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Legend of the Jade Emperor

Legend of the Jade Emperor

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A long time ago, 12 animals were chosen by a God. These special animals have been reincarnated into human vessels. How will the Zodiac escape their "curse"?

3,115 readers have visited Legend of the Jade Emperor since zen_ink created it.

Introduction

The Legend of the Jade Emperor:

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It all started long ago in the ancient times, the time before man. The realm of Earth was roamed by many beautiful creatures, some peaceful, some elegant, and some ferocious. These animals lived in harmony with nature, ruled by a god known as the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor watched over the Earth and all the wonderful animals that inhabited it. One day, the Jade Emperor called twelve specially chosen animals to their destiny. The Earth was changing you see, and the time for a cosmic shift was fast approaching. The Jade Emperor invited these twelve animals to a banquet atop his high mountain. Each arrived, one after the other, earning themselves a place in the Zodiac respective to the order in which they arrived. It was then that the Jade Emperor and the 12 animals of destiny ascended into the heavens, and the Earth began to change. Along came man, and as part of the Jade Emperor's divine mandate, the souls of each animal would be born into the form of a human and live many lives over. Some might consider this a curse, others a blessing. But we'll let you decide for yourself.


The Zodiac:

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The Zodiac are the twelve animals chosen by the Jade Emperor to ascend to heaven with him and become immortalized in human form. As one of the zodiac animals, you have inherited a certain character relevant to your spirit animal as well as a unique gift, a gift possessed by each of these special animals. So... who are you, exactly?

Rat: The sneaky and reclusive rat does not spend much time with others. This evasive boy is an expert at eluding the attention of others, and that's the way he likes it. He operates by means of his own schemes, whatever those schemes may be, and the power of Invisibility greatly helps him with this. In fact, many are unsure of whether or not the rat prefers to remain in a state of constant invisibility for most of the time, or if he's really just so dodgy by nature that he remains unseen even when he's NOT invisible!
-Positive Traits: Smart, clever, curious
-Negative Traits: Sneaky, mysterious, suspicious
-Zodiac Power: Invisibility

Bull: The bull is strong and sturdy but often unyielding. Although he is a simple-minded fellow, he can and will dig in his hooves if he feels he is not getting his way. This stubbornness is difficult to bypass and so typically others learn to work around the bull instead of vice-versa. He is good at heart, so his difficult personality is forgivable. The bull is often found being called upon by the other more physically frail zodiac signs. The bull would do anything for his zodiac brothers and sisters, and so, he is happy to lend his very powerful and strong hands to them whenever needed.
-Positive Traits: Strong, loyal, powerful
-Negative Traits: Stubborn, slow, simple
-Zodiac Power: Super Strength

Tiger: The tiger's unique power is a little different from the rest of the zodiac. It is not something she can control or activate; rather, it is her primal instincts that drastically alter her personality at times without warning. These are the same instincts that typically drive the tiger to do great and noble things. However, while the tiger is usually in control and is often regarded as a kindhearted and mature individual, when her animalistic nature becomes aroused, there is no telling what destruction she can cause.
-Positive Traits: Fierce, pure-hearted, righteous
-Negative Traits: Chaotic, dangerous, unpredictable
-Zodiac Power: Ferocity

Rabbit: The hyperactive and happy rabbit is a sensitive character and thus, his mood can change quick as lightning. It is this same rapidly changing nature of his that lends a quickness to the rabbit's character and a fickle element to the personality that many may find irritating. His power of Haste is properly suited to his restless personality because he never likes to stay in one place for long. The rabbit can dart to the opposite end of the earth for breakfast and be back in time for tea.
-Positive Traits: Happy, infectious, attractive
-Negative Traits: Superficial, moody, sensitive
-Zodiac Power: Super Speed

Dragon: The mighty dragon's fire breath can scorch anything in its path. Unlike the horse who can only manipulate the fire, the dragon can conjure it, and in much more concentrated forces. It should also be noted that the dragon cannot make the fire dance as the horse can, but rather can only produce it from his mouth and give it direction. What happens beyond that is left up to the will of the fire.
-Positive Traits: Dignified, popular, driven
-Negative Traits: Self-restrained, easily discouraged, self-doubting
-Zodiac Power: Flame Breath

Snake: The suspicious snake has the power of persuasion. While his "modus operandi" tends to linger towards the realm of subterfuge and subtle manipulation, he does not require stealth to be effective at bending another to his will. People often question the mysterious snake and his motives, but the true nature of his behavior can only ever become clear once the outcome of events that he has set in motion have been presented.
-Positive Traits: Strong-willed, intelligent, tricky
-Negative Traits: Sinister, manipulative, strange
-Zodiac Power: Persuasion

Horse: The wild and untamed horse possesses Pyrokinesis, or the ability to manipulate (but not conjure!) fire. To be honest, this is a scary ability in the hands of the chaotic horse, who's emotions influence her control of fire. The horse does not have a good handle on her feelings and she can sway freely from calm to enraged from one moment to the next. The horse would do well to learn to control her temper, as she could easily end up incinerating someone she cares about, should her emotions get too out of check.
-Positive Traits: Passionate, energetic, enthusiastic
-Negative Traits: Sensitive, explosive, temperamental
-Zodiac Power: Pyrokinesis

Sheep: The innocent little sheep is a special soul indeed. This wise and quiet fellow often has a lot on his mind, and despite being artistic and talented, he is often too lost in his own world to make anything of it. People mistake his distant behavior for rudeness, but in truth, it is the nature of the sheep's gift that makes life so difficult for him. The gift of sight means that the sheep will receive information from the universe whether he wants it or not. Although this is powerful ability, it is also very stressful.. and the sheep doesn't like to put his problems on others. Thus, he tends to express his visions through art and clever riddles.
-Positive Traits: Whimsical, wise, charming
-Negative Traits: Anxious, fatalistic, detached
-Zodiac Power: Psychic

Monkey: The strange and peculiar monkey is hard to figure out. He can annoy others with his nonsensical antics, not realizing that others are not often as entertained by his craziness as he is. Somewhat of a mad-scientist, the monkey's intelligence borders on the thin line between genius and insanity. He is often found concocting strange new devices that he believes will make the family's life easier, but more often than not they just end up making it a living hell. It's all in good fun to the monkey!
-Positive Traits: Silly, optimistic, vivacious
-Negative Traits: Unusual, annoying, childish
-Zodiac Power: Energy

Rooster: Those who do not fully understand the rooster tend to fear him, while those who do understand him tend to respect him. The rooster is a no-nonsense perfectionist who's authoritarian ways often put others off and earn him the reputation of being a killjoy or downright nasty. This is an unfair assumption, as the rooster's motives are always in a good place. Like the snake, the rooster holds power over the mind, but unlike the snake who's persuasion is subtle, the rooster can forthright command people to do things and they have no choice to obey. Luckily, the rooster will never steer you wrong, for his unyielding sense of morality always holds the interests of the greater good in mind.
-Positive Traits: Efficient, sharp, intellectual
-Negative Traits: Strict, stiff, bossy
-Zodiac Power: Command

Dog: Some might say the dog has a "guardian angel" watching over him, as his luck seems boundless. In reality, the dog is more than just lucky, hes magical! The dog's zodiac power of luck means that life will never steer him wrong, and the universe will never deal him a crappy hand. However, the dog's carefree nature tends to get the best of him and it is in these moments that he would do well to not rely so much on his luck to do all the work for him. The reason for this is that he loses more of his mortality the more often he sits back and lets karma take the wheel.
-Positive Traits: Friendly, honorable, skillful
-Negative Traits: Capricious, superficial, impulsive
-Zodiac Power: Luck

Pig: The lazy and indulgent pig can get on others nerves, as she doesn't like to assume responsibility and she also has a knack for antagonizing others. Her power is ironically Empathy, or the ability to sense and adopt the emotions of others. More importantly, its also the ability to force others to feel whatever emotion the pig is feeling, and she does not hesitate to use this to her advantage every chance she gets. However, when motivated, the pig can move mountains and usually manages to accomplish more than any of the others and in a shorter time.
-Positive Traits: Practical, hardworking, moral
-Negative Traits: Insensitive, hypocritical, lazy
-Zodiac Power: Empathy

SO WHO ARE YOU?


The Patersons:

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As a member of the Zodiac, you are a Paterson. The Patersons family is very well known in their town, probably because the family is so large. Many of them hold a reputation around Sunny Haven, and as each is such a distinctly unique personality, the majority of them stand out amongst the other more "normal" people of the town. Another thing the family is renowned for is its peculiarity -- it becomes hard to hide the Zodiac secret at times, and there are many nosy neighbors who suspect that something strange is up with the Patersons. The family is one of the wealthiest in the town, if not the most wealthy, so they live in a rather large house up on a hill.... it definitely stands out. The zodiac family has always lived in Sunny Haven, and so the Patersons have history in the town as well. Many past members have belonged to the city council, or have been political figures. Then there's The Pawprint, etc. You get the idea.


The Others:

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Anyone who isn't a member of the Paterson family. These might be friends, acquaintances, and even lovers of the zodiac characters. Neighbors, townsfolk, teachers, classmates, anybody really. Get creative!


Sunny Haven & Sunny High:

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The town of Sunny Haven is a small (fictional) place in Massachusetts. Quaint and old-fashioned, the people here are polite and well mannered, albeit a tad conservative. Sunny Haven is renowned for its beauty and it tends to attract those with money and high-class aesthetic taste. The town is always very well kept, with plenty of flora to decorate the streets and friendly fauna who live in harmony with the people. There are little to no fast-food or chain restaurants in Sunny Haven; almost all establishments are privately owned and family-run. In Sunny Square, the Patersons have a locally-famous restaurant & cafe, The Pawprint Cafe (commonly referenced as just 'the Pawprint'). In the center of town, Sunny Lake provides a wonderful escape from the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life and many like to use it to fish, kayak, or even run their jet-ski's. Sunny High, the town's high school, is where most of the action takes place. The majority of the Patersons are currently in high school, save the younger members of the family and the older ones who attend Sunny University (or Sunny U).
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Sunny High


Character Skeleton:

[Picture]
-Zodiac
-Name
-Age
-Gender
-Sexuality
-Hair
-Eyes
-Height
-Weight
-Likes
-Dislikes
-Relationships(Put here whatever relationship you have with different zodiac signs going into the roleplay)
-Personality(Describe your character)
-Other(Anything else you wish to add!) (Maybe put what they do in their spare time; do they have a job? Do they work at the Pawprint frequently? Do they own a shop in town? Are they always off goofing with their friends? Do they have a lover? How do they prefer to use their powers?)

HAVE FUN!!! :)

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The GM of this roleplay hasn't created any rules! You can do whatever you like!

The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 9 authors

Setting

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Character Portrait: Marcus Paterson
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Marcus ran around the tennis court, batting away the tennis balls that were flying in his direction from the tennis ball machine. He was quiet good at tennis, having been learning it for 3 years now. Not one ball hadn't been hit since he started playing 30 minutes ago. Now that he had left school, he had more time to practice.

Once the last ball had been hit, the tennis ball machine stopped. Marcus walked around the court picking up all the balls and putting them back in the machine. He pressed the of button before it started up again and sat down, sweat dripping from his brow and breathing heavily. What a work out! He thought to himself. He sat there trying to get his heart rate back to normal, thinking to himself. That was much better than last time, I hit all the balls. Soon I'll be the best tennis player in Sunny Haven! After he got his heart rate down, he got up, wiping the sweat from his brow and walking out of the court with his favourite racket.

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Marcus walked to Romona, starting to blush as he saw her pretty face. He had had a crush on her as soon as he hit 13, he didn't know why but she just felt like the one, to him. He hadn't the strength to ask her out yet but he was sure he would come to it soon. "Hi, how are you?" He said, as it was the first thing to come into his mind.

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Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson Character Portrait: Marcus Paterson
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With a brown leather backpack slung over her shoulder, the tiger was on the prowl for her brother, Marcus. She expected him to be over at the tennis court, and sure enough, there he was. Whenever he had nothing to do, Marcus could always be found practicing on the court. Whenever he wasn't at home or at the Pawprint, the family cafe, everyone assumed that he was practicing. Marcus was a master at the game, and it would be a shame for him not to practice.
She watched him hit the bright green balls with ease. They flew across the court like birds soaring above a field. He didn't miss any of the balls that bounced towards him. This wasn't unusual for Marcus. In fact, he rarely missed any of the balls from the machine.

Ramona watched him cool down and put the tennis balls back into the machine where they came from. She waited for him to leave the court. Finally, he did, and at the sight of her standing there, he blushed. There he goes again, she thought to herself. Another thing that wasn't unusual for Marcus was the silly facial expressions he made whenever she was close. Ramona was well aware of the fact that her "brother" had a crush on her. Yes, he was a dragon, and she was a tiger, and although the two were mighty powerful creatures, she couldn't see anything more than mutual care and friendship coming between the two. To put it simply, Marcus was DEFINETELY not her type. However, she did love him like he was one of her own.

"Hi, how are you?" he asked. "I'm fine, Marcus. Nice hitting out there. I saw you," she said, a small smirk appearing on her face. She took a few steps closer to him, and continued.
"Listen; i'm going to be gone for about two to three hours. I got invited to go to a fishing thing with a couple of "friends" from school, and unfortunately i wasn't able to say no."
She shrugged. Ramona was never interested in hanging out with her so called "friends". To her, the word 'friends' meant people she knew, not people she liked. She only had friends and was at the level of popularity she was at for her money, looks, and family reputation. If it was up to her, she would have wanted it any other way. She was never into the things her friends talked about, and when she actually had a chance to speak, her friends weren't into the things she talked about either. Her relationship between the people she knew was genuinely awkward.

"So if mom or dad or anyone else asks where i am, you just tell them that. We're going to be on the trail in the woods. Wish me luck. I'll see you later."
She waved goodbye to her brother before she set off on the road to the trail. The trail was actually quite close to the tennis court. Although a large town, Sunny Haven felt like a small world to Ramona. For a tiger like her, the world was always waiting to be explored.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson Character Portrait: Marcus Paterson
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#, as written by Wrenn
The younger siblings of the Paterson clan still attending Sunny High had their rooms in the manor, as did the older siblings if they so wished, provided that they had careers of their own or were attending university. Sean Paterson fit in neither category -- too old for high school and too unfocused for a job or Sunny U -- and so had for the past few years been relegated to what was known as the shed; something of a studio apartment unattached to the rest of the manor, situated lower on the gently-sloping lawns at the back of the estate. Without even a kitchenette, though, every morning he would eventually make his way into the house proper. This morning the journey took place sometime after 10am, when hunger had finally outweighed the morning-after languor from his night partying. Slipping into the previous night's jeans and white undershirt with their pervasive odor of cigarettes, he stumbled out of the shed, blinking blearily at the sun before donning his sunglasses.

He passed Marcus exercising within the tennis court -- mumbled a greeting with a wave as he shuffled past, wrinkled jeans scuffing the pavement with each step of his bare feet. Entering through the great glass sliding door from the patio, he made his way to the kitchen, pouring himself some still-warm coffee prepared earlier by a more enterprising Paterson. Tepidity notwithstanding, the coffee slowly did its trick and after finishing the mug Sean felt ready to have a go at breakfast.

Tranquility restored, he was almost dapper as he passed the two teens conversing at the side of the court; Marcus and Ramona looking almost like twins with their similar hair and builds. Although Sean too possessed the family's notable blonde locks, his were in fact due more to sun and pool chlorine than genetics, and always threatened to turn a dull brown. "Hello, hello," he greeted with a poor stab at a British accent as he passed the two, making his way to the shed to change into swimming trunks.

After a few laps of the pool to clear his head and work out the last remnants of the previous night's recreational poisons, Sean showered, shaved and changed into his usual calculated scruffy look, looking like a model posing as a hobo, or perhaps vice versa. He had agreed to pick up a shift at the Pawprint for one of his siblings, and was due at the cafe in a few hours. Although he'd enjoyed working there in his teens, now Sean loathed the Pawprint as it forced him to evaluate his life. He knew he was a wastrel, but he preferred not to be reminded of that fact -- as the twenty-six-year-old was reminded every time he picked up a shift at the same job he'd once had as a kid each summer.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson
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#, as written by zen_ink
Elias sat with his back against a tree as close to the water as he possibly could without getting wet. He had his knees propped up and was using his legs as a backing for the small notepad he was drawing in. Meanwhile, his friends were horsing around near the pond, a couple of them had brought fishing gear and planned to have their go at catching something.

"You're not gonna catch anything with that crappy rod..." he overheard one kid named Brian saying.

"Oh yeah? Well, we'll just see about that when I've caught dinner and you haven't caught squat."

Nobody ever thought Elias overheard their conversations when he was off in his own little world, drawing or otherwise entertaining himself. He loved the water, he just didn't particularly care for fishing.. the idea of killing an animal just for sport seemed wrong to him.

"Elias, where the hell is your sister? She said she'd be here. ......ELIAS!"

"Oh, wha-what? Sorry."

"Ramona? Isn't she supposed to be coming? Where is she?" Nick, a kid with short and messy brown hair, was asking.

"Oh, I dunno. Yeah she said she'd be here so she's probably on her way." he replied. "And knowing Ramona, she's probably not too thrilled about it" he thought to himself as a slight smirk that nobody noticed sweeped across his face.

Elias was putting the finishing touches on the picture he had been sketching. He put his legs down flat on the grass and held the picture out so that it were a couple feet from his face. He examined it from different angles, turning it slightly left and then right. After he had decided he was satisfied with it, he threw the notebook on the ground along with the pencil he had been using. He propped himself up, dusting off his butt of any grass or dirt he may have gotten on his khaki's.

"I actually can't stay too much longer, I have to get down to the Pawprint soon and start baking." he announced, picking a blade of grass off his shirt.

"Aw fine. Maybe we'll stop down later after we're done here. Are you gonna be making any of that awesome chocolate cake?"

"I hadn't planned on it, but I guess I can if you guys wanna stop down for some."

"Heck yea!!" about three of them exclaimed in unison. Elias sighed on the inside.. cake was a pain. He didn't particularly enjoy going through the entire process unless it was on the menu for that day, and cake was never on the menu on Saturday. Saturdays always had Pavlovas and Berry Tarts.

"Oh that reminds me, I have to pick out tart flavors. I did raspberry on Thursday, so maybe strawberry. I really hope Sean hasn't left yet." he thought to himself while he glanced at the clock on his iphone. He picked up his stuff and began heading back to the house.

"See you later, everyone" he said smiling and waving.

"Peace!!"
"See ya!"
"Later!"


When he got back, he ripped the page with the drawing on it out of his notebook and slapped it right up on the fridge. The drawing was done in pencil, in a loose-sketch style. It depicted a girl next to a window with her hair on fire, and inside the window you could see the faint figure of a man with a frying pan. Elias tossed the notepad on the table and headed upstairs for a quick shower before work.

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He waved goodbye to her and started to practice tennis again. She's so lovely he thought. He turned on the machine and started hitting the balls, one after another and occasionally burning one with his fire breath when he thought of Romona, hoping no one sees it.

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Character Portrait: James Paterson
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Gently, he shook the small, white coffee mug with one hand, and the pitcher in the other, careful not to spill. With one arm behind his back, this was easier said than done, but James had done this too many times to fail. Just as the milk was about to run thin, he quickly maneuvered the lip to his left, allowing a line to cross the rippled design. There was a slight murmur of recognition as the student received her drink, staring down at the lovely rose floating in her cup.

"You'd make a good clown." She muttered, looking up with a slow smile as she brought the edge to her lips. He raised a pale eyebrow and responded, "Not like balloon animals Joyce." before turning to another customer. She found it odd that he worked at the Pawprint, that any of the Patersons worked there actually. Sure just about every establishment was family-run, but it always bothered the city girl to see someone of his wealth to be here. Stranger still was his hair, so much paler than the rest of his family, as if his reputation didn't make him stand out enough. Odd was what most thought of him, even more so when you began connecting the dots between all the Patersons. They were all different...somehow, she felt it was not just their status that separated them from the other denizens of Sunny Haven.

"James." She said, but upon remembering the noisy atmosphere of the cafe, she gestured with a waving hand. He finished his conversation before returning to her, gazing at her with those hazel eyes that seemed to burn a hole wherever they settled. Joyce recomposed herself, placing her cup down on its saucer before speaking. "The Patersons...you're all so...extraordinary. You've got them all: a popular one, track team star, top of the class, wild entertainer..." Her blue eyes glanced upward, reaffirming that the barista was listening before continuing. "Yet all so strange..." She held his gaze with confidence, though with time it naturally faltered and eventually, she looked away.

"Joyce." His voice was smooth, a slight rasp appearing at the low volume at which he now spoke. Naturally she turned her attention to him, lips gently parted. "Understand that even rich kids have to prove themselves. If anything, we try harder." Joyce couldn't really disagree with what he said, in fact, it felt easier just to listen to that velvety voice. "We're not that interesting really, don't you agree?" Her chin dipped slowly, her body relaxing.

"Don't question us again."

With that, the young Paterson grabbed another cup, and returned to his duties.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by Wrenn
Dutifully waiting for Elias to return to the manor, the dog was sitting in the driver's seat of one of the family's many vehicles -- a silver luxury compact SUV that he had more or less claimed as his own. If you held the philosophy that a man's traits are reflected in his choice of automobile, you'd say that Sean Paterson was fun, sporty, but more flashy than practical. A fair description, he had to agree. Guess then you'd also have to say he had a classy interior...

Laughing to himself, he slid down the window with a touch of a button, leaned his head out like a dog. "Eli!" he called, seeing his brother returning from the fishing expedition that some of the younger Patersons had been hornswoggled into joining. For all his love of water -- ocean, lake or pool -- Sean couldn't give a toss about fishing, and was surprised anyone related to him could even pretend to. "Ready to go?" He'd offered to give Elias a ride earlier, as they were both due at the Pawprint for a closing shift.

In the small break room at the back of the cafe, Sean donned a black waiter's apron and cinched it about his slim waist. He wore black slacks and the black polo shirt with the paw print stitched above the breast. He motioned to punch in, but his hand hesitated at the mounted time clock. It had been so long since his last shift that he'd forgotten his employee number. He didn't turn his luck on full burn, but let it simmer like a pot ready to boil over. Closing his eyes, he stabbed a finger at the pad four times; heard four successive beeps. Looking at the LED display scrolling the text "PATERSON, SEAN," he cooled his luck down to nil and stepped out of the break room.

He reached the counter in time to hear the tail end of James' conversation, but kept out of it until after the girl turned away. "Random admirer of the fabled Patersons?" he asked, keeping his back to the counter, "or another snoop?" In the last few months, more and more the siblings had suspected that they were being watched. Of course, they were being watched, always, as the small town's wealthiest denizens. But lately it felt like being probed.

Then there was that time a few weeks back when he'd been at a bar out of town, on his own after splitting up from the rest of his friends earlier that night. He'd confronted two men that he'd been sure were following him, only to find the situation escalate into a fight outside. He'd burnt his luck so bright they'd practically broke their necks slipping on the loose gravel parking lot, and he kept it burning all the way home as he caught green after green.

As much as he enjoyed the fawning attention of admiring girls, Sean would gladly give it up if it meant no longer feeling under surveillance. Hell, he didn't want to know about the origins of their strange gifts, much less someone else. After this small moment of concern, though, Sean reverted to his usual charismatic, outgoing self as he set about helping customers. You couldn't keep a good dog down.

Setting

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by zen_ink
Elias got out of the shower and threw on some clothes. He had a habit of dressing nicely and somewhat upscale, even when the occasion was more casual. This time he put on something a little nicer deliberately. He always liked to look his best when he worked at the Pawprint, even if he was just baking pastries. Eli was one of the tidiest in the house and this gift translated over to his baking; he could get away with wearing nice clothes since he almost never made a mess of himself or his work space. He threw on a white collar shirt, a navy blue tie, and a grey sweater over top. He put on a different pair of khaki's and slipped into his shoes and headed downstairs.

"Oh wait," he said to himself, turning back to get a pad and pen from his room. "almost forgot." He zipped down and out the door.

He was making his way over to Sean's studio when a shriek slightly startled him. "Eli!" he heard his brother call out from the car, noticing that Sean was already more than ready to go. "Oh ha ha, sorry, I didn't know I was running quite so late" he said, stepping into the SUV. Elias doodled the entire ride to the Pawprint. The visions had been relentless today... they were coming in such compacted quantities that he could barely make out clear visions of each separate event he was seeing. He realized then that he wasn't actually feeling that good. He thought he probably hadn't felt good all day, and just didn't really notice it until now. He rubbed his head a bit, trying to bring his sight back to the present.

The Pawprint wasn't too crowded just yet, but it was fuller than Eli was expecting at the moment. He headed to the back, forgetting to punch in as always. His parents hated that... Whenever it came time to pay him, the hours he worked became speculative, and they usually ended up having to ask around the house how long Elias was there because Elias himself couldn't even remember. He pulled out a couple of trays of dough that he had prepared the day before and rolled up his sleeves. "Yeah, strawberry. That sounds good right now. And umm.... Kiwi. Mmmmmm I love kiwi" He grabbed some fresh fruit from the fridge and began placing equal mounds of fruit into little flat ramekins that he had layered with dough. He would then drizzle a mixture of sugar and water over the tart and brush it with egg. He finished a whole tray and placed them in the oven.

Dusting the flour off his hands, he walked out into the front and couldn't help but overhear Sean and James's conversation. Under normal circumstances, it would be a little awkward for some of the younger Patersons to butt into the older kids' conversations, but most his brothers and sisters made an exception of Eli, because he already knew things anyway.

"Listen, I uhh.. I gotta talk to you guys in a bit about something. It's something I saw. I wouldn't worry about it really, its probably nothing. Just come into the back when you get a free moment, okay?" he smiled that innocent, sheepish smile of his and headed back into the kitchen. "Ugh... cake.... damnit." He reached under the work station and grabbed two cake pans.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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"A friend." He replied casually, not too startled by his brother's sudden appearance for someone was due to come in around this hour. James wasn't a fan of his powers, however useful it was in burying their secrets, particularly when it came to using it on those close to him. Despite some popularity, which was expected by being a Paterson, he had few friends and fewer he trusted. The less he had to change their minds the better, for who knows what he could do with a slip of a tongue. Crossing that moral threshold was all too easy, he had learned that the hard way.

Disliking the situation, what James found made it worse was that someone had heard the resolution. He preferred keeping even this from his family. After all, he had cleaned up their messes before and none were the wiser, why start now. Behind them, came a voice, the familiar sheepish tone of Eli. After his announcement, James merely nodded, already growing curious. After he was sure the young Paterson was out of hearing range, he turned his attention back to the older.

"Don't worry."

Though Sean appeared optimistic, James had watched him all too long to not notice the shadow of pessimism that at times burdened him. He could have laced the statement with a bit of persuasion for his brother's benefit, but left it aside. Instead he minded his own business, stepping aside to allow the more charismatic of the two to address the customers as he fulfilled the orders. There were two girls there, regulars; Kim and Erin, whose eyes noticeably brightened at the appearance of Sean. One wore a too low shirt and the other, a bit too boisterous as she placed her order, clumsily dropping her change and holding up the forming line as she continued with some small talk. Not wishing to interrupt, James merely opened up the rarely used second register and began taking orders as well, with the slightest smirk gracing his lips.

"Could I get a slice of chocolate cake please?" The man was well dressed, a little too well-dressed actually. He took a quick look over James before taking a quick glance over at Sean. "You two don't look alike." The snake smiled, ignoring the comment. "Sorry, we don't serve cake on Saturdays. Would you like a raspberry tart instead?" The man considered it, then proceeded to pull out his change as James moved toward the baked goods. Grabbing one of two left, he wrapped the dessert with practiced speed before taking on another customer. After about another few minutes or so, the commotion had died down and he was able to leave his post. Tapping Sean on the arm, James headed toward the back.

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Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson
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The smooth black pavement turned into a rocky trail, and the cloudless blue sky overhead transformed into tall oak trees with glistening green leaves. This was the main hiking trail in Sunny Haven. There were never too many people on it, but everyone in the town knew about it. It was most popular in the midsummer, when bikers and joggers passed by every five minutes or so. Although the trail had no specific name, Ramona knew the trail as the "Featherstone Path". When she was a child, she would pretend that she was an indian as she skipped, hopped, and ran through the picturesque trail. She would remember dancing to her own rhythm and singing jumbled words and phrases that she had called "indian songs". As an innocent child, "Featherstone" was the most clever and imaginative name for the path that she could think of. Although she was nowhere near the age of 5, Ramona still called the trail by its old name. It reminded her of a bright past that she secretely wished she could travel back to. She had always been one of those people who would much rather re-read the previous chapters of her life than to continue on with the remaining story.

"THANK GOD!!! YOU'RE FINALLY HERE!!! WHERE THE HELL WHERE YOU?? WHY DIDN'T YOU TEXT US??..."
There went the familiar, annoying, and ear-puncturing blabber of Brenna DiSalvo, Ramona's first "friend".
The girl was about as tan as a cardboard box. Her long brown hair was braided into two long strands that lay on her shoulders. Her hands were placed firmly on her hips, and she had a look on her face that meant anger. The other girl standing beside her, Nicole Janice, had a curly red mane and scarlett lips that curled into an intricate smirk. You could obviously tell that her red hair was FAR from her natural hair color. She was Ramona's second "friend".
"So...WHERE WERE YOU??" Brenna asked. From her tone, she showed no signs of calming down.
"I told you I was coming on Wednesday. Don't you remember?" The Paterson plainly spoke her words. Her eyes held more expresion, giving a glaring look that would naturally intimidate anyone.
"Yeah....but next time, can you just text me or something? We just want to make sure you're still with us, Ramone."
That word. Ramone. That stupid little name that Brenna had given to Ramona three years ago. She had corrected Brenna numerous times, claiming that Ramone was in fact NOT her name, but the tunnel-visioned brunette never listened. Ramona had just learned to live with it, but every time she heard that word, she cringed.

Traveling to the pond where they would meet up with Brian and Nick went by in a blur. She wasn't a misanthropist, but Ramona made sure to check her surroundings every 5 minutes to make sure the girls were going in the right direction. Although she had been on the trail dozens of times, she would NEVER want to risk getting lost in the woods with Brenna and Nicole. Better to be safe than wanting to rip your head off.
Finally, they reached the pond. The sky-high trees surrounded the area like a fort, and the fresh aroma of pure water was enough to put newcomers to sleep. The white water lillies danced in the water and completed the scenic area. Ramona greeted Nick, her third "friend", and Brian, her fourth "friend". Although she shared similar feelings for Nick and Brian as she did Nicole and Brenna, the two guys seemed to be more tolerable. After all, they were guys. Guys were bitchiness-free.
There was one more boy whom Ramona had never seen before. He had jet-black hair and deep brown eyes. Nicole introduced him as Luke. The tiger could tell by the way the two looked at each other that something was up, and by the way that Nicole smacked her lips on his cheek that the two were a couple.

Thirty minutes passed, and Ramona, who was leaning on a tree, watched as the moment unfolded. It had started with the four conversing, and then the guys starting to cast their lines into the water, and the girls watching behind them. Deciding later that they wanted to go for a swim, the two girls pulled off their shirts, revealing swimwear, and courageously jumped into the water. After a while, Brian and Nick dropped their fishing gear and followed suit. Luke, the new kid, kept on fishing for a while, but then became tempted as well, and soon enough the four were all in the water, laughing and splashing each other while the Paterson watched from the sidelines. Part of her wanted to join them, but the other part forced her to stay where she was. They wouldn't care if she joined them. To them, she was invisible. Besides, she hadn't brought her bathing suit anyway. She desperately wished that their happy moment would come to an end.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by Wrenn
His last customer left laughing, and Sean was grinning as he turned to his brother's touch. He'd held his fist out for the man to collect his change, and with a look of confusion and reluctance the older man had bumped Sean's fist. Their mutual look of shock and chagrin had been enough to set them both to laughing. Closing the register down, he followed James into the kitchen. Despite being six years older than the snake, Sean was comfortable following the more mature Paterson's lead. Odd then that he chafed under others' leads, like the bull or rooster. Too much like a leash, he guessed.

He stepped into the open doorway after his brothers, with his long swimmer's arms hanging loosely from the top of the door frame, revealing the cut of his biceps as he leaned forward precariously until his body was bowed like a harp. With a groan he recollected himself and came to attention. "What's up?" he asked with a note of concern poorly hidden in his nonchalant act. Although Elias handled the many troublesome effects of his zodiac gift with better grace and tranquility than Sean could ever muster, he still felt it was his duty to somehow shoulder the load for his younger brother.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by zen_ink
"Oh" Elias exclaimed as he quickly shut the oven door. "I literally just put the cakes in. Oh by the way we're selling chocolate cake today..." he gave a sideways glance knowing that cake wasn't actually on the menu for today. But Elias just wasn't that great at saying "no" and since his friends wanted it, well.. he figured he'd make it.

He turned around and faced his older brothers. "Um yeah I want you to take a look at this..." Elias said, pulling off his oven mitts and grabbing his sketch pad. He flipped through a couple pages and then turned the book so they could see. It was a drawing depicting a couple shadowy figures - they looked like people, but entirely black except the eyes - staring at the Paterson manor from behind a veil of fog. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation before.." then Elias remembered that he actually walked in AFTER the conversation, and knew for sure his brothers would pick up on this, so he corrected himself with the truth. "Or rather... I saw your conversation earlier, so I know what you were talking about. I'm sure it's nothing and I'm just being paranoid as usual but, I'm worried and a little anxious that someone might be spying on us.." Eli made sure nobody was eavesdropping on them in the kitchen.

"I can't know for certain.. I was going to try to meditate when I got home later and see if I could get a clearer image of who exactly it is I saw looking at us through the fog. But please, try not to tell the others, and especially not mom and dad... I don't want anyone to worry. But......" Eli gulped, his stomach swelled with anxiety at the thought of his next statement. "I've been having all kinds of bad visions lately..." he lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper at this point. "I'm afraid we might be in some sort of trouble." He waited intently for his brothers' reaction.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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So there is chocolate cake. James didn't exactly like having information sprung on to him like this, especially when it made him look like he was in the wrong. Either way, he brushed it off, not letting it bother him too much. Ever cautious, the Paterson closed the door after Sean had stepped in, then joined his brothers as Eli pulled out the familiar sketchpad. He wasn't sure if the others did, but James always took these images rather seriously. Never was he found staring at them as they hung on the fridge, but they were always on his mind, or on his phone. Technology had its benefits after all.

Once Eli finally found the page, James took a long look before speaking, picking out what he could from the drawing. He wondered at times how his younger brother dealt with these visions, especially ones like these that were more foreboding. It was just another argument against their powers, or supposed gifts if one is being optimistic. They were better off without them, all of them. He glanced up from the sketchpad to Eli's face just as the young man grew more anxious, dimming the volume of his voice in fear. Letting his gaze linger for a little too long, James eventually leaned back, having moved closer when their conversation grew quiet.

"Get rid of it." He advised, not indicating clearly whether he would keep his silence or not on the matter. The pale haired Paterson was not visibly distressed, his expression always hard to read, but within he felt a festering curiosity. Who were these men? When will this happen? Where could he find them? The questions went on and on, preoccupying his mind and consequently, distanced himself from the others.

After a moment or two, he reappeared into the conversation with a "Let us know." before moving over to the few baked goods sitting on the counter. Grabbing a rag, he covered one hand in order to lift the still cooling tray and departed, knowing he had nothing more to contribute to the discussion. If anyone was going to comfort the nervous sheep, it would be the friendly dog.

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Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by Felidae
Benji reclined in his chair, enjoying the marvelous view of the Mediterranean Sea. A salty breeze ruffled his blonde locks and breathed life into the wind chimes scattered around the outdoor cafe. Benji had learned about this place from one of the many food blogs he followed. With luxurious outdoor seating and the best chefs of southern Greece, it was very high-class. Keeping this in mind, Benji signaled to the waiter and requested another round of breakfast with as much regality as he could muster. He had planned to have breakfast at home, but after brewing a pot of coffee and finding only a bag of whole wheat bagels in the fridge, he had decided to go to Greece.

The waiter returned with his meal. Benji's mouth could barely utter a quick thanks in perfect Greek before descending upon the innocent eggs. They vanished in mere seconds. Recognizing the sensation of air rising up his throat, Benji hurriedly placed a napkin over his mouth to muffle the burp. Needless to say, it didn't help at all.

I'd better leave, he thought, feeling very self-conscious under the stares of the restaurant's other customers. Again, he signaled to the waiter and asked him for the check.

"That will be one hundred-six euros," the waiter said.

Benji nearly screamed. A hundred and six euros?! He had only brought thirty-five! Really, he should have known better, but he hadn't thought of going here until the last second. "I... uh... left my wallet at my house!" he told the waiter, rising to his feet. The waiter cried out to stop him, but Benji was already gone. He dashed away at a fast sprint, only to become a brief blur of color as he used his freakish speed to carry him back home. Upon arriving at the manor, he burst into his room and flung open his foreign currency drawer, stuffing as many euros as he could into his pockets. When he felt he had enough, he returned to Greece.

The waiter looked truly amazed to see Benji.

"Here you go!" Benji flashed a dazzling smile and handed the crumpled wad of bills to the waiter. "You can keep the change." With that, he pranced away happily. He found a nice alley to hide in before using his super speed to travel back home.

Reaching Sunny Haven, Benji slowed his pace to a light jog. He stopped near the tennis courts and pretended to look breathless, as if he had been out on a long run (which was actually the truth). He noticed his dragon brother Marcus whacking tennis balls and occasionally incinerating them with his fire breath. It wasn't the correct way to play tennis, but Marcus looked so intent on the task that Benji decided to let him be.

"I'm kind of hungry," he said to himself. All that running had drained him, even though he had just eaten. He began to walk to the Pawprint, where he knew a few of his siblings would be working.

Along the way, Benji couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He suddenly whirled around and scanned his surroundings. Nothing unusual. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Shrugging, he continued his trek, but the feeling persisted. When he entered the Pawprint, he went straight to James, trying not to look too nervous. He knew the snake would take a logical approach to his worries and assure him that he was just imagining things.

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Gently, he transferred the treats from one tray to the other, arranging them into presentable rows with a clean hand. James dumped the metal tray in the sink and tucked one end of the rag inside his pants pocket before he reopened a register. Usually they timed their small breaks well, but today seemed to be the exception for three people were already in line. Addressing them quickly, the Paterson was just about to finish with the last customer when Benji arrived, making a b-line toward his brother. Ever observant, it didn't take much for James to notice his nervousness but he ignored it for the moment as he finished the customer's order.

"Thank you dear." The woman replied as she dropped a few cents into the modest tip jar before taking her niece aside. The young girl's eyes were fixed on the tall Paterson, but was scolded for staring once her aunt took notice. He didn't mind, and even returned a polite smile toward her guardian. The child's absolute and silent attention was always preferable to the chatty teenagers that seem to flock to the Pawprint. Turning his attention back to Benji, he merely extended a hand to the side of the register, palm open and expecting. If the rabbit was here for anything, it would be food, and even if this place was family-run, they still had to pay for it.

Whatever unsettled Benji was none of James's concern, though he had his suspicions.

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#, as written by Felidae
He waited impatiently, tapping his toe against the cafe's floor, as James finished serving the woman and her niece. The little girl's gaze lingered on the lighter-haired Paterson before her aunt instructed her to do otherwise. In Benji's agitated state of mind, he wondered if the girl was the watcher that had been sending chills up his spine. Yes, it all made sense. That little girl was some sort of evil spirit in human form and she was going to engulf the whole town in darkness and despair and everyone was going to die!!!

Instinctively, he shuffled forward after the woman and the child had left. James's outstretched hand greeted him at the register. Benji was so used to this occurrence that he immediately began rummaging around in his pockets and produced a few euro bills. He pressed the money into James's palm.

"Listen, James," he said, leaning in close. "I... I feel like I'm being watched. Not like someone's just looking at me, but like someone's digging two holes into my back. That kind of watched. And it's not that stalker girl from last year. I'm sure of it." His breathing quickened as he thought more and more about it. "No one knows about us, right? I mean, I was running a lot because of a trip to Greece, but I should have been too fast for anyone to see. And that little girl was all mysterious and stuff and... and what if--"

He suddenly stopped his crazed rambling to sniff the air. "Wait. I smell cake." He glared at James with accusing, blue-gray eyes. "What's going on? I thought cake wasn't served on Saturdays."

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Once he received the money, James began to count the bills (because Benji never seemed to) and to convert the currency. The till was starting to look like a passport with its colourful array of bills and coins, souvenirs from the various places the rabbit had frequented. He made a mental note to switch out the money later before a Paterson gets the bright idea to take a picture and upload it. They were strange enough without their supposedly international clientele.

As he did this, James listened to Benji half-heartedly. The rabbit could talk anyone's ear off, and he wasn't as patient as the ox to remain attentive the entire time. However, with Eli's most recent vision, he began to tune in to his brother's seemingly paranoid ramblings. Ah the stalker...she was a tough one. Very strong-willed, took a lot of effort to convince her that Benji was not some Flash incarnate. James was not entirely surprised to hear the mention of Greece, what with the euros he held, but he was always dumbfounded by Benji's sloppiness.

"No one will know if we don't use them." He completely ignored the little girl comment; he was paranoid, but not to that extent. However, he was oversuspicious, and found himself wondering about the woman that was with her. How could he know that she wasn't a watcher, undercover or hired by one of the two depicted in the sketchpad? Perhaps keeping his silence was not a good idea, but the decision was still pending. Once he found more information then maybe he'll reverse his judgment. The vague statement probably did not reassure the rabbit at all, but James was not exactly designed to be reassuring. If the antsy Paterson felt watched before, he would certainly feel it now. James did not let up on his attention once Benji earned it, his gaze fixed and steely. This was the way snake preferred to deal with matters; subtle and enigmatic. He wasn't going to demand Benji to stop using his power like the rooster, but it was clear that he didn't want to draw attention to their family.

However, it seemed completely ineffective on the still starving rabbit who completely lost focus at the scent of freshly baked goods. Plainly, he replied. "Elias was probably pressured to make some." James gathered this from previous experiences, for whenever they seemed to have sudden changes to their daily menu, his various friends would visit and mainly order the addition. Most people would have forgotten such a useless fact, but not the detailed snake. "You'll have to fight for it." They were about to close in a few hours, so his friends were due to come in at any minute. What with Eli just starting to bake, there would not be enough for everyone, especially when including the biggest eater of the family.

"You're short for one." James informed, and he didn't mean one slice.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by zen_ink
"Benji!!!" Eli smiled from the other side of the bakery display. Benji and Elias got along fantastically, as the Rabbit and Sheep of the zodiac tended to do in all their lives. As such, Benji was one of Elias' favorite people, and seeing his brother always made him rather excited and happy. The two were thicker than thieves at the best of times.

"I made chocolate cake, I figured you'd want some so I already cut you a slice. I know its not on the menu, but... some of the guys wanted it. They said they'd stop by later. Whether or not they actually do is a different story." Eli walked out from the kitchen with a decent sized slice of cake already prepared on a plate with chocolate drizzle and whipped cream for his brother. He passed it off to him and gave his trademark sheepish smile. "How was breakfast in Greece?" he asked, still smiling. He then leaned in close, assuming James was no longer paying any attention to the two of them. "Code Red.. I'm off soon, can we talk?" he asked quietly. For whatever reason, Eli actually had a feeling that Benji may have had a suspicion what the Code Red was about. Was Benji already experiencing some of the strangeness that had been befalling the Patersons lately? Were they all experiencing it..? Eli's stomach writhed. He tried to hide the faint expression of nausea that overcame him in such moments of intense and sudden anxiety. His brother knew him, though.. and Eli would have a hard time keeping anything from Benji. Not that he wanted to. The Rabbit was one of the few signs that he actually felt he could fully trust.

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Character Portrait: Elias Paterson Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by Felidae
"You're the best, Eli! Oh, that looks delicious," he said as his favorite brother emerged into view. Good old Elias could always cheer him up, even when Benji suspected little girls of being evil spirits. He had always gotten along grandly with Eli and it helped that the sheep was such a fabulous baker. Benji completely ignored James's comments and fixed his eyes onto the delicacy in Eli's hands. A slice of chocolate cake stood proudly on a plain platter, embellished with chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. Heaven.

"Greece was pretty awesome, though the price was outrageous. A hundred and six euros for two servings of eggs? That's almost one hundred forty two US dollars! Can you believe it?" Benji waved his arms around, emphasizing the ridiculousness of it all. He settled down enough to hear Eli say the words Code Red and immediately remembered the feeling of those eyes on his back. "Yeah, we can talk... after the cake." An uncomfortableness crept into his stomach, and it was not because of the cake. Benji knew all too well of Eli's constant visions and if Eli needed to talk in such a serious tone, there was definitely something up. With all this on his mind, he had trouble enjoying his cake. He set down his fork and pushed the plate aside.

"Alright, Eli. What's up?"

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Character Portrait: James Paterson
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Once the sheep and rabbit got together, it was all over. James didn't know why he bothered with the advice in the first place when food was all Benji could hear. Setting the euros down, he gave Eli a tap to let him know to punch the order in before exiting the conversation. He left the register for the moment so he could clean up some of the tables. Grabbing a tray and the rag from his pocket, he proceeded to clear and wipe the tables one by one, his clean apron swaying with the effort.

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Character Portrait: Sean Paterson
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#, as written by Wrenn
Outside at the back of the cafe the dog leaned casually against the brick wall, one foot propped up behind him as he enjoyed a quick smoke. Smart phone out, scrolling through pictures of a party he'd been to last week, uploaded to a friend's account. Don't remember that, he thought. Oh, yeah, that I remember, as the next one brought a smile to his lips. His phone buzzed as a text came up -- a number he didn't recognize.

[kim pulled out. can you cover tonight 8p-1a $100?]

Sean frowned. He infrequently worked for a liquor vendor to demo product at bars, restaurants, chain stores -- a good way to pick up a few bucks here and there provided you could live on 8-12 hours a week. He found the job a breeze and could afford the few hours on offer -- not to mention that generally his coworkers were attractive college girls from Sunny U. Still, he'd never seen a shift that late. Must be a club out of town. He flicked away his cigarette, replied.

[where?]

He was supposed to work at the Pawprint until 10, but things seemed slow and he figured his brothers wouldn't mind him slipping out early. That was the trouble with the dog -- by his capricious nature he was great at making commitments; terrible at keeping them. Generally his relationships platonic or romantic were as brief as they were one-sided. His phone buzzed with the address, and he texted back in the affirmative.

"Sorry guys something just came up," he called as he stepped back into the building. "I gotta head out!" he added before slipping into the break room to punch out and strip off the apron, which he threw on top of the lockers. As he left the room the apron fell to the floor, perfect symbolism for the dog's tumultuous nature.

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Once he had made his rounds, James settled at the register once more, taking orders as they came. Not forgetting his mental note, he exchanged the international bills and in the process, also stored some of the cash for safety purposes. He didn't exactly have cashier training, but to him this was all common sense, though the phrase was overused when it came to the bright Paterson. When it came to ten to 8, James hung his and Sean's apron and punched himself out and Eli in (again) on the machine. He then informed the sheep that he was heading out without mention of when he would return. Outside, he hopped into his audi and drove toward the nearest cafe to grab a coffee before heading toward Sunny U campus.

Once there, the snake parked near the optometry building, a lot less commonly patrolled. He didn't exactly have a parking pass, though they were not that expensive to the Paterson, but it didn't matter much. Any tickets he received, he threw out. To put it simply, the campus police weren't exactly the most diligent bunch. Stepping out, James took a short stroll toward the activity center with coffee in hand, wherein the gyms, pools and studios were located. It may seem strange that he didn't brew one himself at Pawprint, but being surrounded by the same coffee scent all day tends to lower its desirability for him.

Inside, James greeted his friends and set down his things. Together they warmed up and stretched as speakers blared. In the large studio mirrors, he caught a few glimpses of Val, to which she avoided. Annoyed, the snake decided to introduce himself to the new members before proceeding to teach the day's choreography. Much to Valerie's chagrin, the piece was based on a song on betrayal. With many of their mutual friends there, it was a horribly humiliating moment that nearly caused the brunette to leave. Most who knew them both could understand his choice, for dance was their common outlet. However, some suspected that James had done this on purpose, though most of those had felt guilty in thinking so. After all, they were the few he confided in.

When the class finished, he and his close friends decided to go out to eat. Gracefully, Val had declined to join them. By the time James returned home, it was almost 2am. After a quick shower, the snake slithered into bed in preparation for the big day tomorrow: the welcoming of the lunar new year.

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Character Portrait: Brian Ezra Paterson
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#, as written by vmy2013
The aroma of fresh coffee roused Brian from his dreams. Wincing at the sunlight filtering through his blinds, he slowly sat up in bed and stretched. Tousling his hair, he got up. Grabbing his phone from his night stand he saw the usual bombardment of text he’d missed while he slept. Most were from Marie, a small ginger girl he’d met weeks before at a football game. He’d been the one to accidentally run her over during a play, but he’d also the one to run over her previous boyfriend that approached her the wrong way. Seeing a girl mistreated was one thing Brian didn’t stand for. Marie, unfortunately, took this as a sign that he liked her and has not stopped texting, calling, emailing, and stalking him. He has told her many times that he isn’t interested in much more than friends, but she pays him no attention. He stubbornly refuses to communicate with her anymore until she accepts the fact he only wants to be friends.

Brian stands and walks to the bathroom, proceeding with his daily routine of taking a shower, brushing his teeth, and fixing his hair. He stares in the mirror at his incoming beard. Should I cut it? He wondered, but deciding he kinda liked it, he shrugged and walked back in his room. Throwing on a pair of shorts and a somewhat tight fitting muscle shirt that showed off his build, he grabbed his phone and headphones.

The kitchen was empty with the exception of the pot of steaming coffee. Pouring himself a mug of the black liquor, he looked around slightly wondering where everyone else was. I know Marcus is at the tennis courts…Sean is probably still sleeping…who knows about the others though. Taking a sip, he realized the drink wasn’t as hot as he thought it was. After a few minutes passed, the coffee was gone and Brian was out the door, gone for his morning jog.

After hours of running, and the occasional stop for rest and water, he came back home. The silver SUV was gone. Figuring Sean had finally gotten up and left, he walked to the door before stopping abruptly. He could feel someone was watching him. Becoming slightly paranoid, he turned around.

“HI BRIAN!!!” The bubbly redhead ran toward him from the street. Stifling an exasperated sigh, he smiled slightly and waved. “I knew you’d be getting back around this time! I missed you! Why haven’t you answered my texts?”

“I told you already. I don’t want a girlfriend. Stop trying to get me to ask you out.” Brian tried his best to keep his tone from sounding annoyed. “All I want is a FRIEND.”

Sighing she nodded. “I know. I just like you so much and-“

“We’re only going to be friends?” Brian finished her sentence for her, knowing she would start one of her rants again, and he didn’t want to hear it. She sighed and nodded her head. He smiled. “Okay then. I’ll text you later, alright?”

“Okay.” She looked a bit sad, so feeling a little guilty, he hugged her.

“Bye Marie.” She smiled and bounced away. Feeling satisfied, he walked into the house to change into something more comfortable.

Sporting a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of slightly ripped jeans, and some sneakers, Brian went to the garage and hopped into his favorite vehicle: a rather large, black Dodge Ram. He started it up and headed to the Pawprint.

As he pulled up, he could see Sean walking out. Always headed somewhere… Brian shook his head as he got out the truck. The sweet aroma of sweets lingered outside, making his stomach growl.

Setting

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sean Paterson Character Portrait: Simon Paterson Character Portrait: James Paterson
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#, as written by Wrenn
Essentially a nocturnal creature, Simon had gone to bed for the night only a few hours before most of the other Patersons left for the day. When he finally awoke some time in the afternoon the rat briefly left his nest to use the restroom down the hall, but immediately returned to his bedroom and locked the door. Sliding into his well-worn rolling chair he quickly turned on his Xbox, his computer and the tv. With the afternoon lineup of sitcoms playing quietly on the 32-inch flat screen to his right, he logged in to briefly check any change in notifications, texts or updates from his friends -- all of whom he'd met through gaming, as he had none from school.

He played Black Ops II for a few hours before the need for breakfast finally registered. Where most of the Patersons' slender builds came from regular exercise and activity, Simon was one of those people who only ever seemed to feel the need to eat at a muted, almost second-hand level. He could note his hunger but not be compelled to satisfy it for hours on end, most of them spent in his room on his computer. This 'morning' breakfast consisted of two Hot Pockets and a Dr. Pepper, which he took back to his room after making a furtive appearance in the kitchen. This time he hadn't shaded himself, although more often than not he did when venturing from his room. Not that he disliked any of his family members particularly; he just didn't want to have to bump into any and be drawn into even the most cursory of conversations. Sometimes he went days without speaking to any of them.

Despite being only fifteen Simon no longer attended high school, which meant he virtually never had anything to draw him from his room. Citing an inability to cope with the pressures of school and socialization, he'd been able to enroll in an at-home schooling program that consisted of little more than reading and submitting papers to an instructor via e-mail, once a week. Almost all of the rest of his time was spent in his nest except for the rare occasions that he was pulled from his room.

Some hours after his breakfast, in the early evening, Simon finished a match and spent the brief moment of downtime to grab one of his phones from the nightstand. "Yeah one second," he replied over the headset while composing a quick message.

[kim pulled out. can u cover tonight 8p-1a $100?]

The new match started, and after a few kills and respawns his phone chimed with the response.

[where?]

He gave the address, a hip new club a few towns over. He didn't know much about it except that it was becoming quite popular with Sunny Haven residents, even rivaling the Patersons' Pawprint Cafe. The perfect place for two to 'accidentally' run into each other. He composed another text, this one to be sent to Val.

[hey Sean's planning on going to the Escape tonight] he began. He dropped the phone to quickly pick up his controller when he saw someone pass where he was camping. No one could find the rat when he wanted to remain hidden, and when the threat passed he turned back to his text. [drinks @ 8?] He sent the message to James' old ex-, and with a small smile, the rat returned to his game.

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Character Portrait: Marcus Paterson
3 sightings Marcus Paterson played by Rolly Polly
"I think the sausages are burning again..."

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View All » Add Character » 15 Characters to follow in this universe

Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson
Character Portrait: Sean Paterson
Character Portrait: Elias Paterson
Character Portrait: James Paterson
Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson
Character Portrait: Simon Paterson
Character Portrait: Brian Ezra Paterson
Character Portrait: Kenneth Paterson
Character Portrait: Valerie Durant
Character Portrait: Mr. and Mrs. Paterson
Character Portrait: Miles Paterson
Character Portrait: Alex Paterson
Character Portrait: Mia Paterson
Character Portrait: Charlotte (Char) Paterson

Newest

Character Portrait: Charlotte (Char) Paterson
Charlotte (Char) Paterson

Jack of all trades, master of none

Character Portrait: Mia Paterson
Mia Paterson

Eye of the storm

Character Portrait: Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson

"Do NOT test my patience, or there will be consequences."

Character Portrait: Miles Paterson
Miles Paterson

"Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town."

Character Portrait: Mr. and Mrs. Paterson
Mr. and Mrs. Paterson

Heads of the house; Parents

Character Portrait: Valerie Durant
Valerie Durant

James's ex-girlfriend

Character Portrait: Kenneth Paterson
Kenneth Paterson

"Everything's a choice. You could choose to be anything you want. I choose to be me."

Character Portrait: Brian Ezra Paterson
Brian Ezra Paterson

The Simple Bull

Character Portrait: Simon Paterson
Simon Paterson

Mall rat

Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson
Benjamin Paterson

"I was just at this great restaurant in China..."

Trending

Character Portrait: Miles Paterson
Miles Paterson

"Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town."

Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson
Ramona Patterson

"Sorry if i get a bit TOO out-of-control..."

Character Portrait: Benjamin Paterson
Benjamin Paterson

"I was just at this great restaurant in China..."

Character Portrait: Elias Paterson
Elias Paterson

"Wha-what? Oh, sorry - I was distracted by.. erm, nevermind."

Character Portrait: Mr. and Mrs. Paterson
Mr. and Mrs. Paterson

Heads of the house; Parents

Character Portrait: Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson

"Do NOT test my patience, or there will be consequences."

Character Portrait: James Paterson
James Paterson

"The crookedness of the serpent is still straight enough to slide through the snake hole."

Character Portrait: Charlotte (Char) Paterson
Charlotte (Char) Paterson

Jack of all trades, master of none

Character Portrait: Kenneth Paterson
Kenneth Paterson

"Everything's a choice. You could choose to be anything you want. I choose to be me."

Character Portrait: Brian Ezra Paterson
Brian Ezra Paterson

The Simple Bull

Most Followed

Character Portrait: Charlotte (Char) Paterson
Charlotte (Char) Paterson

Jack of all trades, master of none

Character Portrait: Brian Ezra Paterson
Brian Ezra Paterson

The Simple Bull

Character Portrait: Mr. and Mrs. Paterson
Mr. and Mrs. Paterson

Heads of the house; Parents

Character Portrait: Ramona Patterson
Ramona Patterson

"Sorry if i get a bit TOO out-of-control..."

Character Portrait: Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson

"Do NOT test my patience, or there will be consequences."

Character Portrait: Miles Paterson
Miles Paterson

"Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town."

Character Portrait: Kenneth Paterson
Kenneth Paterson

"Everything's a choice. You could choose to be anything you want. I choose to be me."

Character Portrait: Mia Paterson
Mia Paterson

Eye of the storm

Character Portrait: Simon Paterson
Simon Paterson

Mall rat

Character Portrait: Valerie Durant
Valerie Durant

James's ex-girlfriend


Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Legend of the Jade Emperor: Out of Character

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Most recent OOC posts in Legend of the Jade Emperor

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Literally ROFL

Such an appropriate thought-process for your character ;p

I don't really see Alex using his powers just because of a bagel anyway. He's too self-restrained for that. The only reason his eyes were turning blue was because he was getting anxious about people not following his orders, so his powers were kind of "preparing" themselves just in case. That's all that was

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Originally, I had planned for him to sneak away to his room after sweeping a bit, but then I thought, "hey, wouldn't it be hilarious if he got a bagel stuck in his mouth?" So yeah, Benji now has a bagel stuck in his mouth

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

LOL Is Benji just asking to be mind controlled by the rooster!?!?!

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

If James did that, Benji would totally freak out and never trust James with cake ever again.

As for staff, I'm guessing most rich American families nowadays just hire people for cleaning. They probably don't even work on the weekend, since cleaners would do their job during a time when no one's home.

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

I don't think even James wants to witness that lol.

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Good question, although honestly I've never thought of them as having any help staff for some reason. If they do have staff, maybe they've all been sent away for the weekend because of the party's zodiac nature? The Patersons don't want anyone to witness James unhinge his jaw and swallow his cake whole :)

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

So, we're supposed to be a rich family. Whatever happened to our servants/cooks/maids during this clean-up?

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

I didn't play the sheep because I hadn't discovered my psychic powers! By playing the rabbit instead, I have finally unlocked my true potential!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Oh, and welcome to the family, nepeta! :)

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Hi everyone. :D

Apparently the Pig's secret friend is the Tiger, and the Horse's is the Sheep.

The Horse and the Sheep. Well, that is going to be very interesting. It'd make for an unusual friendship for sure.

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

WAHHH!!! sorry no post! i've been busy.

Also, YAAAAYYY WE COMPLETED LE ZODIAC!!! :D
Ramona's got her sistas nowwwwww...

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Wahahaha Felidae, why didn't YOU play the Sheep?!?!?!?!? :P

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

For the party, all the decorations could have the snake character on them, so paper lanterns, banners, paper cuttings, those rope ornament things, etc. James would definitely be showered with gifts and receive more money than usual in his red envelopes. No one would be allowed to argue with him or at least his word counts more. Maybe he gets to wear the emperor's hat for the days of celebration lol.

And wow, the allies and secret friend of the rabbit are the sheep, the pig, and the dog. I put down all three of them as the ones Benji gets along with. I must really be turning into Elias XD

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Woot we finally completed the zodiac :) welcome nepeta~

Also, I was researching about the signs earlier and found that each sign has a secret friend, who is apparently someone who's always there for you and complements you. Ironically, Miles's is James (monkey and snake), both played by me XD
Check out the other signs here: http://www.fengshui-import.com/phorum//read.php?3,3

And after Ramona and Miles finish their conversation, I'll send Miles away so we can finally get to the party, though I still have no idea what to do for the birthday boy.

Edit: I guess we could just go with a cake and/or presents?

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

I had to go to the ortho clinic on SAD day and the whole place was covered in pink and red decorations. My eyes are still recovering.

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

UGH I HATE V DAY >________>


....BUT ANYWAY. How's everyone ^^

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Happy Valentine's day everyone :D or Happy Single Awareness Day aka Happy SAD as my friends like to say.

Lol I liked the rooster but he's too similar to James so I didn't go for it. Glad to see that we have one now though :)

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Erps, my post is pretty late. The conversation at the Pawprint is really dragging on, sorry 'bout that.

I think I'll go ahead and take the horse if no one new comes along before the celebration. Don't know when I'll have his sheet done, but I will have it done by the party.

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Alright I accepted your character for the Monkey ^^ And yay! We finally have a pig! .... That sounded wrong lol.

Eh what the hell, I'm gonna go and make a character for the Rooster since he seems to be getting no love ;p might as well complete the zodiac, right?

EDIT: Mesmerist never submitted a character sheet so I took the Horse off of reserve so, if anyone wants it, feel free. It's the only zodiac we're missing, assuming Nepeta joins as the Pig.

EDIT EDIT: I can't wait to introduce Alex's Western Counterpart Rival... gonna be so hilarious :P

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Hmm I have no idea what the special ceremony for James will entail...any ideas?

Also, after some thought, I think I'll reserve the monkey if it's ok. Oh and my friend (nepeta) wants to reserve the pig. :)

Edit: Done, let me know if there's any issues :0

Re: Legend of the Jade Emperor

Yeah I was gonna get something going in my next post. I was giving others a chance to post and play around some more and stuff before I started things with the banquet.

YES I love those tradition ideas hahah. Mom and dad are totally flying in for this. Mr. Paterson is gonna prepare a big feast for the whole family, and then the kids are going to have a playful race. They do this every year on their Chinese New Year celebration just to see if things would have turned out the same had the race taken place in present day instead of all those years ago.

In many ways, this celebration is totally catering to their true spiritual selves. The festivities and traditions probably make them feel more at home than anything else on earth.


There'll also be a special ceremony or something for James since the year is honoring him.