New Friendships

A Maximum Ride and a SWISHY short story

Max-

Ok this is crazy. First we see the tails. Ok they're mermaids. But no the tails disappear and now they have legs! But that's not all! No! As I keep watching, they have freaking wings!

"What are you?" I heard Fang ask. I shook my head and put my hand to my forehead. I'm dreaming. That's it. These girls aren't real. I just need to wake up and get on with my life. Unconsciously, I pulled my wings in.

Believe what you see, Max. Welcome back Voice long time no annoy.

How can I possibly believe what I am seeing, Voice? I mean they are freakin' mer-human-butterflies! Hmm, mermanflies. I thought back to the Voice. Yeah and you're a human-avian hybrid mutant. What difference does it make? I answered myself.

"Look it's late. I'm tired and I'm sure you are tired too. We'll talk more in the morning." The girl with the layered dirty blonde hair nodded. She must be their leader. "Follow me, I show you the rest of my family." I turned around and walked toward the sleeping flock hoping they were still there. I felt Fang next to me. "I must have finally gone crazy." I whispered in his ear.

"Well I guess I'm right up there with you this time."

When we go to the clearing, the kids were still sleeping but Iggy was wide awake.

"Max? Fang? Is that you?" He sat up and turned in our direction.

"Yeah it's us. Don't wake the others. We have some guests." The mermanflies stepped softly into the clearing and looked at all the kids with wide eyes except the black haired girl.

"Iggy meet—um I don't know your names." I looked at the girls. They hesitated and looked around at each other the blonde decided to speak.

"My name is—Althea, the red-head is Cynthia, the one that showed you her wings is Julia, and the girl with the super long black hair is Cheryl. All of them gave a little smile when their name was called, even Cheryl.

"Well I'm Max, this is Fang and that's Iggy over there. I'll introduce you to the others in the morning." I sat down and bit back a yawn. "Just get some sleep. Second watch Iggy." I closed my eyes but didn't fall asleep until I heard the mermanflies fall asleep and Fang's arm was over me.

The next morning when I woke up, the mermanflies were still asleep and every flock member was present so I guess the fish weren't killers. I felt Nudge wake up next to me.

"Max, I'm hungry." I stroked her hair.

"We'll go find some food later."

By now the whole flock was awake but the mermanflies were still fast asleep.

"Who are they?" Nudge asked as she caught sight of our guests."

"Flying fish humans." I said simply.

"What?"

"Shh, don't wake them. They're going to talk to us when they wake up."

Cheryl stirred and sat up. "Well I'm up now. Ask any questions you want."

"Who are you?" Gazzy asked. Cheryl looked over at him tiredly.

"Cheryl and you are?"

"The Gasman!" he said excitedly. Cheryl looked stunned then horrified. I guessed she saw his special ability in the future. I laughed.

"Don't worry I made sure he only uses it in times of desperate measures. But he is also skilled in the art of mimicry."

"So you all have skills like us right?" she asked. I nodded.

"I can read minds, control minds, shapeshift, breathe underwater, and talk to fish!" Angel blurted out before I could stop her. Cheryl looked shocked. "What can you do?"

"Well—I can talk to fish and animals, see the future, and control electricity."

"Awesome!" Nudge squealed. "I'm magnetic, can hack into computers, and feel who's been there when and where." I was starting to get uncomfortable. It wasn't right for us to be telling these strangers our secrets. Although they are pretty much like us minus the school and test tube baby thing.

The other mermanflies were awake now. They blinked warily at all the eyes watching them.

"So what's your story?" Iggy asked. "You've got to have a story."

Althea sighed and cleared her throat. "About a month and a half ago our 'parents' told us that they weren't our parents and that our real parents were held captive by a guy named Jared. He captured them when we were babies in hopes to take over the world using our powers."

"How did he know about your powers?" Nudge asked

"We're part of a long lost prophecy." Althea lowered her head. "It said we would be given dominion over water, land, and air." She made air quotes around dominion. "Which is why we have tails, legs, and wings." She stretched out her light blue and green butterfly wings and relaxed.

Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy's jaws dropped. "No way." Nudge breathed.