I like the idea of the fanatics wanting to destroy all the "unnatural things" but perhaps it could go both ways? As in, the Exohumans hate normal humans as well? Or maybe the ultimate leader wants the Exohumans and the humans to destroy themselves so as to create a new world order and rule over the survivors.

I guess we'll just have to see where the story goes!

Also, are you guys okay with doing a timeskip? Just so we could have the charries go through a few weeks of classes/training/other boring school stuff without having to actually write about it. Coincidentally, this RP actually started on September 1st and so far we've only written through 2 school days, so if we were doing this in real time, maybe we could skip to late October and perhaps the next significant plot event happens on Halloween?

If we do it this way there will probably be multiple timeskips in the future.

I'm fine with a time skip. Maybe there could be a Halloween school event where another attack would happen.

That all sounds good to me! Also: I apologize for being so inactive. I will post soon, I promise. I'm really bad with procrastination, but I'm working on it. So, sorry! I will contribute more.

Alright, clearly it's up to me to keep this alive and kicking.

Also, I mentioned before that Horatio's guitar is a weapon. Scrap that idea, it's just a normal guitar now. I realized a weird morphing battle axe does not fit with his personality at all so I came up with something different for him to use... 

Horatio~

2 months later

I sit on my bed, tinkering with a pair of metal gauntlets I've been working on since the incident. I haven't told anyone yet, but if they work correctly they should focus all the light energy in my body into a concentrated laser. I had the idea after realizing how useless my power was against the Condor, how fast I burnt myself out. I want to be more than a one-hit wonder, so I've been spending a lot of time in the workshop lately.

That also means I've been looking for an opportunity to test them out, but I don't want to accidentally hurt someone, so, secretly, one twisted part of my mind hopes for another invasion. Of course, that hasn't happened. Security has been reinforced and classes have carried on without any further interruption. But you never know.

The door to my room suddenly flies open, slamming against the wall. It's... my face? Rainey.

"HELLO!" 

"That trick again, huh? Do you remember how to knock?"

"Not today I don't! Are you scared?"

"What is it, April Fool's Day or something?"

"What? It's Halloween!" 

I take a glance at my phone, noting the date. "Oh. I guess it is. I've been so busy I haven't really been keeping track. Do they even celebrate it here?" I tighten a particularly nasty bolt with my socket wrench.

"Who cares? Everyone's down in the village, they've got music and games and stuff. Oh, and food we don't have to make ourselves."

I swivel around, facing away from her. "Bu. Sy."

"Come on, Horatio! You've been working on that for like weeeks. I thought it would totally be your thing to have a break and do something fun! Do you want me to turn into Mute Button again?"

"Okay, okay, that's crossing a line. Lay off, I'll be there. Don't wait up for me."

"You'd better." 

As Rainey leaves the room, I stuff my handiwork into a backpack and sling it over my shoulder. I don't want any more "Halloween tricksters" messing with my stuff while I'm gone, so better to bring it with me.

The village near the school. This is kind of the first time I've ever been down here so I'm not really sure what to expect. It seems to me that a small Nepalese village wouldn't be too keen on accepting a bunch of foreigners from literally all over the world, but they're actually very welcoming. Restaurants are open, lights line the streets, and there are even some game booths set up, giving the appearance of a makeshift Himalayan carnival. It's nothing like back home, obviously, the main difference being the lack of costumes. Some people have put together their own simple costumes, namely those with creation-type abilities, but everyone else is wearing normal street clothes.

That is, almost everybody. 

Two very, very tall figures dressed as skeletons, accompanied by an almost comically short person who is obscured by a black cloak, are making their way down the street. Ironically, the fact that they're wearing proper costumes makes them stand out way more than they were probably intending to.

I bump into Rainey, keeping my eyes on the weirdos. She's talking to another group of students, but turns around to greet me. Without looking at her, I mutter out of the side of my mouth. "Do you know those clowns?"

"I haven't seen anyone that tall at the school, so maybe they're from the village." she speculates. "Why, did they say something to you?"

My eyes narrow. "Something's not right with them." 

Korrynn~

I hang suspended from nothing in a wide, glass cylinder. The two scientists, beige clipboards in hand, look up at me.

"Remind me again why I'm here?" A hint of sarcasm has crept into my voice. I'm so done with these people. Suddenly, the irises of the two scientists' eyes turn black. Pitch black. Startled, I attempt to move away from them, but I can't. I seem to be frozen now, instead of freely floating. They smile.

"You see. What your powers really are is manipulating reality. Your reality though, and the reality of anything that doesn't have free will, like the earth and objects around you. Our Master thought you would be quite useful." I struggle, but I can't move. I try to change into something that may help me, but my powers seem to be smothered. S01 draws a little machine, a bit like a controller, out of his pocket and presses a button. Pain like a lightening strike rushes through me, and I scream. Darkness consumes my mind, and I faint.

"Welcome, Korrynn." A deep, resonating voice snakes out of the shadows around me. I float still, like I did in the glass case, but I can move. I whirl around, looking for the source of the voice. Faintly, a dim light shines on a black figure. Young, but older than me. I would guess about eighteen to twenty. Seemingly androgenously male in this light, but I can't tell very well.

"How do you know my name? And what is yours?" My caution shows in the narrowing of my eyes and the slightly defensive stance I take. The figure chuckles and rises from his seat on a dark throne. He walks over to me. Even as he nears I can't make out his features.

"You will call me the Master. I know your name because I've watched you carefully over these past few days." He props my chin up on two of his gloved fingers. His black cape swishes on the floor. In defiance, I jerk my head out of his gentle grasp. He chuckles again, low and rolling. "Sprited, aren't you? That'll be useful."

"Not for you, though." I growl. The Master - I mean the figure - hums contentedly and walks slowly around me. I turn in the air, not letting his faint outline out of my sight. "What do you want from me?" He stops and turns on his heel to face me fully. Without warning, his hands shoot up from behind his back and seize my on the sides of my head. I try to tear away, but I'm frozen again. I look up at him, and I see that his eyes are black, like the scientists'. In those dark mirrors I see black creeping at the edges of my own irises. I can do nothing to stop it. The darkness rushes up to me, and I can feel myself beginning to faint. Before I do, though, I hear the Master whisper:

"I want you, Korrynn."

~~

I'll be right back... 

It’s been two months since Korrynn went missing. Two months since the test. One month since the twins found my secret. One week since I lost control. One day since Korynn has been proclaimed dead, never to be found.

Korrynn being led away by scientists.

Korrynn fighting for her life against exofauna.

Korrynn making me feel like I belong.

Korrynn disappearing.

Millie and Raniey staring at me, horrified at what I did to that deer.

The Crimson class student ‘s taunts, his terror, his fear, his blood on my hands.

The gathering of students and teachers when they announced that Korrynn was gone.

Tears start to trickle down my face without my notice. I wipe at them as they drip down my face, furious at myself for crying. A  few hours later I walk sadly down the hallway

Someone taps my shoulder and I whip around angrily. “I swear. If this is one more prank from one of you guys pretending to be Korrynn, I will maim you.” then I stop in my tracks. “Korrynn…”

Rainey~

The village is great.

Paper lanterns strung across the streets shed orange light on the people milling around. Music and laughter spills from open doors that are adorned with what looks like real bones. Some carnival games are set up, and food vendors enticing people with smells that weave skillfully through the bunches of people.

I wander around, chatting with various groups of Candrama students. I turned my hair a nice shade of periwinkle blue for the occasion, and I had already received quite a few compliments.

I'm just finishing talking with some of the local residents when someone bumps into me.

I turn around to find Horatio, his eyes lowered. I'm glad he finally came: that kid had been worrying me with all the time he spent shut up in his room. 

"Do you know those clowns?" he mutters, keeping his voice so low I can hardly hear him. What, no hey how're you doing thanks for letting me now this thing was going on I like your hair?

I know who he's talking about without asking, though. The two freakishly tall people in costumes, and their minion Mr. Shorty.

"I haven't seen anyone that tall at school, so maybe they're from the village." I frown. "Why, did they say something to you?"

His eyes narrow slightly. "Something's not right with them."

I nod. "I'll try to keep an eye on them. You should too." We're still antsy from the Condor attack, even though it was two months ago.

I punch Horatio's arm playfully, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Betcha can't beat me in the carnival shooting game."

He smiles. "Bet I can."

We play for a while, laughing and cracking jokes. I'm glad that I'm beginning to feel more comfortable with Horatio, and that he seems to be feeling the same way.

We're just starting our third round of the game when Horatio stops and raises his head.

"Did you hear that?" He asks, looking around suspiciously.

I'm about to ask what when the town erupts into havoc.

Millie~

I watch the Halloween festivities while perched on a barrel pushed out of the main walking area. I've always been more of a passive person than an active one, preffering to watch rather than participate.

My eyes keep roaming back to the two people that stick out most from the crowd. They are unnaturally tall and wearing long cloaks that cover most of their bodies. The shorter person that accompianies them is also in a cloak. They don't talk with anyone, eat anything, or play any of the carnival games, instead wandering aimlessly around the streets.

Horatio and Rainey go off to play one of the carnival games, and I can't help but smile. I'm glad that Rainey was making friends, not that it was hard for her. 

I begin to zone out slightly when a strange rattling noise to my left draws my attention. I look over to see the bone decorations on the door next to me shaking as if they are coming alive.

Before I can wonder at what is happening the bones fly off of the door and into the air, joined by hundreds of other bones from all of the other doors.

Some tear through the paper lanterns, causing them to either go out or engulf in flame. Others begin mobbing the townspeople, battering them relentlessly to the ground. 

I start to frantically trying to and find Rainey and Horatio when I too am surrounded by bones. Instead of attacking me, they start to twist and stack on top of each other, building a cage around me. 

I scream and try to push them away but they are as firm as stone. between the gaps in the bones I see similar things happening to the other Candrama students. 

Through it all I see the three figures that caught my eye earlier standing perfectly upright, staring at the chaos around them as if they were orchestrating all of it. 

Sorry this is so long. Also, if this isn't the direction that you guys wanted this to go, feel free to change it. 

Eryn~

I toss a dart at one of the balloons hanging on the back of the stall, and miss by a long shot. We're all (well, most of us) down at the little village, celebrating Halloween! There are a bunch of games and activities, and there's music and food, too. Everything tastes so much better when you don't have to cook it. I've got three darts left, and two balloons. I throw, and hit one of the balloons. It pops satisfyingly. I throw another dart at the last balloon, but I miss again.

"Last one," says Ripley. "Don't miss!" Of course, since they say that, I miss. I groan, but smile anyway. Ayelet was much better at the game than I was, and she's now clutching a small stuffed puffball adorned with googly eyes.

"Do you guys want to get some food?" I ask. "I'm starving." They both agree, so we walk around looking for a good vendor. On our way, we pass Rainey and Horatio playing another carnival game together. I wave hello, but they're too focused on the game to see. I laugh to myself. It's good to see Horatio out and about, in any case. I've noticed he's been spending a lot of time alone since the initiation.

I open my mouth to say something to Ripley and Ayelet, when suddenly, the decorative bones on a door near us begin quivering. I stop and stare. Ayelet notices I'm not there anymore, and says,

"Eryn? What's wrong?" Before I can answer, the bones explode out of the door, flying through the air. One hits my arm, hard, and I cry out in pain. As I watch, they begin forming a small structure at my feet. By the time I realize it's a cage, I can't get out. I watch, helpless, as the same thing happens to all the other students. As I peer through the bones, I see a figure standing alone at the edge of the village. I regognize it as Wei. He isn't trepped yet, like the rest of us. I yell, as loud as I can,

"Wei!" I see his head turn towards me. "Run!" He stumbles backwards a little, then takes off. I sink to the ground. He'll get help. He has to.

Oof, sorry the formatting was weird in my last post. Guess I shouldn't paste text at all.

Wei~

I dash through the side streets of the village, my head still reeling from what I've just learned. I remind myself I'll have time to think about it later, because right now I need to get to the school and get help from the teachers.

I turn a corner, and come face to face with one of those bone cages. I'm a bit surprised to see Daniel trapped in it, along with... 

"Korrynn? They said you were dead, I..."

"No time to explain." Daniel interrupts, a look of unusual intensity on his face. "Do you know what we're dealing with?"

My father is a bit of an Exozoologist, so I'm aware of even the rarest of monsters.

"These are Skullshades," I recall. "They're an obscure species endemic to northern India. Their weak spot is on their face but they're clearly not letting you get to it."

"Okay, that's all we needed to know. You keep doing your thing, Wei." 

"Right." I give a stiff nod, and continue on my frantic run to the school. When I reach the bottom of the hill, I see out of the corner of my eye a little cloaked figure running out of the village, to the west. 

I then remember what the ghosts told me. Under that cloak is an Exohuman, an Exohuman using this chaos as a diversion to get to the control center! Usually it's heavily guarded, but on a day like this most of the sentries are on break. He'll most likely have no trouble disabling the force field.

He's going to turn Candrama Institute into a sitting duck. 

I stop in my tracks. I need to make a choice. Go get the teachers and save my classmates, or go after the Exohuman and save the entire school.

I choose the logical one. 

I'm sorry, everyone. You're going to have to hold out just a little longer.