Welcome to Gaia! ::

The Thief bent down beside her. "First, we don't understand. I don't understand, and I know these Sigils better than any other. It's... it's something dimensional, I think. I can't tell you for certain.

"Second, tell me. Who is trying to kill you? The government. Is this not... oppression? Have they not truly worked for all eternity only to gain power for themselves? And there is nothing wrong with this. They just do it in the name of the people, then turn upon them. And in this is there sin - they claim to represent people they don't. It has been like this through all eternity - the strong take what they will from the weak, always groups of men who claim to work to better the people. In a world where only the personally strong survive, however, there is none of this.

"In this world, the strong have friends - true friends. If the strong represent their friends - fight for their friends - they can represent the people. Those who do not will have no friends and will be killed. This in inevitable, and this is the truth."

More came to her. A tear fell down her face.

She was ready to cry. She never wanted to be a part of this...this experiment in the first place! "Please! Mother, Father, let me out of this. I promise to remain quiet in the house. I will cook and clean whenever desired. I--I'll do taxes!" Yes, she had read tax books. There was not much else to do when neglected. Her mother's nostrils flared, "QUIET! How dare you speak in such a tone? Did we not raise you better than that?" Clarissa flinched. Why couldn't they just listen to her?

She saw Felix and Lance chatting. She envied their ability to speak freely with one another. They seemed to share a bond of some sort. Maybe from the experiments they were going through? "Hey hey! What's making my favorite girl look so down?" Clarissa looked up to the boy with a smile. "Nothing important. So what'd they make you do?" "It was annoying! Why they--"

Clarissa was mortified. She saw her parents arguing from behind the door. "Mary, why don't you let her out of this deal? If she doesn't want to do it, she shouldn't have to!" "Richard, they offered us to pay us for this! We are in an economical crisis. She's helping to keep the family afloat!" Her father had his hands clenched by his side. "Besides," her mother continued, "you owe this to the family. She is your mistake that hangs upon us all." "That's not true!" "She's your b*****d! HOW CAN YOU NOT CALL THAT A MISTAKE?"

Now she was crying. "Claire," the boy looked helpless. "Hey, don't cry. Look, do I need to beat up that runner dude? I never did like him. What's his name, starts with an S?" She shook her head. "I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong. Please, Claire. Open up to me. Don't close up on me, please. You're the only one that I can trust. Let me help you. Let me keep my promise. Please, talk to me." "I do trust you. I promise to always be by your side," as a friend. He was the very best friend she could ask for. "Hehe, thanks for the hug. Honestly, thanks for everything." He laughed. "No problem. I'll have you know that I'm never letting you go. I take care of the ones that earn my trust. 'Kay?" "Okay."

Again she moved her head, unconsciously. The memories were piling up on her.

The Thief paused. He seemed to be listening. "We have some time now. You all have... things to deal with. Memories may return as they have for her. They won't be pleasant... I have my own rest to deal with, and perhaps some business to take care of. If you want to leave, call for me and we'll discuss it. I'll be around."

And then he simply wasn't there.

His voice sifted up from nowhere as the room grew darker without loss of visibility. "And be prepared to begin fighting again. A revolution goes nowhere on its own."

Slowly the memories were becoming less clear and less often.

"Hey Claire? Umm, Clarissa?" This was unusual. Her shy friend rarely ever called her by her full name. "Yes?" He had something behind his hands. "Well, um...here." He gave her a journal. "I know you love reading and all, and I thought maybe you'd like to try writing. I mean, you know so much stuff and all," he was blushing. With a bright smile, she took the book and held it tightly to her chest. "Thank you! This is the best present I've ever gotten!" He instantly relaxed once she gave him a hug. "Anything for you, Claire. Happy birthday."

She was failing. Whatever it was they wanted her to do, she was failing. But she couldn't. Not if she wanted to please her family. She finally knew what it was that made her mother so angry. Why her siblings never wanted to be around her. "Please...if...if I do more of these experiments," what was she saying? "Will it make me a success? I can't fail." She knew this would hurt. And it would hurt her a lot.

Finally she was fighting. She was training to use her powers. "This...this is supposed to help!" She was getting frustrated. Her friend came over, "I knew we shouldn't have trained. You're not fully functional since that last exp-" "No! I-I need to practice more. Please. I want to get stronger." He sighed. "Claire, you don't need to do this. I said I'd take care of you. And no one will ever hurt you." Sometimes she worried for her friend; he said some strange things every now and then. "I still need to train." "...fine. We'll keep going."

Clarissa was crying hard. She'd failed. "You cannot keep these memories. They are too dangerous." She begged, "Please don't! I won't say anything, just don't take them away! I don't want to forget." She wanted to see him. Just one last time. "After this, nothing else should occur. We are sorry for your failure." She just wanted one last look at--

Clarissa woke up in a sweat. She was able to remember all that was said by the Thief, but she could not remember what her dreams were about. I wonder what they were.

Jesse sat up, merely opening his eyes and feeling like none of what happened mere hours before was even real. Until he came to the realization that he was still inside that room, with all the others.

Quietly he got to his feet, standing up straight. This was followed by a yawn and a huge stretch there after. He looked down at the others that were still asleep, then turned and looked towards where the talking and whispering was coming from. He saw Clarissa and Elizabeth were awake, and figured they were the best to ask how they were feeling.

he figured out real fast once he started walking that all of this had to be real. The stiffness told him so.

"Are you two alright?" he asked as he stopped a few feet away from them, not wanting to crowd them out, or gross them out, depending on how bad he was smelling seeing as how he hadn't had a shower in sometime now.

"Yeah... same here apparantly but, as the fates would have it, we're all ok. At least for the most part."

Jesse then took a seat on the adjacent wall across from them, giving them some space. As he saw it, this was a time to get to know who he's been fighting side by side with all this time. But as to who was to speak first, that's a different question.

The room began to brighten, and The Thief suddenly burst in from below.

"Good morning, everyone. I hope you're all ready, it looks like it's time to get some things done. I have a few friends I'd like you to meet."