Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

Kinda of. I'm just waiting until a past book where I'll "break sequence". Dino will be happy, I think.

New book ideas!

• Book DCCCLVIII: "Knightly Germ Warefare" -- The Knights resort to germ warefare, claiming that their biological weapons are harmless against humans and Terran life.
• Book DCCCLIX:"Disregarded Ramifications" -- They were wrong.
• Book DCCCLX:"Dire Wraiths" -- The RAFians face Dire Wraiths.

Don't think I repeated anything. All titles subject to change.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER SIX:
Contemplation Complications

Cloak really couldn't deal with this much longer . . . there had to be a solution. The inly other thing that he could conceive of doing would basically be to  --

His attention was stolen by watching the others -- and his "burn silhouette" -- deal with the Rachel Toxin. Cloak absently wondered if there was any potential for the toxin to resurface, before he remembered that the Titan formula probably had it as its template, unless he was simply misremembering something. He remembered thst it was quite the ordeal. . . .

No, he must remain focusd on the task at hand. Maybe if he talked to a Chronian . . . but they seem rather prickish, as a species characteristic. Cloak was aware that this was a sweeping generalization and shameful conjecture, but he needed to be pragmatic. They surely wouldn't help, and they very well might not even care. . . .

Oh, the time where he lose his sight with the others. He wasn't affected by it again, but his "burn silhouette" double was. It was very strange viewing it in this third-person sort of view. It was like his life was becoming a Gateburstin' clip show.

Maybe if he asked the Chronosapiens, perhaps they'd help. Hopefully, this wouldn't be beyond their powers. But they may not be as helpful as Cloak hoped as they did engage in the Time War with the Chronians. Although, they may not remember that.

Everything seemed relatively peaceful, but Cloak remembered this was when they had to search for those kidnapped kids. And they found them in the lair of that preverted madman with the mind-controlling cards and unhealthy obsession with "Alice in Wonderland". Cloak would have rather forgotten him, as the mere thought of him rankled the Realm Walker. He stuttered to think what that guy would have done . . .

Cloak needed to focus here. He needed to figure a way to get back on track. Because if it didn't stop going backwards, so his friends would be unborn. That is, regress back into infanthood, and be . . . unbirthed. Then entire species would die off simply by being devolved. And that will keep going untill all life on this planet ceases. Then it presumably doing the same on other planets -- whose to say that this reverse time thing is only relegated to Earth? But that was all speculation and conjecture.

He looked around and noticed what appeared to Cerulean planting several bombs whose counters were counting up. Cloak could barely see him do it and he wonders if the reversing time was accelerating. He certainly hoped not.

That would prove to be disastrous.

[Cloak]

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Inner Conflict

Cloak couldn't think of any way around it. He would have to somehow go --

He blinked and realized that he was at the point of time when they had to deal with that Spirit-Drinker. And he nearly lost his mind with fury when he went after it. He still remembered what he felt about the Spirit-Drinker. He remembered wanting to kill it, he remembered that anger. Looking back now, it shamed him.

Focus. Cloak. Focus on the true problem.

He realized that this was the point that they were in Mojoworld for those stupid television shows. Which led him to wonder, was Mojoworld suffering this, too? If not, did the RAFians just . . . stop existing for the time period sent there? Cloak couldn't help himself from shuttering at the thought. Being killed is one thing, nonexistence is quite another. It was not a pleasant concept to consider.

Uh! Cloak furiously reminded himself that he should have been considering something else. Still the only being that could possibly help with this situation . . . but there were barriers to going about . . .

He was distracted when he noticed that this was the point they were fighting the progeny of Garrotik. That was an expansive mission. He had so many . . . all of them as deprived and heartless as their progenitor. They were savage battles . . . but they all wre -- were -- dead.

Cloak forcibly turned his mind to the situation at hand. It was hard, like being mesmerized by a new episode of a show that you really like. And Cloak had the problem of feline curosity to contend with, which he managed from time to time. He tried to think of the way around the obstacles that he perceived . . .

He watched as the whole Juggernaut thing happened in reverse. Presumably the Genosha thing was happening as well. . . .

He . . . he would have to break the rules. He woukd have to violate the rules set forth in --

He was immediately distracted by the realization of Garrotik having been reborn via the time reversal, and Cloak wondered if he was aware of the state of the universe at the moment. But if even Richard did not . . .

He really had to find a way to undo this, if he was mistaken. Last thing they needed would be Garrotik again, alive and healthy. . . .

[redtailedsaffa]

Seriously? That could happen?

[Cloak]

No. No, it is not. Cloak is allowing his nagging worries and apprehensive fears get the better of him on that one.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER EIGHT:
Indecision and Distractions

Granted, the chnaces of that happening were nil, at best. Hopefully, he wasn't mistaken. He had to be confident that the monster wouldn't reappear. Atter all, his progeny and Ruchard himself seemed unaware of it. . . .

Oh . . . huh . . . right. "RAFian Idol". Looking back, that seemed like nothing more than a distraction, but an entertaining one. However, listening to them in reverse, just hurt his ears. Just a series of annoying squeaks and squeals.

Cloak tried to pull his attention from the spectacle for reversing time. He had to get everything back to normal, and he was the only one with autonomy with time like this to do anything about it.

Behind Cloak the whole debacle with the Toyman was playing, but in reverse. Cloak wondered what his story was since his defeat at their hands. Hopefully, he got the help he needed. Hopefully, he didn't resist the help. Thing was, in situations of mental health, the one way for someone to get better is for that someone to want to get better, otherwise it would be a moot effort.

Back to the problem at hand, Cloak didn't know if breaking the treaty -- again -- would be wise. But it might be the only way . . .

Oh, right. The corroder gun. Gaz still harbored a deep hatred and resentment towards Rusty, despite knowing that he was off his meds. Such feelings don't go away immediately, and have a stubborn habit of lingering when they should have been resolved. Cloak knew this . . . firsthand.

Cloak thought about the problem at hand again, and wondered if he was even still alive. He may very well be the only one that could help in this situation. The question was . . .

He was distracted by the gremlins running rampant around. Then he remembered that event, and found himself not being too terribly fond of them. And he remembered Rotiart's irresponsibility, which, considering knowing his eventual fate, showed this in a new, somber light.

Focus, Cloak!!

Oh, no. Not the Gateburstin' Polarisoid. Cloak found himself not liking their culture of basically stealing their vacationing spots and take them back to their homeworld. He considered that little more than kidnapping and theft, though, as an outsider himself, he probably did not have a right, himself, to be so judgemental.

Cloak couldn't allow himself to continue to get distracted by this glorified clip show. But it was difficult. Very difficult.

[Cloak]

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER NINE:
A Ticking Clock

Very difficult, indeed. But Cloak had to strive --

Oh, this was when they fought Regiflora, before they knew he was the progency of Garrotik. Before they knew the dangerous monster that was Garrotik. It was odd, knowing this now, but watching the RAFians and his "burn silhouette" ignorant in this fact, fighting him. Granted, it was backwards, but the point still stands.

Gah! Cloak! You need to focus on the task at ha--

Oh, yes. The Seekers. What a bunch of lovely tinheads they were. Even with their superior numbers, they could squash RAF and the RAFians. It was kind of pathetic on their part, but it wasn't their fault. Perhaps if Malice allowed a bit more autonomy in them . . . but Malice was ever the control freak. . . .

Which made him wonder again, what was Malice doing during this? She was just as immune to its effects as he was. She had to have notice by now.

Oh, that ectoplasmer thing. Cloak couldn't remember the proper name of it. It was one the less memorable missions. Well, not for the four RAFians who became geist wraiths, obviously, but there was so much that had happened since.

No. No! Cloak berated himself. Why was he being distracted so easily? Was his feline inclinations? His feline curiosity had always been something that he tried to master . . .

Oh no. The Xenophage. That he remembered easily. A terrifying creature with no morals, no qualms. All it desired was to seek out its favorite foodstuff -- symbiotes -- but wouldn't hesitate to eat human children. A horrible, shapeshifting creature. . .

Cloak, he berated himself again, this isn't helping. He was just allowing the time flow backward. It would be just a mstter of time before his "burn silhouette" stopped appearing altogether.

Oh, wait a moment . . . that wasn't his "burn silhouette". It was much too small, and he didn't have two. It wasn't Malice but a distant relative. Corruption. He wasn't here, obviously, becaue he was dead. He was beyond the Veil. But the thought of Corruption caused Cloak's ichor to boil. He remembered what happened when his touch reversed his personality. The mere remembrance of it incensed him.

No. No, Cloak, he scolded himself, do not get sidetracked from your goal. You know what you must do.

[Cloak]

New chapter. Sorry about the brevity.
 

CHAPTER TEN:
Time Trickling Down

He know what had to be done . . . but did not know any means to achieve it. He would have to leave the --

Huh, what was . . . oh. The Dinosaur Island incident. He nearly forgot about that incident. Which was kinda of funny, considering the widespread dino-ification. It was actually a testament to the weird sort of missions that RAFians are involved with to forget such a thing that would tend to stick out in the memories of the average joe.

But then came the unusual calm for a couple of weeks. Cloak thought he watched some show about capturing and summoning cards, but he didn't remember the name. It was quite rare for them to have downtime like this. Very rare indeed.

Huh? Oh, right. The means to end this major time anomaly. To fix this, he needed to travel toward . . . toward . . .

Oh . . . the Bucky business. Cloak thought there was a sentient or possessed ventriloquist doll involved as well. He thought about that. Yep. A RAFian's life is a weird one, without a question.

Wait . . . he needed to travel to . . . to . . .

This didn't make sense. What was happening? Time seemed to be flowing slower, but still faster than it should be. And in reverse. Wha . . . wait. The Merging. They had just blasted through that as if they were a car on a dirt road. It smoothed out, and time still moved quickly, but a bit slower and somewhat more stable than before.

Yet Cloak seemed to a bit addled, and he struggled to collect his thoughts together. He needed to stop this. He needed to get to . . .

Cloak blinked it was very strange to see himself in Prodigy. Or was that Composite? Eh, didn't matter. He didn't remember his time in that fused form. He may have, when he was split from . . . whoever, but those memories faded as memories tend to do at times.

He couldn't keep allowing himself to get distracted like this. Though he had to admit, it felt.more like he was stalling, as if he were waiting for a particular event. . . .

[redtailedsaffa]

Where is Aila?

[Cloak]

She wouldn't do anymore than Aquilai. Cloak is only immune because of his Realm Walker physiology.

New chapter.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Stalling

Yes, he was waiting for a particular event. It could be considered reckless and possibly futile but it was necessary. It was the only way he could see to get the help that he needed. It was the only way to talk to him.

Oh, right. The whole SAL SOMNUS thing. The guy wasn't really all that threatening. If anything he was funny, as he thought demonic penguins were frightening. And the funniest thing, was that it was legitimate in that it believed that.

Not the event he was waiting for.

And this was the mnemorator thing. The Memory Thieves. Cloak found himself not liking the creatures, though they were effectively harmless as it took a powerful amount of will to motivate them to do anything.

Still not the proper event that Cloak was looking for.

Hmmm . . . oh, yes. Skinwalker. That was a creepy case. A guy able to steal the skin of another via some sort of black magic, wear the skin as if it was on its original and rightful form. Somehow he could also mimic their voice, but not their memories. Cloak shuttered as he wondered what would have happened if Skinwalker had employed a Mnemoraptor. . . . Hopefully, they would never have to find out.

But not the event that Cloak was waiting for.

And the Arachnoids. The Arachnoids from Venoxica. . . . Cloak remembered not being fond of them, especially the males. Cloak was never fond of scorpions, and male Arachnoids greatly resembled one.

Thankfully, it wasn't the event he was looking for.

Oh. The Eidolon Consciousness. Cloak felt a stab of guilt of how fanatical he was to get rid of them. Granted, in the end they were actively stealing the bodies of celebrities, but it didn't make his action any more in the right. He did not know why he was so certain that they all had to die . . . they weren't like quantum lichen.

It wasn't the event he was waiting for, in any case. He was waiting for the event, to meet with someone none of the other RAFians had met. . . .

[redtailedsaffa]

HOLD ON. I was copy pasting the chapters to the doc for making the PDF, and I didn't notice this then but I noticed it now when doing the spellcheck:

In Chapter Three

Cloak just had time enough to think, Oh, wonderful, before witnessing Aquilai regenerate into the Second Aquilai. Had to be some sort of record. Usually he'd be Seventh or Eighth Aquilai before year's end, had his clock not fundamentally been reset during the whole youth thing.

There something wrong, though. Cloak could feel it to his core.

This wasn't helped when he saw Aquilai degenerate back into the First Aquilai.

I've been keeping track of both Aquilai's and Aila's regenerations, like any good Doctor Who fan would, and as far as I know, this is when their regenerations last happened:

Aquilai
First - Book 1-6
Second - Book 6-16
Third - Book 16-46
Fourth - Book 46-

Aila
First - Book 1-6
Second - Book 6-46

where by "First" I mean first appearance of Aquilai/Aila in Memoirs therefore counting as the first known incarnation of that Time Lord.

So technically, (since a regeneration is so significant it would definitely take up at least one to two chapters and someone would notice) Aquilai was the Fourth Aquilai before the mishap with the TARDIS occurred - that's going by my calculations, which may have eroded over time with the sheer number of books - so am I missing something or was that a CFSU for Chapter Three? And did any new regenerations happen lately for either of them? My memory has a, well, weathering tendency. Alzheimer's running in the blood, pretty scary. But I like keeping track of these things.

[Cloak]

Cloak was exaggerating about the Seventh or Eighth Aquilai.

And remember, in "Sins of Youth" (Book 59), he regressed back to the First Aquilai. And he was the First Aquilai, even when he aged up, from that point on.

But, honestly, I'm glad you remembered, since I don't have Aquilai himself to keep track. Because, yes, I do forget.

New chapter. Sorry about the brevity. Heck, this book might only last fifteen chapters if I can't find a way to stretch it without it being too much filler . . .

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Getting Closer

He need to talk to . . . to the . . . to . . .

Hmmm . . . oh, yes. Back when the rest of the RAFians were reduced to five-year-olds, and Aquilai and Aila's regeneration cycle thing reset back to their first incarnations.* He was soon back to the Fourth Aquilai and the Second Aila again. It was very strange how this temporal reversal was working.

Still not the event he was waiting for. He just hoped that he wasn't mistaken about it.

Oh, he remembered this case, this mission. How could he not? A Plasmavore is not something to forget. He remembered tailling it . . . which was very odd to see in reverse, though it was his "burn silhouette" doing it.

Yet again, not what he was waiting for.

Cloak watched as time actually seemed to slow to normal proportions, only backward. Then it seemed to white out suddenly. Everything seemed to vanish, as Cloak was standing a void with the "burn silhouettes" of him and his niece.

Then there he was. The person that very well might be the solution to all this mess. He wasn't human, of course. No human had the powers or technology to overturn this, not that he knew of, anyway.

"Mr. Cloak?" he said, apparently possessing the same knowledge what happened since six or seven months ago. "What has happened? Why has the universe been destroyed once more?"

"There is a lot to go over my friend," Cloak said. He smiled warmly at his Celestialsapien fellow. "Anomaly."


*Yes, that's exactly where we are in going backwards through the books. It was just a coincidence that you brought that up when you did.

[redtailedsaffa]

Wait. Who's Anomaly again?

[Cloak]

Oh, you'll probably remember him from this chapter.

New chapter.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Anomaly

Anomaly appeared to be impassive, but all Celestialsapien appeared to be impassive. But was mostly due to their dual personalities conflicting with each other. It was a check to their impressive power.

Celestialsapiens are silhouette-like humanoids that can range from any size. Their bodies are black with white outlines and have white star-like dots scattered inside them. Their heads can possess either a black flaming tip with stars inside, two long horns on the sides of their head, or three trident-like horns on their forehead. Their face only consists of white pupil-less eyes, but occasionally they can sport facial hair colored the same as their bodies such as a beard. Also Celestialsapiens tend to have a rather large size.

They are able to manipulate very fabric of the universe -- but their powers cannot exceed beyind their realm or even reach into the Void Space. They are more powerful than a star in the fact that can manipulate reality, but they are not infallible. No being truly is infallible.

They prefer to sequester themselves within what they call the Forge of Creation, rather than mess about in the "petty goings-on" in the universe at large, so it wouldn't be any surprise that they didn't know about the time reversal and the fact that, if at least one Celestial doesn't do something, time itself with flow into nothingness. The universe would go poof.

Anomaly was different, though. He only possessed a single personality, never having developed a secondary one. That's why he decided to call himself Anomaly, and why he seemed so timid and formal, he was a outcast. Or maybe he lived a lonely life considering not many Celestialsapiens can even move unless both personalities agree upon it.

"Talk about what, precisely, Mr. Cloak?" Anomaly said, in his usual respectful manner.

"There was an accident," Cloak said, at once.

"The Time War?" he asked.

"No, no, nothing like that," Cloak said. "Well, okay maybe a little."

"How so, Mr. Cloak?"

"There was an alien -- I think it's called a Planchakule -- that broke into the forum, it broke a friend's TARDIS," Cloak said, attempting to explain the situation. "It seemed just cosmetic at first. But then there was an overinflux of temporal energy. Then there was a massive blast of temporal energy."

"Sound dangerous, Mr. Cloak," Anomaly said, differentially.

"It caused time to flow backward," Cloak said, in agreement. "Back to this point."

"I see," Anomaly said, respectfully.

"So, that's where you come in," Cloak said.

[redtailedsaffa]

Ah. Now I remember him.

[Cloak]

Good, good.

New chapter.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
A Bump in the Road

Anomaly had expected this to come up. He looked rather uncomfortable about it, as he looked rather sheepishly timid.

"Forgive me if I've misunderstood your request, Mr. Cloak," he said, "but you want me to fix this?"

"It is within your power, right?"

"It . . . I . . ." he said. It was rather strange to see a creature with this much power look so vulnerable. Cloak saw himself in Anomaly. "I . . . dunno . . ."

"Did you get in trouble with whatever the Celestialsapien form of government is?" Cloak asked. "For remaking the universe last time?"

The time flow wasn't a problem here. Time wasn't flowing at all. It was at a complete standstill. Nothing but white void, which Cloak assumed to be the outskirts of the realm core. What the Celestialsapiens called the Forge of Creation.

Anomaly did say anything, but looked rather sheepish and shy.

"What?" Cloak asked, at one. "What happened?"

He looked hesitant to say anything.

"Anomaly, just be honest with me," he said. "That's all I ask."

"I . . . I didn't get in trouble, Mr. Cloak," he admitted. He was fully matured, but he was deferring to Cloak as if he were an authority figure. Cloak wasn't too sure that he liked it very much. "It's . . . it's just . . ."

"You're afraid of being caught," Cloak said, knowingly.

Anomaly sighed heavily, "Yes."

"Especially because Realm Walkers, like me, are not allowed in the Forge of Creation." Cloak said, opting to use the Celestialsapien term. "Because of that treaty. Which one could argue that I am already violating, by just floating here."

This, shockingly, did nothing to alleviate Anomaly's concerns.

"The universe has been destroyed. Again. It could be hardly your fault, Anomaly," Cloak reasoned. "If you recreated it as it was, you would be technically upholding the terms of the treaty."

"That doesn't make any sense, Friend Cloak," he said.

"Perhaps not," Cloak said, "but there is a loophole in that treaty somewhere that we could exploit to keep you out of any trouble. First Light knows that politicians do it all the time."

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Assuaging Anomaly's Anxieties

Anomaly didn't look convinced.

"Look, Anomaly, you are not a bad guy," Cloak said. "But the universe has basically collapsed in upon itself once again. This is a . . . a . . . unusual circumstance."

"Twice within a span of two years, Friend Cloak," Anomaly said. "Once might be overlooked. Twice? That's . . . that's a bit stickier."

"They can't really fault you for recreating the universe after such a cataclysm, right?"

Cloak immediately realized that wasn't true when he remembered that, in another realm, the Celeetialsapiens in that realm to another to court for precisely the same reason. But then again, he was only punished by having to pay several pieces of Taedenite, their currency he assumed.

Anomwly didn't answer, but Cloak could sense the uncertainty in him. And, again, Cloak saw himself in the timid Celestialsapien. And he also felt a pang of guilt. He was manipulating Anomaly. He was manipulating him in a way not too unlike the way Malice manipulates others to her own selfish ends, not too different from the way that his mother manipulated him. Was he really any better than them for it?

"What is it, Friend Cloak?" Anomaly said, having noticed Cloak's repentant, regretful body language.

Cloak sighed. He had allowed his.problems to motivate him to try and manipulate an innocent soul. He was ashamed to admit that, even to himself.

"Friend Cloak?" Anomaly prompted.

A little over half a year -- er, five years, in Dweller Earth time -- he had spent with the RAFians, and now . . . now he wondered if really had learned anything.

"Are you alright? Friend Cloak?" he said.

"Sorry, Anomaly," Cloak said. "I've been selfish . . ."

"What?"

"I had concerned myself with my problems only, and only did not lend yours the respect and credence it deserved. I'm sorry." Cloak said. "Sorry that I was being selfish."

Cloak could not discern Anomaly's disposition from his inscrutable face.