Hi!
So I realize that last chapter I did write '(I am also' and I didn't finish it. I was going to write: (I am also not Eggy, or Niggy. I don't agree with either lol. Ella and Iggy just don't mix for me, and Iggy is too old for Nudge)
Thank you Ezzy67 for the review, and I wrote another chapter for you guys! I've gotten into this story so much and its all I can think about even if I'm supposed to be doing other stuff ;D
Disclaimer: I do not own the amazing series Maximum Ride.
Chapter 2: First (or, second, I guess,) impressions
Alex POV:
Key and Panda changed into their wolf form, fur sprouting over their bodies until they were big monsters with gleaming eyes. The way that we differentiated them from the bad Erasers was their eyes. Eraser's eyes were always yellow. Panda's eyes were brown and Key's eyes were black. I extended my wings and helped Paige onto Key's back. Jitter picked up Caramel.
Key and Panda bounded off, Jitter zipped after them, and I checked the site one last time before propelling myself into the air and pumping hard with my wings. The wind billowed beneath them, and I rose higher.
I could see my little gang, Panda and Key running alongside each other, Paige with her arms around Key's neck, Jitter running by them and talking to Paige.
I dive-bombed them, enjoying the pure bliss of flying and the feel of the wind in my golden hair.
I flew low, next to Panda, and saw Jitter, Key, and Paige talking.
"Howya doin' Panda?"
She was panting. "I'm tired."
"We haven't even been going for twenty minutes!" I protested. Were we really that out of shape?
She saw the look on my face and shook her big Eraser head. "I'll be fine."
I nodded, smiling, and patted her head. She smiled up at me, and I angled my wings so I soared to the side, above Key and Paige. I tapped Paige on the head, and she smiled up at me.
"Howya doing sweetie?"
"I'm fine. Caramel keeps saying she's hungry though."
"Oh shoot!" I forgot to feed her. I thought.
"Yeah, you did forget to feed me. I can't eat Ravioli. I need food!" Caramel's voice squawked.
"I'm sorry." I apologized. "Here, Jitter, pass her."
Jitter tossed Caramel up, and when I caught her she glared at me. But only up until I pulled a cat treat out of my pocket and gave it to her.
She munched on it, and didn't complain.
"Alex!" Jitter suddenly said, his head snapping straight forward.
I flew down beside him. "What is it?"
"Someone… Someone familiar is getting attacked by Erasers!"
"Who is it?"
"Someone… I think it's Jeb!"
I nodded, and then looked at my gang, who had sped up, having heard the whole thing. "I'm going up, head right where Jitter tells you. Help him!" And I pushed myself upwards with my powerful wings after dropping Caramel into Jitter's arms.
When I got up really high, I could see outwards really far. I could see my gang and…
There!
I dived-bombed it, and got there quickly. My group will be here soon.
Jeb was standing in the middle of a circle of Erasers, maybe six in all. He was looking nervous, and talking to them.
One of them laughed, throwing its head back. But then it saw me, and growled a warning.
"Max!" Jeb shouted.
"No it's not!" I gritted my teeth. "I'm Alex!" I roared, landing on the first Eraser with all of my force. He grabbed for me, but I kicked him in the face and he went down. Another leapt for me, but I surged upwards, my wings blowing air down on them.
I hovered, and Jeb got a little bit away. My gang reached me just in time, and Key leapt powerfully into battle, crashing into one of them and taking him to the ground. Panda followed his lead, and Jitter started to zip around, confusing them. Paige turned invisible and started freezing them and then biting them somewhere else and then not moving so they couldn't find her. I dived onto them again, this time going into hand-to-hand combat.
They were too bulky, and I found that slipping around them and getting the back of their necks or their spine was the best way to take them down.
In a matter of minutes there was none of them left, and I pulled in my wings, checking everyone for damage.
Everyone was fine, Paige was a little tired; it was strenuous for her to put out so much ice. I patted her on the back, and she hugged me.
Jeb was walking forward. "Hello." He said. "Thank you for saving me. My name is-"
"Jeb." I cut him off. "I know."
He furrowed his brow. "Do I know-"
"Yeah. We escaped from the School as well. I happened to be in the cage next to Maximum when you freed her."
Jeb shrugged. "I couldn't save everyone."
I rolled my eyes. Sure so you just leave the rest of us to rot.
"Speak of the devil." Jeb said. He was looking up into the sky, and I saw six specks.
Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel.
In two minutes they had landed, which had given us time for Key and panda to switch back, and all of us get prepared.
"Who are they?" Max said. She hadn't changed much; she still had the glint in her eye, and she still looked suspicious of us.
I rolled my eyes. "You don't remember me?"
"No." She said bluntly.
"I grew up at the school. Just like you. Just like all of you." And you better suck it up and remember right now before I kick you in the face.
Max's eyes were narrowed. "Well, what are you doing here?"
Oh, come on. Don't get all angry on me. You're the one who left us in that God forsaken place. "We were just passing through." I said slowly, trying not to leap for her throat, "We heard-" I glanced at Jitter, "Um, saw Jeb getting attacked and helped him out." Now you better listen to me before I kick your bitchy ass to the middle of next year.
Angel giggled, and she tugged on Max's shirt.
"Yes?" Max answered, turning around to face Angel, who was giggling.
"She's trying not to kick your butt into the middle of next year. Only she thought it with much more enthusiasm."
I laughed. I had forgotten that Angel could read minds. But it seemed so impossible. I wanted to test it out. Hi! I thought.
She turned to me. "Hi." I laughed.
Max looked confused.
Paige came up to my side. Her innocent eyes pierced into Max.
"You remind me of Angel." Max murmured. Angel, behind her, giggled again.
"Do you have anywhere where we could spend a couple nights?" Paige asked in her insanely sweet voice. Angel's giggle turned into a laugh.
Max kept looking at Paige, but said, "Angel, are any of them hiding anything?"
"Only what they are." Angel answered instantly, and Max rolled her eyes.
"Okay, tell or show us what you are, right now, and we might let you spend a night with us." Her arms were crossed in front of her chest.
I turned to my gang. They were looking at me. I nodded.
Paige went invisible, Panda and Key changed, and I unfurled my wings. Caramel grew to three times her size, (roughly the size of a fully grown lion) and Jitter ran around to the back of them, said, "HI!" and ran back to my side, appearing there almost instantly.
For a moment, Max's flock just stared.
The Gasman whispered something in Iggy's ear, and they snickered.
Jitter fumed. "I heard every word of that."
Iggy's sightless eyes widened.
"Where did the little girl go?" Nudge said. "Can she teleport? Like is she in Australia right now? Can she bring me home a Kangaroo? I've always wanted a Kangaroo. So then maybe I could get in its pouch and it will love me just like its kid. And then I could name it Fluffles and-"
"Nudge!" Max said.
"I'm sorry," I said, "But it seems that I have failed to introduce us. I'm Alex. That's Jitter," I pointed at him, and he waved. "This is Paige," I wrapped my arm around her invisible shoulders, and the Flock's eyes widened. Well, except for Iggy.
"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" He shouted. The Gasman stretched up and began to whisper in his ear.
"This is Key," I said, patting his big head. He grumbled.
"But they're Erasers!" Max exploded.
"No duh." I said. "Who said that some Erasers can't be good?"
Max quirked her mouth.
I ignored her. "And that's Panda. Oh- and the large cat is Caramel."
"Forget me again." She muttered.
And suddenly, out of the blue, the silent one spoke. It was quiet, but it was still speech. "How do we know that we can trust them?"
"Angel." Max said simply, absent-mindedly patting Angel's shoulder. She smiled.
Fang didn't respond. Of course. He looks so… Emo. And like… Depressed. But also so strong. Hey. What's wrong with me? I never said that, okay?
"Sure Alex, you never thought it." Angel said, "But don't worry." She winked at me when I widened my eyes in horror, "It can be our little secret."
I rubbed my head. I swear I don't like anybody! Key is my best friend, Jitter is, well… Jitter, and Fang? I just met him. So no.
Max turned to her flock. "Alright, everybody back to the house!"
The whole flock, minus Max, stretched out their wings and flew up into the atmosphere, beatifying the immediate area.
Max turned to Jeb. "How do we get you home?"
"I'll walk." He sighed.
"No," I said.
They both looked at me.
I looked at Key, (who by the way, was still in Eraser form,) and he instantly knew what I was thinking. He nodded his big furry head.
I scooped Paige up, and Key padded over to Jeb. He bowed, bending his knees so Jeb could climb onto his back.
Max watched as Jeb climbed on Key's back as if Key was a horse, and Key bounded off, Jitter and Panda on his heels. Caramel caught up to Jitter just in time and leapt into his arms. I was left with Max and Paige.
"Let's roll," Max and I said at the same time. Paige giggled, and Max and I laughed. Then we extended our wings and flew up into the sky.
"So," I started after a minute of flying. "Where have you guys been all these years?"
"Our house."
"You have a house?" I exclaimed.
"Yeah." She laughed a little. She glanced down at my little gang below us, but they just looked like little specks. "It's a comfortable house, and it's on the edge of a cliff, hidden by some trees… It's just awesome. The only way in is if you have wings. Or… in Jeb's case," She glanced down again, "If we feel like dropping something down." She smiled. "Sometimes we dropped on one of those really slick ropes and watch him try to climb it. He doesn't leave the house much."
I blinked; she just had spilled completely about her house to me. But then I grinned, the emotion of her little rant getting to me. She rolled her shoulders.
"Why did you do that?" I asked. Does flying a lot start to hurt? It hadn't hurt me… yet.
"What?" She asked.
"You rolled your shoulders."
"Oh," She rolled her shoulders again. "That. I'm not really sure. I guess it's kind of when I'm uncomfortable… or I don't know. When I'm thinking."
I shrugged. Whatever. Weirdo.
"So when did you guys break out?" She asked.
That was kind of random. Whatever. I guess she's just trying to make conversation. "Just last year."
"Really?" She said, shocked.
"Yeah," I quirked my mouth. "It was horrible." I shivered, even though my jacket was keeping me at a comfortable temperature. "They… I feel like it got worse after you left." My voice was only a whisper. "They hurt us more, and like… they wanted us to run faster, work harder, fight more… It's like they were trying to make up for your absence."
"I'm really sorry Alex." She looked over at me. "But you know why I did it right?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "I had to keep telling myself that I would have done the same thing."
"I know it was mean. No- it wasn't mean. It was rude. It was stupid. There isn't even a word bad enough for it."
Well, at least she's honest.
There was a moment of silence. I choked back my tears from the first fourteen years of my horrible life. But then it was gone. I knew how to hold my emotions in.
Paige hugged me awkwardly, for she was in a bad position for that. But she managed. I almost jumped. I had forgotten she was there.
"No," Max said.
"What?" I asked.
She gave me the one second finger. She was staring at the ground. "Why? Why should I need to know? And here I was thinking that I was the paranoid one."
Pause. What the hell was wrong with her? I exchanged a glance with Paige. She shrugged, and then looked down at the ground, where Jitter, Key, Panda and Jeb were starting to fall slightly behind.
Then Max turned back to us. "Sorry. There's a voice inside my head that decides to bestow me with completely unnecessary information at random times."
Okaaaayyyy… "Why?"
She shrugged. "I can only imagine that the Whitecoats created it."
"You aren't worried?"
"I've had to live with it for a while."
Before I could respond, she pointed. "There."
I looked. There was a piece of brown within the huge patch of green before us. She dive-bombed it. I followed, clutching Paige closer.
She landed on the roof, and hopped down onto the deck. She kicked a rope ladder down a hole and it fell around forty feet to the ground, just brushing the soft grass as it jerked to a stop. Jeb, Jitter, Key, and Panda started to climb it.
When I helped each of them up, Jeb disappeared inside, following Max, and I held Key's hand longer than necessary when I helped him up.
He looked down at our hands, and I quickly let go, blushing, and wondering what the heck was wrong with me. He laughed quietly.
Jitter instantly went into the house, and Paige followed him. Panda went right behind her, and I let Key go before me.
It was a comfortable house, the biggest that you could put forty feet in the air. In front of us was sort of four rooms put into one. There were four different kinds of flooring, each in a corner of the room. Where the four of them met, in the center of the room, there was a sort of pole, but squared off, and about as thick as my head. In the front left corner from where we were, by the front door, there was a living room. It was carpeted, and there was a couch, a loveseat, and a cushy chair, which was occupied by Iggy. He was sitting, just staring, (but not really seeing, duh,) at the window next to the door. The front right segment of the room was kitchen, and it was tiled. There was a fridge, a stove, a sink, an island, and some counters. The next part, the back right, was a dining room, a nice wooden table with seven chairs around it. There was a sliding glass door leading out to a deck on the back of the house. It looked like a nice view. You know, right off the edge of a cliff. The part next to that was an office, containing a desk with a computer, a lounge chair, and a shelf, packed with stuff. There was a small hallway leading away from the room between the living room part and the office part. Jeb and Max were in the kitchen, making something, and Fang was standing quietly, arms crossed, behind the table. Nudge was in a fistfight with the Gasman, and Angel was sitting in the lounge chair in the office part. Nudge and Gazzy instantly stopped their fistfight when we walked in, and they stood in the living room.
It took my gang twenty seconds to take in the whole scene, and the flock stared at us.
Jeb took it upon himself to unstitch the awkwardness. "Hey! So, um, Max why don't you show them to the guest room and they can out down their… um… stuff," He said, looking at our small backpacks, "And then by then Fang, Iggy, and I will have lunch ready."
Fang pushed himself from leaning on the wall, and walked over to Jeb, who assigned him to chopping something, while Iggy instantly found a frying pan and poured something into it. Max led us down the little hall, and I counted six eight doors. She led us into one, and there were two beds. I threw my pack onto one and helped Paige out of her jacket.
Max had left the room, and all five, err- six of us (I have to stop forgetting Caramel) sat on the beds.
"Jitter," I asked "Where are they? Any of them listening in?"
He shook his head.
I nodded, and lowered my voice. "Alright guys. We're just gonna try to fit in right now… This might not work out. We might have to leave soon. So don't freak if I tell you we have to leave. And remember, if anything happens to me-"
"Key's in charge." Panda, Jitter, and Paige said instantly and in unison. Key smiled.
"Yeah," I smiled at Key. "And after Key?" I asked without looking away from him.
"Panda, then me." Jitter said. "I don't get why Panda has to be before me. I'm older."
"She doesn't make erratic decisions."
"I'll show you erratic." Jitter mumbled playfully.
I grinned evilly at him. "Bring it on."
Yay! So that was the second chapter :D (No duh) and I hope you will review it! If you want to give a suggestion, I'll consider it :)
(BUT IF IT INVOLES ONE OF THE FLOCK DYING, I WILL NOT. I'm sorry I love them too much :D)
If I get one review that's NOT Ezzy67 this time, I will update :)
Thanks!