Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

THIS PIECE OF **** DECIDED TO STOP WORKING AND I LOST THE DAMN CHAPTER.

*composes self* Er, sorry 'bout that. I'll try to get up two chapters to compensate. And yes, Saffa, it would.

CHAPTER FIVE:
They Live!

"Please . . ." Preston whimpered, "don't kill me."

"Oh, let's not get ahead of ourselves, boy!" Queen Scarab said, inappropriately jovial. "I will have to drain you first!"

"I keep telling you," Preston said, before breathing became more difficult.

But Queen Scarab dropping him when the glow built up in the four egg-like stone pods to a bright flash, demanding in a hiss, "What the deuce?!"

Then, with a sound of Mega Stone activation and Mega Evolution, four figures burst from the pods with mighty roars. Preston took the opportunity to back up to the wall.

The first figure came out of the light was wearing a heavy-looking, ornate, black cloak, with his luminous, feline eyes glowed from beneath the hood. He radiated power, but he stood stoically, glowering at Queen Scarab. It was as if he knew her. Preston recieved a stabbing headache, and muttered, "Cloak." But he had no idea why, but it was evidently this character's name, if a bit an obvious one.

The second figure stepped from the light, but possessed no clothing. He had light gray skin, six glittering eyes, a thin frame, a small mouth, four thin arms, and two thin legs. He blinked all six eyes blearily, as if he just awoke from a long nap. With another stabbing headache, Preston muttered some nonsense word, "Y-yar . . . rin . . ."

Then the third person stepped forward, and his form looked unstable. As if he slept for so long that he forgot how many fingers he was supposed to have, how long his arms and legs were supposed to be, and things of that nature. Preston was finding these stabbing headaches rather annoying. "Un-der-see-n . . ."

The final person stepped from the dissipating light was a human girl with rather serioua bedhead. But she made it work, somehow.

"D'aah!" Preston said as he clutched his head. "Ssssaaaahhhh . . . ffffffa. . . ."

But none of these names meant anything to him.

"You!" Queen Scarab said scathingly.

"You were expecting Percy Jackson and the Olympians?" Cloak said rhetorically.

"It makes little difference, RAFians!" Queen Scarab said, savagely.  "You didn't stop me last time, you won't now!"

[Cloak]

Now, the second chapter.

CHAPTER SIX:
Standoff

"Just try us," Saffa said, already growing to Tyrannopede stature and form. It wasn't much room for such a morph though, and Saffa seemed to reconsider this.

"You four failures failed your duty before," Queen Scarab said, hands lighting up with energy.

Cloak narrowed his eyes at this. The energy was Realm Walker, and easily recognized as such by another Walker. But the bichromatics, the physiology, of the energy was essentially Realm Walker fingerprints, Realm Walker "DNA", all rolled-up into one. And Cloak recognized this energy.

"Oh, I see what happened now." Cloak said. "Queen Scarab, I know you're secret."

"Do ya now?" she sneered, tossing a ball of energy which Cloak batted aside, without really thinking about it.

"Hey! Watch it!" Saffa snarled, momentarily human again.

"You're not Queen," Cloak said, addressing Queen Scarab, "not truly, not anymore."

"If that's not Queen, then who is it?" Underseen asked, his form stablizing, settling.

"Malice?" Yarin guessed.

"Yes," Cloak said, folding up his arms imperiously. "And no."

"Well," Saffa said, sardonically, morphing Psycholepteran, "that clears that up."

"My point is," Cloak said, looking deathly serious, "when I slayed Malice, clearly Queen unintentionally and unknowingly absorbed Malice's deux ex machina."

"Malice's what?"

"Malice's powers, shadows of Malice's personality, most if not all of her knowledge, all unified into one singularity, one energy orb." Cloak said.

Little did the five notice Preston inching to the exit. He prayed to continue to be unnoticed.

"So, Malice's ghost possessed Queen."

"Except I am Queen." Queen Scarab. "Or at least, I was. I am far beyond what I was five centuries ago."

"A deux ex machina contains no mind, no will of its own." Cloak lectured. "Although it is clear that it twisted Queen into this twisted malformed monstrocity before us"

Preston managed to slip out the door. Unnoticed, in fact.

Queen Scarab got angry, shouting, "STOP TALKING!!"

Then the clash began.

[Underseen]

I love these standalone books

[redtailedsaffa]

Especially the out-of-continuity ones.

[Cloak]

Glad you like it. I'll try to get a chapter up -- but do note, I am quite tired, so forgive the spelling and grammatical errors.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Overwhelmed

Saffa, as a Psycholeopteran, attempted to mesmerize Queen Scarab, but was smacked away. She promptly demorphed, deciding that this morph wasn't the one to use.

Yarin telekinetically threw several artifacts at Quuen Scarab, but she possessed irritatingly superhuman agility. Yarin also found some sort of cloud or foggy barrier that shielded the majority of her thoughts from him. All he got were the vaguest, nonsensical words in a disjointed, confusing manner.

Underseen tried the form of what can only be called an ultimate Panuncian. But Queen Scarab easily dodged his attacks, and Underseen quickly reconsidered this form. He hadn't much maneuverability in this rather cramped, self-contained space. Underseen simply stayed in his human form, unsure of which form to use in such a space. He can mimic their shape but not their powers or non-physiological attributes.

Cloak was the only one who had yet to attack. Cloak realized something rather important.

"Guys! Careful!" he shouted. "Limit the collateral damage!"

"There is more important --" Saffa began to argue.

"The building is not grounded!" Cloak cut across her. "We're hovering in the air!"

"Fools!" Queen Scarab laughed scornfully "It is 7013AD! You have no idea how things have changed, or how much power I've gained in the intervening time!"

***

It couldn't be true. Preston thought as he rode away on his hover bike. It can't be true.

He was just twelve! Yet they keep telling him that he knew he was not! He couldn't be the new incarnation or reincarnation of Richard! That was ludicrous! Laughable!

He had no special powers like that monster asserted. He was a regular kid with a mother, father, and a cat on the husky side. To think, earlier his only concern was with some stupid school project. He missed that.

"I never should have gone to the museum," he muttered. He felt like he was bearing the weight of the sky on his back.

It wasn't fair.

[redtailedsaffa]

Oh that's okay, I didn't actually find any errors - and even if there are I always correct them in the PDFs.

[Cloak]

How do you know when you really into this? When you dream of Saffa making PDFs and seeing the post in the dream.

Anyway -- I have more book ideas. I think I left off at #219.

• Book CCXX: "Brain Drain Pain" -- The RAFians must deal with the Brain Nudger.
• Book CCXXI: "Scare Bears" -- The RAFians must fend off teddy bears whose animatronic endostructures have been infiltrated by the Legion Virus.
• Book CCXXII: "Brain Sponge" -- The RAFians must face a vampire that feeds, not on blood, but intellect and knowledge.

I hope I haven't rehashed anything. I am currently planning the chapters of Book CCXX, #220.

CHAPTER EIGHT:
Power and Truths

"Mom! I'm home!" Preston said, entering the dark house, that lit up upon his presence. "Sorry, I'm late!"

He looked at the clock. He was way pass curfew, but yet his mother was not waiting up for him -- his dad was away, on business. This was quite unusual and atypical for her. Preston had expected to hear the riot act and be grounded.

Although, compared to what happened at the museum, that would be a minor inconvenience. Preston shook his head violently. That wasn't his problem.

"Mom?" he called out.

No answer.

"Mom, where are you?"

He was starting to get really worried and concerned. If not downright panicky and hysterical.

"Mom?! Mom, if you're here, answer me!"

No answer.

Surely those hysterics would have roused the most heavily-sleeping parent. Surely that would have made his mother come running. Preston expected her to, hoped she would.

No one came. There was no sign of struggle or murder. It was as if she simply never existed.

But that was impossible. If she didn't exist, then how could he exist?

***

Queen summoned her familiar, Sir Penns. He was one of Ssserpent's species, but unique in the fact that he could transform into a trident.

With this new lackey-slash-weapon, she steadily overpowered and overwhelmed the RAFians, as Cloak was expending most of his power just keeping the museum in one piece.

"At what point did we lose control here?" Saffa gasped.

"When that snake showed up, obviously." Yarin said drily.

"How're you holding up, Cloak?" Underseen asked.

Cloak said nothing, but glared at him.

"Ooookay, message received." Underseen.

"Any thoughts?" Saffa asked.

"Just one," Yarin said. Then he detailed his idea.

Then all four shouted, "By the power of RAF!"

All their colorations became cobalt blue with gold. Cloak looked like a gold knight with a cobalt blue cape. Yarin appeared to have gained paladin armor. Saffa and Underseen also gained armor, but theirs were more mercurial.

Queen Scarab was unimpressed.

[redtailedsaffa]

Damn, I would love to be able to draw this.

[Cloak]

I would love for someone to do that, Saffa.

Anyway -- new book idea:

• Book CCXXIII: "R-E-L-A-P-S-E" -- The Mutates relapse monstrously.

Who or what are the Mutates?  You know I can't tell you. 

CHAPTER NINE:
Vanishings and Strangers

"Stand down," Cloak said, low enough not to warrant the attention of the Revannohgander curator.

"Just because you go through a costume change, I'm supposed to be intimidated?" Queen sneered. "I'm not some lowly villain-of-the day from 'Power Rangers', fools! This will make little difference!"

"Then have at you!" Yarin declared verily.

The clash continued before Queen Scarab realized the real reason she was here. She glanced around, barely managing to keep her defense up -- when donning the armor, the Guardian RAFians' powers evolved. Saffa could morph directly to another form, without having to revert to her base form. Underseen found himself able to mimic the abilities of thw forms he mimicked. Yarin's telepathic and telekinetic ability were seriously Omega level. Cloak was the only one who showed no boost in power -- for he felt he was already powerful enough, he did not need more power. Did not earn such power.

"Drat," Queen Scarab cursed. "The brat has abandoned the museum."

"You still have us to contend with," Yarin warned.

"A minor inconvenience," Queen Scarab said, extricating three black, marble-sized balls from her garment. Then she smashed them to the ground, as she said, "Solved easily enough!"

"No!" Cloak shouted, sending a crescent of wind out, clearing the smoke easily. She was gone.

"Gateburst!" Cloak snarled, as their armor faded away as the energy to sustain them was now insufficient.

***

Preston saw a light coming from the sitting room, reserved for special occasions. He was hopeful.

"Mom?" he said in a small, quiet voice. But he saw a strange woman that at the same time familiar. She wore sa sunny sundress with a wide-brim hat with fancy gloves. She was sipping what appeared to be sun tea.

"Sorry, m'boy," she said in a lyrical, melodious sort of voice. "But no."

"Who are you?" Preston said, without preamble.

The woman was not offended, but appeared slightly disappointed.

"You still resist the truth, Richard?"

"Not this again!" he erupted. "I am not Richard! I'm not! My name is Preston, not Richard!"

The strange lady just sipped her tea serenely for a moment, then said, "Resist it all you want, but the fact of the matter is, Preston, you are Richard."

She sipped her tea again, emptying her cup.

"Or, at least, more to the point, you are what's left of him." she said placing her cup and saucer upon the table beside the chintzy, comfortable chair.

"I . . . I don't understand."

"Yes," the stranger nodded. "That's why I'm here."

[redtailedsaffa]

Ahh, so that's why you took the little Predators and Ultimates poll.

Queen's escape trick reminded me somehow of Persephone's pearls.

[Underseen]

I didn't post in that thread because Cloak is more creative than me. At decision made for my character is good if it's made by him.

[theyoungphoenix]

So... I'm popping in to say hi. And I was getting a list of all the books you have planned and totally just realized something:

Book CCIII: "Abby Gets Everlost" -- Abby is changed after an involuntary trip to a strange "zone".

I totally just figured out what this "zone" is. I can't believe I didn't see it before... *facepalm*

[Cloak]

The plant thing that Rachel turned into in that last book with David or a Polymorph's natural predator would do, I think, Underseen.

And Saffa, it was actually for another book.

LOL, Abby.

CHAPTER TEN:
Unwanted Revelations

"You should remember everything in time," the stranger said. "But, quite unfortunately, time is one luxury we cannot afford."

A stabbing pain ripped through Preston's brain. "You're . . . you're . . . Est . . . te . . . lore. . . ."

Then pain subsided.

"Very good," Esty said genially. "But you wouldn't suffer so much pain if you weren't desperately clinging to the Preston identity."

"I am Preston!"

"Then what's your surname?"

That a ridiculous question. It was . . . it was . . . uh . . . what was it?

"I admit illusion wasn't perfect, but Broken crafted it as best as his resources would allow." Estelore explained, regretfully. "But this Preston identity was created in an attempt to protect you from Queen Scarab until you were strong enough defend yourself."

"So," Preston saidscornfully, "what you're saying is everything I know to be true is a lie?"

"What other twelve-year-old do you know that speaks with such deliberation?"

"I'm not the only one who speaks like this!"

"True, perhaps I made a generalization." Esty said, thoughtfully. "Yes, being centuries-old would do that to you."

Preston held head, face grimaced with pain. "You . . . star, living star."

"I prefer 'sentient' star, actually," Esty said, partaking in a pastry from a plate Preston hadn't seen. "All stars live, but very few can think the simplest thoughts, let alone the complicated, higher thinking my kind possess."

Preston stood up again, looking thoroughly rumpled. "I just want to be a normal kid."

"Yet you were never an average joe," Esty countered. "Five thousand years ago, during a battle Queen Scarab -- her fusion with Malice's thingumajig had caused her normally benign darkness to flare into full-blown malevolent evil. Anyway, she managed to get close enough to siphon some of your being, your substance. The Mark was outside her reach."

"M-Mark," Preston said.

"If you'd just stop resisting, the pain would cease," Estelore said in a maternal sort if way.

[Cloak]

New chapter. Trying to make up for the lack one last night.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Too Much to Handle

Queen stalked outside a hovering cul-de-sac. She was sure that she had eluded the four dipstick RAFians. They were never as smart as they thought they were.

"That's far enough, Queen Scarab." came a toneless, unimpressed voice. "Your quest ends now."

Queen Scarab's face contorted with barely-suppressed rage. She was so close! She glared at their freshly-summoned armor and felt distinctly aggrieved.

<Fife thousand years passed, Queen,> Saffa said, in the form of a hyper-evolved Tyrannopede. Her morphing ability had evolved to the point where she can "go ultimate" with her morphs. The effect lasts for about twelve minutes or so. She could also morph directly to another form. <Five thousand years. One would think that your methods and strategies would have updated, y'know, a little.>

"You'll pay for that insult!" Queen Scarab snarled.

"Don't bother," Yarin said. "Your thoughts are not as hidden from me as you think."

Queen opened her mouth to speak, but then a light flared to life on each palm of the four Guardians. Queen's jibe was quickly forgotten, as she know what this meant.

"The boy still lives." she muttered.

"Not that you'll ever touch him again," Yarin said, aware of her thoughts.

***

"This can . . . can not be --"

"Richard," Estelore said, in a genially stern way, dropping the Preston identifier, "it is so. Denying it will service no one and do nothing but furthering endangering yourself. While I credit Broken with his mystical illusion, that's all it is, Richard. An illusion, a deception to allow you to survive and grow stronger from Queen Scarab's first attack. You are strong enough to remember the truth now, and refusing to acknowledge it just puts your life into further jeopardy."

"No." Preston said. "This is a fantasy, a psychosis. A nervous breakdown."

"It is not," Estelore said, standing now. "You know it to be a rationalization."

"N . . . no."

Esty ****ed her head slightly, as if examining him. Then she she stood up straight, and sighed, "In time then, Richard, in time. The walls of the memory block have been breached, you'll remember in time."

Preston turned to run away.

"I shall watch over you, from afar." the star avatar said. "I will be there if you get into dire dangers. Moreso than now."

Preston ran, but as he did a blue mark his palm began to glow and pulsate.

[redtailedsaffa]

Can't wait to see what happens next!