"Daddy, I'm scared." Mattilda Said as she sat next to her big brother Alfred in the bucket seat of the cockpit.
"Now, now, Mattilda, you need to learn this. It will come in useful if you ever need to fly anywhere and your brother is somewhere else." Their father told them as he checked the dials of the small bush plain that sat patiently in the middle of the runway. He tapped the fuel gage a couple times, before turning to them. "Now, I already taught you how to steer with the pedals, but today is the day we take it up into the air!" Alfred stared at him with wide eyes.
"Really Dad? We're taking it up? It's ready?" He said, referring to the engine they had to repair a long time ago, and had held together so stubbornly, even when they had to replace the parts. Mattilda had watched them work together, studying their movements and the parts they were playing with. They didn't know she was watching, but they were used to her always hovering like a spirit.
"Yes, my boy! It is ready at last." He opened the door and hopped out, running around to the front propeller, reaching up and violently pulling it down, causing the engine to roar to life, sputtering a few times. He removed the chalks from the wheels, and the plain started to move forward, causing Mattilda to gasp in fright and clutch to her Brothers arm.
"It's okay, Mattie." He smiled at her.
"B-But, what if I fall out? I don't want to fall, Big Brother." She said, clutching his arm harder, and trembling as the plain started to turn.
"Don't worry. If you fall, I'll just catch you." He told her as their Father jumped back into the Plain.
"All ready to go, kids?" He called over the engine, and they nodded, fastening themselves into the seat. "Okay then, Here we go!" He grinned his grin as he pushed the steering wheel forward to gain speed before he pulled back, the rutter flipping up as they pulled off the ground, and they flew. They flew into the evening sky and didn't land until the moon was high in the air, after Alfred and Mattilda had steered on their own. Their Father talked them through the landing, and they laughed as they walked back into their small home, tired, and ready for sleep.
Years had passed, and their Father grew ill. He died when Mattilda was 14, and Alfred 17. They stood by his grave side, Mattilda weeping, and Alfred wearing their fathers Bomber Jacket, holding her shoulder, stroking it with his thumb comfortingly. Mattilda tore her shoulder away from her brother, and ran, praying it would rain. Rain would wash away that feeling. As she ran, she felt her thin shoes be torn from her feet, but she kept running. She ran through the fields that surrounded their home, she ran to the ocean, which laid close to the town, and she watched as ships and planes travelled to the county across the straight. It felt as if her heart had been ripped out from her chest.
The next time Alfred saw her, she was asleep in the cock-pit of the plain. He placed the bomber jacket over her, and kissed her tear-stained cheek before going inside to heat up something to eat.
"Alfred! Are you leaving?" Mattilda asked as she bounded down the steps of their house to see him standing at the door.
"Yes, Mattie. I am." He said, holding his rucksack over his shoulder.
"I don't see why you have to leave me here, Al. Why Can't I go with you to Port?" She asked him. If he left, it would be the first time being alone.
"I need this job, Mat. I really do. Once I have enough money, I'll come back for you. I promise."
"That doesn't mean that I can't go with you."
"You need to take care of the Plain. You love that thing more than I do." He said, throwing her a small smile.
"Just stay one more day, Al. Please?" She begged, "I'll make you your burgers! Just stay one more night!"
Al couldn't resist his sister when she was ...there. When she was with him, and speaking, he couldn't say no.
He ruffled her hair that was turning out to be so much like their fathers. "Okay. One more night." Mattilda's face lit up and she swung her arms around her older brothers' neck.
"Thanks Al." She muffled into his shirt and Bomber Jacket.
That night, She cooked for them, and at night, She snuck out to the Plain, and took out their feeble blow torch she had the crank herself so it would work. She filled the Plains hollow wings with cement, and filled the back with cement as well. She saudered the doors shut, and saudered the propeller so it wouldn't work again. She left the engine, though. She could never destroy the engine her Father and brother worked so diligently on. With the wheels greased, she rolled it out in front of their house, before sealing them in cement like she sealed the rest. It was dawn when she finished, as she stood back and examined her handy-work; she heard the door open and close. Mattilda turned to see her brother attempt to sneak out the door before she woke up.
"Good Morning, Al." She said vacantly. Al walked up next to her, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"What did you do to the Plain?" He demanded.
She smiled. "Its fine, Al. It can stay here forever, and I can come with you!"
He stared at her. "Are you insane?"
"No... No I don't think so." She said dreamily. "I left the engine intact, though. I thought we could leave some stuff with it. Like Dads metal and flying goggles and his leather flying cap."
Alfred sighed. If they did that, there was really no going back. "Okay then. I'll grab them, and we'll seal it up." He walked into the house and retrieved the items, and grabbed his Mother's Locket before leaving. He threw it into a wooden box, and carried it outside to where a sleeping Mattilda lay slumped on the ground. He placed the box and saudered the engine shut, before he picked her up and laid her down on the couch inside before digging her out some clothes for the journey ahead.
Mattilda woke up, confused. She had had 3 dreams, and all of them were memories. It could only mean something, though what, she couldn't tell. She walked down, ready to Co-pilot for her brother in the AeroFerry. She pulled on her canvas pants and button down shirt before putting on her glasses and pulling her blond hair back to run it through a brush a couple times. She walked into the main room and the small flat, and stopped dead. Alfred stood with two men, one their boss (Alfred's actually. He didn't know Mattilda accompanied him), and the other a Very official looking man who stood tall, medals adorning his chest, and a scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Al...?" She cautioned. Alfred looked pained. He was white, and a serious expression stained his face.
"Mattilda... They want me to join the air force." He told her. Mattilda paled.
"What?" She asked in disbelief. The tall man turned to her.
"Oh! You must be Alfred's sister!" He smiled, "Do not worry; you can take over for his job. I do believe you can fly just as well as he can, Da?" Mattilda narrowed her eyes. How could he know? "Da, so, I will take your brother, and you can have him back when I am done, hm?" He continued to smile as Mattilda shuddered. Something about him made him seem cold and ruthless... Perfect for the Army.
"O...kay." She said, unnable to say anything else. She turned to Alfred who was still standing in the exact same place as before. She hugged him and startled him out of his thoughts.
"Be careful Big Brother... Make sure you come back, okay? Promise?" She said into his Chest. He smiled, and pulled her in more.
"I promise. I always keep my promises, don't I?" He asked, resting his head on hers. Mattilda could feel her eyes start to water, and she tried her hardest to hold back her tears. The scarfed man placed a gloved hand on Alfreds shoulder.
"Time to go Private Jones, Da?" He smiled.
Alfred released his sniffling little sister before turning to him, throwing his hand up in a salute. "Yes, General Braginsky." He looked at Mattilda one last time, and threw her one last grin before walking out the door, possibly for the last time.
"Ah... yes, I expect you to see you at work tommorrow then?" Their boss, Mr Clayton said awkwardly before leaving.
As soon as he left, Mattilda collapsed, crying and burying her face in her hands. She wish she could run like she did two years ago. Instead, she rose to her feet, and ran to the docks were the plain Alfred was in was preparing to take off. She reached it as it was moving and a worker was moving to close the steel door.
"I love you Alfred!" She called. "I love you Big Brother! Win for us!"
AN: Holy cow Flashbacks! O.o
So much emotion in this! So many memories! D: Be strong Mattie!
And... I think Mattie might be the only genderbended person. I might change my Mind, but, you know... Don't expect anything. Also, don't expect the next chapter to be this long.