Faith: Look, we forgot to do the disclaimer on the prologue.
Star: And we forgot to talk randomly about our new story! (dances)
Faith:So, um, as much as we hate to say it, we do not own the Flock or any other recognizable elements from Maximum Ride. But we DO own the new guys.
Star: Especially Kevin!
Faith: (nods) Oh yes, definitely. And yes, we did reuse Audrey and Aly. We love them too much to let them go (snicker)
Star: They're way too original and FUN! (cackles maniacally) And what's better - now Audrey can fly and make BOMBS!
Faith: And for those of you who most likely haven't read our Animorphs story with Audrey and Aly, yes, their wings are based on their bird morphs. How cute. And original.....
Star: (swings with club at Faith's head but has a near miss) Quit rambling! They gotta read! (turns to viewers) READ! NOW! REVIEW! OR ELSE I'LL COME AT YOU WITH THIS CLUB! And you won't like that cuz it's scary!
After they took off, the kids unfurled their wings and slowly rose into the sky, flapping and riding the thermals. "Nothing like flyin' to wake you up." Cody made a face as his large, dark brown wings tilted slightly. "I think I swallowed a bug."
"Well, stop talking!" Dawn laughed, her own bright blue wings turning to match his course.
"He can't, it's impossible!" Kevin pointed out, sailing with his light gold wings.
"True," Aly nodded thoughtfully, her black and white wings flapping less than the others'. "Codester talks too much."
"DO NOT! And don't call me that again." Cody insisted.
"CODESTER!" Audrey yelled, tucking in her brown, white, orange, and black wings and sailing quickly downward faster than he could catch her.
"YOU'RE DEAD!" Cody screamed. If his voice had been a hair deeper, than someone down below would have most likely been looking over their shoulder the rest of the day. But, Cody was twelve, and he still wasn't quite matured yet.
"Let's follow 'em!" Dawn said excitedly, diving after them.
Justice looked at her nervously, his jet black and light orange wings keeping him airborne in place. "I dunno. I don't think I can dive."
Kevin rolled his eyes. "Get over here." Then he, Justice, and Aly dived after them.
"I WIN!" Audrey exclaimed.
"You had a head start!" Dawn pointed out.
"You cheated!" Cody yelled.
"CHEATER!" Kevin snickered.
"Cheater's never prosper! So nyah!" Aly joined in.
"Yeah, but neither do losers – so there." Audrey grinned.
"REMATCH!" Dawn pointed at Audrey.
"YOU'RE ON!" So they flew back up and did it again, except this time they all started on the count of three. "See? Still won!" Audrey said smugly.
"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Kevin yelled.
"You cheated again!" Justice sounded anguished. "That's bad, Audrey!"
"Whatever."
"Have you no shame?" Aly wondered.
She pretended to think a moment, even though they all knew what she was going to say. "Umm…No."
"Don't listen to her, Dawn. Don't take her word for anything." Cody advised.
"Unless it involves a bomb." Dawn grinned.
"NO!" Kevin screamed. "No bombs."
"Since when?!" Dawn demanded.
"You're sucking all the fun out of life!" Audrey exclaimed.
"Since I'm leader, Dawn." He grinned. "I'm the leader, I'll say when you can build bombs." The other laughed.
"I love that movie." Justice commented.
"Aristocats is a classic." Dawn agreed.
"Everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be a cat!" Audrey sung badly on purpose.
"MAKE HER STOP! MY EARS WILL BLEED!" Cody put his hands over his ears.
"I'm scarred for life!" Aly exclaimed.
"We'll never be the same again!" Dawn joined in.
"Don't sass me!" Audrey pointed at her. "I can leave you out next time I blow somethin' up! Mainly Kevin's stuff, though."
"I still miss that alarm clock."
"It woke me up one too many times – that stupid duck was asking for it." Audrey shook her head, glaring as if at the darned alarm clock.
"I like Daffy." Justice pouted. Aly flew quickly over and hugged him.
"One word and she comes a runnin'." Dawn shook her head.
"The kids spoiled." Cody muttered.
Aly glared. "Wanna run that one by me again?"
"No ma'am."
"Thought not."
Audrey snickered. "Shame. Shame to your name, Codester."
"STOP IT!" Then they all started chasing each other in the air. Which was great exercise – burns a lot of fat.
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Virginia sighed as she started going through the mail. It was much easier since the kids had left – much quieter. And she loved those rare, quiet moments. Her brain worked better without having to worry about anyone getting into a fist fight, the constant arguing, and having to worry if Audrey and Dawn had blown something up.
Much better.
She flipped through the various white envelopes, each having either her name or Leroy's. Water bill, light bill, power bill, gas bill – oh look. More bills. She sorted them out according to priority, then finished going through the junk mail, at least, until something caught her eye. A letter from a 'Lerner's School for Gifted Children' in Virginia, addressed to both herself and Lee. She quickly opened it, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, scanning the contents of the document that was inside. She smiled once she had finished, setting it back down on the table before getting up and putting on a pot of coffee.
She needed her jump-start for the morning.
BRRRING!
Finally. Leroy was probably just getting up. "You know, it's nice if you answer the phone when I call you." Virginia said acidly.
"Well, it probably means something's gone wrong, or someone's blown up the house – well, Dawn and/or Audrey has – or someone's kicked someone else, someone got hung up in a tree, or you're calling asking for money because, quote, 'they're half yours and you better take some responsibility for your actions'."
She really wanted to slap him. Sadly, that was not possible over the phone. "Next time I see you, you're getting a good couple of slaps."
"What? You think there's gonna be a next time? Those kids can fly over here and I'll never have to see you."
"Uh-huh. And what happened last time they did that?"
He paused. "Good point."
"Look, all else aside, I got this letter in the mail today…."