolen goods. Kang had done those things with the other boys, because for the first time in his short excuse for a life he had felt that he was actually given a damn. But a few months before he got sucked to this weird dimension, the police had done a raid to their hide-out. Kang was out then, so he was the only one who wasn?t caught. All his buddies in the gang had been taken to the juvenile prison, which no one escaped from. Kang had managed to get by, stealing his food, sleeping in any dry place he had found, talking to no one. Then came the accursed day when he had broken into an office and found a computer left open. The gang had had a computer ? stolen, of course ? in their old hide-out, so Kang had some idea how to use it. He had clicked the internet-icon, and now here he was with four total strangers from other countries, traveling where his heart took him, trying to save a world where he didn?t belong. What for? ?Gah, are we there yet, kung-fu-dude?? Rocco complained. ?It?s obviously getting dark, so why don?t we make a camp and sleep over the night?? ?We?re almost there?, Kang replied shortly. ?The feeling is very strong now.? ?Umm, I?m really tired too, Kang. Why don?t you look around while we make a camp here? We?ll be right there if you find something, I promise?, Eirica suggested. Kang stopped and turned around to face his companions. All three of them really looked exhausted. They had walked the whole day through a wasteland in a bright sunshine, but that was only normal to a boy raised in the streets of a Chinese city. ?Westerners!? he sighed by himself. ?Okay then, I?ll look around, and you can try to find something to eat before you doze off, alright?? ?Alright. You go on, we?ll be just fine?, Eirica said with a smile. ?[I]Like I cared about that[/I]", Kang thought as he left the others. Soon he came to a small forest of thorny bushes. He felt strangely drawn towards it. The he saw a weak glow filtering through the branches. The glow reminded him of the Goddess he had confronted. She had been so full of power and strength. The Ultimate Source of Strength! She had been so beautiful, made of silvery moonlight, her eyes sparkling red like two rubies... For a moment Kang thought he would see her again behind the bushes, bathing in the pale moonlight. But as he fought his way trough the thick bushes, he found nothing but a minuscule, glittering statue representing a red, horned crescent moon. He reached for it, cutting his hand on the thorns, but with a little struggle he managed to get a hold of it. Suddenly, he heard a shrill scream from a distance. It was Eirica! [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] ?Shoo, you ugly bugger!? Ari shouted at the humongous, slimy creature harassing them. He took the book digimon Sagemon had given to him from his pocket where it had settled into, and showed the monster to it. Digipediamon opened, and a picture of the creature appeared on the screen along with some text. ?Raremon, a champion-level ghost digimon?, the digimon said with a monotonic voice. [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/Raremon.gif[/IMG][/center] ?Huh? Did that do any good for us?? Ari screamed at the gadget digimon. ?Raremon?s attacks contain icky slime and smell bad?, the voice continued dryly. Rocco had picked a rock from the ground, and threw the creature with it. Eirica rushed to him. ?No! Don?t hurt it! It will only make it angrier!? the girl shouted to him. ?Well, why don?t you do your angel stuff and give it a lecture!? the boy shouted back. ?Groaah! [I]Stinking Gas![/I]? Raremon roared, and blew a cloud of smelly gas. ?Yuck!? Rocco gagged. ?Eirica, seriously! Can?t you do anything with your thingies?? ?I-I can?t seem to find them....? she lied nervously. In reality, Eirica had no will to fight, even against this horrible monster. She doubted that Raremon would listen to reason, so she just had to hope someone else found a way to stop the creature from eating them alive. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Just then Kang rushed back to the others, and saw a big purple pile of slime threatening them. He looked at the figurine in his hand. ?I can?t do anything with this junk! I don?t have an amplifier!? he cursed. [I]You Have The Strength! Trust In It![/I] The Goddess had spoken again! Instantly Kang felt something warm against his heart. He grabbed it, and found out it was a D.A.D similar to Eirica?s, except his was blood red. [I]Red As The Moon's Eclipse[/I], the Goddess said in his mind. [I]Red As The Blood Of Your Enemies![/I] Then, just like Eirica earlier, Kang knew exactly what to do. He lifted the red device high in the air, placed the figurine on the slot, and words came out of his mouth. ?[I]The Power of Moon is my Deliverance![/I]? He felt power streams changing his form. He landed on all fours, and his skin was covered by silvery fur with golden stripes. He grew two big horns, and a mane colored red and purple. He suddenly had a long tail which ended in a crescent-shape blade. He also had a new name, which he then roared out loud. ?[I]I Shall Overcome! Aryunamon, the beast avatar of Moon![/I]? With a great roar, Aryunamon attacked Raremon. ?[I]Moon Sickle Spin![/I]? he shouted, and began to somersault through the air, his bladed tail gleaming nastily at the light of the setting sun. The attack hit Raremon hard, and it howled in pain. It decided that the newcomer was too much for it, and it fled as rapidly as it could. Aryunamon felt the mighty power streaming out of him, leaving behind a human boy and two pieces of equipment. ?Kang? That was you?? Eirica asked in amazement, though somehow she knew the truth already. Kang didn?t answer, because the memory of the power still shook him. ?[I]I had the whole world in my hands![/I]? he thought bitterly. [CENTER][U]EPISODE FIVE[/U] SPAWN OF DISORDER[/CENTER] The four teenagers cast far from their homes continued their journey onwards through the wasteland at the break of dawn ? or at least they were going to. ?We must get moving before the sun gets too high. Rocco, are you even listening?? Ari asked annoyed. The others were up, but the Italian boy was still snoozing. ?Mphf, not yet! I... need to... sleep....? the boy moaned half-awake. ?You?ve slept more than any of us, dimwit!? Ari shouted at him. ?I took your watch turn because you were fast asleep, beyond waking up!? ?Forget him, Ari. Let?s go?, Kang said and began walking away. ?Oh, don?t be cruel, Kang!? Eirica said, kneeling next to Rocco. ?Oh Rocco! Do you really want to disappoint the Goddess you saw yesterday by killing yourself here?? ?Heeey, who said anything about suicide?? Rocco asked confused, sitting up. ?Well, you?re obviously trying to kill yourself by sleeping in a scorching sunshine. If you stay there, you?ll be a toasted brat in a matter of hours?, Eirica said, and gave the boy a warm smile. ?Gee, you really give me the creeps sometimes, Ricky!? the boy said as he stood up and shook the dust from his clothes. ?All ready then?? Ari asked amused. At some point the wasteland vanished magically within a few steps, and they found themselves in a thick forest with exotic vegetation. Everywhere they look, they saw nothing but dense jungle. ?Whoa! What just happened there?? Rocco asked bewildered. Ari took out Digipediamon from his pocket. It immediately started it?s monotonous lesson. ?Data Streams flow through the scattered Digital World, connecting the different parts to each other. One can move through the streams into a completely other place in a blink of an eye.? Strangely, they could hear hundreds of birds singing and animals howling, but they didn?t see anything moving. ?Where is... everything?? Ari finally said frustrated. ?There are all kinds of sounds and smells, but thus far I?ve seen nothing actually moving!? ?Yes, that is very odd, isn?t it?? a voice above them said. All four looked up, and saw a big bird resembling a toucan in Mickey Mouse pants sitting on a branch. [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/Toucanmon.jpg[/IMG][/center] ?Oh, let me guess?, Ari said to the bird. ?You?re Toucanmon?? ?That is correct. Let [I]me[/I] guess: you?re not a mon at all, right?? ?Whoa, we have a bright birdie here!? Rocco said with a smirk on his face. ?Yes, yes, I know?, Toucanmon said, obviously missing the sarcasm. ?But if I were you ? which I luckily am not - I?d get out of here as soon as I could. All the others have, with only the memory of their data lingering about.? ?But why have they left?? Eirica asked. ?It might have something to do with [I]the hole of emptiness closing in on this forest[/I]! Oh, there comes the Devimon when you mention him!? Toucanmon said dryly and pointed behind the humans with his wing. They turned around, and saw that the trees in the distance were warping and twisting. Something seemed to pull them into something that couldn?t been seen. ?Yikes!? Rocco exclaimed. ?We better do as the birdie says!? ?I [I]totally[/I] agree!? Ari consented. Then they ran. Toucanmon waited until the hole reached the tree he was sitting on. Many of his former neighbors had vanished into that hole, and Toucanmon had no intention to follow them, so he flew away to find a new place to stay. Yet, the bird monster knew that where ever he went, the holes would reach him sooner or later. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] ?A-are we safe yet?? Rocco asked when they stopped to take breath. ?I think we?re never safe, not until we make those holes disappear?, Kang said gloomily. ?We?!? Rocco asked, not believing his ears. ?That?s what we?re here for, you moron!? Kang retorted. ?Cut it out!? Eirica shouted. ?This is not the place nor the time to argue! We must get ourselves as far away from this forest as possible!? ?She?s right. We have no idea how fast the Nothingness moves?, Ari said. ?Let?s just all calm down and think this through.? ?Oh, don?t worry, pretty boy. It won?t reach this place for hours?, an unfamiliar, soft voice said. ?Who said that?? Eirica asked nervously. She began to feel jumpy after all these strange encounters. Then a figure emerged from behind a large tree. ?It?s just [I]moi[/I], dear!? the digimon said. It was a female shaped like a human wearing a tight black silk dress and a black leather mask. Her long legs ended in black stilettos. Her skin was pale green, her hair was long and white, and had two black-feathered wings on her back. ?Whoa! Who are you, gorgeous?? Rocco asked, in a way that was very familiar among the men of his country. Eirica couldn?t believe that the thirteen-year old boy was flirting with a digimon. ?I am Nemesimon, the Princess of Chaos. I hope I didn?t scare you, little one?, the digimon said, scratching Rocco?s chin with one of her long nails. ?Baby, you can scare me anytime!? Rocco growled, clearly enjoying the attention. ?Err, what do you want?? Ari asked cautiously. ?Why, don?t be rude, pretty boy! I?m here... well, to join you!? ?What?!? all four of them shouted in unison. ?Don?t be so surprised! I?m one of you as well.? With those words, Nemesimon was encircled by a purple flash, and then instead of a digimon there was a black-clad human girl with her hair dyed purple standing before them. ?That was my human avatar. Wasn?t she astonishing or what?? the girl said, her eyes twinkling. Ari leaned to Eirica to whisper at her ear. ?I think she?s one of the others Sagemon mentioned.? ?Yes, apparently?, Eirica agreed, measuring the other girl from head to toes with her eyes. ?My name is Laissana Rosier...? the girl began to introduce herself. ?Lasagna?? Rocco interrupted. ?[I]Laissana![/I]? she corrected with a scary tone in her voice. ?I can be your closest friend or your worst enemy, it?s all up to you. Well, where are we headed?? ?I don?t think I like her very much?, Eirica whispered back to Ari. [CENTER][U]EPISODE SIX[/U] WILD BY NATURE[/CENTER] ?He was like [I]so[/I] scary at first, but he convinced me that his intentions were good - well, at least as good as the King of Chaos can have. Anyway, he gave me his powers, sent me down here and... here I am!? The four others stared at Laissana quietly. The French girl sure knew how to talk! ?So... are you absolutely positively sure that the hole-thingy won?t bother us any time soon?? Ari asked. ?Yes, monsieur Worry-Pants! I?ve seen a couple of them, and they move very slowly. Let?s just relax, find some more ways to withdraw our hidden powers and [I]then[/I] we can go kick some inexistent behind!? she said cheerily. All the others except Rocco were cautious with the newcomer, but the young Italian couldn?t help but to admire the sassiness of the girl. Though she in her own words came from France, she had that certain [I]something[/I] that Mediterranean girls had. She was dazzling, spicy and brave ? everything Rocco wanted from a girl! Although they had three years between them, Rocco thought it wouldn?t matter in this world. He fell into a dream filled with pink hearts and bikinis, and at the center of it was the miracle named Laissana! Then something interrupted the fantasy. It wasn?t a voice, as nobody had said a word. It wasn?t anything he could sense. It was more of a vague feeling. Could it be...? ?Umm, guys? I think I have it now!? Rocco said to the others and stood up. ?Have what, Tiny? Puberty?? Laissana asked, smiling naughtily. ?No! The feeling! Something?s calling me?, he said, and ran to the forest. ?Rocco!? Eirica shouted after him. ?Don?t leave by yourself! Wait!? But she couldn?t do anything but run after the boy. Ari glanced at Kang and Laissana, and followed Eirica. ?Oh, what the heck!? Laissana grinned, stood up and went after the others. Kang decided to stay at the camp to spend some rare quality time with himself. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] The feeling got gradually stronger as Rocco rushed through the forest. It felt just like when he had confronted the maternal spirit before he was sent to the Digital World. ?The Great Mother of Earth?, he recalled. She had given him something he had never experienced before: motherly warmth and caring. He had never been treated like that by his own mother. She had always been too busy taking care of the family business and Rocco?s younger siblings - all five of them. But now Rocco felt that the meaning to his life was near! [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Unfortunately, another being had spotted the glowing item before Rocco. A digimon was more than fascinated by the green figurine. In fact, he was so fascinated by it that he decided to take it to his cave. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Suddenly, the sensation Rocco had felt started to fade. ?Hey, it?s mine, dammit!? he swore by his self and picked up his pace. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] ?Where?d he go?? Ari asked when he reached Eirica. ?I don?t know. He started running, and I lost him.? ?Oh don?t fall into despair, guys! Let?s check his location from my gadget-a-thingy here!? Laissana said, and took out her purple D.A.D. She pushed a button, and several dots appeared on the small screen. ?This is how I found you in the first place. A useful plaything, eh?? Ari and Eirica had had no idea the device could be used in such a way. ?Why didn?t that damned cat say anything?? Ari asked frustrated. ?Well, we ignored him quite efficiently, don?t you think? Besides, he seemed to have major issues with his memory, too?, Eirica defended. ?Look!? Laissana said, catching their attention. ?I think he?s this dot here. My, he?s going fast!? ?Let?s get going then!? Ari said determinedly. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Rocco approached a wall of stone. It had several caves in it, but the call came from the largest of them all. That fact got Rocco a bit concerned, because he had no idea of the size of the creature that had taken his link statue. Slowly, he approached the mouth of the largest cave, and peeked inside. He could hear something breathing steadily. He gathered his courage, and stepped in. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Eirica, Ari and Laissana reached the stone wall just in time to see Rocco sprinting out of a cave, flailing his arms in the air. ?Sorrysorrysorry!? he babbled as he hid behind a tree, looking towards the cave. From the cave stepped a large digimon that looked like a tortoise with a spiked carapace ? and he roared furious. Ari took Digipediamon from his pocket, and pointed the monster with it. It loaded its data and read it out loud ? very inconveniently. ?Tortomon, a champion-level reptilian digimon with an extremely short temper.? [CENTER][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/Tortomon.gif[/IMG][/CENTER] ?Well, that monstrosity just begs to get beaten up a little, don?t you think?? Laissana said as cheerily as always. ?No!? Eirica opposed. ?He was just woken up! He?ll calm down if we let him be.? ?Well, aren?t you a saint!? Laissana smirked at her as she raised her amplifier, and put her purple link figurine representing a winged whip to the slot in the device. ?The Power of Chaos is my Passion!? Laissana shouted, and underwent a transformation. ?Perish! Nemesimon, Human Avatar of Chaos!? Nemesimon took air under her wings and flung herself above Tortomon. ?Vengeance Blitz!? Nemesimon howled, and conjured a whip of power, which she used to strike Tortomon. But the digimon covered himself with his rock hard shell, and the dark angel?s attack bounced from it. ?Merde! I could use a little help here!? she shouted. ?Come on, Eirica!? Ari encouraged the girl who was shaking with frustration. ?You have the power to make this stop! You wouldn?t want Terminatrix up there to kill that Tortomon, would you?? ?Of course not! But what if I kill him? Ari, the power of light was so strong...? ?So are you, Eirica! You can control it! You haven?t even tried!? ?Alright then, I?ll try.? She did the ritual with the D.A.D. and the link statue, and shouted: ?Power of Sun is my Assurance!? Then she was Minervamon again. [center]*****[/center] Rocco was watching his companions fight the enraged Tortomon, when he realized that the cave that held his destiny was now empty. So he sneaked to the cave behind the three battling digimons ? from which only two were doing the actual fighting, while the third tried to make them stop - and found a small moose-headed statue there. He examined the figurine doubtfully. ?Gosh, wonder what I?ll become from this?? Then he noticed that a green-and-brown device had appeared onto his other hand. And he knew what to do next. ?The Power of Earth is my Protection!? He went into a transformation phase, and his head turned into that of a horned moose, except that his mouth was filled with fangs. His hands changed into green-furred hoofs, and his legs into hind paws of a lion. When the new form was finished, he knew his new name. ?Guardian of Truth! Wardenmon, the Beast Avatar of Earth!? Then he galloped out from the cave. ?For the last time, stop that!? Minervamon screamed, and grabbed Nemesimon by the arm. ?Oh, bug off!? Nemesimon snapped. ?You?re getting really annoying, you know? This is between me and Torto here, so why don?t you go help Babamons across the street?? Tortomon was clearly outmatched and suffering, and Minervamon?s human heart ached as she watched Nemesimon continue to torture him. She felt she was left with no other option, so she lifted up her shield that had an emblem of a radiant sun. ?Do not make me use this, Nemesimon!? she warned. ?Oh, you?re going to shield me to death, is that so?? Nemesimon said with a giggle. ?That is enough, ladies!? a new voice said. The female digimons turned to face a monster that was half moose, half lion. At this point, Tortomon saw best to make an escape back into his cave. ?Tiny? Is that you?? Nemesimon asked surprised. ?My name is Wardenmon now! If you don?t get off each other?s throats...? ?Then what? You?ll moo at us?? Nemesimon mocked, and let out a shrill laughed. Minervamon went berserk, and pushed the black-suited digimon with her shield. Nemesimon replied with a slash from her claws. Wardenmon sighed in his mind, and unleashed a strike. ?Guardian Spirit!? he shouted, and a green ghost of a long dragon encircled the women, separating them. The dragon spirit made them both give up their digital forms, and they fell to the ground as human girls again. [CENTER][U]EPISODE SEVEN[/U] HE HAD A DREAM...[/CENTER] ?Pass me the berries?, Laissana asked Eirica sulkily. ?I?m not talking to you?, Eirica murmured. ?I didn?t ask you to talk to me, I asked you to pass the berries?, Laissana retorted. The girls had acted like this ever since they had returned to the camp. Kang had found some edible fruits and berries. Now everybody were enjoying their meal, and Eirica and Laissana just decided to do that as far away from each other as possible. ?Oh come on, girls! How long are you going to keep that up?? Ari asked frustrated. ?Ari, my man, that?s useless!? Rocco sighed. ?They?re donnas! They can go on moping for the rest of their lives! Better leave them be, trust me!? ?Oh, okay then.? Then he had an idea that he thought would lighten the mood at the camp. ?Hey, why don?t we all tell how our lives were before we came here? I, for one, think it would be interesting.? ?Yes, that?s a fabulous idea?, Kang mocked. ?Why don?t you go first, buddy?? Ari blushed. He had wished that someone else would?ve started, but he didn?t seem to have a choice. ?Well, that would be fair, I guess... Okay then, has any of you heard of such a country as Finland?? [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Ari had lived up in the Northern Europe in a middle class house with a middle class family consisting his parents and an older sister called Aino, and in school he did well. Nothing big, nothing out of the ordinary. To a boy like Ari, that had been something very frustrating. He had always wanted more. Not necessarily wealth or power, but something that would give his life a proper meaning. As a small child, he had absorbed hundreds of comic books, and when the nannies at the kindergarten had asked him what he would like to be when he grew up, he had always replied: ?A superhero!? He had grown up a lot from those days, but the principle of his childhood dream still lasted: he wanted to achieve something important, something that would last after he was gone. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] ?I?m sorry to say this, Goldilocks, but that was utterly boring!? Laissana said with an exaggerated yawn. ?Where was all the excitement, passion, great emotions?? ?Laissana, I?m fifteen! I?m way too young to have experienced all that!? Ari opposed. ?Well, we?ll see what we can do about that...? the girl purred, making Eirica?s eyes flash with fury. Ari felt caught in between. Suddenly, all those thoughts vanished, as a strange feeling filled him. ?It was about time!? he thought relieved. He stood up, and watched the others with a smile. ?I got the call. Let?s go find me some avatars!? But it turned out that Ari had been summoned quite early, because the forest disappeared to a completely different landscape before the feeling grew. ?Well, at least we got to continue the journey!? Ari shrugged. The land had changed into a grassy plateau, and beyond rose snow-tipped mountains. The scenery was straight from the Sound of Music. ?Oh no, I?m not climbing up there!? Rocco objected, gazing the mountain range. They were crossing the plateau, when suddenly they heard a shriek above them. A huge, black bird was attacking them! They ducked, and Ari brought out Digipediamon. ?Saberdramon, a champion-level bird digimon?, the digimon told. ?It has sharp talons, which it isn?t afraid to use.? [CENTER][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Digimon/Saberdramon.gif[/IMG][/CENTER] Ari rolled his eyes at the digimon. Very useful, indeed! But suddenly he felt being pulled up into the air. The bird monster had made a dive again, and it had caught Ari in its claws. ?Help!? he shouted in panic. Digipediamon fluttered free from it?s hands and landed on Rocco?s cap. The others couldn?t do anything but to watch Ari being dragged away. Saberdramon was fast, and soon Ari found himself being dragged miles away from his companions. The bird headed towards the mountainside. Ari supposed it had a nest there, and he really wished digimons couldn?t breed hungry offspring. To his surprise, the bird took him to an empty nest ? or so it seemed at first glance. But when they landed on it, Ari saw a small, glowing blue statue in the middle of the cliff. It was his avatar?s link! He looked at Saberdramon, who nodded at him. Suddenly, the bird didn?t look so hostile. It was more like it knew what the statue was for. That was probably why it had snatched Ari instead of anyone else! Then Ari approached the blue link statue shaped like a winged helmet, and as he took it, he felt a warm glow coming straight from his heart. He had received his D.A.D., a blue-and-white one. He was overwhelmed by the sensation he got from gaining these objects. He now had weapons to fight injustice! He had been given a change to be a hero! He whispered his thanks to the powerful being that had guided him, before he had entered the Digital World. The being had seemed to be constructed from thousands of stars, and she was the most beautiful thing Ari had ever seen. At the few nights that had passed from that encounter, the boy had watched the strange, angular stars of the Digital World with admiration. The same admiration filled him now, as he was standing on the windy cliff, with a cool breeze messing up his golden hair. Then his curiosity grew too big, and even though there was no threat in sight, he connected the link statue to the slot on the amplifier, letting his mouth speak at its own will. ?[I]The Power of Stars is my Guidance![/I]? And like his companions before him, he, too, went through a transformation. His limbs grew, and his clothing changed. Instead of a cotton sweater and jeans, he now wore a thick cape of white and blue, and a winged silver helmet. His shoes changed into sandals. Finally, he noticed he was carrying a staff with a winged star on the end. And he had a new name, which he then shouted with joy. ?[I]I Bring Thee Salvation! Somnumon, the Human Avatar of Stars![/I]? The echo of his clear voice lingered for a long time. [SIZE="1"]So there, the prologue and the first seven episodes of the story. Mind you, the last time I posted this here, I reached episode 27, but this time I'm aiming to finish this. More will follow soon, along with pictures of the characters and the original digimons.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Oh yeah! I've always liked the font name [I]Estrangelo Edessa[/I], so I'd definitely sign up as a character named that! ;D

I too want to see a second sequel to [B]Golden Sun[/B], since Lost Age ended in an interesting cliffhanger. I've actually never played the first part, though. In any case Lost Age had a very interesting gameplay, the use of magic outside of battle in puzzle-solving hasn't been done in very many RPGs surprisingly, and the puzzles in the game were really fun, challenging and diverse. The story itself and the fleshing out of the characters could've used some more work, but they were sweet and true to the genre. Another sequel I want to see is the third part of the [B]Longest Journey[/B]. Dreamfall, the first sequel, was a bit of a letdown since it steered away from the adventure genre, but I enjoyed it's visual look and funny characters nevertheless. Now Ragnar Tornqvist has announced that a conclusion to the series is being planned, but that was like three years ago. I'd like some confirmation by now!

I closed the other thread for you, to avoid confusion about where to post what. The background seems interesting, although how the heads of apartments are almost all related reminds me of the tv-series [I]Dynasty[/I]. But I liked that series, so I meant it in a good sense. Just one minor notification: if Graham is from the first marriage of Lazarus Kensington's wife (and thus not related to Lazarus by blood), then he shouldn't bear the Kensington name, should he? Unless Lazarus adopted him... It's really minor detail, but it just caught my eye. Anyway, good going thus far!

I just love that I'm not alone in my hatred towards Jack and Kate. Honestly, Dr. Gary Stu and Mrs. Mary Sue deserve to get swallowed by the smoke monster. :P The episode just left me wondering about Claire. [spoiler]Would they really use such a cheap way to write her out of the show?[/spoiler]

Incidentally, I've had a course about communities in my school, and what you have said about them are all true. A [I]true[/I] community goes deeper than just people living in the same area or appartment block. Although I live in a house with at least fifty other students, I don't really live in a community, since my interaction with my neighbors is limited to occasional greetings when meeting at the front door - I don't even know anybody by name. If there were common parties or happenings or events among the people living here, then this would be a sort of a community. On the other hand, it doesn't require everybody doing something together to form a community, as [I]interaction[/I] and [I]common goals[/I] are the key words. The goal can be as simple as living a balanced life together or having people to talk to. Community workers (which is a job I could do on behalf of my education) work to encourage that interaction between the members of the community, and help them create common goals. OB staff can be concidered some type of community workers as well, although we're probably more seen as police officers. ;D At least I wish OB's staff could develop more towards encouraging and by-standing than just keeping control, but on the other hand I think that's the direction we're headed anyway. So to answer the second question, yes, I consider OB a sort of community. There's really no clear definition what is a true community, but I believe that once you are part of one, you know it. OB has a rag-tag group of members with varying interests and personalities and ages, but I think we hold together quite well. We certainly interact with each other here, and we have a common goal of taking care of our online home. So yeah. The subject of online communities is tough. Obviously not all website or even message boards are communities. I don't think Facebook or MySpace are communities in themself, but there might very well be small communities of people inside those services. A chat isn't a community either, unless there are certain people gathering there at certain intervals. In my opinion, the longer some site has been up, the more likely it has formed into a community. If the userbase grows large, though, then there can be many smaller communities inside the site. Or that's what I think at least. I didn't read that from any schoolbook.

Aww, now you ruined the "whodunnit" part! XP You should approach people (or at least the killer) via a PM, Aceburner, and write the fic so that everybody could guess. Bring in suspects and new evidence and witnesses and such. Like a community driven Phoenix Wright, or something. ;D ... Wouldn't it make a great event, though?

You shouldn't worry about Almagest, it's actually not that much alike to your idea, as it's set in a fictional world with a Steampunk/Victorian theme, and has more to do with family values than corporative issues. And Almagest is wrapping up anyway, so there's not much fever left for it anymore. Anyway, there's plenty of room for all RPG ideas here in the Theater, you just have to plunge in. Your game may not be successful at first (then again, it might be), but there's no need to get disappointed if that happens, because it happens to all of us from time to time. Some ideas just don't get enough air beneath their wings for them to succeed. What you should think about, on the other hand, is how much room will you give to the players participating in your game? If you keep all the story to yourself, you might just as well write to the Anthology section. In the Theater, it's all about interaction and cooperation. People want to affect the outcome of the story and the lives of the characters in the games here, that's why they're called roleplaying games. In short, I say go for it. ;D

[COLOR="Green"]Odin, from what I understand, this isn't a game you created, thus it's not up to you to post an Underground thread for it either - especially without asking the creator of the game first. If a person is away for a few days, it doesn't mean they've abandoned whatever they had going on in here. Life just gets in the way of surfing the net sometimes. If you're really that impatient to start,you should make your own game instead of taking over other people's games. I will have to close this thread now. You can PM me if you have more questions about this, though. - Sandy[/COLOR]

That's not a concept that's bound to fail, Josh, that actually sounds something I'd definitely sign into. ;D It has a "Buffy"-vibe to it, and that's a great thing.

Hey, xenohunter, and welcome to the Theater! Before you rush into making your own games, please read our [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58239][U]Guidelines[/U][/url] (click!), which will tell you everything you need to know about roleplaying here. You should also take a peek into other topics here to see how others do it. As for this game, you don't have any players with you yet, so it's too early to start this. You should also pay attention to your writing and post length. For these reasons, I will have to close this topic. If you still feel at lost about what you can do here, feel free to send me a private message. Thanks!

I bet you're aching to choose the first option, but we all know that in real-life situations, most of the people choose the easier option of making just a polite reply. I also had a variety flatmates when I lived in my previous student appartment. There were some problems (like the fact that none of them ever cleaned the flat, not one!), but somehow I didn't confront them about it. I just complained by myself or to others. So yes, I had several great chances to cause drama, but I decided not to. How unbecoming of me... It's a matter of choosing between an easy life around your house and an interesting life around there, really. ;D

[quote name='Stephie'][size=1]All these pages, and only one mention? Geez, until I saw Korey’s post I was ready to throw myself off a cliff. :( I’ve been here forever and only one mention? *huddles in a corner*[/size][/QUOTE] Someone's seeking attention... ;D I bet you get lots of mentions after that, though. But if you really want attention around here, spark up some drama! That always works, guaranteed. ;D Although, if you want [I]positive[/I] attention... Then [I]I[/I] can't help you. XD

For the record, I never asked for any details or spoilers about the story, I just saw what I thought were logical fallacies [I]inside[/I] the introduction and pointed them out. I for one would surely want to know if something I posted would contain them. Anyway, James explained them, and I was satisfied. The "administrator"-jibe was made in good humor at least from my part. Hence the smiley you loathe so much, Allamorph. ;D To me James is another human being, not a demigod who cannot be questioned, but that doesn't mean I don't respect or appreciate him, cause I do. What goes for what's supposed to be asked in a Backstage-thread and what is not, you can't really make such divisions, Allamorph. Our guidelines state that everything related to the RPGs can be discussed here, although the game creator can choose to take the thread to a more specific direction. And James, if I have anymore [I]anal[/I] questions, I'll surely PM them to you. ;D

[quote name='Japan_86']You think that employers should forbid relationships between co-workers? Why or why not?[/QUOTE] On the other hand I'd say yes, for the reasons you just stated. Obviously those two have let their relationship get in the way of their work, and you should complain to the higher-ups about it instead of suffering from the situation. The pair might hate you for it, but they can only blame themselves for it. Then again, if the co-workers can be civil about it and not let their relationship affect their work, in my opinion they are free to do what they want in their spare time. Falling in love is not something that can be easily controlled, especially not by outsiders. So like many things, this too depends on who were talking about and what the situation is.

I didn't think you made the logical fallacies [I]I[/I] saw by purpose, but we all make mistakes sometimes, even if you're an administrator. That's why I wanted to point them out. ;D But your explanation sufficed to me, and it's clear now that there were no mistakes done. I just want to point out the bits that made me go "huh?". [quote name='James']Today's historians assume that the disaster was related to the discovery, but [B]nobody can be certain[/B]; other than that within a very short period of time, 92% of the Earth's inhabitants perished. [B]All technological development had been lost[/B] as a result of the Great Disaster. The only technology available was based on pre-1984 designs. Using this technology resulted in grand new cities being constructed within a very short time. [B]Space travel, however, was strictly forbidden by NARA[/B]. At the time, [B]nobody wanted to venture into space[/B] (especially anywhere near the moon), for fear of even worse consequences than those of 1984. Society progressed at an incredible speed and the Earth became enveloped in tall buildings; millions of kilometers of highway gripped the planet like concrete ivy. Despite its newfound confidence and rebirth, [B]NARA policy dictated that the Great Disaster was never to be taught in schools[/B]. This was not a large problem because those who remembered the Great Disaster [B]were too traumatized to discuss it[/B]; and for the remainder, it was a taboo subject. In time as those few survivors began to pass away, [B]their children didn't remember[/B] the event themselves. Soon it became more [B]legendary[/B] than historical. More than half a century has passed since the events of 1984. Mankind has once again begun to dream of what must lie beyond our world, among the vast stars of the cosmos. Rather than consider lunar exploration, man's [B]return to space[/B] is to be marked with the launch of [B]Earth's very first space hotel[/B], the Von Braun.[/QUOTE] So the post [I]does[/I] say almost nobody remembers what happened in the disaster, that when the survivors died off, it became a legend, not detailed history. And since the government must've played a part in organizing a space flight, I thought that if it knew about the disaster, it wouldn't have gone along with it. Unless the government is filled with greedy bastards who don't care about the well-being of their nation... But I guess the RPG itself will reveal the truth about that. And it clearly says that "man's return to space" happened with the Von Braun. To me, it feels as if native americans would've skipped from using canoes straight to building the Titanic. XD But I don't need to question the intro anymore, you already said these points would be delved into at the game. I'm satisfied. ;D

Okay... The background story is interesting, but [I]to me[/I] it has a few issues of credibility. First is the fact that humans have suddenly forgotten all about a great disaster that wiped out most of the population in just few generations. Have all the survivors from the event really died off just 70 years later? And is there really no documents or rumors moving around about it? Brushing it off by saying "nobody wanted to talk about it" is not very believable to me... And even if the common people have been ordered not to discuss about it, the government should hold information about it, shouldn't it? Secondly, after a 70 years pause in space travel, they send a [I]giant hotel ship[/I] into the space first? No shuttles? No test flights? How do the pilots know what to do, then? How could the engineers have built something like that, without sending smaller vessels into the space first? Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but these two points just stood out from the text. I don't mean any offense with this, either. Maybe the bits explaining these issues just got accidentally cut off in the process of writing or something. But yes, the backdrop is interesting, just needs some clarifying. ;D

[quote name='James'][font=franklin gothic medium]We thought we'd just put this out there and see if there are any initial responses to it... I know that there isn't much to go on now.[/font][/QUOTE] Oh, please, you could post an idea about the adventures of a vegetable gang, and get everybody interested in it. Not saying you would, but it's true. ;D You just have that reputation. Anyway, what you said about there being a cross-section of characters, I personally would think it'd be interesting if there was some sort of friction between the lower-class and upper-class passengers (although not as deep friction as in Almagest, of course), just to bring some political intrigue to the journey. But that's just me. As for me, I'll probably sign-up into the game as a member of the service staff, maybe a waiter or a cleaning lady or something like that. They always know the juiciest rumors about the passengers, after all. ;D Which brings to me [B]a question[/B]: how advanced is the technology? Are there robots or other automated machinery handling some of the daily functions, for example?

"He told every angel to [B]rearrange[/B] the votes"?! 8( If that video was part of McCain's official campaign, he would so lose by default.

How come I'm getting a sort of "Loveboat" feeling from this? ;D The idea's great, nevertheless. I'm not sure how well people can incorporate the 50's artstyle into their posts (since I don't think anybody of us except Kathy has actually lived in the 50's), but perhaps it's just an underlying theme, like steampunk was for Almagest Legacy - the theme didn't show everywhere, but it dictated quite many things. So yay, new things in the horizon to look forward to!

[I]Aaryanna_Mom[/I], the impression I got from your poem was that of a commercial song for a traveling agency, but incidentally, it fit the theme. The poem had a fun, upbeat feel to it. As for [I]Darren[/I], your poem seemed to me as almost a school essay about "what's your dream vacation?" written in rhymes. It worked technically, though. But for originality and fun imagery, [B]Aaryanna_Mom[/B] has my vote.

[B]8bit[/B], you sold your poem to me by weaving a touching story into it. Thus you get my vote. [I]Treble[/I], your poem was too simple for me, and seemed somewhat unbalanced when comparing the stanzas. The image it painted was nice, though.

I liked [B]indifference[/B]'s approach to the subject of "Seasons" better, although I have to applaud Beth for overcoming her fear of poems that she had in OB Survivor 4. Great job, both of you. I actually like art related to seasons and their changing, no matter how worn-out the subject might be.