Sign Up Legion [PG - VL]

[Blayze]

[center][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=4]Legion[/size][/font][/u][/b]
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[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]
[/font][center][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]"Help!"[/font][/b]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]My vision was blurred by the incredible heat that had consumed most of my house as I ran into the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]kitchen, one arm trying to shield my eyes from the licking flames and pungent smoke, the other [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]pushing my way through the debris that blocked my way. My mother was somewhere in the kitchen, and [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I had to save her.

I pushed past a wooden beam that had fallen from the ceiling, and found my [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]mother, curled up in the corner of the room, next to a wooden cabinet, tears pouring down her face.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]"Mum!"[/b] I cried over the crackling of the flames and the crashing of rubble and wood, [b]"Are you ok?"[/b][/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]She looked up, but she couldn't shout back. Thick, toxic smoke surrounded her small frame, and if [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]she opened her mouth even for a second it would choke her. She waved her arms wildly, and got to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]her feet, trying to reach me across the debris that separated us. I reached over, but our hands [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]were still a few inches away. Too far to reach. I couldn't do it any more.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The smoke attacked me, filling my lungs, and I felt myself blacking out. My mother screamed as she [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]saw my body fall to the floor, and was almost instantly crushed by another falling roof beam.

The [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]last thing I heard was my mother's last scream as she died...[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Adam Legion snapped upright in bed, his naked torso drenched with sweat, his breath coming in deep, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]ragged gasps. He ran his fingers through his short dark hair, now matted to his scalp with [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]perspiration.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i][b]A dream,[/b][/i] he told himself urgently, [b][i]It was all just a bad dream...

[/i][/b][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]He got out of bed, sliding his feet onto the floor, and padded over to the sink in the corner of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]his apartment. He splashed his face with cold water, trying desperately to wake himself up for the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]day. As he placed his hands on the sides of the sink and stared into the mirror, looking at his [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]own handsome, but pale face, the phone rang. He grabbed it off the hook and placed it to the side [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]of his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he said:[/font]

[b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]"Hello, Adam Legion, paranormal investigator, how may I help you?"[/font][/b]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font]

[size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Of Magic[/font][/u][/b][/size]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i]mag·ic [maj-ik][/i] noun[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]forces of nature.

[/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]2. the use of this art: Magic, it was believed, could drive illness from the body.

[/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]3. the effects produced: the magic of recovery.

[/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]4. power or influence exerted through this art: a wizard of great magic.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i]wiz·ard [wiz-erd][/i] noun[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. a person who practices magic; magician or sorcerer.

[/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Magic is very much a part of this world. It exists in every single being, every human, every [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]animal, every plant, everything. It has always existed, and it is as much a part of our being as [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the elements themselves, and it will not go away as long as there is life on this world. Magic [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]most commonly materialises itself in the form of one or more of the natural elements of this world, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]namely: fire, earth, wind, water, and occasionally lightning and ice. However, wizards most often [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]concentrate their energy on one main element, rather than any more, although some are skilled in [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]two.[/font]

[size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Of Wizards[/font][/u][/b][/size]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]But there are few who can harness this raw force of nature and use it themselves, who can wield [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]magic, and truly call themselves wizards. There were once thousands of them, their influence [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]stretching right across the globe, but their kind have been dying out, and now there are only a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]handful left.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The wizards of today are led by the powerful White Council, whose duty it is to protect humanity [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]from abuses of magic, as well as to shield the world from external forces, dark beings who seek to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]destroy it. The Council is governed by the Senior Council, made up of seven members, the head of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the Senior Council being entitled "The Merlin".[/font]

[size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The Seven Laws[/font][/u][/b][/size]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The White Council set out the guidelines of magic use many centuries ago, and eventually came up [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]with the Seven Laws of Magic:[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. Thou shalt not kill by use of magic[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]2. Thou shalt not transform others[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]3. Thou shalt not invade the mind of others[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]4. Thou shalt not enthrall another[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]5. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]6. Thou shalt not reach beyond the borders of life[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]7. Thou shalt not swim against the currents of time[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]These laws were set out to protect humans and wizards alike from abuses of magic. They are [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]punishable by forcible removal of magic from a wizard by the Senior Council, thus rendering a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]wizard magically impotent.[/font]

[size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Paranormal Investigations[/font][/u][/b][/size]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]This has become the primary occupation of many wizards today. There are creatures who have invaded [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the mortal world and seek to destroy humans. These creatures include vampires, demons, spirits, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]aeries, werewolves and many more besides. So a large portion of the wizard population has taken [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]it upon themselves to protect the human race from these creatures.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Adam Legion is just such a wizard. He has set up "Legion Investigations," an organisation to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]investigate and combat the forces of darkness through use of magic. He has gathered together a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]group of four other wizards, and together they have formed the most well-known and well-respected [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]paranormal investigations organisation in the world.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Welcome to Legion Investigations, researching and investigating the paranormal across the country. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Based in Los Angeles, and founded by a powerful wizard named Adam Legion, this organisation is [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]specially trained to find and combat all paranormal activity, from ghosts to vampires to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]werewolves. For a fee, of course.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]You are one of four lucky wizards that Adam has decided to take under his wing, one of four wizards [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]lucky enough to become part of Legion Investigations.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Here is what I need from you in terms of a sign-up. Instead of the application form that is [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]usually set, I am instead setting a challenge to write me a short snippet about yourself. Included [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]in this should be:[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Name[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Gender[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Age[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Appearance[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Personality[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Level of Magic Use (ie are you a beginner, a fairly mediocre magic user, or pretty damn good at [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]using magic?)[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Magic Type (fire, water, earth, wind, ice or lightning? Remember, these last two are fairly rare)[/font]
[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Other Special Skills (anything you might fall back on in case you ever were to lose your magic ie [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]lockpicking, hand-to-hand combat etc.)[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]If there are any sections which you physically cannot manage to incorporate into your snippet, then [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]please add them separately at the end. The brief for your snippet is "An Encounter With A Force of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the Paranormal." This can be almost anything, just please refrain from using vampires or demons at [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]this time. Please be original and fair with your power levels, give other people a chance.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Sign-ups are open until Tuesday 20th February, upon which time I will be making my decisions as to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]who is in and who is out. An Underground will be open fairly soon, so please post any questions [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]you may have in there.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Also, any graphic artists out there in the realms of the OB, any donated avatars, banners or [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]graphics you might be able to come up with for this would be much appreciated. If you feel like [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]you would like to give this a go, please PM me and I will give you some kind of an idea of what I [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]would find ideal. Thanks.[/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I will be posting a snippet of Adam Legion shortly, so please enjoy making your snippets and I will [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]enjoy reading them![/font][/center]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR=Blue]Richard Ramone[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]awoke on a dark and cloudy, sunday morning. His house was far too hot for him to get dressed in. Yet, he put on light red shorts and a dark blue tank top on. He sat on the table as he sipped water from a glass. His 23 year old body could not stand the imense heat form the sun. He got out of his hhouse and went outside. He thought maybe the shade would ofer some respite from the blazing hot sun. Yet he succame to heat exhaustion. His black hair was moist and his blue eyes were tarnished by redness. He didn't seem to care though. He's had heat stroke by gum! Yet this time was different. He was so weak he could hardly take a simple gasp of air. He crawled onto his porch. His skinny body sort of blew in the breeze. Even this slight wind gave him a cooling feeling.He rose up on his knees, still hardly breathing. Soon he put his hand on his head.[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]"What is going on? I don't normally get this hot. My body can't seem to hold."[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]With this thought, Richard Ramone fainted.[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Rick woke up again, yet he shivvered. He looked around with shock. On, around, near him, there was ice. During his time of unconcience did he perhaps, shoot ice on himself and the ground. He didn't care how or why, he just sighed and said,[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]"Well at least it's a bit cooler."[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=Blue][CENTER]* * *[/CENTER][/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=black] As the days past he began to use his new ice powers. He became somewhat skilled after a month or two. He also took up martial arts during his spare time. This made him honorable and strong. His careless attitude got him into trouble sometimes, but he was great nonetheless.[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Soon he moved from is suburban home into a dark and spooky setting of a house. He was all set up. He entered his new room and fell asleep. He awoke aroubnd 2 A.M. to hear a shriek. He looked around the room to see a witherly old woman near his bed. She had black hair and a scrawny body. The exact opposite facial disposition than Richard. [COLOR=Blue]"M..may I help you?"[/COLOR] He asked the ghost. She reached over touching his cheek. As he looked down himself he saw blood soaking in his blanket. Ice was climbing up the walls. Blue, yet stained with blood.[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]He woke up with a horror. It was all a dream. Soon he heard his phone ring. He answered.[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]"Hello this is Richard Ramone,what is it that you want?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]"Ah, hello Richard I have a job offering for you."[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Said the voice on the other end.[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Richard's eye looked around the room, he opened his mouth.[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]"Sure, what's the job?"[/COLOR] Richard Ramone:[URL=http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/bleach/images/story01.gif]Richard (Rick)[/URL]

[Redemption]

[INDENT][size=1][color=white]The soft hum of Demetri?s [I]F-Truck[/I] resonated through the metallic structure of the car as he drove along one of the back roads to Bakersfield. It ran alongside one of the many channels that fed water to all of the farms in the district. The night was old and Demetri had only just finished working up a patch of soil on one of the large company farms in the San Joaquin Valley. His soft blue-mauve eyes closed as the twenty-four year old man tried to stifle a rising yawn. It was indeed late at night because he hadn?t passed anyone on the road since he left the farm. Demetri took his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at the moon. It was half-full. A perfect time to sew potato seeds, or so it was believed. He glanced back at the road only to see a woman in a tattered white dress standing in the middle of the bitumen. The young man wrenched the driving wheel to the left, swerving to miss the woman. He slammed on the brakes, the large car skidding to a stop, wheels smoking. Breathing in heavily, Demetri looked back at where the woman stood to see if she was still there. To his amazement, she was, and now she turned towards the truck and headed towards it. Now with his breath back, Demetri opened the door to his truck and jumped out, about to yell and scream at the woman for being in the middle of the road so late at night. But when he saw her face, his throat seemed to constrict. He could see she had been weeping. Her eyes searched the young man desperately, pleading for him to do something. [b]? Hey?. are you all right??[/b] Demetri asked in a soft, comforting voice, wanting to squeeze her shoulder reassuring, but decided not to. [b]? My - my children? have? have you seen my children??[/b] she asked, tears leaking out of her eyes. [b]? Your children??[/b] Demetri replied in question, a little shocked. He ran a hand through his longish medium sandy brown hair. [b]? I can?t say I have ma?am.?[/b] What the woman did next made the young man jump with fright. [b]? Oh my children!? she wailed into the night. ? Where are my children?! Where are my children?!?[/b] Demetri was about to head back to his truck to grab his cell phone when he felt the woman?s hands around his neck. They grasped tighter and tighter, making it hard for the young man to breathe. [b]? Hey?.. can?t?. breathe?? help?.?[/b] But it was no use. Before he could do anything, Demetri found himself being held under the water by the amazingly strong woman. He could see her weeping face above him, her hands firmly pressing him down under the surface. His legs and arms flailed around, trying to break the surface to get some air but she was too strong. [I]****? ?I?m going to die? I? I?ll have to use it?.[/I] Demetri mustered up what strength he had left and concentrated on the field of worked up soil across the other side of the channel. A splash of water signalled that he had moved some soil to the water. A small smile thinned his lips as his body began to cry for oxygen. He watched a hand, made out of the mud he had just created, wrap itself around the woman and pry her from Demetri?s neck. The young man burst up out of the shallow water, gulping down air as fast as he could. His sopping wet hair stuck to his face like glue as his blue-mauve eyes glared at the wailing woman. [b]? You?re?..?[/b] he breathed. [b]? You?re a Woman In White??[/b][/INDENT] Appearance ? [URL=http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g282/bishie_owner/Weiss23.jpg]Demetri Ashcroft[/URL] Other Special Skills: Demetri is an excellent negotiator. His quick thinking and intelligence can get him through most tight situations, including those concerning the authorities. Sorry it?s not the best Blayze.[/size][/color]

[Gavin]

[COLOR=White][LEFT][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]He could still get that acrid stench of charred flesh, it wasn't something you ever forgot or got used to unfortunately. He tilted back the over-priced glasses his girlfriend had insisted they bought and allowed the amber liquid within to flow gently down his throat. This was Edward Quinn, an alcoholic sorcerer extraordinaire, who happened to deal with more paranormal **** over the course of one week than most of his peers did in a year, and it wasn't a quality he was particularly fond of. The smooth lines of her face came into view through his drunken haze, she stroked one of his greasy blond locks from across the side of his face and leaned into to press her lips against his. "[b]I missed you. Bad day at work ?[/b]"He didn't really want to talk about it, in fact that was putting it very mildly. [i]Succubus[/i], a "sex demon" as they were known in the biz has been his latest encounter. He'd known what she was from the second they'd made eye contact in the bar, he wondered if she had too... probably not, she'd never have agreed so easily to a quick liaison if she knew what he was. Magician, wizard, sorcerer, spell-caster, there were dozens of names for people like Edward, and he didn't really identify with the usual description, but then not many of the remaining mages were high strung English guys who were masters of the "Arcanum"... unless of course you happened to be a fictional character attending a school named after a swine and a sexually transmitted disease. He'd walked the succubus into one of the alleys near the bar and made "friendly" gestures with her, before she even knew what was going on, he'd broken her neck with a sickeningly quick snap and fallen loosely into his open arms. "[b]Eddie what's wrong ?[/b]" She was the only one to call him '[i]Eddie[/i]' and she knew he hated it, it was a way of getting his attention and worked every time, his sharp blue eyes locked into hers and he exhaled sharply. "[b]I don't really want to talk about it Marie, just another ****** day at work.[/b]" He chuckled half-heartedly. "[b]I swear if the money doesn't start getting better, I'm just going to have to go and do something like... teaching... it can't be that hard right ?[/b]" She punched him mockingly in the arm, as a high school English teacher he'd often heard her complain how saving the world was likely easier than grading papers on Shakespeare, He'd pretty much incinerated the body, with a lighter and a bottle of Jack he probably could have done a similar job, but vaporising the corpse with a single stream of green flame had been far quicker and easier. However common fire manipulators were among the remaining wizards, it was still extremely useful in the right circumstances. Despite the outward appearance of a nihilist and alcoholic, Quinn was well known by the White Council to be a particularly capable wizard, not only as a pyromancer but as alchemist as well. He grunted slightly as she rubbed against the grain of his five o'clock shadow, before carrying her twenty three year old frame off the couch and towards the bedroom. It was hard to believe that his 24th birthday was only six short days away...[/LEFT] [CENTER]||||||||||[/CENTER] [LEFT]Hope that's all OK Phil, looks like an interesting RPG.[/LEFT][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]

[Tekkaman]

[center][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black][b]February 16th, 2007[/b][/color][/size][/font][/center]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]Jaheim Mendez walked through his usual block on 9th and Walker, quicker than usual, eager to get to the doctor and check on a female friend of his who was in labor. As he walked briskly down the street, he wiped the lavender hair from his eyes and looked up towards the sky. A drop of water landed in his eye.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"About time this storm came," Jaheim said quietly to himself. " I was tired of waiting."[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]As the 22 year old looked back down to eye-level, he noticed the hospital on the right side of the street, three blocks over. Realising that crossing through an alleyway at the next street would be the quickest route to his destination, Jaheim walked quickly. As he reached the alleyway, he was bombarded by two homeless men who had obviously been drinking. Jaheim took a punch to the jaw with such force that he flew to the wall of the alleyway, furthest away from the men. Dazed from the punch, Jaheim hardly felt a bottle slammed against the top of his head while he tried to regain composure -- he only felt the blood trickle down his skull.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black][i]"Talk about foreshadowing,"[/i] Jaheim said to himself. [i]"Can't I walk down an alleyway [u]without[/u] getting attacked??"[/i][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Hey you, chinese boy," One of the men said in a gruff voice. "Gimme all your money and maybe me and my friend here'll let you live."[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"I... My mother was mexican and my father was white, thank you." Jaheim said weakly.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Whatever. Give us the money" The short man said.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]Jaheim stood up with his regained strength, though, still speaking weakly to the two homeless men.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Look guys, I... I don't have any money, sorry. I'm actually trying to get somewhere. Sorry I couldn't help you two but... i'm sure you'll find money elsewhere."[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Then you die." The short man said. He pulled out a pocketknife and walked towards Jaheim.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black][i]"This is ridiculous."[/i] Jaheim thought. [i]"...Forget it."[/i][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]As the short homeless man lunged into the air to stab Jaheim, he made the mistake of closing his eyes for the kill. Expecting to dig his blade into flesh, the short man was totally surprised when his face hit hard concrete, knocking out a tooth. as the man opened his eyes -- now from pain -- he looked as his partner, now in shock.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"What happened fool?!" The short man said. "How'd he escape so quick??"[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"H-He v-van-vanished..." His accomplice said out of fear from the unknown.[/color][/size][/font]

[center][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black][b]**As the short man was talking to his counterpart...**[/b][/color][/size][/font][/center]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]Jaheim re-materialized from rain puddles in the back of the hospital just as a intern was picking up a patient from the ambulance. Thankfully, the man didn't notice a blue puddle form into a human since he was so intent on doing his job today; the intern only yelled at Jaheim.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Hey! Get from back here!! Hospital staff only!"[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]"Sorry about that, sir." Jaheim said walking away from the scene at hand towards the front of the hospital. He slowly rubbed his jaw as he moved.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black][i]"Man... what I wouldn't give to learn to fight."[/i] Jaheim said to himself.[/color][/size][/font]

[center][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][url="http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o27/TekkamanHeart/Jaheim-Mendez.png"][b]Jaheim Mendez[/b][/url][/size][/font][/size][/font][/size][/font][/size][/font][/size][/font][/center]
[center] [/center]
[center] [font=Palatino Linotype][size=2]Special Abilities: n/a[/size][/font][/center]
[center][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][/size][/font] [/center]

[left][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][b]EDIT:[/b] Oooh. isn't that cute? everyone has a pretty background except for me. :animedepr [/size][/font][/left]

[Disenchanted]

[COLOR=White][SIZE=1][B]"Yeah this is Hunter." [/B] A young man of 26 spoke in a raspy voice. He had just been woken up and wasn't terribly happy about it. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in aggravation. [B]"Oh thank god it's you Jake, I need your help. I'm in some major trouble."[/B] the middle aged man on the end of the phone spoke in between gasping for air. It became apparent to Jake that his caller was on the run. Exactly what he was running from was another matter entirely. [B]"What?s going on David?" [/B] Jake ran a hand through his spiky light blond-brown hair and sighed in annoyance. He seemed generally unconcerned that his friend of almost ten years was in serious trouble. [B]"I've got two unidentified paranormal disturbances on my tail; you better get down here quick Jake. Two men are all ready down and these things don't look like they are going to give up any time soon. I'm at the east docks... hurry up!"[/B] [I]'God you can be so nonchalant some times Jake.' [/I] David was screaming in his head. Jake could hear ear piercing screeches coming through the phone and shrugged. [B]"All right, I'm on my way."[/B] Jake ended the call on his mobile, his gray eyes narrowed in deep thought. 'I should not have picked up.' he mused. He looked up from the floor, white light flowed in through his one window, and ironically it was a full moon out. His apartment was untidy, clothing, food containers, papers and magazines were strewn all about the place. He never really found the time nor cared enough about his place to clean up. Jake retrieved a pair of jeans and a crumpled black long sleeve shirt from the end of his bed. He casually put on his black combat boots and retrieved a brown leather jacket from the back of a chair in his kitchen. He trudged back through his own mess to reach the bathroom and surveyed himself in the mirror. [B]"Congratulations Jake, you officially look like crap."[/B] He had well built muscles and stood a good foot or two above average height. He almost all ways kept the majority of his body hidden beneath long clothing. Inscribed on his neck, chest, arms, neck and legs were tattoos of various glyphs. He had shaved no more than four or so hours ago and stubble had all ready begun to re-appear. He exited the bathroom, after giving himself a mental beating, and walked back through his bead room into the kitchen to retrieve his wallet and keys. He almost felt three times on the short walk from the sheer amount of garbage on his floor. Jake shook his head as he exited his apartment. [B]"You better be in real trouble David [I]or so help me[/I]..."[/B] [CENTER]+ + + + +[/CENTER] [B]"Yeah, where are you?" [/B] Jake almost felt like lighting a cigarette. [B]"We are in warehouse five, and hurry up these things have us pinned!"[/B] Jake broke out into a slow run, he quickly passed warehouse three then four. He shook his head in disbelief as he ran; he had been doing this sort of work for almost eight years and had just about had enough. Jake belonged to an organized group of magical individuals who used their powers to protect others, for a fee of course. In essence, he was a bodyguard for any wizard who could pay. He despised using the term 'wizard' to describe himself however or anyone else for that matter. It all sounded so unnecessarily stupid to him. He slowed his run down to a quickened walk as he approached warehouse five, he could hear shrill screeches coming from inside. Jake held his hands cautiously by his side, ready to strike if need be. Small bolts of lightening crackled in-between his finger tips. Entering the building as quietly a possible, Jake positioned himself behind a bunch of stacked wooden crates and peeked his head around the corner. The warehouse was partially empty; a reasonably sized boat was stashed off to one side, lashed to a towing trailer. Various wooden crates were haphazardly stacked about. The warehouse surprisingly had little dust, which usually indicated that it was frequently used or well looked after. However, something else was also occupying the warehouse. Two female bird-like creatures were flapping about near the moderately expensive looking boat; their high pitched screeches rendered Jake with an instant headache. The bird-creatures couldn't have been any larger than the average teenager or a small child. However their size didn't make them any less deadly. David and his paying customer were probably over by the boat or hidden in the crates near by. Jake had to play this the right way or everyone would probably end up dead. He cursed David for taking on a job he knew he couldn't handle. Jake calculated his options over and over, attempting to find the best course of action. he had the element of surprise, the creatures did not. He stealthily moved from one crate to another. He suspected the creatures to be harpies and summoned ones at that. Who summoned he didn't have a clue, David was going to have a lot of explaining to do after this was over. The harpies were viciously clawing at some wooden crates near to the boat, their shrill cries causing Jake's ears to throb. One of the birds began to cry excitedly and the ferocity of its attacks increased. If he ever wanted to see David again, he had to act now. He didn't really care about the person David was protecting. Jake rolled out from his position and let loose a bolt from his left hand. The bolt streamed through the air and luckily the furthest harpy in the chest. Jake didn't have much experience with launching his spells as projectiles. If his target was fast on their feet his chances of getting a hit greatly decreased. As the bolt connected with the creature?s chest a resounding crack was heard a few seconds later. The Harpy fell to the cold concrete floor of the warehouse with a loud thud, it screamed all the way down. A few seconds later the Harpy The other Harpy unfortunately moved a lot quicker than the first and dodged a second bolt from Jake. It spun in mid-air and angrily and came after him, obviously wanting revenge over its fallen comrade. Its razor sharp talons glinted in the pale moon light as it flew straight for him, its wide eyes were wild with murderous intent. Jake barely scrambled out of the way of the feathery onslaught. He attempted to let loose two more bolts at the creature but both went embarrassingly wide of their target. The bolts hit high glass windows, exploding them inwards, causing shards to rain down on Jake. He cursed as he held his arms up in defense, glass cutting anything it could find. [B]"David!"[/B] Jake called irritably for his friend while ducking another pass from the Harpy, unfortunately he wasn't quick enough. The birds? claws connected with his shoulder and dug in deep. He grimaced in pain and gritted his teeth while stifling a scream. [B]"We're here Hunter!"[/B] David popped his head out from behind a stack of shredded crates, followed by a beautiful young woman. [B]"I've got his covered, I'll distract it. Go, now!" [/B] [B]"OK!"[/B] David and his rather lovely charge moved quickly towards the nearest exit. Jake let fly a few more bolts to draw the creatures as he sprinted across the warehouse as fast as his legs would take him. He had his eye set on a prize, a crow bar in the far left corner. The Harpy was in close pursuit, barely a few center meters behind him, flapping and shrieking angrily. Jake dived for the crow bar and slid several feet before his hand wrapped around it. He flipped over onto his back and swung the metal bar at the creature, electricity coursing through it. The crow bar luckily connected with the harpy?s back as it struck Jake with its razor sharp talons at great speed. [CENTER]+ + + + +[/CENTER] David suspected something was a miss after a few minutes had passed without hearing the harpy?s cries. He decided to investigate further, cautiously approaching a side door of the warehouse and stepping inside. He approached the center of the large area half expecting to see the harpy feeding off his friend?s innards. What he saw was quite different. Jake was slumped over, his head resting on his chest, a few meters away from the harpy. The creature was dead, thankfully. The two conjured dark sprits returned to their true forms, faded from view and disappeared. David approached his comrade and checked his pulse. Jake was bleeding profusely; the wounds left by the harpy were deep. After a minute David withdrew his fingers from pressing lightly on Jakes neck, he was alive. Thankfully. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Red][SIZE=1][B]Special Abilities:[/B] Jake is actually a qualified pilot, light aircraft only however. He also has a special fondness for vehicles and is an excellent driver of anything with one or more wheels. He is not particularly good with fighting using swords or other sharp implements but he is a fairly good shot with a gun. He hasn?t had any martial arts training of any kind.

-In case it wasn?t that clear?Jakes has very limited control over his powers, his chosen from of magic his hard to master let alone use. He generally channels his magic through objects; if none are available he will resort to using a piece of jewelry or his hands. His magic doesn?t seem to be as powerful in projectile form as it is when its channeled through his body or an object but he?s working on it.

[/SIZE] [/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkOrange]Ps: If you wanted a background [B]Tekkaman[/B] it would be no problem at all to make you one. = p

Also, sorry about the length, I got carried away. ^ ^;
[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Ezekiel]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][INDENT][B]"Ya what? Are ya even listening ta me, Yasuo?"

"I've been listening for the last half-hour, Johnson, and now I'm bored of your ranting. I'm going in there and I'm getting rid of this damned problem."[/B]

A young woman, probably around the age of 19, whirled on her heel with a hand buried in her wild hair, short but thick and dyed an odd pale blue colour. Her bodyguard growled audibly and followed her grudgingly, tugging at his tie in the nervous way he was want to do when Yasuo Kiatsu, daughter of the Japanese Ambassador, got out of hand.

[B]"Just because you've been brought up here doesn't mean ya can handle it!"[/B] he barked, almost pleading for him, but it wasn't any good. Johnson knew it and so did Yasuo. She was stubborn and fiery and once her mind was set there was no turning back.

[B]"This creature has been frustrating my younger brothers for a very long time. They cry. They wail. And by God do they [I]whine[/I] when they haven't had enough sleep. I'm putting an end to it."[/B]

Johnson sighed and watched as Yasuo shoved open the large double doors leading into her father's library-come-office, tugging on a pair of exquisite French leather gloves, sans fingertips. She flexed her fingers and settled back lightly on her heels, pushing her orange-tinted glasses further up her nose.

[B]"I know you're in here, pest."[/B] she waved a hand at the doors and, with a sigh and the shake of his head; Johnson closed them to lock her inside.

A cackle met Yasuo's ears and she rolled her eyes, pushing up the sleeves of her blouse as she settled down into a crouch, spinning around to smack something cold and clammy hard in the head. It shrieked and rocketed back against the wall, smoke curling from its shuddering form as the heat of Yasuo's magic settled down. She cracked her fingers and shook her hands out again, smiling coyly.

[B]"Get out of my house and stop bugging the kids."[/B]

The poltergeist pulled itself to its feet and grumbled, pressing stumpy fingers to its cheek where the blast of flame had ignited. It disappeared in a puff of smoke and foul smelling gas, bringing tears to Yasuo's eyes even as she tried to wave it away. She tugged off her gloves and stuffed them in the back pocket of her white jeans, turning grey eyes to see Johnson open the door not soon after.

[B]"Looks like tha' new sensei is paying off, eh?"[/B]

Yasuo smiled brightly and nodded, leaving the room with the grace of one still new and keen to the practice of martial arts.

[B]"Eh, Yasuo, where do you think you're going?"[/B]

[B]"To tell father, I'm sure he'll be pleased he doesn't have to pay to get that thing removed!"[/B][/INDENT][/COLOR]

[B]Pssh, who needs graphics? It's the writing that counts, Tek.

Also, I think I got everything in there, but if it wasn't obvious enough Yasuo's 'level of expertise' is probably mediocre, though she is keen to use her powers.

Fun fact: 'Yasuo Kiatsu' roughly translates to 'peaceful air pressure' =D

[U]EDIT:[/U] Saw that Eclipse had lightning and, seeing as it's rare magic, I've editted to fire instead.[/B][/SIZE]

[Riku]

[COLOR=White][SIZE=1][FONT=Tahoma][B]"Earth to Risa Nightgale.... helllooo?? Are you in there?"[/B] Risa twitched slightly, her thoughts interrupted by a voice whom she was tired of hearing on and on. She tilted her head slightly towards her driver and looked on at him with annoyance, wanting him to shut up so she could think for awhile. [B]"What? What could possibly be of importance now, Rease?"[/B] Her driver and helpful partner, Rease, looked at her with his coy smile, his long light blueish- purple bangs slightly covered his emerald- green eyes. [B]"Well... you've been looking out the window and staying quiet for some time now, and I had to know if you were dead or just drooling in your sleep."[/B] Brushing her long pink hair out of her eyes, Risa glared at him and returned to looking out the window, leaning her head on her hand. [B]"Is this how an employee treats the employer? And besides,"[/B] she took a quick glance at the top of his head, [B]"if it weren't for me, I'm sure people would want to have you killed because of your horns and dragon- like wings."[/B] Rease chuckled a bit and flipped his bangs to the side, his eyes still on the road. [B]"Well, yes, I'll have to thank you for that. If you weren't such a respected paranormal bodyguard and you hadn't found me almost dying, I would've been dead months ago."[/B] [B]"And your point is?"[/B] she replied, still looking out the window. [B] "That I'm thankful for everything you did and will always help you out whenever necessary."[/B] Sighing a bit, Risa turned back into her normal position in her seat and crossed her arms, slightly blushing and looking towards Rease for a bit. [B]"Well, if you're so damn thankful,"[/B] she replied sternly, [B]"then could you please at least drive more faster so that we can get rid of that paranormal disturbance [B]on time[/B]?"[/B] Rease smiled and nodded, driving faster towards their destination on the empty road. [CENTER]++++[/CENTER] [B]"Oh thank God you're here!"[/B] Both Risa and Rease stepped out of the blue Jeep, looking upon a crowd of people staring inside a gas station that had a few broken windows and items thrown outside. Risa started towards the front of the crowd as Rease and the gas station owner followed closely beside her. She stared into the station, quickly eying the black creature that was trashing the inside. After watching it's actions for a bit, Risa crossed her arms and slightly turned her head towards the owner. [B]"How long has it been inside there?" "I... I don't know,"[/B] the owner stuttered, [B]"about an hour and a half."[/B] Rease wrote the owner's statement down onto his notebook and stepped toward Risa, leaning his head toward hers. [B]"It looks like a Jackal,"[/B] he whispered softly, making sure no one else heard. [B]"I remember you had a real tough time with these when we were on the boat harbor. Are you sure you can manage it?"[/B] [B]"I can manage it, okay, Rease? I'm not a paranormal bodyguard for n..."[/B] Suddenly, a loud howl was heard coming from the station, causing the crowd to scream and run for their lives. Rease and Risa readied themselves and watched as the Jackal jumped out of the building. It was fairly big, crouched down onto it's knees and it's hands on the ground, looking like a big, monstrous dog. It's big ears and brown fur stood up as the Jackal growled violently with it's fangs showing. Rease gently put his books down and readied his hands while his purple wings suddenly grew out at full length and his eyes shining a bright green. But, before he could do anything, Risa looked at him sternly while shaking her head side to side, causing him to return to his normal state. [B]"I don't need your help this time,"[/B] she said, turning her attention to the monstrous Jackal, [B]"besides, if you help me out, it'll seem like I can't do anything on my own."[/B] Rease disagreed for awhile, but without being able to say anything, the Jackal lunged forward towards them with it's mouth and fangs ready. Risa quickly pushed Rease to the side and lifted her hands up, a gust of wind emitting from her palms, pushing the Jackal backwards onto the ground. As it was slowly getting up, she ran over to where a broken fence was lying on the ground. Picking it up until it was wobbling but standing, Risa waited until the Jackal was back on it's feet and running towards her. When it was in arm length, she summoned another gust of strong wind from her palms, causing the fence to blow onto the jackal and pin it down onto the ground. Dusting her palms off, she slowly walked towards Rease as the onlookers were cheering crazily. She crossed her arms as she came closer to him, her face showing that she was proud of what she had done. [B]"See?," [/B]she finally replied, [B]"I told you I c-" "Risa! Watch out behind you!"[/B] Quickly turning around, Risa caught the yellow glowing eyes of the Jackal already out of the fence trap and lunging toward her. She was caught so off guard that it tackled and pinned her down, it's hot steamy breath blowing onto her face and it's claws digging deep into her flesh that the wounds were already bleeding. [B]"Crap..."[/B] Risa cried under her clenched teeth, one eye closed from the pain coming from the wounds. She forgot that Jackals weren't so easy to get rid of and that their claws could practically cut through anything. As she thought harshly about herself, the Jackal vaguely yet surely sneered at her, already claiming his victory. Suddenly, without warning, Risa also sneered annoyingly, causing the Jackal to look at her confusingly. [B]"I wouldn't claim victory just yet..."[/B] Suddenly, her pink hair and clothes started to wave around from the sudden burst of wind, her palms lifted upwards. Hearing Rease telling everyone to hang onto something, the Jackal jumped back from her and started to run away. But as soon as Risa stood up and lifted her right hand towards the Jackal, a medium dust tornado blew in from the right out of nowhere, ensnaring the dog into it's lethal wind. Being able to mildly control her wind magic, no one else was sucked into the tornado, but felt the wind's power. After a few seconds, Risa then waved right hand towards the station wall. The dust tornado then vanished after throwing the Jackal violently towards the wall, causing it to hit it and fall down to the ground knocked out. The crowd that was left cheered from the background. Seeing Rease sighing with relief made her smile a bit, causing her to turn around and give him a thumbs- up. [B]"See? Told you your worrying was worthless."[/B] [CENTER]++++[/CENTER] [B]Name:[/B] Risa Nightgale [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Age:[/B] Seventeen [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://img109.imageshack.us/my.php?image=girlho4.jpg]Risa Nightgale[/URL] (That's her uniform when she goes to school. Her normal outfit is a dark- red turtleneck sweater, denim skirt, knee high white socks and black boots.) [B]Personality:[/B] Stern at times and easily annoyed, but she can be a caring and protective person when she needs to be. [B]Level of Magic:[/B] Mediocre [B]Magic Type:[/B] Wind [B] Other Special Skills:[/B] Has practiced martial arts for seven years. EDIT: I just redid my whole thing so I can think I actually have a chance.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Sakura]

A young woman of 18, ran down a deserted alley, her feet silent, breathing quiet but ragged. She was on a chase, and this was an important one. She slowed her pace and silently caught her breath while she waited, pressed against a wall. [B]"Nics, got anything?"[/B] a male voice sounded in her ear. [B]"Neg'. Waitin'."[/B] she murmered, the voice chip stuck to her throat picked up the vibrations and transmitted them to her partner. She didn't want to speak more than she had to incase the murmur was picked up by the person they were chasing. [B]"Alright, lemme know."[/B] Nicolette rolled her eyes, as if she wouldn't immediately tell him if something was happening. She crept forward, sliding against the wall as she blended in with the shadows, moving closer toward the target. There was a muffled banging as the man knocked on what looked like a solid piece of the wall, but from the sounds of it, it was fake. [B]"Oi, hurry up!"[/B] the man hissed. The door swung open quickly, allowing the man to dash in before it swung closed. [B]"Target has just entered an unknown door."[/B] she reported quietly, swiftly moving to the portal. Nicole rubbed her hands together and extended her arm. She carefully ran fingers around the frame of the door and found the slither thin gap that allowed it to open and close. There were small bumps which were the hinges that also allowed it to work. It was sneaky, but smart. [B]"Get over here already."[/B] she whispered, moving away from the door. Minutes later her partner showed up, arriving quietly and sliding into place beside her. Nicolette pushed some long black strands of hair behind her ear, the little light shining in revealed its true colour to be a very dark navy blue. [B]"Cain. Back up when I bust."[/B] she whispered. Her male friend nodded and prepared himself, pulling out a gun and bringing it up to eye level. Nic moistened her lips as she moved to the door again, Cain shadowing her. She reached up with two fingers from her right hand, touching an area where one of the hinges were. Concentrating on it, magic flowed through her body and out of her fingertips, emerging in the form of ice as she froze the patch of door around the hinge. She repeated the process on the other hinge, and the area that she predicted where the lock was. Her crimson eyes focussed on the ice and she commanded them to shatter powerfully, taking away those pieces of the door too. Nicolette looked to Cain who nodded. She delivered a powerful kick to the door and watched it fall in, moving to the side quickly since she was currently unarmed. She reached over her right shoulder and grabbed the hilt of her Nagimaki, drawing it with ease and swinging it infront of her as she rushed in after Cain who could already be heard firing. Her eyes swept the room, searching for the target amid all the chaos. It seemed this was some secret hideout and they'd been lazing about, knocking back some strong alcohol and playing poker. Nicolette spotted their target heading out the back door and quickly ran for it, hurdling over any obstacles that got in her way. She had to shove a few people out of the way, but she made it to the exit, sprinting through another alley. She had to catch him soon, before he reached the end of the alley where it merged into a busy street. Nicole flung her hand out quickly, power flowing freely from her to wrap around his feet. The ice trapped him immediately, not allowing him to move his feet at all. She grinned and ran up, holding her Nagimaki at the ready. [B]"Cain, you done in there?"[/B] she asked. [B]"Yeah, I'm right here."[/B] he called, coming up beside her, gun pointed at the target. [B]"We've finally got you, after so many months, Mr. Huang."[/B] Nicolette smiled. [B]"You think so?"[/B] the man smirked before flames burst around his feet, spreading upward to surround him. Before either of them could do anything, he disappeared. [B]"Damnit! We were so close!"[/B] she growled angrily. [B]"Maybe next time."[/B] Cain sighed, putting his gun away. Nic sheathed her nagimaki and the two of them continued up the alley, walking onto the busy street and heading back to the office. [CENTER]---[/CENTER] [B]OOC:[/B] Nicolette kinda looks like [B][URL=http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1310/girls992fr9.jpg][u]THIS[/u][/URL][/B] but her hair's darker. She often wears baggy, casual clothing; like baggy jeans and a large hoodie. But sometimes she also dresses more feminine, with more flattering outfits. Her special skills are mainly; fighting with an assortment of weapons (her favourite weapon is her Nagimaki), and being good with technology (computers, etc.). I'd also say that her magic ability is pretty professional. She's been working on it a lot. So yeah. And a shout-out to Eclipse for the Graphics ^^

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][color=darkslateblue]The limo pulled up infront of the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art and parked a tad sloppily just before the police blockades. The driver promptly opened his door and soared out of his seat to open the door to the back. A man of about 5'10 stepped out one leg at a time. His body adorned in a beautiful blue, white, and gold traditional Han chinese robe. His cheekbones were sharp and his face and head showed no hair aside from a small triangular soul patch that looked more like a tatoo than facial hair. He was younger then people have come to expect from most chinese men of modern day that dressed the way he was.

His limo driver bowed quickly to him and outstretched his arms to his side, as if to say [i]"this way!"[/i]. The man nodded his head and placed his hand on the driver's right shoulder, and proceeded in the direction.

[b]"Master Shang!"[/b] the voice from one of the Museum doormen said, as Shang Quan of Ji-lin acsended the stairway. Quan bowed his head to the guard and spoke.

[b]"Please, point me in the direction of the disturbance."[/b]

[b]"Please sir, follow me!"[/b] the doorman said as he hurried himself to escort the regal yet tough looking chinese man toward the Warring States exhibit. Quan followed, his sheathed Dao sabre swaying at his waist. They were stopped at the doorway to the exhibit, and the escorting duties were taken over by one of the detectives.

[b]"Master Shang, it's the ceremonial statue of Guan Yu. None of the officers or guards can seem to get too close to it. It's difficult to explain, but it's like they are being repelled!"[/b] the detective said, a bit excitedly. Quan just laughed subtly to himself and looked toward the statue's direction.

[b]"Well now, that wasn't so hard to explain after all...now was it?"[/b] Quan said, giving the detective a smile before approaching the statue a little bit more. He took one more step and felt the presence of the barrier that had been described to him. He stood about 10 feet away from the statue and turned his head in both directions as if looking for something. He pressed his hand out onto what would seem to be the surface of the invisible barrier and dimmed his smile down to a more serious look.

[b][i]'Such menial trickery, your purpose for being here better be a good one. Not that any reason you give would be considered "reasonable" anyhow. The greatest shame of this situation is what you will do if I do not go as far as destroying that statue to stop you...I suppose I could do it cleanly, so a chance for successful repair is high'[/b][/i] Quan thought to himself as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. Quan unsheathed it and held it with bent elbow infront of his chest as if about to thrust.

[b]"M...master Shang? What are you doing?"[/b] one of the guards asked, a bit concerned at the sight of the sword.

[b]"Shang! We've already tried getting to it! Surely you feel the barrie..."[/b] one of the higher up officers began to say, but was promptly cut off by Quan's swift swinging motion of the sword where the statue's neck is located. He twirled his sword around once and sheathed it as everone watched on, confused as to what the super natural exorcist was attempting.

[b]"Um...Master Shang...it was a nice try, but it's like we said...we just can't get throu..."[/b]

The guard's sentence was left unfinished, due to the sight of the statue's head falling over and onto the floor as it layed cleaved from it's body. Loud gasps came from the crowd of police and museum employees, mixed between ones of amazement and ones of horror from seeing one of the most popular ceremonial statues from chinese history decapitated.

It was then a flash of light emitted from the headles statue, as a goat-headed apparition emerged from the severed neck of Guan Yu and grunted angrily.

[b]"Curse you, demon of the wind! You will not have the satisfaction of doing away with me!"[/b] the apparition scowled as it flew out and thrusted forward at high speeds toward Quan.

[b]"Master Shang! L..look out!"[/b] a cry came as the supernatural entity thrusted into Quan. More gasps of amazement came from the crowd of officials as Quan's garments seemed to sway, as if outside in the wind. In front of him, the apparition was being held off by a swirling mass off wind too dense to allow entry.

[b]"Demon of the wind? Well I don't know about demon now...but you may tell whomever you want whatever you want once you are returned from where you came!"[/b] Quan said, starting off low then leading into a shout as he fired out the dense wind infront of him toward the ceiling of the museum, carrying the apparition with it.

The manifestation of wind crashed into the ceiling, creating a loud crashing sound as rocks and rubble began to fall from the roof. Officials screamed but the debris never hit the ground as they were carried away on small gusts of wind and placed gently into an empty corner.

Quan looked around, waiting for a possible counterattack by the ghostly figure. He let a minute pass before dusting his vestment off and walking toward the head detective.

[b]"He...did you destroy it?"[/b] the detective ask.

[b]"No. I'm afraid it escaped in order to preserve it's existence here on this plane. However, I can assure you that it will not return here."[/b] Quan said, as he bowed before the officer in charge and began walking out of the museum.

[b]"Oh! Please, send the bill for the damage to my residence. I will pay it more than willingly."[/b] Quan exclaimed after stopping for a brief moment, then continued walking.

Outside, Quan's limo driver greeted him.

[b]"Master, have you succeeded?"[/b]

[b]"Yes, it was a Capra Apparition. It managed to escape, but it fears me far too much to show itself around these territories once more."[/b] Quan said as he bowed his head in thanks for having his door opened for him. The driver closed the door, but was still confused about one detail.

[b]"Master...I am glad you have done this great service, however...I thought apparitions were like ghosts? Aren't they impossible to deal damage to, even with your advanced wind techniques?"[/b]

Quan laughed subtly to himself again before turning his head to his servant.

[b]"Fan, there is much you do not know about the supernatural. These people share that same bliss as you...perhaps it is better that way. But remember, there is much more to these occurences and entities then what you read in books, or see on TV. "[/b] Quan explained, as his driver Wu Fan bowed his head in understanding, not wanting to question his master's knowledge.[/color]

[center]* * * * *[/center]

[b]Name[/b] - Shang Quan (surname/given name)
[b]Gender[/b] - Male
[b]Age[/b] - 30
[b]Appearance[/b] - Explained above
[b]Personality[/b] - In case it isn't clear, Quan is a man doing quite well for himself. He is respected and respectful, and is more than dedicated to eradicating the threat to the human world, whether it be minor or major. He is proud of his chinese heritage, as shown by his clothing, styles of fighting, and belongings.
[b]Level of Magic Use[/b] - I'd say fairly advanced, but not the strongest in the world.
[b]Magic Type[/b]: Wind
[b]Other Special Skills[/b]: Quan uses the sword fighting style of the chinese Dao sabre, or falchion. In addition Quan is quite nimble with his hands and his feet, though his movements are almost as sharp as his mind.

Quan is also an excellent cook, skilled in cuisines not only chinese in origin but many dishes from other cultures as well. Though he could hire chefs to cook him his meals, he chooses to do it himself to fulfill the hobby.

[b]Note:[/b] In case anyone didn't get what happened when Quan slashed at the statue from so far away. He used his wind ability to create a sort of extension off of his sword and used the wind to slice the head off.

[b]Note 2:[/b] <--Proud member of the no nifty graphic for his sign-up club :cool:[/FONT]

[Kitty]

[SIZE=1]People seem to be picking up on my indenting style, I've noticed. ;D I guess I'm not the only one who's too lazy to make pretty graphics. o:

Well, no sign up yet. But I'm posting to let you know I'm working on it, so expect it by tomorrow at the latest! >:3

[b]edit ::[/b] Went a little overboard with the sign up. >__>;; Hope it's not [i]too[/i] long. D:

[indent][center]---[/center]

[b]?It?s awfully cold in here, don?t you think??[/b]

[b]?Suck it up, Robbie.?[/b]

A man and a woman sat quietly on the cold, metal floor of an old hospital, badly worn down from bad weather and break-ins since its closing. The room they were stuck in looked like an operating room, but anything inside that would have alluded to it being such was either broken or missing.

The younger, redheaded man rubbed his shoulders for warmth before a blithe expression made its way onto his face.

[b]?Y?know, Ray, we could always [I]snuggle[/I] to keep warm,?[/b] he grinned. Visibly flinching, though still concentrating on the door?s window, Ray clenched her teeth as she thought over whether her partner?s comment deserved verbal retaliation, or simply a shot through the head.

Deciding the higher ups wouldn?t appreciate [I]another[/I] dead cop, she went with attempting to talk to him instead. She knew whatever she said wouldn?t stick for very long, but she?d give it a shot anyway. Brushing the fallen strands of her long black hair out of her face, she turned to Robbie and growled, [b]?For the last time, Robbie, I am [I]not[/I] attracted to you. At all. And I?d appreciate it if you?d just drop it, alright??[/b]

[b]?I know you don?t like me, but I hear you talking back at HQ with Officer Jansen a lot, and I figure you might be just desperate enough??[/b]

[b]?Wait, wait, wait,?[/b] she interrupted, a look of horror slowly shadowing her already dark expression, [b]?You hear me talking with Lily??[/b]

[b]?It?s not like I have to go out of my way,?[/b] he smiled, [b]?You two talk pretty loud, and you?re always leaving your office doors open, too. Practically [I]everyone[/I] knows how long it?s been since your last??[/b]

[b]?Okay. Stop talking. Now.?[/b] The blush on her face was quite visible despite the lack of lighting, giving her partner more reason to chuckle. She eyed him furiously, but quickly pulled her hands over her eyes and let out a sigh. Seeing her sudden sullen look, he tried to spit out a sentence or two of comfort between his laughs.

[b] ?I?m just kidding, Ray! I?m probably the only one bored enough at HQ to sit around waiting to hear people, like you and Jansen, start talking about anything interesting.?[/b] Despite his efforts to reassure her, she seemed unaffected, and his constant giggling didn?t help his cause.

[b]?It?s not like I?m the only twenty-eight year old to not be in a relationship,?[/b] she began, talking more to herself than to the snorting redhead beside her, [b]?I just? Have this [I]thing[/I], and I can?t control it sometimes. When I get excited, particularly during? well, you know? something happens that I can?t stop.?[/b]

By now, Robbie had stopped laughing, and was listening curiously. She took note of his gaze and stayed silent for a moment before he sighed and rolled his eyes.

[b]?Look, I don?t tell people what I hear.?[/b] Narrowing her emerald green eyes at him for a moment, Ray figured it would be alright to tell him. It would be nice if someone knew, anyway.

[b]?You want to know why it?s so cold in here??[/b] she asked with a sudden smirk.

[b]?Why??[/b]

[b]?Because I?m real damn scared of??[/b]

A loud crash from outside interrupted her, as if to finish her sentence for her. The two of them shared a look of fright, and then a look of agreement, as they both stood up slowly, grabbing for their guns. Snarls, loud breathing and clumsy footsteps from outside meant that what they had been hiding from had found them before back up could. The two cops knew that they weren?t facing anything human, or any [I]normal[/I] animal, but they hoped bullets would damage the creature outside enough for them to get out alive.

[b]?How do you do it??[/b] Robbie whispered suddenly.

[b]?Hmm? Oh. My body is like an extreme air conditioner,?[/b] she responded in a low voice. Though the two of them were staring at the door, she could almost feel the look of skepticism she knew was now resting on her partner?s face. [b]?I know it sounds ridiculous, but when I get excited, like I said, I can freeze things. When I touch, or sometimes even just look at something, it will suddenly freeze over.?[/b]

[b]?Damn. Where were you during the heat wave last month? I could?ve just hung out with you instead of trying to commandeer my neighbor?s pool with some made up law,?[/b] he joked quietly. She couldn?t help but let out a laugh at the comment, which she almost immediately regretted, as the furry beast from outside suddenly came charging through the door towards her.

The two of them unloaded their clips in a matter of seconds, leaving the creature confused and bleeding. As the two of them fumbled with their next magazines, a loud howl from the beast caused Ray to glance up at it, and soon she was frozen in place, staring silently with her mouth hanging open. Robbie, however, wasn?t distracted, and had his gun held back up in front of him in a half a minute, though the sudden stillness of the creature made his trigger finger hesitate. Glancing over at Ray and noticing her state of shock, he tried to snap her out of it.

[b]?Ray? Ray! [I]Ray[/I]! Wake up, dammit!?[/b]

The creature, covered in long gray fur, was visibly shaking as it went from standing on all fours to its hind legs. Its golden eyes changed to chilly blue, and its long claws and teeth were beginning to shrink. It suddenly clutched its head and let out another howl, forcing the two stunned cops to wince and clutch their ears. Before they knew it, the ferocious beast had transformed into a naked and trembling teenage boy, whose left arm and chest was almost completely covered in blood from two very large wounds.

[b]?Hey kid? You okay??[/b] Ray began, taking a step forward. Before she could reach him, he fell flat onto the ground.

[b]?****!?[/b] Ray and Robbie cursed simultaneously. Robbie knelt at the boy?s side, checking to see if he was still alive, while Ray peeked out from the doorway to see if it was empty.

[b]?I can?t believe I?m checking for werewolves,?[/b] Ray found herself muttering. Suddenly, the sound of thundering footsteps surrounded the three of them, and though their source was still out of Ray?s line of sight, she knew that back up had finally arrived. Putting her gun back in its holster and walking towards Robbie, she asked if the boy was alright.

[b]?Oh, he?s alive. One of us- meaning, most likely you- pierced his left shoulder, but the big wound looks more like a bite than anything. I guess he?s new at the werewolf-ing thing,?[/b] he laughed, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

[b]?Poor kid. He?s probably in for a lot of trouble for this. I think we?re the only cops he didn?t manage to maul to death tonight,?[/b] she sighed, a look of sympathy crossing her face as she looked over the boy?s bloody body.

The footsteps, which had become merely background noise to their talking, had grown loud enough to grab Ray?s attention. Returning to the doorway, she stepped to greet the coming police force before a sudden force knocked her off her feet, sending her flying backwards in the hallway. As she collided with the wall, she heard the protesting shouts of Robbie, followed by gunshots and the mutterings of the men that had just arrived. Panic flooded her as she scrambled to stand up, but she couldn?t take a step away from the wall she leaned so dependently on before she saw someone leaving the room where she was sure two fresh corpses rested.

A rather tall man approached her, his eyes hidden behind intimidating, dark shades. He flashed a badge in front of him to let her know they weren?t enemies, or at least they weren?t yet. But before he could say a word, Ray immediately asked, [b]?Did you kill Robbie??[/b] The man raised an eyebrow, before realizing who she was talking about.

[b]?Yes, one of my men was forced to kill Officer Wells. He tried to stand in the way of our elimination of the threat.?[/b]

[b] ?You mean the werewolf boy? You killed him, too??[/b] Ray felt so many things creeping up in her throat as she talked to the man; fear, guilt, anger, and even a little of her stomach?s contents.

[b] ?Yes. Now, Officer Diamond, if you?d kindly come with me??[/b] he said, reaching a hand out to grab her, but she pulled away. When he attempted again, she cried out in protest, waving her hand at him as if it would magically make him stop. But, much to her surprise, it did. He was frozen solid right in front of her.

Edging away against the wall and around the icicle of a man she had just created, she realized what had just happened. Steam formed as her short breaths escaped into the air, and she cursed at herself. It had never been this bad before, and she didn?t know how to stop it now.

Rushing towards the room she had been in for the past few hours, she was afraid of what she?d see, but knew she wouldn?t be able to leave the building without observing everything that was in it. Sure enough, the first thing she spotted was Robbie?s body, and then the unlucky boy who had just had one hell of a night. But what she hadn?t expected to see was their bodies, along with the six or seven men that she had mistaken for back up, completely frozen.

[b] ?Holy ****,?[/b] she whispered, stepping backwards slowly. She had no idea if this was permanent or not, but she didn?t want to stay here. No, she convinced herself, the further away from this damn place she got, the better. But before she left, she ripped off her badge, and dropped all of the equipment issued to her from HQ, including her pistol, on the ground around her feet as a sign of resignation. The man in shades wore a badge, and Ray refused to be associated with any kind of government whose officials would kill a defenseless, injured boy and another officer.

[b]?See ya, Robbie,?[/b] she sighed, steam rising from her lips as she spoke. She then turned and ran off towards the exit, hoping she could just get home without running into any other supernatural creatures or freaky men in shades. Today was strange and stressful enough without her having to deal with even [I]more[/I] before she got a decent night?s rest.[/indent][/SIZE]

[Annie]

[size=1]I, too, am working on a character. This looks like it could be fun, and it's been a while since I've showed my face around these here parts. I'd like to get back into the swing.

I'd say expect my sign-up by tonight or tomorrow afternoon.[/size]

[b][size=1]EDIT[/b]- All righty, I've completed my character. Sorry if it's not up to par, I've been out of the loop for some time.

[b]Edit 2[/b]- Blarg, "necrophilia" is supposed to be "necrophiliac". Stupid Word Processor.

[indent]
[i]12 years ago-- Tuscany, Italy[/i]

[b]?Angelica! Wait!?[/b] a boy of, maybe, 12 called out.

He had been chasing her through the crowded, steep streets of Tuscany for nearly an hour. His breath was growing thin, and his frail heart beat wildly to catch up with his legs. The small 11-year-old girl named ?Angelica? kept her cadence, but quickly looked over her shoulder.

[b]?Go away, Frances! Leave me alone! You'll never understand me,?[/b] the slender girl yelled over her shoulder.

[b]?Why are you running from me? I won?t tell a soul, I promise!?[/b] Frances huffed, finally coming to a stop beside the towns? crowning water fountain.

He heaved hard, limping to a bench and crumbling onto it; scaring away the pigeons that cooed and purred for food. Angelica realized her friend had stopped chasing and she spun around to see him convulsing on the bench. His ghastly display of wrenching and gagging caught the attention of passing citizens. Several crowded around him and started shouting for the ambulance.

[b]?FRANCES!!?[/b] she cried, knowing full-well what was happening.

She sped across the cobblestone and shoved people out of her way. A burly man grabbed a hold of her tiny, bony arm and whirled her around.

[b]?He needs air, let the boy breathe!?[/b] he said, tossing Angelica like a rag doll.

[b]?No, he needs my help! He needs me!? [/b]Angelica wailed on the man?s thick thigh.

[b]?Look, you little squirt, you can?t help him!?[/b] he roared back, kicking his leg like a mule.

Angelica soared back into the streets, scraping her hands and elbows on the rough stones. Stinging tears welled up in her big, brown eyes. She gritted her gapped teeth and curled her little fists, which began to flicker with little sparks. Angelica, brushed her tears away and ran towards the bench. Her hands spread out, shocking every person she neared. She slammed her palms on Frances? chest, rubbing him softly.

[b]?Please, don?t leave me again. You?re my best friend,? [/b]Angelica whispered, her eyes focusing on her friend?s twisted face.

[b]"You're going to lose him!"[/b] a woman cried out.

The whine of the ambulance finally came into hearing distance, but Angelica didn?t budge. Her hands glowed and sparked. Webs of electricity trickled between her fingers. Frances? little body jumped from the bench, but he still wouldn?t breathe. Again, Angelica placed her palms on his chest, squeezing his pectorals gently. This time, the bolts of electricity shone a bit brighter, causing all the citizens to jump back in fright.

[b]?Frances?..please..?[/b] Angelica pleaded.

[i]Present day-- 2 undercover agents are hungry.[/i]

[b]?Yo, Earth to Angelica, you?re going to lose him!? [/b]

The scruffy, unshaven 24-year-old man snapped his fingers impatiently at his careless partner. His eyes cried for food, and for the taste of absolution. The two had been following a shyte case for almost 6 months with no productive results. The only ones they did gather was that they were, again, without money each and every night. And they were trudging through muck and filth at the sewage treatment plant. And it was beginning to wear her partner very, very thin.

Angelica exhaled a cloud of smoke. It would be her last cigarette out of her emergency stash. She was savoring the sweetness of the cheap Italian-made tobacco. It would certainly be a long time before she could afford any more. Her cold, apathetic eyes slinked around and finally fixated on the creature in her left hand.

[b]?Angelica!?

?Shut up, Marcus!?[/b] she hissed, [b]"I know what I'm doing."[/b]

Chewing on the filter of her cigarette, Angelica reached around her back with her free hand and fiddled around in her hip satchel to pull out a pair of dark sunglasses. The low-life scum she held in her hand was a necrophiliac and had been caught on several occasions feasting on corpses along the riverside. The corpses ranged from dead rodents to horses to humans who had been ?bumped off?. And frankly, society found this creature rather unsettling and repulsive. Basically, it was creating a big scene, and Angelica and her impatient partner, Marcus, were called to take out the garbage. No on in their precinct liked dealing with ?flesh eaters?. They carried all sorts of diseases, wielded complicated curses and vanishing spells, and were even rumored to be ?from out of this world?. So, of course, they had to be disposed of.

So here she was, pissed off that she and her partner had to risk their lives and covers for barely any reward. They were lucky to get fifty dollars a week for these duties. The PPA (Paranormal Protection Agency) was a small, low-funded organization Angelica had fallen into who treated their agents with little respect. Not to mention, the entire corp. was even more crooked than a pig?s tail. But, this is where Angelica dwelled. Holding a greasy and atrociously smelling beast in her hand. Luckily for her, it was a small thing. No bigger than a domestic cat. It wriggled and squirmed, slipping between Angelica?s fingers.

[b]?If you don?t want to lose your eyesight, Marcus, I?d put those sunglasses on,? [/b]she winked over her shoulder, [b]?This is going to be nasty.?[/b]

Marcus grumbled, and pulled his sunglasses down from the top of his forehead. Smirking slightly, making her stubbed cigarette dance playfully, Angelica concentrated. The dim lighting of tired, burnt out lamps of the treatment plant began to flicker in the fog. One-by-one, the bulbs began to pop and burst, sending glass and sparks to the ground below. Any hot particle sizzled as it touched the sludge coating the cement.

Angelica?s smirk grew into a smile as the fog around her twinkled with specks of lightning. Marcus took a few steps back, his body tensing up as the electricity in the air gushed past him. The Italian woman spat her cigarette to the ground, her chapped lips moved slowly in a chant. All of a sudden, the specks of lightning rushed to the palm of her right hand, forming a sphere.

[b][i]?Lampo tempesta!!?[/b][/i] Angelica cried, bringing her sphere of light down onto the creature under her left hand. The sphere popped, sending a clap into the air and flash of lightning into the sky. The ground below her spat and crackled. Streams of electricity and light whizzed and swirled where the necrophiliac had once been.

[b]?God damnit, that took you long enough,?[/b] Marcus sighed, brushing the hairs of his arm back down to their natural state.

[b]?Clamp it,? [/b]Angelica growled, [b]?Now, let?s go get our reward. I?m starving, and I want a cigarette.?

?Yes, my o? unholy witch,?[/b] Marcus teased.

[b]?Don?t call me that.?

?What, a witch??[/b] Marcus danced around her.

[b]?No. ?Unholy?."[/b] Angelica dusted her smoking hand on her soft, worn out leather pants.
[/size][/indent]

[size=1][i]*By the way, [url=http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/anne-mae/asia.jpg][u]this[/u][/url] is what Angelica DeJesus looks like. She's 23, and is pretty comfortable with her magic. However, sometimes it doesn't work quite well as she'd like, so she studied some combat. She throws knives.[/i][/size]

[Blayze]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Alright, guys, excellent sign-ups so far, I can tell I'm going to have a hell of a time deciding on the final line-up. Sign-ups are still open until tomorrow, when I shall close them and choose who is in.

Until then, keep sending in those sign-ups, and I would still appreciate some graphics if anyone feels like very kindly donating some.

Thanks.
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