So... What's up ya'll!? Random thought of the day: When was the last time I drew a face around my bellybutton? I'm a weirdo, I know, You don't even have to tell me.
And, I don't know if you all do this when you write stories, but I get really obsessive about checking how many reviews I have. So, every time I log on, I tell myself "Now, Jinx (My nickname, 'cuz I'm known for my clutziness and seem to always manage to hurt myself in a harmless situation), don't be getting your hopes up. You know that number of reviews isn't going anywhere." ~So, what do I do? Of course, I can't help hoping, so when I see the number hasn't changed, I feel like crying.
I love reviews! It keeps me going. I've always hated it when people say "no updates until I get at least _ more reviews." It makes me feel mad because I want an update anyway, and I don't want to force ya'll into anything. I like reviews when you mean it. Maybe send in some reviews just because you want to make me smile? Only if you want to though! I'm not threatening you guys at all!
When you guys review for me, don't be afraid to recommend one of your own fan fictions to me! I want to read them, but I want to try and read a little of everybody's 'cuz I love reviewing for other people!
Oh, and sorry, but this chapter is kind of serious. But that's okay, it explains a lot! And the next chapter should have some more humor in it!
Oh, sugar-honey-iced-tea! He was coming after me, and I was pinned. This Eraser was huge and its abnormally large size intimidated me more than the usual ones did. The Eraser was different in several ways. It had black grimy fur that twisted away from its body at odd angles instead of the sleek brown or grays 'native' to their kind. And this one, it had wings like most of the newer versions, but they seemed like they were actually meant to be there instead of patched on. Saliva dripped continuously from a large pink tongue that dangled between razor sharp teeth, and I realized that this one looked more wolf than most others.
I grabbed the nearest thing to me in the empty cave. The rock was sharp and jagged on both sides. It would easily cut my skin, but do nothing to the beast in front of me, so I dropped it. I'd have to find a better one, but I didn't peel my eyes away from the glowing eyes in the shadows. This one was alone, and was taking it's time on making it's way toward me. I fumbled around on the ground blindly for something that would help me. My hand made contact with a spear, no doubt left here by the Indian tribe that came through often. I raised it and pointed it at the looming shape.
It stepped closer and its face became visible. I gasped and my chest constricted.
Fang.
The wolf growled somewhere deep in it's throat and curled its lips back over the glistening white incisors. This was definitely a wolf, but also undeniably Fang. I knew this somehow deep in my gut. "Fang!" I called out. His dark black eyes narrowed and his claws scraped the ground as he stepped closer still snarling.
I lowered the spear and heard it clatter to the ground. "Fang, what happened?"
And that's when he lunged, landing square on my shoulders, and the last thing I saw was a flash of teeth.
I jumped awake screaming and screaming. I shrieked again in distress, feeling my face to make sure it was still there. A hand came over and clamped down tight on my mouth. My screaming was stopped abruptly.
"Shhhh." Someone hissed.
My first instinct was to fight. I'd woken up with my mouth covered before, and that was not an experience I wanted to relive. I ended up twisting the hand off my mouth, and was getting ready to roll to the side and yank the person's arm out of it's socket, but the person was prepared. They twisted with their hand, pulled free, and shoved me to the ground.
"Dammit!" I heard Fang's harsh whisper.
I blinked several times trying to remember who was in his body. "Nudge?" I asked sitting up, glad that Fang wasn't really awake to here me screaming his name. "Since when did you start cursing?"
"Nope, not Nudge." Whoever was in him said. They shook their hand out. "It's actually really me. I'm Fang."
I rubbed my eyes more thoroughly. "What? Have we all switched back?"
"Depends." He sighed. "Are you the real Nudge?"
I laid back groaning. "Why do you get to switch back?"
He shrugged, flicked a pebble at me, and then disappeared. It was silent for several moments. "I could get used to this again." He said, materializing when he spoke. "Although I'm gonna miss being able to make you guys my slaves. It was really fun torturing you." He said smiling that lopsided grin that Nudge just couldn't manage to replicate when she was him. I had the sudden urge to kiss him.
"Smack me." I said, exhaling in a really annoyed gesture. I would absolutely not kiss Fang if I was still Nudge.
"Why?" He asked, his grin fading. He was taking this time to disappear and reappear every other second. He was enjoying himself way to much.
"Maybe you can knock me back into my own body."
He turned to me and raised his eyebrows. "Smacking is for girls. Dudes punch."
I glared. "Whatever! Besides, you were a seven-year-old girl just a few hours ago!"
"My mommy said to never hit a person. It's not nice." He said mimicking Angel's voice as best he could.
I stood up and kicked dust at him. "Why do I ever bother arguing with you?" I reached up to rub my temples. "You're worse than the Voice."
Fang brushed the dirt off his hoodie. "Have you ever noticed that I always win the arguments?"
"Do not!" I protested.
Fang vanished again and didn't respond, which just made me mad. I kept kicking dirt at him, only to have it disappear as it came into contact with his skin.
"Uhg!" I sighed, still quiet enough to keep the others from waking up. "You're more annoying than Total."
Fang materialized and stayed that way. "Woof." He said, cracking a smile.
A for some reason, one thing connected to another - woof went to dog, dog to wolf, wolf to eraser, eraser to Fang. I stumbled back in surprise, my breath hitching in my throat. God, that dream! What had that been about?
In a split second Fang was up and in front of me, concern grazing his features. I was so caught up in the moment that I ducked and blocked, preparing myself for that flash of teeth to tear into me. "Max? What's wrong?"
His voice was all it took to bring me back to my senses. I unveiled my head from behind my arms blinking into normal Fang eyes. "Nothing." I almost stuttered. "Your face just scares me."
His eyes narrowed, knowing with just one glance at my face that he wouldn't get a word out of me. "Uh-huh." He side stepped around me. "Well, you've got Nudge's motormouth now, so you'll spill it eventually. I'm getting food. Be back in twenty." He was right. And I dreaded that. He lept into the air, his wings unfurling like dark ribbons. Or like Batman with his cape of doom.
The next thing I did was turn around and start kicking everyone awake. "Wake up! Are you guys nuts!" I emptied a water bottle on Iggy's head. "I was screaming and none of you woke up! Are you trying to let me get eaten by a man-eating..." I dwindled off not seeing anything the least bit threatening around.
"Moth?" Gazzy offered.
"Snail?" Angel suggested.
"Leaf?" Iggy asked, ticked off that his clothes were soaked. "I mean really, Max. All it seems we have to worry about is making sure that I'm nowhere near the campfire in case I fart in my sleep."
Gazzy snickered.
"Or you drowning us." Nudge piped up. At least I think Nudge would have to be in Angel's body at this point.
"Hold up." I said scanning the group of them. "Who's who?"
"I'm the same person I fell asleep as."
"Me too."
"Same."
"I'm Nudge." Angel's little form said. "Fang and I switched last night. It was really weird, because I was in the middle of this dream, and I saw this candy bar. But it wasn't a normal candy bar. It was a ginormous snickers bar and the Statue of Liberty was holding it, but she was also made of chocolate. And then I was thinking that there was, like, no way I'd be able to eat it all. And then Gazzy was there saying he was going to destroy it. And then it exploded. And then a melted chunk hit me in the face. The dream suddenly stopped, but it wasn't like a typical stop. It was more like Boom! And then this train sound-"
Iggy's had clamped on her mouth. "We get it Nudge. You swapped with Fang while in the middle of a really weird dream."
Nudge nodded against his hand. When he moved his hand away, Nudge tilted her head in concentration. "What's that noise?"
I scanned the area, but nothing caught my eye. "I don't hear anything."
"What'd you say?!" Nudge almost shrieked, wipping her head to face Iggy.
"Nothing!" His hands shot up in surrender.
"I am not chubby for dreaming about chocolate! I'm skinnier than you!"
Iggy grabbed his hair. "Hey! Get out of my head!"
"We're not even in our own bodies." Angel pointed out helpfully. "So why are we comparing how skinny we are?"
And then Fang came in and saved the day, putting a stop to the argument. Wow, that's a first.
"Breakfast!" He smiled, well sort of. It was his crooked grin again.
"Gimme my McGrittle and bacon!" Iggy said, pushing forward.
I barely caught Nudge mutter, "Now who's chubby?"
Angel POV
"Paris!" Nudge sang, dancing while we swerved around clouds. "I can't believe it! Hey, Angel, remembered when Total had that really bad allergic reaction to some lady's perfume? And then when he sneezed, he bumped into that table and the glass of hot coffee spilled on him?"
"Yah." Angel sighed. She was too tired to even be listening what Nudge was rambling on about. Her worries about today had kept her up all last night. Today would be the day that Max might leave. Angel hoped desperately that she wouldn't. She promised she wouldn't. Angel wanted to hug Celeste really bad, but she'd pretended to outgrow it so Gazzy would stop making fun of her.
"Ha!" Nudge giggled. "I didn't know he knew so much French... French that was curse words." She giggled again. How could she have so much energy?
"Why didn't Total bug us to come along?" Max wondered aloud. "He would have killed to come back to Paris."
Fang glided up alongside her. "He wanted to keep it a secret, but I heard his mind before we left." He said mysteriously. Iggy added a dramatic 'Dun-dun-dun!'.
"What could possibly keep him from begging to go to France with us?" Max reasoned with him.
Fang paused, wondering if he should tell them all, but Nudge read his mind easily.
She gasped. "AKILA IS GOING TO HAVE PUPPIES?" Nudge almost fell from the sky. "TOTAL'S GOING TO BE A DAD!"
Fang face-palmed. "Forgot that she could do that now." He whispered to Max.
Max sighed. "I'm scared now that the NudgeChannel has the ability to hear every dark secret we have."
Everyone was celebrating happily and Angel wanted to too, but the Voice found this as a great time to butt in.
Turn two degrees east. It seemed to whisper in her ear. You'll see a blue cafe. Land behind there, and Dylan will be waiting. He has brought along a friend that is planning on helping him with his motives. Niether of them know of the Flock's body swap yet.
Angel had learned that not responding to the Voice was easier. If she asked it a question, it only lead to scary answers. She couldn't help herself though as she wondered who the 'friend' might be. Someone from Itex?
No. The Voice answered. Another hybrid like you all. Not exactly like you, but you'll find out.
The Flock banked around another cloud, and Angel spotted the cafe. "Going down!" She called. And then they descended toward what she knew was going to be Max's worst nightmare.
MAX POV
Why were we landing behind some really fancy cafe instead of entering it and getting some chow? Who knows? Why was I following blindly behind Angel who'd stabbed me in the back several times? Good question. And what was my reaction when the first thing I saw was Dylan? Well, here... let me tell ya.
"What the fudge is this!?" I shouted. Well, that's not exactly what I said, but it's a close enough translation to keep ya'll's innocence. I was seething, and honestly, I was so mad that I was actually hoping some Erasers would show up so I could strangle something. On second thought... maybe if Dylan came just a little closer... I could get my fingers around his throat.
There was a stunned silence as the Flock's gaze whipped back and forth disbelieving between Dylan and Angel.
Dylan stepped toward Angel and reached out to her. I stood by ridged with fury. "Max," He started, and stepped closer still facing Angel, "I'm so sorry for what I did to you." He went to take her hand, but she slapped him.
"I'm not Max!" She spat, then covered up her mouth like she'd made the biggest mistake of her life. Which it wasn't, because bringing me here was the biggest mistake.
Despite my anger, I couldn't help the laughter that poured out of my mouth at the look on Dylan's face. "You get him, sweetie!" I called out. "Left hook next!" Fang chuckled beside me.
She yelped, and then threw herself at him. That's my girl. I thought. Tackle him to the ground! Make him beg for his life like he made me do for Fang! But that didn't happen, and the next thing that she did made me cry out in alarm. She... hugged him and apologized. "I'm so sorry, Dylan!"
"What!" I shrieked. I was trembling with so much rage that I forgot to harness in my powers. The nearest tin trashcan lid went flying right toward Dylan's head. Unfortunately, a kid with light cocoa-brown skin stepped forward and caught the lid a foot from pretty boy's perfectly tousled blonde hair.
"Who are you?" Nudge snapped, although, she seemed a bit awestruck.
"My name's Wake, and we need to talk."
"The Hell we don't!" I boiled. "You need to get your scrawny asses away from my Flock before I kill you both." I yanked Angel off of Dylan. "Come on, Angel. Back to the mission. Help me pretend we didn't show up here, so I don't do something I regret."
Angel pulled out of my grasp. "This is the mission, Max. Dylan's here to help us-"
That was the last straw. "I swear to whatever gods that are out there, that if this is the reason that we flew all the way across the Atlantic Ocean I'm gonna-"
"Calm, please." The kid named Wake sighed. He was obviously younger than Dylan, but not by too many years. He was maybe thirteen. "If you won't speak to him," he gestured to Dylan with a wave of his hand, "then speak to me."
"No." I backed up, ready to live up to my name as Maximum "Charging Off" Ride yet again.
"Don't leave!" Angel wailed.
"Wake has good intentions. He doesn't mean any harm." Nudge offered a bit too enthusiastically, and I think she blinked a bit too many times, too quickly. She narrowed her eyes at Dylan. "We've lived with Dylan too long, though. He's got me blocked."
"Don't worry." I patted Angel's shoulder. "I won't leave you guys, but we all are leaving this place, and we're going home to Mom." I turned to Nudge. "And thanks for the insight but we'll be leaving now.
"No." Angel fell onto her hands and knees, pleading with me. "Max, just trust me. We have to stay and listen, the Voice-"
"NO!" I shouted down at her. I didn't normally ever yell like this at Angel, but she'd dragged me across the Ocean just to say that the Voice said to trust Dylan. I was not a happy camper. At all. Like, not even a little bit.
She got up and walked over to the back-stabbing-killer, swaying as if her legs would give out. "Well, I'm staying. And I have your body, so you kind of have to too."
"Angel, I-" I started then stopped because I couldn't come up with any good punishments. I glared instead.
Dylan looked like he was finally catching on to what was going on. "What if I told you we found a way to destroy your Voice?" He asked.
This question had taken me aback. Could he have? Angel looked just as confused as I was. The Voice had sent us on a mission to destroy itself?
Dylan saw the obvious look of distrust on my face. He shook his head. "Not directly the Voice, but the School and the entire system program behind it. I was told we needed to take it out. We'd destroy the Voice in the process. That's how we save the world."
"But isn't the Voice from the School?" I asked. "Why would the School be telling us to blow it up?"
"It's not." Wake said. "You all were not created at the School, and neither was the Voice. The Voice is from where I come from - Rebels Against Weapon Reinforcement. I call them RAWR."
"We weren't born at the School?" Gasman asked.
Dylan shook his head. "I was, but you all weren't."
Fang stepped up. "This is starting to piss me off. You better start explaining real quick what this RAWR crap is about."
Ig snickered. "He said rawr."
Wake faced the brick wall and leaned on it with both his elbows. He rolled back his shoulder blades and wings protruded from beneath his five dollar Walmart hoodie. Instead of the long, feathery wings that I'd expected, they were dark black and almost velvety looking. They seemed intimidating, almost like a dragon's, yet so thin and delicate that it made me afraid to touch him in fear that they might tear like paper. "I'm two percent bat." He sighed. "RAWR didn't like how the School was creating living weapons and then attempting to sell them off... so they made mutants like us to stop them. I have a Voice. You have a Voice too, no?"
I shrugged. "Yah, but why would RAWR be making living weapons to stop stop living weapons?"
Wake turned to face us, his dark brown eyes young and innocent. "The School makes the Erasers, and RAWR creates us to stop them. The School sees how effective we are, and they keep trying to get ahold of us to see what makes us tick."
I was finally calming down, but this idea of another place like the School had my mind kicking into high gear, trying to sort out memories of what was possibly the School, and what was possibly RAWR. "They're both awful." I decided. "And you said the Voice is not a part of the School, so how does destroying the School destroy the Voice too?"
"It's like the Cold War." Nudge decided, reading the rest of the senario out of the boys' heads. "They both have attacks planned that will destroy each other. All it takes is one of them to make the first move and then the other will attack back before the real damage hits. Then they both go down. But neither of them wanted to take the chance yet. The School didn't want its new research on us destroyed and RAWR hadn't built up a big enough attack to totally bring them down." Nudge turned to me grinning. It was times like these that her ability to say everything on her mind came in handy. "We're the final straw that will break the camel's back. We are the butterfly that changes the world!" Nudge seemed giddy with excitement now. "It all makes sense, Max! They have been planning this since we were born! There won't be anymore scientists or Erasers trying to kill us! We'll finally be free."
"Sacrifices will need to be made." Dylan warned. "Innocent lives will be lost."
"We'll find a way to save them." I assured him actually happy enough to not be screaming at him and shoving a sword down his throat. "We can actually make a difference. We can make it through, and nothing can stop me from killing every single one of those monsters that are always threatening us."
And maybe if I was still on my guard and not too ecstatic giving hugs to my family, I might have actually heard Dylan mutter, "You don't know what you're saying. One of those monsters is with you now." But I hadn't been listening, so I hadn't even heard him say that it was Fang.
Yay. So excited! I honestly have had no idea where this story has been going since chapter 1, but I think I'm finally getting a clue. Why is Max having dreams about Fang becoming an Eraser? What is Dylan's plan exactly? Where is Ella's dad and how does Angel plan on getting him back? And who is this new 'Wake' kid?
Oh and a shout out goes to SoNotPerfect ! This person is an awesome reviewer and they have a Maximum Ride fan fiction on here called The Search. It's really great. Fang leaves the Flock (gasp! don't worry, it's for a good reason this time), and then the entire Flock's memory gets erased (oh, no!). The only thing Max remembers is Fang and she sets out to find him (awww! so cute!). Eeeep! Yay, again! So... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? GO CHECK IT OUT! And make sure you review for them! Pwwwease?
