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 Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:51 pm
Journals:
[x] Lt. Chernobylite
[x] Marie Glapion
[x] Darwin Okun
Regular Drop-off [x]
Super Drop-off: [x]
Eternal Drop-off: [x]
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:56 pm
 At a Glance
Name: Rosa Cotton Sullivan
Nicknames: Rose, Rosie (only by Sydney), Red (game signature)
Gender: Female
Age: 16 17 18 19
Birthday: March 27
Sign: Aries
Gemstone: Aquamarine
Bloodtype: B+
Orientation: Bisexual
School: Crystal Academy DCU
Fav. Food: Jalapeno poppers, salsa, pepperoni out of the pack, fried mozzarella sticks
Hated Food: Dark chocolate, coffee, puffed rice cakes; she doesn't like bitter or bland foods.
Hobbies:
Tokens, tickets, and prizes, oh my! -- There are certain arcade games that Rose loves. She's best at DDR and pinball, but she also likes air hockey and racing games. Arcades can provide fun and stress-relief for Rose. She has been known to go to the mall, pass an arcade, backtrack, and put off shopping in favor of playing. Really, who can resist the pretty lights and the chance to beat the snot out of bratty little kids? Arcades to her are more of a free time hobby for her then a full time hobby, meaning that her visits are usually limited to whenever she has free time. The only exceptions to this are when she wants to reward herself or blow off some stress.
Here kitty, kitty, kitty -- Rose loves cats, especially big cats - tigers, cheetahs, etc. - and adorable kittens/cubs. She collects figurines of cats, and hopes to have one of every type; she's currently missing some of the less common domestic breeds, and the rarer exotic breeds. Rajah, her pet cat, is a lazy, grumpy, white and orange tom that only seems to only like human females and kittens. Let it be said that desite her fondness for cats, Rose does not like Hello Kitty because it has none of the traits she admires in felines.
Rose fosters cats that are too agressive, shy, etc., until they're ready for adoption. Due to school, Rajah, and her parents, Rose can only foster one cat at a time. Since Rajah is not especially fond of sharing his human, she usually has to keep him seperate from any foster cat. This is fairly easy to do because by keeping a single door shut her house can essentially be divided into two parts. When she doesn't have a foster cat she occasionally spends her time feeding and brushing the shelter cats while waiting for a new cat to foster. Cats are her main hobby, as she does it for fun, does it frequently, and invests a lot of time and energy in them.
Chef Picky = Because Rose is an extremely picky eater, it was almost essential that she learn how to cook. She began making and bringing her own lunches once she started at Meadowview and has been helping her mother make dinner even before then. Cooking is somewhat comforting because she knows that whatever she cooks will probably be edible by her standards, and thus she won’t go hungry. She is slowly improving, both because of how often she cooks – almost every day – and because she’s simply determined to get better. However, this isn’t to say that she cooks for fun; she cooks when she needs to eat and that’s it.
Virtues:
Like an elephant -- Rose has an excellent memory. She never forgets where she put her cell phone, or her iPod. She doesn’t forget important dates like birthdays and can amuse/amaze you with the strange trivia she knows. She does well in memorization-based school subjects, like history, geography, and biology. Generally she only has to read a set of notes two or three times before she remembers it, unless it is especially lengthy or detailed. The most she has had to read notes was ten times, and those notes included multiple formulas with variables.
Stand up -- Rose is no pushover. She will not go quietly into the night and she will not let you walk all over her. She’s not meek, shy, or passive. She won’t be bossed around – except by parents, teachers, etc., or if there’s a damn good reason - and is unaffected by peer pressure. If you push her she’ll push back. If you punch her, she’ll call a teacher or the cops; it’s not cowardice if it leads to the satisfying result of getting even. If the orders make sense she’ll obey, but if they don’t – “Give me your lunch money” or “remove your religious necklace while in school” - you can expect her to either start asking questions or outright rebel.
Never give up -- If Rose decides to do something, she will see it done. She has taken on immense projects, and despite length, stress, distractions, etc., has seen most of them through. One of her favorite completed projects she loves to brag about is the fact that she has successfully read the all of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Her projects and goals don’t necessarily have to be school-related, though most of them are. Although she doesn't brag about it - at least, not as much - she is also proud of having learned how to surf. She's still not great, but she can surf, and does so whenever her family takes a trip to the coast. Rose has been known to bite off more then she can chew, but won’t give up until it becomes obvious that she can’t do it, or until stress-related illness or family/friends interefere.
Flaws:
Forgive and forget? Hah! -- Yes, Rose has a good memory. She remembers how you got jelly on her new dress in third grade and she remembers how you made fun of her braces in junior high. You better believe that she holds grudges. She may say that she forgives you, but she hasn’t really gotten over it. And if she spills coffee on your favorite shoes… well, accidents happen. She does not obsess over grudges, but she doesn't give them up. Rose holds a grudge as long as her grudge remains unsatisfied, or until given a reason to forgive the grudge, such as her grudge's target doing something positive enough to negate the offense the caused the grudge.
It killed the cat-- Rose hates puzzles, riddles, and not knowing. They say curiosity killed the cat, and while it hasn’t killed Rose yet, it has certainly gotten her into trouble. For example, when Rose was eight she knew her brother Alexis was hiding something, so one day she went rooting around in his bedroom and found a bag of what she thought was catnip. Confused as to why Alexis would be hiding catnip, she went to ask her parents, which cleared up her confusion, but also got Alexis in quite a bit of trouble. She certainly hasn't outgrown her curiosity.
She can be quite annoying in her persistent attempts to find answers if she thinks you're hiding something. She doesn't seem to understand that if someone has a secret they may want to keep it that way, even from her. Her level of curiosity depends on how large she feels the information is that she's missing. An unaswered puzzle or riddle is a day's annoyance. On the other hand, her brother Alexis's behavior was enough that she tried to follow him on a couple of occasions, lost sleep thinking about it, and eventually broke into his off-limits bedroom.
Mule-- Rose is stubborn. If she thinks she's right you're going to have a heck of a time convincing her otherwise. Even if you do manage to convince her that she's wrong there's a good chance that she'll continue to pretend to support her side, both because she's stubborn and a bit of a sore loser. Rose's stubbornness is part of the driving force behind her persistance - she's going to get it done, no matter what you say - and her ability to stand up for herself - she's right and you're wrong. She's not very stubborn about things she doesn't know that well, but if she's thinks she's knowledgeable about a subject, watch out!
Defining Trait: Tit for tat -- If you do something to or for Rose, she believes in doing something back. If you have done a favor for her, Rose believes in repaying so that she won't suffer the feeling of being indebted or ungrateful. If you offend her she believes in retaliating for a sense of satisfaction and justice. Any reaction she has she tries to keep equal to the action that affected her. For example, if you take notes for her while she's sick, she'll help you with studying or homework you're struggling with. If you ruin her lab project, she'll spill water on your desk to ruin your homework. There are some parameters to this trait:
If you say you want nothing in return, or apologize after your offensive action, and seem to sincerely mean it, Rose won't act in return.
Rose will only act for/against involved parties, not innocents/bystanders.
Rose has some self-preservation instincts. She will not risk her life to help you, nor break laws in retaliation.
If she's seeking revenge/justice against you, she may stop if she discovers that there were extenuating circumstance behind your actions.
Her decisions/actions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Physical Description
Eyes: A shade of green that favors yellow slightly more then blue ([x]). She has permanent circles under her eyes.
Hair: Natural red (you know, that orange color; never did understand why they call it red) with some lighter, blond-ish streaks/highlights. The style is modern, somewhat dramatic, probably short and choppy. Final style left up to artists, inspiration pictures below.
[x] [x] [x] [x] [x]
Face: Like many with her hair color, Rose has lots of orange freckles, the most distinct/obvious of which are on the bridge of her nose and on her cheeks. Her face is round, her nose somewhat flat, and her lips slightly thin.
Body: She's an average height at around 5'5", and somehow, despite being such a picky eater, weighs a respectable 114 lbs. She hasn't been graced with much in the chest area; not flat, but certainly nothing to brag about. However, her bottom is filling out, much to her grandmother's delight - "Child-bearing hips!" - and Rose's dismay. Everything else is in proportion, save her neck, which is a bit too long.
Style: Comfortable, sometimes feminine, but rarely cutesy. She loves to do things like wearing a short dress over jeans, or combat boots with a skirt. Because she's almost always cold, she prefers to wear pants and long sleeves. She loves bright/unusual nail polish, wild cat prints, and shiny things: rhinestones, metallics, etc.
Family
Father: "Nick" Nicodemus Sullivan
Nick comes from a large, somewhat old-fashioned Irish family. He's a calm, quiet man, who married his first wife out of a sense of propriety when he learned that she was pregnant. Their marriage did not last long, and he surprised some with his choice of second wife.
Mother: Teresa Sullivan
Lively and upbeat, Teresa acts younger then her age. She loves The Lord of the Rings and Twilight, naming her children after things in the books. She loves children, but sometimes acts more like a friend to her children then a mother.
Paternal Grandmother: Abelia Sullivan
Having married into a largely male family, Abelia was quite pleased when Rose was born. She was less pleased as Rose grew up, becoming too unladylike for her tastes. It is due partially to Abelia's insistance and partially due to her money that Rose is attending Crystal Academy, for Abelia hopes that Crystal will shape Rose into a proper lady.
(Half) Brother: Milo Brendan Sullivan (~ 27)
Product of her father's first marriage. Milo has already graduated from college - the third Sullivan to do so - and has gotten married.
(Half) Brother: Alexis Patrick Sullivan (~ 21)
Product of her father's first marriage. With dark brown hair, brown eyes, and few freckles, there were some questions raised as to whether or not Alexis was Nick's biological son. Although this question was never definitively answered, Nick did eventually divorce Alexis and Milo's mother and gain custody of them. Perhaps because of the rumors of his uncertain parentage, Alexis is the most rebellious of the Sullivan brood. He got the most detentions and groundings, got in a couple of fights, smoked pot, and has been arrested once.
Brother: Victor Elessar Sullivan (~ 10)
To look smart he told his little brother that their mother was growing a watermelon in her stomach, but honestly Victor doesn't quite understand what his mother's fat stomach has to do with a baby. He won't remain innocent for long though, because Alexis is plotting. That aside, Victor currently has a "girlfriend" - really, he just calls the girl his girlfriend to look cool, they're not actually going out - and loves to torment Rose's cat Rajah.
Brother: Quintus Silmaril Sullivan (~6)
Much to Rose and her siblings' dismay, their mother insists on calling him "Quil." In his own, childish way, Quintus is freaked out about his mother's pregnancy, having been told that she had swallowed a watermelon seed and that a watermelon was growing inside her; now he refuses to eat watermelon. Quintus is at the point where he's naive and gullible and thinks girls have cooties.
Unborn: Flora Isabella Sullivan ( < 1 )
Rose kinda feels sorry for her sister, both for being the second girl born to the Sullivan family for a long time, and for being named after the pathetic lead character of Twilight.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:03 pm
  Senshi: Sailor Pomona [x], Senshi of Peppers [x]
Team(s): Co-Captain of Team Yum Yum. Formerly a member of The Basterds.
Symbol: Click
Concept: Fire, latin dancing, hot house, coin fringe, a little sexy
[x] [x]
Challenge: I hope you like it hot! I'm Sailor Pomona and I’m gonna kick it up a notch!
Attacks:
Name: Pepper Poppers*Description: Holds her hands cupped together in front of her. The air in her hands shimmers faintly before three peppers appear. Pomona throws the peppers at her opponent, which make a popping sound on contact before vanishing in a little puff of smoke.
Effects: On contact the peppers make a popping sound, release a little puff of smoke, and sting a little. If they make skin contact they'll cause mild "burning" skin irritation. If someone inhales the smoke it'll make their mouth "burn" like they ate something spicy. If the smoke gets in their eyes it'll make them sting and water.
Range: As far as Pomona can throw it, which is an average of 10 feet. The furthest she'll ever be abe to throw it is 13 feet (rare), but as she tires her range will shorten. Wind completely screws up her accuracy, as the peppers aren't exactly heavy.
Target: Whoever Pomona manages to hit, but doesn't affect Senshi (cats and Cavaliers not included). Pomona is fairly good at hitting people - say, 75% accuracy - but she's no good at trying to hit specific parts of a target (like a face).
Duration: The peppers last until they're all thrown, or until Pomona is no longer holding them. Watery/stinging eyes lasts for a maximum of 20 seconds while the "burning" mouth sensation and skin irritation can last for up to a minute.
Name: Pepper GrenadeDescription: Pomona holds her hands cupped in front of her. Three bright lights swirl about in her hands, eventually condensing into one large red pepper with strange, grenade-like markings on its flesh. She pulls the stem out of the pepper and then throws it.
Type: Area of Effect/Crowd Control
Effects: Single pepper releases a cloud of smoke that creates a stinging/burning sensation wherever it touches (skin, eyes, lungs if inhaled, etc.). Gas cloud somewhat difficult to see through.
Range: Pomona’s average range throwing range is 12 feet, depending on wind and how tired she is. Cloud size is large enough to affect everyone in a 6x6 square foot area.
Target: Anyone but Pomona can be affected.
Duration: Gas cloud disperses after about 10 second. Effects of the cloud lasts about 30 seconds, but can linger a couple seconds longer in those sensitive to pepper.
Name: Fire BreathDescription: Sailor Pomona reaches above her and plucks a pepper out of thin air. She tilts her head back, opens her mouth, and drops the pepper in. She inhales and smoke begins to curl out of her mouth. Slidding a foot back to brace herself, she throws her upper body forward and opens her mouth, releasing a stream of fire.
Effects: It's fire, it burns. The faster Pomona exhales the hotter the fire - temperature range of 200-400 F (93.3-204.4 C) - but the shorter the duration. Results in singed hair, burnt clothes, first and/or second degree burns.
Range: Attack has a eight foot maximum range.
Target:
Duration: 2-5 seconds, depending on how fast Pomona is exhaling. Rain cuts duration in half. Burns are "magical" in that any scarring they may cause will be minimal. Burns will also heal in half the time of regular burns, but will itch like crazy in the meantime.
* In case the number of effects to remember seems overwhelming, remember that what these attacks essentially do is recreate the sensation of handling and ingesting hot peppers.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:09 pm
Planet Pomona Plural/Possessive: Pomonian
Capital: Pomonalis
Castle: Capsaicin
Main Imports: Metal, Water, Ice, Livestock
Main Exports: Peppers/Fruits, Fruit Products, Wine
Attractions: Neutral ground for conflict mediation, negotations, and treaty signings. Also a provided a good retreat from cities, pollution, etc.
Inspiration: The Shire from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Architecture
One of the most striking features on Pomona were the giant biodomes that cover much of its surface. Although life could be found across Pomona, Pomonians restricted themselves to the biodomes.
Most of the buildings on Pomona were built into hills, with only their round windows and arched doorways visible. Building into hills saved room and helped to keep the houses cool. Multi-storied buildings did exist, but stories were added going down, not up.
Pomonalis was a more traditional city, though still not a shining, modern metropolis. Its buildings were a combination of adobe mud bricks, and all sported tiled roofs. Different types of ivy and vines climbed the walls and the streets were nothing but hard-packed dirt.
Climate
Inside the biodomes it was always hot. The biodomes were essentially giant hothouses, so it was always hot and humid. Outside the biodomes, the weather was more alien, proof of how Pomona had to be tamed via technology. The wilds of Pomona sport little more then weeds and were subject to electrically-charged dust storms.
Culture
Although Pomonians jokingly blamed it on the heat, life on Pomona had a slow, easy pace. People were rarely in a hurry. They liked eating and drinking and loved parties, finding any excuse to engage in these activities. A small planet with a small population, people were close, and aside from outworlders, usually everyone knew everyone. Family was important and the worst crimes on Pomona were usually committed by feuding families.
Politics/Government
Pomona was a largely neutral, pacifistic goverment with three main parts: the Royal Family, the Pomona Council, and Sailor Pomona.
The Royal Family = The Royal Family of Pomona lived in Capsaicin Castle. Most issues went first to the Pomona Council, so few issue ever came before the Royal Family. They had the capacity to act as mediators and judges, but rarely did. The only notable thing that the Royal Family ever did do was to act as hosts. They planned many of the planet's celebrations and greeted inter-planetary travelers.
The Pomona Council = Citizens elected a person from their area to represent them on the Pomona Council. Town Hall meetings were held several times throughout the year, but the only reason so many non-Council members attended was for the party thrown afterwards. The Cuncil only dealt with those issuse that people couldn't solve themselves.
Sailor Pomona = Planet Pomona rarely drew the attention of would-be space enemies, so Sailor Pomona didn't have much in the way of typical Senshi duties. In fact, Planet Pomona accepted offers of protection from more battle-ready planets in exchange for their goods, so the role of Sailor Pomona would have become obselete were it not for one thing: the Pomonians were proud of their Senshi. Pomonians were close to the space equivalent of country bumpkins, but were quick to point out point out the existance of their fancy Senshi when outsiders took to insulting their little planet.
Not wanting Sailor Pomona to become an unimportant figure, they gave her additional non-Senshi duties. Sailor Pomona the Senshi became a largerly ceremonial position, but Sailor Pomona the Pomonian acted as the main judge and law enforcer on Planet Pomona. When requested, Sailor Pomona also acted as a mediator for parties that came to Pomona for a neutral ground to handle conflict mediation, negotiations, and treaty signings. Also, as few Pomonians cared to leave Pomona - royal family included - Sailor Pomona acted as Planet Pomona's ambassador when necessary.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:49 pm
Civilians:
Aurora Namid = My former roommate at Crystal. Also Sailor Polaris!
Bjorn = Civilian with a lot of questions. Seems good - helped me kill a youma - and seems to know a Senshi.
Odette Matthews = My cousin!
Paris LeFay = Pomona doesn't remember this encounter well, but at the time thought him a whiny little brat.
Sydney Martin = My BFF; what more is there to say?
Ulane = Another nice, helpful civilian; I feel kinda bad about his hair.
Order:
Ambrosia = Pending
Aster = Pacifist hippie Senshi. Seems nice enough.
Ganymede = Apparently I was quite rude to him before; oops. He's quite graceful, and seems rather forgiving, all things considered.
*********> = She awakened me and gave me my upgrade. Cute and patient.
Iris = Rough around the edges, but I detect a good heart lurking in there.
Lenka = Helped me out with a spider youma, then created Team Yum Yum and decided for me that I would be on it. Orz.
Nysa = Newbie knight. Very proper and polite, but really needs to learn how to fight.
Polaris = Former roommate, now a princess.
Sinon = Sydney's Senshi form. Why you get pants and a useful attack? :<
Sutai = Extremely chatty and enthusiastic knight. Helped her meet her princess, Polaris.
Thraen = New Senshi, very concerned with rules. Not sure how he'll fare, but I wish him well.
Chaos:
Ares = Didn't try to kill me, but still: Do Not Want.
Leto = I'm definitely on her "Kill" list.
Tanzanite = Scary as hell. ;.;
Wolframite = I am conflicted. He ate s'mores with me instead of trying to kill me, but he's, you know, a General.
Buddingtonite = Felt a glimmer of hope until that last-minute remark.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:52 pm
 Battle, Regular, Solo, Other
[x] Every Rose Has Its Thorns = Rose has a nightmare. Who knew flowers could be so creepy?
[x] Not So Dear = Rose's journal the day after her awakening and nightmare.
[x] It's SO BORING Here = Rose discovers that one of her arcade rivals, Demy, is in the hospital.
[x] Lighting Up the Night = Pomona's first time in action after being awakened.
[x] Glide Into a Sore Bottom = Pending
[x] Meet the Team = First meeting of the Basterds.
[x] 20 Questions at the Amusement Park = Rose meets up with Sydney.
[x] If You Can't Handle the Heat... = Pomona faces Rhodizite for the first time.
[x] Time and Time Again = Pomona has a brief encounter with Rhodizite
[x] I Wake to Sleep = The mysterious coma epidemic.
[x] A Tail of Need = Pending
[x] In the Ashes = Pending
[x] LOL ... wut? = Pomona discovers that Sailor Sinon is her best friend Sydney.
[x] Contemplating the Pillbug = Outside of Tartaros, Culling of Destiny City Rp.
[x] An Idea is Like a Virus = The beginnings of Motley Crew.
[x] A Proper Pretense = Motley Crew meeting; pending
[x] Bet You Forgot You Were on a Team! = First Basterds' meeting after the coma epidemic.
[x] The Fun Has Only Just Begun = Basterd's meeting.
[x] Hey! Listen! Senshi! = Senshi meeting. Sailor Chibimoon reveals herself.
[x] Helpful Expansion = Pomona meets and recruits Sailor Spica.
[x] Family Snow Wars = Rose plays in the snow with her little brothers.
[x] You Made Me Spill My Cocoa! = Pomona rescues a civilian.
[x] Cats and Snow Globes = Rose and the ysterious snow globe.
[x] [Boss] Christmas Eve = Destiny City vs. Snow Princess Kaguya
[x] Christmas Aftermath = Pending
[x] Space Hobbits = Pomona visits Planet Pomona for the first time.
[x] Picnic on Pomona = Pending
[x] Youma Hunting Contest = Pomona signs up for a youma hunting contest.Super[x] A Tisket, A Tasket = Pomona levels up to Super!
[x] Youma Hunter Award Dinner = Pending
[x] Can't Eat This Chicken = Pomona rescues Odette from a youma.
[x] Returning From Sabbatical = Pomona contemplates her long semi-sabbatical.
[x] Just Another Day in the Neighborhood = Meeting DMC Queen Ares.
[x] September in the Rain = Pomona meets Sailor Aster
[M] Cooking for Fifty = Pomona helps cook food for the civilians.
[M] Reunion Over Food = Meta; Pomona cooks more food for more civilians.
[x] Spicy Eyes = Pending
[x] Senshi Training = Training with Castor
[A] How the Tables Have Turned = Pomona accidentally kicks some Dark Mirror a**. Start Fail!Streak Arc
[A] Red on White = After beating up Leto, Pomona contemplates what it means to be a White Moon Senshi.
[A] Pomona x Ganymede = Pomona loses epic-ly. Continues Fail!Streak Arc.
[A] Saved By the Chibi = Pomona gets helped by Chibi Lenka and Team Yum Yum is born; continues Fail!Streak Arc.
[A] Catching Up = Pending; continues Fail!Streak Arc.
[x] Boogie Pepperland = Planet Pomona festival solo
[x] Kiss Me, I'm Irish! = St. Patrick's solo
[x] Country Court = Past!Pomona was a judge?
[x] The Royal Lawnmower = Princess Iris mows the lawn on Planet Pomona.
[x] Salsa Flair = Pomona meets and rescues Page Nysa.
[x] Sugar and Spice = Pending
[x] When Toilets Attack = Pomona needs Babylon and Iris' help to defeat toilet youmas.
[x] Night Time on the Farm = Pending
[x] Midnight Ride = Pending
[x] Not the After-Party = Pending
[x] Deliberate Deliberation = Large Order meeting called by Princess Polaris.
[x] My Friend Furby = Pending
[x] Order Vs Chaos: Ambush = Forces of Chaos ambush an Order meeting.
[x] Moon City = Ghost!Serenity appears, open Moon Sanctuary.
[x] Salsa Dancer/Ice Skater = Pomona unites Polaris Page with Polaris Senshi.
[x] Moral High Ground? = Pending
[x] Fevered Musings = Delirious Rosa musing on her camping trip on Planet Pomona.
[x] A Pepper in a Pickle = Pomona meets/rescues an inquisitive civilian named Bjorn.
[x] A Very Youma Christmas = Pending
[x] A Late Lunch = Pending
[x] Everybody Loves S'mores = Pending
[x] A Conflicting Report = Pomona meets Nega newbie Buddingtonite.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:53 pm
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:36 pm
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Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:13 am
Every Rose Has Its ThornsInspiration: Listen to the Rain
855 words It was raining. It was a soft rain, a misty rain, the sort that cooled and refreshed without disturbing a soul. The plants seemed glad for it, glistening as they swayed in the light wind that carried the rain in its embrace. The air shimmered ever so faintly where sunbeams pierced through the clouds, giving the quiet world an ethereal touch, like looking into a fairytale. Amongst this scene stood a single figure, enchanted, her eyes closed and face turned towards the sky.
Rose was not sure where she was, but found she couldn’t care less. This place gave her a sense of peace and contentment, the likes of which she rarely felt. The joy she could practically feel radiating from the plants seemed to seep into her and the near-phantom rain washed over her like a caress. Even the gathering fog was pleasing in the way that it curled and swirled.
The sun was setting, darkness falling, and soon night-blooming flowers began to appear, plant limbs bending slightly under their precious burden. They seemed to glow in the darkness, and Rose found herself drawn to a large red one nearby. As she drew closer, she could make out a movement coming from within the flower’s petals, as if it had something stuck within its bosom. Curious, she touched the lip of the blossom, smiling softly as it unfurled beneath her fingers.
A butterfly! A silver dappled butterfly had somehow gotten itself trapped in the flower, silly thing that it was. It flapped its little wings, but seemed unable to take off, so Rose offered her hand to the delicate thing. It crawled up her hand, and she withdrew it slowly, hoping not to startle the beauty.
However, it was Rose that was startled, for as soon as she had withdrawn her hand from the flower the butterfly took on the ghostly from of *********, the talking cat. ********* looked at her urgently, trying to speak, but unable to make a sound. The cat then waved a paw at the flowers around her, and at the sky above, a gesture that only served to confuse Rose.
Boom!
The deep thunderclap jarred Rose badly and she was surprised to find that the crying clouds from earlier had been replaced by those of a dark, angry storm. The rain had stopped but the wind was picking up, and picking up quickly. Rose met ********* resigned eyes and clutched the cat tightly, but to no avail: the next gust of wind blew ********* away, her shimmering, wispy remains falling to join the fog.
Holding now onto naught but empty air, Rose’s arms fell loosely to her side. She looked around, unable to understand how such a paradise had changed into a nightmare so quickly. Many of the plants seemed to be fading. It was as if their energy, their very souls, were being drained by the flowers that sat at their tips. The flowers themselves were parasites, swelling grotesquely, their glow now seeming to have a sinister intent. Worst of all, Rose could see vague shapes moving in the depths of each of them, save for the one that had ensnared *********; it was dead.
It was with a sense of dread that Rose approached the next flower. She broke a stick from the plant, running the sap-coated end over the edge of the blossom’s mouth. It opened reluctantly, revealing a tiny butterfly, which eagerly clung to the proffered stick. As soon as her finger touched the impossibly small pink butterfly, a flash of recognition shot through her.
‘ Flora! My sister, Flora!’
Rose quickly slipped the stick and its priceless passenger under her shirt and began to run. And run. And run. She ran fast and hard, and was tiring at a frighteningly fast pace, when she realized she was back where she started, next to the flower that had imprisoned butterfly *********. She stopped and panted, staring at the flower. She saw it twitch, but was unable to do more then shout when a vine shot from its depths and hit her in the stomach. She crumpled, choking back a sob when she felt butterfly-Flora dissipate. She removed the stick – it hadn’t vanished – and gave a cry of horror when she saw that it was dripping blood from its broken end. She flung it away and moved to stand, but another vine appeared, whipping her legs out from over her. She landed on her back, the wind knocked out of her.
The fog rolled over her, heavy and oppressive, and she could feel herself choking, unable to catch her breath. Vines clutched at her, and she could feel herself being dragged across the wet ground. She struggled, but her attempts were weak. She saw forked lightning split the sky, felt the downpour begin, heard the wailing of the wind, and with the last of her energy, saw the massive petals close around her.
~*~
Rose woke with a start, gasping for breath. She looked around her room, tense and trembling, only able to relax when she heard her mother’s off-key singing drifting from the kitchen.
‘ Only a nightmare.’
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:20 pm
Not So Dear
611 words Journal,
Today is not a “Dear” sort of day, and that really sucks. Well, any day that’s not a “Dear” day must suck, but it especially sucks today because today should be a “Dear” day. When I woke up this morning the skies were blue, the birds were singing, and my brothers were mercifully silent. Delicious smells were coming from the kitchens, one of which was the smell of baking cake. That cake is part of the reason why it really sucked that today was not a “Dear” day; today was my 17th birthday.
Normally I’m quite excited about my birthday. It’s one of the few days of the year when I get more attention then my little brothers, and when I can get away with reprimanding them for being pests. Those things failed to excite me today. When I woke up I was panting and sweating, having had a nightmare. I was also strangely tired and faintly sore, as if I had slept too much or not enough. I had strongly wanted to go back to sleep and simply wake up tomorrow, but I knew that wouldn’t happen, so I made myself get up.
When I finally got out of my bed I noticed that I had left a pile of dirty clothes at the foot of my bed; odd, but not unheard of. I grabbed them and a change of fresh clothes and went to the bathroom to shower. I was getting ready to throw my dirty clothes in the hamper when I realized that there was stuff in the pants’ pockets. Now this was definitely odd as I always remembered to take the stuff out of my pockets, but in this instance I couldn’t even remember what I had put in the pockets!
What I’m going to write next will sound crazy. In fact, to protect against nosy siblings, I think I’ll have to edit my story a bit. I found a cell phone and a pen in the pockets. That doesn’t seem too odd, right? Well, the cell phone isn’t my cell phone, or at least it wasn’t originally. I suppose you could say someone gave it to me; same with the strange pen. To make things odder, the cell phone and pen were given to me by a very… unusual stranger.
I’ve blown out my candles, eaten my cake, and opened my presents. My parents could tell something was wrong, but I told them I was just feeling a bit under the weather. I got back to my room and my birthday wish couldn’t have come true because the cell phone and pen were still there.
… I thought it was a dream. I still do. Well, no, no I don’t, because what about the pen and phone? Maybe I’m crazy, or maybe I’ve started sleepwalking. Something has to be going on because the facts I have just don’t make sense. Or maybe they do and I just don’t know what it means, or don’t want to deal with it.
It feels like they’re connected. I had two nightmares last night – though, one might not have been a nightmare – and the stranger was in both of them. The stuff the stranger gave me in the not-a-nightmare is here, sitting innocently on my desk. I can’t still be dreaming because I pinched myself and it hurt, so the stuff is real. The implications are kinda serious. I didn’t steal them, they really were given to me, but what happened after they were given to me…
I’m stopping there and going to bed. I need sleep, lots and lots of sleep, preferably without nightmares. Maybe that’s what I should’ve wished for.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:26 pm
It's SO BORING Here!713 words
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 6:35 pm
Lighting Up the Night2,573 words
Link Participants: Sheldon Hobbes, Wolframite
Summary: Pomona's first fight after being awakened. She faces off against Wolframite, a shorty with a jump rope, in order to protect a pothead. The arrival of the police endsthe fight, which is good because although Pomona had been holding her own, her luck was probably about to run out.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 6:39 pm
Glide to a Sore Bottom? words
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 6:42 pm
Meet the Team380 words
Link Participants: Tallulah (Europa), Jaimie (Regulus), Elzo (Castor), Aurora (Polaris), Liliana (Maia), Selena (Eos), Pavel (Pyxis), Bell (Bellatrix)
Summary: First meeting of The Basterds. Takes place at Tallulah's house, aka Sailor Europa, with everyone in civilian form.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 6:50 pm
20 Questions at the Amusement Park1,089 words
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