Jory

Written 3/18. Feeling better today. ============================== Redeemed He stumbles Falls to the ground The sick crack of his head A lonely sound. He lies there Unmoving, unfeeling Simply staring at the sky Or his case, the ceiling. He wonders Ponders the question Will anyone help him And will the pain lessen? He feels sorry For his lack of health But he has no one to blame Except for himself. He worries so much That he cannot rise But he knows he won’t know Until the moment he tries. He realizes Sits up, knowledge gained He is the one Who will end his pain. He stands Walks forward proudly “It’s a new day,” He declares loudly. He leaves His house, his prison To seek happiness With newfound wisdom.

{James and Avis} Jacob chuckled and looked at James, then took another bite of his crepe. Through a mouthful of food, he somehow managed to speak relatively clearly. It was obviously a practiced skill. "Just talking about him won't make me mad. Maybe talking about what a pig-headed, arrogant, know-it-all, smartass-" he began before stopping, laughing softly. "Look, all I'm saying is Mareek has his issues. But we all do." He shrugged and took another bite of crepe. "That Porygon of his is probably is most threatening Pokemon for Shade. It'll be immune to your Night Shade attack. Frankly, I'm not sure you'll be able to beat Mareek. He's an incredible strategist and by the time you hit the field he'll already have something in place to counter you. If you want to win, you need to throw him off his game. Play tricks with his mind. I know it sounds mean and it is, but it's tough to beat him in a straight-up battle. Erce, his Scyther, is extremely fast. He'll probably try to use Vacuum Wave to cancel out your Will-o-Wisp attack and then confound you with Double Team. You need to keep Shade focused. His Cubone, Nemo, is the least threatening of all of them but has an incredible fighting spirit. Expect to be surprised by it." He then looked up and smiled as he saw Avis flying overhead. He waved his arm to try to get the Murkrow's attention, hoping the Dark-type might see him and report back to Danielle.

{Lane, Charlotte, Paul} "No objections here. Let's get this show on the road."

Written 3/17 ============== If I Go I’ve always wondered Do you think They would notice If I go? Would they throw themselves to the ground? Scream and wail and ask “Why, God, why?” Would they throw their voices to the heavens? Asking how, just how can it be fair for them? Would they realize their woe is mine living on? And finally understand what my pain is? Would they move on after just a few weeks? Wondering what had rained on their parade? Would I be left alone to crack and erode? Nature left to casually erase all that remains? Would I be forsaken by the ones I loved? Left to the same fate there as I was here? If I go will anyone care? If I go I hope so.

Written 3/17 ============= Today I woke up this morning At least I think I did It felt strange As though I watched from afar. I ate an apple this morning Or remembered one Its taste was elusive Like chasing a memory long gone. I spoke to Mother today Though I can’t recall where Her voice has faded now Simply a whisper of eons past. I fall asleep tonight On an ethereal bed I do not dream For today was dream enough.

As someone else who posts my poems in here I just wanted to let you know that I read yours and appreciate them. You have this haunting sadness to your tone that's absolutely captivating. You're incredibly talented. Keep scribbling

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that thing from his past. I think I might have said something to him after our battle that made him dislike me, but then again I could be over-analyzing things," he said quietly as he bit into his crepe. The warm, battery food was comforting to the Trainer after the shouting match with his rival. "I'm inclined to think that he has his own reasons for being rude. I'd hate to think that he's just a rude person in general." The young man bit into his crepe again, savoring the sweet Mago Berry treat. "Whatever the case is, I'm excited for my next battle. Spitfyre put in a good showing today and I think that with the momentum we have, we'll be hard pressed not to win the next round."

I really like this back-and-forth between Jacob and Mareek. It's kinda a "logic vs. moral reasoning" argument that I'm finding very compelling.

{Outside the Stadium- Near Food Vendors} Jacob turned on his heel and whipped around to face James, his face contorted in anger. "Listen here-" he began furiously before stopping. I'm not mad at him. It's Mareek that's been getting on my nerves, he reminded himself, forcing his rage down and shaking his head. "Sorry about that, James. You're right." He sighed and continued walking toward the food stalls, gesturing for the other Trainer to follow. "It's just that I don't understand how someone as smart as him can be so bullheaded and arrogant. He knows that we need to be working together on this better than anyone, but he keeps shooting down all of our ideas. At a certain point we have to do something, you know? I have all the respect in the world for him as a battler and as a Trainer, but his people skills leave a little bit to be desired." He finally arrived at a stall that was selling fruit-filled crepes, a Kalosian dessert that he had become quite fond of during a childhood vacation to Lumiose City. "We're going to have to find Professor Cadmus after we eat, so make sure you get something good. Hopefully the others will share my opinion. Having more than just the two of us will definitely lend our story credence." He looked up at the sky, then clicked the button on Spitfyre's Ball. He looked up questioningly at his Trainer, having missed the better part of the argument. "More trouble with Mareek," Jacob noted to the Charmeleon. Spitfyre nodded and reached up to take a bite of the crepe, then handed it back to Jacob. The Trainer turned to James. "Let's grab a seat," he said, indicating a bench near the crepe stall. He then took a seat, waiting for James to get his food.

I wrote one in class today (3/17): ============================ Sentinel Riding thrugh an astral plane My mind my steed with star-filled mane Watching the world drift by as it is torn to tatters But my stallion sits above all its noise and its chatter I look down and see where I once lived I mourn my old home and its once-given gifts Observe as the Earth is consumed in flame And see people realize That we are to be blamed. There is no such thing as "consequence free" They'll take what they'll take both from you and from me The only thing we can do is escape to the stars To reach Heaven's gates and be at last safe from harm.

I made a Trainer Card for Jacob:

Jacob looked at Mareek, a bit taken aback by the other student's aggression. If this asshole wants to make a real issue personal, then that's his prerogative. But a grudge shouldn't be what prevents us from being cautious, he thought to himself. He realized he was literally biting his tongue to keep himself from snapping back at the other student. What a frickin' know-it-all, he fumed. Finally, the normally-reserved student couldn't hold back any longer. "I was just thinking that maybe having two of the top students in the class present a reasonable hypothesis about a student that nobody seems to know anything about and the Pokemon that he couldn't have caught himself because he was unconscious would lend it some credence, but you're right, Mareek. None of the top brass at the school have ever had to handle a situation involving students with ill intent before, right? And it would certainly be outside the realm of possibility that the Donphan stampede that most of them saw personally and haven't been able to find a reason for might have been caused by someone else, right? And if we thought that something bad might happen as a result of said student, then they definitely wouldn't want us to tell them about it!" he shouted back sarcastically. "Arceus above, you've got one thick frickin' skull if you think the people in charge of the Academy wouldn't want to know if we knew something. Granted, it could all be conjecture and Evan could have nothing to do with it, but I'd rather we do something about it then sit here with Nemo's club up our collective ass! For Arceus's sake, the Winter Cup attracts thousands of people! Lives could be at stake!" he finished, breathing heavily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get something to eat. Then I'm going to go find Professor Cadmus and at least have a civil discussion with him about it. And if he dismisses me outright, fine. But I'd rather make the attempt than sit idly by as the Academy I spent my whole life waiting to attend rots from the inside out. James, let's go," he said coldly, storming off toward the stalls where the food was.

{Lane and Charlotte} Arthur grinned lightly as Lane sat down and asked about how Miss Reinier had reacted to him leaving. "Honestly, I don't think she cared much. And if she did then she didn't get a chance to say anything to me before I left. She's a weird one for sure. I wonder if she'll be able to measure up-" he began before stopping abruptly, his eyes narrowing in anger as he saw Charlotte take a seat at the table across from him. Her... he thought to himself. He began to mutter angrily but managed to stop, closing his eyes and breathing deeply in an attempt to control his emotions. I can't believe her nerve. Especially seeing as she knows exactly what happened, he fumed. He turned to Lane and shook his head, trying to clear his mind for their duel. "I'm Arthur, by the way. Arthur Seward. I don't think I got your name before you climbed out that window." The blue-haired youth took his Deck holder out of his backpack and removed his Deck, placing it on the lunch table. "Are you ready to get started?"

{Mareek, James, Danielle, and Lana} Jacob nodded to James, indicating that they would leave to eat soon, then smiled at Mareek while shaking his head. "I'm really glad I didn't have to go up against Erce when the two of us battled. Her speed would have made her a challenge, even for Spitfyre." The young man lowered his voice, looking around to make sure there were no eavesdroppers. I hope Mareek doesn't immediately shoot my idea down. He's a bit hot-headed about this stuff. "So what do you guys think of the Evan situation? I'm of the opinion that we should at least tell Professor Cadmus." He paused to let it sink in. "I know you guys were against telling the faculty initially and I was too, but this might be bigger than us. If there's a terrorist group that has people working for them inside the Academy, I'd prefer that the strongest battler here knows about it. That way if things start to go south, he doesn't need to be filled in. Thoughts?"

{Lane and Arial} Arthur blinked quickly in surprise as lane ejected himself from the classroom via the window. The bluenette then nodded to himself and took the last bite of his tuna sandwich before packing up the rest of his lunch. He picked up his bag and went to walk out of the room. However, before he left he couldn't help but take a glance backward at Arial. He gave her a little smile and a wave before proceeding out the door and into the hallway. Once out of the room, he turned back and stared at Miss Reinier for a few moments. There's a number of things I'd like to ask her, but for now I'll do her the silent honor of leaving her be in front of her colleague. Arthur turned and walked down the hall, his thoughts turning to his upcoming duel with Lane. If he said he's not that great a duelist, then my Atlanteans should be able to pick him apart without a challenge. How boring, he noted. Maybe I'll try to get that card out on the field. It's hard to do against skilled opponents, but if he doesn't make the proper plays then I can easily counter him. He finally reached the cafeteria and sat down at an empty table, his blue hair making him quite noticeable in the sizable crowd that had gathered for lunch.

Very much this. Having been in a similar situation I know it can be frustrating, but trust me when I say that the best thing for you is to get distance and perspective. It may seem like the end of the world now but, like you said, you're still young. You won't find "the one" on your first try. I'm in love with one of my best friends. She's cool and sweet and everything I've ever claimed to want in a girl, but she doesn't feel the same about me. And the fact of the matter is that because I care about her I have to respect that. You can't force a relationship to happen and if she likes another guy there's probably a good reason for it. If you really like her, then you should be happy that she's happy. All you can do is look at yourself in the mirror and make yourself a better person. Work harder in school, be active, and most importantly be kind to others. I'll tell you what a good friend told me that helped me realize that there are more important things than the chase: "Love comes when it's most needed and least expected."

Does anyone want to duel today?

{Lane} Arthur's face went blank at the mention of parents, but the laughter soon returned to his eyes as he began to reply to the other student. "Yeah, but I wouldn't take the risk. Look, I doubt Miss Reinier's going to get you in any kind of trouble. With Tenjo dead, his students are likely to do all kinds of weird crap. You could just blame it on that, you know," he said quietly. "I'll pack up my lunch. We can go to the cafeteria to eat, and if you want we could even have a duel."

{Lane (and possibly Anna)} Arthur calmly wiped his lips with a napkin and looked up at the student who seemed to be attempting some form of self-defenestration directly in front of his desk. He was puzzled for a moment, then realized it would probably be a good idea to stop the student from jumping. After all, with two deaths in the class they might very well shut the school down for a while. He cleared his throat and tapped the student on the shoulder, not even having to leave his desk to do so. It was precisely at the moment that Miss Reinier looked over at the student and scolded him. "'Scuse me. I don't really know you, so I could be wrong, but are you trying to jump out that window?" He shook his head. "Look, Miss Reinier already saw you. If you're trying to make a quick escape you might as well go for the door. At this height you're likely to break your ankles, and then you wouldn't get very far now would you? Just get down and come eat with me. You can jump out all the windows you want later when I'm not around."

Jacob strolled over to Danielle and Mareek. Despite his and Spitfyre's victory over Nadia, he was a bit concerned about the whole Evan situation. I hope he makes the right choice when the time comes, he pondered. It must be rough being him. As far as I know, no one here is his friend and he's been the topic of rumors all day. He finally reached the pair, smiling at Danielle's laughter and smirking just a bit at Mareek being his usual taciturn self. Once he reached them, he listened quietly for a moment as he tried to get some context for the conversation. "Yeah, Lana, you've really shown yourself as a force to be reckoned with at the Academy. I can't say I envy you for having to go up against Mareek here so early, but I suppose that's just the way the draw worked out." He shrugged and then looked down, a bit embarrassed as his stomach began to growl. "Looks like it's time for lunch. Anyone want to come grab some food with me?"

Arthur shook his head, snapping out of his reverie as he looked away from the window that had occupied his thoughts for the majority of the day's class. I really need to pay better attention, he thought to himself. He watched another student approach their new teacher, Miss Reiner, and begin peppering her with questions. Hmm... he pondered. I wonder why he's so curious about her. Although if I were into older women, I guess I would be too, he mused with a light grin on his face. He took his Deck out of his bag and began carefully laying his cards out on his desk, substituting new ones in and pulling others out. Much better, he admired after he was done. He then looked over to see that another girl in the class seemed to be researching the "Illegal Duels" that the teacher had brought up. This captured his attention until yet another student- Anna, he thought- banged her hand on the desk loudly and said hello to the girl with the tablet. Finally, he cleaned up his Deck and put it back in his bag, replacing it on his desk with a small boxed lunch. He opened it up, revealing a delicious-looking tuna sandwich as well as a mango and a small sushi roll cut neatly into six pieces. He then fished his water bottle out of his bag and began eating quietly, hoping to finish his meal before he caught anyone's notice as his bright blue hair was wont to do.

Just edited the deck to include some more Atlanteans. And @Murdoc if you're gonna run Ancient Gears I'd recommend the Chimeratech fusion dragons.

Name: Arthur Seward Gender: Male Appearance: Stands at roughly 6' tall. Tan and muscular with royal blue hair. Blue eyes. Tends to favor blue clothing, although he is frequently spotted sporting teal or green. Personality: He is generally calm and serene, but like the ocean he is prone to his stormy moments. Having grown up on a ship he is used to taking orders from authority figures. Tends to appear outwardly taciturn, but enjoys a good joke. Does NOT make ocean jokes. Backstory: He's spent a lot of his life around the docks and on large cargo ships. His father was a ship captain and his mother died a few years ago. He loved her dearly and uses one of her cards in her honor. (To be continued later) Number Holder?: No. Type of Deck: He has an ocean-themed deck that uses Levia-Dragon- Daedalus as its "deck boss". DN Username: RebornJory

I'd be very interested in this, but I'd like to see a distinct lack of competitive decks (Crystal Beast I'm looking at you) in the game. I feel like once it all gets super-complicated the roleplay is just going to turn into a question of which writers are better duelists, not which characters.

As I gazed up into the inky blackness of the Virginia sky, I lamented the day I was born. Then, the cold droplets of water began to patter gently on my skin. It went slowly at first, as though asking my permission to continue. I opened my arms to the sky and threw my coat off, reveling in the brisk November rain. As the cool water ran in rivulets down my face, I could feel everything that had happened melting away. I opened my mouth and let it out in one primal scream. All the anger, all the frustration, all the futile resentment of people and things that were ultimately less at fault than I. All the depression, all the anxiety, all the fear that my life had ended. The rain took it and, in one great Houdinian act, made it simply disappear. And for the first time today I thought to myself, “Everything is going to be okay.”