"Vestas has never been a peaceful place," the young woman recalled solemnly, staring into the fire as she tucked her knees under her chin. She looked at the stone in her hand, worn smooth with time. "I bet you this rock has seen more war then any of us combined."

~~~~

In a universe far from our own, the planet of Vestas circles slowly towards her doom.

The earliest recorded history speaks of nothing but bloodshed and war. Vestas has known nothing else. No one even knows why there has been so much fighting- there is only the simple fact that there is, and always has been, war.

Now, a new, dark force has arrived on Vestas, a force more murderous then anything the people have ever experienced before. It's a whole new battle- and the war-hardened people of Vestas are not prepared for it.

It is time to take a stand. You're mission, should you choose to accept it, is to band together with whatever survivors are left and take the fight to them. It will not be easy. You may not make it out alive. But if you win, you will bring peace to this fragile, war-torn world that is quickly spinning out of control.

However, if you loose.....

everything that ever was will come crashing down in a flaming Armaggedon.

Will you fight to the end?

~~~~~

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[H I [S] T O R Y]

The history of Vestas is a long, bloody one. While people were believed to have lived on Vestas long before, the first established government was set up by King Addion. This is considered 0 AC (After Civilization); any time period before this is known as BC (Before Civilization.)

Even before King Addion had stepped up, the tribes that dotted Vestas were in constant war with each other. King Addion immediately set out to wipe out the rest of the warring tribes, believing that if he did so, he would end all war and bring peace.

This time was known as the Great Purge.

For some years, King Addion's forces were successful in destroying several different tribes. But then, the other tribes banded together and rebelled. A bloody battle was waged between the two forces, until King Addion was forced to yield. Vestas knew a short period of strenuous peace, which lasted about two years- after this time, another war sparked. No one knows why or how, although tribal legend says that the war was a political device, a way to dethrone one leader and put in place another.

Ever since then, Vestas has been at war with herself. The world has quickly grown and divided into several different nations, each with different reasons for waging war.

The year is now 2043 AC. The young people of Vestas have been at war ever since they could remember; as were their parents, and their grandparents. Life is hard- food is scarce, and there is barely ever enough clean water to go around. And still, the people of Vestas fight. Most people don't even understand why they are fighting- they have simply been at it too long to know understand anything else.

In the middle of a bloody war, a new force has arrived- a dark force that sweeps across the land like a plague. Beings that call themselves "The Sentinels" have arrived from seemingly nowhere, and yet they are the strongest faction out there. The people of Vestas must join together, for divided their desperate attempts at survival will only result in failure. A band of heroes will rise up to form The Guardians, and will fight not only for honor and glory, but for the survival of their whole race.

The Sentinels, themselves, claim to have only one motive: total and utter annihilation. For reasons unknown, they want to take over Vestas- and they will kill every single person on the planet in their conquest.

~~~~~

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[M A P]

A description of the different surviving city-states of Vestas.

C I L L I O N
Population: 5 million people
Zoning Type: Temperate
Cillion is a sprawling city-state. It may have once been beautiful, but years of being ravished by war have demolished much of the city. The line between rich and poor is stark and bold. The inner sanctum of the city is the safest place, as well as the least run-down; it is reserved only for those who can pay their way into it. The biggest source of income for Cillion is steel; there are several steel mills located around the outskirts of the city. Cillion is perhaps most famous for their warriors, who are commended even by their enemies.
The Leader of Cillion, Chairman Rosenthal, has declared war on Charybdis and Lumera, nearby city-states. He is looking to expand Cillion.

C H A R Y B D I S
Population: 2.5 million people
Zoning Type: Tundra
Located north of Cillion. A smaller city-state set up in the middle of a frozen tundra, Charybdis has always used that as it's greatest defense. Things are pretty even in Charybdis, as everyone there works with each other towards survival. Indoor farming is a huge source of income as well as food for the people of Charybdis. While they are simple farming folk, Charybdis has put forth many a great warrior, and their army is second only to Cillion.
The leader of Charybdis, Premier Anyetta Kerchenkov, has declared war on Cillion.

L U M E R A
Population: 3 million people
zoning type: desert
Located south-west of Charybdis, and west of Cillion. A walled city-state, the people of Lumera are fierce. They are accustomed to the harshness of desert life, and many of the prominant families own herds of camels for travelling across the desert. Poverty is plain to see within the walls of the city; the city-state itself is rather poor. A main source of income is horse-breeding. Their army consists of many mounted units, and their most formidable units are the Elephant units.
Lumera is an ally of Charybdis, and as such the leader, Chief Arim Mataki, has declared war on Cillion.

R I V I E R A
Population: 4.5 million people
zoning type: coastal
Riviera is a small island located just east of the mainland. Half of the island is in ruins, while the other half is overcrowded with people. Riviera has a surprisingly strong navy. It's main source of income is fishing.
The leader of Riviera, Queen Kalani, has declared war on Bethesda.

B E T H E S D A
Population: 3.7 million people
zoning type: coastal/jungle
Bethesda is a sprawling sea-port city-state located on the Kirora River. It is walled all the way around, so that the only entrance is through the ports. Bethesda is better off then many of the other city-states of Vestas; they capitalize on trade, which is a rather booming industry no matter who they are working for. Right now, they are running trade routes for Cillion. Their merchant fleet can also double as the navy, if need be, although Bethesda is known best for their air warfare.
The leader of Bethesda, High Chancellor Rubidos, has declared war on Riviera.

T H E ~ S E N T I N E L
Population: Unknown
zoning type: unknown
The Sentinel is an invading force from an unknown place. The armies that have swept across the land of Vestas are inhuman and terrible; they have also shown a great deal of bloodlust, killing anything and everything they encounter. It is difficult to speculate their origins, although some point to an extraterrestrial source.

~~~~~

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[R U L E S [O F] E N G A G E M E N T]

1. Follow mene ToS.
2. Keep it pg-13 please. Just because it is a war, doesn't mean you have to go into all the gory details.
3. Romance is allowed, but please keep in mind that pg-13 rating. No bumping of the nasties allowed here, kids.
4. I would like this to be semi-literate, at the VERY least. No chat or l337 speak allowed. Proper grammar and spelling, please (spell check is your friend)
5. No killing of other players unless you have written permission from both the other player and myself. The other player must pm me okaying the action as well.
6. I would like at least one post a day from everyone. PM me if there would be any problems; I'm not the wicked witch of the west, I won't banish you because you got swamped with schoolwork and couldn't get on.
7. Please give us at least a paragraph a day, and avoid one-liners at all costs.
8. Be polite to everyone, and give people plenty of chances to jump into the story at any given time. Don't ignore your fellow rp-ers.
9. X marks the spot. Highlight there.
10. Send me all profiles, if you post it you will be ignored. This is to keep things nice and clean for everyone.
11. I reserve the right to add more rules as I see fit, but I will notify you if I do, promise.
X Title pm's "Gears of Change" so that I know you read the rules.

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[P R O F I L E[*] S K E L E T O N S]

H U M A N S:

[SIZE="1"]Name: 
Age: (be reasonable.)
Height/Weight:
City: (the city they come from.)
Personality: 
Biography: 
Appearance: 
Weapon(s): (limit 3, 1 main) 
Anything else:
Username: [/SIZE ]

T H E ~ S E N T I N E L

[SIZE="1"]Name:
Appeared Age: (the age they appear to be; Sentinel aging is different from human aging.)
Height/Weight:
Position: (position within the Sentinel Army. can range from infantry to espionage to medic.)
Personality:
Appearance:
Weapons: (limit 3, 1 main)
Anything else: 
Username:[/SIZE ]

~~~~~

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[A C C E P T E D[*] G A U R D I A N S]

Name: Ashlotte "Ashe" Perrine
Age: 20
Height/Weight: 5'5"/113 lbs.
City: Cillion
Personality: A spirited, determined girl. She doesn't take no for an answer, and will never give up once she has set her mind to something. She can come off as distant sometimes, and often zones out when not in battle.
Biography: Ashe grew up in the slums of Cillion, the youngest and only girl in a family of 5. She grew up with her brothers- their parents had passed away when Ashe was only three, leaving the five Perrine children to band together and fend for themselves. Life was rough, but they did what they could- being the youngest and smallest, Ashe and her brother Kairo often went out to steal things they needed.
When Ashe was 10, her oldest brothers Lucas and Alexander joined the Cillian National Army, in an attempt to help their small family. Lucas never returned, and Alexander was injured severely and sent home disabled. Despite this, the remaining three children would follow in their footsteps- even little Ashe.
She joined when she was 17, lying about her age. At this point, the Sentinel Invasion had begun, and they would take anyone they could get. After two years of rigorous, brutal training, Ashe rose up a deadly warrior, praised by many of her mentors. The death of her brothers Ryan and Kairo, one after the other, hit her hard, and caused her to withdraw within herself. She fights now to help pay the bills for her brother Alexander's medical expenses and to keep him safe within the inner sanctum of Cillion.
Appearance:
Weapon(s): Ashe's main weapon is her sword, but she also carries dual handguns on her person; they are her brothers Lucas and Alexander's service guns.
Anything else: She hates water.
Username: Strawberry Kitkat

Originally Posted by 0ri0n83

Name: Callin
Age: 21
Height/Weight: 5' 10"/ 150 lbs.
City: Riviera
Personality: Calm, calculated, courageous
Biography: Callin is truly a man of the sea. He loves everything about it. He loves the smell of the salt, the wind in his hair, everything. Callin was born into a rather influent naval family, and was believed that he would follow that route as well, however, Callin had other plans. He decided that he wanted to go into the trading business, and became the captain of the Silver Dawn, at the age of 20. He is in charge of delivering gods to another city-state named Cillion. He is the youngest captain to date, and due to this fact he is still treated like a child by the other captains when he is at dry dock, and even his own crew.
Appearance:
Weapon(s): tae kwon do (not really a weapon, but that's how he fights), and his main weapon a sword.
Anything else: He had a terrible fear of heights.
Username: 0ri0n83

Originally Posted by MissEuphoriaX

Name: Vanna Kin
Age: 20
Height/Weight: 5'8" 145 lbs
City: Bethesda
Personality: Vanna is bubbly and kind, even in times of war. She loves the little things in life and is nearly always content with the way things are. However, she is deeply attached to her twin and can not live without him.
Biography: Vanna grew up in a wealthy family in Bethesda. When she was young she would alternate days exploring the jungel and going to the beach with her brother. However, when she was 17 her mother fell to an illness, her father entered a violent alocholic rage. After enduring much abuse from her father, Vanna was happy to escape it. But now she is a wanted runaway suspected of murdering her father. She lives a nomad-type life with her brother and finds any work she can. Mostly she steals from ships and travelers.
Appearance:

Weapon(s): A small dagger and she has been trained since an early age in Aiki-jujutsu.
Anything else: Vanna has a soft spot for all animals, except spiders. She is severely arachonophobic.

Username: MissEuphoriaX

Name: Teal Kin
Age: 20
Height/Weight: 6' 175lbs
City: Bethesda
Personality: Teal is nearly a polar opposite of Vanna. He is quiet and reserved. He allows Vanna to do most of the talking for him. He is normally a negative person and is always ready to enter a fight. He rarely smiles, even to Vanna. Teal constantly worries over Vanna and has the tendency to treat her, and others, like a child.
Biography: Even throughout his childhood Teal was led around by Vanna, following her where she wanted to go. He wasn't shy but wasn't talkative either. The only thing he would ever stand to agrue over with Vanna is whether the jungel or the ocean was better. However, as they grew older Teal found himself distancing himself from Vanna and spending more time alone on the coast, a decision he'd come to regret as their mother passed away. It took him almost a year to realize the abuse that was happening to Vanna and to this day he feels responsible for not stopping it earlier. Without hesitation he murdered their father and ran away with Vanna, not telling her what he had done. Now he travels from place to place with Vanna by his side, picking up whatever work he can find.
Appearance:

Weapon(s): A long sword disguised as a staff. Teal was trained from a very earlier age in Aiki-jujutsu.
Anything else:

Username: MissEuphoriaX

Originally Posted by Okamigirl

Name: Jack Maire (just like mare O3o)
Age: 19
Height/Weight: 6'
City: Cillion
Personality: Jack is high energy with a few screws loose. Never really thinking of consequences, he's reckless and dangerous when angered. Jack is smart, but he doesn't do well in arguments, so it's hard for him to settle things with words. He may have a few good ideas, here and there, but it's not too often.
Get to know Jack, though, and he's nicer than his outward appearance.
Biography: Living in the outskirts Cillion, Jack tended to stay with other orphans (he became one at six years of age), though with his strange personality and quick temper, he found himself distanced from other people in a short time. This did not trouble him in the slightest, though, as he became more used to isolation. Instead, Jack found animals that weren't nervous around him, such as stray dogs or cats. He loved animals and often gave them scraps when he could spare them. Jack still has a love for animals, and knows a good deal about them.
After awhile, Jack decided it would be a good idea to get a job in a steel mill. He was very lucky to get a job, as the employer hadn't heard of his violent fights with other boys, and his quick temper. Employed at 15 years of age, Jack worked for three years at the steel mill, until he decided the job was boring, and it didn't require him to use any of his skills, or talents.
Recently, Jack was enlisted in the Cillion National Army, though due to his reckless ways, he dropped out for his lack of discipline and reckless behavior.
Appearance:
Weapon(s): A short sword, much like a machete, is buckled into his belt, and a claymore strapped to his back. Jack never goes anywhere without his weapons.
Anything else: Jack loves explosives, and works very well with them. Also, he always carries a match in his mouth, never lit. Dislikes water, though only because he fears of it wetting his match so it would be impossible to use (or explosives).

Username: Okamigirl

~~~~

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[A C C E P T E D[*] S E N T I N E L]

Name: Ava Helliander
Appeared Age: 20 years old
Height/Weight: 5'7"/115 lbs.
Position: Sergeant 1st class/ special forces (espionage)
Personality: Zaphina is cool and ruthless. As one of the younger members of the army, she still has trouble controlling her emotions, and her ability to empathise with people gets her in trouble sometimes. She has a hair-trigger on her temper, and when she gets mad, anyone standing near her isn't expected to live.
Appearance:
Weapons: Her main weapon is a chain with a mace on one end, and a sickle blade on the other. She also carries poison-tipped throwing daggers on her person at all times.
Anything else: She has memory lapses every now and again. They are few and far between, but when they happen they go so far as to make her forget her own name.
Username: Strawberry Kitkat

Originally Posted by Another Mad Bloke

Name: Glyn Blair
Appeared Age: 21
Height/Weight: 6'2"/140 lb.
Position: 1st Rank Assasin/Sabotuer
Personality: Cold and slightly emotionless, he knows only the mission and nothing else. At least, he believes that's the case. No one has proved otherwise. And thus, they are dead. Simple enough.
Appearance:
Weapons: Main-A battery powered, electric rifle that delivers an instant killing shock to the victim. His secondary weapons are double batons that have similar ideas of killing.
Anything else: He prefers the sweet tasting food found in the food packages (also, he is fascinated by the Vest culture, or what's left of it).
Username: Another Mad Bloke

~~~~~

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[W H I T E*L I S T]



[G R E Y*L I S T]



[B L A C K*L I S T]



~~~~

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[E X T E R N A L*L I N K S]

OOC thread- [link coming soon]

If you have a roleplay you would like to affiliate with this one, just give me the link and I'll put it up here.

~~~~

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[R E S E R V E D]

[R E S E R V E D]

[O P E N * A C C E P T I N G]

Ashe leaned back on her seat casually, smoke wafting from between her lips. It was a chilly day, but she didn't seem to notice as she examined the landscape from her spot high atop a ruined building. The roof and part of a wall had been blasted off, leaving a nice, open perch for the young woman. The building itself was in an inbetween place, outside of any of the city-states- it had once been a sort of hotel, she guessed, from a lost period in time when the countries tried to exist together in peace.

She looked at the cigarette in her hand, then dropped it on the cement floor and ground it out under her boot. She had meant to quit, but she was so damned stressed lately...

"Time to get to work," she said with a sigh, getting to her feet and reaching for her sword. She grabbed her rapell line from off the floor and quickly set it up, clipping the hook to her belt. That was the fun part about her little "hideout"- the stairs that lead up were completely blocked off by rubble, leaving only one option for entry and exit- climbing and repelling. She stepped up to the edge, then turned around and repelled down, feeling a small rush of air, and then her feet hit the ground. She unhooked the line, then hid it carefully so that she could get back up. With a quick, brisk turn, she headed east; she'd been slowly working towards the coast.

Callin opened his olive colored eyes as he took in his surroundings. The windows were letting the morning sun into his room illuminating everything in it. Illuminating the mess of his room or should he say his captain's quarters. He was the captain of the trading vessel, Silver Dawn, that went in between Riviera and Cillion. Shrugging into some simple clothing he walked out into the morning sun as he looked at his crew. They were a ragtag bunch, but he called them family, and they called him family as well. Being in the trade business was a pretty lucrative job, but it also came with its own problems. Such as pirates and looters. Luckily for them they have had pretty decent luck lately with not getting robbed.

Going towards the front of the boat he saw Cillion off in the distance. "Guys, we made it," said Callin as he saw a white bird flying high above. He raised his arm and the bird came flying down to rest on his gloved hand. "Welcome back Hinther," said Callin as he patted the bird of prey on the back. "Do you have any news for me?" Callin looked at the small leather band around the eagles leg and didn't see any notes or anything. "I guess the saying goes no news is good news right guys." Callin smiled as he looked towards his men. They would be welcomed into the state of Cillion since they were a trading vessel. So that meant good eatings, and possibly a decent bed to sleep in. Things were looking up for Callin and his crew of misfits.

Ashe decided to head for the river, which was by far the easiest path to get to the city. Raiders and highwaymen didn't patrol the river like hawks, but people were starting to get savvy to the new route, so it was always a possibility. So far, she had avoided any trouble.

With a sigh she pushed her hair off her forehead and out of her eyes, picking her way over rocks. It was awefully quiet, quiet enough to put her on edge. She was used to the never-ending sounds of war, and the silence just made her suspicious. She tried to push it out of her mind- there was nothing for her to worry about yet.

She came over a hill and spotted the river- as well as a ship sailing along it. The river was wide, and served as a shipping line to Cillion from the ocean; the mouth opened up near Riviera. She studied it with an analytical gaze and noted it was only a trader's ship- Riviera's war fleet was a sight to behold. Besides, they were not fighting Riviera at this moment in time. She waited, wondering if she should flag them down and ask for a ride (of course, boarding the ship would be a task, since there was no dock nearby.)

Callin went about the ship deck looking at various things, and checking other things to make sure that they were in tip top shape. He noticed that they were getting closer and closer to the dock that they would be unloading at so they took down the sails, and used the oars on the ship to navigate the trading boat. The river was wide, but the slightest gust of wind could send them into one of the nearby banks. It was better to be safe than sorry. As they continued their way down towards the dock Callin stretched. Today they were bringing all manners of guns, weapons, and heavy artillery from Riviera. He knew that as soon as they docked there they would have to unload quickly to make sure that they got all of their cargo onto another means of transportation as soon as possible. Then they would leave and head back to Riviera, only to have to do it again.

The ship bumped into the side sending the boat lurching forward as Callin swiveled on his heel to glare at one of the crew members. The crew member said that he was sorry, and the boat continued its quiet, lazy course towards the dock.

Vanna waited on the docks of Cillion, dressed in formal officer attire. She liked it in Cillion, the people were so easily fooled. Vanna had pulled this trick a few times the past few days and no one had stopped her, or even questioned her. So long as she looked the part and talked the talk she could get away with it. However, waiting on the dock all day for a trading vessel to arrive with goods worth selling was a task. Vanna was bored quickly and hated not having Teal there to talk to. In fact, being away from Teal made her nervous and anxious. But Teal had never approved of her 'sticky fingers' which was exactly why she never brought him along. After her day was finished she would stash her uniform, which she had stolen as well, trade in the goods at a pawn shop, return to her brother with the money and tell him the little white lie that she had worked all day doing odd jobs around town. Vanna hated lying to Teal but if he knew the truth he would probably make her stop.

Vanna sighed as she shifted her gaze to an incoming boat that was not being very graceful about it. It was a Riviera ship. She hated Riviera simply for the fact that it was at war with her home, Bethesda. She knew the only thing coming in to Cillion from Riviera would be weapons or armor. Two things that would both fetch a fancy price. Even so, she would gain a sense of pride stealing from a Riviera ship. So she flagged them down. She give them the normal report she gave ever ship she stole from. "We've been flooded with reports of suspicious cargo aboard your vessel. In turn, I am here to confiscate half of your cargo and then you may return about your business." It was pretty fool proof really.



Teal was down the same dock as Vanna, he had known what 'activities' she'd been up to since the first day she'd come back with a rather large amount of money. No employee was ever that giving. So from then on he followed Vanna, just to make sure she didn't get hurt. However, unlike her he did work. He worked on ships, repairing them or cleaning them and worked on the docks, making sure they were clean as well. Instead of wearing his normal white jacket he had a blue cloak draped over his shoulders so whenever he needed to pass by Vanna he would pull it over his head, she was none the wiser. He always kept his sword-disguised-as-a-staff on him, so if for Vanna happened to catch sight of that, she know it was him in an instant.

Right now, Teal was taking a break from his usual jobs and leaning against one of the dock posts. It wasn't a very hot day, luckily, but the wind was kicking up from time to time. He yawned slightly as he noticed a ship about to dock, a Riviera ship. Honestly, he didn't think any less of Riviera as he did Cillion. He simply did not care. There was no one for him back in Bethesda so why would it matter? Teal had always thought, "Let the bastards have their war. Maybe it will do the planet good to have a few less idiots among it.", when it came to the subject of war. However, his stomach tightened as he noticed Vanna begin to flag the ship down, she was obviously insane. If she got caught stealing the weapons or armor cargo that ship was no doubt carrying.. The bounty on her head would grow, triple fold. There was already a nice price out on her for a crime that Teal had committed. Unfortunately, Vanna had been the one everyone pointed their fingers at, for some reason. So now, as he watched what Vanna was doing, it was very hard for him to stay rooted to his position and watch his sister's wild actions.

Sunlight filtered in through thin window slates, lighting the cold stone floor inside a ruined house. Half of the house was caved in, rubble piling up to the only entrance and exit, a large hole that had been made by removing the surrounding bricks. In one corner of the house, under a small cove, lay a simple bed, the mattress stuffed with hay. A boy with shaggy white blond hair moved restlessly in his sleep, disturbing the covers and pushing a small cat off of the bed. Awakened from her sleep in such an undignified way, the gray tabby hissed in anger, while flattening itself against the floor and sweeping its tail in quick agitated strokes.
The hissing awoke the boy, who was a light sleeper. Groaning, he bent down and patted the tabby's head, who immediately began to purr, her eyes closed with contentment. Smiling, the boy straightened up and slid off the bed, bringing a rough blanket down with him.
"There you are, sweetheart." Jack cooed, scooping the small tabby into his hands, and putting her gently into his lap, with the blanket wrapped comfortably around her. The young adult began to stroke her head in slow movements, helping her drift off to sleep. As the tabby finally fell asleep, Jack gently picked the blanket and her up, and set her safely on the bed. About four other kittens were there, dozing in little round balls, each about the size of a softball.
Standing up, Jack moved towards a stone fireplace, set in the opposite side of the wall. Stumbling a few times over a few rugs that he had salvaged from the wreckage, he finally slipped on the floor and landed with a soft thud on the stone floor. His back aching from the fall, Jack lay there for a few moments, trying to collect his thoughts which whirred around in his head.
A few seconds is all it takes to get attacked, though. Immediately, something heavy fell on Jack's chest, laboring his breathing. Mayhem reigned as Jack attempted to throw off his enemy, as all he saw was a huge, white, long furred animal with piercing blue eyes and long, pure white fangs. The creature was of gargantuan size, and very desperate, but living on the outskirts of Cillion and having to deal with many hostile people, while working in the steel mill for three years had given Jack enormous strength that contradicted his appearance.
Pushing off the huge creature, Jack moved quickly, pinning it down by the throat with one arm, while reaching for his short sword. Finding the smooth handle without looking away from the creature, Jack ripped the sword from its scabbard, but before trying to kill the creature, he gave it a long look, and then a long sigh escaped his lips as he relaxed, putting the sword back in the scabbard.
"Tagg! How many times do I tell you not to do that?!" Jack groaned as he gazed at the dog, which was still on his back, with his tail wagging madly. Tagg the Joyful, named by Jack, was a huge Tibetan Mastiff at about two years old. Jack found him as a month old pup, an orphan like him. He had immediately fallen head over heels for the optimistic pup, who followed Jack everywhere.
Though Jack had always worried about how he would take care of Tagg, but fortunately the mastiff found food himself, stealing from anyone who was careless enough to leave their food out without supervision. Jack often mused over how such a large dog managed to do such a task so nimbly.
"Sorry about that, Tagg, but you shouldn't really sneak up on me like that... you're not listening, are you?" Jack glared daggers at his dog, who was sniffing around eagerly, pushing rugs around and sometimes picking them up and shaking them viciously, until he grew bored of that particular rug and continued exploring. The "love attack", as Jack called it, happened at least twice each day, whenever Jack woke up and whenever he was falling asleep. Tagg always wanted to sleep with Jack, but with his enormous size, it was impossible, so he always ended up sleeping on the floor, on top of a huge pile of rugs.
Throwing two logs unto the smoldering coals resting in the fireplace, Jack warmed himself by the fire, deciding he would find some odd jobs to perform, and then go shopping to restore his food supply, which had mysteriously quickly depleted ever since Tagg had come into his life, two years ago. As if he had heard his name, the mastiff walked over to Jack and settled next to him, his enormous head resting on Jack's lap.
(Sorry that the writing is kinda hay-wire stuff...)

Ashe had bypassed the ship on the river, deciding the was too lazy to try and negotiate a ride back. Politics weren't her strong point, and if the crew had prooved to be unfriendly her hot temper might have taken over, and she didn't need the trouble. She continued on to the city, one hand resting easily on her sword as she went.

She looked over her shoulder when she heard a crack, her eyes darting to the shore. Nothing moved- which made her nervous. There was nowhere to hide, unless they were lying in the mud on the bank. After another minute of standing and staring, she chalked it up to her imagination going crazy and continued on.

She had just turned back around when something leaped on her, toppling her to the ground. The creature's momentum flung it off her as she fell, claws raking across her back. "Shit," she growled, rolling to her feet and grabbing her sword. A lard wildcat growled ferally, it's overgrown canine's glistening as it circled her.

[[It was fine C:
Mine is so short D:
And I think I need to make a Sentinel profile so that we have some bad guys owo]]

(^^ I was thinking about that too, but I don't think I would know what to do with a Sentinel O_o.)

After his breakfast, a small loaf of bread and a fried egg, Jack got ready for the day. Pulling on a pair of worn jeans over his boxers, and slipping on his black jacket over his white shirt, he set off with a small amount of money, for whatever occasion might call for it.
Stretching momentarily, Jack began to climb the rubble up to his homemade entrance. Suddenly, a rock pierced Jack's unprotected underfoot, giving a long, but very shallow scratch. He had forgotten his shoes... or he had lost them. Jack couldn't remember where he had put them, as he cast his eyes about the room.
A cold, wet nose nudged his arm, and Jack turned to see Tagg carrying his boots and a pair of socks in his mouth. bemused, Jack took them gratefully, and rubbed Tagg's soft head fur.
"Thanks, buddy. I hope you weren't the one who hid them." At this remark, the mastiff avoided eye contact, to which Jack chuckled light-heartedly.
Pulling on his socks, and then his boots, Jack continued to his climb to the outside. The pile of bricks, furniture, and fallen beams wasn't big, and was sturdy, so Jack didn't have any trouble in reaching the entrance. Stepping outside onto a terrace, that had somehow survived years of war, the young adult took a moment to observe the scene. Vegetation forced its way through the building and into the light, growing and taking over the outskirts of Cillion. The outskirts were beautiful in Jack's eyes; war being turned into nature, as he saw it. Cracked, ugly buildings that had signs of bloodshed tracked across their walls were being turned into perfect homes for animal refugees, supporting a whole ecosystem.
Walking over to the side of the terrace, Jack jumped down, carefully absorbing the shock in a roll. Just as soon as Jack righted up, he was brought down again as Tagg bravely leaped from the terrace, like a heroic hero. Though, in a tangled mess with his master, Tagg's special moment was over as he was pushed away from his master, who was thoroughly exhausted.
"You don't have to come every time, Tagg... though I suppose it's worthless telling you that." Again, Jack chuckled, shaking his head in mock exhaustion. "Well, come along then, you great lump. We have some work to do." Sprinting off, Jack left a confused Tagg behind, who, after a few seconds, righted his thoughts and followed the rambunctious adult to wherever he lead.

Not too far away lay Riviera's trading route, the river (sorry, I don't know its name). The river was Jack's favorite path, even though he hated water, he knew that because of the vegetation surrounding the river, there would be animals. Jack had made many friends there, and so he took that path whenever he could.
Slowing down to a fast-paced walk, Jack moved onto an old, worn trail, used by travelers who's destination is Cillion. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a match box, and with a simple flick of his wrist, opened it. Hesitating, and then picking a slim, short match, he fitted it into his mouth, like a toothpick, to be chewed on thoughtfully... or for fun.
As Jack moved along the path, he stopped ever so often to listen for any creatures, if they were dangerous or not. He felt the weight of the claymore on his back, and the movement of the short sword at his waist. A sudden bark reminded him of one more asset; Tagg, his Tibetan mastiff. Though, any person who met Tagg would know he's a gentle giant, unless someone he cares for is threatened. Jack remembered once when a couple of thugs were harassing him, pushing him around and threatening. They wanted him to sell Tagg to them, as he was such a beautiful and healthy dog. Tagg would've fetched a high price, for his coat and eye color. But Jack, obviously, would never sell Tagg, or give him away. They were like brothers. So, as the situation got more violent, and one of the thugs were beginning to draw a knife, Tagg went berserk. It was the first time Jack had ever seen the mastiff become this way. He jumped on the first thug, who had the knife, and almost tore out his throat. The thug's accomplice was already running away by that time, leaving a huge snarling dog to his "friend". Jack pulled Tagg off of the thug, who fled in a very undignified way, whimpering in fright. The Tibetan mastiff returned to normal once the villains had been lost to sight, becoming his joyful self once more.
Jack turned to Tagg, who was currently chasing butterflies like a kitten, snapping his jaws and jumping around with ecstasy. It was so nice to see someone who was as carefree as that, one that didn't care what people thought of him.
Trees began to thin out, and a wide plain sprang up, with the real Cillion in the distance, the river running in looping lines towards it. Jack yawned, the match almost falling out of his mouth and into the river. It was a nice day. The sun was out, but a light breeze stirred. He never expected to see what he did: A girl fighting a large wild cat. It was pacing her with its teeth bared, ears back and hackles raised. Stopping immediately where he was, Jack tried to think what was his best options. He could leave the pair alone, but that would be cowardly. He could intervene, but the cat would attack him and force him to attack it, and Jack didn't want to hurt the wildcat. The only option Jack could see would be to tackle the cat, and try to calm him down.
'Wait, isn't that the same as intervening? Wait, shut up brain!' Jack growled mentally, as he took a few steps towards the fighting pair.
A white streak flashed by, and Tagg was suddenly play fighting with the wildcat. The cat didn't know it, but Tagg was being playful, and wasn't even using his teeth... yet. He yowled and hissed, scratching the mastiff's face with his sharp claws. Now a little annoyed, Tagg began to growl and bark warningly, daring the cat to attack him. Jack didn't want both Tagg and the wildcat to die, or be seriously injured, so he decided to intervene. He ran a short distance, and then jumped over Tagg, and unto the wildcat. It was mayhem. The wildcat began to be desperate, fighting like a cornered animal. Jack clamped the cat's jaws shut with his hands, while receiving many blows from his claws. The young adult suddenly didn't know what to do, as the cat struggled with immense power. Tagg hovered in the back barking maniacally, unable to come to his master's aid.
(Sorry if I intervened and you didn't want me to :(.)

[No, it's perfectly fine C: And the river is just the river, I never named it XD
And the Sentinel are kinda just alien bad guys (who look kinda like people, I guess?) who are out to destroy the world OwO reasons vary. I'm gonna go make one now.]

Ashe hissed slightly as she felt the sting of blood on her shoulder- the wildcat had swiped at her as it had gone tumbling. Just as she was about to attack, a giant dog bounded out of seemingly nowhere, tackling the cat. She watched, her hand still gripping her sword handle- and leaned back slightly when she realized that dog was playing with the wildcat.

A boy came and joined the fray seconds later, as the dog began to struggle with the cat. He made some sort of valiant attempt at subduing the creature, but the cat soon had him pinned. Ashe took this as her opportunity and ran forward, ramming her shoulder into the cat and tackling it off of the boy. She dug her sword into the ground to stop her momentum. She quickly drew one of her guns and shot at the ground in front of the cat- not hitting it, but instead scaring it off. The cat halted it's advance and scrambled back, hissing at her before scampering off.

She waited a moment, then exhaled and slid her gun back into it's holster. Her sword went back on her back; she took a moment to touch her shoulder, examining the damage with her fingertips. It was a shallow scratch, just bled a lot. She could deal with it in a moment. She turned to the boy, placing one hand on her hip.

"That was pretty risky," she commented, then crossed over and held a hand out to him. "Thank you," she added, as she waited. She wondered if she should smile or something, to show she was friendly, then decided against it- her smiles always came out wrong, anyways.

[yay short posts .___________.]

(^^ Okay, thanks :D :D. I think I'll make one too, now that I know about them :D. Thanks :D!)

In a short instance, the cat had Jack pinned, still with his hands clamped over its jaws, but in result suffering many long scratches from the cat's claws. Suddenly, the weight lifted from Jack as the cat went tumbling over the grass. Looking up, he spotted the girl drawing her gun.
"Wai-" his yell was cut short as she fired. The bullet fell near the cat, missing it, who growled and hissed before bounding off over the hills and towards thicker vegetation.
Standing up and brushing off the dirt from his pants, Jack took her proffered hand and shook it heartedly. His face beamed with a huge grin, gratitude written all over it.
"You have an amazing aim! I've never seen anyone so good with a gun!" He chattered on, promptly releasing her hand as he bent down to inspect Tagg.
"Tagg and I would've been in quite a fix if you hadn't come along... er, helped us... um... whatever happened, thanks for helping us." Rustling Tagg's soft fur, Jack checked the thin scratches along his flanks, making notes that they seemed fine, but it would be best to treat the wound. Better safe than sorry.
"Are you going to Cillion as well? We are as well, to get some errands done... wait a second, are you in the army?" Cocking his head to one side, like a dog, or like Tagg who immediately followed Jack's lead and did the same, Jack put forth the question. The girl seemed familiar... maybe a commanding officer.
(Yes! Three hip hip hoorays for short posts XD!)

Ashe listened blankly as the boy chattered away, one eyebrow cocked quizically. Where had this kid come from? And how did he talk so much? She was surprised his tongue didn't explode; then again, Ashe had never been one for talking.

"Yes, I'm heading that way-" she began in her soft, serious voice, then paused when he asked if she was a soldier. She nodded hesitantly, feeling defensive. There were two kinds of people in Cillion- those who loved the soldiers, and those who detested them. She had no way of knowing which kind of person he was. "Staff Sergeant Ashlotte Perrine, of the 101st regiment, ninth battalion," she rattled off, sounding almost bored with the title. She glanced between the boy and the dog, noting the similarity. She supposed there was some truth, then, when people said that dogs looked like their owners. "And who might you be?" And what the hell are you doing walking alone in the wilderness? He was obviously well-equipped to survive- the sight of the giant claymore was not lost to her- but he seemed rather... well, scattered. Most people, including most of the soldiers Ashe worked with, refused to go out into the wild by themselves.

When Jack saw Ashe cock her eyebrow, he laughed openly. It wasn't the first time someone looked at him like that. Things like that happened all the time, and Jack took it as a compliment. He would rather be called strange, abnormal, weird than normal and average. Insults were ranked from comments like average ranking 10-10, and things like (excuse the language) bastard ranking around 2-10, ten being the most atrocious.
Jack listened intently, falling strangely silent as Ashe talked. Now he recognized her; a commanding officer he had barely seen, only occasionally. He had had a few run ins with her, but not many, and they had barely talked. Being out of the army for a year already, Jack doubted she remembered him.
"Jack Maire. Glad to make your acquaintance. This here is Tagg the Joyful, a sweetheart." Letting go of Tagg, Jack watched him bound over to Ashe and begin to sniff her, his tail wagging with so much happiness dust and stray leaves and grass blades swirled in disarray. "I used to be in the army, but I dropped out about a year ago." Jack fell silent for a moment, the memories rushing into his head. They weren't exactly unhappy, but they weren't something you would want to remember all of the time. Suddenly grinning, he stood up and walked over to her, slightly stooping to pet Tagg, who was currently trying to jump up on Ashe's shoulders to lick her face. Grabbing a handful of Tagg's long soft neck fur, Jack pulled him back slightly, wrapping his arms around the mastiff's chest, to prevent him from jumping on Ashe.
"If you were worrying, don't. I'm not a hater of the army. I mean, they are keeping us safe. If you want to stop them, you have to stop the war, I guess." Bowing his head in a sign of embarrassment, Jack fell silent. He felt awkward talking about what other people should do. Feeling hypocritical, he tried to avoid it.

The inside of a Sentinel Camp is rather drab. It should be, really. It was war they were referring to here, after all. Glyn didn't mind. He just wished for a change every once in a while. Along with most the soldiers of their race.

Plus, the cot was uncomfortable. That just made things dreary.

Groaning, the assassin rubbed his forehead, finding a small amount of sweat dribbling down on his hand. He blinked...most, as well as him, were unaccustomed to the drastic differences in temperatures as well. It was much colder from where they were...even in the tundra of this place was just warm to them. Other areas were unbearable...

But these were just preferences, not interruptions. Sighing heavily, Glyn opened another package of sweets, consuming them quickly. This helped with the weather, for him, at least...

Also the occasional sniping and assassinating. Maybe today was the correct time.