This is a story that I have converted from a roleplay with permission from the other participants. The grammer is not perfect, I know, but I'm looking for critique on the storyline and introduction of the characters. So here it is:
Belle awoke from her sleep and stretched, removing the covers and stepping from her small bed on the floor. She tiptoed across the room trying not to wake anyone else sleeping around her.
Suddenly, there was several loud knocks on the door. Raikoh knocked again at the door as the rain pounded on him. His breathing was heavy and he could barely stand. "Please open up!"
Hearing the pounding, Belle rushed to get the door so as not to cause a commotion. Upon opening it she saw Raikoh. "SHHHHHHHHH! Do you have to be so loud? Everyone else is asleep," she said, letting him in to drip in the foyer.
Raikoh leaned on the door once it closed and caught his breath. He held his hand up to quiet Belle. Outside, the rain pounded even harder, and shouts emerged. Footsteps followed more screaming, then nothing. Raikoh sighed with relief as the soldiers ran pass.
"Well, would yah look what the cat dragged in." Lark said walking out of the shadows to stare at Raikoh. "It's a half drowned mouse. And my, it's so young." She giggled her eyes sparkling beneath her black cap. "Hello there." She smiled looking him in the eye. "Welcome to the lair of the Illusionists. You can stay as long as you like, can't he Belle?" She said mirthfully turning to Belle.
Ciara walked in rubbing her eyes. Her white streaked hair was neatly braided, despite the early morning. "What’s going on?" she asked with a yawn.
"I’ll tell you what," Raikoh took deep breathes as he confronted the strangers. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about," Raikoh's breaths softened.
Opening the door, he walked out into the rain. "Thanks for hiding me, but I can take care of myself." Raikoh sensed five heat signal approaching. Damn, they're back already. Raikoh quickly jumped back into the house and shut the door behind him. "On the other hand, staying here doesn't seem to be a bad idea."
"Hi, I'm Belle." She said extending her hand." We are Illusionists. We have powers. We're what they're after. Are you one of us? If you are, you're welcome to stay as long as you need. We maintain this to protect ourselves in groups," she said smiling shyly.
" I guess I'm kind of the leader of us. But we mostly just chill until provoked," she said." oh and I only knew your name because I’ve got some psychic powers as an Illusionist. Sorry if I freaked you out." She said smiling and strongly turning to see who was waking up.
Belle had began the group after she’d been taken from her parents. Her family had supported her use of physic abilities, which made the government nervous. After escaping from the government facility, she had decided that she was tired of being alone, tired of being a minority in the world. So she’d began to collect people like her, dodging the government’s soldiers.
"Yep, I'm older, but Belle's in charge. And I'm glad you decide to stay, not that you'd have been allowed to leave anyway." Lark smiled threateningly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take off your shoes and stay awhile."
Lark was just her nickname. Her real name was Larkin, but she had abandoned the name after her own father had drowned her at sixteen. After being resurrected by a gypsy, Lark preferred her shorter name. It hid the dark memories of her past.
Ciara sighed and went to begin cooking an early breakfast. She didn't care for the stranger, whether or not he was an illusionist; but if Belle had welcomed him, she'd be nice. Using her abilities with light, she created a small portrait of the old lady who had given her the power to manipulate light. Sighing, she wished that she knew who to trust.
When she was a child, Ci had been sold out to the government because of her powers by her parents. Though she had always known that her abilities made her Father nervous, she had never expected them to call the police on her. They had then taken her away and done several experiments on her because she was considered the least threat of the Illusionists they had captured.
Hungrily, Belle entered the kitchen and began to dig through the cupboards searching for something edible. Today was shopping day and she and Lark were responsible to go out and risk it. She had already prepared herself the night before in searching security risks.
"Ready to go get food?" Lark asked merrily, skipping into the kitchen. "We have to be careful when going out, that's why I always say, better to see than be seen."
She smiled taking off her cap. Her red-brown locks fell loosely to frame her doll like face. Slowly she began to fade, starting at the feet and working her way up to her head she slowly began to blend in with the background. "Pretty cool trick huh?" she asked when she was no longer visible.
Raikoh stood there, wet and dumb struck. "So, you guys have powers too." Raikoh had never thought he would see anyone with powers like himself, let alone a bunch of girls. "Do you guys think it is really appropriate for me to stay? I am a boy, and well, staying with a bunch of girls."
"You're still just a baby, we won't hurt you. Besides Archer stays with us, and he is a he." Lark smiled appearing again beside Raikoh. "You don't have to worry about a thing! You'll have you're own room."
"I'm still not sure, you guys have a weird heat signals. I don't even think you guys are human, or at least not normal." Raikoh walked around the living room. "I sense a force field of some kind, protecting this house from sensors." Raikoh smiled and looked at the illusionists. "You guys use heat-base shield."
"Well of course we aren't human!" Lark giggled. "We're Illusionist's, human in appearance, but so much more interesting. I'm sure you'd give off a weird heat signal too. And yes, it is a heat based shield."She smiled.
"So how did you come to be an illusionist?" Lark asked taking on a serious note. "Everyone's story is different. Some, worse than others." She said softly looking at the floor. "But, there can only be a happily ever after ending in a fairytale, right?" She asked looking up again her eyes sparkling with tears and smiling hopefully.
"Only good things can happen from here on in. That's how fairytales work. Otherwise, no one would read them," she said her voice cracking with emotion, a single tear breaking from her eye and slowly rolling down her pale cheek.
"Not in my story," Raikoh tightened his fist and spoke in a low voice. "And I would like to keep it to myself. If it bothers you, then I'll leave." Raikoh looked down at the floor and stood there quietly.
Belle peeked around the kitchen door frame. "Lark, are you coming?
Today's our day to make breakfast. You promised me you would help." She said looking sternly at Raikoh. "I'll show you to a room." She directed to Raikoh as she guided lark into the kitchen and headed toward the stair s and motioned for him to follow.
Ayako walked down from the top of the stairwell. "Ah, another visitor I guess." She smiled and looked up at Raikoh. "Hi names Aya or Ayako. Trust me you don't have to tell your story...at all...I wouldn't but I mean that's just me..." Aya walked past him and sat on the couch.
This place is swarming with ladies. Hope people don't think that I'm gay because I hand around with them. Raikoh followed Belle up the stairs, glad to be away from the crowd. "Thank you," Raikoh said after Belle leaves him in his new room. "This is a big room."
"People won't think you're gay if you live with women." Lark laughed leaning on the door frame. "They'll think you're a pimp, or a player, but not gay." She smiled turning and running down the stairs returning to a state of invisibility. "Come on Belle! I'm hungry!"
Aya smiled. "Yeah that’s all.....but that’s still bad though....Lark ya'll are going shopping I hope...I feel like a rag of bones! But I don't eat so I shouldn't be complaining, I guess." She sighed and shook her head.
"No problem," Belle said, leaving him to get settled and heading back to the kitchen.
Aya looked up from her book that she had out. "Hmm...Do you ever think there will be a day we don't have to hide?" She smiled. "Sorry that was random...." Aya looked back down from the book and sighed.
"Probably not, remember we are a minority, meaning the lesser choice to survive." Belle said slipping an orange Abercrombie t-shirt over her head as she prepared to get messy making breakfast with Lark. Boy was that always fun.
I should stop thinking such thoughts. They have already proved to read my mind. Oh shoot, stop thinking about it. But how am I supposed to stop thinking about stop thinking. Aaaarrrggggg. Raikoh went nuts with the brain problem as he lay in bed.
Ciara lay on her bed for a while before coming down wearing a set of jeans and a black vintage tee. Heading in where everyone was, she asked
Belle, "Do you mind if I go to the Library today? I promise I won't provoke anyone again."
Aya nodded. "Yeah....we can only hope..." She went back to reading her book. She didn't know what it was but she stole it from her mother years ago.
Raikoh rushed down the stairs, his face in a panic. "There are a dozen soldiers coming, and right at us." Raikoh frowned. "I'm sorry, their coming for me. And now you'll all be exposed to the world." Raikoh curled his hand into a fist and run outside. As he expected, the house was surrounded by a dozen soldiers.
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