Mystics Apprentice

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. : ) I've taken them all into account and have worked out the official rules and guidelines for the war. I've chosen to take Scrap's suggestion of the battle rating in mind and will be implementing that through the course of the war. Please note that just because your number may not be as high as others doesn't mean that you're not necessarily as strong, but, rather, you may not be as capable of taking on as many characters. I feel that these numbers are rather fair and don't really want to make many changes, but if you feel that you were really given an inaccurate rating for your character let me know and I will consider changing it. The war will begin either Friday or Sunday with an intro post from me, and in that post you will find your battle formations. I'll talk more about battle formations in the rules as well as in the war post, but if you have questions just let me know. Also, if your character says "not participating" beside their name, it is because they are either in the world below, have declared they aren't going to be involved, I assumed they aren't going to be (mostly Bherna, but let me know if I'm wrong Endless and I'll give her a rating), or they have been inactive. I also might've given a character a rating that won't be involved in the war, and if that is so I greatly apologize. Just let me know and I'll make the necessary change. Lastly, these battle ratings are only for the war and determining how many players you can fight; they don't apply outside of the war. Now then, here we go! Battle Ratings (5-30): Legend: 5-9: 1 normal-lvl NPC, or 1 player. 10-15: 2 normal-lvl NPCs, or 1 player; 16-20: 3 NPCs, or 1-2 players; 21-29: 4-5 normal-lvl NPCs, or 2 players. 30: 6 normal-lvl NPCs, 3-4 players. Alastor 30 Alderon Niles 18 Alex Marz 15 Alicia Kross 20 Aqua Lumen 14 Ask’Raziel 21 Arthur Gancelot 17 Aura Aeternum 14 Aurion Aeternum 14 Bherna Lao – not participating Curvis Sourati 9 Dawson 15 Draksis Gunther 18 Eclaire Tonnerre 21 Effie Becker – not participating Eliltari (Rabiyu) 24 Elia Cabret 6 Everyth Castanova 18 Gelabrous Skid – not participating Henry Hansees 24 Helios regular: 18 morphed: 20-28 (dependent on form) Jari Coriander 6 Jarrod Swanson – not participating Jeremy Hunter 16 Jynn Venas 22 Lorleana (Raiden’s general) 21 Mariel 21 Maxis 24 Meksis 24 Midnea – not participating Mikhail 15 Morana 15 Nergal 26 Neena Mors – not participating Nihil – 5-30 (wild card) Raiden (Odin) 28 Raleigh Marin 16 Ren Mordecai regular: 18, dragon: 30 Rhaedyn Thane 30 Roger Becker – not participating Ryonne Neyelmnik – not participating Rufus Contralto 8 Shiva de la Alexandria 28 Sifrei Mond 21 Soren Monroe 21 Takao Izanami 18 Typhon 21 Vark – not participating Veronica Ryo – not participating Viridem Hangin – not participating Visco Niles – not participating Xion Izanami 15 Yevgeni Malachite 24 Exclusive Battle Rules No killing off characters without the permission of the player controlling that character. No controlling other people’s characters. No auto hits Please keep battle posts within 1-2 reasonably sized paragraphs, with no more than roughly 250-500 words, and a minimum of five sentences. Short posts are key to quicker responses. The player that you engage in combat has 72 hours to respond with a counter-attack. If the player doesn’t respond within that time frame, that player will sustain an injury and that battle will be forfeit. Please be reasonable in sustaining damage. This is war, where people will be injured, retreat, and, yes, die. Some characters will likely not make it through the war. Invincibility will only increase the duration of battle and make it less enjoyable for everyone. There will be medics on either side of the battlefield, or at least until they are eliminated. Once damaged to a certain extent, you will have the option of attempting a retreat or risk being killed by your opponent. I will trust everyone’s judgment on when to call it quits, but if I see a character avoiding too much or taking too much damage without being healed/dying, I will call it out and they may not receive the same freedom throughout the rest of the war with their character(s). Please don’t abuse this rule. Battle formation has been determined and will be placed in flanks. You will have a starting point and objective in your position. You will have the option of moving from your position, but be wary that this may leave your flank vulnerable and cause complications for your allies. A shortage on one flank may lead to harm. Blood and some gore is still permitted, though please keep the rating at PG-13 for the sake of KH13. Please follow the battle rating system provided above. This will determine how many characters that you can take on in a fight at a time based on your abilities in combat.

I missed it, actually. I read it earlier last week but accidentally skimmed over it when working on a response (I had a lot to write for Shiva and a lot of people for her to respond to). Sorry about that! I'll go make a quick edit. I need this war to kill off some of my characters so I have less people to keep track of. Edit done. Hopefully that's a little better. : )

--Queen Shiva -- Leading away her troops South toward Mystras-- The hand of her other enchanted armor friend fell upon her shoulder, causing the ice queen's gaze to rise up to meet his helmet, eyes boring into the place where Meksis' eyes would have been. "Thank you," she murmured softly, so that only the two of them could hear. When she felt Eclaire's hand meet her own she gave it a tight squeeze, offering her a sideways smile before slipping away to the head of the show. The queen's expression told nothing as she moved forward, coming to a halt upon the final marble step which led down into the courtyard, where all of her brave men and women awaited her. Ice emerged from where she stood, freezing the entire step on which she stood her ground. She pretended to pay no notice. "My fine men and women, who serve in the name of Kilkis Seres," she spoke loudly, hopefully audible enough for all to hear, or at least those closest. Shiva was naturally quite soft-spoken, so even her shouting was mild at best. "Thank you for coming here today. It is the day that we shall march for the good of the realm, for the peace that has known our world for the past two-thousand years. It is in honor of our late king, my father, King Alexander, that we march forth on this day, for he has shown us the necessary path to peace. The peace that has permitted us to laugh at the thought of death, to continue to raise and know our families without fear, without dread that one day we will be separated from them for an eternity. It is with much sorrow that Lord Raiden, ruler of the Mystras land, has decided to breach this peace with his actions"--she placed a hand on her chest, bowing her head momentarily in sorrow--"but we shall rectify his actions today. "Today, we will return the humans to their own world, where they will not threaten our lives and belongings. We will not allow them to draw our blood for their petty, selfish whims, nor will we allow them to take what is rightfully ours by birth. Our bravery will be rewarded with our continued freedom and salvation from the cruelties of humanity!" Shouts and cheers resounded throughout the courtyard, from the many who have sworn their lives to their queen and country. Shiva nodded out of respect. "Now, may we ride victorious! May good fortune be upon you all!" In mere moments Jynn approached, Shiva's hand gliding along Mel's nose and forehead as the massive pegasus nudged her. She could sense the distrust and rift between herself and Jynn as the prince spoke, the fey refusing to meet her eye regardless of how hard she tried to catch it. "Very well," she said, voice strained. "Jynn, I will have you lead on one of our fronts, though I must implore you to be careful. I--" I love you, my dear boy, she wanted to say, to grasp him firmly and plant a kiss in his soft locks of hair. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to you. She didn't want him out there, to fight at all, and yet there was no stopping him. Heck, there was probably little influence she did have left on the young man, save for holding his title of Bherna's father upon his head and protecting himself for the girl's sake, if not her own. "There are those who rely on you, little Bherna included. Please remember this when you're out there on the battlefield." She stepped off her icy perch, moving away from Jynn and toward her own ride that had been brought for her: a unicorn with a silver coat, its eyes a deep sapphire blue. Almost childlike, she buried her nose into its mane, patting its head as though greeting a good friend. Shiva mounted her unicorn, nudging it with her heels to move forward. Slowly their numbers began to follow suit, and eventually they were on their way. --Yevgeni Malachite -- En route to Mystras-- The blond clapped politely at Shiva's speech, a slight smile tugging at his lips. If only Alexander could see her today, he thought idly to himself, lost in thought, he would be so proud at what she has become. Yes, it seemed that Shiva would follow her necessary path, the one which would ensure that they all lived in peace and harmony. Intervention may not be necessary after all. Of course, after the war it was possible that she would be perceptive for council. After all, shouldn't proffering sanctuary to the good humans match her whimsy, once the world below had finally met its match? If he'd learned anything about Shiva in her years, it was that she wasn't set in her ways. Easily could she be persuaded in any one direction. Or, at least that was Yevgeni's take on her. Yev glanced over toward his fellow mages, emerald eyes pausing upon Aqua. His shoulders stiffened, head tilted slightly to the side. "I know neither of us wanted it to come to this," he told her gravely. "War is not what we were born for, but if all goes well we'll have the true peace that we've desired, one where good will prevail always. You will see." He wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell her that it was his own selfishness that caused this. He wanted to tell her to go home and forget that any of this was happening. But he couldn't; there was only so much that even he could do. His discussion in Mystras went the way that it had to, and the result was what would have to come to pass. It was inevitable; he'd accepted this fact long ago. It was seeing the cost, however, that made his choices start to sting. Not that he would re-do anything; no, he had no regrets. Yev left the other elf briefly to come alongside Meksis, gesturing toward one of the horses with a white coat and mane. "That one is mine," he told him calmly. "Thank you. And I will be taking this other for one of my mages." It was a statement, not a request, and Meksis could probably tell that any amount of protest would've led up into a fight. -- Elia Cabret -- En route to Mystras-- "Oh, Jari, don't be such a spoil sport," she chided, hands on her hips. "A little scare is good for you! Tests the heart to make sure it's still in tip-top shape! Or so I've heard." She fell silent long enough to listen to Shiva's speech without interruption. It was brief, yet encouraging, and Elia probably cheered louder than many of those within the vicinity. Horses, unicorns, and pegasus were being offered around, where Elia managed to get a white-winged pegasus that she immediately wanted to name "Snow," despite her original name being Nymphadora. "We can still ride together," she offered to her friends, the sound of beating wings near-masking her words. --Everyth Castanova -- Raiden's Villa-- A look of disdain crossed Everyth's face as she wrinkled her nose upon Rabiyu's proffering. "Oh, thanks, but no thanks. I think I will take my chances with the afterlife should I make an early departure from our worlds," she said, waving a hand as though passing away a disturbing thought. She then turned her attention back toward Henry, letting out a sigh. "Henry, dear, you truly are no fun. Always so serious." She tapped Henry's nose with an index finger before offering him a girlish smile. "You have to live a little, you know? I understand that you have no interest whatsoever in helping me, my king, or my country, though I am still gladdened that you are willing to fight for humanity. Perhaps that alone is something that I admire about you. But I suppose that thought never crossed your mind." She turned her back on him, prepared to leave, glancing over her shoulder at Aura and Aurion. "You two should stay close to your elven friend. She can protect you, which you may need out there. We'll be fighting beasts of an entirely different color from that which we're used to." Of course, Henry could probably protect them, too, but she wasn't going to mention that. She was slightly offended by him. Or maybe it was just his rejection of her corpse at dinner. --Curvis Sourati -- Raiden's Villa -- Curvis jerked his head up in surprise as Arthur approached. Somehow he hadn't heard him coming. "Oh, hello," he murmured in greeting, allowing the dandelion fluff to fall from his outstretched palm as he braced his hands on his knees. "I have seemed off?" He pretended to sound surprised, though it probably didn't work. Him and Arthur were good friends, their bond increasing during their time here in the Overworld together. He let out a sigh. "I don't know, Arthur," he said, gaze shifting over toward where the Aeternum Twins, Henry, and the others stood. "When I thought about going to war I thought it would be to save our kingdom from invasion. I didn't think it meant fighting another race that just doesn't want us here. I feel like we're invading, you know? Imagine how we would feel if we were them; I can't imagine it'd be any better." There was only so much that Curvis dared utter. He couldn't let out his true thoughts, and how he was considering desertion upon arrival at the battlefield. That would be considered treason, which would easily be worthy of death then and there on the spot, and how heartbroken his friend would be then! He caught a glance at Raleigh across the way, who seemed to have glanced at him briefly. The image of her at dinner that night in her lovely grey gown only seemed to further infuriate him, her blatant rejection the following day followed by her immense fascination with a fey man she'd met. Why, she'd probably be perfectly content if she never returned home! She probably hadn't even spared him a single thought since he proffered her bread sticks. "I really don't know what the outcome will be," he said, finally meeting his friend's gaze. "Probably another war in a millennia, maybe further famine in our world. It is difficult to say. I'd love for all of us to be happy, but I guess people are just never satiated with what they have, huh?" --Ren Mordecai -- Raiden's Villa-- The redhead seemed truly fascinated by what his former Warden had to offer on the situation. His attention was riveted as he explained Shiva's probable positioning, and ways to counter her strategy. Once Soren was finished Ren drew in a breath, studying the map and mulling over Soren's words in order to digest it. Eventually he nodded. "That sounds like an excellent plan, Soren," he replied, taking a long drink of wine before gesturing toward the map again. "Rough or not, I can tell that you put a lot of thought into it, and I believe it will work well. I agree with you that the medics should be taken out first and foremost, as they will prove to be the most problematic in the end. Even though I too served Shiva many years ago, I cannot say whether she will serve as general or appoint someone else to do the job. It has been years since I have seen her men, though she didn't seem to have any favorites, nor did she appear to put any in a position of authority. I trust that we will know, as you said, whom is acting as general, and perhaps we can clue in others to look for signs as well. "For assassins I would recommend that Raleigh human woman that we were both conversing with over breakfast a few weeks past. She was a hired assassin with impeccable skills with a bow. I think she would do well. Beyond that, I would like to appoint myself for early capture of the queen. If we can capture her we could probably ensure the closure of the war early, but I trust your judgment. I will be stationed wherever you see fit. However, I will not be able to maintain my dragon form during the entire duration of the battle, so perhaps we can time it just right. Yes, everything was becoming all the more real. A soft smile stretched Ren's lips as he nodded toward Soren. "You have done marvelously, my friend. I am sure that Raiden will be more than approving of your plans. I will see to it that we have our rides near ready, as well as find out when we are to set off. I believe that I saw some of the higher-ups in battle armor already." Soon you will be free, Helios, he thought to himself. Just hold on.

Hey everyone! So I'm trying to get everything situated for the upcoming war and have a few ideas that I wanted to share and get opinions on. I'm probably going to release a special set of rules for the war itself, depending on the thoughts that I get from you guys. First, I am deciding on how structured the battle system for the war should be. I was thinking to organize the fighting into flanks, and was wondering if I should designate objectives and which characters operate in which flank. Would this be something that you guys would like, or would you prefer it to be more of a free for all? Both have their advantages, but I'm undecided on which I should go with. There's also the possibility of starting out more organized in the fight, but then breaking up formation as the battle progresses. Second, I'm strongly considering creating some kind of meter, limit, or some method to indicate when a character needs to retreat or risk being killed. Since this is war and death is bound to happen with some characters, I think it's important for each character to know when they need to retreat, else the battles within the war may continue on for far too long. There will be healers on both sides of the field, so retreating briefly will not mean retreating for good--you will just have to try to disengage yourself and get to a healer before you end up getting killed. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to best implement this? Do you think this is a good idea? I'm still going to say that mass-killings are a no-go (like, don't use an earthquake to kill a whole row of people), though killing NPCs at will is acceptable. I may increase the limit to more than three because that doesn't seem like a lot of people, but rather maybe limit it to not taking on more than five individuals in a fight at once (per character). The wait time for other players during posting in the war will also probably need a different rule than our standard. We could try a turn system (For instance, we each get a number and we all post in order), but I think that will slow us down too much. I'm thinking to allow everyone to post as they see fit, so long as they don't strike the person they're fighting with multiple times before they get the chance to respond. I also don't want to prevent people from posting, so I may give a short duration for a counterattack from players (like, say, 48 hours) before the fight is considered void and the other player moves on. Since it's not a full-on post and instead is a fighting sequence, it may be reasonable to expect faster, shorter responses in a shorter length of time. We could also get really strict and say your character is forfeit from the war if you don't respond with a counterattack within a certain length of time, but I think that might be too much (and would probably cost me all of my characters : P). Still, it could work. It really depends on what you guys want to see. : ) If anyone has any other thoughts and suggestions let me know. I'm going to be working on that rule sheet as well as descriptions of the fighting terrain before the battle begins, which will hopefully be next week, perhaps by Friday.

Thanks, Unversed. : ) It can be rather confusing at times, especially when there's a lot of gray areas mixed in with the blacks and whites of roleplaying. Personally I'm fine if you would rather leave the post as-is at this point and just going forward we won't do it again, unless Vaude would prefer an alteration be made, and then you could just change the attendant part. Also, sounds great on the PM! Take your time, though; I understand life can be busy. I don't want to approve something that you'd prefer not happen. If you think it might be interesting I'd be okay with it, but if you don't want any distractions from the war and had other plans that is perfectly fine with me. Maybe we can have this incident occur after this major battle that is coming up, so that it won't deter from things too heavily? If after the war, I could see that being more growth for the story, potentially. Sure, we'd love to hear it! Though I think I've heard a bit over PM, I wouldn't mind more details and hearing things again. : )

--Everyth Castanova -- Raiden's Villa-- "Well, I guess I can cross 'killing you' off my to-do list, or at least for the time being, since you are indeed helping us lowly humans." She laughed, before meeting Henry's eye and offering him a true smile, playfulness aside. Everyth gripped his hand firmly, her small pallid hand being dwarfed by his own. She did give pause, however, when the mention of dinner slipped from Henry's lips. "Are you asking me out on a date after this is all over, dear Henry?" she teased, brushing long locks of ebony hair off of her shoulder. "Well, I have so many suitors, you see, but I will take a look at my busy schedule once this is all over and see if I can't just make some time for you. Assuming that we both survive this, of course, unless you don't mind taking out a corpse." --Alderon Niles -- Preparing for war-- The enchanted sword snapped into Alderon's sheath as he released the hilt of his blade; he could almost feel the electricity dancing off of the cool, crisp steel. It had been quite some time since Alderon had stepped foot on the battlefield, though memories of war were still fresh in his mind. The screams of the dying, the tears of the living, and, of course, the many times your heart would pound in your chest out of fear when your head is nearly cleaved from your shoulders. This was naturally the first time that Alderon would be indeed facing fey in war, though that isn't to say that Alderon wasn't a seasoned soldier. He'd trained long and hard from the time that he was a mere boy, and he'd won many a tournament back at home during the festivities in Sondon. Combat was thrilling to Alderon, in a sense, though war wasn't particularly his favorite sport. Especially when so much was at stake. The king wandered down Raiden's halls, awaiting the hour before their troops marched to meet the ice queen's. He'd been poking around in hopes of finding Draksis, though his general and friend was, so far, no where to be found. He'd hoped to go over some briefing with him before the combat began. As he passed the halls he halted in the library, enjoying the aroma of leather-bound volumes and coffee beans. Alderon stepped inside, the footfalls of his boots echoing in the large silence. It surprised him slightly to find Midnea sitting in a red armchair, staring at a chessboard before her. A grin crossed his face as he strolled over, clearly in view so as not to alarm her. "Though I have known you for years, I never knew that you were a chess player," Alderon mused, gesturing toward the board with a gloved hand. "Would you care to play? I feel that I have a bit of spare time left on my hands . . . before I leave." --Curvis Sourati -- Raiden's Villa: courtyard-- The brunet sat alone with his back against a wall, holding dandelion fluff between two fingers as he watched all sorts of antics in the yard. First he watched the human twins battle against an ancient elf, followed by the (altercation?) discussion between the witch Everyth and Henry, both from their world below. All they spoke of was survival, war, and more anguish. Where was the beauty in all of that? What was the whole point? Was the renewal of the world below worth the lives of thousands, if not more, or would it be better to allow nature to run its course, and watch the world below die as it were destined? Depending on your viewpoint there were multiple ways that one could view it, though Curvis' current viewpoint was that their fighting was wrong. Regardless of how much he lied to himself, he didn't think he could draw a sword to a fey's neck if he had to. It's all about greed, Curvis thought bitterly, squeezing the dandelion fluff in his closed fist. Everyone wants power and superiority. That's all that this is about. Fighting won't really solve anything, when history will only continue to repeat. The root of the problem still existed, which would always exist unless society changed as a whole: humans and fey wanted prosperity and to be the superior race, though neither could obtain this if they always sought to be on top. This war, he understood, occurred two-thousand years ago, and here it was today. None of them should've come, he understood that now. There was so much he saw, and learned, and now knew to be truths since he arrived in the Overworld. It pained him that it took him this long to see it clearly though, sadly, none of his comrades shared the same view. It wasn't that he didn't voice it. In fact, he even encountered Alderon privately to discuss his concerns with the war. He explained his viewpoint and said that it wasn't their fight, they shouldn't even be here. Alderon merely blinked, laughed, and ruffled his hair. "You are but a boy, you cannot possibly understand everything there is to politics," he'd explained. And yet, Curvis felt that it was Alderon who was delusional and didn't understand, but he knew better than to argue. And thus was Curvis' position and current predicament. His steel armor reflected the sun as he continued to sit there, uncertain of the best course of action. What could he do, after all, being a mere human who saw the wrong of his own war? It wasn't like he could stand against his own race. Or could he?

Hey, Cole! Hope that you enjoy it here on KH13. : ) Perhaps we'll get the chance to RP together at some point in time. We certainly need new players in that section. I too am a friend of Aqua's, so I'm sure that we'll get along splendidly! Take care, and I look forward to seeing you around.

Hmm, while I think it would be interesting if Alderon were to know that he had to ally himself with Henry (because, oh, the conversation possibilities!) there is no way that he would've known that it was Henry under the hood, so unless he found out later I don't think he would know that Henry is aiding him. Though Everyth saw him, and it's possible she'd report it to him. Hmm . . . . The thing is, it wasn't even stopped temporarily. Sure Alderon doesn't have as much time on his hands as he once did, but he can do a little bit of midnight reading to try to find a cure. This is his daughter, and thus he's extremely dedicated. Assuming that he stopped/halted his search is a bit inaccurate of an assumption that shouldn't have been made. When it comes to other people's characters and events you really can't make them say/do things without the players permission. It'd be like me saying "Alderon found Midnea's diary and discovered the entire truth about her, and now isn't speaking with her" or saying "Visco led an army against Helvadoria and lost". I have no evidence that Midnea even HAS a diary, and I have no knowledge on what Visco did during the timeskip, so I would be godmodding if I stated such as fact in the RP without your approval. That is because I am deciding the actions of someone else's characters, which I don't have the authority to do (as a GM I have a *little* more authority, but that's different and besides the point). Stating that Raiden gave authority to another figure is something that only Vaude would know, as he controls Raiden and it would be unfair to make Raiden do something Vaude didn't want. In the situation with Alderon, that one is a little more generic though technically the same scenario. I'm more lenient with Alderon and the world below, but to answer your question, technically yes: you would ask the character's player if they said a certain thing. One exception is when making backstories and distant pasts--I can understand if you reference to something that they once said or did that wasn't previously discussed, but so long as it isn't major and plot-changing, and that one is kind of on a case-by-case situation. Hope that makes sense and clears some things up. As for the situation with Midnea, Alderon, and Henry: I'm confused; how could Midnea know? I know that she can see auras and colors, but I didn't think she had the ability to know precisely who the person is. I will respond to your PM soon. I've been very busy lately. I may be wrong, but I think what the Unversed has in mind is something happening during the war, and not a specific event that would deter him from this. I also don't think that it is multiple punishers, from the knowledge I do have on the possible situation and what I am guessing. It is still up to you, but I don't think it'd be a situation where there is a side battle of sorts. Even still, I too would like Henry in the second to final arc of the RP, and to have him tied up may not be a good situation. I think the three of us should discuss this situation privately, if we decide to proceed, but only if this is something that you want, Scrap. : )

Yeah . . . saying what Raiden did during the timeskip should really be approved by the player before being enacted. I should've caught that in your post sooner and said something, though I missed it, to which I apologize. All actions of a character are up to the the player controlling them, and stating what they said or did at any point is technically god-modding. Maybe for ideas like these you could shoot the player a PM and ask if it's okay if their character said/did a certain thing during the missed time, et cetera. Also, Alderon hasn't stopped searching for a cure for his daughter. True, his time is more limited, but he still does search in his spare time, and is seeking the names of the most powerful fey to ask them if they have any ideas. I've also been wondering whether Alderon knows that Henry is on their side now. I was assuming so, but I'm not fully certain. I'm sure that they're not going to be getting along regardless. It may also be really hard for Alderon to *not* know, I'm thinking.

I should have rephrased that. I meant that the access to Raiden's library was on the premise of a cure for Visco, and that specific part of the conversation revolved around that. I didn't literally mean that the entire conversation didn't involve their stay in the Overworld, because that was indeed the main premise. . . . I'll see what I can do about the maps.

I think the point that Vaude was trying to make is that Raiden only gave Alderon permission to search for a cure for his daughter; that was the entirety of that conversation, if in recall correctly. Alderon never said that he was actively searching for a way to save their world when granted permission, so those aren't really volumes that he's been given access to. Or at least that is my understanding. As for the maps: I hate photobucket right now. . Unless I'm willing to pay $40/mo I can no longer host images over there. I need to set up another image- hosting account somewhere but haven't had the time to do so yet. Hopefully over the weekend. Thanks for the heads up, though!

--Shiva -- Kilkis Seres-- The queen's eyes were glassy as they rose to meet Maxis', his words soothing her very soul, perhaps more comfort than he could even fathom. "Thank you for your loyalty, truly," she said softly, bowing her head. "Despite everything you've been through--that I've put you through--you still remain by my side, and not only out of duty but also concern. That's . . . that means so much to me, Maxis. After this, if you would accept it, I would like for you to remain awake. I won't return you to your slumber, and instead would like to give you the role of a general." Shiva had thought long and hard about this before proffering it, though now seemed like the perfect opportunity to give her thoughts a voice. It didn't seem fair for Maxis to be put back to a millennia-long slumber once this war was over, not after how hard he'd strove to aid Kilkis Seres. To aid her. And then there was Eclaire: a young woman with so much promise, yet Shiva selfishly put her in grave danger just because she didn't want her to leave her side. It made her feel absolutely terrible to hear Eclaire's promises and kind words, and yet she needed them. Shiva gently leaned into Eclaire as their foreheads met, the warmth of Eclaire somehow managing to penetrate Shiva's icy exterior and warm her very soul. There was something so very much like herself within Eclaire, something that created such a strong bond between them from the first time they met. Even now Shiva couldn't quite discern what it was, but she trusted Eclaire with all of her being. "Thank you," she whispered in Eclaire's ear, her lips mere inches from touching her flesh. "I will stay by your side, and will do everything in my power to ensure that you leave this battle alive. I promise you that." That wasn't too difficult of a promise to make; ensuring it, however, was an entirely different matter. It certainly caught Shiva by surprise when Meksis entered the room, the other enchanted suit of armor that Maxis had recovered some time ago. His existence still was a mystery to Shiva, for she had always assumed it was only Maxis that had roamed the Overworld ever so lonely. And yet there was a great many secrets that even the queen was left unaware of their world. Perhaps there was an entire underground society of enchanted armor, for all she knew. "No, it's fine," Shiva interjected, contradicting Maxis' call for him to leave. "We should be departing now anyway. Meksis, would you kindly gather the horses? I would like for us to hit the road by sundown." Releasing both Maxis and Eclaire, the queen strode forth, standing tall and appearing much more regal than she had previously. It was difficult to imagine the woman before them as seeming frail and desperate as she donned her mask of authority, power, and ice. A pair of soldiers opened the double doors to grant the four access to the courtyard, where hundreds--if not thousands--of their army resided. Shiva looked upon her men and women with an unreadable gaze, her features fixated and in control. Yet inside, she was screaming for help. -- Elia Cabret -- Kilkis Seres: Prepared to March-- The raven-haired girl bobbed her head enthusiastically at Morana's musings. "I know, right? I don't really understand why we even have as many troops as we do, or a need for medics at all. We can just use plenty of magic and we should be able to flatten the humans, though I guess we don't really know what to expect from Raiden's army of fey. I've heard tell that they even have a dragon on their side, which is pretty cool!"--immediately she lowered her arms, excitement flooding from her face--"not that I'm saying that I think Raiden's "army" is cool, but I wish that we had a dragon fighting for us." She bit her lip; the thought of any of her friends getting hurt tore at her heartstrings, and yet it was a reality. Especially those who were now fighting on the opposite side of the battlefield. When Jari appeared Elia gave a start of joy, her smile so wide that it threatened to jump off her face and flee. She threw her arms around the kitsune's neck, squealing in his ear: "Oh, Jari! I thought you left too! I'm so glad that you're going to be in this with us!" After a fair amount of time passed, soldiers with their rides started making their way along the field, proffering horses and pegasus around to those who would need them. Apparently they would be riding to the battlefield, though not all would remain on their steads throughout the duration of the fight. The majority of the army rode pegasus', though Elia declined both when they were proffered to her. "I can get there with my wings," she explained to them, flashing them enthusiastically. She took great pride in her ability to fly, especially with a little ounce of her time magic. "I guess it's pretty much time to leave," she said to her friends. "In case I don't see either of you right away before the battle, I wish you the best!" -- Ren Mordecai -- Raiden's Study-- He heard footsteps before Soren made his presence known, a smile of his own stretching his pallid lips. "Ah, good morning, my friend," Ren greeted enthusiastically, tearing himself from his maps to clap Soren on the shoulder. "I am fairing wonderfully this morning. The air is crisp and clean, no cloud in the sky. A perfect day for what is to come." Perhaps he were cruel, or bitter, or both, but he didn't dread the upcoming battle like many of his comrades. The thought of evoking eternal peace and prosperity between their worlds was something worth fighting for to Ren, and he'd come to terms with the fact that it may cost many their lives, his included. He also was extremely eager to save his friend Helios from Shiva's wrath, and he'd been counting down the days until this particular one arrived for some time. "I understand that you are our strategist, yes? I'm proud of you, Soren. Lord Raiden couldn't have chosen a better soul to do this task, if I may say so. Do you have your thoughts on how Shiva's army may be formed, or where her weakest points may lie? I'd love to hear a quick briefing, if you'd be up to sharing that is." He poured Soren a glass of wine, despite the early hour and the fact that they would be heading into battle soon. He extended both the glass and the map to the sentinel, wondering on whether he would accept either. --Everyth Castanova -- Mystras: Raiden's Villa-- A soft smile played on Everyth's ruby lips as she proffered Aura a nod, directing her attention back toward Rabiyu as she extended a rather heartfelt apology about not being able to provide her with similar armor to that of the twins. "Don't worry about it," she said, waving a hand carelessly. "Last time I fought your kind I was wearing naught but a simple dress and gauntlets from my world; I think even a suit of enchanted armor would be more than sufficient from Raiden's armory. But I appreciate the gesture." Everyth nodded respectfully toward Sifrei when he approached, placing a hand on her chest. "The princess has survived, thanks to your assistance, and I am indeed well. Had you not arrived, I don't know what would have become of us. It will be a pleasure serving in this upcoming war with you, Monsieur Sifrei. With my returned sight I hope that I can properly demonstrate my true power." Not that she was trying to brag, but she felt terrible that she was merely a damsel in distress the last time that they met, and she was desirous of proving herself. Especially to a potential candidate for marriage, despite a massive age gap. Her surprise turned into a playful smirk as Henry arrived at the scene. The man who was a wanted criminal in their world, a man who shared the same blood of a fey as herself. "Well, well, you managed to get here on your own after all," she said, mirth in her tone. "Tell me, Henry: does this make us friends now? Can you forgive me for being mean?" Her tone was playful, not sincere. She wasn't asking for forgiveness by any means, and Henry probably knew it. A part of her was indeed glad that the two would be working together now, however. She'd always been quite curious about the augmented individual and, in a very strange and yet literal sense, her other half by fey blood.

The Diplomacy -- A discussion between the lord of Mystras, the dark witch, Midnea, and the human king, shortly before war was declared between Mystras and Kilkis Seres. This was written between Vaude (eggplant purple), The Unversed (bright purple), and myself (marigold), and the text is color-coded to indicate the writer.

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be on vacation from July 8th-15th or 16th. I don't think I'll be bringing my laptop with me, so I probably won't get a post in next week, but I'll still check on things periodically on my phone (or if I get brave enough to actually post an RP response on my phone ). Sorry for the holdup regarding this. I'll try to get a post in before I go, though. : )

--Queen Shiva-- Kilkis Seres Palace-- "Oh, Maxis." She turned to glance over at him, long braid following her movement. Her hand fidgeted along the hilt of her sword, clearly uncomfortable by the somberness held between them. What could she say? "Oh, it's fine," when it was a complete and utter lie? That she was NOT falling apart at the seams, or that her heart didn't truly residing on the other side of the battlefield? Instead she offered him a bitter smile. "That suit of armor is new, isn't it? Did Ivany select it for you? It's quite flashy; I like it." Evasive, yet light. Shiva continued down the hall with Maxis in tow, until they came upon Eclaire. Was it just her, or were these two going above and beyond to make her feel that she wasn't alone? Regardless, she couldn't complain, and instead was rather grateful. "We are ready." The words that she dreaded to hear, because she knew what they meant. Life would be lost, blood spilled onto the battlefields. While they were determined to carry the war far from home, it were still possible for harm to befall the civilians. This castle may not even remain standing by the time that they returned. If they returned. And if was a big word. Shiva nodded solemnly, gaze unable to meet the retainer's. "Very well. It is time. Let us begin our march south." Within an instant she snatched both Maxis' and Eclaire's hand, bringing them to frosty cheeks. "Thank you both, for standing by me. I want you to know that I wouldn't have the strength to get through any of this if--if it weren't for you." --Yevgeni Malachite -- Kilkis Seres Courtyard-- The cold sun gleamed, reflecting against Yev's sapphire apparel, his cloak bearing the Kilkis Seres symbol. He didn't think that he'd be marching under the kingdom's banner ever again after dismissed by Shiva, but somehow he'd once again been invited into the ranks. While rejection was on the tip of his tongue, he thought it was in his best interests to stay rooted. This was the best position to be in, after all, if he wanted to ensure that events took the path in which they were supposed to. He stole a glance around him, where a handful of the most powerful mages within Kilkis Seres stood, Aqua being among them. They would take up the rear, using their magic to lend support and to hopefully push the Mystran army back as much as possible. Yev hoped for as little bloodshed as possible, though he couldn't say that wish was shared by many of their troops, and perhaps none of Raiden's. "Remember our briefing," Yevgeni said, voice soft yet loud enough for the six mages to hear. "Play to your strengths. Do not attempt to engage any of Raiden's men in hand-to-hand combat. I can assure you that you will fail, and you will die if you do so. Keep your distance, that is key. Also remember that much of what we know supports that the majority of Raiden's army produces lightning-based attacks. You could use this to your advantage with well-timed water elemental magic. "If you need a medic, get to one immediately. You won't be doing anyone any favors by playing hero and dying when you could've been saved." Yevgeni glanced briefly over to Aqua. He was impressed by how far she had come in such a short amount of time, and how well she had adapted to her own magical energy. Never had he had a pupil possess the magical talent as her, nor the kind demeanor . . . . That smile that sent warmth up his spine, or a conversation that he felt animated and energetic to partake in. They discussed the stars, Yev outlining the constellations for Aqua and telling her folklore on what they all meant. Their journey to Mystras and back had been a rather enjoyable with one, which both irritated and sent a strange sensation coursing through the blond elf. Upon noticing the arrival of the queen, Maxis, and Eclaire, Yevgeni clapped his hands together. "We must move. May good fortune smile upon you on this day, and whatever gods or goddesses that you believe in." He was never good with pep talk. --Elia Cabret -- Kilkis Seres courtyard-- The raven-haired fairy skipped over to Morana's side, bow and arrows slung over her shoulder. She wore a simple white dress with royal-blue markings, the uniform of a medic. "Morana! You're here!" she cheered, grabbing the wendigo's hands and swinging them around playfully. "I'm so glad that at least some of my friends have stayed. I'm so sad that Rufus has left." Her thoughts also jumped to Aqua, but she cast them aside for now. "I also haven't seen Typhon or Jari anywhere, have you? I thought they may stay and fight. Typhon would definitely prove helpful, and that would probably earn him a full pardon if he stuck around and helped us. Don't you think?" Elia was practically speaking a million miles per minute, bouncing with so much energy. While she didn't like the idea of death, she was excited to partake in her first true battle, even if she were only a medic this time. --Everyth Castanova -- Raiden's courtyard-- "I wish that I could get some armor like that." Striding out into the courtyard was Everyth, the witch from the world below brought with the troops that Alderon and Raiden brought up. She brushed her raven hair over shoulder, giving the twins a twisted smile. "I never thought that I would see the two of you again. It's been, what, months since you broke that fey out of the Sondonian prisons? At the very least I never thought we would be working together, but fate is a funny thing." Everyth brought her gaze up to the sky, violet eyes watching as a peaceful cloud drifted over them. The world up here was beautiful; it seemed like such a waste for war to be broken. She also felt partly guilty, the humans being the prime source for war on the Overworld's soil. Had they not ventured here, the Overworld could've continued their lives in peace. She strolled up to Aura, reaching for her palm and placing what seemed like a broken stopwatch within it. "Think of this as a peace offering, plus us girls need to look out for each other," she said, winking. "It's a relic that will stop time, if only briefly. It will only work once, so make sure that you use it sparingly." --Ren Mordecai -- Raiden's Study-- In another portion of the study, separate from Raiden and Alastor, sat the former scholar from Kilkis Seres, pouring over a map. His red hair looked aflame in the sunlight poured forth from the window, his battle armor hugging his form closely. He'd gained some weight over the past few weeks, looking healthier and more like his old self prior to his imprisonment. His eyes were no longer sunken, nor his cheeks gaunt, and the muscles along his arms and chest were much denser than they had previously been. Workouts with Soren had been paying off, it seemed. He rubbed an eye, taking a sip from a tin glass. He was trying to get a grasp of battle formations before they set out to war, and to discern where the queen would most likely be positioned. If he could get to her first, diving past troops and formations, then the battle would end quickly, and his revenge would be granted. (Kunivas, this might be a good place to insert Soren, if you'd like. ) (Still have Curvis and the king to post for, but I'll do that a bit later)

I thought that I'd put this out here: since we all skipped quite a ways, some of us are sorting out various conversations via PMs to have flashback scenes and to show the history of what went down during that time. Not all characters require them, but if this is something you're interested with any of your characters please feel free to start a PM with those involved characters and we can all work things out. : ) Also, for all human players: you have the option of upgrading your equipment to containing magical items and weaponry for the upcoming battle. If you want to make the changes to your sheets just quote them for approval. This doesn't apply to any of the fey, though. I can picture Soren riding Ren the wind dragon into battle now. I think it's a great idea if Soren were a tactician. I could also see Soren and Ren working alongside each other frequently as well, given their history and friendship. I'm not really sure where Ren would fit best on the battlefield, as he is a scholar and is tactful, but at the same time is a dragon and could be highly useful for combat.

Sorry for my slowness, guys. I've been rather busy lately, but I'm going to try to see about getting this timeskip set up. Thanks for your patience! And very nice drawing of Leviathan, Elrandir. EDIT: Okay, got the timeskip into place. I went ahead and jumped several weeks, where everyone is getting ready for the big battle. It's tough to say how events will flow from this point on, but I'd say we're roughly at the 3/4 marker of the RP (exciting stuff!). Also, humans have been brought from the world below to aid in the war after being given magical relics to aid them in their fight against the fey, so if anyone has characters from the world below that they'd like to bring up please feel free to do so. : ) I am going to be bringing Everyth. Oh, by the way, I forgot to add earlier that Ren actually transforms into a black dragon.

The early morning wind was cold, the frigid breeze flowing in through parted curtains within many a building throughout the Overworld. It was as if the winds of change themselves were blowing, bringing both glad tidings and the foreboding anxiety of the days ahead. The sound of flapping wings could be heard within all of Kilkis Seres, as perhaps five-hundred pegasi came fluttering from the sky and on to the ground. Rows upon rows of wyvern riders were adjusting their saddles upon their steed, before clambering on and flying away to the battlefront. These days in Kilkis Seres were rather usual now, though up until a few weeks prior no one even knew what an army looked like. Queen Shiva stood before a frosted window, her hazel gaze somber as she watched the army below. Her pale-blue hair had been coiled into a long braid cascading over her shoulder, her silk gowns exchanged for a battlesuit and breastplated armor. The sapphire-hilted sword rested gingerly upon her hip, its blade feeling like it were truly piercing her very innards at the sickly sight below. They were now at war, with the man whom she had once loved with all of her being--and still did. What was worse, he carried the very beliefs she herself embraced, but here she was: fighting the justice for preservation of her own, sacrificing her own thoughts and feelings for the ideals that her father endowed upon her. It was enough to make her feel sick. She turned away from the window, giving her room one final glance before emerging from it, partially hoping to find Eclaire in the halls nearby but did not expect to. Her retainer was likely preparing the next fleet to Mystras. It seemed that she had seldom seen the woman these days, though it was probably for the better. She didn't need any more confusing emotions to get in her way. These days, however, it seemed that Eclaire and Maxis were the only two people that she had left to rely upon. Even Jynn renounced her, breaking her heart in a million pieces and yet she still pretended that it were whole. A wall of ice, that was Shiva's life now. The light from the long hall windows danced upon her armor and reflected on her hair. It was no time for reminiscing. It was time for war. All players that are allied with Kilkis Seres: this is your opportunity to stock up on supplies and bid farewell to loved ones before battle commences in the south. As for those who were meant to be exiled, it is up to you as to what has happened. Perhaps they were safely escorted, or they rebelled and broke free. Perhaps they wish to find their own place in this war, wherever it may be. For those players who have chosen the side of rebellion and aid Lord Raiden: you are likely in Mystras doing something similar in preparation for the great battle ahead. Strategists work closely with Lord Raiden in determining their formation, one of which may possibly be Rabiyu of Caligo. The humans have chosen to reside in Mystras after Raiden extended their invitation. After war had been declared, King Alderon proffered his forces, both within the Overworld and those residing in the World Below, to Raiden's aid, and now Raiden has an army at his disposal of both fey and men. This may consist of the feared Black Knights, along with the sorceress Everyth. This is the battle that will determine the fate of both worlds, and thus it was only right for both worlds to become involved and personally invested.

--Sophie-- The young girl watched Marie with widened eyes as she took her by the hand and led her to the group, blushing slightly when saying that a princess like her only deserved a gentleman. "A princess?" Her brother sometimes called her that, but it was strange having Marie refer to her as such. Sophie wasn't used to receiving such positive attention. A smile crossed her face as she glanced toward each member within the group in turn. "Excuse me," she started. "But where exactly is it that you guys are going? Could . . . maybe . . . I come with you? I promise not to get in the way." It would be so much fun to hang out with friends. Normally she didn't have the courage to walk right up to people and suggest that they hang out. Marie was nice, and Akira seemed pretty friendly as well from their prior encounters. She just hoped that she wasn't being obnoxious by inviting herself or, if they rejected her, would do so in a non-defeating way.

--Shiva -- Kilkis Seres-- "You fell in love with a valkyric queen," Shiva repeated, not in question but rather to hear the words again, in disbelief. Was the situation between herself and Eclaire similar? Surely it couldn't be, could it? Was history repeating itself again? Many questions filtered through the queen's mind, making her slightly dizzy, though she tried to remain firmly on the topic, casting aside all thoughts of Eclaire temporarily until she could have more time to think. "This darkness sounds grave indeed, especially if it isn't the arrival of the humans," she responded, releasing Bherna and clasping her hands in front of her. "If my sources provide accurate information, I understand that another evil has been brought with the humans as well, one that was banished from the Overworld many, many years ago. Her return bodes ill for us all, and, if left unchecked, I fear could be disastrous. What's worse is that this evil is aiding the humans, and who knows what kind of havoc could be wreaked. "If another darkness, well, it would be no surprise, I suppose. The worlds are filled with it, no matter how much we may safeguard ourselves against it. Thank you for delivering this message to me, and it is good to know that we cannot rely on Mare Luxuria or any of the Four Demon cities for aid. It has been over two-thousand years since Kilkis Seres has been in need of any ally, though I fear that our reign of peace may end soon, and we may have to join forces with other members of the Overworld again to eradicate the threat. But, time will tell. I do not wish to be too preemptive until the threat is upon us." She drew in a breath, brushing silky blue strands of hair behind her eat before continuing. "Also, I know Lord Raiden, and I am not ready to lose faith in him entirely just yet. It may not be now, but eventually I think he will see our side to things, and he may eventually prove to be the worthy ally after all." Perhaps it was merely wishful thinking on her part, but Shiva hoped and prayed with all of her heart that it were true. --Ren Mordecai -- Raiden's Villa: Mystras-- Relief flooded through every ounce of his body as the sentinel spoke. So friendship won over duty after all. Finally, a pure-hearted soul, one that Ren could rely on and trust. A smile stretched his lips as he clasped his friend's hand on his shoulder. "Soren, my friend, you have done well. You have seen through the queen's lies and deception to see what she truly is, and what she aspires to do. She is corrupt and must be stopped, before it is too late and billions of lives perish in the world below." He gave pause, considering Soren's predicament and uncertainty of where his loyalties lie. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "For me, the choice is simple: Lord Raiden wants peace and prosperity, and desires to stop the queen. That aligns with my own beliefs, and while I am hesitant that he's joining forces with King Alderon and the humans to do it, I do not believe that they are wholly evil. Before I came back, back to Kilkis Seres, I intermingled with the humans. I befriended them, lived among them, and joined in on their festivities. Humanity is . . . different from us fey, but there is still much good in them. Even King Alderon, as corrupt as his notions may be, is not wholly evil. I believe that, with the proper guidance and aid, that we can indeed unify our worlds and develop a peaceful nation together. Perhaps develop unified laws that keep our powers in check, of course, but . . . what I'm trying to say is that I see a balance that must be maintained. Nothing is black and white, like the queen thinks it is. "The choice is yours, of course, though it would bring me great joy if we were to coincide under the same banner together, serving for justice and peace for future generations to come. I am curious, though, why Lord Raiden has caused you to sway in your decision. Is it the fact that the humans are here and present, or something else?" From everything Ren had seen he was eagerly sold on serving Raiden and no other, though he hadn't considered the possibility that there was more to the man than what met the eye, or another part of him that didn't wish quite so well for both worlds. --Curvis Sourati -- Raiden's villa: courtyard-- Curvis had seen the blow moments too late; he fell backward as Arthur tripped him, though wasted no time in scrambling back up, sword pointed in Arthur's direction to deflect any of his attacks . Ah, it felt great to be moving again. To feel the wind kiss his face, the sun dance on his skin, and his heart to pound hard in his chest as he brought in rasps of air between parries. "You know, you're better than I thought," said Curvis playfully, shaking wisps of dark-brown hair from his face. He circled Arthur for a moment, sizing him up. He seemed well guarded and on high alert; sneaking an attack in was nigh impossible, plus he didn't want to go all-out and accidentally end up hurting him. They were fighting with real swords, after all. At Arthur's side he decided to seize his opportunity, cutting at him from an angle with a blow that would've hit his chestplate, should he have managed to land it successfully. Before he could continue, however, he was halted when he heard a familiar female voice echo throughout the battlefield. "Is it . . . Midnea?" Curvis asked aloud, confused. He paused, straining his ears to hear her again, but instead other voices could be heard, one most recognizable being one that belonged to their king. "Arthur, do you hear that?" Curvis sounded excited in his whisper, jerking his head in the direction of the villa. "It sounds like the king and Lord Raiden are negotiating! Perhaps we'll be able to stay!" He glanced at the many windows of the villa, wondering which one held their voices. "It must be coming from one of the rooms." (Timeskip is coming. I was hoping to conclude the conversation between Yev and Raiden, along with Alderon, Midnea, and Raiden, but those may have to come in the form of flashbacks, as I don't wish to keep everyone waiting any longer).

--Sophie-- Blush colored her cheeks as Vanitas blocked her path. Drat; she was noticed after all. She drew her violet eyes up to meet his, lips parted slightly and mouth dry. What was she going to say? Sophie didn't care for Vanitas at all, and thought it was probably only a matter of time before he went full-on bully toward her. "I--" she had started, but was rescued by Akira before things could worsen. It was now going to be three against one, as Roxas and Marie also pitched in to get Vanitas to back off. She truly didn't want a fight to take place, not on the last day of school. And definitely not because of her. She hugged her arms to her chest. It made her feel defenseless, something that she hated passionately. "Thanks," she started, not meeting anyone's gaze as she spoke. "But I could've answered him. You don't have to fight." With determination she brought her gaze up to meet Vanitas' once more, stating rather flatly. "I'm not interested in the party, Vanitas, but thank you for inviting me." She hoped that this would diffuse the situation and that she could dissolve in the background and pretend not to exist once again, only she wasn't sure that she'd be so lucky. --Richard-- "Umm . . . so you're saying that some guy in the back is called BB?" Richard clarified, clearly confused. He waited a moment before lowering the magazine from Dante's face, his lips in a straight line. "I would like to do business with you, but you seem clearly disinterested. Should I take my money elsewhere? I can certainly do that." He brushed his blond bangs from his face, wondering how much of a fury he might've gotten Dante into. It seemed that he clearly didn't recognize Richard, else he probably would've earned more respect. Sometimes it was difficult for him to simply get through a store without fangirls oogling over him and begging him for autographs. The studio that he worked for was small, but his face and name still managed to get around. Either this guy simply didn't recognize him, or he just didn't care. If the latter, Richard had to partially give him points for that. "I need the BB gun for an outing my boss is taking me on this weekend. Says it would do me some good. I don't need anything fancy. Just whatever you have will do."

--Sophie-- A nervous smile was plastered on the violet-haired girl's face as she closed her locker for the final time that school year. The bells sounded throughout the entire school, signaling the beginning of summer at last. A part of her was grateful for the break, but a larger part of her was disappointed not coming to school everyday. She was one of those strange children that loved learning, not to mention being surrounded by people made her feel good. She was often a bit more shy about breaking into conversation than the others, but she did lurk often and try to get a word or two in whenever possible. Sophie shouldered her way through the crowded halls, noticing Roxas exclaim cheerfully that he didn't have to go to summer school. This brought relief to Sophie, as she knew his father was rather strict and unforgiving and didn't want him to be in trouble. She took a step forward to approach him, but nearly dropped her satchel at the sight of Vanitas. It swung off her arm and hit a fellow student, though Sophie was too stunned to even acknowledge it. Vanitas terrified her, he always had. He was the school bully and had a very cold demeanor about him; normally he was never good news wherever he tread. What should she do? Surely Vanitas noticed her standing and gawking at them by now. She tried to move past as quickly as possible, hoping that the dark-haired teen was distracted enough to not notice her. --Richard-- "A . . . gun shop?" The blond rose his head to the signage on the door, cell phone in one hand as he fumbled with his car keys in the other. "I don't think you ever told me that I was arming myself, Frederick. What is this all about?" The voice on the other end was inaudible to the rest of the store as Richard entered, silver eyes flickering around the store as he listened in to the explanation on the line. "Ah, okay. I see. Still a little weird, but whatever you say, boss." He ended the call and pocketed the phone, approaching the counter where a young man (Dante) sat. Apparently he was on the phone, and from the sound of it ordering pizza. He offered Dante a shallow smile, waiting for him to get off the phone and, if he had, would say: "Greetings. So, yeah, this request is a little odd, but I need a BB gun. Is that something you would carry here?"

No worries at all. We all have our own personal circumstances that alter the course of life events and the time in which they take place. What matters is that you have completed a great chapter in your life, and that is worthy of celebration no matter your age. : )