Joan, you need to fill out the sign-up sheet, please.

*runs in* I have not fallen off the face of the Earth, I promise!!

*huffs* Here is my sheet now!

Name: Joan B. of Arc

CBer/AE/CAPTCHA: CBer

Age: 17

Gender/pronouns: She/Hers/Her

Requested dragon appearance (appearance must include breed name, and we request that you have gills or other implements for underwater breathing): Western Dragon (if that's what you call it,) with gills that only show up when underwater, shimmering purple scales that change according to mood, bright pink if angry, dark blue if sad, and green if jealous. Underside of my wings are a pale orange, but I'm embarassed to show them. 2 grey horns on my head.

I think that's all I need...? 

Describe your personality in five words: Spunky, bright, positive, brave, adventurous

Favorite food: Watermelon, Hamburgers, and Corn on the Cob!

Favorite subject in school: Does reading count? Or french?

Fears: Lice, Mice/Rats (rodents in general,) being alone in the dark, and hurting one of my friends accidentally without knowing it. Also, I'm afraid of change and of losing my friends.

Likes: Reading, Writing, being with my friends, singing, and playing piano.

Dislikes: Grape medicine, excercise, people who don't listen, being patient, umm... can't think of anything else right now. 

Favorite book: At the moment it's "The Woodcutter" by Kate Danley. And the "Throne of Glass" series by Sarah J. Maas.

Favorite movie: Anything to do with Romance.

Luggage: My leatherbound journal, camera, pens and pencils galore, my sword, my ring that can turn into a shield, and my satchel filled with medicinal herbs that I know how to use.

Okay, I think we've got everyone. Did we get everyone? Hmm, I don't think Nihil's sheet has popped up yet, but thats okay. Here-de-do!

Day one pt. One:

Fleet carefully filled out the sign-up sheet, and with a shimmer and a pop! sound, it disappeared, replaced by a shiny indigo and teal cape of scales, seeming to have been made out of an actual dragon skin. Shuddering slightly, Fleet draped the head over her head, and slipped her hands into the forepaws. With a soft whoosh, it contracted around her body. Her first thought:

   Geez, this vacation is going to be uncomfortable.

   Luckily, the scales seemed to melt into her body, and soon they were her body, and instead of uncomfortable, they felt made for her, as the had been. Almost before Fleet had a chance to register all this, darkness swirled in from the edges of her vision, and when it finally cleared, she was standing on all fours in a grassy field, looking up at Skywater fortress, a huge castle-like building connected to a mountain. On either side of her, CBers and companions appeared in swirls of mist, gazing around blearily. To her right, Khai turned to Nyx and commented angrily:

   <Nyxx> <ever> <yone> <isBi> <gger> <than> <mmee!>

   Nyx looked around, then answered, “No they aren't, look at Barnswallow, she's even smaller than you.” Khai promptly bounded over and hugged the said Barnswallow, trilling happily.

   <Irly> <like> <smol> <drgn!> she squealed. 

   “Oh, thank you.” Barnswallow answered, confused and half squashed. 

   They all turned as someone called them, and up on the hill, near the entrance to the fortress, were two black dragons. One was very slender with a sweet smile, and the other was huge and powerfully built, with a sour expression. The smiley one nodded as they turned to look at her, and began to speak.

   “Welcome CBers! And companions,” she added with a wink, “to Skywater fortress! I’m Lila, and Sourface over here is Vansix. Don't worry, he’s just grumpy because I got him up early to prepare for your arrival. First of all I’d like to inform y’all that we have hired a few former students to help maintain the fortress during your visit, and to help if so eone gets lost.” They looked around and noticed that there were indeed several other dragons going around the group, introducing themselves here and there. “Second of all, I think I’ll tell y’all the schedule. Y’all should be up bright and early for breakfast, and I feel I should inform you that you will be eating a healthy balance of foods during your visit.” There were a few groans, cut off by a whoop of excitement from Nyx, who immediately looked embarrassed. “Well, yes.” Lila continued. “Where was I? Oh, bright and early for breakfast, and then we will cycle through a few activities, before a quick lunch and down time.” More groans. “Don't groan at me, this is how we do it. And down time simply means you stay in your rooms with no electronics on for about forty-five minutes to an hour. You can read, you can talk, you just have to stay in your rooms. After that there will be a period of time when we will ‘kick you out’ so to speak, into the field and woods, and you can be active. Run around, fly around, play tag, explore, just don't be sitting on the doorstep waiting for it to be over. After that we’ll have dinner, then free time, about halfway through that we will have a snack of sorts, basically a treat. You'll find out what we mean when it happens. The rest of today, however, will be spent with a short tour, and getting unpacked and in your rooms. At dinner tonight we will review the rules and anything I might have forgotten.” 

   At this point Vansix poked Lila with something, and she slumped forward and started snoring. A chorus of gasps rose from the CBers.

   “Oh, don't worry.” Vansix drawled. “She's fine, it was just a sleeping dart. I need to tell you a few things she forgot that shouldn't wait for dinner. Skywater fortress and staff are not responsible for any wounding, mauling, or slow, agonizing deaths.” That dampened the enthusiasm. “If anyone does happen to be killed, they will be……. Resurrected, in a sense, for the closing event. Now, follow me, and I’ll take you guys on a tour of the fortress.”

   Barnswallow tried unsuccessfully to detach herself from Khai, and finally subsided and walked along after Vansix, trying not to get stepped on. Someone jostled against her, and a sharp pain pierced her shoulder. “Ow!” she snapped, not sure who had poked her. They continued on, but after a few moments Barswallow began to feel sick, and staggered along, finally collapsing as the poison reached her heart.

URGH Nihil's sheet must not have gone through. I submitted it yesterday afternoon! >:( I'll submit it again soon.

Oh, poor Barnswallow! It's fun, tho, that Khai was friends with her, her complaint about being the smallest is totally something she would do!

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Also, and this isn't really something to be proud of, but I would also definetly be poking and prodding the dead body. ): Now that I think of it, that is really not something to be proud of. 

Just warning everybody, we might end up putting out like, one part every day for a bit, bc we had several parts ready bc of boredom, and all we needed to do was edit them a bit, so there's like a day and a half all ready. 

Day one pt. Two:

<Barn> <swal> <loww!> cried Khai, aghast, at the death of her newfound friend. Everyone stopped and turned, and a few cries broke out. Khai stared down at the limp blue-scaled body. Barswallow’s small flaming wings were put out, and her tiny body was curled on the long grass almost as if she was sleeping. Khai turned angrily to her CBer, who was staring in very badly concealed fascination at Barnswallow, and snapped furiously, <NYXX!> <II’MM> <THEE> <SMAL> <LEST> <ONEE!> 

   “Yes, Khai.” Nyx seemed preoccupied, leaning down to the body and poking it clumsily with a claw. TheaterGirl came over and poked Nyx back.

   “What the heck are you doing?” she asked, “Barnswallow just died, and you're poking at her like she's some sort of science experiment!”

   “Well, excuse me,” Nyx retorted, “I'm trying to figure out how she died.”

   “Oh.” TheaterGirl stepped back. “O-okay.” 

   <some> <onee> <pokd> <heer!> cried Khai.

   “What?” TheaterGirl asked, leaning down next to the others. Sure enough, there was a tiny puncture mark on Barnswallow’s shoulder. “You're right. Someone pierced her shoulder, probably with a needle, and i guess it was poison, or…….” 

   “Could Khai have poked her?” asked Luna-Starr, shouldering her way forward.

   “My little CAPTCHA?” cried Nyx. “she'd never hurt anyone! Plus she's too featherbrained to even be able to form a plan to do so!”

   “Okay.” mumbled Luna. “Then who did?”

   Everyone went silent, not wanting to talk about it anymore, and Vansix took the chance to resume the tour. TheaterGirl wasn't very enthusiastic about it, but she did her best to pay attention as Vansix took them through the fortress, pointing out the library, the corridor to the bedrooms, the dining room, where they dropped off their luggage, and several other rooms. Lila joined them about halfway through, but left for the kitchen after hearing of Barnswallow’s death. 

   Eventually, Vansix led the group all the way back to the dining room, where dinner was already laid out for them, with name tags telling them where to go. They all got to their spots, and TheaterGirl found herself at a table with Nyx, Leo, and Khai. They found that Lila had somehow gotten all their favorite foods available for the first day. Even TheaterGirl’s favorite dish, fiesta casserole, was in front of her. To her left, Nyx was staring uncomfortably at a bottle of a fizzy drink that was next to her corned beef and cabbage.

   “Unexpected?” asked TheaterGirl.

   “No, I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to drink this with a dragon’s mouth. Maybe if I……” She awkwardly grasped the top of the bottle in her jaws, then tipped it up in an attempt to pour it into her mouth. She successfully got most of it in, with much coughing and gagging, and the rest splattered all over the table and her chest, earning an explosion of laughter from their table and the neighboring one, where Luna-Starr, Kitten, Fleet, and Rhaksha were. Nyx coughed again and muttered, “I guess that’s not how you drink kombucha.”

   “So that's what that was?” TheaterGirl asked.

   “Yep.” 

   They all looked up towards the front of the room as Lila called for their attention. She looked more downcast than she had before, but she still made a brave effort to be cheerful.

   “Attention everyone!” she called. “I'd like to discuss a few things we didn't get to earlier. First of all is the closing event. On the last day of your visit, there will be a huge dance party, for which everyone currently in the fortress will take a break and celebrate! Now, we really were hoping we wouldn't have to do this, but, any CBers or companions that may have been injured or killed during the visit will be, resurrected, in a sense, for the party. I know that takes away from the party slightly, but i’m afraid we can't fix that ourselves.

   “Now,” she continued, “there are some rules here, but not many. Rule on is that you do not go into any sections of the fortress that are banned. It's for your own safety. 

   “Rule two, there will be no electronics during down time, unless it is an electronic reading device. Does anyone here have one of those?” Silence. “I guess not, so that shouldn't be a problem. 

   “Rule three, you cannot be out past curfew. Curfew is not fixed, but it isn't hard to follow. It simply means once the staff come through and say lights out, you stay in your rooms, no exceptions. I think that's all the rules, so I'll move on. 

   “Each of you in your dragon forms are able to breathe fire, but if you want another power, you can come up here after announcements and ask for it, though it might not be given to you. 

   “And now, and this is the last thing, I promise, here are the room groupings. Please come up as I call your name, and i’ll give you a map of the fortress with the rooms marked on it and the names of your roommates.” Lila began to read off of a list she held in her claws.

   “Nyx, Fleet, and Sage, room eight. Luna-Starr, Vivian, and TheaterGirl, room thirteen. Leo, Kitten, and Rhaksha, room fourteen. Sybill, Nihil, and Joan B. of Arc, room eighteen. Rogue Wildling, Khai, and-- oh. Right. Barnswallow was supposed to be in that room………” The mood had started to lighten as Lila talked, but now it sank even lower.

   “Sorry.” Lila murmured.

   “It's all right.” grunted Vansix. “They should be heading to their rooms right about now anyway.”

~~~

Dead: Barnswallow

Suspects: none

Name: Nihil

CBer/AE/CAPTCHA: CAPTCHAE

Age: 17ish

Gender/pronouns: She/Her/Hers/Herself

Requested dragon appearance (appearance must include breed name, and we request that you have gills or other implements for underwater breathing): Completely black body, sleek and powerful build, glassy black eyes, glassy black claws, four huge wings, spiked wing frames, spikes on her cheekbones, no shadow, smells faintly of cold rain.

Describe your personality in five words: Provoke me, you die slowly.

Favorite food: Ice water

Favorite subject in school: Martial arts

Fears: None applicable

Likes: Silence, snow, alone time, sparring.

Dislikes: Loud noises, bright lights, boredom.

Favorite book: ALL OF THEM

Favorite movie: None

Luggage: Anything she needs, plus some stuff for self defense... and offense...

Day one pt. Three:

Leo headed down the hall behind Kitten and Rhaksha, until they found their room, room fourteen.

   “Why is our room number fourteen if there are only five groups?” Rhaksha grumbled. 

   “Well,” Kitten answered, “this was formerly a school, so there were definitely more students here then there are us.”

   “Whatever.” Rhaksha stomped into the room and stopped. “Whoa.”

   Leo and Kitten pushed past her and froze, gaping at the room. It was small, but not cramped in the least. The walls were painted yellow, and there were three tall windows along the wall with light green curtains. The windows were open, letting a warm breeze blow in. There were three hammocks along one wall, and along the other was a small television on top of a bookcase. They found that on the bookcase, among other things, were their favorite books and movies. After unpacking, Leo and Kitten talked for a while, and Rhaksha sharpened her javelin. 

   Eventually one of the staff members came in. She was an icy blue color, and her scales seemed almost transparent.

   “Hi,” she murmured, “my name’s Klirscales. Pronounced Clear-scales. I came to tell you that it's lights-out. Also, tomorrow, whatever time you get up, you need to stay in your room until you're called to breakfast. ‘Kay?” 

   “Alright.” Leo answered. 

   Klirscales ducked out the door before she could say anything else, and she shrugged and curled up in one of the hammocks. Kitten and Rhaksha climbed into the other two, and though they fell asleep quickly, Leo lay awake, unable to chase one thought from her head: that whoever had murdered Barnswallow, wasn't done. 

   And she was right. In another room, the murderer also lay awake, plotting the death of the next unlucky vacationer.

~~~

Dead: Barnswallow

Suspects: none

~~~

There's a clue in this chapter, can you find it?