The Forgotten Zodiac

Here is where I will spew out random plot ideas for no reason whatsoever.

The country of Xioreth, small and peaceful. Forests and plains cover most of its surface, with the Asha mountain range directly to the south, and the Atlantis sea to the west and north. They are largely ignored by the world, not participating in trade businesses or wars. It was almost a forgotten country; if it weren't for the fact that it was a decent place for a vacation, it would potentially be dropped off of maps altogether. But there are plenty of dark secrets lurking about Xioreth. One might even call them evil, if it weren't for the fact that no one was really aware of what went on.Located exactly a mile and a half from Skye Beach stood an ancient castle. Talltale Hall, it was officially named, and it was rumored to be haunted. In actuality, it was a school; an unnamed organization where certain people were sought out and trained in the ways of monster hunting. For of course, monsters were everywhere, quite literally. Mortals just had a hard time seeing them, normally. Their minds translated the twisted beasts into that of something more understandable. Serial killers, wild animals, or sometimes nothing at all. It was a curse, really.

A long time ago, longer than anyone could possibly hope to remember, a Titan of monsters was sealed deep within the earth. Before he was sealed, though, he cast such a curse over all of humanity; his creatures and beasts roamed the earth still, but normal humans would be unable to see them or tell that they were there. The Titan had hoped to crush humanity and be released by his monsters, but his plot had been foiled by a weak point in the curse. Mages, those who could wield magic, were not cursed at birth. If left alone, then it eventually wore onto them and they were just as mindless as others, but Talltale Hall had made it their duty to pick up young mages and train them to fight against the monsters that crawl along this earth. Those who graduate go on to become professional monster hunters, employed by kings and emperors across the globe.

Recently though, a plot has been uncovered. A different organization has gathered, and they are determined to bring back the Titan of Monsters, for whatever reason. As it stands, only one member of a rumored three has been caught. But before any information could be extracted, the member killed himself.

Monster hunters across the globe are distressed, and several of them have returned to Talltale Hall to help. But will their efforts be in vain?

Pandemic, plague, disease, call it what you will. But all around the world, humans are dying. They were previously the highest-populated race; but after three years of the strangest virus seen yet, their numbers quickly descended. They became easy to spot, wearing cloth to cover their nose and mouth, protecting them from the unseen killer that could lurk literally anywhere. Healers tried desperately to save those who contracted the virus, but it was oddly magic resistant.

Religious groups claimed that humans had been doing too much wrong and too little good, so they were being punished for it. For that ridiculous reason, few humans were trustworthy and those who didn't succumb to the sickness died of starvation. Three years or so more, and humans were so few in number that they were akin to diamonds. And they were never happy to be found. With the human population so low, other species gave up entirely on finding any sort of cure. They went on with their lives.

Not all hope is lost though, it seems. The city of Buranda is hard at work collecting humans and keeping them safe from further harm. They are given the chance to hold a job, to earn money and have a family. The entire city was assured that there was no way they would contract the disease here; Sir Vonnet, the head of the city, had the place kept perfectly clean and they had trained wolves to sniff out the virus and locate any problem areas.

The humans were completely isolated from the rest of the world, though they didn't mind it. The jobs most men held were kept secret, for some reason, and anyone who told anyone else about their job was punished. Most of the time, that meant going and doing their job and being unable to return to their families or friends, often for months at a time.

Aaaannddd I don't know what else to add. Hm.

W-Well, I just thought maybe my bad potato would possibly be the creator of the disease that caused so much death and what not. I dunno... 

See? It's little bitty and pathetic!

Okay, what do you mean by 'bad potato'? You're implying that the perpetrator...is a potato. -is reminded of GLaDOS-

Either that, or you're saying s/he spread the disease using potatoes.

OR you're saying that your idea is the potato, and the potato is that you can play the creator of the disease.

...Which is it? xD

...I just explained it in the cbox. It's just a term for a villain. *shrugs* I dunno how to describe him. Like I said, he's kinda underdeveloped. I'm vaguely using him in another RP and I'm making him up as I go.

Okay, to wrap it up...

Pandemic, plague, disease, call it what you will. But all around the world, humans are dying. They were previously the highest-populated race; but after three years of the strangest virus seen yet, their numbers quickly descended. They became easy to spot, wearing cloth to cover their nose and mouth, protecting them from the unseen killer that could lurk literally anywhere. Healers tried desperately to save those who contracted the virus, but it was oddly magic resistant.

Religious groups claimed that humans had been doing too much wrong and too little good, so they were being punished for it. For that ridiculous reason, few humans were trustworthy and those who didn't succumb to the sickness died of starvation. Three years or so more, and humans were so few in number that they were akin to diamonds. And they were never happy to be found. With the human population so low, other species gave up entirely on finding any sort of cure. They went on with their lives.

Not all hope is lost though, it seems. The city of Buranda is hard at work collecting humans and keeping them safe from further harm. They are given the chance to hold a job, to earn money and have a family. The entire city was assured that there was no way they would contract the disease here; Sir Vonnet, the head of the city, had the place kept perfectly clean and they had trained wolves to sniff out the virus and locate any problem areas.

The humans were completely isolated from the rest of the world, though they didn't mind it. The jobs most men held were kept secret, for some reason, and anyone who told anyone else about their job was punished. Most of the time, that meant going and doing their job and being unable to return to their families or friends, often for months at a time.

What's going on? With all the isolation, what could possibly be happening within, or more importantly, outside the walls? And why do these things ALWAYS end on questions?

And since you're playing the bad guy, I guess I can't keep too much from you. Unless you wanted to just figure out your own thing. Or we could have two bad guys, one with obviously more devious plans than the other and they're fighting for control and whatnot.

I have no idea, though the thought of two potatoes makes me happy.

Delicious, delicious potatoes.

Yo'r crazy.

We gotta get something movin, BunBun! 

He was scared.

This he knew utterly, beyond and above anything else. There were bright flashes of light and people were flying that shouldn’t be able to fly and there was blood, so much of it, and screaming and screaming and screaming.

He was trying to hide, but the air was hot and full of static around him and he needed to run but maybe if he stayed still she would go away… on the ground a few feet from her was the boy with the blue hair and his heart throbbed terribly in his chest the boy wasn’t moving he couldn’t get up and he smelled blood.

”You did this, you know.”

The woman’s voice was clear, and it cut across his mind like a knife. He lifted his gaze to look at her. She came closer. And closer. She was touching face.

”Poor little devil.”

He didn’t like her he wasn’t sure why and so he lifted his hand to bat her aside because she was weak and he was strong and he would CRUSH her and then he would find out what was wrong with the boy that didn’t get up and if he was not a friend he would crush him too and that girl over there was screaming now and it bothered him and was distracting so he looked away from the person touching him and saw a yellow-dressed one leaning over the boy.

“Ike? Ike!”

He could smell blood and it made his stomach churn. Suddenly he was aware that he was hurting, very, very bad and his body shook and there was electricity and he was lying on the ground and the woman that did this was standing over him. Sparks danced off her fingers and his heart beat fast because she was going to zap him he should have crushed her or done something she was closer her hand was on his face and it burned.

”All your fault.”

He was angry and so he screamed at her and his hand clubbed her on the head he was dangerous she fell down and there was red and she didn’t move and he grabbed onto the rock beside him and clawed himself up and stood over her, hissing and screaming.

”Soren!”

Soren what was that word what did it mean so familiar… he turned and looked for the creature that had spoken it and saw the little girl the boy was gone and so were some other people they had taken the boy and he and the little girl were the only ones out here she was little and so small and she was pale and there was blood on her and the smell of it made him sick and she was crying what was wrong where was the boy?

”D-don’t be scared… it’s me, Mist.”

Scared she was scared and so was he and she was getting closer and he could feel the blood pounding behind his eyes and his fingers twitched they wanted HER blood but he didn’t want to hurt her she was crying where was the boy and she was getting closer and her hand reached out he should warn her he didn’t want to to to to hurt her.

”Y-you’re sh-sh-shaking. Come inside. Come… come on.”

He WAS shaking and he crouched lower to the ground he would pounce on her because she should know better she was getting too close he was dangerous she should know better she would die for this she would die he would kill her he didn’t want to but she was closer and she was going to touch him and he was scared and she was too he was scary why was she coming closer she needed to stay back he couldn’t control she was going to die…

He screamed at her and flared his wings. She stumbled back and fell down and his hand came up to slash at her he was so STRONG she was weak she would die she was screaming and looking at him not at but through and what was she thinking what did she see he turned to look and he saw the sky.

It was open and calm.

What had he been doing a moment ago he couldn’t remember the moon was full and the night was cool and he wanted to leave but there were walls around but he could go up and nothing was going to stop him.

His wings were new but they were strong and he was supposed to use them and he would use them to fly away from here because here he was confused and scared and dangerous.

Before he could think about it think what was that was that what he was doing what was going on he was in the air and the ground was smaller and the little yellow-dressed girl was crying and yelling at him so he flew away faster before she could chase him down and hurt him or he hurt her he didn’t want to do that and now there was open ocean below him where was he going he didn’t know it just seemed like the way to go and so he went and he flew and he flew and his wings were strong and they did not get tired so he kept going…

-------------------------------------------

What happened to the boy?

He didn’t know why he kept seeing the boy on the ground and then gone or why it made his stomach hurt like he was smelling blood because out here the only smell was salt and salt did not smell like blood but his stomach hurt and the boy was gone.

He was still flying and it was getting brighter outside and the mindless action was comforting he didn’t have to have thoughts they were not needed he could just fly on forever except now he was getting tired and he still felt dangerous but he was tired and he needed to land.

There was a forest beneath him forest how long ago had the ocean been gone he looked back and he could not see it anymore. He landed in the forest he hit a few trees and they hurt so when he got on the ground he attacked them and that made him feel better they were in little pieces now and little pieces didn’t bother him they were weak and useless and meaningless and he was strong and he remembered he was hungry. He looked around the little pile of sticks he made and hissed and told the other trees to bring him food and they didn’t obey so he made some more of them pay and the little pile of sticks became a bigger pile of sticks. He sat down and was quiet except when his stomach growled he growled back at it it was making him weak and he was dizzy and maybe he would settle for water.

He turned his head skyward and smelled for water but with his stomach churning like this he could only think about blood so it was pointless he stood up and looked for water.

He didn’t get far before he heard a voice saying words he knew he should understand but he didn’t they were familiar. He looked for who was saying the words and found little people smaller than yellow-dress girl they saw him they should be scared they would run away but they were little and innocent and thought he was a toy he was NOT a toy they were coming at him with their hands held open wide and he hissed. There were three of them he counted one two three the one that was the biggest crossed his arms and looked at him with worry and asked him if he wanted food and he thought of Ike who was Ike? He saw blue and the boy on the ground. Where had he gone?

The three came closer and he tried to warn them he did he didn’t want to hurt he didn’t want to hurt Ike so why had he why were they getting closer he flared his wings and hissed at them but they were not scared because they thought he needed help he did not need help COULDN’T he was not weak CONTROL he was strong and he would SHOW them.

There was blood.

It made his stomach hurt.

He was thirsty and so he looked for water.

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The sky became dark and it was colder now he’d been wandering he’d gone very far away from the smell of blood but it haunted him he was sticky with it his hands were brown it had dried he licked it off but it tasted bad so he left most of it there but the action reminded him he was hungry he was also tired but he couldn’t sleep hungry he was thirsty still looking in a circle?

The smell was strong when he caught it it was of meat cooking and he could chase away hunger with meat and he was also cold he smelled smoke and fire was warm he went to it and there were travelers he could see them they could not see him not yet he would hide and watch they were cooking meat maybe if he stepped out they would see that he was hungry and save him some good idea he stepped out.

They were screaming and scared not like the foolish children they knew better knew to be afraid he was dangerous he had claws and wings and sharp sharp teeth and they had sharp sharp swords and one hit him on the side and he screamed ANGRY rip off man’s sword hand make him PAY hurt hurt hurt hurt…

Man was screaming his arm was gone who did that he was dangerous scared hungry hungry man was bleeding others were screaming he just wanted to share maybe sharing was bad but he was hungry he would have to take meat the man’s meat the man was MADE OF MEAT he could smell it he screamed felt dizzy the man was bleeding and he was bleeding sword wound hurt and another man ran at him with an axe swung for his head got out of the way run run get killed get killed get killed scared he hurt the man ripped off sword hand dangerous sorry sorry…

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It became bright again but there was still no food still no water wandering looking dizzy fall down get up walk fall down he was hurting his side was bleeding and it was sticky and now there was blood smell followed him made him sick what had he done he hurt the man he hurt Ike he hurt Ike what was Ike? Blue friend where did he go hungry tired hurting had to find food had to find water make hurt go away before sleep before sleep or he might not wake up again bleeding make it stop… had to find… find what?

He looked for a long time fell down a lot walk slowly but hurry need food water Ike and the sky was dark again but it shouldn’t be dark again it should still be light still be daytime and he looked up and there were clouds.

He watched them for a minute and he should take shelter why they were just clouds clouds couldn’t hurt he flew through some of them earlier they were clouds and they were stupid they were not food and they could not help him could do nothing were meaningless weak needed to die he screamed at them and hissed angry stupid stupid cloud weak help...

The cloud roared at him suddenly and he was sorry he didn’t mean it the clouds weren’t weak but they didn’t hear his apology and they roared again and then it wasn’t dark but light then it was dark again and there were streaks in the sky flashing and the trees were hissing and some unseen force knocked him to the ground and bent the trees and he could hear growling and the sky roared and flashed and it reminded him of the scary lady that zapped him and made his body shake and burn he was bleeding hurt hurt get up run now the sky was going to do the same thing he heard footsteps coming close it was coming fast and he was scared he was scared his heart was beating fast and he ran but he could not outrun the footsteps they were chasing him and he was getting wet and it was cold and that force knocked him down again and he screamed getting back up run some more fell down the ground was sticky like blood and it tried to hold him down but he pushed himself up and he ran and ran and ran and ran.

---------------------------------------------

There was a safe place up ahead it was made of stone and had pillars and a little shelter it was a little shelter he could hide there where the sky couldn’t see him and the force couldn’t knock him down he ran there and went inside. There was only one wall and a roof the rest was little pillars so the cold still got in but he wasn’t getting wetter he huddled against the wall and shivered and shivered and when the sky roared again he hissed back and he wrapped his wings close he was cold tired bleeding thirsty hungry tired cold scared tired. He wanted sleep he was tired he wanted Ike who? He wanted to sleep but his heart was beating fast and he would not be calm he was scared alone scared dangerous alone.

No he was not dangerous he was weak and tired bleeding and he didn’t want to go anymore he wasn’t sure how long he’d been flying running running killing bleeding no food or water he cried shaking and shaking and shaking and shaking didn’t want to be alone didn’t want to hurt… anybody…

Suddenly, a note broke through his thought process. He stiffened and his breath caught in his throat as that note slowly stretched into a song. He looked around wildly for the source and saw a little orange bird. The bird was small. It was sharing his hiding place. His first thought was that he didn’t want to share, but then he thought that the bird had probably been scared of the… thunderstorm… too, and had come here to hide just as he had.

And he realized he was calm and his thoughts were coherent. He shook his head slowly to clear it, listening to the song as the sound of his wildly beating heart evened out and his breathing steadied and his body relaxed.

And he was… tired.

Soren fell onto his side with an exhausted sigh. His whole body ached. His limbs felt heavier than lead and his eyes were sinking closed, but before they did they caught a flutter of movement. He pushed them open to see what had caught his gaze and saw the little orange bird resting on his hand. It was touching him. It was small. He didn’t care. He was just… sleepy.

So sleepy.

Sleep…

That night, he dreamed.

He was floating but he was standing on the ground at the same time. He was standing, but he didn’t need to support himself. There was fog obscuring his view of the surrounding area, but he gathered that he was in a forest of some kind. He could make out the outlines of distant mountains. The air was cool and smelled sweet, like dew. He breathed in deeply, drawing in the cool, clear, calm.

“Do you like it?”

He did not expect the voice, but he was not surprised when it came. He hadn’t felt alone in this place, so he only assumed that his company was now making itself known.

No, not itself. Herself. Very, very herself. The girl was small like a child, wearing a yellow poncho and a green scarf. Her hair tumbled down in an orange wave, and her brown eyes blinked up at him innocently. Her face was fair and pale. When she tilted her head, that curtain of hair rippled, and she smiled.

“I was hoping you would. I can’t do much with dreams, but I tried. Do you like it?”

It took him a moment to find his words again. “Yes. It’s peaceful.” He hesitated a moment longer, afraid to ask, but finally finding the courage to. “Am I still feral?”

Her smile was reassuring now. “Feral Ones do not sleep. Yet here you are – dreaming.”

A silence that was not uncomfortable stretched between them as he looked around again. Slowly the fog was pulling up from the ground, and he could see better his surroundings. There were small flowers spread across the carpet of grass that he stood on. He’d never seen the like of them before. The trees were a deep, vibrant green. He felt safe.

“…what is your name?”

He turned to her at the question. “I’m… Soren.” He hesitated again. “Who are you?”

She seemed delighted that he had thought to ask. “Who do you think I am?”

Now he had to think. She did not seem to be a heron – but what else could have reverted him and comforted him in this way, while he rested? Rested because she had helped him to?

And suddenly there were more questions than answers. “I don’t know who you are, but I know that you helped me. Why? Why did you…” he let the question trail off. She took a long time in considering her answer, letting his words hang in the air.

“Because I wanted to.”

He had almost given up on an answer when she finally gave one. It was neither what he expected or wanted. “Why?” he pressed.

“People never cease to amuse me. All of you always want to know why. But that’s one reason why I love you so much.”

Slowly, he shook his head in disbelief. “You… all of us? How can you know? How can—“ he realized suddenly, and his heart clenched. “No. This is impossible.”

“You do not believe in me?”

She did not sound offended, only curious, and it was that tone that allowed him to answer in an even voice, without anger. “I have always believed. After all,” a snarl curled his mouth, but he did not like how the action felt, so he wiped it away before continuing, “I’ve always thought someone had to be orchestrating all my suffering. It couldn’t have all been just a run of bad luck.”

She looked upset. It appeared that she was going to say something, but he cut her off. “Why do you choose to help me now, then? You must know – I am one of your forsaken.”

Now she was surprised, and a little offended. “I have no forsaken. I love all of you.”

It was his turn to be caught off guard. His mouth opened but he did not have words, so he closed it. She watched and waited for a few long minutes, before talking again. “What of Ike? Mist, Reyson, Leanne… Rhys, and… what was that one called… Rose?”

He blinked, confused. “They are… I know them.”

She smiled, pleased with his reply. “They have been praying for your safe return over these past days. I… could not ignore. So I found you and led you here so you could rest safely.”

Now that question of his came back. “Was it because of them that you helped me?”

“No. I helped you because you were scared and lonely. Those are not good feelings. I’ve felt them before… they made me sad and hurt me. I didn’t want you to suffer. So I sang for you.”

He shifted slightly. He knew he should feel uncomfortable at this sort of sentiment, but he did not. He felt safe and comforted. “I guess I should thank you.”

“It is not needed,” she said quickly. “But I appreciate it.”

“No, let me say it right.” He straightened and bowed stiffly. “Thank you, Goddess Ashera.”

She laughed.

“Child,” she said. “I am not Ashera.”

And now for the old poems I found and Sage demanded to read.

Gone By

Boards over pent up windows scream their stories

Whispers, shadows, murder

Police lines, do not cross

Down the block

Bent over walls

Creaking in the wind

Old days, sepia portraits, hard work

Lemonade at the end of the day

Down the block

Brick facades

Stucco columns

Former glory leaks from the fallen tapestries

Echoes of music drift from other rooms

Laughter, parties,

A wedding

Vows

Joy

Listen again – silence

Visions of days gone by

Muse

Words cascade from the void

Building scenes, creating the setting, breathing life

They exude from each heartbeat

Pulse quickening as they come faster, more poetic, more perfect…

They are exactly what I want

Not something another can tell me

I am not even sure if I learned them

Maybe they were just born along with me

Exploding from my mind

Perfection

Just what I want

When I want

Powerful

Creation

Ideas, images, scenes, plot, people, story

Perfection

OH WERE YOU EXPECTING THEM TO RHYME? HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO RHYME

Waves

A wave washes in,

Over the tan sand,

And back out again.

Another wave soon follows,

Spraying bits of foam,

Washing over my feet,

And then silently goes home.

The moon refracts light

Letting silver cover blue,

As wave after wave

Quietly passes through.

A gull calls from overhead,

And I glimpse it fly away,

As a wave splashes in

Covering me with spray.

Then I hear another call

Calling me loud and clear.

So I take a single shell

To be my memory from here.

Then I turn from the sea,

And race over the land.

But there my footprints still remain

An outline in the sand.

BOOOOOOOO. HERE"S ANOTHER.

The Storm

The sky darkens

And the trees bend and creak

To the force of the wind.

Heavy gray clouds roll in

From the west.

The grass in the field bows

As a current of air winds

Around their stems.

The sun hides and

The mountains become shadowed.

People rush into their houses

To avoid the approaching downpour.

A dog barks

Before darting under the porch.

Birds hasten for cover

As the breeze grows cold.

The world is silent,

If only for a moment

In anticipation.

Then, there comes a burst of light

And a low rumble

And from the largest of the clouds

A raindrop falls.

The storm has arrived.

AND ONE MORE

Temper Tantrum

The stale air is pierced by lightning.

The silence is shattered by thunder.

And suddenly,

There is sound everywhere.

Trees creaking, rain falling, people running.

But it is lost because of the sight

Of a cloud, swirling angrily,

Reaching out her slender finger

And touching the ground,

Causing the earth to tremble.

And she plays there,

Like a two year old throwing a fit.

Her screams drowning out all other sounds,

Commanding your attention.

But then, she is soothed,

And, satisfied,

Recedes back into the sky.

THAT ONE WAS ABOUT A TORNADO. NO ONE SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN I WROTE IT.

I"M NOT YELLING I"M DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN POEM AND NOT-POEM WITH ALL CAPS.

So, to be perfectly honest, RiT has gotten fairly uncompelling for me. It's nothing you did; it's just that Michael is literally my first character, so I didn't really know what I was doing when I started with him. He was a ladder rung, but I'm higher on the ladder now. Not only that, I feel like we've gotten plot-boxed in a way that spicing the plot up won't really help. I do want to continue roleplaying with you; I just think there's a more fulfilling way for us to do it. I have a decent plot in mind, and I think we'll both do better than we currently are.

Before you get two upset about losing Michael and Xei, hear me out. I know you're a fan of platonic malexmale, and the plot I have in mind should allow some of that. So plot.

After the WWIII, guns of every sort were outlawed. With the rise of magic, medieval style weapons came back into play, for they were significantly easier to enchant than full-metal items, like guns. The majority, nearly sixty percent, of the populace were able to harness the magic of enchanted weapons, and a third of those with that ability could harness incantation magic. A much smaller percentile, perhaps one percent, developed what were known as 'abnormalities', personal magical abilities that allow them various powers. Abs, as they were called, were accepted into general society, though it was usually somewhat awkward to have one in your nuclear family, much like having a highly-disabled relative.

Now my general idea for a plot. Some celebrity family (rich, disfunctional, high publicity, I didn't decide why) is partially well-known for having all abnormal children and having many of them. After hiring a guard/babysitter for their children, the parents disappear because they don't like parenting that many children or something. Or the children are crashed on an island. The family is my plot idea, with some adorable coming from the bodyguard. Thoughts?

She had to be brave. That was her only thought as she saw the doorknob turn.

"Ike?" she called, one hand rising to clutch at her throat as no reply came. Her finance certainly would have responded. This certainly was not him. And while she was not certain of how the man had so silently gotten through the lock on her door, she was certain that she did not want him in here with her, at least, not alive.

That thought was nearly enough to shake her resolve. She was the Queen of clemency, and yet here she was, thinking of murder. But, she did not have time to think. Now, she thought, she understood what Ike meant by not thinking about Death.

But here he was.

She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as Amiti came from its sheath and she faced the door.

"...come in."

-------------------

It was rare, to have so willing a victim. A predatory smile curled his lips as he opened the door at her call. He would not have waited for this in any usual circumstance, but the girl had the illusion of authority. What better way to humor her before her death, than to give her the illusion of control?

"Good evening, Elincia."

He did not give her the pleasure of hearing her title come from his lips, but instead licked them in anticipation. She had her sword drawn, but he saw the tremble in her wrists and jaw, and knew she was terrified.

Of course, he supposed, she had the right to be.

He thought that Skyloft was never as beautiful as it was in the early morning. The clouds fell to rest against the barrier below, so that he could see the open sky beyond the settled area of Skyloft clearly. The sun rose and bathed the floating island in glowing red that brightened to yellow as it climbed higher in the sky. He guided his loftwing in a lazy aerial circle above the rooftops of the community below, glancing between the sun's rising display and the small hunk of land below, watching people get up and prepare for the coming day.

His name was Wilhelm Ire, but most in the town below called him Wil. A few, annoyingly, thought it was fun to call him Wil-helmet, but he had grown used to the nickname and it didn't bother him so much anymore. His gaze lifted to view the Knight Academy, the only school on Skyloft and the place he was due to be in half a mark.

Today was a very special day, after all.

The Wing Ceremony would be held today, and nearly all of the citizens of Skyloft participated in some way. There were discounts at the Bazaar, all sorts of colorful and delicious food to be had, a few traditional plays about the formation of Skyloft and a few new plays that the acting club from the Knight Academy had written over the course of the year, an aerial stunt show performed by Skyloft's Veteran knights, and fireworks at the end of the day.

And, of course, the race.

Thinking about it caused Wil's stomach to flip in anticipation. He was going to participate this year, as he had finally reached the age and had the marks required to do so.

If he won, he'd immediately be indoctrinated into knighthood, and get to wear that new green uniform and that oh-so-dashing hat.

If he lost, well, he'd have to wait and graduate with the rest of the class. The Knight Academy didn't graduate based on age - there was certain criteria to be filled, certain classes to be passed, certain marks to attain. He was due to graduate this year, so, he supposed, winning the race wasn't everything...

...buuut, having that statue in his room would be quite the bonus.

He shook his head to clear the thoughts from it, and judged the time for the third time this morning. Still twenty minutes before he could be reasonably early at the starting line for the race. He sighed and guided his loftwing into a few warm-up drills, wondering how long it would be before the other race participants joined him in the sky.

Today: Oscar and Heather

Deep inside of me

Lies a memory

That takes me to a place

Where we stand face to face

And there I see your smile

So there I stay a while

And relive what used to be

Yesterday’s reality

Oh I miss you

I’m so lonely and I really miss you

I love you today

Like I loved you yesterday

And tomorrow, gonna love you in the same sweet way

‘Cause I desire to be

Mr. Consistency

So everyone will know exactly what you mean to me

And every morning babe, I long to wake and say

I love you today

Lie awake and dream

That this ain’t what it seems

That you’re not really gone

And I’m not holding on

But my old stubborn love

Refuses to give up

And through the heartache and the pain

A burning passion still remains

Oh I miss you

I’m so empty and I really miss you

I love you today

Like I loved you yesterday

And tomorrow, gonna love you in the same sweet way

‘Cause I desire to be

Mr. Consistency

So everyone will know exactly what you mean to me

And every morning babe, I long to wake and say

I love you today

On my knees I pray and shed a tear

Remember your sweet kiss

And leave these flowers here

I love you today

Like I loved you yesterday

And tomorrow, gonna love you in the same sweet way

‘Cause I desire to be

Mr. Consistency

So everyone will know exactly what you mean to me

And every morning babe, I long to wake and say

I love you today

Red: Marche and Ritz

I love you in red

I love you in white

I love you in shadows of candlelight

But most of all babe

I love you in love with me

I love you in red

I love you in black

I love you in ways that I can’t describe

But most of all babe

I love you in love with me

In heels and pearls

Or sneakers and curls

Honey I don’t care

‘Cause my love isn’t based upon

The way you look

Or what you wear

I love you in red

I love you in white

I love how you feel in my arms tonight

But most of all babe

I love you in love with me

With me

I love you in red

But not only in red

Hey anything you’re in turns my head

But most of all babe

I love you in love with me

But most of all babe

I love you in love with me

http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-myth-of-multitasking

That is the article. While you read that, I shall start typing my non revised version and his revisions.

"Myth of Multitasking", written by Christine Rosen, details what she perceives as a major flaw in multitasking. She quoted (he wanted present tense) several recent scientific studies, all of which found (again, present tense) that multitasking damaged (present tense) the productivity and focus of a worker. She also found evidence to show that multitasking costs the U.S. economy six-hundred and fifty billion dollars in a year. From there, the author outlined the detriment caused to our learning if we are multitasking as we learn. The fragmented focus (he wanted everything in italics gone) slows down the thought process (he wants to know about memory, which I included in this next bit that he said to get rid of) and causes your (second person, my one time) brain to store the information in the striatum, where new skills are stored, rather than in the hippocampus, which is used for the accessing of new information. Rosen now defined multitasking as the act of deciding where to place our attention, how much atention to place, and placing attention in general. She quotes William James and Lord Chesterfield to support her theory that steady attention to one item proves maturity and fractured attention, as idealized by multitasking (remove all in italics). In her conclusion, she reminds us that, while we may take in more information, our fractured mindsets and lack of maturity will leave us incapable of making the decisions that really matter.

Multitasking Monstrosity

“Myth of Multitasking”, written by Christine Rosen, details what she perceives as a major flaw in multitasking. She quotes several recent scientific studies, all of which find that multitasking damages the productivity and focus of a worker. The other studies she references report that multitasking negatively affects the way the mind learns and remembers. In her conclusion, she reminds us that, while we may take in more information, our fractured mindsets and lack of maturity will leave us incapable of making the decisions that really matter.