Talon

[color=darkslategray][i]Matt stared at the glass as it went flying and immediately changed his mind. He grabbed the bottle, the weight of it telling him it was at least enough to fill three glasses full. He stared at Velouria before sighing and sitting down on her sofa, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.[/i] "I don't know...I really don't, Firefly. Hells, I'm about ready to say we don't need any new members. Then again, with everything the gang does besides racing, I'm about ready to kill the gang off and go freelance. Oh, don't look at me like that, damnit. You know I'd never do such a thing...." [i]Velouria's wide-eyed fear was not allayed as she watched Matt, a non-alcoholic unless he was agitated or extremely depressed, slam back half of the remainder of the alcohol in the bottle like it was nothing. For him to do that, he had to be both severely agitated and more than extremely depressed. In mere moments, Matt was reduced to staring at the ceiling, offering vague comments about nothing. Velouria waited, staring at her best friend, as he stood and stared at a picture of the two of them up at the cabin.[/i] "Feh. What I wouldn't give to be able to just throw away my love for the game...my love of the risk, and live up there. So peaceful...no cops, no drugs, no goddamn hookers...Just me, my grandpop's legacy...what if you're right? What if it is Kiri? Nothin' we can do. We got no pro...pos....we ain't sure it's her. Could be that...that stiff newbie, Shackle. I never much liked him..." "Matt, please, sit down. You're drunker than you've ever been, you're not going anywhere." [i]Matt shook his head a moment, nodding at the last comment about going anywhere, when he quickly and forcibly punched himself in the stomach. The pain quickly sobered him for a moment, a moment he used to rather quickly stumble to the bathroom, nailing himself again and vomiting into the toilet. The action sobered him more readily and permanently, and he stoppered the bottle still in his hands.[/i] "Sorry, Firefly. Need to talk....can't do that drunk. Damnit...I need some aspirin....[/color]

[color=darkslategray][i]Matt cruised idly down the roads, taking random turns and performing various illegal stunts. He was pissed. Those jackass Spiders had somehow managed to connect him with a few deaths all the way across the city, he was sure of it. He sighed and looked at his passenger seat. 'Ya know, the Kiri chick'd look damn good in that seat....What the Hell?!?!' Matt swore loudly, pulling Delta Fox into a power slide 180, facing the direction he'd come from. His breath only slightly ragged, he bashed his head against the steering wheel. 'Yeah, nice one, Long. Stop thinkin' about Kiri. What about Firefly?' Matt's smile brightened significantly as he thought of his second-in-command, his partner. Sure, she was ice-cold to most of the Panthers, but up in Matt's cabin, she could turn into molten lava or a cool breeze. She was Matt's best friend, and as long as she was around, Matt wouldn't try to think of going out with a girl he'd met only hours before. Velouria would skin him alive for whoring, something Matt hated with a passion! Matt sighed and kicked his car into a comfortable speed, somewhere over a hundred fifty kilometers an hour. He banked the streets until he found a corner he recognized, and with a jolt, realized it was barely five blocks away from his residential area. He smiled and pulled Delta Fox into a turn, heading for the suburban house he called his place to live. He leapt out of the Fox, heading for his front door, when he saw it hanging from his door frame. A letter, unmarked save his name in neat script, dangled just over his card reader. Matt, cautious, opened it up and instantly recognized the handwriting of D.C. He read barely four sentences before turning and leaping back into the driver's seat, gunning the engine and speeding off for Velouria's apartment. There was a goddamn spy in the Panthers![/color][/i]

[color=darkgreen][b]Name:[/b] Ryth Softwing [b]Age:[/b] 127 [b]Race:[/b] Lai [b]Class/Job:[/b] Wind Lai [b]Abilities:[/b] [u][i]Talon Claw:[/i][/u] Ryth focuses his mind with deadly intent, becoming a lethally quick and agile killing machine. With absolute clarity and precision, he strikes at his opponent's lethal areas. [u][i]Phoenix Song:[/u][/i] Ryth, in his bird form, sacrifices an amount of his soul to give a strengthening call to his comrades, emboldening them and giving them vigor anew. [u][i]Eagle-eye:[/u][/i] Ryth's eyes were cybernetically enhanced to restore the vision he lost in an accident with a highly concentrated acid. A side-effect of the cybernetic eyes he now has is a zoom feature of up to fifty times magnification. An added bonus nobody expected was, with the slight application of pressure to the right temple, Ryth's right eye can see in the infrared spectrum. His left eye can enhance and sharpen details up to a near-molecular level with the same pressure to the left temple. [b]Personality:[/b] Loyal to the last, and deeper than the deepest ocean, Ryth is a person whose trust is hard to earn. However, once one has earned the treasure of Ryth's trust, they also gain his dedication, loyalty, and friendship. Incredibly quick-witted and agile, Ryth is a capable warrior, though he performs best in his role as a scout. He is quick to defend his friends, and quicker to help them in emotional distress. His deep loyalty and reluctance to trust seem to stem from event far in his past, an event he is tight-lipped and short-fused about, even to his closest friends. [b]Appearance:[/b] Ryth's eyes, of the deepest, warmest emerald, seem at first not to be a pair of cybernetic optic organs. His long, silver hair, tied in a ponytail, hangs down between his shoulder blades. A set of jade armor, light and bearing a design of wind, vine, and phoenixes, covers the vital areas on his person. A thin, leather scabbard is carried on his back, attached to a bandolier slung over his chest, while a belt with a second, smaller scabbard hangs around Ryth's waist. Knee-high leather boots and fingerless gauntlets adorn Ryth's legs and forearms respectively, while a white silk shirt and light blue tangs under the armor finishes the ensemble. A single amulet, a small emerald shaped into a geometric diamond set against a larger, simlarly shaped silver setting, hangs around his neck. His bird form is pure white, though a single emerald feather glows like a jade crystal just at his breast. [b]Weapon:[/b] A thin, slightly curved scimitar simply named the Eagle Sword held in his right hand, as well as a foot-long serrated parrying dagger in his left are all this scout needs in addition to his quick wits, loyalty, and determination. [b]Alliance:[/b] The Lai[/color]

[color=crimson][i][u][center]7.09.2039 Emergency Communique Received Transmission Decoding....Decoded. Opening Transmission.[/center][/u][/i] [b]"This .. ..sign Jason Krigg! Zentra... homeste... attack...! Unkn... host.... assaulting battle group! We ..n't hold .... off! Request back-EAGHH!!!!!......" ...End Transmission.[/b] [i]Colonel Henry J. Gloval, current head of the UEDC, turned away from the viewscreen and gravely addressed the rest of the council. His face, once young and bold during his command of the Super Dimensional Fortress 1, now looked ashen and grave.[/i] "Gentlemen, ladies, we received Ensign Krigg's emergency communique four hours ago. As you know, with the Zentraedi refugees remaining from the Global War, we have been hard pressed to keep a decent amount of living space on the remaining areas of hospitable land left on Earth. It was with such conditions that we decided to terraform and cultivate Mars, so that the Zentraedi would have a homeworld of their own, and we could be allies. We accomplished the project two years ago, and the Zentraedi all moved off of Earth, glad to finally have their own homeworld. However, it seems what forces we sent with them to aid them in the homesteading is not enough for this new threat. We've dubbed these new insectoid behemoths "Slith". As tall as a battloid, these things are deadly. The Zentraedi, as far as we can tell, are still relatively unharmed. I say we send in the big guns to help them out." [i]A loud murmur of conjecture arose as the council members took to understand what was going on. One council member, from Japan, stood straight and bowed to the council.[/i] "Fellow members of the council, let us employ our latest technological advances! Let us use the Crimson Shield!" [i]A roar from Gloval silenced the chatter in the chamber as he looked at the Japanese representative. He bowed his head and turned.[/i] "I, Colonel Henry J. Gloval, shall take the SDF-4, with complete crew, to Mars. Six squadrons. We'll be heavy with one extra squadron. We're employing the mercenaries...Metatech Fighter Squadron Crimson Shield."[/color] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=royalblue][i]You are a member of MMFS-1 Crimson Shield. Your Metatech fighters are a new experimental leap in the design of Earth weaponry. Your Metatech, the adopted name for your modified fighter, is different from the RDF's Veritech fighters in that your vehicles are modular, able to be equipped with different weapons and parts. Not only that, but your Metatech parts are completely interchangeable. Your fighters can adapt themselves instantly to any part removed from a downed fellow or enemy fighter. Your fighters, equipped with the right parts, can mimic the transformational capabilities of the Veritech fighers used by the RDF. Good luck, and god speed, Crimson Shield![/color][/i] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [b][center]Necessary Information[/b][/center] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [color=darkslategray][center][b][u]Pilot[/b][/center][/u] [b]Name:[/b] Your pilot's name. [b]Callsign:[/b] Your pilot's monniker. [b]Rank:[/b] Your character's rank. None higher than 1st Liutenant. [b]ID Number:[/b] Your character's four-number UEDC PIN. [b]Appearance:[/b] A picture or description of your character's physical appearance. [b]Personality:[/b] Your character's charisma, how he/she interacts with others. [b]History:[/b] Your character's story. Brief or long, you decide. [b][u][center]Mecha[/u][/b][/center] [b]Name:[/b] Your mecha's call number and name. (EX: MV-01 Blitz) [b]Strength:[/b] Mecha's initial physical moving and striking power. (50-200) [b]Agility:[/b] Mecha's initial speed and reflex ratio. (50-200) [b]Energy:[/b] Mecha's initial generaor output, powers energy weapons. (50,000PS-200,000PS) [b]Durability:[/b] Mecha's initial armor level, damage resistance. (5,000AP-9,999AP) [b]Armaments:[/b] Mecha's initial weaponry. [b]Appearance:[/b] Mecha's unaltered physical appearance. [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [b][center]My Information[/b][/center] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [center][b][u]Pilot[/b][/center][/u] [b]Name:[/b] Artemis D. Hunter [b]Callsign:[/b] Cowboy [b]Rank:[/b] Captain [b]ID Number:[/b] 1-987 [b]Appearance:[/b] Artemis In The Cockpit [b]Personality:[/b] Cowboy is loyal, sure, and skilled. He may come off as arrogant, but that is merely self-confidence and a steady aim feuling his actions. He is strong, reliable, and able. However, in battle, he is aggressive, agile, and merciless. He avoids human contact ever since his father and mother, Rick and Lisa Hunter, disappeared with the SDF-3. [b]History:[/b] Age 24, Artemis has been in the care of his father's old friend and wingmate, Maximillian Sterling, and his wife, Miriya Parino Sterling, a former Zentraedi ace. Raised by them both to be the best pilot he could be, Artemis quickly became a force to be reckoned with at the RDF Academy. However, various rules and impositions holding the young fighter back disgusted Artemis, and with a steady hand and sure knowledge of Robotechnology, Artemis built his own, modular assault suit. Many modifications and versions of the Metatech Assault Vehicle were created, but Artemis' own design was stolen by the RDF. This caused Artemis to estrange himself completely from the RDF, though a successful lawsuit was filed. Artemis busied himself with sending out a call to those of exceptional talent who had been jilted by the RDF, inviting them to form a new battalion. And thus was formed the Mercenary Metatech Fighter Squadron, the MMFS-1 Crimson Shield. [b][u][center]Mecha[/u][/b][/center] [b]Name:[/b] MF-01 Locke [b]Strength:[/b] 152 [b]Agility:[/b] 176 [b]Energy:[/b] 180,000PS [b]Durability:[/b] 7,543 AP [b]Armaments:[/b] UT-057 Depleted Uranium Shell Autocannon (5 Spare Clips 1,000 Cnt.) 2 Head-mounted Laser Turrets 6 Tomahawk-class Seeker Missiles 8 Exeter-class Seeker Cluster Warheads Retractable Shorter-class Heat Knife in right forearm. [b]Appearance:[/b] Locke[/color]

[color=teal] Hmm... [b]-Lone toddler crying in a shopping mall:[/b] I'd do my best to calm the child down, then call mall security. Afterwards, I'd search all the nearest shops for the child's parents while making certain it's not taken by anyone but security or the child's parents. [b]-First person at the scene of a car accident:[/b] I'd get out of my car, call 911, and look for survivors. I'd do my best to help those trapped get more comfortable, and I'd provide as much medical help as five years of boy scout training and ROTC emergency medical knowledge would allow. [b]-Person drowning:[/b] Screw what I'm wearing, jump in, save the person, bring them back to shore, and provide CPR to expel the water from the lungs. [b]-Obviously upset person running down the street:[/b] I'd stop them, holding their arm until they've realized they're endangering others and their own well-being, offer to buy them some ice cream or a burger, and if they accept, try to find out what's wrong while providing comfort while not trying to pry into business that's not mine. [b]-Injured animal:[/b] I'd provide what medical assistance I can, then call the vet. After the vet takes care of it, if it's a stray, I'd adopt it. If it's a wild animal incapable of living in the wild anymore, same story. If it CAN live in the wild, I'll set it free. [b]-Elderly person having trouble crossing a busy street:[/b] I'd help them across the street, plain as day. [b]-Person shoplifting:[/b] CQC, knock the shoplifter out, drag the body to the shop, return the goods, and call the police. [b]-Smoke coming from the upper windows of an apartment building:[/b] Call the fire department, ask the manager of the building if it's normal, then run upstairs to warn the neighbors if it isn't normal. [b]-Drunk fumbling to get his car keys into the door of his car:[/b] I'd stop him, ask him/her his/her address, and give him a ride to his own place after handing him his keys again, telling him/her not to try to get the car 'til tomorrow or to get a friend to get it for him. That's just what I'd do, though.[/color]

[color=teal]Gods, where do I begin? I can't praise Jamie enough! I remember her RPG, 'Only You', and I remember sending he a PM about being her character's arranged fiance...and after that, I sent her an IM, asking her if my sign-up was alright. We started talikng, and I knew, right then, that I was done for. We sparked up a few more conversations when she starting asking me about her current boyfriend. She showed me quotes he said were his, but were beyond my dad's years. She showed me pics that were magazine cut-outs he said were his. And she took the news badly. After a fashion, I told her I'd had feelings for her, and the her boyfriend was a jackass. The next day, she confronted him and got the truth out of him. And she split up with him. I don't know how long after that it was, but we hooked up. For two weeks, I was happy. But an old problem arose in the form of my ex, and I had to break it off. She told me she'd been thinking the same thing, and became my friend once more. I dealt with my ex, Stephanie, and decided to look for a relationship elsewhere. I spent a month, happy and content, untila misunderstanding with my mom drove my girlfriend away from me. That night, I got on AIM and cried on Jamie's shoulder. We talked for what seemed, to me, to be hours. She told me she'd missed me, that for the latter half of the month she'd been secretly wishing I'd break up with my girlfriend. I asked Jamie out then and there, telling her I still loved her, that I'd missed her. And I had. I still do. Gods, when I first heard her voice, it was like hearing angels sing and Heaven call my name. I had to hear more of it. That month, I racked up a $1,088 phone bill for calling the U.K. Still, I counted the minutes to Christmas, when she'd be in New York. I called her at every opportunity, and held my breath waiting for the next one. I cried when she had to leave for home. She's so sweet, and kind, and gentle, she makes me wonder how I ever put up with my life before she changed me. And she really did. I remember being a stubborn, hurtful hermit. Now, I'm grinning, making jokes, hoping to be a good daddy, and posting in the Lounge more freely than ever before. And because of her, I've made so many good friends. Sonata and Kittychanann, amongst others. I never want to hurt this girl. I don't think my heart could take it.[/color]

[color=darkslategray][i]Matt downed a Long Island Red Rum, a concoction of his own, and surveyed the club. His club. And he practically groaned inwards. His name, his father's name, and his grandfather's name, associated with drugs, sex, and violence. All he'd wanted when the last boss died and gave him the torch was to race, to carry on his family's legacy. For nearly a hundred years, the Longs were the fastest, most reckless, most skilled drivers in any given gang. Back in 2943, his grandfather, Jason Arcturus Long, began the tradition with Alpha Wolf, a red version of Delta Fox with an "A and wolf" emblem. He had been the leader of the Fire Cougars. Nearly forty-five years later, John Firenze Long had dominated Ohmega City's roads as the leader of the Ice Tigers in the Beta Coyote, a blue car with a coyote emblem. Now, Matthew Ryan Long, owner of Delta Fox, leader of the Lightning Panthers, and he was less than ecstatic. His name, the Long name, was attached to the most race-related deaths in the city. And it wasn't him. Every driver that ever attempted to kill him, and there were scores upon scores, had ended with less than their full count of functioning body parts. Any who had attacked his Firefly, his closest friend and second-in-command, had met the same fate. His gang, the forty-some-odd drivers under his command, were mainly focused on orgies, quick lays, drugs, and money. Fights broke out. Girls were going from man to man, like they were trying on shoes. Firefly, the only member of his gang he trusted more than anything, was busy waving off another group of drunk assholes looking for a quick lay. Matt got up and headed for her table, but on the way, he was intercepted. The first thought in his mind was "Damn! This chick's a fox!". His second thought was "Hit the brakes, damnit!". He slowed down in the nick of time, barely avoiding a collision with the cute girl. He registered her blonde hair with green streaks even as she spoke to him.[/i] "Excuse me, Mr. Long?" [i]Matt shook his head and grinned his familiar, arrogant, rogueish grin. His smirk grew wider as the girl's eyes took on a familiar, slightly-glazed look. Matt patted her shoulder.[/i] "Yeah, that's me. Call me Outlaw. Only people who call me Long anymore are too busy chokin' on my dust. So, what can I do for you, little lady?" [i]The young woman hastily apologized and held out her hand, which Matt gratefully took. This girl was gorgeous![/i] "My name's Kiri. It's a pleasure to meet you...I was wondering, do you know how I might be able to start racing? I've been interested for a while, and this is the first time I've ever worked up the courage to come..." [i]Matt silenced her and placed his hand gently on the small of her back, leading her towards Firefly's table.[/i] "Velouria, this is Kiri. She's interested in joining up. I want you to take care of her, alright? Oh, before I forget, the cabin's gonna be empty this weekend, if you wanna come up again." [i]Matt was referring to his father's summer cabin in the mountains outside Ohmega City. He and Velouria had gone up there several times to escape the taboos of their gang's nature. Firefly nodded and took Kiri by the hand, sitting her down. Matt tuned everything out as his eye strayed to the entrance of the club. Yeah, it was time for a joyride. Again. Matt grinned.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][b]Me, I'm dishonest, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for, 'cause you can never predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid. - Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).[/b] Well said, well thought out. I'm an honest man, as honest as I can be, anyway, and at the most unexpected times do I do something incredibly stupid. Like standing up for a friend against a guy twice my size. [b]If you keep moving forward, you can always find radiance. - Deedlit the High-Elf.[/b] Something I take to heart when I'm emotionally sober. If you keep looking backwards, you'll never be abnle to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Backtracking doesn't undo what's already happened. [b]Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes. - Oscar Wilde.[/b] Too true. You make a mistake, you learn how not to make it again. You continue on in the great trial-and-error game we all call life. [b]A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he's finished. - Zsa Zsa Gabor.[/b] This is memorable to me because it makes me think how "finished" I'd be when I get married. Kids, a loving wife, a beautiful home...and I hear some men call it a ball and chain. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. [b]What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the foolish man seeks is in others. - Confucius.[/b] Introspection is the key to advancement. If you refuse to focus on what you admire and better yourself to your own standards, you will never be redeemed in the eyes of those whom you watch. You must always live up to YOUR standards, not the standards of others. [b]I aspire to be the best daddy I can be. I want my children to be happy, to be loved, and above all, to know how to love. After all, kids are our future, why not take care of it? - J. Schock.[/b] I live by my own quote. I am the only guy I know who actually intends to be a good daddy. Yes, daddy. A father and a daddy are seperate in my mind: a father is merely a man who impregnated a woman and does the minimum effort necessary to keep the kids alive. A daddy, however, places his children before himself, gives of himself to make his children happy. A daddy is a man whose worst day is turned to the best day when his child whispers "I love you" to him. THAT is what I want to be, and I believe all men should aspire to it.[/color]

[color=teal]My opinion has changed a bit since I was an impressionable fourteen-year-old. At first, I was pro-choice, but having examined every facet of the argument, I am now pro-life. My opinion is that, in the case of a mother who simply doesn't want a child, adoption is readily available. It doesn't matter if the child hasn't taken its first breath, it doesn't matter if it hasn't yet seen the world, the baby STILL HAS A SOUL! In the case of underage pregnancy: you took the risk, you knew what could happen, deal with it. Though I think a tutoring program for the later trimesters would be a very good thing, so that the future mother doesn't need to skip out on any schoolwork. After the child is born, if the mother doesn't want her baby, then the child can be put up for adoption. Same thing for rape victims. It doesn't matter if the baby came from a drunk guy you never met before, it is still a baby with a soul. Should it be executed for the crimes of the father? Put it up for adoption. I don't CARE what labels a doctor attaches to an unborn baby. I don't CARE that those in the medical profession say a fetus is not alive until it's taken its first breath. In my opinion, anything that has a soul and needs another being to live off of is ALIVE. Fate created it for a reason: you could very well be killing the child who'll find the cure for cancer, the person who may find a way to send human beings through space at speeds greater than that of light. But will you find out if the child is killed before it breathes? No.[/color]

[color=darkslategray][b]Name:[/b] Matt R. Long [b]Nickname:[/b] Outlaw [b]Car Name:[/b] Delta Fox [b]Car Description:[/b] A sleek, thin model, Delta Fox is a approximately three feet wide, five feet long, and three and a half feet tall, disincluding the roll cage. It hovers about a foot off the ground, though it does have four-wheel capability. Reminiscent of the Warthogs from the HALO game series, the car is a solid green color with the emblem of a fox inside a triangle on the hood and doors. It appears well-armored, especially the hood, and the headlights are half-inch by three-inch rectangles embedded in a crevasse of the hood. The brake lights are similar, though on the back. It has an uncovered roll cage that extends barely a foot over the top of the car,, and is extremely aerodynamic. Delta Fox is built for speed and defense, with the crumple zone and doors extrmeley well-armored. The rear, and when equipped, tires, however, are less defended. Delta Fox is equipped with a turbo boost system that rapidly drains fuel, but extends the car's maximum speed by about 50 MPH as long as it is in use. [b]Speed:[/b] 378 MPH (430 MPH DFT active) [b]Defence:[/b] 115 AD [b]Driver Skill:[/b] Outlaw is an extremely skilled driver on most terrain, though his specialty track is any form of road, paved or not. It is due to this that he is the leader of the Lightning Panthers, considered the best of the best. He is weak, however, on dry track or trackless paths such as mountain trails. Outlaw favors inclement weather, such as rain or cloudy days, as he is optically sensitive to light, and sunglasses help little. Outlaw is unmatched in turns, power-slides, and ramming. Outlaw is efficient, focused, and knows exactly what he's doing on the road. It just doesn't seem that way. He often takes risks that, though they frequently pay off, they remove an exorbitant amount of AD when they don't. He is known for cutting off other drivers, then spinning the car around and ramming the opponent's car, though he only does this when a member of his gang is either in the lead, in trouble, or both. [b]Gang Name:[/b] Lightning Panthers [b]Personality:[/b] Loyal, yet brash, cocky, and reckless out of the car, Outlaw lives up to his name very well. Outlaw lives for the risk, for the thrill, and for the challenge of street racing. He is the tough guy type, never admitting a weakness and never accepting help unless asked for, and that's rarely. He has the skills, strength, and readiness to back up his attitude, however, so his cocky attitude is actually an exceptional amount of self-confidence. Outlaw does have a soft side, particularly a love of children, cats, and manga. He has never been with a woman, and, as a matter of fact, has had only one failed relationship when he was a child. He does his level-best to look out for his gang, especially the newbies. [b]Bio/ Extra Notes:[/b] The leader of the Lightning Panthers, Outlaw is ranked #1 of all the drivers in the City, though much speculation and controversy are attached to the rank. Many argue that the leader of Shadow Spider is the #1 driver. Outlaw has raced in over 150 races, and has come in first in over half of them. The remainder, with the exception of his first ten, show him placed in the top five. Outlaw can be seen to execute an exceptional maneuver in dire circumstances. His Delta Overdrive is a dangerous technique, normally executed in a tunnel or along a wide alley's walls. The maneuver is executed in the following manner: Outlaw will first drive his car on the wall, accelerating using his DFT (Delta Fox Turbo) system, and when aligned with an opposing vehicle, will kick his hovers into high gear for a moment, launching him away from the wall, into a somersault, and on top of the opponent's car. The maneuver removes a great deal of AD from the opposing car, gains Delta Fox a new position in the race, and deals minimum damage to Delta Fox's AD. The move is used rarely due to advanced fuel consumption by the DFT, the HOD (Hover Overdrive), and car-on-car acceleration. Outlaw's record is as follows, in plain terms: [b]Races:[/b] 154 [b]Wins:[/b] 85 [b]Crashes:[/b] 14 [b]Felonies:[/b] 0 [b]Misdemeanors:[/b] 13 [b]Arrests:[/b] 3 A photo of Outlaw at his first misdemeanor is attached. Outlaw Carrying Swords (First Misdemeanor) Also, a photo of Delta Fox with its all-terrain tires is attached.[/color]

[color=darkslategray][i]A slash to the sternum. A dodge, leaning backwards against an unseen kick. A parry, fending off the thrust of an invisible sword. A slash with both wakizashi, slicing an "X" into the air. A snap kick, followed up by another, higher one, connecting with the chest and throat. A blocked and caught punch, followed by a shoulder throw. A three punch combination to the stomach, chest, and side. Five kunai, piercing perfectly through five hidden hearts. Hikage settled into a loose stance in the middle of the Hawatari dojo, sheathing his wakizashi into a pair of scabbards strapped to the small of his back. He retrieved the kunai from the wall they were embedded in, reabsorbing them into his system. He took a deep breath, making certain that he hadn't once lost his center. He nodded and removed his mask, bowing before his grandfather's shrine. He clapped his hands twice and stood, bowing once more, before replacing his mask and heading into the main house. His mother, a gentle soul of a reploid with kind eyes, hugged her son. Hawatari Kasumi loved her son dearly, and was very, very proud of his accomplishments. Hikage smiled and hugged his mother before heading into the kitchen, beginning to prepare sukiyaki for the family supper. He looked up once, his hands flying fast and sure, when his father, Hawatari Konatsu, entered the room, a letter in his hands and a smile on his face. He smiled up at his son, and gave him a gentle hug. His family, though upstanding and proper in public, were well known to be very affectionate behind closed doors. "Sai, I have a letter for you. It's from Novus Concordia." "Truly, Otousan? A letter for me?" "Hai." The elder Hawatari smiled at his son and kissed him on the forehead, withdrawing one of his son's wakizashi and walking into another room with it. Before Hikage could react, Konatsu walked back into the room, holding the Hawatari honor blade. Hikage's eyebrows raised high. "Sai, in the past in Japan, it has been customary for the head of a household to pass on the mantle when they have deemed their heir worthy. For bringing honor to our family name, I have deemed you, Hikage Hawatari, worthy of this, the Hawatari family honor blade." Hikage took the blade, held on to of his father's spayed palms, in the same way the blade was held. He nodded once, bowing to his father as one bows to a respected elder, and sheathed the blade in his empty scabbard. He opened his letter, of which he noticed the seal was broken. He read three lines before a smile broke out under his mask. He stood up, slipping the letter under his scar and bowing to his parents. "Okaasan, Otousan, I must depart for the [b]Maverick Hunters Headquarters[/b]. I believe I shall be gone for a sizable amount of time." At this, his father smiled and kissed his forehead, pushing a money pouch into his son's hands. "Go, sai. We will always be able to talk with you. Here, take this money. It will be enough for your needs. There is an account card in there should you need more." Hikage, overcome, hugged his parents tight and proceeded to pack what he could. Schooling his emotions once more, he exited his family's home, his birthplace, and set out for the airport, his destination the [b]Maverick Hunter Headquarters[/b].[/color][/i]

[color=teal]Personally, I'd like to meet a good many of you. This place has been more of a home than the place I live, honestly. I already have met a few of you personally, and four members here (Shinkoru, Sirven, Dark-Eye, and Valen) have been in my life since I was a kid. Mostly, though, I'd like to meet: [b]Methuselah[/b], the girl who seems to have wound herself into my heart in a way nobody else has. For obvious reasons, I'd love to meet her. [b]Lady Katana[/b], in many ways my best friend and closest to me besides Imi. These two knows things about me I've never allowed any other human to learn, even my Danielle, Corey, Mickey, and Ron. [b]Deedlit[/b], for being herself. One of my first friends on the boards, and a very,very good one. I'd trust her with my life, just not my manga. [b]James[/b]. What can I say? Great guy. [b]Desbreko[/b]. If anybody who could win a Legend of Zelda trivia challenge against Miyamoto himself, it's this guy. [b]Eikou[/b], another person I admire. Not to mention an excellent designer of banners and avatars.... [b]Ohkami,[/b] another of my friends. A nice girl, and an exceptional friend. [b]Sonata.[/b] One of the sweetest people I've ever had the privelege to meet. Seriously, this is one cute gal. There are more people I'd LOVE to meet, to be sure, but none that I can think of off the top of my head. You're all such great people to know, I just don't have the stamina and dexterity to type for that long. *grin*[/color]

[color=darkslategray][i]Lost in the nothingness, giving in to pain. Hopes raised a moment, then dashed away. Seeing everything in shades of gray. Forging on forever with only loss to gain. Hearts in my eyes, arms around sweet love, Then stolen away, every dream I dare to hope. Feeling like I'm dangling at the end of a rope. Falling from grace like a broken-winged dove. Paranoia setting in, seeing shadows everywhere. Daring not to dream, giving in to fear. Ignoring all the joy, ridicule is all I hear. Running away, where I end I just can't care. Love, mocking love, always just out of my reach. Breathing through the bars of my self-made cage. Mocking me through the haze of my red-eyes rage. I pay no attention to the lesson it should teach. Crying for my mother, crying for reprieve. Arms wrapped around nothing, wherever is my life? No girl to hold my hand, nothing holding me but strife. Tears trail red-hot fires roughly banished by my sleeve. Hopelessness crashes in, pain settles in the blood. Tired eyes remain open, never giving up a chance. A dream that love will blossom, a dream for true romance. Never hope runs out, though hopelessness would bud.[/i][/color] [b]EDIT:[/b] Duly noted, Eikou, and thank you.

[color=darkslategray][i]Silversoul lay back against the seat in his favorite Thantos bar, the Blackened Scythe. His mind awhirl the with energies he'd receieved from the "deliverance" of his father's soul, he sipped carefully at his drink. Afterlife was good, as he frequently put it. He had a loving family of sorts, his mentor thought him the best student he'd ever had, and he'd just assured that his mother's soul up here would never have to face that horrid bastard ever again. The soul formerly known as Matthew slammed home a snifter of whiskey. If everything was going his way, then why in the name of the Nine Hells did he feel so damned depressed?! He ordered another bottle and looked around the bar. He sighed as he saw couples holding hands, a young woman nursing a pregnant belly, and such. He shook his head. If he tried wondering how one got pregnant in the afterlife, he'd be so thoroughly besooted by the time he got the andser he'd end up forgetting it anyhow. He settled for draining his bottle and waiting for the others to complete their runs. Perhaps they could have a little fun with that Phantom of the Opera play later on.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma settled himself down in his chair, linking himself up to the virtual reality terminal Kana had hooked up. Ranma watched as Kana nodded, switching on the terminal and ejecting them both into the game... After a decent intro, nothing to sneeze at, Ranma found himself in a semi-familiar environment. It was very much like a modern Japan, but something seemed...off. He searched his physical appearance, looking carefully for any weapons or items he had on his person. There was nothing, just the bandages on his chest, wrists, and cheek. His white hair hung in a mass of spikes from his head, and his blue gi, too, hung open. His gi pants were in perfect condition, however. But that was beside the point. Ranma looked up his stats and nodded, taking note of his name. Razor. A name he could get used to. Razor noted that his friend had not come into the same area he had. Perhaps he was in a different section? He set out to find his errant friend, and to see if this off-model of a Japanese neighborhood was the setting for the whole game, or just a small section of the universal whole. He also needed to find that prize... Razor sighed as he took two steps and ran into a pair of ronin thieves. Gods damn, did he hate games sometimes...[/i][/color]

[color=darkslategray][b]Name:[/b] Matthew Kithen Talbain, called "Kit" and "Matt" [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Appearance:[/b] Matt After Work [i]Hair:[/i] White blonde [i]Eyes:[/i] Emerald [i]Skin:[/i] Tan [b]Personality:[/b] Matt is, in recent times, a depressed young man. His life, and his career, have fallen onto bad times. His detective work has suffered, his friends and life seem a bit off, and Kit has lost pretty much all contact with his family. The little comfort he has is his mechanic job. He refuses to let his predicaments get him down, and enjoys every bit of life he can. He is intensely loyal, though, and wonders constantly what might have been if he hadn't left Jamie. [b]Occupation:[/b] Police detective, mechanic [b]Bio:[/b] Some time ago, Matt was the happiest man on Earth. He had two great jobs, a wonderful fiance, and was absolutely unstoppable when it came to perseverance. However, an event occured that, by steps, ruined Matt's life. He found something that he took to be evidence of his fiance cheating on him, and spent a week crying his eyes out. He confronted Jamie, breaking off their relationshp and turning for comfort to a friend he'd met through her photographer work. The two eventually turned into girlfriend and boyfriend, and Matt was somewhat comfortable with his life again. But then Jamie started taking her "revenge", systematically removing everything Matt felt was a bastion of hope in his ever-worsening life. Finally, everything seemed to stop, but it was too late. Jamie was gone, his policework was suffering, and his own family believed him to be a cheating slob. Now, he take sjoy in the one job that seemed to be untouched, his work as a bike and car mechanic, but he keeps finding some aching pain in his heart that he can't seem to place...[/color]

[color=darkslategray][i]The feeling of a soul being released to its proper domain is intoxicating. The feeling of strength flowng into the Reaper as a reward for a job done well, the emotional high that you have aided in the ever-present balance of life was the best rush Matthew had ever felt. It was especially intoxicating to know the destination of said soul. His father's soul, writhing in his grasp, was being sent to Hell. Matthew, as Silversoul, had waited a long, agonizing nine years for this moment. He ripped a hole into the ethereal planes and released the soul, absorbing its life energy as it descended to Hell. Without a backwards glance, Silversoul shifted into his wolfen form and entered the ethereal realm, heading for Thanatos, the Plane of Death. The only witnesses to his ascension from the mortal realm were the shadow's cast on the walls by candles and a cold, lifeless corpse. Matthew was going back home. Back to his afterlife, back to his duty, and back... Back to Death.[/i][/color]

[color=darkslategray] Here's my game character. Razor[/color]

[color=darkslategray]I have two lists. The accepteds, and the not-so-accepteds. I'll explain briefly why I didn't accept some people. Sign-ups will remain open for two days. I'm starting the RPG sometime tomorrow. [b][center]Accepted: [/b][i][u]JJRiddler Methuselah Kieko Blackjack Reise DragonBlood[/center][/i][/u] Congratulations. [b]Heero Darkangel:[/b] I'm sorry, but you need to work on punctuation, grammar, and capitalization. I recommend using Microsoft Word or some other program that allows you to check both before you post. Sorry, man. [b]DemonicElf:[/b] Same story. Also, work a bit on punctuality. If there's something you decide you don't have time to finish, save it to a document on your computer and complete the whole thing later. Now I've had my say, I bid you all good day.[/color]

[color=darkslategray][b]Name:[/b] Rock Talbain [b]Age:[/b] 17 [b]Gender[/b]: Male [b]Appearance:[/b] See attachment [b]Personality:[/b]Rock has two personalities, the outward and the inward. Outwardly, Rock is, put simply, a badass. He doesn't take crap from anybody, and doesn't give it to anyone who stays out of his way. But whoever fails in that very simple thing will find themselves on the receiving end of a painful lesson. And Rock knows exactly how to teach the lessons he decides need dishing out. He's also got a reputation as an insufferably arrogant pretty boy, though his fists and looks back that up pretty well. Due to a less than stellar childhood, Rock knows pretty much only one emotion. Pain. He's an expert at taking it, and even better at dishing it out. Though he does know how to relax, he rarely does so. He finds himself unable to express himself very well, but with help from his friend Shaun, he's making progress. For all his leather-coated, fingerless gloved bravado, Rock is actually a very loyal and caring person. He just shows it to so few, his appearance is that of a raging badass. Thus his two personalities. The one he shows only to his best friend, the wallflower, and the one he shows to the world at large.[/color]

[color=darkslategray][center][b][u][i][font=Trebuchet MS]You might be a king, your debt might be steeper. It matters not, we all meet with the Reaper. Waiting at the end of life's last whispered breath, There's no need to fear the fallen Angel of Death...[/font][/u][/b][/center] It happens. There's no escape from it. Ever present, rushing at us in a never ending dance. Medicines, pills, potions, they slow its approach, but nothing can stop it. We all meet it, sooner or later... There are those, however, who meet Death too soon in their lives, or before they've brought any meaning to what should have been full and loving lives. And those who suffer from an evilly gruesome fate. A shattered spine, a broken heart, a fatal accident...it is these that Death takes under its wing, providing their afterlives with a meaning their previous life lacked. They become Reapers, soul collectors with different powers that allow them to perform their jobs. They appear, to ordinary humans, as shadows that linger a shade too long, or a flicker in a darkness that seems to press its weight upon you. Unless they choose to show you their true form. Indeed, some Reapers choose to live out their afterlives in such a way that would seem perfectly normal to other humans. Whenever there is a death, though, or someone's emotions are raging in a deadly fashion, the Reaper's eyes seem to gleam, and their hands begin to twitch. Contrary to popular belief, the Reapers are not evil in any way, shape, or form. They merely collect those souls whom avarice, age, and evil claim for the realm of darkness. These souls, when touched by a Reaper, are delivered to the afterlife. If it is a soul similar to theirs, and gifted with Reaper qualities, it is sent to Death itself, where it may choose to accept or deny the burden of becoming a Reaper. A Reaper gains energy whenever it releases a soul to its chosen domain. It is the Reaper's sustenance. But a rogue angel, a heretic that believes the Almighty's creations deserve to live on forever, has recruited Anti-Reapers, fellow heretic angels whose goals are the preservation and proliferation of human life. They also seek to destroy the Reapers, striking them in their weakest point and releasing Anti-Soul energy into the Reaper. Death has taken notice of this, and sent her strongest Reaper to combat the rogue angel, Longinus, and to bring the mortality and life counts back into balance. This Reaper, the first Reaper to come under the shadow of Death's shroud, and the few Reapers strong enough to aid him are the last hope for humanity. For without Death, there can be no strife, and without strife, mankind shall taste the fruits of that which has been forbidden since the Fall of Adam and Eve, a coming that would result in the Almighty smiting humanity from the Earth for the last time. A coming called Eden, the True Apocalypse.[/i] [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Death's Requirements~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [b]Name:[/b] Your soul's mortal name. [b]Reaper Name:[/b] The call-sign gifted (or to be gifted, if soul is still tied to the mortal coil...) to the soul that takes on the burden of becoming a Reaper. [b]Soul Age:[/b] The age of your soul. If you've only just died, this is your mortal age. [b]Appearance:[/b] The soul's visual appearance upon revealing itself to a mortal, or upon enjoying the company of other Reapers on the Ethereal Plane, Thanatos. [b]Personality:[/b] The soul's emotional and disciplinary inclinations. [b]Reaper's Becoming:[/b] The cause of the soul's arrival in Thanatos, before Death. [b]Reaper's Weapon:[/b] The medium with which a reaper tunes a soul to its destination. This weapon may also be used upon a mortal with evil hearts, or other Ethereal beings, as ordinary weapons. [b]Reaper's Gift:[/b] The power, or powers, gifted to the soul upon accepting the burden of becoming a Reaper. These grow in strength as the Reaper Age. [b]Reaper's Former:[/b] A brief description of the soul's life before death, a shortened biography of sorts. [center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Death's Lieutenant~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/center] [b]Name:[/b] Matthew Jonathan Talbain [b]Reaper Name:[/b] Silversoul [b]Soul Age:[/b] 25 [b]Appearance:[/b] Werewolf Reaper [b]Personality:[/b] Matthew is kind and calm. He focuses firmly on his goal and does everything he can to achieve it, never ceasing in his resolve. He has learned from Raziel, the First Reaper, directly, and as such has experience and training on his side as he aids his master in the battle against Longinus. [b]Reaper's Becoming:[/b] Matthew was beaten to death by his own father when he was sixteen years old. He was not slated to die at such a young age, and should have become a schoolteacher. [b]Reaper's Weapon:[/b] His claws and a pair of katana, strapped to his waist. [b]Reaper's Gift:[/b] Lycanthropy, enhanced strength, martial arts mastery. [b]Reaper's Former:[/b] Born from his dead mother's womb in a last-minute Cesarean Section, Matthew was handed over to an abusive, greedy father who squandered Matthew's inheritance. Matthew was beaten, tortured, and forced to make money any way possible. He was lucky he never had to turn to prostitution. He took to education with a fervor unparalleled by any mortal before him. He became obsessed with the idea of becoming a teacher, and enrolled in courses that emphasized that career field. He would most likely have succeeded in life had his father not discovered that Matthew was working as a library aide in his spare time. Enraged that his son was not giving him the money he felt he rightly deserved, he beat the teenager to death. Matthew spent nine years under the tutelage and guiding eye of Raziel as a Reaper. He is Raziel's best fighter, and was chosen to be the first to aid the resistance against Longinus. Matthew is also rumored to have personal connections to Death herself.[/color]

[color=royalblue][i]Aria, in an attempt to forget her anger, her pain, and drown her sorrow, decided to take a bath on the lower floor. It wouldn't do if she ran into Kim. Aria sighed and carefully stripped in her room, grabbing a towel and heading downstairs. As she opened the bathroom door, she began talking to herself, not paying attention to where she was going.[/i] "Why...why didn' I speak up? Why'd I think she'd laugh at me if I told her I had nobody, that I've been alone for years?" [i]Aria sighed as she turned to the tub to get in and froze, her blood and soul turning cold. Kim and Beth were naked, together, and kissing. Nothing registered in Aria's mind. All she did was stare before turning, looking like a stone statue, and leaving. She didn't make it up the stairs before she collapsed and cried, crawling into her room and contemplating death and why her life was so messed up. Nothing had ever hurt Aria this badly, and she wanted to die. She just wanted Kim back, she wanted Kim gone, she wanted to run away, she wanted to run to Kim and apologize, she wanted Kim to apologize to her... Aria didn't know what she was feeling. So she broke down and cried some more.[/i][/color]

[color=darkslategray]"Any ideas, team?" [i]This was not good. Withering anti-personnel fire, heavy artillery, and grenade rounds were one thing, but that plus an M1A1 Abrams tank was another thing entirely. Panther barely hid his fury as he raised his weapon, taking sight of one of the anti-FOXHOUND personnel, a woman with a heavy machine gun, prone on a white blanket in the snow. She was decorated lime green an instant later. Panther had never expected his question, spoken in angry sarcasm, to be taken seriously. Both Raptor and Auto Viper dove from their cover, drawing their respective weapons and attempting to take out the tank. A low, repetetive whirring, like air being chopped rapidly, made itself evident just as they dove. Panther paled and raised his weapon to the air. Time seemed to slow down for Vae, Magnum, and Panther as an AH-64 Aache attack chopper flew over their position just as Viper and Raptor took their third steps across the compound towards the Abrams. It hit an arc and turn about as they hit their fifth. Halfway to the tank, the chopper opened fire on the two exposed FOXHOUND units. Panther screamed as hollow-point bullets, unusual ammunition in an attack chopper, tore open their chests and shredded their innards. Even before they hit the ground, Harrier's voice could be heard on a public address system.[/i] "ABORT! ABORT! THIS EXERCISE IS A FAILURE! DAMNIT, PANTHER, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THEIR JETS COOL! GET YOUR ASS BACK TO BASE, NOW! HALBERD, CALL IN THE BACKUP RECRUIT! MOVE IT!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [i]Phantom Panther stood up and looked outside, ten days' growth of stubble affecting his normally pristine complexion. Of course, ten days confinement in camp detention centers without the luxury of a razor would do that to a man. He blinked in pain as the door opened and his handcuffs were removed. His gaze focused on Harrier.[/i] "My men?" "Dead." "My team?" "Falcon's recovered completely, Vae's his usual self, Magnum's withdrawn, and Livewire's beating himself up. And you, of course, are just returning from a stay in Shit Central. Get your ass back the the bunker and yank your team off their vacation stay, there's a new team member you need to meet." [i]Panther turned and mae his way towards the snowed-in cabin at the far-end of the compound to reaquaint his team with him as Harrier called over his shoulder.[/i] "You're lucky they died so damn soon in the training. Gives you time to integrate the new guy flawlessly. NOW MOVE IT, ASSWIPE!!!" [i]Panther ambled on, seething just a little at Harrier's bullshit.[/i][/color] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SilverCyclone, Blayze, I apologize, but I have no choice but to pull you from this RPG, hence your characters' deaths. Perhaps, next time you join a TACTICAL RPG, you'll keep in mind that when there's nobody on the radar, and stealth is the key, that there's NOBODY ON THE RADAR. You're up, Hibiki.

[color=royalblue][i]Aria still hadn't ashed the afterglow of lovemaking from her body when Kim asked her a question. Aria was instantly filled with a sense of dread.[/i] "Aria, can I ask you something?" [i]Kim's girlfriend instantly felt the room go cold as she sat up and nodded, looking Kim in the eyes.[/i] "Have you ever been with anyone else? Do you have someone else? I mean, we're here in France, surely you must have someone waiting for you when the five weeks is up..." [i]Aria paled. how could Kim ask this question? Aria had nowhere to go, nobody but Kim. But Kim didn't know that. What if Aria admitted she'd never been with anyone before, that Kim had been her first kiss, her first love, her first everything? Would Kim laugh? Would she laugh and call Aria a liar? Aria didn't know what to say. She opened her mouth, closed it, and repeated the motion a couple of times, trying to figure out what to say. But it was too late. Aria finally had something to say, and she raised her head to say it. But Kim had taken her hesisation the wrong way, and assumed she did have somebody "back home". Aria felt tears sting her eyes as a slap stung her cheek, and she barely had the strength to call out for Kim as she wrapped a towel aorund herself and stormed out. Aria just sat there in the draining tub, stunned into shock. It was ten minutes later that the tears finally came. But they were soon replaced by anger.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][i]Draco was in his element. He gesticulated gently, yet meaningfully to his class, his eyes falling many times on Imi Kagami, one of his favorite students. He shook his head clear, covering the gesture with a negative opinion about Shakespeare's reasons for writing his tragedies. He smiled as his students began raising their hands to question his opinions, many coming up with excellent suggestions and opinions of their own. And that made Draco extremely proud of his students, that they were learning to stand on their own. He smiled and brought up a magical Timeline Charm he'd invented some years back, showing the events of Shakespeare's life and pointing out key events in the poet's existence. All too soon, as it was always the opinion of Draco Mathias Talbain, the bell sounded. The students began to replace their things in their bookbags, nearly all of them groaning.[/i] "Now, now, students, you'll see me again tomorrow. I want a three-paragraph essay on your opinion of the plot of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" for your homework. And Kagami-chan, I'd like a word with you in my office at lunch. Class dismissed." [i]He smiled inwardly for some reason as Imi looked almost hopeful, but he dashed his own hopes against his mental rocks. There was no way he was falling in love with Imi Kagami! He was her teacher, and nearly a decade older than her. He did not love her beyond a student-sensei relationship! Keep repeating that to yourself, his mind told him, and maybe you'll believe it in a million years. Draco sighed.[/i][/color]