I know Bob wants to do something with a Slayer's step.
But which timeline will Bob use?
The Novels?(After Hellmaster(Amelia and Zel leave and are not seen again), Lina faces Dynast and then another piece of Ruby Eye)
The Manga?(The Knight of the Aqualrod. Lina gets downpowered. All black magic, save two spells(obvious which ones those are), are unable to be cast and no talismans. Eventually she gets the power of the Windlord and easily makes up for the loss. Zelgadis and Xellos are missing, but we get Amelia. And Knight tramples the Zel/Lina pairing flat, since Lina and Gourry are shown to be a couple.)
The Anime?(We all know how that goes)
The Computer-RPGs?(Lina has to fight Rei Magnus or better known as Buka-S the Demon King of the North)

I mangaed to pick up the last two volumes of Slayers: Knight of the Aqulord(Six volumes total) and with what happened with CPM, I'm going to have to do my own translation work.
Sasuga(www.sasugabooks.com/) has all volumes of Knight of the Aqualord right now. If they are missing one or two, here are the ISBNs:
1. 4-04-712328-5
2. 4-04-712340-4
3. 4-04-712350-1
4. 4-04-712357-9
5. 4-04-712372-2
6. 4-04-712386-2
It looks to be fun.
--------------------
Tom Mathews aka Disruptor

"Good morning, everyone," I announced as I made myself comfortable, and got a round of greetings back -- some friendly and even warm, others desultory or grudging. Oh well, can't please everyone. Belldandy began distributing bowls of rice as part of a traditional Japanese breakfast. I was still caught somewhere between amused and bemused at the intersection of Norse gods and Japanese food, and I think it showed in my face because a suddenly-concerned Belldandy asked, "Is there something wrong with breakfast, Doug?"I blinked, sputtered for a moment, then dove headfirst into thetruth or something like it. "No, just..." I waved vaguely at thetable. "You're very Japanese for someone who's Scandinavian," Ifinally blurted lamely, unable to come up with any better way toput what I was thinking. "All of you.""Some of us," Angel offered sotto voce, "are actually veryCanadian and might like pancakes once in a while. Or wafflesand hash browns."

-- Bob
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It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

Sorry everyone. Just need a little help here.
1. In a battle between the Enterprise-D and the Scimitar, who would win?
2. What's the firepower, range, speed, manouverability and weaponry of the Enterprise-D compared with the Scimitar?
3. Where does the Scimitar lie in terms of firepower among Federation vessels or Dominion vessels? Or any of the other races in the ST universe?
4. What is the firepower of a Shadow ship compared with ships from the Alpha Quadrant?
5. Whose weapon systems are better, Jemhadar or Shadow?
6. Is the Enterprise-D a match for a Jemhadar dreadnought?
That's about it.
117.

Principal writing on chapter 2 is all but done. One little passage for me to insert, then Chris's approval pass, and then it goes off to the prereaders.
Yeah, that scene and a half suddenly jumped out of my head and onto the screen today, how could you tell?

-- Bob
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It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

Edit: never mind, that'll teach me to post frantically without a thorough check of the forum. n.n;
--Sam
"Super-powers? Bah! Who needs 'em? I've got a hand grenade!"

I have to say, that it is better than OotP, but then around a third to a half of OotP should really have been edited out entirely, for pacing if not for being repetetive, so that's damning with faint praise. The main plot leaves me feeling vaguely dissappointed at how contrived it is, with some critical evidence or idea presented exactly as needed for the next checkpoint.
Further, maybe it's just too many angry-Harry-post-OotP fics, but the relationship between him and Dumbledore seemed to be restored far too quickly, and the bursts of temper Harry did have to come almost out of nowhere. And, of course, no adult wizard ever listens to Harry until it's tragically after the fact, despite five years of he and his freinds being right where everyone else was blind, misguided, or flat-out wrong.
I have to wonder how many more Severitus Challenge fics we'll be seeing now, and how many will be tearfully abandoned... and how many Snapes will be summarily killed off in fics where he can be written out. An Evil Snape (We Told You So!) does make for more apt Star Wars comparisons for a Severitus, though. Heh, doing one that takes HBP into account would truly be a challenge given that it specifically states that Sev despised mudbloods as much as Malfoy.
Now, Slytherin-Harry stories, those are still possible, but require even more of a HP-vs-the-world mentality than if Sevvie had been Dumbledore's man in truth. The post CoS meme of making Harry a descendent of Slytherin in some way, though, is pretty much ruled out, as are inheriting massive Potter or Black vaults with goodies from any or all of the other Founders.
Didn't the Sorting Hat say it was Godric's at one point, too? And yet Albus says that the sword is the only known item of his.
Overall: Meh. I've read better fanfic.
- CD
What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?

SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

For she who steps on the way of the sword
The path gets harder at every turn
Sanctuary shell find no more
Among the people of her lot
She will leave the past behind
The Goddess knows what she is to find
Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
Theyll get lost along the way
Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
I am she whos on the way of the sword
For she who knows not the way she must walk
Life is sweet but with little reward
She who wields a sword
Must be prepared to shed her blood
Pain she must endure
And know too well that she must be strong

Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
Theyll get lost along the way
Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
I am she whos on the way of the sword
So many farewells
Many tears you must shed before your journey ends
Or its only just begun
For a glory wish there is much to sacrifice
So many farewells
Many tears you must shed before your journey ends
Or its only just begun
For a glory wish there is much to sacrifice
Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
Theyll get lost along the way
Past is left behind
For the one on the way of the sword
Fools are meant to fall
I am she whos on the way of the sword
-- Power Symphony, The Way Of The Sword
(And my thanks to whoever it was who suggested this song to me well over a year ago; your post was probably eaten in the great hacker destruction.)

-- Bob
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It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

The beginning of Symphony #5, Prelude in A Minor:
www.eyrie-productions.com...OS/s5p.txt---
Mr. Fnord, interdimensional man of mystery.
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

...for sometime today, the newest piece in the ongoing composition known as the Symphony of the Sword will be released.
The Fifth Symphony, 'A Fearful Symmetry, or, The Order of the Black Rose', shall open with a Prelude in A Minor.
(no one will be seated during the performance. Opera glasses will be provided. A champagne social will be held in the salon after the performance.)Brazil has decided you're cute.Brazil has decided you're cute.

I've got two serious suggestions and a few sillier ones. I'm not really sure whether these have been suggested before or not.
Up first:
VOLCANO
Jimmy Buffett, Keith Sykes & Harry Dailey
Now, I don't know, I don't know where I'm a gonna go
when the volcano blow.
Let me say it now,
I don't know, I don't know where I'm a gonna go
when the volcano blow.
Ground, she movin' under me.
Tidal waves out on the sea.
Sulphur smoke up in the sky.
Pretty soon we learn to fly
Chorus
Let me hear you, now
I don't know, I don't know where I'm a gonna go
when the volcano blow.
Let me hear you now.
I don't know, I don't know where I'm a gonna go
when the volcano blow.
My girl quickly say to me,
"Mon you better watch your feet."
Lava come down soft and hot.
"You better lava me now or lava me not.
Chorus
No time to count what I'm worth,
cause I just left the planet Earth.
Where I go I hope there's rhum.
Not to worry mon soon come.
Chorus
But I don't want to land in New York City,
I don't want to land in Mexico.
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island;
I don't want to see my skin a-glow.
Don't want to land in Comanche Sky Park,
or in Nashville, Tennessee.
I don't want to land in no San Juan airport or
the Yukon Territory.
Don't want to land no San Diego.
Don't want to land in no Buzzards Bay.
I don't want to land on no Ayahtolla.
I got nothin' more to say.
The obvious idea is to have it simply summon a (small) volcanic eruption. Granted, it could also have a backlash along the lines of uncontrollable... which would be unpleasant. It could also be a particularly... odd... transport/teleport song, moving Doug anywhere listed in the song or to any volcano he can name.
A possible gate song:
TAKE ANOTHER ROAD
Jimmy Buffett, Jay Oliver & Roger Guth
Seen the false horizon fade away like bisons
Headed for the jungle, the cowboy can't endure
Never look back, that's what he swore
I'll take my pony to the shore
somewhere, somewhere
(Chorus)
Take another road to a hiding place
Disappear without a trace
Take another road in another time
On another road in another time
Like a novel from the five and dime
Take another road in another time
Follow the equator, like that old articulator
Sail upon the ocean, just like Mr. Twain
Never look back, this is my plan
Run my pony in the sand
Somewhere, somewhere
(Chorus)
Take another road, etc...
....another time.
Leave my cares behind
Take my own sweet time
Ocean's on my mind
(Chorus)
Take another road, etc......
......another time.
Some odder ideas:
Cheeseburger in Paradise - Summons a delicous cheeseburger with a side order of fries and a beer. Might also appeal to Doug's sense of humor.
Off to See the Lizard - Search for the song title, since I don't have an individual song link. I've got several ideas for this one. Maybe it summons a red iguana, turns lava into gold, or sends Doug to the location of the nearest lizard... or the nearest Godzilla poster.