Sorry this is so short, I have been very busy with other writing projects! I will write the rest and try to post it tomorrow or Saturday. 

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Part X

“Theia!” Ashei’s voice rang out. Theia straightened. “What is your strength?”

“Communication.” 

“What is your weakness?”

“Distractions.”

“Klio?” Klio nodded. “What is your strength?”

And so it went on. Delilah leaned over to Luila. “I thought she was asking unique questions?” she inquired. “Yes, she does, but first she asks your strengths and weaknesses,” Luila explained. “Oh. But why?” Delilah mused. But there was no time for anyone to answer, because by then it was Khai’s turn.

“Khaira. What is your strength?” Ashei asked. “My resourcefulness,” Khaira answered, with the air of saying a formal hello or goodbye. “What is your weakness?” Ashei asked. “My interrupting, and I do not take to rules well,” she responded, back straight, chin up. Ashei smiled. I know you don’t, she wanted to say, but didn’t.

“Lianna. What is your strength?” Ashei continued. “I am always trustworthy,” Lianna responded softly, as if she were performing an important ritual. “And what is your weakness?” Ashei asked. Lianna thought, and answered carefully. “I am quiet and shy. And I am lost in my anger, once I enter it.” Ashei nodded. This was sufficient.

“Luila. What is your strength?” Ashei questioned. Luila took a deep breath, seeming nervous. “I can keep a cool head,” she responded, her voice proving that, loud and proud as it was. “Your weakness?” Ashei asked. “I am reckless. And my fear of being alone. I think they are both my weaknesses,” Luila responded, her voice still loud, but losing some of its pride, Delilah noticed.

“And you. Raymond. What is your strength?” Ashei asked, causing some titters from the other six, who had never seen them before. “My strength… is problem solving,” Raymond said, his voice tentative, nervous, in a way, but still honored and proud. “What is your weakness?” Ashei asked. “My weakness. My weakness is my loudness, and my recklessness,” Raymond decided, feeling like a weight was being lifted from him as he admitted it.

 “Delilah, what is your strength?” Ashei asked, her voice sounding interested, a little more interested than previously. “My strength is my optimism,” Delilah responded, her voice heavy, but light at the same time. “Your weakness?” Delilah thought on this one. She knew her answer, but would it be acceptable? She went for it. “My weakness… is also my optimism.” She held her breath, wondering what reception she would get after that answer. 

Ashei laughed out loud. Giggles were heard from Theia, Klio, Sarabeth, and Lilia. “Good answer,” Ashei said, and everyone quieted down. Delilah sighed with relief. “And finally. Tazandyr-” “Taz, for Pete’s sake,” Taz grumbled. “Tazandyr,” Ashei continued stubbornly, “what is your strength?” Taz paused, thinking. “I think that my strength is… my energy. I’ll always keep going,” he said, louder than he’d meant to, and much more serious than usual. Ashei smiled. “Weakness?” Taz answered immediately. “My pessimism,” he said, grinning, even though there wasn’t much to grin about.

Nodding, Ashei raised a hand for silence. When it fell, she spoke. “There will be some changes to today’s Choosing,” Ashei announced. “You have all given good answers, so I can’t rule out any of you. I have one more, and this will decide who will be going on this mission. Keep in mind: you are not guaranteed to be staying with the groups you are standing in. Are you ready?”

Everyone nodded apprehensively. “Can you cooperate with every single member of our resistance present? Be honest. Your honesty decides who goes, who stays. If you are dishonest, I won’t be able to tell. When the mission fails, it will be your fault.”

To be continued~ 

Kiwi! ocpgx? You have an OC named P. G. X.? I didn't know you made OCs! (ahem. work on your naming skills. PGX?!)

Why do I always miss your posts!  I really like this part.  And the ending is really good.  It felt suspensful.  I can't wait for it to be continued!

What is a solo write?

It's a story written by just one person on Chatterbox.  The writer may ask other CBers to create characters for the story, but just the original person does all the writing.

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Dear CBers (mainly, Heroes and Peregrine): Okay, so you’re probably going to hate me for the ending to this solo write, but I have to cut it short. I’m getting really busy, and I unfortunately don’t have the time to continue it. I also feel like this… hasn’t been my best writing, as it’s been my first big writing project since 2nd grade XD, and I can feel myself just losing the plot and going down a random road that probably leads nowhere. I don’t want that to happen to this story. It doesn’t deserve that. So, in short, thank you for reading, and enjoy this final installment. Know that I really appreciate you, Peregrine, giving helpful pep talks when I was feeling ishy on this piece of writing, and both of you, Peregrine and Heroes, for continuing to read this, even when it wasn’t at its best. Finally, thanks to everyone who submitted a charrie: Peregrine, Win, HOO, La’Crosse, cerinthe, and NOK. Now since this is starting to sound a little bit like a funeral for this poor solo write, I am ending this letter. Bye! 

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Part X, cont.

They had answered. Some truthfully, some not so truthfully. But all had answered. A man, hidden among the trees, nodded to himself. He knew all these people by name. Some were younger, some older, all competent. But this man knew exactly who would be chosen. He had met every single one of them, at one point or another. He knew some better than others, but he knew their character. 

This man knew. All twelve people would be chosen. And as he watched, he thought of the poem read to him, all those years ago. “Twelve girls and boys, both rebels and rivals. The ones who will…” he recited to himself. The ones who will either let the vultures rise… or won’t, he thought.

He wondered which. Let the vultures rise… or won’t. Which one? He shifted his position slightly as his foot started to tingle, stepping on several dry leaves which crackled loudly under his weight. He held his breath as a frizzy haired teenager wearing a crown of flowers that didn’t even seem to be fake stared suspiciously in his direction.

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Delilah jumped uncomfortably. Those eyes. She’d seen eyes in this supposedly secret spot in this forest. “Ashei,” she said faintly, “Ashei, someone’s here.” Ashei’s hazel eyes briefly flicked toward Delilah, but she kept talking as though nothing had happened. “Ummm.. why isn’t she doing anything?” whispered a puzzled Raymond to Luila, who shrugged. “Who knows?” Khai jumped in. “Ashei always has her reasons,” Luila and Khai finished together. Lianna followed along internally. “Girls!” Ashei’s voice rang out sharply. “Listen, please!”

Delilah blushed, feeling like it was her fault. “It’s okay,” Khai said, barely moving her lips. “...all twelve of you shall be going on this mission,” Ashei finished. There was a nod of assent as everyone in the group realized they were included in this.

Unbeknownst to them, the man smiled.

“Wait. What?” Taz asked, realizing something wasn’t right. “You said…” 

“All twelve?” someone from the other group asked. “Yes. All twelve,” Ashei repeated, her voice not giving away any hint of amusement or annoyance. “But-” someone started. “But what?” Ashei aske, and this time, her voice was sharp. “Go. You know how, where, when, why. Go,” she added, a little more quietly.

And all twelve looked at each other and shrugged. Each disappeared with a spurt of golden flame. After a minute, so did Ashei.

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Twelve girls and boys, both rebels and rivals. The ones who will either let the vultures rise… or won’t. The man, still hidden, thought to himself. “And no doubt, someone is asking themselves, ‘What will happen next?’ And that’s for them to figure out,” he said to the empty forest. “Klio of Keiar, Theia of Mnemon, Sarabeth of Aerra, Lilia of Rist, Jacob of Pleaed, Rowan of Liarle, Khaira of Kazadeh, Lianna of Malandrife, Luila of… Aelaas, isn’t it…, Raymond of that nameless town, Taz of Aelaas, and finally, Delilah of Aelaas… and Likha.” He chuckled a little bit, and then burst into a brilliant blue flame. “Goodbye,” his disembodied voice said. “Goodbye.”

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