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Why do people fight with each other? Why do others feels a need to force their opinions on others? Why can people not accept those for who they are? Why are human beings so contradictory? These are questions that have been brought up hundreds of times over the passage of time. However, in man's wisdom, the answers still escape out ever more intelligent grasp. But why do such things evade our capture? This is relatively simple really. As long as people have one idea that they agree with, they will only search for evidence to support their ideas, and not the ideas of others. People feel frightened and afraid of what may come from the unknown, so they try desperately to prove that they are correct in their own different ways. Some believe in their views so much, that they will fight for what they believe is the correct way of things. This has been the same for generations and millions of millenia. No one way of thinking is really wrong, it may just not coincide with the majority. Once someone is defined and labeled as a minority, they are looked down apon and cast about , desperately searching for someone who will take them in.

This can often lead to fighting. All a war is is an extremely violent dispute of different ideas or moral codes that both sides cannot solve without conflict. No one view is right or wrong, and yet, people continue to fight for their causes. As long as there are differing values in the world, there will never be peace, because someone will always disagree with the majority. As long as there are leaders, there will be those who oppose them because of differences in opinion. People are only bad bacause their views do not reflex what one group sees as good. People try to justify these differences in opinion as good or bad because they cannot or will not try to come to an understanding. If one group were to claim that one thing was better than another, than others would claim that the opposite was the better of the two. And thus, conflict is born.

Conflict is not an easy thing to solve. This is why it still exists in todays world. As long as people are unwilling to compromise on their beliefs, or try to learn from one another, then conflict will continue to exist. However, if everyone is willing to try and change for the good of all, then conflict will be erradicated. Tranquility and peace will only be achieved if all are willing to change. However, change frightens people. Humans do not like change. Humans prefer to have things stay the way that they are, just like any other animal. Animals would be content to never have to change to survive, and sudden changes or the unknown can frighten them. We are no different. Often we fear change because it is the unknown. We fear what we do not know, and we do not change because of it. This fear of change keeps us thinking in one straight line, afraid to turn off and do something different to possibly help all.

The human mind is a very deep and complex thing. Indeed, many books have been written on the subject. Several things drive a person. Some claim it is a set of three elemental things. The Id, the Ego, and the Superego. However, things go much deeper than any kind of classification can possibly hope to show. Hopes, dreams, sense of self, emotions, wants, desires, pressure, conscience, the ability to rationalize, heros, fears, pride, all of these things play a part in making up the mental image of the things we call people. No two people are ever alike in every way, not even identical twins. People have the ability to seccond guess their decisions, to control their basic primal instincts, and to conform to what others set forth as a standard. Knowing how to deal with every kind of person or personality type is impossible because each and every one is different. Everything that is said by one person is translated by what the recipient determines each to mean, reguardless of how it is how the deliverer intended or not. In many cases, this goes as planned, but at times, it does not. And when it does not, conflict is created, and then dealth with according to how both beings interact with one another.

Refusing to act on the conflict created can cause tension, and tension can be as bad as the conflict itself. Tension builds and rots in the minds of all those effected by it. It grows and gets stronger as time goes by until the vessel can no longer hold it within, and it bursts. This is what the future holds in store for those who refuse to learn from past mistakes and continue to hold in their inner conflicts. When tension breaks, it creates a massive ammount of conflict that can escalate to a full out war. This war will continue until a compromise can be reached, or one of the sides is soundly defeated. My friends, this is what I see in store if tension and conflict are not dealt with and dealt with soon. I do not wish for there to be conflict, I do not wish for there to be tension, and I do not wish for there to be war. My friends, we must all come together and find a way to compromize to end tension, eliminate the conflict, take the minds of others into account, put asside the fears we all might have, reach out to the minority, and find it in our hearts to reach peace.

Erinn

Sitting here alone
Watching my grass grow
Mumbling to myself
To think of something else
To forget your face
To simply erase
These feelings that I feel
Since when did I lose all my control?
All my precious control
How can I be ready for you,
To take that place?
It seems so immature
Though I feel you know
Things about me
That I have never shared
My arrogance is sexy
You didn't fit my cookie cutter
My hairs too short
You're too big
But you're the first
Who could handle what I'll throw
I am human when I talk to you
I do not have to pretend
Your almost worth the hurt

-Ed

This is for you

Hold my face in your hand
As you hold my heart there too
Bend down softly touch my lips
Damn, your what I want
But no there is no kiss
Just touching
Just friends

Hold on tighly to my hips
As I hold on to your shoulders
I can feel where your hands are
Damn, you I want to stay
But it can't mean anything
Just holding
Just friends

Tickling you everywhere
As you hiold me down
Trying to stop me
But this is a far as we can go
Just flirting
Just friends

Staring at you Staring at me
As I try to look unafraid
Thoes eyes that looked so hurt
Damn why wont you have me
Just staring
Just friends

-Ed

To my Lady of the Moon

Your the Lady of the Moon
So dark and pure
Filling me with insecurities
Feeding off my fear

Placing yourself on my lips
Keeping up with my steps
Blinding me with your light
Tricking me in to holding tight

Rambling tempting verses
Daring me to dance
Just for your amusement
Dancing patternless

Muting my feelings
Reserving all emotions
Pleasureless embraces
Astoundingly colder remarks

Day dreams hauntingly real
Dreamless nights shallow sleep
Nakedly cold slumber
Painful realizations

Deadly poison sipped slowly
With a bit of tea
Invisible dry tears
Slicing through my spleen

Eyes fully closed
Cheek upon your chest
My blood boils over
Spilling at dusk

My demons jump out
My Lady pulls away
Devil's trial boil over
Nothing is the same

-Ed

Blind

Looking at pictures

Of you and that day

Trying to remember the happiness

Trying to remember the love

Us and that couch

laying laughing kissing

Seems so long ago

Seems slightly magical

Remember swaying softly

Talking about everything

Remember our talks

Remember my kisses

I do remember

I think it seems so long

I still love what you were

I am still hoplessly in love with you

In love with a person who ignored me

Who never took the time to notice

So I can't be in love with you

I am in love with what I thought you were

The character out of my story

The one with the same name

She, was charming and sweet

You only came off sweet

Your friends told me diffrently

How blind I was with you

-Ed

Is it me you're looking for
In every girl you meet.
Every soft body that you touch
Every ache of your heart
Is it me you're looking for.

Would you even know me
if you saw me, standing in your way
Every pair of eyes upon you
can you stand to face the truth
or deny what is there

Is it me you're looking for
when you go out late every night
refusing the pleasures
you are offered
Is it me you're looking for

Would you even know me
if I slipped into your dreams at night
Your every word my desire
Could you wake and look me in the eye
and deny what we have.

Is it me you're looking for
when you're lonely and afraid
who do you wish to hold till
the nightmares go away
Is it me you're looking for

All you have to do is ask, and I'm there.
No more looking in the darkness
No more seeking the things that won't be found
A simple smile
A simple word
And I'm lost
It's you I'm looking for.

Well, might as well give a noticed around here one way or another, right?


No title as of yet

If god created us in his image we'd have six fingers
Because nothing is as good as the original
So that what you can cause it's all you're going to get
It won't come to you easy
But the struggle makes it all worthwhile
That is until you realize it's not real
False advertising or tainted merchandise
Call it what you want because it's all we are
Just a pile of s**t in a candy bar wrapper
Waiting to cry out "Bite me!"
Regardless, we still want something more
Our own little paradise
Where troubles gather dust on the shelf of existance
A pipe dream wotrh fighting for
Worth killing for
So keep your hands and feet inside the ride
Because it only goes downhill from here
I know you're disappointed, 'cause I can taste it
Like a shot of cheap vodka for the soul
Burning on the way down your core
But play your cards right and Christmas comes early
Yet another miracle from a god that doesn't exist
Becuase if he did we'd have been created in his image
So where's that sixth finger?

Glacier Team Story

Latent
7 p.m.

The heat of the assembled mass is overwhelming. Among these members must be one who no one foresaw coming.
In spite of the bar being able to handle more than a hundred people, it's quite overwhelming when everyone is pickled into it like this. Even more, the majority of them are crazy with excitement of the Stadium being re-opened. Not only is it hot in here, the heat of the bodies also takes its toll. For Vahn, at least, this is the worst situation imaginable.

"Is this some sort of torture?"
Not looking anywhere in particular, Vahn puts the question to Sunstrike in his usual surly matter.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want something to drink?"
Sunstrike, not looking particularly fazed by all this, offers the glass of beer he's taken a sip out of to Vahn.
It's clearly misunderstanding. But it puts an end to Vahn's listlessness.
"...That's not what I meant!"
"Care for another one?"
"Don't yank me around. That's not what I said.... How much longer are we going to be here for?"
"Silver said he wanted to meet us."
Sunstrike answers Vahn's queries matter-of-factly and once again takes another gulp of beer.
"For...?"
"For this."
A suspicious expression seizes Vahn's face as Silver appears behind him, holding an evelope out.
"An invitation...HOH? What is this?"
"We've been invited. It requests our participation as invited athletes for the Stadium. I was told by Mitsuyo yesterday. And she told me to let you know."
"Are you going to enter?"
"It seems that the finals are to be held in Leviathan."
"Leviathan...here?"
"It's just a stone's throw from here."
Vahn stands up, running a hand through his hair.
"Are you leaving?"
"I have an errand. Sunstrike, I'm leaving."
He brushes by Silver as he passes. Silver says,
"Reiko might be there...."
"We'll see."
Without looking him in the eyes, Vahn bids these final words of farewell and leaves. Following his lead, Sunstrike rises from his seat.
"Sorry about that. You know he just hates being told what to do."
"Don't worry about it. If he weren't like that, he wouldn't be interesting. Do you think this is a good idea, you and us?"
"Let's hope so."
Unlike his partner, Sunstrike leaves the bar with a smile.

One day later.

The streets are still bustling with activity despite the early morning.
It is amply lit outside, but the sun has not completely risen; dark shadows dance on the ground in between the streets.
Alone, a man stands out from the throng.
"Nuts. That Vahn. Calling me here at this time of the morning."
Dressed in his usual ultra-casual style, anyone passing along the street would recognize him. In Leviathan he is the up and coming rookie with a promising future. Naturally, he takes it all in stride.
"You're here. Shouyin, long time no see. So, you hungry? You must be, right Shou?"
"Vahn...who'd crawl out of bed just to eat with you?!"
"Good point. Then how about a little drink before the others get here?"
The 25 year old with raven hair gathered up in denim is Vahn.
Tanned skinned with yellow eyes. A nasty scar can be seen right between his eyes and along the bridge of his nose.
You could call him a handsome man or not, but it is certain that he is enveloped in a strange sort of magnetism that garners glances. His body is slight but sinewy.
"Others...?"
Thrusting forward through the crowd, Vahn makes his way down the street with Shouyin in tow. Eventually the two of them are seated at a noodle shop, chomping down.
"Your buying, right?"
Shouyin asks once more through a mouthful.
"Who's buying? Give it a rest. And besides, you haven't heard what I have to say."
"Alright, alright. So what's your important story?"

What Vahn produces is the same envelope Silver presented him with.

HEAVEN OR HELL.

The world's largest tournament of varying fighting styles.
Anyone who's anyone is aware of this.
And it is also know that it is a team event of teams consisting of three fighters each.
It was also taking place in the one location that had some sort of crisis in it every other day; in other words, an event with attitude.

"I won't pull any punches. I want to join this thing... there's someone I need to see. So, I'm hoping you'll feel the same. How about it? Will you enter with me?"
Vahn slurped down the rest of his noodles, yellow eyes closing. Shouyin slammed down his bowl, thinking it over for a moment.
"Sounds like fun. OK, I'm in! I've always wanted to be in HOH, at least once. Not like I got anything better to do. To make things worse I'm totally whacked from being called out so early in the morning."
"Yes, well get used to it."
Smiling, he raised his right hand, a small ember of black flame appearing, no blood in sight.
"This year... Team Glacier burns."

Silver Alexander
Shouyin
Sunstrike
Vahn


Their participation in the tournament was confirmed by the HOH committee three days later.