Raiyuu

[font=Trebuchet MS]Okay, A Level results are released tomorrow [b](Thursday 18th August)[/b]. So are you serenely, supremely confident? Nail-bitingly anxious? What grades do you need to get, and where are you hoping to go next year? I've been trying not to think about this, but I've realised more and more that these are possibly the most important exam results I'll ever receive. They'll determine what happens to me for the next three years, in effect. I need ABB to go to my first choice, Royal Holloway, to study Drama with Creative Writing, or if I slip up I can go to Bournemouth and do Screenwriting with BBB. Of course, you can come back to this thread tomorrow and post what you actually [b]got.[/b] [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS][quote=Ilium][/font][color=DarkRed][b]Give a man a fish - He will eat for a day Teach a man to fish - He will eat for a liftime Teach a man to pray - He will starve to death praying for a fish.[/b][/color][font=Trebuchet MS][/quote] Or an alternative version: [b]Give a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. [/b]And now a quote which touched me with its quirkiness. I found it in the inside cover of [i]Battle Royale, [/i]and it's from the Japanese TV show [i]Third Year Class B: Kinpachi Sensei.[/i] [b]A student is not a tangerine. [/b]I wrote that on my T-shirt in Japanese, heh. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Personally, the only fun I got out of Google Moon was zooming right in as far as it'll go. It made me laugh for a couple of seconds. There's nothing to see on the moon except craters and the landing sites.[/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Ye gods, that was fast! *Bows head in awe* Thanks![/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]I just had to display my love for the Ishida/Kurotsuchi face-off. [url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/SheriffMatt/ishida1.jpg"]Banner pic[/url] [url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/SheriffMatt/ishida2.jpg"]Avi pic[/url] I'm afraid the banner pic is a little blurry, but maybe that could be worked in or something...? Hey, I'm a complete graphical-editing n00b. I'd like the avi just to say 'Raiyuu', and the banner to say '[b]On the pride of the Quincy[/b]'. Thanks in advance to whoever does this for me! [/font]

[quote name='Otaku America][color=Navy']...if I were you I would go to great lengths in trying to convert into a heterosexual.[/color][/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]I hoped to get in before Sage here, because I could tell what effect that statement was going to have... [b]Otaku America, [/b]I frankly don't care [b]what [/b]your beliefs are, they do [b]not [/b]give you the right to pass judgement in such a way. Have that view of homosexuality if you [b]really [/b]must, but [b]don't [/b]force it down other people's throats, please. Now for all I know you mean well with your advice, so I'm just going to give you some back, and I hope you take it on board: whatever your intentions, and I have to hope they're good, you are coming off as awfully bigoted. Just try and read your posts objectively and think about whether they could be considered insulting to others before hitting the 'submit' button. You gain nothing by alienating people: if everyone sees you as a bigot they're not going to listen to you, and your valuable opinions will be lost. Like I said in the dinosaur thread, let's try and keep the discussion [b]civil, [/b]please. I don't want two potentially interesting threads closed in the same day because of flaming. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Another useful site is [url="http://www.rikai.com"]Rikai[/url], which allows you to enter the address of a Japanese website, and then it takes you there, and when you hover over a kanji it tells you what it means. Helpful if you only know really basic kanji and come across a site with loads of field-specific ones.[/font]

[quote name='Otaku America']Pride isn't a sin period, lol.[/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]And with that statement you just lost [b]all [/b]credibility as the Bible expert you seem to be claiming to be. Pride is not only a sin. It's one of the seven [b]deadly [/b]sins. In fact it's widely accepted as the most heinous of all seven (the others, since you probably don't know those either, are lust, covetousness, gluttony, envy, wrath and sloth). Like Revue said, what would be the [b]point [/b]of creating a massive conspiracy to make people believe dinosaurs existed when they didn't? You, personally, don't believe in them, so you've assumed it's a conspiracy. But what would be the point? It would be a colossal waste of time, money and effort. [quote name='Otaku America][/font][color=Navy]In the 1800's we where at war, not digging up some imagined bones which all have the same exact structure across the world.[/color'][font=Trebuchet MS][/quote] All humans have the exact same bone structure, are we a hoax too? I really don't see what point you're trying to make there. Also, it's possible for some people to conduct archaeology while others have wars. Not everyone has to do the same thing at the same time. [quote name='Otaku America][/font][color=Navy]Just because Jurrasic Park showed dinosaurs does't mean the bones in the museum are actually dinosaur bones.[/color'][font=Trebuchet MS][/quote] No, the fact that the bones are in the museum and are proven to have belonged to real living creatures in the world's distant past means the bones in the museum are dinosaur bones. We don't base our science off Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park based its premise off science. [quote name='Otaku America][/font][color=Navy]Why don't they teach you about dinosaurs in College?[/color'][font=Trebuchet MS][/quote] They do if you read Archaeology, Paleontology or Prehistory. .:EDIT:. Sage, please don't let your frustration get the better of you and degenerate into name-calling. I know science vs. religion debates can get extremely firey, so let's try and buck the trend by keeping this one civil. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]I've seen spoiler-tags used that are the same colour as the site background, and it makes it very easy not to realise they're there. When I first started using OB, I had no idea how to reveal spoilers - I only found out when I accidentally highlighted a whole page. (Although obviously if I'd read the Stickies I'd have realised sooner.) The point is, if they're the same colour as the background and effectively invisible, it makes it difficult for new users that aren't used to them to realise they're there in the first place. @Otaku America: "I hated the part where [spoiler]Vegeta[/spoiler] died". There's an example of a situation in which only a character's name might be tagged but revealing the spoiler would still be damaging. The spoiler tags ain't broke, so let's not try and fix them. I'd rather have a page covered in fugly black boxes than accidentally find out the ending of Bleach. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Sorry Sage, I wasn't specifically aiming to shoot you down. And yes it is a change. It just isn't evolution as Darwin defined it. Oh, and short people can give birth to tall people because chromosomes assort randomly in sexual reproduction, and because of a lot of stuff to do with dominant and recessive alleles that I can't exactly remember off the top of my head ...[/font]

[quote name='Otaku America][color=Navy']It's impossible for God to create the Earth in 6 million era's.[/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS][color=black]The word 'omnipotent' means 'able to do anything', so I would argue that if God wanted to create something in six million eras then he most likely could have done. Nobody's disputing that the face value word of the Bible states that God created the Universe in six days. We're disputing that you should [b]interpret [/b]it at face value. Why is it so hard for you to even [b]consider [/b]that the 'six days' thing could be a simple [b]metaphor? [/b][quote name='Otaku America][/color][/font][/color][color=Navy]Why is there the same exact T-Rex in every museum?[/color][color=Navy][font=Trebuchet MS'][color=black][/quote] w00t? Now look what you've done, you've made me revert into l33tsp34k. What do you mean? There [b]isn't [/b]the exact same T-Rex in every museum. Just because they're all the same shape doesn't mean they're all the same fossil - we're all the same shape too, but we're not all the same person. [quote name='Otaku America][/color][/font][/color][color=Navy]Those sites don't have the knowledge I possess of the Holy Scriptures. I've read the King James Version of the Holy Bible once and the New King James of the Version once.[/color][color=Navy][font=Trebuchet MS'][color=black][/quote] So you've read the Bible twice and you're claiming ultimate knowledge? I've read [i]Battle Royale [/i]twice and I still can't remember what order the students die in ... do you have an eidetic memory or something? [/color][/font][/color]

[quote name='Otaku America][color=Navy']I don't know if it's only my browser but searching Japanese words or going to Japanese websites tend to turn out in a bunch of question marks.[/color][/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]Sounds to me like you don't have Japanese fonts installed. They're not installed by default on most machines, so any website that tries to display Japanese characters just comes up as a mass of squares and question marks. If you go to the Microsoft Download Centre and serach for 'Japanese Language Pack', you'll find a download that allows your browser and word processors to display Japanese letters. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS][b]Yes we have[/b] grown taller over the years. [b]No it isn't[/b] the result of evolution. Evolution as Darwin defined it (and we should listen to Darwin on this one, he theorised it first, heh) states that a species will evolve in reaction to a [b]selection pressure. [/b]For instance, say the selection pressure is [b]food. [/b]That is, there is only a limited amount of food in the environment. Now say some of the species - because of [b]random [/b]factors like mutation, or the random assortment of chromosomes in sexual reproduction - were born with longer necks than others. They would be able to reach food in places other members of the species could not, like up trees. Those longer-necked members of the species would be more likely to [b]survive to breed [/b]than their shorter-necked compatriots, therefore would be more likely to pass on their longer-necked genes to their offspring, thereby resulting in a larger proportion of the next generation having long necks. (This example involved giraffes, in case you hadn't guessed.) Modern humanity [b]does not [/b]suffer from selection pressures. People with genes that make them more susceptible to disease still have a good chance of surviving to breed and passing on their genes, thanks to modern medicine, for instance. I can't think of any reason why short people would have less chance of surviving to breed than tall people in the modern world, so whatever has caused the trend, it isn't evolution. Like Dagger said, environmental changes and better nutrition. Or simply the fact that with modern medicine we're living longer and growing taller? [/font]

[left] [right][size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Code Name / Call Sign[/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms]Mirror[/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b][size=1] Gender (If Applicable)[/size][/b][/font][/color][/size] [b][size=1][font=Trebuchet MS]Mrs Jackson: [/font][/size][/b][size=1][font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]I'm absolutely positive Ashley was born a girl. Goodness knows how many times she's changed backwards and forwards since then, but I can't spend my life saying 'he slash she' every time I refer to her, can I? [b][size=1]Ashley Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]I'm comfortable in either sex, though. Happily androgynous, me.[/size][/size] [/size][/font][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b][size=1] Location[/size][/b][/font][/color][/size] [b][size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms]Ashley Jackson: [/font][/color][/size][/b][size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2]Born in London, raised in London, and I'll never live anywhere else. You can take me out of London, but you can't take London out of me![/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b][size=1] Age[/size][/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=1][b]Mr Jackson: [/b][size=2]She's [/size][/size]19. What, you think I don't know how old my own child is? All right, she can look as old or young as she likes - God knows she's used it to get into enough clubs - but she was born nineteen years ago, so she's nineteen, all right? [/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b][size=1] Personal Appearance (Images are acceptable)[/size][/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] [size=1]Ashley Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]Dunno, I've never really worked out which shape's my real one, so to speak, the one that's actually me. As you see me now, that's my sort of neutral shape, the one I use just to walk around the streets and stuff.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Interviewer's note:[/b] [size=2]As he/she sits before me, Ashley Jackson is five feets nine inches tall, with short, tousled light brown hair and large blue eyes. He/she has pronounced cheekbones and a small mouth and chin, giving his/her face a tapered, almost triangular appearance. He/she wears blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a brown corduroy jacket, all well-worn and of loose fit. Currently he/she appears to be female.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=2][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/font][/color][/size][size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Personality/Behavior[/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Mrs Jackson:[size=2] [/size][/b][size=2]She's always been a little scamp.[/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]Mum![/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2] [b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]What? No, what?[/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]'Little scamp' makes me sound like something out of a kids' book. I hate it when you make me sound cute.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mr Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]I suppose you'd prefer 'rogue'?[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Ashley Jackson:[/size][/b][size=1] ([/size][size=1][i][size=2]Inaudible)[/size][/i][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][i][size=2] [/size][/i][size=2][b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]Don't swear, dear.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Mr Jackson: [/b][size=2]Ash likes to see how far she can push people. By playing ridiculously complicated jokes mostly - if you put half that brain power into your schoolwork, Ash -[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][i][size=2](interrupting) [/size][/i][size=2]But also by breaking every rule laid down for her.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Ashley Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]What? Oh, Mum, curfews are [i]stupid. [/i]And how can you expect a teenager to go to a party and not drink?[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Mrs Jackson: [/b][size=2]And what about the sneaking out of your window at night? Don't think we didn't notice -[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Interview continued on Reel #002[/b][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][b] Please insert to continue[/b][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Personal History[/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms] [b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]Mum screamed blue murder and accused the nursery of pulling a baby-swap on her![/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2] [b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]Well - I - I don't know about -[/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mr Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]You know it's true, love, what mother wouldn't scream the bloody place down if her baby came out of the creche with different colour hair and eyes?[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Fast-forward >>[/b][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][b] Mr Jackson: [/b][size=2]I don't care what anyone says, all babies look pretty much the same, which is why we didn't really notice until Ash was about four, at playgroup.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]I still remember the first time I saw you change -[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Ashley Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]Dad says you fainted.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mrs Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]I had a bit of a dizzy spell, yes.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Mr Jackson: [/b][size=2]I just remember thinking: thank God we gave you a gender-neutral name like Ashley.[i] (General laughter)[/i][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][b]Fast forward >>[/b][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size][font=Trebuchet MS][size=1][b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]I think I watched too many police shows in my formative years.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Mr Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]Oh no no, don't hide behind [i]Murphy's Law [/i]and [i]The Bill [/i]again. You decided you wanted to be a vice cop the moment you found out Jonathan oh-deed. The Legionnaires are just a step up -[/size][/size][/size][/size][/font] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [b][size=1]Ashley Jackson: [/size][/b][size=1][size=2]He didn't oh-dee! His dealer was cutting the stuff with brick dust and caustic soda! People like that deserve to rot in Alcatraz.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/size][/size][/font] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Special Skills or Abilities[/b][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][b] Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]Well, I can't, like, make up a face to look like. I just mirror people. Got to imprint them first, though. About ... about two seconds of eye contact usually does it. Then your face is mine forever [i](laughs).[/i][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2] [size=1][b]Interviewer's note: [/b][size=2]At this point in the interview, Ashley Jackson proceeded to adopt my own appearance. His/her build and height altered along with his/her facial characteristics and skin tone to produce a flawless facsimile of my body, which spoke with my voice. The reason for the loose fit of his/her clothing now became apparent: the garments still fit even though his/her body had grown to my own size.[/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Mrs Jackson: [/b][size=2]Ash, stop that![/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][i][size=2](Inaudible)[/size][/i][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][i][size=2] [/size][/i][size=2][size=1][b]Interviewer's note:[size=2] [/size][/b][size=2]Here Ashley resumed his/her previous appearance.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2][i]Anyway, [/i]I don't ever forget a shape, so I'll still be able to turn into you in ten or twenty years. But the longer I leave a shape without using it, right, the longer it takes to turn into it ... like it takes a while for my body to remember what it's supposed to look like.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Mr Jackson: [/b][size=2]Which means she can turn into either one of us pretty much at will, she answers the door as me so often - invites salesmen and Jehovah's Witnesses in all the time.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [size=1][b]Ashley Jackson: [/b][size=2]Yeah [i](laughs) [/i]but if I didn't turn into someone for, say, a year, it could take me anything up to a day to 'remember' how to do it.[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [/right] [size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [left][size=1][color=#000000][font=trebuchet ms][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2][size=1][size=2] [/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size] [/left] [font=Trebuchet MS]I can probably post two or three times a week. University starts mid-September, and it's a whole new experience so I don't know how often I'll be able to post then, but I'll try and stick with two or three a week. My posts don't often range beyond PG, and I can't see Ash being the sort of character that deals out a lot of gore. She can be pretty flirty though, and she has a bit of a mouth on her, so I'll go with M for Language and potential sexual references/situations.[/font] [/left]

[b][font=Trebuchet MS]"Hoero, Zabimaru!" [/font][/b][font=Trebuchet MS]The growled command had left Renji's throat before the last of the Hollow One's cackles had been swept away by the wind. Rain hissed into steam as it struck the glowing red blade - Renji could hardly remember drawing it - which morphed rapidly into the giant sawtoothed shape of his Shikai. Renji had always possessed a strong reckless streak. Faced with extreme danger or adversity, a part of him would always be urging him onwards, urging him to combat the problem with brute strength. That instinct had caught many enemies off-guard; it had also put Renji in considerable peril on numerous occasions. It was that part of him had had released his Zanpakutoh, and once he would have given himself up to it and attacked his adversary without mercy or any thought to his own safety. But over time, once the responsibilities of captaining a Court Guardian Squad had been laid on his shoulders, Renji had grown, learning when was and wasn't a good time to let go. This wasn't. He swept aside the rage that had called out to his sword, replacing it with icy calm. He would still attack the Hollow One without mercy. But he would do it with restraint, and he would win. The crowd had drawn back from Renji as Zabimaru transformed, and he strode down the corridor of black robes towards the bone-faced Shinigami and his victim. He stared hard at the empty eye-sockets of the skull mask. [b]"What do you want?" [/b]he asked evenly. His enemy took his time in replying. [b]"Power," [/b]he said. [b]"Great strength. And a challenge for my blade in the process!" [/b]Renji nodded. He broke eye contact with the black sockets and looked down to the lifeless body of Chad, his blood mixing with rain in rivulets around the cobbles of the street. [i][b]Yachiru ... you should not have had to replace both a taicho and a fukutaicho in such a short time. You shouldn't have lost so many friends. [/b][/i]Renji stooped and picked up Chad's massive body, before turning and carrying him back and handing him to some Fourth Squad members. He could feel the Hollow One's lifeless eyes watching him all the way. [b]"I will challenge your blade," [/b]he told him, still with his back turned. Then he disappeared, Flash Stepping up to one of the roofs flanking the street. Zabimaru snaked out, extending to full length and swishing through the air where the Hollow-Faced Shinigami stood. Renji turned and faced the figure standing on the opposite rooftop. [b]"Neither of us has a problem reading each other's Flash Step, Renji," [/b]shouted the Hollow. [b]"How about we fight fair, or we'll be Flashing around Soul Society for weeks!" [/b]By way of an answer, Renji lowered Zabimaru to his side and closed his eyes. Releasing what he normally kept pent-up, he unleashed the full force of his spirit power. The air seemed to shimmer, droplets of rain hissed into steam and several of the less advanced Shinigami clutched at their heads in pain. [b]"A fair fight it is," [/b]grinned Renji, and leaped towards his enemy. [/font]

[quote name='Ilium][color=DarkRed']Ya, downloading is wrong. Ya, it's going to eventually send the world of the media down the drain.[/quote] [color=black][font=Trebuchet MS]Piffle and poppycock. I'd give you the home-taping-didn't-kill-radio argument but Leofski's already put that one pretty succinctly. What's killing the media (the music industry is what I'm particularly addressing here) is the industry's failure to respond positively to downloaders. Instead of viewing the digital media as a logical progression from their current technology and adapting to accomodate users, they label the innovators criminals and start filing lawsuits against ten-year-olds. They're unable to accept that their current ways of thinking are fast becoming obsolete, and respond by lashing out at music lovers, the people they're supposed to be serving. They blame illegal downloading for a drop in record sales; I'd say they need to take into account the negative results of their lawsuits and such as well. Having said all that, I rarely download music. I download [b]unlicensed [/b]anime, then delete it when it gets licensed for TV or DVD release. [/font][/color][/color]

[quote name='Kitty][size=1][color=#003aaf]Well, if it takes most Japanese citizens their entire school careers (this is an estimate, not a fact) learning the [b]10,000+[/b] kanji, I don't plan on ever learning them all. But a few in your 'library' is always helpful. ^_~[/color'][/size][/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]The Jouyou Kanji, of which there are about 1,095, are enough to get you through general life in Japan (so I'm told). This basic set of characters should allow you to read a newspaper, a menu, and road signs. I'm hoping to know enough Japanese to live out there for a while next Summer; I'm hoping my University (whichever one I end up going to) has language programs I can run alongside my own course, but I'm progressing at a reasonable rate with just online teaching so far. [url="http://www.kanji-step.com"]Kanji-Step[/url] is a useful site for learning Hiragana, Katakana and some basic Kanji, while [url="http://www.learn-japanese.net"]Nihongo o Narau[/url] is good for the basics of grammar. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]That [b]isn't [/b]the kind of comment that's required here, Juke Box Hero. I'm sure you wouldn't like people to be sarcastic at you when your bared your personal problems. Having said that, this is the risk you run by baring your personal problems in such a public place, Lyuann. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]The only one you've mentioned that I'm qualified to talk about is Sara-chan, and I think she serves a purpose - both to demonstrate what a caring kind of guy Seta is, thereby justifying Naru's attraction, and to add comedy when the pint-sized brat repeatedly decks Keitaro. Characters in stories, whether it be anime or film or books, have to serve the plot. Putting a character in who is actually useless or irrelevant is a first-time writer's mistake, so such characters would be unlikely to crop up in popular mainstream series like the ones under discussion. Annoying as they may seem, they'll all have a purpose, from the writer's point of view. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]At first I was angry with bleedman for making me like the PowerPuff Girls ... but the art is so extraordinary and the characterisation so good that I've stuck with it. The PPG Doujin recently won a Web Cartoonist's Choice Award for, I think, Outstanding Character Artwork. Well deserved it was too, I reckon, as shown by the fact that I voted for it :animeswea The appearance of Coop from Megas XLR actually made me watch a couple of episodes (at first I had no idea which Cartoon Network series that robot was from), but like most of the series he uses in the Doujin, it's much worse in its original form. Never before this comic was Dexter such a dude! [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Running footsteps. Heavy, ragged breaths. A sharp rap at the door. Renji stopped towelling dry Nozomi's head and walked quickly to the door, sliding it open sharply with a [i]clack.[/i] His expression made it clear to the messenger that he would rather not have been disturbed, but the nervous young Shinigami - Fourth Squad, from the device on his arm - bowed deeply and addressed him anyway. [b]"Shitsurei shimasu, Abarai-taicho! Koroga-sama has called an emergency meeting of Captains and Lieutenants." [/b]The boy was out of breath and, Renji noticed, was trembling from head to foot, and not just due to exhaustion. [b]"Abarai-taicho ... the Gate Keeper is dead!" [/b]Renji recoiled. Behind him he felt Nozomi freeze in the middle of tidying her hair. [b]"Jidanbou ... dead?" [/b]he repeated dumbly. Saying the words himself allowed them to filter through the shock into his main consciousness. Unable to believe what he was hearing, he closed his eyes and probed with his mind, feeling for the familiar giant spirit force emanating from the Court's giant guardian. It was true. Jidanbou's [i]reiatsu [/i]had been snuffed out. Renji slid the door shut in the messenger's face and pulled his white Captain's outer cloak from where it had been airing near the window. He slipped it on over his black robes before gently removing Zabimaru from its stand and sliding the sword through his obi. He looked to Nozomi, still slumped, weak-kneed, on the floor. [b]"Don't wait up, taicho," [/b]she told him. [b]"I'll catch you." [/b]She attempted a weak smile. [b]"Wouldn't want you to peek while I'm changing..." [/b]Renji nodded and swept out of the door, breaking into a run towards Headquarters. [i][b]It has to be that Hollow-faced bastard. No one but Kenpachi's murderer could possibly have beaten Jidanbou. And now he's made Nozomi-chan sad again. I won't forgive him. [/b][/i][b][size=1][font=Verdana]OOC [/font][/size][/b][size=1][font=Verdana]All okay with you, Imi?[/font][/size][/font]

[quote name='Ilium][color=DarkRed']The bombers aren't idiots. They know exactly what they're doing. They're just trying to keep the people afraid, hence TERRORISM.[/color][/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]All evidence points to these attacks having been perpetrated by an entirely different cell of bombers to those of two weeks ago. And I'm fairly sure they [b]were [/b]idiots, or their bombs would have actually done some damage, instead of frightening a few grannies and blowing holes in their own backpacks. Not a single one of the four bombs detonated properly, only the detonators went off, without igniting the main body of explosive as is the intention; this suggests these new bombers were pretty incompetent. [quote name='Ilium][/font][color=DarkRed'] They don't need to kill anyone to cause terror.[/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS][color=black]I wish they thought like that. I could deal with terrorists [b]not [/b]killing people every two weeks. The fact is that terrorists believe killing innocents [b]is [/b]the only way to gain attention. [/color][/font][/color][font=Trebuchet MS][quote name='Ilium][/font][color=DarkRed']The bombers are just saying it loud "We did it, we can do it again" and they will, without a doubt they will.[/quote][/color] [font=Trebuchet MS] Whatever they may have been trying to proclaim, all they've managed this time is to disrupt the tube network, dump their failures of bombs for the police to examine at their leisure, and get the whole country chuckling with relief at their puny efforts. [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Rain didn't agree with Ginryu-taicho; it dampened his spirits as much as it would have dampened his dragon's flame, had it been real instead of manifested [i]reiatsu.[/i] Renji hadn't disguised his relief that the spar was ended prematurely. He was sure he'd seen Gin's lips beginning to form the word [i][b]"Bankai" [/b][/i]several times in the last couple of minutes of the match, and hadn't wanted to overexert his authority as referee and damage-controller by reprimanding the First Squad Captain, his ultimate superior. [b]"Breakfast, Hikari-chan?" [/b]he enquired of the dripping, morose woman slumped on his floor. She looked up, a slightly bewildered expression framed by red hair plastered to her cheeks. The rain and the encounter with Utamuro-taicho seemed to have thrown out her routine somewhat; she didn't seem aware that she'd missed her morning meal. Nozomi took the proffered bowl with a small incline of her head and stared into it for a few moments. The towel was still draped around her shoulders, but she hadn't used it. Renji dropped to a crouch in front of her and tried to manouevre his head so her could look upwards into her eyes, pulling a mock-serious face. She looked up, meeting his eyes gazing out from under a ridiculously furrowed brow, and failed to suppress a chuckle. [b]"More like it," [/b]nodded Renji approvingly. He rubbed the towel playfully over her dripping hair. [b]"Which is it more? The rain, or [i]Jyuu-ban taicho-sama?"[/i][/b] He raised another chuckle with his mock-deference to Utamuro. [b]"It's Utamuro," [/b]she replied, taking a mouthful from her bowl, [b]"the rain just made it worse. [i]Ano hentai! [/i]How long must he have had that window?" [i]Yes! An insult. She's loosened up. No more depression for Nozomi-chan. [/i]"If I ever catch him at it again, I'll throw him over the fence for you to take care of, deal?" [/b]grinned Renji. Nozomi nearly choked; the two of them chuckled over the image like schoolchildren hearing their first dirty joke. [b][size=1][font=Verdana]OOC [/font][/size][/b][size=1][font=Verdana]Sorry to cut short your spar, Revelation and Kitsune, but I didn't think Renji would leave the two of you scrapping unsupervised.[/font][/size] [/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]This is a discussion of a fanfic, and as such should reside in the OB Anthology.[/font]

[font=Trebuchet MS]Shame on you, r2vq. I'm sure you're aware that the illegal distribution of copyrighted material is against OtakuBoards policy, and spoilertagged as it may be, that's still a request for the aforementioned materials. I'll thank you to remove it from your post.[/font]