Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

Now . . .

*gasp*

Chapter 12 is missing!

[spoiler]Just kidding, shortish chapter.

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Distractions

"Enough!" Cloak said, going all Final Smash, scaring off Malice and Itellsya -- who seemed to not realize how scary it was when the elementary fury was focused on you instead of on another. But this was a dangerous tactic for Cloak to have chosen. He could easily lose control, of himself, of his powers.

Malice pulled Itellsya away from the danger zone, but not for some altruistic reason. She simply could not lose his usefulness, as he had talents that even the RAFians didn't know about -- because Itellsya thought them to gimmicky to boast about.

The two of the scurried away as Cloak closed his eyes to try and his emotions and himself together.

"Cloak, are you okay?" Aquilai asked.

"For the moment," Cloak said, with a heavy breath. Glancing at Aquilai, his luminescent feline eyes widened, "Where's the Horn?"

Aquilai's eyes widened to match Cloak's, "Don't you have it?"

"Does it look like I have it?" Cloak replied testily.

"There's no need for that tone," Aquilai chided calmly.

"Oh really?" Cloak snapped acidly. "We out one Horn, again. Malice and that traitorous scum has designs on it! That must mean that it can do more than just initiate newbies!"

"I realize that," Aquilai said, determinedly remaining calm and collected, "but I'm not the one that you're mad at. Itellsya is the one that betrayed you. Betrayed all of us."

Cloak shut his eyes, took a breath, and said, in a tumbling-out sort of way, "Yes, I know, sorry."

"Apology accepted," Aquilai acknowledged, then commented, "Where could it have gotten to?"

"Could be anywhere," Cloak said, "but not here. I'm not getting it on Earthsight, nor can I hear it."

"Right, then, "Aquilai said, "let's try, uh, this way then?"

Then the two were off.[/spoiler]

[Cloak]

Now . . .

*gasp*

Just kidding -- I wouldn't do such a joke twice. . . . Well, not today anyway.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Bad -- Really Bad --News Everyone!

"Mistress, why'd we flee? I could have --"

"Never mind that now," Malice snarled, "we split up now. Find a new hideout. When -- If you find one, contact me with that charm."

"The crossed scythe and flail one?"

"You have any other?" Malice narrowedher eyes.

"No, Mistress," he said, and the vicious old Tasmanian devil Realm Walker left him alone.

Itellsya headed down to the stream for some idea, some brainwave, of a new hideout. He knew why Malice thought of it as such a priority. Aquilai and Cloak knew he was the spy, the betrayer.

But why had they never outed him? Revealed his duplicity? Could it be that they only recently discovered him?

At the stream, he, on a whim, activated his psychometry power. It worked similarly to a Chronosapien, where he picked up the technique -- he was a mutant who looked human.

He saw the horn drift down here, be picked up by that bulky, shadowy figure. Itellsya followed this psychometric ghost and discovered its hiding place.

He pulled up the lobster cage, and . . . he . . . discovered . . .

A pet lobster. The Horn was in the other cage.

***

Malice discovered a lovely abandoned prison. One would think, considering her time in the Oblivion Gate (which was similar to this place, only the Gate was better maintained) that she would be reluctant to use this Alcatraz-styled prison as her base of operations.

But she found it adequate for her needs. Even the cell bars survived.

Then Itellsya called.

"Never mind," she said, "come to these coordinates, this place is adequate enough."

"Mistress, I -- I got it."

"Got? Got what? . . . Wait, you mean --" Malice blustered. Itellya held it up, and Malice gave a whoop of delight. "Bring it here! Bring it here immediately!"

[Cloak]

Another chapter. Darn weather's making me sleepy.

Oh, BTW, Rotiart was originally gonna be te traitor, but I thought that I introduced him too early and developed him too much (although, I'll concede, not very well -- although this could be an example of "being-my-own-worst-critic").

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Thar She Blows!

It felt like forever waiting for Itellsya to arrive at the coordinates. They did not depart that long ago, right? Just an hour or two?

She decided to go wait at the entrance of this Alcatraz-style prision, as it was easy to get lost in these labyrinthian hallways with the glass ceilings (which had some plans of glass missing or broken or cracked here and there. There were cobwebs and mice everywhere.

Malice didn't care about any of this, although humans (and human mutants), like Itellsya, would find it dreary, dingy, and spooky. But Malice didn't put any stock in stories of haunting or spirits or ghosts.

"M-mistress!" Itellsya called.

"'Bout time. I was getting bored," Malice said, aloof. Itellsya thought nothing of this, but assumed it was part of this master/pupil, mentor/protege relationship. It would make Abomination flinch to see this volutarily servile behavior -- knowing, that once upon a time, it had been he himself that was that foolish and naive.

"Give it here," Malice commanded. Itellsya knelt and presented it on high, with his head bowed. Malice thought this was a stupid gesture, but did not speak it aloud. She just took the Horn, restraining herself from snatching it.

"Now," she smiled, "to turn their precious Marks against them."

Itellsya instinctively looked at his palm -- the protection of the Mark no longer was extended to him. He was RAFian no longer. But he didn't regret his decision to betray those that, at one time, he would have counted as friends.

Malice pressed her lips agains the Horn, whose inherent aura turned as black as her soul and apparently the Horn could only be destroyed by a RAFian or a ferrokinetic or both due to its self-mending nature (which, again, Cloak thought was a mistake). Then Malice took a great breathe and blew.

At first, it seemed to do nothing but make the RAFians' Marks burn red. The second blow maked the pain excruciating as the Marks burned black. By the third blow, the RAFians (Rotiart and Gulliver included) were all flying towards the prision. Even Esty, with all her power, was unable to resist this as it drew her in half a galaxy away.

Eventually, by the fourth blow, all the RAFians -- be they mods, veterans, newbies, and lurkers -- were all trapped in an individual cell. Unable leave or summon the energy or strength to use their powers to escape.

Even if they could, their Marks forever bind them to the cells. Even Cloak, accustomed to coming and going as he pleased (as all Realm Walkers are), was unable to evade this. Estelore, as well, was unable to escape.

All hope looked lost.

[theyoungphoenix]

Wait wait wait... What? No no no no no no..... Ahh!! Why Cloak? Why? You left us in suspense!!

[Cloak]

Not quite, Abby. There's one more chapter before I'm done for the day (my internet is getting spotty again ).

Anways, the chapter -- and hopefully I'll finish off this book tomorrow and move on to "Feral Scream", which is loosely based off a Beast Wars episode.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Victorious, At Long Last!

Malice crowed with a whooping laugh as she clutched the Horn, whose dark, black aura was horribly reminescent, but not identical, to the Black Lantern energy.

"Oh, this has been a long time coming." she said, her face alight with her namesake.

"It has?" Itellsya asked.

"Don't ask!" Cloak shouted. "It'll only lead to --"

"If you only knew, Itellsya, it's been a lifetime!" Malice said, interrupting Cloak.

"-- a villain song. . . ." Cloak's voice faded away as the music started.

"In my formative and hungry years,
I was unappreciated by my peers.
As their slings and barrels flew,
I would ponder -- wouldn't you?!
Why me?
Why me?
For a woman of my charisma and mystique."

"Not!" Cloak said defiantly and audibly. Malice ignore him.

"I've taken far too long to reach my peak!
Why was my status never quo?
Why did no one want to know?
Poor me.
Why me?
Why was I so unable to fulfill my true potential?
Kept down by those that I knew were smaller fry?
But here's the rub.
Rub-a-dub-dub!"

She cackled as she petted the Horn fondly, as if she were a Bond villainess. Rubbing in quite an disconcertingly obsessive way (causing, once again, Cloak to call her sanity into question) before continuing her song.

"I am power, I am clout personified!
I've the Horn and sheer malice on my side!
It's a combination which
Works me up to fever pitch!
When the master of the Horn says 'bow', you bow!
You foreget who wears the pants around here now!
A woman who knows just what to do
And who to do it to!
Who's she? M-E!
Who's the titan, who's the god?
Who will get the nod?
Who's the one who'll take up
Pages in Who's Who?
Who? Why, me!!!!!"

Then she cackled so loudly she could hear the small, low scoff coming from the long, deep shadows.

[Underseen]

Never thought I'd see the day when Abomination saves us.

[Cloak]

But at what cost, Underseen?

Maybe he'll leave us to rot.

Anyway, it'll all be clear tomorrow. I do intend to finish this book tomorrow.
Now, the first chapter of the day. I will try to complete this book today. Then it's on to book XXXVI, a Wild-centered book.
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Hornless

"Wh-what do we do now, Mistress?" Itellsya asked, his voice quavering a bit.
 
"Examine our new exhibits, I suppose," Malice said, with a grin to match her name. "You know, before they starve to death. Bet the seal goes first."
 
They both chuckled evilly at that. It would seem that Itellsya had no redeemable character, which was rather disappointing.
 
Cloak tried not to wallow in despair, but it was not an easy task to do. He could not conceive a way out of this mess, he would die here, and that could take years, Dweller time. Malice would wait for him to hear the anguished cries of his starving RAFian brethren as, one by one, they expired. Then, weakened ever more, would Malice finish it. And he'd probably beg for it.
 
If only Goom and he not made the Marks, if only Richard not given the go ahead . . .
 
But, no . . . that wouldn't be right. All they've faced, the Mark protected them. Their troubles would've been worse without it. How could they even foreseen this outcome?
 
Cloak fought against the feelings of grief, shame, fear (yes, fear), guilt, shame, disillusionment, and mental distortion of the situation.
 
Suddenly, something rattled several of the bars toward the left side of the prison. Itellsya looked scared -- apparently he was phantophobic.
 
"W-was that a ghost?" he asked, still with the tremble in his voice.
 
"Don't be a fool," Malice said scornfully. "Ghosts don't exist."
 
The bars rattled again, spooking the newbies within -- one screamed.
 
Malice's grip on the Horn loosened stupidly. A pulse of energy knocked it out of her hand and into the shadows, and she couldn't see where.
 
"Where'd it go?!" she demanded immediately. "Where's the blasted Horn?!"
 
"Apparently," Cloak said, dryly, "you've lost more than your mind."
 
"Oh, shut up!" she snapped.

[Cloak]

New page, reposting the list.

• Book XXXVI: Feral Scream

A Wildwethel-centric book, he must deal with his feral side.

• Book XXXVII: Predators and Prey

The RAFians are being preyed upon by some sentient predators.

• Book XXXVIII: A Protean Problem

The RAFians must deal with a powerful snot-nosed kid who, quite literally, can do whatever he wants.

• Book XXXIX: The Horsemen

Four RAFians are captured and converted into four Horsemen of the ancient, rogue Realm Walker Cataclysm.

• Book XL: Sizeable Pain in the Necks

The RAFians must deal with Heinlein aliens.

• Book XLI: RAF's Nightmare

The RAFians must survive their own nightmares.

• Book XLII: Unlucky Charms

The RAFians must contend with a rather bloodthirsty leprechaun.

• Book XLIII: The Piper

The RAFians must contend with a pied piper.

• Book XLIV: Starlight Desire

The RAFians race Malice, Abomination, and the Banned to a wishing star (no, not Estelore).

• Book XLV: A War of Armor

Parker is outraged to see knockoffs of his rather unique armor and what they're being used for.

• Book XLVI: The Worst Plague

The RAFians must weather the worst plague to ever existed -- the Hate Plague.

• Book XLVII: Little Alien Napoleons

The RAFians are caught in the middle of a war between Helmacrons and Fmeks.

• Book XLVIII: Go Away!

The RAFians must deal with the paparazzi who are all of a sudden interested in them.

• Book XLIX: RAFian Tales

RAFians tell various RAFian-themed stories across a lunch table.

• Book L: Maul

The RAFians must deal with the result of one of Demos's experiments.

• Book LI: Erised Orbs

The RAFians must face their greatest desires.

• Book LII: RAFians Alive!

Read the "Mummies Alive" parody in the RAFize songs thread.

• Book LIII: The Pain Reliever

The RAFians must deal with an elderly Vulcan styling himself the "Pain Reliever".

• Book LIV: Beyond the Veils

Aquilai and Aila must confront old foes while the other RAFians must put up with a Czarinian bounty hunter.

• Book LV: Dangerous Deals

Demos meets up with his half-brother, Shenecron, who has a perchant for making deals.

• Book LVI: Of One Mind

Malice seeks out the Unimind.

• Book LVII: The End of Time

The RAFians must contend with two Kryptonians (who think they're Time Lords) and prevent them from ending time altogether.

• Book LVIII: Hematomimic

The RAFians must capture a Plasmavore and put up with it's rather stupid Judoon jailer.

• Book LIX: Sins of Youth

Estelore, Richard, Parker, and Cloak must survive when the entire city and forum have been reduced to two-year-olds.

• Book LX: The Replacements

The RAFians must contend with the fame-feeding Eidolon Consciousness.

• Book LXI: Arachnoids

The RAFians must contend with the Arachnoids and finding a cure for one of their own that was poisoned before it's too late.

• Book LXII: Personal Tissues

The RAFians must contend with some one misusing Bibliophaetos's discarded book shell.

• Book LXIII: Memory Today, Gone Tomorrow

The RAFians lose their memory and must find a way to regain it.

• Book LXIV: Appliance Armageddon

A superintelligent computer controls all electronics, and the RAFians must stop it.

• Book LXV: Prodigy and Composite

Some RAFians are merged into two separate entities.

• Book LXVI: The Merging

The Universes begin colliding and merging.

• Book LXVII: Be A Doll

The RAFians are confronted by a Super Chucky.

• Book LXVIII: They're Such Cards

The RAFians are sealed into cards, which end up trapped in an ancient leather-bound book, and it's up to three kids to free them.  An out-of-continuity book.

• Book LXIX: Dinosaur Island

Everyone, except those that bear a Mark, begin turning saurian.

• Book LXX: Corrupted

The RAFians must deal with the son of Cataclysm, Corruptor.

• Book LXXI: Artificial Skins

The RAFians must deal with symbiotes.

• Book LXXII: Separation Anxiety

The RAFians must contend with an ethereal virus.

• Book LXXIII: A Thing About RAFians

The RAFians must contend with Seekers, which home in onto their Marks.

• Book LXXIV: A Planted Idea

The RAFians must contend with a floramaniac.

• Book LXXV: Vacation Photos

The RAFians are sucked into a Polarisoid camera.

• Book LXXVI: A Personal Gremlin

The RAFians must contend with gremlins.

• Book LXXVII: The Rust is Silence

The Rafians must deal with an oxidation ray wielded by a criminal.

• Book LXXVIII: The Toyman Cometh

The RAFians deal with a Toyman-esque character.

• Book LXXIX: RAFian Idol

Yes, just another excuse to put in more of the (as of writing) nearly 800 parodies.

• Book LXXX: Savage Heart

Cloak battles an ancient being called Garrotik.

• Book LXXXI: Slave Islands and Juggernauts

Three RAFians are taken prisoners by the Knights and sold into the slavery of New Genoshia, while the others deal with a juggernaut.

• Book LXXXII: Shredding a King

The RAFians deal with a demonic Shredder-like ghost called Regiphaetos.

• Book LXXXIII: RAF -- The TV Show

The RAFians are forcibly recruited to Mojo's programs.

• Book LXXXIV: The Drinker

The RAFians must contend with a Spirit-Drinker.

• Book LXXXV: The Last Laugh

The RAFians must face Joker Gas.

• Book LXXXVI: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad Villain

The RAFians must contend with mind control cards which are ineffective on them.

• Book LXXXVII: Sight Unseen

Six RAFians are rendered functionally blind, optically-speaking.

• Book LXXXVIII: Don't Let It Snow

The RAFians must face a second Ice Age caused by a Diznee Ice Ifrit.

• Book LXXXIX: The Rachel Toxin

The RAFians must find a cure to a toxin that increases the fearlessness, hostility and aggressiveness induced in people which the Mark cannot protect the RAFians from.

• Book XC: Virus Alert!

The RAFians face a dangerous virus seeking a host.

• Book XCI: A Youthful Thief

The RAFians face a creature that siphons off the youth in its victims, provided they're younger than him.

• Book XCII: Calendar Creep

The RAFians face the Calendar Creep, a criminal whose crimes are holiday themed.

• Book XCIII: The Branding

Faerie fights a witch-boy named Salem (and his magical black cat, Saberhagen) for a magical branding iron in Faerie's possession.

• Book XCIV: The Void Zone

Nothing like a "Subspace Emissary" parody.  Sorry.

• Book XCV: An Epic Yarn

The RAFians' world is turned into yarn and fabric.

• Book XCVI: RAFian Gladiators

RAFians are kidnapped by Gamesmaster, another rogue Realm Walker, and force to participate in gladiatorial games.

• Book XCVII: The Box

The RAFians must cage thirteen Revenants released from Pandora's Box -- each representing and amplifying a particular feeling (i.e. hatred), while looking for the perfect host.

• Book XCVIII: From the Shadows

The RAFians must save their shadows and the shadows of everyone else from being absorbed (eaten) by the Umbraraptors, but not everything is what it seems.

• Book XCIX: Grimm Prospects

The RAFians discover Malice controlling several "wesen" with control collars akin to April's in "Catwoman from Channel Six" and get stuck in one-on-one battles to the death with them.  One will die.

• Book C: Loop-De-Loop

Everyone's trapped in a temporal loop, but the only ones that realize it are Cloak, Aila, and Aquilai.

• Book CI: Get 'Em, Shaw

The RAFians face a creature native to the planet Gossamer, who's under the control of Malice.

• Book CII: Threadfall

The RAFians must exterminate an epidemic of Thread.

• Book CIII: Siren's Song

The RAFians must deal with a siren and her alluring song.

• Book CIV: Resistance is Futile

The RAFians must deal with a hybridization of the Borg and the Hive chips (Ben 10: Alien Swarm) -- which the Mark cannot protect them from, nor the Unity energy can destroy.

• Book CV: The Titan

The RAFians must contend with the Titan serum and its effects.

• Book CVI: A Stony Glare

The RAFians must deal with a hungry Stone-Biter and a petrifying venom of a Diznee Stone Ifrit.

• Book CVII: Spritely Pests

The RAFians must deal with irritating sprites, which Faerie has had some rather tenuous experiences with.

• Book CVIII: Destroy All . . . What?

The RAFians must contend with a Furon incursion, and it turns out the Nyacs have knowledge of Furons. . . .

• Book CIX: Going Backwards

A grievious malfunction in Aquilai's TARDIS causes time to reverse its flow and flow backwards.

• Book CX: Death Takes A Holiday

The RAFians must convince Death to take up his role again.  A RAFian will die in this book, and it is within the continuity.

• Book CXI: High Price Stakes

Shanker and Gaz must flee and elude Daphne, the vampire hunter.

• Book CXII: A Killer Housing Market

The RAFians must survive and either destroy or escape a killer house.

• Book CXIII: A Silenced World

The RAFians must cope with a world that has become muted and a young sorceress, Melissa Spellman.

• Book CXIV: The Bureau

The RAFians must save their own from the insideous Bureau of Lost.

• Book CXV: To Tell the Truth

Broken's apprentice, Melissa, accidentally casts a spell forcing everyone to tell the truth.

• Book CXVI: Skin Crawlers

The RAFians, repulsed and revolted, must contend with Hundred (who eventually becomes Thousand, then becomes Million, then Billion, and then, finally, Trillion).

• Book CXVII: School of Stepford Lies

The RAFians must save the children from a school that turns them into Stepford students at Terenia's school.

• Book CXVIII: Ol' Salty

The RAFians must deal with the Salt Man.

• Book CXIX: The Great Race

The RAFians hold a race that Aloth cons himself into.  Who will win?

• Book CXX: Ape Escape

The RAFians must help super intelligent apes -- Caesar the chimp, Brutus the gorilla, and Maestro the orangutan -- reconcil their misanthropy.

• Book CXXI: A Different Kind of Unity

The RAFians must contend with a parasitic "unity".

• Book CXXII: The Great Brain Robery

Someone is stealing brains for an unknown purpose.

• Book CXXIII: The Bounty Hunter

The Knights, in their hypocricy, hire a Tsul'Kalu bounty hunter to collect select RAFians (to taxidermy).

• Book CXXIV: New Controllers

The RAFians confront Zirconians.

• Book CXXV: Creeping Crystal

A wave of crystallizing energy is sweeping the land. . . .

• Book CXXVI: The Element Feeder

The RAFians deal with a creature who feeds on a specific element and matures to a different element each time as it matures. . . .

• Book CXXVII: The Rider and the Walker

The RAFians come up against the Ghost Rider.

• Book CXXVIII: Headhunters

What will happen when RAFians lose their heads?  Seriously.

• Book CXXIX: The Color Purple, Man!

The RAFians confront the Purple Man, who manages to turn the entire government against them . . .

• Book CXXX: The Nemetrix Beetle

The RAFians confront the Black Beetle with Nemetrix properties.

• Book CXXXI: It's Tought to Be A Mod

The members of a primitive forum declare Demos and Blue to be mods. . . .

• Book CXXXII: Who-Zilla?

An energy reaction begins turning RAFians into monstrous creatures in 3XXX.  Out-of-continuity book.

• Book CXXXIII: Well, Techadon-ally . . .

The RAFians confront Techadons who assign them qualitive quatilities, and refuse to acknowledge any defeats.

• Book CXXXIV: The Mind's Eye

The RAFians face Spellbinder and his realistic illusions.

• Book CXXXV: Bas-ic Instincts

Bas awakens and attempts to take control of Cloak and other felines.

• Book CXXXVI: Midas Duck

The RAFians must contend with a very strange golden idol and a greedy sneak-thief.

• Book CXXXVII: War with the Warworlds

The RAFians must defeat two heavily-armed Warworlds.

• Book CXXXVIII: Solar Sucks

The RAFians must save Estelore from a device able to suck out her stellar substance and lifeforce.

• Book CXXXIX: Hounded

The RAFians are attacked by hellhounds that only Demos can see, although Cloak can "see" them via Earthsight.

• Book CXL: Politics

The RAFians, much to Cloak's chagrin and irritation, get caught up in the middle of Realm Walker politics.

• Book CXLI: Buggy Afternoon

A Bug is after Parker's blood, to "avenge" their brother slain by the SPARTAN.

• Book CXLII: Cloak's Nightmare

Cloak has an exceedingly vivid nightmare of the Great RAFian Purge. . . .

• Book CXLIII: Cloak and the Olympians

Cloak confronts and defies the Olympians.

• Book CXLIV: Down to Earth

The RAFians have gravity-related problems.

• Book CXLV: Hittin' the Dino-Sauce

The RAFians learn the dangers of Dino-Sauce.

• Book CXLVI: Blood Feud

Shanker's past comes into light. . . .

• Book CXLVII: She's Back! A Dino Story

Pretty much a shameless parody of "We're Back! A Dinosaur Story".

• Book CXLVIII: A Journey into Her Past

Delving into Noelle's pre-RAFian life and her relationship with Ardnalil-Shicom-Maar.

• Book CXLIX: Mortality and Morality

The RAFians face some rather conceited Leviathons.

• Book CL: Utter Pandemonium

Cloak, Gaz, Saffa, Underseen, and Hunter investigate odd goings-on at a theme park island named "Haunted Island".

• Book CLI: A Reality Rewrite

Cloak, Faerie, Broken, and Broken's protege discover a magical, reality-altering typewriter.  Cloak, being a Realm Walker and the other three, being magical, are immune to its rewrites of reality.

• Book CLII: The Coming of Galacticron

The RAFians must save Earth from Galacticron.

• Book CLIII: Theft of Intellectual Property

The RAFians must contend with Brainiac.

• Book CLIV: The Contingency

The RAFians must battle the Talos Project and their living weapon -- Weapon XLIX.

• Book CLV: Muppet, Muppet Man

Parker and Gaz are turned into Muppets. ()

• Book CLVI: Larval Ambush

The RAFians must deal with insectoid creatures who are parasitoids with humans.

• Book CLVII: As the World Doesn't Turn

The RAFians must stop a group of feline aliens from stopping the world from rotating.

• Book CLVIII: Princess Pearls

A few girls of RAf discover the Princess Pearls.

• Book CLVIX: Attack of the Killer Produce

The RAfians must deal and cope with killer produce.

• Book CLX: Moonscarred Menace

The RAfians investigate mysterious disappearances on Moonscar Island.

• Book CLXI: League of Assassins

The League of Assassins set a number of Assassins after Blue.

• Book CLXII: Dark RAFians

The RAFians come up against an evil team modeled after them, attempting to usurp their postions.

• Book CLXIII: Danger Rising

The RAFians' training sim gains sentience.

• Book CLXIV: Moody

Gaz and Saffa accidentally have Moodulators attached to them.

• Book CLXV: Bound Together

Some RAFians get molecularly stuck together.

• Book CLXVI: The Legion of RAFians

The 31^st century RAFians are being picked off and controlled by a group calling themselves the Fantastic Fatalities. May be an out-of-continuity book.

• Book CLXVII: Monster Mash

A deranged Yeerk tries to merge its DNA with a Geonosian Brain Worm to rid itself of its Kadronna dependency.

• Book CLXVIII: Jumping to Conclusions

A xenophobic, reliously-zealous, former government man confuses Cloak with a "Jumper".

[Cloak]

 Now, another chapter.
 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Tooting His Own Horn

"WHERE IS IT?!"
 
"Apparently, you lose horns like you lose boyfriends." Cloak heckled.
 
"Shut up, Cloak, or I'll -- I'll -- I'll --" she said, unable to come up with a viable, coherent threat.
 
Cloak called her on it, too. "Or you'll do what?"
 
Knowing the scope of her threats right now, though weakened and trapped, Cloak could still be a threat to her. She vented her emotions with a growling grunt of frustration and a momentary discharge of her own energy. Cloak smiled cheekily. He may not be able to perform his usually feats, but he still could heckle her.
 
Suddenly, from the shadows directly in front of Cloak's cell, a glow that oscillated from dark gray to light gray and back again illuminated the darkness. It was the Horn, held by no other than Abomination. His gaze was cold and stony, yet determined.
 
"Love, you found it!" Malice said, voice like noxious honey. "Hand here, dear."
 
Abomination did not. He did not move an inch. He was not swayed by the false niceties.
 
"Dear --"
 
"Save it," Abomination snarled. She was taken aback by it.
 
"What . . . what did you just say to me?"
 
"I said, save it!" Abomination snarled, looking Malice directly in the eyes. "Cloak was right. Right about everything. You are incapable of love. Loving anyone but yourself, that is. I see that now."
 
Abomination took a heavy breath as he shut his eyes. When he opened them again, there was a blaze of strength and the aura around the Horn was getting whiter and whiter.
 
"I earned the name Abomination. I am an abomination, a bulky. But that's something I seek to rectify right now!"
 
Then took the Horn, which had a blazing white aura now, and blew it loudly. Once, twice, thrice. Then one final time.
 
The Marks reverted back to their normal blue, and the cells all opened simultaneously. They were free.

[Cloak]

Now a third chapter. May be short.
 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
Abomination No More

Malice was incadescent with rage, seeing Abomination toss the Horn to Cloak.
 
"You DARE to betray me, Abomination?!?!" Malice said storming up to him, glaring upwards at him.
 
"I do," he said, unafraid. Then he suddenly grunted, "Ugh!"
 
Malice had formed an energy blade projected from her wrist, and shoved it through Abomination's gut. It easily penetrated his clothing and flesh. His ichor scored and seared the dusty cement of the prison's floor. It was a fatal injury.
 
Malice was remorseless. "Such a pity. You showed so much promise."
 
But Abomination's last words were not aimed at Malice, nor were they venomous or hateful. He stared desperately at Cloak.
 
"Cloak . . . I'm s-sorry . . . f-for everything . . ." he choked out. "P-please . . . f-f-forgive me . . ."
 
Cloak looked in his dying eyes, as he still clutched the Horn tightly. Abomination's breaths were ragged, and, though Abomination had once very nearly came to being Cloak's murderer, Cloak was not inclined to hate the dying Ream Walker.
 
To the contrary, Cloak was disposed to be sympathetic, as he took Abomination's hand in his own. Cloak said as gently and calmly as he could, despite the flurry of emotions he was feeling, "You are Abomination no longer."
 
Before Cloak could say any more, Abomination gave a contented sigh, and his C.S.I., his corporeal stabilizing integrity, destabilized and his body translated to pure energy, leaving nothing but his cloak behind.
 
Malice laughed crassly at this, saying mockingly, "That's sho schweet."
 
Cloak looked up. He held the Horn in one hand and Abomination's cloak in the other.
 
"You are a monster," Cloak growled.
 
"Well, duh." she replied flippantly.
 
Cloak's eyes were scarlet-gold suns -- a danger sign. He spoke with tempered anger, though his voice quavered as he addressed Malice, holding up the Horn, "You want this? This Veil-forsaken thing?!"
 
Cloak's eyes narrowed, and the Horn exploded into useless, inert powder.
 
"What have you done?!" Malice shrieked.
 
"Oh, we're not done yet." Cloak said, quietly dangerous.

[Cloak]

 Now, this book's penultimate chapter. I must say, it turned out well, right?
 

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
Malice Go Down the Hoooole*

"Whoa . . ." Abby said.
 
"Took the word right outta my mouth," Gaz said absently.
 
No one would look at their Marks the same way again. And no one would take them for granted ever again.
 
"Malice," Cloak said in carrying tones. "I'm tired of this song and dance. I'm weary of your half-baked schemes and ill-conceived plans. And all for what? To what ends?"
 
Cloak paused to steady himself emotionally. He was being incredibly emotional, and his powers are strongly connected to powerful emotions.
 
"For all you scheming, Malice what do you have to show for it?" Cloak look her in the eye. She still hadn't lost the maliciously malevolent smile from her face nor that irritatingly-narcissistic demeanor.
 
Cloak continued, "For all your plotting, you have nothing to show for it.. Every one of your plots have been undone, not only by us," he gesture the other RAFians looking, as Cloak ripped Malice a new one. "They've been undone by yourself from the outset. By your arrogance, egotism, narcissism, and your constant and abject underestimation of Dwellers."
 
"You've underestimated the darker natures of Realm Dwellers," Malice pointed out blithely, "consider how Itellsya was able to fool and deceive you."
 
Cloak glared at Malice, and said, "I do not deny it. I acknowledge my mistake, for, unlike you, I do not believe myself infallible."
 
"Are you done?" Malice said, looking frankly bored.
 
Cloak slammed his fist into the ground, causing a sinkhole with perfectly smooth sides to form beneath Malice and Itellsya. They tumbled down it, with Malice laughing. Cloak made no mistake, he knew it was because she thought him weak for not "finishing the job".
 
---
*Anyone know what this is a reference to?

[Cloak]

Last chapter of Book 35 (probably short)! Looks like it's gonna be a really good day for chapters.
 

CHAPTER TWENTY:
In Memorandum

Cloak took Abomination's cloak with him as the RAFians. He had quite forgiven Abomination for his past transgressions as he, with his final actions, attempted to rectify them. He had attempted to redeem himself . . . and he had to see this possibility happening. Malice would barely tolerate failure (though she would never acknowledge responsibility for it, much like Cloak's own mother), she would simply not permit a betrayal of this magnitude.
 
Cloak honestly hoped Abomination would find happiness in the world beyond, if there was a world beyond.
 
Once in RAF, he was pleased to see that excessive security measure broke as the Horn itself broke. He hoped no one made another -- if they did he'd destroy it -- although now that he thought of it, the Horn was Itellsya's idea in the first place. Now they know why he was so insistant, so ardently promoting it.
 
Upon returning to the forum, Cloak immediately went tothe archives. He folded Abomination's cloak neatly, and wrote a brief history about it and the Walker who wore it. Then he dated it, and filed it into the museum-like, mausoleum-like Archives.
 
Cloak knew it was customary to present the cloak to the deceased family -- but Abomination had none living that acknowledged him or his existence. It was probably for this reason that drove him to bully -- he was venting his feelings as he knew he was unloved by indifferent, negligent parents. Their only child. A mistake, apparently.
 
It was this story that made him realize that Cloak himself could have became like Abomination was. Had he not his aunt, had he not his cousins, had he not his trusted childhood friend . . . had he not RAF . . .
 
Abomination had none of those things. But, in the end, his goodness eventually surfaced - and Malice gave him the ultimate punishment for it.
 
Itellsya would take his old position at Malice's right hand. But how long before he meets a similar fate to poor Abomination?
 
Time would tell.
 

***

Meanwhile, Malice easily escaped with young Itellsya from the terrakinetically-made pit.
 
She decided to keep the prison as a hideout, as no one would expect them to continue using an once-compromised place as a lair.
 
"Wh-what n-now, M-Mistress?" Itellsya, who seemed to have a slight, but permanent, stutter.
 
"Now we gather materials to recreate the Roboticizer," she said. Itellsya, in his naivety, didn't realize she had a plan on a certain person to roboticize . . . granted, she no longer had the plans, but she thought she had enough recall to recreate it, more efficiently this time.

[Cloak]

Now, onto book 36. Short introductory chapter, I couldn't make it any longer without taking some of it from the next chapter. Sorry.
 

BOOK XXXVI:
Feral Scream
CHAPTER ONE:
Movie Night

To get over the general heaviness of the Horn fiasco three days ago, the mods organized a movie night. Ironically, the theme was "Monster Mash".
 
Cloak was curious, as Realm Walkers didn't really have things like television or movies. There were no Walker actors, producers, acting agents, etc. There were books and scrolls and whatnot. There just haven't been any motivation to bring what little fiction existed to life. Then, it would be harder to cast, as Realm Walkers have a great deal more biological diversity within their own species. That is to say, do you think a hippo Walker could believely pass as a rabbit Walker? A leonine Walker pass a bumblebee Walker? A moose Walker pass as a seal Walker? A bear Walker pass as a butterfly Walker? A rhino Walker pass for a monkey Walker? A walrus Walker pass for a shark Walker?

Not bloody likely.
 
Besides, with the advent of Realm Walking, for which his species got their name, pretty much renders it moot. Realm Walking is far more immersive than any cinematic experience could be. Granted, it's more dangerous, but it's like Iago, from "Retirn of Jafar", said -- "You'd be surprised what you can live through".
 
Cloak stood and lurked in the back in the shadows. Wild was only conspicuous by his absence.
 
The first movie of the three was "A Werewolf At Comic-Con" -- Cloak supposed that it was supposed to be a comedy of some sort.
 
Cloak mused how humans saw this phenomenon called lycanthropy. Why was the animal most considered? Man-wolf? Wouldn't a Man-Ape, a wereape, be more realistic? Cloak was sure that it had to do with some history he was unfamiliar with.
 
And the idea that lunar radiation could trigger a transformation? Cloak never saw it in action. But, then again, it was impossible to visit every Realm. Even with Realm Walkers' long lifespans. For every star in the sky, there are thousands more Realms. Billions more, really.

Cloak continued these musings, completely missing the movies -- "Dracula Enlists" and "Frankenstein Kills Fred".  Such a pity too, he would have loved the last one.

[redtailedsaffa]

Oh... wow. That was... holy crap, if I could say it, Cloak, I'd say you wrote Abomination's final moments just as well as J.K. Rowling would write her death scenes. And that's saying something.

That's all I'll say. Any more fangirl babbling from me and the moment will be ruined.

[Cloak]

  Thanks, Saffa. I do try.

New shortish chapter. Sorry about the length, I'm tired.

CHAPTER TWO:
The BWTM-2 Drive

"Done," Malice said, holding what looked to be a machine the size of a basket ball or soccer ball. It's design was a mirror image and complete reversal of the color scheme of the Transmetal 2 driver from "Beast Wars". She plugged in to the strange device backed up to the nearest dingy concrete wall that Itellsya was glancing at nervously. It looked nothing like a Roboticizer.

"Wh-what w-will this th-thing do to m-me?" he asked, with that stutter.

Malice smiled as she told the boy a half-truth, "Give you powers undreamed of. When it's ready to be started up."

"Oh," Itellsya said, though he clearly had doubts. But he had made his choice. He would stick to it.

"I just have to run through the calculations," Malice said, clearly indifferent to Itellsya's concerns. Indifferent of his personal safety, though Itellsya proved to be ignorant of this fact. That's just how Malice liked her pawns.

When this worked on Itellsya and he had no will of his own, she decided passively gi and forcibly recruit those failed RAFians, those Banned, into her services. Shouldn't be too difficult.

***

"It's a strange machine," Wild was saying to his communicator. "It doesn't look like a Roboticizer in design, but it has a certain sinister look to it."

"I'm nearly there, Wild." Parker replied. "Don't act, don't give away your position."

"I'm not stupid, Parker," Wild said, quietly.