Disgaea?

  Alright, I'm sure you guys are wondering "when is Brennan gonna continue the Disgaea story"?  Well, part of the reason I've taken so long is because I did something with the story that's creating problems.

  You see, from the moment everybody was ambushed in the story, I started using Classes from the sequel.  I liked the classes, and was planning on getting both the PSP and the game, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to get started.  Well...I'm pretty sure that most of you know that the PSP thing didn't happen.  Instead, I now have a 3DS, and am very happy with it so far.

  Well, I just got my Disgaea game back from my friend, and I remembered I was making a story on it.  And honestly...it felt silly writing a story involving a game I not only didn't possess, but hadn't even played.  Who knows how long it will be until I both have the funds and the desire to get a PSP again?  Not only that, but I found great enjoyment from playing the first game again, and kind of felt like I'd kinda denied it.

  So here's what I'm gonna do.  I'm gonna reboot the story.  Not entirely, but I'm going back to the point where everyone was ambushed, and start over from there, keeping with Disgaea DS, the remake of the first game this time.  It's going to be a little different, but I honestly actually like the new direction better.  Plus, I can follow along in my game while I make the story, for even more fun.

Chapter 2: Vae Victis

   We last let off at the great ambush, where both Clayton and Brennan revealed themselves to be fake, and our entire gang disappeared.  However, I'm sure you remember that Vae Victis, the mysterious mage, had been missing way before then, reappeared, and then vanished again. So where has he been during this whole thing?  Well, let's find out.

The Armada of Vae Victis

Vae Victis (Prism Skull)


As some of you may have figured out, Vae Victis was aware of the betrayal way before it happened.  This Prinny by the name of Dioul was not a new name in the Underworld.  Dioul was known throughout all of the Netherworld as a menace beyond most demon's standards.  Having learned the art of shape-shifting, he became able to deceive not just demons, but angels, and even humans.

Vae Victis was more than just a rival to Dioul, he was a dangerous enemy.  Vae Victis had crossed paths with him before, and it didn't end well.  Vae Victis is one of the most powerful demons in the Netherworld, in both magical power and wealth, making him a target.  Vae Victis knew of this, and always kept an extra eye out in case he struck.

He knew Dioul was there from the day he joined the group, but kept quiet in order to keep his realization a secret of his own.  His disappearances were for two reasons: one, to alert the council, and wait for an order to attack Dioul, and to call his old team back to him.  He escaped the ambush, taking Brea with him, and returned home to the council table.  His team was ready, but the council wasn't.  So he decided to let loose a little, and simply beat the verdict out of them.  Now he is on the chase, and the battle between two of the strongest demons in the universe begins.

Brea (Centurion)


Brea hasn't been this happy for a long time.  Back in second command, and away from those annoying females, Brea is all fired up and ready to smash, kill, and smash some more.  She doesn't know who this Dioul is, doesn't know what happened to the others, and honestly doesn't care.  She gets to smash things by her love's side...this is like the best day ever for her.

Enath (Cyborg)


Enath was once one of the EDF, short for the Earth Defender Force.  Spacemen with strong armor and skill with the gun, they are the strongest men that Plant Earth has, and are known throughout all the realms.  Enath was not just an EDF, he was exceptional.  At age five he took Algebra, age ten he knew how to build a rocket, and at age fifteen he upgraded all of the EDF's weapons, armor, and even designed their ship.  Truly a mastermind.

However, such a rain brain is also a curse, as being a member of the EDF, he is restricted to only doing good for others, and following rules, as he would rather make his own, as his rules would be the right ones.  On one fateful mission, his team came face-to-face with Vae Victis and his men.  Vae Victis noticed his capabilities, and offered to take him in as their main strategist, and to relieve him of his boredom.  He accepted, betraying both his team and his race, not that he cared.  As Vae Victis promised, he is their main strategist, and he is not bored...most of the time.

Evan (Bishop)


Evan could be described in one word: boring.  He rarely talks, he has next to no personality, and he's always calm.  Such a constant attitude and rare complaints are good traits of a servant, and thus Vae Victis took him in.  Evan is the only healer of the group, but he doesn't just "heal".  He has mastered the art of the bow, and is almost as good of a shot with a bow as Brandon is with a gun.  Skilled in both combat and healing, he is certainly someone to fear.

Jenna (Chaos Knight)


Jenna is one of the few Rune Knights, skilled in both magic and the sword.  While not amazing in either category, the balance is a powerful one, able to switch to whatever type of combat is needed.  Offered a large sum of money, she joined the team with great vigor, partially because she's a great friend of Brea's, and partially because she's anxious to improve her own skills.  No matter what the situation, Jenna has an answer for it.

The Prinny Trio

What does any good Lord have without a couple of Prinnies?  Prinnies are a race of stitched-together penguin creatures that contain the soul of those who have sinned greatly on the human worlds, and are given a chance to redeem themselves through labor, and are reborn if they work hard enough.  Vae Victis has obtained three special Prinnies over his years as Lord, and they have come to serve him once more!

Brenn (Prinny General)


The real Brenn, unknown to everyone else, has been dead for a long time, actually.  His sin in different than the other Prinnies in his team.  Brenn became sick with who he was and with his pathetic structure, and committed suicide.  To his surprise, he woke up again as a Prinny, ready to serve any lord that may want him.

Since his sin didn't really involve having an evil personality, Brenn is an unusual Prinny.  Forgiving, helpful, and unusually kind, he may be the first Prinny of his kind.   Vae Victis was more than pleased with his selfless attitude and his great desire to become strong.  He became one of Vae Victis's most trusted, and is his favorite among his Prinnies.

Brenn continually trains himself, desiring to be reborn strong.  The strongest race of Demons are known as the Majin, having massive capabilities, including using any kind of magic, and any kind of weapon not just decently, but amazingly.  Unfortunately, becoming a Majin is by birth only, and is not decided by vigorous training as any demon, human, or angel.   However, there is a legend and theory in the Netherworld that the Majin were actually the strongest of Prinnies that were so strong that when they were reborn, they were the strongest of demons as well.  Believing and hoping in the legend, Brenn continually trains in the hope that the day he pays off his sin, he will be reborn into one of the Majin, and never feel pathetic again.

Aaron (Prinny Captain)


Aaron is an...unusual Prinny, to say the least.  He once was an EDF, like his brother Enath, until he and his brother met with Vae Victis.  Unlike Enath, he stood his ground, and stayed faithful to his planet...and then his brother killed him.  While Vae Victis was fine with just letting him move on, Brea decided she would like a pet, and forced his soul into a Prinny body.

Aaron still has faith in the Earth, and still acts like an EDF soldier...much to Enath's dismay.  Courageous, but  clumsy and WAY too overdramatic, no Prinny has gotten thrown as many times as Aaron has.  He believes that he, not Captain Gordon, is the true Defender of Earth, and believes that when he is reincarnated, that he will become the strongest and most loved human that the world had ever known...that is, if he ever actually does any work.

Caleb (Prinny Captain)


Another relative to one of the members, Caleb is Evan's brother, and you wonder why.  It is considered a joke that when he died, the reason he became a Prinny was because Death couldn't spend another two minutes with him.  Energetic, silly, and quite obnoxious, he is hated by most that meet him.  Despite the complaints of Enath and Brea, Vae Victis kept Caleb for one reason.  If Caleb can annoy most of his comrades, he can distract the heck out of the enemy...and well, every team needs a meatshield, and since Prinnies can be remade, he's quite the meatshield.  He spends most of his time around Brenn, mostly because Brenn is the only one who can tolerate him.

Chapter 1 Part 4

   The Detention Center, my old friend.  It was almost hard to believe just how long it had been since I last visited this place.  Back in my old lawyer days, this place would be a frequent visit.   When I was a defense attorney, it was considered both smart and common courtesy to visit the person you were defending before court to get information and to know your client.  I partially enjoyed these visits, as I love getting to know people, and generally being a little depressed, I can cheer them up a bit.  

   I found the place where you meet with your client, and as usual, Ol' Evan was there.  Just as nonchalant, and just as calm as usual.  Despite not having seen me for about a year, he didn't look surprised at all.

  "Been awhile since I've seen you, Brennan."

  "You too, Evan.  How's the business been?"

His face didn't twich, he didn't even blink.  Sometimes I wonder if his eyelids and eyebrows lacked muscle for any movement whatsoever.

   "Same as usual.  Here to visit Brea?"

   I couldn't help but be surprised.  

   "You knew I was coming?"

   "Knowing you, I'd figure you'd come.  Whenever something like this is up, you always end up showing up somehow."

   "So in other words, Brandon told you."

   "Yeah."

    Brandon, always 5 steps ahead of everyone.  I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon had told Sam I was coming earlier.  

   "So can I see her?"

   "I'll go get her."

   I should have expected that.  I mean, it's not like he cares.  Come to think of it, has he really ever cared about anything?

   A few moments later, the door opened, and there was Brea.  Or at least, whatever was left of her.  The pride she had before looked like it had literally been torn out of her, all self-confidence and strength completely gone.  Her clothes looked tattered, and her glasses had a few cracks in them.  If I didn't seem worried before, I certainly am now.  

   "Brea?  Is that you?"

   She looked up, looking surprised.  I expected her to yell at me, tell me I wasn't needed and that things were fine, and start throwing things at me.  However, she didn't do any of these.  In fact, she didn't say anything at all.  There wasn't the least bit of aggression in her face.  This was not the Brea I knew.  

   Evan got us both chairs, and we both sat down.  Neither she nor I said a word.  She kept looking at the ground while I studied her over and tried to think of what to say.  For the first time ever, Brea looked frail.  Before, I worried about what to say to her because if I said the wrong thing, I may have begun to feel pain.  Now I was worried that if I said the wrong thing, she would lose her mind completely.  I sat there for thirty minutes, but couldn't think of anything.  No matter what kind of question, complement, or comfort I could think of, looking at the shriveled being in front of me stopped me before I could say anything.  There wasn't words to describe what had happened here.  

   "If you want to know why she is here, it's probably best if I tell you."

   I looked up to see Evan again.  No doubt he had figured out the problem by now.

   "By all means, go ahead."

   "Brea has been arrested under charge of murder."

   I almost fell out of my chair.  Before, I wouldn't have been surprised, but this person in front of me wasn't capable of moving more than a couple feet at a time, let alone murder someone.

   "Murder?  You're kidding, right?"

   "That's what I thought.  The supposed murder happened a couple nights ago, behind a bar.  There was a witness and everything.  As the witness put it, she essentially lost all mental control and stabbed the victim multiple times.  There were several wound marks on the victim, plus blood on Brea and the knife was found with her fingerprints on it."

   I couldn't believe it.  It wasn't possible.  And the worst part was, I knew more was coming.

   "Also, the knife with the blood was Brea's special knife, the one she'd always twirl around in court.  Has her name embedded in it and everything.  She was arrested almost instantly."

   I looked at him, still not believing a word of it.

   "And you think she did it too?"

   "Of course not.  While there's lots of evidence, if she went completely mad, it would be more likely that'd she'd stab herself.  She's in depression, not being pessimistic.  She couldn't even bring herself to swat at the flies biting her."

   I said nothing.  All my emotions flowed through me.  Anger, fear, sadness, everything.  The person in front of me couldn't handle a single week in prison, she could literally die from it.  And it couldn't have been her.  But evidence is everything, and she certainly wouldn't get a defense.  It was a straight up loss case.  Any good prosecutor would win in a heartbeat.  It was a perfect setup, exactly why I couldn't believe it.  The evidence was too perfect, too precise.  Not just the amount of evidence, but the type of it.  If she were truly insane, there would be much more evidence than that.  Not only that, but since the victim was stabbed, there was a good chance of struggle, and I don't care what evidence there is, there was absolutely no way Brea as she was then could have put up any fight whatsoever.  I knew what I had to do.

  "Brennan, your career is all but gone.  Failure on this case could literally destroy what little respect people have for you still.  No one would hire you, and not just as a lawyer, but as any sort of employee.  You could end up in the streets."

  I knew he was going to say that, and he knew what my response would be.  We both knew the other result.

   "If we don't do anything, Brea will literally die, and whoever murdered the victim will have escaped with two murders up his belt.  We cannot allow that.  If I were to stand here and do nothing, it would be no different then ending her right here and now.  I still have some respect as a man, and I don't wish to lose any more of it."

   I grabbed Brea's head by the sides, and turned her face towards me.  I looked in right in the eyes, with more determination than I'd felt for years.

   "Brea, I will defend you.  I promise, no matter what the cost, I will get you out of here and back on your feet again.  I promise."

   She looked at me, a completely shocked look on her face.  I stood up, leaving her to ponder the turn of events, and perhaps gain a shred of hope from them.  Before walking out the door, I looked at her one more time.

   "He's not dead.  Do not think for a minute that's he's gone.  He's been through hell and back, he will return to us one day.  I know he will."

   

End of Chapter 1

  

System Reviews: 3DS

Alright, I'm taking a break here from my story (probably gonna update on Saturday, which is after an allnighter, just a little warning XD) to give you a review on a system that you probably are interested in hearing.  My review on the Nintendo 3DS.

While this system has been out for about two years now, I only have two friends that have one, but the majority of my friends have DSs.  Being portable, it's a great way to play video games together in places like Youth Group and hangouts.  Since it's a popular system, many of you were probably considering upgrading to this.  Well, just yesterday, I obtained a 3DSXL, and today I will be reviewing it for you.

This review is going to work a little differently, as since systems vary completely in different areas, I can't set certain subjects to review it on.  Therefore, I will just cover everything overall, and give a final rating at the end.

Now, honestly enough, I think the games are worth the system alone.  I didn't buy the system originally for the 3D, I bought it because of the games coming out for it.  As surprising as this may sound, some quite major titles have come out for this system.  For the first time ever, Ocarina of Time's graphics were updated for the system.  The sequel to Kid Icarus that was for the FREAKING ORIGINAL NINTENDO.  Mario Kart 7, the first Mario Kart to include underwater levels and flying!   Pokemon Gen 6, first main Pokemon game to be 3D!!!  Fire Emblem: Awakening, Rune Factory 4, Super Street Fighter 4, Starfox 64 3DS, Super Mario 3DS, Phoenix Wright 4, and oh my word...SO MANY GOOD GAMES!!!!   And not only that, but the majority of those games are 3DS exclusive, built specifically for that system!  At first, I wasn't interested, but when the games started piling up, I was blown over.   It was simple, really.  I HAD to have this system.

Now, maybe for SOME INCREDIBLY WEIRD REASON that doesn't do it for you.  Well, now let's talk about the system itself.  Before we get into the apps and graphics and such, let's talk about the system itself.  The corners and side of the 3DS are much more rounded than any of the other DSs, giving for a much more comfortable feel.  The Button are basically in the same place as the DSi, only with a new cool feature: a flat joystick.  Not only does this keep your fingers from hurting from long use, but it also is much nicer to use for quite a few games.  Quite a cool add-on in my opinion.

 Now for the main menu.  The menu works quite similarly to the Wii's, with all the different apps and such.  The 3DS has a home button that allow you to return to the menu at any time, asking if you want to stop playing your game of course.  You scroll through it on the bottom screen and it shows a small animation of sellected app on the top screen.

Speaking of apps, I will mention that if you get a 3DS, don't worry about losing your DSi apps.  You can transfer them quite easily, actually.  It will delete them on the DSi and you'll have to download it again, but it's still nice.  So yes, Katie, no loss of flipnotes.

The first mentionable app is the Mii Maker.  Yup, just like on the Wii, you can make your own Miis on here, and use them for various games and features.  There's a 3DS exclusive feature known as Mii Plaza involving Street Pass, but it's not completely interesting, and I won't dive into it today.  They kept the camera and sound record from the DSi, and actually upgraded them.  The 3DS can actually take videos as well as take pictures, and the pictures are much more accurate.  Just like the DSi, you can change Brightness, but you can also activate something called Power Save.  It really doesn't seem to change much, but it apparently saves more power, so use it if needed.

Oh yes, since I KNOW I will be asked this if I don't cover it...yes, 3DSs ARE compatible with any previous form of DS.  You can't play 3DS games on the DS, but you can play DS games on the 3DS, as well as play DS games with other DS owners.

The web surfing is much more enhanced this time, and in my opinion, better than the Wiis.  Oh, and the internet connection is enhanced too.  I have perfect connection going all the way downstairs now.

And now for the biggest app wonder.  Remember how you could download old video games to the Wii?  Well you can now do that with the 3DS.  There are all different kinds of games, even not limited to the portable games!  It has more variety than the Wii has!  It's amazing!

And finally, what the entire series is based on: the 3D.  It not only works, but with some games, it really enhances things.  I tried a Demo for the new Fire Emblem game, and the 3D was AMAZING.  Even the Cutscenes were 3D!

Rating 10/10

They really worked on making this system good, and I'm sad to think that I once looked at it in a negative fashion.  I kind of understand now why it was originally 250 dollars...there is so much you can do with this thing.  But now, you can get the original 3DS used for $130, and the 3DSXL $170 .  If you're thinking about upgrading, and you have the funds DO IT.  It will certainly be worth your money.

Chapter 1 Part 3

  After borrowing some body armor from Michaela...hey, don't look at me that way!  This is Brea we are talking about, after all.
  Brea, Brea, Brea.  Out of every single prosecutor I've faced, Brea is not only the hardest, but the one I fear the most.  She's not only the most vigorous prosecutor I've met, she's also the most violent.  Feared by even her own co-workers, she was not one to be messed with.  To sum it up, it is rumored that in third grade, Brea was surrounded by a group of bullies, each one of them the biggest and meanest kids of the class.  The next day, one of them had a broken arm, another had two broken legs, three of them had broken noses, and the leader didn't have a single one of his teeth left.  Yeah.  I still remember the first time I faced her.  She brought a mace with her.  A mace!  After the trial, I made it a point to avoid her as much as possible.
  So why am I worried about her, you may ask?  Well, you see, one thing I've learned about her is that she's got a tough outside, but a weak inside.  In other words, while she seems really menacing and cruel, if you emotionally demoralize her, she'll go down in tears.  Whether or not she uses her cruelness as a mask, or if she's just weak emotionally, I don't know.  Whatever the case, the whole incident shattered her.  The last time I saw her, she was screaming at everyone and everything, and ran away faster than I'd ever seen her run before.  Why?  Ironically enough, another prosecutor.
  I eventually found the address I was looking for.  Brea's Law Office.  I knocked on the door.  I expect lots of yelling and a spear thrown through the door, but I hear nothing.  A little curious, I felt the door handle.  It was unlocked.  Now a little more worried than before, I walked in.  Man, was I surprised.  Last time I was at her law office (an incident I regretted), it was quite neat, and seemed to be emitting power.  Now, it looked terrible.  The lights were on, but there were webs all over, piles of dust, and I swear I saw some rats scuttling around.  Not like Brea at all.
  I walked through the hallway, just as disgusting as the rest of the place.  I opened the door to her office part of the area.  It looked just about abandoned.  Papers, all over the floor, weapons rusted and scattered; it almost reminded me of a murder scene.  How long has it been since this office has been used?
  "Hello sir, may I help you?"
  I just about jumped.  Granted, the lights were on, but it was deathly quiet, and the depressing feeling all around didn't help either.  I turned around to see a very small man, not too much younger than I.  After taking a few second to regain my senses, I recognized who it was.
  "...Sam?  Is that you?"
  The man looked surprised.  "Why...Brennan Malley?   The defense attorney?  What are you doing here?"
  I was about to say I wasn't sure and laugh, but I realized that this was a serious matter.  Something was wrong, it was obvious, and this man probably had some answers.  I bent down to his level, and looked him in the eye.
  "Sam, I need everything.  What has happened in the last year to Brea, you, this place, everything."

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  We went to a nearby cafe: a nice little joint with great food.  I suggested the place because such a depressing face didn't seem fit for such a conversation, and poor Sam looked like he could use a facelift.  I bought him some coffee, and we sat down.  For a few minutes, neither of us said anything.  Then, Sam cleared his throat.
  "After the case...after 'he' disappeared...she completely fell apart.  At first, it just seemed like every time she lost a case.  She went to her office, throwing things around, breaking things, and making lots and lots of noise."
  I couldn't help but smile for a second.  I could completely imagine that.  It seemed funny to me at least.  But after noticing his depressed look, I figured now was not the time.  I sobered up, and gestured for him to continue.
  "But it didn't end. It went from lots of noise to almost none at all.  She stopped coming out of her room completely,  besides the bathroom."
  He suddenly looked really sad.  I had a feeling what was coming next.
  "I should have noticed.  I should have done something.  But for the first time ever, things were okay.  There was even one moment when I brought her food and she apologized to me for everything she'd ever done to me.  After all the lashings, yelling, and simply not giving me any credit, I was starting to enjoy how things were going."
  He covered his face with his hands.
  "Suddenly she stopped eating.  At first, it was just breakfast, and I didn't pay attention, but after a week, she wouldn't accept any food.  I began to worry.  I asked what was wrong, and she didn't say anything.  She wouldn't talk to me, not to anyone.  Eventually, I brought her to a hospital.  She was suffering from severe depression, and apparently hadn't eaten much for a month since the incident."
  He began to cry.  I felt enraged.  Not at him, not at Brea, but at the whole thing.  Why did this have to happen?  Why did that ***** of a lady have to ruin so many lives?  I put my hand on his shoulder, calming down a bit.
  "It's not your fault.  Knowing you, knowing your position, it's totally understandable why you acted the way you did."
   He lowered his hands, but still looked depressed.  I felt determination building up.  If it's one thing I hate most of all, it's standing around when someone is in trouble.  And while what he said made sense, it still didn't sound right.  What he had done may not have been the most noble thing, but he was more depressed than I ever was having lost my job and everything.  He was hiding something.
  I tightened my grip on his shoulder, and looked him straight in the eye.  Out of all my years being a lawyer, one thing I learned to do was to look your clients in the eyes.  For when you look into someone's eyes, you look straight into their heart, which makes your clients completely understand your feelings behind your words, and allows you to understand them.
  "Sam.  Where is she?  Where is Brea?"
  He suddenly looked worried.  I was right.  Something was wrong.
  "Sam, don't hold it back.  The only way I can help you guys is if I know how to help.  I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll do whatever I can."
  His features actually softened, and he looked back at me, a serious look in his eyes.
  "Brennan, you are the only person who can help her now."
  "What do you mean?"
  Sam stood up, and walked away.  Before walking out the door, he turned his face towards me.
  "Brea is in the Detention Center.  If you want to help, you have until tomorrow to talk to her."

Brennan Malley: The Next Case

Chapter 1, Part 2

    I sat down on a bench chair, bored out of my mind.  I began to mess with my bottle of soda, turning it around in my hands and recognizing it's grooves and features.  I really shouldn't drink so much of this stuff, but it tastes amazingly good, and it's much better than being addicted to a kind of drug or something.  I need some form of indulgence during this pathetic part of my life.
   As I had predicted, when we began the investigation of a robbery, I had absolutely no idea what to do, and in the end, just got bored.  Finding clues and such just doesn't do it for me.  It's just like during a war.  The detectives find clues and help plan the battle, and then the lawyers fight the battle out.  Over my years, I learned to cherish that battle, and doing the preparing just isn't the same.  There's no intensity or anything.  So I just sat down on a nearby bench, grabbed a pop, and tried to relax.  Apparently, Michaela was so focused that she just went right on with her investigation and passed right by me, not even noticing.  Then again, maybe she's just ignoring me because I'm currently useless.  I could believe that.
  Yeah, I believe I sugarcoated things earlier.  My life wasn't just hurt by that fateful case, it was basically wrecked.  To be precise, I haven't actually obtained a job since that case.  That case was such a large failure on my part, that I am basically avoided throughout the entire city.  I've been making money through working at restaurants and stuff for awhile, and occasionally helping Michaela.  My life currently sucks.  Bad.
  "Honestly Brennan, moping?  I may have to reconsider my opinion of you as a being a possibly capable human being."
  Of all forms of response by whoever may have noticed my moping, that was not it.  Of course, as soon as I recognized the voice, my surprise vanished pretty quickly.
  "Hello, Brandon, it's been awhile."
  Brandon didn't move, twitch, or even blink.  One up close wouldn't even be able to tell if he was even breathing.
  "Before you begin your pathetic whining, you are currently depressed by the case from last year that started on February 3rd at 3:21 PM, and ended on February 10 at 1:51 PM.  It was obvious to see that you were depressed, and seeing the level of depression through your facial expression, your appendage movements, and your rate of blinking, the only possible causes of that level were either due to that case, or when you were rejected by that female six months ago, on July 18, at 10:53 AM."
  I wasn't even going to try and ask how he got that information.  Neither of us have talked to each other since that case, and we don't email or anything.  But when you've known him for as long as I have, you just assume that he probably does know, and am better off not knowing how.
  Brandon is, of course, the rival I mentioned before.  Possibly the most brilliant man I've ever met, and of course, probably the most statue-like I've ever met.  He once won a case with literally 3 sentences.  I'm not lying, it's in the records.  His intimidation alone scares the weaker ones, and the others he simply obliterates with his intelligence.  Of course, he's not the most sociable person, and until he and I faced each other in court, his only friend was his brother, who Brandon wasn't too fond of anyways.
  We met on a case dealing with insurance, and in the end I lost.  However, the case lasted a total of two days in the length of hours, and he won just barely.  Not only did this raise everyone's opinion of me, but Brandon was pleased by my capabilities.  We soon became the greatest of rivals, and our battles were considered legendary by those who watched.  There was even one where the judge decided to see how much money he could make by putting up folding chairs and selling spots to ordinary townsfolk.  The seats sold out in 3 hours.
  He wasn't just a rival though, he was also a tutor.  Apparently he saw something in me, although to this day I'm not exactly sure what.  He would often pass hints to me both during investigation and in court, and would often put me on bunny trails in court, to see if I could complete the puzzles he would set up.  And I in turn, became a good friend to his.  Being more of the calm and understanding sort, seeing more of the good than bad in others, I was naturally okay with things about Brandon that others despised, and we eventually grew to enjoy each other's company.
  However, after the large case, we hadn't talked.  I'm not exactly sure why, but we hadn't.
  "So what's been up with you recently, Brandon?  I haven't seen you in well...about a year."
  "Recently, I have been tutoring a bunch of pathetically minded adults who think they have some concept of what math is, but really have no brains whatsoever and would be just as well sitting the rest of their lives on their couches, getting obese off of common food products."
  I looked at him, actually a little surprised.
  "Why-"
  "Am I not still shattering the feeble minds of weaklings that call themselves attorneys?  It is simple, really."
  Brandon adjusted his glasses, by moving one arm and not even twitching anywhere else.  Anyone else but me would probably wonder why this man exists.
  "After that case, I knew you would fall into ruin.  While I knew you were wrong about your client, and did not know her true darkness, the outside world is not a merciful one.  So obviously, I put it all behind me, and continued my work, knowing I would not ever fight you in court again."
  He paused for a second, obviously in a dramatic fashion because he knew that I really wanted to hear what he was going to say next.  Jerk.
  "Fact is Brennan, I got bored.  My fights with you were different from any other, and they scarred my career.  I tried and tried, but no matter what, I found that I could no longer stand beating up upon the helpless.  I felt no satisfaction.  As odd as this may sound coming from me, you were actually worth something.  It eventually came to my realization that the only way to make being a prosecutor worth anything would be doing battle with you...and I knew that would be impossible.  So I became a professor on a complicated form of math that you would have absolutely no grasp of."
  I grinned, it had been too long since I'd heard that nonchalant ego.
  "And I'm guessing you got the job instantly, due to your outrageous achievements?"
  "Of course, anything else would have been impossible."
  "Well, at least one of us is doing well in this world."
  Brandon's features softened.  Slightly.  The reason it was noticeable at all was because his features never soften, so the millimeter that moved stood out incredibly.
  "I would try and help, but as you know, I am not that good at counseling others.  However, if I were you, I would feel some confidence that there was one who was affected by that case more than even you."
  I gave him a weird look.  What the heck was he talking about?  Brandon kept going.
  "Which reminds me why I came here.  I need you to do a small favor for me."
  My interest was piqued.  If Brandon was giving me something he couldn't do himself, it was bound to be interesting.
  "What is it?"
   He handed me a slip of paper.
   "I need you to visit this address for me"
   I looked puzzled.  Why would he ever need me to visit someone.  Then I looked at the paper.  At first, I didn't get it, but then it hit me like a firetruck.  Someone who had been affected more than me.  A mission Brandon couldn't possibly complete.  A visit.
  I didn't respond.  I didn't even look in his direction.  I got up and ran, faster than I had ran in a long time.  In my hurry, I accidentally dropped the paper, but that didn't matter, because I knew where I was going.  While I didn't figure it out what I was supposed to be doing first, I saw the name written below the address.
 
  ...Brea Ciao Dargis.
 


 

Brennan Malley: The Next Case

   Chapter 1, Part 1
 

   Generally, when a story begins in the morning, the story begins with the main character waking up to an alarm clock, or to some fuzzy animal.  Heh, I wish.  My morning was anything but that pleasant.
  I woke up to no alarm clock, but the sound of loud obnoxious music coming from the apartment floor below mine.  Despite the fact that I had been woken up like this for the past year or so, I still can't manage to get used to it.  I looked at my clock, I discovered it was 5 AM...two hours before I had set my alarm clock. If I wasn't just a tolerant person and being polite wasn't on my agenda, I would've gone down there and let them have it.  I don't care if you're a rock band, you don't practice 5 AM in the morning!  That makes almost no sense!
  I decided to let it go.  They were kids after all, and I had survived the past year of it.  I grabbed my morning coffee, and decided to take a walk outdoors.  I was happy to see that it was raining quite calmly outside.  The noise of the band was so loud, I hadn't heard any rain at all.  I love rainy days, I'm not sure why, but I do.  So I put on a raincoat and went outside for a two hour walk before work.
  Wait a minute, you have no idea who I am, do you?  I'm so sorry, when you get woken up so suddenly so early in the morning you forget a lot of things.  My name is Brennan Malley.  I am currently 28 years old, and yup, you guessed it, single.  I live in Detroit, a large city in the weather hazard that is Michigan.   Detroit is...not exactly the greatest of places to live.   It's generally loud, full of people with absolutely no control on their temper, and very polluted.  Also, there's crime.  Lots of it.  Now, for most of you, that may sound like a bad thing, but for me of all people, it actually isn't.  My job is defending others in court...in other words a defense attorney.
   No, I am not one of those snobs who simply will defend anyone for money.  I am a kind person, with a love for good and justice.  The thought of defending anyone who would commit terrible crimes gives me a nasty taste in my mouth.  If I get a job from someone who I find out committed the crime, I make sure that they get a guilty sentence in the end.  So how do I tell who is bad and who is good?   Don't worry, I'll get back to that soon.
   After my two hour walk, I wound up exactly where I wanted to be: my law office.  There are many law offices around here, but none as clean and polished as mine, something I take quite a bit of pride in.  I felt the handle of the door, finding that it was unlocked.  So she had arrived early.  Perhaps to make sure everything was in order.  I was dead tired, so instead of going to my office, I sat down on the couch meant for those visiting to give them a more comfortable feel.  A few seconds after, as I expected, I heard the sound of high-heeled shoes, the sounds of which I knew too well.
  "Good morning Michaela", I said, drinking some more of my coffee out of my ridiculous mug.
  "Good morning, Brennan", she said, smiling.  "Had a rough morning?"
  "Yeah, noisy kids again.  I really hope the owner kicks them out soon."
  "You know how the apartment owners are around here Brennan, all they care about is how much money is in their pocket."
   This is Detective Michaela, my "partner" and good friend.  She doesn't directly work for me, but she is generally the one who gets me clients.  She finds the case, and I defend it.  In the end, we both get paid, and we both get praise in the end.  Despite not being my official assistant, she assists me with most of the things I do.
  Michaela is my idea of almost the best assistant to have.  You see, the reason this place is so clean and nice isn't because of me, something I probably should have mentioned earlier.  Despite being generally good natured and decently intelligent, I have some issues.  I am the kind of person who likes to take things calmly and in a peaceful stride, not rushing through things quickly to get them done...something that occasionally becomes quite the problem.  Sometimes I forget to study notes, or end up not preparing completely for a case, which is never good.  I am also a little clumsy, and I often end up doing some pretty silly things.
  Michaela is nothing like that, except intelligent.  She's a hard worker through and through, and won't stop until everything she has to get done is done.  She's very neat and detail oriented, and is quite intelligent.  She's not just a great detective, it's thanks to her this place is in such great shape, and the reason I still have a job.  I can't even begin to number the times where I was being lazy, and she came in and got me right on the tasks at hand.  Granted, sometimes she's a little overly strict, but generally I really need it.
  I set down my mug and stretched my arms and legs...or in other words, my thin arms and my long and lanky legs.
  "Are there any interesting jobs out there right now?"
  "If by interesting you mean any job that does not involve pointless suing, fake kidnappings, or trying to get a criminal out of prison, no"
  I sighed, that was the problem with being a strict lawyer these days.  In a town like this, everyone's greedy, always trying to get money.  I heard that a kid tried to sue a famous game company for "not having a good ending".  Really?  At age 10 I would've been smart enough not to try something so stupid.  The only advantage is that generally in a suing case, the prosecutors are just as stupid as their clients.  However, I generally never get to defend those who are pointlessly sued, because they generally have enough money that they have a lawyer that is for just them.
  Michaela noticed my depressed look, and tried to think of something to cheer me up.
  "Well, at least there hasn't been any cases like the AK2 one."
  I cringed.  I knew she was just trying to help, but that was not the way to do it.  That case was nothing but a nightmare.  It happened just about a year ago.  At first it seemed like a normal murder defense case.  I was asked by a young woman to defend her, and it seemed simple enough.  She seemed pretty innocent, and using some of the ways I figure out their actual position, I found her to be innocent.  I had also heard that the prosecutor was none other than my rival, Brandon Connell, who is the smartest and most nonchalant prosecutor that I've ever met.  Although difficult to defeat, it gives me a decent challenge, and we are decent friends, so it seemed like it was going to be a good case.
  Then everything fell apart.  I ended up connected to the case even though I had nothing to do with it, and ended up in the detention center along with my client.  Michaela was allowed to defend me, and she did quite well.  But all the evidence she found pointed to me.  After lots of research and much court time, it was deduced that most of the evidence was fake.  However, it was also found out that most of evidence I had been using was also fake.  Then, after all that mess, my trust in my own capabilities was broken for the first time.  It turned out that the person I was defending wasn't just guilty, but was in fact, an assassin "at large", and had committed more than her share of all kinds of different treachery.  Not only that, but she disappeared through a trapdoor right in the middle of the courtroom, and had not been seen since.  It didn't just hurt my reputation as an attorney...it hurt me personally.
  I tried to give her a grin, but nothing came out.  To some degree, you can't hide emotions.  Unless you're Brandon, that is.  
  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up," she said, trying to think.  "What if you help me out for a bit?  I'm currently investigating a case that already has lawyers, but needs investigation.  We could figure it out together, and I could probably pay you a little bit for your effort too."
  "Sound good," I said with a half smile.  Heh, yeah right.  By the end of the investigation, I will have done just about nothing.  I am good at making arguments, not observations.  She might as well have asked a random person along the street.  In fact, I'm not even exactly sure just what one does as a detective.  Oh well, I have nothing better to do.
  We both walked out the door, Michaela looking professional and ready for anything, and me with my head low and my shoulders sagged.  It was gonna be a long day.

CAD

Today, I will be showing some hilarious comics made my CAD (Ctrl + Alt + Delete).  It's a gaming webcomic that is one of my personal favorites.  Be warned that if you are offended by sexual humor, violence and blood, or swearing, don't check out the rest of the comics.  Honestly, there are some of them in there that I myself don't like.  But there's also some really funny ones too.  Here's my pick of the litter.



This comic gives you a pretty straight forward idea of the comic's main characters.



That level of sarcasm from Lucas (dude in black hair) is SO reminiscent of Brandon...in fact, that entire phrase at the end is something I could imagine him saying.


It's almost scary how true this is.

... O.o



Bwahahahaha....wow...just...wow....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!



Being a comic writer, I totally understand this.



Nintendo.  All I'm sayin.



If I ever run a business...I need that sign.



This...makes so much sense....



This comic is just funny because of what it is. XD



For my obsessed friends.



So this is how one gets out of awkward conversations!



I believe all of us who have played Ocarina of Time can have sympathy for this man.


This one's for Clayton XD.

IMPORTANT NEWS!

Well, yesterday, the company of Pokemon made a very important announcement yesterday, and since it was just yesterday, I doubt many of you have heard about it yet.  Therefore, I will post about it for you.

Yup folks, in this October, Generation 6 will be upon us.  Odd for Pokemon to release a new generation so soon, but then again, they did say Generation 5 was gonna be short.  Anyways, while they haven't released too much information, it's already looking pretty interesting.

This will not only be the first Pokemon game on the 3DS, it will be the first Pokemon game of the main series to become a 3D game.  And I must say, after looking through the trailer, it looks pretty promising.  The battle graphics look nice, as well as the Pokemon and main character.  Also, here are the three new starters:

Grass Type

My guess is Normal/Grass type?   Interesting for a grass starter to be a mammal...first time ever I think.

Fire Type

Probably just a Fire type.  Sorry guys, no more Fire/Fighting types.

Water

My guess is Water/Ice, and if he gets good enough stats, he may be something to look forward to. 

Also, they released the Legendaries...and man, I don't think I've EVER seen a deer look so FREAKING EPIC.

Oh yeah, and the other guy looks cool too.

So anyways, I'm REALLY looking forward to this...and I REALLY need to get a 3DS...

Shyruni's Reviews: Skate N' Spray

All right, it's been awhile since I've done an actual game review, and I have the perfect topic.  This is a game I got quite recently with my birthday and Christmas money.  I had heard lots of positive reviews about it, some even saying it was the best game for the Dreamcast period.  Well, let's dive in, shall we?  So put on your skates, and get some cans of spray paint, because you're on for a wild ride!



Jet Set Radio, one of Sega's underused gems.  Seriously, it boggles my mind why they've only done two games with this series.  They're amazing.

The series is called "Jet Set Radio", but the original release in America was titled "Jet Grind Radio".  Oddly enough, they changed it back for the sequel "Jet Set Radio Future", which makes you wonder why they changed it in the first place.  Anyways, this game was first released in Japan on June 29, 2000, and in America on October 30, 2000.  It was original released for the Sega Dreamcast, Sega's last system as a game company.  Since then it has been ported into multiple different systems, and is even available on Google Play.  It had a sequel as previously mentioned known  as Jet Set Radio Future for the Xbox, but it's considered to be less than the original.  So, let's get into the aspects.

Gameplay





Oh man...where do we even begin with this?  They did so well with this game, it's hard to know where to start.  

If I was to sum up this game quickly, I'd say it's a cell-shaded cartoon lovechild of Need for Speed and Tony Hawk Skateboarding games.  This will be explained in due time.

The goal of this game is simply to paint the city your color.  In other words, to spray graffiti over everything.   In the town of Tokyo-to, as they call it, domination by gangs of the city is decided by graffiti.   Whoever covers the city in their graffiti claims it as their turf.  This may sound like a boring concept, but trust me...this game is anything but boring.



The Tony Hawk game part is related to your main method of movement and being awesome in this game...your roller blades.  However, these are no ordinary roller blades.  While it isn't really explained, they are mentioned to have magnetic properties that somehow allow you to move much faster, get more air, and do all sorts of awesome things.

You can do all sorts of tricks in this game.  From front flips, to grinding on rails, to skating backwards...you name it.  However, this isn't just for fun.  You see, you can't just graffiti anywhere you want.  To complete each level, you have to cover all the areas with red arrows pointing at them to beat the level.  However, most of the areas aren't just right in front and up for grabs.  You have to actively search for them, and some can ONLY be reached through doing a specific trick.



Oh...and don't think you can just spray easily either.  While some areas are covered with a simple press of the L button, larger areas aren't so easy.   When you press L by a large area, you have to do a specific combination of joystick movements.  It's quite similar to Street Fighter, where you have to get used to the feel of the joystick on the controller to do the move right...you have to get the move pretty spot on to count it.  If you miss, you go back to the beginning of the combo, and lose a spray can.   Not fun.  Oh, and you thought that was it?  Oh man...this is the easiest part about this game.



This is the Need for Speed part.  While Tokyo-to is full of gangs, that doesn't mean the towns like it.  There is plenty of law enforcement here.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY LAW ENFORCEMENT!  Generally, they'll just send a few officers to take on one guy who's spraying graffiti all over.  But this town has gotten so sick of it, that they've pulled off the gloves.  Not only will you have to face large numbers of officers, but they will send in SWAT team members,  Helicopters with missles, and even A FREAKING TANK!!!   And while you may be a member of a gang, you don't have guns or anything, so all you can do is RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!   And law enforcement is everywhere too...

Oh, and did I mention that this game is TIMED?  That's right, not only do you have to find all the graffiti spots, get enough cans to do them all, and avoid large numbers of law enforcement, but you have to do it under a time limit!  Wouldn't that make this game insanely annoying and difficult?  Well, next up is the difficulty section.

Difficulty

Despite sounding really difficult, it's actually quite well balanced.  While any non-gamer who picks this up will certainly have a rough time, it's not too difficult for regular gamers.

It will be hard at first, I can guarantee it.  It's difficult to get used to the momentum, and the controls and camera aren't perfect.  However, after spending some time with the game, you get used to the momentum, and then it gets much simpler.  Once you become comfortable with the controls, this game becomes really fun and while not being way too hard, it's challenging enough for those that want it.

Graphics



The graphics fit the Dreamcast system PERFECTLY, and even on other systems it stands out.  The cell shaded graphics and art style work perfectly with the feel of the game.  It puts away from simply being "another Tony Hawk game", and becomes something more.

Music

The music fits with the game just as much as the graphics do.  It keeps the funky feel, and really makes you feel awesome doing those tricks.  It's almost as if it literally puts you in their shoes, and really captivates you, making the overall experience something to behold.

Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8l4qIEABqY

Characters



Oh man...the characters...this is probably what I looked forward to talking about the most.  I LOVE the character designs for this game.

You don't start out with everyone in the GG crew.  As you progress through the game, whether by meeting certain requirements, or through the story you get rival challenges.  The first possible challenge is essentially a "follow the leader" kind of thing.  You have to do exactly what they do, and if you stray far from their path, you fail.  You do three different rounds, and if you pass them all, they join you.

The next possible challenge, which is only for three of the characters, is a tag race.  You have to reach the tagging spot and spray it before your opponent.  It's one long race, and if you win, they join.

Each character is unique in both personality and design.  Every time you select a character, they each do a bunch of quick cool moves that only they do before you start the level.  They each have different voices and sayings, and each are quite different.  It's not hard to find a character that fits you best.   Oh yeah, their stats are different too.



There really isn't a main character, but there is the narrator: Professor K.  He's the DJ of the pirate radio station known as Jet Set Radio (thus, the name).   After you complete each level, you get a small cutscene with him explaining what's going on around town and pushing you through the story.  It's pretty cool, honestly.

Overall Rating: 10/10

I'm not sure I've ever given a game a 10/10 before...but I seriously can't give anything else for this game.  As hard as I try, while there are improvements and things they could've added to this game (like multiplayer...), there isn't anything really wrong with this game.  It's a unique, and original idea, and the music, graphics, and gameplay all merge almost perfectly together, making you feel like you really are a member of a graffiti gang, out to claim the city of Tokyo-to and to show the world your awesome skills.  Right on!!!!



Next: My friends as Jet Grind Radio Characters