Lycaella~

I tap my pen against my sketchbook. I think I've got everything done that I wanted to put in. The bombing, the escape, the Elves' Resistance camp, the mutants and elves and animals that greeted us, our tent, the training schedule, Alexander's visit, Nygrune's appointment to instructor of magic... I think that's everything, text and illustration. I close my sketchbook and walk out to the training grounds. I want to do some extra practice before it gets too dark.

Nygrune~

I flip through an old illuminated manuscript, looking for spells to teach. I have a lot of work to do here, between training and preparing lessons, but at least I'm not bored.

A bat visited yesterday. His name is Alexander, and according to the rumours, he wants soldiers for a battle against the SOCS, maybe even a raid on one of their buildings. He talked with the leader, Autumn, all day, and she gave him a tour of the camp. I didn't see much of him, but he was incredible. He was huge, almost half my size, and a sort of golden brown color instead of the black I expected. I think someone said he was a flying fox. I also heard that Autumn is going to a SOCS costume ball soon and might bring some of us with her.

I wonder if Lycaella and Laeta know. Lycaella has been in the tent the whole time she's not training, doing something with her sketchbook, and I have no idea what Laeta is up to. I mark the page I'm looking at, put down the tome, and get up to find out.

Out of charrie-

I would just like to say that your outfit ideas for the ball are wonderful. I did not reject it purposefully, in fact I did not see your post until after I accepted the other one. I am very sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way. There are still many that need costumnes, so you are not completley left out, and don't forget Lycaella's costume either, because she is invited.

Thank you so much! :) 

She's not formally invited by the actualy Army, but she is invited to go undercover by the Resistance, I believe. And that's fine. 

You're welcome. :)

I have so much to draw... Two pictures of shadow, two of Alexandria, one of Poe Allen, one of every charrie I can find.

My favorite idea for what eventually happens with Nygrune and Lycaella is that they help the most in the aftermath of the last battle. They're not wonderful at fighting, or at least I know Lycaella isn't, but they could probably help keep everyone else alive once it's all done and the last enemies have been defeated. They could be the ones to restore the first order--not like creating a government, just like organizing the survivors to set up a camp or something and tend to each other's wounds. Their invisibility can help keep them alive through the turmoil, and then once everything is over, they can step out of the shadows to play a part. I'd be more than fine with that.

I found the list of names! I doubt anyone needs it anymore, but I'll post it anyway, minus the ones that have already been used here. Oh, just a warning; it's really long and not organized by anything other than first and last.

First names:

Dawn, Zinn, Aster, April, Meredith, Evan, Thyst, Leonidas, Bella, Lyxita, Ciara, Kiara, Isadora, Isador, Isabel, Vivian, Viviana, Emily, Nysa, Nisa, Lise, Karune, Emma, Karyna, Tara, Ethan, Yolanda, Aisling, Taimur, Tamsin, Tamara, Tamaura, Myrtle, Thomas, Thomasina, Katy, Sarah, Samantha, Sandra, Keith, Michael, Lucas, Yendri, Darien, Damien, Robin, Taylor, Sharon, Caroline, Nicholas, Nicola, Niki, Nikita, Nikitas, Nika, Nieke, Naike, Niketas, Veronica, Agatha, Ruth, Rebecca, Anna, Anne, Genevieve, Dominic, Dominique, Jaiden, Jayden, Jaden, Caitlin, Julian, Julia, Danuta, Lauren, Robert, Alexis, Allie, Allison, Alice, Brandon, Brendan, Braedan, Hartley, Hailey, Echo, Mira, Henry, Helen, Alia, Dierdre, Lillalily, Enna, Labellane, Penelope, Calliope, Flavia, Miko, Mika, Maka, Mike, Grace, Lisa, Roanna, Joanna, Joan, June, Lune, Luna, Laura, Katrina, Nadia, Serafina, Willow, Willa, Will, William, Rose, Rosa, Rosaline, Rosalina, Sadie, Jade, Jaime, Jamie, James, Jack, Jill, Jillian, Loren, Loretta, Quinn, Gwendolyn, Paul, John, and George. 

Last names (this one's much shorter):

Westra, Rokeach, Guidone, Spektor, Aiken, Basile, Reital, Lebenzon, Auerbach, August, Pettler, Lamond, Mabire, Luar, Varela, Asquith, Kester, Wehlisch, Domeque, Gaffney, Langwade, Thiele, Lumley, Mayer, Sandwyk, Venables, Ridjh, Nassef, Kell, Connett, Joy, Wyeth, Kahng, Guin, Flemhart, Windwisher, Skyfischer, Crargrund, and Raiquen.

Lycaella's full name is Lycaella Reyquin, Nygrune's is Nygrune Meddon, Aris's is Aris Murlock, Lycaella's mom's is something (probably Mary or Maria) Reyquin, and of course there's Zinvia Finch, who I'm just going to say is in some army that is allied with the FAFA and accepts mutants because I made her without really wanting to and it didn't go anywhere. Feel free to kill her. She's a short twelve-ish girl with black cat ears and tail, black hair, dark eyes, and shabby clothes under her cloak. One of her only possessions is a dagger, and she escaped from some lab a while back.

Sorry this post is so long, it's--

Something that no one would ever read anyway?

My first instinct is to say no because you're so annoying, but actually I don't know. I'm just writing it to keep my thread from drifting further down than the second page. Now hold your tongue and go back to my shadow or Castle In The Sky or Star Wars or wherever you came from.

How touching.

Lycaella~

We went to the ball the day after Nygrune told me about it. He, I, Autumn and a few others left for New Cogville in the late morning, and Autumn told us the plan on the way. We were to collect information for the Resistance, and then... Well, I'm not quite sure what was going to go down. I didn't hear that part. But I guess whatever it was, I would help. I know it's big and involves fighting, because they gave us a ton of weapons. I alone recieved a sword, a compact crossbow with a full quiver of bolts, two daggers and a stun gun. It wasn't the easiest thing hiding all of it, but we managed.

Then we figured out our fake names and backgrounds. Nygrune and I didn't have to come up with as much because we were going together, but the girl shadow decided on Jammira Foxe, the one I think is Trillian chose Araya Nixx, Sprocket took Alma Wolfe, and I forgot Autumn's. I hope I don't need to know. Nygrune has the false name Daniel Johnson, and mine is Emma Solnum. It took a while to get all of the preparation said and done, but by the time we arrived, it was. 

When we finally got there, the first place we went was the woods. It was near where we were supposed to meet our dates, and we were waiting for someone named Mina. When the bushes began to rustle, I unsheathed my sword and watched shadow/Jammira draw a gun. We waited. A girl with reddish brown hair and freckles emerged from the shrubs and, seeing us, held up her hands. 

"Guys, it's me, Mina!" she said. I frowned, unsure. shadow wasn't shooting, but I had been told Mina was a cat-person, much like a mutant. 

"How do we know it's you?" I ask. 

"It's her," shadow says quickly, "I can tell."

I decide to trust shadow and tuck away my sword, making sure Nygrune doesn't look while Mina (cover name Rey Loar) changes into her dress. We head to the restaurant for the others to meet their dates, and since I have nothing to do while that happens, I take my first real look at their outfits.

Sprocket/Alma is stunning in her dress, made from off-white linen that's torn at the hem with an ebony-colored corset and sleeves, and her mask and jewelry are made to match. shadow/Jammira is all in red, a vivid gown with black edges and lots of red-brown feathers. Trillian/Araya's flowing red-orange one goes well with her hair and complexion, like a desert sunset, with the swirl accents representing wind. Mina/Rey's sequins glitter, a secret starry pattern of silver hidden in the navy blue. Autumn's is like her name; the colors of a forest floor in fall, with mask and jewels of matching hues shaped into leaves and birds at her ears, throat and hands. Even Nygrune's peacock-feathered cape and blue suit outshine the raspberry satin and silver-set topaz I'm wearing. However, the others' dates haven't been quite as creative, which makes me feel better. Most of the boys are in standard formal attire, and the one girl (who is hanging onto the arm of our boss, Alexander/Jeff) has a boring pink teacup gown with glittery tulle overskirts and a glittery pink mask. I don't get to examine them any further, though, because everyone is getting up to go to the actual ball. I stand and go with them.

~End RP. Wow, this is long. Sorry, I'll do a quicker one on the SOCS Costume Ball thread, maybe starting later, too.

I hear Sprocket (false name Alma) gasp as we enter, and I almost do,
too. The whole room is huge, well lit by brightly glowing crystals that
float through the air under a sea of twisting streamers that covers the
ceiling. Musicians perform ballroom music on a low stage at the other
end of the room, and what looks like hundreds of people dance to it in
their colorful costumes and masks.

We split up, and I lead Nygrune to the dance floor. I've always loved
ballroom dance, although these ones are ridiculously simple. My parents
took me to dozens of parties when I was much younger, and Nygrune often
came along, so we both glide through the songs with ease.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mina, shadow, Sprocket and Trillian
slip into the restroom. I consider following them and asking what's
going on, but decide against it. I should stay out here in case
something happens. 

Now aware of the mission and the danger again, I glance around casually
and see Alexander watching a blond girl in a dark purple dress. I don't
stare, but I try to keep them in my sight. Everything remains peaceful,
though. Nygrune and I dance a bit more, a few songs with each other, a
few with strangers. Eventually we slip off to the sidelines and talk.
The four who went into the bathroom are long out, although I don't see
Alexander or Autumn. Nothing happens until it does.

I hear what sounds like a muted bang, followed by screams.

"Gun has a bad silencer," Nygrune mutters, although when I turn to him,
all he's holding is my hand. I look back at the commotion, struggling to
get a good view through the churning crowd. I hear gasps, my own among
them this time, as shadow shoots up towards the ceiling, holding a
crossbow, wings unfurling from the torn back of her dress.

"Hey, Elliot," she says in the sudden silence. "Back from the dead?"

"Yes, and I must say it wasn't that hard," I hear a strange voice reply. "You really need to start doing a better job."

shadow says something I don't hear and swoops through the air, firing a bolt from her crossbow. I sigh.

"Is it time?" I ask.

"Yep. Be ready to fight, but don't get out any weapons just yet," he
says, feigning trying to protect me as we stumble back in mock distress.

I nod and sigh under wide eyes as the fight continues.

Agh, forgot to edit that! Anyway, insert "The girl in the purple dress was introduced as General Alexandria Regeux." just before "Nothing happens until it does".

A few minutes of fighting and fleeing, and then...

Lycaella~

I stand against the wall with Nygrune, both of us pretending to cower as
Resistance reinforcements pour in. He turns to me, but I cut him off
before he can speak.

"You go help whoever needs it over there and I'll do the same here." He nods, hiding a smile.

"That's exactly what I was going to say."

We split off in our different directions. I look around for friends and
see Mina blow Alexandria off of her with an air bomb. I grab my skirt to
keep it out of the way and run over as she yells for me. We carry an
unconscious Alexandria outside to an airship that must have arrived when
the battle started and hand her over to some agents standing next to
it. 

"Take her to the base!" Mina yells, and we dash back inside. She falls
to one side for a moment and pulls out a small radio, and I push through
the chaos, looking for more to do.

I've been reading through some older threads lately, and I noticed a lot of repeated spelling mistakes. And not just by the same couple of authors--everyone seems to misspell assassin, suddenly and headlock.

OMK, Mexi said her second real word!!! Her first was rife; this one is harm. Rife with harm? That can't be good. I looked it up, and rife means abundant or frequent in occurence.