The Altered Course (Jul 2013)

[Van]

The Altered Course

-What if the thing that made you who you are... never happened?-

Format:

Single

Reward:

4 EXP

Scenario:

Think of your character's most defining moment: a major event that set them off on their current life path, something that molded them into the person they are today. What kind of havoc would be wrought on the timeline if that one thing never happened? If things had gone differently for them, what would your character be like and what would they be doing today? Would he or she even be the same person at all?

Requirements:

• 1,500 word minimum
  
• Choose a pivotal event from your character's past and flip the circumstances. From there, speculate on how the rest of his or her life is likely to have carried on from that moment. There are infinite possibilities. Have fun exploring the outcomes.
• Roleplay a simple 'day in the life' of your character now, in the present. Remember, you're completely in charge of the timeline now. Barker might not have taken over, or even existed, for that matter.

That's it. That's how the movie ends.

This Monthly Event ends on Monday, July 29th.

[Vespyr]

            Act I, part 1

    Three in the afternoon in early July; the sun blazes and there are no clouds in the sky.
    A rather large freeway, the I-5 South. Traffic is atrocious and hardly moving at all.
    In the midst of the vehicles is a silver car of sleek and sporty build, somewhat pricey but not excessively so. It is extremely clean and the pinpoint glare of the sun reflected off of its body is blinding.
    In the driver's seat, a young white woman in her early twenties, tall and thin like a model. Her hair is very light ash-blonde, pin-straight and cut at an angle with the longer ends framing her jaw, quite modish.
    The makeup she wears is very vogue, more exquisite than one would expect for everyday wear suggesting that today some sort of special occasion as well bringing to light a hint of perfectionism in the precise application of the lipstick and eyeliner.
    Her violet eyes peer out from beneath the dark, softly-shadowed eyelids, ennui swimming in their depths.
    Frustration is apparent in the slight pout at the very corners of her black cherry lips and in the subtle pursing of the skin between her thin, arched eyebrows. 
    She is going to be late.

---

    
    The past few days had been hot. Too hot, too humid, and it would only be going uphill from there. The sticky summer moisture clung stubbornly to Asvid's pale skin like a second sweat as she slouched in the car, crawling languidly along with the three-in-the-afternoon freeway traffic. The artificial air buffeting from the A/C vents was pleasantly icy but did little to rid the muggy feeling from the internal atmosphere of the car. Feeling ill with confinement, Asvid rolled down the window and lit a cigarette as the car rolled slowly to another brief stop in the long line of hardly moving vehicles. As she sighed, the smoke lifted from her lips and dissipated into the hellish air. Her long, slender arm hung outside the window like a brilliant dead thing in the July heat, only occasionally stirring with the obligation to bring the cigarette back inside the car for a moment.
    She arrived at the studio an hour and a half later than she meant to but the photographers didn't seem to mind. After the opening round of unremarkable handshakes, as the summer had apparently sapped the life from everyone else as well, the shoot was underway.
    When Asvid gazed emotionlessly into the cameras, she was alluring. When she glanced away, her eyes vaguely focused somewhere along the white studio wall, she was mysterious, eliciting elaborate fantasies from the photographs as they tried to peer through her cryptic gaze and capture the essence of her beauty, her intrigue. To the photographers, this was art. But Asvid knew better, that as the photographers with their magic scopes embellished and reinvented her persona in their own artistic words, there was really nothing at all profound occurring behind her violet eyes. The empty gaze which they filled with their own imaginative fluff was still empty. It was almost laughable, how easily she fooled them.


            Part 2

    Late evening several days later; even at this hour it is still terribly humid, and an ominous layer of clouds blankets the night sky. 
    Inside a high end restaurant called the Grotto.
    The lanterns are dim and cast a faint blue-green tint around the room, the walls of which are made to look like the stone walls of a cave. 
    Ambiguous music with a trance-like beat thrums consistently like a heartbeat beneath the low murmur of the diners. 
    Somewhat secluded from the main dining area, a private booth with a single occupant: a young white male in his early twenties, tall and thin, with light ash-blonde hair and frisky violet eyes.
    He wears a fitted black suit, classy but not excessively formal, but also wears black converse which dress down the ensemble but still seem fitting in a fashionable sense. He is not the type of man whose profession would be an easy guess.
    His left hand is propped under his chin and he appears to be waiting for something, or someone. His other hand rests on a magazine on the table, fingers tapping lightly, but not quite impatiently, to the dark beat of the music. He occasionally glances down at the cover of the magazine and expects the girl on the cover to walk through the door any moment. 
    As always, she is late.

---

    Twenty-five minutes after ten, the door opened and Asvid did enter the Grotto just moments after the man across the room had glanced down at her picture again. She was wearing something similar to the outfit she wore on the cover of the magazine, a slim-fitting black garment that was either a dress or a combination of a skirt and tank-top but it the lights in the restaurant were too dim to tell the difference. Her makeup was even quite the same, suggesting that perhaps today was another special occasion or else the exquisite dark eyes and lips were Asvid's eyes and lips most days regardless of the occassion. 
    Asvid paused as the door closed behind her. Brow furrowed with subtle vexation, her eyes fixed themselves on a spot across the room. The restaurant's host executed the usual greeting, but his decorum was dismissed shortly when Asvid walked away, apparently to meet someone who was already here. Tapping the pen disinterestedly against the host stand, he watched her sit at a booth across from a man who was nearly identical to her and figured they must have been related. He couldn't hear their conversation from across the room but in his discreet boredom watched their lips move until the next guest entered the restaurant and the pale siblings were forgotten. 
    "Sorry I'm late. What have you got there," Asvid questioned immediately as she sat across from Sigmund whose hand was still resting on the magazine. 
    "Your latest. I bet you haven't taken a look at it yet," he replied. 
    "Why would I?"
    "I dunno, it's really good. You're good at this stuff. And they really seem to like you," Sigmund mused as he flipped through the pages to the section where they had interviewed her.
    "It hardly even takes any effort. Kind of a steal, honestly," Asvid sighed, snaking her hand across the table to close the magazine and turn it over so that her cover photo was facing the tabletop. 
    "You get paid to sit still and look pretty and you're complaining?" Sigmund laughed.
    "Not complaining. It just feels kind of ludicrous sometimes. Like, okay, that ravishing cover shot. You know what i was thinking when they took that?"
    "I'm fucking hungry?"
    "Yep."
    "But it's art," came the warranted sarcastic remark. 
    "Yeah, yeah."
    "Oh by the way, happy birthday."
    "Pfft. You too."

    A somewhat irresponsible amount of drinks later; almost everyone has left, the music has turned off, and the faint sound of drizzling rain can be heard outside.

    "Isthink they want us to leave," Asvid mumbled, throwing her warm violet gaze over to the poor young man at the host stand whose visage seemed to grow less and less subtle irate by the moment. 
    "Well it is past midnight. Place's gotta close sometime," Sigmund yawned. Also eying the impatient host, he threw back the remaining contents of his glass and then reached for his wallet in his back pocket. The young man across the room hurried over, took his card, and scurried off again. 
    "Why don't we go visit mom and dad, huh?" Sigmund chuckled. This warranted a curious or perhaps concerned raising of his sister's brow. 
    "But it's like... past midnight."
    "So?"
    "Eh. Also you're drunk."
    "Feh, I'm not drunk, you're drunk." Sigmund denied. Sigmund was indeed just as inebriated as she, having had the same amount of drinks as his sister, and eaten the same amount, and being of the exact same stature as her. However, both of them were known to be rather convincing at not being drunk, so neither could really tell how intoxicated the other was. It was decided between the two of them that together they were not too drunk to be visiting their parents even though it was nigh one in the morning.

    Close to an hour later. The rain is now steadily falling. 
    Asvid's car is parked outside of a cemetery, and has been parked there for about fifteen minutes. The headlights are on, glaring at the cemetery gate beyond which headstones can be seen. 
    Sigmund is in the driver's seat, Asvid to his right. 

    "I don't think it's going to let up. We should go," Asvid sighed, leaning her head tiredly against the clammy windowpane.
    "We came all the way here though, we could just run over there for a second."
    "Sig... it's raining. And the gate's closed."
    "We can jump the fence, easy."
    "Sig... I'm in heels."
    "Don't sweat it, come on. We haven't been here since last year."
    "Fiiiine..." Asvid grumbled as she slipped out of her shoes. The twins ducked out of their respective car doors and made haste toward the gate as rain quickly dampened their black clothes. Like a routine performed many times over, Sigmund quickly crouched and wrapped his arms around his sister's hips, then stood up straight as she gripped the bars to pull herself higher. Once she was over, he hauled himself up and then the two took off running again over the wet grass. 
    Fortunately a large oak tree shielded them from most of the rain, but dripped occasionally on the shoulders of Sigmund and Asvid as they stood nearby a couple of marble headstones engraved with the names Dagmar and Fenriz Schmidt. Both headstones were marked with the same date of death in the year 1998. The twins had been seven years old the year of the accident which they had miraculously and impossibly survived.  
    "I honestly don't remember them that much," Asvid admitted. 
    "Neither do I."

    Back at the car, the soaked twins have clambered into the vehicle and are leaving the cemetery.

    As the wheels of the car reversed over the wet gravel, Asvid frowned at the muddy state of her feet and cringed at the sudden realization of how wet her clothes were.
    "Ugh, it's so humid in here," she sighed.
    While Sigmund drove, Asvid fixed her attention to the window as usual, failing to notice how quickly it had begun to fog up. The cemetery gates retreated into darkness as the car pulled away and disappeared into the winding hills. The rain had begun to lighten up, or at least it sounded like it. Asvid's head wobbled somewhat and she began to lose focus as there was less and less to see outside. It occurred to her that she was still considerably affected, and that her brother must have been as well. She glanced across her left shoulder and found him staring diligently ahead, apparently fine, though he was narrowing his eyes a bit. Wondering what for, she glanced to the windshield and found nothing to see. It was fogged up.
    "Oh my god, Sig!" she gasped, careening toward the driver's side windshield to swipe her hand across the glass. Her smeared fingerprints offered a temporarily improved view of the outside as the car swerved toward the edge of the road. Sigmund made a startled 'oh!' noise and swerved the opposite direction to narrowly avoid driving into a ditch. Skidding on the rain-slicked asphalt, the front of the car collided with the center divider, crumpled in upon itself with a violent lurch, and ejected through the shattered windshield one of its passengers who was not wearing her seatbelt. The other was restrained to his seat by the steering wheel that had thrust itself into his chest. Sigmund's head hung over the dashboard and he tried to remember how to breathe but could not for the life of him figure out how it was done. In the midst of his horror, something struck him as tragically ironic but he died before he could tell what it was.


            Act II

    A day and a half later; sometime in the morning.
    In the recovery wing of a hospital, a room with two beds. The curtains over the windows are pulled shut.
    It is quiet inside the room but the faint chatter of many voices--some concerned, others authoritative--can be heard behind the closed door.
    A tall, well-groomed and well-dressed man in his late twenties stands between the two beds.
    His jet black hair is combed back smoothly against his skull. Gaunt, angular cheekbones and a firm jaw set a stern visage on his face. His brooding red eyes are fixed on the floor, swimming with apprehension.
    He stands with his arms crossed, with one hand propped under his chin as if he is waiting, and occasionally paces from the beds to the other end of the room, and back. 
    Lying asleep in the side-by-side beds are Asvid and Sigmund. Strangely, there are no bandages of any kind to show on their bodies. They are simply sleeping. 
    Perhaps just as odd as the absence of injuries, their wrists and ankles are bound to the bed. 

---

    "When they come to, you give me a call right away."
    "If they come to, you mean. We've still got no clue how they're even alive right now. This coma is an indefinite thing. For all we know they might never wake up, officer."
    "May be, but three people are dead. Someone's got to answer for it."
    Cain listened defensively to the conversation on the other side of the door with an ever-tightening knot in his stomach. It frustrated him incessantly that the police were still buzzing around clogging up the hours with their endless questions while his cousins were still unconscious. However, he had seen the evidence himself out on the highway yesterday morning: two paramedics and some hapless passerby whose throats had been torn to shreds; a witness who swore that the injured man and woman from the wreck had sprung on anyone who came near; vivid, nightmarish memories of Asvid and Sigmund once they had been restrained to gurneys, their eyes black and furious. They would respond to nothing. As Cain sat between them in the ambulance, they failed to recognize him and Asvid snapped her pointy new teeth at his sleeve at every chance she got. It was really, really fucked up.
    The man sighed and bit his knuckle for a moment, closing his eyes. He hadn't slept and every passing hour made reality seem more like a nightmare. Even the faintest sound of shifting fabric made him twitch. Cain glanced quickly back at the bed, where he found Asvid's head turned. Her eyes were still closed.
    "Asvid, are you awake?" Cain prompted, his voice more gravelly than usual. The girl blinked narrowly at the sound of her name. A tired frown pulled weakly at her lips. 
    "It happened... again."
    "What?" Cain mumbled, leaning down toward the bed. Asvid turned her head toward him but her gaze was beyond him, looking on at Sigmund. 
    "It happened again. We're alive again." 
    "...Thankfully. What do you mean, again?"
    "Two times now... two crashes. Still alive."
    "It's a miracle. You're not even hurt at all. But there's something.."
    "What?"
    "What do you remember?"
    "It was foggy... swerved off the road or something."
    "Anything else? Before now?"
    "I think... sunlight, for a little bit."
    "That's all? Just sunlight, nothing else?"
    "I don't think so..."
    "You don't remember killing anyone?" 
    Asvid blinked, flicking her eyes up to Cain, her brow tensed all of a sudden. She shook her head. Cain glanced cautiously toward the closed door. 
    "Listen," he began, his tone grave and hushed. "The police will be back as soon as they know you're awake... You both are suspected of killing people out there on the highway yesterday. I don't know why all this happened... but there are three people dead and neither of you have got a scratch on you. Looks bad."
    "So we hit someone?" Asvid breathed. Cain frowned and reached tentatively into his coat pocket to withdraw photographs: the wrecked car, the driver's seat where Sigmund was pinned, a long track and a large stain of dried blood on the asphalt where Asvid's body had been thrown, an unrecognizable corpse with its throat torn open, two more corpses in bloody paramedic uniforms, bloody glass, bloody asphalt, blood, blood, blood, so much blood. Asvid stared at the pictures a long time. Cain looked on with unease and noticed that her pupils had dilated considerably and that her mouth hung open but assumed it to be due to the shock. 
    "You don't remember?" he repeated, but Asvid only shook her head. 
    "Well, in any case... we're going to have to get you out of here."
    "...Escape?"


FUCK IT THIS TAB HAS BEEN SITTING OPEN FOR A WEEK AND I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO END IT SO THERE THAT'S IT THAT'S THE END

for now

[Mitsuki Park]

In the midst of her wanderings, Mitsuki stumbled upon an old theatre with all but one seat torn to shreds with an old reel of film neatly standing beside it- quite a peculiar sight, but oddly enough nothing that aroused suspicion. Her eyes slid from one corner of the room to another, looking for signs of life or potential threats but found none; her infrared vision provided nothing out of the norm and so, out of pure curiosity, made her way furthermore inside.

When her feet softly padded against the carpeted grounds, the reel clicked three times and flickered into motion, startling the girl and consequently making her whirl in place, once again: searching. She didn't understand how this abandoned building could still have electricity, let alone something specifically addressed to her. Her eyes landed on the blank wall with faded graffiti, her name being projected--

E U N . M I T S U K I . P A R K
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

She watched as a life she never lived literally flashed before her eyes- all what could have been, but never was, starting with an argument that should have happened back when she was 12, but didn't. Instead, she and her childhood friend walked arm in arm to her home- there was no man that greedily grabbed at her, no knife being carved into her skin, no sneaking in at the wee hours of the night. It was almost infuriating to know that the course of her life could have been so forever changed by someone else's response. No wonder she didn't trust Andrew with her life.

The scenes jumped forward, sometimes skipping years in time. What was shown next made a frown twitch on her face, not because of the scenario, but more because of how she looked. She was never one to adopt short hair, nor did she ever recall having any other hair color besides red, brown, and black...

The 23 year old brushed away a couple blonde locks that were in her face and rolled her eyes in distaste. Even though the two didn't call each other by their Japanese names, it still gave her near incestuous creepers knowing the guy she would be set up with was called Reita. She sighed, drumming her fingers against the kitchen counter, light brown orbs peering curiously at the picture her older twin was providing for her via social networks. He wasn't a bad catch, she mused, noting that he was easy on the eyes...and he seemed normal enough, had a stable and decent job, from what the webpage provided. The only unfortunate thing that made her feel mildly uncomfortable was the wildly skewed ratio of girl to guy friends.

"...I'm surprised you picked this guy," she mused, leaning back against her seat as she exited out of the page. She took note of the time and realized she should probably start dolling herself up, even though she appeared adequate enough.

When a soft, unfamiliar chuckle crossed her ears, her gaze flickered toward a man standing by the door. Her pupils narrowed into slits before her hand reflexively slammed her laptop shut. A brief scowl flashed across her face before her lips twitched into a near snarky smile, almost judging him for not meeting the standard etiquette. So rude.

"Why? Did you find something you don't like?"

"...well, for starters, you don't know how to knock."

There was no time to gauge his response because her twin came bounding into her room, snacks in hand and glasses sliding down the rim of his nose. She sent him a sharp look, accusing him of setting this up hours before the actual date was supposed to happen and he smiled innocently, almost like the devious child he was back when they were ten years younger.

"So I see the two of you met! Reita, Eun. Eun, Reita-- I brought some snacks to eat before you two leave!"

Reita held out his hand for her to shake, and with the most polite smile she could muster, she extended her own. His was firm and a bit calloused in stark contrast to her smaller, softer ones. She watched as Reita's playful smile transform into an amused one; him watching her watch him- heh. His eyes were sharp and she almost felt scrutinized under his heavy stare- he was observing her and her reactions, which she wasn't exactly too fond of because it was something she often did with others.

She watched as his lips twitched into a small smirk and in response, she tightened her grip and transferred small electrical pulses. There was no reaction, which meant he either had immunity or had a great poker face. Either way, it was displeasing; she wanted a reaction from him and he wasn't feeding her any of it.

"You're quite stunning. Literally."

She formed a hard smile and released his hand before slipping them back into her pockets. Well, that was enough confirmation for her. She moved around him and left her room, slipping easily in step behind her twin as he began to lay out the snacks.

---

Mitsuki was having a difficult time comprehending just what all of this was supposed to be. What was its purpose? What was the point of showing her what could have been when she wasn't living in that time? Questions that entailed 'what if' scenarios may have piqued her curiosities every once in a while but never enough to imagine scenarios of outcomes. But she watched, still, silently with little to no reaction showing on her face, though to be completely honest, what she was even feeling was such a mess of emotions that it would be hard to explain with words.

To see an alternate reality where Sierre and Skye never existed; one where she never travelled to the States; one where a set of parents didn't exist and one where her twin brother did. One where she learned what it meant to love and be loved in return with someone who remained a constant flame within her heart instead of the ones that flicker in and out. One where the difficulties of life were never really difficult. Just what, exactly, was she supposed to feel?

But still, she watched- eyes glued to the screen as it showed a girl that looked like Mitsuki act and behave in ways she never would. So many outbursts of emotion, her face literally a book, open for all to read. A girl who wore her heart on her sleeve and would be considered innocent by today's standards, where the ideals of purity and naivety were shattered.

And the people! Ha- they had this feeling of familiarity but Mitsuki could never recall having ever met them. Granted, Ein and Caleb showed up on her radar because they were Reita's best friends, and according to this reel of film, she was dating him. But otherwise, the rest of R6 and everyone from California was completely absent from her life; it was almost a sad reality.

She watched as the scene shifted to the very few times when she would actually use her Qi. Korea was a beautiful country and despite its small size, it had a lot to offer. This just meant the nightlife in Seoul could get pretty dangerous- there were always stories on the news about girls getting abducted in taxis, sexually assaulted in elevators and parking lots, etc. And since she often travelled alone without a car, it was at least relieving to see herself practice some sort of martial arts...even though she was still highly underdeveloped.

---

He held her hand and gave her a rare, soft smile as he continued to lead her toward a more secluded area of the park. She was a little suspicious of how he was acting around her but she just figured he was having a good day. Eun tightened her grip on his hand as she continued to follow, noting that they were - all of a sudden - surrounded by many trees. Sentimental; it was where they went for a walk after their first date, and consequently where they broke up even before ever getting together. She chuckled at the memory, which was cut short when she accidentally walked into him when he came to an abrupt stop.

He turned. He kneeled. He smiled that rare smile, and out came a ring tied with the four traditional words. And her response...?---

---WHAM

Mitsuki's sword was unsheathed. The blade made a clean cut right through the center of the reel. The picture flashed up on the screen came to an abrupt stop and the front half toppled over. There was probably a more classy way to stop the motion pictures from continuing but Mitsuki wasn't exactly 'classy' to begin with. Her methods were blunt and concise- she'd have rather stopped it there rather than trying to stop it by some other means.

"Ridiculous," she still didn't understand the purpose behind showing her a different life. She stood up and put her sword away before making her way around the theatre, searching for someone who she could question.



OOC: 1515, not including BBC and 'titles'. Unfinished but whateva. -_- ~

[Kazuya Hikari]

"Zzzz..."

Kazuya was fast asleep in his bed as he snored away contently, his stomach rising and up and down with each breath he took. After rolling over and slamming his alarm off, he had rolled onto his back , the top of his head poking out from underneath his blanket as he shifted slightly in his sleep, his mouth opening a bit, continuing to sleep away, until...

*BOOM!*

Literally jumping up slightly in his bed from something colliding with the side of his futon, his head landing back down on his pillow as he quickly sat up in bed, looking around utterly bewildered, only to see his older sister standing beside his bed and smirking happily down at him.

["Five more minutes nee-san..."]

Kazuya said, looking half-asleep, his front hair falling into his eyes as he yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

["You don't have time for five more minutes Kazu, it's already 7AM. Did you have a nice sleep?"]

She replied sarcastically, continuing to smirk at her little brother.

["Morning already? Damn, time sure flies by quickly. I was... until you woke me up. I was having a wonderful dream, this time it was about a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."]

Shaking her head in mild amusement, Kyoko quickly turned and headed out of his room and downstairs, to the kitchen, as Kazuya went back to sleep... until his cellphone ringtone went off. Whipping his blanket off, Kazuya would climb to his feet and walk over to his desk and grab his cellphone, seeing that he had a text message from his best friend, Takuya Sato, saying they would be meeting up at his house to celebrate Tanabata, since Kyoko and Kazuya's house was the biggest of everyone's. Placing his cellphone back down on his desk, he'd then change into his school uniform, and grabbing his phone and bag, would head downstairs, his sister sitting at the counter in the kitchen, looking up from her book as Kazuya walked into the room.

["Mom went out shopping, as usual, and Dad left for work early. At least he didn't take your car Kazu, guess he used the limo today. Guess we'd better get going. We probably should buy some stuff for Tanabata after school, Natsumi just texted me back, that everyone will be coming over to our house."]

["Yeah, Taku just texted me too. What, no breakfast? I guess I'll grab something at school..."]

Marking her spot in her book with her bookmark and leaving the book on the counter, as the two siblings began to head out, Kazuya heard panting by his left foot and looking down, would see their pet white Shiba Inu puppy, Shiro, had woken up and was sitting beside him, panting happily.

["Hey boy, we're off. Watch the house for us, okay?"]

Shiro barking happily in response, Kazuya giving Shiro a good scratch behind the ears, they would then head out and climb onto their bicycles and head to school. After arriving at the school and getting through his first two classes, which were Math and Social Studies, followed by break, and then his third class, Biology, it was finally lunchtime. Sitting in the cafeteria, even though Kyoko was a third year and Kazuya was a second year, the two of them and all their friends always sat and had break and lunch with each other at the exact same table, and hung out with each other outside of school and on school year breaks. Kazuya was sitting next to his best friend, Takuya Sato, who was sitting beside Takeshi Morinozaki, Hideki Yamada sitting beside him, while Kyoko sat beside her best friend, Natsumi Abe, Megumi Takeuchi beside her and Shizuka Ito sitting next to her.

Kazuya had just started eating his lunch when a girl that he had met and became friends with, Kaori Aoiyama, entered into the cafeteria, and spotting Kazuya, would come over and join their group, his older sister finally meeting her and telling her to join, asking their friends if they minded, their friends pausing in eating or drinking or talking, shaking their heads in a friendly manner and smiling or waving at Kaori, Takuya and Takeshi moving over and clearing the seat beside Kazuya for her. Kaori taking a seat beside Kazuya, she would pull out her lunch and beginning eating, having brought the tea she had promised Kazuya with her.

Kazuya passing down cups of tea to Kyoko and her two friends sitting beside her, he'd grab his own while still continuing to eat, what could he say? He loved chicken teriyaki and rice with some gyoza on the side. He would however, pause to take in the fragrance of the mint green tea, pretty much everyone at the table were tea connoisseurs, all of them having been born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, and went through elementary and junior high school together, a testament to how tight-knit their group was.

Soon enough, in the span of ten minutes, his and Kyoko's friends were teasing Kaori like she had always been part of their group after watching the camaraderie take place between Kazuya and Kaori, her teasing him at that he had been rather quiet around her, but then again, he wasn't the only one, Takeshi and Kyoko had been quiet the entire time too, Takeshi having been watching in mild interest while Kyoko watched slightly amused. It was great, and it showed how relax and chill their group was, but even Kazuya thought it was a bit too fast.

["Okay guys, cut it out, don't tease her so much."]

["Hahaha, sorry sorry, but it was too good of a chance to resist."]

["Sorry Kaori-chan. Here, have some green tea Pocky, my parents bought a few boxes for me."]

The girl sitting opposite from Kaori, Megumi Takeuchi, offered, holding the open box out to her, only for Takuya to reach out and take one.

["Hey thanks Megumi!"]

["Baka, it wasn't for you!"]

["Ow!"]

Takuya would exclaim, Megumi having kicked him in the shins, as Takeshi would watch on with mild interest while Kyoko would ignore the usual Takuya-Megumi shenanigans and look over at Kaori, the conversation turning to Kazuya and Kaori's first encounter, culminating with the conclusion she was picking on just him and Kaori retorting they must think she was mean, the others nodding matter-of-factly. The guys cracking wise-guy grins while the girls would just giggle, no, they didn't think Kaori was mean, in fact, Kazuya never mentioned anything to them. Which explains why they were rather surprised to see a new face join their group. They weren't unfriendly, just caught off guard.

["I didn't tell them anything, the only person that knew of you was my nee-chan."]

["It's true Kaori-chan, aside from Kyoko, none of us knew about you."]

["Hey Kaori-chan, we were planning on celebrating Tanabata (Star Festival). You wanna join us?"]

Typical Takuya, always shifting the conversation to another subject.

["Oh hey, good idea Takuya-kun. Guess you aren't such an baka after all."]

["Hey, thanks-- Oh shut up Megumi!"]

Megumi and Takuya bickering with each other again, leaving those two to their arguments, Kazuya would sip away at his tea after finishing his lunch nonchalantly.

["Well since the festival is on a Tuesday, we decided to meet up at Kyoko and Kazuya's house. You have their address, Kaori-chan?"]

Kaori answering that she did not, pulling out a piece of paper from her notebook, Kyoko would write their address down, and hand it over to Kaori once she was done. As always, Kyoko's writing was extremely elegant and beautiful to look at, especially when she did calligraphy.

["This is our address, Kaori-chan. Don't panic if you see just a dojo, our house is located behind it."]

["Since all of our parents are pretty busy with work, and Kazu's home has a beach in the back, we decided to celebrate at his home, since we all grew up with each other and consider one another family, you included, Kaori-chan."]

["Okay, enough cheese, either wise I'm going to lose my lunch. Kyoko-chan, you have everything for the celebration, right?"]

["Takuya you baka, give Kyoko more credit than that, she's the Student Council President, of course she does! Sheesh!"]

Kaori asking if she needed to bring anything, Kyoko would reply that she didn't have to, just come over in her best kimono.

["Bring some custom tea, Kaori-chan!"]

["Baka, you don't just spout off what you want!"]

["Ow!"]

["Looks like lunch is almost over, we'd better get going. What class do you have next, Kaori-chan?"]

Kaori answering she would bring more tea, and gym class next, Takuya would give a small two-fist fist pump.

["Yesssss, tea! Well there's the bell. Hey, you have gym class with me, Takeshi, and Megumi! Kazu, you and Shizuka have Biology next right?"]

["Mmhmm."]

["Well Kaori-chan, we'll see you later. I have Chemistry with Natsumi and Hideki, bye."]

Everyone getting up, Takuya, Takeshi, and Megumi would wait for Kaori before heading off with her towards the gym, while the others, Kyoko and Kazuya included, would head towards the main building, waving to Kaori and the others.

(OOC: Word count without BB coding: 1524)

[Eurydice Sudeki]

Rain pattered hard outside the window of Eurydice's home. Rain she didn't mind but when it was coupled with thunder and lightning a long hidden fear struck her heart. She had learned to coup to a point but her heart always raced at an unimaginable pace. Storms like that brought back old memories she wished to forget. In her mansion she sat alone in her room though not on the bed, but on the floor with her back against the side of the bed facing away from the window. The drapes were closed but that wouldn't do much for the flashing and sound but that's not why she sat there facing the door instead. The memory of her father busting through her door while her back faced it as she laid on her bed drawing instilled in her this habit. This habit that on nights like these she would never allow herself to be blind sided again. Eurydice would sit up all night long if the storm didn't stop just because of this scared memory. A precious switchblade rested near her right leg it held a special place in her heart and always would. A book rested in her hands, the title read: 'Alice in Wonderland'. The woman had already been up for hours, the storm wasn't going anyway anytime soon it only worsened. This was the third book now. Somewhere into the story her eyes felt heavy....

===============================================================
There are times in our lives when we must make choices
based more on instinct than intellect.
Often, the soul recognizes its choices before the
rational mind has time to process the information.
=========================================================

Down.....down.....down....

Down the rabbit the hole she fell.

Tumbling through the air with speed until time seemed to slow and steady itself. Now she floated down the tunnel that seemed endless while suddenly the walls flashed random images. But they weren't random they were memories? They began to fade away as if they never existed when she hit the ground with a small thud. Puzzled she looked around till she spotted a white rabbit in a waistcoat. It stared at her as if it wanted her to follow and with great curiosity she got up and did so. But suddenly it began to run, Eurydice in turn decided to give chase having no idea why but instincts led her to that choice. As it ran through a door she ran through a split moment after into a bright light. Once the light dimmed enough that vision wasn't obscured, what was to be revealed but a world. A world Eurydice knew yet didn't.

"Interesting no?"

"What?"

A cat with a wide grin appeared floating next to her, she was only half startled.

"What is this? Who are you?"

"Who I am is of no importance... But you, who or what you could've been, well that's more interesting to me as it should be to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just keep walking and watch closely."

He was gone just as he he had come. What had the cat meant? The only way to know was to do as he said. So she walked and looked as the world became for vibrant, more vivid. Images of houses and people came into place ignoring her presence because she didn't exist. Her eyes widened recognizing her younger self, 7 years old walking the streets of Osaka. But she wasn't alone? That's not how she remembered it.

"And it won't be how you remembered it."

The cat again appeared out of nowhere this time startling her.

"Geezus!"

"I didn't think I'd startle you.. You were fine the first time... And yes I read your mind."

"....."

"Stop questioning and enjoy the story of what could've been..You like stories don't you?"

Again he disappeared. She did like stories, but this was hitting close to home. Yet she couldn't stop watching, she wanted to know 'what if'.

======================================================================

I watched on about this new life that would never be.

Lily and a younger Eurydice walked down the streets of Osaka. But before Eurydice would've been by herself which led her to run into Vic. Lily was clearly still ill but she looked much better than previously remembered. The two girls began to walk passed a gathered group cheering a street fight. Eurydice's curiosity couldn't be stopped as she tugged a reluctant Lily in that direction. It was Vic again, 16 years old, and still a champ. As much as the young Eurydice was impressed so was Lily surprisingly. The two seemed to lock eyes and be taken in by one another. A few days or weeks, time was unsure, quickly zipped by and it revealed Lily training with Vic, receiving the switchblade as well. Even a relationship formulating between the two.


Wait it's like Lily swapped places with me? She would've been dead by the time Vic gave me the knife.. Would my life have been better if she was still around? Heh, you know I believe if they met they would've fell for each other.


That dreadful night where her father stole her innocence was still present but Eury wasn't the victim this time, Lily was.


Watching I froze, my fist balling in anger till the voice of the cat told me to keep moving. I almost refused until he spoke again.


"If you keep moving you won't have to dwell and it'll fade... Never stop moving forward..."


I felt a double meaning in his words, but I moved forward.


Eury heard her sister screaming when the lights went out during the storm. She ran into the room and saw what their father was trying to do. Eury froze not knowing what to do at some point she found it in her to run down the steps to her mother, so was in a drug and alcohol daze. She cried and begged her mother but to no avail. Eury ran back up the steps to witness Lily kill their father, blood stained the weakened girls frame. Exhausted Lily fell and Eury hurried to help her up as much as she could.

"We need to leave Eury."

"Le-leave? Bu-but where would we go?"

"We'll make it through, maybe we could stay with Vic for awhile until we can live Osaka. But we need to leave now."

"I-I'm sorry.. I-I was weak. I-I didn't know wha-what to do.. I tried to get mom but she.."

"It's ok you're not weak, stop that you hear me? As for that woman, forget her. Let's go Eury"

Eury nodded and helped her sister down the stairs wanting to take her to the bathroom until their so called mother looked in shock and yelled about what they had done. Eury tried to explain through her sniffles but Lily cut her off.

"What did we do?! I killed your disgusting low life husband because he tried to rape me..Me! Your daughter! But you don't give a damn do you!"

"You-You did what?! You crazy bitch! I'ma call the cops. Eurydice come here. Get away from her!"

"Go ahead. We'll be gone before they come. See if they believe a drunk, high whore like yourself.. I hate the fact that we came from you. And I'm taking my sister with me, you never protected her either."


...Lily.. I-You were much stronger than I was to handle it that way. I killed both our parents cause I snapped. My mind just couldn't handle anymore. I know you snapped too but you maintained yourself far more than I had.. I was still weaker than you.


The two girls stumbled out into the rain together. How ironic they ran into Kilik.


Kilik?! Wait a minute..


Yes Kilik. Intrigued by the pair and taken by Lily's state he took them in and out of Osaka and to New York. Lily wanted to contact Vic to say goodbye or just anything, but she couldn't. She didn't have the time to. Lily and Eurydice Phoenix were now dead to the world. Their mother got put away instead for the murder of her husband and daughters, all thanks to Kilik's connections. And to think he was barely eighteen, but he worked for a powerful man in a powerful company. An offer was made to Lily to cure her of her illness but that required her to join their group of hired assassins. Lily's only condition was that Eurydice had no part in it.


Watching this exchange I just-I can't.. She took my place?! Then what hap-


The images raced forward, seemingly years upon years flashing by. Lily became a well versed assassin and despite her words she trained Eurydice enough to defend herself. But she didn't train her to be an assassin she didn't want that life for her sister. Lily also grew into having a relationship with Kilik though she never forgot Vic. Eurydice finished high school and went to college. Her passion for travel and history still ever so present. She became an archeologist yet more of a tomb raider, very Indiana Jones, Lara Croft like. OH would you look at that she was also a mercenary of course she was. Suddenly there was a wedding, but it wasn't her own. It was Lily's, she was marrying Kilik but Eury wasn't present.


Wait I would NEVER miss my sister's wedding what the-


Wait there she was on a video call?

"Hey little sis!"

"Hey! Look again I'm really real-"

"Look don't sweat it it's alright.. I know how much of a buff you are for that stuff."

"Well I told you to like postpone it!"

"Eury you asked me to postpone it yesterday, you were supposed to fly out here 3 days ago."

"I knooooowwww, but this was last minute and I got caught up and I couldn't call and-"

"And you're still full of excuses E."

"Whoa why are you on the call? You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding! Get out!"

"Oh shut up.. Seriously though you're certainly missed at this E.. You better show me this thing when you find it, cause if it ain't grand I'ma kick your ass for not being here."

"Yeah yeah and Lily will kick yours..Oh! I gotta go! Look best wishes and best of luck.. Eat extra cake for me! Seriously though... congrats you guys. Love you! Bye!"

Eury wasn't on a dig, she was on a mission for her side job as a mercenary.
Lily would kill her if she ever found out. But it would be there on that mission Eury would find her first love another mercenary. A cocky fellow with dirty blonde hair. She turned him down most of the time but he was persistent to the point she couldn't even resist anymore. Oh was he trouble in her life. Somehow they always found themselves in some nasty situation yet managed to get out.

He loved her like no other. He had said it and proven it time and time again. Their life was dangerous together. Yes she was an archeologist and mercenary but he knew her passion lied within the world of ancient history. He felt that he was dragging her down a path she needn't go. Sometimes you have to let go the thing you love in order to keep them safe.

"Eury.. I love you you know that but-"

"But what? There's no but if you love me."

"Listen! This-this isn't easy for me."

"And you think waiting to hear you say what I think you will is easy for me?"

"I know its not dollface.. But I can't keep doing this to you."

"What? Doing what? What are you doing to me? Wait.. are you cheating on me?"

"No! Eury you almost died a week ago because of me.. I can't keep putting you into these situations and I know I won't be able to stop.. I'm not the man you truly need, believe me."

"Wait I minute I choose to be with you.. I choose to walk this path with you! Don't perceive to tell me that you know what's best for me!"

"I knew you would react like this.. Eury I'm sorry. I can't. I care for you too much to hold your life in my hands.. You can't ask me to do that, even if you did I wouldn't.. I'll always love you but I can't be selfish anymore"

==================================================================

Wow..I-I don't know what to think about that.


"Relationships are funny that way.

A caterpillar now appeared out of nowhere upon her shoulder.

"Ok this has to stop."

"It will stop once you reach the end."

"I meant the randomly appearing animals...This, I don't know about this. If this at all was ever really possible."

"Everything is possible my dear.. It all depends on you and your perspective on possibilities...Do not ask me any questions for the answers lie in you moving forward."

And he disappeared.

"Ok, that was kind of rude."

"No what is rude is to speak about someone when you think they are no longer there."

"..."


This was getting weirder and weirder, but I still continued on. Why the hell wasn't this done yet?! These sudden flashing images were hurting my eyes.

==================================================================

Momentarily the images stopped to show the death of that man who let her go. Maybe he was right. Maybe he would've gotten her killed, but it would've been her choice to go down with him. It infuriated her that he had made this decision for her. But his death was not the only one, Lily. Lily had found out about Eury's moonlighting and came for her but ran into the mess Eury's former lover had. But she would not allow the man that had taken their life live. This is what Lily wanted to prevent but it happened anyways and her life was taken because of Eury's chooses. Angered it was pouring the day she caught the man alone. She had nothing more to say than five words:

A loud bang and the man went down.


So I still became a killer huh? Well so much for a different life


"You're more cynical than me just watch."

After all was said and done she stood there shaking, dropping the gun as she fell to her knees. Tears began to fall so easily though the rain mixed with them. Her heart was hurting in so many ways. She hadn't killed anyone before, she mainly subdued believe it or not. But a figure came to her and picked her up from her state, carrying her off out of the rain. Then it faded away. Coming back into focus there was a screaming match going on but completely one sided. A man's voice, it was Kilik but Kilik was not the man that pulled Eury out of the rain that man had vanished as suddenly as he appeared.

"This is all your fault Eurydice! All that Lily did! All she went through! For you! Just to have you fuck up in the end! Just so you could throw away everything?! For what a fucking thrill?! She didn't want this kind of shit for you! And now-now she's fucking dead! Why?! Because she went out there to get you! To stop you from that path! Why couldn't you just fucking listen to her?! To me?! Because of you I lost her! Were you too damn blind or weak to see that that man was leading down a path you shouldn't be a part of?!"

The words kept going till it was completely muffled and began to fade. Eury had lost Kilik's friendship, lost a sister, lost a love.


Why am I not surprised by this? Is this really necessary?! It's not so fucking different!

The image faded back in, seemingly still in the years of her late 20's Eury stared patiently out a window until she spotted someone that gave her pause, backing from the window in shock and awe she smiled and ran out the door. She ran straight into the arms of a dark haired man. She hugged him and kissed him passionately. What the hell happened exactly in between the last image? The details didn't quite matter what mattered was she was happy.

"Don't you ever leave for that long ever again."

"Haha.. well if I'ma get a welcome back like that I'm sorry I might have to more often."

"So where is my little tike?"

She smiled and led him back inside where she went into their room and picked up a little bundle.

"Hey there little one! You missed daddy!"

"Haha...Of course he has."

"Yeah he's getting big...Eury I need to talk to you."

It could be seen clear on her face that she dreaded those words. But looking into his eyes as she did he seemed deeply serious. He placed the child down and took her outside to their balcony, gently sitting her down.

"Eury, I love you."

"Wait, I've heard this speech before.. I don't want to hear it again. Don't tell me you love me just so you can walk out of my life like-"

"No no, Eury it's not that. Listen before you jump to conclusions. I know you've had an up and down life... I listened well when you finally opened up to me about it.. Remember when you told me about a few years ago that someone pulled you out of the rain after you killed your love and sister's killer?"

"Yea?"

"That was me. I was suppose to kill you Eury, that was my job. But I couldn't. I watched you for some time with him and I saw how devastated you were.. I just couldn't and then you're sister came to find you I tried to save her, I really did. But I failed there I wasn't going to fail with you. If I didn't pull you out of there his people would've killed you. You were in no shape after that."

"....Why....why are you telling me this-all this now?"

"Because I can't hide from you anymore. It kills me everyday. You know me, but I needed you to know everything concerning me before I ask you to spend the rest of your life with me..I don't want any secrets between us. I love you.. This family we started I will do everything in my power to protect it...So I ask you... Eurydice Stone, will you marry me?"

"...Y-yes..."

==================================================================

Everything faded and there was the white rabbit again egging her to follow the world changed to reflect a meadow and as she neared the white rabbit, it stood there with the cat and the caterpillar from earlier.

"Did you enjoy the story? Had a happy ending did it not?"

"Happy ending? I got my sister killed and apparently the first guy to love me and Kilik hated my guts."

"But you made it to the end despite all that did you not?"

"I-"

"No matter what you kept pushing forward didn't you?"

"Y-yes I suppose."

"You always felt weak inside didn't you?"

"I'm not we-"

"Don't lie to yourself child, especially here and to us.. There's no reason to pretend anymore."

"But that isn't the point."

"Then what is the point."

"The point is you're mad because you're standing here talking to animals that for some reason or another can talk back to you."

"Oh Cheshire stop it."

"Well he does have a point."

"Ok ok.. Mad or not, tell me what was the point of this."

"That you are strong my dear... That no matter the course you ride the storms to surpass it. Like a rider of storms through the road of life."

"You persevere no matter what is thrown at you.. Yes some things might've been the same but you still made it through dearie... You kept moving forward. You didn't let it stop you.. It's clear that no matter the downs as hard as they could be, seemingly hopeless you still maintain hope. You still can come out on top, it doesn't have to end there.. Keep that in mind as you go back to your life."

"Yeah well I still think you're mad and trust me being mad isn't such a bad thing, look at me for instance! Well goodbye I'm off to cause mischief for the queen."

With a huge grin he faded away while the others waved and faded into the distance.

"What a strange bunch."

Quickly she found her body being jerked back as if she was flying backwards, back up the rabbit hole and out. What goes up must come down, and she hit the ground again with a thud.

==================================================================

She woke up grabbing the switchblade and crouched in a ready position the book falling off her lap and onto the floor. The storm had stopped almost as if it hadn't at all. She was home again. Alone in a big house but home. Her heart raced for a moment as she plopped herself back down on the ground against the side of the bed. With her free hand she leaned her head back and placed the back of her hand against her forehead, staring at the ceiling in bewilderment.

"What the hell was all of that? A talking rabbit, a caterpillar and a grinning cat? I gotta lay off the sweets and fairy tales for awhile."

Word count: 3609 O___O

[Ryu Sakazaki]

It had been four years since he had left San Francisco, unable to attend Alexis' funeral, because he knew if he had gone, he would've broken down. It took four years to forget the pain of watching her die and unable to do anything to save her. At first he spent every waking hour trying to convince himself that Alexis had gone away; he told himself over and over again that she had travelled to Europe or perhaps Australia. As the months went by he began to believe it.

All his family, all his subordinates - none of them mentioned the fate of his ex-girlfriend. They could see his suffering and did not wish to add to it. They understood the human mind is a strange creature. Unless it is reminded of something regularly, it gradually forgets about that thing. In that way we may forget about the most terrible things that happen in our world. Little by little, his memory began to lose its imprint of Alexis until, truly, she ceased to exist in his world. Having returned to New York City, he had taken over as the fourth boss of the most powerful Triad in the city, the Phoenix Period, and now ruled Chinatown and the underground streets of New York City.

Today was no different from any other day. Seated at his desk in his office as usual, guards posted everywhere, even outside his door, but never inside his office, as only two people were allowed inside, his grandfather, and his personal bodyguard, Chen Xu, the back of his chair facing the door of his office, rain battered against his window as the water ran down the glass. His eyes closed, his right resting lightly against his cheek. Lightning flashing across the room, lighting up his facial features, the sound of soft, even footsteps could be heard, as a man emerged from the shadows, his hands clasped behind his back.

["Master."]

Giving no immediate answer to the man, it was only after he swiveled around in his chair, now facing the man, would he slowly open his eyes and give the man a piercing look.

["What is so important as to knock out all of my guards and disturb me, Zheng Xun Wu?"]

["Why I am here matters not. What matters is that I will not leave until I have defeated you!"]

Within a blink of an eye, Xun would appear in front of him, his right arm shooting out and sending a flat palm strike straight at his chest, his left arm still held behind his back. Just as fast as Xun moved, he would catch his wrist, a look of indifference on his face, as Xun scowled.

["If you will not fight me, then I will make you fight!"]

Xun, his wrist still caught in his hand, would yank his hand back, using his super speed to yank him with him but he would release Xun's wrist as he yanked his wrist back, and flattening his left hand, like a knife, would slice at his chest, but using the back support of his chair as a springboard, he would back flip over it and land behind his chair, Xun slicing nothing but air leaping back over the desk afterwards, landing gracefully in front of it.

Xun would take up his previous stance, with his left hand behind his back, only to stiffen before reappearing over to the left, multiple needles embedded in the wall behind the spot he had previously stood at. His eyes narrowing, Xun would appear behind him, sending a knife hand at the back of his neck. Quickly turning around, he would catch Xun's hand and throw his arm off to the side while sending a bone-crushing claw strike at him. Xun would use the momentum from his strike being shifted to the side to his advantage, and with a 180 degree spin, would avoid the claw strike while reaching beneath his jacket and with his super speed, would flick an acupuncture needle right at his back, but quickly reacting, he would catch the needle between his index and middle finger, and was about to send the needle flicking back at Xun, only to find him nowhere to be seen. Where did he go?

["Too slow Master."]

If he looked behind him, he would see Xun landing gracefully on top of his coffee table, as left or right was not an option, there was only one clear choice: backwards. Casually brushing off his clothes, the needle still held between his fingers, the two of them were evenly matched, Xun with his enhanced speed, while he with his enhanced senses and other ability no one knew of.

["It seems we are at an impasse."]

Xun would scoff at him.

["I did not come here to simply walk away with a truce, I came here to defeat you, and I will not leave until I do!"]

Leaping down from his perch on the table, Xun would land gracefully and appear in front of him, his hands like knives, as Xun would move his right arm in a slicing motion, to slice his chest, before following up with a bone crushing claw strike of his own. Sighing, Xun's haste had cost him this fight. As soon as Xun was close enough, he would deliver a straight jab to his cheek, the impact powerful enough to open up a cut on his cheek, making him bleed.

["Hahaha... HAHAHA!"]

Xun would laugh softly, before full on roaring with laughter, as he would appear in front of Xun, his eyes narrowing at him.

["Did you think super speed was all I had, Master? There is more to my ability than just moving incredibly fast."]

Xun would move his hands back and forth rapidly, building up friction, and with the heat built up, would disappear from sight once more, reappearing behind him, and go for a heat slice with his hands like knives. Sighing once more, he leap over his desk and land gracefully on the coffee table, his hands held behind his back.

["Truly, this is a waste of an effort."]

Wise words... though they fall on deaf ears. Well, for Xun anyways.

In the shadows, Xun could only grin. If he could not defeat him up close, then he would have to keep his distance. Disappearing once more, emerging from the darkness with a flash of lightning, at an incredible speed, the head of a flame engulfed meteor hammer would come flying at him, aiming to ensnare him. Pressing a button on his chain, razor sharp blades would shoot out and encompass the entire meteor hammer head (think Gogo Yubari from Kill Bill Vol. 1), as he would yank the chain back towards him... and him. The advantage to the long chain, he did not have to be within close range to attack.

He was however, unfazed by the new tactic, and would simply sidestep the meteor hammer, this had gone on for long enough. As Xun appeared in front of him, his meteor hammer chain in both hands, the head buried in the wall in front of him, he would yank mightily on the chain, ripping the head out, and would try to hit him with the rebound, but at the split second the chain was taut, he would pull his Chinese jian he always had with him, and slice through the chain like butter, Xun sent stumbling backwards from the chain being cut, he would stare angrily at his broken chain, before improvising and using it as a chain whip, all the while charging angrily at him. Leaping up into the air, Xun would aim to slam the broken end of the chain into him... until his feet were pierced by the acupuncture needles he had thrown at Xun as he took off, that is. Roaring in pain, blood flowing from his feet, the broken end of the chain would instead slam into the wall, and end up caught inside.

["You should have heeded my words Xun, and now you have paid for it."]

Landing gracefully in front of Xun, this was the end. Xun's eyes narrowing at him, he could only watch and wait.

["I have failed you... father."]

The blow he launched slamming straight into his chest, the wind knocked out of him, Xun's head would bow in defeat, as he slowly lost consciousness.

["You should not have come here seeking revenge Xun. Your father was a former pupil of my grandfather's, but was expelled, and he sought to create his own gang, one to destroy my grandfather's. Your heart overruled your head, and the price was paid."]

Except for his office wall, which was slightly destroyed, his office was in relatively well shape, and the guards would wake up eventually, having just been knocked out, not killed. Ever since taking over, this had become a daily occurrence, rival Triads wishing to take over New York by defeating him, now that his grandfather was no longer the head. It didn't make his life boring, but it wasn't exactly something he considered a small nuisance either. It was troublesome, but he would take them as they came. And he would stand victorious over all.

(OOC: Word count without BB coding: 1540)

[Kazuya Hikari]

And closing July's monthly, because it is now August.

EXP awarded to Vespyr, Mitsuki Park, and Eurydice Sudeki. If another staff member can award the EXP for my characters, that would be most appreciated.

[Lucien DeChain]

EXP Awarded to Kazuya Hikari and Daniel Lee.