Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

Well, I did base it off of "Child's Play", in part. It can be a weird film.

And of course -- this isn't the weirdest book. For instance, in one of the furture books, -- ah, wait. Spoilers.

New chapter.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Burden of Protection

KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Who is it?" Parker said, wearily.

"Gaz. Shift change, remember?" came a voice. The squawk that followed indicated that Laserbeak was with her. Parker repaxed a fraction of inch, as he opened the door slowly as he scrutinized Gaz, making sure that no trickery was afoot. When he was satisfied, he allowed Gaz entry.

Immediately, when Vinny saw Laserbeak, he was instantly impressed. "Cooooool!!" he said, as he scrambled over to the newcomer. Meanwhile, Gaz found Kst's hand and she apologized for such a setup.

"If it means protecting Vinny, then so be it." Kat said, in a valiant attempt at a gregarious tone of voice, but she could not bleach the tireless worry and the fearing eroding her from her tone of voice.

"You are so cool," Vinny insisted happily, addressing the Cybertronian bird. Laserbeak puffed out his breast proudly and stood on his perch more grandiosely. Kat saw this with the RAFians and stifled a chuckle. "So enormously cool."

"Oh, Vincent," Gaz said, with a chuckle, "you're gonna give him a big ego. I mean bigger than one he's already got."

Laserbeak gave her a dirty look at this, which Gaz easily interpreted right.

"Oh, don't give me that look, Laserbeak," Gaz said, as if she was good-naturedly chatising a child. "You know, you can be egotistical as Rotiart sometimes."

Laserbeak made a "hurrumph" noise, as he clearly thought she was wrong.

"Where did you get it?" Vinny asked.

"Him." Gaz corrected.

"Where did you get him?"

"Vinny, dear," Kat called, having overheard the conversation, "you are not getting one."

"AWWWWW!!! Why not?"

"First, you're not responsible enough for a pet -- you still make it a battle to pick up your toys and things. Second, I doubt we could afford a regular parrot, much less a robotic one."

Gaz couldn't surpress a smile at this exchange.

"Can he sleep in my room, then?" Vinny asked.

"It's not my decision to make," Kat said, looking at Gaz, indirectly asking her.

"It's not my decision, either," Gaz said, politely. "Laserbeak is capable of making his --" Laserbeak fluttered down and stood next to Vinny, signifying his approval with this, as Gaz continued with a big smile, "-- his own decisions."

"Then its settled." Kat said, more cheery than she felt. She still remembered Bucky, and the threat of him coming back. "Now, Vinny, its time to get ready for bed. Chop, chop. Teeth and tuck-in."

Vinny was more happy to do this with Laserbeak alongside him. Gaz's smile faltered a bit with worry. She had a foreboding sense, that she did not know how to interpret.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Twas the Night . . .

It was night, a calm clear night. The stars shone brightly, though from Vinny's room window it was difficult to ascertain which stars belonged to which constellations. There was only the merest trace of clouds in the sky, floating lazily like a scrap of bark in a still, placid lake. The moon was big and full, shining bright as the stars.

The window was opened, allowing the gentle night's breeze to buffet and caress his translucent curtains. And, upon Vinny's red racecar bed, the boy slept on in such a deep sleep that only children of that age seem able to achieve so effortlessly. He was curled beneath a reversible comforter that was the yellow of Proto Man's scarf or Zero's hair with it being navy blue on the reverse, which actually complemented the red of the race car bed.

Laserbeak was perched nearby, watching protectively over the boy, who still wore Broken's amulet around his neck. It wasn't too much of a worry, as Vinny was never much of a tossing-and-turning sleeper. His slumbering form was idle, sans his slow and steady breathing. It was impossible to tell whether or not the young boy was dreaming or not, his face was blank.

But then, upon the window sill, a shadow fell into the room. A defined shadow of a humanoid form with ratty, uncombed hair. This figure climbed in through the open window, something different about him, but Laserbeak recognized him for what he was. A danger to the boy that he was protective of. The boy who thought the world of the Cybertronian parrot.

Laserbeak regarded the unwelcomed stranger with a stance that clearly was warning him to stay away. But Bucky paid him no mind, disregarding him as one of Vinny's toys. Bucky smirked, murmured something inaudible ending with, "-- count to seven, when you wake you'll be in heaven."

The doll approached the bed, unaware that Laserbeak's threathening displays won't stay just threatening for long. Laserbeak watched him, as if he was a predator come to raid his nest, with Vinny taking the place of the eggs. Laserbeak made a warning squawk.

"Shaddup, Polly."

That was the equivalent of calling Lola Bunny "doll" in the "Space Jam" movie. Not a particularly wise move on Bucky's part, as Laserbeak moved from his perch at once and flew down to Bucky seized thim by the shoulders, and flew out through the window.

Laserbeak deftly threw him into the garbage dumpster. This did not sit well with Bucky, who shouted expletives all the way there. Laserbeak, however, paid no mind to this, and left Bucky in the dumpster as he returned to Vinny's room.

The boy was none the wiser.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Bucky's Tenacity

To say that Bucky was livid would be putting it rather mildly. He was beyond rage right now. He brought his hand up to his nose to discover a small trickle of human blood. The intergration did not stop that from happening. He was turning human, albeit slower than before.

He cursed with many expletives, but the general message was "I'll get that stupid metal parrot and make chicken nuggets of it." Not really caring that such a thing was actually impossible, as Laserbeak wasn't a chicken nor did he possess any meat of any kind.

Did Bucky stop to think out his plan? Did Bucky stop to think it through? Did he consider the best course of action, a backup plan, and contingency for the backup plan? No. No, he didn't. Bucky, even back when he was fully human lacked the intellectual prowess for such things. He was a brutish, overtly direct monster, and the only real difference now is that he is a diminutive, brutish, overtly direct monster, with some subtlety.

He was essentially the Wile E. Coyote of serial killers, he wouldn't give up, but he wouldn't learn either. So, he began the arduous climb back up after remembering to take off the old, blackening, greasy banana peel from his head. He did not like the humiliation, the indignity, the utter disrespect of that act. It was almost as if he had expected them to lay down and allow him to transfer his soul into the boy.

But, like Malice, Bucky was accustomed to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. Taking the coveted item by force or murder, if necessary. This would be no different, and this time, he wanted Vinny's body for his own.

***

Laserbeak quietly tapped on the boy's door where Gaz was seated nearby, wearily watchjng for Bucky, checking the apartment several times, assuming that he'd try to come in through the front, but it didn't occur to her that he might come in from the window -- which was a a straight climb up, where anyone could see him, there were no fire escapes here. The building instead had fire stairs on the inside.

Gaz, like her RAFian brethren, had underestimated Bucky's tenaciousness. Underestimated his linear thinking. He hadn't even thought to go the sane route, and up the stairs, like normal people. He was just fortunate that he was as adept at rock climbing in doll form as he was in human form.

Gaz shifted to mist and slid silently under the door, as to not wake the boy who had school in the morning (where Terenia and Jess would trade off watching him discreetly), where Laserbeak told her everything. Not with actual words, mind you, but a series of squawks, whistles and chirps that inly Gaz seemed able to decipher.

"He won't give up that easily," Gaz thought aloud quietly. "He'll be back. But this time, we'll know what to expect."

[Cloak]

New chapter. Short chapter.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Gaz's BPG*

Laserbeak's legs joined together, as his talons and toes folded up into his legs, as his wings spread outward in much a shape of a crossbow, as his tail slid over his back and opened up into a scope, a gun sight. His head opened to reveal the barrell of a gun much like Megatron's gun mode. Laserbeak was in his weapon form, being a Targetmaster and all. This mode was like a combination of a crossbow, a single-hand-wielded blaster and Megatron's gun mode. Laserbeak would only willing assume this form for Gaz, but no one else.

Gaz hid in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike. She heard the beating of a heart, could smell blood. Her vampire senses were detecting them, but jot from the boy or his mother. But that didn't make sense. . . .

She looked out the window and saw Bucky climbing up, bold as brass, caution thrown to the wind. She pointed Laserbeak in his gun mode, one handed, down at Bucky, who actually humped his head with the barrel.

"What the hell?"

"You really should work on the language thing." Gaz said. "Having a potty mouth doesn't make you sound scary. It makes you sound immature with an extremely small vocabulary."

Bucky soon realized that he was at gunpoint, and at point-blank distance. The wise thing to do, perhaps, would be to reconsider his actions, maybe even attempt to manipulate Gaz, to cunningly trick her. Try for some subtlety, some nuance, some finesse.

But this was Bucky. He had none of those things, when it doesn't come to hiding, which he isn't anywhere good as Chucky from those films.

"Get out my way," he snarled, adding another expletive.

"Oh, tsk tsk tsk." Gaz said with obvious mock sorrow. "You didn't say the magic word."

The blast was silenced, but Bucky's screams were not, and Laserbeak quickly transformed back, and caught the remains. Bucky was severely injured and in tremendous pain. And, yet, Bucky was still not dead.

* "Big Parrot Gun"

[redtailedsaffa]

Sudden chapters!

[Cloak]

Yep. New chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
Clinging to Life

Laserbeak held the remains Bucky, which was charred, and possessing a single arm and a single leg on the opposite side. He was missing half of his head. His clothing were charred tatters. And yet he lived.

Gaz could smell the fresh blood on him, which was actually dripping in midair, droplet by droplet. Gaz couldn't really fathom how this was possible, as a mere doll didn't stand a chance of surviving a point-blank shot like that. Something more has to have gone on, something that she didn't know about had to enable him to cling to life as he did.

"Beaky, take that -- that horrible mess to RAF. Maybe Broken or Yarin or someone can figure out what to do with it. We cannot let it go, even as mangled as he is. He'll just come after Vinny again. And we don't know if Broken's nicknack would even work if he did."

Laserbeak protested a little.

"C'mon, Beaky," Gaz said, "this is important!"

With a resigned squawk, Laserbeak took off toward the forum. Meanwhile, Gaz was trying to figure out what to tell Kat and Vinny, as the first rays of daylight began to ascend upon them.

***

In no time at all, Laserbeak swooped into the forum carrying its feebly-moving, slightly-squirming cargo. One would think that it was in its death throes, but Laserbeak was smart enough to know better.

It squawked loudly to awaken the RAFians, but, at this time of day, only Cloak was really up. It was because he could go back to sleep, much less to relive that deam again. Laserbeak easily caught his attention and dropped Bucky, which Cloak caught in a golden scarlet energy bubble with practiced ease.

"Well, well, well," Cloak said, recognizing the intergration process somehow within the doll as well as the serial killer's soul. Realm Walkers might not be all-seeing, but they are good enough at perception. "Abominus and the doll Broken briefed us about have become one."

"Sh . . . th . . . f . . . up . . ." the doll said, in mangled tones. But Cloak got the gist.

"Don't tempt me to . . . you know what, perhaps I should destroy you," Cloak said, thinking about it. "It would put you out of your misery and put you where you more than likely deserve. And many lives could be saved . . ."

Cloak looked at the slowly rotating form. He scrutinized it with narrowed eyes.

"But there's no guarantee that that would kill you, is there?" Cloak asked rhetorically. "Besides, would it be right? . . . Best go and gather the other RAFians, Gaz should be in to brief us shortly, in any case."

[redtailedsaffa]

What a mess.

[Cloak]

Eh, not everything can be neat. Just look at my apartment. New chapter.

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
Interests and Misgivings

It was decided that imprisonment was the best option. None of the RAFians knew what the possible outcomes for this would be. Bucky was the only one of his kind, a serial killer in a mutilated doll's body. Yet, he was still alive.

Cloak noted that, despite his denials, Rotiart seemed fascinated by this. Just why or what aspect drew his attention was unclear, but Cloak found it extremely disconcerting. He was beginning to have misgivings by not using the only sure-fire way to kill Bucky. . . . Only it wasn't sure-fire, as it might destroy his body not his soul.

There was only one place that the RAFians felt that Bucky could be interred with little worry. And that was deep beneath the forum, near the Pootang's cage. One could argue that the Pootang frequently escapes from, but that was always countered by the fact that the Pootang is a violent force of primal nature, Bucky is not. And, in Bucky's condition, there is no indication that Bucky would be able to escape. On the chance that he does regenerate back to full health.

But, still, Cloak had misgivings. He shot a look over to Rotiart, and saw him still giving Bucky's body a rather coveting look, until he realized that Cloak was watching him shrewdly. Rotiart swiftly tried to hide his fascination, but it was too late. Cloak had seen Rotiart's adoration of the doll, whether by what Bucky could do or what he did. Cloak eyed the adolescent human with deliberate suspicion.

Could Rotiart try to free the doll, to regenerate him? No . . . no, that was wrong. Rotiart wasn't much of a people person, but he did have a lust for power that he tried to keep closeted, and even Cloak wasn't fully aware of. His Mark prevented Yarin from seeing it telepathically. It was very disconcerting. Very disconcerting, indeed.

Anyway,  the RAFians followed through with their plan to incarcerate the doll in a metal box with air holes the size of quarters, about a half inch from the top of the box. The box gave adequate room for the doll to writhe and whatnot -- Kelly would not (not to mention, could not) heal him, after hearing about all his crimes. And, still, Bucky would not die. -- The box, which was made from sheet metal steel (though Cloak had suggested adamantium, though impractical given how rare the substance is, though more plentiful than tylee metal), and welded together at the seams. It looked inescapable, especially how it was also welded to the ground next to the Pootang's cage.

Cloak had caught Rotiart a number of times right outside the trapdoor, as if he was going to go inside. And he always shooed him away, easily ignoring the surly insults hurled his way. He found himself wondering again just why Rotiart was so fascinated. He was sure it hadn't anything to do with Bucky as a person.

[redtailedsaffa]

This is worrying...

[Cloak]

Bit early for that, though, Saffa. Rotiart wouldn't act yet -- he's immature and obnoxious, but not completely stupid. Oh, and here's a new chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY:
I'm Still Here

Still weary from the events, and keping Rotiart away from Pootang's cage, Cloak returned to his thread, which was still sparsely decorated. He hung no pictures from the wall -- he had none. None other than the portrait of his grandfather. It was the most precious thing he owned, given to him by his aunt. He cherished it, and sometimes looked at it to remember the sweet memories connected to the man. Yes, it was the most precious thing he had, as there can never be such an accurate portrait again, since his passing.

He close his eyes. He closed his eyes and . . . dreamt. Cloak was finding himself wishing that he was of a species that didn't, as he did it so Veiled FREQUENTLY.

***

He was back in the hellhole that was his mother's house again. When would ever escape this place? What was the point of being away frequently when his mind returned there at night?

But he found him singing the same song he sang in his dreams for the third night straight:

"I am a question to her, not an answer to be heard,
Or a moment that's held in her arms.
And what do I think she'd ever say?
She won't listen anyway.
She doesn't know me,
And I'll never be what she wants me to be."

He turned to address his mother, an ursine Realm Walker, which was actually quite poetic as she certainly was bear to be around.

"And what do you think you'd understand?
I'm a boy -- no, I'm a man!
You can't take me
And throw me away!
And how can you learn what's never shown!
Yeah, you stand here on your own,
But you don't know me . . .
Cause I'm not here.

And I want a moment to be real.
Want to touch things I don't feel.
Wanna hold on and feel I belong.
And how can you want me to change?
You're the one that stays the same!
You don't know me . . .
Cause I'm not here.

And you see the things they never see,
All you wanted,
I could never be.
Now, you don't know me
And I'm not afraid,
And I want to tell you who I am.
You can't help me be a man.
You can't break me --
As long as I know who I am!

And I want a moment to be real.
Wanna touch things I don't feel.
Wanna hold on, and feel I belong.
And how can you want me to change
You're the one that stays the same!
You can't see me,
But I'm still here!!

You can't tell me who to be,
Cause I'm not what you see.
Yeah, the world is still sleepin'
While I keep on dreaming for me,
And their words are just whispers,
And lies that I'll never believe.

And I want a moment to be real.
Want to touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on, and feel I belong.
And how can you say I'll never change?
You're the one that stays the same!
I'm the one now,
'Cause I'm still here. . . .

I'm the one,
'Cause I'm still here . . .
I'm still here . . .
I'm still here . . .
I'm still here . . .*
I'm still here, Mom. . . ."

Cloak awoke, kicked his covers off and sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. He was supposed to be over this!! He was supposed to have overcome this trauma by now!!

But how could he? How could he really? He had just ran away from the problem instead of trying to fix it. He knew it would be an impossible, Sissyphian task, but he hadn't even tried . . . but he didn't wanna go back. He didn't wanna try.

Why do things have to be so complicated?


* Parody source: here

[redtailedsaffa]

Not sure who's worse off with the dreaming - Cloak or Percy Jackson.

And, PDF.

[Cloak]

Eh, its the narrator-character-protagonist-thingy syndrome. Anyway, new book, and new chapter (sorry for the delay, got called into work today). Remember, this one is out of the regular continuity.

Book LXVIII:
THEY'RE SUCH CARDS
CHAPTER ONE:
Book Banishment

Faerie, Demos, Underseen, Cloak,
Parker, Abby, Estelore, Saffa . . .
Cardcaptors of the RAF, bow.
Expect the unexpected now!

The secrets of the RAF
Were all a mystery.
But when this mighty book was opened,
The RAF cards were all set free!
RAFcaptors.
A mystic adventure.
RAFcaptors.
A quest for all time.

Each RAF card possesses
A power all its own.
We’ve got to find them
To bring the power home!

Faerie, Demos, Underseen, Cloak,
Parker, Abby, Estelore, Saffa . . .
Cardcaptors of the RAF, bow.
Expect the unexpected now!
RAFcaptors.
A mystic adventure.
RAFcaptors.
A quest for all time.

RAFcaptors.
RAFcaptors.

***

It was an average day at RAF, and the forum's denizens went about their business per normal. It was actually a dry spell of illicit activity, would-be world conquerers, and monstrous menaces. Even the Pootang has yet to bush out its cage, as if it has decided that it needs to guard the prisoner, Bucky, who still lives somehow.

Cloak had surmised that the doll's body may act as a more complete Horcrux in a way, with the whole soul transferred inside instead of a single fragment. The Realm.Walker spoke at lenght with Broken about it. Broken pointed out how that could not be it, becuase there was significant enough damage to destroy a Horcrux. Cloak countered with addition of the deux ex machina could have changed some of the rules, as always happens when an intergration occurs. Broken concedes this point.

Suddenly, a leather-bound book is thrown into the midst of the RAFians, who are puzzled by it. Shadow, who had come to visit with her uncle, looked at it perplexed. The thrower then reveals herself to be, rather unsurprisingly, Malice.

"What this?" Cloak said, alerted at once but her presence. "Malice? What scheme are on about today?"

"No scheme this time, boy," Malice said. She stifled a cough. Cloak easily picked up on it and surmised -- but his thoughts were interrupted by Malice. "This time, I will see the end of you and your RAFian cohorts."

Cloak narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "And this attempt would work because?"

"Remember Richard's horn?" she said, unable to stifle a cough. She kicked the book open, and the RAFian makes glowed painfully. "This book works much the same way!"

The RAFians flew, Mark-first, into the book. This seemed impossible, but the impossible happened to the RAFians at least three times a week.

"No!" Shadow yelled, as if that simple plea would be enough to stop and even reverse this.

The book snapped shut and would not open again. A strap of leather with a lock buckle at its tip stealthily exuded from the book. It locked the book so that none could open again. RAF had just lost its heart, its soul. The RAFians were gone.

"Nooo . . ." Shadow mourned, with cry in her voice. She could not open the book, no matter what she tried. She was frustrated

"It is done, then." Malice said, her hands on a walking stick that appeared remarkably like Maleficent's staff. "It is finally done."

Shadow snapped her head up to glare at the elderly Realm Walker. Yes -- the main villain the RAFians had been fighting for months was a old Realm Walker lady. It does take out some of the threatening from the foe. "You . . . you monster!"

"Well, duh."

Shadow leaped to her feet and was in Malice within three bounding steps. Malice, however, was unperturbed. Goading Shadow further, she said, "Go ahead, Hatchling, kill me. I'm dead either way."

Shadow wanted to. She really wanted to, as her inner light dimmed a bit, becoming the same luminosity as her uncle's was. She wanted to . . .

[Gaz]

I'm all caught up! Enjoying this.

[Cloak]

Great to hear, Gazzy! Dunno about my internet connection, might go out tomorrow. I've been using my neighbor's Internet (at her own suggestion, no less). I think it was because she's aware how important writing is to me. But it might be up tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay, here's the day's chapter.

CHAPTER TWO:
Passing the Time

Approximately a millennia or two passed, and all things RAF summerged into myth and legend. Even historians could not agree whether they truly existed or if it was just some partheon of mythology, like the Olympians or the Asgardians -- all evidence of the RAFians, Banned, and Knights were long since forgotten.

The book that held the RAF cards had survived, along with Shadow (who was at least 200 or so by now, which was old, even by Realm Walker standards, but despite that she was still spry and capable of real power, power that her uncle was afraid to tap into and power that came from honing and refining the elements with aged expertise). Shadow had long ago come to terms that she could not open the book, but could understand enough to realize that she wasn't the one. Upon the cover, etched in golden print (actually a hammered out fragment of Richard's horn stolen from the scene of its destruction) was a sword and staff crossed behind a rather generic-looking shield. Shadow had discerned that those three items would play a role somehow, but she didn't know quite what.

Shadow had remained in the Realm, eventually using an ID mask to project the image of an elderly woman with coppery skin like old leather, gray hair tied up into a ponytail, bony arthritic hands, a pink dress with a royal blue cardigan, and a certain twinkle in her eye that remained without the ID mask. The image also showed a pair of pez-nez that she rarely used. While wearing the mask, she affected a personality of an old human female who looked unable to put up a fight.

Shadow had secured work at a school library, who believed her to be geriatric (though far younger than her true age) woman on a limited income. Shadow knew she had to lie and decieve them, but she couldn't really come out as a Realm Walker because she didn't know if Malice, or one of her proxies, was on the loose. She had heard rumors of her death, but she wasn't prepared to let her guard down. She wasn't prepared to let them find the book.

She was confident that her uncle and the rest of the RAFians were locked inside, in some sort of temporal limbo. But she could do nothing until the weapon-bearers were unlocked, and the weapons made themselves known. They would be able to unlock the book and set everyone free . . . she was beginning to think of the weapons as the Key-Shield, the Key-Staff, and the Key-Sword.

They would come. They would come, and make everything right. Then, and only then, could Shadow rest.

[redtailedsaffa]

Woah, it has been ages since I last watched Cardcaptors! This is bringing things back.