Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY:
The Music of Laughter

Cloak's dour mood the next day did not go unnoticed by GH. He decided that the Realm Walker needed to cheer up. He played his guitar and sang to Cloak:

"Cloaky, I'm so confused.
I tell a joke, you're not amused!
Given the choice I know you'll choose
The music of laughter!
All the creatures in RAF, you see,
Beast by beast, they all agree.
'Tis no sweeter harmony
Than the music of laughter!
'Coz the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
Only make the joy come faster!
'Coz the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
'Tis a phrase any RAFian can muster
That's the music of laughter!
Like the pounding forum beat,
It's the common language we speak!
'Tis that rhythm that makes life complete!
The music of laughter!
Stop the quiet, undue peace,
This serious stuff shall now cease!
With the wonderful release
Of the music of laughter!
Cos the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
Only make the joy come faster!
Cos the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
'Tis a phrase any RAFian can muster.
Oh, the music of laughter!
'Coz the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
Only make the joy come faster!
'Coz the giggle and the chuckle and the ha-ha-ha!
'Tis a phrase any RAFian can muster.
That's the music of laughter!
Once it's found you,
It's around you,
Sticks to flounder all around you.
The music of laughter!
Like the pounding forum beat,
It's the common language we speak.
'Tis the rhythm that makes life complete.
The music of laughter!"

But Cloak had moodily retreated to his thread with nary a word or smile. It would be something that he would have to work out himself.

*Song Source: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=auWDphiRY80

[Cloak]

New chapter.

BOOK CXXIX:
THE COLOR PURPLE, MAN!
CHAPTER ONE:
Deep Sadness

"You are worthless, you are worthless, and don't forget!" a representation of Ursa was saying to Cloak, "You are worthless!"

Cloak shut his eyes and turned away.

"You are useless, you are useless, and don't forget!" she said again. "You are useless!"

Cloak braced himself upon a low wall, whose very existence was for this express purpose. He thought that Blue had it easy battling a Methanosian DNAlien.

"You are are valueless, you are valueless, and don't forget," she said. "You are valueless!"

Granted this didn't happen in such a blunt manner in real life, in real time. But it was essentially the message that she sent to him for so many years . . .

"You are stupid! You are stupid! And don't forget -- you are stupid!" she said again, sounding rather childish.

"You are a loser, you are a loser, and don't forget," she said again, "you are a loser!"

"Enough," Cloak said, swiping a hand, his rarely-used claws extended, through the image of his mother. "Enough . . ."

"Cloak, you must rise above this mire." Aniyu said. "It's the only way to clear the blockage of your energy, of your power."

"I KNOW THAT!!" Cloak snapped. He still had tears in his eyes. "Don't you think that I know that?"

Aniyu said nothing, but she wasn't affronted or anything. She just took this outburst in stride.

"I know . . ." Cloak said, a bit stilted and weak.

"It's was never going to be easy, Cloak," the fellow Truth Dreamer said, gently. "But you can do this. I have every faith in your ability to do so."

Cloak wasn't as sure . . .

***

Meanwhile, a controlling man found himself searching for his girlfriend that had fled from him, as he was evidently a very abusive man in addition to being very controlling. He chased her to the chemical plant where she worked.

The man became rather homicidal with anger for her making him chase her for so long. He was furious that she dared to even consider the thought, to even entertain the notion, of leaving him. He was determined to make her regret it, determined to punish her for even thinking of the possibility of leaving him.

He had so often dehumanized her to the point of considering her more property than person. Considering her his property, like a table or microwave. Her feelings didn't matter to him, she had no say in anything really. The couple were childless because this man, Zebadiah "Zeb" Wisteria. Also, his victim didn't want to have a child with him, didn't want to bring a child into this.

Zeb had caught up with her . . . and ended her life with his bare hands. She was finally free of him -- though, unfortunately, it took death to do so. Zeb, however, did not get away so easily. He was submerged in a chemical that bleached his skin, hair, and clothing purple.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER TWO:
Purple Persuasion

"Trust in me,
Just in me,
Shut your mind off
and trust in me.
Your will can sleep
Safe and sound,
Knowing that I
Am around.
Slip into mental slumber,
Sail on a silver mist,
Slowly and surely your senses
Will cease to resist.
Trust in me,
And just in me,
Shut your mind,
And trust in me . . . . . ."

Zeb Wisteria was speaking, in a singsong tone, to a female secretary who seemed to have a fondness for wearing red. Her blue irises suddenly became a subtle and pervasive purple, but you would have to be looking for it to really see it. This allowed Zeb to manipulate the woman into allowing him into the office of Mayor Joseph Lahren. A rather unpopular mayor

He wore a smug smile, upon his purple face. His clothes are always purple, as well. He was actually grateful to who he still considered an ungrateful harlot, as it resulted in him gaining his powers.

He was able produce chemical pheromones which, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, allow him to control others' actions by verbal suggestions. The effects only lasted as long as he is physically present and are somehow keyed to his voice and speech-pattern. Whenever he departs, the level of pheromones is reduced within his victims at various rates (dependent upon their metabolisms), and then the victims regain full cognizance of self.

Zeb quickly discovered that he could influence hundreds of people at one time, and his victims can be controlled to perform actions against their will. He also seemed to have some control over the release of his pheromones into the atmosphere, as he was able to walk hidden among crowds without influencing everybody.

"Ah, Mr. Mayor," Zeb said, gregariously, entering his office.

"Who the hell are you?! Who let you in here?!" Lahren said, irritability radiating off him. Zeb lost none of his poise or cool, just smiled that annoyingly smug smile. "Never mind! Get the hell . . . the hell . . . the . . ."

"That's better," Zeb said, with a snap to his voice. "Your will is mine, now."

Ol' Joe Lahren did not argue. Because he couldn't. He had insufficient will to break Zeb's control over him.

"No, I have a little project that I need your stamp of approval on," he said enigmatically.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER THREE:
Hostile Relations

Zeb had accomplished his goal, at least for the moment. But he discovered a fly in the ointment, and this just would not do. It would not do at all. It would need to be rectified.

***

"What?!" GH demanded, having showed up for his shift.

"You're fired," his manager said.

GH, in his swelling anger, did not really notice how off he sounded. He didn't notice how slightly stilted his voice was. Nor that his irises were now purple instead of the deep green they were normally.

"For what reason?!"

The manager seemed to struggle a bit, but when his smartphone lit up with a purple screen, this struggle seemed lost.

"Because I said so," he replied repressively.

"That's not a good reason!" GH countered. After all the creatures and monsters he faced in his time as a RAFian, he was hardly afraid of his balding, bespectacled manager and his little paunch. He faced far scarier things just being a gladiator in Gamesmaster little game. "You can't just fire me without a good reason!! I am always on time! I do my work! I even wore that stupid Armadillo Anderson costume!! TWICE!! You can't fire me just because 'you say so'!! That's wrongful termination!! I could sue you for it!!"

His manager seemed to struggle with an answer, before saying, "Lewis, you are dismissed."

"Why?!" GH demanded.

"Because," he said, still apparently struggling, before his phone lit up purple again, "because you have dangerous associations. You are dismissed. Bye."

GH did not argue -- saw it as pointless to continue the disagreement -- before storming out. He was fired! And he didn't do anything wrong!! He was livid and apoplectic with rage.

***

"You cannot be serious," Saffa said seriously. She eyed her dean, staring him down.

"I'm quite serious," he said. His irises were usually brown, but they were a very subtle purple now. "You're expelled."

"For what reason?" Saffa demanded. "My marks aren't that bad. I'm now a rowdy mess like some others students or that stupid college student stereotype. This is out of the blue."

"You have a week to pack up your things and move out of your dorm." he said, ignoring her comments. His phone was on his desk, and it held a purple light.

"I don't have a dorm," Saffa said, bluntly. It was true, she slept in her thread and commuted to the college. She preferred it this way, as she had finally gotten her thread just the way she liked it.

"Fine, then this will be easier," the dean, Dean Winchester*, said with a snap in his voice. "If you will kindly vacate the premises."

"What's wrong with your eyes?" Saffa said, noticing the purple.

"I didn't ask for your judgements, Ms. --"

"Fine. What you're doing is illegal," Saffa fumed, as she turned to leave. "You can't just expell students without cause. I have paid your ridiculous tuition and the astronomical costs for your books. The only thing reasonably priced is the food, and I think you get it cheap. You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

Saffa, with great dignity, walked out of the dean's office. She wanted to cry from the sheer stupidity of it all, but was determined not to give him the satisfaction.

***

Cloak was tranquil -- or trying to be. After all this layer-breaking with Aniyu, he was finding himself rather stressed. He was desperately trying to calm himself down. He was practicing with the elements.

Fire . . . drive and passion. Preempting attacks with your own.

Water . . . change and adaptation. Redirecting attack back to the attacker.

Wood . . . building on the old with the new. Passive resistance.

Earth . . . stable and sturdy. Blocking attacks, before launching your own.

Metal . . . dangerous and unyielding. Enduring attacks.

Air . . . evasion and avoidance. Dodging attacks.

United in one being, the Elements Master. That's how his grandfather, Master Sage, had always described it to him. He tried to remember this as he tried to find some serenity.

CRACK!!

It was a small noise. From behind Cloak, he could hear a bunch of bumbling humans. He only felt a momentary gratitude that this was not his private meditation spot in the woods. That spot would remain untouched and unmolested by these interlopers.

They were hunters, with purple eyes. Cloak recognized this, he thought. He knew that these hunters were being controlled. And they appeared to be searching for him, specifically. But they made a dreadful mistake.

They made Cloak aware of their presence. They would never get him now. . . .


*

[Cloak]

New book ideas.

• Book MXV (1,015): "Crowning Achievement Hunters" -- Seventeen crowns become active.
• Book MXVI (1,016): "Iron Crown" -- The Corona Metallos is discovered.
• Book MXVII (1,017): "Magic Crown" -- The Corona Magicka is discovered.
• Book MXVIII (1,018): "Meadow Crown" -- The Corona Floras is discovered.
• Book MXIX (1,019): "Sky Crown" -- The Corona Aeros is discovered.
• Book MXX (1,020): "Flame Crown" -- The Corona Pyros is discovered.
• Book MXXI (1,021): "Splash Crown" -- The Corona Hydros is discovered.
• Book MXXII (1,022): "Mind Crown" -- The Corona Neuros is discovered.
• Book MXXIII (1,023): "Spooky Crown" -- The Corona Phaetos is discovered.
• Book MXXIV (1,024): "Insect Crown" -- The Corona Entomos is discovered.
• Book MXXV (1,025): "Zap Crown" -- The Corona Electros is discovered.
• Book MXXVI (1,026): "Draco Crown" -- The Corona Draco is discovered.
• Book MXXVII (1,027): "Stone Crown" -- The Corona Lithos is discovered.
• Book MXXVIII (1,028): "Toxic Crown" -- The Corona Toxicos is discovered.
• Book MXXIX (1,029): "Earth Crown" -- The Corona Terras is discovered.
• Book MXXX (1,030): "Fist Crown" -- The Corona Fisticuff is discovered.
• Book MXXXI (1,031): "Icicle Crown" -- The Corona Cryos is discovered.
• Book MXXXII (1,032): "Dread Crown" -- The Corona Umbras is discovered.
• Book MXXXIII (1,033): "Crowns Gathering" -- The Crowns gather forgotten relics. . . .
• Book MXXXIV (1,034): "Fu . . . sion . . . HA!!" -- An old foe returns, in the form of a Lovecraftian monster.
• Book MXXXV (1,035): "To Protect the World From Devastation" -- The RAFians must destroy this monster . . . from within.
• Book MXXXVI (1,036): "Whistleblower Anonymous" -- The RAFians become aware of a safe haven for corporate whistleblowers, but it isn't what it appears to be.
• Book MXXXVII (1,037): "The Springtrap" -- A dangerous device lands in irresponsible hands.

Remember, all titles are subject to change.

New chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR:
Story of My Life

A purple-eyed police officer had gathered all the RAFians that happened to be in the city. He said,  "Alright, when I call your name step forward. FuBar, the cat."

FuBar fibbed obviously, "I'm not a cat, I'm a real boy."

The purple-eyed officer said, "That's your patch of mud down there."

FuBar said, before transitioning into song:

"Oh, dropped on a swamp. Man, I tell you sometimes being a RAFian sucks catnip.

Life is disappointing,
Woe is what I know.
Outted by my toes,
That's just how it goes,
For poor FuBar.  So --
Story of my life,
Always doomed to fail.
Cheated by a fox,
Swallowed by a whale.
That's the story of my life, oh yeah,
That's the story of my life."

Yarin added:

"Strife is never ending."

The officer barked, "Chad!"

Chad sang:

"Banished from the town!"

The officer barked, "Horse!"

Horse sang:

"They dragged me from the pond."

Broken sang:

"They broke my magic wand."

Shock, Blocky, and EvilPinkDragon:

"They blew our condos down."

The officer barked: "Rachel!"

Gaz sang:

"Life is but a witch hunt."

Alic sang:

"Patty's in the mud,
Patty's in distress."

Parker sang, referring to his helmet:

"They ridiculed my hat."

Shock, Blocky, and EvilPinkDragon sang:

"They said that we were fat."

Kelly sang, wearing a torn dress:

"They tore my cotton insaney dress,
And called me a hot and granny mess."

The officer barked: "Faerie!"

RAFians sang:

"Story of my life.
Booted from ball
Told to go away."

Goom sang:

"Tumbled off a wall!"

The RAFians sang:

"That's the story of my life."

The officer snarled, "You're late, you 'shifter twit."

Ash sang:

"That's the story of my life."

The officer laughed, as he said, "Have fun, you guys."

The RAFians sang:

"That's the story of my life."

"And, remember, if we find you back in the city, you will be executed." the officer said, before leaving.

The RAFians sang:

"I always dreamed I'd get a happy ending."

Gaz sang:

"And this right here,
Not how it goes."

FuBar harrumphed, "This is worse than that case of that rabies disease I caught in Tijuana!"

"What?" Bladeh asked.

"Don't ask," FuBar replied.

The RAFians sang:

"Story of my life,
All the wasted prayers.
All the broken dreams."

Kelly, Mr. Guy, and Whammy sang:

"All the broken chairs."

The RAFians sang:

"All the damage done."

Kelly, Mr. Guy, and Whammy sang:

"All the busted beds."

The RAFians sang:

"All the shattered falls."

Kelly, Mr. Guy, and Whammy said:

"Bird poo on our heads."

The RAFians sang:

"That's the story of my life, yes sir.
That's the story of my life, oi vei.
That's the story of my
Life!"

FuBar declared, "Crap!"

"Was that really necessary?" Cloak asked. "We still have the forum, it's not the end of the world."


* Source Song: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fgYUTQBFhBs

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE:
Troubling Times

"And he had these purple eyes," Saffa was explaining. "I know that they were supposed to be brown."

"And my former manager had purple eyes, too . . ." GH said, thoughtfully, "now that I think of it."

"Whatever it is," Yarin said, "the effects are quantifiable. A radius can be determined."

"And we have," Aquilai said, ruffling up his papers, his findings. "It seems that the radius has only eclipsed the city locality. People within this radius will have their minds, their personalities, their very wills subverted for whoever is behind this."

"Why does he seem to have it out for us, then?" Quaf asked.

Cloak said nothing, but raised his hand slowly. The hand where the stylized "R" glowed a deep blue. His Mark.

"Our Marks?"

"Yes," Cloak said. "That has to be it. Whoever, or whatever, is doing this must have some serious issues with control. He or she or they or whatever must not have been pleased to discover that we cannot be controlled like everyone else of moderate will."

"So my manager really didn't fire me?" GH said.

"And I'm not really expelled?" Saffa asked, a second after GH started to speak.

"I cannot say about that," Cloak said. "But while the city is the thrall in whoever's behind this would most likely make it stick."

"Wonderful," GH said.

"But the point is," Faerie said, "how did the radius get so big so fast? At this rate it could go global!"

"And only but a few species would naturally be immune," Cloak said, "I'm guessing Realm Walkers of course, then Cerebrocrustations, Galvans, Vulcans, Galvanic Mechamorphs, Techadons, Chee, Aerophibians, Ectonurites, Toydarians, Amperi --"

"Enough, Cloak," Blue said. "You've made your point."

"My question still stands," Faerie said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Cellphones, I would guess," Dameg said.

"How would you come to that conclusion?" Mr. Guy asked, in an almost academically curious way.

"The cellpone towers. There. There. And there." she said, pointing to several images obtained. "Look closely. I don't think that those boxy things are supposed to be there."

"Whoa," GH said, "nice catch."

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER SIX:
Forgotten Relics

"What's this?" Yarin said, peering blearily upon a screen. Then his eyes widened. "Someone's attempting to access the O.W.N. satellite network!"

"But I thought it went ka-phlooey when Richard went M.I.A.," Saffa said.

"What does 'O.W.N.' stand for?" Dylan asked.

"It's been so long," Cloak said, "I've forgotten.*"

"It's been less than a year for you, hasn't it?" GH said. "How come --"

"Don't push me, Logan," Cloak said.

"Don't call me that," GH snarled.

"Can we FOCUS?!" Sakki snapped. "Wasn't the O.W.N. satellites destroyed beyond repair?"

"Yes, it was," Yarin confirmed, still scrutinizing the readouts.

"Then how is it sending data?" Salad asked, perplexed.

"I . . ." the Nyac stammered.

"Don't know," an obnoxious RAFian said, snottily. "Of course, you don't."

"Shut up, you --" Cloak said, uttering a Realm Walker expletive that did not translate into English. "If you're not going to be helpful, you can leave right now."

He left, after coming up with a flimsy argument, and arrogantly thinking he told off Cloak. Cloak was indifferent to this -- he never liked this RAFian personally. But the had bigger issues to deal with right now, instead of some unlikeable prick that think he's the First Light's gift to everyone.

"Is it possible that they are being repaired?" Saffa asked, pragmatically. "Is that within the realm of reason at all?"

"No, it isn't," Yarin said, unable to keep the shock from his voice. "They were smashed up and completely irreparable."

"Then how'd we retrieve this data?" Dylan asked again.

"I can't answer that," Yarin confessed, "I don't know."

"Could be someone's still trying to use them, and managed to activate a long-dormant component," Saffa speculated. "Or possibly they tried to access the O.W.N. satellites and their signal got redirected here?"

"Or," Cloak said, seriously, his jaded disposition prominent, "it was a hackneyed attempt at a smokescreen."


*Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even I have forgotten what it stands for. "Omnipresent-something-Network", I think.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Ticking Clock

Suddenly, Yarin's four arms became like a whirling dervish. He had noticed something odd that he missed before. Even though Dameg had pointed it out already, Yarin was monitoring several cellphone towers. He discovered something discouraging.

"More of those boxes are appearing on the cell phone towers," he announced. "They're widening the sphere of influence."

"How much globally?" Blue asked, seriously.

"Eight-point-three-six-four-three percent," Yarin reported. "Thus far."

"That gives us some time, then," Parker said.

"Eight-point-seven-eight percent," Yarin reported.

"We need a plan," Cloak said.

"These people are under the thrall of this purple glow thingamajig," Faerie reminded. "They'll probably resist anything we do to stop it, just to prolong it."

"Nine-point-six-five-four percent," Yarin reported.

"Our Marks and Code Avalon will protect us," Chad said, "but if this goes global, if we fail to stop it, how long will our bubble of safety last? We need to nip it in the bud, before it becomes a hundred percent. Everyone uses cellphones, except perhaps in poorer countries."

"Nine-point-seven percent," Yarin reported, almost as if to reinforce Chad's point.

"Why are we still talking about this? We should be doing something!" Abby said.

"Great! Any idea what?" GH asked.

Abby didn't have an answer.

"The answer should be obvious," Parker said. "Dismantle and disarm those boxes."

"'Disarm'?" Helen asked. "Parker, you don't actually think that they might be bombs, do you?"

"At this point, it wouldn't surprise me." Parker said, bluntly.

"Me either," Cloak said. "But I think them being bombs would be counterintuitive to what whoever is behind is after. Which it appears to be, as horribly clichéd as it is,  global domination."

"Of course!" Parker said, with a heavy sigh.

"Nine-point-eight-zero-eight percent," Yarin interrupted, "and we're getting a message from Mayor Lahren."

"A mayor so corrupt he could run for the Council," Cloak said, acidly. He still had tenuous feelings with the ever-changing Realm Walker Council. "What does he want?"

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHT:
Order Up

"What does it say, Yarin?" Parker said. "What does the bloated egomaniac want now?"

"Some overly righteous rhetoric that someone with half a brain cell could see right through," Yarin said, reading through the long, pompous electronic letter. He wore a look that clearly said how disgusted he was with the despicable letter. "Geez, what a load of bile."

"Enough of the commentary, Yarin," Cloak said, testily. "What does it say?!"

"It is a request," Yarin said, " a demand, really. An order."

"Order of what?" Quaf asked.

Yarin seemed to hesitate, almost as if he couldn't believe he was about to utter what he was. "An order of dismissal."

"A WHAT?!" everyone seemed to shout at the same time.

"He wants us to disband immediately," Yarin said, with a tone that conveyed both disgust and astonishment. "Or he'll take litigious action."

"Let him," Kelly said, flatly.

The other RAFians looked at her, as she elaborated, "Lahren hasn't the power nor the jurisdiction to issue such an order. The order of dismissal is illegal, not to mention grievously over stepping his bounds."

"They can't order us to disband, then?" Dylan asked.

"Not at this level of government, no," Kelly said. "They don't have the authority."

"This level of government," Cloak observed.

"What are you implying?" GH asked.

Kelly got what he was getting at. "Yes, perhaps if this was taken to the federal level, then maybe they would have sufficient authority to break up RAF."

"And render us homeless," Saffa noted.

"The ramifications could be more dire than that," Goom said.

Cloak tensed as he considered what Goom was suggesting.

"What? What?" Salad said, utterly confused. "How can the consequences be more dire than homelessness?"

"Tell them," Goom said, addressing Cloak.

"The dissolution of the forum might, just might, break the Marks." Cloak said, as the purple coverage became 15.1%.

[guitarhero01234]

I feel we should go to . . . Purple Alert.

[Cloak]

Um, sure. I guess.

New chapter.

CHAPTER NINE:
The Blockade

A resounding silence followed, only interrupted when Yarin said, "Eighteen-point-one-seven percent. The forum is a quarter subsumed in the purple sphere of influence. Code Avalon still holding."

"This is really serious, isn't it?" GH asked.

"Inarguably," Saffa said.

"Twenty-point-eight-two-one percent," Yarin said. "Half of the forum is now subsumed."

"We should do something about this," Abby said.

"But what, exactly?" Faerie said. "We could go an dismantle all those boxes on the cellphone towers, sure, but those still under the thrall of this purple stuff will be trying to lynch us."

She eyed Demos, who had a smile on his face, as if a thought was occurring to him.

"Control you're demonic impulses, Demos," she said, "we can't go around smacking them, even if they are being controlled by some unknown entity or party. They're, as strange and odd as it may sound, still innocents in this. Even Lahren."

"When they get word of our dissent," Cloak said, "they'll make a move to try to force and foist the order upon us."

"Twenty-three-point-eight-four-one percent. The forum is three-quarters subsumed, and Code Avalon is holding strong."

"What makes you say that, Cloak?" GH asked.

"You have never met any of the Councilors on the Realm Walker Council, so I wouldn't expect you to know," Cloak said, with a heavy sigh, "but legislators accustomed with getting what they want will stoop to any low, despite its illegality, and act as if it is well within their power, their authority, their jurisdiction. And pretend that it's perfectly within the confines of the law. I just hope that your government, the human government of this nation, is not so corrupt."

Silence elapsed at this, as Yarin stated, "Twenty-five-point-nine-three-two percent. The forum is covered. Code Avalon still holding strong."

Cloak's ears twitched ever so slightly. He heard it before most everyone else: TWOK-TWOK-TWOK-TWOK-TWOK-TWOK!! Very obviously a helicopter rotor. And there was more than one.

"Helicopters are infringing RAFian airspace," Yarin said. "And all roads to and from the forum have been blocked by a police barricade."

"That can't be legal," Gaz said.

"It isn't," Kelly said, dryly.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER TEN:
Decisive Action

"We have to do something," Abby said.

"But what, precisely, can do?" Faerie counted again.

"Go after the guy behind this," Cloak said, seriously. "He is, or they are, probably at his home. Or his office."

"Why those places, specifically?" Phoenix asked.

"Whoever or whomever is behind this would surely want to keep the mayor under their thumb," Cloak said, "at least, until they managed to ensure a person in a more powerful position, like a governor or a celebrity."

"What do you have in mind?" Parker asked.

"Three teams," Cloak said. "Yarin's team -- with the objective to try and free up the wills of those in the blockade. Aquilai's team -- with the objective to disarm and render those influence-expansion box devices inoperable. And, finally, my team -- cutting this off at the source, or sources. Hopefully, by the careful coordination of these three teams we can end this quickly, without any harm to anyone."

He looked at Goom, "If you would monitor things from here, Goom, we could get this plan underway."

"I will," the demurred Goomba said.

"Any objections?" Cloak asked to the forum at large. There were none -- well, except for the obnoxious one, but no one took him seriously. "Okay, good."

"Thirty-six-point-eight-five-one-two percent of the world is covered," Goom said, peering at the screen that Yarin had vacated. "And the blockade is still in full force."

"And still illegal," Kelly muttered.

"Yarin. Aquilai." Cloak barked. "Choose your teams, and choose wisely. Saffa. Underseen. AniDragon. Parker. Ash. You're with me, if you're able and willing."

"This seems a bit reckless, Cloak," Faerie noted. "I approve."

"Got them chosen?" Cloak said, ignoring Faerie and addressing Aquilai and Yarin. "Good. Let's get going. The clock is ticking."

"Thirty-seven-point-six-three-three percent, Code Avalon still holding," Goom agreed.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Run the Blockade

Yarin had chosen GH, Kelly, Melissa, Yunyun, and Broken for his team. They would not only try to cure these poor people of their mind control and brainwashing, but also allow Cloak's team and Aquilai's team (consisting of Dylan, YeerkSalad, Az, Horse, and Mr. Guy) to bust through this blockade.

Cloak's team and Aquilai's team managed to easily bust through the blockade when Yarin used his telepathy, the magic-users wielding their magic, and GH playing, using his symphokinesis:

"We're up! We're down!
We're in! They're out!
We're all about!
We're far! We're near!
We're gone! We're here!
We're quick and slick!
We're really sincere!"

This, coupled with the efforts of the other four, caused the purple eyes to flicker to their natural color. But they always settle back on purple. GH played on:

"Beware! Beware!"

Kelly was becoming increasingly frustrated, as GH played on:

"We RAFians are very confuzle.
We RAFians very sly, sly, sly, sly!
We come in ones and twoozles
But if we so choozles
Before your eyes you'll see them multiply-ply-ply-ply!"

Kelly's powers weren't working. It was only working on their physical wounds. She could not heal mental and psychological wounds. GH played on.

"We're extraordinary, so better be wary!
If sanity's what you covet,
You'll find that we love it!"

Kelly was feeling furious with herself. She knew of this limitation with her powers. She knew this! GH played on.

"Beware! Beware!"

Kelly had hoped that this would be the exception to the rule. That her powers could somehow heal these people of the purple influence. She was wrong and furious with herself for allowing herself to falsely believe this.

Meanwhile, GH played on.

"We're extraordinary, so better be wary!
If sanity's what you covet,
You'll find that we love it."

The eyes kept flickering, but they didn't make any headway, and Kelly couldn't help but feel useless. Dead weight. Yet, GH still played on.

"We're up! We're down!
We're in! We're out!
We're all about!
We're far! We're near!
We're gone! We're here!
We're quick and slick!
We're totally sincere!"

Kelly realized that she could have a use. She would be the white mage, the cleric, on this team. She would keep the others healthy, and they could battle. It wasn't a glorious role to have, but it was one that she excellently equipped for.

And GH finished:

"Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware!!!"

"Fory-nine-point-three-seven-four-eight-three-four percent," Goom's voice crackled over communications.


*Source Song: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CLnADKgurvc

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Like a Hydra

"Fifty-five-point-four-five-six-five-six-three-eight percent," Goom's voice crackled on the communications.

"Half of the world already?" Dylan asked. It was strange to see him so deathly serious.

"We have our work cut out for us," Mr. Guy said, already working on a box with Salad and Aquilai.

"Don't worry, we got your back," Az said, as he, Dylan, and Horse fanned out behind them. The three were watching in different directions for problems. "Just do what you got to do."

Suddenly, there was a sound like a car backfiring, as smoke briefly issued from the box as it fell to the ground. A section of the purple faded away, but it was small compared to the sea of purple around them.

"There. We need to head off to the next one." Aquilai said, shoving the crumpled box remains into a bag with an Undetectable Expansion Charm that Broken put on it at Aquilai's request. "Goom?"

"Fifty-eight-point-seven-two-six-five-seven percent," Goom reported.

"Damn it all," Aquilai muttered. "We need to pick up the pace, fellows."

"Is even worth it?" Dylan asked. "It seems so impossible."

"We've done the impossible before," Mr. Guy said, matter-of-factly, as they quickly transitioned to the next box on the next cellphone tower and began working.. "This is no different."

"But the odds . . ."

"What about them?" Aquilai asked.

"They seems so stacked against us," Dylan said, as if confessing a knotted concern.

"Isn't the first time," Horse said, dryly.

"Not to mention we only have three people working on this, one at a time, who knows how many whoever's behind this has on this," Az pointed out. "We're the underdogs."

This box was done. They took care of disposing it, and moved on to a third one.

"Goom?" Aquilai queried.

"Sixty-point-seven-seven-seven-one-five percent," Goom reported.

It was disheartening, to say the least, but Aquilai would not allow his team to give up. This was quite necessary, unless Cloak's team takes out the people or person behind this. They worked on this third one in silence, and soon it was done. They took care of the remnants.

"Goom?" Aquilai inquired.

"Sixty-four-point-nine-seven-eight-seven-two-one percent," the Goomba replied.

Aquilai sighed heavily in response.

[Cloak]

New chapter.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Stealth

Cloak's team, at his urging, stuck to the shadows. Which was a bit easier than one might think, as the deep purple light afforded them plenty of shadows to hide in. Parker didn't like this, though. He didn't really like sneaking around like this. He was always a more straightforward kind of person, while Cloak's feline nature left him to feel comfortable doing this.

Parker had insisted if they do this, then they had better do it silently. That they should use hand motions and gestures to communicate. That they shouldn't speak or draw attention to themselves. And he insisted that they carry methods for disguising themselves as humans -- for AniDragon and Cloak, himself. As they were the only two who couldn't look human without external or technological assistance. Both had ID masks.

But they would only go that route if they had no choice.

They snuck and slinked around the city until they came to city hall and the mayor's office. And they quickly discover that Wisteria wasn't there, though they still didn't know who they were looking for. Parker, with Tyr, quickly discovered that they could track the pheromones that Wisteria exuded and somehow was able to turn into wireless signals.

They quickly and swiftly followed the trail of the pheromones exhaust, as it were. It lead to the overly opulent mayor's manor. Cloak had to choke back his abject disgust at the sight of the overtly pretentious flaunting of their wealth. Cloak had never liked this kind of showy ostentation -- it always struck him as basically the rich and wealthy needing to tell everyone just how extravagantly well-off they are, for their own validation of their importance. It's sad and pathetic, really, when you thought about it -- the insecurity of not being well-known for one's wealth, the obsessive need to parade one's wealth as if it were a snobby poodle . . . Cloak had always preferred the simpler pleasures of life, and the greedy ways of the rich nonplussed him.

Parker deftly switched to one of his auxiliary armors -- Cloak had forgotten the names of them -- which allowed him some chameleon-like camouflage for a time. It had to be charged between uses, hence one reason why he didn't rely on it very much.

They easily penetrated the ornate kissing gates carved from the finest gold. It was child's play for a ferrokinetic of Cloak's caliber. He returned it and ferrokinetically locked it. No one would suspect that it was ever tampered with. Parker thought it was wholly unnecessary, but Cloak was cautious to the point of paranoia.

They were in, and they were hot on Wisteria's careless trail as the influence coverage grew to 70.674911% . . .