Angel was sitting on the front porch steps with Total, watching as the trees were slowly being lit up by the rising sun. Everyone else was still asleep, minus Max, Fang and Kitty. Max was awake because, duh, she's the leader; Fang is just Fang and probably hadn't gotten any sleep in the first place; and then Kitty, who Angel had taken the liberty of waking up at the crack of dawn so that she could show her the sunrise.
Long story short, Kitty was not a morning person and got only a glimpse through her bedroom window before pulling up the covers and going back to sleep. Well, not really. Angel was still hearing her thoughts loud and clear, not at all tainted by the blurriness of sleep.
I'm hungry, a thought came from inside the house. The Gasman, of course. Angel could hear his feet scuffle along the wooden floors and into the kitchen where her would no doubt ask Max to make him breakfast. Too bad for him, Max and Fang had taken off earlier for an early morning flight. He had obviously discovered this soon after, because his next thought was Aw, man. Now I gotta wake up Iggy. There was more scuffling as the Gasman went back into the bedrooms.
"Angel, do you think Max is right?" Total asked out of the blue. Angel looked at him, confused. "About Kitty, I mean. You think she really is evil?"
Angel thought about his question for a moment. Normally, Angel would be all over Max's words like flies on honey. But she just believed that Max was actually wrong this time--but please, don't tell Max that! Besides, its kind of impossible to lie to a mind reader. Angel turned her attention towards Kitty and her thoughts, just to check.
Someone should let the person who thought up counting sheep how dumb they really are. Sheep, geez. Well, I guess they had the right idea. Maybe if it was something better, cuter. Like penguins, for example. I can do that. One penguin, two penguin...okay, maybe not.
"No, she's perfectly harmless. Trust me." Angel rolled her eyes. The only way Kitty could be evil was if she started a band of sheep-hating protesters and rallied them against farms across the nation. And Angel highly doubted that.
Max and Fang landed near the trees with a muted thud just then, and Angel smiled at them in welcome. Fang went straight into the house, giving both and Angel and Total a pat as he passed them, but Max sat down and leaned up against the railing nearest them. She sighed and closed her eyes.
"Morning, glory." the three of them heard Fang say with mock elation. They all turned in sync to face the doorway, where Kitty was half-standing, half-falling over. Bleary-eyed and looking kind of lost, she walked out onto the porch and sank down right where she was. Fang chuckled to himself and shut the door behind her.
"Do you guys always wake up this early?" she asked them. It was hard to tell what she was saying; her words were still layered thick with sleep. Angel chanced a look over at Max. She still had her eyes closed, but her face was tight with suppressed hostility.
"Well when you have to save the world from immanent destruction, its not exactly wise to wake up at noon. But, knowing you and you're perfect little universe, I'm sure that fact didn't even cross you're mind." Max was shaking her head slowly while she spoke. Kitty nodded once, too tired to retort.
Does she ever give it a break? Kitty thought clearly. Angel gave her a sideways glance, and moved her head slightly to the left, then to the right. Kitty made a face and thought, of course not.
"Why are you awake, anyway?" Max asked her. Kitty didn't answer for a moment, just smiled at Angel.
"The sun rose to early for me to witness and then the sheep and the penguins just weren't working out well." Kitty twisted her mouth as to not smile, but Angel giggled.
"Because that makes so much sense." Max mumbled. "Why don't you just go away and let us have some peace with our family." she opened her eyes, and looked Kitty dead in the eyes, probably wanting to see how much that would hurt her. Kitty lost her cool facade for a moment there, and there was the tiniest bit of sadness showing in her amber eyes.
"Look, Max, I know you don't like me." Kitty began slowly, repositioning herself so that she was sitting on her knees. Her face was alert and awake suddenly, and her eyes bore into Max's with deep feeling.
"Really? What could have given you that idea?" Max rolled her eyes, and looked out toward the yard. It looked like she was just brushing Kitty off, but Angel saw the true reason in her thoughts: she actually felt guilt for being so mean. Huh, who knew?
Kitty laughed once humorlessly. "Just get over it already. Its only a matter of time before we become friends."
Max scoffed, and her eyes became incredulous and sarcastic. The guilt was gone, and Max was back on her game.
"Really, Max." Kitty said with wide eyes as to convince her. It wasn't likely, but why tell her that? Kitty leaned forward, so that she was only a few inches away from Max. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I've seen it." she smiled confidently, hopped up, and sauntered into the kitchen.
Max looked at Angel with an irritated, shaken expression. She didn't have to read her mind to see the question there. Angel shrugged and looked out onto the yard, now almost entirely lit by the sun.
Kitty was telling the truth, but Angel wasn't going to be the one to confirm it. She'd like to keep her head, if she possibly could.
