Retribution

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman]']So basically doing a planned PR stunt rather than a spontaneous one is going to draw more warm feelings toward this guy? Yeah, I got ya.... And I don't like it.[/quote] [SIZE=1]*shrug* It really won't matter if it's planned or spontaneous. It'll look all the same on TV. Him walking up to the home, a bunch of cameras crowded around to get a good shot through the windows. The woman feebly standing, nodding passively as Bush tells her some words we can't hear. Then he leaves, and addresses the cameras. And yeah, that would definitely raise more warm feelings for the guy, but I doubt he's going to do it. [QUOTE]I know it's probably hard for Bush to show remorse and compassion since he's a politician and everything, but he could at least try.[/QUOTE] How about [i]you[/i] act civilized and regard politicians as remorseful and compassionate. Just because some aren't doesn't mean Bush isn't a human being and feels those feelings. Look, I don't even support the guy and I have to defend him from that kind of low-blow. I think it's ignorant to lump all politicians together and say they can't be compassionate or remorseful -- My father's a politician for the record, and he's definitely working to improve the community, not try to get rich and leave people behind. His name's "Glenn Ivey" if you want to do research on him.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Sounds good so far. I'd like to see where you go with this script. I'm wanting more information, and more development to happen soon though... as it stands, we're kind of in the dark about things as viewers. But keep writing, I'm enjoying it![/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed] Actualy, a much more likely scenario is that the country of Iraq would simply cease to be. It would more or less splinter into religious states that would be absorbed by the neighboring Middle Eastern countries, which would actualy, after the initial bloodshed (And there WILL be blood shed in any scenario) probably be better from the Iraqis. Countries like Iran could move in a pick up the pieces, because they are always looking for more territory and, even though Iran and Turkey and the like are pretty bad, the people of Iraq would end up better than they are now. Any number of things could happen if the US pulls out; frankly, many of them would be better than if the US stayed. All of them would be worse than when the US arrived, though. A bad democracy (And trust me on this, a democracy in a country as religiously divided as Iraq is would be a complete disaster in less than a decade) is worse than a dictatorship, because at least a dictatorship keeps the country united, even if its by fear. [/COLOR][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]You're kidding, right? You think that a bloody war for the former Iraq's territory would be better than us stabilizing the country and installing a centralized government? Do you have any idea what the senario you're talking about would lead to? I'm talking mass war between those countries in the Middle East you mentioned. Not to mention hightened animosity towards Americans in general. Here, I'll put it like this: You are living in a country with a dictator ruling you. Your country's stable -- not well off, but there's not riots or car bombings every other day either. The one day, a bordering country (if you live in Canada, say America, and vice versa) invaded you to remove your ruler. Alright, that's fine and dandy. But people in your country are pissed about this, and set off car bombs, riot, loot, and the fighting with the occupying country results in the loss of your power for months, possible loss in water, and possible loss in other general supply lines. Do you want this country to split and leave your relatively poor, unprepared nation to fend for itself and let neighboring countries have their pickings of your land? Would you appreciate it if you were living in one country, and then suddenly became assimilated to another? That's just if you manage to live through the emminent war that would ensue over the 'free' land. Seriously, you're talking about mass war between several land-hungry powers. By giving these countries the prospect of land, they're going to want it all, and they won't be able to have it. Meaning big fights, and large numbers of civilian casualties. But really, who gives a f_ck, I mean, they're on the other side of the world, living in some poor a_s country anyway. Why bother cleaning up the mess we made, when we can retire to our nice, warm country, complete with food, water, power, and communications? [QUOTE=ChibiHorseWoman] Gavin is right (Hey he's Irish and the vast majority of Irish people (save the ones that keep the Catholic Protestant thing going) are usualy very smart) All this woman wants is some kind of closure for her son's death and he can't even be bothered to say 'I'm Sorry' And Gavin, you're right about hving pleanty of time to do stuff. He's on a five week vacation! I haven't had a five week vacation since my Sophomore year of high school because I've been working off and on since I was sixteen. I really don't think Texas and pregnancy count since I was still working in one way or another. It's really not that hard to get out of your limo and say two friggin' words. Barbara should have taught her son some better manners.[/QUOTE] Saying sorry. Hm... I don't think her anger is justified in the first place, so why should he go apologize for it? She shouldn't be so [i]angry[/i], as she should be [i]deeply grieved of her loss[/i]. Yes, it's an extremely tragic loss, but Bush didn't point the gun and pull the trigger. He signed up for the armed forces on his own free will, and died as a result. His mother should understand that, and realize no one forced him into this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I think that you meant [b]sentimental[/b] value. As it stands, none of these items are worth more than a few bucks. It's the fact that we don't want to sell them because they're special to only us. As for me, I highly cherish my Brown Teddy Bear. We've been parteners in crime since... I can remember. His head's fallen off, he's had paint on him, but I've always been able to restore him to his former glory. He looks like he's only a few years old. To match, I prize a small (I'm talking a foot off the ground) fluffy chair with a teddy bear head on it. My granddad got it for me when I was little, and my grandparents still have it for me. I think I'm never going to get rid of it. So many memories.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1] OOC: PM me if things are wrong? I wanted to save it from death, though. IC: ?Senka, Dorothy, and who?re you?? Rafael looked around quickly, trying to find the mentioned people. His eyes finally rested on Sasurai. ?I?m Sasurai, and you?re Rafael, I presume?? He sounded sure of himself ? a born leader, he quickly concluded. ?Yes. A pleasure to meet you, but I believe we?d best be off to the Earth Castle.? ?Enough talking, more action, people. Get with the program.? Again his head swiveled. His eyes were greeted by a girl who looked like she would eat Rafael?s aristocratic behind for breakfast. ?And are you Dorothy?? ?Wrong. Senka.? ?Quite sorry, I didn?t mean to offend.? He quickly apologized, and finally turned his eyes upon the remaining member to the party. She looked quiet, gentle, completely unfit for battle. Rafael pushed his first impressions from his mind, understanding the fact that whomever could master their weapon was a fearsome warrior. ?I am Dorothy, pleased to meet you all.? She put on a polite smile, and said no more, waiting for direction. On that cue, Sasurai stepped up to the plate. ?Alright, now that we?re all acquainted with one another, time is of the essence. We?re going to sprint a few miles to Earth Castle. As I already told you, we?re responsible for launching a massive diversionary offensive. Meaning we?re going to be against impossible odds. Are you ready?? Everyone silently nodded, either gripping their weapon hilts a bit tighter, or clamping their teeth in a grim affirmative. Rafael took a deep series of breaths, calming his mind for what he expected to be a difficult battle ? one he might not return from. The doors swung wide open, and it was a mad dash to the Castle. Sasurai stopped about three miles into the trip, everyone?s chests burning from the elongated sprints. Rafael breathed through his nose powerfully, as his father had taught him to do. Breathing through ones mouth inflicted a sick feeling upon the stomach. ?Do you see this? That?s Earth Castle,? he said, gesturing to the map he had unrolled, ?and we attack at this point. It?s going to be an all out melee, but you?ve got to watch one another?s backs and be certain that no one gets a spear through their lung.? ?Are we permitted to attack the castle if we can? Burn it down from the inside, more specifically.? ?Yes, but be fairly certain that the Chosen One and our company can make it out before the Castle collapses. Is that clear, everyone? Try not to damage the structural integrity until we can be sure everyone will make it out alive.? A unanimous ?yes? followed. Sasurai nodded quickly, rolled up the map, and sprinted off. Everyone stayed together, at the same breakneck pace they had been at for another fifteen minutes before stopping at the edge of the tree line. ?So the trees stop here?? Senka asked roughly, the added ?Must mean Earth Castle cleared out the rest of the trees.? ?Probably to give them a better view of our approach, and allow for them a better bow-range. They?re going to open up as soon as we move from here,? Rafael observed, gazing at the magnificent castle. ?This is what you?ve been chosen for. This is your moment. Charge!? Sasurai yelled, and they all broke from the tree line towards the intimidating castle. Rafael spotted the black dots converging from the horizon. ?ARROWS! DODGE!? He yelled as loud as his tired lungs could afford. The sprint to their destination had fatigued him, but not enough to hinder his ability to fight. He unsheathed his dagger and rapier as the arrows got closer to them. Finally, they hit, and everyone deflected them with their weapons, dodged, and used all their skill to evade the oncoming waves of arrows. After receiving many minor cuts along his body, they had closed the distance between them and the castle, and to Rafael?s dismay, saw armor clad soldiers marching in perfect rank and file towards them. He estimated their number to be nearly 1,000. ?Here?s where things really begin,? he said with anxiousness in his voice.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Yeah, this is better. Not [i]best[/i], but better. ^_^ I think the problem now is that there's an unbalanced quality to the banner. I think it's probably because of all the "Sakura"s you have floating around. Again, I'm not sure how to fix it, but it seems fine for now. And your avatar pwns.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Ooh... Ghost in the Shell. Cool stuff. [b]Banner:[/b] Pretty good on the whole -- I can tell you know what you're doing from the various effects you used. You used appropriate font, and placed it well. The faded stock works very well to boot. My only problems with this is 1) the white space in the center, and 2) the right edge of darkness and light. It looks a little too obvious the distort filters you used, and perhaps a small blur would fix that. [b]Avatar:[/b] Assuming you didn't crop this from another wallpaper/banner/avatar, it's a job done extremely well. There's really nothing to critique, except I wish the stock was larger, and the border more noticable.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]First of all, Last Exile was great. Moving along... I really enjoy this image -- it's a pretty accurate, proportionate drawing of a vanship. The only thing I can pick out is that the lines are light, and the image you presented is on the small side, but you can fix the latter by resizing the image less. Good job on it, and keep drawing![/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hey, Knighdelsol. Personally, I use [b]Photoshop CS[/b], however many others can do just as well with [B]Paint Shop Pro[/B] or [B]GIMP[/b]. Photoshop (PS) and Paint Shop Pro (PSP) are programs you must pay for, however GIMP is free, and can be downloaded from [url=http://gimp.org/][b]here.[/b][/url] Again, PS and PSP are both equally capable, while GIMP is on the lower end of the spectrum, but at the end of the day, hardwork trumps all. I'd like to see some stuff you crank out once (if?) you download GIMP.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Here we go... [b]Prototype Banners[/b] [url]http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/444/legionnaire4rectest8oh.jpg[/url] [url]http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/6683/legionnaire2rectest7sc.jpg[/url] [url]http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/4016/legionnaire5st4nh.jpg[/url] [url]http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/9205/legionnaire4st0ej.jpg[/url] EDIT: Thanks Circeus.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Portugal, eh? Lucky gal. As for my work, Photoshop is coughing up a lung, so I must drop out. [B]Not. Gotcha there, didn't I?[/B] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/aenclothes.jpg[/IMG] Good luck to you both.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet]Sorry folks I couldn't come up with a better title so deal with it. Okay the whole deal with that this woman's son was killed in Iraq months ago and she's decided to camp out at President Bush's ranch in Crawford TX (30 miles or so from Waco-I've been there :animesigh ) until he'll talk to her. (I think she'd have better luck convincing Al Queida that we're [i]not[/i] infedeles, but that's just my humble opinion.) The police have threatened to arrrest her, the president's motorcade drove right by her. G. W. Bush says that while he sympathizes ( *cough* bull crap *cough*) with her, pulling out of Iraq would bad. How? Honestly I'm suprised that there isn't a thread on this subject already so I'm starting this one now. I think it's rather admirable that this woman is willing to risk imprisionment just to get her point across. Now what do you think?[/color][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]I think it's completely ludicrous she would risk getting locked up over this. Look, her son joined by choice. He knew there would be danger of death by going into Iraq. No one forced him into this. She must've known too. Everyone thinks that it's ALWAYS going to be the next guy/gal getting knocked off in war, but not yourself. This woman should realize that, quite frankly, sh_t happens in war, and unfortunately, that was her son. As for pulling out of Iraq. Terrible idea in this stage of the game. We came into Iraq, uprooted their government, knocked out their electricity, and in general threw the country into a state of chaos with this war. We need to restore order, by instating a new, stable, centralized government that can handle things for themselves before we pull out. Leaving now would be extremely cowardly. Really, you have to finish what you start.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]I played Custom Robo, and I enjoyed it. All six hours it took for me to beat it. Well, not the horrendously long and drawn out ending, or the really hollow character developments, or the complete lack of freedom in the game. I enjoyed the battle system (personally), but I didn't think they gave the player enough control over the Robo. I'd probably give this one a 6.5/10.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Only [b]Laurence Fishburne[/b] gets me into a seat, guarrunteed. And strangely enough, there's no one who I can't stand to go see in a movie. I tend to give movies chances unless the critics (and general opinion) say the movie is terrible (ex: Torque. What a godawful movie...).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Hm. Just wondering... why'd you create a new thread? *shrug* [b]Red Obession:[/b] Overall, this was hard to see. The stocks are covered up by a thick square pattern, harshly blended on the background, with clashing text to boot. Lighten up that pattern, and make the text less prominent. It doesn't need to be in your face. [b]War:[/b] Interesting concept, but the handwriting in the background is impossible to decypher, and it makes the foreground harder to see. I see a white woman... riding on something, and a road. The typography would've been better compressed -- I have to do some searching for it. [b]DNAngel:[/b] I didn't realize it said "DNANGEL" until you pointed that out. The text's color's too similar to the abstract shapes. To top it all off, you might want to add in a DNAngel stock -- it feels sort of unfocused right now. [b]Behind These Hazel Eyes:[/b] The foreground with the stocks is interesting and gives you plenty to look at. However, it doesn't flow together, and the paper seems to be there standing alone. You also have a gap in there, and I?d recommend moving the woman on the left in tighter, then cropping. Again, the squares are there ? as a general rule of thumb, they impede the flow of the picture, and distract people. Finally, the text doesn?t feel like it matches the mood. I?d recommend a more prominent cursive font, and not using a glow effect, but something else that more subtly enhances its visibility. [b]Sakura:[/b] I enjoy this one, but there?s a few elements that could use a little bit of tuning up. First off, the border completely rocks my socks off. The background is a good touch, as well. However, I don?t like the font you used for ?sakura? with the ninjas in it. Perhaps if the ?s? and the ?r? had people to show them, it?d be better. As for the other plain ?sakura,? it feels? plain and out of place. There?s also a feeling of emptiness to the banner in general, but I?m not sure what you can do to fix that. Sorry. [b]Enter:[/b] I think this is probably the best of the batch. I?d say this is really, really strong except for the typography and the bit of black/dark purple in the top corner. I?m loving the splash effect you used, although it feels slightly pixilated. w00t, j00 win.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][b]Atom Bomb[/b] Drop the payload the deadly cocktail and watch it burn. Drop hell in a shell my rage in a bottle and watch you die. I communicate atomic astronomic physics Splitting brain cells in half with death in my voice Hand you a fucking atom bomb and let the earth hear the noise.[/SIZE]

[quote name='doukeshi03][SIZE=1']P.S Gavin, whenever you say 'interesting, most interesting' in front of your post it makes me want to hurt you. [/SIZE][/quote] [SIZE=1]Yeah, I hate to jump the bandwagon, but it's quoted for truth. :p Anyway, I think that bringing back the OB Idol sounds like a good idea. I'm pretty sure the community is a bit more... hm... informed (mature?) than to vote based solely upon popularity. I remember reading it in the archives when I was extremely bored, and it sounds like fun. As for the Official Graphics Tournament going on, go join it! It really should be considered a community event, and it should be just as much fun as the Legionnaires.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][b]Name:[/b] Narote of Granada [b]Age:[/b] 22 [b]Race:[/b] Human [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=19][link][/url] Narote is the man on the left side of the picture. He wears everything shown in that picture, save the earrings. [b]Class:[/b] Priest [b]Weapon:[/b] A staff with a white orb hovering an inch off the wooden tip. It seems to ?stick? there, remaining in it?s position at the top even when the staff is spun. He also carries a white dagger with a silver blade up his sleeve. [b]Spells:[/b] [I]Sanctus:[/I] A cleansing spell that heals the target of any aliments, and gives them a temporary ward against dark-magic. [I]Gloria:[/I] A shield that protects the caster and all in the caster?s immediate vicinity. It is used primarily to redirect minor attacks. [b]Personality:[/b] Narote can always be seen smiling, but isn?t very extroverted. His silence is usually regarded as a holy thing, and many people don?t expect him to speak. He carries an air of humility and holiness; his presence is immediately felt in the room as a force that subconsciously calms and relaxes all around him. He is very caring and gentle, preferring to heal and prevent harm from coming to his comrades. But of course, Narote can only be as mature as a 22-year-old male, and enjoys having a good time every now and then. He is a reserved individual, even during massive parties, and brings out better judgment in others. [b]Character Snippit, or Biography:[/b] ?Lux et veritas floreant!? He shouted at the top of his lungs. Light spun intricate webs around his fingertips, then spiraled down the length of his standing body, encircling his billowing robe, flowing from a wind created by the spell. Once the light consumed his hands entirely, he pointed them together at his staff, laying a few yards away, propped up against a tree. His hands trembled at the power running through them, until he could hold the spell?s power no longer, and cast it at his staff. A blinding light, followed by the faint sound of angels singing in his head could be heard. Once the brilliant light dimmed, he saw his wooden staff now hovering a few centimeters off the ground, and with an ivory colored orb rotating above the flat tip of the staff. ?Finally, you?re done. How long did it take you to get it right?? A feminine voice rudely intruded on his moment of success, interrupting something that he thought to be holy. ?Two weeks. If you wish to pick I fight, I am not for you,? he said in a soft tone, striding over to the tree and picking up his new staff. He turned casually, and laid his eyes on the beautiful woman. It was just his luck the only woman that would hang around him only did so to antagonize. ?Don?t give me that sh_t, Narote. Inciendo!? Narote casted Sanctus under his breath to take brunt off the spell, but in large let the full fledged attack land a direct blow. He dropped to his knees, closing his eyes in prayer and inhaling at an accelerated rate. ?You naive, complacent Priests. So pacifistic, so weak. This time, I?m taking that dagger up your sleeve, not just a few pieces of gold. ?If you wish to fight, then I will. I?d rather abstain entirely than defend myself though.? He sounded serious, his tone becoming firmer. ?Inciendo Maximus!? She fired the spell at Narote?s face, enough to permanently disfigure him. He dropped to a crouch, then rolled to the right with a firm grasp on his new staff. ?Sanctus.? He said surely, casting it upon himself as the woman fired another spell at him. In the last instant, he screamed with all his being ?GLORIA!? A sky blue orb surrounded him, attempting to reflect a powerful fire spell. The shield began to fracture in places, in others there were small bubbles rising from where the heat was even more intense. He raised his staff to strengthen the waning shield, but it had little effect. In the last, fleeting moments, he saw the fire rocket away from himself and onto his opponent, burning her clothes slowly. He turned to leave, and walked a few steps before hearing a bloodcurdling scream. Looking back, he saw flames on her leather-encased body, and his eyes widened in terror. ?Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus!? He rattled off the same spell, eventually extinguishing the magic and healing her body of cuts and burns. A small satisfaction came over him, realizing he had saved a life. Looking upon her again, he noticed most of her clothes gone, and gasped in surprise, instinctively turning away from her. He took off his outer cloak, tossed on top of her, and continued his walk.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Aiyisha][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial] Nintendo DS has wireless capacity, and the ability to use your wireless router to go on the net to find opponents or friends to play games which support it. Animal Crossing DS is supposed to be implementing it, and I think the next Pokemon is too. From what I recall, all this will be free (I could be wrong, though). Granted, these games aren't up to the level of MMORPGs, but online play has and is being realised in the handheld market. lol[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]Yes, but my main point was that MMORPGs really aren't going to exist on portable systems without significant lag. You're beaming a portable signal to a satellite, and other people are doing the same, so delays could be either really short or really long. Overall, people aren't going to use portables over consoles ever as far as MMORPGs are concerned. The Nintendo DS's wireless capability, even with the router, won't be able to match a console.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Kamuro][SIZE=1]Lately I've seen more emphasis on RPG's for GBA/DS and PSP more then the stationary consoles lol. Perhaps part of the industry has been investing it's time in games for the new consoles (PS3, XBOX 360, etc.) but it seems to be lacking in the RPG area as of late. Even online games are becoming disputable. With new mobile internet capabilities even large scale online games can be played on a hand-held console. The possibilities are endless and I'm starting to think to much is being invested into stationary systems. What do you guys think?[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]You have good points, but think about it. Why hold up a small screen, when you can sit on a comfortable couch without craning your neck over a backlit screen? Let's face it -- stationary graphics will probably [i]always[/i] be better than that of portable ones. It may not be a huge difference, but it will be there. You can make a stationary thing weigh much more, and give it more hardware to soup up graphics and processing power, whereas with a portable system, you're having to find middle ground between weight and graphics. Online gaming for handhelds? If so, it will be in a relatively small area compared to that of stationaries, or you'll have to pay for air time, and on top of it all, crane your tired neck over a small screen, trying to soak in the action through such a small medium. Besides, consoles pwn those dinky mobile things.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][b]OOC: I can edit the details in, but I?m slightly unclear as to what to write for now.IC: [CENTER][SIZE=4]Unus Parvulus Animus[/SIZE][/CENTER] Alexander fought to maintain his balance as he shot through the curl of a wave. He was easily six feet inside the wave, and leaned forward to speed himself up, so he wouldn?t get caught in the watery vortex behind him. He momentarily lost his balance, and shifted to his left side to compensate. He over corrected, and felt his body crash under the sky blue waves, caressed by the cool, relaxing water. He got to the surface, and sat on top of his board, waving to Shinji. ?Whoa! Awesome!? He exclaimed loud enough for Sakura to glance at them from her lounge chair on the sand. ?Yeah, you were pretty good yourself, man. You probably lasted longer than me, too,? he replied modestly. They heard a car drive up to where the sand met the street, and glanced to see who it was. ?Well, I guess we had fun while it lasted, right?? He sighed inwardly, disappointed that he could not surf for any longer. ?Definitely?? Shinji had the same thoughts as him as they waded out of the water, and walked past Sakura. She pulled her shades down lazily, looking at them with a raise eyebrow. ?What? You didn?t hear the car? We gotta go.? Shinji nodded towards the car, and they both loaded in. Sakura got up from her tan, just as disappointed as the guys, and sat beside them in the backseat. It was a tight pack, but they all fit without complaint. The car ignition coughed up, and began to purr as they pulled off the curb and towards the Lilia Litvyak II. The silence was awkward for roughly ten minutes, and Alexander had something to get off his chest. ?Guys. I mean? guy and ? gal?? he coughed awkwardly, trying to stay politically correct in what he understood as a country with strict social standards. ?I draw a lot. You two know that, right?? ?Yeah. I saw you in art class the other day. Why?? Shinji nodded in agreement with Sakura, and accidentally knocked Alexander on the head in doing so. They both grinned, but Alexander?s smile faded. ?I drew a diagram of the Evangelions, without ever seeing them before. I mean, it was just a sketch of mine, but it matched nearly perfectly with the joint system.? The car was silent for a while, and Ayato looked back at Alexander for a moment. ?You said [I]what?[/I]? Ayato said, his eyes meeting Alex?s. He was obviously surprised, but pulled his eyes back to the road after hearing a car horn and narrowing avoiding a crash. ?I drew the Evangelion joint system without ever seeing it.? Again, there was silence. ?I just thought I should tell you that, in case was serious or useful.? [I]IDIOT! Why?d you tell them that? They think you?re nuts now. All of them. Great job, Alex.[/I] After a respectable interval of time had passed in silence, Shinji and Sakura began to chat about something that Alexander mentally drowned out. He felt like an outcast, but for no apparent reason. Finally, the car stopped at the dock, and everyone loaded out, carrying their own change of clothes. Ayato told them they would change on the ship, so they followed his instruction, no matter how foolish they all felt walking around a military installation in dripping swimming trunks. [I]You?re still an idiot, Alex.[/I] He kept his silence, and loaded onto the Lilia Litvyak II with Shinji and Sakura. Shinji and Alexander went into the men?s room to change, while Sakura changed in the women?s room adjacent. While Alexander was finishing putting on his shirt and shoes, he began to talk to Shinji. ?How does it feel to pilot?? ?I hate it. It?s scary, risking your life out there, and sometimes you have to? watch?? he mumbled the rest of his sentence, something about friends and death. Alexander swallowed hard, realizing he would not be playing a video game when he finally donned an Eva suit. He would be a soldier, without happiness, without family, without friends. ?Did you have friends when you piloted?? ?Well, sort of. Rei was very quiet, but she was nice. And Asuka was a jerk to me, but I had to bunk in the same apartment as her. Don?t let her looks fool you.? They both chuckled in the acoustic bathroom as they filed out, still laughing while Sakura looked at them curiously. ?What?s so funny?? She slowly began to grin. ?Aww, nothing. Boring guy talk, right Alex?? ?Guy talk ? oh, yeah.? He suppressed his laugher, as he looked at Sakura looking slightly impatient. ?Boys will be boys,? she said, shaking her head as they took seats in the lounge room. The seats were extremely comfortable, large and newly furnished like the rest of the ship. Alexander soon engaged Sakura and Shinji in conversation, trying to get his ?failure? off his mind.[/b][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Whoo... nice and dark. Pretty interesting custom title, as well. [b]Bubblegum[/b] Bubblegum techno Popping all around you throbbingthroughyourskullandjellifyingyourbraintomush Bubblegum techno Bass chewing around you the sound tastes sweet throbbingthroughmyskullitfeelslikepink.[/SIZE]

[quote name='Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed']Real Name: I usually just got by Alexander or Alex[/COLOR][/quote] [SIZE=1]Well, look at that! [b]Real Name:[/b] I'm Alexander, but I go by Alex. [b]Nicknames:[/b] Heh. Not telling you. I guess technically, Alex is a nickname. [b]Online Aliases:[/b] Online I'm known as Retribution, Retri, Altron, and AltronWing. I'm most referred to as Retri and Altron, perhaps because people ([i]death glares all around lol[/i]) are too lazy to type out Retribution, and Altron just sounds cooler than AltronWing. As for explanations, Altron[Wing] came about back in 2000 when Gundam Wing was airing State-side. And guess what? I picked my two favorite Gundams. I still love tha tshow. Retribution came into existence when my friend thoroughly back-stabbed me. Nuff said.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=sakurasuka][CENTER][SIZE=1]Just because Evolution makes the most theoretical sense [I]in theory[/I] doesn't mean that the hypothysis is true. If a creature were to morph so much it changed it's genetic code, then it would have to adjust the number of alliels in its DNA. You can argue until you're blue in the face, but you can't ignore the fact that it is SCIENTIFICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to alter genetic makeup of a creature in such a way. (It would litterally be more scientifically correct to argue that we just poped into existance one day.) If you are trying to argue that science is in favor of the theory of Evolution, you are DEAD wrong. Even science is on the side of Creation.[/SIZE][/CENTER][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]Whoa, nelly. I'm a Christian too, but I can accept science as science. It [i]is[/i] possible for animals to evolve. These genetic mutations take place over [i]excruciatingly long periods of time[/i]. There are fossil records of such things happening, changes in skull structure and whatnot. Really, there's heaps of evidence supporting the theory of evolution. Why are you so against the idea that we evolved? Who's to say both Creationism and Darwinism (I hope that = evolution) can't co-exist in harmony?[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed]I don't understand what you mean, I've studied a lot about evolution and it makes a hell of a lot more sense that humans just... were. Human Evolution probably makes the most sense. How life came to be is considerably more complicated, I don't fully understand it, but the basics make sense. As for the argument about faith, well, I just find it fun. Argueing about fairy-tales always makes me feel like a scholar.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [SIZE=1]I think what he meant was that we're the product of so many 'random' mutations, that it's nearly impossible we came out to be this good. I think he's arguing that God is guiding the evolutionary process, but of course, I can't really speak for him.[/SIZE]