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Fandom Winged

"Not all of them." A boy in the back piped up. His skin was pale, nearly translucent, with long shaggy ash blonde hair. If you looked closely you could notice the thin layer of skin that stretched between his fingers and the slits on either side of his neck. Some of the students rushing out the doorways halted, a new discovery in their story. "Because you guys broke in, quite a few of us were able to break out. Including me." He said this without much distinctive tone in his voice. "And to the others, an end was merciful enough. They were either not strong enough or would have died soon after."


Blaire closed her eyes and looked away. It was hard hearing about the School, it was easy pretending that stuff never happened to them.


"You guys fought them," Another kid piped up, a year or two older than them. "And won."


Blaire made a face. "Just barely."


"I'm alive because you guys did what you do. So are a lot of kids here."


"How many Schools have you broken into?!" Someone asked loudly.


"Five-six?" She actually wasn't sure. She'd pretty much lost count about a year ago when Callie and Alex got captured. Blaire thought that one was three or four. There was a bit of a cheer.


"What's going on here?" Blaire asked, everything was making her confused.
 
Keanu took a step back in surprise. Most of these kids were thanking them. For destroying schools, getting justice, even saving their lives. They were being looked at as heroes.


"Just because we've won before doesn't mean we always win. They're still schools out there. Innocent kids just like all of us are being tortured and loosing their life." Keanu argued back. Thinking of himself or the others as 'heroes' made him uncomfortable. They were just doing what had to be done to save themselves.


"But as long as you guys are around more people will be saved." A pretty girl around the teen's age sitting in an armchair pointed out.


"You guys are gunna save the whole world!" Another boy on the floor yelled out. The group of kids broke out into another cheer of approval as Keanu nearly broke out into a sweat. They were putting way too much pressure on a group of kids who were just trying to keep themselves alive.
 
Blaire's eyes flickered over at Keanu, sharing his thoughts. This was way intense. Saving the world? They could hardly save themselves! Where was Callie when they needed her, she was better at sorting this kind of stuff out.


"I...we..." Blaire stuttered. All these kids were staring at them expectantly. "Were not some kind of mercenary team. We lived for years on the road trying to avoid the School. We don't just attack them for no reason." If they saved anyone at all other than the Flock it was mostly an accident. "We can't save everyone." She had a feeling she was just making it worse.


"If you don't save us, who will?" A girl cried aloud.


"Yeah! Who!?" There were similar shouts from numerous people demanding answers. Kids who had no other source for hope in the world were slowly watching them slip away. They all began shouting in protest. Blaire's head suddenly pounded with white hot pain. Blaire winced and held a hand to her temple. She took a step backwards towards the door, grabbing Keanu's hand as she did so.


"Enough, children!" Came a voice from the doorway. "Please return to your classes." Kids began filing out rapidly. Blaire was still gritting her teeth, her vision swirling. The man in the doorway was about sixty years old, balding with a thick graying beard. He was hunched over a bit. "You two come with me." Blaire shared a look with Keanu and followed the man.


They followed behind by about seven or eight feet. The hallways were empty. She didn't bother dropping Keanu's hand, realizing after a moment she was still holding it. His skin was hot, but not boiling like it was before.


"What did you say?" She whispered a few moments later but he hadn't spoken. "Did you hear that?"


The man walked them down a couple different hallways into an office it was extravagantly decorated. The man took a seat behind the desk. "Have a seat." He told them. "You're probably wondering who I am? I'm sure you've met my niece, Olivia. I am Dr. Albert Cormac.


"I founded the School where you were created."
 
Keanu was starting to feel lightheaded. The children had gone from practically worshiping them to demanding answers in the blink of an eye. Even when one of the younger kids from the Flock came at Keanu with their normal rapid-fire questions, he usually let Callie or someone else handle it. He wasn't good under pressure. At least not in this kind of situation. Give him ten seconds to disable a bomb that could blow up an entire building twice the size of the academy or wipe out a room of armed trackers? That he could do. But not this.


A loud deep voice brought Keanu's spinning head back. In seconds, the room was empty of all the kids except for him and Blaire and an older man standing in the doorway. Keanu tilted his head, almost positive he had never encountered the man before. Although it was clear he must hold a high point of authority based on how quickly the room emptied.


He was vaguely aware of Blaire's cold hand resting in his heated one as they were lead down the hallways. He noticed teachers and students staring at them through open and closed doors, some giving them hopeful looks, others shaking their heads. Oh god, what kind of trouble were they in now?


Finally they stopped and were lead into a large open office. The man took a seat behind the desk, while Blaire and Keanu slumped into the two chairs facing the desk.


Dr. Cormac's words took a second to register. Keanu's eyes widened, his lips parting slightly. He was just waiting for trackers to spring out of the closets, from under the over sized desk. This whole thing was a setup.


"No," was all Keanu managed to get out in a regular, steady voice. He quickly shook his head. "No, because that sick person is responsible for killing hundred of people. For making my life hell. But this place is good." He gritted his teeth, his last sentence coming out more like he was trying to convince himself then state facts.
 
Overwhelming rage surged over Blaire. He was the one responsible for all of this, the School, the experiments, the torture. She was besides thinking at this point. She didn't want to think. Deep down every bird kid still dealt with their issues, every day of their life. They all knew what they would do if they got this opportunity. More that that she thought "trap", that had been betrayed and their safety here was now compromised.


Blaire leaped out of her chair, springing across the desk, grabbing his lapels, and slamming into the man. The chair toppled backwards. They sprawled on the floor. The man screamed. Blaire was hovering over him, fingernails of one hand biting into the skin of his throat, the other winding back. She manage one good sucker punch before she felt a tight grip around her arm and she was yanked off of him. Relatively easily, of course, her body was mostly air so she weighed very little.


"Cool it," a familiar voice said, Brody, the guy who could turn himself into a column of flames. "He's not what you think."


Blaire scowled at him and tried to pull away. "Let go of me. Now."


Brody still held firm.
 
Before anyone had a chance to answer Keanu, or before he had the chance to do it himself, Blaire was flying across the desk. Without thinking, Keanu was out of his chair. He got to the man right as Blaire was pulled off. Keanu crouched down. His fingers only brushed the mans shoulders, trying to get a grip on the man to get his share, when he felt pain shoot up his arm. Growling, the mans shirt slipped from his fingers as he grabbed his arm.


Little nail like spikes were stuck in the skin of his left arm, in almost perfect lines. Looking up, his eyes connect with the jumpy girl who he had bet would loose their Field Combat exercise first. Her arm was still slightly outstretched, her fingers pointing towards Keanu.


"What the hell!" He yelled, looking back down at his arm. The spikes weren't too deep, but small trickles of blood ran down from each incision and he couldn't even flex his forearm without wincing in pain.


"You don't know what you're doing." The girl stated firmly. She was breathing heavily, but looked a lot less cowardly then she had the first time Keanu met her. "You've got the wrong idea."


"Well someone better start explaining right now before I assume that you're all apart of this and I throw you out of that. Trust me, it's not as fun without wings." He nodded his head towards the large bay window next to him. Normally he wasn't the verbally threatening kind, but he was afraid if he didn't express his anger somehow and start getting some answers he would really blow over.
 
Brody's grip still hadn't let up. Blaire was finished with warnings. Steam rose rapidly into the air and Brody yanked his hand away. A thick layer of frost was crawling up his arm. She went to stand by Keanu as Brody and the porcupine girl went to stand protectively with the doctor. The girl was helping Cormac off the floor. He was grunted. Blood tricked from his nose and mouth into his beard. She might be a lightweight, but Blaire knew how to pack a punch. She didn't have to see the look on his face to know she broke his nose, she'd felt it.


"You better start talkin' fast, cause if someone doesn't I'll start breaking bones." Her head snapped towards Brody. They'd become friends in the time the Flock had been here, but if he threatened the well-being of her family, "Starting with you if you get in my way again."


He shook his head, "Not this time, Blaire. You and Keanu are wrong about this. Just listen."


Cormac sat in his rightened chair, it now had a bit of a wobble. He wiped his face then pulled a hanky from his coat pocket and spit a mouthful of blood into it. "I will explain, now please, all of you calm down. This will take some time. Please have a seat."


Blaire stood unmoving.


Cormac nodded with acquiesce. "Very well. Perhaps I should explain while your leader is in our company, but by the looks of it you two won't settle for anything but an explanation."


Damn right. Callie was their leader, but Blaire and Keanu, even Ethan, had become the Flock's "enforcers" for lack of a better word. They were just as responsible for the Flock's safety.


The doctor nodded. "Yes, well. I wasn't lying when I told you I founded the School. But it's trickier than that. I was thrown out of power several years after it's establishment. Essentially the organization became backed solely by private corporations. The School's objectives were fueled more and more by monetary gain and power. To the scientists in charge it was a game. They committed unspeakable crimes. My original purpose was gone, turned into a corrupted evil monster, destroying the lives of our youth." He covered his face with his hand.


"Why did you even create the School?! What motivations could you have possibly had by modifying human beings?" Blaire demanded.
 
Keanu focused solely on getting the small spikes out of his arm while the others talked around him. So far, as much as he was concerned, he wanted nothing to do with this guy.


"We can tell Callie later." He mumbled, pulling out a spike and letting it fall to the ground. He knew her sister would want to know. He wished she was here now, she would be better at handling this stuff. He listened intently to the doctors explanation.


"My intents were only ever good. When I created the School, I was thinking about the good of the whole world. While I was in control, all experiments were done on completely volunteer only patients. Never once did I force anyone to do what I wanted." The doctor leaned back in his chair, running a hand over his beard. "I was creating a superior race. A race of humans that I felt would be able to withstand extreme conditions and scenario. Call me crazy, but I believe eventually, and much sooner then people expect, something will happen to this world. And you will be the people to survive it." Cormac smiled, and gestured to the four kids.


Keanu narrowed his eyes. "So after you were thrown out of power, did you even try to stop the School?" He threw his hands up. "Surely you could have done something. You created those hellholes."
 
At Keanu's abrupt comment, Cormac's smile began to dim. A sadness met his eyes. "After I was thrown from power I was desperate to regain it again. I predicted how their intentions would turn at the entry of the new investors. My credibility was shot, I was an outcast in the scientific community. Despite not having the same access any more I did everything I could. Even at the risk of red-taping my research for the rest of my life, I tried to alert the government." His face grew sombre and his tone dropped a level. "They took my daughter. She worked for them, one of my only inside people. She was a wonderful nurse, she care for our volunteers and patients, making sure they were comfortable every step of the experimentation process. More than that my daughter one of my most valuable researchers making breakthrough discoveries on gene splicing.


"They kidnapped her from her home. In the middle of the day, while neighbors watered their lawns and sat outside. It was to flaunt their power and to teach me a lesson for meddling and going to the government. They told me if I wanted to see her live that I would give up and move far away and find a new hobby. I did what they said. But nothing I ever did was good enough for them." Cormac's eyes began to water. The small girl placed an hand on his shoulder. "They stole the eggs from her womb and killed her shortly afterward. The last conversation I had with my daughter, she told me she was trying for a baby with her husband. They used her research on the egg. From there they created the first two successful recombinant humans."


"...Two?" Blaire asked, her voice hollow.


"Twins." The doctor wiped his cheek. "You should know them. One of them is in this room."
 
Keanu kept his eyes on the floor as Cormac explained himself. He wasn't completely convinced he was a good guy yet. He sounded genuine, but anyone could if they tried hard enough.


He watched as a drop of blood fell from his arm and sprawled across the dark wood as the doctor talked about his daughter. She was used as revenge to the doctor. Keanu was paying attention to his words, but kept his focus on the floor.


At the mention of twins, Keanu's head snapped up. All eyes were on him. Slowly, he let himself sink back down into the chair. He raised a hand to run through his hair. His breathing felt shakey.


"So me and Callie were the first successful experiments." He looked up to see the doctor nod slowly.


Keanu went over the information again. Then he realized it.


"If it was your daughter who we came from," he paused for a second. "That would make you our grandfather." He concluded. Cormac gave him a small sad smile in response.
 
Blaire looked away, keeping her distance on the sidelines of this conversation. The flock always fantasized about finding their parents, especially the younger kids, but she knew Callie and Keanu also wished they knew their parents, being the leaders and all it would be a small comfort. Dimitri and Blaire had agreed long ago that it wouldn't change anything if they found their real parents. She'd still be his sister, and him her brother.


This was some heavy stuff. Blaire really wished Callie was here to deal with this. The look on Keanu's face made her shiver, she didn't like that look, sadness, confusion, maybe even a little scared. There was a lot of information being dumped on them right now. Game changing information. "Why are you telling us this now?"


The sad smile on his face stayed, "I have many regrets in my life. I started Charles Academy to begin to make up for my sins. I wanted to change the world, but not like this, not the way the School has made a mess of things. It's time you and the Flock know. About everything."


"For now I need rest, today has had a toll on my heart. Meet me here tomorrow at the same time with the rest of your Flock. I will explain more to you then."
 
As soon as the conversation came to a close, Keanu stood from his chair and was out the door. He didn't bother to say anything to anyone in the room. He also didn't bother waiting for Blaire, but he knew she would be after him in a second.


He made his way down the long hallway, his face blank of emotion. He had gotten scarily good at hiding his emotions anyway. He knew he had a class he was supposed to go to, but Keanu had no intentions of going now. He was sure "grandpa" could take care of it.


Was he supposed to tell Callie all of this? That their grandfather was running this Academy that they had come to call home, created the school, and their mother was dead? True they might have never even known who their parents were anyway, but knowing now that they never would really changed some things. Keanu decided that he would let Cormac explain all of it tomorrow. He glanced behind him quickly, seeing if anyone was behind him.
 
Blaire caught up with him quickly. She didn't like how Cormac just dismissed them like that. She heard Brody and the girl exit the room behind her and take the opposite way. Good, she sure wasn't feeling friendly towards him.


She put a hand on Keanu's shoulder, "You okay?" It was a lame question but Do you want to talk about it sounded even worse in her head. "That was...a lot to take in..."
 
Keanu jumped at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, but he already knew it was Blaire. He was just really on edge. He sighed at her words, but nodded so she wouldn't worry about it. "Yeah. I'm fine," He answered, shrugging. "I'm used to stuff like this by now." Not exactly in the same situation, but close enough.


"Are you going to class?" He asked, glancing down at her. Keanu wasn't, but he could at least walk her if she was.
 
To his question she replied, "What kind of bird-kid do you think I am? Oh course not."


She rubbed his back between his wings, a spot no bird-kid could resist. "Sorry your disappointed, that was rough. I know it wasn't the kind of news you wanted to hear... Are you going to tell Callie about...your 'grandfather'?" She paused. Blaire exhaled a breathe then proceeded to tell him something she hadn't told anyone in the flock.


"Keanu, the reason Dimitri and I aren't bothered a about not finding our parents...It's because I found them already. I found the records accidentally years and years ago. Dimitri's mother was a woman so desperate for money she sold her body to strangers, to science, wherever she could get it. My mom was heavily addicted to drugs, always in and out of jail, she sold her eggs for her next fix. We all want to believe that were were babies stolen from hospitals with loving parents out there waiting for us. I was better off thinking that, it's why I haven't told Dimitri."
 
Keanu's body visibly relaxed as her fingers worked the sore spot of his back between his wings. "I don't know if I should tell her. This'll call come back up tomorrow when we go back to his office, but if she finds out I already knew and didn't tell her she'll freak." He mumbled.


There was quietness for a moment before Blaire admitted what she knew about her and Dimitri's parents. "I'm sorry Blaire," he said honestly, rubbing his neck. "I would have been fine not knowing my parents. I mean, I've already dealt with it for seventeen years." He pointed out. "But I always thought it would be nice to know why I am the way I am. Besides the wings that were genetically put into me and the horrible trust issues I gained over time. Like who would look more like my mom, me or Callie? It's just things that would be cool to know." He shrugged. "And now we'll never get to know." He was sure Cormac probably had pictures of his daughter, but it wouldn't be the same. They wouldn't get to hear her voice or feel her hugs.
 
"I can't tell you what to do," Blaire said softly. These were his parents and his sister they were talking about, it was up to him if he was going to tell her or risk the consequences of her finding out on her own. "She might not find out. Cormac might not even mention it."


The two bird-kids arrived in their dormitory lounge, a den-like space just for the students living in that section of the building, thankfully it was mostly older kids and they wouldn't have to be worried about being swarmed by hopeful children. The tv was on in the background, muted, set to a news channel where the screen flickered between the show's host and a blonde guest.


"So you guys are alive," Minka said, one of the few in the room, they were gathered together in a clumsy circle on the floor and couch. Minka was a girl, similar to them in the way that she had wings, and she could turn into a giant bird which she called a "thunderbird" or whatever. Thunderbirds were Indian folklore, they weren't suppose to exsist. But heck, kids with flippin' wings weren't suppose to exist either. There was no response to her comment at least from Blaire who tragically held back an eyeroll. "You two are just in time for the party planning committee!"


"Your throwing a party?" Blaire echoed. "I will leave this place and never look back if you tell me its some kind of mutant-prom. Seriously. I will leave."


Minka laughed, not taking her seriously, but she also deduced the two of them were in a sour mood. "When's your birthday?"


Blaire shrugged. "I don't know. Do test tube babies have gestation dates?"


"Precisely," She exclaimed ignoring the latter. "No one knows. Most of us can only guess our age. So we're throwing one big party to age up a year. We're having it in a few days, as birthday boys and girls you of course are invited!"


Blaire nodded, but she wasn't in the mood to get excited. "Thanks, Mink, I'll keep it in mind."
 
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Keanu silently weighed his options for telling Callie as they walked through the lounge. There was a few students sitting on the couches and the floor. Luckily, they were all relatively calm teens that wouldn't blast them with questions.


Keanu rose his eyebrow in surprise at the mention of a party. A birthday party. He knew his birthday must have passed sometime, but being on the run so much and not knowing an exact date had always just kind of pushed it aside. Even in the school he didn't keep track of his birthday, just the years so he generally knew how old he was.


As they left the lounge, he looked over at Blaire. "Could be fun." He shrugged, but wasn't too sure of that. He didn't even know if he'd go yet.
 
They passed through the lounge and once they were out of earshot she said, "Maybe we should wait a few days. We don't know if Cormac was lying or not but he doesn't seem like an immediate threat, why has he kept us around so long if he has?" She wasn't quite sure what to do next. Keanu's expression was hard to read.


"I'm sure it will be fun. How often do we get to go to parties?" Blaire shrugged. At the end of the hallway there was a window. She watched as a bird flew past it. "I think I'm going to go for a fly, want to join me?"
 
Callie sprawled across her bed, laying on her stomach, head supported by her arms and hands. Under her was a large text book and a notebook. Pen clenched between her teeth, Callie frowned in concentration as her eyes skimmed the words, occasionally writing something down. Across from her at her desk was Cheyenne, a girl from her chemistry class. Se had formed a friendship with the girl, and now they were like some sort of study partners too.


"So did you hear?" Cheyenne asked, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder and setting her book down.


Callie didn't lift her head. "Bout what?" She mumbled, flipping a page of her book.


Her friend gave her a look, but Callie still hasn't moved her head. "The birthday party! It happens every year. All the kids go and celebrate their birthday since we don't know when ours are. It's tomorrow night."


"Oh."


"Are you gunna go?"


"I guess." Callie sighed, finally closing her book and notebook, finished with her homework. She looked around her room. None of her roommates were around. Blaire was gone, most likely with Keanu. She could only guess Brinley was hanging out with one of her many friends. She bit her lip, wondering which one of her Flock members she might be able to find the easiest.
 
It was Friday night but that didn't really mean to him what it would to other teens his age. He'd finished all of his other homework either that week or earlier that day. Keanu was gone and Dimitri was god-knows-where-anymore. He didn't particularly feel like spending the time alone. Ethan rolled off the bed. Walking down to the lounge he bumped into Madge. She smiled brightly, her hair was long and wavy.


"Hey, Ethan!" She bounced into step besides him. A couple of the other girls in the lounge started giving them a look that was unfamiliar to him. Madge took his hand and pulled him to a more private section of the lounge. "So what are you doing tonight?"


He shrugged. "Not sure, finished all my homework already." Madge was tall for a human but still several inches short of him so she had to look up at him. "Are you wearing makeup? You look really nice."


She blushed a dark color. Holding back a smile she straightened her top, one that looked to be a size too small that hugged her curves. "Me too, I have the whole weekend free. Yanno'," she mused, running a finger down his arm. Ethan shivered. "Its movie night, they're showing a horror flick. Do you want to go together? It'll be fun."


Ethan bit his cheek and looked over at the hallway. "Um, I don't know. I'm kinda tired, I was thinking about going for a fly."


Madge looked noticeably disapointed. "Oh, okay. That sounds cool, having wings must be awesome. You'll have to show me them sometime."


He smiled a bit. "I'll see you later, okay?" Ethan told her and went to the nearby window. He pushed it open and jumped up onto the sill. Madge watched, slightly stunned, as a pair of falcon's wings shuffled through the slits of his long sleeved shirt. Ethan fell out the window, snapping out his wings before he hit the slopped terrain two stories below.


Ethan banked and landed at Callie's window, tapping on the pane. When she opened it he smiled, "Hey, wanna see a comedy?" Since horror movies were the equivalent of comedies to them.
 
Callie and her study partner made small talk as Cheyenne gathered her things and got ready to leave. Suddenly a tap came on the window. Callie turned, expecting it to be one of her roommates, but made a surprised face when she saw it was Ethan. Quickly, she crossed the room and swung the window open. She gave him a small smile and nodded.


"Hey Ethan," Cheyenne said, giving him a friendly wave and a smile. "Well, I'm gunna get going. See you tomorrow?" It came out more of a statement then a question, making sure Callie really did plan on going to the party.


Callie rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes, I'll go." She threw her hands up in defeat, ushering Cheyenne out the door and closing it behind her. She then turned to Ethan, leaning her back against the door. "Wow, out of everyone you want to hang out with me?" She asked teasingly, but was still only half kidding. He had beautiful girls falling at his feet, like Madge for example. Maybe he just felt bad.
 
He waived politely to Cheyenne. "What's up. You get that chem homework figured out? Let me know if you need help." He smiled. Since coming here he learned that he loved people, it was exciting getting to know them and he made it a personal goal to get to know as many of the students as he could. Age was no exception, kids made him laugh, and adults always had interesting stories to tell.


At her comment Ethan raised his expressive eyebrows quizzically. "Well you seem really busy here," he said, gesturing to the now-empty room, the tiniest hint of a smirk grew on his lips, "I better get going then." He waited for her to stop him, hopping back up on the window sill pretending to leave again. When she did he climbed back in and closed the window, sealing off the cold air on the other side of the pane. He sat on the edge of her bed and laid back on her bedspread, folding his arms behind his head. He sighed, the blankets smelled like her, a clean scent earthy and sweet, he loved it.
 
Her eyes widened slightly as Ethan got read to leave. "Wait." She grumbled. She'd much rather hangout with him then hangout alone. She had a faint smirk on her face as he climbed back into her room.


While he flopped back onto her bed, she sat in her desk chair, rolling it over to the edge of her bed. She propped her feet up on the edge, next to Ethan. "Long day?" She asked jokingly, since he looked slightly tired and at the way he sighed.
 
Ethan made a face, "Meh, it was a day. It's length is relative. Glad to have a break but I feel a bit empty." He pondered that for a second. "They do a damn good job of keeping us distracted with something or another. The homework load and the activities. It's nice but exhausting. You hear about that thing with your brother and Blaire and Brinley and Dally?" He turned his head to look at her. "But that's the thing, I haven't heard much about it at all. I've noticed that gossip has a tendency to travel like wildfire here. The whole "save the world" thing is really throwing me a loop."
 
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