Talon

[color=darkslategray][i]Eric gripped his hair as his front door's bell jingled again. He nearly yanked his hair out at it. His keen senses told him few if any of his current patrons were human, in fact, the recent addition realy wailed on his sense of smell. Still, this much supernatural activity was making Eric wonder if he'd found himself trapped in Castlevania, his favorite video game. He saw a young girl outside, looking in, and felt something stir within him. He shook his head, excused himself from the presence of the others, and told Sia to hold down the fort with the tea. At Sia's nod, he walked outside, into the daylight, and walked up to the girl. [/i]"You do know you can come in any time. My doors are open to any who wish them to be." [i]He grinned to himsef as the girl collected herself before bringing herself up to her full height.[/i] "I'm Imi, sir. it's a pleasure to meet you. I..I just thought your establishment was so full, you wouldn't want me in there..." [i]Eric chuckled and placed his hand on her shoulder. Instantly, it was like an electric shock. He shook the feeling off and led Imi inside, inquiring about her health and hobbies. Inside, Artemis whooped and hollered for joy.[/i] "MY BOY'S FINALLY GONNA GET SOME!!! WHOOOOO!!!!!"[/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma sighed for the millionth time as he copied down the day's homework assignment for his history class. Sakamura-sensei, while beautiful and energetic, just couldn't make even the Meiji era seem interesting. Ranma saw Kana outside, revving his bike, and grinned. He raised his hand.[/i] "Yes, Kurenai-san?" "Sakamura-senei, I have finished my assignments and copied down the homework. May I be excused?" [i]He didn't even wait for the nod that he knew would come. He picked up his bag, strolled out the door, and ran like hell down the hall. Trust Kana to be the one to get him out of his daily scuffle with those damn vultures. Kana had to think Ranma was a right whore, with all the attention he seemed to get from girls. Little did Kana know that Ranma was a full-fledged virgin. Ranma sighed as he busted out of the doors, flipping off the school steps perfectly and landing astride the back of Kana's bike. Kana didn't even wait for Ranma to put on his helmet as he revved the bike and gunned it for Ranma's home, a modest house on the outskirts of the district. A mere ten minutes later, and Ranma was walking inside his house, Kana alongside him. Both collapsed bonelessly into Ranma's game chairs in front of his entertainment system. It wasn't overdone, but it was a nice system. Kana snorted mirthlessly at the display, as he did every time he came into Ranma's house. Ranma's father was nowhere around, hadn't been since Ranma's mother had died. Ranma casually reached into a new shopping bag he'd left on the table, seemingly bought just that morning. He held up a brand new game, flashing it at Kana.[/i] "Wanna play a round or two?" "What is it?" "New game. They're running a contest for it for the next few days, I think." [i]Kana's eyes narrowed. Ranma was lying, and he knew it. Ranma had been on top of every single video game article ever since [u]Knight's Field[/u] had given his mother that fatal heart attack. If this was enough to make Ranma lie, it had to be an interesting game. He shrugged. Ranma went to go hook up his systems.[/i][/color]

[color=slategray][i]Eric shot Artemis a disgusted stare as he adjusted the straps of the bandoliers around his thighs, waist, and chest . In the bandoliers were lines of silver stakes and a pouchful of the Eucharistic bread. Artemis shrugged silently.[/i] "I swear, I didn't know she'd bitten me back until it was too late. Not my fault." [i]Eric pulled on his trenchcoat and opened the door of his closed cafe-cum-bookshop, heading resolutely in the direction of the school with his best friend at his side, similarly dressed. Both wore a pair of amber sunglasses.[/i] "I've lived for two hundred years without bleeding a single human, Artemis. I see no reason why you shouldn't. In any case, she turned Sia, and now the poor bastard's waiting for us to open after school lets out to start working." [i]Artemis shrugged.[/i] "Not my fault." [i]Eric sighed.[/i] "Damnit, his parents are going to worry, he can't go to school, and now we have a refugee while his goddamned friend goes hunting every fucking night. She can't turn so many in such a short time, especially when she's so young to the Gift. You of all people know what happens now. If I hadn't tied her down last night to keep her from forcing her blood into the poor girl's mouth, we'd have another maniacal Daywalker to take care of." [i]Artemis winced. Eric did have a point. Danielle had been on a turning frenzy for the last few days, creating new vampires by imparting dying humans with pieces of her fledgeling power. But there was no more power to share, and she no longer created noble vampires. She was making insane, kill-happy Daywalkers, vampires resistant to sunlight even from the getgo. and nearly as strong as a natural vampire. The only option for the two vampires was to kill the Daywalkers, and for the last week had operated the B&B only after school hours so that they could hunt through the city while Danielle slept. With Danielle in a forced sleep to regain her powers and most of her sanity, they'd been mostly successful. But last night had been different. She'd escaped and turned two into Daywalkers, killing another completely. One of the Daywalkers had been successfully eradicated, but the other had maintained a portion of its sanity and was now holed up at the local high school. Eric broke into a run, Artemis right behind him. THey reached the school and began climbing the wall with their claws, heading for where they felt the presence of the abomination. Eric looked into the window, revealing an empty classroom. Or so he'd thought at first. There, on the floor, was the Daywalker, happily eating the remains of a fresh kill. Most of the head was missing, but what was left revealed it to be the principal's daughter. Eric grimaced and nodded tom Artemis, who dropped to the ground and ran into the office, yelling something about the monster jumping through the classroom window and attacking a student. Eric smiled. He wasn't just the owner of the B&B. The town knew him to be a volunteer deputy and neighborhood watchman. He broke through the window, making certain some of the glass pierced the monster's flesh. The monster screamed and raged at Eric, and battle was broken between them. Eric smiled. It had been so long since he;d had a decent kill while he had to limit himself so as not to appear suspicious. It was just an ordinary day...[/i][/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma not-so-calmly dressed for physical education, sighing in frustration. Damnit! He'd been so close to her AGAIN! And all he'd been able to do was trade food buns and pocky with her. Ranma banged his head against his locker, startling the whole boys side. He smiled ruefully to himself. At least it wasn't a total loss. That Imi girl was pretty damn cute. Ranma bashed his head again, almost chanting that he mustn't cheat, before bashing it again, asking the gods how he could cheat when he wasn't even dating Kiri. Ranma shook his head and headed for the outdoor field. He didn't think he'd be able to handle seeing Kiri in bloomers today, of all days. Of course, he'd have to, they both were sharing the outside field today. Ranma tied a blue bandanna around his head and sighed again. He hated kicking ass on the soccer field, but Kiri and Imi might be watching. He sighed and rushed out to the rest of his team, all wearing blue bandannas and facing off against the red team on the opposite side of the field. Sure enough, Kiri was watching.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma bowed to Neko, smiling broadly, and ruffled her heaid lightly. He turned to Kana, who merely shrugged in the general direction of the food line. Ranma shook his head, indicating that he'd already eaten and was not realy in the mood for much else. Kana shrugged againg and headed for the lines, Ranma bailing out of the lunch room. Much to his surprise, he met Imi on the way out. She looked up and, if Ranma heard right, squeaked.[/i] "He...hello." [i]Ranma did a double take. He could FEEL this girl's blush, He smirked and shook his head before cupping her chin, tilitng her eyes upwards to meet his.[/i] "Hey there, Squeaky. I don't believe I got your name earlier. C'mon, I got some extra lunch with me, why don't we go out and have a little chat?" [i]It was to Imi's credit that she managed not to swoon as Ranma placed a hand on her shoulder, steering her to an empty classroom he was fond of lunching in.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma's deep, sexy bass laugh filled the classroom as he picked up his towel and again slapped Kana on the back, Imi completely dry and the mess cleaned. Imi hurriedly bowed and entered class, on time, and squeaked right into her desk, blushing furiously. Ranma again chuckled and sat in his desk, amidst glares and appraising looks. Ranma exited the lesson tired, bored, and informed of nothing new. He'd known about the new game release and the upcoming contest, and, in fact, had known for a month. It was only a matter of time before he had one more victory to honor his mother's memory with. Ranma clenched his fist and headed for the lunchroom. It was, after all, one of his free periods. Ranma hated being as old as he was. It seperated him from the rest of his classmates, the majority of possible friends. It was all so damned frustrating. Ranma turned, deciding he wanted a nice kata instead of his usual second breakfast. The heavy rain was lightening into a decent drizzle, and Ranma never could resist the pull of a gentle rain to lighten his spirits. Though on days when his mother's ghost haunted him so freshly, there was no such thing as peace. Ranma's kata began.[/i][/color]

[color=darkslategray][b]Name:[/b] Hawatari Hikage (Last name listed first) [b]Callsign:[/b] Ronin [b]Age:[/b] 23 [b]Appearance:[/b] Ronin [b]Personality:[/b] Hikage is calm, collected, and cares little for emotions. He believes firmly in his duty, and refuses to be brought down. He is determined, strong-willed, and loyal. [b]Biography:[/b] Born twenty-three years ago to a Reploid family mired in Japanese tradition, Hikage was named for the "shadowed edge of a blade". Intrigued by his name, he studied ancient Earth history and found his passion lay for stealth, subterfuge, and loyalty to a master. Hikage was assigned a master of the martial arts, Ninjutsu and Shaolin in particular. He excelled, becoming one of his master's best pupils and accomplishing feats impossible to other reploids, such as sticking to and running along walls and ceilings, or disappearing and reappearing behind an opponent. Throughout all this, he kept his belief in the honor system, doing only what is right. Training hard and using his skills and traditions to their utmost, he became a full-fledged ninja, exceptionally skilled, and applied for a position in the Novus Concordia Defense Department. His skills were considered perfect for a position in X-Hunters, and he was accepted, young as he is. [b]Affiliation:[/b] X-Hunters. [b]Primary Weapon:[/b] A katana and a pair of wakizashi. [b]Secondary Weapon:[/b] Throwing kunai [b]Defensive Capability:[/b] His titanium-crossthreaded scarf acts as a shield capable of deflecting up to 180 kilograms/square inch of pressure. It does nothing against buster shots. [b]Hope that's okay, bossman. PM me if you need anything changed.[/b][/color]

[color=slategray][b]Name:[/b] Draco Mathias Talbain, called Sensei and Talbain-sensei. [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Appearance:[/b] Draco stands at a tall 6'4", though his build is rather slim. Draco has emerald eyes, and long, midnight black hair, often tied back in a ponytail. He very often wears green longsleeve shirts, jeans, and cowboy boots, though his wardrobe is subject to change. He is a mage, after all. (Credit to Methy for the piccy.) [b]Personality:[/b] Draco is calm, collected, yet passionate. He holds strong opinions, and is not afraid to make them known. He has a forceful presence, though he is by no means violent. He can put all of his anger, hatred, love, joy, all of any one emotion into a single glance, making known his emotional state in an unnerving way. [b]Extra Notes:[/b] Draco is the most powerful warrior mage to pass theough either institues doors, and is exceptionally skilled in the fields of Transfiguration, Conjuration, White Magic, and Black Magic. He enjoys reading the Harry Potter books, and is excpetionally skilled and copying spells from the original stories of J. K. Rowling. He's also an avid fan of Japanese sorcery and summonings as well as the Japanese traditions. As such, his rooms are reminiscent of a Japanese home, and he prefers to use Japanese honorifics in his speech. [b]Love:[/b] Draco loves all of his students as friends and family, though one stands out above the crowd, and he does not know why he feels so....protective of her. He is unwed and single, though he longs for companionship.[/color]

[color=teal][i]Ranma laughed politely at a lame joke one of his so-called "peers" had just told about the soaking wet girl in the hall, and then dismissed himself rather quickly, shaking his head.[/i] "God, why do they laugh at that nasal, unwitty freak's jokes? The things people do for status...I'm quitting this bullshit and hanging out with the goddamned martial arts club. Or maybe make one of my own....for Kiri...." [i]Ranma strode down the hall, flashing a smile at some faces he recognized. He smiled at a girl he knew was named Hoshi, and another at the sweet, though rather wet, Imi, the subject of the jokes. Ranma ignored the near faint Imi suffered and walked forward, finding his friend Kana, also soaked.[/i] "Ah, hell, man, and you look like itl. Didn't ya drive today?" "Stuff it, Kurenai." [i]Ranma chuckled and slapped his wet friend on the back, heading for the janitor's broom closet resolutely. Grabbing a couple of mops and buckets, he headed for the mess, and for Imi. Imi looked up and gasped, shaking her head slowly as Ranma handed her a mop. She watched as he placed the buckets on the floor and reached into his backpack.[/i] "Here, let me give you a hand with the cleaning. Here's a towel for you, always carry one on a rainy day in case I get wet." [i]Ranam smiled and handed her the towel, then pointed towards the buckets, mopping the floor skillfully, turning it into a kata. Nobody wanted to joke anymore. Nobody joked about anybody Ranma took under his wing. Ever.[/i][/color]

[color=teal][b]Name:[/b] Kurenai Ranma (Family name first) [b]Age:[/b] 17 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Description:[/b] Medium-length white hair tied in a ponytail, dazzling violet eyes, and a single cross-shaped scar on the left cheek make up a striking image to see, especially when this face is topping the lean, martial artist body that Ranma sports. He is never seen without a pair of jeans, a dragon-embossed black Chinese tang shirt, and his favorite bracers. Ranma never fails to wear a pair of combat or cwboy boots, depending on the weather. [b]Thoughts on Love:[/b] Ranma is a free-spirited individual, embracing love in all forms. He is accepting of homosexuality, though the thought of finding himself in bed with another man is enough to make Ranma physically ill. He is somewhat in love with one Togumi Kiri. [b]Bio:[/b] Martial arts and video games make up this enigmatic young man's life. Learning to wield a sword exceptionally well at an early age, Ranma's mother introduced him to the world of VR Gaming. Ranma, being an adept martial artist, knew how to let his mind free and excelled at many role-playing games and action games. It also furthered his training in his martial arts. One day, however, an accident occured with the BC Gaming Coproration's latest release, Knight's Field. Ranma and his mother entered the game, which somehow bonded to the mind of the gamer, making what happened physically real. The game's difficulty was impossible for Ranma's mother to handle. She died of a heart attack with her son mere inches away from her. Ranma suffered minor injuries and found his mother dead upon ejecting the cartridge. He's moved on, though the scar on his cheek would never fade from the angry red it almost seemed to glow all the time. Ranma now focuses on his schooling and martial arts, though he is still a master at video games. He's intent on winning this contest, as though it will help bring some peace to his mother's spirit. [b]Hope that's okay, Alice. PM me if you need anything changed![/b][/color]

[color=slategray][i]Panther checked on Livewire and Falcon once more before nodding, his nanites already patching up the wounded leg. Panther stood up and tapped the side of his head, indicating that he should get a constant stream of feedback. he then pointed at the two of them, and out the door of the Comm. Tower A, towards Comm. Tower B, across the roof. Livewire nodded, and Panther turned away, opening communications.[/i] "Squad, we're moving out. We're crossing the roof, going down Tower B's elevator shaft, and we'll meet with vae in the snow field at the bottom of the shaft. Once we're there, we'll take a short breather and plan our assault on the blast furnace." [i]With that, Panther pulled out a Lucky and lit it, opening the roof door and walking casually over to the Comm. Tower B's rooftop door, slinging his FAMAS overhis shoulder and signalling his team to follow, his Soliton radar completely blank with the exception of the guys following him. Panther blew a puff from his nostrils, palming one of his wakizashi in a backwards grip, blade facing inwards. An Apache or a Comanche. Both were hardass attack choppers. Panther thanked God, not for the last time, that Vae was on his side. He too another hit of his cigarette as Magnum, Viper, and Raptor entered Comm. Tower B, spurning the elevator in favor of the stairwell. Panther sighed, popped a chaff grenade, and held his guts in as the familiar sick sensation he associated with a disruption of his bioelectric field took place. He wished he could tell the guys, but it was "need-to-know". He hated Harrier, and he knew the bastard knew it.[/i][/color]

[color=slategray][b]Name:[/b] Eric Renee Lecarde [b]Age:[/b] 223 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Friend:[/b] Artemis Relashi [b]Appearance:[/b] Eric as calm, suave, and attractive. He has medium-length white hair, kept spiky by some unknown natural force, and his left eye is emerald green eye while his right eye crystal blue. His right pupil is slitted like a cat's. He often wears blue jeans, cowboy boots, and longsleeve formal shirts, mostly colored green, though his whole wardrobe depends on what he feels like wearing. He just barely tops 6' 5", appears nineteen years old, and is built strong, yet slender. His canine teeth extend only when he is feeling strong rage or when he is feeling particularly seductive. Eric always wears a pair of amber sunglasses during the day. [b]Race:[/b] Vampire [b]Occupation:[/b] Bookstore/Coffee Shop Owner (Named Books and Brew) [b]Bio:[/b] Eric was born into a noble French family in the late seventeen hundreds, with swordplay and nobility hammered into his mind at a young age. His family, highly respected lawkeepers, taught him what justice was and how to fight corruption within his own soul. However, they were hard lessons to learn, and Eric was cut off from having friends of any sort for seventeen long years. Until HE came along. Artemis Relashi, an Italian restaurant owner seeking to make a fortune in France. Eric began to eat at this restaurant religiously, making fast friends with Artemis and even becoming part of the staff of the restaurant. Eric quickly learned to prepare many forms of Italian, French, and Spanish cuisine, and Artemis taught the young man Italian swordstyles to augment his already formidable repertoire of handed-down Musketeer's swordstyles. Eric's parents disapproved of the two friends spending time with each other, and so Eric began to receive beatings for his afternoon "outings". Artemis decided it was time to reveal to Eric what he truly was, a vampire. Eric was soon bitten and turned, and his parents were not so lucky. They were merely bitten, and eventually bled to death. All three were declared dead of an animal attack. Eric soon rose from the 'dead' and began to travel around Europe with Artemis. Along the way, Artemis seemed to enjoy the company of many women, but no matter how many offers, Eric politely declined, remaining a virgin vampire. Eventually, the pair decided to try their luck elsewhere, moving to the small town in which our story begins and opening a coffee shop cum bookstore named Books and Brew, or B&B for short. Life would seem to be perfect for the two, but Eric's heart yearns for someone to spend his endless days with. Besides, humans have begun hunting Vampires, werewolves and Wolfbats have become a nuisance, demons want to make love to him, angels want to damn him, and Artemis recently bit and turned a smalltown girl named Danielle, who in turn bit an employee of theirs named Sia Kamigawa. Eric is fully capapble of standing around in the sunlight so long as he keeps his amber sunglasses on, a result of over two hundred years worth of gaining strength, and he is rarely seen very far away from his family sword.[/color]

[color=slategray][i]Panther used what strength he had to pick the unconscious Falcon up, having reached her just as she finted from the blood loss. He used a spare bandanna to stop the bleeding as best he could, then threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. As he held her, he heard her mumble something that sounded like "phantom", but shook it off. He kept his FAMAS trained upwwards, firing a few neon rounds every few seconds while Viper fired a steady stream down the stairwell. Panther sighed, pulling a grenade and hurling it up the stairs.[/i] "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" [i]Neon paint decorated a whole section of the stairwell, and without warning the alarm system ceased blaring. Panther's Soliton radar returned to functionality, revealing that there were no more personnel to worry about for a good while. Kit took that at face value and set Falcon down.[/i] "Squad, open communications. Livewire, Falcon and I need medical attention. Viper, Magnum, Raptor, keep your eyes peeled. Vae, we'll be needing a heads up in case of a nasty surprise." [i]After receiveing his affirmatives, Panther settled in to Livewire examining his leg while he gave Command Harrier a call on frequency 140.85.[/i] "Alright, Commander, we're in the tower. Updates on the location of the 'football'?" "Panther, your mission update is as follows. Recover the dummy nuke in the Blast Furnace, decapacitate the anti-FOXHOUND personnel beyond the communications towers, and report to the Comm. Tower B helipad for evacuation." [i]Panther did a small doubletake at the mention of anti-FOXHOUND personnel, but demanded no clarification. For all he knew, it'd be a bunch of Snake wannabes with rocket launchers and Soliton radars. Panther closed communications and looked at the now-waking Falcon, an odd twinge piercing his hardened emotions. Panther shook it off; he didn't need weak things like feelings to get in his way.[/i][/color]

[color=royalblue][i]Aria went crosseyes as Beth playfully tickled her on the stomach mercilessly.[/i] "That's whatcha get for whappin' my head!" [i]Aria growled happily and turned the tables, tickling Beth back wildly.[/i] "Payback's a bitch, Beth! Who says my ass ain't good enough to stare at?!" [i]With that, Aria stood up and bent over, slapping her ass and nearly giving most of the people at the table, Kim included, a nosebleed. Smirking at her accomplishment, she then crossed her arms under her breasts and looked at Beth, who rose magnificently to the challenge, stripping her own clothes off and doing the same as Aria.[/i] "My ass is better looking than yours, babe. And I bet I kiss better to boot!" [i]Drake looked on the verge of fainting, and Aria glared playfully.[/i] "Care to take me up on that, Beth?" [i]Beth refused to back down, grabbing Kim and kissing her deeply. Aria looked at the dazed look in Kim's eyes and did the same, leaving Kim very, very dazed indeed.[/i][/color] [b]Tag, Albel![/b]

[color=royalblue][i]Aria looked over at TJ worriedly as he exited the kitchen. Checking that the bacon wouldn't burn, and looking at Kim, nodding towards Beth, she wiped her hands and walked out. She found TJ, blushing redder than a tomato, on the sofa. She walked up behind him, smirking slightly.[/i] "You okay down there, TJ?" [i]TJ spluttered and looked up, blushing even more when he caught sight of Aria's breasts up close. He shook his head, then nodded, then kind of came up with some cross between the two. Aria, convinced he was alright, smirked and turned around, almost running into Drake and giving him an eyeful.[/i] "Oh, hey Aria. What's....up?" [i]Drake, with an effort, kept his eyes on Aria's face. Aria again smirked, hopped once, and turned to ask Drake to go upstairs and wake John and the others when a loud "OW!!" followed by a string of Beth's colorful language entered the living room.[/i] "Drake, can you run upstairs and wake everybody? I need to go save breakfast from Beth..."[/color]

[center][color=darkorchid][i]Just out of reach, I feel your heart beat. Just beyond sight, I see your warm smile. To drink of your lips, just a sip I beseech. To bask in your arms, I'd walk the Last Mile. Gentle green eyes, and I'm lost to this world. Pale, perfect skin, and I'm truly alive. Sweet angel's voice, and my dreams are unfurled. Kind, soothing smile, and on daydreams I thrive. Broken heart mended, I dream of your eyes. Shattered dreams living, I wish for your kiss. Lost wishes found, I hear your breathless sighs. Lonely hands held, I feel your pure bliss. Oceans apart, I swear I'll be strong. Miles away, I'll always be true. Just at arm's length, I'll prove we belong. Holding you in my arms, I know I'll always love you.[/i][/color] Dedicated with all my heart and soul to the girl I love most. [b]For you, and you only, my dearest Jamie.[/b][/center]

[color=royalblue][i]Aria smiled gently as she stripped what little she was wearing off, opening her diary and entering a small entry about the robbery in it. She looked in the mirror and shrugged, knowing a scar would form on her pale cheek. Perhaps it would make her a bit more intimidating. Aria laughed out loud at that, hefting her breasts and looking at her face. Her, intimidating?! That was like saying a scared porcupine was cuddly. Aria shook her head and did some light stretches, working the kinks from her exertion earlier out of her muscles. She nodded when she felt ready and climbed under the covers, wrapping her arms around the sleeping Kim, smiling as Kim instiinctively snuggled closer, kissing Aria's neck and murmuring in her sleep. Aria smiled, falling asleep to Kim's gentle, even breathing.[/color][/i]

[color=slategray][i]Panther looked silently up the stairwell, noting with disdain that there were no cameras lining the walls. Panther shook his head and slowly, carefully began picking his way up the stairwell, the rest of the team excluding Vae entering the tower behind him. Panther trained his senses, closing his eyes and navigating by touch, focusing on his sense of smell, his exceptional hearing, and Vae muttering in his Codec about where Panther should place his feet. The rest of the group followed as silently as possible, but Panther cringed every time he heard Magnum's holster creak, or the chamber of Falcon's rifle rattle. He sighed, keeping himself as silent as possible. Life was unf- Panther swore as his Soliton radar shut down, a red alert symbol taking its place on his heads-up display. He looked around as another bullet pierced his left leg. He looked up, finding a gatling gun camera in a niche in the elevator shaft. He lifted his Beretta, relasing a single, silenced round into the lens and limping as fast as he could up the stairs, drawing one of his wakizashi and holding it ready in his left hand.[/i] "We're spotted! Vae, eye on the surface out there! Magnum, Viper, cover our asses! Falcon, Livewire, keep to the center and provide support if needed! Raptor, up front with me, NOW!! Keep an eye out for cover or shadows, get outta sight when you can. MOVE IT!" [i]A round of hasty affirmatives met his ears as he wrapped his bandanna around his wounded thigh, holstering his Beretta and readying his FAMAS automatic in his right hand. This was gonna get rocky, and fast. He kept his wakizashi low and turned it around, so as not to use a killing blow by accident. He knew he shouldn't have mouthed off to Harrier that morning.[/i][/color]

[color=slategray]Sign-up for [b]The Young Man[/b] [b]Name:[/b] Grant Kitren Jackson [b]Age:[/b] 24 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Occupation:[/b] Successful author and poet, semi-successful auto repairman. [b]Appearance:[/b] Grant has medium-length, matted black hair that sweeps dramatically over his left eye, the hair in back being tied in a loose ponytail. His right eye is colored a dark brown that often appears black, his covered left is shaded a brilliant, crystal blue. His complexion is lightly tanned, yet his black-haired, six-foot-four frame is still dark enough to match the description "tall, dark, and handsome". He wears tight jeans, close-fitting t-shirts, and whatever else he feels like wearing. He's never seen without a blue jean or leaher jacket around his shoulders. [b]Personality:[/b] Grant is rather depressed, often moody, and stubborn as all holy hell. He often sleeps fitfully, suffering from nightmares in which he dies without knowing that anybody loves him. He wishes fervently, with every grain of his being, for true love. He also wishes, rather dearly, that he wasnt born a city boy, writing often about the country and horses, and most especially, the wide open plains. Because of this dream, he usually wears a blue jean jacket and leather boots. [b]Bio:[/b] Grant's father was an abusive riches hunter, but his wife never saw the bastard for what he was. When Grant was born, Richard James, Grant's father, took his chance and slipped her an overdoes of morphine. After he sued the hospital, making many thousands of dollars, he attempted to gain all of her holdings and money after her death, but found that she had seen him for what he was and left her assets to her as-yet unborn child. Pissed beyond recognition at the child for stealing "his" money, he took it upon himself to beat the child at every opportunity. Growing up with such torture, Grant took some solace knowing his mother had loved him with all she had when he was born, reading letters she'd written to him while he was yet unborn. He also took solace from his last name, his mother's maiden name. But that was all shattered when his father found the letters and tore them to shreds, beating the then-sixteen-year-old boy within an inch of his life. Grant began to rely heavily on his best friend, Michael, as his depression began to manifest, even after his father died and he moved out. Still, he hid his depression as best he could, partying with his best friend and exploring the world of women. Still, after five years, he'd yet to be kissed, and every girl he'd ever been with abused him, used him, and shamed him. Until he met HER. Michael had warned him. Grant was half-tempted to listen to him, his money being removed from his wallet bit by bit, his rugged looks being perused and prodded by her friends. But Grantl's depression had hit an all-time low, and Grant kept her, hoping for death. he turned to his writing for solace, and found grace and beauty in a countryside he'd never seen. The West was where his mother was born, and where Grant wanted his children born. His nightmares intensified, and Grant began to lose himself in more and more depression, but he kept his hopes and dreams, writing about a love he might never have. Grant now works at an auto-shop in his spare time, his writing and inheritance providing ample opportunity for an education. He is currently at the top of his class. And the bottom of the love-chain, or so he thinks.[/color]

[center][size=4][color=darkslategray][b]Prologue[/b] [u]Boot Camp Blues[/u][/center][/color][/size] [color=slategray][i]Seven recruits stood at attention before Command Harrier. Vae, Livewire, Scope Falcon, Auto Viper, Zero Magnum, Blade Raptor, and Phantom Panther. No names, just codes. No emotions, just duty. Command Harrier looked at them all skeptically, as if this ragtag bunch of kids could never accomplish the mission before them. He sighed and pulled out a pack of Luckies, lighting one up and standing before the recruits. Indeed, it was going to be a long, long year.[/i][/color] [center][b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [color=darkslategray][size=1][i]Tactical Espionage Action[/i][/size] [size=5][u]Metal Gear Solid[/u][/size] [size=3]Snake Eyes [/size][/color] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/b][/center] [color=slategray][i]Phantom Panther cringed as he felt the bullet pierce his Stealth Suit's left leg, but ignored the pain, as he had been forced to do many times this first week. Training was rough, moreso because of the ban placed on his natural stealth abilities. In this training exercise, that was especially hurtful. Panther grimaced as he remembered that particular rule. Under no circumstances was he, to use his abilities. Solid Snake had infiltrated this island once during a real hostile takeover, Panther could sure as hell infiltrate Shadow Moses as a training exercise without them, too. He sighed and quickly stirred the blood-stained snow, crounching down into the shadows of a large oak as the once-red powder changed back to its natural gray-white. He raised his right hand to his ear, activating his Codec and tuning it to channel 141.97.[/i] "This is Vae." "Vae, what's the layout? I just got hit by a PSG-1, sixty degrees to the right of my position." [i]There was a brief pause before Vae's voice crackled to life in the Codec again.[/i] "You've got the comm. towers a hundred meters in that direction, Panther. My advice is get out of the canyons before Mr. Kitty becomes dogfood." [i]Panther glared in what he hoped was the general direction of the demolitions expert and changed the frequency on his Codec, hailing Scope Falcon, even though she was right next to him.[/i] "This is Falcon. What do you need, bossman?" "Don't call me that, Falcon. Get a bead on that sniper on the tower, if you can find him, and take him out." [i]The sound of a paintball discharging from Falcon's rifle gave him the answer he needed to his unspoken question. He could feel her smirking through the Codec as he signalled the members of his squad to move out. Briefly, as his leg's injury twinged and stung even as his nanos hurried to heal it, he cursed the deities that decreed his team could only used paintballs and paint-grenades/Semtex instead of the live ammo and explosives their opponents were using. He pulled out a Lucky and lit it, knjowing from his Soliton radar that there were no guards around in this area of the Shadow Moses replica left to discover his position from the smoke. He released a puff.[/i] "Livewire, take out the door locks and get us into the tower. Falcon, keep an eye on our retreat path. Raptor, when Livewire gets the door open, you and I do the swing and fling. Vae, Viper, Magnum, autonomous action, but keep an eye out. We need to get to the roof, nine levels up. Move!"[/color]

[color=slategray]Sign-up's closed. [b]Chaos Methuselah Blayze Moi SilverCyclone [/b]and [b]Kane[/b], Welcome to Unit FOXHOUND. The RPG's first chapter starts at boot camp in Twin Lakes, Alaska. See you there.[/color]

[color=slategray][b]???:[/b] It's been a while, old friend. I have some news. [b]???:[/b] Colonel?! What the hell's going on? Why'd you contact me now, of all times, Campbell?! [b]Campbell:[/b] We need you, Snake. [b]Snake:[/b] For what, Campbell? What could you possibly need me for after Shadow Moses and Big Shell? [b]Campbell:[/b] ....I'm sorry, Snake. He's back. [b]Snake:[/b] Who, Liquid? Ocelot? [b]Campbell:[/b] No, Snake. 'Him'. [b]Snake:[/b] You don't mean.... [b]Campbell:[/b] Yes, Snake. Big Boss. [b]Snake:[/b] What? How?! [b]Campbell:[/b]We don't know, but we want you to find out. [b]Snake:[/b] ....I'll think about it. What're the mission parameters? [b]Campbell:[/b] ...You'll be in charge of the operation, Snake. I'm too old. [b]Snake:[/b] What?! [b]Campbell:[/b] I mean you won't be in the field, Snake. You'll be giving the orders, deciding what needs to be done on this one. [b]Snake:[/b] .....Who'll be doing this, then? [b]Campbell:[/b] ... [b]Snake:[/b] Colonel...... [b]Campbell:[/b] Unit FOXHOUND.[/color] [center][b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [color=darkslategray][size=1][i]Tactical Espionage Action[/i][/size] [size=5][u]Metal Gear Solid[/u][/size] [size=3]Snake Eyes [/size][/color] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/b][/center] [center][b]Eleven Months Ago[/b][/center] [color=slategray]You are a member of Unit FOXHOUND now. Your life will be the unit! Your family is the unit! We have a year, ONE YEAR, in which to get you ready for action. One year from now, you'll be getting a commanding officer, a man who'll give you your orders during your missions. Until then, I will be telling you when to eat, and what to eat. I will be telling you where to sleep, when to sleep, and how to sleep. If you don't have my permission, DON'T DO IT! If you have to take a ****, hold it in! If you're ill and can't move, MOVE! I won't lie. We need you. Intelligence says we've got a lot of trouble ahead, and we need you to stop it. But to do that, you need to be trained, disciplined, and readied for a live combat situation. We need you to work as a team, as a unit, using each of your individual abilities faultlessly and smoothly. You've each been assigned a codename according to your individual skills, much like Psycho Mantis, Revolver Ocelot, Sniper Wolf, and Vulcan Raven. It can be found in your files. My codename, and the name you shall be using whenever you address me, is Command Harrier. You're all wondering why you're here, what you've done to deserve this. Let me elaborate, then. At four a.m., Wednesday, last week, the Kreschev military base complex in Siberia was overtaken by a group calling themselves "Price of Freedom". In addition to taking over the base, they've kidnapped four VIPs. The first one, James Longerman, a famous metallurgist responsible for the advances in titanium plating. The second, Reisch Dominick, is a nuclear arms and explosives specialist. The third, Hal Emmerich, an expert computer programmer and hacker, he was on the Metal Gear REX crew in 2005. We have no idea who the fourth VIP is, as the info is classified. The brass has given us only the stipulation that she or he is to be rescued first. The terrorists, led by a man who refuses to give his name so far, have given us a year to comply to their demands. They've demanded several kilos of high explosive Semtex, a payload of weapons, and the sovereignty of their own nation. If we do not comply before December 31 next year, they intend to launch a nuclear strike from the nearby nuclear arms dump nearby onto Washington DC and other undisclosed locations. That's why we've brought you in. You're the best at what each of you does, and we need everything you can bring to the unit. Explosives, hand to hand combat, you name it, we need it. Let me outline the battle plan so far. The base is a fully equipped military complex with several buildings, including communications towers, a radar center, and even its own aircraft hangar. To our knowledge, the place has a tremendous payload of bombs, and most of the serviceable aircraft are capable of conducting hit-and-run strikes as far away as Hawaii. This means we're gonna have trouble getting in. Our plan is to drop the unit five miles outside of the base, equipped with the best we have to keep you alive and as comfortable as camping in the Siberian forests can get you. The operation's parameters, so far, are merely three objectives. First, rescue the VIPs, with a red flag on the unknown. Do NOT let this one die. Second, investigate the possibility of a tactical nuclear strike, and if the possibility is real, disable it, any way you can. The VIPs come first, though. Get them out of there, hide them, do what you can to save them before you take on the terrorists. Third, and more important than the strike, is to identify and take into custody the leader of "Price of Freedom" in any way necessary. That is all. FOXHOUND, dismissed![/color] [center][b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [color=darkslategray]Personnel File Template[/color] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/b][/center] [color=slategray][b]Name:[/b] Recruit's real name. Last, First, Middle (Initial or full) [b]Codename:[/b] Recruit's training and mission name. [b]Rank:[/b] Recruit's rank. (Include position, only one unit leader) [b]Serial Number:[/b] Recruit's four-digit security number. [b]D/O/B:[/b] Recruit's date of birth (RPG takes place in December, 2010) [b]Special Skill:[/b] Recruit's unique talent, likened to Sniper Wolf's skill with a sniper rifle and Revolver Ocelot's capabilities with a single-action handgun. [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] Recruit's weapon of choice. [b]Notes/Appearance:[/b] Recruit's physical appearance. File may contain photo instead of description. [b]Notes/Personality:[/b] Recruit's personal traits. [b]Notes:/Past:[/b] Short explanation about recruit's life.[/color] [center][b]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [color=darkslategray]Personnel File: Phantom Panther[/color] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/b][/center] [color=slategray][b]Name:[/b] Mathias, Isaac Kithen. [b]Codename:[/b] Phantom Panther [b]Rank:[/b] Master Sergeant, Unit Leader [b]Serial Number:[/b] 647-1 [b]D/O/B:[/b] 12/1/1987 (23 Yrs. of Age) [b]Special Skill:[/b] Stealth and hand-to-hand combat techniques. Can disappear even in broad daylight, and has never been matched in a fight involving anything that didn't involve shooting, though distance weapons skill is fair. [b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] Uses a pair of two-foot long wakizashi and a katana. Carries a modified M92F Beretta semi-automatic pistol and a FAMAS automatic rifle, both with suppressors. [b]Notes/Appearance:[/b] Photograph attached. [b]Notes/Personality:[/b] Shows deep sense of loyalty, though seems to house deep resentment towards nuclear weaponry. Shows great poise and skill when in a leadership position. Is calm under fire, shows no signs of psychological trauma. [b]Notes:/Past:[/b] Recruit's genetic data seems to connect him with former FOXHOUND soldier Sniper Wolf. Raised by his father, a Green Beret veteran with an unquestionable penchant for fighting. Recruit was drafted during the Big Shell conflict three years ago and aided in the reconstruction of Federal Hall and the surrounding area after the fortress Arsenal Gear crashed into it. Showed surprising ability during the Mediterranean Conflict two years ago. Genetic data most likely responsible for recruit's ability to vanish from visual acuity within an instant. Note: genetic enhancements detected. Possible genetic data from Sniper Wolf injected into recruit. Nanomachines present in subject's bloodstream: Codec frequency 140.96.[/color]

[color=royalblue][i]The man grinned lecherously, running his tongue down Kim's neck, his grip tightening slightly. Aria grimaced, the other two men grinning like idiots. Aria dd the only thing she could think of at the time. She charged, the man's eyes widening in obvious surprise. It took two blows to knock him out, Kim falling lightly to the ground as the other two rushed forward, one with a knife in his hand. As more of the residents rushed to Aria's aid, some helping Kim, Aria's fist connected with another skull. The man fell, but not before lashing his hand out, dragging his knife across Aria's formerly unblemished cheek, leaving a deep gash. It was a minor affair for the rest of the household to take out the remaining burglar, as Aria, dazed, fell to her knees by Kim's side. Aria grinned wryly, taking Kim's hand in her own.[/i] [b]Aria:[/b] Was it good for you, too?[/color]

[color=teal]Gods, there's so much I'm thankful for nowadays, there's just too much to put into words. Only recently have my spirits been lifted to the point that I thank the deities above for every single breath I take, every single day. I'm thankful, so very thankful, for the chance I've been given to love [b]Jamie[/b]. Every night, i cry myself to sleep, knowing I have done nothing worthy of her, yet she still loves me, and I know I'll never stop loving her. I love you so much, Imi. I'm thankful for my [b]friends[/b]. They've never failed to rise magnificently to the occasion whenever I've needed them. Mickey, Ron, Corey, you three mean more to me than you'll ever know. Thank you. I'm thankful for the family I've found in [b]Mickey's family[/b]. While my own family has cast me out, tossing me to the side in all their figures, my best friend's family, the McConnell's, treat me as one of their own, and even better, have offered me a place to live, and all of them have offered me help whenever I need it, be it in school or studying for the two exams I plan on taking when I turn eighteen. Thank you, everyone, for all you've done to me. You are my family, in every way I can think of. I'm thankful for the family and friends I've found on [b]OtakuBoards[/b]. Through all of my faults, my quirks, you've accepted me and made me feel as though I'm really a friend to you. Thank you, my friends. I'm thankful for [b]Woodshop[/b], giving me the chance to place my feelings, my very heart, into a physical form through wood and lumber. I'm thankful for this chance at [b]life[/b] I've been given, after all I've done, and after all that's been done. I'm thankful for [b]music and literature[/b], calming me when I feel overwhelmed and giving me the chance to think before I act, as I know I'm not prone to do. Thank you, everyone. you've no idea how much everything means to me now...[/color]

[color=teal]I agree with Lady Rin. I've only been dating Jamie for about two weeks, but we've been good friends for a while. We met over a talk about what my character should be in an RPG of hers. No trying to pick her up, nothing personally helpful other than a talk about an RPG. Now, to Rin's question. The reasons girls "chase" guys can be numerous indeed, as it is for guys going after girls. Several reasons I frown upon are money, getting laid, and popularity. I saw it all the time at my last high school. Two people who absolutely hate each other, or have no business whatsoever, go out because it makes them "the couple of the school". Other reasons include a friendship that's matured into something more, or, like with Rin, love at first sight, which does exist. There could be a girl with a crush on a guy because he helped her out of a jam, or because he's physically attractive. Some girls chase guys to introduce them to their best friend and hope THEY hit it off. Very little of that involves trickery, if any at all. Of course, Rin's significant other IS quite right. Plenty of guys, though by no means the majority, are unsure of themselves around girls and quite often it has to be the girl who has to take up the initiative. I was one of them, I know how it feels. I ALSO know how it feels to be hurt, Baron Samedi. I gave everything, EVERYTHING, I could to a girl I thought really loved me. And she tore out my heart. Sure, for about a week I couldn't stop crying. Sure, I got a little angry at the world. But I moved on. There's a special feeling in giving somebody EVERYTHING . A feeling of being completely overwhelmed by love, and it is a high unmatched by any drug. Sure, there's a tremendous risk involved, as your mother's experienced, but it was her choice, and I applaud her for it and for making it through it. It doesn't make her stupid. She was brave. She gave her heart three times, knowing each time she could get hurt. Did it stop her? No. So don't call me Legless, Samedi, or you're calling your own mother a stupid coward. I fell in love with Jamie because she's sweet, cute, and has a good deal in common with me. Not to mention she's got a hell of a sense of humor. It had little to do with looks, there's no way in Hell I'm going to get laid within the next century, and she makes me feel HAPPY. I could get hurt, there's really a large chance of it. Is it stopping me? Hell no. I love her, and I want her to know that every moment of every day. Various points I have made. Think on them. [b]EDIT:[/b] Holy Christ,I'm not reading this! You actually gave a scale based MOSTLY on looks on how to rate a girl?!? If that's your psersonal scale, buckaroo, then it's no wonder you believe females lie. Two points for personality alone, if she has nothing else, rates her a "two", making her undesirable to you, where if she's a two in everything else, you've got eight points of absolute b*tch. And a girl with a "ten" isn't necessarily unattainable, my friend. A girl with a great personality might be a very nice woman willing to go out with a guy to get to know him. The only "unattainable" women are women you're too shy to talk to or too low on the "social ladder" to talk to because they're completely stuck up. Of course, they'd probably rate at most an "eight", like I said, for lack of personality. And your "Just Be Yourself" rant seems to focus only on guys sit on the rears collecting dust. Somehow, I think you've completely lost the point of "Just Be Yourself". If you aren't yourself, you're what? A LIAR. And, correct me if i'm wrong, but women seem to be very disapproving of LIARS. Now, self-improvement is excellent and should always, always, always be something you strive for. But, if you're improving YOURSELF, in the end, when you've improved YOURSELF and you talk to a woman with no put-on airs and she responds, weren't you YOURSELF? You conflicted yourself in your own post, SauceHead.[/color]