Could it be? PART 8!! Pink Pony riders club. Insanity is welcome, sanity is not.

[artsyfartsy17]

I felt myself coming to as my eyes made their way open and I was sitting in a bathroom with the masked man that kissed me sitting on the bath tub staring at me contently.

"My head hurts." I said rubbing it uneasily. The man smoothed his hand against my bare leg, rubbing it softly.

"Who are you?" I asked finally. His big green eyes glistened beneath the brown, sequined masque. His curly hair running wild. He bit his lip and smiled.

"Sweetie, it's Finn."

I gasped, some traces of memory starting to float back to me.

"Finn? What's wrong with me?"

He looked down at the ground, almost with guilt, when we heard a knock on the door. I opened it cautiously as the butler greeted us.

"Sir, madame, we are serving dinner, if youd care to join us."

Just as he said this a crash of lightning boomed, and the lights flickered.

"Please, make your way after me."

I followed, confusedly, my head still pounding, my vision still blurred. Finn kept me from falling by wrapping his muscley arm around my waist. We continued down the long corridor to the dining room where a large number of guests sat at their name tags. Two spots were left beside eachother where M and I sat down. I rubbed my woozy head and turned the girl beside me. She smiled a confused smile, then she started to look as if she had realized something. I recognized her beautiful aubern hair just as the butler began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the main course we will be having lobster or steak, please tell me your decision as I make my way through the guests. Thank you."

My eyes dozed off momentarily, until he came up to me.

"Lobster or steak?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Lobster."

The butler waddled off and I turned my head to face the girl who must have been a few years older than me.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" I asked.

She thought about it until the doors burst open and another guest arrived.

 

I was surprised to find the girl who had fainted had ended up being seated next to me. She asked me if we knew each other, and I debated over what exactly to tell her. "Yes, but I'd really rather not talk about that right now, as I'm having a bit of a hard time remembering and don't think I want to remember anyway," would be an honest answer, but not a very comforting one. "No, I don't think so, you must be mistaken," was too much of a fabrication and with all of the fragments of memories overloading my mind, I didn't think it was one I could pull off convincingly. She continued looking at me, expecting an answer, and I was just about to toe the line of between honesty and lies with "You know, you look familiar, perhaps we have a friend in common" when the double doors that led to the entryway slammed open and a man entered. He was tall and lean, like the man in black, like the man accompanying the blond woman on my left, and he had dark hair that framed his face in a riot of curls and spirals. He strode in, his black cape billowing out to reveal a dark red satin lining, and beneath it, he was dressed in a buttonless black tuxedo with a beautiful silver embroidered vest underneath and wore a deep scarlet mask with just a wisp of black feathers sprouting from the edge of his right eye.

I swallowed against my dry throat, the same feeling of knowing and not knowing that I'd been having all night coming over me again while looking at this man. He seemed to have noticed that his arrival had stopped all conversation, and he smiled sheepishly before giving his cape to the butler and settling at the foot of the table. He lifted the name card that had been placed at the edge of his plate and stared at it, a mixture of disbelief and wry humor coming over his face. I stared at the newcomer for a moment, then remembered the blond girl and turned to answer her, but she wasn't looking at me. Instead, she was switching her gaze from the man next to her to the man at the foot of the table. It was true, they did look remarkably alike, and she seemed to be confused about both of them.

Feeling a watchful gaze myself, I looked around to discover that the man in black was across the table and two seats down from me. His ponderous stare was unnerving, especially when I noticed a gleam of both humor and confusion in his dark eyes. I thanked any higher powers who might be listening that the butler had spoken up when he had. I did not want to talk to this man anymore. He had too great an advantage over me, not only recognizing me, but also knowing my name and apparently remembering a past with me. I only knew him by snippets of memory, laughing with him, crying with him, watching him sleep while travelling on a train, a plane, a bus. I also had clearer images of him, but ones that I could not trust. He was a man that I kept seeing in my dreams, dreams I kept waking up in a cold sweat from. Sometimes he was a lover, sometimes a killer, sometimes a friend, sometimes my greatest enemy. One thing these dreams all had in common, however. He never had a name. I had been dreaming of this man for years and not once had my feverish imagination ever given him a name.

I jumped out of my musings and nearly out of my seat when the butler announced the arrival of our delayed, anonymous, mysterious host. Turning to the opposite side of the room to see, I watched him enter.

[soangel]

I have a vague idea. Shall post (man this has been ages, I may be rusty)

[artsyfartsy17]

Hmmm I may post after you then

 

If I can come up with an idea

 

I always have ideas in the beginning. It's after we've been writing for months about kidnapping after kidnapping that the well starts to run dry.

 

How've you been, Bec? Haven't talked in so long.

[soangel]

I was surprised to find the girl who had fainted had ended up being seated next to me. She asked me if we knew each other, and I debated over what exactly to tell her. "Yes, but I'd really rather not talk about that right now, as I'm having a bit of a hard time remembering and don't think I want to remember anyway," would be an honest answer, but not a very comforting one. "No, I don't think so, you must be mistaken," was too much of a fabrication and with all of the fragments of memories overloading my mind, I didn't think it was one I could pull off convincingly. She continued looking at me, expecting an answer, and I was just about to toe the line of between honesty and lies with "You know, you look familiar, perhaps we have a friend in common" when the double doors that led to the entryway slammed open and a man entered. He was tall and lean, like the man in black, like the man accompanying the blond woman on my left, and he had dark hair that framed his face in a riot of curls and spirals. He strode in, his black cape billowing out to reveal a dark red satin lining, and beneath it, he was dressed in a buttonless black tuxedo with a beautiful silver embroidered vest underneath and wore a deep scarlet mask with just a wisp of black feathers sprouting from the edge of his right eye.

I swallowed against my dry throat, the same feeling of knowing and not knowing that I'd been having all night coming over me again while looking at this man. He seemed to have noticed that his arrival had stopped all conversation, and he smiled sheepishly before giving his cape to the butler and settling at the foot of the table. He lifted the name card that had been placed at the edge of his plate and stared at it, a mixture of disbelief and wry humor coming over his face. I stared at the newcomer for a moment, then remembered the blond girl and turned to answer her, but she wasn't looking at me. Instead, she was switching her gaze from the man next to her to the man at the foot of the table. It was true, they did look remarkably alike, and she seemed to be confused about both of them.

Feeling a watchful gaze myself, I looked around to discover that the man in black was across the table and two seats down from me. His ponderous stare was unnerving, especially when I noticed a gleam of both humor and confusion in his dark eyes. I thanked any higher powers who might be listening that the butler had spoken up when he had. I did not want to talk to this man anymore. He had too great an advantage over me, not only recognizing me, but also knowing my name and apparently remembering a past with me. I only knew him by snippets of memory, laughing with him, crying with him, watching him sleep while travelling on a train, a plane, a bus. I also had clearer images of him, but ones that I could not trust. He was a man that I kept seeing in my dreams, dreams I kept waking up in a cold sweat from. Sometimes he was a lover, sometimes a killer, sometimes a friend, sometimes my greatest enemy. One thing these dreams all had in common, however. He never had a name. I had been dreaming of this man for years and not once had my feverish imagination ever given him a name.

I jumped out of my musings and nearly out of my seat when the butler announced the arrival of our delayed, anonymous, mysterious host. Turning to the opposite side of the room to see, I watched him enter.

 

I sat in my chair, fidgeting trying to avoid the gazes of the people next to me. They seemed so familar, like we'd met before. But that was impossible, I'd lived a quiet life, hadn't I? Yet there was something tugging at my memory, something I should remember. It was like my memory had been altered, and thinking of memory tugged a vague memory to mind, of a room and me standing in the middle of it, placing hands on someones head as I... as I what? Surely whatever it was wasn't possible. But still the memory plagued me.

 

I looked up as the curly haired man took his seat, another vague fragment of memory floating to the surface. There was something wrong here. I don't know why I had accepted the invitation to come, the invitation I had glanced at in the car though I had no memory of ever receiving.

 

Just when I was about to tug it out again when our host entered. He was a tall man, though suprisingly young and with distinctly asian features. Something about him was familar, not in a way the people beside me were familar in their eerie way. More in a "I knew someone he was related to way". But that surely was also impossible.

 

The man didn't take a seat, rather he chose to stand as he spoke.

"As far as you are all aware you and I have never met. This is the truth, and yet I know all about you. My father brought me up on tales of you, and he told me that this day would one day come. I'm just sorry it came so soon, we hoped to let you be for many more years"

 

He paused then, and glanced over at us, at our confused faces behind our masks. "You may all be feeling rather strange tonight, as if you have met each other all before. And the truth is you have. Some can remember more than others, a side effect of the power used to alter your memories, to give you the aspect of a normal life"

 

He paused again, and shook his head, holding his hand up as if to signal silence.

"I should start at the beginning I guess. The year is 2030, and you have all been "dead" for about 20 odd years now. This was a necessary fabrication, as was your removal from the public life"

I shook my head - I was born in the end of the 1980s, and I was only 21, wasn't I?. How could be it be 2030.

 

The man continued. "Only a few of you knew of what happened, of how we faked your death, and then transported you to a compound, where you lay cryogenically frozen for many years, only the ones we needed to make it happen. We left you to rest, undisturbed for many years, but the time has come ... "

[soangel]

I always have ideas in the beginning. It's after we've been writing for months about kidnapping after kidnapping that the well starts to run dry.

 

How've you been, Bec? Haven't talked in so long.

Ideas always do come at the start.

 

I've been good, apart from uni driving me insane. How have you been Arts? Long time no chat?

 

Hope the idea seems good.

[artsyfartsy17]

Ooooh, spooky. It's awesome!

 

I'll have to mull that over a bit before I can post again.

[artsyfartsy17]

Ideas always do come at the start.

 

I've been good, apart from uni driving me insane. How have you been Arts? Long time no chat?

 

Hope the idea seems good.

 

Your uni too? Seems we can't let a day go by without someone holding a protest over the furlough days and fewer classes and professors and higher fees these days. It's absolute madness. A month ago, someone gathered 300 people to sit in the Public Relations building and harrass employees until someone promised to change the sign from "Customer Services" to "Student Services".

[soangel]

Your uni too? Seems we can't let a day go by without someone holding a protest over the furlough days and fewer classes and professors and higher fees these days. It's absolute madness. A month ago, someone gathered 300 people to sit in the Public Relations building and harrass employees until someone promised to change the sign from "Customer Services" to "Student Services".

Wow thats crazy.

 

I have 1 more year to go (apart from this year) till I'm finished and the assignments are make me slowly insane.

[artsyfartsy17]

Wow thats crazy.

 

I have 1 more year to go (apart from this year) till I'm finished and the assignments are make me slowly insane.

 

Ah, I see. You're to be a teacher too, right? Have you done any classroom work yet? My assignments are getting mind-numbingly repetitive. Read the book, write a paper, read the book, write a paper. I never thought I'd see the day where I was getting sick and tired of writing about my opinions.

[soangel]

Ah, I see. You're to be a teacher too, right? Have you done any classroom work yet? My assignments are getting mind-numbingly repetitive. Read the book, write a paper, read the book, write a paper. I never thought I'd see the day where I was getting sick and tired of writing about my opinions.

Yep teacher too. Had classroom placements every semester except this one (which bugs me because most of my classings are so mind numbingly boring and theory based)

 

We have to do scenario assignments and essays and annotated bibliographys with a million hyperlinks these days. They all require massive amounts of research, I'm getting tired of reading about educational theories

[artsyfartsy17]

Yep teacher too. Had classroom placements every semester except this one (which bugs me because most of my classings are so mind numbingly boring and theory based)

 

We have to do scenario assignments and essays and annotated bibliographys with a million hyperlinks these days. They all require massive amounts of research, I'm getting tired of reading about educational theories

 

Agreed. If I have to recite Vygotsky to one more condescending education prof, I'm going to explode.

 

Ok, posting.

[soangel]

Agreed. If I have to recite Vygotsky to one more condescending education prof, I'm going to explode.

 

Ok, posting.

Vygotsky, Piaget, Bruner and his scaffolding, and many others. I swear most of the stuff we learn is just rehashing theories we've already learnt

[artsyfartsy17]

I sat in my chair, fidgeting trying to avoid the gazes of the people next to me. They seemed so familar, like we'd met before. But that was impossible, I'd lived a quiet life, hadn't I? Yet there was something tugging at my memory, something I should remember. It was like my memory had been altered, and thinking of memory tugged a vague memory to mind, of a room and me standing in the middle of it, placing hands on someones head as I... as I what? Surely whatever it was wasn't possible. But still the memory plagued me.

 

I looked up as the curly haired man took his seat, another vague fragment of memory floating to the surface. There was something wrong here. I don't know why I had accepted the invitation to come, the invitation I had glanced at in the car though I had no memory of ever receiving.

 

Just when I was about to tug it out again when our host entered. He was a tall man, though suprisingly young and with distinctly asian features. Something about him was familar, not in a way the people beside me were familar in their eerie way. More in a "I knew someone he was related to way". But that surely was also impossible.

 

The man didn't take a seat, rather he chose to stand as he spoke.

"As far as you are all aware you and I have never met. This is the truth, and yet I know all about you. My father brought me up on tales of you, and he told me that this day would one day come. I'm just sorry it came so soon, we hoped to let you be for many more years"

 

He paused then, and glanced over at us, at our confused faces behind our masks. "You may all be feeling rather strange tonight, as if you have met each other all before. And the truth is you have. Some can remember more than others, a side effect of the power used to alter your memories, to give you the aspect of a normal life"

 

He paused again, and shook his head, holding his hand up as if to signal silence.

"I should start at the beginning I guess. The year is 2030, and you have all been "dead" for about 20 odd years now. This was a necessary fabrication, as was your removal from the public life"

I shook my head - I was born in the end of the 1980s, and I was only 21, wasn't I?. How could be it be 2030.

 

The man continued. "Only a few of you knew of what happened, of how we faked your death, and then transported you to a compound, where you lay cryogenically frozen for many years, only the ones we needed to make it happen. We left you to rest, undisturbed for many years, but the time has come ... "

 

A tingling feeling came over me as I looked at our host in shock. The year 2030? Frozen?! But it was 2010 and I had been taken from my home and dropped off by my faithful Archie, Archie who had been my chauffeur and butler for...for...

I wrinkled my brow as I tried to remember the number of years Archie had been working for me. I couldn't come up with the answer. I didn't know if he had been working for me for a week or ten years. I tried to sort through my confusion before realizing that our host was still speaking.

"...we will discuss the mission you have ahead of you in a moment, but first, on getting used to what I imagine is a strange and frightening experience. You are the Pink Pony Riders. You are a team of...celebrity superheros, if you will. You each have different talents and powers, as well as different areas of expertise. We will eat dinner, as you are all probably famished. Then you will all receive folders with your profiles and those of your fellow Riders so that you can start to remember yourselves and each other. There are details to be worked out, such as the fact that tomorrow is a full moon and what that means for some of you, where you will be sleeping, where you will be training, and also the briefing you will need on the culture of this world. You will not be able to complete your mission without knowing basic knowledge of the times, as there are certain scientific breakthroughs that you once thought impossible to achieve that might amaze but also terrify you. Also, you must reacquaint yourselves with each other so that you will be able to function as a team once more. But before we get too deep in conversation, we must eat! Jensen, bring the soup course!"

I spooned delicate leek and potato soup into my mouth and didn't look at anyone at the table anymore. It was going to take more than a meal and a folder of profiles to become accustomed to these many revelations.

[DrJohn]

I sat in my chair, fidgeting trying to avoid the gazes of the people next to me. They seemed so familar, like we'd met before. But that was impossible, I'd lived a quiet life, hadn't I? Yet there was something tugging at my memory, something I should remember. It was like my memory had been altered, and thinking of memory tugged a vague memory to mind, of a room and me standing in the middle of it, placing hands on someones head as I... as I what? Surely whatever it was wasn't possible. But still the memory plagued me.

 

I looked up as the curly haired man took his seat, another vague fragment of memory floating to the surface. There was something wrong here. I don't know why I had accepted the invitation to come, the invitation I had glanced at in the car though I had no memory of ever receiving.

 

Just when I was about to tug it out again when our host entered. He was a tall man, though suprisingly young and with distinctly asian features. Something about him was familar, not in a way the people beside me were familar in their eerie way. More in a "I knew someone he was related to way". But that surely was also impossible.

 

The man didn't take a seat, rather he chose to stand as he spoke.

"As far as you are all aware you and I have never met. This is the truth, and yet I know all about you. My father brought me up on tales of you, and he told me that this day would one day come. I'm just sorry it came so soon, we hoped to let you be for many more years"

 

He paused then, and glanced over at us, at our confused faces behind our masks. "You may all be feeling rather strange tonight, as if you have met each other all before. And the truth is you have. Some can remember more than others, a side effect of the power used to alter your memories, to give you the aspect of a normal life"

 

He paused again, and shook his head, holding his hand up as if to signal silence.

"I should start at the beginning I guess. The year is 2030, and you have all been "dead" for about 20 odd years now. This was a necessary fabrication, as was your removal from the public life"

I shook my head - I was born in the end of the 1980s, and I was only 21, wasn't I?. How could be it be 2030.

 

The man continued. "Only a few of you knew of what happened, of how we faked your death, and then transported you to a compound, where you lay cryogenically frozen for many years, only the ones we needed to make it happen. We left you to rest, undisturbed for many years, but the time has come ... "

 

 

I was stunned; was this what I even wanted? I wondered if I'd ever agreed to this... I must have... I once again glanced around. Silence hung in the air. Eventually the Asian man, must have realised that it was his turn to speak.

"I don't want to remind you of what has happened in the past" he began "for many reasons, personal and otherwise, if I do, it could corrupt your memories so it is better for you to wait and discover for yourselves what happened, what will happen..." he paused, as if he knew that the last comment had been unessercary, "I just want you to know that everybody is safe here and I can almost certainly say that everyone here will regain their memories, however we cannot allow you to leave this place until you have regained it. Now, I'm going to leave, but you must stay here."

He stood and looked the others coldly in the eye then turned to me. I was offered his hand, and I took it. I went wth him out of the room. Gasping and muttering,followed us

[artsyfartsy17]

Vygotsky, Piaget, Bruner and his scaffolding, and many others. I swear most of the stuff we learn is just rehashing theories we've already learnt

 

A very wise classmate of mine said last week, "An education student can learn all they need to know in one semester, but they aren't allowed to graduate in a semester, so the professors just keep feeding them the same information, just from different spoons.":bleh:

[artsyfartsy17]

Oops, we double-posted.

[soangel]

It sort of works if we move it after yours Arts

 

Welcome Dr John. We like to inform each other on here that we're posting - just in case so that we don't double post. But otherwise good start. What would you like to be known as in the story?

[soangel]

A very wise classmate of mine said last week, "An education student can learn all they need to know in one semester, but they aren't allowed to graduate in a semester, so the professors just keep feeding them the same information, just from different spoons.":bleh:

That sounds about right. Though we are beginning to get some more practical knowledge now. But only beginning.

 

Mmmm I think I shall post

[soangel]

I was stunned; was this what I even wanted? I wondered if I'd ever agreed to this... I must have... I once again glanced around. Silence hung in the air. Eventually the Asian man, must have realised that it was his turn to speak.

"I don't want to remind you of what has happened in the past" he began "for many reasons, personal and otherwise, if I do, it could corrupt your memories so it is better for you to wait and discover for yourselves what happened, what will happen..." he paused, as if he knew that the last comment had been unessercary, "I just want you to know that everybody is safe here and I can almost certainly say that everyone here will regain their memories, however we cannot allow you to leave this place until you have regained it. Now, I'm going to leave, but you must stay here."

He stood and looked the others coldly in the eye then turned to me. I was offered his hand, and I took it. I went wth him out of the room. Gasping and muttering,followed us

 

 

The food was brought out and placed before us, and though I was starving I couldn't eat. The man's words were bringing back memories, as if something had been unlocked in my brain. My head hurt, and i was having to fight back tears, but I could remember, oh god I could remember

 

*20 odd years ago*

*tearfully* "So their alive? But the newspapers said...."

Nobu (or whatever our Japanese trainer's name is). "Yes, their alive. We've put them in medicated comas for now, there is something we need you to do before we cryogenically freeze them. We need you to alter their memories, so they can forget - well forget everything recently thats happened. Put a dissolvable block on everything, except for the last month or so. It is best they never remember that"

"And what about me?"

"You have a choice. You can alter your own memories and join them in the sleep, or you can watch over the children, knowing that eventually you too might be hunted down."

I shook my head. "Its safer for the children if I sleep too. They deserve a normal childhood, without the risk."

"And I will see they get it. But first you must alter their own memories so that they can have normal, until the time is right. And then I will take you the others"

"are you sure this is necessary"

"it is the only way."

 

Present day

I shook my head, trying to clear the memories. It was no wonder they had broken through, I wasn't even supposed to be able to work my own memories, not with any degree of skill. How could you make yourself forget something if you had to remember to make yourself forget something.

 

I also suddenly knew who our host was, or more specifically who his father was. It made me sad to think that if he was in charge then Nobu had surely died of old age. And the children - they must be all grown up by now. I wondered briefly if this mission had anything to do with them, but dismissed it. He had promised they would lead normal lives, surely they couldn't be involved in all this

 

And what was the mysterious happening I had permanently blocked from all their memories. I couldn't remember what that was, and shuddering I realised I probably didn't want to know.

 

Realising that the girl on my left was giving me a weird glance I picked up my fork. I couldn't recognise who it was with their mask on, and even with the flood of memories there was still some gaps, some holes in the past. And there was a feeling of worry, I wasn't sure if it was safe to let everyone know the part I had played in current events, that I was the reason for the confusion, that I had agreed to this when many others had had no choice.

 

We all ate in an eerie silence, despite the countless questions that were bound to be brimming in our minds.

[artsyfartsy17]

It sort of works if we move it after yours Arts

 

Welcome Dr John. We like to inform each other on here that we're posting - just in case so that we don't double post. But otherwise good start. What would you like to be known as in the story?

Hmmm.....you're quite right. It fits. Funny how those usually do, unless it's in the middle of a battle scene or something.

 

Yes, welcome! Great to have newcomers on the day of our revival. Pull up a cyber-seat and enjoy the ride. Only rules are to be nice, respectful to others, and Mika is ok for casual chicken once in a while, but he is officially off-limits to everyone in terms of an emotional romantic capacity.

That sounds about right. Though we are beginning to get some more practical knowledge now. But only beginning.

 

Mmmm I think I shall post

I love the practical knowledge, but we don't hear a lot about practical discipline systems and I'm worried about not being an effective disciplinarian. I'll be teaching the teenagers, after all. Scary creatures.

[soangel]

Hmmm.....you're quite right. It fits. Funny how those usually do, unless it's in the middle of a battle scene or something.

 

Yes, welcome! Great to have newcomers on the day of our revival. Pull up a cyber-seat and enjoy the ride. Only rules are to be nice, respectful to others, and Mika is ok for casual chicken once in a while, but he is officially off-limits to everyone in terms of an emotional romantic capacity.

 

I love the practical knowledge, but we don't hear a lot about practical discipline systems and I'm worried about not being an effective disciplinarian. I'll be teaching the teenagers, after all. Scary creatures.

Ohh teenagers are scary (and most are taller than me)

 

I'm primary (little kids are easier, less sex, drugs and other issues ) though that qualifys us to teach up to year 8 (years 7 and 8 are the start of our high school).

 

Discipline is something I worry about. I mean, how am I supposed to deal with some of the kids out there? But placements and the strategies the teachers use in those help a bit

[artsyfartsy17]

Postingk!

[artsyfartsy17]

The food was brought out and placed before us, and though I was starving I couldn't eat. The man's words were bringing back memories, as if something had been unlocked in my brain. My head hurt, and i was having to fight back tears, but I could remember, oh god I could remember

 

*20 odd years ago*

*tearfully* "So their alive? But the newspapers said...."

Nobu (or whatever our Japanese trainer's name is). "Yes, their alive. We've put them in medicated comas for now, there is something we need you to do before we cryogenically freeze them. We need you to alter their memories, so they can forget - well forget everything recently thats happened. Put a dissolvable block on everything, except for the last month or so. It is best they never remember that"

"And what about me?"

"You have a choice. You can alter your own memories and join them in the sleep, or you can watch over the children, knowing that eventually you too might be hunted down."

I shook my head. "Its safer for the children if I sleep too. They deserve a normal childhood, without the risk."

"And I will see they get it. But first you must alter their own memories so that they can have normal, until the time is right. And then I will take you the others"

"are you sure this is necessary"

"it is the only way."

 

Present day

I shook my head, trying to clear the memories. It was no wonder they had broken through, I wasn't even supposed to be able to work my own memories, not with any degree of skill. How could you make yourself forget something if you had to remember to make yourself forget something.

 

I also suddenly knew who our host was, or more specifically who his father was. It made me sad to think that if he was in charge then Nobu had surely died of old age. And the children - they must be all grown up by now. I wondered briefly if this mission had anything to do with them, but dismissed it. He had promised they would lead normal lives, surely they couldn't be involved in all this

 

And what was the mysterious happening I had permanently blocked from all their memories. I couldn't remember what that was, and shuddering I realised I probably didn't want to know.

 

Realising that the girl on my left was giving me a weird glance I picked up my fork. I couldn't recognise who it was with their mask on, and even with the flood of memories there was still some gaps, some holes in the past. And there was a feeling of worry, I wasn't sure if it was safe to let everyone know the part I had played in current events, that I was the reason for the confusion, that I had agreed to this when many others had had no choice.

 

We all ate in an eerie silence, despite the countless questions that were bound to be brimming in our minds.

 

When dinner was over, we followed our host to another room, smaller than the first two, with more seating and tables, designed for long hours of studying or deep discussion on dark nights.

I looked at the people before me, looking for names to put to faces, but all I could see were elegant masks and whispers of memory. The man in black sat too close to me for my comfort. Again I sensed he was not human, but then, how could I know that? Were any of these people human? Was I? I had never had to question my species before. Or had I?

I could feel my mind starting to fray, the facts I took for granted were now under speculation and things I thought I knew for sure were being questioned. Questions about everything and anything circled my head over and over. I looked down at my lap and picked at the fingertip of my long velvet glove. A manila folder plopped down on top of my hands. I grabbed it to keep from falling and was surprised at how light it was. Was this all I was being given to re-learn the identities of the people around me?

Tentatively, I opened the folder. The first page was business-like.

 

Name: Amy "Artsy" Huddleston

Username: Artsyfartsy17

Age: 21

Gender: Female

 

I scanned the page, realizing it was my own profile, then reached the section "Special Powers/Talents/Training". I read the paragraph, gasped, read it again, and felt a sick feeling plummet and settle low in my stomach. Memories came back in a painfully large multitude. I remembered a castle in the dark of night. I remembered a demon cackling and atrocities of nature sinking their fangs into my skin. But most of all, I remembered pain, a blinding, bone-deep, soul-jarring pain and the crying of my loved ones watching me writhe on a table. My questions were starting to be answered, and my worst suspicions were true.

 

I was not human. Or rather, I had been, but now human was only part of the equation.

[soangel]

Posting (this is beginning to feel like old times)

[soangel]

When dinner was over, we followed our host to another room, smaller than the first two, with more seating and tables, designed for long hours of studying or deep discussion on dark nights.

I looked at the people before me, looking for names to put to faces, but all I could see were elegant masks and whispers of memory. The man in black sat too close to me for my comfort. Again I sensed he was not human, but then, how could I know that? Were any of these people human? Was I? I had never had to question my species before. Or had I?

I could feel my mind starting to fray, the facts I took for granted were now under speculation and things I thought I knew for sure were being questioned. Questions about everything and anything circled my head over and over. I looked down at my lap and picked at the fingertip of my long velvet glove. A manila folder plopped down on top of my hands. I grabbed it to keep from falling and was surprised at how light it was. Was this all I was being given to re-learn the identities of the people around me?

Tentatively, I opened the folder. The first page was business-like.

 

Name: Amy "Artsy" Huddleston

Username: Artsyfartsy17

Age: 21

Gender: Female

 

I scanned the page, realizing it was my own profile, then reached the section "Special Powers/Talents/Training". I read the paragraph, gasped, read it again, and felt a sick feeling plummet and settle low in my stomach. Memories came back in a painfully large multitude. I remembered a castle in the dark of night. I remembered a demon cackling and atrocities of nature sinking their fangs into my skin. But most of all, I remembered pain, a blinding, bone-deep, soul-jarring pain and the crying of my loved ones watching me writhe on a table. My questions were starting to be answered, and my worst suspicions were true.

 

I was not human. Or rather, I had been, but now human was only part of the equation.

 

I nervously held the folder in my hands, not opening it. I knew most of the information in here anyway, thanks to the slight return of memories. If I was still having trouble putting names to faces, that was to be expected.

 

"Aren't you going to read yours?" one of the others asked me, shooting me an odd glance. Sighing I opened it up, hoping others wouldn't make the obvious connection when they got to the bit about what I could.

 

The front page was about me, including my name and age and home town. Everything seemed to be as I remembered, or as I now remembered. My power was listed, along with the things it allowed me to do. As I went to turn the page, a id card fell out. Scanning it, I saw my picture, and what was almost my name, with a slight variation in the last name. The date of birth was 21 years ago, so it seemed we had been given new IDs, which were similar to our real ones. Putting it aside, I continued reading, hoping not to draw attention.

 

Just then, a shout came up from the other side of the room, and something or someone came hurtling at me. I was knocked off my chair and found myself being held to the ground, looking up into the the increasingly lined with green eyes of a red haired girl.

 

"You, you were involved in this, weren't you?" she screamed at me, as the others got to their feet