Rachel: Not-so-brief thing on characters for Jamie! (My savior).

Okay, Jamie, thank you SO much for helping me out with this. Below is all of the characters that the story is told through, which means that there are some characters missing, but we don't care about them right now. I'm just going to type up a short description of each of them so you can decide which one you like the best and whatnot and we can take it from there. For simplicity's sake, I'm going to list them in order of appearance. Wait...in order of CHAPTER appearances. There we go. Also, I'm going to talk about them like absolutely nothing has gone on in the book so far. This is them at the very beginning of their stories. If you have any questions AT ALL, just ask. I'm going to write this like you are familiar with the plot even though you're not, really, so like I said--if need be, ask questions.

Ezekiel Cato "ZeCat" Everton: ZeCat lives with his mother, Alva, and his younger brother, Edwin, in a part of Paradise City that is relatively new and is composed of family-oriented housing. He is sixteen years of age. When he was seven years old, his father's Date came and he was taken away in the usual fashion. Though this is an accepted part of life, it left a deep scar on ZeCat's being, and he grew up to be a rather neurotic, unusual person. He refuses to eat anything that is the colour yellow (do you know what the deal is with yellow?) and he won't eat meat, which is what they had for dinner the night his father was taken away. Actually, he won't eat much of anything. He is introverted, not very confident, and cowardly--traits that will be developed out of him during his struggles throughout the book. He is trapped within his own inhibitions and his unwillingness to leave the past in the past, but he is more able to do so that he realizes and has a brave streak that saves his butt a number of times. Appearance: Very bright orange-red hair that is nearly past his chin, blue-green eyes behind thick-framed glasses, average T-shirt underneath a too-big flannel that was once his fathers that he always wears (sad/creepy, I know), tall-ish but far too skinny because he doesn't eat much, smattering of freckles across nose, straight/serious mouth, jeans.

Freedom Williams: Freedom lives in a crappy little apartment complex in the middle of Paradise City. He is eighteen years of age, and has therefore been assigned a job by the government and no longer lives with his parents, which are both still alive. He is completely obsessed with technology of all kinds, especially the type that was outlawed after a period known as the Techno Age (which was most of it). He has undergone numerous surgeries to bond himself to this technology, which, in this futuristic time, is possible. Over time, he has had surgeries to enhance his arms, legs, ears, eyes, and even his brain. It suffices to say that Freedom is almost as much machine as he is man. He is skilled in the ways of mechanical engineering and surgery because parts of him are constantly breaking down--so he fixes them. Because of his interests, he is forced to interact with shady criminals who keep him supplied with parts and supplies that keep him running, not to mention with new surgeries. He dresses and behaves like a normal citizen so as not to draw attention to himself. He is intelligent, but can be somewhat naive and, at times, impulsive. He is very physically capable due to his "implants", though he has to be careful around water. It is worth mentioning that one of the reasons he is so obsessed with turning himself into a robot is so that he can escape death, which he plainly fears. Appearance: Sandy blonde hair that he keeps neatly combed and cut, deeply blue eyes that glitter a little oddly due to what he has installed behind them, white dress-shirt that he wears to cover heavy scarring, grey slacks, well-shined shoes, loose black tie, tall and un-muscular (he is much stronger than he looks), fair skin and freckles, very slightly crooked nose from a childhood injury.

Wolfe Livingston: Wolfe once lived in Paradise City Orphanage as orphan number 9374005, but became the first orphan to successfully escape. He is seventeen years of age. He grew up within the walls of the orphanage, and, thus, is extremely independent and distrustful. He is currently hiding in what is called a "life house" and survives by pick-pocketing passersby from inside an alleyway he likes. He is strongly under the impression that everyone on Earth wishes that he was dead and hates him, and uses this to justify his crimes. He is a very angry and sometimes violent individual, but he is more vulnerable than he likes to pretend. He is lonely and very capable of feeling guilt and remorse, though he rarely allows himself to. He is surprisingly patient and more than willing to bide his time until the best possible option in a particular situation presents himself; he is generally not impulsive, not when it matters most. Despite what one might expect, he is rather intelligent and is quick to learn, which, for the citizens of Paradise City, is not always a good thing. He adamantly hates how he looks, how he lives, and who he is...but what he doesn't know is that he had a great potential for good--something that he might punch you in the face for if you told him. Appearance: Silvery hair that is shaggy and more or less unkempt, narrow/calculating silver eyes, generally sharp facial features, scar across his throat that affects his speech (super gravely voice), tattoo of the numbers 9374005 on his arm, medium height, toned/muscular from doing yard work, holey leather jacket, white T-shirt with 9374005 on it, ratty jeans.

Leala Cash: Leala lives in Paradise City Orphanage as orphan number 9382189. She is seventeen years of age. She has lived in the orphanage for five years, and spends her time working all day out in the much-esteemed courtyard. She spends little time thinking about her former family, not because she doesn't miss them, but because she believes that those who dwell in the past get left behind. She is an extremely strong individual; not just physically, but mentally. She is more than capable of taking care of herself and doesn't take crap from anybody. Unlike many people in Paradise City (and many of my characters) Leala does not fear death in the slightest, and she isn't afraid to let anybody know it. She is an independent person, but is more dependent on some other people in her life (Ziv and Vine) than she might like to admit. She has a quick wit and is able to think her way through sticky spots, if she gives herself the time; she can be impulsive and too quick to act, though she rarely is when it actually matters. She is a rebel and a fighter, but that isn't to say that she can also be laid-back and friendly when she is around the right people. Appearance: Long, straight dirty-blonde hair that she keeps tied back underneath a yellow bandanna (she is a bad-ass), dark blue eyes, full lips, skin tan from working outside, toned body, calloused hands, average height, white T-shirt with 9382189 on it, grass-stained jeans, bare feet.

Ziv Martell: Ziv lives in a tiny apartment in the same apartment complex as Freedom (though he is not aware of this) with his abusive and often intoxicated father, who is still distraught over the loss of Ziv's mother (this occurred when Ziv was three). He is sixteen years of age. He spends most of his time away from home either hanging out with Vine, his best friend, or painting (he is a very talented artist). He is often threatened by the police for selling art on the streets, but he continues to do it because he and his father are in desperate need of the money; they are dangerously near to losing the apartment. When he is not selling art, Ziv scrapes together some money by selling other things (illegally), such as supplies and spare parts for "tech-heads" like Freedom. In his spare time, he often visits Leala in the orphanage, who he is hopelessly in love with. He is kind, caring, charismatic, and loyal to a fault; he stays by his father's side for quite some time despite the fact that he is mistreated and generally neglected. He steps in when his friends insult each other, even jokingly, though that doesn't stop him from having a sense of humour himself. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed, per se, but he isn't stupid. He is the type of person to wonder, to dream, to ask "why?", and is convinced that there must be more to life than Paradise City has to offer. Despite the shady activities that he is sometimes involved in, he is generally a good person and definitely has a good heart...though that does not make him impervious to distrust or corruption. Confrontation makes him uncomfortable, especially with adults, so he can be a little bit of a pushover at times and is subject to humiliating himself as a result. Oh, and it's worth mentioning that he is one of the "Golden Few", or the very, very small percentage of people who don't have a Date. Appearance: Short golden-brown hair that is slightly unkempt in a way that adds to his personality, hazel eyes, "impish" nose, on the shorter side of average height, dark red raggedy paint-spattered sweatshirt and equally raggedy and paint-splattered jeans, leather flip-flops, pencil behind his ear, constantly lugging around his painting stuff.

Vine Fairfax: Vine lives in the illustrious Fairfax Mansion with his mother and father, who work as government officials in the Department of Criminal Acts and Conducts. He is sixteen years of age. He has been blind since birth, but has never had trouble navigating his world without sight; he has always had someone to guide him and take him where he needs to go (that person is often Ziv). Vine is very used to living in opulence and being comfortable and well-fed. He is taken care of by his maid, Verna, and by his parents when they aren't busy taking care of their mysterious jobs. Due to his life of luxury, Vine has developed an arrogant and superior attitude that sometimes dominates his character. He genuinely sees himself as someone who is above most people, a belief that he takes little interest in discarding and does even less to disguise. He has a sharp tongue and can be rude to people, though in his mind it's a joke. He is playful and sarcastic, which are probably his two most redeeming characteristics. He often grows more jokey when he becomes uncomfortable, and finds it difficult to take situations/topics of conversation seriously when they are out of his comfort zone. He is secretly a very sensitive, caring individual, but he will more readily claim that he has no heart than admit that he has any real feelings for anything or anybody...though he hides it more poorly than he realizes. His blindness has never been a problem for him and he is strangely agile for being unable to see; if anything, being blind adds more to his princely confidence...at least on the outside. Appearance: Short dark perfectly-styled hair, eyes that are always hidden behind sunglasses, expressive eyebrows (ha), fair skin, "chiseled" features, a little taller than average height, neatly-ironed polo shirts and slacks, perpetually scuff-free tennis shoes.

DEAR GOD I can't finish this tonight. I still have a few characters left (Roth, Alva, and Price) that I wanted to outline, but I simply can't do it if I want to be in bed before eleven. I apologize, Jamie, for being so lame. I just have to get up early to go hiking tomorrow. If you see no one who particularly inspires you here, wait until tomorrow and I will introduce the other three to you in much the same fashion that I did these first six. I feel like I'm forgetting people, but I don't THINK I am, so whatever. Now I'm just rambling on, so I'll finally shut up and let you look at this. I wish you the best of luck.

-Iridian