Memoirs of a RAFian

[Blazing Angel]

Got to love a good prison break.

[Cloak]

On hiatus until further notice.

I might post another chapter -- things seemed to have cooled down, and I could have misinterpreted a couple of things.  Anyway, this might be a short chapters.

CHAPTER TEN:
RAFian Showdown

As the eight dismounted the ship, the eight faux RAFians (faux Richard -- B'nt -- didn't want to reveal himself just yet, as he was the best actor of the group) rushed out to battled, all (except the faux-Dino, who wouldn't speak at all, because he assumed that's how she actually was) crying out that these eight were Skrull imposters.

And the battle was begun.  Each testing their duplicate's strength, agility, stamina, skill, and evasion.  They appeared to be evently matched when no powers were used, but this as merely a ruse on the real RAFian's part.  They wanted to see if their imposters could seriously measure up to their fighting prowness.  And one by one the real RAFians seemed sorely disappointed.

Sakki, however, as an impartial third-party to this, was unable to decide which RAFian was real and which was fake due to the flurry of movements.  She easily lost track as she tried ever so hard to divine which was real and which was false.

"God," she grumbled, "it was easier extricating Horse from Pootang's bowels."

Yarin and Mron were engaged with all four arms pressing against the four arms of the other.  Both pushing for all they're worth, but not quite succeeding.  Nyacs are a race of brains not brawn like the Tetramands of Khoros.

FuBar was hissing at Bl'Pa, who mimicked it right back at him.  Both hand claws unsheathed and were pouncing on to one another, shredding fur, but not even biting skin yet.

Dino and Pim were roaring and snarling each other as they circled each other ominously.  Both tails were rather stiff, only waving very briefly.  They were both at their maximum height.

Parker and Satr'k were standing motionless.  Both with weapons aimed at each other, neither not daring to move a single inch.  One would think that the two were SPARTAN statues.

Faerie and cowardly Wap had locked axes, one wore a look of rage and the other a look of pure fear and terror that Sakki could not see or make out from her position on the ground.

Phoenix and Pak were just staring at each other, as each through punches that never connected.  Phoenix wasn't putting his all into his punches, conserving his energy, while Pak was stupid and arrogant enough to put everything he had into every punch.

Blue and H'keye were locked into a battle with long, sharp ninjabos.  Neither would yield at all and both faces were hidden beneath ninja cowls, but it was clear one was enjoying this battle and one was taking it very seriously.

Cloak and Th'r were battling, but Th'r was throwing all the punches, while Cloak deftly dodged them, much like an airbender.  With each missed blow, Cloak was becoming increasingly disappointed with the Skrull who though himself good enough to impersonate him.

These battles soon attracted the others, including a visiting Estelore, who could do nothing without harming her RAFian friends.  This put her in a dilemma of sorts, being the most powerful RAFian.  But she changed into her "warrior Estelore" getup anyway.

"Sakki!" the faux Richard exclaimed, feigning ignorance.  "What's going on here?"

"We have imposters," she said, "but I don't know which one's which.  There's too much movement!"

"What do we do?" Kelly asked.

"We wait." Estelore said.  "We wait and have faith that our friends and comrades can defeat their duplicates."

Not likely, thought B'nt, smiling inwardly, but showing none of it on his Richard-disguised face.

[Cloak]

Now, another chapter.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Dead Giveaways

The real eight gave the others fleeting glances, and subtle nods.  Playtime was over.

Yarin continued to try to wrestle Mron with all four of his arms.  But now . . . now he unleashed the full might of his telepathic power.  Something which Mron had no defense against as he, himself, is not a telepath, especially not at Yarin's caliber.

"I hate doing this," Yarin said, grunting with minimal telepathic effort, "but you leave me no choice, clown!"

Yarin's foe released his grip with a vacant look upon his face.  His eyes merged into two, which were wide and dilated.  His flesh congealed into bumpy green skin in a pinkish-lavender spandex with similar looking hood.  He was a Skrull again, and drool was starting to dribbled down from his mouth as he fell to the left.  Yarin shut all six of his eyes, regretting having to do this.

Meanwhile, FuBar cleverly lured Bl'pa towards a cliff.  He backed toward it so his back paws were just touching the edge.  FuBar feigned a terrified look, and Bl'pa smirked and cackled at this.  FuBar said nothing and hoped this gamble would pay off.  Bl'pa did just as FuBar predicted and leaped at him, which lead to FuBar rolling underneath him, and batting Bl'pa's paws in such a way that it screwed up his trajectory enough for Bl'pa to faceplant.  Then slide, due to momentum, off the cliff.  His Skrull fingers clasps the edge as he shifted out of FuBar's form, but he couldn't hold it for long, and he fell.  It would have been a better idea to remain in FuBar's lighter form or even shapeshift into a flying creature, but Bl'pa wasn't very smart or coordinated.

Dino glared at her subpar copy, gravely disappointed, and she told him so.  "You're not very good at this are you?"  In retaliation, Pim attempted to bite her neck, but Dino deflected that with a punishing tail blow.  "I'm not done," Dino scolded the mute.  Pim then attempted to chew off her tail, when she bit him in the neck, worrying him like a dog with a bone.  He hung lifeless, shifting down, down, down, back to his bulky, Skrull frame and form.  She replied pityingly, "You weren't very bright, were you?"

Parker and Pak were still motionless, but then Pak got impatient and shouted at Parker to attack.  When Parker didn't even reply, Pak fired his full weaponry at Parker . . . only to have it not even scratch his armor.  Parker "tsk"-ed and said, "That's what you get with cheap, knockoff weaponry!"

"Cheap!?  Do you have any idea how much that cost?!"

"Buck ninety?" Parker quipped as two large orbs appeared in front of each of his fusion cannons.  "Now, hold still.  This won't hurt.  Much."

Then the two orbs merged and Parker used Hyper Beam . . . er, no, no, sorry, he fired his arm-mounted cannons.  Pak was atomized without much effort.  "Huh.  The armor must've been a knockoff, too."

Faerie was taking her duplicate's personality as a personal insult.  "They got a COWARD to TRY to IMPERSONATE ME?!" she raged.

SNAP!!  Wap's axe snapped in two, and she tried to run away.  But Faerie would have none of that.  She caught up easily to Wap . . . well, it's kinder NOT to say what happened, but no part of Wap ever touched the earth again.

Phoenix and Pak traded punches but neither landing.  Phoenix looked rather relaxed, as if he was just exercising, while Pak looked genuinely looked worried.  He attempted to solicit help from the other RAFians, who did not do anything, as Phoenix requested it of them -- which pretty much made them sure that Phoenix was the real McCoy.  Phoenix decided at that moment to "Flame On" and incinerate his foe, putting him out of his misery.

Blue and H'Keye had their ninjabos crossed and they weren't backing down.  Until H'Keye's sword shatters, and he backs off considerably.  Blue gave him a cold look that clearly said in big bold letters, "PATHETIC".  H'Keye naturally takes this personally.  So he takes out shurrikens and begins throwing them at Blue whose movements were too fast and being little more than blurs.  After H'Keye runs out of shurrikens, Blue reveals that he caught all of them, and gives him a look about these shurrikens -- clearly thinking that they were very crudely made.

"Wha -- that's impossible!" H'Keye proclaimed.

"Not for me, pal." Blue said, incredibly coldly.  Then he throws his sword and it catches in H'Keye's chest.

Finally, Cloak was refusing to deign to actually battle with Th'r.  He kept evading and avoiding the attacks much to Th'r's annoyance.

"Fight back!" Th'r roared.

"Give me a reason to attack such a pathetically weak specimen." Cloak sneered.  "You're not worthy to pretend to be a RAFian.  Rotiart does a better job than you!  You humiliate me by trying to impersonate me in such a pathetic way."

Cloak glared at Th'r.

"Enough of this.  I gave you a chance, and you gave me nothing." Cloak snarled.  Cloak's eyes started leaking out energy.  He was going into full "Avatar" mode and he knew it.  He sent out a shock wave of air.  Then a shock wave of fire.  Then a shock wave of earth.  Then, finally a shock wave of water.  This was overkill, as the first shock wave slayed Th'r.  Cloak managed to calm himself down a few minutes later.

[Ash]

Ka-pow!

[Cloak]

Right.  I'll try to get three chapters up today.

CHAPTER TWELVE:
One More Thing

"Ka-pow." Ash commented afterward.*

"Indeed," Broken concurred, wearing a monocle on his right eye for some reason.

Cloak stood up tall and surveyed the damage.  It was purely cosmetic.  No structures were damaged, but the ground was a mess.  With  a wave of his hand the earth was normal again -- although there was no returning the grass to the same state as it was before.  Cloak had command over the Wood element, and grass isn't made of wood.

Still, Cloak felt uneasy.  He glanced at FuBar, who met his gaze and nodded.  He felt the malevolence as well.

"Well, it's over now," Blue was saying.

"No, it's not," Cloak said.

"What do you mean?" Parker inquired.

"This is only the twelfth chapter -- there's bound to be more." Cloak muttered before backpedalling and saying, "I mean, FuBar and I sense a malevolence."

"Good, I'm not the only one." Kern said, apparently ignoring the chapter bit.

"I too feel it," Bladeh popped up from the crowd -- she literally popped up, as if this was something out of a Butch Hartman production.

B'nt, still disguised as Richard, showed no outward signs of discomfort.  But he knew that he wouldn't be able to maintain this cover forever.  He needed to step up the invasion plan.  The dregs did their part -- although they didn't know they came here for a suicide mission.  By now more Skrulls have infiltrated the city populace.  The invasion continued but far more quietly and with more competent members of the race.  This entire exercise was nothing more than a diversion so that the Skrulls could get sufficient foothold.

But still, that's not the reason, the real, true reason, that B'nt had come.  That B'nt had subjected himself to humiliating experimentations.  He had come for revenge.

"One of the Skrulls is still here," Cloak declared quietly.

"What proof have you of this?" B'nt asked, with precise Richard intonation.

"I don't," Cloak said, eyeing Richard rather suspiciously.  "No proof other than a gut feeling."

"Well, that hardly classifies as hard proof," Rotiart said.

"I think it does!" Itellsya said.  No one listened to him.  Nobody listens to the constant conspiracy theorist -- especially one who thinks that the government wants to collect people's toenail clippings to clone them and that they're putting controlling messages into Sesame Street.

"It ain't me," Broken denied vehemently.

"I dunno," Ash said, rather playfully, "you've never worn that monocle before. . . ."

"It was a joke!"

***

In the city, unknown to the population, their mayor, chief of police, many teachers and school administrators, and other community leaders were already replaced with Oscar-worthy Skrull impersonators.  Even the head of the Knights of Humanity (which went underground after Cannon's death) was replaced, and the other Knights were none the wiser, even when he had the "defective" DNA scanners removed.

And more and more powerful citizens were being replaced by the day . . . even influential children in the schoolyard were being replace by Skrull children.  Only legal Skrulls living on Earth were aware of this, but too afraid to speak up or reveal themselves to their invading race.  They were also afraid of being rounded up like animals and put into concentration camps. . . .

However, some were captured and either forced to serve the Empress's agenda or trussed up and tossed into a hostage alcove with the others, where they feared aggression from the other human captives.  Some humans have a nasty habit of generalizing race -- apparently it's easier to think of opposition that way, not to see them as thinking individuals with feelings but an evil conglomerate hellbent on corrupting their way of life.

No wonder the innocent Skrulls are terrorified.

---
*

[Cloak]

Second of the three today . . . hopefully.  Might be a bit of a short chapter.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Suspicions and Pretense

Within the next few weeks, Cloak regretted speaking up about the possible impostor in their midst.  Left and right, whenever someone was wronged, came the inevitable declaration or accusation that the transgressor was the Skrull infiltrator.  It happened with so much frequency amongst the newbies and yearlings, that it became a regular irritation for all veterans, who thought that they'd be able to easily figure out who the impersonator was, due to their status as veterans.

Cloak found himself most of the time, on the hill overlooking the site, introspecting and reflecting.  But this was sufficient enough that some of the newbies were clamoring that he was the impostor, which was soundly shut down by the other seven that were already impersonated and the veterans -- as Cloak was often seen doing this.

Cloak knew that this uncertainty was basically making RAF a powderkeg with a long fuse lit.  It was inevitable before something or someone blew up.  Cloak hoped it was the impostor that blew -- blew his cover, that is.  Cloak had a suspicion about who the impostor was, but he had no proof.  The impostor was too good an actor and his gut told him his instincts were right on the money.  But if he was wrong . . .

If he was wrong, it could very well lead to his Banning and dismissal from RAF.  So, he couldn't take any chances, had to consider and weight every potential risk.  If done poorly, this could very well backfire on him, and he could not take rejection from a place he loved so dearly -- one reason he hasn't returned to the Nexus in quite a while.

Then a thought occurred to him.  What if the Skrull here was just a diversion?  He looked over to the city.  What if more had infiltrated that city?  What if more Skrulls had infiltrated more cities?  What if the whole of the human populace were now Skrull pretenders?

This very thought rocked Cloak to his core.  If any of that was true, than this Skrull invasion plan just became even more difficult to repel than he had initially imagined.  It would make sense though . . . why only have a crew of nine infiltrate a place without a contingency plan in place should any of the nine perish?  Or as even a diversionary tactic to shift their attention away from the real focus of the invasion?

If that was true, though, that would mean that they've just wasted nearly thirty days while the Skrulls had pulled "bait-and-switch" tactic on the denizens of the city.  IF that was true.  Cloak had no more evidence to this then he had that there even was an impostor in RAF.  Without any evidence, hard or circumstantial, it was nigh on impossible to prove anything.

But just one slip-up, just one small indiscretion on their part . . . only . . . they've been careful, it would seem.  No reports of odd bodies or whatnot.  Although . . . they could be in control over the media.  That would give them a large amount of power to cover things up.  Granted that would pull the media monetary value down to Fox News standards, but still . . .

They cannot maintain this forever . . . cracks in the facade . . . that's what they needed. . . . cracks in the facade.

***

Meanwhile, in the city, a young five-year-old redhead girl and a young six-year-old blonde hair boy are not what they seem to be.  They became green with pebbly skin and their ears elongated into pointed ears . . .*

Then they were scooped up quickly by a teacher and taken to an empty class room.

"You are shifting back to your default forms," she said, in the Skrull language, translated for the reader's ease**.

"I'm tired of that fleshy, pink form!" the girl whined as her hair disappeared, as the boy's hair did as well.

"Too bad," the teacher scolded.  "You must maintain the appearance.  When you get home you can go back to your base forms."

"I don't wanna," the girl continued stubbornly.  Although the terms "girl" and "boy" was mostly a subjective one, as Skrulls can apparently change genders as easily as a human changes their hair color.  "I don't wanna!"

"Enough! B'rat, stop this now.  You will blow our cover." the teacher continued to scold her.  Meanwhile, the young "boy" was full Skrull now, but this hadn't escaped the teacher's notice.  "You too, Mum'e.  Back to the human children forms."

When they didn't comply, she replied forcibly, "NOW!"

They reluctantly acquiesced, resuming the forms of a young redhead girl and a young blonde boy.  But the Skrull teacher was not done with them yet, "Good.  Now do not shift back again in public.  Listen to me, DO NOT shift back again!  What you do behind closed doors and drawn shades is your business.  But you two will not jeopardize this invasion because you feel that you have to be indulged."

She righted herself and the Skrull teacher said, "Now go and keep up the pretense.  Keep your cover.  Your mother won't be pleased with you if you are the reasons why this invasion failed!"

The two ornery and bratty children left.

"Why did the Empress bear such unruly children?" the Skrull teacher lamented quietly, switching to English.

---
*Just a note, I couldn't find anything on a Skrull's reproduction and rearing behaviors, so I felt free to invent.

**Okay, not literally.  I don't speak Skrull.

[Cloak]

Probably the last chapter today -- here you go.  Then I'll probably slow down a bit, allow Parker to catch-up (yes, I've seen you on this thread).  One chapter a day, slow.  But . . . don't hold me to this, 'kay?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Invasion Bunglers

But, as it would turn out, the Skrull teacher's scolding and warning would come far too late.  A passerby was doing some sort of mobile vlog thing, and just so happened to stumble upon these two Skrull children shapeshifting out of their chosen human forms.  He deliberately caught it on camera, hoping to catch a few views, maybe even some subscribers, on YouTube.

So, naturally, he went home and uploaded it to the video-viewing website, and waited, only for the few comments he received to be trolls that insist that it was obviously fake -- citing poor photoshopping, kids in Skrull costumes*, and so on.

But just as it so happens some of the Skrulls who saw this were immediately alarmed and went on high alert -- apparently unaware that they could just flag the video and have it taken down.  The teenager was taken and replaced by another, newly arrived Skrull.  Although why was unclear and unnecessary.  The Skrulls were seriously overreacting, as the video was deemed to be a fake, and they were the only ones taking it it so seriously.

The mayor-disguised Skrull even banned the video with the Skrull-replaced legislators making it illegal to look at it.  Did they seriously think that this would not arouse suspicion?  Most of all, it aroused the suspicions of exactly who they wanted to be distracted -- the RAFians, the only collection of beings on Earth that might have just enough force to fight them off the planet.

"Why'd he banned that video?  It wasn't even good." SuperNate commented.  "Very blurry and not steady at all.  Like that Bigfoot video."

"It could quite easily be a fake," Poparena postulated benignly.

"What if it wasn't?" Cloak interjected quietly.

"What do you mean?" "Richard" asked.

Cloak looked at Richard, hesitated, then continued.  "What if the whole Skrull thing here was just a diversion?"

"What?  You mean we went through that hell for just a diversion?!" Blue erupted.

"Yes." Cloak said unabashed.  "Diversion to infiltrate larger populated parts of the planet.  Unnoticed and unrepelled by us, because we're too concerned with our own internal matters."

"He has a point," Gaz said grudgingly.  She still wasn't over how the Skrull managed to tazer her.  "But the public doesn't know.  We don't exactly have a stellar PR image to tell them straight out."

"Especially because we haven't any proof, hard or circumstantial, to show them." Parker said.  "There'll be the people who believe this because they want to believe this.  But there are many skeptics and cynics out there that will demand proof.  Not just circumstantial proof, but hard, undeniable proof."

"They'll screw-up," Blaze offered.  "They cannot maintain such a pretense forever."

"The Chee did," Rocklobster said.

"Really?  Then how come we know about you?  Every RAFian does."

"Touche"

"Anyway, there'll be another crack in there facade, then another, then another.  Then we can exploit it from there."

Cloak nodded at this, and making a mental note of "Richard's" prolonged silence and expressionless face.  But he said nothing.

***

In the next few days, it went just how Blaze predicted.  More and more Skrulls were getting uptight, and accidentally shifting out of their forms.  A majority managed to get out of the public eye just in the nick of time.  But one day, one was shot by a geniune cop.  He reverted to his natural shape after death, and here was bona fide proof that the Skrulls were invading.  The cat was out of the bag.

And the dung was about to hit the fan.

---
*I wouldn't mind seeing how Skrulls would look in three dimensions. . . . But somehow, I doubt they'll appear in any future movie. . . .

[Cloak]

Okay, and, unless something comes up, here's the line up again (remember, these are tentative titles):

• Book XVII: The Last RAFian
• Book XVIII: Hostages Wild
• Book XIX: The Clone Wars
• Book XX: The Darwin Gun
• Book XXI: Other Side of the Tracks
• Book XXII: Pits of Terror
• Book XXIII: RAF Comix
• Book XXIV: The First Master
• Book XXV: RAF -- The Musical
• Book XXVI: Outage Outrage
• Book XXVII: Infinity and Eternity
• Book XXVIII: The Virus Rings
• Book XXIX: Soul-Suckers
• Book XXX: Mayhem of the Music Miser
• Book XXXI: The Metal-Maker
• Book XXXII: Richard is Missing
• Book XXXIII: Emotional Food
• Book XXXIV: Transformation Confrontation
• Book XXXV: Richard's Horn
• Book XXXVI: Feral Scream
• Book XXXVII: Predators and Prey
• Book XXXVIII: A Protean Problem
• Book XXXIX: The Horsemen
• Book XL: Sizeable Pain in the Necks
• Book XLI: RAF's Nightmare
• Book XLII: Unlucky Charms
• Book XLIII: The Piper
• Book XLIV: The Wishing Star
• Book XLV: A War of Armor
• Book XLVI: The Worst Plague
• Book XLVII: Little Alien Napoleons
• Book XLVIII: Go Away!*
• Book XLIX: RAFian Tales*
• Book L: Maul*
• Book LI: Erised Orbs*
• Book LII: RAFians Alive!*
• Book LIII: The Pain Reliever*
• Book LIV: Beyond the Veils*
• Book LV: Dangerous Deals*
• Book LVI: Of One Mind*
• Book LVII: The End of Time*
• Book LVIII: Hematomimic*
• Book LIX: Sins of Youth*
• Book LX: The Replacements*
• Book LXI: Arachnoids*
• Book LXII: Personal Tissues*
• Book LXIII: Memory Today, Gone Tomorrow*
• Book LXIV: Appliance Armageddon*
• Book LXV: Prodigy and Composite*
• Book LXVI: The Merging* -- gonna be a rather dark book.
• Book LXVII: Be A Doll* -- not what you think.
• Book LXVIII: RAF Captors*
• Book LXIX: Dinosaur Island* -- naturally, Dino will be in this book.
• Book LXX: Corrupted*
• Book LXXI: Artificial Skins*

Remember the (*) designates a book that I haven't done the chapter-by-chapter on.  Yes, I do plan on writing all of these books.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Betrayal . . . Sorta

The Knights had outted their leader was a Skrull and crucified him.  No, they literally crucified him.  Then they burned him at the stake, and defiled the burnt remains.  They took it to such a length because they felt to be infiltrated in such a way and being so thoroughly duped was an utter defilement against them and their xenophobic cause.  It was just a matter of time before this began to explode out into the city with these zealots killing everyone assuming them to be a Skrull.

But the RAFians held no knowledge of this, but the problem would eventually resolve itself, as the leader (who was found tied up and humilated) warned that they mustn't confuse real humans with the shapeshifters.  That they shouldn't spill human blood.  This powerkeg was contained for the moment.

***

"Shadow," Cloak had said, back on his hill with his neice at his right side.

"Yes, Uncle?"

"I have a very special, very important mission for you." Cloak said without so much as turning his head.  He was still staring intently on the forum that had become home to him.  "It is vitally important for you to succeed -- and I have the belief that only you can succeed at this."

"What is it, Uncle?"

"You need to find someone."

"Who?"

"Richard."

"He's right down there.  You should be able to see him, too."

"That's not Richard," Cloak said, seriously.  "It's a Skrull imposter."

"What's a Skrull?"

"Ancient -- by this realms standards -- alien shapeshifters."

"Oh, so you think one had replaced Richard."

"I do not think, Shadow," Cloak replied stiffly, "I know that he's been replaced.  This Richard's behavior and intensity is a little . . . off-putting.  So, remember your Earthsight and Metalsight lessons."

"Right."

"Go, and good luck, little Shadow."

***

B'nt decided to use Richard's notoriety to his advantage, calling a meeting of all the RAFians.  He was confident in his ability to use Richard's influence and inflection to manipulate the RAFians, not really considering them, as a whole, very smart.

"Greetings, my fellow RAFians," he said, though Cloak looked at him through narrowed eyes.  The Realm Walker still suspected him, but had not outted him yet.  Why?  Why had the cloaked feline waited to accuse him?  Was he waiting for a mess-up?  A slip-up?  Well, he'd have a long wait then!  "As you may already know, there's been sightings of Skrulls in the city."

Silence.  Everyone apparently knew this already.

"I believe these to be mere refugees from the Skrull Empire." Richard continued.  "I do not believe they mean us any harm."

"And you're lying through your teeth," Cloak called out.

"What?"

"You're not Richard." Cloak accused.  "You're a Skrull yourself."

A breakout of murmuring met this.

"You don't know what you saying." B'nt said, hiding his shock, but managing to keep up the pretense.  Cloak wasn't fooled.  Parker looked at both as if he were watching a tennis match, and, apparently listening to Tyr's advice, glared at Richard.

"Cloak has a point," he said.  "Why would you be defending a race that is just replacing people.  People in high positions of power, no less."

Helen's eyes narrowed.  "And if those Skrulls really were refugees, why would they need to replace people at all?  Would they be able to take a completely individual form?"

"Don't listen to him!  He's the Skrull -- put here to sow confusion and discord!"

Classic tactic -- accuse the accuser.  Cloak didn't flinch at this, he had expected it.  He had even expected Rotiart, Gulliver, and Itellsya to side with it.  It was actually quite pathetic.

"Where's your proof, Cloak?" Rotiart shouted.

Ah.  That snag.

[Cloak]

No one has anything to say, huh? Or did I leave you guys in the dust? Anyway, shortish chapter.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Unmasking the Impostor

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Rotiart roared.  "Where's your proof?"

"Why hasn't that guy been Banned yet?" Cloak heard Blaze grumble.

Cloak remained silent with arms folded over his chest.  His eyes remained narrowed, and still he did not say anything.  He was playing for time, giving Shadow a sufficient amount of time to locate --

"You don't have any proof, do you?" Rotiart snorted.

"I'll Ban him myself," Blaze snarled threateningly under his breath.

Cloak retained his composure and remained silent, glaring at the false RAF Father*.  He stood stock-still, as if a tiger watching prey.

C'mon, Shadow, hurry up, Cloak thought fervently.  I think I may have jumped the gun here.

***

Shadow decided to go to the most obvious place that Richard could be -- the fake Nyac ship, which was, for some reason, still in RAF's hanger.  It was still disguised as Yarin's ship.  Probably because no one came here to disengage the disguise.  Whatever the reason, it hovered a few inches off the ground, but it was low enough for Shadow to easily touch.

She knew right away that it was metal.  She and her uncle could sense the elements that they have mastery over.  She reached out a hand to touch the smooth exterior, expecting at least a zap or something.  But nothing happened as her gloved fingers made contact.  Shadow looked over the ship with a sudden contempt.  How could you be so arrogant not to think that such a thing needs defenses?  Were they worried that it would make them look suspicious?  What if her uncle was wrong?

She easily popped the door out forcibly, using the subtlety of her mastery of Metal to force it open.  Then she entered to find it incredibly dark.  She expected an ambush at any moment, and was on guard all the way in.  She halfway expected the door suddenly shut, plunging her into complete darkness, and her night vision wasn't any better than that of a human, although she could "see" via vibrations in the metal.

She proceeded easily but cautiously.  Her uncle impressed upon her just how important this was, and she wasn't about to allow herself a stupid mistake.  She pressed her hands on something accidentally which caused lights to come up and made her jump about six feet in the air before her senses caught up with her.  He chuckled nervously to herself, grateful that no one was around to see that misstep.

She felt frenzied vibrations from the metal in the floor.  It took her a minute to pinpoint and then she was off like a shot towards it.  It could very well be Richard, or maybe even another prisoner.  If there was one Skrull that infiltrated RAFian, she reasoned, there might just as well be more.  But that was very unsettling thought, even if it proves to be true.

She found the source of the rather violent vibrations.  It was Richard, gagged and tightly tied up.  He was thrashing about wildly.  Shadow began to approach, but then stopped.  This could be a trick, a decoy, a diversion.  She remembered that her uncle impressed upon her how tricky Skrulls could be.  She shut her eyes and turned to Metalsight. . . .

What she "saw" didn't match up with what she saw with her eyes.  It was a deception.  But where would the real Richard be?  He's probably on the other side of the ship.  This ship wasn't very big, as Yarin's ship wasn't very big itself. . . . But there was also the possibility that Richard wasn't even on this ship.  Or even if he was, he could have been moved . . . no.  Wait, that's wrong.  He wouldn't have been able to be moved without being noticed.  You can't do anything in RAF without being noticed by someone.  He had to be here.

Shadow spent the good part of a thirty to sixty minutes looked, but eventually found a figure tightly bound and gagged and unconscious.  Shadow used the metal of the ship to form a knife and hacked Richard free.  She ripped the tape off his mouth with him moaning slightly.

"Oh, wake up," she said impatiently.

Richard apparently didn't hear her as his head lulled to one side.

"WAKE UP!" she said, slapping him hard.

"Ow!  Hey!" he exclaimed.  "Wha . . . where am I?"

"A Skrull ship," Shadow said, helping him stand.

"Wha . . . what's a Skrull?"

"Shapeshifters, I think.  One's impersonating you as we speak!"

"WHAT?!"

***

"Cloak, present your evidence for such an accusation, or take your seat!  Or stand down, whatever." the faux Richard demanded.

Cloak did not acquiesce, but continued to glare at the pretender on stage.  It was this glare that unsettled the fake a bit, but he remained in his Richard disguise, not one bit of green eked out.

"Cloak, you're risking Banning!" he warned.

Cloak had no fear of this.  This wasn't the real Richard, he didn't have that power.  Cloak hoped.  Suddenly, the doors flew open with an icy wind blowing in.  The real Richard was silhouetted in the doorframe.

"Who is this jackanape who thinks he can impersonate me?!" Richard roared, storming in.  Shadow trotting benignly behind him, saying, cheerifully, "Hi, Uncle."

Richard was as angry as Cloak and the seven others were.  Cloak knew the rage and humiliation that Richard must be feeling.  It's a definite violation when you know someone was using, or trying to use, your identity, your inflection, your notoriety to manipulate someone to a cause you do not endorse.  The fake Richard lost none of his composure, like a poker player with a couple of aces hidden up his sleeve.

"Well," he said, voice changing to, not the raspy Skrull voice, but a deep gravelly voice, as he resumed his true form, "at least, I don't have to keep up this ridiculous pretense anymore."

---
* Kinda makes Richard sound like the Godfather, doesn't it?

[Gaz]

Finally caught up! This is quite the epic. For some reason I giggled when I saw the word "jackanape". That's a fun word.

[Cloak]

I never realized that "jackanape" was a comedy word. . . .

Anyway, just wait.  It'll get a whole lot worse in the next two chapters. . . .

[Gaz]

I'm just easily amused.

[Cloak]

I suppose that could be true of any of us, Gaz. (Spell check always wants me to spell your name as, Gaza. )  Okay, fair warning, this is where it REALLY kicks into high gear. . . .

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
A Prophetic Lie

"Who are you?" Richard demanded.  "Who are you to come here and presume to impersonate us?  What gall you have, sir!  What haughty arrogance!"

The rest of the RAFians rose together, as one, as Richard spoke.  B'nt wasn't remotely intimidated, but it was unclear why he was so staggeringly confident, why he was so calm.

"Who am I?" he repeated.  "You should know me by now, Richard of RAF.  My fame has reached the seven corners of the universe by now, surely."

"You gonna deflate that head of yours a little?" Faerie snarled, but B'nt dismissed her threat with a haughty, hearty snort.

"I am the most powerful being in this room," he said.

"I take offense at that," Estelore said, assuming her, ah, "Warrior Mode".

"As do I," said Cloak, with a certain venomous vehemence.  "What makes you claim such a thing?  Skrulls, from what I've observed, tend to be a cowardly lot.  Like those soldiers, if you can call them that, who ran from me and the other seven when we made our escape."

This wasn't the total truth, but Cloak said it to get a rise out of B'nt.  But it didn't work.

"Such posturing, cloaked one, it's pitiful." he said.  Then he addressed the room at large.  "You want to know who I am?!  I am B'nt!"

"Bent on what?" Blaze said, flippantly.

"Silence, hybrid!" B'nt snarled.  Cloak did sense some real power coming off B'nt.  He was strong, sure, but he couldn't be as powerful as he boasted.  "I am here because it was prophesied to be so.  Just like this blue planet was prophesied to belong to the Skrulls!  That we'd need to take the world of blue for our own, and that we'd succeed!"

Cloak snorted derisively, although he couldn't help but suspect that maybe Malice toyed with the Skrulls' "ancient prophecies".  "You place faith in prophecies?  You believe in fairy tales in rhyming couplets?  Seriously?"

"No, I don't, to be honest," B'nt admitted.  "I came here for a very, very different reason from what the Empress wants.  I come to redeem my little brother.  To AVENGE him!"

"What?" Phoenix said, blinking in disbelief.  Cloak thought he knew where this was going.

"My brother, Lam, migrated to this planet years ago," B'nt said, spilling his guts with his emotions finding that they can no longer be suppressed.  Cloak understood this -- only when it happened to him he lost control of himself and his powers.  "My family had not known where he had gone.  He was a radical.  He didn't like the militaristic ways of the noble Skrull Empire!"

B'nt's breaths were coming in heavy and with a heaving chest.  Cloak had the feeling that he was holding this in for years, and he was trying to suppress his emotions, but it's not very easy once they blow forth.  Cloak knows this first hand.

"He ran away.  We did not know where he came until recently.  I did not find out until recently . . ." B'nt said, more to himself than the RAFians.  "Poor Lam . . . he was MURDERED.  MURDERED by the inhabitants of this planet!!"

Cloak suspected who was responsible.

"Humans killed him for the sole crime of being different.  Eviscerated him for the sole crime of being nonhuman.  So," B'nt's eyes took on a hardened look in them, "ALL humans will pay for that infraction.  My brother's blood is on their hands, and I'll wash it off with their own!  I'll have my justice!!"

"You monster!" Gaz said, outraged.

"You can't punish every human for the acts of a few!" Sakki roared.  "This isn't justice, it's vengeance!"

"So what if it is?!" B'nt roared and then entire building shook.

"'So what if it is' . . ." Cloak threw his words back at him.  "'So what if it is' . . . B'nt, vengeance won't assuage your grief.  Hatred will not fill the void left behind.  The fiery passion of hate will just wither you from the inside out.  Leave you feeling empty and hollow, like a discarded shell."

"You know nothing of my pain!"

"I know everything of your pain!" Cloak shouted back, Realm Walker tears singing the ground.  "You're not the only one whose lost people that they love!  People that they care about!  My grandfather wasn't murdered, but that doesn't mean I don't feel pain at his loss.  That I don't feel that he was RIPPED away from me!"

"You cannot know my pain unless someone you know has been murdered," B'nt replied bluntly, "and that's a pain that you are soon to become familiar with!"

[Cloak]

Now, the chapter of the day. . . . This'll be a hassle to write, but I do it for the love of writing and you guys!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
The Ultimate Skrull

"You can't take us all on," Sakki spat.

"Oh, no?" B'nt said with the vaguest hint of coyness.  "Try me.  But lets move to a place where there's more room to move around -- I want to have some pleasure in this."

With that he levitated rather like an Amperi and an Ectonurite, even growing motionless Lepidopterran wings, Necrofriggian wings, overlarge Nanomech wings and Aerophibian membranes.  Then he flew upward and through the roof in a way reminiscent of a Ectonurite or Necrofriggian.

"Everyone, outside!" Richard called, though he needn't have bothered.  Everyone was already streaming outside, ready to do battle.  The only ones that seemed reluctant was Gulliver, Itellsya and Rotiart.  "That includes you three!  Time for some real training!"

Outside, B'nt continue to hover slightly above them all, wearing a maliciously satisfied grin.  "So, step up.  Who's the first to die?"

"I got this joker," Cerulean said, and he sped at top speed toward the Skrull.  B'nt sat there, almost stupified, until at the very last second, he zipped out of the way!  Cloak instantly recognized the movements as being similar to both a Citrakayah and a Kineceleran!  Dumbfounded, Cerulean stopped and gaped at B'nt.  Then B'nt extended one of his arms, where a glowing pulse appeared, and he lowered his hand.  Cloak saw that the gravity on Cerulean increased to the point where he cried out in pain!  He had the powers of a Galilean too!

B'nt smiling turned to the other RAFians, "Do you see now that you're outmatched?  Do you see now that you all will die?  JUST LIKE HIM!"

"AHHH!" Cerulean cried.

"NO!" Cloak roared.  Then he turned to Kelly, and ordered,  "Kelly, go!"

Kelly wasted no word and ran to Cerulean's side, and allowed her newly-discovered healing powers to go to work.  She knew not its limitations yet, but it was worth a try.

"How cute," B'nt sneered.  "Trying to rescue a fool."

Cloak knew that they should underestimate him.  He didn't know how many powers that he may have been modified with.  B'nt was right in his own assertion.  The guy was definitely dangerous.  Cloak wasn't sure that they could beat him!

"Enough of this," Estelore snarled.  "I'll take him to school."

Estelore blasted B'nt with her mightest stellar might.  But it seemed to be doing nothing . . . Cloak's eyes widened.  He must have access to the powers of a Prypiatosian-B or a Pyronite or both!  In which case, Estelore's attack will never affect him!  If anything, if he DOES have Prypiatosian-B DNA, Estelore's attack is doing nothing but FEEDING him!

"Esty, stop!" Cloak cried.  "You'll only make him stronger!"

"What?" Estelore cried in disbelief, stopping her attack, and looking at Cloak.

"He might have taken in the DNA of a Prypiatosian-B." Cloak explained.  "They FEED on energy, especially radioactive energy."

"But --"

"And if he has Pyronite DNA . . . well, their homeword of Pyros isn't a planet at all, Estelore," Cloaky said, as urgently as he could.  "It's a star, Estelore!  So he would be able to survive it!"

"Excellent, cloaked one," B'nt taunted.  "I do have the DNA of those two species modified into my genome."

Then apparently Bn't felt a need to show-off, as he added a few seconds later, "As well as the DNA of an ultimate Vulpimancer, a Petrosapien, a Galvan, a Tetramand, a Pisciss Volann, a Loboan, an ultimate Arburian Pelarota, a Florauna, a Thep Khufan, a Transylian, a Gourmand for some reason, an Opticoid, an ultimate To'kustar, a Spheroid, a Megawhatt, a Polar Manzardill, an ultimate Methanosian, an ultimate Sonorosian, an ultimate Vaxasaurian, aCrystalsapien, a  Cerebrocrustacean, an ultimate Arachnichimp, a Polymorph, a Biosorvortian, an Appoplexian, a Orishan, aTalpaedna, a Geochelone Aerio, a Merlinisapien, a Gimlinopithecus, an Oryctini, a Planchakule, a Conductoid, a Segmentasapien, and more I haven't even tried yet.  A total of 10,000!  And I have ALL their powers!"

"'Ultimate'?" Blaze noticed.

"Must mean that the Skulls genetically modified the species," Yarin guessed.

"Oh, shut up!  We're wasting valuable smashing time!"* Faerie announced.

"How?" Nina piped up.  "He's a Super Skrull!"

"Don't dare insult me!  I'm more than a Super Skrull!"  It was at this point that Cloak suspected that B'nt just loved to hear himself talk.  "I'm more than a Hyper Skrull!  I'm more than an Ultra Skrull!  I'm more than a Mega and Giga Skrull!  I am THE Ultimate Skrull!"

"And you really love the sound of your own voice." Aquilai said.

"Guilty," B'nt said, feigning bashful modesty.

"Fight me, you pompous sack of Slitheen guts." Aquilai snarled.

From there, Aquilai took on B'nt, holding his own at first, Cloak noticing that his normally red-and-orange flame pushing into being blue.  Cloak mused that no Pyronite or Methanosian that he knew of could manage that feat.  But, then again, he's never known any "ultimate" Methanosian. . . .

But Aquilai's blue flames weren't enough to save him, because eventually B'nt stopped playing fair, and pummeled him using Vaxasaurian and Tetramand strength -- even growing Tetramand arms to do so.  Aquilai was getting his clock cleaned, and Cloak didn't care how much Aquilai wanted to do this alone, he could no longer allow that, and the rest of the RAFians swept into the battle, hoping that sheer number could overwhelm him.

"Kelly, heal Aquilai!" Phoenix shouted.

"I . . . I can't.  It's too late." Kelly shouted back.

---
*Guess what Simpsons episode this came from?

[Underseen]

B'nt Ben Ten...