It's been a year exactly since I last updated...God, that's not good. Let's hope the next one doesn't take that long. Anywho, the flashback chapters are going to be sporadic. This ain't one of 'em. I'm not going to bother commenting on the chapter length, considering it's been a whole year. One year = One chapter = One thousand words ...let's not make this a habit, shall we?

"Talking"
'Thinking'
Telepathy

Don't own~

Last Time

Ed reminisces about how he arrived in the Maximum Ride world while the group (the flock, Ed, Al, Mustang, and Hawkeye) walks through a cave tunnel that seems to be serving as some sort of base for the 'Resistance'.

The group continued walking in silence. The air wasn't tense, per se, but it definitely wasn't comfortable. Max glanced around. Her flock seemed on tense and on edge. For a moment, Max felt a swell of pride. They weren't completely trusting of these people yet, and they were ready for anything that might happen. Just like she had always told them to be. She suppressed a small smile. Next, Max swept her gaze over the four strangers.

Fullmetal's face seemed to be in some far-off daydream while his brother was frowning, deep in thought. On the other hand, the two military-like adults seemed sharp and alert. Max has a couple questions about the two. The way them held themselves oozed confidence and control. There weren't many people that she'd ever come across like that. And she was pretty sure that wasn't a good thing.

"Sir," Hawkeye said in a low voice, "We've confirmed that this base has been discovered by them." The blonde military woman sufficed to emphasize 'them' instead of risking the newly aquainted experiments hearing her conversation. One could never be too cautious, she reasoned.

Mustang inclinded his head slightly. "Very well. Go ahead and tell Fuery to get ready."

"Yes, sir." Hawkeye swiftly strode off into the caverns, leaving the large group behind.

'Where's she going?', Max thought to herself, frowning.

I heard something about preparing, Angel mentally told her older sister, though she didn't sound very certain.

A sudden female voice pierced through the awkward air, interrupting Max's train of thought. The brown haired avian saw a couple of her flock jump and thought she saw Fullmetal's face contort into something along the lines of 'Oh crap'.

"EDWARD ELRIC, YOU IDIOT! I SWEAR, IF YOU MESSED UP THAT AUTOMAIL...!" the threat to 'Edward Elric' remained open as a blonde teenage girl stomped over to the group of four.

"Uh, nice to see you too, Winry," Fullmetal said, almost sheepishly. Max narrowed her eyes. If Fullmetal was scared of a teenage girl, what could she do to the rest of them? And was his name...Edward?

The blonde mechanic's march came to a stop right in front of said blonde boy. She glared (down) at him, her gaze sweeping over him, almost like a mother hen might. Well, that's what it looked like to the flock. In reality, Winry was checking Ed's automail to make sure he hadn't screwed it up. Ed, for once, was pretty sure he hadn't. A small smirk made its way onto the alchemist's face.

"I didn't break it this time," Ed practically boasted. Break what? Max thought. Almost as if in response to Max's unspoken question, Ed hoisted his right arm up in front of him, clenching his fist. Winry wasted no time in properly inspecting her handiwork, and pulled back with an almost-smile on her face.

"Congratulations, Ed, you went a day without braking your automail," Winry said, only a tint of sarcasm in her voice. Ed ignored said sarcasm and simply grinned at her.

"It is a little dirty, though," Winry went on. Ed scowled.

"Of course, you can't accept that I did something right for once, picky mechanic," Ed muttered.

"What did you say!?" Winry shouted. A wrench appeared out of nowhere (and Max swears it came from nowhere) and smashed into Fullmetal's pouting face.

"What the hell was that for!?" Ed yelled from his fetal position on the ground.

"For being an insensitive idiot!" Winry screeched back. The two's argument escalated and Al had tried to step in and calm the blondes down. Mustang had a smirk on his face. Iggy was trying to ask Gazzy what had happened, but Gazzy couldn't seem to stop giggling. Fang looked his usual stoic self, but Max had known him long enough to see the faint amusement in his eyes.

"Brother, Winry! Calm down..." Al futilely tried to pull the two apart.

Nudge leaned toward Max and whispered in her ear, "I think they like each other." Max gave the dark-skinned girl a skeptical look. She glanced back over at Fullmetal and Winry, fighting verbally and physically, their faces red with anger. Then she turned back to Nudge and gave a miniscule nod. Nudge giggled.

Al was still trying to calm his brother and friend down, with no success. It was starting to tick him off, too. How were they going to get the avian kids in their resistance if all they saw was teenagers screaming at each other? Al made eye contact with Hawkeye, who stared back at him with a look that said, 'Go ahead'. That was all the encouragement the younger Elric needed. He quickly grabbed his brother's arm and flipped him to the ground a couple yards away. Then Al swiped Winry's wrench and threw it down the rock corridor.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted. Ed and Winry looked at him in shock, while Al noticed in the corner of his eye the snickers that some of the avians were trying (and failing) to cover up.

"It would be nice if the two of you could act civilized in front of guests," Al said, now much calmer, but still slightly peeved. Winry and Ed's eyes drifted over to the Flock. Winry hadn't even realized that they were there before. She blushed, and quickly stood up straight.

Winry walked over to Max and held out her hand. "Sorry about that. I'm Winry Rockbell." Max stared at the worn hand being held out to her. She felt everyone's eyes on her, waiting to see what she was going to do. Max hesitantly brought her arm and firmly shook the blonde's hand. "Max."

Before the group could be fully intoduced, all sound was suddenly drowned out as a deafening explosion tore through the tunnels of the Organization. The ground immediately started vibrating. Everyone struggled to keep their balance. Max righted herself, her mind already working through every possible escape route. She could head Fullmetal - Ed - swear loudly. She locked eyes with him for a split second.

"The found us."

Who found who? A perfect example of one of the cheesiest cliff-hanger ever. ;)

The next update will be before the end of the year. Not gonna push it and say anything before that. Some more characters are going to be introduced in the next chapter as the 'resistance' deals with the threat. The Flock get a couple answers, but even more questions...so stay tuned for the next exciting episode of Dragon Ball Z...oh, oops. Been watching that too much. -_-

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all y'all Americans! ;)

Gotta go read that last Maximum Ride book!