Memoirs of a RAFian

[theyoungphoenix]

Well, if you started to see a dinosaur start to dance for no reason, I imagine someone would take notice.

[redtailedsaffa]

Your autocorrect's acting up again...

[theyoungphoenix]

Thanks. I'll go fix it. Stupid autocorrect.

[Cloak]

Well, I was in my thread at the time. I didn't see her with my eyes, I "saw" her with Earthsight.

Anyway, I might post another chapter after my shift tonight. But, I wouldn't count on it.

EDIT: Probably gonna be brief.

CHAPTER SIX:
Dancing Unseen

The pace of these kidnappings picked up on the next day. More species were lured out of the forum, against their will, in a variety of dances that Cloak's never heard of. All were chained using the same chains in the warehouse, as tylee chains -- heck, tylee metal itself -- isn't easy to come by, esspecially as it only exists in the Nexus and in the possession of Asguardians, Olympians, and Titians.

The third day, the rate of the kidnapping were relatively the same. The RAF's member numbers were beginning to diminish noticeably. But none of the remaining RAFians seemed realize the cause for the sudden inexplicable dancing. Magic dancing shoes? No, neither Dino or the Andalites wore shoes.

The fourth day, it picked up again. At least 50% of all RAFians were gone. Chained in that warehouse.

***

Cloak remained his thread. But he was not oblivious to the disappearances -- he saw them all with Earthsight. But they always stopped before he could pinpoint their destination.

Cloak knew the true mastermind behind this, and it wasn't this piper person. Malice was tone-deaf when it came to playing musical intruments. Only she would use his fellow RAFians in such away. She wanted to destroy Cloak.

But why did she care about him so much? Why was it so important to her to destroy Cloak? What did he ever do to her to deserve such ire?

Yes, he was responsible for the destruction of the Forbidden Power, but she was interested in hurting him, in destroying him, in breaking him, before then.

But, then . . . why?

***

By the end of a week, the end of seven days, all the RAFians were gone. The forum had became a bleak, desolate, deserted place. Tumbleweeds were running rampent without Horse attacking them.

It was a very sad sight. The threads and board had gone eerily silent and lifeless.

All were gone . . .

[theyoungphoenix]

That took the piper a bit less time than I thought it would...

[DinosaurNothlit]

Me, dancing ballet?  Thank you very much for that mental image, Cloak. 

Oy, forget the piper, tumbleweeds taking over RAF without Horse to stop them is the thing we should really be worried about! 

[theyoungphoenix]

Oh no!! The tumbleweeds!! The horror!!

[Cloak]

Maybe if they were sentient . . .

Sorry that I didn't post another chapter today, Internet got buggy. Really irritating. It's too late now, though.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
The Final Eight

. . . Except Rotiart (who wore noise-canceling earbuds), Cloak, Parker, Estelore, Oceanspray, Sakki, Richard, and Underseen. Ash wasn't captured either, due to being away, and on the inactive roster, for personal reasons.

"What happened?" Rotiart said taking out his earbuds.

"Where is everyone?" Estelore asked.

"That flute music . . ." Sakki said. "It's gone now."

"What does one have to do with the other?" Oceanspray asked, assuming the two were unrelated.

Richard facepalmed. "Of course. The flute music -- they must have been Pied Pipered out of RAF."

"Well, we must rescue them." Underseen replied at once.

"You go. I'm not going." Rotiart said brattily.

"Rotiart!" Sakki scolded, but then music started playing out of nowhere. He sang:

"I've been a moving target!
I've been a sitting duck!
I've almost been the Pootang's food!
All because somebody with more courage than good sense
Had to be rescued from their own ineptitude!
Well, if fools with not so much to live for
Want to jeopardize THEIR lives,
Maybe that should be allowed.
But I was born for higher things,
And I shouldn't risk my life like some ordinary member of the crowd!"

Estelore countered this in song:

"But, Rotiart,
That's what you do for a friend, oh,
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for a friend.
You hang on to the good times."

Cloak shrugged as he sang, with folded arms:

"Make 'em laugh when they're feeling low."

Esty took up the song from there.

"When the danger's near you say --"

Then all seven chorused:

"No fear!"

Esty continued:

"And you go where you have to go.
And you never back down."

Cloak added:

"And you never back out."

Esty persisted:

"Fighting, even when you're filled with doubt,
That's what you do for a friend, oh,
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for friend."

Rotiart took up the song:

"Zipping into danger, dashing into traps,
Rushing into an untimely end!
You foolhardy heroes will end up with your backs
Against the wall, in deep trouble once again.
Now, some may think it noble to die like that,
And be immortalized in songs about the past,
And you may think it wise
To have a harrowing demise
So life is exciting up until the last --!"

But Estelore interrupted and sang:

"But, Rotiart,
That's what you do for a friend, oh,
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for a friend.
That's what you do for a friend."

Sakki saw fit to add:

"Even if you have to stick your neck out."

Esty expounded on this:

"No matter how scary it gets."

Cloak supplied:

"You go out on a limb
When the chances are slim."

Esty nodded as she sang:

"And you do it with no regrets.
And you never give up."

Sakki piped up:

"And you NEVER give in."

Esty sang:

"You keep on trying."

Cloak sang:

"Through thick and thin."

Esty repeated the chorus, with all seven singing the last lyric.

"Cute. Catchy." Rotiart said his arms folded. "Didn't work."

"Pity that you haven't a choice, then." Sakki said, seizing his ear. "Let's go."

[redtailedsaffa]

Ahh, a happy friendship song.

[theyoungphoenix]

Hah! Sakki is awesome!

[Underseen]

I thought the song would work.

[redtailedsaffa]

There are some hearts that are harder than others, that even a song can't melt...

[DinosaurNothlit]

Good thing Sakki had a backup plan ready, lol.

[Cloak]

I may post a chapter later on, but tomorrow and Tuesday are my days off. So, if my Internet doesn't get ornery, I post more than one.

CHAPTER EIGHT:
No Fear

The small group went slowly and surely toward Malice's believed headquarters. This first part was going very smoothly . . . almost too smoothly. Then something rather unusual happened.

Cloak's ears twitched, "What the . . ."

It was not the flute music he had been expecting. It was more of a cross between a clarinet and a PokeFlute. Then Estelore sang:

"We're off on a mission.
We're tough, in good condition."

"Estelore, what are you doing?!" Cloak demanded in a hiss, right before Underseen sang:

"We're sure --"

Estelore supplied:

"Standing tall."

"You two are going to --"

Then all of the RAFians, except Cloak and Rotiart, sang:

"No fear!"

Cloak sighed as he facepalmed, "Blow . . . our cover . . ."

But Cloak's protest seemed to fall upon deaf ears, as Estelore sang:

"There's danger all around us."

"Then stop singing!!" Cloak said, as some trolls appeared to fight them. Rotiart sang fretfully:

"They'd hurt us, if they found us!"

"Then shut the VEIL up!!" Cloak snarled. But, Sakki sang:

"Backs to the wall."

Then all six (excluding Rotiart and Cloak again) sang:

"No fear!"

A thought occured to Cloak as Estelore sang:

"'Coz we have all the courage we require."

Rotiart added, in a sung aside:

"Such a frequent liar."

Cloak considered the source of this sudden musical number as Esty countered Rotiart dangerously:

"Boy, you're trying your luck.
The plan will fly."

Then all six sang "no fear" again, as Cloak looked for a way to stop the music. Rotiart whine musically:

"This plan if applied'll
Be simply SUICIDAL!
We'll be a sitting duck!"

Another thought occured to Cloak as the six repeated the refrain of "no fear", and Rotiart continued whining:

"Suppose I'd do this,
Who know if we live through this?
That's just oue luck!"

The refrain continued between every lyric as Cloak's eyes widened with realization.

Meanwhile, Esty sang:

"Our team is shy one lily-livered volunteer."

Rotiart's answer was:

"No way, Jose!
No chance!"

Sakki replied rather forcifully:

"No choice."

"Guys!" Cloak said, urgency in his voice. "Guys!"

But they sang:

"We'll take on any dare
That the other side'll dare
To dream up.
We'll fight tough; we'll play fair.
But we're sure to win because we'll team up."

Rotiart panicked:

"I'm shaking!
I'm leaking!"

Parker observed:

"He's freaking,
Frankly speaking."

"GUYS!" Cloak roared, full voice. "IT'S A --"

The other seven plummeted into a hidden sinkhole, and only he was spared.

"Trap." he finished in a small voice.

Suddenly, a ring of tylee metsl fastened around his middle, pinioning his arms to the side, and he fell over barely conscious, before succumbing to unconsciousness.

[Underseen]

8 chapters in and everyone is trapped.