Post Length Exercises (cheeta-katt and Totro)

[cheeta-katt]

((Okay…so this is based off a roleplay that I saw on this guild; I was planning on joining it, but I was a little uneasy about the format of the place, so I thought better of it. But anyways, this idea obviously isn’t exactly the same—the history is much different—however, the end result is mildly similar.
Read through and tell me what you think. If you’d rather do something different, or you have an idea to develop the premise, just tell me so. ^^ ))

Priority Issues

…About fifty years ago, things began to change.
Genetic research had reached an all-time high. At this point we could not only predict how long a person could live, or switch off harmful genes for genetic diseases, but we could also alter the very way a person would look, act, even think—before they were born.
Truly the world could not ask for more? And yet, with knowledge comes great responsibility…
Soon enough, parents realized that they could have their dream child: a child without flaws, who could do everything perfectly, and live for as long as they needed to. Naturally nobody is perfect at everything…but we can be pretty darn good at one thing in particular.
And so, the art of talent enhancement emerged.
Scientists were able to pick out specific genes that controlled a person’s strengths, and, simple as turning on the lights in a room, the person could be altered to exhibit increased talent in this ability. Eventually, all expecting mothers had their children altered, and as the science grew more accurate, the “middle-man” was cut out all together, leaving only those who were supreme in what their parents chose them to do.
But then…things got a little out of hand. Or, rather, it was more of the opposite.
It was soon decided by world governments that these genetically altered individuals had to be put to good use. As such, the world governments all signed the Caste Act. This document forced all people with specific abilities to have only one job, determined solely by their parents before they were born. These individuals would be forced to participate in one job type, and only one, lest they be sentenced to death. And though everyone was exceptional at what they were chosen to do, there was no moderation of income; electrical engineers still made more than miners, who still made more than kindergarten teachers, who still made more than the receptionists at Wal-Mart, and so on…
Discrimination has never been worse. It’s been particularly weird for athletes—which is what our focus is in this section of history.

The public, longing to forget the current ills this society presented, decided they needed better entertainment. The way we found this needed resource decades ago was by reality TV; even now this hasn’t changed. People violently injuring one another is still the best way to excite a population, apparently. And with the contestants the way they are now, you can bet these shows are a lot more exciting than they once were.
One show in particular has gotten a large amount of publicity; it is called, “The Hunter and the Hunted”.
The premise is simple, really:
Objective 1—you and eleven others are brought to a randomly selected tropical island. You are left there with only a bag of supplies, four days’ worth of water, and enough snacks to fit inside a gallon package.
Objective 2—dropped off at the opposite end is a Hunter and five specially trained creatures of his/her choice. S/he is given detailed profiles of all the participants and their abilities. S/he is allowed to bring twice as many provisions as aforementioned.
Objective 3—every week, a clearing on the island is randomly chosen; this is where new supplies are deposited. There are only enough rations for half of the people currently on the island, and can range from food to medical supplies to weapons, or anything in between. And who knows if somebody’s feeling greedy? The best way to make sure you get your share is to “claim” these clearings by marking explored areas with your color of choice. The Hunter does not have a territory, but can rather use these markings to find participants. Beware of what you wish for.
Objective 4—last one standing is the winner. This includes the Hunter.

Good luck.

((So…I think we’re all set on rules. The only things you have to remember is that I’m quite lenient when it comes to cursing—character to character, of course—no cybering of course, seeing as that would be violating Gaia TOS—also, since this is a tutoring thread, I’ll occasionally edit your responses and post them again with some helpful tidbits. ^^ That’s all strictly OOC, though.

So anyways…erm, have fun! :3 ))  

[cheeta-katt]

Character Skeleton

[b]Creator:[/b] I think I know who you are. xD
[b]Name:[/b] Nicknames, too. Explanations for why somebody is also called “Boogerbreath” can be placed strategically in the history part of this.
[b]Age:[/b] How old are you (your character, that is)?
[b]Gender:[/b] Male, Female, Neuter…?
[b]Job/Abilities:[/b] Our characters will be athletes, as determined by the plot. However, what kind of athlete is completely up to you. Are they strong? Fast? Aquatic? Use your imagination.
[b]Description:[/b] What does your character look like? A picture can be used, but words to supplement would also be nice.
[b]Personality:[/b] Normally I would leave this part out, but if we’re working on post length, then this is important to know. Simply by emphasizing specific traits of your character’s personality, you can add almost a paragraph to each post, and also make your character seem more realistic. But we’ll get to that later.
[b]Weaknesses:[/b] What are you not so good at? Since our characters are specially modified to be good at one thing and one thing only, then they ought to have one serious flaw, at least, if not more.
[b]My Provisions:[/b] What did you bring with you? Include food, weapons, and other supplies that are important. Make sure that what you bring can actually fit inside a small backpack and gallon baggie.
[b]Bio:[/b] I also probably wouldn’t normally ask for this, but a history is also good to refer back to if you need to increase post length. Make this as detailed as you feel necessary.

((PM me a completed profile and I’ll post it. Once we finish our bios, then I’ll go ahead and get things moving! :3 ))  

[cheeta-katt]

Bios

Creator: Totro
Name: Thomas Gunter
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Job/Abilities: Thomas Gunter was born with the attributes of a "Wrestler".
Description: Thomas would be a little under six feet tall, but his slight slouch makes him appear shorter. His clothes are simple: Black jeans which are thin (but not leg-huggingly tight), a black and red flannel shirt tucked into his pants, over a black muscle shirt, black leather boots. His body is well built, well shaped arms, legs, a defined torso. Despite all of this however, Thomas looks slightly unhealthy. He is pale with dark bags under his eyes, and the visibility of his veins is unnerving. hick scars are engraved into his biceps underneath his shirt. His uneven haircut is shorter in the back than the front. Tendrils of jet-black hair fall over his half-closed eyes. The combination of his broad, crooked nose and thin lips add to the strange nature of Thomas' appearance. His fingernails extend slightly past the tip of his fingers, and skin is torn around his thumbs and his right pinky.
Personality: Thomas is a quiet individual. Though words do not often escape his lips, it is always clear that thoughts are brewing behind those burning, slate eyes. He purposefully appears untrusting, but it is not hard to see past this facade, as Thomas is always searching for someone that he can trust. He dislikes and distrusts all men, but it is women he is most afraid of. Thomas has a strong affection for women that goes beyond romance, and is worried about scaring them away. The irony is that his extreme caution prevents him from getting particularly close them.
Weaknesses: He is slow and awkward. He is altered to be stronger, but this was a decision that he would never have wanted. He hasn't kept up his training since he left his dad's home for college. So even his "strength" suffers in that he is not fully capable in his ability to use it.
My Provisions: Two bottles of water, several cans of conservable consumables (such as soup, spam, dried fruit, beef jerky, etc) three books, a knife, a pistol, a rope, 26 marbles.
Bio: It was Thomas' father's decision to get him altered. Thomas' mother argued against it. She didn't want to corner her son into a position in life that he may regret. This did not matter to dear ol' dad, though. Father wanted his son to be a wrestler, so that's what he was going to be. He convinced his wife that the majority of people who get these alterations are happy doing what they do so well. She relunctantly allowed the operation to take place. Thomas was showing how little he wanted to be a wrestler from the moment he could communicate. After many arguments, the two parents got a divorce, and Thomas' father won custody. Because of the dire times, the depression that was sweeping the nation, and the growing need for entertainment, the court secretly made their decision based on the feelings that a wrestler would be more useful than whatever Thomas' aspirations might be. These aspirations had to do with philosophy and literature, and when Thomas would visit his mother (a couple times a month), she would let him indulge in all of the reading that his father never would.
By the time Thomas was 13, he was running away from his father to stay with his mother. The case was taken to court, and the same decision was made. In order to enforce this, a dual restriction order was placed on Thomas and his mother. She moved across the country to stop Thomas from getting in trouble for breaking the restraining order.
Thomas was made to go into university for wrestling, but he dropped out before the end of his first semester. But not before he made plans with some new friends to stay at their home. Living there, he managed to avoid his father's rage and study up as much as he wanted on whatever he wanted. After seven years of living in the same apartment (mostly for Thomas' sake), his friends decided that they all needed to move out, and Thomas wouldn't be able to stay with them for free much longer. One of them suggested trying out for one of the sports television series. Thomas reasoned that he did need the money. He settled on this particular series in hopes that he could participate as little as possible and that he may have a Budha-inspired revelation in while surrounded by wilderness. Unfortunately for him, he was also surrounded by cameras.

Creator: cheeta-katt
Name: Gary Epps
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Job/Abilities: Gary was modified to participate in track and field—more specifically, hurdles. Thusly, he is much faster than most, able to reach speeds well above the previous human record of 25 miles per hour; when sprinting during one lesson, he was clocked cruising a little faster than 40. Similarly, Gary’s reflexes are heightened, allowing him to better ready for a jump and turn corners with more accuracy than his competitors.
Description: All in all, Gary is relatively average-looking for somebody his age.
He is of medium height, standing close to 5’10’’, weighing a comfortable (if mildly scrawny) 135 pounds. His proportions are sound, though his legs are obviously a little longer than most; otherwise, Gary is broad-shouldered, muscular, and generally good-looking.
Gary’s apparently light brown hair is actually black, as can be seen clearly in his roots and eyebrows, and is of medium length, with long bangs swept to the right. His eyes are stern, often squinted coolly with his eyebrows raised for that extra bit of sarcasm; they are deep navy blue, often mistaken for black if seen in dim lighting, or when blocked by his unruly tresses. His face is thick but has a sort of elegance to it, as seen in his thick brow and squared chin by the way they curve with unusual grace to blend with the rest of his features. The overall look is rather bizarre, combining something like what would be the makings of a very handsome man with that of a wiry, cynical scientist or technician. Needless to say, Gary certainly has the personality to match.
As for clothing, Gary is most comfortable in winter garments, such as sweaters and heavy jeans, more often colored black to absorb more heat. His favorite outfit consists of a black hoodie (laced with various splotches of navy blue on the sleeves, hood, and front pocket), black skinny jeans with several manually-sewn pockets on the left leg, oversized but impeccably clean white shoes with black soles and laces, and—Gary’s defining trademarks—a large, sturdy steel chain connected to his left side, and a pair of navy blue fingerless gloves that are well worn and stained with various substances.
Personality: Gary is, in general, a pretty happy guy. Despite his dark appearance and the fact that he is almost constantly cold, Gary does his best to seem better suited to social occasions. In most cases this isn’t a problem; a natural extrovert, he enjoys human contact (to an extent, naturally) and is actually quite a smooth talker. This part of Gary’s personality can be best compared to that of a young teenager, as he loves going to large parties and showing off to impress women. But we’ll get to that part later.
Conversely, Gary isn’t exactly the most agreeable person. As a matter of fact he is rather self-centered, easy to prod to argument over things others would find trivial. It’s not that he thinks he’s always right—rather, Gary hates being told that he’s wrong. But this isn’t too unusual in men his age, so it isn’t noticeable (or notable) until he begins to annoy the snot out of people with his remarks. Similarly, Gary is known to hold grudges, though due to his social nature he is more often than not persuaded by others to forgiveness. One could almost say that Gary is stubborn…just not as severely as some others under the same category.
One of Gary’s more defining traits is his impulsiveness. He gets a kick out of waiting until the last second to finish a task, especially since doing so results in using his speed to his advantage. As a matter of fact, the only reason for Gary’s frequented procrastination is simply to show off. Given the time he could easily finish something well before it needs to be accomplished—however, that takes the fun out of everything, doesn’t it? Prone to acts commonly associated with (bluntly speaking) stupidity, Gary indulges often in doing reckless acts at the tip of the hat, making him appear unpredictable and without any thought processes. These assumptions are totally true in every way, shape, and form. Gary is especially vulnerable when it comes to impressing those of the opposite gender because, like any young male, he is quite obsessive about women. Unfortunately for him, they are not always as enthusiastic about his advances as Gary would like.
Perhaps Gary’s most distinguishing characteristic is his sarcasm—more specifically, his odd sense of cynical humor. He finds much amusement in pointing out how obvious we really can be in casual (or desperate) conversation, going out of his way to add in his thoughts in the absolute highest deceivable way possible, leading many to the brink of extreme anger/insanity. As a matter of fact, Gary is actually quite smart (smarter than most that is), mainly due to his sensitive reflexes; his main interests are, apparently, human linguistics. Though he obviously doesn’t show this curiosity outright, as it is masked by his love of doing reckless sports-related activities, Gary instead presents it through his skeptical remarks at things others may not notice to be obvious or repetitive. I imagine he would be saying something already about how I’m droning on and on about this one idiosyncrasy…yet, despite what you may be thinking, those who are familiar with him know that Gary actually has a fun outlook on life, living every day as if it were his last—and, of course, with as much laughs as he can force from those around him.
Weaknesses: Pertaining to his abilities and physical stature, Gary is able to dodge and run from attack very well; but when it comes to defending himself in hand-to-hand combat, he isn’t nearly as strong as others specially trained for fist fighting. Sure he is aware of the usual deficiencies that come with those altered for speed (mainly the stereotypical image of a scrawny person with little muscle and bones like toothpicks), so instead of going with the rest of them he instead works out every instance he can. So, in reality, Gary has mastered this one weakness.
But then we get to his metal flaws and we realize that Gary’s most dangerous faults really have everything to do with himself. Outsiders need not interfere—Gary is easily prone to doing reckless stunts for his own amusement, such as jumping off a rickety shack on a bike, and thusly injures himself quite often. Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, Gary just loves doing these things with no provocation. He often forgets to think his “plans” through before he attempts them. I guess then, Gary’s greatest imperfection is simply his recklessness.
My Provisions: A simple black messenger bag; within it, Gary has brought a few bags of chips, four bottles of soda, a package of paper clips, two Sharpies, three rubber bands of various sizes and flexibility, four bottles of water, an extra pair of underwear, and a watch. Concealed inside his pocket (attached to the other end of the chain that hangs from his pants) is a small dagger that is brand new.
If this seems extremely unorganized to you, then your assumption is exactly correct.
Bio: Gary’s history is a little strange.
In reality, not much is known about his parents. Intensive investigation arose only after they were murdered, to which it was discovered that they might as well never have existed in the first place.
What we do know for certain, however, is that approximately twenty years ago the parents bore a pair of fraternal twin sons. Gary was the younger of the two (by exactly a minute and a half) and the smaller. Thusly, it was expected that his older brother would be the one to take on the sports world in football, as his parents so requested; however, not soon after he was born, the child died due to unknown circumstances (of which were never recorded in detail or are classified). Not deterred, the parents instead turned to Gary, who was successfully altered to best suit his physical traits in track. Why the couple decided to wait until the children were born to insert the proper genetic code is also unspecified.
Either way, it was only two weeks after Gary was brought home that his parents were murdered. Again, this event is shrouded in mystery—nobody knows just how it happened or why—and the case is still unsolved. Gary was then brought to an orphanage in New York in the hopes that a relative on his dad’s side still lived there. However, she had long since moved west. Gary was left there for nine years.
Finally, everything was sorted out and Gary went off to live with his aunt in Michigan. By this point he was substantially disturbed, feeling that the only way he could gain approval was through reckless stunts that often left him badly injured for several months. Suffice to say that his abilities only strengthened his resolve to become noticed; Gary harnessed his speed and quick reflexes in their entirety, using them not for track or hurdles, but instead in skateboarding (and other similar sports of that nature).
Things went relatively smooth for the next nine years. At this point, Gary had graduated from high school and was snapped up immediately with a promising contract for a skateboarding sponsor. Unlike what you may be thinking, Gary was in no way double-crossed and quickly became noticed as one of the more prominent athletes. Nevertheless, due to his reckless nature, Gary often misjudged his physical potential, generally pulling off something too dangerous and ending up crippled before any final tournaments. Also, due to one too many failed relationships, Gary became emotionally scarred. Over the next two years as global turmoil increased, the only thing keeping his life in order were his friends from Michigan, who acted like a second family in his eyes.
Gary soon became desperate. So, when the offer to join a popular reality show appeared in his mailbox, he was by no means hesitant in signing the forms. Perhaps the added publicity would boost his lagging paycheck?  

[cheeta-katt]

Updates

9/27/08--Finally finished procrastinating and got my profile up. xD Making the first post to get things up and running...
 

[cheeta-katt]

The plane ride over was long, tiring, and really boring.
Gary sniffed lightly, stuffing his gloved hands in his pockets. He walked with an easygoing gait, though his expression was far from relaxed; his navy eyes were locked on the guide ahead and those who were in front of him. Presently he became aware of the concrete below shift to grass and rotting leaves which crunched loudly below his large, flat-soled shoes.
He—and the other four contestants—had just gotten off the boat which had taken them the rest of the way to the island. Though they had actually traveled to the boat by plane, the goal was to keep the island as wild as possible…or so Gary figured. He was rather skeptical at how little detail the contract had given him. And, judging from the startled glances of the others, they were thinking the same.
Nevertheless, Gary could not help but feel a touch of irony in all of this. All around them swarmed cameramen and those who carried their equipment (which Gary highly doubted were natural to this environment), and though the sound of zooming lenses was the predominant noise in the jungle now, they were smart enough to keep their distance. Gary was one of the few there who was not at all daunted by the constant probing; by now, he was quite used to it.
Their host was a wiry guy with slick brown hair, gelled into a deft cowlick above his forehead; he was perhaps aged around thirty or so with contacts that colored his eyes an unnatural shade of reddish-brown. He was short but walked with purpose, reminding Gary with a smirk of somebody with a pole shoved up their a**. No kidding. He was even slightly duck-footed.
They tromped far into the forest, following a temporary trail marked by vibrant green markers that Gary knew would be edited out to the viewers. He scoffed once again, finding that the irony was almost too much to bear. He always laughed at reality shows like this. But heck, if it meant a cash prize, he had no complaints.
Finally they stopped, having reached a clearing with several logs and a blazing campfire. Or, rather, it was just a pile of sticks—the fire would be added using special effects, just as the sky would be manually dimmed to make it seem like night. So far everything was fake, which only increased Gary’s skepticism. Would they only have to stay here a single day, then the rest would be edited in the studios? It was becoming more and more likely by the second.
Meanwhile, the host had planted his bowed legs firmly and waved his arms, giving a dramatic signal for the contestants to sit. Confused and (at least in Gary’s case) extremely doubtful, they complied. Their host turned towards the cameras.
”Hello, and welcome to The Hunter and the Hunted, a brand new reality series that tests the will of man and animal in the fight for survival! My name is Jerry Yates, and I will be your host for the exciting events that follow in our time here…”
He proceeded to go into more detail. Gary put his head in his hand, raising an eyebrow with exasperation. Finally, when he couldn’t take it any longer, he turned toward the guy next to him and remarked in a snide whisper:
”Honestly?”  

[Tjiral]

Thomas lifted his boulder-shaped head from his book for the first time since they set foot on the island. "Sorry?" Thomas was slightly offended that this young man would attack his habits. Thomas looked into the Gary's semi-squinted eyes for a few seconds. He squinted his own eyes before turning back to his book with. Unable to proceed with his reading while being watched, Thomas could only pretend to continue reading in hopes the man would eventually look away.
He shifted his weight and turned the page, fully aware that the young man was still looking at him. Thomas tongue darted out of his mouth to moisten his lips. He slipped a finger under the page to his right, as though he were about to turn the page he still was not able to read.

 

[cheeta-katt]

((Ah! And so it begins. :3
My first suggestion comes with utilizing a better introduction. You can add paragraph upon paragraph of information simply by explaining what you did coming over to the island and things that happened once you got there. This way, there’s a chance that the other characters may recognize yours by a particular event—say, for example, Thomas was so nervous by all the cameras that when he got off the plane he tripped and fell flat on his face. I know for a fact that Gary would’ve noticed this disturbance and, thusly, you have given me ample opportunity to continuously reference back through this event to your character, which may increase drama or—more likely in my case—ironic humor.
If you’re confused as to what’s going on before they land, make something up! I never specified how they got over there, except for in Gary’s eyes; you are in full liberty to look back on my explanation of their travels and add on to the experience. Perhaps you could even describe a suspicious contestant that I have yet to introduce. Honestly, I’m making them up as I go along, so any ideas that you have as to how they look or act could greatly help in my depictions of them in the posts following.
I’ll hold off and allow you to make any edits you find necessary, as well as answer any questions. ^^ If you can’t think to add anything, I’ll go ahead and post.))  

[Tjiral]

((Alright, I'll give all of that a shot.))

"So, where're you off to?" said the cab driver. She was slightly overweight, with shoulder-length red hair and three piercings on each ear. Her voice was low, but clear. She gestured with her left hand (which was draped over the back of her seat) as she talked.
Thomas looked up from his book. "Oh. Some television series." He felt caught-- unsure if he should look back at his book or not. He looked at the back of her seat, which was somewhere in between the cabbie herself, and the book on his lap.
"A T.V. series?" She said confused, without looking away from the road, "So L.A.?"
Thomas closed his book, but kept his index finger on the page where he was. He placed it beside him on the seat. He hesitated for a minute. Maybe it would be best if she believed that. Thomas shrugged. "Not exactly. It's some silly reality television show." He looked back at her seat, "On some island in the Caribbean." He pulled the book onto his lap but kept it closed. The cab driver said nothing more. When they got to the airport, Thomas paid for the ride with money from one of his ex-roomates. Thomas was relieved to be able to continue reading once on the plain. He read until he fell asleep about halfway. Thomas was not awaken by the rumble of the aircraft hitting the runaway. It took the violet-hair contestant next to him shaking him violently to get him up out of his chair. He thanked her quietly, and continued reading as he followed the crowd.
Thomas lifted his boulder-shaped head from his book for the first time since they set foot on the island. He realized that the host of the show was now addressing him, but so was the young man next to him. "Sorry?" Thomas was slightly offended that this young man would attack his habits. Thomas looked into the Gary's semi-squinted eyes for a few seconds. He squinted his own eyes before turning back to his book with. Unable to proceed with his reading while being watched, Thomas could only pretend to continue reading in hopes the man would eventually look away.
He shifted his weight and turned the page, fully aware that the young man was still looking at him. Thomas tongue darted out of his mouth to moisten his lips. He slipped a finger under the page to his right, as though he were about to turn the page he still was not able to read.