Carrying The Banner ~ Carefree, Independent
Scene: Early morning, in the flock's home in the mountains. Iggy is cooking breakfast, and Fang is setting the table with the Gasman. Max is about to head out of the room to get Nudge and Angel up for breakfast.
Iggy snatches a spoon from Gazzy's hand to stir his coffee.
Gazzy: "That's my spoon!"
Iggy: "Go grab anoder."
Max stands between them with her hands on her hips. "C'mon guys, we have work to do."
Iggy: "Since when did you become me muder?"
Fang: "Ugh, stop your bawling – "
Iggy: Hey, who asked you?"
Max rolls her eyes, and leaves. She enters Nudge's and Angel's room, and walks by Nudge's bed first.
Max: "Hey, sweetie, up and at 'em." She shakes her shoulder. "Breakfast in ten."
Nudge blinks tiredly. "Wha … ?"
Max: "Another day. Get up and face it."
As Nudge gets herself up, Max walks over to the curtained corner that belongs to Angel, and pulls it back.
Max: "Hey, you're already dressed."
Angel: "Hi, Max, can you do my buttons?"
Max: "Yep."
Meanwhile, Fang, Iggy, and Gazzy have finished setting the table and are talking about their life compared to the "normal" life.
Gazzy: "Ever wonder what it's like to be … normal?"
Iggy: "Never had."
Gazzy: "Why?"
Iggy: "'Cause it's so boring, that's why!"
Gazzy: "Is it true, Fang?"
Fang: "I've never really seen a 'normal' life, but from what I seen on movies and read about in books, it's boring."
Iggy: "Nowhere near as awesome as our lives."
Gazzy: "What do you mean?"
Fang: "I'll explain it this way.
"Whether a Smith or a Dubois,
Iggy: "They all gotta follow rules. "
Fang: "All the normal girls and boys,"
Iggy: "Have to obey parents and schedules."
The girls walk into the dining room as the boys finish setting the table. They all sit to breakfast.
Nudge: "I smell omelets,"
Iggy: "I smell dairy."
Fang holds a hand over his mouth: "Gazzy, your smell could kill!" Gazzy gives a sheepish grin and apologizes.
Angel: "How about we pick strawberries?"
Max nods. "Sure, we'll go up the hill."
Iggy and Fang: "Ain't it a fine life,
Carefree, Independent through it all?"
The girls nod in agreement.
Max and Nudge: "A mighty fine life,
Carefree Independent, proud n' tall."
Iggy, Fang, Max, and Nudge: "Every morning,
We are as free as birds,
Not forced to dress like nerds,
In school learning new words,
What a fine life,
Carefree, Independent,
Home free, all!"
The flock passes plates around and give each other quick "Thank you"'s and "Please pass the butter"'s.
Angel: "Max, can we really keep living like this? On our own, without any parents or anything?"
Max: "Of course we can!"
Iggy: "Not everyone is cut out for our life, but we sure are."
Angel: "How? How are we?"
Max: "Nudge and I can tell you how.
"It takes kids raised in laboratories,"
Nudge: "With bird eyes and other things."
Fang looks at Gazzy: "One who should live in lavatories," (Gazzy blushes.)
Max: "And the only ones who got wings!" She stands up from table and proudly unfolds her wings. The other members of the flock stack their plates and bring them to the sink.
All: "That's the place we called the School,
Where we came to be.
We escaped their teeth and drool,
And now we live free!"
The flock pulls on jackets, and run to their rooms to grab buckets and baskets.
All: "Oh, it's a fun life,
Livin' Independent with my friends!"
Boys: "It's a fun life,
Livin' Independent with my friends!"
Girls: "It's a great life,
Watchin' out for what's around the bend!"
Boys:"It's a great life,
Watchin' out for what's around the bend!" They peer out of their doors as they say so.
Gazzy: "Compared to others,
Our life tips the scales,"
Nudge: "We live off the rails,"
Iggy: "'Cause we're as tough as nails,"
All: "What a fun life,
Carefree, Independent to the end!"
The flock pauses in front of Jeb Batchelder's room, where a picture of him sits on his dresser and faces the open door. Everyone except Angel remembers what he told them the day before their escape.
Jeb Batchelder: Little children,
Though you are locked inside crates,
I love you,
I'll change your fates.
The other members of the flock file out slowly while Max remains, solemnly gazing upon her father figure.
Max: "Jeb Batch …
(Gazzy: "I'll go grab one more." He runs to grab another bucket.)
Max: "... elder ..."
(Nudge whispers to Angel: "Let's take the back door.")
Max: "Since you left us … "
(Iggy: "I gotta find my shoes.")
Max: "... I am undone."
(Fang: "How long she playin' the blues?")
Max: "Father …
Loves us!"
Everyone except Max: "Sure, we miss Jeb Batchelder,
Wish that he'd return;"
Girls: "But we can make it on our own,"
Boys: "We all can live and learn."
Girls: "But if we are caught here,"
Boys: "Lord help those who dare to try!"
Girls: "If the School tries to track us,"
Boys: "If Erasers attack us,"
All except Max: "It'll be the last thing they ever tried.
For nothing in the world,
Can stop us or this girl,
The incredible Maximum Ride!"
Max regains her composure, and leads the flock outside to the strawberry patches.
Angel: "What can we make?"
(Gazzy: "Look at me!" Iggy: "I can't see!")
Nudge: "How about a cake?"
Max: "A short cake or a long one?"
(Fang whispers to Iggy: "Was that a joke?")
Nudge: "Let's have one for brunch!"
(Gazzy imitating Iggy: "That'll make you fat!")
Max: "Would you like a punch?"
(Iggy: "I never said that!")
Girls: "Forget you guys, we're done!"
Boys: "Forget you gals, we're done!"
They separate and debate what to do for the rest of the day.
Girls: "We need something big to happen,
Something we never did before."
Gazzy: "How 'bout something that's explosive,"
Iggy: "Stupid, that ain't fun no more!"
Boys: "Whether we be rugged or strappin',"
We know a good time."
Max: "But your attitudes are so corrosive,"
The girls rush at them: "So we have to keep you in line!"
The flock goes back together, and dance while they sing, the boys still contemplating of what to do for the rest of the day.
Girls: "But altogether,"
(Gazzy: "How 'bout a race to see who fails?")
Girls: "Carefree, Independent are we all!"
(Iggy: "What 'bout a hike on an old trail?")
(Fang: "We sound like a riot.")
Girls: "Now and forever,"
(Gazzy: "Still want something to go up in smoke.")
Girls: "Only answering to our own call!"
(Iggy: "Max will kill us all, that's no joke!")
(Fang: "Why can't we ever be quiet?")
Girls: "We fly and run,"
(Boys: "Over hill and over dale!")
Girls: "There's too much fun!"
(Boys: "Fighting things tooth and nail!")
Girls: "Nothing can hurt us!"
(Boys: "Wish I could say the same for me.")
Girls: "No one will desert us!"
(Boys: "Guess that's what happens when you're free.")
All: "Carefree, Independent is the– "
Angel screams in alarm. Erasers drop out of the sky.
