Fandom Winged

[MagicPocket]

((Sweet. But like I mentioned, its a hell of an ambitious goal. That's about forty posts for each of us in the next twenty days. Two posts a day. I was also thinking that the flock could age up and celebrate their birthdays in one big party or something.))

 

[xJobozx]

Lillie can hear Liza getting closer and closer to her hiding place, hears her yell extremely close to her, then the closet doors fly open and Lillie lets out a small squeal of excitement, her heart pounding with the thrill of being found. She made just about as much noise as Liza, yelling and giggling with her as she was tackled, and then turned the tackle back on Liza, they tumbled around on the floor for a moment before Lillie flopped beside her. "Okay! Best out of 14!" She and Liza have been playing for a while now, Liza mostly winning, but Lillie refused to lose this game. "I'm gonna win the next one!" She exclaims, jumping up, "You hide now! I'll count!"


The two girls played this game often, and they had probably used up nearly all of the hiding places in the whole house, but still they played anyway, re-using the hiding spaces regularly.


----------


Alex, after washing his face and drinking, glanced back to see Joseph still asleep. It was understandable, they had a rough day yesterday; running from trackers. So, he decided maybe he'd go look for some food, surprise Joseph by having it already cooked when he woke up. As gross as it was, catching and killing food, it was survival. So he jumped down from the cave, rather than wasting time and energy by snapping out his wings he simply maneuvered the water so it caught him before he hit the hard floor. He stepped out then, onto the grassy ground, and his ears instantly picked up heaving breathing. Breathing that wasn't Joseph's.


Someone was coming.


He could hear the undeniable sound of Trackers coming, their heavy, bulky metal steps and their amazing ability to make such loud sounds when running through the woods. So, he got himself ready, in a stance to fight. Hopefully there wouldn't be so many of them this time.


(I was thinking maybe when Liza goes to hide downstairs she hears them talking about Alex? And when Lillie comes to find her she tells her about it? Oh, I changed Alex's picture, as the old one sucked xD And is it okay to introduce April now into Callie's flock?)

 

[MagicPocket]

Blaire listened as Keanu and Eliza spoke. She shook her head. "No, we definitely shouldn't tell Callie," she agreed.


"While we all know we wont be able to hide her from this forever, the least we can do is keep it away from her until she..." Heals, he thought, but he didn't like the sound of that. Demitri knew Callie was a tough cookie. "Until she gets her head screwed back on straight." At Eliza's comment about Callie getting angry at them he replied, "This will only cause her distress, and we all know that will come around to affect us. She'll be angry for sure, but it wasn't just Keanu that held it from her. It would be all of us. And its harder to blame a group of people rather than one individual."


"Besides, until that time when she does find out. Will have time to figure out what exactly Alex's doing and reason what his motives are." Blaire says with a shrug. Then something that Eliza said struck her.


"What do you mean, 'It might not be safe here'?"

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

Slightly breathless, but grinning broadly, Liza jumps to her feet, her hair coming loose from its straggly pigtails as she fairly shouts her excited reply. "Okay!!! I'm gonna beat you beat you beat you!!!"


She tore from the bedroom and slammed each and every door of the hallway, still giggling noisily with her efforts to confuse Lillie. She starts to run in the direction of the kitchen, but hearing softer voices, she comes to a stop, falling quiet as her curiosity got the best of her. She has forgotten the game with Lillie with her new curiosity as she draws closer to the older kids, creeping to peer at them from the end of the hallway. Experience has taught her by now that the best way to hear what the older kids talk about is by not letting them know she's there, so she stays still, listening and trying to get a good look at them where they stand clustered in the kitchen.


Eliza is still looking at the ground as Blaire addresses her, or more accurate, nibbles at the bait she's attempting to set. She bites her lower lip, then says slowly, as though the idea is one she is having difficulty putting words to, "Well...if people know we're here...you know who I mean...or if they're watching us...they might try to take us. Like they did Lillie and Demitri...they might try to take us back."


She grips her upper arms, a pinched look of fear tensing her features as she hesitates, then almost whispers, "They might try to do things to us...like...like they did me."


(Joboz did you see my question on the last page back?)


(also out of curiosity- if Eliza told the others she thinks Liza is her daughter, since they already know that they did sexual things to her at the lab, would that make them more trustful of her? If she said she suspected Liza is her daughter but please don't tell her because it would upset her, and yet is still telling Liza not to tell them and it's their secret?)

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

((I was just thinking about having Callie and Keanu's birthday But I like the idea of one big party, like in the book. And yeah you can bring her in now. Callie and Brinley are still on the beach, if you want her to meet up there or something))


Keanu listened to Eliza, nodding his head every few seconds. She was bringing up some good points. "Well first things first," He reached over the table and grabbed the newspaper. "We should probably get rid of this." He held it up in between his fingers. If they left it just lying around, no doubt Callie would pick it up. But he figured Blaire or Demitri were smart enough to realize that.


When Eliza brings up the doctor's house as not being safe, he listens to Blaire's comment and nods in agreement. "This is probably the safest place we could be. Maybe still not safe, but the safest. It's been over a month and we haven't been attacked once," He secretly hoped he hadn't just jinxed them. "Staying here for now at least will help us figure out, like Blaire said, Alex's motives. As for talking to Dr. Akana..." He thought about the doctor for a second. He knew she was on their side, completely good. Wouldn't hurt a fly. They could trust her, and he doubted she would go against their wishes and tell Callie about this if they asked her not to. "She might be able to help to an extent." He shrugged and looked over at Blaire, seeing if she had anything else to say or add. He also doesn't notice Liza coming downstairs, or hiding out of their sight.


((Yeah, I think it could help them trust her. It would help to explain why Eliza looked so much like Liza, and put some of their suspicion to rest.))

 

[MagicPocket]

Her dark blonde hair was streaming being her. She could smell water now, the sent of humans becoming stronger. Two of them. From the smell of it, both males. It was still fairly early in the morning so she hoped they might still be sleeping, that would make leaving her scent that much more easier to leave.


Grace could now see the flowing river through the trees. A previous thought finally struck her as if it came to her a second time. It was early Autumn. At mid-morning the water must be freezing. But she'd rather suffer through the discomfort of being cold rather than being killed. It was the best shot she had.


Her torn up feet took her across the forest floor, the forest flying past her. Her clothing catching and ripping on stickers and thorn bushes. Even though she knew that besides her breath, her steps were noiseless, Grace knew that with every step she only left more of a trail for the Trackers to follow. But that would all change at the river. Grace doubted the automations could follow her into the water. She looked forward to the relief the cool water would give against her feet. Bruised, blistered, scratched, and scraped. She knew her hands had to be worse. Though the adrenaline running through her system helped her keep her mind off of that.


Grace broke through the trees at last, vaulting over a line of holly bushes and managing to avoid getting caught in their prickly leaves. Her feet landed on rock, slabs of flat, hard layers of rock made up the bed of the gushing river that was flowing about fifteen feet away. Grace hesitated enough in her pace so she could give a glance over her shoulder. Luckily she'd managed to stay a minute ahead of them. Her head whipped back around as she continued to run, her wavy dark blonde hair spinning in a curtain. Her mind had gone into some kind of trace since then. It had allowed her to react and avoid obstacles without faltering her pace, it had taken over when she took that breath to absorb the environment. It was picking up now, kicking into an survival mode, one that would ultimately result in these human's deaths while she fled. Scared for her life she ran at the human that was standing a few feet from the river.


Like one of the big cats she could turn herself into, her muscles coiled briefly before she pounced. Even when she was in her original form, a bird-kid, animal instincts were still second nature to her. They way her body stretched in the air. One hand grabbed a fistful of his shirt above his collarbone, the other digging into his shoulder with her fingernails forcing him down as her weight slammed into him. Grace fought the almost overwhelming desire to rip into his throat. She was sure if she did, this boy's first impression might have been of caress against his neck, that is, until the next second when her canine's tore into the soft unyielding flesh.


However, though, while this entertained a darker kinkier sense of humor deeper in her mind, she refrained from doing that. Instead, she utilized the one thing she had, surprise, and they fell to the ground. Her original intention, to force him into submission and coat him with enough of her blood--and maybe some of his own--that the Trackers would fall for the bait while she escaped off into the river.

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

"We should burn it," Eliza whispered, looking up at Demitri quickly and inhaling, as if to calm herself, before looking back down again. "Or at least throw it away. If you don't want her to see."


She nods slightly when he considers her suggestion about talking to Akana, then seems to be agreeing with her. If the woman does have any input, then Eliza certainly wants to hear it. As she deliberately wets her lips, then lets out another slow breath, Eliza's mind is still working, toying with possible directions to carry the conversation, and consequently the other teenagers, as well. Pursue the direction of Alex? Pursue the possibility of him as a traitor? Or...something she has been considering for some time, something she had been uncertain of attempting as a method of trust gaining...


Mind made up, she lifts her eyes, swallowing visibly again before saying, "Just...if Alex has left...something could have happened with him...he could have changed, or...been changed. Or maybe...he wasn't what you thought."


Before they could question her too heavily on this, or her implications of this, she changed the subject, her voice dropping even lower, very much unsteady as she spoke. "Guys...there...there's something...I think there could be...s-something I need to tell you. Something about...about me...and...and Liza."


She doesn't look up, but she is alert nonetheless to their reactions.


Liza had listened closely to the others speaking, and when she heard Eliza start to talk of Alex, and that something could have happened, he could have changed, her eyes widened with shock and alarm at the very thought. Although she didn't quite understand what Eliza was implying, she could tell from her tone that Eliza seemed to think it was something bad.


This was something that she had to tell Lillie, right away. Maybe she and Lillie could figure out how to get Alex to come back...maybe they could save him, all by themselves!


She darted down the hallway, opening and shutting doors hastily as she looked inside each room for Lillie with almost as much recklessness as she had before. She knew that she was supposed to be hiding, but she had forgotten this entirely as she finally located Lillie, almost running into her, in fact, and grabbing her arm, pulled her back into their bedroom, shutting the door behind her.


"They're talking about Alex! They think he's got something happening and he's different!"


She hadn't stayed long enough to hear Eliza mentioning her name, and so this part of the conversation was not included in her relaying to Lillie.

 

[MagicPocket]

"Just burn it." Ethan says. He'd remained silent the entire time, reserving his quiet opinion. "If we don't want her to see it. We need to be rid of it. Other than that. What can we do besides sit and wait? Screen the news before she sees it. I'm sure we can come up with some creative things to keep her away from the television." He actually had a perfect way to remove the television from the equation. He was able to affect electronics, to a degree. He could steal their energy. And while this wasn't entirely efficient, it had a overpowering affect on the device. Right now he could go into the living room, touch his hand to the surface, and the television would be powerless for days, without any signs. Though the TV turned out to be the easy part. The other was the papers, magazines and such they didn't have strick control over, things like the radio in the car or out in the town. There was no way to control them. Like he said they would have to find creative measures to keep Callie preoccupied rather than to notice. He told the others this opinion.


Blaire nodded thoughtfully, appreciating the odd power that he had, though the very little of it she knew. Blaire wasn't quite sure Ethan understood it fully himself. Despite this she was still worried about what Eliza had said about the house not being safe. Sure they'd gone a month without attack, but whos to say it wouldn't happen sooner or alter. Maybe it would be safer to move locations to a new safe house. The think was....she loved it here. And Blaire didn't want to leave. It was paradise, getting to relax, enjoy the company of the flock. Alot of the time they bickered at each other because they were in foul moods from the whole survival thing. But now, it felt like they were closer than ever, especially after their last big mission. But even in that they had lost some. Demitri and Lillie were more distant, not quite exactly their old selves, and then they had completely lost Alex. But they had picked up two more along the way. And Blaire and Demitri earnestly liked Ethan, Eliza, they weren't sure about yet but they figured that over time she would be a regular flock member.

 

[xJobozx]

(Oh no, I missed that post of yours xD But yeah! If she managed to tell Alex somehow that she/someone else was hurting Lillie/Liza and even Callie, then he'd definitely come back. Mad as well.)





Lillie had been valiantly looking for Eliza in each room, after hearing the doors slam shut, and was about to give up and call uncle when she heard doors banging again and Liza barged right into her, "Liza! You're supposed to be hiding, not looking!" But then Liza seems worried, anxious, and when she is pulled back into their bedroom she listens with wide eyes. Alex? They were talking about Alex? He's different?


Her eyes are very wide now, looking a bit paler with this news of Alex, "He's changed? What do you mean he changed! They've seen Alex? Where? When?" The little girl clenches her fists, clearly becoming angry. Oh what, so they weren't allowed to talk about Alex when she and Liza were there, but as soon as they had gone it was fine? She stormed to the door, grabbing the handle as she intended to fling it open and go confront the older kids. When had they seen her Alex? Where?


----------


Alex's body was tense, his fists clenched as he simply waiting, he could hear the breathing getting louder, closer, but what he sure as heck didn't expect was some wild thing with tangled blonde hair to leap at him - like some sort of freakin' tiger - and knock him roughly to the ground. Her hand had gripped his t-shirt, her other hand pressing roughly against his shoulder, fingernails digging in painfully. Damn she was strong. His head bounced slightly as it hit the floor, him letting out a small groan at the quick, sharp pain that occurred and his instant reaction was to grab the girl's wrists and fling her over the back of his head so she would also hit the floor, he did this in about three seconds, then jumped up and turned to face the girl.


His mouth almost dropped open, his eyes wide as he stared at her, speaking with a confused voice. "Callie?" His chest was rising and falling rather quickly; the adrenaline of a fight beginning to kick in, and his hair was slightly tousled from being tackled. Oh god she looked stunning. Her hair was a bit darker, even with a red streak through her bangs, but it suited her so well. Not to mention the fact that her top was torn a little bit near the tummy and that patch of skin that was showing was definitely evoking some unexplainable feelings in Alex.


Yeah. He needed to focus.


He could see the fight in her, was she pissed that he left? Oh well, he didn't want to her hurt her, but if she was going to try and hurt him, he wouldn't just stand by and let her. "Callie, what are you doing?" He was still frowning at her, able to smell blood, and glanced down to see the crimson liquid on her feet. He didn't question it, but he did wonder why she had no shoes on, and why was she wearing the standard school clothes??


Oh god, have they taken the Flock?


(Liza should probably stop Lillie so that she doesn't interrupt Eliza's announcement xD )

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

Keanu jumped slightly at Ethan's voice. He had been quiet and hadn't said anything the whole time, so he forget he was there. He thought about his suggestion to burn the paper. It would be the most effective way of making sure Callie didn't see it. There was no way to read burned ashes. He shrugged and looked back down at the paper. "I guess we should burn it then," He suggested, agreeing with Ethan. He picked the paper up and turned on his heels, ready to bring it outside, when Eliza spoke up.


He paused and turned back around. He gave her a confused look, a piece of dark hair falling into his face. She had something to tell them about her and Liza...could this be about their shockingly similar appearances? "What is it?" He asked, moving back over to the table, intent on hearing what she had to say.


((Meh sorry for sucky post))

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

(Ok I'll probably go with that then. She also has some telepathic ability like Liza so she could tell him so mentally perhaps)


"No no no no, wait wait!" Liza said in a loud whisper, shaking her head with wide, anxious dark eyes. She grabbed at Lillie's arms, pulling her back into the room and still shaking her head as she pulled her closer.


"Lillie, they were talking about Alex like maybe they seen him. I don't think we oughtta go say we know right now 'cause then they won't even tell us nothing. They think we're too little and they'll stop talking and then they won't even tell us until we're asleep or something. But you know what? If we act like we don't even know and we just kinda listen a lot, we'll hear more and then we'll know. And you know what else? I bet my mo- I bet some of them might even tell if I ask real nice," Liza tells her. "Um...some of them, they like me a whole lot so they might, and then I can tell you. I think we oughtta just listen when they don't know today and tomorrow and then we'll know and they won't quit talking."


She is thinking of Eliza, however. She is sure that if she tells Eliza what she's wanting to know, Eliza will tell her everything. After all, she and Eliza have secrets, right? They tell each other everything.


**


Eliza is still looking down, her knuckles whitening from where she is gripping her own upper arms, and she takes a slow breath in, lets it out, allowing her hair to hide her face still as she times her response. She looks up briefly, then towards the hallway, where Liza has unbeknownst to them listened in, then says shakily, "We should...go somewhere where people won't overhear."


She looks around herself, then heads towards the bathroom in the hallway, giving a fast look behind her for the others to follow. It will be a tight, cramped space once they all crowd in, but there is no other place she can think of where they can shut the door and not have a chance of others barging in.


"I...I think..." she started when the door is shut, her voice barely audible. "The scientists...the ones who...did things...hurt me...sometimes they..."


She let herself trail off again, and is distantly surprised to find that she is genuinely having difficulty conveying this. It is not as if she is convincing herself of a lie, for what she is stating is the truth, but rather than she is convincing herself of feelings she does not truly have. Or perhaps she does have them after all, somewhere deep down.


"I think...that Liza....I think she's my daughter."


She lets this sit, then looks up, her features tensed and tightly drawn together as she adds, "Please, don't tell her...I don't...she might not understand, and she might...she'll be upset, and I don't want to have to explain why...please, we can't tell her."

 

[MagicPocket]

Grace had to admit, whoever this guy was, he was fast, she had to give him that. He wriggled out from underneath her grasp and flipped her so she landed on her back on the slate of rock that made up the bank of the river they were fighting on. She hadn't expected that kind of move and reflexes from a human. Grace sucked in a breath that had rushed out as she landed in less than a second, she jackknifed onto her feet. That was when she realized he was starring at her with a strange look. It was a mixture of confusion, recognition, and something else.


Then it was her turn to be confused. Callie? Is that what he called me? Her eyes grew wide. Grace was made as the girl's clone. Something Grace had never asked to become. Forced to study the girl and the flock as it was planned for her that one day she would replace the origninal and take over as the leader of the flock. Even though Grace had never met Callie in person and greatly resented the girl. After the initial shock and confusion cleared up, she didn't bother to wonder how he knew her, she was just angry that anyone would have the nerve to compare her to the other girl. She was as good as the 'original' if not better.


They took each other in. And despite her angry, she couldn't help but notice him. Tall, muscular in a athletic wiry way, broad shoulders. Handsome features, dark green eyes, and unkept dark locks, slightly wind tossed the way she liked. But those eyes... Very desirable overall.


But then he spoke again and ruined just about the idea she had developed of him. Confusing her with Callie, a girl who she so despised. "Do not call me that," Grace's voice dropped low into a growl. Her feet moved uneasily under her, moving in a motion that could be confused that she was circling him, but really getting closer to the water's edge. She could feel her energy stir around her stomach, she'd have just enough to turn herself into a duck or a salmon or trout of some kind to swim off and disappear. She might feel guilty later about the Trackers killing this cute guy she'd had left for dead. But she did what she had to do to survive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​

Blaire, Demitri, and Ethan followed Eliza into the bathroom. Giving each other questionable looks. Though Blaire realized that it what a good idea it actually was. Being in a bathroom, they were garunteed privacy, especially with the Dr. Akana's techies and such wandering around the house throughout the hours of the day. Her home operated as much like a center for business and research as it did as a private living space. Eliza soon proved that being walked in upon on this specific conversation would result in a most uncomfortable situation. As Eliza admitted to them her theory that Liza was in fact her daughter.


Though the though of the two being related crossed her mind, she didn't think about this circumstance specifically. The news left her shocked, a crease forming between her eyebrows as the information set in, as well as empathy for her new friend as she thought of the trauma that she must have gone through in the school.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​

Demitri was more reserved. Not surprised in the least about this news. He had speculated as much. A look of distain and pity crossed his features for a brief moment before he hid his emotions away. Feeling he should be more supportive that accusatory. That was something that took a lot of courage and trust to confide in them this after knowing them only a month, a rather short period of time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​

This was certainly news to him, Ethan thought. He'd know Eliza for as long as he'd been here on the island. Ethan'd like to say they were friends, though they didn't talk much, he admired how intelligent and dedicated she was. She seemed to be surprising her with all sorts of things lately, the whole wings thing for starters. Ethan knew that she'd seen him with his wings, flying off to do errands, or just for joy rides. Why she'd never told him escaped him. Usually he could always find the right thing to say. But now, he was speechless. Not exactly sure what to say. He reached out and pulled her into a brief hug.

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

Keanu followed Eliza and the others. He made a face as she brought them into the bathroom, but didn't object. It was a good idea. He squeezed himself into the small bathroom, finding himself pressed against the wall. He waited for everyone else to get in, and then listened to what Eliza had to say.


He rose his eyebrows in surprise and looked around the small room, seeing that Blaire, Demitri and Ethan's reactions to resemble his. Even though Eliza looked a lot like Liza, and they had similar names, Keanu still wasn't expecting this kind of connection between the two. None of them had ever found their real parents. They didn't even know if they had parents, they could easily be test tube babies for all the knew. She was quiet for a while before speaking up. "We won't tell her," He said, speaking for the whole group. "How come you don't know for sure?" He was confused by that part. But he still felt sympathy for the poor girl.


Callie remained sitting outside with Brinley. Brinley, being the huge talker she was, had somehow managed to get a conversation out of Callie. It wasn't much, but it was a start. After a while, Callie got off the beach chair and stretched. She didn't feel like sitting out in the sun anymore. "I'm going inside," She said to Brinley, who jumped up and followed her. She knew everyone else had gone in since they weren't on the beach any longer, so she figured she would at least go see what they were up to. She walked across the warm sand, and into the house.


She walked through the kitchen and past the living room. Frowning, she went upstairs. Where was everyone? It was pretty quite. After seeing they weren't in their rooms, even though Lillie and Liza's door was closed, probably them just playing, she went back downstairs and walked around. "Where is everyone?" She asked to no one in particular out loud. She passed by the bathroom as she asked this, not giving it another thought.

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

Eliza doesn't look up at the others, but even staring down at her hands, her feet, she can tell that they are startled, even moved, in some cases, by what she is sharing with them. Ethan even went so far as to hug her, a gesture that Eliza tentatively returned, though she did not like him so close to her, touching her. Generally only Liza did such an action, and it took effort for her to accept it from Ethan too.


Keanu has questions, however, and Eliza pauses before answering them, again considering the benefits of full truth versus vague replies. Finally, she replies in a near whisper, "They....did things with genetic material...from me. I think...I think they took pieces of me and made her. Like...a clone, almost...but at a different stage. I don't know. I don't understand how. There are...there are a lot of things I don't remember, so I guess...I know they did things to me, and I just...I just...I think she's my daughter. I can't explain it, but...it just feels like she is."


She hears footsteps outside the bathroom door and turns her head, going quiet and gesturing for the others to be as well as she waits for them to pass.

 

[xJobozx]

Lillie frowned as Liza pulled her back, her eyes wide as if she is scared. "What? Why?" Her voice is a light whine, and she is still angry. Why hadn't the grown up kids told her about Alex? Did they think she and Liza weren't big enough? They never told them stuff anymore, just because they were younger. Demitri was the only older kid who would still tell Lillie things.


Lillie listened silently as Liza spoke - she had noticed most of their friendship was mostly her listening and Liza talking, but she liked that, with her and Alex it had always been the other way around; it was nice to be the listener for once. When Liza stumbles, almost saying the word mother, Lillie doesn't really notice, she is more worried about the fact that Alex has been seen, recently, by the older Flock members. And no-one has told them? No-one has told HER? Even if it was mean, and big-headed, Lillie had always thought, she still thought that she and Alex were the closest out of the whole Flock, closer than Callie and Alex, closer than Alex and Liza. So why had no-body told her?


She nodded, thinking Liza's plan to be better than just storming over to them and getting mad. "Yeah...yeah let's do that! I think maybe, maybe if I asked Demitri he might tell me..maybe.." She nods again, smiling now. "Yeah, it can be like we're spies or something! We can listen when they don't know and maybe we could get walky talky things too and have code names!" Of course Lillie was trying to take this seriously, this whole listening out for mentions of Alex thing, but still, it was a pretty good idea, she thought, to turn it into a spy game at the same time.


----------


Alex frowned as Callie looked him over, what was wrong with her? It was like she was seeing him for the first time again. And where on earth was the Flock? His frown deepened even more when she growled at him, telling him not to call her that. Not to call her what, Callie? He spoke up as she moved, seeming to circle him, "You want me to call you California? You always told me you'd tear my head off if I---" He cut himself off then, and his eyes narrowed slightly.


She wasn't Callie. She couldn't be, right? She looked just like, identical even, but those red streaks, Callie always said she'd never dye her hair like that, and even the hair was darker slightly, if Callie had been on the beach at Dr.Akana's, wouldn't it have gotten lighter? And the way she looked at him; like she had never seen him before in her life. Plus the missing Flock. His eyes hardened, was she something created by the school? Was she sent here to get them? To get his Flock. "You're not Callie, are you?" He spoke in a low tone, "Who the hell are y--" He was adruptly cut off as he was struck harshly in the back by something sharp. He let out small yell of pain, feeling his flesh been torn, and reacted instantly, lifting his leg up in a spin kick that sent the damn tracker into a tree. He reached back, feeling his shirt had been torn and there was some blood there too, how the heck had he not heard those damn trackers?


"I'm really not in the damn mood for you idiots today." He growled this out, then, as one of the foolish trackers ran at him he flicked his finger, a stream of water shot straight past Grace, almost smacking her in the face, and wrapped itself around the tracker's body like a viper, Alex clenched his hand, tightening the water around the automation and making the pressure so high - about the same level of a tsunami's power - that it literally cracked the machine into pieces. Four ran at him now, all attacking him at the same time, he was doing okay, kicking and punching parts of them off, even taking one of their heads off and causing it to fall to the ground in a pile of parts, until they seemed to synchronize their attacks. The first kicked his ankles, taking him to the ground, the second pinned him, and the third raised it's weird claw thingy; Alex wasn't sure if it was going to kill him or just knock him out, until the disgustingly hideous thing spoke, yes, it actually spoke. "Bird Kid Alexius Kane Lozier confirmed. Capture initiating; arrival at School set." Alex thrashed then, trying to get the creepy robot thing off of him. "There's no damn way I'm going back there. And when the hell did you guys get vocal cords?"


(Sorry, thought the Trackers would have caught up by now and wanted them to arrive before Grace left xD )


----------


This was it. She knew it. It had to be. April Lozier had been flying for months now, going place to place in search of the only person in the world who meant anything to her; her brother Alex. She had never met him, he probably didn't even know she existed, but he was the only person she gave a damn about in this dark world. So she had been tracing him, tracking him without a tracking power. She had seen every news programme she could, trying to get a clue where he was, she checked every newspaper, and listened to every piece of 'bird kid' gossip. So, after making a pit stop at a military base - hiding herself of course - she had heard 'the Flock' - such an ironic name to call themselves - had moved on to a resort house owned by a kind Doctor named Akana. Pssh, April had never met a kind doctor and she was sure she never would.


She dipped in the air slightly, her white wings out as they flapped steadily, occasionally she'd let them still completely, and maneuver the wind to carry her instead. She smiled slightly as the breeze ruffled her feathers, closing her eyes as it coursed over her face, she had always loved the wind. It was much better travelling by air than by cars, much better. She hated cars.


She let her wings flap again, opening her eyes just in time to see a beautiful beach house up ahead. A curve took to her lips and she headed straight for it. Alex had to be here. He'd be so happy to see her, they'd be a family. The stupid school thought they could contain April, they thought they could train her and bend her to their will until she was weak enough to go and trick her own brother into coming back to the school. No. April was stronger than all of those damn scientists and guards put together. She was special.


As she neared the house, she completely tucked her wings in, still high up in the air, and as she began to fall she focused, making the wind catch her and slowly, very slowly she swooped down onto the soft sand, her bare feet making no sound as they lay atop the golden grains. She had managed to change out of the customary school clothes on her way here, 'borrowing' a yellow tank top and three quarter length jeans from a shop. So, she headed over to the door as confident as she was, and walked straight into the house. She was only here for Alex anyway. She glanced around her at the massive house; even more impressive inside than it was out, and a possible worker passed her, stopped and turned to her, "Hi, are you one of the bird kids? I haven't seen you around before." April looked to the young woman cooly, of course she'd assume she was a member of 'the Flock', she was a young kid walking around like she lived here. So she nodded, smiling, "Yeah, I'm April." The woman smiled at her, gave her name and then went on with her business. Once the woman was gone April almost rolled her eyes; she hated busybodies.


She went further into the house, but paused when she spotted a girl in the hallway. Damn, should she hide or ask her where Alex was? She had no idea, so she simply stood there, trying to figure it out.

Spoiler

View attachment 9342

 

[MagicPocket]

((Good call))


Grace had inched towards the edge of the water, eager to make her getaway. The slate rock moist, but still having traction. Grace was just about ready to leap into the water when she saw it. It had, though she despised admitting it, made her hesitate, making her her heart pound in fear, freezing her were she stood. Watched as the Tracker emerged from the trees and lunged at the boy, claws extended, and raked than across his back. Grace winced for him, knowing what if felt like being on that end of those claws too, it was painful.


For the most part, she realized, her plan had worked. The Trackers took the diversion. The boy wouldnt go down without a fight, leaving her plenty of time to escape. That is until she witnessed how with a flick of his hand he sent the water flying out of the river behind her. It'd been so close that she felt the most sting her face, a shiver rolled down her spine, but not from the chill of the water, but from how close it had gotten to her. She watched as the water ensnared one of the automations and made it virtually implode under the intense pressure. The power and energy behind the attack was almost palpable.


The boy went on to attack several others. This was a perfectly opportune chance at escaping if she ever had one. Grace whirled around to jump into the water but something slammed into her. Sending her to the hard rock. Ahalf a second after she was very aware that she was pinned down. Any sense of fear disappeared and was replaced as anger flared through her veins. There was nothing she hated more than being trapped, helpless, stranded, or dependent on another person. Exhaution and fatigue were replaced by adrenaline. And finally she felt it. It was familiar. The twisting in her stomach, and the heat as it consumed her limbs. Her pupils contracted into pinpoints before lengthily into vertical slits.


Her spine twisted and her jaw snapped shut on rows of razor sharp teeth. The Tracker went flying into the river. With a roll, Grace was on her feet, or well, all fours. She'd turned herself into a couger, one slightly larger than it average size. Grace didn't have enough energy for anything larger, like a bear or a tiger, tranforming into an animawith more mass than herself was difficult and required more of her energy. But this worked too. The Tracker she'd thrown off was rising out of the water. She lept at it, her long deadly claws tearing through the metal on its chest, tearing out electricals.


The smell of ozone filled the air as the electricals fried out. Grace jumped off looking for her next opponent, ready for a fight that she was only too eager to flee from just minutes before.


Her gaze turned on the boy, he had taken out a few Tracker while she'd been engaged but was now pinned under two of them.From the second that she saw him manipulate the water, shed known what he was, a bird-kid, and now they were taking him back to the school. And it was her fault. she felt her heart drop, she didn't stop to figure out why though--she wasn't she why or if she wanted to know. Grace didn't hesitate. Her muscles coiled and shot out at what she assumed to be the leader, since it had the ability to speak. Wrestling it to the ground, her jaws clamped around it's wolf-like head, whiping her head back with one swift powerful motion she tore it from its mechanical socket. Wasting no time she turned on the remaining one seeing that with the distraction, the boy had taken out the last one. The whole thing took half a minute if not a little more.


Knowing the school, they'd be sending reinforcements. Grace had to get out of there. She reverted back to her original plan. The adrenaline wearing off, she started to feel light headed. She managed to run to the bank before allowing the heat to reced back into her chest, turning back into a human. She dives into the water.


((feel free to go after her xD ))

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

Lillie seems agreeable to Liza's plan, and in fact has a plan of her own that to Liza, sounds pretty amazing. Liza bounces up and down in excitement at her suggestion, grabbing Lillie's hands and squeezing as she beams at her. "Yes!!! Yes, spies, we're gonna be spies! Spy Liza and Spy Lillie and our secret spy weapons!!!"


She rummages through their belongings abruptly, coming up with two plastic cups and two belts, and fastens the belt around her head, then hands one to Liza too. "And look what we can do!" Running to the door, she sticks the glass against it and puts her ear against it. "You can hear better like that!"


Problem is she put it the wrong way, so her ear is against the part where you drink. Liza listens and frowns, then shrugs. "If they talk louder anyway, I guess...where can we get walky talkies, Lillie? I wanna walkie talkie. Oooh we're are gonna be wicked awesome spies!"


As Eliza finishes her summary, she is still looking down, holding her elbows against herself. The others seem to be buying it, still, not suspicious from what she could tell, but then, she is telling the absolute truth. Strange how she can feel as though she is not truly talking about herself at all.


"We...maybe we should go out soon," she says softly. 'It's crowded in here, and...I'm...this is hard to talk about."

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

Keanu listened to Eliza's explanation. He didn't doubt her. Anything at the school was possible. But he sure did feel bad for her. Eliza didn't even know if Liza was her real daughter. His face was full of sympathy, until he heard noise in the hallway. He held his breathe, listening to the footsteps. Then the person spoke. 'It's Callie,' he mouthed to the others, making sure not to give away their hiding spot.


Callie sighs loudly, giving up. They must have gone out without telling her, which was very unlikely of them. Frowning deeply, she remembers Dally in the living room. Maybe he would know. Turning on her heels, she stops quickly and jumps a little. At the end of the hallway, a girl was standing, probably around Brinley's age. Callie definitely didn't remember seeing her around. Making a confused face, she tales a small step towards the girl.


"Hi..." She says in a slow voice. "Can I help you with something?" She asked, looking the girl over. She was wearing summer clothes, looking like she belong here. Tall, skinny, brown hair. Callie reminded herself that she had never seen this girl before. She didn't work for Dr. Akana.


Fearing the worst, she immediately goes on alarm. She waited for trackers to start pouring out of every door and crashing through windows. They must have been using this girl as a distraction. She decided that she would go after her first, take her out. She would hate to do it, but her mind was on overdrive.

 

[MagicPocket]

Blaire nodded. After a confession like that, it would be polite to give Eliza some privacy. She hears Callie walking passed the door, calling for them. When her steps fade out of hearing, Blaire assumed that she'd walked of. She nodded to ademitri who was closest to the door.


Catuiously he opened the door a crack and peered out. Their leader was no where to be seen. Who knew what she would do if she found them hiding out in a bathroom having, for intents and purposes, a secret meeting of some kind.he opened the door wider and stepped out of the cramped room. Ethan after him, Blaire behind him. He turned around and waited for Blaire. "I'm in the mood for a smoothie. You wanna hit Chim's?" Chim's Bungalow was their favourite drink place in the city and frequented there every other day.


Blaire shook her head. "Nah, Ilm smoothied out for today, you go ahead." Demitri shrugged and walked off for the front door, his earthy multicoloured wings ruffling already, itching to get out into the breeze. After a few moment she heard the door click as Demitri let himself out. Now Blaire found herself standing there. Ethan was walking down the hall towards the living room where she could hear Callie's voice. Blaire wasnt surprised, he had a kind of fondness in her that Blaries couldn't really place. Callie had been kinda cold to him recently, what with the whole Alex thing. But she thought that Ethan was a nice guy, he'd certainly made a nicer first impression than Alex ever had. And it was easier to get to know Ethan, he was so easy-going. Alex had always been the quiet reserved type. Blaire couldn't help but compare the two boys. In the end she hoped Callie might Sam up to Ethan one of these days. He was a good guy.


Blaire followed after him then stopped in the archway into the living room. Ethan was standing besides Callie, and they were both studying something. She heard Ethan say, "Who's this?" She could hear confusion and curiousity there. Blaire couldn't help but become curious as well, she walked behind them to stand besides Ethan. She saw a unfamiliar girl standing there, between ten and twelve years old lanky build, but plainly obvious she recognized it. The girl was one of them.

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

Callie outside the door? She would be rather suspicious as to why they were all in the bathroom together, even if they came out one at a time, but this was of little concern to Eliza. She planned to tell Callie about herself and Liza, or else let the others tell for her, as soon as possible anyway. But the others were worried about Callie learning their suspicions of Alex, and so she kept quiet as well until it seemed Callie was moving away.


She waits until Blaire and Demitri have left the bathroom before exiting, saying to them quietly that she should check on Liza and Lillie. She intends to remind Liza later that the "secret" Of Eliza being her mother is just that, a secret, just in case she were to get very chatty one day and let on to the others how much she already knew.


She does not find Liza and Lillie in the first bedroom she knocks on the door of, but voices down the hallway catch her attention, and she walks towards them, seeing that Ethan and Blaire are standing before a young girl who she doesn't recognize. Eliza can tell at a glance that the girl is a bird kid, which makes her wonder how it is that Ethan had not recognized her to be one in the time she had worked for Akana before she chose to reveal herself.


"Who...who are you?" she asks the girl, keeping a distance.

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

As Demitri opens the bathroom door, Keanu waits for the all clear. Once it is obvious that Callie isn't anywhere to be seen, he slips out of the bathroom and into the hallway with the others. He still has the newspaper in his hand, clutching it more tightly as he doesn't want to run into Callie and have her see it. His first priority is going to burn it, but it seems like something else is going on that has gotten everyone else's attention. He follows the group into the living room.


Staying next to Blaire, he looks over her shoulder into the living room. He can easily see the back of Callie, Ethan next to her, and a young girl ten or so feet away from them. Keanu makes a confused face as he studies the girl. She's tall and skinny, but can't be more than twelve years old, tops. He had never seen her before. He was sure Dr. Akana hadn't mentioned her either, he doesn't talk, just listens, as it's clear that Callie seems to have control over the situation. But something about the girl throws him off. She looks like a bird kid. Oh great, another one? It's like they were turning into some kind of orphanage for kids with wings. They could start their own organization soon.


Sighing, he leans against the wall next to Blaire casually. He just hopes this girl wouldn't cause a problem. Although it had been a while since he had been able to beat the crap out of something, and he was almost itching for a good fight. But he'd still hate to see a bunch of trackers.

 

[xJobozx]

Lillie watches with a massive smile as Liza grabs a belt, tying it around her head, and tries to use the cup to hear through the walls. "We need codenames Liza! But we can't use the first letter of our name 'cause then we'd both be Agent L and that would be confusing. Oooh! Can I be Agent Cuddles?" Even though Alex is gone, and this name deeply reminds her of him, she doesn't care. She needs to keep reminders of Alex in her life so she doesn't forget him.


Lillie runs over to her, watching the girl use the cup the wrong way around. She nods at her words, "Yeah, we can get walky talkies, we can ask Dr. Akana and say it's for a spy game we're playing, she won't even know it's a real game!" She then giggles, taking the cup from Liza, "You're supposed to do it like this silly, I used to do it at the School to listen to the bad guys talking." She spins the cup around, then puts her ear to the right end, placing it against the wall. She listens for a moment, then frowns, "Liza...I can hear something!!" She listens, hearing Callie ask if she can help, then Ethan asks who's there. "Liza! Liza listen!" She removes her ear, motioning for Liza to listen through the cup. "I think there's someone outside!"


----------


April watches as the blondie jumps, then seems confused, asking if she can help April. Can she help? She seems to ignore her for a moment, glancing around, looking for Alex. She had an idea of what he looked like - thanks to the military database - but she couldn't see him here. So reluctantly she looked back, she guessed she'd have to ask this girl where Alex was. Then another boy appeared behind the blonde girl, a tall, muscular looking guy. Pssh, typical. She guessed he was here to protect the damsel in distress. He asked who she was, but his question was clearly directed at blondie. She gave the boy a look, as if trying to analyse his power or strength. Could she take him? Probably. All she'd have to do is crush his ribs into his heart. She always did that. She liked to compare her strength to others.


Then two more girls show up, one moves beside the boy and just watches silently, but the other one looks to April, keeping her distance as she nervously asks who April is. At least she actually addressed April when asking, unlike the other rude boy. She decides, after ANOTHER boy shows up, lingering in the background, that maybe she should finally speak up before the five teens try to attack her. So, deciding to make it quick, she finally speaks, addressing her words to all of them rather than just one as she makes eye contact with each. "My name is April, I'm a bird kid like you five, according to scientists I'm eleven years old. Where's Alex?" She says all of this in a monotone, like a child being asked to answer a question in school, but as she asks for Alex, the tone changes to normal. She's surprised he hasn't shown up yet to greet her like the others have, but maybe he was busy, or not bothered like she would be.


----------


Alex, as the tracker claw descends on him, is prepared to take his 'punishment' like a man, his eyes open, but he has stopped struggling. Then, the claw is gone. So Alex wastes no time in throwing the first Tracker off from his body, he glanced over to see the Callie-clone was indeed the one who had saved him, she had somehow managed to turn into a cougar? Well, that was interesting. He looked back as a Tracker claw narrowly missed his face, and let out a small growl, he needed to focus on the fight, not the mysteriously hot, canine shifting girl. So, as casually as one would, he managed to run up over the trackers chest, step on his head then fling his foot backwards, kicking the tracker in the back of the head, his other foot pushing down on it to counter the force, causing the neck to snap and the head to come off completely. He landed on the floor, the tracker's head dropping beside him. He did a spin kick, just for good measure, to see the not-Callie girl had taken out one and just finished off the second.


He watched the girl sprint past him, opening his mouth to question her, but then she was gone into the water. What the heck? Some girl who looks like Callie shows up, pins him to the floor, tells him not to call her Callie, saves his life then just dives off into the water? Oh hell no. There was no way she was getting away without Alex getting some answers first. Like who the hell is she and how did she just turn into a cougar?


So, he sprinted over to the river himself, wasting no time in diving in after her. He quickly caught up, manipulating the waves of the water to push him faster. He stayed behind her though, unable to over take her as the river they were in was too skinny. He kept behind her though, waiting for her to either stop and jump out, or for the river size to increase.

 

[Faith Eliza Cord]

Listening to the girl introduce herself- April, she calls herself, though whether or not this is her true name is anyone's guess- Eliza's wary expression does not change. Her tone of voice is odd, her introduction and its phrasing is odd...the fact that she is here at all, when clearly no one else knows her, is VERY odd. And for her to ask for Alex...how had she known Alex? What if both Alex and April were also sent from the lab, sent to check up on Eliza's work, or even to replace it?


Irritated at the very thought, Eliza takes a step closer to the girl, looking her over a bit more boldly as she strives to keep her feelings from showing themselves. "How did you get here...and how do you know Alex?"


**


"Agent Cuddles is good. 'Cause you're cuddly," Liza agrees, nodding, at Lillie's suggestion. "And I can be...Agent Dinosaur! 'Cause those are cool. Plus also they are too real even though Callie says they're not. They just are 'cause I saw them with my very own eyes."


Clapping her hands excitedly, she grins, giving Lillie a spontaneous hug with pleasure at their proposed plans. "Yes, yes, we'll tell her it's a toy. The bestest toy ever. And she'll get it and not even know the real whole truth that we are Agent Cuddles and Agent Dinosaur, actually. And we will know EVERYTHING!"


When Lillie corrects how she holds the glass she is undaunted and simply copies her, listening at the door as well when Lillie indicates for her too. Lillie is right, she can hear people talking. A new person speaking, a young person...another little girl?


"Oooooh I think it's a new kid!" she said excitedly. "Let's go see!!!"

 

[MagicPocket]

Grace had dove into the river, and rather than try to beat with the currents and attempt to swim she simply pulled her arms above her head into streamline position, shifted her legs into the tail of a dolphin, and used her natural ability to breathe under water. She slid through the water like that for a while until she became aware she was being followed. Grace knew without a doubt that it was the other bird-kid. He could manipulate water so she could safely assume that he was somehow doing something to keep up with her. Grace frowned and shifted fully into a fish this time, a trout, one of the faster fresh water fish. It doubled her speed and made her more agile, slipping through the fastest currents. But she couldn't shake the water freak behind her. Though she couldn't help but point what a devilishly attractive water freak he was.


They were having a vicious match of cat and mouse, her unfortunately being the mouse. Grace was sick and tired of playing mouse. After years of being the prey and finally earning her freedom she was still being preyed on. Now she was deciding she would no longer run. Time to take a stand. Exhaustion was no longer an option. So when the newest opportunity arose, she took it. Up ahead the stream entered a very large rock formation as it goes under ground for what appeared to be for the next mile. She jumped out like a flying fish and landed as a human on the rocks above the stream. She took of into a sprint, again running, thinking she'd have a better chance against him on land and away from water rather than flat out in the water. Grace decides she is too tired to run away the entire time and instead decided she would conserve her energy for a potential fight. Though if she were at peak performance she'd be able to run all day long. So she perched herself in a tree in a clearing and waits catching her breath. She was sopping wet after her adventure in the river, but after the run she'd dried off slightly, just so that she wasn't dripping and giving off her position, but was still rather damp Hidden in the heavy foliage of the branches she is able to swing down and knock the boy over as he comes rushing after her through the clearing.


Now she asks the question that spurred everything behind her sudden change in plans. "Why are you following me, dammit?" she demands.

 

[iDanceInTheRain]

Callie hears everyone fill into the room, mostly staying behind her. She doesn't have time to question where they had been hiding. As a few of them asks who their young visitor is, she can only shrug in response. That's exactly what she was trying to figure out herself. She steals a quick glance at Ethan. He had actually come up next to her, taking more of a protective look than anything. Much like something Alex would do, if he was here.


She turns back to the girl, as she looks like she's about to talk. Once she does, Callie listens carefully. She was one of them, and came from the school. And now she was asking for...Alex? As this sunk in, she made a confused face. This girl comes out of no where, and just asks for Alex. How does she even know him? The resemblance in appearance has yet to occur to her. Eliza asks the girl, April she said her name was, how she knows Alex so she decides to clear something up for her. "Alex isn't here." She snaps, unintentionally. She feels Keanu nudge her lightly.


"Why do you want him, anyways?" Keanu asks, speaking up for the first time. He asks this in a much nicer manner than his sister does. In all of the time that they had been with Alex, he had never seen him talk to this girl. So why she seemed to know him confused Keanu just as much as everyone else.