I know I just posted chapter four, but I figured there's no harm in posting a second one for the day, right? This chapter explains a LOT. And no, I didn't have to do any research on genetics. I just know a lot about them cause they're an interesting subject. xDSorry for such short chapters, but that's just the way I write. Shorter chapters but they are updated faster.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride's characters! Just the plot.

Wings.

There were two, tiny, fucking WINGS on my back

So, my dear friends. What happens when you are in unimaginable pain and surprise?

The world goes dark.

"Look! She's waking up!" Nudge, I think, exclaimed. What happened?

"I don't think you're in the position to even talk, Nudge," Fang said darkly, glaring at Nudge while leaning over to inspect me.

"What happened?" I asked. My voice sounded weird.

"You hatched," Iggy explained, standing near a window in my room.

"Excuse me?" I demanded. Why was everyone being so cryptic?

"Max, stand up," Fang instructed. I did. We walked over to my bathroom, and he started to lift my shirt up.

"Woah there buddy!" I snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

Fang rolled his eyes. "Just lift it up."

I did as he instructed, and then I remembered. I remembered the searing pain, the yellowed eyes, and the wings.

I turned around and stared. After five minutes of gaping, I tried to move them. They did.

"What the FUCK is wrong with me?" I whispered. "And how does Iggy know about it? Why are you so calm?" I said, getting angry.

And I watched myself in the mirror as my eyes became yellow, sharp, and deadly looking as I got angrier and angrier. Fang looked too.

And then, as I calmed down, the yellow went away.

"Fang?"

"Yes Max?" Fang asked calmly.

"Why is this happening to me? Why do I have wings?"

Fang led me back into my bedroom. Iggy and Nudge turned towards me.

"Cause you're like us. One of us," Nudge explained quietly, totally out of character.

The next thing surprised me. Nudge rolled her shoulders and extended two mocha color wings, each one 6 feet in length. My jaw dropped to the floor. She grinned sheepishly.

Iggy did the same. His wings resembled those of a seagulls. And were about 8 feet in length. I felt myself go cold.

"I have them too," Fang shrugged, and extended two gigantic jet-black wings. Those of a ravens. Then all three folded their wings back in, simultaneously.

"Who wants to explain this all to her?" Fang asked Iggy and Nudge. Iggy volunteered.

"So basically, we're a whole other species. We're not humans, not birds. During the human evolution some humans branched out to create another species. A more animalistic species. The species that link the evolution trees of the humans and avians together," Iggy explained. I didn't say anything, but just continued to listen.

"That species is us. We don't really have an official name or anything. We just call ourselves human-avians. We are much older as a species than the current human species. We're like, ancient.

The only way to produce young that are complete with the characteristics of an avian-human is for both the parents to be avian-human. The HA gene is a submissive gene, while the human one is purely dominant. Hybrids between these two species appear human and can never give birth to complete avian-humans," Iggy continued.

"Wait, wait. Does that mean that my parents are HA?" I asked.

"I honestly doubt that they're your real parents. We would have been able to notice full grown AH's," Fang interrupted.

"Anyways. The HA is really rare. There are less than 50 world-wide. And the deficiency further speeds along extinction, because it is really difficult to *cough cough*, find mates that can produce pure-bred children.

The AH have many characteristics. Usually the type of bird gene you show, in my case a seagull's, is derived from the dominant gene from your parents. HA young either hatch or are born live. It varies from mother to mother," Iggy further explained.

"Wait, so does that mean I might lay EGGS?" I shrieked. That idea could explain a lot to me, and why I might have not… *ahem*… started my cycle.

"Like I said, it depends. Ask Nudge to explain more. HA young are born with their wings, but the wings usually remain inside the child's back until ages 7-9. Which is a little confusing why yours came out so late.

After the wings 'hatch' they continue to grow for about two months. They grow rapidly, and are full grown by the time those 2 months are done. They first hatch with down feathers, but quickly molt them and molt in full primary feathers fit for flying.

Our bones are extremely hollow and we contain air sacks to regulate our breathing and help deliver oxygen to the lungs during flight. Our hearts are built differently for this reason too, and pumps a lot faster by the time your wings hatch. Your body heat is also increased by an average of 10-15 degrees at this time.

The eye color changing is another characteristic of avian-humans. When angered or aroused, your eyes revert to the natural color of your bird genes. In your case, yellow, because it seems like your dominant bird gene is some sort of raptor. You will also display certain effects of hormones during certain times of the year. Just like most birds have mating seasons, avian-humans have them too," Iggy said calmly, though his cheeks were turning red. Fang and Nudge were silent during this entire time, turning red too. "That's about my entire explanation. Any questions?"

I realized that my cheeks felt hot. "How do you hide the wings?" I finally asked.

"For you its relatively easy… for now since they're small. But when they're full grown they can fold neatly along your spine and are near invisible under appropriate clothing," Fang said. "That's why you never noticed ours."

I just nodded, taking it all in. I was part of some old and rare race. I would be able to fly. I might lay eggs. My head hurt from just thinking about it all. I headed down to my living room and just sat on the couch, hugging a pillow.

After ten minutes, Nudge came downstairs.

"I'm sorry it's been so sudden for you Max. You just found out. I have been living with the idea since I was born. If I were in your place, I don't think I could have handled the situation as well…" Nudge trailed off, looking sympathetic at me.

"Do you lay eggs?" I blurt out.

Nudge laughed. "No, I am one of the lucky ones. I started my periods when I was eleven."

My cheeks started heating up again just at the word.

"If you haven't gotten yours by now… I'm so sorry Max!" Nudge further said. My eyes widened, and I just fell sideways on the couch so that I was now lying down.

"There's a lot more that we have to explain, Max, but for today I think we're just gonna let you digest it all. Just remember, we aren't the only sub-human species out there," Nudge continued before heading back up to my room.

Well, that certainly changed my perspective on the world.

Anyways, read and review! You know the drill. I know some people just want to read, but reviewing gives you more reading material faster! ;D

~Falcon