HEY GUYS! I'M BACK! Sorry it's been a while... but here's another chapter that's kinda long-ish. I'm altering the upload schedule a little because trying to upload on Wednesday in the middle of the week is really hectic sooo I'm gonna keep wednesday as a sort of bonus day if I get time to write two chapters on Friday. SO basically, I'm uploading on Saturdays.

Random Fact: Phoenix's looks are based off of mine... I have really straight black hair with light greyish eyes (Phoenix has blue) but mine are not as pretty as I imagine Phoenix's to be. Having dark hair and really light eyes is genetically rare but it happened..

Anyway, HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER. I stayed up until 2:10 am writing this so it better be appreciated lol jk but really though ;)

ALSO IMPORTANT: Let me know if you guys have any suggestion or ideas for what you want to happen next because I read every review and often reply back and sometimes, I get serious writer's block. If you guys gave suggestions on what you want to happen next, that would be awesome. I'm not saying I'll use it every time but I'll use some. :)

REVIEW AND COMMENT

K THANKS

~Harmony (I also changed the cover pic for this story to a picture of me if you want to get an idea of how I got the idea for Phoenix... btw that picture was taken about 3 months ago.)

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Chapter 21:

MAX P.O.V

"PHOENIX! Wake up!" I opened the door to her room. She was still sleeping.

Damn. She needs to be alert at all times. God knows we always were.

"Phoenix! Up- NOW!" She started to stir a little. I looked around her room. Our entire house (cave) had only rock walls so it definitely got a little chilly but we were used to it from always flying at high altitudes. Her wall was covered in pictures of dark angels (kinda creepy but not judging my kid). On a small nightstand next to her bed was a stack of pictures of the flock and I before she was born and when she was a baby. She always wanted them close to her.

"PHOENIX!" I looked at my watch. 5:32 am. I started to shake her awake.

"Whattttt…" She rubbed her eyes and mumbled at me. "It's like 5:32. Why are you waking me up so early? I still have an hour and fifteen minutes of sleep left."

"No you don't- wait how did you know the time?"

She mumbled something with her eyes half closed. "I don't know I just know."

"Nevermind." I sat on her bed. "From now on, this is your wake up time. You've really been slacking off with training so we're doing morning training and evening."

Suddenly, she was magically awake and shot up. "What?!" She looked at me with a face of murder. "That's not fair! You said I couldn't play with Fern, and now I can't even sleep?! I WANT TO SLEEP!" She pouted her lower lip.

"Nope." I stood up. "Outside in 5 min. If you're late, just see what I'll do next." I walked out of her room and closed the door.

'Well that was a little harsh.'

Voice?! Wow long time, no talk. Actually, a REALLY long time, no talk.

'Well let's just say I've been busy.'

Well so have I, I guess. When you left, Phoenix was only 3 years old. What brings you back to my brain?

'What, I can't drop in from time to time?'

I sighed, already annoyed with the voice.

'Oh annoyed are we? Well just wanted to say be careful.'

Well obviously! Why do you think we're in hiding?! Geez.

'You never know. I'm just saying be prepared. And good call on having training today.. she'll need it.'

Okayyyyy… can you say creepyyy..

Well the voice was back to its cryptic comments.

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PHOENIX P.O.V

Why cant she just let be do what I want?! Ugh I hate mom!

I walked outside our front door and looked for whoever was teaching me today. No one was there yet so I just lay my head against the rock wall and waited for Daddy or Iggy. I closed my eyes. Might as well try and get some sleep.

I listened to the birds chirping and I could see my eyelids glowing red as the sun rose above the mountains. Then, suddenly, it became super quiet. I opened my eyes and stood up.

"Daddy? Iggy?" l looked at the crevice in the mountains that led to the woods. The trees shuffled back and forth as if someone had just ran through them. I contemplated following it. I started to run to the woods. "Who are you?!" I shouted.

I ran as fast as I could towards the trees. I could feel that I was just behind them, but they were faster than me. Could it be erasers?! My heart jumped at the thought. This is my chance to prove to Mommy and Daddy that I can fight them!

I was running into the woods when suddenly, I realized that the path that the person had been running was not visible anymore. The trees were still and I couldn't follow their movements anymore. I looked around looked for a sign- crack. Oh no. Someone is behind me. I tried to pry into their thoughts but there were mind blocks. I took a deep breath and ran. I kept running until I thought I lost them, then I took a steep U-turn and climbed up a tree. I jumped from tree-top to tree-top until I spotted someone. I took aim and pounced on them. They landed face first.

Out of nowhere, I was pulled off of the guy's back and blind folded with my hands tied behind my back. I could hear multiple people shuffling around. "Take it off!" I screamed. "MOMMYYY, DADDYYY!"

"Don't bother yelling. Your family's gone." A gruff voice spoke.

"If you want them back, you have to fight us. Prove yourself."

"HELP! IGGY, ANGEL?" I thrashed my hands and head around trying to get the blindfold off.

"I said you have to FIGHT punk!" I felt him take a step in my direction.

"Fine." I focused on sound. Estimating from the sound people were making, I guess there were 5 people? I heard soft footsteps crinkling the leaves on the ground. The were getting nearer.

When they were just close enough, I jumped in the air and far as I could to the right while kicking them in the process. I shuffled back until I felt a tree. I ripped a loose piece of bark off and started to cut the rope. When it was off, I tried to pry the blindfold off but it would budge.

"Huh- thought you were smart?!"

I furrowed my brow. I would win this. "Actually, I kinda thought I would." I put my hands on my hip and walked towards the guy. "I mean from what I know, you sound like an eraser." I could tell I caught him off guard by his slight hesitation.

I used this to my advantage and was about to punch him in the stomach when I was grabbed by my waist and slammed into the ground. My arm was pinned behind my back and I couldn't move. My face was becoming numb from the cold ground and from whoever was pushing my so hard.

Then, all of a sudden, the blind-fold came off. Standing in front of my was the Flock and pinning me down, was Nudge. I, then, realized that this was a set up and the "eraser" was Gazzy.

"This was a set up?!" I was confused. "But why?"

Dad stepped forward. "It was a test… and Phoenix… we aren't trying to discourage you. We only want you to be the best… but today's performance was…."

"…Unsatisfactory." Nudge finished.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Um…." Mom put her hands on her his and shifted the weight on her feet. "It means…"

"It means horrible, Phoenix. You did horrible today." I looked at Angel in surprise. She was always my biggest supporter…

"Well considering that I was basically kidnapped, I'd say I did pretty well!" I defended myself.

"Well considering, that we've actually gotten kidnapped and been through worse, you did pretty bad, Nix." Angel stepped forward and helped me off the ground. "This is what the real world is like. This, is what you're going to have to face- but much worse."

Daddy looked really sad so I walked over to him and hugged him. "I guess I'm the weakest one here after all huh?"

"No, actually you're quite the opposite." Daddy hugged me back and Mom joined in.

"You're probably the most powerful mutant on Earth, but with out you're special powers, you're defenseless." She pulled me close to her. "Understand why we push you?"

I nodded. If that was a real eraser attack, I'd be dead. Mommy's right. Without my special powers, my fighting isn't good enough.

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PHOENIX P.O.V

I had just finished telling Fern what happened this morning when the teacher walked over to our table.

"Anything you'd like to share with us Phoenix?" She crossed her arms with a stern face and the whole class was staring at us.

I smiled as sweetly as I could. I narrowed my eyes and stared at her as long as I could to make her feel uncomfortable. "Nope." She shifted her arms and walked away.

Fern giggled next to me. "I could almost feel the chills go down her spine. She was really freaked out."

I smiled back at Fern. "I take that as a compliment. Thank you."

Finally, It was lunchtime and Fern and I were walking to the cafeteria. We were just talking about a project that we were just assigned when I noticed the whole lunchroom was looking at us.

Fern whispered to me. "What's going on?"

"I don't know… lets ask." I started to walk to a random table.

"What! No! You can't just do that!" Fern grabbed my arm.

"Why not? We want to know what's wrong... and they know."

"Wait! Phoenix, you can't do that!" She reached out to grab me again but I was already walked towards a table. Unfortunately, that happened to be the 6th graders- the oldest kids at our school.

I slammed my hand down and everyone flinched. "What's the deal?"

"Excuse me?" I blonde girl flipped her hair and cocked an eyebrow.

I bored my eyes into hers. I gently shoved the thought into her head.

"It's Fern." She pointed to her standing beside me. "She's a freak."

"Yeah well so am I apparently... so?"

"Um she's a foster kid... DUH... her brother said that she was in the system cause she murdered someone…"

I almost laughed at that. That's it… seriously? If they knew the things I did. "And you believe it because?"

"Hey what's the deal with the interrogation? We're fifth graders, you and your little psycho friend are little kids who can't even go to town with out their parents so why don't you just leave us alone!" She shoved me away from the table.

Oh no she didn't. "Don't touch me." I lowered my voice.

She laughed with her friends. "Aw isn't that cute? She has a temper problem." She flipped her hair.

I lunged towards her as the cafeteria was yelling "Fight, fight, fight!" \

"Oh you don't want to mess with me freak, I do karate."

"Then come and fight me." I glowered my eyes at her and I could feel my eyes turning hot.

"Phoenix no!" Fern exclaimed at me.

I ignored her. The girl rolled up her sleeves and stood in a fighting stance.

"You asked for it freak." She stated to punch me but then stopped when she realized I was behind her. "Woah what?"

I smirked and suddenly felt an intense feeling of adrenaline. I needed to hurt her. I needed to prove myself.

I lunged at her and knocked her head first into the ground. Kicked at me but I was too strong. I pinned her down just like Nudge had done to me this morning.

I leaned down to her ear. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stop calling me freak. Oh and if I were you, I'd call and get your karate instructor and get your money back."

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PHOENIX P.O.V

So I got detention. And sadly, I got Fern in trouble too. But luckily, she wasn't mad.

"Hey what do you want to do now?" I skipped with Fern as we walked behind the school.

"Didn't your mom say you weren't allowed to play after school?"

"Yeah but who cares." I felt like I was on a high. "Lets go to the waterfall like last time! Race you!" Before Fern could protest, I was in the air shooting for the waterfall.

It didn't take long for Fern to cave in and before long; she was soaring right next to me. We both circled down and when we were low enough we tucked our wings in and dropped into the deepest part of the pond.

"Want to see who can hold their breath underwater the longest?" Fern asked me.

"I would win. I have gills." I laughed sheepishly. "It's a mutation that was passed on."

"So you're a fish freak too." Fern mockingly put her hands on her chest and laughed. "Well do it the human way and we'll see who wins."

"Well I can definitely control that…" I took a huge breath… 1…2..3… go!

We both dunked our heads underwater and opened our eyes. Fern was making funny faces to make me laugh and lose. I was doing the same thing so that she would laugh an go up for air. It was so funny that my sides hurt from not being able to laugh. I wanted to swallow in water and use my gills but I promised Fern.

Then, all of a sudden, I saw Fern's eyes go wide with fear. I looked confused, and then I realized there was a furry hand keeping her underwater. Not two seconds later, another hand dunked my head even further, preventing me from swimming up. They pulled me above, snarling…. but kept Fern under.

I heard a snarl. "Six years and we finally got you little birdie."

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REVIEW AND COMMENT. Give suggestions on the plot :)

~Harmony (I also changed the cover pic for this story to a picture of me if you want to get an idea of how I got the idea for Phoenix... btw that picture was taken about 3 months ago.)