Onix

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name[/B] Zensei Ginmaru [B]Appearance[/B] Ginmaru dresses in a relatively functional style, preserving the ninja ideals of stealth and darkness without losing precious style in the process. He wears a mask to conceal the lower half of his face, leaving only his pale blue eyes exposed, which are often covered by his lengthy silver bangs. He keeps to the usual ninja style with a mesh undershirt and simple black, loose pants that aren't so baggy as they catch on any foliage or whatnot. Over this he has a black trenchcoat, and keeps his hands covered with black fingerless gloves. His body is covered in scars, from missions and brutal training sessions with his father, that mar his pale complexion. In addition, there are strange jet black tattoos across both of his arms, baring the Kanji 'Kin', Forbidden, in the center, surrounded by organic looking lines and spirals. He keeps the Kanji hidden by bandages wrapped across his biceps. [B]Weapon(s)[/B] Ginmaru's main weapon is his katana, but he also carries a pouch of kunai and shuriken in case of emergencies. [B]Techniques[/B] Hien [Flying Swallow] - Taught to Ginmaru by his Jounin sensei, Sarutobi Asuma, the Hien is a technique in which Ginmaru forms a sharp, invisible blade of chakra around his sword to extend its range, giving himself a secret advantage that the enemy usually won't realize until it's too late. Kasei-giri [Mars-Cutter] - Ginmaru's own original fire-based sword technique, where he superheats the blade of his sword to give it added destructive capabilities. Kingatana: Shussan [Forbidden Sword: Birth] - Utilizing the seal on his right arm, the Shussan gives an explosive burst of chakra to its user that manifests as an organic-metalloid armor around their arm. However, the sheer amount of chakra released puts great strain on his body, so he can only use the Shussan for up to five minutes before permanent damage is done to his arm. Kingatana: Shi [Forbidden Sword: Death] - The second level of the Kingatana, the Shi can only be used when the Shussan is already in effect because of the chakra it requires. It replicates the Shussan on Ginmaru's left arm, giving him a second sword and armor, and lets him unleash blades of pure chakra from his weapons. However, the doubled strain of the attack cuts his time down to two minutes. Ginmaru has yet to aquire the Fukkatsu, the third level of the Kingatana. [B]Basic fighting style[/B] Ginmaru's expertise, as you might've guessed, is his swordsmanship. As he will proudly tell you, there is no greater swordsman in Konoha than he right now, and he counts himself on par with the Seven Shinobi Swordsman of Mist. The true strength of the Zensei-clan's kenjutsu (sword techniques) is in the initial Iai cut, a quick-draw slash that is good for instant assassination. However, Ginmaru also has numerous kendo moves worked out in case the initial draw fails. He is extremely fast with his blade, raining down attacks on his opponent so they never know what's coming next. Still, while he often seems to be striking randomly, his brain is always at work behind every strike, plotting out where the next will go and leading his opponents into traps. [B]Notes[/B] None, really. Just get ready for a hell of a match, love~[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Well, my favorite super-power has always been the "power-leech" style. Brief physical contact and, ka-stang, I have their super-power. Excellent diversity, and never boring in a fight because you always have a new trick up your sleeve. And, hey, might work on normal "talents," too. Play the guitar in one easy touch, everybody. Although, something tells me it wouldn't last terribly long. That kind of thing never does, sadly. Barring that, though, water-manipulation would be a good one. Enough control, and you could tear people apart at a molecular level. Fun times.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Just popping in to let you know I haven't forgotten about this or anything. I'm leaving sign-ups open until the 30th, and will start the game the following day, if not on the 30th. Before then, though, there are just a few things I want to adress. The Boss, playing as Musashi is perfectly fine. Like I said, anyone from the whole Sengoku period is fine, not just those around with Tokugawa. Delta, you're also good with your sniper-rifle. It'll be interesting to see how someone with more modern weaponry handles against the swordsmen, methinks. Aizen, don't forget to fill in your personality, I wouldn't want to have to leave you in the dust. Ålpha-Æpsilon and mushrumluver, I'm afraid both of you don't look up to par right now. Ålpha-Æpsilon, your sign-up has numerous grammatical and spelling errors, and I'm not even sure what is going on with your personality. Also, shape-changing personality swap? No. Address those concerns, or you're out, I'm afraid. And mushrumluver, unless you can site me a source where Mitsuki Yokohama is from, I'm going to have to veto you immediately. And that's only ONE issue I have with your sign-up, your over-the-top techniques being another. Tone it down, and remember that these characters are supposed to be based on [B]actual historical people[/B].[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Zensei Ginmaru [B]Age:[/B] 17 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Appearance:[/B] Ginmaru dresses in a relatively functional style, preserving the ninja ideals of stealth and darkness without losing precious style in the process. He wears a mask to conceal the lower half of his face, leaving only his pale blue eyes exposed, which are often covered by his lengthy silver bangs. He keeps to the usual ninja style with a mesh undershirt and simple black, loose pants that aren't so baggy as they catch on any foliage or whatnot. Over this he has a black trenchcoat, and keeps his hands covered with black fingerless gloves. His body is covered in scars, from missions and brutal training sessions with his father, that mar his pale complexion. In addition, there are strange jet black tattoos across both of his arms, baring the Kanji 'Kin', Forbidden, in the center, surrounded by organic looking lines and spirals. He keeps the Kanji hidden by bandages wrapped across his biceps. [B]Alliance:[/B] Konoha [B]Personality:[/B] When one first looks at Ginmaru, they expect him to be a subdued, dangerous person, dark and quiet with hidden strength and intelligence. However, this is not Ginmaru. He is an extrovert, and a cocky one at that, claiming power simply because he is the smartest, strongest, and coolest in his own eyes. This is something he will never be hesitent to prove in battle, and gladly fights anyone who doubts his capabilities. The thing is, though, he is not one to over-compensate with his boasting - he can back it up. Still, he has a tendency to be, if only slightly, over-confidant in his abilities, which leads him to get into tougher scrapes than he might initially estimate. He never backs down, though, and is consistently determined to prove himself the best swordsman, the best ninja, and the best Zensei. [B]Biography/Character Snippet:[/B] Ginmaru dropped to the wooden floor hard, a bolt of pain arcing up from his knee like the electrical current it was. His breath came in ragged gasps, tearing at his throat like a pack of wolves, and his sweat felt like acid in his eyes. He tilted his head up, peering out from behind the curtain of his hair at his father, standing tall and impassive like a statue. The stormy gray eyes that met his burned with near-hatred. [B]"Get up,"[/B] Zensei Shinzaburo growled, his voice as hard and sharp as the katana he held. Blood glistened on its edge, the blood that leaked from Ginmaru's shoulder. [B]"F-Father,"[/B] Ginmaru began to stammer. His eyes burned again, this time from the salty tears. He was too old to cry, his father had impressed that quite firmly. After all, he was already eight. Far too old to cry. [B]"I...I can't go on."[/B] [B]"You will go on until I say you can stop, Ginmaru. Get up."[/B] The boy gritted his teeth and brushed back his hair with his free hand. The one wrapped tightly around his sword - even now, he would not let it go - was already throbbing, and he knew that he would have blisters the coming morning. But he stood on sturdy legs and raised his blade again. Father would not let him stop until they both bled. [B]"Come."[/B] Ginmaru leapt forward, his sword a glittering arc in the high noon sun. Shinzaburo dodged to the side almost effortlessly, but Ginmaru felt cold satisfaction at the few gray hairs that wafted to the ground. It cost him, though, the price being a sharp kick to the ribs. He staggered back, his breathes even harsher now. But he couldn't stop. Not until father bled. He would fight the pain, and the dull blackness if it threatened his mind from the corner of his eyes. To many times that blackness had claimed him, too many times he had awoken to feel the sting of father's words and his bokutoh. [B]"You still leave yourself open, Ginmaru. Do not swing so wildly. Be sharp, and be fluid. Like water, not wind."[/B] [B]"Yes, father."[/B] Another cut, this one more restrained. Ginmaru kept his arms tucked close to his chest, and the tip of his katana glanced upon father's blade. It was progress. The elder pushed his weapon forward, but Ginmaru sidestepped, and swung the hard, dull edge of his sword down on his father's wrists. Without waiting for the reaction, Ginmaru pushed his sword up in another arc, and it came down on Shinzaburo's shoulder. Blood sprayed forth, his hot crimson victory. Father pulled back roughly, his face barely portraying the pain he surely must be feeling. He sighed and lowered his blade. [B]"You have wounded me. Better than I expected of you."[/B] [B]"Thank you, father,"[/B] Ginmaru said softly, knowing that was the closest he would ever get to a compliment. [B]"I believe it is time, Ginmaru. You can handle the Shussan."[/B] Ginmaru swallowed hard, and looked up at his father in a mixture of pride and fear. [B]"The Shussan? Already?"[/B] [B]"You have to grow up some time, Ginmaru. You are old enough to cut me deep, old enough not to cry. You are old enough to truly be born."[/B] There was a pause, and Ginmaru steeled his resolve. [B]"Thank you, father."[/B] He would use this power. It would make him strong, aid him in his goals. And he would kill his father. ***** Ginmaru is the heir to the Zensei clan, a family of expert swordsmen who defected from Kiri over 100 years ago. He is often called a prodigy, but only part of his rapid growth can be attributed to raw talent - most of it comes from the brutal training sessions he has had with his father since early childhood. Those that know him at all know he is not a genius like the Hyuuga prodigy Neji, but more a genius of hardwork like Rock Lee. The scars he bears are testament to that. For many years, Ginmaru harbored terribly animosity towards his father Shinzaburo for the way the man has treated him for so many years, callously and ruthlessly cutting down his own son to make him stronger. His ultimate goal was to slay his father in a duel but, alas, Shinzaburo was killed in the attack by Yami, stealing away Ginmaru's vengeance. Now he lives with new goal in mind - to prove his strength to great that it will shake heaven and hell, and let his father know who the strongest Zensei was. [B]Techniques:[/B] Hien [Flying Swallow] - Taught to Ginmaru by his Jounin sensei, Sarutobi Asuma, the Hien is a technique in which Ginmaru forms a sharp, invisible blade of chakra around his sword to extend its range, giving himself a secret advantage that the enemy usually won't realize until it's too late. Kasei-giri [Mars-Cutter] - Ginmaru's own original fire-based sword technique, where he superheats the blade of his sword to give it added destructive capabilities. Kingatana: Shussan [Forbidden Sword: Birth] - Utilizing the seal on his right arm, the Shussan gives an explosive burst of chakra to its user that manifests as an organic-metalloid armor around their arm. However, the sheer amount of chakra released puts great strain on his body, so he can only use the Shussan for up to five minutes before permanent damage is done to his arm. Kingatana: Shi [Forbidden Sword: Death] - The second level of the Kingatana, the Shi can only be used when the Shussan is already in effect because of the chakra it requires. It replicates the Shussan on Ginmaru's left arm, giving him a second sword and armor, and lets him unleash blades of pure chakra from his weapons. However, the doubled strain of the attack cuts his time down to two minutes. Ginmaru has yet to aquire the Fukkatsu, the third level of the Kingatana. [B]Fighting style:[/B] Ginmaru's expertise, as you might've guessed, is his swordsmanship. As he will proudly tell you, there is no greater swordsman in Konoha than he right now, and he counts himself on par with the Seven Shinobi Swordsman of Mist. The true strength of the Zensei-clan's kenjutsu (sword techniques) is in the initial Iai cut, a quick-draw slash that is good for instant assassination. However, Ginmaru also has numerous kendo moves worked out in case the initial draw fails. He is extremely fast with his blade, raining down attacks on his opponent so they never know what's coming next. Still, while he often seems to be striking randomly, his brain is always at work behind every strike, plotting out where the next will go and leading his opponents into traps. He is usually reluctant to use ninjutsu unless he has to, and is also adverse to using any weapons other than his katana. However, he does have a weapon pouch full of shuriken and kunai in case of emergencies.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]The Sengoku Jidai. A time of strife. A time of war. A time of heroes like the world has never seen. Gods stood atop the earth, commanding the winds and earth with their blades and carving new empires single-handedly. These gods were known as Samurai, from the ruthless Oda Nobunaga, to the wily Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the ever-patient Tokugawa Ieyasu. The stained the soil of Japan red, and tore free of the chains of history to forge a new age. But this is not about Japan. This is not about Earth. This is Sengoku. In a far off land, in a parallel reality, there is a great sprawling empire called Sengoku. It lays home to two castes - the Full Bloods and the Half-Bloods. Full Bloods are just normal people, but Half-Bloods have adapted the technology of Sengoku into their bodies, becoming stronger, faster, and more durable as they see fit. The Half-Bloods view themselves as better, while the Full Bloods call themselves pure. Sitting atop the throne of Sengoku is a man called Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is a titan of a man, the Half-Blood King, and a terrible warrior in his own right. Full Bloods despise him, and Half-Bloods fear him for his cold efficiency in battle. Sitting at his right hand is the towering spear-man, the Invincible Tadakatsu, and at his left is Hanzo the Shadow, a deadly assassin who will do anything for his master. Anyone who tried to attack Tokugawa would first have to cut through his guards, and then the masterful warrior himself. View would dare try. But there are some who are willing to go against the Emperor. Half and Full Bloods alike are amassing their strength, battling in the streets to test their mettle in perparation for taking on Tokugawa. They wait in the shadows, honing their skills, and fighting the strongest warriors they can find. Some names just filter into obscurity, but others stand high above the rest. [B]Nobunaga[/B], the Demon of Owari District, rumored as being the most cut-throat warrior in existence, whose wife [B]Nou-hime[/B] is said to be as deadly as he. [B]Shingen[/B], the Tiger of Kai, a wise and clever warrior who is the eternal rival of Kenshin. [B]Kenshin[/B], the Dragon of Echigo, a self-proclaimed war god and arch-nemesis of Shingen. [B]Hideyoshi[/B] the Trickster, perhaps the most deviously brilliant man alive in Sengoku. [B]Okuni[/B] of Izumo, a beautiful priestess with hidden strength. Crimson [B]Sanada[/B] and the [B]Ten Braves[/B], a brave young man and his ten ninja bodyguards. [B]Mitsuhide[/B] the Fallen Angel, a tragic man with a chip on his shoulder and a score to settle with Nobunaga. And the numerous others that join them in greatness. The players are all ready, and the king is waiting. Will the Half-Blood King rule forever, or will he be dethroned by his greatest enemies? Only time will tell. In Sengoku, War is Law. Be ready.[/SIZE][/COLOR] [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] [COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]The Empire of Sengoku is an alternate reality version of Japan during the Sengoku area. However, aside from the tumultuous nature and the major players involved, Sengoku bares little resemblance at all to it's counter-part in our Universe. Sengoku is a futuristic city, cast into ruin by years and years of struggle and war between Half and Full Bloods. Grimy and depressing, it is a world not for the weak to survive. One must be strong to get ahead. Preparing to fight in Sengoku are numerous great warriors, all of whom exist in our world in some form or fashion. As such, characters involved MUST be based on these historical figures. If you need help for ideas, or just want further research, I suggest either[URL=http://www.samurai-archives.com/index.html]this site[/URL] or Wiki-ing the Sengoku Era and looking at some of the people mentioned. The nature of Sengoku is different from Japan's. Warriors in Sengoku can tap into much greater reserves of power than ours could ever dream of achieving, especially the Half-Bloods. However, while Half-Bloods can be incredibly strong, or fast, or tap into incredible sensory abilities thanks to upgrades, they lose the ability to tap into the power of their life force to as great an extent as Full Bloods. Keep that in mind when deciding the nature of your character. Now, many women didn't have as much power during the Sengoku era as the men, the vast majority really. However, the same is not so in Sengoku. For ideas of women, I've mentioned above Okuni and Nouhime, but there are also daughters, wives, and mistresses to go wild with. And I won't mind a few genderswaps here and there, either, to even the ranks, if you so choose. Oh, and a note: anyone from the Sengoku period is playable. They don't just have to be the ones around during Tokugawa's time. SIGN-UP [B]Name:[/B] Pretty simple, since you're taking the names of others. For feminized male characters, please take on a more feminine name as well. If you were, say, making a female Mitsuhide, perhaps Mitsuko. Etc. [B]Nickname:[/B] They got a nickname? Oh, and don't feel you have to use the ones above. They were just...ideas. [B]Gender:[/B] Simple. [B]Age:[/B] Try to keep is reasonable. [B]Half/Full:[/B] Half-Blood or Full-Blood? [B]Appearance:[/B] Feel free to give your person a face to match their personality - you really don't have to go on the portaits of them available, since most of those aren't...great, anyway. [B]Weapon of Choice:[/B] The standard katana? A spear? Chain-scythe? Handgun? [B]Fighting Style:[/B] Just a brief rundown on how your character fights, with maybe a few specific techniques, too. [B]Personality:[/B] Now, here's where it gets tricky. Try and keep your character at least resembling the original person vaguely. I know, it's hard, but most sites will list at least some characteristics they had. Go from there. I'm not going to make you do a Bio or Character Sample, since I'm feeling nice, and besides, I'm already making you do research. Oh, and here's my character: [B]Name:[/B] Date Masamune [B]Nickname:[/B] The One-Eyed Dragon [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Age:[/B] 22 [B]Half/Full:[/B] Full Blood [B]Appearance:[/B] Masamune?s most prominent feature is his one eye, the other having been lost to disease as a child. He pulled it out himself. His good eye is a piercing blue, with a slightly elongated pupil. He has messy black hair that he usually keeps tied back out of his face. He?s a fairly handsome, if sharp-featured man, with a strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. He?s on the shorter side, admittedly, and fairly lean, but he more than makes up for it in skill and personality. His dress is usually a pair of plain black pants and a black shirt inscribed with the bright blue crescent moon emblem. [B]Weapon of Choice:[/B] Twin katana, housed in sheathes designed to make them look like bokken. He calls them, appropriately, Migitsuki and Hidaritsuki, or Right Moon and Left Moon. Usually, he keeps the blades locked away in the sheathes, unless he is pushed to use real force. The twin swords were forged by the legendary Muramasa, and have been crafted so sharp and light that he can use the wind itself to cut. [B]Fighting Style:[/B] Called the Two Moons style of kenjutsu, Masamune is devoted entirely to offense in his fighting. He claims that he never evades and never defends, every move simply being a way to get closer to striking his opponent. His fighting is fast, with quick strikes from both swords. Some of his techniques include the powerful Falling Moon, a one-sword drop, and the Double Barrel Crescent, a dual sliding cut. [B]Personality:[/B] In a word, hot-blooded. Masamune lives for conquest and the fight, a relentless dynamo on the battlefield. He states that every fight should be fought ?As if your last and your greatest,? so you will never be disappointed. As such, he always pulls out all the stops, no matter who his opponent may be, whether it?s a no-name Half-Blood or the great Demon, Nobunaga. His entire world outlook is like this, and he always lives fearlessly and to the fullest, finding what he wants and going for it. Well that's about it. So, go wild, and have fun.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] An Rohaza, known to the public as the Black Tiger [B]Age:[/B] 28 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/UnbornLordXion/Rohaza0011.jpg]Rohaza[/URL]. Also of note is that the eye that's bandaged is blind, and filled with blood from an injury he's had since birth. He had his Glyph tattooed over it. [B]Weapon of Choice?:[/B] Two six-inch long knives on the end of a long chain looped around his waist, as seen in the image. [B]Magic?:[/B] Rohaza is a user of Silver Magic, generally using it to create hallucinatory illusions, weaken mental barriers, and generally sabotage his targets psychologically before diving in with weapons in hand. He's far from agressive with his magic, preferring to sit back and play with the puppet strings while slowly driving those he's set his sights on to the brink of madness and back. [B]Personality:[/B] On the surface, Rohaza seems like a polite, calm, coolheaded man, if a bit frosty and often unsmiling. He is cultured and refined, kind to those who he has no quarrel with and always a gentleman when it suits him. However, he is still an assassin, and will kill with a moment's provocation. Also, deep beneath his cool exterior is layer upon layer of emotional scarring, leaving him crippled in his heart and unable to let himself truly love or be loved by anyone. [B]History/Character Snippit:[/B] Rohaza was born in a small town called Folsom in Kantorei, in the backroom of a brothel where his mother, a prostitute by trade, worked. He was born with his left eye completely filled with blood, a product of numerous blood-vessels bursting that couldn't be treated and has never healed properly, leaving his eye in roughly the same state his whole life. He lived the first five years of his life in the brothel, under the care of the various workers there and under the care of his strict and distant mother. He never knew his father, and only once ever seemed to meet him. The night, it so happened, his mother died. He was the one to first find his murdered mother, in a room awash with shadows and blood. She had been carved open from chin to belly-button, and Rohaza met eyes with the killer briefly before he vanished. The man had piercing green eyes the likes of which he had never seen before, save in the mirror. Those eyes hypnotized him, and kept him staring until he collapsed to the ground and passed out. For several weeks, he stayed at the brothel, until finally the strain of all the emotion he had bottled up broke him. He had never cried once, but a five-year-old can only take so much strain. He fled from the brothel, for miles and miles until everything was foreign to him. There, he collapsed and finally let himself break down. He stayed in the far off part of Folsom until he rather successfully pick-pocketed the greatest theif of Barjix - Cash, the Man in Black. Cash took him under his wing, fed him, clothed him, taught him to fight and to use magic. On his thirteenth birthday, Rohaza made his first kill and took on the name the Black Tiger. That same night, Cash put the Silver Glyph upon him. Across his ruined eye. He stayed with his mentor and father figure for only a few more years before taking off on his own, towards the twisted city of Spiral in the province of Nin. There, in the tavern called the "Eye of the Tiger," he spends his days and nights, waiting for a job. And maybe, just maybe, something more exciting is on the way. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Congratulations, tanukioh! You have amazingly powerful, world rending magics that you can use. Unfortunately, you can't use them very well, and while trying to impress your friends with your mastery of the cosmic forces, you end up destroying Europe. Tough luck, skippy! Put on trial for war crimes, you succeed in breaking out of jail, but the thunderbolt you utilize to do so strikes directly into the core of the earth, and blows us all to hell. Thanks I wish I was the luckiest man alive.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Well, I might as well cast the first vote, and my vote is for [B]r2vq[/B], by a slim margin I should add. r2vq's piece was simple, elegant, and stark. The message is clear, and Nintendo really should think about using it for an add campaign ;D. But seriously, it's very elegantly done, and and shows a great bit of photo-editing. The only thing I can say needs to be changed in jigglyness' is that it seems...too cluttered, with all the background text and surface effects. Well, there's my two cents.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote name='Papa Smurf'] Undergrads. It only lasted for one season before it was pulled, but it was absolutely brilliant.[/quote] [SIZE=1][COLOR=SlateGray][I]God[/I] yes. I don't think I'll ever forgive MTV for cancelling that wonderful, wonderful show. Sadly, I only found it on Comedy Central after it had been canceled, but whatever. It also sucks how many plot threads were left unresolved at the end thanks to the cancelling, but what are you going to do, eh? Ah, well, Undergrads was brilliance, and we always have DVD.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Yeah, gotta love the sigs. Every time I see a shiny new banner or what not, I have to stop and read. Heck, I even read the sixteen line Poems of Doom half the time, because I just have that much free time. They usually seem to give you a bit more of a peek into the mind of the Sigger than just a post alone might, and its always neat to see what fancy new thing someone's written; or what stale old favorite they've dredged up, as the case may be. I tend to prefer, though, the minimalist sigs, a word of two in plane text, with or without a banner. A la mine, really.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]More than a thousand years ago, a wise man whose name has been lost to time was given a message by Jix, the God of Light. He was told to start up an empire that would be run by great rulers of pure spirit called the Jian, and that it would bring peace to the world. He took on the name Barjix, and with his wisdom and the blessings of Jix, his kingdom spread across the continent. He was the first Jian, a line of people who could embody the power of the God of Light. Or the God of Darkness, Rgol. These dark, misguided Jian were few and far between of the centuries, and the last was slain 500 years ago by four mystical heroes, known as the Spectrum. These four passed on their skills in the form of the four magicks: Red Magic commanded the fire and stone, driven by the courage in its users heart; Blue Magic utilizes water and wind to heal and protect, given strength from compassion; Gold Magic brought down thunder and light from the heavens, empowered by the wisdom of the mage; and Silver Magic manipulated the soul and the mind, and utilized naught but cold determination. The Spectrum slayed the final dark Jian, and Rgol, as the people believed. The Empire has been at peace for 500 years, and nothing could be better. Or so it seems. Far to the west, across the barren and inhospitable Wastelands, a different empire grows. Led by the ruthless tyrant called Mekkas, his empire is devoted solely to conquest, and furthering his own wants and needs. And his needs are power. He will stop at nothing to aquire more strength, more weapons, more land. And the one thing standing in his way is the Empire of Barjix. One hundred miles from the official borders of the Mekkas empire, deep in the heart of the Wastelands, there sits a miserable building. Guarded by soldiers and filled with prisoners, it is part prison and part research lab for Mekkas' latest experiment. Within are the strong, or the exploitable. They are part of Mekkas' greatest plan, and greatest heresy against the Gods. He is making new Magic. It was never thought that the Magics made by the Spectrum, which they had learned from Jix itself, could ever be duplicated. But in his terrible lab, Mekkas is doing just that. From the power of rage, Orange Magic gives its user terrible strength and skin like iron. And driven by hatred, Purple Magic uses the very darkness of the soul to kill. But two have escaped from the prison, a giant and the dark-girl. Fleeing through the blistering desert sands, they head towards Barjix to find safety from their captors. Their protection shall come from a very unlikely source as they enter Barjix's reach. For Barjix, while a peaceful city, has a dark underbelly. And four killers, the Four Kings of Barjix, sit at the top of the heap. One will be their savior, one his bitter rival, and the other two...well, who knows? They'll need the help, for Mekkas has hired assassins of his own. And if the captives cannot be brought back... ...They'll die.[/SIZE][/COLOR] [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] [COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]The Underground thread, [URL=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=729819]here[/URL], has more World-Building esque information, but there's the basic storyline with some healthy exposition right off the bat. The story, distilled to its purest essence, is two people on the run and those that try and protect or recapture them. Well, I'll stop gee-jawing and get straight to the sign-up, then. [B]Name:[/B] Note, this is a distant fantasy world, so keep that in mind. [B]Age:[/B] Whatever floats your boat. [B]Gender:[/B] [B]Appearance:[/B] [B]Weapon of Choice?:[/B] Any weapons you might have. I'm setting any strict limits, but keep it realistic. [B]Magic?:[/B] Does your character use Red, Blue, Gold, or Silver magic? Or, in the case of the two escapees, Orange or Purple? If yes, describe how they utilize it. Doesn't have to be really in-depth, just a general idea of their style. [B]Personality:[/B] How do they act, blah blah blah. [B]History/Character Snippit:[/B] Whichever you feel more comfortable doing. That should be it for now. I'll post my character in a few days.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Okay, here's a brief description of the world at large: The Empire of Barjix is massive and widespread, and is a theocratic monarchy (sort of) where the leader is chosen periodically by the Church of Jix. They look for someone who has a sou (or Jigol)l that has perfect balance between the light (Ji) and darkness (Gol). These leaders are called the Jian, and have the ability to manifest the power of Jix, or Rgol if they go down the path of darkness. The central territory of the Empire is known as Opretta, a massive area that centralizes on the Palace of the Jian and the Grand Opretta Temple. It is where the Jian lives, and holds mostly the aristocracy. To the west is Mozar, another rich area known for its great art and vinyards. South of Opretta sits Bluzer, a place that was torn by war for many years before Barjix entered and reformed it. There are still occasional rebellions. To the west, sitting at the border of the vast and deadly Wastelands, is the massive territory known as Kantorei, a primarily arid landscape. A lot of farming and other such produce is done in Kantorei, and there are also numerous mines. Stretching along the south are the great Mountains that form one of the borders of the Empire, the other borders being the Wastelands and the Ocean. The great Eastern Ocean is an unbelievably vast stretch of water that no one has ever crossed. Sitting roughly fifty miles off the coast of the mainland, though, is a large island split into the territories of Shasen, a peaceful collection of artists, and the southern Aji, which has produced many great warriors. The military capital of Barjix is Thraxayer, home to much of the relatively small standing army of Barjix. West of it sits Asid and Faboy, both technological hubs in their own right. Asid, however, is known as being far more aesthetically pleasing. Also of note is Nin, home to the dark city of Spiral that is often found blanketed in fog from its many industrial complexes. The level of technology and general appearance of the world varies depending on where you go. Technology is much more available and high-level in Asid and Faboy, especially. Opretta, Mozar, and Bluzer all resemble Rennaisance era Europe, with many of the other territories looking more mideval in design. Aji and Shasen have more of an Oriental look to them, while Kantorei roughly resembles the Old West. On Magic: The Four Magics are passed on by the scribing of Glyphs onto the skin of a potential User by a previous User. Glyphs can be placed anywhere on the body that the new User likes. It is extremely important to note that under no circumstances should a person ever have two Glyphs, for the power of Magic is too strong and to attempt to wield two kinds would tear the human body apart. Not even a Jian, fully embued with the power of Jix, could handle it. If there are any other questions, please, let me know.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Belial [B]Age:[/B] Ancient [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Alignment:[/B] Cap'n Lucy, of course. [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v252/oxliddoebooyaxo/ken01.jpg]Belial[/URL] tries to be a well dressed demon, usually in black slacks and black suit jacket over a white wife-beater. The cigarette is his trademark, as it were. [B]Personality:[/B] For Belial, charisma is chief weapon in his arsenal, and he positively oozes it. A handsome smile, a witty turn of phrase, and jaunty wink, and he can get just about anyone into the palm of his hand. He is a master of the linguistic arts, and an excellent manipulator. Being a demon, he has no qualms about using people to achieve any end he sees fit, and will not hesitate to lie, cheat, or steal to get where he needs to be. [B]Reaction to Concept:[/B] Belial is a cheerful sort, and enjoys a good round of fun every now and again, so he views this little game as just what the world needs to shake it up a bit. And if he gets to party on earth again because of it, well, there's a benefit for him. Especially if its with young, vulnerable, and easily swayed humans - his favorite kind.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] N/A [B]AKA:[/B] Ven [B]Age:[/B] Unknown [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=4]Ven[/URL], or a rough idea, anyway. She's much paler, has dark red lipstick on at almost all times, and no braid. [B]Personality:[/B] Ven is a very unique woman. At first glance, with her bloody red lips, scant attire, and pale skin, she seems every inch a seductive goddess of the night and as far as that is concerned, you'd be right. Ven is quite the charmer, and will use men and women both as she sees fit, usually to quench two particular lusts. First of all is the obvious; the lust for pleasure, contact, and rough, hard sex. The other, though, the one that makes her so singularly different from other seducers? She will rip your throat out in a second and drink the red blood that pours out. Because Ven, as you might've guessed, is a living Vampire of sorts, a sadistic queen of sex and violence. [B]Biography:[/B] The room was dark and hazy, the thick smell of sex and Pall Malls hanging in the hair like fog. The pale, naked goddess lay stretched out on the bed, a mischievous smile playing across those ruby red lips. She drummed lightly on the stained and crumpled sheets, locks of that powder snow hair dangling down in front of her dark, pitiless eyes. [B]"So, you want to know about me, huh?"[/B] she murmured. [B]"See, that's what I don't like about screwing women. They always want to talk when it's over. But whatever. You wanna hear it, I need to spill sometimes, so let's get down to brass tacks.[/B] [B]"My dad, he was a right and utter cock. Mom was no better, though she was dead from blunt trauma by the time I was seven. Three guesses how that happened. But maybe you don't wanna guess. See, my dad was a regular booze hound. The bad kind. The kind who yelled and threw **** and hit people. Mom usually got the brunt of it, of course, and me and big bro stayed out of the way the best we could. That ended when I was seven and he was eleven. Dad popped her one time too many, or one time too hard, and she dropped. "I shoulda been out of there, but I wasn't. Me and my bro, Victor if it matters, we were shacked up with our Aunt Jenny for no more than two years before dad got out. He was friends with big people, see. Two years on good behaviour, even though he offed his own wife. God bless the United ******* States, huh? So he was back. And after spending two years in the joint, he wanted some *****. And, oh, hey, here's a little girl. Vulnerable. Weak. "Bastard had his way with me no less than once a week. For years. By the time I was thirteen and started getting breasts, it was nightly. But the cocksucker didn't know something. He didn't know that brother knew, and that brother had lifted a switch from some old bum. One night, daddy dearest came home, and Vic stuck him. Bled like the pig he was. "Vic got 25-to-life. Dad got two. ******* justice. "I was on my own, then. Aunt Jenny was mom's sis, so she took care of me good, but she was a broken woman. So I was on my own, even if I did have a guardian. She was hopped up on Valium half the time. I had to make my own way, and to keep my mind of things, I took to the clubs. Thirteen, and I was already screwin' around with raver punks and sluts. "I got the taste when I was fifteen. I was with this goth chick, from college, and she was into some hard stuff. S&M, that kind of ********. She wanted me to drink from her. Not come, I'd done that more times than I could count. Blood. So I did. And it was ******* orgasmic. "Oh, don't look so scared. "She had me drink it, and I loved it. So I started doing it with others, if they'd let me. The next year, though, some cock-jockey from the football team decided that no meant yes on my part, and tried ****. So I bit out his throat. ****** tasted better than he looked, lemme tell you that. And it felt ******* amazing, too, watching him bleed. "I got the taste for the kill that night. And I started partying my way. Sex and blood, and sometimes ecstacy along the way. And then, I might this chick. She was pissed at her old boss, and an ex-assassin. Hot one, too. Starting a group, Black Vipers she said, and I thought, why the **** not? Life is boring, I need some hot kicks, and some of those Black Vipers were pretty damn good looking. Tokyo Elite, too, the bastards we're supposed to off. Might have some fun with them along the way. "So, that's my story, like it or leave it."[/B] [B]Weapon:[/B] Ven's weapon of choice is a very special one, that suits her...unique disposition. Wrapped around her dainty right hand is a metal guantlet, the end reaching up to her elbow and strapped three times around her arm with cross-shaped clasps. It's forged from light steel and painted jet black, but with streaks of red across the actual weapon part - the three inch blades extending from each finger. As a back up, she keeps numerous throwing blades tucked away, but prefers to stick to her claws. [B]Alliance:[/B] Black Viper[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Uchiyama Zeshin [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Appearance:[/B] Zeshin views himself as the epitome of cool, and works his style accordingly, from his horribly non-regulation hair-length to the occasional minor uniform tweak. His plain black hair reaches down to his shoulders, one half swept back over his ear, the other side hanging in his face. His bangs on that half are tipped with silver, and he has silver streaks on the back of his head. His eyes are typically narrow, and a deep brown flecked with gold. His features are sharp, angular, and handsome. He usually wears the sleeves of his jacket rolled up, with a spiked wrist band on one arm and a simple bead bracelet on the other. He usually keeps the jacket open entirely, with a white shirt underneath, to show off his silver cross necklace, which he wears for no religious reasons, simply the cool factor. [B]Personality:[/B] Cocky, self-assured, and anti-authoritarian, Zeshin is a punk through and through, living his life to the ideal of the American punk rocker. He doesn't take crap from anybody, and never hesitates to kick the living hell out of anyone he doesn't like, and has a tendency to mouth off to teachers and skip school whenever he wants. He curses, he starts fights, and is generally nothing but a trouble-maker who most people will no doubt be happy to see gone. [B]School File:[/B] Later.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][CENTER][SIZE=2]Chapter Seven: New Message - Open In New Window?[/SIZE][/CENTER] Ezekiel sighed and rubbed her temple with one hand, the other wrapped around a large black mug filled with steaming hot coffee. Across from her, Gavin and Sakura sat in numb silence while Athena sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Xion rose agitatedly and began pacing, until finally kicking his chair sharply. Ezekiel and Athena looked up suddenly, and Alan looked over lazily. [B]"Fucking hell!"[/B] Xion snarled. [B]"Sonuvabitch! I can't believe Aizen would do that!"[/B] [B]"I know, love,"[/B] Ezekiel sighed. [B]"But whether you believe it or not, it was him."[/B] [B]"And he shot JJ,"[/B] Alan growled. [B]"We need to take him out, friend of yours or no."[/B] "JJ is fine, though, right?" Athena asked. [B]"Yeah. His wound wasn't too bad, and he should be out of the hospital in a few days,"[/B] Ezekiel said reassuringly, before sipping more of her coffee. Sakura piped up soon after, calmly asking, [B]"So what should we do now?"[/B] [B]"We track him down and capture him,"[/B] Alan said quickly. [B]"And if he resists, I won't hesitate to put a bullet between his eyes. He's no better than a n00b now."[/B] [B]"Let's not be hasty - "[/B] Xion began. [B]"Hasty?"[/B] Alan said gruffly, standing up as well. [B]"Don't you think your buddy Aizen was a little hasty when he plugged JJ?"[/B] [B]"That doesn't mean we should just kill him on sight."[/B] [B]"And what should we do, huh? Bake him a fucking batch of milk and cookies and ask him to lead us to the others?"[/B] "Something like that, yeah." [B]"Well guess what, Xion,"[/B] Alan spat. [B]"That's not gonna work, because Aizen is some kind of fucking terrorist, and that kinda person doesn't just go betraying their cause because someone asks 'em to."[/B] "Yeah, but you still can't learn anything from a corpse!" Xion growled, becoming more heated. [B]"You can learn quite a bit, bub, want me to prove it?"[/B] [B]"Try it, n00b Hunter."[/B] [B]"Stop it already!"[/B] Ezekiel yelled suddenly. [B]"You're both giving me a fucking headache!"[/B] Xion and Alan both stopped and looked at her briefly. Xion turned away on his heel sharply, and strode over to the doorway, grabbing his sword from the umbrella stand. [B]"I'm going out."[/B] [B]"Where?"[/B] Ezekiel said, looking slightly paniced. [B]"Why? Alone?"[/B] [B]"I don't know, but I'm gonna find one of those bastards. And if it's Aizen, then I'm gonna handle him [I]my[/I] way."[/B] "Let...let me come with you," Ezekiel said, beginning to rise. [B]"No!"[/B] Xion said sharply. He paused. [B]"I...I don't want you going out again. JJ nearly got killed, and you could've been, too. I'm not risking you getting hurt again."[/B] Just before he opened the door, the message console at the end of the table bleeping, a voice-video communication system located in most of the office buildings for easy, immediate discussions. Gavin leaned over and pressed the 'Accept' button. [COLOR=Black][B]"Hello, Modlings,"[/B][/COLOR] crackled a voice, immediately recognizable as one of the Masked Men. [COLOR=Black][B]"I hear your good friend JJ was put out of commission last night. Such a sad thing, that. But, don't worry. He got our Aizen very good. Still alive of course - that Aizen is a hard one to put down - but he's hurting, I'm sure you'll be pleased to know. And I've made sure to punish him for being so reckless.[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Black][B]"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I called?"[/B][/COLOR] he said, his tone conversational beneath the heavy distortion. [COLOR=Black][B]"Quite simply, I want to give you a chance, and a warning. You see, I have almost exactly what I need to impliment my grand plan, and that means the end is near for the filth of this city. And if everything does go according to plan, the weak and worthless will perish, while the strong will survive. That, dear listeners, is where you come in."[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Black][B]"Listen, you twisted little - "[/B][/COLOR] Athena began, but the Black Masked individual carried on. [B][COLOR=Black]"You, little Modlings, have a choice to make. You can join my side, aid me in my mission, and survive. Or, you can keep playing at being moral, and die for it. It's very simple, I'd think but, then, I make no mistake about being superior morally. I know that what I'm doing is wrong, in a sense, but the results outway the means, don't you think? Peace and freedom from the n00b scourge, in exchange for the death of the scum of the city? It all seems quite plain."[/COLOR][/B] [B]"Can you trace the signal, Gavin,"[/B] Sakura whispered to the man in question. [B]"I'm working on it, Sakura,"[/B] he muttered back, typing away at the keypad next to the video screen. [B][COLOR=Black]"But, then, the plain and simple choices are often the most difficult for some people, are they not?"[/COLOR][/B] Black said, finally. [B][COLOR=Black]"Ah, well. If you're smart, I'm sure you can track me down. If not, well, then you'll simply have to die."[/COLOR][/B] [B]"You're a madman,"[/B] Ezekiel snarled. [B][COLOR=Black]"Goodbye, little Modlings,"[/COLOR][/B] the Masked Man said cheerfully, and the link went dead. "You got a location for us, Gavin?" Alan grumbled. "Because I feel like putting a bullet in that smug bastard's skull." [B]"Yes, that does seem to be your answer to everything,"[/B] Xion drawled. [B]"But I'll admit, we should put a stop to this one. He certainly does seem to be the leader."[/B] [B]"I've got a target,"[/B] Gavin said. [B]"The O. Lounge, building number 42, fiftieth floor."[/B] [B]"It's close,"[/B] Athena sighed, standing. Sakura, Ezekiel, and Gavin soon followed suit. [B]"Let's go get him."[/B] [B]"No,"[/B] Xion said, sternly. [B]"We need back-up, first. I can go get it,"[/B] he added, and then looked to Ezekiel. [B]"You should come, too."[/B] [B]"You don't need to protect me all the time,"[/B] she replied, narrowing her eyes slightly. [B]"You nearly got a bullet in you last night. Let's just go get some back-up from the Mod Building and then we can join them."[/B] He sighed, and grinned before adding, [B]"And with Alan on the team, I bet we can expect to have at least a little something left over on our own, hmm?"[/B] Alan just muttered something unaudible under his breath, but sounding distinctly vicioous, and stormed out the door, Athena, Sakura, and Gavin following quickly. Xion took a step towards Ezekiel, and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. [B]"Listen, I don't mean to be overprotective. I'm just worried, alright?"[/B] Ezekiel sighed and nodded. [B]"Yeah, I understand. I'm just...really stressed out right now."[/B] Xion just leaned down to brush his lips against hers. [B]"Come on. Let's get going. I wouldn't mind having me a bit of a fight, would you?"[/B] [B]"Not at all, love."[/B] [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] I notice, with each new installment, just how much more story I have to tell before I can get to the end. Le sigh. Well, as you asked, here's at least a little taste of character interaction. The heroes really will take more of a standing roll, now, with the antagonists being left behind for a good while. Hopefully, that will be to your liking, and you won't miss our Masked Pals too much~. And I'm sorry that Black is such a long-winded gent. He just loves to hear himself talk. Well, see ya next time, kids.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]I'm pretty sure I could take MJ in a fight. Tyson, I'm less confident about. So, not being an idiot, I'll pick bed with the freak. And, just to mess with with the [spoiler]"omg preps and pink suck" idiots who'd rather eat maggots or things like that[/spoiler] people who picked the other options on these two... Be in a room full of pink and Hello Kitty stuff, etc., blah blah blah, omg it's pink how tragic. Or Be in a room full of preps. Which is so much worse than, say, having your leg chopped off. Yeah.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Dim the lights. Twist the stereo nob to full. Chatter dies. Girls leave the stage. The boss struts out, bare muscles rippling beneath pale, scarred skin and heavy black leather. Ready the weapons of war, the mighty bass and screaming guitar. The microphone leaves its stand, and that velvet blade Belial calls a voice rings out, cold and clear and cunning. [B]"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you all to give a big round of applause for our next girl on the stage."[/B] A few cheers and whistles rang out. They knew what was coming. [B]"Because this fine lady is not only the Beauty of God,"[/B] the twang of a guitar string punctuated the sentence, ringing out with each pause he took. [B]"And the leather angel herself, the one, the only...Raphael!"[/B] There was loud applause from the crowd, and Belial grinned as he looked back at his band mates. The glittering crimson and gold eyes that shone back were ready for whatever he'd throw at them. [B]"We're playin' GA tonight, boys."[/B] The lead guitarist grinned and thumbed his nose. [B]"And does her outfit fit the bill, Boss?"[/B] "But of course, Xaphan," Belial smirked. He tapped his boot-clad foot to set the beat, and the angel behind him started the drum beat, while the bassist let his fingers roll over the strings. They'd played this song many a time before, and Raphael, standing behind the curtain in one of Belial's hand picked outfits, knew her cue to the 't'. Belial leaned in close to the microphone, counting off the strings in his head as Xaphan started his piece. A high note screeched from the electric guitar, blasting out across the crowd from the twin massive amps, and the blood red curtain flew open as Raphael strutted out, wearing what amounted to little more than a leather bikini with thigh high boots and a shirt so short it barely counted. The music mellowed as she made her way to the end of the catwalk, looping an arm around the pole that stood there and making a lazy swing. Then the instruments cut out sharply, and Belial began his craft. [B]"Black lace, red lips Tight skirt, full hips I feel your cold fingertips Drummin' to the beat of my hea-art!"[/B] The music swelled again, the singer letting his fingers deftly travel across the strings of his guitar, working solely from memory as they played out the chords. While he and his 'boys' worked their magic on the ladies in the audience, the men sat transfixed on Raphael, her body swaying suggestively to the beat. [B]"Black nails, sharp teeth Strut that body, stamp those feet You have to feel the pulsing heat Grooving to passionate be-eat."[/B] Arching his back, the Incubus slid his hands down the neck of his axe, letting the strings wail before belting out the chorus. Raphael mimicked his motions, albeit suspended from the ground with her legs wrapped around the pole, tossing off her bra to cheers from the crowd. [B]"Oh, you're my gothic little angel My sweet and sexy vampire."[/B] The angel in question grinned to the crowd, parting her ruby colored lips to bear sharpened, pearly white canines. [B]"You're my goth lolita angel Constantly craving the fi-re,"[/B] The music dropped, and Belial added a breathless, [B]"Between your thighs."[/B] [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] Just outside of Bethlehem, New Mexico, two figures descended casually to the ground from unknowable heights, wings stretched wide and shining with ethereal light. One looked forth with cold authority, his eyes burning as he surveyed the boiling plains. Next to him stood a smaller woman, seeming to shrink away from him. He strode forward, and she hurried after him. [B]"They are around here, Ariel,"[/B] the tall man said. [B]"Yes, Lord Michael,"[/B] the woman replied, her voice almost inaudible but to the best trained ears. [B]"We shall bring down the sword of justice upon the Fallen."[/B] Ariel remained silent, and followed the Angel of War. She did not envy the angels they would come across, and no force on Heaven or Earth could force her to change places with them. Michael would do justice to the world, he said. And there would be blood. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] The ground rumbled slightly with the bass, stretching far from the Leather Angel and out into the desert. However, the rumbling was smothered by a louder sound as the earth split open and fires belched forth from within. Two rose from the fires, not touched by its heat as the dark embers slowly faded back into their domain. A lanky, silver-haired man brushed off his clothes as they faded, looking distastefully at the ashes. [B]"'S not right, for us to ashed up. Can't they make it so the fires don't do anything?"[/B] Standing next to him, the woman said nothing, merely looked forward to the distant city. [B]"He is there."[/B] Baal quirked an eyebrow and followed her gaze. [B]"Who, Belial? 'Course he is. That's who we're going after."[/B] The Leviathan stood silent for a moment. [B]"Let us go. There is not much time."[/B] [B]"Yeah, alright. Fuckin' ashes."[/B] [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] The finals chords faded in the club, and the lights rose again, the sheen of sweat across Raphael's almost entirely bare form glittering under the spots. She grinned again, took a short bow, and turned to strut off the stage, swaying her hips suggestively as she did so. Belial watched her every move, and after slipping off the strap of his guitar, flung his jacket into the crowd of barmaids that had gathered near the stage and took off after her. As he stepped behind the stage, he smirked and sneaked up behind his angel, wrapping his hands around Raphael's waist and putting his mouth right next to her ear. [B]"You were great, babe,"[/B] he murmured, taking in the subtle scent of her sweat. [B]"So were you, rockstar,"[/B] she said, before tearing away and pulling on a robe. [B]"Shall the lady be retiring to her room?"[/B] he asked, digging through his back pocket for a crumpled pack of cigarettes. She leaned back against her table and shot him a hungry gaze. [B]"If that's what you want...Boss."[/B] Belial grinned again, and tossed the still unlit cig away from his lips as he drew closer to his woman. If anyone found them? They could go fuck off. The Risen and the Fallen drank, joked, and fucked, unaware of the oblivion just outside their doors. [CENTER]*****[/CENTER] OOC: Game time, gents and ladies. Risen, Fallen, hang out, go home, have a ball. Angels, Demons? Just take out a few NPCs before you start messing with other characters. The blood bath will start soon enough, I'm sure. So, have a drink, have a laugh, because it may just be the last night of your life.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Well, since myst didn't post a choice, I'll just answer Raiyuu's again. Honestly, this one is no contest. I'd much rather be destitue with the love of my life, since money isn't worth losing love. Jamie is far more important to me than any amount of success. Right. My turn. Would you prefer to be shot in the head, a swift and relatively painless death. No muss, no fuss, just a bullet in the brain to end it forever. You will, of course, be dead, and all your friends and loved ones will suffer with that on their hands, and the crushing pain of mourning may drive them to eat a shotgun themselves. Who knows. All you know, is that you die. Or You can cut off your own leg with a rusty hacksaw. It will be immensely painful, no doubt about that, and will probably last several hours. You will bleed heavily, and possibly get some kind of blood poisoning from the rust, most likely tetanus (or lock-jaw). However, you'll be alive, and can go on to lead a near-fully functioning life with a prosthetic leg, and will be happy and healthy aside from the agony and possible illness that can be cured, in all likelihood. Quick, permanent death? Or long-lasting agony?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Don't fret, gentle readers, I have some Character Building chapters planned for the not-so-distant future, given the way I plan to take this story. There will be a lot of sitting around and talking, and researching, and bitching eachother out, and general interaction. The only reason I haven't included more of said interaction up until now is, primarily, because I don't want to piss people off via mischaracterization. So, just consider this right now advanced warning if that does happen. Another note: I'm surprised no one bitched me out for the JJ-injured? Cliffhanger. Ah, well. [SIZE=2][CENTER]Chapter Six: Mission Accomplished[/CENTER][/SIZE] [I]The Lounge, East Distric February 6th, 00:08[/I] Two shots rang out, and blood spilled across the pavement. JJ snarled and reached up to hold his side. The bullet had only grazed him, yes, but it still hurt like a sonuvabitch and the wet warmth on his fingertips let him know that it most certainly [I]was[/I] bleeding. Still, he was fine. He could still plug a bullet in the bastard with the handguns, no problem. JJ was made of tough stuff, and no masked maniac was going to bring him down. Especially when their mask had been blown off, and blood was trickling down their face from a nasty cut on the temple. And [I]especially[/I] since that maniac was Aizen. JJ scowled and stood upright again, putting his hand back on the trigger guard. [B]"Well, Aizen, decided to go to the dark side, did you?"[/B] Aizen smirked nastily and lifted his dual guns, obviously modeled off of Ebony and Ivory in Devil May Cry. [B]"I thought Star Wars was Gavin's schtick?"[/B] [B]"Then let's cut the chat and end this."[/B] There was the loud crack of gunpowder and Aizen jerked aside, the bullet bursting into the wall behind him. He ran forward, stringing off shot after shot from each hand while JJ ducked and weaved as best he could with an injured side. Luckily, Aizen's accuracy seemed to be lessened from the blood in his eye, so it wasn't hard to. JJ got a few more good shots in, but most ended up passing harmlessly through his enemy's cloak. [B]"That the best you got, JJ?"[/B] Aizen laughed as he cast his guns aside - the clips were empty. [B]"Maybe you'll do better close-quarters, hm?"[/B] The huge broadsword he drew, JJ noted, would not run out of ammo, and would probably shatter his rifle in a few good swings. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. He tried another shot, but the bullet merely ricocheted off the blade. It was too strong. Not good. So there was little left to do but run. And run he did. He got a good distance before the pain in his side started becoming too great, forming a stitch must faster than usual in his breathing and making his pace slow, too much, letting Aizen close the gap. [B]"Hell,"[/B] JJ grumbled, and get pushing on, desperately ignoring the dull throbbing agony and trying to keep moving, until he found someone he could trust, someone who could help him, someone... ...like Ezekiel. The was a satisfying crack as the redhead dropped from a roof, he foot colliding right between his shoulder blades and sending Aizen stumbling to the ground, broadsword skidding from his grip. He lay pinned on the concrete, Ezekiel's feet on his spine, while she glowered slightly as his prone, bleeding form. He glared up at her, in turn, blood still dribbling from the cut above his eye, and his newly split lip. [B]"Never thought you'd stoop so low, Aizen,"[/B] Ezekiel growled, obviously disgusted. [B]"We, if you got off my back, I wouldn't be so low, would I?"[/B] Aizen snapped back. Instead of responding, Ezekiel dropped down suddenly, letting her knee rest not-so-gently on Aizen's shoulder. He grunted in pain, and she ignored the sick satisfaction she got from it. [B]"Who else do you work with?"[/B] [B]"I worked with your mother last night,"[/B] he shot back defiantly. Ezekiel's eye twitched, and she reached back to wrap her fingers firmly around her crowbar. [B]"I don't think you understand your position."[/B] [B]"I've been topped before,"[/B] Aizen snorted, and Ezekiel responded by digging her knee into his back harder. He grunted again, and sneered. "I knew you and Xion were into the rough stuff, but man, you surprised me." The asphalt cracked beneath the cold iron of the crowbar as it landed not an inch from Aizen's skull. Ezekiel smirked at the flicker of fear that appeared briefly in his eyes. She raised it again, slinging the end over her shoulder but leaving her muscles tensed so she could repeat the force again if necessary. [B]"Now, who do you work for?"[/B] [B][COLOR=Indigo]"I'm afraid that's not his business to talk about, Ezekiel,"[/COLOR][/B] was the answer she got, followed closely by a throwing knife whistling dangerously past her nose. Ezekiel jerked back and whipped her head around to take in the sight of yet another masked man - no - woman, cloak billowing slightly in the wind and purple streaked mask glittering from the moonlight. They held aloft a gloved hand, another elegant throwing knife already in hand. Ezekiel narrowed her eyes and edged over slowly towards JJ, who had his rifle raised but not aimed. [COLOR=Indigo][B]"Release Aizen and we'll be on our merry way,"[/B][/COLOR] the figure said, voice distorted but still recognizably femenine. [COLOR=Indigo][B]"Stand in my path, however, and you won't have time to use the gun."[/B][/COLOR] The menace, and the seriousness, was clear. "Don't give in, 'Zeke," JJ murmured. [B]"We need to capture Aizen, and I don't mind a few knife wounds in the process."[/B] [B]"Much as I'd like to lock him up, we know who he is, we can find him again. You dying isn't worth a capture."[/B] [B]"I'm not going to die. Now go grab him."[/B] [B]"JJ..."[/B] [B]"Do it, Ezekiel,"[/B] JJ snapped. Ezekiel didn't have time to make up her mind, however. In a flash, Aizen was back on his feet and grabbed his sword, leaping towards the building that Purple stood atop. Ezekiel moved forward to chase after him, but a knife nearly cut through her boot, and she stepped back instinctively. The rogue member leapt up and dragged himself onto the roof, standing next to his mysterious cohort. [B][COLOR=Indigo]"Let's go, Aizen,"[/COLOR][/B] Purple said coldly. [B]"Don't need to tell me twice, Miss - "[/B] His sentence was abruptly cut off by a gunshot, striking him in the shoulder from behind. He let out a growl of pain and turned, but Purple placed a hand on his shoulder, swiftly grabbing three knives in the other and flinging them with deadly accuracy. They nearly gave JJ a new set of holes, but Ezekiel tackled him to the ground, letting the blades whistle harmlessly past. Without another word, Aizen and the Masked Woman leapt off the roof and off into the night. ***** [I]Adventure Inn, Building 2, Room 5B February 6th, 01:00[/I] [B][COLOR=Black]"That was quite foolish of you, Aizen,"[/COLOR][/B] the black masked man said coldly. [B]"I know, boss,"[/B] Aizen grumbled, while Blue tended to the wound on his temple, wiping it down with a damp cloth. [B][COLOR=Black]"You lost your mask, and you've been identified."[/COLOR][/B] [B][COLOR=Indigo]"Plus, he was losing,"[/COLOR][/B] Purple offered. [B]"She dropped on me outta nowhere,"[/B] Aizen snarled. [B][COLOR=Black]"'She'?"[/COLOR][/B] Black said, verbally raising an eyebrow. [B]"Er..."[/B] [B][COLOR=Indigo]"It was Ezekiel, sir."[/COLOR][/B] Black fell silent for a moment, and Aizen tensed. [B][COLOR=Black]"I see,"[/COLOR][/B] he said calmly. [B][COLOR=Black]"She will no doubt reveal your identity to the Mods as soon as she can. You will need to go into hiding, obviously. Make yourself comfortable at our new location."[/COLOR][/B] Aizen's eyes widened slightly. [B]"The...new location?"[/B] Gray and Purple seemed to snigger softly, but Blue remained quiet. [B][COLOR=Black]"Now, thankfully, two of you have completed your objectives. Have this morning's preparations been made?"[/COLOR][/B] [B][COLOR=Indigo]"Of course, boss,"[/COLOR][/B] Purple said, in a tone that made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. [B][COLOR=Black]"Excellent. Aizen, make your way to the base. The rest of you, you are dismissed."[/COLOR][/B] The masked men and women departed, and the Boss smirked as he ran his fingertips across the cover of the stolen book. [B][COLOR=Black]"So close. So close."[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Five Iron Frenzy is an awesome ska band, memorable for such hits as Phantom Mullet, My Evil Plan To Save The World, and These Are Not My Pants [The Rock Opera]. They are hilarious an amazing, and I suggest buying Quantity Is Job No. 1, as it contains One Girl Army, My Evil Plan, and the Rock Opera, which is just hilarious. Now, I must go and listen to My Evil Plan again, because I just love that song.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]1. Pick a Band or Artist:[/B] Panic! At The Disco [B]2. Are you male or female:[/B] I Constantly Thank God For Esteban [B]3. Describe yourself:[/B] There's A good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Figured Them Out Yet [B]4. How do some people feel about you:[/B] Nails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks [B]5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend:[/B] Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off [B]6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend:[/B] Time To Dance [B]7. Describe where you want to be:[/B] London Beckoned Songs About Money Written By Machines [B]8. Describe how you love:[/B] I Write Sins, Not Tragedies [B]9. What would you ask if you had just one wish:[/B] Build God, Then We'll Talk [B]10. Share a few words of wisdom:[/B] The Only Difference Between Suicide and Martyrdom Is Press Coverage [B]11. Now say goodbye:[/B] Camisado [Relax, Relapse][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Definitely not bollocks, love, far from it, and I insist you write more soon. For the good of the OB. I'm loving Xion's character (gotta love the bastards), and I can't wait to learn more about his sordid past with Ezekiel. Heck, forget murders, let's see some more character drama~[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]The slug has the larget penis in proportion to it's size of any animal on record. On some occasions, the male will become stuck during coitus, and it will have to be chewed off. So boys, be glad you're not [I]too[/I] big.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1][B]Name:[/B] Belial [B]Gender:[/B] Masculine [B]Side:[/B] Risen [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/UnbornLordXion/bnc-kou1.jpg]Belial[/URL], being a rock musician, a strip-club owner, and a demon, has a bit of a different sense of what proper clothing entails than most. To him, shirts are often optional, while chains and jewlery are not; pants are always required to be black, whether denim or leather; if a shirt is worn, it must be tight enough to show muscles, or an open shirt that buttons up; and colors other than black, white, red, and blue are largely a myth. [B]Fighting Style:[/B] Belial hates weapons and, generally, combat. He'd prefer to settle things reasonably, perhaps through discussion, a game of chance, or with the application of liquor and a few of his best ladies. For him, bloodshed is a trial and peace is a much better option than war. But when put to the test, he is a demon, and will not hesitate to rip someone limb from limb if they push him too far. Demon of sloth he may be, he is still a Prince of Hell. When he does get rialed up, Belial has but a single power to call upon - the wind. With the gales at his fingertips, he can create barries, blow people away, or simply shred them with invisible blades. Versatility and minimum effort are the name of the game, and at both, he excells. However, if such mythical tactics fail to work, he is not at all adverse to pulling out a gun and blowing someone's head off. Sometimes, modernity is just better. [B]Personality:[/B] For Belial, charisma is chief weapon in his arsenal, and he positively oozes it. A handsome smile, a witty turn of phrase, and jaunty wink, and he can get just about anyone into the palm of his hand. He is a master of the linguistic arts, and an excellent manipulator. Being a demon, he has no qualms about using people to achieve any end he sees fit, and will not hesitate to lie, cheat, or steal to get where he needs to be. Seeing as he is a demon of lust, it is unsurprising that Belial runs a strip club, and he seems like just the kind of man who would own a business that lets him spend 24 hours a day with scantily clad beautiful men and women. Belial never lets an opportunity pass to drop an innuendo or subtle sexual hint, and is not picky when it comes to prospective partners. Though he spends most of his time, if not all, these days with his chief girl, Raphael, when she lets him, he doesn't mind a change of pace of a change of face. Surprisingly, though, Belial knows how to channel his charisma into other dealings, and has found the human passtime of music to be most enjoyable, especially when it is founded on the premise of electric guitars, heavy base, and accompanied by gyrating strippers. He can often be found spending his down time writing new music, or strumming his guitar. [B]Writing Sample:[/B] All around was filled with infernal heat, so familiar, but still different. It wasn't the heat of Hell, not by a long shot, and the barren, sandy desert was empty save for the distant, fuzzy shapes of squat cacti and scrub trees, and the only sound was the slow thump of foot on loose earth and the hoarse, distant screech of a vulture. This was not Hell, of that Belial was sure. That's because he had escaped. There was nothing but the dull expanse of sand for miles around, as far as the eye could see. And being a demon, his eyes could see quite far on a good day. Today, though, was not nearly a good day for Belial. He had been banished, cursed out of Hell itself by the great Lucifer, and forced to walk the endless sands in the belief that he would not last long - that an angel would strike down the rogue demon prince, or he would simply fade away with no fires to keep him young, no life blood to sustain him. And, without sin to keep him going, he would wither under the hard, unblinking eye of the sun. And so he felt weak, and drained, and his skin was baking without anything to shield it from the scorching rays above except the ragged remains of his shroud. But, he would become strong again, of that he was sure. Earth was a place rife with sin, and it would not be long before he could find a place almost as good as Hell. The Prince kept walking. There had to be something, eventually. Earth wasn't that big, and there were far too many people about for him to die in this godforsaken place. He would just keep walking, forever, until he hit road or a city or anything. Anything, as it happens, ended up being an angel. As he kept trudging onward, a small blurr appeared on the horizon, lying there and slowly growing as he approached it. Eventually, it turned out to be a gorgeous young redhead, glad in nothing but th gossamer white silk robes of an angel. It has taken him ages to wake her up, and she had been terrified - his blood red eyes and the stunted horns on his forehead were probably something she wasn't used to seeing. But she had come with him, anyway, because she'd fallen from Heaven and he was the only one around to help her. Eventually, they had found a city and set up shop. Amazing how things start, innit?[/SIZE][/COLOR]