Two of the Same Feather

Chapter 1. A Man and A Mutant

As a young child, you learned that the world was full of evil mutant animals that would attack and eat any human that they saw. They were portrayed as absolute evil. The story of how the humans lived peacefully until the attack of a strange creature on the innocent human villages is known by every man, woman, and child. These humans were attacked mercilessly, without provocation, time after time, and for years the humans fought back against the mutants. There were no stories of good mutants, nothing saying that they felt anything, nothing in the history books had a mutant help the humans, absolutely nothing.

Centuries passed and the humans created better weapons, learned weaknesses and destroyed the mutants homes. The mutants were persecuted. There was no sympathy for them, hundreds were wiped out. Soon enough the mutants went into hiding, the ones with magical powers used theirs to blend into the human race and could only watch as their kin with killed in front of them, unable to do anything in fear of losing their own lives. There are still some groups of mutants that rise against human kind and attack in groups, but their attacks are rare and a organized group of humans are trained to counter these attacks. Anyone who wanted to get into this organization would have to strong, not only physically but also mentally, and whoever made it would gain power and fame. This organization's name was MECS, aka: Mutant Elimination and Counter Station.

Alfred was a world renowned Mutant Hunter of the MECS. His natural super strength and strong sense of justice lead him into this career, he wants to use his gift to rid this world of all evil and make it safe for everyone. He killed his first mutant at the age of ten, and his history with the mutants landed him a spot in the MECS at the age of nineteen, where he built a reputation and forged his own path. Years have passed by Alfred and his reputation just gets bigger and bigger, and now he was one of the highest ranking Mutant Hunters in the world. He killed countless mutants, saved many human lives, and brought justice to his world. He never lost a battle, and his hatred for the mutants and what they did was like undying. Alfred knew everything that has to do with mutants. But that world of his would be shattered.

Alfred's morning started off the same as every other: The alarm beeping until he woke, couple cups of coffee, morning paper work, phone calls for help with troublesome mutants that were caught, and so one. After all of the paper work was finished and the files placed away, Alfred stretched, ready to get up and go to his next assignment... help the lab with their newly caught mutants. Sometimes they captured mutants so that they could learn more about them, like: Weaknesses, where other mutants are located, their intelligence, etc. Alfred could care less about those things; all he wanted to do was find the one. He just wanted to kill them. That's all he wanted. Sometimes he'd stay after helping to watch the mutants be tortured or experimented on. This call was like was like every other, and today he felt like he'd stay and watch whatever would happen.

Walking down the winding corridors, taking turns here and there, he knew this building like the back of his hand. The familiar sight of the heavy metal lab doors brought a smile to Alfred's face, and the sound of the squeaking metal rang in his ears as he pushed open the heavy doors. The overpowering scent of disinfectant, blood and various solutions smacked Alfred's nose instantly. The lab was fairly big and was located right smack middle of the MECS building with 30 or so people working in the lab. The whole place was painted an off white color with the silver metallic mechanical equipment complimenting the walls; the floor was a mixture of colors due to all of the experiments and blood that spilled onto it. The bright lights lit up the room and made it a little painful to keep your eyes open at first, but Alfred was so used to the lights to where it didn't affect him as much.

The head labritorist was a tall German by the name of Ludwig Beilschmidt. Blond slicked back hair, icy blue eyes, broad shoulders, a strong build and a fierce personality, Ludwig ran the whole laboratory, and the people that worked with him. Alfred and Ludwig weren't really what you'd call friends, but they had shared hatred for mutants and a mutual understanding between each other. Striding up to the big German, Alfred handed him some paperwork and exchanged words.

"So you need me to help ya'll with a troublemaker?"

"Ja, we got a shipment of a very stubborn and skittish one a few days ago... We've been trying to get it out of the cell... We tried everything, but to no avail..." A frustrated sigh escaped Ludwig's lips.

One of Alfred's blond eyebrows lifted in slight confusion, "Then what do you think I'll be able to do? If ya'll really tried everything then what am I supposed to do?", he knew that if they couldn't get that... thing... out, then what could he possibly do. The German turned his icy blue eyes to Alfred's sky blue eyes, and gave him a strange reply, "Because you seem to be able to make them follow your orders or at least calm down..." Alfred knew that he had some kind of aura that led the mutants into a false sense of security, "And if you can't get it to work with you, then I'm not sure what we'll do.".

Now Alfred was really confused, "Why don't we just kill it...?"

"We've already tried to kill it, but any hunter we send into the cell comes right back out in seconds terrified and any weapon sent in is somehow destroyed or dodged. We can't seem to kill it... So that's why you're our last option."

This was news to Alfred's ear. Never before have they had trouble killing a mutant to this extent, but if he was their last shot, then he has no choice but to try. "Well, I guess I'll give it a shot... But I will kill it if need be." To be honest with himself, this was a little worrying. But he won't let it show on his face nor will he let it get the best of him. No mutant can stand up to him. A hand was placed on Alfred's shoulder and Ludwig's voice brought him back to the world, "You can try to kill it if need be, but don't get kill yourself."

"Yeah yeah. I know this stuff already. I won't get killed. I won't die. Don't worry big guy." Giving a cocky grin and patting the German's shoulder, Alfred walked over to the wall that had five metal doors, each one leading to a cell made just for mutants, some cells were different for the unique mutants, but were indestructible and impossible for a mutant to open. There was a small window for each cell that was strong, and only those on the outside could tell that it was a window, from the inside it just looked like a part of the wall.

Turning around, Alfred yelled across the lab, "Which cell is this thing in?"

"The very middle cell." Was chilling the reply.

The very middle cell. The cell where the unknown mutants go. Mutants that have never been seen before go in that cell. This was going to be interesting. It was going to be fun... No... No matter what Alfred said in his mind to reassure himself, he knew that this wasn't going to go well. "...Fuck..." Cursing under his breath, Alfred could feel his palms getting sweaty and a cold feeling washed over his body. He's never scared of Mutants, so why should this one be different? He's never lost a battle. This will be no different. It will be fine.

Slowly, he placed a hand on the handle of the door, ready to walk in a defeat another mutant, he just needs to calm himself first. Rule number one to encountering a mutant... Never show fear, and control your emotions. Taking a few deep breaths Alfred slowed his beating heart and calmed his nerves. Once fully under control of himself, Alfred turned the handle, pushed the door open and prepared for the worst. Once in the cell, he looked around for the mutant and closed the door instantly, not wanting it to get out of the cell. Realizing that the mutant couldn't be found on the ground, Alfred moved to the middle of the room and searched on the walls, then worked his way to the celling.

Right there. Right above the door to the cell. Clinging to the celling upside-down in the corner. That's where the mutant was. Right above where Alfred entered the cell. Alfred's lungs refused to work and his breath was caught within him, he knew from the moment that his eyes landed on it that it was different from all the other mutants. The only thing Alfred could make out of it at first glance was its eyes. Forest green eyes met with sky blue eyes, and it wasn't like a sunny forest green, it was more like a raging storm where lightning cracks the sky and the light reflects off of the leaves in the forest. It was that kind of green.

Alfred had to fight to keep his emotions under control. Forcing his lungs to work, he was able to let out his breath and suck oxygen back into his lungs, which helped clear his mind and smooth his nerves out. First things first, lure it into a false sense of security. Praying to God that his voice wasn't going to betray him and show his emotions he spoke in a soft tone and with welcoming words, "Hello there... It's fine, I'm not with the other nasty people, I won't hurt you at all..." Please, PLEASE don't see through his lie! Kneeling onto one knee, he plasters on a smile and carefully watches the mutants movements.

Alfred had to keep himself from flinching when the Mutant dropped from the celling with a *thump* that echoed throughout the cement room. With a clearer view of the Mutant, Alfred could take in what it looks like. The Mutant was eerily human-like but with feathers, almost as if it was crossed between a bird and a human. The human looking part of the mutant had dirty blond hair that looked like it wasn't brushed at all, stormy green eyes, a lithe yet slightly muscular body, and inhumanly large eyebrows. The mutant part of it had wings attached to what would be shoulder blades, long tail feathers protruded from its hindquarters, tuffs of feather came out from its hair above its human-like ears, feathers covered it's forearms and on the sides of its eyes. The feathers were a mixture of brown, gold, white, orange, and a few under tones of different colors.

All in all, this Mutant was mesmerizing; something about this creature froze Alfred on the spot. But soon Alfred realized that the Mutant was on all fours and had had crawled to where the hidden window was. The stormy green eyes locked with Alfred's, and a shiver was sent down his spine and goosebumps riddled his arms. This feeling was something that Alfred never felt before. He couldn't figure out what the feeling was before the sound of claws scraping against the cement floor caught Alfred's attention. The Mutant was inching its way towards him with... was that... confusion in its eyes? Alfred couldn't tell what it was... but Mutants can't, no, they don't feel emotions.

A scratchy voice resounded from the Mutant, "Ma...t..." It was like the Mutant hasn't used its voice in a long time. But it didn't finish what it was going to say for whatever reason, and it's eyes narrowed in a dark scowl. Alfred didn't let the look that the Mutant gave him scare him, he shouldn't show any fear. Alfred had to constantly tell himself to stay calm, but this Mutant was unnerving him for some reason. Way too soon for Alfred, the Mutant was only three or four feet away from Alfred's outstretched hand. The glare that the Mutant was giving Alfred was unreadable and it unnerved him.

Why? What about this mutant is scaring me? I've never been scared by them! Why is this one different?

His thoughts were racing a mile a minute, and by that time the Mutant had gotten right in front of his hand. Once again Alfred was dragged away from his thoughts by the feeling of something touching his hand. To Alfred's horror and confusion, one of the Mutant's hands was on top of Alfred's. The hand was cold, but the feeling that was rushing from the Mutants hand into and through Alfred wasn't one of malicious intent, no, it was far from that... What was this?

Was... he... wrong..?

...No...

...He's never wrong...

...Never...

In an instant, Alfred's instinct kicked in and he soon found himself grabbing the Mutant's hand, pulling it towards him, switching them around to where its back and wings were facing him, and Alfred's arms snaking their way around the Mutant's neck. Locking the Mutant into a head lock, Alfred wrapped his legs around the Mutant's waist and added pressure to its neck, hoping that he could suffocate it until it passes out. Using enough strength to keep it from escaping but not enough to break its bones, he trapped the Mutant under his grasp by pulling it backwards, onto himself. Birds can't fly when upside-down, and the wings couldn't harm him or get the Mutant off the ground if Alfred flipped it on its back.

As suspected, the Mutant gave a screech in surprise and started to flail about. The wings spreaded out and flapped around trying, in vain, to upright itself. Alfred could see how long the wings were, and their power could be felt with every stroke, the air within the cell whipped Alfred's wheat blond hair in his face. Arms could be seen, reaching behind the Mutant to grab its attacker, the claws shinning in the light but they never contacted with Alfred. The screeches continued and they were painstakingly close to a humans scream for help. But they weren't human... Slowly Alfred could feel the wing beats weaken. In a few moments the wings fell to the floor, the arms losing strength and hit the floor with an echoing *thud*. The raspy breaths from the creature slowed down, and Alfred could tell that it was losing consciousness.

It's done... I'm done... I got it... Just like every other Mutant... Then why... why do I feel this way...?

Alfred's unbreakable hold on the Mutant lessened as the door to the cell was opened. He knew that they only had a few minutes before the Mutant came back, so he let the group of people whom had entered the cell pick up the creature. The weight that was on top of him was lifted away and Alfred got up onto his feet, a little winded, but unharmed. Alfred took a moment to gather his strength back up before walking out of the cell to see what they were going to do with this Mutant. It put up a big fight, but of course it fell beneath (or on top) Alfred's strength and wit. Walking outside of the cell, Alfred could see that they had strapped the Mutant to one of their experiment tables with one of their heavier duty leather straps so that when it wakes up it wouldn't be able to move its limbs or wings.

When the straps were in place and secured, as if on cue, the green eyes flashed open and the jerking movements began. Alfred had a perfect view of the Mutant, and he watched the Mutant twist and turn, but something deep inside Alfred knew that the creature wasn't using all of its strength, its wings weren't moving. How could he tell? If a mutant was strapped up and was using 100% of its power to break free then the straps would groan and creak under the pressure. But there was no noise like that. Then it hit Alfred and the rest of the people in the lab... An ear-splitting screech emitted from the Mutant. The screech was fearfully human, but louder, much louder. Everyone stopped what they were doing to clutch their ears, trying to block out the noise, even Alfred succumbed to the pain within his ears. Then the unexpected happened.

The lights in the lab started to flicker and the sound of walls breaking and people yelling could be heard above the screeching Mutant. The ground was rumbling. Alfred knew what was happening; the Mutants screech wasn't doing this damage... It was calling for help... and help came...

The building was under attack...