Sandy

For reasons stated by others already (lack of rhythm, longevity etc.), [I]Aberinkula[/I]'s poem just doesn't work for me. [I]Aaryanna[/I]'s poem is perhaps a bit too simplistic for my taste, but out of these two, I give my vote to [B]Aaryanna[/B].

I liked how you told a story in your poem, [I]Raiha[/I]. I'm no expert in poetry, but the last line seemed overly long and thus broke the rhythm for me. [I]Rachmaninoff[/I], you seemed to take the easy road and just describe the topic. The poem is beautiful, but a little too safe for my taste. So, [B]Raiha[/B] will get my vote.

For the record, I've lived my whole life in cities (albeit small ones by international standards), and I've heard dogs baying numerous times. ;D [I]Gavin[/I], I'm a bit disappointed that you as an European went with the American imagery of a city (as a metropolis with high skycrapers of steel and glass). You could've shown your locality (or the fact you've never lived in a city) more with this task. There's some nice symbolism in there, though. [I]Allamorph[/I], I adore your play with words. Your approach to the subject was refreshing, as well. Thus, [B]Allamorph[/B], I choose you! *throws a Pokéball*

[quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]I have ancestors who [I]died in wars[/I] doing what they believed was the right thing to do. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] Who [I]doesn't[/I]? It's only been about sixty years since the last war in Finland, which ended a long string of wars after Finland became independent from Russia in 1917. As I said earlier, there are still plenty of hardcore patriots and war-veterans in here as well, so although we're safe from such threats now, the spirit of those wars still weigh heavily on the attitudes of many people here. Sure, I'd believe most veterans would be offended or at least taken aback if I told to their face that I wouldn't do what they did back then, but if I'd let that affect my thinking, I wouldn't be me anymore. As an adult, I have the right to make my own decisions about these things, and if someone doesn't like them, it's their problem. I could draw comparisons to the issue of homosexuality, but that might take the discussion too far. So I am aware that my views on military are looked down by some people as disrespect towards my country or my ancestry, but I'm not the kind of person to dedicate my life to such "higher powers". It also shows in me being an atheist, but that's another issue as well. But enough about me and my inner world. I think I've said everything that needs to be said on my behalf, so I'll steer away from posting in this thread again. As much as I enjoy being the center of attention, I should give room to others as well now.

Three dressed-up women walked into the main street of Lore only to see thick smoke coming from the blacksmith's house and hear gunshots from the jail. [B]"Dios mio! What a ruckus!"[/B] Gabriela said with clear distain in her face. She covered her face in her perfumed handkerchief to expel the stench of the smoke. She wore a pink dress with red ribbons and white stripes, along with a high pink hat held fast by another ribbon. [B]"It ain't nothing new in this town, mabelle"[/B], Belma replied with a motherly sigh. She straightened her puffy orange dress that had cobber threads woven into it. They witnessed from afar as two people - a young man and a woman of about the same age - run away from the jail. [B]"At least life isn't boring, haha!"[/B] Juliette chimed in with her crystal clear laughter. Her songbird voice had lured many men to her bed during her few years in the trade. She was wearing her usual light blue adorned with white lace. [B]"Let's not forget our business, gals"[/B], Belma reminded, and led her two companions to the general store. [B]"Good-day, Miss Drianne"[/B], Belma greeted. [B]"Lively day today, ainnit?"[/B] [B]"Why sure, Madam LeBoeuf"[/B], Celes Drianne replied casually. It was obvious that most women in Lore did not agree with the profession of Belma and her girls, but Celes Drianne always treated them with the same politeness that she showed to all of her customers. [B]"It's your usual weekly groceries, right?"[/B] [B]"Indeed"[/B], Belma said. [B]"We managed to get some extra last week, so why don't you look through those fabrics, Juliette-dear?"[/B] For some reason, there were more and more people passing through Lore each day. As long as it benefited the business, Belma didn't mind at all. [B]"Ah, Gabriela!"[/B] the younger woman shouted in delight after browsing the stack for a while. [B]"Come and see this pattern! Do you think Moira Jean could make me a dress out of this?"[/B] [B]"Aye que no! She's been so cranky lately that I doubt she will give you anyting but a slap in te face if you ask 'er tat"[/B], Gabriela said haughtily, making Belma sigh again. Belma truly wished the girls could get along better with each other, but she knew it would be asking too much. After they had picked the groceries and the fabrics with the help of Celes Drianne, the three women made their leave. They walked back to the Seven Sisters Brothel, located off the main street. The building had three floors, rivaled only by the town's hotel in size. But in a house that accomodated seven independent adult women, there had to be enough rooms for everybody.

I will be posting tonight as well, I just have to catch up with what's already been written. So you'll have your dose of expensive love served to you soon enough. ;D

[quote name='Roxas']Although, I think an Action Musical would somewhat be a comedy in itself... as why would anyone really burst into song while beating up someone else, let alone the whole world for that matter, and not to mention the fact that the bad guy somehow knows the lyrics..[/QUOTE] [I]"Everybody was Kung Fu fighting!"[/I] Heh, yeah, sounds like a very innovative idea which just needs to come into fruitition. As a Theater Moderator, I actually [I]demand[/I] that someone will continue work on this, for I think it could very well give a new spark of creativity to our RPGs in general as well. ;D Too bad I've never written proper lyrics in my life, so that'll hinder my participation. XP Oh, I changed the title of this thread a bit to better reflect what is being discussed here (and possibly lure in more people who'd be interested).

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]And I [I]certainly[/I] wouldn't have minded Sandy's contribution if it he hadn't openly declared that the only reason he shared it was to "provide discussion"[/FONT][/QUOTE] Seriously, you read what you want to read from my words, don't you? Of course my "only" intention to post wasn't to try to throw this thread off, but mostly to give you guys a different point-of-view from a country with a different military system. And also my personal, [I]individual[/I] thoughts on war and military. All the generalizations are things that [I]I[/I] have encountered and perceived, which of course doesn't mean they're the ultimate truth. I never claimed that! I have seen documents and read articles about normal Americans who buy guns to their homes to feel safe (the most recent one being the Virginia Tech students who want to be able to carry guns in school). Does that mean I think [I]all[/I] Americans are like that? No, Beth, no. I have also met plenty of immature youngster - many of which haven't even gone to the army yet - who think I'm a coward and a wussy for choosing the 13-months civilian work service over going to the army. Does that mean I believe all who support army are like that? Again, Beth, no. I simply can't know what every individual thinks about these things, nor can I list all of those thoughts into my posts. That's why I have to use generalizations and my own observations in my posts. I cannot give you the objective truth, because I only have subjective knowledge about this issue. As for a final note, Allamorph, as a pacifist I of course want to question the purpose of wars and military. Verbal debate has nothing to do with violence - unless it deters into insults, which I'm glad we've mostly steered away from. So really, I'm not looking for a "fight".

[quote name='indifference'][COLOR="Indigo"]Also, you seem to have the misperception that a discussion is only happening if people have opposing views. Not true.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] Not opposing, but [I]different[/I] views. I don't think there's much of a discussion when people talk about how much they agree with each other. ;D At least that discussion won't go anywhere. I dare say I'm not the only one in this thread - let alone on this forum - who has used exaggeration as a means to get the discussion a kick. As long as people don't go personal insults, I'd say there's nothing wrong with a little provocation. ;D And to Allamorph: yes, that smiley was one. ;P

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Meh; you see real discussion, I see pointless bickering over minor differences and unnecessarily constructed hypothetical situations—again, on both sides. To-may-to, to-mah-to.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Well, why don't we all just shut up, then, with our poor discussion skills. That'll turn this board into a fun place. ;D

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Ironically, this thread was far more peaceful until a "pacifist" showed up.[/good-humored ribbing][/FONT][/QUOTE] At least I got some real discussion going on after all those posts that basically repeated the same arguments over and over again. ;D James, do you really expect everybody who has an ideal to be totally indulged by it? I think it's saying a bit too much that one cannot be a pacifist if he or she doesn't know the history of the idealism. To me, pacifism means I don't do violence, but I will work my way out of situations by other means. I [I]have[/I] done violence in my childhood, and I'm from a family with a violent past, but these have only strengthened my views. Do I really have to worship Gandhi or something to be allowed to call myself that? Like I said earlier, I really don't know what I'd do in a true, dire, back-against-the-wall situation, but that goes to everybody else as well. In those type of situations, I can't imagine I'd be thinking "Oh wait, I have this philosophy! Damn, I can't defend myself...". It's the same with those of you who are believing Christians: one of your commandments tells you not to kill, but in certain situations the large majority of you probably would. Does that make you any less of a Christian? No. But I'm steering away from the military discussion here. Sure, the military in Finland is prepared to help in crises and disasters other than war as well, but since it's mostly comprised of normal guys and girls with only six months of training at the minimum, I don't think they're very equipped to handle that sort of events. Politically-wise, I wouldn't actually terminate the army, but I'd prefer to see one with hired personel motivated by the right reasons instead of a ragtag group of immature youngsters thinking that no man is a true man if he hasn't crawled in a forest with a big gun. I would want to see that the young men of Finland were given a true choice of how to serve their country. If you thought that in a war situation I'd just sit tight and do nothing, you're mistaken. I'm a professional social care worker, so I'd be of much more use in taking care of children, old people, the disabled etc. than rotting in prison for not going to the battlefront. But unfortunately those in power don't see that, because they were all raised to be "true men".

[quote name='indifference'][COLOR="Indigo"]We have the same luxury of holding to our ideals, you just choose to not see it. We have similar ideals in wanting a world without war, where people can live in peace. We just realize that with any ideal, the other side of the coin must be present. So that those millions of citizens living in peace can get as close to them as possible.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] I'm sorry, Crystia, but who said I was referring to the US when I talked about a "country in war"? I meant the countries that really are [I]in[/I] war, and the last time I checked, there were no battles in the United States. I can imagine it's really very difficult to remain a pacifist when you see your neighborhood and loved ones being blasted away. [I]That[/I]'s the luxury I was talking about. Who are these "we" you're talking about, anyway? I can only speak for my own self, and I can tell you there are plenty of patriots, nationalists and warmongers in Finland as well. My views of resenting the army are usually scorned upon in here, so this discussion isn't about "the people in my country think this vs. the people in your country think that". Reading back my previous posts, I realize I made some sweeping generalizations, and I apologize for them, but I'm really not trying to make this about the differences of nations, just about the differences of individual people living in different places and situations.

[quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]Professional killers? I honestly wonder how much you really know about the military. No one is turned into a "professional" killer. I've had friends who served and learned to be doctors and other professions within the military.[/QUOTE][/COLOR][/FONT] Of course I know there are different positions inside the army you can train into. But when it all boils down, soldiers are trained to kill, or at least suffocate resistance with violence, not let's say diplomacy. [quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]You make it sound like everyone who isn't a pacifist has an arsenal in their home. Many of us rely on the regular police force and other law enforcement to keep us safe, the only real difference is that the military is on a country level instead of a local one. To advocate against the military, is to advocate against law and order altogether.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] No, I am not an anarchist. XD Sure, if my country was at war, my opinions could be different. But living in a safe country (in both local and international level), I can hold on to my ideals. That's a luxury I know many people don't have. [quote name='SunfallE'][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"]And humanitarian aid can't change someone's viewpoint. To think that by sending aid people would not fight is naive. Honestly, if that actually worked, it would have already happened. I really do not appreciate the assumption that just because the military exists, we must therefore be heartless and only respond to violence with violence. That too is rather naive, I support the military because it is like any law enforcement agency. I don't think it's perfect, but at the same time, it doesn't mean I blindly support violence in general.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] Ideals [I]are[/I] naïve, otherwise they wouldn't be ideals. But without ideals, what would this world be? No one would be willing to promote change, and thus no change would ever happen. I've repeatedly said that I know the realities of life (I know that even the puny Finland could have use for an army at some day and age), but even those realities couldn't make me change my ideals except under the most absurd, sci-fi horror type of situation where it's the fate of the world vs. killing a guy, which I'm glad doesn't happen in the real world (or at least in my part of the world). [B]MoyakuKeramushe:[/B] I hope that answers your question. I don't condone to those black-and-white situations, because they're not realistic, and if someone is really motivated by such a scenario, then they obviously aren't very realistic either. That's why I consider these "pre-emptive wars" a load of bull: you can't help but to hurt several innocent people in order to get one "bad guy". [B]Aberinkula:[/B] Although a perfect world peace can't ever be obtained because people will always believe in different things, it doesn't mean it's useless to promote peace and non-violence. One can do it on a local level, and see the results themselves. For example, I currently work in a project at an elementary school, where one of our jobs is to prevent and intervene to bullying. There's a big leap from bullying to killing or waging war, but the mentality is pretty much the same: "I can do whatever I want to people I don't agree with". As for a final note, I'm really not expecting anybody to change their views about anything with my words, I'm just trying to bring an alternative view to the discussion. Sure, I live in a secure country with an army, but if that means that I have no right to be against warfare without being called a hypocrite, then so be it.

I jokingly said that the consensus in this thread was "nauseating" simply because everyone thus far have been in agreement on a matter that usually sparks controversy. I really expected to find at least [I]some[/I] debate in this thread, but there was none before I posted. My words were in no way meant to be an insult to anyone, and you really read too much into them if you thought that. And I'm sorry if I gave the wrong image that I would actually support being a soldier by a profession. Because I don't. In my perfect world of lollipops and rainbows, I don't want to see people trained as professional killers. But it's their choice, really. I can't and won't deny anybody the right to join the army if they so wish. But I won't be a part of it. Defending my family or children against harm has nothing to do with pacifism. There are other means of protection than violence, and I'm happy to live in a civilized country where you don't have to get a personal arsenal to your home just to feel safe. I'm sorry that it cannot be so everywhere in the world, but I put my money on sending humanitarian aid to the countries at war rather than sending more soldiers (or "peacekeepers", as they're often called). Just to make this perfectly clear, I'm for the soldiers as humans (as in I don't want them to die), not for their profession. I do not agree with what they are doing in the countries at war, but I do know that's how the world still works. People respond to violence with violence. It seems that not many of you are actually willing to break that vicious cycle.

I guess I'll be the one to break the nauseating consensus of this thread. Seriously guys, can't we get a good debate about [I]anything[/I] anymore? XP Jokes aside, I'm a pacifist, period. I do not believe waging war is an answer to anything, and to me the military is a place where people are brain-washed to do the bidding of the warmongers. I've met people who have gone to the army and come back with a part of their personality stripped away - their values and attitudes have changed towards those they were taught at the military service. Some people boast about their time in the service in public, but when I've spoken to them in private, they admit that it was the worst time of their lives - and they only train in Finnish forests, not in a real battlefield. See, unlike in the US, going to the army is almost obligatory here in Finland to all young men. There's the option of going to a civilian work service (which I chose, and haven't regretted a day) which lasts thirteen months, as opposed to the six or eleven months spent in the army. You can also get exempted, or downright refuse (in which case you're in for six months in prison). There's no real monetary benefits for going to the army, no paid schooling (since it's free here anyway) or secured jobs. Despite my high ideals, I'm also a realist, and I know war is still the way things are handled in many countries, and that will probably never change. People still have to defend their countries, that's why a small and recluse country like mine still has a public army. But I also know that if our neighbor Russia would decide to attack us, we wouldn't stand a chance. The technology has developed far beyond the days of the Winter War, when the puny Finnish soldiers kept Finland independent by fending off the mighty Russian army. And oh the amount of glory that has been attached to those events! It's the same kind of glory I see being attached to the soldiers in iraq and Afghanistan. Many people say that if you're against the war, you are against the soldiers. Which is totally paradoxal, since I don't want people to die, nor kill others. So despite what the realities are, I will hold on to my own pacifism. If we go to war during my lifetime, I refuse to die holding a gun. I will die so that no other person has had to die by my hands.

[B]Name[/B] ~ Belma LeBoeuf, the madam of the Seven Sisters brothel [B]Gender[/B] ~ Female [B]Age[/B] ~ 27 years [B]Appearance[/B] ~ Belma is otherwise a typical southern belle from Lousiana except that she is black. Her skin is light chocolate brown and her eyes are golden hazel. She has straightened her dark curly hair and usually wears it up in a bundle. She decorates herself with excessive jewelry she has gotten from her clients, and dresses in elaborate ways. She has dresses from every color of the rainbow, each of them with an ample cleavage. She does her best to avoid looking cheap, a philosophy she tries to spread to the six girls working for her as well. [B]Personality[/B] ~ To the casual clients Belma seems distant, proud and calculative, but to those who have gotten to know her better she shows her warm side. She expects a lot from the girls in her brothel, but also protects them like a mother lioness if they are threatened. Her childhood in slavery has caused deep scars to her heart, but she has learned to enjoy the freedom she has in Lore. [B]Biography[/B] ~ Belma was born to a couple of slaves in Lousiana, both of which died to a disease when she was still a child, but when the Civil War was over, she moved north to Colorado to start a new life. But a young black girl was a strange sight in Lore, the town she ended up in. She tried to find a job, but nobody would have her. In the first night she spent in the town, she was raped, beaten and robbed by three drunken men who found her sleeping in a stable. Bruised and bleeding, she ran to the nearest house with lights on, and an older woman took her in with open arms. She would soon realize that she had arrived to a brothel, but the kindness of the madam and the other girls overwhelmed her. She finally felt like she belonged somewhere. It would be a while until she was ready to take clients, but when she did, she found satisfaction in being the dominant one in the intercourse. No man would ever treat her like those three had ever again. The years passed by, and the old madam retired, leaving the brothel to Belma. There were six other prostitutes working in the house at the time, so Belma renamed it to "Seven Sisters". To this day, the brothel and it's seven women satisfy the needs of the lustful men visiting or living in Lore. [CENTER][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/wildwest.png[/IMG] [I]Belma and her girls: the bubbly Candace (pink), the sensuel Gabriela (fuschia), the fierce Ruth (dark red), the spiteful Moira Jean (green), the gullible Juliette (blue) and the vain Susannah (purple).[/I][/CENTER]

My April Fools prank for my boyfriend was that many weeks ago, I started throwing hints that he would be in for a "crude awakening" on April the 1st. This got all him worked up on what horrible thing I had coming for him - he even claims that he couldn't sleep on several nights because he was thinking about what it would be. I know I can be nasty, but I didn't think I could be [I]that[/I] nasty... Anyway, when we woke up yesterday, I just said the usual "April Fools!", and he went all "I knew it!". Got him, nevertheless. ;D

[strike]As the other host of this game, I have to butt in here and ask people to take each other into consideration more with all these plannings. I know that many of you want to carefully plan your posts and cooperate with the other players in that scene before you do the actual post, and I respect that, but you have to remember that while you're doing all that, other players will have to either hold up their posting or take a risk by posting and in doing so messing up your carefully planned posts. So I have to repeat the request made by both me and Josh earlier: if you're planning big things, [I]post them here[/I] instead of keeping the information in private messages between few players. If you want carefully planned posts, other people will need to know what you're thinking, as well. There is no predetermined post order here, so you have to be vocal about when you want your post to happen, or else you might lose your chance to make it.[/strike] Other than that, I guess I just want to say "get on with it" to everybody. If you feel at loss about what to write for these final posts in this game, this thread is a perfect place to ask for ideas! ;D EDIT: Sorry, it seems I misunderstood what was happening here (how typical of me). I was just worried that since this thread and the game itself have been quite inactive lately, there was something preventing people to post. Now it's cleared up that Malkav is doing a post next, although there are still other players [I]not[/I] involved in that event who are also free to post. I also didn't mean to suggest people would have to spoil the contents of their posts. I just wanted to remind that nobody's a mind reader here - if you agree something in a private message with someone, you can't blame someone else for not knowing it. It has happened a few times during this game already, so I just wanted to make sure that we weren't dealing with that again. But as I said, I seem to have read too much into the few previous posts. I apologize.

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']Hmmm, that's the same as what's here in Allamorph's post Sandy:Still fun though. I'm only disappointed that it's not more... for a moment I thought that what you posted was part three and four. Damn.[/QUOTE] Ah! My bad for not spotting those links! There's just so much going on in this thread... XD I found those videos first from a gaming-related site, so I dug them up from YouTube and posted them here. There [I]will[/I] be more, though, or at least that's what the maker has said. Here's something that always puts me in a good mood. It's the Benny Lava song! [youtube]ZA1NoOOoaNw[/youtube] Oh those crazy Indian people... ;D What makes the video even more fun in my opinion is that it's from an actual Bollywood film that tells the story of two medical students in love. You can [I]so[/I] tell that from the video! XD

If you want to see true animated action greatness, check these videos out. It's Final Fantasy girls versus Dead or Alive girls - with zero sexual innuendos! Here's [B]Dead Fantasy[/B], parts I and II. [youtube]w5v0_TjBxY8[/youtube] [youtube]pDTPDSkmOw4[/youtube] Truly astounding!

[quote name='Dagger']****ing cliffhanger. Is it: [spoiler]the Others? (Ben could've sold Alex out. Or he wants her safe but would prefer to have Carl and Rousseau out of the way.) Or: Widmore's people, somehow. Or: someone tracking them from the camp (Locke finally snaps?) Or: ???[/spoiler][/QUOTE] Somehow [spoiler]I'm not buying into Ben's "I'm one of the good guys" mantra. He clearly disapproved Carl's and Alex's relationship, so it would be very believable and becoming of him to set them up like that. I was thinking that the writers just wanted to write all three of them out of the show, but when Alex survived, it suddenly gave her a whole new purpose in the story. I like her, although she hasn't been a very prominent character in the series yet. I loved Danielle as well, but I think she already played her part.[/spoiler] Apparently we have to wait four weeks before we see how things work out. Bugger. XP

[quote name='Malkav']I agree with James. An image would really help my posts out. I don't even mind if you lift one from FFXII and the included maps.[/QUOTE] You can find the artworks for the FF XII airships (which are all gorgeous, by the way) from [url=http://atma.lost-edens.com/thumbnails.php?album=27][U]this site[/U][/url]. So take your pick. ;D My own suggestion would be [url=http://atma.lost-edens.com/displayimage.php?album=27&pos=98][U]the Alexander[/U][/url], but it might be too grandiose for some of your tastes.

Those bombs were actually part of the RPG "Final Quest For Glory 2" by Charles and Shy. They were planted by the terrorist cell, and the counter-terrorist unit had to find them in time to disable them (or something like that). Looks like the terrorists just didn't bother to clean up after them properly... ;D

Here's some different type of videos - skits, to be specific. These are from an old one-time comedy show, [I]Never Mind the Horrocks[/I], starring the incredibly talented Jane Horrocks (from the movie "Little Voice" and the tv-show "Absolutely Fabulous"). I saw the show only once when it aired here in the mid 90's, but I still remember that I literally roflmao'ed then. XD So it was really pleasant to discover at least these skits from the show in YouTube last week. [youtube]7fpOvv2VFJY[/youtube] [youtube]feLa4e0ihOE[/youtube] [youtube]Lfv7hjEErgU[/youtube] Enjoy and roflyao!

[CENTER][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gadgetgerrault2avatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/leonhartavatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/donner-avatar.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER] [font=Georgia]The underground city was almost deserted, as the Underdog troops were all up in New Czenoble engaged in their final, desperate battle. The only ones left were the prisoners and their guards. Gadget was able to knock them out swiftly under his guise of invisibility. He grabbed the keys from one of the guard’s belt, and moved from cell to cell, unlocking the doors and opening the shackles. The captives couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the doors and shackles open by themselves. Gadget didn’t unveil himself until everyone were released. He found Leonhart and Lady Catherine standing in the middle of the astonished crowd. [b]“You!”[/b] both Leonhart and Catherine exclaimed in unison, although Catherine sounded surprised while Leonhart’s voice was more ominous. [b]”Specimen 071… How did you survive?”[/b], Leonhart inquired. [b]“Macey… Your daughter, sir. She brought me to safety through the tunnels”[/b], Gadget explained. Leonhart Almagest’s voice reminded him of the time he was lying helpless on the bed of the laboratory, when Macey’s caretaking was his only comfort. [b]”Leonhart, this is Gadget, the assistant of Macey’s I mentioned you about”[/b], Catherine introduced. [b]“Although I have no idea what he is doing here.”[/b] [b]“He is no assistant, dear sister”[/b], Leonhart said. [b]”He was subjected to experimentations by the order of Dynast King Mideus, who wanted to create an army of human chimaeras, and I agreed to fund the project. But it didn’t go well, as this boy here was the only one who survived.”[/b] Leonhart measured Gadget from head to toes. The eyes of the seasoned tycoon and veteran made Gadget very uncomfortable, but he gathered himself and took out the device that Gustave Achard had given him. [b]“Sir, this compass allows us to find Macey and the others who came down here to rescue you. We agreed that because of abilities, I would release you and take you to them.”[/b] [b]“Very well, young man. Catherine, you take the compass and lead the others out of here. I need to take care of the cannon first.”[/b] The old man then looked at Gadget again. [b]“And you will help me with that.”[/b] Gadget couldn’t refuse. Surely his abilities would help to protect Leonhart, who was weakened by the weeks spent under captivity. He handed the compass to Catherine, who gave a worrying look at her brother. Gadget wasn’t sure what this cannon was – perhaps it was the Giant that Victoria had gone on and on about – but it seemed like Leonhart felt responsibility over it. Leonhart lead Gadget towards the mouth of a large tunnel at the edge of the city, while Catherine and the other kidnapped scientists went the way that Gadget had arrived from. [b]“So you have been living in my house all this time, then?”[/b] Leonhart suddenly asked as they walked onwards. [b]“Uh, not exactly, sir. But your daughters, Miss Macey and Miss Eva, they’ve tried to help me get rid of whatever was injected in me”[/b], Gadget explained. [b]“Since you managed to sneak to our rescue without being noticed, I assume they weren’t successful.”[/b] [b]“No, sir, not yet. But Eva promised me we would start the treatments once things have settled to normal.”[/b] [b]“Ah, normal… I’m afraid it’ll be quite a while before things are normal again, young man.”[/b] [b]“I suppose so, sir. After all, my parents have made things quite difficult for everyone.”[/b] [b]“Your parents?”[/b] Leonhart asked, stopping. Gadget realized he had said too much again. Then again, it would’ve come out sooner or later, so why try to hide it. [b]“You mean the Starks? My, that is quite a coincidence… Then again, I always sensed that there was more to the couple than met the eye. You are no different in that sense, young man.”[/b] They continued on. The tunnel lead up towards the surface. The ground had two wide tracks from the wagon they had used to move the cannon, so it was very easy to follow where they had taken it. [b]“You mustn’t blame your parents solely”[/b], Leonhart said abruptly. This time his voice let through another kind of emotion. Regret, maybe. [b]“During my captivity I saw with my own eyes how different things looked like from the perspective of a mere worker. I always thought they should be grateful to me for providing them with employment and housing. I thought they lacked the ambition and will to become anything else that what they were born into. I always believed in the greater good, that the end justifies the means. That’s why I didn’t object when you and your neighbors were abducted to be experimented in Project Alchimaera. I thought that in the end you’d be happy to serve your country in the Dynast King’s army, just like I was back in the Mine Wars. When I first heard about the Underdog’s rebellion and kidnappings, I was enraged, but now it makes much more sense to me. They are only doing to us what we have been doing to them for years.”[/b] Gadget remained silent. Hearing the old man say these things confused him. Was Leonhart Almagest really saying he was no better than the Underdogs? [b]“But it’s not just a matter of aristocracy versus the commoners anymore. You see, the Starks got their money not only from inside the Mirror Palace, but from New Globe as well. Politics are never black-and-white, young man. I do not know why someone from the royal family would fund the rebellion, but there is a whole nation on the other side of the ocean who despises our technology and machinery, claiming that they are a crime against nature. Dynast King Mideus knew about this, and he was desperate to find a way to defend his country against a foreign army. But our enemy was more clever than expected – they tore us apart from inside. Now the Underdogs have the ancient cannon that was discovered by me and my brother decades ago, and they are using it against the military airforces. And you, Gadget, are the only one who can stop the cannon. This is why you were created.”[/b] Gadget sighed. It really was his destiny to be a living weapon… Eventually they came to the hill where the cannon was situated. Gadget was stunned by the brutality of it all. Many buildings below the hill were aflame, and the air was thick with rain and smoke and ash. The smog above the city was flashing and thundering as the airships fired their cannons, but none of them could match the sheer destructive force of the large cannon on the ground. Leonhart stood behind him, and placed his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. [b]“Once they have shot down the airships, they will turn the cannon towards High Czenoble. They think they can build a new nation out of the ashes, but it cannot work. I am sorry it has come to this…”[/b] Gadget turned to look the old man straight into his dark grey eyes. He saw tears in them. [b]“I really am sorry. Go now, Legacy of Celsius!”[/b] Hearing the man call him that made something change inside Gadget. Suddenly he felt the full force of his abilities taking over him. He didn’t even notice the pain pulsating through his whole body. All he could think of anymore was destroying the cannon. In a flash of bright green light he dashed forward into the crowd of rebels defending the cannon, pushing them from his path with brutal force. Suddenly he saw his father standing in front of him, aiming at him with his massive rifle, but he just slammed right against him, sending him flying against the side of the cannon. He didn’t hear the cries of the wounded, he didn’t feel the bullets reflecting from his metallic skin, he didn’t see the remains of Donner Stark huddled on the wet ground under the massive structure. He just followed his instincts, climbed on top of the cannon, pushed off the man on the controls, and put his hands on the panel. Then he closed his eyes, and everything went white. All the noise, all the scents, all the tastes vanished. [center]~*~*~*~*~*~[/center] Raindrops falling on his face woke him up. It took a while before he remembered what had happened. He opened his eyes and looked around, and saw that he was lying inside a massive crater. He wasn’t sure if it had been hours or days, but, as he slowly realized, he was still alive. He tried moving his limbs, and to his amazement there was no pain, although they did feel sore. He stood up and saw that there was nothing left of the hill or the cannon. The sky above was empty and silent as well. He could only hear the rain. Then he looked down, and saw that his skin was still invisible. Gadget tried to make himself visible again many times over the following years, but with no avail. Convinced that he could never return to his past life, Gadget left Czenovia and grew old in solitude in the Anovan countryside, giving birth to a story about a ghost lord living in an abandoned mansion. When Leonhart Almagest returned to his family, he told that Gadget had sacrificed himself while making the cannon self-destruct. While it was doubtful that a mere mechanic would be able to do that, the crater was a solid proof that the cannon had indeed exploded, so nobody bothered to question Leonhart’s tale. Although Gadget himself would never know it, he would be celebrated as a hero in both Czenobles.[/font]