~*~* Chronicles Of The Rift II *~*~ Starts [Mature] FINISHED!

[Roy Karrde]

Chronicles Of The Rift 2
Brought to you by:
Roy Karrde

Series Created by
Roy Karrde and Fai D. Flowright

Two worlds collide, two worlds subside.
Two different strokes that create brilliant,
Vivid objects upon the canvas of life are blended,
As the brush overlaps colors.

As the two connect,
The surreal surroundings become obsolete
As they begin to spiral into a centrifugal web of emotions.

As they cross barriers,
Each become archeologists of the heart,
As each dig to find what each world has to offer.

Things are discovered,
New territory to be explored,
Terrain that has never been mapped is uncovered,
As each set sail upon the ocean of discovery.
—Anonymous

It has been one year since the last group of warriors emerged victorious from their struggle and reunited two worlds. Those chosen ones soon found themselves back in their own bodies and in their own homes. Now it is time for a new set of warriors to step forth, some will be ones that journeyed before, some will be new ones to take the journey.

In the world known as Sünde there are two continents of civilization. Each as different as day and night. One of them, lives in absolute harmony, they are called God’s People by those that envy them, for they are beautiful and live a life of tranquility of half breeds and humans, in which no harm can touch them. On the other continent there are the Fearls, nasty and horrible looking creatures who live in pain and agony, but at the same time live a life of endless battle. The only thing separating the two civilizations are large crystals erected by God to protect his people, the crystals which take Mana from the core of Sünde not only repeal the Fearls, but also provide the people of Gens with their lavish lifestyle.

Over the many centuries the people of Gens began to take for granted what God had given them, often taking for granted their lifestyle and beauty. Many believe this is what led to their downfall, as the chapels and shrines built for God were torn down for things that would further their comfort.

Angered by this God told the Mana to stop powering the crystals and turned his back on the people of Gens. With no way to protect themselves the Fearls soon began to invade and slowly town by town was attacked by the Fearls. The land of Gens soon became too dangerous for most travelers and those that were once known as God’s People had to hide and live in fear.

Although God was not with out mercy, he sought out warriors to come to Gens since there was none to be found in that land, in hopes that the warriors would visit each of the six shrines hidden in the land and to restart the mana flow and defeat the Fearls.

This is where you come in, while visiting the Pokemasters boards one day you notice a PM from a new member asking you to join his new RPG. When you click on the link you are surprised to find the plot is intriguing and unique for some one with only one post. You are almost compelled to sign up, and once you do your finger hovers over the enter button. When you press it down, the whole world seems to spin before darkness overcomes you.

When you wake up you find yourself in a new body, just like the one you wrote in your sign up. You are the next group of Chosen Warriors, tasked with the duty of bringing hope and freedom to a land on the brink of disaster, but the most important thing you bring is... faith

Chain Group
Roy Karrde: Adalia
Kalad1: Danarica
Bulbasaur4: Moswen
Crystal Tears: Sierra
Toxicity: Aroya
Dark-San
Classy_cat18: Kite
Dr.McNinja: Dimitri
Prof JB. Wolf: Ban Ravi
PoLHaruko-san: Ovan
PokemonLuver: Loki

Real Name: What you call yourself in real life, Nicknames if you need
Gender: Male or Female
Personality: Your real personality
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
(this is the form that appears in the RPG that your character joins)
Name: Make it sound ancient or unique; this is a whole new world. Regular names like Mike are not commonplace here
Gender: Again Male or Female
Race: Human or Half Breed. Half Breed can be any animal combined with a Human within reason
Age: List your characters age or atleast the age that they appear
Bodily Appearance: Include all details on your appearance, you guy’s know the drill. if you are a Half Breed use this part to describe what makes you different from a normal human
Clothing Appearance: Be as specific as you can be here. If you don’t put it here, people won’t know what you have or don’t have.
Weapon: Describe your weapon here, what it looks like, functions, and if it has any special abilities. Keep the weapons within reason, and remember this is like the middle ages, so no Guns or superior weaponry, if you are a Summoner or your class requires some sort of pet, describe the pet or spirit here. Remember it needs to be small and weak at first.
Magic: Describe here how you use your magic, the process and over all ability some of it is, you don’t have to describe all of your magic since there will be things that you pick up or decide to change on the way, but just a brief introduction to it.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Have you been changed any by entering the RPG? If you have describe it here, if not leave this blank
Other: Insert anything else here

Magic System: In this RPG the Magic is up to the users imagination. There is several types of magic that could be used from Summon magic, to Tarot Magic, to Object Magic, to Elemental Magic, or what ever else you decide. Magic will vary every time you use it, since nothing can ever be recreated exactly the same down to every detail, magic is no different. Colors can be different such as blue flames instead of red along with intensity and other elements of magic. No two times you use a spell will be exactly the same.

Character Example:
Real Name: Ryan Lutz
Gender: Male
Personality: He cares about his friends the most, he would bend over backwards to help a friend and do about anything for them. He isn’t that easily annoyed and shrugs most things off. He likes to joke around a lot and have fun; he is also a bit of a womanizer and enjoys flirting. Lately he has had a lot of stress, which has caused his usual happy personality to be somewhat depressed.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: [i]Adalia
Gender: [i]Female
Race: Human
Age: 11
Bodily Appearance: Picture (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/Roykarrde/ryanbday.jpg)Only measuring 4’8” she’s about right height for her age. She has soft light hazel eyes and long golden blond hair that stretches down just half way before her elbows, she doesn’t have much of a body figure yet, and it is pretty much kept hidden under the thick robe. She has soft skin that with her healing powers allows her to keep from having a single blemish, She has a bit of a small button nose and her hair dips down to just above her eyebrows.
Clothing Appearance: Picture (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/Roykarrde/ryanbday.jpg)A long flowing white robe that reaches her feet, the robe covers both of her arms up to her hands. The robe’s color is a pure white to represent her power, with a light purple border that goes around the bottom of the robe and around the sleeves of the robe. The robe has a hood that also has the light purple border; she uses the hood most of the time that she is in town. Her feet are sandaled which are of a tan color with leather straps. The robe comes with a white sash that she keeps around her at all times and is sometimes used to hold the staff.
Weapon: It’s a brown staff in design and about 2 feet tall, it’s made out of three small branches that are wrapped around each other. At the top of the staff rests a light pink diamond shaped crystal that is held by the three branches. The staff is used as a focal point of the body’s mana to create magic for humans.
Magic: She channels the mana in her body through her arm and into her hand, before flowing it out into her staff and into the crystal which emits healing powers or what ever she decides for the mana to do.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: With a new found sense of freedom, Adalia is a lot more relaxed and loose, she will tease and play around as much as she wants, and almost never takes anything seriously. Also with all the female hormones she isn’t very attracted to girls, yet has a hard time trying to be okay around boys sometimes.
Other: She has a soft melodious voice which is a distinct change from his old deep voice.


David Ryan Lutz
~*~*~*~*~ Arriving Home ~*~*~*~*~

Dropping my keys onto the couch and with a slumped over backpack, I stagger into my apartment, exhausted after seven hours of being stuck in one small room working on level design. The stale warm air of the apartment was a fresh welcome from the chill that lingered outside this time of a year. “Welcome home.” I mumbled to myself flipping on the computer and slowly walked into the bathroom as it booted up.

Mentally as well as physically exhausted I slumped back down in my chair, kicking off my shorts and shirt since I never had visitors around. Even the chair was broken, the arm slumped to one side causing the whole chair to lean to one side. The private messages used to fly at me a hundred a minute, being berated by several people that wanted to know how I was doing or something else. Now they came at a trickle, or even none at all as everyone seemed to have their own lives or responsibilities. The era of the three mod best friends had long passed with Kalah and Tony both being busy now days.

So here I was, alone, this life just as much of a party as was advertised. My Internet Explorer finding it’s way to TPM as it always does, as I began to scan the forums. A brief flash of bold white caught my eye as I began to scroll down the front page, rolling the mouse back up I found a suspicious, one in the PM window. Boredom and Curiosity over took me as I clicked on the Private Messages link, bringing me to see that the message was from some new poster asking about their new RPG.

Searching out the RPG I found it floating around the third page, not a single sign up or post in it. Feeling a bit sorry for the poor guy, I went on and clicked on the link, reading the story that was put up, a story about faith lost and a people unable to fight. With nothing to do the next few hours, I shrugged a bit and began to fill out a sign up while sending off the link to Kalah via Instant Message so that she could check it out when ever she got online.

Even though I had sworn off making any more female characters for the time being to focus on a creating different male characters, I found myself typing out an old sign up. The exact same one that I had written more than a year ago when I took a small trip to another world which now seemed more like a dream. Finishing it up and not even caring about coding it properly, I brought my finger down to the Quick Post button. It hovered there for a second, and then with almost glee I clicked the button down.

At first it felt like a electric shock that shook me to my core, sending me sprawling back into my chair, breaking the cushion and sending me falling to the ground. Darkness began to creep around the edges of my vision as I groaned and tried to stand up, only to find my body paralyzed. Panic and fear began to run through my vains as the darkness crept closer and filled my vision, and then… the panic and fear vanished… replaced by… nothingness.

The darkness gave way to the light and I felt as if I were floating in thin air, just floating there, which somewhat freaked me out due to the fact that I was in my underwear. “You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world” A strong yet tired voice boomed, it was all around, coming from every crevasse of the expanse I was floating in.

“It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do.”


~*~*~*~*~*

The light and air began to thin, now filled more with the scent of soot and oil from machines. Bringing my hands up and rubbing my eyes a few times and coughing from the almost toxic air of fumes that clogged my lungs, I sat up and began to look around. All around us were smoke stacks and people bussling in and out, with ragged clothes, the city looked as if it was cut right out of the early 1800s. The faces of the people that passed us looked sad, near hopeless as they walked past. “Hey where..” I began to ask but suddenly found my voice caught in my throat. A lock of blonde hair fell in front of my face; a feeling of joy and satisfaction over took me. “YES!” I screamed in childish delight, pumping my fists into the air as I rose to my feet to find several other people lying around me, most half-breeds but a few humans.

“Get out of the street!” An angry voice yelled drawing my attention to a man riding a Caligrey and buggy as the others began to stir. “Get out or I will run you over!” He shouted again smacking the reigns of the Caligrey, which were Deer like creatures used for travel.

I bent down and began to nudge the person closest to me. “C’mon guys wake up, we have to move.” I whispered, my voice soft and melodious now, just as it was before. “Please, we have to get out of the street.” I continued to nudge him as more people began to yell in annoyance as a back up in the street began to pile up.

Okay guys welcome to one of the largest cities in Sünde, a large industrial city that looks like New York in the 1800s. Although these people are peaceful so they never developed weapons and gun powder so don’t go off and buy yourself a gun. Just wake up and try to get used to your new body, maybe try and guess who is who. But most importantly of all, Get Out of the Road!

[kalad1]

Real Name: Dennis Lowrey
Gender: Male
Personality: Fairly easy going, but with a desire for real adventure and such, he suffers from Bipolar Disorder, leaving him prone to mood swings, though he tends to keep good control of himself. He doesn't like hurting people, and does not knowingly do so if he can help it. He is cautious in making friends, having had some bad experiences as a kid, but once he considers someone a friend, he keeps them friends for as long as possible.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
(this is the form that appears in the RPG that your character joins)
Name: Danarica Fentarial
Gender:Female
Race: Human
Age: About 19
Bodily Appearance: Stands at about 5 foot tall, with bloody crimson hair cut short and bound into a pony tail. Her body is well built, lithe and graceful like a gymnast's, speaking of speed and power. Her facial features are elegant and refined, her lips full and brilliantly crimson, but with jarring, cold and calculating grey eyes. Her body is slightly curvy, with breasts slightly on the large size, but not too large, a moderate C cup.
Clothing Appearance: She wears a form hugging set of slacks and tunic which are dyed a dull black good for sneaking, a leather cross belt, dyed similarly a dull black, holds a travelpack over her shoulder. Similar boots, padded to minimize noise, adorn her feet. And over it all, a black travel cloak.
Weapon: Twin large curved daggers, practically short swords, both black and dull like the rest of her equipment.
Magic: Her magic abilities revolve around manipulating shadows, she can stretch them, move them, and fade into them(She's still there, you just can't tell her apart from the shadows).
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Danarica's emotional state is stable, without the mood swings, but she catches herself lapsing into either disturbingly amoral thought, or disturbingly sexual thoughts, and it slowly gets harder and harder to catch herself.
Other:




>>Dennis Walter Lowrey<<
**Boredom Strikes!**


"What to do... what to do..." I wondered aloud, lounging around in my chair. Classes were out for the day, that Megaman Zero RPG forum wasn't active yet, and no one on deviantArt had added any new art. Looking over at my DS, I shook my head, I'd already beaten all of Portrait of Ruin, and I didn't want to play through Kirby again. I couldn't even annoy my brother, with him being up in Dayton. Well, it couldn't hurt to check TPM one last time.

First put on some music, lessee here... Beyond the Bounds sounds good. Okay, that's done, time to go check. Lessee, not much, not much, not much... Hmmm? a new PM? Guess I'd better check that before I head to the RPG section. Some guy had a new RPG and wanted good players? Hmmm... well, I'd best at least check it out, I owed the guy at least that much for the implied compliment.

Hmmm... three pages down? that's not a good sign... well, it looks like Roy posted, so it couldn't hurt to sign up. Hmm.. hmm... female... yadda yadda yadda... Hmmm... should make her sexy... There we go. Better check with Roy to see if there's any flaws.... c'mon, you can reply any year now... oh to hell with it. I moved the mouse...

Click.

The best I could describe the following sensation would be as if lightning had struck me, and was flowing through my body, causing me to jerk and slump forward, face pressing into the keyboard, as darkness began to creep into my vision. Panic welled up within me, no, don't let me be dying, please, no... and then, blessed unconsciousness.

I awoke to brilliant, illuminating radiance, floating in nothingness. Was this the afterlife? or did something else happen? either way, relief flowed through me, I still existed. Floating in strange brilliance suffused space? Relieving and very calming, easing my panic to a mere simmering in the back of my mind. "You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world." A voice, strong, but at the same time oddly tired, suffused the space, coming from all directions, despite the immesurability of this space.

“It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do.”



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The brilliance began to... fade, giving way to color, texture and depth, and I smelled soot, and... machinery oil? And who was nudging me? I glanced around, my eyesight adjusting and treating me to the sight of a city straight out of the 1800s, the people dressed in mostly ragged clothes, though one could see one or two people in the crowds with marginally better apparel. I then saw the person nudging me, a little girl, urging me to get out of the street, I did so, sticking close to her, before looking down at myself, and muttering, "Oh GOD, this can't be happening..."

[Haruko]

Real Name: Danielle Leone
Gender: Female
Personality: Antisocial perfectionist sums it up in 2 words, although to those that Danielle can warm up to, she can be a bit bouncy and "fiesty". Has a mouth, temper and is a bit impatient. Also uses a lot of sarcasm, and thinks too far in the future for her own good. Loves technology and her laptop most of all, seems to spend more time around that then humans themselves.
FORM START
--------
Name: Ovan
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: 22
Bodily Appearance: Around 6'7", with messy brown hair(sideburns trimed though) and bright blue eyes, Ovan attracts girls easily, although his mindset isn't quite ready for it.(Not used to having.. THAT!) His body is also a bit muscular, but mostly because of his weapon. His body is mature and is of fair skin, even if he's out fighting. He's very tall because of genetic makeup, both of his parents were tall and it is said his grandma is a halfbreed.
Clothing Appearance: Wears a light set of mail underneath a black tunic. The mail needs to be light to allow free movement with Ovans big weapon, but it doesn't help much against big blows. Mail does have a rune inscribed in it for magic uses, much like his brown, somewhat-worn-out leather gloves. The gloves have the fingers cut off because he finds that part of a glove uncomfortable. Otherwise, he has black pants and leather boots. Belt around his waist has a pouch for monies, and a hilt for his sword.
The rune on his mail is protection, and the one on his gloves combine for destruction. He doesn't control the kind of magic that goes into the rune, but how much.
Weapon:
Looks like this (http://www.a2armory.com/odin.html), but the blade is a bit bigger and the red jewel changes with the element of magic Ovan infuses into the sword. When infused with magic, it's weight is increased and therefore is the reason why Ovan uses no shield and little mail armor. Can also concentrate his own energy into the rune on his suit of mail for protection.
Magic:Can infuse elemental properties into his sword. Water gives it a light blue aura, wind makes a viewable small whirlwind on the sword, fire ignite the blade yet doesn't melt it. Light gives a bright aura, darkness a forbidding aura. Ovan only starts off with controlling water, but then starts with fire and then other elements. The elements also can reflect on his personality: Fire for recklessness, light for optimistic, wind for courageous, water for reliable and darkness for when he's in the worst of moods. Takes energy and concentration out of all. The runes on his gloves are emergency use only. He can't control the rune properties at all, and it saps his energy when he tries to use it, so it's a major last resort.Both runes sap his strength, and he can't protect himself well with his mail's protection rune at first.
-----------
FORM FINISH
Changed Personality: Danielle...moreso Ovan, has started to pick up his traits for better or for worse. Has started to get reckless and less anxious, although he does still get anxious and still holds everything in. Trys not to go to the local pubs but since he is of age, sometimes he will to get away from the others.XP
Other: Calls redo. Wants to be a girl.>=D

Danielle~

"Tabitha, if you don't stop biting that wire..I swear to GOD I WILL.."I shook my fist angerly at my youngest kitten, Tabby, as she was and was still teething on my new laptops AC adapter's wires. My tone of voice rose with the end of the sentence and she ran, most likely to get her stuffed animal 'baby' or something. I sighed, shook my head and plugged the cord into my laptop, flipping the screen up and turning the power button.

'I wonder if anything interesting is going on..' I thought to myself as I looked at my sister as she sat at the desk, on her laptop organizing her music; a daily chore. I sat down on my bed parralel to her, indian style with my laptop on my lap. The desktop finally loaded and I was ready to go. I clicked on Firefox and quickly typed in through tabs the sites I wanted to check out: the FFXI LJ community, the WoW LJ community and Pokemasters. I had recently returned with Bulba's RPG, and found it a relaxing take away from some of the stress MMO's give.

"One unread private message found"A Java message appeared on my screen, indicating PoL had a PM, a new one, a very...odd incident. I clicked yes and it popped the Pokemasters tab through the other tabs, loading the PM. It was someone, a new poster, inviting me to join their new RPG. I was only dedicated to one at them moment, so I decided to give it the shot. I left-clicked another tab to the Pokemasters main site and shifted through the RPG forums, trying to find the sign up page for the RPG.

Untouched, it was found on the third page. The newbie must've sent invites hoping for a gasp of fresh air for his RPG, so I opened it up and read through the plot. It was a story about the faith lost and people unable to fight. Like with RPG's that caught my intrest, I instantly had a character idea in my head and copied the form into Wordpad, to type it up perfectly.

I normally play boy characters because I'm the vulgar, hot headed type of girl and trying to portray that in a girl in a RPG setting is hard. I typed up the signup for a guy, and the name? I shifted around in my bed, and thought silently.

"That'll do"I said to myself, putting the name in the field, copying the form and pasting it into a reply box. I moved my mouse over to the reply button with little hesitation, but stopped quickly when Deanna grumbled.

"When do you think you'll be getting up?"She asked, lazy as ever. She was the religious one, commiting the sin of sloth.
"Soooonnn"I moaned back and she laughed a little. She went back to her work and me mine, and I hit the enter button to the reply screen.

A shockwave went through my computer and into me, I could feel my muscles twitching and my eyes being forced shut, as if being put to sleep with general anthesia. The last thing I could feel was my pillow to my head, and my sister asking "Danielle!?"

My world shifted around me, as if in a dream. I was in a room of white light, floating in the center - light as a feather.

“You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world”A voice of a tired, yet strong man echoed throughout the room. “It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do.”

----------

I slowly came to conciousness, leaving my eyes closed as I tried to identify the world around me. My room didn't smell like this even on a bad day; the smell of oil filled the air. The sounds were like a city, and the last I checked, NYC was a good train ride away..I felt a cold ground beneath me and..the senses didn't lie. I wasn't in my room anymore. But where was I? I slowly opened my eyes and looked across a few sleeping people to a girl and another girl who was just coming to. I moved out of the road; it was apparent we weren't in our present day world anymore, but a road was a road.

"Oh GOD, this can't be happening..."I heard from the girl that was next to a younger girl, as she looked down at herself. I slowly looked down upon myself aswell, and I must've jumped..

"I call redo!!"I emittted out in shock; I was no longer Danielle the 17 year old girl. But Ovan the 22 year old warrior.

[classy_cat18]

Real Name: Shonta Jones
Gender: Female
Personality: Personality varies. She's usually trying to stay on the sidelines of anything social, preferring to listen instead of talk. At times she tries to avoid talking to some people, especially when she's depressed or irritated (which happens often). But when she's with her few friends, she is revealed to have a great sense of humor and can be talkative about certain subjects. She's one of those "okay, it looks good, but it can be a lot better" kind of people.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
(this is the form that appears in the RPG that your character joins)
Name: Kite
Gender: Male
Race: Half Breed
Age: 16
Bodily Appearance: Kite stands at exactly six feet, with spiky brown hair and emerald green eyes. He seems to have been crossed with a caracal (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~neils/africa/images/animals/caracal.jpg). Two pointy ears with black around the edges stick out of his head and a long tapered tail sticks out the back. A scar runs diagonally over his left eye. His nails are slightly long and sharp, as is his canines.
Clothing Appearance: Kite's clothing is pretty simple. He wears a royal blue tunic with a gold stripe around the neck and sleeves, a pair of black pants, and leather shoes.
Weapon: Halberd (http://web.mit.edu/blkdrgn/www/images/yeomen/halberd.gif). He prefers it over his magic since it's weak at first.
Magic: He can summon shields of different types. At first it will only be weak ones that will shatter after a few blows, but after a while they will get stronger and of different elements (fire, water, ice, etc.). Soon he will be able to bounce attacks back at his opponents and trap others with his shields.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: He's still a little antisocial, but he now has a serious edge. He'll get pretty intense during battle.
Other: Still can't swim.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Stomach...empty...brother...annoying...life...fadi ng..." I whimpered dramatically as I laid on my stomach with my chin resting on my pillow.

"Quit whining," Rod grumbled.

"Quit existing," I retorted.

He left while muttering something that sounded like "lazy sister", leaving me to my growling stomach. I heard another sound that was currently unwelcome but inevitable: an incoming message via AIM. There's a 90% chance of it being Ryan, 5% being Gabi and another 5% being Amy. But there's a 60% chance of them asking me within the next fifteen minutes to do something that requires brainpower. Today there's a 95% chance that I'll just sign out and avoid them until I can get something to eat.

I knew it was heartless to do such a thing. But I was looking out for number one today and I didn't care about anything else.

So I signed out without a word and decided to have a quick look around the forums to see what was new. A new PM was found in my inbox. Thinking it was probably someone's Battle Tower attack, I opened it. No, it was a notification of another RPG.

Nice. Another RPG that will probably fizzle out in two weeks. Okay, it has a nice plot, but I'm not typing a word until I eat something! I winced when my nine-year-old Lhasa Apso started her whole "bark-bark-bark-bark-howl" routine.

An hour and four slices of pizza later, I worked on my signup sheet with AIM still closed. Tired of playing girls, I opted on a guy. I looked over the sheet for errors and forgotten data and clicked when everything was okay.

Darkness. Light. Some voice, yada yada.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"My head...my stomach..." I was on my side with my vision still trying to recover from the White Zone. It took a minute for my eyes to clear. Wait...where were my glasses? I wasn't supposed to see so well without them. And where was I? I was lying in the middle of the street and the air smelled like downtown.

"GET OFF THE STREET, LAZY OAF!" a voice roared.

I growled deeply and in a way I've never growled before. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN OAF, YOU BASTARD!" I yelled, still unmoved. A second later I realized that my voice didn't sound the same.

A little girl hurried over to me and helped me sit up. Forget about my change in wardrobe; I was more worried about the fact that I had gone from black to white. My hands were larger and I may have grown a foot taller. And my breasts...what happened to them?

"I'm a guy," I groaned as I sat on the curb. I looked behind me and got another "welcomed" surprise. "A guy with a tail. A white guy with a tail."

[Bulbasaur4]

Real Name: Kalah AKA Bulbie
Gender: Female
Personality: Kalah is typically very friendly and tries to remain cheerful for everyone. She usually is quite spunky and enjoys the little things in life, however recent events in her personal life has caused her to be slightly depressed. While she still seems cheerful, she seems to always have a slight inner pain in her eyes- as if she’s hiding her true thoughts about things. To some who know her, it sometimes as if she is a broken mirror- just a shattered reflection of what she used to be and believe in.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~

Name: Moswen, Ebonique (Literally translates to “White & Black”- Egyptian origin)
Gender: Female
Race: Half Breed
Age: Early or Mid twenties
Bodily Appearance: Moswen Ebonique Picture! (http://ic3.deviantart.com/fs15/f/2007/015/4/e/Moswen___Sketch_by_kalandy44.png) Moswen stands at an elegant height of about 5’8” and has a very graceful and exotic appearance. Her skin is slightly tanned with a shimmer to its appearance. Her hair feels like silk to the touch and reaches down to about midway past her back. The oddity about her hair however, is upon her right side her hair is a light blonde in color but as it goes towards her left side the hair turns darker into a deep brunette color- almost to the point of being black. Her eyes mirror the same color change, her right eye being a ice-bitten blue and her left eye being a deep menacing violet. Both of her eyes look very wolfish however.
Her physique is again, like an exotic dancer’s build. Her bust is sizable and seems to mirror her attractive lower half as well. The oddities of her half breed though are apparent but not too bad. Her eyes are wolfish, and two ears protrude from the hair on her head- the right ear being white and the left ear being black. She also has a fluffy wolfish tail, being black completely except for the tip of her tail which is white. Also, upon her left half seems to be many exotic and smooth curved tattoos upon her skin- black in color.
Clothing Appearance: Moswen has a very… unique wardrobe. [ Again, the drawn picture I have will give better detail since what she wears is slightly complicated.] Upon her right half, Moswen wears a silk dress-like outfit, except for the fact that the dress covering only covers her right side. It has a long sleeve and flows outwards a bit as it reaches her right wrist. However, it has only two bindings that wrap it around the left side of her body- around the collarbone and then a loose two pair of leather-like strings that just keep it about her hip a bit. Otherwise, her entire left half of her body is exposed.
Yet, she isn’t completely nude on the left side of her body. She has gleaming silver-like pieces of armor garb that have strange markings etched into them (think of the weird markings of green upon Midna in Twilight Princess- just like that ‘cept not green.) She has a collar-like piece of armor about her neck, a wrist-like circlet piece of armor on her wrist, a small piece of armor covering the bottom half of her breast towards her middle sternum, a large piece of armor protecting her pelvic area and upper thigh, and then lastly a piece of armor that covers her left shin. (all of this armor is ONLY on her left side.) Each piece of armor is connected to each other by small chains. The armor is efficient at protecting her, but they’re very light weight and not heavy looking at all- more showy and exotic.
Weapon: She has no weapons, most likely due to her magic demands.
Magic: Moswen’s magic is… very undefined, but never to be underestimated. Her powers derive… in the most simple terms, from Yin and Yang. Most of her magic comes from the own power of yin and yang from within her, but she can also reach into the yin and yang of other things occasionally. She prefers only to use her own however, since her yin and yang magic within her is a great deal.
The yin part of her magic is considered masculine and “light”- linked with good things and such. This is symbolized by her lighter, right side. However, the left half of her represents the yang and feministic side of herself- the dark side. With her normal garb, Moswen is at a harmonious “balance” and can perform minor magic usually manipulating small mounts of energy- taken both from yin and yang. However, when it comes to battling… Moswen takes her power from her Yang half. She has an overwhelming amount of yang power, which is contained by the pieces of armor that she wears- which is why she has them. In dire situations or situations in where she needs to battle… (depending on the power and battle and such…) Moswen can “deactivate” an armor piece, which causes it to go from being a glittering silver to being completely black- obsidian-like. This releases more yang, causing her to be more off balance but also it releases more power. She has five armor pieces in all, and the more armor she deactivates the more animalistic she becomes… and the more consequences happen with her personality.

~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Personality doesn’t change much, unless her yin and yang balance changes. If she happens to have more yin, she’s more cheerful but if she has more yang she becomes more dark. If anything, Moswen is more risqué and open about things- in all areas.
Other: BLAH!!




Kalah
~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(~(Discovering the Undiscovered)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~)~

It hadn’t been the most tiring day… and in actuality, I was beginning to feel like I was recovering from the first semester. J-term- or a month-long term in January, was proving to actually be quite fun. I only had one three hour class a day and it was something I enjoyed. “Acting and Directing for the Screen.” Besides class, I spent my time doing little homework and the majority of my time hanging out with my crazy friends.
Today was going to be no exception.
“Hiya Loki, Yin, House and Yang!” I chimed lightly, opening the door to my dormitory as I greeted the fish in my little aquarium tank. I swiftly plopped my backpack on the ground and shed my coat, shivering just lightly. It had been snowing all day and while I enjoyed the snow, I couldn’t help but be frosted from the cold slightly.
Reaching my computer I reached out and shook the mouse slightly, checking my laptop to see that no one had IMed me since I had put up my away message. I was just about to sit down, when a knock sounded on my door. Swiftly I walked to the door and twisted the knob, pulling on it to find Bryan- one of my good friends, on the other side of the door.
“Hey! We’re going to get dinner at six.” He informed me, and I nodded. “Alright, I’ll meet you guys then.”
He then left- being informed of dinner from my friends was a common thing.
I then plopped down on my wooden chair and accessed my laptop again. I was surprised to find that Ryan had left me a message- something about an RPG with a link. I ignored the link for a moment and checked my email and facebook first. There was nothing but the usual, so I then clicked on the link. It was a regular RPG… started by a new member. Checking my PMs, I found he also had PMed me asking me to check it out. The poor RPG had reached page three…. And I couldn’t help but feel slightly bad for the new RPer. It wasn’t too bad of an RPG, however it wasn’t out of the ordinary either. Still, the user asked me to join… I didn’t see any reason why not to.
The best part of the RPG was that I could have some fun with my character. I thought carefully… and part of me wanted to play a male, but for some reason I decided that I wanted to stick with a female character. And I had an itch to play a rather… sexually risqué one and one with some unique powers. I even did a rough sketch of her, and uploaded it to go with the sign-up.
“Man… I wonder what she’d really look like if I could do Moswen justice.” I said with a sigh.
As soon as I finished typing up the form I pressed enter.
“There we-“ I began, before suddenly I felt a bit woozy. I felt as if my body had frozen slightly, and my vision blurred and darkness began to creep upon my vision. Then it felt as if darkness completely overtook me.

Then… it was as if I was suspended in darkness- floating like a mere doll. I wanted to speak but for some reason I couldn’t. And then a voice spoke… like the gentle yet booming voice of God himself. Or at least, what I imagined it to be like.
“You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world. It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do.”
Then everything went black.


~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~




Moswen Ebonique
~ Split into Beyond ~

It was a strange sensation- to be awake, but yet not to be awake. Before I even opened my mouth and before I even moved… I knew a bit of where I was. It was as if I had another sense… as if I felt other energies- but what exactly these energies were… I couldn’t be too sure.

I then opened my eyes and sat up slowly, hearing a few murmuring voices. Glancing about, it didn’t take more than a few seconds for me to realize where I was. One sight at the all-too familiar Adalia confirmed everything. Before I even said anything else, I swiftly stood up and glanced at myself.
“I guess… my imagination did everything justice.” I said with a whisper, feeling a new sense of awe at only half a glance. Holding out my hands, I saw on my left wrist the glistening silver bracelet, which was connected upwards to my neck, which was also connected to my breast armor and leg armor pieces. I couldn’t help but feel… slightly nude upon my left side, which was elaborately tattooed in an exotic pattern. On my other side however was a silky-feeling dress that only covered my right side. Reaching upwards I felt my wolfish ears and wavered my wolf-like tail.

After that, I couldn’t help but still sense the energies surrounding me… but ignoring them for the moment, I decided to help “Adalia.”
“Hey Ryan.” I said- my voice sounding smooth and slightly airy, but with an exotic tongue. Adalia – or Ryan, looked up at me as I gave a nod and then turned to the nearest “sleeper” near me. He seemed to have some fox-like characteristics and I swiftly shook him. His eyes fluttered open slightly as I leaned over him.
“Hey, wake up. You’re in the middle of the road and I don’t think people are happy about it.” I said, absently licking my lips and flickering my tail swiftly, straightening back up as he got to his feet. It seemed most everyone else was starting to wake up… as the “sleeping” group started evacuating the road.

[Dr.McNinja]

Real Name: Bryan Lebeau
Gender: Male
Personality: It’s hard to tell what goes on in Bryan’s head. A raised eyebrow could either fortel a witty remark, a simple observation, or a random burst of words that make little to no sense. Loyal to friends, indifferent to those who seek to harm him, and unrelentingly energetic, when he gets tired you know you’ve been far too busy. Tries his best to see both sides of an issue, the world is rarely as black and white as poor Moswen is and it is the shades of Grey that hold the most knowledge and insight.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Dimitri
Gender: Male
Race: Half Fox
Age: Around his mid to late 20s
Bodily Appearance: As close to human as a fox can get without actually, y’know, being human, Dimitri utilizes his sly appearance to his benefit. A very fox-like face, complete with pointed ears and snout, rests on a roughly humanoid body, the legs’ reverse joints the only oddity in basic anatomy. Blonde fur is highlighted by black streaks that swirl dizzily around his deep green eyes. The hands are shaped more human than fox, with extremely dexterous fingers, yet still possess the pads that would be on a normal fox’s front paws. Leanly muscled, his small smile hints at some other form of power than physicality.
Clothing Appearance: Dimitri wears a long indigo robe so deep it nears blackness. Strange patterns, some quite runelike while others just seem to be swirls or sigils of some sort, are embroidered in silver thread yet change with each glance. The inside or the robe is lined with pockets containing all of Dimitri’s magical items. He wears a wide-brimmed indigo hat (think Vampire Hunter D) with a long white feather stuck in it that droops slightly as it flows back over the hat.
Weapon: Dimitri wields a staff of the same color and odd patterns of his robe. He is quite proficient in smacking people with it.
Magic: Dimitri’s magic falls under two categories. The first, more utility, category is his Tarot magic that allows him to use his tarot cards as magical focuses causing several effects. He is also a skilled illusionist, both magical forms and more mundane forms, and enjoys telling of the time he once made a horde of rampaging enemies think they had suddenly happened upon Candy Mountain. Items are common elements in his illusion magics, acting as focuses or props.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Bryan becomes a bit more subdued as Dimitri, he realizes what it means now that he’s back in his fox form and he appreciates the gravity of it. Once again he is forced into the position of fighting those he can feel for and he will no doubt attempt to find a solution that varies somewhat from the kill them all method.
Other: Oddly enough, quiet squeaking noises have been heard around Dimitri revently. (shhhh Kalah)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Why the hell did I have to go check before dinner...and why did I sign up with the same damn character again? I shoulda known it right then

The oddly dressed one had awoken Dimitri, but he ignored her for now. Calmly smoothing his robes, he had to at least pretend he wasn't seething inside, Dimitri adjusted his hat before facing the one that he remembered, Ryan's more...feminine form. Scratching behind his ears idly, Dimitri spoke.

"I thought we fixed this place last time?"

The young girl shook her head with an almost comically serious look on her face.

"Different world I think...."

Dimitri was interupted before he could continue his dialogue. The wolfish one shot her head in front of his, peering suspiciously into the fox's face.

"You know Ryan? Who are you?"

Dimitri took a careful step backwards, clutching his staff protectively to his chest as he did. That sharp energy, the tone in her voice...well he supposed he shouldn't have been suprised...yet again.

"It's me, Bryan."

Kalah's eye's widened.

"Ohmygodyoudidn'ttellmeyoudidthisbeforehowcouldyou? !"

Dimitri sighed...

Not again...

[Roy Karrde]

David Ryan Lutz
~*~*~*~*~ In the road ~*~*~*~*~

I could only giggle at Bryan’s reaction to Kalah as the others began to wake up in various states of shock. My eyes continued to scan the group to try and find him, to try and find Loki, but my attention was drawn to an old lady who waved us toward the sidewalk. “Hurry young ones, I have been told to come here and help you.” She beckoned as the rest of us woke up, running across the street to where she stood and clearing it for traffic again.

“Please follow me to my house, I have money and goods for your journey, as well as the location of the first temple.” She explained, her teeth yellow, skin ragged and stretched, her breasts sagging and almost visible under her rags of shirts. “There are only a few of us that follow the ancient texts, but we believe your journey has already been foretold in the texts.” She explained as we walked.

Some one leaned in whispering the question if we should trust this old woman, as we passed shops after shops of beautiful clothes, and hand crafted goods. My attention was drawn away from them as heavy hands fell on my shoulder, catching my attention as I turned my head to the side, craning it up as far as I could to look at a Half Breed Cat Man. One thing I hated about being little was having to look so far up to look into people’s eyes. “What’s going on?” His voice jumped and shook, understandably nervous at this situation.

I put on my best reassuring smile possible, and drew in a long breath. “This happened with me before, these people need our help and so we have been teleported into these bodies to help them, I take it you signed up to the Pokemasters RPG?” I asked sweetly. He only nodded in response, something in his eyes though, something seemed so familiar. “It’s okay, we will get through this. I’m Ryan by the way, or at least that was my name before I came here.” I bent my hand up and patted his hand on my shoulder. As brave as I was trying to be, as brave as I wanted to sound, deep down there was a voice screaming inside of me just to find Loki.

“Ryan from Texas?” He blinked several times in shock. I nodded and turned back around, shrugging it off as Kalad or some one that I knew online. The real entertainment was happening in front of me.

The old woman, was rubbing her left hand against Bryan’s arm. Speaking about how strong he looked, and if he was interested in staying since she had not been around a strong man for such a long time. “I’m Shonta? Or I used to be!” The boy’s voice spun me around in shock and well, shock.

“Shouta?” I asked, my eyes growing wide in shock, almost on instinct I took a few steps forward and hugged his waist as tightly as I could.

“It’s Shonta, how many times do I have to tell you that?” He laughed a bit choked up with tears dripping down into my golden hair.

For a moment everything felt all right, it felt better than all right. But reality came back with the sound of jingling keys as the woman opened her two story wooden house to us. It smelt musty and the stench of old people, but seemed to be decorated quite nicely despite how poor and weak she looked. “Please make yourself at home. I have food which should be unique to you, please rest as I will return in two hours after prayer and tell you where the first chapel is located.” She instructed us, as we made our way into the house. I slowly moved my hand around Shouta’s and gripped it, his hand feeling twice the size than my tiny hand. Now who else was in our group?

[kalad1]

>>Dennis Walter Lowrey<<
**Lost in Thought**

I shook my head, just sort of... going along with the rest. Repeatedly listing problems. Breasts, check. Lack of baggage downstairs, check. Knockout figure, check. Sexy clothes, check. The fact that said clothes, the weight on my chest, the lack of baggage downstairs doesn't actually feel WRONG anymore, at least, in the physical sense, check.... The creepy old lady hitting on this Bryan person with the fox body... VERY check.

Then there was this chosen by god business, what sort of god chose his champions through an RPG messageboad? Really, that was a dirty trick. Duping unsuspecting people into becoming your champions. Being thrust into destiny, fine. Calling upon your people to save their fellow man, just peachy. Snatching people from another world, giving them new bodies, and not really giving them fair warning? Waaay in the questionable zone. Also, he's a god, he should be able to do things himself! The whole "Make mortals be my champions" bit made a lot less sense from this viewpoint.

Still, in a sense, I had agreed to it, almost a promise, really, and I couldn't go back on that... damn. Not like it'd do any good, if I tried, it'd probably try to come back and bite me in the ass. Either way, I had to be sure of what I was signing up for from now on. But... I ought to count good sides too, I me- huh? Oh, someone was about to speak, how long had it been since we got here? Hell if I know....

"Well, I think we should all at least get basic introductions with each other down, in case we don't know who we are." Stated the little girl. She then glanced around, pointing at me. "How about you first?"

"Well, alright. I'm Dennis." I answered. They all looked at me with completely blank expressions, and I sighed, this is what I get for not really sharing my name much. "Kalad1 on TPM." The look of recognition was almost painful, and I bit my thumb thoughtfully for a sec before adding, "And, well, I don't know if it's helpful, but the name I picked out on my Signup is Danarica, Danarica Fentarial."

[Haruko]

Ovan

I took in a good long pause to gather up myself from being dumped into a new body; moreso being the opposite sex. I guess this could be the perfect get away that I needed, right? With everything that was happening with me and Johnathan..I looked around and ignored everyone, taking in the scenery of people with faces of despair, and outfits that matched.Although we were out of the road now, we did still drive some attention from the fact of our clothing and..the apparent supernatural beings along with us. I took a long breath in to avoid a panic attack and heard this as I opened my eyes.

“Hurry young ones, I have been told to come here and help you.”An old lady waved at us from across the screet. As traffic cleared, she ran as fast as an old lady could and came over to our group, most awake or just awakening."Please follow me to my house, I have money and goods for your journey, as well as the location of the first temple.”

'Don't question it.'I thought to myself.'If this isn't a dream, then something..definatly is going on.'
“There are only a few of us that follow the ancient texts, but we believe your journey has already been foretold in the texts.”She explained as we started to get up and walk, past shops of hand crafted goods, and beautiful goods. Shops like these infront of people like the ones I saw must be like putting bait infront of mouse on a treadmill. Always there, teasing. But never reachable.

I decided to pop into and eavesdrop into a conversation, one of a young girl and a half-being. I kept myself at the back of the group, walking at a bit of a snails pace but not within the groups reach, nor not within the grasp of hearing a conversation.

“This happened with me before, these people need our help and so we have been teleported into these bodies to help them, I take it you signed up to the Pokemasters RPG?”The young girl conversed with the half-being. He only nodded and as she went to pat his shoulder in comfort, she said, “It’s okay, we will get through this. I’m Ryan by the way, or at least that was my name before I came here.”

I stopped, almost frozen completely - my body shaking in anxiety.

“Ryan from Texas?” It was to this that I could feel myself clam up. She nodded and I could feel myself having a slight panic attack; Ryan was right there..infront of me.. Thoughts gathered up in my head like a snowball until they stopped, by something I don't know..perhaps I could play out my character as I wanted and not have him know I'm Danielle? Then maybe..

"Hey!"One of the people in the cluster said, aimming it at me. There was a noticable gap between me and the group, and I jumped; I seemed to have been in my own little world for a minute.
"I'm sorry"I said, and ran to catch up. The voice that came out was one deep and yet passionate, and kind.

We approched the old ladies house and the smell of must filled up my nose as she opened the door. The decor inside seemed much different then the owner themselves, most likely a case of "Don't judge a book by it's cover".

“Please make yourself at home. I have food which should be unique to you, please rest as I will return in two hours after prayer and tell you where the first chapel is located.” She said and left our presence. I sighed, a bit in discomfort at being with people I don't know. I found somewhere I sat and decided to be as quiet as I could be unless someone asked me something direct.

"Well, I think we should all at least get basic introductions with each other down, in case we don't know who we are."Ryan said, all up in one of his girl characters...knew it'd bite him in the ass someday. He...she then pointed to a female with crimson hair that was in a ponytail."How about you first?"

"Well, alright. I'm Dennis."I stared at her, the name slightly familiar."Kalad1 on TPM, And, well, I don't know if it's helpful, but the name I picked out on my Signup is Danarica, Danarica Fentarial."
They all went about into a circle until it was my turn. I sighed and hoped I could just get away with my characters name.

"I'm Ovan"I introduced myself.
"Yes..but on Pokemasters?"Ryan asked. I glared at him, not wanting to tell. Some force inside of my kept me calm, maybe the real Ovan. But either way, was my real name so important here?!

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This can't be happening. I finally meet Ryan and he's a girl. I should've guessed that. Now I'm almost relieved to be a guy now. I sighed to myself and looked around at the other members of our motley crew. Ryan suggested that everyone introduce themselves. The first one -- a girl -- revealed that she was really Dennis, a.k.a. Kalad1. I wasn't suspecting that.

Then it got to another guy that looked about the age I was in my real body. He refused to give us his real name. Feeling like putting my foot in my mouth, I decided to joke on the situation. "You used to be a girl, didn't you?" I asked him. He shot me a glare, and the extra seven inches between us stopped me from pressing the matter any further...for a while. "At least you don't sound like you could be pokemon4eva."

"How about you?" one of the group asked me.

"I used to be a 22-year-old girl named Shonta, classy_cat18 on the boards," I said proudly. A few heads stared at me in mild surprise. "Now I'm a guy young enough to go through high school again. What did I name my character? Oh yeah, Kite."

"Kite?" Ms. Dennis echoed.

"I was reading my .hack manga today." I turned around and saw my face's reflection. Two long ears twitched in curiosity. "I think I'm supposed to be a caracal." I smiled a little. "I look good."

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen Ebonique
~* Raise your shields *~


Walking alongside Bryan- or McNinja from the boards, we both had our eyes scanning everywhere as we followed the old lady. She seemed kind enough, beside the fact that it didn’t take a genius to see her whoring herself with her eyes over Bryan’s new half-breed body. I held a delicate hand to my mouth as I stifled a slight giggle, flashing a look at him with my one icy blue eye.
That’s right… my character design makes my two eyes different colors, along with a few shades light and dark contrast with my hair. I thought, and mentally made a note to look into a mirror at some point or another.
The lady talked about ancient texts and temples… and although my hearing was acute, I couldn’t help but half-listen to her. Most likely it was due to the fact that I had been on this trip before… well, at least a similar one. It also could have been the fact that we were passing such fun shops. Or it could have been the fact that I had a better time observing the others in the group. Ryan seemed to be talking with another male, and I made a very conscious effort not to eavesdrop for the pure fact that wolfish hearing made it almost impossible- almost. I gave a lot of extra effort. However, turning back with a keen-eyed gaze I saw a handsome human male lagging off. It seemed as if he was distracted, but I didn’t want anyone getting lost- at least not this early.
“Hey!” I called out, stopping for a moment as the others continued to walk. My tail lashed back and forth slightly as I waved at him. He swiftly widened his eyes and seemed to realize he was lagging, and then he caught up to the group. I gave a light nod and then continued to walk with the back of the group.
A random thought also occurred during this process: I did not mind being half-nude and walking through the street. Perhaps it was the armor… which strangely did not feel heavy or uncomfortable.

Eventually we reached the old lady’s house and found ourself inside. She informed us we basically had some time to kill, so the group decided to do introductions. I was pleased to know that I knew everyone’s user name in the group thus far, and I tried earnestly to remember who they were and their … new names.
“Crap… I was never good with names…” I thought, but silently I made a hope that perhaps with my new character’s guidance, she at least would remember. Or that part of me. If it wasn’t all me… bah, whatever.
Then there was the guy again… the one who had lagged behind in the group. He spoke that his name was Ovan. However, when it came time to say who he was on the pokemasters… he was hesitant. Swiftly others mumbled and I believe Ryan- or Adalia, pressed to know the name in pure curiosity. Others might have had annoyance at the secrecy, but I swiftly stepped in. Placing a firm yet delicate hand on Ovan’s shoulder, I looked at everyone sharply with my two-colored eyed gaze.
“I’m sure Ovan has perfectly acceptable reasons for keeping his user name private. Now, I hope that we can respect this and when he’s ready, he’ll let us know. So shut it.” (Mental note: Yang side has a bit of a sharp point to it, but hopefully it got the point across.) To try to help Ovan further, I introduced myself.
I gave a light bow with my ears flickering forward. Now that people were actually looking at me, I could tell that they either thought the exotic look was attractive or that it was just… exotic. I smiled delicately none-the-less and spoke with a voice that was sweet and airy, but yet flooded with a bold exotic flair. And of course, there was the gentle trickle of confidence- a trait that I first picked up from this new “me”. As long as it doesn’t go Lucy on me like last time… hopefully the armor will help a bit.
“I’m Kalah, also known as Bulbasaur4. But in this world my name is Moswen Ebonique.” I said with a slight smile, “As a half breed, my other half is that of a wolf. Don’t mind the odd coloration of the ears and hair though… or the tattoos… or the armor… or perhaps the slight nudity.” I added, scratching behind my left ear for a moment. “Trust me, the armor is a good thing though.”
If they wanted to ask questions as to why I was the way I was… with the tattoos and all, they could ask. As for now, I was just being in the moment.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Real Name: Jon
Gender: Male
Personality: A friendly and affable person, Jon is always ready with a smile and a laugh. Though a gentleman when the fairer sex is involved, he can be quite blunt and honest with his statements. Has a strong sense of justice and fairness, but is rarely able to act on it due to his own shortcomings. He can have a bit of a temper, but will readily admit when he's in the wrong.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Ban Ravi
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: Mid-twenties
Bodily Appearance: Ban is darkly tanned with a solid muscular build. His height, a towering 6'3", gives him a somewhat lanky (or as he puts it 'wiry') build that often gives others a mistaken impression of just how strong he is. Messy, reddish-orange hair covers his head, falling just beneath his chin when not held up by his headband. For some odd reason whenever it is held up, his hair tends to lean to the right. His eyes are bright blue and sometimes seem to glow when feeling an intense emotion.
Clothing Appearance: Wears a long, whitish tan leather coat that falls to his ankles that is inlaid with chainmail between the fabric for added protection. His right shoulder down to his upper elbow is covered in steel pauldron engraved with a trio of tomoe in a circular pattern. Underneath that he wears a sleeveless black shirt, dark blue pants, and boots. Usually wraps his palms and forearms in bandages to protect his hands from wear and tear. Around his neck on a chain is what looks to be a crescent shaped dagger that doubles as an ocarina made out of red rock. His headband is a plain white cloth.
Weapon: A large, jet-black broadbladed claymore that is almost as long as he is tall. Called Miroku, it has a golden circular crossguard and its hilt is bound in red thread. A metal ring serves as a pommel and two small bells are bound just beneath it. It is made of an unknown material but is very durable and nigh unbreakable. It has also been enchanted to return to Ban upon calling its name. Carries it in a non-descript sheath on his back.
Magic: Ban's magic stems from a spirit present within Miroku. So far the magic has served to enhance his strength, stamina, and reflexes to an almost supernatural degree making him quite dangerous when armed. He has also been able to call upon its power to enhance Miroku itself, allowing it to cut through anything with a single strike or unleash a wave of energy. When it does so, markings like red eyes appear on the flat of the blade and Ban's eyes seem to flash with the same light. These are just a few of the powers the spirit itself has taught Ban to utilize and as he grows and experiences more.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Free of his limitations, Jon finds it easier to be more open about his opinions and to stand up for others. He also seems to have developed a bit of a 'battle lust', enjoying the emotions and adrenaline high of a pitched fight. He tries to keep in check, but may sometimes have uncharacteristic bursts of anger.
Other: The spirit within Miroku has not given itself a name and has so far proven beneficial, though it too seems to have flashes of bloodlust.


Jon
~Curiosity Gets the...DOG?~

"It's not fair..." I thought as I shivered in the cold air. "I live in SUNNY CALIFORNIA! It's NOT suppose to be THIS damn cold..."

Grumbling to myself as I fumbled for my keys, I got the door open and walked into the house. Making a beeline for the kitchen, I dropped my bag and tossed my coat onto the dining table. Digging into the cupboards and pantry for a snack, I soon assembles some semblance of a lunch before plopping himself on to the couch.

Switching on my laptop, I prepared himself for another dull afternoon alone while he waited for my brother to get back from school. I usually enjoyed the few hours I had alone, a time usued to get caught up with schoolwork or just relax. But the last few weeks had been a bit slow so I had been surfing the web lazily for the last few days.

As I opened up the browser and began flipping through my daily dose of webcomics, the clacking of nails on the floor reminded me of the only other occupant of the house at this hour. Trotting up to the couch and sniffing at my hands, the little black labrador leapt up and immediately took an interest at what food I had left over in my bowl. Patting Ein's head, the I finally switched over to the TPM Boards.

I was surprised to find a PM waiting in his box. Apparently a newcomer had invited me to join one of his RPs. Clicking and reading the topic I was pleasantly surprised to find a well thought out and typed RPG. Not only that, but some of the more profilic members of the RPG Community had already joined. "Why not, it'll give me something to do and I might actually have a character already ready...."

Hitting Reply, I flipped through my documents for the character I had been working on. Tweaking him to fit the specifics of the RP, I quickly copied it into the form. Finished my hand hovered over the Enter button for a moment. "Then again...some tests are comin' up I might not be able to-"

The decision was taken out of my hand as the little lab next to me suddenly brought his paw down on the enter button. A jolt, like a spark of electricity shot up my back and my vision began to dim. The last thing I remember is Ein's barking as I collapsed on the couch.

Enveloped in darkness, I'm soon surrounded by a bright blinding light. "Oh crap, I finally had a heart attack and died, didn't I?"

“You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world." A voice, old yet firm and strong echoed around me. "It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do.”

"Wha-"


~Ban Ravi~
Welcome to Destiny

That had happened only moments ago, but to me it felt longer. A strange world. A new body. A prophecy. It sounded like some generic anime or manga that I so loved to watch. But here I am, where ever the hell 'here' is, living proof that such things happened.

My mind was clouded with thousands of questions, but most of all it was marveling at my new found body. I had never been that athletic nor that tall and the sheer....power that seemed to radiate from within me was amazing. "Is this what it feels like to be a superhero? To be a warrior from out of fantasy?"

In a manner of a speaking, yes it is.

I nearly stopped as another voice entered my head. Was it one of the others? I discreetly eyed each of the others, though all of them seem absorbed with either following the old woman or talking with each other. We had not made any introductions but it did not seem like any were psychic or could communicate telepathically....

"Wait...your...the spirit? The one inside..." I gingerly touched the red bound hilt of the massive blade on my back, which point of fact felt like it weighed almost nothing.

Yes.

"Good, then I'm not going crazy. Perhaps you can answer some of my questions?"

That I cannot do. Like you, I too am ignorant as to what part we are to play in this world. All I can do is offer you my strength that we both get through this unscathed.

I sighed , smiling to myself. "Figures, it's never that easy in the shows either."

Shows?

"It's nothing. I look forward to our battles together."

As do I.

Ending out mental conversation we had apparently come to our guide's home where we were to wait while she went off and did something. Leaning up against a wall as the others stood in a circle, the introductions began. I had only spoken to one of them before, kalad or Danarica as he/she was now, the others I'd only known from reading their posts or having interacted with them in RPs.

As Kalah or rather Moswen finished her intro, I raised my hand. "I guess you can call me Ban Ravi." My voice was deeper, as I had clearly aged a few years, though it was still somewhat light and resonant. "Though on the boards I was Prof. Jb Wolf, not that it matters much. Anybody else think we're a bit in over our heads?"

[Toxicity]

Real Name: Laura Anderson
Gender: Female
Personality: Laura is, in a nutshell, quite the contrast of somebody with an unusually high ego; instead of the positive aspects, she has come to believe that her composition is purely negative. Kind-hearted? "How can I be after all that I've done to my ex-boyfriend?" Great musical talent? "I honestly think my sound is bad." She, after many years of being kind and open, has become a depressed young woman after taking insults to heart. She doesn't believe that she is in any shape or form, "kind," "intelligent," or the biggest lie of all, "beautiful," mainly because those who have said that she was all of this, in time, eventually began to hurt her feelings, including her ex-boyfriend. In spite of having had a cruel school, love, and even so much as home life, Laura seems to really hate nobody in particular other than her own self, and has come to believe that she has caused misery for all of those around her.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Aroya Khachatura
Gender: Female
Race: Half Breed
Age: 17
Bodily Appearance: Aroya is a graceful young girl in appearance. She has a somewhat thin build, yet has a few graceful curves enough to state her gender, as if she were some sort of goddess at a height of 5'6". However, as toned and healthy as her body is, she has a somewhat pale, sickly color to her skin, but this is merely due to storage of her magical energy. Her eyes are a deep, startling blue much like any ocean or sapphire, that have a deceitful, fox-like look to them. Her hair falls to about collarbone length, and is a rich dark brown in color that even in light cannot be identified from ebony, tipped in an odd silvery color, which brings out her half-breed nature, even if her ears are not noticable.
These ears are much like that of an Arctic Fox, which stick out from the top of Aroya's head. Small and fuzzy, they're coated in a fur of a similar color to the tips of her hair.
Clothing Appearance: Aroya is adorned quite simply, and rather modestly; somehow, she finds herself in near identity with clergywomen, more commonly known as "priestesses." Her attire mainly consists of a royal blue robe, which, in design, is much like a Vietnamese ao dai, with dark grey "tights" covering much of her legs. Upon the side of each mid-thigh is a dark blue triangle pointing upside-down, and on her back is the symbol of Mercury (as shown here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mercury_symbol.svg)) in silver.
For footwear, Aroya's feet are covered by boots of a more medieval style, which are a traditional earthen brown color. Her left ear is pierced twice with small silver hoops, and normally along her neck is a rosary necklace which is black in color, bearing a silver cross. She also wears a bracelet of small ice crystals on her left wrist.
Weapon: For a weapon, odd enough, Aroya relies on a small harp, which striking a string, or forming a single chord can perform many different effects. For now, Aroya must learn to figure out for herself what string can perform what, even as well-trained as her ears are for identifying notes. It's all a game of chance, really.
Magic: As figured, Aroya has control over the cold. Her abilities are obviously, for now, rather weak, to where the most her crystals can become are daggers, and the effects of even a major chord played on the harp can only create a few snowflakes. However, her chilling aura has managed to preserve such effects until she no longer needs them.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: In actuality, Aroya's personality has not changed much. She has, however, slightly "matured" in her ways of viewing the world - she tries to be more calming and give off a more peaceful air than the gloom she was used to. In spite of this, she is still known to random meltdowns regarding memories of her past life. Also, it is known that she feels a bit more bitter, and a little forsaken by God, whose existance she has been known to question; odd, considering the fact she is dressed quite similarly to a nun.
Other: In actuality, both girls have a wide understanding of musical theory. It's just the fact that Laura has had no true experience with a stringed instrument before the transformation that she will have to relearn just about everything. Also, when her magic cannot be called upon, she has been known to use hand-to-hand combat as a last resort.


Laura Kay Anderson, Loser Extraordinaire

Hey you, see me, pictures crazy; all the world I've seen before me passing by...

I was upstairs in a hurry as soon as I walked in the door of my empty home. As you would've figured, my life had revolted into hell. Again.

I was numb to practically all compliments, as few as the sincere ones were, leaving me to fend in a world of insults from many directions. This time, however, it was two people I considered "friends" that did this to me.

If I interpreted this correctly, God had selected who he wanted to care for, and apparently, I was out because I was depressed, or moreso "bipolar." This was a reason that many people, apparently, decided to just take shots at me.

Why the hell can't I just listen to and stay around Tim the whole time? I asked myself, tears welling up in my eyes. Tim was my best friend, and "sleazy brother," of sorts. He didn't exactly get along too well with Sean and Derek, the two that had told me of this apparent truth and then left me crying, which was probably why he tended to do his own thing...unless, of course, it was all about my cursed appearance. No, Tim wasn't shallow; he didn't seem like that. It was that he didn't want to deal with Sean and Derek that he often left me hanging.

And Sarah...god, how much she had become mean to me. When we first met, she was a rather nice girl in eigth grade. Flash forward a year later; she starts dating Sean, and becomes friends with somebody who was always bitter towards me, and I'm no longer a person, but somebody that should take the blame for everything. It didn't matter; only until the twenty-second of May, and I'd hopefully be out of this hell-hole in Florida for good.

Sighing, I grew slightly frustrated as I slid my messenger bag and "gig" bag with my trumpet, that was now more of a relic than an instrument, down by the closet and stereo before grabbing a pillow from my bed and placing it down in the plain functional chair at the computer desk, turning on my way to escape as I thought about things. Sitting down, I was seriously hoping that today I'd finally work up enough confidence to actually start work on a possible new fic.

I fumbled through things for a few minutes, at first on Serebii and MSN. Nothing really got at my attention; not even the e-mail I had received from Michael, or "Mike" as he was more commonly known - my ex-boyfriend. I didn't even want to check it, considering it was most likely an insult.

Contacts...nobody really struck me as the type to talk to right now. Mike, Eileen, and Tony were all on, but most likely doing their own thing, especially Eileen; she was almost always on an Away setting. Jenn, Ryan, and Kirst weren't on, and neither was Derek, even if I didn't want to talk to him in time being. Figuring this meant that Yi-wen wouldn't be on AIM, I shrugged. I guess this meant I'd have some time to start writing, afterall.

However, when I went onto The Pokemasters, the forum which started me on writing and allowed me to grow after years, I saw at the top bar that Toxicity, my new-ish identity on this forum, had one private message, PM for short, that was sent some time while I was at school. I found this odd, mainly because if people wanted to talk to me regarding anything, they would contact me on AIM or MSN. Wondering who it was from, I opened my inbox, seeing an unfamiliar user as its sender...hopefully, it wasn't Jay evading the perma-IP ban. A nervous pit growing in my stomach, I opened the message, only to be relieved.

This user was basically complimenting my abilities if he was asking me to join his RPG. After a moment of thought, I agreed to joining this RPG, deleting the message after it was read. I haven't had too much to look forward to RPG-wise for some time; ASBRPG was practically dead, and all I had joined in recent times died so easily. I'd willingly try to create an idea, but mostly, all I could think of were Digimon, and in rare cases, Pokémon...maybe because we didn't have too much of those ideas lately? Sighing, I began my search for this new RPG, which lead me to something untouched...on the third page.

Pity overcame me as I read it. Dear god, I said to myself, he's as good as some of the best writers on this forum as a newbie! It told something of faith, and how God had divided two worlds by his people, and the hopeless...a slight reminder of what I was told today. When I was done, I copied the sign-up form and began a reply...

Many questions ran through my mind as I typed out my character. I had decided to make her a priestess of the cold, which was a slightly familiar trait found in many RPG's I had done in the past - at least the cold factor, of course. She would be beautiful, much unlike me. When I was done, I thought of a name. I finally settled for something derived from two Armenian names, and then previewed the post.

Satisfied with my work, I hit the submit button, which caused a chilling shock to go through my nerves, causing me to rise up in my chair before falling over to the side. My body now numb with paralysis, I couldn't motion to pick myself up. My eyes were forced shut, and the darkness gave to the light, and I was floating in nothing but a white light. My clothing had given way to what I assumed was a spiritual form. Nudity.

So, my soul is ugly as well.. I thought to myself, finding an inability to speak. I was alone, drifting, naked. And then a ringing, deep voice rose from nowhere in my ears.

You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world. this anonymous voice spoke. It will not be a easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do. All I could ask myself was if whether or not this was God, and then, darkness...


::.::..::.::

The cobblestone beneath me was the hardest thing I had ever woken up to.

In fact, it reminded me all too much of my Digimon RPGs of olden times. I opened my eyes, staring at a bleak, clouded sky. Inhaling the air was horrible, as well; exhaust from factories. I wondered to myself if I had returned to Indiana, but when I stood up, it proved different.

Misery was all I could see; I was torn from home, and placed here, by what I was assuming was God of some sorts, and placed in the industrial revolution. I felt uneasy just seeing people who I shared a similar life to; moderately bad to much worse.

"Hell.." I whispered to myself, before placing a hand over my mouth in shock. I no longer had the deep, broken voice of an contralto, or alto, stricken with grief and recent sickness, but rather a more smooth, flowing voice...like a water lilly drifting in a pond. I looked down...

"So, I'm now Aroya Khachatura..." I sighed after removing my hand, feeling a twitch above my head rather than on the sides. I reached up, scratching what were now my ears. My left on was pierced; twice, to be exact, yet they were triangular in shape; most likely the ears of a cat or fox. Looking about, I tried to wonder if I was the only person from The Pokemasters here, or not.

Beginning to pace around nervously, I felt uneasy, trying to adjust to the swaying of my dress-like top, before almost stumbling. I caught myself and regained balance before I would've fallen on a male figure. He looked vaguely familiar...Cloud from Final Fantasy VII, just about. I heard, in the distance, the conversations of people introducing themselves; all the names were recognizable off the bat. Yet, I was still left in question as to who would've chosen a character design much like Cloud...

Jenn...

Immediately thinking of one of my best friends, I sat there quietly, in hopes that I wouldn't have to wake her--now, him, up...

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri edged himself away from the old woman, finding himself somewhere to lean against the wall. The room was barely big enough to hold them all, but at least it was away from the bustling streets where it would be all to easy to be spotted by someone less than savory. A hand idly strayed inside the silken folds of his cloak, checking pockets and containers. Everything was like it had been before, that was some relief. Staying silent as the rest of the group spoke, identifying themselves, he finally decided to speak up himself.

"Like Kalah...or Moswen...said, I'm Dr.McNinja though I guess Dimitri's good enough for now. I was here last time with Ryan"

Catching Ryan's nod, Dimitri let out a sigh and lowered his head, obscuring his features with his hat's brim. He had barely survived the last time, even with all the power that Dimitri's body gave him. If whoever was summoning them to these places had need of them again, he knew that things were going to get rough fast. He wondered at his chances for surviving an ordeal like that twice...and shuddered.

"It wasn't all that fun, and I'm guessing that this time won't be a cakewalk either, we're going to be in danger almost constalty I'm sure so why don't you start explaning about these temples and why you knew we would be coming?"

Turning his lowered head to the woman, Dimtri twisted one of his ears, a movement reminiscent of a raised eyebrow. Any information they could get at this point could save their lives later.

[Crystal Tears]

Real Name: Sierra ‘JJ’
Gender: Female
Personality: Extremely shy at first, she’s that girl you’ll never notice in your class. And when you do, it’s just to pick on her because she won’t say anything back. Once she opens up, Sierra is a very nice girl, she’ll try to help out anyone who’s her friend, and even those who she tends to ward away from. Even then though, Sierra is secretive, she’ll keep up walls to make people leave her alone, and she has a temper that can cause her to act and do things she doesn’t mean. She’s also one not to panic, thinking that if she does, she’ll make a big deal out of nothing.
Also has a bad memory, making her somewhat unreliable.

~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~

Name: Ayreas
Gender: Male
Race: Half- Breed
Age: 20 (looks)
Bodily Appearance: Appearing mostly human, Ayreas has ‘spiky’ (Think Advent Children Cloud…) golden blond hair with a fair complexion. His eyes are a striking mix of bright yellows and red, and his pupils are slits. His body is lean, and is defined, but his build is bulky. His arms show muscle as well, but again, isn’t bulky. Because of his phoenix half, tribal tattoos that glow deep reds and bright oranges decorate the left side of his chest in a series of swirls and sharp pointed wiggles. The right side of his back is decorated in the same sort tribal design, but in the midst of the design is a tattoo that looks much like a wing. His finger nails are darker then the norm, the tips themselves are completely black and are sharp, like talons. He stands about… 6’1’’
Clothing Appearance: He wears a loose black tank top (which hides his tattoos) with black pants. He has a black cape with a bright red flaming bird sewn into the middle tied around his waist and comes down to his ankle. His boots have silver armour plating on them, as do his black gloves. He has two black leather sheaths on crossing his back, they are held on by belts that cross his chest like an ‘X’
Weapon: He wields two 4 foot long swords that appear to be in mint condition. They both are tribal designs engraved in the blade, which glow constantly (they are enchanted with weak fire magic). He usually only uses one though.
He can summon a small (about Bald Eagle size) Phoenix. It will rip from his tattoos as a ball of flames and then form in a predatory bird looking flyer made completely of red and white flames. As a draw back, the Phoenix causes an immense amount of pain to Ayreas (it is made of fire….), usually rendering him extremely weak and in some rare cases unconscious. (Imagine what its like once it gets bigger *grin*)
Magic: Ayreas can form and manipulate small fire balls, all the fire needs stream from his vibrant tattoos, they curl around either arm and then form near the palm of the hand, they then fly off to hit whatever. They are quite weak, but will hurt if they hit you in the face.

~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~

Changed Personality: Ayreas is rather cold; he’s usually quiet and keeps in the background. Though he isn’t afraid to announce his opinion, he rather just watch and see what happens. He doesn’t handle kindness very well, and will usually stay silent and just put it with it. Ayreas is cruel as he believes in no mercy and getting him to actually believe in mercy is difficult, getting him to give mercy is extremely difficult. He doesn’t really know how to act around any girl any age because they differ so much, so he’ll usually keep quiet around them. If he does open up (to any one), you’ll find that he’s distant, like he’s always in deep thought and not there.
Other: Can’t think of anything. Other then he’s a great fighter, and won’t be taken down easily.

* * *

Sierra

“Die Ron Die!” My sister, with her long brown hair and pale complexion laughed. I laughed along with her. My shaggy cut brown hair invading my eyes as our parents gave us the strangest of looks. Our laughter faded to a giggle as she went back to the book, reading out various other hilarious comments Ron and Harry had made in the ‘Harry Potter’ book about divination.

But as my sister went back to actually reading, I was left with nothing to do. I didn’t exactly want to be on the computer, because none of my most talkative and fun friends would be on. Only the people in the ‘Random People’ list would be talking.

Truth be told. I hated most of them.

But as the computer booted up, I found myself looking forward to being online. Maybe either Lauras, one being Hinata and the other being an old school friend, would be on. Steffy would probably be on but she would be depressed and going on about how she’s going to die alone only because she’s seventeen and lacks a boyfriend. Kirsten might be on, but half the time neither of them could hold up the conversation, or she had to leave when there was a conversation. The others on her contact list, Blademaster, Drusilla, and maybe her sister, would not be talkative. Hell it was a miracle if Drusilla wasn’t ‘away or busy’ all the time. In actual fact, Blade would be talkative, but he hadn’t been on in 3 days. No chance of him being on now.

The computer came on, and I immediately clicked on the internet explorer. I typed in ‘Poke’ and immediately the memory filled in the rest and I was there. I scanned the forums before I noticed the weirdest thing; I had a new pm. Frowning, my mind began to wonder who had sent me a pm? Honestly the only one who did anymore was someone who was complaining about their reffing not being done. I ignored those, if they want their answer, they can go to the absence tower and see why.

But as the pm loaded, I was surprised to find that it was some new user throwing compliments about and then asking me to join his rpg. I sighed, exiting the pm and going to the ever so alive-but-dying RPG board.

I found the RPG easily enough, but it was on the damned third page.

“Oh…” I muttered, the sarcasm in my voice very very apparent. “This is going to be good.”

As I opened the page, I was surprised to find that the plot was sort of interesting. It was about god abandoning his people.

‘Well now.’ I thought cruelly. ‘There’s a change.’

With a large yawn I copied the sign up form, pasted it on Word, and then stared at it rather blankly.

‘Oh fantastic… I don’t even have an idea for a…’ I trailed off as my eyes focused on the t.v screen. I had forgotten to turn off the movie, and who was on the screen? Cloud, the ultimately rigged character in the history of rigged characters. He was look so miserably and serious, his back turned to Tifa before he walked out the door.

“Ass.” I growled, Tifa was my favorite character, how dare he turn his back to… I immediately turned to the screen, I was really feeling exactly creative, my creativity had been used up on my stories and posts in The Scourge rpg. “Whatever, not like anybody will care… It’s not like he looks particularly all that bad either.”

When the form was finished, I discovered I had wavered from Cloud a bit, his clothes were different; no thick tank top sweater with a high collar and zipper, or that cape then that was hanging on by belts. Instead, I had simplified it a bit, making him so much easier to picture.

“Sierra.”

I turned, looking at my mother who was staring at me.

“You coming to the barn with me and Rio?”

“No.” I snapped.

“Why not?” Rio chimed from behind, with a grin.

“I don’t like horses, cold, or the horse smell that it leaves after.” I sighed, going back to my sign up.

They shrugged, murmuring their goodbyes. I rolled my eyes and went back to posting. Once I had sort of double checked everything, I clicked on the button.

I didn’t know the feeling of being struck by lightning, but I guessed this was really close. The jolt sent shockwave after shockwave through my stomach that spread to the rest of my body. My body shook like it was having some sort of seizure while the feeling in my body seemed to disappear. Well most feeling, my heart and lungs seemed to get an extra boost as another jolt of pain surged through them and wrapped itself around my lungs. I could feel them stop, but crumbling, shrinking as the lack of air took a surprisingly fast shock. It was then my heart stopped. I tried to move my hand, but the darkness, it was closing in, and then it came.

Set me free, your Heaven’s a Lie

‘Ironic…’ I thought, as the last words of a song I had been listening to flowed into my ears before the darkness overcame my hearing.

My eyes shot open suddenly, revealing that I was floating. Though I should’ve been frightened, it seemed fear was being restricted by a calm sensation.
But I saw no light, no heaven, no pearly gates… What had I done?

‘You have been chosen to bring faith to a faithless world’ the voice was haunting, seeming to echo in this empty place. ‘It will not be an easy job, it will be filled with trials and tribulations along the way, but you are their only hope. Now go and find the temples hidden in each city before the Fearls do…’

I could hear the song again, but it was faint, but as the same time seemed to deafen me from my own thoughts and words. The floating feeling was disappearing, and instead, my gut seemed to rush to my throat as I tried to scream.

I was falling.

Destiny can't replace my life
Scary shadows of my past
are alive

~ ~ ~ ~

Ayreas

His head ached, as if someone had slammed it continuously into a brick wall. The song that haunted his mind grew fainter and fainter before disappearing entirely, and instead, he heard the sound of someone breathing. It had the edge of a woman, though not completely enveloped in adulthood yet. And though he wanted to open his eyes, and see the world around him, he couldn’t. Fear had gripped around his heart, and is seemed to viewing whatever place he was would only cause him to shrivel up and die.
But the breathing, it was quieter now, faint, almost on a normal level. Maybe whatever had surprise the girl had disappeared, maybe he had. Maybe he had just suddenly appeared, and the girl had been too surprised to do anything.
Maybe he was in heaven.

Slowly, his eyes opened, they gazed up at a dull grey sky that loomed over top the old buildings that his eyes could just see. Grunting, his arms moved, lifting his upper body off the ground so he could see around him.

‘So it was a girl…’ He thought, staring at the girl. Well, she was more teenager-ish, if that was a word. She had odd silvery ears on her head, and her eyes were entrancing, yet had a sparkle in them that was not to be trusted. ‘She’s… Wait.’

It suddenly seemed to click into the mindset of this male that something was very wrong. His eyes looked at his hands with some sort of amazement to them, and then scanned the rest of his body.

“What?” was the first word out of his mouth, and then suddenly he looked up. Gently he moved his hand through his hair, and found even it was too short to be…

“Jenn?”

The man looked up, seeing the girl eyeing him suspiciously. All of this was too much; this girl seemed to know his name, well sort of… And he was a he, a guy, a gender which mere moments ago he could’ve sworn he wasn’t.

‘Ayreas…’ He thought, biting his lip for a moment before rising to his feet. Ayreas was tall, nearly falling over due to the new height, he quickly regained his composure. And though he wanted to exclaim about his abounding happiness for not being the old him anymore, he was restricted, to a mere nod…

“It’s me.” Her voice was soft, and calming, yet... It held something in it; darkness, maybe a sadness that infected the calming effect. “Laura.”

“Laura…?” Ayreas pondered, and then looked over at the rest of the group. He was silent.

“They’re all part of this too.” She stated, “All from TPM.”

He was silent, eyeing the group cautiously. This personality change, it was so sudden, he voice seemed to be restricted, and his mind was abnormally cruel. Though it was odd, no nervousness seemed to swirl in his stomach; in fact, an endless supply of confidence was there instead. But why he wouldn’t speak, was unknown. He mentally shrugged it off, walking off the side of the road, followed by Laura’s new form.



sorry if I represented your char wrong Toxicity.... >.<'

[Roy Karrde]

David Ryan Lutz
~*~*~*~*~ In the road ~*~*~*~*~

In a house that doubled as an Inn, this must have been the first time in a long time that it had received so much activity. After our introductions everyone sat around talking and basically relaxing. Some one must have found the liquor cabinet because it wasn’t long before a few bottles of whiskey and wine was being passed around. All the while Shonta and I remained at the table, looking across at each other, my feet just barely touching the ground.

My thoughts kept traveling to the mysterious Ovan who continued to sneak glances over in our direction before looking away. “This… isn’t how I imagined we would meet.” Shonta finally spoke up bringing my attention back to him. “And this really isn’t how I wanted to spend my weekend.” He sighed shrugging his shoulders in frustration.

I opened my mouth several times to speak but closed it each time. What would I say? I’m sorry? I didn’t even know if he… she… he loved me any more. If he could look at me and see Ryan, or if he looked at me and saw an eleven year old girl. “I’m going to go and see if I can find a sink or washroom…” He sighed and moved away from the table. I followed him with my eyes and wished I could say something, anything, but I just watched him walk away. My eyes lingering for a moment before turning and catching Loki out of the corner of my eye.

My heart leapt into my throat, he looked older, manlier, but at the same time had that youthful innocence of the boy who had the birds sing for me when I was sick. Our eyes met and Loki quickly turned away, and my heart sank to my toes. Sliding my arms down the table, I bent over and placed my head on the table, using my arms as a pillow for my forehead. Everything was going wrong, really really wrong. “I see you youngins have raided my house.” The old lady announced from the top of the stairs drawing all of our attention. “Oh do not worry, no one has used any of this stuff since I shut the Inn down. No need for it if no one travels.” She laughed walking over to the table and laying down some papers.

“Here are the lay outs to the old church.” She explained laying out a large map across the table as everyone crowded around. “No one has visited it in years, but it still remains locked up down the street, well what is left of it. It was half demolished for a new mansion.” She explained, coughing a few times before rising. “Don’t make too much noise, I head to bed early, there are plenty of rooms for most of you upstairs.” She said before walking back up the steps, turning once to wink at Bryan.

Everyone remained silent for a few moments before Kalad er… what ever her name was finally spoke up. “I’ll go check it out, my powers help me remain hidden in the shadows.”

What followed next sent a lot of people into shock. “I’ll go too.” I rose my hand. “I’m small and can move fast, and if er… Kalad gets hurt I can heal him… her .”
…

I drew in a breath as Danarica and I entered the temple, and immediately coughed it back out. The air was filled with dust and the smell of mold and decay like everything else in this city. The building was filled with darkness and shadows that gave everything an evil look. Danarica continued to remind me to help stick to the shadows that they would help cover us.

We moved from a much smaller room into a larger one filled with rows upon rows of pews. In the middle of the room lay a beautiful crystal, it’s beauty seemed to leap out and touch every corner of the room, yet at the same time it’s radiance was dimming. The crystal must have been a reproduction of the real ones that drew mana from the planet. Like how Christian Churches had Crosses, these churches had crystals. “Stay close.” Danarica suddenly whispered as the shadows in the room began to move.

Yellow eyes began to open from all over the room; monstrous limbs and horrid teeth began to move and stretch. I let out a scream in shock as one of the mutated faces came to life next to me, it’s face twisting from side to side as it awoke. “Damn it.” Danarica swore under her breath as the room came to life with howls. “Run… Run!” She screamed shoving me back into the smaller room.

I fell to the ground from the shove and quickly rose to my feet, turning to see Danarica backing up, her weapon raised in defense. “Get out of here, head back to the Inn.” She screamed backing up. I turned, picking my feet up underneath me and began to rush out the door. That is when the world went flying; something hit me in my side, something horrible and painful, which sent me sprawling against the wall and coughing up blood. I groaned in pain and looked up to see a Fearl standing over me, it opened it’s maw and looked into my eyes for a second… and then it moved in to bite.

Alright guys enjoy the Alcohal and meeting each other or finding out about your new bodies. Kalad’s post is going to bring Danarica and Adalia back to the Inn.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-where shall we go up to/our future roams around now-

I kept silent as Ryan and Dennis..or should I say Adalia and Danarica left the old inn to go to the temple. I kept myself completely oblivious to the situation, taking pieces in slowly. I didn't want to go, especially with Ry-Adalia. My anxiety would be through the roof and I would be swinging my sword left and right; without a clue of what to do.

I would guide you there, Danielle. I heard a reassuring voice in my head.
'And you are..?'
Ovan. Since you're female in your world, here, me and you coexist. I promise to guide you through your battles.
'heh, trust a reckless character I created?' I thought, doubting him and myself.
Atleast I can use a sword.
'Got me there..' I sighed, remainning in a chair as everyone else looked about the place.

I continued to think to myself for a bit, the other..presence in me not speaking a word. Was Deanna ok, was I in some coma in my world? What...why exactly were we scouting out these temples for this god. I was never the religious type, but the omniprescent man was a definate figure here.

*grumble*

"The old lady said there was food in this place, right?"I mumbled to myself, getting off the chair- almost falling due to being much taller then my other worldly self. I walked around in each room, the restroom, a hallway, then a kitchen. It looked like someone already raided it, but I sorted through a piece of bread and some sort of fruit. Solids was good; now for liquids.

I turned on what looked to be the tap and got a bit disguted. That was a no. I looked around and opened the icebox, and found a tin bucket with ice, a bottle and shot glasses.

"Fine 100% Whiskey" I read off the label. I was 22, right? So..I could legally drink this stuff..I took my findings back into the main room and sat down, holding the bottle in my hands.


[Quote is from a translated part of "Owari nai Yume(An Endless Dream)"]

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<



I mentally noted the path we were taking to get to the church, it would be a good idea to know the way back easily, and it was seeming almost... second nature to do it. That was troubling, I found myself picking up habits that weren't my own, like the fact I was now regularly scanning the area around me, keeping an eye out for things. It wouldn't do to think on my altered movement habits. At least this damn outfit gave me support so I didn't bounce everywhere. Still, I made sure Adalia was next to me as we reached the locked gate. I lifted the lock, getting a good look at it, it was iron, and pretty badly rusted.

"Sshh." I stated to Adalia, pulling out one of my blades, and bringing the hilt down hard on the lock, snapping it open. Entering... the air was foul, smelling of decay and nasty mustiness, I did my best to keep from coffing.

"Remember, stick close to me, and stay in the shadow." I reminded her, slinking through the shadows like a dark, shadowy feline stalking though the jungle. The architecture was impressive, even in the current state of destruction and disrepair. Getting into the next, larger room, after prying some boards off the closed up door to it, we stepped in.

I idly noted the crystal, and its almost ephemeral glow, but that didn't catch my attention, something was... wrong. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention like the best trained soldiers, and there was almost an... itch at the back of my mind. Something wasn't right... The shadows, a good number of them were shaped... wrong. "Stay close." I whispered to Adalia, as they began to move.

They began to awake, displaying their nasty, twisted forms, their yellow eyes opening. The first thing I could think was that they were REALLY ugly. The second was to glance around, and I caught sight of one waking next to Adalia. "Damn it." I swore, as they began to howl, "Run... Run!" I then followed my instinct, shoving Adalia back through the door, raising my weapons defensively as I backed up. "Get out of here, head back to the inn!" I screamed to her. Then I heard a meaty thunk, and Adalia groaning, and I turned, just in time to see a Fearl moving to bite.

Suddenly everything seemed to slow, and what to do was crystal clear. I moved, throwing one of my blades, catching the thing in the side of the head, with a satisfactory sound as it pierced in. Then, I ran, grabbed the blade, and wrenched it sideways, then out. Then, finally, grabbing Adalia, and running out, and into the streets, ducking into shadows and fading halfway to the Inn. I waited there, invisible, for around five minutes to make sure I wasn't followed. I then ran the rest of the way to the Inn, running myself ragged, as I staggered in, managing to get out. "She needs help."

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen Ebonique
Do I ever chain you down…?
<~~<~~<~~<~~<~~<~~<~~<~~~<

Observing everyone was slightly interesting and perhaps a bit boring at the same time. A few of the group decided that getting into the liquor was a good idea… and I just shook my head slightly. Getting intoxicating wasn’t my idea of fun- not in a new world filled with such unique opportunities. Well… at least not now.
With Ryan and Kalad gone… or rather, Adalia and Danarica gone, I was uneasy. Perhaps it was a bit of the protectiveness I had still in me… or maybe my character had some of it too. Regardless, I was uneasy with them leaving to go off on their own and silently I cursed the fact that I didn’t go. So, while sitting there I tried to take my mind off of things by observing the others.
Time passed… and it wasn’t long until I felt a rush of uneasiness rise into my being. These energies that I felt… they were everywhere and I was doing my best to ignore them somewhat, but I couldn’t know. It was as if things were balanced… but then at times, the balance would be thrown off. Yet… there were levels of this feeling of ‘balance’. Gah… the sense of energies was so hard to grasp at this time.
“Maybe eventually I’ll get the concept or handle of it…” I said quietly, twitching my ears to the door at the sound of footsteps over the sound of others talking. A few of the other halfbreeds seemed to twitch their ears too, and soon Danarica came bursting through the door with Adalia- knocked out and slightly bleeding.
“Damn!” I swore, leaping off the counter and swiftly dodging a few of the bodies standing to reach the two.
“We ran into these creatures… they attacked her.” She said, and I withdrew a breath shaking my head.
“I’m not sure about the abilities in this group…” I whispered, looking at everyone and then back to Adalia. “But last time Adalia was the healer. I don’t think that has changed… and with that in mind, I doubt anyone else has real healing abilities.”
Danarica swore slightly, and I held up my hand.
“However… if it is okay… I think I need to test some thing…”
With that, I concentrated on Adalia’s body. The energy… everyone had their own energies, right? Focusing… I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the part of my mind that seemed to understand these energies. The part that… knew the energies and saw them. Think! Concentrate! Come on Kalah… no… come on Moswen, you can do this! I gritted my teeth, tightly shutting my eyes and focusing… trying to see what my mind was grasping.
And then suddenly, my eyes opened and it was as if everything was clear. Unbeknown to me, suddenly my left eye became black as the yang and my right eye became completely white. I wasn’t seeing the world as it was meant to be seen by the true eye anymore.
Bodies and solid objects were not in existence. Instead, there were swirling layers of black and white… but strangely, they seemed to intermix and combine to the point where their union created a sparkling crystallic sheen of an indefinite amount of colors. I could tell after a bit of pondering, where solid objects were supposed to be. However, even the ground itself did not exist anymore- rather an abyss of… the balance. A grounding balance- however its color was something I couldn’t even describe.
But the combined mass of energy before me- after examination, I could make out its outline to be that of Adalia. The energy had personality… some thing I didn’t think was possible, but I could sense it. I understood it. Within this energy, there were layers… each layer representing a delicate seesaw of balance. Each layer within Adalia’s mass energy was swirling constantly… a struggle between the yin and yang. A few of these layers were bright and luminous with not black and white, but with that crystallic rainbow-like sheen. However, any layer that was not that crystal-like mixture was a swirling mix of black and white. The only difference was each layer seem to have either a certain amount of black and white, upsetting a balance- creating a struggle for power. A constant struggle.
Is this… is this what balance looks like? The true energies of our cores… I thought, but the question was- what do I do about this?
No sooner had I thought the question, the answer came to me. While it was probably impossible for all the layers of one’s core to be at complete balance… since there always seems to be an upset in someone’s mental, physical or emotional state. There are even layers within each state as well… it seemed to be that way by what I could see. However, with her current condition… her physical layer…
Peering deeper, I then saw it- or rather, I saw through the layers. I sifted through them slowly… until suddenly it came at me. A layer that was far too black to be healthy with a small amount of swirling white struggling to cope with its dark counterpart.
I’m not sure how I knew what to do… perhaps it was just ebbed into my subconscious to help me ease into the world and the slightly elevated situation came to me. Or perhaps it was instinct… or they could have been the same thing. In either case, my body went into motion.
Reaching my hand outwards, I dipped it into the layer- concentrating until I saw no more energies. All I saw was that one layer… that tiny layer of energy that was so important to Adalia’s life. Focusing, I then became aware of my own energy. Yin- the masculine, the bright… I needed that for Adalia.
Come on… I need to draw that out of my own…
Perhaps it was part of my ability- perhaps my body stored extra Yin and Yang so that I could work my abilities. Yin and Yang that were not connected to my mental, physical or emotional layers… but rather, they were reserves- connected to my “magical” layer. Like a sixth sense, but instead it was the fourth section of the energy mass. It would make sense, for magic users to have a fourth section.
Then Yin, go to her.
It wasn’t a burning sensation… and it wasn’t exactly a tingling sensation either. Instead, it felt much like what it would feel like to have a cool watery stream pass from your inner core, rush upwards to your shoulder and then pour down from your arm and pass through your fingertips. Yes, like cool water. I watched as the brilliant white energy then poured from my hand like one would pour a pitcher of ice cold tea. It dropped into the middle of the black layer within Adalia, and instanteously it joined with the little remain of Adalia’s yin in her physical state.
The cool feeling stopped when I felt that it was right- that she had enough light masculine energy to create more of… itself rather, to equal into balance again. Just a droplet more of Yin energy…
Knowing that it was complete, I closed my eyes to focus on going back to… a normal state. It was much easier than going into… whatever energy-seeing state I was in now, and with in a few moments I reopened my eyes to see things normal.

However, before I could notice everyone who was watching or the work of what I had done… I gave a yelp as a painful and loud snap came into existence. It startled Danarica and those near me too- a sharp crack echoed in the air and then the sound of sliding metal followed. I fell backwards slightly, feeling a tight presence upon my head as a flash of silvery light materialized from no where. After the light faded, I felt as if I had a headache. Reaching up to my forehead- where I felt it, now was something metallic. I slowly rose to my feet, and walked over to a mirror hanging on the wall.
There, matching the other five armor pieces upon me… was a shiny, silvery embroided amour piece about my forehead-like a headband. It was connected to my collar around my neck by a small chain, like all the other pieces.
Turning with understanding, I looked to Danarica.
“I’m no healer… but I think I helped speed up the process for her body to heal itself now. I’m pretty sure she’ll be fine.”

So I understand it now… the armor pieces really are holding back the Yang half of my magic reserve. By tapping into the Yin, it made the Yang half that much more powerful… and another amour piece was needed. I’m sure in time this armor piece- being unnatural to my current form, will fade away. But my question is… why do I have so much Yang?



[ To those who watch this process, when she does what she does… she moves regularily and everything. She just sees different- and when she puts Yin into the body of Adalia, it basically looks like she just transparently-like pushes her hand into Adalia’s abdomen. There would be a faint white glow along her arm as well. ^_^;; ]


This was a fun post!

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I knew I should've followed her," I grumbled as I knelt beside her. "She's not going to get up anytime soon." I sighed and lightly touched her forehead.

"She needs some rest," Danarica said.

"Okay." After some inner arguing I slid my arms under her neck and legs and lifted her off the floor. Although she wasn't exactly as light as a feather I was amazed that I could actually lift something over thirty pounds. Adalia gave a small moan but that was all. I carried her up the stairs and into one of the spare rooms.

The room had two full beds and not much else. I stumbled to the bed on the left and carefully lowered her down on the mattress. At first I thought I had done something wrong when she winced and moaned again. My breathing stopped until she relaxed again. She's still in pain. I can't just leave her up here.

I sat on the other bed and enjoyed an apple that I had managed to find earlier while watching over Adalia. My weapon -- which was most likely a halberd -- was only a foot away from me. After a few minutes of watching her sleep my breathing started to match hers. I leaned against the wall and did a cat-like yawn. Hope she wakes up before I nod off.

The moment got so tense that I jumped at every sound. Soon a loud bump sounded from a wall. A slight chill raced through my body and seemed to shoot out in one small burst. The air around me shimmered and got slightly blue. It stayed that way for a while then went back to normal. "Okay, what happened?" I asked myself.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ In Pain ~*~*~*~*~

I moaned and rolled to my side, which seemed to only reward me with only more pain. My whole world was quickly becoming more and more painful. My whole chest throbbed in pain, my left arm almost completely numb. “Where? Ow… my voice.” I moaned, bringing my good hand up to my throat. It sounded so soft, so feminine?

Something jerked the bed in shock as I began to open my eyes. “Adalia?” A boy whispered in almost muted shock. Everything seemed to come back, the world, Kite… the monsters, how they dampened my powers with one bite. “Hey, are you feeling better?”

I coughed a few times which only seemed to compress my chest even more. “My chest hurts.” I whimpered, wondering how badly the damage was. I slowly peeked under my robe to see if I could look at any of the damage. Quickly realizing that I was next to a boy, I snapped the robe shut and turned to look at him. “I see you’re getting used to your body.”

“I’m trying not to think too much about my..” He began to say, his face warming into a blush which made me wonder if he actually saw how flat my chest was. “basement.” He picked a timely word.

“Looked down there yet? And you don't have to stay so far away, I don't bite” I asked, as he began to inch closer and closer. “Besides, can’t be worse than what happened to me when I first went..” Images of my own self-exploration in the tub during our last adventure filled my head, bringing a blush to my face and my heart racing. Part of me, a small part anticipated another time to be alone when I could do it again.

Kite sat down next to me on the bed and began to talk about something with girls having to aim as I found his tail. Running through the fur with my good hand. “Hmm? What did you say?” I asked my eyes preoccupied by the tail.

Kite quickly pulled the tail away from my fingers jolting me out of my own little world. “Don’t play with that, it’s sensitive to touch.” He scolded me as I moved my hands back to my lap and mumbled a small apology. “It’s okay… it just felt so nice.” He finally admitted after a few seconds as he laid the tail back into my excited hands.

I began to run my hands through the fur again and watched as he closed his eyes and released a deep throaty purr. After a few seconds I turned and looked at him, letting the tail go and leaning up, kissing his cheek ever so softly. Kite opened his eyes and leaned in, kissing my forehead. Our eyes made contact in and he leaned in again, this time we touched lips again only for a second before he pulled away. “I love you so much.” He whispered, as I moved, abit with a lot of pain. Pushed myself over to where I laid on his chest.

“We finally meet and only one kiss?” I asked coyly. This being the moment, this was when I found out if he could see past this body.

“Of course not.” He whispered after a few seconds, placing his hands under my arms and raising me up with as much care as possible. Kissing me on the mouth, at first slow and then a bit more personally. Each kiss lasted longer and longer, our breaths coming quicker which caused my chest to tighten and tighten.

My eyes snapped open in shock as I felt his hand push past the opening of the robe and land on my naked hip. “No.” I pushed away, coughing while holding my robe closed with both arms, despite how painful it was.

Kite’s eyes were also filled with shock, as if he didn’t even notice what had happened. “I’m so…” He stumbled out of the bed. His words trailing off into a sorry as he found his way to the door of the room and walked out, leaving it open in his wake.

The images of the last few seconds played over and over again in my mind as I rocked back and forth on the bed, holding my knees close for protection. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours before some one else came to the door. “Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?” Kalah asked leaning against the doorway. I didn’t respond, just rocking back and forth in shock. “Listen, everyone down there is starting to have a lot of questions, one of us is going to have to tell them that they will be here for a while…” She sighed crossing her arms.

“I wanted to see if you had any objections…” Kalah sighed shaking her head. “I’ll come back and talk when you are feeling better.” She turned and left, leaving me alone again as a weight hit my bed. My eyes lifted up to see a Panther looking back, his golden eyes looking into mine.

It was then when the first tears began to fall, tears of uncertainty, tears of fear, tears of worry, all of them traveled down my cheeks. Loki moved up and licked some of the tears off my cheeks before moving around me and laying down. I responded by laying my head down on his soft fur, my finger clutching a hand full of it. I just buried my head in that fur and let out a long soft cry.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-for the things that must be protected / i sacrifice something again today-

I kept to myself as Adalia was brought up to a room after Kalah healed her wounds. Kalah was a bit easier to pronounce then Moswen, but I guess I'd have to start to get used to this damned world and our new names sooner or later. Just..why did Ryan tag along?

I fought with the whiskey's cork to get it open. It was tightly placed, and I almost pondered trying to break the top off, but I got the cork off, my fingers burning and the bottle almost have fallen from my grasp; the gloves providing a good bit more friction and holding. I took a shot glass from the ice bucket and pondered about putting an ice cube, but then again; was the water safe? I decided the whiskey was cold enough and poured some, placing the bottle down and staring at the glass.

'I should check on hi..her..'I thought to myself, looking as Kalah/Moswen went to check on her. But he..she'd just press me for my name. I don't want a confrontation, not now, not like this!

I chugged the first shot down. Its taste was nasty and remained in my mouth, biting the apple didn't help. I poured another shot though, for after I finished the apple.

'What will he do if he finds out?! I can't let him..' I started to turn out irrational thoughts as I plowed through the apple. '..I can't.'

I chugged down the second shot, then a third. I closed the bottle shut and leaned my head against the wall, not wanting to listening to anything.I felt dizzy, out of it..but atleast it was better then anxious and afraid.



[Lyric is from "No More Words" by Ayumi Hamasaki]

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I sighed, sitting down in the room, across from that Ovan guy. I was still tense, dear god that was close. I knew it wasn't my fault, but still, if I had acted slower... I spotted the bottle of whisky the guy was drinking from, pouring it into shots. I grabbed myself a glass. I was normally against drinking, but... what the hell. I snatched up the bottle, pouring myself some. I then held it up, pausing with uncertainty, before downing it.

Dear GOD that was nasty, but... I guess more couldn't hurt... I downed a few more, right in front of Ovan, the fuzziness of the alcohol spreading delightfully through me, the tenseness easing away. I was barely conscious of my posture altering as I went, becoming slightly looser, and almost... enticing. Then, I noticed Ovan eyeing me.

I smiled, asking, "So, like what you see?"

"What if I do?" He asked slightly slurring his words.

"Want to see it out of these bothersome things?" I asked, gesturing to my clothes.

"I have been looking to find some place to get a bit of air." He replied stumbling to his feet and making his way upstairs to one of the rooms.

I followed, smiling almost delightedly. "So, which room?"

He picked one randomly, almost falling completly forward when opening the door, picking himself up he sauntered his way over to the window, raising it to allow the cool dusk air to blow in.

I entered, closing the door behind me, "Watch me, big boy." I then began to disrobe, making a small show of it.

He looked at me in shock and almots a bit of lust. "Woah are we really going to do this?" He asked in a bit of shock and disbelief.

With a seductive pout, I asked, "You don't want this?"

"I do I was just a bit in shock..."

I kept on a seductive smile, stating, "Don't worry, you're getting me, all of me."

He moved closer, a noticable tent in his pants as he placed his hands on my shoulders. "Why don't you lead me through it."

"Let's get those off you first." I stated playfully, tugging at his shirt.

He grinned back, stepping a few feet backwards before tripping and falling onto the bed while undoing his shirt. "Better?"

"Now let's get these off you." I stated, tugging on his pants.

With almost ease he kicked it off, laying there naked with 'it' sticking up in the air, a almost shocked yet bliss expression on his face.

"Ooh, you're big, this'll be fun..." I stated, crawling over him.

I smiled, tonight was going to be a good night, but a nagging corner of my mind said it wouldn't be a fun morning....

[Haruko]

Ovan
-a world like the one I've seen in dreams / without conflict, daily peace / but in reality, I sometimes worry about / love and the day to day grind / those rolling days-

I kept my head on the wall for a bit until I started to feel really out of it. My whole world felt like it was spinning, and I felt out of control. I moved my head to level, and looked across to see Danarica getting drunk off the whiskey aswell. I felt a certain..enjoyment for eyeing her, and smiled a bit.

'Let me take care of this, little girl!'I heard a drunken voice in my head, and was forced into a viewing spot, I was no longer in control of my body.'This chick is for big boys!'

(This is now Ovan, male persona PoV. Bold respresents "Inner Danielle.")

"So, like what you see?"Danarica asked, smiling.
"What if I do?"I slurred my speech, from the alcohol.
"Want to see it out of these bothersome things?"She responded, hinting to her clothing. We both smilied and I got up(stumbling a little, of course), heading towards the stairs, looking back at her.
"I have been looking to find some place to get a bit of air."

'Nonononono!!' I heard in the corners of my mind, but shrugged it off. Danarica asked which room but I randomly picked one, it didn't matter. I could feel the girl barking in the back of my mind, it was giving me a pre-hangover headache. I went and opened the window for a bit of air, and she entered seductively, asking:

"Watch me, big boy." as she undressed herself in a show fashion. Although we were both drunk, we were both really going to..you know?
"Woah are we really going to do this?" I asked, although keeping my eyes on her. I did like what I saw, whatever what state I was in.
"You don't want this?"She asked in a seductive voice.
"I do, I was just a bit in shock..."
"Don't worry, you're getting me, all of me." She replied, keeping that seductive smile on and hinted for me to come onto the bed. I placed my hand on her shoulders, smiling yet keeping a manly pose.It was hard, being in a state of pure euphoria. It was either the girl, the whiskey, or the combination of both. Probably the latter.

"Why don't you lead me through it."She smiled and tugged on my shirt playfully.
"Lets get these off of you." And so I did. I took off my shirt, then the mail underneath along with my gloves.
"Now let's get these off you."She tugged on my pants, and I did so with ease. She smiled widely and then seductively. I layed down in bed and she crawled to me, both of our breaths smelling of the whiskey.
"Ooh, you're big, this'll be fun..."

'Whyyy meeeeeeee!'I could hear Danielle say in the backseat of my mind. I was having fun, and tuned her out completely, not caring for her yelling or cursing.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Time for action...of a different persuasion.


Ban Ravi
~Hunting in the Moonlight~

After what was the hundreth scream in the last twenty minutes I finally grabbed up Miroku, exited my room and leapt down to the first floor. Not long after Danarica and Adalia had returned, the former had begun sharing a bottle of whiskey with Ovan. I hadn't been able to get much information about the church from her and the others all seem to either be caught up in their own troubles or worrying about Adalia. So I'd taken the church plans upstairs to study before getting some sleep.

Unfortunately, no sooner had a closed my eyes when the two downstairs started having their way with each other in the room next door. It was tolerable at first, but soon enough the damn woman was becoming a little to hard to ignore. It didn't help that whatever part of my mind that housed Ban Ravi was not adversed to the idea of Danarica in the nude. The deft reminder that it was once a guy helped to quell those thoughts, but did nothing to quell the noise emanating from my neighbor's room.

"I can't believe this..." I thought as I straightened up and headed towards the door.

What are you planning?

"Didn't get any info from Danarica on this church and everyone seems to be wrapped up in something else to deal with this. We're suppose to bring 'faith to a faithless world'. What better way to do so than killin' some beasties?"

It would be wiser to gain the help of at least one of your companions.

"Right now I don't think any of them are going to be much use. Plus, we can handle a couple of monsters, right?"

The spirit seemed to sigh and I smirked as I started towards the church.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

"Doesn't look so bad." I stood before the church, its once hallowed visage now broken down and crumbling.

Careful. I sense gr-

"Yea yea, GREAT EVIL." Unsheathing Miroku from my back I leaned it against my shoulder as I marched right in.

Darkness filled every corner of the building as my booted feet thumped against the hardwood floor. Despite that moonlight seemed to still find it sway into this forsaken place, illuminating the large crystal in the middle of the room. Stepping into it, I looked around as the shadows began to twist and move as yellow eyes blinked open and twisted limbs came to life. "All right uglies." I pointed Miroku at one of the uglier Fearls. "Its time to do some exorcising."

With a guttural screech it leapt forward and I dropped back, raising Miroku tip first before driving forward with a powerful thrust that ripped right through its mouth and out it's back. The others weren't too far behind it so iripped Miroku free and brought it down, cleaving another in twain. Withdrawing the blade, I was barely able to maneuver it in place as two more slammed into me. They immediately lashed out with thier claws and fangs, but my armored coat held up against the onslaught.

I grabbed one by its throat and threw it back towards the slavering pack leaving me to deal with a single one. Grabbing this one by the head, I smashed it into the floor splintering planks piercing through its head. Barely had I drawn a breath when they pressed their attack. Swinging my large blade back and forth I drove them back as I myself backed towards the entrance way. Another leapt for me as I grabbed up a pew in one hand and, my muscles straining despite my newfound strength, ripped it free and threw it into their path sending them careening backwards in a shower of splinters.

"Is that a-"

The breath was blasted from my body as the Fearl barreled into my stomach. Miroku went flying away, smashed from my grip and sent spinning into the darkness. It immediately went into a frenzy of slashing and biting, almost piercing through the chainmail layer. I could feel blood slowly drip down my face and on my chest as gashes were sliced into my skin. It's mouth opened wide, filled with needle sharp teeth as it dove towards my throat. "NOT TONIGHT!" I grabbed two of its longer fangs and held the Fearl at bay with sheer strength. With a roar I twist the monsters head until I hear bone snape and muscles rip.

Shucking the corpse off of my I hold out my hand and call Miroku back to arms. I was battered, bruised, and bleeding, but I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. My blood was singing with the heat of battle and my body flushed with power. "See...no problem."

The jabbering beasts before you would say differently.

"All part of the fun." I panted as I held Miroku in a two handed grip before me. The pack was hanging back, apparently after killing a few of them they'd become wary, but that wouldn't last long.

Let us hope you live through this. It would be most unwelcome.

"I'll try not to."

===================================
Ban may be a bit in over his head, so if any of you others would like to drop by and lend a hand?

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Stupid...raging...hormones..." I growled, banging my head on the bathroom wall with each word. The banging continued until I felt like I beat the images of Adalia out of my head as well as a little nagging voice.

I meet him after all this time, after all those chats, and I'm the one to get horny? I hadn't felt that way since I discovered the Playboy Channel! What's worse is that the evidence was hard to get rid of! Stupid...thing wouldn't go back down! But the worst thing of all was that it wasn't all me. Yes, I started it. But something seemed to push me aside and take it further.

I looked at the mirror, not recognizing the face that stared back. My caracal ears twitched in frustration as I looked at the bruise that was in the middle of my forehead. The voice was gone for now; I would make sure it didn't come back. I sighed in relief a bit too soon, though. My ears picked up the sound of moaning. And banging.

"AARGH! This world is SCREWED UP! I got to get out of here!" I burst out of the bathroom, almost slamming the door into Kalah/Mowsen's face.

"Have you seen Ban? He went out but he didn't say where," she told me.

"I'll get him!" I said a little too enthusiastically.

Unfortunately, my halberd was still in Adalia's room. I ran out and grabbed it before noticing that she was being comforted by someone else. The voice came back with a vengeance, and I immediately felt a pang of jealousy. "My, you don't seem to have a lot of trouble getting attention and comfort," my mouth said with a hint of venom. The panther glared and I glared right back at it. I said nothing else and ran out of the room.

I didn't fully realize what I had said until I was halfway to the temple. "God, I'm an idiot," I told myself.

Of course you are, especially after staying with such a catch for so long.

"Now I know I've been here too long." I stopped in front of the temple and paused for a minute before cautiously walking in. Some organ music would actually make me feel more at ease.

"Kite!" Ban yelled.

"Ban? Whoa!" My eyes caught the movement of a dark creature streaking past me. It circled me and pounced. Something that felt like both me and whoever I was sharing this body with gripped the halberd and swiped at the beast. It gave a piercing cry as it dropped to the floor.

Behind you!

It was too fast for me fight back! The same energy from earlier shot out and surrounded me. The Fearl seemed to hit an invisible wall and fall back. "Shields? I do shields? Meh."

Are you downplaying our power?

'It ain't throwing fireballs, you know!' I raised my halberd and brought it down on another Fearl's skull. My adrenaline was racing...and I liked it.

[ChobiChibi]

Real Name: Becki
Gender: Female
Personality: Becki is a rather laid back person who rarely takes anything too seriously, unless angered. She is extremely random at times, often receiving sarcastic comments insulting her intelligence and an overdrawn “riiiiiight…”. She is generally kind to all unless you have done something that irritates her and enjoys other peoples’ company.
~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~
Name: Loki Kinoshita
Gender: Male
Race: Half-breed panther
Age: 16
Bodily Appearance: Loki stands at the much taller height of 5’9’’ and his rather lanky build is beginning to become more toned. His eyes are an olive green colour with a dominant yellow tint to them. His long black hair is left to flop untidily and out of place and often drifts in front of his eyes. Loki’s ears are replaced by Black Panther ears, which are often quite well hidden by his hair and also has a black tail. There are a few scars from previous battles that remain across his chest and his once childish expressions tend to be more serious.
Clothing Appearance: He wears a simple off-white lose fitting shirt with long sleeves which he has grown into. His navy blue pants have a small hole cut into the back for his tail to hang freely. He has a royal blue wrap that goes around his waist twice and is tied by a double knot at the back, the two ends coming down to the back of his knees with silver embroided patterns on the ends. He uses this wrap as a place to hold his sword when it is not needed. He wears a simple pair of black leather sandals on his feet, a pair of black fingerless gloves and a simple brown shoulder bag.
Weapon: A simple, thin sword with a panther head at the end of the hilt. It is in no way, shape or form magical; it is simply a weapon used by the half-breed panther race. Loki tries to use his sword more often than his magic, as his full breed form has caused him trouble in the past. He is a skilled and confident swordsman due to this.
Magic: Unlike other Half-breeds, Loki can fully embrace his animal side and go into a full panther. This power allows him to understand the animals around him and communicate with them, while giving him a deeper understanding of the animals around him. His panther form looks closer to being an adult than before as his age has increased dramatically.
~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~
Changed Personality: Loki tends to be a bit more reserved than Becki and often keeps his true thoughts to himself. He is quite shy at times around people he doesn’t know, but will take a leader stance if required. He enjoys having times of solitude to straighten or rearrange his thoughts. He is glad to have his body back, although is still irritated at the fact that Becki still occupies a portion of it, acting like a conscience. He is unsure of the situation between himself and Adalia as he has grown older and she has stayed around the same age. He won’t deny his past feelings for her but at the same time he doesn’t know where he stands with someone who is around the age of a possible younger sibling.
Other: Due to the fact he is a big cat, Loki is colour blind. He also has a strong British accent.



~Loki Kinoshita~

“Loki? Do you realise how stupid you are? Lurking around and avoiding the problem isn’t going to help you solve anything, you know!”

If it was supposed to be a good thing that he had his body back, had freedom for the first time in a year or so and was back in a world that he understood, Loki couldn’t see it. Despite the fact he was now older, taller and generally didn’t look like a pip-squeak with an oversized sword, he couldn’t help but distance himself from the others and casually hiding whenever Adalia went by. He hadn’t missed the annoying, loud and inconsiderate voice of Becki screaming inside his head either. The most irritating thing of all was that he knew she was right.

This was the reason that since Adalia had been brought home and was recovering in her room that he was sat outside of it, occasionally standing with his hand hovering centimetres from the door, considering whether he should knock or not. Each time he sighed and returned to his place, hearing that Kite was doing a good enough job of comforting her.

“Do it, Loki! Just knock on the door and check on her! Who cares if Kite’s in there? Technically, you had the Adalia in this world first.”

“Right…” He whispered in reply, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. “Just knock on the door… What’s the worst that could happen?”

His ears perked up as he heard violent coughing, mutters of apology and movement towards the door. Loki scanned the corridor for a possible escape route and finding there wasn’t one, changed quickly into his panther form. He watched in the darkness as Kite dashed down the stairs, soon followed by Moswen going up the stairs and into the room to check on Adalia.

Loki followed her inside; staying close to her heals but not close enough for her to notice. He listened to Moswen saying something about having to wait around for a while before she turned away, taking the opportunity to jump up onto her bed and sit at the end, watching over her. His heart skipped a beat as her eyes met his and sank again once he saw the tears streaming from them. He moved over to her, gently licking her cheeks of tears before laying down for her to rest her head on.

It wasn’t long before Kite burst back into the room, taking his weapon. Loki sighed in relief as he walked straight out, but tensed up again as he spun around in the doorway. “My, you don't seem to have a lot of trouble getting attention and comfort.” He commented, glaring at Loki.

“Glare back… Look mean…”

Loki took her advice, glaring with his yellow-green cat eyes, attempting to growl but making more of a purring noise. “Wow, he’s going to be SO scared of a purring kitty…” He felt triumphant as Kite proceeded to run out of the room, but suppressed it as he looked back at Adalia who remained looking depressed.

“Loki? Wait! Where are you going?” Adalia called as he hopped off the bed and made his way over to the door. A fresh wave of tears appeared as he disappeared from view.

“I thought it might be easier to comfort you if I could reply…” He said as he peered around the door in his humanoid form.

“But why did you leave?”

“Unfortunately, my clothes still won’t magically put themselves back on when I change back.” He said as he pulled his shirt over his head and tying the obi around his waist, completing his outfit. He smiled as made his way back into the room and sat down on the bed. “I missed you…” He muttered, looking away; his confidence suddenly fading as he remembered just who Kite was.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri stood in the common room of the former inn, gazing introspectively out the main window to the streets outside. The Old Woman had only just left him alone, he had almost believed he was going to have to resort to using his magic but the crone must have finally gotten the clue and had shuffled away. Now he could think at least, and he certainly had much to think about.

Like trying to figure out what exactly you're doing here?

Smiling, he had become so used to this body back before that he almost never heard the Dimitri side of him seperate from his own conscious anymore. He supposed that might should frighten him, but they were so closely alike that he really didn't mind if they happened to merge. Dimitri spoke, though softly...he didn't want the other to know he was talking to himself.

"Yeah...Adalia and...Danarica wasn't it? Whatever they found at that temple sure sounds evil, but who the heck knows? For all we know we were tresspassing on their holy ground...the Old Woman might just be taking us all for a lark."

Hearing footsteps behind him, Dimtri smiled. Pulling off his hat for the first time since his arrival, he idly dusted it off on his robe as he turned, bringing his eyes, the spiral fur pattern around them almost dizzying in effect, to bear.

"And what do you think of this?"

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Hurt~*~*~*~*~

”I missed you too..” I replied as he took me by the small of the back, leading me slowly back to the bed, sitting me down upon it and then trying to get me to lay back down. As much as my body ached to lay back down I would rather go off looking for Shonta. It was my fault that he was running off right now and I had to rectify that. “I have to go after him.” I pleaded as Loki lay his hands on my shoulders.

“Could you tell me what happened between you and Kite?” He asked, our eyes met for a second before I looked down at my hands. Tears began to drip down my face again and onto my hands to which he placed his hands. “It isn’t your fau..”

I quickly spoke up. “It is! It is! We were kissing, and I got too close. He must have thought the wrong thing, it is my fault.” I repeated over and over to Loki’s shock. His hands began to ball up in anger as he rose to his feet, a deep growl coming from his throat. “Don’t Loki please, don’t be mad at Kite, be mad at me.”

Loki responded by taking in several deep breaths. “What did he do? Touch you? Did he touch your…” His words came out harsh causing me to sob even harder. Tears began to roll down Loki’s own cheeks as he bent down, wrapping his arms around me. I responded with the same, taking in his smell, it smelled so good, so relaxing. I wanted to just bottle it up and keep it forever. “It’s okay, It’s okay, I’m so sorry.”

After a moment or two I slowly let go of him, my sobs interrupted by hard coughs from my chest. “I need to go after Kite, he could be hurt because of me, or go and do something stupid.” I struggled to make it to my feet before dropping to my knees coughing. Two large strong hands reached behind me, lifting me up and laying me back onto the bed. “I’m the healer.. if he gets hurt.” I coughed as Loki felt my forehead.

“You’re burning up. You need to rest.” He sighed pulling up a stool next to the bed, sitting down upon it as he pulled the sheets up to my shoulders. “I promise I will go after Kite and make sure he’s okay.” He patted my hand softly until I moved it away, struggling a bit in the bed before finally getting the robe off of me under the sheets and handing it to Loki.

“I feel like I am about to throw up.” I gulped, not wanting to really argue with Loki, I was so tired, so exhausted, that I couldn’t heal anyone even if I tried. “I want to go… but maybe I should get a little nap first.” I whispered, my eyes drooping, Loki remaining at my side and holding my hand.

“Loki?” I mumbled.
“Hmmm?” He asked.
“Stay with me till I fall asleep, I’m scared about being alone.”
“I will…”
“And be here when I wake up?”
“I will be, and I will have Kite back safe.”

I raised my hand to touch his cheek softly before closing my eyes. “Loki?” I asked, my hand slowly dropping from his cheek. “I… love you.” I mumbled drifting off to sleep.

Okay guys you can try and clean through the twenty or so Fearls in the Church, there is a big evil inside of the Crystal but don’t get there just yet. The Fearls can also cling from the walls and jump from above and all around.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
<^><^><^><^><^>Oh my mind, how you betray me <^><^><^><^><^>


My nose and ears betray me.
That was the first thought that entered my mind as I walked through the Old Lady’s house with a rather grim expression on my face. Adalia wanted me to tell people what was going on… but I really didn’t have the exact clue. I had a grasp of it, but not enough information to let everyone know what was going on- isn’t that supposed to be the Old Lady’s job? In any case, it didn’t matter if I knew what was going on or not. People had either gone out on their own to the church where Adalia and Danarica had come back from or they were having sex- or getting drunk.
Or both…

Sighing in slight disgust, I soon spotted a figure sitting in front of me and instantly recognized as Dimitri- some one who I knew at least was half sane. (Or as sane as me anyways.)
“And what do you think of all this?” His clear voice rang out as I sat down next to him and withdrew a deep sigh. Taking a delicate hand and brushing a few strands of blonde hair from my right eye, I shrugged.
“I think that people have slightly lost their marbles.” A less-than girly giggle escaped my lips, before I continued. “I am hoping that soon someone lets us know a bit more of what we’re supposed to do… before everyone just goes their own way completely.”
Dimitri nodded, as a large clunking noise could be heard not too far off along with the added disturbance of sexual noises. My ears flattened against my head slightly, as I looked at Dimitri and then nudged him with my elbow. He looked at me as I grinned wickedly.
“Wanna join in the fun?”
Dimitri’s expression was well worth it as I laughed, shaking my head and poking him.
“Bryan- or Dimitri rather, you know… your expression was priceless.”
Before he could respond however, I stood back up and wavered my tail a bit in the air. Looking around us again I shook my head and tilted my head to the side as if to gesture to the doorway.
“Let’s get out of here and get some fresh air.”

Dimitri nodded as the two of us soon headed out the door and was instantly greeted by the cool night air. My eyes seemed to adjust swiftly to the darkness of the night- and compared to the day time, I almost felt as if I could see better in the darkness. I had no doubt Dimitri probably noticed the same thing, being how his half-breed form was a bit obvious or apparent as the fox.

[Roy Karrde]

Phoenix of Mana
~*~*~*~*~ Rising from the Ashes ~*~*~*~*~

The falling bodies of the Fearl all around began to twist and turn around the crystal, swirling around into a vertex as the others battled on in a midnight clash of power. The Vortex began to form a outline, and then it began to become more and more defined. The mighty beast cawed once and with a flap of his wings that sent dust flying, he ignited his flames that covered his body and lit every crevice of the temple.

Rearing it’s head back the beast cocked it into the air and released a torrent of flames that broke through the top of the temple, shining into the air like a spot like. With it’s throat cleared, the beast took to the air, flying around the temple to look at his opponents from all sides before sweeping in and sending them off their feat.

The Fearls quickly scattered in fear as the Pheonix turned around belching out fireballs that barely missed their targets. The Pheonix may be old, and his aim may be off, but the mighty bird could release balls of flaming hot magma as if he were a hatchling.

The Warriors had released the defender of the first crystal, and fighting with only half their team their chances were slim to none of winning.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Thirsty ~*~*~*~*~

With a loud cough and a pain in my lungs I slowly woke back up. Sweat rolled down my head, dripping down into my eyes. “I’m so thirsty.” I whimpered, pulling the sweat soaked covers off of me. “Loki?” I whispered looking around the room, my hair damp and matted to my head.

There were some weird sounds next door, sounded like some one was having a party. “Well if everyone is next door, no one will mind me getting a drink.” I mumbled, wrapping the sheet around my waist and walking slowly out of the room and down the hallway. “Everything is dizzy.” I groaned almost stumbling down the stairs, before finally reaching the bottom.

A deep red color lit the room, casting it in an eerie glow. “Now.. where are the drinks.” I asked myself, clearing my dry throat as I made my way to the bar, my sheet tagging along behind me. With the room as dark as it was, it was near impossible to read the bottles, not to mention that everything seemed to swirl around. “Stupid house.” I mumbled.

“Adalia?” Ovan’s voice asked from behind me as the bottle I was reaching for slipped through my fingers and broke on the ground sending juice and glass flying everywhere. “What are you… are you sick?” He asked rushing forward and wrapping the sheets around me.

“I was just a little thirsty.” I mumbled, stepping away from the sharp glass. “I woke up, and everyone was at a party in the next room.” I explained as he took me by the small of the back and moved me away.

Ovan let out a small sigh and returned to the bottles, peering at the label of each one of them before finally grabbing one and pouring out a small glass. “Here.” He placed the glass into my hands and led me upstairs while I gulped down the grape tasting fluid. “Just try and get some sleep Ryan.” He suggested lying me back down onto the bed. Grabbing the sheets off the other bed he draped them onto me, making sure to tuck me in.

“Thank you Ovan…” Was the last things I remember saying before drifting back off to sleep.

Alright the Phoenix battle has started! You can try to hold it off but it will be a incredibly hard battle.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-the two of us are searching all the time / this accelerated speed can never go back / bind your strength and resolution together /if we don't continue to run, there is no future / so move foward, beyond the door-

I sighed to myself as I walked out of Adalia's room and slowly back to the one where a most likely sleeping Danarica was. The blow must've infected her a little, or it's just the blood lost and she'd be better by the morning.

'Ryan will be fine.'I heard Danielle say reassuringly in my head.'He's just a bit..'
'You're concerned too, don't hide it.' I thought back, staying outside my room.'We'll just keep a close eye on her.

I stopped at that. I could almost feel a pulse coming from my room, most likely from my sword. Did it sense battle? I sneaked back in, quietly, and looked at my sword. The gem on it glew faintly, the mana crystal in that damned temple must've reacted. It was too late though, half of my body was feeling like it was goign to puke from the alcohol from prior; Danielle wasn't smart enough to eat something prior. The other half..well...Danielle was still freaked about the sex part.

I bent down to my sword and placed a bit of my mana, what I could extract from my body anyway, into it to calm it down. It gave off a light blue aura for a bit, then died down. The gem still glew, thirsty for battle, but I couldn't feel the pulse from it. I kept my eye faintly on the gem for a small while, and it died down to a small heartbeat. I couldn't go out and try to fight it; I was in no current shape. I'd be a dead weight.

I placed my sword down, back ontop of my shirt and slipped back into bed, next to the sleeping Danarica. Must to Danielle's horror, I kissed her forehead and closed my eyes, worried for what I'd see in the morning..

knowing that crystal awoke.

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Holy sh...!" Ban exclaimed. Loki looked up and snarled in defiance.

"What the hell is that?" I yelled as I looked up at the creature.

It's a guardian. We have to defeat it before it annihilates us.

"Why would it want to do that?" I raised a shield around the three of us before a fireball could hit us. The shield shattered into thousands of pieces from that one hit, making the sound of a window being broken by a baseball. Another fireball scattered us to different sides of the temple.

"This isn't good!"

"We'll have to retreat!" I shouted to the other two. "We're just going to get slaughtered unless we get the others!" I glanced at Loki and got an idea I knew I was going to regret. "Loki, think you're fast enough to dodge these fireballs?"

Loki gave me a "are you crazy?" look. "What are you thinking?" Ban asked me while he crouched beside me.

"I'm thinking that he could get back and get the others while we hold the phoenix off. So go already!" I yelled at the panther.

Loki nodded and took off like a rocket away from the temple. The phoenix turned its attention to him and focused his attacks on him for a while. Hey, never thought about making him a decoy. But it works! Shortly after the phoenix decided that Ban and I were more important. I raised another barrier and tried to keep the energy flowing into it to raise its durability, which actually drained my own energy.

'Okay, how long can I keep this up?'

I'd say you would collapse by the time the others get here.

'Crap.'

[Dr.McNinja]

"How fortunate."

Dimitri perched on the rooftop of the nearby building, watching the battle unfold beneath him. Having just arrived, he took a moment to take in the situation. Moswen stood beside him, the two having had their walk disturbed by the nearby explosions. It was pure luck that their treck had taken them this way...well Dimitri guessed that calling it luck wasn't exactly appropriate.

"Well?"

Dimitri heard Moswen's voice and stood up, deftly removing something from one of his pockets as he did. Turning to his armored companion he shrugged.

"Well what are you waiting for?"

With a powerful push of his legs, Dimitri leapt from the rooftop, pointing his staff down at the Phoenix as he flew. The bird didn't notice him until he was on the thing, and Dimtri lashed out with his staff, giving the monster a somewhat mild poke in the face. Landing softly, the fox turned to the Phoenix who seemed somewhat put off by the pitiful attack. Smiling secretely, Dimitri snapped his fingers, igniting the Justice card he had affixed to the thing's face with his staff into burning light. It was blinded for the moment if nothing else, though the golden flames left behind by the card seemed to be causing it much discomfort.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
<><><><><><> Weakness is only in one's mind <><><><><><>


Moswen grinned lightly, watching from the roof as Dimitri leapt into the air and then swiftly gave the powerful firebird a nice poke to the face. Her keen eyes however caught the movement of his other hand as he seemed to leave a lovely present behind, causing a rather abrupt wake-up call to the bird as it was blinded. Watching Kite try to fend the beast off as well was impressive, and for the moment Moswen hesitated in joining in. However... she was eager to test another aspect of her powers. Unlike all the others, she had no weapons... however...

Darn headband... it isn't part of the original armor. Moswen thought, being slightly annoyed as she closed her eyes and focused in on her energies. If she hadn't written up this character form... she doubted she would have known what to do to unlock the armor plating. However, not only did the "Kalah" aspect of Moswen know, but so did Moswen herself. It was so strange how many of the things or moods just came natural...

With her eyes firmly closed, Moswen felt the wind pick up slightly around her as she focused upon her armor pieces. One "unnatural" armor piece and five natural. That divided their power aspects into groups of... of...
16.6 divisions of power. A mind abruptly seemed to answer the puzzle for her, which caught her off guard. Kalah was never that adept at math... so having such a swift conclusion wasn't normal.

"Hey Moswen!" A voice rang out, and she instantly knew that her standing on the roof wasn't exactly assuring if she wasn't joining the fight.
Right... time to do this.
Focusing upon the unnatural piece of armor first, Moswen opened her eyes- revealing her yang-sided eye glowing an unnatural omnious purple color. Swiftly her headband began to gather a tendril-like aura which matched of the same color, and swiftly it's metallic silver shine wore off and faded to an obsidian sheen.
"Releasing Unnatural Armor Piece." Then after a few more seconds it simply seemed to erupt into a delicate explosion of white glowing dust particles.
"Nuanica power release at 16.6 percent."

Perhaps there was no noticable change in Moswen by the simple release of one piece of armor... at least, other than her blazing purple eye. But with one bound, it was apparent that there was a change. Moswen was moving swifter than a normal half-breed normally would as she bounded off the roof and simply landed before the Pheonix to join the others.

Narrowing her eyes she could feel her own yang energies teeming with power from just a small fraction of their release as she concentrated. Swiftly a few of her black shoulder tattoos seemed to glow, matching the violet shaded trend as tendrils of aura rapidly poured from the glowing tattoo and spread downwards to Moswen's hand. Grasping the energy, it began to swirl and churn like a burning marble as it built up energy... crackling occasionally as it destroyed the yin which surrounded it.

"Let's see how you like being unbalanced..." Moswen grinned, glancing up at the Phoenix as it attempted to rip apart Dimitri and Kite. Rushing at the Phoenix with amazing speed, Moswen bunched up her legs and then leapt upwards into the air so that she was directly in front of the Phoenix for a hesitated moment. Lashing her hand forward, she threw the crackling orb of condensed dark energy at the bird's head. As she descended rapidly, she watched as it connected with an explosion of black energy. It looked a lot like what one would expect to happen if you were to throw a condensed shard of ice- shattering as it hit the bird, yet the small shards seemed to turn to liquid and eat away at the bird's own aura.

"That should upset it..." Moswen said lightly, grinning as the bird's yin balance was thrown off as the yang energies ate away at it- causing its fire to flicker and grow unsteady.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-although I was only living a little / the shadow of this looming solitude / is lengthily and deeply concealing me.-

*grumble*

'ugh..'I thought, opening my eyes a wink as I could feel my stomach cringing, in need of food. I looked at Danarica and sighed, then smiled. I was sober again, which was apparent by the light headache I had, and it seemed she was out for the night. I slowly got off the bed, and into my clothes.

'After I get something to eat, we'll probably have to head down to the fight..'
What fight?
'Remember the crystal in my sword pulsating? They must've gotten too close to the crystal in the temple and it summoned its guardian.' I adjusted the sword belt around my waist, and placed my sword securely in.

I headed downstairs to take a much better investigation of the kitchen then my female creator did earlier. I rounded up some bread, and a fruit - Danielle said something along the lines of "Starfruit, gross...", but food was food. I took my finds into the main room, and started to chow down on the bread before attempting the fruit.

Someone ran through the front door in a hurry, and I jumped, almost choking on my food. He stopped quickly when he saw me, and it seemed to be one of the half breeds, Loki, and he seemed to have a few battle wounds.

"You..crystal...phoenix.."He tried to utter out, catching his breath. He must've been running pretty fast for a half breed to need to catch his breath. He stopped and took a deep breath, then looked at me.
"Can you and the others fight? This huge phoenix thing is at the temple and we can barely hold it--"

"I know about the temple thing.."I interrupted him, then gesturing to my sword."Danarica can, but you should check on Adalia first. I'll head out now."

I took a big bite of the bread and the fruit, chewed and swallowed then rushed myself out the door. Inside I could feel Danielle panicking, more than likely about the insueing battle.
'I told you, I'll guide the blade.' I thought, to relieve her anxiety, 'You watch the show.'

I continued to run as fast as I could, and taking bites of the fruit when needed to keep up stamina. Hopefully there wasn't much else to do at the bird, I didn't feel a lot of mana in me.

I soon approached the temple, and signs of the ensueing battle were apparent. I looked around for maybe..a secret entrance, or something, for the key element of suprise. I saw a hole in the roof and decided to climb my way near there, I could jump in and stab him nicely. Climbing up was the easy part, looking at the damn monster and trying to find a secure and weak place to stab him was another.

I slowly took out my sword, and determined to jump in hopes of landing near the left wing. I closed my eyes and placed a small concentration of my mana into the sword, it forming into water energy. The phoenix was unstable as is, hopefully a burst of water magic would do it out.

What about the fall?Danielled ringed in my head, and I staggered.
'Hopefully someone will catch us.'I thought and I heard a sigh of disgust. I creeped closer to the ledge, then jumped off.

To my suprise, I landed near my target. Below the left wing, though, and more on it's back. I stabbed my sword in and felt it in place, the flames around me unstable and burning through my shirt. I used whatever mana I had left and surged it all through my sword, converting it into water magic, then it going straight into the Phoenix. I could hear its roar of pain as I took out my sword, and started my descent to the ground.

'We're going to die, we're going to die..' is all I could hear Danielle repeat in my head, but I smiled as I saw a bubble encase us..me..and decrease our speed to the ground to a safe halt. I looked and saw that Adalia did come, despite her state before hand..

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I... woke, yet... I felt different, not just in that I still had a residual good feeling from what I'd done, but... like I was a different flavor, or person... Oh well, not like it mattered. Ovan, the sexy beast that he was, wasn't here, so something must've been going on. That meant it was a good idea to be dressed and ready. I mean, who knows when someone's going to try to kill you?

It took barely any time at all to get dressed, with quick, almost instinctive motions. Then getting the gear on, just as that Loki guy, that panther person practically barged in, gasping something about a battle in the church, and a Phoenix. I nodded, that was certainly cause for fast action.

"Don't worry, on my way." I replied, hopping out the window, and jamming one of my daggers into the wall, bringing about a terrible screeching noise as it slowed me descent enough that when I pushed off the wall, I landed safely.

I hurried down the street, pushing worries about pregnancy that were already in the back of my mind even further back. Now was not the time for petty concerns, now was the time for action. Hmmm.... Ovan was climbing up to a hole? I ought to sneak in then...

I got into a shadow, fading, and slinking in, just in time to see Ovan clinging to it, his sword plunged into it, and letting off a burst of energy though his sword. Getting close didn't seem like a good idea, but this was big, best to hit a sensitive spot...

Readying the same dagger I'd used when going down the building, I took careful aim. I would probably only get one chance at this... I let the projectile fly, it seemed almost an eternity as it flew, spinning through the air, before hitting it, in the right eye, but... it was shallow, glancing off, no penetrating damage, but the eye was out. Now I had to get the hell out of the way before it figured out where I was.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri saw the bird's fire beginning to flicker, he saw the attacks from the other members of the group who, wonder of wonders, managed to drag themselves away from their own pleasures.

Definitely something that needs to be addressed, the world's dying and everyone's off having a grand ol' time? Things aren't supposed to be that...cheery

That would have to come after this thing was dead however. Which, if Dimitri had his way, would be within the next few minutes. Removing another card from his inner pockets, this one inscribed with a burning tower, lightning plowing into it's peak, he pulled it in front of his face and began to concentrate. Snapping, flickering energy began to build around his hand and arm, pale blue surrounding a pure white core. The power building in his arm shooting his cloak out behind him to fly in the artificial wind he created....quite heroicly as a matter of fact. Dimitri's power was so often full of trickery, deception being their greatest power, allowing him to turn his battles into foregone conclusions. This was not like that, this was just pure, open power...he rather liked it. The lightning built, his arm now looking like it was draped in a spiderweb of the intangible energy, the card burning in his hand as it did.

Well well well, never had a reason to use this one....now I wish I had

He needed a few more seconds though, seconds the increasingly enraged and damaged Phoenix weren't going to give him. The thing didn't even know where he was, the reason he had taken the opportunity to use this rather flashy and lengthy technique. It was flailing about wildly however, never giving him the target he needed to release the deadly energy he was continuing to concentrate within his arm. Throw this around too loosely without the proper grounding and he could just as well obliterate himself with it.

"Moswen! Someone! Hold it still!"

If this works the results should be...visual to say the least...

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
*~*~*~*~*~*~* Sometimes the smallest fire burns brightest in the darkness *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Moswen continued to dart around the Phoenix, using her speed to distract the bird as much as possible... however it seemed that whoever attacked the bird, seemed to draw its attention. Moswen darting around didn't seem to attract it... just annoy it somewhat, but she was not attacking. A few more people finally joined the battle, causing Moswen to feel a bit more relief but also slight annoyance. More people would have been around had they not been screwing off in the first place...

But that does not matter now. I believe that this little battle will draw their attention and soon we'll be more of a... group, like we're supposed to be.

Moswen stopped moving for a second, landing back down upon the ground and sliding slightly with the momentum still upon her. Her old attack had given the others the opportunity to attack the bird without worrying so much about its fire- the yang ate away at the yin, but not just the yin. More specifically, Moswen had it eat at its mana layer... causing the firey attacks to dwindle. However, the bird was awefully tough... even with a watery sword slicing into it and a dagger, the bird still was refusing to go down. Loki seemed to arrive on the scene as well, and had managed to attack the bird some what- creating a nice distraction. Moswen was about to feel good about their new collaborated group, however with a roar the bird suddenly blasted Loki backwards with a firey pillar of fire. Moswen knew it was time to act and do some thing drastic now- before anyone else was hurt.

It is time to-

Suddenly, Moswen's keen eye saw a bit off that Dimitri was powering up a wildly blue attack. Wind seemed to pick up around the area, causing Moswen's hair to billow in the air. He called out for someone to hold the bird... which was not paying much attention to him, but was concentrating more on Ovan and Adalia.

"Hold it still... the bird is HUGE!" Someone said loudly, causing Moswen to narrow her eyes.
"I'll do it."

With that, Moswen stepped forward and instantly she pressed two fingers to her forehead and closed her eyes. She had to do this fast. Concentrating upon her first natural armor piece... soon the silvery armor piece around her wrist began to fade away into an obsidian sheen.
"Releasing First Natural Armor Piece." Moswen said in a rather monotone voice. Opening her eyes, a violet aura erupted from the tattoo markings upon her arm and began twisting and incircling her arm like snakey tendrils.
"Nuanica Power at 33.2 Percent"
Exactly at that moment, the obsidian armor piece erupted into a familiar silvery dust.

Growling as her tail lengthened and fur sprouted about her hands for a moment, Moswen felt an almost intoxicating rush of dark power. Clasping her glowing right hand in her left hand, the aura tendrils spread to her left arm and creating a mirror image of the tattoos on her right half.
Seeing Dimitri armed and ready, Moswen charged forth at the bird- giving out a snarl-like growl. This seemed to catch the bird's attention enough, but not in time to escape Moswen's grasp.

Leaping at lightning speed into the air, Moswen grasped the bird's taloned feet and latched on- digging her newly aquired wolfish claws into the bird's legs. Instantly the yang energy from her arms seemed to sound with a large thunderous boom as the energy encased the entire bird.

"NOW!" Moswen yelled, paralyzing the bird most of the power she had released- causing the bird to glow with a slightly ebony violet shade.

Dimitri seemed to gather more power as the crackling blue energy from his arm seemed to suck itself into the card. Then he thrusted his arm forward and threw the card into the air. The card sliced through the air and stopped right above the bird. Immediatly a glowing box-like outline of crackling energy surrounded the bird, and for a split second all was still. Then with one rushing motion, Dimitri drove his hand towards the ground, releasing the power of the card. The card then erupted into energy, releasing a massive lightning bolt of crackling energy down upon the bird. A huge explosion was released within the outline as it connected with the phoenix, causing it to shriek with undeniable pain. The bright light from the multitude of explosions caused most everyone to shield their eyes as the shriek echoed into the air.

After a few moments the crackling energy faded away, but the bird was slumped upon the ground. Moswen had let go of the bird as soon as the energy connected, and had rolled out of the way just in time before the massive explosion occured. Turning around to look at the bird, Moswen watched as the bird gave one last dying cry and then seemed to explode into sparkling green particles of light. The light traveled upwards into the air, and then rapidly seemed to condense upon eachother. As they condensed, it began to darken in color before falling to the ground as a massive, shiny shard of black mananite.

Moswen heard some one walking up towards her, and she turned back to see Dimitri swaggering towards her- he seemed to be totally drained. Moswen herself was breathing heavily, feeling as if she was about to collapse herself.

"I think I overdid it..." Dimitri said weakly, collapsing to the ground. Moswen panicked for a split second, weakly walking to his side. However, she realized he was merely drained...
Time is up. A voice in Moswen's head said, as suddenly she heard herself speak.
"Nuanica Powers Restrained. Reinniation process activated."
Suddenly the sound of sliding metal rang through the air and the wrist armor piece reappeared and attached itself back to the rest of the armor pieces by a chain.
"I... I'm tired now too..." Moswen said in a whisper, her vision going blurry as she too fell to the ground.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Sleeping Peacefully ~*~*~*~*~

I lay on a field of flowers wearing a white gown, the sun beating down upon me in one of those peaceful spring days, ones that were few and far between back in Texas. The sound of movement drew my attention to the left of me, Loki drew his head back, exposing his neck, his eyes rolled back in pleasure as he enjoyed the sun. His eyes opened slowly, looking as beautiful as ever. He smiled, and leaned in, kissing my cheek ever so softly. A similar sound to the previous one drew my attention to my right. Kite let out a soft purr as he spread his arms along the flowers, laying on the ground to my right as Loki was to my left. He turned, looking at me, his eyes filled with love. In one graceful movement he leaned in kissing my right cheek. Everything was perfect…

“Loki… Kite…” I moaned each of their names, my mind drifting in absolute bliss. Then something happened that was wrong, very wrong. I was nudged, first softly, and then harder. “What?” I groaned, finding my world in pure darkness, the flowers gone, Loki, Kite, all gone. I opened my eyes to find myself dragged out of heaven, I was in the hotel room, lying in bed. My left arm clutching a pillow to my chest, my right arm and hand between my legs dripping wet.

“Adalia wake up.” Loki nudged me again softly, I turned looking at him, and realized where my right hand was, pulling it away quickly and turning several colors of red. “How are you feeling?” He whispered, bending down on one knew and placing his hand on my head. “You’re fever has gone down, although I’m not sure, you were making some weird noises while you slept.” Loki sighed, his eyes trying to search for the right thing to do.

“I feel fine.” I sat up, using the pillow to cover me as Loki quickly shielded his eyes. His hands moving around quickly, finding my robe and putting it on as quickly as possible. “Just take it slowly.” He helped me off the bed with my left hand as I quickly wiped my right hand off in my robe.

The two of us made it down stairs, Loki rushing to get Laura and Sierra before running back to me, placing his arm behind my back and clutching my right hand to lead me. Because of this it took us a while to reach the battle, while everyone else had rushed ahead. Loki filling me in on the details along the way. “Hey Adalia?” He asked, unsheathing his sword as I brought out my staff, at this point we usually went our separate ways. “Two of a kind.” He grinned.

“Nothing can beat us.” I finished the sentence, he rushing off to battle while I stayed behind. “Be careful.” I silently prayed, the sentences were a usual battle cry for Loki and I while in battle.

My mind wasn’t able to last on Loki for long, there was a battle that needed to be fought and if I did not focus on it, some one would end up dead. My attention caught Ovan as he leapt through the air, his sword going straight into the Phoenix while he plummeted. Whipping my staff around I angled it right at him, a bubble of green mana ensnared him immediately, lowering him to the ground gently. “I see you got better squirt.” He coughed doubling over and holding his burned chest.

I glanced over at Laura and Sierra who stood close by. “I have to get to Ovan, cover us okay?” I yelled to both of them over the roar of the flames. I didn’t have time to see if either of them understood what I said, for I had already taken off running, keeping my head down as the battle raged all around me. I looked to my left, watching Loki battle, I turned back to the right, my eyes looking into Kite’s. I grinned, a reassuring smile. He smiled back and I turned back, diving the last few feet to get to Ovan.

The Phoenix battle was all around us as I knelt at his side, examining his badly burned chest. Ovan groaned, his hand clutching his chest, which I had to slowly move out of the way. “Get out of here kiddo.” He growled, gasping in pain.

“I’m not a kid.” I glared back, placing my hand on his chest, the warm feeling of mana flowing through my arm, into my hand, my fingers, and finally into his body. He continued to groan, twitching around as I closed my eyes and continued to flow mana into his wounds.

“NOW!” I could hear Dimitri yell, instinctively I pushed my hand away from the wound, throwing my body over Ovan’s chest to shield him. Everything went silent for a second, before the room lit up as if it were mid day, a ear shattering bang rang out causing Ovan and I to scream out in pain.

When the sound and light faded I raised up, my ears ringing in pain as I placed my hand back on Ovan’s wound, sending mana back into it, stopping the bleeding and healing some of the skin. “Ryan..” He coughed, looking into my eyes as I turned to look at him.

I quickly turned back, healing up the wound to the point that it was bloody scar tissue now. “The person that created me is..” He began to speak and then caught himself for a moment, I looked back at him and then my arm was jerked away as I was pulled to my feet.

“It’s Loki.” That was all Danarica had to say, at that moment my heart stopped beating, it felt like forever before it started up again, that second, it felt like a eternity. My eyes searched the room and I found him, on the ground his body covered in burns. I could feel the blood, it had all drained out of me at the moment. Some how I moved one foot, and then the other, my staff dropping to the ground as I took off running.

“LOKI.” I screamed tears running down my face, my feet getting caught up in themselves as I was sent sprawling to the ground, scraping up my chin and my hands. I pulled myself up, stumbling over to him before collapsing to my knees. “LOKI, LOKI.” I screamed over and over again at the top of my lungs.

LOKI…

[Haruko]

Ovan
-after an endless dream, in this miserable world / that's right, maybe not using common sense isn't so bad after all / even with these awkward wings, dyed with images that seem to stay / i'm sure we can fly, on my love.~Butterfly-Wada Kouji-

'Don't you dare!' Sharp words rung in my head as I was trying to communicate to Adalia. I didn't see the use in hiding ones identity, especially when..'Not even you would understand.'
I stopped short for her, knowing it'd be best for headaches sake. I saw Adalia being taken away by Danarica, and sat up slowly to see the ensuing battle. By the time I got up, it seemed as if it were over, the Phoenix shrieking it's last cry, then doing what Danielle mumbled as the "Green Spark" effect. The sparkles condensed after being in the air for a short bit of time, then formed a massive black mananite
'I don't understand this..'
'Huh?'
'If we were called here by this worlds god, and this temple is one devouted to that god..even if haunted by demonic creatures, why have us destroy a sacred guardian?'
'Eh...I can't really give an answer to that. I guess to recharge the bigger crystals that exist out there.'
'I never really liked religion..'I heard her sigh, and I agreed her a bit, although this wasn't the place to think such thoughts. I slowly got up and held my chest, my shirt was in ruins, so were part of my pants. my gloves and mail were fine due to the runes protecting them, but the mail didn't activate in time to help the burn. Thanks to Adalia, all there would be after a while would be a scar. I looked over to her and saw her treating Loki, one of the half breeds, in a state of panic.

'She'll be fine, we need to pick up this impure mananite first..'I thought, talking inside to myself and Danielle. I didn't feel much pain from the wound, but I could sense Danielle was, as if she took the front for me. Silly woman. I walked over to the mananite, placing my sword in its hilt in the process, as I never got the chance before, falling and such. It's impurity was shown in its dark, black color. Either due to the fearls or lack of faith, hopefully somewhere...

I touched it slightly, and like a fragile piece of glass, it Green sparked, the black parts showering down to the ground as shards. All that remained was a white center, as Danielled dubbed - 5 inches vertically, 3 inches horizontally. I stepped on a few impure shards to reach the center and touched it, it shining in the moonlight. As the black casing did, the white center shattered into "quarter" like pieces. I bent down slowly, and I took each piece into my pouch on my belt, which remained intact besides a few scorch marks here and there. I wasn't able to encase all of the mananite in my pouch, and another human - Ban, came over to collect some as well.

"I'm sorry for not arriving sooner.."I said lowly, embarrassed. I wasn't the only one, Danielle was inside, all anxious, even if she wanted to say something. I sighed slightly and looked around, seeing Moswen and Dimitri unconscious, most likely due to their heroic acts in the finale of the battle.

'I'm sorry..I can't..it hurts..'I heard a whimper in my head, and all of the sudden, my chest lit a fire in pain. The burn wound, although 2/3 of the way healed, caused havoc on Danielle and she was only holding it back as much as she could. I held my chest and winced, wanting to yell a little in pain but kept it in. People started to take other people for piggy back rides to the hotel, and I felt useless as I commited such a reckless act that injured myself..and kept the pity to myself as we walked back to hotel, finished from the battle.



I DING PAGE 2 IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE! =D

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If you catch me dreaming
Please don't wake me 'til I'm done
Just leave me sleeping
Until the morning comes

"Just pass me over
Make believe that I'm not there
Just leave me be
Until the saviour comes

I love that song. Don't know why, but its seemingly melancholy tone masked a religious meaning. Right now its chorus was echoing in my head so loudly I thought that someone was playing it on a stereo nearby. It repeated itself as I collapsed on the other bed in Dimitri's room. My body could hardly move and even Kite was silent.

I couldn't do this. The danger and drama that this adventure promised would tear my spirit apart before it was half over. If my bones wouldn't break by the Fearls' attack, then my heart would from the knowledge that Ryan, even though he was Adalia here, had another love in his/her life. I was sort of relieved that she was worried about Loki at the moment. The less she thought about me, the less she could worry about me.

Just leave me to sleep. Let my mind drift until this whole nightmare is over. My eyes closed to blissful slumber.

"Mommy? Hot Rod?" My six-year-old self wandered through my grandmother's house, finding no one to look after me when I got home from school. The place was so quiet I was afraid to hear the slightest sound.

"No one's here," a voice said from behind me. It was me...an older version of me, probably eleven or twelve years old, with braids in her hair and a serious face. "That stinks. The only people that would care if you disappeared aren't here anymore."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"Those Valentines you're carrying aren't worth squat. You'll find out soon that your so-called friends wouldn't give you anything if they weren't obligated. They're sick of your innocent nature and eagerness to please the teacher. You should've stayed quiet. That way you won't have to worry about those little trips to the psychiatrist." She glared at me and vanished.

"Huh? You're wrong; they do care."

Another me walked into view, this one a lot older and wearing glasses. "Are they? You don't know now, but you're going to live a lonely life. You're me; you should know that no one cares. No one wants to know you or understand you."

"That's not true!"

"It is! Everyone has left without notice or warning, without anything for you to remember them by. Not even a phone number, e-mail, or change of address. If they really cared about you, then they would've wanted to tell you how they were doing with their new life."

"Stop it, please!"

"Aww, poor baby. It seems I'm the voice of reason. Why do you cling to life? You're not making a plausible attempt of securing your future. Every day seems to get worse as you seem to fade way. So disappear completely and let someone else fill in the space."

My eyes shot open. A little light shone through the window, indicating that the sun was rising. I held up my shaking hands and tried to shake away my thoughts. I was still so tired I felt that I could sleep all day. "I need some air."

The hotel was silent but my ears could pick up the sounds of steady breathing. Just a couple of doors over was an open door that showed an open patio. There stood Adalia. At least you care, Ryan. But how can you handle such a complicated matter as this? You love me, but Adalia loves Loki. And you two are one in the same but I still feel like I'm still Shonta.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Adalia asked me as she noticed me watching her.

I shook my head. "I really wanted to but the nightmares wouldn't let me." I stood by her as we watched the sun rise. She smiled at me and leaned against me. Trying to show some concern I changed the subject. "So how's he doing?"

"Better now. He's sleeping, and I am trying to build back up my mana." I nodded, unable to hide the slight irritation from my selfish side. She frowned when she saw that look. "You don't like him much, do you?"

Despite my will to get along with everyone, I chose to be honest. "If he leaves me alone, I'll leave him alone."

"It's because of me..." She hung her head. "You guys don't like each other because you both love me."

As absurd as that sounds, it's absolutely true. I groaned and headed toward the door, wanting to end the conversation right there before it got too melodramatic.

"Don't leave...please, Shonta."

I stopped in my tracks at the sound of my real name. "Look, I'm exhausted from holding a shield up for so long and don't feel like getting into any drama. Just stay with Loki for now." I gestured to the sleeping half breed in the room.

She looked down with sad eyes. "I'm sorry for making you mad. I always seem to be screwing things up. First with the kiss, now this."

Great. Now we're talking about the kiss and how much she thinks she has screwed this up. "I was the one that got sucked into this fantasy. I feel like I'm intruding."

"You're not intruding," she told me as she held my hands in her significantly smaller ones.

I immediately pulled away from her. "I'm an intruder. You and Loki already had something going and then I came along."

"You aren't really, I want to be with both of you!"

"You can't be with both of us, not at the same time!"

Her heart was starting to crack. "Why not?"

"You just can't."

"But if Loki says it's okay..."

"Now I know I'm intruding!" I said loudly. It had to be bad if I had to get the other boyfriend's permission. I turned my back to her to make another attempt to leave. "You'll be okay without me for a while."

I heard a small gasp from her. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Wow. I never guessed that I would be breaking up with my first boyfriend. "I'm just stepping aside and giving you and Loki some air. He'll do a better job of taking care of you here."

"But I want you too." She grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

Then something unexpected came out of my mouth: laughter. Somehow I was amused that I would ever hear this. "Why?"

"Because I like you." She said this as though it was so obvious, which made me laugh even harder. She started to cry at the heartless creature before her. "Why are you laughing about my feelings? Is it a joke?"

The stupid dream came back to me in full force. "You'll leave sooner or later. They all do."

"No, I won't!"

"Just because you say it doesn't make it true. Just be happy with Loki."

It got more emotional as she threw her arms around me. "I want to be happy with you too."

"You'll be happier not having to try to keep both of us happy."

"Can I try?"

"You'll just get a headache," I warned her.

"Please dont do this!"

"If you want me to be happy, then keep your distance." With that, I left before she could stop me again.

Someone's being heartless...and stupid.

'I knew you'd pop up. Anyway, it's better for both of us if we didn't have to worry about a love triangle. Besides, things like this end up on Jerry Springer.'

Idiot. With that he withdrew again.

I returned to my bed and felt my exhaustion come back stronger than before. "Just pass me over, make believe that I'm not there..." I whispered as I went back to sleep.

Whoa, that was long. By the way, I was referencing 'Pass Me Over' by Anthony Hamilton. Haven't heard of him? Grab some soul and groove.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Picking up the Pieces/The Battle's Reprieve~

As the phoenix went up in green sparkles, I drove Miroku into the ground as I fell to one knee. I could feel the adrenaline drain away and while I wasn't completely spent I was more than a little winded. It was a strange feeling to still have energy after such strenous activity, especially for someone like me who would rather use the computer than go play basketball.

"Gotta love that partially demonic constitution." I smirked at the thought as I withdrew Miroku from the earth. Untying the cloth from my brow I swiftly wiped it along its edge before resheathing on my back. Despite the grisly stains, I tied the red dyed cloth against my prow before surveying the damage done.

The church was partially ruined, its innards gutted by the phoenix's flight. If it had not been for that shield Kite had put up the two of us would have been incinerated along with most of the remaining Fearls. Said catboy was leaning exahustedly against his halberd the drain of using his newfound powers to stem the fiery bird's attack I supposed. Most of the others were relatively unhurt, having gotten their either too late or mostly using long-range attacks. Loki had the worst of it judging by the frantic yelling Adalia was doing. Danarica helped calm her down and start her healing mojo.

"All things consider, things didn't go TOO bad."

You should probably check where that object fell. Phoenixs do have a tendency to ressurect themselves from their ashes you know.

"I think Ovan beat us to it." Said warrior was stumbling towards where the phoenix and that shard had fallen. There was a flash and he began collecting bits and pieces on the ground. I walked over to help, scooping the glowing shards into the pockets of my coat.

"I'm sorry for not arriving sooner...." Ovan muttered as he unsteadily got to his feet.

"Better late than never, and that was some hit boyo." I flashed a friendly grin. "But next time, try to save the whiskey and sex for AFTER we kill the beastie."

He gave me an uneasy smile and started walking away as I pocketed the last of the glowing substance. Looking around I could see black shards littering the ground, but no sign of anything that looked like an egg. "Perhaps it only happens when they die naturally?"

There. Turning my head as the spirit prompted, a warm red light radiated from the grass. Pushing it aside there lay a perfect red/yellow egg emanating with warmth. Gingerly picking it up I looked at it as it glowed brightly in my hand. "What should I do with this?"

A Phoenix may prove a powerful ally.

"Or it could remember who killed it and want to fricasse us the moment it revives. Maybe I could cook it."

I do not think that would be a good idea. It may just revive itself within you a-

"Yea...thanks for the mental image there. I think I'll just keep it. Worse comes to worse, I can chuck it in a river, right?"

Lets hope we do not come to regret this decision.

Slipping the egg into a pocket within the recess of my battered coat I turned to see the others limping back to the inn. Adalia was helping to support an unsteady Loki to his feet as Kite hobbled over to help. Danarica and the others were picking up the fallen Dimitri and Moswen as Ovan staggered down the street. Walking over I gently picked up the two of them, slinging one over my shoulder and holding the other up by the waist. "Here I got these two." I looked at Danarica before jerking my head to Ovan, who was bracing himself against a wall. "Why don't you go help your 'partner' over there."

She had the decency to blush a bit before running over to help out the injured warrior. Sighing and shaking my head I started down the road. "This is going to be a loooooooooong journey."

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
^><^><^><^><^"Time can tell us so many things... but it rarely speaks"^><^><^><^


Moswen's eyes fluttered open as she semi-conciously felt her body being moved. Everything was moving in a rather fuzzy pattern before her wolfish eyes adjusted, and near her lighter right side was a face she recognized- Ban. Then it connected with her who Ban was from TPM, which made her smile as she turned her head to look at him.
"Yeah... I sorta figured that out the moment people were drunk."
She said in an almost-beyond-a-whisper voice, finding that she was a bit numb to speak. Still, as Ban looked at her with his side glance, Moswen formed a smile on her face as her hair swayed slightly with his walking movement.
"You woke up fast..." He said, looking to Dimitri in his other grasp. Dimitri was completely wiped out, looking rather worn as he limply was held. Moswen's head seemed to pound with a resound thudding as the world occasionally swam before her eyes.
"I'll probably fall under the unconcious spell again..." Moswen trailed off, her tail flickering slightly from behind. "... never meant release so much Nuanica power so early..."
Moswen said lightly, resting her head against whatever was nearest to her as she was held. Ban opened his mouth as if to say something, but Moswen didn't see as she added.
"... I just saw so many others getting hurt... I wanted to help Dimitri end the battle to protect Adalia, Loki, Kite, Danarica, Dimitri, Ovan and you... just... everyone... I don't like seeing pain in other-"
However, before Moswen could finish it seemed her voice trailed off as the darkness once again swept across her mind. Moswen found herself suspended in darkness, no longer aware of the real world.

A little girl was crying, clutching a ragged stick and standing over her bike. Moswen tilted her head to the side, confused as she swiftly knelt by the girl's side.
"What's wrong little one?" Moswen asked, tilting her head to the side as the girl's brilliant blue eyes looked up at Moswen. Tears streamed down her face as she sucked in air with each trembling breath.
"I... I don't have friends..."
Moswen frowned at this, turning her head to look about but she saw no one in sight.
"I'm sure that's not true... you look like you'd have lots of friends."
The girl firmly shook her head, clutching the stick in her hands as if it were going to burst into flames.
"N-no... people lie... everyone lies... they all say they're your friend. But in the end, when things go wrong... they run away or they just hurt you."
Moswen's eyes widened, as she went to rest a hand on the girl's shoulder but the little girl stood up over her bike and shouted.
"Everyone just ends up leaving me!"
With that, the girl dashed off... and Moswen tried to shout, tried to chase after her... but the girl was running too fast... she was getting too far...

[Roy Karrde]

David Ryan Lutz
~*~*~*~*~ Shocked ~*~*~*~*~

I sat down outside, shivering with tears running down my cheek. Every few minutes I would get a hiccup, before I continued to cry. My hands tightened into balls as I held my head. People would pass by, paying no attention to me, and I paid no attention to them as they continued on their way. Eventually a hand came and touched my shoulder, I turned expecting Loki, but found Ovan instead, his face a mixture of pain and shock at the sight of tears running down my eyes. “Ryan?” He whispered, kneeling down to my side and wiping my eyes with a piece of cloth. “What happened?” He asked.

Tears began to run down my cheeks again. “Why is it, every time I fall in love..” I hiccupped and the tears became worse. “That they leave me?” I bawled putting my head in my hands.

It was long until Ovan placed his arms around me, pulling me into a deep hug and allowing me to cry on his shoulder. “People are just stupid..” He whispered running his hands up and down my hair.

“I don’t understand, I don’t understand.” I must have repeated that over and over again for hours.

Eventually Ovan pulled me away, running his hand over my forehead to brush the hair out of my eyes. “I saw that there was a market close by, I was going to go and pick up some clothes and supplies, lets go and try to cheer you up, I will pay for it.” He flashed a lopsided grin as I nodded slowly looking up at him as he stood up and took my hand.

I clutched his hand as we walked, staying as close to him as possible with the occasional tear running down my cheek. “Hey you two!” Danarica yelled, racing up to meet us. “You should see the stuff at this place.” She jerked her finger toward the rows upon rows of tents set up to create a flea market of sorts. His eyes fell upon me and I jerked my head away to hide my face.

“We were going to look for things for our journey.” Ovan explained walking forward and moving me along with him as he went to the first tent.

“Oh hey, Adalia I got hit pretty bad, and this wound just won’t stop bleeding could you take a look at it?” Danarica asked, Ovan looked over at her and glared, but all I did was nod and placed my shaky hand on where he was pointing. Mana began to flow from my hand, into my fingers, and then into her. Only the mana seemed to split off, going to another life source while the other went to Danarica and the wound.

The feeling was odd and alien causing me to quickly jerk my hand away and cradle it. “There is something wrong with me, the mana was going to two different lives.” I whimpered, this had never happened before, something was screwing me up. Danarica’s face turned several colors of ash as did Ovan’s as they looked at each other.

“Two different?” Danarica began to ask, her voice trembling.

“Adalia go away for a few minutes.” Ovan barked harshly. I drew in a short shocked breath through my nose and looked up at him. “NOW.” He yelled, I winced, almost expecting a slap or a shove, moving away as fast as possible. Ovan and Danarica began to talk as I moved further and further away, not daring to look back.

My eyes began to wonder the booths, looking at each one as I made my way through the people, squeezing between some people, just to look at what was in each booth. Most of it was food and clothes; the next one I visited though was surrounded more with people my own age. I moved in, wiping the tears from my face with my sleeves and looked in finding a assortment of toys.

It took a little bit of time but I finally made my way up to the front table to look at a lay out of toys that looked some what crudely made by modern day standards. All of them though looked handmade. My eyes came to fall on a beautifully stitched rag doll made of cloth and felt. I snatched it up and held it close to me, enjoying the warmth for a second before holding it out to look at it. She would never leave me, not like how Shouta did, and I could have some one to hold on to and talk to during the long journeys!

“C’mon Ryan.” Ovan grasped my hand pulling me out of the crowd of children. I turned and looked up at him, holding out the doll. Since he had all the money I would need him to buy it.

“Please?” I looked up at him, gone were my eyes that were full of pain, instead they were full of hope and happiness.

“I thought you were twenty one in the other world, you shouldn’t be playing with dolls.” My heart and my eyes fell as I looked down at the doll, feeling like some one being scolded on by their parents. “And a boy at that.” He scoffed.

I nodded my fingers trembling as I ran them through the doll’s hair. “You’re right, I just..” I took in a deep breath biting back tears. “I thought it would be something fun to play with.

“Dolls? Fun?” He almost laughed bringing back memories of Shonta laughing to my face about our friendship, our relationship.

“To pretend.” I explained.

Ovan shook his head with disgust, placing his hands on the doll and taking it out of mine. “You need to stop playing around then.” He tossed the doll back on to the table and took me by the shoulder. “with… little … girl things..” He mumbled.

I turned and looked back at the table, being swarmed with children. I felt like a outcast, I wasn’t a child, and I wasn’t a adult. If I acted like either I was yelled at. “It was just a ragdoll..” I tried to explain.

Ovan brought me around to a booth full of clothes. “See these? These are clothes.” He explained angrily pushing them into my face. “We would have to carry that ‘doll’ around with us.” Saying the word doll as if it were a cuss word. “And things that aren’t necessities are burdens!…” He explained, as if he were talking down to a two year old.

Rage began to boil up inside me as I shot my head up looking right at him. “JUST FORGET IT OKAY?” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Ovan took a step back for a second shocked, before finally shaking his head and pulling out a marble of mananite. “Buy it..” He sighed dropping it into my hands.

I grasped the pebble and threw it back in his face before stomping away. “You just want to use it to make fun of me.” I shouted back at him, merging in to the crowd and disappearing from his sight.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


“There is something wrong with me, the mana was going to two different lives.”

That line sank in faster than a bolt of lightning, chilling me to the core, the blood draining from my face. No... god no... it couldn't be... I offhandedly felt a presence shrink away to almost nothing, probably the part of me that was Dennis.

I couldn't keep my voice steady, as I practically squeaked out, "Two different?"

I felt tiny, insignificant, like nothing in the grand scheme of things, a bug easily smashed, a flower easily crushed. I felt small, helpless, and alone. Last night, I was powerful, had nothing to fear, now, now I was nothing...

I barely registered Ovan sending Adalia away, in my confused mental haze, eventually managing to find a voice. "I- I'm..."

"Preg..nant.." He finished, seemingly equally stunned.

The full weight of my condition came crashing down on me, squeaking out unsteadily, "I- I'm going to b-be a mother?"

"Seems like it..unless Adalia's mana was wrong.." Ovan commented, almost distractedly, it looked like he was tapping his head, not like it mattered...

"But... the quest... I'm not ready..." I managed to get out, terrified of what was happening. How could I fight? It wasn't just my life on the line, and supplies, and other things. I'd be a burden, I'd be alone...

Then, Ovan did the thing I expected the least, gently hugging me to him, and reassuringly stating, "It'll be ok, I'll protect you. And don't..worry about the quest.."

"But... but..." I tried to think of something to say before beginning to cry, practically melting into his hug.

"If it's because you were a guy in the other world.. it's ok." He was obviously unsure of how to handle it.

"Why? Why did I have to be so stupid?" I cried out between sobs, lightly pounding my fist on his chest, as I berated myself. He remained silent, keeping up the comforting embrace, allowing me to eventually regain my composure.

"Sh-should I keep it?" I asked, perhaps they had a way to...

"That's your choice.. and I don't think there is a way to stop a pregnancy here.." He answered.

I thought about his words, it was unlikely, and probably risky, and... I couldn't do it. I couldn't blame the life growing in me for my stupid mistake. And... I had...

I looked down at my belly, covered in the cloth of my tunic, considering things, "The kid'll need a father..."

He nodded, replying, "It'll be a while anyway..."

I nodded to myself, leaving the hug, "You'd better find Adalia, I- I'll go find the others."

"You sure?" He asked, obviously still concerned.

I nodded in reply, commenting, "I... I just needed to let all that out." I then got a small smile on my face, a slight teasing tone entering my voice as I added on, "But you better look into getting me a ring, or whatever they use in this world."

"Heh." he replied, obviously glad I was feeling better, "I... never told you my creator's SN from pokemasters, correct? I should tell you that at least."

I nodded cautiously, knowing it was a sensitive subject.

"It's PoLHaruko..er..san? yeah.." He answered somewhat nervously.
It was almost... funny, the way he handled that.

"Okay, I'll keep your secret." I quipped back, giving him a light kiss, just a peck really, on the lips, "We better get going."

To which he only nodded.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-standing at a steep cliff and feeling the wind / all you can see is your own weakness, right? / but whatever troubles you have, they'll become the chances to fly far away,/ and they conceal miracles.-

Morning rose as quick as the moon fell.

I sat up slowly from bed, arising from a..well, half nights slumber. My wound was now bandaged with what I could find in first aid; and of what Danielle knew of it. I got off the bed and placed a shirt on that I found in a closet, it was nearly identicle to my old one. My pants, however, needed replacement. I'd have to go to the main streets and buy a pair. Right now, the old pair with burn marks, and holes on the leg, would have to do.

I walked downstairs and out of the inn with a silent aura, picking up a fruit for eats while I passed by the kitchen. Nearly ashamed for what I had done whilst drunk, and I guess the feeling of Danielle's solitude started to 'pour' into me. For better or worse, I wouldn't know.

As I exited, I saw Adalia in the corner of my eye, and Kite just brushed me by. Adalia, or as Danielle knew her as, Ryan, was crying. I walked slowly to her, unsure of what to do. As I came to Adalia, I placed my hand on her shoulder for comfort.

"Ryan?"I addressed her by...his other world name, "What happened?"
“Why is it, every time I fall in love..”She cried out, hiccuping in middle sentence, which only made the crying worse,“That they leave me?”

'...' I could feel unease with Danielle.'I...heh...'
'What is it?'
'I used to be with him, a while ago...' Her voice echoed in my head, with a bit of guilt. 'What he..said...heh..'
'What?
'It isn't of your concerns..'I felt her withdraw.
'You really should try to open up..'

I then went to go hug Adalia, not allowing Danielle's anxiety get in the way.
"People are stupid.."I said.

“I don’t understand, I don’t understand.” is all Adalia could repeat for a bit as I held her in a hug, not knowing what to do. I then remembered about going to buy new pants..and since girls like shopping..
'Not all!'
'Not the point'

“I saw that there was a market close by, I was going to go and pick up some clothes and supplies, lets go and try to cheer you up, I will pay for it.”I offered, trying to cheer her up. I stood up and offered my hand, grinning slightly. She took it, of course, and we headed out to the markets for stuffs.

“Hey you two!” Danarica yelled, racing up to meet us. “You should see the stuff at this place.” She pointed to the rows of tents that made the place like a outdoors flea market.
“We were going to look for things for our journey.”I explained to Danarica, walking along to the first tent I could see.

“Oh hey, Adalia I got hit pretty bad, and this wound just won’t stop bleeding could you take a look at it?” Danarica asked Adalia, and I shot her off a glare. Although in her current state of instability, Adalia nodded and placed her hand near where Danarica's wound was. I payed close attention to the mana, and saw it going off into 2 directions, Danarica's wound and her stomach. Adalia, noticing this, jerked her hand away as the wound was healed. She held it, a bit unsure of what to make of the situation.
“There is something wrong with me, the mana was going to two different lives.”She pointed out the obvious. My face suddenly felt flushed, as so did Danarica's.
“Two different?”Danarica asked, her voice shaking.I felt the same anxiety as she did, knowing what that mean't...Last night..

“Adalia go away for a few minutes.”I asked Adalia, needing to talk to Danarica in private. My tone of voise was rushed and a bit furious, and it was clear Adalia noticed. But when she didn't move, I lost my temper as quickly as water puts out a flame. "NOW!"

After Adalia left, I looked at Danarica, who seemed to be in a complete state of shock."I- I'm..."
"Preg..nant.."I finished her sentence, shocked and stunned aswell.
"I- I'm going to b-be a mother?"She asked with a voice of doubt, wanting to believe Adalia was wrong..

'This is it!'I could hear Danielle intrude, her feeling of anger rushing through me. 'You take over my body.'
'My body, you created it..'
'Whatever. And you get some girl pregnant! Fuck!'I could hear the panic in her voice, as well as the obvious anger.

"Seems like it..unless Adalia's mana was wrong.." I replied, tapping my temples slightly. Danielle's ranting was driving me up a brick wall.
"But... the quest... I'm not ready..." I felt unsure of what to do to comfort her. All I knew is what I did next, and that was to hug her.
"It'll be ok, I'll protect you. And don't..worry about the quest.."I replied, the quest we were placed here for was the last thing on my mind now.
"But... but..."She said, slowly starting to cry.

'You know, Danarica is just like Adalia. Both were created by males.' Danielle stated, ' I guess that makes it a little less awkward..'
"If it's because you were a guy in the other world.. it's ok."I said, unsure and trying to use what Danielle had said to use.
"Why? Why did I have to be so stupid?"She cried, and slowly pounded my chest in fustration. Words couldn't express how I felt, it was a mixture of fustration, anger, and uncertainty. Maybe a bit of happyness aswell, but..
"Sh-should I keep it?"She said.
'I doubt the methods of removing a baby from the womb is safe here..'Danielle guided me to an answer.
"That's your choice.. and I don't think there is a way to stop a pregnancy here.."

"The kid'll need a father..."She said, looking down at her tunic and her stomach. I nodded in response.
"It'll be a while anyway..."

"You'd better find Adalia, I- I'll go find the others."With that she left my embrace, and backed a little.
"You sure?" I replied to her gesture, concerned for Danarica. She nodded, then replied;
"I... I just needed to let all that out." She then got a small smile on her face, and added a teasing and taunting tone to her voice. "But you better look into getting me a ring, or whatever they use in this world."

"Heh." I replied, and knew if things were to be carried out correctly, she..Danarica and Dennis, should know Danielle. "I... never told you my creator's SN from pokemasters, correct? I should tell you that at least."

She nodded a reply, knowing how sensitive it was a subject to me.
'PoLHaruko-san'Danielle reminded me.'I was going to get it changed though..
"It's PoLHaruko..er..san? yeah.." I twindled my fingers a bit, and probably mispronounced the name aswell.

"Okay, I'll keep your secret." She chirped back, then gave me a light peck on the lips "We better get going."

I nodded, and she left. I turned and looked around the "flea market", seeing Adalia in the distance, at a booth. I walked up to her, and saw she was admiring dolls.

'Dolls!?'
“C’mon Ryan.”I grasped her hand, trying to pry her out of the crowd of children.The last thing I needed now was a fustration.
"Please?"She asked, holding onto a doll.
“I thought you were twenty one in the other world, you shouldn’t be playing with dolls. And a boy at that.."I could feel myself letting my anger out on her, even if I didn't want to.Perhaps a bit of Danielle's sarcasm was 'pouring' into me aswell.
“You’re right, I just..” She took a deep breath, obviously upset, “I thought it would be something fun to play with."
“Dolls? Fun?” I was definatly taking out fustration on her.
"To pretend."She replied. I shook my head out of disgust, we didn't need a doll or any extra luggage on our journey. We already had enough of that.

“You need to stop playing around then.” I took the doll and tossed it onto the table, then took her by force, on the shoulder, “with… little … girl things..” She looked at it as it fell back onto the table.
“It was just a ragdoll..”She tried to explain..

I took her to a clothes booth to show her what we really needed.
“See these? These are clothes. We would have to carry that ‘doll’ around with us.” I said with so much anger in my voice, I couldn't distinguish myself from Danielle, or perhaps the ones who made Adalia upset.

“JUST FORGET IT OKAY?”She yelled, in rage and fustration. I stepped back in shock, then sighed, taking a marble of mananite out for her to purchase her doll with it. It'd be her responsibility.
"Just..buy it.."I dropped the mananite in her hands.She just shoved it back into my hands, furious.

“You just want to use it to make fun of me.”She finished, and furiously, merged with the crowd and away from me.

'Great..I was supposed to cheer her up, but all I did was make her more upset.'
'The fact he acted like a baby about a stupid doll in the first place..'
'He's a she now, people have needs. Just because...'I stopped, knowing what I'd say next would make myself a hypocrite.

"Might aswell find new pants.."I sighed, and merged with the crowd myself.



@.@

[Bulbasaur4]

Name: Knes Ehaid
Gender: Male
Race: Seems to be a half breed
Age: Seems to be 12
Bodily Appearance: Knes is a strong, slightly fierce looking young boy who stands at a height of 5 feet. His face is pretty defined for his age, having a strong jaw line and nice facial features. His eyes are two different colors, one being a normal olive green while the other is a ruddy but striking red color, and that eye is upon the right side and has a scratch-like scar the skin around the eye. His hair is black in color, but seems to be cut at medium-length for a male and has a messy yet attractive look to it. A few strands of hair waver over his eyes, often covering his red eye slightly. His skin is slightly tanned in color, and he has another clean scar across his chest. For a young kid, he has a fairly toned build. The reason one would believe his a half-breed, is because he has two small black wings that seem to almost “float” beyond his back- they’re not attached. They’re tiny too, about the size of humming bird wings and hard to see. Plus, his speed and jumping ability suggests he is not human.
Clothing Appearance: Knes wears a tight black sleeveless shirt, that zips up the front- almost leather like in a way. Upon his lower half he wears breathable pants, being baggy but yet fitting him perfectly around his waist and being held up by a wide leather brown belt. His pants are a crimson red in color, and he doesn’t wear shoes. Around his shoulder he has a sky blue bag-like pouch, where he keeps various things. He also has black, fingerless gloves.
Weapon: Knes has gauntlets with silver spikes protruding from them. Despite his size, he packs a punch.
Magic: Knes has teleportation abilities… which seems to be his only true magic ability. He does seem to have an uncanny ability to sense Fearls... even up to miles away.




Knes
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* You choose your own isolation *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The young boy wandered through the ruins, his brilliant and curious eyes scrounging through the mass amounts of debree and dirt. Finally however, he came to the barely tracible amounts of ash that remained. Leaning to the ground and sniffing, he tilted to his head in curiousity. Taking his hands, he began to dig deeper into the hole where the traces of ash had been... digging, until suddenly a soft shimmer entered the air. Reaching down, his soft hands felt the smooth surface of the deep crimson jewel. It was warm to the touch, and he peered at it before opening his pouch and placed it inside.

Standing upwards, the wind blew across his face as he closed his eyes and withdrew a deep somber breath.
"Yes... it is beautiful, isn't it mother?" Knes said softly, his deep yet child-like voice trailing off in the air. Knes seemed frozen for a moment, as if a memory held onto his mind for a split second before he shook his head- as if brushing it away.

Walking away from the ruins, Knes daintly walked through the city streets. The air was warm today and it seemed to softly glow from his hair as he gracefully darted around the many shops and people.
"Watch it kid!" Someone shouted to Knes as he leapt over one of the carts filled with delicious-looking fruit. Knes turned back and waved an appology, but suddenly he seemed to knock someone down as his body made impact with someone else. Looking down before him, a young girl rubbed her shoulder as she looked up at Knes. For a little bit, Knes said nothing but simply just stared at the human girl. Then recognition seemed to flicker through his eyes, before he gave a nod and held out his hand to her.
"I'm sorry, I was careless." Knes said warmly, helping her to her feet and brushing a bit of dust off her shoulder.
Her eyes seemed as if she was concentrating on something else, to which Knes decided to perhaps lighten the moment.

"Umm... I'm Knes by the way." He said with a smile, the wind tickling his face softly to reveal his red eye for a moment.
"Adalia.." She said shyly, as Knes took her hand and gave it a delicate kiss on the top.
"It is nice to meet you."

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Hungry ~*~*~*~*~

The two of us sat in one of those back alleys that contain the crates for stores and dumpsters, although from the smell, it seemed as if it was more of a place for the homeless to sleep. We would each look over at each other for a second and then snap our heads back forward looking at our knees. “What were you doing in the market place alone?” I finally asked breaking the silence. “Do you have a family?”

He looked down at his hands for a few minutes and I could feel my heart rise into my throat. “I have a younger sister, she looks just as pretty as you.” He whispered the last part shyly, almost too low for any human to hear. “What about you? Do you have a family?”

My mind flashed to my family at home, and then my family here. Ovan, Loki, Shonta, Dana. Loki was more of a boyfriend than a brother, and everyone else, they seemed to hate me. “I’m a orphan.” I whimpered, Knes eyes looked over at me sympathetically, placing his hand on my arm for a second.

We went back to sitting in silence for a few more minutes before a loud gurgling from both of our stomachs broke it. “I guess we are both hungry.” I yawned wiping my eyes with my arm. “And a bit sleepy too.” I added, Knes already rising to his feet and offering a hand, which I slowly took, he pulling me up to my feet lightly.

Knes and I crept out of the alley onto the busy street, making our way toward the marketplace. “I’m sorry but I don’t have any mananite.” He apologized. I winked back and brought out my staff as we crept into the marketplace where the food stands were located.

Knes watched with a confused look upon his face as I pointed the staff at a few overlarged oranges, or what looked like oranges. I waited till the shop owner turned away, and shot a mana bubble over to the fruit, enveloping the fruit into the bubble and sending it over to Knes’ open arms. He looked at the fruit with wide eyes before slowly picking one up and biting into it. “That’s so cool.” He mumbled between bites as I grabbed one of the fruit out of his hands and bit into it.

The fruit was tangy with a skin that was very soft. “You two! Hand the Fruit Over!” A overly large man for a starving world yelled at the two of us, jabbing a chubby finger in our direction. I glanced over at Knes who had grown distant and silent his eyes looking off into the horizon and mumbled something about some one coming. “Hand it over now. Or pay the two mananite fee of shopping here.” He commanded stepping forward as both Knes and I stepped back in fear.

I glanced over at Knes who looked back at me, each of us wondering what the other was going to do. The man stepped forward again and the two of us turned, taking off running. “Thieves! THIEVES!” The man roared charging after us, and gaining ground no matter how fast our small feet could run. We turned the corner, causing Knes to drop a few of the fruit onto the ground. I glanced behind us to see the man turn the corner, his feet landing on the fruit sending him sprawling out of control, and headfirst into the mud.

Knes and I made it around another corner and melded into the crowd before bursting into a fit of giggles and laughter. We slowed our pace catching our breaths before Knes stood back up straight and rigid. “I have to get my sister.” A look of fear came over his face.

“Why?” I gasped.

He turned toward the rest where smoke was rising; soon the sounds of screams could be heard. “They are coming, they are coming and are going to take the whole town because the mana shield is gone.” His eyes were wide with fear, turning as he prepared to bolt off in the direction of the smoke.

“Knes! KNES!” I screamed after him as he took off running in the direction of the screams, and the direction of the Fearls invasion.

The Fearls are breaking through the West Wall and are coming in the Thousands, don't try to be a hero, gather everyone up and lets abandon the town.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
* * * * * * The darkness within you can mask your true soul... * * * * * *

Moswen's eyes opened softly, fluttering ever-so slightly as the haze of sleep lingered for a moment. Blinking a few more times, Moswen cleared the sleepiness from her eyes and sat up swiftly. She was in a room, one that looked awfully familiar- like Adalia's room before.
"I'm back at the house..." Moswen muttered to herself softly, taking a hand and brushing the hair from her eyes. Her ears perked as she heard voices from downstairs, and quickly the memories of battle flooded her head. It must have worked... Dimitri's attack...
Oh, that's right, Ban carried us back...
Moswen remembered her brief moment with Ban before dazing back off into the unconcious realm.

Turning her head to the right, she saw that there was another bed next to her and in it was an unconcious Dimitri, sleeping soundly. Moving quietly so not to wake him, Moswen rose to her feet and silently placed the covers back upon the bed. Heading to the door she opened it, and walked downstairs just in time for her ears to pick up more noises- but they were growing louder in volume. As Moswen reached the main lobby, she saw Ban talking loudly with the old lady. Upon closer inspection, the old woman suddenly grabbed something and darted out the door.
"The lady says the mana shield is down on this town... and now Fearls are-"
Before Ban could finish, a large monsterious figure suddenly crashed through the window. Moswen's eyes widen as Ban drew out his sword, flashing a gaze at me.
"I was going to thank you for carrying me... but apparently we've got more important things." Moswen said, turning to face the creature as Ban lashed at it.
"We'll have to run... she said there are thousands.." Ban huffed, as Moswen nodded as a few of the others ran downstairs.
"I'm going to get Dimitri. Someone get Loki. We should get out of this city and hope that the others who aren't here do the same..." Moswen called to the others as she darted up the stairs with as much speed as her legs could muster.

Not trying to be quiet anymore, Moswen slammed the door open with a strong hand as Dimitri stirred and mumbled something while becoming only half-awake.
"Mmmr... what?" He said slowly, blinking as Moswen rushed to his bed, grabbed his hand and practically yanked him out of bed.
"Fearls are taking over the city... too many of them. We have to leave."
With that, she grabbed his hand without thinking and guided him downstairs where the others finished the single Fearl off and had the door open to leave.





Knes
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Used to this pain <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


Knes darted along the streets, heading into the mobs of screaming people and half-breeds alike as they were mauled and destroyed by black monsters called Fearls. Knes narrowed his eyes as he used his surprising speed to avoid the clusters of death, sprinting through the open gaps of people as his life depended on it.

His eyes scanned the area around him as he ran, seemingly searching for something that was important. The further he ran however, the thicker the fray became and more Fearls were infesting the streets.
"KNES!" He could hear a girl's voice shout behind him, but as he heard the voice he suddenly saw what he was looking for too. Sliding to a dead stop, Knes stared before him as Adalia rushed up to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. She was breathing heavily, as she stared at him.
"Knes, we have to go! There is to many of them... we gotta run!"
Knes did not reply, but instead looked dead ahead of him. The two of them were in a small alleyway, and heaped against one of the trash cans was the body of a young girl. Her face seemed to stare off in horror to the sky, as blood matted her shirt. Her torso was ripped open but her flesh remained, making it apparent that she was killed in a murderous rage. The fearls did not eat flesh... they did not need food most of the time. They killed out of their own murderous rage.

"Oh... " Adalia gasped, making the connection as Knes stared at the body.
"Let's... go..." Knes said, clenching his fist as he turned and walked away.
"I'm sorry Knes..." Adalia began, but Knes shook his head and turned to look at her. A soft but pained smile came to his face as he grabbed Adalia's arm and gently tugged her to him. Adalia's eyes seemed to water, as Knes shook his head again.
"Don't cry for me Adalia... cry for this town."
With that, Knes closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him so that their bodies were touching closely.
"I'll get you away from this..." He whispered, hugging her tighter for a brief moment before the two of them seemed to disappear in a moment of an instant, their bodies leaving nothing but a slight trace of dust.

It felt as if someone was spraying a few flecks of cool water over the skin- a cool and refreshing feeling. After that, it would feel as if a nice warm tropical breeze kissed against the skin... that was what Knes's teleportation felt like. He was good at it, perhaps his past helped him learn such a delicate and most stressful art.

The two of them reappeared just on the outskirts of the city, and the two of them turned to see the town burning in an inferno. It was gone to the Fearls...
"The others!" Adalia gasped, her eyes looking hopeful as she saw a large group of humans and half-breeds emerging from the destroyed village.

[Dr.McNinja]

Bryan wasn't awake yet. The magic he had summoned into his Tower card still had him wiped him out. Maybe with the experience he had now he could have managed the card without these effects, but the first time using a new card was always a challenge. He had never known the power present in the Tower before. Now he did and was wiser for the experience. Bryan idly wondered why he felt his body moving, why he heard Moswen's voice. Certainly he couldn't be awake yet, his conscious was still muddled, still fuzzy.

Rest yourself. I can manage for the time being. We are not so different that I will act in a way you would disapprove of.

Bryan idly wondered at that voice. Why was the Dimitri side of him differentiating itself so suddenly? What was the catalyst? Then he became to tired to care. Then too tired to even remain coherent.


------

Dimitri was walking by himself by the time Moswen and he reached downstairs. A hand was already in his cloak, flipping idly through his tarots. The situation was deteoriating, and they had to get out of there right then.

"Alright, let's get goin...."

No one was listening, they were all absorbed in their own problems. Sadness, fear, uncertainty, distraction, preparation, all were showing different signs. Dimtri felt them all too, one couldn't push all it away, but an adventure worth of terror and action had allowed him to bury those feelings over what needed to be done.

That was when the next feral came flying through the window, claws bared and jaws wide.

A hand burning with red fire grabbed the thing out of the air, another similarly wreathed coming up right behind it. Dimitri bared his teeth and glared at the thing, his dizzying eyes taking in its distorted and twisted form.

My God there's something seriously wrong in this world for this to be possible. For what reason does something like this need to exist?

As the thing growled and flailed in his hands, Dimtri planted his feet and pulled. The fire wreathing his hands burned brighter, even as Dimitri strained. There was a wet ripping sound, a final gurgled cry, and two halves of a feral fell to the ground bleeding forcefully. Dimitri watched as the blood on his hands dried and disintigrated under the flames covering them. The light of the Strength tarot could be seen through his robes at it burned with a similar color and ferocity. Breathing heavily now, his teeth bared, Dimitri turned back to his companions. They were certainly more attentive now.

"Watch yourselves, watch each other. We're all we have in this world. Look around, these are all you are going to have to trust and rely on for a long time. Figure out your problems, deal with them, bury them for all I care. Who lives and who dies is going to depend on how much you all want to stay alive....now let's get the hell out of here."

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


To say I was stunned would be an understatement. An entire town, gone, and I had been practically helpless to stop it. The sheer numbers had been boggling. Why was this happening? We were supposed to be heroes, and even if I was probably going to be a bit less effective, how were we supposed to be effective against such numbers? Having to run, rapidly going from shadow to shadow, watching people being grabbed before me... it left a nasty taste in my mouth.

Why hadn't something been done sooner? Why did the world even need champions? My thoughts raced along these lines as I left the city, though a part of it was worrying about the others, and Ovan, and Adalia, if something happened to them... I shook my head, nothing would happen, everything would be fine, yes it would. Oh who was I kidding, I was worried to hell and back about them.

Then I saw them, the rest had managed to find each other. I waved, running over. Adalia and some other kid was with her. They all nodded rather solemnly, it was a rather sobering incident. I sighed, if I was going to keep going with them, they'd need to know, so I nudged closer to Ovan, and spoke up.

"Uh... could I have everyone's attention for a sec?" I asked nervously, and Ovan took my hand in his, squeezing it in support.

"Yeah? What is it?" one of the guys responded.

"Well, before we go further, I think you deserve to know that..." I paused, gathering my wits, and merely saying one of the hardest things I'd ever said, practically squeaking it out, "I'm pregnant."

[classy_cat18]

OOC: Aww, no love for the caracal. You just leave him in there to be eaten. For shame!

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wake up, you fool!

I mentally groaned. 'It's loud enough without you yelling in my head. What's the problem?

I was answered by the breaking of the nearby wall. The fur on my tail stood on end as I jumped up with a scream. There was no time to get myself together, however, as a Fearl peered in the room and prepared to pounce. My hand instinctively grabbed my halberd and swung at the beast. As it stumbled around with a gash on the side of its body, I used the hole as a shortcut out of the hotel.

I quickly caught up with Mowsen and Dimitri during our rush out of the city. "Thanks for letting me sleep, guys. I would've loved to stay and be devoured!" I shouted at them with sarcasm clear in my voice. "Be glad you still smell sweaty or I wouldn't have found you!"

More of our group joined us as we neared the outskirts of the city. But Adalia was nowhere to be found. Where is she? I thought she would've been with the others. But we finally found her waiting for us with a boy her age. "This couldn't get worse," I grumbled to myself as I looked back at the smoking ruins of the city.

Then Dana gave her little announcement.

You were saying?

I was stunned. "Um, should I sympathize or congratulate?" I asked her. I got a few fierce glares. "Open mouth, insert foot."

The others talked with Dana for a minute and then set out for our next destination. But the glaring wasn't over. Loki's eyes felt like they were burning through my skull. I took this for about thirty minutes and then turned around to face him. "Okay, what's your problem?" I asked him.

"You don't think I heard what you said to Adalia this morning?" he growled.

"She'll live."

He grabbed my shirt collar in anger. "I know that you and her had a relationship in the other world. Why are you throwing it away?"

Not to be intimidated by a fellow feline, I snarled at him. "I hate to be pointing fingers at a young innocent girl, but she was the one that neglected to tell me that she had something going on here. If I would've known I would be sucked in here, I wouldn't have started anything!"

I could faintly hear Adalia starting to cry again but I wasn't done with my rant. "She thinks that she could love both of us at the same time. That can't be done! That sort of thinking leads to all sorts of problems! Didn't you know that people used to be beheaded over this sort of thing? Ask two of Henry VIII's wives!"

By this point Loki looked like he was going to tear my head off. "I don't want her heart to be broken," he said as calmly as he could.

"She has you! And...whoever he is." I pointed to the new kid. "She doesn't need me. Besides, I'll always be her friend. It's not like I hate her now."

"But..."

"You think I'm devastated about this? People come and go. I'm used to walking alone." I pried his hands off of my collar and went back to walking.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Fighting for a Reason~

Though I had gotten some sleep within the few hours before daybreak, I found that I had a lot of energy leftover from the battle with the phoenix. That, coupled with all the questions swimming through my mind, was why I was sitting on the roof of the inn. We knew too little about this world, or at least I did, and neither of the voices in my head were much help.

Ban was content to let me be the dominant personality, manifesting himself only when in the heat of battle to coordinate our body with his fighting experience or to complain about an urge for 'a woman and some good drink.' He cared not much for saving a world and left the 'big picture thinking' to me. Likewise, due in part to my own design, the spirit held little knowledge of the world around it and calmly reassured me that 'time would reveal all things.'

On the upside, the time had allowed me to commune with Miroku. While the blade itself wasn't sentient, like any artifact, it took time and experience to unlock all of its secrets. This is where the spirit itself came in, guiding my mind so I knew exactly how to call upon its powers to aid me and my fellows. Visions of black stone, obsidian, filled my thoughts - a towering mirror, a broken path of shards, an imposing coffin. Drawing a deep breath, I felt the stirring of power within Miroku, eager to release itself in the form of destruction.

You must surpress its nature, for much like fire it will consume you and everything if you let it.

There was a slight twinge as that moment of doubt almost let loose the energy. "No, no...I CAN do this..."

Closing my eyes as I reigned in the demonic power and I felt the presence loosen and come back under my control. I smiled, opening my eyes and looking at the black blade with renewed enthusiasm. Suddenly there was an audible 'grrrrowl' that emanated from my stomach. Realizing I hadn't eaten anything since we'd arrived in this world, I sheathed the blade, grabbed my coat and headed back down into the inn proper.

It surprised me to find the old woman bustling around the kitchen, throwing food and flasks into two large bags on the dining table. Grabbing what looked like an apple from a dish before she dumped that too into one the bags, I looked at her quizzicaly. "Oi, baa-san...." After years of watching anime, I found myself using some terms in regular life. "What's with the rush?"

She barely turned to look at me, continuing to pack away anything remotely edible. "The city's mana shield has fallen and the beasts are preparing to attack." As she placed the last of the items within the bag she quickly tied them shut. "You and your companions must flee. I've already placed the directions to the next shrine within these bags"

"Flee!? We should fight, I mean there can't be th-"

Our eyes met and the sheer intensity stopped me mid-sentence. "You cannot face them as you are now, their numbers are too numerous. They will sweep through the city, leaving only the dead and chaos in their wake." She lifted one of the bags and placed it my arms. "Flee, find the other shrines and restore the flow of mana!"

"But, what about you and the other folk!?" I waved a hand towards the street as people began to flee. "We can't just leave you like this! Whoever brought us here told us we're suppose to restore faith in this world! How will it look if we just abandon you now of all times!?"

The old woman grabbed my hand in hers, her grip much stronger than her frame would suggest. "You and your companions are the chosen ones, the only hope for my people! You must understand that if you fall now, the Fearls will consume our entire land. We have already lost our homes more tha once..." Her grip on my arm loosened before she let go. "Another city will make little difference. You are the lights of this world now, go and spread it before the darkness takes us all!"

Before I could answer her she was gone, leaving only the other bag on the table. Faithless? It seemed to me that this old woman did not lack any. This lay heavily on my mind - could we accomplish this? Could we save this world? It was almost too much to think about. My reverie was broken by the sound of the stairs and I turned to see Moswen standing there apparently recovered.

"The lady says the mana shield is down on this town..." I grimaced at my next words. "..and now Fearls are-"

There was a crash as a Fearl burst through the large window set in the dining room. It larger than the ones I had fought in the church, obviously sacrificing any semblance of grace for sheer power. It growled at us as I unsheathed Miroku and the others took up arms.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

The next few moments were a blur in my mind but soon found ourselves on the outskirts of the city. All of us had made it out, none the worse for wear. Okay, Danarica just told everyone she was pregnant and there was a new member, but no one was badly injured physically. As the others began talking about plans as to what to do, I found myself standing off and watching as the city burned.

Both the old woman and Dimitri's word's were on my mind, the answers to the questions that had kept me awake. We had been chosen and there wasn't a damn thing we could do about it. Right now all we had to rely on was each other, and we were charged with a mighty task against impossible odds.

"But we wouldn't have been chosen if we couldn't do it, ne?" I said quietly to myself. Raising my right hand I looked at it for a moment before clenching it tightly. "This cannot happen again. I won't let it happen again. I'm going to get stronger. I swear it."

Within I could feel the voices of Ban and the spirit echo my resolve. I swear it.

A gentle hand laid itself on my shoulder and I turned to meet Moswen's mismatched gaze. "Hey, you better hurry up - can't leave anyone behind." She gave me a wan smile which I returned as I picked up the bags with our supplies and the map in it.

"Right - we've got a world to save."

[Haruko]

Ovan
-i arranged the lies of self-satisfaction / and locked the door so no one could come in / and in an almost shut-off room / i couldn't even find myself.-

It was as soon as I picked my new pants from a vendor that my sword had givien off a pulsating feeling. I had looked onto the horizon to see hundreds of thousands of ferals coming..
"The mana shield!" The clothing vendor scrambled, picking up what money he had. "Please, mercenary, I'll pay you, take me out of this city!"
'Huh?!"I looked him, shocked, but as quickly as he offered a job, he took my hand and ran. We ran against the grain of the fleeing villagers, but also diagonally away from the ferals. I scrambled to place the pants on my arm and hold my sword, in case.

"Feral!"The merchant cried, running behind me as one of the ferals ran stray from it's bethran, and to us. I unsheathed my blade and held it, concentrating and placing mana.

'Fire?!?'I thought, shocked, as my blade ignited in flames. Was it due to yesterday, or..
'Heh..'Danielle muttered in a bit of shock.'Be reckless, and be like the flame. Be reliable, and be as calming as the water.'
'I know that!'I thought in a rush, almost snapping back at her. Just because she created me, doesn't mean she was a know it all! I rushed to the feral and hit my blade against it's neck, and the fire & blade combination quickly beheaded the feral. I stabbed it for good measure, then withdrew the mana from my sword and sheathed it.

"Amazing, mercenary.."The merchant smiled. I picked up my pants and we ran to the outskirts of town, where I could see my comrades."This is your pay."
He took out 5 Mananite marbles, 2 almost clearly white, and 3 white with some taint."And the pants. I owe you my life, aswell."
"It was nothing.."I nodded."What are you going to do now?"
"The next town is where my family lives, I travel here weekly to sell what my wife weaves. I'll go there. I know some magic, I should be ok for the ride." I nodded to his response and we shoke hands. We departed ways, me going to the group, who was congreating to the outskirts of town.

'Everyone is safe'I sighed in relief. I came up to the group. I walked to Danarica, and took her hand. She was still shaken from knowing she was pregnant, and now the feral attack couldn't of helped.

"Uh... could I have everyone's attention for a sec?"She nervously said, and held my hand a bit more tightly.
"Yeah? What is it?"One of the guys responded to Danarica's announcement. It was for the best for everyone to know, but it made me nervous. It made Danielle pissed aswell.
"Well, before we go further, I think you deserve to know that..."She paused briefly, then added," I'm pregnant."

Mostly everyone had their bits to add, either acknowledging it or saying smartass remarks. I could feel Danielle shrinking inside of me, embarassed to hell. I continued to hold Danarica's hand, but my mind drifted elseware.

'I should..just..stay quiet for the rest of this.'
'Why?'
'I have no part to play, and you're in control.'She said, I could feel her words tightening with anxiety near the end.'Why am I even here if I'm not in control..'
'I...'I thought, not sure of what to say.'There is always a reason..and maybe..you'll be control sooner or later..'
'I doubt it!'She snapped.'With you pregnating Danari..Denis, then...'

'I can't do this.'She repeated, with each word, I felt her presence a bit less.'Tell me when it's over..'

It was with those words that I felt at complete loss, I couldn't feel Danielle in me at all..



If you figure out with using Yin and Yang, Yin(female) is almost completely out driven by Yang(male) at this point. (The wiki says Yin is female and Yang is male.>.<; Referance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang)

[Bulbasaur4]

Yeah, I realized half-way through the RPG that I totally mixed the two up in my sign up. *shame shame* Which is bad since my major demands I know this... but hey, if you have any further questions about Yin and Yang, you can ask me. I know extensive stuff about it... and Wikipedia does a good job, but nothing is really finite about the two. Mwhaha... so Moswen's darker half is yin and her lighter half yang, doesn't change anything about my character since her dark yin powers are called Nuanice anyway.

*grabs Danielle* NYUUU! Don't leeeave!
I am posting after Ryan, btw. *sits and waits*

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Riding ~*~*~*~*~

We had come across a farm in the outskirts of the town, the farmer seemed to have already abandoned his place for higher ground once news of the Fearls had reached him. Although we all felt bad about it, we needed transportation, so taking the Caligrey, which are a type of deer used for riding, was the only option. Some of us paired up, others road their own. “Which way do we go?” Bryan asked pulling up along side of the group shifting her head from side to side.

Ban pulled up next to him and pointed out a small dirt path that traveled north. “I hate traveling on these things.” Moswen groaned behind him. I tried to keep myself from giggling my head laying against Loki’s back with my arms wrapped around his tender waist. “Anyway north we go.” She sighed as Ban and everyone else slapped the reigns and we were off.

The sun began to dip lower into the sky as we continued to ride, the horizon littered with trees and no signs of a city. I shifted my head to look at my left, looking at Knes who looked a mixture of sad and worried, and then Shonta came into the frame and I quickly turned my head away. “What’s wrong?” Loki winced as I fed a bit more healing mana into him.

“He hates me… they all do.” I wimpered back.

“I don’t think all of them hate you..” Loki began, reaching down with one hand and grasping my own rubbing his thumb across the palm for a sympathetic stroke.

“You weren’t at the market place..” I sighed placing my arms tighter around him for support. “I’m so glad you are here.” I whispered leaning up and kissing the back of his neck.

My stomach began to grumble again as did others around us as we pulled to a slow trot and finally to a full stop near the side of the road. “Dinner Time!” Moswen swung off her Caligrey as Loki helped me down. I turned and watched Danarica and Ovan as they sat down together and began to talk. She was pregnant? Who was the Father? And how did she get pregnant?

All these questions filled my mind as I slowly walked over to them and touched Danarica’s shoulder. “Are you two still mad at me?” I asked slowly, sitting down next to them as Danarica gave me a soft smile. “So how did you get pregnant?” I asked curiously looking at her stomach, which didn’t even look pregnant. Maybe my Mana was wrong.

Danarica and Ovan’s face went completely white in fear. Ovan quickly twisted his head around looking in all directions. “Why don’t you go play with your friend, he looks lonely.” Ovan pointed to Knes who was sitting on his knees using a stick to dig out pictures in the dirt. His eyes narrowed into a glare. “Now.” I shot a glare back, puffing up my cheeks, and got up walking away from them with hands on my hips in annoyance.

I stood behind Knes for a few seconds curious on what to say, what could I say, he just lost his sister. I finally just reached out and touched his shoulder. “I’m sorry about your sister.” I began as he rose to his feet with the stick and smiled. “If… later I would like to know what she was like and talk about her.” I spoke trying to choose my words carefully.

He nodded and I reached over picking up another stick. “So.. want to play?” I asked taking up a fighting stance pretending the stick was a sword. “I may be a girl but I can still beat you with one arm tied behind my back!”

It’s time to Ride and Eat guys, enjoy the Scenery and catch your breath.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
*^*^*^*^*^* A single light shines brightest in the greater darkness*^*^*^*^*^*^*


Moswen scratched absently behind one of her ears as she let out a yawn. The ride on the Caligrey wasn't the most pleasant of experiences, but she relief on Ban to make the ride somewhat bearable. It had seemed like forever until the group came to a place to rest, in which the others took the time to do whatever they wanted before we had to ride again.

Without hesitating, Moswen walked over to the newer member of the group. He seemed to be a bit wide-eyed and seemed to stare at everyone like a curious child. Bending down to him, Moswen held out her hand as her ears perked forward.
"I am Moswen." She said, her voice gentle yet containing its exotic tune.
"Knes." He replied firmly, and Moswen cracked a smile. She could see in his strange-eyed gaze that though he was young, he was tough. Or at least, he tried his best to be that way.
"Well Knes, if you need anything... I would be glad to help you."
Knes gave a nod, as his eyes wandered over to Adalia who was near Loki. Moswen raised a brow to this, and then withdrew a sigh as she shook her head. Not knowing on what to say in such matters, she rose to her feet and walked away.

"Dimitri!" Moswen said, walking over to him. Dimitri turned around from whatever he was doing, looking at Moswen with a "what"? look. Moswen stood before Dimitri and narrowed her eyes slightly, folding her arms above her chest as she looked to him.
"So, I guess I'm not talking to Bryan?" She stated, as his eyes seemed to widen. Shaking her head, Moswen cracked a smile as her eyes seemed to glitter with a little bit of an unidentified emotion. "I could tell, back by all those Fearls, that Dimitri - you - had come out. I could tell it wasn't... Bryan, I guess. Just wanted to see who was around now."
Moswen glanced upwards at the sky and withdrew a breath.
"Bryan is just resting... " Dimitri responded.
Is there Moswen in me too? Would she ever come to take over this body? She thought, glancing at the others. Had they been taken over at some point too? Who was who at times...
"What about Moswen?" Dimitri asked, to which she shrugged.
"No idea. I've been in control the whole time... although, there are some points where I state my power levels or a random figure comes into my head... but I don't think she's ever truly surfaced. I haven't made contact with her... I don't know what she's like.."
Memories or thoughts of the last RPG came into her head. She remember that the personality of that body took her over... but it wasn't so much the personality as it was the chaos of power. It snuck up on her back then... so much that she didn't notice. Not until it was too late... and she had been pushed aside and lost. The personality simply took over because it deemed itself more powerful... and then...

"No... that won't happen." Moswen said, shifting slightly as she looked back at Dimitri. "I'm glad Bryan is getting his rest." She gave Dimitri a soft hug, quite randomly perhaps for Dimitri before she let go. "When he wakes up, give him that for me."

"Food... the others are going to want some." She mumbled to herself, looking about to see Ban near the Caligrey.

"Hey Ban, want to go food hunting?" She asked, touching his shoulder lightly as she nodded her head off into a direction. Ban looked in that direction, to see that Moswen had already spotted a few rough looking plants that could perhaps hold some fruit. Not too far from that were a few deer-looking animals, that did not look like Caligrey.
"I don't know your stance on hunting..." Moswen said, as the two of them began heading over in that direction. "... but the others are going to need some food, and I figured the guy with the big sword was the best bet." She said with a wink, trying to lighten the mood. The mood needed to be lightened... after such a devastating occurance of losing the town.
As Ban and Moswen reached the area, Moswen bent down to inspect one of the plants to see that there was fruit upon it. Sniffing it, her instincts seemed to kick in from her animal half... the fruit smelled good and untainted.
"Hey... Ban...?" Moswen said, picking the fruit and looking up to him.
"Are you worried that something about this place seems wrong?" Moswen's face seemed a bit distant as she spoke, staring at the fruit.
"... I keep thinking that the only things I can trust are.." Moswen's voice trailed off, as she left the sentence incomplete.





Knes
~>~>~>~>~>~> Lose can only occur if you let it happen... <~<~<~<~<~<~<~


Knes had watched Adalia with the other male for a lot of the ride. Knes had been riding with the figure known as "Dimitri", although he remained mostly quite. A few words had been said, but Knes otherwise was thinking about other things. When the group came to rest, Knes immediately tried to go off on his own but another figure stopped him. One known as Moswen, introduced herself and then offered her help if needed. Knes weakly nodded, but then looked to Adalia and the other figure once more before feeling his heavy gaze sink.

It wasn't long before Knes was crouched on the ground, etching things into the sand with a stick. However, soon Adalia came and grabbed a stick... challenging him to a fight. His deeply moved gaze rested upon Adalia, as he stood up and held the stick calmly. Withdrawing a deep breath, he soon let a smile form upon his face.
"I won't go easy on you..." He said, just as Adalia charged at him. With a grin, Knes leapt into the air and soared above Adalia's head. He landed on the ground behind her and spun around, just as she whipped about with the stick. Their sticks clashed together, as they fought back and forth for quite some time. Finally however, as the two of them were standing infront of eachother- both blocking the other's move, Knes leaned in towards Adalia.
"You see... you gotta watch for the surprise element." He said, to which Adalia made a confused face. Suddenly, Knes disappeared from her eyes and before she could react, he reappeared behind her and instantly had a stick to her neck. He dropped the stick however, and simply took a few steps back with a bow.
"I used to spar with the kids back in the town..." He said humbly, bowing his head before Adalia. "I'm sorry if I surprised you."

Adalia looked at Knes and then her face shifted into a laugh, as she shook her head. "That was fun! Don't be sorry."
Knes nodded and then sat down on a rather large rock, as Adalia walked up to him.
"I'm sorry about your sister..." She trailed off, but Knes shook his head and looked up at Adalia. He let a small smile trace upon his lips weakly, as he shook his head.
"I'm alright... I'm used to losing things... she's in a better place now anyways... better than this world." He nodded, looking at Adalia and then his eyes seemed to scan for someone else. There was silence for a while, as Adalia sat next to Knes. The wind blew against their faces as they seemed to sat... mostly in contemplation.
"That guy you were riding with..." Knes began, looking back at Adalia but then quickly looking away. "Is he your ... boyfriend or something?"
Adalia's face seemed to grow red as she shook it and held up her hands. "Umm.. no... he's... he's a friend." She stated, and Knes's eyes widened slightly.
"Really?"
Adalia hesitated for a second, but then nodded. "Yeah."
A blush rose to Knes's cheeks for a second, before he softly gave a smile but then looked away.
"O... okay.." He said quietly, fiddling the glove on his hand.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri watched silently as Moswen strolled away. After a moment he sighed and sat back on his Caligrey.

You are lucky to have friends such as her

Bryan heard Dimitri's voice and stirred from his rest.

And what about you Dimitri? Who were....are your friends? I never even knew that you existed in me before, why are you coming out now?

A soft chuckle echoed through the shared mind.

Many reasons. Do not fear however, I have no desire to control this body. We work for the same goals, and once we are done you will leave me once again. I suppose...I wanted to thank you.

Bryan's confusion was palpable in the bond.

Yes, thank you. My entire life I worked, trained, prepared for my chance to do something worthwhile in a world, any world. I never got that chance...until you arrived.

You still might, just because I'm not around doesn't mean you can't do great things.

This time the chuckle was more ironic, the irony tinged with something...sad.

Yes...yes it does.

There was a long pause before Bryan's voice was heard again.

Dimitri...are you?

....


Dimitri's eyes snapped open...he hadn't even realized he had closed them. There was a different light in them this time however. Bryan's persona had returned to control.

If you need me....I'll be here for you.

Guiding his mount over to Moswen, Dimitri smiled at her.

"Thanks for the hug...I needed that."

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


My hand rose and fell, stroking my stomach over and over again. What was inside of there? Was it a boy or girl? How could I be a mother? I knew nothing about woman hood!

The sounds of others arriving back from their hunt caught my attention yet only vaguely. “Dinner… I think.” Ban along with Moswen returned with handfuls of fruit as well as a dead animal slung behind Ban’s back. I turned my attention back to my stomach. Would these clothes even fit a pregnant woman? A familiar touch landed on my shoulder, I turned to look up into Ovan’s loving eyes. “You can’t starve.” He mumbled.

“I-I’m not hungry.” I lied.

Ovan cracked a smile and leaned down grasping my hand and helping me up to my feet. “Eat, I don’t want my baby to die from starvation.” He said half jokingly. I followed limply walking after him over to the campfire, pilling off a slab of roasted beef. Nibbling on it slowly.

"So.. are all of you from another world or something? You guys don't seem to act like you are from here... or...atleast... that is what it seems." The new kid, Knes, said, unkowingly striking a nerve, home, or... Dennis' home... what did that mean for the kid? I shrugged noncommitedly, trying to avoid the subject.

With one kid talking it was the next to follow. “How about we talk about home?” Adalia chimed in. My head began to buzz from a headache, the buzzing only swelled as she spoke again. “Why don’t you go first Dana?” She asked clasping her hands and turning to me.

The buzzing began to rattle my brain as I rose, walking away. “Just leave me alone.” I muttered, not even at the tree line before the soft pitter-patter of foot steps told me she had followed me. “I-I’m scared, Ovan support help’s but…” I leaned against a tree with a closed fist. But it how long till it couldn’t support me anymore?

"We're all scared." Adalia stated, innocently but perceptively. She may be a kid, but kids weren't completely stupid, just.. inexperienced. But, she didn't percieve the nuances of the situation. I decided to inform her.

"But it's different for the others." I stated, "They don't have a... passenger..."

“Well I doubt you will have to worry about it. I doubt we will be here nine months and then poof.” She used her hands to emphasize the grizzly destruction. My face drained of blood in shock, poof? The baby would be gone? The little girl placed her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heals. “You know I am a very powerful white… magic… mage… person.”

"And?" I asked a tad bit sharply, what good was bragging going to do for the situation? Not only was I going through this, I was probably going to lose the kid, no matter whether it be boy or girl.

The girl cupped her chin, looking down at the ground. “Well babies are made by cells splitting apart and making more right?” She asked, deep and thought. I began to wonder if I was talking to the twenty one year old college student now. Or the eleven year old curious little girl. “Isn’t that the same thing my mana does?” She spoke up looking into my eyes.

My eyes bugged out a bit, thoughts racing through my mind, the implications of what she was saying going through my mind. She could... speed it up? Well, it WAS magic...

A bit shakily, I asked, "So, you're saying you'd..."

She shrugged her shoulders. “ I could try, and it wouldn’t hurt I mean people don’t say I hurt them when I use my mana.” She shook her hands trying to calm me down and then stepped forward. “But it would take a few times… I mean my mana isn’t that strong..” She drooped her shoulders, as I let out a sigh knowing I wouldn’t be inducing pregnancy out here.

Probably a good thing, though, there were no midwives out here. And I really should marry Ovan before I actually have the baby. Taking a deep breath, I calmed my nerves, and answered, "O-Okay..."

She stepped forward placing her hands on my stomach. A warming sensation began to fill and surround my stomach. Like laying in a warm bath. I idly began to stroke her hair, would my daughter.. would she have blonde hair too? My eyes snapped open finding her dropping to her knees, groaning and coughing a few times. “I think we better stop.” I leaned down feeling a sudden additional weight in my stomach… and chest, Though the outward change was minimal so far.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Outdid Herself ~*~*~*~*~

My mind was full of a foggy haze as Dana helped me along through the forest. I knew the feeling, mana shortage, and the only cure was a nice long sleep. “You will get right in bed when we get back.” I could hear Dana whisper as I leaned heavily onto her for support. Something in her voice reminded me of my mom.

“What ever mom..” I groaned tripping up once or twice as we reached the edge of the tree line. The Orange Tint of torches lit the horizon “What is that?” I opened one groggy eye, the torches were moving down the hill and toward our small little group.

Knes and Loki were quickly at my side, taking both of my arms and moving me close to the group where it was safer. “Where have you been?” Loki hissed, his voice filled with concern. His eyes lifted to the torches, carried by men on Caligrey as they came to a halt near us. The group was rag tag, and filled with many who seem to have just grabbed their belongings from the city and ran.

Moswen stepped forward with an open hand only to be met with a screaming woman who pointed a shaky finger. “It’s them! The traitors! They lowered the Mana shield I saw them!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Several large thugs stepped forward, none of which looked like police officers. “All of you are coming with us.” One of the large men grabbed Shonta by the arm bringing a growl from her. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but either way you are going to Talidan. They know how to deal with traitors like you.” He growled jerking her forward.

“Talidan..” Knes whispered in fear.

I turned looking at him, seeing fear in his eyes. “Talidan is a border town.. full of people that have experienced daily attacks by Fearls… We’re all going to be hung.” He whispered in shock as the full realization hit me. “Don’t worry… I will protect you, some how.” He turned a icy glare back to the mob.

Alright it is a full night’s walk to the border town and this group will probably not let us walk on Caligrey’s so we have to walk it. If some of you want you could try to run, and regroup, and try to mount a rescue attempt. Otherwise we may be facing the noose by tomorrow morning!

[Haruko]

Danielle
-i became just a little adult / i like to copy a experienced, standing on tiptoe. /everyday, it doesn't seem to end: Always searching for the answer..-

"...there is no need for me.."I sat in a bright white room. It didn't even seem like a room, it was more like endless space. There was a bed, a mirror, and a chair. I could just sleep..and maybe wake up, and be home.

Home..

I slowly walked over, taking one glance into the mirror, which showed Ovans sight. He seemed to be in trouble, with what seemed to be some people on some huge walking deer things. I turned my head away and walked over to my bed, laying my head down on the pillow, my hair going across my face. My eyes slowly closed themselves, trying to get rid of the world around myself.

"Wake, Danielle."I heard a strong, yet gentle womans voice. I slowly opened my eyes and ahead of me was a tall, armored up woman with long, braided up blonde hair. In her hilt carried the same sword I created for Ovan."Now sit.."

She walked over and sat down on the bed as I slowly sat up, looking at her. Her crystal blue eyes struck me, reminding me of ice. A moment of silence passed us before I wondered why, or how, she was in "my spirit".
"I am the spirit in your sword."She said gently, her voice echoed throughout the room."I was a warrior in this world a long time ago, and I sealed my soul in this sword---"
"But I created the sword."
"No, you mearly described the first sword in your heart, which happened to exist in this world. The god here then took me and placed me in your custody."
"I see.."I thought."Then why are you here? Me being all pissed and upset has nothing to do with you.."
"Yes, it does."She sighed, and stood."I was assigned to you. Not Ovan. Ovan can only wield me when you're at his side, and that is not to my full strength. Without you at all, my hilt will burn his hand and reject him."

"..."I looked down."I can't go back. I have no place. He got someone pregnant, I can't deal with that! And then Ryan.."
"Ryan?"
"I can't have him know it's me here. If it's Ovan all the time, he won't suspect a thing and nothing will go wrong."
"What would happen if he knew it was you..?"She asked, sitting back down besides me.
"Probably cry."I laughed a little, remembering the incident of Adalia crying after an incident with Kite. "But he'd be mad, or something.."

"I just.."I placed my hand over my heart, and remembered everyone I missed back home.."really..want..to go home." She then placed her hand over mine, and positioned her head to look into my eyes.
"I promise, I will get you home."She smiled."Me and you both, but you must...come out.I will help you in every way, Danielle."

I then looked over in the mirror, where Ovan was walking with his hands tied in rope. He was feeling ashamed, not being able to protect Danarica, and curious - just as much as I was. I looked over to the plate-armored woman, and stood.
"Whats your name?" I asked.
"Huh?"She seemed suprised,"Well, it's been a while..I don't remember my name from when I was human."
"Hmm..Well, from Norse mythology, you seem a lot like a battle maiden, a Valkyrie. I think that'll be your name."I smiled, placing my hands on my hips. She smiled back, and noded.

I looked up, and to the infinte white space that surronded us.
"Now, how do we get out?"



Danielle can control these elements through Valkyrie, with controlling her emotions, Danielle is Valkyrie's true master: Ovan cannot control these elements at all, and Danielle cannot control Ovan's elements.
Lightning: Blue and yellow lightning currents surrond Valkyrie, shocking the enemy with a large voltage. Is identified by Danielle's sarcasm.
Ice: Cold, visible waves of frost surrond the sword, which Danielle can control at will to surge into the enemy at will when near the enemy's skin.Is identified by Danielle's antisocialness.
Earth: Danielle stabs the sword into the earth, and the gem on the hilt glows. The earth beneath the sword then swallows the blade and makes an even bigger sword for the time being.Is identified by Danielle's perfectionism.


A bit of an odd post. If anyone includes Ovan before my next post, he's a bit aloof at the moment since Danielle isn't @ whole with him(like 2 halfs to a whole.)

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Answers, Lost But Seeking~

Though it was only a short time, I found I had grown somewhat attached to the Caligrey we were riding. Sure riding bareback was a bit sore on the pelvic region, but once you learned to roll your hips with the movements it wasn't so bad. Plus, Yakul (as the name over his stall had dubbed him), was a rather gentle fellow. Moswen didn't quite agree and was most grateful when we finally stopped for the night.

"Thanks for the ride, Yakul." I said quietly to the Caligrey as I patted it lightly on the head and offered him what I assumed were sugar cubes I'd taken from the farm. The deer-like creature licked the cube from my hand before nuzzling my palm.

"Hey Ban! Want to go food hunting?" A familiar touch on my shoulder made me turn to Moswen. She flicked her head towards some fruit bearing trees and some creatures that appeared to be deer.

I nodded to her to show that I would and we started off. "I don't know your stance on hunting," She said with a wink my way. "But the others are goign to need some food and I figured the guy with the big sword would be the best bet."

We'd probably be better off with a spear or bow. A sword is a weapon, not a utensil.

'Remind me to get one when we get to the next town.' I thought back as I gave Moswen a grin.

Picking up one of the fruit from the ground Moswen gave it a few sniffs before giving me a thumbs up. We began gathering and soon had a small pile of fruit laying between in one of the bags the old woman had given me. Having picked up all the good ones from the floor, I climbed the tree to try and get some of the riper ones. Moswen stood beneath me as I tossed down the fruit. Straightening as picked one up she glanced up to me.

"Hey...Ban..." Her voice was a bit subdued, but I could hear her clear enough. "Are you worried something about this place feels wrong? I keep thinking the only things I can trust are...."

She looked down, growing silent. I gave a small shake of my head as I leapt down. "Your not the only one with a bit of doubt about whether we can do this or not. All of us probably share it to one degree or another. But you gotta remember what Dimitri said - We have to trust and rely on each, watch each other's backs if we're gonna survive." I put a reassuring hand on her head. "There's a word I learned in Japanse - 'nakama'. It means something akin to a trusted friend or ally, comrades that have complete faith in each other. Your my nakama, and for better or worse, I'm your nakama. You can always trust in that."

Her head came up, giving me a small smile as I grinned back. She caught me off guard as she suddenly hugged me before turning back to our pile of fruit. "Thanks for that Ban, now lets see what we can do about meat."


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

Turns out the spirit and Ban knew a thing or two about hunting. With a little bait and some luck I was able to nab one of the deer before they ran off. Offering a small prayer over it, Moswen and I returned to camp with our spoils. Dinner was a simple affair, some roasted meat and fruit with some stream water.

The sun soon began to set and as the surrounding hills were bathed in the last rays of light, I almosted missed the glow of torches from the hills. Grabbing Miroku, I saw the others do likewise with their own weapons as Loki and Knes went to get Danarica and Adalia. Soon it was apparent that the torches were being carried by a large group of people, most likely refugees from Sunde. Most of them were mounted on Caligrey themselves and as Moswen stepped forward to speak a loud shout went up. "It's them! The traitors! They lowered the mana shield, I saw them!"

Several of the larger men came forward, one grabbing Kite by the arm. "All of you are coming with us! We can do things the easy or the hard way, but either way you are going to Talidan. They know how to deal with traitors like you." He began to roughly drag Kite towards the mob.

Eyeing them I sheathed Miroku, I began walking forward. Trusting that her ears were more than just for show, I whispered to Moswen as I passed her. "When I say so, you and the others get running. I'll buy you guys some time to get away." Her eyes flicked towards me. "Don't worry, I'll be fine and catch up to you guys soon."

Nearing the man holding Kite, I placed a hand on his arm. "Now now, gentlemen. No need to be rough. We'll come along quietly..." My grip tightened and there was a quiet 'crack' as I broke his wrist. "...Over my dead body."

As the guy let go of Kite I shoved him into the other thugs. "Moswen, NOW!" Out of the corner of my eye I saw Moswen hesitate before signaling to the others to run. As the group dispersed, I saw the thugs rush forward. Meeting their charge, I slammed an open palm into the lead man's gut, knocking the wind outta him. Before he hit the ground, my leg swept out to knocked over the men closest to him.

Getting back to my feet, I was surprised to find the other thugs staggering back holding their guts. Standing fists raised was Knes, a fierce light in his eyes. "Why didn't you run when you had the chance?"

"I said I'd protect her." The boy said fiercely.

Shaking my head as I fell back next to the kid, I couldn't help muttering. "What is this a reverse Saotome Complex?" Knes looked at me confused. "Nevermind, just watch my back alright kid? And remember we're just buying time, not trying to kill them."

He nodded as more men from the mob surged forward to attack.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri sighed. It never seemed to fail. Someone always misunderstood, overreacted, and then forced you to messily dispose of some of the people you were trying to save.

Or maybe not.

Knes and the kid with the claymore...Ban...weren't doing that bad a job at not brutally massacaring the maladjusted and viscious mob. For his part, Dimitri followed Ban's wishes and fled with the rest. His hand idly shifted through his Tarot cards as he rode, just to be safe. Good thing he did too, a sudden jolt on his arm announced the arrival of one of the more quick wited and fleet footed of the thugs. Dimitri's head shot around to glare at the rather dity man.

You've never tried this before you know

Yeah, but it won't be as draining as a Tarot...who knows how long we need to fight

Well...try to be creative at least

Dimitri closed his eyes for a split second. As he did so, the black coloring around his eyes began to spin and morph dizzingly. With an almost palpable wave, Dimitri's eyes shot open with a look of utter hostility on them. The eyes themselves were awash with color, his pupil and corona no longer seeming to be constrained within their normal bounds, spinning and swirling together. The thug blanched, his eyes growing wide and frightened. Gibbering incoherenly, the attacker released Dimitri and staggared back, only managing to vomit messily on the ground before collapsing in a twitching fit.

What...did you send him?

Everything and everyone he ever loved being slaughtered and burned alive as he watches, unable to help or call out to them?


.....effective.

Indeed it was, however more of the mob had caught up to them by now. Getting away wasn't going to be easy, even with Knes and Ban punishing most of those who tried to move past them towards the rest. Loosening his staff from it's resting place, Dimitri continued to flee, bashing whatever individual idiot tried to dirty his robes with their grubby little hands.

[Bulbasaur4]

KNES
*^*^*^*^*^*^* A will to fight *^*^*^*^*^*^*

Knes grimaced as he clenched his fists and charged openly at one of the human figures. A large clattering sound could be heard in the distance as Ban disarmed yet another man, both Knes and Ban sweating from their work.
“Stay BACK!” Knes roared, his olive-green eye flashing while his red eye still remained the same. His fist connected into the man’s gut, and it seemed as if a rippling effect in the air occurred as the sound of bones crunching split into the air. Coughing up blood, the man staggered back and soon fell to his knees. Knes leapt back slightly, breathing heavily as he regrouped with Ban. The two of them had been fighting for a while now… and the others had gotten a ways off, but there were simply so many humans. They seemed to come from all directions… as if they had planned an ambush and the torch-bearers were just a decoy.
“There are so many of them…” Knes gasped, showing impressive fighting ability and stamina despite his twelve-year-old figure. Ban gave a grim nod, but his eyes still flickered with an inner fighting spirit that seemed to mirror Knes’s green eye.

A few more figures charged at them, and Ban swiftly took them on. Knes watched for a split moment, in awe how the man seemed to handle the sword so wondrously without killing the men but disabling them.
“Come ‘ere squirt!” A voice yelled in the air, and Knes reared about to snarl as he ducked out of the way of another sword. Bunching up his legs and leaping into the air, Knes came downward on the man with a powerful kick to the jaw. Swiftly it dislodged as the man fell to the ground, and without hesitation Knes knocked the man out with a swift punch to the face. While his covered hand was only roughened up, his other uncovered hand’s knuckles bleed slightly. However, the little one continued to fight with a driving force behind it.
After what seemed like several minutes, Knes and Ban both were left standing. Breathing heavily, there were no more around them… but that included the group that ran off.
“We should find the others… they were pursued.” Ban said, looking around. “Let’s look for them…”
“We should split up.” Knes said, looking up at the warrior. Ban began to shake his head but Knes quickly added. “I can teleport. Don’t worry about me… if I run into any trouble, I’ll teleport out of there.”

Ban hesitated for a second, but then nodded and the two darted off. Knes swiftly ran in one direction, his heart beating fast from the exertion that he had put himself through. He was surprised at himself for lasting so long and putting up his own… but he had no time to think about such things. He had to find the group.
“Damn them…” Knes swore to himself, thinking of the attacking outsiders. People were so rash… everyone was rash. No one thought about anything other than themselves anymore.

It wasn’t long until Knes suddenly stumbled upon Adalia, Moswen and a group of others. Being unfamiliar with the main group, Knes was not sure if they were all there. However, they were being attacked… and it seemed as if most of them were ready to fight.
“Leave her ALONE!” Knes roared, suddenly leaping from the shadows and aiming a punch straight at a man who was lunging at Adalia. He connected with such force, that blood instantly gushed from the man’s face as he crushed the bones within the centered area. The man was sent sprawling on the ground, screaming in pain as the blood oozed down his face and he pressed his hands to his face.
A scream soon pierced through the air however within an instant of Knes’s action, and whirling around he saw Adalia being held by a larger man. He had a glowing dagger to her throat, while another man stood by his side.
“Don’t anyone move…” The man growled, “Or I’ll slit her throat.”
Knes stopped for a second, staring wide-eyed at Adalia and the man. A few thoughts ran through his mind, but soon another member of the group was caught and placed in the same predicament. (Knes was unsure of the name.)


MOSWEN
~~~~~~~Secrets hidden play in shadows... ~~~~~~~~~

“Fine… we’ll go with you.” Moswen suddenly said, looking at the others and then gazing to the men.


Moswen knew there was little choice. The group was tired from their journey and fighting, and there were simply too many humans at this point. Plus, they now had the upper hand with having two “hostages” within their group. Moswen knew her and the others could probably kill them, but it could not possibly guarantee that Adalia and the other would not get killed too. And the glowing dagger seemed eerie… as if it held a property other than to kill.
“There’s one missing from your group.” The man holding Adalia said, peering at the others. Moswen’s eyes searched the group – Ban. Hesitating for a second, her ears perked up slightly as she heard something far off. The humans couldn’t hear them and Moswen doubted most half-breeds could hear either. But she recognized it… and could sense that Ban was near- most likely observing from the shadows.
Ban… stay hidden… Moswen thought, as she spoke to the others.
“That was a swordsman we hired. He most likely ran off… since fighting your group would not be apart of his contract.”
The humans seemed to hesitate, as if untrusting.
“His name is Dael M’var, a mercenary we stumbled upon in the other city. If you do not believe me, perhaps you can fish out his old records in the destroyed city?” Moswen’s lie seemed to easily escape past her lips, so swiftly and readily that the humans obviously believed there was no way for her to construct a lie so readily. Accepting the answer, they prepared the group to leave.
I know you can help us… wait for the right time. Moswen thought, her eyes drifting to the shadows for a split second before they were ushered off.
And if they try to do anything to my beloveds… I’ll kill them.. A slumbering voice seemed to whisper within Moswen’s mind.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Exausted ~*~*~*~*~

It was dark, darker than any night that I had been through while living in the city. Everything around us was pitch black, mud splashing along our feet as we walked. The only light came from the torch in front of us and the torch behind us. I could barely see Knes who stood by my side as we walked. “This is all my fault.” I mumbled, my legs swaying and aching with each step.

Knes moved closer allowing me to lean against him as we walked. “Don’t say that, I promised to protect you and I couldn’t…” He replied, trying to shift the blame on him for support. I opened my mouth to protest but all that came out was a long yawn. My feet twisted out from underneath me and I was sent sprawling into the mud.

Knes was immediately at my side, as was Loki, both helping me up from each side. “My two strong boys.” I blushed trying to stand up on my own legs only to have them buckle from exhaustion.

“It’s okay, I’ll hold you.” Both exclaimed to the other’s shock.

Loki made a additional move, reaching over and picking me up in his strong arms as I snuggled in against his chest. “You two can trade off… that way no one gets too tired because of me..” I whispered my eyes drooping heavily. I gazed up at Loki’s face who smiled back down at me as I leaned against his shoulder. “I love you.” That was the last thing I remember saying.

I was jolted back awake by some movement and talking. “Be careful with her head… there you go.” Loki whispered ever so slightly, I could feel his hand move away and Knes replace his hand where Loki’s was. “We’re coming into the town… I’m going to go move to the front of the line.” He explained his footsteps becoming fainter.

I opened my eyes even more, finding the trees have given away to fine sand, with stone house upon stone house lining the road. The sun just peeking over the horizon, and lighting up the four mana crystals very far off in the distance. One glowing a deep green while the other three were completely black. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you two..” Knes whimpered, his voice filled with sorrow and sounded as if he were about to cry.

I turned my eyes and looked up at him, a tear dripped down his cheek before he jerked his face back up, sucking down the emotion as if too afraid to let me see him cry. “Don’t cry because of me..” I said, I never wanted anyone to be hurt because of me, I had felt so much pain in my life before because of relationships, I didn’t want anyone to feel that pain. But Shonta, Loki, and now Knes. All of them felt that pain because of me. “Maybe Loki will let me date you too.” I tried to give him some hope but the expression on his face remained emotionless.

“I promise to protect you..” He said, his voice stern.

I couldn’t help but smile back. “My handsome Knight.” I grinned softly, leaning up and kissing his cheek. Knes’ face instantly warmed and flushed, his hands wavering in shock to the point that he almost dropped me. We were led into one of the largest sand stone buildings in the town, most of the mob awaited outside as a large man pointed for girls to go into one room and boys into the other. While all of our gear was dropped into a large box. “I’ll see you later.” Knes whispered putting me on the ground, holding on to me until he was sure I could stand upright.

Once in the room we were ordered to strip with the guard standing over us, I glanced over at Moswen who nodded and I slowly undid my robe, sliding it off and handing it to one of the men that entered the room. “Hey, I said strip, that means your armor too.” One of the men jerked a finger at Moswen’s armor. She grinned a mischievous grin and the man backed away. “Alright maybe not, it isn’t dangerous any how.” He shuttered, extending his arms and pushing Dana, Moswen, and myself against the wall.

The largest man pulled out a large book and a quill, dabbing it in ink on the desk before approaching us, as another came by snapping on black collars on our next with a crystal attached to them. “These will dampen your natural powers as you so willing displayed when we captured you. Now comes inspection in which we will decide if you will be sold or hung.” The large book man said a bit smugly.

I turned my head looking up at Moswen. “Inspection?” I asked, her face remained stern but her hand moved down and held mine tightly.

One of the men stepped up to me, indicating I was first. He tipped my head up first checking each side of my face, and then ran a hand through my hair, poking and prodding it. “No lice or any other bugs.” He said and then went down onto a knee, not even looking into my eyes. He placed his arms on my shoulders squeezing them and then placed his hands on my chest running a finger over my nipples as I tried to squirm away. Moswen’s grip became even tighter. “No breast growth either.”

He went to each of my arms, prodding the muscles on them. “Sub par muscle strength..” He moved down and placed his hands on my hips as my legs began to shake from fear. I drew in a large breath to keep from crying. “No birthing hips yet.” He replied and moved his hand toward my crotch causing me to jerk away in shock, using my free hand to cover the area. “I’m done with her, send her to the gallows tomorrow.” He sighed rising up and moving to Moswen.

A few tears rolled down my cheek as my whole body continued to shake. Moswen let go of my hand and touched my cheek wiping a tear away. “You were strong… you were strong.” She whispered to me. I didn’t feel strong…

Alright guys we have a long journey through the mud and sand before finally reaching the jail. You will go through processing no matter what your gender and given the barest of clothing. You guys can decide what the verdict will be, slave or gallows. But either way we will be stuck in a jail cell in two different rooms, unable to talk to the other group, for one day while Ban plots our escape.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-tomorrow never knows but now / i don't have any hesitations / like the wings / that gets lost in the sunny sky.-

I couldn't protect her. Or even myself.

I tried to pull my sword out to protect us, but my hand burned the instant it touched it. Why...No..was it because I couldn't feel Danielle's presence?

"Run!" I yelled to Danarica as I tried to outrun the people pursuing us. I tried again to draw my sword, but with no avail. I was slowly backed into the tree as 2 males approched me. I tightened my fist and punched one in the face, but left myself open to the other man, mostly due to my irrational thinking. He kicked me in the spine and I fell down to the ground, my arms then tied together with rough rope.

"Heh!I thought you'd be more trouble, but it seems that you're out of it."The one tieing my hands joked, and they forced me up. I grumbled and looked around for Danarica, who seemed to be with Moswen and the others. I was pushed to walk to their Caligrey's, and I saw that they had Adalia by knifepoint.

“Fine… we’ll go with you.”Moswen said in response to Adalia in danger. I could count everyone but Ban, who seemed to make it out safely.
“There’s one missing from your group.”The one with Adalia said. I hid myself in shame, I couldn't defend myself, I thought irrationally. Ever since Danielle said she's come back when it was over, I felt odd..not whole.
“That was a swordsman we hired. He most likely ran off… since fighting your group would not be apart of his contract.” Moswen replied, the man hesistant to accept the response.
“His name is Dael M’var, a mercenary we stumbled upon in the other city. If you do not believe me, perhaps you can fish out his old records in the destroyed city?”Moswen smirked, and the man seemed to accept this. We started our trek to Talidan, a Caligrey was striding behind us, before us, and multiple people walked with us, securing us and keeping torches lit, which seemed to light the way in the now dark forest. I kept my eyes almost closed the entire time, ashamed of myself. I ignored anything anyone said, mostly out of my pride being bruised.

We soon made it near the town, most noticable was the change of sand from the forest landscape we once walked upon. The group was led into was seemed to be one of the biggest sand-like stone buildings, and were divided. One man pointed for the girls to go into one room, the men/boys into another. I glared and growled instantly as the guard eyed Danarica.
"Lay your hands on her..and.."I growled at him, hesistant to enter the mens room.
"And what?"He laughed."Go and get yourself killed for a woman?" I continued to glare at him as I was kicked into the mens room, stumbling in. The door was closed and someone bent down behind a desk as other personal of the building ordered the other men to strip.

"Get rid of all your armor, and that sword."The personel assigned to me cruely said, pointing to my sword. He untied me and I got my gloves and mail off."Now your sword."
"I can't touch it."I mumbled.
"A sword you cant use!?"He laughed, then placed his hand near the hilt. Flames erupted from the hilt and burned his hand severly, as he cried out in pain and ran off, another personel coming to me, glarign in annoyance. He looked and examined my belt, then my sword, and slowly took the belt off, holding it with extreme care as he placed it behind the counter. He then came back to me, and sighed.

"Not my favorite part, but inspection."He sighed, and motioned for my pants to go down. I blinked my eyes, did he...?!
"I'll do it for you if you don't do it."He said in annoyance, and I sighed in grief, taking them off slowly."Now..."
I slowly did it, uncomfortable that I had someone watching, felt..around there. He nodded, jotting notes. He motioned for me to put my pants back on, then to take my shirt off. I did that easily, and he jotted down taking notes, smiling as he did so.

"You're lucky."He nodded."Muscles..and...well endowed status. You'll go well in the slave market , attract the rich women."
"This one is Slave."He yelled to the main personel behind the desk, and he gathered a small collar with a blue crystal hanging from it. He placed it around my neck and the crystal glew, my strength was fading tenfold. I felldown onto my knees, only to be pushed into a corner, away from the others who were either done with their examination or in the middle. I could barely lift my finger as I heard something faint coming from through the wall.

"Hah, that one can't control his mana without a rune or sword, so why bother with a mana drainning crystal!"The personel that examined me laughed, and I shot a faint glare. I was moreso paying attention to the noise of whining and grief coming from the other room.

"...dana?"



Ryan said it was ok to use a different collar since Ovan can't really control mana without a rune or sword.

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Take off your shirt," the big guy told me. With slight hesitation I slipped off my shirt. Not that I had a choice; the smallest resistance could result in a beatdown from the bouncer-like guy.

The big guy gave me a wicked grin and squeezed my arm tightly, making me grit my teeth. "A bit scrawny but fairly muscled," he commented as he gave one last squeeze and withdrew his hand, leaving bruises. He then pointed to my shorts, which I removed but not before letting out a small growl.

I felt fingers curl around my neck before I knew it. "As much as I bet the ladies would love a wildcat like you, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be defying anyone," he told me. I nodded slightly as he let go and dropped my shorts. "Good leg muscles. You'll be nice for manual labor or...whatever."

"Damn cracker," I muttered, letting some of my "black" side slip. One of the guys -- I don't know which -- snickered at my comment.

"What did you say?" Bouncer snapped.

"Nothin', massa!" I exclaimed quickly and innocently. More snickering. Had they understood the sarcastic joke I would've been in the gallows right then.

"Slave, as long as he keeps his mouth shut," Bouncer told the other guy with the pen and paper.

Oh goody. Nothing like re-enacting pre-Civil War times. I sighed and put my clothes back on as the men moved to the next guy.

Another man came into the room with a smug look on his face. "We have a nice bunch of ladies. Too bad the little girl's gotta go," he told the other two.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized who he was referring to. "What do you mean?" I demanded loudly.

"Quiet, you!" Bouncer told me.

I seriously considered obeying him as his muscles bulged a little. But then the newcomer casually walked up to me and grabbed my chin. "The little doll is going to the gallows tomorrow so you'd better pray to the gods that her death is quick and painless."

Nothing could stop the growl rising from my throat. Without warning I lashed out and swiped my claws across his face. Immediately Bouncer and his friend jumped in and tackled me to the ground.

I growled like the angry wildcat I was modeled from. "You bastard! You'll die for this! I'll see to that myself!" I spat. Various threats spewed from my mouth as I was pummeled into submission. I couldn't move a muscle by the time they were done.

"I'm having serious doubts about this one," Smug Guy said as he tended to his scratches.

I hope you don't have any regrets seeing as our death is near.

'You're not helping.'

Oh, now you want my help. It's a little too late to be asking.

'Go play with my inner child or something. Just leave me alone.' I felt Kite recede to a corner of my mind as I curled up in the corner of the room. My spirit hurt a lot more than my body, which is saying a lot considering that it felt like a couple of bones were broken. "Adalia...I'm so sorry."

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri was last in line to be processed, and as such he had a few moments to think before they grabbed him and roughly began removing his clothing. He couldn't believe that he was about to do what he was but...well having some advantage was better than leaving all the cards in your opponent's hands....literally. As the brute behind him began ripping his precious cloak off of him, Dimitri feigned a stumble from the jerk, shooting one leg back as he did. For the first time since he had taken on Dimitri's body, Bryan fully appreciated the advantages having reverse jointed legs gave him. In this case, a very hard, pointy object aimed directly as his captor's crotch. A satisfying thump later and his assailent was on the ground holding himself tenderly. Dimitri's cloak was hanging half off, and he used the moment to discretely move the hand still in it into one of the pockets. Another guard came over to see what had happened and, after cuffing Dimitri despite the seeming innocence of his stumble, took over for the injured thug. The half-breed watched somewhat sadly as his possessions, especially his feathered hat, were taken away. He had no idea if there would ever be a chance to retrieve them but a pair of clothes were hardly worth his life.

The inspector came over, a less than excited look on his face. Dimitri supposed that half-breeds weren't as exciting to grope and fondle as humans...for the second time Bryan appreciated his extremely animalistic form. The inspector simply felt his muscles, noted his eyes, and checked his teeth. Dimitri just stood there in silence, his fur provided at least some covering and he frankly didn't care if they looked at him or not...it wasn't his real body anyway. Shrugging, the inspector murmered to a nearby attendant.

"Slave, someone'll find him exotic or something...specially with those eyes."

They then shoved Dimitri into the cell with the other male members of the group, throwing a flimsy shirt and pants at him as they did. Dimitri watched them dissapear down the corridor leading to the cell, idly chatting about whatever it is dimwitted hooligans talked about these days, waiting patiently until they were gone. The cell was damp, cramped, and disgusting in almost every sense of the word. Dimitri idly hoped that the girl's cell was at least less....nauseating. Ignoring the idle, scared, determined, or nervous chatter from the rest of the males. They certainly needed to all talk and plan...but Dimitri had a more urgent matter to attend to at the moment. He slowly reached under his arm, pulling from the pocket between his torso and tricep the single card he had managed to randomly pull from his cloak. The collar prevented him from channeling his magic correctly, but he bet...hoped maybe...that he could still manage the barest spark of power needed to activate a card. Once that happened, the magic of the card was in control and the collar shouldn't be a problem. The clever smile spreading across his face faltered and faded as he looked at its face. The skeleton on the card continued to smile however, the scythe it held in its hands making the smile less than pleasant.

Of all the cards to pull...there was only one of these in all the decks you were carrying...

What does it do?

....I can't tell you

Why the hell not?!

Because if you know...you won't use it when you have to

....

[Bulbasaur4]

I colored the picture of Moswen btw! Here she is!
Moswen! (http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs15/f/2007/051/c/8/Moswen_by_kalandy44.png)


Moswen
~*~*~*~* Defy the Odds *~*~*~*~


Moswen had flashed a vicious grin at the guard who had made a motion to take off her armor. Frankly, she had wished he would have tried… for a nasty surprise would have come from it. The only worry would have been if all the pieces of armor had come off, but she knew they would have died before removing the third piece.
Being half naked was an odd feeling… especially since the guards didn’t quite know what to make of her armor. While it was connected by chains, the main body pieces about her left breast, pelvic half and leg seemingly clung to her body without anything holding it up. The silver sheen glinting in the dim light of the cell, as Adalia, Danarica and herself lined up.
Adalia was the first to be “checked” and Moswen could sense the fear in the small girl. Narrowing her eyes with a look of disgust, Moswen held the girl’s hand tightly in support. After it was said and done, Moswen knelt down and wiped away a tear from her eye- trying her best to comfort her.
“You did great… you’re a strong girl.” Moswen said softly, snapping her gaze back at the guard with a menacing glare. However, it was her turn and she stood up strongly. Her fierce, two-colored gaze stared straight into the man’s own gaze… figuratively shattering his in half. He seemed shaken for a moment, and then looked away- concentrating on her more appealing side. He touched her silky hair, commenting on the odd two-color contrast with appeal. His disgusting grimy hand then groped her available right breast, checking the firmness from her ripe age and conditioned body. More stroking of her body- feeling her creamy skin, commenting on the exotic tattoos upon her left side and then going for the most intimate place. Moswen bit her lip absently, fighting the urge to raise a knee and nail the man in the groin.
“Lingering, aren’t you?” She spat, causing the guard to cease and step back with a wicked grin on his face.
“She’s a prime slave candidate… exotic and physically prime. Definitely a slave here, we’ll make an excellent profit.”
Moswen could have vomited at his words, watching as they moved to Danarica.

When everything was done, they were finally left alone and in ‘peace’. However, tears flooded Adalia’s eyes and swiftly Moswen wrapped her arms around Adalia. Adalia continued to sob, for Adalia was being sent to the gallows. To be killed…
“Adalia… Adalia…” Moswen said softly, grabbing her gently by the shoulders and pushing her back so she could look in the small girl’s face.
“You are not going to die Adalia.” Moswen said firmly, causing Adalia’s eyes to widen with a bit of shock.
“B-but… they said…” She began, but Moswen shook her head.
“You are not going to die. On my life, I swear to you… I will not let them kill you. I will kill them all and send them straight to hell before anything like that could happen. No one in our group is going to die here…” Moswen said, causing Adalia to sniffle and nod her head slightly. Moswen hugged her once again, withdrawing a deep breath and looking to Danarica for a moment. She thought of Danarica’s child… they had more life in this cell that could not be risked to death.

Ban… I trust you, I know you’ll help us soon. Then when the time is right… we’ll be out of here and on our way.
Moswen absently wondered how the males were doing, but she trusted that they could take care of themselves appropriately. Looking to Adalia, she smiled once again and rested her plush tail to the ground.
“You look tired… why don’t you sleep?” She offered, patting her thick plush tail. She was silently thankful for her half-breed form… and Adalia was able to rest without having to lay upon the disgusting grime of the cell.
This place… I cannot help but feel as if… it brings something out of me… Moswen thought.
That is because I am awakening.
You are… awakening? W-wait… you spoke before… who are you?

… but there was nothing but silence

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Soft… ~*~*~*~*~

I rolled to my left, and then to my right, my eyes shut tightly, sweat dripping down my hair and rolling off of my forehead. “Soft..” I whispered, breathing in a deep yawn, finally opening my eyes to find deep rich black fur all over my face. “Fur?” I mumbled raising my head out of the fur.

Dana and Moswen were both looking down at me, a soft, almost motherly smile on both of their faces. I bolted straight up, my face turning several colors of red. “I must have been sleep talking!” I tried to make an excuse, shifting around on my butt, as the memories were coming back, the memories that told me that I only had a few hours to live. Tears began to brim around my eyes as the deep rich reds of sunset filled the grimy cell.

Moswen was the first to come, bringing me into a deep hug against her chest. “No one will hurt you, I promise, even if I have to take your place.” She whispered, I nodded. At that moment Dana took the chance to deepen the hug causing all three of us to fall onto our left side.

We each rose back up laughing at what had happened, it felt good to laugh, it made the pain in the bottom of my stomach seemingly disappear. “So girl power?” I asked with a sheepish grin as both nodded. I could only smile back, thankful to have such great friends as drops of sweat traveled down my hair and onto my nose. “Can I take this stupid shirt off? It’s so hot in here.” I asked.

Moswen turned to Dana, who only seemed to shrug in response. “Nothing we havn’t seen.” Moswen replied, I breathed in a sigh of relief and quickly stripped the shirt off, tossing it down onto the floor and breathing in more of the rich hot air. Moswen stepped forward resting her hands on my shoulders, I looked up gazing into her eyes. “You will grow up to be a beautiful young woman, I promise.”

I nodded in response. “Ad-Adalia?” A quiet voice asked from behind. I turned to find Knes standing against the jail bars, clutching a doll to his chest. His eyes went wide with shock, his face turning white, and then a deep red. “You… you’re.” He whispered.

A smile overtook my face as I raced forward and threw my arms around him, giving him a deep hug. “Adalia… you’re naked.” He whispered, his voice filled with shock. Just as quickly as I had hugged him, I let him go, taking a few steps back with a arm over my chest. “I’m sorry.” He whimpered covering his eyes as quickly as possible as I put the sweat soaked shirt back on.

He stepped forward still with his eyes closed and thrust out a doll. For a second I had no idea what it was, and then my eyes lit up. It was the doll that I had saw yesterday at the flea market place. “Loki gave this to me to give you…” He mumbled as I scooped it up into my arms, snuggling it as tight as possible. I sighed clutching it tightly. “I am glad that you like it.”

He turned to the others. “I was going to see if I could go find Ban..” He explained as I slid down against the wall.

“I want you to stay… please.” I quickly spoke up, drawing all of their attention. “Just for a little while?” I whimpered dropping my eyes back down to the doll, running my hands through her hair. Knes glanced at the others who seemed to move to the far end of the other side of the cell and began to talk on their own.

“I heard… about…” His eyes teared up, for the first time ever he was crying, he didn’t even cry when he saw his sister die. Did I mean that much to him? He slid down next to me, slowly placing his arm around my back. “I… want.. to protect you, but I don’t know how.”

I looked up, into his eyes full of tears. I wanted to tell him I know, I wanted to tell him that Moswen would make sure it was okay. I didn’t I just ran a hand against his cheek, and leaned up, kissing him on the lips. I could feel him draw in a breath of shock for a second, and then leaned in, wrapping both arms around my back as we drew into a deep embrace. I wanted the kiss to last forever…

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Late Night Preperations~

I reigned in Yakul as I came up to the edge of the forest. It had suddenly given way to what seemed to be a desert. Not to far was the entrance to the frontier town where the others were being held. Even further in the background were four massive crystals, probably remenants of the shield we were suppose to put back up that protected the land from the Fearls. "Just my luck. I stay behind to hold off them off and they STILL get capture. Some distraction I was...."

You cannot blame yourself.

Yea, it's not your fault you weren't able to keep that mob from overruning you and st-

"YOUR NOT HELPING BAN!"

Sighing, I held my forehead as I went over what had transpired. Apparently the mob had been bigger than we thought, having captured everyone else just after Knes and I split up. Moswen's quick thinking had kept them from looking for me, but meant I was on my own to free them. I doubled back to camp to collect our food and was surprised to find Yakul and the other Caligrey had returned. Unfortunately, I also found one of the people that had accused us rounding them up.

Knocking the guy senseless, I took his cloak and unbridled his own Caligrey before saddling up Yakul. Securing the haversacks along with Miroku to Yakul, I then tied together the other Caligrey so I could lead them down the path. Even though they probably weren't looking for me, I decided it was the better part of discretion if disguised myself. So I had unwrapped my bandages and my headband. I retied the bandage so it covered half of my face and tied my headband over my hair. My coat lay on top of the bags while I donned the guy's cloak.

So far my plan consisted entirely of posing as a Caligrey herder, if any of those existed, counting on my head coverings to obscure any of my features. Disguised as such, I would gather information before coming up with a way to free my companions. It wasn't much yet, but I needed to know what I was up against before freeing them. Patting Yakul on the neck, I urged him and the other Caligrey forward into the town proper.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

After finding a berth for the Caligrey, I spent the next few hours in the market. Though smaller than the one in the last city, I was still able to purchase a few items with I would need with the mananite I had on hand. So far, it seemed, my disguise and I was able to glean some information from the townspeople. Those who went to the prison were often sold off as slaves, while those deem unfit were apparently confined within the prison itself.

Thus I mulled this information over in my head in the inn, which doubled as the local tavern from the looks of it. I consulted with the voices in my head, but Ban's idea of an escape plan was to bust in there and kill anyone that tried to stop us. It was a tempting thought, but we were trying to save these people after all.

Stealth is the key. We still have the element of surprise on our side.

"Right, but we don't know what security is like in there or where they're being held. If I could only get my hands on someone who did...."

Something caught my attention in the corner of my eye. Turning for a better look, I recognized them s some of the thugs that had accosted us on the road. They were dressed in uniforms and apparently enjoying an evening drink. Bobbing up and down on one man's head was a rather familiar looking hat.

Oi, ain't that...

"That's Dimitri's hat!" I smirked as a plan began to forumlate. "I think I've found our source!"

Picking up my mug I sauntered over to the group. "Good evenin' ta ya gents!" I said, affecting a mangled mix of Irish/English accent. "I couldnae help but notice this fine hat that yer wearin' sah and was hopin' ta find out where ya got it. Lost me own sometime ago and been thinkin' it'd be time I got a new one."

The man snorted, but gave me a grin. "Between you and me pal, I took this off some stinkin' half-breed we caught on the road. Seems he and his friends were responsible for taking down the barrier in Sunde."

"Oh, ya don't say. Good ta hear the blaggards 'ave been caught." I gave the group a smile. "In fact, that sounds like a cause fer a celebration. I made some good money last night and tis burnin' a hole in me pockets. 'ow 'bout I buy you gents a couple o' rounds, eh?"

My offer was greeted with a hearty cheer. A couple of mugs of alcohol later, I was the group's best friend. With some deft prodding I steered the conversation towards the prison. Their tongues and minds by now loosened by the quantity of alcohol, I was able to learn where the rest of the group's stuff were kept and where they were being held. Some of them began to joke about how well they would sell as slaves and what they would do if they could get their hands on Moswen or Danarica. I felt a twinge of rage well up deep inside me at such a callous disregard for my comrades' lives, but I kept my friendly facade up.

"Pity 'bout that kid though. Ain't useful fer breedin' or labor." The guard said. "It's the gallows fer her come noon tomorrow."

"They had a child with them? The poor thing, I'm sure she was just an innocent, may-"

"Naw, the kid was apparently in on the whole thing. Probably would've fetched a pr-"

I stood up quickly, staggering slightly as if drunk. "Excuse me gents, seems I've 'ad one too man ta drink." I placed a bit of mananite on the table. "This should cover the rest of the drinks."

I staggered a bit up the stairs towards my room, but straightened as soon as I was out of sight of the main room. I quickly entered my room, grabbing up the equipment I'd purchased earlier that day and donned my cloak. "Thank goodness for that iron stomach of yours Ban."

And you said drinkin' was a waste of time! I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Yea, well I'd like to debate the merits of binging with you..." I thought as I opened the window. "We've gotta free the others before Adalia loses her head."


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

Y'know, this'd be easier if you'd just use my plan.

"We're not going over that again..."

Though I had to admit, hanging off the side of a wall ten stories tall, Ban's plan was looking better. Watching carefully as the guard turned away, I speedily ascended the rope. With as much stealth as I could muster I slid on to the rampart and quickly gathered the rope. Throwing myself from the rampart, I hit the courtyard with a dull 'thud' and sprinted for the nearest shadow.

Catching my breath as I hid behind a couple of barrels, I quickly scanned the area for guards. I could see one of them looking in my general direction, but he soon returned to his patrol. Breathing a sigh of relief, I gathered my cloak about me and inched my way along the wall towards the door. "Ah, good. Unlocked." Pulling it open I swiftly disappeared inside.

Sticking close to the walls, I made my way down the halls. If what the guards said was true, this building held all the items they confiscated from their 'prisoners'. It seems no one was patrolling the building tonight as my search remained unimpeded. Finding the storage room, I began to root around for the others' stuff. "Where is it...where-AH! Jackpot!"

I smiled somewhat as I opened the lid of a trunk revealing Ovan's blade, Kite's halberd, and the rest of their weapons and accoutrements. "Yosh, now all I have to do is bre-"

I stiffened at the sound of the door opening behind me. I had not brought Miroku with me, but I still had the dagger around my neck. Pulling it free from the where it hung, I threw myself into a roll towards the door. I brough the blade up to where the man's neck should've been but only caught air. "What?"

"BAN!"

I look down at the yell to see Knes, staring up at me. "Knes?" I lowered the dagger. "How the hell did you get away?"

"The guards thought I was too young to have any sort of magical powers. So I teleported as soon as they left us alone. I was going to go look for you but I got..." He blushed brightly. "...a little sidetracked."

I decided not ask what he meant by that. "So everyone's still okay?" Knes nodded. "Great. You can give me a hand. Teleport us and this box outside of the prison. We'll return for the others in the morning."

"But Adali-"

"Yea, I know all about that, but I'm gonna need Miroku and some other gear if we're going to get everyone out safely." I grinned at him. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to the little Hime-chan. Jeez, first Kite, then Loki, now you. Girl sure has a lot of admirers."

Knes flushed again but nodded as he grabbed my wrist and touched the box. In an instant we were transported outisde of the prison. Grabbing up one end of the trunk, Knes took the other and together we headed back into the town proper.

[i]"Just hold on a little longer guys. I'll have you out in no time."

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I stood there, pondering the offer the vile people that ran this place had given me. Freedom for me and my child, so long as I was willing to turn on the others, and confirm that they were indeed the "Traitors" that they had sought. It filled me with distaste, a nasty, putrid feeling that ate away at me. They just HAD to pick ME to give the offer to. They felt I was THAT desperate? I shook my head. I'd mentioned it to Moswen when Adalia had been asleep.

She'd said to go for it. That I could help Ban, and that it'd lessen the number of people at risk, and... would keep my child safe. I frowned, turning to Moswen, and nodding at her. She nodded back. I then motioned to the guard, whispering to Adalia. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you."

She looked like she was going to ask what I was talking about, but I made a shushing motion with my fingers. The guard then unlocked the cell, asking, "So, you're giving in, eh?"

"On the condition that I can speak to the father of my child before I go." I stated firmly. He looked like he didn't like it, but shrugged, obviously giving in to the condition. I followed him to the cell Ovan was in, after I explained to him what was going on, I'd see if I could find Ban, and stop this injustice.

[Haruko]

Danielle
-stringing together stale words / even so, all we want to do / is to share simple thoughts..-

"I thought I had more time.."Valkryie started to fade, her legs first to go."I must be taken away by someone, but who.."
"Don't go."I said sternly, holding onto the once semingly solid hand. My hand ran through like water, and she smiled.
"Be strong."She smiled as her face started to disappear, before her helmet fell onto the ground, the last part of her to remain.

I stood up slowly from my bed as we had a long proper chat prior to her disappearing.

'Only you and the others can save this world.' I remembered, looking into the mirror in the room. Ovan was in a room with a teenager, who seemed to be caring for his ruins.

'Ovan cannot. He is not your replacement, nor a shield.'I glared at the mirror, her words ringing clearly through my 'head'

'He is only a blanket to hide under.'I picked up her helmet, and placed it on my head.A part of me was probably going insane from being under the surface, but her voice brought so much comfort..

'Only you can wield me properly. That is why you must break free from your selfmade cage and travel with me!'Her words rang a strong tone, and I walked over to the mirror.

"Sis.."I smiled, keeping my eyes closed."and John" I chuckled,"I'll be back, I just have to..blossom is all." With that, I closed my eyes and punched straight through the mirror, hoping to reach the surface.



Ovan
-the light that spreads through the pale sky is continuous / the repeating days, excuses and lies and don't know.-

"Oi.."I heard someone coming over near my cell. I was redressed into dirty clothing shortly after, and I could feel my burn wound sting with a near infection. That was the only feeling in me, pain. I didn't have the strength to feel anything more than that, and care."That one had a wound, right?"

"Yeah.."The gaurd he was talking to walked over to him,and both looked down at me, through the bars."So?"
"He won't sell well if he's dead by morning, stupid!"The first guard yelled at him, and sighed."Go in there and lessen his crystal, and bring him to Stella."

'Stella..?'I thought.'Is she some old hag..to be here and work for them?'
'Either way, the name is..familiar..'

The 'lesser' guard came over and placed his finger by the crystal, and more feeling - not a lot - came back to me. He looked under my shirt and almost turned white.
"Yeah...Stella should probably see him.."He ran out, almost grossed out. The upper guard came in laughing at his lower in command, and took my cuffs, forcing me up.

"He's afraid of blood, the wuss."He sighed."Come." We walked out of my cell and through what seemed to be hallways upon hallways before coming to a solitary door. He knocked on it, and it opened almost to the instant he finished.

"Oh!"I heard a feminine, certinaly not old voice."What did you do now!?"
"HAH!"The guard laughed,"He was like this when he came, he just hasn't gotten very good treatment for it. You do the rest Stella, I'll be waiting for him outside."He pushed me through the door, and closed it behind me.

Ahead of me was a girl no younger than 18, no older than 20. Her brown hair flowed down to her shoulders, and her green eyes seemed alive.She wore a skirt with a top, and seemed..just..very out of place for such a horrible place as this.

"Sit!"She smiled, chalantly. I did as such to the nearest chair, and she got a pair of scissors. She cut through my shirt and then through some..very gross gauze. She seemed a bit grossed out, but hid it as soon as I saw it.

"How did you get it?"She asked, walking over to a sink and getting a fresh cloth, putting some soap and warm water on it.
"Being reckless.."I sighed.
"Not like that."She said, wiping down the wound. I winced and wanted to yell, but couldn't find the energy."It's shape..is odd."
"Like?"
"A bird."She studied it."Yeah, a beautiful bird.Atleast you'll have a pretty scar."She smiled warmly, then looked at me serious.

"You guys, took down that barrier in Sunde right?"She asked me, eye to eye. I nodded.
"It wasn't..intentional."I told her. I decided to keep quiet about it, so she didn't say a word to the guards.
"I see."She looked away, and got up, going over to some baby herb plants."I heard, from someone, that guardians guard the crystals. You were burned with the birds flames, directly?"
"..Yeah.."
"Normally the flames on a phoenix is hotter than the flames she sends out.It's for protection."Stella responsed, looking outside the solitude window. "I doubt healing magic will heal those burns.."

She placed her hands over the baby plants, and I could see mana flow from her hands to the plants, their size increasing to fully grown herbs. She picked a few up, then a bowl and a crusher. Taking a chair near me, she sat and crushed the herbs. I studied her..and noticed crystal earings on her that seemed very similar to the one on my neck.

"It prevents me from growing the plants big enough for me to escape."She sighed, crushing the herbs into a mixture."This place has been my prison for 13 years.."

My eyes widened as she admitted this to me. She seemed so sullen in her chair as she ground the herbs..
"Mana is a curse, and a blessing."Stella said, getting up and putting some pastes into the bowl, mixing them with the herbs."My dad..he was a great botanist. Plants were his life, he cared for each of them in his plant house like his children.."

"When my brother went away to travel, my dad grew into a depression. I was only 4 at the time, and everytime I would try to cheer him up..he just ignored me."She sighed, putting some of the herb paste onto a gauze pad. It stung, but brought what seemed to be a cool relief afterwards."He stopped his study, and because it was so important to the townspeople, there were riots infront of our house."

"We started not to be able to buy food,"Her eyes grew sullen, but seemed dedicated."and soon, we could barely pay taxes."

"They...hung my dad."She cried."In the gallows, in front of me. They did the same to my mom too, but looked at me and decided I'd stay alive and repent for their sins! Theirs, not mine!I was only 5 then, I could barely do anything!"She seemed to explode."They only keep me here in a clean room because I can treat their injuries well, if I did't, I'd be dead."She finished putting the paste on my wound, and gathered up some gause. Wrapping it around tightly, yet not to tight, she seemed to want to cry. Yet she was holding it all in..

'Danielle..'

"These crystals are my shackles, the window is my torture."She looked into my eyes."I see a world I want to be in so much, but I'm stuck here."

I suddenly remembered how Ban would be rescueing us, and closed my eyes.
"Stella.."I asked,"Why did you tell me these things? I'm only a 'traitor', so they say."
"Because..you remind me of my brother."And that was it, it was decided. I moved my head towards her ears and whispered.


"I'll free you from your shackles, and let you see the world you want to so desperatly.."

----------------------

The look on Stella's face remained on my mind as I was taken back to my cell. It seemed to have been cleaned up a bit, only due to my wound. They threw me in there and motioned a hand signal, the feelings more than pain I expieranced before disappeared. However, the only feeling left was hope, as I patiently awaited Ban to come. I wanted to see Danarica more than anything, and being free from this hell hole we dug ourselves would be a good aswell. One thing at a time..

I stopped all thought at once, and felt my body loosen. My grip slowly loosened, and I felt a presence in me that had disappeared earlier. She was in complete control, from being at the bottom of the pole. What happened!? I couldn't lose control, not now..

'So, you met a girl named Stella?'Danielle asked.'And want to free her..?'
'I have to, once Ban comes..'
'You're the reckless one that got us into this mess and stabbed the stupid birds back, I'll be the one to get us out.'She said, completely ignoring me. She seemed annoyed at having no physical energy as she tried to lift our arm, then sighed.

'Danarica!'

Danarice, followed by a guard, came in. I faught my way to get control and did such. It was an endless tug of war for me and Danielle, but I needed to comfort Danarica...




Name: Stella D'Aubigne
Age: 18, just about
Sex: Female
Personality: Simply put, Stella is always troubled with her parents death and remembers it every second of the day. However, she hides it and doesn't show it to anyone. She keeps a happy face on and tries to be cheerful when she can, realistic when it needs to be.
Appearance: Around 5'4", Stella stands with fair skin and down to her shoulders brown hair. Her eyes are green, showing her magical abilities(in which she inherited from her father), almost a surreal green. She likes to wear long skirts with a tunic, but will wear pants in cold weather. Likes to keep a tropical flower in her hair at times for a weapon. She also wears a napsack across her chest, which holds her herbs and canteen.
Magic: Stella, like her father, has the ability to manipulate plant life. Make it grow, die, form it into a weapon or gather poisonous fumes from plants for fights. Stella has had trainning in the 13 years without her "shackles" on, but she has no real battle experiance with them.
History: Always looking up to her father, but always shunned upon her for being a girl and having his magical abilities, she grew with no real interaction with her father. Her brother had inherited her mothers magic traits(the ability to manipulate wind), something her father didn't want, but didn't use it as an excuse to not grow close to his son. Shunned by her father and cared barely by her sick mother, she was always stuck entertainning herself. When her brother went away to hone his magical abilities, she saw it as a excuse to grow close to her now depressed and nearly mad father. 6 months passed and when they couldn't pay taxes due to her father stuck not working, she saw her parents hung infront of her eyes. They decided to keep her due to her magical abilties, hoping to not only use her as a first-aid technican, but as a powerful weapon when her powers grew.
Weapon: The flower in her hair is always alive, and she can take it out and extend it's stem into a long, fencing like sword with thorns. Unlike a stem, it's hard and very durable, like steal when it's in Stella's hands.
Others: Ovan reminds her of her brother, which she both loved and despised. She hates fighting and isn't religious due to her loss of contact with the outside world, so the group will probably have to fill her in if she travels with them. She, in no way, loves Ovan, just see's him like a brother.(And sympathizes with Danielle when she hears the story.) She's also a vegetarian. Not a vegan, but..vegetarian. YAY for tofu!*numnum*

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Waiting ~*~*~*~*~

It was early in the morning when I woke up again, the first dawn rays beginning to creep into the cell. Moswen’s tail twitching back and forth woke me from my dream. I stretched a little in the uncomfortable clothes and yawned. I really wasn’t afraid, I knew Moswen would protect me, as well as Knes. But in the back of my mind was the urge to scream and cry, to dig a hole in the ground with my bare hands. Instead I sat in a corner of the cell. Drawing a picture in the dirt. “Ow, ow, my tail is stiff.” Moswen groaned as I gave back a tiny giggle.

“I’m sorry..” I tried to hide a grin as Moswen went to the bars and peered around. “Hey… where did Dana go?” I asked, continuing with my dirt drawing. Moswen came walking over and slid down next to me, pulling an arm around my back.

“She… she went to work on our escape.” She responded, although I knew it was only a guess, that she didn’t really even know where Dana was. “She’s beautiful I didn’t know you could draw like that.” Moswen pointed to the drawing of a woman I was doing on the floor.

“It’s how…I thought I would look like if I grew up.” My voice caught in my throat as I was fighting tears back down. Moswen responded, drawing me into a deep hug as the cell bars swung open. “I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do this.” I shook my head, burying it into her shoulder as two strong hands grabbed me from behind pulling us apart.

“MOSWEN!” I screamed out, kicking and screaming as I was lifted into the air and dragged out of the cell, kicking and screaming with tears running down my face. If the man that was holding me didn’t have gloves on I would have bitten into his hand with all the force I could. Behind me I could see Moswen snap the neck of the first guard, tossing him away like a rag doll. She leapt out of the cell only to be slammed against the wall by the second guard. “MOSWEN HELP!” I cried out again.

She dug her nails into the second guard almost taking his head off; he dropped limply to the ground. Her moment of triumph was quickly ended though as a third one hit her in the back of the neck sending her slumping toward the ground. It was the last I saw of her as we rounded the corner, throwing two heavy wooden doors out of the way and entered into a courtyard.

To my left there was a large wooden cell where Loki, a barely conscious Moswen, Shonta, and everyone else was being herded. I matched eyes with Loki first, tears ran down his face as he and Shonta both threw themselves against the bars. Loki mouthed ‘I love you’ as I was carried up onto a large wooden platform. The mob already filling in to watch below. “Please don’t do this, please don’t do this.” I begged each of them as I was lowered down onto a wooden door that was barely being held in place.

My first instinct was to run but two hands held my shoulders in place. “Please, I just want to go home.” I was just mumbling now, tears running down my face in the bucketload. One of the large men placed a thick rope around my neck while some one else was talking. Saying how I would pay for my crimes.

My whole world was awash in colors from the tears, smearing and blurring everything. The crowd began to chant, screaming for my death. An explosion happened in the background but I couldn’t see it.

“Mommy…” I begged.

Everything began to go black, the rope around my neck cutting off my breath as the man next to me tightened it. I could hear a second explosion followed by more and more screams. That had to be Ban... or Moswen... they were going to save me... Those were my last thoughts as everything went black.


Alright time for Ban, Knes, and Dana’s rescue attempt. Adalia did NOT get her neck snapped yet, but she is not breathing, and wont be able to start breathing with out atleast CPR. The door is about to open. Sorry Poli.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen
*~*~*~* Don’t mess with the angry guardian*~*~*~*

Moswen felt the man hit her from behind, as she slumped to the ground for a moment. She could hear the cries of Adalia… causing Moswen to clench her fist but she continued to act as if she were unconscious on the ground. Moswen remembered her words to Adalia… how she would not let Adalia die… how Adalia would be fine.
I will keep my promise! Moswen thought bitterly, feeling the guards grab her body and toss her into another area where others were gathered. For some reason they were putting all of them into the same cell… and Moswen’s keen ears could hear the gentle roar of the crowd outside- craving for a death by hanging.
“Moswen… Moswen?” The familiar voice of Dimitri could be heard, as Moswen continued to feign her unconscious state. The guards backed away and were discussing the slave auction which would take place after the death of the ‘little girl’. Moswen bit her lip… damn the collar! Slowly rising upwards, Moswen opened her eyes to see the entire group was around her except for Ban and … Knes, he was gone too. Panicking slightly, Moswen could hear the crowd even more. Looking over, she saw Kite staring out through the bars at the crowd… practically screaming in vain at everyone outside. Looking about… she saw Dimitri in deep thought as well. Moswen bit her lip again, suddenly taking her fist and punching a nearby wall- only causing pain to seer up her arm and blood to trickle from her knuckles.
“Ban and Knes will come…” A voice said quietly, as Moswen clenched her eyes shut as her keen ears heard Adalia yell as the crowd roared for her death.

Moswen… there is no time to lose.

The voice within her head spoke again, and suddenly Moswen opened her two-colored eyes as if a new realization had hit her. Turning to look at Dimitri, she saw him reach into his pocket for something but she held out her hand and placed it on his arm to stop him. Dimitri looked at her, but instead of seeing her normal sky blue right eye and violet left eyed-gaze, he saw that they both were glowing the same color- a fiery pigment of purple. A strange and unnatural wind picked up in the cell, as Moswen spoke- her voice emotionless and far from her normal tone.
“Nuanica Powers Activate. Releasing Natural Armor Restriction One.”
Suddenly the sound of sliding metal pinged in the air, as the piece of armor around Moswen’s wrist lost its shiny silver coating and turned into a deep obsidian. The tattoo markings along Moswen’s left half let out a small flash of violet color, but it soon subsided. The collar that the guards had placed upon Moswen’s neck was doing its job… acting as an unnatural restriction upon her mana powers. However, Moswen didn’t have time to think about that- actually, she couldn’t think of it.
It was as if she was doing everything by instinct… with no thoughts, but as an outsider who was feeling someone else take control. But it wasn’t her… it wasn’t a Kalah or Moswen… it was something else. Some thing far more superior in this moment.

“Nuanica Powers Activated. Power Level Currently Inhibited. Releasing Natural Armor Restriction Two.”
Suddenly, not the restriction collar that the guards had placed… but Moswen’s own natural neck armor made another metallic noise. The lustrous silver coating faded away, seemingly sinking into the metal itself as it darkened into the color of night. The wind around Moswen picked up further… as those in the group started to stare at her. Their senses slightly heightened as they backed up… knowing that some thing was happening with their comrade. Not only that, but judging by her glowing eyes and the appearance of wind… they knew it was going to be big. The death-like glare within her eyes and the snarling facial features were enough. She looked like she was almost going feral.
With the second armor plating gone, Moswen’s tattoos flashed another glow of violet- as if trying to release. The glow lasted longer this time… growing upwards towards the collar on her neck. The collar shook slightly around her neck, cracking a bit before the glow faded away. The guards must have been weary of Moswen and her odd appearance or slight show of abilities… because the collar they had placed in her, was seemingly top-of-the-line for absorbing mana and related powers. Still, it had cracked a bit.
Feeling a rise of infuriation… Moswen didn’t notice as several guards entered to stop her- sensing she was up to no good. Ovan and the others, although not armored… sensed that it was important to keep Moswen untouched. With their bare fists and forms they fought the guards off… despite being slightly under handed with no weapons and loss of their powers. It would only be a matter of seconds before they reached Moswen…
Adalia’s cry echoed in the air.
A large extra blast of wind was released in the cell like a rampaging beast itself.

“Power Level Further Inhibited. Warning Caution Level Disabled. Releasing Natural Armor Restriction 3”

Within a blink of an eye, after Moswen uttered those emotionless words, her armor around her lower leg lost its silver color as well and grew to obsidian. Instantly, her tattoos began to glow an intense violet color, before suddenly a fiery aura of purple engulfed her entire left side. It rose upwards from her wrist and swiftly reached her neck and the collar. The aura seemed to grow tendrils as it wrapped about the collar, crushing it. Instantly the aura suddenly flushed about her entire left half, the tattoos glowing from beneath the flames as well, casting a shimmer around the cell. Moswen gave out an inhuman howl, her hands growing some claws as her left eye became a wolfish gold. It was an intense power overload- the collar no longer inhibiting it.

“Nuanica Power Level Breeching Critical. Nuanica Powers at 60%.”

Moswen seemed to be on fire as she took one step forward at the wall. Ban and Knes had appeared outside of the cell, having killed many of the guards and reaching the others from the barred entrance. They were there to free everyone… but they still were not outside near the mob. They had to get the others out first… and there was no time. Just as they reached the others, Moswen held out her hand at the wall.
A large explosion echoed as the stones that had built the wall exploded outwards as Moswen’s aura reacted with her arm movement. Screams arose from this, large pieces of rock crumbling onto spectators. Moswen seemed to pay no heed however, as she went to all fours and simply leapt into the air. With faster movement than shown before, she headed straight towards Adalia as she was just about to be dropped.
Adalia was being strangled by the rope, but with a blink of an eye Moswen appeared and cut the rope with her hand. She grabbed Adalia with her arms, landing down upon the platform. Several guards charged at them, but Moswen immediately took them out. Extending her arms outwards, the aura flew to them like tendrils of a monster… wrapping about their heads or vital parts and crushing them swiftly. Blood exploded into the air as she did this, causing more screams from the crowd as they ran.

“Pathetic traitors of the world… you’re blind to your own God!” A voice seemingly not Moswen’s spat from her lips.
Grasping a bit of what was happening… Moswen blinked for a moment, before grabbing Adalia and rushing back to the others. They had already exited through the hole and were attempting to escape. Appearing before Ban, Moswen gave a throaty growl but set Adalia down.
“T-take… care of her…” Moswen said. “I-I… h-have to disable…” Moswen continued to speak, but shook her head as she took off ahead of them. Moswen took out as many guards as she could on the way, her mind focusing on her state.

It was apparent that in order to get rid of the collar she had to unleash a lot of power… so much power that the collar wouldn’t be able to handle it. However… once the collar had been disable, those powers were in full motion.
I need to get them off… Moswen thought, feeling a deep feral instinct trying to grab a hold of her. Moswen didn’t even move in a humanoid way anymore- she was on all fours, having claws from her hands and feet with fur sprouted along her forearms and legs.
Do not worry. The powers will fade in approximately two minutes. The turmoil placed upon your body will cause you to collapse. Find a safe place.
That same voice spoke within Moswen’s head. Nodding, Moswen leapt into the air and landed upon a rooftop and soon after a few jumps later, had more than cleared herself away from the crowd and followers.
“Shiiiing!” The metal sound echoed in the air, as the armor pieces upon her neck, wrist and leg gained back their silvery traits. Grunting, Moswen felt light headed suddenly as the world around her began to spin and her yin powers were subdued.
“This is sa-…” Moswen was about to say to herself, before she merely collapsed upon the rooftop and grew unconscious.

[Haruko]

Name: Stella D'Aubigne
Age: 18, just about
Sex: Female
Personality: Simply put, Stella is always troubled with her parents death and remembers it every second of the day. However, she hides it and doesn't show it to anyone. She keeps a happy face on and tries to be cheerful when she can, realistic when it needs to be.
Appearance: Around 5'4", Stella stands with fair skin and down to her shoulders brown hair. Her eyes are green, showing her magical abilities(in which she inherited from her father), almost a surreal green. She likes to wear long skirts(mostly khaki colored) with a tunic(always green.), but will wear pants in cold weather. Likes to keep a tropical flower in her hair at times for a weapon. She also wears a napsack across her chest, which holds her herbs and canteen.
Magic: Stella, like her father, has the ability to manipulate plant life. Make it grow, die, form it into a weapon or gather poisonous fumes from plants for fights. Stella has had trainning in the 13 years without her "shackles" on, but she has no real battle experiance with them.
She can also toy with Healing Magic, since I would guess it's a derived from er...'nature' magic? It takes too much mana to convert it though, so she only does it on a strict emergency basis.She'll pass out or get tired afterwards from the mana drain.
History: Always looking up to her father, but always shunned upon her for being a girl and having his magical abilities, she grew with no real interaction with her father. Her brother had inherited her mothers magic traits(the ability to manipulate wind), something her father didn't want, but didn't use it as an excuse to not grow close to his son. Shunned by her father and cared barely by her sick mother, she was always stuck entertainning herself. When her brother went away to hone his magical abilities, she saw it as a excuse to grow close to her now depressed and nearly mad father. 6 months passed and when they couldn't pay taxes due to her father stuck not working, she saw her parents hung infront of her eyes. They decided to keep her due to her magical abilties, hoping to not only use her as a first-aid technican, but as a powerful weapon when her powers grew.
Weapon: The flower in her hair is always alive, and she can take it out and extend it's stem into a long, fencing like sword with thorns. Unlike a stem, it's hard and very durable, like steal when it's in Stella's hands. The flower at the base looks like this (http://www.theflowerexpert.com/media/images/mostpopularflowers/lilies/image-of-lilies.jpg)
Others: Ovan reminds her of her brother, which she both loved and despised. She hates fighting and isn't religious due to her loss of contact with the outside world, so the group will probably have to fill her in if she travels with them. She, in no way, loves Ovan, just see's him like a brother.(And sympathizes with Danielle when she hears the story.) She's also a vegetarian. Not a vegan, but..vegetarian. YAY for tofu!*numnum*

Stella D'Aubigine

Today was my freedom day.

I noticed it was early morning when I woke up, most likely due to excitement. I smiled, looking outside. All I'd have to do is get a guard to let me watch the slave auction, and that was it. I thought these words over and over in my head as I got dressed after a quick scrubdown in my tub. Khaki skirt, check. Olive green shirt, check. My napsack was full of herbs, and my canteen was full of ice water. There was only one thing missing...

"I've saved you for this day."I smiled, looking down at a pot near my window. I had trainned with vines before, but I needed one to survive on my own. I already had this growing, and it was similar to the one I was using before hand. I clipped it from the start of the soil, and concentrated my mana at the base. Feeling the life in the lily continue after seperation from it's roots, and living on my mana, was the que I needed to stop projecting my mana before my earings went off. I placed it in my hair and smiled.

I slowly opened my door and looked about. There were no guards on duty on my floor, so I'd have to go and ask one on another. I took to and walked down the stairs, to the next floor down. As soon as I landed, I saw a guard infront of me.

"Stella! What are you doing out of your room?"He asked, in a rush. I put on a innocent face and replied:
"I heard there was a slave auction today from some of the guards.."
"Yes..So?"He replied back.
"I would like to watch. I'm allowed out once a week, and I haven't been out yet."I smiled to his reply, and he sighed. He took my hand and we walked down to the lobby, where there was an aftermath of a commotion. As we walked to check me out of the building for my hour, I saw a caged cart go through the door, to the outside. Inside I saw Ovan, and the people he talked about. I hid my smile, only making a smirk to the guard instead.

"Wha?"He asked, filing out the paper necessary for me to go outside.
"No, I saw a cute guy in there.."
"Well, they're all for sale."He responded, "But you can watch them be bought, if you fancy that.."
"Sure."I responded. He finished the papers and we walked out, heading towards the auctionhouse. I saw the cart being moved to there, but something else caught my attention, and I stopped completely.

A young girl, in the gallows. Men were putting the rope around her..


--

"No, daddy!"I yelled, held back and restrained as I tried to leap foward. It was a cloudy day, the gods must've been pitying my father and mother. I cried as my mom did aswell, but my father...stood there like a mad man..

"It'll be ok Stella...your brother will come and save daddy.."He replied, in a state of daze. Brother had been away for a while now, why couldn't father get over him, and accept me!? If he did..

If he did, nothing would've happened! He'd be alive!
--

I felt my neck tighten up as my eyes started to water. The guard had stopped aswell, to watch in amazement.
"She was one of those filthy traitors."He told me,"They all deserve to die, if you ask me."

I paid him no mind as I couldn't get my eyes off the small girl. How could someone small be a traitor? All these thoughts rushed in my head as I heard 2 explosions going off, and I could feel a huge surge of mana coming from the auction house. As the girl was dropped to be hung, a flash of..something, or someone with a huge surge of mana, came through and rushed to save her.

'Now is the time to act..'I thought to myself.'Ovan said they were going to escape, and if this is their plan, I must surely follow.'

"Stella, we must get you back inside the main building" The guard took ahold of my left hand, trying to rush me towards my old 'home' in the midst of chaos. I stopped, and he looked back at me as I pulled the flower out of my hair.
"No."I replied."I want my freedom."I told him sternly, and concentrated all the mana I could without the earrings reacting into the flower, making the stem grow into a long, and steel-like fencing sword. As if it were a rose, thorns grew around it, providing more lethality.
The guard seemed to be in a state of shock as I hesistated, but quickly brought an end to his life by stabbing him through the heart. Never have I felt such a rush of hatred, a rush of excitement before....I snapped out of it and withdrew my sword, and ran. I heard running behind me, guards, but I didn't stop running. I kept running to the hole that was made in the explosion and followed a group, that from what I saw, included Ovan. I kept following until they stopped.



This is all I can press out of my head atm. Stella will basically heal Adalia's windpipe and then perform CPR, but probably will be low on mana afterwards.

I'll post as Ovan tomorrow. As of the scene atm, his collar is at 50% capacity, so he can run, but not as fast.(His is a physical restrainning collar, not mana.)He'll probably need a break after they're done aswell.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men~

Simple is usually best and that was what my plan was. Swoop in, save Adalia, break out the others, and then have Knes port us to where Danarica was waiting with the Caligrey. Then we high tail it as far away as possible from this twice-damned village as fast as possible. It was simple. It was efficient. It would work.

Of course I hadn't counted on the unpredictability of Moswen.

The first indication that something was wrong was after Knes and I had taken care of the guards in the front. It had been easy, the group still nursing a hangover from the rounds I had purchased for them the night before. As I grabbed Dimitri's hat off the unconcious man, I heard a muffled explosion from the execution site beyond. "What the hell, I haven't even drawn Miroku yet."

Knes and I looked at each other before I knocked the door down with a kick. A huge crowd stood around the gallows where Adalia was held, her neck already in a noose. The explosion had come from what was left of a cage where the others had been held. Amdist the wreckage stood a howling Moswen with the others backing away from her frightened. We immediately went into action, cutting a swath through the crowd towards them.

That was the beginning of the chaos. The rope fell, people screamed, and Moswen was among them like a streak of lightning. It was pademonium. I'd barely gotten to the others when Moswen returned, Adalia cradled in her arms. She growled for me to take her, her own eyes whirling with energy and her tatoos glowing. Then she was gone, moving as swiftly as before.

I looked down at Adalia, her body so still and no breath escaping. "And she happens to be our only healer."

Life has not left her just yet. You must hurry and get her and your friends out of here.

"Right. But we have to go get Moswen too..."

I kneeled down and handed Adalia off to Knes. Moving swiftly I grabbed the collars around Ovan and Kite's neck. Gritting my teeth I ripped them free and tossed them aside. "Kite get up a barrier before those guards get to us. Ovan..." I pulled his sword belt and gloves from where I had them around my waist, shoving them into his hands. "You and Dimitri are rear guard, get clear of the prison. Knes will port you guys out as soon as your clear."

"Danarica is sh-"

"She's fine. Knes will get you to her and our ride outta here."

"Adalia is sh-" Loki ask as he bent over Knes and her.

"If we get her out of here fast, we can save her." I yelled, as I tossed him his sword. Breaking Dimitri's collar I passed him his hat and deck. "Now move. I'll go after Moswen."

"WAIT! Take me with you!" A woman appeared, what appeared to be a sword growing out of a flower in her hands.

Miroku immediately came up but Ovan laid a hand on my shoulder. "Wait Ban, she's a healer maybe she can help Adalia."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "You sure."

He nodded and I gestured to Adalia who Knes was holding on to protectively. The woman stepped forward, a green glow surrounded her palm as she bent down to her aid. "Okay. Ovan, Dimitri, Loki you guys back up Kite. Make sure they don't get past that barrier. I'll meet you guys where Danarica and the Caligrey are."

He nodded as I rushed back into the crowd. The trail was easy to follow. Moswen left a trail of dead guards in her wake, most of them looking as if they'd been ripped open with her bare hands. Those who were still living were either wounded or stunned into silence."Great, she's berserk."

Just watch the claws and hope she's not a biter!

"Thanks for the helpful advice Ban..." I was starting to regret waking up his personaility.

I caught sight of her as she leapt on to a nearby roof. Rushing forward, I used my momentum to run up the wall and grab the lip of the roof. Grunting I pulled myself up in time to see her rushing along the tops of the building. As I straightened I felt something dig into my back. Turning my head slightly I saw two feathered shafts protruding from my back as well as some archers standing nearby. "I do not have TIME FOR THIS !" I could feel power pulse through me as I slashed towards the archers an arc of energy flashing through the air.

Not bothering to see if I'd hit them I took off after Moswen. I grabbed at the arrows poking out from my back pulling them free. One was stained with some blood but the other had gotten caught in my chainmail. Cursing under my breath I chucked the arrows away as I leapt across to the next rooftop. There wa sa wet feeling as my coat flapped against my back, but I wasn't in any danger yet.

There was a sound that rang in the air, like a sword being resheathed as I came upon the unconcious form of my erstwhile ally. Whatever had possessed her had passed, her armor and tatoos having faded back to the original coloring. Grunting as I lifted her on to my shoulders, I murmured quietly. "You are one scary woman Moswen-san."

Grimacing slightly at the weight on my wounded shoulder I leapt off to the next rooftop towards the woods where hopefully the others had made it.

[Bulbasaur4]

You… you are serving me well.
Who… who are you? Are you Moswen?
No. Moswen is you and you are Moswen. Unlike the others, there is no difference.
The others… there are differences? Oh wait… yeah, I saw that in Dimitri and Bryan. They were two different beings in the same body, weren’t they?
Correct. Much like your past experience, in which you shared a body with the one you created, correct?
Yes… wait- how did you-
I live within you. While I am not you, I still am apart of you.
So… who are you?
I… I am the one who lived on the other side of the world.
The other side of the- I don’t understand…
You will learn… in due time… but now… wake up.

Wake up…?


Moswen’s mind opened up slowly, allowing her to be aware of the movement that she felt pulse against her body. Fluttering her eyes open slowly, she saw herself staring up at the face of Ban. He seemed to be wincing slightly as buildings whirred by with his movement. Concentrating, he did not seem to notice her awakening until she spoke with a gentle smile forming upon her lips.
“My… I seem to find myself in your arms once again.” She said with a soft tone, her slightly exotic tongue adding a bit of alluring sarcasm. Ban’s eyes shifted to gaze at her, as he managed to smile as well.
“You seem to put yourself in these predicaments…” He added with his own retort, smirking. Moswen laughed lightly, resting her chin on his shoulder slightly as she withdrew a deep sigh afterwards.
“I do apologize… I simply don’t want to lose anyone and I fight with most of my power.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s understandable… but I’m glad you don’t use all of it. I’d hate to see how you become then.”
Moswen smiled again, their tones being casually playful- instead of completely serious. It was nice to have a good conversation… one that wasn’t so serious, like when they were in prison. When Moswen had to constantly tell Adalia she was going to be okay… when Moswen had to put up her guard and become strong for everyone else.
“Thanks Ban…” She said, thinking back to the time they had gone off to find food. His reply to her question back then had been comforting… and she was very thankful that he hadn’t been with the rest of them. “I was right to trust you to rescue us.” Moswen added softly, closing her eyes as she felt some more fatigue settle in.
“I think I’ll do a repeat of last time and…” Moswen trailed off, drifting off into a more natural and peaceful sleep of exhaustion.

~~*~**~*~~*~~*~~~


Knes’s eyes widened as he watched the beast that was the one known as Moswen, rush in and save Adalia and within an instant seem to appear with her in arms. She left Adalia with the group and then tore off again… the bloody mess that she left in her wake surprising Knes more than perhaps the rest.
“Adalia!” Knes said, rushing to her side. She wasn’t breathing… which made Knes freak out even more. Ban swiftly handed her over to Knes, and despite his small arms he seemed to find the strength to hold her rather easily. Panic settled into his voice as he looked to the others and watched as Dimitri and Ovan swiftly began making quick work of the guards now, as the group began to make movements to clear away from the prison.
“We have to save her!” Knes yelled, his mind swimming with panic and frustration and the prospect of the healer dying. In a blur of a moment however, another woman rushed forward and seemed to be a healer. She approached Adalia, and Knes felt his grip tighten on her for a moment.
“It’s okay… I’m going to help her.” The woman said, looking earnestly in Knes’s eyes. Knes held her gaze for a moment with his green and right red eye, before giving a nod. He then held Adalia outwards for a moment, and watched as the woman summoned up her own hidden power and began to heal Adalia before his eyes. It seemed like days but Knes knew it was only moments as Adalia’s chest began to rise and fall once again, her breath returning to her fragile frame.
“No more of this Adalia…” Knes said outloud to her, “I’m going to fight for you more than anyone else.” With that, Ovan called over to the rest of the group- pointing to an area in the city that seemed to be clear.
“Thank you… thank you so much.” Knes said to the woman, giving a little nod as he raised Adalia closer to his chest and then ran towards the clearing. Ovan yelled for Dimitri to return, and swiftly the fox-like humanoid joined in the group until everyone was ready. Kite approached Knes, eager to check on Adalia but he confirmed that she was okay.
“Alright everyone… I need you to get in a circle.” Knes called out, surprisingly using a mature voice and sounding a bit different than normal. The group formed a circle around him, and Knes then gently placed Adalia’s body on the ground. Holding out his arms, Knes could feel the energy and mana within each of them.
“This will be easy…” he thought, a smile forming on his face as he then concentrated on their planned destination. Soon all of their bodies faded from sight in a tingling sensation, and then reformed in a return fade near the forest edge. Opening his eyes, Knes saw everyone check themselves over- as if they were afraid they lost a body part in the process.
“That was… very smooth…” Ovan said, before realizing that Danarica was near them as well with Caligrey. Knes nodded in appreciation, and then knelt down next to Adalia.
“Ban said for us to wait here… he should be coming back soon.” Knes commented.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Flashes ~*~*~*~*~

Everything I remember after I fell, all of it was just a jumble of flashes. I remember being carried by some one strong, arms that felt loving. All around me we were running, Kite was screaming about everyone staying together because of the shield. The next thing I saw was Knes standing over me, he saying something about something being easy. After that I felt something rough yet wet lapping at my cheek over and over again. My eyes fluttered open to see yellow eyes looking back at me. It felt as if there were several small little things in my throat, almost like seeds. “Loki.” I grinned, my voice sounding as faint as a whisper. “I love you so much.” My eyes fluttered to a close for a second before I opened them again.

Loki lifted his front paws off of me and went around behind the tree, all the while I examined the scenery, trees were everywhere and the soft sound of birds chirping filled the trees. We must have transported out into the forest after the battle. Loki returned a few seconds later kneeling down next to me, only wearing the prison issued pants after having changed back into human form. “Knes teleported us out here, we’re waiting for Ban and Moswen to get back.” He explained and then moved a finger closer to touch my throat. “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

I gulped, a feeling of pain rushing down my throat as I shook my head, causing Loki to smile. “You were always a bad liar.” He moved his hand away from my throat and sat down next to me, his tail flicking back and forth, his eyes far off as if in thoughts. Shifting my weight onto my left side I turned over and placed my head against his chest. “Have I ever told you, that you have the most beautiful hair?” He asked running a hand threw my hair.

I shook my head, grinning from ear to ear from the treatment, this had been the first time in a long time that Loki and I were able to truly be alone and not have to worry about being interrupted. “Lets see if I can make you feel better.” He grinned slightly, placing both of his arms around me, and lifting me up and onto him, his arms wrapped around the small of my back.

I gazed at him for a second before returning with a stern yet joking look. “Lets see.” I replied weakly. He leaned in, his lips grazing mine for just a second as I took in a deep breath, reviling in his scent. His lips returned again as my eyes closed, his hands slowly began to roam, exploring up and down my body. I opened my mouth, his tongue licking the top of my teeth before pushing in further as I did the same. A few seconds later he pulled away, tears filling his eyes as his hands lay on my butt, I continued to press my body against his, a deep warm sensation filling me and running through me. “I’m leaving.” He whispered, his voice caught almost in a sob with his words.

I looked at him curiously as he picked me up with his arms and sat me aside, standing up to his full height as I gazed up at him. “Leaving?” I asked confused, as he turned his back to me.

He shook his head and took a step forward as I struggled to rise to my feet. “I realized something this morning, when I saw you up there with a rope around your neck.” He said, tears dripping down his cheeks and onto the ground. “That I can’t protect you, that I failed to protect you.” He explained as I moved forward and placed a hand on his back, to which he quickly jerked away from.

I opened my mouth, I wanted to scream at him for being a idiot, that it wasn’t his fault, but my throat wouldn’t allow me to produce any more than simple words. “It’s not just that, it’s also Knes, I have seen the way you two look at each other, I know you have kissed him I can smell his scent on you…you have been unfaithful.” His voice caught in his throat again as the tears began to drop to the ground faster as I looked at him in shock.

“You’re also still a kid, a child.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks, my legs felt like rubber as I collapsed back to the ground. “I havn’t been able to love you for a long time… I’m sorry, but I can’t fall in love with a kid.” Tears began to trickle down my cheeks now. Dana, Ovan, Kite, now Loki. All of them calling me a child.

He shook his head a few times and reached for a tree for support. “I need to do some thinking so I am going away… I may return some day, I may not.” He changed one last time into his panther form, shedding his clothes and leaping away. Running off into the distance.

Tears ran freely down my cheeks now, my hands shaking as I took in several gasps and released quiet but painful sobs. My hands pulling up the top of my shirt and pulling it over my head to hide my face. I crawled into a fetal position and continued to cry, a painful, long, horrible cry, that made me feel empty and hollow inside.

Tag Classy! Moswen and Ban should be back soon, everyone should regroup and rest with Dimitri going to announce some big news. Afterwards we will be heading back into the town for some new clothes and a plan of attack on the crystal!

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri sat on a low hanging branch, his feet dangling limply. He watched the others mill about, collapse in relief, or simply stand and breath after having escaped one of the more horrific incidents he had had the pleasure of being a part of. It was as though every tension, every stress of the last day or so had just fled from them, leaving behind…nothing. The fatigue was palpable, so thick in the air that Dimitri imagined he could see it. It was probably just his eyes giving up on him though…

Cheer up, at least we escaped having to use the Death Tarot

Yeah…but a few more seconds and we would have had no choice…and even then it’s just by luck and a miracle that Adalia’s still alive

Both of Dimitri’s consciousness’’ sat silent for a moment and listened to the outburst between the recently awakened Adalia and Loki. Sighing, he leaned his head back against the rough surface of the tree. They really didn’t need this right now.

That girl’s got so many problems right now that death might be….

Don’t even say it. It might be easy for you to joke about it now but the rest of us still pretend that just living is some sort of prize…it’s comforting at least

As long as you don’t take it for granted.

Never, thought Bryan, too many life or death situations, far too many for any average college student to deal with, had taught him that at least. Why he kept getting himself into these things he didn’t know, after the first time he had sworn off pokemasters or any online RP for that matter, he wasn’t going to take that risk again, but barely a month later he found himself back at it. Why? He certainly could live without it, it wasn’t something that he needed to be happy or fulfilled…maybe it was just fate. Fate’s existence wouldn’t surprise him in the least, anything was possible now. His one hand clenched around the small object he had taken with him from that hellhole of a prison. He didn’t want to tell them what he had found, he didn’t want to ruin the sense of relief that they were all feeling. Gazing up through the canopy of the forest, at the irregular checkerboard of light that filtered gently through it. The light felt good. Even during the day, the darkness of the world they were in made him feel like he was walking in a twilight.

It was going to be a long time before he got to feel light again.

“Hey.”

He heard rather than saw the others turn their attention towards him. Even Adalia, her face lined with her tears, turned. Dimitri shifted his body weight, letting it pull him off the branch. His cloak rippled around him as he fell the short distance, landing gently on his feet. Standing straight, he braced himself for the next few moments.

“We have to go back.”

Dimitri could have sworn that more protests flew back his way than there were people, but he bore them all and continued.

“Hey, you think I want to?"

Ovan’s voice rose above the rest.

“Then why the hell would we?!”

Adalia answered before Dimitri could, tears still in her voice.

"We don't have a choice do we?"

Dimitri held up his closed fist, palm up, towards the others. Opening it, he revealed what lay within. Glimmering softly in the filtering light that Dimitri had been enjoying a few minutes earlier, the pile of sand seemed almost innocent. It was the glimmering however that made it so ominous, tiny specks of light in the sand that hinted at the presence of something all too familiar.

“No, we really don't. One of them is there somewhere…these were all over the courtyard where we left, the whole place was practically glowing under the right light”

Dimitri turned his hand over, letting the sand fall to the forest floor, partially hoping it would sink between the dirt and rocks and disappear forever. At least it was silent again, as little as everyone wanted to go back to that place…they were in this world for a reason and they couldn’t ignore whatever it was that had brought them there.

“We don’t have to do it immediately…none of us are in any shape to try and fight again for a while: physically, mentally, or both…but we’re going to wind up going back eventually and I thought it would be better if we were all prepared.”

Dimitri didn’t particularly care if Fate existed or not…but he certainly wished that it would stop sticking its nose in his life.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


My hand idly stroked my stomach as I waited out in the clearing for Knes and the others to return. Every few seconds my mind would throw in a thought of fear or two. Such as what if Ovan never returned, I barely knew him these last few days, but I had grown to care for him deeply. If they never returned would we even be able to leave this world? If not that means I would be left here with a life of periods and a mind honed to killing and sex. For some sick reason I wasn’t exactly put off by that last part. Maybe I had been stuck in this female body for too long, the hormones were beginning to change my mind.

Further down the path that led to the clearing emerged the sounds of footsteps. I ducked down, taking out one of my many knives as my mind began to calculate how many, and how to kill them. I shifted around and found that my clothes were almost non responsive. “These clothes were not meant for a pregnant woman.” I groaned, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach. “And you seem to have feet like your father.” I idly told the baby before shifting my attention to the trail.

My body slipped into the shadows, the rush of mana stronger than usual since I was out in the mid day sun. Creeping ever so slightly I made my way through the shadows of the trees to get a better look at our guests. Two men, about middle age, both looking completely drunk. One of them spotted the Caligrey and nudged the other.

He took one false step and that was it, I leapt from my hiding spot, slashing the blade across the neck. Disappearing back into the shadows before I had made it across the trail. The other was screaming mad as he saw his friend drop to the ground. He turned to run and I had him. A slash across the knees, a knife to the top of the spinal cord. And not even a bloodstain on my clothes!

I arrived back at the camp just as the others were teleported in. Running up quickly I threw my arms around Ovan and gave him a tight hug. His hands slowly hugging me back after a moment of shock. “I love you.” I whispered into his ear, kissing it and pulling back to examine his face.

A look of peacefulness and love filled his eyes for a second, until he crocked his brow, with a mischievous grin. He didn’t have to say he loved me back, I already knew it. “Really love me?” He whispered running a finger down my neck toward my breasts.

“Later.” I whispered back giving him a quick kiss on the lips. I took a step back as he walked away, shocked at what I had just said.

LATER?!

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
no matter what happens, I'm still me. / i believe in the far away glowing light / and if you, who rode the wind, would smile / i'll become a star.

"We have to save her!"A halfbreed panicked over the girl who was hung from the gallows only a few minutes ago. Sensing I could be of some use, and maybe show some trust to them, I rushed forward to the halfbreed and the girl.

“It’s okay… I’m going to help her.”I came close to them, and the halfbreed turned hostile, most likely..well, 100% likely due to that I was unfamiliar, and had a sword in my hands. I reduced my mana flow into the flower and it reduced back into its small, beautiful shape. I placed it firmly in my hair, and looked into the halfbreeds eyes with concern, as he looked into mine for trust. After a few seconds of staredown tactics, he nodded. I bent down and closed my eyes.

'The neck is most likely injured.'I told myself.'The earings are going to go off for using this much mana though..'

But if I had to prove myself within Ovans circle..

I placed my hand over the girls neck and green mana radiated light from it. I could feel the buzz in my head, the pain starting to irradiate from the earings runes, but I didn't want this girl to die, not if I could help it. I converted my nature mana into healing mana, as shown by the mana turning pink, and it flowed into her neck, along with a few small mana seeds. They would, hopefully, help shorten her recovery process. As I could feel her neck repair, her chest started to move from enhaling. I sighed in relief and finished, but an intense pain for myself to suffer alone followed.

“Thank you… thank you so much.”The halfbreed thanked me, and I nodded as he did the same. I slowly got up, in a daze, and located Ovan after he called someone to come towards the group. I just made it to him as I fell onto my knees, holding my head from the inextinguishable torment that was going in my head. It felt as my brain was being pounded by heavy hammers, and a loud noise overcame my perception of sound.

"You ok Stella?"Ovan asked me, but I couldn't respond with words. I shook no..

'As long as these earrings are on you, you will never be able to use a large amount of mana without pain and suffering.'I remembered the voice of my trainner.'One who controls nature is subjected to its whim, they must control it or they can turn into a beast controlled by the mana itself.'

"i am..no beast.."I mumbled slightly to myself, and Ovan put a face of question, as if he knew what I said but not the meaning. He could see the slight glow from my earrings and tried to find a way to take them off, but to no avail. The pain soon ended, the only remains was the now slight headache.

“Alright everyone… I need you to get in a circle."The halfbreed commanded, in a much more mature tone than used previously. I looked up Ovan as I regained my structure, and he nodded.

"If they don't let you come, you can atleast make it to safety, I'll assure that."Ovan comforted me, "But..what was going on with the whole head thing?"He continued as everyone gathered in a circle.

"..When I was back there, they used these earings to keep me in line."I replied, a tone of saddness in my voice from remembering."They only get them off with a special mana spell, I don't know it myself."
"..Thats horrible."He pitied me, something I didn't want. I shrugged it off, being a pessimist wasn't my style. But whenever the earings activated, more memories of father arose..

'And it won't be just physical pain..'I remembered my own trainners words, and held onto Ovan as the halfbreed, Knes(as Ovan briefly pointed out), used teleportation mana. I could feel him sense the mana within me, and I was slightly scared that he'd reject me from the teleport. But in a flash, I found myself near the forest's edge. I got off of Ovan, only using him as a support beam for my first time in a teleport.

“That was… very smooth…” Ovan said, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. His line of vision pointed then to a woman near some Caligrey, and I left him be as he went to her.

I left myself there aswell. I didn't know if I should introduce myself to someone, or..just walk away, and be thankful...

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Its raining somewhere… ~*~*~*~*~

The tears dried, the shaking never stopped though. My mind was a blank slate; I couldn’t think of anything, I couldn’t really say anything. I could still feel little bumps in my throat and every few moments I would reach up and scratch at them. The sound of leafs crunching eventually drew a small bit of my attention as Ovan sat down next to me, his head in his hands. I glanced at him for a few seconds, and then went back to looking at my hands shake. He took in a deep breath, almost a gasp, and then let it out slowly with a chuckle. “You know no one has ever even asked who I really am.” He sighed.

My head rose again and I looked over again at him curiously. “Who are you?” I asked my voice still harsh and stiff. “Or who were you back in the real world?” I phrased the question. Ovan smiled, rolling his eyes and turning to look at me, his eyes almost bulging out in shock when he finally lay eyes on me.

Ovan’s mouth moved up and down in shock as I began to wonder about the question more and more. Sometimes he would look at me strangely and other times he wouldn’t… who was he? “Er well… see I umm…” He slapped his head in annoyance as I just watched him. “She doesn’t want me to tell you… because she knows your response.” He replied.

“Who?” I asked.

Ovan sighed letting his shoulders droop his eyes left my eyes and moved down to his hands. “Its me… Danielle.” His voice took on a softer tone. What I did next must have shocked him or her. I just moved closer, clutching Ovan’s arm in support. I really didn’t care who it was, I just needed support from some one, anyone. “What’s wrong?” Danielle finally asked, moving a soft hand across my face and stroking my hair.

I buried my face deeper into his arm. “Loki left.” I mumbled, his hand stopped moving for a second, and then continued to stroke my hair. “He said it was my fault too..”

“Men always say that… or that they are not good enough.” He explained.

I tightened my grip on his arm tighter. “I feel hollow inside.” I mumbled as he got up bringing me up with him as we both rose to our feet. Danielle or was it Ovan now pointed over to Kite and motioned for him to come over.

“Hey Cat boy, c’mon.” He waved a very annoyed Shonta over. I looked up at him in disbelief as he flashed a smile, looking back down into my eyes. “You really need to be cheered up.”

Kite finally came over, mumbling how his name wasn’t ‘catboy’ but quickly shut up after he looked over at me. “Everyone, we escaped jail, and being sold into slavery. I don’t know about the rest of you but Kite, Adalia, and I are going out to party. Everyone else should do the same!” Ovan announced with a boisterous voice. Inside I winced knowing that Danielle was doing the exact same thing. She wasn’t the type to make something loud like that and most likely meant Ovan had taken over.

An hour later we were back on the trail heading back into the city. Ovan holding my left hand, Kite holding my right. “You know boys and girls are different right?” Kite asked, I thought long and hard, boys didn’t have breasts I knew that, either that or Ovan and Kite were really flat chested which made me giggle. Both of their faces went white for a second as we entered the town. “See a boy has..” He began as I noticed something in a shop window.

“Oh wow!” I gasped running forward and placing my hands against it, gazing at the white and blue dress. Kite and Ovan seemed to exchange looks of relief as they walked forward next to me. “Can I have it?” I asked, half expecting Ovan to go off on a barrage of how it was a childish thing and that I shouldn’t get childish things.

Instead he rested a hand on my shoulder. “After we find a bar.” He sighed turning and looking around, finding one just a few buildings down and across the street. “I really need a drink.”

I winkled my nose, a drink? “But it could be gone later!” I pleaded as Kite took me by the hand and led me into the bar, I guess he knew it was no use to argue. Inside the bar smelled horrible and rank. A mixture of sweat and the awful smell of alcohol, with just a hint of smoke. “I don’t like this place.” I pouted.

Kite just sighed his ears twitching a bit. “We will only be here for a hour or so.” He took my hand, and led me over to one of the tables, sitting down at one of the seats, as he took one opposite of me. “I know you want to be more like a adult, because of Loki leaving.” He sighed his tail flicking back and forth.

He considered his thoughts for a second and then opened his mouth as Ovan returned to the table with two glasses as well as a larger one of bad smelling liquid. “Don’t grow up too fast, don’t lose your innocence, it is one of the things that makes you so cute.” He grinned and then looked at the liquid in the glass. “I really don’t…” He began to speak.

Ovan nudged his arm, taking a large gulp of the liquid and then refilling it from a larger glass that he had brought. “It’s a party, just for tonight.” He nudged Kite’s arm. I slumped back in my chair as the two began to down glass upon glass of the liquid, Kite’s eyes going glassy with each one. After the third Ovan reached over and pinched my cheek. “You are so cute… Danielle thinks you are cute too.” He whispered.

Ovan slumped back into the chair, resting a hand over his face. “I dunno what I am going to do about a baby, I am so young, I can’t believe it, a baby.” He said as my eyes went wide. Was he really worried about Dana and the baby?

I turned and looked at Kite who was looking equally glassy eyed, he reached for the pitcher of liquid, and missed it almost tipping over the pitcher. “Adalia, you always go after these half breeds like Loki and Knes.” He coughed, grasping the pitcher and pulling another. “What I am saying is what about me?” He asked as I slumped down in my chair in shock. Where was Knes? Where was Someone? I just wanted that dress, I just wanted to get out of here.

Party time guys! You can either go get drunk, chase women, buy some new clothes, or if you want go investigate the crystal below the jail! Have fun ^^

[Haruko]

Ovan
-i can hear the sound of waves, touching my heart, selfishly aimless, like drops of rain. | the setting sun quietly reassures itself of everything, then sinks into the distant sea, as if giving it a kiss..-

Later, then? Hmm.. I smirked to myself a bit as I walked away from Danarica. Stella seemed to be doing ok, so I looked around for someone to talk to. Who I found was Adalia, who seemed to be recovering from..something. The need to comfort a teammate, and a friend, quickly arose and I walked over to her.

I'm just happy Valkyrie is back. I heard Danielle say, responding to the noise of my sword in it's hilt.
Valkyrie? Whats that? When did you get to name my sword..?
Valkyrie is a battle madien in Norse mythology that sends einhejar to Valhalla inorder to fight for Rangarok.She gave me a brief, other worldly mythology lesson. And it's my sword, not yours.
Whatever you say..

I sat down next to Adalia and leaned my head in my hands, thinking. She stared at me for a few seconds, before looking at her own hands. I took in a deep breath, and a chuckle to let it out. This was the one person Danielle didn't want to know her name. If she felt like she owned my sword, then I had to do a bit of..pay back, so to say?

“You know no one has ever even asked who I really am.” I started the chat, sighing and then smiling. Adalia rose her head at me, curious.
"Who are you?" She asked, “Or who were you back in the real world?” I smiled at her response, rolling my eyes in a jokingly manner.
“Er well… see I umm…”I responed, preparing for the mental lashing Danielle was going to give me after.
You better not! I can take control whenever I want, you know. Danielle hammered in my head, to which I completely ignored. I sighed, and relaxed. All of the sudden, I could feel my grip to the world slowly fading, even if I was trying to hold onto it with all my strength.

"It's me, Danielle." Danielle now had control over my body. I was suprised she actually told Adalia, without diverting it...but it was better sooner than later. Adalia's response shocked Dani, as Adalia just moved closer and clutched my...our arm, for support."Whats wrong?"

Her face buried deeply into our arm as she replied,“Loki left.”. Danielle contemplated a response, and decided to pat her back, stroking her hair along aswell.

"Men..always say that. Or that they're not good enough."Danielle replied, with a hint of saddness. What was there of Danielle that I didn't know, besides the anxious and yet, rash and sarcastic persona?

“I feel hollow inside.”She responded, and I could feel my grip on control come back, and I was control. All I could hear from Danielle was some short mumblings, and a bit of distress..
It was then I decided that we needed to cheer up. My belt still had all my mananite, which mean't we could party. I arose to my feet, havign Adalia do the same. I pointed to Kite and motioned for him to come over, smirking in the process.

“Hey Cat boy, c’mon.” I directed Kite to comeover, trying to be a bit cheerful with my voice. Kite came over, mumbling how his name wasn't "Catboy", but whatever. Adalia looked up at me in disbelief, and I looked back into her eyes, smiling.“You really need to be cheered up.”

“Everyone, we escaped jail, and being sold into slavery. I don’t know about the rest of you but Kite, Adalia, and I are going out to party. Everyone else should do the same!”I yelled to the group in a bit of a boisterous voice. I could feel Danielle wincing inside from having unwanted attention, but I shruged it off.

It took an hour or so to get back to the trail heading into the city. Although I had some anxiety of being recognized, I let it slide. Most guards were killed by Moswen's "freak-out", and the rest were probably too injured to give a damn. I ignored the slight conversation Kite had with Adalia until we came upon a window for a shop, which showed a dress.

“Oh wow!” She gasped, running to the window, in amazement to the blue and white dress that stood infront of her. "Can I have it?"

Me and Kite both exchanged looks. Yes, we needed new clothing desperately. But we were both in the mood to drink, and it'd probably be there later, right? And it wasn't like a doll, which suprised me a bit. I rested my hand on Adalia's shoulder and replied;

"After we find a bar" I sighed, and looked around the buildings near. I found a bar only a few buildings down, "I really need a drink."
Adalia seemed unhappy with this response, wrinkling her nose in a bit.“But it could be gone later!” Much to the dismay of her pleas, Kite took her by the hand into the bar, finding a table whilst I purchased the drinks. 2 glasses, and a good bottle of whiskey seemed in order. I came back to the table, placing the drinks in the center. I sat and took my glass for the whiskey, putting a few of the ice cubes that were located in the center, and pouring some in. I chugged it down quickly.

People often drink to forget about things they don't want to hear. Danielle lectured.

I nudged Kites arm as I poured my second round, smiling.“It’s a party, just for tonight.”. To this, Kite drank, although it seemed he couldn't hold it as well as I. Adalia slumped in her chair, her nose all wrinkled from the wisps of smoke that danced around the room..

After I decided to take a break, once everything seemed...a bit dizzy, but I felt a bit lighter aswell. Every worry seemed to fade, but there was one that stuck. Maybe..it was because both me and Danielle were worried like hell about it.
“I dunno what I am going to do about a baby, I am so young, I can’t believe it, a baby.”I sat back in my chair, putting my hand over my head. It was so true...I didn't expect it at all. All the unwanted responsibility...everything. Even if feelings for Danarica started to reside within my heart, the thought of a baby, now, was too extreme for me to handle.

I didn't have enough in me to listen to what Kite was saying to Adalia. I could hear Danielle ranting in my head about someone named 'Johna...' something, and it made such a headache that I felt like I was going to explode. We soon left a bar, only to find a small hotel next door. I could barely make out to pay for a key before I fell onto my knees, and I felt a mana bubble wrap around me and Kite, carrying us up the stairs.

The last thing I could remember is being thrown onto a big..comfortable bed...



Trigun love for my quote. La la la..

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~No Rest for the Weary~

It took me the better part of the morning to finally make it to the rendevous point. I heaved a sigh of relief as the clearing came into view but any relief I felt was overshadowed by great puzzlement. Save for Dimitri, the strange woman, and the Caligrey, everyone was missing. "What the hell happened and where in Kami's name are the others!?" I yelled as I lay Moswen down next to the healer.

Dimitri looked up from where he was sifting through his cards, perhaps divining or just making sure his deck was complete. "Back in Talidan I would assume. I think Ovan said something about cheering up and partying."

"WHAT!?"

I groaned as I leaned against the same tree trunk and immediately regretted it as it pressed up against my wound. It had stopped bleeding sometime after I entered the forest, but it was still fresh. Grimacing, I shucked off my coat and tossed my shirt on top of it. Twisting my head, I glanced down at the palm-sized gash on my back wondering how something so small could hurt so much.

"If you don't treat that it will get infected." I turned my gaze upwards to see our newest member looking clinically at my wound before looking at me for permission.

Nodding my head she pulled out some bandages and ointment from her bag. Shivering slightly at the cool touch of the ointment I turned my gaze back on to Dimitri. "And you just let them go after all the trouble we've gone through in that town!?"

"We would have had to return anyway. One of the crystals we need is in that town, right under the prison or what's left of it after you and Moswen wrecked it."

"This day can't get any worse can it?" I sighed as the healer finished applying the bandages to my back. "Thanks for that nee-san. I didn't catch your name."

"Stella. Stella D'Aubigine. And I should be thank you and your friends for giving me the oppurtunity to escape. I've been a prisoner for so long, I'd almost lost hope. Please if there's anything I can do..."

Stretching slightly, I put back on my shirt and coat. "No need, you helped Hime-chan and patched up my back. Your free ta go if ya want, I mean we're sort of in the middle of a big quest and we can't force you to come with us. Though if you do decide to go, I'd like to ask one last favor of you."

She looked at my quizzically as I grabbed up the cloak I had worn the night before and wrapped it around myself. "I'd just like you to watch Moswen here while Dimitri and I go take care of something back in town. I doubt you'd like to return to that hellhole so soon after leaving."

Stella nodded and I smiled back thankfully. Dimitri was already standing, dusting off his cloak as his deck disappeared somewhere within its folds. As he strode by me, caught my eye. "You think we can trust her to keep Ka-I mean Moswen safe?" He asked under his breath.

"She owes us, she helped me and Hime-cha, and Ovan seems to trust her. Plus, I'd rather just get this done and over as soon as possible. Moswen needs to rest and I doubt the others are going to be much help. You remember what happened the last time Ovan got drunk..."

The fox half-breed nodded and the two of us headed back into the forest.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

We snuck into the ruins of the prison at nightfall. Miraculously, no one had seem to recognize any of us from the escape. I put it down to the fact that most of the guards were either dead or hospitalized after Moswen's little rampage. There was no sign of any repair crews or even security as we snuck on to the premises. "So where did you find this magic sand?"

"Its shards of the crystal, probably shed from its outer layer by erosion. It was all over the courtyard, so we should probably look in that area."

Nodding in agreement, we began our search in the former execution grounds. As far as we could find there were no secret entrances or even remains of a shattered crystal. "Find anything?" I called to Dimitri, who was searching the otherside of the courtyard.

"No, I haven't. Though with all this rubble it's possible we ju-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh!" My companion seemed to disappear in a large cloud of dust.

"Dimitri!" I rushed over to where he had been standing and found a rather large hole. Apparently the ground had given out beneath him. "DIMITRI! Are you okay!? Dimitri! Di-OH SHiiiiiiiiii..."

The ground shifted beneath my feet as it too gave way and I was falling in right after him. Tumbling through the air, I tried to move towards the edges of the hole, but apparently there were no walls for me to cling to or slow my descent. With some effort I was able to get my feet underneath me and as I slammed into the ground, I threw myself forward to relieve some of the shock of landing. Unfortunately, there was a wall that stopped me mid-roll. "Itai...."

"Nice landing." Looking up I saw Dimitri, standing nearby dusting off his hat.

Slumping forward, I got to my feet and stretched. "Like you could've done better." I looked around. "Where the hell are we?"

We seemed to be in a stong passage way, like those in some ancient castle or maze. Sconces which would normally hold torches were empty except for one which was lit with blue fire and spotlighted the area around us. "Some underground complex I guess. Maybe the crystal is he-"

A howl split the air and suddenly the sconces along the wall began lighting up, moving down the hall before turning sharply.

I sense a great power, but it is...illusive. Walk with caution.

"You don't need to tell me." I muttered under my breath as I unsheathed Miroku. I spoke louder so Dimitri could hear me. "Well we won't find anything out just standing around. Shall we?"

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I ran a finger across the window of one of the many dress shops in town. Unlike the last town these people looked less poor and homeless and more able to barter. A slight wince came from my stomach as the baby turned, I drew my attention back to the window at the slender dresses. Each would be more than enough to arouse any man, and give me more than a night of pleasure. Yet that would never happen now. "You better be worth it." I rubbed my stomach jokingly and entered the shop, looking for maternity dresses.

The following half an hour was chaotic, as rapid and hard to keep up with as it was slow and plodding. Being almost accosted by a little old lady smaller and weaker than myself, and giving in like a meek little puppy. Barely seconds after telling her what I wanted, she had me up, taking measurements, figuring color combinations, and patterns, and many details I hadn't the slightest clue what they meant. She sent me out half an hour later, saying the dresses and clothing required would be done in the morning.

The rest of the day was spent hanging around, listening to gossip, and gathering information, I'd even 'liberated' some funds from a scumbag that'd been shadowing her in order to mug her. I'd chatted up some guards, all the while getting an... itch, and urge that needed to be quenched. Then, I hurried out, back to the hotel the others were at.

Sauntering into the room, the smell of alcohol and testosterone flared my nose; I licked my lips almost with out thought and moved over to Ovan who was sleeping peacefully. There was an indent in the middle of the bed where some one else had been laying, and then there was Kite who lay on the other side of the bed, out like a light. A sly smile crossed my face as I crawled onto the bed, crawling my way until I was on top of Ovan.

He slept so peacefully, so beautifully, but I was aching and him sleeping would not help the aching. Moving in I pressed my lips against his, rubbing against them slowly as Ovan's eyes flared open with shock and then drooped back down. I moved my hand down to his crotch and began messaging it, kissing his lips again, before moving them down, leaving a trail of saliva. I glanced up only once while I unbuckled his pants, watching his eyes look at me, and then slowly roll back into his head.

The aching began to engulf my entire body as I placed my mouth around his area and began to move back and forth. The taste was revolting only for a second. After a second or two Ovan began to thrust back, taking his girth into my mouth as he began to moan. A grin crossed my face as he thrust in one last time before a warm taste pour down my throat. It filled my stomach and the aching went away. "I love you." I crawled my way up to him and lay my head on his chest. Sleeping peacefully.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri sighed.

"Is not finding something really that bad?"

Ban just stared at him, causing Dimitri to chuckle softly to himself and begin moving down the passageway. The scones lighting up ahead of them as they moved only served to make the thing seem longer than it was, each time they thought that they must be reaching the end only to see another set of light appear far ahead of them.

"I swear if there's some sort of maze or trial or something past this thing....oh...never mind."

They had emerged from the tunnel, into what seemed to actually be the main crystal chamber. For the brief second it took the lights in the room to ignite, Dimitri wondered if it actually was going to be that easy. Maybe those that had hid the crystal here had thought the hiding space defense enough, maybe they never expected anyone to really find it, maybe....oh wait, there's the giant guardian monster of certain death right there.


You just love getting your hopes up don't you?

Yeah, well, I always hope there won't be a hellspawn standing between me and what I'm trying to get, y'know, just once.

Whoever does this comes to an RP board to get recruits, you really think it's just going to be a happy stroll through a bright fairy world or something?

Yeah...knowing this place those fairies would probably have fangs and...laser wings or something

Laser wings?

Nevermind

Dimitri looked up at the fox-like creature, it's multitude of tails wrapped around the crystal almost protectively, with a mix of disgust and resignation. A hand was already shuffling through the deck in his cloak as he turned to Ban, the torchlight reflecting eerily of his spiral eyes.

"Want the first crack?"

Ban's return look was less than enthusiastic. Dimitri shrugged.

"I need a moment or two to get anything really effective ready...and maybe you can put a hole in a few of its organs during that time too. Of course, I could always just charge in now but then you'd have to explain the little fox parts lying around to everyone when they got here."

Ban seemed to ponder for a moment as the Ninetail's breathing became harsher, it's claws skittering across the floor as it slinked slowly from its resting place towards them.

"You make a convincing argument...I guess"

Dimitri turned his attention back to the drooling monstrosity that was still approaching, taking in its mad eyes, it's sharp fangs, and even its rather unpleasant odor.

Ninetails...isn't that supposed to be Kalah's thing?

[darktyranitar]

Here we go!

Real Name: Faiz
Gender: Male
Personality: He has a lot of things going on his mind- mostly about some crazy stuff that he’d most probably not do in a hundred years. He can be friendly and funny to the people that he considered as friends, and can appear as quiet, serious and withdrawn to the others. He can easily become annoyed by a few people, but he usually just kept a straight face and shut up- people would think he’s the ‘good’ kind of guy. He has the bad habit of swearing… and he usually does this under his breath or just in his mind. He isn’t very consistent: he can be hardworking, and he can be very lazy. Has the tendency to say or do random things from time to time. Overall, he’s a peculiar person, to put it mildly.

~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~

Name: Marion
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 17
Bodily Appearance: Marion stands at 5’4’’ with a lithe build. Her skin was a bit pale, but is pleasantly smooth to touch. Somehow, she has features that gave her an elfish look- long face, slightly pointed ears and slanted chestnut brown eyes. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair is generally straight, though they tend to curl up at the tip. A few strand of her hair hung from her forehead and could reach and cover her eyes if they were left loose. She is constantly toying and changing her hairstyle, but usually stick to ponytail. A tattoo that looks like some kind of animal’s slash mark was bore on her right arm in a blood red colour.
Clothing Appearance: Marion is dressed in a black silk dress that is decorated with fine red lines that runs over the waist, cuff and hem. The dress hung until it almost touches the ground, and splits on both sides starting from the knee- to make movement easier. She wore a light blue headband made out of a cotton material. For her footwear, she wore a pair of leather sandals. She also wore a silver earring on her left ear and a bracelet made from colourful beads on her right wrist.
Weapon: Her main weapon is her pet: Karam, the young, talking ferret. Karam may appear as a typical ferret, but upon closer inspection (touching included), one would find that he has a curiously bright green eyes and bore scars on his belly that is identical to the tattoo on Marion’s arm. Karam is capable of both magic and physical assault, although his powers are limited since he is still young. Other than Karam, Marion also carries a piece of strong and durable wood that is about 5 feet in length – although she doesn’t really consider it as a real weapon.
Magic: Marion channel her mana out via the tattoo on her arm – glowing with a white hue – towards Karam, but that doesn’t mean that she have to fully depend on Karam whenever she want to use her magic. Her magic seems to be more on the assisting side rather than offensive or defensive – examples are healing and giving the target a burst of power.

~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~

Changed Personality: Being a female, she has became more caring and understanding, and she always be seen with a smile on her face. Regardless of becoming a female now, she still find herself attracted to female rather than male. She tried to hide it by hanging out more with the male. Over time, she began to develop a feeling for male, but her feeling for female still remains.
Other: Karam speak in a typical cute kid’s voice, and he has the tendency to giggle occasionally for no apparent reason.


Faiz
~Tired~

Today was another normal routine: checking out MSN, listening to some songs, downloading some song from Limewire…

Boring.

And to think waking up at 7:00 A.M., there’d be more people online to speak to. My eyes skimmed over the list of the people that are online on MSN: There’s Charles, Dylan(who was away) and Kirst (who has put her status on busy). Charles did some talking, but the time gap between each reply seems almost like forever… and he was talking about his fic again.

Eh… might as well check out TPM to see if there’s any interesting new fic to read. I ran through the list on Favourites. The pointer hovered above the TPM link before I clicked the mouse.

Click.

Oh? What’s this? I have one unread Private Message? I pondered on who could have sent it- was it Mega Horny, asking some stuff like trading my Pokemon off? Or maybe asking me to read his new fic? I decided to leave it first and go check if I had any unread post.

None… Hm, let’s check the PM then.

Okay… so it wasn’t from Mega Horny… It was from some other TPMer that I haven’t heard of the name before – a newbie, I assumed, based on the number ‘1’ on his post count - telling me to join his/her RPG. I went to the RPG section and began to look for the said RPG. It was lying somewhere around Page 3. Wait… how old was the PM anyway? Had I been away from TPM that long?

I shrugged, I decided to open the topic anyway. Okay, this is pretty good for a newbie… interesting… I scrolled down the page and began to read the first sign up post from Roy. True to my guess, he did a girl character. Heh, he just love doing girls char, doesn’t he?

I looked at the other people that had sign up as well. Hm… there’s JJ, and there’s Laura… Oh well, might as well join in the fun since there’s no post to be found yet. Are the other players that lazy to post something?

I began to think on who my character should be. Despite me just scoffing at Roy for his frequent usage of girl character in RPG, I suddenly felt like making a girl character myself. And so began the slow process of me making the sign up form on MS words…

It was only one hour and twenty minutes later that I finished the sign up (bless me and my slow thinking skill). Copying the form, I pasted it over the Reply form, hitting on the preview post button first. Then, I realized that I haven’t coloured the words yet. Browsing through the colour box, I decided to settle for a light turquoise. Running one last reading, I clicked the Post Reply button.

Almost immediately, I felt a massive surge of electricity running through my body. I have put my finger into a turned on plug a few times, but the electricity never felt this strong. Suddenly, my head felt very heavy, and my body felt numb… and the next thing I knew, my face had hit the keyboard. Darkness began to creep into my vision, and the last thing that I heard was the song that was playing on the PC.

Photek- Ren 2.

Then there was nothing. There was no ground below my feet- if feels more like I was floating in the nothingness. Am I standing up? Or down? I can’t tell…

Then, there was this sudden brightness and this one voice, saying something about… was it about faith, temples, and Fearls? I didn’t really remember; I was too panicked and confused to actually pay attention to the voice.

Oh man… am I dead?



~~~Marion~~~

Gone were the bright lights, replaced by the blue sky. Gone were the feelings of nothingness, replaced by the sandy ground… Hey, since when was I lying in some sandy field, looking at the sky above?

I was about to make a move to get myself up when I notice something different about my clothing… it felt like silk. And what was this tightness I feel on my chest?

I looked down at myself. Oh no, it can’t be “I’m… a…” I winced at my newly gained soft, female voice. And my chest… they are now… breasts…

“Wa! Marion’s awake now!” I got another surprise waiting for me, and this “surprise” comes in a form of a ferret. A talking one at that.

I decided to ignore the fact that a ferret had just talk to me and inquired it… or him, whatever. “What did you just call me?”

The ferret giggled in his cute little kid voice. “Marion is Marion, and Karam is Karam!” He got up on top of my head and began to hum some tune. It was then that I realized that I had a long hair.

Wait… Marion? Karam? Boy to girl?

Oh great... This is too freaky to be true… Am I dreaming? I slapped my cheek. “Ow…” Nope, this is real.

Great…

I then heard soft footstep approaching, and I looked up to find a girl around the age of 10 and 12 looking down at me with a worried look.

“Hey, are you okay? What are you doing here?” she asked in a soft, sweet voice. There was something familiar about this girl… now, where have I seen it before?

Hold on… I recalled reading it… Wait, does that mean that he’s in this too?

“Roy?” I asked, receiving a scrutinizing eyebrow from the girl. “Are you Ryan, a.k.a. Roy Karrde from TPM?” The little girl eyed me, her mouth slightly agape.

“And you are…”

“Dude! It’s me, Faiz! Darktyranitar!”

“No, Marion is Marion!” The ferret – Karam – scolded me, scratching my head with his claws. I pulled her away with a slight annoyance.

I then began to cough. “Oh, it’s hard getting used being a girl… I know I should have made a guy instead…”

[Haruko]

Danielle
'Te o tsunaide Hashaida omoide wa / Kioku no naka Kiete shimaisou de / Me no mae no genjitsu / Nagasarenai you ni furimuita nda'

Men.

It was starting with my conversation with Valkyrie that I started to see the mistake I made in letting Ovan take control completely. I might be shy, and have a hard time being around people I do not know..but, that does not excuse Ovans actions. We were not sent here to party, drink and fuck.

Strike one was being alured by Danarica.
Two was drinking tonite.
Third? Not doing what we were supposed to be doing. Being an ignorant and lazy fool.

"If you feel such ways, perhaps you should talk to him."I heard Valkyrie behind me, as I sat down on the "mental bed" in my own little "mental room". The anger in me was something rarely felt, I felt as if I could punch through cement wall and not break a limb. It rode through my veins and every thought of Ovan made it worse.

I sat up and looked in the mirror, seeing Ovans dreams. He wasn't really dreaming tonite, so it was alright to pull him out and punish him. I walked closer to the mirror and yelled into it, his name. It only took seconds for him to appear on my side of the 'room'. He seemed shocked, looking at me, then Valkyrie.

"So.."He pointed to Valkyrie,"You called, Danielle?"
"Down here, you ass!"I said vulgarly to him, resisting the urge to kick him in the balls. He looked down, more shocked.
"I thought you were taller, Danielle"He said, embarassed."So who is that then?"He nodded towards Valkyrie.
"Thats Valkyrie." I motioned, and she bowed. "Val, you don't need to bow at him."

She looked at me, quizzically."He doesn't deserve the gratitude" I replied to the motion, and she looked at me; agreeingly.
"Huh?"Ovan seemed puzzled,"Am I being put up on trial here or something, what did I do?"

"Want a long list, or cliff notes?"I sarcastically replied. He didn't get the last part, being as it was a reference to my world."A shortened version."
"..That."He replied.
"You got Danarica pregnant---"
"You drank in the first place"He interrupted me.
"I only drank from anxiety, it was you who took over and it was you who was alured by Danarica."
"Yeah yeah, I'm a guy."He replied.
"I'm not."I told him sternly."You ruined my life that day, getting her pregnant. What if I can't leave this horrid world!?"
"It's not.."
"It's not that bad?!"I replied, shocked at him."I have family there, that I love. I have someone there that I hold precious to me, and I'd like to talk to him soon."
"Well..Danarica is precious to me aswell.."
"I came first."I said, selfishly."You were only a figment of my imagination prior to all of this, your feelings don't count."

"You're being harsh, Danielle.."Valkyrie butted in, holding my shoulder. I took a deep breath in and sighed, as Ovan looked down at me; upset but at the same time, defensive.

"...tell me why you brought me here, or I'm leaving."Ovan said, a tinge of anger in his voice."I'm not going to stand here to be a verbal punching bag."
"...As of when I wake up, you will no longer be in control."I replied firmly, assured that I could take control when the body we were in awoke.
"You can't do that!"Ovan said, both shocked and angered by my statement. I stood by it though.
"I can."I replied, not looking him in the eyes."I'm going to fix what I can, even if it makes me have a panic attack."

Ovan, in a panic, looked quickly at Valkyrie. She shook her head.
"If you are to awake tomorrow morning, in control, I shall purge you as my owner. Only Danielle, in spirit, can use me. No longer you."Valkyrie looked upon him as a judge, as if she were giving the final say. Ovan slumped back, obviously upset.

I stood firm, but feelings of anxiety arose. The same things, playing like a broken record in my head. I decided, to myself, to try not to act suspiciously different infront of the others; besides the changes I thought were necessary.If I played the character, perhaps I could get away, unscathed.

I could feel the body slowly awaken, and I looked at Ovan as he stayed, and I dissipated.



Danielle didn't experience..the events kalad had take place, so she's waking up after the BJ. Well..he...she in a male body..

'the memory of enjoying hand in hand might disappear from the memory

the reality in front of me I looked away from it so that I won't be swept away' Are the translation for the lyrics used. Used from Innocent ~Mujaki na Mama de~.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen



Day was not day and night was not night. It was the time of day in which one is blinded by the falling or rising sun, and all placed against its outline fell into darkness. Was it twilight or was it dawn? Moswen could not be sure of it…

There were two figures surrounding her however. Staring at her with eyes filled with wisdom beyond the countless stars. They were looking at her in the way that a mother looks at its lost child- filled with sadness but yet proud of their young one. The two figures were both beautiful females, Moswen could be sure of that even with the contrast of the setting or rising sun. One of them stood upon her left and had beautiful wings folded upon her back- wings of a hawk or kite perhaps judging by their outline. She was draped in darker clothes, but still held a caring and alluring appearance as the other. The other female figure to her right held an ankh, and oddly a full and plump calf stood at her side. She wore lighter garments about her body, but both seemed exotic and beautiful beyond words.

The two of them seemed to chat amongst themselves for a long while… and Moswen watched- as if enchanted by every movement or barely audible word that spilled from their mouths. It was as if they were debating something… until finally the lighter colored of the two turned to Moswen. Her lips were pursed, as if something wasn’t as pleasant anymore while the other simply gave a bittersweet smile.
“bi-sur'a” The lighter one spoke, and instantly everything faded to black.



Slowly Moswen opened her eyes, noticing that she was staring up at the night sky. Her body felt stiff but other than that she felt fine. Slowly she rose herself upwards, and her wolfish eyes easily adjusted to the darkness within seconds. She then saw a figure before her- although she did not recognize the figure at all.
“Who are you?” Moswen asked, causing the female human to turn about with a start.
“I’m Stella.” She said, and Moswen tilted her head in confusion. Soon however, Stella quickly explained what had happened and how she had come the group – ending with the part of how Dimitri and Ban went off and the others went to do their own thing.

Moswen nodded, standing up and stretching for a moment as her bushy tail lashed at the air. The dream… there was something so familiar about the two female figures. However, the eerie thing about it was that she imagined that they were telling her something… or perhaps more than one thing that was very important. What was it?
“Ban and Dimitri…” Moswen closed her eyes for the moment, rubbing her temples as she tried to imagine why those two would be together. She could easily identify Dimitri’s intentions for going off… and although Dimitri and Bryan seemed to be very different than the ‘normal’ Bryan, she remembered what he had been like in past RPGs. Ban however… what would connect the two. Ban could be identified as-
Moswen’s eyes opened up wide. The two had something definitely in common, and that was that they liked to get things done that needed to be done while protecting the others. In a way… it was connected to her as well- no lollygagging, was the term that popped into her head first.

“I know I used some of my powers… but those were different.” Moswen said to herself softly, knowing that releasing her yin was far different than using her ability to read yin and yang.
“Stella… I’m going to seem slightly strange for a second. Don’t worry, I’m just looking.” Moswen said, as she stood extremely still and closed her eyes. She concentrated upon her mind and she could feel herself open her ‘sixth’ sense. Reopening her eyes, she was amazed to see the world of yin and yang… where there were no defined figures, but everything was intermixed as layers. Everything was defined with thousands of layers… and the earth was one giant layer itself.
It had been easy opening her up sixth sense, easier than last time. Now the trick was to identify things…
Dimitri and Ban… Dimitri and Ban… I CAN remember what their presences were like!
Moswen thought fiercely, projecting her vision into the layers as they seemed to move past her. It was as if she were sifting through sand… trying to find the smallest pebble lost within it. It felt as if hours had gone by… as if time passed slower in the realm as she finally came across two shifting and moving packets of layers deep within the earth.
There you are… Moswen felt relief from this, until suddenly she noticed a rather large and demanding pocket of layers churning rapidly. The layers were moving swiftly and she could tell the balance was off in the creature- a large portion of yin remaining dominant.
The Guardian Beast of the Temple- protecting the crystal. They are much like the fearls in their nature… for they are dominated by yin- unbalanced by this world and their duty.
A voice- that familiar voice that Moswen knew was not her other self, spoke again. Only speaking when useful… giving little information of what it was. This time however, Moswen did not pester it further.
Element of … Wind.
Suddenly, Moswen’s vision seemed to grow keen for a split second as she felt she knew the determining layers for the element of wind, and she could tell the power was rising rapidly- fiercely… and it felt almost as Moswen was too close in her vision. It was enough to send her vision back to the starting point within her body.

Reopening her eyes, Moswen gasped as she looked to Stella with a panicked look.
“Dimitri and Ban are in trouble… they’re taking on the guardian beast by themselves! They’re going to need help against such an element…” Moswen said, fear gripping her.

The vision of the two women… the dream, she remembered them. She knew them… they were protectors of some sort… one of them being more of a mother while the other… more of a…

“Stella! Quick… I need you to-“
Moswen’s ear pricked, as she noticed Knes was in the area as well. He had been very quite and sitting by himself on a rock… staring off at the stars as if in deep thought. Perhaps upon any other day, Moswen would have taken note of it but instead she knew there was no time for questions.
“Knes!” His curious two-eyed gaze, much like Moswen’s own had not one of Knes’s eyes been blood red, looked back to her. He swiftly got to his feet and came to Stella and Moswen.
“yes?” He asked politely, as Moswen pointed at the two of them.
“Knes, you teleport yourself and Stella towards the others. They are in the town correct?”
Knes nodded, “ I can sense other mana auras… I know Adalia’s well.”
“Good. Teleport near them then and warn them that Dimitri and Ban are in danger. There is an underground temple… they’ve awakened the beast and they’ll need help.”
Knes nodded, but then seemed confused.
“But what about you?”
Moswen withdrew a deep breath and took a slow glance at her wrist, where the most visible armor piece was upon her.

The vision… the two female figures… it came again… haunting…

“I’m not recuperated yet, I’d be useless and get in the way. I can stay here and look after the Caligrey.”
Knes nodded, and looked to Stella. Closing his eyes, the two of them faded away.

Moswen looked up towards the sky, facing the city as she withdrew a deep breath.
What are these visions telling me? Who are you…? None of what I am is normal… this body isn’t what I had created. Who… what… am I?

!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*
Knes



Knes was wondering to himself why he was going to Adalia- why he was focusing on her mana and teleporting both Stella and himself there. Because he knew what would happen… he’d gaze into her face, and instantly be haunted by the image of it brought to tears. Then he’d hear the haunting melody of her feral-like sobbing cry of defeat when the one known as Loki walked away. Then he’d remember the isolation and the chilling fingers that had grasped his own heart at that moment. He didn’t even know why he had felt those fingers at that moment… he knew she loved him, so why did he care?

He had heard their entire conversation though… every word. He was confused by it all… the kiss with Adalia had been pleasantly shocking. The caring words she had said to him, the pondering of a date… they all had been wonderful. But then… to hear her confess her love and express such sorrow as Loki left her…? How could she kiss himself with such vigor, and then turn and tell Loki that she loved him and cry such mortal tears at his absence?
“… now here, I am the fool.” Knes had said to himself, as he had made a point to block out her cries of pain and had teleported away. He wasn’t sure how far away he had teleported himself… but he was away from everyone. His mind had swarmed with thoughts- thoughts about his past, his lost family and his struggles. He was trying so hard, and for a while- back at the foreign town, things had seemed easy. Well… things seemed like they were going to go easy. However now… now things were proving more difficult.
“I can’t be weak. I can’t turn into a weakling like they did.” Knes thought, clenching his jaw as he walked. His wings had fluttered in agitation as he walked, occasionally flexing his fist as he did so.
“And… I guess, despite my feelings… despite what happens, I have to remain strong. The world is a stage, right?” Knes said bittersweetly, a wry smirk upon his lips. “I have to keep protecting… I promised I would carry though. I can’t stop now.”
Feeling a bit better, Knes had closed his eyes and reappeared at camp. However, everyone had left… well, except for Ban, Dimitri, Moswen and Stella. But soon Ban and Dimitri left and he was stuck with the unconscious Moswen and the ever quiet Stella. Knes secluded himself as well, until Moswen came to and after a few minutes seemed to panic about the two males.
“I wonder how Moswen feels…” Knes silently wondered, noticing the female. Although their age differences, Knes had no problem with admiring her beauty. The armor and the strange mixture of colors with in her hair… they were exotic, but she was exquisitely beautiful. Knes noticed that a lot of the others had paired up- Danarica and many after Adalia. However, he found it odd that the other female- Moswen, did not seem to be taken. Knes silently wondered why that was the case… and then the vision of Moswen in rage a few hours ago came to his mind. Was that the reason? Fear?

“Knes!” Moswen had called him, and it had left Knes in his current predicament.

Stella and Knes slowly faded in front of Adalia, who was upstairs in a tavern-like setting, judging from the scent and smell. Adalia’s eyes widened in shock at seeing Knes appeared, and Knes noticed Adalia was with a teenage-looking female. Knes didn’t wait for introductions however, but quickly grew into explanation. He told Adalia of Moswen’s message along with Stella.
Her face in tears and that haunting sobbing cry still echoing in his head…
Adalia had informed them that Ovan and Kite had been downstairs getting drunk, and she didn’t know where they were now if they weren’t there. She had run upstairs to get away from it all… and had found the girl in the room, whom was named Marion. Knes slapped his head at the irony of it, and then withdrew a sigh.
“I sense their mana signatures still in this tavern… along with Danarica. Let’s try to see if they’re ready for a fight… otherwise I guess we’ll have to be the back-up.” Knes said, looking to Marion. However, Adalia informed Knes that Marion was… from the world before, (he had gathered as much as he could from Adalia about where they were from) and thus would be helping them. So they headed downstairs, but Knes felt his hand being grabbed by Adalia. Shock filled his face as he looked at her, and saw her sorrowful expression.
It was as if at one glance at Knes, she was reminded about his presence and then realized what had occurred.
“Umm… Knes… about Loki…” She began, her eyes turning to liquid spheres. Knes shook his head, placing a smile upon his face.
“Now isn’t the time to discuss such things. But don’t worry… I’m still your protector, right?” He squeezed her hand in comfort and then led her out of the room as they tried to find the others.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Somewhere Dark… ~*~*~*~*~

I lay there for the longest time, thinking of many things; to the left of me Ovan was snoring, to my right Kite laid peacefully. My hand idly rubbed my throat feeling the seeds still in it. I began to remember how they explained how Stella had saved me, healing my throat in a miraculous style. My heart sank. There was no way I could heal a throat like that, I could do wounds at best, broken bones? I couldn’t even imagine healing something like that. Loki’s voice rang in my head, that I was just a child. I was just a child and I had been replaced.

Sighing in annoyance I rose from the bed, walking out side and wandering the streets for a bit. That was where I found a woman laying there in the streets. Forgetting my problems I rushed to her side. “Hey are you okay? What are you doing here?” I asked, nudging her slightly. She looked up at me, reading my face.

“Roy?” She asked, rising into a sitting position. “Are you Ryan, a.k.a. Roy Karrde from TPM?” She asked as all the breath left my body. Was she part of our team?

“And you are..?” I found my breath only for a second.

The girl leapt at me, embracing me in a hug before pulling away. “Dude! It’s me, Faiz! Darktyranitar!” She exclaimed and then began to fight with her ferret as I tried to remember who Darktyranitar was. I had heard the name before… “Oh it’s hard getting used to being a girl… I know I should have made a guy instead..” She coughed.

I could only shrug and stood, holding out a hand and helping her up. “You look so beautiful.” I grinned, admiring her, she truly did look beautiful in her form. Faiz glanced down at her breasts tenderly poking one.

She poked it again and again, probably admiring them. “At least you have breasts.” I said softly, rubbing my flat chest with a left hand. “C’mon you need to get out of the street.” I took Faiz softly by the hand, leading her back into the tavern and upstairs where Stella and Knes appeared much to Faz’s shock.

Knes began to explain what Moswen had told her, while I explained the situation with Ovan and Kite. “I sense their mana signatures still in this tavern… along with Danarica. Let’s try to see if they’re ready for a fight… otherwise I guess we’ll have to be the back up.” Knes took charge much to my shock and admiration, I quickly explained Faiz, who introduced herself as Marion also.

I pointed out which room that I had put the others and the rest headed that way. I moved over to Knes and took his hand in mine. “Umm… Knes… about Loki…” I had to explain, how I had been scared to shoot down his love after we had left the town. How I had known and fallen in love with Loki in the previous adventure. How our kiss… how much it met to me, but I was scared, I thought I was going to die, and needed comfort… how I had used him at that moment. My eyes swelled with tears at the thought.

“Now isn’t the time to discuss such things. But don’t worry… I’m still your protector, right?” He squeezed my hand, leading me into the room that the other three were in.

Ovan and Kite were awake, Dana laying next to her and greeted me with a short smile. Knes began to explain the situation, telling us how he would teleport all of us to the other’s mana signatures and we would gather the team to fight against the Crystal. I watched Knes, admiring how he had become such a leader in just short of a time. We were practically the same age, but no one had ever called Knes a child. They never had to, he was a accomplished swordsman, he was vital to the team, he was a leader now… All the things that I weren’t.

Shaking my head in frustration I slipped out of the room, making my way down the hallway and out into the cool night air. Tears ran down my face as I began to sprint, and then into a full out run. I rounded a building and hid deep in the alley, gasping for breath. My exhausted eyes finally made there way up to looking at the two moons of this planet, my hands and arms shaking as I watched the moon.

The sound of footsteps behind me drew my attention, and before I could say a word, two gentle hands grabbed my sides and everything faded, reappearing the sky was all around me. “Don’t scream please it’s me.” Knes whispered sinking down to his knees next to me as we stood on top of the highest building in town.

I glanced over the edge, looking all the way down, and took a large gulp to try to settle my fear. “I’m scared of heights.” I whimpered crawling back to the middle of the roof. “Where are the others?” I asked, glancing around expecting to see Dana and the others.

Knes’ eyes remained at one spot, the old prison where flashes of light could be seen. “I dropped them off over at the battle, I told them I had more important things to do.” He explained.

I had to stifle a laugh, what was more important than a battle? I opened my mouth and looked at him to see how he gazed at me, his eyes full of love and heartbreak. He was talking about me… I was the important thing. I turned my head away to keep him from seeing how hurt I was, seeing him looking at me like that. “I’m never going into another battle again, Kite… Dani, Loki, they are were right, I am a child, and I’m not even needed now, you guys have Stella, I’m just extra baggage now.” I said, my voice full of self loathing.

“I don’t think of you as a child.” Knes whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder, which I shook away. “I think you are also a better healer than Stella.”

I turned, my eyes full of hatred as my hands were balled into fists. How could he say such things? I swung, punching him in the gut, not even enough to phase him. I punched him again, and again. “How could you say such a thing? After I used you? How could you say such things? I’m Adalia, Adalia that hurt Loki, Adalia that hurt Kite, Adalia that hurt Knes. Adalia that hurts everyone she loves.” I screamed, tears running down my cheeks as I hit him over and over again. “Say that you hate me, say that you hate me.” I was begging him now, but still punching him.

“Say it!” I screamed, Knes took the moment to wrap his arms around me drawing me into a deep hug. I tried to resist, but my body just sank into his arms. My body sank to the ground, Knes still hugging me as I was reduced to sobs, grabbing hold of his tunic. “I’m horrible.” I sobbed, Knes pulling me closer and whispering in my ear that it was okay.

My hands slowly let go of him as I just leaned against him, limply “I love you.” I whispered, I didn’t have to even ask myself, it came truly from my heart. “I love you so much.”


Ninetails of Wind
~*~*~*~*~ AWAKENED! ~*~*~*~*~

With every step I took out of the crystal my body formed. My tails flicked back and forth as I regarded the two in front of me. It wasn’t a moment later where the others appeared, and then one ran off like a coward. “I AM ALIVE.” I roared, my voice like the wind, tossing the little ones too and fro. These were the ones to face me? These were the ones to come and kill me?

I chuckled, my tails flicking back and forth. A toothy grin appeared on my face as my first tail began to spin. “Feel the wrath of the wind of this world.” I commanded, my spinning tail angered toward them, creating a tornado that tore through the center of the room. Stronger than the mightiest sword. This was only one of my ninetails, at most these runts would require two tails, nothing more, nothing less.

The Ninetails first attack is a Tornado turned on its side, which acts as a sword, creating a path of destruction where ever the Tornado is aimed. If you guys begin to damage it, he will turn on his second tail, the first tornado will disappear or become fainter, and a second one will appear from the second tail. This one colored black and razor sharp if it comes near you.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Clueless

This was all too sudden… what’s all this talk about mana, mana signatures, guardian?

“My name is Marion… back in the other world, you might know me as Faiz, or darktyranitar from TPM.. Oh, and this is Karam.”

One minute I was introducing myself, and the next thing I knew, we were told to gather in a circle by that little kid… Knes, if I had heard it correctly. And the next thing I knew, we were teleported to someplace else that look like a dungeon.

Whoa… so is that how teleportation feels like?

“I have to go for a while,” Knes announced. “I… have some more important things to do.”

Then he was gone… and the group proceed along the path, looking for two people named Ban and Dimitri.


Mana… guardian… Marion… Karam… it’s the RPG becoming true…

“Hey,” a girl that appeared to be around the age of 18 to twenty called out to me.

“Karam is tired of waiting for Marion!” Karam added.

“Huh?” It was then that I noticed that I was left behind the group. Even Karam was steps in front of me. “Sorry… I was… distracted.” I began to hasten my steps… Ugh, it’ll take me some time to get used with this garment… good thing there’s a slit on the side; if not, I would have slipped at my current walking speed.

“So Marion… what was your name again on the other world? Dark Tyranitar?”

“Yeah… also known dt, or Faiz.” Good, someone to talk to. Wait… who was she in the real world? And what was her name here? “Umm… I never get to know your name…”

“Oh, sorry… we were too busy readying for the battle with the guardian that we’ve forgotten to introduce ourselves... I’m Danarica, and back then at the other world, I am Dennis.” She paused, before adding quickly. “Kalad1 from TPM.”

Kalad1… well, that name does seem to ring a bell… oh yeah, I remember. The Were-Pokemon RPG… I like that one… Wait… another guy turning into a girl? Then… does that mean that all the guys here are…

“Hey…”I was about to ask him about the whole gender switching when a loud roar shook the place, followed with a strong gust of wind.

“What is that?” I asked, my voice barely audible in the wind.

“The guardian of the mana crystal. Now come on, Marion.”

So, this is it…

I have to fight. And yet I have no clue what is going on here.

Oh, no.

I don’t want to die…

Why to I have to be a good girl and offer myself to get killed?


Alright, so Marion will be staying at the back of the group most of the time, as she’s still new at casting magic. If you want, you can make her cast a few of her magic, although they are more of the healing and the assisting type. Karam will join the fight, but he’ll not be so strong, as Marion is still not capable of channelling her magic towards him.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

*insert OMGWTF/o shi- quote here*
...So I did spirits the last time, and I'm doing spirits this time. The idea would NOT go away. Boo. Tane and Baron watch (both) and cry (Tane) and laugh (Baron).
*waves forlornly at Weazepeaze* *salutes the Triad*

Real Name: Yi-wen
Gender: Female
Personality: I shouldn't be writing this because I would omit the more glaring errors in my personality, but. Lazy, silent for the most part unless she knows someone relatively well (in which the opposite may be readily apparent), somewhat lacking of brain, usually dislikes dispute of any sort and therefore tries to be nice to everyone within reason. Easily biased. Owns a guilty conscience. Nitpicks. Is frequently high on some sort of sugar-laced beverage or other and squees when fed certain types of slash. Also, a closet cynic.

~~ ~~ FORM START ~~ ~~

Name: Saifa; Okiku - the body is just called 'the body'
Gender: Female. All of 'em. The body, too.
Race: ...well, the body they're inhabiting is human...
Age: 18 (body); unknown (souls)
Bodily Appearance: The body's default appearance, when possessed by neither Saifa nor Okiku, follows. Standing about 5'6" tall, its physique is thin and gangly. The chest may be safely described as a washboard. Cold to the touch, the skin is pale and tinged with a bluish pallor; the cold lips are purple, as are the tips of the fingers and toes. The face is distinctly feminine, the mouth small and delicate, the kohl-rimmed eyes being a dead blank white and the nose obnoxiously elfin. The lank hair is straight, chopped off at the neck and purplish-black in colour, with the bangs collected in braids at either side of the face, wound about with white ribbons. The body's ankles are extremely pretty, in contrast to its otherwise unsettling appearance. It is indeed a corpse; not showing any signs of decomposition, it nonetheless smells rather strongly of mothballs.
When possessed by Saifa, the eyes turn yellow, two circular birthmarks appear above her eyebrows, and the hair is suddenly more spiky and less straight. Saifa slouches, sits in indecent ways, and struts about as cockily as any bully.
When possessed by Okiku, the now violet eyes droop despondently, there are birthmarks running the length of either cheek from the corner of each eye and the hair seems more limp than ever. Her posture is impeccably straight-backed, servantlike, and unassuming.
Clothing Appearance: The body wears a women's yukata of unpatterned mauve cotton, with a lemon yellow obi and royal purple undergarment. If the sleeves are rolled up, it can be seen that the body's forearms are covered in musty bandages; likewise, underneath the yukata, the body's chest and upper thighs are also wrapped in bandages. There is a monk's rosary on the body's left wrist, and an incongruous pair of headphones hanging round its neck. These 'headphones' are merely a bent piece of lacquered wood; at either end are circular earpieces cut out of fuzzy cloth and fitted to the wooden headpiece with metal clasps. They are unable to produce music - at least not music that can be heard by anyone except the resident soul. The body goes barefoot.
Weapon: Not really a weapon, the heavy bamboo umbrella the body wields is actually a receptacle for whichever soul is not controlling the body at the moment.
Magic: The strength of the body's magic depends ultimately on the condition of the soul - if the soul still feels a great attachment to the world, the power able to be drawn from it becomes proportionately greater. The maxim "where there's a will, there's a way" suffices as a summary. The body is a medium for channeling the power of the soul; however, souls cannot multitask efficiently, so while one soul is controlling the body, the other must mold the power into whatever form desired. This power or magic cannot be used for healing; it is always destructive. Also, though the power can be helpful, it can also be crippling - it's not always consistent, and might miss its target, so to speak.
Additionally, the souls seem to have a sort of extrasensory power, in that they can tell when someone is lying, or the like.

~~ ~~ FORM FINISH ~~ ~~

Changed Personality: There's a very obvious change in personality: rather, the original personality, or Yi-wen's 'soul', is absent from the body, and has been replaced with the two souls, or ghosts, detailed above. These souls are nevertheless able to access the memory of Yi-wen, which according to Okiku is a "dear little cabinet full of words and music and pictures", archived in the body's otherwise dormant brain. (The souls source their 'inner music' from here.) There remains, however, a seemingly automated response mechanism that manifests itself in various snarky comments, forced through the lips of the body, overriding the resident soul. Okiku calls this the 'cynical core'.
Saifa is, in short, an aggro bitch. She enjoys smashing things, irking people, being crude, and doing exactly what she feels like with no regard to the gravity of the present situation. Often rambles about the idiocy of everyone save herself. Sometimes she can act quite normally, particularly if she finds something or someone interesting, but it only serves to make people even more wary of her. She jams her 'headphones' on when in battle, because apparently nonexistent music gets her into a mood for killing. Is almost always smiling in a disturbing manner. Foul-mouthed. Possibly criminally insane.
Okiku, in contrast, is soft-spoken and diplomatic, a quiet and peacable creature. She tends to apologize and overreact if she thinks she has offended, put upon, or disturbed anyone in any way. Overly courteous to everyone she meets; fits the description of 'human doormat' to a T. Always agrees with anything anyone says. She tries to stop Saifa from going on destructive rampages and/or making new enemies every time Saifa opens her mouth, but it usually doesn't work - despite this she prefers not to displace Saifa as the occupant soul most of the time. Good at making tea. Almost never smiles.
Other: The dominant soul is, obviously, Saifa, and she is the one inhabiting the body about 80% of the time. Okiku, meanwhile, resides in the umbrella that the body carries around, though the soul that is currently in the umbrella will manifest itself as a phosphorescent fireball with vaguely humanoid features, in a suitably ghostly manner. Saifa is magenta pink; Okiku is a dreary sort of indigo. Either soul may oust the other and take control of the body at any time they wish. Likewise, wandering souls may also attempt to claim the body, but Saifa and Okiku defend their territory with the utmost ferocity, discouraging many hopeful tenants. They do not need to eat or drink, and do not feel fear or pain, although this does not mean the body cannot be hurt.
------------------

"So it was raining, as usual, and it was pissing hot, as usual, and I'd got the itch for character-making, which was... not usual...

"Weazepeaze got it too, and so we made characters, and she made a Notsiriusblack and I half-made a Notseverussnape and I fully-made something else, a body without a soul...

"I'd got a PM, and she hadn't, and I'd gotten PMs like this one before and I was wary and I was leery, so I signed up in the body without a soul, just to see if mine own would remain in mine body...

"And you know I clicked Reply and that thing that happened last time with old Tané and the merry Baron Saturday didn't happen, so I'm thinking, hey, I handled that one all okay...

"I was thinking that, and hey, you don't want to be hearing this end of the story, go away, the other end's much more interesting..."

"'Cos it's always a story with magic that people are wanting."

*First post proper will be done once you guys murder the Ninetails and all, I'M not going to steal anybody's battles, nuh-uh.

[Roy Karrde]

Alrighty Guys Yi brings up back up to the number in which we originally started with, that is if you could Knes as part of the opening group which I do. We lost Loki, Crystal, Hinata. Got Stella, Faiz, Yi. So it all evens out. From now on I am having a hold on any more sign ups for the time being.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Pushing Back the Wind~

I hate wind types.

My body made an almost sickening 'thump' as I slammed up against the wall of the cavern. Crumpling to the floor like a rag doll, I groaned in pain as I got back to my knees. I was bruised all over from being thrown around and I was sure one of my ribs were cracked. And that damned ninetailed fox was smirking at me, probably just playing with me...

God I hate wind types....

With a roaring battle cry, I threw myself at the enemy again. Rolling beneath his twisting tails I lunged forward with a powerful thrust towards its midsection. It responded with its claws, pinning Miroku to the ground before snapping at face with its large fangs. Realeasing the blade, I flip back slamming my foot under the chin of the Kyuubi. Summoning Miroku back to my hand I grinned as I brought it up to slice open its throat.

Above you!!

All I felt was the wind pick up around me before I was sent flying through the air for the third time in the last five minutes. That damanble tornado had caught me off guard again, though at least this time I was able to slow my flight by stabbing Miroku into the ground. Skidding to a stop I looked as the massive bulk of the Kyuubi cast a shadow over me. Smiling evily at me it raised up a claw to strike me down.

A glowing card came flying through the air and stopped hovering between the two us. It burst with a massive flash before the Kyuubi's eyes, blinding it and sending it stumbling back as golden sparks flared around its faces. I looked to where Dimitri was standing, another card in hand concentrating on its power. The Kyuubi's tails lashed out, striking the walls and ceiling, sending debris flying through the air. Roaring in anger it brought its swirling tornado tail down upon Dimitri.

A barrier came into existence between him and his intended target, as I saw Kite and the others finally arrive. "'bout damn time..." I muttered under my breath.

Something went sailing through the air and latched onto the Kyuubi's front paw, biting down sharply on the massive creature's leg. The monstrous fox howled, shaking away the creature, a ferret, off and sending it flying into the arms of a young elfish looking woman. As it stumbled back, one of the shadows it cast seemed to flicker as Danarica appeared her sharp blades in hand as struck with a double thrust into its ankle. Angrily the beast attempted to stamp her out of existence, but the woman disappeared into the shadows again.

Blinded, injured in both its front paws, and furious, it was the perfect chance for a counterattack. Miroku held low, I came rushing in from one side and out of the corner of my eye I saw Ovan doing the same. His sword crackled with power, the electricy dancing along the blade. Grinning I got his attention and made an X gestured with my free hand. He nodded in understanding as we both leapt into the air. Roaring I slashed upwards with Miroku, sending a spurt of blood through the air as I left a diagonal gash along its chest. Halway through Ovan came from the opposite direction creating a large X-shaped scar on its chest.

As we landed on opposite sides of reeling beast, I couldn't help saying outloud. "Double Tech - X Strike!"

I grinned as the Kyuubi collapsed on its side, the wind around its tail slowly dissapating before dying away completely. Resting Miroku on my shoulder, I looked at the others and gave a thumbs up. "That was easier tha-"

This is no time for celebrations! It's aura is still there and stronger than before.

"What, but he-" My eyes widened as the Kyuubi got back to its feet, snarling at us. The winds around us picked up as it gathered around its second tail. Howling it brought the black tornado down upon me with amazing speed. "Oh go-AAAAAAARGH!"

I was sent spinning through the air again, but this time it felt as if hundreds of tiny blades were spinning around me. They sliced through my coat and into my skin, leaving hundreds of gashs all over my body. Hitting the opposing wall, I groaned in pain as I collapsed face first to the ground. The cuts all over my body stung and blood dripped into my vision as I tried to shakily get to my knees. Already I could see the others locked in desperate combat with Kyuubi.

God, I REALLY hated wind types.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Hmmm...for some reason this isn't marking my reply as new...

Just bumping it so Roy doesn't attempt to nag me about not posting

[Roy Karrde]

I do not nag! I Suggest!

[Haruko]

I'm sick atm, so mind it's sorta..sucky-ness.

Ovan
-I've known all too well about pretending to be strong. / But since then, my doubts have vanished.
Dominant: Danielle

I slowly opened my eyes, adjusting quickly to the darkness about me. I...well..Ovan, was laying down in a bed, and there was Kite. I know Adalia was there, but in her place...

Danarica?

She seemed to be sleeping, much to my happiness. It didn't help that I felt, well...I guess to put it in one's perspective; overloaded with hormones. I felt slightly wet in the pant area, and..I just couldn't put it in words. I was thinking 10 things all at once, it felt like, and the feeling in my pants didn't help much. Danarica had her head laid on my chest, which was probably racing a mile a second. I closed my eyes, in an attempt to calm myself down.

'You're in control now.'I reassured myself.'Everything will be fine.'

I was awake in bed, for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, when the door opened and light gushed into the room. Kite and Danarica awoke to it, Danarica removing her head from my chest and sitting up. I, slowly, stirred up and reached for Valkyrie as Knes, as Ovan remembered the shortie, described to us. He was going to teleport us to where he sensed Ban and Dimitri's mana signatures, and where the battle against the this towns crystal guardian was.In the back, as Kite, Danarica and I mustered up and walked to Knes to be teleported, along with some new girl, and Stella; Adalia - Ryan, ran off into the night, obviously upset about something. I shruged it off as the teleport went off, and the feeling of my insides being ripped open and then being put together began.(OoC:She doesn't like teleporting, go figure.:x)

We appeared, shortly after, in the middle of a fight between what seemed to be a Kyuubi, or a ninetails, and Ban + Dimitri. The first thing of assitance from us was the new girls..rodent. It flew onto one of the Ninetails paws and bit down. The Ninetails, in pain, flung his paw around until the rodent fell off, and back into the new girl's arms. Danarica then appeared from the shadows, hitting it with her sharp blades in a double thrust. The ninetails hit the area where she appeared - but she had already gone back into the shadows.

'Time to fight!'I thought to myself, smiling as I took out Valkyrie.'Lightning, Ice or earth? Which one do you think is best, Val?'
'Lightning.'She assured me, and I concentrated my mana into the swords hilt as lightning started to dance around the blade, crackling noises assuring me that the voltage of the elctricity was high enough. I started to run at one side of the Kyuubi, and saw that Ban, grinning, was doing the same at the other side. Grinning, he made a X gesture with his freehand. I nodded quickly as we both, as if thinking the same the same thing simulationously, jumped up high in the air.

'I never experianced such a high like this in my life..such a rush!'I told myself. As Ban wielded his sword well enough to make a nice, deep diagonal slash across the Ninetails, I did the same; from the opposite direction. I made sure that the surge of electricity made the wound hurt much more. When the Kyuubi went in a frienzed panic due to the pain, I took out my sword and jumped down to the ground, releasing the mana from my sword as the Ninetails fell down to the ground.

Ban, as if on the same high I was on, or perhaps was copying an anime where you'd say your attacks outloud when - or after -you did them, wholeheartedly yelled,"Double Tech - X Strike!"

As the Ninetails rolled onto it's side and the wind that was wrapped around it's tail disippated before completely dissapering, Ban rested his sword over his shoulder, giving us a thumbs up as he said, "That was easier tha-"..but was shortly interupted..

The Ninetails quickly got back onto it's feet, snarling in anger. It got a bit..drafty in what seemed to be an underground chamber, as a second tail appeard on the Ninetails. A howling black tornado went towards Ban, quicker than any one of us could think..

'Which element now!?'I thought, in a state of panic as Ban hit the opposing wall, covered in cuts and blood. Stella quickly ran over as I desperatly tried to figure out which element to use next, before coming big-fox food.
'Earth..but you'll be wiped after this, Danielle..'
'I know, I know!' I hastedly replied, and stabbed Valkyrie into the ground. I placed all the mana that I could into it, as the blade and hilt grew into a great, 2 handed sword. I already could feel the effects of having next to no mana left, but I took Valkyrie out of the ground, and quickly rushed at the Ninetails.



I'd do Stella, but I feel like crap atm. Since she's the only healer besides Marion who's there, and unless she knows how to use them..then..er..

Anyway.:x there ya go! Don't kill me now!

[Bulbasaur4]

Knes


Knes shook his head softly, taking his hands and placing them on top of Adalia’s tender shoulders. Pulling her gently from him, he let his two-colored eyed gaze settle upon her teary eyes.
“You are not horrible…” Knes said with a smile, withdrawing a light breath. “Horrible people do hurtful things on purpose and have no sense of…” Knes stopped short, closing his eyes briefly as if recalling something. He then opened them and his expression seemed to soften further, “They have no sense of compassion or guilt. If you have hurt others Adalia… it was on accident. You try your best and all of your words come from what you believe to be your heart, correct?”
Adalia nodded, as Knes wiped away a trickling tear that rolled down her cheek.
“Then that is what you should continue to do. Myself, Moswen, Danarica… the rest of the group- they’ll care about you for who you are. As long as you try your best, that is all that matters. They all see that. No one hates you… no one thinks you’re horrible, okay?”
Adalia slowly nodded before outstretching her arms and hugging Knes tightly, breaking into a few sobful cries again. Knes wrapped his own strong arms around her- holding her tightly until her cries subsided as he absently played with a few tendrils of her hair.
The stars twinkled above them… playfully, as if holding their own secrets and laughing at the two below them. As Adalia grew quiet, Knes pulled away and smiled at her as his tiny little wings flapped absently.
“How about we join the others? I think they’re going to need our help. Let’s go show them what you’re made of.” He said playfully, getting to his feet as he held out his hand. Adalia hesitated for a second, but then nodded with a bright smile.
“Okay! I’ll protect you this time!”
Knes chuckled, “ Oh no… you’re not stealing my position. I’m your protector… I’ll be your guardian.”
With that, he grabbed her hand and the two of them faded from the high peak.


They soon reappeared, and Knes quickly grabbed Adalia and leapt into the air just as a blast of wind roared where they once stood. The battle was raging and a huge windy fox roared before them. Everyone was battling with their hardest within them… and it seemed that they were slowly tearing into the beast, but it was a grueling battle. The Ninetails had lost five of its tails… seemingly with only four more to go. (They seemed to root its power.) Knes saw Ban near them, and Knes’s eyes widened to see Ban had cuts all over his body and he was breathing heavily, clenching his sword with a tired but determined gaze.
Feeling a slight ‘younger brother’ effect, Knes glared at the creature.
“Watch yourself ADalia… I’m going to try to strike it!” Knes called to her, leaping into the air as he let out a growl-like cry, feeling a rush of energy surge through his body.
I’d try harder… I’d try for more power… but I can’t right now…
Knes channeled his mana straight into his gauntleted fist, as he threw a punch straight at the Ninetail’s face. The beast wasn’t suspecting a head-on approach, especially with so many others to watch out for. Knes’s fist hit the creature dead between the eyes, causing blood to splash outwards as he cracked into the creature’s skull minorly. It gave a huge shriek, wildly tossing its head so that it directly hit Knes and caused him to go flying backwards. Knes landed on the ground, rolling but overall he wasn’t hurt too badly. However, he saw a blast of wind had erupted from the creature’s other tail… and a scream hit his ears. Turning his eyes, he saw Adalia flung into a wall as she was preparing to form some sort of magick by herself.
“Adalia!” Knes cried out, just as the Ninetails released a spiraling cyclone of wind straight at her body. Teleporting instantly, Knes placed himself between the beast and Adalia. He held up his arms, blocking the wind from Adalia as he channeled most of his mana into his legs to keep him grounded and into his arms to help protect him from the wind. Even with channeling his mana however… there was too much power from the wind attack and too much of a division between the mana itself. The wind sliced into Knes’s arms, cutting huge gashes into them as it ripped into Knes’s face, creating a large clean-cut scare horizontally across the entirety of it. Knes gave out a cry as the wind dissipated and a huge attack from Ovan caused the Ninetail’s attention to be diverted once again.
Knes collapsed to his knees, feeling the rush of his own warm blood drizzle down his arms and neck. Tasting his own blood, Knes turned to see that Adalia seemed to be unharmed- a few bruises from the attack, but she had a hand to her head and seemed to be okay for the most part. Knes grinned lightly, feeling his body scream in agony at the gashes but ignoring the pain he stood up shakily. Channeling power to his fist once again, he prepared to continue to push himself to aid in the battle so that he could aid the others to defeat the beast.




MOSWEN


Moswen’s had sat down, her delicate hands resting upon each of her legs as she sat in a cross-legged position. Her eyes were glazed over as she watched the layers of balance shift within the temple, and she could tell that the battle was raging and that it was the most difficult battle they had faced yet.
Are you going to sit idly because of your fear?
I’m not afraid… I don’t know who I am and … I don’t think I’ll be an asset until I figure that out.
You are you. You are Moswen and you are Kalah. They are the same thing.
But… these powers are not what I created!!
You will know in time. However, do you really think you are not of aid even though you use something you do not understand fully yet? So far you have proven useful…
You saw the fear in their eyes- even the tougher ones of the group looked at me with… with..
Sitting by idly will prove nothing.
The voice faded away, and Moswen was left with the after chill affect of its absence. That was the first time she had a rather… in depth conversation with “the voice”.
“The voice? What a crippled word to use…” Moswen muttered, pushing into the ground as she got to her feet. Her tail flickered in the air nervously, as she bit her lip absently and gave a nod.
“It is correct though. I am proving nothing by staying here… nor am I getting any answers.”

Moswen ran towards the direction of the temple. She was unsure how she knew of its location… perhaps her transparent vision of balance led her in the right direction, or perhaps it was even her heart. Still, she found herself panicking slightly… a sickening feeling settling in the bottom of her stomach as she continued to run faster. It wasn’t long until she was running down long corridors of a temple-like atmosphere… hearing the roars of a feral creature and feeling a wild breeze blowing through her hair.
Then she came to the battle… and her eyes widened in awe at such a display. The large creature- a Ninetails, was bloodied and battled but it was not giving up. A few of its tails were missing as it continued to release waves of wind and lash out at its enemies. However, the others were working together… Ovan using powers that Moswen had not seen him use before, and they seemed more powerful than before- causing the Ninetails to be quite angry. Knes lashed out with a bloodied fist, as Danarica slashed at the creature’s side. Kite deflected a great deal of the wind with his shield as he then would charge in to land a few blows. Dimitri withdrew a tarot card, breathing heavily (most likely from battling the creature for so long even when the others had not yet arrived) as he summoned a blast of earth to jut upwards from the ground into the beast’s lower abdomen. Then there was another figure that Moswen did not recognize- a young female, who was standing back and seemed to concentrate harshly… a weasel-like creature charging from her occasionally and attacking the Ninetails.
It was a heated battle.

Moswen’s eyes widened however as they settled on Ban, who had been torn up with seemingly tons of cuts all over his body.
“Ban!” Moswen called out, swiftly appearing by his side.
“Ah… decided to… join too?” He said, as Moswen looked at the Ninetails and back to Ban.
Memories of what happened last time echoed through Moswen’s mind as she shook her head lightly.
“I… I think the others can handle it. I’m going to try to be on the defensive this time…” Moswen said smiling, looking over his body. “You took a nasty beating.”
“I hate wind elements…” Ban spat, blood spattering on the floor. One of the tails of the kitsune suddenly lashed outwards, and Moswen swiftly grabbed a wincing Ban.
“I apologize in advance for my lack of carrying abilities in comparison to yours…” She said with a mock humor in her tone.
Release Yang… Moswen thought all within an instant, and she felt her lighter half channel parts of its energy into her body. The masculine energy gave her some quick action and strength, as she leapt out of the way. Her right half glowed slightly from the release… in her hurry, she had mistakenly channeled more yang than she had intended.
“I can’t heal you… but I can try to get you quicker on your feet.” She said, closing her eyes swiftly. She had to work fast… she was completely vulnerable in her balance-layer visioned state. Withdrawing a deep breath, she reopened her eyes and saw Ban before her- all of his layers. She could see his sword, having a great deal of… energy swirling within it, but she ignored it and focused on Ban. His physical layer was slightly depleted… and swiftly she outstretched her hand and touched him delicately upon the middle of his chest. Focusing, she channeled her positive yang energy into the physical layer. After what seemed like hours, but was less than half a minute… Moswen withdrew her hand.
She soon closed and reopened her eyes, losing her vision. Ban was now standing on his feet, although still very bloodied (Moswen wasn’t capable of healing him fast enough… for she only restored balance to allow his body to heal faster over time, but no where near the amount of a healer.) Ban did however have a greater amount of strength returned.
Yang depletion. Activating Unnatural Armor Yin Restrictors 1, 2 and 3.
Suddenly the sound of three metallic shrills echoed in the air, and Moswen felt a familiar heavy clamping upon her body. The metallic head-band like piece of armor from the last time she had used her light half powers had returned, but it had two more armor pieces joining it this time. Her entire forearm was now covered in armor, cutting off only at the elbow- trapping her hand inside as well. Not only that, but another armor piece wrapped around her waist, attaching to her breast plate but having a slight kink in it to allow for some movement.
Moswen felt extremely heavy at this point, causing her to kneel to the ground.
“Go Ban… I’ll be your restoration area if yah need another boost.” She said with a wink, her ears flattening at the roar of the Ninetails.

[Roy Karrde]

Ninetails of Wind
~*~*~*~*~ Bloodied! ~*~*~*~*~

The attacks continued to come, and more and more of these vile intruders seemed to come. My remaining tails flicked back and forth as I returned the second tornado into it. I would not be able to release all of my power, but I could provide enough power to destroy them. My eyes flickered over the battlefield, blood dripping from my scalp, obscuring my vision somewhat. Yet everywhere I looked I could feel the stench, the feeling, the feeling of love seemed to surround this group. “I will not be taken down by such fools.” I flicked my remaining tails, whirling them around, faster and faster.

My body began to waver, almost disappearing, as it split into two. I nodded at my doppelganger and took off, moving faster than any of the other humans, although I was now half my original size. My doppelganger jumped on the one with metal connected to her. His teeth sinking in to her leg, as the woman let out an ear splitting scream. I relished in it for a second before rushing forward grabbing an unsuspecting woman further in the back. Her face flashed in fear as I was suddenly on top of her.

I could tell the others were preparing to admass a counter attack and quick, yet would they make it before our prey was scared? Or eaten?

Enjoy the Double Wind Ninetails. Also these guys cannot use their typical wind tail attacks, but they are also immune to any kind of physical attack, as they will go right through them. Only Mana and Elemenental Based attacks will hurt them.


Ryan
~*~*~*~*~ Shaken Up ~*~*~*~*~

I held my head in my hands, trying to shake off the dizziness that almost threatened to overtake me. I could taste blood in my mouth from where I had been hit. The problem was, I had no idea where I was. I remembered being teleported from Earth to here, waking up in Adalia’s body, but everything was fuzzy from that. I removed my hands from my face, tender golden locks drifted past my eyes as a boy, a familiar one almost, stood up, bloodied and beaten. A voice bubbled up inside of me, one alien yet as familiar as my own screamed out. ‘Knes, Knes’ she screamed over and over again.

I held a hand to my head, trying to settle the voice, which only seemed to get louder as the boy… Knes prepared for battle. Another woman came up to me, a beautiful one who I could see having a crush on if we met on Earth. “Adalia, I can’t keep up healing everyone alone.” She explained, exasperated, looking beyond tired and shaken. The voice inside of me told, me that the girl was named ‘Stella’. I nodded and then my eyes fell on the Ninetails, there were two of them, one was going after the girl I knew was Kalah.

An anger bubbled up at me, a rage that filled me as I stepped forward. I caught Knes out of the side of my eyes as he stepped forward to block me. “Let me handle this.” I told him. I brought my hands together, forming a mana bubble. The feeling was old, almost ancient. It had been almost a year since I formed my last mana bubble. Although Adalia and I probably performed many together, something must of happened to separate our bond, as if the two of us had become unglued.

I rose the bubble over my head, the bubble suspended a few feet above my outstretched hands. The bubble enlarged, bigger, and grander. The Ninetails on top of Kalah seemed to sniff the air for a second, turning to look at me. Even Ban who had been attacking the Ninetails stopped.

I thrust my hands down, the bubble smashed against the back of the Ninetails like the angry fist of God. I rose it up again much to the amazement of the boy… Knes next to me. I smashed the ball again causing the monster to roar, and then I could feel my body weaken. I took a step back and then faltered, falling to the ground as the bubble faded away. At that moment it became all clear. Adalia had been scared, scared she couldn’t protect anyone. She had watched Knes get hurt in front of her and was too scared to do anything. 'What did you do?' a small scared voice inside me trembled. Inside I smiled at her 'You have to become stronger'. She continued to tremble 'I want to, but I don't know if I can', I sighed and embraced her, the two of us, once again becoming one.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri turned as Moswen’s shout echoed through the chamber. One of the, now smaller, Ninetails had latched onto her left leg, and was gnawing furiously at the armor plate there. Strangely enough, Moswen didn’t seem to mind the frantically chewing monster. Dimitri saw her face then, and realized two things. One, her yell had not been one of pain, but of anger. Secondly, someone else was in control of Moswen, Kalah could have never summoned up the righteous rage that was present in her delicate features. Dimitri wisely moved to the other side of the room.


His back was turned, facing the other slobbering monster, but he caught the flash of black light that signaled the release of Moswen’s yang energy. Ban, who was standing directly in front of Dimitri at the time, suddenly widened his eyes as he turned to look past Dimitri. Taking the hint, Dimitri dropped to the floor. A yelping Ninetails, trailing what looked to be black fire, flew over the half breeds head, heading directly at Ban who raised his blade to meet it. If any physical weapon had a chance of hurting that thing, Ban’s incredible sword would be it Dimitri figured.


Looking back from his position on the ground, Dimitri sighed as he was met with the glistening fangs of the Ninetails that had snuck up behind him during his fall.

“Why hello there.”

Rolling to the side to avoid a descending claw, Dimitri. Nimbly leaping to his feet, his robe tearing away from the teeth that grasped at it as he did, Dimitri jumped straight into the air, hoping quietly to himself that the thing would follow. It did.

Turning in midair, Dimitri threw his arms out to the side, a tarot in each. In his left, the Moon card’s soft glow expanded and rounded off to form, for every intent and purposes, a small moon that glistened calmly in Dimitri’s hand. In his right hand, the sun card did much the same, it’s light fierce and wild, barely able to be contained in Dimitri’s tight grip.


And what are you planning to do with those?

You ever try mixing unlike energies?

….you love testing your luck don’t you?


With a fierce cry, Dimitri brought his hands together in front of him, slamming the glowing energies in them together and forcing them to mix. With an eye shattering flash, the energies leapt from Dimitri, sending a rippling wave of shining energy, the chaotic gold of the sun swirling freely with the focused silver of the moon. The energy pounded the Ninetails, driving it back down into the ground and continuing to beat at it for several more seconds. The ground around the impact site cracked and splintered. Dimitri, highlighting by the pure light energy in front of them, was held suspended by the force, his robe blasted out behind him, his face a mixture of concentration on holding the blast steady and a look of intense glee. When the blast finally ended, the energies in the cards completely expended, Dimitri fell. Landing in a crouch, Dimitri kept his eyes focused on the billowing dust cloud around the beam’s impact site. If the thing wasn’t dead it certainly was nearly there. Holding a Magician card loosely in his left hand, its surface already flickering with electric light, Dimitri waited for the dust to clear.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Fear and panic in the air

I looked up at the creature – if ninetails did exist, then that would be the word that would best to describe what the creature was – it was huge, and it has the feature of a fox, except that there were multiple tails sticking out behind him.

Petrified, I could only look at the creature helplessly, unsure of what to do next…

“Waaah!” Karam practically flew towards the ninetails, and this only helped in unnerving me more. I gasped, half expecting him to be swapped away by the creature, but to my surprise, he managed to latched himself into the creature’s front paw. Grinning, he bit sharply into the ninetail’s paw, causing the creature to howl in pain. The ninetails began to shook its paw furiously, and I could hear that Karam was moaning as he was flung back into my arms.

“Why did you do that?” I asked Karam, who seems as if he wanted to go for another round. The ninetails howled again, and I looked up momentarily at the ninetails, noticing that Danarica had struck it’s ankle with two blow – how did she get there that fast? – and she disappeared into the shadows – I suspected that it was some kind of special ability – before the creature had a chance to stomp her into mush.

“Marion is not helping, so Karam couldn’t do his best.” He began to scratch on my arm.

“Ow,” I grasped him by his neck and lifted him up so he was on my eye level. “And… how am I supposed to help you?”

“Double Tech – X Strike!” Someone cried aloud, and I saw Ovan and the one that I assumed was either Dimitri or Ban landed on the ninetails side, an X-shaped scar formed on its chest. It gave a low moan before it fell on its side, the wind gone from its tail.

“Whew… looks like it has already ended,” I sighed, but Karam just shook his head and closed his eyes.

The Ban/Dimitri guy gave a thumbs up, and said “That was easier tha-”

His words were cut off as the ninetails got back to its feet, and snarling, it shook its second tail, sending a black tornado towards the Ban/Dimitri guy. He was thrown into a nearby wall, covered with cuts over his body. I couldn’t bring myself to see at his bloodied state, so I turned away from the sight, my hand gripping tightly on the piece of wood that I had carried around since my arrival here.

I feel so… useless

“Come on, Marion! We help them!” Karam cried, struggling in my grasp. I apologized, sitting down and letting him fall into my lap.

“But I don’t know…”

Karam suddenly giggled, much to my confusion and annoyance. “Silly Marion. Have Marion forgotten already? First, Marion put both his hand on Karam’s head…” I did what was told. “Then Marion focus… and Marion does her thing, and Karam becomes stronger!”

“All right… focus…” I focused – wait, what was I supposed to focus into? – and stared at my outstretched hands, expecting something to happen. Nothing.

“Ah! Not like that! Marion has to focus inside herself so that he can give her power to Karam!” Karam cried, moving slightly in my lap.

“Focus…” I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the ruckus around me. I looked deep down myself… down, down, down… and then, as if it was natural, I felt something from inside rushing out through my body, and before I could stop it, I felt it going into my hands, and slowly it began to fade away from my hands, as if it was being drained away.

“Yay!” I opened my eyes to see that Karam was grinning. “See!” This time, Karam was running towards the ninetails, his speed greatly increased. He dodged the waves of wind with ease, bit the ninetails at his paw, before he nimbly ran away from being crushed by the other paws, running back towards me.

And the cycle went on and on. I charge Karam up, he runs at the ninetails, bite him for a while, before he returns to me for another charging up. It felt like nothing at first, but as the fight continues, I found that my energy was slowly drained away, and I was feeling weaker as each moment passed.

I was deep in focus charging Karam’s power up that I didn’t notice Adalia and Knes arriving here (and I made a mental note to ask Adalia… or Roy, what the heck is going on around here). Later on, I caught a glimpse of something that looked like half woman and half fox dropping into the fight. “Reinforcement,” I thought to myself. I looked at the Ninetails, and was quite thrilled to see that it had only about four more tails remaining.

Suddenly, the remaining tails of the ninetails began to whirl around, and I could immediately sense trouble. As Karam was leaping towards the wounded ninetail’s head, the creature suddenly began to waver, its body then appearing to be split into two. Karam landed headfirst into an unsuspecting rock, which apparently knocked him out cold. “Karam!” I cried, and I was about to go forward but I stopped myself, remembering that the ninetails was just in front of me. I gulped, as I noticed that there were now two ninetails.

The ninetails then splits of into a different direction, and I then heard the sound of metal crashing the ground. I turned around to see that one of the ninetails was on top of the half woman and half fox that I saw earlier, and it was then I noticed that half of her body were covered with what looked like metal armour. Bringing his head up, the ninetails sank his teeth into her leg, causing her to let out a terrible scream- more of an anguish cry rather than pain.

I barely had the time to grip my hands around my piece of wood before I was grabbed by the other ninetails. I didn’t even have the time let out a cry of shock as I was then slammed into the ground, knocking the wind out of me. I could only looked up at the ninetails fearfully, its face dangerously close to mine.

“Wha…” I couldn’t form words, as they seemingly were stuck in my throat. The ninetails growled before it sank its teeth into my right arm; it was excruciatingly painful, but despite the pain, I only let out a soft moan, as the fear inside had took my voice away.

The ninetails looked ahead, and – as swift as it was when it first tackled me – without warning, it ripped his teeth from my arm, and I swore that I could hear a cracking sound, no doubt coming from my bone that was being snapped off.

It was only then that I cried in pain, as the tears started to escape my eyes.

I then passed out- not from the pain, but from the fear.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Blood, Birds and Bedrest~

The damn thing just didn't know when to die. Even with most of its tails missing, it still had another trick up its sleeve. And now it was even immune to strikes from my blade, Miroku passing harmlessly through its shifting form as it took chunks out of all of us. Looking at the others, everyone showed signs of damage from his battle. "We can handle much more of this..."

Rolling away as one of the clones let loose a blast of wind in my direction, a muffled 'boom' echoed through the cavern. I look towards the source of the blast to see a massive surge of light coming from Dimitri. It consumed one of the foxes and left a rather large crater in the floor from the sheer impact. When the dust and light finally faded away, it lay twitching on the floor as it started to glow green.

An angry howl cut through the air as I saw the fox I had been battling went charging at Dimitri. "Oh no you don't!" Drawing myself up, I brought Miroku up, turning a full circle whle letting the tip of the black blade scratch against the floor. Where the blade touch it left a soft, pulsing purple/black glow. Drawing Miroku upwards, I concentrated before ramming him into the ground point first.

Obsidian Lord Technique ~ Path of Devastation

Arcane symbols traced themselves into the circle around me as two bright red 'eyes' appeared on Miroku's blade. The glow intensified as tendrils of energy snaked down and around the blade before arcing along the ground. Along that path, the ground split as massive shards of pure black rock erupted from the ground. It stopped just before Dimitri forming a large spiked barrier as the Kyuubi leapt to attack. Its momentum unable to halt, the creature impaled itself on the spikes.

Panting heavily as the thrice-damned Kyuubi twitched in its death throes, I was smirked in victory as its body begin to dissappate into green sparkles. Suddenly my vision began to blur and I found myself flat on my back from using so much power. Some of my wounds had re-opened and I could feel some the wetness of blood against the ragged remains of my coat and shirt. Closing my eyes as I tried to regain some focus, I felt something soft and light touch my chest. I could feel my body start to knit itself together bit by bit as mana surged through me.

Opening my eyes, I saw Adalia bent over me her staff raised. Careful not to break her concentration I tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Save yer strength Hime-chan...help the others, I'll be fine." She opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head as I got up on my elbows. "I'll be fine. A couple of bandages and I'll be shipshape."

"But your cuts, they could get infected an-"

"They're only scratches." I smirked slightly. "It'll take more than some oversized beastie ta take me out. The others need your magic more than I do Hime-chan."

As the little girl ran off to tend to the others, I grimaced in pain.

You should have just accepted the healing. They still need your strength.

"I'll be fine....That other girl lost a bit of her arm, Knes was hit just as badly as I was, and Ovan's unconcious. A couple cuts are nothing to worry about. 'specially since Moze gave me a second wind."

You have lost much blood. It is only through sheer force of will that you haven't succumbed yet. While admirable, you are needlessly putting a strain on your body.

"Yea well, we still need a way out of here. We fell through a hole, remember? And Knes is hardly in any condition to port us back out." I grabbed Miroku, still embedded in the ground and began pulling myself up. "I've got to make a platform for us to get up..."

You do-Wait! This...surge of power...it is awakening!

"Awakening? Wha-YOWCH!" A sudden heat burned into my chest and I opened my coat to see the pocket I kept the Phoenix egg in beginning to smoke and burn. Quickly pulling it out, I chucked it on the ground where it bounced to a stop a few feet away. It continued to tremble, glowing red-hot before exploding in a flash of light and heat.

As my vision cleared, I could see the Phoenix gently floating before me flapping its red-gold wings. It was barely half it's original size, but emanated a powerful aura. Opening its beak it released a melodic shriek. "Great...now we have to deal with this..."

Wait. I sense no taint from the firebird. I do not think it has any recollection of what occurred in its past life. It is...referring to you as...mother.

"MOTHER!?" I looked incredously at the bird as it landed gently before me. A soft warmth rolled off it in waves, and I could feel it suffuse my being with energy. I got to my feet and cautiously placed a hand on the bird's head. It cooed softly as I rubbed. "...Okay birdie...think you can help me and my friends get out of this dump?"

Letting out a melodious trill, the bird flapped its wings and became airborne. It trilled again and I felt myself become enveloped in a golden mana bubble. Looking at the others, I saw that they too had been enclosed in similarly. Floating into the air, the phoenix spread its wings and released a mighty burst of wind that sent us flying down the temple's corridors, out the hole and into the night sky. Floating like leaves in the wind, I smiled slightly as the Phoenix flew up next to my bubble. "Well that was convient..."

As we we floated down gently to the empty streets, I noticed it had taken us close to the inn. With a quiet 'pop' the bubbles burst just as we landed at its doors. Thankfully the lights were doused and there seemed to no longer be patrons at the bar area. As Adalia created new Mana bubbles to carry those who were unconcious inside, I turned to my new...pet. "Thanks, but I think we would be better off if we didn't draw more attention to ourselves..."

The bird trilled happily and in my head I heard a melody play. Touching the ocarina dagger dangling on my chest, I glanced up at it. "If I play that melody...you'll come?"

It seemed to nod, and with a cry disappeared into the night sky. As it disappeared, I felt my shoulder slump as my energy left me. It had been a hard battle, my muscles ached and I could barely stumble into the inn. Instead of climbing the stairs to our rooms, I slumped onto one of the chairs in the bar room. As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered what that strange, rhytmic thump was....

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Exhibit A - the body/zombie-chan, + hitodama Saifa/Okiku (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/starstray/zombiechan.jpg)
Exhibit B - (left) Saifa, (right) Okiku (http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l37/starstray/saifa-okiku.jpg)


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
103.5: The Dead Walk

The body lay in the dust of the path, abandoned.

Time passed.

Eventually, an umbrella came down the road. Of course it did not walk - what sort of self-respecting bamboo umbrella walked? Furthermore, it had once been a bamboo umbrella of distinction, handed down from generation to generation, and at last achieved its greatest reverence by being allowed to be the sunshade of a statue of Dowager-General Shaku. There had been paper flowers, and poetry, and incense. People had polished it, every single day. Therefore, with dignity -

- the much-battered bamboo umbrella hopped down the road. Had there been anyone on that particular road, which was not a popular one among locals as it passed a graveyard, they would have heard the clackclackclack of the large umbrella's vigorous movement, and seen the refined way in which it conducted itself, hopping most elegantly, and perhaps the more psychically-inclined would have also heard the distracted mumbling that echoed within the wooden confines of the overgrown parasol.

"OKIKU YOU DAMNABLE WORM THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE BOTH OF US IN THIS FUCKEN BAMBOO HELL."

"This humble servant agrees with the lady's most perceptive statement, Lady Saifa."

"THERE BETTER BE SOME FRESH CORPSES IN THE DAMN CEMETERY."

"This humble servant wishes to put forward the observation that the wretched memory of this humble servant recalls that the cemetery is but a few minutes away from our present location."

"ODIOUSLY POCKMARKED BEFOULMENT - AH, A CORPSE."

The umbrella, resigned to its fate, shuddered to a halt in front of the body. Two hitodama, one a horrendously bright pink and the other so nondescriptly indigo that it threatened to fade into the background, emerged from the umbrella, which fell, with a forsaken thud, to the ground. They circled the body, examining it and commenting most brashly and loudly (in the case of the pink hitodama).

"THIS APPEARS TO BE A LIKELY CANDIDATE. OF THE CORRECT GENDER, BARELY LIBERATED, ALL PERTINENT BITS INTACT. SMELLS DELIGHTFULLY OF MOTHBALLS. INTERESTING CHOICE OF NECK ORNAMENT. GOOD, VERY GOOD. EXCELLENT, I MUST SAY. I SHALL MOVE IN, DIRECTLY."

"This humble servant harbours a vain desire that the Lady Saifa remember that when we wandering souls reinhabit the body of another soul that has left for the afterlife, we must agree to fulfil whatever request the former occupant made last before departing."

"YOU FUCKEN BITCH, YOU SAYIN' THAT I AM A WOMAN OF NO HONOUR?"

"N-no, Lady Saifa, not at all! This humble servant prostrates herself and apologizes most profusely!"

"GOOD. I HEREBY CLAIM THIS BODY JOINT PROPERTY OF-"

The body's mouth moved, weakly, and croaked: "Ah. There, I think, I have you."

*

A very short while later, the formerly inanimate body could be seen performing an absurd little jig, umbrella in hand. Saifa and Okiku were floating around it, both distinctly put out. It was giggling somewhat insanely, it must be admitted.

"Yes! It worked! I did it! I diddled you all! Aheheheh!!"

Then, awkwardly, it stopped, coughed self-consciously, and pinched the bridge of its nose.


104.0: The Dead Talk

Sundown.

The body hopped down the dusty path it had been lying on not too long ago, twirling its umbrella. It was fully aware that it could have just walked down the path, like any other conceivable creature except birds that flew and fish that swam or things that levitated, but it felt something was expected of it. Well. She'd written it up as a stereotypical undead, so a stereotypical undead it was damn well going to be.

The umbrella made no objection, since it wholeheartedly agreed that hopping was the proper mode of progression for all creatures that had the capability to do so.

Saifa and Okiku had taken off as soon as they'd seen the onset of evening. They clarified that they would be back at dawn, or whenever the body decided to call them back. They had business to initiate, now that they had a body to conclude it with, said Saifa, although not in as many words.

Said path did lead to a cemetery, but it forked to the left just before the rough fence that served as the cemetery's boundary. Having a vague idea of whom it was supposed to search for and deducing correctly that such individuals would not willingly spend any amount of time in a cemetery, being neither dead nor undead, the body took the forking path.

Coming to a town, the body lurked round the windows of most of the houses there, pouting when it found that many townspeople advocated the use of heavy curtains. Eventually it snuck its way round to the inn, which appeared to be quite as bereft of liveliness as the rest of the town. (The body did not take into consideration that it was probably close to midnight, despite the presence of a bright and decidedly full moon in the dark sky.) Skipping merrily into the lobby, it deliberated whether to run wild upstairs checking each room for the people it thought it might be able to recognise, or to raid the bar. There was sure to be at least one of them in there, if this was anything like the last time - just head for the best-looking guy in the place, it wouldn't be too hard.

It hopped into the bar.

The lights were dimmer than usual, and there was no one there save a tall, heavily-built man bent over a chair, dead to the world. His rather dishevelled appearance suggested something other than common drunkenness as the cause of his inebriation. To this scant description might be added: dried and drying blood, ripped clothing, a very big sword, sheer exhaustion, and the fact that the body could see that the man's soul was not clouded over as drinker's souls were wont to be.

The body knew that what it was about to do was very, very wrong, and very, very cruel; but it told itself it would make it up to the man later, and besides, it might never get another chance to do this to anyone ever again.

It went up to the sleeping man, and poked him (in a less vulnerable spot that was not dripping blood) with the umbrella. The man stirred, slightly.

"...wuh...?"

The body leaned forward, and grinned. "BOO."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

(In defense of the sleeping man's honour, it might be noted here that screaming is quite a natural reaction if you had a face with an ethereal blue pallor, reeking of napthalene, whites of the eyes rolled up into its skull showing quite prominently, stare into yours and shout "BOO" while you were worn out from exhaustion after fighting a gigantic, sadistic nine-tailed guardian fox. Be grateful that the victim was not you.)

The body collapsed, laughing so hard that it wound up rolling about on the wooden floorboards of the bar.

The now-awake warrior clutched a hand to his chest to make sure that his heart had not indeed ceased functioning. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR."

The body replied: "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"...I would chop you in half with Miroku if I had the strength to, but sadly, I do not."

"HAHAHAHAHA - yes I'm sure you would, my dear Professor WolfhahahHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You're going to wake everyone up, and they all really need their sleep - wait, who are you and how do you know-?!"

"Overall manliness - hehehehehehHAHAHAHA I mean I'm Emo, no I'm not emo HAHAHA uh HAHAHAHAH I'm Yi-wen HAHA zombie nice to meet you heheheheheh oh god I can't stop laughing hahahahahaha!!"

"Ah, Emo-sai. Go away and laugh somewhere else, I want to sleep..."

"I'll carry you up to your room as an apology AHAHAHAHAHA I'm sorry I couldn't resist it would have worked better with Roy if he's here since he'll definitely have a girly character but hahahahahaHAHA ah, the laughing fit is dying down, heheheheh."

"I see you will be a very amusing addition to the group, at the very least."

The still giggling zombie lifted the weary warrior, large sword and all, without even needing to bend its knees. It stuck its umbrella under the other arm, and tripped happily upstairs. Due to about nine inches difference in height, the good Professor's limbs tended to knock against the floor, but it was generally a hassle-free process. Nonexistent reaction to stress placed upon the physical body happened to be one of the perks of being an undead.

"Which door (snigger)?"

"That one."

Professor Wolf was duly dumped, unceremoniously, onto his bed.

"What are you going to do now, Miss Zombie? ...Don't scare any of the others."

"(snigger) Maybe I won't."

A suspicious stare. "Well I'm going to sleep now, try to stay out of trouble?"

All he received in reply was another snigger, coming from the direction of the room's window. Washing his hands of the whole affair, the noble professor, sacrificial lamb, pulled the covers over his head and dropped off into blissful sleep.
------------------------------------

Apologies for a mostly dialogue crackpost in which I retcon my own signup... repeatedly. (everything with regards to magical ability is unchanged though) If you want a clearer picture of the exact nature of this character it's easier to ask me through PM or IM or something rather than refer to the signup ^^;; incidentally if any of you want you can post Zombie-chan going round and causing other people to lose well-earned sleep :x
hitodama - roughly equivalent to a western will o' the wisp; spiritual fireball ghost thingy

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Waiting ~*~*~*~*~

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, I danced in front of the doorway at the end of the hallway, hopping on one leg and then the other. Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, I moved to knock on the door again when it swung open. A pale looking woman with purple lips leaned forward as she stood there in the doorway. “Boo!” She screeched as I jumped a good ten feet in the air and let out an ear-piercing scream. The woman fell into a hysteric fit of laughter as my heart continued to pound in my chest.

I took a minute to try to calm my shaking as I felt a warm liquid run down the side of my leg. “That wasn’t funny.” I grumbled, pushing forward and slamming the door shut. I could still here her laughter as she walked down the hallway as I slumped down against the toilet and tried to calm my heart. Looking at the opposite wall I noticed Ryan’s reflection looking back at me instead of my own. ‘You… we are both jumpy tonight.’ He sighed.

I could only nod back and looked at the door, wondering if I should go check on Knes, ever since we left on the Phoenix, Dimitri had taken Knes to try and get him in bed before I could go and check on him. ‘You need to relax..’ Ryan warned bringing my attention back to him. I got up and shook my head as I cleaned myself up. This was not the time to be relaxing, no matter how much half of me wanted to, the other half was longing for Knes. ‘Lets try this later to calm down.’ Ryan thought, the thoughts floated into my head and instantly my cheeks warmed in embarrassment.

Washing my hands with brown liquid from down, becuase Ryan said it would dis-effect my hands. I made my way back up to Marion’s room, kneeling down at her side, her arm almost completely severed at the elbow. Taking in a couple of deep breaths to steady myself, I placed my right hand into the opening, and began to feel the mana leak from my fingertips, reattaching tendons and blood vessels. Marion almost instantly began to mutter in her sleep, moments later her eyes fluttered open, her breath coming out ragged. “Ryan… what just happened?” She said weakly as I kept my eyes focused on her arm, trying my best to reattach the severed limb. “Karam is he all right?” She asked again.

Something furry and soft ran up the inside of my robe causing me to jerk my hand away from her arm. “Marion okay, Big Monsters was killed! Karam won’t be killed by some big rocks nuh-uh” The little animal spoke, his fur rubbing against my chest, tickling my skin. Karam quickly leapt onto Marion’s stomach, settling down into a ball as I went back to trying to heal the arm only to be swept up in a wave of dizziness.

“This… is really hard.” I slumped down to my knees looking at the arm, it would take hours to completely rebuild it, and my body felt drained, completely drained of mana. My body was screaming for rest, for me to relax and replenish my mana supply. “Can I stop till tomorrow?” I looked up in her eyes, seeing Marion nod.

“I was worried I would lose the arm, but I can start to feel my fingers now at least.” She explained as I rose to my feet and walked to the chest on the other side of the room, opening it and pulling out a nightgown. Untying my robe, I let it fall to my knees, and pulled the nightgown over my head. “Umm Ryan?” Marion asked, I turned to look at her, the nightgown still above my head. I followed her eyes, she was looking at my butt, and then my crotch, and then up at my chest. My face immediately turned several shades of red as I let the nightgown slip down over me.

“I’ve never seen a girl naked.” She stammered out as I made my way over to the bed, laying down on it for only a second. “Besides Ryan… why did you choose to be a child?” She finally spoke up as I tried my best to relax on the bed.

I shot her a glare and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m not a child, I’m a pre teen, there is a difference.” I grumbled, after a few seconds, I rose and left the room, making my way down the hallway and knocking softly on the door for Knes’ room. After a moment of waiting and no answer to be found, I opened the door ever so softly and stepped in the darkened room. If I had to I would use some of my own life to supplement my mana to heal him.

Tiptoeing ever so softly I made my way over to him and kneeled down. My hand tenderly rested on top of his wounds. I began to summon what was left of my mana into my hand, and then began to summon some of my own life into it. Just as a few tendrils of mana began to leave my hand, Knes’ eyes opened, he reached out with his hand and grasped my own, calming the mana. “Don’t… don’t heal it.” He whispered.

Alright Guys, Relax, Rest, Sow up your clothes, and prepare for a long journey tomorrow.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-after closing the eyes softly and taking a deep breath / tears are shed away and I will go and meet the self I drew.
Dominant: Danielle

As the battle went on, so did my body grow slower and slower. The sword fed on my mana to keep shape, and I barely had any to feed it. Moswen soon showed up, a relief; and helped Ban get back on his feet to join the fight.Soon, however, the fight took a turn for the worse.

The Kyuubi, at least it seemed to me, got all blurry and it felt as if I was starting to see double. It was only until the blurriness died down however, that I saw that in fact, I was seeing double. One lept towards Moswen, the other(whichever was the original, I had no clue.) went towards Marion or whatever her name was. Marions arm was ripped off with glee by the Kyuubi #2, as #1 was under fire from Ban. Stella was tending to anyone who was injured, but seemed to be shaking herself; the earings adorned on her ears glowing a green.

It was at this point, that Valkyrie's form returned to normal, and I fell onto my knees. I was completely drainned, in mana and in exhaustion - I had only just awoken. I held onto Valkyrie with the tightest grip as I felt myself passing out.

"i..don't want to be..unreliable.."
'I'm sure you aren't, Danielle.'
--


It's a short post because Ovan/Danielle passes out a small time after the Ninetails splits into 2. Danielle will still be in control when he awakes, and he has a Mikoto-esque grip onto Valkyrie atm.(Valkyrie just being protective~)

Stella D'Aubigine
the petty me does nothing but repeat mistakes / how strong a strength do I need to have so that nothing will get hurt?.

As the battle dragged on, so did the tired feeling in my limbs, and the fear inside of me. My earrings, given to me by my trainner as a shackle, were glowing with a faint green light.Giving off a slight painful buzz, as if it was trying to protect itself from something forbidding, I was completely shaken, scared.

Not to mention the huge Ninetailed beast that seemed to be living below my home this entire time.

As I tended to more and more wounds with growing herbs from the ground, I looked for Adalia, the groups other healer. Although she was still, most likely, recuperating from the neck 'wound', I needed her help. I walked up to her, as she had a hand on her head - as if trying to calm down a headache.My guilt grew for asking for assistance, but I needed it..

“Adalia, I can’t keep up healing everyone alone.”I explained my plight. She nodded and I went off. What she did next was unpredictable.

She formed a huge mana bubble in her outstretched hands, it growing over her head. Everyone seemed to stop at the sight of it. It floated away at its completion, and with a thrust of Adalia's hands, the bubble smashed into the Ninetailed-beast that held Moswen. It attacked another time before Adalia faltered in keeping it up, and fell to the ground. I ran over to her quickly, taking some smelling salts from my pouch in order to keep her lively.She seemed fine afterwards, and the battle seemed to go into it's closing act.

Ban attacked first, using his sword...which I now had curiousities on, to do some sort of strange, arcanic attack on the Ninetailed monster. Pure black rocks emerged from the ground, from below and before the beast. It was the large, spiked barrier that Dimitri placed to keep it in that doomed the beast to hell.

And to my own aswell.

As the beast seemed to disappear in a wave of green sparks, my earrings started to give off a large buzz, large enough that I fell onto my knees, holding my head in the sheer pain. Even with my eyes closed shut, I could feel the magical energy in the earrings becoming unstable, and the light soon penetrated my eyelids. It was until this was no more that I opened my eyes, in no pain at all..

My shackles on the ground, broken. Little green shards sat near the golden balls they were attached to.

'As long as these earrings are on you, you will never be able to use a large amount of mana without pain and suffering.One who controls nature is subjected to its whim, they must control it or they can turn into a beast controlled by the mana itself.'

The old womans words repeated themselves in my head, as if they were like a death sentence now that the earrings were gone. What was to become of me now that I didn't have them on me? What if i used just one bit of mana that I wasn't supposed to, and I go into a frenzied state, and kill..or get killed...by my new friends?

These terrors shook me up as I didn't notice that we were now infront of the towns inn.I stood up, tried to make it seem as nothing was wrong as I picked a room for myself, paying for myself alone(and using an alias). But there was so much fear pent inside of me now..

[Bulbasaur4]

KNES


Knes had fought with every ounce of energy that he had… and perhaps in the grand scheme of things, Knes should have passed out far before when he actually did. The only thought that stormed through his mind was the pure idea that he just had to simply keep fighting. Channeling all of the reserved mana within his body… he used every single ounce of his magic with each fist he threw and each large jump he took.
His eyes barely registered that both minor foxes had gone down… as his vision blurred and he swayed so much that he finally fell over. Once his body had hit the ground, his mind gave up the battle. Darkness overcame his eyes and he let himself go off into a dreamless sleep- the sleep that Knes had become far too accustomed to.

Knes had woken up for a few moments as Dimitri placed his body on the bed. The fox man had bandaged up Knes for the most part, mumbling to himself about the locations of Adalia and where the healer was. Knes was in pretty bad shape too… his arms being completely sliced open into the muscle tissue, along with his upper torso. His shirt had been stripped from him, and Dimitri had removed his pants and bandaged up the cuts upon his legs. Knes mumbled a thank you before falling asleep once again.

Then an alarm went off in Knes’s head… nothing too grand, but it was a sickening feeling that jarred him from the darkness. That some thing was not right and that some thing was going to go horribly wrong. Knes’s green eye fluttered open as he saw Adalia spread her palm over, prepared to heal his chest. Swiftly Knes went to grab her arm, but winced in extreme pain to find that he lacked any control of his arms what-so-ever. So instead, he swiftly spoke.
“Don’t… don’t heal it. Don’t heal me.”
Adalia seemed to jump, but her gaze settled on Knes.
“But why? You’re horribly injured… the bandages on your body are already seeping some blood!” Her voice was filled with fear, but Knes offered a painful smile.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. As soon as my mana recovers… I’ll be able to channel it to the muscle tissue in my body to repair them.”
“I can help!” She persisted, but Knes shook his head.
“Please… I am honored by your offer, but there are reasons I don’t want to be healed.”
Adalia bit her lip, and he could tell she wanted to ask why again but she surpressed it. Instead, placed a cool hand on his forehead.
“Alright… do you want company?”
Knes withdrew a breath and nodded, “Sure.”

With that, Adalia crawled into bed and sat up with her back against the headboard. She didn’t dare hug Knes or get too close… in fear of hurting his already incredibly sensitive state.
“So… how do you feel?” Adalia asked quietly, playing with his hair. Knes would have shrugged, if he could have.
“Alright… just a weird sensation to not be able to move my arms.”
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“No…” Knes lied, smiling convincingly. “I am a bit cold though, could you bring me a blanket?”
Adalia eagerly slid off the bed and got out another thick blanket and gently laid it over the one already over Knes. As she did so, she examined Knes’s chest… seeing that despite the fresh cuts, there was a large half-circular scar deep upon the middle lower portion of his chest.
“Where is that from…?” She asked quietly, pulling the cover up. Knes felt a lump in his throat, but he suppressed it quickly.
“A battle with a fearl… not too eventful. But hey… is it alright if I doze off? I’m feeling sort of sleepy. You can stay here if you’d like, I don’t mind.” Knes trailed off, a warm smile on his face as his eyes began to close- Knes couldn’t stop his heavy eyelids from falling now.
“Good night Adalia…”




MOSWEN

Noticing the defeat of the Ninetails, Moswen had limped over to the remains. Despite having an overload of armor, its properties allowed it so that she did not feel its weight- unlike everything else. Swiftly she had gathered up the mananite that had appeared in the area, and it wasn’t until she had picked up the last piece that she noticed something odd.
One, the mananite wasn’t fluffy.
Two, Moswen had been touched by something fluffy.
Looking down at where she had reached for the last mananite piece, Moswen saw two large bright blue liquid eyes staring up at her. Staring her straight in the face, was perhaps the most adorable creature to have ever graced the planet. It was about the size of a young puppy, with huge floppy fox-like ears and one big bushy tail of silky fluff. The puppy was just one big ball of white fluff… and it was silk to the touch. The tips of its ears were black and the tail was tipped with a tuff of black too. The puppy stared at Moswen for a bit, until the puppy seemed to identify that Moswen had a tail, ears and was female.
Surely she MUST be mommy!
Much to Moswen’s surprise, as she stood straight up and began to walk away… the little runt of a Ninetails followed her. Turning a wary eye at the little creature, she gave a sigh and realized that there really was no point in leaving the thing behind. Who knows… the spawn of the Wind Demon could be helpful in the future.
“Alright you little… little…” Moswen struggled for words as she bent over and allowed the little thing to rush into her arms. “… little… thing… let’s go.”
Moswen figured a time for naming would occur later.

Then Ban did an impressive feat of unleashing a Phoenix, who in turn brought everyone to the tavern and then… disappeared. Soon everyone had gone into the tavern, except for Moswen who decided to relax outside for a bit. She rested her back against the wall of the outside tavern, folding her arms across her chest as the runt Ninetails curled up by her feet.
“Hmm… a name for you…” Moswen pondered, feeling a soft inner stirring for the adorable silk puff ball. After much contemplation, finally Moswen gave up on coming up with any unique or impressive name. Some times blunt words just suited simple creatures.
“Kun…” She said, but the little thing didn’t seem to react at all. Moswen then headed back inside, the little creature instantly noticing and scampering to follow Moswen’s heels. Mommy was mommy, and wherever mommy went Kun was to follow.

Heading upstairs to the tavern, Moswen ran into a Dimitri. His eyes looked a tad bit worn, as he tipped his hat upon seeing Moswen. Holding up her hand, Moswen withdrew a light breath.
“How are the troops?” She asked sarcastically, as Dimitri shrugged.
“Everyone is pretty much out… although, Marion and Knes are going to have some rough times healing.” Moswen gave a nod, as Dimitri flared his nose and his gaze settled upon the small kitsune that seemed to hug Moswen’s foot. Dimitri raised an invisible brow at Moswen, a smirk forming upon his fox-like lips.
“Is this one going to gnaw your leg off too?”
Moswen rolled her eyes, looking downwards as the little kitsune leaned forward a bit and seemed to sniff the air-sensing that both Dimitri, Moswen and itself seemed to be smell the same in a way.
“No… but if it starts teething, I’ll make sure to borrow your hat.” Moswen said with a grin.
“Well I hope he chokes on it then.” Dimitri retorted, to which Moswen held up a finger.
“I’ll make sure to cut it up into little tiny pieces for him, so don’t worry yourself.”
“As long as you make sure to remove it from my head first.”
“Depends on my mood.”
Moswen then gave Dimitri a wink and walked past him, the little kitsune bopping along beside her. Walking down the hallway, Moswen knocked on the door and heard a weak ‘come in’. Entering Marion’s room, Moswen gently shut the door behind her as the kitsune trailed in after.

“Greetings… you are Marion I assume, correct?” Moswen asked politely, walking towards the injured woman. She nodded, and Moswen came to her side.
“My name is Moswen… I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier. However… I was wondering if that arm of your needed some healing.”
Marion softly replied, “Well… Adalia began healing it, but had to rest up… she was going to do it again tomorrow.”
Moswen nodded. She had already figured that Adalia would tend to Knes more than anyone else… but she was glad that Marion got some immediate attention.
“Well… I’m not normally a… healer…” Moswen began, withdrawing a yawn. “But I can speed up your body’s own healing process. This will make things a little bit easier for you and Adalia.”
Marion nodded, and soon Moswen went into action. The popping sound of metal had been heard earlier… and Moswen had been down to only one unnatural armor piece- the other two disappearing when she had been outside. Now the headband armor piece remained unnaturally, and Moswen withdrew a sigh. She knew that the other two pieces were only going to just reappear again… but it was worth it, to help a comrade.

Closing her eyes, Moswen went into her layer vision state quickly… and soon had outreached her hand to Marion, plunging it deep into her torso and into her layers. Finding the physical layer, she began pouring her own yang energy into it… increasing the balance and aiding the body to quicken its healing process. Withdrawing her hand, Moswen ended her vision and the process roughly only took about five minutes. She was getting faster.
“SHRRRING!” Two more unnatural armor pieces appeared again, and once again Moswen’s torso and left hand were covered in armor, already adding to her natural always-there armor and the unnatural piece around her head.

Marion’s eyes widened… but of course, she probably had already looked at Moswen oddly. She definitely… well, perhaps besides Dimitri, looked like one of the oddest.
“I gave you some of my yang energy…” Moswen explained, well, half-explained. “When I do that… my body becomes unbalanced and I have too much Yin. The armor is there to keep that power in check.”
Moswen rose to her feet, patting Marion gently on the shoulder.
“Get rest. If you need something… just yell or…” Moswen looked at the creature near Marion, who was sniffing the little Kitsune. “Have your little companion find me or someone.”

With that, Moswen exited. She then ran into some one with a bluish palor… who was giggling madly to herself. Blinking, she seemed to catch a gaze at Moswen.
“Heeheeheee… you’re Kalah-chan!” She proclaimed, as Moswen nodded but something seemed to catch the strange woman’s eye. She then charged after it downstairs, still cackling madly as if something hilarious were about to occur. This was followed by a “BOO!” and then a womanly scream. Moswen withdrew a sigh, a strange inkling of a though of Yi-wen entering her mind.
Shaking that from thought, Moswen opened another door to see an unconscious Ban. Well… sleeping, anyways. Upon inspection, it seemed that he had cleaned himself up a bit… and Moswen decided that was good enough. Giving a sigh and a yawn, Moswen found an empty room. It was smaller than the others… most likely because it wasn’t used that often. There wasn’t a bed… but rather a few large pillow thrown on the floor- perhaps to form a make-shift bed.
“Looks fine to me…” Moswen thought lamely. She soon discarded the ragged prison clothes that covered her un-armored right side. She then checked her armor, seeing that it truly was undamaged and unphased. She then collapsed on the pillowed floor rather easily as she closed her eyes. She soon felt a soft tongue against her un-armored right leg, to which Moswen opened one yang-colored eye to see Kun licking the wounds upon it.
“Oh leave it… silly cotton puff.” Moswen said, reaching down and gently grabbing the little pup and bringing it to her abdomen. With a swish of her large tail, Moswen covered her lower half and closed her eyes. Kun merely curled up against her toned stomach, falling asleep just like Mommy.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Encounter(s)

I remember feeling myself floating, lying on top of something warm and soft… and I was then lying down on something else that felt like a bed. I felt something happening to my arm… I felt a slight tingle of pain on my fingers – which means that my arm is probably being healed – and it was all good.

I recalled the event of the ninetails fight, and I could remember muttering something about it. I then felt another tingle of pain on my fingers, and I quickly opened my eyes, my breath coming out in a laboured manner.

Adalia… her hands is placed on my severed arm – and it was now in better shape than it was when the ninetails sank his teeth into it – no doubt she was healing it. “Ryan…” It caught me by surprise, as I rarely refer Roy by his real name. “What just happened?” No answer. I looked around, and asked, “Karam… is he all right?” There was some ruffling sound, and Adalia took her hands away from my arm as Karam popped his head out from her robe.

“Marion okay, Big Monsters was killed! Karam won’t be killed by some big rocks, nuh-uh,” he said excitedly, and I smiled, remembering how he had knocked his head on a rock. It seems serious back then, but looking at it now, it was… quite funny, actually. He leapt from Adalia towards my stomach, where he curled up into a ball. Adalia went back to work on my arm, but she seems to be in some kind of a dazed state.

She slumped into her knees, and I have a feeling it has something to do with the healing. It must be draining her energy away, I thought, remembering my experience when fighting against the ninetails.

“Can I stop till tomorrow?” she asked, and I was quick to give her a nod, and I told her that I could at least feel my fingers now, so it was all right. Without further waiting, she got herself into one corner of the room and began undressing, forgetting that I was still in this room.

“Umm… Ryan?” I – still finding it hard to adjust calling by his… her name – said as she was pulling a nightgown over her head. She turned around, and… well, since she was practically bearing her body exposed, my eyes – almost on instinct – scanned her body, going from down to up… it was only when she hastily slipped the nightgown on that I realised what I was doing. I felt my cheek reddening slightly – embarrassed.

“I’ve never seen a girl naked before…” I said, stammering as she lied down on the bed. And a spur of the moment question came (I remember the damned sign-up that brought us here): “Besides, Ryan… why did you choose to be a child?”

She glared at me, arms crossed. “I’m not a child, I’m a pre-teen. There is a difference,” she grumbled, and I came to an assumption that she doesn’t like people calling her a kid. She then left the room – in a haste, I might add.


It was only a few minutes later that there was a knock on the door. I said “come in”, and the door opened to reveal that it was the strange half-woman half-fox that I had caught a glimpse of during the ninetails fight – except that she seems to be missing most of her metal armour. A white puppy was following her, and it barely managed to avoid being crushed by the door that was gently being shut by her.

“Greetings… you are Marion I assume, correct?” she asked in a polite manner, and I noticed on closer look, she looked quite – what was the word again… ah, yes – exotic; her half-dark and half-bright coloured hair flowing behind her, her dark lefteyes and bright-blue right eyes, and her long, bushy tail. I guessed I could have added that I was Faiz, or darktyranitar back then at TPM… but instead, I only nodded. She then came to my side. “My name is Moswen,” she introduced herself. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier. However…” She glanced at my partly healed arm. “I was wondering if that arm of yours needs some healing.”

“Well… Adalia began healing it, but had to rest up… she was going to do it again tomorrow,” I said softly. Inside, I scolded myself slightly for not asking her who she is back then in the other world, and told myself I’d ask her later.

Moswen nodded, and said, “Well… I’m not normally a… healer… but I can speed up your body’s healing process. This will make things a little easier for you and Adalia.” I nodded, and this cause her to close her eyes. She opened her eyes to reveal that her left one had suddenly became totally black while her right one became completely white. She then held her hand out into my damaged arm, and – instead of touching it – it went through it, glowing with a white glow. I made no attempt to ask her of her doing; it felt so… surreal.

She finished after a few minutes, and her eyes reverted to their normal colour, but this was followed with a sudden sound of metal screeching that it caused me to look at her in surprise. Suddenly, the metal armour appeared to came out of nowhere, and her left side were covered in metal armour once again.

“I gave you some of my yang energy,” she tried to explain, obviously noticing my widening eyes. “When I do that… my body becomes unbalanced and I have too many yin. The armour is there to keep that power in check,” she continued, and it only help in making me even more confused of what she just did with my arm.

Moswen rose up, patting my shoulder gently. For some reason, I felt something warm inside of me as she touched my shoulder. And did I just felt my cheek reddening slightly?

“Get rest,” she said. “If you need something… just yell or…” She looked at Karam, who was now curiously sniffing the puppy. “Have your little companion find me or someone.” And with that, she exited, the puppy closely following her.

I sighed as I tried to sleep… my arms might not be fully healed from whatever yin-yang thing that Moswen just did to me, but it does felt less painful. As I closed my eyes, I found myself saying “Moswen…” in a rather dreamy tone.

“BOO!” a pale face popped up in front of me without warning.

“Waaah!” I shouted, throwing something at the person, only to find out that it was actually Karam.

“Ohhh dt... ‘tis very bad of you to throw weasel at someone else face!" she shook her finger.

“Karam is a ferret, not a weasel!” Karam whined, sinking his teeth into the girl's finger.

I wonder who this person is? Weasel? Hyperness? Or Chiko-sai?

So I asked her.

And she said she was the third out of the three; she is Yi-Wen.

I sighed.

[classy_cat18]

I do not nag! I Suggest!

You do too nag. Don't deny it.

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world," I muttered as hobbled up to my room. My barriers had managed to grow in strength but Kite reminded me when the fight was over that I needed to learn new barrier skills.

We shall start at daybreak.

'Yeesh, give a guy a day to recover, why don't ya?' My drooped ears perked up as I saw one of the new additions lean against the wall. Stella, I think. She seemed to be in deep thought so she didn't notice me until I stopped in front of her.

"Uh, hi," she said softly. "You're...Kite, right?"

"That'd be me. I'm surprised you haven't gone to bed already. Haunting thoughts keeping you up?" I managed a small smirk but it didn't seem to help as the girl (who was actually older than me) started to quiver. One of my ears drooped when she gave out a small whimper. "Something wrong?"

"My earrings..." she whispered.

"Oh," was all I said. It wasn't that I didn't sympathize; I had a few precious pieces of jewelry disappear or fall apart during my life. It was more confusion than apathy. She sounded like the earrings were more important than I thought.

I scratched my head as she fidgeted nervously. Not knowing a better way to show my concern, I took her hand. "Worrying about them now won't help. Try to get some sleep," I told her.

She grasped my hand and led me to one of the rooms. "My earrings are...were very important. I wasn't able to use a lot of my mana at once without feeling pain but they stopped it from overtaking my being. Without my earrings...I might become something else."

My hand squeezed hers without my noticing. "Has it happened before?"

"No, but I've never used my powers without the earrings before."

"Then how do you know it will happen?" I asked her a little harshly. "You have to learn to beat the odds. I'm sorry if I sound cruel but I believe in a world like this, anything is possible." I let go of her hand and put a finger on her nose. "You'll get through this okay."

I started what I thought was a stylish exit but that was ruined by the sudden appearance of another new addition. "WHEEEE!" she squealed in my face.

I made a sound that sounded like a mix between a cat whose tail got stepped on and a man that just got scared by Freddy Krueger. "DON'T DO THAT!" I yelled at her.

"Someone told me that kitty boy is Classy Cat!" she said in glee. But she didn't wait for a response as she took off down the hall like a schoolgirl at the start of summer vacation.

I was left in shock. "It truly is a mad world."

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Excuses for the brevity and plot-advancing-lessness of this post: Character exposition, attempt to provide proof that Zombie-chan is not actually completely insane, drabble nodes overreacting. Incidentally Saifa and Okiku aren't doing their whole plate-smashing-haunting routine in the hotel/inn/wherever we are; also, the zombie won't scare people from now on - it's content with mere snarking interspersed with occasional uncontrollable laughter.


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
111:
"Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human."

At midnight, in a kitchen not so far away, Okiku takes nine plates from the dresser, and floats to the courtyard. It is a large courtyard, for it is a large mansion.

There is a well in the corner. It is deep. Okiku has been in there, and she knows.

She paces herself out so that it will only take her nine steps to reach the well - nine steps for nine plates. The shattering wakes everyone up, grates on everyone's nerves.

At the tenth step, or where the tenth step is supposed to be, Okiku turns, looks at the master of the mansion rushed out in his nightgown. Then she disappears where she stands over the yawning chasm of the well.

The man provides the ghostly wailing in her stead.

Saifa watches, hidden in the shadows of the eaves of the mansion, and she thinks that in a way this is retribution, and so she ignores the man who is now shrieking, his mouth wide open in a dreadly redly O, his mind shriveling up at the edges into something entirely other.


*

What goes on in the mind of a zombie?

Idle speculations about the weather - if it rains there will be trouble, it will be all muddy and yuk and the body will not be riding, because zombies do not ride. Bits and pieces of not-meaning-to-scare-so-many-people-I-won't-do-it-again, and in any case it wouldn't work the next time since they all know what it - what she - is. It must remember to refer to itself in its mind as she now, because the body has a gender.

She never wants her laughing fits to be quite so long and spectacular but they inevitably turn out that way, and she always has a reason for laughing. She thinks they are very good reasons.

Sitting on the roof of the inn she swings her legs and watches the sky. She sees it change colour from pitch to dark blue and then with yellow streaks to rosy pink-and-orange, and feels the jolt when Saifa returns, when Okiku circles slowly about her and stops, hovering above her right shoulder.

Taking in the dawn through Saifa's eyes, she wonders if she should be present for breakfast.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Waiting ~*~*~*~*~

The morning light filtered into the windows, brightening the room as I slowly opened my eyes, smacking my mouth a few times, and turned away from the light. I turned… I slid… I fell… I hit the floor. With an umph and a painful hit in the head I slowly woke up. What was I doing sleeping against the wall? I turned and spotted the bed, Knes sleeping on it peacefully. I rubbed my head, wincing as I rose, letting the blanket fall to the floor. I had let Knes have the bed because I didn’t want to hurt him during the night, that and Ovan had said something about how when he slept with Dana, they had a baby. I didn’t want to get pregnaunt so I didn’t sleep in Knes’ bed.

With a mischievous grin on my face, I tip toed over to the bed, peering over and looking at Knes’ peaceful face. His wings twitched which drew my attention. Moving a finger slowly, I ran it across his wings, feeling the softness of them. “Hey… that tickles.” Knes yawned. He turned slowly, wincing and looked up at me with his beautiful eyes. “I can’t even fly with them.” He signed.

“I bet you will one day.” I plopped down next to him on the bed, shaking it slightly. “Also you snore in your sleep.” I stuck my tongue out playfully and winked. I took in one last deep breath and then looked at his arms. “I want to help, please..” I begged him. Only Marion was really letting me help, everyone else just seemed like they didn’t want the help.

Knes laid his hand on my leg. “You can help me by being cheerful and just being you.”

An idea brightened in my head as I bolted up, “Hold on, I got just the idea!” I explained, bolting out the door and running downstairs to the tavern. Almost the entire group was centered around one table as I ran past them, none of them looking up as I made my way into the kitchen. One thing I could do would be to make breakfast for him. Luckily the chief wasn’t even there so I started a fire in the stove and glanced around for a skillet.

Finding one against the opposite wall, along with some purple colored eggs, I placed the skillet on the stove and cracked a egg, letting the yoke drop out. “Yuck” I groaned tossing the egg shell on the ground, not even minding the piece of shell that had came out with the yoke. Now curiosity was beginning to creep in, what was everyone up to? I left the kitchen and walked back into the tavern. “What’s happening?” I tugged on Marion’s shirt.

“Roy..” She greeted me with a smile, I was wondering how she had done during her first night, yet her wound looked fine. “Hey get this, Stella was looking through her backpack and found a few letters from her brother, one says he found mana in a mountain just north east from here, we even have a map.”

My eyes brightened even more, did this mean we were going somewhere new now? “Hey what is that smell?” Marion sniffed the air; I glanced to the kitchen, seeing a plume of dark smoke rising from it. The Eggs! Dashing back in, I found them burning on the stove, a thick amount of black smoke rising from them.

“Please be okay, Please be okay.” I moaned, taking them off the stove, swatting away the dark smoke. Okay so the eggs were slightly burned, a little blackened, yet they still should be good! I dumped them on the plate, and grabbed what looked like a glass of pink juice and carried them upstairs. “I figured I would make you breakfast!” I announced as Knes sat up in bed, smiling weakly.

I could hear Knes gulp as I sat the plate down in front of him. He glanced down at it, and then back up at my smiling and hopeful face. “I can’t move my arms…” He mumbled sadly. I frowned only for a second, and then picked up the fork, scooping up some of the blackened eggs and moving it close to Knes’ mouth. He opened and gulped it down, eating more than half the plate of eggs in only a minute or two. “It..was really good.” He smiled as I moved the plate away.

We both sat there for a second, not knowing what to say. “Until you get better, I promise to protect you.” I blurted out, much to Knes shock. His shock slowly faded into a smile as he tried to rise up only to fall back down. “How about you help me stand up first?” He whimpered, not wanting to injure his hands, I formed a mana bubble around him, righting him correctly.

I quickly explained to him about how Stella got the letter from her brother and how we are heading to the mountains next as I rechecked Knes wounds. “The boy can fly with me till his arms heal.” The Zombie girl popped in, answering the questions that both of us were thinking. “Little Roy-chan, you need to get Marion, everyone is ready to leave.” She added, taking Knes by the shoulders and leading him down the stairs.

I stood there, looking at her awkwardly for a few moments before turning and walking back to Marion’s room, poking my head in. “Ma..” I quickly quieted myself. Marion was looking at herself in the mirror, playing with her hair for a second, and then puffing her lips out. “You look great.” I smiled, walking up to her with my hands behind my back.

Her eyes remained transfixed on the mirror for a few seconds before turning to me. “We kind of need to go.” I shrugged as we turned toward the door, Marion still remaining silent. “So were you checking yourself out just for your new body, or do you have a crush?” I piped up as we walked downstairs, much to Marion’s blushing.

We eventually made our way back to where we left the Caligrey, the group grazing on the morning dew and grass as we approached. “Since we know it is pretty much a straight shot from here, how about a race?” Ban asked as we mounted our Caligrey. We each looked at each other for a second. “C’mon it would be fun.” He added as I pulled up next to him.

Some of the group decided not to race, Zombie girl ended up carrying Ovan and Knes, but for the rest of us… the race was on!

Sorry if the pacing of the post is fast, I had to get a lot in. Anyway the race is on, those that want to race post in the Talkback and I will send you what happens to your character in round 1!

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
looking at the sky in which the tomorrow will come, I don't know what to do with my heart that is only lost / birds by my side flew away- I wonder if they found light somewhere.

"You'll get through this okay."Kite ended on a high note, having his finger oddly in my nose. Taking it out, he left as I went back into my room, and shut the door firmly behind me.

'Maybe he's right..'I thought to myself as I undressed, folding my clothes in preparation for tomorrows journey. I layed down, trying to rest, only to find my heart pounding full of anxiety.

'I need to stop thinking about it.'I resolved myself to those words.'Maybe he..Kite is right. I haven't used the full extent of my mana without earrings on, so I don't know for sure. Maybe things will be fine, and I'll be able to protect my new friends..instead of hurt them.'

"..maybe.."I whispered to myself, my eyes closign themselves as I fell asleep peacefully..

-------

The bright, yet beautiful sky of the rising sun is what awoke me the next day from my slumber. My hair in my face, I slowly opened my eyes, smiling slightly to the greeting the sky gave me. I streched, and got off my bed. It was silent, everyone was most likely still sleeping. I placed a robe on, and headed downstairs for the washtub. Having it to myself in the morning was a relaxing thing..

After a nice wash, I placed the robe back on and went back into my room. I got changed, placing my flower in my hair firmly for a finish as it dried, brushed. It was only when I looked into the mirror when feelings of anxiety from the night prior returned. I got into a state of panic, but then quickly remembered my conversation..

'Heh..maybe my trainer just brainwashed me to think that.'I thought to myself, placing my shoes on. It was now past daybreak, and a few people were awake. I nodded to myself, trying to make myself believe in that and what Kite said last night.

But there was still some fear left..

I picked up my backpack and opened it. I had plenty of herbs, bandages and my bowl for crushing the herbs. I moved everything aside, and found something I must've left in my backpack. Letters from my brother, Noel.

'Dear sister,

I've recently come across this fabulous town near a mountain, northeast of Talidan. It has great food, weaponry..But that is not why I have written to you, Stella. I've come across a strange feeling around this town as of late, a feeling which most of the villagers haven't shared. It must from atop the mountain if only I can feel it, but it must be a strong source of mana if I can feel it from it's base. I'm thinking about exploring it, Stell. To come across something like this isn't random, it must be fate, right?

Until next time, Stella
Noel D'Aubigine

P.S.: A map is in closed with some minor markings of the best places here in Kulun. You should visit here, Stella. Maybe we will meet~!'

"..Strong..presence of mana.."I said to myself. I smiled widely, would it be another one of those crystals my friends were after? It must be..the one last night also had such a feeling, although I never detected it in my life..I took the letter and map, and closed my backpack firmly. The letter was from last week a swell, maybe I will meet him! And since he describes what must be a crystal in this letter, my friends will find it to great use..

'Thank you, Noel!' I smiled as I went out of my room, and to the dining room, where some of the group was already eating breakfast.


Leaving it there, I'm going to fast forward to her @ her Caligrey next time. She'll be attempting to race. And failing.

First timer on a Caligrey! Make wayy!

Ovan
-if perchance I could have become a comet / i would go flying through the sky, surely / i would definitely reach you, with this single moment of light / lighting up your present and passing through the sky.
Dominant: Danielle

I woke up in the morning, in a shock. Jumping up from bed, and almost falling onto the floor, I was completely unaware of my surroundings until I noticed it was the inn I was in prior to the battle of the Kyuubi.

Was it over? It should be..I mean, otherwise I'd be dead, and not waking up, right? I sighed in relief, and positioned myself upright in bed. I didn't notice until I went to look at my left hand that I was grasping Valkyrie with a modest grip, as if my hand possessed.

'Sorry, I wanted to make sure you'd be safe. Plus I didn't want to burn your teammates.'Valkyrie told me, and gave me control of my left hand back. I placed her back into the hilt, securely, and this was when I found Dana next to me, in bed.

"So..how did you sleep?"She smiled, tired. I froze up, not being able to muster up a reply. It was at this time where I wished I kicked the mental-Ovan in the nads.
"eh..fine!"I said, and faked a small smile back at her. It was at this time where Danarica went up to kiss me, and me; neither wanting in on it or noticing, moved out of bed. I looked at her, as she seemd a little speechless, but seemed to forget it quickly.

'You know, doing things I don't do will make people suspect!'Ovan chimed in, and I was quick to ignore. Although he was right..

"I'm going to go downstairs and get some breakfast."I told her, and left the room in a rush. My anxiety played huge into it, I didn't like sleeping with someone..that was my original gender..at all. I went downstairs, and to where breakfast was being held, to only find fruit left. I sighed and took an apple, cleaning it off and eating it quickly. With that and a quick wash of my face, I was good to go. I walked back up the stairs slowly, only to see if anyone else was still asleep. I stopped, seeing the new girl of the group who toted around a ferret - and Ryan(or Adalia.)

“Hey get this, Stella was looking through her backpack and found a few letters from her brother, one says he found mana in a mountain just north east from here, we even have a map.”

'Good!'I thought to myself, and decided to wait outside for everyone instead of going back upstairs. Heading out into the crisp air, I took in a deep breath and stretched. My body was aching from using up mana, and I had some bruises and minor cuts from the battle.

'I should try to act more like Ovan..'I thought to myself.'But I don't think I can get myself to kiss a girl..'
'Then let me out and no one will suspect!'Ovan gave a desperate plea. I shook my head.
'No way. You're still being punished.'

It was a short time after that everyone started to gather up. We walked back to where they left the Caligrey-things, who seemed to be happily munching on some grass.

“Since we know it is pretty much a straight shot from here, how about a race?”Ban asked as we mounted. I stopped and got off my Caligrey.Everyone seemed to want to, but for me..it was a competitive sport; another thing to get anxious in. Even with Ovan singing '~Chicken~' in the background, I refused, giving Stella my Caligrey to race instead.

As I gave her my..Ovan's Caligrey, another new addition, as it seemed, was offering to take anyone not willing to race. I sighed, and walked up to her..

"Just..don't go fast."



Sorry for Ovans blah post. I guess all the good got into Stella's.>.>;

Anyway, er...since Ovan and Saifa/Zombie/Okiku-Yi haven't been introduced, I figured Chiko-sai would be best to write that prior to Ovan getting on her.;x

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Ready for falling

I woke up and saw that the sun was already up. Karam was lying down comfortably on my head, curled up in a ball, and snoring. I raised my arm and shrugged him off.

And I then noticed that I was using my right arm… which meant that whatever yin/yang stuff that Moswen did to my arm must have been working well. I looked at it, satisfied to see that the gaping wound was gone, leaving only a crust of dried blood and a long superficial scar on the spot. Still feeling sleepy, I scooped Karam in my arm, going to the bathroom down the hallway.

I washed my face lazily before I begin to clean the dried blood on my arm. The blood was easily washed off, but it does sting a little as the water touched the scar – which I’m guessing could reopen should I get myself injured at my arm again. Finished with my arms, I wiped the blood stuck on the sleeve of my dress. I then sprinkled a bit of water on my armpit (as I’m still not ready to take a bath in this body), and, after some thoughts, sprinkled some on Karam’s face, waking the ferret up.

I went to the table where everyone was having breakfast. I stole a glance around and noticed that Moswen was eating something that looked like a stew, occasionally feeding it to the little puppy that stood beside her. I sat at one side of the table and had my fill of some bread, occasionally glancing at Moswen. Karam then said something, and I passed him a bowl of soup to keep him occupied as I continue to look at Moswen. My, she look so beautiful…

“Good news, everyone!” Stella – if I remember it correctly – came to the table, spreading what looked like a map. Everyone stopped eating to see what the deal with the map was. I didn’t manage to scan the map thoroughly before Stella had rolled the map out, but I managed to glean some information that her brother had send her some letter saying that he found mana on a mountain north east from here, and that the map will lead us to the mountain.

I felt a tugging at my dress. “What’s happening?” Adalia asked.

I smiled at her. “Roy…” I began, and I paused, wondering why I constantly switch from calling him… her Roy and Ryan when I could just call her Adalia. Then I said, “Hey get this, Stella was looking through her backpack and found a few letters from her brother, one says he found mana in a mountain just north east from here, we even have a map.”

I sniffed the air, smelling something burning. “Hey, what is that smell?” Adalia glanced at the kitchen, gasped, and dashed towards the kitchen. I shrugged and got back to eating, but not without some glancing at Moswen.


I had gone back up to my room to look at myself in the mirror. I haven’t had the chance to look at myself since my arrival here, and I was quite shocked yet amazed to see what I looked like.

Just like in… oh, what was it again? Am I losing of what was in the other world? Ah yes, the sign up.

I ran my fingers my pointed fingers, before running my hands through my hair, ruffling with it a bit. I then puffed my lips, noticing how it was quite smooth and soft.

“You look great,” Roy- Adalia said from the doorway, walking up towards me with her hands behind. I glanced at myself one last time before I turned, in which Adalia said, “we kind of need to go.” I said nothing as I followed her.

“So, were you checking yourself out just for your new body, or do you have a crush?” she suddenly said. I felt myself blushing as I began to think of her.


We passed the bathroom when Adalia suddenly said, “do you need to go before we leave?”

I looked at her, taking some time to know what she was talking about. “No, I think I can manage,” I said quickly; I haven’t looked at my lower part, and is not planning to do it right now.

She grinned. “You’re scared…”

I ignored her taunt. “Well, didn’t you said it yourself that we have to leave now?”

“Better in here than in the bushes,” she replied.

On second thought… maybe it’d be best if I take a quick leak here. “Well…”

She placed her hands on my shoulders. “Well, it’s not like your body doesn’t belong to you… and eventually, you have to do it.”

“Err… right… So, how does…” I whispered to her. “…a girl… pee?”

“Well…” she seems to be finding for the right words for explanation. “You remember what it looks like? Umm… mine, I mean?”

I had a good idea of what she was referring to. “Err… yes…”

“It comes out there, so just sit down, relax and let it come. And then wash your hand, and wipe down there,” she explained, using her hand to show some example.

“Okay…” I said, and I closed the bathroom door behind me. Making my way, I lifted my skirt up and sat down. “Relax Marion… relax…” I told myself.

I try not to look down at my lower part as I took a long leak, and didn’t even look down as I washed my crotch. I only focus on how good it feels after taking the leak. When I finally got out of the bathroom, Adalia came with the expected question of “Was it that bad?”


We then mounted some deer-looking animal that Adalia had explained to me was a Caligrey. I was quite worried that mine would kick me off or anything, but this one seems like a good one. I had never ridden anything before, and was therefore quite shocked when the group decided to have a little bit of race. I looked around, noticing the zombie-or-something-Yi and some other member not entering the race.

“Go!” someone from the abstaining group shouted, and the others sped off, quickly leaving me behind. I didn’t even have the time to get the Caligrey moving as it then sped off on its own, apparently wanting to catch up with the rest of the group.

“Whooaaa!” Karam and I both shouted as we went down the path, the trees blurring past us. I managed to catch glimpse on some of the member of the group, but they were faster, and pretty soon, they were once again out of my sight.

And then, something rustled from behind the bushes, and that something then leapt out towards us, managing to rip at my sleeve and ripping the Caligrey’s hide, sending us crashing towards a nearby tree. The creature was a bit shocked from the impact, but still appears to be conscious.

“What did just attack us?” I thought to myself, my hands clutching my piece of wood as I scanned the area. Karam’s furs stood on their hand, ready to fight whatever it was that just attacked us.


Tag to Stella!

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
115: Johnny-cake


Behind the inn, the body puts these things out in a neat line - a jug of wine, a bowl of syrupy shaved ice, and a stalk of wild chrysanthemums. She digs three little holes in the loose soil, sticks three lengths of lighted incense in the holes.

Gradually, as the incense burns to ash, the offerings dissipate in a cloud of scented smoke.

Saifa hiccups; the body licks its dead lips; Okiku trims her hair with a ragged yellow bloom.



*


"Just... don't go fast."

Saifa looked up at the young man currently towering over her. He was quite a good-looking man, with robust features and a face clearly designed to thrill the hearts of human females in any world and timeframe. There was a sword, a large one with a jeweled pommel. She could sense some kind of spirit dwelling within it, but if it wasn't going to talk to her, she wasn't about to go picking up extra trouble for herself.

Besides, it didn't look as if it could be easily smashed.

"I WILL GO AT EXACTLY WHATEVER SPEED I LIKE, YOU FUCKEN PILLOCK-"

Saifa was quickly cut off by the body, who resumed control of itself in the most affable manner possible. "Ahahaha. So sorry, the lady Saifa is not used to speaking civilly with... pretty much anybody, for that matter. So, Ovan, I believe your name is; don't know who's made you, but I'm Yi-wen. You may address me as exactly whatever tickles your fancy - that includes insults. Nice to meet you."

They shook hands, the tall man doing so somewhat gingerly. The body grinned.

"So you got yourself a lady friend there, Ovan? The pretty one with red hair what kissed you just five minutes ago? I am seeing two souls in that body."

Ovan fidgeted, probably unwillingly. "Um... well, yes, Danarica's pregnant..."

"Excellent form! I see you are not lacking in any department whatsoever, least of all in swordplay! But I am getting ahead of myself here!" The body, happily ignoring Ovan's efforts to stop blushing and strangle her to a second death at the same time, waved Knes over, patting the boy fondly on the head. "So you're the one whose arms are hurting? Let's see if you'll fit properly in the crook of Ovan's thickly muscled elbowparts here, we'll all be a fine and lovely totem pole! Now I have to copy out the map since I think we'll be going much quicker than those on Caligrey, I do so hope none of you have a history of motion sickness-"

Ovan turned rather green at the prospect of going faster than a Caligrey at full gallop. The body's frank reassurances that it was much more fun to run ahead of the others and be judges and smite the undeserving with instructory punishments did not do much to change his expression.

A short while later they were waving the others goodbye at the entrance of the inn. The body cheerfully pooh-poohed any of the others' doubts that the three non-riders would be unable to catch up with them; also, for some inexplicable reason, she felt compelled to squeal "WRINKLE! WRINKLE!!" at Ban when the good professor stalked past on the way to his Caligrey.

Saifa, reasserting her place in the zombie's body, grinned and knelt down. "ALL RIGHT, YOU IMBECILES. GET ON."



*


"AAAAAARGH!!!"

"E-everythinggggg is bluuuuuuuuurry-"

"DAMN FUCKEN STRAIGHT IT IS HOW FAST DO YOU MORONS THINK MY FEET ARE GOING."

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!"

"AH, LOOK, WE'VE ALREADY PASSED ALL THE IDIOTS ON CALIGREYS. AS WELL AS A GOODLY AMOUNT OF FEARL MUCK."

"...Maybe that means we'll win the race...?"

"Don't think we're participating..."

"OF COURSE WE AREN'T, THEY HAVEN'T GOT THE FUNDS FOR A PRIZE WORTHY OF ME."

"Hi Kite Danarica Marion Moswen Fearl Stella Adalia Dimitri Ban bye Kite Danarica Marion Moswen Fearl Stella Adalia Dimitri Ban!"

"FOOL HOST, THAT INTERRUPTION WAS UNCALLED FOR."

"Oh no we're starting to go fast again!"

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!"


OOC: AH THE FEELING OF BEING IN A ROY RPG AGAIN. ...Yes the zombie talks THAT much. :x Sorry if I RPed anyone wrongly, you can assign the dialogue in the last bit to anyone except the bits that are obviously Saifa/the zombie ><

[Roy Karrde]

Alrighty Guys since the Race was a bit of a Flop I am going to move on so that everyone can continue on. Welcome to the Forest of Dead, a Forest in which no human or fearl can escape.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Third Place ~*~*~*~*~

Riding up to the forest I was met with the long stares of Ban and Dimitri as they both sat looking at a stick that lay between them. My Caligrey puttered to a stop, gasping for breath before finally collapsing into the soft grass. Swinging my leg over I dismounted, walking over to the two of them. “So who won?” I asked looking from one to the next. Each of them jerked their thumb at the other for a second before retracting their hands.

“We won a stick.” Dimitri grumbled, picking up the stick examining it for a second before dropping it onto the ground, watching the stick hit the ground the Zombie girl giggled from the side of my vision. “Where is..” Dimitri looked up to see Stella, Moswen, and Faiz all walking together, Faiz blushing ever so slightly as her eyes remained locked on Moswen.

I could only blush and giggle slightly inside, knowing that he or was it she? Was deep in love with Moswen yet seemed so shy to tell her. “She’s in love.” I whispered to myself skipping over to where Knes rested. “Marion is in love.” I smiled, remarking in a sing song manner as I sat next to him.

Knes eyes slowly fluttered open, a soft yawn left his lips as he tried to stretch with two broken arms. “I had a dream about you.” He whispered softly turning and giving me a smile. His shoulder jerked as if he were trying to move his arms, wincing as he tried again and again. “Not much of a protector am I?” He mumbled.

Moving his arms with the gentleness of a mana bubble I raised each arm up so that he could stroke my cheeks. “Let me heal..” Knes turned his head as I spoke the words. It was a lost cause, it was beyond a lost cause, Knes and the other boys had a pride that I would never understand.

“If you want to make it through the forest before dark we should leave now, not that I mind.” The Zombie girl giggled drawing all of our attention. There were many groans as we all rose, myself helping Knes up with a mana bubble and began to walk into the ever-darkening forest.

We were only a hour in when Knes moved in front of me, pressing himself close. “There is something wrong here.” He whispered, I turned to see Moswen as well become ancy, all the while there were wisps, something moving in between the trees. We soon emerged into a clearing, as if it were the eye of the storm.

“North.” Zombie girl pointed out, she began to start walking north but after a second she turned and headed east into the forest, everyone followed accordingly.

“I thought you said North?” I asked, running to catch up.

Everyone turned and looked at me strangely. “She said East.” Knes said raising his hand and running it down my cheek. “Are you feeling okay?” He asked. I turned toward the others who were looking at me with weird looks.

“I guess I could have misheard.” I shrugged, following the group even deeper into the forest.

Alright guys when you reach the clearing you will hear the Zombie Girl say North and then say something else right afterwards and lead you off in that direction. Once you get into the forest again your character will experience their worst fear, the other characters around you are not real also but ghost recreations that want to torture you with your worst fear until either Yi or Dimitri comes into your dream and brings you out of it. Inside of the dream/nightmare days, weeks, months can pass and your surroundings can change to fit the terror.

[darktyranitar]

I felt... something while writing this... I dunno.


~~~Marion~~~
Last place… and about to be lost

We had walked for about an hour since the race has ended – I was quite fortunate that Moswen and Stella had came to ward off the attackers – which I learned are called Fearls – and I now found myself looking up at Moswen from time to time, feeling strangely warm and feminine.

And her lips… I wonder if they were as soft as they look?

…what was I thinking? Gaahh, get it out of my head, get it out of my head… I mentally shook myself.

And when I finally took my eyes away from Moswen, I began to feel something… strange. I had this ominous feeling as if something bad was going to happen to me. I suddenly felt cold, but there was no wind blowing at that time. I could also feel that sweats are trickling down my face; it was not a sweat of perspiration, but it was a sweat of fear, the cold, clammy kind of sweat.

I looked around, and was reassured to find that the rest of the group was still there.
We were now on a clearing. “North,” I heard zombie-Yi said from the front. I quickened my pace, getting myself to the front group. Not long after that, the group turned left, and I quickly followed their lead, thinking that Zombie-Yi had probably misread the map earlier or something.

After what felt like a two hour ride, we reached into another clearing. The group then proceed to tie the Caligrey to the trees nearby, and some quickly volunteered to get some firewood. The one that left are Dimitri, Stella, Moswen, and Zombie-Yi, so that left… the seven of us.

I had just taken a seat on top of a log when Karam scurried away from my arms. I looked up and saw that he had leapt on top of Adalia’s head. “Hey,” she said. “We’re gonna go and look for some food, so I hope you don’t mind staying here with Ban.” I looked around, and saw that everyone else except Ban – the guy with the big sword – were heading into the forest. I suddenly felt uneasy at the aspect of staying here alone with a guy.

“Can I go too?” I pleaded. “I feel unsafe to be left here alone…”

“No, you’re not. You’ll have Ban,” Adalia said. The look on my face must have said that I didn’t trust her, so she quickly added, “Ban is a good guy. Don’t worry, he’ll protect you.”

Waving goodbye, Adalia and Karam followed behind the group, leaving me alone with Ban.

*****

I had paced around the clearing for what felt like an hour now, never saying a word to Ban. He also remained silent all the while, but every time I looked at him, I couldn’t help noticing that his eyes would scan my body with some sort of approval. And he was smiling.

Finally, I sat down on a log that was far from Ban; I couldn’t sit near him, not when his eyes were looking me like that…

“Hey, how are you feeling?” he said from behind, his hand resting on my shoulder. I uttered a low cry of surprise, and I heard Ban chuckled.

“Uh… fine…” I could feel myself slightly shaking. The hand was then removed from my shoulder, and I then felt Ban taking a seat beside me – he was sitting very close to me, and he has his arm wrapped around my shoulder. I turned to see his face. He was smiling.

“Uhh… Ban?” At this point, I found myself experiencing an odd mixed-feeling of warmness and a slight twinge of anxiety. Maybe it was my female-side attracted to him, I reasoned.

“Yes?” he said.

“Can you… take you hands off me? It… kind of makes me uncomfortable…”

“Okay, sure,” Ban replied, quickly withdrawing his arm. “So,” he said. “I understand that you were a guy back then on the other world?”

“Yes… but I guess I’m not fully used to be a girl yet,” I said, my head hung low; I couldn’t look at him when he is looking me in that manner… and that smile…

He gave a low chuckle. “I know one that thing that will make a girl feels good.”

“What is it?” I asked, nervous.

Without warning, Ban then wrapped both his arm around my chest. “Ban?” I gasped, but he only tightened his grip.

“My, you are very pretty, you know that?” He brought his face close towards mine. As soon as I saw his lips coming close to mine, I quickly struggled in his grip, thrashing and kicking around. But it was too late; his lips were already touching mine.

I could felt his tongue lodging into my mouth, but it was then quickly pulled back, and I could felt his grip loosening. I winced, imagining how painful it must have been to be kicked on the groin. Letting out a groan, Ban quickly dropped to his knees, his eyes growing wide.

I quickly picked up my stick and began to run towards where the other had gone earlier. “You bitch!” he shouted from behind, but I didn’t look behind as I ran like mad through the forest. I didn’t care much where I was going, as long I could get away from him. I rubbed my lips hard with the back of my hand, trying to get taste of his lips from me, trying to forget that he had just kissed me.

I couldn’t remember how many I had almost stumble from running into a log lying on the ground, and I couldn’t make out if which way I am running to. And just when I thought I had outrun him and was about to take a break, I heard rapid footsteps from behind. My heart almost skipped a beat when I saw him catching up with me, and was now running beside me. His sword was gripped firmly in both hand, and he had a hurt look on his face.

“If you had given in back then, then this would have not happened,” he said, his voice clearly unaffected due to the running.

“You… you’re crazy!” I gasped.

“Maybe,” he said. “But I couldn’t help it. We were alone, and you were oh-so-pretty … mm, do you know how soft your breast feels?”

“Go away!” I shouted, bursting into tears. I could hear Ban’s cruel laughing, and I continued to run, ignoring the cuts and bruises that I got on my face from running into some thorny bushes.

I could hear Ban’s determined heave, and felt a cold steel brushing my back next. The sensation was painless, but I could feel a long slit carved on my back. My foot then caught into a log, and it was only then that I fell to the ground. Face first. I could feel something dripping down from the cut, and I know that it was blood.

Grunting slightly, Ban turned me around so that I was facing him. He rubbed his hands together, and rested both hands on each of my torn sleeve, as if he was letting me guess what he was going to do next.

“Ahhh… err… my back, it’s very painful…” I moaned. Why was I concerned about the cut when this man is clearly about to rape me?

He snorted. “Serve you right.” He then ripped up my sleeves, and slowly begin stripping my cloth down. Upon noticing my shivering, he lowered his face and planted a soft kiss on my lips. Cupping my breasts with both hands, he went and kissed them.

“Moswen…” I said between sobs. “Adalia… Karam…”

“They’re not coming, dear,” he said, running his hands across my bare stomach. At this point, I was practically naked, and the combination of the chill from the wind and the fear only made me shiver even more. “You’re scared?” he asked as he began to undress himself. “Don’t worry, this will be quick… and trust me, you’ll feel a lot better after this…”

“No…”

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN


Walking along the forest, Moswen glanced at Marion a few times to see that she didn’t seem so shaken. A smile formed upon Moswen’s fine features as she gave a nod to herself, glad that she had asked Ban to drop her off so that she may aid the girl. There had been three fearls… Stella had fought one off while Moswen had taken another. Marion and Karam had impressively fought off the first one that had attacked her, and the three females seemed to form a good team at that moment.
Now the race had ended and Moswen had to stifle a laugh as Dimitri threw his winning prize – a stick- to the ground. The Zombie-like female gave a shrill-like laugh which echoed in the air, clearly enjoying every bit of this “life” around her. After everyone had arrived all together, they began to head deeper into the forest. The Zombie-lady had stated that they should head North, but Moswen found it strange that as soon as they began to walk forward she suddenly went west.
“Hmm… strange person…” Moswen thought absently, shrugging as she continued to follow the group.
They all continued to walk forward until suddenly Moswen’s vision glazed over for a moment. It was the strangest sensation that she had encountered. No longer was she seeing anything but it was as if darkness itself had consumed her sight. After a few seconds however, her vision returned but now she was in the forest alone.
“Hello…?” Moswen said outwardly, but there was no reply. Confusion swiftly consumed Moswen as she sped up her walk and began to search about. What had happened? Why had her vision gone away? Where had everyone gone?

“Moswen…” A low voice rose into the air, and Moswen’s eyes glanced upwards to see Ban.
“Ban! Where did you go? Where are the others-“ Moswen began, but Ban held up his hand as a dark look filled his gaze.
“Don’t come near me. I know your past… you only end up hurting those you get close to. We’d never work.” He then seemed to leap into the air, vanishing before Moswen’s very sight.
“BAN!” She yelled, reaching a hand outwards to where he was but finding there was no trace of him. Her eyes lowered in confusion, her ears flattening as she sat down in the grass for a moment trying to bare her wits about her.
“Yeah… I guess he’s right…” Another voice rose into the air, and Moswen looked up again to see the beautiful frail figure of Marion before her.
“What are you…” Moswen continued, but Marion quickly took a few steps back.
“They told me all about you… how you’re a monster… how even before this world, you were a monster.” She too then vanished.
“No love should ever befall upon you…” Ovan and Danarica appeared, giving Moswen a look of disgust as they too then disappeared as swiftly as they had shown themselves.
“I almost died because of you… you abandon those you love… you don’t deserve love!” Adalia’s voice pierced the air as tears streamed down her face, and she turned her back to Moswen and walked away.
“Wait! What are you talking about?! Where are all of you going? What’s going on? Is this all a trick? You guys… you don’t know…” Moswen trailed off, kneeling on all fours as everyone disappeared from her sight. Her eyes filled with tears for a moment, as she felt isolated and alone. Several minutes passed by- minutes that felt like hours, as the silence and isolation settled in upon her like the cold grips of death itself.

“They’re right you know…” A calm and collected voice spoke in the air, as Moswen turned to gaze behind her and saw Dimitri.
“Dimitri!” Moswen said, her expression filled with relief yet a nagging inner worry consumed her.
“You are a monster now… no one can trust you. You’ll probably kill us all.” He folded his arms as Moswen stood up and shook her head.
“No! I’ll stop using my powers! I will! I won’t hurt anyone!”
“Really? I believe you said that back in the other world before… but it seems that no matter where you went, pain always followed. So let’s face it- you really don’t deserve friends or love… Kalah…”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Kalah isn’t worthy of love.”
“STOP IT! STOP IT BRYAN!”
“The truth hurts, doesn’t it? I’m glad that I found this out… I’m glad I realized this before you had a chance to trick me into believing your lies of love and friendship. It really wasn’t him, it was you… it was you…”
“STOP IT!!!” Moswen finally screamed, grabbing her ears and pressing them against her skull. After a few minutes of silence, hearing his words echoing in her head… she opened her eyes and saw that Dimitri had vanished. His words… no, Bryan’s words… had hit her so hard.
Tears began to flow down her face, and she tasted their bitterness as she collapsed to the ground and began to sob.

Then several figures came towards Moswen, and she barely had any time to look up at them. Her eyes widened however, as all of the figures began to speak to her- talk to her… about things in her past… in the other world. Things that she never wanted to hear or relive again.
“You… remember this?” They taunted, recreating her memories before her very eyes. Moswen began to scream again, seeing all the tortures of her past being replayed over and over again…
“You’re not here… you can’t be here… this isn’t possible…” She began mumbling, as the calm and collected exterior of Moswen began to melt away and the inner parts of Kalah began to flush outwards. Moswen and Kalah were the same person, they were not separate identities. But Kalah had tried or was trying to not be Kalah anymore… Moswen was not within Kalah, Kalah was creating Moswen by pushing her own weaknesses aside. In a sense, Kalah was changing herself and simply renaming that new change as Moswen. But now… all that hard work had come undone. It was unraveling before her… as her memories continued to replay over and over again. Reminders of her weaknesses, reminders of what she had so long tried to forget…
“This isn’t real!” Moswen cried out as she was upon her knees, staring helplessly as the figures with faces and names danced before her- all terrifying figures within her memory. After several more minutes that felt like hours, one of the larger figures came forth. A wicked smile was upon his face as he called to her- saying horrible things that haunted her.
“Remember? Remember those times…?” He called to her, his eyes glinting with a sinister glow. Moswen shook her head, trying to forget- but he knew that she remembered.
“I’ll help you forget Kalah… I’ll help you…” He whispered as he reached her. It was as if Moswen had no control of her body anymore. It was if there was some supernatural power that he had over her, and she was numb. She couldn’t move.
“I… I was trying to be there for you…” She sobbed, tears flooding down her face as she whimpered. His large hands wrapped about her throat, as slowly she felt pressure building upon her windpipe as he squeezed. He ignored what she said, and just continued to squeeze harder.
“There’s no use struggling… it would be best for everyone if you disappeared. You’ve thought that for a while now, haven’t you?” He asked rhetorically, as Moswen felt more tears flood down her face and drip about his hands and to the ground as she coughed and began to struggle to breath.
Moswen! Moswen use your powers! A voice screamed within her.
We can’t die!! The voice continued to plead within Kalah/Moswen, but Moswen could feel herself close her eyes as her face began to turn blue.
I can’t… I can’t kill them… I just hurt everyone… They’re all right. No one has truly cared or loved me… because I didn’t deserve it… That’s why all these memories and all these pains happened to me… because…
Kalah! Moswen! Whoever you deem yourself to be… you can’t think those things!
The truth hurts… but all signs point to this answer…

Moswen felt herself losing consciousness, but suddenly she felt the strong hands that choked her being ripped away from her neck. Blinking a few times, suddenly Moswen felt a hand upon her shoulder and she gazed upwards into the eyes of…
… Dimitri?
He saw the recognition in her eyes and then gave a nod, as if feeling better at seeing her conscious. He then turned to look at the dancing figures… but those figures were no longer figures of memory from Moswen’s past. No… they were spirits… floating apparitions. They seemed to cackle as Dimitri fired a blast of some sort at them, and swiftly they disappeared and went away.
Moswen broke down again into tears, the memory of all the voices and what everyone said haunting her.
“Are you real? Are you for real?!” She began saying to herself, looking at Dimitri with eyes of obvious torture and hurt. “Is this done?!”
Dimitri swiftly knelt before her and wrapped his arms about her, giving her a hug.
“It was all an illusion… you’re okay now. Everything is gone.”





KNES



Knes walked amongst the forest with the others, having chuckled to himself slightly at the stick prize that Ban and Dimitri had received. He had also approached Adalia, making sure she was okay but she seemed alright- to which he showed relief. The group then began to head out, the zombie-like lady saying that they should head North. As they began walking however, Knes stopped for a moment- feeling as if something had changed. As if during that split second she had said North… a great change had occurred in the forest, but Knes wasn’t sure what. So he continued to follow the group, finding that their direction now went slightly different that the northern direction.
However… as they walked, Knes watched as all the figures seemed to flicker for a moment- his keen-eyed gaze catching the disturbance. Frowning, he watched them a bit more carefully until they stopped to rest.
“I’m tired, Knes will you stay with me?” Adalia asked, sitting next to him as he nodded. The rest of the group headed off to find supplies as Knes sat near Adalia. He couldn’t help but have an unsettling feeling sitting in his stomach however.
Several seconds passed, until Adalia grabbed Knes’s arm and held it up to her chest.
“Gah! Ouch Adalia… that hurts. I’m not healed in that arm yet…” Knes said, but a strange gaze was upon Adalia’s features.
“But Knes… I want you to touch me. Show me that you love me.”
“Adalia… I can’t move my arms… and besides…”
“You don’t love me!” She suddenly said, dropping his arm harshly to send a shock of pain rippling through his arm. “Everyone leaves me! No one loves me! Not even you!!! I thought you were different but you’re not!!” She screamed, anger forming in her facial features.
Knes’s right red eye suddenly seemed to flash with a brighter flood of red, as his facial features turned rather sinister.
“Don’t play her that way.” He said darkly in a whisper, glaring up at the standing form of Adalia as she seemed caught off guard.
“W-what? What are you talking about! My love isn’t a game!” She shouted, rage filling her, eye flooding with tears.
Fake tears. Fake rage. Fake. Everything here was a fake…
“Don’t play with people’s emotions that way!” Knes suddenly yelled, standing upwards as he stood face to face with the illusion of Adalia. Shock filled her features, as the others came back from the forest.
“Don’t hurt Adalia!” They yelled, anger filling their features. A cruel smile formed upon Knes’s face, as he felt power surging through his body.
“You’re all fakes. You damnable spirits… do you really think I should fear these illusions you throw upon me?” He taunted, his voice sinking into a sinister tone.
The figures seemed to stand there for a few moments, puzzled… pondering. Finally the one that took the form of Kite came forward.
“What do you fear? You must have many fears swimming through your lovely little hea-“ It was obvious the spirit was probing Knes’s mind, trying to find the fears. Knes felt it, but just as the spirit stopped talking its face seemed to pale as a horrified look came upon its face. Knes’s smile curled upwards even further, his face seeming to mutate into an expression that was only fathomable upon those of a far more darker nature than he had ever shown. Darkness shadowed his face, as his eyes narrowed and the wind blew the tuff of his hair over his left green eye.
“Fear? I fear nothing! Do you know what I am?!” He yelled at them, feeling the rise of adrenaline and the surge of his life energy swelling within him. There was no one around… no one would see him, and Knes knew he had to release it sooner or later. Now was the time.
“You’ll pay for your trickery. Especially with ME.”

Both of Knes’s eyes began to glow, as the crimson red color from his right eye seemed to flood and spill into his left. Wind picked up around Knes’s body, spiraling around like a miniature tornado of foretelling doom as a flash spewed into the air. The small fluttering wings that hovered above his back rapidly grew outwards within seconds, the sound of cracking and shifting pieces of flesh and bone filling the air. The wings wrapped about Knes’s body, hiding him from the eyes of the spirits until they extended outwards and revealed a darker form. Knes’s body was completely black as a sheen of a glinting violet aura channeled about his body. Demonic eyes of red seemed to stare at the spirits in a hungry fashion, as his arms and legs took on a more beastly shape. Wicked claws were adorned upon each hand and foot, as he extended on of his claws outwards at them as his dragon-like tail whipped in the air. Horns upon his head extended and curled towards the front of his face, which jutted outwards like a reptile’s jaw.

The spirits gave a shriek, as Knes charged at them… not needing their forms to be of a true material. Their ethereal energies were more than enough to be the downfall of their own souls… and Knes was going to make sure they didn’t go to waste.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Adalia! Adalia!” Knes said, holding her in his arms as she screamed. “Its okay… I’m here…” He said, cradling her in his now fully healed arms. The scar that had always been over his right eye still existed, along with a new scar that went about his face from the Ninetails fight. However, he was seemed to be fine now.
Adalia seemed to recognize Knes, as he smiled at her.
“Those horrible nightmares went away now… they’re gone. I got rid of them for you. I think the others are better now as well… shall we join them?”


[ No one sees Knes’s transformation. ^_^ ]

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri blinked as everything around him suddenly blanked out for a second. When sight returned, everyone was gone, he was alone in the barren forest. Quiet reigned for a moment as Dimitri prepared himself mentally, reaching into his robe to brush his hands along his cards. The quiet continued, and Dimtri suddenly felt…confusion in the air. A palpable feeling that hung around him like a fog. Frowning, Dimitri blinked his eyes again, this time however when they opened the spiraling design around them flared with a soft green light. The light traveled through the patterns and into his eyes, lighting them as well with an eerie glow. The world around him shifted, hidden things emerging, the whole scene morphing and swirling around him. Dimitri found himself staring at a hovering spirit, its amorphous surface twirling like a shredded cloak around its indistinct form.

Why? How can we not find it?

Dimitri puzzled for a moment, until his gaze suddenly found the others. With increasing horror he peered at what they were experiencing, wondering to himself why these terrors were being visited upon them, where the images were coming from. Then he saw Moswen’s torture and his eyes widened, his breath coming faster as a sudden heat filling his body. She had gone through enough already, she had faced enough! Grabbing into his cloak, Dimitri choked out his words.

“You…demons!”

Bringing out his Magician card, Dimitri thrust it at the spirit in front of him, blasting it with a scintilla of burning magical energy that shredded the thing even further and sent it spiraling away with a chilling cry. Dashing his way across the short distance between Moswen and him he slammed himself into the large figure choking her, hitting it with the same energy from the Magician as he had the original sprit. The thing flipped across the ground, more concrete then the first spirit, brought to life by Moswen’s terror. Turning, he raised the card above his head and sent the last of its energy out in all directions, sending this horrible magic away from Moswen in a umbrella of shimmering energy. Dropping the disintegrating card, Dimitri put his hand on Moswen’s shoulders and spoke to her. As the troubled woman fell to the ground he wrapped her in his arms and whispered an assurance.

“He’ll go away too you know Kalah, just like all the others you’ve scared and hurt.”

Dimitri closed his eyes, fighting against his anger. He wanted to hurt this thing…he wanted to rip it to shreds. He was successful for a moment before a small voice inside of him questioned why he was fighting….

Maybe a little rage would do him good.

Letting go of Kalah, Dimitri drew himself up and turned to the original attacking spirit, matching its burning gaze with his own. Green sparks fluttered about his hypnotizing eyes as Dimitri watched the spirit approach him, his teeth bared, his breath harsh.

“And you, you don’t know what you’re doing. I might as well release you too!”

With a sudden movement the thing grabbed Dimitri by the throat and lifted him into the air, the half-breed’s odd legs dangling limply a few feet off the ground. The spirit smiled horribly, chuckling evilly to itself as it tightened its grip, trying to choke the life out of Dimitri.

Dimitri’s eyes blazed right back, his arms coming up, glowing with the power of the Tarots in them.

“You don’t get to judge anyone! Not before you are judged yourself!”

With both hands, Dimitri slammed the two Justice cards into the evil spirit’s head, releasing their power in a ferocious rush that, meeting each other at the center of the spirit’s face, erupted from the top of its skull. The spirit didn’t have time to scream before its existence was removed from the world. Dimitri landed softly and glared at the space where the spirit had been.

“Guilty…bastard.”

Turning, Dimitri called out to Moswen.

“Kalah, are you going to be okay if I go help the others?”

Moswen hesitated a second before nodding.

“Just…make sure to come back.”

Dimitri flashed a smile before dashing off.

“Won’t be a second.”


(Get yourselves out of your tortures or have Dimitri show up and lend a hand, whatever you want to do that works best for your characters.)

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Alone in Dreamland ~*~*~*~*~

We all stopped in a clearing, setting up camp for dinner and preparing some wood for a fire. I ran back and forth scooping up bundles of firewood in my arms and dropped it on the ground. “I’ll race you!” I taunted Knes, scooping up another bundle dropped by Dimitri from where he perched on top of a tree. I rushed back with the wood and dropped it in a nice neat pile before turning to see Knes walking back with only a few twigs in his hand.

“You’re no fun.” I pouted sticking my tongue out at him as Dimitri jumped down and used a fire card to light it. Moswen and the rest came around soon and began to cook dinner.

All the while Knes continued to frown, looking at the fire as he moved as far away from me as possible. Slowly I rose and walked over to him, sitting down beside him. “Did I do something wrong?” I whispered, not even wanting to look at his piercing hateful eyes.

Knes cleared his throat for a second; the others looked up and walked over surrounding us. “Adalia, we need to talk.” He rose, standing near the others; they all looked much taller now, much more imposing. “This forest is safe, safer than any other place on this planet, that is why we have decided that we want you to stay here.” He explained much to my confusion.

I shrunk down against the tree, feeling smaller, helpless against the others. “You’re only a child, and none of us could forgive ourselves if we let a child get hurt in battle.” I winced every time they would say the word child, to me it felt worse than any bad word, any cuss word. “Besides we have Stella now, and she is a much better healer.” He pointed to Stella who seemed to smile in satisfaction.

I could feel their eyes bearing down upon me, even if I shut my eyes I could feel them there. I grasped the back of the hood on my gown and pulled it over my head, I wanted to hide from them. “I’m not a child.” I whimpered, raising my eyes up. None of them were there, the camp was empty, even the food there was gone. I rose to my feet, tears streaming down my cheeks as fear filled me. “KNES?! MOSWEN?!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

My heart began to pound in my chest as I ran forward deeper into the forest. Calling out their names over and over again. My chest began to tighten as I ran for what felt like hours. My legs and arms feeling limp as I came to a stop. “Please come out, I promise to do better.” I whimpered as rain drops began to filter through the leaves over head, the whole forest slowly becoming pitch black. “Please guys.” I cried, bending down against the nearest tree, trying to hide from the cold rain.

The night continued on and on, every time I would close my eyes to try and sleep the rain would get harder, or my stomach would growl in hunger. “I promise to be better if you guys will come back, I promise.” I whimpered, repeating it over and over again during the night.

The next morning came and the rain let up, I rose up from the tree and began to walk around again, wandering for hours while calling out their names until the rains came again. And again that night I couldn’t sleep; by the time the rain ended I was so hungry that I couldn’t stand. I could just lay there, shivering and cold.

It was nearly half way through the day when something strange happened, a warmth seemed to surround me as I lay there in the mud, curled into a ball. “Adalia! Adalia!” The warm voice said, I could only barely raise my head, my eyes so blurry from hunger that I couldn’t see a thing. “It’s okay… I’m here…” The voice whispered, I could feel arms around me, familiar arms.

The voice, the warmth felt like Knes, but it was a lie, it had to be, I wanted to be with Knes so badly, I was so hungry, yet it had to be a dream, a illusion. At this moment though, I didn’t care. “Those horrible nightmares went away now … they’re gone. I got rid of them for you. I think the others are better now as well… shall we join them.” The voice asked as I tried to move closer to the warmth.

I opened my mouth, my tongue and mouth dry, my limbs were limp and exhausted. “Please don’t leave me. I’m not a child, I’m not.” I whispered, my throat roaring in pain. “I’m so thirsty, and hungry.” I coughed several times, the cough becoming painful as it continued on. “thirsty.” I whimpered in his arms.

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're kidding me. Everyone's disappeared!" I yelled out loud as I returned to what I thought was the campsite. The forest was devoid of anything edible so I decided to return so I could complain loudly to my companions. Not even my other half was speaking to me.

A creepy feeling ran up my spine as I sat and waited. It was a long while before I heard Adalia's laugh. I turned around and waved. "Where were you?" I asked her.

She didn't even seem to notice me at first as she looked around the campsite. "Knes isn't here either," she murmured.

I shrugged. "I don't know where he is. I don't know where anyone is right now."

"Maybe he's this way," she said to herself while starting to walk back into the forest.

I growled and clenched my fists. Doesn't she notice me? "You can sit with me until Knes gets back," I offered.

At last she made eye contact with me, her lips curled into a sneer. "Oh, it's you. I thought you would've disappeared by now."

I was speechless for a second. "Disappeared?"

"You know, faded out of existence. It's not like you have a purpose here." She gave me an innocent smile like she was just saying that to be cute.

Not one to back down, I smiled back. "What about you? I mean, you're not the only healer here. Plus even though I know you're not a little kid, you sure act like one."

Her expression didn't falter. "You think that's supposed to hurt me? You're nothing. I can't be hurt by nothing."

I chuckled. "You're not real."

"What?" She blinked.

"You're not Adalia. Not a tear, not a pout, no not a single reaction to my taunt. The real Adalia would've at least said something about my comment."

"Are you sure I'm not Adalia? Maybe I'm just tired of your scathing comments. I may be a child but you're nothing. Just wasted space. I have Knes now while you have nothing but your halberd. Now I know that I deserve better on Earth." She started to laugh. "No wonder no one wanted to be with you! You're nothing!"

I snarled. "Shut up. SHUT UP!" I jumped up and slashed the Adalia clone with my halberd but she disappeared before I made contact.

Soon the air echoed with various voices. "Retard..."

"Nerd..."

"Dumpster baby..."

"Leave me alone," I growled. I have had nightmares about those voices ever since I got out of junior high. Two years I had the misfortune of being stuck in Emotional Conflicted class. EC. I might have had trouble communicating with other students but the other students were just plain crazy. And now those same people were teasing me while staying hidden.

"Such a wuss..."

"No one likes you..."

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" I dropped to the ground and screamed as loud as I could.

"Kite?" someone said softly.

I did the first thing I could think of and then charged for Dimitri with my halberd in my hands. No one would mock me again.

Dimitri threw up his hands in panic. "Kite, it's me! Come to your senses!"

I stopped in my tracks and glared at him. "So it is." I dropped the weapon and then rubbed my forehead. "Such a headache."

"Feeling better?" he asked me.

Despite the pain and anger, I started to laugh derisively. "I'm feeling great! You know, for years I've been crying over other people's opinions of me. Now I don't give a damn! I don't need anyone! I don't need him! Why would I? I've been through years with just a few friends that came and went without so much as an e-mail address. He's no different from the rest of them!"

"Kite?" He rested a hand on my shoulder.

I laughed even louder, sure that others would hear me. Tears flowed down my cheeks but I ignored them. "My family just threw medicine at it. I couldn't talk about it. Not that anyone was interested in what I had to say unless I paid them."

"Kite? Do you need to lie down?"

I immediately stopped laughing and put on a cold face. "No! This stupid thing happened because I allowed myself to care! From now on it's business! Nothing but business!"

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F

122:

By the pricking of my thumbs

Something wicked this way comes


Rosa kulunia spectralis is a flower that blooms only in the light of the moon, and even then most faintly: you do not see a bloom but only the shade of a bloom, almost as if nothing is there. Light dances off the edges of its invisible petals. You know that the flowerhead has opened, for there is a scent, albeit one that evokes the atmosphere of a funeral, a shrine, or a graveyard; there is the subtlest hint of coffin, interspersed with upturned soil. It smells of everywhere that spirits gather; it reeks of forgotten hopes.


Rosa kulunia spectralis is a specimen rare indeed. A plant sprouts only when dimensional rifts open, and a bud is produced only when dimensional rifts close. The rose itself is only found in the most dread of places - a ghost's cradle, perhaps, or a shade's sleeping chamber. It grows well in compost, and thrives on piles of rubbish. It is named for the area of foothills where it was first found.


The dead, the only ones who see it for what it is, say that it is a construct of the thought of the ancients.


The flower does not respond well to direct sunlight, shriveling up on contact and taking on the form of a most knobbly twig. Care should be taken of it at all times, as this is a species that has much to reveal in many areas of study...


~ From page 3,618 of the Botanical Diaries of Hesiol Trupe, Volume XXa: Mandragori and the Abruptly Fantastic



*


She is back at the very beginning of the forest, and as she predicts there is no one there.


- Huh.

She takes in a mock breath, then speaks, to the world at large.


- Hello forest.


The leaves of the trees whisper and rustle but nothing. She will not be led.


- Let me tell you what I fear most...


A pause, to make sure the forest is listening.


- I'm afeared of being alone, left-out and forgotten.


She says this as if she is telling a story, a story about someone in a far land, someone who is not real, as if it didn't matter at all. She is teasing the forest. Testing it. She thumbs her nose, sticks out her tongue. Then following some inner compass turns about and chooses a path at random.


- I think I saw someone blunder their way down here. Come, Lady Saifa...


A halo of netherworldly flame about her shoulders, and ghostly wheels beneath her feet, glowing pinkly in the gloom. Once again the central glade is empty. A trace of a wry voice fading fast into the foliage...


- Aaaah how good it is to be dead.



*


The first one they come upon is Marion curled up in a ball. There is nothing outwardly wrong with Marion, it looks. Saifa sees the shadow hanging over her and strikes swiftly. Eventually, the combined spiritual pressure of two souls manages to disperse the spectres tormenting the girl.


The body does an accurate impression of the classic Amused Mouthtwist and pokes the cowering girl with her umbrella.


"Hullo there, Faiz, whassamatter?"


A choked sob, and then a whimper: "B-ban... he..."


"He hit you with the flat of his sword for no apparent reason?"


"N-no! ..worse'n.. worse than that..."


The body hunkers down beside the girl, patting her back in what the body assumes is a comforting way. "Aaaaaaww. Not gonna do you any good bent up like that. Sit up properly and tell the nice zombie what the bad bad warrior man did to poor Marion."


Marion is duly helped to her feet and brought over to some large, convenient root belonging to a large, convenient tree that may serve as a chair for the distressed. The body grins rather too widely, such that it cannot be safely said that she is not secretly enjoying all of this.


A dying man will clutch at a straw, though. Marion doesn't see where she has any choice in the matter, and besides, at least it isn't Moswen, or any of the men.


"H-he.. raped me..." At this, unable to control herself, the elven girl breaks down into a flurry of tears.


The body's expression freezes. "No, really?"


"Yes! It was horrible! I.. I didn't want my first time to be like that.. and not by him... not like that..." More whimpering.


"This is Ban we are talking about, aren't we? The good professor doesn't have a sex drive! All the sex drive bits are converted into fuel for the manly honour code thing!"


"B-but - I know what happened to me! A-and... there wasn't any manly honour code about it!"


"My word." Something lights up in the body's mind. "Aha. Ahahahaha. It's the ghosts in this place, my dear - hahhahahahahahahahahaha - they're making you think things - hahahahHAHA - bad things, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!"


The body falls off its seat, hitting the ground with her fists in a fit of inexplicable hilarity. "S'nothing but a figment of your imagination, deHAHAHAHAHAHAH!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"


"I-I'm afraid! H-he has a big sword - he threatened me with it! A-and it's not nice to laugh at someone who's j-just been... r-raped..."


"HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! BIG SWORD! GAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA!!! oh gods it's getting worseHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am- very sorry, I think - HAHAHAHA!!"


"I hate you."


"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! That's all right, no hard feelings, eh? HAHAHAHAHA!"


Saifa snorts, as far as a soul can be said to snort. "NOW YOU'VE BLOODY HAD IT, GIRL. SHE WON'T BE STOPPING ANYTIME SOON."


When the body finally calms down Marion is sulking at the other end of the tree root. The body sidles over to the girl, who turns away and won't look her in the face. "Awwww, I'm sorry, okay? I promise I won't laugh again within the next hour?"


"Humph."


"So let's get on with the hunting of easter eggs and look for the others, okay?"


"....okay."


"You're not moping anymore, so the laughing really did some good, see?"


"Humph."


As Marion follows the body sullenly through the undergrowth that is opening up by degrees to allow the passage of Lady Saifa and her retainers, a stray thought comes to her. "Yi? Who exactly are we going to come across, do you think?"


"Oh as of now we are looking at the fine, fine thaumic signature of one Professor Wolfebanmiroku. Very easy to trail, he is. You just can't miss all those great big hunks of machismo in his soul."


"B-Ban?!"


"Yes indeed. And I shall make sure he puts his big sword to better uses, never you fear."


A whimper. Then they are gone.


What a larf. I almost guarantee it will be 500% more easy on the nerves if you're being saved by Dimitri. *nods* Less work for me, I say...

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Arguing with the Voices/A Sylvan Nightmare~

"North she says," I muttered to myself as I guided Yakul through the trees. "Last time I follow a giggle-mad zombie. Even if it IS Yi"

After we had all regrouped after the race, Zombie-chan had immediately led us 'north'. Not long after that, as we turned eastward, I found myself wandering alone through the gloom of the forest. Well not totally alone.

You really should let loose like that more often. All work and no play makes Jonny a dull boy.

"Yea and look what happens. Marion got attacked by a bunch of Fearls and now we're stuck in this forsaken forest."

A minor thing. And that wolf-girl of yours took care of her right?

"What do you mean 'of mine'?"

Okay maybe not yours YET, but you do like the girl.

"What are ya doin' - trampin' around in my head and reading my thoughts!?"

Not much to do in here when your not fighting those beasties. Can't say I blame ya though, she is a looker.

"Look, it's not like that. I admit there's a bit of attractio-."

Look, I'm not sayin' ya have ta fall in love wit' the girl. I'm just saying you should maybe have a bit o' fun...

"Oh and end up like Ovan?" As I said that, I felt a chill go down my spine as the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

I sense a great malevolence. Be on your guard.

"Oh great...." My hand strayed towards Miroku's hilt as the air around me grew colder.

From the gloom of the forest came a loud screech as a shadowy creature loomed before me. Before I could attack it was upon me, capturing me in an icy embrace. I struggled to stay concious but was soon taken by the darkness.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

I awoke to the night sky, its bright majesty tinged in red by the light of the moon. Groaning, I slowly got to my feet, every movement sending a surge of pain through my body. It got worse as I took stock of my situation. I stood in what seemed to be a long furrow cut through the ground the broken hilt of Miroku just a few feet away. My wounds had not reopened, but new ones burned fresh with pain. Much time had passed since I was attacked, that much I could tell, but I couldn't figure out what had happened. Even Ban's voice was silent.

Hoping to figure out how exactly I'd ended up here I staggered away towards where I had apparently come from. It was an easy path to follow, my body having left a wake of broken trees. Hours seemed to pass until I finally arrived at end, closing my eyes and leaning up against a tree to regain my strength. Pushing myself off, I stumbled into the clearing to behold a most grisly scene.

Pieces of obisdian and earth littered the ground, along with what seemed to be what remained of once giant plants. Among the debris was strewn the bodies of my traveling companions. Ovan laid covered in blood and surrounded by the shattered pieces of his sword. Not far from his body was Danarica's still form, a look of pain and surprise locked on to her face. Knes' body lay in two pieces, his body neatly bisected around the middle by some powerful blade. Adalia's crumpled form lay close by, her head hanging at an odd angle from her neck.

From beneath one of the larger pieces of black rock was the broken form of Kite, apparently crushed to death while trying to protect Marion. Stella looked as if she had been pierced through the chest and lay slump against a tree, its trunk stained red with her blood. As for Dimitri, the halfbreed fox was impaled from back to front by a long spike of obisidian that jutted from the ground.

I fell to my knees, retching before puking on the forest floor. It was only as I brought my hands up to wipe away the spittle did I notice that they were caked dried blood. Shakily I got to my feet, only being able to stumble a few steps before falling once more. There lay Moswen, her body deathly still and her armor completely blackened from release. As I reached out one hand to touch her, her eyes snapped open capturing mine in its strange gaze. "Why....Ban?"

"I..I..."

"You...betrayed us. Killed us. Why?"

"I didn't-I mean, I wasn't...I..." I could feel tears well up in my eyes. "I can't..."

"We...trusted...you."

"Please, Moswen just...just...hold on..."

"I...trusted you..."

Like an arrow through the heart, those words pierced through me. I had failed. I couldn't protect anyone, not even with someone else's strength. It didn't matter if I had been mind controlled or possessed....it just proved how weak I was. How useless.

Poor old Jonny boy - always reliable. Always strong. HAHAHAHAHAHA! What a laugh! You couldn't protect them from that mob and you nearly got them killed in the prison. Hell, you couldn't even protect them from yourself! What kind of man do you think you are? A piece of useless shit, that's what you are! A worthless excuse for a human! Not even derserving of life!

"Useless..." Slowly my hand gripped the dagger around my neck. "Worthless...I don't deserve to live..."

That's it Jonny, just end it all. You've got no more purpose here, in fact you don't have a purpose anywhere. Yo-

"OH WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY YA SORRY EXCUSE FOR A FUCKIN' SPIRIT! WHILE NORMALLY I WOULDN'T GIVE A RAT'S ARSE WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE FLESHIES, MY CURRENT VESSEL HAS A BIT OF FONDNESS FOR THIS ONE. SO I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE - GET THE FUCK OUT!"

I released the dagger and looked up to see the same shadowy creature that had attacked me in the forest. Standing in front of it was Zombie-chan, her eyes glowing a fierce yellow and an unpleasent look on her face. "Yi?"

The zombie girl turned to me. "OH I SEE YOU'VE FINALLY NOTICED ME! WELL NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO WAKE UP!" She raised her umbrella "SO RISE AND SHINE!"

For the second time I lost conciousness as Yi's very solid umbrella collided with my head.


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

Groaning I awoke clutching at my head, blood already dripping from the blow Saifa/Yi had dealt. Gingerly I touched it as I glared up at the grinning zombie. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF WAY IS THAT TO WAKE A PERSON!?"

"Ah good to see your back with us good professor."

"Do you always help friends out by smacking them in the head with a blunt object?"

Yi's eyes turned yellow for a second as circular markings appeared on her forehead. "YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL YA DAMN GIT! IT'S NOT EVERYDAY THAT THE LADY SAIFA DOES HER VASSAL A FAVOR! IN FAC-"

"What?"

The yellow eyes and markings faded away. "Oh nothing nothing dear professor." She gave me a sickly sweet grin. "Perhaps you could think of it as karmic retribution for what you did to poor Marion."

It was then I noticed the elvish girl cowering behind a tree as her pet ferret hissed and jabbered at me. "I didn't do a damn thing to her! What are you babbling about!?"

"Those spooks that were haunting you got poor Marion here too! Apparently they tormented her by pfft-HAHAHAHAHA-having-HAHAHAHA-you-HAHAHA-RAPE HER!" She burst into a fit of mad giggles.

"I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!"

"Of course you would-heeheehee-wouldn't! And I explained it to her! It's impossible for you to rape her since you have no-heeheehee-sex drive bit what with that manly code of honor of yours!"

"I do too have those bits, look he-"

There was a faint squeak from Marion as I began unbuckling my pants before she fainted dead away. Before I could get any further, Yi's umbrella once again made contact with my head. Repeatedly. "YOWCH! GOD! FU-ITAI! Alright alright!"

"Now now professor, there was no need for that. I'm sure alll your -teehee- bits are in working order. I was just tryin' to comfort the poor girl."

As Yi picked up the fallen girl and threw her on Yakul's back, I grumbled. "Fine fine. Lets just get the others and get out of this god-forsaken forest..."

...it's probably a good thing I was half awake and a bit off kilter while writing this...

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moswen sat in the forest for what seemed like hours. Her cross-legged form was slumped slightly as her eyes seemed glazed from pure mental exhaustion. Kun, her little ninetails companion laying idly by her side. Kun’s large ears were flattened against his head, as his eyes were closed and he breathed softly. Moswen realized that the spirits might have gotten to him too, so her hand continued to stroke his soft silky fur.

Then there was a rustling and Moswen’s ears perked up. Glancing to her right, she immediately heard a loud voice before actually seeing anything.

“HEEEHEEEHEEE-I SENSE SOMEONE –HAHAHAHAHA-OVER HERE!” With that, the Zombie-chan immediately came into the clearing, with a big smile on her face as she effortlessly carried Marion in her arms. Ban slowly followed from behind, rubbing his head absently while his eyes carried a rather worn and tired look. A thought of, “I guess everyone had nightmares shown before their eyes…” would have come to Moswen’s head, had she not suddenly had a very pre-Kalah urge to hug a sight of relief. She swiftly rose to her aching feet and before she had fathomed the set motions she had gone into, she found her arms gently wrapped about Ban’s waist with her head against his shoulder. She doubted Ban knew what exactly had happened either for it seemed fatigue had a great way of slowing even the regular flow of time down.

“You… you really don’t believe I’d hurt you, do you?” She suddenly found herself asking, her head tilted upwards to place her two-colored gaze upon his. She had no idea and could not fathom the reason why she had the need to ask him this. Perhaps it was to reaffirm that her fears weren’t real… that they weren’t true. Or maybe it was something else. In any case, Ban’s words soon settled into her conscious between the swimming thoughts.

“ Course not. But… umm… whatever Marion says, I never touched her!”

Moswen released her hug slowly, taking a step back from him as confusion filled her features. She flickered her gaze over to the unconscious Marion.

“What do you mean?” She asked, but swiftly Zombie-chan seemed to appear right by their sides.

“HEHEEEEE MARION’S NIGHTMARE HEHEHEHEHHE TRICKED HER INTO *snigger* HEHAHAHAHAA BELIEVING BAN HEHEHEH RAPED HER! HEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!” She flailed her arms upwards in the air at this, laughing maniacally as if such a thought was the most hilarious thing ever.

“Ah, so the spirits got to her that way…” Moswen trailed off, looking to Ban with a twinkle of perhaps some thought in her eye, as if some relief were in them.

“*snigger* Giantsword hehehheee… sexbits…” Zombie-chan continued to cackle, as Moswen went over to Marion and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

“We’ve… all had it rough in this forest.” Moswen said, withdrawing a deep breath. Ban sat upon a fallen log, Miroku leaning against his side as he did so. It wasn’t long until suddenly the figures of the rest of the group appeared- Ovan, Kite, Danarica, Stella and Dimitri. All looked just as worn and tired, including Dimitri who no doubt worked hard to find the others and did not waste time.

“See? I’m back.” Dimitri seemed to give that look to Moswen, who only gave a nod with a smile as she sat near Marion.

“I’m exhausted…” Stella commented, rubbing her temples as the rest of the group seemed to agree tiredly. Almost instantaneously at that notion, Knes appeared with the barely conscious and tired form of Adalia in his arms.

“Knes… you arms…” Moswen found herself saying, as Knes gazed to his arms as if reconsidering why they were fully operational and working. Knes actually was the only one in the group (well, besides Zombie-chan… but she already looked rather dead) who didn’t look completely worn out. In fact, he looked better than when he first entered the forest, considering.

“Yeah… they work now…” Was all Knes said. He closed his eyes, as Ban spoke.

“This might be far fetched… but do you think perhaps, we could just get out of this forest via teleportation?” he looked to Knes hopefully, who narrowed his eyes in a determined appearance.

“It’ll be a bit tougher than normal, but I can do it.” His words were strong, as he looked down at Adalia who seemed to beg for a drink.
“Soon Adalia…” He whispered, looking to the others.

Upon closing his eyes, a glowing circle suddenly rose upwards from the ground. Instinctively, everyone was either already touching the circle or inside of it… which was what Knes needed. Knes felt the life forces and bits of mana within each, only noticing two oddities amongst the group (which he ignored); Knes then could feel himself and everyone fade away from the forest. His concentration was now upon the large and rather vibrant life forces that he could grasp at beyond the forest. He wanted them to arrive just outside of that life force- so that they could be safe not to land in a dangerous location. However, with his familiarity with teleportation… Knes was almost positive that they were going to arrive near a town.

Opening his eyes, Knes saw that he had successfully teleported everyone. Adalia was still cradled in his arms, and he could see before them a small but still sizable village.

“Thank you Knes.” Moswen said gently, patting him on the shoulder as she carried Marion in her own arms. Her face seemed tired, but Moswen held Marion upwards like a protective mother grasping her child.

“I think it’d be best to find a tavern, right?” Ovan said, and with nods the group entered the village.

******
“You okay Adalia?” Knes asked, sitting beside her as she sat up in the bed.
“Knes! It’s you!” She said happily, wrapping her arms about his figure. Knes hugged her back, as he offered her a glass of water. Adalia drank it swiftly, gasping as she finished it and sat it upon the table near her bed.
“Where… where am I?” she asked, looking about. Knes swiftly filled her in on what had occurred, and Adalia smiled.
“Thank you Knes, thank you for saving me.” Knes blushed and scratched the back of his head, his wings fluttering idly.
“It is nothing to thank me for. I said I’d protect you, and that is what I did.” He said, as he grabbed the glass of water and headed off to refill it.

*****

Moswen withdrew a deep breath as she sat upon the window ledge, her legs dangling over the side. The morning wind blew against her face and felt like a welcoming splash of spring water. Just before that she had done her vision-like powers of balance and had seen no crystals or signs of a temple.
“No temple here…” She said, but she nodded to herself. That would be a good thing. For once the group could have a day’s rest.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Mail Call! ~*~*~*~*~

My fists pounded over and over again on the door to Moswen’s room. “Mail call!” I called out to her, holding the clinched piece of paper in my fists. It had been only a hour since I was awoken by Knes, and already I felt full of life, there was something about this village, this place that seemed to be full of energy and life, it filled every inch of my body. A few doors down a very tired Kite poked his head out, glancing at me for a second before shutting the door. I rose my fist up again to pound on the door but fell short. Curiosity had taken hold of me, and I had to settle my curiosity. “Kite?” I asked, pushing the door open.

He sat on his bed, his back to me, his Halberd leaning against him as his gaze remained fixed on the window and the outside world. “Are you okay? I know we havn’t been able to talk much.” I poked my head further into the room, glancing around. “Your room seems really pretty.” I said as cheerfully as possible.

He raised his shoulders in a shrug. “I guess so.” He replied, his tone of voice sounding as if he had not even noticed. Something seemed really really wrong.

Moving in, I walked over to him, placing Marion’s letter on the night stand before wrapping my arms around his stomach and embracing him, placing my head on his back. “Don’t be so grumpy, everyone here is supposed to be happy!” I smiled, a cheerful tone to my voice.

His voice sank lower now, with a hint of despair added it. “Aren’t you supposed to be with the others?” He asked.

Moving my arms away from our hug, I hopped up on the bed next to him, smiling sweetly. “You’re a friend too!” I laid a hand on his, to which he quickly jerked his hand away.

“What ever.” He growled, turning his face away from me so that I could only see the back of his head. After a moment he turned around his face full of rage. “ I want to be left ALONE.” He roared.

My eyes went wide in fear, I grasped the letter and ran out of the room as fast as I could, running down the hall and pounding on Moswen’s door as fast and hard as possible. “Open up Moswen please.” I called out again just as the door was swung open, Moswen standing there wearing a robe, her hair dripping wet.

Slipping through the open door, I ran over and plopped down upon her bed. “Did you come just to stay in my room?” She chuckled, shedding the robe and walking over to the dresser. I rose up and watched as she walked across the room, her tail swishing left and right, her breasts moving up and down with every step. Oh how I envied her and wanted to look that way, all the fear from Kite just seemed to drain away. Moswen pulled out a obviously altered black nightgown that made me wonder how long I had slept and pulled it over the right half of her body. “So you going to tell me why you were pounding on my door and interrupted my bath?” She turned with a mischievous grin.

Leaping onto the bed in one swift motion she landed next to me, digging her claws lightly in my stomach and tickling back and forth as I kicked my feet and squealed in laughter. “I-I G-OT A-A- Letter!” I thrashed about holding the white piece of paper in the air to which Moswen quickly snatched away. “It’s from Marion.” I sat up, gasping for breath as Moswen read it quickly to herself, her face displaying no emotion or hint as to how she was feeling about the letter.

She rose again walking to the door and resting her hand on the knob and then stopped. “I’ll deal with this in a minute.” She said, her tone soft and quiet, which confused me even more. “Is there something else?” She turned looking at me as I swung my legs back and forth over the side of the bed.

My mind flashed back to the nightmare, the exhaustion, the hunger, the taunts. “I’m not a child right?” A few tears rolled down my cheeks as I sat there hands in my lap. “I mean you guys don’t think of me as a child or will leave me right?”

Moswen frowned only for a moment, moving away from the door and walking back around me, sitting down on the bed and rubbing my back. “You are only a child if you act like a child. And after going through everything you have, right now I see a beautiful young lady, not a child.” She said, I turned and gave her a wide smile, leaning forward and hugging her as tightly as possible. “And no one is going to leave you…” She whispered stroking my hair as I buried my head into her shoulder.

A soft knock on the door drew both of our attention. Turning my face lit up to see Knes standing in the doorway, his hair slightly damp as it seemed that Moswen wasn’t the only one that took a bath. “Am I interrupting something?” He asked with a bit of a goofy grin, walking in as I snuggled into Moswen’s lap.

I turned and looked up at Moswen with a smile. “Girl talk.” I replied, sticking my tongue out as he sat down next to us.

He moved his hand up, brushing it against my cheek before finally cupping it. “I am so glad you are feeling better, and back to your old self.” He whispered ever so softly for a second and then glanced up to Moswen, biting his lip slightly. “Since you are feeling better how about we go out tonight and explore the town?”

A giant smile lit up my face. “You mean like a date?” I asked

Knes stared at me with a smile on his face, giving a nod. "Yep. It's a date."

“Sure!” I responded cheerfully

He quickly turned, smiling and rushed to the door. “Then I will see you downstairs in a hour!” He quickly said, racing out of the door. Boys were and always will be weird.

Moswen stood up, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Well lets get you dressed properly for a date, and then I will go talk with Marion.” She smiled, walking over to the dresser and pulled it open, pulling out various dresses that the hotel had given the suite.

“What’s wrong with how I am dressed?” I pouted slightly.

Welcome to Kulun

Alright guys the gang kind of spent a lot getting our rooms, each has a bath in it, and a working toilet although you still need warm buckets of water for it. Each room also carries clothes although they are not tailor made for us. The town itself never had to deal with the Fearls and has advanced quite abit, think early 1900s. Stone streets instead of dirt, no cars though. A large library, a shop on tarot, and other things to keep us entertained for the night before we make a long trip up the mountain.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Revelation

I guessed upon seeing Ban’s hand reaching down to his pants, the image of him doing… that thing to me came back, and…


Apparently, I fainted. And the first thing I thought was, I had just fainted.

Thinking that Ban was going to…

I then remembered how Yi reacted when I told her that Ban had supposedly raped me, and remembered the look on his face when Yi informed him of my predicament… and I remembered that I fainted…

I guess I was a bit shook up from that incident from the forest… but think about the incident with Yi laughing at me and… well, it seems quite likely that what had just happened was nothing more but a dream – a silly dream – that would not become true (hmm… should I be grateful that Yi had laughed at me?)

Haha.

I slowly got out of the bed and began to look around. I noticed that we were now at a new place; we’re in a tavern, and no longer in the forest. I could hear some movement from the other room, but there’s barely any voice made. My guess was that everyone was beat up from the forest trip, and right now, they were resting in their room.

I slowly got out of the room, trying not to wake up Karam who was asleep, his body curled up. And just as I got out of the room, I bumped into Ban.

For a long awkward moment, we just looked at each other, loss of words.

“Uh…” I began. “Wh… where’s Adalia?”

“In that room,” he pointed towards the room just opposite of the one I’m in. He hesitated. “I won’t do anything like that, okay?”

“Yeah,” I said. He sighed, resting his hands at the back of his head as he headed downstairs. I went towards the door to Adalia’s room when I felt that someone was watching me.

“Heyyy…” Yi said, a wide grin on her face. “You’re still thinking about the – eheheheh – banwithabigswordrapingyou thing, are you?”

“…I feel silly, yeah, thanks,” was all that I could come up with before I slammed the door behind me.

“Hey, Marion!” Adalia said excitedly. She was lying on her bed. “I heard you fainted in the forest, but you’re okay now, since Moswen carried you here all the way from the forest!” she grinned, emphasising on the name Moswen. I blushed, as I imagined how I’d look like to lie in her arms.

Adalia stick her head up close to mine, and she grinned. “A-ha! I knew you were in love with her!”

“Shh! Not so loud, or she’ll hear it!” I shushed her, but that only has the effect of making her more agitated.

“You do, you do!” she bounced excitedly on the bed. I hung my head down, not wanting to show her my reddening cheek.

“…well… yeah, maybe…I guess.”

“Then tell her!”

I looked up at her and quickly said, “No!”

“Why?” She looked disappointed.

“I’m… too shy,” I said timidly.

“Well…” She searched around the room, and after a while of rummaging around, produced upon a piece of paper and a charcoal pencil. “Why don’t you write her a letter?”

“Hm…” I took the pencil up, and then realized something. “Hey, why are you so eager about this?”

She smiled sweetly. “Because you’re in love.”

“And…?”

“You should tell her, or you’ll feel pain in the future.”

I pondered on what she said. Well… I guess that’s true; maybe it’ll pain me if I just kept this feeling inside… but then again, what would she say? Am I ready for this? Or are we going too fast here?

“Okay…” I twirled with the pencil, thinking of what to write. “Well… what do you think I should write, anyway?”

She jumped up to the bed. “Okay… how about starting with, ‘to my lovely Moswen’…”

I frowned, not jotting down her words. “Well, maybe not like that… how about something else?”

“What’s wrong with that? I think its fine,” she pouted. “Okay, how about, ‘Dear Moswen…’”

“Okay,” I jotted it down.

“I really really like you…”

I stopped. “How is she going to react to that?”

She shrugged. “I dunno, it’s your letter. Okay, ‘Dear Moswen. Ever since I met you, I have felt something special.’”

“Uh-huh.”

“And I can’t keep this feeling hidden inside forever…”

“And…”

“Would you like to go out and have dinner with me?”

“Hm…” I re-read the whole letter.

“There seems to be something missing… oh yeah, ‘Love, Marion.’”

“Okay.” I wrote it down. “Uhh, I dunno what her reaction will be…”

Adalia got up of the bed and stood beside me. “I wish Knes would write a letter to me…” she sighed.

“Well… what do we do with the letter now?” I asked. Adalia’s eyes lightened up, a mischievous grin formed on her face.

“I’ll give it to her!” she said, snatching the paper from my hand. Before I could protest anything, she was out, the paper kept firm in her hold. I could only let my jaw drop.

“Well… there goes nothing…” I sat down on the bed.

And I waited.


Tag to Kalah!

[Haruko]

Ovan
-In the midst of time, we were entwined by destiny. / The dancing feathers are heading towards our desired tomorrow. / Wishin' for my love, I will fly beautifully..
Dominant: Danielle


I awoke, laying on the cold nights ground. The moon was up, shining a malevolent light, as the stars twinkled around. I sat up, trying to remember what happened. I got off of the crazy Zombie chick with puke in my stomach, and after everyone was gathered, we...I couldn't remember the rest. I slapped my head; blame my goddamn memory.

I looked around, after thinking all of this to myself, and noticed that there was no one around me. Hmm, maybe they went ahead and forgot about me?

Yes..forgot about you. A chilling voice swept the air. It's voice, unreal, bringing chills up my spine. I quickly stood up, and looked around, placing my left hand on Valkyrie's handle. I heard footsteps, coming from left..no..right? I kept in stance as the footsteps drew closer.

"You deserve no place in this world, you miserable girl."I heard one of them speak. Ovan? But I was occupying his body, how was he..
"What if everyone found out who you were, and that you were only using my name as a guise?"Ovan drew closer, but his face never revealed."They'd think of you as gross, disgusting. Getting a girl pregnant, while you're a girl yourself."

"That was you!"I recripocated, drawing out Valkyrie."I had no control!"
"Ah, but if you were stronger in mind, you would be in control all the time."He replied, coming out from behind. I felt a hand identical to the my own on my shoulder."If you were stronger, you would'nt of succumbed to losing control."

Truth..

"I...well.."
"The only reason you're ontop now is because I'm is letting you to! I can take control anytime, I just feel like letting a caged bird get some air before I take control."He smirked, then laughed slightly. He was right..why didn't suddenly have the strength to kick Ovan to the curb before..was it only because he let me now?

"If you had the strength in this world and your own, maybe it'd be different."I turned around, and he was smiling a wicked smile."If you had the courage to tell *bleep* that you.."

'You shut it RIGHT THERE!"I yelled. There was a complete silence between us, until I heard a faint, voice. Dimitri, was it? So far, yet so very close..

The image of Ovan started to dissapate infront of me, and I closed my eyes, completely lost to my own sanity, and slashed through his mirage with Valkyrie..

I stayed completely oblivious to the group as I remembered that incident. As if remembering a psychotic thriller or something, where the villian teases his prey prior to the kill; although it was merely an illusion created by the spirits of the fucking forests, as Dimitri made me see after I slashed through the one who played Ovan. Was he teasing me with the truth? Was I only a caged bird, flying around only on a small amount of time before I was recaged?

'I will make sure that doesn't happen, Danielle.'Valkyrie tried to calm my tension down.
'Thanks..'I replied, and kept my silence in the group for a time after. I paid attention to the groups small conversation, but did not chime in. I didn't feel like it..

“This might be far fetched… but do you think perhaps, we could just get out of this forest via teleportation?”Ban asked Knes, the one thing that was said that slightly perked me up. Knes' eyes narrowed in sheer determination, and replied;

“It’ll be a bit tougher than normal, but I can do it.”His words chimmed in strongly..something which I completely lacked. He started the teleportation, which was noted by a glowing circle rising from the ground. Everyone was either in it or touching it, and it was as swift as the wind in that we dissappeared..
--
We arrived to what seemed to be a village, small yet quaint. My body, drainned physically by the Zombie's piggyback torture, and mentally by the nightmare, wanted to sleep.

“I think it’d be best to find a tavern, right?”I told the group, and with everyones approval, we entered the village. Locating the tavern was an easy task, thanks to Stella's noted map, with scribbles of what seemed to say "Best Bar!" and "Best inn". Purchasing my room, and then knowing I;d probably share with Danarica, made everything much more worse.

As I entered the room I had rented out for the night, I felt a poke on my back. I turned around, and saw it was Stella, with a plastic jar of herbs on one hand.
"Time for a checkup on that burn."She said, like a doctor."I'm stealing him for a little, Danarica."



I'll come out with Stella's later.~.~;

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen


Moswen couldn’t help but have a slight smirk on her face as she watched Adalia’s face light up with the prospect of being upon a date with Knes. Knes had left the room to change clothes for the date, and Adalia was practically dancing upon the floor in Moswen’s room.
It must be nice to be so carefree and have some thing like that… Moswen thought as her exotic eyes followed Adalia’s movements and the delighted expression upon her face.
“Should I wear this?” Adalia asked, grabbing a rather risqué dress that was a tad bit too big for her. Moswen quickly stood up, shaking her head as she gently took the dress from Adalia’s hands.
“No… you don’t want to be something you’re not. I have a better idea.” With that, Moswen sat the silk dress aside and opened up the dresser. Rummaging about, soon she pulled out another dress. It was a beautiful dress to say the least- being far different from most of the other clothes within the dresser. The bottom of the dress had a few layers of white lace within it, while the dress overall was a silvery pink. It was elegant and light, being sleeveless with white trim. Yet the lower half puffed out with the lace slightly, giving it volume.
“I think this suits you more…” Moswen said, holding it up to Adalia. It seemed to almost have been made precisely for her, the length and sizing matching her like a key to a lock.
“It is so pretty!” Adalia exclaimed, taking the dress from Moswen. She swiftly began to undress and put it on as Moswen rummaged about for shoes. Once Adalia was fully dressed, Moswen handed her a pair of white slip-on shoes.
“There… you look very pretty. However, something is missing.” Moswen inquired, bringing a delicate finger to her chin. Thinking for a second as her tail swished to the side, suddenly a little yip from Kun brought Moswen to look upon the top side of one of the dressers with a mirror. There seemed to be a small box that almost reminded Moswen of…
“Jewelry!” Moswen said with a smile, walking up to the box and opening it. Inside were several necklaces and earring pairs, but Moswen simply took one of the necklaces. It was a thin silver chain with one simplistic jewel attached- a diamond.
“Here you go…” Moswen said, putting it on Adalia.
“It’s so … simple.” Adalia said with a frown, but Moswen turned Adalia around and shook her head.
“You know what is on that necklace?”
“No.”
“A diamond. As long as you have that diamond, it will never break. It represents your courage and resilience. So don’t treat it so lightly.”
Adalia thought about her words for a moment before a smile grew upon her face and she gave an eager nod. “Okay!” She proclaimed.
“I think you’re all set.” Moswen said, crossing her arms and looking at Adalia. “Your hair is beautiful down and you don’t need make-up. That necklace was the perfect icing for the Adalia cake.” Moswen said with a bit of a laugh, pointing towards the door.
“Now off with you. Go to your little prince.”
With that, Adalia gave Moswen an eager hug and thanks, and then ran out the door.


Once Adalia was gone from the room, Moswen gave a light sigh. Looking to the bed, she saw the letter that she had received from Marion resting there. It had shocked Moswen- she had never received such a proclamation before in her life.
“I don’t understand…” Moswen thought to herself, her eyes gazing down at the floor as the wind continued to blow into her room gently. Her soft hair rippled with the wind’s playful movements, as her mind continued to ponder.
“Well… I suppose it is time I come out of my shell a little bit, right?” She said to no one in particular, looking towards the door. With a deep breath, Moswen exited her room and headed towards Marion’s.

“Marion, are you there?” Moswen’s gentle voice trailed into the air as she knocked on Marion’s door. She heard Marion’s voice granting entrance and swiftly Moswen opened the door and walked inside. Shutting the door behind herself, Moswen found herself looking at the floor for a second as she gathered her breath.
“I… received your letter.” Moswen began, her tail flickering back and forth. Marion’s eyes widened as she seemed to gulp for a second, giving a blushing nod. Moswen found herself glancing around the room- anywhere but Marion’s eyes, as she finally continued.
“I… I am very flattered by it. I never had anyone write such a letter to me before and I’m honored…” Moswen continued, finding the words were beginning to spill off of her tongue. “however, I… I don’t have those same feelings right now.”
Marion’s face seemed to pale at those ending words, as she looked down at the ground with a look of defeat.
“You see… there is another person.” Moswen continued, gazing up at the ceiling as she absently clasped the tip of her silky tail within her hands to prevent it from swishing further. Images floated in her mind as she spoke, trying to say exactly how she felt. “Yes… there is some one else whom I… I believe… no, I know I have some feelings before.” Her throat was dry. An image of him popped into her mind, but her face seemed to soften and almost sadden with her next words, “But… I have no idea if he has any feelings for me. In fact, I truly doubt he does… for he hasn’t- “ Moswen stopped herself, looking at Marion. What was she doing? Blabbing like some incoherent pathetic girl?

“With that in mind… and me not knowing really of my own feelings, or his… or anyone’s for that matter…” Moswen continued, before finally she withdrew a deep breath and looked straight at Marion. “What I’m saying is, that I don’t see a problem with dinner. I would love to go out to eat with you.”
At this, Marion’s face lit up. “Really?”
“Yes.” Moswen nodded, looking outside and judging the daytime. “How about we leave in an hour. Just when the sunsets. That’ll give us time to eat, talk and then do whatever things we would like to do by ourselves or with others. I hear there is a festival… so hanging around the others might be fun as well when we are done.”
Marion gave a nod.
“Let’s meet in two hours, downstairs in the tavern.”
“Okay.” Marion said, as Moswen gave a low bow and then exited.


Moswen soon returned to her room, closing her eyes briefly as she once again returned to her window sill and sat along the outside edge. The sun’s rays lit up her face as she gazed at the outside world- seeing the festival in full swing. The noises of happiness, cheer and music reached her powerful ears but the true mood of it did not. For some reason, her head was swimming… swimming with thoughts that barely brushed against her conscious until now.
“Do… do I really have these feelings?” Moswen thought, closing her eyes. She guessed that she must have had them all along, and Marion’s letter was the push-come-to-shove between her subconscious and her conscious.
“No matter… such things don’t happen to me.” Moswen whispered to herself, as a breeze blew her hair like a slow-motioned dance of ribbons. “… not even in such a fantastical world.”




~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Knes
Knes scratched at the backside of his head for a moment as he waited for Adalia to come out of her room in the hallway. He was unsure of what to wear on the date, but he had picked the clothes he had found in his room that seemed to fit him the best. While he did nothing to his hair (it was hard to make the bangs that started halfway across his forehead to stop covering his red eye with out wind), it still looked nice enough and gave a nice look to his overall clothing appearance. Soon, Adalia came rushing out of the room and her eyes widened as she set them upon Knes’s figure.
“Knes!” She exclaimed as she eyed his outfit. Knes had on a rather handsomely crafted kimono. He had on a simplistic but flattering black kimono upon him, underneath being a dark blue nagajuban with a few markings peaking through to look like a design of a silvery dragon was placed upon it. A matching deep blue obi was tied around his waist, showing off the difference between his broader shoulders and his more lightly born torso. All with this he had on wooden sandals with black straps.
“You look beautiful.” Knes commented to Adalia as her eyes brightened and she rushed up to him. He thought the color suited her very well and he was hoping that his style of dress wasn’t too odd for her. He rather liked it himself- he felt like a true warrior, despite his age and height.
“Let’s be off.” Knes stated, ushering her downstairs and out the tavern door- not before making eye contact with Ban, who simply gave a smile. Knes found himself wondering if he could ever show himself to be a true warrior like Ban or Ovan.

“Oooo… wow!” Adalia proclaimed as the two of them walked among the festivities. Silently Knes reminded himself that he was supposed to be a twelve year old boy and that he had to act like they did when they first met. For some reason, Knes had realized that he was acting a bit too… mature? It seemed odd to say it that way.
“Hey Adalia!” Knes said enthusiastically, pointing at a food stand where they were selling various candy sweets. “Would you like some?” Adalia’s eyes grew wide as she gave a nod, and they approached the stand.
“Mm… that looks good!” Adalia said, pointing at the small colorful balls that were placed in cool containers.
“Then let’s try it! I’d like the strawberry flavor myself.” Knes said, looking to Adalia who also wanted strawberry. Knes ordered two and handed over some money.
“Where did you get the money?” Adalia asked.
“Oh… I found it and saved.” Knes said, giving a smile as they bit into the treat. It was delicious and seemed to have ice cream in the middle.


Knes’s eyes opened as his heart pounded. He was back in the old town where the crystals were… resting before they had to leave. Silently he remembered the temple- he remembered what he had originally sought out to acquire while helping the group. He was weak and he could not move his arms at all. But he had to. He had to acquire it.
Closing his eyes, Knes let out a rather inhuman growl as he felt his mana surge away from healing his body and towards his teleportation powers. Soon he appeared back at the temple- rubble everywhere. But he had focused in the precise location where he knew that special source was- right near the fallen body of the damnable kyuubi. Or at least, where it used to be. Soon, weakly using his legs, Knes had dug a fair amount of dirt to make a hole until finally he found it. That precious glistening jewel… this time silver in color. Forcing himself painfully to flip- a force that caused his arm to bang on the ground and upon a rock quite harshly- Knes grabbed the jewel with his teeth. He then proceeded to surge the left over mana into his teleportation technique again, where he teleported back into the room. The jewel disappeared… Knes finding a way to place it in the safety of his possessions like his other little treasures.


The two of them continued to walk, occasionally stopping at a few stands or road-side attractions in which people performed or played delightful tricks. Knes and Adalia laughed a lot, Adalia clinging to Knes’s arm a he gazed happily at her.
“Here.” He said, reaching deep into his kimono before pulling out a small bracelet. It was silver and chained together in elaborate chains that were decorated to look like intertwining stems. Forming in the middle were two rose-looking flowers, embedded with glittering pink jewels upon their tiny petals.
“Knes! Where…” Adalia began, but he hushed her and instead locked it about her wrist. “Back at the stand where you were watching the performing dancer, I quickly went to the stand nearby to buy you this. I thought it would suit you. Although it isn’t nearly as pretty as you.” He said with a smile.

Suddenly the sound of instruments strung into the air, and turning his head Knes and Adalia both saw a strange area with a bunch of kids and teenagers. Raising a brow, Knes looked to Adalia and then grabbed her hand as they ran to the area.
There, they discovered the festival was holding a wooden sword dueling contest. Flashing back to their little duel with sticks, Knes look to Adalia and grinned.
“How about we join in the fun?”

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri knocked softly on the rough wooden door to Moswen’s room, waiting for the soft acknowledgement to enter. Opening the door quietly, Dimitri entered and stood silently for a moment, his eyes adjusting to the light shining in from the window, Moswen’s black shape slowly filling in as they did so. The wind was blowing gently into the room, filling it with a pleasant breeze that both cooled the stuffy building and blew away some of its musty scent. Dimitri smiled as he walked over to stand in front of the window and look out with Moswen. He simply breathed for a few minutes, taking the time to enjoy this moment of peace as he was apt to do these days, before speaking.

“Are you alright?”

Moswen shifted slightly, leaning her back against the window frame comfortably, before she responded.

“Yeah, I think so…why?”

Dimitri shrugged and tapped his staff absently on the floor.

“Just wanting to make sure…you weren’t looking too good there for a moment.”

Moswen brought one hand up to wrap around her the bare shoulder of her armored side, as if suddenly chilled.

“Well...that’s over…and I’m okay now so you don’t have to worry.”

For a moment Dimitri was silent, then a soft sound escaped his mouth. Moswen listened for a moment before she realized that Dimitri was laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?”

Shaking his head, Moswen caught sight of the half-breeds eyes. In contrast to his laugh, his eyes were vaguely troubled, a glint of unease present in their dizzying spirals.

“I just can’t believe how much you’ve changed.”

Moswen’s eyes narrowed at Dimitri, asking clearly for an explanation. Leaning his own back against the opposite side of the window frame as Moswen, Dimitri glanced out at the town beneath them.

“Before we came here…no…before then…you were so bright, so energetic, so full of life. But ever since…well…you know when you’ve closed yourself off so much that you might as well have been wearing armor even before we came here.”

Her face dropping slightly, Moswen released her shoulder and turned her body in towards the room slightly, as though trying to make herself a smaller target.

“You know what I went though…what am I supposed to do?’

Dimitri turned himself to follow Moswen’s eyes, trying to keep his avenue of conversation open.

“Let someone else take some of the pain for you? You can’t hold it all by yourself…it’s obviously not working very well.”

Slapping her hand on the wall beneath the window, Moswen turned a suddenly irked glare at Dimitri.

“Why can’t I? And how am I supposed to trust anyone not to just throw it back at me? Even you…you’ve changed too you know?”

Dimitri’s eyes registered surprise which Moswen used as impetus to continue.

“Yeah, since when are you so gung-ho about everything? It’s all about moving forward, getting to the next objective…what are you in such a hurry for?”

Opening his mouth as though to argue, Dimitri suddenly snapped it shut. Moswen looked away, afraid that she may have spoke to much, may have just hurt someone else. A soft thump accompanied Dimitri’s staff as it fell to the ground in her line of vision. Glancing up, Moswen saw the half-breed removing his hat, looking at it for a moment before beginning to laugh once again, his eyes actually mirroring the emotion this time. Dropping the hat, Dimitri leaned his head against the frame his back rested on and simply laughed for a few moments, his eyes closed, the soft breeze ruffling his fur. Finally he opened his eyes, their focus to the side and out into the bright sky.

“It’s how I always hoped I would act in this situation.”

Moswen looked puzzled.

“Important mission, people counting on me…I always hoped that I would be strong enough to give everything for the final goal…put aside everything else to ensure that whatever needed saving was saved…that whatever needed doing got done.”

Moswen was surprised to see a watery glint begin to appear in Dimitri’s eyes, his voice suddenly dropping in volume over the next several words.

“It’s not as easy as I hoped though…watching my friends in pain, watching my enemies in pain, watching those I’m trying to protect in pain. I didn’t want to be pulled down from my focus, I didn’t want to have to recognize the reality of things…I didn’t want to actually accept that this was all real, that it wasn’t some epic fantasy adventure like I always dreamed of.”

Dimitri’s gaze lowered to the splintered surface of the window sill, still speaking though now his eyes were narrow slits.

“And then I realized that I wasn’t even sure if I knew what reality was. In the forest…watching everyone facing their fears…watching you fight against something that was real enough inside of you, much less on the outside…I thought that my powers protected me, that my relatively happy life made me immune.”

Tears matted the fur under Dimitri’s eyes as they finally closed all the way. Moswen saw Dimitri’s hands digging into the wood behind him, splinters forming around his claws. He continued on though.

“That wasn’t it though…no one is happy enough that they don’t have fears. It was the nothingness that I was afraid of, the nothingness that I was inviting into myself over this entire trial. I placed myself so far above everyone else and their emotional problems I thought…but I did so by not letting my own emotions have any life. And now I don’t even know if I have any left. How can someone exist without emotion? How can someone call themselves alive? You all had proof of your existence then, as horrible as it was…you all were able to feel the sadness and fear. The spirits couldn’t find any emotion to turn against me…what does that mean?”

Moswen’s head tilted, her eyes curious now though they mirrored some of the sadness of Dimitri.

“Dimitri…Bryan…you have plenty of emotion, even if you have been holding it back. Back then, back before we were here…no one else was as willing to just listen, was content even when all they could do was to be there just so someone was. It wasn’t effluent no, it wasn’t as visible or taken to such heights as others but…it probably meant the most. Everyone else wants to feel better themselves, even if they are trying to help another, and they use their demonstrations as a way to say “hey look at me, I’m a good person”…maybe your quiet presence meant that you just cared more about someone else than yourself?”

Smiling, though his eyes remained shut, Dimitri shook his head.

“I was just trying to be someone who could take some of it away, at least for a while. No one deserves to cry alone, no one deserves to be alone in their suffering. It was just something I could do for you…just like you did for me.”

Moswen nodded, leaning her own head against her resting place to look at Dimitri.

“It helped.”

Opening his eyes, releasing a few contained tears as he did so, Dimitri met Moswen’s gaze.

“It might still be able to.”

Taking in a deep breath, Moswen brought up a hand to cover her mouth. For a moment her eyes turned outward once again to the scene outside before returning to Dimitri whose gaze never wavered.

“…maybe.”

Reaching into his cloak, his face tilting slightly but his eyes not moving, Dimitri removed a tarot card. A remarkably accurate depiction of the world they were on was inscribed in its surface. Dimitri rubbed his fingers across the card for a moment, a soft glow surrounding it before sinking into the illustration. Reaching out, Dimitri’s hand met Moswen’s in the center of the falling sun, the card passing soundlessly between them. As Moswen looked curiously at the card, Dimitri explained.

“Hold that card to your ear and envision whoever you want. If that person is on whatever world you happen to be, they will hear your thoughts and will be able to respond.”

Dimitri stood, picking up his hat and staff and walking quietly to the door. Stopping, he placed one hand on the door itself and turned to look over that shoulder, his look serious.

“If I’m on that world with you, and you call me, I’ll find you. Even if it’s just to listen, even if it’s just to be there, I’ll find you.”

Moswen slid the card into her fluttering robe, turning her head to watch Dimitri.

“Why are you doing this?”

Dimitri shook his head, as if he didn’t know himself, though his response seemed sure enough.

“I’m just tired of being alone…tired of trying to hold back what I really feel.”

Moswen waited a moment before responding, her voice suddenly sounding surer as well.

“I’ll do the same for you then, at least we’ll both have someone who’s willing to help carry a burden then.”

Turning to leave, Dimitri’s voice traveled across the room to Moswen.

“Is that a promise?”

Moswen turned to look out the window once again, a sudden breeze amplified by the open door pushing her hair back.

“It’s a promise.”

Moswen heard Dimitri’s voice once again, though his words were so quiet that she could not discern them. She turned to inquire on them but the door was already shut, a lone feather drifting across the room to fly out the window. Moswen’s hand caught it before it flew away and her eyes studied the small object for a moment. Feeling the breeze pull once again, Moswen smiled and let the feather go. The wind took it and sent it spiraling into the air and out of sight almost immediately, leaving Moswen to her own thoughts once more.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Tournament! ~*~*~*~*~

We stood with our backs facing each other in the changing room that had been a small shop. I had been given a set of clothes to change into since I didn’t want to ruin such a beautiful dress. “Do you promise not to look?” I whispered, slowly taking off the dress allowing it to pool at my feet. Knes remained silent. “I am just scared of boys looking at me naked, touching me, it scares me a lot.” I whispered and began to step into the long leather pants.

“I would never touch you… no… I would never violate you that way.” Knes replied, his voice firm and sturdy. A warm bubbly feeling arose in the pit of my stomach as I pulled the white shirt on, followed by the leather vest. “I would never dishonor you or myself in that way.” He added quietly.

Spinning around I took a few stretches. “I love boys clothes.” I said gleefully as Knes finally turned around, his top removed, to show a scar across his chest which matched the one on his face. I quickly blushed several shades of red and felt a funny feeling down below. I had never seen Knes with out a shirt on before. I stood there speechless, not knowing what to say.

Knes took my hand softly and began to walk to the entrance. “Should we head out to the contest?” He asked, which was a harsh reminder. I really didn’t know how to sword fight. I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of Knes, which is what I told him in more or less words. “I can understand… here” He walked behind me, taking my arms into his hands as he moved them from behind me.

“You want to jab like this, and block, taking a step back.” He explained, moving my arms as I tried to remember the movements. Yet all I could think about was being so close to Knes in private. I felt like I could do anything in the world. “Just remember to have fun!” He finally added at the end of the lesson, walking toward the door.

I couldn’t contain the emotions, the buildup any longer. “I want to win for you.” I quickly blurted out much to my shock.

Knes took in a long breath through his nose, his wings flapping like crazy. “Well see that’s funny because I want to win for you” He flashed his beautiful smile and then opened the door for me. “So lets both be the top two” He added as I walked past him, nodding in agreement.

The tournament seemed straight forward, it was set up on a raised platform, everyone would watch around it while the battle took place. Each person was given a wooden sword and a mana shield was raised. No magic could be used in or at the battlefield and no one could get in till the referee decided a winner.

The first few battles Knes and I sat out, each of us snuggled up against one another. I was the only girl there, and one boy constantly glared at me as he sat next to his father near the weapon rack. “Adalia versus Cane.” The Referee announced, Knes gave me a quick hug for good luck as I stepped up upon the raised platform, and much to my surprise the boy that glared at me stepped up at the opposite end. Two wooden swords were drawn, one handed to the boy and the other to me. “Begin!” The referee announced, a bubble coming over the arena as I felt my mana drain away.

“Okay okay, remember Knes’ lessons.” I whispered to myself, I tried to remember it but all I could think of is Knes holding me close. “Ugh I should have focused.” I sighed.

“I wont lose to a girl.” Cane remarked, he quickly charged at me, his sword held high. I took in a huge gulp of air and brought the sword up to block. The two swords made contact and mine began to crack. Cane withdrew his sword; a silver blade hidden beneath the wood was now showing. A smirk was on the face of the father as Cane stepped back.

“Stop the match, stop it now.” Knes exclaimed in shock, the Referee shook his head as Knes looked at him and then back at me. “That’s a real sword, she could die.” He growled, his voice filled with anger.

My eyes refocused on the boy, as he and I began to circle the arena, trying to keep our distance. I took in a deep breath and matched eyes with the boy. I wasn’t going to be a weakling forever, I wanted to prove it, I wanted to prove I wasn’t a wimp.

I just didn’t want to die trying! The boy came swinging again, I could feel Knes, no all of their eyes upon me now. "Just watch!" I nodded, sidestepping to my right as the boy swung. He went flairling as he found his target had moved, my sword swung, connecting with his neck and sending him to the ground. His hands found his sword, swinging around quickly and slicing mine into two pieces. "Uh... oh.." I backed up dropping my now useless wooden sword.

"Beg for mercy and this will end." Cane smirked stepping forward, the last rays of the sun glistening off the metal. I opened my mouth to beg, to pleed, only to shut it as I caught the sight of Knes out of the side of my vision.

"I wont beg to some one that looks ugly!" I remarked.

A small growl came from his mouth, he charged forward swinging his sword wildly. I sidestepped again, and again he went flying to the ground. This time I was ready, picking up his sword, and holding it at his neck. The sword so heavy that I could barely hold it. "I win." I said, the mana bubble finally lifting as Knes rushed into the arena, knealing at my side as my legs felt like a ton.

"I'm proud of you." Knes placed a hand on my shoulder, the sword falling from my hands. The first round was over, and I was moving on to the next, yet I felt like a true winner already.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

OOC for post 130.5: I apologize in advance. I blame everything on the Cerne Abbas giant and the long, long hours spent in front of Microsoft Excel.
OOC for post 131: Will post more later, since I'm not entirely sure whether the zombie is going to bother anyone during the festival or not.


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
130.5: Divers Alarums +150PP


Happening in the timelapse before they reach Moswen in the dead forest.

"This is all very most like Alice in Wonderland," said the body happily. She was not hopping, because Saifa made threatening noises when she'd attempted to stay in character. Saifa had explained, in not very respectable language, translated to some extent by Okiku, that hopping was not to be done in such a place as the dead forest, as hopping might wake up things sleeping under the mossy ground, and it wasn't polite or practical to disturb them.

The comment having gone unnoticed by Ban and Marion, who were both trying their very best to avoid eye contact or any other kind of contact period, the body addressed Yakul, whom she was leading somewhat erratically by the bridle. (Marion, upon rising from her stupor, had given the body an imploring look, such that Ban had automatically passed the reins he had been holding to the body without needing to be asked.)

"'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked. The character of Alice, in this case, may be replaced by anyone in our group, except me, that is, because I'm clearly already mad, like the Cheshire cat: do you not agree, Yakul?"

Yakul blinked helplessly at the body, who was grinning at it in a conspiratorial manner.

The body was feeling slightly off-balance. Very off-balance, it might be said. The spiritual resonance in the forest was insistent enough that although shades were repelled by the very real presence of an irate, glowering Saifa, the fact that all three souls and zombie were currently experiencing the supernatural equivalent of 3cc. shots of Brompton's cocktail, repeated liberally and with highly improper overdosage of morphine, was making itself overly apparent in times of communication.

Such as now.

"S'true though, that was a good show," the body continued, digging her elbow into the approximate location of one of Ban's ribs. "You can stop eyeballing me, I'm not gonna larf. Too bloody sloshed to."

"Sometimes if I concentrate really hard on holding my breath, when I'm turning purple and wanting CPR badly, I can actually forget that you're an insane zombie."

"Good thing I hit you in time, eh! That was a really big tonker! No telling what you were gonna do with it!"

"Tonker? What the- shutupshutupshutup!" The meaning of certain words is universal, even if the lingo is acutely regional.

The body gestured wildly with the umbrella, indicating the rough shape and size of an organ that would technically require to be attached to the common elephant. "They have mounds and mounds of chalk landscape dedicated to people with big tonkers in some places, I bet you'd get a whole cliff-"

"Can we start on a less personal topic, or even better, focus on the task at hand and move on in silence!"

"-and lots of ancient druidical graffiti saying "HE HAS GOT A GREAT BIG TONKER" and no mistake-"

"HOW DELIGHTFUL, MY VESSEL IS A NOT-SO-CLOSET FANCIER OF LARGE [dated expletive]S."

"Lady Saifa, my honoured mistress, perhaps now is not the time to-"

"SHUT UP, OKIKU, THAT'S A GOOD GIRL. AND ALL OF YOU SHUT UP TOO, MISBEGOTTEN WRETCHES, I AM IN DIRE NEED OF SOMETHING TO SMASH-"

"Yes, yes, listen to them, or at least resume this when we DON'T have a highly traumatized lady on a Caligrey behind us."

"D'you think it's probable that the size of the fantastical RPG male's tonker increases exponentially with the size of the sword? I don't mean to be voyeuristic or anything, but the sheer possibilities-"

Long-suffering Marion, mentally scarred for life, cuddled Karam and hung on to similarly long-suffering Yakul and tried to shut out the surrounding conversation.

"-okay okay enough about my great big ton- my personal issues, so WHERE the hell are we going now exactly Miss Zombie?"

"Well, if you must know, I have picked up a strand of the inimitable Madame Ebonique's soul-thread-bits and am indeed raveling it up most devotedly on a dandy invisible reel."

This seemed to elicit a reaction in both Ban and Marion, which the body did not fail to note despite prolonged bobbing upon the seas of phantomly inebriation.

The ensuing grin split the body's face nearly in two. She slapped Ban on the back and gave Marion's hand a cheerful squeeze. "No worries, I'm just going to deposit the two of you alone together with her beauteous self and see who else is around and bugger right off to save other people, leaving you two alone together with that charming young lady, might I mention again supposing you hadn't noticed and look here I am running out of adjectives sad as that may be that I will be leaving you people alone with that ravishing lupine female?"

Ban pinched the bridge of his nose, which had gone a rather telltale shade of red, as had his ears. Marion blushed, demurely.

"I understand perfectly, raging hormones and etcetera!"

"Don't you have hormones, too?"

"All dead, dear professor, dead as a doornail!"

Karam's next remark summed the situation up rather succinctly. "Uh-oh, Karam thinks there will be trouble!"



131: Samedi Nuit Mort. Prelude.


Happening in Kulun town proper from here on.

The thief cringed, and shrunk back against the wall. Right now it was feeling much friendlier than the apparition in front of him did. He knew it had been a bad idea to conduct regular business on the Day of the Dead, but the merchant had been so overtly careless, and the pouch that dangled in the man's hands was bulging, probably full of mananite, and he was very aware that the vengeful magenta creature with the flaming sword hovering over the other mothball-scented creature would shortly cause him to lose certain bits of his anatomy of varying importance...

They had a saying in Kulun that if you did any work on the Day that wasn't dedicated to the ghosts, the ghosts would catch up with you and make sure it was dedicated to them.

He'd thought that was just what it was, a saying...

A cold purple mist materialized somewhere about his ears and coalesced into the faint form of a young kimono-clad woman, holding a plate. A voice breathed into his ear, rather mournfully: "This humble servant would advise the briganding sir that it is not wise to disagree with Lady Saifa, or our mistress."

He tried to speak, but he couldn't seem to form the words.

The body leaned forward. The thief leaned back, but the solid bricks were there to stop him.

"That's right," she said affably, " so give us all your money... manananananite... swirly grey-green marble thingers and go away, that's a good fellow."

Saifa brandished her sword, threateningly. "ANY ARGUMENTS, PEASANT SCUM?"

Five minutes later the body was dividing the thief's takings amongst the three of them with a satisfied smile, the little balls of mananite making little clicking sounds as she counted them out in her palm. The intended victim of the robbery, a prosperous-looking merchant who up till then had been watching the developments, mouth open in a rictus of fascinated horror, blinked and dusted himself off.

Taking a step out of the narrow alleyway, he was halted by a bluish hand clapping itself on his shoulder.

"Oi, you. Not so fast."

The merchant turned around, and stared into white, kohl-rimmed oblivion.

"We're gonna remember you," grinned the body, increasing the hardness of her grip on the merchant's shoulder. "And you're gonna remember us. And you're gonna make a big altar, you are, and you're gonna label it like so: The Grievously Wronged Servant Okiku, The Great Ancestress Dowager-General Shaku Myou-ou Saifa open bracket bronze statue in the Suzunoha shrine close bracket, and Their Right Honourable Vessel, the Body. And this is what we want on the altar: your finest distilled white mountain peach brandy, sake, all kinds of wine the more potent the better; lots of confectionery, peppermints and fruit flavours are preferred, and I only like the stripey bull's-eye type, mind; pretty flowers too, chrysanthemums are best-"

Part of the merchant's consciousness, banging ineffectually on the doors of the rest of the merchant's consciousness, said: On the whole, robbery might have been a better fate...


*

As the sun went down the souls in the dead forest organized themselves, at first in rows and lines and then as the space ran out crammed themselves into any nook or cranny available. The wave swelled, bulged, spread out...

...it engulfed Kulun town, the individual souls spilling out from the tide like so many flecks of spray, falling upon the offerings and candles and incense. Ghosts mingled with people, some the barest wisps of ectoplasm darting between the milling crowds. Tonight was a night when every spectre could walk tall.

Not that they could be seen by anyone, but it was the principle that counted.

The body perched on the rooftop of the inn, as she was wont to do. She sucked on an ethereal peppermint, and listened to the music coming out of her headphones that only she could hear, and wondered where Moswen had kept all those dresses in her room when they had been traveling, at length putting it down to hammerspace, and RPG physics. She'd seen first Adalia, then Marion, then Dimitri rendezvous with the wolfish lady, though she'd had the manners to disable her preternatural hearing. Eavesdropping was a bad habit among comrades, she understood.

She could track each member of the party by keeping tabs on the fibers of their highly individual souls. She decided not to let on about this ability until it was absolutely necessary, since it might make some of the more privately minded ones uneasy should they find out that she knew exactly how long they took in the bathroom.

How troublesome the living were, now that she came to think of it...

She watched the town square light up like a christmas tree, and stood up.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for, but she had the vague idea that a karaoke stand would be favourite.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Out for dinner

My heart was still beating madly from hearing those words from Moswen. I was really excited – and nervous – because this will be my first date.

Despite the excitement, I was reminded of Moswen’s words – on how she was unsure of her feeling – but I tried not to think about it and I began to think of things that could happen during the dinner instead.

I spent a long time just lying on my bed, not doing anything but thinking how the date would turn out. I closed my eyes for one moment, and only opened it when I felt something furry jumping up and down on my stomach.

“What?” I said sleepily, picking Karam up in my hands.

“Karam sees Moswen sit at one corner of her room doing nothing, and she doesn’t even notice that Karam is entering the room, and doesn’t even notice when the puppy starts to chase Karam around the room.” Karam scurried towards the floor. “Should Marion go and check her?”

The dinner… oh, I guess I’ve dozed off a bit. I looked outside, noticing the ray of sun starting to die down. “Karam, can you check if she’s still in her room?”

“Okay!” Karam darted outside, and I began to work on making myself looking somewhat presentable for the dinner. Or date, whatever.

I began to browse through the wardrobe, holding the dress in front of me, and feeling that it was a tad too big for me, I threw it on the bed, raiding the wardrobe for another dress. No, the colour’s too bright. Another one thrown to the bed. The pattern continued for a dozen of dress or so, until I found the one that was just perfect.

It was a nice lavender evening gown that runs down to my feet, and was made from smooth silk. It was sleeveless, and it has a strap each on the places where my shoulder connects with my arm. The straps also criss-cross across the area where my breast would be.

“It’s beautiful.” Picking the rest of the dressed that I laid out on the bed and putting them back into the wardrobe, I began to work on undressing myself. I was halfway in pulling my dress up when I realized something: that this was the first time that I have taken my cloth off ever since I got here. I paused, feeling the cool air brushing through the lower half of my exposed body, and, realizing that someone might just pop into the room any moment, quickly took the rest of my dress off, and immediately putting on the dress that I just chose.

“Hm… it feels quite comfy,” I said to myself, running a finger down the smooth fabric of the dress. I began to walk around the room a bit, getting use to walk in this dress. I then heard a slight chattering on the door. I turned around to see Karam being chased by Moswen’s puppy.

“Moswen is changing her cloth when Karam went into her room.” Karam looked up at me with curious eyes. “Marion has changed her cloth too? Is Marion going somewhere with Moswen?”

I smiled, and nodded. “Yes, we’re going to a dinner.”

“Hey, why is Marion’s cheek reddening? Like when we were in the forest when the pale-faced girl said something to Marion? Is there something wrong? Huh?” Karam practically said in one breath.

“I’m fine, Karam. Now, why don’t you run along and play with the puppy?”

“Karam is not playing! This puppy just won’t stop chasing Karam!” Karam ran out of the room, followed closely by the puppy.

I went towards a dresser, and I looked at myself at the mirror, noticing how my hair hung plainly around my head. I searched the dressers, and was pleased to find a rubber band. Picking up a handful strands of hair, I began to twist them against each other – swiftly, and quite naturally – until they formed into a small braid.


“You look beautiful,” Moswen commented when I went downstairs. She wore an elegant looking dress that was obviously altered to fit her, since she has half of her body covered in armour.

“Thanks… you too,” I said in a small voice.

Moswen smiled, and made a gesture towards the door. “Shall we go, then?”


It was close to sundown when we were out. We were walking together, but neither of us has said anything. My eyes constantly looked at Moswen, who in turn gave a small smile. I nervously smiled back at her.

“Marionnnn!” came a voice from behind. Moswen and I turned around and saw Karam scampering towards us, the puppy coming close behind him. I held my arms outstretched to let Karam into my arms. Moswen did the same with her puppy.

“I thought we had told them to stay at the inn,” I said to Moswen.

“Maybe they didn’t want to miss the festival,” Moswen said. She gave a little laugh – oh, how I love to hear that laughter – and stroke the puppy affectionately. “Did little Kun miss mommy? Hmm?” The puppy barked, wagging its tail.

“Karam is tired… the little puppy won’t stop chasing Karam around…” Karam moaned, before he fell asleep.


“So, Marion,” Moswen said after another period of silence passed between us. “Would you like to get anything before dinner?”

“Nothing, I guess. Thanks for asking.”

We continued walking until my eyes caught sight of something shiny from a nearby stall. I quickly went to check the stall, not really noticing if Moswen was following me or not. “They’re very pretty…” I exclaimed as my eyes scanned on the jewelleries that were on sale.

“Found anything that you’d like to buy?” Moswen suddenly appeared from behind, causing me to let out a small gasp. I looked at her, and looked at the jewelleries again.

“Can I get that one?” I pointed towards a silver necklace that bore a symbol of a wolf’s face, with two small red crystals planted on its eyes. Moswen nodded, taking out a few marble-like crystals – the money for this part of the world, I assumed – as I took the necklace and hung it around my neck.

“Thank you!”


“Say, Moswen,” I said as I sucked a candy that we’ve just bought. Karam, who was now awake, was also sucking on a similar candy.

She seemed to be deep in thought, and it took a while before she answered. “Yes?”

“I was just wondering… who are you back then at the other world? At TPM?”

She pursed her lips, before answering. “Well, I’m Kalah… Bulbasaur4 from TPM.”

“Ah, I see…”

“What about you, Marion?”

“Me? Well, I’m Faiz.” Thinking that the name might not ring a bell to her, I added. “Also known as dt, abbreviation for darktyranitar from TPM.”

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
it's simpler than it looks, but I can't tell it all. / i'm always putting what I want to say away in my pocket..


It was as if I lost control. Everyone disappeared, and then...It was as if I was looking at myself in the third person. My eyes glew a eerie green, and a sparkling green mana swirled around my body. My body was no longer my own to control, as if suddenly, something snapped inside. I tried to move my hand, but nothing happened.

It's of no use dear! I heard a voice coming from all around me. The mana controls you now, not your soul.

I stood idle for a while, the grass at my feet swirling around from the pressure of my mana. It felt like ages until I heard footsteps, and a voice I wished would go away..and not see me..

"Stella, is that you?"I heard, and felt my head turn around to view him. It was one of the half breeds of the group, Kite. "Are you ok?.."

"move.."I willed myself to say before my hand moved gracefully in the air, growing a huge vine beneath Kite, twisting around him. He..lied..I was a monster.
"Stella, stop this!"He repeatedly plead. It rung in my head, and all I wanted to do was yell. I felt my feet touch the ground and I drew the flower from my hair, growing it into more of a magnificent sword, yet as magnificent as it was, it was horrid. Twisted around it was poisonous mana, and the vine shined, stronger than I could ever make it..

"You lied."My possessed self said what I was thinking.She smiled and licked the tip of my sword,looking at him in blood lust. "Lieing is a horrible sin, you know that?"

I, a woman possessed, walked closely towards him, tightening his binds. I touched his hair, and then backed up. Preparing my sword for a violent thrust into his heart, I felt my body stop as a voice was heard in my ear..

was it that Dimitri person..?

My heart rung with fear even as we entered the tavern of the next town, Kulun. They seemed to be preparing for a festival for sorts, which would be fun if I was in the mood. I never went to one, and always wanted to go. But the pain in my chest, the anxiety in me, I just wanted to be alone. I paid for my room, and went up, closing the door behind me with no communication with my friends.

Opening my backpack on my bed, I laid out my herbs, bandages and bowls. I had enough bandages, but I'd have to grow herbs soon. Or maybe..I could buy some. I can't use my mana..I took out the rest of my belongings, and sat on the chair besides my bed, thinking.

"What..to do.."I said to myself, depressed. I hated the feeling that rang throughout my body, much like the feeling that I felt after the Ninetailled beast was defeated. But..I could feel the strong mana in my body overtaking. I could hear another voice in my head, wanting to kill anything that stood in it's way, and wanted blood for drinking. This depression was different..

'I need something..to do..'I thought to myself, looking out my window for a second until I remembered. Ovan's wound probably needed a checkup. It was a wound that couldn't be healed with magic due to it being created to direct phoenix fire, so it had to heal by itself. The last time I saw it, it was festering in infection, and I was able get some of it off, and some of it had to be healed with herbs. It should've been checked before...

I stood up and walked out of my room, and found Ovan entering his own room. I poked his back, and he turned around.
"Time for a checkup on that burn" I told him, and looked at Danarica."I'm stealing him for a little, Danarica."

She nodded and I motioned him to follow me to my room. He had an odd air about him, one of anxiety. It didn't seem like the Ovan I met at the prison, but I decided to pay no mind as I opened my door, and let him in as he sat down. I closed the door and got my herbs ready as he took off his shirt.

"The gauze is dirty and ripped."I sighed, taking a few leaves of herbs, and some medicinal paste, and crushing them into my bowl.
"I'm..sorry."He replied."The fight, and everything."
"Heh, yeah."I replied, and placed the bowl down as I finished, and took a pair of scissors, cutting the gauze off. The wound looked a bit better, but it needed care. What was amazing was its shape it was healing into. Like a flying phoenix itself..

I placed the dirty gauze in the garbage and wet a clean washcloth. I walked over to Ovan again, and wiped it clean. He winced as I finished, and tossed it aside. I took a small piece of gauze and placed some herb pasting on it, and wiped it slowly on his wound. Finishing a few minutes later, I tightly wrapped soft gauze, then protective layering on it. He placed his mail back on, then his shirt.

"Thanks..was it Stella?"He replied.
"Yes."I replied."But who are you? You're not Ovan.."I looked at him sternly."You might have his body, but you're not his soul. Your mana trace is slightly different if looked at right."
"I..er.."He looked around, unsure."I..well..I'm the person who created him into this world."

He then pulled a chair next to his and shared a story about a world of technology, and how he..well, as a she, was lured into creating a character in what was known as a "Role Playing Game" by something. Ever since then, they've been carrying out our gods will, although he entered here..

"I'm not religious, and I have no clue why this entity wants us to destory something thats protecting his people, even if they do not belive him..killing is a sin, right?Even indirectly.."
"I'd think so.."I replied. "So, you're a girl, in spirit, right now?"
"Yeah."He replied."Please don't tell anyone. No one knows that I'm in control, and I'd like it to stay that way.."
"Why?"
"I..don't feel like answering questions about my identity, or..just private things.."He replied, and I could slightly understand. With that, he stood up."Thanks, I'm going to rest. The wounds all stiff now.."
"Ah, yeah. One of the herbs is going to be a bit painful for a bit, so take things slowly."I replied,"But it should recover a bit quicker."

With that, Ovan left the room as I cleaned my belongings up. As I finished, I looked outside. The festival we saw when we first entered the village was in full swing, and I sighed. I wasn't tired, the 'dream' I had before in the forest was preventing me from that. I was slightly hungry aswell, only knowing by my stomachs cry. I sighed, and walked out of my room, keys in pocket, along with a mananite purse.

'Maybe Kite will..want to come..'I thought to myself, even though..the dream with him made me want to just stay in my room. I sighed though, and started my search for Kite.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen

Moswen’s eyes widened for a moment, memories of the old board- easier memories that rushed calmly into her mind- came to her. DT? From TPM? It was more of a shock than anything- to see him in such a form, before her eyes. A smile swiftly came to Moswen’s lips, as sweeter memories graced her mind.

“Of course!” Moswen said, stopping for a second as she turned to Marion. “I wouldn’t imagine you… well, the Marion part of you, to be Faiz. I can say it is… well, quite an honor.”
Marion’s face flushed with confusion as she tilted her head slightly to the side.

“Umm… why is that?”

“Because, you wrote fan fiction and I enjoyed your stories. I gained a lot of respect of you through that.” Moswen continued, walking once again as her and Marion began to walk side by side. “Then when you commented on my Divinity story, I felt extremely lucky. Every comment you made about Divinity was something I held in higher regard than the others.”

Marion’s face seemed to flush once again, but with a different emotion this time as she sucked on the candy for a moment longer.

“Why?” She asked, and to that Moswen shrugged as she raised a delicate hand to tuck a strand of hair behind one of her wolfish ears.

“In all honesty, I can’t tell you exactly. I think it was perhaps something to do with karma… if you can believe in internet karma. Either that, or some thing else. You just seemed like someone to admire… and I still think that.”


Stopping, Moswen turned to a stand that seemed to be serving a vast variety of foods. The smells wafted into the air and to her sensitive nose, it was almost overwhelming. Feeling her hunger, Moswen looked to Marion.

“Shall we acquire our food here?” She asked, to which Marion nodded. The two of them soon ordered. Moswen ordered pieces of chicken on a stick for Kun and herself, along with some tasty vegetables that they had fried. Marion had received a sandwich of some sort (although it looked rather odd, but smelled rather delicious) and Karam had pieces of fresh vegetables. The four of them sat upon a table that was outside of the bench and watched as the sun slowly sank lower and lower beyond the horizon until the stars began to peak out from the sky. The full blanket of evening was about ready to nestle over the land.

“This… this was nice.” Moswen trailed off, her eyes to the stars. Marion smiled softly, as Moswen continued. “I really enjoyed our conversations… it is nice to know who you are and to have talked like we did.”

“Yeah, I enjoyed it too.” Marion said timidly, as Moswen’s piercing gaze rested on her gently for a moment as she ate before turning back to look at the peeking stars.

Their dinner had turned out to be more of a date… as Moswen and her had stopped at many stands and overlooked many things. Moswen had bought Marion a necklace, which she had enjoyed doing. It was a good feeling to see one’s face light up with so much inner joy. Moswen had forgotten that she had that ability to do that for people- to release an inner joy. Silently she had longed to do it more. She had also enjoyed watching Karam and Kun play, although Karam viewed it more as a battle of life and death while as Kun thought it a fun game of catch.

Occasionally Moswen’s mind had wandered… as she had sworn she caught a glimpse of the others. She had remembered the words she had said earlier to Marion.

Yes… there is some one else whom I… I believe… no, I know I have some feelings before…But… I have no idea if he has any feelings for me. In fact, I truly doubt he does… for he hasn’t-… not knowing really of my own feelings, or his… or anyone’s for that matter…

They had raced through her head… the words had practically spilled out of her mouth to Marion at that time back in the tavern. It was as if it was a flood that broke that she could not stop- something that Moswen was not accustomed to. Yet, since they had flowed so freely… she realized she was forced to recognize the truth of her own words.

“I know the feelings of many others… for they are as plain as day.” Moswen thought to herself, as she gazed to the stars with Marion. “However, there are a few who I do not know their full intentions, and it appears that is where most of my troubles lie.” Moswen let loose a gentle sigh, causing Marion to look in her direction but seeing the thoughtful expression of Moswen she decided against speaking. “Things I had no desire to know have been answered to me… things that I did not know existed have been revealed to me… and yet, the answers I seek are but mysterious and beyond my grasp.”

Reaching out to the stars, Moswen made a motion as if to grasp one of them. Their gentle glow now aided by the moon, which shown brilliantly in the night sky. The nights were truly beautiful in this world… Moswen appreciated that.

Kun gave a wide yawn, curling up upon Moswen’s lap as Moswen suddenly realized that she had Marion had been sitting in the darkness for a while. The festival itself was still in full swing- obviously meant to run until the break of morning. Stands were lit up with beautiful decorations and candle lights amongst paper lamps, along with various other things.

“I believe I will return to the tavern now.” Moswen said, standing up as she cradled Kun in her arms. Marion stood up with her and nodded, as Moswen gave a soft smile.

“Thank you for the dinner invitation.” Moswen added, “I enjoyed it greatly.” With that, Moswen leaned in and gave Marion a gentle kiss on the cheek. The meaning of it perhaps a mystery to her, but settled in Moswen’s mind.

No words perhaps were needed as Moswen walked off. Soon she arrived back at the tavern and had swiftly placed Kun upon the bed. The small little thing was worn out from the day already, and Moswen gave it a loving stroke before returning to the open window.

Stepping through the window, Moswen found herself upon the rooftop of the tavern. The moon’s rays kissed against her skin as the wind seemed to make a notion to play with her hair. Taking a few strides forward, Moswen stood at the edge of the roof firmly, feeling no fear of falling. She could oversee the events of the festival still… although now it was more night life- gambling, eating, buying, exotic dances- things of the sort.

So she watched and thought, as she often found herself doing upon this day and fullest night.

[Bulbasaur4]

KNES

Knes had watched Adalia’s fight and many of the other fights as well. He had admired Adalia’s strength as she had defeated the cheater, although an inner rage harbored in him for the boy. It was such a dishonor to see one fight with such disgusting techniques.

Upon Knes’s battle, he had to face another boy. There was nothing outstanding about the boy and silently Knes wondered if the boy actually wanted to be in the ring. His arm was shaky and he sweated heavily, but proclaimed loudly that his father had taught him how to fight. Knes himself held his wooden sword steady as he circled around the boy poised- like a wild animal ready to strike. While Knes was not entirely skilled with the sword, he was quite harmonized with his own body- he had to be in order to know the proper amounts of mana to channel into his body at the precise moment for key strikes.

The boy had charged first and Knes had dodged the blow, and his keen eyes saw a wide opening in the boy’s swing. Knes rolled away and resumed his familiar pose, waiting for the boy to strike again. Predicting his rather harsh demeanor, he judged the boy well for he soon swung once more. Without hesitation, Knes slashed at an angle and nailed the kid in the side. The blow was more precise than powerful, causing him to cough and cover his side. This continued as Knes analyzed the boy’s swing, waiting for his openings and seeking out their weaknesses. The fight was a bit long- as Knes didn’t want to go all out.

Still… the battle had awakened the inner part of his fighting spirit. The same spirit that led him to take so many blows during the confrontation with the Ninetails. However, the fight did not arise to such a degree that rose Knes’s spirits.

More battles took place, until the final round was determined. Soon, Knes was in the arena… facing his final opponent- Adalia.

“Let’s try our best!” Adalia said with a smile, as Knes gave a nod.

“Yes, don’t go easy on me.” Knes said, giving a low bow of respect. Adalia followed suit- mimicking him as she let out a smile.

“Oh, I won’t!”

The signal was given and soon the mana barrier rose. Adalia went at Knes hard right away- which was surprising to him. He did not imagine her as the type to be on the offensive and it caught him off guard. Her sword found his side, causing him to stagger back. She charged again this time, causing Knes to go to the defensive. It was as if Adalia was a different person- purposefully pushing herself to the point of exhaustion as she tried her best to show Knes everything she had. Knes had to block every blow, however with the barrage of swings he missed once- causing her to hit him once again on the opposing side. The wood slid off sharply as Knes twisted away, causing a trickle of blood to form where the sword hit.
“I’m sorry Knes!” Adalia said, more out of true apology but it was clear she wasn’t going to hesitate.
“Don’t… apologize.” Knes said suddenly, feeling the rush of adrenaline from battle taking over. The blood trickling down his side was wiped away by his hand as he lifted it up to his face, gazing at the crimson color. It was almost uncontrollable… the feeling that consumed him- the desire to win. The hunter within him- the warrior came out.
Without hesitation, Knes charged straight at Adalia. However, no longer was he clumsy or slightly taken aback by the passion to strive for her best by Adalia… now he just was fueled by the desire to win.
He closed off the gap as he neared Adalia, swinging not so much as artful as a swordsman… but more so using his body to intricately dance and exploit weakness- the sword was just a tool to help exploit it. Adalia went upon the defensive, but she was soon overcome as Knes found her weaknesses. A blow to the side. A block. A block. A blow to the other side. A block. A hit to the leg. A hit to the arm. A hit to the abdomen…
Adalia fell backwards, tears coming to her eyes as Knes stood over her. Her sword was raised but he knocked it away. His red eye gleaming with the thirst for victory- to win, Memories of his past had come rushing to him- the hurt, the pain… the suffering he had endured. The suffering his family had taken… how he had to win. He couldn’t lose. He couldn’t lose… he had to win and he couldn’t let some little girl get-
“KNES!” Adalia screamed, and suddenly Knes snapped out of his tunnel-like emotions. He had the sword raised high, as if ready to strike her in the head. Knes’s eyes opened wide as he quickly threw the sword away upon the ground, staggering backwards. He was then proclaimed the victor, but Knes wasn’t paying much attention.

“I’m sorry Adalia…” He began, turning his back to her as some cheer from the crowd formed into the air- it had been quite the show. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to go all out like that on you…”
He suddenly crouched low on the ground, clutching his head in his hands as he held back his emotion. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… sorry…”

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Winner ~*~*~*~*~

I sat there, stunned for a moment, I had seen Knes in battle several times, his fury and anger. I had never seen that anger funneled against me before. Images of the battle flew through my head as I finally rose to my feet, walking to Knes and kneeling in front of him. I moved my hand near the wound only for him to jerk his head away. “Don’t be such a boy, let me heal you.” I huffed, placing my arms on my hips in annoyance.

Knes jerked his head to the side in anger. “I’m no boy, please respect my wishes.” He said a bit stubbornly, I could only chuckle as I remembered how many times I got called a child and how that felt like.

I took in a deep breath trying to calm my anger and annoyance at how Knes was acting. “Okay you are a man, a strong man, and my protector. If you wont let me heal you with mana, well there are other ways I can heal you.” I placed a finger to my lips mischievously and then leaned in, kissing the wound. “See? All better now?” I asked with a small smile.

Knes’ face lightened up, he began to say something when two soldiers came up, taking him by the arms and leading him up to a robed man. He turned to look at me for a second, mouthing ‘thank you’. I sat back and watched, proud and happy as the robed man knighted Knes, officially giving him the role of protector.

As we walked back to the tavern, the two of us held hands, I was almost skipping along as we walked. “So when I was battling that boy, he was like woosh, and I was like woosh.” I used an imaginary sword with my left hand, showing how I had blocked attacks, as Knes watched along, his eyes lit up in happiness. “And I knew I wasn’t going to lose!” I ended the story.

“How is that?” Knes asked.

“Because I knew that only you could beat me.” I let go of his hand and ran up to the front of the tavern, standing with my back to the doorway. “I want to have a rematch, okay? Some time soon I want to have a rematch.” I announced.

Knes smiled, stepping up and placing my hands into his. “If I have a rematch with you it will certainly be one to remember.” He said confidently, and then leaned in. “Because I have..” He began to say just as Zombie chan came brushing past us, opening the door, letting a sweet scent whiffed by.

“Was I interrupting something?” She asked ruefully as we followed her in. Almost everyone was in the room, Moswen walking in just as we were. “Oh Ban-chan! Oh that sounds like a fun name, Ban-Chan, Your flower has finally bloomed.” She announced as a beautiful flower lay in his hands.
“Now lets enjoy the show!” She announced as my vision began to blur. I looked at Knes, almost to ask what was happening, only to find my knees weak, I dropped to the floor, my vision only going black for just a second. When it cleared I was looking in a mirror, it was still me, Adalia, the young girl, but I was wearing a beautiful white dress.

I turned to find Moswen standing there, running a brush through my hair. “Today is the big day!” She smiled, brushing my hair one last time before finally placing a vale over my face. “No last minute jitters?” She asked, I shook my head, unsure what she was talking about.

A familiar voice came into the room. “Five more minutes.” The voice said as I turned to meet the voice. It was my sister, Samantha, I couldn’t.. I glanced around. I was back on Earth. I was back on Earth! “I never figured I would see my brother as the bride on his wedding day.” She chuckled, leaving the room as even more shock fell upon my shoulders.

Music began to cue up as Moswen took me by the hand and led me out of the room and into the lobby of my old church. There stood my father, as dignified and handsome as ever. He was even smiling, something I would never think he would do if he found out I was Adalia. “I am so proud of you.” He whispered, taking my hand as we walked down row upon row of pews, each lined with people.

Rose petals on the floor as we walked, reaching the alter where Knes stood, beaming happily in a tux. I stood there in shock, happiness flowing through every inch of my body. “I love you.” He whispered as we both turned and the preacher began

The Rose that is Ban’s and Dimitri’s does the opposite of the Forest, letting you live your greatest fantasy, although unlike the last one this one ends quickly, maybe even in the middle of it so be prepared for that.

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Obviously set before Knes and Adalia return to the inn -


Ban Ravi
~Twilight Festivities~

After the trouble-filled last couple of days, it was nice to finally find a town where we weren't about to be killed. Apparently we'd gone far enough inland that Fearl attacks were virtually non-existant leaving the town quite well off despite it being near that creepy forest. As well, Stella's brother had good taste and after a quick nap and a warm bath in this fine inn I was feeling refreshed and energized. Perhaps our luck was changing for the better or whatever god had brought us here was giving us a break. As much as I wanted to stay focused on finishing this mission, it was nice to get some downtime.

As I changed into some of the clothes in the drawers, I threw a mournful look at the ragged piece of cloth that was left of my coat. It was shredded in hundreads of places with pieces of chainmail sticking out or outright missing. A sleeve was missing, having been torn off to stem the blood flow from the head wound Yi had given me in the forest and the edges were run ragged. While insignificant compared to our other problems, I was already missing the familiar weight and feel of it.

"Plus, none of these damned jackets fit right." I thought bitterly as I gave up trying to button up my latest pick, tossing it aside. Grabbing a red vest highlighted in gold, I slid that on over the black tunic and pants. "This'll have to do 'til I can get it fixed. And I know just what I'll use..."

Throwing the partially destroyed coat on to a large bag I had placed near the door, I picked it up as I exited. Aren't you forgetting something?

I glanced over to where I had left Miroku where it lay against the bed post. "Hopefully I won't need it around. Plus I can always call it if the need arises."

Be careful. You seem to attract trouble.

Waving off the warning I headed out. Just as I exited the tavern, I heard the cry of 'BANZAI!' followed by something heavy landing on my head. Thrown off balance, I collapsed backwards as Zombie/Yi catapulted off my head to land before me. "Ah, thank you dear professor for slowing my fall!"

"Don't mention it." I groaned as I got back to my feet. "Going to the festival I take it?"

"Yes I was actually. I was hoping perhaps there would be a karaoke booth or two."

"I...don't think they have karaoke..."

"THEN I'll INVENT IT!" She grabbed me by the arm and started tugging me towards the festival grounds. "And being the noble man you are, your going to lend me a hand!"

"EH!?"


=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

Sometime later, I found myself playing melodies on my ocarina as Yi belted out songs from our world in the town square. She had a surprisingly robust voice and we even got a few mananite out of her performance from the passerbys. Eventually I was able to convince her to check out the rest of the festival before continuing with her impromptu concert.

"I didn't know you could play so well professor."

"Yea, well I played the clarinet for a couple years back home. It wasn't that hard to figure out the ocarina once your practice a bit." We passed by a large stand filled with pelts and various clothing designs. "Ah! Just what I was looking for. Excuse me!"

Catching the attention of the proprietor of the tanning booth, I pulled out my ragged coat. He gave it the once over before giving me a look. "Looks like you've seen a lot of action. This thing is about to fall apart. And these marks - what have you been fighting rabid bears?"

"Demonic foxes and mutant beasties to be exact. So ya think you can repair it? It's been of great use to me on my...uh...job."

"Well I can certainly do it, but it might take a day or two." He looked at me, as if sizing me up. "You another one of those mercenaries headin' ta the mountains?"

"The mountains?"

"Yea, been tales of treasures in an abandoned temple up in the mountains. We get some folk through here ever year tryin' goin' up there ta get it. Not many come back. If you are, your going to need something a lot warmer than this here leather."

"Would these work?" I plopped the bag down in front of us, opening it to reveal the brownish-white tails of the Kyuubi.

"This is.."

"Genuine tails from a nine-tailed kitsune." I had figured that it might be worth something to take the tails with me, and it seemed like my hunch had paid off. "There should be more than enough in there to fix my coat and perhaps make a few cloaks for my comrades to wear?"

The tanner was holding up the tails for observation, taking into consideration its condition. "Well how many of there are ya?"

"Nine of us, not includin' myself, and two'em are youngin's."

"Should be easy if you want me to use these. Kitsune fur, specially those from the tail, are especially good at holdin' enchantments. I can weave the fur into the fabric of the cloaks and enchant it with a low level heat spell to keep'em warm." He glanced at the tails again. "Still, its going to cost you a sizable amount ta afford all that."

Knowning we had spent most of our money on the inn rooms, I was about to ask if there was a way I could perhaps work off the price when a sullen-faced, effeminate man walked morosely past the counter. The tanner immediately turned his attention to him. "Felix my boy, what's the matter? I thought you were holdin' a play with that troupe of yours?"

"We were, but our lead actor broke his leg while rehearsing and now the show can't go on since no one else can fit his costume." Felix turned towards us and his morose features brightened upon seeing me. "Wait...You! You'd be perfect!"

"Err...perfect for what?"

"For the role! Your just Lorenzo's size and that voice - you'll be perfect!" He grabbed up my hand. "Please say you'll help. We need to impress the guild representative badly and if we can't put on a play, they'll defintiely kick us out!"

"I...welll..."

"What my burly companion is trying to say," Yi interjected as she popped up next to me. "He'd be happy to help, if you help us of course."

"Anything!"

"Well, if your father here will fix the professor's coat and give us those magic cloaks, then he'll defintely help you!"

"EH!? I ne-" Yi nudged me hard in the rubs. "I mean...um...yes."

"PLEASE FATHER!"

"Well...how about I fix them up and you only pay half the price?"

"Sold!"

"OH THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!"

As Felix showered us with praise and led us away towards his troupe, I whispered to Yi. "What the hell? I don't know the first thing about acting!"

"Don't worry professor, I'm sure you'll do juuuuuuuuust fine."

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

OOC: Long sidestory post. Also happens before we all go flower-viewing. All typoes/misspellings in the white text are wholely intentional; G. B. Shaw takes the credit for the best line in this post.



The body/F
138: Samedi Nuit Mort.


THE GUILD OF ACTORS, KULUN COUNTY

Yn Association With

KULUN TOWN HALL

ys Proud to Present ane

ENTERTAINMENT

Comprysing Aye Moralytie, Aye Panto-Mime, Aye Tragicomedie, & Ane Hodening,
yn honore of the Daye of the Dedde.

Performances by;

Lord Dumarcay's Men
Kulun Town Guisers
The Lemon Avenue Strollers
The Masqued Hodening Projectte (Ecks)

alle Playing Companyes of Goode Repute.



The large temporary stage, built on the opposite end of the town square from the tables heavy with offerings, loomed innocently (if that was at all possible) in the light of the bonfire. The carpenters had worked for a week to get everything in order, up to and including the humorous trapdoor that was a requirement for the performance of any play with a decent ghost part. Benches had been arranged in neat rows to serve as seats for the public.

Backstage, chaos was currently erupting.

"Mister Weaver, sir, I can't get the fog machine to work properly, the smoke what comes out is all brown and yuk!"

"I think I et of something that don't want to stay et... uuuurggghh..."

"This wig is giving me powder itch. Here, Fee, darling - I demand a fresh one be ordered from Frussock immediately, you know my scalp just can't stand such treatment-"

Felix Weaver the Younger fended off his troupe as best as he could. They always went to pieces before big performances, and this one was especially important. They'd only gotten approval because Lord Dumarcay's Men were doing some tribute play written and paid for by the late Lord himself; presumably his spirit would be in attendance to ensure that everything went as planned. An involuntary shiver ran down his back as he remembered the recently deceased mayor, a truly formidable man who had been the first to draw up a treaty with the ghosts of the dead forest.

"Ooooo, look at this script, professor, they've got you down as an irredeemably alcoholic and terribly sexual ladies' man. S'called Don Juan Couchant."

"'Dancing is the vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalized by music'? I have to say that while grinning licentiously, don't I? I wasn't even in drama club!"

Oh. He'd almost forgotten his Discovery, what with having to deal with everyone else. Tall and well-built and sufficiently good-looking for the lead in the morality play as well as... the other role... in the pantomime. It had been an incredible stroke of luck. He'd take Dad out for a drink afterwards. Good old Dad. He'd show that snooty Guild rep... provincials he'd called them, hah...

The small girl manager - well, actually, not a small girl per se, she just seemed like a small girl next to his Discovery, and Felix suspected many people would seem small when compared to his Discovery - bothered him, though. Was she an actor as well, to have so much Corpse Blue #5 on? And that eyeliner, and the purple lipstick, and that nose-numbing scent. And those were some really amazing lenses, the way she could still see her way about despite the white completely obscuring the coloured parts of the eye...

Felix shook his head. What rubbish. No women allowed on stage, that was the rule.

He put it out of his mind, and fortunately for him, did not think about the alternative.



*


The body considered Ban, in full costume and not looking very pleased about it. She tapped her chin with a finger, thoughtfully. Her dead pheromones were staging a revolt and demanding fresh life.

"Black is nice," she said eventually. "Black is always nice. Lots of cows died to make you look mysteriously dashing tonight, too. Maybe a bit, um, tight, but, eh, the girls will go wild."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Only... for your sake, I hope the costume designer was a woman."



*


Ban snuck a look out through the curtains, and stated the obvious. "There's no one there!"

Without turning from the script in front of her, the body said: "Don't be silly, everyone's already there."

"Oh, them morality plays are done special for ghosts, sir," said a helpful stagehand. "They likes 'em. I suppose they feels better when they sees us people sin and then die writhing in dreadful agony. We always leaves the seats empty for the morality plays."

Ban continued staring at the expanse of benches. He found that if he stared long enough, and concentrated hard enough, he could see the barest flicker of marshfire on the edges of his vision.

"They're all there, I can feel them," said the body absently, thumbing through the crumpled pages. "You'll have an audience, no worries. Hey, you gonna bother to maybe at least read the whole play through, professor?"

Not having obtained a reply, the body swiveled round. Ban had let go of the curtain, and his stare had shifted from the audience to the approximate area of his shoes.

"Stagefright?" she ventured, tentatively. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." (This last said rather unconvincingly, but she tried.)

"Yes," said in almost a mutter, then, slowly, as if the idea had only just occurred to him: "But I think this is the perfect opportunity to introduce the world to Ban Ban..."

There was a sort of wsft, and Ban straightened up, in Ban's body. The body raised her eyebrows. Well...

...well.

"Hullo, Ban," she managed, and held out the script. "Here's your script. Curtain up in five minutes."

"I don't need any script," said Ban, and his smile was the fall of angels.



*


Silent applause. You couldn't hear it, but it was there. The body, lurking in the wings, was engulfed in it. The ghosts had evidently enjoyed Don Juan Couchant.

It continued long after the seating area was opened to the public, and the townspeople came flocking in. Ban had been very good. The body concluded that it was because the role of Don Juan, unrepentant sinner, drinker and womanizer, had probably been based on him, and tailored to fit. Certainly the bottle of peach brandy in the man's hand as he'd swaggered around the stage, declaiming his defiance against the mores of the world, wasn't just a prop - she knew what the ghost of peach brandy felt like, thanks to Saifa.

She scrabbled for a seat in the front row, and soon got a whole bench to herself after increasing the intensity of her perfume of choice (Napthalene Melange). An old man came shuffling into the corner, though. Possibly the distressing odour of mothballs was canceled out by the very strong tobacco in the pipe he was smoking.

Next up was the pantomime. A worried man in pantaloons and puffed sleeves had just come up to announce it.

The body settled down happily. She liked pantomimes.



*


The dress glittered. It also sparkled. The seamstresses had done everything that they could to make it stand out, and stand out it did, with the help of lots of wire, gauze and stiffening. Velvet and copious amounts of lace figured largely in its design. It was nominally red, but it was hard to tell underneath all the shimmer.

"I'll leave this to you, shall I?" said Ban, with a suspicious choke in his voice.

wsft

"Pardon?" Felix blinked at the large man in front of him. "I'm so sorry about this, but old Lorenzo's on contract with the Guisers too, and, well, he likes dressing up..."

"No," said Ban levelly.

"But... but!" Felix began to grovel shamelessly. He had a natural aptitude for grovelling, and the thought of the Guisers and their stout cherrywood sticks was quite enough to lower him to clutching Ban's feet. "I'll convince my dad to let you have your skins at a quarter of the price!"

There was a wig, too. It was reddish-grey ringlets. "No."

"My dear sir! A brave warrior like yourself, you must have faced myriad foes in your time, and after all all I ask of you is to play -"

"- a woman. No."

"Have you no pity, sir? A noble lord such as yourself, with a fine sense of honour, saving those in need -"

Ban took another long look at the costume, and then shifted his gaze to the bottle in his hand. "Peach brandy, eh?"

He upended the bottle, and with the other hand convulsing slightly, reached for the dress.



*

There was extremely audible applause at the end of the pantomime, as opposed to the situation about an hour earlier. Catcalls and wolf-whistles predominated. The body bounced up and down as if on a steady supply of caffeine, waving Ban over to her bench. He was rubbing his face vigorously, in a bid to remove every last inch of offending makeup from his pores. He felt violated, in some horrible, unimaginable way.

"That was awesome! You were so conspicuously a man while still dressed up as a woman and it was dead on hilarious! Have a peppermint?"

Ban scowled at her. "They pulled the noble trick on me. That's downright unscrupulous. And how'd they know about it, anyway? Did YOU tell them?"

"Some things are sorta kinda glaringly obvious, professor. So you made that Felix bugger foot the bill for that extra performance?"

"I cut it down to a quarter before he pulled the noble trick."

"Tell you what, I'm rather rich today, on account of having benefacted someone - I'll pay the rest." The body took out a little cloth bag. It was reassuringly heavy.

"Hey, that's more than what we earned busking-! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"

Subjected to a ten-kilowatt glare, the body had the decency to look slightly sheepish. "Uh. Personal amusement? You never asked?" Then she rallied. "Anyway you wouldn't want to borrow money from a girl. Noblesse oblige and all that."

The warrior twitched. "And now you're pulling the noble trick on me, too. And the worst thing is, it's working."

"AHAHAHAHA. So did you see the pantomime horse men?"

"Let's not talk about the pantomime horse men."

A heavily-built stagehand passed in front of them, carrying a large, severely-designed ebony armchair. It was placed in the direct center of the front row. The old man dozing on the corner of their bench woke with a start, and refilled his pipe as the bepantalooned man returned to the stage to call out the name of the next play and introduce the characters.

Forty-five minutes later, Ban was acutely aware that Yonge Street at Midnight was, to put it lightly, a very forward play. Oh, it had all the elements of the classic drama: enforced separations, strained relationships, love enduring beyond the grave, a dash of humour and several tear-jerking moments. But there was a very fundamental breakthrough in the traditional tendency of plays to have a hero and a heroine; here there was a male lead and... another male lead.

Evidently the late Lord Dumarcay had been a talented, if unconventional, playwright. And it was most likely his imagination, but the black armchair was being occupied by his ghost.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ban observed the body sniffling quietly into a handkerchief. He stole a glance at the other attendees; the men were all displaying the same cautiously wooden expression as his own, but there wasn't a single dry eye among the women. To his right, the old man had tears flowing freely down his cheeks, though he had bitten down hard on his lip to stop the sobs from escaping.

"Yonge Street, bloody Yonge Street," snarled the old man, still crying, though determined to act tough about it. He shook his wizened fist at the black armchair. "You old despot, you just had to go and immortalize us, didn't you? Bloody Dumarcay!"

Ban gritted his teeth and tried to focus on the reason he was sitting through the play in the first place. Masqued hodening... masqued hodening. Which is this dimension's off-the-mark version of Kamen Rider.... repeat the mantra till I drain out the outside world and attain inner peace. Masqued hodening... masqued hodening...



*


The body blew her nose, noisily. "They danced! And after that he died! And Vine went to the mausoleum, and there was no one there, not even a ghost... I... I'm coming over all depressed and fluffy now, poor old Vine..."

"Did you see the special effects they did when Justice Masque henshined? I didn't know they were this technologically advanced here, though of course it could be illusion magic."

"And Vine had to live on, for years and years. At least there was a happy ending - at least they met in the afterlife-"

"- if you think both protagonists dying is a happy ending, that is. Now, I bet the outfitter for the hodening has actually seen Kamen Rider in some form, there's no way he could get those costumes so accurately down-"

The body looked up, abruptly. "Oh look, Kalah-senpai's on my spot on the roof and there's a pretty round moon." She appeared to recall something vaguely important. "And that stick... rose... thing should be blooming about now."

[classy_cat18]

Shonta/Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I can't stay in this room forever. My stomach is as empty as a high school in the summer. Plus I can smell that festival food from in here; it's unbearable. No one was going to notice me anyway. Footsteps from earlier told me that a lot of the group had gone out.

I slowly got up and was walking to the door when I heard someone knock. I sighed to myself. "How come no one wants to bother me when I want to be bothered?" I opened the door, not noticing the snarl on my lips, and looked at Stella. "Hey, what's going on?"

She scratched the back of her head, looking uncertain. "I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat."

My ears perked and my expression changed to one of surprise. How many psychics were in this group? "I am hungry, and I was going to go out anyway. I guess a quick trip wouldn't hurt." A lopsided grin appeared on my lips.

I had money of my own so I ended up stuffing myself without guilt. Most of the meat, maybe all of it, was mysterious to me. But beggars couldn't be choosers!

Stella stared at me in amazement as I finished wolfing down something that tasted a lot like beef mixed with chicken. "When was the last time you ate?" she asked me.

"I'm...not sure," I admitted. "But I burn major calories putting up those shields. Ooh, candy!" My short attention span was turned to another stand selling hard candy. I spent the last of my mananite on a bag of sweet smelling candy.

"You seem better after your time in the forest."

I froze and dropped my ears. "Oh yeah, I forgot that I was supposed to be antisocial. Maybe I was still angry over the dream. But it was just a dream. The past is past. I need to think about my future." I snorted. "Even though certain people won't be in it," I added under my breath.

We returned to the tavern and sat with the others. Within minutes, Zombie-chan along with Adalia and Knes joined the rest of the group. Zombie-chan commented on the stick that Ban won (which was now a rose), and I felt myself get tired.

"Hey, Shonta!"

"Huh?" I looked out at the endless expanse of water and then down at my small hands. "I'm a girl again? Where am I?" I then noticed that I smelled the ocean. Pastel colored houses were in the distance. "It couldn't be..."

Strong arms wrapped around my waist. "Shonta, I've been calling you forever! Have you been spacing out again?" a familiar island accent asked me.

I squirmed out of the guy's grasp and turned around to face him. "Zico? Where am I?" I asked him, silently appreciating my female voice.

He gave me a "are you crazy" look. "Spanish Point. We went here to go swimming. Not that you can swim..." He gasped as I hugged him as tightly as possible. "You swallowed too much seawater, didn't you?"

"I'm just glad to be back on Bermuda with you." I looked around and saw Jonathan and Sherrie. Makena was still as cute as she was in her latest picture. As I looked at the naval dockyard located at the end of the island, I knew that I was going to forever remember that sight.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri watched Adalia walk back into the building. He had taken a walk outside after his discussion with Moswen, allowing him time for his mind to settle and to enjoy the cool night. Knes waited a moment outside, watching too as the young girl skipped happily back inside. Dimitri took the chance and stepped forward out of the darkness, coming up to stand beside Knes.

“She really likes you.”

Knes smiled, the expression tilting the scar that traced over his nose in a similar way to his mouth.

“Yes…that is quickly becoming evident to me.”

Dimitri turned to face Knes. Taking a few steps back so that his lanky frame didn’t seem to be looming over the twelve-year-old, Dimitri continued to smile even as he removed his hat, holding it lightly at his side.

“She’s been through a lot…she already lost someone who meant a lot to her and even before this little adventure…the last time I met her…her emotions were not always as stable as one would wish.”

Knes bowed slightly towards Dimitri, his voice earnest as he replied.

“I understand what it means to be hurt Dimitri; I would not wish that pain on someone else, not ever.”

Happy that Knes had understood his meaning, Dimitri turned his head to look into the room. Zombie-chan was bouncing around as normal, pestering Ban about his rose which had indeed begun to bloom.

“I imagine you have lost a lot in the chaos that is this world lately.”

Knes looked in the room too, his voice when it came tinged with the very loss that Dimitri had mentioned.

“…yes….yes I have.”

Dimitri sighed as the sadness he had pushed away for most of the night successfully began creeping its way back into his soul. A young man so eager to come along with them, so easily leaving behind the place they had found him…there must have been nothing holding him back…no one to miss him.

“If I could bring them back, if there was any possible way, I would hesitate to….”

The half-breeds words trailed off as, almost lazily, a rose petal floated across his vision. Nothing too unusual except, as Dimitri had suddenly realized, the petal was just the outer edge of a swirling mass of energy that was invisibly engulfing the room, his eyes’ own magic only just recognizing it. As sudden darkness crept across his vision, the weakness that accompanied it buckling his legs and sending him crashing half in, half out of the inn, he heard Knes’ response, the words slurred and trailing off at the end as he too fell victim to whatever was happening.

“Neither would I…”

[Haruko]

Ovan
-as if to confirm something, you tightly clench your right hand / if the rules are annoying you, just go ahead and break them..
Dominant: Danielle

With the wound stiff, and cleaned, I left Stella's room. Another person knew who was behind the mask, and..if she said was right, then the others could notice it too, if they noticed it right. Only because I cannot control the elements that Ovan can. If I could..then..

'Being unique makes you, you, Danielle..'Valkyrie butted in, as I stayed standing in the hallway.
'I'll agree to that. Plus if you could control my elements, I'd want yours.'Ovan joked slightly.
'Yeah, yeah..'I sighed. Valkyrie was right, but it was that uniqueness that would be my weakness. It was an irrational thought, why would I care if the others knew. But, with Ryan around, and the baby..I just didn't. I shook my head as I went to open the door to my room, but decided against it. I felt Ovan kicking me in the back of my head, wanting to see Danarica, but I wanted to see the fair, or at least get Valkyrie sharpened. I walked slowly out the tavern, and to the fair that the town we were in was holding.


'Reminds me of home.'I thought of myself, remembering when I used to live in Islip, the street fairs on the main street, just up the block. Rows of booths, people dressed in dress similar to the japanese. I checked my mananite bag, and there wasn't much. Enough to get Valkyrie sharpened, but not enough for clothing, nor food. I was hungry, but not starving. I was poorly dressed, but dressed. I looked around for a blacksmith's shop and saw one open, if only.

'Sharpened? Will it hurt?'Valkyrie asked me as I entered the shop.
'Nah, it should be like a massage. If anything, you'll be much more deadly afterwards.'
'Then lets get on with it.'

I took Valkyrie off my belt, sheath, blade and all, and laid it on the counter as the smith was busy working on a project. He sighed, stopping the metal wheel, and took a towel to absorb the sweat from his forehead. He walked over, and looked at Valkyrie.

"What a beauty!"He smiled, examining her closely."Her blade is a bit dull.."He continued, unsheathing(with magic, it seemed to be levitation) her out of her crimson and golden englossed wooden sheath, and look at the blade with a magnifying glass that was attached to his glasses."But it is repairable. And I see beasties blood, fresh?"

"Ehh, night prior to this."I replied, using the accent he was.
"The jewel in the hilt is a beaut itself, clear..and I can sense a mana absorption rune in it...and a nasty protection one."He said, absorbing every detail of Valkyrie."Her name?"
"Valkyrie, a battle maiden."
"Beautiful."He smiled."Now..it's sharpening, and cleaning..will run you a fair price. I'll also re gloss your sheath for free, since I only come across swords like this once in a blue moon. You have the -nite upfront?"
"Yes.."I said, and he wrote the price on a piece of yellow paper, as a receipt. I staggered, it was all I had. I sighed, and handed over the amount, my pouch thinning in the process. The smith noticed this as he took Valkyrie into the back, holding it by the blade.

"If you need work, I can give you some tips."He said, as he went back to his wheel."My son is in a booth in the festivities, but he reported in that its not going so hot. He's selling recent weapons I've made, and sheaths, the like. If you could help him sell, I can pay you--"

*stomach grumble*
"And feed ya."He smiled wistfully, having the upper hand. I sighed, into defeat. "He's close by, reddish hair and glasses like mine, you can't miss him. In the meanwhile, I'll finish this and work on Valk."
"Just be.."I replied to him, going to warn him about touching the hilt. The smith put up a cloth with a glowing rune.
"I hate protection runes, really.."He sighed, working on his current project."But really, thats where my magic comes in. I'll levitate her nicely, don'tcha worry."
"Alright,"I replied."Thank you, and I'll work hard."
"Sure, sure. Now get going!"He smirked, and filled with anxiety, I left the shop. I worked various babysitting jobs with my aunt, a cashier job..but what was I going to do with his son? I walked in a face pace, my stomach growling, as I looked among the booths for the red hair. It was about a block and a half that I sighted the poor thing, all alone in a booth. I walked over, and his face light up.

"Hello!"He smiled."We have various weapons for the warrior like you! Daggers, Swords, and even a few Zweihanders!"
"I'm not here to buy..your father sent me here to help you sell."I replied, and his face went from happy to a bliss. He went below the counter, and pulled out an apron, shoving it on me.
"Put this on, and lets get to work!"He was delighted to have someone work with him, or maybe he was just happy not to be alone. I sighed, placing the black apron on. He seemed to be thinking as I tied the back part, and smiled widely as I looked at him, with utter fear."Can ya handle Zweihanders?"
"Uh..two-handers?"I replied, Zwei meaning two. He nodded as I thought to Ban's own Miroku, and I nodded. It would be heavy, but anything for a job."I am hungry though.."
"Then eat this while I get her!"He replied as I got behind the counter. He pointed to a place on the counter where there seemed to be like a pita. I took and and almost pushed it down my throat in hunger. I choked slightly until I found some of the kids water, and finished it quickly. It satisfied my stomach a bit, and when I was done, he came out with a huge Zweihander. It's black blade was adorned with a hilt that seemed to be made of a crimson metal, wrapped in a leather. If I didn't have Valkyrie already..

"We'll be showing off her!"He smiled, thrusting her to me. I took the hilt and the blade was heavy, but after a few seconds, it felt a bit lighter, as if magically."Now, how should we..hmm..show her prowess? He looked around, and saw a tree nearby. He smirked, and patted my back.

"If you do this well, me and my dad will make a bunch of cash!"He smiled."And maybe we can be friends!"
"Er..maybe."I replied."Perhaps."
I practiced with it a bit as he went about to gather adventurers and mercenaries alike. It was when he came back with a bunch, some with alcohol, and some with a bunch of food, that my heart started to play jump rope. In..front of everyone..? I could feel the heat in my face gather as the crowd gathered in front near the tree, sitting down. They left a clear spot for it to fall in safety, as instructed by the kid. He walked over to me, and say my face pale, flushed.
"Nervous..?"He replied."Don't worry, I can sense the will of a great warrior within you. Just concentrate on that, and you will do fine."
"i guess.."I mumbled. I straightened out my posture, and closed my eyes.

'You can let me guide you, if you want..' I heard Ovan say. A huge part of me wanted to give in, let him take over. But this was my job to take out, not his. I walked over to the tree slowly, holding the Zweihander with caress. I did a few slashes in the air to show the blade itself, and a few of the mercenaries, some who seemed to hold worn out weapons, gazed at it's crafted beauty. I then showed the hilt off, placing the tip of the blade on the ground and putting it besides me, straight in the air. The adventurers seemed to like the hilts design, but now it was for the performance itself. I took the hilt and positioned the blade back right, and looked at where the crowd was clear. Where to strike...

It seemed like a moment, but the crowd ate it up like it was a play. I cut the tree perfectly horizontal, no faults, and the tree fell directly to the ground. Like a dance..

A applause came from the crowd, but then demands for more. Shouts like "Go against a feral!" came out, and with things like that building up, the redhairred kid pulled me back.
"Can you? Can you kill a feral!?"He asked, in a shock.
"I guess..but I don't know how I'll do with a blade I don't know much.."I replied."I have killed ferals with my own blade.."
'Then thats enough!"He said, then walked up the crowd."Our warrior will escort you into the local grasslands, and find a feral to destroy for your on eyes, with that same blade!"

An applause from the crowd..

"Go left from the town gates. You shouldn't miss the fields, and in the trees there are some weird feral sightings as of late."He whispered in my ear. As various adventurers and mercenaries stayed behind, a group of 4 followed me to the grasslands near Kulun..

"This job must be fun, right?"A woman mercenary asked as we walked."Play with all the weapons you like.."
"I'm only in this temporary."I replied. She looked curious, and I sighed."I need the money."
"Ahh, not a merc? Too bad~"She taunted."It's fun~"
"I have to travel with people I barely know for something I don't even want to do.."
"Then why go?"
"Because..er..this fortune teller told me it was my destiny."I faked it, wincing. My heart skipped a beat, and she laughed quietly to herself. We approached the fields, and we all looked around until a male in the group spotted one. It was huge, with claws and decent body armor. Its eyes gazed into mine, and I felt uncomfortable without Valkyrie..however

A job is a job.

----------

"Amazing!"The woman mercenary told the red hairred kid about my performance, looking at the blades in front of her that seemed to look like her old one, which had too many nicks and was too blunt beyond repair. The Zweihander already sold to a male mercenary with a face that was strikingly familiar, and the blades that they had for sale, besides that one, were going out. The kid was happy...beyond happy. With me helping handing the blades after purchase, I slowly got relaxed. It was a bit fun..

Soon after it was my time to leave, I passed by the shop quickly, and got paid for my services with his son. A note in hand from his son himself, I got a sizable bonus, and he smiled as he levitated Valkyrie back to me, the sheath as well.

"She was great to work with."He replied."And you, come by any time, you're good for business!"He waved me off as I said my farewells, going back to the tavern..exhausted. I could hear Valkyrie trying to talk to me, but I ignored it in entire exhaust. I walked upstairs slowly, and as I passed by Ban's room, I stopped, sensing something odd in the air..

A warm sense of happiness washed over my soul as I leaned against the wall, slouched down, and my eyes closed..

Asleep, in bliss.

Long postt! I'll post Stella by tomorrow night, latest, but it's nothing big. Ovan/Dani's dream will accompany it aswell.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
We are sleeping, and we’ll dream for evermore…


When Moswen said that she will be returning to the inn, I felt a bit disappointed – I had hoped that she’d stay a little while longer.

She then leaned towards me, and gave a soft kiss to my cheek. I looked up at her, unsure on how to react. Nothing was said as Moswen began to make her way back, and I had stayed silent until I decided that it was high time I go back and get some sleep.

What was the kiss for?

By the time I had reached the inn, Karam was curled up in my arms, snoring slightly. I smiled, and stroked his fur, and he emitted something that might have been a purr. Using my free hand, I pushed open the door slowly, as not to wake Karam up from his sleep. I had found some of the group hanging around in the tavern; some talking, while some just sat around, not doing anything much.

I went towards a nearby chair, and slumped down on it. It didn’t take long before I found myself dozing off.

Then – I couldn’t recall if I had woke up or if it was in my dream – Zombie-chan and the rest of the group came in, followed closely with the scent of something fragrant and soothing floating into the room. I felt my whole body loosening, before I lost my consciousness.

A dream in a dream?

When I opened my eyes, I found that I was no longer in the tavern. My back was rested on a tree, and in front of me stood a large grass plain that seems to stretch for miles and miles.

Beside me were Kun and Karam, both curled up, deep in their sleep. I looked around, and caught sight of her.

“How long have I been asleep?” I asked her, letting out a yawn.

Moswen looked up, apparently just waking up from a sleep. “I’m sorry, I guess I must have dozed off while I was waiting for you to wake up.”

“That’s all right.” I brushed off some leaves that fell on my hair. “Let’s go travelling, Moswen.” I scooped Karam up in my arms.

“Of course,” Moswen smiled, scooping Kun up in her arms.


And we’d walk for miles and miles, just like what we used to do. No stress, no rushing off to do any work; only calmness and serenity that seems to last for on and on. We’d marvel at the beauty of mother nature, and we’d talk about what we saw for hours and hours without getting bored.

It was perfect.

“Hey, Moswen?” I asked her as we passed a stream.

“Mm?” She looked up.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. “I wish this could last forever.”

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN

Moswen had journeyed around the town for a while, usually staying along the rooftops. She occasionally would venture down to a few stands and walk along the hidden streets as the gentle glow of the evening lamps reflected her soft skin. For a few moments she stopped, turning about as her strange gaze searched for a hidden figure. She couldn’t help but feel that at times, some one was watching her. Nothing threatening... but just the feeling of eyes.

Eventually Moswen found herself back at the tavern- sitting upon the rooftop as her eyes gazed up towards the stars in the sky. There were two moons in the sky- Moswen guessed that probably helped the magical properties upon the planet, but she was unsure if that really had much to do with it. One of the moons felt a bit off though- as if it belonged to something else.

Soon Moswen’s ears perked forward as she gazed down from the roof and saw many enter the tavern. Adalia, Knes and Dimitri both were about to enter. Dimitri seemed to share a word with Knes before entering fully. Then Ban and Zombie-chan also came, Ban looking rather defeated as if he had just done something he hadn’t wished to do so much. Moswen watched them for a while as they entered, Zombie-chan flashing a grin up at Moswen.

A sigh escaped Moswen’s lips as she disappeared through the open window that led to her room. She let a gentle hand brush away a strand of loose hair as she exited her room and went downstairs. Many of the others had arrived earlier- Moswen had found that when she had entered the tavern to get to the roof.

“What a strange scent…” Moswen said as she entered the room, but a strong sense of relaxation overcame her body. Ban was holding a flower, but he slowly looked as if he had slumped over. She could tell that some sort of magical sense had come over her body too, but before she could react she felt as if she had been consumed by a beautiful grant of sleep.




Moswen’s eyes opened and she found herself walking along a beautiful beach. The sun was setting over the horizon and a gentle breeze playfully made her hair look like ribbons in the wind. The sand was warm against her feet as the waves lapped at the shore, filling the air with a calming sound. For miles Moswen could see perfect white sand, while behind her was a jungle-like landscape. Far in the distance were snowcapped mountains, showing the way to the creeping night sky. It was absolutely gorgeous.

“Moswen!” A voice called out, and Moswen gazed down to see a little girl with bright blue eyes running towards her. She had curly blonde hair and was smiling as she giggled. “Silly Moswen… dinner is ready! Come eat with us and sit by me!”

Moswen gave a nod and followed the girl, knowing perfectly well that it was Raena- her little sister-like cousin. She entered the jungle but there was a well worn path, until finally she came to a clearing where there were a bunch of beautiful houses and gardens.

“Finally!” A voice rang out, and Moswen saw a bunch of her friends sitting at the table. Knes and Adalia were sitting together, playfully giggling and poking fun at each other. Dimitri was playing with a deck of cards calmly as Marion tried to guess what card he had- perhaps doing a magick trick. Strangely enough, Pat and Jon- her friends from college were also sitting at the table with smiles on their faces as they immersed themselves with conversation. Danarica was playing with a little baby girl as Ovan dished out food and placed it upon their plates. Kite was eating calmly as Stella conversed and Zombie-chan was giggling madly while trying to scare Moswen’s two cousins. Ban sat idly, smiling at Moswen as he waved. Everyone was sitting around the table with a massive feast prepared.

It was what anyone would have wanted- harmony, peace, happiness and belonging. They talked normally and conversed about things that mattered in the world but yet they were happy and they were… a family. The food was delicious and from what Moswen gathered, they had all decided to live in a little community. There was the ocean, the mountains and the forest… and such a beautiful jungle-like forest it was. It was what Moswen imagined paradise to look like.

After dinner, Moswen withdrew a deep breath and gazed out at the sunset ocean- the sun seemed to take forever to set. She liked it that way though- the twilight was a symbol. At least, Moswen could feel like a part of the twilight belonged in her heart. Suddenly the sound of footsteps sinking slightly into the sand came from behind her, and Moswen turned around to see someone she never imagined seeing. His dark hair waved slightly in the breeze as his deep brown eyes gazed harshly at her. A darker memory of the past- creeping into her paradise.

“Hey…” He said softly, although his words sounded rather dark.

“Hi.” Moswen said, turning her head away as if it stabbed her in the heart to look at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Isn’t this what you want? Me?” He said, crossing his arms as he took a step closer to her. His hands wrapped about her waist as he pulled her in closer so that they pressed tightly. Moswen could feel her heart pound harshly, but it no longer seemed to beat in the way it once did.

“I thought I did…” Moswen said, feeling herself try to pull away gently. “But you left me. Not only that, but you said such harsh words… you…” She trailed off, as he shook his head.

“I thought you were the problem- I thought I wanted something else… but I was wrong.” He wrapped his arm about Moswen’s shoulder, pulling her back in. Suddenly it felt as if something ignited within Moswen as her eyes narrowed and a growl emitted from her throat.

“…you… you hurt me!” She suddenly cried, pushing away. “You said horrible things to me! You abandoned and ignored me!” A tear streamed down her cheek, as she quickly wiped it away. “You kept me waiting and never… would let me … say goodbye…” Moswen’s voice trailed away, as his figure seemed to take a step forward. He paused there for a long moment, before suddenly a slash went through his figure and he dispersed and vanished.


Then there were three of them. There was Ban, poised with his sword- he had slashed through the figure. Then Moswen felt two thin arms wrap about her waist in a warm embrace and found Marion at her side.

“See? You know something you want.” She said with a smile, blushing slightly as Moswen grasped her shoulder to see if he was real. Marion pointed at the necklace and smiled, “It is my favorite thing I’ve ever received.”

Moswen smiled and gave a nod, “I liked buying it for you. You deserve it.” Marion smiled brightly as she gave a nod, looking at the ocean.

“It’s beautiful.” She commented, as Moswen confirmed.

“It is.”

“You remind me of the ocean. You’re so beautiful and mysterious… just like it.” Moswen’s eyes widened at Marion’s comment, as she stared at her for a second. Marion withdrew a deep breath and continued to smile. “It is true. At least, I think so.”

“No one really…”

“… says those things to you? I know. That’s why I want to say them because you deserve to know the truth. Don’t be so down on yourself, because you are more beautiful than you think.” Marion then took her arms away and took a few steps back.


“You always have someone to call upon.” A stronger voice rose, as Moswen turned around to see Dimitri with one of his cards covering a part of his face as he held it up with one hand. “You do have friends.”

“I know… and I appreciate them more than anything.”

“Yes, but that does not mean you have to sacrifice yourself.” Dimitri said as he walked towards her, taking her hand and holding it in his. “Friendship is a delicate balance of give and take- not just giving.”

“I can’t help it. I give my all into everything.” Moswen said.

“As do I. But you already knew that… didn’t you?” Dimitri asked, as Moswen fell into silence.

“So you did not…or perhaps I did not.”

“You gave me this card… why? I mean… I heard what you said, but I cannot help but feel…” Moswen’s voice trailed off as she looked at Dimitri. But he, like a magician, turned her hand upwards and then opened her palm to reveal a beautiful pink blossom.

“Things are as delicate a spring’s flower, but you know your feelings.” He then tucked his card back away as he looked out towards the sea.

“Perhaps… I do…” Moswen whispered, gazing upwards at the sky. “But I do not know myself and even if I did know myself truly, with all my heart… I do not know other’s.”

Moswen then felt a firm hand upon her shoulder, and with that she felt herself turn around to see Ban’s noble figure before her. A kind and gentle smile formed upon his face as he gave a nod.

“Are you okay?” He asked, as Moswen’s eyes filled with tears suddenly. Her thoughts were running rampart with all of her emotions in tow. Bringing her hands to her face she shook gently with her tears.

“I… I just don’t want to hurt anyone with my own selfish desires. I-I can’t s-stand that…” She trailed off, trying to gain her composure. Ban nodded as he suddenly pulled her into his arms for a protective hug.

“It’s okay.”

“I just… I keep asking myself what I want and yet I’m afraid.”

“Do you know what you want?”

Moswen stopped for a moment as she rested her head against his shoulder, taking in a deep cleansing breath. Suddenly, a sensation overcame her and she felt… at peace. A new dawn forming within her mind as she finally understood. With that, she nodded into his shoulder as she blinked and a single tear trailed down her cheek.

“… yes.”




KNES

Knes blinked as he found himself laying in the middle of a field. The sun was blinding his sight as he quickly brought up his arm to block the sun. Sitting up, he saw butterflies circling about him. Clouds rolled along in the sky as Knes saw that he had fallen asleep in a field filled with tall grass and wild flowers.

“Knes! Hey you, sleepy!” A bright, high-pitched voice of sweet summer’s day reached his ears. With wide eyes, Knes looked and saw the pleasant face of his sister. Her green eyes shined with an inner warmth as her blue skirt billowed in the wind along with her white shirt. Awkward shoes were upon her feet that seemed a tad bit too big as she stood over him.

“I was looking for you! Come on, Mom and Dad are waiting!” She then reached down and grabbed his hand, pulling him up.

Without hesitating, Knes ran after his sister as they ran through the field. His heart was pounding- mother and father?! It seemed to take forever as they ran through the endless fields of brilliant green, until finally they reached a quaint house. Qzandars- horse creatures with horns, bird-like wings and a lizard’s tail – whinnied and ran about at their arrival. They were fenced in along the house but seemed to have miles and miles of places to run. One of the Qzandars was white as the purest capped mountain peaks and upon seeing it Knes stopped in his tracks.

“Baiye?” He questioned, suddenly approaching the fence as the Qzandar snorted and ran up to him. Knes gave the creature a few strokes upon it’s nose before his sister grabbed him once again.

“You always spend so much time with Baiye! Stop making mom and dad wait!” She giggled, once again pulling Knes.

Soon the two of them ran up the porch and opened the door. Then, before his very eyes were his mother and father. His mother was sitting upon a chair and reading as his father added the finishing touches to a painting.

“Ah! Knes!” His mother said, standing up and giving him a big hug. “You were outside for so long, I was worried the Gods had taken you away!” She laughed. Her laughter was so sweet and filled with love, followed by the lower undertone of his own father’s melodic laughter.

“Yes son, you should enjoy yourself but watch where you sleep.” He said, setting down his paint brush to give Knes a hug a well.


“You… you’re here!” Knes exclaimed, tears of happiness forming in his eyes as he suddenly gave them each a stronger hug.

“Careful Knes!” His father said. “Ever since we taught you mana channeling, you’ve become so strong!”

“Yes, and so mature too. I’ve never met so noble a boy.” His mother added with a wink. “The village elders even think so. They think you could become a Holy Diplomat eventually.”

“Although you’d have to take me with.” His sister echoed with a smile. “Otherwise how else would I find a husband?”

Knes couldn’t help it, but he let himself fall into the scene. It was all too tempting.

“Bah, I’ll have to let them prove themselves first.” He said with a grin.


The day continued normally –eventually the family had gone to the village and talked to a few of the villagers. They ate at a friend’s tavern before stopping in one of the shops. It was there his sister bought him a new black, sleeveless shirt.


“The other one is so dirty.” She said, with a smile. “And it’ll let your little wings grow!” She added, laughing. “I have no idea how you got those!”

“Yes… and besides…” His mother added as they all walked home. “You don’t have to go on that journey anymore. You don’t have to hide yourself for us.”

Knes found himself staring at the single moon in the sky.

“Really?” He asked, not to them so much this time as himself.

“Yeah and we can meet all of your friends. Especially that pretty little girl, what was her name again?” His father spoke.

“Yeah! What was her name? I saw the picture of her. You had in your pocket.” His sister chimed, as Knes shook his head. “Her name is Adalia…and don’t snoop so much. It isn’t very honorable.”
“Bah, I’m not a knight!” His sister said with a smile. “But you should let us see her.”

Knes smiled softly, but it was a bittersweet smile. This was a fantasy- a dream… he knew it wasn’t real. Humoring it for now though, he withdrew a deep breath and gave a nod.
“Alright, I will. You’ll get to meet her.” A cheer came from his sister’s lips, as Knes laughed.

“You guys know I’d do anything for you, right?”

“Yeah yeah…” His sister echoed, but Knes shook his head and looked firmly at them.

“Anything. I’d give it all to protect you.”

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ I do ~*~*~*~*~

I turned to Knes as he lifted up my vail, his eyes beaming in excitement. “You may kiss the pride.” The Minister said as the crowd erupted in cheers, Knes took my hand, moving forward and drew me into a long soft kiss before it was finally broke. When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the church anymore, instead I was being held in two strong arms, the beautiful fragrance of Moswen. Noticing that I was awake, she laid me gently onto the bed, undoing my dress and slipping me out of it and into a nightgown.

“It’s time for all little girls to go to bed.” She remarked, bringing the covers up and over my shoulders as I struggled a bit.

“I’m not sleepy.” I protested, followed by a long yawn. I took a second to look around noticing that there was only one bed in the room. “Am I sleeping alone?” I added, a hint of fear in my voice.

Moswen chuckled slightly and sat down next to me, stroking my hair. “You aren’t scared of sleeping alone are you?” She asked, looking into my eyes and then getting up. “If you try to go to sleep, then I will come and check on you in a hour, or ask Marion to come and lay down with you, but only if you go to sleep.” She touched the tip of my nose, playfully and then leaning down to kiss it.

“Good night.” Moswen whispered, turning out the lamps before quietly shutting the door. My mind was filled with images of home, so much so I felt as if I were going to burst. Was that whole dream a prophecy? Was Knes really the one?

As if to answer my questions, the door opened ever so slightly. “Adalia? Are you awake?” A voice whispered softly as I quickly relit the lamp and turned up the flame to illuminate the whole room. Knes was standing there, his head poked into the doorway, his eyes filled with energy and youthfulness not unlike the eyes I had seen when I first met him. “You’re awake!” He grinned, walking into the room, book in his arms.

“I found this really… oh what does Dimitri say, cold? Book!” He said happily, walking over and sitting on the edge of my bed, opening the large book up to beautiful pictures of open field, and large cities, untouched by the fearls. “I wanted to show you it, my world before the war.” He explained, pointing to several of the pictures.

I placed my head on his shoulder, marveling at the pictures. “I think you mean cool, not cold.” I grinned, resting my head against his as he flipped the page to a picture of a massive war against the Fearls, humans with spears attacking the fearls at the crystal barrier, blood and guts going everywhere. “Ewwm, cool” I exclaimed at the picture.

He quickly switched the page to a beautiful Horse like creature with horns and bird feathers. “These are called Qzandars.” He pointed out as my curiosity rose, why hadn’t we seen a Qzandar? What happened to them?

Before I could ask, Knes shut the book, a look of pain in his eyes, pain that had replaced the happiness that I had seen earlier. “So what is your world like?” He asked, switching around and laying at the foot of my bed. “It must be a really different place.”

I sat back, shifting to where my back was against the headboard of the bed as I tried to bring up all the old memories. “Well for one we do not travel around on Caligrey, we ride in machines on wheels that can go faster than any Caligrey.” I explained as Knes listened intently. “We also have buildings that go so far into the sky that they touch the clouds, and lights in cities that turn night into mid day.”

Knes listened to every word before speaking up. “To have all that stuff, you must have some really strong warriors there to protect you.”

I shifted around in the bed, trying to figure out how to explain guns. “We do, but they don’t use mana or swords, they use guns.” I said, quickly adding. “Guns, they are machines that shoot rocks out.”

He chuckled a bit. “Rocks are not much of a danger in battle compared to a sword.” He said, speaking like a true soldier, a true knight.

“Oh but you don’t get it, these rocks move so fast that you can’t see them, and can kill a person in one hit.” I added, Knes’ eyes widening just a bit in shock before quickly hiding it. I made my fingers into something that looked like a machine gun. “They sound like this, Bam Bam Bam.” I said in quick succession.

“Doesn’t sound too scary.” He commented. With a grin I rolled out of bed, diving to the side of it for cover. Knes continued to watch as I rose my pretend gun and shot at him.

“Bam! You’re dead.” I said, sending a small mana bubble out of my finger that pushed him with enough force to knock him over. Knowing Knes he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. I peeked my head over the bed, finding that he had indeed sought cover. Just as I turned to look at my left, Knes popped up from the other side of the bed, pretend gun in his own hand. “WAH!” I dropped to the ground as Knes began to make his own gun shot noises.

Taking in a deep breath I poked my head up, gun in hand. “You wont get me that easy! Bam Bam Bam!” I rang out shots. I blinked for a second, Knes hadn’t popped up yet.

“Bam! Got you!” He exclaimed, his voice coming behind me as I spun around to find his pretend machine gun pointed right at me. “I think I win?” He grinned, ear to ear as I crawled back up onto the bed.

“I think you cheated.” I grumbled as he laid down next to me. I closed my eyes for a long second before finally leaning against him. “Now, will you tell me about home?” I asked. Knes began to talk as I began to doze off, as I closed my eyes again I listened to his story, my mind already imagining rolling fields of green, beautiful Qzandars prancing about as Knes described them. It seemed like Heaven. Those were my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep, snuggled up to the person I loved.

Alrighty guys, wakie time and time to go to sleep. Tomorrow morning we hike up the mountain, prepare for sub 0 weather, and frost bite, as well as Polar Bear like monsters and Ice demons.

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
we'll pry open our sewn-up eyelids / and the feelings this generation has lost / will be reflected in the tears that fall..-Crazy Sunshine by the pillows

Sitting down with our food; me with some bread with lettuce, and Kite with some meat, I slowly ate as Kite seemed to gobble his food down in almost 2..no..3 bites? It was like the time I tried to escape from the prison from myself, I wasn't barely given food for 5 days, only water and a few slices of bread. A starved child, feasting on his first meal after being able to afford it..

"When was the last time you ate?"I asked in curiosity, still amazed at Kite. He wasn't a child, and I knew the group ate..I finished up my bread-thing quickly, only due to him being finished.

"I'm...not sure," He admitted. "But I burn major calories putting up those shields. Ooh, candy!" He quickly turned to another stand, one that was selling hard candy, and I slowly followed him as he spent the rest of his mananite on it. He seemed...chipper after the forest event..

"Stella, is that you?"I heard, and felt my head turn around to view him. It was one of the half breeds of the group, Kite. "Are you ok?.."

"You seem better after your time in the forest."I asked him, a bit of carelessness in my voice. Perhaps it was me remembering it that caused the coldness to form, as to I'd rather be concerning..

He froze from my statement, and his ears drooped, more than likely remembering a bit as well."Oh yeah, I forgot that I was supposed to be antisocial. Maybe I was still angry over the dream. But it was just a dream. The past is past. I need to think about my future."He replied, and added something underneath his breath, which I couldn't make out.

After the incident, we returned to the tavern and sat amongst the others. Leaning against the wall, the dead-female-human figure that recently joined us, Adalia and Knes, joined us in the room. Instantly, I could feel something strange in the 'Zombie's' hands, and I looked at the flower. Mana..something was coming off of it. I never saw such a flower..and yet..

As I examined it more, I felt my body grow weaker, and I fell into a slump, my eyes closing as I tried to resist, in no avail.


I slowly opened my eyes after a short amount of time passing. I felt the wind scraping against my cheek, my body laying against the ground, the grass under my neck; tickling. The blue sky above was cloudless, perfect in every way.

"Geez, you must've been tired. You did put up one hella fight though, Stell~"I heard a voice next to me, and I turned my head. I saw a male body laying nearby, stretched on the ground similar to I. He had sandy blonde hair, and when he turned to look at me, his blue eyes pierced through my very soul.
"Wha, you look like you've never seen your brother before!"He laughed, and sat up."Come on, Ma probably has dinner waiting for us, we've been out too long as is."

...mom..?

"Noel?"I asked as I slowly got up, and followed him slowly."Mom is alive?"
"Umm..a..duh?"He replied, jokingly."Why would you ask such a stupid question like that?!"
"Because.."I thought to myself.."A..eh...It's nothing."
"Good."He joked, and I felt the wind get stronger behind me as I was a bit behind. Noel's hand jerked a bit, it was more than likely his doing.
"Now come on, or I'll get your desert!"He joked, but then got serious; as he started to run. I ran behind him..

With a smile of pure bliss on my face.

Maybe it was all a nightmare. A long..horrible nightmare.

We sat around the table, Mom having made her famous vegetable stew. Dad shared stories about his findings for the day; which plants that were doing well. Noel went into detail about whatever battle me and him had, saying that maybe soon; maybe, we could go out as a mercenary duo. Dad laughed, Mom sighed - she never wanted her children to leave her nest.

Maybe thats why she died shortly after Noel ran away, she died of a broken heart, missing a piece of herself.

Or..did she die?
"Stella, do you want to go out and practice a bit more?"Noel asked after dessert."Or are ya a chicken~?"
I laughed at his taunt."Sure, lets do it."I replied, and we both walked back outside, and a bit of a distance outside, It was nighttime and the navy blue sky shined with the moons light, and the stars twinkle. We stopped at a hill, a different place before. I looked around, and it seemed that this place was separated from the rest of the world in it's sole beauty.

"Stella.."I heard Noel say as I looked around, taking everything in."this is what you want, right?"
"Yeah.."I told him, looking into his eyes.
"Think about it.."He said, looking away, as if fixated at one thing. I followed his line of sight, and saw a single flower that rose above the grassy plains. It looked..similar. It wasn't until I paid close attention that I could feel a trace of mana from it. It was..

No, don't take me away from this!My heart felt like it skipped a beat..
"Stella.."Noel looked back at me."You're too down to earth to know that this isn't real."

"So...wake up.."

to that bright sunlight of the morning sun..'His voice trailed on as I opened my eyes to the real reality..

Ovan
-i'll say, "What can you see / in that fringed world?" / i want to touch it before I aim for it..-Ride on Shooting Star by the pillows
Dominant: Danielle


"Wake up, Danielle!"I heard a voice over me. I slowly opened my eyes, and looked over to my right. It was..could it be? I never thought I'd be happy to see the asshole of a brother, but I was."You wanted me to run you through Wailing Caverns, and yet I have to do Molten Core with my guild today, so wake up before I decide to refuse!"

Reality..one of technology, caffeine. One were I was a girl, one with anime. Was I really back home..?
I slowly got out of bed, and made it into the bathroom to brush my hair. I had no plans today to interact with the outside world, so it was chores, do things with family, have a minor life, and..

Kill ferals?No..kill things online, yes..
I got dressed, and after a minor grooming, I took my laptop case downstairs. Mom was watching a Lifetime move; I didn't miss that, Deanna was watching along with her. John was occupying the computer much like Germany with Poland. I sighed and placed my stuff around.

"Dani-girl, before you do that, can you go to Handy Pantry and get me a few things for dinner?"Mom asked, pausing the movie. I sighed, and repied with a brief Yes. She smiled, as she always did when she got her way, and got her wallet as I went upstairs for socks.
"I need sugar for coffee, cheese for grateing, and..oh yeah, Misty and the cats need food before I can get to the food store tomorrow." She told me as I walked back downstairs. I took the money from her hand as I placed my socks and shoes on, and placed my light jacket on.
"Frances, please tell me you're almost done with that damn Lifetime movie."I asked mom, joking. She laughed, I hated sappy movies.
"Almost."She nodded, and motioned her hand to the door."Now get a move on!"

I walked out the door, and through the driveway. I waited at the end, and 1..2..3..4 cars until I could cross the street. I slowly walked towards Handy Pantry, enjoying the weather that the day brought.

'wake up..'

"Huh?!"I stopped, and turned around. Nothing, what was that? The voice was so familar, and yet..so distant..
I kept on walking, getting to the parking lot and into Handy Pantry itself. Sugar...3 isles down from the door. Cheese, back of the store, fridges. Cat food? 4th isle. Grabing everything into my hands, I waited in line impatiently as someone took their damn time buying a lottery ticket, and cigarettes.If it wasn't one bad addiction for ya, it was another. Gambling and smoking. I sighed to myself as the person walked out, and I placed everything on the counter.

'wake up, danielle..'A female voice, so familiar, kind and gentle, yet strong and protective..

"Are you ok?"I heard the cashier asked. I must've zoned out, as I shook my head briefly."The total is 8.27"
I slowly handed him the ten mom handed me, and got back 1.73. Everything placed in a bag, I put the change in the bag as well as I bid the cashier a good day, and walked out the store. Through the parking lot, staying to the side - near the fence until I hit the sidewalk. I took my time again, absorbing the weather.

'Wake..'

That voice..

I got back to the house, and walked slowly through the driveway. It was until the door that I found myself unable to move.

'Danielle, wake up, please..'A female voice
Is this really what you want right now, Danielle?!'A male one..

Is it? Do I know what I want?..

'Wake up, please Danielle..I'm sorry, ok?'



Much pillows and Furi Kuri love to my lyrics.<3

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Fear of the dark?


I sat on one edge of my bed after I had changed into a nightgown that I had found in the closet, and sighed, remembering the walk I had with Moswen in my dream.

It was all nice… but in the end, it was nothing more than just a fragment of my dream.

“Hey, Karam.” I nudged him slightly. The ferret stirred slightly in his dream, mumbling something among the lines of “nuts are tasty”. I smiled, knowing that he was probably having a good dream himself. I was just about to settle down for a good night sleep when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” I said. The door creaked open, and I could see the silhouette of Moswen among the semi darkness.

I found myself thinking, ‘yes, I should tell her what I dreamed of’, but instead, I said, “Moswen. Is there something wrong?”

“Yes. You see, Adalia seems a little scared to sleep alone at her bed, so I was wondering if you could accompany her for the night?”

“Sure.” I got myself out of the bed. As I began to make my way towards the door, I noticed that Moswen’s eyes were looking at the object around my neck.

“That necklace,” she said.

“This?” I held the wolf emblem up, so that the eyes glittered. “It’s really beautiful. Thank you for buying it for me; I’ll always wear it.”

She smiled, and moved away after she realized that she was blocking the door. “Good night, Marion.”

“Good night, Moswen.” She then made her way towards her room, as I went towards Adalia’s room.


“Who’s there?” I heard Adalia’s voice coming out from one corner of the dark room.

“It’s me, Marion.” I could barely make out her shape among the darkness, now lying down on the bed with the blanket covering her up towards her neck. “Aren’t you asleep yet?”

She pulled the cover from her. “I guess I was… but it’s really dark in here, and I’m afraid to sleep alone tonight…”

“Oh… are you afraid that any Fearls are lurking in the darkness?”

“Maybe… it’s kinda stupid, isn’t it?” she said meekly.

“Well… then again, they is a chance that they might…” Upon saying that, Adalia quickly pulled the blanket until it covers her head.

“Sorry for scaring you like that…” She was visibly shivering under the cover. I sighed. “Say, do you want me to sleep with you tonight?” I pulled the cover a bit as I laid myself on the bed just beside her.

“Better?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, and gave me a hug. “I feel safer now."

I sighed, as she then fell asleep, her hands still hugging me. Slowly removing her hands as not to wake her up, I closed my eyes and let myself drift into sleep.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

The body/F
131: Samedi Nuit Mort.
"And stars don't care what you wish, and magic don't make things better..."

The body looked at the collection of sleeping people sprawled out in front of her. Arm on hip, she flexed the fingers of the other hand, and they came up, full of

dreams.

Between each finger a globe was forming. Through the crystalline walls of each a different possibility pulsated.

There they were, all her various dreams, some in technicolor, others in high-definition LCD, and some - the oldest ones - in black-and-white. She flicked back and forth between them, and marveled.

In one dream she lived in Tuscany; in another dream she was rushing a comic strip in a Japanese office with nothing to keep her running except caffeine and camaraderie; in yet another she was in a two-dimensional world of anime cliches, wielding a large and probably dangerous spear.

In all of the dreams she was happy.

The body flexed her fingers once more, and the globes disappeared.

She could see all their dreams. Globes round their heads like so many translucent fishbowls. Full of what they thought they wanted. Dreams.

If I had been alive, and something other than me... I could have been one of them. Not knowing any better. It's true what people say - them as makes the stories don't get any part in them. Is it really a privilege to know how everything works, and live on the fringes, and never really taking part? Is ignorance bliss?

The body caught the feeling before it mushroomed fully into jaded cynicism, and grinned, at a joke that only she could see.

Who was to say she wasn't living out one of her fantasies right now?

The grin widened. The small core of bitterness that had been threatening to expand a moment ago vanished.

She was happy now. Dreams be buggered.

"Sono pazzi questi romani," she said to herself, and squatted. She unpeeled a chocolate orange with affected delicacy, separating its ghostly form into bite-size sections. Saifa and Okiku would not be back till dawn streaked the sky red. Good thing she'd thought to include faux headphones in her signup, back in the world...

She looked at the sleeping company again, before bailing out the window and onto the roof, recently vacated by one Moswen Ebonique.

It was going to be a long night.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Sleeping.. ~*~*~*~*~

When you wake up from a dream, it seems to disappear, vanish from your mind. That is what happened when I woke up, only this time I wasn’t awakened by sunlight or the sounds of birds, it was a ear piercing scream that jolted me, sending me scurrying under the covers. “You… are… sleeping… on… my..” Marion was gasping in shock.

I poked my head slowly out of the covers looking around for the feral or the sign of the attack, instead I was met with a red faced Marion. “Your..?” I asked, waiting for her to finish the sentence.

“On… my… breasts.” Marion took in several deep breaths before rising from the bed, walking into the bathroom, remaining silent, despite my apologies as I followed her in. “It’s okay, I just had a dream..” She turned to the wall, her eyes looking off in the distance for a moment. “Do you think the others are awake?”

I placed both hands on the counter, lifting myself up on it, swinging my feet back and forth as they were a half a foot off the ground from sitting on the counter top. “Probably, your scream was pretty loud.” I grinned sheepishly, and then quickly hid it away until Marion started laughing too.

“Sorry, I guess I am still freaked out from the forest.” She rubbed the back of her head, and then looked over at the toilet and the buckets of water next to it. “Want to use the bathroom first?”

I hopped off the counter and walked over to it, undressing and sitting down, letting my bladder empty, much to my relief. “You shouldn’t be scared of your body.” I added as Marion walked out, waving off the comment as she shut the door.

We met the others downstairs just an hour later, Marion still helping me comb the knots out of my hair as we walked downstairs. “Boys have it so much easier.” I mumbled, wincing as Marion combed, arriving to the looks of some very sleepy faces.

Kite looked half awake, rubbing his eyes as we all began to walk out of the place. “I could hear Marion scream all the way down the hallway.” He yawned, shooting a glare to Marion as we walked out into the street. His eyes shifted down to his stomach. “We should really get some food before we leave too.”

We all nodded, walking along the semi busy streets of morning traffic until Moswen came to a stop suddenly, sniffing the air. “Is that… could it be.” She asked herself, a small smile appearing on her face. Kite sniffed the air and nodded, followed by Dimitri, leaving myself and the others standing around wondering what it was.

“This way.” Kite pointed, walking forward in a much more hurried pace. We all followed, finally being led to a small restaurant that was filled with a sweet, yet familiar smell. “Pancakes.. they have pancakes here.” He said, trying to keep most of the shock out of his voice.

The place was relatively empty, so with two tables moved together we were able to get seats. “What are pancakes?” Knes leaned over and asked. I pointed over to one of the plates that the sweet smell was coming from. “Oh.. Flams.” He nodded, just in time for us to order.

As we waited for our food, I turned, looking at Stella who was looking out the windows at the huge mountain that towered over the town; her gaze going as far as the view would let her. “It will be a long climb, but we get to see snow.” I smiled, gazing at the snow and icy features that covered half the mountain.

“My brother is there… somewhere…” She mumbled back, yet my attention was drawn away as our food came. For now we get Pancakes, or Flams as Knes called them, and Pancakes were good!

Alright guys! I figured I didn’t really give you guys much to do with our last post, so enjoy the sleep and the food! Also Ban should have some Ninetails clothes for us or else we will have a much harder time on the way up the mountain.

Edit: There is Maple Syrup, as well as Caligrey Sausage.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<




It was six in the morning, the birds beginning to sing, and I was wide-awake. I had been awake all night long, stroking the small bulge in my stomach. Stroking my baby. The two dreams had been stark opposites; the one in the forest had been the horror of a miscarriage, the one in the hotel a few years in the future, playing with my daughter. The memories of these two events filled my mind for hours and kept me from going to sleep.

Marion’s morning scream had woken everyone, for myself I just walked downstairs and waited for everyone else, going the way everyone else was going, and paying little attention.

“Well are you going to eat?” Adalia’s voice brought me out of my thoughts, I glanced around, shocked and confused for a few minutes before reminding the walk down to the restaurant. I glanced down at my plate of food and stood. I knew what I should do, what I needed to do to have one dream come to pass, and not the other.

“Adalia can you follow me outside?” I asked, walking around and helping the little girl stand before taking her by the hand and leading her outside, and away from the prying ears and eyes of the group. “I want you to advance the pregnancy a few more months, to the seventh one at least.” I explained, sitting down on a welcoming bench.

Adalia bit her lip, looking away only for a second until I touched her cheek, moving her face back to where she was looking at mine. “I trust you, and if we don’t do this the baby may never be born.” I explained as Adalia drew in a long sigh.

She placed her hands on my stomach and glanced up at me. “Fine but you and Ovan better not start fighting okay?” She mumbled, I smiled and nodded, feeling the tickling feel of mana as it coursed into my stomach.

It wasn’t long until I couldn’t even see my legs or feet over my stomach, my breasts heavy and more than an annoyance now than anything else. I thanked Adalia as she helped lift me to my feet. “Now lets go finish our breakfast.” I rubbed her hair playfully, placing my hands over my large stomach.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-time that passes by unhesitatingly and unhurriedly / i won't forget the pain that changes into kindness / my heart that I wounded when I was too reckless-I Will vocals by Sowelu
Dominant: Danielle


I slowly opened my eyes, waking up a dreamless sleep. I had waken up from the wonderful dream last night and walked to my bed much like the walking dead, so I at least woke up in bed. The dream I had...it was wonderful, yet it seemed like that world was so far away now. I still wanted it, yes. But I was getting used to this world as well. I sighed to myself as I got up, and gathered a few things. After I talked to a few housekeepers in the inn, I got the keys to the bathroom with a washtub in the back, and decided it was time to wash the smelly body.

'What about the wound?'Ovan reminded me of the burn wound that was still in recovery.
'I'll take the bandages off.'I replied as I started to do as such. and placed them aside. Although it'd be better to ask for new ones, I didn't feel like bothering Stella. I took the rest of the clothing and stretched them out to get some air. Wishing for Febreeze or a nice change of clothing would be nice, but this would have to do.

After a bath, getting much caked dirt out of the body I created for myself, I placed the bandages back on. Wrapping them on as tightly as I could, I knew I should ask Stella to put more herbs on them, but I told my self not to. I didn't want to be a bother to anyone.. I placed the rest of my garments on, mail, gloves, legs, shoes and shirt along with belt, and I cleaned up after myself. When done, I gave the keys back to the housekeeper that gave me them and went to my room, grabbing Valkyrie. Placing her securely into my belt, I heard a very loud yell that sounded like Marion and I jumped almost 5 feet in the air.

"What the..!?!?!"I talked to myself, shooting a glare at the door. The shock and anxiety calmed down after a few minutes, and I sighed, sitting on my bed.

'This world...is this what I want? I miss my mom, and even my siblings..'I thought to myself.
'Whatever you want, I support you completely..'Valkyrie replied.
"Thank you.."I replied. I rested my head for about 45 minutes, until I decided to get some fresh air. Gathering my things, I walked outside and leaned near the tavern. It was until everyone seemed to be gathering outside that I joined along with them, with a slight hunger in my stomach. We walked along morning traffic, and we kept at a decent pace until Moswen came to a halt. I looked at her slightly, and it seemed as if she was sniffing the air for some scent.

"Is that.. could it be?" Moswen whispered, a small smile appearing on her face. Kite sniffed the air and nodded in agreement, along with Dimitri. What did the half breeds smell that we couldn't?!
"This way."Kite pointed, and we started to walk in a more hurried pace. It was until we got closer to whatever the halfbreeds were smelling that I could smell it as well. Sweet, something warm."Pancakes...they have pancakes here.."

We walked into the place, and it seemed fairly deserted; more than likely due to the time of day. We were able to push two tables together, and we sat together much like one of those parties you'd see at a restaurant. I'd much rather eat by myself, but I had to act like Ovan, not Danielle..

As Knes asked what pancakes were(and I learned that they were called Flams here), I looked about the table. They had what looked like salt and pepper, and near them, along with napkins, seemed to be syrup.

The sugary doom. OF DOOM.

I glared at it sharply, not noticing Danarica leaving the restaurant with Adalia. I continued to glare at it, not paying attention to anyones looks at me, or anyones conversations. Sugar simply did.not.agree with my stomach, but with pancakes, without syrup..

I'd much rather eat chalk. Sugar-free syrup sucked.

'Eh?!~ Since when did sugar disagree with me?'Ovan asked as I ordered 2 pancakes[OoC:Just 2, not 2 stacks] and fruit. I needed something to eat, even if it'd taste nasty.
'Since I'm a diabetic? It runs in my family, sadly..'I replied. I heard confusion from Ovan, and I described what diabetes was.
'Well...your old body was. This body isn't. I love sugar..'Ovan replied, and it took a second for it to sink in. I wasn't as damn fragile in this body, I smiled a small bit..

Something that didn't last long.

Danarica came back in with Adalia, and it seemed that she came back in with something else. Her stomach-area was large, and it seemed that Adalia sped up Danarica's pregnancy once more. I could feel the anger build up in me, and I wanted to scream. I held it in though, and quickly shifted my eyes away from her and to the window, where we could see the environment that we'd be traveling in.

Snow. Ice.

'Ovan, you're on probation as of right now.'I suddenly decided, still very, very angry.'You're more useful in snow anyway, but I can't deal with this right now.'

I'll post as Stella..tomorrow..mayhaps..
The only reason Ovan is more useful in snow is because he can infuse Fire into Valkyrie. Danielle's elements are sucky versus snow/ice.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
We must have pancakes

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling something groping onto my breasts. It was very dark; I can’t see who or what it was.

I then heard the unmistakable giggling of Zombie-chan; and she seems to be coming close, based on her giggling that seems to be getting louder. “Aww, c’mon. Ya know as well that this is a dream, right?” She said, and I then managed to make out the figure that was on top of me. Oh no…

This is truly a dream…

I opened my eyes, and the first thing that I saw was the sleeping Adalia.

With her head placed comfortably on top of my breasts, a small line of drool trailing from her mouth. I began to make a move to wake her up when she groaned in her sleep, and twisting her head around.

I did the first thing that came in my mind. I screamed. Loudly, and for a long time.

That sends Adalia scurrying down into the covers, and after I had managed to get a grasp on myself, she peeked out with a nervous look on her face.

“You… are… sleeping… on… my…” I paused between each words, gasping for air.

“Your…?” She looked up at me, expecting me to finish my sentences. She doesn’t have a clue, does she?

“On… my… breast…”

Her face turned into a shade of red. “Sorry… sorry…” I sighed, and slowly made my way towards the bathroom. “Are you okay, Marion?” Adalia asked, getting up as well.

“I’m okay… I just had a dream…” I tried to get my mind off the incident that had just happened. “Do you think the others are awake?”

She grinned sheepishly, swinging herself up into a counter. “Probably, your scream was pretty loud.” She stopped grinning, as if afraid that the words might have offended me. I laughed nervously, and Adalia face lightened up a bit.

“Sorry… I guess I’m still freaked out from that forest…” I mentally shook my head, trying to forget about the whole thing. I looked into the bathroom, and then towards Adalia. “Want to use the bathroom first?”

Without saying a word, Adalia hopped down and walked towards the bathroom – rather quickly. “Uh… I’ll wait outside then…” I said, closing the door as she began to undress herself, apparently going to relieve herself.

“You shouldn’t be scared of your body,” she said. I gave a small shrug, before the door was fully closed. I sighed, touching the small wet spot on my chest.

Eww.


Like Adalia had predicted, my scream had apparently woke up the others. I avoided getting into details on why I screamed, simply saying that I had saw something unpleasant upon waking up. No more of the screaming was discussed after that.

I was quite delighted that we’re having pancake for breakfast. Pancakes are tasty, and I haven’t had one for a long time- here, and back in the other world. I helped myself into a generous pile of about ten pancakes or so – gorging myself into them – while Karam took his time to slowly nibble into a pancake.

“Mm… pancakes are nice…” I said with a mouthful, not really caring that Knes – who was sitting across me – was giving me the wide eyes look.

“Tasty…” Karam remarked, licking some syrup.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri sat silently in the small, dimly lit room. A single chair in the center provided an excellent view of the completely unremarkable stone walls. Water dripped from some small leak in the ceiling to pool sullenly in a darkened corner. The figure standing in front of him did not move, calm eyes staring at his. Dimitri stared back for a long while, before suddenly letting out a derisive laugh and leaning back in his chair. The rough wood wasn’t much comfort but there wasn’t really anywhere else for him to be in the tiny cell.

“This is what I want? I’m so hopeless that all I can fantasize about is this?”

A smile spread across the figure’s face as it moved forwards toward Dimitri a few steps. A hand reached out, fingers extended in a silent request. Dimitri’s eyes fixed on that hand, knowing what it represented, wondering if he was actually coming to this point, the point at which everything balanced, the point which could so easily be disturbed to fall either way. The words were smooth on the still air, soothing and yet disturbing in their words.

“Isn’t it enough?”

Dimitri stared at the outstretched hand for a long minute, words and thoughts spinning around in his head, denials, confirmations, it all seemed valid and it all seemed so worthless and insignificant in the face of what his subconscious was telling him. He wished he could just rip open his head and let everything pour out for him to see…maybe in that mess he could find exactly where this had all begun. In the end he just let the words come out of his mouth, the words that had been waiting there since the moment he woke up in this room and saw what stood before him.

“Yes…it’s more than enough…but I don’t know why.”

Reaching out, Dimitri took the hand that was offered. As if triggered by the sudden touch, the room around burst into motion. Thousands, tens of thousands, of fluttering wings of the most dazzling colors of purple and blew erupted from the walls. The stones transformed into a massive rush of butterflies, fluttering away to reveal what lay beyond. Dimitri’s eyes widened alarmingly as he took in the miraculous dreamscape laid out before him, possibilities blooming like flowers, dreams growing strong and proud like trees, hopes floating weightlessly in the sky of his own mind. The figure moved closer to Dimitri as he stood, standing next to him to look out over what had just exploded into existence before him.

“It’s because that which you want, everything you’ve ever hoped for or desired….it all stems from the one thing that you truly need. Find it, and everything will be opened for you…lose it and you might never get out of your tiny little cell again…

Dimitri took one long glance at the marvel spread out before him. He then turned and, closing his eyes, stepped through his mind’s doorway back into wakefulness and a entirely new issue for his mind to puzzle over.
At least this one was potentially more pleasant than the others.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Crunch! ~*~*~*~*~

With warm coats and clothes around us, we made our way up the mountain, I could only imagine how could it would have been with out Ban getting us some Ninetails’ lined fur clothes. I leaned, down, one hand aimed toward Dana to make her journey up the mountain easier, using my mana to coast her along. My other hand reached up and grabbed a handful of snow, crunching it under my fingers. “I have never seen this much snow before!” I grinned from ear to ear, tossing a playful snowball at Knes.

He quickly dodged and grabbed his own handful of snow. “You don’t have snow where you are from?” He asked, tossing the ball of snow in his hand before throwing it at me, the ball missed my ear by an inch, which made me wonder if that was where he was aiming.

“Children…” Moswen sighed, a bit of a stern warning in her voice as we continued on ahead. Moswen kept a hand angled in my direction, a flow of energy into me to help strengthen my own mana.

“Sorry Ma-Ma Moswen.” I grinned, sticking my tongue out at her, Moswen rolled her eyes in annoyance as Knes moved closer to me. “I think Moswen is a bit grumpy.” I whispered to him, Knes stifling a laugh as Moswen cut a glare back to us.

We continued to walk forward in silence for another twenty minuets before Kite signaled that we could stop. We each settled down on the snowy ground, I let go of the mana stream to Dana, and Moswen did the same for me with her energy. The wind began to kick up as we sat there, Kite gazing toward the top of the mountain. “I can’t even see the summit, the city must be a good couple hours up.” He sighed, sitting on the ground next to us.

Knes caught sight of my hand that I was using to support Dana. It had already turned several shades of blue from the cold. “Is your hand okay?” Knes asked, I smiled back, trying to flex my stiff fingers. He frowned, taking the hand in his and bringing it up to his mouth, kissing it and then blowing his warm breath upon the cold fingers. “Is that better?” He asked after a second, rubbing his hand over it. I could only blush and nod.

A harsher wind blew across our small rest stop, kicking up and twisting the snow, turning the area into a cloud of pure white all around us. “KNES?” I screamed out in the howling wind. “KNES?” I screamed again after getting no reply.

A steady hand fell onto my shoulder, I spun around to find Moswen standing there. “Stay close.” She whispered. The wind quickly began to lighten, as Moswen seemed to glow and radiate energy. Blocking our path now stood two bears, their fur made of pure white. Almost like snow. The one to the left growled, charging forward at us. Kite raised his blade, spinning around slicing the bear into two.

The Bear was cut through like snow, in fact it seemed to be made out of snow in the middle, when the Blade finished passing through it the bear seemed to come back together, as if the hit never happened. “What the..” Kite whispered in shock as the bear began to walk around him, stalking it’s prey. The second leapt forward, bounding toward Dana.

Snow Bears, Blizzard Conditions, I missed the Desert.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-there are a lot of things in my heart / but I don't know how to express them all. / life isn't simple. That's why I can live on.~ Life by YUI
Dominant: Ovan

I sighed deeply as we started our trek up the mountain, to the town that rested there. Who in the world wanted to stay at such a place?! Either way, I could feel a strange presence coming from the mountain, so it was best to head there and investigate.

If I could, that is. Ever since Danielle forced the switch, she was yelling and cursing in thought. Either that or pacing. I was going insane. Women!

I stayed by Danarica's side as Adalia seemed to be making her trip up much easier, using some sort of mana bubble. We both adorned coats that were apparently lined with the fur from the Ninetails they killed at the last crystal, along with other articles of clothing. I felt heavy, but it was better than being cold..

After a good twenty or so minutes, Kite signaled that we could stop and rest. I sat on a cold rock, which I jumped almost a mile high off of. I regained my composure and sat back on it, keeping a watchful eye on Danarica.

'You might not like it, Danielle, but..we have to take responsibility, even if we don't want to.'I told her silently. It was at that time that the wind grew much harsher, and the cold scraped against my cheek like a swords edge. As the wind grew harsher, it picked up the snow about us, making my visibility close to 0. I drew out Valkyrie; I could since Danielle willed it, and tried my best to detect Danarica's mana. It took a minute, but when I found it, it was bound with some of the others, along with a foreign trace.

I ran quickly to the direction that I sensed Danarica, and pushed a bit of my mana into Valkyrie, it set aglow in a bright blue flame.When I arrived, a snow-like bear was leaping towards Danarica.

"Not in my lifetime!"I said, and slashed the thing in half, my blade's fire effectively melting the snowbear. It fell apart before me, and I smiled at Danarica, who seemed to still be in shock from the bear leaping at her. It only took a brief moment for me to notice the second bear, circling Kite.

"You need help, kitty ears?!"I yelled at him, a bit in a playful mood.



Stella D'Aubigine
what are you protecting? / who are you afraid of? / i'm not afraid of anything…mostly…~Spiral and Escape by YUI

As we walked away from the diner, I slowly wondered to myself...where was Noel? He was close, that was for sure. Was I destined to see him soon? What would I do if I saw him? What..

would I say?

I could feel myself trembling a little bit as I placed the coat and pants on that Ban had gotten us; they seemed to be lined with the fur from the Ninetails we slayed. Whilst I was against wearing fur, it'd be hard walking up a mountain in a skirt and shirt. I tried to calm myself as I caught up to the group, but to no avail. I looked at my hand, and it was still slightly trembling from anxiety of meeting my brother.

The mountain brought an intensity of cold that I never felt before. It brushed against my cheeks harshly, burning from the fierce cold. Adalia and Knes seemed to be having fun, while Danarica and Ovan seemed to be getting close; which left me wondering which was controlling - the one from the other world, or Ovan himself?

I kept myself at a foots pace away from the others, as Kite gave the signal to rest. I sat down, and observed the plant life around; it was frozen, anything thriving was merely going to freeze soon. The earth was rock solid from the cold, and it seemed to be a barren-wasteland for plant life. I looked up to the flower in my hair, which was now in a bulb-state to protect itself from the cold environment. It'd be my only protection and my only weapon here.

It was a few minutes into our rest that the winds grew harsher, and the snow started to fall quicker. I jumped up to my feet and looked around, and I could barely make anyone out; this soon was made to be that I couldn't make anyone out at all. My heart started to pitter-patter in anxiety as I looked around, anxiously, for my friends.

I hated the snow, this I know now..

Small posts are better than none~!

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I wish it wouldn't come to this," I told the snow bear circling me. "The Coca-Cola polar bear is one of my favorite mascots." The bear snarled in response as if it was insulted by my comment.

"You need help, kitty ears?" Ovan asked in a playful voice.

I growled and lowered my ears. "I got this one in the bag. I may be a shieldbearer but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." I went to a kneeling position and formed a shield. Then I felt my mana heat up, compliments of my other half. The shield turned fiery red as the polar bear charged, melting him as he tried to break through.

Not very efficient but I'm working on it.

'Better work on it quickly. We'll need to use this fire mana for whatever guardian has the nerve to live in a place this cold.' I turned off the shield and tried to locate my friends. I could catch snippets of their voices but my ears were feeling like they were going to turn to ice and snap off. I pulled out a pair of fur-lined earphones.

Soon the snow stopped as quickly as it had started. We quickly looked at each other. "Okay, we need to make sure we don't lose anybody when the snow picks up again. Anyone up for the buddy system?"

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
*chatters teeth*

I rubbed my hands together, trying to keep the blood running through them. Despite the ninetails coat – the one that Ban had gotten for us – that was wrapped around me, I could still feel the chill from the cold wind of the snowy mountain. The cold seems to creep right into my spine, and that cause me to chatter my teeth occasionally.

“Brr… so cold…” Karam said, chattering his teeth. That’s kind of funny, come to think that he has fur covering his whole body. Plus, he was now tucked beneath the fur coat. So why would he still be cold?

We had just took a break when in a moment, a harsh cold wind blew pass, casting thick white cloud of ice around us. I had earlier sat close to Zombie-chan; panicked that the wind might separate me from the rest of the group, I swung my wood around, perhaps hoping to reach into someone.

It seemed like forever before the wood finally to hit something. Or rather, someone, as evident by a dull groan that followed the ‘thud’ sound. Slowly, I tapped the wood, testing to see if the person was still there. Satisfied that he/she was still there, I slowly went towards the person that the wood had just hit.

Then, as quickly as it starts, the wind’s speed began to drop down. “Huh? What’s going on?” I asked to no one in particular, noticing a bright glow behind me. I turned my head towards the source of light, and I then saw the rest of the group, facing two white bears. Kite seems to be ready to take one of them out, while the other stood around warily.

A coughing sound was made from the person in front of me. I know straight away that it was Zombie-chan. I turned around to see her, but then noticed that she was pointing at something.

I looked at where she was pointing… it was her temple. And there was a wood resting on top of it.

I quickly slid the wood down, and quickly said, “Good to see you.” The sheepishness was evident in my voice.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen

So the group had been heading up the large, snowy mountain. It was hard to tell the way and the bitter cold was getting to quite a few of the members. Ban had struck a deal to get most of us winter coats made out of the Ninetails, but even with their aid it still was freezing. Moswen didn’t even want to think about how some of the others would fair if they didn’t even have the fur to keep them warm.

Moswen should perhaps have felt cold, but her yang energy was showing some usefulness. While her unarmored half was warm within the fur-trimmed blue coat, her other half was bare to the snow and elements. So slowly she channeled small portions of her mana to one of her physical layers of balance, allowing her body to channel more heat to keep her warm.


Moswen kept an eye on the younger ones- Knes and Adalia, as well. Knes was the trooper, showing signs of being cold but yet helping Adalia with keeping her hands warm and occasionally he carried her a ways up the mountain. Danarica was worred about her child, so at one point Moswen stopped the group and channeled some of her warm, light masculine yang energy into her body and into the small life force inside of her- allowing more heat to be created and to help both of them stay warm.

The blizzard’s winds blinded the group at one point, causing a bit of panic. Moswen placed a hand above her brow to help her see through the snow but it was to no avail- she could not see one bit. Walking a bit and yelling out, she could- for once- feel the weight of her armor. Usually her natural armor felt perfectly natural to her, having no weight to her but only to others. Yet, due to the blizzard and the storm… she had channeled a great deal of yang energy to the others- causing the balance that the armor kept between the light yang and the dark yin to be unbalanced. So as they had journeyed, with each notable change of the levels of balance… more armor had been added to her body. She now had her forehead armor piece, a larger piece upon her upper bicept and another piece around her waist.

The winds dyed down a bit, enough to allow Moswen to spot Kite, Dimitri and Ban taking on a few polar bears without much difficulty. Moswen then glanced about to see everyone else as well- Adalia, Knes, Marion, Zombie-chan, Danarica, Stella and Ovan. Giving a shrill-like whistle, Moswen motioned for them to regroup. A slicing sound entered the air as Ban took care of the remaining polar bear.

“I-I’m so cold…” Marion whispered, bringing her hands to her face as she tried to heat them. Moswen withdrew a breath as she wrapped her large tail around Marion’s upper body.

“Stay close to me… this could help.” Moswen said, as she motioned for Adalia and Danarica to come again. More channeled yin energy went into their bodies as they continued to head up the mountain. Marion seemed to be a bit warmer, as Karam nustled between her and Moswen’s large fluffy tail as well. Kun- the small kitsune, was nestled within Moswen’s coat and only poked its head out for a little bit before sneaking back inside.

“Keep that up and you’re going to be one big piece of armor.” Dimitri said, appearing along side Moswen. He motioned to Moswen’s leg, showing that it was completely incased in armor with only a small marginal crack to allow her to move.

“We’re almost there… I’ll be fine.” Moswen said with a tired smile as they continued to move. The blizzard raged on but as they neared the top of the mountain the winds began to slow down and the snow became softer. Knes carried a freezing Adalia on his back as he walked ahead of the group.


“I can see the town!” He called, turning about as Adalia’s face lit up. “We made it!” She cheered. Moswen gave a cheerful smile as she released her tail so that it no longer wrapped around Marion. The group soon reached the snowy entrance to the small, quaint town of Kulun.

“Well… the good news is that this town is small.” Moswen said, crossing her arms as she observed- the clanking of metal surrounding most of her arm entering the air. “It shouldn’t be too hard to find the temple.”

Moswen then concentrated, noting that her body was still taking her yang energy and channeling it into her body so that she could stay warm upon her unclothed, armored side. It was at that moment, Moswen’s eyes opened wide as realization came to her mind. Quickly she looked to Dimitri, Ban and Adalia- those who happened to be closest to her.

“Wait!” She said in their direction as they took brisk steps towards the opening. “My yang energy is gone…” Moswen began, as the area around her suddenly began to glow and take the shape of the bottom of a coffin. Clanging sounds entered the air as metal slowly started to materialize about her- metal that look an awful lot like the armor upon her body.

“I won’t be able to go into the town for you for a while… with my yang energy gone, the yin energy will start to manifest..” Moswen began, her voice faltering for a moment as her tattoos began to pulsate- the yin energy trying to break free as the metal rapidly began to form faster. “I’ll be stuck here… the armor has to go into its ultimate guard.” Moswen smiled as an eerie purple aura sprouted from her tattoos.


“Whatever you do, do not open this coffin unless there is no other way. Then and only then.”


With that, suddenly the metal coffin that grew its way around armor was complete. The top of the coffin was sealed and with a loud clank, the coffin fell from its upright position to a lying position on the ground- as if it was ready to be set upon the ground. It was a beautiful silvery color with many intricate markings of an unknown language- a few diamond-like jewels encrusted upon its outside shell. The odd thing was that upon its side was a hand print- as if someone was meant to put their hand there.




“So… we just leave her here?” Knes asked as they began walking into the town. Beautiful snow fell from the sky, collecting around the coffin but any that landed upon it seemed to melt.
“Moswen is intelligent… she’ll be fine. Trust her words.” Ovan said, as the group entered the town. Knes gave a nod as Adalia pointed ahead of them.
“That looks like a tavern! Let’s go inside… I’m freezing!”
“Remember we have a temple to find…” Ban added.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Hotel! ~*~*~*~*~

The room, covers, and everything else in the room seemed to have a bluish glow, a skylight above us full of twinkling starts of Old Kulun’s eternal twilight. We were far above the clouds now, although the air wasn’t that thin. The sun seemed to circle the town yet never rose above us. Instead stars filled the place, sometimes twinkling, other times shooting across the sky. “Think Moswen will be okay?” I asked, Knes silently shutting the curtains.

The whole town seemed to take a blue and white texture with, the fallen snow in the streets melding well with the blue tinted buildings, and of course near where Moswen lay, a large temple, this one looking perfectly intact and maintained compared to the last too, only it had banners out representing plays. “I’m a healer, I can heal my own wounds.” I pouted, Stella removing the long robe like coat, exposing my hands, which were a deep blue with black open sores on them.

Stella took in a long breath, even Knes looking away as I tried to wiggle my fingers, what was worse was that I could not even feel anything below my elbow. “Until the battle, you are staying inside, and not using any of your mana until the circulation can improve.” Stella took a more motherly tone as I frowned, taking some roots out and mashing it into a paste.

With careful fingers she took the paste and wiped it over the black sores, the touching making it sting and causing me gasp in pain. With my hands covered in paste, Stella left, promising to check up on me in a few hours. All I could do was lay there, looking up at the skylight. “Snow is boring anyway.” Knes frowned, sitting down beside me.

Holding back tears I tried to go through all the different things I learned in Video Game Design, although those memories seemed faded, almost blurry as I tried to remember them. Yet all of these thoughts faded away to thoughts about running and playing in the snow and building snow men. “Hey, don’t cry.” Knes’ soft voice brought me back to reality, his hand brushing tears away from my cheek.

“There are better things to do than just playing in the snow.” He tried to help the pain, kissing my cheek; he drew back for only a second and then moved back in, kissing me on the lips lightly.

We both drew in sighs, Knes softly draping his arm around my shoulder for comfort. “Could you tell me more about your world? Do you have swordfights any more, or do you guys use guns for everything?” He asked curiously as I tried not to laugh.

“No, we have sword fights alright, but we have different sports we play.” I explained, Knes looking at me blankly for a moment as I tried to explain what a sport is. “Sports is like a competitive game you play, like sword fights.” I explained, Knes beginning to nod.

I then began to name off sports, one by one as I tried to remember each of them. “I promise to try and teach you one soon.” I added as a smile grew across Knes’ face. “But no teleport cheating.” I frowned playfully.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

This post started out as three lines, but eventually grew. Despite the lack of description. Despite. GASP! THE POWER OF RADIOHEAD.


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
159:
Kaamos


This is still Kulun town, and they are all still eating breakfast, except the body, who does not need to eat breakfast; and so, she looks for other forms of gratification.

Picture a soapbox set up in the middle of the deserted town square, and a dead girl banging her fist and railing about animal rights and threatening to raise all the carcasses in a revolt, and then actually going to the warehouse belonging to the largest vendor of Caligrey meat in town and doing it...

Picture that, and maybe you might understand why all the butchers in Kulun don't make Caligrey sausage for the weeks preceding and succeeding the Day anymore...


*

The body doesn't have new clothes, but this isn't particularly bothering her; cold, after all, is only felt if she wants to feel it.

Saifa prefers armour, but grudgingly acknowledges that armour is not needed when you can reattach your limbs with a needle and thread, as the body points out.

Okiku submits a request for long sleeves. "Really long ones, like dancers have..."

This is taken into consideration, because they know Okiku asks for things only when they are beneficial in some way. They do not find anything suiting the description in Kulun, but the body is optimistic, and opts to continue the search in the village on top of the mountain near the shrine, where she has been informed that they will be going next.


*

Hiking up the mountain is an experience. There are snow bears (literally), snowdrifts, snow-bringing winds, snowstorms, and the occasional decorative dead tree. When the body is being good she hauls Adalia and Knes periodically out of the larger heaps of snow, and dissolves snow bears with wide swipes of Saifa's sword. When she is not she is laughing at the snow blowing into Ban's hair and freezing it into myriad varieties of icicle.

Later on one of the blizzards obscures vision almost completely. Marion smacks her on the head with a decidedly unfriendly piece of wood while the others face more snow bears. Afterward, taking pity on the girl, the body links her arm in hers and turns manic again, ironically enough with the intention to set Marion at ease.

She raises her hand, clasped in Marion's in a misguided gesture of sisterhood, and turns her mental compass direct to Loud and Raucous Singalong.

"All right then, Faizer! Let's do a Happy Singsong, right 'ere, right now!"

"B-b-but what song?! And it's c-cold-"

"ICE AGE COMING ICE AGE COMING - how's that for cold? LET ME HEAR BOTH SIDES LET ME HEAR BOTH SIDES LET ME HEAR BOTH-"

"Um. Throw it in the fire, throw it in the fire-"

"That's the way! WE'RE NOT SCARE-"

"-MONGERING!"

"Yeah! THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING!"

The voices drown out the raging blizzard. Almost but not quite.

This lasts until Moswen draws Marion nearer to her with her prehensile tail, a rather more practical way of keeping her warm, and the elf-girl is whisked back to the demands of sanity. There is just the faintest hint of mundane pleasure visible in the body's face, and then she breaks into the next verse, and the compassion is gone.


*

An arch marks the boundary between what is old Kulun and what is not, and everywhere there is twilight and the omnipresent snow.

The body waits for everyone to "piss off", as she cheerfully puts it, and stares at the squat round wolves carved on the snow-laden arch till they are all gone - either into the tavern, or sufficiently far away. The jaws of the wolves are gaping wide and hungry. Their stone eyes have had the corneas chipped into them, and stare with a terrible intensity.

Laying her ear most inappropriately to the moulding of the hand upon Moswen's coffin, the body listens. She notes that the handprint does not fit her own; it is much too large. She sings "who's in a bunker, who's in a bunker?" to the frozen air. She fancies she can hear scrapings and mutterings from within the coffin, which she terms "an extremely refined and ornately decorated iron maiden masquerading as a veritable jewelbox of delights".

Satisfied, the body walks a little way into town. She ignores what appears to be the Kulun Opera House, and instead scrutinizes a static figure in front of the tavern swaddled in fur coat, scabbard upon back, rapidly falling snow gathering on its shoulders and head.

Then she bends down, performs an operation of utmost skill, straightens up again and smacks the figure in the back of the head with a snowball of the correct prescribed consistency and hardness.

"OW! Can't anyone meditate around here without getting hit in the head with a snowball?!"

"Coooeee, it's only me!"

"It gets even better, it's Yi the crazy zombie."

By now the body has reached the spot of light that Ban is occupying. Merry sounds of people having had too much whisky in their eggnog, or, indeed, not including eggnog at all in their eggnog drift from the other side of the door. "You're meditating in the bloody freezing cold? Boggles the mind almost as much as Adalia's promiscuity does, professor."

"Being introspective in a warm cosy hotel room doesn't exactly have the same heroic ring as being introspective in the winter dusk."

"Fair enough. Well then, happy introspecting." The body continues down the street, parsing spiritual threads of thought till she finds the one that she wants, somewhere behind the temple-turned-playhouse.

"Where are you going, anyway?" Ban shakes himself roughly, and snow flies in all directions.

"To gather information," the body answers cryptically. "You can come if you like, the ghosts here aren't like the ones down in the foothills. Possibly the bracing mountain air improves their dispositions."

"At least you're doing something useful."

"Yes, frankly, I'm amazed at how helpful I'm being. Helping you pay for new clothes, and now this." The body sighs theatrically.

"Don't get any bright ideas with that opera house around. I'm not acting in anything ever again."

"Yeah yeah yeah, your 'no' is like how those girls in H anime say yamete-"

"...I'm going to chop your head off the first opportunity I get."

"An excellent proposition, professor, I daresay you will get a chance yet."

"And how do you know about H anime, anyway?" The answer might horrify Ban more than anything in the Riftworld has horrified him so far, but it's an itch that's begging to be scratched.

"All those perverts in my old class back in the world, mainly. Oh. And Box."

"Ah. Box."

They are silent for a while. Then Ban: "Wonder what he's doing?"

"Dunno, if we're lucky we'll see him in here one of these days."

"Lucky for us, unlucky for him."


*

The little house is fallen in, and dilapidated. The cold and ice have preserved it better than anything else could; in warmer climes, there would not be a trace left of it. As it is now, it is an empty shell: three walls and part of a roof, and piles of snow covering all else.

The body hunkers down in a corner and begins to dig, as Ban inspects the rest of the hovel. Crumbling brick huddles together for comfort against the intruders.

The walls, they watch.

With a grunt and an "aha" the body pulls out an ancient chest, unadorned and made of a plain, unidentifiable hardwood, blackened with age. "Always got to have relics, every self-respecting dead religion has relics buried in easily found places for future explorers to discover."

"Open it?" suggests Ban.

"I am doing." The body breaks the lock, and draws out - swathes and swathes of pristine material, white as the snow.

Okiku sucks in a ghostly breath.

The body lays out the white kimono neatly in the center of the house. She lights a scented candle, appropriated from the festivities of the previous town, and waits, with Saifa inside and blade drawn.

There is a flicker in the flame of the candle, and the cloth fills out slowly into the shape of a sitting woman. She is severely beautiful. The woman balks visibly at the sight of Saifa, meeting the yellow eyes with barely concealed disgust.

you?

"ME."

but you were only human. a legend. not even our God survived unscathed.

"LEGENDS LIVE ON. GODS DIE."

what do you want?

"HIGH PRIESTESS. THE TEMPLE. IT IS WHAT THEY NOW CALL THE OPERA HOUSE, YES?"

yes. it is blasphemy. everything now is blasphemy. they put on farces, and project their voices, but they have forgotten the God that made this world. blasphemy.

"WHERE IS THE CRYSTAL? THE OPERA HOUSE IS LARGE."

high above the altar. now a stage. blasphemy. the Cerberus guards it.

"THAT IS DULY NOTED."

shakusaifa. you are... a servant?

"THINGS CHANGE. WE MUST GO ON, THE BEST WAY WE CAN. IF I HAD NOT CHANGED, I WOULD BE LIKE YOUR GOD. FORGOTTEN. FORSAKEN."

and you would rather be humbled? your image, tailored to fit the puny minds of those that live now? tamed, by outsiders?

Saifa grins, and it is a far more dangerous grin than any similar expression that ever graced the features of the body's face. It is a grin that says, all by itself, be glad, be very glad I am chained...

"BUT I AM REMEMBERED."

And she snuffs out the candle.

The body gathers up the white kimono as it slips to the floor. It has very long sleeves, and it will doubtless be beneficial in some way in the future.

... *falls backwards into bed*

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
no way I'm gonna take this! / the days are all the same. / i shouted at the sky, wanting things to change.…~Ready to Love by YUI

As some of us entered the tavern to the town that laid near the mountains top, I closed my eyes as I entered the main lobby; trying to detect again, the weird presence my brother felt in Kulun. Indeed, it was here, and it was stronger. My mind was restless now more than ever, ontop of looking for my brother, I'd have to try and find my brother in a place covered with a coldness I hated. I blew on my hands a bit of warm air, to warm them up, then looked around. I should check if the others were alright from the harshly cold environment we were in.

I looked around, and found Adalia with Knes. I sensed something slightly odd with the flow of her mana, and I walked over to her.

"I'm a healer, I can heal my own wounds.."She pouted stubbornly as I removed her coat, to reveal a black sore on her hand, with the skin around being frozen to a deep blue color. If I remembered correctly, from my trainning..this was 'frostbite'. Adalia tried to move her fingers as I made my diagnosis, but to no avail. I removed my backpack from my back, placing it infront of me and opening it up.
“Until the battle, you are staying inside, and not using any of your mana until the circulation can improve.” I replied, using a concerned tone. She frowned, much like a child would when scolded upon. I took out the root for burns, and the herb for sores, and crushed them into a paste before addign the medicinal paste to improve the healing process. I then placed a good bit on my finger, and rubbed it counterclockwise on her wound. Adalia gasped a bit at the feeling of pain it brought; but it was better than feeling nothing at all; and the wound should heal overall very soon.

I repacked my backpack, and looked once more at the wound before I told Adalia that I'd check up on her once more later on. I sighed as I walked to the lobby's counter, and booked a room for myself. I placed my backpack in there, but I took out the most recent letter that Noel sent me, and left the tavern.

I went around the shops, asking clerics and owners if they'd have any IOU's written with the handwriting, or if they've seen anyone with sandy blonde, or very light brown hair with blue eyes. I took me several shops to get a response I was looking for..

"Oh, the mercenary guy?"The shop owner said, as he gave me a box to carry out. The shop sat across from the towns Opera house, which had an odd, distinct feeling about it; as if something was wrong.
"He was asking if I had sense anything...off, recently, but I had told him nothing out of the ordinary.."He added on as we placed the boxes near a shelf." He seemed to be in a rush about things, though. But my daughter..he took her to Kulun's fair last night and she came back this morning with stars in her eyes.."

..He was in Kulun last night, at the fair?

"You know him?"He asked, as we placed the knicknacks on shelves.
"I..er.."I looked down. "He owes me something, thats all."I lied.
"Thats a mercenary for ya!"He laughed as we finished."Well, thanks for your help miss. I'll give ya a bit of mananite, since I didn't have much information for you."He took out a a velvet bag, and gave me 2 mananite of white. I only took one though, shaking my head in refusal for the second. He placed the second chunk in the bag, and I waved him farewell as he did the same. I sighed as I placed the coat back on, and looked at the opera house that sat across the street.

"I can't put my finger on it..but.."I talked to myself, examining it and the presence I felt about it..

Ovan
-even if I become downtrodden / i want enough strength to change that into something bright / like the stars in the sky that shine for an instant~ Ryuusei by MiyuMiyu
Dominant: Ovan

As the others entered the tavern in the town of Old Kulun, I decided to leave that part until later. Although I was a bit cold, I was moreso hungry; I could barely eat at the diner due to Danielle's whining. Using all my energy on the trek up the mountain made me a starving man.

'Besides, you're not sitting on your butt all day.'Danielle said sternly. She had calm down after the encounter with the snow bears, or what she said, "Coca~Cola Advertisements."..whatever that was.I could still feel that she wanted to bite someones head off, though.

I walked a bit into the town, looking at each shop. There were more trinket shops here than in Kulun, maybe it was due to the towering Opera house that sat in the town. At the end of the street, however, there was a small diner, and I dished out enough for a sandwich and hot drink. It warmed me up for about 2, or 3 people, and the sandwich was appetizing.

'Do you only think about food?'Danielle asked as I swallowed the last of the sandwich.
'No, I think about women, swords, beasties and alcoholic beverages.'I replied to her, laughing a bit to myself at the last part. I cleaned up the table I used, and then went about my way.


Short Ovan post.~.~; Can't think for anything for him to do, really, until the Cerebus fight. Ugh.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Puddle of mana

I looked up at the sky from my room, noticing how the dark it was around the town. I didn’t think it was night time yet – we had left the town of Kulun in the morning, so it should still be evening by this time – but I guess when you’re high up in the mountain, you don’t see the sun much.

I stayed in my room, my mind wandering towards Moswen and her current predicament. Later, Stella came in and asked if I was okay from the hike through the blizzard. She came and checked my fingers and my face, and after seemingly satisfied, left me alone, and my mind continues to wander.

I wonder how she’s doing in the coffin?


Later, I went outside for a walk, and it was not long before I was looking at the coffin that was holding Moswen. It was silver in colour with many detailed marking all over it – almost like it was some sort of writing – and it was adorned with a few jewels. I circled around the coffin, noticing that no snow had collected above the coffin. I took a handful of snow and experimentally spread them across the top of the coffin. They dissipated right away before they could touch the coffin.

I bent down to take a closer look at the coffin, and I found that there was a handprint at the side of the coffin. I decided to leave it alone, as it might trigger something.

“Guess we’ll be seeing you later, Moswen,” I said towards the coffin. I was answered with a bark. “Huh?” I peered at the coffin, half-expecting it to open by itself. I waited and strained my ears. There it was… the barking again. I went to the other side of the coffin, and I saw a lump of snow moving about.

“Puppy!” Karam exclaimed, as Kun the puppy crept out from a pile of snow. His ears were drooped, and his tail was still.

“Aww, you miss Moswen?” I picked him up and held him around my chest. He sniffed Karam, and let out a whimper. “Come on, let’s get you to the tavern.” Karam made a weird growling sound, patting Kun’s head.

“Puppy’s being weird. He doesn’t want to chase Karam.”

“Yes, because-”

“Because Moswen is in that coffin. Karam knows that.” He looked up at the sky. “Oh, look! A shooting star!”

I quickly looked up, but I barely caught glimpse of the said shooting star. “Hm, guess I missed it…”

“Maybe… but Karam knows where it lands.” He dropped down at ran at one direction. “This way!”


When I caught up with Karam, he was sitting on top of a flat surfaced rock, his snout pointing towards the puddle below. I looked closer – it was not water that made up the puddle. It was something that looks like mercury, except that it was shining with a rainbow hue, like a bubble. I cautiously touched the liquid with one of my fingertip, and it was warm.

“What is this?” I asked Karam.

“Well, see…” he began. “Karam had one day woke up in the night to see a shooting star coming down at Karam. So Karam thought, oh no, Karam’s toasted. So Karam closed eyes, and waited. When nothing happen, Karam opened eyes, and these Karam saw this strange liquid. Just like this one.”

“So, liquid from meteor?” Karam’s eyes blinked at the mention of meteor. “Liquid from shooting star?”

“Karam think so,” he scratched his ears with his foreleg. “Anyway, Karam saw some people taking the liquid, and they say something about selling it for a high price. Don’t Marion want some mananites?”

I looked down at the puddle of the liquid, and then back at Karam. “So, how do we pick the liquid up?”

“How about that green thing there?” Karam pointed helpfully towards a lump hidden beneath some bushes. I took the object out, and it turns out to be the lower half of a broken bottle. I inspected its bottom, satisfied to find that there was no hole.

“I think I’ll give it to someone else,” I said, as I carefully scooped the liquid with the bottle fragment. “It’s not that I wanted to get anything for now, anyway”.



Meteors come off the second moon as it settles into orbit. The Mana in the meteor hardens when it reaches the lower levels of the atmosphere, but since it is in the upper when it crashes, it is still in liquid Mana. The liquid mana could be used to coat a sword or sold for a high price.

[Bulbasaur4]

there seems to be a bug in the system as far as clicking onto page five. (At least for me.) I am merely posting this to do a test. Don't mind me.


Edit: Posting on page five seemed to fix the problem. YAY!! Now I could read DT's post.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Dinner ~*~*~*~*~

The spoon full of hot soup hovered against my lip, touching it lightly for almost a second before I opened and sipped its contents. It was very bland tasting, very organic and almost vegetable tasting. Knes moved the spoon away, scooping up his own mouthful and tasting it as he sat on the edge of the bed. Kite stood across the room, sipping his own soup, talking with Knes and Ovan every few minutes. Although the room seemed quiet really, as if no one wanted to talk about Moswen. Ovan mumbling to himself ever so often as if he were talking to someone else. Meanwhile Knes brought the spoon up to my mouth, I glared at it for a second, not wanting to be fed like a baby.

“Okay this is really boring.” Kite sighed, tossing his spoon into a now empty bowl, his tail flicking back and forth in annoyance. Our eyes met, mine quickly looking away. “Anyone want to hear a few stories about the last journey?” He asked with a mischievous grin. My interest was peaked, what was he going to talk about, then again, what was with the grin?

Kite cleared his throat. “Okay, first you need to understand that back then Adalia had a crush on a guy named Tony, who told me this story in exact detail.” He continued, my face turning several shades of red, Knes looked over at me with curiosity and then back at Kite.

“Wait is this the same as Loki?” He asked.

Kite shook his head. “No, no this was another human from our world who didn’t come this time.” He explained, and then continued on. “See you have to understand that this was their first night, and Adalia was still thinking like a boy so she went into the boys bathroom to take a bath.”

Now I knew exactly where she was going, I began to scoot further under the covers using my legs. “This is all a lie.” I blurted out, the covers all the way up to my nose. “A really really big lie.”

Kite’s smile grew even wider. “So she was in the bathroom, doing I don’t know what, but Tony knocks on the door, and Adalia gets up, wrapping the towel around her waist like any boy would. Tony walks in, and guess where his eyes go.” Kite asks.

At this moment Ovan starts to snicker and Knes puts a hand over his mouth, trying to maintain a straight face. “Adalia notices it, screams, Tony’s towel falls, so now he is standing butt naked in the hallway, and Adalia starts going crazy throwing stuff at him.” Kite finishes as Ovan bursts out laughing, Knes looked over at me, my head completely immersed in the pillow.

I prayed for what ever god of this world to kill me now, but the next thing happened, the door opened and in walked Marion with a vial full of gray liquid. “Did I interrupt something?” She asked, looking around as I popped my head up from under the bed. “Hey there squirt.” She smiled.

I breathed in a long sigh of relief as she went over to Knes. Ovan and Kite followed him over as he displayed the liquid. “I found this from one of the falling starts that seems to be striking this town.” She explained, touching it with her finger and moving the liquid around. “I think it is what they call Liquid Mananite.” She said as Knes’ eyes lit up.

“Liquid Mana?” He whispered, peering at it closer. “Can you show me where you found it?” He asked.

Marion nodded, heading to the door, Knes turning to look at me. “Go, its okay.” I nodded, he smiled and kissed my forehead as Kite followed Marion out of the door, as well as Ovan, both of them laughing and talking, Knes left last, shutting the door quietly.

“I hope Kite doesn’t tell them any more stories.” I mumbled to myself, watching the stars twinkle in the sky from my bed.

[Bulbasaur4]

I was asked to move things along, so ONTO THE TEMPLE BATTLE! MWHAHAHAHAHAAA!!


KNES


Knes walked with the others for a bit, his brow still raised as he remembered the story which Kite had told with much satisfaction. Absently he bit his lip as they continued to walk towards where the liquid Mana was. It was a curious thing- liquid mana was something that was extremely rare, even back in the older days before the lands had been split.
“Here… this is where I found it.” Marion said, pointing to a puddle of it that had formed in an odd crater.
“That stuff sure looks strange…” Kite said, tilting his head to the side as his ears perked. Eventually they decided to use anything they had to scoop it up and sell it. Knes managed to use a small bottle he used to fill up with water and filled it with some of the liquid. Others followed suit, but Knes excused himself early.
“I’m going to go exploring.” He said, giving a light bow. “Pardon me.” With that, he ran off through the snow.

Knes walked amongst the many houses of the village, finding that the place was rather small. Eventually however, he ran into a store-like place and entered it. An elderly woman was mixing a few strange liquids together and humming to herself as Knes entered. Looking up and pushing her glasses closer to the brim of her nose, she settled her gaze upon him.
“Can I help you young sir?” She inquired, standing up as straight as her old frame would allow. Knes nodded and took the bottle out, holding it for her to see.
“I believe this is liquid mana… I was hoping to sell it.”
The woman’s eyes widened large as she gasped.
“In all my life… I never imagined I’d see something so precious and rare before my eyes.” She held out her hand as if daring to touch it, but Knes simply gave it to her.
After a large yell by the woman- calling her son- the two store keepers talked about the mana liquid before coming to a decision. They bought the liquid mana from Knes with a great deal of mananite (Knes wasn’t sure how much it was… the currency was something he wasn’t exactly familiar with.) Feeling content with his luck and purchase, Knes walked down the seemingly empty roads of the village. Snow was falling gently upon his figure, and he looked up at the snowy sky.

“What am I doing here…?” He thought to himself, images invading his mind. “I had a clear goal from the beginning… but now I’m not so sure…” Knes trailed off, entering an alleyway. Sitting down on a box, he let his chin rest in his hands as he sat and contemplated what he was to do now.
The Opera… you must get into the Opera House for the next crystal
Knes’s eyes widened as he straightened up and stiffened, looking about as if expecting the voice to have come from someone. Yet there was no one around, and instantly Knes knew the owner of the voice.
“I’m not sure…” He began, but instantly the voice grew in intensity and growled louder.
You must destroy the beast inside and activate the crystal. There is no other way… do not forget what you know.
Knes sighed and stood up, memories flashing deep within his mind as he gave a nod.
“Right… what was I thinking. I can’ t be selfish.”


Soon Knes was standing near Moswen’s coffin at the entrance to the Opera House. Approaching the doors, a well-dressed villagers was standing outside in a thick fur coat.
“Excuse me sir, but the show doesn’t start for an hour.” He gave a nod, and Knes tilted his head in confusion.
“Oh… umm… well, can my friends and I attend?” He asked politely, and the man nodded.
“If you have tickets, yes.”

The conversation soon turned into ticket purchasing, as Knes used a bit of his mananite to obtain tickets for everyone in their group- mistakingly he had even bought Moswen one, forgetting about the coffin incident. Eager to hurry the others to get to the temple, he swiftly went into the tavern.
It was easy to find everyone, for it seemed that the village was small and there was little- if anything- to do. Everyone was resting up in the tavern, except for Zombie-chan who seemed to have disappeared somewhere.
Still, Knes informed them that he had obtained tickets to enter the Opera House- the location of the next crystal.
“Hmm… seems odd that a place like that would still be working. Is there no beast to guard this crystal?” Ban asked, looking thoughtful for a moment as Kite shrugged.
“Either way, looks like we’re getting in.”


Everyone was soon off to the opera- Adalia being as excited as ever. They had attempted to find some nicer clothes for the Opera (because according to Adalia, Opera Houses were for fancy dresses). Yet, the town was small and the inn didn’t have nearly the luxurious supplies as their former inn. So they arrived in their traveling garbs, which had them stared at by quite a few tourists and villagers.
Upon sitting down, Adalia whispered to Knes.
“Everyone is staring at me like I’m strange…” Her eyes looked big and saddened. All the people around her were wearing beautiful dresses, suits and fancy things and here she was- dressed so lowly compared to them. Danarica shifted uneasily as well, while Ban simply seemed to be focused and uncaring of the thoughts of others.
“They’re just staring at you because they’re jealous.” Knes replied to Adalia, giving her a short and reassuring hug. “They see how beautiful you are- so much that you don’t need fancy things to give you their illusion of grandeur.”
With that, Adalia blushed a little and a smile crept upon her facial expressions. However, before she could respond- the Opera began.

It perhaps was interesting… or beautiful, but Knes’s mind was somewhere else. Things of this nature were not of great interest to him and he didn’t seem to appreciate the art. So instead, Knes was eyeing the theatre itself. The ceiling was painted rather intricately with many elaborate designs of flowers, birds and other nature-like things. Large marble pillars held the large ceiling up- perhaps to amplify sound for the singing as well. However, the thing that caught Knes’s attention was the large chandelier above them. It wasn’t normal… it was made up of a large, glowing crystal with gold embroidered around it to hold many lit candles.

The crystal attracted Knes a great deal, before suddenly it started to flicker. A few of the others noticed it and Knes’s eyes suddenly widened.
“Ban! Some thing is coming!” He whispered loudly, but it was too late. The ground suddenly began to violently shake as from the stage exploded the massive head of a dog- followed by two others. Those on stage stood no chance. Their song was silenced by death, followed by close bystanders who were snapped up in hungry jaws.
“Well… there is the beast I was wondering about.” Ban commented, as people screamed and ran out of the theatre.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-tomorrow never knows but now / i don't have any hesitations / like the wings / that gets lost in the sunny sky~ Michishirube by Miyamoto Shunichi
Dominant: Ovan

I stopped about a foot away from the diner, and sighed, going back and buying a bit of soup for everyone back at the tavern. It being piping hot was a relief to my hands as I carried it towards the inn, although my hands started to sweat from being over insulated before I reached the taverns door; knocking on it and being warmly greeted by Stella, who seemed to have just gotten back from her venture -bout the town herself. She took it from my hands and placed it on a table where she soon gathered everyone. I took off my coat and stretched, going over to the table while everyone diged into the soup; which I made sure to get vegetarian to make sure everyone could eat it.

I held the soup bowl in my hands as Adalia sat on the bed, Knes on the edge of that bed, Kite and myself near Knes; chitchatting, and Stella and the rest closer to the table. I didn't take much, I was already full from before.

'You eat too much.'Danielle sighed.
"Shut up.."I mumbled to myself as I finished the small portion I gave myself. Kite finished his portion at the same time, and placed his spoon in bowl in a bit of an annoyance at the silence that filled the room.

“Okay this is really boring.”Kite sighed, looking at Adalia for a second before looking away, "Anyone want to hear a few stories about the last journey?"He finished, topping it off with a mischievous grin,

'Oh la la,'Danielle seemed interested, as did Knes, and Adalia; although she seemed more concerned as of what was going to be said than anything.
“Okay, first you need to understand that back then Adalia had a crush on a guy named Tony, who told me this story in exact detail.”Kite started to tell his tale, as Adalia's face started to grow several shades of crimson.
'Tony? That name is familiar..'
“Wait, is this the same as Loki?”Knes asked, curious.
“No, no this was another human from our world who didn’t come this time.” Kite explained, and then continued on with his tale, “See you have to understand that this was their first night, and Adalia was still thinking like a boy so she went into the boys bathroom to take a bath.”
I snickered slightly as I could hear Danielle laughing in the back of my head. As it was cute and innocent of the small Adalia, just imagining it..
'No, don't go there.'
“Adalia notices it, screams, Tony’s towel falls, so now he is standing butt naked in the hallway, and Adalia starts going crazy throwing stuff at him.” Kite finished the tale, and I could help but laugh as Danielle was doing the same. Adalia seemed to be hiding herself in shame, and even though I felt bad for her, I couldn't help but laugh.

As soon as I calmed my laughter, the door opened as Marion walked in, holding a vial of grayish liquid. I felt Valkyrie slightly pulsate, as if the liquid was giving of a mana frequency. I walked over to her as she went to Knes.

“I found this from one of the falling stars that seems to be striking this town.” Marion explained, touching it with her finger and moving the liquid around. “I think it is what they call Liquid Mananite.” As she finished this sentence, Knes' eyes lit up.
“Liquid Mana?” Knes whispered, peering at it closer. “Can you show me where you found it?”

Marion nodded, and soon showed us; Kite, Knes and I, to the meteorite that seemed to contain the substance. As we came closer and closer to the source of the Liquid Mananite, the pulsating from Valkyrie became more and more constant, as if it were a heartbeat becoming louder and louder. It felt more like my heart, and my head felt it was going to burst from the pulsating waves Valkyrie was sending.
'I am sorry, Ovan.'Valkyrie apologized,'I, myself, do not know why I am acting like this..'
'It's fine..'I replied, holding my head as we approached it.

“Here… this is where I found it.”Marion said, pointing to the puddle that formed in the small crater created by the meteorite's impact.
“That stuff sure looks strange…”Kite said. I rubbed my temples as I looked at it, that was the stuff throwing Valkyrie into wild fits of pulsation?

We soon decided to gather some of the liquid to sell, and I had a small glass vial that contained some herbs that Stella had given me to apply daily. Taking them out and rubbing them quickly on my wound, back to Marion. I scooped up a small bit of the liquid into the vial, but soon found my headache a bit too much to bear.

"Here, Kite, take mine."I told Kite, and shoved it into his hands."I'll see you back in town."
I rushed back into town, and the further away from the site I got, the more relief I felt. I soon found myself sitting on a bench near the Opera house, resting my eyes.

'This isn't the best place to rest, retard!'Danielle condescended me, and I ignored her as I made sure to keep myself awake; more so, the cold did that. As soon as I felt a bit better, I found myself back to the tavern, where everyone seemed to be heading out the door already. I sighed, it was stupid to resist. It seemed like everyone was going to the Opera house to see a play, and I could maybe get some sleep there.

The villagers that attended the opera looked at us oddly as we handed in our tickets, more than likely because of our attire. I shrugged it off, and as we entered the theater, I could feel Valkyrie pulsate lightly; a much more gentler tone than the harsher vibes at the meteorite site prior.

I didn't pay much attention to the play, as my head still hurt a bit from earlier. I looked over at Danarica, who seemed to be enjoying it, which atleast made me happy. However, why was Valkyrie pulsating? I looked around the threatre, and up above me was the answer. A large, glowing crystal, adorned with gold that allowed it to hold many a lit candles.

It was then that the crystal started to flicker, and the ground started to shake. From below the stage, a massive head of dog erupted, breaking the wood as if it were a play toy. It chewed through the actor that was right about it as if it were nothing, and soon, 2 other heads followed, aswell as the body. Massive screams came from left and right, and in chaos, the huge dog-beast killed those in the front row, along with the all the actors and actresses on stage.

“Well… there is the beast I was wondering about.” Ban commented as I drew out Valkyrie.



Ovan postie for now.^^ YAY fight!

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sooo boring..." I said drowsily as my eyes and ears started to droop.

"Kite!" Adalia hissed, elbowing me hard to wake me.

I growled a little. "What? I don't like operas, especially when they're singing in a language I don't know. Now let me sleep, pretty princess."

"What did you call me?" she asked me with her eyebrows raised.

"Pretty Princess. After all, pretty princesses love things like this." A smile started to form on my face.

Her face turned five shades of red. "Don't call me that!" she said a little too loudly.

"Aww, is widdle pwetty pwincess getting cwanky? Does widdle Knessy need to tuck you in?" I teased, my smile getting a lot wider from seeing Adalia's cutesy angry face. Like seeing Shirley Temple pout.

"I'll kick your butt!" she whispered.

My smile turned into more into a sneer. "I'd like to see you try."

Dimitri leaned in from the row behind us. "Don't make me drag you two out of here," he scolded us.

I wish you would.

"He started it!" Adalia said in a high defensive voice.

"Damn right I did," I whispered. Dimitri grabbed my ear and twisted it until our attention was directed to the giant flickering crystal that was hanging from the ceiling like a chandelier. "Is the power going out?"

"I doubt it," Knes mumbled as the whole theater started to shake.

And then...

CRASH!

ROAR!

Three scary-as-hell dog heads burst through the stage floor and snapped up everyone that it could reach, including the singing fat lady, singing fat man, and someone that could've been either.

"Whoa! Cujo's gone radioactive!" I yelled as I stood in my seat and gawked at the beast. It was surprising that I could stand at all, between the stampeding crowd and my jelly knees.

“Well...there is the beast I was wondering about,” Ban commented.

"How are we going to defeat this one?" Adalia offered out loud.

I raised my halberd and twirled it around. "I suggest that we cut off its three heads, starting with the one that looks rabid. That or offering Miss Pretty Princess as a sacrifice and hope he'll leave us alone."

"Stop calling me that!"

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Beast of the opera

“Say, Marion,” Kite said as we walked back towards the tavern.

“Hm?” I looked up from the mananites that were in my hand. He looked at my hand, and then asked if I want to get something with the mananites. I said no, I don’t think so, and gave him the mananites for keeping.

“New bracelet?” Kite said, noticing the piece of jewellery on my wrist. “I didn’t think I’ve seen it before. Well, not that I like to spend time watching other people’s stuff, but you know what I’m saying.”

I nodded. “Yes, I brought it just now.” In actuality, I wasn’t getting it for myself. I had found the bracelet sitting on a shop earlier – after we had sold the liquid mana (for a very good price), and I figured that it might be nice to get her something after the necklace that she gave me last night. The bracelet was fashioned out of a coppery metal, and there was some intricate carving along it. I was quite delighted that it was sold for a cheap price.

Speaking of Moswen… wonder how long until she’ll be back?

“So, want to hear a story about Adalia’s last journey?” he asked as we arrived at the tavern.

“Wait… you mean that you have been through this before?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said, and then he scratched his chin. “Well, no. I actually heard it from someone else, really… but anyway. Adalia…”

“So Ryan chose a girl character for that other journey?”

“Yup. So, it was her first night as a girl… you know Tony?”

“Fai? Previously known as Tsukasa?”

“That’s him. So, I heard this story from him, on how Adalia’s first night. She still think that she’s a boy, so she went to the guy’s bathroom. And…”

“We’re going to the Opera House,” Knes said from behind, flashing the tickets. Both Kite and I took one ticket each.

“Should we tell the others?” I pointed to the room upstairs. “I don’t I saw the others outside.”

“That was what I was going to do,” Knes said, and he went upstairs, followed by Kite and myself.

I need not for Kite to continue. I could imagine what would be the awkward moment of Adalia exposing her body part.


*****

To say the opera was interesting would be a lie.

Well, I was a bit interested when it started. And then I had lost interest in the play, so it was no surprise that I was feeling sleepy.

“Boring…” Karam whined, and he began to lie down. Kun was beside him, lying down as well. Both seem to be equally bored.

“Good way to put it,” I yawned, and I began to wonder: if there was a guardian here, then where is it?

I noticed how the others attention are focused on the chandelier above the stage. The giant crystal in the middle was starting to flicker; I heard Kite asking, “Is the power going out?”

“Ban! Something is coming!” Knes whispered loudly, followed closely by the sound of something breaking out from below the stage. One massive figure of a dog’s head emerged, closely followed with two more heads. The gigantic three headed dog looked around the stage, growled, and began to gobble up those unlucky one who couldn’t make out of the stage in time.

“Cerberus,” I whispered to myself.

“Well...there is the beast I was wondering about,” Ban commented. Both Karam and Kun quickly stood up, their fur stood out on their end.

“Think we can handle this one?” I asked Karam. He hissed, and said something that sounded like ‘yeah’.

[Roy Karrde]

Cerberus
~*~*~*~*~ Awakened ~*~*~*~*~

Every muscle in my body ached, including my stomach, yet that situation was getting rectified as fast as my three heads could eat the tasty little snacks in front of me. Humans had changed a lot since I had last woken; now they had provided a dish for me. One particularly loud one ran away screaming, as did the rest of them, all except a few that remained. “Get back here.” I grinned from the second head, racing forward my jaws opened to gobble him up when a green shield sprung to life, my heads slamming into it as if it were a brick wall. “So the warriors have some power.” I mused with a grin.

The middle head roared back, a whitish glow appearing in the mouth as I ripped out a beam of straight ice at the shield. The ice quickly blossomed against the shield creating a near beautiful rose that began to press onto the shield. Behind it a little girl continued to struggle to hold it up, her nose bleeding from the weight. The third head grinned, firing shards of ice at the shield, which easily collapsed under the weight.

In the flash of a eye she was gone though, disappeared, yet my attention was drawn elsewhere as flames lit up a sword. All three of my heads focused on a man who held a sword of flames defiantly in front of me. “Think that tiny flame scares me?” I asked, he spoke a reply to which I couldn’t understand. The flames leapt out toward me and my second head responded with a beam of ice. My third head aimed for the rafters, throwing thousands of ice spikes onto it, littering the ceiling with thousands of ice spikes getting ready to rain down any minute.

My attention went back to the battle of flame versus ice, the flame slowly coming closer and closer. So the boy had some talent. I quickly redoubled my efforts the ice quickly overtaking the sword, freezing the sword in the process into a block of ice. Each of my heads then turned, looking for that little shield girl. She had some strength and would make a tasty treat.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Theater ~*~*~*~*~

My cheeks turned red in embarrassment as we made our way to our seats, Knes continued to reassure me that I was the most beautiful person there, but it was little comfort as Kite chimed in. “Yeah they are probably shocked to see Royalty here, eh Pretty Princess?” Kite grinned from ear to ear.

I shot him a quick glare as we made our way over to our seats. “Atleast I look pretty.” I shot back, running a finger through my hair, trying to stop the argument and sweating from Kite.

“What ever you say flat chest.” Kite grinned taking up a seat next to me. Through out the whole play he continued to tease me back and forth, to the point that we had to almost be separated. That is when the crystal began to glow, unleashing a large dog monster who came crashing down, biting and killing any in his way.

Fear immediately filled my veins as we each rose. “We have to protect the people first.” Dimitri yelled as I raised my arms, still covered in bandages and sore, yet I had no time to fret or acknowledge the pain.

“Already on it.” I announced, the large beast rushing at me only to meet a sparkling green wall of mana. “That should stop him for a…” My voice trailed off as the middle head reared back and unleashed a wave of ice, which splashed across the shield.

“Adalia…” Knes warned, the weight on the shield already being felt as mana ran through my trembling arms and out into the shield. “Adalia..” Knes was yelling this time, blood running down my nose and dripping into my mouth.

“I can hold it.” My whole body trembling as another head reared back and began to fire. “I can..” I could barely make it out as the shield collapsed, death raining down above me in the form of missiles of ice.

My body was suddenly thrown aside in a flash, my vision blurred, when it cleared I could see ice shards where I had been standing seconds before. “Can’t let the pretty princess get killed.” Kite grinned, standing up and offering me a hand up which I slowly took, rising to my feet.

“Knes is my knight, if you want the job get in line.” I stuck my tongue out at him playfully and then went back to work.

[Dr.McNinja]

Dimitri staggered back as Adalia’s shield broke, showering the area around it with bone numbing cold and tiny blades of ice. Cursing one that slashed a shallow cut across his face, Dimitri shuffled through one of his pockets, his mind pondering which card he could bring into play that would do something against this thing.

Where the heck did Adalia go? We’ll need her healing even if her shields aren’t doing much

She’s doing what she needs to, she won’t abandon us.

I know I know….it sure would help if Moswen was here, we’re losing a lot of power with her recouperating

Dimitri grimaced at the mention of Moswen’s name, worry pulling at his stomach. He hadn’t said a word as the coffin had enveloped her, knowing that she had little time to say what she wished to say, and didn’t want to waste it on conversation. Seeing her disappear behind that metal sarcophagus though was something that he wished he could forget. He hoped for her safety, she should be fine if no one….

Tell me something, how would you label our situation right now?

The Dimitri consciousness didn’t respond as a giant block of ice raced towards them. Pulling out one of his Magician cards, Dimitri blasted the thing with as much fire as he could summon from the card’s magic. Nonetheless he was forced to spin sideways as the somewhat smaller block barreled down on him. Clipping the half-breed on the side, sending him spinning a few feet through the air to land heavily on the ground, the block careened off a nearby wall before finally shattering against one of Adalia’s shields. Choking a breath into his emptied lungs, Dimitri blinked his watering eyes.

Getting pretty desperate…you aren’t thinking?

Let’s not bring it up yet…if I have to I will but I don’t want to have to think about it

Rolling to his feet, Dimitri pulled a Wheel of Fortune card from his deck and threw it to the ground. Almost as soon as the colorful wheel appeared, Dimitri send it spinning with a quick strike. After a brief moment, the colors on the wheel began to brighten, crackling energy gathering in their depths. An instant later a blast of ice shattered the wheel, sending the energy sparking harmlessly into the ground. Dimitri leapt back to avoid the artic cold, skittering back a few steps as he landed.

“Yeah, desperate would be a good word. Hey! Anyone want to stick something sharp in one of its organs? If I can get a second maybe I can…annoy it or something…”

Well we sound confident don’t we?

“Um….maybe sting it a little too?”

Maybe we should stop talking now.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-sceneries being blown away seem to whirl in front of me / even if I get desperate, I won't overlook my target anymore / an unreliable map should be burnt / i'll grasp onto the buried truth with my hands~ READY STEADY GO by L'Arc~en~Ciel
Dominant: Ovan

I lit Valkyrie in flames, the best element against a ice beastie as this, as the Cerberus beast blasted one of Adalia's shields with a beam of ice, it quickly forming a blossom before the pressure from the beam; along with the additional shards of ice from another head, collapsed the shield in its entirety. Kite saved her though, with one of his more sturdier shields.

As the shield appeared to save Adalia, the Cerberus' attention was quickly drawn else ware; onto Valkyrie's fiery glow. I held it defiantly, as he looked at me as if I was nothing more than an insect. He growled, and you could almost smell his putrid, dog breath.

"This flame will be your demise!"I said cockily towards the ice beast, and ran towards him, holding my sword at ready for a slash at the chest. The head to my left fired a blast of ice, one that I barely dodged and hit a chair as I did such. As I got up from hitting the chair, the one to my right spit out icicles onto the ceiling, as if preparing for a shower of sharp, cold death. I shruged the small pain in my arm off, and went back to fighting. I began, again, to run closer and closer to the ice beast, allowing Valkyrie to glow brighter in flame as I drew closer to the mythical beast.

However, I stopped short as the beast's left head fired a beam of ice at Valkyrie, as I was hastily making way to his chest. Valkyrie dropped to the ground, frozen in a block of solid ice. As now I was unarmed, the beast went towards Adalia, and I couldn't do a thing, as even the hilt was frozen, I couldn't charge any mana in Valkyrie..

I pulled back and placed some mana in my mail's rune for extra protection, but after that, I felt completely useless as I watched the battle fold out before me. Dimitri was trying his best using his cards..all I was doing was playing a sitting duck.

'There has to be something...something..'I thought, looking impatiently at the battle, a bit battle thirsty. I then looked at my gloves, the runes magically stitched in them are for attacking.
'Er, yeah, but they're destruction runes..'
'Thats perfect!'I smiled wildly, and looked around for a way up onto the dog's back. I saw that there was a pillar that fell from the Cerberus' wake, and it leaned on the wood from the stage. It was perfect..
'Idiot! It'll drain us of our mana, and then what! We may only kill one head, and then we might be dog food!'

I was already on the pillar as she said that. I didn't care though, Three minus one was 2, and that was less than three. I slowly, without a peep, made it up the pillar as it seemed the others were distracting the Cerberus' well enough for me to get on its back without it noticing. A destructive flea on a dog's back..

I slowly crawled up on it's back as I wished, more so prayed that it didn't notice me. I made it to the lefts neck, and thought out quickly.

'Mana to chest, rest to hands.'

I looked below and I received looks from both Dimitri and Adalia alike like I had 3 heads. I looked at them, wanted to say 'Run!', but any noise from me would alarm the Cerberus. I stretched out my arms around the lefts neck, and I placed a small bit more of my mana to accompany the mana I had placed earlier to the rune on my chest, to protect me from the blast. I then closed my eyes, and dumped my mana into the gloves, and I could feel their inner workings start to take effect, as my body started to get warmer..

--------------[3rd person view]

The runes from Ovan's gloves started to glow as he closed his eyes, and the Cerberus' eyes looked back at the insane man as the runes extended throughout his body, glowing red everywhere except for his chest, for that was glowing dimly a blue. The wind picked up slightly as the man placed on an insane smile as the runes on the man disappeared, draining all of his mana, and a huge blast erupted between the man and the left head of the mythological beast, Cerberus.

The man's body flew back from the pressure of the blast, hitting the ceiling as the destructive blast chipped through the left head's neck, and the head slowly fell off, shattering it to pieces. Ovan coughed up blood as he hit the ceiling, his clothing badly burned and almost non-existent from the blast, and burn wounds apparent on his legs and arms. The Cerberus, in pain, quickly looked up to kill the one responsible for killing it's left head, and aimed for Ovan's body, only to be stopped by a mana bubble created by Adalia.

The killing of the middle head was approved by Roy.;x I'll post as Stelly later, she's just slashing the thing with her sword atm, really..

I hate writing in 3rd person. I do..I really..really..do..

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I could only stand still as Adalia raced off to help the rest, my mouth gaping open. Kite quickly took control of our body in order to dodge one of the cerberus's attacks. 'What is your problem, human? You could've killed us both!'

I said nothing. Adalia might've been kidding, trying to get back at my "pretty princess" jokes, but her statement confirmed my suspicions. I had been replaced.

'Shonta!'

She probably had barely even thought of me since that incident at the beginning. I pushed her away and, instead of trying to get me back, immediately went to Loki and later Knes. I was the Big Bad Wolf and those two were the courageous lumberjacks there to cut her out of my stomach.

'What is your problem?'

She would've fought so hard to get them back. I could walk off right then and she would stay with Knes.

'Human!'

She never loved me. I was just a temporary crutch. What does Knes have? What makes her worship the ground he walks on?

'Damn!' Kite sprung into action and pushed me to the back of our mind. The cerberus was minus one head and was now trying to get to the one responsible for hurting it. One of Adalia's mana bubbles formed around Ovan, shielding him from the beast's teeth. In an attempt to distract it, Kite pierced its side with the point of our halberd.

It worked. The creature quickly turned to face us. One of the heads fired a beam of ice but Kite quickly countered with a fire shield and turned the ice into evaporation.

'Shonta, you must take control again. There's a reason why I don't get involved in these battles.' He grunted as the cerberus bore down on the shield with a paw without even showing signs of pain.

'I can't...hold back...' With a cry he let out a huge burst of mana that burst out of the shield like a shockwave. The cerberus let out a howl of pain and was knocked onto its back. It looked stunned as it made little movement.

'Shonta...please...before it's too late...'

I don't care.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
172:
O.G.


Okiku appraises the white kimono. A preservation charm has been woven into the cloth, and it has not aged a day. She runs her fingers - the body's fingers - over the raised patterns of the embroidery, over and over and over. To go with it the body has astutely appropriated a scarlet obi, taken from the selfsame box as the kimono. The body was at first laughingly disdainful of the moral repercussions of plundering the homes of the dead, she being dead herself, but slowly grew repentant under Okiku's sorrowful gaze.

Nevertheless, Okiku finds herself drawn to the kimono. This stolen priestess's habit, this relic of days long past, it spreads its sleeves like embracing wings and overwhelms her and how can Okiku help but fall under its bewitching spell?

Finally she dresses herself in the garment. Rolling the obi about her person, she notices markings on the kimono where previously there had been none. The indigo patterns of chrysanthemums stand out starkly against the brilliant white of the cloth ("a product of silkworms' bottoms!" crows the body), and they appear entirely natural.

Saifa refuses gently to manifest. Gently, for Saifa, means that she does not include any profanity in the sentence. "I'LL HAVE NO TRUCK WITH HAND-ME-DOWNS - ESPECIALLY NOT FROM THE LIKES OF THEM THAT LOOKS DOWN ON LEGENDS."

The body gives the sleeves an experimental flap, and the chrysanthemums change: the cloth is suddenly all over scales and clouds, a dragon's back bleeding bluely into the silk. She looks down at herself, pleased.

"Well, now, isn't this interesting."


*

Back at the tavern, the body stands, arms akimbo, and considers the situation. A flurry of footsteps stamped into the snow tells her that the others have already left for the opera. She can easily buy a ticket with the money she extracted from the Kulunian thief, but she figures she can probably wriggle her way in backstage. It is not in her nature to waste hard-earned money (not on her part - still, it was someone else's hard-earned money) if it can be saved by any other means.

She stands her umbrella in a corner of the portico. It would not do to lose it in the opera, and people with even the smallest smidgen of sense would know enough to leave it alone. Her sleeves are trailing in the snow. She flicks them up, and rolls them around her wrists, not at all bothered by their clamminess.

At the grand golden doors her onward progress is halted by a pair of burly footmen. She has not expected to get very far in, but she hopes that at the very least she will be able to see how opera houses are designed in the Riftworld. The footmen say no in a very firm tone of voice, despite the body's winsome pleas that she is "already dressed up and all for the opera". Philosophically, the body shrugs it off and makes her way to the back of the cupola'd building, admiring the gargoyles with their wide granite mouths that sit precariously on every edge of the roof, like so many carrion crows huddled on a corpse.

The gargoyles resemble the wolves of the town arch. This is a town of wolves, the body realises idly. Of undomesticated canines, at any rate. These gargoyles have been gilded and refurbished so that they exude an altogether more decadent and civilised air than the wolves, but there is no mistaking the tilt of snout and spout. Whatever is waiting inside is hungry...

The back entrance is a presentation entirely different from the brownnosed lamplit front. There are no footmen, and a telling lack of things bright and beautiful. There is, however, a small door in the wall, with the paint peeling off it in ancient, weatherbeaten strips. The body, wrenching the doorknob most unceremoniously as the hinges give with a creaking groan, slips inside, disappears into the tumult and confusion of backstage.

Passing along a corridor lined with unused props (among others a swan-shaped boat, wooden clouds, a view of the sea from a cliff), the body looks for a suitable spot from which to enter the auditorium. Sandbags hover precariously high above her head. The corps de ballet, awaiting their cue, adjust their costumes and twitch in the manner of so many very nervous sheep. A member of the chorus, attired in dirndl and headscarf, notices the delftware kimono and says kindly, "Oh, didn't they tell you? Madama Dragonfly's been rescheduled for next Wodesday."

"Have they? What's on tonight, then?"

"The Tragicall Hiftory of the Life and Death of Doctor Fauftus. They've only just reached the Jewel Song."

The body pokes at the curtain. Strains of controlled sopranic warbling sift through from the stage. "'Ah, my beauty past compare'?"

"That's the one. Don't you have rather a lot of Corpse Blue #5 on, dearie?"

Suddenly there is the loud and mostly unwelcome sound of splintering wood. The warbling turns into full-formed howling, and the curtains rip open with a blast of wind that chills the very bone. The body takes in the trio of heads, the acrid scent of large, aeons-old wet dog, the shards of razor-sharp ice that slam into the walls and floorboards and backdrops, and addresses the shocked thespians of backstage with a wry smile: "Ahahaha. Run away. Now. Please?"

They comply. In about point five seconds the area is deserted, except for the body, who uncoils her sleeves as deliberately as a warrior unsheathes his sword for battle.

"Okiku."

"Yes, mistress."

"If I'm not mistaken and these flashes of fiery doom and that recent explosion in the approximate region of the overgrown doggie's left head aren't just hallucinations brought on by the heady atmosphere of being in a real honest-to-goodness opera house, we're late for this battle and getting later by the second."

"This humble servant has also made similar observations to those events spoken of by your perceptive self, mistress."

"YOU IMBECILES. STOP FUCKING AROUND. START PRODDING BUTTOCK."

"I thought you said you couldn't abide hand-me-downs, Lady Saifa."

"SHUT UP AND MAKE OUR GRAND ENTRANCE ALREADY, WOMAN."

The body bounds through the tattered remains of curtain and lands neatly on the Cerberus's back as it rears, ready for a fresh attack after having been floored temporarily by Kite, it seems. The snapping jaws of the remaining twin heads miss her by inches. Icicles fly, flaming missiles implode; somewhere down below the men of the party hack away at the dog's trunklike legs. The grin on her face falters and is replaced by a solemn frown as Okiku sends her prized long sleeves hurtling towards the heads, keeping her balance upon the shifting muscles and finally settling upon the brute's vast withers. Saifa's presence can be detected in the pinkish aura that directs the sleeves around the Cerberus's mouths in contracting loops.

Reappearing in the unlikely guise of an easily amused, death-defying lion tamer, the body draws the sleeves taut about the slavering jaws, successfully halting the onslaught of frost and wind, however temporarily. She does a quick head count. Kite appears to be in the throes of some private dilemma. Ovan is down, and his pregnant lady should, if she knew what was good for her, be getting him, as well as herself, out of the way of the fight. "Enjoying the intermission, are we all now? By the way. These heads are begging for a potshot. Kindly oblige-"

- a flash of light, and the sound of a blade cleaving through living tissue, and the beast's rightmost head (leftmost, actually, from her position) is severed halfway through with the impact of the hit. Okiku slackens her hold on the stricken head's muzzle. The next moment, with a roar of cataclysmic proportions, the wounded Cerberus has snapped through its bonds, sending the body up to the ceiling, shredded sleeves trailing below it in a poor imitation of a hawk with broken wings.

Crashing into the crystal chandelier, the body hasn't the time to grab hold of anything before gravity claims its right and she is plummeting to the nominally painful environs of the floor.

"-before it throws me off its back and I end up somewhere inconvenient, was what I was going to say," grumbles the body, popping up from the broken seat she has landed in, and scrambles back to the front lines, where the gruesome sight of a still rampant rightmost head, bleeding freely and hanging half off the massive neck, greets her bleached eyes. A high-pitched squeal, and Karam flies past her, sinking its teeth into the Cerberus's chest. She catches sight of a familiar fur coat (and oversized sword) and hisses into the owner's ear: "We-ell, professor, hurry up and finish the job, that wasn't exactly a clean cut you made back there!"

"What, you think it's easy decapitating a frickin' giant three-headed dog?!" Ban swings, and dodges a ballistic paw.

The body allows Okiku to swat stray icicles away with the beloved sleeves, then returns to her litany. "It isn't even bothering to keep out of your way!"

"Do you always waste breath like this?"

"Adds spice and flavour to long boring battles, conversations do, I always thought."

"Anyway. As it happens, I have a plan." Ban proffers his sword. "Hop on Miroku."

"Is this some sort of vile wartime ritual where-"

"Just do it!" A gigantic icicle shatters to the carpet, a tad too close for comfort.

"I TRUST YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BOY." The body, rolling its eyes round as Saifa takes over, translucent katana materialising in her hands, leaps nimbly onto the great black claymore. "YOU HAD BETTER."

A toss, and a direct hit with the flat of the sword, and Saifa is speeding her way towards the head spurting blood. With a downward swordthrust she collides with the head, which at last separates from the rest of the Cerberus; and both zombie and dogshead collapse heavily into the ruins of the stage.

For the second time that night the body rises from wreckage. This time she is giggling incongruously in the wake of a, by now, extremely outraged guardian Cerberus. "You call that a PLAN?!"


Ah! My beauty past compare! These jewels bright I wear! Was I ever Margaritaaaaaaaa~

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Lone Survivor ~*~*~*~*~

With two heads down and one to go the group retreated, ready to make one last run at him. I carefully lowered Ovan to the ground, far from the battlefield; sweat already trickling down my brow, the blood flowing from my nose already down to just a tiny trickle. Yet I already had another problem, my heart was beating fast and my body felt strained. “I’ll provide the shield lets just go for the final head.” I announced, faltering and stumbling forward to the shock of those around me. “Its okay, really.” I took in several large deep breaths, trying to straighten my already shaking body.

A comforting hand found my shoulder; I didn’t even have to turn around to know who it belonged to. “You need to conserve your mana incase anyone is wounded.” Knes said, his voice full of worry, at the moment his arm was the only thing keeping me completely upright.

I opened my mouth to respond but my attention drawn away by the sound of sucking, where the necks had been for the two heads were now merging into one neck, the fur on the Cerberus flowing with ice crystals as the two necks connected into one. “Yeah why don’t you take a rest Pretty Princess.” Kite chimed in, this time it was Knes that looked up, a glare on his face icier than the Cerberus. “What Pretty Princess doesn’t work now? How about Shirley Temple? Itty Titties?” He asked, Knes’ glare turning deadlier.

“Or how about..” His voice was drowned out by the roar of a Cerebius, the large ice covered head reared back, it’s mouth filling with white and blue light.

“Look out.” Knes screamed, suddenly rushing in front of me, a wave of what sounded like rushing wind hit the group. It came so hard, so fast, and so loud that I had to close my eyes and screamed out of fear. When I reopened them the room was covered in ice, from top to bottom, Kite, Ban, Ovan, Dimitri, Yi, Marion all of them incased in solid blocks of ice.

My eyes wondered to Knes, his body completely white, ice crystals hanging from his hair, a expression of pure terror frozen onto his face, terror not from what was happening to him, but in fear that the same would happen to me. His arms outstretched as if to fully shield me. “Knes..” I gulped, fighting back tears and placing a hand on his cheek.

A roar filled the room again, so loud that the ceiling began to shake and crack above me. I began to back away from Knes’ body, I was the only one left, I was the only one left in the group. Everyone else was dead. “Knes, Kite…everyone.” Tears streamed down my face as I turned and ran out of the arena, slipping on the ice of the steps and falling face first into the snowy street outside.

The Roar echoed again and I knew that in seconds the Cerberus would be out of the Opera House, stalking the streets for food. “They’re all dead.” I screamed, curling up into a ball on the snowy streets. “They are all..” My voice caught in my throat as my eyes spotted Moswen’s snow covered coffin.

Crawling on all fours I made my way over to them, standing on my knees and raising the lid. “Save them Moswen, Save them please.” I begged, throwing the lid open.

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN


Everything was dark- the type of darkness that felt like a muggy blanket had been draped over one’s eyes. At first Moswen’s mind raced, she had been so relaxed going into the coffin- knowing she had to. However, now that she was alone… her true fear was leaking out. The coffin was so small and the isolation felt like a silent deadly killer. She could hear nothing but the pounding of her own wild heart and her ragged breath. She could see nothing but the endless dark and feel nothing but the cool metal that incased her.

She could feel chains around her wrists and ankles and neck- chains that were attached to the inside of the coffin as an extra precaution. Moswen didn’t really understand it- she was inside such a large coffin and she felt fine.

Thump … Thump … Thump …

Moswen continued to hear only the beating of her own heart. As she lay in the coffin, she continued to just hear only that solitary sound… and it drove her mad. As time grew on – time that felt like hours, days, weeks… and all that she could hear was her own heart beat. As time trickled on, she could also feel something else. There was something inside of her that was trying to get out. At first Moswen ignored it, figuring it was her own desperation from being locked in such a tiny space. Soon however, it grew to the point where she could feel her tattoos along her left side burn.

Snakes… it felt as if snakes were pouring out of her tattoos and twisting their sinister bodies around her own. The more they twisted- the more she could feel their tingling bodies of aura surround her, the more she felt herself go mad.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

Her heart started to pound faster, as she felt the dark aura snake around her body further- tightening its grasp. She could not see them nor could she in the physical sense “feel” them, but she knew they were there. She felt them sink into her skin and invade her right portion of the body. The thoughts of that energy invading her own. Wanting to take over the right side- where the yang energy was dominant. Laughing at the fact that it was gone- the yang energy that usually repelled it from the body was gone. Laughing at the chains that tried to contain it. It was laughing in such a way that only the ghosts could hear. Just laughing… triumphantly…


THUMPTHUMPTHUMP

Moswen opened her mouth and screamed as the energy reached her face and her head and invaded it easily- like slicing through water. The laughter wasn’t her own nor was it even the voice- but that voice was gone. It was not there to comfort her or give her strength and for once, Moswen missed it.

But only for a moment… because her heart felt as if it were going to explode. Her mind no longer had room for its own thoughts- THAT energy was taking up all the space it wanted. All the space it ever desired in the body but had been denied. Moswen wanted to cry, to scream… to beg for release from this horrible cage.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

It was as if Moswen’s heart burst.



It had claimed the body for its own- having no real conscious or real sentience, but yet it moved. It had false desires and a false sense of being alive. Yet it was contained in a coffin… a horrible cage that somehow repelled its energies and did not yield to the energy’s demands of being released.

Angered, the energy roared in annoyance.

Yet, as if answering its own rage… after what could have only been seconds but felt like an eternity, a beam of icy white light trickled into the darkness known as the inside coffin. Cackling insanely with triumph, the energy commanded release.

Shackles still held the body to the inside of the coffin, but these shackles were nothing but a mere toy. A simplistic bother that was to be tossed aside as nothing. Snarling with rage, the energy pulsated through the body’s veins like liquid power itself and the shackles snapped like twigs.

Slowly, the body rose out of the coffin as the lid slid aside- having been unlocked from the outside by a yang touch. Awkward at first, the body – in a rather unnatural way twisted upwards to stand. The head snapped to attention, hunching slightly like a demonic creature that had not seen the light in days nor used its limbs for weeks. Twisting its head to the side, the energy saw through the body its releaser- a small little girl with bubbling tears down her face.


“Moswen!! Save them!” She pleaded, and the energy snaked its head to the side in yet another painfully unnatural motion. It soon assessed that the body’s name must have been Moswen, and that this girl must have relied upon its host. Now it wanted her to do another task- another bidding.

“Please! Moswen!” The girl cried again, but the pitch was growing annoying to the body. Its eyes narrowed, their glowing pupilless golden glow staring straight at the girl with no remorse. The girl’s eyes then widened in shock- realizing that there was no Moswen there. In fact, there was no real creature or being inside the shell of the body at all. It was something else, some thing far more… deadly and unforgiving. Moswen’s body itself was completely black to the point where there was no recognizable detail upon her body except for her own outline and her glowing yellow eyes. Tendrils of billowing violet-black aura occasionally whisped about her body, as if touching the air for a keener sense.

“M-moswen?” The girl sniffled, but the energy was done listening to such a pathetic creature.

Taking a wobbling step out of the coffin, the body almost fell at the lack of balance and familiarity its functions. So instead it fell and used its hands to keep it from completely falling. Now it was in an almost four-legged position, but such a thing was awkward for the body’s natural form.

Snarling slightly and snaking its way completely out of the coffin, the energy stared at the girl and then gave out a shrill and inhuman shriek of a cackle. It could smell the direction from which her fear gave birth.

It could sense a great deal of power- a delicious smell of irresistible power. An unbridled amount of power that was directed by a simplistic, stupid beast. Such a thing was overflowing with yin energy itself… and that was undeniably tempting. For the energy within the body was thirsty.
For this girl, the energy deemed it a lucky day. It just so happened to want to eat the very thing that frightened her.

But this body was no good. The energy was not familiar with the body in this form… it had to change.

So the body staggered away from the coffin and headed towards the temple. However, as it did so it fell to its hands and knees further as the tendrils of swirling black energy spouted from its already blackened outline and wrapped violently around the body’s limps. Rapidly she began to change as she walked, growing bigger and changing into a truer form of power. Her hands that dug into the snowy ground grew bigger as claws sprouted from the tips of her fingers. Her lower half’s joints twisted slightly, as her wolfish tail grew in size. The body’s own face protruded outwards into a large snout, as fur sprouted from her entire body.

The process continued until the body’s outline was no longer humanoid, but completely wolven. The body was now an immensely large, black-energied wolf with glowing eyes of gold. Despite lacking detail in her shadowy black state, her outline gave a clear definition of her fur and what she was.

The earth groaned beneath her paws as the energy sized up the temple for a brief moment. Giving a snarling howl, suddenly the body thrashed its tail downwards upon the wall of the opera house. The wall swiftly crumbled, to reveal a great scene before the energy’s comprehension of what the body saw.

Figures were incased in ice before the dog-like creature known as Cerberus. The body’s thick wolven lips curled backward into a wolfish grin as it gave out a shrillish howl of a laugh. Such a beast with so much yin energy… such a pathetic beast.

The Cerberus looked upwards swiftly, having only one head as its ice-bitten eyes saw the large, massive wolf that stood outside before it. It hesitated for a second, perhaps just a second of a faint glimmer of intelligent thought- knowing of the strength of its greater lineage. However, this was its territory. It was forced to protect it.
Thus, the Cerberus’s downfall.

The body took no time in waiting for the Cerberus to leap however. Instead, it charged into the opera house more, breaking bits and pieces of the roof off as it created a nice open-house battle ground of rubble.

The two canines then circled each other around the open and now flattened ground of the opera house- the figures in ice in the middle of their circle. However, the hungry aura that surrounded the former and now wolven body of Moswen licked at the iced figures every time it went pass them. Her tail swished about as well, occasionally touching the iced figures.

The ice was magical… it contained the same delicious yin energy that the Cerberus had within itself. Thus the energy from the body ate away at the ice.

The circling continued, for enough of a time of snarling and growling that a few of the bodies were thawed out and came to. Perhaps it was quite a surprise to see a great wolven beast of black energy snarling at the Cerberus.

And, perhaps they thought for a split second that it was Moswen being helpful – but with a second thought that opinion would change. For the energy commanded the body forward, and instantly its wolfish form let out a bark that trumped any pathetic noise the Cerberus could have managed. The wolf then lunged forward, seeing an opportunity and a weakened opening that the Cerberus had left open. A figure below gave a cry as the wolfish paw almost crushed it as it dug up the earth in a lunge.

Gaping jaws open, the wolf slunk to the side and dodged a snap from Cerberus. Instantly with lightning grace, the wolf curled its head upwards and snapped as well. Soon its jaws surrounded the Cerberus’s own head, and the dog gave a whimper instantly- giving way to the dominance of the larger and more powerful creature.

Ears flattened and its tail wrapped about its leg as it begged for forgiveness.

The energy laughed. If its host was an actual wolf- it IT was an actual wolf , perhaps this display would have ended the battle. But no- it wanted the precious energy within the Cerberus. It wanted all of it.
With a blood thirsty growl, the wolf twisted its head in one powerful and violent jerk. The head of the Cerberus erupted off as its neck snapped. Tendons and precious flesh flew into the air as blood rained down on spectators below.

Holding the head in its jaws, the wolf waited as the body froze and then collapsed upon the ground.

Not wasting any time, snaking black tendrils of energy from the wolf spilled from deep within its mouth. They wrapped about the head within its jaws and within a matter of seconds they completely consumed the head- transforming its flesh into pure yin energy till the head simply disappeared.

The wolf then ignored the cries from below – not understanding their words anymore and completely ignoring them. There was a feast to be had.

Taking a few steps towards the body, the wolf dug its teeth into the tender flesh and held a death grip upon it. Black aura-like tendrils erupted from not only its mouth this time, but also snaked their way from the wolf’s fur and wrapped about the dead Cerberus.

There would be no remains, no baby, no egg this time- for all the energy was its now. It wanted ALL of it.

The corpse was molded and transformed into a more pure form of the yin energy, and with one great big breath the wolf sucked in all of it.

Feeling energized further and more powerful than ever, the wolf pointed its head upwards towards the sky and gave out a howl of triumph. Its fur began to pulsate and swirl with more tendrils, a bloody violet colored sheen growing upon its energized form from the added yin energy it had consumed. Its size grew a bit as well, as its claws dug deeper into the earth.

“Is that Moswen?” Hearing the old name of its host, the wolf twisted its head downwards to see all the figures were now moving about. The little girl came running back into the half-destroyed opera house, still crying.

“I let her out… I let her out…” She cried, as the wolf grinned. It was still hungry- it still wanted more power.

“Moswen! Calm down!” A voice cried and the wolf’s pupil-less golden gaze turned to a fox-like humanoid. It was coming towards her massive form, perhaps in a pathetic attempt to bring back the conscious of its host.
Annoyed, the wolf struck back.

“Mosw-” The fox humanoid began, but he was sent flying into a wall that broke into rubble as a large black tendril from its fur struck out at him when he got too close.

“Moswen… you can’t… not a monster…” Another voice arose, and the wolf saw a larger man with a big sword. He held it in a defensive position, as a woman with an ironic necklace with a wolf pendant stood near him in fear.

A pulse. A pulse rippled through the body’s head as the energy lost grip for a moment.

“Mario-… Ba-…” The wolf almost seemed to speak through its thoughts, remembering also the one it had struck into the wall. For a second the golden eyes had turned into the body's normal color- violet. The conscious was trying to gain back a foot hold.

Fighting back, the energy gave out an unearthly scream through the wolf’s mouth as it reclaimed the host’s body and completely shut away the conscious with its own mental armor. The Yang energy would restrain it no more!! The eyes glowed back to gold.

Hunger struck at the energy… it needed more power.
More power… equaled less restraint.

… and there was plenty of power to be had. The energy thought, moving the host’s immense wolf body’s head to gaze down at the confused figures below. A snarl escaped the body’s lips as it then lunged. They had yin energy too. Not too much.
But enough.

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
-if the blue poppy's petals are swaying without any wind / it's all thanks to my sigh. I don't know for sure, but it's gotta be. ~One Life by the pillows

A battle scene quickly folded in front of us, where once there was a beautiful play being performed.

A path of destruction quickly laid in front of the three-headed beast as it arose from it's slumber. It fed on the poor actors and actresses as a appetizer, and then the audience as the main course. Those that got out were lucky, as they were the only ones alive besides, us; who were to fight the beast who seemed to protect the golden-adorned crystal that hung from above.

Kite and Adalia seemed to be getting into a quarrel, in the worst of times, as the Cerberus sent a beam of ice against one of Adalia's shields. Ovan, igniting his sword with flames, started to make way to the scene as Adalia's shield broke and she was rescued by the one she was in a quarrel with.

It was at this time that the Cerberus paid attention to Ovan, who was drawing closer to the beast with the daring flames. One of the beast's heads sent out a beam of ice, as to which Ovan barely dodged, hitting a chair from the audience's area in the process. He merely shrugged it, more than likely thanks to adrenaline, and went back to his assault. However, more serious, the Cerberus sent a stronger blast of ice, only aimed at Ovan's sword, incasing into a block of ice that fell to the ground. A warrior without a sword was like trying to start a fire in the rain, useless..

It was Dimitri's turn at the bat, as he took one of the cards he used a medium for his mana as he was attacked with a huge shard of ice; melting it with a blast of fire. He didn't completely manage to escape the attack, as he got clipped on the side and slid on the ground. Getting back on his feet, desperate, Dimitri took out yet another card, and summoned forth something that looked like it'd be from a carnival. After it span, the colors began to magically glow brighter and energy crackled. It was short lived, however, as an ice attack from the Cerberus completely destroyed the wheel.

And what was I, Stella D'Aubigine, doing?

Nothing. I was like the audience to the fight. I stood, frozen in fear, with my flower in hand; extended to it's fencing sword form. Yet I couldn't move an inch. I was so terrified from the uselessness of my friends attacks, and knowing that there were no mediums for me to channel my mana into besides my flower, that I'd do no harm to the foul beast. If anything, it'd be like tickling it with a feather, rather than stabbing it in the heart.

The Cerberus turned to look at me as I noticed something crawling on its back. I looked about, and noticed that Ovan was missing, he wasn't in the chairs, or trying to unfreeze his sword. As the figure moved closer to the neck of the left head, I noticed that it was Ovan. He closed his eyes as the beast looked away from me, and to him. His body was glowing a crimson red as his chest was glowing a conflicting blue, and an insane smile donned his face. It was then that I kept my stance firmly, as the crimson glowing from his body stopped completely, and a blast erupted between him and the Cerberus' left head, severing it completely, allowing it to shatter onto the floor. Ovan flew onto the ceiling, hitting it and coughing up blood; this apparent from the slightly red liquid coming down and hitting the Cerberus' back, and he started to fall, covered in burn wounds. The dog, in pain and anger, snapped it heads up at the human who committed the crime, and prepared to feed on it.

However, Adalia saved Ovan from such a death, shielding him with a mana bubble at the last moment and bringing him away from the battle scene. It was here that I knew I could be of some use; I could at least flow some of my mana into him to heal his wounds. I rushed over to where Adalia had placed him, and started the procedure.

Taking of his chest mail, which seemed to have a rune of protection, I noticed that the magical wound was not harmed, nor was his chest; just his arms and legs. His bleeding was major around his right leg, and thats where I started to channel my mana first. Sparkling green mana flew from my fingertips and twisted around Ovan's leg, slowing healing it. I was careful though..I couldn't use too much mana this way. I was to stop his bleeding and recover tissue, then go on to the next appendage.

I looked back at the battle as I saw the Zombie-human being thrown at the Cerberus by Ban, and down went another head. Only one left. Everyone seemed to retreat back to where I was to make one mass effort into stopping the last head, but..

---

It was as if there was a frozen moment of time.

One moment I was healing Ovan, my mana wrapping his wounds. The group was preparing for their final attack, and then..

There were two huge beasts. A shadowy wolf with eyes of gold, and the Cerberus, both circling us. Everyone seemed to be shocked, as if they felt the same lapse of time as I did, and looked at the battle of the beasts that continued around us. I was in horror, but I continued to heal Ovan's tissue to where it stopped bleeding, allowing only very pink and sensitive skin around where the burn wounds were. I felt the weight of how much mana I used, I felt drained a bit, but it felt..delightful, to use that much mana and not be in pain. I ignored, even though I was grossed out slightly, the blood that fell onto my coat from the beasts battle.

It was when I was done with Ovan, placing my coat on him to protect the wounds from the cold, that the shadowy beast defeated the Cerberus, and in a true show of horror, the same shadow that covered the wolven beast also wrapped its arms around the Cerberus' completely disserved head, dissolving it into a black energy, and swallowing it whole. The wolven beast grew larger due to it's feast, and it howled at the sky; for the fact that it triumphed in battle.



I left it there for now.;x

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Frozen with fear

This was madness. In the previous Guardian battle, Karam could find an opening to attack the Ninetales. And the Ninetals used wind attack, so we could at least endure the attack a bit.

This time, it was different. It was a Cerberus, and its element was ice. Most of the time, Karam and I spend time hiding behind some seat for cover, only attempting to attack when its attention was at someone else. Karam managed to land a few bite on the beast, which seems to annoy it a bit. Karam always returned with blood on his muzzle, so I’m guessing that he had bit the Cerberus real hard.

Ovan had earlier blasted one of the beast’s head off; now, it was Zombie-chan turn, who impressively used Ban’s sword to catapult herself towards one severed head of the Cerberus, decapitating it with a sword (that I didn’t think I’ve seen it before).

“Freezing… and painful…” Karam chattered after he returned after biting the beast right on its chest. I ran a finger on his fur, feeling the ice that clung onto them. I brought my finger up, and saw that it was covered with blood.

Everyone else had gathered close, and I guess that they were ready to take out the last head of the Cerberus. I held out my hands to the wincing Karam, and I began to tap into my mana.

But this time… I felt that there was something different in the mana flow. It felt a bit warm, and it was no doubt draining more mana than the other technique I had tried. Slowly, Karam stopped wincing, and he began to arch in pleasure.

The Cerberus then roared, and turning around, I could see a bright light beginning to form in its mouth. I quickly tucked Karam and Kun inside the cover as Knes screamed “look out!” which was followed with what felt like a blast of harsh, cold wind.


The next thing I knew, I felt wet, and I was shivering badly – and my guess was the attack from the Cerberus had frozen us into solid blocks, and the ice was now slowly melting away. I looked up, and saw that there was another figure facing the Cerberus – a huge wolf with golden eyes that has fur so dark that it might as well be a shadow. The wolf then lunged towards the Cerberus, and after dodging blows from the Cerberus, it then had its jaws around the Cerberus head. Letting out a howl, it then ripped the Cerberus’s head from its neck, raining down flesh and blood below. I covered my eyes. There was too much blood coming out… too much flesh coming out…

I think I am going to be really sick…

“Is that Moswen?” I turned around and saw Adalia running towards us, tears running down her cheek.

“M… Moswen?” I staggered. That beast is… Moswen?

“I let her out… I let her out…” Adalia cried even harder. The wolf – Moswen – looked down at us, a terrible grin formed on her face.

“Moswen! Calm down!” It was Dimitri, making his way steadily towards Moswen. There was a hint of annoyance on her face, and Dimitri was then blasted away towards a wall by a large black tendril, and the wall went down in rubble. I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, stopping myself from screaming. This was not Moswen… this was not Moswen at all. This is just another terrible beast…

“Moswen…” Ban said, holding out his sword in a defensive stance. “You can’t… not a monster…” Moswen looked down at us, snarling. Then she stopped snarling, and for a moment, her eyes seem to show hint of recognition in them, changing from gold into violet.

Moswen then tilted her head up, letting out a scream that was neither in her voice nor a wolf howl – a crazed, demonic scream. Then she gazed down at the people below, her eyes turning back into the colour gold.

“Get out of the way!” Ban pulled me away as Moswen suddenly leapt toward the spot where we just stood. She shook the splinters from her jaw, snarled, and leapt towards the others. I looked up at the creature that used to be Moswen, and I cried.

“This is not Moswen…” I sobbed, hugging my knees to my chest. “Come back to us, Moswen… please, come back…”

[Prof. Jb Wolf]

Ban Ravi
~Do You Remember...~

I don't know about the others, but perhaps because of my coat, I had still been concious in the aftermath of the beam. The feeling of watching as you can do nothing to prevent your own iminent demise is not something I ever want to go through again.

Many thoughts rushed through my mind at that moment. Memories of home. A fleeting hope that if I died, I would just return to my world. Idle wonder at how being eaten might feel like. But most of all regret. Regret at things I've never had the courage to do. Of words I said...or words I didn't say.

If you'd taken my advice, at least you-

"Does it even matter anymore? We're stuck in a block of ice, I can't access any of Miroku's powers, and I can't cut myself out if I can't move. At least she'll be fine....though I regret what she'll see when she finds us..."

Giving up already boya? Guess I was wrong about you!

The fleeting image of a beautiful woman with purple hair flashed before my eyes. I had seen her only once before, in that flower-induced fantasy. "Who are you!? The image merely waggled a finger before disappearing as a massive black shadow eclipsed my vision. I felt a pulse of energy before feeling the ice around me begin to thaw.

Falling to my knees as the ice melted away, I gasped for breath and tried to shake away the cold feeling that had settled in my bones. But as I looked back up, a new chill took its place. What stared back were malevolent golden eyes against a face darker than night. Though its gazed was not fixed upon me, I could feel its hunger and...a familiar presence.

Moswen.

I watched with almost morbid fascination as Moswen...no this beast, caught the Cerberus off guard. It was merciless in its attack, even as the hell hound gave up it proceeded to break its neck before absorbing it into its body. Bile welled up as I watched it begin to eat the rest of the Guardian beast.

Unbeliveable...

"What?"

This...this creature is not simply eating the Guardian beast. It is feeding on its lifeforce, the core of its being.

"I see." Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I gripped Miroku tighter. "Then it really is..."

As the shadowy wolf finished its gruesome meal, Adalia came running in wailing at the top her lungs about how she'd freed 'her'. It could only mean that...

"Moswen! Calm down!" Dimitri strode forward, attempting to placate her. There was a change in the wolf's coutenance and before I could warn the fox man, she sent a tendril snaking out from her body to strike him.

"Moswen! You can't let it control you!" I yelled, as I slowly brought Miroku up defensively. "Your not a monster!"

Her gaze flickered towards me their menacing golden glow flickering. For a breif moment they were her eyes again. Those eyes so filled with sadness, determination, and gentleness. But they disappeared just as quickly as they appeared, the shadow once again surpressing her. With an unearthly howl it leapt towards Marion and I, jaws open wide.

"Get out of the way!" I yelled as I grabbed Marion and pulled her out of the shadow wolf's path.

The elfish girl was in a state of shock, tears running down her face as she mumbled to herself. Grimacing, I picked her up and ran towards the others as the beast reared up from the wreckage. Giving another demonic cry it gave chase, leaping towards us once again. This time one of Kite's barriers stopped it cold in it's path. As it glowered at us from across the glimmering shield, thick black tendrils of shadow grew from its body and began to slam against it.

"She's...really strong." Kite muttered, his face strained. "I don't...know how long I can...keep this up."

Placing Marion in Stella's care I turned back, unsheathing Miroku once again. "Just keep it together for a bit longer Kite. Knes!" The young boy was at my side immediately. "Knes, I need you to teleport everyone but me out of here."

"But what abou-"

"I'm going to get Moswen back."

"You can't do that alone! Let me help you!"

"Kid, I'm countin' on you and Kite to take care of the others. And things might get ugly, if..." I shook my head roughly, not willing ot accept the consequences if I failed. "Just, get everyone out of here safely."

Knes looked conflicted for a moment before nodding and ran back towards the others. There was a flash of light and the barrier disappeared. Seeing the shield down, but its prey gone the wolf stamped the ground angrily before turning its eyes on me. As it stalked towards me, teeth bared and tendrils waving angrily in the air, I stood firm. Briefly, I thought of calling upon the Phoenix, but after what she had done to the Cerberus, I wasn't so keen on letting her get stronger.

"Moswen! I know your in there somewhere! Please, wake up!" My only answer was a roar as the tendrils came hurtling towards me. With a slash of Miroku, they lay wriggling against the floor as the wolf's roar turned to a howl of pain. "Don't make me do this!"

More tendrils shot out towards me, and while I could easily dispatch them, I wasn't sure what the effect yet was on Moswen. So I threw myself out of the way as they slammed into the earth around me, kicking up earth and debris.

"It's me, Ban! Your friend, your nakama!"

The wolf seemed to hesitate for a moment, but it shook itself roughly before pouncing upon me. Rolling beneath it, I barely got to my feet as its tail connected with my chest and sent me flying. My tumble through the air was halted as soft white cloth seemed to engulf me before setting me back on the ground. "Looks like you could use some help professor!"

"Yi!? Why didn't you leave with the others!"

"Oh, come now, you really think I'd miss a bosh fight between you and Kalah-sempai?"

"It's not safe here, you cou-"

"Die? I'm already dead remember?" The undead girl gave me a semi-crazed grin. "So what's the plan?"

I glanced up to where the wolf was once again stalking towards the crumbling wall where she had thrown Dimitri. "Moswen's still in there somewhere. She reasserted herself for a moment before that thing took over again. I was hoping my voice would reach her." I glanced at her. "Think you could hold her down so she'll listen."

A purple glow lit Yi's eyes and she appeared to droop like a dying flower. Her voice was much more subdued. "This one regrets to inform Ban-san that her cloth...." She raised her sleeves where I could see it was singed near the edges. "Burns upon contact with the beast." Her eyes rolled back as she smirked and sounded like herself again. "So how about I just root you on from over here?"

Sighing I got to my feet and began to scratch the floor with my sword. Drawing a quick magical circle, I concentrated before slamming Miroku into the ground.

Obsidian Lord Technique ~ The Black Emperor's Tomb!

The circle expanded, extending past the wolf and myself. It engulfed the opera house in its glow as the ground began to rumble and shake. Four wall of purest obisdian burst from the ground at the edges of the circle, rising into the air before connecting at the center. Closed off, I left Miroku where I had placed it and stepped forward as the shadow wolf turned back to me.

"Moswen, please wake up! You can't let this control you! Your stronger than this!"

It emitted another howl as the tendrils streaked towards me. It took all my concentration not to get hit, dancing around the open floor as the black arms attempted to capture me.

"The Moswen I know isn't so weak as to let some power control her! She's a determined woman! A gentle woman! A woman I-" I choked slightly. "I...I...WE care about!"

Nice save there.

"Not the time." I growled beneath my breath as the beast stopped its onslaught for a moment, its shadowy tendrils wavering. "We all care about Moswen. Adalia, Knes, Dimitri, Marion..."

The beast shook and growled as if in pain, as if it was fighting itself. I could feel Moswen's presence grow stronger. "Ma-Marion....D-dimitri...Ban..."

"That's right! We're your nakama! Your friends!"

Roaring the beast closed its eyes as the shadows forming it began to lose form. When they opened again one eye was still gold, but the other was glowed with a vibrant violet glow. "N-nakama! I...I don't think...I can...st-"

"The don't believe in yourself!" I walked slowly towards her, one hand outstretched. "Believe in me who believes in you! You can fight this Moswen, I know you can."

Finally I was close enough to lay a hand on her head. "You can do this Moswen. Your not a monster. Your not a mindless beast. Your a strong, determined woman who would do anything to protect her friends. Remember who you are! Please, remember your important..." I dropped my voice to almost a whisper. "..to me."

Moswen was quiet as she closed her eyes again, fighting within herself for control. I could feel the energies around her swirling and spinning as in a constant state of flux. Finally they began to settle down as she slowly opened her eyes.

GET AWAY FROM HER!

Too late, the golden glow had returned as a tendril of shadow slammed into my chest. I could feel something within me draining away. It was as if it was trying to suck my sould out of my chest with a straw. "M-M-Mos...wen..." I gasped as I tried to rip the tendril free.

As my vision began to dim I saw something streak through the air landing on the shadow wolf's snout. It was a card, with a symbol I recognize as it began to glow with a bright golden glow. The card exploded in a burst of sparks and light. The wolf drowled in pain rearing up as it the tendril came free from my chest. Groaning, I sat up and turned toward Dimitri, whose face was covered in blood as he shook the dust from his pelt.

"Tha...thanks for the save..."

"Don't thank me yet..." He said as he held up another card from his hand as the wolf continued to reel in pain.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I groaned as I sat up, in the bed. How long did I sleep? I blinked, it was dark out. I glanced around, finding the only light source in the room that was on, a candle, and, shifting my weight carefully, stood up. I waddled my way across the room, picking it up, and heading out, looking for the others. My frustration increased with each person I'd found missing.

Everyone seemed to be gone, and if everyone left, without waking me, that could only mean one thing... they'd found the shrine or its guardian, and had run off to fight it without me! Growling, I grabbed a couple robes, some actually intended for cold weather, others were just ordinary bathrobes, but lacking proper, fitting, gear, I'd need some layers. I practically barged out, into the snow. Oh, they were going to hear it from me, leaving me behind...

Halfway there, I felt a sharp pain, and a trickle of liquid down my leg, one thought crossing my mind....

Oh crap...

[Dr.McNinja]

“Don’t thank me yet”

The stench of blood filled Dimitri’s nose, his own blood, blood that had never been spilled in such quantities before. Dozens of cuts from the fallen wall sliced his body, ripping open his robes. Blood pooled at his feet as he stood unsteadily, dripping through his fur, clumping it together. Moswen loomed above him, growling and hissing in anger. Her teeth were big enough to rip him in half without so much as a thought, and the burning desire to do so was written clearly on her reddened eyes. Coughing up more blood, adding to what was already soaked through his robes, Dimitri forced a bloody smile. Such a state seemed appropriate for what he was about to do to himself.

Damn it…I hoped that…

Don’t want to hear it…hope went on a vacation a long time ago. Hoping isn’t going to bring Moswen back…..what’s going to happen?

You’ll be tested twice…that’s all I’ll say

Dimitri blinked away the blood that was running into his eyes, taking a step back as Moswen approached.

Well…here goes everything

Dimitri channeled his power into the Death Tarot he held in his hands, feeling the magic of the card take hold and multiply instantly. Everything shifted nauseatingly, the world tearing itself apart at the seams to reveal what lay beyond. Dimitri blacked out for a moment, the pain of his wounds and the twisting of the world too much for him to bear.

When he awoke he was kneeling on rough stone, his arms chained to the ground, his cloak pooled out under him in a torn mess. His breath was heavy, erratic, as he lifted his bowed head to look up. Standing atop some sort of structure, its exact features impossible to see in the light of the bloody moon that seemed to hand directly above it, was a familiar silhouette. Long hair draped over cloth and metal, her eyes somehow perfectly visible despite the glare. Moswen looked down at the chained Dimitri, her eyes a mix of pain and sadness.

“Moswen…Kalah.”

Moswen smiled sadly, tossing her hair back over her head to cascade down her back.

“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry. I just want to vanish…I just want to make all the pain go away, make all the suffering I’m bringing on people to just stop. I can’t stand it anymore.”

Dimitri pulled against his chains, their cold metal digging into his wrists unyieldingly.

“No! You didn’t ask for this! You aren’t doing it of your own free will! It’s not your fault, it’s not something you can control.”

Moswen seemed unreachable however, turning to face the moon and staring into its impossibly enormous form.

“The world won’t be any worse without me…and it might even get better. I’m just…so tired, I just want to rest.”

The dark shape standing above him began to walk towards the moon, her hair brushing softly against her back as she did so, the soft chimes of the fine chains connecting her armor ringing loudly in the silent world. Dimitri again pulled against his chains, desperation filling his chest. Softly a wind began to pick up, blowing a soft dust that covered the ground across the half-breed shoulders. Gritting his teeth against the pain that it was causing his wounds, Dimitri channeled his helplessness, his desperate hopes, his denial of the twisted nature of reality at the moment, and his love into one single intent.

“Moswen, stop!”

The mournful shape stopped for a brief second but didn’t turn. The wind increased its fury, blowing her hair back now, swirling the dark and light strands together into dizzying spirals of color. Her robe twisted and turned as well, billowing in all directions but somehow never crossing that middle line that divided her body as much as it did her nature. Her right hand rose for a second, the fingers spread in as much as gesture of surrender as farewell.

“Goodbye Bryan…you’ll be fine without me.”

She took one more step and vanished into the blood moon, her body fading without a trace into its crimson depths. Dimitri’s bloodshot eyes widened, the wind tearing at him intensifying to hurricane power. His breathing quickened, his pulse raced, his fur veritably stood on end. He could feel his muscles ripping as he strained against his bounds but the pain only made him angry. He could feel his mind slipping, but it only drove him to further heights. He could feel his heart breaking even as it pounded helplessly against his ribs, but the feelings that leaked from its broken pieces roared through his veins.

“Moswen! I won’t…you can’t…”

Dimitri roared, blood dripping from his jaws as he opened his mouth wide and screamed at the uncaring air.

“I…CAN’T…LOSE YOU!”

Metal shrieked as the furious wind suddenly spun around Dimitri, lifting his fur and clothes to wrap around him as if pulled by a tornado. One of his legs planted beneath him, as he pulled. Links and the stone they were embedded into snapped as the half-breed lifted himself from the ground, breaking his bonds. The chains dangled from his wrists as he bolted for the moon, leaping onto the structure with a single jump. As the burning orb approached, Dimitri could hear voices inside of him, arguing.


Well I guess that answers that question…the clause it quite obvious to us…shall we?

What about the price?

Same as always, you should know that.

Very well.



Dimitri stopped mid-stride, suddenly frozen as the world began twisting yet again.

“No! No! I have to get to her first! I have to take her out of here too!”


Relax relax, you’re going to her now. Do what you have to do to get her back…you’ve prove yourself a far better hero than I ever was….good luck.

Dimitri’s existence suddenly exploded into a thousand pieces, like a shattered mirror. Somewhere, he felt another mind slip into the vacancy, and then he vanished like smoke.



The blood pooling at Dimitri’s feet suddenly came alive. Like the tendrils of some ancient sea creature it wrapped around his form, covering him in a pulsating cocoon of blood. Even the creature that Moswen had become hesitated at this, its eyes searching. Yin energy had suddenly begun to fill Dimitri, a veritable feast. But as it watched, that yin energy mutated and curdled into something twisted and unnatural. There was transformation happening in that grotesque cocoon, something horrible and powerful.

Two shapes extended from the cocoon, two cylinders that unraveled themselves behind the bloody prison. They spread to either side, revealing themselves to anyone looking. Twin butterfly wings, their crimson coloring glowing so bright that the black veins crisscrossing the wings were almost lost. For a few moments the wings simply rested, moving back and forth almost lazily. The cocoon began to dry, hardening into a putrid mass of congealed blood. Cracks appeared along its length, bloody dust breaking free to drift to the ground. Then, almost at once, the cocoon crumbled and fell away.

A crimson coat brushed softly on the ground, its bottom half opening up from the tightly buttoned top to drift lazily. A similarly colored hat adorned his head, more narrow and shaped than Dimitri’s, its angles sharp and defined. Gloved hands clenched and unclenched slowly, menacing in their exaggerated flexibility. Deep green eyes gazed amusedly from under the hat, a smile mirroring that amusement. Shoulder length hair the color of blood, darkening to black as it vanished beneath the hat, fell in clumped locks around his head. A single painted tear of blood was the only other color on an otherwise completely white face, either painted or natural, that gave him decidedly unearthly features. He smiled up at Moswen who seemed both angered and disgusted at the perfectly good meal that he had corrupted with his presence. Chuckling lowly to himself, he bowed to the fearsome wolf.

“What a wretched creature you are…I would almost be willing to remove your existence from this world without payment…”

Straightening, his eyes narrowed thought the smile remained fixed.

“You are lucky that someone actually cares enough for you to prevent me from doing so.”

His gaze turned to look at his surroundings, taking in the pitiful remains of the Opera House, and those who remained within it. Glancing sideways at the one with the rather nasty looking sword, he felt something resembling happiness welling up inside of him, the resemblance to the emotion ending at the profound sadism that filled it.

My my my…maybe this will not be as boring as I had feared, there is still plenty of blood here to spill.

Turning his attention back to Moswen who seemed to tire of the pause and was again hunching over in a hunting position, he held out one of his gloved hands, the other moving to rest on his back beneath his still spread wings.

“May I have this dance?”

[Haruko]

Ovan
-i see you, all confused and alone, / i try to look tough and I try not to care. / while deep down in my heart, / i can't stand seeing you like this.~ I Can't Say by YUI
Status: Asleep, Out of Mana/Energy.
PoV: Danielle

Whatever the retard did, I could feel the weight of it even on my spirit, as the 'room', as I so fondly put it, was occupied by one more. Ovan came in with a bang, falling from the endless white ceiling and landing on the bed. I walked over to him, and punched him in the stomach.

"What the fuck did you do!"I yelled at him, and he seemed as shocked as I was, looking around for a second. He then held his stomach as Valkyrie apprehended me for my rash action, and I rolled my eyes.
"I took care of one of the heads."He stated the obvious,"I didn't have any other.."
"You could've let the others do it!"I interrupted him. He rolled his eyes back, as if he was acting like a small child.
"Yeah, but then I'd feel useless. Don't you agree?"He replied. It was true, but still. I didn't know what state our body was in back in reality, so I just sighed as I placed my hands on my hips. He got off the bed and stretched. "Anyway, if we were dead, we wouldn't be talking, right?"

"You're lucky about that part."I replied, and Valkyrie nodded."At least you lasted longer out there longer than I would've.."
"Yeah, but you can control Ice, right? Put that on Valkyrie, and.."Ovan said, a bit overzealous, "You'll be kicking ass like that overgrown dog!"
"Ice can't kill."I replied,"Freeze, yeah. Fire can burn, melt and incinerate the enemy.."

"You each have your strong points!" Valkyrie interrupted me.
"And our weak."I replied. She sighed, as if her point didn't get across.
"You have Lightning, Ice and Earth. Ovan has Fire, Wind and Water."Valkyrie tried to assert her point."Each represent a part of yourself, controlling the others element would be like controlling the other person completely."

It was then that Valkyrie stopped her discussion and her eyes glew, looking around; as if there was someone else in the room. Ovan and I did the same, and behind a wall came out a woman in a black dress, who had purple hair and golden eyes. Ovan was more than likely staring at her slim figure and breasts; men.

"Hmm, three."The stranger told herself, her eyes shifting to each of us."I've never seen three souls in one body before."
"What in the world.."Ovan seemed a bit in shock that there was yet another soul in our "room". I glared at her with the same hostile looks that Valkyrie was giving her.
"I'm not going to lie to you; I'm the fourth and last one left. I have no wish to die, I simply just want to trade." The gothic lady replied to our hostile poses, trying to settle us down.
"Then why haven't I detected you in our realm until now!"Valkyrie snapped back, ready and willing to draw out her own weapon that sat on back, a bow and quiver.
"You have to be kidding me.."I huffed it off, and put my back to the lady, ignoring her completely; trusting Valkyrie to take care of her.

"You haven't detected me yet due to me not using my powers. I was awaken due to one with a strong heart being in my town, and I'd rather make it a paradise for men; rather then fight and spill needless blood. What I need to find is men that are strong enough to spend time with me." The woman replied to Valkyrie, and more than likely, my own inquires as to why she was here.
"Sorry, I'm not a guy."I replied, voiding her wants by all means. Ovan seemed to be thinking if it was worth it. The woman then took a glimpse at me as I looked back at her; my back now facing the wall. She smiled at me; as if I was what she wanted.

"I like you, you're strong and hotheaded."I looked at her oddly. Did I just tell her I wasn't a guy?
"Sorry, goth lady, but I'm missing a key component in what you want."I replied, pointing to my crotch."Nothing there. Thereforth, I can't go to your stupid male paradise of sorts."
"But you're a man in the real world, are you not?"She replied, talking about the body was that probably asleep.
"So?"
"I'm real in that world as well."She replied."And you're a man there, that's what counts."
"Well, either way, I don't want to be apart of your stupid male paradise."
"Will it include women?"Ovan finally talked, curious to that fact. Didn't he have Danarica?
"Well, I don't particularly like to spend my time around the women of these parts. They're too whiny, and seem to have the need to have others take care of themselves. Why would I need that in my paradise?"
"Isn't that part true.."I mumbled to myself, and chuckled a little to my own amusement.

"There are, well, perks to joining my paradise. Whoever is in control will get complete control over their body for one, and their powers. And those powers will be stronger than you can imagine."She smiled."Like comparing a torch to a wildfire."

Complete..control? That part struck my interest. Valkyrie could see it in my eyes, and she placed her left hand on my shoulder, shaking her head no.

"You will be giving up your humanity, however. But in return, you'll be getting a much better body, a stronger and faster one, even with built in defenses." She added, and that part just made the deal a no-go. I wanted to keep my humanity, so I could return to my own world one day.
"Heh, sorry, but I'm returning to my old world after I'm done with this hell hole."I replied, glaring. Valkyrie seemed a bit happy that I was refusing the womans offer.
"Well, give it some thought."She smiled."I will see you soon."Her body disappeared into the whiteness of the room after that, and I sighed deeply.

"That was the right thing, Danielle."Valkyrie told me as I sat down on the bed."You are you, and Ovan is Ovan. Controlling someone else is wrong.."
"I know.."I replied to her statement. But still, even though I knew it was wrong..



New color since mine seemed a bit too close to Bulba's.=3

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Shock and Awe ~*~*~*~*~

The ground shook and rumbled, although it wasn’t as bad as it was back in the opera house. “Everyone okay?” Knes called out, the group slowly picking ourselves off the snowy ground to which we had landed when Knes had quickly teleported us away. Coughing the last of the snow out of my mouth I stood and made a dash back toward the Opera house to get back into the battle. “Adalia no.” Knes quickly appeared in front of me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“But Moswen.” I protested, looking down, guilt and pain was eating away at me from the inside, I had let Moswen out, let that thing out, it would be my fault for anyone she kills. And worst yet, from the smoke coming from the Opera House it looked as if it were only a matter of time before she took out the town. “You don’t understand it’s my fault that this all happened.” I pleaded, fresh tears rolling down my cheek, Ban, Dimitri, Yi, the three that were still in there, most likely already dead by now.

Knes shook his head. “You saved all of us, you did what you thought was right, if it wasn’t for you we would all be frozen.” He cupped my cheek, wiping a tear away with his other hand. “You’re a hero.”

I gave a weak smile back as Ovan began to stir near us. “What did that..” He began to groan, the rest cut off as Knes quickly covered my ears before I could hear what was said, although Ovan looked pretty angry as he got to his feet. “And where are we?” He asked as Knes quickly let go of my ears.

“So any ideas on how to stop that?” Marion asked, pointing a finger to the Opera House. Each of us remained in silence; all the while I felt something, someone close by, like a prickly feeling on the back of my neck. “Best thing we can do is help e..” Marion stopped, all eyes following me as I began to walk in the direction of the feeling.

“Where the hell are you going?” Kite called out angrily, quickly running up and matching my stride, as the others followed behind me. “Oh what’s wrong? Going to go on a suicide mission now because you feel bad? Hero.” He asked, saying the Hero part as part of a sneer.

“Shut…DANA!” I screamed, rushing down the alley to find Dana leaning against a bunch of boxes, holding her stomach as she continued to gasp for breath.

Dana winced her eyes in pain, opening them briefly to look at us. “It’s coming… the baby.” She whispered in pain, coughing and grunting in agony as I backed away. “GAH!” She released a horrible scream, which sounded like the shriek of the Cerberus.

The others quickly ran over to her as I backed away in shock. “I heard explosions, what’s happening?” Dana asked, her eyes looking at each one of us, Ovan looking really really pale at the moment. “Where’s Ban and Dimitri?”

Kite looked up and jerked a finger in my direction. “Little Miss Hero here decided to release Moswen, she came out as a big horrible monster that will probably destroy this whole town and kill millions.”

My fists balled up in anger at the remark. “Shut up, just shut up.” I screamed back in anger, the alley going completely silent.

A grin crept across Kite’s face as he stood up. “What don’t like what the placeholder called you?” He asked, stepping forward as everyone seemed to look on in disbelief.

“Placeholder?” I asked, confused at the statement although I knew he meant for it to be hurtful.

Kite’s grin continued to grow, he glanced over his shoulder and jerked a thumb at Knes, knowing he had everyone’s eyes on him. “Yeah, we came here a couple, or have you forgotten? And then I screwed up, and Loki took my place, and then Loki screwed up, and then Knes took his place, you probably have some one in mind for who takes Knes place.” His voice growing increasingly louder and louder until he was towering over me. “Notice a pattern? Its always some one else’s fault, no one can blame the pretty princess.”

Knes leapt forward in anger but I was faster, not even thinking I swung my hand as hard as I could, smacking him across the face with as much force as I could muster. With out even a twitch, Kite swung around, his fist feeling like a brick wall as it hit me in the jaw, throwing me to the ground, blood began to fill my mouth as I tried to shake the sound of bells out of my head.

Knes was quickly standing in front of me, blocking Kite. "I will not abide those who would strike little girls around me" He glared, his hand moving to his sword.

“Everyone STOP.” Marion screamed out. “We need to get Dana inside or she and the baby will freeze to death.” She yelled, snapping our attention back over to her while Knes helped me to my feet.

Kite turned and glared right into my eyes. “This isn’t over.” He warned.

Alright I figured we could have something to do while we wait for the battle to finish. Dana is having her baby, but the towns folk are not going to like us, infact they will probably see us as causing all of this, and threaten to run us out of town or kill us. Try and get close to the Opera House when this happens that way we can pick up Moswen and Dimitri and Ban on our way out of town.

[Bulbasaur4]

BEWARE: F***N LONG POST. (** KNES PLOT DEVICE WAS PREPLANNED AND IT IS ONLY COINCIDENCE THAT IT WAS PLACED WITH THE POST.**)

x.X *dies*

MOSWEN??


The energy observed this being of unbalance using the body’s keen eyes. It would have laughed if the body supported such a thing, but a growl-like hiss seemed to suffice. Within a blur of an instant, the body flung itself into action.

Chaos was the only thing that remained steady as the being that once was known as “Dimitri” now seemed to be more of an Angel of Darkness. Its strange crimson butterfly wings flapped at such a rate that a normal eye would not have been able to follow its movements. Yet, despite such a crude and perhaps intimidating appearance… the energy within Moswen had no fear.

Now, one could have argued that the reason there was no fear involved was because the energy was incapable of such an emotion. It was not really a living being anyway, but more of an ethereal birth of yang. Or, one could argue the fact that perhaps the energy had no fear because it knew the source of its power. It knew the body’s owner, or more importantly, the owner and the guest within the body. Individually either one would serve as a power source- a great battery – but both, well… both was like a generator of pure power.

The death-like angel flew straight at the wolf’s side, but the wolf was quicker than its large size would perhaps have shown. Powered by the newly acquired yin energy from the Cerberus, the body leapt out of the way- pushing itself out of the opera house through the cracked rough. With little regard to the landscape, the dark butterfly flew after the wolf- destroying what was left of the opera house’s roof.


“You can’t keep up with me, pup.” He sneered, twirling his fingers about as a nimble sword materialized within his hand. The body braced itself, awaiting the attack as suddenly the former body of Dimitri came at him with surprising speed. The wolf was surprised as the sword sliced cleanly into its body- near the chest. Plunging deep into the wolf and then lashing outwards, the crimson butterflied figure flew back. A smug look formed upon his face, as the energy sneered within the body with an inner laugh.

Thick black liquid oozed from the gash, however with such a shadowy form it was hard for one with normal eyes to differentiate the gash from the rest of the body. But the dark angel saw. Then, the smug look was removed as the black liquid began to ripple and grew into wild aura tendrils. Like twisting snakes they slithered their back way into the body, as the wolf lowered its head and emitted a threatening growl.

Precious energy. Nothing was without yin or yang. And this creature- as impressive as it was- was no different. In fact, it was teeming with yin energy. Another feast.

This time, the butterfly man came swarming at him. Opening a palm, a swirling ball of violet energy churned and the flying palm was thrust outwards at the wolf’s face. Preparing itself, the wolf allowed the attack to hit full force. Just as it hit however, tendrils of black energy erupted from the outer edges of the body’s face and wrapped about the arm of the former Dimitri.

A look of anger came across the man’s face, as the tendrils began to suck the precious yin energy from the creature, swallowing it like thirsty leeches. Giving an agitated grunt, the butterfly demon took his other hand and pointed straight at the base of the tendrils. Sparks of electricity expelled from his finger tips, firing straight at the tendrils. Upon contact, it was enough to destroy their base, allowing him to rip his arm away free.

“You’re just a big leech…” He swore, brushing the now life-less tendrils from his arms. The energy contemplated this for a second, and agitation bubbled up within the energy’s false conscious. Anger, if such an emotion could have existed, perhaps came apart of it.

Or was this anger merely a mirror of a greater power?

The body lunged forward at the man, jaws wide open as it made a snap. Nothing but air was obtained however, as the powerful wings sped him beyond their reach. The golden, pupil-less eyes gazed upwards as large tendrils of black energy once again spiked upwards. The creature began to dodge them- twisting to the right and left. The wolf then lunged once again, its large forepaws landing upon the roof of a nearby home.

The lunge allowed the wolf to summon several more snake-like tendrils of aura, until finally one managed to snag the man’s leg.

Without hesitation, the tendril pulled him downward as five other tendrils hungrily began forming around his body. Struggling, it was clear that there was simply too much yin energy in him- the tendrils could smell it so badly that it was as if the taste was in the air.

A few seconds passed as he weakened further, until suddenly the figure seemed to come to a conclusion- everything, even the most evil of creatures, had a fraction of the lighter yang energy. Summoning it forward, he found this ‘light’ energy, although he hardly could grasp what it was, and channeled it outwards from his body in a burst of light.

Letting out a howl of agitation as the burning-like counterpart seeped down into the tendrils, the wolf instantly let go. The tendrils simply vanished as the wolf took several steps backwards. Angry eyes flashed upwards, as its tail lashed and knocked over a few trees. The wolf’s size shrunk slightly, only slightly, as the yang energy it came in contact with destroyed parts of the yin within the body.

Knowing how to counter act the wolf now, the butterfly man flew around the wolf at several angles. Each time he threw a few fireballs at the wolf or shot a few more elements at the wolf’s direction. The body took a few hits, but no noticeable damage could have been done. Annoyed, the wolf had summoned more snakes of aura from its body, but they had been blocked away by sparks of light.

The energy came to a point, where it thought enough was enough. Summoning up a massive charge and ordering the body with all of its charge, the energy commanded the body to tackle the butterfly creature with a harsh slam.
The wolf then charged straight and deadly accurately at the butterfly creature. It was pissed. It was hungry. And it didn’t want to lose. The former Dimitri placed its hands together and formed another shield of light, but this time the wolf did not back away. Instead it rammed at the shield with not only its own head, but with several aura tentacle-like arms. It continued to pound like a thousand hands upon the shield. Quickly cracks began forming in the shield, and a look of doubt entered the creature’s face.

It had run out of yang energy to replenish or use any more light power. The wolf’s own gaze came into contact with the man’s, and instantly he knew the energy within the wolf realized such a thing.

The wolf then broke the shield with another tentacle-like hand, breaking it into thousands of pieces as the wolf lunged with jaws wide open.




DIMITRI??? (McNinja’s post)


He slammed through three buildings before finally coming to
a stop against the wall of the fourth. His hastily raised
sword had stopped the wolf’s maw from closing around Him
but the sheer force of the charge ripped the weapon from
His hands and sent Him flying. He reached for another
weapon, materialized by whatever magic He possessed, but
suddenly realized that his sword hand was missing. Looking
at the severed limb for a second, He twisted his mouth in
an annoyed sneer. Drawing on his connection to whatever
demonic land He had come from, He summoned enough yin
energy to restructure the limb. He’d have to pay that
energy back later…damnable creature was actually pushing
Him to his limit. Turning His attention forward once again,
He saw the wolf creature crashing through the same
buildings He had flown through, its attentions still on
Him.

He leapt into the air, summoning the energy in his wings to
push his speed as far as he could take it. He would give
anything to have access to his payment for this disaster at
this moment, that much yang energy would allow Him to
support his shield as for as long as He needed to rip this
thing apart…but alas His contract forbid him access to that
power until He had fulfilled the clause. Twisting around
even more tendrils of dark energy that the thing was
sending up after Him, He turned in midair to look down.

By all the dark forces the damn thing was leaping up after
him, and with the strength it had it might actually reach
him! He spread his wings to either side of him, holding his
hands splayed out in front of him as the thing approached.
With a sudden surge and flash of power, the glowing red
energy in His wings manifested itself as dozens, hundreds,
of small ribbons that launched at every angle, curving in
the air to strike at the wolf. He purified it as much as he
could, drawing as much of his own yin energy out of it as
he could to make as neutral of an energy as he could. The
beams hit the wolf, piercing through its amorphous outer
shell and lancing out the other side. He could see it drink
in the yin energy that remained in the beams, it was so
much a part of Him that anything He manifested was going to
be tainted somewhat, but the rest of the energy did what he
needed it to. The body seemed to lose cohesion from a
second from the dozens of holes in it, pieces of it losing
complete form. The things leap was halted and it fell back
to the ground. By the time it landed however, all the
energy that had begun to separate had been drawn back in,
the wolf form reformed and just as powerful as before, but
it gave Him time. He couldn’t access the yang energy
provided by His payment to help him….but. His ears heard it
faintly, carried on the wind and caught by His enhanced
senses. Soft but definite, the girls scream was music to
Him. With a rush of energy from His wings, the power
literally exploding out from them as He boosted his speed
to its absolute limit, He painted a crimson streak against
the sky for the second it took him to land in front of the
fallen Adalia.

“Oh…this is just perfect.”

Adalia lifted her head to look up at Him, her face a
mixture of confusion and abrupt recognition.

“Y-your energy…somewhere in it I can sense him…sense
Dimitri. Who are you?”

Reaching down with a gloved hand, He wrapped it around her
thin little neck, lifting her off the ground.

“Please don’t talk, it annoys me.”

Focusing His energy through his fingers, He lanced shards
of yin into her neck, syringes of power that instantly
began draining the yang energy that filled the little
healer. Pocketing it away for the moment, He drank deeply,
drawing as much as He could as fast as he could. With all
this yang energy…possibilities flooded his mind. It was a
moment before He noticed the tugging on his upraised arm,
so focused was He on the burning power of Light that was
filling him. Raising his other arm He slapped the annoying
gnat away and continued His work. A moment later though and
the tugging was back. Sighing slightly, and taking the
second of annoyance to dig His dark needles deeper into
Adalia’s neck, He turned his head slightly to look at
whatever pathetic existence was attached to his sleeve.

“I swear if you don’t let go I’ll feed your pathetic little
soul to everything in Hell I can find that even
looks hungry…and then I’ll….”

His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the black haired kid
who glared back at him, hiding his fear admirably. A slow
smile spread over His face as the brat spoke.

“Release her now, I don’t care what it is you’re trying to
do, let her go!”

He shook his head.
“Oh…oh…you have to be kidding me. This is too perfect…I
wish I could stay and watch how this works...fine, I’ve
taken as much as I need now. You can have your precious
little girl back and hey, if you’re lucky she’ll make a
full recovery.”

Dropping Adalia back to the ground, Knes’ dive enough to
soften the fall, He turned and leapt back into the air,
spinning to the left to avoid the wolf that roared by and
streaking away from the two figures below. When He turned
to face the thing again, the area where He had left them
was far behind.

“I apologize for leaving you my dear, shall we? And please,
allow me to lead this time.”

Holding out His left hand, He summoned up all the energy he
had drained from the girl, focusing it into what he
desired. A brilliant white glow extended in either
direction from his palm, extending a foot to the left and
almost five full feet to the right. The glow dimmed quickly
and He closed hand around the beautifully formed katana.
His right hand came up and ripped away the sheathe,
revealing a polished blade that seemed to glow with an
inner light. Combined with its reflective properties, the
glow made the blade seem of the brightest white. It was a
weapon of pure yang energy. Even the wolf hesitated for a
moment upon seeing it. Turning his hand to point the blade
at the wolf, He tilted his head to one side and smiled.

The two battled for what seemed like a very long time to
anyone watching. Streaking in and out of the veritable
field of tendrils that the wolf was sending out to Him,
striking down those he couldn’t avoid, slicing apart those
that managed to grab a hold of him, He cut again and again
into its side, His brilliant blade carving swathes out of
the wolf’s hide that disintegrated as they separated,
vanishing into the air. The yin that the wolf was draining
from him on each successful hit was healing some of the
damage, but not nearly enough. Turning away from one
attack, He suddenly found himself grabbed from all
directions by a mass of tendrils that had been placed in
front of Him. Tearing at them as they rapidly drained His
power, He touched the essence of his blade with his mind.
The weapon disintegrated in a second, bathing his entire
body with its burning light and driving the tendrils off.
Reforming the blade, He spun around yet another attack and
drove forward at the thing’s face. He was brought up
instantly as the wolf launched a veritable column of
leeching power from its neck. Blocking with his blade, He
felt resistance to its effect for the first time. The
column was saturated with the wolf’s energy, so full that
it was actually able to confront the pure yang energy on
equal footing. Gritting His teeth, He fought against the
surging tide, his agitation growing with each moment.

“I am tired of this you overgrown mutt!”

As before, the crimson energy launched from His wings, the
ribbons so thick that they were almost a solid wall of
power. Arcing around His body, the energy slammed into his
blade. Eerie red met brilliant white and began mixing, the
colors swirling in immiscible patterns for a moment as the
struggle continued. Then, with all of His considerable
malice for the wolf in front of Him, He sent the barest
whisps of yin energy into the blade, destroying the balance
between what was already flowing in side of it. In an
instant the two energies mixed, forming a red that
approached the fire of the pure white before. The rippling
mixture spilled into the column of power that He pushed
against, its yin characteristics allowing it to be
absorbed, its yang core flaring out once it found itself
within the wolf. At the same time, the wolfs energy wrapped
around the blade and impacted Him, the backlash from his
own attack magnifying the power’s leeching quality. In an
instant both creatures expended an enormous part of their
energy which exploded out from them in a shockwave powerful
enough to pull the roofs of the houses below them.

They both landed softly a few moments later, both unwilling
to expend their energy in the air anymore. For a long
minute they sat and stared at one another, feeling out
their intentions. He didn’t quite know what to do next, he
didn’t want to fight much longer or else risk destroying
the one inside the wolf, which would violate the clause of
his contract, his own safety was at risk too for this
battle could still go either way. It was then that he felt
eyes on his. Turning slightly, he caught sight of the man
standing atop one of the remaining structures in the area.
He moved as fast as possible to his side, relieved to see
the wolf simply satisfy itself with watching him warily.
Narrowing his eyes at the redheaded human, He spoke.

“You just going to stand here?”

It rankled him to be willing to accept help if offered, if
he had his way he’d just rip this one’s energy out too but
his other uses were too beneficial. Ban shook his head and
looked sadly at the wolf.

“I don’t know if I can help much, I already tried talking
to her.”

His annoyance rose again, the stress of the battle not
allowing him to control it well. He thrust his face against
that of Ban, glaring fiercely from the shadow of his hat.

“By all that is corrupted, do not bore me with your pitiful
attempts before. You’re still standing, you’re still
breathing, and she’s still trapped in there. The one who’s
shell I’m using gave his soul for a chance at saving
her, loved her far beyond himself. It’s a laughable emotion
but by some chance of the gods it actually works sometimes.
Don’t patronize me with your weary tale of failure, you
care for her too otherwise you wouldn’t be here. If you
believe yourself able to care for her, you had better be
willing to sacrifice everything that you are for her too.
So you have your little chat with her or I’ll rip your soul
out and feed it her myself.”

Ban seemed taken aback for a moment, who wouldn’t, but he
recovered admirably. Taking one last apprehensive glance at
the wolf who was now beginning to move slowly towards
their position, he nodded firmly.

“You’re right, I’ll…”

He didn’t give Ban enough time to finish.

“Damn straight I am, now get to it.”

Leaping in the air to hover over the scene, he held his
blade at the ready. From somewhere deep inside he could
feel something stir, irritably he shoved it back down,
growling to himself.

“Yeah, I know you wish you could go to her too fox boy, I
kind of got that already. Let Mr. Compensation and his
ridiculous sword do what he can for now, you’ve done your
part more than enough already. I’ll take care of the rest,
as we agreed.”





MOSWEN???? (Bulbie’s post again!)


Moswen felt herself floating in a sea of darkness. Her eyes tightly closed, she felt herself wrapping her arms about her knees as she welcomed the isolation. Finally, finally… she was at rest. There were no more worries of the world…. Instead, she could rest forever. She could hide forever. She didn’t have to think of her fantasies and then face the realization that such things would never come true. Moswen would never find the happiness that she was looking for.

You poor thing, is your soul so battered that you are content with nothing?
Moswen didn’t open her eyes, for she recognized the voice and knew it too well by now. “I just am too tired… If I were to still go on, there would be nothing in the end. I know enough to realize that good things cannot come from what I feel.”

Such a bold statement. Are you so sure of yourself to predetermined the fates of others as well as yourself?
´I don’t understand…”
Of course you do not. By predetermining the outcome of your own fate, you are determining those involved. Do you want to determine their fates?
“They don’t need me to determine it… they’ll be fine without…”
I think you are wrong. Open your eyes Kalah! And if not Kalah, then open your eyes Moswen!!
“I can’t…”
Open your eyes and SEE what is RIGHT in FRONT of YOU!

The voice’s sudden outburst was enough for Moswen’s eyes to open. And with that act, suddenly her conscious lashed out against the energy’s control. For that split second, Moswen had surprised the energy and gained access to the body’s vision.

And there, before her, she saw Ban standing in front of her wolven body- yelling to her. She could not hear him. She could not understand what he was saying. However, she could see the expression in his eyes… she could see the emotion upon his face.

A tear rose from one of her golden eyes.

The energy was not powerful enough now to maintain control. It had lost too much of its power from the fight, and Moswen’s will suddenly exploded outwards.

Ban’s eyes widened as he saw the wolf’s expression changed. Moswen badly wanted to speak to him… badly wanted the fight to be over so she could tell him what she wanted to say. However, only a small pathetic whimper escaped her throat. She was stuck within the body… the energy was still too much.

“Moswen…” Ban trailed off, as suddenly a blurry figure came forth.
“So you weren’t completely useless.” The butterfly man said with a grin, as suddenly he took the blazing sword of light and slammed it straight into Moswen’s wolven chest. Moswen did not fight back however, but instead allowed the man to strike her down with a final blow. With no move to block or any will to counter act, the yang energy entered her body and exploded outwards- destroying the excess yin energy that was consuming her body.
“MOSWEN!!” A voice rang out.

Thank you…


A brilliant flash illuminated the sky, blinding all that stared at the battle. When vision was returned and the light faded, the wolf and the butterfly man no longer were there. Instead, a collapsed Dimitri slowly rose to his feet- staggering as if confused and unsure. Near him, Moswen lay- still as death, but still alive. Her body looking the same as it did when she had entered the coffin, except the original five armor pieces were gleaming upon her body.





KNES


Knes did not glare at Kite like some might have thought. Instead however, Knes had given Kite a different look- perhaps an ounce of understanding was within those two-toned eyes. However, Knes shook his head- as if he thought all of it rather childish.
“Yes… we should get to the inn.” He said, pointing to it. Ovan quickly gathered Danarica in his arms as they dashed to the inn. Cries from Danarica poured into the air, along with the occasionally crashing sounds made from the battle between the newly transformed Dimitri and the crazy wolfed Moswen.
Knes ran by Adalia towards the rear, but a scream from Adalia caused him to look back. The new form of Dimitri stood, but Knes instantly could tell that it was not Dimitri but something else had claimed the body. Knes then watched in shock as he grabbed Adalia by the throat and held her up. Knes yelled at the man to stop but he refused. He then grabbed what he now knew was definitely not Dimitri. He then was swatted away like a measly bug. Angered further, Knes got to his feet and instantly teleported back by his side- grabbing him more firmly.
Threatening the frightening creature, he was relieved to see him let her go. However… the words he said were unnerving to Knes. What did he see? Knes didn’t have time to think however, as the butterfly man of death suddenly took off into the air.

Knes grabbed Adalia, “Are you alright?” He asked, but his eyes lingered to look at the sight of the butterfly man charging back at the wolf in the sky. Some thing in his smile… in his eyes… it shook Knes. Did he see? No…
“Are you alright?” Knes asked again, shaking Adalia a bit as she nodded.
“He… He took some of my mana…” She gasped, clutching her throat for a moment as Knes scooped her up in his arms.
“You’ll be alright, you’re fast at recovering.” Knes then began running back to the inn with her in his arms. “The others are at the Inn. I’ll get you there too.”

Knes soon came into the Inn, to find yells from another room. Entering the room, he saw everyone had gathered around Danarica. Marion and Stella were aiding the most with the baby, as Ovan nervously watched. Knes slowly sat Adalia down, letting her rest on the wall. He began to walk away as Adalia called to him.
“Knes…” She called, and he turned to look at her. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be back.” Knes said, offering a small smile. “You rest.”


Knes shut the door to the inn as he exited into the outside world. His sharp gaze looked at the Opera house. He then heard the roar of a wolf and saw a brilliant flash of white. Ignoring it for the time period, Knes teleported instantly away from the Inn door. He then reappeared in the rubble that used to be the opera house. Sifting through the dirt and the broken pieces of the ceiling, it wasn’t long until Knes’s senses guided him to that precious stone he was looking for. It was perfectly round and smooth- its glistening cyan blue color gleaming in the light.
“Found you.” Knes said, but eerily on key the stone began to pulsate. Ignoring it, Knes put the stone within his pocket and swiftly ran back to the inn. His eyes widened however, as he saw Ban walking towards the Inn as well.

He was holding a body, and Knes quickly ran to Ban. The body that he held in his arms was Moswen, and not too far behind him was a stumbling Dimitri.
“Is she…” Knes began, but Ban shook his head.
“She’s alive.”
Moswen’s armor gleaned in the light- the regular set of five pieces adorned upon her body. Exhaling a sigh of relief, Knes looked behind Ban for a moment. The Opera house was virtually flattened as many of the nearby houses were destroyed as well. Rubble was everywhere and upon seeing that, Knes noticed that a few of the townspeople had emerged.
At that moment, a cry came from the Inn as the rest of the group came running. Ovan carried Danarica in his arms, and within Danarica’s arms was a small baby. Kite, Stella, and Marion came running out behind him with the small kitsune and weasel-like creature scampering along their side. Zombie-chan then appeared from the Inn as well, with Adalia riding along on the seemingly floating Umbrella. They ran swiftly over to Ban and Knes upon seeing them, a look of pure haste upon their faces.
“The Inn-“ Ovan began, but suddenly the door swung wide open and the Inn keeper screamed at them- pointing.

Soon, before Knes could fully gather the severity of the situation, the whole town seemed to be alive. People were pointing at them, blaming them for all the destruction. After making the accusations, they then began to throw things at the group… and then a large group of them began to charge with various pick-me-up pieces of weaponry.
Everyone was running now… and it was clear that with several of the members carrying bodies, they were going to be caught.
“Knes…” Stella began, but Knes gave a nod.
“Right.”

Knes had teleported their large group before- fashionably far in fact. It wasn’t that fact that was going to be the trouble. The trouble was, that Knes had never teleported such a large group on the fly before- with no preparation and with such radical movements. However, Knes had an inkling that he was about to do it now.
As he ran, Knes fluttered his wings as he focused harshly upon everyone on their group. A few of the energies were rather easy to grasp –especially Danarica’s seemingly healthy baby that was teeming with life. The hardest to grasp were Moswen and Adalia- Adalia having lost some of her mana making her weak. Moswen? Well, her life force was extremely low. Some how, and Knes wasn’t exactly sure how, Knes maintained a clear focus upon each and every individual. With one sound yell, Knes suddenly made a spreading motion with his arms as everyone began to glow.
Then everything before his eyes vanished- all that he remembered was a seering burning sensation that ripped through his mind.


Then they were in a forest. Everyone was standing, except for Knes, who was to his knees. Coughing, blood trickled from his nose as he looked up. Panic settled in his mind as he counted everyone and then exhaled a sigh of relief. Everyone was there in the exact state they had been when he teleported them.

“How far are we from the village?” Kite asked, as Knes stood roughly to his feet.
“A good mile away…” Knes coughed once again. “Towards the western part…”
A few more people began to talk, but Knes’s head began to churn. Everything was swimming in his vision, and Knes quickly stumbled back.
“Knes, are you okay?” He managed to hear Adalia say, but suddenly it was as if everything was still.

YOU MUST GROW STRONGER

Suddenly Knes felt his body tingle as everything before his eyes vanished. Knes then found himself standing in the middle of a desert- unable to see anything for miles.
“Where… where am I?” Knes said out loud, placing a hand to his head as he ruffled his hair absently.

YOU MUST GROW STRONGER

“What?” Knes said, looking around to see the source of the voice. There was nothing around him, however. Nothing but miles and miles of desert…

YOU ARE RESOURCEFUL. YOU ARE USEFUL. YOU WILL GET YOUR WISH SOON. HERE IS A TOKEN OF WHAT IS TO COME.

Suddenly Knes saw brilliant rays of light spilling from his pocket. Reaching inside, he pulled out all three stones that he had gathered. Swiftly they rose into the air and began spiraling around him. Faster and faster they flew until their individual colors blended together into a circle that surrounded Knes. Then a fiery sensation consumed Knes’s chest. Clutching it, Knes fell to his knees as the sensation- like a wild fire- coursed out through his entire body. The pain was unlike anything Knes had felt before and he could feel a change overcome him, but the pain distorted any thoughts he could gather.
Knes then let out an ear-splitting scream of pain as a blast of light exploded outwards from his right eye.

What seemed like days but probably was only minutes, Knes awoke to find himself face first in the ground. Placing his hands upon the hot desert sand, Knes pushed himself upwards. He then gasped, seeing that his hands now were gloved differently. Crimson colored gloves decorated his hands, as giant black circlets cuffed his hands and a cloth of red attached itself to the ringlet. Knes then looked down at himself and saw that his upper torso now was tightly bound by deep blue leather-belt like garments that wrapped about diagonally. His legs had their familiar black pants about his body, but they were much tighter and exposed his highly toned thighs, flaring out near his calves. Around his lower waist were matching deep blue belts once again, except one of them had a red trim with a few sparkles of the three gems he had obtained. Even around Knes’s collar line were two large blue belts that hung there, slightly attached to the belts.
That wasn’t the main thing that shocked Knes however.

His body… it had changed. Dare say it, Knes felt more familiar with his body now- as if he had this body long ago and it had returned against his will. He was far more muscular now- his abdomen muscles being the biggest proof of that, for they were almost scarily toned. A red tattoo was upon his left shoulder, with intricate markings. Part of his exposed abdomen along his left side also had markings, but they were mostly hidden amongst his upper garment.
Knes didn’t need to see his face however, he had a feeling he already knew what it looked like.

“The clothes are new…” Knes said to himself, clenching his fists. Power surged through his veins- he could feel it. He wasn’t bond by the restrictions of his former body anymore. “… the power is new.”
Knes looked upwards at the sky. “But why this body? Why?”

THE BLIND WILL NOT SEE YET. IN THE NEXT TRIAL YOU CANNOT BE LIMITED. THE GOAL IS APPROACHING. GUIDE THEM WELL.

Knes found the desert landscape fade away before his eyes, and once again the forest reappeared.

“Knes!” A voice exclaimed, as the group turned around to see Knes was standing behind them. Their eyes widened, disbelief at his figure now. Knes now looked older, taller and more of a… perhaps words escaped it.
“You’ve…”
“… changed.” Adalia finished, her eyes in disbelief.
Knes felt his mouth grow dry, but he gave a nod. Sensing questions about to be asked, he held up a hand.
“It seems that last battle unleashed more of my mana. I wasn’t able to contain it the way I was before… so I think it made a new body for me. New clothes too.” He added.
“I teleported ahead and it seems we’re going to be traveling through the desert next. Let’s prepare well.”
Knes then waited for what the group would do next, hoping that everything was answered and they could concentrate upon something else.



BTW: I am NOT finished with the full picture of this... but I wanted you guys to get an idea of what Knes's new appearance looks like. His eyes aren't done and neither is the bg or shading... but here is a small preview. (Eyes still left = red, right = green )
KNES OMG (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/luckclover4/roughknescolorpreview.png?t=1179126875)

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

OOC: Highly irrelevant post taking place as the Moswen-Dimitri-Ban fight/drama goes on; does not necessarily need to be read as it doesn't further the main plot in any way. Retconned a bit here and there but eh I have to explain how the obsidian wall collapses so that Kalah-senpai's and Mcninja's posts fit into PJBW's continuity, yesno?
@PJBW: I forget if Ban can summon Miroku from afar. I assume for now that he can't. Apologies if OOCed anything. My brain is dying. Will edit if needed later.


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
183:
魔法の言葉


- Aah, the show is beginning.

- IN MY TIME THEY HAD SUCH BATTLES ON A DESERTED PLAIN. YOU HAD TO SELL BODY PARTS TO GET THE MONEY TO REBUILD TOWNS BACK IN THE DAY AND EVEN THEN IT WAS NO CERTAIN THING, THE FUCKING BUYERS MIGHTN'T HAVE LIKED THE LOOK OF YOUR FUCKING KIDNEY.

- Oh but I am very sure towns still cost a lot to rebuild, Lady Saifa, even in these dretful days of rot and ruin.

As the four walls of ebony stone erupt from the ground, the body hears a sucking in of breath, and the grinding of thirty-two spectral teeth. Saifa, nostrils flaring, snarls.

- THAT... SWORD. I SHOULD HAVE - NOTICED...

- Oooh? See someone you know, Lady Saifa? The body takes her eyes off the scene that she has secretly dubbed "Heartfelt Confession of Love and Courage Take #1 - FAIL" and turns to Saifa. Pink flames are rolling off the soul's shoulders in rapid motion. She has not seen Saifa so agitated before. She wishes she could take a picture but that would be silly because everyone knows ghosts don't show up on film and maybe it would work with a digital camera only there are no digital cameras in the Riftworld, so she can't have her picture.

- IT'S THAT OBSIDIAN BASTARD... I FORGET HIS FULL TITLE. THE GIST OF IT IS, BASICALLY, MIROKU. THAT CUR. HE HAS THE PURPLE HAZE ON HIM, ALL OVER.

- 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky!

- ...WHAT?

- Just my little joke. He an ex-lover then, Lady Saifa?

- NO.

- Okay, okay, so why don't you go have a chat with him while I watch this...

But Saifa has already stormed over to where the claymore is stuck into the ground.

- MIROKU!

The sword twitches, an almost imperceptible shift in position. ...You.

- EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT WHEN THEY MEET ME, OF LATE. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT?

I could ask the same of you.

- SHUT UP, I'M THE ONE WHO'S ASKING THE BLOODY QUESTIONS HERE.

If you hadn't noticed, I'm rather busy at the moment.

- DON'T YOU GIVE ME ANY OF YOUR NOSE-IN-A-SLING BULLSHIT. WELL. I'LL BE DIRECT. WHY IS IT THAT I SEE COCKTEASER WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR SORRY BLACK SURFACE?

I'm afraid I don't quite follow. I have been chronically unable to bed women for the past three hundred-odd years, if you haven't noticed I'm trapped in a sword, a S-W-O-R-

- STOP FUCKING AROUND. I KNOW IT'S HER. HER THAT WAS ALL TITS AND ARSE.

She was never any harm to you. So what if it is her?

- FOR GODS' SAKES, MAN, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT SHE'S DONE TO YOU? IT'S STARING ME RIGHT IN THE FACE-

All of a sudden there is a quivering in the ground, and the quivering moves up to the makeshift obsidian fencing. Both yin and yang, wolf and butterfly, mean to have their way in this battle, and they will not be encased in such a small arena, such a paltry cage it is, not fit for the likes of them, not at all.

The obsidian is threatening to shatter like the glass it is at its core, and Miroku shivers and trembles with the effort of holding it all together, holding it all in, and he can't make it, and he knows this and Saifa knows this, there is a great hunk of glass hanging over part of the roof of the opera house hanging over them, which is most definitely a bad thing, and they look for Ban and Ban is far away near the wolf and the butterfly entangled in their wrath.

O shi-

Saifa tries to force her way into the sword, but she's stopped by Miroku and a taint of the purple haze, she curses and spits LET ME IN, YOU BASTARD, THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, and then quick as anything the long sleeves of Okiku are wrapping themselves around the shadowy metal; the body hefts the great sword out of the pavement and onto her shoulders. Miroku is longer than she is tall and the effect is oddly comic. She springs away to a safer vantage point.

The wall collapses. A smattering of black shards litters the streets on top of the snow, rubble, everything else, and the fight between the wolf and the butterfly is taken to a whole new stage as they proceed to level the town.

Aiming carefully, the body lobs the claymore in the direction of its owner. Ban catches Miroku neatly, almost losing his balance with the impact of the throw.

- Dammit, professor, take care of your own pets!

Saifa roars.

- THIS IS NOT FINISHED, MIROKU!

The cold voice of the Obsidian Lord echoes in Saifa's consciousness, the callousness of the tone serving to infuriate her further.

Nothing ever is.


*


The Riftworld is a fine place, that can revolve around scraps and snippets of dialogue that the body calls the Magic Words. The Magic Words can be anything under the sun but mostly she finds that they are magic because of the context in which they are uttered. The way the three of the main players are throwing words and wounds around they can't help being anything except Magic Words and maybe Magic Wounds. The body never learned the least thing about nor was in any way interested in psychoanalysis and even she can see that it's all epic, a grand way of announcing events, and they're caught in the moment with an aplomb that she'll never have, with lines she'll never spout because she could never envision herself doing it.

Magic Words inspire people to go well past their limits, and that is exactly what unfolds in front of her eyes, we're not scaremongering, this is really happening.

The body respects everyone's right to heroic scenes of drama and intrigue, and she knows her place and her place is not found yet and it is not there in that holy trinity, and so she slips away unnoticed with the smile on her face and the closed mouth that says a lot more when it's silent than when it's nattering. Saifa frets over having to cooperate with the Obsidian Lord and she says even a fucking moron could see that the purple haze and the snaking slithering woman that is all tits and arse isn't at all good for anyone's health, a fucking moron would have had the wits not to get involved with a woman that's all tits and arse at all. Back in the inn there is another holy trinity happening only younger, and there is childbirth and whatnot besides. She can feel the laughter bottling up in her throat and she has a quiet laugh all to herself, a crazy zombie going into convulsions behind a pillar of rubble.

She thinks, when it is her night and her right for heroic scenes of intrigue and sagacity (she does not wish for drama though she is sore tempted) she will make the time stretch in her head so that it seems like it will last forever, and it will be good.

There's Adalia hoisted safe on the umbrella, her little pink and white body quite worn out, on a floating umbrella that hops occasionally when it thinks people isn't looking and bugger all about the girl, there's a reason for everything and the reason it hops is because a real ghostly umbrella ought to hop, and the girl is tired, and since the girl is tired she's a beggar for a ride and beggars can't be choosers, and the body whistles a song about love and proposals that she thinks is a right fine tune to set against the backdrop of a thousand irate townsfolk lashing about them with weapons.


teleportation > running on foot from angry torch-and-pitchfork-wielding mob

(Insert Kalah-senpai's Knes post here)

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Fear… ~*~*~*~*~

Every muscle of my body continued to scream in pain, that monster, that thing, I could still feel it’s fingers plunged into my neck, pulling me out, pulling me from the inside out. A painful thud compounded the pain, and jolted me out of the constant nightmare of the demon pulling me from all sides, of no one noticing and walking away. My eyes opened, the pain continued to expand as the environment began to come into view. I lifted my head, feeling the rock on the ground; we had to be out side of town, but was the monster still here? “How about you just shut up?” Kite spat, his hand going onto his hilt in anger. My eyes turned to see Ovan who was just shaking his head in annoyance. “Fine then you deal with her.”

I rose up, instantly falling on my side as the wounds left by the demon continued to pour pain into my body. “Ow…” I moaned, my hands on my waist, pressing against the blood soaked robe. Ovan came over, scooping me up, while some one in the group called out at Knes for shock. My head continued to pound and I glanced in the direction of where a new… man stood, he looked almost sixteen, but in his eyes, I could still see the young Knes that would play with me, only he seemed older. “You’ve changed.” I gulped, swallowing a mixture of spit and dried blood.

Knes nodded back, holding up his hand as he explained. “It seems that last battle unleashed more of my mana. I wasn’t able to contain it the way I was before… so I think it made a new body for me. New clothes too.” He explained, kneeling down on the ground, his tone becoming more serious. “I teleported ahead and it seems we’re going to be traveling through the desert next. Let’s prepare well.” He added, standing there for a few minutes before going over to Ban and talking to him.

The way he moved, the way he stood, and the way he looked, and talked. He looked so much older and more mature. “I would say we still have a hour more before we reach the desert.” He explained in his conversation with Ban. My heart began to sank in realization, I was the only child again in the group, would Knes start acting like Loki did? Would he want to be adult and do more adult things? Would he stop wanting to play with me and be with a child? My heart began to race, and I felt a pang of jealousy in my gut. Why him? Why did he get to grow up? He knew I wanted to grow up so much, that we could grow up together, but he went on. “Hold on one second.” He walked away from Ban, moving over to me in Ovan’s arms, blood still dripping from my robe.

“Hey how you feeling?” He asked, his face full of worry and concern, he moved his hand over to stroke a lock of my hair, and instantly I flinched away. “Its still me.” Knes’ face began to fill with worry and hurt.

Ovan shifted my weight around in his arms. “Its okay Knes, she’s lost a lot of blood, don’t take it personally, and give it some time.” Ovan spoke, his voice softer and kind as Knes touched my hand, rubbing it gently.

“Try and get well soon.” He whispered, his voice a bit deeper, all the while as I drifted off into blackness.

The warm night air of Talidan washed over the two of us as Knes and I lay on the roof, the echoes of the far off battle could be heard. I had just told him I loved him, and now we were watching the stars. I continued to think and fret about what Loki had said earlier, not really even listening to Knes as he continued to name stars. “Knes?” I asked, breaking his description. “Will you promise me that we will grow up together?”

Knes turned and took my hand, everything began to swirl around me, the colors and objects began to swirl together. “I promise.” He whispered, although Knes’ voice began to sound different, and in the back of my mind I began to wonder if this was even real, if it was a memory, or just a dream.

Everything began to get bright again, the warm air washing against my cheeks. “What’s happening?” I coughed, my throat dry, my mind began to come out of the fog of the dream, and everything clicked: the desert. “How long have we been walking?” I asked, looking up at Ovan, my sweat stained hair sticking to my face.

“You think you can walk?” He asked, slowly placing me on my feet, although his eyes continued to glance over at the baby, yet never making eye contact with Dana.

I nodded, taking one uneasy step and then another. “Thank you for carrying me Dani.” I continued to walk, my body swaying and threatening to fall over with each step. I didn’t even turn around to check and see if she had heard me. I made it about five more steps before my right leg gave out, I fell forward but never fell all the way, Knes’ strong, yet larger arms were quickly around me, helping me upright. “Thanks..” I mumbled, my head turning away to not look at him, to not look at what he had become.

“I know you are mad at me..” Knes whispered, I could feel the prying eyes of everyone else in the group. “Please, please don’t be mad at me, I had no control over..” His voice suddenly stopped as I moved my right arm over and took his hand into mine, intertwining our fingers.

A sense of relief seemed to wash over the two of us as we began to walk again, when ever I would start to stumble Knes would help me up, but I couldn’t look at him, not yet. It wasn’t thirty minutes later that we all came to a stop again; black dots littered the horizon on all sides. The group seemed tired, and it didn’t help that most of us were carrying some one else. “It’s the fearls…” Knes whispered, his eyes scanning the horizon as I did. “Thousands of them”


Naga
~*~*~*~*~ Escape ~*~*~*~*~

My fingers curled around the stone that was the door leading out to my freedom. For days I was trapped inside of my temple, freed from the trappings of that crystal, but under the constant watch of the Garuda, bird like humans who had a nasty way of driving me back, as I found out the first night. “Ban…Danielle…Dimitri…Kite... and Knes... my how you have grown to a sexy man.” I whispered, feeling them close, close enough that I could reach out and touch. My tongue flicked out, licking my lips in anticipation.

“Garuda…Garuda…where are you?” I whispered, my head moving to the left, and then to the right, and then high into the air. No sign. I took a step out, my human legs swaying as wind blew past them. I missed the tail, it was so much easier, yet I couldn’t go and scare my prey? I took another step and a screech roared near by, my eyes going wide in fear until I realized it was going further and further away.

“Thank you who ever you are.” I bowed to the unknown man or woman that was entertaining my captors. I bolted to the right, running as fast as my legs would take me as I walked through the mana wall meant to keep Humans out unless I let them in.

My purple hair blew in the breeze as I stepped past the edge of town and let the sand run over my feet. In the distance the fearls were surrounding some unlucky traveler. A unlucky traveler that had attracted more than their fair share of them. “Hold on my loves, you will not escape my grasp just yet.” I charged forward, racing through the fearls as the battle already began, hands slashing wildly, as I ripped the limbs from the beasts.

“You will not take my lovers from me.” I whispered, dismembering several of them in one kick. “Not again…”

[Haruko]

Ovan
-too quiet, it may disappear / even though I scream so loud / even when it cuts through the silence / even my voice will fade away.~ Shinjitsu no Yukue* Sung by Tomoyo Mitani
Status: Barely has Mana/Energy.
Control: Danielle

As I felt myself awaken into the body I created into this world, a barrel of pain was dumped on me. My skin was tight, my muscles ached. My head hurt; although this could be contributed to the headache that Ovan was getting from coming into contact from the liquid mana prior, and I felt as if I had not eaten for days. I slowly opened my eyes, and groaned, saying to myself.

"What did that fucktard to do my body now.."I slowly got up to my feet, seeing Knes cover Adalia's small ears made me chuckle a bit; but I was still mad as hell. Looking down to view the damage, I was wrapped with bandages on my legs and arms, and barely any of my clothing survived the blast, only enough of my pants to make shorts did survive. I looked around,confused as to what was happening. I turned to Knes, and promptly asked; "And where are we?"

'Top of the mountain, Old Kulun, if I remember..'Ovan replied to my question, and I nodded, biting my lower lip as I looked at what used to be the opera house; and now was a battle-stage for a wolf and a demonic creature of sorts.
“So any ideas on how to stop that?” Marion asked, pointing a finger towards the former structure. Each of us didn't have a thing to say; we didn't know how to help. I couldn't at all, I didn't have Valkyrie or any mana. I felt useless...

"Ovan.."I heard Stella say behind me, and as I turned behind to look, she was carrying Valkyrie with her swords blade acting like a whip. She placed it down, and I slowly went to her to pick Valkyrie up, placing it back on the belt that; surprisingly, remained unscathed. I smiled, it felt odd not having her at my waist.

It was at this moment that things went to hell.

“It’s coming… the baby.”I heard behind me, and I looked behind me to see that Adalia found Danarica; who seemed to be in labor. I could feel all the color in my face draining, and all the energy I had; which was bare-none; dissipating at the thought of the child. She then gave off a horrid shriek in pain, which only made my body grow more limp, my face more pale.

“I heard explosions, what’s happening?”She asked, taking deep breaths. She looked into each of our eyes;; as if scouting for the truth. "Where is Ban and Dimitri?"

“Little Miss Hero here decided to release Moswen, she came out as a big horrible monster that will probably destroy this whole town and kill millions.”Kite pointed at Adalia, playing the blame game. I sighed at the immaturity of it all, as Adalia screamed back at him to shut up. My eyes couldn't move away from Danarica, as I heard an agrument in the background coming from the children.

"it'll..be alright.."I tried to assure Danarica, gulping a bit. I didn't want to be control for this moment, and I tried to switch, but Ovan was refusing as much as I was. I slowly took her hand, it trembling at the thought of being a parent. She looked into my eyes, as I tried to look into hers. We were both scared, of course.

"Everyone STOP!" Marion screamed out to get the children to stop their quarrels.“We need to get Dana inside or she and the baby will freeze to death.”
"Yes...we should get to the inn.."Knes said, and I was quick to summon any strength I had in my body; and as if acting like a man possessed, I carried Danarica in my arms as we dashed into the inn. Ignoring the innkeepers words, we hastily got her into my room; and laid her down as the contractions became more and more frequent.

"I see something.."Stella curiously peeked down there as she took off Danarica's pants, as if she was a doctor. I immediately wanted to pass out there, but Stella pushed a bag of smelling salts into my hands, and shook her head no. "Not even a chance, Ovan."

I inhaled the salts and looked at Danarica as Stella and Marion guided her through the birth, repeated yelling vocals of "Push, push!" and "No, it's not coming!!" ensued from the three as I watched the scene unfold. Danarica was griping onto the sheets in pain, and within a few minutes; but what seemed like hours, the baby girl was born. Stella handed me a pair of scissors and I carefully, holding Danarica's hand, cut the baby's umbilical cord. It's eyes were blue, and its hair was crimson. Stella wrapped the newborn in a towel, allowing Danarica and I to see the newborn for a minute until they took the child away to clean her up.

'Thank you..so much, for not taking it out on Danarica, Danielle.'
'I can be mad at you or me for getting Danarica pregnant..'I thought, looking at the newborn girl as Stella and Marion cleaned her up.'But I can't be mad at the baby.'

As Stella and Marion finished cleaning the child, placing her in a small, yet clean and slightly silky sheet, It must've been that the birth was finished; that we've overstayed our welcome. The innkeeper yelled words like "You monsters, destroying buildings and families - whats next, our town!?", and pushed us out with a broom. I carried Danarica again in my arms; again with a strength of a man possessed (maybe from adrenaline?), as Danarica held our baby girl in our arms. We soon approached Knes, Ban; who was carrying a passed out Moswen, and Dimitri.

"The Inn-.."I started to say to them as I heard from behind me, the door from the inn opening and the harsh words from the innkeeper pouring out of his mouth. The whole town started to follow suite, blaming us for the destruction of the towns beloved Opera House, and the houses that sat close to the building.

'It truly is their fault, for forgetting their religion in the first place.'Valkyrie uttered out, and I chuckled; something that made Danarica look up at me, puzzled. We started to run away from the townsfolk, a effort that seemed futile as most of us were carrying someone else, or were exhausted from the fight with the Cerebus.
"Knes.."Stella looked at the child as we ran, and he nodded, knowing what she meant simply by calling his name.
"Right."

It was almost as if one second, we were in the cold mountain town of the Old Kulun, and the next, we were in the forest. I stumbled back, but then sighed. I smiled at Danarica as I slowly placed her down, against the tree. I didn't look directly into her eyes, and only into the baby girl's. I couldn't bring myself to do such; as I still was a girl inside; I didn't have feelings for Danarica. Ovan did.

As for myself, I rested on a tree diagonal of Danarica's. My body felt drainned, barely any adrenaline left from Danarica's pregnancy was in storage. I wanted to collapse and fall asleep, but it seemed like we were going to head out soon; it wasn't the place for a long rest. I looked around and noticed Adalia resting near the Zombie's umbrella. Her wounds looked serious, and I looked over to Stella to see if she could help. Stella, herself, was closing her eyes for a brief rest.

"Just leave her like that."Kite replied to me looking at Adalia in concern. I glared up at her, what was wrong with him, anyway? The whole speech about being 'a replacement' and whatnot made no sense to me whatsoever, really. Adalia isn't Ryan, I could clearly see that now.

At least I could..

"Why, would you want us to do the same to you?"I glared back up at him, smirking a bit. It was a bit since I spat out a bit of sarcasm.
"I actually contribute to this team, unlike pretty princess over there."
"As does she."I replied.
"Why do you even give a damn, Ovan? This isn't about you, just take care of your damn baby"
"Because I hate it when people give other people bullshit that the don't even deserve."I glared back, sharply. I was playing the role of Ovan poorly here.
"How about you just shut up?" He asked, as if I was about to let a child get away with murder. I shook my head no with a chuckle; he was purely an annoyance.
"Fine, then you deal with her."
"Then I shall."I mumbled, getting up slowly. I looked over at Danarica, and checked up on her and the child quickly before going to Adalia, taking off the remains of my shirt; keeping on my chain mail, and holding it against her wounds to stop the bleeding, applying as much pressure as I could without snapping her fragile neck.

I didn't pay much attention to the conversation that Adalia had with Knes, although it concerned much about Knes' much more grown-up costume. At least, it was just that; a costume with new gadgets and gizmo's, but the same Knes was probably inside. It was when Knes went over to talk to Ban that I stopped holding pressure to her neck; it seemed to stop bleeding, and sighed.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"I asked her, concerned a bit from how deep the wound was. Knes, next to me, tried to stroke a lock of her hair; of to which Adalia flinched.
"It's still me.."Knes said to the gesture, more then likely a bit hurt from it.
"It's okay Knes, she's lost a lot of blood. Don't take it personally and give it some time." I told Knes to lift his spirits, and looked down to Adalia."Try and get well soon.."

'Be damned if my body can keep this pace any longer, I feel as if I'm going to pass out..'

We, sooner or later, started to walk into the desert that Knes talked about. Danarica had gained enough energy to walk on her two feet, and I lent her the smelling salts that Stella had gave me. Stella, herself, was next to Danarica, providing support for her in case she needed anything; as well as caring a small canteen of water she snuck out of the inn, allowing Danarica to drink from it prior to anyone else. I held Adalia in my arms; gathering a few glares from Kite. She was lighter than Danarica to gather, but my body was still in shambles after what Ovan did to the Cerberus.

'Remind me to kick your ass for that.'
'I'll try to.'Ovan laughed and I sighed. Sweat dripped down my face as Adalia seemed to be stirring, and looked up at me; puzzled.

"What's happening?"She coughed, more than likely from a dry throat."How long have we've been walking?"She looked up at me, her own hair sticking to her face.
"Think you can walk?"I asked her, and she nodded as I slowly placed her on her feet. As I did, I kept my eyes more so on the child; it seemed lively, cradled in Danarica's arms. I couldn't get myself to look at Danarica..
"thank you for carrying me, Dani"She thanked me, and I was thrown into shock for a second; was I that easy to see through? Then again, I did tell Adalia that I created Ovan, and slipped in time from time..but still..I sighed,shrugging it off and walked over to where Stella and Danarica seemed to be, and allowed the baby to hold my finger. Stella allowed me a sip of the canteen, and I thanked her. She could probably sprout a cactus big enough for all of us to be satisfied, really..

We seemed to walk for a good thirty minutes or so, until we came to a stop. The horizon was littered with black dots, a plethora of them. I tried to muster any mana that I could, but no luck, I barely had any fuel in the tank to make me walk, not enough to make me fight.

“It’s the fearls…” Knes whispered, his eyes scanning the horizon,“Thousands of them”


Shinjitsu no Yukue = Whereabouts of the Truth.

@.@ I'm going to die now. srsly.

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is absurd. Am I the only one who sees that Adalia isn't innocent? I winced from the wound that the Cerberus had given me, a deep gash in my left hip. "This is bad. I don't think I'll be able to make a decent shield," I muttered.

This is why you have your halberd.

'Gee, you're a talkative one.' I weighed the options. We could either fight and be killed, do nothing and be killed, or run and be killled...like cowards. "I'll take what's behind door number two," I said to myself.

Good. You run like a girl anyway.

'Shut up.'

"Just make sure you don't do anything stupid. Protect the group," Ovan told me as we got ready to do whatever we could do.

"Fine. Doing stupid things is your job anyway," I sneered.

"What is your problem?" he shouted.

"What is my problem?" I looked at the army of Fearls to make sure I had enough time to rant some more. "My problem is that everyone has seemed to have forgotten who they were! You actually think that Adalia came here thinking that she was a pretty princess? If she really has made a total transformation she wouldn't even had spoken to me when we first got here! She knows who she was! She just decided that she didn't want anything to do with me when she was tired of me!"

"She's not Ryan anymore! Can't you see that?"

I threw my hands up. "Okay then! If she can decide to not be Ryan anymore, then I can decide to not be Shonta anymore! And you know what? Kite's a bigger ass than Shonta!"

And there it was. I tuned out any response that Ovan might've made and summoned as much mana as I could. The shield flickered once like a dying lightbulb and then lit brightly as it surrounded the group. "There's no way that we'll be able to fight the Fearls and protect the ones unable to fight. So why don't you be the smart one, Knes, and get out of my sight? Take anyone you can while you're at it. There's no way half of us will be able to move, much less fight. Or maybe you have some new trick to go with your new look that can kill all of these Fearls."

This could be my last stand. No horse to succeed me. Custer was so lucky.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


My little baby girl screamed in my arms, twisting and turning slightly in discomfort as I held her close to my chest. Sweat ran down my hair, dripping to the back of my neck as we continued to walk through the sweltering desert. "I know you are hot, I am too.." I whispered, our merry bunch of travelers didn't look like much right now, not with half of us carrying the other half. "We are almost there, and then I'll feed you." I added with a whisper. My free hand stroking my quickly decreasing stomach. Even with my stomach almost flat, my breasts still felt like two big weights.

I staggered along with the others, not really paying attention to what they were saying, it was just too damn hot. Still, it was nice to actually be able to walk semi normally. Dennis was actually palpable in the back of my mind, but at the moment, it was just vague feelings, nothing coherent and solid. Still, it was good to know for sure that he wasn't gone.

The Baby's crying suddenly got deathly silent, as was everyone else. As if everyone could feel the change in the wind. My eyes traveled up to see dark shapes on the horizon in every direction. Dark shapes moving fast as Knes quickly assured us they were fearls. I hadn't had a battle in a long time, but I knew if I didn't fight that they would hurt my baby.

As everyone got ready, Kite began to bitch at Ovan, about how everyone seemed to forget who they were. And my blood turned icy. I strode forward, purposefully, and, ignoring the imminent danger, slapped Kite in the face.

"You are WRONG. It ISN'T pretending, it ISN'T deciding to be someone else, it's that we all have other people in our heads, and in some of us, they're stronger, so shut up, and quit taking out your petty grievances on the rest of us, you asshole!" I stated, a bit loudly, but so coldly angry, it suprised even myself.

Kite glared daggers back, hoisting up his weapon. "Take care of your damn baby and stay out of things that do not concern you." He replied, turning his back to me. I opened my mouth to continue the argument, but the fearls were already upon us, leaping through the air, claws extended, jaws open and snapping, all angling toward us for a quick meal.

Growling to myself, I shifted the baby, pulling out a dagger, I wouldn't be the most useful, but I'd be damned if I'd go down without a fight.

I swung my dagger, striking home with the first Fearl, I flung the body at two others, sending them tumbling as my dagger fell free of it's skull. Another fearl swatted at my baby, it's claws raking against the cloth I held it in. I quickly turned, digging the dagger between it's eyes as I backed up to where Adalia and the others stood, the ones that couldn't protect themselves because they were out of mana, or asleep. "We can't kill them, not this many." I whispered, it was true, we were like sand before a Tidal wave.

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
188:
Firestarter


The body's in a group of people, lots and lots of people, but she's alone, in this group of lots and lots of people, whether by choice or by the inherent workings of natural selection she's not entirely sure and she's not entirely sure that she minds, either, because she doesn't want to be a part of the story, but outside the story watching and nodding and knowing how it works, because she has just that correct sort of contrary nature.

So there's power-ups, and snapping at each other, in the orderly, prescribed way of things, and in other news i.e. zombie-related news, Saifa putting Okiku and the body on edge with her refusal to calm down, stop her jawing, stop making such big holes in the ground every time you swing that gigantic flaming katana, it's kind of distracting to have to remember to jump over them when we're running fast as we can from an enraged mob hell-bent on spreading the contents of our insides all over the nearest wall.

Saifa says shut up, she'll do what she likes because she's the Dowager General Shakusaifa with a shrine and a living clan, who was smart enough to know that blowing up continents is a bad, bad way to finish any war, and who's the one who knows how to wield a flaming sword here, it's her isn't it, so would they all, for the umpteenth time, kindly shut the fuck up, she knows exactly what she's doing.

In the time between this paragraph and the next Knes's mass teleport and subsequent growing-up process happens. As we understand the details have already been iterated elsewhere.

The body says, well now half or more of this lovely travelling company isn't fit to fight, some with no mana, others hissy-fit-ing, one recently pregnant, people knocked out and all, at least someone's recently gone through a power-up and not utilized said power-up negating someone else's power-up so yes I suppose Knes will be useful, if we're lucky we won't run into Fearls, ahahaha I see that I'm rather amusingly wrong, those little black dots that are quickly becoming large and unfriendly black creatures speeding in our direction must be Fearls, deary deary me. Tally-ho! Fearls all arvo! With all due respect, Lady Saifa - set to work with your version of the flaming sword gimmick, if you please.

A small circle is formed around the people who can't fight, by the ones who can. By this time it is painfully clear that there are some of them present and attempting to fight that should've been left behind in a safe town, somewhere far away, possibly the lady with the red hair and the daggers and the baby girl. Nonetheless the red-haired lady dispatches a few Fearls quite by herself; nothing is fiercer or more ruthless than a mother defending her young. In the circle: Adalia and now Danarica and the baby and the inert forms of Moswen and Dimitri, tended to by Marion. Outside the circle: Ovan and Kite and Ban and Stella and Knes and the body, Saifa, Okiku.

Ah, and this is the part where we eliminate about two hundred or so Fearls - are you reading closely?

Saifa is angry, very angry: she lays the katana about her, a great pillar of supernatural magenta flame, and she doesn't muck about when she's letting off steam. The sheer power is channeled out of rage, indignance perhaps. A teasing soundtrack loops itself over and over in her head, the world is going to end again, this time it will be something far more humiliating than merely being privy to an explosion of epic proportions and being able to do nothing about it, the world is going to end, the snake lady is behind all this, the world is going to end, Miroku is an idiot, the world is going to end, la de la de da.

Okiku and the body can only hang on for dear death and watch as the furious spirit darts in and out and all around the horde of Fearls, trails of pink flame following her triumphal progress. Fearls are suddenly left headless, legless and in some unfortunate cases entirely bodyless. Saifa repeats this for the next few frantic minutes. Choppity chop chop, splice, incinerate, splat. In her mind Saifa slaughters the fools that decided to blow Gens up, over and over and over and over.

But the horde continues to pour in, and against these odds one begins to count the seconds to relief from the fighting. Pausing most abruptly, acknowledging the presence of a certain familiar haze, Saifa turns, and snarls. It is the purple snake woman, the one that was all tits and arse.

The three of them, Saifa, Okiku, the body, they feel the scales rustling deep down in some long-buried instinct, and they do not like it.

They do not like the purple snake woman, not even if she is single-handedly annihilating the swarm of Fearls, not even if she is helping them out of their trouble; they mutter, she'll only bring more trouble.

They are right.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Cannons to the Right, Cannons to the Left ~*~*~*~*~

My staff instantly dropped into my hand as I charged forward, whipping it around into defense form as I prepared to take on the enemy. “Hold on.” Knes quickly pulled me back as if I were a feather, a glare forming on my face. “You just got done using a lot of mana, Adalia.” He warned.

I glanced away; looking over at the cloud of dust the Fearls were kicking up as they got closer and closer. “I will be fine, look I can make a Mana Bubble.” I opened my hand, forming a mana bubble much to my delight, although that bubble quickly dissipated, the mana drifting off into the air as my hand began to turn red and blister. “Ow…” I winced, holding the blistered hand close to my chest.

Moving me back to where Dana, Moswen, and Dimitri lay, I crossed my arms and puffed out my cheeks defiantly. “Please don’t be like that.” Knes looked away, glancing back at the fearls as they came closer and closer. His eyes glanced back over at me, pulling aside a pouch and opening it. “I have been meaning to give this to you for a while but we have been so busy..” He brought out the last thing I ever expected to see, my doll! The doll I had once thought lost back in the jail at Talidan.

He placed it into my hands, my non-blistered hand instantly stroking its hair. “Please just stay here, just for this battle.” He asked, I could only nod, my hand holding the doll close to me again.

“Thank you…” I whispered, Knes getting up and leaving, charging into battle with his sword raised as he met the enemy in a way that I had never seen, he was more refined, battling in a way that made it look as if he would not make a single mistake, every step, every swing was perfect.

The feeling of intense mana soon drew my attention to the Zombie, a pillar of spirits flew about her, rushing forward and striking fearls in a way so graphic that I had to quickly turn my head from the disgusting sight. When the sound of screams died down from that direction, it looked as almost two hundred bodies lay dead. “Wow…” I whispered in shock.

Although even with that display of power the fearls quickly drew in closer and closer, and soon Stella came running back carrying a knocked out Ovan. “Is he okay?” I asked, rushing over as fearls jumped on the backs of myself and Stella, bringing about screams from myself and Stella. “Get off, get off, get off.” I screamed swatting at the monster with my hands as it clawed at my back.

“Get..” I screamed, the weight suddenly removed from my back. I glanced up expecting to see Knes standing above me, only to see a beautiful purple haired woman, her kicks spinning around to send Fearls flying and scurrying away. Who was she?

Naga
~*~*~*~*~ Victory ~*~*~*~*~

With hands and fists flying these little creatures were easily shed, and at moments with no one looking I would let my tail loose to sweep many off their feet in one swipe. I quickly moved past the other, well weaker females and onto Ban and Knes, my eyes even on the asleep Ovan who looked so strong yet peaceful. “I see you are in a bit of trouble.” I smiled, ducking one fearl and punching another in a jaw, strong enough to shatter it.

Others came running at us as I turned to face them, projecting the massive aura of the naga in front at them to send the Fearls quickly scattering. Others near looked up and took notice, rushing off in all different directions, leaving their dead and wounded to suffer on the battlefield. “What was that all about?” Ban asked, stepping past me to watch them run off.

“I have never seen that happen before.” Kite looked on in shock.

I walked over, placing my hands on each of their shoulders. “It was a well fought battle, I haven’t seen warriors like you in a long time.” I remarked, glancing over at Knes and winking playfully. “I wish to reward you mighty boys, I haven’t had many visitors at my place, I would gladly welcome you boys to join me for some relaxation.” I offered, running a finger over Kite’s shoulder ever so slightly.

“I promise you, it will be worth your while, and you will be able to see the girls by nightfall.” I offered, knowing it was a complete lie, but my aura was so seductive, so addicting that they wouldn’t care, and those that would, would be shackled until they came around.

Okay I made the battle as open as possible so that you guys can do what you want in it. If not you guys can travel back to the Naga’s palace, the Girls will be left out, they can’t even pass her mana wall, but the boys will be promised they will get to see them soon.

[Haruko]

Ovan//Stella D'Aubigine
-darkness flows from my tainted fingertips / prying open until you're in shreds//in a light sleep, these scattered thoughts of mine are creaking / if only I could erase everything now.- HOWLING by abingdon boys school

As I continued to swipe Valkyrie through fearls, I could barely keep my eyes open. My skin was intensly dry as to where everyone else, save the already dead Zombie, was sweating from the desert sun. My mouth was dry, the small sip of water from Stella's canteen felt like it happened a millenia ago. Valkyries slashes into the waves of fearls continued to grow weaker, as to one point; she had almost fallen out of my hands completely.

I could basically hear nothing but my heartbeat in my ears.

My chest felt swollen, I could barely get a breath in before another was needed.

'Danielle, behind you!'I heard above the heartbeat, and as quick as I could, manuevered Valkyrie through the stomach of a fearl. As I felt the blade rip through the body, my feet tripped and I felt myself fall quickly onto the sandy ground. I couldn't move as the fallen fearl I had killed a second earlier laid ontop of me; my legs ached too much to, it felt as if the world was spinning to my demise. My whole body was radiating some sort of heat..

could I just close my eyes, and rest a little bit here..
--


As I quickly stabbed and released a mob with my sword, I noticed Ovan tripping on his feet on my left. At the same time I noticed, another fearl did aswell, and quickly went in the for the human kill. I quickly ran towards him, and stabbed the fearl that thought he'd get such an easy meal; right in the heart. Releasing it, I looked down at Ovan, as his eyes slowly closed. His face was flushed, and abnormly dry from this heat. I felt his head; he atleast had a fever of 101.

"I'm such an idiot..why didn't I notice him not sweating before!.."I panicked, getting out my canteen as I heard a noise closing in on me. I looked to my side, my right, and saw a huge fearl closing in on us. At the same moment, I saw a small cactus, an innocent bud in the desert that had remained unsquashed yet from the battle. Determined, I looked sharply at the cactus..

My eyes glew in intensity as the cactus infront of me grew more than 10 times its size, impaling the fearl as it sprang upwards, its sharp spines sticking into the fearl. I shaped the tip as a spear as it grew, and I was certain it was dead as it gushed blood. I quickly picked up my canteen and Ovan; who was a bit heavy to carry from being a tall guy, and ran towards Adalia.

"Is he ok?"She asked, and it was at the end of the sentence that I could feel claws trying to dig into my back. I sharply turned around, yelling in pain as I extened my flower sword once more and stabbed as many fearl as I could as the cut wound on my back started to bleed, which I could feel by my shirt gainning moisture.

It was no use..were we going to die here..?

I tried to keep my own, protecting the sickly Ovan until I looked around, and there were barely any fearls left. In place, was a woman with purple hair and a mystic aura about her; something not human. She moved near Ban and Knes, and looked at Ovan with eyes that creeped me out slightly. I held my back in pain, and turned around, opening my canteen and ignoring the strange woman; having to take care of Ovan before his fever worsened.

I kept my ears tuned in though, even as I continued to wince as I soaked a small bandage in water.

“What was that all about?”Ban asked to more than likely, the strange newcomer.
“I have never seen that happen before.” Kite said, a hint of shock in his voice. I placed the water soaked bandage on Ovan's forehead, but it was probably not enough. He needed shelter, and fluids..cold fluids..

“It was a well fought battle, I haven’t seen warriors like you in a long time.”The strange woman's voice filled the air, “I wish to reward you mighty boys, I haven’t had many visitors at my place, I would gladly welcome you boys to join me for some relaxation.”

Shelter?...but she's a stranger..

“I promise you, it will be worth your while, and you will be able to see the girls by nightfall.”She added, trying to vanish any doubts we had. Ovan needed shelter, and she was offering just what he needed..Should I let Ovan go where he could get better, or stay here and get worse?

I slowly stood up, holding my shoulder as I could feel the blood still trickling out of my wound. I walked over to the Naga, who seemed not to care much for my presence.
"You promise..Ovan has a fever, you'll make sure he gets well, right?"I asked her, looking into her eyes for honesty.
"I'll take very good care of him."She replied, smiling; I could almost spot a fang. I looked over to Ovan, who was laying in the sand and breathing heavily, and pointed to him; his sword in his hands, contained in a deathly grip.
--


A soft surface, almost like plush..my head on a soft, silky pillow. I slowly opened my eyes, only to be blinded by the light in the room. Where was I?! The last thing I remembered, I was in the desert, fighting fearls. Did I die, and go to heaven? I opened my eyes once more, and felt a hand on my forehead.

"Oh my, you still have a bit of a fever.."I heard a familiar voice. I looked over, and felt paralyzed in shock. It was the person that intruded in the personal confines of my mind, if she was a person. Yet, I couldn't feel mad. Something about her..made me feel happy. Almost euphoric. I didn't move an inch as she continued to sit next to my laying body, moving her hand towards the bedtable, getting a grape and feeding it to me. I chewed it; almost like instinct; I didn't want or feel the need to refuse. She smiled, and got up slowly, keeping her seductive eyes on me at all times.

"Remember the offer I made you, Danielle."She smiled, a fang showing,"but only when you're feeling a little better."


This layout is brought to you by my boredom. Blue is Ovan, green is stella, A duh.

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The good news was that I was too busy making sure that the Fearls didn't kill me to care about anything else.

The bad news was that I didn't seem to care that my own tail was on the line.

"AAAH!" I yelled as a Fearl grabbed my tail in its jaws. I jabbed it with my halberd and yanked my tail away. Blood dripped from deep gashes along the middle. "This is just great! I actually groom this thing!"

Thanks to Zombie-chan (with her terrifying attack) and a strange woman, many of the Fearls were dead before long and whatever was left ran from the sight of the female stranger. Something about that didn't sit right with me. “I have never seen that happen before,” I said in awe.

The woman put a hand on my shoulder and immediately I felt like melting into a puddle. It was like every nerve in my body was going crazy. “It was a well fought battle, I haven’t seen warriors like you in a long time.” She winked at Knes, and both of us looked like we were going to hurl. “I wish to reward you mighty boys, I haven’t had many visitors at my place, I would gladly welcome you boys to join me for some relaxation.”

At first I was going to protest, seeing as I didn't want to be bothered by any woman at the moment. Then she very lightly ran a finger down my shoulder. Suddenly a certain feeling shot straight down to my crotch. How could I ever be aroused? I was a girl, for crying out loud!

“I promise you, it will be worth your while, and you will be able to see the girls by nightfall," she assured us. Stella seemed to buy it and let her take Ovan. Then she looked into my eyes, making me feel like a deer caught in a car's headlights. "What about you?"

My mouth worked but nothing coherent came out at first. "Well...I...walk...pretty..." I stammered like an idiot.

She quickly forgot about my eyes and noticed my wounded tail. "Oh, you poor kitty! Your tail looks so bad and I bet it hurts so much!" A finger trailed down my extended spine and for a few seconds I was in heaven. "I can bandage that for you back at my palace. And I can feed you! And you can sleep on a nice bed!"

Despite her being only shallowly kind -- there was a glint in her eyes that suggested she wanted something more from me -- my body didn't seem to care. At least I'll get some kind of affection after everyone kicked me around.

"I guess I could spend a night there for some rest," I whimpered.

She eagerly me along with the other guys to her palace, which really looked like a palace. I got my own room with a bed too big to fit into my room back on Earth. There was a scent in the air that gave me the same liquid feeling as that woman. By the way, I didn't even know her name.

I curled up like a cat on the bag and enjoyed the peace and decor. Soon the stranger walked in the room with a mouth-watering stew and some bandages. "Hey Kite, ready for a little nourishment?" she asked with a tone in her voice that didn't settle well with me.

I sat up and reached for the bowl, only to have my hands slapped away. "Nuh-uh! Why fight so hard only to feed yourself?" she scolded. She dipped a spoon in the bowl and directed it towards my mouth. I let myself be fed like an infant, all the while wondering how she knew my name.

Afterwards she bandaged my tail with the care of a nurse. "Those evil Fearls did this to my Kite...I'm glad they suffered." She stroked my tail, earning a deep purr from me. Her touch was so addictive, her smell... "I must be making your girlfriend so jealous."

Her statement made me wince from pain. Emotional, not physical. "I have no girlfriend. No one can stand me, let alone love me," I groaned.

"That's awful!" Her face showed some shock but I wasn't sure that it was genuine. "You poor thing! You can live here with me and be very much loved." She held my head to her chest and played with my ears, almost giving me sensory overload.

This is wrong. I may be selfish but I have a family...friends...a future back home...but it may be all gone and the only person here that I cared about... I buried my head in her chest, feeling very vulnerable.

"I'll take good care of you," the woman whispered.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
To the women and children, the souls of the dead

I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to say something among the line of “fuckshit, fuckshit, fuckshit…” There was a voice at the back of my head, and it was sounded manic, and was continuously prodding at my mind.

“Hm?” I muttered, realizing that I had just phased out. Um, okay… so what had happened...? My mind seems a bit misty…

A wild cry from around, and it came back to me. We were running from those angry villagers, travelling in a desert when…

I held my breath and looked up from what I was doing. Hundreds – or perhaps thousands – of Fearls, coming down upon us.

Oh, damn.

I turned back and worked on the task of healing the unconscious Moswen and Dimitri, hoping that the others would succeed in driving off the Fearls.

“Eleven VS thousand, what the fuck.”

“Oh, be quiet…” I gave a mental push to the voice, and continued to channel more mana into Moswen and Dimitri, switching between them. And every time I do, I’d always put in slightly more mana in Moswen. I would then looked back, winced, and put in more mana in Dimitri. The process was repeated several times.

This brings in almost a total drainage of my mana, and so with trembling fingers, I stopped the healing process and sat back, observing Moswen and Dimitri, dismayed to see that they were still unconscious. I supposed the healing does help to recover some of their wounds, but it didn’t do anything yet to wake them up from their stupor.

Wordlessly, I took off the bracelet from my wrist, passed it into Moswen’s closed hands, and looked around, noticing that there was another present beside us. A woman – which I supposed could be said beautiful – with purple hair was casually walking towards us, taking out Fearls with ease. In a moment, most of the Fearls were taken out – those who survived quickly scurried away without looking back.

Who was she?

The woman walked around us, looking at the guys intently, ignoring the girls altogether.

“It was a well fought battle, I haven’t seen warriors like you in a long time.” She said, and more or less begins to flirt with the guys. “I wish to reward you mighty boys; I haven’t had many visitors at my place, I would gladly welcome you boys to join me for some relaxation.”

Her eyes, she’s on the dark side. Neutralize every man in sight. Hm, now where have I heard that before?

“I promise you, it will be worth your while, and you will be able to see the girls by nightfall.”

Wait a minute… so she’s going to leave the rest of us here? Great.

And one by one, the guys went and followed her, with her carrying both Ovan and Dimitri on her shoulders like they weight nothing at all. I blinked, looking at the remaining group who were having stupefied look on their face.

“Well… I suppose the sensible thing to do is to follow them… right?” I suggested, and that was exactly what we did.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ The more things change… ~*~*~*~*~

We began to walk, because it seemed to be the only thing to do, following the boys to see where it led us. Knes hadn’t even turned back to look at me yet, it seemed as if he and the others were in a trance, which worried me even more. “Look at that…” Marion gasped, pointing out to a large building on the horizon, which looked almost like the Taj Mahal a beautiful large building with a round dome at the top of it. The building seemed to eclipse almost anything else in the particularly small and unimpressive town. “Well at least we wont have to guess where the temple is…”

I glanced over at Knes, watching him with my eyes before looking down at my doll, Rebecca was what I had named her a while ago. “Its going to be okay Rebecca.” I whispered, running my fingers through the doll’s hair. Getting some strange looks from Zombie-chan as we walked.

When I glanced up again noticing that we were almost to the temple now. “Maybe we are going there first..” Marion mumbled, shifting the weight of Moswen in her arms. I glanced over at Dana, watching her movements with the baby and tried to follow them with Rebecca in my arms. “Should we tell the..” She continued to say before smacking into something that sounded like a wall.

“Damnit.” She winced, rubbing her nose as Zombie hit it too, I came to a stop just before it, placing my hand and feeling around, it was like touching mananite, but you couldn’t see it. “The boys just walked right through it..” Marion watched as the boys headed off into the building.

“Why does she just want the boys?” Marion asked.

Zombie began to giggle, looking between us. “Maybe she wants to see if the rumors about Ban’s big Tonka are true.” She laughed as Marion’s face flushed. I leaned against the wall, sliding down it as the sun dipped into the horizon and began to stroke Rebecca’s hair again.

“They will come out soon Rebecca.” I told the doll, glancing up to notice something, no… some one on the horizon, walking this direction. I blinked, and in the blink of a eye the shape changed, this time about half the size of what it originally was, but moving a lot faster. I turned to Dana, wondering if it was just my imagination. “Do you see..” I began to ask but noticed that they were looking at it. I glanced back to notice the shape took on the look of a large black cat. My heart began to rise in shock and happiness, but then began to falter, it had to be a normal cat, there was no way it could be… him.


Naga
~*~*~*~*~ My Poor Boys ~*~*~*~*~

Kite buried his head into my chest, tears running down his face and over my breasts. I actually did feel a bit of pain for him, he was so conflicted, so confused. “I’ll take good care of you.” I whispered running my hand through his hair. After a moment I pulled his head away, looking into his eyes. For a moment everything seemed to slow, I leaned in, placing my lips on his in a very romantic, very quiet kiss as Kite melted into my arms. “Let me make you happy.” I whispered, pulling his shirt off, followed by my own, freeing my breasts.

“I..I..” Kite’s face went several colors of red, as he kept his eyes on my breasts. A large grin crept across my face as I went down, untying his pants and pulling them off, freeing what looked like a mighty strong and well-endowed part of him. It made me wonder why he didn’t have girls clamoring over him. “I havn’t felt happy in a long time.” His eyes glanced up at mine.

I laid back down on him, letting him slowly impale inside of me, as I let the illusion drop, my legs morphing back into one long snake tail as Kite’s eyes rolled back in pleasure. “This makes you feel better?” I whispered into his ear, Kite’s eyes went wide in shock and happiness, a large smile across his face as his body relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

I quickly climbed off of him, morphing my tail back into legs as I gathered my clothes. I glanced down at his member, juices coating it, but scales also beginning to form around it. It was beginning for him, and for the others soon. I straightened my hair, and walked out of the room, looking down the hallway. Knes, Dimitri, Ban, Ovan. So many I could choose from, though Dimitri did interest me, those beautiful eyes of his could see my true form. But Ovan was also hurting too, Knes would be harder to manipulate, and Ban…Ban was mysterious but familiar. Who… who to choose?

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

As he wandered from the oasis town he had taken shelter in for the past few days, Loki took the time to reflect back on what he had discovered. He had spent a lot of time by himself, journeying from town to town with no real purpose, only hearing rumours of the whereabouts and wellbeing of his comrades. Every night, he prayed for their safety, only now wishing that he had stayed with them so that he knew how everyone was, how she was.

The scorching sun beat down upon his back as he entered the desert. The oracle had sent him out with a simple task; find the others and deliver a map. Once she was sure that Loki would carry out his task, she gave him the knowledge that everybody was still alive, although she would not disclose what state they were in. This had given him enough strength to set out with his new purpose, although he feared the outcome of his next encounter with them. He was a traitor, a coward, someone they couldn’t rely on. He had taken on countless battles, struggled to get by alone, yet he was more afraid of what they would think of him now as he came back after most of their journey was already complete.

He glanced over his shoulder, only to receive a scornful comment from Becki. “Don’t look back; you know what you have to do.” He sighed, whimpering quietly.

“What if she hates me?” Loki questioned, his eyes falling to the ground as he walked. “What if she won’t forgive me?”

“It’s not all about her, Loki. You have to go for the sake of the others too, don’t be so selfish.”

“You’re right… I hate it when you’re right.” He growled, kicking a large stone in frustration.

His ears stood to attention as they picked up footsteps and the occasional voice. Loki stopped in his tracks, aware that there was nowhere for him to hide. He watched silently as a slender, rather attractive woman lead a group of men towards the town. His head tilted to one side as he watched her walk, silently wishing, much to Becki’s disgust, that he was amongst the men. After close inspection, he soon changed his mind as he did a mental checklist: Kite, Knes, Ovan, Dimitri and Ban. He frowned, confused at why they were not with the girls. By the looks of things, they had just come from battle. This meant that Moswen, Adalia and Dana were alone, perhaps injured. His thoughts went straight to Dana; wasn’t she pregnant when he left?

With his previous worries soon pushed aside, Loki continued on his journey, his feet sinking into the sand as he began to quicken the pace. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before he saw the rest of the group in the distance. His heart skipped a beat as he set eyes upon Adalia, a smile slowly emerging on his face.

He sprinted forwards, tripping as his foot sunk too far into the sand. Sitting himself up, he spat the sand out of his mouth and shook his hair free from the mass of sand grains he had managed to kick up into it. If he continued like this, it would take him hours to reach them. He closed his eyes and relaxed, allowing his panther form to reveal itself. Picking his sword up in his mouth, he raced towards the group, his paws barely penetrating the surface of the sand.

What if she hates me?! He thought suddenly, a few meters away from them. He dropped his sword as he tripped again, tumbling over the dunes, eventually coming to a halt as he turned back into his human form, his new magical ability placing his clothes back on instantly.

He rubbed his eyes as his head span. As the world came back into focus, his mouth dried up as he realised who he had almost crashed straight into. He instantly stared at the floor, his hair covering his face as he blushed and cleared his throat.

“I-I… H-hello…” Loki swallowed hard, his voice and body trembling. His ears flattened to his head in embarrassment, barely visible beneath his hair. “Um… I-I… A-adalia…”

“Loki?” Her voice was dry too. It seemed a lot gentler than he had imagined it to be. He had expected her to be angry, scold him for running away and never talk to him again. Instead, she seemed concerned.

“I-I have to give you this!” He thrust a scroll at her, dropping it into her lap, his eyes remaining fixed to the floor and hidden. “It’s a map, f-from an oracle.” He bit his lip in frustration. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at her. To his surprise, there was a small smile across her lips and when her gaze occasionally met his, it was warm and friendly. He glanced around, noticing Dana was carrying her baby, Moswen was asleep and there were two others that he hadn’t seen before. “I-I’m really sorry, Adalia… In fact, I’m sorry everyone, I’ve let you all down…”

Noticing Dana’s glares, he quickly resumed to staring at the floor and hiding in his hair. “Where have you been?” Adalia asked, her throat still dry.

Recalling just how long the journey through the desert had been for him, he quickly took a water pouch from his obi and handed it to Adalia. “It’s fresh water from the town, please pass it around. It’s the least I can do…”
~~

Erm, yay? Loki's back! ^^; *scurries away*

[EngiMatikul]

Real Name: Refer to as Thomas
Gender: Male
Personality: Quiet and analytical sums it up best. He's quite untrusting of people he doesn't know and would rather stay silent and listen to what everyone has to say, than to speak up his voice. Even in groups he is fairly familiar with, he usually won't say much and listen, or instead possibly say something insigificant. Does not usually express his true thoughts.
-----
Name: Repertoire
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: 20
Bodily Appearance: A rather thin build, standing only at average height (5'7") but because of his thin build, it makes him look a bit taller. He usually stands upright, thought when in attack position his body can be rather flexible and will "condense" if necessary. His light blue hair is of average length and appears rather "handsome", so to speak, as if he had gelled his hair in preparation for a speech, performance, or any other formal appointment. His blue eyes are slightly slinted but not too much, a cunning yet youthful glance. All in all he looks rather "bishonen" and formal, like a proper gentleman.
Clothing: Fitting with the gentleman appearance, he wears the typical "respectable nobleman (and/or his servant)" type attire. A dark blue waistcoat covers over his spotless white dress shirt with a collar adorned with frills. He wears white gloves to cover his delicate hands, and blue slacks to match the rest of his attire. His shoes, however, are more lose and appear somewhat to be like dark-colored moccasins, silent and soft to benefit his nimbleness.
Weapon: He may summon an infinite amount of a special form of blade. The blade has no handle and is double sided, as well as double edged; all the blades are mentally controlled via telekinesis. Though he can summon blades of a variety of sizes, there are some limits. The blade's maximum length is about the size of the palm of a human hand. He can vary to determine whether the blade is extremely sharp (can cut through wood and weak metal with no problems) to being blunt but extremely durable (able to withstand quite some force with just a single blade). Repertoire can make each blade he summons acts as if it has the mind of its own, able to parry and strike an opponent as if some specialist was weilding the blade themselves. The blade, however, is otherwise COMPLETELY normal unless enchanted by characters other than Repertoire. It is also rather weak in attack power (if not buffed by outside sources) and typically does not kill an opponent unless Repertoire plans his attack carefully and strikes a vital blow into his opponent (his preferred form of assassination, if he must do so) or summon millions of blades at once and focus them at one opponent (not useful, not smart, highly fatiguing, easily deflectable, most likely would never happen).
Magic: As stated above, one of his magic is to be able to summon blades and to control each of them individually as if they had their own minds. However, controlling each of them individually is slightly more exhausting and it is much easier to summon a blade to merely strike at an opponent or parry their move rather than have them constantly use tricky maneuvers. In addition to blade summoning, he also has limited control over time and space, around a small (cubic) area around himself, and around his blades. He cannot freeze time; instead, he merely speeds it up and or slows it down momentarily in the designated space. He uses this to his advantage by being able to move from one place to another with amazing speed, or so it appears to the onlooker; he also uses this to allow his blades to levitate in the air momentarily, until he wishes to strike. He uses this levitation trick also to "fly", or at least hover on his blades.
-----
Changed Personality: He's still analytical, but now he's also a lot more cynical and talkative. To the people he trusts, he will make crude and satirical remarks that often offend them; it is, however, the greatest indication to his friends that he trusts them, and his friends know that he is VERY reliable if they need him for any reason. To other people, he is remarkably polite and elegant, speaking like the nobleman he appears to be. He still listens to what others have to say, but for those he deems less trustworthy he will not regret talking to a person and then backstab him/her, sometimes literally. And hence, smart people don't trust Repertoire so easily...
Other: Direct Ripoff of the Maid character from Touhou, only I made this person a guy. :p He is also a very good seamster.

???
======
It was a hot and dreary evening. Finally having finished with all his tests, the student was exhausted and, quite frankly, disappointed. His performance on finals, he felt, was horrendous; his grades were always on borderline and he felt he finally blew it this time around, probably scoring less than desired and just narrowly missing a higher grade.
Sighing, he sat down onto his chair and opened his laptop. He checked his mail and went on the IM program; once again, no one online. A bit strange, he thought. No one's been online lately... neither Prof nor Chiko-sai... although Prof being online or offline wouldn't make much difference in talking to him... He decided to reorganize his desk, since studying for finals has caused a catastrophic mess of papers and textbooks.
Just as he was about to collect together some books, he heard a chime.

He looked to his laptop, lying on his desk. On the screen, there was something blinking on the bottom of the taskbar. Quickly he went to check who had messaged him and said what; what he saw somewhat confused him. It was an IM from Chiko-sai, but it wasn't the usual "hi" or "pikopiko" that he was accustommed to; instead, it was a long, strange message filled with comments and sparsed with laughter, then a link at the bottom. Right after, she seemed to sign off.
Not knowing what to make of this, the student thought passingly, "this must be some random slash quotes and a link to yaoi..."
Which, upon thinking that, his friend suddenly comes back online and says promptly, "This is not slash! Oh, and be sure you know how to sew." And logged back off.
Now utterly more confused than before, he decides to take a look at the link. It was a link to an RPG signup. The student browsed through the signup forms and found, to his interest, both Chiko-Sai and PJBW's form in there, so he contemplated on joining.
"Too bad they haven't been online lately...
Wait."
Suddenly something struck him. He looked at the dates of the signups; the last signup seemed to have been approximately 4-5 days ago.
"About the time when they didn't come online anymore..."
He decided to look up the others that have signed up and carefully go through their signups, then checked the logs on the forums. Correct to his presumptions, every member that signed up has not made a single post in the last couple of days, even those that are typically active.
Still a bit skeptical, he decides he should try something out and fills out a signup form. Upon pressing the submit button, he makes a passing thought, "Aha!" before blacking out.
=====
On top of the large, domeshaped temple housing a terrible snake monster, there lies two figures in the shadows. One noticably has large, beautiful wings with long and thin hair wisping in the wind, while the other blends into the shadows well with his dark formal suit. The two seemed to be discussing something quietly, while eyeing a small group of girls that seemed to have run into a dead end, or, more specifically, an invisible wall. The two spoke.
"Again, aplogize for my intrusion and causing this mess..."
"It is partially our fault for being startled over your sudden appearance, you are nevertheless generous for helping us... Curious, who are these strangely dressed females out in front of her castle?...Ah could they be related to you?"
"Hmm..." the man thought, as if trying to remember something, while looking at the group down below. "A zombie, a half-scantily clad girl, little white riding hood... yea... these must be part of my 'relations'... where is the rest of the team? You don't think...?"
"...it's possible. And that might be why they are here-- What? leaving already?"
"Yes, and I have a favor to ask of you: can you help those girls down there? Like you helped me? They will be of most valuable assistance..."
"Very well, It already seems that he is already on his way, I'll inform him of the situation. YOu're going to--?"
"Yes."
"I've briefed over what we know about the monster, but proceed with caution, regardless."
In the shadows, the man gave what appeared to be a smirk, then jumped off the roof and disappeared out of sight.




EDIT: OK BEFORE ANYONE ELSE COMES INTO CONTACT WITH ME AGAIN BEFORE I WANT TO SHOW UP, I JUST WANT TO TELL EVERYONE TO ACT AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED AND MY CHARACTER NEVER WAS THERE FOR THE TIME BEING. :P

Thanks to B4 and Pol-san for their cooperation! :D
*Engi used Nasty Plot!*
*Engi's Sp. Atk sharply rose!*

[Haruko]

Ovan
-i've noticed that I'll never fly again / i know that I can't fly with broken wings / someone cried, "a dream will change your shape" / the love that someone abandoned have already disappeared to somewhere.~ Oreta Tsubasa De ~With Broken Wings~* Sung by Kenichi Suzumura
Status: Sleepy, slightly feverish. Enjoying the solitude, mayhaps.
Control: Danielle

The noise in the room ringed with an eerie silence, as I laid on the bed provided to me. It all felt wrong; I shouldn't be here, I should be finding the others. But part of me..just wanted to be alone, to enjoy the silence and solitude. My body could barely move from exhaustion as is; even though it was slightly better then it was before. The only parts that could move were my arms; I didn't walk them to exhaustion. The skin on them tingled slightly from the burns I got from Ovan's reckless action at the Cerberus showdown, but otherwise; they were quite mobile.

I looked around, and saw a glass of water on the bed table; the condensation from it being ice cold dripping on the outside. My mouth watered purely from it's sight, and without thinking; purely on instinct, I reached for the glass and drank it down in a swift few gulps. It moistened the once parched mouth of mine, and I sighed in relief, putting the glass back down.

'Danielle, we have to escape this place. Something isn't right.'Ovan attested. I agreed completely, I had a distaste for the woman with purple hair. Yet, the way she made me feel around her..
'don't..get caught in her illusion..'I heard Valkyrie faintly say, as her body of a sword was in a corner.
'I'd escape, but I can barely move..'I sighed. I, though, felt odd with not having Valkyrie on my waist, and I slowly tried to get up from my bed, only to be stopped by someone coming in.

"Now now, no need to exert yourself, Danielle."The purple-haired woman appeared in the doorway, and walked over to my now-frozen stiff body. As she inched closer, I started to get that feeling again; the euphoric one. Addicting-ly sweet like sugar, and the urges it gives you...

"Your fever seems to have gone down some," She felt my forehead, and smiled in relief. She then looked at the bandages that wrapped my legs and arms, and looked back into my eyes."You're such a strong person, Danielle. Forced into a body you hate, always uncomfortable.."

"Yet, I can make all of that go away."She smiled, and sat on the bedside, looking into my eyes. Her eyes were so alluring; yet I had to keep reminding myself.

I'm a girl, not a guy...

I don't need any bullshit she promises me!

And yet, even though my brain was processing all these thoughts with ease, my heart was at the womens sway. She placed her hand on my face, gently, and smiled.

"Don't you want full control?"She looked at me, knowing it'd hit a nerve. My eyes widened, and even though..I knew..no, maybe she could? If I had complete control, I didn't have to suffer from any of Ovan's reckless actions. I didn't have to be a caged bird anymore; I'd be 'free'.

"I..do.."I uttered, and she smiled as closed in, leaning over my chest. I felt bombarded with a rush of hormones unknown to me, and I completely resisted them as she moved her head to my ears, speaking lightly.

"Let me make your wish come true, and erase your suffering."With that, she laid a kiss onto my lips, and my body acted as if it were on auto-pilot. Her tongue slowly dipped into my mouth, and it brought forth a bliss that should've been more like a toxin. As she continued, I felt my body tingle, and my consciousness slowly drift away..



Stella D'Aubigine
-reaching out for the highest class / even if I get hurt / maybe I'm gonna be a freebee now / I am not afraid anymore. ~Freebee Honey by the pillows

As we followed the mysterious woman, who seemed to herd the men like cattle, I supported my wound with my own mana. I only had enough to keep it from bleeding any more; I was plently depleted from healing Ovan's wounds from the Cerberus battle, and the walk through the desert did nothing to help my stamina. Even if the wound stopped bleeding, I couldn't stop if from festering; I'd need to stop soon and get help from someone in applying herbs before it got infected.

In my own delirium, I paid no attention to the others; only as to where we were going. It seemed that we stopped, and I continued on foward until I found out why myself; a mana barrier was outside a building that the men went into. I almost fell onto the ground from hitting into it, but catched myself on my own feet and sighed. I never felt as weak as I did in my life until now.

I sighed, and looked at the others to see as to what we were doing now. It seemed that there was someone new; atleast to me, that seemed acquainted with Adalia(due in part with his nervousness around her) and had some map of some importance with him.

Edited with Ovan. I'll update Stella later.

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN

Moswen was standing in front of a large white tower. Her head was tilted upwards to the sun as her hair billowed like gentle ribbons in the glowing wind. She stared intently at the giant white tower while white clouds rolled along the sparkling blue sky.
“Is that what you want?” A voice whispered gently, and Moswen turned to look at a strange figure sitting upon a rock. Miles around was a rocky desert… the white tower being the only thing around.
“Who are you?” Moswen asked, her eyes narrowing accusingly. The figure merely smiled, her mid-length white hair blowing in the wind as well. Her eyes sparkled like pools of the night sky.
“You know who I am.” She said, and almost instantly the recognition and realization came to her. Moswen suddenly knew who she was.
“You are… the armor, aren’t you?”
“Not precisely. I am what manifests the armor to hold back your dangerous power.”
“Dangerous… power…” Moswen trailed off, feeling sadness overwhelm her. Her wolfish ears flattened slightly, as flashing memories of what had happened overcome her. How she had been taken over… how she had destroyed parts of the village… hurt her friends…
“It was beyond your control. The coffin meant to seal you was released.”
“No.” Moswen suddenly said firmly, looking at the pale female figure. “I should have been strong enough to overcome that darkness. I shouldn’t have been consumed…”
“Then I suppose it could be counted to be both of our faults.” The female stood up at that, her white wolf-like ears perking towards Moswen as her white tail whipped about.
“I can’t use that power again…” Moswen said, looking towards the female. “I can’t afford to be like that. If I do… I’m afraid that it’ll be worse. That my friends will…”
“You suffer from him.” The figure responded, taking a few steps to Moswen.
“From him?” Moswen’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“You don’t know the true extent of where your powers come from... he and I have purposefully been keeping it a secret. While you have been journeying, he and I are at a secret war with each other in your body.” Her voice faltered suddenly, as she turned to Moswen- a total seriousness overcoming her facial features. “He cannot win that battle. If he does… then there is no hope for me in this world.”
“Who is he? And who EXACTLY are you…? What the hell is all of this?!” Moswen suddenly outburst, looking to the white tower. She then pointed at it drastically. “And why is that tower so appealing to me? Why am I here?”
“You have one more monster to face. Once you have finished that… you will have a day of freedom before the true battle begins. Upon that day of freedom, I will tell you everything. There… there is something I must ask of you that day. There is a sacrifice to be made- a very important decision you need to make. And that tower?” She was standing face to face with Moswen now. “That tower is your true desire. Within it… you’d find the true answer to your question.”
She then placed a hand upon Moswen’s forehead.
“Wake up.”




Moswen’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and she found herself being half-carried by Marion and Zombie-chan’s floating broom. She could hear the breath of Marion heaving slightly, Moswen’s weight of armor feeling extremely heavy to anyone but Moswen. Slowly Moswen struggled slightly, and realizing Moswen had regained conscious, Marion slowly sat her down upon the ground with the broom.
“Moswen, you’re awake! Everyone!” Marion chimed, and a few faces turned to see Moswen. Moswen gazed at them for a moment, blinking and her eyes made contact with Adalia for a moment. Fear bubbled up within those eyes, which echoed pain into Moswen. Yes… they should be afraid of her.
“Never again…” Moswen mumbled, to which Marion crouched down next to Moswen. “Are you feeling okay?”
Moswen looked at Marion for a moment, and then smiled softly. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just felt like I’ve taken a very long nap.”

Marion quickly filled Moswen in what had happened- how they had been attacked by fearls, how a strange mysterious woman came and seemed to allure away all the men in the group. She then talked about how they came to the village… and now... how Loki was back and talking to Adalia. During this time, Moswen felt a great deal of emotions surge with her.
“I only wish Ban hadn’t left…” Marion said with a joking laugh. “He was the only one really strong enough to carry you with all that armor. How do you stand anyway?” She said with a smile, helping Moswen up to her feet.
“Ah.. umm..” Moswen’s mind instantly flashed to Ban. She remembered being pulled from the darkness by a voice… his voice. Seeing him standing there so openly, realizing what was happening… fighting back the darkness- allowing the butterflied one to hit her. Knowing that Ban was there… it had saved her. She had believed…
“I fell. I fell again…” Moswen thought, a tear rising to her eye. And now he and the other men had gone for this new woman? It didn’t make sense… but Moswen couldn’t help feel a pang in her side. No doubt something was amiss, something wasn’t right… but the fact still was…
“Moswen?” Marion said again, and Moswen quickly came back to the current predicament.
“Oh, sorry… I keep thinking about things.” Moswen smiled again, looking ahead at the barrier that was before them.

Suddenly however, a figure came down from the sky- or what seemed the sky. He was handsome as well, having soft-looking hair of golden brown and piercing gold eyes. His whole figure was toned rather nicely as he crossed his arms, wings adorned upon his back and folded neatly behind him.
The winged one swiftly (and in a rather fast paced confusing manner for the dazed females and Loki) introduced themself.
Vyn was his name. He was a Garuda – his species were half hawk and half human. They were here to help their group train and defeat the woman- who turned out was a monster, a Naga who seduced men and turned them into her own snakish servants. The Garuda hated her and despised her kind- it turned out they were in a constant war. Now they were willing to help train the group of females to defeat her.

So, the group followed him. Soon Moswen and the others came to a large fortress where many more golden-winged men were. Adalia was quite as ever however, as Loki continued to try to nervously make short talk with her. Moswen narrowed her eyes at this, but tried to ignore it for the time being.
Once they were put inside, they were introduced to a few more Garuda. Some of them were to train the group for battle while the others would serve as guides if anyone needed it.
“Here is the training schedule we have in mind for you starting tomorrow.” Vyn said, handing out pieces of parchment. When he came to Moswen however, she held out a hand to stop him.
“I will not fight.” She stated, crossing her arms. Vyn looked a little perturbed at this, but Moswen stood strong. “Trust me, you don’t want me to fight.” Moswen’s gaze turned to the others… who were in nervous silence.
“Then what is it you want to do?” Vyn asked, crossing his arms.
“If you have a library or any books… I would like to study up on a few things. Perhaps one of you Geruda know a bit or two about dispelling magical barriers?”
Vyn nodded and told Moswen she would be guided tomorrow to the library.
“For now however… you will be led to your quarters. Two of you per room, except for the young male."



KNES


Knes had taken one look back at Adalia and the rest of the group – probably the only one who actually looked back. Adalia was looking at her doll at this point however, so Knes turned around and continued to follow the woman- a half smile upon his face.
Now however, he was sitting upon a silky bed that was beyond any comfort he had felt before. It seemed to curve to his body just right, making it extremely comfortable for him to sit or lay down- even his small wings weren’t bothered. Still, Knes was a bit restless as he opened the door to his chamber and peered down the hallway. All the men had been led into rooms… except for Ovan and Dimitri, who had been placed in their own room.
Knes was about to take a step onto the lavishly marbled hallway floor, but almost instantly the dangerously attractive female appeared. She smiled brightly at Knes and like a flowing dance she ushered him back into his room. Knes then found himself sitting upon the bed with the woman sitting closely next to him.
She was dressed to seduce… her breasts exposed more than any woman should and the clothes she wore showed her tan and firm skin. Her exotic eyes seemed to hungrily tear into Knes as she practically seemed to feast upon him visually.
“Sorry for the wait dear…” She said, her thick accent rolling off her tongue like a siren’s song. “But I’m sure you’ll understand that I had to save the best for last, correct?” She said with a grin, taking a delicate finger and running it upwards along Knes’s neckline.
“I’m not angry…” Knes said lightly, his wings fluttering anxiously. Knes had to concentrate harshly to make his wings stop fluttering, but she had noticed it already.
“Oooo… someone is excited.” She whispered with a smile, taking a delicate hand and rubbing his right wing sensually. She then practically straddled him while he sat. Her chest overflowed into his face as she brought he head down near his neckline. She tenderly kissed his skin, withdrawing a few large breaths.
“You smell so… delicious…” She said with a gasping breath, as Knes found his own arms had wrapped about her hips. “I could just… eat you…” She said, taking her tongue and drizzling it down his neck again until she came just above his shoulder bone. “Mmm…” She whispered, curling back her lips as she suddenly sank her teeth into his flesh.
Knes was startled slightly, not expecting that exact course of action to follow. Still, he could feel a strange aura trying to twist its way into him. But there was no time for thinking- soon she would-
“What?” The woman said suddenly, her eyes opening as she tasted his rich crimson blood that flowed freely into her mouth. Suddenly she jerked away, stumbling off of him and back a few steps. Bringing the back of her hand to her mouth she spat out the blood for a moment, wiping away the blood.
“You’re… you’re-” She began, but Knes’s half grin rose upwards again as he stood up. Looking to his wound as the blood trickled down, he smiled wider.
“Surprise.” He whispered viciously, suddenly clapping his hands together and then spreading them outwards in the air. As he did that, suddenly a large scythe grew from the air- growing as long as he spread his arms outwards, simply materializing in front of him. Knes then grabbed the center of the wickedly curved scythe and twirled it around. With one fluid motion he cleanly sliced into her abdomen- only lightly however, causing a clean slash to appear as her blood splashed into the air.
“Goodbye…” Knes began as she glared back daggers from her gaze.
“You can’t leave! I created an anti teleportation stone!”
Knes raised a brow, “Really? From your own power?”
She nodded, but as she did suddenly realization showed upon her face.
“Well then, it looks like that was a faulty plan now… wasn’t it?”
With that, Knes vanished from her sight.


(FYI: Knes will not find the female half of the group. You guys won’t see him again until maybe the real battle.)

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I thought that by coming to the palace, I would finally experience relief from my battles and everything else. But relief was the last thing I was feeling. Everything that happened after the woman fed me was a blur, but I felt intense pleasure. After that, I started to feel a little nausea mix with the pleasure. Now I just felt nausea. And guilt. The two did not mix well with me or my stomach.

What was worse was that I couldn't even sense my obnoxious other half. Kite had seemed to disappear from my mind; he wouldn't answer to any of my insults. I was left alone to my dreams of snakelike women. At least, I hoped it was just a dream.

When the nauseous feeling started to get stronger, I woke and sat up. I started to panic when I tried to move my legs and couldn't feel them. I felt something, though. Peeling back the sheets, I found a long snake tail attached to my torso. A long moment of silence when I saw my new tail slither on the bed was accompanied by a rising panic. I opened my mouth to scream but all that came out at first was a pitiful squeak. Then the nausea came back with a vengeance and I pulled myself to the edge of the bed to vomit on the floor.

"What...the hell...happened...to me?" I asked myself breathily. But then I recalled my dream/nightmare about the snake woman and vomited again. That bitch! She made me like this! What is she? What am I? When the sick feeling died down I stayed where I was, panting heavily. Tired of that sound being the only thing I heard, I sunk in thought.

I was a fool and an idiot. I yelled, cursed, even struck my own teammate. No one was who they were before they came here, especially me. But the thing was that I wasn't acting like Shonta or Kite. I was a monster and now the outside matched the inside. I couldn't leave here now; my new appearance would prove that I didn't belong anywhere. I was too depressed to be angry now.

The woman entered my room in her human form, bleeding from a gash in her stomach and looking weak. My anger reappeared and I shot up as fast as my stomach would allow. "What did you do to me?" I demanded.

She stumbled forward and leaned on the bedpost in an attempt to steady herself. "I opened up a new world to you," she told me like she had good intentions.

My snake tail thrashed to match my mood. I used it to push myself off the bed. "This world is a nightmare. Change me back now!" I yelled at her.

Her face feigned sadness. "I can't..."

Those two words struck me. "Yes, you can! I can't let anyone see me like this!" I shouted more out of desperation than anger.

"With time you can create the illusion of legs like I can," she tried to reason. I merely gave a growl/hiss combination while she winced and whimpered from her injury, then straightened up. "That damn winged boy got a good swipe in."

Figures it would be him that would do the right thing. I grabbed my halberd from the wall and took an attack pose. "Seems like Knes had the right idea."

Quickly realizing my intentions, she backed up. "Why do you care about what they think of you? Or..." Her eyes lit up. "Oh, the little girl."

I got closer. "It's not just the little girl. Now that I look like a monster on the outside, I remember how I acted like one as well."

"You seem to forget that you are about to kill the one person that actually showed you love and kindness." Her eyes darkened a bit as she said this.

Oh great, she had to push that on me. "You're wrong! Adalia tried but I pushed her away. She might be someone else now but I still care about her."

She smiled at me and held out her arms to me. "And I care about you, and everyone else here."

That definitely didn't make sense with me. "Then why not keep everyone else like they were?"

"Because I'm lonely and I wanted some company."

Her expression was one of sadness. I actually felt a ping of concern and understanding. But I shoved that feeling to the back of my mind and gripped my halberd tighter. "You didn't have to make me like this!" I roared as I swiped at her with my weapon.

She reared back on her tail and dodged my strike with a smirk. "You seemed to be enjoying it at the time," she said while still bent over.

That only succeeded in making me angrier. "I made a mistake but now I'm correcting it!" I made a downwards swipe but she twisted a way in a bizarre manner and flattened herself against the wall.

Now I have her! I licked my lips and prepared to thrust my halberd, aiming for her neck. The woman closed her eyes as a whirlwind of visible mana surrounded her. Not wanting her to finish whatever she was doing I thrusted with a warcry. But the next thing I saw made me halt immediately.

Adalia was standing in her place, shaking in fear. My halberd was a centimeter from her neck. "Adalia?" I mouthed.

"Don't kill me. I was lonely," she whimpered.

It's a disguise. That monster! I bared my teeth at her, just now noticing my new fangs. "How dare you disguise yourself as her!"

She gulped and stared at the tip of my halberd. "I-I thought this may be easier."

I hated her and myself. I had every right to kill her and leave with a clear conscience yet, with that innocent face staring at mine, I was reluctant to. My hold on the halberd loosened and I evenutally let it fall to the floor. "Don't screw with me!" I screamed as I slammed the wall next to her with my fist. I let it stay there for a few seconds before withdrawing, picking up my halberd and slithering toward the door.

"I'm sorry," was all she said.

I stopped in my tracks, feeling another ping of guilt. "Yeah, whatever." I left through the door.

[Roy Karrde]

Vel
~*~*~*~*~ A night in a oasis ~*~*~*~*~

My wings smoothed around my body, contracting to the point that it looked as if they were just a robe full of feathers. Vyn had set the males and females to train tomorrow, something that was causing a problem with the rest of the Garuda. The actual building we resided in was a apartment building long since abandoned, it was several stories tall, made out of smooth sandstone, the walls, the floor, everything was smooth stone to keep the heat out. I placed a hand on the door that led to one of the female’s room, Marion I believe she was called. Our eyes had locked during the meeting and all I could think of was her. Pulling back the wooden door I peeked into the room, seeing her, seeing Marion laying on the bed, stroking the back of the little one. The one that Vyn had already said wouldn’t be training. “I don’t..” I coughed, straightening my body. “I don’t want to interrupt.” I began, going rigid almost on instinct.

Both of the girls looked up and sweat began to trickle down my face, and trail down my wings. “Could you come to the roof?” I asked, the woman, Marion excused herself and followed me as I walked to the roof. Females were not common between the Garuda and our intensive training style kept us from getting much association. “Are you her sister?” I asked, pulling open the roof door, the warm evening air rushing in.

I turned back to look at Marion, watching her face blush as we walked onto the stone roof. “No she is just a friend.” And then added, with a small whisper. “One of my best friends.” I quickly regretted the question, walking out to the middle of the roof and sat down, letting my wings fill out.

“Tomorrow starts a harsh morning of training, most likely it won’t even be dawn when you start, obstacle courses, sparing matches, endurance runs, you can expect each one of these before you get your wings.” I explained as Marion looked at me in shock. I flapped my wings slightly with a grin. “You don’t think you can beat the Naga with out a temporary form of these do you?” I asked.

She gazed off in the distance for a second, her eyes focused on the Naga’s temple. “We have been through so much, I figured I might actually be home by now.” She sighed.

A feeling of regret began to fill my heart, it sounded as if she had traveled so far on this journey. The sun began to dip below the horizon, snapping my attention back to it. “I bet this doesn’t happen at home.” I nudged, her. Pointing to the sky as the sun disappeared over the horizon line. Garren had been one of the last town’s to completely lose it’s mana due to the crystal, and with the Garuda’s looking over it, almost no one used mana in this town. Because of it the Mana hung high in the air above us. With the loss of light small ribbons of mana began to appear in the sky above the town, ribbons of light that came with every color of the rainbow, changing every minute.

“It’s amazing..” She gasped, her eyes lighting up and only brightening my smile.

I touched her cheek, turning her head away from the sky after a minute. “It’s the best place to see it, I usually come up here alone at night.” I explained, matching eyes with her. “You are the first person I have ever brought up here.” I added, the moment becoming heavier, my heart beating faster as I leaned in to kiss her


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Only have my thoughts ~*~*~*~*~

With Marion gone, my eyes began to wonder around the room, everything seemed quiet for the first time in a long time. I was alone again, with out Loki or Knes or even Kite talking or yelling at me. It was relaxing yet at the same time worry continued to grow inside of me. Was Knes okay? Why didn’t he even say good bye? I sank down into the pillows of the somewhat plush bed, gazing out the window at the temple in the distance. Knes was in there, no not Knes, an adult Knes. Just like Loki became an adult, Knes did too. Loki had decided to shrug off childish things, too busy being a big adult to care. Was Knes going to follow the same path?

My eyes continued to wonder along the window, how far down was it from here? If I jumped would it kill me? Knes would feel bad after I died, so would Loki. I quickly shook my head, trying to send the thoughts away. I didn’t want to die; I didn’t want to think these thoughts. But I continued to think about it. I placed my hands over my forehead, rocking back and forth. I wanted the thoughts to go away. “Adalia? Are you okay?” Loki whispered, most likely in the doorway but I didn’t care, I just shook my head, my hands trembling. Loki moved in placing his hand on my back and giving it a small rub. “I’m not stupid, and I havn’t been away long enough to know something is wrong..”

I opened my mouth to respond, my eyes closed, the voice that came out was small, almost tiny. “I keep having these really scary thoughts, and I can’t get them to stop.” I whimpered, my whole body shaking.

Loki paused for a moment, and then continued to rub my back. “What are you thinking about?” He asked.

“Killing myself..” I replied, my voice even smaller.

Loki moved his hand away, I could feel his look of shock and a little hurt gaze upon my shoulders as I continued to tremble. I shook my head in response. “I don’t know, I don’t know they just come, and they are scary.” I whispered, curling up even tighter into a ball, hoping that if I did it would keep the thoughts away.

Loki eventually moved closer, drawing me into a hug as tears began to run down my cheeks. “Everything has been so hard, so hard.” I whispered, curling my fingers around clumps of his shirt. “Its like a nightmare I want to wake up from.”

“We will, soon we will go back to the other world, and this will be all over.” Loki spoke, running his fingers through my hair, for a second I enjoyed it, relaxed and just relished in it. Slowly though my thoughts turned to Knes and how hurt he would be if I did something bad here.

Shaking my head I moved back. “But I like being me, I like being Adalia the little girl, I like it, I just… I want the pain to stop, I want Knes or you to be my age, because it feels like I have a friend to understand me, that I am not just relying on grownups. No one understands that.” Fresh tears began to drip down my cheeks, as I explained something that had been looked deep down inside me.

Loki almost jumped back in surprise, looking even more hurt than before. “I’m sorry.” I apologized quickly, grabbing a pillow and my doll, rushing out of the room so I wouldn’t face Loki. I ran as quick as my little feet would take me, knowing there was one real safe place to go too. In the end I ended up at Moswen’s doorway. “Can I stay with you for the night?” I asked as she opened the door.



Naga
~*~*~*~*~ Numb ~*~*~*~*~

My body, my mind, everything was still numb from the events that revolved around Knes. What was he? That power, that amazing power, it shocked the mind. All of these thoughts were only compounded by what I felt inside of Ban, something familiar, something incredible, only if I could put my exact finger on it, not to mention Dimitri and his eyes, those beautiful eyes that could see the essence and sexuality that came from every scale. I stumbled into Ovan’s room, still in the illusion of that little girl as I rested my small frame against the wall. Events were happening too fast, things were going in motion too fast. I moved from the doorway, running my hand over his frame as he slept, his own tail was coming along incredibly. “I can only hope you love it more than Kite.” I whispered, leaning in and placing my lips on his ever so slightly.

Danielle opened his eyes ever so slightly, gazing at me for a second in euphoria before opening his eyes larger in shock. “Adalia…ADALIA?! YOU KISSED ME?!” He screamed in shock, rolling away from me in the bed, not expecting a tail and falling off. I quickly rushed to the other side to see Danielle looking at his tail, and then up at me, and then back at the tail. “What the Fucking Hell!” He yelled even louder.

I quickly relaxed the mana that surrounded my body, returning to my true form as I helped him back on the bed. “I can use my mana to change my appearance to make Kite more… happy.” I searched and found a suitable word, or what I thought would be a suitable word for it as Danielle flexed her tail in shock. “You may be able to do it too one day, the tail contains more mana than you ever had in your body.”

“What am I going to do now? They cant see me with a fucking tail!” He panicked, touching one of the scales tenderly before jerking back in shock as I settled next to him on the bed. “The others will freak out…wait…the voices are gone.” He suddenly stopped, looking around for a second, looking left and then right. The tail suppressed the voices of the weak in his head. For the first time in a long while, his thoughts were his own.

I leaned in, crawling on top of him, my tail intertwined with his. “The tail has other gifts, full control over your powers, powerful fangs filled with venom, and not to mention..” Snakes kept their sexual equipment on the inside, just like human females. The equipment stored in a pouch on the tail was incredibly sensitive to the touch. “You don’t have to worry about things swinging around in your pants.” I whispered into his ear, finding the pouch and delivering a few strokes to the scales around it.

Slowly pulling myself off of him, I watched as Danielle’s eyes rolled back in bliss for a few moments, his hands following the strokes around that area. I turned, leaving the room and taking back on the guise of Adalia as I returned to Kite’s room to find him sitting on his bed, his tail swinging idly off of it. “Okay so I can’t leave… we need to talk.” He sighed.

I will post for Adalia later. For the Naga Boys and Boys just under her control, enjoy exploring the temple, it is quite large and vast. For the Garuda Boys and Girls, expect some Military type training come 5 am in the morning!

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
-in this world where the wind blows like a knife / what is it that I should protect?. ~Byakuya~True Light~ by Miyamoto Shunichi

As we were handed our training schedules, I continued to kick myself mentally for giving Ovan over to that monster in disguise. If I had knew we were close to shelter, I'd have kept Ovan and he'd be safe, out here. Not with the monster of a seductress, possibly now one of her slaves.

It was my duty now to rescue him. At least, thats how I saw it..

'Obstacle course, sparring and then running..'I thought to myself. I did sparring and running a lot with my old trainer back in Talidan, along with medical training. I never blamed my old trainer for keeping me in the prison, in fact, she was one to say I didn't belong there..

'

"You sure have grown, Stella," She said one day. I remember it clearly, due to the sun shining brightly through the small windows in the huge room where me and her trained, She was a woman in her 40's, who was a fantastic swordswoman. Her blonde hair had exceeded her shoulders, and her grey eyes could pierce through diamonds. However, she had raised me up like a child since I came to the prison to 'repay my fathers debt'.

"Thank you."I striked back at her sword with my own, as our hits put on something like a dance. My hair was short at the time, only going down to my earlobes. We continued this for hours on end, until she could hear our hearts pounding without concentration. This day, this bright and sunny day, it took until night break for us to reach physical exhaustion. From noon to dusk, we trained our hearts out in a dance.

We placed our swords away and, using her magic, she sealed them away. Her magic was a powerful sealing type, it was her own magic that created the very earrings that rested on my earlobes. We sat down on a bench, and she handed me a glass of water, looking into my green eyes.

"Stella..if I could, I wish I could redo history for you."She looked deeply into them."I wish none of your past never happened to you, and yet, I feel as if it were fate we were to meet."
"I.."I looked away. I too, had wish I could rewrite time. I wished my father did not go mad, that my mother did not go sick, or that my brother did not go away. Would I be here now, though? Was destiny written in stone when I was born?

I asked this all the time..'

We had been led to a sandstone carved building that seemed to be abandoned, yet still in usable shape. My wound had stopped bleeding profusely, but it was festering in its own blood, and I would need to apply herbs onto it soon. Being led into a room with Danarica; as it was 2 per room and I persisted that someone with some medical expertise be with the child to make sure it'd be healthy, I sat down on my bed and opened up my napsack.

"this herb.."I mumbled to myself, weak from blood loss and being hungry. I took out herbs slowly from their pouches and slowly picked the leaves, mixing them together along with enough paste. I looked over at Danarica, who seemed busy enough with the child. I needed someone else to apply the herb pasting, and figured there was one person who could.

Adalia.

I walked over to her room with the paste and bandages, and knocked outside before going in. I smiled slightly, and she seemed bored, and I couldn't blame her. Along with this new half breed, and Knes being gone, she would be lonely.

"Adalia? I got a wound from the fearl attack and I can't reach it. Could you apply the paste and bandages for it?"I asked her, walking in slowly.
"I'm not really that good with bandages.."She replied, unsure of herself.
"It's easy, I can teach you."I smiled, and she nodded. I sat down next to her, and showed her carefully how to apply the paste and then, the bandages. Although I could easily ask her to heal it, I'd rather things heal naturally on my body; as for thats the beauty of the human body. When she was done, my chest* was wrapped in bandages, slightly messy but still effective, and the herbs applied. I collected my stuff and stood up, putting my shirt back on.

"Thank you, Adalia."I smiled, and as I went to say something, my stomach roared a bit loudly with a grumble. I sighed and she laughed a little as I waved off, going to get some food before I fell asleep.


*Stella is flat chested.;x

Ovan
-irritation and just a little solitude / just what exactly is it to us? / we're not in the middle of a drama, you know.~ Seishun Kyousoukyoku by Sambomaster
Status: Freaking out!
Control: Danielle

A silent dream. Broken by a kiss..

by..by..RYAN?! ADALIA!?

"Adalia..ADALIA!? YOU KISSED ME!?"I opened my eyes widely from a sound sleep, and fell off the bed in shock; trying to land onto my feet. I could feel my right eye twitching as I straightened myself, and when I looked at my feet, I saw that I no longer had feet, but a smooth, scaly navyblue tail. I wanted to scream, and yell, but I couldn't; my anger was building up like a pot covered. As I saw the woman come over to me, I looked at my tail, quite irritated, then at her, then back at my tail.

"What the FUCKING hell!"I made a fist, slamming it against the bedside. I tried to get up, but it seemed impossible with this new appendage of mine. The woman turned back into her true form; some trick of mana, and helped me back into bed. I was boiling over in anger.
“I can use my mana to change my appearance to make Kite more… happy.” She tried to explain why she had looked like Adalia when I had awakened, but that wasn't why I was angry. I tried to move the tail, but it felt too weird to move it, and I just..I wanted my legs back. “You may be able to do it too one day, the tail contains more mana than you ever had in your body.”

That's right..if I'm stuck with this tail, what am I going to do? I can't go back to the group, because this tail makes me a monster. A freak.
“What am I going to do now? They cant see me with a fucking tail!”I expressed myself verbally, panicking. I felt my throat swell up in anxiety as I slowly touched one of the scales on the tail, and as I felt it, I jerked it back in the shock of the feel."The others will freak out.."

But wait..I couldn't hear anything other then myself. No Ovan. I had control...
"wait..the voices are gone.."I added, listing the only positive to the tail. As I seemed to outweigh the only positive to the barrel of negatives, the woman leaned over my body, her own tail intertwining in mine.
“The tail has other gifts, full control over your powers, powerful fangs filled with venom, and not to mention..”She mentioned in a slightly seductive tone. “You don’t have to worry about things swinging around in your pants.”

At that moment, I felt the utmost weirdest feeling of euphoria in my life coming from the tail. I felt around the area she had touched; as she had left me at the moment I hit euphoria. It just all felt so odd, yet just..so..

The feeling had died down after a few minutes, as to which I took a deep sigh. I looked around and saw Valkyrie, and I had to test something. I slowly got off the bed, and trying to imitate a snake, I slowly got over to Valkyrie. Standing upright, I took her in my grips, and charged mana up into her hilt.

'Fire.'And the blade was a lit in flames. I smiled from the light it produced...

Complete control.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
As the sun goes down...

I gulped nervously, as one of the Garuda - I've forgotten his name - had asked me to come to the roof. I've asked Adalia if it would be a good idea.

"I dunno... he looks okay to me." There was a small hint that she knew what I actually had in mind - a small hint that looked like something between pleasure and happiness.

It was the way he was looking at me. I know that look - the nervousness, the anxiety, and a really small hint of flushing on his face - and could it be... that he is...

He pulled the door to the roof open, letting in warm air into their stairway. It was quite pleasant.

"Are you her sister?" he asked, as we walked side by side towards the rooftop. By now, I found myself blushing, and was convinced that I was actually bisexual rather than homosexual like I had suspected earlier.

"No... she's just a friend." I then recalled how she was the first person I met upon dropping into this world, and the night after the Ninetails fight. "One of my best friends," I added in a whisper. He said nothing, and walked to the middle of the roof and sat down, his wings still.

"Tomorrow starts a harsh morning of training," he began. "Mmost likely it won't even be dawn when you start. Obstacle courses, sparing matches, endurance runs - you can expect each one of these before you get your wings." I looked at him, mouth slightly agape. Did he just said "before you get your wings"? At this, he grinned and flapped his wings slightly. "You don't think you can beat the Naga with out a temporary form of these do you?" He asked.

I said nothing and just stared towards the distance of the Naga's palace. I sighed. "We have been through so much, I figured I might actually be home by now." As I said this, I realized that I have almost forgot what my home looks like. The place... and the faces... I can't seem to remember them at the moment.

Life way back when I was Faiz.

There was a silence before the Garuda nudged me. "I bet this doesn't happen at home." He pointed to the sky as the sun disappeared over the horizon line. There were small ribbons of what I assume was mana appearing in the sky above the town; it was a colourful ribbon of colours of the rainbow, constantly changing from time to time.

"It's amazing..." I gasped.

I then felt his hand touching my cheek, turning\my head away so that I was facing him. He was smiling. "It's the best place to see it, I usually come up here alone at night." He explained, looking straight into my eyes as he said this. "You are the first person I have ever brought up here." He seems to hesitate, before he moved close towards my face.

I then realized what he was doing. He was going to kiss me.

"Um…" I began, pulling myself away from him as I looked up for the right thing to say. He seems to be hurt by this. "I… I think… don't you think this is a little… too sudden?"

He seem to be even more hurt. "Why?" He asked. "Is it because we are different? Is that it? You can't accept my kind?"

"No, no… it's not that… it's just…" My eyes were cast downward towards the floor; I can't look at him right now, not with that hurt look on his face. "It's just that there's this someone… and...…" I know I have said enough. "I… I need to go to bed…" I rushed past him, avoiding his eyes.

"But Marion… I…" the words were cut off as I closed the door behind me. I momentarily slumped against a floor, before I slowly made my way back to my room, laid myself on the bed - before noticing that Adalia was gone.

I sighed, and wondered if I what tomorrow would bring; there's the training thing, and then… he would be there as well… Perhaps… perhaps I should ask Adalia about this tomorrow. Or maybe Moswen… no, that'd be out of the question.

It took me a while, but finally, I fell into a dreamless, fitful sleep.

It was later when I'd wake up that I remembered that I never caught the name of the Garuda.

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

As he watched her leave, Loki remained silently stunned by the little girl’s words. After all that she said, he could no longer use the words “little girl” whilst thinking or talking about Adalia. She was trying so hard to fit in with everybody and was extremely conscious of her age, something someone as young as her shouldn’t have to worry about.

“She shouldn’t have to deal with this…” Becki commented, a worried tone to her voice in his head.

“That’s the thing…” Loki replied, finally beginning to understand how she felt. “She wants to be given the chance. I think she shouldn’t be expected to be grown up all the time…” He sighed. “I’m just a little hurt that she thinks I’m too old for games…”

Knowing exactly where Adalia would go, he set off towards Moswen’s room. Once he had reached the door, he swallowed hard before taking a deep breath to compose himself and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, it opened fractionally revealing Moswen in the doorway.

He bit his lip. “May I-”

Before he was able to react, Moswen’s hand made contact with his cheek, the sharp sound of contact echoing slightly in the hallway. “I think I deserved that…” He muttered.

“That was for leaving and breaking Adalia’s heart.” She stated firmly, her other hand still tightly on the door handle.

He rubbed his reddened cheek, taking another deep breath. “Please may I talk to Adalia?”

He received a piercing glare before she slammed the door closed. He clenched his fists, a reaction that had been spurred on by Becki as she became angry. “Are you going to stand for that? You can’t let her stop you from regaining Adalia’s trust again. She doesn’t know how much-”

“Shut up…” He mumbled to himself, his other cheek reddening with embarrassment. “I don’t…”

“That’s not how you really feel. Go on! Don’t let her stop you!”

Encouraged, Loki knocked on the door for a second time, this time louder and more confident. As Moswen answered, she started speaking before he had the chance to have his say. “She doesn’t want to see you, I won’t let you in. Stop torturing her, Loki, you’re not doing her any good.”

“How do you know that? She confided in me, even though I’ve been away. I regret going, I honestly wish that I had stayed, but I can’t change the past and am willing to stick around for the future.” As the door began to close on him again, he leant against the door with his hand, keeping it just slightly ajar. “Adalia, I’m sorry I seem too much of an adult, I know you don’t have to rely on adults and I-” He raised his voice slightly so that she would hopefully hear what he had to say, but was again interrupted by the door closing as his concentration had slipped.

Loki sighed, rubbing his temples. This approach really didn’t seem to be working very well. He sat down in the doorway, his head leaning against the skirting. Maybe everything will blow over tomorrow… he thought, his eyes closing slowly as he tried to relax and forget about the trouble he was in.
~~
May edit tomorrow, tis annoying me... *goes to sleep*

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I cocked an eyebrow and started to try to understand the information she had given me the past few minutes. "So...let me get this straight. You used to be a human but you made a deal with the gods and fused with the guardian Naga."

She nodded, still in that slightly insufferable Adalia form, legs and all. "It was for eternal life," she said mournfully.

"And you wanted eternal life for what now?"

"I wanted to see my love Miroku again."

"Miroku? Ban's sword?" Now the energy that I felt from the sword made sense now. So did Zombie-chan's ranting. "So you're the chick that was all 'tits and arse'."

She tilted her head and gave me a blank look. "What was that?" she asked me.

"Oh, nothing. I'm still trying to understand why you roped in all of us when you're really stuck on one guy." The logic didn't make sense to someone that believed that it wasn't possible to truly love more than one person, especially after all that happened to Adalia.

"You remind me of him. I truly care about you and the others. Please stay with me!" she pleaded while she tugged on my shirt.

I didn't know whether to sympathize with or slap her. She had been stuck in the palace forever and it didn't seem that she was going to escape anytime soon. Loneliness and desparation did crazy things to people. And I knew she didn't really love me, but a part of me didn't care. But to look like her and say such things...

"Why are you still looking like that?" I growled at her.

"Like what?" she asked innocently. Then she knew. "You love her, don't you?"

I ran a hand through my hair in annoyance. A headache was pounding in my head. "And you thought that I would like you better if you pretended to be something that has been getting on my nerves for the past two days? Why not look like Knes and kick my ass? Wouldn't that be more fun for you?"

She started to tear up, looking more and more like the little girl she disguised herself as. I thought of the moment that I scared Adalia from my room. "I just...wanted to make you...feel better," she sobbed, sniffing between words.

I made the mistake of tilting her chin up so I could get a better look at her tear-stained face. Her eyes met mine and I felt my heart melt. I was actually making her cry. Like messing with the real Adalia wasn't enough...

"I'm sorry! I guess I haven't realized how lonely you've been. I'm not mad at you, I'll stay with you! Just...cheer up!" I gave her my best smile.

And cheer up she did. A wide smile appeared on her face as she tackled me onto the mattress and gave me a quick peck on the lips. She even kissed like her. "Thank you, thank you! You won't regret this, I promise!" she said gleefully.

I felt really good, being held like that. My anger dissipated so all that was left was pleasure. I could just stay here forever. So what if the others feel differently? It's not like there was anything worthwhile back home. "I just thought of something," I told her quietly.

"What?" she asked just as quietly.

I sat up. "I don't know your name. I mean, what do I call you?"

"What do you want to call me? Does Adalia make you comfortable?" I shook my head. She still wasn't Adalia. "I am a Naga so how about that?"

"Call you Naga?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I forgot my old name while in the crystal."

She doesn't have a name. That really sucks. So Naga doesn't sound right. That's like calling a pet lizard Lizard. So woman...snake...woman...snake...

"How about Eve?" I blurted out, reminded of the biblical story. It seemed to fit.

She smiled again and stroked my cheek. "I like that name," she said softly. I kissed her forehead and hugged her close like she was a treasured doll.

[Roy Karrde]

Vel
~*~*~*~*~ FASTER! ~*~*~*~*~

The morning updrafts allowed my wings to soar high above the field, watching the obstacles, from the crawl through the mud, to the swaying beam, and of course the climb. The long climb up the rocky wall, only to arrive at the top and dive to the pool below. This one above all else would help them in their flight. I had the unpleasant tasks of making sure they completed the drills before sunrise, which was already beginning to peek over the horizon, and drown out the stars. “The Naga moves fast, you have to move faster!” I screamed, swooping down, and giving Marion a gentle nudge to help her past the swaying beam, to which I hoped no one would notice.

I was almost glad the little girl wasn’t out here, she would only hold the group up and time was of the essence. I flew over to where Stella was climbing out of the mud pool, her body caked head to toe in mud. “The Naga will kill you if you do not move faster!” I yelled, flying up and observing the battle.

Within the next hour they were finally lining up, each looking tired. I kept trying to not look at Marion, last night, the whole incident where I had tried to kiss her. I quickly shook the thoughts of embarrassment from my head. “You will be going against the Naga soon, really soon.” I stepped past the girls and quickly turned on my heals, walking back, picking up a long wooden pole, tossing the first to Marion. “Time to see how experienced you are on the field of battle.” And then the poles to the other girls.

I quickly gestured to one of the hatchlings to come up. Hatchings were the term to boys about or just below the same age of the girls, who too were trying to earn their wings. I stepped back a few paces, allowing the battlefield to be drawn as the first of the young men stepped up. Now the girls’ didn’t have their weapons, how would they fare using a unfamiliar weapon in combat.

Good luck with the Hatchlings, each person that defeats one in battle will feel a sharp pain in their back as they slowly gain their wings, color of the feathers is your choice, they will fully emerge during the endurance run afterwards. We will be going into the final battle soon.


Naga/Eve
~*~*~*~*~ Morning ~*~*~*~*~

Eve, I pondered the name most of the night, I dare not move from Kite’s embrace and maintained the look of the small girl he loved. As the sun rose, Kite’s grip began to loosen, his tail uncoiled around my legs as I got up, walking toward the mirror and slipping the robe off. Her hair was beautiful, the type that shimmered in the sun. Her face also had a type of cuteness to it, but what else? She had no breasts, her skin was soft but not in a womanly way. How could he love me like this, but not as a beautiful adult woman? “Ad…Eve..” Kite whispered.

I slowly turned around matching his eyes, I felt an overwhelming feeling to cover myself, and a feeling I had almost never felt before around a man. “You…you are her, all the way..” He whispered, his eyes slowly gazing across the nipples, which only heightened the feeling. I quickly brought an arm across my chest, and another one covering my crotch, my face flushed in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry.” He quickly covered his eyes, although his tail twitched with excitement.

“I should change back.” I turned my back, the swirl of mana quickly dying, the change back happened so fast that it was almost nauseating. “Meet me downstairs.” I quickly turned, slithering out of the room and down the hallway, unlocking each door and saying the same before meeting in the large and spacious main room. My eyes caught Ban’s as he walked down stairs, there was something so different, so familiar in his eyes. Meanwhile Dimitri’s widened at the sight of Ovan and Kite’s new form.

“Planning on letting us go?” Dimitri asked, crossing his arms.

Oh I’ll play your little game Dimitri, but by the end of the day you will defend me like the other three now defend me. “Oh no, not yet, not when the fun is just about to begin.” I explained, slithering over to a desk and opening it with my tail, taking out four blocks of mana infused clay. “See I was supposed to sleep a long time, but I was awoken very early, and because of that I had a long time to practice certain crafts.” I moved my fingers around the clay blocks, quickly sculpting them.

“One of the most interesting things is a mine that used to be in this town, it contains a clay that was full of mana, very different from some of the other inanimate objects in this world.” I continued, placing each four of the blocks on the ground, and thumping each one gently with my tail. “To a true sculptor, they would take on the appearance of what ever they were created to look like, and the power of the same.” Each of the clay creatures quickly grew, a perfect replica of Dimitri, Ban, Kite, and Ovan.

“If you cannot defeat yourselves, how will you defeat the girls?” I asked, to the men, in the flash of a second their doubles were moving to attack them.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Sleeping… ~*~*~*~*~

I was awoken in what felt like the middle of the night, the room was bathed in darkness, and there was the slight sound of movement in the room. Outside of the door there was even more movement as whispers could be heard as people ran up and down the hallway. “Moswen?” I called out, sitting up and glancing around the bed, I had fallen asleep curled up next to Moswen, now the bed was empty. I glanced around, finding Moswen walking over to the window and peering outside before walking over to the side of my bed.

“Something is happening, I’m going to see what is going on and then go back to the library.” She whispered, her voice soothing yet a bit of exhaustion and curiosity mixed in. She placed a hand on my shoulder, lowering me back down onto the bed. “You need to rest.” She added.

I quickly rose back up again. “But I want to go with you.” I objected, this time Moswen lowered me back down quicker.

Moswen let out a long sigh, her tail twitching. “They are just rounding up most of the group, I am just going to see what is happening and then I will check in on you before heading to the library.” She explained again, walking around the bed, toward the door as I rose again.

She was trying to sugar coat it but they were taking all the older girls and training them for the Naga battle, I wasn’t picked because of my age, and Moswen, Moswen was just acting weird since the last battle. “Moswen I know they are getting all the girls, and I just want to go with you because I am a big girl too right?” I asked, tears brimming and a long yawn escaped my lips as Moswen glanced back at me.

“If you go to sleep, I will see what I can do about getting you into the afternoon training.” She said, I quickly laid my head back down on the pillow, closing my eyes and idly scratching my chest, which sent a stab of pain radiating upwards. Pulling down my nightgown, I peered down at my chest to find long red scratch marks across my chest, the skin felt tender to the touch, but at the same time it, itched to the point of annoyance. “Great…” I moaned.

I lay in bed for a long time, just laying there, every few minutes I would scratch my chest and be reward with a sharp pain. Not long after sun began to bathe the room, that my thoughts turned to Knes. If I were captured he wouldn’t rest until he rescued me, and here I was just lying around. “Alright, if they wont let me train, then I will rescue him myself.” I sprung from the bed, taking the bed sheets and tying knots in them, before finally tying my homemade rope to the bedpost.

I moved to the shutters, swinging them open and tossing my rope out the window as the door swung open, a black shape springing across the room and throwing me to the ground, pinning me down. “Don’t jump, don’t kill yourself, please.” Loki growled, his face morphing back into human form. Our eyes matched for a second, and then he looked up, noticing the rope. “You were planning to…jump out the window with a bed sheet?”

I quickly struggled free of his arms, rising to my feet and scooping up my staff. “I am going to go rescue Knes, no matter what anyone else says.” I crossed my arms; Loki’s tail and ears sank at the sound of Knes’ name. “I just have to.” I added testing the rope one last time before crawling on it.

“Fine, but I am going with you.” Loki quickly pulled me off of it before crawling on himself. “We work better together right?” He asked, drawing a smile to my face.

As we made our way down, thoughts of letting go, of just relaxing and it would all be over began to fill my mind, my grip on the rope began to loosen. “Loki…” I whimpered, retightening my grip on the rope. “I think I might fall..” I closed my eyes, clutching the rope as it swayed in the breeze.

“Loki….LOKI!” I screamed, my fingers slipping from the rope as I went into a free fall, the ground quickly rushing toward me as I screamed.


Alright boys, you can take which ever copy you want, have fun defeating them!

[Haruko]

Ovan
-why do we always hurt the ones we love? / when I lost everything, I realized what was important - the regret .~ Toki no Namida by UVerworld
Control: Danielle

As I awoke into the morning, the fever and aching from my body from the day prior had completely disappeared. My arms still felt a bit tight from the burns that Ovan self-inflicted, but I could feel the mana in my body being fully energized; even moreso than normal. I had practiced the rest of last night on walking on this odd, snake like tail, and I was sure I had gotten it down. I stretched and slowly got out of the bed, to see the Naga-women unlocking my door. She smiled to see me awake as I placed my top-half clothing on.

"Meet me downstairs."was all she said as she left me to do my things. The belt, which held the sheath for Valkyrie, was a snug fit around the waist. I placed Valkyrie inside and sighed, I couldn't even hear her anymore. Even if she was against this change, her voice was a bit comforting.. I then placed on my gloves, the mail - both engraved with runes, and a shirt. I slithered outside; albit disgusted that I was getting good at it after a nights practice. I slithered all the way downstairs and to the main room, which was spacious enough. I saw, much to my 'delight', Kite, and Dimitri. Ban himself was coming downstairs.

As I stood infront of the Naga, Dimitri; one who didn't yet get changed into the hideous..yet freeing form, eyes widened from Kite and my appearance. His arms crossed in defiance, he looked at the Naga; who seemed to be a bit playful herself.
“Planning on letting us go?”Dimitri asked.
“Oh no, not yet, not when the fun is just about to begin.”The Naga explained, and slithered herself over to a desk, opening it to reveal 4 blocks of clay. “See I was supposed to sleep a long time, but I was awoken very early, and because of that I had a long time to practice certain crafts.” As she explained this, her fingers gently moved through each block of clay, sculpting them.

“One of the most interesting things is a mine that used to be in this town, it contains a clay that was full of mana, very different from some of the other inanimate objects in this world.”She added, then placed the sculpters on the ground, thumping each with her tail. Each of them slowly grew into perfect replicas of ourselves, as the copy of myself smirked at myself; his piercing blue eyes hinting away at the darkness.

“If you cannot defeat yourselves, how will you defeat the girls?”She asked, and as if it were a gun to start a race, our doubles started to chase after their originals.

------

D!Ovan* quickly ran over from his starting area and over to O!Ovan, talking out his D!Valkyrie from the sheath and charging it with wind. All in one swift reaction, O!Ovan quickly took out Valkyrie, and scraped it against the earth, charging it in mana as the earth around it gathered and plastered onto it, making a great Zweihander. Using it to block the original attack by D!Ovan, the duplicates attack pushed back the original defense still, as their eyes met.

"You fight like a girl."The D!Ovan smirked, the tone of his voice dead serious as the blades continued to grind against each other, the wind hitting and trying to destroy the earthen sword. Chips and pieces of the earth fell off, returning to its normal form as O!Ovan glared at its copy, and quickly took a offensive measure; pushing back the duplicates sword and quickly changing Valkyrie's mana from earth to ice as D!Ovan quickly came for another strike, smirking through as he changed the swords form into fire.
"Defiantly like a girl."He said as the fire melted the ice, leaving a bare sword. O!Ovan growled lowly as he changed his swords state into water, and the duplicate's sword was left bare as well. The mana in the tail was providing both with much more mana than normal, allowing the elemental changes in Valkyrie to numerously more than normal.

The impact of the two swords collided and sent both back, O!Ovan against a pillar and D!Ovan against the air. Although with many yards apart, their eyes continued to meet, never to lose track of each other as they caught breath.

As both of them made sure they were well grounded, they ran; slithered, but all the same, towards each other, not allowing the other to know what element the sword would compromise of next. But each had eyes, brains similar to each other, and therefore both knew what it took to win.

As lightning started to dance from both swords, you couldn't tell apart the two. Each had the same look of determination in their blue eyes, each had the same messy brown hair, each had burn scars on their arms from the day prior. As if dancing infront of a mirror, the two men continued to do so, exchanging blows with their swords of lightning, occasionally getting a wound on the other.

"Maybe it is because you're a silly girl behind a mask?"D!Ovan playfully jested as he thrusted his sword through a part of O!Ovan's tail, and O!Ovan winced in pain, hissing at his duplicate as it smirked back at him.
"Shut your fucking mouth!"O!Ovan yelled as his eyes turned into slits from pure rage, and after a few harsh bouts; where the lightning from the two swords bounced around the room. As blood from the slightly deep wound poored onto the marbled floor of the Naga's palace, diving into the indents created from O!Ovans gathering of the earth, O!Ovans only chance now was to trip the duplicate and slice into him deeply.

Seeing his chance, O!Ovan continued to exchange blows as he backed up near the blood pools, avoiding them diligently. He could feel the blood loss was substantial; the amount of mana in his tail was great, and so was the amount of blood. But it was his fight, and he had to win it.

As he saw the duplicate lose his footing on the slippery surface below, O!Ovan smirked and stabbed him in the left portion of the chest, electrocuting his fake heart. The fakes body fell into it's original shape, clay, as the original fell from standing, panting. He took off his shirt to reveal his mail armor, and wrapped it around the wound that was on the tail, tightening it around the wound the fake had given him.

"I might be a girl..but I can kick your ass.."O!Ovan mumbled to himself, glaring at the clay until he slowly slithered back to the Naga mistress.

O!Ovan:Original!Ovan. The non-fake.
D!Ovan: Duplicate!Ovan. The fake
D!Valkyrie: Duplicate!Valkyrie. Fake Valkyrie.

Stella D'Aubigine
-everything that happens in the unseen future has a meaning / so stay like this, there'll come a time when you will realize ~D-Technolife by UVerworld

As we awoke to the moonlight pouring through the sandstone building's windows, I stretched. My wound had started to scab; which was good, and I could feel most of my mana having regenerated. I looked at Danarica's baby, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully after a few attempts we had during the night. I took out my backpack and throwout the dirty, bloodstained shirt I had worn the night prior. I had only one fresh shirt, and I knew it was going to get dirty today during practice. It was no use avoiding, however; because it would get dirty one way or another.

We had been gathered outside to run an obstacle course, which was the first trainning session of the day. Although my old trainer had ran me through around the trainning grounds, I had no experience with obstacle courses whatsoever. Halfway through, I found myself covered in mud from head to toe; my wound stinging in pain and festering once more.

“The Naga will kill you if you do not move faster!” I glared at the Garuda as he said this, and I picked up the pace to finish the obstacle course. I never wanted to run one again, especially in a skirt. I gathered my breath as we were given a break for an hour. I looked around and found a small pondish-pool near the apartment we were settled in,and wet my shirt; hanging up my shirt to dry and taking off my bandages. I quickly wet myself and placed my skirt back on, which still was covered in some mud; but not immensely, and my shirt, which was wet but not covered in mud. I sighed as the wound seemed to be clean enough; I didn't have my herbs on me to clean it any better.

I walked back to the place designated by the Garudas for the training as we formed a line. It was here that I knew I was going to shine, it was sparring; an event I knew well. We were each given a wooden pole, primitive yet it would get the trainning done. I waited for my turn to come up, and smiled as I did, looking at the teen aged Garuda as we went in the middle of the arena.

"May we shake hands? It is tradition in with my trainer to do as such." I asked the teen aged halfhuman in the eyes, and our hands met halfway, shaking for a fair fight. I smiled, and prepared my pole in the stance I was taught by my master, and looked the Garuda.
"I'm sorry, but you will not earn your wings today." I told him honestly, and we started our match. As our poles met, I could feel the determination in his blows; he sincerely wanted his wings today. Yet I needed to fix the mistake I had done. Both couldn't get accomplished, sadly.

We both exchanged blows for a fair few minutes, as neither of us could see an opening in the others defense. He was well trained, but so was I. My trainer would certainly shun me for losing, especially when I knew it meant the most.
'Opening!'The words shot up in my mind as he aimed a strike to my stomach, and I twisted my legs; allowing my pole to hit him on the side of his stomach. I smirked as I hit him, and withdrew my pole to block his hit that was aiming to trip my legs. I quickly used the time to push up his pole, and we got back into normal stance, our eyes meeting.

'Touch his neck and it's mate.'I thought as we continued to exchange mindless blows that we could easily match up.I looked at his hands as the grip on the pole wasn't as strong, and if I could try to get it out of his hands; that would be game-set-and-match.

As we continued to mindlessly exchange blows; I could tell our match was slightly boring the higher Garuda; but it was also interesting in that a human was as decent as a Garuda in the arts. I smirked as I looked at the teenaged Garuda one last time, and as I finished one of my blows to his pole, I lunged foward, hitting the middle of his pole. His hands fumbled from the sheer pressure of the hit, and as I hit it once more, it fell to the ground. I then took my pole and pushed the tip up to his neck, and my finger to his nose.

"Mate."I smiled, and he smiled back, happy to have an equal to duel. We both stood there, laughing for a minute until I felt a severe pain from my back, as if someone had stuck a lit piece of metal on my skin.

[kalad1]

>>Danarica<<


I frowned as I sat on the edge of the bed, twirling a dagger in my fingers, dextrously tossing it up and down. I watched the blade, thinking about what it represented. It represented blood, death, killing, and murder. It was a weapon, not a tool, but a thing designed to kill. It once seemed so light a thing, but as I tossed it, it seemed to weigh tons.

I was a mother now. I had a child. Was it truly right for the hands of a mother to hold an item like this? The hands of one who was supposed to give life being used to end it? I'd killed Fearls... and people... didn't they have mothers too? Was I the source of a lot of pain? Just the thought of losing my child sent my mind into a near panic, what kinds of pain had I inflicted? If I continued, would I not be a hypocrite worse than any other? In the eyes of how many people would I be a horrible demon?

And... Ovan... he was probably in the hands of that vile snake, could I really face him? Possibly even hurt him? Why did my blood turn to ice at that thought? What if he never saw our child again? Or... what if I lost him? Sure, that seemed selfish, but... I had no other skills beyond killing, how could I get by without him?

Just then, I was shaken out of my reverie by my child crying, obviously hungry. Sighing, I stood up, gathering her in my arms, and letting her drink. Standing there, supporting a life so fragile, I knew it...

I couldn't keep going...

I decided to walk as I fed her, heading outside, and seeing the others lining up for the training ground. The sun was almost blinding, shaking my resolve as I walked up to them. The others gave a passing glance to me, their eyes watching the training ground. I glanced down at my child, still nursing at my nipple. The sensation, the feeling, only strengthened my resolve as I tried to find my voice. "Are you okay?" Marion asked, getting out of line and stepping over while Stella went up to battle. I took one more glance at my child, knowing I did the right thing and said "I'm not going on this journey any longer, I'm staying here."

They all looked at me silently, clearly suprised and astonished. Sighing, I stated, "I'm a mother now for #$%^'s sake! I'm supposed to be caring for my child, not gallavanting around on adventures!"

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My double raced straight for me with the obvious intention to castrate me...and more, of course. Our halberds clashed with a metallic clang (even though the double's was clay) and pushed against each other.

"No fair. You have legs!" I complained through gritted teeth.

"War's a bitch, ain't it?" my double sneered while slowly pushing me back. It jumped back and attempted to jab me through the chest with its halberd but I leaned back on my tail, marveling at the ease of the task.

"Ha!" I stood up straight and swung my blade at him. My duplicate summoned an unfamiliar shield that my halberd struck. The result was an unfamiliar pain that started in the hands and raced through my body to the ground. I was thrown back to the ground. Electricity. I didn't even know I could do that.

"I'm guessing you didn't know you could do that," Duplicate told me as it lowered its shield.

"I really hate you right now," I growled while getting back up. The mana that was concentrated in my tail started to flow through my whole body.

"Why? I'm exactly like you, right down to the bad attitude."

"Exactly."

We both tightened our hold on our weapon. The mana pressure in my body rose so I raised a regular barrier as Duplicate swiped at me to ease it. Wasn't working. The pressure just kept rising.

Duplicate bore down on the shield in an attempt to break it. For a while I thought it would succeed. Then the inner pressure got so high that I wanted nothing more than to release it. I focused it all on Duplicate and then...

"AAAAH!" the double screamed as the shockwave sent it flying backwards. It hit the wall so hard that he seemed to shatter into pieces upon impact.

I chuckled and lowered my halberd. "Cleanup on Aisle Three," I joked.

[Bulbasaur4]

MOSWEN



Moswen’s hair billowed in the wind as she sat along one of the rooftops of the Garuda’s home. Leaning back slightly, she withdrew a sigh and saw the moon clearly. Closing her eyes, she recalled a bit of what she had finally gathered together in the Garuda’s library.

The library had been filled with a great deal of information- most of it uninteresting for Moswen’s purpose. It wasn’t until hours later that she found a few severely old books clumped together in the corner of the library. They held histories of the world and spoke of two Gods. Gods that were said to be intertwined- a Goddess and a God. Both were clearly separate identities but yet neither could live without the other. It was from their grace and essence that the world was created and the world formed a similar pattern. None could live with out a bit of each of their essence. Moswen easily realized by the readings, that the Gods were similar to Yin and Yang- or rather, they were Yin and Yang. The books held several interesting facts as well- including the idea that no creature could be made completely of one essence or the other- not even the Gods themselves. However, if Yin or Yang almost completely took over something… that thing or area would be subjected to chaos.
More vague descriptions of the crystals had been included as well. However, one thing caught Moswen’s eye. One of the ancient books (the title had worn off) seemed to be dedicated to speaking of the ‘true’ form of the crystals that harbored mana. Most of the words had vanished and pages were torn, but Moswen had gathered a bit of information. Apparently, when a guardian is defeated the crystal dies or shatters. However, the crystal is not gone but rather it reverts into its true form. This form would be located precisely below the original position of the crystal. While by itself, the crystal harbored no power… having released its mana. Yet, if the true crystal was to be connected or linked to another, the two would be react. The same thing would occur between all four. If all four were brought together… some how… (Moswen couldn’t decipher how it was done), then a great deal of power would be released or granted. Yet, Moswen couldn’t determine exactly what the power was or how it was released. Too much of the book had been worn away… she didn’t even know what the true form of a crystal looked like. The book did make one thing clear however- bringing all four jewels together was dangerous and most likely, bad.

More research had been done by Moswen, including a bit on the Naga. Fatigue soon had settled within Moswen’s gaze however, so she went back to her own room. Moswen had not been placed with anyone else… but soon Moswen heard Adalia enter her room. Moswen had comforted Adalia with the arrival of Loki. Then of course, Loki had showed up. Moswen had slammed the door in Loki’s face a few times before he got the picture. She knew it probably was the wrong thing to do- to simply block him out for now. But Adalia had made it clear she didn’t want to speak of him and truly she was too upset to talk anyways.
“You… you were really stern with him.” Adalia had spoken, and Moswen nodded. Sitting next to her, Moswen withdrew a sigh. Foggy memories of her former life entering her mind… and Moswen instantly knew that the reason for her swift change was due to the subconscious memories she had forgotten temporarily.
“I know how you felt Adalia- being left by Loki.” Moswen said gently, turning a sad gaze at Adalia. “ Before this world… I was abandoned by one I loved dearly as well. He spoke of horrible things to me… and left me shattered into pieces- pieces that could never be, well… completely placed together.”
Adalia and Moswen sat in silence after those words. Moswen had left out some of the deeper personal details, but they were unneeded. Soon however, Moswen ushered Adalia to sleep. As soon as that had been done, Moswen had headed out to search in the library… but instead she some how ended up on the roof.


Moswen withdrew a deeper breath as she stared up at the sky still.
“What are you doing up here?” A voice echoed, and Moswen raised a brow and turned her head to see the Garuda- Vel, standing near her.
“Thinking.” Moswen replied shortly.
“May I sit next to you?” He asked, and Moswen didn’t respond but instead gave a nod. Vel then sat down and assumed a similar position as Moswen. The two sat in silence for a while, and Moswen began to wonder why he was near her in the first place.
“Why is it that you aren’t training?” He then asked. “What do you really fear about it?”
Moswen absently bit her lip. “I fear of the monster I would become if I were to battle anymore.”
“If you fear your powers, you should grow to control them.”
“It really doesn’t work that way.”
“I have yet to see any power that cannot be trained with.”
“Look,” Moswen began, turning to face him. “I have two types of powers. One helps while the other destroys. The more I release of the destructive one, the more it takes over my body. Sometimes when I release a little bit… it takes over anyways. I don’t know exactly how it works, but I have a feeling that I’m not the only one who controls it. It has a … a mind of its own. I can’t really explain.”
“Well…if that is how you feel…” Vel thought for a moment. “Why don’t you train the one that helps?”
“I fear that one might try to take over as well.”
Vel laughed, “You sound like you have different personalities harboring within you.”
Silence filled the air. It was uncomfortable silence- silence that made Vel wonder what it really meant. Moswen felt the pressure of wanting to tell someone rise within her as she clenched her fist, finally looking at Vel with a deadly serious look.
“I think I have a God residing within me.”
More silence. Moswen then stood up, her tail swishing agitatedly. Before Vel could speak, Moswen looked at him and suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
“If you tell anyone, I’ll destroy you.” Catching herself, Moswen shook her head. “Sorry… just… don’t tell my companions or anyone. I don’t want anyone to worry about me. They need to get home. We need to just… do what we were meant to do on this earth and they need to go home.”

With that, Moswen began to walk away. Vel watched her for a moment before speaking.
“When are you going to let down that defensive barrier you have up?”
Moswen paled. Did he really see through her that easily? The Garuda’s sense of perception was unnerving. Still, she didn’t turn around but merely spoke low.
“I have let one enter the barrier. But he alone may just tear it down.”
Moswen then walked away. “Tomorrow, you WILL let the girl known as Adalia train. She’s stronger than you think… and if you think she’s weak, then think of the saying that a ‘chain is only as strong as its weakest link.’ But she is not weak.”
Moswen’s voice trailed off as she leapt off the side of the building and vanished from his sight.




KNES


“Loki! LOKI!” The voice screamed in the air. At the point in which Adalia’s body should have hit the ground and spattered into a gory mess, two feet stood. Adalia’s eyes were tightly shut until realization that she was not dead dawned upon her mind. Opening her eyes, Adalia looked up to see the bewitching eyes of Knes gazing painfully down at her. His strong arms held her tightly, he having appeared via teleportation at just the right moment. He had been watching her as she climbed down with Loki… his face paling as he saw her hands slip.

“Kn-Knes?!” Adalia gasped, and he gave a slight nod.
“Yeah, sorry if you were expecting someone else.” He said softly, glancing up at Loki who slowly slid down.
“Knes!” Adalia exclaimed, wrapping her arms about his chest as she buried her face into him. “I thought the Naga had taken you! I thought you were under her spell! I thought you forgotten about me!” Adalia’s face streamed with tears as Knes sat her down. A gentle smile came to his face as he took a finger and gently wiped away her tears.
“I could never forget about you. I got away from the Naga and now I’m here.” Knes then looked to Loki, but his expression remained well hidden.
“You can train then and help us defeat the Naga!” Adalia exclaimed, but Knes gave her a hug and shook his head.
“You girls will be more than enough to defeat her and bring the others back from their induced state of mind. Besides… I found out once we destroy this Guardian, we have to go to the moon. I gotta find a route to take us there.” He said, but Adalia swiftly pointed at Loki.
“Loki brought a map to it actually! We can use that!” Knes grew slightly agitated, but hiding it well he nodded.
“Where is the map?”
“In my room.”
“I’ll go get it then… I’ll be right back.”
Knes teleported, but unbeknown to Adalia and Loki, he had targeted Loki as well.
The two soon teleported to Adalia’s room and within an instant Knes had grabbed the map to the moon.
Loki’s expression filled with confusion as he realized what had happened.
“Look… I did this so I could speak to you.” Knes said, crossing his arms as his true gaze came to full. Looking at him with anger, Knes withdrew a breath.
“I don’t care why you’re back. I don’t care what help you bring. I don’t care that you randomly left on your little pitty trip. All I care about is that you don’t hurt Adalia anymore. If you really care about her, then don’t ever do something idiotic like that again.” Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Knes held up a hand. His mind swam with ideas, with torments… but his voice softened as he spoke once again- as if his mind was fading else where.
“Just… if you love her and have a change in heart, then steal her love away from me. If you think you can be better for her than anyone else… then try to earn her love. I want what’s best for her, whether it be me, you, or someone else.”
With that, Knes teleported them back to Adalia.

“I gotta go… I’m going to check the map out.” Knes said to Adalia, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“I’m not leaving you though. I promise I’ll be back.” Knes said with a smile. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver pendent of a crescent moon. Opening Adalia’s hand, he placed it in her palm.
“I found this a long time ago and thought it was really beautiful… but now I want to give it to you, as a promise.”
“What promise?” Adalia asked, as Knes stood up straight.
“A promise that I’ll only do what’s best for you. I’ll always be thinking of you.”
With that, Knes vanished.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Knes held the map in his hand as he walked down one of the alleyways. Gazing up at the moon, he smiled.
“I already know the way.” He thought, narrowing his eyes at the thought of the map and Loki. He then looked to his hand that held the map, and suddenly the map burst into flames and burned within his palm until it was nothing but traces of ash in the wind.
“Time to go have a chat.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Aiming for heaven, though serving in hell

If there was anything of the other world that I could remember right now, it was this one thing:

"Yi? What does this remind you of?" I managed to said as I trailed behind her. She gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Evil National Service aka. PLKN, 'Khidmat Neraka'."

"Ah, that," she replied, and continued trailing through the mud. "So. NS has crawling through mud obstacle?"

"No, but there is one time where we had to jump into a muddy river. Twice. In a day. But we only did that once."

"Ah... that sounds... nice. Good thing I was exempted out of 'em."

And it stopped there, as the instructer Garuda - Vel, as I have just learned - continued to give out orders - and I was reminded that National Service's training was far lighter than this one.

“The Naga moves fast, you have to move faster!" He screamed, before he swooped down and gave me a slight nudge as I was on the swaying beam. I would have pointed out that I can do it on myself, thank you very much, but he quickly went to check on the others.

And finally... after a few hour of going through living hell, we were told to line up, where Vel then passed each of us a long wooden pole. “Time to see how experienced you are on the field of battle,” he said. I sighed. Sure, my only means of defend other than Karam was a long piece of wood, but so far, the only target that I have hit was Yi back then in the snow mountain. I glanced around, and noticed that she was not in the line. Alas.

I stayed at the furthest line behind and let the others battle first; the fact that all of them won only made me more nervous than comfortable.

All eyes were then turned towards one figure. It was Danarica, feeding her child, and a troubled look on her face. "Are you okay?" I asked her and got out of line, letting Stella to go first. She then announced that she will stay here and pull herself out of the journey.

When the crowd went silent, she replied with I'm a mother now for fuck's sake! I'm supposed to be caring for my child, not gallavanting around on adventures!" There was another silence, and she then stormed off from the training ground. The fight resumed, and I waited until it was silence again; I looked around, and notice that I was the last one to go sparring.

"Alright, alright," I mumbled, getting into the middle of the batling field. I was slightly worried; so far, our side is winning, and being the last of the remaining battler, my opponent would surely be more determined to win this one.

"Right, let's get it over with," he said, swinging the pole in one hand. "Unlike the others, I won't lose easily."

And he really meant what he said. Within seconds, he was striking down blows, and I was forced to block most of the time. I would try to look for an opening, but he attacks just too fast.

As the battle progressed. I noted that it appears that his plan was to attack repeatedly and brutally, to give me no room for attacking. So I held on a little longer, and waited for an opening. Then it came: there seem to a pause after a strike, as he stopped to catch his breath. I swung the pole to hit his head, but then quickly pulled it back and hit him in the stomach instead.

He groaned, but quickly swung his pole to deflect a second blow. I let out an angry cry, as we furiously continued to thrust and parry. I was very tired... and I could really use a rest right now...

I gave a growl and swung the pole as hard as what my strength could muster, To my pleasent surpise, my opponent's pole was send flying away, and I swung the pole so that it lightly touched my opponent's neck.

He seems surprised, but then shook his head and smiled. "Good game," he said, and gave a half-hearted handshake.

"Thank you. Um... so..." I stopped, as I felt the skin on my back beginning to stretch. I dropped to my knees as the muscles and bones beginning to twist. It was as if something was snaking its way out from my skin; when the Ninetails bit my arm, it was from the outside, but in this case, it was from the inside.

"Aaaarrrrggggghhhhhh!" I gripped into the pole tightly that I felt the splinters sticking into my skin. Then, for one moment, the twising stopped...

I drew in a small breath...

And then the wings came out, and it felt as if a knife has just sliced through my skin inside out. A hand then gripped mine, and my eyes travelled up to meet Vel.

"It's almost done," he said in an assuring voice. "It's almost done."

The pain slowly subsided, and I felt a tingling sensation on my back. "It's the feather, isn't it?"

He nodded. "It's beautiful."

"Really?" I tried to touch it with my finger, but a jolt of pain ran through my back. I brought the finger up to find that there was trace of blood.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He helped me to my feet.

"Uh... Vel?"

"Yes?"

"I just had this thought... do we have gunpowder somewhere?"

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

dt: LOLOLOLOLOL SUPER DUPER UBER PROPS FOR PUTTING IN KHIDMAT NERAKA! ABSOLUTE GENIUS. I larfed. Long and hard. However I'm not planning to finish the obstacle course or participate in the duel because I'm helping Roy to create a gigantic helping of Adalia-Angst so I retconned your post except for mention of the crawling through mud thing, hope that's ok :x


Saifa, Okiku, the body/F, F, F
210:
Plan for wings


The body rifles through the proliferation of scattered papers littering the table. She has no qualms about viewing other people's correspondence, not when her opinion of said other people is lower than the green scum floating upon the tops of puddles, because the scum is at least decorative, and she rather thinks Garuda are not. She harbors dislike for constitutionalized anythings, and constitutionalized training regimes may top the list.

There is a simple reason for her presence within the offices of the Garuda; offices, they say, but they are little better than caverns, hollowed out of existing rock, on the sides of low cliffs. The simple reason is: elimination of other activities currently available for participation. She has no desire for wings, since she does not need or want them, and watching people crawl through mud and the like is fun only to certain creatures of dimmer wit than hers. She had admittedly joined in, mud crawling to some extent, but had copped out at the first opportunity, leaving poor Faiz to soldier on through his, mmm, her, repeat performance of National Service. She chooses to omit the memory, and is indeed glad that she was not picked for it, back in the day.

More elimination - she could have done the library had it not been already occupied by Moswen; the good professor has been spirited away by his sword's ex-apparently-still-love interest so there was no entertainment to be had from that quarter; Adalia has Loki and she will not be the one to interrupt anything they may be doing; she does not feel like pandering to a short-tempered woman with a baby. The town is open for exploration, and overall security seems to be lax, so why the hell not.

There is a niggling sense of familiarity about something, or someone, that she cannot place.

She is distracted by an interesting piece of parchment headed EXECUTION COMMITTEE, please note down: name of Hatchling and date of execution for archive purposes. It is so interesting that she spends a whole hour more searching for relevant missives, poking about for previous records, and tut-tutting (with a slight, satisfied smirk, it must be said) with a finger against her lips.

Moswen is her next port of call.

*

Tiptoeing, the body looks over Moswen's shoulder to see exactly which page of execution orders she is looking at.

"Oooo, Kalah-senpai, what do we do now? Do we maim little birdpeople? Do we kill? Do we rend most tastefully from limb to limb?"

Moswen puts a hand to her forehead, as if in great trepidation, then lets out a sigh, though the body knows that the sigh is not directed at her, and pats the taller woman's back, bobbing to and fro on the balls of her feet.

"Adalia... cannot lose. If she does..."

The body draws a dead finger across her throat, and claps her hands.

[Roy Karrde]

Just to note, I came up with the execution thing before it was announced Adalia would be participating, figured it would be a good thing to show the Garuda’s as a sort of gray side of good, and not just these pristine good guys.



Vel
~*~*~*~*~ Bloodied! ~*~*~*~*~

Returning from the washroom, I pondered what Marion meant when she asked about gunpowder, first of all, what was a gun, and second of all, how did you make powder out of it? I made a mental note to ask her both of these questions as I returned to the room she sat in, towel in hand. “Are they getting stronger?” Was the first question out of my mouth, noticing Marion was sitting on the bed, flexing her wings slowly, holding her dress on with only a hand.

Folding my wings ever so slightly, I moved around behind her, and began to run the towel through the dried blood on her wings, feathers were ticklish already, I could only imagine how her’s felt right now. “Th-that tickles.” She let out several small giggles before going into a full fit of laughing.

“Maybe you want to try?” I suggested, holding out the damp towel. The laughing soon softened, her hand letting go of the dress to grab the towel, causing the top to drop into her lap. Being a man, well bird man, my eyes instantly went to her breasts, and so did her’s. The image was burned into my mind, to say the moment was, shocking would be a understatement. Before she could open her mouth to scream, I jerked my left wing around to cover her chest.

Both of our faces were already several colors of red. “Sorry…” I quickly apologized as she brushed off her feathers with her delicate hands. My mind kept flashing back to her round, soft, beautiful breasts, but were quickly jerked back to reality with a angry Moswen and giggling Zombie standing in the doorway.

Moswen’s eyes glanced at where my wing was covering Marion’s chest. “We need to talk.” Her mouth moved with restrained anger. Getting up as slowly as possible so that Marion could cover herself, I walked into the hallway, shutting the door behind me while Marion asked about the note that the Zombie girl had found.

I gave out a long sigh, shaking my head. “Adalia and the rest were never in danger.” I shook my head, trying to find the right word to explain it. “You have to understand, we are the only thing protecting this town, and possibly our world from the Naga, we do not have extraordinary super powers like you, our skill does not come anywhere close to your level.” I explained, Moswen’s glare seemingly to disappear ever so slightly.

“The hatchlings know what they are getting into when they come into this, only the strong survive, if we do not cleanse the ranks so that we only have the very best, well then, even more will die.” I turned my back to her, opening the door to go back to Marion’s room. “It’s a matter of the greater good.” I added.

“It isn’t right.” Moswen responded, my mind flashing back to our discussion in the library, how she feared her own powers. I opened my mouth to answer, but couldn’t reply to that, because in my own heart I felt the same way.

It was near dusk when we all arrived on the roof again, the ladies and one boy had feathers that glistened in the sun. “Moswen, I’ll fly you!” Adalia ran up, grasping Moswen’s arm, flapping her light pink feathered wings.

“We will be going over the barrier, once over land and do not stop running till you get inside, the place is large so try to fly when possible, beware of her fangs and tail, each are lethal.” I explained, it was the pep speech for the group. With out another word, I turned, giving my wings a small flap, and then jumped into the air. Letting the wind guide us to victory


Naga/Eve
~*~*~*~*~ Last Dinner ~*~*~*~*~

With my tail wrapped around the glasses, and a bowl of fruit in one hand, and dinner plates in the other, I slithered back to the table, laying the plates down on each one as well as the glasses and the bowl in the center. “You have to remember, that I don’t have any live stock and a small garden.” I explained, coiling around myself for support. I actually had to find buckets and other objects to serve as chairs for Ban and Dimitri since for years I was used to just coiling around my tail for support at the table.

Kite groaned, looking just as exhausted as the rest, each of them bruised and tired from their battle. I took a deep breath in through my fangs, and awaited in anticipation as they each opened their plate to see the small scampering mice run around on their plate. Kite, Ovan, and Dimitri all seemed to recoil in shock for a second. “I knew this was a bad idea.” Kite sighed, picking up one of the mice by it’s tail.

I glanced over at each one of them, finally settling in demonstrating that the meal wasn’t completely disgusting. Taking one of them I opened my mouth, and gulped it down quickly. “See? Nothing to fear” I explained, drool dripping down my mouth in satisfaction of the meal as I reached for another one.

“Umm… diseased much?” Ovan asked, poking one slightly with her finger as Kite began to eat one, finding it somewhat satisfying. She quickly pushed the plate away, wincing as she uncoiled herself and grabbed some of the fruit. “No thanks..” She shook her head as Ban bit down on one, and Dimitri continued to play around with his.

Off in the horizon several shapes began to appear, outlined around the sun as they flew closer. It was too early for the battle, much too early, but I had to work with what I had. “Everyone spread out, the Garuda’s will be here.” I commanded, leaving the room with the only one that could turn against me now, the only one I didn’t have within my grasp. “Dimitri?” I cooed, slithering over to him, wrapping my tail around him, pouring as much mana as possible into my aura.

“You will defend me, wont you?” I asked, running a finger down his fur, and to seal the deal, leaned in for a kiss.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Battle Weary ~*~*~*~*~

Thoughts bounced around in my brain, ricocheting off of different thoughts to the point that my head hurt just as much as my wings. Which Loki licked gently, every few seconds nuzzling some of the feathers, causing a tickling sensation as he sat next to me while testing his panther form. “I do still love you Adalia.” That line continued to whisper in every areas of my brain, to the point that it was all I could hear. “I do still love you Adalia, I do still love you Adalia.”

Loki nudged my side, bringing me back to reality as he rose, padding around to my other side and placed a paw to steady my left wing and began to clean it. “Be careful, it’s tender.” I whispered, holding the pendent Knes had given me in between my fingers. With out even thinking about it, I rose to my feet, flapping my wings slowly as Loki looked up at me with his panther eyes. My mind was still awash in emotions and ideas as I flapped the wings a few more times, finally taking flight, soaring into the warm air.

“Adalia, Adalia!” Loki screamed, taking off after me, soaring into the air with his wings flapping fast enough to catch up. After a minute or two I turned, meeting him as he hovered next to me, gasping for breath. We both looked into each other’s eyes and I felt as if I didn’t even have to say it. I loved him, and I loved Knes, I didn’t need to say it. Loki looked back, almost scared what to say next.

I was the first to break the silence, first a grin crossing my face, and then I broke out in a fit of giggles. “So many guys like me!” I grinned, stretching and falling backwards, being caught by an air current and spinning around into a flip. “Dizzy..” I flipped a few times before having to steady my stomach and myself.

Loki was quick to fly over, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Steady yourself..” He replied calmly as I placed a hand over my stomach and scratched at my chest. “Does your chest hurt?” He asked.

“Itches..” I winced, glancing back at the rooftop where everyone was gathering. “Race you!” I laughed, angling my wings and rushing forward toward the roof. The sound of rushing wind behind me signaled that Loki was going as fast as I was. “MOSWEN!” I screamed out in pure enjoyment, tumbling right into her arms.

“I win.. I win..” I panted, glancing at Loki who had tumbled across the surface of the roof. Glancing around I quickly came to the realization that this battle was about to happen. “I will fly you Moswen!” I grinned cheerfully.

Vel quickly spoke up, explaining what was going to happen in a few short words before turning and leaping into the air currents. “I’ll be okay.” Moswen patted my shoulders before leaping off the roof onto the next rooftop.

There was no racing this time, instead we each flew in tight formation, our eyes focused on the small courtyard on the other side of the barrier, which we easily sailed over. “Stick together..” Vel whispered, rushing to the wall of the building, as I followed, something tickled my shoulder, like a finger tapping on it and motioning for me to follow.

“Huh?” I wondered out loud, walking away from the group and around the corner, the shadows as dark as a pitch black room. “Is some one..” Something whipped around my legs, swinging around and ensnaring my body, the thick and scaly object slipping into my mouth before I could scream.

“Hello Adalia.” Kite emerged from the shadows, my eyes growing wide in shock as I realized what was around me, a large thick snake tail, a large thick snake tail that was connected to Kite!


Alright clean your wings off, eat, relax, try to fly, and meet up on the roof. You can get to the Naga’s base but don’t start the battle yet ^^

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

Loki sighed as Adalia stared at the pendant that Knes had given her in glee, a large smile spread across her face. He didn’t understand why Knes had said what he did; surely he wouldn’t be happy without her? Why wasn’t he angry with him, after all he would likely to be taking his place if she wanted him back?

“Shall we head back now? Loki?” She asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

He nodded, “It would be for the best, they might worry about where you are.”

“And you, of course!” She giggled, shoving his arm playfully. She held up the pendant so that he could see. “Will you help me put this on?”

She pulled her hair away from her neck as she turned her back to him, handing him the pendant and allowing him to fasten it. As they walked back together, Adalia occasionally sprinted ahead to study the new things that she saw with a curious gaze whilst Loki kept a steady pace, his watchful eye monitoring her every movement as his mind wandered.

“Loki? What are you thinking about?” Adalia queried, a look of concern on her face. He had almost walked into her several times, apologising each time. “You seem to be distracted.”

“I’m just trying… It’s just…” He attempted to get around the subject and come up with something completely irrelevant, but he felt it was only fair that she should know. After all, she sometimes seemed more grown up than he did. “When I visited the oracle, she asked about you.”

“Really?” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “What did she want to know?”

“She asked me what colour your eyes were, your hair, your clothes… She told me I was a bad person not to remember such details-”

“You forgot about me?” She interrupted, her expression fading.

“Of course not! I explained to her that I have never known what colour your eyes are, I can’t tell. I’m colour blind, remember?” She shook her head. Loki smiled and laughed quietly. “It’s okay, not many people do. She… she asked me if… She thought that I loved you like a little sister…” Loki noted that they were close to the training ground and that the others had nearly finished. “I was awestruck that she knew we had any kind of relationship… Also angry.”

“Why? What did you tell her?” Adalia asked in frustration, a small amount of anger flashing in her expression. He didn’t know if she was angry at the oracle or him.

“Loki!” His ears perked up as the Guruda, Vel, called over to him, waving him over to where he stood. “It’s your turn!”

“I told her that she was wrong, and that I loved you with my whole heart.” He replied to Adalia, picking up the pace so he wouldn’t keep them waiting.

She followed on behind him, stopping at a reasonable distance from where the training was due to take place. She watched as he placed his sandals to one side before removing his obi with his sword tucked neatly inside as usual and handing it to Vel for safekeeping. He was given a wooden pole around 6 and a half feet long before being introduced to his opponent.

As with the tradition of Loki’s family and culture, he bowed to his opponent only to receive a smirk. “Del’s not one for formalities.” Vel commented as Loki returned to his full height. The young Guruda was a few inches shorter than him, his tidy hair shining in the afternoon sun and was well built.

Almost immediately as the duel had begun, Del’s pole made contact with Loki’s side, causing him to stumble. As he regained his balance, he began using offensive combos, only to be countered and have to defend again. As time went on, it became clear that the Guruda was beginning to tire faster than Loki as he was able to keep up the speed in which he could block and attack. Del made one final attempt to knock Loki down, attempting to bring the pole down onto his shoulder. He took the chance to trip him, kicking the pole from his hand and resting his own a safe distance from the Guruda’s head.

Catching his breath, Loki threw the pole away and bowed in respect, a shooting pain travelling like lightning up his back. His wings ripped through his back from his shoulder blades, blood trickling down his back and soaking his shirt.

“You’re a half breed that transforms, aren’t you?” Vel asked. Loki nodded and he continued. “When you next transform, a smaller set of wings will grow in the same way… Prepare yourself for that. Sorry about the fast growing time, all transfiguring half breeds grow that much faster than everyone else, but we don’t know why…”

Loki nodded before heading back towards the apartment building. He spun around quickly, smiling weakly at Adalia as he tried to ignore the pain. “The oracle also asked me if I still love you…”

Adalia’s face flushed, “What did you say?”

“Yes.” He replied, his smile now growing on his face. “I do still love you, Adalia.”

[classy_cat18]

Kite/Shonta
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"That was just too easy. I never thought you would be stupid enough to stray from your group," I said while staying coiled around Adalia. She said some muffled words but I didn't care what she said. "I see you got some pretty little wings. Now you're a pretty angel princess."

Tears started to drop down Adalia's cheeks. But now I could face her with no guilt. She wasn't her. She wasn't my Eve. "I told you that this wasn't over. You broke my heart, Adalia. I think you should pay for that. How about...I break your neck?"

I could feel her pitiful struggles and hear her muffled screams. I laughed a little and leaned in close to her. "Actually, I'd like to play a game with you. It's called Birdy Hunt. If you survive, you win. But...there's a catch."

I squeezed until I could hear the snapping of bone. So much for her wings. Then I sniffed at her neck. "Is that Loki I smell? That jackass panther? Really, I wonder who's the sucker in the relationship: you or him." I lightly kissed her neck, then licked at it, and finally...

"MMMMMM!" she exclaimed as my fangs pierced her neck. Venom pumped into her veins slowly, slowing her down. I released her and watched her stumble around like a wounded bird. Her wings twitched but the broken bone kept her from actual flight.

"I'll give you a head start," I informed her while slithering in the shadows. "Either sink or swim. Oh wait, there's no water around." I laughed wickedly as she tried to run away.

[Haruko]

Ovan
-probably, being proud is a part of my strength / i myself love the role I play.~ Sorairo no Kaze sung by Mizutani Yuuko
Control: Danielle

“Umm… diseased much?” I looked, disguisted, at the food that was presented to us by our "mistress of the evening". A rat, still alive, was the main course, followed by fruit that was by the table. As I looked at it, I could feel the bottom of my stomach get more and more nauseous. I shook my head in utter disguist, putting it down."No thanks.."I added, picking up a few pieces of the fruit and digesting some; even though that was hard as some of the other men actually ate the vermin.

'It still hurts..'I told myself, gingerly feeling the wound on my tail. Even if that fake me wasn't me; it still hurt, words and actions. The wrapped up wound stung everytime I twitched the tail; and I knew it'd be that way for a good while.

It was a few minutes later that the snake-lady's face grew into one of concern as she looked over our shoulders, onto the horizon.
“Everyone spread out, the Garuda’s will be here.”She commanded, leaving with Dimitri; the only one who didn't have a tail. Kite left for a room, and I decided to hide in the courtyard, going a bit slow to hide my presence.

I arrived and found a bush perfect enough to hide in; and my tail seemed to blend in perfectly with it. I bent down and watched as they slowly flew over; and the "Garuda's" the mistress was talking about were our female comrades with wings, although missing Adalia. As they passed by without a sound, Stella seemed to hang back, looking around as she took the delicate flower out of her hair. As her fellow comrades in flight left, she was left alone; but she probably knew that there was only one person here.

'don't..'I heard a faint, staticy voice coming through; and I knew it was Valkyrie. It was wrong to fight against Stella; but I had no choice but to play along with this stupid cat and mouse game for now. I slowly crept out of the bushes, and her eyes widened.

"Ovan! You're alright...whats..."She looked horrified at my tail, and I returned a glare at her, unsheathing Valkyrie."Your.."
"Stella; lets entertain her for a bit, shall we?"I pointed my sword's tip at her as it bursted in flames, and her face seemed to be one of horror as she extended her sword."How many hits can your sword take before disintergrating from my flames, I wonder?"

"Why?!"Stella asked as, instead of coming closer to strike at me, commanding petals from the local flowers to come to her."Why are we fighting?!"
"Because I have to protect.."I said, but stopped."No, I have to keep this power I was given!"I finished, and she flung the petals at me, giving them the strength and properties of blades. I was able to disintergrate most with my blade, but only a few struck at my side; pure luck.

[darktyranitar]

Atten-shun! *is perhaps reminiscing about NS too much*

So yeah... Yi, I hope you don't mind being issued with the weapon here. And apologize if I OOCed your char or anything; I tried to stick to her crazy/insane personality as accurate as possible. And I hope kalad doesn't mind Marion borrowing her daggers.


~~~Marion~~~
Sun and steel // Primo Victoria

After getting the back of my dress sewn up (Zombie-chan lend some help; an area was left untouched so as the dress can be removed without bothering the wings), Zombie-chan and I were walking through the hallway, discussing about the notes that she stumbled upon earlier. I was horrified at the prospect of being executed after losing the sparring – and was both grateful that I won and upset to learn that I had just send the young garuda to the gallows. Zombie-chan doesn’t seem to be too concerned about this finding though.

“Oh, so is that why you run beforehand? You’re afraid that you might lose?”

She grinned widely. “Of course not! Just can’t be bothered to tire myself go over the wings, and not that I want or need them, mind you.”

I thought back of what I had just said. “Yes, of course not. It won’t matter if you lost ; you’re already dead, anyway.”

“Bless, Faizer.” She squeezed my shoulder. “You said the funniest thing.”

“Funny… yes… I have this one idea…” I told her the idea that I had just came up with.

“So what do you think?”

“Hm…” she gave me a look as if I had just claimed that I was actually a monster in disguise. “Is this coming from your liking to rifles? Or has the NS-esque training has got into your brains, perhaps?”

“Yes, no, maybe… yes, blame it on NS… yes, it was like hell.” I raised two forefinger and gestured a shooting action. “But that… that was one of the best thing out of the whole darn training. It bring me a tear or two when I reminisce about it, it does.” I noticed the look on Zombie-chan’s face, so I quickly cleared my throat. “Err… right. So, think you can see if you can find a crate or two of the stuff?”

“Yessum,” she gave a sloppy salute, before going off towards a direction. I went towards the opposite direction and headed for the library.


“Yes?” Moswen said without looking up as I entered the library. “Ah, Marion,” she said when she looked up. “Do you need anything?”

“Well… yes.” I sat down. “Um… Moswen… let’s say that there’s this person who likes this person, but the second person has another person that she likes, and then there’s a third person, which seems to have a little feeling for the first person, and the first person think she has a little feeling for him as well… and the persons is actually me, you, and Vel, then what should I do? I want to look for anything here relating to explosive… if there is any.” I mentally cringed at the words that I had spoke.

Moswen raised an eyebrow, but began to browse through a book lying on top of a table. “I think I have seen an entry or two… try looking through that book there…” she gestured towards a row of books. “The thin book with the red cover.”

Within moments, there were books all over the table, but sadly, there isn’t much info on explosive weapons. We did found a book mentioning about a certain draft on how to create a cannon, only that the material needed aren’t available here. A journal has suggested that the Garudas has encountered a group of traveller carrying what appears as a ‘powder that is capable of exploding’, and though it stated that the Garuda had kept the powder with them, it is not state where it was stored.

“Why do you want to look for gunpowder, anyway?” Moswen asked as she had finished skimming a book. “Isn’t it a little dangerous? And do you think it is actually capable of bringing down the Naga?”

I closed the book I was reading, and scratched my head. “Well… I just had this idea... that if could tinker a bit with some gunpowder, put in a bit of my mana…” I shrugged. “I’m hoping to get… something.”

Moswen said nothing as she slowly got up, and began to pace around the library. Concerned, I put down the book in my hand, and went to follow her. She was leaning against a table, apparently staring out towards the space.

“Moswen?” I asked; I was thinking of waving my hand in front of her when she blinked rapidly and gave me a weary look.

“Sorry… I was… having some thoughts.” She replied in a tired voice, getting away from the table before

“Are you alright?” I asked, not moving from my location. “You were like this after the…” I stopped, as I remembered about the Opera House; the image of the huge black wolf that was Moswen, feasting upon the Cereberus was still vivid in my mind.

“I’m alright,” she said with as much conviction as she could bring. “Really, I’m alright. Don’t worry about me.” She gave a small smile, and that eased me into smiling as well.

“It’s beautiful,” Moswen commented, addressing my wings. I looked behind at my ash-grey wings, giving them a slight flapping.

“But it really hurts when the wings come out… and it still feels a little cramp back there.” I then remembered something. “Oh yes… Yi. I wonder if she has any-”

An explosion roared through the hallway, followed closely with the unmistakably smell of gunpowder. “Sounds like she found what you were looking for,” Moswen said.


When Moswen and I arrived at the location of the explosion – a basement that has the words “no entry beyond this point” written on the door – we could hear Zombie-chan’s coughing among the smoke, with Saifa’s swearing added in between. We later found her standing next to a stack of exploded barrel, face blackened with smoke still coming out from her hair. Despite that, she looked perfectly unharmed – in fact, she was even smiling.

“Look at this!” she gestured to the remaining barrel. “They have enough of the powder that is only fitting for a huge firework for the 4th of July!”

Moswen sighed, and shook her head. “They are not going to be so happy to find this out.”

“Okay.” I opened a barrel cautiously, scooping the powder with a bowl that I found sitting nearby. “I have what I need. Have you ever played with the meriam buluh – bamboo cannon – before, Yi?”

“Nope!” She looked at the powder in the bowl, and then looking up at me. “How about you, Faizer?”

“No. But well… there’s always a first time for everything, right?”

Behind me, I could hear a small voice saying, “Karam will most definitely not be staying here, thank you.”


“Fire!”

Zombie-chan lit up the wicker, and we quickly closed our ears as make-shift cannon roared, spewing out hot gunpowder. I smiled, and picked the cannon up – I had earlier strengthen the cannon, a pipe-like structure made out of stone with one of its end blocked, with a bit of my mana, so it is unlikely that it will break down each time after a round is fired.

“Yeah, we can use this one on the guys. Not enough power to kill, but loud, and really bright.”

“Are you sure that you never played the meriam buluh before?” Zombie-chan asked, running her hand over her ears. “Oh, and would you look at that, I’m still not deaf yet. So when are we going to stop so that we can – excuse me – piss off?”

I had learned that by channelling some mana in the gunpowder, I can create varying effect of the cannon blast. From long ranged shot, to short but wide radius blast to shot that is blindingly bright and deafeningly loud. I had prepared two type of ammunition so far: one for stalling the Naga and the guys - with its slightly less powerful shot but louder explosion and bright flash of light - while another one was to blast the Naga to pieces. I nodded approvingly. “We stop here. I have what we need.”

“Yay!” she clapped. “So do we blast the Naga to pieces, or do we just decapitate her? Hullo, little Karam!”

“26…” Karam then plopped down the floor, gasping. “Karam tired! Can Karam rest now?”

“No. Finish up all 50 round. Or it’s cold porridge for dinner. On the floor.”

Karam shrieked, and went to completer the remaining 24 round of running around the village.

“That wasn’t nice of you,” Yi commented. “Still in the Khidmat Neraka mood, I see?”


*****

Later at dusk, we had all gathered on top of the rooftop; I could see that everyone had a tensed look on their face, and I understand quite well what they were feeling at the moment.

With the exception of Zombie-chan, that is.

“We’re going to blast the snake woman out, hurrah, hurrah…”

I smiled at the prospect: a crazed zombie, and a cannon in her hand. Now that is dangerous.

“You go for the initial strike, then you’ll pass the cannon back to me; I have the rest of the gunpowder with me. All right?”

She grinned widely and gave a quick salute.

“Marion!” Adalia called from behind. I turned around; she had wings with her now, a light pink feathered wing. “Aren’t those Dana’s?” she pointed at the two dagger hung around my waist.

I nodded, patting them once. “She told me to kill the Naga with these: one to slice her tail off, and one to slit upon her neck – on her behalf. But don’t worry; if we’re lucky, we might be able to take her out with a single blow from the cannon.”

Vel then begin to give his speech of our descend upon the Naga’s lair; I had caught him glancing at me several times, and I smiled reassuringly; to tell him that we’re going to make it through. That we’re going to emerge victorious.

“The beginning of a victory,” I said under my breath, and flapping my wings, followed the rest of the group as we began to make our move.

[Bulbasaur4]

Moswen


Moswen stood tall upon a rooftop as the wind swept through her hair. She had been caught off guard when Marion had entered the library and she couldn’t help but feel as if Marion had wanted to talk to her about something. Moswen remembered the letter and her eyes grew sad for a second, as she withdrew a light breath. Kitsune stood next to her- having tagged along the entire time on their adventure. He had grown a bit too… now looking like a medium-sized puppy.
Sounds of battle perked Moswen’s ears up, as she scanned. The idea of battle caused her heart to pound against her chest- was she really ready for this?
The entire time at the Garuda training grounds… being locked away in the library from time to time- it had given her a lot of thought time. Yet, when it came down to it… was she really ready? Speaking to Adalia had also given Moswen a lot of thought – poor child, she had been submitted to a horrible ordeal with Loki. Yet, deep down she was thankful Adalia at least hadn’t dealt with the same ordeals as Moswen. Such a thing… no one was deserving of them…. It was a …
“No. Think of now. Think of this time.” Moswen said to herself, withdrawing a deep breath. “Things will be okay… I doubt that-”
Moswen leapt down off of the edge of the building, just in time to see the full battle. The Naga was there along with Ovan, a strange looking Dimitri, Kite… all equipped with tails but… Moswen’s eyes had widened at something else. Behind them all, standing back with a rather distant look was… Ban. And to her surprise, Ban had not changed. He did not look like the snakey versions of the others… but rather, he was just himself. And he was not battling!
“Ban!” Moswen found herself yelling, a rush of excitement surging through her veins. He had not changed like the books said all men would when in contact with the Naga. Millions of thoughts rushed into Moswen’s mind and for a few moments, she lost all grips of the world around her. Gracefully she leapt through a few of the battles, dodging the Naga who was doing some combat with Zombie-chan, who was readying her cannon.
“Ban!” Moswen said again, reaching him as she walked up. “You didn’t fall for it… I’m so glad.” Moswen smiled halfly, the first true smile she had done in a long while. But she was sure of it this time- this feeling that she had gotten when she had first seen him. At first she had denied it; that it couldn’t be true. Yet, now… upon seeing his unchanged figure, she knew for a fact that she couldn’t deny it any longer.
A large boom got Moswen’s attention and she turned around and saw dust. With a new zest in her heart and an ignited fire within her soul, Moswen grinned and turned to face Ban again.
“How about we go and join-” Moswen began, before suddenly came to the realization that Ban’s face was unchanging. The usual spark within his face had been replaced with a slightly cold exterior and his position was unchanging. Moswen felt her fire slowly flickering away, as her mind tried to pry off the doubt that was beginning to cling to her. No, he looked fine. He was fine. He had to be fine…
“The one you are looking for is no longer here.” His voice, Ban’s voice, sounded into the air, sounding cold and indifferent. It was as if an icy blast of wind had brushed against Moswen’s body as she stood there, frozen.
“Now either fight me or retreat. I do not have time for idle talk.”

Moswen’s eyes were wide open and they quivered slightly. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her spirits had merely risen only to plummet that much farther. Without saying a word, Moswen closed her eyes as a brief tear drizzled down her cheek as she turned and simply walked away. Her tail wavered against the ground as her ears flattened against the side of her head.
“Moswen!” Someone called to her, but she was no longer listening.

I am a fool… I actually believed in it…
Moswen thought, although her mind was quite numb. She believed she had healed opened up again… and like in fate’s wish, she had been destroyed instantly in that moment.
Why… why does it hurt so much?
A few more explosions went off, but Moswen continued to walk on. If anyone would have asked her to remember where she was going, where she was… she would have been unable to recall.
I should have seen it… who would ever feel that way…
Moswen suddenly found herself slumping to her knees. Her eyes could no longer see however. She didn’t know where she was or what she was doing. In her mind, she was in a dark void. She wanted to disappear…
I give up. Please… let me disappear… Let me leave this world.



Moswen’s fallen body was still as stone as it crumpled and laid upon the ground. Within a few moments however, suddenly a brilliant light white seemed to burst from her right side. Like a gentle blanket it washed over her body, causing her hair to turn completely white. Her black tattoos soon vanished and her armor clanked as it too snapped free only to disappear. The light blue cloth that covered her right then extended and covered her entire body, wrapping tightly around it to form a light blue kimono with a white obi. Slowly Moswen’s body came to life, as her tail and ears became a soft snowy white to match her hair.
“Moswen! Moswen are you okay? Wh-what…” Marion’s voice entered the air, causing Moswen’s new body to open its eyes and reveal their brilliant reddened amber color.
“What…” Marion began, completely dumbfounded as she was covered with gunpowder which looked like soot.
“Greetings. I am the Goddess of Yang.” The new figure of Moswen spoke, her voice sounding delicate and airy. She smiled brightly, seeing that the battle with the Naga was coming to a close.
“Where… where is Moswen?” Marion asked, her eyes wide with shock. For a moment, the yang god seemed saddened by this but giving a sorrowful nod she gave a half-hearted smile.
“She is sleeping for now.”
“W-why?!”
“Her pain… she…is in so much pain. She needed rest.”



!*!*!*!*!*!*

I’ll leave it there. I was going to bring it further but I’ll wait until the battle finishes. If it doesn’t finish soon, I’ll just bring it forward later this week or so.

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
-unending freedom...Far more time than I have a use for / but at least I'm free to lock those days behind me ~Feeling Fine by L'Arc-en-Ciel

As everyone seemed to finish their sparing with the "hatchling" Garudas, the pain that I had felt after my match becae apparent; instead of the younging gainning his wings this day, I was gainning my own. They seemed to be a light green; much like the color of a stem of a beautiful flower. Blood dyed the wings though, fresh from both my wound and coming out of my back. As everyone seemed to go off with someone else, I found a body of water and started to clean the pair of wings gingerly.

"I wonder what Teacher would say now.."I said to myself as I cleaned them with a cloth I kept in my bag. I continued to clean them until I felt a presence behind me, and stopped.
"You had a teacher?"I looked behind me, and it seemed to be one of the Garuda. I nodded to myself as I dipped the cloth in the cold water once more, and pressed it against the feathers; washing away the blood.
"She taught me everything I know."I replied. "She taught me to be strict in mind, nice to others..how to fight, how to care.."

'And yet, teacher, you always had me down in shackles with those earrings..

"She sounds like a nice teacher."He replied as I finished cleaning my wings. "Well..I came to say that Vel wanted to meet everyone on the roofs soon." The Garuda left shortly after, and I sighed. My body housed a guilty conscious; if I didn't hand Ovan over so easily, maybe the other men wouldn't have gone. I looked down at the water, back at the reflection of myself.

I had looked at that reflection for atleast 5 minutes until I gathered myself to try the wings out. Remembering what Teacher had said about birds; they ride the air currents and the winds beneath their wings, I positioned my wings exactly like a birds. Soon, I was exactly like a bird, being wrapped around in the warm air current, not restricted by the ground.

I took my time getting to the roof that I saw Vel on, as I saw Adalia and her friend playing around, and others gathering to. This too, was nature; the sky, currents and wind. The part I couldn't reach; I was the earth and my brother was the sky. Mother was the sky, father was the earth..

I reached the rooftop in time to hear Vel's orders; we were going to attack the Naga's base now. It was now or never; and even though I was still injured on my back; I felt better in spirit. We flew in a tight formation, soaring over the barrier that covered the beasts lair as if it were only a small thing. It was as we left the courtyard that I felt a presence. Even though we were told to stay together, I kept my wings to a silent flap; and hung back as the others continued inside.

'I definately sense mana..'I thought to myself, taking out the flower from my hair and extending it into it's fencing sword.'Only one trace, I should be fine..'

As I looked around the trace the source, I saw a bush's leaves move as a figure came out. Ovan; atleast a half human Ovan. He was alright though, from what I could see.
"Ovan! You're alright...whats..."I looked at his tail, horrified. It had a wound, much like my back. He glared at me as he unsheathed his sword."Your..tail.."
"Stella; lets entertain her for a bit, shall we?"Ovan addressed me directly, pointing the tip of his sword at my head as the blade covered itself in a bright flame. I extended my sword a bit more and hardened its base to an unnatural point; but the flames..it wouldn't take long to completely bring my sword to ashes."How many hits can your sword take before disintergrating from my flames, I wonder?"He added, reading my face and mind as he placed a cocky smirk on his.

'I can't get close to him!'I thought to myself, looking around. 'Only way is to do ranged attacks!'. Unlike the vast, desert like outside, the Naga had flowers and plants for fruit. I had plenty of ammo, I tried to tell myself as I gathered some of the petals and leaves off of the plants. Giving them the strength of metal and the sharpness of a blade, I looked at Ovan again, not wanting to strike him at all. I just wanted to bring him back.

"Why!?"I demanded an answer from him."Why are we fighting?!"
"Because I have to protect.."He said, but stopped short, rethinking."No, I want to keep this power I was given!" He finished. If he wasn't going to come back with just words, I would have to try and knock him out. I flung the petals and leaves at him; but most disintergrated as he swung his sword, the flames leaving a trail that left most in ashes. Only a few got through and struck his side.

"I think you need to get down from there."He smirked, and rushed closer. I flew up as he seemed to change the properties of his sword from fire to wind; as a cyclone danced around his blade. I flew up high enough for him to be no reach for me, and him not to be able to reach me. But it was still a nill attempt, as he strengthened the cyclonic magic on his sword. A cyclone flew from his sword and meshed in with my wings, dragging me to the ground. As I hit a harsh landing, I felt a sharp pain in my left wing, and saw a big gash of blood as he stabbed it right in the middle, now using the fire properties in his sword. Ovan...was never able to keep up with making so many changes in his sword. Was this the power he wanted? I yelled in pain as he smiled, pulling his sword from my wing.

"Grounded."He said as I slowly got up, my left wing now heavy due to injury. I kept stance and aimed my sword at him, mustering more petals and leaves around me.

This was a one sided fight..but I had to fight it to the end..

for it was all my fault.

Leave Stella and Ovan's fight alone.;3 I have things planned.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ Infected ~*~*~*~*~

My body stung, as if it were pierced by thousands of different little painful needles. “I’ll give you a head start.” Kite stated as I crawled backwards, my wings falling limp at my side, feathers being ripped off with every inch back I made. “Either sink or swim. Oh wait, there’s no water around.” He laughed as I turned to crawl away only to find my legs getting ever more limp with each passing breath.

With in moments I was grasping at grasp to pull myself forward, I could feel Kite’s ever-watchful eyes on me, smirking as his tail blocked my escape route. The pain in my legs quickly turned to itching, painful itching that could not be ignored. I grabbed at my robe, pulling it up to see something shiny reflecting the light as it lay just under my skin. The itching became too much, I had to scratch, my nails quickly ran over it, flaking the skin off to find pink scales underneath. “What did you do to me?” My eyes fixed on the scales in shock.

“I just gave you a new look, do you like it?” The scratching became more furious, my nails chipping away flakes of skin just to stop the pain. “You’ll feel much better soon.” Kite’s voice came again, sounding soothing as he slithered around me.

“Get-Get away!” I pushed back at him, struggling to move my legs.

Kite quickly reached down, grabbing my legs, which were quickly becoming even shinier, my toenails flaking off. “Where do you think you’re going, princess?” He asked, a pain shooting through my wings as the Naga poison and the Garuda Wings fought each other, my feathers coming off in clumps in a losing battle. “The birdy losing her wings?” He asked mockingly.

“I don’t want to be like you!” I shot back, whimpering as I held the feathers I worked so hard for.

Kite shook his head, shrugging. “Too bad, I’ve marked you, and now you’re mine.” She grabbed my limp legs, pulling me back as it dawned on me. It was a poison; it was in my blood stream. I could slow, even reverse it with my mana. The change was immediate, the pink scales on my leg, suddenly reversing directions, crawling up my legs instead of crawling down. ‘I forgot that you could probably heal yourself, so I’ll have some fun with you until then.” Kite grinned, sinking his nails into my leg.

Pain ripped through my leg, I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming as the change began to slowly progress down my legs again, the scales reaching my feet as my legs felt more and more pressed together. “We’re having fun now, huh?” Kite asked digging his nails in again. “No need to be scared of your own kind..” He smirked, a black shape suddenly rushing down from the sky, tackling Kite.

“Loki..” I whispered.


Vel
~*~*~*~*~ Revenge ~*~*~*~*~

Battle to the left, and battle to the right, the group seemed to dive head first against their one-time allies. Although my mind began to wonder as to where the little one went. The Panther one turned, his ears twitching before rushing off in another direction. All the while, Moswen seemed to be having a confrontation with a familiar man. My eyes continued to scan the area, looking, searching for her. I wanted my chance to kill her before Marion was able to initiate her plan. “There you are..” I mumbled, swooping in and withdrawing my sword.

Her eyes turned and focused on me at the last second, bringing out her own sword as the two smashed together. I withdrew, flying into the air to regroup. “You’ve held me prisoner for the last time.” She roared, flames rushing around the sword and flying up to attack me. “Oh have I forgotten to mention? I can draw on the powers of Ovan and Kite since we have shared mana.”

The flames had burnt a few feathers of my wings, but I had a bigger problem on my hands. Such as how to defeat this woman. “Marion, Zombie, stand back.” I yelled to them, knowing they were about to implement their plan. “She’s mine..” I flew forward.


Naga/Eve
~*~*~*~*~ One down ~*~*~*~*~

The male Garuda came at me fast, swinging his sword with a brutality that shocked even me. The boy had a blood lust, and if I had more time, I may have even added him to my little group. But now wasn’t the time, not with my life at stake. “You’re different than the other Garuda’s.” I remarked, coiling my tail around his leg. He responded perfectly, kicking the nerve that controlled the tail to uncoil it. I was beginning to wonder if I had met my match.

“Why do you have to destroy my happy family?” I asked, keeping my eye on the current battle. The first fire attack had drained me more than I had expected, calling upon a person’s power from a long distance was not something I truly wanted to do again, but I may need to if the battle continued on. “Why?” I asked again, after not receiving a response the first time.

“Because if you could, you would destroy my kind.” He responded, coming down for another sweeping attack. Drawing upon Ovan again, I channeled Electricity into the sword and sent a bolt straight at him, shocking the poor man. “I have to kill you.” He groaned, raising his sword with shaky hands.

I rose my own sword. “I know..” With a clean cut I whipped my tail around with blinding speed that he probably never saw it. Separating his head from his shoulders in one clean cut with my tail. “Just like I had to kill you..” I remarked, shaking the blood off of my tail.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Angels are calling your name...


It was too sudden and surreal that I stared long and hard at the decipitated remain of Vel, in utter disbelief. And Moswen had... apparently gone somewhere else, and it doesn't look as if she's coming back soon.

Then, pray, what should we do now?

"Ow," Zombie-chan remarked sympathetically, before firing off another round, shaking me awake from my thought. There was an explosion of dust and debris, in which I quickly pulled Zombie-chan and Karam down as something swished above us; it was no doubt the Naga's tail.

"Okay, so cannon doesn't work..." I said, after I had just learned that she can create a barrier to protect herself. Not to mention the swords. Taking out the remaining gunpowder, I shoved it down the cannon. "Still, we could use some kind of distraction..."

"Oh, okay." Zombie-chan said, and she readied the cannon. "Any good plan?"

"Karam think we're going to die," Karam said dreadfully.

"Optimistic, aren't we?" Zombie-chan remarked.

I recalled on how Vel decided to go face to face with Naga, only to get his head cut of clean. I winced. "Very great, Vel," I muttered, as I laid the daggers down, contemplating our options. "Good thinking..."


"Um. She's coming." Zombie-chan pointed. "Order to fire?"

"Now or never. Fire away." I picked the daggers up and flew up just as the cannon was fired. This was followed by yet another smoke of dust. I waited for a while, until the dust cleared down a bit.

There we go.

I threw one of the dagger at what appeared to be the tail. There was a shriek, and I knew that I had strike home.

Here, here...

I quickly dove straight towards the Naga, both hands gripping the dagger tightly. I had somehow hoped - what else can I do at this point but hope? - that from this angle, she would not be able to slash me with her sword. My hands were trembling, as I already imagined the feel of the steel sliding into the flesh.

However, I had forgotten to take one important thing into account. And it turns out it wasn't the sword that I should worry about, as the Naga's fangs were embedded into my arms.

Great. Great...

"You might have hurt my tail," she said, spitting out blood. "But you seem to have forgotten about my fang." She looked down at the sword, as if contemplating if she should slash me right here, right now. She smiled, and tossed i aside. "Hold that thought. Now tell me, are your arms becoming numb?" I looked down at my arms, which had indeed been rendered immobile. There was a purplish tinge around the bite mark, and slowly, it was spreading out.

"Don't worry," she smiled wickedly. "The poison won't kill you. Yet." She shook her leg, and kicked away a part of her cut-off tail slowly with disapproval. "So, what do you plan to do? Your hands are out of order... and I was very sure that I managed to slash your friend there."

She was too occupued with her talk that she seems to not notice that I was now getting down on my knees.

"Look at him," she addressed to the body of Vel. "Not a bad one, yet he has to die so early... but I can't help it; it's either kill or be killed. Tsk, such a-"

Her face flushed as soon as the dagger was slashed across her neck. I grinned, biting down into the hilt of the dagger. The blood came out in a stream that a large area of the ground was quickly painted in blood.

But despite that, she was still alive. And extremely not pleased.

[ChobiChibi]

~Loki Kinoshita~

He wasn’t sure what logic there was in pouncing upon his foe, but he was sure it was the right course of action. Loki had shifted straight back to his human form, gripping onto Kite’s arms and using his body weight to pin him firmly to the floor. He panted as he attempted to catch his breath, his small sharp canines noticeable as he growled with his yellow-green eyes fixed glaring at Kite.

“Don’t ever touch Adalia again…” His voice was firm, yet only contained a touch of anger.

Kite simply replied with a laugh. “So now you’re playing the hero? Little emo Loki with problems trying to redeem himself?” Loki’s nails began to dig into his arms as his temper began to rise. “It’s no good; you know she wouldn’t be able to stick with one person…”

“Don’t say things like that! You didn’t love her, Kite, Shonta loved the Ryan that is somewhere inside of her!” He protested, his knuckles turning white as his grip continued to grow tighter with his anger.

“I love Adalia too, Loki.” He began, a coy smile appearing on his face. “I love the feeling of her soft skin when I run my hand down her thigh…”

“You didn’t-!” Loki yelled, interrupted by the sudden movement of Kite’s tail wrapping itself around his waist and throwing him at the wall. He instinctively tucked his wings in just before crashing, the pain instead shooting along his spine, skull and lip where he had bitten it on impact.

“You have no idea what went on whilst you were gone.” Kite tormented, slithering across the floor towards his stunned target. He lunged at Loki, his fangs ready to strike. Loki brought his sword in front of him, blocking Kite from reaching his exposed neck, but not injuring him in any way. “Why don’t you give up now? You stand no chance!”

Loki glanced at Adalia as she slumped against the wall, her eyes drooping closed and snapping back open periodically. From what he could tell, he noticed that her cheeks had lost their normal shade of grey and were closer to a pastey white. He had to get to her, he had to stop the poison, but how could he when all Kite wanted was to kill him?

He shook his head, struggling to keep Kite at a far enough distance away from anywhere that he could bite. “If you really loved her, you wouldn’t poison her and let her die.”

One sudden push from Loki sent Kite what would have been staggering backwards, if he had had legs. He glared, his halberd in his hand. “If you really loved her, you wouldn’t have left her.”

Making a dash towards Adalia, Loki quickly scooped her up in his arms and placed his lips gently upon hers. As he withdrew, he gently wiped her chin of his blood, praying that it would get into her system quick enough to help slow the poisoning. He lay her gently back on the floor before blocking what could have been a fatal blow from Kite, and continuing to battle. Each blow deflected by the other, their skill equally matched, Loki could only hope that he would find an opening to end this battle without having to cause any serious harm and aid the others in the fight against the Naga.

[Haruko]

WARNING: Not for those who get nauseous at the thought of blood. Get cliffnotes from someone else if you can't stand it.
Also crazily writen. Blue is Ovan, Green is Stella.

stella//ovan
-the fight isn’t over, it’s still going /what would I give for my future self? ~Boku wa Boku Datte by Wada Kouji
Control(Ovan): Danielle

I aimmed and tried my best, firing off rounds of petals and leaves at Ovan; but to no avail. He would either swat at them with his tail, or swing his blade of fire and disintergrate them. I growled a bit lowly, lightheaded slightly from the blood loss from my left wing. The blessing that the Garuda had given me was now only a hinderance.

"You can't do much, can't you?"Ovan taunted."Heal and throw pretty flowers. I'll let you retreat if you want; only because I still have some feelings for my counterparts comrades." Counterpart? What was Ovan talking about? That was surely him; for that was his sword in his hands, and his dangerous gloves on his hands.

"I came here to fix the mistake of allowing her to take you! I am not retreating!"I resigned my fate. He laughed slightly, knowing that I could probably die if he got anymore serious."And what are you talking about.'Counterpart'?..Are you the Ovan who helped me escape, or the person who created Ovan?"

The look on Ovan's face changed from one of battle, to one of pure amusement. He smiled, and looked at his sword, then back at me.
"The latter."He replied, "I'm sick and tired of having to put up with so much bullshit, really.."
"Those are things you can talk to the group about! You do not have to be traitorous in order to achieve things!"I replied, placing myself in a offensive stance."You can tell people how you feel, you know!"
"No one would understand."He said, placing his sword in the same position as mine, the flames around it flickering with even a stronger light."I'm a girl in boys body, who got someone pregnant after getting drunk. What do I do when I want to return home?! I can't! It's no fair!"His eyes looked into mine with despair; filled with hopelessness. "This woman..offered me a way out. I had to take it.."

As he finished, we started to exchange blows with our swords. With each hit, my sword took damage. Burn marks soon started to appear on the enlongated part of my flower-sword as the blows we exhanged increased. It soon came to the point where my whole sword was covered in scorch marks, and that the sharpest point; the tip, was falling off. We exchanged one more blow until we found ourselves on the opposite sides of the courtyard.

"If you are not Ovan, that what should I address you as?"I asked, the tip of my sword falling off. He looked away, questioning if he should answer my question. I took the time to summon more petals and leaves to my side; but it was useless. I was done, my sword was piled on the grassy floor as ashes.
"Danielle."He replied, looking me in the eyes. He quickly sprung forward when done saying the feminine name, and I flicked my wrist in hopes of creating a diversion of blade-sharp petals and leaves. It was only a diversion tactic as I tried to spring into the air; but it was no luck, the left wing was broken half way through. Ov...Danielle swept through the petals with a fiery sweep, leaving a few to hit him as a tease.

You can touch me, but never kill me..



"I'm sorry, Stella."I looked into her eyes; but differing from before, I was now only five or six inches apart from them. Valkyrie was now stabbed in her lower thigh, crimson blood dripping down from her leg as I pulled her out. Stella first fell onto her knees, looking up, and then onto the ground with a clenched fist.
"i can't.."She whispered, a small pool of blood gathering near the thigh. I more than likely missed the best spot to kill her; so when she got her last words out, I would stab her in the chest.

"I can't..leave this world yet.."She mumbled to herself, as small wet drops formed onto the soil beneath her."brother..I need to find him.."

'Do you wish to live..?'A voice rang out as I felt my life slipping beneath me. So many regrets, so much left to do..
'Live..yes, I do..'I replied desperatly. Maybe this was it, I would die and see my parents again.
'Do not think such pitiful thoughts, my child.'

I decided to leave Stella to bleed to death after a second or two of thinking. Turning my back to her, I slithered away until I was about 5 meters or so away from her. It was then that I started to get goosebumps down my spine and through my arms; even an odd sensation through my tail. I looked behind me, and my eyes widened in both horror and amazement.

Stella was enwrapped by a glowing green mana that seemed to swirl around her body; it keeping herself afloat as if a woman possessed. The mana itself seemed to stem from the ground, and it stopped the bleeding from both the thigh wound and wing. Once the bleeding stopped, her eyes glew as the sword that was once ashes reformed through the mana itself. It regained it's form completely, and a swirl of glittering green mana. All this mana..from where? The earth?

"Stella..?"I asked her, and she tilted her head; but gave no response. I reignited the flames on my sword and looked at her as she looked at the flames on the sword, and then at me, laughing.
"Pitiful."She responded coldly, and with a burst of energy, ran at me with her sword in offense, striking at my stomach. I almost has no time to react and defend; it was luck that I could. It seemed that her sword; which was once completely vulerable to my swords flames, was now invulerable. Was it that mana that wrapped itself around it? We exchanged blows for what seemed forever; it was no longer a one sided fight. However, with each blow, she smiled.

I didn't understand until our final exchange of blows, where as to we both landed; again, on the opposite side of the field. She smirked, and it was when I saw small, seed like things on my chest and tail emerge. As a pop sound was made from each one, vines emerged and shot towards Stella, as she grabbed it and yanked, pulling me like a doll.

"But..you can only control plants around here!"I exclaimed, confused.
"yes.."She replied, her eyes lifeless."These seeds are those of the plants around here. I am only manipulating them, Danielle." She finished, continuing to yank on the vines to pull me closer to her. I kept my tail onto the ground, but it seemed as like the vines themselves were pulling me to her. I tried to cut them with a fire emblazed Valkyrie, to no avail. She laughed slightly at my futile attempts. I changed Valkyrie's form to wind to cut the vines up; but they only reformed in mili-seconds.
"What..are you?"I looked into her eyes, that were now only three feet away. Was this why she had those earrings on; and why she was so afraid when they broke off?
"I am.."She said, at a loss of words. The vines continued to yank me closer; and I only had one true weapon. The tail the mistress gave me, I now wrapped around Stella so that we both had each other ensnared. At best; we would take each other down.
"I am...nature."She replied, unfased by the constricting tail that binded her legs and chest. The vines stopped when we were only a feet apart from each other. There seemed to be a few single moments as to which none of us did anything; the vines paused, and my constricting tail only continued to ensnare her. However, as for her; she was looking into my eyes deeply.

"too much like brothers.."She stared deeply into my eyes; and from a blind spot in my eye, prepared her sword. It was what came next that changed the tides of battle. Taking the blade into her free hand; an arm that wasn't being constricted by my mistake, she rushed the very end of her sword into my left eye; the vines preventing my Valkyrie from getting any closer.

"YOU BITCH!"I yelled, holding my left eye in sheer pain as blood dripped down my cheek; and the sight from it turned a blood red before darkness. I quickly pierced my fangs into her skin; giving her the best dosage of poison I could in the amount of pain I was in. If I had to go down; so was she.


Dun touch the eye.

[Bulbasaur4]

The Yang Goddess


The battles raged on.

“I believe this is quite enough…” Knes’s smooth voice entered the air, catching Kite and Loki both off guard. Knes leaned against the side of the building, a little too close for comfort to the fighting duo.
“Ah… so now we can ALL be together…” Kite sneered, pushing Loki away. Loki stumbled back a bit, wiping a bit of blood off of his lips as he kept a steady gaze on Kite but made himself aware of Knes.
“These battles are over.” Knes continued, taking a step forward as Kite clenched his fist. “The Naga is dead. Slashed by Marion, blown to pieces by a make-shift cannon.” Knes continued, as Kite continued to shake his head.
“Liar!” He spat, as Knes tilted his head to the side.
“Am I? I’m sure you can feel that your powers have waned…especially since Loki, a person who only has his own powers, has begun to get the upper hand on your power AND your Naga-gained abilities.”
Kite charged at Knes and aimed for another blow, but Loki suddenly slid in the way and blocked. Knes remained unmoving, unflinching.
“We’re all fools… fools for love. If you want to talk about betrayl and misdeeds- well then, she’s done it to us all.” Knes’s eyes flickered to Loki for a brief moment. “But fighting will change nothing for this is a fight with no victory.”
With that, Knes suddenly gave a nod- as if to signal as suddenly Kite felt two strong yet delicate arms wrap about his arms and torso.
“What the-” Kite yelled, twisting to see who was behind him.

It was the Yang God. Her soft white hair strewn about her shoulders as she smiled tenderly as she held Kite fast. Kite’s eyes began to flutter slightly, as his voice subsided and a cooling sensation rippled throughout his body. He then began to glow with a silvery color as his body slowly transformed itself back into his original state. His fangs shortened to their normal size and his tail shriveled away. The scales left his body and his cat-like eyes grew away from their snake design.
Gentle easing Kite to lay on the ground, the Yang God kneeled over him in her decorated light kimono and tilted her head softly. Kite’s eyes fluttered open although realization had not hit him fully yet.
“Good… you are fine. The Naga’s sway shall hold you no more.” She said, her voice as cooling as her touch.
“Can you help Adalia?” Knes then said, swiftly walking to her as he knelt by her side. Loki followed as the Yang God approached.
“With the Naga defeated, her powers have all but waned. Poisons used in battle and their affects will be easily remedied.” With that, she knelt before Adalia and spread her hands wide over the girl’s body.
Please forgive me Moswen… for I am using your own strength that you did not discover.
The same silvery color stretched over Adalia’s body, much like Kite’s. The pale skin in her cheeks began to flush back into color as her body temperature rose. After a brief few moments, the Yang God gave a nod and closed her palms. Standing up she looked to both Knes and Loki.
“She is well. She should wake up soon.”
With that Knes smiled and quickly scooped Adalia up in his arms.


“Now for the rest…” The Yang God said quietly, walking out of the road in which the Kite battle had taken place and more towards the main opening. This was where everyone else was. Marion had fallen, Zombie-chan was battling Ban and Ovan and Stella had battled as well.
“Such sway the Naga still has…” The Yang God said quietly, frowning as she suddenly held her hands up high. “No more of it.”
Bright balls of white light formed within her open palms and then swiftly as they had formed, she squished them. As the balls of light were squeezed, they suddenly exploded into fragments of snow-like dust into the air. Quickly the wind picked up and began to spiral in the air, touching all of those within the battle field.
It took a while, but eventually the changes that had overcome began to undo themselves. Proper spirits were returned, proper owners within command and proper bodies now revealed. Marion’s injured form had healed as well… and soon the group came to the realization of their own pitiful battle.
“You must not fight amongst yourselves…” The Yang God called, a bit of sadness within her eyes. “You have only one more battle left, and that is with a God.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Necessary posts of others filled in here XD
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The Yang God had placed a hand upon Knes and revealed to him the location to teleport everyone within the group. So the group then arrived in a place that perhaps they did not expect.
It was perhaps like a miniature place of paradise- the calm before the storm. A small yet illuminated crystal-clear pool was the center of this paradise with different colored smooth stones hidden beneath its surface. Lush tropical-esque plants dotted all around, and the night sky’s beautiful stars seemed to be close enough to reach. Small Byanetts floated upon the breeze – firefly like tiny fairies, that glowed different colors and acted like bugs for they could not speak. Different colored fruits grew upon the trees – all of them edible and nourishing. It was a good place of rest.

“So…” Adalia began, having regained her composure. “… can you explain this to us again? I thought we were helping the world and helping the Gods.”
“And where is Moswen?” Dimitri said, narrowing his eyes at the Yang Goddess.
“Yes… I should explain.” She replied, her white ears perking forward as she sat upon a large smooth stone.

“This World has two Gods- myself and another. We are essential to this world’s balance and without us, the world falls into a sort of chaos. For thousands of years we worked together and brought peace and harmony to this world.” Her eyes grew saddened as her voice grew grave. “But as time grew on… the God, Yin, grew more aggressive. With his night sky he grew more greed and the nights became longer. Then one day within a moment, he attacked me using his aggressive powers of the night. He had many followers since he had broken our rules and made himself known. With so many followers he had obtained a great deal of power and within a few years, I had been defeated.”
“He deemed me dead… or gone, although that was foolish thinking on his part. I indeed was near extinction, having gone into hiding with only a tiny piece of spiritual energy that I had left. But of course, I knew that Yin was not done. He needed to completely wipe me out and to completely gain control of the world. But in order to do that, he had to release the four crystals of mana that we had placed on this earth to help maintain harmony. In order to do this, he needed to bring in outsiders- those who did not know of the crystal’s importance to the world to defeat the guardians and release the crystals so that he could gain their power.”

Silence filled the air. Slowly Kite spoke.
“So we… basically have been tricked. We’ve released all the crystals and given him the power he needs.”
Yang nodded. “Yes… but, all is not completely lost.”
“What can we do now? From hearing your story… he was powerful enough to defeat you.” Stella commented.
“Yes, but I was unprepared… perhaps blind to what I should have obviously seen. While I am far from full strength, I am close. You all have grown strong as well… so strong that in fact that I believe you can defeat him. And while you have released the crystals, he does not have their true power yet. So this world stands a chance.”
“Where is he?” Adalia asked.
“The moon.” Loki whispered, and the Yang Goddess nodded.
“Yes, the moon.”
“The moon? How the heck are we supposed to get to the moon? And isn’t it rather… uninhabitable?”
“Perhaps from your original world, but here our moon does have life upon it- although small. I also know that one of your friends has the ability to get you there and knows the way.”
The Yang Goddess looked to Knes, who simply nodded.
“So tomorrow, it is up to all of you to defeat Yin. Yet in the meantime… I offer you one more gift.”
“Wait.” Marion said, looking at Yang. “Moswen…” her voice trailed off.
“Ah yes… Moswen…” The Yang Goddess said slightly, a twinge of sadness within her voice.
“Moswen is still here, within me. I am merely borrowing her body. You see, I knew of Yin’s plan to bring you here but was powerless to stop it. So when I sensed your arrival… I quickly sought one of you to harbor within. Moswen was a good candidate, since she did not harbor herself and the one who used to be called… Kalah, but just Kalah in fact. The Yin God sensed this and then tried to purge me from her body before she awoke but I managed to fight him off. That would explain to you her unbalanced powers and the armor that I formed upon her to contain.”
“Get out.” Dimitri said suddenly, narrowing his eyes. “Get out of her body. Let her decide if she wants you to control her or not.”
The Yang Goddess frowned slightly, quiet for a moment before she rose her head upwards to look at all of them. With a flicker of a glance towards Ban and seeing his sullen face, she quickly looked away.
“She did make the choice. She wanted to go away.”

Silence.

She stood up and looked at them with a slight smile.
“But back to the gift I was mentioning before…”
“You need to be in high spirits before you go. It is crucial to win a battle of this magnitude and I can tell by looking at all of you… that you are in low spirits. So before tomorrow, I ask tonight that all of you make a wish. You may have any wish that is possible upon this world and within your memories and dreams and I will grant it. You can wish to relive a memory or perhaps an inner wish that could come possible within your dreams. Anything, so long as it makes you happy.”




[ Something Ryan wanted to happen. ]

[classy_cat18]

Kite...just Kite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Nothing," was the response that escaped my lips.

"Excuse me?" the Yang God asked me with her airy voice.

"I wish for nothing! I want nothing more to do with this damn battle or this damn life! I tire of being confused of my own feelings, wants, and even my own damn identity!" I glared at the various group members with eyes filled with rage. "I am sorry for all the things I've done as a Naga and also sorry for any grief that I have caused before. And now...I am sorry for being useless for this upcoming fight." With that, I threw my halberd to the ground and started to storm off.

"Kite, wait!" Adalia shouted as she ran to me.

"STAY AWAY!" I roared, successfully making her shrink back. "I want nothing to do with you. Right now I want to feel nothing but my own sadness but if I could, I would tear out my heart and give it to you if you need it so desperately!"

The oasis, if you could call it that, was small but I was determined to distance myself from everyone. I leaned against a tree and slid down to the ground for rest. She...she thought she had cured me, but I feel worse than ever. At least when I was a Naga I didn't feel this inner conflict; I could kill without feeling nothing but satisfaction. But now... I felt the regret come rushing back so I took it out on the closest thing to me. A piece of fruit fell on my head as a result of that.

"Kite..." That annoying Yang God was near me again. "Are you not feeling well?"

My hand grasped the fruit that had fallen. "What kind of stupid question is that? I never feel well! Because of you, I'll feel bad about every little thing I did to everyone! I don't like feeling regret! I want to feel hate!" With emphasis on the last word, I threw the fruit at her only to have her dodge it with no effort.

"I..." she started.

"Don't talk," I snapped. "I know if you start talking then I'll start feeling better."

"That kind of thinking isn't healthy for you."

"Didn't I tell you to stop talking?" Not once did I consider the fact that I was talking that way to a god. "I know it's not healthy! I was never in my right mind to begin with! At least I know that much about my other self."

"You mean Shonta? Does that mean you're Kite?"

I laughed bitterly and threw up my hands. "Honestly, I don't know who I am. I think during this little adventure of ours, my two sides mixed in each other. Kite became more of my voice of reason than a whole other soul. That happened before Eve got to me. Whoever Shonta is, if I am her, then I don't have her memories. Not the ones I want, that is."

I curled my tail around myself. Gods, I missed my tail. "I guess this is Shonta at her worst. I remember her -- or me -- being a bitter person most of the time. She hid it well, making everyone believe that she was a sweet person. No one that went through as much as her could be that sweet. Because of her bitterness and anger, she let go of all worthwhile memories. Now I don't belong anywhere. Reality feels like hell, and fantasy is now obsolete. If it wasn't for the fact that I was an evil creature, I would've killed myself the moment that I found out that Eve was dead."

"Eve?"

"That's what I named the Naga." My eyes narrowed. "Staying with me will accomplish nothing. There is no wish in this world that will make me feel better."

[Dr.McNinja]

“You…will defend me won’t you?”

Dimitri smiled as the Naga’s face grew close to his, he didn’t have too many moments of clarity lately, the trauma of losing half of his soul had done that to him, but in this very clear moment he could feel something akin to happiness fill his mind.

“No, I don’t think I will…”

Lashing out, Dimitri bit into the Naga’s face with his fangs, ripping out a piece of her cheek. With a scream the Naga jerked back, blood dripping down her face. A sudden scowl replaced the seductive look that had previously been on her face, even as she withdrew and began healing herself. Viciously she mocked Dimitri.

“My blood is poison you fool! Its power will seduce you just as well as my kiss would have!”

Dimitri withdrew his hand from his cloak, the burning Temperance card held tightly in its grip. Holding it up, he watched as it slowly burnt away to nothing.

“Powerful poison indeed…that could have become troublesome.”

The Naga narrowed her eyes at him, her anger mixed with some measure of confusion and interest.

“Why can’t I seduce you? What about you is so different that you won’t bow to me?”

Dimitri could feel the fog returning and shrugged, knowing he didn’t have much more time before the world faded once again.

“I already sacrificed half of my soul for something, that sacrifice summoned more power than your poison could counteract, and just mabye what's left really really isn't in the mood right now.”

The Naga glared at him for another long moment before withdrawing, leaving Dimitri to drift back into his confusion.

-------------------------

He returned, at all places, at the end of the battle to hear of Moswen’s fate. With that the last of the fog in his mind was blown away, his confusion about his identity, his purpose, even how the heck he got here was gone. Moswen had given up, she had given up and he hadn’t been there to try to give her what hope he could. He had promised, and she had had to face whatever had driven her to the edge alone.

Taking several quick steps away, Dimitri stumbled around a nearby obstruction, leaning against it out of view of the others. One hand fumbled clumsily through a pocket, withdrawing with a single card held in its grip. The bright blue orb of a world shown on its face, the World card who’s partner was in Moswen’s possession. With a moments hesitation he activated the card, seeing its glow raise and fall in response to its call to its partner. If Moswen was there, she would hear it. The card would call to her and only her. Dimitri watched the card light and fade nearly two dozen times before he closed his eyes. Images floated through his head, images lost during those days of confusion. Wishes, dreams, hopes, things he couldn’t even put names to.

“I wish…”

He hesitated. His wish would have been something selfish, something for him, something that would have made him feel better. That wasn’t what he really wanted though, it wasn’t what his mind and his heart and the tattered remains of his soul wanted. He didn’t wish for something physical, he didn’t wish for anything that wasn’t his to take. Sighing, he leaned his head back and looked up, his voice barely a whisper.

“I wish I could have told her. Maybe she already chose, maybe it wouldn't have made a difference...but I wish she had known.”

He didn’t know if his voice would carry to the goddess of if she would hear him regardless. It didn’t truly matter anyway, the wish had been half to himself in the first place. Replacing the World card in its place, Dimitri looked blankly at that which lay above.

[Roy Karrde]

Naga/Eve
~*~*~*~*~ Our so called Lives ~*~*~*~*~

Pain racked my tail, sending waves of horrible agonizing pain up and down it. It pulsed so deep that it felt as if it was going to keep me shaking for hours. How dare she cut off a piece of my tail! “Don’t worry.” I smiled, my fangs withdrawn from her arm. “The poison wont kill you. Yet.” I smiled, if she was strong enough, if she fought it enough, she may even turn into a naga like myself, maybe a lesser female to join my group. My family. :So what do you plan to do? Your hands are out of order… and I was very sure that I managed to slash your friend there.” I continued, wanting to keep her occupied as the poison made it’s way through her system.

“Look at him?” I continued, pointing to the Garuda’s body, that was her weakness, keep mentioning the Garuda. “Not a bad one, yet he has to die so early… but I can’t help it; it’s either kill or be killed. Tsk, such a..” My eyes widened in shock, the dagger slashing across my neck, my body becoming weak as blood spewed forth. One hand instantly went to my neck, struggling to hold the blood in. Forget waiting for the poison, she was going to die now!

I flicked the dagger off of my tail, whipping it around at a speed faster than the human eye, whipping it around her body before she could even react. Snake’s strangle their prey, crushing them when they were going in for the kill, the bitch would feel that anguish. “Scream as your bones are crushed.” I roared, coiling my tail around her tighter and tighter. “SCREAM.” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The woman looked back at me, fear and pain filled her eyes, and then a look of rage, the dagger still in her mouth. In one swift head movement she dug the dagger right through my tail, severing the nerves that caused it to coil. I screamed out in pain again as I dropped her, my only free hand desperately trying to get the dagger out. “ZOMBIE! NOW!” The woman screamed, my eyes looking up just in time to hear a shocking explosion.

Immediately I drew upon Kite’s shield powers, but he was far away. My eyes lit up in fear and horror as I realized that I would die here. That I would be killed off by this little animal, this creature.

“My Kite… My Miroku…I love you both.”


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ One Wish? ~*~*~*~*~

My mind was abuzz as I walked around the oasis, half of me felt happy; I got a wish, what should I wish for? Then the other half of me remembered Kite, out of everyone here I had hurt Kite the most, and he showed me that during the battle. I began to walk past the flowers, distancing myself from the group. I wished I still had my wings, that they didn’t disappear after the battle like everyone else, that they stayed around and I could just fly away. “I wish I could make Kite feel better.” I whispered, looking up at the night sky and finally collapsing into the flowers.

The sound of footsteps, and a body collapsing into the flowers next to me drew my attention. “Knes?” I wondered out loud, sitting up, and looking at the person who laid down. Out of everyone I expected to see, out of everyone on this planet I expected to see, I never prepared for this.

“Hello sis.” My sister grinned back; she lay there in the grass, her blonde hair spread out, wearing her usual shorts and black ‘Writers Block’ shirt. But it wasn’t just that, for the first time I had been able to see her as Adalia, and she reminded me of how much we looked the same. There were some subtle differences here and there, but over all she looked like an older version of me. “Havn’t seen you in a while.” She added, tears running down my cheek as I rushed over to her, enveloping her in a deep hug.

After a moment though, I pulled away, something felt wrong, instead of the warmth and love that I could feel around my sister. All I felt now was just power and emptiness. “I’m not your sister, I am the other god here, I took this form because I knew it would be easier for you than some golden haired goddess.” She explained, sitting her hands in my lap and looking into my eyes. “I came here because I want to talk about the other god, she calls herself the light God, the yang God, and demonizes me, that I am evil.”

“But you are evil right?” I asked, curious as to what was happening.

She shook her head, her blonde hair shaking in the wind. “Let me tell you a story.” She got up, placing her hand on the small of my back as we walked through the oasis. “Back in time, so long ago that it’s hard for me to even remember it. This place was a paradise. What you know as the ‘Yang Goddess’ took control of the earth here, the very ground itself. I took control of the sky, always watching from afar.” She explained.

“After thousands of years, the humans here began to wonder which one was better, the sky or the ground god. So like what humans do, they broke off into their own religions, one worshiping the ground, one worshiping the sky, instead of worshipping both equally.” She shook her head in sadness and pain. “Soon war happened in both continents, and the God of Sunde, the ground, she tried to intervene for peace. Well her version of peace. So I struck back at her, because I believed that they should settle this themselves. In the end one entire continent was destroyed because of my stupidity.”

We continued to walk, finally stopping as she leaned down and picked a flower, placing it in my hair and smiled softly. “It took the destruction of millions of lives for peace to finally happen. My followers took the southern half of this continent; the other’s took the northern half. But millions of lives had been wiped out by using a mana power so strong that it destroyed a entire land mass.” Tears were dripping down her cheeks now, as if she was remembering horrible events. “So to punish my followers, I took their mana, from their bodies and the land, creating the Fearls. While they may be monsters, they are under control, and I took away the possibility of another massacre happening.”

She paused a few minutes, shivering in the night air. “But my creation had a problem, they eventually became monsters, and became envious of the worshipers to the north. So they attacked them, and the god of Sunde created the crystals to keep harmony over the land. But by doing so my moon was repulsed away, sending me into a far away orbit so that I had to stay far away for thousands of years.”

I had a feeling the story was going to end soon, she drew in a long breath as if she sensed it too. “But my fellow god placed her trust in humans again, seemingly giving them overwhelming trust. How did they repay her? They forgot about her! Seeking technology and exploration of mana over worship. Since I had taken the mana of my worshippers I no longer needed their worship to sustain my power. She still did, and slowly she became weak as the humans turned their back on her, and sinned again and again.” She explained, the sound of footsteps trailing us soon came to my ears. “So my moon returned, the crystals failed, and I brought you here so that you could bring back the crystals, and so that I could finally do what she should have, and here we are. I only wanted to bring peace to the world, and thus I am supposed to die?” She asked.

A voice so powerful, so deep that it shook even me called out. “Stay away from her Adalia, everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie.” I spun around in shock, finding the Yang Goddess standing there, her eyes narrowed on my sister. I stood there, looking back and forth, not sure what to do. “All she has done was cause pain Adalia.”

My sister shook her head in response, crossing her arms. “I’m not truly evil, you’re not truly good, and everything is a shade of gray. What is so wrong with telling some one my version of events, and how I remember them?” She asked, truly I had to agree, what was so wrong?

“Because your events are skewed, they are completely and utterly wrong.” The Yang God replied.

“I have sat on a moon for thousands of years, the only thing I could do is sit and remember, while you had to watch humans cuss your name and forget you. Yet you say that I forgot the events?” Samantha asked. I could feel the anger build between the two.

“Stop it, both of you.” I held my arms out, shaking my head in frustration. “I don’t know who to believe, but it’s not worth fighting about it.” I pleaded; Samantha placed a hand on my shoulder and then slowly disappeared into the night air.

“I don’t know who to believe.” I passed the yang god, walking toward the camp, my voice firm for the first time in a long time. “But I have made up my mind on my wish, I wish that I could show Knes Earth, let him meet my family and show him my place, as Adalia.” I explained, I got to meet my sister, even though it was only an illusion. Now I knew what I wanted, I wanted to introduce Knes to my family.

The yang god, paused for a second, calling out for Knes who appeared instantly at my side. “Adalia has made her wish.” She instructed, walking to us and placing a finger on both of our foreheads. Knes and I exchanged startled looks, her touch suddenly becoming cold, causing our eyes to grow heavy and for a brief second closed. When I reopened them, it was sunny with cool air washing over our bodies. Birds chipped around us and the rush of cars passing on the street could be heard off in the distance. The change was dramatic, even startling, but one thing was sure: I was home!

Knes’ eyes turned to the left and then to the right in shock. His mouth continued to hang open and move with words that were not spoken. “Samantha’s car!” I rushed forward in shock, running up to the black European car, still as new and beautiful as I had seen it just months before. “My pine tree, my house.” I spun around in shock with a torrent of emotions running through my head.

“What is a car?” Knes wondered out loud, running his hand over the sleek metal of it. “It has metal like a sword, but… it looks like a carriage?” He asked out loud as I giggled at his newfound shock. My hand snatched at Knes’ and quickly dragged him along the freshly cutgrass up to the front door. “Building’s built with such finely cut stone.” He whispered, admiring the brick while I opened the door and walked in. Stepping onto the cool wood floor.

“Mom! Dad! I’m home!” I yelled out, walking into the den. The first one out was Austin, the eleven-year-old brother. A boy who I had once towered over and tortured was now towering over me, causing me to take a small step back. “Hi Austin..” I gulped, putting on a cherry smile.

“Hey Mom, there is a weird girl in our house.” He called out.

Samantha was the next to come up, walking down the hallway from her room and arriving in the den. Just like with the Sky God, it was like looking at a older image of myself. Knes’ eyes widened in shock, looking over her body before quickly turning away and back to my cross-armed glare. Samantha looked back and forth between the two of us before settling on me. “Ryan?” She asked, sitting down on the couch as our cat came up and began to sniff my leg.

“It’s a long story..” I explained, sitting down on the couch as my mom came in. A usually strong shorthaired woman who rushed forward and scooped me up in her arms. “Mom, this is a bit embarrassing.” I whispered as she quickly let go. Her eyes traveling to Knes who put himself down on a chair, which rocked back at his weight sending him jumping out of it in shock.

Through out the next hour I explained to them our adventure in the world, and how I met Knes, who was once my age also. Which led to some glares at a sixteen-year-old boy dating their son turned pre teen daughter. “So here we are.” I finished, rocking back and forth on the sofa, trying to enjoy the softness of the leather.

“You are just so cute!” Samantha remarked happily, my cheeks warming in embarrassment. “Oh, OH! I have to get pictures!” She yelled, rushing back to her room. After a moment I got up to follow, leaving Knes to sweat it out in the den with mom. I was almost glad my Dad had taken a trip out of state on his motorcycle.

Before I had scoffed at Samantha’s semi girlish room, but now I found it a lot more interesting, almost going into her closet before stopping myself and hopped onto her bed. “So you get to go on a out of world adventure, and I’m stuck with school?” She asked, with fake sarcasm.

“I also haven’t had a period yet.” I remarked, sticking my tongue out at her. Meanwhile I knew Knes was getting the parent treatment, luckily it was probably the lighter version of it. Even still, it was great to be home, even if it was only for a few hours.

[darktyranitar]

~~~Marion~~~
Still life

“Well.. that’s… it then…” I winced, as I painfully dragged myself away from the remain of what was the Naga. I looked up, only to find that Zombie-chan was now engaged in a fight with Ban.

“Fool.” Slowly, I crawled off until I was close towards the body of Vel. And then I felt my whole body shutting down, just like that.


There was a soft nudging on my head. Cautiously, I opened one eyes. Karam was continuing to nudge my head, a mournful expression on his face. Upon noticing that my eyes were opened, his face brightened.

“Marion is still alive…” she sniffed, and if ferret were capable of sobbing, then that was apparently what he was doing now.

“A… l- alive?” I struggled with the word. Karam nodded, and pointed towards the lone figure that stood out among the rest. It was Moswen – no, the goddess of Yang, as she has said earlier. The others that were previously engaged in fight stopped and looked up at her, with something that looks like a cross between regret and realization.

Moswen… are you still in there?


With my healed body, I carried Vel’s body and laid it down in the neatly shaped hole that was close to the temple. Since digging up soil would take time, I settled for the rock and bricks that I could find lying all over the place.

“You’re very stupid, you know that?” I said to myself, as I continue to fill the hole. “Why did you have to act…” Another brick. “On your own? Then look what happened…” I stopped for a while; there was only one remaining hole. I sighed. “Right, enough of that… don’t talk bad about the dead, right.” I paused, and then put the last brick to cover the hole. ‘Here lies Vel, who was the first to fall against the Naga. Rest in peace.”

The brick went down, and the tomb was sealed. His sword was laid down carefully on the highest point of the tomb, with the blade neatly sheathed.

*****

This is only temporary… all things will pass. We’re really going back to home… but still… still…

A wish, she says?

Well, if that is so…

“I wish…” I hesitated. Is it possible? “…for Moswen to come back here…”

The words dissolved in the air as a sudden gust of wind swept across me. I sat down and watched the surface of the water, aware of the figure standing at the other side of the oasis.

I stood up. “It’s… not possible, is it?” The Yang goddess watched me over with an unreadable look on her face.

[Roy Karrde]

God of Sky and Space/Yin God
~*~*~*~*~ Looking down on those ants below ~*~*~*~*~

The hour of my fight was soon approaching, the hour that could decide the fate of this world for the rest of it’s span in this large universe. So why was I not preparing? Why was I not sitting on my moon, gathering my mana, and preparing for the eventual battle? I did not fully understand it myself, the feeling in my gut, the feeling of what did the humans call it? Fear? Fear of dying, fear of losing my existence, it was something that was quite unique to face my own mortality.

“I just don’t want to die..” I drifted along, like the wind, unseen, and only felt until I came up upon a unique half-breed, his hatred and sadness was radiating off of him. “What unique emotions.” I whispered, peering into him, into his soul and dragging out a image that would make myself more recognizable to him.

I took on the appearance with only a thought, walking over to him and bending down as I read his thoughts and memories. “Why the long face sis? Or should I say brother now?” I asked, punching him playfully while I fixed the final details to look like his… or her brother from the other world.

Kite looked up at me, his face full of shock and then a smirk rose up upon it. “Oh did you take the wrong appearance, I have been wanting to hit you for a long time.” He laughed; his fist pulled into a ball and swung around to hit me in the stomach.

Being a God, I had to pretend it hurt, grabbing the fist with one hand and spun around with my own fist. Of course Kite dodged, he had not survived in this world long enough to not learn how to dodge. “I just want to talk.”

Kite hammered his fist into my gut, once, and then twice. “I don’t give a shit about the mind tricks you want to offer.” He growled, pounding his fist into my gut once more.

I staggered back, faking that it hurt to give him some sort of gratification. “In a few hours, the sun will rise and you will travel to my home, you may win, and if you do you will go home.” I explained.

Kite smirked, clinching his fists. “Good, then this nightmare will be over with.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, sinking in to the memories of Shonta. “You think your life is so peaches and cream back home?” I asked. For a moment Kite stopped, his eyes looking away as if he were trying to search his memories. “I could give you happiness, I could give you her.”

Kite laughed, waving his hand as he began to walk away. “If you are a god, you should know that I am over her.”

Kite took only two steps before I answered. “Liar.” I held open my hand, mana swirling around it to show one future, one outcome of what I could bring. He only had to take it.

A short post, both something Classy and I have been tossing around as the Yin God tempting some of the members of the group. Kind of a Last Temptation type of thing before sun rise.

[classy_cat18]

Kite ~ Angry as hell
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And that god had the balls to just smirk at me while he was showing it. "Do you actually believe that Adalia will be willing to do that?" I asked him calmly.

"I can make it happen," he told me while still in my brother's form.

I stayed silent for a couple of minutes, my eyes darting from the mana vision to his acne-filled face. "I don't know what I should be sick from, your face or what you're showing me. If you were going to convince me to such a deal, you should've chosen a nicer face."

"I got both this form and this vision from your memories and desires. In other words, this is from your own sick mind." His smile got wider.

I closed my eyes and tried not to pound him, knowing that it wouldn't help. "Okay, so maybe a part of me wants this. But the rational part says that there are strings attached and you want something so I ain't buying it."

"What do you care? You said that you didn't want anything to do with the fight."

"That's it, I'm calling your sister! YANG GOD! HEY, YANG GOD!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The Sky God, getting angry, disappeared just as his "sister" came into view.

At that moment I got an idea. "I know what I want to wish for. I remember this beach with pink sand and blue water. It was nice and warm. Could I go there for a while? You know, for reflection?"

The last thing I saw before I left was her nodding with a smile.

[Bulbasaur4]

Sorry for the lack of posting but I've been in a slump. I'll try to post sometime this week... I promise i'll try. I just haven't been in an RPGing mood as of late. >.<;;

I'm thinking of what to do with my next post a bit as well.

[Roy Karrde]

Its okay Kalah, this summer has been hard on all of us. Thank you for saying you will post this week, I am sure we are all anticipating it. ^_^ We need to make some "I believe in the Yin God" or "I believe in the Yang God" banners.

[Bulbasaur4]

Roy and I compromised. Here is my post, soon to be followed by another Yang post, but not until after Roy and perhaps someone else posts too.



Yang Goddess

So it had been done, for most. Adalia and Knes had been placed gently upon some supple grass, put to sleep in a wondrous slumber. A few of the others had followed suit… living in their own final wish that was real but yet unreal at the same time.

But then it came to Dimitri. Her gentle gaze washed over the poor half breed, as she realized the own deeper pain he had in not telling Moswen what he wished to. Taking a gentle hand, she brushed it upon the side of his furried face and instantly a feeling of warmth overcame him. Buckling to his knees, Dimitri too fell into a sleep but his was different. His was connected…

“Who’s there?” A voice called out from the darkness to Dimitri. He was now standing in a world that was filled with nothing but black but yet it he could easily see his own hands and himself. The ground wasn’t visible, for some reason he was standing perfectly find in what seemed to be a void.

“It is… Dimitri…” He responded slowly, as the form of Moswen came forth. She was the same but yet she was different. He hair was no longer two set tones, but was constantly shifting like a rainbow of natural color. The tattoos upon her body were now everywhere- not just settling upon her left side. She had no armor however… but instead a billowing dress of white was adorned upon her graceful body.

“Dimitri?” Moswen looked confused as she reached him. “But how? This is my resting place… I didn’t…” She trailed off, looking away for a moment. “I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Why did you go? Why are you here?” Dimitri’s questions instantly rose, but a voice rose in his head. <Remember your wish.> Dimitri soon bowed his head in remembrance, lifting it only to look back up at her.

“Forget what I’ve asked. I came here… to speak to you, to tell you something.” He continued, as Moswen looked at him with her penetrating gaze- both eyes now violet.

“I wanted to tell you earlier… but… I was a coward. I didn’t realize what I was feeling, but now I do. Moswen… I care a lot for you.”

Moswen twitched her ears slightly, before giving a slight nod. “I care about you as well Dimitri.” Her voice was tired, beaten as if she meant what she said but yet other things weighed upon her.

“No Moswen. Not like that… I… I love you.”

Moswen’s eyes widened as she stared at Dimitri, speechless. Then suddenly her eyes brimmed with tears that streamed down her face as her eyes flashed with a deep inner sadness.

And within that moment, Dimitri knew everything.

Dimitri came to and found himself looking up at the Yang Goddess. She smiled at him and stroked his face but then gently moved away. She didn’t need to say words, she knew nothing was going to comfort him.

Then came Kite, whom had been chosen by the Yin God to meddle with. She narrowed her eyes at him, but if anyone would have really looked within them… they would have realized there was something else there.

But as he vanished, Kite had his wish. In his own demanding way, he wanted to go away for reflection. With a nod, she waved her delicate hand over his face and soon sleep came to him as well. She grabbed his body gently and rested him against a tree, near the others. Only a few had not sought to find slumber within their wish.

Then came Marion. Her wish was to get Moswen back? The Yang Goddess withdrew a breath as she stared at the girl… seeing her eager eyes staring back.

“Alright, I will bring her forth but it shall only be for a short while.”

With that, the Yang Goddess closed her eyes and soon her features melted away and grew to become the familiar Moswen that Marion was used to. A few eyes saw this, perhaps only those who did not sleep but Moswen’s eyes were resting upon Marion’s.

“Why…” Moswen began, but before she could finish she suddenly found Marion’s arms wrapped about her. Shocked, stunned but most importantly… confused, Moswen took her own arms and wrapped them about Marion. After a few moments of tender silence, Moswen and Marion sat down near the crystal clear pool. It was there Moswen found out Marion’s wish and there that Moswen’s heart ached for her companion.

“I know… it’s only for a short while…” Marion began, looking at Moswen. “But I wanted to see you.”

Moswen was silent for a while, before she gave a nod. “I’m honored that you’d waste a wish upon seeing me.”

“But it wasn’t a waste!”

More silence, and suddenly Moswen leaned forward and kissed Marion on the forehead and then hugged her. “I’m sorry…” She whispered, but Marion could not hear.

Time passed and the two had talked and merely sat in the silence. However, suddenly Moswen stood up.

“It is time…” She said, closing her eyes as Marion gave a knowing nod. Taking a few steps away, Moswen suddenly spoke outloud but it was apparent she was talking to the one that resided within her.

“Please give me a mere moment. There is something I must attend to.”
A pause, a nod, and Moswen disappeared into the forest.

It didn’t take her long to find him. The lone warrior was sitting upon a rock with his sword propped against it. His eyes were to the sky as if he were deep in thought, but at the sound of footsteps he turned to look at Moswen in shock.

“Moswen…? But I thought…” He trailed off, but she stopped, keeping a distance.
“I only have a short time here.”
“You’ll be back… right?” He asked, but Moswen did not answer.
“I… I have time to tell you one thing.” She continued, looking away for a moment before withdrawing a deep breath and settling her gaze upon him. The nighttime air seemed choking to her as she opened her mouth, her heart beating faster.

“I… I told myself… back… when I was gone…” She started, “That I had to… to let it be known. I had to tell you.” Ban’s gaze was confusion upon her as she kept her distance, feeling tears brimming to her eyes but she fought them away.

“Ban, I… I… love… you…” She finished, closing her mouth although she swore it as if her words had pierced the air and echoed over again. Ban at first was obviously speechless, but then he twisted his face so he could try to say something but every time no sound came out. Moswen couldn’t look at him, she closed her eyes tightly to try to keep herself from looking at him. However, as she stood there suddenly the sound of movement came and she opened her eyes just in time to see Ban’s figure right in front of her. Within less than a moment, he wrapped his arms about her and hugged her tightly to the point where she could hear her own frantic heart movements along with his.

And for the first time, in a very long time, she felt happy.


However, the moment was cut off as a brilliant flash of light rippled through the air and Ban’s body faded away from Moswen’s. Moswen found herself trying to hold on, but suddenly she too was sucked back into the void of her own mind as the Yang Goddess was forcefully surfaced by some other power. When the light finally receded, Ban was gone and the Yang Goddess was left in place.

“Knes…” She said quietly, her eyes wide with fright as she suddenly ran back to the main group where she heard young sobs echoing in the quiet paradise. Bursting through into the clearing, there she saw that everyone had disappeared except for Adalia. Her face was wrought with tears as she rested upon her knees, sobbing. Instantly the Yang Goddess knelt by her side and hugged her, bringing the young girl to her for comfort.





KNES


The day, or the seeming day, went by perfectly. Knes had enjoyed himself as he and Adalia discovered many fascinating things about her home called “Earth.” He had been shown a strange thing called the ‘internet’ and they had even gone out on a car ride. Cars were absolutely fascinating things for Knes and he was both frightened but yet exhilarated as they speed down strangely made roads. The houses themselves were strangely built… and things from magical buzzing lights to water coming at a whim was impressive.

Towards the evening they had dinner, and Knes had practically gorged himself on anything he could get his hands upon. The food was deliciously wonderful and unlike anything he had ever tasted. There were so many sweet tasting foods!

For some reason, Knes could feel that time was cutting short on their day however. It was growing to be midnight and both he and Adalia could feel that when it came to the time, they would be back in the original world. Sitting upon the roof, Knes had teleported the two of them up there so that they could gaze upwards at the stars. The two of them held hands as Adalia pointed at them and told him about the different constellations and the stories behind them. Knes laughed at some of the absurd ones, but he too then told her about a few strange stories about the stars as well.

It was a wonderful night until that point, and Knes had forgotten everything. Yet, suddenly Adalia sat up and gazed at Knes.

“I love you, Knes.” She said, and suddenly she leaned in and planted a sweet but gentle kiss upon his lips. Breaking away, she looked at Knes expectantly and he blushed a bit before opening his mouth to return the greeting- because it was the truth, wasn’t it?


However, suddenly the world fizzled away and they were back at the place of paradise. Opening his eyes, Knes found himself staring up at the sky- and in most particular, the moon. Realization suddenly dawned upon him as he absently stuck his hand into his pocket, finding a smooth stone that he knew to be green there. It was the Naga’s.

Sitting up, he saw Adalia had come too and she was looking at him. Some type of realization had come to her as well… and Knes turned to face her.

“You look as if you’ve been hit by a stick.” He commented, his voice growing more solemn as slowly the realization of what he had to do gained upon him. It was enough to make himself sick… and a huge knot began to grow within him.

“There… there is something I want you to know, before someone else brings it up.” Adalia said, her voice sounding more mature than usual. “I… I love you and I love Loki.”

Knes’s heart pounded in his ribcage at the mentioning of Loki. Seething anger bubbled from within him- why would he love the man who abandoned him? Was he that…

But Knes stopped himself. This was for the better. She shouldn’t love Knes anyways… he wasn’t meant to be loved, not like that. And after this night, he wouldn’t be loved again.

“However, I want to be with you! I love Loki in the way that-” Her voice trailed off as she saw Knes stand up, biting his lip absently as he focused.


Was everyone in his range? Yes… yes they were. He could even sense Moswen, but knew that she’d be forced to go away soon. After this final act.

“Don’t speak anymore Adalia… your voice hurts my ears.” Knes said, his hair brushing away slightly so that his red eye burned into her own gaze.
“W-what?” Adalia asked, staggering back at the surprise change in his tone. Knes couldn’t stop now though… he had begun. He couldn’t explain. He had to keep going… keep going or else he might falter…

“Haven’t you figured it out Adalia? I despise you. I’ve only been using you from the beginning… ever since we first met. I’ve only been protecting you so that I could gain your trust… and get in with your little group of pathetic so-called heros.”

Knes couldn’t fathom how much it burned his tongue to say the things he was saying now. His eyes were threatening to water from the seering pain… but he fought it. He had to.

“You fell for it of course, and I expected you to. It’s okay though… because now we don’t have to pretend anymore. I don’t have to pretend… and I can join my true alliegance with the Yin God.”

Lies… they were all lies… except for his alligance. It was with the Yin God. However… now he was wondering if it was worth it… seeing her beautiful face like this…

“Or should I say, ‘The Sky God’. Man Adalia, you’re so easily deceived. Do you honestly believe that the Yin God told you the truth… that he was the.. .heh, ‘sky god’? He did that to only confuse you. I can’t believe you took his word over the Yang Goddess’s… who has been residing in Moswen. Or do you think Moswen would allow the Yang Goddess to lie to her friends?”

Adalia stammered to try to speak, but Knes couldn’t stop. He was on a roll.

“Oh, and don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done! The night you kissed me… back when Loki was around. You think he was the only one who was hurt? You hurt me too you know! Kissed me and led me on when you were with him! And now you love him still, after he abandoned you? After I’ve been around protecting you all this time?! Why Adalia? Do I have to abandon you to in order to earn that proper love?”

A bit unplanned… and Knes knew it was time to go.

“Stay away from me.” Knes said lastly, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t ever want to see your face again!”


I’m so sorry Adalia. If only you could read my heart… please understand, I’m saying these things so you’ll forget about me. Loving me will only bring you pain… please, I’m trying to bring back my family. But I love you Adalia, I love you so much. You’re the only one who let me forget about them for a while… t he only one who helped my pain go away. I know you’ll never forgive me or love me again… but if I had one wish, my wish would be that you could see the truth, once and for all.

With that, Knes concentrated upon everyone- everyone except Adalia and the Yang Goddess. Knowing the route to the moon- the route that the Yin God had given him, he summoned up his power and soon everyone vanished with him.


Leaving Adalia and the Yang Goddess, back upon the world.
If I leave her there with the Yang Goddess…. She won’t get hurt… maybe I can spare her…





THE YIN GOD


Everyone except for the needless girl and the Yang Goddess had been left upon the world. The others were teleported in front of a temple upon the moon. However, as soon as Knes had teleported them in front of the temple, he had teleported back to the Yin God.

“Excellent Knes, you have done well.” His voice spoke, smooth and deep. Stepping away from one of the windows that overlooked the world, the Yin God’s true form came into view. Knes had seen it before, but it was a slight shock. Long flowing and smooth black hair draped over his shoulders, down to his torso. His eyes were black as coal, although they didn’t look vastly sinister… just dark. The clothes that he wore were crimson red, much like a male version of the Yang Goddess’s kimono. Black ears, very wolf-like protruded from his head, along with a wolfish tail that mirrored Moswen’s own tail. He was like the opposite of the Yang Goddess… but yet, they still were very much alike.

“I will admit, your outburst was a little… detailed, but I did not mind.” The Yin God picked up a book, looking at the cover- it was the bible of the world. “To think, that she believed my tail so easily… just as easily as those former humans upon the world who believed this Bible that I wrote. It is pathetic… how easily humans believe what they hear if it suits their fancy. To think I am merely a Sky God?! Pathetic! I'm sick of humans... sick of how they forgot us, even the simple names we crafted for them! Now all they use is science... technology... things that are second to us! Well they shall learn from ME!” With that, he flung the book against the wall, and by some added magic it exploded at the force.

“I control far more than just the sky!” He laughed, looking at Knes. “The Yang Goddess was far less convincing to the girl… she does not believe in manipulation to show her ways. That is why she lacked the ability to make the girl believe her. But it matters not. I no longer need any of them to believe my lies, now that my plan is coming to the final stretch.”

Knes had gone into a bowing position, as the Yin God stretched.

“Soon they will enter the temple and be weakened by the battles there. By the time they reach me, they shall be easily destroyed.”

“My Lord, does the Yang Goddess really wish to destroy you?” Knes asked, as the Yin God shook his head.

“No… no she does not. She merely wants to restore the power I have taken, back to her so that we are equals again. She would never destroy me…”

Knes hesitated for a second, before looking back. “Because… she loves you?”

Startled, the Yin God looked at Knes and for a brief moment, his face revealed that such an idea was unnerving.

“No… no… because we cannot exist without the other. She thinks I have forgotten, but I have not. The elements of Yin and Yang… one cannot exist without the other. However, that is why I will deal with the others… and then when she is all alone, I shall beat her down to a fraction of her life. Then I shall seal and contain it… forever keeping her within my temple and under my control.”

A smile came to his face, “Then those humans will all become Fearls. They’ll all be trapped and they’ll all kill… screaming in inner agony at their treacherous deeds. All while knowing, that the reason they’ve become Fearls is because they’ve forgotten their Gods… the Yin and Yang. They’ve believed lies and forgot their hearts… forgot me, Yin, forgot her, Yang. But now they shall never forget…”

Anxiety reached Knes, but the Yin God looked at him and smiled. “Oh do not worry Knes, that little mountain side home will be free from Fearls. As soon as this battle is over, my debt to you will be paid and your parents, your sister… they’ll return with you to your protected home.”
I’m sorry…

[kalad1]

Dana
____________________________

I wandered through the abandoned structure, as others around me, who I payed no mind to, spread out, examining everything, drinking up the past. I frowned, I didn't really belong here, at least, I didn't feel that I did. If anyone was more truly a stranger to this than anyone else, it was I. I heard an exclamation from another part of the temple, and turned to see what it was.

My little girl giggled in my arms, or at least what sounded like a giggle as the man that made the noise came running up with bundles of fruit in his arms and a look of joy upon his face. It was a small reminder as to how starved this world was. I did yearn a bit to be in the field of battle with my friends, but there was no turning back now, I didn't even know where they were. I gave a long sigh and pushed open a beautifully designed door and stepped in to breast feed the baby, immediately as I stepped in my foot crunched under something that sounded like glass.

I heard people gasping and murmuring in both shock and awe. Turning to look down, I saw that scattered across the floor were shards of crystal. I stepped back, pondering this, as the others rushed forward, picking up every piece they could get their hands on. As I blinked in confusing, they spoke rapidly to each other about the ramifications of this find.

Many were talking about how these crystals shards resembled the ones talked about in the ancient texts; others were chastising them for that. I was beginning to wonder if this was happening in the other towns we visited, the locals picking through the wreckage and finding crystals that were now filled with mana, crystals that they had once thought was nothing more than a display. We were sent here to bring hope and faith to a hopeless and faithless world. “It’s true… this crystal is infused with mana now because we defeated the guardian, guardians that were created and placed in the crystal by the god of gens… the god of earth.” I explained.

The all began to stare at me in shock. I began to wonder if saying that was a good idea...

(Note: Dana doesn't know about the Ying Yang gods, also, sorry about the lack of color, just didn't feel like working it in)

[Roy Karrde]

Worked with this in conjunction with Classy, in hopes to finally resolve the Adalia/Kite stuff.


Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time~*~*~*~*~

Knes’ words echoed through out my brain, rattling around them with the memories of that one night in Talidan where I had kissed him. Wherever I walked the words seemed to get louder and louder. “I despise you.” That was the word Knes had used, looking me in the eye and telling me that he hated me. Tears were flowing down my cheeks as they did oh so often. I just wanted the pain to stop. I wanted the pain to stop so badly, for people to stop hurting me.

Eventually I found myself back at the camp, everyone else asleep or off on their own as I fell to my knees. Letting out a long wail of pain, my voice trembling as I screamed so horribly that I almost didn’t recognize it as my own. The scream took my entire breath away; I gathered in another one and let out another long scream before collapsing onto my side, holding my stomach and coughing between long sobs.

“God, please bring him back please, he’s one of my only friends, please, please.” I sobbed, tightening up into a tiny ball.

“I promise to do anything, just bring him back.” I sobbed.

“Adalia?” Kite’s voice echoed in the distance, a moment later I could hear the sound of running footsteps against sand. “Adalia what the hell happened?” He asked, rushing to my side.

“Knes, he said so many bad things.. he hates me.” I mumbled through sobs, for a brief moment, a brief flash I could predict what was going to happen next, Kite would say something horrible, or punch me, or tell me everything was my fault.

To my utter shock those things did not come, instead Kite bent down and wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me into a hug. “Shhh, it’s okay, its okay, he doesn’t hate you.” Kite whispered, kissing the top of my head and rocking me back and forth in a hug.

“Kite..” I whimpered, sobbing into his shirt.

“Something must be wrong, he ha…” Kite suddenly stopped speaking, his body disappearing in the blink of an eye, causing me to fall back into the sand.

“Ki…Kite?” I mumbled, looking around in fear, the place was completely empty, and the feelings of fear and loneliness began to creep in.

I bent back down, hugging my knees and began to sob again, this time from both fear and sadness. Everyone was gone now, Knes, Kite, Everyone.

[classy_cat18]

Kite ~ In Paradise

It was strange. All I had was this one beach and the surrounding ocean. Then again, it made sense. All I asked for and remembered this one beach. And it was good for reflection with no one to bother me. "Okay, let's just say that I survive this last fight and get to go home. Will I want to go home?"

No one was around to answer me. The gentle waves rolled in and rested right in front of my feet before sliding back into the ocean. "I wish I could go to this place. Besides, what good was my old life? I have a chance to form a new one. No debts, no enemies, find a girlfriend..." My voice faded there and I turned my head to the side to find that there was more of the island.

"Are my memories returning? No, that's not the right question. They're Shonta's memories. I guess she likes that idea." I walked out into the water with my bare feet and felt the slightly cool water. "I guess I'm ready to go back."

One blink brought me back to the Goddess's headquarters (or whatever you want to call it). Unfortunately, the tranquility of the place just wasn't there. My ears twitched as I heard Adalia cry as loudly as her little lungs allowed, even letting out a scream. After confirming that no one was going to comfort her, I decided to go see her.

"Adalia?" I called out before finding her curled up in the sand. I hurried over to her and crouched next to her. "Adalia, what in the hell happened?"

Adalia finally found enough air to speak between sobs. “Knes, he said so many bad things...he hates me.”

I didn't feel guilty about the smug look that I managed to hide. For a whole minute I tried to figure out what I could do to express my satisfaction. Saying "I told you so" just wasn't enough. Slapping her would've been too much. But the more I thought about it, the worse the idea seemed. My selfish side told me that I couldn't handle more crying.

I hesitated before hugging her and kissing the top of her head. “Shhh, it’s okay, its okay, he doesn’t hate you," I whispered to her. Rocking her seemed to calm her down a little.

"Kite..."

“Something must be wrong, he ha…” I didn't get to finish my sentence as I was taken away.

[darktyranitar]

Give me inspiration! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYrjGnJPSCE)

ATB/Let U Go
Massive Attack/Risingson
Sabaton/Metal machine
Sabaton/Purple Heart
Muse/Knights of Cydonia
Iron Maiden/Still Life
Beck/Devil’s Haircut
Iron Maiden/The Prisoner
Muse/Apocalypse Please
G. K. Chesterton; English Hymnal
Radiohead/The Bends
Iron Maiden/From here to eternity
Featuring: the cast of CotR2 (minus Moswen, Adalia, Knes, and the others who didn’t make it)
Presents:

http://www.metalfan.ro/images/foto_nr126/sabaton/sabaton1.jpg


Untitled XD



I've been to all the familiar places
I've been running like a sentence
Never begun
I've been looking for a way to let you know
I got nothing left to fill the spaces
I got nothing but a center coming undone
I've been doing circles and it shows

Every cloud in the sky
Every place that I hide
Tell me that I,
I was wrong to let u go
Every search that I heel
Every flower that I feel
Tell me that I,
I was wrong
I was wrong to let u go

Moswen.

Then, a flash, and we were gone.

See me run, now you’re gone. Dream on.”

I have a phobia
A fear of the dark
Afraid to shoot strangers
The animal talks

Guns scare me shitless
But love gun’s my friend
The sentinel’s coming
But is this the end

Riding on this crazy train
I’m going paranoid
Watch me lose my mind
And break the law

It’s close to midnight and
He’s barking at the moon
The rainbow in the dark is shining

I suppose it was to be expected… after all, the Yang Goddess did said that we were up for the fight of our life – and for this world’s fate as well.

We have fought in distant conflict
And for all to many years
Seen our friends go down
Wounded dead or lost

And of course, it was expected how our battleground would be like: the surface is very rocky, and the ground is a deep black, and the air tastes of death and pain.

It looked like hell… well, perhaps a bit like it anyway. But nowhere near the real hell; for one thing, hell was white – it was the colour of the hottest fire.

“Wow,” Zombie-chan said, eyeing the surrounding around her.

“Ah. Typical final boss setting, don’t you think?” I asked her. She nodded, and tsked approvingly. The others were probably just as amazed; and if I am right, just as unwilling to fight as us. It was as if all the spirit to fight has gone out of us.

Huh. And just when this was supposed to be The Fight.

Come ride with me through the veils of history,
I'll show you a God falls asleep on the job,
How can we win when fools can be kings?
Don't waste your time or time will waste you

No one is going to take me alive
The time has come to make things right
You and I must fight for our lives
You and I must fight to survive

It was so depressing that I felt like I could just shout:

“Dnatsrednu tnod uoy sgnit diw elddem tond. Ecnob eert ed diw sgnit ed des oh tahw. Mmmh, mmh.”

…which I did.

Something's wrong 'cause my mind is fading
And everywhere I look there's a dead end waiting
Temperature's dropping at the rotten oasis
Stealing kisses from the leperous faces

Love machines on the sympathy crutches
Discount orgies on the dropout buses
Hitching a ride with the bleeding noses
Coming to town with the brief case blues

Got a devil's haircut in my mind
Got a devil's haircut in my mind
Got a devil's haircut in my mind
Got a devil's haircut in my mind

“Wonder how’s Adalia and Moswen is doing?” Zombie-chan said, after a considerable amount of peering over the group.

I am not a number; I’m a free man!

“Safe from here, I suppose.”

Aye. Let’s hope so…

Is this st. anger
The ultimate sin
Or have I really
A black knight within

The gates of Babylon
Are open and wide
Shout at the devil
There’s nowhere to hide

Fighting for the world to keep
The wild child in it’s cage
Broke my metal heart
Against the wall

Huh. The end is here?

It's time we saw a miracle
Come on it's time for something biblical
To pull us through
And pull us through
And this is the end
This is the end of the world

Oh, God/Goddess/the gods…

O God of Earth and Altar,
Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter,
Our people drift and die,
The walls of gold entomb us,
The swords of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us,
But take away our pride.

Then it hit me; not a recounting, but a spark of wild thought. “…Yi?”

“Mm?”

“Do you think madness is infectious?”

“A bit. Why do- oh.” She retreated, as I raised my stick up with both hand. “Whoa Faizer… are you losing it?”

I grinned. “What the hell.”

“Well, this is technically a pseudo hell, see, so-”

I pointed at my grinning face. “It’s right here, see: madness!”

“Ah. Nice.” She pursed her lips. “Very nice. So. What do you have in mind? Beat yourself senseless with the stick?”

“Nah; I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid.”

“Okay… how about a sing-along then?”

I shrugged. “Hell, that’d be better than depression…”

“Yup.”

“How about a round of Sanctuary?”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Okay… The Bends?”

“Right-o!”

“Right. One, two. One, two…”

“Many, lots.”

My baby's got the bends
We don't have any real friends
I'm just lying in a bar with my drip feed on
Talking to my girlfriend waiting for something to happen
And I wish it was the sixties
I wish I could be happy
I wish
I wish
I wish that something would happen…

Hell, what the hell are we doing? Hell, is this the devil’s doing? Hell…

Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity
Hell ain't a bad place
Hell is from here to eternity

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ War upon Heaven ~*~*~*~*~

“Then let us go to the moon, let us save them, together.” Moswen or the Goddess spoke, my tears drying away as the surroundings began to shift and swirl, and in a blink of a eye we were upon the moon, the stars twinkled all around, and the dirt was pitch black. Behind us was the large world of the Gens, looking like a glistening blue and green ball. The air though, the air tasted of death and decay, almost as if years upon years of pain had been inflicted upon the place.

“He must know we have already arrived, so lets tread lightly.” Moswen spoke, pointing to a large spire off in the distance that seemed to twist and tower over all the other rock formations.

Suddenly all the comforting words that she had told me about rescuing Knes drained away, the fear returned, the fear that I would have to face Knes. The fear that Knes would kill me. “This place feels like hell.” Dimitri whispered, appearing at our side.

“I know.” I whispered back.

“Adalia?” Loki asked with a shaky voice as we began to make our journey toward the spire, our eyes always on the look out for something unusual, anything that could be used to attack us. The whole thing was making me shake in fear at the thought that something could pop out at any second.

I turned around to see a large grin across Loki’s face, he was looking directly at me instead of our surroundings, and something in his eyes seemed to have changed. “Your hair.” He gasped. “Its so beautiful, more beautiful than I ever imagined.”

“It’s the same hair I have had for months.” I looked at him as if he were crazy.

Moswen nudged my side. “The boy wished to see color.” She spoke softly, as I began to realize why it was so shocking to Loki, he had never seen me in full color, it must be so shocking now.

“Can I touch it?” He asked, stepping forward.

With a soft nod Loki ran his hand through my hair, taking the strands in his hand and looking at them closely. Just that small touch was relaxing, it calmed my nerves and I leaned into the touch.

“It’s so beautiful…” He whispered, Loki leaning in as we both closed our eyes, our lips touching in a soft kiss.

“It’s time…” Moswen broke the moment. “Knes has teleported down to meet us at the entrance.”
“I’m going to kill him.” Kite growled, cracking his knuckles.

“No..” I shook my head, stepping forward. “I have to do this alone.”

“Have you gone completely stupid?” Danielle asked in anger, turning to look at me with fear and anger in her eye. “He will..”

“I know.” I whispered, knowing the end of his sentence. ‘He will kill me.’ “I brought Knes to the group, it was my fault that all of this happened, I was the one that trusted him the most..”

“Suicide mission.” Zombie laughed in a sing song voice. Almost before she could finish the last word Loki turned around punching her across the face.

“I’m going with you.” Loki growled.

“Me too.” Kite added in agreement as a feeling bubbled up inside of me, the feeling that they really did care about me, they really did love me.

“Thank you.” I smiled, and then shook my head. “But all of you have to go and face the other God, so that we can free that world.” I pointed toward the world of Gens. It was what our mission here all along had been, to free them.

“Screw that.” Loki shook his head in anger, stepping forward and taking my hand. “Lets go, we can find a safe place to hide on that world, we can stay there forever, and not have to worry about Knes or Gods, or what ever.”

“But you want to fight the God, that’s why you came back.” I asked him.

“I don’t want you to die.” He whispered, blinking back tears.

I shook off the feeling to cry, to shake and fall to my knees in fear. “I’m pretty tough.” I grinned happily, as Loki fought to smile. He leaned in and cupped my cheek for a second before I turned and walked away, walking past the group who each looked at me as I passed them.

Kite reached out and touched my arm as I passed him, I turned and we met eyes. The memories of him cradling me in his arms, whispering that everything was okay flashed through my head. “I always knew you were a good guy.” I smiled.

“Don’t tell anyone.” Kite cracked a mischievous smile.

Standing up on my tip toes I leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I wont.” I whispered, our eyes matching for a few more moments before walking away.


“If the battle gets to be too much, don’t hesitate to run back to us.” Marion spoke up as I passed her. I nodded back and then broke into a run, heading straight toward the large back spire.

When I got closer I could see inside the large hollowed out entrance. Inside was a large cavern, bathed in the green light of mana, but the walls were covered with faces of people, moaning in pain and struggling to free themselves from the walls, inside sat what looked like a dark male version of Moswen, his eyes glanced at me and I shuttered, looking away. His eyes were filled with so much hate, so much anger. It was so different than when he appeared as Samantha just hours earlier.

[Roy Karrde]

Guys if you are going to post something like that, do it in the Talkback please. I'm deleting the posts but if you want to post them in the Talkback tell me.

[Haruko]

Stella D'Aubigine
-I'll devoid myself of desire- "only to be drowned in despair"

We were teleported up to the moon's surface for the upcoming finale, the final battle that I pushed my fate in from the start. As the swirl of vision faded from the teleportation, I could instantly feel something wrong within the surface. The surface was of a black soil and the air was heavy of the feeling of utter despair.

It felt perfect for the mood I was in right now, actually. I had injured a comrade..the one who had rescued me from that hell. Even if it broke his bond with the Naga monster, I still felt pings of responsibility for his now handicapped vision. I looked at him slighty, seeing his back as we walked towards where the others, and maybe me, would meet our fate. I had cleaned his eye and fixed a patch from gauze, but the damage I had done was unrepairable.

It was why I didn't wish for anything when it was my turn for maybe my last final moments of bliss. I didn't deserve it.

I muted out the voices of the others as we seemed to get closer and closer to the entrance of where our enemy would be. As I took a step, I could feel more and more an evil presence in the soil, unlike the presence I could feel in the earth on our planet. And with each step, a voice came slowly into my head.

'Do you desire of anything, my child?'
'No, now leave me alone.' I responsed in haste as we seemed to come to a stop. Adalia seemed to have left to get Knes back; the so-called traitor in the group. I looked at her for a second until we continued to where we were heading. We approached a cavern where there seemed to be a huge spiral top nearby, and the voice in my head only seemed to get worse.

'Do not tell me you don't have any desires, my child.The voice now came in clearly as we entered the cavern. The walls seemed to be an eerie glowing green that gave off a heavy air. I kept myself at the slowest pace as I felt at complete unease, my body tensing at each footstep. I placed my hand on the wall and in an instant, I could almost feel my heart skip a beat.

'HELP ME!' The earth on the wall seemed to scream, and I wanted to scream back just the same. The whole place put me at an complete and utter unease, I just wanted to get out as quickly as possible.

"Are you alright, Stella?"Ovan looked back at me as they walked, and I seemed to daze out for a second. I nodded quickly and catched up, trying to null out the feelings of anxiety that laid in my heart.

'So child, you wish to finish this as quickly as possible? I may lend you my strength and will.'I felt the voice's presence's completely wash over myself as I stood still, my body freezing as I felt another being in my body; not myself. Was it the one who asked for help? But this presence had such a strong violent will..

'We will show them you are not only a innocent in the background.'She said, twisting my lips into a smile as we walked into a big room. At the opposite side was a being that seemed to match Moswen's description; a male version of her with a black tail and her. My body seemed to be in the voice's control; she seemed neither evil or good as she looked at him with a feeling of utter hatred and despise pinging in my heart.

[Roy Karrde]

Adalia
~*~*~*~*~ The end of all things… ~*~*~*~*~

When I approached him, I thought there would be some tricks, some scheme that he had planned. That he would teleport from the side and attack me, instead I just found Knes standing there, his arms crossed and his eyes full of sadness. “I told you not to come after me.” He shook his head as I readied my staff. “You couldn’t have just leave me be?” He asked, his eyes falling onto the staff.

“Do you really think I am going to attack you?” He gazed at the staff for a minute as I held it in my shaky hands. I shook my head no and slowly lowered it as Knes turned and the two of us walked around the side of the huge spire. “So we’re going to have to fight? After all we have been through we have to fight?”

My eyes traveled down to my feet, my head hung low. “You don’t understand, he can give me anything, he can give me my life back.” He pleaded, his hand clutching his chest. “You can still leave, turn around and go back, and we all can be together, with our family. He can give you anything you want too.”

I paused for a minute, my eyes brimming with tears. “It’s not right, everything we have seen, everything you have done, it wasn’t all for selfish reasons, I wont believe it.” I shook my head and grabbed his hand, for a moment I thought he would jerk away but he didn’t. “There is still good in you, I know there is, I know you know this isn’t right.”

He turned to look at me in shock for a second, only for an explosion from inside the spire to cause me to look away. When I turned back Knes was gone. “Knes!” I called back to him, my voice echoing through the mountainous terrain, making it sound like a distant cry.

My hand’s immediately went to my staff, creating a green bubble of mana around my body for protection. “We’ve done this before, back in Kulun. You and I fought and you remember how that ended.” The voice echoed from my left, I immediately turned to find nothing there. “You’ve never lost your parents, your family, and then the chance to get it back?”

“Will you kill me to get them back?” I asked, my voice trembling as I spun around to try and find him.

“Just close your eyes, when you wake up you will be with me and everything will be perfect.” He whispered into my ear as I spun around, flinging three mana spheres in his direction only to find nothing.

The entire world seemed silent; the sound of two rocks moving on my left sent the spheres in that direction, only to find nothing. “You can’t keep that up forever..” Knes yelled out, the spheres sent hurling in that direction. “Eventually you will run out of mana or faint, so why put your body through the pressure?”

He was right, there was no way for me to keep flinging the spheres at them and expect to actually hit him, he saw them coming from miles away and I was just too slow. Then again maybe I could catch him by surprise. I immediately concentrated on one of the mana spheres, transforming it into a drill bit and sending it into the soft earth beneath me. “Don’t you want something Adalia? Something you desire with all your heart?”

I paused for a moment, my mind flickering to Kite and the rest of the group, all of the people I had sworn not to heart, only to break their heart. Every day I wished I could go back and just let Kite hold me and touch me, if it would keep him as my friend I would have done anything. “I know you have made mistakes, I’ve dried your tears from them, this God, he can fix them for you.” Knes whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I dropped my staff, nodding for a moment, I wanted desperately for Kite to be my friend. I wanted everyone to be my friend, but I had made such a mess of everything. But it wasn’t worth the lives of thousands. With a flick of my wrist the drill bubble sprung up from the ground beneath Knes, capturing him in it and pinning him to the wall. “It isn’t right..” I shook my head.

Knes struggled for a second, glaring at me before finally relaxing. “It isn’t right..” I turned to match my eyes with his as a deep rumble shook the earth. Explosions roared all around us as the mountains shook and deep gashes begun to form in the earth. “Adalia!” Knes screamed, one of the fissures forming at my feet.

My body stood there in shock as the cracks around me deepened, the Earth giving away as the entire moon seemed to begin to break up. “ADALIA!” He screamed again, using all his strength to break the mana bubble, leaping across the hole and tackling me just before the Earth below my feet gave way.

With several grunts and gasps in pain, we both rolled along the ground, I rose to find both of us on one of the mountaintops, looking down at the holes forming far below us. Knes stood next to me, gasping for air from the teleportation. “Its over…” His eyes filled with tears of both sadness and relief as a light burst through the spire. Two twin beams of light, one black, and the other one white intertwined, becoming one brilliant beam.

“It’s the gods… they are so beautiful.” I whispered, sitting down next to Knes, my hand gently touching his. As we watched, the soil around us turned from black, to gray and then finally brown as green energy slowly rose from it and traveled back to the planet. “What?” I asked, reaching out to touch the mana.

“It’s the mana taken from the fearls… it’s going home.” Knes explained as I leaned against him, watching the mana trail off toward the planet for what felt like hours.

“They would be proud of you..” I finally broke the silence.

“Who?” Knes asked, looking down at me.

“Your family, after all you have done, they would be proud of you. I know because I would think my parents would be proud of me after all I have done.” I said with a smile. The two of us looked at each other for a second, our mouths slowly moving closer together, our eyes shutting.

“Hey Pretty Princess” A voice yelled out, breaking the moment as I balled my fists in frustration. “Maybe we should leave you here, so that Earth wont have to deal with you.” Kite yelled out, breaking the silence as he walked up the side of the mountain.

“Its time to go home squirt.” He glared reaching us while gesturing toward the spire. “Everyone is waiting to say good bye.”

“I’m not a Pretty Princess.” I fumed, taking a fruitless swing at him, only for Kite to place a hand on my head, keeping his body far out of range of my fists. “And you ruined my special moment.”

Kite glanced around in annoyance as Knes teleported us into the cavern where a large round sphere radiated in white light. “We’re going home..” I whispered in shock, taking a step toward the sphere. It felt like a dream come true, in just a few moments I would be back home, in the welcome embrace of my family. “Knes can we..?” I turned only to find him talking with the two Gods; my heart instantly sank as I realized he wouldn’t go with us.

“Free of baby sitting!” Kite yawned and stretched his arms, acting as if a huge weight had been lifted off his back.

“I’ll be sure to send you a litter box when I get home.” I shot back, pulling his tail in annoyance as Kite shot an angry glare in my direction. I stuck my tongue out playfully before turning to Loki.

“I wish we could have spent more time together.” He frowned, running a hand softly through my hair.

“Maybe next time.” I replied, a tone of hopefulness in my voice.

“Maybe…” Loki whispered, kissing my cheek.

I took a few steps toward the bubble, turning at the last moment to give Danielle a hug before she stepped through. “Thank you for being a big brother.” I kissed his cheek as he patted my head.

I had so many other things to say, but it just felt wrong to interrupt their goodbyes. Not to mention the need, and the want to get back home. I took another step toward the bubble before finally feeling two eyes upon me. I turned back to find Knes, tears in his eyes. “Not even going to say good bye?” He asked.

My legs seemed to move with out even a though, I rushed forward throwing my arms around him as I pushed my face into his chest, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Its not good bye, its not good bye.” I cried over and over, holding onto him as hard as I could. “We will meet next time.”

“Next time.” He nodded in agreement, kissing my head as I leaned up to look at him. A moment passed and we both kissed on the lips for what felt like forever, what I wanted to be forever. “I promise we will meet again.”

I slowly nodded, letting go of him and slowly turned around and walking toward the bubble. Our journey was coming to a end, one where we fought, but also shared happiness and joy. As I stepped into the light, I knew it wasn’t good-bye, not for me, not for anyone else.

Yet even if we did not see each other again, the memories of our adventure would live on in our hearts forever.

Okay guys, it’s the end, write your ending and goodbyes, but don’t post getting home, just in case we do have another one, I want to leave the events of getting home open ended!

[Haruko]

Ovan
"We'll walk as we look up at this infinite blue sky / It's painting our future selves" - Secret Rendezvous sung by Takeuchi Junko
Control: Danielle

The battle ended as quickly as it seemed to have started. It was all just a simple fleeting whirlwind that led up to the two gods becoming one. I breathed heavily as I stood, watching the beam of light infintely go towards the sky.

'The mana that the ferals once had been deprived from is being returned..'Valkyrie let out a relieved sigh; as if a duty of her was done. Brilliant streams of light flew from the beam and seemed to; more than likely, go back to the planet below; where it belonged.

As everyone seemed to watch this, they were also saying their goodbye's as a bubble had formed - one more than likely to take us home". I looked at it in disbelief, not wanting to believe it's existance.
'So, it's time to depart, eh?'Ovan remarked.'Don't tell me you've grown attached to us, Dani! That cold heart could only get attached to the freezer door.
'Shut up!'I hastily replied, looking at Valkyrie and my, no, Ovan's hands for more than likely the last time. 'I just thought..'
'It'd never come?'He replied.'Remember, Dani, I was created to support you through this journey. It was going to end..but endings have beginnings as well, right? Take what you've learned here and apply it in your world.'
'Heh, I guess.'I replied, stubbornly, and he laughed.

'And I will always be with you, Danielle.'Valkyrie spoke up. 'I am but only a spirit in a sword; but you gave me a name, an attachment. We've grown to each other and I believe now, you are a lot like me when I was alive. You just need to believe in yourself more, alright?'
I teared up a bit, holding Valkyrie's handle tightly.'Yeah, sure.'
'You can do it, we believe in you. So believe in that.'.She finished, and I looked on my side to find a distressed Stella, who was in disbelief of everyone leaving.

It was going to be the hardest on her; I forgot. She belonged here, and we were the only friends she had, since we broke her out. Her face had one of utter bewilderment as she had said her goodbyes, but was holding the pain in. I, who had stayed out of the bubble still, looked at her.

"These people..have allowed a complete stranger like me to be by their side; to ensure the fate of this world...I don't think I can ever repay the favor.."She talked to herself,"And now, they're going to vanish before me! What am I going to do.."
"Go and find your brother."I spoke up from behind her. I saw her body jump as she looked behind herself. "It's what you deserve. Now do it, and don't look back."
"I..thank you, danielle. and ovan."She looked at me with sadness; more than likely not wanting me to go. I hugged her slightly; a sibling hug, before stepping into the bubble.

Through the painful times, happy times, silly and awkward, this journey was part of my thread of destiny. Meeting Valkyrie, all the people on Gnes, the people who I roleplay everyday - every bit of it was an experience I will never forget. What will happen now, I wonder?.

Stella D'Aubigine
"Please, give me a dream for one night / Embracing the beautiful warmth I'd almost lost / I want to go beyond the memories" Omoide no Mukou (Beyond the Memories) by Miyazaki Ayumi

A fleeting moment.

My body was no longer mine as I felt a foreign presence, a dark mana if I had to compare it to the presence that invaded my body on the plante below. It fought without restricting my mana, controlling the soil and fauna of this ground much more freely than I could. But as the battle finished and the two gods became one, my body seemed to almost collaspe from the sudden loss of mana.

'Thank you..for letting us get our revenge..'I heard the feminine voice say in my head as a purple cloud of dust gathered around me, and dispersed as I felt the presence wane and disappear completely. Was my body simply a tool for revenge? My body..was a wonder; and yet, so monstrous at the same time..

I collected myself as the bright light from the two gods brought forth a bubble of sorts. This bubble..didn't seem to belong of this world, was it of the world that the creator of Ovan spoke of? As it seemed, everyone was saying their goodbyes to each other. I waved them off bleakly, unsure of everything and anything. Where were they going? If they were going..to what Ovan's creator spoke of, where should I go? I was acting like a pet all this time to them; only there because they freed me. I entangled my destiny into theirs because of that..

I turned my back to them and held in my tears,"These people..have allowed a complete stranger like me to be by their side; to ensure the fate of this world...I don't think I can ever repay the favor..and now, they're going to vanish before me! What am I going to do.." I talked to myself, the words getting choked up in my throat.
"Go and find your brother."An unexpected voice spoke from behind me; Ovan - or more than likely his creator, Danielle. I jumped in a bit of bewilderment and looked behind myself at him. "It's what you deserve. Now do it, and don't look back."

'I don't..deserve anything. I hurt you, Danielle..Ovan..'I thought to myself, then looked at him. But it was what I did want to do..ever since I broke free with his; no their, help.
"thank you danielle..ovan."I replied, and looked infront of me to find Danarica holding her child. I had forgotten about it..what was the child to do in this situation? Both of it's parents were going their home, and this child was of this world, not theirs..

"Dana..I'll take care of her."I let her speak before she did."Go home, it's where you belong."I let her and Ovan say their goodbyes to the child, and then slowly cradled the infant in my arms. The child seemed upset that her parents were leaving, that was only natural. One day I'd tell her of their adventures, of course.

"Farewell, everyone."I waved them off as Knes did the same, my throat choking up as I held the tears back.
----------------------------------
~3 week's later
It was in a small village dinner that I caught him. Me and Dana* - I had shortened Danarica's name and gave the child that name, in honor of her mother, had been traveling through towns and cities to find him. The whole scenery seemed more full of life than it ever did before my adventures with them ever happened, and I'm sure that we had a positive effect on this world.

"Dana, we're going to see Uncle Noel."I told her as I opened the door, having her in a pouch saddled infront of me and tied and secured with cloth and buttons - perfect for long walks and I could see her smiling face all day. Inside seemed quiet except for a man who seemed to be flirting with a waitress.

"Yeah, do you know how many people I've saved with this sword! Tons!"He smirked, and they both laughed. His eyes were a sky blue and his hair was golden yellow; it was definitely my brother, Noel. The air definitely had his mana presence. The waitress left as she took his order, and he smiled as he looked at me, then the kid.

"Ohh, a woman with responsibilities, I like that!"He said."Sit, sit!"
"Noel, shut up."I responded, Dana giggling slightly as I sat down."It's Stella. You know, your sister?"
"Stella..?You've grown! Where'd ya get the kid?"He asked, looking at her."She doesn't look like you at all."

"She's from my friends; they're away now though."

If any of Stella's post is not ok, Kalad, PM me.