Okay, which one sounds better you y'all? The one y'all choose will probably be the one I actually start writing!

1st Choice: The Princes' War

Basic Synopsis: Two sets of magical families (the Five Families and the Thirteen Clans) are engaged in a war that goes on behind the scenes of human society in an alternate 2001. Four months before the story begins, the Kings of the two groups battled each other into a coma. Both are in suspended animation, and it's up to the Crown Princes to continue the struggle. Leopold Hung, the protaganist, is the Prince of the Five Families. Sent to a new school with his younger sister, Kanta, and the strongest teenager of the other four families (Cadoc Alpin, Conrad Connor, Boris Abiel, and Agrona Wei), he begins to prepare himself for combat with the Clans' Prince, Caleb Sullivan. Things get interesting long before Caleb shows himself, though. His brother, Belial, and Belial's "pity wife" (a young girl who's already married because her family either abandoned her or died), Ayame, move into town. The group is drawn to Ayame, and must decide what is more important: avoiding offending the Sullivan family and drawing Caleb out before they are ready, or saving a friend from a horrible situation.

Why I like this one: this is really down my normal alley except I normally put things in an alternate prehistory. I want to try and make the magic in this story different from anything I've ever seen before, such as having no specialists (no healers or illusionists or shapeshifters clear-cut like that). Kanta's a really fun character, a genius who's been bumped up two grades but doesn't even bother to pay attention in school. Ayame is a bit weaker than most of my female characters, but I may be able to pull her off without her being annoyingly pathetic.

Warning: Some more adult themes. Belial and Ayame are married, and it will be strongly implied that they act like husband and wife (cough*bedroom*cough). Also, Belial is abusive. Not even counting Belial's rather awful character, Leo's dad is in a coma, and his mother suffers because of this. Not to mention violence and possibly even (good) character death. I don't know yet.


*****

2nd Choice: Wars Reincarnate

Basic Synopsis: Back before the dawn of time, two great civilizations, the Arcs and the Epees, warred. When Shamira, the shadowguard of the Gemma no Sejr (a gem which lends it's user great power, said to be a tear of Esmeralda, the Epee Moon Goddess), is killed in a battle in Esmeralda's temple, her blood stains the Gemma, which goes beserk. It destroys both civilizations, except for a small few who found new nations such as Sumer. But in 2476, the first of the Reincarnates is born. Soon, the major warriors on both sides of the conflict are reborn in a world which has become one nation. Their amazing powers and "glamour" (when in their first incarnation's form, they seem to have a glow) attracts much attention, and the Reincarnates are treated like celebrities. Reincarnates seem to have no memory of their previous lives until they turn twelve, after which point they can recognize and be recognized by other Reincarnates. Except for two. Diana Cray, Shamira's reincarnation, and Jamie Watt, her best friend and the reincarnation of Anisa, Shamira's best friend, can shield themselves from being recognize. What's more, Diana has both been aware of her identity since birth and more unaware than the others. She has no memory of the final fight which cost her her life, nor of anyone other than Anisa. Jamie gained her memories when she was seven, at her first meeting with Diana. Both Diana and Jamie have not been identified as Reincarnates, wishing to stay out of both the media limelight and the political and verbal struggle between the Reincarnates on the Arc and Epee sides. Diana doesn't remember anything which would make her wish to be involved, and Jamie was a scholar-priestess in her past life, not a warrior. She is content to examing and puzzle over Diana, wondering why she has so many fewer memories, and none of her brother or fiance, and why she has the power of the Gemma no Sejr, though the jewel is nowhere to be found...

Why I like this one: it'll be a challenge for me. If I do this wrong, it'll end up being a spin-off of Sailor Moon, which I DON'T want. The conflict in the future between Arcs and Epees could let me go the traditional "vanquish evil" way or in an hundred different paths. How, When, and Why Diana enters the fight could be interesting, and even through what sort of narration I tell the story is something I'm still thinking about. This one will, at least at first, be harder than Princes', but if it'll be a better story or not... I'm not sure.

Warning: There will be violence. I already have a scene planned where Reincarnates on one side attack terrorist-style a group of politicans at a dinner/fundraiser. The death of Shamira will most likely be recounted in full whenever she regains her memories. Politics will play a role in this story, but I promise it will be very different from out lovable (coughcough) Republicans and Democrats.



So... which one do you like?