Chapter 23; Violence Never Solves Anything

Okay, still having problems with my computer, but I think that I will be able to fix it soon. Soo, review replies, then on with the story!

FireWolfHeart: Okay, I concede with that, but I'm still not happy 'bout certain parts . lol, I'm only slightly confused with the first part of your review, but I'll get over it lol, hope you like this chappie!

Jabber185: Sorry, I tried to make it longer, and it didn't work lol, we'll see how this one goes, and I hope I can get the fighting scenes done right lol.

Luna WhiteWolf: Thanks! I enjoyed writing that part, it was quite entertaining XD.

Oak Leaf Ninja: Aww...I'm sorry lol, I hope you get to see it soon! Thanks, and here's your update ;D lol.

Okay, all the reviews, so here it goes.

Alex's POV

I had a second of staring down at my companions. Floating in the sky, watching the human teenagers bravely take on the goonies brought tears to my eyes. Here I was, floating above the action, watching kids fight a battle that's not even theirs'. Of course, nothing that was shot at them harmed them much, but it pained me to watch as some fell back from the sheer force of the impact.

David nudges me and points to two wolves and Phantom. One of the wolves I recognized as Luna, I could only guess the other, smaller one was her uncle, the battle-scared Claw. A sort of fight had gone on earlier, from which I watched perched on a roof of a nearby building. Luna's amazing ability to grow three times her size was amazing to watch, but was even more interesting was the easy way she handled her uncle. Within a few seconds, the older wolf had been thrown quite a distance, and been forced to give up fighting.

Apollo and Artemis, the oddly named twins, were perched across the street from David, Dani and me. They kept sending glances at an imposing mansion in the distance, and whispering unheard words. Dani was focusing on her cousin, and I could almost see the gears turning in her mind. She was contemplating joining him, much like I would've done for Riley, Erik or Dex had they been in trouble. I reached out to touch her arm when the first tremor hit.

It was like being in a giant mixing bowl, or a bottle of whip cream. We were tossed in each direction as the earth rocked back and forth violently. Several kids fell on their sides, as did the ghost who hadn't anticipated the attack. They sprawled, all limbs, while trying to get up and regain their balance. My team and I were tossed back, landing on the flat roof, while scrambling to find something to keep us in place.

After a minute, maybe two, the rocking stops and I'm able to lurch to my feet, bouncing on my heels. Aside from the occasional debris, everything was fine and relatively untouched, and I knew that this earthquake, much like the storm, wasn't anything natural. He's trying to break you, my brother's voice whispered through my mind, and I turned to study the poor kid.

His eyes darted back and forth, avoided meeting my eyes. He puts his right index finger to his mouth and points to his ears. I listen quietly, and notice a low hum was sounding to right-back and it took me a moment to place the current of electricity that now surrounded us. I sucked in a deep breath and let it all out in one big sigh. My father had effectively trapped us within Amity Park, like Pariah Dark had done when Phantom had fought him off what seemed like ages ago. The only difference it had done this time was we weren't in the Ghost Zone, we could still see the outside world, but the electricity of the surrounding shields kept us from trying to get to the outside world.

Complete silence had enveloped the waiting town, and then all hell began to break loose.

My POV

Erik sat in silence, imagining several ways to kill the man who sat in the "throne" next to him. He imagined his hands wrapping around the guys throat, but knew that wouldn't work, considering Death was already dead, and therefore, didn't need to breath. But he couldn't face the true horrors that awaited him beyond the mansion doors. He couldn't imagine what could be happening to his friends, to all the other teenagers that had volunteered to help.

The doors were thrown wide when she came in, a presence too hard to ignore. Alex's mother, a strong young woman, strode into the house like she'd completely owned it. Her chin was held high, a look of defiance on her pretty face, so like Alex's. Summer Wolf was never a parent to mess with, being an inventor and all.

"Derrick, you need to back the hell off," She channeled strong energy towards Alex's father, willing him to listen, and maybe take heed of her words. "Why? Summer, you said she needed to be prepared," Death smiled up at Summer, who remained impassive. What did she mean? Erik thought while trying to hide, so he could possibly figure more information that might be of some use to Alex. "This is not what I meant, pursuing her for revenge after she beat you the first time," Summer hadn't noticed the boy in the corner yet.

Death stood, like a dark angel, swept his arm to the side. A once blank wall slides away to reveal a movie screen, that replays footage that Erik had never been intended to see.

At first, it's various shots of Alex fighting her dad, but it quickly changes to a behind the scene, shortly after Summer's capture:

"You have done well," Derrick murmured, letting his fingers intertwine with Summers'. "Done well? Is what I'm doing even right?" Summer's voice was laced with doubt, but she let herself be comforted by the man in front of her. "Clockwork said it's necessary for the future," Derrick muttered, looking sympathetically at his "ex-wife".

"We'll find out what her limits are, we're finding out what David's are as well," Summer looked into his eyes and sighed. Since the twins had been born, a sort of weight had been placed on their tiny shoulders. Clockwork had said they were intended for a great "destiny", but Summer sometimes doubted that what he said was true.

Even from the beginning, the twins were dangerous to keep together, which, no matter how much it killed the both of them, they had to split, keep the sibling's apart until they were old enough to understand. Derrick's whole ruse of being evil had been so that Alex, with the sharpest mind they had seen in the Wolf family, wouldn't figure it out too quickly. The lies woven about her dad were essential, even when it killed her mother the most.

The scene cuts off, and the soft narration of both parents faded with the images. Erik couldn't believe what he'd heard, what he'd seen. So this was all a ploy, to keep Alex and David apart until the slight sparks of power were able to be together without anything exploding. Erik's mind was cluttered with several thoughts, so he never noticed when both the grown-ups began to notice him.

Derrick and Summer shared a long look before moving closer to their daughters best friend. "You're not letting me go are you?" His voice came out a rough whisper, parched by the sudden intake of knowledge. "Oh Erik, this was something you were never supposed to see, a secret I only kept hidden for the safety of Alex and everybody around her." Summer's voice cut through the fog that had begun to cloud Erik's mind and the last thing his eyes took in was the look of sincere grief, genuine misery, on Derrick Wolf's face before blacking out.

Okay, I'm sorry about not updating sooner, but like I said, I'm still having problems with my computer, and it likes to shut down at the most extreme, undesirable moments. But, I think I almost have the problem worked out, just need Norton to quite being stupid, and to be home more often.

Ramblings aside, tell me what you thought of this chapter, after I finished the last book in the Hunger Games Trilogy, this idea came to me (after the initial crying of course) and so I begin to type it up. Please, review!

Chao!