Chapter II: Going Under

It wasn't the noise that woke Fang, it was the lack of it. He heard no cheers or guitars. All he heard was silence. He pressed against the ground, it was cement. The concert was over, he missed it. Max was going to be so mad at him and Iggy. Wait, where was Iggy? He opened one eye, this wasn't the arena and Iggy was no where in sight. As far as he could tell, no on was there. An urgent question struck him, where was he? He combed his memory for answers, but found none. All he remembered was... stand in the back of the crowd and then... he didn't know. That's all he could remember. Shaking, he pulled himself up, tasting sweet blood in his mouth. But that was the least of his concerns. As he stood up he began to walk a circle around himself, where was he? And where was Iggy?

Maybe he went home.

That little voice chimed in again, the same one that said everything would turn out alright. It wasn't like Max's. This one Fang recognized as his own. It was the part of him that wanted everything to be normal, they didn't want them to be mutants. That didn't want them to be fighting the Erasers. That wanted everything to be okay... Fang wanted to believe it, but he knew better. The voice was wrong. Nothing was okay. It never had been and it never would be.

Fang looked to his right, and recognized the tree they had slept in so many weeks before. They- he, was in central park. Where Iggy was he didn't know. He eyed the bushes, could Iggy be lurking just beyond their confines? Fang rubbed his arms, he was freezing. This was his only lead, what else could he do? He trampled off through the bushes, just as he did so he was rammed by another person. Fang felt the wind knocked out of him as he fell back. He angrily picked himself up, spewing venomous looks at the foliage surronding him. He was just moving on to the grass when he recognized Iggy sprawled out in front of him. "Iggy!" He cried out in surprise, hurrying to pull up his comrad. "What- where are- what happened?" He said jerkily, he had a thousand questions he hoped Iggy could answer, but they were pretty much all summed up in that phrase. Iggy shook his head, putting his palm up as he caught his breath. He had been running, from where? Fang would have loved to ask. He scuffed the grass, waiting, hoping for his answer. Anytime now Iggy... "The- Erasers! Over there- other thi-" He panted, but was cut off by Iggy at the word 'Erasers'. Those monsterous beasts were here? He could hardly believe the words coming out of Iggy's mouth.

He's hearing things.

But Iggy had never been wrong about things like this... still...

Erasers wouldn't come here.

"A-are you sure?" Fang asked cautiously. "Well of course I am! I heard them! I smelled them! They're there!" Iggy yelled angrily, "I-" Fang tried to cut in, but Iggy was on a very angry roll. He'd only seen him like this twice before. When Max made him stay behind and when some lady on the street tried to coax him into getting a guide dog. He'd blown up at her in the middle of the street with everyone watching. Max, Fang and Gasman had to pull him down the street while Angel and Nudge set to the task of apologizing. But out of all the times, this was the angriest Fang had seen him.

"Sure! Don't trust the blind guy! He can't see anything so he can't know anything or be right about anything can he! CAN HE!"

"I didn't-"

"I'M NOT INCAPACITATED, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF! I AM A FUNCTIONING MEMBER OF SOCIETY WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE! I THOUGHT YOU, OF ALL PEOPLE, WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT! BUT APPARENTLY BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE OFES THEY DON'T EXIST!"

"That's not what I meant!" Fang cried desperately.

"IT'S WHAT YOU WERE THINKING!" Iggy screamed, his anger still rising as he clenched both his jaw and fists.

"I- Iggy- Go back. Get Max and The Flock. I'll hold off the Erasers." Fang said, firmly clamping his hand on Iggy's shoulder. Iggy was still mad that he didn't stay behind but he seemed to realize now was not the time to talk about this. So instead of screaming at Fang he nodded and slipped off his shirt as he unfurled his wings. Flapping them gently, he slipped through the brush. Fang tore off on the ground, brushing away a stray branch and gapping in awe. There stood six full grown Erasers. Iggy was right. Suddenly Fang felt very guilty for doubting his friend, but he pushed the feeling back. Fang threw caution to the wind and launched himself at an Eraser as that was what he usually did in fights. The nearest one was a bit smaller so he easily jumped on it's shoulder, using his spare hand to box in it's head. The Eraser grumbled something under it's breath in an annoyed fashion and threw Fang off him. As Fang landed with a thud he distinctly heard a crack. Pain raced up his spine, through his wings, to every part of him. He felt his breath go ragged, his vision go black and the world spin. He couldn't breath, there was something on his chest. His eyes fluttered open and glimpsed the School's latest innovation.

It was, by school standards, powerful. The body of a jaguar, but instead of sleek black fur was covered in shining black scales. It's face was oddly snakelike, slits for a nose and narrow milk white eyes. Oh yes, and it had four inch venomous, Fang suspected they were venomous at least, fangs. How fitting. Fang didn't have the energy to fear it, he felt the pain going numb. He couldn't breath, he gasped shallowly, but he was unable to draw a breath. Fang remembered the other day he yelled as Gazzy for using his CD player, he shouldn't have done that. And when he was watching The Empire Strikes Back and Angel wanted to watch cartoons he should have let her. He shouldn't have tried to duct tape Nudge's mouth shut. He shouldn't have doubted Iggy, he shouldn't have read Max's journal, he shouldn't have-... he was too weak to carry on... The sounds of the hissing beast and the growling Erasers subsided as the silence took over his world.

Thanks guys!

GIRL IN STORY: Really? Thanks. Sorry this took so long!
Edward Elric 1467: I love Fang and Iggy! They rock:P

I'm SO sorry this took so long. I'm busy with this on another site (if you go over to the MaxRide website you'll find this somewhere on the boards, a word of warning though. It's up to chapter IX right now, so you'll get some huge spoilers.)

I hope to get the next chapter up in about a week, m'kay?