-Barret Soback and Aldis Heiss-
A raging fire was suddenly around him. He cried out as sparks fell on his unprotected face. He burst out of the house, entering the hot streets.
Everything was ablaze.
Everywhere he turned, something was burning. Dark shadows filled the streets. People were screaming and crying. He could see men chasing his people about, some being struck down brutally, while others were hit hard enough to knock out, and then were dragged away. But somehow, he couldn't move, he was paralyzed.
"Barret!" he heard a voice cry. He looked down the street and saw a woman carrying her newborn infant and rushing toward him, away from a man brandishing a torch and sword.
"Mother!" he screamed in rage and fury. He rushed toward her, though he knew it would be too late, for the man had raised his sword.
His vision turned red. With a roar that shook the island, he cast himself at the man, his hands becoming claws, his teeth like ravaging blades, tearing into the man. He could hear the man's screams, and they filled him.
Pain suddenly erupted on the back of his head. He screamed again, and was struck again. He felt something against his face, something cold and rocky. His vision cleared, and he was staring into the lifeless eyes of his mother.
"M-mom," he whispered. Everything faded, but the look of terrible fear in her eyes.He screamed and sat bolt upright. But he was still firmly tied, around arms and legs, and so instead threw himself face-first against the wooden floors. He groaned and began working himself to a kneeling position.
"Sheesh Barret, you trying to alert everyone within a hundred miles we're here?"
He glared at Aldis. "Shut up!" With a bit of work, he succeeded in wriggling out of the ropes around his arms. He quickly untied his legs, then turned to Aldis. "Sorry, I...was remembering."
Aldis nodded. "I understand. But please, I'd rather the pirates think we were still asleep. Now could you untie me?"
Barret nodded, then noticed a couple other people on the other side of the room, watching him. Probably startled by his...scream. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Just...you know." He glanced at Aldis. "You know, with your gift, you could actually get us free sooner. How's about using your mind control ability to take over the crew, turn us around, and take us home? As they'd never know it happened, they'd never realize they did it. So we'd be in the clear, and they'd never think twice about it."
"Surprising to hear you actually think something through. I had already considered that. So I tried."
Barret's eyes widened slightly. "You did?"
"It didn't work."
Barret looked at him oddly. "Are you...no way. Its just a glitch or something."
"Barret, I tried. I tried again and again. It doesn't work."
Barret blinked several times, before finally saying, "Its just you. It has to be."
Aldis shrugged. "Those ordinary folk managed to contain us before, in some way or another. That these folks realize we're them though really makes for interesting possibilities. Try half-transforming or something. Maybe it is just me, maybe it isn't."
Barret looked at his hands, then focused. He could feel the beast inside him, a being unlike any other. The mythical sea serpent, the greatest of all creatures that roamed the waters. He could feel it inside him, always. He focused on his hands, trying to accept the beast there, in his hands, to become claws.
Nothing happened.
He tried again and again, but nothing happened. He stared at his hands incredulously, then smashed his fist into the wall and started cursing at a great rate.
"I think I liked you better when you slept," Aldis muttered. He turned to the people in the back. "Are you guys able to do anything?"
OOC- Please play along people, I'll explain why we can't use our powers later.
-Aliera Fae-
She looked deep into the cave near the beach. She had once though this place would be the first one discovered by anyone seeking, but it had been ignored. She shouted, "Anyone in there? Its me, Aliera!"
"Aliera, child! Thank goodness, I was so afraid the pirates had killed everyone."
An old woman stood there inside, as well as a couple others. The two boys stood. "We took care of her," one said. "We weren't able to help anyone else though."
"Its great," Aliera said warmly. "Thank you."
"Have you seen Mara?" the old woman asked. "She's my granddaughter. I'm so worried that pirates got her!"
"I really don't know, ma'am," Aliera said saddly. Then she said to the boys, "Help her back to the hiding spot in the mountains, then one just behind the village, marked by the red flowers. Everyone's gathering there. We're going to take a census, and then figure out what to do from there." They nodded. She turned and ran off.
So few people...by her count, 19 so far. But then, these were the ones hardest to get to, so they would probably have the least. Everyone she met, she was sending to the mountain spot, since that one was able to house over a hundred.
"Aliera!"
She whirled around. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was. "Boatmaster Regal? You're alive!" she ran forward, flinging her arms around him. He hugged her back, saying, "I'm glad you made it, dear. I wasn't sure I would, for a while there. I prayed that I had at least saved you."
"father," she whispered. "The village, I..." she started crying. He gently rocked her, till her tears subsided. Then she said, "I've been looking for everyone, father. I've been sending all of them to the mountain cave, and I've found 19. I searched the outer and inner forest, and then the beaches."
"Then you have done all that I have not," he said. "Good work, Aliera. Come, let us head to the mountain ourselves."
"Father, how many are we?" she asked, as they turned to go.
"Adding those you found, to those to already in the mountain, to ourselves, that makes 35, child."
She sighed. "That hardly seems enough to rescue our friends from those pirates, father."
"Do not fear, dear child," he said. "It is enough. We will need a ship, however, so we must begin building at once."
She smiled. "And I suppse you've got some people already going?" At his nod, she said, "I hope, someday, I'll lead the village as well as you have."
"You're doing fine so far," he told her.
OOC- got that, everyone? Start for the cave. I know Benditto and Mara should already be there. Anyone else, please go right away. Also, Koneko, there's Mara's grandmother, so she can relax now.