The Gifted

[Ryu 7]

The year is 2353, and ever since the mysterious asteroid the government confiscated 30 years ago, the world has been a much different place. The world now has a single government. Technological breakthroughs happen almost daily, and animals that were extinct millions of years ago are now roaming the Earth like they never left. But it is in the humans that the biggest changes are happening. They all look normal, but they are far, far from it.

Most children at the age of five are running around, playing with toys, and exhausting their parents. But then there are the ones who shoot fire out of their hands, fly away when they don't want to go to bed, turn invisible and hide from their friends, and so on.

Those who show signs of being 'Gifted' are taken by the government and never seen again, leaving no traces they even existed. Birth certificates and all other forms of identification are disposed of, making it as if they never existed in the first place. They are taken to a massive circular underground bunker, which according to the rest of the world doesn't even exist. Going nearly a mile deep and almost five miles in diameter, it is the pinnacle of technology's advancements. The children live their lives brainwashed under the pretense that the world is in a nuclear fallout, and they are the last of the surviving humans.

In actuality, it is a prison to protect the regular humans from those with more dangerous powers. There are five sections in the bunker, dividing the Gifted by rank of their power. Section A1-10, Section B1-10, Section C1-10, Section D1-10, and the central command center, where the scientists and military personal stay and maintain the facility. The prison has gone for 20 years without any complications, and many Gifted have arrived since the start of the facility. Too many.

Tom has lived in the Paradise Shelter for nearly his entire life. They found him when he was 6 years old, stumbling around in the desert. They said it was a miracle he hadn't been exposed to any radiation. They took him in, gave him his room, and then they discovered his 'Gift'.

Fast forward 11 years. He is considered a mentor to a majority of the children in his section, and looked up to by many. He also teaches Tang Soo Do Karate and Bushido in the place of his recently deceased master. He has many friends and few enemies, so, naturally, he starts to worry when some of them begin to disappear without any notice.

Name: (Last name isn't necessary.)

Age: (5-25)

Section: (Number isn't necessary, determines how deep underground you are.)

Skills: (Anything from cooking to super ninja.)

Gift:

False Memory: (of how you arrived)

[Otis McNutt 395]

Name: Tyr Anasazi

Age: 22

Section: C-4

Skills: Artist

Gift: Energy Manipulation

False Memory: With hostilities between the American Coalition and the Asian Conglomeration reaching it's Boiling point, Rabin and Sora Anasazi packed up Tyr, his twin sister Alika and headed for the Shelter. As they neared the Shelter the first bombs began to fall. Tyr watched in horror as his family were obliterated by the Blast Wave. He feels personally responsible for his sisters death as it was always his responsibility to watch out for her.

Tyr sat motionless in front of the canvas. As he looked at the dry pigments staining his fingers the silence was suddenly shattered by the Ringing of a doorchime.

"Come in." Tyr said suddenly shaken from his daze.

With a his the door slid open and in stepped Tom, one of the few people Tyr considers a friend.

"Ahh another piece Tyr Anasazi, it's...interesting."

The piece was bold and fierce, a group of blackened vaguely human shapes engulfed by fire.

"I call it Death of Innocence." Tyr said wiping the paint from his hands.

"That's dark bro, I like that one much better though."

Posted across the room above his bed was a framed family portrait with young Tyr and his family.

"It's modelled after a photo we had framed in our Den...except."

"Except what?" Tom asked.

"In my memories of that day my Mother's hair was Black, and my father had a beard. But in the photo she was Auburn haired and my father had no beard."

As Tom looked at the paintings The central comlink activated. "Will all Section C residents please proceed to the Commissary for the Midday meal."

"You coming Tyr, I hear they're serving the brown paste with the yellow beads today."

Tyr packed up his brushes and nodded "I do like that Brown Paste."

As Tom and Tyr left the confines of his room they followed the Hallway curve and nearly ran into a Service Mechinoid.

"Apologies Sirs this area is off Limits." the Mech said holding up it's arms.

"What's wrong Robot?" Tom asked.

"Resident Designate Robert Reynolds Combusted last night, in the process he burned two service units and ruptured a coolant valve. Maintenance crews are repainting the Damage to the living quarters."

"How are we supposed to get tonthe Commissary Unit?" Tyr asked.

"Please follow the detour, it'll bypass the Quarantine Zone and get you to the Commissary."

A blue arrow appeared on the Robots torso screen then zipped over to the Wall. As the Arrow began to move down the Hallway so did Tyr and Tom.

"I can't believe Bob's dead!" Tom said.

"Yeah it's weird, he thought he had a handle on his Flames." Tyr said shaking his head.

"Haven't you noticed more and more people leaving lately. Either dying from their abilities or Transferring to other Shelters."

"Now that you mention it, I have..,weird." Tyr said.

Rounding a corner the guys emerged in the far side of the Commissary.

"I hope we didn't miss out on the Brown stuff because of that detour!"

As Tyr walked over to access the Food line Tom stayed back to look around at the other Residents. Which of his "Brothers" and "Sisters" would vanish next.

[Ryu 7]

Tom was worried. Many people had been leaving lately, apparently they had discovered a new shelter and were transporting people there to help out. A lot of the kids with engineering or matter manipulation gifts had also been sent over, which was weird. Most of them were always in trouble, and they had to wear 'suppression bands', more like glorified chokers, to prevent them from causing damage to the shelter. Most likely the damage causing their detour had been the work of matter manipulation gone wrong.

But aside from all that, his gift hadn't been working. Normally with his short-distance teleportation he and Tyr could have arrived and been eating already. It wasn't only him either, many of Section-C's occupants gifts had been acting up or flat out not working. Bob had lost control while heating some tea, burning himself alive. That was weirdest part though, his flames couldn't be put out by normal means such as a fire extinguisher or pouring water on it. Normally a guard had to be somewhat nearby with a suppression gun to help put it out, but he hadn't even been in the same section when the accident happened.

He was snapped out of his train of thought by Tyr elbowing him in the arm.

"You haven't even touched your paste yet, and you've been giving that wall the dirtiest look I've ever seen you give."

Tom immediately relaxed his facial muscles, he hadn't even realized he was scowling.

"I was just thinking... everything that's been happening, the gifts acting up, the other sanctuary... none of it makes sense. I mean, sure. There could be other survivors out there, but they come in ALL the time, almost every day. Sometimes more often than that. And it's the weirdest thing, but... I swear gifts only act up when their used close to the border between Sections C and D. Maybe something wrong is happening over there, that is where the guys with the really powerful gifts go. To keep them from hurting others." He sighed. "Tonight, I'm gonna check it out."

"We aren't allowed in Section D, they'll put suppression bands on you and maybe lock you up." Tyr frowned at him. "You still gonna do it?"

Tom grinned. "And you're coming with me. Suppression doesn't work on you, and you gift will be really helpful."