Introduction

There are some things in life that you just can't change...no matter how much you try, how much you wish it wasn't so, its true none the less. That's what I've always told myself at least. You see, I'm different. And I know what you're thinking: who isn't? But I'm not that kind of different, I'm the kind that shouldn't exist, not in the natural, one hundred percent human kind of way. You could say I'm the product of a few thoroughly conducted, well-planned science experiments.

There is a darkness to me, no one sees it, but its there. No one can see that behind my smile, I'm incomplete…I've always been that way. Well, maybe not always. But twelve years is a damn long time, and when you're age three, you don't remember everything that you wish you could.

I'm getting off track. This story isn't about me, not completely. This story is about my family, and what it has cost them to survive. You could say we've paid the maximum price.

Chapter One:

I stare into the mirror one last time before heading dejectedly down from my room. I can see panic on my face as I check for maybe the hundredth time to see if my wings are hidden. They are, of course, I have nothing to worry about. So why can't I stop fidgeting? It's like I know something was going to go wrong today, I know that no matter what I did, fate was going to step in.

Of course, I don't know these things for certain, I just had a feeling. This morning when I woke up, chills ran down my spine, my heart was beating a million miles a minute, and no matter what I did; I couldn't catch my breath. So, I wonder again, what was wrong with me?

I'm not sure why, but every time something bad is about to happen, I know about it. Weird? Yes. And before you ask, no, I'm not psychic. I just have sixth sense of sorts. But who wouldn't after what I've been through?

I turn to brush my long hair when I hear a voice call my name loudly from outside my door. "Ultimate?!"

Before you ask again, yes, my name is Ultimate. Sometimes I like to think my parents were seriously delusional when they picked out my name, or perhaps it was their idea of a sick joke. But sadly, it was none of the above that caused the usage of an adjective in place of a real name. It was actually one of my aunts that made the suggestion of calling me that, and for some reason, my parents agreed. However, I didn't complain too much about it. Knowing my family, it could have been worse…much worse. Trust me on that one.

I realize that the voice who called me belonged to my oldest aunt, Nudge. With my hands trembling, I drop my brush to the ground, not really caring about if I pick it up or not, and reach for the door. When I pull it open, no one is standing there, so I poke my head out and stare down both ends of the hallway, trying to figure out where she went to. I solve my mystery soon when I hear her, yet again, yelling a few rooms down from mine. But this time, at my youngest uncle who was refusing to join the waking world.

I smile, beside myself, and then step out into the hallway. All the way from the top floor, I can smell breakfast being prepared down in the kitchen. Apparently, we are having waffles, which could only mean one thing: Aunt Angel is home for a visit.

I immediately rush out of my room and practically jump to the bottom of the stairs before sliding through the kitchen door. It is as I suspected: Uncle Iggy preparing most of the food by the stove top, listening to Aunt Angel who is sitting on the edge of the counter, letting her dainty legs swing back and forth below her while she speaks to him of the happenings in the city.

"I still think you would like it if you gave it a chance," she smiles, even though he can't see it. "Sometimes there are tons of exciting things to hear if you get past all the car noises and people on cell phones." She takes a quick sip of the coffee that's practically glued to her hand before waiting on his response.

"Ang, thanks, but I'm gonna have to pass," Iggy says in an apologetic way. "It's just way too…confusing for me, like constant chaos…"

"That's alright," she interrupts, patting his had soothingly, "I understand."

He smiles now too before turning his attention to the bacon on the far burner.

"Ultimate!" Aunt Angel screams before launching herself off the counter top toward me.

As she engulfs me in a hug, I smile widely. "Hi, Aunt Angel," I finally breath after she lets me out of her death clamp.

Even though she released me from her embrace, she still holds onto my shoulders from an arm's width away. I know what she's doing: looking over me, memorizing me. I see all of them doing it from time to time. I try to ignore the reason why, even though I know its there, as plain as day.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, which confuses me, but only for a moment. I forgot to guard my thoughts around her.

I smile, mostly at my dumbness, and hug her again. "When did you get in?" I ask as I go over to the cabinet to grab myself a mug. I learned a long time ago that changing the subject was a lot easier than addressing a problem that I wished didn't exist.

She easily climbs back up to her spot on the counter top and watches me intently as I smoothly make my way around Uncle Iggy, not wanting to perturb him in his element. "About an hour ago," she says offhandedly. "I wanted to see you off on your big day," she continues, with her signature angelic smile upon her face.

I nod as I fill the coffee cup to the brim and take a large sip. I don't need them knowing how nervous I am, it will only make matters worse. Besides, my dad was dead set on making me go, and when he was set there was no arguing with him.

"Remember our first day of school, Angel?" Iggy calls as he fetches more milk for the waffles from the fridge.

She giggles; something most twenty seven year olds tend not to do. "Yeah," she answers dreamily. I can tell she's reliving it in her thoughts. "And the Head Hunter?" she laughs more loudly.

At that, a broad grin spreads over my uncle's face. "Man, Gazzy and I loved terrorizing him."

Angel nods and sips her coffee again. "He was a nasty piece of work."

I had heard the story of their adventures in northern Virginia attending school the first time many times before, but this time it really sunk in that I would have to participate in the grotesque ritual of being forcibly sent to a prison of learning. I knew I wouldn't fit in; they would see that I was different. They would know I was…altered somehow.

As I contemplate the possibilities of what school would be like, my eyes unconsciously fell to a picture on the mantle above the fire place. I'm still amazed at how much I look like her. If not for my father's dark wings, and eyes to boot, I would probably be her carbon copy. Well…maybe we weren't exactly alike, but it was so close that sometimes I would see a picture of her and wonder when I had worn that awful outfit or when the picture was taken and how I didn't know someone was there with a camera.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn away quickly in embarrassment. I can't believe he caught me looking at the wedding picture again. Well, if you can call it a wedding. My mom is wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt that appears to have just been bought and thrown on for the occasion while Dad is in his signature black outfit with his old leather jacket, red X's on the arms. The only way you could tell that they were in fact getting married was the bouquet in my mother's hand and the blurry image of a reverend in the background. But, hey, that's my family. We never seem to do any kind of tradition the right way.

"You ready?" my father asks in his deep voice.

I turn and glance at the clock. "Its only thirty miles," I stated frankly, folding my arms in front of me with a questioning look on my face.

He smiles at me crookedly and I realize again what my mom must have seen in him. Even for a thirty-six year old, my dad still looks pretty good. Every time we go out in public I can see women trying to catch his eye, but he never notices. There was only ever one girl for him. "I told you we were going to drive," he states, watching my mouth fall open in disbelief.

"I can fly on my on," I tell him definitively. My mind was made up. Besides, I was fifteen, not five.

He sighs and lets his arms fall loosely at his sides. "Why do you always have to be so difficult?"

I suppose it was inherited, but I wouldn't say that out loud. It was something I learned long ago. "Why do you have to treat me like a child?" I ask instead, a smile on my face.

We stare each other down for what feels like the longest time until he shakes his head in annoyance, not defeat. "Let me drive you today…"

I open my mouth to interrupt but he cuts me off.

"Just today. You can fly on your own tomorrow."

I narrow my eyes at him for a moment, wondering if it was a trick, but decide to go along with his plan anyway. Maybe during the car ride I could try to sway him on his decision to send me to public school. Even though, it was doubtful I would get anywhere. After all my years of home schooling, he finally said that I needed to be around kids my own age, and when my dad made a decision, he kept to it.

"Fine," I tell him, going over to the kitchen table to scarf down a few waffles before my prison term begins.

"Good," he smiles more broadly at my compliance and joins me at the table.

Soon, Aunt Nudge comes bustling into the kitchen. Her thick hair is tied back in a pony tail on the back of her head while her makeup is perfectly placed as usual. "I'm going to have to eat at the office," she yammers, grabbing a few pieces of fruit from the bowl in the middle of the table.

Dad looks at her questioningly. "Horse got hit on the highway, they're probably already waiting on me," she explains quickly as Iggy hands her a thermos full of coffee.

Aunt Nudge was one of the best veterinarians in the region and she opened up her own practice about a mile away from the house almost three years ago. She always did have a soft spot for animals, so it only made sense that she would devote a career to helping them. Her animal hospital was not a typical one. For one, no one wore white lab coats, but rather, purple stylish ones Nudge made herself. The cages were also a lot roomer and less cage-like than traditional vet's offices had. Then there was the antiseptic. She always paid extra so that she could buy antiseptic that didn't smell the way the generic kind did.

I used to ask Aunt Nudge why she went to so much trouble, back when I was younger, before I knew any better. She would say "There are some things you can never forget, no matter how hard you try. But, that doesn't mean you have to remind yourself of it twenty-four seven, now does it?" She wasn't being cruel when she said it. In fact, she had a kind, understanding smile on her face.

"Good luck today," she calls to me before she sprints out the door, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I hope the horse will be alright," Angel comments conversationally.

Uncle Iggy nods. "I'm sure Nudge will be able to save it."

My dad stretches his arms over his head and gets up from the table. "Ultimate, we'd better get going," he says as he places his plate in the sink.

I follow suit and grab my new backpack from the hallway next to the stairs. It feels like it weighs a hundred pounds, but I know that's just my anxiety messing with my head. So I shrug it on resentfully and follow my father out to the garage. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone," he warns Iggy, Angel, and no doubt, Uncle Gazzy who was loitering around somewhere in the house.

Angel smiles and Iggy puts his hands in his pockets innocently. "I mean it," he says, giving them a stern look. "If I come back to four broken windows again, it's coming out of your hide."

Iggy holds up his hands, palms forward. "Chill, me and the Gasman are just gonna get started on our new project," he tells him calmly.

My dad gives them another look before going through the door. "That's what I'm worried about," he halfway mumbles, which I laugh at. It's good to know that even though time passes and everything else in the world seems to change, that our family will always stay the same.

Author's Note: Obviously this is in the point of view of Max and Fang's daughter, Ultimate. I kept having an idea in my head of what would happen after Max finally saved the world, like what the aftermath would be. So this is my take on what I think could possibly happen.

I'm not used to writing in this sort of tense, usually I go with the past tense, so bear with me if make a few errors. I know it is starting off kind of slow, but I promise it will get interesting in the next chapter. I hope to get some reviews, I'd love it if you would let me know how you like it or what I could do to make it more interesting. So please don't hesitate, but don't be rude. Constructive criticism is welcome but please don't bash all over the story, if you hate everything about it I think I'd rather live in ignorance. So, with all that said, please review and I will try to update soon if everything goes well.