Uprising

[TheOddball]

@Arasaloe


The night sky was the colour of coal; any stars were shrouded by cloud. Slight light from the moon peeped through, just enough to make the outline of the sea wall visible. Lighting was poor this near to the sea; the island only a mile away were also visible. They were moderately sized black lumps of land amidst the equally black sea. The wind was fortunately calm, which made the waves weaker than what they might’ve been. A curious creature was sat atop the sea wall. It had its wings wrapped around its feline frame, and it looked as though it was balancing precariously. It was in fact stood firmly on its paws, unwavering. Its eyes were focused upon a small boat, emitting its own dim light.


The creature had noticed a young man darting about its deck and wondered if it was the person she had been looking for. The creature had been receiving notes from children in the slums, who had travelled into the countryside where it had been residing. As a reward, it sent the children home with dead rabbits and wild boar and low and behold, more and more children came to give her just one note knowing there was a prize in it. The creature had even gone out of its way to make sure the children had enough meat for their family size. It had been moving closer to the city every time, and now, the notes had led it to the sea and to the man on the boat. The creature was weary to approach. In this day and age, you had to be weary of everyone and everything. Another figure came into her vision. It was a young woman. The creature moved forward, careful to keep itself hidden; it was time for some observation.


The young woman peered over the sea wall and down onto the deck. She too had weariness about her. With some reluctance, she called out to the man who was sitting in the front of the boat, at the wheel.


“Hello?” she questioned. She blinked and he was gone. She stepped back for a moment.


“Hello” sounded a voice to her side. He was now suddenly sat by her side. The boat’s light showed him better. He had dark, messy hair. She also had dark hair, but it was in a neat bun. “Please tell me you’re here because of the notes” he added.


“Yes, I am” she affirmed anxiously. “Please tell me you’re the one who sent them?” He nodded after a moment or two. The two looked visually calmed. “Did you just teleport?” she asked in surprise. His lips curled into a smile.


“I believe you already know the answer to that, mind-reader”. She stood back, how did he know that? Surely he couldn’t mind read too? “Don’t look so shocked, I know of your abilities. I know of most of the people I’ve managed to contact’s abilities. You best come aboard” he explained.


In a small flash of light, he was back on the deck. “Need a hand?” he asked. The young woman stared at a ladder and with much exertion, the ladder moved and propped itself up so she could climb down. “Well, it seems you’re perfectly capable” the man chimed as she descended, a little disorientated for a moment or two from the feat she had performed.


“The name is Reyad. You can call me Rey if you’d like” he grinned.


“It’s Anna; and no, I’m not able to power this boat with my mind” she said back, refusing to offer him a grin. He huffed and leant back on the side of the boat. “How many people are coming?” she added curiously.


“4 more, with any luck”.

 

[Arasaloe]

Riona wondered what, exactly, they were doing. Out in the middle of the night, in the dark, following the cryptic notes that might very well be a way to ferret them out from their very well-concealed life under the heavy palm of the State. It had too many unknowns for her to be anywhere near excited.


Yet, Isoke hadn't seemed this... alert, in quite some time. It was something that both comforted and alarmed Riona. A normal life was calm, predictable. But, admittedly, Isoke would remind her that they weren't normal people. They were different, and they were there to help others.


Riona watched her sister from the corner of her eyes. The closer they got to the walls that protected the city from the sea, the more hopeful her sister seemed to be, clutching some of the notes in between her fingertips, so hard that her knuckles were turning white. "I thought I told you to burn those. If an officer decides to stop us..." Riona muttered, turning her attention back to the front of her.


"You did." Isoke said quietly, feeling the paper in her hands. "I will." She added. Once she had something else to convince her that there were others out there. Others like them, possibly. Others who were going to help save the helpless. The very things that made her so hopeful and happy, though, seemed to make her twin more sour if she talked about it for too long. And she knew her sister's mind on the idea. Isoke quite literally might end up helping people to death.


"It's getting colder, and this isn't a great part of town. Pick up the pace." Riona said, starting to walk faster, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. It took Isoke a few moments to realize it, and scrambled to hurry after her, shoving the paper back into the pocket of her jacket.


----


Fiori meandered along the seawall, his coarse fingers searching along the wall for any sort of cracks or weakness to it. In his other hand, he held a small square of paper.


He stopped suddenly, listening. His head tilted slightly left, before he moved to vault himself up onto the wall. A boat, a little further down the wall...


The paper in his hand quietly combusted into flames, quickly crumbling away into ash and being taken out to sea by the wind. At first, the notes were mere annoyances. He was doing his own work, and he had no need for others. Yet, the notes eventually lit his curiosity. There were others like him? How much like him?


And if it gave him more chances to develop his profession, and apply it to a good use... Well, all the better. He slung his backpack from one shoulder to the other, making his way along the wall towards the boat. He'd meet these people, and then he'd make his decision.

 

[TheOddball]

Reyad had climbed the mast of his boat to keep a look out after giving Anna a flask of tea. A kind gesture seeing as it was cold, and although Anna was wrapped up, she had been shivering. The two of them, both staring out along the wall for anyone else, thought this was very surreal. A secret meeting between people with extraordinary powers. Reyad had hopes to bring them together to be more use against The State, something he had conveyed a little in his notes. On the other hand, Anna, who preferred time alone and solitary thinking, hoped only for connections that would protect her. After all, she was on the run and having only yourself as a helpline wasn't useful.


"Will you know the others by face?" she called up to him. The man nodded.


"Some of them, yes. You and one other were the only ones who had not been described to me by my scouts" he explained, hands gripping the mast. He peered along the wall, noticing another man. "Ah, here is someone my note carriers had to be patient with" he murmured to Anna. "Come aboard good chap, don't set fire to the only thing I can call my own!" he called, waving and laughing as he did so. Anna was concerned about the person approaching, and how carefree Reyad was; then again, the State force did not come this close to the sea.


"You sound absolutely mad" Anna grumbled, which was received with a shrug.


"It only fits the mood; you think I'm mad? You're all mad enough to be coming tonight". Anna was about to defend her choice when she flinched for a moment, she had just read a mind. Not of Reyad's or the man approaching. Another being. When do I go down, is it safe to go down, shall I go down like this, it said. She brushed it off, whoever was out there would eventually reveal themselves, and the sound of the mind was not that of a Statesperson.

 

[Arasaloe]

Tsk. Fiori gripped his fingers on his backpack strap, before making his way onto the boat's deck. He really wasn't a fan of boats. For many reasons, but for the most part, he did get a little boat sick. He took a breath, looking around. He registered the woman with the tea, before looking up the mast of the boat.


"You are extraordinarily persistent, whomever you are." He said, raising his voice a little as the wind carried it.


------


Riona stopped Isoke near the seawall, frowning at her a moment. "You have to be sure you want to do this. We can still go back to our tiny apartment."


"Ri, no." Isoke said, staring back into her own eyes, her brows furrowing in determination. "I want to do something with the lives we have." She muttered. She grabbed her sister's arm, pulling her to the wall's edge, seeing the boat. "There."


Riona looked out over the sea, at the cloudy sky. Her cheek twitched before she sighed. Isoke had never really asked her for anything, before. All she was asking her for was a chance to do something. And she couldn't deny her that. Very rarely did she ever deny her anything.


"You're lucky I love you. Getting us into this mess." She muttered, pulling her sister closer, and started down to it.

 

[TheOddball]

"You know how it is" Reyad began, clambering down from the mast after spotting two more of his guests who had undeniably spotted the boat "Once have an idea in your head, not even a man who refuses to pay attention to notes for the longest time can make it go away". He jumped the last part of his descent and landed with a gentle thud. "I'm Reyad. That's Anna" he said, gesturing towards the woman sipping the tea. She placed the flask down with a frown.


"I am capable of introducing myself you know" she murmured. The young man huffed again, stretching his arms out.


"As soon as the twins get on board, we only have to wait for another before we set sail". Anna hugged herself in her coat when the wind picked up a little.


"Set sail?" she questioned, also wondering who 'the twins' were.


"Can't have a meeting here, we'll go to the islands. I have a surprise for you all" he said with a small level of excitement.


"What if some of us are sea sick?" she asked, shooting a look to the other man aboard. Her mind reading skills were on point that night.


"Just don't be sick on the deck" was his unhelpful advice that he delivered with a smile.


"What of the last person?" Anna wondered aloud. Reyad clapped his hands together.


"Person? More like a creature" he responded with a forced mysterious tone. Once mentioned, the creature who had been observed in the shadows from a distance was made nervous. The man with the notes didn't know it could change into a human? It hoped that wasn't the case.

 

[Arasaloe]

"Fiori." He stated, moving to take a seat. He glanced up at the woman he'd already forgotten was there from the time he first registered her presence. And when she zoned in on his own very personal unpleasantries, he decided to remember her name. Anna. She was an interesting one.


He pulled his legs up under himself, sliding his backpack off his shoulder and into his lap. He unzipped it, rummaging around inside. "How long is this going to last?" He asked. His hands reemerged from the bag with a book, and he opened it to his bookmark. His eyes moved back to the man. Reyad.


----


Riona and Isoke made their way along the wall, before stopping at the boat. Riona studied it a moment, and at the three bodies on it. Last chance to turn around, while they still could. One look at Isoke's face and she knew that it was only wishful thinking. Isoke slid her arm around her sister's leading them forth.


"Um, hello? Is this where we're suppose to meet?" Isoke spoke, a friendly but nervous smile on her face. Riona kept hers blank.


"I'm Isoke, this is my sister Riona." Isoke continued as she righted herself on the deck, brushing at the skirt of her dress. Riona climbed aboard behind her, nodding slightly in her acknowledgement.

 

[TheOddball]

"The boat ride will be fifteen minutes max, the meeting itself? God knows" Reyad chimed to Fiori, watching the twins get on the boat. Anna rolled her eyes from her position against the bottom of the mast. This new acquaintance was certainly upbeat. "Yes, this where we're meant to be. Aside from one, who is now unfashionably late" he grumbled to the twins, moving past Anna to switch the boats engines on. "They'll have to catch up on their own, of which I'm sure they are capable" he added. Upon this comment, the boat titled to one end from a sudden weight at the tip.


There was a thud, and then the sound of two pairs of feet making its way to the end of the boat where the other five resided. Anna backed up to the boat's edge in alarm at the sight of the creature. It was a lion, well, more accurately, a lioness. Its shoulder height was six inches more than the average big cat and it had large feathered wings, tucked to its side carefully. It sat, and Reyad stared at in in anticipation. She was to be their brute strength.


"Flying over the sea? I think not" she said. Its voice certainly didn't match its body. It was a young voice, an eloquent voice that Reyad and Anna thought only known among the wealthy families.


"I was expecting you to be reptilian or canine or something" Reyad said with a huff.


"You thought wrong" she murmured. She was anxious to change into her human form. She had run away from home, and had no idea of the search operation. Whether it was quiet, or whether it was posters and announcements. She hoped it was not the latter; these people might know her in that case. Suddenly, she was shrouded in dark smoke, and there was an awful clicking noise, the sound of bones shifting. The image of her as the lioness was distorted until she was her human self again.


A young girl of seventeen. Her wavy hair was all over the place, her eyes a little wild. Her clothes were dishevelled and she felt the cold so much more. Noticing the rampant shivering, Reyad went into a compartment and threw her a blanket. "Sorry, the shift isn't normally that gross. I've haven't changed for a month-"


"Well, this is even more of a disappointment, lion girl. A teenager? Who sounds like a posh-y? Give me strength" Reyad interrupted as he began to pull away, turning the boat's wheel gently.


"My name is Cassie and if you don't want me here I'll go".


"He does want you here, he's just incredibly rude" Anna butted in quietly.

 

[Arasaloe]

Fiori listened to the others absently go back and forth. When the creature touched down nearby, he raised his eyes, and stared. That was certainly the strangest thing of the night, to be sure. He found the transformation extremely fascinating.


"Where do your clothes go?" He asked, closing his book, elbow on his knee and knuckles pressed against a cheek, leaning forward a little. Maybe if he concentrated on something other than the motion of the boat atop the water, he wouldn't feel quite so queasy.


Riona moved to the railing of the boat, taking a seat and wrapping her arm around the railing. She looked out over the water, frowning faintly. She really didn't like the unknown. And all of these people... well, look at the lion girl, for instance. Dangerous people to get involved with. She opened her hand, feeling the spray from the boat.


Isoke laughed a little in surprise after seeing her change. She clapped her hands together faintly. "Cassie, that is so neat." She said, moving closer. "And you stayed like that how long?" She asked in disbelief. She could feel her sister's disapproval wafting from the railing. Well, let her be a wet blanket.

 

[TheOddball]

Cass seemed glad that the man, whom she knew was called Reyad from listening to conversation, had began to concentrate on navigating the boat instead of being a 'disappointment'. At the question proposed by Fiori, who looked like the oldest individual present, the young girl wrapped her blanket around her further and sat down on the circle of seating in the middle of the deck.


"I'm not quite sure; I think the dark shroud of smoke I produce might have something to do with me keeping my clothes. It doesn't keep them perfect, as you've all seen" she responded, running a hand through her tangled hair. It was weird to be back as a human, it felt almost unnatural. She knew she was clean, kind of, but she was aware of being a visual mess. The teenager seemed surprised one of the twins was interested. "It's not as neat as you think after a while" she sighed, but not without a smile. "A month" she repeated. "I was beginning to go feral" she added, which earned the smallest chuckle from Anna.


"The children who I sent to you seemed to think you already had. They said you growled and snarled from the trees and that the animals you killed for them were completely mauled" Reyad explained coolly, turning the wheel every now and again as they neared the island.


"They exaggerate. Though I did play up for the ones who tried to grab at my wings" she said with a sly smile. Cassie felt like the centre of attention, and she did not want to have that title. The less the focused on her, the more they could focus on whatever Reyad had in store.

 

[Arasaloe]

"Hm. I see..." Now that Fiori had a rather unsatisfying answer, he contemplated returning his attention to his book. But it was one that he had read at least a dozen times, and there was a bit of spray from the boat. He decided to protect it from the elements at hand, stowing it away again in his backpack.


Just like that, he was bored again. He sighed, stretching back and up, cracking his back.


Isoke glanced over at him. "That's kind of bad for you." She offered.


"I'm not dead yet." He retorted quietly, wrapping his jacket closer around himself, shifting in his seat. He was starting to feel the first effects of his seasickness, a headache and a wave of faint nausea. Thank god they were almost there.


Riona frowned a little, leaning over further until her fingers skimmed the water as they flew by. She felt unsettled, and not just about the people. Her guard dropped on them, just a bit, as her eyes searched the horizon.


"What's on the island?" She asked. Her voice surprised Isoke, who turned to look at her. Look who was finally joining the party. Somewhat. Her body language was still partially turned away from them, reluctant.

 

[TheOddball]

It was at times like this Anna wished her gift was more constant. Her mind reading capabilities came and went, and were only really their for substantial amounts of time when she sat down and focused. She observed the group of people, all looking shifty and most looking untrusting. Isoke, the louder twin thus far, seemed quite forward for a stranger. Not in the same way Reyad did; that man had a right to be forward, he had known of them for weeks now.


"The main island used to be a base for the opposition before The Dictator Dynasty began. It has been cleared out obviously, but the basic tunnels and underground rooming is still there. The sea is too rough too often for The State to make use of it" Reyad explained. The wheel on the boat spun rapidly for a moment and he had to jerk it suddenly to stop it, causing everyone to rock to one side. "Sorry" he murmured as he finally came up to a secluded bay shaped slope in the rock.


He managed to get the boat tied to a steel post that was placed beside the old mossy steps that were well into erosion. "I've done some redecorating" he added with a smirk as he offered his hand to Anna to help her out of the boat. She declined it, stepping over the boat and onto the dangerous stairs. Some of the sea mist sprayed her as she climbed them, awaiting further direction. Cass got out after her, managing an impressive leap. It was even colder stood on the rocks, she decided to keep the blanket she was given for now.


"Climb the rocks and do a left, there's a passage between the rocks that goes underground. It's alight with lanterns, and you'll come to large room eventually" Reyad called, preparing to help the other three if they needed it, as the women began to scale the rocks further. Cass shouted an agreement to him. Anna struggled in the dark, but she took her time. It was Cassie who was over excited and curious to know what was awaiting, should've been able to complete such a simple task without fault. She slipped and Anna caught her arm before she fell onto the rocks below.


"Curiosity killed the cat" the older woman muttered, letting go of the girl once she reclaimed her footing. After recovering from the slight scare, Cass smiled and let out a quick-breathed laugh.

 

[Arasaloe]

“I see.” Riona mused quietly, studying the rocks. It was still cloudy and rather dark, and she could see the slickness of the moss. Seemed rather dangerous place for a meeting. This wasn’t really reassuring her at all that this was the right course of action. She sighed some, glancing over as one of the others, a man, raced to the railing next to her, clutching his backpack in one hand, the other grasping the railing before he could go head first into the rough waters.


Fiori barely had made it to the edge before he retched. He didn’t have much in the contents of his stomach, but all that he had made its way to the water below. His stomach continued to spasm for a time, as the other two women made their way off of the boat and along the path. Isoke had moved over to him, sympathetically rubbing his back. “There there. Doesn’t that feel better though, getting all that up?” She asked.


If he could have, Fiori would have given her a biting glare. As such, he really didn’t have the energy. Until he did, a warmth moving from his back into his stomach, stopping the spasms. He turned his head, panting softly, his grip on the railing whiting his knuckles.


“We don’t have all night, Isoke. Come on.” Riona said, moving to grab her sister’s arm, dragging her over to Reyad. “Would you mind helping her?” Riona asked, before moving to get out of the boat on her own.


Fiori looked over at them thoughtfully. How very interesting all of these people were. He wiped his mouth, standing up straight as he moved over to the disembarking spot. Thank god they were getting off the water.

 

[TheOddball]

Reyad couldn't help but giggle; people who were sick from the sea confused him, but then again, he'd been working on boats for a long time. The young woman, Isoke, had made him smile. She cared too much, which was both amusing to watch but must be annoying to experience. He watched Riona climb out of the boat briskly, and then got out himself. He held his arms out for the twin, aware of the moss beneath his feet.


"One of these days" he said "I'll learn how to teleport other people with me. Things like this wouldn't be necessary". He waited for the woman to get a grip on him before he started helping her out.


Meanwhile, Cassie and Anna had made good progress down the passage. It seemed to go on for a long while, the floor a little slippery at times from leaks in the walls. The smell of going underground was weirdly comforting. Soon, the pair came to the large room Reyad had spoke of. Both of them found smiles creeping across their faces.


The floor was decorated in an assortment of rugs. The walls were brick, keeping out any damp from the rocky substance the passage had been made off. Shabby paintings and cheap tapestries hung from the wall. There was a fire place of sorts, and their were different types of sofas, couches, armchairs just dotted about the place. It looked like it had been thrown together, in the nicest way possible.


"This is pretty cool" Cassie chimed, sounding more excited now as she gravitated towards a large fabric couch and sat down, tucking her knees up to her chest. Anna sat beside her, not wanting to take up an armchair.

 

[Arasaloe]

Riona glanced back at them a moment. Once she was sure her sister would be taken care of, or at least helped out of the boat, she started ahead, curious. She needed to spend a little bit of time on her own, anyway. She made her way up and into the passageway. What a place for a meeting. Although, maybe it suited them. They were hardly a normal group of people.


Isoke had taken Reyad’s hands lightly as she stepped out onto the rocks. “Thank you for the help. And I’m sure that the man back there,“


“Fiori.” He spoke a little gruffly, finding his place on the rocks next to them. He breathed a sigh of relief, getting steadied again. He clutched his backpack in hand, swinging it onto his shoulder as he looked at them.


“I’m sure Fiori would have enjoyed being teleported rather than the trip. But I dare say, teleportation of any sort is quite a feat.” She finished, looking ahead of them. Fiori made a face, moving to trek onwards. Isoke smiled, starting after him. "Wouldn't you rather be teleported?" "I'd rather not be dragged out to an abandoned island for something I'm only currently entertaining the notion of, teleported, transported by boat, or otherwise..."


Riona blinked as she found herself at the opening of the room. It was… rather cozy. She couldn’t have imagined it in a thousand years. Her lips twitched into a small smile, moving to take a seat in an armchair. She turned her gaze to the two women. “What made you two decide to come?”

 

[TheOddball]

Reyad chuckled as he made sure Isoke had a firm footing on the rocks before looking back at Fiori.


"I don't think I could teleport that entire distance, hell, I'm not sure if I can teleport other people with me!" he exclaimed, voice raised as the waves grew choppier. "Not had an awful lot of time to give myself training" he murmured to himself more than anything. He watched as the older man secured himself on the rocks before beginning to walk away. The three of them scaling the rocks and heading down the passage.


Cass and Anna looked up briefly from where they were sitting as Riona came in. When she sat and started speaking, they both offered her a smile.


"I've been living in forests and fields for a month, so a change of scenery was nice" Cass said with a laugh. What she said was correct, but she had other reasons. Life purpose and all that. It was too soon to get deep on these people, and she didn't want to talk about her past. She was the enemy in a lot of people's eyes.


"I've been on the run for a while now" Anna explained softly. "I was hoping tonight would provide me with some sort of protection; the last thing I want is prison" she said, a small shiver running down her spine. They had all heard of the jails, and what horrors went on in there.


"How about you?" Cass asked Riona when Anna had finished.

 

[Arasaloe]

Riona nodded slightly to each other their stories. She couldn’t fathom the thought of not living inside. Or living in total isolation. And the jail... Well, it made sense to want to stay out of there. No one got out alive. She knew it well. A strong memory washed over her and she frowned a little. As quickly as the memory of a man in prison clothes, laying bloody on the floor of her apartment was conjured, she shoved it away. That was in the past, and that was where it belonged. She shifted in her chair, pulling a leg up to her chest, sighing faintly, idly rubbing her shoulder.


“My sister.” She said with a slight shrug. “She wants to meet others like us. Bugged me about it for as long as we’ve been getting the notes. I told her ‘no’ at first, but… she’s persistent, to say the least.” Many a day had she woken up to Isoke’s face greeting her with a very pleasant but annoying question of whether they could please just meet whomever this was. They already had seemed to know a bit about them, after all. Might as well see who they were.


“Oh!” Isoke exclaimed lightly in surprise as the other three had made their way into the room. Fiori brought up the rear, a little wary. He moved around Isoke, who had stopped in the doorway to gaze around, to plop down into another of the armchairs.


“Alright, let’s talk.” He said. Best get this business over with.