This is my first Fanfic. My friends and I have wanted to post something, and since I just got my account and just now became hooked with Maximum Ride, we thought it would be fun to write something. Sometimes it will sound different because someone else is writing it. Creative discussion is welcomed. No rude comments, they bug me. I haven't had time to really explore this sight…so yeah. Anything that might help me, do not be afraid to say! Adios!!

Disclaimer: Am I a dude…nope! No JP here!!

The Flock was in a random forest. None of us really knew where and we weren't about to tell. We were in a grove surrounded by beautiful cherry blossom trees and a little stream that ran straight through the meadow. I wouldn't have been surprised if Bambi and his magical forest friends came out and started to sing Kumbuya with the dancing tree spirits that wear beaded head bands and tiny coconut bras. It creeped me out more than Disney characters should've.

This was easily one of the worst days I had ever experienced, and that's coming from a guy who has been locked in a dog crate and been forced to do ridiculous tests that strain your mind and body. Not fun my friend, not fun.

Seeing Max and the flock in this kind of sadness was like getting kicked around like a giant (hot!) soccer ball and then ran over by a semi, dragged through the Grand Canyon, and then bounded and pushed off a cliff. Well, maybe not THAT much, but it was still similar.

I watched as each member of the Flock threw in a little handful of dirt in to the grave of Ari, Max's half-brother.

He was a pain, a bother, and a jerk, but in the end, Max had trusted him and he had saved our lives. The least we could do was give the kid a nice funeral.

Total was in a mess, well, as messed up as a talking dog could be. Angel stepped up to the grave and dropped in a little handful of dirt, " Bye, Ari. I didn't know you for very long, and I didn't like you for a lot of it. But I liked you at the end. You helped us. You saved us. I'll miss you. And I didn't mind your fangs or anything. " She glanced over at me and I through her a thumbs up and a half-smile.

Though the Flock may sometimes think I am emotionless, Angel was the only one who actually knew the part of me that shared emotions. She was trustworthy. Not to say that I don't trust the other members of the flock, its just she was similar to me. We were both a little more different than the others. Angel had the powers overload and I had no emotions. It just ran that way.

Gazzy stepped up next, " I'm sorry about what they did to you. It wasn't your fault." Even with our raptor hearing, you could barely hear him. The kid didn't like him, but guilt and maybe compassion had entered the little boy's heart and led him to sympathize for Ari.

Gazzy retreated back to Iggy and my sides. He stood in the middle of us and watched as Nudge stepped up next. Nudge had always been the most prone to crying our screaming, or laughing. It was like she had all of the emotions for us.

Nudge dropped in some dirt and attempted to say a few words. The moment she opened her mouth she broke out in sobs. She ran to Max who embraced both girls and let them sob into her chest.

Iggy raised his hand and dropped it, "I don't have anything to say."

Max looked over at me and I waved for her to go. She nudged Total off her feet and walked forward. She let two house lilies fall slowly into the grave. I noticed that she didn't have anything to say. Max was nervous, she was scared, and most of all, she was heartbroken. I knew she hadn't known him long, but Max had loved him in the end. They WERE blood siblings. Tears were welling in eyes, not actual, but spiritual.

Without knowing, I came up behind her and put my warm, dirt coated hand on the small of her back. I put up my shield that would show no emotions, patted her head like the good little damsel in distress she was (mm-hmm, only in my dreams), and proceeded to speak a few words for her. Dropping some soil into the coffin hole, "Well, Ari, I'm sorry that its ended like this," I took a deep breath and made sure I was okay before carrying on, "You were a decent little kid, and then you were a total nightmare. I didn't trust you-until the very end. I didn't know you much, didn't care to. Right now…that feels like the biggest tragedy of all."

My words must've had some kind of impact on Max, because she burst out crying. Tears were streaming down her face as I took her into my arms and held her as she cried.