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Fandom Winged

Keanu frowned as Blaire just proceeded to re-mess up his hair, after he had spent so much time trying to fix it. Even though he was sure his cheeks changed color at her saying it looked cute.


When both Liza and Lillie can't find Alex, she frowns and looks at the piece of paper in her hand. Sure it was a big house, there was plenty of places to hide, and they were masters at playing hide and seek, but she was sure Liza and Lillie took care of looking everywhere. Of course he could be out flying too, but she was starting to get worried. What if all of this really wasn't a joke.


She's concentrating on thinking when Lillie bounces over to her. She shakes her head when she asks if she had seen Alex. "No, I haven't. I was wondering if you had." She shrugged, knowing how close her and Alex were. But not wanting to worry the little girls, she smiles and nods. "Yeah, I'm sure he must be flying. He should be back any time now." Her grip on the note tightens.


She suddenly feels tugging on her wrist, and she looks back down at the frantic Lillie. Naturally, Callie bends down to Lillie's height so she can see her better. With a sigh, she shakes her head. "No, I'm sure that's not what happened. Last we know, Mr. Chu was underwater, right? We don't even know if he's still alive. Alex is fine, I know it." Of course she didn't know that for sure, but she had always felt like she knew when one of the Flock members was hurt or in trouble. And she didn't even want to think about him being taken by Chu.


She stood back up, going over to Keanu right as Blaire was coming back. She out the hand with the note in it out for them to take. "Read this." She says in a quiet voice. It had been a letter from Alex explaining that he was leaving and the reasons why, but she figured her and the older kids should talk it over before concerning the younger ones.


Keanu rose an eyebrow as his sister held out what looked like a folded over piece of plain notebook paper. He hesitantly took it from her. He just really hopped it wasn't some letter from Chu or the school. He didn't wan to start fighting yet, not again. He unfolded it and started reading, but moved it over enough so Blaire could see too. His eyes widened a little as he came to the end. He looked back up at Callie, who just shrugged. "Do you think this is real?" He asked, which was pointed to both Callie and Blaire.


Callie just shrugged again. "I mean, it looks like it's his handwriting and everything."


((Oh yeah, Magic, are you still gunna make a Maya for Alex's little flock?))
 
Joseph had no idea how he had gotten himself in this situation in nothing but a matter of minutes. It had been at least a year or so since he escaped the school and they were just as persistent as ever. The increased crunch of leaves and twigs behind him reminded himself even more to not stop. "I am not going back to that Hell- hole" he thought to himself determined as he thought of the peaceful time he had right before this all began. All joseph was doing was making a camp in a safe place he had always counted on since the trackers seemed to have given up for a month. After portioning off a small meal he had 'Found" in the nearby city he was about ready to dig in when the sound of howls, snarls, and claws digging into the earth begun nearby which automatically put him in high alert as he dropped his supplies and outstretched his wings about to making a leaping start when from out of nowhere a trackers clawed hand caught the majority of his left wing causing a slashing injury down the side. Of course it wouldn't be like that if he never tried escape from its big meaty paws by delivering a well placed elbow into its jaw to get the satisfying crunch he enjoyed whenever he hit one of these monsters.


As his legs began to wear out causing a succession of trips and assorted stumbles effectively making Joseph curse under his breath. After a few minutes of the same thing a rock had finally caught him in the right enough spot to bring Joseph down on the hard forest floor. He was about to pick himself up but the Trackers had already began to close the distance between them. "I am so dead" he thought as the hopelessness of the situation was finally setting in. "It was a good enough run" he mumbled out loud as Joseph's body instinctively backed up until it reached the bark of a tree. Joseph just sighed closing his eyes shut not wanting to be aware when the Trackers finally descended on him to beat him half to death and drag back to the god forsaken school.


 
Alex was far from Dr.Akana's house by now, he had closed of his mental connection to the Flock and was wandering through a forest, trying to decide whether or not to camp here when night falls. Of course, it was no issue now since it was about midday, Alex had just ate from the small bag he had packed, but before he knew it he was sure night would fall quickly. He was silently pushing twigs aside, stepping around any potential loud looking leaves, and mentally complaining to himself about how cramped his wings felt against his back in this busy wood when he heard loud snaps of twigs, crunches of leaves and the distinct snarls of a beasty Tracker. He ducked down immediately, hiding behind a nearby bush, only to see a boy with two large wings come speeding past, Trackers at his heels.


Oh sh*t.


Alex saw it coming before it happened. A rock snagged the guy's foot, and he came crashing down, surrounded by Trackers in an instant. He watched as the guy gave up, closing his eyes as he lay on the floor. Dammit. He leaves his damn Flock for their own safety and just when he thinks he's home free he has to save this guy. But still, he couldn't just watch those disgusting Trackers take away this apparent bird kid.


Oh god was that slime coming out of that Tracker's mouth??


Alex came on to the closest one with a scissor kick that could kill a normal human. But these weren't normal humans. They were robots…but…it was almost like it was covered in skin. Aw, gross.


It came back around to strike him with a jab from the right side, but he grabbed it's extended arm with his left hand, and chopped it with his right. It came off like butter. It hesitated for a moment, which Alex used to his advantage. He swung his right leg up and twisted so that he was facing it's back. From there he roundhouse kicked it in half. All in about thirty seconds.


Next victim, please?


About three of them ganged up on Alex next, and almost looked like they were cocky about it. Please. Get two more against me, and then it'd be a fair fight. Alex started by doing a full roundhouse kick, knocking them all to the ground. Once the first one got up Alex jumped up and out with his combat boots first, which split it in half. From there he kicked, punched and chopped his way out of the rest of that set.


He looked around then, seeing he had taken all the Trackers down, and frowned, kicking one of the heads of the robot, slime spewing thing. Why couldn't they just be humans or something? But, no. These idiotic scientists had to go and screw it all up. They had to make everything complicated with their robotics and crap. Then again, now he felt a lot less guilty when he killed one.


Alex finally looked to the injured bird kid, he looked about his age, maybe a bit younger, and held out his hand to the floored guy. "Need a hand?"
 
Seeing Keanu, Callie, and Blaire clustered together, speaking in hushed voices and reading a note together, Liza darts over, getting right up on all of them, weaving in and out around their legs and tugging at each of them as she demands that they too include her, eyes wide with concern. They seem serious and worried, and she still doesn't know where Alex is...what if Lillie is right and Mr. Chu did take him?


"What's going on...what's that note? What's it say? Read it to me, I can't read yet...is that from Mr. Chu? Did he take Alex?"


Looking back at Lillie, she raises her voice as she calls back to her. "They got a note!"


Eliza continues to watch in silence, then stands, putting a hand on Liza's shoulder and gently drawing her back from the older kids. She regards them as she says calmly, "If something did happen to Alex, we have to tell the younger children...they'll know eventually." She keeps her eyes averted slightly and her tone is somewhat hesitant, but her posture is sure.
 
Joseph opened his eyes after a few seconds surprised that nothing had happen to him yet to catch the sight of a kid maybe a year or two older than he was apparently holding up his own against the pack of trackers that looked even more disturbing close up especially with the continuous stream of slime coming from their mouths. Joseph watched a little astonished as he seemed to take them all down one by one with no problem at all as if he has done this at least twenty times before. After watching a few of them become disembodied he noticed the wires and cords that went through their bodies. "Wait they're robots" he thought as began to look out that skin "put that has to be real skin which means" he thought again beginning to put two and two together which caused him to shudder hoping that the skin was grown. After all the work was done he looked back at the kid again "He didn't even break a sweat" he thought as he looked at the hand he was offering. Seeing no reason in the world to refuse it he accepted it and stood up quickly with his assistance so that they were standing towards each other. He tried to pull in his injured wing in just to get a look at the damage but soon regretted at as pain shot through i causing him to extend it again. "Thanks I really do appreciate the save"he said getting a good look at the remains of the trackers. He quickly started reviewing his body for any other injuries that might have happened during the run. Just the same cuts and scrapes the gash along my leg is a little better and my ankle wound is almost better" he mumbled to himself sighing. Joseph still didn't trust him just because he was saved but decided it might ease some awkwardness a little early "The names Joseph" he said holding a hand out to him.
 
Blaire walked out of Demitri's room and started walking back down the hall on her way downstairs, but she stopped herself, seeing a cracked door. Out of pure curiosity she nudged the door--"accidentally" of course--and peeked inside. There was someone sleeping in the bed, a boy from what she could see, his broad tan shoulders were bare he wasn't wearing a shirt, his arm and head hanging off the opposite side of the bed so she couldn't see who exactly it was. Their breathing didn't sound familiar so they weren't from the flock, even though she knew he was obviously not one of them. And from what she could see of the guy, from their little "dinner party" thing last night, it wasn't anyone she recognized from Dr. Akana's crew. Blaire held the door and leaned in trying to get a better view.


And of course, as they saying goes, 'curiosity killed the cat'. The door gave a loud screech of protest. The person laying in the bed jumped, suddenly awoken and half hanging off the side he rolled off the edge of the bed onto his feet. Blaire winced, her eyes cringing with guilt, standing in the open doorway. Blaire held up a guilty hand and waved awkwardly, "Ah, hi," she said with an apologetic smile.


"Uh..." Ethan blinked, staring at the girl standing in the bedroom doorway. He watched her eyes travel over him and he suddenly became aware that he was standing there in his boxers with a girl there. "Oh, shit," His neck turned red and he grabbed his slacks and shoved them onto his legs in such a hurry he fell over. Almost as quickly as it had started Ethan recovered, with a pair of pant securely fastened to his waist. The girl blinked and stared at him for a moment. It took him a moment but he finally realized it was the same dark-haired girl that was had taken over his room. Her wavy hair was pulled into a ponytail now, but what he didn't expect were those brilliant piercing blue eyes, they seemed fluid as if they moved like water, but at times cold and calculating as ice. Her power was similar to the boy from the previous night, but the feeling was sharper and more focused while the boy's, Alex's, was electric or stormy. She had enormous potential. "You going to knock first?" Ethan asked, now a little bit ticked off. She raised an eyebrow and smirked.


"Sorry about that." Blaire said and folded her arms. Of couse she had also noticed that he was wearing no shirt, but that didn't really bother her, the guys in the flock did it all the time, like the tags of the collars of clothing irritating the back of your neck, shirts did similarly the same to wings, it wasn't exactly comfortable all the time. The guy was well built with some impressive muscles, and nicely tanned. He was incredibly inviting, everything about him seemed warm, his light brown hair to his soft milky brown eyes, even his voice, and of course the brown and white striped wings on his back, just peeking over his shoulders. Another bird-kid, huh? Both of her eyebrows were raised now. Somehow she wasn't surprised, that would explain the good mysterious doctors behavior and her willingness to take them--here it comes--under her wing. Blaire walked over to him, unfazed by the whole thing, she'd lived around boys all her life, her brother Demitri didn't give a flying flip, so nothing was new. She put out her hand. "I'm Blaire Everard." She said, "I'm guessing you live here?"


He took her hand and shook it politely. "Uh, yeah. Ethan Furling, I'm Dr. Akana's--"





"Lackey?" she finished for him jokingly, letting her her hand drop to her side. Blaire was beginning to fill in the blanks for herself, as to what the doctor said the night before was starting to make sense. She decided she would test him anyways per usual. "Where'd you get the wings?"


He snorted. "I was going to say 'assistant'. And where else?" Ethan asked rhetorically.


"How'd you escape?" she asked curiously.


His eyes darkened and he broke her gaze to look away, "I'd rather not talk about that." He wasn't exactly proud of himself that night, he tried to remind himself that they weren't innocent people, that they knew what they had 'signed-up' for. But neither did he want to admit the overwhelming guilt he felt. Ethan also wasn't sure how he felt on his whole "creation". He wasn't sure just what happened, or who was responsible. But he was still looking for anwsers.


Blaire's eyebrows furrowed, she felt for him. It was always a tragedy story to whatever kid was lucky enough to break out. She wasn't about to push. "So, ah, how long have you lived with the good doctor?"


"About two years and counting." he retold for her the story of the doctor finding him and welcoming him into her home and how he worked for her. "That was actually my room you slept in last night." He didn't really mind, she was pretty cute, but not really his type.


"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't realize..." her sentence drifted off. She remembered a piece of her dream last night of the flying bird. That was why his wings looked familiar, they were the same wings. How did she even know that... "So, ah, does Dr. Akana have any more bird-kids the flock should know about?"


There's that word again, Ethan thought. "What do you mean "more bird-kids"?" he asked, a dent forming between his eyebrows in confusion.


Does this guy not know, Blaire thought. "Eliza, she has wings? You didn't know?" she asked in confusion. Suddenly they found themselves on common ground, both confused, not quite knowing what was going on...


((I'd say that Alex and Joseph are in California, close enough for a School to be nearby to explain the bird-kids popping up.))
 
Lillie was still standing, eyes watering a bit, as the older kids huddled. She didn't quite believe Callie's words. To her, Mr. Chu was an evil evil man who could do anything, to anyone. He could have survived that water thing, whatever it was that happened as she was passed out throughout it all, and he could have taken Alex. She could feel a sob coming on, and then Liza shouted out about a note.


Lillie's troubled eyes looked up then, and she frowned, voice small, "What? A note?" She trudged over to the group, trying to see the note. A note? Mr. Chu didn't leave a note when he took her and Demitri, did this mean Alex left on his own? If he had, it was the sort of thing he would have done.


Lillie was in tears now, unable to stop a few from falling, as she sobbed lightly, "What does it say?" She was obviously worked up. Alex couldn't have just left her like that. He promised her he'd look after her. She needed him. What if Mr. Chu came back and Alex wasn't here to protect her? What if Trackers showed up, and Alex wasn't here to save her? What if Trackers went after Alex, and he was all alone!!


----------


Alex watched as the guy stood up, he noticed him try to close his wing, but then it snapped back out again. Yeah, a broken wing will do that, and it hurts like hell when it does. He simply nodded as the guy thanked him, bird kids gotta look out for each-other, right? Then inspected himself for injuries. He mumbled about random cuts, scrapes, a gash along his leg and an ankle wound?


Then the guy gave his name, Joseph, and Alex couldn't help but compare this to last night with Ethan. Sure the two guys had both been wary, and Alex hadn't just saved him, but still, the amount of time and threats it took to get Ethan's name, and then Joseph just hands his out without so much as a prod. It was nice though, even when he met Demitri for the first time Alex had taken a while to get his name from him, though that was mostly because Alex was super anti-social.


"I'm Alex." He nodded to Joseph's wing then, "You won't be able to fly with that for a while..." He paused then, should he offer to help him? He had only just got dissociated from the Flock, and here he was already offering help to a guy who could become a potential friend? No. Maybe, maybe he could just help him, and then they could go their seperate ways. It wouldn't be right to just leave him here with a twisted ankle and broken wing. Especially when these probably weren't the only Trackers around. He sighed, looking around, "Do you want to come with me? You're not gonna get far with a broken wing, if we can find somewhere safe to camp out then I can help you with your wing." He then realised Joseph had no idea Alex was a bird kid too, so he shortly explained, "I've got them too, wings, so I know how painful an injured one is."
 
Joseph brought his hand up rubbing the back of his head realising that he wasn't going to get anything back. "I don't blame him we just met each other for one thing" he thought . Joseph felt his heart drop immediately hearing the fact that his wing was broken and unable to fly on. "I am so screwed" was his first thoughts but he tried to push them out of his mind in an attempt now to freak out. After calming himself down mentally he heard him say his name back,Alex. It was unexpected that he had actually said his name back but was glad nonetheless.


Joseph was still trying to mull over what he could possibly do for himself in his current condition when he heard the request to go with him. "Really?" he asked the shock still unable to find itself from his voice."I mean sure if you don't mind having dead weight around until then" he said rubbing the back of his neck, he wasn't that much of a social person to be honest unless it was to charm somebody into giving him something like food or other supplies he would need. He honestly had never thought of the possibility that he was nothing but a bird kid when he said he was "I kind of guessed so" he said breathing out again. "So where do you want to go from here" he asked looking around the area when he noticed the sun was as good as set. "I hope the actual wolves don't come out around here" he commented taking in his surroundings.
 
As Lillie becomes progressively more upset, Liza, catching her emotions, becomes more agitated as well. She continues to tug on Keanu and Callie's arms and the hems of their shirts, more and more insistently as she repeats herself, almost in chorus with Lillie.


"I can't read, what's that say? What's that say? You look sad, what's that say?"


When Lillie starts to cry, Liza turns to her, her eyes large with her fear as she takes Lillie's hand with her left and puts her right arm around her, hugging her tightly as she talks to her in a slightly uneven voice. "It's okay Lillie. It's okay. They're gonna tell us. And if it's bad Mr. Chu then we're gonna get Alex back and we'll probably make him sorry I think...we're probably gonna..."


But two minutes into her attempt to be strong and brave for Lillie she starts to cry too. "I want Alex. He said he wasn't even gonna leave."


Eliza continues to watch all of this, and lightly rests a hand on top of Liza's head. She feels absolutely nothing about the little girls' distress, but lightly strokes her hair anyway as she regards Callie and Keanu. "Did Alex leave?"
 
Brinley came bouncing out of her room in jean shorts, a pink tank top, and her long curly blond hair pulled back with a white bow. Typical twelve year old girly girl. "Callie, can we go shopping today? Well maybe not shopping cause I don't know how much money we have, but like walk around and look and stuff? People do that a lot I think..." She stopped when she realized that everyone seemed to be deeply concerned with something. She joined the circle of people leaning over something. "What's wrong?" She asked, mostly at Callie.


Callie stood still as she was pestered with questions, about Alex and where he was. Well, if she knew, she would tell them. She wanted to believe that he wasn't gone as much as they did. "I dont know where he is, okay?!" She finally yelled, throwing her hands up. The stress of everything that had happened in the past month or so seemed to finally become to much. She was quiet for a second, covering her face with her hands. "He's gone." She said finally, a little quieter now. Pushing her way through the group, she left the note with Keanu and made her way down the hallway.


Keanu jumped a little at his sisters outburst. Sure she yelled a lot, but he wasn't expecting that outburst. He didn't follow her, knowing that she would cool down soon enough. He looked down at Liza and Lillie, since they seemed to be the most effected. "I'm sure he's fine," He said simply. Not that he knew that for sure. "He'll probably come back in a few days," he shrugged, glancing at the note in his hand.
 
"Well, ah, I guess I'm out of your room now," Blaire said then gestured a hand over his bare chest. "I guess I should get out of your hair now." She backed up and turned, walking down the hallway again. She heard shouting. Just as she turned into the room, Callie rushed past her looking stressed and frustrated and devastated and confused all at the same time. Blaire stood there a moment looking after their leader make her way down the hallway. Blaire's eyebrows dented in concern. What the hell was going on. Demitri walked up behind her, wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a white v-neck tee-shit. He raised an eyebrow. She walked into Alex's room where everyone seemed to congregated, the older bird-kids huddled together looking at something, the smaller kids hanging on them trying to get a view of whatever they were looking at.


Blaire stood next to Keanu, Demitri stood across from them. She quickly read the note...then read it again. She stood there for a moment her arms hanging limply at her sides in shock. Did he really leave...? There was no rule to say that they couldn't leave the flock, but as far as she knew none of them would even think of doing it....They were all a family. It didn't really feel real. At Keanu's last comment Blaire murmured softly to the two other older kids, not wanting the younger to hear, "There's no sign of a struggle in the room, the note doesn't look forced..." she lowered her voice even more, her tone one of disbelief, "I think he left on purpose..."


Demitri stood there silently for a moment, taking in the reality of it all. He was gone...he up and left? What for? What about... His gaze turned down to Lillie, tears streaming down her cheeks. She still didn't know exactly what was going on, but Demitri knew she had filled in enough of the blanks for herself. He kneeled down to her height and gently explained to her what the letter said, wording it very carefully. "I'm so sorry, Lillie..." Demitri told her softly, "He left." He wrapped a gentle arm around the girl. He didn't really know much about Alex, they were friends. But he knew Lillie was everything to Alex, they were everything to each other. For whatever reason Alex left, it had to of been a good one to leave Lillie behind. He couldn't how torn up Lillie really was right now.


((When should I introduce "Maya"? I posted a sign-up by da way :3 ))
 
When Callie yelled, Liza jumped, her arms tightening around Lillie, and she stared at her with some shock, having never known Callie to show such anger. She is still crying a little, and she moves a little closer to Lillie, watching as Callie leaves, and whispers loudly, looking not at Keanu, but at Eliza behind them.


"Callie's mad. Callie's mad...'cause she was kissing Alex? 'Cause she loves him? How come he leaved? How come...he shouldn'ta done that. He shouldn'ta left...don't he like us no more?"


When Demitri and Blaire enter the room, and Demitri kneels to comfort Lillie, Liza steps back to allow him space to speak with her, and impulsively reaches out for Eliza behind her. Eliza looks down at her, somewhat startled, but then slowly, somewhat stiffly closes her arms around the child. Liza's thumb creeps into her mouth as she leans back into Eliza, watching Lillie and Demitri solemnly before she speaks again. "He shouldn'ta left."
 
Keanu looked around the room, concluding that there was in fact no sign of struggle or forced entry. Well that at least made him feel a little better. It meant that wouldn't have to go on another grueling rescue mission. Looking down at Lillie and Liza, he frowned. He knew Alex was probably closest to the youngest members of the flock, aside from Callie. He looked back up at Blaire, biting his bottom lip. He didn't really know how to react to it. Sure him and Alex never really got along or liked each other and sometimes tried to kill the other, but it felt weird not having him there. Like the Flock wasn't all there.


Callie stormed into her room, closing the door loudly behind her. A part of her felt bad for yelling, especially at Lillie and Liza. She would probably end up apologizing to them later. She rummaged through her clothes, pulling them on as she thought. How could he just leave like that? And judging on what had happened the night before, she thought everything had been going fine. They had just got their family together again. How was Alex supposed to live all by himself? If a bunch of trackers caught him, they'd kill him. Sure he could take a few on by himself, they all could, but not a whole pack. Of course, she didn't know he wasn't alone.


((I'm not really sure how to put Grace in. I'm assuming she would see Alex and Joesph somehow, I'm just not sure how. Oh and Magic you know how when Fang leaves Max finds out that Max II joins his gang? While I was thinking Callie could somehow find out about Grace. Like Alex's group got caught in public or something, and there was a picture of them on TV or something along those lines. Idk, Just a thought))
 
Blaire exchanged a glance with Keanu. What would they do? What should they do? She thought back to Dr. Akana's assistant, Ethan. Blaire rubbed her forehead. How in the world were the others going to deal with that, so shortly after Alex's disappearance? She figured that they would always compare him to Alex, never seeing him as anyone else but a replacement. It was the sad truth. She knew it would take a lot to disprove his status, assuming they took him in. Then there was Eliza. Blaire was still skepticle of the girl, how she had somehow hidden them from the Doctor for so long, even though she had to have know about Ethan. The way he flaunted his wings around the house even if he did hide them in public.


Demitri partially released Lillie still holding her shoulders. He looked up at his sister from the floor, seeing dilema in her expression. He raised a wary eyebrow.


She wanted to explain to him about the whole situation about Ethan, but those words didn't exactly translate into expression. "There's another one," she tried to mouth to him. Blaire could see he understood what she said, though he was still confused at what it meant. She glanced at Eliza, she didn't want to talk around her, as she was still leery about her presence in the house.


((I don't really want Grace just popping out of the woods, however I do have an idea how they can meet up with her in the woods. They can just happen to stumble upon her. But the way Callie finds out, you mean that the three of them start a blog or something to raise awareness, they become more popular, make appearances, someone takes a pic of them and it ends up as news on the doctor's table at breakfast one morning down the road--if they even are still in Hawaii. We can do a time skip to a month or two later, that is, after Grace and Ethan are properly introduced to their respective flocks. Time skip to a month or two later. They are chillin on the beach drinking frozen lattes (exageration lol) when one of them comes out with the paper. With a picture of 'Callie' and Alex on the front. It'd be pretty cool if Joseph was the blogger, and as Grace's and Alex's relationship blossoms, he observes thing from a second person POV and writes accordingly.))
 
(a month or two later? If you did that by then Eliza would definitely be ready to try to get them all taken back to the lab. Does anyone want to work with me to work with her to try that, since you guys know more about the universe than me?)


As Callie practically stormed out of the room, Liza stares after her, her brow puckering as she continues to lean back against Eliza, wanting the older girl to pick her up and comfort her but not voicing this. She looks to Keanu and Demitri, than to Blaire and Lillie, repeating with her voice growing higher and thinner in tone, "I want Alex back. I think we should all just tell Alex to come back. And not to be so mean. I think we oughtta tell him he's being a meanyhead and he should just come back, okay? Okay? Can we all just tell him all together and then he'll come back?"


She started to cry then, turning and burying her face against Eliza, and Eliza patted her back briefly before looking up at the older students, meeting their eyes. Alex leaving was not quite expected.


"Maybe...maybe someone should go after him," she says to them softly. "Before he gets too far away. Before something happens."


"Like what? What might happen?" Liza pipes up, and Eliza glances at the older kids again before shifting her eyes to the little girls pointedly.


"I think they should...go look for clues in Alex's room. Lillie and Liza both. That would be helpful, Liza."


Seizing on this, Liza, still snuffling, runs to Lillie and seizes her arm, trying to pull her back towards Alex's room. As she is preoccupied, Eliza says in a lower tone to the others, "He...Alex...why would he leave like that...aren't you friends?"


She is interested to see the others' thoughts on this. She knows she will track him down somehow, but it will give her more information to know why he might leave, because that will help tell her where he might go.
 
Blaire was sun bathing out on the beach spread out on a towel in a bikini, a pair of sunglasses shielding her eyes, her ears filling with the sound of the waves lapping against the beach. She'd acquired something of a tan since the flock's duration at the good doctor's home, she and Demitri. Her skin was naturally darkish, she suspected one of her parent donors were part native-something-or-other, but after a month of laying in the beautiful Hawaiian sun, her skin was dark and tan. The whole tanning thing hadn't been really been her goal. Blaire just loved laying in the sun, the warmth was a lovely feeling. but perhaps spending more time out in the sun's rays was Demitri. She was surprised they hadn't gotten skin cancer yet or something. They would lay out almost all day, chatting occasionally, though they liked getting the national papers and reading through the events going on worldwide, it also seemed to make up/excuse for the time they spent in recluse.


When Blaire wasn't on the beach she was chilling out with the other members of the flock, generally Keanu or the new guy, Ethan, who, as she found, was actually quite interesting. His experience on the island, his outrageous stories from his errands for Dr. Akana, and his overall easy warm and friendly demeanor, he had that air about him, it was hard not to be charmed. Demitri and him got along especially fine.


By this time, Demitri had recovered. Gained back his weight and strength, he was back to his old self again. Blaire watched him closely and she had her doubts after talking to the doctor of the house, who seemed to have incredible insight in just about everything there was to know about anything, she told her he would have a harder time adjusting to the new environment and something about a psychological profile she had made of him as she was concerned for him. Demitri refused to speak about his experiences down in the undersea fortress. And she should leave him alone on this topic, not about to pry if he so blatantly pushed even her away from the subject, she resolved she would never bring it up again as to not risk dredging up old memories she knew he wished to forget. Blaire knew he still hadn't completely recovered, though he appeared to be fine he kept whatever was brewing inside of him hidden deep. It was a rare moment if or when she saw the hollow look in his eyes or the detached tone in his voice. However, he and Lillie were as close as ever, he devoted a lot of time of his day to spending with her. He was always in a good mood around her. It was refreshing seeing him like that. It was good for him, they helped each other heal and cope together better than anything else. Though it did cause a pang of disappointment that Blaire couldn't be there for him.


The was the light sound of seagulls in the distance cawing over the sound of the rolling waves and the day's activities from inside the house. Blaire breathed out a contented sigh when something fell into her lap. She cursed softly as she bolted straight up almost instantaneously. Ever since he recovered, Demitri had strangely adopted a feather-light tread. Strealthy as a cat. Blaire had to develop a sixth sense if she was ever going to succeed from this trend of being snuck-up on all the time. She suposed this was a good thing, she started becoming aware to the very minute changes in a room that would alert her to Demitri's presence. The slightly change of breeze in a room, the almost inexistent sond of shifting fabric which even he seemed to nullify, would send the hairs on the back of her neck into a prickle. But right now she had been snuck up on with no such warning--she noticed he was even better at it outside, in his element--before Demitri dumped the day's paper into her lap. Which was strange, he never did that unless there was some especially heavy news he had spotted out.


Blaire looked up at him. He remained standing, his posture stiff. She lifted an eyebrow in question.


"Just arrived. Brought it to you first before making a scene. See what you think. Third page in," Demitri remarked. His tone was serious, his lips pressed in firm line.


Whatever was printed on the inside of the gray pages laying before held news serious and close enough home to put him on edge. Blaire's curiosity spiked. She set her sun glasses on top of her head and squinted in the sudden brightness. Demitri plunked down by her side, sitting cross-legged facing her, head bowed as he rested his forehead in his hands. When her sight adjusted, which was faster for a bird-kid than a regular human, Blaire tore through the flimsy pages and eyed the headline.


She felt herself draw in a sharp breath, her hand flying to her mouth. After about a minute or so of drinking just the accompanying photograph, she overcame her initial shock and started skimming through the article, stopping herself to slow down so she could actually take in the information. The paper slipped from her fingers and fell back into her lap. Blaire looked at Demitri who was solemnly taking in her reaction. He didn't say anything, only waited.


"Should we tell Callie?" Blaire started and swallowed back shock.


"Tell her what, exactly?" Demitri challenged with a grimace.


"She can't of already known..." She mused chewing her lip, staring at the fine white sand of the beach. "What do we do with this?" Her first reaction was to burn it right there. Thinking of the way Callie had reacted to the whole thing, this was too soon, it would ignite hard feelings and unstable emotions that had finally just gotten under control. She couldn't do such a horrible thing to her leader, her friend, her family.


Burning...The thought brought a semi-permanent fix to their current disposition. Rolling up the paper, she pushed off the ground, tying her towel around her waist. Blaire needed to tell Keanu, Callie was her brother after all. And, although he didn't act like it most of the time with his easy laid-back personality, he was Callie's right hand and also, other than Demitri, Blaire's closest friend in the flock.


As she started for the house, Demitri caught her wrist, "You're not going to tell her are you?"


She shook her head a frown growing. "Of course not. I may tear the heads off of trackers, but I'm not such a horrible person to intentionally hurt Callie. Who know's how she'd react, she might tear off my head." His face remained blank, not quite following, but he let the hand he held her wrist in fall to his side and followed her back up to the house.


((Sorry Dance if I went a little god-moddish, I figured Callie would be like Max in the book. And Ethan's introduction wasn't that complex, just wanted to get back into the story))
 
Inside the house Liza is tearing from room to room, as bright in affect and expansive in her gestures as usual as she slams doors, peeks under beds, and generally creates a ruckus as she looks for Lillie. Over the past month she has grown even closer to the other little girl, and she rather firmly considers her to be the best sister she possibly could have asked for. She is unsure at the moment if Lillie is hiding from her, making this a game of sorts like Liza herself often comes up with, or if she simply isn't present in the house, but either way she is enjoying herself immensely.


It is still sad for Liza when she thinks about Alex and the way he left them behind, that he won't talk back to her or come see her at all. In her nightmares she sometimes dreams of him as well as the bad doctor men, and every time he is hurt and calling out her name, wanting her to come to him when she cannot move at all. Sometimes it is she calling out to him, and he is running away from her, not coming back to help her at all.


Liza dreams of Eliza too, sometimes, though she can never see her face or understand the dread she feels when she knows the girl that is really her mother is coming close. When she tells Eliza of the dreams, Eliza usually puts her arms around her and smooths back her hair, telling her that if she is worried that she will leave her, she need not be afraid. But sometimes Liza is afraid without really understanding why, even when Eliza hugs her close.


Liza has not told anyone that Eliza is her mother, just like Eliza has asked. But she is spending more time with her, sometimes hours of the day, and Eliza always has secrets to tell her, secrets she trusts only Liza to know. Some day, Eliza tells her, she will tell Liza what she can do to help her, some day when Eliza thinks she is big enough to do a really good job. Liza hopes that day will come soon.


Eliza is sitting on the porch, watching the approach of Blaire and Demitri with a faint frown as they draw near. They appear serious, concerned, and she stands as they approach, calling out to them. "Is...has something happened?"


In the month that has passed, she is convinced now that she has almost managed to secure the place she wants among them, a place where they consider her to be one of them. They have been wary of her, but in this time she has kept herself to the background as much as possible, remaining quiet but helpful, shy but mildly friendly, and always watchful, always concerned. In this month her resentment towards them all has only grown, and she can content herself with knowing that soon, she will be able to do the task that has been given to her. Soon it will be time.
 
Callie was sitting out in the sun, Brinley placed in front of her. She had somehow convinced Callie to let her paint her nails a bright orange color. Like Blaire, she had been laying out in the sun on a beach chair she had found in the doctors home, when Brinley had bounded over to her, bothering her for several minute before Callie had finally given in.


In the past month or so that they had been residing in Hawaii, her skin had turned several shades darker, and her hair blonde hair several shades lighter, bleached from the sun. The Flock had been spending most of their time outside. As much as Callie hated to admit it, this place was starting to feel more like their home with every passing day. It felt weird to her. They never stayed in one place for more then a week or two at a time. But she also enjoyed not having to run for their lives anymore. Or for the time being.


Ever since Alex had left, Callie had gone back to her usual ways, but worse. She had become quiet, usually only talking to Keanu and occasionally Blaire. Sometimes that new guy Ethan tried to talk to her. She had to admit that he was pretty stunning, probably even model worthy, but she barely even gave him the time of day. She was now extremely snippy, and the smallest things would push her off the edge. Within the first few days of Alex being gone, the Flock had learned not to speak of him. Although last week her and Keanu were in a fight when he told Callie that "Maybe if she wasn't such a bi*** Alex wouldn't have left." That had earned him a nice blow to the stomach. Since then, she had even started to push her own brother away.


Callie took the cheap sunglasses she had picked up from a local surf shop on one of the main islands during one of their adventures off of her head and covered her eyes with them. She let out a sigh, and watched as Brinley added another coat of orange to her nails. Although the whole ordeal with Blaire and Demitri was also happening on the beach, it was a very long beach and they were not close enough to know what was going on. She let out another sigh, leaning back in the beach chair as Brinley told her to let her nails dry.


Keanu himself was inside sitting in the huge modernized living room, playing a video game with Dallas. Currently, Keanu was losing. After a few more minutes, he had completely lost the game. He put the control down on the coffee table, and pushed himself off the couch. He stretched his arms over his head and arched his back.


"I give up," he announced, dropping his arms back down by his side. He walked out of the living room and through the kitchen, making his way through the big french double doors and out onto the porch. He put his hands in the pockets of his gray and white swim shorts, standing by the railing for a few minutes. She watched the clear blue water for a bit, before he spotted Blaire coming closer to the house. He walked down the steps that led to the sandy beach, meeting up with her.


"Hey," he said with a smile. "Whatcha doin'?" He asked, and then spotted the newspaper in her hands. He rose an eyebrow in curiosity. "What's that?" He asked, not waiting for her first answer. He hoped it wasn't anything too bad. Hopefully Blaire had just picked it up for something to read while tanning.
 
([MENTION=2590]Wingal[/MENTION] , just thought I'd tag you to let you know I posted; I've been awol lately xD . I think we should skip as well, just to keep up, and it will make it less awkward. There can still be stuff we haven't found out about each other's characters. Hey guess what guys? My college teacher annotated my essay, telling me I had to re-do it because there was too many 'American words' in it. Isn't that stupid? Gosh, guess I should try and sound more British xD Also, what was the newspaper thing about? Oh, and is it okay to introduce April now? She'd be joining Callie's flock...)





Alex and Joseph had been hanging out together for about a month or so now, flying place to place. He hadn't meant for that to happen, the whole reason he left the Flock was to be alone, so he couldn't put any one else in danger, but this Joseph guy had just shown up, with a broken wing and everything, and by the time it had healed enough for him to be able to look after himself, well, the two guys were sort of used to each other. And even with Alex's curse, Joseph could look after himself. It wasn't like he was putting two five year olds at danger, or the girl he loved.


He sighed, sitting up lazily, it was early morning for him and Joseph, he had just woken up and he glanced over to see the other boy was still asleep. It was hard, every morning, to resist that ever-lingering urge to just run and never look back. But he pushed it back, standing up and kicking the make shift blanket from his body. They were currently residing in a sweet little cave that was at the back of a waterfall, it was pretty cool, they always had fresh water here, and Trackers hadn't shown up, yet. Of course, they'd probably have to move again soon, they were always on the move. Alex didn't mind though; he'd been running from Trackers for so long now - with the Flock and after the Flock - that it was just a part of his life.


He moved to the waterfall edge, sitting on the rock infront of it, and cupped his hands, gathering water in it before taking a drink and washing his face. When Joseph woke up they would probably go find some food, sometimes they stole food from the nearby city, and sometimes they 'caught' food in the wood. Alex preferred the first option.


----------


It had taken Lillie a while, a very long while to be happy again, and even now she wasn't fully back to herself. It had taken ages for her to be able to play with Liza properly, or to make a joke or give the Flock one of her old fashioned, beaming smiles, she could do it now, sort of. But when she was all alone, by herself, she still thought about Alex, all the time. She remembered how they had played games before Liza had been there to play them with her, she remembered their tickling matches and how each and every morning they would wake each other up, she remembered him calling her 'Cuddles' all the time and most importantly she remembered all the times he had saved her from the bad guys, right up to the first day they officially met when they broke out of the school - they had been mind talking before that - all the way to when he saved her from Mr. Chu.


She needed to remember. No matter how sad it could make her, because she had always been told that when you get older, you forget all the things from when you were little, so Lillie was sure that if she reminded herself of Alex, each and every day, that when she was older she would still remember him. Even if she never got to see him again.


Thankfully Demitri had been there for her, even though he could never replace Alex, he was still the next best thing, and he was funny. Plus, he was really the only one Lillie could talk to about what happened with Mr. Chu. It was fun to spend time with Demitri, he made her forget about how upset she was, and she hoped she made him forget too. But he was also the only one who actually talked to her about Alex, the others just acted like he never existed, or, at least never talked about him around Lillie. And she didn't want that, she didn't like that. Alex was and still is an important member of their family, and the others, in her mind, shouldn't be acting as if he wasn't and isn't. Of course, it doesn't occur to her that the others might just be upset and not wanting to talk about Alex because it makes them sad.


Still, she tries to stop thinking about all these sad things as she hears Liza's giggles getting closer and closer, Lillie is currently crouched in hers and Liza's shared wardrobe, hiding amongst the dangling dresses and shrouded in an array of pinks - as this seems to be the favourite colour of both girls. She covers her mouth, trying to stifle her own giggles as she sees Liza's shadow pass through the crack in the wardrobe door. Of course, she is certain Liza will never find her here, thinking her hiding place to be genius.
 
Keanu passes Eliza on the porch steps, not acknowledging her presence, nor does Demitri and Callie. It seems to Eliza that they often ignore her presence or else otherwise subtly exclude her, perhaps because it is her calculated tendency to often blend herself into the background. Or perhaps her hope that she is becoming more accepted is not quite as solidly set in fact as she would prefer. Regardless, she too stands and moves to meet Callie, watching the newspaper in her hand. Like the others, she does not know what has attracted her attention.


"Has something happened?" she repeats, standing a slight distance back from them, but close enough to hear and be considered part of the group regardless.


Liza has already looked in their bedroom twice, but her looking has consisted of sticking her head inside, glancing around and seeing nothing, and running off, eager to look elsewhere. She is now beginning to realize that fun as this method of searching is, it hasn't actually yielded to her finding Lillie, and so she returns to the bedroom again, this time actually trying. She is breathing a little heavily as she noisily makes her presence known, wanting Lillie to hear and laugh and give herself away if she is present.


"Oh Lillliiiiiiieeee....where areeeeee you?" she calls, throwing aside blankets to check beneath, then squatting to look under the bed. She has looked inside dresser drawers and behind picture frames, deliberately being silly, and giggling continually, before she opens the closet door. "Lilllieeee...YES I FINDED YOU!" she shrieked as she jumped on top of her, tackling her playfully to the floor and exploding with laughter. "I win I win!"
 
((I apologize in advanced for this....))


Her stress eases under Keanu's casual smile, it was hard not to feel laid-back and relaxed when she was around him. Blaire's lips slipped into a small smile before she could tell them to do so despite the situation. "A newspaper, obviously." Demitri nudged her with his elbow, reminding her to get on topic. "I--I mean--we need to talk to you." As destreetly as she could, Blaire looked over her shoulder, trying not to appear paranoid. Callie was lounging on the beach, and Eliza was standing behind them on them as they all stood out on the terrace.


Blaire realized she had called to them, but she hadn't heard it until the second time, as she was so wrapped up in her thoughts. Though she didn't completely trust the girl. After a month of being around her, Blaire still knew virtually nothing about her.there must have been a reason Dr. Akana had been keeping her around, so Blaire knew she must be a smart cookie. While Eliza was also a bit strange, she and Liza got along great, though thinking about that and their names and the coincidence of it all made her suspicious, the girl genuinely wanted to be apart of the flock. Eliza was an intelligent girl, and while a month might not have been long enough to understand the dynamics or moreso the history of the flock, curiosity wanted to hear her opinion on the whole thing.


~ ~ ~


Demitri followed behind Blaire up the steps to the terrace where they conveniently ran into Keanu as he was coming out of the house. He knew they had spent some time together over the past month and their interactions seemed boring to him and he rolled his eyes when they greeted each other. Silly. The first time Eliza spoke up, he gave her a quizical look but said nothing. Finally Blaire had noticed her and was regarding her. He could see the gears moving in her head. They had discussed the mysterious girl, Eliza, a few times so he knew Blaire was somewhat suspicious of her. As for himself, secretly--or not so secretly--he was possibly the most suspicious of them all. Ever since he was rescued and Alex had left he'd felt an overwhelming need to protect the flock. And while the others were busy having fun in tropical paradise, Demitri was calculating and observing. He definitely did not trust her. Though the look Blaire was giving, she was about to give in, and Demitri wasn't about to make a scene and show his real resentment--there were some things he kept from Blaire even. He had never been closer to another person, they shared each other's thoughts, and he knew she cared about him and was sharp as a tack never missing a beat. But she hadn't experience what he had under the millions of tons of pressure under the ocean where he was powerless and weak. In that way he thought Blaire wouldn't understand, he sheltered her from anything regarding the incident, refusing to speak about it, it would do no good but make her feel pity towards him. He was getting better on his own in his own way, remarkably with the help of Lillie, but otherwise, Blaire would be no help to him right now.


He loved spending time with Lillie, they shared each other's feelings, knew what the other was going through. It seemed weird to confide in a child, but it was amazing how mature for her age, so bright and intelligent but still retaining her childhood. He could actually talk to her, it seemed safe to talk to her about Alex, and he knew she felt better when he did, nostalgic of course, but in it's own way helping her cope. Though Demitri knew he would never be what Alex was to her, he tried to fill that roll to the best of it's extent without pushing it. They were healing and they were doing it together.


Every morning Demitri felt stronger than he did the day before. After about a week of just vegging out and shuffling around the house until his strength recovered, he noticed Dr. Akana bringing the paper home every evening. He would read it out on the beach with Blaire taking turns with the pages. He soon looked forward to this, and so instead of waiting for Dr. Akana to bring it, he would walk down to the "Quad" and pick it up in late morning. And after another week of recovering he would fly out to the mainland city half a mile away to one of the little coffee shops, early in the morning. He would sit and read the paper for an hour, sipping from an assortment of native beverages the islands had to offer. He would go to different cafes and sit. It felt ridiculously good to get out. The freedom was more delicious than any exotic drink. Afterwards he would take his newspapers and head back to the island and lay around in the sun or do things for doctor Akana. He loved helping her out, she was kind to him, and he felt especially grateful to her for letting the flock stay with her. He always thought they were so over imposing, but whenever he brought it up she laughed and smiled and waved it off, however she always accepted his offer of help and put him to work, but Demitri didn't mind.


Other than taking walks, flying around in the mornings, or helping out the doctor, he was out on the beach. He couldn't get enough of the sunlight, after being locked away in the dark for so long, he gained a new appreciation for the thing. And just being outside in nature felt divine. That was another thing he hadn't had when he was underneath the ocean. Trapped under tons upon tons of steel and iron. At that depth there was no plant life. Nothing. He could feel the deadness of it all. Now here on the island. He could feel the plants, the trees, the bushes, the flowers that grew at the beach's edge. Life. That's what it felt like here. It was so beautiful. If he went to sleep on beach, and if he had a pleasant dream--which did happen from time to time--he would awaken with vines or tiny flowers curling across him. It was something he couldn't help. Even now, as he stood bare chested, after he had gained his weight back and was developing some muscles back again, there were marks across his stomach and his arms, some were faint, some darker, but overall unnoticable against his darken skin tone, faint patterns of leaves and flowers. It was bizarre, but he actually liked it.


Crossing back into the current conversation at hand he looked between the three of them, Blaire, Keanu, and Eliza. Demitri sighed and gestured towards the door, initiating action. "Lets discuss this inside, shall we?" Blaire nodded, for a fleeting moment she looked relieved that he stepped in as she wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. The look she gave Demitri told him she had decided to just hand over the reigns. Also she handed over the paper. She pulled the sliding door open to the kitchen, leaving it open for the others to follow. There was no one else in the kitchen, Dally was in the Living room absorbed in his game, Callie and Brinley were outside, Lillie and Liza--to the best of his knowledge--were upstairs playing.


He watched as Blaire hoped up on the island counter, her toes dangling about a foot in the air. Demitri just stood, waiting for the other two's attention before holding out the paper and tapped the picture of two shapes flying against the sky. The image was slightly fuzzy like it was taken from a distance away and zoomed into. On first look it was two birds flying. At the edge of the room she noticed Ethan leaning against the doorframe making no attempt to hide his presence. Demitri didn't mind, though he wouldn't have initially told the guy, he didn't mind if he heard. Seemed like all of the older flock would know sooner or later anyway, not like they needed to hide it. Besides he liked the guy, he was fun to hang around. Ethan was an open book, not much to over complicate anything. Easy to trust. "Blaire and I recognized it immediately." Blaire nodded in agreement, "Alex. The shape and everything, they're his wings. Everyone has a distinct shape." She paused, and as if they had practiced this kind of tag-team manor, Demitri continued. "Without a doubt. However the second one is completely unfamiliar." He looked at Blaire. "He teamed up with another bird-kid. Which leads us to believe that he's started his own flock." "And if he's starting his own flock, we have to wonder what his motives are--were--for leaving in the first place. If he knows something we don't. But there's one thing we know for sure," Blaire frowned and turned her gaze on her knees covered in the colorful beach towel, "We can't tell Callie. It'll only upset her." "We figured it would be best to tell someone," Demitri shrugged.


~ ~ ~


She didn't think it was possible. For Trackers to have wings. Though these weren't Trackers exactly, they were some kind of hybrid. Robots with a kind of human leathery skin stretched across the frame. Who was the School thinking they were trying to fool? An automation was an automation. Robot or no, they were a b*tch to kill. Grace wished horribly that they would just die or do what ever they did when their wiring or whatever failed and they broke. She'd barely managed to escape the School without detection, only to be sicced on by these--whatever they were, she was much to tired to come up with some clever name, besides she couldn't afford to direct her attention away from the situation at hand which happened to be escaping these things.


Grace had nearly exhausted herself escaping the School alone, right now she was afraid she might drop out of the sky. She couldn't go back to the School. She didn't belong to those f*ckers who seemed to think they owned people and subject them to cruel experiments and work them like slaves. Grace would rather take her own life than be taken back and watch their satisfaction that she would never be able to get away. She was determined. She wouldn't be so easy to give up.


If she had any energy she'd shift into the shape of a Thunderbird, a large bird believed only in myth, and rip into the metallic throats of the Trackers. It was pretty cool. She had the ability to change her shape into any animal, mostly birds, but a lot of land animals too. That was what made her such a great "tracker", part of the reason the School wanted her back so badly.


Grace's shoulder blades hurt where her wings were as they beat the air. Unfortunately for her, there was almost no wind today. She wanted to yell out a string of curse words. She had rotten luck as a general rule. Grace glanced back over her shoulder, if nothing else they were closer than before. She didn't have the strength to loose speed or to drop back and fight and pull off that Thunderbird attack she so wanted to do. What she had to do was think.


Start with them. They have heavy mechanical wings. They are bulky. They are programed. They have no real brain. They pursue. They seek to capture or destroy. They were ten to one.


Now her. She was dead tired. She had no special attack strength. She was light weight. She was nimble. She was practiced. She had excellent reflexes. She sought to evade. She knew her limits. She was smart.


If she didn't do something soon, they would catch up and she would have nowhere to go. A plan started to formulate.


One last look behind her as if to confirm that she could outrun them and didn't need to do what she was about to do. She had never done it before, never practiced it, and her usual fearless demeanor left her. Grace had never been afraid of heights. But the thought of doing this on purpose, while she was not at her physical peak, not knowing is she could really pull this off, it terrified her. She sucked in a hasty deep breath and folded her wings, tucking her arms across her chest.


Easy is was a thousand or so feet in the air, the ground beginning to rush up at her. About a mile before the trees, she was coming in so fast she didn't know when she was suppose to, she flung out her wings and tried to turn them up to catch the wind.


Evidently she did something wrong because her tan wings snapped back, the tips briefly touching over her head. She wanted to cry out in pain, but with the wind, it was difficult to breathe. Her eyes teared up, it felt like her wings were tearing off. But it did whatever was intended it to do. She slowed down significantly.


Grace dropped through the trees. Her wings slowing her fall, catching on branches and painfully bending, before the shock registered with her and she closed them tight against her back. Without thinking her hand reached out and grabbed a branch as she fell. Her legs swung to a stop beneath her. Adrenaline pumping hard through her veins. Grace glanced up, seeing black dots in the sky getting slightly by the second. They were slowing with more a careful decent than she. They would be down in a matter of minutes, Grace had to get down to the ground.


She glanced around below her at the other branches, anticipating which one's she would have to grab and whatnot. With a quick breath she let go, jumping down, branch by branch. By the time she had touched actual ground, she'd gotten the hang of it, landing into a crouch in a forest floor of pine needles and dead and recently fallen leaves. It was early autumn. Her hands were cut up pretty bad and bleeding.


Grace was wearing standard issued clothes to the "experiments" of the School, or at least the higher ranked ones, which she happened to be--meaning that she got an education, fed nutritious meals, but subjected to more scrutinous tests. Wearing nothing but a pair of pale cadet blue linen pants, sort of stiff and a bit baggy around her legs, and a white cotton tee-shirt, and barefoot.


She'd give herself another minute before the Trackers descended through the trees. Grace lunged out of her position crouching on the ground and started sprinting. She didn't know what made her do it, but she ran in a unpredictable path instead of a straight line, hoping that might throw off her pursuers. She had to jump over bushes, and dodge trees that sprouted up everywhere. Her breath sawed out of her lungs. Her feet touched down on the ground virtually silently with each step, though she hated to think what they looked like right now, stepping on rocks and broken branches, she knew they were bleeding. Grace threw a look over her shoulder, hearing sounds behind her. Sure enough they were behind her, about three fourths of a miles, they were impossible to miss. She only saw them a fraction of a second before she turned her attention back in front of her. Think, THINK! She demanded of herself. You are a 'tracker'! She needed to know more about her surroundings.


Grace allowed herself a long drag through her nose. She absorbed the smells, if she had enough time she would stop and listen for sounds, but there was no chance of that. She focused on the scent. Identifying different kinds of trees, scrubs, flowers, animals, all within seconds. But there was another smell...human. Maybe if she could lead the Trackers there...She could surprise them, leave enough of her blood on them that they might stop and take out the humans first. It was idea. A horrible depressing one, but she needed to save herself. In the distance, her enhanced ears--one of the effects of all the mutations she could shift into at will--she heard rushing water. She almost melted in relief, not only would she distract them, she could lose her own scent and escape into the water.


Grace was desperate. She headed for the sound of water and the smell of humans to carry out the impromptu plan.


((holy sh*t biscuits...eAe 2,800 words...And LOL Jo, what could be the difference between American and British writing, besides maybe assertive vs. passive maybe...And by the way, the water she hears is the waterfall Alex and Joseph are by and they are the "humans" she smells))


((an after thought: its a bit ambitious. But I think it'd be pretty cool if we somehow got in another fifteen pages before New Years, so it'd be 200 pages in a year! That is seriously something to celebrate. Most role-plays don't stick around for more than two or three months or so))
 
((Oh. My. God. That is so long. I actually wish I could write as well as you do though :0))


Keanu rolled his eyes at Blaire's comment. Obviously he knew what it was, he just wanted to know why it seemed so important to her. He didn't have time for a clever comeback before he seemed to be ushered right back inside of the house. He realized that whatever was in the newspaper must be more important then he had originally thought. He followed Demitri, Blaire and Eliza into the kitchen and stood at the island next to Blaire. He looked down at the newspaper as it was thrown in front of him. He drew in a breath as he quickly scanned the picture and the good-sized article underneath it. Before he was even told it was Alex, he knew it was him. There was no mistaking it.


It felt weird, almost wrong, that they weren't telling Callie but at the same time he understood. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his sister even more than she already was. In the note Alex had left, he said that one of the reasons why he was leaving was because he felt like he was putting the Flock in danger. Yet at the same time he seemed to have made his own. It didn't make sense to him.


He sighed and stood up straight, running a hand through his shaggy dark hair. "What now?" He asked with a shrug. "Callie's probably going to find out about this soon enough. If it becomes big enough, it might run up on the local news or something." The Flock rarely watched the news as it was, but sometimes at night when everyone was tired of the sun they would go in and watch television. Sometimes Dr. Akana would join them, and she liked to watch the news. "And we'll have to make sure she doesn't see any newspapers for a few days." He skimmed the article again, seeing what the writer had to say. This was the second time that they had showed up in a newspaper, that he knew of. The first time was back in New York. If this became a normal occurrence, which he hopped it wouldn't, they'd be finding them selves in even more trouble. He noticed Ethan hanging out by the door. He didn't really care if he heard, he was one of them, basically part of the Flock now. Not that Callie would agree to that.


"But I do think we should keep it from Callie, at least for now," He agreed, pushing the paper back some. He was quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again, chewing on his lower lip once more. "Who do you think that guy is?" He asked, pointing at the figure flying next to Alex. It was a boy, no doubt, around their age if not a little younger. "Some sent from the school?" It was completely possible. They could be watching their every move for all they knew. It was possible that as soon as Alex left, they sent this guy out to befriend him, maybe hope to use him to get closer to the Flock. Or maybe just to get Alex. Maybe there was something about Alex that they wanted, needed. There was a lot of possibilities.


((I think that would be awesome. I never thought this roleplay would get as far as it has in a year, and I didn't really think it would be around for more than a few months either. We should totally go for it. And yeah, feel free to bring in Alex's sister whenever))
 
(lol...guess who also had a nearly 3000 word post I wrote today, Magic! *high fives you* Sadly it won't be this one, this is one of my shorter post rps...also yeah that would be cool. That would make this the third rp I'm in that got past the 100 page mark, second past the 200 mark)


"Is this something that we should be making sure the children don't hear?" Eliza asks as Demitri indicates for them to go inside to the kitchen area of the house. Nevertheless she follows him, then studies the newspaper article in his hand when he holds it so they can see it.


She misunderstands the significance of the article at first. Had the public caught wind of the bird-kids and written an article about them? Were they in danger of being captured or studied? That would certainly complicate her task, if they were all snatched up before the time came for her to enact her own intended plan...


But no, Demitri is explaining that one of the shapes is that of Alex. Eliza simply takes him at his word for this, but she too is intrigued by the implication. Alex is still on the loose then, not captured or returned to the lab? She wonders if they are aware of him, tracking him, and simply biding their time, waiting until the right moment.


Why would Alex leave them and take up with another bird-kid? Is she a secret girlfriend, perhaps, a long lost sibling, an authority figure of some kind? Or does he too have his own agenda...could he be on a similar mission?


For a moment she is briefly and irrationally jealous of the possibility. Would they truly send another out? Would they have so little confidence in her that they would have a back up plan as well?


"Yes...Callie will probably find out soon enough. Especially with children in the house who tend to overhear things and not keep quiet about them," she said quietly. "Do you...do you think we should talk to Dr. Akana?"


It would be interesting to see what, if anything, the woman knew or speculated about this. Eliza frowns slightly, for show more than anything, as she says again, in the same pensive tone, "Callie will be upset with you when she does find out."


As the others begin to speculate about the identity of the second bird-kid, Eliza listens quietly, then takes the opportunity to sow whatever seeds of doubt she can. "Why is it that you think Alex left...I mean...how much do you really know about him...or trust him? What if...well, what if he's really working...you know, for them...and he took off and is making his way back to them? Reporting about us..."


She shudders slightly, then thins her lips, looking down at the floor and letting her hair fall forward to half cover her face. Moving her hands to cup her elbows, she says to the ground more than to the others, "Maybe...it's not safe here."


(Jo! So if Eliza...for instance, managed to kidnap Liza and Lillie and trick Liza into helping her...could she manage to leverage them as bait where Alex would come for them or return to the group as a result?)
 
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