Memoirs of a RAFian

[redtailedsaffa]

Time to split up.

[Cloak]

Not quite.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Honeyed and Instincts

Malice was holding the green bottle, stoppered with a wax seal, which she touted as the cure to the lithomorphogenic agents in the rock ifrit's venom. Cloak didn't believe it, as his narrowed eyes and scowl. It was just too easy, but they were wasting time. He didn't know how long it would take for someone of Raevyn's body mass to be transfigured into stone.

Just then, something mottled brown and green streaked toward the bottle which was being held loosely, at Malice's side now, as she knelt. She was gearing up to smash it again, apparently secretly enjoying the theatrics of this.

She didn't expect firm jaws to close around the bottle and, by merit of sheer momentum, wrest it from her clutches.

"GH, I told you no!" Cloak protested.

Leatherhead, with the bottle precariously in his mouth, somehow begain to tottle over to GH. But it was clear that he didn't have a very good grip, and the bottle was threatening to be dropped. Malice made wild snatching motion at Leatherhead, only managing to get him to drop the bottle, which was quickly caught up by Saffa. Malice nearly had captured the tiny former petsuchos thricebut he managed to slip away at the last moment, before rejoining GH. On the fourth attempt, Cloak had to blast Malice in the face with scarlet gold energy.

Malice was outraged, but Walked away.

"Nice going, LH!" GH said, proudly. Leatherhead seemed to swell with pride as well.

"GH, if we weren't pressed for time," Cloak growled.

"Hey, he saved the day!" he protested.

"And he could have quite easily have been captured by Malice! If she did, you better have hoped that she would have killed him, because we all know just what she was capable of. She would have experimented on him, and turned him into something you wouldn't even recognize! Leatherhead can't escape as easily as Laserbeak can. And half the time, Gaz tries to leave him home."

"Cloak," Saffa said, derailing his tirade, "I don't think this is a cure. More like honeyed saltwater."

"Not too surprising, I'm afraid." he replied. "But, keep it, just in case in the off-chance that Malice was being truthful."

Then he sensed something.

"Oh, what now?" he muttered.

***

As the rockification continued to encapsulate her chest, leaving only her head, neck, and wings organic, Raevyn fluttered away from her hiding spot. She did so in a mindless, unfocused way. She was so deep in her own head, in her own problems, that she was losing awareness of her surroundings.

This was never a good idea. But especially in Raevyn's case . . . as she was attracting the attention of the Rock Biter. . . .

[guitarhero01234]

Honestly, I'm amazed I managed to keep Leatherhead hidden that whole time. What, was I keeping him under my shirt or something?

[Cloak]

He hid away inside your guitar. You didn't extend that whole "no-touchy the guitar" rule to him.

New chapter. Sorry about the brevity.
 

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Tasty Morsel . . .

Raevyn continued to flutter about aimlessly, oblivious to the present danger with her basically, and unintentionally, flaunting her newly stony body. The fact that she was still managing to keep herself aloft spoke volumes about her sheer endurance and stamina. Her wings began to strain against the weight, but she found that she didn't care.

She ignored the screaming muscles in her wings. She wouldn't feel it soon enough she knew, her fate sealed, her doom certain, her hope evaporated. Hopelessness is a horrible thing to feel, resignation to an inevitable fate. But it is when it's mixed with despair and depression when it becomes a potent, self-destructive ****tail that is a danger in its own right.

She was unaware of the presence or existence of the Rock-Biter. Even if she was, there was a chance that she might very well hasten her her own end. But that is what that viciously venomous ****tail of depression, despair, and hopelessness ultimately culminates to. Suicidal tendencies.

By a unique series of circumstances, Raevyn was conveniently approaching the ruins of old RAF, the location of the first site, before they achieved their modern status quo as monster hunters and general, all-around superheroes. It was before Raevyn's time, but she did not care or acknowledge this as she executed a standard glide.

She was finding herself even more mired in the quicksand that was depression, and, as such, she wasn't really paying attention where she was going. Or the fact that the Rock Biter was lumbering after her, following her. Pursuing her. Why? Clearly there were plenty of more filling meals for it to feast upon. Well, if a tyrannosaur can choose to eat a person over a freshly slain sauropod . . .*

Raevyn was gliding low over the ground, when her right wing turned to stone, and her flightplan deteriorated quickly and collapsed. She was effectively helpless now as she managed to pull herself into the threshold of a nearby building. But it was a rather halfhearted attempt. Only her left wing, neck, and head were non-stone now.

This did nothing to help her self-esteem.


*Yes, that's a swipe at Megamorphs 2.

[Cloak]

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Curative Creativity

"That's no good," Goom said, "it just turned pink and gummy."

"Acknowledged," Yarin said, trying another concoction before deciding, "nope, that turns it red with acid burns. Not desirable at all."

"And this one just turns it blue and a semi-solid state," Goom said.

"This one just turns it purple and slimy," Yarin noted.

Goom gave acknowledging nod, then indicated another potion, "And this orange one just multiplies the appendages it touches."

"The yellow one just makes it stink to high heaven," Yarin commented.

"The green one solidified, so it's useless," Goom said.

"Uh, guys?" Aquilai piped up, after noticing the numerous samples and concoctions.

"Yes?"

"What?"

"You do know the formula was in the database, right?"

Silence.

"You did check first, right?"

A churlish silence elapsed.

"Okay, you didn't," Aquilai sighed. "C'mon, guys, let's stop playing around."

"We weren't playing around," Yarin protested.

"You don't want to be barred lab access, do you?" Aquilai cautioned. "Like Demos?"

"I wasn't making fiends!" the Nyac protested further. "I would never --"

"Make a mass-increasing microwave?" Aquilai asked.

"FOOD YIELD INCREASER!!!" Yarin practically shrieked. He was very defensive about his microwave. "And that mass increase was a fluke!"

"To be fair," Goom said, "at least, it wasn't like that incident with the bathtub of hot coffee."

"True," Aquilai conceded. " I still don't know how GH survived that."

The cure was done, suddenly. Yarin remarked, "Wow. That was quick."

"It looks like saltwater with honey in it," Goom said, analytically. "Are you sure about this being the cure?"

"That's what has in the database," Aquilai said. Then they tested on the last sample subjected to the bath oil. It worked.

"Well, that was surprising," Goom said.

But Aquilai was calling for Cerulean.

[guitarhero01234]

The FYI and bathtub have been mentioned in the same chapter. It was fate.

[Cloak]

Which gives me pause to wonder if there's enough material to give "Memoirs" its very own wiki.

. . .

Nah. That would be presumptuous, I think. Or possibly pretentious.

Anyway, new chapter tomorrow.

[guitarhero01234]

I've considered making a TVTropes page, but nobody would see it.

[Cloak]

Eh, probably should wait until Year 9 anyway.

Just curious, to loyal readers of "Memoirs", which is your favorite book?

New book ideas.

• Book DCCCXLV: "Judge, Jury, and Executioner" -- The RAFians must deal with the Ethereal, who will judge RAF as worthy or destroy it.
• Book DCCCXLVI: "Skeleton Sucker" -- The RAFians must deal with a creature that can suck the skeleton out of a creature with an endoskeleton.

Titles are subject to change.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Discovery

Raevyn only flapped down and watched. Watched as the Stone Biter approached closer and closer with its slow lumbering gait. Watched as it began to lower its head toward her rather conspicuous hiding place, as if it were a glutton on the lookout for a stray M&M or Skittle that was lost between the folds of a couch.

Then it stopped, and stood up, rather jerkily.

"I truly am sorry, Mr. Rock Biter," a voice said, as a cloaked figure stepped into view. "I do not want to do this to you, but I cannot allow you snack on our comrade."

Cloak did not like doing this, and its correlation to mechbending didn't make it all the much better, either. But Cloak had to manipulate the being's craggy body away from Raevyn, though Cloak wished that there was another way.

"I know that you're a gentle soul, and do not mean us or anyone harm," Cloak continued, placidly, placatingly. Apologetically. "I know that this is not your world, your realm. I know you feel out of place here, but I will return you to your rightful place."

GH (with Leatherhead riding inside his guitar), Saffa, Demos, Faerie, and Mithril swarmed into the old forum site. Raevyn was here, Cloak assured them. But the Rock Biter was occupying his time, and he couldn't give them directions to the poor little birdy.

"The old forum," Faerie said, an unusual tone of reverent awe in her voice. "Where it all started."

"Were you here before?" GH asked, as Leatherhead chirped. "When it all happened?"

Faerie shook her head, "Before my time."

"It was before all of our times," Demos said, brusquely. He had momentarily managed to, surprisingly enough, suppress his demonic nature, which would have revelled in this situation, which afforded him some clarity of thought. "We have to find Raevyn. She doesn't have much time now."

It was always a struggle for him, reconciling his his demonic inclinations, just like how Cloak struggled to reconcile his emotions. But whereas Cloak feared his emotions, the extremes that they could go, Demos had to deal with the demonic sense of ambivalence during times of crisis.

"Well, then," Saffa said. "Let's get started."

[Cloak]

New chapter. Sorry about the brevity.
 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Cerulean's Gotta Go Fast

"Here is the cure," Aquilai said. "Find the others. Find them before

Cerulean nodded as Aquilai handed him the cure.

Go-go-go-go-go-go-go!
Gotta go fast!
Gotta go fast!
Gotta go fast!
Gotta go faster, faster, faster, faster, faster!
Movin' the speed of sound.
Quickest RAFian around.
Got ourselves a situation.
Stuck in an old location.
With a satisfactory explanation.
No time for relaxation!
Go-go-go-go-go-go-go!
Don't think! Don't blink!
Go go g-g-g-g-go!
Go go g-g-g-g-go!
Cerulean, he's on the run.
Cerulean, he's number one.
Cerulean -- he's getting a text!
So watch out for Cure X!
Gotta go fast! (Cerulean!)
Gotta go fast! (Cerulean!)
Gotta go fast! (Cerulean!)
Gotta go faster, faster, faster, faster, faster!
Go go go g-g-g-g-go!
Go go go g-g-g-g-go!
Cure . . . X!

Cerulean speed through to the location on the text, as apparently, the signal from the others communicators were down, or scrambled, briefly. He eventually found them in the ruins of old RAF.

He delivered the cure, and saw that the Rock Biter was being Walked back to its native Realm by Cloak. It looked exhausting for the Realm Walker.

[redtailedsaffa]

Goddamnit. The number of times that song has appeared in crack videos of running scenes from Marvel movies... means it got stuck in my head.

Favorite book? Has to be The First Master. Couple of darker ones would come second.

[Cloak]

Ah, yes. I remember you mentioned the First Master as your favorite before, Saffa.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Walking the Rock Biter

Cloak had never done anything like it. He had never even considered Walking with a creature the size of the Rock Biter before. It was like pulling a full-loaded minivan as an average human, very difficult. Exceedingly difficult.

Cloak had also worried. Worried if by doing so may have caused some kind of rupture within the realm. Whether it was in the timeline cuticle, the realm cuticle, the material world, Everlost, the ghost zone, Ledgerdomain, the void space, or whatever, he was sure. He was certain that the realm core, the place where the Celestialsapiens dwell, was perfectly fine, he was sure.

Things would have to be of the uptmost seriousness for the realm core to be threatened, as without that, the realm would have no foundation. The realm would lose its support, and, in theory, become unWalkable. And, again, in theory, it would essentially trap the Realm Walkers would were currently in the realm, or tok up residence. It wouldn't take long for reality itself to dtart to unravel. But fortunately, it's practically impossible to destroy or damage the realm core, not to mention it has the Celestialsapiens protecting it, as it is not only their dwelling place, but also their birthplace.

All this was on Cloak's mind as he briefly brought, the Rock Biter to the Nexus before diving into the next realm, hoping it was the right one. Shadow was always better at navigating the realms than he was. He could find the Prime Universe reasonably okay, but he was only vaguely aware of the Rock Biter's home realm.

He hoped that he would be lucky. But even if he wasn't, he wouldn't rest until he could return this gentle giant back to his rightful realm. The pacifist lithovore deserved at least that much respect and dignity. No matter how exhausting it was for Cloak. He ignored his exhaustion, trying to do right.

Fortunately, he Walked into the right realm. He had returned the Rock-Chewer to his rightful realm. Suddenly, he realized just hiw and why it was so easy to pry the cure from Malice's hand. She was as exhausted as he was now. That bottle . . . could it be the actual cure, and not some misdirection or outright lie of Malice's?

***

Raevyn just laid there, resigned to her fate. Her neck had just transformed into stone. She wished for it to be over already. She was finding that this slow, gradual descent into nonexistence and nonbeing rather grating and excruciating, in a way.

Soon her head would become stone. Then her beak would follow. Then last would be her eyes. Her soul -- or whatever the culmination of her being was -- would linger for a time before dissipating, like a fire that had burned itself out.

She heard something.

"I don't think we should use Malice's concoction, though," a voice said.

Who was that?

Who cared? It didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

"They look the same, though," came another voice.

Meaningless.

"Yeah, so does vodka and water, but it doesn't mean they're same," came a third voice.

Whatever. In the grand scheme of things, it did not matter much. It was pointless. Everything was pointless. Why struggle? Why waste the energy?

[Cloak]

[spoiler=Sorry -- Hafta Indulge Myself]

Did you ever hear
Of that terrible year,
Way back befor Dpsb was RAFborne?
When Cloak took a holiday?
On the night before RAFmas morn?
It was a year without Memoirs.
A RAFmas Eve so sad.
It was a year without Memoirs.
The worst we ever had.
Cloak woke up one day,
Looking tuckered and gray,
And this is what he said.
"I could sure use some rest,
I’m not feeling my best."
And he yawned as he took to his bed.
There’ll be a year without Memoirs.
"I’m sure they won’t miss me."
There’ll be a year without Memoirs.
Next to our RAFmas tree.
He slept through the day,
As the hours ticked away,
And the time was drawing near.
And the RAFians, they cried,
They thought Cloak had died.
Every eye shed a blue RAFmas tear.
It was a year without Memoirs.
A RAFmas Eve so sad.
It was a year without Memoirs.
The worse we’ve ever had.

[/spoiler]

New chapter. Sorry about the brevity.
 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Eye on the Birdy

Raevyn was oblivious of her fellow RAFians' efforts. She was just resigned to her fate, her future as being nothing but an overgrown paperweight. The thought was quite bitter, but that was to be expected. Raevyn saw no way out of her situation. She believed that it was incurable, and some beliefs are difficult to break, even if they haven't any basis in fact.

She felt a creeping lack of sensation in her head and face. She did not need to be told. She knew what was happening. Her head and face were becoming stone. She couldn't feel anything at all except from her eyes and beak. She didn't react. She had gone pass the point of caring. She knew that this would happen, so she just let it. She did not resist. She did try to impede its progress.

Then again, there was very little that she could do in her position, in this circumstance. She had no articulation in her body other than her eyes and beak. Her vocal cords were stone now,so she could not speak. It was a wonder that she was even alive, all her internal organs, save her eyeballs andd tongue, were stone now. She no longer had a heart that beat, a stomach that grumbled, lungs with which to breath. Even her brain now was stone. This made no physical sense, as she should have been dead ages ago from a medical standpoint.

This did not improve her mood.

There she sat, an impassive slate-gray statue with living eyes and beak. There she sat, as she waited impatiently for nonexistence. If she could find solace in one thing -- and there wasn't much that she could find solace in -- was that they would have her stone body as a reminder to never be so hasty and trusting in gifts from strangers. Her foolishness could be used as a teaching experience.

Has that what it has come down to? All her life, her experiences? Her joys, her sadnesses? Her fears, angers, and disgusts? Her . . . everything? Just so she could serve as skme bizarre visual aid against making rash decisions?

First Avery Ice disappears, the Rotiart dies, and now . . . now she'll be some statuary relic of her former self. Is every RAFian going to be offed in some way, one-by-one? Until none survive?

She could not stop her mind from pursuing these negative thoughts like a kitten with a ball of yarn. She felt hard press to feel anything, and not just because she had a body of stone, solid stone. She felt lazily ambivalent and indifferent to everything. She was founding herself just wishing that it would hurry up and finish the job.

"She's over here!" a voice nearby called.

Raevyn found herself thinking, So what?

[redtailedsaffa]

Well, the carol's not entirely wrong.

And since when did you start popping up in chat?

Yeah, I stalk the history. I stalk a lot of things.

[Cloak]

Since last night.