Wow, I'm really sorry for not updating xD umm... 2 months I think it was? haha.

Well the reason is, i'm extremely busy with school now (8th grade whoop-dee-doo) and I'm in the process of working on my manga (yes really working don't worry.) but I will update this. It will not die and it will be finished. I promise. There may even be a sequel if it goes well. Again, please tell people!

Happy reading

(ps - sorry, ruler is screwed up, line wouldn't show)

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Chapter 5

Once again, another confused moment. Everything was hitting me all at once. And I think my stomach sank a little. We just stared at each other, completely still, intense, alert. No one dared move a muscle. Except for —

"Our help?" Nudge blurted out. She had absolutely no concern for the situation. Then again, none of the kids really did. I didn't expect them to understand everything that was going on.

Aero nodded and picked up where she left off. "It's hard to explain, but I felt like I had to find you. Besides me and Owl, I really don't know anyone else with wings."

Ah. The infamous gut feeling.

"Still, why does a girl like you need help from freaks like us?" Iggy butted in.

"Because I'm a freak too," she said with a stern face. "And I saw the way you handled yourselves back at the Institute. That is what I need to know. Strategy, leadership, handling yourself in the heat, everything. I can't survive on my own."

I smiled to myself when she said "leadership". Then I held my chin in my hand to concentrate on what she was saying. I didn't quite get it. Aero seemed perfectly capable of handling herself, especially with all those mutants with her before. What did she really need to know?

"And... Well I...," Aero started to trail off.

"And you... what?" Fang said, eyebrow raised in slight interest.

We all looked at Aero intently which I'm sure made her even more nervous.

"I can't," she continued. "I can't really fight."

I saw Iggy's eyes rise in suspicion and I was thinking the same thing. Both of us knew she definitely had the potential to be a tough fighter. After all, we had both felt the muscle in her arms, legs, and wings. So I wasn't sure how to reply to this. "LIAR!" No, that's no good.

Suddenly, I heard Fang say, "Let's see. Fight me."

Excuse me? No need to rush it.

Aero's eyes widened, looking up at Fang's over 6 feet tall body. "Fight you?"

"Fight me," Fang repeated with a serious tone.

He brushed the willow branches away. The sky had cleared up. Not a single drop of rain came falling. The atmosphere was fresh with dew.

I saw Aero hesitate and I didn't blame her. For a bird-kid, she was kinda short. Taller than average, yet not quite our height at our age. Plus, Fang was very strong and relentless in a battle. I knew that from experience.

He stepped out into the wet field and turned to face us. He then spread his arms out, signaling to Aero with a nod.

"Give me your best shot," he said like it was nothing.

Gazzy and Angel came up behind me and tugged on my sweatshirt. They were really worried about Fang.

"Fang," I said firmly, warning him to stop. Then I turned to Aero. "You don't have to—"

"No," she cut me off. "Even if I may not stand a chance, I don't step back from a challenge."

I admired her determination, but no need to get yourself beat up for nothing. But I figured nothing I did could stop her. Then, the fight began.

Aero stepped back onto her left foot and bent her knees a bit like she was about to do a hard sprint. But to my surprise, she quickly snapped open her wings and took off in a straight path towards Fang, her target. It was so fast, I swear I had to take a double-take. I hadn't really noticed Aero's wings before, but I realized they were a mix of black and withe by the feathers she left behind.

Both Fang and Aero were very quick in reflexes and speed. After some ground battling, they took it to the air. Fang first, then Aero immediately followed. I think I gasped when I saw her dart past Fang's dark figure in the sky. I could barely see her after she shot past him. Then I understood; she had it too. Super speed.

Aero soon came dive-bombing back down to Earth doing a single somersault in the air, then bringing her right foot down in an ax kick. Fang saw her maneuver just in time to quickly grapple her leg and throw her down towards the field.

"Whoa!" cried Nudge in astonishment. "Look at 'em go!"

"What?" said Iggy. "What's happening?"

"Oh, it's awesome!" said Gazzy and ran over to Iggy, giving him every detail.

I watched silently, studying Aero's attack patterns. I admit, they were extremely complex and hard to decipher. But I saw she took a liking to leg power.

Fang began throwing punches at Aero, harder than I've ever seen him do in a long time. He wasn't letting her off easy. Aero would dodge his strikes more than she blocked them, but she managed to evade his assaults either way. Until Fang decided to launch a surprise attack and deliver a roundhouse punch at Aero's open left side. In the nick of time, she brought her arm up to block it, but Fang didn't stop there. His fist kept going and the impact knocked Aero off balance in her flight.

Neither of them were willing to give in. Aero's wings widened to their full length to catch air. She practically floated in the air most of the time due to her light body weight. Pretty soon, she brought herself back up to altitude and their close combat continued.

"Heh," I heard Iggy chuckle. "Sounds like Fnick is gonna get his butt kicked."

Iggy loved to tease Fang. "Come one," I said. "It's a fair match. Either one of them can win at this point. And besides, it's not a competition or anything."

"My money's on Aero!" said Nudge.

"Nudge!" I yelled at her. We really should've been supporting Fang after all.

I sighed. I really wasn't sure who would beat who now. But...

"Do you think she might actually beat Fang?" Angel asked.

I turned to her, bewildered by her question. She was still watching the battle, but I could tell, she was reading my mind. I knew she sensed my doubt.

"Well?" she asked again, her eyes didn't even blink.

I heaved another sigh. "I don't know," I lied.

To my amazement, Aero began throwing punches between her kicks. Fang blocked them like they were nothing. Finally, he released one last heated fist to finish it. But Aero dodged it by bending back. It was then that she performed what I thought was a strikingly wicked move. As Aero bent backwards, she brought her legs up and hit Fang square where it counts. It looked so easy how she did it in the sky. There was a moment of complete stillness. Then, Fang began to lose altitude.

Aero promptly shot downward and grabbed Fang's shirt, falling with him.

Nudge gasped. "Oh no!" she cried. "She's gonna throw him down!"

I think my heart skipped a beat. That kind of move could seriously injure Fang, especially in his condition after her attack. Aero was taking this too far.

I unfurled my wings and started to run.

"No! Stop!" I called, running like it was my own life on the line.

Then, I saw Aero starting to slow down as they reached the field. She began to land, still holding onto Fang and setting him gently onto his back.

"Agh...," he groaned, sounding a bit disappointed. "Not a fighter, eh?"

She shrugged, but gave him a grin.

"Fang!" I yelled. I started to slow down as I reached the two. "Are you all right?" I bent down to him and saw lots of bruises on his arms, a bit of blood on the side of his mouth. He was rubbing his jaw making sure it was still in place.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Aero assured me.

Fang coughed. "Why... why didn't you finish me off?"

Aero looked like she was thinking about it. Then she said, "Well, you sure can't help me if you're dead, right?"

We were all kinda quiet for a minute. Then, for the first time in a while, I saw Fang give her a small smile and a laugh.

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I wrote this chapter in my notebook actually with some changes when i typed it. I plan to write all my chapters now cus its so darn fun haha. No not really. Just tryin to lighten up the mood. Read & Review of course

-E-Kuririn

Oh and celebrating that I got my 30GB iPod yay! -buys MR audiobook-