Zephyr

An amazing job, Freude. I especially like the "Section 9" and the quote at the bottom (now I wish I had thought of them :sweat: ). And your choice of Batou pics is perfect. I always find that smile amusing. Thanks a lot.

Dusk had already come by the time Paul made it back to his apartment complex. Finding his mail slot empty, he decided that Ms. Tsukimura must have taken it up already. Ms. Tsukimura was Paul's landlord, and legal guardian. She treated him like family, but still respected his space. So long as Paul was able to work for her brother he was given free room and board, and enough extra money for food and other neccesities, while still taking classes. Paul flipped the lights on in his room and saw a small package on his computer desk. It was a video game labeled Monster Network. Next to the box was a note explaining that it was a gift from his landlord's brother, in hopes that it would help Paul make a few new friends. Sitting down, he opened the box and reviewed the contents before booting up his laptop. The machine was an older model and took time to load, enough for him to read the loading instructions. Paul set the CD in the reader and the drive began to spin. [b]MN Username: [u]Connect[/u][/b] Paul stopped for a moment and thought. A picture from a mythology book caught his eye. [i]Yeah. That will work[/i] [b]MN Username:[/b] Dragon Tamer [b][u]Connect[/u][/b] The screen changed for a moment and the CD-ROM let out a whine as it scanned. Another window appeared with a second message. [b]What is your monster?s name:[/b] Ryusei [b]What gender will it be:[/b] Female [b]What element do you want it to control:[/b] Fire [u][b]Make My Monster[/b][/u] Paul unconcioussly scratched at a scar hidden by his jacket's left arm as he chose the element type, but forged ahead anyway and hit the "Make My Monster" button. [b]Connect the MC to your computer. [/b] Searching his desk Paul found the MC. His was a black color with a smoke-like blue pattern on it. Using the provided cable he connected the two systems. The drive began to whine again as the info was transfered to the handheld device. A short time later the holographic system kicked in and displayed a red egg with a black thorn bush pattern on it. The egg began to crack and was slowly replaced by a green dragon. A very large green dragon. [i]Whoa! I didn't know the system could project an image [/i]that[i] big.[/i] A quiet voice filled the room. "Are you the one that gave me life." "I--I--uh, suppose so." Paul managed to sputter out. "Then I thank you," the voice said. The dragon flew over and rested across Paul's shoulders. [i]What the..? How can this creature be real. I thought it was only an image.[/i] Looking to his computer for an answer Paul found only the stats for Ryusei, and a simple message. [b][u]Your monster?s data has now downloaded onto your MC. Care for your monster well and happy battling![/u][/b]

Time for a new banner/avi combo (after my long break from the boards) Here is what I am looking for. Avatar: Just a pic of Motoko Kusanagi (a.k.a. The Major). Not really picky. Banner: A pic (or pics) of Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, and a Tachikoma (blue, quadraped tanks). I would prefer it to be from the same picture, but I do not mind splices if one cannot be found. And the words "Stand Alone Complex" in one corner.

I've been gone for a while. Time to get back in the game (so to speak). Real Name:Paul Steiner Monster Network Username: Dragon Tamer Age: 16 Gender: Male Appearance: [URL=http://www.advfilms.com/titles/aquarian/images/kyoutastand.gif]Click for pic[/URL] Personality: Introvert, and a bit distrusting of people in general. He has made a few friends through the game, but seems to show up mostly for fighting. The few people that know him realize that he is intelligent and friendly, despite his character flaws, and never fights outside the game unless protecting another person. Mention of his past brings a pained look to his face, and an akward silence. History: Little is know about his past, but it is obvious that something horrible happened to his and his family. Since the age of five he was bounced from foster home to foster home, never fitting in, and becoming more closed off as time passed. There are only a few people he will let see his true self. Ultimate Goal in MN: To fight, though the reason behind that is unknown ::Your Monster Sign-up:: Name:Ryusei Gender: Female (not comfirmed, but Paul referes to Ryusei as "she") Appearance: Chinese style dragon (snake-like body, short arms with three "fingers") Child - [URL=http://www.cardkingdom.com/images/ChampionsofKamigawa/JugantheRisingStar.jpg]Click Here[/URL]. Green scales across the top, with a beige underside. A bout the sive of a python or boa. Teen - [URL=http://www.cardkingdom.com/images/ChampionsofKamigawa/YoseitheMorningStar.jpg]Click Here[/URL]. Grey, smooth, leathery skin. Wrapped in a shining light. Much longer body. Adult - [URL=http://www.cardkingdom.com/images/ChampionsofKamigawa/RyuseitheFallingStar.jpg]Click Here[/URL]. Blood red armor-like plates along the back. Flames burst from the joints of the plates (hard to see in the pic) Very large/long body. Element: Fire Attacks: Simple - Fire ball: Just a simple burst of flame from its mouth Intermediate - Plasma Charge: A blast of energy so hot it has reached the plamsa state (similar to a star) Advanced - Awakening: Releases thirteen Fire Dragons from their slumber underground to aid in battle. Very low attack power, but hard to kill. (Death by a thousand paper cuts, as the saying goes) Ultimate - Falling Star: Ryusei's body is engulfed in flames as it slams into the ground, releasing a ring of fire that engulfs everything around it. Offensive/Defensive: Offensive If anything needs changing, just let me know.

Alno'dra sat quietly in his throne, listening to the murmers of the other gods as they left the council chambers, or spoke with others. For several minutes remained seated, with his eyes closed and his hands pressed together in front of his mouth. Patiently sitting to his right was Ky'rali, his aide and the one chosen to take his seat for the year ahead. Despite having all the information that Alno'dra had requested her to bring, she knew better then to interrupt his thoughts. Wordlessly, Alno'dra stood up and moved from the chambers, Ky'rali on his heels. "Is everything prepared for my arrival on Earth?" He asked in a quietly. "Yes. Everything is in order." Ky'rali said as she moved up next to him. "Your housing, job listing, birth records, and anything else you should need to start with is waiting for you." "And, what of you?" "Sir?" "Are you prepared for the job of sitting on the council for the year?" Alno'dra opened the door to his living quarters and entered. The walls were lined with various mirrors of every shape and size. Each one a window to the past. "While I am honored, I still think that there are others who are better suited for replacing you. Others that can handle the council with your same tact." "Perhaps there are, but non of them know the council members like you do. Most of your collegues have never seen a council meeting." Alno'dra spoke while staring into one of the mirrors. A ghostly image from centuries ago was displayed on the surface. "You, on the other hand, have been at my side the whole time. You have been able to judge many of the people that will take over, and you have all of the information from every meeting on hand. The others may be able to handle the council, but you are the only one that [i]knows[/i] the council." Ky'rali's spirits visibly lifted at the praise and reassurance. Alno'dra walked over and gave Ky'rali a light kiss on the forehead, an act that made her blush slightly. With a smile Alno'dra stepped into the surface of a tall mirror, and disappeared down to his new life.

The shock from the kiss was short-lived as the blonde unexpectedly bit down on Phelan's lip and tore the skin. Phelan winced a little as he returned to reality, and the blonde just smiled at him. Using the back of his left hand Phelan checked the damage that was done. 'Well, I can see the resemblence now. You two have a real problem with mood swing, you know." She smiled again. "What can I say? It's a curse." "Let me get one thing straight. Regardless of who you are, I still do not trust you." Phelan gripped the hilt of the knife he kept hidden in his coat's lining. "And I still have no reason to believe your story." Phelan lunged forward and swung his blade through the air. The attack was not meant to harm her, but to test her claim of being the same as Jalena. The young blonde never bothered to dodge, and let the knife draw blood on her right arm. "Is that all?" She asked, now having lost the feral smile from before. With lightning speed that Phelan had seen only Jalena use, she flew forward and slammed her fist into his abdomen. As Phelan fell to the ground, gasping for air, her hand struck down against his neck, and everything went black.

The color changes in the different weather is definately due to the amount of sun moving through the clouds. The reason they seem dark blue in overcast is becuase there is less light making it down to them. As for the changes during mood, that I cannot be sure of. The best I can figure is that they change based on the amount of blood running along the muscles, but I don't if there even is enough to make a noticable change. As for you question, my eyes don't change, but they are both half-brown (around the pupil) and half-green (near the white part). It is not a subtle fade either, just an immediate change. It's kind of cool, actually. :eek:

OOC: It has been a while since an RPG has caught my attention. I have a good feeling about this one. Position: God of Time Person you left in charge: Ky'rali (his aide inside of the council chambers) Name: Alno'dra Heparius (Strange name. Note: the apostrophe indicates a short break when pronoucing the name) Human Name: Alexandr "Tempus" Fugit (a joke for those that understand Latin) Nick name(If any): Tempus Age: mid-20's (I assume this means human form's age) Occupation: freelance translator for Japanese businesses Appearance: Six feet five inches tall, black hair, green eyes, and long arms and legs. Wears a black business suit with smoke grey pinstripes, a black under-shirt, and a blood red tie. Carries a cane of polished oak, that has a silver ball at the top. While not physically attractive or imposing, he carries himself in such a way that most people show him a great amount of respect. Personality: The most calm and level-headed of the gods. He prefers to review the facts before jumping to any major conclusions. Although he speaks quietly he is always heard. Bio: Alno'dra has been acting as a balance in the god's council for a very long time. Since he calm and withholds judgement until all facts are presented, he tries to keep the opinions of the other gods from clouding their ability to think rationally. This has earned him a great deal of respect from even the most hotheaded of the gods, and even a bit more slack with Suray (though he dare not push his luck with her). Occasionally he will glimspe into the future in hopes of heading off any actions that the others gods may regret later. (Hopefully that is good. Let me know if you want me to fix/adjust anything, Aqua.)

Phelan rolled his eyes after the shock of Zedrrick's confession wore off. [i]Nothing like painkillers for slips of the tongue.[/i] Looking down at the gauze over Zedrrick's wound, Phelan figured that he would be fine in a few days. The problem was, how to keep the group from being discovered before Jalena and Zedrrick were ready to move. Zerverius's troops knew they were hurt, and would be looking in the hospitals. Phelan pulled one of the doctors aside for a moment. "How long will it before they can be moved out of here?" "At least three days," the doctor replied. "They are still at risk of infection or other complications." "I want them ready to move in three hours." Phelan said sternly. "There is no way I would allow that." The shock of Phelan's order was not hidden well by the young man. "I said three hours, and I mean it! If the people chasing us find us there will be fight. That means guns blazing, innocent bystanders being hit, and many dead people in halls. You understand?" The doctor nodded, a look of pure fear on his face. "Good! Now, can you tell me who brought my comrade in?" The young doctor pointed to a young blonde that was slowly approaching them. Phelan thanked him, and the doctor made his way down the hall quickly, still looking a bit pale. As the blonde approached Phelan turned in her direction. "I suppose I should thank you for helping my friend," Phelan said flatly, "but Iid prefere you tell me who you are first." "You don't trust me?" The young girl smirked. "Even after I saved your friend?" "There are only tow people I trust. I'm one of them, you are not the other. Now, who are you?"

OOC: Finally, a chance to post. Working four 10-hour long days in a row doesn't leave much time for writing. Phelan sat down in the stool next to Jalena, and turned towards the door so he could lean back against the bar. "Damn it! I knew I should have killed that bastard years ago." He reached over and grabbed the bottle of vodka from Jalena, then took a swig of the liquor. Jalena snatched the bottle back, and with one quick motion took another drink. "We'll get our chance. Ha cannot hide for long before we find him. And when we do--" Jalena never got to finish her sentance as Phelan suddenly shoved her off of the stool. A second later he was knocked back by a burst of gunfire, and slammed into the bar. Standing in the door was a lone soldier from Zerverius's troops. Based on the fact he was alone he was obviously a scout, probably one of many sent to search form the AD-0. The man's gung-ho behavior cost him his life as his gunfire was answered by the assassins. It might have been different if he had waited for backup. As the soldier fell, Phelan stood up. He coughed heavily, leaving blood on the palm of the hand he used to cover his mouth. "S***, he's hit in the lung," Zeddrick yelled as he rushed over. "I'm fine," Phelan managed to say in a raspy voice as the coughing subsided. "No, you're not! You were hit in the lung, you're bleeding." Zeddrick tried to help Phelan over to one of the stools, back was pushed away. "I said I'm fine." Phelan unzipped his leather jacket to show the bullet-proof vest he had taken earlier. "I just got the wind knocked out of me, and bit the inside of my mouth when I hit the bar. We had best get this placed closed up, just in case his friends show up." Phelan sat back at the bar and grabbed another drink from the vodka bottle. "God, this stuff sucks. Couldn't you afford something better?"

Phelan ducked behind the bed in his room as the window burst from the gunfire. A soldier stepped through the broken remains of the glass, his gun ready. Reaching between the bed and the nightstand next to it, Phelan grabbed a small 9mm handgun that Jalena had insisted he keep, just in case. Hopping up and over the bed Phelan fired three shots at the soldier. His aim was not good enough to kill the man, but stunned him as the bullets struck his bullet-proof vest. Phelan tossed the pistol aside and drew his knife. Using all of his momentum, he drove the blade straight through the kevlar fibers, which are useless against blades, and into the man's lung. A twist of the blade, and a flick of the wrist cut into his aorta. The soldier dropped like a puppet with its strings cut. [i]I'll have to remember to thank Jalena for forcing me to keep that gun,[/i] Phelan thought as he picked up the soldier's rifle. [i]An M-16A2, standard issue military rifle.[/i] Phelan's training had included the use of handguns and rifles, with the M-16 being the one he was tested on most. Normally he never worked with guns, since he was trained for stealth missions, but in this case their was no way he would survive with a knife and garrote alone. Phelan grabbed the soldier's vest, now covered with blood on the inside, and put it on under his leather jacket. He also took the man's extra M-16 ammo magazines, the handgun he had used earlier, and the spare magazine for the handgun. The last thing he took before heading out was his motorcycle helmet and keys, which would most likely be needed to escape, and his computer pack, which was small enough to fit on the back of the vest. Having collected the most important items, he left the room in search of Jalena and Zeddrick.

Phelan barely noticed the buildings as the flew by. Being out this long was probably going to piss off Zerverius, but he honestly didn't care about that. Zerverius's opinion did not rate high on his list at the moment, and he was too bored to give a damn even if it did. Phelan needed something to keep his mind off of his troubles. For a moment he though about finding the nearest underground fight and kicking someone's ***, but a memory from the last mission stopped him. [i]I doubt Jalena with quite so nice this time around. Wonder what it is she hates so much about me choosing to fight in the underground.[/i] Those thoughts quickly left Phelan's mind as he noticed a familiar pair of headlights in his mirrors. The same headlights that had been following him fo several blocks. [i]Looks like the suits are here. They're good at tracking, I'll give them that, but lousy at hiding the fact they are following me.[/i] Phelan smiled under his helmet. [i]This should keep me entertained for a while.[/i] The motorcycle jerked forward as Phelan twisted the throttle into high speed. In responce the headlights behind him sped up. Phelan darted between the minimal traffic, had it been earlier in the day it would have been easier to lose the suits. For the next thirteen minutes the two vehicles played street tag, before Phelan managed to hide himself. Another smile crossed his face as the truck sped past, never slowing down. Having found the fun he was seeking Phelan finally returned to the masion. Inside the garage were two black-suited men exiting a large SUV. Phelan parked near them, and got off his motorcycle. As he walked by he threw a little comment their way. "Better luck next time guys." Phelan began laughing as he returned to his room.

Phelan was jolted back to reality as the plane's tires touched the ground. The trip had lasted long enough for him to get a decent rest, and the air was smooth enough to avoid waking him. As the plane stopped he stood up, grabbed his equippment, and headed toward the door. On his way out Phelan caught the attention of Magnum, who nodded in his direction. Phelan returned the nod, and quickly made his way into the mansion. Back in his room, Phelan begain checking over his laptop, making sure that nothing had wormed its way into his computer during the earlier mission. He stopped repeatedly to pace around the room, unable to keep his attention on the systems check. After about twenty minutes he sighed, shut down the computer, and left the room. Something was bugging him, and he needed som fresh air to clear his head. Grabbing his helmet from a small locker in the garage, Phelan hopped on his motorcycle and sped out of the mansion. Phelan drove around the city, not really sure where he was headed, and still agitated about something. A short while later he found himself in a familiar part of the city's slum district, and right outside a small, unmarked bar. Known as "The Dive" to everyone around that area, this particular bar was owned by friend who owed him a favor. Inside he was greeted by a short young lady with long, brown hair, which framed a face who's innocence belied her true nature. "Ah, Phelan," she chirped in her usual happy mood. "What can I get you?" "Just a moment of your time, Amanda," Phelan said, looking at a short halway leading to her office, "if you can spare one, that is." Amanda walked over to the halway, and leaned against one side. Phelan leaned against the other, and spoke in a low whisper. Most of the patrons were either asleep or too drunk to hear him, but it was best to be careful. "I need to call in that favor that you owe me." Amanda just nodded. "Of course. What is it that you need me to get." "Information. On a person, an assassin. All I can tell you is his code name is 'Magnum,' and he specializes in sniping." "It will take some time, but I should be able to get the info." Without much warning her tone changed from all business, to a friendly curiousity. "So, looking to hire this one, or did he piss you off." Phelan smiled back at her. "Just want to confirm something. Hopefully it is just paranoia." With that, Phelan turned on his heel and headed back to the mansion. It seemed that the something that was bothering him had to do with Magnum.

Found this joke while searching through some old file on my computer. Defiantely funny, and completely true. Enjoy. #1 - Law of Metaphysical Irregularity-- The normal laws of physics do not apply. #2 - Law of Differentiated Gravitation-- Whenever someone or something jumps, is thrown, or otherwise is rendered airborne, gravity is reduced by a factor of 4. #3 - Law of Sonic Amplification, First Law of Anime Acoustics-- In space, loud sounds, like explosions, are even louder because there is no air to get in the way. #4 - Law of Constant Thrust, First Law of Anime Motion-- In space, constant thrust equals constant velocity. #5 - Law of Mechanical Mobility, Second Law of Anime Motion-- The larger a mechanical device is, the faster it moves. Armored Mecha are the fastest objects known to human science. #6 - Law of Temporal Variability-- Time is not a constant. Time stops for the hero whenever he does something 'cool' or 'impressive'. Time slows down when friends and lovers are being killed and speeds up whenever there is a fight. (EXCEPTION: DBZ fights, which last for months.) #7 - First Law of Temporal Mortality-- 'Good Guys' and 'Bad Guys' both die in one of two ways - either so quick they don't even see it coming, OR it's a long drawn out affair where the character gains much insight to the workings of society, human existence or why the toast always lands butter side down. #8 - Second Law of Temporal Mortality-- It takes some time for bad guys to die... regardless of physical damage. Even when the 'Bad Guys' are killed so quickly they didn't even see it coming, it takes them a while to realize they are dead. This is attributed to the belief that being evil damages the Reality Lobe of the brain. #9 - Law of Dramatic Emphasis-- Scenes involving extreme amounts of action are depicted with either still frames or black screens with a slash of bright color (usually red or white). #10 - Law of Dramatic Multiplicity-- Scenes that only happen once, for instance, a 'Good Guy' kicks the 'Bad Guy' in the face, are seen at least 3 times from 3 different angles. #11 - Law of Inherent Combustibility-- Everything explodes. Everything. [i]First Corollary[/i] - Anything that explodes bulges first. [i]Second Corollary[/i] - Large cities are the most explosive substances known to human science. Tokyo in particular seems to be the most unstable of these cities, sometimes referred to as "The Matchstick City". #12 - Law of Phlogistatic Emission-- Nearly all things emit light from fatal wounds. #13 - Law of Energetic Emission-- There is always an energy build up (commonly referred to as an energy 'bulge') before Mecha or space craft weapons fire. Because of the explosive qualities of weapons, it is believed that this is related to the Law of Inherent Combustibility. #14 - Law of Inverse Lethal Magnitude-- The destructive potential of any object or organism is inversely proportional to its mass. [i]First Corollary[/i] - Small and cute will always overcome big and ugly. (I.E. Pokémon and Ryo-ohki) Also known as the A-Ko phenomenon. #15 - Law of Inexhaustibility-- No one *EVER* runs out of ammunition. That is of course unless they are cornered, out-numbered, out-classed, and unconscious. #16 - Law of Inverse Accuracy-- The accuracy of a 'Good Guy' when operating any form of fire-arm increases as the difficulty of the shot increases. The accuracy of the 'Bad Guys' when operating fire-arms decreases when the difficulty of the shot decreases. (Also known as the Storm trooper Effect) Example: A 'Good Guy' in a drunken stupor being held upside down from a moving vehicle will always hit, and several battalions of 'Bad Guys' firing on a 'Good Guy' standing alone in the middle of an open field will always miss. [i]First Corollary[/i] - The more 'Bad Guys' there are, the less likely they will hit anyone or do any real damage. [i]Second Corollary[/i] - Whenever a 'Good Guy' is faced with insurmountable odds, the 'Bad Guys' line up in neat rows, allowing the hero to take them all out with a single burst of automatic fire and then escape. [i]Third Corollary[/i] - Whenever a 'Good Guy' is actually hit by enemy fire, it is in a designated 'Good Guy Area', usually a flesh wound in the shoulder or arm, which restricts the 'Good Guy' from doing anything more strenuous than driving, firing weaponry, using melee weapons, operating heavy machinery, or doing complex martial arts maneuvers. #17 - Law of Transient Romantic Unreliability-- Min-mei is a bimbo. (Amen.) #18 - Law of Hemoglobin Capacity-- The human body contains over 12 gallons of blood, sometimes more, under high pressure. #19 - Law of Demonic Consistency-- Demons and other supernatural creatures have at least three eyes, loads of fangs, tend to be yellow-green or brown, but black is not unknown, and can only be hurt bladed weapons. #20 - Law of Militaristic Unreliability-- Huge galaxy-wide armadas, entire armies, and large war machines full of cruel, heartless, bloodthirsty warriors can be stopped and defeated with a single insignificant example of a caring/loving emotion or a song. [i]First Corollary[/i] - Whenever a single war machine (mecha, starship, etc.) goes up against an entire army, the army always loses. #21 - Law of Tactical Unreliability-- Tactical geniuses, we aren't.... #22 - Law of Inconsequential Undetectability-- People never notice the little things... like missing body parts, or wounds the size of Seattle. #23 - Law of Juvenile Intellectuality-- Children are smarter than adults. And almost always twice as annoying. #24 - Law of Americanthropomorphism-- Americans in Anime appear in one of two roles, either as a really nasty skinny 'Bad Guy' or a big stupid 'Good Guy'. [i]First Corollary[/i] - The only people who are more stupid than the big dumb Americans are the American translators. (Sometimes referred to as the Green Line Effect) [i]Second Corollary[/i] - The only people who are more stupid than the American translators are the American editors and censors. #25 - Law of Mandibular Proportionality-- The size of a person's mouth is directly proportional to the volume at which they are speaking or eating. #26 - Law of Feline Mutation-- Any half-cat/half-human mutation will invariably: 1) be female 2) will possess ears and sometimes a tail as a genetic mutation 3) wear as little clothing as possible, if any #27 - Law of Conservation of Firepower-- Any powerful weapon capable of destroying/defeating an opponent in a single shot will invariably be reserved and used only as a last resort. #28 - Law of Technological User-Benevolence-- The formal training required to operate a spaceship or mecha is inversely proportional to its complexity. #29 - Law of Melee Luminescence-- Any being displaying extremely high levels of martial arts prowess and/or violent emotions emits light in the form of a glowing aura. This aura is usually blue for 'good guys' and red for 'bad guys'. This is attributed to Good being higher in the electromagnetic spectrum than Evil. #30 - Law of Non-Anthropomorphic Antagonism-- All ugly, non-humanoid alien races are hostile, and usually hell-bent on destroying humanity for some obscure reason. #31 - Law of Follicular Chromatic Variability-- Any color in the visible spectrum is considered a natural hair color. This color can change without warning or explanation. #32 - Law of Follicular Permanence-- Hair in anime is pretty much indestructable, and can resist any amount of meteorological conditions, energy emissions, physical abuse, or explosive effects and still look perfect. The only way to hurt someone's hair is the same way you deal with demons... with bladed weapons! #33 - Law of Topological Aerodynamics, First Law of Anime Aero-Dynamics-- *ANY* shape, no matter how convoluted or odd-looking, is automatically aerodynamic. #34 - Law of Probable Attire-- Clothing in anime follows certain predictable guidelines. Female characters wear as little clothing as possible, regardless of whether it is socially or meteorologically appropriate. Any female with an excessive amount of clothing will invariably have her clothes ripped to shreds or torn off somehow. If there is no opportunity to tear off the afore-mentioned female's clothes, then she will inexplicably take a shower for no apparent reason (also known as the Gratuitous Shower Scene). Whenever there is a headwind, Male characters invariably wear a long cloak that does not hamper movement and billow out dramatically behind them. [i]First Corollary (Cryo-Adaptability)[/i] - All anime characters are resistant to extremely cold temperatures, and do not need to wear heavy or warm clothing in snow. [i]Second Corollary (Indecent Invulnerability)[/i] - Bikinis render the wearer invulnerable to any form of damage. #35 - Law of Musical Omnipotence-- Any character capable of musical talent (singing, playing an instrument, etc.) is automatically capable of doing much more "simple" things, like piloting mecha, fighting crime, stopping an intergalactic war, and so on...especially if they have never attempted these things before. #36 - Law of Quintupular Agglutination-- Also called "The Five-man Rule", when "Good Guys" group together, it tends to be in groups of five. There are five basic positions, which are: 1) The Hero/Leader 2) His Girlfriend 3) His Best Friend/Rival 4) A Hulking Brute 5) A Dwarf/Kid. Between these basic positions are distributed several attributes, which include: 1) Extreme Coolness 2) Amazing Intelligence 3) Incredible Irritation #37 - Law of Extra-dimensional Capacitance-- All anime females have an extra-dimensional storage space of variable volume somewhere on their person from which they can instantly retrieve any object at a moment's notice. [i]First Corollary (a.k.a. The Hammer Rule)[/i] - The most common item stored is a heavy mallet, which can be used with unerring accuracy on any male who deserves it. Other common items include costumes/uniforms, power suits/armor, and large bazookas. #38 - Law of Hydrostatic Emission-- Eyes tend to be rather large in Anime. This is because they contain several gallons of water, which may be instantaneously released at high pressure through large tear ducts. The actual volume of water contained in the eyes is unknown, as there is no evidence to suggest that these reservoirs are actually capable of running out. The reason water tends to collect in the eyes is because Anime characters only have one large sweat gland, which is located at the back of the head. When extremely stressed, embarrassed, or worried, this sweat gland exudes a single but very large drop of sebaceous fluid. #39 - Law of Inverse Attraction-- Success at finding suitable mates is inversely proportionate to how desperately you want to be successful. The more you want, the less you get, and vice versa. #41 - Law of Xylolaceration-- Wooden or bamboo swords are just as sharp as metal swords, if not sharper. #42 - Law of Juvenile Omnipotence-- Always send a boy to do a man's job. He'll get it done in half the time and twice the angst. #43 - Law of Triscaquadrodecophobia-- There is no Law #43. #44 - Law of Nominative Clamovocation-- The likelihood of success and damage done by a martial arts attack is directly proportional to the volume at which the full name of the attack is announced. #45 - Law of Uninteruptable Metamorphosis-- Regardless of how long or involved the transformation sequence or how many times they've seen it before, any 'Bad Guys' witnessing a mecha/hero/heroine transforming are too stunned to do anything to interrupt it. #46 - Law of Flimsy Incognition-- Simply changing into a costume or wearing a teensy mask can make you utterly unrecognizable to even your closest friends and relatives.

[quote name='daydreamer']'Kay, this is actually a question, not a topic I wish to discuss. Ever since I first watched .HACK//Sign I totally fell in love with the music, especially with the flute tune that's played sometimes. My question is, does anyone know what kind of flute this is? Its name I mean. I have a flute at home but it doesn't quite sound like the one played in this Anime. I wish to know because I would be willing to learn how to play whichever kind of flute that is just to play the little tune I talked about earlier.[/quote] I do not think that it is a flute, the pitch is too high. It is most likely a piccolo, which is similar to a flute, but is smaller. Since piccolos are smaller they produce a sound that is an octive higher, IIRC, then that of a flute. The two are easy to confuse at first, since they are almost identical (save for their sizes and pitch).

OOC: By request, let's see if we can get this up and running again. As the image in the pool of water faded, Bewahren opened another window in the air in front of him. He typed out a short message, checked everything, and sent it on its way. Back in Sargon, a pairs of beeps nearly sent Hunter out of her seat. Nemisis and Ammilia smiled slightly at the sight, smiles which lasted until he too heard the beeping. All three of their characters froze in spot for thrity seconds as each stopped to read their mail. --Real World--- Atalanta clicked on the blinking mail button on her PC's deasktop. She read the mail qiuckly, but stopped to read it again to be sure she had read correctly. It said: [i]I have information regarding your modified character, the red moon necklace, and the unique weapon you used in you fight with Lenka. If you wish to learn more come to the lowest level of the dungeon of (Delta) Lonely Sought After Paradise. Bring Nemisis and Ammilia with you.[/i] ---"The World"--- Hunter returned to the world to find Nemisis and Ammila all ready discussing their mail, which turned out to be very similar to her's. The three debated what to do for some time before deciding that there was more to gain then lose at this time. All three fought their way to the lowest level of the dungeon. When they cleared the last room on the bottom level they were greeted with a major surprise. From out of nowhere they were suddenly warped into Net Slum. Sitting at the edge of the marble pool was Bewahren, who smiled at them. "Welcome to Paradise." He said. "I was not sure you would make it here so soon, or that you would even come." "Who are you?" Nemisis said, not bothering to hide his distrust. Bewahren raised his left hand to reveal a rosary of red beads, with a crimson moon hanging from the end. "I am the creator of the unique weapons you three now hold."

Phelan lightly tossed the notebook to the ground, and caught Jalena as she fell to the side. Setting her head down slowly, Phelan checked her pulse and breath. Her pulse was strong, but slow, and her breathly was shallow, but still regular. He nodded to Zeddrick, how breathed a sign of relief, then knelt down and picked Jalena up. "Grab the notebook, and follow me." "Where are you going," Zeddrick asked. "Back to the vault room. They have a first aid kit, which hopefully has a small oxygen tank in it. That will help clear the gas from her lungs." Phelan sighed and looked down at the ballroom below. "And we may get a clue as to what caused this." Back up in the vault's anteroom Phelan set Jalena down and popped open the first aid kit. There was no oxygen tank inside, but the small breath mask inside had a balloon that would allow for a person to manually provide her with fresh oxygen. Phelan tossed the mask to Zeddrick, who immediately started helping Jalena. Meanwhile, Phelan used his laptop to hack into the palace's security system. "It doesn't look like anyone tripped an alarm system, so I'd wager that the gas was put there intentionally," Phelan said, as he continued typing. Zeddrick looked up. "I do not remember any screaming. That means it was most likely a slow release, and not someone going mad with a few gas grenades. We had best contact the others and see if they know anything."

Definately a great series, and an amazing way to wrap up the story started by .Hack//SIGN. The ending of Quarantine was set up very well, too. The only thing that really annoyed me was the camera control durning the Grunty Races. Though it was easy to win once I got the hang of it. [b]Level of completion:[/b] 100% I have completed everything in each game. That includes main story, side quests, and even the annoying Item Completion Quest in Quaratine. [b]Favorite Bosses:[/b] Cubia, Skeith, Maha, and Corbenik [b]Usual Party Members:[/b] Blackrose and Wiseman, or Mistral [b]Most Hated Party Memebers:[/b] Rachel, Elk, and Marlo

OOC: Hello, I'm back. I've been having writer's block (read: lack of brain function) for a while, so I could not think of anything to post. :blush: IC: As the group split into small units Phelan led Jalena out into the back garden. The two walked around the back of the house, looking for any possible side entrance that would make it easier to reach the vault. The mansion's exterior was set up pretty much the same as all others, but the security was nothing like others. Most had a basic window trip-wire system, which set off a silent alarm in any window was opened. This one had, on the other hand, had the works. Security peronel, motion sensors, cameras, and more that would go easily unnoticed without their training. "Looks like the outside is trouble." Phelan whispered quietly. "You sound worried," Jalena replied in a mocking tone. "Not really. I prefer the ones that are a challenge. I just don't want to ruin this suit. I just got it, after all." Jalena didn't didn't laugh, not even a smile, which kind of bothered Phelan. Normally she would at least smile, even if it was to humor him. Taking his cue from her lack of responce, Phelan refrained from jokes and began walking back toward the entrance. With luck the others had found out something that would make this job easier, not that the jobs ever did get easier.

[b]Rating: 6[/b] The banner has potential, but there are many things that need to be adjusted. First off, cut back on the Gaussian Filter in the background. It clashes too much with the characters, specifically Skeith and Mia (the first of which is difficult to pick out from filter itself. Either that, or you should up the opacity on the characters, so that the background does not over-power them. The background also causes a bit of jagged-edgeness to the characters. As for the text, I would go for a yellow, or other light color. It is hard to read as is. Red is just naturally too dark for this color mix. I would suggest avoiding blue, since only light blue will show up, and I doubt it would look very good on this banner. Hope that helps.

I've done that on job interviews before. I try to think of the most likely questions that will be asked, and create some sort of answers to them, only to completely blank when they finally ask the question. Of course, that is not nearly as annoying as when a doorway in my house magically turns into a "Threshold Of Forgetfulness." Eveyone knows what I mean. You think of something, walk through a doorway, and immediately forget what it was. Thus causing you to stop in the middle of a room, and take thirty seconds to think about what you were trying to do in the first place. :D

Phelan resisted the urge to grumble to himself about the suit. He did not dislike the suit itself, just the way that it fit. Like all suits, it was confining, and clung tightly to the wearer's skin. Such clothing always slowed him down when he needed to move qucikly. Phelan merely bit his lip, and decided to deal with it for now. There was one part of the suit that Phelan did like, however. The special adjustments he had asked the tailor to make. The first was simple, a small pocket hidden in the left side lining. It was designed to carry the knife he normally stored in his leather jacket's lining. The second "adjustment" proved more costly to aquire. It looked like a normal watch worn by society's elite, but it contained the same hidden garrote as Phelan's regular watch, which was far too common of a design to blend in with the crowd at the gala event. Phelan hid the knife and slid the watch over his wrist as he left the room. The elevator ride was slow, and the muzak from the speakers would have been irritating if Phelan had still had his mind in reality. His daydream was cut short by the jolt from the elevator's stop on the ground floor. Everyone was waiting in the lobby for him to arrive. Phelan had to hide his surprise at seeing Jalena. She was definately stunning in the red dress she had chosen. As before, Phelan's thoughts were cut short, this time by Jalena, who chewed him out for being the last one to reach the lobby.

As the tailor finished the measurements for his suit, Phelan unconscioussly reached up and scratched at the area that Jalena had hit him. The pain in his cheek had subsided long ago, but the memory still bothered Phelan a bit. If nothing else, it proved that he had become too comfortable around Jalena. Anyone else taking a swing like that would have risked losing the hand before it hit him. "Alright, all done," the elderly tailor said, snapping Phelan out of his rememberence. "I have a suit that could fit you, though I will need an hour to make the adjustments." The gentleman moved to the back and returned with an ash grey suit with a white shirt. Phelan nodded his approval, and followed the tailor to the counter. "There are two more adjustements I would like you to make," Phelan said under his breath. Most of the big-time criminals knew this man had connections, and would eagerly help them, for a fee. Phelan spoke quietly, to avoid drawing attention, but the gentleman understood perfectly. Phelan paid for the suit, the "adjustments," and turned to leave. He would return later to retrieve the suit, but for now he went back to the hotel. When he got back up to his room, Phelan began checking his portible computer. He expected that he would need it for the vault, since nothing was ever easy in this business.

Bewahren watched as the two players gated out, lead by the system administrator. [i]Playing the role of the predator again, Lenka?[/i] Bewahen had a number of run-ins with Lenka too. She was wild, but very smart, and equally skilled with a blade. He wanted to see how well the young Wolf character would fair. Standing up, Bewahren exited the pub, catching the eye of the third "bearer of the necklace." He moved to the Chaos Gate, and warped to a special area. To those that lived in the area it was Paradise. The players, however, knew it as Net Slum. In the middle of a nearby opening there stood a fountain like pool, which appeared to be made of a white marble. From its surface reflected the image of Lenka's fight. This allowed Bewahren to watch, without being seen like before. The fight was short, and Lenka was left with little choice but to withdraw. Bewahren smiled at how the fight had ended. [i]Not such easy prey this time, was it, Lenka? Perhaps it is time I met these players personally.[/i]

I am not so sure that it really is Harald. Other then the shape, there is little evidence to support the theory, and some evidence to possibly disprove it. For instance, the voice speaking is female (most likely meant to be Emma), and not that of Harald. Also, if you notice the background, it is the same stage that you fight Cubia in every time. And third, you see that form at the begining of the game, a time when Harald is still in his "floating stone tablet" form. That is how I see it, anyway.