I continued to have that feeling that something was going to happen soon, but I didn't know if it was good or bad, or how much it would impact our decisions. Angel shared my worry and was really preoccupied, meaning if you interrupted her while she was deep in thought, she would snap at you, which was very unlike her.
We had landed in Bordeaux that morning pumped up for our first really home. It was really pretty here in France, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was a good choice to come here. Until we saw the grape vines. Cue Iggy. Nagging for Wine. Take 1! And…Action!
"Max, please. In France, they let children as young as 5 drink wine!!! I am well over that, and so is Gazzy. Pleeeeeeeeease?!!" Iggy was getting good at this nagging and asking thing. Darn it. We were sitting at yet another French café. Total was sitting on Angel's lap, drinking a nice cappuccino, while I split a donut in half for him. It was around noon. The sun was high, and I thought we could use a break.
"I agree with Max here. I, as a dog, think that you have no right to drink wine. I don't go nuts, I just drop like a rock. I literally fall asleep for weeks. And I am an adult," Total was backing me up in an argument. The day was full of surprises.
Cue surprise #2. I saw Fang slightly tense up as a young girl, around my age, slowly approach the table. She was wearing a tank with a pleated jean skirt that could have been a little bit longer. She was a curly brunette, like Angel with brown hair. She had big brown eyes, and had a perfect tan.
I could tell that she too was a little bit nervous about approaching us, but she had this determination about her that said that she wouldn't turn around and chicken out. That made me a little nervous.
She got to the table, looked at each and every one of us, as if counting heads or something, and said, "Hey. Name's Amanda, and I know who you are. I'm here to tell you that you aren't alone."
That freaked the heck out of me, but I held my place. I don't think that you have had the pleasure of a stranger coming up and telling you that. Let me know how you handled it. I slowly stood from the table, walked over to her, and spoke, very softly, "And who are we, pray tell?"
In a voice just as softly as mine, she leaned on the table, her face just a foot from mine, and she said, "You're mutants from the School. Your DNA was tampered with, but you finally escaped. You were made to save the world. So was I."
We all sat there, staring at her. How could she have known all that stuff about us? She couldn't have been following us, could she? Ugh, Lord, why are things so darn complex? Then I think I heard that she was also designed to save the world. Well, I hadn't seen her in any of my missions, so she must be nuts, lying, or… what? She stared at me, as if waiting for a response.
I decided to pull the extra seat out for her, because I really wanted some answers. I mean I know she was a stranger, but she looked trustworthy. She was really good at explanations. She was a mutant just like us, avian and all. She knew exactly everything I wanted to know, and with great detail. Fang was dumfounded by the amount of information too, or it could have been her body (Lord help him if it was the second one). I think even as Gazzy was describing her, Iggy's eyes perked up.
"I could tell you were mutants anyway, from just looking at you. I know that Angel here can read minds, and breath underwater and talk to fish. I have two very special powers, if I do say so myself. One is that I can tell where mutants are and what they can do. It helps out a lot in defense, but since there aren't many of us left…" she looked down, as if upset. We all were upset too, really, but at the end of the day, it didn't matter how many of us were out there. As long as we had each other.
"I was created a little bit before you guys. Apparently, my condition as a child wasn't the best. I had hydrocephalus, a condition of the brain where water doesn't drain naturally from your head. They had to operate and put a tube in my head. It goes from here," she pointed a point at the back of her head, "to here," she lifted her tank and it showed two small lines on her hip. We were shocked, but kept it off our faces. "Golly. I wonder how bad that hurt." Angel's thoughts were mine. Amanda continued as if nothing had happened. "They decided that that either delayed my transformation or that it wouldn't happen at all, so they returned me to my mother, who was completely in shock. I mean, huh, how would you feel if your daughter started out a clean human with a brain problem and came back an avian hybrid kid with a brain problem? She left me there, of course."
As I listened I noticed sorrow enter her eyes for a split second before continuing her explanation. How stupid of her mother to desert her child like that. She turned out ok, considering how she looked and acted anyway.
"I was the original 'World Savior' person, but when they noticed it didn't work, they dumped me on the doorstep of some couple out here in France. I know that I have no French accent, but I learned how to speak different languages with fluidity from birth. My wings grew in eventually, but they are easier to compact anyway."
"Lucky. We have to wear tees all the time." Nudge was clearly frustrated, but held herself down.
"They thought that that was part of the reason that I didn't transform, so they didn't use those wings for you," Amanda continued her explanation.
"Kind of like me. I can imitate practically anybody with perfection, if I do say so myself," Gazzy was never too proud to share his accomplishments without modesty. I love how straightforward he is.
"I can teach you many things, then, huh? Once we get to know each other, I am sure that we will learn a lot from each other. I shall continue. I got to know my guardians as Liz and Garth. They were really nice about the whole avian hybrid thing. It was really nice to have a home. This was Garth's coffee shop. He owned it. I came to him when I was 3. In that year, he made his will stating that he would give me the shop, should anything happen to him. It made me really happy on my seventh birthday to see that love in his eyes as he showed me where he signed at the bottom of the document. How ironic that 2 years later, on their way to New York, he had a heart attack and died?" A small tear left her eye, and I could see that she would need a moment.
"And Liz?"
"She followed her husband the year after. The same thing."
"Hey. Would you like to talk somewhere else? I think that this place wouldn't be the best, considering…" Iggy let his voice trail. He couldn't bring himself to continue. I saw, too, that he was listening intrigued and genuinely…interested? In what?
She gave Iggy and me a smile, wiping away her tear. "Just so you know, I'm smiling Iggy. Thanks for the thought, but I have a singing gig nearby. I don't have the voice of Mariah Carey, but it gets me some money. Would you guys like to come watch?" I wondered if I could handle anymore of this public, but I decided that maybe we could get more answers from her.
"What do you say, guys? Wanna go see her sing?" I was really dreading the answer and waiting for them to say yes at the same time.
"Yeah!!! I think that she is really pretty. Maybe her voice is too!!!" Nudge was always one for compliments. And she actually left it at one compliment and not a string of 30. New record for her.
"Thank you so much, Nudge. Why don't we walk over there? Considering we can't exactly fly without getting in trouble, and it's only 2 blocks down."
"Okay. Why don't you guide me there? Seeing as I'm blind at all," Iggy was really laying it on thick, but for now I kept my mouth shut.
"You could just say that you like me, you know. I really don't mind. I kinda like you, too. I would be glad to be your guide," and with that, Amanda took his hand and put it on her right shoulder. "Ready, guys?" she said with a little bit of anxiousness.
"Yeah!! Let's go watch you sing, already!!" Gazzy was kinda jealous, I guess. He had a lustful look in his eyes, even if he was 8 years old.
" Yes please. I would like to here you sing very much as well!!!" Total shouted, and Angel lifted him off the ground, holding a very happy dog in her arms.
We walked silently for 10 minutes and she sat us down at a table close to the stage. It looked to be a dark club, but perfect for us. 5 minutes later, we had finished the bread that they served us, along with 1 tall coke each. The lights on the stage lit up, and what looked like the owner of the place walked on the stage.
"Ladies and gentleman, how are we tonight?" he said into the mike. Woops and applause followed.
"Great, great. Are you ready for the main act?!"
Even louder than before, the same response occured.
"Well, here we go. Amanda Boni, please take the stage!"
The loudest ever applause erupted, and everybody gave Amanda a standing ovation as she walked onto the stage.
She was wearing a pink strapless dress, and pink stilettos. She looked stunning. As Gazzy described her, Iggy's eyes smiled along with his mouth. Oh, brother. He whistled, along with half the guys in the club, and Amanda smiled. Iggy looked like he did when you described a girl at the beach, but with a little more, I don't know, seriousness? Like he was really in love with her.
She sang Right Where You Want Me by some Jesse guy. Then she sang Beautiful Soul, and finished off with A Moment Like This. All of them ended with thunderous applause, and they had a right too. She had an awesome voice. I would have to ask her if some agent or producer has ever come up to her and asked her to go pro.
Iggy was one that clapped the loudest. He had a big smile on his face, and after every song, it was the focal point of Amanda's gaze (not that Iggy would know…). What was going on?
After the show was over, she got changed and walked over to us. She wore a pink halter-top, along with some jeans, and the same stilettos. She looked stunning, still, but she seemed more in place. On stage she looked too beautiful to be in this world. She asked where we were currently living, and we answered honestly: nowhere and everywhere.
"I have a great cabin, down by the vineyard, if you guys want a place to stay. It is really pretty. I have food and stuff, and a shower."
At the sound of shower, which is synonymous with hot water and cleanliness, all eyes lit up.
Nudge softly elbowed me in the side, and gave me a look that said, "Hey, I know you don't trust her, but at least let us take a shower before we go." I don't know how a look said all that, but it did, okay?
"Actually, that would be great. Thanks a lot," Even Fang looked at me with a shocked expression. I never knew that I would agree so quickly.
"Great. Igs, need a hand?" Amanda quickly grabbed his hand before he could answer, but this time, she took the other one, too, and put them on her shoulders. Iggy was practically shaking with excitement as she did this, and she noticed. She gave his hands a quick squeeze before letting them go, and walked down the same 2 blocks, us trailing behind.
"Hey guys, let's back up. I think that Iggy is having a little fun, and we should let him. Poor guy couldn't see that she looked stunning tonight, but I can tell that he really likes her," Fang pulled me slightly on the shoulder, pulling me to a halt. Everybody noticed that I had stopped, except Iggy and Amanda of course, and slowed down. It killed me to go this slow, but I understood. Iggy needed love from somebody. His parents wanted him for media attention, not for a son. Finally somebody to care for him like Fang and I do about each other… Whoa, that was weird. Did I just say that? I guess I did.
Fang seemed to sense what I was thinking of and slowly reached for my hand. I grabbed it, giving him a smile, and continued my slow walk.
I was still scared that I would scare him off, and I just walked silently, until, surprisingly enough, Fang broke the tension. "So, we're okay now? You know… like, we're good and you… love me?"
Shoot. That was really, okay, not really, but kinda, unexpected. Love him? I don't know. I thought I did. I had always cared for him. But love him? I guess so…
I inhaled a lot, and then whispered, "Yeah, I love you." Just to clarify, I added, "And you know that the love you're talking about is… like… boyfriend and girlfriend… right?"
His ears turned a crimson, and I could tell even under just the streetlights. "Yeap."
"Good." I said. He smiled, yeah, Fang smiled, and he squeezed my hand. I squeezed it back.
And then Fang leaned into my ear and whispered, "You don't have to be jealous of her. You are just, if not more, stunning than her." With that, he gave a small kiss on the cheek, and we continued our walk.
God, he was hot.
(now we go to Iggy's POV, cuz Max can't hear what them from where she is)
I was walking behind what I heard as the angel of the Earth. She seemed so genuine, I could feel her kindness radiating off her. God, I hope that she liked me. She seemed so nice.
We walked in silence, not knowing how to break it. Amanda decided to go first.
"So, Igs, what do you like to do? You must have a hobby between helping Max save the world? Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to say that you are just a helper. I know that without friends or dependable people, you get lost," her voice cracked on the last part, but I could tell that she didn't want me to acknowledge it.
"Gazzy and I are into explosives. I make my own. They work pretty well, too. I'll show you some time. But you, I think that your hobby is set. Those are some amazing pipes you have," I hope I didn't scare her off. Explosives and 15 year-old boys don't really combine, and I know that Max has been ticked off one too many times. I prayed that my compliment at the end sort of took the subject away from bombs.
"I would like nothing more than that. Thank you, by the way. I love to sing more than anything. It is something I want to live doing, but here in clubs, not as a pro. I have been asked one too many times by agents to sing for their companies, but that life just isn't for me. Well, here we are. I'm glad you're blind. You won't believe what a mess this place is right now. Come on in," she seemed to be smiling, and I could tell she was happy because she patted my hand.
I slowly stepped into the cabin. I could feel the warmth, but it was a welcoming kind. I heard Max and the rest of us climb in hesitantly, expecting a trap or attack of some sort.
"You know, I was thinking, I heard you say that you had two powers, one being that you could sense mutants and what they do, but you never got a chance to tell me the other one," Max, perfect timing. I was really getting to talk to her and you had to come and interrupt. I would have to get her later.
"Well, I wanted to tell you here. I am a healer. I heal the lame, make them walk. The deaf, I help them hear. The bleeding, they clot and heal, and…
I didn't know what I was hearing. I heard deaf and hearing, so that must mean…
" The blind, I help them see,"
