Looks fun! I'll be back a little later but I gotta go. 

Can I start now, or is there a charrie sheet we need to fill out or something?  Because I really want to start this!

Mia was reading at lunch again. This time, Jose didn't sit next to her with his unique Salvadorean food and interrupt the dull pattern of the school hiarchy at Yearling's Point Middle School. No, Mia would always be classified as a loner, the awkward girl at the back of the class whom, if you thought hard, you might remember her name but was otherwise of no interest to anyone. She didn't care, not really. She liked reading immensly, and if the world ever ran out of books, there would be a problem. But it would be nice to have one friend to talk to occasionally and spill out her troubles. the bell rang, inturrupting this process of thought. She sighed, picking up her lunchsack and book. The hallways were crowded, as usual, but she found narrow passageways though groups of people that she could just about fit through. Finally she was at the door to her favorite class: ELA. She half smiled and wondered what Mr. Yu would think up today. She stepped through the door way and then...

she was falling...

falling...

falling........................................................... 

The whole world around me has twisted into some strange, otherworldly place. I'm in some type of building with strange smells and noises. Tables are lined against windows which are screened by long, thick material. Bamboo? Suuketille bark? Quickly, I supress my analytic tendancies and focus on the problem at hand. My mind goes back to the stories Emma has told me about her years at sea. Her stories of Corya Orra Vorra, or, as we say in the New Language; The Land of Tomorrow race through my head. "It's full of pockets and pathways." The memory of Emma's voice wells inside my torrent of confusion. 

Okay, what would Emma do?

No...what would I do? I pull back a few strands of brown hair that somehow wormed their way out of my ponytail, and flex my fingers inside my hand guards.

Before I can begin exploring, the building seems to rock again. The light coming from the ceiling seems to gather in one place, too bright to look at. In the center, something dark forms a flutters. A dim shadow. A person. I lean down slightly, my feed spreading to find balance on the slick floor. All the mock battles Jade and I played out together flash across my memory. But this isn't play. This isn't a game we developed just to feel like we were one step closer to getting into Alcthalea Academy of History. This is real. 

~

Sliiiiight bit of background, Crystal's "goal" in life is to get into this renowned school called Alcthalea, which teaches history and its preservation and protection. Yeah, the "history" in her world is a bit more active and violent then our history classes. It's hard to explain, especially because I'm still working on the concept. 

OKay, I guess I'll be writing as Astor, as his powers make the most sense in this case and I think he would be the nicest of all the characters.  Also, a question about NaNoWriMo, can we read each other's novels?

~Astor

I meet Jessy at the front of the school.  Sierra has nothing special, but Jessy insists that the library itself is a wonder.  I can't help but agree; why else would I be following her there?

"Ugh, why can't we just teleport inside?" I ask.

"Because then everyone will see," Jessy replies matter-of-factly. 

When Jessy pushes open the door, the first thing I realize is that Carter is in there.  Suspicious.  I walk over to him, sitting at a table hunched over a book, and ask, "Carter, why are you in here?  Usually you're hanging out with Grace or whatever."

Carter looks up for a seond.  It takes me barely any time to register that he's been cramming for a test.  "Grades, remember?"  Is all he says.

Just then, the bell rings.  "Jessy, am I allowed to teleport now?  Me first period is P.E. and I don't have a watch."

Jessy rolls her eyes.  "Fine, Asterisk."

Just then, Grace stomps in, her neon green cleats almost stained black.  Her face is sporting an unmistakable frown.  "Astor!" She practically yells.  "Can you teleport with me to the gym?"

"I was planning on it anyway," I say, grabbing her wrist, and teleporting.

When I open my eyes, Grace and I are not in the gym. 

Totes joining! May not be on much but whatever! I’ll be using Teleriath from Lelia Dragon Hunters RP.  

~Mia

”Oof!” Mia landed on her face with a heavy thud, similar to experiences when she’d tripped over her own two feet. Except this was very, very different. She pulled herself up with a slightly confused and dazed expression. Did she just fall out of Mr. Yu’s classroom door into... A restaurant? And she didn’t have her backpack anymore, either! Slightly panicked, she looked around this strange setting. Oh no. Oh Realms no. There were other people.

MJ ran away from her dad, heart pounding, and rain drenching her hair. She was soaking wet, but she ddin't mind. She just wanted o get away from her dad. Footsteeps pounded behind her, getting louder and louder. 

Strong arms grabbed her arms. Mj screamed in terror.  She kicked, but it was no us. Her da had her. As her dad turned her around to face him she wished she could be anywhere, but here. 

Suddenly the world started to spin, faster and faster, until it was a blur. MJ felt like she was falling, falling.  

This should be fun! I got a little carried away with the intro, I apologize if it's confusing. :) Some of you may think you recognize these characters, but they are not the same, nor is their story. Their personalities are still a little shaky so far, so I apologize for any inconsistencies.

—— 

It was hot. The air was thick with sweat and the steady beating of paper fans, and breathing felt like trying to inhale molasses. That said, it was the perfect day for the air conditioning in Jack's house to break. Aunt Natalie had thrown open all the windows in an effort to harness any scrap of passing breeze, but it was no use. The entire house felt like a furnace.

"Ughhhh," Jack groaned, resting the side of his face on the kitchen table. "I hate this weather."

"You and me both," Adri sighed, giving her cousin's curls a sympathetic pat. She pulled open the fridge and frowned when the expected blast of cold air didn't come. She reached in and felt around. "Uh, Aunt Natalie, everything in here is warm."

"Oh, mon Dieu." Aunt Natalie threw her hands up in the air. "Of course it all goes wrong in one day."  

Soon after, Jack and Adri were thrown out of the house.

"It's not fair," Jack said. They were walking aimlessly through the empty streets, the only people foolish enough to be taking a stroll in weather like this. "I didn't do anything wrong! You were the one pacing around the kitchen and annoying mom!"

"I'm the reason were' out here? You were whining like a baby!" Adri complained, jabbing an accusing finger at Jack, who stuck his tongue out at her.

"Sooo mature," Adri said.

"Do you think Theo or Alex still have AC?"

Adri crossed her arms. "I am not going to Theo's house. And Alex is visiting his mom in San Diego, remember?"

Jack frowned. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. What's up with you and Theo, anyway?"

"Have you ever seen that shop before?" Adri had stopped in the middle of the street and was squinting at a square door, nestled between Phillie's Diner and the bookshop. Its paint, the pale, fleeting color of the summer sky, was peeling off in thin strips. There was a sign hanging from the knob that read, OPEN in bold red letters; two dusty windows, covered with wispy curtains; and no indication to what it might lead to.

"Don't change the subject," Jack said.

"No, really. Look."

Jack peered at it, carefully scrutinizing the dark brick wall and the scalloped-edged awning. "You're right," he said slowly. "I've never noticed it." Suddenly his expression brightened. "Let's see what's in there!"

"No way!" Adri squeaked. "Are you crazy?"

"We'll just take a look," Jack said. "If it's creepy or whatever we can leave." He gave her a pleading pout. "It's not like we have anything better to do. The door probably isn't even unlocked."

Adri waffled.

"Pleasseeeeeee?"

"Fine! But if we die in here it's your fault!"

"Yesss!" Jack shouted, and ran over to the door, Adri trailing behind him. He put his hand on the doorknob and waited for her to catch up. They shared a look of silent agreement, and Jack turned it. The door swung open.

It was an empty room reminiscent of a deserted restaurant. Scuffed up black and white tiles were the surface on which several spindly tables perched. Several had duct tape wound around the legs and all were coated with a layer of dust. There were chairs stacked around the edges of the room. They had faded red seat cushions, many of which were bursting open, leaking fluffy cotton stuffing across the floor.

"C'mon," Jack said, and then rolled his eyes at Adri's quizzical look. "You said we'd go inside."

"What? No, I said I'd take a look. You can go in if you want."

Jack shrugged. "Fine, scaredy-cat."

He took a step over the threshold and promptly disappeared.

Sounds fun! I'll be using Eve from Soulscape!... A name which is still in progress. Sorda a play on mindscape and--Nevermind. Eve isn't the main character, but she's pretty important and I haven't really gotten her personality down.

* *  *

I raise my hammer into the air, grinning madly at the crowd below me. I stand at the top of a tall and jagged cliff, with a mob of townspeople cheering me on at the bottom. In one hand, I hold the hammer, and in the other the scruff of a defeated monster.

"You will no longer be harassed by these pests!" I shout, posing dramatically. The crowd cheers again.

"Thank you, Eve!" The Mayor walks over to me, with gratitude in his eyes. "We owe our lives to you!"

"It was nothing, dear mayor. I'm just doing my best to help this world!" I proudly intervene.

"You are a hero! And no thanks to your totally less powerful brother, might I add," The mayor brings something out from his jacket. "As thanks, please take this gift."

"You didn't have to, mayor!" I tell him, though in the inside I'm really hoping he's going to convince me to take it.

"No, Please, its the least we can do." He holds out a silky black cloak with blue markings scrawled into it. "Take this Wizardly Cloak. It's a much more powerful and cooler looking than what your brother has."

It is a way cooler cape. "Thank you, mayor. This is a wonderful gift."

"My pleasure. Oh, and by the way," He smiles warmly at me. "Please wake up."

I stutter a bit. "P-pardon?"

"I said... " The mayor smiles at me again. "Wake up. Eve, Wake up. EVIE!"

I jolt forward, hitting my head on the ceiling as I groggily open my eyes. I roll over to see my little brother staring at me, his nose an inch away from my face. I groan and mutter a slight curse as my head starts throbbing from the ceiling.

Where the heck am I? Oh right. Ash Beaches. AKA Dwarf central. That would explain the shorter than short ceiling. I crawl out of the bed and try to remain crouch as I glare at my brother.

Stevie. The perfect child. The one who got all of Mom's wizardly stuff because the hammer had to choose me. Which meant he got my cloak. And my wand. And my boots. Thanks dream for reminding me of how much I hate him. 

"You were whispering 'better than him' in your sleep," Stevie informs me. "Were you having another vision? From the hammer? Evie?"

"No. I mean, I had a dream, but I don't think it was from the hammer, it wasn't helpful, I don't think, unless an awesome dream about being awesome is supposed to be helpful and not make me feel--" I stop when I realize I'm rambling to my brother. Ugh. Stupid hammer.

It wasn't from the hammer right? While it's clear the hammer is a complete jerk, he is usually less creative with his douche ways to hurt my feelings. It definitely worked though. 

"We have to meet the king in a few minutes, so get ready and hurry up," I look up and see Jacob standing in the door way, frowning as usual. Oh yeah. Forgot about weird detective guy.

"I'll be there in a minute," I snap, shooing the two out of my room. I close the door behind them and sigh loudly. 

The bag with my stuff is pitiful. I rummage through it and put on the extra pair of clothing I packed. I go into the homely bathroom and stare into the small mirror. Mirrors. The Dwarves gave us such nice rooms, I almost like them a bit more. Anyways, at least I look slightly presentable. I go back to my bedroom and step into the hallway. 

...Then I'm spinning. The room around me darkens and I feel like I'm trying to ride an incredibly angry Manticore. As I feel the urge to throw up it finally stops and I'm in a completely different place.

Looks like fun!

Anastasia~

By the time I took my third trip to the forest, there was no chance I was getting lost again. Each looming branch began to look familiar, and Raven's brief lessons helped me recognize the signs of my passing. I even added little markers here and there to make sure I knew I was going the right way.

Still, I was loud. Any animal near me would have been scared off ages ago as my heavy boots crunched autumn leaves.

It was already autumn, I realized. I'd been with Freedom's Wings for a year.

I tried to move more quietly, but by that time it was pointless. I was about to give up and turn back when I saw something up ahead.

"Is that . . . ?"

Light shone from windows of a wooden structure. It was lively, even though it looked slightly ragged from the outside. I walked towards it. Nothing else in the woods was altered in any way - this place had just suddenly appeared. I was slightly wary of it, in case it could be a trap of Ba's, but it didn't seem that way. He wouldn't be able to construct something like that so quietly.

i made my way over to the door and pushed it open.

"Oh my goodness," I whispered. "This place . . . it was made by Others."

____

A bit of background so everyone's not completely lost:

Anastasia lives in a country that makes up most of Southeast Asia. Years ago, it was abandoned by the United Kingdom (made up of the European Islands) after they had conquered it. Surrounded by hostile Soviets and completely helpless, they practically fell backwards in time. It became a mash of all sorts of time periods: electricity exists as an extravagance, many high-class people payed thousands of pounds to get cybernetic attachments, but in other ways the area was almost Medieval. The landscape was completely changed by invasive species from the UK, but the prime crop is still rice. The residents of that country tend to refer to countries that are not them as "The Others," and residents of those countries "Others." People who don't have Asian physique are often referred to as Others as well. However, the residents refer to the country, government, and other such things as Us, or whatever pronoun would be grammatically correct in context. (Also, Others are incredibly technilogically advanced as this takes place in the future.)