Switcheroo Part 1
Hello readers, Donniedrako15 here and I have to say that for once on a day like this please don't click off! I know that in April Fools' past I've fooled you all with 5 minutes of work but this time no more. I'll still be celebrating the holiday but for this year I'm giving a full on chapter that just so happens to have a more humorous tone. These chapters will also be somewhat canon, so they can occupy itself in the timeline easily if I want to, but don't expect any hard references to these hijinks anytime soon. But with that all out of the way I hope you enjoy the ride and happy April Fools Day!
Mai Pov (middle of the Drippy Training Arc: between Synchronicity and Basic Straining)
I knew when I entered this war with Brandon I was going to travel to distant lands I never thought possible. But nothing really could compare with the Synchro Plane. That endless galaxy we would visit felt grander and bigger than anything I could imagine. And yet it was also more introspective than anything I've ever known. Like no matter how grand our achievements no matter how expansive we all are, there truly was only us in floating in the grand scheme. As if the only thing of value was the tangible connections right in front of us. In this galaxy my emotional tution became greater than ever.
People said I had a knack for that before but here Aphele's diligence, Deon's wary confidence and Lunaire's analytical empathy were now as clear to me as day, making the synchronization easy as pie. But there was one person that still eluded me. Time was something we couldn't quite figure out in here, but it sure felt like a long and awkward amount.
"So how long are we going to keep holding hands," Brandon said impatiently while I held his hand in the void.
"Why, you ask?"
"Because, we've been doing this for god knows how long and I'm getting a little tired."
"That's funny, I used to remember you loving to hold my hand, when I was forced to do it."
"Well, yeah when I was like 5."
"So what Brandon you are never too old to hold hands."
"Well I beg to diff-."
In the middle of our little spat the others stood in the back with their respective auras all standing out, while Brandon and I were still very much separate.
"No, no go on, I was very interested in this riveting conversation," Lunaire said sarcastically.
"Maybe we should wrap this up next time, I think we are all starting to get a little bit tired," Aphele said cautiously.
Realizing he was right we both ended our little struggle leaving the mysterious plane as we all head to our rooms. Along the way I tried talking with Lunaire.
"I don't understand, I can connect with all of you just fine, why can't I synchronize with my own baby brother?"
"Hey don't look at me, I'm not a counselor."
"No, but you are an empath, what do you see?"
"I don't know, I pick up waves of negative emotions from a crowd, not the droplets of a single person, especially with how much I filter out. But I think maybe it's because you're related that you're having so much trouble. That's all I can say for now," Lunaire said introspectively.
With that satisfying answer, I went to bed with a swirling head of thoughts. However when I opened my eyes it was a strange sight. Once again I found myself in the midst of the Synchro Plane. I almost thought it was a dream until I noticed that somehow my friends in all their respective pajamas were there as well.
"That's funny, last I left off you were all in tuxes and were giving me my wine," Deon said elegantly.
"Like I would ever be caught dead in formal wear," Lunaire said rudely.
"Are we all having the same dream," Aphele said as he started to float around curiously.
"I don't know but this is better than my dream so I'll take it," Bradon replied.
Before I could say anything the plane started to do something new. Like a bad video game the endless galaxy started to glitch, with rows of stars vanishing in the blink of an eye. This glitching then started to happen more and more frequently as soon enough black masses started to appear all around us!
"Um, does anyone have any idea what's going on," I said worriedly.
"I don't know but be ready," Aphele said as his hands lit on fire.
But that proved to be a big mistake as the black masses started to converge forming a void seemingly bigger than anything I've ever seen! In this void fear grasped my mind as we all get pushed in with our respective auras merging together. Once we all get sucked in, the only thing I could see was the same golden orb of light as before. Except this time the orb wiggled and shook until it dispersed in a blinding rainbow of lights!
Next thing I know I woke up in a cold sweat to the sound of absolute chaos. Adrenaline quickly started putting my heart into overdrive as I dropped down from my top bed. Lunarie in comparison growled in impatience as she heard the noise.
"What on Terra is that?"
"Don't know but we need to make sure the others are okay,' I said while venturing out.
Before Lunaire could object I opened the door, but what I saw wasn't exactly much better. The entire hallway of rooms had given way to pandemonium. A flaming man ran across the hallway, triggering the sprinklers as he said an obvious statement.
"I'm on freaking fire, ya'll!!!!!!!"
At the same time another woman covered completely in vines tumbled sprang from wall to wall until he finally jumped out the window! To tie it all together we saw a row of people fly and fall repeatedly on the ceiling in gusts of wind. At first I was about to go and help them all but Lunaire grabbed my hand in earnest.
"Us first, then them," she said sternly.
Against my better judgement I decided to follow her lead as we went to see the boys. However what we saw when we got there wasn't much better though. Once we arrived we were greeted to Brandon and Deon who were trying to attend a screaming Aphele.
"Are you guys okay," I said in concern.
"Yeah we are okay, but Aphele's been screaming ever since he woke up."
"SHUT THE DOOR AND SHUT UP, IT'S TOO LOUD IN HERE!," Aphele said in pain.
"Okay, okay Aphele, calm down, we're all here. The door is closed." I said in a quiet tone.
"THEN WHY DO I STILL HEAR THEM, WHY WON'T THEY GO AWAY!!!"
In that moment my body instinctively moved on it's own. Like some kind of instructions poured into my head I swept kicked Lunaire just in time to let her avoid a dark tendril that erupted from Aphele's chest! The door besides was shattered to pieces as Aphele's entire body started to erupt in wisps of dark shadow. And at the sight we were in all complete disbelief.
"Could he always do that?," Brandon said in disbelief
"I knew Aphele was multi talented but this is ridiculous," Deon said.
"Whatever this is we need to move out now, if he's anything like me all these emotions are going to make things worse. C'mon let's get him out of here," Lunaire said taking charge.
Following her lead Brandon and I took Aphele's smoking body out of the window falling out of the building into the fringes of the training field. As we kept running Aphele's shadows started to fade, as he groggily came around.
"This isn't possible. Something's wrong. My elements are gone."
"You mean don't have some distant uncle or, " I said casually.
"My mother is many things but she's not a cheater and both my parents have fire and earth in their blood. Besides I know my metal better than anyone else, it's always there but I can't sense it now."
At that moment Lunaire nearly tripped on the ground in a shaken state.
"Does anyone else feel that?"
"Feel what?," I said curiously.
"The ground it's ... pulsing."
At that moment the ground in front of us opened up to reveal a new figure. From what I could tell it was feminine in nature, with the figure carrying a casual brown tracksuit with sand colored masks and a dark orange masquerade mask accompanied with a face mask. However the most alluring thing was probably her large mysterious backpack. She displayed a confident attitude at the sight of us.
"Sorry, but this is going to be a little controlled chaos so it looks like you've got to go. You'll be fine when you wake up" the woman said in the smugest of tones.