Starcatchers RP

[Toku]

Look down
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[Toku]

~???~

There were two splashes of color against the surreal black and white hues of Satellite City: a man bathed in gold and another in teal. “This isn’t good. They’re taking too long,” the man in teal mumbled with a hidden worry behind his stern tone. “Can you sense them? What’s their condition?”

The man next to him hesitated to answer. “It’s not looking good. They’re disorganized and…scared. Yeah, they’re in awful shape.”

The man in teal let out a harried sigh, “Any in Nirvana can’t be faring any better.”

“Don’t you have operatives stationed there though? Couldn’t they-“

“Those two were strictly ordered to observe until the target was in sight,” the man in teal barked, “and at this rate, I fear it’ll be too late for them to do even that.”

“So what happens now?” The man in gold asked anxiously.

“Well,” the man in teal slowly pulled out a pocket watch from his pant pocket, lightly jingling the chain it was clasped to.

The man in gold widened his eyes in surprise, “Already?” He yelped, “Dierick, I don’t think that’s such a good idea!”

However, the man in teal had chosen to ignore him and was already tinkering with the watch in his hands. “There’s no other choice, Fuisarte. At least this will give us more time.” He shot the other man a sideways glance. “Do you have the badge on your person?” The man in gold indicated to a star-shaped pendant pinned to his vest. The man in teal nodded approvingly. “Very well. Now then, let’s…tch.” The watch he was holding let out a series of creaks and beeps.

“What’s happening to it?”

“I have no idea! I’ve never had it act so peculiar before. Curses…” He stared hard at the pocket watch and grimaced. “I’m going to need it looked at. I can only surmise that this Time Sweep will be much different from any other.”

“Alright?” The man in gold replied, puzzled. “Are we doing this or not? Just get it over with! You know how much I hate how it feels!”

The man in teal scrunched his lips in annoyance but said nothing. He proceeded to press a button atop the pocket watch and the hands of its circular face started spinning madly. “Here we go,” he said to his friend as the environment around them warped and blurred.

“Let’s hope they get it right this time…”

.xX.Starcatchers.Xx.

.:Notes:.

Time: 18:30
Date: 1/12

[--Celestial Blossom Festival--]

Four hours. Four hours on this train and I’m still not there yet! I’m going to die! I just know it! I’m going to die on this train out of boredom!

Wait, deep breath Napoleon. Calm down. Count to ten. I just need something to occupy my time for now. Normally, I would have some notes or rough drafts to go over but I’m trying to forget about how I don’t have any work lined up and I’m remembering by writing this out and yeah. So, new topic!

Celestial Blossom festival! Pretty awesome festival if I have to say myself. Lame segue there but it’ll have to do. Anyway, the festival-it deals with fireworks but I think there’s something more. Thinking, thinking, oh yeah, ding! It’s supposed to commemorate the day that the last capital was officially built and open about, hundreds or so years ago? Sounds right. The festival is celebrated all around the continent but the capitals are where the fun really is! Par to the tay!

Note to self: par to the tay sounds better in text or in my mind.

I’ve been living in Yorza for a few years now so I’ll talk about it first. There’s always a huge mass held on this night. I remember being dragged along an hour ahead to get seats in the Astrum Aeternum only to be seated in the back! Yeah, religion is serious over there. When everyone is situated, the Holy Divum holds the mass. Pretty straightforward then at the end, fireworks are set off!

Alright, I’m going to move clockwise around the continent which means the next capital is Milix Headquarters. Sheesh, total apparatik junkie city. Everyone there is either a scientist or related to a scientist so I can’t imagine anyone there cutting loose. Also, side note: it’s where I got my PDA baby right here! Anyway, the celebration here is pretty stylish. They have fireworks sure but also, laser light shows and giveaways and live music and did I mention giveaways? I love free tech. Maybe next year I should head over.

Val Lumbre is up now. I’ve had an acquaintance tell me that tonight is when they hold some big tournament for all the fighters. Sure, it’s not as big as the “head of the coliseum” tourney but it’s for lots and lots of neo dollars. Tons! You would be set for life if you won this thing! I’d enter of course if I was there but I’m no jock. I know magic but I’ve heard it’s a pretty tough crowd out there. I’d get slaughtered. I’m cringing just thinking about that potential beatdown.

Next is, oh, Nirvana. Don’t get me wrong. Some places of that city are nice. Key word: some. The rest is a pile of, how could I word this, trash? Trash sounds the least offensive. Nice. So if you’re in the right area in this capital, this could be a tolerable place to celebrate the festival. Find your way into the wrong ones and you’ll regret it. Hopefully the fireworks are the only things that go boom over there.

Now for my personal favorite: Stralle Heights! It pays to live close to this capital! Tonight all of the rides are free and booths start giving away astounding prizes! Not to mention that the beach is so pretty when the fireworks light up the water’s surface. Nobody swims though. They’re too busy winning novelty items and riding the rides. Plus you’d look silly swimming in the dark! Trust me.

Finally, my destination of Satellite City! This is the largest capital so one would think it would be the largest festival. It’s actually pretty laid-back. I remember that Pops would take me around to the stalls for food and cotton candy. It was a blast. There are also streamers and balloons tied up everywhere and the fireworks display is even said to be the best of the whole continent. Go figure. It is the capital this festival is dedicated to.

Huh, so that’s it. Kinda reading it over right now but from what I see, it’s not half bad for rambling thoughts! Damn, I’m a great writer! It’s funny though. It’s like I’ve written something similar to this. Did I do this before years ago or was it something else? I’m getting the weirdest case of déjà vu.

-NF

~Roscoe: Satellite City (Train Station)~

Roscoe had never entered the train station before in the year he had resided in Satellite City so being here now; it was like he had entered an entirely new location. There were a great number of people, an amount that could possibly rival the number that passed through the city square. It was the Celestial Blossom festival tonight if he was remembering what Reynaldo told him earlier. He had never experienced it himself due to his circumstances but it must’ve been what was causing the crowd.

“Is the train here yet? Do you see it?” Reynaldo asked Roscoe beside him, holding a hand over his eyes like a visor. The older man arched his back forward as he attempted to peer over the many heads in the way.

Roscoe cocked his head curiously, “If you want to have a better view, why don’t we just get closer?”

“And risk being stampeded once the train arrives? Heavens no, Roscoe! Trust me, I know what I’m doing here!”

He did trust Reynaldo-much more than he trusted anyone else. “Okay,” Roscoe replied simply. There was a momentary silence as he thought of something else to say. “So it’s your son we’re waiting for, right?”

“Exactly,” Reynaldo said with a nod, “it’s the first time he’ll be home for a while. You’ll like him. He’s around your age too.”

“I’m not so sure. He might not like me. Not many people seem to.”

“That’s the beauty of Napoleon! He can find anything to like about anyone!” Roscoe felt Reynaldo pat his shoulder affectionately. “Don’t worry so much, Roscoe. If my son gives you a hard time, I’ll make sure to give him one! With my fist!” He curled his fingers together and shook his hand vigorously.

Roscoe blinked, “How?”

“Never mind,” Reynaldo replied flatly. He shifted his attention back to the platform and his eyebrows shot up. “Oh, hey, the train has finally arrived!” Following his gaze, Roscoe saw a large silver machine pull up to the nearest platform, chugging to a slow crawl and then finally to a stop. At once, the people in front amassed near the train’s exits, growing excited with loud chatter.

“I’ll tell you when I see him!” Reynaldo said excitedly. Even from as far away as they were, Roscoe could see the doors of the train slide open and people start to pour out. Some of the passengers immediately went to rejoin people they knew as they spotted them while others wandered further into the station in direction of the city. “There, I see him! There he is!”

Reynaldo pointed over toward a blonde man that had recently come off from the train. In his hands he held a travel suitcase while his other hand was busy fiddling with an unrecognizable apparatik. He looked around for a moment, eyes slightly obscured by a pair of odd colored sunglasses, then started to wave eagerly as he spotted the two. “Okay, he saw us! C’mon!” Roscoe felt Reynaldo grab his hand and pull. “Let’s go meet him!”

~Layla Conover: Nirvana (Angels)~
 
It was another day on the job. With pounding music and soft-set lighting as the ambiance, Layla did her routine up on the pole, fighting the urge to grimace as she watched the man on the heart-shaped love seat across from her. Her latest client oozed smug self-assurance, a cocky grin on his face as he leaned back and watched her twirl around the pole. His eyes seemed to be moving across her body, taking in every detail of the standard issued lavender lingerie and pair of ornamental wings she was wearing.
 
She hated him already. Naturally, in her profession-if it could be called that, she had seen many men similar to the one sitting across from her right now. Yet, none of them provoked such a disconcerting feeling out of her to the point where she would do anything to knock him down a few pegs. And she already knew how she was going to do it too. Pausing for a moment with her back facing him, Layla turned to look over her shoulder, “Do you want me to come a little closer?” She purred.
 
“Hell, whatever you want, baby,” she received in reply. It made her smile inwardly. That was exactly the response she wanted to hear. Stepping off the platform, Layla took her time in reaching the man, maintaining playful eye contact the whole while. Once she was close enough, she settled herself on his lap, sitting sideways, and began trailing her fingers down his chest. She pretended to be impressed. “Wow, this looks like a really expensive suit. Are you rich?”
 
The man cocked an eyebrow. “Something like that. Why? Does it turn you on?”
 
Layla repressed the urge to roll her eyes and instead let out a small giggle. “Perhaps,” she said. “It was just that I was thinking…Maybe you’d like to have some of my special service?”
 
“Special service?” The man repeated, intrigued.
 
“Very special service. You won’t regret it.” Layla sealed it with a wink. She waited as the man mulled it over, though his answer wouldn’t matter either way.
 
Finally, after a few seconds of deliberation, he spoke up again. “How much would this cost me?”
 
Layla giggled again though for an entirely different reason this time. “That depends,” she pushed herself up against him, both her hands on his pectorals, “tell me how much money you have on you first.”
 
Her power took over him immediately. It was always entertaining watching her victims struggle against it. In this case, the man’s lips started quivering, trying to prevent any word from escaping his mouth. However, that wasn’t going to happen.
 
“Two hundred neo dollars…!” He blurted out suddenly.
 
“Wow, so much! It must be my lucky day!” Layla said happily. She pressed her hands against him much more firmly. “Give me one hundred fifty of those dollars, ‘kay?”
 
Obediently, the man did so. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a leather bound wallet, flicking through the bills until amassing the amount Layla asked for. She smiled poisonously as he handed her the wad of bills. “Thank you!” She slipped the wad underneath the frilly garter on her right leg then returned her hands to cup the man’s face. “Now listen here, you’re going to go to sleep now and when you wake up, you’re going to think you had the best experience ever. Nod if you understand.” The man did so slowly as if drugged. “Also, you’re going to think you brought only sixty neo dollars with you, ten of which you spent on me. Understand? Nod if you do.”
 
Once again, the man moved his head up and down. “Good boy!” Layla said, ruffling his hair. “Alrighty then, time to go to bed! Tell all your friends about me! I’d love the business!” She laughed sadistically as the man’s eyelids started drooping, his head jerking back and forth into consciousness until his whole body relaxed. Seeing he was finally out, Layla hopped back onto her feet and headed for the magenta curtain that served as the room’s entrance. “Now I have some money for the festival tonight!” She said excitedly as she pushed the curtain to the side and stepped out.
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[Goddess Martel]

Satellite City

Stretching her arms as she walked down a commercial street, Lucille finally reached her destination.

"Alright! The main square where everything's going to take place tonight for the festival~" Lucille cheered. She reached into her side pockets and checked her neo dollars.

"Yup, I still got five hundred neo dollars. All those tournments in Val Lumbre was worth it." Once she was satified, she put them back into her pocket. "After the festival, I'll probably go back and earn more cash." Lucille chirped happily.

She makes quite a killing in Val Lumbre as a fighter for the battle tournments, and earns alot of money for winning each one. She wasn't called the 'little fighter' for nothing.

While continuing to walk down, something caught her eye in the windows, it was a picture of Nirvana at nightime from a bird's eye-view, she just narrowed her eyes at it before walking off, her pleasant mood ruined by that picture.

'I never want to go back to that hellhole ever again...'
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Colloyd Forever~ ^-^

Mao-kun sprite by Augla *Glomps Mao*

[Zacewing]

Jared Cabensis - Nirvana Train Station

Jared leaned against a pillar in the Nirvana Train Station, waiting for the train to arrive. "This thing needs to hurry up already." he said impatiently as he checked his watch.

Eventually, the train arrived. "Finally!" he shouted in relief. As he approached the train, however, large crowds of people flocked into the train, filling it to capacity and nearly trampling him in the process. He sighed. "I'm cursed, I swear! I'll be stuck here forever." he mumbled. Defeated, he began to leave the station.

As he approached the exit of the station, he bumped into a suspicious man dressed in black sweats and a hoodie. "Wanna go, punk!?" the man shouted. "I-I'd rather not." Jared replied, swerving past the man and leaving the train station. He saw the man talking to a pair of other shady-looking characters, but he ignored them and returned to Isaiah's apartment.
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[xReplica]

~Justone Caelum - Approaching Nirvana~

The wind was picking up, a weird aspect to pick up while travelling at the speed he was. But it was something he always noticed, even if everyone else didn't. He noticed even the slightest changes, even now that he was sat on his motorcycle advancing towards the city of sin at over eighty miles per hour. It didn't bother him so much really, he had learned where his attention needed to be at times like this anyway. What roads there were around here had fallen into decay, nothing more but a sandy wilderness.

Justone had had his sights set on it for some time now, the growing city he was headed towards. Each yard made the city appear larger and more menacing, but Justone's motorcycle responded in kind with its loud roars from its engine. He had avoided this place for nearly ten years now, and he had taken the mission set here for the sole purpose of overcoming his phobia of the dreaded city. His coat flapped violently in the wind, the dark goggles fashioned like sunglasses pressing at the outlines of his eyes. He gave the throttle one last kick, causing the roar to echo across the wasteland and sped up his time until arrival.

No sooner had he done this act that he was already doing the opposite, releasing most of the throttle and beginning to squeeze the back break. A less experienced rider would have simply let go of the throttle completely and slammed full on the front wheel break, but Justone was fully aware of what he was doing. He altered his direction slightly, pulling harder on the back wheel break. The bike began to drift, the back wheel making a skidding sound as it glided over the dusty excuse for a road.

The bike was now side on to its destination, leaning slightly away from the direction as though it feared its very arrival to the city. Pulling fully on the back break, the bike's speed rapidly declined and began to pull to a full stop. Just before the bike made its full halt, Justone thrust his right leg towards the direction of Nirvana and dug it into the dirt, halting the bike in its path. A cloud of dust followed as Justone began to awkwardly pull off the tight goggles. Upon removing them and revealing his bright green eyes, Justone touched the area around his eyes,

"Could have done with giving them a little bit of slack," he mumbled to himself, discarding his goggles into one of his coat's pockets, "but these bastards are a pain to adjust." He swung his leg off over his bike and dismounted, looking around he saw a large rock formation with moss growing upon it. He flicked the engine off on his motorcycle and began to wheel the bike over to the area, deciding that taking a bike as expensive as this into the city would be the last thing he would be able to do with it.

Upon finding flat ground and kicking the stand out for his bike, Justone left the hiding spot he had chosen and began to head towards the entrance to Nirvana. He could only predict what he was going to see around this place, but he had put the visit to his original home off long enough. He quickened his pace, thinking it would be easier if he were to plunge into the hell hole with some speed behind him. The wind blew gently towards the East as Justone made his way into Nirvana, his hand tapping the handle of his gunblade for reassurance.

~Hank Mercito - Satellite City: Streets~

The swarming crowd, the overwhelming chatter, the beautiful preparations for the upcoming festival. It was all enough to make Hank feel surprisingly old, seeing all the youth running around and enjoying themselves. Still, he couldn't help having a spring in his step. This time of year reminded him of the better half of his childhood, where he would wake his mother up early just so they could get ready and get a good spot the watch the dazzling fireworks. The atmosphere felt almost nostalgic, and Hank would have let it all carry him away if he was not there on an important assignment.

It was his cell which brought him back to earth with a thud, reaching into his coat's pocket he extracted it to see it was Vrent, a fellow member of SOLO. Hank flipped his cell up and placed it to his ear, taking a breath and letting out a sigh as a bundle of children passed by him in excitement.

"You got Hank," he chirped, "what's on your mind?"

"Can you cut the casual tone already?" Vrent's voice responded over the phone, "we didn't all come out here to eat ice cream and be dazzled by some repetitive fireworks."

"Aww really?" Hank replied, pretending so sound disappointed, "I already got you a double scoop of mint, you just gonna let it melt in my hand?" Hank heard a groan over the cellphone instead of a reply and he held back a gleeful snicker, he really couldn't help himself from teasing his subordinates.

"Really, Hank? Really?"

"Hey, I thought I hired a guy with at least some sense of humour," after another snicker he calmed himself and proceeded, "so anyway, what have you got for me?"

"Nothing so far, the area is quiet mostly," there was a pause before Vrent resumed, "it usually is year in and year out, Satellite City is probably one of the safer areas. Why not just get the kid to do it?"

"Because," Hank began, his tone dropping to one of a concerned parent, "he chose this. Poor kid's nearly twenty-one, nearly a man. He needs this in order to let go."

"Could have done with a few more years under his belt if you ask me," Vrent responded, Hank shuffling his feet a little while he listened, "I'm just glad we have another man in Nirvana."

"Woman," Hank cut in, pointing his finger upwards as though he was making this obvious point in person, "Kacey is a woman, one of the best snipers we have."

"Thank you, boss man obvious," Vrent replied in an irritated manner, causing Hank to chuckle, "seems you've got your end covered, I'll get back to recon."

"Gotcha," Hank replied cheerily, "Check ya later." He heard what sounded like a 'whatever' before the phone on the other end hung up, making Hank stare at his phone and shake his head as though it had wronged him. He placed it back in its original place and began to advance down the street, which had become even busier than when he last checked. He still had lingering doubts about sending Justone to Nirvana, but he couldn't do a whole lot about it now.

He patted his forehead gently with the palm of his hand, such thoughts were going to make him wrinkle up before his time. He took another deep breath and followed it with a slow exhale, then spread his smile back across his face as he began to advance down the road once more, succumbing once more to the spring in his step.
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Terra sig and avatar from deviantART.
Nero --> xReplica

[Grim]

~Rin Deprimo - Nirvana streets~

The town was gloomy and run down as it always has been to her memory, this wasn't the first time Rin had visited this 'City of Sin'. As she walked down the street, a few men had commented on her attire and one even had tried to feel her backside when she wasn't look. Unfortunately the man didn't realize that his actions would lead him to getting knocked to the ground drooling. After that anyone that saw kept their distance from her. Looking around she saw a lot of women prostituting there bodies for money, Rin didn't understand why people did this since it would lead to a lot of unwanted consequences if not all.

Rin was a drifter mercenary for hire, she did not own a car so most places she went were either by taxi or by foot. Although, she did fancy using a motorcycle if her jobs required speed but most of them ended up trashed by the end of the mission. Even if they were expensive since they were always the best quality, it didn't bother her since she had nearly endless amounts of money since she barely uses any of it that her parents left her and it keeps gaining more and more due to interest.

Up the road she saw one lone fruit stand, which was odd in Nirvana because if there was a stand selling anything it was usually bodies or drugs. When she was a few meters away, she was sad to find out the fruit stand she had seen from a distance was actually just another drug stand selling potent illegal hallogens. She made a sigh of sadness and kept walking, she didn't know what brought her to Nirvana but there was a feeling in her gut that something great was going to happen here. Laughing to herself about this thought since it was a town of sin and something GOOD happen. That'll be the day.

A few moment later she saw a REAL fruit stand, she knew this because there were real fresh fruit sitting in baskets. Rin overjoyed ran over and grabbed a few apples, then she noticed they were five neo dollars each and she made a face of dissatisfaction. They were a bit pricey, but it makes sense in a town like this. In the end, she didnt mind since she has all the money in the world and she hasn't had any real good food in a while. She opened her backpack and poured the entire basket, which contained a good twenty apples, in her bag. She paid the tender not paying attention to there face and turned around seeing peoples faces in awe since she just spent one hundred neo dollars on apples. "Rin Deprimo I'm guessing?" A sween innocent voice said behind her.

Rin swung around and was face to face with a girl who looked around her age. She had long black hair, red eyes and a cute innocent face. "And who knows my name?" She asked curiously since she has never met this girl before.

"Well... my name is Bell." She said making a cute little smile, "But then others... call me SEI!" she continued as the cute smile turned into a psychotic smirk and the softness in her eyes turned hard and cold. She saw her reach to her belt, Rin jumped back as Bell or 'Sei' drew a long Scythe. "Someone has a bounty on your head for your fortune and I intend to get it!" She screamed at Rin as she started swinging the scythe aggresively at her.

Rin kept just dodging the aggresive, yet skilled attacks, and jumped on top of one of the rooves of the building. Sei just smiled at her and swung her scythe once more before jumping. Rin didn't notice though since even though Sei had not hit her, but she had hit plenty of other people. There was blood pouring on the street, and people trying to stick their intestines back into their bodies. "You're a monster... I don't like monsters..." Rin said drawing out her twin blades and getting into battle stance.

A smirk ran across Sei's face, "Is that so?" She said as she tilted her head slightly as she raised her scythe and pointed it at Rin as it dripped slightly. "We're all monsters on the inside. I'm just unique." Off in the distance there was a sound of a car alarm, the look on Sei's face softened and the scythe retracted. She blinked for a few moments, looking around and then to Rin.

"I'm very sorry! I have to get going now. Seems like my car has been broken into again, I need to pack up my vendor and get going now. It was very nice meeting you, sorry again." Bell said as she laughed a little in a cute, rather squeaky voice bowing to her before hanging her weapon on one of her belts before jumping off the roof and running towards the vendor not even noticing the people afraid of her.

Rin watched as Bell collected her things and quietly ran off down the street to her car. "What the hell is wrong with that girl..." She muttered to herself as she made a sigh of relief and withdrew her weapons putting them away. Wind blew through her hair as she felt a slight pinch on her side. She looked down and noticed a wound that was minor but was still letting loose quite a bit of blood. She felt a bit dizzy so she climbed off the building slowly and continued walking down the street holding onto her side hoping that would slow down the bleeding. "Whatever that scythes blade was made of, it cuts like glass... Even a minor cut bleeds a lot... Wouldn't be surprised if it WAS glass tipped." Rin thought to herself as her trek continued with her bag full of apples on her back.

Deciding to make her trip to Nirvana short she headed to the entrance of Nirvana to make her leave seeing as though her gut feeling was completely wrong and that nothing good would come out of being there. Only thing she found out was that she was being hunted for her worthless money, if that girl wanted it so badly she'd just give it to her since it makes no difference to Rin.

~Bell Makkura - Nirvana, Mustang GT on street

The man lay spread out on the street where his head was blood and brains were pouring onto the broken pavement, Bell looking down at him with sad eyes. She opened up the car door and sat in the drivers seat. "Sei... He didn't have to die you know. You could have just smacked him around a few times..." Bell said sadly as she started the ignition of her car as blood dripped off her left hand.

"I could have, but I didn't. Stop being so childish Bell, learn to have fun. Gawd." A voice said to her, a voice no one else could hear.

"But... I do have fun. I love helping people, picking flowers and anima--" At that moment Bell was cut off by her otherself.

"Like I said, you need to grow up and smell the god damn roses. Wait. You probably did that. Anyways point is, learn how to fight or let me have the body. You will be used over and over again unless you can learn to protect yourself. If you don't, you will fail and end up how you were ten years ago when I wasn't around."

The car started the move from the side of the street and she started driving towards the move inner part of Nirvana, she had to meet someone at a certain bar about some dealings. "You know what Sei, another thing you can't live without is friends and love! You're so heartless, you need to learn how to care about people other than yourself." Bell said angerly, and since her windows of her car were open people stared at her as though she were crazy since she was talking to herself.

"Ohhh noooo, you're not starting that bull **** again are you? I'm heartless? I only care about myself? Who here has to have the burden of 'those' meories? Oh that's right you have no idea since I have them because you just wanted 'to forget'. You got your wish and now I have them. If I didn't care about myself I would just gave them back to you and watch you suffer. Seriously Bell, go **** yourself okay? You don't deserve the body because your a wimp and a brat. One day you'll realize this and let me take over because that is your destiny. Your destiny is to die to let me prosper and give that body the life it's supposed to have. Not a sheltered one."

It was quiet for the next few minutes since Bell started to tear up. She loved yet hated her other half so much. It was her best friend and her worst enemy as well as rival. A pain swifted through her head and her left arm started shaking. Looking to her left side she shook it off and kept driving. Sei didn't know, but she was indeed winning, a little more each day her struggle to take Bell's life was winning. One day she wouldn't be able to fight off Sei attempts to take control by force and destroy her. Her day's were limited, and her life was losing meaning. What was her meaning of life?
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Thanks to jazz for the avy but I forgot who made my sig, please pm me sig creator so I cna add you here!

[Stardale]

The big resort capital of Sector Three, Stralle Heights, has long been recognized for being the place for purely enjoyment. Almost ninety percent of the residents have been happy with their lives and are almost oblivious to the surrounding territory. The wind was so strong as its breeze gave life to the beach goers and the like. The sun shone happily upon the skies and...oh look!

~*Miguel Arla Corlus :: Stralle Heights*~

"Please dear, don't tell me you're going to Val Lumbre again."

This was Miguel's fiancee expressing her utmost rejection. "Do you know how many times you lost in that hope-forsaken tournament?" The two were along the hallway of the family house of Miguel's master, the father of the swordsmen family. There were two young kids hiding behind one side table, watching the argument of the soon-to-be couple.

"I just lost twice before! It's completely a piece of cake compared to the number of times that I won!" He bragged. He really is determined to undergo another fight in the tournament for another worthy prize. With his response to his fiancee, he made her feelings flame.

"Now just listen! If you just know how I feel, then I just feel worried that you might get killed!"

"But I never even died in a single battle! The only thing that I need to do is to point the sword at your enemy after falling down to the ground incapacitated!"

Suddenly, they heard a soft cough. The two stopped arguing as they knew that there were two kids watching. "You can come out now.", Miguel's fiancee kindly spoke. The two came out from their hiding place. It looked like they didn't know what to say.

"Well this is just great. Thanks a lot, Miguel."

"Well you started it. If you only allowed me to participate in the tournament, then I could have-" Just then, Miguel's master came and stopped their short quarrel. It looked like everyone in the house is watching. "Stop it, you two." He said, thus halting the quarrel. "The only thing that can stop this nonsense should be a battle."

Miguel became so complacent. He was very much confident that he will be able to defeat whoever she would face. Just then, he was startled when his master took out his sword and his gun on the other hand. He took an indirect shot at Miguel, who in turn blocked the bullet from coming to his body. His master placed his gun on his right and held his plasmic sword with his both hands.

"Now we shall see what face you got, kid!" The master charged towards Miguel while he defended using his weapon. While the master was concentrated on him, Miguel tried to snatch off his gun from the left slot on his waist. It suddenly caught the attention of his master. As a result of which, the master held Miguel's hand and tried to crush it. Miguel screeched in pain. "Distraction, huh. That's quite a good strategy, but it doesn't affect me much! Anything else on your sleeve, Miguel?" He threw him towards the ceiling and threw him through the door towards a much wider room. It was the family library. Miguel, with no weapon, stood up. He was much more decided to fight his master. His master took a long stick and threw it at him to catch. As soon as he was able to catch the stick, the master took another for him to use. "Now, we'll see what you're made of."

The others watched from one side of the room.

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My Website: http://winchettstardale.wordpress.com

[Akashic]

<Temperance Shah ~ Satellite City: Archery Shooting Range>

She took a deep breath as her grip tightened on the compound bow in her left hand. Her eyes focused on the circular target on the wall just forty yards from where she stood and reached down to pluck an arrow from the metal ground quiver by her feet. Carefully nocking the arrow to the bowstring, she slowly raised the bow in front of her, and her gloved fingers of her right hand curled around the string as she drew the cable back ever so slightly. She waited for a moment, closing her left eye and aimed with her right, using the head of a small colored pin at the sight window of the bow to aim at the center of the target. When her left arm steadied, she held her breath, and opened her fingers, sending the arrow soaring straight across to the target. A loud 'thwack' echoed through the air and Temperance frowned slightly when the arrow had veered to the right slightly, hitting the red mark of the target instead of the yellow center.

“Ah, again? What did I do wrong this time?” she muttered and took hold of another arrow from the ground quiver, nocking it against the bowstring once again before repeating the same process she did with the previous arrow, and releasing it again.

It was a daily routine for Temperance to visit the indoor shooting range several blocks away from the art university she was attending, practicing archery whenever she had free time away from her art. Other than drawing and painting, she wasn’t one to involve herself in many outdoor sports or activities, but somehow, after taking a class in high school, archery was the only thing that got her out of the house. It kept her mind calmed and focused.

Her fingers released the aluminum arrow again and with another loud 'thwack' when the arrow point struck the wall, she grinned as her eyes caught the sight of the plastic vanes (or feathers) of the arrow over the patch of yellow. Only that single arrow penetrated through the center, while the rest littered all around the target, bunching up near the inner circles colored red and blue.

“Target #4, you’re time’s up!” a man’s voice cried out from the back of the room.

Temperance turned back and waved her response before glancing up at the clock. “Huh? It’s that late already?!” she gasped and placed the compound bow over her shoulders. “Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess. Oh! Tonight’s the Celestial Blossom Festival, isn’t it? I forgot I was supposed to meet up with the others there tonight. I wonder what they’re doing now…”

She waited a few moments for the other archers next to her to finish their rounds before walking up to the target, retrieving at least ten arrows. She placed them in a cylinder shaped quiver along with the other twenty or so, sealing the lid shut, and slung it over her shoulders along with the compound bow before casually walking out of the indoor shooting range.

Nearly letting out a gasp of shock, she wasn’t expecting the streets to be packed with people preparing for the festival. Managing to squeeze her way through the swarm, she clung to her compound bow in her arms, making sure not to take someone’s eyes out with the limbs of the bow or the cams at the ends. This is almost as bad as the amusement parks in Stralle Heights! she groaned inwardly and made her way down the busy streets towards the festival.
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[Jack]

Lustre Dolosias and Lori Lucassen: Satellite City, Dolosias Oddities and Apparatik

Such a lively town.

The tall man smiled a little, and leant against his bedroom window, staring out at the already bustling city. People were going about their daily business, running, striding, ambling, and even a few skipping to their destinations. They were all wrapped up, in their own little worlds, oblivious to all the things happening around them.

Lustre watched for a little while, his abyssal eyes twinkling. He was wearing his worn red T-shirt, bearing the logo for a band he'd seen perform live a few years ago, and a pair of tattered jeans which were falling apart at the hems. The gaunt man looked the usual lazy bachelor. That is, until you looked deep into his eyes. The observant could see, in those dark orbs, hints at an intellect far beyond what his meagre appearance indicated.

There was a quiet groan from his bed. Lustre turned around, donning a soft expression, to see his recent lodger yawn petitely and stretch from beneath his bedsheets. Her black hair, messy as a basic state of being, now stuck out wildly in all directions.

She spotted Lustre, began to rise with a smile on her face, realised that she was naked, and shrunk beneath the duvet at lightning speed to cover her nut-brown chest. Chuckling, Lustre pointed to a chair at the foot of the bed. There was a pile of neatly folded clothes sitting on it, as though in anticipation of her. Knelt against it was a huge anchor, wrapped in a mass of thick chains.

"I don't know what you're so shy for," he said. "After all, I've already seen everything." Even more than you know, he added privately.

The small woman fidgeted a little, rustling the sheets. "Well, I... I'm still a little uncomfortable..."

Smiling, Lustre crossed the room and picked up the pile of clothes, placing it next to the woman's side of the bed. "All right, all right, Lori. I understand. I'll go and make some coffee. Do you want any?"

Lori looked down, at the area of the duvet which masked her feet. "Yes, please... Thanks..." She blushed, and looked up. "You know, last night was-"

She was interrupted by Lustre's finger on her lips. "You don't have to say anything," he said. "I can tell. You weren't so bad yourself."

Lori blushed deeper, but smiled, unable to help herself. As Lustre left to enter the kitchen, which was really just another section of the room kept separate by the counter, she slipped out from under the duvet and began to dress herself. They were her clothes from last night, washed and ironed.

Looking around, she caught Lustre looking at her with a mug in each hand, grinning. She giggled slightly and hastily pulled on the rest of her clothes. When she looked around again, a single mug of steaming coffee stood on the counter, but Lustre had vanished.

Downstairs, Lustre unhooked his jacket from the row of pegs on the wall, put it on as he walked and flipped the sign on the door, so that the word "OPEN" was visible to the outside world.
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[Toku]

~Napoleon Fuisarte: Satellite City (Train Station)~

Stepping off the train onto the platform, Napoleon felt like it was only recently he had been at Satellite City’s train station. It was like nothing had changed in the four years he had left; the spacious hall was even still composed of that tan colored brick he remembered from so long ago. “Now pops said he’d be here by the time the train pulled in.” He tightened his hold on his suitcase and looked eagerly around. No recognizable faces for a moment until, suddenly, he spotted the bespectacled figure he knew so well. Laughing to himself, Napoleon started waving.

He met his father in the middle of the greeting platform, letting out a grunt as the older man wrapped his arms around his torso. “Napoleon!” Reynaldo exclaimed.

“It’s great to see you too, pops!” Napoleon translated that as meaning, smiling as his father released him. “I knew you would miss me,” he continued with a cheeky grin.

“Is it such a crime? It’s been four years!” Reynaldo swatted his arm playfully. “You look so different! Your hair is longer and you look tanner too!”

Napoleon rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “Heh, well, travelling will do that to you,” he replied, “I don’t want to bore you with the details though.”

“Nonsense! I want to hear all about it later!” Reyanldo said. He suddenly made a face like he had just remembered something. “Oh, I can’t believe I nearly forgot. I have someone to introduce you to, Napoleon.” He gestured behind him at a brown haired man Napoleon had barely noticed was present. “This is Roscoe. You know, the one I’ve been telling you about.”

Napoleon remembered. He was that amnesiac he heard his father had volunteered to help. Grinning, Napoleon raised his hand as if ready to wave. “What’s up? I’m Napoleon! It’s great to finally to meet you in person!” He now extended the hand he raised earlier, anticipating Roscoe to immediately grab it. Instead, the other man stared at it quizzically as if unsure of what it was.

His mouth opened slightly a second later in realization. “That’s right…You shake it.” He finally grabbed Napoleon’s hand and started moving it up and down, “…Roscoe.”

Napoleon started to laugh nervously. “He sure is an odd one,” he noted to himself curiously. Probably interesting to watch later if he was bored enough. They released grips soon and, unable to help himself, Napoleon pointed to his own left eye. “That’s a pretty sick eye patch you have there! Bad barfight?”

“Napoleon!” Reynaldo exclaimed as if he asked something he shouldn’t have.

“I was only curious!”

Roscoe shook his head, an embarrassed look forming onto his face. “It’s fine… I get asked that a lot. To answer your question, I don’t remember how it happened. When I woke up in the hospital, I was already blind in this eye.”

“Seriously?” Napoleon asked eagerly. “That’s a tough break.”

“It is?” Roscoe asked.

“Look, let’s continue this later at the shop!” Reynaldo interrupted quickly. “You have to be tired, Napoleon! C’mon, you can tell us about what you’ve been up to while we walk.”

Sensing that tone in his father’s voice that meant business, Napoleon shrugged and rolled his shoulders back. “Sure,” he said, following after his father and Roscoe as they headed off, “lead the way!”
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[Goddess Martel]

Satellite City ~ Main Sqaure

Lucille walked around seeing people getting their stalls and wares ready for the big festival tonight, she looked up to find an elegant yet majestic stood in the sqaure.

"Ah~ The great Celestial Blossom tree itself. I heard a legend once that if you make a love confession at this fountain during the festival, your love is bound to last forever. Ah~ It's so romantic..." Lucille may not look it, but she was a hopeless romantic and loved all kinds of legends that involved love and fated destinies.

Shaking her head out of her girly moment, she looked around the area.

"Hey, maybe this fountain gives good luck too~" Lucille got a spare Neo coin out and turned around to flip the coin into the fountain, she then made her wish when the coin made a soft splash into the water.

After her little wish granting moment, she decided to look around. "Well, I might as well explore more~" Lucille said before humming away, taking a look around the area. Who knows? Maybe this will give her some helpful guidence when the festival is in full swing.
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Colloyd Forever~ ^-^

Mao-kun sprite by Augla *Glomps Mao*

[KittyKatStar]

~ Arria Kavanagh ~ [Satellite City: Street Markets]

OOC: yes it's copypasta with a few minor edits. D:

The decorations are really pretty this year... Arria thought, as she held up her digital camera, wondering what pictures to take.

It was also pretty crowded, which also made her feel uncomfortable. Arria planned to take a quick walk around the main square for some good shots, then return to the apartment and watch the fireworks from the balcony. Her two roommates, Hannah and Temperance, had their own plans; Hannah was spending the day with her boyfriend while Temperance was out. Arria originally looked forward to celebrating the festival on her own, but now she was second guessing... maybe it would've been better to celebrate with another person, but her family was in Val Lumbre and most of her friends already had plans.

While Arria pondered about her schedule, she browsed through her pictures on the screen. She planned to return to her apartment to take pictures of the fireworks at night, but between now and later…

I could probably pick up some souvenirs, she thought to herself.
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Thank you for the lovely set, Seraph <3

[Zacewing]

Jared Cabensis - Nirvana (Isaiah's Apartment)

"Where were you?" Isaiah asked as Jared entered the apartment. "Around." Jared replied nonchalantly. "Well, as long as you weren't doing any of...that, then I suppose I'll let you off the hook." Isaiah said back. "So, the festival is today. You planning on going?" he asked. "I doubt it. I'm not much of a festival kind of guy." Jared replied, sitting on the couch. "C'mon, don't you have any friends you can go with?"

Jared sighed. "No..." Isaiah frowned and responded. "Well, go on out and make somme friends or something. So long as they're not drug-abusing street dwellers." "Fine." Jared snapped back, irritated. "Just let me shower and grab a bite to eat." he said as he headed into the bathroom. "Don't take too long in there!" Isaiah shouted in a mocking tone.
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[Isenet]

~ Everes Manto, Nirvana ~
As the sounds of chatter stimulated his ears, the man slowly woke up, bringing a hand to his head. His hand tapped around on a nightstand, searching for something, and eventually wrapped themselves around a pair of sunglasses that he promptly placed on his face, despite the darkness of the room. He swung his feet over to the side of the bed, causing the blanket that had been covering him to fall to the ground and revealing a pair of tattered jeans around thin legs. Staggering out of bed, he murmured curses to himself before stretching out his arms. Scratching his bare back, he began to paw around for something on the floor.

Everes, it is over here, came a voice to one side of him. He moved toward it and put his hand over a gray blob, which turned out to be a crumpled-up shirt when he unfolded it. Sniffing it, he coughed and gagged and held it up distastefully, but then shrugged and put the shirt on anyways.

"Such a damn hangover," he complained, putting his hand to his head again before stumbling toward a doorway. He placed his hand over a light switch, but did not flick it on and continued his way through the door into another room, also darkened. Nonetheless, he navigated his way unerringly around the furniture, including a dusty television that seemed to have never been used and a moldy couch. He paused at a second doorway.

Food? he thought, and the responses were nearly instantaneous.

Running low, Everes.
Somewhat moldy bread in the pantry, mmmyesss.
Three days overdue milk in the fridge, hm?

Everes made a low growl. Remind me to buy food later, he thought, and replies of understanding echoed about him. Hungry as he was, he resolved to go out and buy something at a diner. Grabbing a coat hanging on a coat rack next to the main door, he stepped out into the dirty streets of Nirvana. Head bowed low, he navigated the pathways skillfully, showing that he had been along them numerous times before. He would occasionally pause at an intersection, as if checking his direction, before moving on, avoiding other passersby.

Eventually, Everes found himself at a diner named the Blind Man's Bluff, though the lights for the second 'l' were running out of power, and regularly flickered on and off. This had been the case for a unusually long amount of time, yet still no one had thought to change the letter. Everes felt around for the door, and pushed it open to enter into the building.

Inside, the smoke that wafted around would have blinded him if he were not already so and he could hear the sound of others in the diner chattering away. He stepped up to the counter and took a seat at one of the bar stools.

"One of my usual, Cassandra dearie!" he shouted, though unprompted. A tired young woman nodded from behind the counter.

"All right, sah, it'll be coming right up." She shuffled into the backroom to give his order to the chef. Everes's face looked forward for a moment before he bowed his head down.

News? he thought. After a few seconds, answers began pouring in from nowhere.

A man with a strange blade. Came in on a motorcycle, but is walking now, Everes.
There was a fight between two ladies, mmmyesss.
It is the Celestial Blossom festival tonight, right, hm?

Everes nodded to himself at this last one, then pondered over the other information that was given before it, ignoring everything else that had come in. It was all just the normal routine of some drunk dying, anyways.

Name on the man? No, Everes.
On women? One is...Rin Deprimo. Other is...Bell? Unsure, mmmyesss.
Reason for fight? A bounty, it seems, hm?

Of no importance then, Everes thought. He waited patiently and silently until his food was served to him.

~ Sandra Martin, Yorza - Astrum Aeternum, Backroom, lol C&P ~
Setting her pen down, the young woman fiddled with the glasses on her face and gave a sigh. She looked at the paper she was working on, its own face with the blue blood of the pen.

"Who did this inventory? Half these numbers are off!" she asked aloud. The two people in the room turned to her, their faces nervous. One was a man, perhaps in his late thirties, the other another woman who appeared even younger than the speaker. It was the latter who spoke up.

"It was me, Sandra," she squeaked. The first woman turned to her and looked at her with a steely glance. The younger quivered and held back a sob.

"Jenn," Sandra finally sighed, addressing her, "Don't write down random numbers next time." The girl was about to make an argument before Sandra interrupted her and continued to speak.

"Last month, we had ordered some 1,000 candles for the cathedral, with a tenth that many left over from the last," she said, "And ordered another 2,000 this month in anticipation of the holidays. Now, I don't believe that it would be possible to have over 2,000 of them before the shipment has even come." She concluded her thoughts with another sigh. Jenn bit her lower lip.

"B-but if you know all this, why don't you just do the inventories?" she blurted out, then covered her mouth with her hands as if trying to hold back the question.

"As I've told you, this isn't my department," Sandra explained for what felt like the hundredth time, "I just need to guarantee that everything here is good order for the Cathedral, as any mistakes is an affront to the Order of Astrollism as a whole. And knowing the incompetency of you two makes inventory a most important area to be worried about." Both of the others bowed their head in shame. Sandra got up, grabbing a coat from the back of the chair, and made her way towards the door.

"The inventories done. We've been here longer than we should, considering the night. Clean everything up and you may leave," she ordered. The others nodded and began to pick up the leaves of paper as Sandra opened the door and stepped out into a long hall.

"When I become a talist," she sighed, "I'll no longer have to watch over these fools."
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[Goddess Martel]