Fierce POV
Huh. The afterlife looked a lot different then I thought it would. Then again, I'd never really believed in the heaven with fluffy white clouds and angels laying harps. From what I could see, it looked like a bedroom. Or what I assume one looks like considering I've never had one. I sat up and looked around.
"Thank God, your awake." Um if I was dead what was Falcon doing here?
"Huh?" Was my oh so brilliant response. "Didn't I die?" He frowned at me.
"Almost. What were you thinking!? I thought you were dead! Why didn't you tell anybody? God you can be such an idiot."
"I didn't want anyone to worry," I whispered. His face softened.
"I know. It's just, I can't lose you I can't lose you okay? So please-" He broke off as Chibi ran into the room. All my breath left in a whoosh as she jumped on top of me and hugged me.
"Fri-fri! You all better now?" I smiled. You just had to love her. Even when she interupted your slightly cheesy sentimental mushy moment.
"Yes I'm all better now." Nudge and Angel were watching from the door way.
"Look it! Nudgie and Angey gave me piggy-tails!" She told me excitedly while pointing to her hair. Aw she looked adorable.
"Wow! You look really pretty!" She giggled and beamed causing my heart to melt. Seeing her laugh was so nice. Living in the Academy she'd known far more pain and terror than any child should ever have to experience. But at least she would have a chance at normal life now. Most likely she would forget those first two years. Other than a few scars and the wings she would be completely normal.
I wish I could say the same for the rest of us.
Spike probably would be okay. He was old enough to remember but still young enough to start right over. Falcon, Clementine, and I, though, we'd never be normal. Not even semi-normal. I mean, God I have freaking cat ears and a tail. I can't even go out in public let alone go to school or the mall or whatever else normal kids do.
My stomach grumbled pulling me out of my gloomy thoughts.
"Is there any way I could get some food?" Hmmm. . . depending on how long I'd been out it'd been about a day since I'd last eaten. Falcon laughed. Chibi perked up and mentioned something about cookies. She jumped off my lap and started tugging. I stood wincing at the pain and general weakness I felt. I shook my head when Falcon made a move to help me. He ignored me and grabbed my arm pretending not to notice as I glared at him.
Chibi bounced down the stairs and skipped into the kitchen. I inhaled deeply. What was that delicious smell? Sitting on the counter was a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies.
"They're just out of the oven. You might want to hurry up and eat some before Max gets to them." I turned to see a woman in her late thirties drying her hands on a dish towel. "Hi, I'm Max's mom, Dr. Martinez." She stuck her hand out and I hesitantly shook it. She grabbed two cookies from the plate and handed them to Chibi who was trying to fly up on the counter. I took a cookie off the plate and bit into it.
"Ohmihfgood thiph ess so ghoof!" I mumbled while still devouring the cookie. I grabbed five more before Falcon dragged me out of the kitchen.
"Come on, you've been requested for Max-interrogation." He rolled his eyes.
"Don't I get a break for almost dying?" I asked.
"Nope. We had to deal with it and so do you. Besides the creepy Voice thing says you know something important."
"Well that's great to know," I said sarcastically. "Would it care to tell me what I know?" He shrugged. We found Max in the upstairs living room watching TV with Fang, Iggy, Misty, and Clementine. Gazzy was showing Spike something involving a mass of wires. Nudge was styling Angel's hair. Max stood up and motioned for me to follow her.
Once in her room she sat down on the bed and motioned for me to take the chair.
"So can we just get this over with because I'd really like to spend my freedom not thinking about the hell-hole." She nodded.
"I get it. If I could I would disappear and never think about the School again. Unfortunately I have to save the world from Itex. Not only for the world, but to make sure none of my family ever has to undergo that torture again." I nodded, I understood. I would give up myself to make sure my family never saw that place again. (Unless they were blowing it up.)"What do you know about the Sharp serum?"
"It makes you stronger, and faster, and just basicly enhances you way beyond the basic mutant. They give you some sort of brain operation with it so that your on side. But they only use it on certain experiments." Like me. I added in my head.
"And the Academy?"
"It's part school, like a normal one. They teach all the future Itex scientist. It has a flawless mind-wipe system that guarantees the scientists never remember anything about it, yet still keep the lessons they've learned. The students and experiments are kept separate. Other than the kids it's just your basic Itex illegal hell-hole. It's run by the Professor who works for Mr. Chu. They operate separately from Itex, but they're still technically part of Itex. Anything else?" Max sighed.
"No. But bringing this last Itex down is going to be alot harder than I thought. But if we don't bring this place down, we'll never win." And if the flock didn't bring down Itex down then the world wasn't going to be a pretty place. Sure, they had failed with their first plan, but who could say they wouldn't come up with something else? And given time, all the other Itex branches would be resurrected unless someone stopped it.
And if that happened, screw normal life we would have to go into hiding for good.
At that moment I was finally convinced that staying with the flock was what we need to do. I looked up at Max.
"If it's alright, I'd like to help you." I was unsure of what her reaction would be.
"That would be great," she smiled. Just as quickly she narrowed her eyes, "But just so we're clear, I'm in charge. You can still run your group, but when it comes to big things what I say goes, got it?" I rolled my eyes.
"Don't worry I'm not gonna steal your job as leader. I have other thing to worry about besides who I'm bossing around. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go enjoy the rest of my first day of relaxation." She stood up and waved me out of the room before walking off.
After a delicious dinner of tacos, we ended up in the living room watching some movie the little kids picked out. It was one of those movies that only younger kids like. Halfway through I was about to keel over from boredom. I poked Falcon to get his attention as he was staring off into space.
"I'm gonna go get something to eat. Want anything?" He shook his head no. I stood up and walked into the kitchen taking care not to walk in front of anyone.
Ugh what was that smell? The kitchen smelled like a wet dog. I looked down to see if anything had been spilled on the floor only to find a large malamute and a scottie laying down on the floor.
If there is one thing I hate, it's dogs. I can't stand the things. They're anoying, smelly, and their barking drives me up the wall. (Yes I know Falcon is part dog but that's different. I grew up with him, I know him.)*
The malamute immediately stood up and started barking at me. I rolled my eyes.
"Shut-up. I'm not doing anything." See what I mean? The random barking? At this the scottie seemed to almost glare at me.
"Don't talk to her like that!" I have to admit, I was shocked, though I was careful to hide it. Ignoring the still barking malamute and the annoying scottie, I started rummaging through the pantry for something to eat. "Excuse me, I'm talking to you!" My lip curled back into disgust. Whose idea was it to save the talking dog? Because I just knew this dog had to have come from Itex. Where else would you get a talking scottie?
I turned around and glared at the dog who was glaring right back at me.
"Apologize to Akila for talking to her like that. I know cats are rude, but you have no right to be rude to us." I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever. I'm just going to get something to eat then you can go back to sniffing each other's butts or whatever." At this his jaw dropped open. He looked indignant.
"Only unsophisticated mutts would ever sink that low. At least we don't lick our butts." Oh that was it I'd had enough of this dog.
"You know what? I am above arguing with someone's pet and by the way, I've seen plenty of dogs lick their butts, and I've never done that." I stomped over to the freezer and opened it. I'd only recently discovered the wonder that was icecream, and by recently I mean this afternoon. I grabbed an icecream bar and was about to go back to the stab-my-eyes-out-with-a-fork movie when I stepped on the malamute's paw (who by the way STILL hadn't stopped barking) causing it excuse me I mean AKILA to surge forward and trip me.
Right into Falcon.
"Tripping over the dog, graceful." I blushed.
"Shut-up!" I smiled and whacked him playfully. The malamute had finally stopped barking, probably due to the icecream she was licking off the floor. I groaned and leaned more into Falcon. "Stupid dog she trips me AND takes my icecream."
"Let me guess, your more upset about the icecream?"
"You bet." We fell silent, but he didn't let go and I made no move to leave. At least five minutes had gone by when someone cleared their throat. I jumped back blushing like mad only to see the scottie smirking at me.
"Oh I'm sorry did I inturupt anything?" I glared at him. That dog was going to go to sleep one night and not wake up the next morning.
Hey! Aw crap I forgot the little one read minds.
Is he your dog? I mentally asked.
Yes. I rescued him. . . your not really going to kill Total are you?
No, of course not. Well there goes that plan. Not that I was really thinking about killing it, the dog just pissed me off and I'd only known him about thirty minutes. Somehow I got the feeling he wasn't going to grow on me the more time I spent with him.
"I'm going to bed," I muttered to Falcon. Total looked smug. I stumbled into the room I shared with Clementine and Misty. I flopped down on the bed and fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Thanks to:maximumrideluvvver, SaraRide9, and rainbow. wings for reviews!
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