Memoirs of a RAFian

[redtailedsaffa]

This comes right after an X-Files episode involving a boy who was possessed by a dark and malevolent force, possibly that of his dead twin. Lovely times.

[Cloak]

Sorry, I didn't post more yesterday, but the new Pokemon . . . they had me all excited. Just a nite, when I get Pokemon X, and the House of Hades, this thread will be on hiatus. Don't worry I'll tell when it will be.

EDIT: Still very excited about the Pokémon news.

Maybe a brief chapter.

CHAPTER THREE:
In Your Dreams, Everyone Can Hear You Scream

Night had fallen in earnest several hours ago, and the forum slept -- at least, those that required sleep slept. But a powerful oneirokinetic force had roused Cloak, FuBar, Blade, Kitsi -- all the feline RAFians who could sense, could feel, this force, this presence. The sensation was not a pleasant one.

It was an oppressive feeling, so much so that it made breathing difficult. And yet, Cloak realized . . .

And yet it was somehow familiar. . . . Familiar, like a story he had once heard or read but forgotten . . .

Unbeknowst to Cloak, the flatscan human RAFians -- that is to say, nonmutant and so-called "purebred" humans -- were all writhing in their beds. All were moaning quietly as their dreams became nightmares.

Eventually, their Marks began to glow. Then screams filled the forum.

This alerted the feline RAFians and the sleepless ones. But their scope of helping the sufferers was exceedingly limited, which irritated Cloak to no end.

What could they do? This oneirokinetic force was attacking them in the one place were they could not have outside assistance -- their dreams.

"What can we do?" FuBar asked frantically. "We have to something!"

"I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno --" Bladeh replied, nearly hysterically.

"There has to be a way!" Kitsi insisted. There has to be away to save them!"

Cloak was reserved and his face inscrutable, which in and of itself, was actually very telling, "There isn't anything we can do. None of use has the powers or means to stop this."

"You must be able to do something!" Bladeh pleaded. "With all your power --"

"I cannot," Cloak countered. "You think me an oneirokinetic? Dreams aren't one of the Six Elements."

And, despite their ministrations to prevent it, a young, newly-minted RAFian affectionately known as Red, was killed. He had barely been a RAFian for three days. This death weighed heavily on Cloak, though he did not show it outwardly.

"Wh-what do we do now?" Kitsi asked.

"I," Cloak saaid, with a quaver in his voice, "do not know."

[Underseen]

Cloak not knowing something is becoming more common now.

[Cloak]

Hey, I don't know EVERYTHING!

And, think about it, Malice is older than I am by a great degree. It's natural that she would know more than me. Most times her downfall comes from disregarding things and taking things for granted (like Abomination).

Unless more Pokemon news comes up, I'll try to post another chapter.

Yeah, this might be one of the darker books (granted, it'll have two parodies -- one which has already appeared, and another which'll appear in a later book), but considering the main, uh, "antagonist" of the next one . . .

EDIT: Sorry, no more chapters today. But I did come up with two new book ideas:

• Book CLXXXVII: Dried Up

The RAFians must deal with strange moisture-sucking slug-like parasites (larger than Yeerks, and semi-liquid).

• Book CLXXXVIII: Hammer Time

An old evil returns to life and inexplicably steals the powers of the Octessence, effectively rendering them useless, and single-mindedly seeking revenge.

All book titles subject to change. And, just remember, all chapters are possibly brief -- I don't write them down until I post them.

CHAPTER FOUR:
The Fields of Thought-Screams

"What if we wake them up?" Bladeh asked.

"That could just have the effect of waking sleepwalkers." FuBar said, dismissively. Then he added, uncertainly, "R-right?"

"I won't deny the plausibility of it," Cloak said, his voice still carrying that heaviness. "But we're treading into unfamiliar ground for me. But, yet somehow familiar . . ."

"What do you mean?" Kitsi asked.

"I've heard of something like this happening," Cloak said, "but I do not remember where or specifics."

Then Bladeh had an idea. "Couldn't you just Walk to the Dreamscape?"

Cloak shook his head. "There are very few places my kind cannot Walk to. Heaven. Hell. Purgatory. The dream world, the dreamscape -- however you wish to term it. We cannot Walk into these places. We enter the dreamscape, though, but the same way every one else does -- sleep."

"Didn't know that," Kitsi replied, with a shrug. "But the question remains. What do we --"

<AAAAAAHHHHHHH!>

The wakened RAFians heard the though-speak screams. The Andalites were being attacked.

"What do we do?!" Bladeh yowled.

"What CAN we do?" Cloak countered, furious at this helplessness. He liked being able to do something, not being forcibly sidelined like this. "Anything we try could prove to be ineffective or exacerbate the problem!"

Cloak only felt this helpless once before, and it was not a pleasant experience.

"Th-there's gotta be something," FuBar said, "anything . . ."

Cloak thought about this. He came up with one possibly impossible and possibly pointless idea.

"We have to wake them up," Cloak said.

"But was if it kills them?" Kitsi asked.

"They're gonna die if we don't," Cloak said decisively. "Better give it a try than wait for their deaths."

[Underseen]

I forgot about the Thursday chapter schedule again.

[Cloak]

Well, best get used to getting chapters relatively late -- working more hours now. I will still strive to post a minimum of one a day -- sorry but it can't be helped.

[Underseen]

It's no big deal.

[Cloak]

'Kay. Well, in any case, I came up with two new books.

• Book CLXXXIX: Shenecron's Pets

The RAFians must deal with Shenecron's great bestial pets.

• Book CXC: The Prism

Some RAFians deal with a prism that divides them into eight personalities singularly driven by one emotion.

I know, I know. Slow down on the ideas.

[redtailedsaffa]

No, don't slow down on the ideas. As long as your brain's working overtime we know it's all good.

[Cloak]

Alright then. Since its the weekend, provided my internet connection doesn't royally screw up, I'll try to get more chapters out.

CHAPTER FIVE:
Psychic Scream

"It's no use!" FuBar cried out, futilely trying to rouse Abby, who writhe a little in her nightmare. "Nothing we try works."

"Discomfort, water, promises of waffles," Bladeh said, "but they remain firmly and stubbornly conked out."

"I even tried putting Hunter's hand in water," Kitsi said.

"How's that supposed to help?" Bladeh said at once.

But FuBar got it immediately, "This isn't the time for levity, Kitsi."

"Wet blanket," Kitsi said.

FuBar facepalmed and said, "I cannot believe you just said that."

"Doesn't matter either way," Cloak said, arms folded, completely stumped on how to waken their fellows. "That is a fallacy, a myth*."

"Now you tell me." Kitsi replied drolly.

"In any case," Cloak said heavily, transferring the topic back to the situation at hand, "I'm out of ideas. They seem to be in some sort of somniferous lock. I've never seen such a thing before -- heard of it, but didn't believe it."

"Sorry, but 'somniferous lock'?" FuBar asked.

"Look at the context Cloaky used it," Bladeh said. "He obviously means 'sleep mode lock'. Or something."

Then they tried to tend to Yarin, vainly hoping that their minds would be able to penetrate this lock and reach him. Well, except Cloak who's telepathy-incapable.

However, when they arrived at his side, they were alarmed to see that he wasn't just writhing, but all six eyes were shut in what seemed like pain as all four of his long thin arms flailed about.

"We have to help . . . but we can't, can we?" FuBar said, hating himself for having to admit it.

Cloak, hating himself for saying it, replied, "No, we can't do anything."

Then, quite suddenly, a palpable wave of telepathic might erupted from the Nyac. It was a psychic scream. Cloak felt it wash over him with no ill effect, whilst the other three whimpered in pain.

But this is what was needed, this psychic scream. It seemed to disable the somniferous lock, and the whole of RAF awoke.

Cloak, however, was looking concernedly at Yarin, who was awake now. He was rocking back and forth, looking as if he clearly felt violated psychically. It reminded him somewhat of a story his grandfather, Sage, had once told . . . but it was just a story.

. . . Right?

---
* I seem to remember that Mythbusters busted this myth.

[Underseen]

I have anger heard of the wet blanket.

[theyoungphoenix]

Ya, I think Mythbusters did. I'm pretty sure anyways.

[Cloak]

Did you mean "ever", Underseen? If not, then I quite honestly do not understand your post.

Anyway, being a wet blanket = party pooper. Of course, here it was also revealed to be a reference to that myth.

Okay, so here's a second shot at the same chapter (that I was going to post last night).

CHAPTER SIX:
Myths and Decisions

With all RAFians now awakened and having experienced similiar things -- as this evil, nightmarish figure took on different forms but always with a red and black color scheme with desiccated facial flesh.

Naturally, a meeting was called immediately, and the RAFians didn't bother to change out of their sleepwear -- well, those that actually wore clothes, anyway.

It was quickly established that the dreams -- of the species that actually dreamt -- were striking similiar. All lamented Red's death, but only the ones who were close to him grieved deeply about his unfortunate passing.

Parker saw this death as a message from this devilish force (a term that Demos found offensive for whateve reason) was deadly.

"But what can we do to stop it, whatever it is?" Parker intoned ominiously. "In the dream world, it is master, and the only way to even fight him is on his terrain, on his terms."

Silence met these words as the truthful and sincere heaviness of the reality of it hit them.

"Well, it does put me in mind of a story that Sage once told me roughly two hundred of your years ago." Cloak said thoughtfully.

After a few minutes, Saffa prompted, "Care to share the story, Cloak?"

Cloak, a bit flummoxed at Saffa's reply, rubbed his chin thoughfully before continuing. "Well, there was said to a being -- species unknown and undocumented -- whose true name was long forgotten and he had desired the power of the dream world, of the dreamscape. No one knew how he accomplished it, the tale claims that he succeeded. But there was a major caveat to this obsessive quest of his. While he succeeded over many decades of hard, devoted, and, above all, secret work to enter the dream world physically, he was unable to return to the waking world by any means. He was no longer a physical being, he was a dream construct."

"A large drawback," Gaz said, whistling.

"Yes," Cloak said. "And, as the story goes, that, while he mastered the dream world's secrets, he began to grow jealous of those that could enter and leave at will, just like he used to. He began to lust after severing them from their physical selves, to kill them."

"Couldn't he just steal their bodies, like in 'Nightmare on Elm Street 2'?" Underseen asked.

"It is never mentioned in the story." Cloak answered honestly. "But Sage told me this story before that movie was even made."

"So, you Realm Walkers have your own boogymen," Dino said benignly.

"I suppose so," Cloak said. "But that's the extent of my knowledge of it."

"How do we protect ourselves from it?" Ash asked.

"Simple," Rotiart said snarkily, "do go to sleep. Ever. Again."

"Don't be an idiot, Rotiart, that's impossible for those ofmus that require it." Saffa snapped.

[Cloak]

Okay, a brief-ish chapter.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Snap, Heckle, and Drop

It was decided to put off sleep as much as possible. Cloak new of the futility and fraility of such a decision. No one would be able to acquiesce permanently. They would all have to rest at some point. Cloak also knew that sleep deprivation would cause . . . unpleasantness to arise.

As the hours wore on, hostilities began to flare up, like a wildfire, threatening to engulf the forum. Saffa nearly mauled Rotiart when the latter wasn't exactly careful with his words and said something very offensive that is better off not repeating. No one stopped her -- the arrogant toerag had it coming.

Those that weren't hostile and angry were surly and isolationist. Cloak was one of them. He decided to hole himself up in his thread, away from the others, as sleep-deprived as he.

The others resorted to caffeinated coffee and its derivatives to stay awake, though none were fully alert. Cloak never liked the taste of coffee himself, and was mostly awake by sheer force of will. But that didn't stop delusions and hallucinations . . . like that Green Lantern ring that miraculously broke into his thread, only not be there moments later with the wall intact.

"This cannot go on," Cloak moaned, head in his palms, wishing to sleep. "No one can resist sleep forever."

He could clearly hear his fellow RAFians snapping at each other, Rotiart heckling Saffa again (Cloak foresaw another mauling by Saffa in Rotiart's future), and there were many objects dropping with a tremendous, tumultuous clatter.

"This is probably the worse plan we've ever come up with," Cloak commented, tiredly.

***

"Ha-HA!" Malice crowed seeing just how tired and slow the RAFians had become just after a mere 3³/₄ days. "It would be too easy to conquer them now!"

Rumor made gurgling noise, rather like those of a baby, grotesquely distorted.

"Of course not, Rumor!" Malice said. "The entertainment value is still there."

The Rumor made loud obnoxious sounds that sounded like "WARRRK! WARRRK! WARRRK!" as he looked at his Mistress urgently.

Malice's eyes widened slightly, as if Rumor suggested something that she actually hadn't considered, but she covered it with her malignant poise. "Of course I considered that, Rumor. My dreams will be fine and free from Somnus. He daren't attack me."

[Underseen]

Now I want to go through the species list and count the ones who actually need sleep. I have enough time today so why not?