Assassination of Memories
Chapter XVI- Burning Back

Where the hell did everyone g— *hacks*

God I'm really hating being sick right now, I can't afford to miss classes right now

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God damnit I swear if they try to ambush me I'll kill 'em

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HEELLLLOOO!!!

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Yo White Wing Jackass where'd ya go!?

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Good god *coughs* where is everyone? *coughs harder*

(Wolf comes hoofing over a hill looking like he's been tortured for hours on end)

Finally someone I can talk to! Whoa Wolf what happened to you?

Wolf: Twihard *pant* mob *pant* remember?

Oh yeah... how'd that go?

Wolf: do I need to kill you?

Nope

Wolf: Did everyone leave 'cuz you don't own Maximum Ride, Pretender and Blaze?

I'm rolling my eyes Wolf. Hey do you know where everyone's gone?

Wolf: *shakes head*

Guess we'll find the bastards later. Anywho ON WITH THE CHAPTERSTORYSHOW!


Shadows' POV

Where are we?
What the hell... is going on?
The dust has only just... begun to form crop circles in the carpet
Sinking... Feeling...

"So where's Stinky?"

I glanced over in silence to Blaze sitting next to me. We were in the empty Yard out to get some fresh air and awake before anyone else. I didn't answer him my eyes sweeping the vacant field. Sure he was a MR 6 and I was a MR 5 now however I found that Blaze didn't care very much if I listened to anything he said. Artemis was probably in her room dreaming about people she has killed instead of being outside in the crisp air with a layer of mist shrouding the ground. Blaze's wings were slack on his back, the Draco like wings answering why he smelt a little scaly. I hadn't shown him my wings, yet why would I show a higher rank my failer? Blaze stared at the sky above us that was its usual twilight blue I was now use to. "I think I'm going to be leaving soon." Blaze said giving me a sideways glance. "Do you see anything?" I looked away tapping into his existence in time. No, nothing yet. "I will watch." I told him. He smirked at me, "Promise to continue to watch even when I'm gone?" I gave a swift nod. And I did, I was still watching now for him. Watching his future for him ever since he asked me if I saw anything so long ago.

Spin me 'round again and rub my eyes,
This can't be happening
When busy streets a mess with people
Would stop to hold their heads heavy...

I brought my knee up into the Copy's gut, my fists following to his chest. He went down with a whoosh as I knocked his disgusting breath out, I spun cracking my foot into another Copy's head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell like a brick, my hands shot out decapitating the two charging for me. Copy blood dripped down my face as I righted out rolling one shoulder then the other. Warm sticky blood coated my hands the smell so awful I felt like I was going to vomit. Was I done or were they still stupid enough to come after me? They kept coming.

Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first

I ducked from Teacher's attack dropping down to the floor on my back rolling out of the way snapping my leg up to his face. This training session wasn't helping me very much; I was still tired from moving from the Runes to the Organization after Father had found me. I flipped with one hand up to my feet a battle roar pouring out my mouth as I ran at Teacher. He evaded with swift ease unlike my jaunty movements, his foot colliding with my forehead. I panted lying on the ground, Teacher stood over me with a look of disappointment. "Battle cries are useless other than warning you're opponent your about to attack. Shut your mouth when fighting unless it's taunts." He lectured turning on his heel to leave. I swept his feet out from underneath him, my fist met his jaw.

I bolted up right panting, sweat dripping off my face. My life had gone backwards, all ending with learning fighting from Teacher just a little after I was brought to the Organization. I took a deep breath hearing Ride, Fang and everyone of my family not including me or Neo downstairs talking. "What did she mean Max?" Jared was asking. "I told you I have no idea what her words meant. Is she crazy or something?" Fury made my blood boil, though before I went into a raging rampage I calmed myself down telling myself I'd kick Max's ass later. "You're lying I saw the way you looked when she was speaking to you." Hunter shot back. "Your pupils dilated when she told you you shouldn't save the world. What is up with that, huh? Why would you need to save the world in the first place?" Neo's smell drafted down the hallways making me feel sick. I was in my room in bed, the curtains drawn to keep light out. I had a throbbing headache making me rub my temples firmly. "Hunter if you haven't noticed the world isn't completely perfect." Neo said downstairs. "You know what I'm saying. Why does a fifteen-year-old high school girl need to save the world? I know very well one person can make a difference but I doubt she'll be able to save the world all on her lonesome." Hunter responded. "I'm still trying to reason out why you lied about your names. I happened to be working for the police and if they find out anyone has—" "Amberlynn told us already, we'll have the whole police after us." Ride cut Jared off. "That doesn't matter right now, is Angel going to be okay?"

"Yes she will be fine. Her heartbeat is a little fast but that would be from her body fighting off the venom. Though I have to warn you that she might act a little odd; even though we got rid of all the venom her body will still think she transformed." Jared said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm missing a piece here, you keep saying transformed but into what exactly?" Max inquired. She wasn't going to like it and Jared couldn't put it in a nice way. "The thing that bit Angel was a Pureblood... vampire," I could just see Max's eyes widening in disbelief, "her body thinks it's transformed so if she talks about smelling or hearing anything it's because the instant the venom hits the blood stream those are the first infected. She will also be craving red liquids and foods though it's not a good idea to give her blood of course. If she starts bleeding make sure she doesn't suck on her finger to long. If Angel ingests too much blood she will transform then we will have a problem." Jared told Max. "That's what Amberlynn was talking about when she said 'Pureblood'." Max muttered. "Hey I think Shade's up." Said Hunter, I heard Max and Fang jump off their chairs just to have Jared tell them to sit down. "Hunter will you go see Shade, please? I want to make sure she's... okay." Jared's voice asked downstairs. A flash made me choke; to my horror tears blurred my vision. 'To make sure she's... okay.' He was referring to the time I came back after running into Blaze. I was tough, I never cried, no one had really seen me cry before Hunter stepped into my room pulling back my curtain his eyes widening. Tears fell down my cheeks making wet spots on the sheets that clung to my clammy skin. I looked up at the roof, the tears sliding down my neck making me shutter. Blaze, he was going insane, I was worried sick for him. He might have been a blood thirst killer but he didn't deserve to go crazy like that. "Shade?" Hunter's voice was shaking. I choked out another sob, the tears an unstoppable waterfall down my face. I closed my eyes the memories flooding back into my mind.

**Flashback Starts**

Today was my second that I disappeared from Jared's place to escape for myself. Sure I was missing out on a bunch of school but after completing Jared Rehab I needed time alone, of course I left Jared a note. Even though we hadn't been with him long I found that he would freak out if I didn't tell him where I was going. Just a few days ago Jared had come back when he said the Centre was on his tail, he had come back with a boy that looked oddly familiar to me that we later found out that his parents had been killed sending him onto the streets. His name was Bronze, and after his older brother died he thought no one else he loved would. He hated himself for going to a friend's party thinking he could have stopped the murderer. I highly doubted that.

My backpack was barely full with things I needed, I was going to live like Cain and his pack. I stretched, quite sleepy after the machine gun sound of the rain last night not understanding why Mother Nature hated me so. I sundered to the cave entrance breathing the crisp recently-rained air. Hands in pockets I walked away from the cave taking a curious sniff. Was that... Blaze? Why was he here? Then the sickening sweet smell of a Dead-one almost made me hurl. I attracted those bastards like a Blood Stone I was starting to wonder if I was the Stone Host. I whirled watching as the beautiful creature ran towards me fangs bared to bite my neck. I smelled Blaze's scent getting closer as he tried to save me. He did that a bit in the Organization, taking down Copies that bugged me. My hand shot out slicing through the Dead-one's head. Ice cold silver blood coated my hand instantly looking for cuts to seep into my blood stream. It was like slow motion as the Dead-one's feet flew out from underneath him the rest of his body collapsing to the ground, a pool of silver blood forming around the lifeless mass. Blaze had landed a few feet away from me crouching with his ninjato, Feuer, drawn. "Blaze." I breathed making him flinch. It had been so long since I've seen him; I was hoping he left the Organization. He hadn't, his eyes told me so. That animalistic flare in his dark red-brown eyes had intensified, narrowing at me. No, Blaze why? "You've come to kill me." I stated calmly looking him in the eyes. The smell of the corpse behind me seemed to make that animal in him a little excited. "Blaze you have to leave that place. I did." I said to him watching as his grip on the blade tightened. He was hesitating, I knew well why. The times we had spent together, even if it was to kill people, had made him grow a little close to me. We were both a little human, it was human nature to hesitate when faced with a decision in ending someone's life when you spent quite a bit of time with them.

"I'm not going to kill you." I told him. "I will defend myself if I have to." I was slightly bent at the look in his eyes. Like he was fighting with himself, like the animal side of him was yelling at him. I stood there knowing very well Blaze wanted to kill me, I knew he wanted to taste my fear as I died. Watching him suffer in front of me was too much. "Blaze," I stepped forward watching as Blaze opened a pill bottle popping some pills in his mouth taking them dry looking back up at me launching forward with the blade aiming for my heart. Damn I shouldn't have dropped my guard for him. I flipped over him in a no-hand cart-wheel, flipping the other way as Blaze was too predictable to take my legs out if I landed behind him. I ran off towards the forest my vision faded in and out slightly. I continued to run like I had on a treadmill Jared had. I had gotten to 200 miles per hour on that thing, on ground that wasn't in motion I bet I could run faster. Blaze ran after me, my footsteps one step in front of his. I couldn't see him since he was so far back; I jumped into a tree hoping to hell that he wouldn't hear me. When I jumped I almost seem to stay in the air for a couple more seconds than usual. I slunk back over to where Blaze was, standing in a fir tree eight feet above him. He turned to me though he didn't attack. "Blaze listen to me, you can't keep following Father's orders." I said my voice slipping into a plead. He seemed to get angry putting a hand up as the black haired girl stepped forward. "Cool it Blitz." He muttered. His voice pierced me hard after hearing it so many times in visions. "Blaze please, you're going insane, stop before you lose what little sanity you have left." I begged calmly. He didn't seem to be listening, that look in his eyes told me he so dearly wanted to kill me. "Blaze would you just listen to me?" I continued slightly hurt that he still didn't have that listening look in his eyes. He stared at me like I was a prize deer and he was a hunter set on tracking me down. I set my jaw, pushing the useless pleading aside as a boy with paranoid crazed dark red-brown eyes huddled in a ball twitching and rocking back and forth on his heels flashed before my eyes. "I've seen things. You, your targets, your missions, your battles, everything. I've seen the outcome of all before you even knew about a fight or a mission. Blaze it's going to end badly for y—" "Shut up and get it over with!" The black haired girl yelled launching for me. "Damnit Blitz, I said cool it!" Blaze growled grabbing onto the girl's foot mid-air throwing her against a nearby tree. The girl got back up aiming a gun at me, Blaze tackled Blitz as she pulled the trigger. The bullet whizzed at my head, I ducked slightly as it flew past skimming against my cheek. Blitz kicked Blaze off of her rolling into a crouch with a Japanese looking sword in her hand. "What the hell are you doing!?" she screamed at Blaze I looked over to my former half-partner. "I said calm down Blitz." "My name's not Blitz!" she grunted launching at Blaze's stomach blade stretched out. A gut retching squeltch and thud made my stomach lurch as the blade went through Blaze and into the tree behind him. That bitch would get her ass whooped later. The girl put her hand on the blade sparks flying; she was left panting holding the blade in Blaze's stomach. Blood was running out of Blaze's mouth he looked up placing his hand on her throat and burnt her. His power over fire was useful yet he didn't look strong enough to torch the witch. "That wasn't your smartest move." He said between coughs of crimson stinking blood. Pulling out another blade the girl brought it down on Blaze's forearm making him let her go. "You disobeyed Dr. Millstone. Now you're on your own, and you'll have all the Organization after you too." The girl coughed throwing something to the ground. Bright white light blinded me; once it was gone the girl had disappeared also.

I jumped down from the tree Blaze sighed coughing up more blood. He tried pulling the sword out of him and the tree by pulling on the rubber grip baring himself against the tree. I placed a hand on the blade swiftly pulling it out for him; Blaze sagged to his knees vomiting blood the smell making me almost hurl myself. "I should really stop getting myself pinned to trees." I heard him mutter and I couldn't help but smirk. He was going to be fine I saw that, he glanced up seeing my smirk. He looked like death falling unconscious after hurling more blood. I bent down taking a hold of his shoulders hauling him up to lean against me. His blood covered my hands and I tried my best not to start ripping Blaze to pieces. I put one of Blaze's limp arms over my right shoulder, moving him up so most of his weight was balanced on my shoulders most of his weight on the left shoulder. Picking up the blade that almost killed him I ran off towards the smell of Lycans.

Have you been eating rocks since I last saw you Blaze? I thought as Blaze's body was making my own ache. I was maybe a mile away from the unknown Lycan pack; I was too far away to get to Cain in time. I stopped putting Blaze down on the ground ripping his jacket off and into strips trembling. Damn no, I wanted to rip him to shreds, I— Stop thinking like that! I'm not an animal. But what if I was, it'd be okay to— BLAZE! I folded the strips together applying pressure to the wound trying my best to control myself as warm blood oozed through my fingers. I didn't want to kill him; a low growl started in the back of my throat my hands trembling violently. I saw the claws slowly stretch out over my fingernails I felt the urge coming stronger now. No Blaze, you'll live, I won't— I can't kill you. I pulled myself off of Blaze, the smell of his blood still making me shake. I remember what Giles did when something needed help; I threw my head back letting out a thunderous howl.

The world disappeared before my eyes becoming dark shadows that faded into a haunting black world. Between old man groans of trees the wind's wolf howl catapulted leaves into a fierce ballet above the ground whirled around a boy lying in the middle of the road. His black hair whipped around his face in a dark halo crimson red blood staining his shirt from the gaping hole in his stomach. I stepped forward frightened I would kill him. The leaves danced around me in a slow whirlwind, concealing me in a light leaf funnel as I proceeded up to him. I knelt down beside him looking at his pained face the leaves whirling faster. I leaned closer whispering in his ear, "I'm sorry; I should have been more on guard. If only I listened to what you and Teacher told me..."

His breathing was choked and raged, a trail of blood running down his mouth. My eyes burned blurring up, hot water seeping out of my eyes. What was this? I was... leaking? The water rolled down my cheek, dropping to the road beneath me. My throat closed up making me choke, the water started to fall in streams down my face. "Wh-wha...?" I stuttered. His eyes blinked open, staring at me through a haze. "What are you crying for?" he grunted. "Wha...?" I choked staring at him as a weak smile crept across his lips. "These," he touched my face catching some of the water, "are called tears. People cry when their sad." He was a little out of it, not thinking straight from the lost of blood, that happened to me once. He'd never touched me like that or had that look in his eyes when he looked at me.

His hand fell down to his stomach, his eyes fluttering close. "Blaze... Blaze? BLAZE! Blaze don't die on me you bastard!" I cried tears cascading down my face. "Don't die, don't die. Don't die without at least living in the outside world!" I screamed to the sky. The leaves, whirling dense, caught up so fast my hair swept across my face sticking to the tear tracks. What was happening? I looked wildly around; a hand was placed on my shoulder. My head swivelled behind me, a boy stood there smiling softly at me. His navy blue eyes told me not panic, his dark brown hair sticking out underneath his black cowboy hat, his dark skin almost matching his hair. He donned a faded blue jean jacket, a white shirt and faded jeans his feet bare. He looked Aboriginal. "Don't worry he'll be fine." The boy said a girl that looked similar to the boy but with dark fogged grey eyes placed her hand on Blaze's wound. Something told me the boy had done something wrong by talking to me from the way the girl looked at him sadly. She looked East Indian, her skin and hair darker than the boy's, her hair pulled into a braid that went past her waist. The wound in Blaze's stomach started to heal slowly disappearing before my eyes. "Take him to safety Shadows." The Aboriginal boy said.

My eyes blinked open, my fingers where pressing the blood soaked pad of strips to Blaze's healed stomach. "Blaze..." I trailed off. Remember he just had a sword stuck through his stomach -I touched the two large scales where the blade had passed through the gap between them- he's lost a lot of blood and he miraculously healed. Even the pathetic fairies couldn't do this well of a job, saving someone's life as they died. 'Take him to safety Shadows.' The boy's words rang through my head. I put Blaze on my back, taking off gaining speeds of 250 miles per hour rocketing towards the Lycan pack closest to me.

I stopped a distance away from them, knowing they would be able to smell Blaze's blood. I placed my old partner down staring at his blank face. I pulled a small sym-disk out of my pocket closing Blaze's left hand around it. This one was my favourite but I'd give it to him, maybe he could find something to play it on. I ran off, images from the footage I watched on that disk filtering through my mind.

'Do I always have to save your ass?' Blaze said shaking his head. I rolled my eyes kicking the Eraser away from me. 'I didn't need saving I was fine on my own.' I told him. Blaze snorted, 'Ya, and that black eye of yours really tells me you were handling it.' I glared at Blaze as if I had lasers for eyes the black eye showing up like a neon sign on the black and white picture. 'Know what you're cool Shadows. Maybe a little bit of a brat but still cool.' Blaze said ruffling my hair. I rolled my eyes swiping his hand away, 'As cold as ice.' I replied.

**Flashback Ends**

That day I had come back -I wanted to spend a month to myself but I didn't- I scared the shit out of Jared coming in cover in blood, shaking and looking near tears. I had almost killed Blaze when that damn animal almost came out. "Shade?" Hunter asked his voice shaking again. Thank god the tears were stopping I blinked the rest back looking over to him. "Y-you okay?" he asked. Hunter gave a sigh of relief when I nodded looking like he was going to collapse. "I was worried about you, again." He said I almost started crying again. When had I turned into a softy was beyond me. Another tear slid down my face. "I, I've never seen you... cry before. You were always so tough in the Organization." Hunter said. "After keeping your feelings locked up," I found myself saying my eyes glancing out the balcony door windows, "they have to break out... someday." Blaze where are you right now? Have you become that boy I saw the day you almost died? Are you dead? "Do you think you can come downstairs?" I shook my head. I needed to be by myself for a bit, maybe not a month or two days but I needed just a couple minutes. "Feel better." Hunter said closing the door going to everyone else.

Once he was downstairs distracted by everyone else, I broke down into tears.


Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just... begun to form crop circles in the carpet
Sinking... Feeling...

Spin me 'round again and rub my eyes
This can't be happening
When busy streets a mess with people
Would stop to hold their heads heavy

Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first

Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before the takeover
The sweeping insensitivity of this still life

Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
Blood and tears
They were here first

Mm what you say
Oh that you only meant well, well of course you did it
Mm what you say
Mm that it's all for the best, of course it is
Mm what you say
Hmm that it was just as we were meeting you decided this
Mm what you say
Hmm what did she say?

Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit

Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
Speak no feeling no I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit

You don't care a bit

Hide and Seek
Imogen Heap


Thanks to pyroman-15- for most of that chapter, I know that it's going to seem a little copied from Chapter 4-Back Burning in Blazes Wings that is done through Blaze's POV in Pyro's story. Continue to read, please don't stop.