A/N Disclaimer: You know, I've never ever actually done a disclaimer before, because I've always thought of them as pretty pointless. It's obvious that I don't own MR, right? (Cause if I did I wouldn't be sitting here in front of this computer typing but instead spending all the wonderful money from my books. ;)) But here goes; all characters and Maximum Ride (story basis) goes to JP :P
Chapter 12: New Powers
"Uh oh…" I stared wide eyed at the surrounding Erasers.
Fang thumped me none to lightly in the side, which basically translates to;
"Now look at what you've done! Just lead us right into something way worse, well done you idiot!"
I wanted to shout back that it was the voice that told me to do it… I don't know, it just sounded trustworthy and innocent, the tone of it, plus I was really desperate to get away from the approaching white coats. Why did it lead us into a trap anyways?
Urgh, I should quit thinking this, it was probably my subconscious or something. (Hearing voices, having dreams about the future… okay, this wasn't even weird now, it was creepy weird – this stuff is basically unheard of, even for a mutant!) Though… how could I have known about the trap door though...?
While I was standing there, trying to sort out the thoughts in my head, something stomped on my foot. "OUCH!" I turned to glare at Fang. "What was that for, you –"
Then I realised that while I was off in my own little world, the Erasers had launched into play and started throwing punches. Fang was trying to get shots back at them, and also protect me at the same time, seeing as I was stationary. He'd stomped on my foot to get my attention. I was momentarily awestruck at how I could have missed such big going ons - how could I have not realised I was in the middle of a big fray here? Something was very wrong with my head.
Then I jumped into action, trying to desperately make up for my blank mindedness back there. Standing back to back, Fang and I dodged and kicked, acting as one body. I was surprised at how well we moved together in combat.
Catching my eye, Fang motioned to the left, towards a staircase that I only just realised was there. I nodded, and slowly, we began to move the crowd in that direction, by directing the punches and kicks there.
By the time we had reached the staircase, we were trapped. With the railings at our backs, and Erasers left right and centre, we were as good as gone.
"Now what?" I hissed at Fang. I was panting, and lifted my arm to wipe some sweat off of my brow. I could feel Fang's shoulders heave up and down, as we both calculated the looks on the Erasers faces. They were hesitating at the moment, probably savouring the fact that they'd caught us – like spiders in a web.
Fang turned me around so we could see each other face to face. I searched his eyes, wondering what he had up his sleeve now. And what I found in his expression was something I didn't like. Something I really didn't like.
He had on a look that said please, please don't kill me later.
At that moment, I realised that the railings of the staircase we were standing against? They were the very same ones that we'd climbed up – you know, the ones where you can't actually see the bottom.
"Oh no. Oh no you don't. Don't you da-"
But Fang had already pulled me tightly into his arms, so strong that they may as well have been bars of steel, and he looked down at me for a second.
He mouthed 'I'm sorry'.
And then he-
Pulled us over the railing.
My mouth was frozen shut, my body stiff. We were definitely falling, because I could feel the sensation of inertia – I'd lost my stomach, left it behind with the Erasers. And it was getting more bottomless the further we dropped. So we were definitely falling.
We were falling.
We were FALLING.
"FAAAAANG! WHATT ARE YOU DOIIIINNGGG? WE'RE GONNAAA DIEEE WE'REE GONNA –" At that point, I gave up on trying to scream talk, I just screamed. Screamed for all I was worth.
I grabbed fistfuls of his front and buried my head in his chest, feeling the terrifying sensation of just dropping through air, not knowing when we would hit the ground, but bracing myself for it.
This was nothing like jumping out of aeroplanes or even bungee jumping. Here, there was nothing to stop us from hitting the ground full force, no feeling of safety that you know there's a parachute waiting for you, attached to your back.
This was just Fang and I, sailing through the air, knowing that we were going to our deaths.
To be honest? Over this and Erasers? I'd take the latter any day.
I couldn't look down, to see the ground rushing towards me, which is why I had buried my head against Fang. Though I tried to brace myself, for the incoming impact…
Because Fang knew, and I knew, that the space was just too small to even open your wings fully (with our huge wingspan) much less fly.
So there was no way we were getting out of this alive.
'SCREEEEEECH'
A terrible sound, and it just wasn't stopping. What was happening? It was coming from somewhere near me. Something fluttered near my face.
It felt like a feather. Cautiously, I stopped screaming and turned my head. It was a feather. A silky black feather.
It could only belong to one person.
In horror, I raised my head.
And couldn't speak.
Fang. He was… he had…
Some blood splattered onto my face, but I couldn't stop watching.
Fang's face was pale, so pale he might as well have been dead, and he must have wished he was, the amount of agony I'm sure he was in.
He never once, made a sound – of course he didn't, he never did, not even a gasp of pain. Forever suffering. Always alone.
In my head, I screamed for him to stop to quit whatever he was doing and just let us drop. But the words lodged in my throat and wouldn't come out no matter how hard I
Sure enough, we were slowing down, rapidly. Fang's head dropped onto my hair.
I still couldn't speak. I felt like my throat and lungs had disappeared.
We were about two meters down now. So Fang released the walls, and we fell down to the ground in a loud thump, bunches of feathers fluttering all around us.
I looked at his face, still unable to say anything. But I was aware of how my body was shaking, shuddering. My eyes were large and I couldn't help and do anything but stare.
In his agony, Fang still managed to pull together an expression that said 'You've got quite a pair of lungs on you, you know'.
Drip.
Drop.
Two tears.
Splashed onto his nose.
Then trickled down to his hair.
There was a frown on his face now. It said 'Don't cry'.
He pulled up a shaky arm and touched my face, softly, wiping away the salt and water with his fingertips.
Then he let it drop back to his side, and closed his eyes, exhaustedly.
It was only then that I let out a big breath. Was I holding it in all this time?
Fang. He'd actually…
The blood had started to pool around us, seeping onto the floor. This reminded me of that day in that pen… I clutched the fang around my neck.
The full realisation of what had happened suddenly came back. I was almost knocked to the floor by the largeness of it. Just like that, I could breathe, speak again.
I took in a ragged breath. "Why… why must you always have to go to such lengths to protect me? Why?"
And then I was sobbing openly, clutching his unconscious body, crying my eyes and heart out. Somewhere deep inside, something asked 'I thought you had no more tears to cry?'
"But there will always, always be more tears" I gasped. "When it comes to Fang".
Then I kneeled over and hugged the person on my lap, and I keened.
Keened for his beautiful black wings.
Because they were now ruined.
He'd ruined them by stretching them out in that narrow space, knowing full well the repercussions of what would happen, knowing that the friction from the walls would completely destroy them.
But knowing that it was the only way of saving us.
I wanted to hit him. Why couldn't it have been me? Better yet, why did you even throw us over in the first place? We could've handled the Erasers! It didn't mean that you had to… Fresh sobs broke out of my mouth again. I hated him for doing it to himself, but more than that, I hated myself for letting it happen. Why didn't I stop him? Why couldn't I stop him?
"I'm sorry, so sorry Fang… so sorry… sorry…"
I was bombarded with flashes of images – Fang and I up until now, us in the cages side by side, morning and night… How I'd talk nonstop to him, though he never said a word… and the way his eyes sparkled when I told him what it was like to fly –
I stopped crying for a second, my eyes wide.
That's right; I don't think Fang's ever properly flown out in the open before… And now he never will.
I bowed my head again.
'Get yourself together! Can't you see that he's losing a lot of blood here? If you don't act soon, Fang'll be losing a lot more than just his wings…'
I jerked up and started hyperventilating. Yes, what was I doing, sitting here crying over him like some petty girl? I need to get him help; I need to get a white coat or something…
My chest ached with the thought of parting with him again.
"No, no no… This can't be happening… not again! Not again!" As the fury and hopelessness, not to mention despair and sadness, built up in me, I felt something else too. Something very strange. It was undistinguishable, and something I've never ever felt before.
This wasn't an emotion, this felt almost alien, like this… sensation didn't belong to me.
It carried on growing larger and larger in my chest until…
I felt very sure all of a sudden. More sure of this than anything else in my entire life. I placed my hands very gently, and, trying to control my shaking, carefully over each wing. I had no idea what I was doing, and I'm sure I looked very comical in the moment, but I just sort of… let the feeling build up inside of me until I was fit to burst with it.
And then it just… spilled out.
A bright white light. It looked so much like Nudge's blue light yet it was also so very different. But they were essentially the same thing, to me.
The light flowed, it danced, and it glimmered. It was like it was alive and it was breath taking. This was… this was coming out of me?
And, right before my eyes, I saw it enter Fang's ripped and shredded wings, wrap itself around the structure.
Bones clicked back into place. Torn muscle and flesh were reknitted. And brand new black feathers grew at an amazing speed, until they were the same size and shape as they were before.
It was like Fang had suddenly grown a new pair of wings.
…I think my throat had disappeared again.
The white light wrapped itself around Fang and I once more, as if giving us a hug, before it completely vanished, just like that.
The sudden departure left my brain a tip. Did that just happen? What did I just do? Again like before, I felt a sadness and yearning for it to come back.
Stroking Fang's repaired midnight wings, I smiled softly at myself. I would figure this all out later. Right now… I was just so relieved.
I sighed, reaching to wipe away my tears.
"Say, Sam, wanna get something to…"
I stiffened. White coats. White coats! I'd completely forgotten about them. Actually, it was a miracle that none had come by sooner. What was I going to do?
I quickly surveyed the surroundings, grimacing at how much blood and feathers there was on the floor, and looking up at the two very long streaks of blood down the walls, inside the railing.
There was no time to clean this up. We needed to get out. NOW.
Biting my lip, I grabbed Fang by the arms and proceeded to drag him as fast as I could with as little noise as possible towards the nearest exit, or some sort of room to hide. It was rather difficult actually, - despite his lean figure, he was actually really heavy. Or was that just the extra weight of his wings? He was leaving a trail of blood behind him, and I had to hurry to scrub those out while pulling him along.
I successfully found a broom closet none too far away, and opened it, thanking God that it wasn't locked – all the while they were getting closer, and my heart was in my mouth.
But then I was in, and a second later, so was Fang, and the door had clicked shut. I allowed myself to exhale, but didn't move a muscle.
Sure enough, not a moment later…
"HOLY CRAP –"
"WHAT THE—WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!"
I grimaced and leaned Fang against one of the large brooms. However, this motion caused him to wake up, and blink at our surroundings (we were covered in mops and all) I hurriedly put a finger to his lips to shush him (which was probably pointless now I think about it…)
We both waited in silence and with baited breath before we heard the two footsteps run and fade away – no doubt in order to get back up.
I then carefully cracked the door open a notch, peeking out quickly to check for any people roaming the doorway before fully opening it and stepping out.
"Fang, it's okay to come out now, there's –"
I stopped at his expression. The mask seemed to be forgotten, and he was studying his wings in awe and wonder.
He raised his head towards me, his head inclined as if to say "How did you…?"
I grinned, taking his hand and yanking him up and on his feet. "I'll explain along the way, we need to get going before the white coats get back… You can walk, right?"
At his affirming nod, we took off at a fast paced jog towards the direction of our room (the fall from the stairs seemed to end at our level, thankfully enough, and I knew the corridors very well from here on out). I spoke rapidly as we ran, describing the light and sensation I got as it happened.
Fang's expression didn't change, though I saw him repeatedly touch his wings every now and then, as if to feel that they were still there and not half burned from friction/ ripped off. I think also because he had a little trouble believing what had just happened.
Heck, I was the one who did it, and I had trouble believing it. For mutants to have developed strange abilities was not unheard of, take Nudge for example, with her magnetism. But still, magnetism had scientific basis, whereas this… I couldn't find any rational explanation as to how it worked… how it could happen.
If I didn't know better, I would say that
"It was magic".
I halted suddenly at the voice – it was the same one! Just as I started to speak back at it inside my head, our door popped into sight.
Fang got there first, not even bothering to try the door knob (probably locked), he just banged on the door loudly.
There was a pregnant pause in which I started to worry that no one was inside (whatever happened to Iggy, Nudge and Dr Martinez anyway?) and we'd be locked out in the dangerous corridor.
But a face appeared at the window.
It was Dr Martinez, her face still painted white from all the dust and plaster gathered from the explosion. Her face relaxed at the sight of us, and there was a quick jangle of keys, but then she was pushing us through and we had stumbled back into the little black room once more.
"Iggy!" He was the first thing I saw and looked relatively safe and unharmed. I ran towards him, and he span around, arms wide, expecting a hug.
THWACK
"Oowwww! What was that for?!"
"For almost killing us with that explosion you big idiot! Where do you get all that explosive material anyways?" Then my face relaxed, unable to contain my relief anymore. "But I'm glad you're alright". And I gave him a hug, squeezing him tight. His arms came round me reluctantly, hugging me back.
"I was until you thumped me in the head. You know that's the third blow today? What with that white coat Nick and me crashing into the machine…" He drew back. I had the heart to look a little ashamed, though Iggy just grinned at me and ruffled my hair. That's right, my hair! The little twerp singed most of it off!
"Heh heh… Y'know I'm sorry about that…" He retreated at my murderous glare.
"Fang my man!" He started towards Fang's direction. "Glad to see you two are okay too!"
He held his fist out to bump.
And waited.
And waited.
Fang looked at it emotionlessly, giving no sign that he was ever going to 'Fist bump' Iggy.
I had a very big desire to laugh in that moment.
"Yeah…" Ruffling his hair to dispel the awkward moment he'd created, Iggy spoke again. "I'm surprised you two haven't noticed already. I didn't come back empty handed you know".
My eyes widened. Fang had already started to look round the room.
"Iggy you didn't…"
She was huddled in a corner, so small and tiny that I'd barely noticed her at all; she seemed to have melted into the wall.
She'd made no sound since we'd entered, and something told me that she wouldn't be for a while at least. I hadn't seen her face yet, but the corkscrew curls and tawny wings told me all I needed to know.
"That's her". I whispered. "The one in my dream". Fang and Iggy stiffened simultaneously.
But I was sure, just as sure as when that light poured out of me, that this was one of the girls in my dream.
She was finally here.
Nudge.
A/N So yeah… Max has healing powers? I know that one sounds like it was just kinda randomly thrown in, but it has its big use later along in the story – it also goes away before the end (you can ask but I won't answer ;))
So I know the story is turning a bit AU now, but just stick with me?
Anyways, I'm actually in Belgium at the moment, on holiday so this is actually how much I wanted to update ;) all for you my dear readers!
So yeah… review?
10+ - I'll update today!
8 -I'll update tomorrow
6 - I'll update in a week
4 - I'll update in a month
2 - I'll update in a year
0 - …Never?
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