Talon

[color=teal]ANY character, from ANY video game, may be used, though any Marvel, Capcom, or SNK characters will be put on the back burner in hold for any other non-Nintendo characters. Custom-built characters, such as those used in the RPGs in the Arena, are not allowed, however. This tournament is to determine the Super Smash Champion of the GAMING world. Remember, though, that [b]only four[/b] characters in the tournament may be non-Nintendo. Upon posting the sign-up threads in a week or so, nyone wishing to use a non-Nintendo character must send me a PM first, to verify that that character can be posted in the sign-ups. [b]Remember that a green light to post a character does not ensure that character's participation in the tournament.[/b] Apart from that, feedback and additional questions are encouraged. We are currently in need of several new ideas for arenas, especially since The Halberd will be included in [b]Brawl[/b]. Thank you, ~Talon.[/color]

[i][color=teal]His face was flushed with excitement as he stood on-scene on the mighty Masters Hand, Inc. dirigible. Below him, a vast assortment of open-field arenas checkered a huge expanse of land. His eyes brightened as he tightened his grip on the microphone. He looked into the camera, the technician's hand signalling three, then two, and finally...[/i] [center]"We're on? I'm on? C'mon, Lakilarry, am I..."[/center] [i]Okay. Let's try that again. Three, two, and...[/i] [center]"Hello, and welcome to the viewing deck of the Masters Hand, Inc. blimp, the [i]Thumbs-up.[/i] I'm Talon, and I have the privilege of hosting the latest in gambits made by the esteemed Masters, the Hand Brothers, in their Super Smash Bros. tournaments. This latest venture is a tournament unlike any other in the Super Smash Bros. line. The Masters Hand have taken out all the stops for this year. New arenas, more fighters, and more weapons and items than Cranky can shake a cane at, all for your viewing pleasure. In the spirit of the tournament, the Masters invite any and all Nintendo heroes (and villains!) to prove, once and for all, that they alone deserve the title of Super Smash Champion. However, the Masters have thrown in an extra little bit of icing: out of the total 32 slots open for the fighters, 4 of them will be reserved for NON-Nintendo heroes! That's right! This year, you may see such fights as Link versus Trevor Belmont, Captain Falcon versus the Master Chief, or the long-awaited showdown between Mario and Sonic! Will these fights actually take place? Nobody knows! We have only FOUR slots open for these fighters, so sign-up today! Is that all? No! The arenas have been expanded, and new items have been added. In addition, fighters can now 'carry' any item other than the Hammer or the Super Star in case of an emergency! You may only carry ONE item, however, and it must be approved pre-match via personal message. What's more, there will be 4 divisions! Each division will start with 8 fighters in one-on-one matches. Semi-finals will be held between divisions 1 and 2 winners, and divisions 3 and 4 winners. The winners of those matches will decide the finals! There's still more on the plate! There are surprises galore in store for our viewers, AND our fighters! Even better, the fighters that make it to the top of their division have a special surprise in store for them, as well! Am I done yet? No! Each division will be co-hosted by a surprise special guest alongside myself! Even the Masters Hand will be making special guest appearances from time to time. What they will be doing, is up to the crowd... That's all, fans! Heroes, and villains, you're all invited to attend the Super Smash Bros. Rumble! Join now, and win bragging rights for a whole year! Until next time, Talon, signing out!"[/center] [i]With that, the camera went off. Talon walked over to the side of the viewing deck and looked out at the arenas. He smiled and looked up, to see a pair of floating gloves giving him a huge thumbs-up each. His smile turned into a grin as he turned to his computer console. It was time to up the ante....[/color][/i] [center]---------------------------------------------------------[/center] [center][img]http://ketsurui.omni-shore.net/ob/CmdPreviewInWebBrowser.jpg[/img][/center] [i]Yep. You read right. This is a thirty-two way tournament, with twists and turns at every angle. Guest stars, new items, new arenas...and four non-Nintendo-exclusive fighters. This will be a sparring tournament active in FIVE THREADS. That's right, FIVE THREADS. A thread for each of the four divisions, and one behind-the-scenes general thread. This thread is where the host will be spending much of his time, aside from announcing and delivering judgments. Also, groupings, team-ups, and secretive planning are allowed in this thread. The characters that are currently IN A MATCH are disallowed from this thread until the next fight. All other characters can use this thread to watch, comment on, and wonder about the matches currently in play. Rematches may be called, and a sixth thread may be added to determine honorable mentions among the first-outs. These two, however, must be expanded upon and voted on before they will take place, as well as given the okay by James. Impartial judges will judge matches on basis of CREATIVITY, FIGHTING SKILL, GRAMMAR, AND SPELLING. GODMODDING IS DISALLOWED AND WILL RESULT IN FORFEIT. Additional judging material are: number of 'falls', number of 'taunts', dependence on repetetive tactics, use of environment, and mercy. The judges will NOT be predisposed to certain users or characters, and they WILL not be announced. Judges' names shall be kept secret at all times. Each match will last an as-yet undetermined number of posts; immediately following the final post, regardless of impending action, the 'clock' will be called and the match winner will be announced by myself and the special guest referee of that division. A new feature in this tournament is the 'Carry Item' slot. Similar to the slot in Super Mario World, a fighter can carry a single item that they may activate at any time during the match ONCE ONLY. You cannot replace an item in the box once the box has been used in a match, though until that point you can replace a box-item with any item other than a Hammer or a Super-star. In other words, no Invinci-cards or Insta-wins. Finally, this tournament, the Super Smash Bros. Rumble, is meant to be FUN. Don't take it, or yourself, too seriously. It's only bragging rights for a year. Anyone can join, but please abide by the rules; you will be declared the loser by forfeit. If there are any questions, post them here. Questions and feedback are invited and encouraged.[/i] [center][b]LET'S RUMBLE!!![/b][/center]

[color=slategray][b]Name:[/b] Viktor Vladislav [b]Age:[/b] 20 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Place of Origin:[/b] Yegeryevsk, Russia [b]Known History:[/b] Viktor Vladislav was born to middle-class parents, in a middle-class home, to a middle-class life. He grew up to an abusive lifestyle, though he struggled every day to find something to smile about. He excelled in school, using it as an excuse to avoid his home, but made few friends. He became proficient in the sciences and histories, but became a target for bullies and snipes from girls, despite his impressive physique. He graduated from high school and joined the army, thinking of aiding the Motherland. He was a skilled combatant, though he excelled more at the studious tasks of command. His last memory was of being taken into the medical facilites on base after receiving a gunshot wound to his right forearm during a field exercise. [b]Personality:[/b] Viktor is fiercely loyal and has an incredibly acute sense of justice. He is strong-willed, and very, very stubborn. He will sometimes fail to listen to reason in an effort to mete out what he feels is justice, and he is usually correct. He is incredibly smart, and of slightly above-average strength. Nature has apparently remedied this by making him somewhat clumsy, as well, which is an ever-present thorn in his side. Viktor is never rash, though if the proper chord is struck, he is incredibly quick to anger. When his ire is aroused, or he feels it necessary, he will usually target the throat of the antagonist, almost to exclusion of all other vital areas. [b]Appearance:[/b] Viktor has long gray hair, with orangeish, black, and white streaks along the sides. His eyes are a cool amber, and his skin is extremely pale. He is built well, and has an impressive physique, though it leans more towards the martial-artist build rather than the Mr. Universe build. He is roughly six-foot-seven, and weighs in the neighborhood of 232 lbs. of sheer dense muscle. Viktor can usually be seen wearing long sleeves and a blue-jean jacket. He is never seen without a pair of jeans, or his trademark drumout glasses. He keeps his hair cropped to the front, with a slight fringe hanging just over his eyes, while the rest is usually wild and spiked down the back to his shoulders. His palms are slightly padded, though most wouldn't notice this, and his eyes are also just the tiniest bit slitted like a cat's. [b]Animal Genes:[/b] [URL=http://library.thinkquest.org/C006372/]Siberian Tiger ([i]Panthera tigris altaica[/i])[/URL] [b]Hybrid Abilities:[/b] Viktor's strength is equal to that of somebody his height and build that engages in regular, intensive exercise, which Viktor does. His animalistic traits afford him no enhancement to strength or agility: he has to train them himself. [i][u]Subtlety (Primary)[/u]:[/i] Viktor is naturally surrounded by an aura that marks him as 'nothing special'. If he does not wish to be noticed, and somebody is not paying attention, he can stride, in full view, into the middle of a crowd without being noticed. This ability is limited, however, in that a keen-eyed person, or someone with an exceptionally strong will, can overcome this aura and view Viktor as he is. In essence, he is 'camouflaged within a crowd', even when he isn't in a crowd. [i][u]Sensory Acuity:[/u][/i] Viktor's senses of smell, hearing, touch, and vision are enhanced moderately beyond that of a normal person's. An example would be that Viktor could hear a whisper from across a room, or read the fine print of a contract. He is not especially grateful for his sense of smell, which renders him painfully immobile when struck by particularly foul smells unless he is paying attention or dampening his natural senses through concentration. This concentration hinders Viktor by giving him tunnel-vision, and makes all sound and smell sensed as through through a downy comforter. His sense of touch remains acute no matter what, though, because of the pads in his hands. This grants him a tiny bit of an advantage when looked for purchase on a rock face, or a crack in a wall to signify a door. [i][u]Temperate Cold:[/u][/i] Below freezing temperatures are comfortable, or moderately so, for Viktor until they reach approximately -20 degrees celsius, though this is usually aided by the thick jean jacket he frequently wears. While he is quite comfortable in the cold and moderate temperatures, anything over 10 degrees celsius would cause personal discomfort to an alarming degree. For this reason, he refrains from wearing his jacket outdoors, unless it is adequately cold out, and frequently wears a cooling neckband.[/color]

[color=teal]Could somebody please make a Sonic banner for me? All I ask is that it be rather dark in nature, though picturing Sonic himself, and that the word "MORTALITY" be splashed across it, with the faded motto "Everybody's Gotta Die Sometime" fitted into the banner someplace. Apart from that, it's artistic license.[/color]

[color=royalblue]He stood over the grave, a bouquet clutched in his right hand. The tears falling from his eyes mingled with the light raindrops striking his face and running through his blue fur. He looked down, his eyes cold and sad, as he laid the flowers on the stone marking the obscured grave. As he turned away, his coat fluttered and swept the debris and fallen leaves from marker. Raindrops fell, as though cleansing the soul of the fallen one. The words of the grave could be read completely, now. [center][b][i]Here Lies ~ Mighty the Armadillo ~ Beloved Friend And Defender Mar. 23, 1987 - Jul. 4, 2005[/b][/i][/center] He turned and whispered gently, a silent prayer for his fallen partner, and exited the cemetery. Duty wouldn't let him grieve his friend properly, even two years after the war's end.... ------------------------------------------------------------ The corporal leapt into the foxhole, covering his head with his free arm as he hit the dirt. With flak flying overhead, and the Agressians dropping bombs almost indiscriminately, it was hard to discern where to run these days, much less where to shoot. He looked over the foxhole, hoping to get a bearing, and discovered his platoon leader, and most of the rest of his platoon, huddled down. The CO was yelling into the comm. unit, like she was doing most of the time. That thought brought an involuntary smile to his face. He rolled over the top of the foxhole into the neighboring one, hunkering down next to his best friend and right-hand man. "So, Hotfox, how's tricks?" The orange-haired fox looked up at his buddy and sighed, performing a hand gesture to signify silence, and then pointed at the red-faced CO. "God dammnit, command, I don't care if the Spec Ops. is the president of Station Square! I want them here, and I want them here NOW!! We're pinned down, there's no way to return fire, and my squad's morale is running low. GET THEM OUT HERE NOW!!!!!!" The comm. unit was slammed down and hooked into its cradle. The comms officer, a sky-blue hedgehog who was probably too old to be in the field but steadfastly refused to allow his admittedly impressive stature to be put anywhere else, shook from the force of the blow. The black and red armadillo, huddled into a corner of the large foxhole, snickered slightly at seeing "Pops" shaken up. The corporal looked up at the black-streaked sky and began to pray. He hadn't thought it would be like this. He hadn't thought it would be anything like this.....[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] This RPG will take place in two times: the past and the present. The present will be the advancement of the story, in present-day Moebius. The past will be issued in "Chapter Flashbacks", chapters in which we replay scenes in the past. There are no restrictions on these chapters save that people that are alive in the present aren't killed in the past. Past Time: War has broken out. Sonic the Hedgehog has joined up, to better combat the forces conspiring against his beloved country. In this time, you must join Sonic and his squad in their efforts to stem the Agressian invasion, and help turn the tide of this war. Present Time: Sonic's old team has been split up and sent home with the cease-fire arrangement between Agressa and Moebius. Now, the team seeks to rebuild what's left of their lives together in Knothole, a safe haven for them as they grieve their fallen comrades. Storm clouds are brewing, however, as an unwelcome group of familiar faces make their way into the Fallen Angel squadron's hidden village. There will be more fighting to do before the Angels can rest for good... [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Basic Characters~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] These characters are free agents to choose from, if you wish. Their name, species, job, and callsign are listed. The rest of the information is up to you, should you choose to join. But remember, [b]this is not a sign-up.[/b] The actual sign-up will include details on characters that cannot be played, and will be posted once this RPG has gotten some good feedback. Agressian characters are in red, Moebian characters are in blue. [center][b]Jobs Key[/b] [i]Infantry[/i] - Grunts, use combat rifles and sidearms to aquire and keep territory. [i]H. Infantry[/i] - Grunts with the hot stuff. Demolitions, anti-aircraft, you name it. [i]Tac. Com.[/i] - Tactical Communications. The radio guys. [i]Spec Ops.[/i] - Special Operations. Stealth and secrecy's their standard M.O.. [i]R+D[/i] - Research and Development. They handle the hardware. [i]Vehicles[/i] - Troops trained to drive ground vehicles. Yes, that means tanks. [i]Pilot[/i] - Troops trained to fly, and fly high. [i]Field Medic[/i] - Don't insult them, they might just save your life while risking theirs. [i]CO[/i] - Commanding Officer. DON'T make 'em mad. They know how to do their job.[/center] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=royalblue]Fallen Angel Squadron - Moebius ------- [b]Name:[/b] Sonic the Hedgehog [b]Callsign:[/b] Reflex [b]Species:[/b] Hedgehog [b]Job:[/b] Infantry/Vehicles ------- [b]Name:[/b] Knuckles the Echidna [b]Callsign:[/b] Brick [b]Species:[/b] Echidna [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Mighty the Armadillo [b]Callsign:[/b] Armstrong [b]Species:[/b] Armadillo [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Miles "Tails" Prower [b]Callsign:[/b] Hotfox [b]Species:[/b] Fox [b]Job:[/b] Tac. Com./Pilot ------- [b]Name:[/b] Bunnie Rabbot [b]Callsign:[/b] Chopshop [b]Species:[/b] Bionically-enhanced Rabbit [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Shadow the Hedgehog [b]Callsign:[/b] Blackout [b]Species:[/b] Hedgehog [b]Job:[/b] Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Espio the Chameleon [b]Callsign:[/b] Kamikaze [b]Species:[/b] Chameleon [b]Job:[/b] Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik [b]Callsign:[/b] Egghead [b]Species:[/b] Human [b]Job:[/b] R+D/Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Charles "Uncle Chuck" the Hedgehog [b]Callsign:[/b] Pops [b]Species:[/b] Hedgehog [b]Job:[/b] Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Amy Rose [b]Callsign:[/b] Redcross [b]Species:[/b] Hedgehog [b]Job:[/b] Field Medic ------- [b]Name:[/b] Remington the Echidna [b]Callsign:[/b] Trigger [b]Species:[/b] Echidna [b]Job:[/b] Infantry/Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Sally Acorn [b]Callsign:[/b] Mom/Sis [b]Species:[/b] Chipmunk [b]Job:[/b] C.O./Tac. Com.[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=crimson]Edge Guard Squadron - Agressa ------- [b]Name:[/b] Axel Rolloman [b]Callsign:[/b] Livewire [b]Species:[/b] Squirrel [b]Job:[/b] Tac. Com./Vehicles ------- [b]Name:[/b] Wolf Exeter [b]Callsign:[/b] Soliton [b]Species:[/b] Wolf [b]Job:[/b] Tac. Com./C.O. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Shirley Blackwing [b]Callsign:[/b] Redeye [b]Species:[/b] Crow [b]Job:[/b] Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Esther Tealdream [b]Callsign:[/b] Hookshot [b]Species:[/b] Peregrine Falcon [b]Job:[/b] Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Ryland Schaefer [b]Callsign:[/b] Sig/SigSauer [b]Species:[/b] Bear [b]Job:[/b] Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Rocky Oswald [b]Callsign:[/b] Bishop [b]Species:[/b] Rhinocerous [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Eduard Towers [b]Callsign:[/b] Spades [b]Species:[/b] Hyena [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Spectre the Echidna [b]Callsign:[/b] Doc [b]Species:[/b] Human [b]Job:[/b] R+D/Spec Ops. ------- [b]Name:[/b] Alysson Pryde [b]Callsign:[/b] Twitch [b]Species:[/b] Cat [b]Job:[/b] Infantry/Pilot ------- [b]Name:[/b] Marcus Zuviel [b]Callsign:[/b] Boomboom [b]Species:[/b] Rat [b]Job:[/b] H. Infantry ------- [b]Name:[/b] Snively Robotnik [b]Callsign:[/b] Blueshield [b]Species:[/b] Human [b]Job:[/b] Field Medic ------- [b]Name:[/b] Nack the Weasel [b]Callsign:[/b] Quickfix [b]Species:[/b] Weasel [b]Job:[/b] Infantry/Spec Ops.[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Request~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] Please, give me some feedback on this. This idea is constantly evolving, and I could definitely use some direction here. Any advice would be welcome, and if you think it's fine the way it is, then say so. If you think it's disgusting and needs to be shot........ Well, my furnace could definitely use a few flames here or there.

[color=crimson]Sol looked up at the best friend of the person he used to be. Eons ago, it seemed, and now Sandavir was Maleficent's right hand. Sol laughed heartlessly at the irony. He leapt atop the Grande Sphinx, pinioning his Keyblades against its head, and flipping out, hurling his Keybades forward. "STRIKE RAID!!!" The effort was noble, and valiant, and did some damage. But the insistent tug on his Keyblades was more potent now, and his Heartless were being obliterated by the Guard Armor. He stopped and yelled at the black figures that had aided him, and that he had aided. "The armor will transform into an Inverse Armor if you're not careful! Pay attention, and strike it hard!" With this, Sol wrapped himself and his Heartless in darkness, warping them away to where his Keyblades were calling. He could feel it now. His other was just at the other end of this pathway through the End of the World. Sol smiled, perhaps for the first time in eons. Rose would certainly die of shock if she had seen the smirk on her commander's face. "My other....I can feel you...soon. But not now. Now, we must ensure the Keybearer's victory. But...soon...."[/color]

[color=crimson]Sol Hei had decided he didn't want to be patient. Not with the way his Heartless were getting close to being slaughtered by the Nobodies. He sipped his tea, courtesy of the Duck Triplets, and summoned the Ascalon as he exited the store. Yes, he decided, as he he entered the Second District. He needn't be patient anymore. He began his assault on the natural Heartless almost recklessly. His second-in-command was busy warning the King of Atlantica of the Keybearer;s coming, so he was on his own. It mattered little to him. A Heartless was a Heartless was a Heartless, and he bore the only Key he knew of that would return the Hearts to those who had none. If only it were so simple in his case... He dashed into the midst of the district's center, ignoring the sensation of a nearby Keyhole tugging at his hand in favor of observing a particularly rampant bunch of Heartless worrying away at the defenses provided by a black-cloaked figure. Those citizens needed help, and fast... He rushed in, slicing a number of Heartless, he didn't care what kind any more, in half. It wasn't enough. Sighing, he pulled out his second Keyblade, Deepercut. He tore his cloak off of his shoulder, grabbing the cloaked figure wherever he could get a grip, and turned her towards him. "Do not attack the Heartless with this symbol!" He indicated the emblem on his shoulder, a broken heart wrapped in bandages to keep it together. "They are going to aid us!" The figure did not reply, it only stared at his Keyblades as he raised the Ascalon into the air, defending his flank as he cried to the skies. "IRON KNIGHTS! CHARGE THE ENEMY!!!!" A loud, echoing clanking noise was soon heard, and the harsh, pointed footfalls of a legion of Iron Knights soon made its way to the front of the fountain. The melee had truly begun.[/color]

[color=crimson]Sol's gleaming white Ascalon severed the head of a Heartless Soldier. He cared little for the natural Heartless, though he himself was one. It was yet another aspect of himself he despised. Swing, stab, cleave, dodge, jump, swing, stab, cleave. Repeat action as necessary. It was so tiring, sometimes, stabbing through the 'hearts' of his own kind. He chuckled bitterly to himself. His own kind. Long ago, his own kind had been a heroic race of men, and now... Now he was Heartless. Ever since that day, he had been searching for his missing half, his 'other'. And that search had led him across many wonders. Though the roads between worlds were again free to travel, it did not affect much beyond those who knew how to use the long-forgotten pathways. And the Heartless. And this new force...these Nobodies. Sol's blade stopped a moment, his Iron Knights covering for him well, as he thought on these new players. It had been a few weeks, months maybe, since the loss of his body, and he had been many places. Only recently, in this Traverse Town, had a new force appeared. These Nobodies needed to be watched, certainly, but he would not act against them. His other was probably one of them, after all, and if it was... It changed nothing. Sol Hei was patient, if nothing else, and he needed to find the man named Leon. He had to warn him to look out for the Keybearer, nevermind that the chosen one had yet to be chosen. Sol Hei was a patient Heartless. He directed his forces to retreat into the nothingness of the dark and went to visit his new friends, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Perhaps he would find his other here. That had to wait, however. Sol Hei needed to lie the breadcrumbs for the chosen one. A gente rumbling through his connection to the Darkness alerted Sol to a new development. Guard Armor.[/color]

[color=crimson][b]Name:[/b] Sol Hei [b]Title:[/b] Renegade Righteous Heartless Sol Hei [b]Heartless Following:[/b] 5,000 of various types, mainly Iron Knights. Number grows constantly. [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Personality:[/b] Questing, fierce, and angry. His body was forcibly torn from him, and this has left him in a much less than pleasant mood. He is, however, focused and calm, his rage directing the many Heartless under his command effectively. He lives on the run, his companions and partners utterly loyal to his command of the Darkness. [b]Appearance:[/b] [img]http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8786/drizzt1ab.jpg[/img] [b]Weapon:[/b] Dual Keyblades, the Ascalon and the Deepercut. The Ascalon is a Light-based keyblade second only to the legendary Ultima Weapon, and the Deepercut is the darker equal of the lost Keyblade, the Oblivion. [b]Heartless:[/b] Sol Hei is the Heartless of Xeliohs. He is followed loyally by thousands of Heartless, all of whom still retain their sense of self, and all of whom resist the pull of the Darkness. His right-hand is a woman from a world far away: The Kingdom of Serdio. Her name is Rose. [b]Character Snippet:[/b] [i]"No, King Mickey, you must NOT venture out!" "Well, gosh, Sol, but I just gotta! I gotta find people out there and warn them of the threat your kind poses!" Sol grimaced, his hands cinching around the handle of his one constant keyblade for the moment, the Ascalon. This damn fool was going to topple all of creation in his thoughtless actions! Why couldn't he realize that?! Sol took a deep, calming breath as his right-hand Heartless laid its slender, feminine palm on his shoulder. "Master, he cannot understand it. Let him go, it matters little what should happen." Sol nodded, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. "Very well, then, King Mickey. But heed these words: that Cornerstone is to be guarded, and well. Never forget that the source of the light, however, may also be a source of great darkness. That is, after all, why the wall between worlds was created. Now go, and go in the dead of night. Leave a note if you must. We have matters to attend to, King Mickey. Good luck in your search." With that, the Heartless turned with a flair of his emerald cloak and faded into the shadows of nothingness his kind were famous for. He did not relish the idea of passing through the End of the World again, but Kingdom Hearts had to be safeguarded! He looked to the stars, specifically at his former home. It had yet to wink out. For now, it was safe. He withdrew the Keyblade King Mickey had given to him. 'Hm....a boy with a pure heart, eh? I think I'll hang on to this...Kingdom Key for a while. I must find my other, and I must find my brother. Xehanort, where could you BE?...."[/i][/color]

[color=teal]Could somebody make me a banner, please? The only requirements I'll attach to it are a pair of crossed six-shooters and the title "Wild Katz" in big, western-style letters over a howling wolf logo, with the subtext "Bandits Of The Sand, Champions Of The Land". Aside from that, everything's free for experimentation, artist jurisdiction.[/color]

[color=crimson][center][u]She shall love with a love pure and strong. She shall love with a love that the world cannot allow. She shall not know her love loves her until her own life is threatened. She shall love with a purity of love unmatched by those before or after. She must love, for her love will save her dying world...[/u] [size=1][i]Excerpt from [u]The Scrolls of Ursus[/u][/i].[/color][/size][/center] [color=teal]Jaimie "Aria" Lupen was a normal girl. She lived in a small village named Antler's Rest, a sandport of some respect. She held a good job, especially for a nineteen-year-old wolf. She was a clerk for Old Man Chip's General Store, which brought in a fair amount of Min. She was paid well, and worked well with her partners, a panther named "Black" Jack and a fox named Seline. They worked well for the old chipmunk. Aria lived at home with her mother, Cassie, and the cubs, Tix and Tax. Tix was a ball of energetic hyperactivity, and she had a tomboy streak a mile wide. Tax, on the other hand, was an introspective, grounded cub with his muzzle in a book or streaks of grease in his fur from the afternoons spent at the Sandcraft garage. Yes, life was good to Aria. Until the railroad came... Armed with court orders, shotguns, and grizzly goons seven feet tall, the men in black battered the town down as much as they could. Some resisted, of course, but all those who did were beaten, bruised, battered, and then thrown into the village's own holding cells. The men in black left the grizzles to guard the prisoners while they themselves set out to put the screws to the general populace. Cassie Lupen had never known how to give up. Since her husband's death ten years ago, she had developed a spine worthy of the mountain ranges. Her stubboirn nature, courageous heart, and protective spirit had made her the alpha she was. She was the first one in the jail, the grizzlies having their fun until the realized she was too strong to cry out, too strong to give in. But the damage was done. Aria was pissed. Her father had taught her how to use his twin six-shooters, Letum and Vita. With his death, the weapons had fallen to her. Her skills had not slackened any with the loss of her father and mentor. She left the children with Old Chip, loaded the pistols and packed spare ammo, and set out. She was joined by Black Jack, Seline, and a number of others. They lined up and marched towards the holding cells, the only witnesses the hard earth and the arid night sky. The men in black saw her face. The two dead grizzlies, one dead suit, and three injured railroad pushers would not fade quietly into the obscurity of a random bandit raid. The railroad pushed down hard on the village. Supply line prices soared. Sandcraft visits and supply stock dwindled. Soon, Antler's Rest was little more than a ghost town. The decision was made almost without thinking. Aria could no longer stand the looks on her siblings' faces when she said they could not eat until supper that evening. She loaded her magnums once more, following the railroad until she reached a junction, a rest point for long hauls. She found herself in a jam, but was bailed out by the very gang that had raided the prison. They made off with enough money to buy supplies to last the village for months. But the victories did not come without a price. Cassie Lupen had died before the prison raid, a grizzly breaking her neck in his 'fun' mere moments before a hail of bullets ended his days of fun forever. The wanted posters on every wall left no choice for Aria. The city's situation would only get worse. She led her gang to the sandport, taking a cruiser class Desert Storm out onto the sandsea. Their life as bandits had begun. Aria, the universal leader of the new gang, the Wild Katz, now lives raiding the railroad, harassing its operations. They steal what they can and provide the oppressed villages of the world as best they can. They retrun, unpredictably, to Antler's Rest to drop off supplies and visit their families. Aria now lives by her heart and her guns, though she is disturbed at the increasing number of monsters in the desert sands.... [center][b][i]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Necessary Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/i][/b] [b]Name:[/b] Insert name here. [b]Age:[/b] Your character's age. [b]Genus:[/b] Your character is a furry. No horses, those are for riding. No humans. Angels are allowed, PM sign-up first. [b]Element:[/b] Elemental affinity. Water, Ice, Fire, Lightning, Wind, Storm, Metal, Wing (Light), Dive (Dark), Neutral, Vorpal (Death), Bless (Life). [b]Occupation:[/b] This is affected by element. Include occupation before or after the raids. Or both. Keep in mind, we are in a Wild Arms-eque time and world. Keep it to things like tanner, smith, etc... [b]Arms:[/b] Your gun/s, caliber/s, and weapon name/s. Two max. [b]Melee:[/b] Your hand-to-hand weapon/s. Two max. [b]Appearance:[/b] Include a detailed description of your character, or a picture taken before or after the raids. [b]Personality:[/b] Your character;s base personality. Affected by element to a minor degree. [b]Biography:[/b] Brief biography. What made you join the Wild Katz, if you did. If not, what's your reason for being where you are? [b][i][center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jaimie "Aria" Lupen's Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center][/b][/i] [b]Name:[/b] Jaimie "Aria" Lupen [b]Age:[/b] 19 [b]Genus:[/b] Silver Wolf [b]Element:[/b] Storm, Ice [b]Occupation:[/b] Former clerk, bandit captain [b]Arms:[/b] Two .50 caliber magnum six-shooters, one white named Vita, one black named Letum [b]Melee:[/b] A katana, named Arashi, a wakizashi named Yuki. [b]Appearance:[/b] [URL=http://images.quizilla.com/K/Kestrachern6/1122142420_teWolfGirl.JPG]Aria At Her Debutante[/URL] [b]Personality:[/b] Aria is dependable, loyal, and headstrong. She is stubborn, but will retreat when she sees the battle is hopeless. She is viewed as a hero and leader by her gang, due to her years of raising the cubs. She is, however, very shy and vulnerable to criticism. Especially from Seline. [b]Biography:[/b] Aria's father died when she was nine. This left Aria and her mother to raise each other, Tix, and Tax alone. This made her outwardly strong, but the pressure left her exceedingly vulnerable and shy. She gravitated towards a new girl in town, a fox named Seline. For some unknown reason, Aria developed the habit of nicknaming Seline a new name quite often, usually a new name per week. The only constant name that Aria stuck to Seline was "Vix". Aria now faces the harsh desert, leading the Wild Katz into future with her heart, be they on horseback or sandcraft. She has become worried, though, over the increasing numbers of monsters in the sands. She has begun a raid designed to hit the Junon Railway in its heart. Aria is a very noble girl. She is following her heart, and her gang follows her. They trust in Aria, and in her heart. Her heart, however strong it may be, is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to telling a special someone how she feels, however....[/color]

[color=teal]Jeez, this looks AWESOME. I'm definitely signing up. I'm assuming, of course, that the players will be 'sleeper' hybrids. Perhaps some of us inserted into the hypersleep chambers with animal DNA, perhaps our analogs would be the FIRST hybrids, I don't know. If those are possibilities, I would definitely love to explore the idea of a Yugo-like character. Perhaps chosen for leadership abilities, perhaps inserted as a sleeper agent 'designed' to begin or join a Third Faction within the National Barrier.... James, keep it rolling. This has too many possibilities for it to falter![/color]

[color=crimson][i][b]Timestamp:[/b] 4:17 a.m.[/i] Hunter's eyes opened blearily, and as he had been trained to do so since birth, he took stock of his situation upon waking. His memories were hazy at best, but he seemed to recall something about the pendant around his neck, the vampire whose eyes were locked on same pendant, and the girl with the fluffy tail who was looking at him with a mix of worry and annoyance. With that, Hunter realized he was laying flat-out on a stretcher, and was in his Homid-Furry form, a pair of catlike ears atop his head and a long, silky tail wrapped around the tailed girl's waist. He also noticed the two piecemeal creatures, obviously flesh golems, carrying his stretcher. He began to wonder why he was on a stretcher. It was then that Hunter felt the blood flowing from the reopened wounds from his fight with Damien, the halted breathing his abused lungs were struggling to keep up, and the flow of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. With said realization, he remembered exactly why he was were he was. His pendant had sent the shock of Silver Lightning through him, a magical spell that ruptured the spirit of any and all magical beings for a time. The one that removed the pendant would feel only a very, very painful Aura Blast, which would simply cause pain. Silver Lightning, however, would cause a magical being's aura to tear, dampening their powers, weakening their physical form, and sometimes fatally rupturing their internal organs. From the abuse his lungs were laboring under, as well as the sever pain in his upper-left ribs, Hunter thought it was safe to assume he would have died had the pendant not been replaced. It didn't help any that removing the pendant would also effectively destroy half of Hunter's soul. Hunter lifted his head slightly, felt the pain of a migraine setting in, and changed his mind. He summed up his predicament quite loquatiously. "Ah, crap and a half."[/color]

[color=crimson][b][i]Timestamp:[/b] 3:40 a.m.[/i] Hunter and the rest put their instruments away, hopping down from the table amid cheers and swoons. Hunter waved a bit, heading for Merlin, fighting through the crowd, when a surge of electricity burst through his body, wracking him with pain. Looking down, trying to suppress his scream reflex, he realized the surge was emanating from his pendant. Another, more powerful surge caused his fur to smoke, and his semi-healed wounds from his earlier fights to reopen. He vomited blood, the student body around him moving away from him, quickly. His battered form straightened, and he limped out of the cafeteria, once again on all fours. His nose twitched, and his pendant still sparked with remnants of the magical curse. He growled as he neared the source of her scent. His body was steadily growing weaker, the curse continuing to affect him even minutes after the charge wore off. It was the pendant's nature, after all, to affect mroe greatly, and more prolongedly, the one who [i]hadn't[/i] attempted to remove the pendant. Half of Hunter's heart was stored in Soir's new pendant, and her attempt to remove it took that essence away from the medium that kept him going. And having only half a heart hurts. A lot. He spat blood again, dragging himself against what he perceived to be a teacher's office door before knocking with the back of his knuckles, his legs now nearly useless. He coughed blood again as the door opened rather suddenly, causing the werecheetah to fall. His eyes looked up and he groaned as much as he could, coughing another few flecks of life. "Not you...." He promptly passed out.[/color]

[color=crimson][b][i]Timestamp:[/b] 3:29 a.m.[/i] Hunter put down his notebook, his pencil, and his mental processes. He shook his head, reading his lyrics. He groaned. His lyrics, passageways into his soul, were all about HER. He banged his head. Why? Why had he given her the pendant? His mother had told him, in a note left him before she vanished only months after he was born, that the gem would be completely irremovable by even the greatest master mages until the "ties of the heart were connected, the wedding of two hearts consummated physically", whatever that meant. Let it be said now that Hunter, for all of his martial prowess, had never had the 'birds and the bees' talk with his father. Mentally shaking himself, he grabbed his Mjolnir guitar and jumped onto the table. Using his [i]ki[/i] as an amp, as he always did, he went into a loud, slamming solo. Anyone nearby instantly stared into the center of the dining area. A lycan was playing? Excellent! A vampire recognized the beat, and jumped up as well, holding a bass guitar. Soon, on top of the makeshift stage, five Lunarians were rocking out with various instruments, with everybody in the cafeteria appreciating the impromptu show. As more people began to listen, Hunter decided to up the ante and pumped his [i]ki[/i] into the instruments of his impromptu band, amplifying the music beyond the technological level. He smirked, turned to his band, and went into a familiar opening strain... [i]His band began to play, the message clear on what they were playing. The strains drifted across the dining area, becoming more and more intense until a drop-off, where Hunter picked up the slack with his voice. [u]Heaven ablaze in our eyes We're standing still in time The blood on our hands is the wine We offer as sacrifice [/u] Hunter's band intensified the playing once more, the ones that could move freely beginning to dance in place. Hunter himself was throwing himself into the song, trying to forget and forgetting to try... [u]Come on, and show them your love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul, my love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul[/u] Ranma and the vampire put their backs together, playing together for a bit, before the werecheetah went back to the lyrics. [u]This endless mercy mile We're crawling side by side With Hell freezing over in our eyes Gods kneel before our crime[/u] Hunter's band swung into a repeat, playing hard, as Hunter began to kneel on stage, caressing his guitar and making eyes at every girl there, just for show. The vampire and a spectre sang behind Hunter, repeating necessary lines, in the chorus. [u]Come on, let's show them your love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul, my love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul (Rip out the wings of a butterfly...) Don't let go (Rip out the wings of a butterfly...) For your soul[/u] Hunter's backups began to play alone, Hunter taking the chance to ease up and let them have the limelight. Too soon, the chorus came back up. [u]Come on, and show them your love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul, my love Rip out the wings of a butterfly For your soul (Rip out the wings of a butterfly...) Don't let go (my love...) (Rip out the wings of a butterfly) For your soul (Rip out the wings of a butterfly...) Don't let go (my love...) (Rip out the wings of a butterfly) For your soul...soul....soul...[/u] Hunter surveyed the audience, captivated. Sweat made his fur sheen, and he and his band were soon treat to rabid applause. Even merlin, in the back, was clapping them on. As the music faded, the crowd could be heard to be asking for more...[/i][/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [b]Disclaimer:[/b] I do not own in any way H.I.M. or the song "Wings of a Butterfly".

[color=crimson][b][i]Timestamp:[/b] 2:59 a.m.[/i] Hunter roamed the halls of the academy, his schedule empty until Alchemy with Merlin, but that was in another hour. As these thoughts fought the one thought Hunter didn't want to deal with, his hunger made itself very well known. Hunter shook his head, veering off towards the cafeteria. He needed a distraction, or else he'd start thinking about fluffy tails and amber eyes. He hoped the school served alcohol. ------ The scene before him was not what he expected. It was more like a food court than a cafeteria, and his eyes widened perceptibly. Vampires at a counter named the Blood Bank, lycans fighting like animals over zebra, horse, and fish products, ghouls and zombies feasting on little more than boiled flesh, and ghosts absorbing mana discharges served to make Hunter's fur stand on end. He liked this place. Deciding he wanted to eat a combination platter from the Carcass Cafe, he headed over and waited for the Iron Golems behind the counter to serve him. A weretiger jostled him, and nearly stole his plate. Hunter smirked. His fists began to fly, his platter never seeming to remain in the same place, yet never seeming to overbalance and fall, either. In moments, Hunter had his meal, and several defeated lycans had been served a hearty, heart-unhealthy meal of knuckle sandwiches. He pulled out his guitar and strummed softly, taking time to eat carefully. As he finished, he pulled out a notebook, and, strumming a soft tune, began to write. His eyes furrowed, and he began to record the lyrics to a song in his mind's ear. Strumming off the chords, he continued to write, completely unaware that the only things occupying his mind were a fluffy tail and amber eyes...[/color]

[color=crimson][b][i]Time Stamp:[/b] 12:07 A.M. - Dorm 665[/i] "Hello! I'm ready when you are!" Hunter winced as he pulled himself out of bed, and he winced even more every time he took a step on all fours to the door. A gasp echoed as Soir caught a view of the bruises visible even through Hunter's lustrous fur. "What happened?!" "Some teacher dude gave me an' that Damien dude a wallopin'. Hurt like Hell, an' that don' happen too often." Hunter's speech was slurring, and Soir noticed a very, very painful limp in Hunter's right hind leg. "Umm...why are you walking on four limbs?" Hunter snorted. "Landed wrong after the bastard threw me against a wall. Kinda reminds me of my old master, Kerrigan." Hunter shrugged, went to the bed, and grabbed his jacket. Pulling out the gem, he held it up in front of her. All traces of his hick accent disappeared. "This, little fox, is the St. Sebastian's Diamond. Very shiny, very valuable, and very rare. It's said to have a curse on it. Now, what else do you know about it?" Soir shook her head. Hunter nodded once, and grasped the gem lightly. "Thought so. I donated this gemstone, the only heirloom from my mother, for a diamond viewing in Monolith Museum. The viewing was supposed to last all week. There has been no news of a break-in, or of a missing gem, so I'll assume that you substituted this with a very shiny, very valuable, very SIMILAR gemstone. Correct?" Soir nodded. "Good. Now, how could I tell this gem from a very good, very valuable fake? Simple. This gemstone is tied to my life force." Soir's eyes widened. She began to tremble slightly. Great! EVERYTHING was going wrong! EVERYTHING! "Oh, don't look like that. I'm not gonna hurt you. The gem's tied to my life force, yes, but I can access its energies from anywhere on the mortal plane. However, this gemstone does belong to the St. Sebastian clan, of which I am the last son." He let Soir absorb this tidbit. "But...what about the curse? Am I gonna die?" Hunter threw his head back and laughed. Soir's scared expression turned into one of indignation. "I'm s-s-sorr-rry! D-don't l-look l-like that!" Hunter took a minute to calm down before repeating himself. "I'm sorry, please don't look like that. Only Homids can be hurt by the energies the gem releases, so they say it's cursed. It's just a magical artifact that overcharges the magical energies of the bodies. So no curse." Hunter, having done away with the business end of the meeting, took the time to look over Soir's admittedly attractive frame. A strange stirring ran up and down his spine as he looked into her eyes. He whispered, softly, to himself. "Crap..." Hunter had never been one to pay attention to girls. He'd always been a fighter, always on one crusade or another. He'd seen the most beautiful specimens, samples of exquisite lust-inducing seduction, and had felt not a whit of stirring. And now, faced with a werefox thief who had stolen his heirloom, and he suddenly realized she was stealing something else without trying. He might as well. "Here. It's capable of accelerating regeneration, and heightening all of the user's natural abilities as well as unlocking others. Watch out, though. You become twice as strong, but also twice as weak to your individual Achilles' Heels." So saying, he held up his mother's gem and cleaved it in two, along a faultline only one of his blood could have seen and manipulated. As he split the gem, the two daughter gems seemed to shift, changing into beautful pendants, each with their own geometrically cut diamond in the midst of a filigree setting. He placed one around his neck, and the other around Soir's. Soir's eyes widened considerably. "Y...You're giving me half of your mother's heirloom? Really?" Her eyes began to sparkle with the thoughts of the really valuable, really shiny diamond. "Yes. I'm giving you half of my diamond...half of my heart, so to speak. Pop told me Mom said she wanted me to give the other half to the girl I'd chosen..." He smiled introspectively, and nudged Soir out of his dorm. Once they were both out, he turned, locked the door, and started walking towards Physiology. He called over his shoulder, "Yer gonna need ta learn how ta use that stone! Every night fer tha next week, I'll teach ya the basics. We'll go from there. An' ya can't take it off, ever. You can try all ya like, but yer stuck with it 'til I dunno when!" With this, he turned and ran, tapping his own gem for power and healing. He was halfway around a corner when Hunter's remarks finally sank through the shiny gem-induced fog that had settled over her mind. "Wait....chosen? Does that mean...?"[/color]

[color=crimson]Hunter growled to himself as he slinked along the hallway on all fours, his body in such pain that walking on his two hindlegs was impossible. That vampire's attacks had HURT. He For a descendent of Dracula's retainers, Hunter had certainly embarassed himself. He sighed, lighting up a cigarette at one of his frequent pauses. As he progressed through the halls, he found himself face-to-crotch with a rather tall vampire. He looked up, sat back on his haunches, and puffed his cigarette. Tha vampire looked down at him. "Excuse me." Hunter jerked his head to the side, speaking through his cigarette. "Go 'head. I ain't in no rush. Just headin' for m' dorm." The vampire seemed to think Hunter's behavior peculiar, and shrugged, before he bent over and plucked the cigarette from Hunter's mouth. Crushing it in his hand, he walked on. "My name's Crucifix. Don't smoke." Hunter snorted, lit up another one, and kept going, only pausing to rest as he crawled into his bed. He looked at the clock. "11:15...damn. What kinda school's classes take place at night, anyhow?" Shruggng and focusing on healing, his mind drifted to memories gone by... [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Romania, Four Years Past ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] It was Hell. Hunter ducked and weaved, slashing his claws at the vampire's throat. The damn thing just wouldn't DIE! His strength waning with the moon, Hunter fell to one knee, his lifeblood flowing from within his body. His fur began to pale, his skin becoming waxen, and he slumped lower in his exhaustion. "Noble son of Caligula Dinesti, have you no thought in that empty skull of yours? Skilled and strong you are, yes. Stronger still because of your mother's blood. But when will you LEARN?! Strength and skill are NEVER the only answers! Even together, they are no match for intellect! The negating of magic within you is both a blessing and a curse, as no elemental magic may touch you, but it is also true that no magic may be channeled THROUGH you, leaving you empty when it comes to fighting creatures you can detect only through your senses and MAGIC, such as vampires!" The vampire stood over his body, glaring at him, before bending over and helping him up. Hunter coughed weakly. "Once again, we must rely on the St. Sebastian gem to heal you. I swear, young master, one of these days I'll forbid you the use of your mother's heirlooms, and then we'll see where you end up." Son saying, he thrust a canary yellow gem into Hunter's hand, and the wounds all over his body began to close at an accelerated rate. Even Hunter's eyes seemed to take on a brighter hue. Hunter, once able to stand on his own, took up his vest and began to cloth himself once more. He fingered the gem before tucking it into his jacket pocket. "Master Kerrigan, why did my father mate with my mother? He was Lycan, and she a Hunter. This gem is the proof of it." Kerrigan smiled at his apprentice in combat. "Your father, Caligula, and your mother, Sonata St. Sebastian, loved each other. That is all. The St. Sebastian diamond is her heirloom, and it holds all of her power in it, as well as all of the power of her bloodline, of healing, of light, and of pure strength, all granted to you whenever you hold it. However, while it holds their power, it holds not their prejudices. Remember that, pupil, and this: a sword may be used to kill, but does that make it evil? No, for the sword may also be used to protect. It is in the wielder's hands that the intent lies. Your mother left you the gem, and her blood left you your cross-mark. That does not mean your are good, or that you are evil. Your clan has accepted her blood in you, and they have honored you with a name that does her history honor." Hunter hung his head. Why, though? Why was he such a bridge? Why could he not just be half-human? Why did he have to be half-Hunter?! [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] Hunter opened his eyes upon the end of the recollection. He pulled out the gem from earlier. There was no doubt about it: it was his mother's gem, the St. Sebastian diamond. It was handed down amongst his mother's people, and thus, to him. The curse was nothing but crap. The gemstone's power merely radiated painfully against those whose bodies could not handle it. Therefore, it only really hurt humans. Hunter bolted upright in bed. "Why the Hell was that demon after my mother's gem?!"[/color]

OOC: There are no preassigned schedules. You make your own, skip class, or attend whatever the heck you want. The shool gives students a lot of...latitude, so long as they attend the one mandatory class at the end of the week. What that class is....you'll find out. [color=crimson]Hunter stared at the wall, slugging back his glass of wine, as Kaine exited the room. Shaking his head, he looked out the windows to find night falling quickly. Shaking his head again, this time in disbelief, he opened the door. Silvio perked up. "Where're you going?" Hunter simply shrugged his shoulders, shifted into a smaller, more human version of his Hybrid form, and walked into the corridor. As he passed the different classes, he stared about in something a little less than wonder. Meeting a few stares directed at himself, he looked down at his body. There was nothing amiss. Certainly, he looked like a Homid with a cheetah tail and ears, but that was about it. He shrugged and continued on, until he heard some excited chatter above him. Running up, he watched the fox girl thrust a gem into Chrono's hands and peel off, leaving Chrono swearing about how he was late for the aerial class. Piqued, Hunter tapped his speed and dashed after the Lunarian, catching up with him and breathing heavily. "Let....me....see....that gem!" Chrono swore, holding the stone out. "What the hell's your business with it?" Hunter merely took the gem and sighed. "What the hell was that fox girl doing with the St. Sebastian? I donated it to the museum for my father a week ago." Chrono sweatdropped heavily, pointed behind Hunter's head, and turned pale. Hunter, combat instincts charging to the fore, grabbed the diamond and held it aloft as a weapon. While he was looking away, Chrono took the chance and ran. Hunter turned and looked at his retreating back. "....I just got played, didn't I?" Pocketing the jewel, he proceeded down a corridor, where heavy panting caught his sensitive hearing. Thinking someone was in danger, he padded down the hall on his feline haunches, slowly shifting into a more combat-satisfactory form and raising his right claw. What he saw was not what he expected. The fox girl had apparently run smack into the tall, demonic young man from earlier. He'd grabbed her by the shoulders and was glaring hatefully at her. His claws were slowly extending, threatening to pierce her skin. "Now, weregirl, where is that JEWEL?!! I KNOW IT WAS YOU!!" Hunter's anger at the girl slowly turned into rage at the demon. His body began to shift, and as the demon continued to scare the girl, his fists began to curl. Upon the girl crying out in pain, Hunter decided enough was enough. "YAAAAAAAAAAAARGGH!!!!" Damien didn't have enough time to react. All he saw was a huge fist slamming into his face. His claws retracted as he regained his equilibrium, his wings stabilizing his expedient forced retreat. Hunter grimaced, focusing his ki into his fists. He turned and called over his shoulder. "Soir. Room 665, at midnight. We need to have a little chat about a recent acquisition of yours. Now...Blackie, I think we got some business to deal with..." Hunter rushed the demon, and Damien swept towards Hunter. Their fists cracked against each other's skulls, all formal training in the martial arts forgotten as they bashed each other silly. A shadowed being standing at the far end of the corridor shook his head and sighed. "This untrained whelp is my new pupil? Merlin...you owe me, big time...."[/color]

[color=crimson]Hunter exited the orientation hall, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it up with a burst of his bodily energies. As he strode down the corridor, searching once more for the fluffy-tailed girl, he heard the lilting notes of a waltz inside one of the larger rooms. Stopping at the door, he saw a thirteen-year-old girl dancing through the air over a grand piano while other Lunariana just strode past. Deciding that curiosity killed the cat, and that he wasn't a cat, he strode into the room. So wrapped up in her own music was the girl that she didn't realize her waltz had turned into a slow, haunting melody. Slowly, however, it sank in, and Wynn was looking down at the piano and its new pianist. As Hunter played, she began to pick up the beat, and Hunter watched as she danced on top of the instrument. The song ended, and Wynn looked down at Hunter almost regretfully. Hunter looked up at Wynn, smiled, and stood up to bow. Playfully, he whispered, "May I have this dance, milady?" and, as Wynn giggled and nodded, he played a more lively bolero. The dancing duo shared an hour like that before Wynn lowered herself to sitting next to Hunter on the bench, giggling and smiling broadly. Hunter let the final notes of the latest song, a sonata, drift through the air. "That was fun. Let's do it again sometime, okay?" Wynn's eyes seemed to smile up at Hunter as he nodded. "Yay! My name's Wynn Valerie Helson." Hunter grinned and put out his cigarette, careful not to singe his fur. He shook his head. "Nah. Think I'll call ya Sonata, eh? Name's Johnathan Dinesti, but my clan an' everyone calls me 'Hunter'. Been that way since I was a cub. Anywho, I gotta little 'debt' ta repay, Sonata. I definitely wanna do this again sometime, tho'. [i]Ja ne[/i]!" With that, Hunter gracefully stood up and exited the room, keeping his eyes peeled for a fox-like girl...[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=crimson]Damien Ahriman was in a very good mood as he strode up the front steps to the citadel. He cast a baleful glare at Merlin as he walked up to the front doors. The old man's reproachful stare left no doubt in Damien's mind that the old coot hated him. "What do YOU want, Merlin?" Merlin, for himself, wasn't surprised at Damien's haughty mien. The young demon, dressed in a noble's costume that seemed to mix modern times with the best of a French musketeer's equipment, had ascended the throne of power and forcibly cut a swath through school policy. Merlin shook his head, secretly glad that Victor had called Caligula Dinesti. Ahriman needed to be taken down a few notches. "Watch your step this year, 'IronClaw'. The new guy opened these doors with his bare hands, and he's not one to take your...policy...sitting down." These words sank in, and Damien looked up at the doors. Each weighed, at least, as much as two eighteen-wheelers. He, himself, couldn't open the doors. He scowled. So, there was a stronger player on the field, eh? Well, he'd just have to make sure the little upstart's fangs were pulled before he could bite, now wouldn't he?[/color]

[center][color=teal][u][b][i][size=4]Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for the Unusually Gifted[/center][/color][/u][/b][/i][/size] [color=crimson][i]The school towered over Monolith City, its mountaintop resting place the highest point in the nearby mountains. The citadel's battlements jutted up from the landscape, the unnaturalness of it all lost to the citygoers below. They were too wrapped up in their early-morning lives to pay much attention to the goings-on up at the school. Had even one person, however, had the kindness of spirit, or the generosity of nature, to look up at the towering monolith for which the city was named, they might have seen the lone, shadowy figure slowly ascending the mountain stairway that led to the front doors of Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for the Unusually Gifted....[/i] Johnathan Dinesti, better known in his clan as Hunter, was in a foul mood. He'd filled out the forms in the huge administrative building down in the city, and found out that the school was up the mountain. He'd believed the administrative building to be the whole school. It was the center of the damned city, for crying out loud. Hunter sighed, climbing the stairway slowly, his mood brightening as he neared the gigantic double-doors that marked the main entrance to the citadel. Within moments, he was under the shadow of the academy. Hunter looked up, the wall of the academy becoming a horizon of sorts to Hunter's field of vision. "Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn, this place is friggin' HUGE. Heh. This is gonna be fun...." Walking up to the double-doors, he noticed a tall figure standing before him, a long, flowing beard reaching the ground. A gnarled hemlock staff glowed vaguely in his hands. "Welcome, young man. I assume you would be Hunter? There, there, hush now. There's no need to elaborate. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Merlin, First Mage and the conductor of your first test." As he said this, he swished his robes ina flourishing motion, indicating the front door. "Open this door." Hunter's eyes widened considerably. Hanging his head, and muttering very many oaths under his breath, he shifted into his larger hybrid form and put his shoulder to the double-doors. Gasping for breath, and hammering his legs into the ground, the doors slowly began to give. Merlin's eyes widened as the doors swung open, the young werecheetah's muscles rippling from the effort, sweat dripping off of his fur. "Incredible...most people just ask me to shut the hell up with my test and open the door with my magic. Just...incredible..." Hunter's eye twitched. He cocked his fist back, preparing to send the stunned wizard into an early hibernation, when a speeding object nailed his weakened form in the back. He looked up from the ground, only to see a fluffy fox tail waving and bobbing as the girl it was attached to ran like Hell into the academy. "Wha....?"[/color]

[color=crimson]The sign-up is closed to new posts at this time. It was a really hard thing for me to do, but I have made my choices. Before I list them, however, I would like to extend a little advice to those of you who didn't make it. 1) Make certain that your work is YOUR best. 2) Originality can make a plain post into a masterpiece. 3) If too many people are going for the type/character/race you'd like to be, try something new and maybe you'll surprise yourself by liking it more than thing you wanted to be. 4) Avoid writing "I'll get back to this later" in your sign-ups, it REALLY hurts your chances. If you don't have time that day, copy/paste your post into Word or Notepad and come back later. 5) Spelling and grammar counts. Be sure to use a spell-check program. 6) Most importantly: have FUN. That's why we're here, 'ey. [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] Anyway, on to the more important stuff. The sign-up is closed to new posts, however, ANYONE who has already posted may make a new character sheet or edit their old one and send it to me via PM. I will try, upon such a send-in, to find a way to get you into the RPG seamlessly. The list of (starting) characters: [b]Hunter[/b] (Talon) [b]Raven[/b] (Vampire_Fox) [b]Crucifix[/b] (Ezekiel) [b]Phantom[/b] (Sin) [b]Chrono[/b] (Starwind) [b]Wynn Valerie Helson[/b] (Lilt) [b]Zamiel[/b] (Neko) [b]Soir[/b] (Stark) [b]Vito[/b] (xliquidousx) -recently added- [b]Corrina[/b] (Corrina) -recently added- [b]Slade[/b] (Raze_3103) Congratulations to those who made it. I'll edit this post as people send in their edited sign-ups.[/color]

[center][color=teal][u][b][i][size=4]Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for the Unusually Gifted[/center][/color][/u][/b][/i][/size] [center][color=red]"Unusually Gifted". A euphimism. An understatement, a gross mistake, call it what you will. Many cultures across the globe have any number of names for Frankenstein's Academy. The Monster School, The Freak Show, Vampire Valley. The fact remains, however, that the academy is there, on the outskirts of Monolith City, somewhere in the mountains of the province of Wallachia... Surprisingly, the school is almost universally called these names [u]affectionately[/u] by the student population and their parents. Unsurprisingly, the school's curriculum is exceptional, and its reputation is well-earned. Home to many young werecreatures, vampires, zombies, banshees, and such, the school is incredibly diversified and thus competition runs high amidst the many factions and shapes the student population encompasses within the academy's walls. What's more, the academy promotes the competition's intensity, endorsing such events as sports meets, contests, and yes, even fights. Indeed, many in the academy are known by their Battletags rather than their born or family names... [i]However, the winds of change begin to blow as one person, only a single new student, arrives in Monolith City to attend the Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for the Unusually Gifted. A student who, unbeknownst to himself, will shatter traditions that have stood for centuries, and a new order will rule a school whose Headmaster is but a figurehead....[/i][/center][/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=darkslategray]You are students at Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for Unusually Gifted Students. At this school, the headmaster is but a figurehead. He is a genius, the latest in a line of many headmasters. The true ruling body of the school is the School Executive Board, a collection of students in charge of a student government headed by Damien Ahriman, by far the strongest student in the school, a Darkwing of immense physical capabilities and unmatched strategic capacity. You, the students in this academy, engender many different types. Ghosts, werebeasts, vampires, and such, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, spend their days and nights within the walls of the great citadel. There are no limits to what you can be: a werecat, a vampire, a puddle of ooze that can take on a human shape, or even a cloud of vapor in the shape of a wolf. You can be part of any faction, be it a racial faction, a pro-exec board faction, or an anti-authority faction. You can be a rebel, a lone wolf, or even, should you so choose, a student teacher. Welcome to the Academy. Let's have some fun![/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=teal][i]The faces of the Lunarian race, as the race of "monsters" is called, are many in form, and none are without their own strengths and weaknesses. Detailed below are several of the forms the Lunarians race includes...[/i] [b]Vampires:[/b] Vampirism is not a curse or a disease as commonly thought. It is a genetic anomaly transferred randomly from a vampire to its offspring. A Homid family can have "normal children" for ten generations, and suddenly the next child would be born a vampire simply because the great grandfather ten times over was a vampire. Vampires are physically stronger than Homids (humans), can Metamorph into a wolf form, a mist frm, or a bat form. Few can metamorph into two of them, and only a single Master Vampire has ever been known to be able to shift into all three forms. They have enhanced senses, as well. Vampires also possess a powerful psychic enhancement, and a magnetic attraction over weaker, though the term is used loosely, forms, including most Homids and some other Lunarians, making vampires excellent leaders. Vampires' weaknesses include holy water, blessed bread, and white oak. Vampires are not necessarily affected by sunlight, garlic, or crosses, though some have been known to show weakness in the presence of said catalysts. [b]Living Dead:[/b] This is the term given those whose flesh has risen from the grave. They include zombies, rots, mummies, and even flesh golems. They are incredibly diverse, though they do share several traits in common. For instance, they are all incredibly strong, as strong as a Weretiger, despite their suspended state of decay their bodies appear to be in. The Living Dead are incredibly resistant to blunt trauma, though blades and fire seem to do more damage to them than should be possible. The Living Dead are adept at magic and hand-to-hand fighting, though their reflexes are slow. Contrary to popular belief, the Living Dead have souls, personalities, and are incredibly intelligent, though they are often need of a heavy body deodorant. They are resistant to magic and metabolics, as they no longer have an immune or nervous system to be affected. [b]Werecreatures:[/b] Werecats, werewolves, and other such creatures exist in great numbers in the world, hidden by their animal form in the African Savannah, the Alaskan Wastes, or the forests on the slopes of the Himalayahs. They're strengths vary according to clan, based upon the animal whose shape the Werecreature mimics. All werecreatures share, however, a weakness in the form of increased aggression, heightened sex drive, and the inability to change out of their Homid or Animal form during the New Moon. Lycans tend to prefer their Hybrid form to any other, as their strength is not limited in it as it is in their Homid form. Lycanthropes' powers include Metamorphosis, resistance to metabolics and enchantments, and hyper-enhanced cellular regeneration. Weaknesses vary from clan to clan, though almost all lycans are fatally allergic to silver, which shuts down their regenerative faculties to Homid levels and "chars" their spirit, resulting in an almost universally fatal depression. Only two lycanthropes have ever been known to pull out of this depression, and none have ever been seen to resist the taint.[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=crimson][center][b][i][u]Notable Personages[/i][/u][/b] [b]Dr. Victor Frankentein:[/b] Headmaster of the Academy and descendant of the original founder, Ludwig Frankenstein,Victor is a capable genius. He has perfected a way of resurrecting dead flesh, but without a personality, the Flesh Golems that patrol the halls of the great citadel. Angered and distraught over the traditional Executive Board's downward slide into depths he does not want his academy to suffer, he has called for outside help. Rumor has it that the genius' first creation, a failed flesh golem, lies imprisoned beneath the citadel floors... [b]Johnathan "Hunter" Dinesti:[/b] A half-breed descended from the Dinesti clan of Werecheetahs, this strange youth has enrolled in the academy at the request of his father, the Alpha of the clan. His refusal to show his Hybrid form, his insistance upon smoking, and the strange cross-shaped tatoo on the inside of his wrist all add to his mystique. The winds of change blow around this young man, though he himself knows it not. His eyes and heart seem set on a particular young woman, though her own eyes are set far from Johnathan. Or are they...? [b]Damien "IronClaw" Ahriman:[/b] The President of the Executive Board, nothing happens in his school without his knowing it. The strongest, by far, in the academy, Damien enjoys the pleasures of living an unthreatened highlife. Until Johnathan Dinesti shows up. The new kid represents an X-factor in Damien's plans for th school, and he must be eliminated...[/center][/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=DarkSlateGray][b]Welcome to Dr. Frankenstein's Academy for the Unusually Gifted. If you are a new student, welcome! If you are a returning student, welcome back! To expediate your entry into the class environment, and to provide you with the best possible comforts, the academy requires you to fill out a few forms. Please answer the questions as completely as possible. Spelling and punctuation count.[/b] [b]Name:[/b] Your name here, please. [b]BattleTag:[/b] Please include your clan warrior name, or your contest callsign, if you have earned one. [b]Age:[/b] Your exact age, and your apparent age, if you so wish. [b]Subtype;[/b] Which form of Lunarian are you? Werewolf, vampire, demonkin? [b]Strengths:[/b] Please include your racial strengths. Ghosts, spectres, and other incorporeals would kindly take note that their lack of physical skills may be remedied through magical means, though it is stressed that they keep their arcana-casting abilities in the forefront. [b]Weaknesses:[/b] This is necessary to make your stay at the academy as safe as possible. Please keep ths in mind. [b]Powers:[/b] If you have any special powers of note, please record them here. [b]Personality:[/b] Please include a brief self-analysis of your attitude. This is imperative for dormitory and class placement. [b]Description:[/b] Please include a brief physical description of yourself, or attach a picture to this document, if applicable. [b]History:[/b] Please include a brief history of yourself up to point of enrollment or reenrollment.[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=crimson]"The hell...? This is what the form looks like...? Ooo...kay...." Johnathan Dinesti stared at the forms in his hand, his pencil hovering slightly over them. He shrugged, let out a brief sigh, and looked to the ceiling before placing his pencil to the paper. "I swear, Pop, if you did this just ta keep me from askin' about Mom, I'm gonna kick your ***...." He began, slowly, to write....[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=crimson][b]Name:[/b] Johnathan Dinesti [b]BattleTag:[/b] Hunter [b]Age:[/b] 18 [b]Subtype:[/b] Werecheetah (half-breed) [b]Strengths:[/b] Prodigious strength, speed, regeneration, and hyper-enhanced agility, reflexes, and dexterity. Can resist silver taint. [b]Weaknesses:[/b] Weakness for tuna, claws in hybrid form are brittle if zebra is not consumed regularly. Silver has some effect, but not much. Seems to suffer from an internal war that affects his strength and other powers, keeping them far below maximum most of the time. Gold seems to have an extreme adverse effect upon hunter, though why is unknown. [b]Powers:[/b] Occasionally, in extreme moods, the thorn-wound cross on his inside right wrist seems to glow, but nothing other than that is known. Also has a curious ability to manipulate "ki", or the physical energies that make up his aura. [b]Personality:[/b] Calm, but rebellious, Hunter is aggressive when it comes to family matters. He is strict, especially on himself, and gives respect only when it is earned. He despises unfair power, and limits himself in fights. He recognizes that there are those stronger than him, but believes that he will eventually "knock 'em down a peg or five". [b]Description:[/b] [URL=http://we-love-anime.com/Gallery/Anime_Images/index.php?spgmGal=Soul%20Hunter,%20Sen%20kaiden%20Houshin%20Engi&spgmPic=22&spgmFilters=#pic]Johnathan in Homid Form[/URL]. Johnathan's hybrid form is rather like a very tall Homid with fur, catlike features, and a tail. His scars, hair, and cross are carried over into Hybrid form, but not Cheetah form. [b]History:[/b] Born to the Dinesti clan from a union between the clan Alpha and a human of some notable, but unknown, birth, Hunter was raised to fight as best he could by his father. His lack of ability in magic was more than made up for by his intense physical skills, and his attunement to his body's latent energies. The cause of his ineptitude at magic is unknown, but it is assumed to have something to do with his mother. Hunter does not know his mother, and often wonders what she was like. As a result, he is torn up inside, both physically and emotionally, as his body attempts to reject his training every single day. This prevents Hunter from attaining his maximum power, though his powers are indeed great. He enrolled in the academy as a favor to his father, who was contacted by Victor Frankenstein mysteriously one morning. Having nothing better to do, Hunter went to school.[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] Well, that's about it. Please keep your posts neat, and remember: originality, spelling, punctuation, and length count. Most importantly, have fun. See ya there!

[color=teal][center]All you can see, my friend and my enemy, Is the sin in my eyes, and the virtue of life. A close-knit hatred, and a well-founded trust. Beneath my exterior, can you see this? All you know is what's on the outside. Seeing without your heart isn't the way. Prove your worth, prove your love, and look with your heart. See for certain what I am inside, or your heart will be denied. My soul remains hidden, beneath my brown eyes. They watch you so closely, seeing what you don't. A tear or a twinkle, perhaps even a gleam Give away your secrets to those who can read them. Listen to me, and open your heart. Or my own will remain locked to your prying eyes. Be gentle, be true, and all will come softly. Those with greed in their eyes remain blinded to mine. For I see not with my brown eyes, fear not my love. But the secrets of my soul are easy to find. Open your heart to find what's inside. Hold me close, kiss me lightly, and let me look with my eyes.[/center][/color]

[color=teal][center][font=Microsoft Sans Serif]Moonlit waters, sunbaked sands Tempting springs, rolling lands Cold Volcano, hot summer nights New Year's bells, autumn sights. Cherry blossoms, snow-capped hills Fishing fleet, rice wine mills City lights, country sounds Honor upheld, romance found. Rising sun, glowing moon Relaxing evening, hectic noon Dancing fans, silken dresses Lovely gaze, raven tresses. Martial arts, way of peace Winter's cold, spring's release Cloudless nights, cyan sky Open air, time flows by.[/font][/center] I'm back, even if it will be on and off all summer. Sorry I kept you waiting, OB.[/color]