Young Writers Society

Sorry I've been MIA for so long! I was at work a lot the past couple of days! WHo knew cleaning a dependable cleaners would be so time consuming, right? Let's get this thing started! If people wanna jump in they still can!

Darian

I looked down at the number they wrote on a small slip of paper. 08-200034. I had to have this tattooed on my neck? Really? So that we could be identified as contestants in the apprentice games? What a waste of time! I could be sleeping!

"Come on Darian! We have to go get our tattoos so we can start competing!" Lilly cried, taking my hand in her tiny one and dragging me into yet another line to wait. For another three hours.

"Lil, I don't think you understand how much tattoos hurt," I sighed at her.

"Come on! I can't get one without you! We have to be a team!"

"Find someone else."

SHe turned to me and widened her big blue eyes, pouting her lips. The face. That was her secret weapon, her face. It wasn't even like the cute kids you see begging their parents who give in because they love their child. No. Somehow Lilly had perfected looking like a starving puppy begging you for food, and I hated it. "Please big brother?"

I sighed again. "Fine." And was dragged through the crowd to the tattoo artist entering the contestants. "But I don't want it on my neck, I don't like people behind me."

"I know, I know, you don't like them behind you because that means you can't lean against a wall." She recited and laughed. "You'll be fine."

*OOC: Good glory. Kids are just so dang cute when they make the face. That part made me laugh.*

Artemis Darkrai

I had my tattoo planted on my arm. My number was 18-24601, the same number that haunted my father for years. I was more than glad to bear this number, since after all I was a Fire mage and the only potions master in my family. Much to my father's surprise, I was good enough to use a sleeping potion against guards as target practice. I knew what happens after the guards wake up. They'll have such a nasty little headache, they have to call in sick. This amused me too easily. I murmured, "It gets them every time." I took my spot, waiting for the sound of an opponent. So far, nothing happened and hardly anyone know I was waiting.

Bute Pendragon:

I had been waiting in line for hours while the sun beat down mercilessly. the actual registering took only moments, I was asked a few questions then given a slip of paper with these numbers on it: 21-23300.

"You're going to go over there to get this number tattooed on you someplace." the older woman behind the counter said pointing up the street.

Tattoo? Why did we need to be branded like a bunch of livestock? I thought turning away

"So the spectators and judges can easily identify you." the woman smiled, chewing on the end of her pen.

"Your a mind reader aren't you?" I asked grinning, she nodded.

"Yes honey I am. You need to get it tattooed, so we can know who to cheer for when the games begin." then she added wickedly pointing with her pen. "With only that one eye you're going to stand out, you sure you'll be able to fight without that? I've registered a lot of strong fighters."

"I guess we'll both find out." I gave her a nod, "Thanks." then followed the steady stream of people up the street to where tattooists were.

Again more waiting, but at least we were in the shade of the buildings and I could people watch. The thing that struck me the most was the varied ages of the contenders. Some were very advanced in years, others my age, then youths and to my horror small children. What in Gods name possessed their parents to let them come?!

"Next!" a big bear of a man fairly roared as one young man, maybe sixteen got up rubbing his stomach tenderly. Ouch. I sat down with a smile.

"I'm Bute." He gave me an grunt and snatched the paper slip from my hand.

"I don't care. Where do you want it?" he asked studying the numbers. I wasn't sure where I wanted it, hadn't thought about it.

"Where is the best place for one of these? I have others but their not for identification."

"Shoulders, arms, neck, shoulder blades, stomach." He rattled off mechanically, he was getting impatient.

"Shoulder blade then, if I loose I don't want it on display." I grinned, he growled something muttering under his breath. Pleasant fellow.

As he gathered his things, I took off my coat and shirt so he could get at my shoulder and sat down again, my back to him.

"Left or right?" he said poking the spots, I shrugged.

"Surprise me."


(I'm not really good at first posts or first person, sorry! I'm still trying to get to know him)

Rallegor Darkheart
Mood: Sick of waiting in line.
Side of heart active: Dark

I was so sick of waiting in line, I almost just blew up the competition here and now with a fireball, and started out with an undead army. but then I would have to go through the trouble of breaking out of jail. Again. So I waited. My number was all sixes. I found that very ironic. I decided to have it tatooed right on my hand. That way, when I incinerated someone at point blank range, they would know exactly who did it. I pulled out my wallet, opening up to a picture of my daughter, who died about ten years ago. "Im doing this for you sweetheart" the picture smiled back. the one advantage to magic.

Darian

I held Lilly's hand while she got her number 08-200035 tattooed on her wrist, and the look she was giving me made me want to rip off the man's hand for hurting her. But I warned her, I told her it would hurt and she still went ahead with it. As soon as she was finished, of course she immediately smiled and pushed me into the chair. "Your turn Dar."

I heaved my greatest sigh yet and looked at the man. "Can I have mine in code?"

He eyed me strangely but nodded. "What kind do you want?"

"Runes, on my cheek."

"Dad used to have runes on his cheek. He said that they were his promise to you and me that he would protect us," Lilly commented.

"Yeah, and these ones are my promise to you that you will win." Because losing means your death.

She grinned brightly and threw her arms around me. "Yay!" She exclaimed.

Over her shoulder I caught the tattoo artist's eye and he gave me a bleak smile. "Be careful out there boy. I lost my little girl in those arenas."

"My sister is going to be fine." I swore.

He nodded. "I believe you."

Zera:

46-700982 I read off of my ankle. I tapped it lightly. Yep, it still hurt.
C'mon! It's been two hours! I thought grumpily. Never getting a tatoo again. I rolled down my pant leg and got up off of the rock I had been previously sitting on and began walking down the road again. My ankle had a burst of pain with every step.
I must have been the dumb guy's first customer. I thought, even more grumpy than before. And what's worse is that the games begin in an hour. Which means i have to walk faster. The games were the opposite way, but I had to go grab something from a 'friends' house.
I smiled as the little cottage came into veiw. "Forget the pain. Forget the pain." I said out loud to myself and began running towards the house. I ran inside and up the stairs. the man wasn't home. Or he shouldn't have.
I grabbed the katana I had been working on for weeks. I had been doing it with the man, as a favor, to repay some money i borrowed. I was not supposed to keep the sword, but it was so nice(not).
it was abnormally long, with one side jagged like a saw. It's handle was crudely carved, but the shaky groves seemed to fit my hand nicely. I smiled at my work and put it inside of bought sheath. I growled at it. It didn't fit all the way in!
I heard shouting from downstairs. "Fine." I said. I looked around the small room. There was a window off to one side. Escape route. I ran, closed my eyes and jumped. the glass broke easily.
I rolled off the roof and hit the ground audibly. It hurt. I gritted my teeth and began running again, hearing the fading shouts of the blacksmith behind me.
Now, to get to the games in time.

(Hope this is okay! Not to sure when you wanted to have the Games, so tell me if I got the time wrong!)

OCC:
I'm running out for my grandma so I will not be able to post for a little bit so don't use Bute or Demhara yet. Thanks!

ok! we have our own discussion thread. Just go to Storybook Discussion then Specific Storybook Discussion and then its under Apprentice Games!

(I didn't really explain what Nella wears. She has a black leather shirt with short sleaves, and dark pants that she tucks into her black boots.)

Nella

36-40360. That's my number. And it's tattooed in beautiful bold numbers on my right upper arm, where neither my shirt or hair cover it.

How did I get myself into this? I ask myself as I poke the still painful tatoo. I am here so I can see how far I get. I don't have a life to return to; nobody will miss me if I die. So this seems like a good way to go out. Of course, I'll win this so I wont be 'going' anywhere. I look around to the other contestants. Most of them are pretty strong, but then there are some that are still children. Although, if you are going by age, I'm still a child too. I chuckle at that thought.

I walk over to where other people are waiting for more instructions.

"Nella!" someone calls behind me. I close my eyes and sigh. Of course they found where I went. I turn around slowly and see my baby sister, Chel, running towards me. She's crying, and more then anything, I can't stand to see her cry. I lean down and wrap her 7 year old body up in a hug. I look over her shoulder and see my best friend, Anna, and my boyfriend, Langden. I roll my eyes as they walk over to me.

"What are you doing?" Chel screams once she finally catches her breath. I pull her away so she can see my face.

"I'm going to win the Apprentice Games," I explain.

"No!" Chel says, interupting me. "You're leaving me! You don't love me enough to stay!" I try to interupt her, but she just goes back into a fit of tears.

"Why'd you have to bring her?" I demand.

"Because she might be able to convince you to stay," Anna says.

I shake my head. "Too late." I turn and show them my tattoo.

Langden sighs irritated. "Sheesh," he mumbles. "Why are you so set on killing yourself for money?"

"I'm not killing myself," I state, ignoring his question.

"Oh, and only one winner obviously means you'll be the one to live!" Langden retorts.

I sigh and put Chel on the ground. "Oh no, I'm actually trying to kill myself so that I can pay for food for Chel," I say sarcastically.

"We can find other ways to get money," Langden says.

I shake my head and point to my tattoo with a smirk. "Too late," I repeat.

Langden glares at me for a minute. "Fine," he says. He storms over to the tattoo artists and pushes somebody out of the way. I shake my head as someone hands him a number and he sits down. A few minutes later, he comes back with the numbers 36-90651 on his right arm. "Happy?" he asks.

"Oh yes, overjoyed that you're going to kill youself for such a petty reason," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm until the end when I am serious.

"I'm not going to die," Langden states. He smiles at Anna and kneels down to Chel to say good bye. I think about argueing with him, but I know I'll loose. I hug Anna, and say good-bye to Chel who throughs the biggest fit ever. Anna grabs her hand and walks away, shaking her head as she leaves.



(If it's okay, I'd like to add Langden as a character! )

Name: Langden Coles

Gender: Male

Age: 18

Type of Wielder: Enchanter

Powers: Electricity

Strengths: He can send electricity through the air, like lightning, and hit a target. He also can feel the electricity in the air and can tell the mood of a person just by how much energy they have.

Weaknesses: Langden is vulnerable after he attacks. He also hasn't mastered his power yet, so he isn't the strongest.

Appearance: (okay, I'm using the appearance of another one of my storybook characters. Sorry to repeat) Langden has brown hair and brown eyes. He's average height and muscular.

Darian

We were let into the first level of the games.

"The games are split into levels, there are 36 levels total and if you get to the top, you win. On this level, according to the number of contestants there are...... a thousand keys. Find one each and you will be taken to the next level," An official looking man droned. "Anything goes. You have to obtain a key and make it through the obstacle course to the other side where there is a locked door. That is where you are going, do you understand? You cannot go anywhere but up, and you are free to kill whoever gets in your way. Good luck."

Lilly gave the man a smile. "Thank you sir," She cried, hugging him. "You don't know what this means!"

I tugged her off of the poor man, who looked like he was about to faint. "Sorry."

He eyed Lilly like she was some sort of vermin and I almost let her go. "Keep that away from me."

Lilly turned red.

"She isn't a thing."

"It doesn't matter. The weak die, you may consider killing it off before it gets you killed."

Now I was mad. People could do a lot to harm me, a lot to upset me and I wouldn't get mad, but pick on Lilly, and I saw red.

"Get him Dar."

My hair started standing on end and turned white and my eyes took on a white glow. A storm gathered, wind howling and clouds rushing in. "Get out of my sight." I growled.

He fled.

"Thanks Darian!" Lilly cried and hugged me. "Will you carry me on your back?" She made her sad face again. I sighed. Now I had to work. Great.

"Fine."

Demhara Torre:

“Wait!” I cried running up to the tattooists as they were getting ready to leave.
Curse my grandmother for making me late!”

“I' so sorry I'm late, I need to do something with this number.” I handed my slip of paper to the nicest looking lady there. She looked at it then at me up and down like she was appraising silks at a bazaar.

“You're one of the contestants?” I straightened my wrinkled kameeze. And tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Yes I'm Demhara Torre, My father is-”

“Do you want this tattoo or what?” she interrupted me. Wait. Tattoo? I turned pale.

“Wait we need to get these numbers tattooed on our bodies?! I thought they were just going to be painted on or dyed on with henna or something. I don't want a tattoo!” I cried wildly looking about for something, I didn't know what.

“Demhara.” my father said from behind me his dark eyes looking sternly down, making me feel like a disobedient child. “What is the problem child? Your going to miss the start of the games!”

“But Papa!” I wailed. “They want me to get a tattoo of these numbers- I don't want a real tattoo!” To my amazement he didn't looked fazed, in contrast, I was in hysterics.

“Daughter.” he said sternly, eyebrows knitting together. “You must get it. When you win it will be a symbol of the honor you have brought out house.”

“But Papa!” I wailed louder. He put a hand up,

“Enough daughter! You will get this tattoo and I will see you standing, with the other at the first gate.” he turned on his heel and walked away leaving me awkwardly facing the woman.

“Sit down Honey, I'll put it somewhere it won't show.” she said more kindly. I sat down with a thump on the chair and I felt her move my hair away from the back of my neck.

“I'll do small numbers right here. Your hair will cover it up, I'll be done in a twinkling.”


***

A little while later, my neck still stinging like mad, found me once again tearing down the road ,dying of how unladylike I was being, towards the first gate praying I would get there before the games started.

I was almost taken down by some man running towards me his face white as a sheet. He must have been a contestant who couldn't take the pressure. I felt a lot like him. A dull roll of thunder sounded in the distance, I knew I shouldn't have worn my silk kameeze! I slowed down to a swift walk and joined the large group standing, waiting.


(hope I'm doing okay)

*OOC: Oh no. Not with the face again. That part made me laugh.*

Artemis Darkrai

I began my race. Without looking, I set everybody's shoes on fire and started to go as quick as my legs could carry me. I taunted, "Bet you can't touch me."

Mason

Mason hissed when the guy tattooed 12-54672 on her palm in Papyrus font. "Make it pretty for me, okay? She sneered at him.

He roled his eyes at her and told her to leave. Thking him sarcastically, Mason spun on her heel, her black riding hood flowing behind her like a ce. She strolled behind a group of people, not paying attention to who was nearby until she bumped into a brown-eyed boy. A handsome boy. A handsome boy who bumped into her inked hand.

Mason hissed as her hand throbbed. "Watch it, freak!"

Zera:

Still running. And running. And running...
How long is this road? I thought. I stopped to take a breath and looked up at the sun to see what time it was.
"Oh crap!" I shouted and began running again. I was begining in about five minutes. Or less.
I was really having a crappy day.



Crap! I was late!
I ran up to where other contestants were supposed to be, to find that they had already started. They had disappeared into a kind of maze looking like thing.
Guess that's where I'm supposed to go. I thought and bolted in. I turned a couple of times, and nearly ran straight into a little girl, twelve years old at most.
"Oh! Hi!" She said cheerfully.
"Hey, umm, do you know what we're supposed to be doing?" I asked. I felt so dumb, asking not even a teenager.
"Oh! You try and find a key, and then find the door." She said.
I smiled. "Thanks!" It would have been easier to just have killed her then, but she had helped me, so I'd just let someone else do it. She smiled back and skipped off down the way I had come. I stared after her for a moment, then kept on running.
This was not smart. I was so tired in only a few minutes that I slowed down to a walk. It was actually very peaceful, other than the sounds of fighting off in the distance. There was a slight breeze, and the sun was shining brightly.
And there was the sound of footsteps.
Behind me.
I flew around, pulling out my katana. I pointed it at the person's throat. He held his hands up. It was a young man, very young, actually, only fourteen, maybe.
"hey! Easy there!" He said. "Wow, you're pretty." He smiled. I wasn't falling for it.
"Unless you want to lose the games right here and now, I suggest you go back the way you came."
"Hey, I just thought it would be easier for us to find keys if there's two of us." He knocked his fist against his forehead. "You know, two heads better than one and all." He gave a goofy smile.
he had a point. I guess it was a good idea to have two against one if I ever ran into someone who was not a child. I put away my katana. "Fine." He did a little fist-pump and walked ahead of me smiling with a little skip in his step. He turned around and stuck out his hand.
"My name's John. Nice to meet you!"
I stared at it for a moment. "Zera." I didn't take his hand.
He looked at me for a moment, then pulled his hand back in. "Okay..." he mumbled, and began walking again. I followed him, cautiuosly.



We had been walking for some time now and had begun talking.
Appearently, he had grown up on a farm and his parents thought it was a good idea for him to get a life better than with animals. But he disagreed. He had loved his life on a farm and did not like killing innocent creatures, no matter how dangerous they got. I tried to keep talking about me to a minimum.
I heard a rustle behind us.
"Get down!" I shouted. I shoved John the ground, an icicle flying past my face. I turned to look where it had come from. There was another man. this one seemed in his thirties, with a little grey stubble on his chin.
He glared at us, depressed that he had missed, and decided to take another strike.
The next thing I knew, blood was on my face. But not mine. I turned in horror at John's limp body, a large icicle sticking out of his chest, and a horrified look frozen on his face.
I couldn't believe it. I had been talking to him only seconds before. And then the creep had killed him. I got up quickly and dodged another icicle, and sent a fireball his way. I watched him burn for only moments before he was ashes, but his screaming lasted longer in my ears.
The Games had begun.

(Tell me if this isn't what you had in mind, Bee! )

Oopsy, didn't realise that there was a DT.