Lady Asphyxia

[size=1]Wouldn't your everyday metaphysical stiletto of DOOOOM work just as well?[/size]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=Indigo]I less than three you guys so much. XD Honestly, that's just [i]awesome[/i]. Seriously. It is so cool that [insert cheesey temperature metaphor]. And you even got my freckles, lol. This is definately going to be my new wallpaper, right there. ^_^ Sandy, I know what you mean about drawing skills. My own seem to peak at random times and then everything else looks terrible. But I think this is amazing, so if this is 'not good' for you, then I'm really impressed! [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Not [i]most[/i], just...[b][i]lots[/i][/b]. XD I still haven't figured out how to apply a template to Movable Type without mch frustration, but I now have several sites not coded by you -- just edited, lol. XD [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Whew. Let me tell you something right now, lol. The only reason I ever learnt HTML was because I wanted to be able to edit my 'Blogger" account. Then I got addicted to the frustration of trying to make it work, and now I know XHTML, CSS and I'm working on PHP. It's ridiculous. That said, be prepared for a [i]lot[/i] of frustration if you want to learn. For some reason what you have is right but it just doesn't [i]work[/i]. Don't worry and don't yell. Make a friend who knows a lot [Mine was Dead Seraphim -- He saved me from insanity many, many times] and don't pull your hair out. It looks prettier in, believe me. :p [url]http://w3schools.com/[/url] is probably the most comprehensive HTML place I've come across, particularly as it is a regulator for XHTML, too. They have tutorials that guide you through and you can refer back to it constantly. Also, it might look a little garish and seem like it's for kids, but [url="http://www.lissaexplains.com/"]Lissa Explains it All[/url] is a good, simple explanation of the most common stuff people want to do. As for graphics -- why don't you see what the Art Request forum can whip up for you? I'd offer -- but I'm not fantastic and it'd depend on what you want. If you need help with coding, etc, (or hosting!) let me know. I'd love to know what the website is about and see how it's looking. ^_^ [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][b][i]Shame. On. You.[/i][/b] FOR SHAME!! The ***** Cat Dolls? How could you?!? The ***** Cat Dolls are one of the most [i][u][b]obnoxious[/b][/u][/i] bands on the planet. It's disgraceful and terrible. That being said, I also have [u]PCD[/u], the first album. Completely addictive, isn't it? Their songs are so morish, aren't they? I've also bought the Justin Timberlake album, which I never thought I'd do. I'm so obscenely unashamed, though. I think it fits in quite nicely with my Marilyn Manson and my Arctic Monkeys. Diversification, you know. [size=1][I just don't tell anyone that I dance to the PCD album when I'm alone, lol.][/size] [/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Twilight Rave and Lonley Fighter, please try to [i]consistantly[/i] include some sort of depth in your post. One paragraph is not quite long enough for an RPG post. If you don't have anything to post, or not enough time to write your post, then wait until you do have time to form a proper length and depth. This is your first warning. In future, if your posts are not of acceptable quality, they will be deleted. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to PM me. ^_^[/color] [/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2]OOC: No probs with the characteristation, only1. Just keep in mind that Cat was 12 and Bella is 19, so their maturity levels will differ. ^.~ [/size][/font] [center][font=Arial][size=2]__ [/size][/font] [left][color=DarkGreen][font=Arial][size=2]Bella sucked her thumb, feeling vaguely like a baby, and stared at the boy across from her. What was [i]wrong[/i] with her? She was acting so strangely for her, almost as if her actions weren't [i]quite[/i] her own. She would [i]never[/i] have previously discussed the freak-of-nature stunts that she could pull, but now it was blurting out of her like she had no secrets in the world. The slightly sarcastic Iceman comment was more like her, but she still wasn't sure where it had come from. Bella was silent for a minute more. The situation here tonight had been strangely tense. She had been sensing undercurrents that she didn't understand, and there was something there that she was sure had happened that had almost been...about her... A lightbulb clicked in her head. She straightened up a little, her face changing ever so slightly. Those who knew her would know that she was calculating exactly what to say for maximum impact, but this poor guy would have no clue what was coming, particularly after the complacent silence. "Did you kill her?" She asked with simple viciousness. The boy, Eddie, visibly jumped. He looked away, nervous. "What...what did you say?" "Did you kill her? The girl?" She smiled slightly at his surprise. "It's a funny thing, you see. Until about four days ago, I was perfectly normal. Then two things happened. I almost drowned in my spa bath, and when I woke up the next morning, I could do...things. I leave home, and somehow randomly end up here, where everyone is just a little bit nervous and there's this [i]girl[/i] whose name they avoid saying... "And you," Bella continued, "You seem to be the most messed up about it. Which leads me to a natural, albiet sinsiter, conclusion. You were involved in her death." She said this all quite calmly, trying to let the boy react without any other sort of pressure from her. He went white. She nodded. "Tell me, then. What could she do? What was her power?" He took a breath and said, "She had power over water. If she was angry, water vents would explode, that sort of thing. That's what you have, isn't it?" Bella shook her head, frowning. "No, not quite. See, maybe she was younger, or maybe her powers weren't quite so...volatile. But for me, water vents don't explode when I'm angry -- they do it when I'm mildly annoyed." She moved so she was sitting with her legs up, chin propped against her knees. She avoided his gaze. "When I'm [i]angry[/i], I drown people... from the inside out." She took another deep breath. "That's why I left home. I almost killed my mother." Her frown was deep and she couldn't stop herself from doing it. Instead, she looked at her thumb again, then at Eddie. "Don't worry, Eddie. I know what it's like to be dangerous." [/size][/font][/color][/left] [/center]

[font=Arial][size=2]I don't know if this is happening to anyone else, but I'm no longer getting update e-mails from OB. Now this is bad for two reasons: 1. I never know if there's a thread that I need to reply to, and 2. Otakuboards is often the only e-mails I get, and so without them I feel unloved. :p At first I thought it was only the forum update e-mails, since I'm subscribed to those, but it's also PM e-mails and threads that I've posted in that have been updated. Is there a reason for this that I've missed? [/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Poems. My assessments for creative writing were actually based on poems. We had to choose a poem and then write from the 'theme' of the poem, but not re-write the poem. I found it quite difficult to begin with, frankly, because everything I came up with was silly, or trite, or too far out there for the teachers to be able to get it. In the end it was two days before and I finally reverted back to my original idea -- and it worked best out of everything I tried. I used the poem "Return of Persephone" as a jumping off point for a simile between the myth of Persephone and Dis as a likeness to the current situations in split families. It was obscure, but it worked. So personally, I would think that perhaps, you already know what it is that you need to write, you just haven't accepted it yet. :p Besides, even a trite or cliched work can be twisted to something new. [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Bella hesitated at Moses' question -- did she really know this guy? -- and then she asked herself: did she really have any other choice? "Yeah," she said with a smile, "that'd be great." She stepped to his side and picked up one of his suitcases. "Lead the way, Moses." He seemed unsure for a second, and then looked at a piece of paper and began marching foward with a certainty that seemed almost like bravado. [/color][/size][/font] [center][font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]__ [/color][/size][/font] [left][font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]Quite some time later, having gotten lost a couple of times, Bella and Moses were finally outside the house listed on his little piece of paper. Bella was staring at it with a look of dismay. It was large, that was true, but it also looked in dire need of repairs. She wondered if it would be much better inside, and was sorely tempted to turn around and walk away, when she once again felt that odd pull. With a shrug, she looked at Moses and together the two walked through the gate, up the steps and knocked on the front door. They could hear voices inside, a gaggling cacophony of cheerfulness and bewilderment, and finally heard a distinctive voice yelling, "Coming!" The woman who opened the door was a lovely looking brunette, her face still with traces of a smile hovering around it. She looked at Moses with some amusement but not much surprise, but when she turned to Bella, the smile disappeared and a frown replaced it. "Who are you?" Moses made the introductions, while this Eden nodded. Finally, she made a great effort to clear her expression and started questioning them instead. "Did you to get evicted too?" Moses nodded, but Bella just shrugged and looked down. What was she going to say, that she chose to leave because she'd almost killed her mother? "Well," said Eden, "you two had better come in and join the party, such as it is." She gestured back the way she'd arrived from, and the two new comers stepped hesitantly over the threshold and into their temporary home. [/color][/size][/font][/left] [/center]

[color=DarkGreen][font=Arial][size=2]I am so, so sorry. I got caught up with work and real life stuff, but I am definately still here and still interested. *nods*[/size][/font][/color]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=DarkGreen]I know that I could tell you about your story via AIM, but I'm always vaguely dissatisfied when someone reviews my work through that medium, I think because the transcript is so easily misplaced. This way, you'll be able to refer back to the text and look at it in one place. So, first things first: I adore Edward. I love him, I want him, I need himm. Can I please take him home and keep him? Vincent is chaming in his innocent openness, but Edward is so...he's the more mature, patient, 'I'm-smiling-because-inside-I'm-touched-at-how-lovely-you-are, but-I-don't-want-to-show-it' and I [i]love[/i] those characters. He's so patient and loving, very supporting and...and I'm in love with him. I demand to see Edward again. Do you hear me? [size=4]I AM MAKING A DEMAND, HERE. IT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE! [size=2]The other thing is that you have a fantastic gift for pace. Some writers are very slow and they feel the need to over explain everything or infodrop, while you don't. Everything moves along at the right time, which is fantastic. And, more than that, you don't make it too long. Even if I like people, reading their stuff that is a bagillion pages long frustrates and bores me. But, even though your stuff is definately not [i]short[/i] -- that is to say, it's of a reasonable length -- you manage to keep me enthralled to the end and move it along at a reasonable speed, meaning I'm interested until the last word. So good job, definately. I want more. MOOOOOORE![img]http://otakuboards.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [/size][/size][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=2][i]Yes[/i]. Very, very glad that you posted this up. Good girl. I only really have a couple of things to say, and they're pretty nitpicky: 1. Watch your semicolon use in the first sentence. A semicolon is generally used to join two independant clauses (a clause with a subject and a verb -- it could make a complete sentence by itself), because the sentences are linked. While I applaud you for trying to use the semicolon [ah, the poor underappreciated dear of a thing], in this case I think either a colon or a comma would be more appropriate. 2. I didn't know if your main character was male or female until she met up with Nils. I was really confused about it, because it seemed she was being hit on by the girls and then by the boys -- and I couldn't figure out which one she was. [img]http://otakuboards.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif[/img] 3. [quote=Clurr][/size][/font][font=Arial][size=2] I opened my mouth and ran my tongue underneath one of my fangs. [i]Bite me.[/quote] [b]Favourite. Line. Ever.[/b][/i] It's teh awesome. As for your concerns about swearing -- they're non-existant. Don't worry. XD [/size][/font]

[font=Arial Narrow][size=2][color=DarkGreen]I don't know if this is very helpful, because I'm not very familiar with japanese names, but I use the [b][url="http://www.behindthename.com/random/"]Behind the Name Random Name Generator[/url][/b]. You can choose the nationality of the names you'd like and they will pick some. Also, you can then click the name to see if you like the meaning, which means you can co-ordinate it with the personalities of the characters.[/color][/size][/font]

[center][img]http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2080/blacknf5.png[/img] [/center] [b][size=1]What's your favourite hobby?: [/size][/b][size=1]Two things to know about me: I'm a Gemini and I get bored easily. [Apparently, one relates to the other]. So while I have many interests: writing, art, web design, reading, fanfiction, music, movies, sleeping, going to the gym and even working (yeah, I actually like my work!), my most favourite thing I ever do is [i][b]talk[/b][/i]. I [i]love[/i] to talk. I talk constantly, and it drives my family insane. I love the sound of my own voice, I love making up catchphrases and I love singing in the shower to songs I've just made up. It's great. I talk constantly and it often makes no sense [particularly when I'm tired]. I love it so much I even talk in my sleep. [/size][b][size=1] What do you think your best personality trait would be?: [/size][/b][size=1]I'd say my best personality trait is that I have a generally fair outlook towards everyone. For instance, there are people at work most people dislike, and while I can understand that these people are annoying, I can also appreciate the good parts of those people. That sounds so stupid, so maybe I'll put it like this: I just genuinely like people. [Which is good because it means I can also use my favourite hobby and combine the two: [i]talking[/i] to [i]people[/i]. [img]http://otakuboards.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif[/img]] [/size][b][size=1] [/size][/b]

[font=Arial][size=2][color=Green]OOC: Hope this is okay. ^_^" Wasn't sure what else to do. --- Bella hadn't returned to the house since she'd walked out. She didn't want to run the risk of doing something like that to her parents -- or anyone -- again. Instead, she'd checked into a motel, had holed herself up there and spent a lonely christmas watching TV and wondering what the fuck was wrong with her. She buried herself in the clean -- albeit cheap bed clothes and tried not to wake up. On the fifth day, she ran out of money. She sighed and left the motel, her hands slung deep in her pockets. She was hungry (too busy sleeping to bother to eat) and cold. She didn't want to return to her parents, couldn't bear the thought that one day she'd get angry at them and then they'd die. She was walking towards god-knows where in the city, watching the pavement pass underneath her feet, trying to ignore everyone, when she felt a sort of tingle at the back of her neck. Something felt like it was calling her, almost...tugging at her. She looked up, wary but interested. She was somewhere near the city, definately, and there were people around, but her gaze was drawn to one person in particular; a teenaged boy standing on the cement walkway with a confused expression on his face and a suitcase on either side of his legs. She took a step. Two. Felt that awful power in her rising quickly, as if being around him made some instincts stand up on end, like something inside her recognised him. She tamped it down with some effort. He meant something, then. Biting her lip, trying to make a decision whether or not to approach him, she stared at the boy. Well, she couldn't go home, and she had no money. What worse could there be? She approached the boy. Feeling like an idiot and completely out of place, she held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Bella." [/color][/size][/font]

[quote][font=Trebuchet MS]My pet theory is, and has been since reading [i]Half-Blood Prince,[/i] that "R.A.B." is Regulus Black. If I remember right, he's a member of Sirius' family - his brother, was it? I don't remember. (I haven't read the books in a while but I remember having evidence to back this up soon after finishing [i]HBP[/i]...) Anyway, I'm pretty sure that like all the Black family he was pretty cosy with Voldemort, but was eventually killed by the Dark Lord. The killing suggests a betrayal, and if I've remembered right he was in quite a convenient position to go around pinching Horcruxes. Not to mention his initials match... Can anyone straighten out my facts for me?[/quote] [font=Verdana][size=1][color=DarkGreen] I think this is pretty much the same conclusion a lot of the fandom has come to. I would agree with you. R.A.B. being Regulus Black is for most people a 'fanon fact', I think. The thing is, Regulus was a Death Eater -- which we know from, OotP(?) I think. [quote][i]Gavin[/i] [/color][/size][/font][/font] [size=1]Good point, that's something I hadn't actually considered. Though it does raise that actual question as to what could have occurred to make an apparently loyal Death Eater [officially the worst villain group name ever] turn on his master and destroy the keys to his immortality. [/quote] If you read closely, in OotP, Sirius says something along the lines of "Haven't you figured out what type of family mine was," ([i]So[/i] not exact quote)? And mentioned that Regulus was a Death Eater. Then he goes on to say that [b][i]Regulus got in too deep -- he didn't like what the Death Eaters were doing[/i][/b] [again, not exact quote]. I don't know the page number, but I'm rereading the books, so I'll edit it soon. Then, also at some point in OotP, I believe, Harry [or one of the others] stumbled across a locket when they were all cleaning -- one they couldn't open. Then in HBP, R.A.B comes to light, and then we have a missing Horcrux on our hands. Coincidence? I think not. My pet theory [also my friend's, lol] is that R.A.B. was killed by Voldemort because he didn't agree with Voldie's plans and methods and was trying to get out. What Voldie didn't know was that he was betraying him by removing his Horcruxes to where voldemort couldn't get them. Then he hid it in his own house. Who would think to look there? Poor Bellatrix will be so upset when she finds out. Voldemort's soul in her own family's house -- and she couldn't even get her hands on it. XD [/size]

[size=1][color=DarkGreen]I've just read this thread and I'm still thinking about everything, so I'm going to number my responses to make sure I get the information where it needs to be. :rolleyes: [b] 1. [/b]Perhaps I'm reading the wrong threads, because I don't see a huge profanity problem. [I [i]may[/i] be reading the wrong threads, so please provide examples of these if you have them.] When I first read this thread, my first instinct was to see what sort of real level of swearing there is, statistically. So I searched it. The 's' word appears in 1121 posts in Adventure Square. The 'f' word appears in 463 posts. The 'a' word appears 132 times. The 'c' word appears 14 times. That's a total of 1730 posts that have the four most-used cuss words in them. Let's put that into perspective here; there is [b]149,465 posts [/b]in Adventure Square. That's about [i][b]1.15% [/b][/i]of posts that contain cussing. [/color][/size] [center][size=1][color=DarkGreen]Then I wondered if perhaps it was only reading the posts that had swearing in them, not the number of times it appears in [i]each[/i] post. But I checked them out a little bit. People rarely use the same swear word more than twice in a post. In fact, it was rare for me to see it more that once in a post. [/color][/size] [/center] [size=1][color=DarkGreen] So I must admit that I was a little shocked to see that profanity was suddenly seen as such an issue. [b]2. [/b]I must admit that in Adventure Square, the ratings are an issue. The interactive nature of an RPG means that the creators have developed a 'cover my arse' mentality, which has led to the huge amount of M ratings we see. [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen]Our ratings system was designed on the basis of 'the creator knows their RPG best'; we as moderators assume that the creator is the best person to pick their rating. But the thing is, [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen]ratings are implemented at the beginning of the RPG, which means that the creator is, yes, unsure as to what will occur in the course of the RPG. So they simply include the highest ratings and all the warnings to account for that. [M -- VSL]! [b] If you look at [/b][b]OB Anthology, however, [/b]you'll notice that the amount of M ratings is much lower by comparison: [/color][/size] [center][size=1][color=DarkGreen][img]http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/6075/obanthuc7.png[/img] [/color][/size] [left][size=1][color=DarkGreen]Why? Because generally they are the only ones posting their work in that thread. They already [i]know[/i] that what they've written [which is generally a short story or poem] is PG. The people who are writing longer stories have already thought about it; they know that their story is more likely to operate within the PG range. So the issue here is that, in the Arena, instead of putting what they [i]think[/i] their RPG will be, they want to make sure that they've covered their arses [b][i]in case[/i][/b] it gets out of hand. [b]3.[/b]I've seen people raise the issue of the names of the ratings. When it first came in, just after we'd first released it, I said that for me, M was not a big deal. I was seeing M movies when I was 13. I mentioned that R was worse for me -- it meant [b][i]explicitly[/i][/b] gory violence, graphic sex and excessive language. Obviously people are still have issues with the fact that ratings have different connotations to people. Perhaps this is something that does need to be addressed, and perhaps just by a change in the letters we use. The PG rating doesn't necessarily have to be "PG". It could be "S" for "Some Violence/Sex/Language". That of course would end with confusion between the S ratings, so I would recommend that the middle rating be changed to "O" for "Occasional Violence/Sex/Language" It could be difficult to adjust, but I think it would help dispense the remaining confusion over the ratings. The other thing I would suggest [and [b]this links to point 2][/b], perhaps just create M to be an [i]actual[/i] 'in case' rating. Instead of allowing people to create M ratings straight off the bat, simply bring everyone down to and "O" rating [or PG, if it stays the same]. If the creator believes that they've exceeded that level, they just PM a mod and we'll change the rating for them. It's not difficult, and it takes two seconds to PM the mod. So too, if the mod comes across anything that is deemed 'too mature' for the level, then they can change it automatically. So the process of rating would actually become an evolutionary process for each RPG. So the process would become: Creator creates RPG, rating it [E] or [O/PG]. Creator realises that their RPG is becoming too mature. Creator PMs mod. Mod moves rating up to [M]. It's not hard, it takes two seconds for a mod to change a thread title, and considering that most people rarely have an actually mature RPG, I doubt there'd be much demand for it, anyway. There are currently 5 staff members [myself included] at the Arena, so PMing a person isn't difficult, and it means that ratings stay accurate. [b]4. [/b]The idea of amalgamating The Arena into 2 forums. I have to be honest -- the idea is interesting and I don't mind it. It makes some sort of sense. But there's a couple of problems there that would definately need to be addressed. Firstly is the issue of traffic. The Adventure Square is a high traffic area. Threads move up quickly, and threads that aren't posted in are lost relatively quickly. OB Anthology, on the other hand? Definately not on the same level as the RPGs. People just don't post as often in the OB Anthology threads, simply because it isn't interactive. They might read the story and enjoy it, but they don't get to [i]write[/i] the story so they don't post as often. My worry would be that if the two were amalgamated into one, then the creative threads from OB Anthology would be swamped by the sheer volume of Adventure Square posts. 5 different people posted 'today' in Adventure Square in 5 different threads. Let's compare this to OB Anthology, where [b]1 person[/b] posted in a creative thread -- and that was the thread creator. Many writers simply will not get the posts to stay on the first page. And as a reader, I often browse OB Anthology and then post in certain threads that I've stumbled upon. I'm much less likely to go searching these threads out on the second or third pages, particularly when the main reason I enter threads [apart from my being a mod, lol] is because of idle curiosity. The other thing is that you say the problem is that OB Anthology's too slow, etc, and that by combining the non-creative threads with the Underground, it'll be better. But the Underground really isn't that active. And at the moment, OB Anthology has [i][b]3[/b][/i] non-creative threads on the first page. That isn't much of an improvement on the current flow anyway, is it? [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen]I don't know. I don't mind the idea, but I think the practicalities need to be ironed out. [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen] I wouldn't mind making the Underground a subforum, to be honest. I don't really see the need for it to remain a fully fledge forum, since it seems to go arm-in-arm with the Adventure Inn threads. It's quite difficult to find a way to incorporate it into any OB Anthology threads, and all the threads in the Underground seem to relate to RPGs. Also, it's called [i]underground[/i]. Making it a [i]sub[/i] forum just works. XD So that's my say. I think I've covered everything I meant to. I might be back with more later. [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen]And Charles, I'm a little confused about what you meant by 'eyesore'. Did you mean the physical construction of the forums, or the posts, or...? If you could clarify, perhaps we could find a solution to your aesthetic displeasures. :p [/color][/size][/left] [/center]

[size=1][color=DarkGreen][b]OOC: [/b]Hope this is okay. It's been a looooong time since I've played in good RPG. [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen] -[/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen] Bella was one of those people who enjoyed Christmas far, far too much. She?d be the person who?d organize the tree weeks before, who?d make sure that there were presents underneath, and who would pester the rest of the family into coming to visit.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]And she was good at it. Which was why she and the rest of the teens in the family were now sitting in her family?s spa bath, letting the bubbles massage her back and sighing with the true happiness of a girl who was fully catered to.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Trace and Matt, her cousins, were laughing and splashing each other, while another cousin, Sandy, was continually ducking under the water, peering at something beneath.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]?Hey Bella,? he called, ?come have a look!?[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]With a little roll of her eyes, she took a breath and submerged herself beside him to see what he was so interested in. The big difference between the two of them; the crucial difference, in fact, was that Sandy had short hair, while Bella?s?was long.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Within seconds her hair had caught in the spa. She tried to move up for air; her hands shot above water but her face couldn?t follow. She was being pounded by the same bubbles she had so enjoyed, and her lungs were screaming, screaming for air. She stared up above her, could vaguely see the shapes of her cousins ? did they even know something was wrong? Her lungs were slowly filling with water, and it was an agony so intense that she thought she was going to die.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen] Oh god, that was it, wasn?t it? She[i] was [/i]going to die! She could slowly, slowly feel the life start to leave her, could feel her muscles begin to get too weak to work?[/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen][i] The fire was most interesting but his eyes were drawn away from a brief moment when he saw Charles pushing the little girl back, right back into Eddie?s arms in which ice spikes seemed to emerge.[/i][/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Just as she was about to give up, she felt something hit her, almost as if it were invading into her. It felt powerful and alien to her ?[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]And then it happened again. And again. And finally, on the fourth hit, the water coughed out of her lungs and she took a great, heaving breath, feeling the life rush back into her. Sandy was above her, hovering over her. He?d given her CPR, had saved her life. Behind him was Matt, brandishing a knife ? and a lock of her hair. They?d had to cut her out.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]She took another deep breath, and burst into tears. Trace had run inside, and now following her out was the rest of the family. Bella?s mother screamed and raced to her side, hugged her. ?Oh, my baby, my baby. Are you okay??[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]She nodded. Her Mum started stroking her hair, wet and tangled as it was. ?Oh, and they had to chop your gorgeous hair. Well, we?ll get that fixed tomorrow, okay sweetheart? Good girl.?[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Uncle Ian intervened. ?Why don?t we get her inside now and send her to a good night?s sleep?? Bella?s mother nodded.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Bella?s sleep, however, was not a good one. She tossed and turned, dreaming constantly unable to truly reach that state of unconsciousness. When she woke up in the morning, she felt like she?d been mashed with a meat cleaver. Nonetheless, she?d ?slept? a full ten hours.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]She got up, walked into the kitchen, only to find the rest of her family?fighting. Not wanted to draw attention to herself, and too drained and hungry to move, she just stood there, watching them, getting angrier and angrier herself.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Then the kettle boiled. Her mother?s attention snapped away from her father, looking confused. ?I didn?t turn that on.?[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Bella took the opportunity to interrupt. ?Something to eat for your dear, almost drowned daughter??[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Her mother smiled, said, ?Perhaps later. Your father and I are having a discussion, Bell. It?s very important.? Her father scoffed. The argument started all over again. Bella stood, getting angrier and angrier. She had almost drowned last night, for goodness sakes. Their only daughter had almost[i] died[/i] and they just didn?t care. How would they feel if [i]they[/i] almost drowned? She?d like to see that![/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Her mother gasped. Choked. Coughed. Her Dad snapped into attention. ?Tallie? Tallie, what?s wrong?? Her mother was gasping for air. Bella stared, shock completely annihilating her anger. Her dad smacked her mother on the back a couple of times, and her mum finally took a deep breath.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]?What happened?? her Dad asked.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]?It was the strangest thing,? she said, a shake still in her voice. ?It felt like I was drowning.?[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]Eyes wide, Bella turned away and walked out of the house.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]?She had almost [i][b]drowned[/b][/i] her [b][i]mother[/i][/b].[/color][/size]

[size=1][color=DarkGreen][b]Hope this is okay, Vicky.[/b][/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen][b] Name:[/b] Isobel [Bella] Camden[/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen] [b]Age:[/b] 19[/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen] [b]Star Sign:[/b] Pisces[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen][b]Powers:/Night[/b] See first post. Powers are very much like Cat's; water when emotional, etc. etc. One could almost say that they were inherited... the only difference is that Bella's a little bit older, her anger and the vicious streak in her is a little bit stronger, and, as a result of the incident surrounding her gaining her powers, she has the ability to flood a person's body -- drown them from the inside out. Of course, she has to be [i]very[/i] worked up to do it. [/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen][b]Appearance:[/b] Light blonde and quite fine hair, brown eyes, and average stature. Her physical appearance has some similarities to Cat, however the two had never met. Her clothes are of two natures; one type quite casual and practical, another perfectly designed to make people feel inferior. Her clothes fit perfectly now, however, using her powers drains her physically, and excessive [and prolonged] use would result in her looking emaciated. [b] Personality:[/b] Isobel is a classical Pisces; she?s talented, artistic. She?s the one who is ?going somewhere?. The thing is, with all Pisceans, when it comes down to it, she?s also just a little *****. It might be something to do with her star sign; scales can cut when they rub the wrong way. There?s just an ever-so-slight vicious streak in her. You?ve seen these girls; the gossipy, almost petty ones, who will cut you with a glance.[/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]The ones who, most of the time, seem to be spun sugar. They?ve got every opportunity in life; talent, drive, and the probability of a very successful future ? but every so often, they choose to step down from their pedestal just to make others feel like ****.[/color][/size][color=DarkGreen][size=1] [/size][/color] [size=1][color=DarkGreen]That?s not to say she?s not sensitive; Isobel is. But sensitivity is a double edged sword, because she knows exactly how to impale her opponents.[/color][/size][color=DarkGreen][size=1] [/size][/color] [size=1][color=DarkGreen][b]Biography/Sample:[/b] Bella grew up with a normal life; good friends, good grades, some artistic talent, good life. Nothing out of the ordinary. She was relatively popular at school, graduated with high marks and got accepted into University.[/color][/size]

[center][img]http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1599/katefv7.png[/img] [/center] [center][color=DarkGreen][size=1][b]Name: [/b]Kat.[/size][/color] [/center]

[font=Verdana][size=1][color=DarkGreen]People who drink Absinthe are the ones who think it's soooo cool because they don't realise that the 'banned' alcohol isn't. Almost every country in the world has allowed Absinthe to be made again, and while you can't sell or produce it in the US, you can consume it. Although, granted, if you like the taste of licorice and you enjoy a burning throat and getting drunk quickly, I think you've found the liquor for you! :p I had Absinthe once, and never again. I hadn't even been drinking that night before hand and I thought I was going to throw up, lol. I have several liquors of choice. [b]1) Bundy Rum.[/b] Like the esteemed Sir Snark-A-Lot, Alan, Bundaberg Rum is my all time brilliant drink. It's the get-drunk-quick drink, the social 'I'm drinking but actually I've really got almost nothing in here' Rum'N'Coke drink, and the 'God help me, my friends know to much about me to ever play "I Never" with them again', drink. Cause I like my Bundy rum. [Also, I'm a Queenslander, which can often explain it.] [b]2) Kahlua And Milk[/b] Because it's the light 'I don't taste like a drink' drink, and it's fun because it's a social drink. It's for the girls nights, I think. XD [b]3) Amber Liquids[/b] Scotch, rums, whiskeys, bourbons, etc. Set me up with those and I'm pretty much fine [as long as they're mixed. Ambers straight = not a happy drinker] [b]4) Shooters[/b] Because they all have funny names and they taste goodly. Yeah. I won't drink Vodka, however [bad experiences, lol.], or anything with lemon in it. Those are my two no-gos. [/color][/size][/font]

[size=1][color=DarkGreen][b][size=2][color=Red]WARNING: This thread is a world Post-Half Blood Prince. If you haven't read the sixth book, and you don't want to know about it, don't read this thread! [/color][/size][/b] So, the 7th Harry Potter book has been announced; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Obviously we know nothing more about the book, not even release dates [although sometime 2007 is predicted]. I thought this thread could tide us over until it comes out. So, [b]What theories about Book 7 do you have? [/b][i][Obviously there's lots of things about the series that have unanswered questions. Feel free to post your pet theories on, well, anything!] [/i]I have to say that I'm a huge fan of the redeemed!Draco and Snape theory. I still firmly believe that Snape is [i]not evil[/i] and that Draco will turn good [if still snarky!] because that's the way I like him most! [/fangirl] [b] Who would you be most upset about dying? [/b]Ginny. She my favourite character [/color][/size][size=1][color=DarkGreen][i][b]evah [/b][/i]and if she died I don't think I could bear to pick up the HP books again. [/color][/size] [size=1][color=DarkGreen][b] What's the big question you want answered? [/b] I want to know the significance of Harry having Lily's eyes. JK has said that it is important and there is a reason for it that we'll find out in the 7th book. Some other forums I've read keep harping on the 'eyes are the windows to the soul and it's signifying that Harry does have some of Lily's personality traits like compassion and kindness' -- but I think it's a more literal thing than that. And reading one of those theories brought me to another question: the reason Lily's sacrifice protected Harry was because, according to JK, she [i]chose[/i] to die when she didn't necessarily have to. Voldemort gave her the [i]choice[/i] to step aside. Which makes me wonder: Voldemort was used to killing, he certainly had no qualms about it -- [i]Why did he give her that choice? [/i] I'd love to get some input and have some geeky brainstorming about predictions for Book 7. ^_^ [/color][/size]

[font=Verdana][size=1][color=DarkGreen]Welcome to Otakuboards, Simple N Clean! I'm very glad that you've taken an interest in OB Anthology [since it's one of my favourite forums], however, before you continue, I'm going to get you to read the [b][url="http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44313"]OB Anthology Basics[/url][/b].See, here at OB we actually have a ratings system [much like movies and even games have]. This allows people to see exactly what they're getting into before they enter the thread. The three ratings are [E], [PG] and [M]. You can read all about them in the OB Anthology Basics. In order to enforce this system, any creative thread without a rating will be closed. However, you can feel free to recreate this thread with the appropriate rating. ^_^ Thread Closed. [/color][/size][/font]

[size=1]One of my favourite RPGs of all time [terrible though it was -- I'm talking Old School RPG, with terrible post quality and winceable story] was when, by accident, I ended up being a mind-reader. In the post before me, a character said something 'to himself' -- which I thought meant out loud. So my character commented on it. Apparently it had been meant to be a mental thing -- and thus my character became a mind reader. I really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the flexibility of being able to do that, without another team member screaming 'you can't do dat!!!!"; it was easy, as you go. On the other hand, SYF is the RPG that's stayed with me for many, many years, and Liamc2 and I plotted out everything that was going to happen. In this instance, for us it was more about creating a story [one we've yet to finish, granted...]. So I do like controlled RPGs, but I would love to be in an uncontrolled 'as she flows' RPG [with a little direction, of course.] [/size]