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Pahrak Model ZX

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  1. Pahrak Model ZX

    omg kh3 spoilers

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    In a shocking twist, Darkness Number VII was revealed to be Hououin Kyouma, main character of the popular visual novel/anime Steins;Gate. Kyouma makes many cryptic remarks, claiming events are "the choice of Kingdom Hearts." He will form a hostile rivalry with Kairi, mainly due to his insistence on calling her "Kylie." This strange man was sought out by Xehanort for his ability to retain memories from other timelines, allowing him to violate the laws of time travel and change the past. Whenever one of the Darknesses is killed, he laments over not being able to save them, evidently having seen them all die over and over and over again.
     
    In battle, his weapon is a cell phone, and his element is Dr. Pepper; one of his attacks will turn all of Sora's potions into Dr. Pepper bottles and scatter them around the field, where Kyouma can pick them up and restore his own HP. Should you use a continue, he will taunt you over your defeat and pick up using whatever strategy he was using when he killed you, showing that he is aware of the slip in time.
     
    "I am Xehanort! It's so cool! Sonuvagun!"
  2. Pahrak Model ZX

    On Allusions

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    References to G1 tend to bring with them surges of people advocating a connection theory, using said reference as proof of said connection. It seems that there's a misunderstanding of something that shows up a lot in reboots: allusion.
     
    Any reboot will naturally allude to the previous iteration(s) of the concept. Allusions tend to enrich the enjoyment of a work for anyone who gets them, and when they’re specific to a certain franchise, the creator has a much higher chance of providing this enrichment for a large number of people. An allusion is not, however, proof that the work takes place in the same continuity as the thing it is alluding to.
     
    For greatest relevance to this situation, let’s use for example an individual franchise that constantly reboots itself: Final Fantasy. There are an immense number of names and ideas that are endlessly recycled through every iteration of Final Fantasy, but it does not mean that all Final Fantasies take place in the same timeline. The Bahamut of Final Fantasy III is not the same Bahamut who appears in Final Fantasy XIII. Squall’s Lionheart Gunblade and Lightning’s Lionheart Gunblade are two very different weapons, not to mention the extremely different Lionheart Keyblade in the neighboring Kingdom Hearts series. And while I’m sure there are a myriad of things shared by VII and XI, Midgar is not on the map of Vana’diel because the two games are in different continuities.
     
    (Heck, if we’re including Kingdom Hearts in this, most to all of the FF characters who show up there look directly transplanted, but they all have new backstories—none of those games are in the same continuity as Kingdom Hearts.)
     
    Yes, Final Fantasy does include some continuity-hopping. But that’s the thing: the characters are moving between different continuities, because they do not inhabit the same one. Gilgamesh got lost in the space between worlds and shows up in a new one every now and then; Dissidia takes place in a world where powerful entities pull in characters and locations from multiple worlds, and ends with everyone vanishing as they return back to their homeworlds. These are localized crossovers between the different continuities, which are quite profitable when a series has been going on for decades. But the continuities still remain separate.
     
    You can allude to something without it being in the same continuity. With a reboot, this is expected. Lego’s just telling us old fans they know we’re out here, not that G2 is a continuation of G1 (or any variants thereof).
  3. Pahrak Model ZX
    After some edits for language, I finally put up those stories I mentioned where I’ve been trying out my Queen idea. For some reason I feel like doing a little spiel to go along with it and outline the history or whatever, so…
     
    The idea formed during the Fiction Writing class I took last semester. We were told to write three stories over the course, and since I had few ideas for my first tale, I decided to take A Recluse’s Dilemma, one of my FFFC entries, and rewrite it. The resulting second version expanded on the video game that these Queens were from, and I ended up growing fond of the general idea.
     
    With that in mind, I decided that the second story should follow the conflict established in the second version of Dilemma, and I also wanted to establish the full set of Queens. This gave me Conference of Divinity, which briefly shows all 12 Queens and gives (or at least hints at) a little more info on this world’s political structure and the Queens’ relationships. It also shows how each Queen plans to respond to this new threat.
     
    I wasn’t sure what do to for my third story. Originally, I wanted to show how the previous Queen of Light met the current Queen of Light, to provide more explicit detail on how Queens and their method of passing from body to body works, but…well, I just wasn’t feeling up to it. Eventually I came up with Alignment—not particularly exciting, maybe, but it directly follows Conference, and it can’t hurt for me to practice slower pacing. The class liked it, at least!
     
    For completion’s sake, I’ll add this in too. After the class had ended, I wrote another FFFC story that was related to this world, much more so than the original Dilemma. Despair of the Divine was my attempt to step back a few centuries and try putting some details on an event mentioned in Conference and Alignment that still directs the relationships between the Queens of War, Gravity, and Land. With the word limit, I think it feels a bit rushed, but I may still use it as a basis for the canon.
     
    This idea is still in its very early stages, so everything you read here is tentative. The stories might contradict each other a bit here and there. Even the few character names present are placeholder. As such, suggestions would be most appreciated, since I want to pour a lot of effort into this over the summer if I can. I hope you enjoy meeting the Queens!
  4. Pahrak Model ZX
    Not going to talk about that movie news. I will be unable to do anything but rage against it.
     
    I updated the Spirit Index, so the list now goes to 1477, plus Exo-Tahnok Kal Tyrant has been finished, so all of the King Bohrok are complete! (Well, unless anyone submits edits...)
    I also updated the Elemental Rarity article on Exo's Desk. Hopefully I'll be able to finish updating that site soon, plus I have a few more Spirits I'm working on, and possibly a few changes to the VRHS version exclusive lists...
    PLUS, Exo's Desk now has a Spirit File Lexicon! Confused by the terminology used on the Spirit Index? Check out this page! (Except I just realized I forgot to add "disrupt"...will fix that soon...) If there's anything else you think I should add, please let me know.
    But, I have family flying in later today who will be here until the end of the month, so my progress may be somewhat handicapped. I'll do my best, though!
     
    Okay, now on to the main attraction! This is the final draft of the VRHS starting post, so if you have any last-minute suggestions or whatnot, please let me know now!
     
    BIONI-LORDS VIOLETROSE VERSION and BIONI-LORD HONOREDSOUL VERSION
     
    Originally there were two worlds: a world of humans and a world of Bionicles, but things have changed since then. The two worlds were mixed together, and while they were separated again, both worlds were changed beyond recognition: humans and Bionicles existed side by side, but Bionicles were reduced to Bioni-Spirits: animalistic versions of what they once were, multiplied into species, and some that looked like they were from a foreign universe. What’s more, when a Bioni-Spirit takes enough damage, it transforms into a glass orb filled with a spark of energy, and a human can then use that Orb to fuse with the Bioni-Spirit, creating a new entity…the Bioni-Lord.
     
    In this game, you will control a Bioni-Lord in one of these two worlds, and send him or her on a quest to become a legendary warrior. Just pick which Version you want to play and which Orb you want to start with.
     
    The Orbs you can choose to start with differ depending on which Version you are playing. VioletRose players can start with #3. Pohatu, #857. Onyx, or #927. William Furno. HonoredSoul players can start with #9. Lewa, #842. Scuba, or #930. Preston Stormer. For details on these Spirits, see the Spirit Index.
     
    Of course, not all Spirits can be obtained—some are only found in one Version and not the other, and some cannot be found no matter how hard you look. Version Exclusives can be found here, unobtainable Spirits can be found here. In order to interact with other players, you will need to use the Olmak Breach.
     
    Olmak Breach:
    There is a hole in the dimensional fabric between the two worlds, and this hole can be accessed by a facility found in all towns called the Olmak Breach. When you visit the Olmak Breach, you leave behind a “ghost” in the space between dimensions, and this ghost can interact with ghosts of other players. Ghosts can battle to earn Widgets (money) and trade Spirits, and the rewards of these activities can be retrieved by visiting any Olmak Breach facility.
    When trading with another player, you cannot give them any Spirits that exceed the current FE restrictions of their Spirit Tracker (see below). Also, you cannot trade your special version exclusive Spirit received near the end of the game or any Spirits that are unobtainable outside of special side-quests.
     
    The world is composed of a number of cities, each of which is tied to a specific Element (or Elements) (see below), and venturing just outside the city walls you will find areas where you can find, battle, and obtain wild Bioni-Spirits. Each town has an Olmak Breach, an Orb Shop where you can buy new Spirits (see below), a Healing Shop where you can buy healing items for use in battle (see below), a Training Field where you can fight NPC opponents for money, and a Battlefield (see below).
     
    Elements:
    Spirits and attacks have Elements interwoven into their beings. The Elements are Fire, Stone, Earth, Ice, Air, Water, Jungle, Light, Shadow, Rahaga, Steel, Thunder, Dragon, and Psionics. Each Element has two weaknesses and two resistances—if a Spirit is Fire Element and hit by a Water attack, it will take double damage from that attack, while a Water Spirit will take half damage from a Fire attack. Also, if a Fire/Ice Spirit is hit by a Water attack, it will take triple damage, while a Water/Fire Spirit will take one-third damage from an Ice attack. Elements, with their weaknesses and resistances, can be found here.
     
    Orb Center:
    At an Orb Center you can Buy, Sell, or Order Spirits. The Spirits you can buy differ in each town, but you can order a Spirit available in another town for an additional fee of 10 W. An ordered Spirit will not arrive immediately—you must fight three battles before it will arrive. Prices for buying/selling Orbs: 10 W for a Spirit with 120 FE or less, adding 5 W to the price per every 10 FE increase. (Exceptions include Parasite type Spirits, which are usually sold for 30 W.)
    You can buy or order any Spirit that is within the FE range of your Spirit Tracker (see below), is not an upgraded Spirit (see below), and, if you would need a special Spirit Tracker attachment (see below) to track this Spirit, you must have this attachment to be able to buy the Spirit.
     
    Healing Shop:
    Spirits automatically heal after each battle, but there are a few items you can buy to use during battle. These items are available for purchase at the Healing Shop in each town, but you may need to reach certain milestones before they become available.
    (Name-effect, cost)
    Elixir-heals 30 FE, 1 W
    Megalixir-heals 60 FE, 5, W
    Hyperlixir-heals 120 FE, 10 W
    Frost Vapor-heals burn, 5 W
    System Shock-heals paralysis, 5 W
    Magma Burst-heals freeze, 5 W
    Realization-heals confusion, 5 W
    Liquid Sun-heal blindness, 5 W
    Nightmare-heal sleep, 5 W
    Harmonica-heal silence, 5 W
    Immune Booster-heal poison, 5 W
     
    Battle and Battlefields:
    Battles in this game are simple. You choose a Bioni-Spirit to fuse with, and your opponent will do the same (unless it is a wild Bioni-Spirit). You will both take turns using an attack, and I will roll a 6-sided die to determine if it is successful or not; 1-3 is successful, 4-6 is unsuccessful (unless accuracy modifiers are involved). Usually, you can only use one Spirit in battle, and when its Fusion Energy (FE, or health) count is depleted, you lose. This is where the Battlefields come in.
    Battlefields are in every city you will visit. Inside a Battlefield, you will fight an Element-Lord, a powerful Bioni-Lord who specializes in the Element associated with the city. If you can defeat the Element-Lord, you will win Widgets and an Elemental Code for your Spirit Booster. A Spirit Booster is a device that can store Bioni-Spirits as data (a more convenient method than carrying around all the Orbs), and can be programmed with Elemental Codes to unlock new abilities in Spirits and allow you to use multiple Spirits in one battle. Not all Elemental Codes are available in each Version, however.
    To illustrate: possessing the Fire Code allows you to use as many Fire Spirits in one battle as you want, and if those Spirits have an Effect, it will activate. If a Spirit is part Fire and part Thunder, or some other Element also available in the same Version as Fire, then you must obtain the Code for that Element as well before you can activate the Spirit’s Effect or use it along with other Spirits in one battle. If, on the other hand, the Spirit is part Fire and part Ice, or some other Element not available in the same Version, it can be used along with other Spirits in one battle and its effect will activate.
    However, there is still a restriction on the number of Spirits you can use in one battle. At Level 1 you will be able to use up to 3 Spirits in one battle, and you will gain one additional slot for every Level you gain up to 8 slots. However, after defeating all seven Element-Lords you will gain a special Bioni-Spirit that can be used in addition to the other 8 Spirits. So, after beating the last Element-Lord, you’ll be able to use any 8 Spirits of your choice plus a special Bioni-Spirit in any one battle.
    During battle, you can choose to de-fuse with the Orb you are using and fuse with another one, but this will cost you one turn. The former Spirit can be used again later, but its FE count will be carried over.
    Also, each Element is associated with a specific status ailment. When using a normal attack, if the die lands on one, it will inflict the status ailment associated with that Element, usually for only one turn. If an attack has modified accuracy, another die roll will be used to determine whether or not the ailment is put in place. Ailments and the Elements they are associated with can be found here.
    Some Spirits have the ability to revive a Spirit that has lost all FE. When a Spirit is revived, it takes up an additional slot for that battle. So, if you can use three Spirits in one battle, one is defeated, and your second Spirit is able to revive that first Spirit, you lose the ability to use a third Spirit in that battle. If the first Spirit is defeated again, you cannot revive it because you have no unused Spirit slots to exchange for the revival. If you have another Spirit slot, however, you can revive the Spirit again.
    When fighting other players, you may each only use up to five Spirits of your choice plus the unique Bioni-Spirit you obtain at the end of the game. (Providing you both have enough codes to use five Spirits.) However, you cannot use Orbs with an FE count that exceeds the FE limit of the Spirit Tracker (see below) belonging to whichever fighter is at a lower Level, the unique Spirit can only be used if the opponent also has their unique Spirit, and Spirits only obtainable through special side-quests cannot be used unless the opponent has also completed the same quests. Before the battle, both players will wager Widgets on the match—both players do not need to submit an equal amount, but if you submit a very small amount your opponent can object. You cannot fight another player if you have no Widgets. In these battles, both combatants will post which move they want to use each turn, and I will roll a die for both attacks to see what happens and then move on to the next round. There is no fixed alternating between turns in player versus player battles—whoever posts first acts first in every round.
     
    You begin in a city tied to three Elements, and thus has three Element-Lords—you will need to fight each one before you can move on. Once you beat all three, you receive a Spirit Tracker (see below) and are able to visit three more cities, each tied to one Element, in any order. After doing that, you have to return to the starting city, receive a secret artifact, and head on to the final city, and once you defeat the Element-Lord there you will receive a unique Bioni-Spirit. After that…you’ll see…
     
    For VioletRose:
    Starting city is tied to Fire, Stone, and Earth.
    Secondary cities are tied to Jungle, Shadow, and Thunder.
    Final city tied to Rahaga.
    Receive Wildflower once all Element-Lords defeated.
     
    For HonoredSoul:
    Starting city is tied to Ice, Air, and Water.
    Secondary cities are tied to Psionics, Light, and Steel.
    Final city is tied to Dragon.
    Receive Elder Toa once all Element-Lords defeated.
     
    Spirit Tracker:
    With this device, you can search for a specific Bioni-Spirit, so long as its Element is the same as the city you are nearby. Once you use the Spirit Tracker, you must fight another battle (the battle with the Spirit you are tracking does not count) to reboot the Tracker before you can use it again.
    Once you reach Level 3, you receive the Tracker and will be able to track any Spirit with 140 or less maximum Fusion Energy. With additional Levels, you will be able to increase the charge with more battles. Fighting a second battle will boost the charge to track Spirits with up to 160 maximum FE (at Level 4 or above); a third will allow you to track Spirits with up to 180 FE (at Level 5 or above); and a fourth battle will allow you to track Spirits with 200 maximum FE (at Level 6 or above).
    Some Spirits do not appear in the wild at all, and can only be obtained by upgrading a Spirit (see below). A list of these Spirits can be found here.
    There are several Spirits with additional restrictions, which are detailed here.
    At various points in your journey, you will be able to obtain special attachments to improve the Spirit Tracker: an attachment for tracking Vehicle Spirits, an attachment for tracking Spirits of the opposite Version, and an attachment for tracking Parasite Spirits. More details can be found here.
    After you obtain an Elemental Code, you have the option of going after an Elemental Overcharge, which will allow you to track one 200 FE Spirit of that Element regardless of your Level. You won’t be able to obtain these once you are capable of tracking 200 FE Spirits normally.
    To obtain an Elemental Overcharge or anything else obtained through an optional quest, you need to go to a specific location, fight three battles, and then answer a trivia question about any of Lego’s buildable action figure lines.
    Sometimes when fighting random Spirits, you will encounter Spirits with higher FE than what you can track. Keep this in mind.
     
    Some Spirits can be upgraded into new Spirits, but the FE of the upgraded Spirit cannot exceed your current Spirit Tracker limitations. To upgrade a Spirit, state that you wish to, and then win three battles with the Spirit (unless it has special upgrade conditions).
     
    (Several of the Spirits on the Index are noted to get stronger and develop new abilities based on what Level the player is, but these are based on the old Level system from a previous incarnation of Bioni-Lords. When you obtain one of these Spirits, I will PM you a modified version of these restrictions updated for VioletRose and HonoredSoul.)
     
    As always, follow BZPower rules! I think that about wraps it up…
  5. Pahrak Model ZX

    One Last Prelude

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    I got an itch to start up a new game, and after discarding a bunch of half-ideas, I realized this could actually be a great chance to get more people interested in Olkir.
     
    Hence, Olkir Tournament! Not a very creative name, I know. You’ll use the mechanics detailed in the topic to create your own weapon and ability, and then I’ll start randomly matching you up with other players to fight. You have to PM me a strategy each round, similar to the old Technic Coliseum, and see if you can outwit your opponent. Whoever accumulates a certain number of wins is named the champion!
     
    Come play if you want! These are the same mechanics I’m planning to use in the eventual epic, subject some minor alterations of course, so this would be a great chance to see what you’ll be in for if you were considering guest starring. Sort of an open beta for guest stars, if you will. I plan to open the actual submissions for the epic around the time this game finishes, so please look forward to that!
  6. Pahrak Model ZX
    (As I said before, I plan to start Chapter 2 of Divine Strength with a wave exchange between the Queens of Light and Sea. Since it's fairly short, I figured I'd just post it here directly. Hopefully this gives some insight into both characters and their relationship with each other.)
     
    Sea:
     
    I’m sorry to hear about what happened to your agreement with Nature—don’t fret, your soldiers didn’t offer the information, I dug it out of them. We agreed on a 20% increase in imports starting next month. When they return, they can answer any other questions you may have. As for the reports, I’ve read enough to know that I was right: the one behind these events is someone I have an interest in dealing with personally, and I am planning to depart tomorrow to hunt down the snake and take him into custody. However, since these recent incidents have had more of an effect on Ceandi than Bivor, I will understand if you would rather handle it. Please let me know.
     
    Light

    ***


    Light:
     
    First, I want to thank you for taking on such a large increase in trade. But if it ends up hurting Bivor, promise me that you will let me know, alright? I don’t want your queendom to suffer for lending us aid. As for the incidents…if two Queens are poking around in the same area, will that not be even more suspicious than my continued activities there? It would be no stretch to imagine War taking this as an excuse to start harassing us. How important is this matter? You’re not one to hold grudges, but you seem oddly invested in finding this man.
     
     
    Sea
     

    ***


    Sea:
     
    I promise to keep you updated on Bivor’s economy. Do not worry, I am sure all will go well. In regards to this sorcerer, his name is Riniyon. He is the one who launched a feeble attack against Bivor during my previous lifetime but managed to escape from my dungeon. What I haven’t told you is that he has been popping up every now and then for several decades now, causing trouble for me for reasons unknown. He has been a thorn in my side for much too long. I want to stop his foolishness and, perhaps, find out why it is that he hates we Queens so badly. I believe I can find his lair quickly, as I am somewhat familiar with his habits after all this time, and, truthfully…I think it will be most satisfying to confront the coward directly. So I will ask you plainly, Sea: please allow me this.
     
     
    Light
     

    ***


    Light:
     
    Haha, I know that tone. I can’t talk you out of this, can I? Very well, I’ll keep my distance. But Light, you do tend to get a little reckless when you’re this focused—I know you said Riniyon is actually quite weak, but if he has escaped and evaded your capture this long, he may be more cunning than he lets on. Or he could just be lucky. Either way, I would advise you to be ready for anything. It never hurts to be cautious, right?
     
     
    Sea
     

    ***


    Sea:
     
    I suppose I can get rather carried away…and you do have a point. I’ll try to be careful. For now, I think I will retire; should anything momentous happen in my investigation, I will keep you informed. Until then.
     
     
    Light
  7. Pahrak Model ZX
    The World Ends With You Final Remix released on Switch earlier this month, and the other day I just finished my trip through its brand-new scenario “A New Day”. Being the first real addition to TWEWY, it’s kind of a big deal, so I wanted to share my thoughts on it. Naturally this post is full of spoilers—you’ve been warned!
     
    For starters, the marketing was very misleading. Saying the new scenario “gets to the heart of the story” when it’s tangential at best is a flat-out lie, and focusing the teaser around a Hype-chan scene and Coco reviving Sho really give you the wrong idea about what to expect. Also, the latter is basically the last scene, and using that in the very first teaser is…odd. There was also that new art that showed basically every major character facing off, and it might’ve just been me, but that combined with the shot of Sho made me think all those characters were going to be in it—though to be honest, it might be for the best they didn’t go that way. A New Day isn’t quite what the marketing would have you believe it is.
     
    So what is it, then? Well, it’s sequel bait. And…pretty much only that. While the fact that it’s been added onto TWEWY as a bonus scenario makes it seem to be some kind of epilogue, playing through it, it feels more like a rather bloated prologue to a new story. Very little actually happens over the course of A New Day, and while I think that would have been alright if it had stayed a self-contained bonus chapter, the ending gives the impression that you did all that largely pointless stuff just to get to this exact point…which just so happens to be a cliffhanger. If you want to tease a new game, you make a secret movie! Don’t have us slog through a long bonus chapter where we don’t learn anything or see anyone change just to throw that at us! Now it feels like this whole event was meant to be an important plot development, and in that light it just doesn’t hold up. The only scene that made me genuinely feel glad to be watching it was at the end when Neku gets a call from Shiki (seeing him be so casual about the fact that he’s got friends now is beautiful) and then Beat immediately calls Rhyme to make sure she’s okay (he’s a good brother). Other than that…well, I enjoyed seeing Coco freak out when Hanekoma blew her cover, but I wouldn’t say that endeared her to me or anything. Even Another Day gives us more insight by revealing that the reason Neku is the way he is at the start of the game was because he previously had a friend who died and he blamed himself. I don’t think anything in A New Day is comparable to that.
     
    Anyway, if they’re hyping up a sequel then that’s good news, right? Well…yes and no. True, I’ve always wanted more from this IP and a sequel would certainly give me that. But there are two big causes of concern for me, the first being that this is not the first time a sequel has been teased. The whole reason we call Hype-chan that is because when she appeared for a split-second we were all sure it meant a sequel was coming. That was in 2012. Heck, in Another Day Hanekoma mentions a Noise visible from the RG which I’m fairly certain is whatever messed up Shinjuku, and that was as far back as the original DS version in 07/08! Following this trend, they’ll announce a sequel out of nowhere in five years if we’re lucky. Point being, it’s hard to get super excited about supposed new developments in this IP when previous such teases have gone nowhere fast. Secondly, on a more personal level…I’m officially sick of Kingdom Hearts’ garbage. As a result of this I’ve come to realize that Nomura was nowhere near as involved in TWEWY as I once thought, and can’t help but think that that’s why it’s actually a good game, but the thing is…we don’t know what the team for a sequel would look like. And A New Day is more or less an empty rehash, brings a character from a mobile game into official cannon, and revives fan-favorite Minamimoto for no apparent reason. All of which is Kingdom Hearts garbage. I’m worried that Nomura is going to take the reigns on a sequel and screw TWEWY up, and I really, really don’t want to see that happen.
     
    A lot of this is harsh, but I don’t actually hate A New Day. Even if it’s not stellar, it is new TWEWY content—for the very first time! A lot of the new pins are really sweet, and while the tweaks on the gameplay can get frustrating (screw the Raven Ball) they can also be fun in short bursts, and serve as innovation on the basic game that really does keep things fresh for even us longsuffering players. I’m glad Final Remix was made and I’m glad I bought it. Plus, maybe we’ll get news on a sequel soon, and maybe it’ll be good! Those outcomes are still possible. I’m definitely going to be cautious as we wait to hear more from Square, but I haven’t given up all hope entirely or anything like that. The chances of getting a good TWEWY sequel are stronger now than they’ve been in years at least, maybe the strongest ever. And I definitely appreciate that.
     
    (Side theory: Coco is either the Composer or Conductor of the Shinjuku UG, and her initial plan was to “feed” Neku and Beat to the Dissonance Tapir to drastically increase its power and fight whatever messed up her city. Now that the Tapir’s gone, she’s pulling Neku and Minamimoto into her Reaper’s Game to fight on her behalf. It would explain how she’s so powerful; plus, Hanekoma has some knowledge of this type of Noise and implies someone else may have taught Coco about it, which could mean that Shinjuku’s Producer is the one who taught her. Hype-chan isn’t a part of her plan (yet), she’s just someone like Neku with a unique Soul composition, and perhaps the visions Neku received were the result of some special Pact he and she made unconsciously—Pacts protect Players from Noise, and that might be why she’s the only one left in Shinjuku. Also, the CD for the track that plays when you fight the Dissonance Tapir implies time travel might be involved somehow? (More Kingdom Hearts garbage!) Hopefully not…)
  8. Pahrak Model ZX
    A while back I mentioned an idea I had involving Matoran using mecha inspired by Vahki. I decided to start writing it, and since feedback is essential I wanted to share part of what I've got so far. It's sort of long (over 2,000 words), but I'd be very appreciative if you'd share your thoughts!
     
    Order Rebuilt Preview
     
    Defilak entered the room with the pilots in tow. The lab had gleaming chrome walls and floors, with blinking screens and large contraptions whose purposes the newcomers could only guess at. All kinds of Matoran and Agori rushed from place to place, creating a blur of motion and a cacophonous atmosphere. Some of the engineers stopped to salute Defilak before hurrying on their way.
     
    For all the marvels within the massive laboratory, what drew the most attention was the glass wall on the far side. This window provided a view into a massive hangar inhabited by what could only be the Exo-Vahki the Matoran had been promised. The machines were much larger than expected, each about the height of a Tahtorak. Every one bore the familiar head of a Vahki, but that was the sole uniformity.
     
    “Welcome to the hush-hidden Vahki Lab,” Defilak announced proudly. “Allow me to introduce you.”
     
    He began to point to the robots one-by-one, assigning a Matoran to each.
     
    “Kapura, you’ll have the Exo-Nuurakh. It was fortified to withstand any strike-hit you can imagine!”
     
    This was in no way a boast. The red Exo-Vahki had more armor than the other five combined, giving it a stout, bulbous appearance. Its three-fingered hands held no equipment—its very body was a shield.
     
    “Hafu, you get the Exo-Zadakh. It may not reach the speed of bright-light, but it can cross-travel the entire planet in minutes.”
     
    This suit looked the most like the original Vahki, with the only noticeable difference in design being slimmer shoulders to make the unit more streamlined. It was lean and lightly armored, and seemed to crave freedom to run.
     
    “Onepu will pilot-ride the Exo-Rorzakh. As team technician, it’ll be up to you to repair-save the others in battle.”
     
    Exo-Rorzakh’s armor was not as thick as Nuurakh’s nor as thin as Zadakh’s. It’s right arm ended in what appeared to be a blowtorch, but this was its only remarkable feature.
     
    “For Kazi, the Exo-Keerakh. You’ll be responsible for seek-scouting enemy territory so the others will know what to prepare for.”
     
    The snow-white robot had the lightest armor, even less than Zadakh. It looked fragile, as if one hit would shatter it. Two appropriately-sized daggers were attached to its waist.
     
    “Here’s the Exo-Vorzakh! Tamaru, this one is built for nothing but raw smash-strength, and its weapon is one-of-a-kind. We’ll detail-talk about that later, though.”
     
    While Exo-Vorzakh had notably heavy armor, its cladding could not compare to that of Nuurakh. Resting next to it was a massive broadsword, one as wide across as an Exo-Vahki and longer than any were tall. The blade was a dull gray with a silver, tendril-like shell reaching out from the hilt and grasping the sword down its length like a hand.
     
    “And finally, the Exo-Bordakh for Macku. This one doesn’t really have a niche-role, but it can adapt to most situations easily. We’re also gift-granting it the Nui Staff, a very important weapon that you’ll have to use wisely.”
     
    Matching its lack of specialty, the moderately-armored Exo-Bordakh lacked any striking characteristics. The Nui Staff, also, seemed nothing special—just a large metal stick that inspired no sense of awe.
     
    Turning back to the Matoran, Defilak said, “Alright, now’s the time-chance for questions.”
     
    Tamaru rushed right up to the glass and pressed his mask against it, excitedly muttering to himself. The others took some time to think over their responses, though for Onepu it did not take very long.
     
    “I’m sorry, technician?” the Onu-Matoran sneered. “You want me to be a support unit?! I think not!”
     
    “I’m still not convinced,” Kazi said. “Besides, wouldn’t Piruk be better for scouting? Unless that would mess up your color-coded system.”
     
    “Any chance I can switch with Tamaru?” Hafu asked.
     
    At mention of his name, Tamaru’s attention snapped back to his companions. “Huh? Oh, I’m ever-fine with that. I just want to pilot one!”
     
    Defilak sighed. “Nobody’s switch-changing. And you aren’t allowed to decline—I already told you!”
     
    A hand grasped his shoulder. He turned to see Berix, whose expression made him realize that his temper was beginning to show itself.
     
    “How about I take it from here?” the Agori offered. “In the meantime, Nuhrii and Balta are having an argument you can mediate.”
     
    After a moment of hesitation, Defilak nodded. “Okay. Everyone, this is Berix—he’ll guide-help you from here. If you’ll excuse me…”
     
    When Defilak was out of sight, Berix faced the Matoran and smiled. “Hey everyone. So, I hear you wanna change mechs.”
     
    “Mechs”? Macku silently repeated. Is that some Agori word for robot?
     
    “There has clearly been a mistake,” Onepu insisted. “I was Captain of the Ussalry, Hero of the Makuta Wars, Right Hand to Turaga Whenua! I am no mere battle medic!”
     
    Kazi rolled his eyes. Berix suppressed a similar urge as he explained, “Well sorry, but all assignments are final. The Exo-Vahki power up by resonating with the dormant Elemental Energy within the pilot. It’d take about a week to recalibrate it for a new Matoran, maybe more.”
     
    “That’s silly,” Macku replied. “Why not make its activation simpler?”
     
    “Can’t do that,” Berix answered. “Giving the system a direct connection to the pilot makes it easier for you to control them. Your thoughts will have an influence on the Vahki’s actions, something that’ll become even more effective the more you get used to it.”
     
    Hafu shrugged. “Okay then. Strength sounds better, but I’m sure I can work with speed.”
     
    Kapura, a thoughtful look in his eye, asked, “Wait…that means only Matoran can pilot them. With all due respect, I have to admit I’m a bit surprised the Agori leaders agreed to that.”
     
    Scratching his head, Berix said, “Yeah, they, uh…took some convincing. But we drew up a prototype that didn’t use the Elemental Resonance System, and it was too complicated for even us engineers to operate. So many buttons and levers and pulleys and pedals…”
     
    A visible shudder passed through Berix. Tamaru, who seemed ready to explode, asked, “So…can we get in the Exo-Vahki now?”
     
    “Huh? Oh, sure,” Berix said. “Right this way!”
     
    Berix headed for a door that would lead into the hangar, with Tamaru and Hafu right behind him. Kapura followed a bit more slowly, but the other Matoran hung back a bit.
     
    “I can’t believe this,” Kazi mumbled. “How is this supposed to solve our problems?”
     
    “It will be helpful, no doubt,” Onepu argued. “Nuparu was good at what he did, and these other engineers seem…competent. But they made a grave mistake in squandering my talents.”
     
    “We don’t have a choice,” Macku reminded them. “This is our new assignment. We have to go along with it.”
     
    The Ga-Matoran headed off the join the others. Onepu came a few paces behind, but Kazi hesitated a while longer. The others waited at the door and stared at him. With a heavy sigh, he too went to meet up with them.
     
    When the door was opened, Berix led the Matoran onto a catwalk high above the floor of the chamber, extending the long way to the other side where the Exo-Vahki waited. The platform then turned sharply and ran behind the robots, providing access to the open hatches in the back of each machine’s head. One at a time, the Matoran stepped into their respective vehicles.
     
    The cockpits were poorly lit but surprisingly spacious. A seat with four metal clamps sat at the center, surrounded by a semi-circle of control panels displaying a multitude of screens, levers, and buttons.
     
    Onepu sat down in the chair and noticed a red lever labeled START jutting out of the floor. As soon as he pulled it, the hatch sealed shut and the clamps locked in place around his torso. A jolt of energy rocked the Matoran’s body as the screens flared to life. Two white levers molded for an easier grip sat directly in front of him, so he tentatively reached out and took hold of them. The far wall lit up—it was a massive viewscreen, Onepu realized, displaying what lay directly in front of Exo-Rorzakh.
     
    “Hey, don’t get a head start,” came Berix’s voice. “The others are still booting up.”
     
    Onepu looked around and spotted a speaker built into the wall. There was motion on the viewscreen—when the shock wore off, Onepu processed what had happened. Exo-Rorzakh had moved its head the same way he had.
     
    …Well that’s definitely efficient, Onepu thought. I won’t have to pause to operate the controls. It should be really fluid to command…if a bit unsettling.
     
    The experience was more surreal than he had expected. Judging by how the other robots were stumbling about, the rest of the Matoran were having similar reactions.
     
    “Alright, let’s get to work,” Berix announced. Several more Exo-Vahki heads swiveled as the Matoran within located their respective speakers. “Take the two handles right in front of you and push them forward to make the Vahki walk.”
     
    Onepu gently exerted pressure on the levers. A whirring reached his ears as the mechanisms activated—the world on the viewscreen lurched forward, and a heavy BOOM echoed as Exo-Rorzakh took its first step. The Onu-Matoran immediately let go. Amazingly, Rorzakh maintained its balance perfectly.
     
    “Just take it easy,” Berix warned as the other Vahki started moving. “Too much and you’ll—“
     
    He stopped short as Exo-Zadakh broke into a sprint. Berix could be heard shouting at Hafu, but it was in vain. The brown machine slammed face-first into the hangar wall, sending a tremor throughout the lab and knocking the engineers off their feet.
     
    Inside the Zadakh, Hafu shook his head. The impact left his mech slumped against the wall, giving the cockpit a harsh tilt that would have flung him at the viewscreen if not for his restraints.
     
    “Ah…sorry,” the carver sheepishly apologized. More carefully, he pulled back on the levers. Zadakh attempted to step backwards but ended up collapsing in a heap.
     
    “It’s not that simple,” Berix grumbled. Other angry voices could be heard in the background. “Remember, the Vahki is connected to your thoughts. Picture yourself getting up after a fall, and then pull back on the levers.”
     
    Scowling, Hafu closed his eyes and concentrated. He quickly played through a memory of getting back on his feet and gave a short yank on the controls. This time Zadakh put its arms out to steady itself, and was easily able to stand tall again. Hafu opened his eyes and surveyed his work.
     
    “Huh…that wasn’t so bad.”
     
    “It looked pretty bad from here,” Kazi commented over the speaker.
     
    Angrily, Hafu looked over his shoulder. It jarred him a bit when Zadakh turned to face Keerakh in compliance. “I don’t see you doing any better, Karzahni scrap.”
     
    Kazi was already feeling extremely frustrated. Hearing Hafu’s insult was more than enough to push him over the edge. Spotting a button labeled FIRE, he slammed it and watched to see what would happen.
     
    A compartment in Keerakh’s hand opened up, and a cluster of Kanoka flew out. Unfortunately for Kazi, Keerakh had not raised its arm first, so the disks struck the floor and released their weakening power. Even the reduced weight of the scout unit made the metal buckle and give way, sending Exo-Keerakh falling onto its back. Kazi reached for his Kanohi to prevent it from being dislodged in the impact.
     
    Zadakh reared back as Hafu laughed. “Well, at least we know you’ve got a knack for self-sabotage!”
     
    Kazi began counting in an attempt to calm himself down. Nuurakh shakily stepped in between him and Zadakh, Kapura demanding, “Stop this. We’re a team now; that means we need to develop a sense of unity.”
     
    Nudging just one lever, Kapura focused on Nuurakh’s right arm. The red Vahki offered its hand to Keerakh. Instead, Kazi instructed his mech to reach for the wall for support instead.
     
    “Unity?” Kazi scoffed. “Don’t tell me you still believe in those garbage virtues. A lot of good they’ve done us.”
     
    With an instinctive impulse from the Ko-Matoran, Exo-Keerakh moved to dust itself off. The resulting sound of scraping metal brought an instant halt to that thought.
     
    Tamaru, having eagerly set about practicing, was elated at his progress. Through trial and error he was already discovering how to make Exo-Vorzakh leap, crouch, punch, and more. Pulling hard on the controls, he spun the machine into a whirling kick that nearly pulverized Bordakh.
     
    “Oh—ever-sorry, water-sister!” he apologized. “Guess I’m getting rush-carried away, haha!”
     
    Macku’s glare reached right through both robots to bore into Tamaru. Setting the matter aside, she steered herself towards the window to the lab.
     
    “So how long are we going to just practice walking?” asked the Ga-Matoran.
     
    “Until the Exo-Vahki run out of power,” Berix answered. “There should be a monitor to your left that’ll let you keep track.”
     
    It did not take long to find the monitor in question. A light blue silhouette of Exo-Bordakh was displayed next to a yellow meter, with a random jumble of words running along the bottom of the screen. Just above the meter, “100%” was displayed in bright, flashing numbers.
     
    “…Do we really need to spend that much time on it?” Macku asked.
     
    “Yes,” Berix responded. “So come on—quit complaining and get moving!”
     
    “Remember,” Kazi mockingly said, “we don’t have a choice.”
  9. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve finally decided to give up on the idea of writing Chronicle of Heresy. I think it could’ve been a decent story, but I just could never work up the motivation to restart it after it got deleted. Oh well.
     
    Because of this, I’m thinking of dissolving my Heretic Stories Collection post. There are only seven stories listed, and four of them are already in the FFFC Collection post, so the other three could just be tossed onto the Unsorted Works post and there, everything feels more streamlined. I’m going to think about it a little more, but I’m probably going to make this change.
     
    Not that this is a serious issue or anything, I just feel compelled to document changes in how my libraries are organized.
  10. Pahrak Model ZX
    Well, I haven’t figured out any type of writing schedule yet, but I do at least have something to post!
     
    As I mentioned, I am taking a Fiction Writing class this semester, which will require us to write three short (ish) stories over the span of the course. For my first assignment, I decided to (edit and) present the prologue and first chapter of the rough draft of the novel I’m working on, Divine Strength. I thought it would be a good way to see how the opening works as a first introduction to the idea, as, barring the teacher and two other students, this will be the first time this group has seen anything about the Queens.
     
    Divine Strength: Prelude has been posted in the OTC Forum for anyone else who wishes to read it. I expect I’ll be posting the other two stories I create for this class there as well—as of yet, I am not sure if either of them will be related to the Queens or not, but the main point is that I’m putting more writing up on BZP. I will also try to work on some of that fanfiction I proposed a while back, and/or think up some regular prompt and post method.
     
    I hope you enjoy the story!
  11. Pahrak Model ZX
    My first thought was to use “densha” instead of train but that would just be showing off
     
    I can never recall all the anime I’ve seen at once, but I suppose I could at least make a post about what anime and manga I’m following at the moment. I feel like I haven’t been using my blog as much lately, so this will liven things up.
     
    Manga:
    -Naruto: Yes, I know, shut up. I’m following it more out of a sense of obligation than anything else—it was one of the first series I got into when I started to really dive into anime and it…might…be over soon, so I’d like to see it through to the end. I’m a bit torn on its current state: while a lot of what’s happening is kinda cool, I wonder if it’s a bit too cliché. Then again, I think everything’s a cliché. The word cliché is cliché. The world is cliché. …I digress.
    -Bleach: Again, obligation. Much more so than Naruto, even. Bleach was actually my absolute favorite anime through the end of the Soul Society arc, after which my interest continued to slip until the point where we got over 20 chapters with the exact same title, at which point I flipped a table and only kept reading to fulfill my contract. The ending of that arc and the arc afterward were alright, though I did have some complaints, but this new arc (explicitly said to be the FINAL arc) is…well, I don’t think terrible is the right word, just…the villains don’t interest me that much (though it feels like the concept could have), and the template for abilities for their species (established in the very first arc) has been completely and totally thrown out the window to make them little more than Arrancar clones. I’m going to cut myself off there—I could easily rant for an entire entry about Bleach. Lost love and all that.
     
    Anime:
    -Attack on Titan: Yeah, I know, took me a while. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t see the appeal of this series and mostly ignored it. Well…as best I could. When it was announced that the dub would be airing on Toonami (and in a reasonable timeslot, to boot), I figured I would check it out. I will say this: now that it has my interest, it’s certainly keeping it. My opinions of it haven’t entirely formed and probably will repeat what’s been said in a billion other places on the internet (it’s really, really popular), so I’ll just leave it at that.
    -I do watch a few other things on Toonami—I try to at least stay conscious through One Piece, since I’ve been trying for years to get into that. Between AoT and One Piece there’s a few others: Naruto (meh), Bleach (I think Bleach is something that’s really better when it’s watched rather than read…too bad the anime ended before the final arc lol), and…Space Dandy. Space Dandy is weird, just weird, man. I honestly don’t know how to feel about it, but it does make me laugh.
    -Sword Art Online II: Watching the subs as it airs in Japan. I never have understood why this series is as popular as it is either, even after watching the first season. But I think I’m starting to understand. My working theory is: rather than coming for great execution of the (admittedly interesting) plot concepts or well-made characters, you come to see things that look cool. And considering that the opening alone for this season gives us bishounen Kirito running around a desert wasteland deflecting bullets with a lightsaber, well…it looks like it’s probably going to deliver on that. Though even in that department, I would still much rather prefer a second season of Accel World. No word on that yet.
    -Sailor Moon: Freaking finally. I know, I know, if I call myself an anime fan I really should have watched a series with this much cultural impact a lot sooner. In my defense, I have terrible motivation problems and 200 episodes is intimidating. Neon Alley is putting up two episodes a week and I can watch them there for free, and this pace makes it easier to keep up with while minimizing the feeling of “man I’m SO far behind!!” Anyway. It took me a while to get into the swing of it, but I’m really enjoying it now. The characters and how they interact with each other really sell it, the miscellaneous powers make for interesting fights, and the plot is really beginning to thicken, so I’m excited to see what happens next. Granted, I’ve seen spoilers. This is Sailor Moon we’re talking about. But still, it’s a fun watch; I’m tempted to just marathon the series elsewhere, but considering how far I still have to go, I’ll probably just be patient and keep up with Neon Alley’s pace.
    -Sailor Moon Crystal: It just started airing, and it’s obviously a reason why I’m starting to watch the original as well. I think I’m still getting used to it, but I felt the same way about the original at this point in the plot, so I’m not worried.
    -I know it’s not anime, but I’m going to mention it anyway. Legend of Korra Book 3: Change! I think I’ve successfully dumped all my negativity from Book 2 in favor of positivity, so I’m really enjoying the series again. I’m glad we’re learning more about the villains, but the remaining unanswered questions still leave a nice hook, and the Red Lotus make for pretty darn good antagonists (not sure you can really use the term “villains” now that we know more about their motives). As for Nickelodeon completely giving up on it, well…the positive spin my sister put on this was that now, we can just say “Nickelodeon is terrible” without putting on an asterisk to make note of Korra being the exception! A little concerned about how this may affect Book 4, but it’s probably nothing to worry about, and I am getting ahead of myself. Though while I’m at it, I do hope that Books 3 and 4 will be more connected, or that Book 4 will connect back to any (or all) of the previous Books a little more. I can sort of understand each Book being a separate story, but I kind of miss the feel of all the Books being tied together in one big plot like in Avatar.
     
    That’s about it for now, and with school about to start back up and more video games being released I probably won’t be picking up a new series anytime soon. But! My local theater is showing Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods tonight, so we’re going to try to see that. We’re a little confused right now, there may have been some mix-up with our tickets…hopefully that’ll work out. If not, I’ll probably make a whiny status update or something. Or maybe I’ll get so ticked that I’ll turn into a Super Saiyan!
     
    …No, wait, my power level isn’t high enough. Darn.
  12. Pahrak Model ZX
    I recently ordered the three Mega Man Star Force games off Amazon so I could play through the whole trilogy. In case you’re wondering: Dragon, Berserk X Dinosaur, and Black Ace.
     
    Important things that I learned/was reminded of include the following (forgive the disorganization):
    -Harp Note is awesome.
    -If you’re feeling lonely, an alien will possess you.
    -If you like being alone and are descended from an ancient civilization, you can get your own sentai/magical girl transformation without needing the aforementioned alien.
    -Jammers are cool. So are Murians.
    -The prototype design for the Fire Leo transformation looks cooler than the final version.
    -Playing Dragon version makes Gemini Spark MUCH easier to handle.
    -The whole Pat/Rey thing is really heavy for a kids game.
    -Zack should have had more character development, and maybe a Wave Change.
    -The Real and Wave worlds are steadily blended together as the series goes on, which is a very nice way to show technological advancement.
    -Getting all transformations in one version is cool. Waiting for a specific Battle Card to initiate a transformation is not.
    -Getting an ability that lets you start every battle transformed is cool. Especially when it doesn’t take up Link Power to equip it.
    -Libra Scales SP is, for whatever reason, harder to find than the other SP bosses.
    -Geo X Sonia and Geo X Pat are awesome ships.
    -Luna is bossy and takes the fun out of tsundere…but it’s not her fault.
    -Mr. Shepar is a perfect teacher.
    -Plesio is adorable.
    -Burai is Vegeta.
    -The endings are all pretty similar, so it gets a bit repetitive.
    -“Whazzap” is probably THE worst name for a country ever.
    -Wave Command Codes are broken. Incredibly fun to use, though.
    -Noise Kaizou Gear is less broken, but for some reason they still took most of it out of the English version of SF3.
    -Pat should’ve had more importance after SF1. He also should’ve been able to form a Brother Band with Geo at some point.
    -What’s really cool about the final chapter of Star Force 1 is that it involves you doing things in the Real, Wave, and Cyber Worlds. SF2’s finale keeps you in the Wave World, and SF3 ends with a Cyber Core.
    -Several characters could’ve used more development, especially specific EM bodies *cough*UMAs*cough*
    -Burai Noise makes me glad I don’t have friends.
    -There should have been more work put into justifying FM-ians changing sides (Lyra, Taurus, apparently Cygnus and Wolf…)
    -Harp Note should’ve gotten the second Noise Control Program (you get Ace Program, she gets Joker Program and vice versa). And then you can fight her when she’s Noise Changed, and half-way through she’ll Finalize. It would’ve been awesome.
    -It would’ve been neat to have a bonus for beating a boss while in the Noise Change based on them, but not all of those bosses are in this game, and I can understand there being concerns about having too many bosses.
    -Ace is awesome.
    -More interplanetary travel would’ve been cool. But maybe they’ll do more of that in the next series…if there is a next series…
    -I wish there was a way to influence what Noise Changes and Illegal Data you get.
    -It frustrates me to no end that V3 bosses can pop up ANYWHERE in SF3.
    -The name/title “Crimson Dragon SP” kinda falls flat in comparison to “Andromeda Infinity” and “Ra Mu Xa” (whatever that means). Probably because every boss from SF1 and 2 had SP forms.
    -It infuriates me that Vista Point was removed in 2 and 3. It was such an important location in SF1!
    -The end of SF3 is a satisfying conclusion to the series. It also leaves it open enough for fanficition!
    -Something I’m a little unclear about…during the battle with Crimson Dragon, Mega Man Finalizes for a scripted battle. Is that the only canon instance in which he Finalizes? It would make sense—Noise builds up over time, and at that point he’s IN the Meteor Server. Maybe he was always in Form Out at first, then switched to Color Out at some point in the story, until Finalizing in that battle? Hm…
    -I may dislike Luna as a person, but as a character I feel she has very steady development over the series.
    -Geo also has really good development. SF1 shows him learning to reach out and let people in. SF2 deals with him getting comfortable with his role as Mega Man and finding out just what that role is. SF3 shows him confidently settling into that role and leaving behind the last remnants of his tendencies for isolation.
    -Jack, despite only being around for the last game, also has some pretty good development.
    -As I understand it, SF2’s bonus chapter and all the bosses you have to fight in it are all in one area, which is very convenient. It’s annoying to reach a gate or satellite and have to pulse out, find something, and come back only to hit another gate/satellite. At least SF3 doesn’t require you to hunt down random encounter SP bosses…
    -Before and during SF1, FM-ians = Skakdi.
    -Checking up on Planet FM in SF3's bonus chapter was really neat.
    -I really, really want to know the remaining members of Project-TC.
    -Also, the Mega Man Star Force Official Complete Works is an awesome art book.
     
    It was fun, and I’d definitely recommend the series. Except maybe SF2. But I’d recommend at least watching some videos about it between playing 1 and 3. I can't say which is my favorite, but I think SF3 is the most fun to play thanks to Noise Change. Anywho, still want to look up some videos on the bonus chapters of 2 and 3 and try to beat Dragon Sky in SF1.
     
    Wave Battle!!
    Ride On!!
  13. Pahrak Model ZX
    Bioni-Lords:
     
    Bioni-Lords Book 3: Kako
    -Le-Isle: After their harrowing experience with the King of Kohrak, our heroes make it to Le-Isle with new power, believing themselves to be ready for any threat. That belief will be tested when they encounter a boy of mysterious heritage who leads them in an investigation of a haunted castle. What is more dangerous: the monster said to stalk the halls, or the Shadow Consortium’s experiments to create a brand new Element?
    -Ga-Isle: As Valxan continues his crusade against the Suit Bosses, the Shock Trooper Division sets their sights on the island of Water. Its goal: the total annihilation of Ga-Isle and everyone on it! With an agent capable of blasting the whole place to smithereens, does the Water-Lord stand a chance?
    -Flora-Isle: There can be no more doubt—Les Quatre Frères de Lame are gathering, meaning a disaster is not far away! An ancient tribe on the island of Jungle may have some answers, but their mysterious leader has ordered they stay mute. Who is it keeping our heroes in the dark: the Consortium in disguise, or something else entirely?
    -Healer-Isle: Tragedy strikes on Flora-Isle! An emergency trip to Healer-Isle is one character’s only hope, but even the best doctors in the world may not be enough.
     
    Bioni-Lords: Story of the Violet Rose
    A mean-spirited girl, desperate to escape her boring life, crosses paths with a villain obsessed with legends. Will she care enough to stop him, or sit by as he awakens a long-forgotten evil?
     
    Bioni-Lords: Story of the Honored Soul
    A lonely child sets out on her journey, but ends up in the way of a man gathering strange artifacts. Is his plan to draw out the Archaic Spirits madness, or a recipe for disaster?
     
    Other Possibilities:
    (These are still just ideas; I may not actually go through with any of them, but I see no harm in tossing them in here. If you have any questions or see one that sounds interesting, please speak up!)
     
    Creation For Creation’s Sake
    The Hapori—entities of fantastic power created by the Great Beings and then left without purpose. Can the newest addition to their ranks cope with this empty existence, or will he lose himself in pursuit of answers?
     
    Legend of the Makoki Stones
    The story of Dragon Ball Z, the world of Bionicle. A young warrior named Tahu gets drawn into a hunt for the magical Makoki Stones, racing against the evil Teridax! When the mythical Bahrag is summoned, will it grant Teridax’s wish for ultimate power?
     
    Untitled 1
    Three Toa guarding a village on the Northern Continent come under attack from a Vortixx wielding a rusty sword imbued with the power of Poison. Barely surviving, they discover the trial is not over—more warriors are on their way, each wielding a shadowy Mangaia Blade! Can this small group of Toa defeat villains with the power of some of the most dangerous Rahkshi?
     
    Untitled 2
    In a timeline without heroes, new weapons are constructed to protect the Matoran: Exo-Vahki, powerful mecha designed to fend off any evil! But in order to activate the Exo-Link System, the Matoran pilots must put aside their differences, else a looming darkness will obliterate them all.
  14. Pahrak Model ZX
    [Don't link to sites with forums! -Takuma Nuva]
     
    Oh, and it was updated to mention a new trailer, which can be found here. It's in Japanese, of course, but it gives you a much better view of how much of Isshu/Unova has been covered by the glacier.
    Anywho, my thoughts on the article are below.
     
    -Take that, Zekrom and Reshiram! You thought you were so cool having two signature moves while Kyurem had one. Well now Kyurem has three signature moves! MWAHAHA…although now I’m beginning to think its type doesn’t change when it changes form. I so wanted Ice/Electric and Ice/Fire…well, he can still learn more Electric or Fire moves, right? …Right?
    -Set two years after Black and White…I now fully expect to see Black, White, or N as a final boss like Red was in the Johto games. Do not disappoint me.
    -There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Kyurem is directly responsible for this glacier spreading across Isshu/Unova, right? I mean come on, the English name for its signature move is “Glaciate.” The Japanese one is “Frozen World.”
    -300 Pokémon can be caught? Please, PLEASE let none of these Pokémon be new! Pokémon, I love you, but you’re seriously running out of good ideas. Generation V Pokémon are at least 80-90% fail, excluding awesome exceptions like Gigalith. Wait…I WILL be able to catch a Gigalith again, right? And what about Scrafty? (It looks ridiculous as heck, but it’s a powerhouse!) And the starters are the same, right? Because I already planned out a team…
    -Hm, new player characters…or are they in fact Black and White but two years older?! Of course, that would ruin my hopes for them being the final boss…meh, whatever. I’m not exactly impressed with their appearances, but I’m not too broken up about them. Oh, and apparently the girl looks like Sailor Moon? That’s what everyone is saying, but I know nothing about Sailor Moon.
    -Rival…wait…will we be able to name our rival again?!?! Because not being able to name a rival was one of my biggest disappointments in White!! If we can name our rival again…! I need to start thinking of a name right away!
    -New Gym Leaders? Will any of the old ones be returning? And what about the Elite Four and Champion? The Pokemon League is frozen! Anyway, I have nothing to say about Shizui the Surfer, but Homika…do we really need another Poison gym? There are so few of them for a reason: Poison is the most worthless Pokémon type. That’s why it’s the only type without a legendary. (Of course, I’m not bashing ALL Poison types. Nidoking and Venusaur are cool with me.) Also, she reminds me of a character from…a different video game series. One that I would be surprised to find someone at the Pokémon Company liking…
    -…Um…Professor Akuroma? Why do you have an Articuno feather glued to your head? I know Pokémon characters have weird hair, but you’ve got Yu-Gi-Oh-level weird hair…
    -You start in a city this time? Guess it makes sense—Isshu/Unova is based on New York after all. And thank God we finally have a Pokémon Center in the hometown! It’s SO frustrating when you beat the Elite Four, get sent back home, and then have to hike up to the next town, dealing with pitifully weak Pokémon or wasting Repels, just so that you can get the Pokémon you taught to Fly out of your PC!
    -Wait a minute…they still haven’t told us who the villains are! Well, I suppose Ghetsis is still alive, free, and evil, so maybe he’ll bring back Team Plasma…and then maybe N will bust in with his Tao Dragon and team up with you and Kyurem in a Double Battle… *imagining the awesomeness*
    -I’d also like to know what happened to Cheren and Bianca…if Cynthia will make another return in this game…if we’ll get to fight Morimoto again, or maybe some other developer who inserted his/herself into the game…you know, things like that. Ooh, and will Keldeo be distributed at the time of release like Victini was with Black and White? Because I was having trouble picking a good Water type, and getting a Keldeo would solve that problem.
    -Wait…it looks like you can’t get to the P2 Laboratory…how are you supposed to get the cassettes for Genesect? I mean he hasn’t been officially revealed yet, so when they do distribute him, it’ll probably be for Black and White 2. Why would you distribute a Pokémon to a game where the location of his special items can’t be accessed…? Meh, there’s probably another place you can get them now. Or maybe they expect you to trade Genesect back to Black and White, get the cassettes, and then trade him back…
  15. Pahrak Model ZX
    After months as a Prinny I was restored to normal, and one trip through the Void later I ended up in the world of Final Fantasy! So, naturally, I went to Cornelia to become a knight.
    (...I love Final Fantasy )
     
    Ahem...but, on to updates. Later today, the Technic Coliseum tournament will begin! (Would do it now, but...working on a school computer; can't shuffle name slips right now.) I'm cutting down on the allowed time to procrastinate this time--rather than waiting a week before giving you a one-week warning, the one-week warning will be posted with the match announcements.
     
    I'm writing Sekai 131 right now--the Medallion battles are complete, and now we have moved on to the Cuerveracios temple. This may be the last chapter in the Draco-Isle arc--most of the action at the temple will be showed in the incredibly long "Ending" arc.
     
    Dissidia 012 is out now, so I'm greatly distracted, plus my aunt will be in town this week, but I'll try to give you at least one new chapter of Sekai. Next chapter starts the second day on Draco-Isle, which begins with Hyohana vs Aile and further develops the story with the Devil Squad.
     
    Voting in the RPG contest has begun, and it seems absolute that Ihu's Blessing will fail. Might put it in the RPG Planning Topic, might just give up...
     
    Don't think I've made any Forgotten Bond progress since my last entry...sorry.
     
    Also, for one of my classes we had to create a newspaper front page, and, having so few ideas, I decided to make a semi-cannon Bioni-Lords newspaper. ( ) Very odd, yes? I could probably find a way to get it on Majhost, so...would you guys be interested in seeing it? (Heads up, though: it's pretty lame.)
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    (With the demise of the FFFC, this entry will not be updated; it will, however, be left intact for organizational purposes.)
     
    Since I have a Master Post for Technic Coliseum and a website for Bioni-Lords, I figured I may as well compile all my FFFC entries somewhere too. Sorted by Bionicle or Off-Topic, and then organized by date with link, theme, if it received an Honorable Mention or won, and a brief summary.
     
    Bionicle:
     
    --A Machine’s Philosophy, Honorable Mention in “Surrender or Run”
    Mourning the death of the Matoran Universe, Turaga Whenua pays one last visit to Metru-Nui.
     
    --Woe Betide, Honorable Mention in “A Canister Ashore”
    What was going through the mind of the Av-Matoran building Toa Canisters in Karzahni?
     
    --Bond of Heresy, Winner of “The Village”
    Stripped of his title, cast out of his universe, and hated by all, Ahkmou must decide what to do next.
     
    --Averted Trial, Winner of "Trial by Fire"
    Kualus and Onua go on a hunt for the Kanohi Dragon.
     
    --Make It Stop, entered in "Trial by Fire"
    Captured by two Skakdi, a Toa must either endure torture or sell out his allies.
     
    --Risky Acquisition, entered in "Fish"
    Hahli takes a swim and finds an unfamiliar Rahi.
     
    --To Those Who Consider Themselves Toa, only entry in "Wake One, Wake Them All"
    The conflict between Toa and Bohrok could be seen a few different ways.
     
    --Hint to Greatness, entered in "Rise"
    An ordinary day for Ehrye leads to something unexpected.
     
    --Shattering the Mask, entered in "Rise"
    When Vakama finally shows up, he has surprising news for Nuhrii.
     
    --Cheatsheet, entered in "Now Only Five"
    Vhisola is close--so very close--to the end of her list.
     
     
    Off-Topic:
     
    --Between Birth and Rebirth, Honorable Mention in “Rebirth”
    A more pessimistic look at the concept of rebirth.
     
    --A Recluse’s Dilemma, Honorable Mention in “The Queens”
    A simple man with a simple problem: though he has two great loves, he can only be with one.
     
    --Magic Hour, entered in "Sunset
    Two lovers separated by unfathomable distance reunite on the equinox.
     
    --Preoccupation with Procrastination, entered in "Fall"
    A problem we've all faced.
     
    --Despair of the Divine, entered in "Unfortunate Event"
    The Queen of Gravity returns from battle to find her queendom in a shocking state.
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    It’s insomnia-fueled idea sharing time again!
     
    Due to some anime I've seen, I want to do a story with personifications of stuff, and right now I’m thinking I may try with the islands in Bionicle. Tentatively thinking title could be “Geonicle” (Geographical Chronicle)…anyway, it’d be about a bunch of Toa-like beings named after the various islands, with traits and abilities tied to that island. Interaction will hopefully imitate canon events. Also thinking each one can summon a “Geo Blade,” with the size reflecting the size of the island they represent. Might also give each one an Element. Anywho, character brainstorming! See if you can get all the jokes!
     
    -Mata (Nui): Male, looks like Glatorian Mata Nui with a Kanohi Hau. Thinks he’s above everyone else, sometimes pretends the other Islands don’t exist. Capable of flinging Bohrok out of his body. Earth.
     
    -Metru (Nui): Female, maybe Toa Metru design? Strict and serious, considers self very sophisticated. Also flings Bohrok. Psionics.
     
    -Voya (Nui): Female, not sure on design. Used to be very sickly, but since getting better she’s become a real travel fanatic. Generally rather quiet, but extremely powerful. Clumsy, usually crashes into Mahri. Stone.
     
    -Mahri (Nui): Female, probably Hahli Mahri design. Though she used to be very kind, over the years she’s grown increasingly crazy and sadistic. However, each day she reverts to her old self for about an hour, which the other Islands refer to as “safe hour”, and she never takes her anger out on Voya. Water.
     
    -Karda (Nui): Female, don’t know about design. Energetic beyond belief, very powerful, capable of charging the other Islands. Also a very good cook. Lightning.
     
    -Karzahni: Probably just going to use the being that’s already named Karzahni. Plasma.
     
    -Artakha: Same. Gravity.
     
    -Zakaz: Male, obviously a Skakdi. Rude and violent, routinely breaks into Voya’s home while she’s gone to try to rob her (usually beaten up by Mahri). Has Utility Vision, which lets him do pretty much anything with his eyes. Air.
     
    -Xia: Female, probably Roodaka-based. Has a mind for business, great at making things, traitorous. Magnetism.
     
    -Stelt: Male, looks like Krekka. Big, strong, and dumb. Obsessed with Visorak, usually manipulated by Xia. Ice.
     
    -Destral: Male, looks like a Makuta. Hates the other Islands, routinely tries to destroy them. Has a habit of popping up out of nowhere. Shadow.
     
    -Odina: Male, probably based on the Shadowed One. Has a criminal empire, along with an eye for business that enables him to get along well with Xia. Often gets in fights with Destral. Sonics.
     
    -Daxia: Female, Helryx-like. Tough and sometimes violent. Likes to watch Destral and Odina fight. Light.
     
    -Nynrah: Male, maybe a Fe-Matoran? Keeps to himself most of the time, but people will often ask him to make things for them. Artakha values his work, but Xia seems him more as a competitor. Iron.
     
    -Visorak: Male, not a whole lot of details aside from ability to fling Visorak and shoot webs like Spider-Man. The Green.
     
    -Artidax: Male, don’t know about design, probably an explosive temper. Stole something from Destral a few years back—Destral wants to retrieve it, but Daxia is also trying to get her hands on it. Fire.
     
    -Thinking I could also include the planets at some point. Bara (Magna) would be very independent, but nobody really likes him. Bota (Magna) is a nice enough guy, but no one knows he exists, or bothers to remember his name or anything. Aqua (Magna) is well-liked, seen as a big sister by the Islands. Not 100% sure on how Spherus (Magna) would be represented though.
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    -Butterfree ("Cat")
    -Heracross
    -Genesect
     
    As you may be able to guess, I'm not a huge fan of the Bug type either. Might have something to do with my phobias. Also, there aren't a whole lot of Bug Pokemon I find really interesting, and I've never thought of it as being a particularly powerful type. I trained Butterfree because I felt like I should, but it didn't do me a whole lot of good. Heracross and Genesect, though, were just fantastic, and it's impossible to choose which one I love more. There are a few Bug Pokemon I've been thinking of trying out (Pinsir, Scyther/Scizor, maybe Scoliopede), but we'll have to wait and see if I get around to them.
     
    Ground is on the way.
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    -Scrafty
    -Spiritomb
    -Umbreon ("Umbra")
    -Bisharp ("Muramasa")
    -Greninja ("Gali")
    -Yveltal
     
    I actually rather like the Dark type. It frustrates me that it's still the only type that doesn't have a Gym. (They must have noticed this by now, especially when they were arranging the World Championship in Black 2/White 2, so I have to believe that this is on purpose.) Most of these Pokemon were really great (with exception(s)), and Scrafty in particular was a big surprise--I never would have caught one if it hadn't been recommended, but it became a real star on my White team. I'm also glad I got to use Spiritomb before they gave it a weakness (which I can't help but find a little disappointing...). I don't know that I can pick a favorite, but since I'm just coming off of playing Y, my memories of training Gali the Greninja from a little Froakie are particularly fresh in my mind.
     
    Coming up next: Steel.
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    -Dialga ("Vahi")
    -Garchomp ("Chomper", "Takea")
    -Giratina ("Vezon")
    -Zekrom
    -Kyurem (White)
     
    Dragon. The type everyone wants to use and no one wants to fight. Well less so now that we have Fairy type. I definitely like having a Dragon on my team, but since you usually need to go out of your way to acquire one (or they don't show up until late in the game when you already have a team together), most of the Dragons I've used are mascots, who have had spots reserved for them. The only real exception is Garchomp, since Garchomp is completely awesome. There's also the issue of Dragon not being super-effective against anything aside from Dragon, but dual typing helps cope with that, right? Dragon is definitely a type I want to get more use out of in the future. Though it could be a little more difficult to do so now that they have a new weakness.
     
    Getting close to the end. Ice is next.
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    -Ampharos ("Reeper", no nickname)
    -Raichu ("Pika", "Minnie")
    -Luxray ("Shin")
    -Zekrom
     
    Hm, not a whole lot of diversity amongst my Electric types, huh? Yes, I trained some Pikachu. You're darn right I evolved them! It's a fun type to have, although sometimes it can be difficult keeping them alive in battle. If I had to pick a favorite...well, I might actually go with Luxray. My Platinum Luxray is really, really awesome. I'm sure I'll train more Electric types in the future, but I'm not really sure who or when...
     
    Dark will be next.
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    Ah, yes, Fairy...well, the thing is...I haven't actually trained any Fairy types yet. It turns out I haven't even trained any Pokemon that were later retconned to Fairy type. This bothers me.
     
    I definitely will train Fairy types in the future, not just so I can have an awesome counter for Dragons, but also because I want to try out several of them. Mega Gardevoir looks pretty cool, and Diantha did give me one in Y, so I have that on stand-by. I also kind of like Carbink and Klefki, so I've been debating trying them out. I keep flip-flopping on Sylveon, though...
     
    Well, those are all the major Pokemon I've put effort into training thus far. The list will most certainly grow, as I have no intention of quitting my Pokemon journey...so, now I sit and wait for Z. Or...XX and XY...or whatever they're going to do next.
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    -Primeape ("Mayumi")
    -Poliwrath ("Paul")
    -Lucario ("Aki," "Akamai")
    -Infernape ("Sarutobi")
    -Heracross
    -Gallade ("Lancelot")
    -Scrafty
    -Keldeo
    -Emboar ("Recoome")
    -Blaziken (Mega)
     
    Shoot, I never realized I trained so many Fighting types! I never really gave much thought to the type as a whole, one way or the other, but I guess a lot of the Pokemon designs really catch my eye or something. Looking back, most of these Pokemon were very dependable. There were some exceptions, yes, but overall I'd say I've had a very positive experience with the Fighting type. Lucario was a favorite at one point, but after hatching, evolving, raising, and getting a lot of use out of two of them, I'm...well, not exactly sick of it, but I don't want to train another one any time soon. (Though when Pokemon Bank comes out, I'm definitely letting one or both of them spend some time as a Mega Lucario.)
     
    Next up: Electric.
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    -Typhlosion ("Blaze," "Blaze Jr.")
    -Ho-Oh ("Rudy")
    -Infernape ("Sarutobi")
    -Charizard
    -Magmortar
    -Victini
    -Chandelure ("Lumiere")
    -Emboar ("Recoome")
    -Blaziken (Mega)
     
    I like Fire. Who doesn't like Fire? Most of my teams tend to have Fire Pokemon on them, because there's nothing quite like incinerating your opponent's Pokemon to smoldering ash. Although, I think I've already used most of the Fire Pokemon I've actually wanted to train. Might be difficult to fill the spot in the future...well, I have a few more candidates. My Typhlosion from Gold was the first Pokemon I really bonded with, so it definitely has a special place in my heart, but my Chandelure was also simply amazing...this is why I'm not listing my favorites.
     
    As I said yesterday, next is Poison.
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    Well, let's see...
     
    -Pidgeot ("Tori")
    -Butterfree ("Cat")
    -Gyarados ("Berserker" (shiny))
    -Ho-Oh ("Rudy")
    -Charizard
    -Yveltal
     
    Flying isn't high on my "must have in team list," since their main use in my opinion is learning Fly, and that send you right to a Pokemon Center where you can put them back in the box anyway. In most cases, a Flying type will only make it onto my team if they have another type that I'm looking for, or if they're a mascot or just a Pokemon I feel like giving a try. I'm sure I'll be using more Flying types in the future, but I remain neutral on the type overall.
     
    Next post: Grass types.
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