In celebration of Fang's clothes restored to their original black and my natural hair color returned, Fang and I took some time to ourselves.
A knock on the closet door interrupted Fang and my, ahem, alone time. Ella's voice rang gallingly through the wood, "You guys should wrap up. Mom will be home to pick me up soon, and I'm sure she'd just love to find you guys in there." She punctuated her sentence with a shrill laugh.
I placed my forehead roughly on Fang's. "I can never catch a break."
"You're telling me," he said and moved his hands from my cheek to my hips.
"It was just a suggestion, right? We've got a little time," I said reassuring myself and resumed our previous activity with a firm kiss to his lips. Needless to say, he didn't protest. In fact, we had a ball up until we heard the car pull into the drive.
I turned the doorknob and we unfolded ourselves from each other and the cramped closet. I quickly fixed my hair then Fang's (the boy is nearly helpless when it comes to disguising a make out session). I gave us both a once over, my eyes resting smugly on Fang's butt. He cleared his throat with a half smile, and we joined the living in front of the TV.
Mom walked into the room with Ella and said guiltily, "Are you sure you guys will be okay until ten because I can leave my friend's place earlier than that."
Iggy was quick to assure her we would be fine. Too quick. I eyed him suspiciously and Gazzy shook his head at me.
Ella raised her eyebrows with impatience and said, "We'll be late for my check up." At that, they left with a bit of reluctance from our favorite veterinarian.
As soon as they were out of the house, I turned to Gazzy, Iggy, and Angel accusingly, "What are you planning?"
Iggy piped, "I thought you'd never ask! We need you for this, but first we need to form a treaty." He elaborated on his proposal and stressed the urgency of timing.
I huddled with Fang and Nudge, occasionally peeping over my shoulder at our much-amused opposition. "What do you guys think?" I asked.
Nudge bit her lip and said, "I think we should take it. We're losing our pranking stamina and, logically, their next prank would most likely be directed at me. I don't care to find out what they could do to me. What if they screwed with my hair, Max? I couldn't take it. If you think they massacred your hair, imagine what they could do to mine!" She combed her curls thoughtfully with tense fingers.
Fang merely shrugged with consent. I personally was getting bored with the family animosity, and keeping Dr. M in the dark was growing considerably difficult with each new scheme. I turned to a smiling Iggy and said, "My partners and I will accept the terms of your treaty. My assistant, Fang will draw up the official papers by tomorrow. Then we'll discuss the finer details. Until then, tell us of this scheme for revenge."
We all settled in and Iggy explained their plot. It was brought to our attention that despite being one of the driving forces behind the prank war, Ella managed to get by entirely unscathed. We intended to fix that. After much speculation and revising, our Flock had reunited and settled on a plan for revenge on the two-timing Ella while Mom would be away tonight.
Angel scurried into the living room and warned, "They're almost here." We all grabbed our things, and Iggy, Fang, and I left the younger three at the front door. We positioned ourselves behind the bushes and waited for Ella to show up. Fang and Iggy fidgeted in the shrubbery in anticipation. They would have to be a bit more patient for this plan to work.
Finally, Mom's car pulled up our drive and Ella hopped out. She waved to Mom as she drove off. Ella passed by us unaware and I could see Iggy grip his weapon tighter. She opened the front door and entered the house unsuspectingly. I could hear the kids had completed their task because Ella screamed running and sopping wet out of the house. The kids bust out the door behind her with their water guns loaded and ready. They continued with their attack while us older kids brought on the big guns, literally. I cocked my paintball gun and aimed at Ella. She shrieked her disbelief.
"You wouldn't dare!" she directed at Iggy. He pointed his gun and pulled the trigger. The green paintball exploded on her torso. Fang grinned and shot her with a purple ball. She turned and ran. And so the chase began. My blue bullet completed the abstract picture on the canvas of Ella's T-shirt. Meanwhile the kids where squirting her with their Super Soakers and laughing all the while. Ella suddenly dropped out of sight around a corner, and we all stopped. Iggy turned suddenly but was still too slow. Ella jumped from behind a tree and disarmed him.
She made good use of her time and managed to shoot Angel and Fang in the back before any of us retaliated. Gazzy, ever the gallant bird boy, was a force to be reckoned with. He blasted her with a wave of water as his sister came at her from the side. Nudge was careful to dodge Ella's excellent aim as she targeted her hair.
I came up from behind her and pressed my gun to her back. "Stick 'em up," said Fang smugly. Ella raised Iggy's paintball gun in the air with both arms. Iggy retrieved his weapon and laughed.
"You think it's funny, do you? Well take this," and with that, Ella tackled him to the ground, careful to get as much of her T-shirt on him as possible. She jumped away with a good-natured smile, proud of her work. Iggy stepped back, newly painted and equally happy. Gazzy laughed and sprayed the both of them. Angel and Nudge joined in. They quickly emptied their stores of water and lost interest.
"I think there's Popsicles in the freezer," I announced. At the mention of sugar, the blond siblings ran for the house, fully wet and colorful. Nudge, Ella, and Iggy followed them in.
I picked up Angel's gun and Fang picked up Gazzy's. I noticed Angel had a little water left in her tank. I grinned deviously and aimed at Fang's crotch. He looked at the result (the appearance of peeing his pants) and aimed his empty water gun at me.
"That was cold, literally and figuratively," he joked. We headed back and shared Popsicles with the others.
There she be. I had fun with this chapter. Have fun reviewing it.
P.S. I can't believe how many of you are vegetarians, too. Awesome!
P.P.S. Have a happy Mother's day. Give the lovely ladies in your life the extra something they deserve, okay?
