But Fang just stood there, motionless. He couldn't believe his eyes. A couple of hours ago, the flock had ditched him. And now he knew why.
In the reflection of the mirror, a tall, dark-haired boy stood. His curious eyes darted every which way. But the reflection in the mirror wasn't his own. His body wasn't even his own anymore. It was that of his worst enemie's.
Ari.
What happened? He asked himself. He scanned his memories, looking for that exact moment in time that disaster had struck.
The battle was in full swing. Just him and the flock taking on about a million erasers. His beloved Max was whooping everything in sight.
Max.
His thoughts rang out to him for a moment. Max. The girl he loved so much but was to scared to admit it. The reason he and Ari hated each other so much. Ari was Max's half-brother. And for some reason he always felt threatened por him. Like Max would end up loving Ari mais then she would him. His jealosy had turned deadly, he knew that. His mind drifted back to the battle.
Like he said before, the oh-so-perfect Max was completely intune with the battle. She was taking on two of them at once. Anything to protect the flock.
Wish I could fight like that, he couldn't help but think. But his thoughts were cut off when someone spoke.
"Hey, Fang. Guess who.'' Before Fang could even respond he took a hard soco across the face. Ari. He jumped on topo, início of him with his hands around Fang's throat. Fang punched him and managed to stall him long enough to get up. He and Ari were face to face now. Ari's eyes burned with the evil of Itex. They just stood there for a second. Around them the flock and erasers continued to battle out but...it was as if it was in slow motion. Finally, Fang spoke.
" Why?'' He asked. " Why do you hate us so much?''
" It's just what I was programed to do.'' He said. '' It's what my dad wants.''
''Jeb?'' Fang asked. How could that be possible? Jeb had been gone for years.
" Just think.'' Ari said and began to walk a círculo around him. Fang kept on guard in case he tried to pull one of his little stunts. " After today, my dad will be proud of me. Itex would be proud of me. And Max would be proud of me.''
" I hope you don't think Max likes some desperate, attention seeking, bully who picks on little kids.'' He said. A smile of suprise spread over Ari's face.
" Then I guess she doesn't like you.'' he said. That did it. Fang threw himself at Ari and began attacking him. Ari was fighting back.
Fang broke from his thoughts again and looked in the window. por now his Ari form was completely drenched. His mind circulated on the word's Ari has said.
''Then I guess she doesn't like you.''
It was true, Fang has been hateful to Ari back at the school. But he never thought it would escalade to this. He just loved Max. And that dang kid just kept getting in the way of everything. Still, he had been pretty cold. But enough to be called a desperate, attention seeking, bully?
He shook the thoughts and tried to remember the battle. What happened after he and Ari started to fight.
As soon as they started to fight angel started to scream. Fang turned to see angel being stuffed into a bag por two erasers. Ari, seeing Fang stalleed, managrd to scramble away from the fight.
Now they were in full pursuit.
The erasers didn't have wings. So that was an advantage. But they were insanely fast and had a good twenty feet in front of them. At the end of the cliff a helicopter stood. Thier getaway.
Seeing this only made Fang fly faster. angel was like Max's baby. She would never forgive herself if they got her. Fang managed to catch up just as Ari reached the helicopter. But it was already taking off. He grabbed Ari's arm and tried to drag him out. Ari didn't have wings. And Fang was hoping that he would fall into the heavy waters below. He hoped they would drown him. Or at least the current would carry him far away. Back to wherever he came from. Why did he have to pick now to show up. Now to ruin everything. When life was so perfect.
Ari kicked at Fang, hoping to shake him loose. It didn't work. Instead, Fang grabbed his arm. Fang's weight managed to pull Ari from the helicopter. The two of them went crashing to the Earth. The air was whoosing under them. Fang realized that angel had been left on the helicopter. It was just him and Ari. They began to fight in mid-air. Ari had a hold of him so he couldn't use his wings.
" You have to ruin everything!'' Fang shouted above the air. " Why didn't you just stay at the school?''
" I've stayed at the school long enough. Look what they did to me.'' Ari said, addressing his eraser state. " You don't know how long i've wanted to leave. To smell fresh air again. And mostly to see you die.''
" Why do you want me to die so bad?'' They were segundos away from the earth.
" Because you hated me, Fang. Back at the school all you did was treat me like crap. You thought I was coming between you and Max. When in reality, I just wanted to hang out with you guys. Jeb always liked you guys mais than me. That's why I wanted to be one of you. When Jeb left I had nobody. So now you know why I hate you so much. As a matter of fact...''
Ari turned in mid air so Fang was under him. They crashed to the ground.
Back at the shop, it was raining mais severely now. Fang just stood there in the cold. It didn't phase him. He continued to look at Ari's eraser state. He found it hard to believe this little kid could become such a monster.
It takes one to know one, I guess. He thought. He couldn't blame Ari for everything. Why did he have to make fun of the kid? He was only three. And all he needed was love. Since his dad wouldn't give it to him he had to have somebody. Which is why he was always hanging around Max.
I did this, he thought. I'm the one who turned Ari into this monster.
Fang just stood there for a second. He would wake up from the dream any minute. And when he did his stomach would churn with regret. It was enough to make him want to stay in the dream and be Ari forever. Who knows? Maybe he and Ari would make up and switch back. It wouldn't be like that in reality though. Ari was dead. He had died hating each other. It was better in his dream. But any minuto he would wake up. He had always gotten to this part of the dream then did so. It's like the intensity magnified up until that point and his mind couldn't handle it anymore. It was like one of those bombs that Iggy and Gazzy made all the time. The only difference was that it was inside of him. And, like all bombs, he couldn't stop the explosion. He would hate himself in the morning. And that morning was starting now.
Fang glanced around as the storm settled down. It stopped raining. The sun was shining through the dark clouds. The city started to fade. If only he could have a chance to apologize to Ari then he would jump at the point.
" Fang.'' Fang turned around. It was like he was looking at himself. His original body. He knew right there and then, Ari had had the same dreams. Only he came back as Fang. Ari looked toward the ground.
" It's my fault.'' He said. " I should have just stayed away from you and the flock.''
" It wasn't your fault. I was out of line. You had every right to be there as we did.'' Ari looked up.
" I'm sorry, Fang.'' He said. Fang just looked at him.
" I'm sorry too.'' He said, tears in his eyes. Ari extended his hand.
" Truce?'' he asked hopefully. Fang looked at him for a second. He was getting his wish. He took Ari's hand.
" Truce.'' He said. A white light blinded them. The seguinte thing Fang knew, he was staring at Ari. And he wasn't in front of a window. But just as quickly as it began, the dream ended. Back at home, Fang opened his eyes. That flood of regret came over him. He stuffed his head under the pillow, hating his life. There was a knock on the door. Max poked her head in.
" Fang are you...'' But then she saw Fang with his head under the pillow. ''....okay?'' She walked over and sat on his bed. He had that dream again. He would be depressed for the rest of the day. She put her hand on his back. At her touch he stirred. For a moment the two of them just looked at eack other. Fang tried to choke back tears.
" Do you....want to talk about it?'' She asked. Fang slowly shook his head. Max couldn't understand. Not even if it involved her. Nobody could.
" We all miss him, Fang. You didn't do anything. Itex did.'' Max said trying to comfort him. It didn't help.
" I drove him mad when he was still alive.'' Fang said.
" We all drove him mad.'' Max said. There was another long silence.
" We just never had a chance to make up.'' Fang said.
" I'm sure Ari knows your sorry.'' She said. Fang wasn't convinced.
" Just think of your dreams. You think it might have been possible for Ari to have the same one?''
" We made up in this dream.'' He said. Max put her arm on Fang's shoulder.
" Well, that's good.'' She said. Fang nodded but he still wasn't sure. Max could see this. She put her arms around Fang's shoulders and hugged him. Of course Nudge just had to walk in.
" Max, Iggy said that if I don't get out of the cozinha he'll...'' She saw them hugging. '' Awwww, you guys.'' She ran over and hugged them too. And of course the rest of the flock just had to come in too. Fang felt the amor around him. The truth was, this was his family, and he wouldn't replace them for anything else in the world. But it kind of made him wonder. Why couldn't Ari have had that kind of love.
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I never thought Ari had a proper ending in the series. It's the first Fan-Fiction i've ever written. It's kind of angsty, but it's sweet. Hope you like. To cadastrar-se the fanpop spot for Ari, go here: link
