Chapter Text

«Issue negative one»

“Prologue”

 1941

~~~

Icarus hastily fluttered up the tree, perching himself on the tallest branch that could hold him. The young boy looked down, seeing Auggie still hauling herself up to him. He tapped his talon impatiently against the bark, whining with his words.

"Come onnn, Auggie! You're gonna miss it!"

"I'm going as fast as I can! not everyone can fly-!"

-Auggie grunted over the distant carnival music as she clumsily fumbled with the claws on her bat wings, pulling herself up to Icarus. The boy grinned and scooted over, inviting her next to him. She accepts and plops down next to him, her eyes pulled to the dark sky above them. After a few moments, Auggie leans in-

"…Do you think they'll look as good as they do on the television?"

-She whispered. Icarus leaned in back.

"I dunno. I hope so."

The pair gasped as the fireworks commenced. Icarus's wings fluttered behind his back, his eyes glued to the colorful display. Auggie quickly grabbed her fluffy ears, but she too was enamored by the exploding, booming stars in the sky. The sparkling display glimmered in the pair's dark eyes. As they silently watched, The girl scooted up closer, cuddling up to Icarus's warm feathers. After a few minutes, Icarus nudges her, getting her attention.

"Hey. I wanna show you what what I drew today…Its special."

Auggie hummed, her ears perking up. She looked down at his taloned hands as he reached into the pocket on his trousers. He pulled out a crinkled piece of paper, unfolding it for her. She delicately took it into her pawed fingers.

"Whoa…is this the map of the united states?"

"Mhm. And I remembered to add Florida this time, too. Kind of a big deal."

Auggie snickered softly, tracing her fingers over the crayon-crusted sketch paper. After a second, Her eyes drew upon all the major cities he had highlighted with markers.

"Well, I like this one. But why've you got all these spots circled?"

"Well, I have plan, mind you. I can see it all in my head- Me and you, traveling the Americas, preforming in every city, doing the most DANGEROUS acts by which the world has NEVER SEEN!"

Icarus gestures wildly with his hands, his wings puffing out behind him as he spoke. Auggie dawdled the skirt of her nightgown.

"Or…you and I could get a big house…one with a big field behind it…and live there…I've always wanted to live somewhere warm."

"…Hmph. I guess we could do that too…"

Icarus glanced away aloofly, bringing his knees to his chest as he huffed. But Auggie could still see the tiny pout tugging at the edge of his beak. The girl sighed thoughtfully and kicked her clawed feet over the edge of the tree branch, looking out at the bustling circus scene below.

"Okay, promise me one thing."

The boy raised his chin from his knees, blinking softly as he turned to look back at her with a tilted head.

"Promise me that no matter what we do…or the places we go, we'll do it together?"

Auggie fiddled with her fingers, her ears tilted forward as she looked up at the dark, vast sky above them, fireworks still crackling in the distance. Icarus smiled and wrapped a wing around his friend.

"Of course, flittermouse. Nothin' could ever drive US apart. You don't have to worry about anything, okay? Even if your plan is LAME-UH!"

He reaches up and ruffles her fluffy pin curls with a smirk. She swats at his hands, giggling quietly.

"Alright, I get it. you're right, bird brain."

"Yeah, I know."

"No, not about that…"

The pair looks back up at the gleaming stars above them, wind whistling through the thick leaves of the oak they've perched on. The carousel chimes its cheery tune, multi-colored lights glimmering down below like thousands of little stars. She looks back up at him, grinning with her baby fangs.

"Nothing can break our friendship. And you know what? If things go awry, and we get separated, we'll come out on top in the end."

«Issue zero»

“The Adventure Begins”

 Moth Rock, Michigan

~~~

"Allllright! Now, Dear stranger…was THIS your card?"

The sidewalk of Moth rock city was bustling with pedestrians. It was small, but being close to Lake Michigan made it a hot spot for blooming businesses and economical growth. Bumbling business folk walked swiftly with overstuffed briefcases, wannabe models strutted in modern outfits like they had an audience, and busy establishments stood all around, taking customers left and right. With the evening approaching and with opportunity around every smooth lamppost and well trimmed bush arrangement, Icarus enjoyed the crowd. He shimmied the deck around in his feathery hands before theatrically yanking a card from the top of the stack, holding it up to the older gent.

"No."

"Haha- wait what?"

"That's not my card."

Icarus blinks and looks back and forth between the card he drew and the stranger's. He scoffs indignantly, his shoulders falling slightly.

"Wha-? well what card did you get?"

"You gave me a three of diamonds. That's not even how this trick is supposed to work."

"Oh."

Icarus looked down at the queen of hearts in his feathery hand, gulping before glancing back up at the stranger, an awkward chuckle erupting from the raven before the man tosses the card back to him. Icarus fumbles to catch it before it flies off in the wind.

"Get a new gimmick, kid."

-grumbles the stranger as he walks away. Icarus watches him, his eyes narrowing. He huffs and mutters under his breath, his wings twitching and fluffing irritably as he gathers his deck of cards. He glances down at his empty tip jar, groaning and clenching his talons against the pavement.

"Gr. Can't spare anything? really?"

-He complains under his breath before perking back up again.

"Aaaaanyone ELSE wanna test the IM-pliable, IM-possable, IM-praisable mind of FIREBALL?!"

…Silence. Icarus groans, his patience quickly warring thin as we speak.

However, he hasn't paid fruitful attention to his surroundings. The owner of the shop Icarus has his substandard performance at isn't pleased with his begging. Icarus nearly jumps out of his feathers when an older lady emerges from the shop with a large broom, yelling with her tinny little voice.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO COME AROUND HERE AGAIN!"

"Ahh-! I'm going! I'm going!!"

The tinny voiced woman weakly whaps Icarus with her broom. Icarus's wings flutter uncomfortably as he gathers his things and scampers away, annoyed with yet another shop he's been banned from "preforming" in front of. He looks down at his watch, deciding to tuck in for the night. He piles his stuff into his messenger bag and shoves his hands in his pockets, walking down streets and avenues.

when turning the corner to a particularly empty street, Icarus nearly passes by a local bar. He pauses and stares at the establishment blankly for a moment. He blinks and walks inside, the bell above the door jingling with his entrance.

The bartender wipes down a few glasses and glances up, briefly pausing at the sight of him. But Icarus strides with confidence, having learned that when you look as peculiar as him, no one asks for your ID. He sits up on a bar stool, digging into his pocket and slapping a few dollars on the counter.

"Just a beer."

The man behind the counter nods slowly and kneels below the counter, pulling a glass bottle out of a cooler. He hands Icarus the beverage, eyeing his feathered face and pointy beak with confusion, but the avian couldn't care less. The bartender sighs and looks down, going back to cleaning glasses. Icarus pops open the bottle with his beak and takes a long sip. He finally lets his usual grin fall as he taps his fingers against the glass. He takes another long sip, The warm buzz of alcohol making him exhale, his shoulders sinking. He taps his taloned feet lazily against the hardwood floor.

After a little while, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. he blinks and pulls his cell out, his eyes widening when he reads the caller ID.

"Uh, I'll take this to go. Thanks!"

-Icarus sputters as he hops out of his seat, rushing out the door with the rest of his drink. He quickly stands in the alleyway outside, feverishly answering the phone, greeting the older woman on the other end.

"H-hey, Ms. Belle! How's it going?"

"Hi pumpkin! How's your day been so far? Not getting into too much trouble, I hope!"

He chuckles and scratches the back of his head, his fingers toying with the half empty bottle in his other hand.

"Oh, you know. Just the usual. I didn't really make anything today, though."

Ms. Belle's tone shifts a bit and she sighs softly over the phone.

"It feels like you never make any money. When are you gonna come back down to Texas?"

"I told you, I'll fly back down to visit once I get my big break, and its only a matter of time! After all, I'm pretty famous here in Moth Rock!"

"Infamous and famous aren't the same thing. Look hun, I know your trying to chase your dreams, but no one up there knows who you are."

Icarus scoffs and shifts his weight, his wings folded against his back as he steps away from the moist brick wall.

"Come on, the last show Spectral Entertainment ever DID was in this town! And not to brag, but me and my partner were quite the hot commodity."

"Icarus, that was 90 years ago."

He blinks and pauses, his smile fading off his beak. His tail feathers shift as he quiets down.

"I love you, sweetheart, but I think your in over your head with all of this. I'll always support 'cha. But home'll always be where you left it."

There's a moment of silence as Icarus looks down, considering his next words. He looks back down at the bottle in his hand, stepping back and leaning against the damp wall. His deep eyes match the sadness of the cold, drooping sky above him. he exhales a short sigh as he stares into the barrel of his beer bottle.

"…I miss her so much, Belle."

"I know. I know you do."

"I just-…I-I wish she was here with me, ya know? I mean, if I really am making a fool of myself, I wish we…could be fools together."

He keeps it short, but the voice crack that slips exposes him. His grip on his bottle tightens as his eyes scrunch. He sniffs and exhales shaky, taking a short swig of his drink.

"I'm sorry, baby. I wish I could hug you right now."

There's a long few seconds of silence. Icarus mentally curses himself as he takes another sip of his beer. He looks up at the darkening sky, the clouds closing in on the last visible sliver of sky with moon in sight. He tenses and looks down, Uncomfortable with this newfound silence. He lightens his voice up again.

"Geez, every street in Moth Rock looks the same. I wonder if I'd get better tips downtown."

"Oh please. That side of town's no place for a boy like you."

Icarus's head feathers raised and his eyes quirked in intrigue.

"Hm? How so?"

"Just trust me. its the part of Michigan that never truly sleeps. "

"Never sleeps…interesting."

"Ah! Don't you even think about it, young man."

"Hey, hey! I wasn't thinkin' about nothin'!"

He cackles a bit as she scolds him. The orphanage caretaker then speaks up-

"You haven't been drinkin' again, have you?"

"WHA- uh-! N-No! of course not!"

He nearly chokes, covering his beak as he stammers nervously to his maternal figure over the phone. The lady sighs.

"Just stay safe, hun. You've got a heart of gold under those wings, So don't fly yourself into any more trouble up there. We love you so much, mkay? You know your way home.

A soft smile spreads over Icarus's beak, his posture softening. His voice lowers, like how a busy town winds down after midnight.

"Thanks ma. I love you guys too. Tell the others goodnight for me. Talk to you later."

Icarus hangs up the phone, sighing heavily. He hiccups quietly before downing the rest of his beer, tossing his bottle in the dumpster and exhaling, sliding his hands into his pockets. He blinks lazily, his wings giving a small flap as he began to think. He knew there were parts of Moth Rock he hadn't yet explored, but he always assumed the uptown had more foot traffic. But if Ms. Belle was right and downtown was truly "The part of Michigan that never sleeps", he might have a chance to get some real traction. A tiny grin formed on his beak as the plan came together in his head. If everything went well, it could shape up to be his best performance yet.

Meanwhile…

Laying in the corner of the shadiest part of town was a diner, one unlike most, but certainly nothing to get excited over. Squeezed in between two other dying businesses and only going by the incredibly vague but not entirely untrue name of "Diner", this establishment usually was busy, but never packed. Even if it was open all night and all day. There was much to hate, and trust me, Augustine hated all of it.

It was difficult to not resent the place. Especially because she had no choice but to work there. The florescent lights flickered and buzzed, and she was sure the food (If you could consider it that) was violating some sort of health code.

Augustine sighs as she stands behind the grimy counter, wiping down the counter top with a rough rag, scrubbing at stains that had probably been there longer than she'd been. She gasped and jolted when she heard her boss yell out to her-

"AY FUR FACE! FOR TABLE 3!

"Yes sir…"

Her voice shook as she stopped, turning around to carry the steaming plates out to the customers. Her skinny arms strained to carry the food, but she quickly steadied and carried out the greasy dishes to table 3.

"H-here's your food."

As Augustine walked away, she couldn't help but overhear the customers comments-

"…that girl is so skinny…"

"…what's wrong with her face?…"

She winced at their muttered insults, embarrassed with the knowledge they were for sure speaking about her. Her malnourished body tightened as she started the trudge back to the counter, picking up dirty dishes on the way. A pair of unruly children screeched in the corner booth causing Augustine's ears flinched under her bonnet, all the dishes and silverware in her arms loudly clattering to the floor. She gasps and quickly drops to the floor, frantically rearranging the scattered dishes in her hands. The boss growls in frustration.

"Whatever ya break is coming outta your paycheck, skin n' bones."

Augustine sighs, hoping to not have broken anything, as her already minuscule paycheck had taken a hit yesterday too. She continues picking up the fallen cutlery, panting as laboriously sets the dirty dishes down up on the counter top. She tries to take deep, even breaths, but she's starting to loose herself again. Her eyes desperately flick around the diner, but she's starting to slip.

"Ay! Where ya goin', broad?! Ya shift ain't over yet!"

She ignores him and stumbles into the employee's bathroom, slamming and locking the door. Augustine hyperventilates, trying hard to slow down her racing heart. She nearly collapses in front of the toilet, leaning on the cracked porcelain for support. She coughed and yacked into the bowl, her sick body wanting to puke up something, although she had nothing in her stomach to throw up. She looks down at her hands, nearly gagging when she sees her claws extended. No…Augustine can't let herself loose it like this. Not here…not now…not ever again…Her fangs have been itching to sink into something, but she resists that cursed train of thought. The bat exhales deeply, stumbling up off the cold tile. She limps up to the sink and slowly looks up at her mused expression, barely able to meet her own exhausted eyes.

"…Your so hideous."

-Murmured Augustine. She tried to sound brash, but that echoed insult came out as nothing but a weak shudder. She had heard those words many times in different forms. She pulls herself off the sink, Adjusting her stained and tattered waitress uniform, making sure her bonnet was fixed over her big bat ears.

She makes her way out of the bathroom, Her black eyes glazed over and dizzy. She tried to go back to work, but she could never fully concentrate, not with all this racket, and not with her constant blurry vision. She stood blankly at the counter, watching customers leave, piles of dirty dishes and soiled napkins left in their wake. Would this be the rest of Augustine's life? Cleaning up food scraps, garbage and god knows what for cents an hour? Would she ever feel love again? It had been so long, it was like her shivering little heart was covered in cobwebs. Was she going to be able to eat tonight? She knew the answer, but feared the outcome. how much longer could she go without eating anything?—

"HEY!"

Augustine blinked as she whipped her head up to her boss, her eyes blank as if they'd been through 1000 wars.

"What'chu doin' just standin' around, huh?! GET TO WORK!"

Augustine gasped and flinched when the boss suddenly raised the dish towel in his hand, slapping her on the arm. But she forced herself into complete stillness, Fighting back those cursed urges.

"Tch. Your lucky your just a girl, or else I woulda' knocked you upside the head by now. Go take out the trash."

Augustine exhales when he finally walks away, keeping her head down. She slowly walks back to the kitchen, pulling the full trash bag out of the can and lugging it out the back door. Augustine carries the thing out into the cold void that lays behind the diner, only illuminated by a flickering street lamp. Her lanky body quakes as she struggles to toss the bag into the dumpster. She finally manages to throw it in with a quiet grunt, panting for a moment as she stares at the dumpster, knowing if she wanted to eat anytime soon, she'd probably have to do some rummaging tonight.

Before she can stop it, a shaky whimper escapes her throat, a weak, pathetic sound she tried to never ever make. But as she felt the hot burn of tears billowing behind her eyes, she new it was too late. It started out as a sniffle, then a small cry, then a sob. Augustine buried her face in her hands, only now feeling how sore her legs and feet were when she stood still. Her head had been pounding for days with no sign of stopping.

Augustine couldn't help but feel hopeless. She looked up at the sky, seeing no stars look at her back. she cried through clenched fangs. She had no money, no food, no future, no place to call home, and no one to hold her when the nights got cold. She felt a sharp breeze slice through her mangy fur, a reminder of those things that hurt like no other. She sniffled and looked up, seeing the darkened railroad track in front of her. Her bat ears could pick up the sound of a train in the distance. Her eyes drew blank again as she took a small step forward.

Then another…

Meanwhile (Again)…

Icarus still felt the small grin on his face. It was the perfect scheme! In fact, it was so perfect he wondered why he never thought of it before. He took a few weird turns down alleys and streets with odd names, like there could be some secret code to getting where he needed to be. He knew when he started getting closer. The street lights were more yellowed, more shops had "for lease" boards in their dusty windows, and every once in a while he'd see colorful flashing signs with suspicious verbiage.

He gulped, looking around after every turn. For some reason, he expected downtown to be full of party animals and generous tippers, but in hindsight, he should have probably seen this coming when Ms. Belle said it was no place for a boy like him. Because so far, that was true. Icarus sped up his walking pace a bit, noticing that older women in far too little clothing for this kind of weather smoking at every street corner were eyeing him suspiciously.

Getting the terrible feeling he was about to get mugged or something, Icarus decided that there definitely wasn't an audience for him here. So he looked behind him, expecting to see where he entered just a couple blocks behind him. However, he just saw more downtown. Bad news guys, he's lost. Lost? He's never lost! Icarus scoffed. He flapped his large wings, attempting to get into the air for a birds-eye view. He glided up steadily, but couldn't make it more than thirty feet off the ground without feeling plinks of rain patter on his wings. He blinks and lands his short flight, holding out a hand, and sure enough, it was beginning to rain. The sky darkened, hinting at the rainstorm to come. It quickly began to pick up, causing Icarus to shudder and quickly step under a building shade. Theres no way he'll willingly fly in the rain. He groans, the gloomy weather matching his souring mood. Perhaps he could find somewhere warm to stay, just until this storm ends. It really didn't seem like there were many places open at this hour.

Augustine stands at the edge of the moist railroad track, barely noticing the rain picking up. She pads closer, looking down the tracks, seeing the headlight approaching. She stares at the bright beam, her eyes still unblinking. Her clawed foot inches closer to the patchy paved area, her pupils turning to narrow slits as she parted bushes and stepped over long grass.

Icarus huffed as he did acrobats to avoid the growing rain puddles, cringing with every stray droplet that touched his pristine feathers. He clutched his bag close to his body to prevent any of his stuff getting wet. He looked up, his eyes widening when he finally saw a lit up restaurant not to far away. He sped up his stride until he finally reached the building. Icarus was about to enter when he heard something strange. Which, of course, you'd identify as odd. how could anyone hear anything over the rain? It sounded like a strangled sort of cry. And it was coming from right behind the diner. Icarus was met with a decision. Either ignore the sound and enter the establishment to escape the cold, or investigate. Now, he knew what the correct option was, which one was safer and almost guaranteed for normalcy. I know for a fact that if really placed in the same suddenly inauspicious situation, you would pick the first choice in a heartbeat.

But like most points in his life, Icarus chose the option that was less predictable. His hand faltered at the doorknob for a moment before he looked into the narrow alleyway. His eyes darted around briefly and whether pulled by some unseen force or by his own accord, he walked towards the alley that seemed like nothing but a crack in the wall. as he silently stepped in between the two buildings, he couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. His beak tightened at the idea of being met with some dying animal, but he was already more than halfway there. He slowed his pace as he reached the end, deciding to do something smart for once and he peered quietly around the corner.

He wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but what he saw wasn't on his bingo card.

Augustine couldn't hear him ~30 ft behind her. Now standing still as a statue in the middle of the jagged railroad track, staring into that bright white headlight. She didn't even realize she was had continued to whimper and pule. She was scared, but she still stood there. A part of her was terrified, had no idea what she was doing and begged her to step away, but that part had also been on her deathbed for a while. In a way, a conclusion like this felt almost inconsequential. Would anyone even miss her or realize she was gone? Maybe this was for the best, then. As the headlight beam grew brighter, she thought of her very best friend. The boy she always imagined knowing for the rest of her life. She prayed to whoever was listening that he was somewhere warm.

Icarus couldn't believe his eyes. Was what he was seeing even real? Was there actually a woman standing in the middle of the road like this? He can't just stand by and watch! Barley even thinking first, he dashed from his peeking spot as fast as he could, his heart shaking in his chest like an earthquake. Icarus flapped his powerful wings. He didn't know much, but he knew if he didn't act quick, this woman would be as good as roadkill.

Augustine yelped as she was suddenly tackled to the ground by someone. Both her and this person grunted as they tumbled into the unkempt, grassy ditch below, the train bolting past with mere seconds to spare, blaring it's horn loudly over the rain. It passed, the carts trailing behind it jingling and clanking into the night, the only thing fully audible being the pair's labored panting.

She squirmed, but was unable to fully move from her stunned state. She struggled weakly against Icarus's weight. He quickly moved off of her, but kept a steady grasp overtop of the unstable woman.

"…Lady, what are you doing!? Are you crazy??!"

"Ack!! G-get off of m-me!!"

-Shuddered Augustine as she shakily swiped at at his shoulders. The train finally fully passes, letting the light from the blinking streetlamp flood through, illuminating the pair. The first thing Augustine noticed was his scent, her sensitive nose invaded by a faint yet very familiar smell. Icarus paused, his eyes widening. He got up and leaned back to get a better look at her face. Augustine blinked, and although her eyesight was poor, there was only one anthropomorphic bird guy out there. Icarus stared into her stunned eyes. She looked exactly how he remembered, but with a cruel twist. The same eyes an abused animal would look at you with.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, Augustine spoke up, her voice shuddered like it was being rattled by the cold wind.

"…Icarus…?"

Icarus's feathers raised as he heard that voice of hers. It was most definitely her. In an instant, he scooped her up, squeezing her frail body. Augustine whimpered and flinched slightly, but wrapped her arms around his back. In that moment, all at once, their true emotions rushed back like a bountiful flood. She sobbed, her ears drooped back as she hid her face in his shoulder. She wasn't sure if this was even real. If he was even here with her in the most unexpected way. Icarus didn't want to cry, but he couldn't stop once he shed his first tear. He pressed his beak against the side of her head, his wings wrapped around her. Augustine's rickety hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, almost like she was afraid if she wasn't fully latched onto him, he would vanish again.

After a moment, Icarus pulls back to look at her, no longer caring about the rain soaking into his plumage.

"A-Auggie…oh my goodness…I-I can't believe— Wh-What are you even doing here…?"

"I-I should be asking you that! Wh-Why are you in downtown Moth Rock? A guy like you doesn't belong h-here!"

"Everyone keeps saying that."

Augustine— Ah, excuse me. Auggie looks over Icarus at the diner, pursing her lips and gulping slightly. Icarus looks behind himself to see whats got her eye. He blinks and looks back at her. He surveys her ratty waitress outfit.

"W-Wait…you work there?"

"I mean…y-yeah…"

Icarus looks over her, seeing her messy, scraggly hair, her torn up dress and apron, and her poor, spindly little body that just made him feel depressed. He stood up and helped her to her feet, wincing as Auggie stumbles slightly. Her hip bones protruding through her uniform he keeps steady hold of her hand, as if hes afraid if he wasn't keeping close tabs on her, she'll shatter into million pieces.

"Whens the last time you had an actual meal?"

Auggie looked back at him, but couldn't meet his eyes. She tugged at her stained apron, her eyes shakily fluttering across the back of the diner, as if anticipating something.

"Uh…I-I don't…I…"

Auggie sniffles and sobs quietly again, quickly wiping her tears away, clenching her fists.

"Hey, hey! Don't cry, alright?"

He said. Which was redundant, because he was crying quite a bit. He glared up at the diner, like he watched it personally hurt her. And it might as well have. He thinks for a moment, quickly piecing together a flimsy plan. He puffs out his chest, finally managing to unlock his soaked wing from around her.

"Well, I gotta plan. You don't work here anymore!"

"Wh-What?"

Icarus quickly pulls her across the empty train tracks and through the shrubs and the itchy tall grass.

"Ack! What do you m-mean?"

"I mean you don't work in that place anymore!"

-He states as fact as he drags her through the narrow alley. She clings clumsily to his hand, staring at the diner with pinned ears. as they emerge from the shadows, about to exit the lot when the owner bursts out the door, his face red with fury.

"AY! WHAT'DYA THINK YOUR DOING?! YOU RUN OFF WITH SOME BOY ON YOUR OWN TIME! GET BACK IN HERE!"

Auggie flinches and ducks behind Icarus, her widened eyes trained on her boss. Icarus's wings fluff out, his eyes tapered. He huffs and tightens his grip on her hand.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!"

Auggie gulped, her eyes widening as she watched his wings fluff, clearly getting riled up on her behalf. She nudged him, but Icarus was too engrossed. His wings flare out further.

"Uh- Ic—"

"Oh yeah?? And who are you to say, bird? That girl works for me."

"Well, she wont be clocking in tomorrow!"

"Thats fine! Cause she's FIRED!"

"You cant fire her!!"

"And whys that?"

"Because she QUITS!"

"THEN DON'T COME BACK!"

The boss slams the door, the junky glass door clattering as the only remaining sound is the pattering rain. Icarus smirks and exhales triumphantly, putting his hands on his hips. Auggie glances away, releasing her uncertain grip on the edge of his shirt.

"Uh…you really didn't need to do that."

"Hm? Oh, It's nothing, really. Wings like mine can scare off any creepy old boss."

Auggie barely manages a smile, sticking close to his side. As if on cue, The rain slowly begins to subside. Auggie looks up, the sky nothing but an inky pool, the moon hidden behind clouds, the stars barely a distant glimmer to what they would be. Icarus steps to the side and shakes off his feathers, flapping the rainwater off his wings.

"Tch. Good riddance…Hey, hows about we get outta here? Downtown gives me the creeps."

"I'm…fine with that. I know these streets. Plus, I think we have some catching up to do. Eight years worth."

Auggie pilots the way, attentively glancing at every street sign. Icarus follows, stretching his arms behind his head. Hes unsure of how to start this conversation, so he leads with his most burning question.

"What are you doing here? Have you been here all this time?

"Yeah…I…didn't really run far."

"And you were working at that seedy diner?"

"I mean, I-I guess. I was just trying to make it by. Life is unforgiving."

-Mused Auggie, but glancing between Icarus and herself, seeing her rags and filth compared to his nicely pressed pelt, life clearly forgave him. But she pretended not to notice. Icarus let a somber moment pass before he spoke again, his voice more chipper in comparison. He shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I'm glad to have saved you from that! Your due for a fresh start, huh?"

"…You could say that. Here, this alley cuts to Main Street."

"You sure do know your way around these streets."

"Mhm. But I never go uptown. Those snobs hate the homeless."

"Don't I know it…"

"What, are you a beggar? You certainly don't look like it."

She remarks, scanning his rugged yet preened appearance. He smiles slightly and scratches the back of his neck, glancing away.

"Well…I guess most would call me that. But I prefer being called a traveling performer."

Auggie's eyes quirk and she looks back up at him.

"Traveling performer…?"

"Yeah! I'm basically a local celebrity."

"…I have a sneaking suspicion that's not fully true."

"Pft. Crazy talk. I'm a stand-up citizen!"

Auggie squints at his statement. She looks forward, seeing they've now begun to pass the threshold of uptown Moth Rock.

"Here we are. What was that plan you talked about? Do you…live around here or something?"

"Nah. Actually-…"

He pauses, blinking softy. He looks down at Auggie, his usual expression softening. Icarus thinks for a moment, considering his words carefully. He looks back up at the sky, his chestnut eyes mimicking the foggy abyss of faded stars above them. Glancing back down at the young bat lady, he cracks a tiny smile.

"…Okay- You're gonna think this is crazy, but I actually do have somewhere we can go."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Its where I grew up. In my preteen years, anyway."

Auggie leans in a bit when he reaches into his pocket and unfolds a large, slightly yellowed paper map. Quite old school. The prominent creases form a faint cross over the thin material, many circles and lines sketched over certain areas showing the many times its purpose has been fulfilled. An amused smile tugs at her lips.

"Still obsessed with maps. You haven't changed much."

He chuckles quietly.

"Alright, look. Alllll the way down here…"

He flaps the map a bit, gliding his taloned finger down to a city in Texas more highlighted than the rest, a small doodle of a house surrounded by flowers etched above it. Auggie cocks her head, squinting to read the map. She blinks, looking back up at her raven friend. Icarus feels the familiar ache of homesickness in his chest, a disease he found worse than the flu.

"There. This is my home. 'Ms Yarrow's Home for Unfortunate Children'. They took me in after that night."

Auggie feels herself tense up at the mere mention of That night. She shifts her weight, her furry fingers twiddling with a strand of her hair. She keeked away for a moment as she began to chew on her lips. It was an unheeding habit, but one she knew was probably bad. Icarus quickly continued-

"…They take really good care of me there. I have a bunch of friends that I'm sure you'd get along great with! The only problem is that its all the way down in Farfelle, Texas."

She stares at that spot on paper, her ears tilting back. For so long, all she ever wanted was a home. But now when faced with one she could potentially call her own, she can't stop shuddering. A specific type of pain prodded through the bars of her heart, one that had infested her being for quite some time, A nauseatingly familiar feeling that constantly wound her up and made the worst of her spring out like an antagonistic Jack-in-the-box.

Auggie blinked and finally broke her eyes from the map, her gaze flickering back up to her friend, who was staring at her like she was growing an extra tail out of head or something. She didn't wanna be difficult, but she couldn't help this. Auggie tightened her fists.

"Icarus…Uh- You- You're…okay, right?? They- They didn't clip your wings, did they?"

She takes a step closer, reaching out hesitantly and gently grasping the edge of his wing, unfolding the appendage, like shes desperately trying to inspect it. Icarus's eyes widen slightly and his wings instinctively fold inward to cover their center, his eyebrows knitting a bit at her sudden switch up.

"Woah, hey hey! Chill out! They'd never do that to me! See?"

He spreads his wings to show her his intact feathers, giving them a small flap before removing them from her small grasp, folding them against his back. His tone is questioning, definitely confused why she'd even ask such a thing. He keeps his narrowed, insisting gaze on her.

"I flew here. They let me fly wherever I want! Why would you think they'd clip me?"

Auggie opens her mouth to refute him, but for whatever reason, she stops. The chiropteran girl just stares at him for a moment, her fanged mouth shutting as her expression slowly softens. She reaches up and strokes the fur on her arm, breaking eye contact with him.

"Uhm…I dunno. I'm…not sure why I said that. Sorry."

Icarus keeps his unwavering gaze on her, his arms at his side. His fingers twitch and form a loose fist, his wings shifting against his back. Auggie avoids his searching eyes. She didn't like it when people stared, for whatever reason. What did they want? What were they thinking? Is it about her? She didn't always used to feel uncomfortable in the optics of others, but nowadays, she didn't enjoy being dissected with someones eyes.

And even if she claimed the contrariety, Auggie knew exactly why she had asked such a thing. And deep down, Icarus knew too.

Icarus felt his eyes strait further. He inhaled silently and broke those few silent seconds, his tone unnaturally light, considering the previous context.

"Aaaaanyway! Silly questions aside, I think you'd love it. So hows about I take you there?"

"W-Wow. Uh…that's very kind of you. You'd do that for me?"

He cracks a genuine smile and places a hand on her shoulder, Inviting her closer.

"Hey, Its just what friends do. I'm not gonna just leave you here."

Well…I-I'll come with you. That orphanage you talk about sounds n-nice…"

Icarus grins tugs her in, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Auggie, not expecting the sudden embrace freezes, her eyes widening. She kept her arms stiff at her sides, but Icarus didn't seem to care too much.

"Oh man! I can't believe this is happening! You have no idea how much I missed you!! Wait-"

He pulls back, still keeping both hands on her shoulders as he squints his eyes at her. He thinks for a moment before speaking again.

"First order of business! Getting you something to wear. That cannot be comfortable."

He gestures to dirty waitress attire. Auggie looks down at her outfit, reminded of her scratchy rags only a legally blind person would call a "proper work uniform". Her ears fell as she felt her face heat up under her fur and she tugged at her apron. Icarus frowned, glancing away for a second before patting her shoulder.

"Uh- Hey- Don't worry, okay? I know where we can go."

~~~

Auggie's eyes darted around the dim, empty parking lot. She could only assume in the day, this middle school was swarmed with pre-teens getting their education and hanging with friends or whatever kids did nowadays. Surely kids still hung out with friends, right? But in the night, the school property was void of all of that. The glass doors were dark, the lot barren of any of those big loud school busses. Nary a child in sight. or anyone for that matter. But Auggie worried it wouldn't be that way for long.

"Icarus…I don't think this is a good idea!"

-She disquietly called out, stepping closer so she didn't have to yell too loud. Icarus grunted, squirming around waist deep in the donation bin. She can hear him rummaging around in there, moving around things in search for something that'd fit her.

"It's for people in need. We're in need! I don't see any issues here."

"Shh! Someones gonna hear you!"

-Stammered Auggie as Icarus fluttered his wings to stay stable, leaning into the box on his tippy toes.

"Pft. You act like we're doing something illegal."

"Technically you're the one committing the crime."

"Hmph. Smart ass. Be grateful, I'm trying to help you."

"Oh-! You're gonna fall-"

Auggie hastily steps to him and grabs his ankles before he slides into the hollow bin of forgotten clothing items. His voice echos from the hollow metal louder than she thought was necessary.

"Ah! Thank you. Hey, what size are you?"

"I-I dunno…"

"Hm…well that's not gonna fit you…"

She sighed as he pondered out loud, rifling through mismatched articles. She held his ankles steady. Although he could be a bit of a doofus sometimes, She knew he really cared. If he didn't care, he wouldn't be waist deep in a random donation bin past midnight spelunking for clothes she can wear. She smiled softly as she heard her corvid friend murmur about stuff being too big or small for her, barley stifling a laugh when he claims something to be 'not her style'.

"Ah-ha! Found something! Pull me out, will ya?"

She blinks and snaps back into focus. She pulls on his ankles, letting out a strained grunt as he wiggles his way out of the bin with a few articles in his hands. His taloned feet clunk against the pavement as he studies his finds. Icarus hands her the outfit and scratches the back of his neck.

"These should fit. I'm no fashion expert, though."

"O-Oh. Okay..."

Auggie inspects the clothes in her hands. She holds up the shirt, seeing it in the light. A green, off-the-shoulder top. An old one, too. Maybe mid 2000s era? She looks down at the other piece, that piece being a pair of faded denim colored elastic shorts with a little skirt attached. She tilts her head inquisitively before meeting eyes with Icarus.

"These are…Interesting. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it."

But Auggie looks around, shifting from foot to foot as she realizes an issue-

"…Where am I supposed to change?"

Icarus blinks, uncrossing his arms. He looks around.

"Oh, uhm…Here- Change behind the bin. I won't look or anything."

She nods slowly, kinda nervous about changing in front of a school at almost 2 AM. She never expected to be doing something like this tonight, but alas. Good thing no ones around, though. Icarus turns his back, flapping out his wings in an attempt to create more coverage for her.

She finishes changing, tapping Icarus on his shoulder. He turns around and blinks, surveying her in her new outfit. He smiles.

"You look great! Glad to get you outta those rags."

"Heh…thanks. They're a little big…"

"You'll grow into 'em."

Auggie takes a meaningless step back, looking down at her attire. Suddenly, she feels something small and cold graze the back of her heel. She jumps back, letting out an embarrassing squeal as she rapidly scans the concrete for what could have touched her.

"Woah! What happened? Whats wrong??"

Icarus, stunned by her sudden reaction does too hop back a little. He looks around the parking lot, his feathers raised. Auggie blinks and kneels down, squinting at the odd shiny object at her feet. She picks it up, holding it closer to her face as she slowly identifies the thing.

"Oh…Its just a pair of glasses…"

"Ugh, seriously? You scared the daylights outta me!"

She fiddles with it's arms, turning it over and feeling them to make up for how much she can't actually see them. Icarus steps closer, looking over her shoulder with admittedly a bit of intrigue. Its just a simple pair of thin, light gold-colored glasses. a few scratches and smudges in the lenses tell Icarus this thing has probably been around the block (Or someones head) A few times. He crosses his arms.

"Huh. Weird that someone would just leave these here."

"Well, why don't you try 'em on?"

He plucked them from her hands and leaned down, carefully placing them on her face. Auggie blinked a few times, her eyes widened.

"…There. Hey, those don't look half bad on you."

-He half joked. But she was barely paying attention. In an instant, all the blurry blobs and streaks that made up her vision sharpened while the way too harsh edges smoothed and became less muggy. Auggie's jaw dropped. Is this how normal people see?! She felt her raging headache begin to soothe and her eyes relax, as she no longer had to squint at everything. Icarus's snarky grin slowly faded, replaced with a look of confusion. He waved a hand in front of her face as she endlessly stared at the lines in the parking lot.

"Uh…Hel-lo? Anybody home?"

She blinks and turns her attention to him, her eyes big and full of fancifulness. She takes advancing steps closer, her gaze locked on his eyes. Icarus stares down at her, giving her a addled peer in return.

"Oh my goodness…You have brown eyes?!"

"I…take it your keeping the glasses?"

"Yes. 1000% yes."

He snickers at her childishly amazed demeanor, stepping back and giving her an endeared poke on the cheek, while Auggie continues to stare at him, taking in all the many details her eyes always held her back from noticing.

"Well, now that your seeing in ultra HD, how about I take you back to my place?"

"I thought you were homeless— sorry, 'Traveling Performer'?"

"Well, I have to make a nest somewhere, don't I? Come on, flittermouse."

Auggie lets a tiny grin form on her mouth, following close behind him. Hes definitely the Icarus she remembers alright. While passing a dumpster, Auggie tosses her old uniform. The feeling is odd, but its just as good as she thought it might feel. The biggest thing she fretted was where she would go, but something told her this little birdie had some ideas.

They walked along damp sidewalks and passed sleeping businesses, big and small alike. Auggie had to admit, Moth Rock was not a bad city. You could even call it quaint. But like most of everything, it had an ugly side. Even if everyone tried to ignore it. She looked at every little thing from the weeds growing through the cracks in the pavement to the foggy glimmers in the late night sky. Icarus led her through the winding back alleys of uptown until they end up behind of a Mexican-Italian fusion buffet. Interesting combination if you ask me. Anyway, Icarus walks up to the back wall before turning around.

"Theres a ladder, but I prefer doing things my own way."

-Remarked the raven with a stupid smirk, giving her a tiny wink. In an instant, gets into a flying start position, flaring out his wings before he gives them a big flap, shooting up into the air with grace. Auggie steps back, shocked by the sudden display. He flutters up to the rooftop, his wings remaining puffed out as he looks back down at her.

"Come on, Aug!"

She smiles a bit, getting a wave of nostalgia, like his type of moment has happened countless times way way back when they were nothing but fledglings. But she feels the useless membranes attached to her back fold inward weakly, as if hiding from onlookers. Auggie rubs her arm, looking away with a bit of embarrassment.

"Icarus…my wings, remember…?"

"Oh- right. Sorry…"

He flashes an apologetic smile, kneeling down and fiddling with the rusty ladder before it unfolds with a hollow clank, halting just a few feet off the ground. She Steps onto the prongs, the metal giving a high pitched creak with every step. She makes her way up in due time, stepping up onto the rooftop.

Up there was Icarus's camp of sorts. But it was hard to even call it that. It was really just a large blanket with a guitar, a water bottle, and a small electric lantern shaped like an owl. Just a small little nook, hidden around satellite dishes and whatever those little doodads are that are always on roofs. He stretches his arms above his head, letting out a quiet groan as he trots up to his makeshift bed, setting down his bag.

"We'll be spending the night here, so make yourself at home."

"You play guitar?"

"Sure do. You could call me an artist of sorts."

She followed him keenly, padding up to the blanket and sitting down a few feet next to him. She curled up, gathering her knees to her chest and observing his actions. Icarus brought his bag into his lap, unbuttoning it and beginning to rifle through it. Auggie tilted her head

"Grr…Where are my reserves…I know they're in here…"

-He growled to himself. Auggie's eyebrows knitted as she watched him dig through his seemingly endless bag. Seriously, hes elbow-deep in this thing. How? Regardless, he continues, getting increasingly frustrated.

He tips his bag over a bit in the process, A few items spilling out. most look like useless knick-knacks, but one catches her attention. But Icarus immediately notices its exposure, quickly snatching it up into his hand.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That thing you just picked up."

"What 'thing'? I never picked up any 'thing'."

He remarked, as if he didn't even know the word. Icarus continued rummaging through his bag, not even looking at her as he lied. Auggie narrowed her eyes, her gaze flicking between his closed fist and his partially hidden face.

"Come on, show me."

"You must've been seein' things. Cus I've got no idea what you're talking about."

"No, show me."

"Uh-uh."

"Grr! Come on!"

"Ugh, f-fine! Whatever. You're so annoying…"

-Snapped Icarus, his voice lacking the bite you'd expect. He opens his tightly clasped hand, gently dropping the thing he didn't want her to see. Auggie's eyes widen slightly and she carefully picked it up in both hands. Its an old bow, but not just any old bow. Its one she used to wear way way back, when they were both little. The well-preserved fabric that used to be a pristine white has only slightly faded, but other than that, its frozen in time. She blinks, letting it sit in her palms. She looks back up at Icarus, his eyes narrowed and his tail feathers shuffling, like he was caught with something hes not supposed to have.

"You…kept this…?"

"…I guess…"

"Thats…really sweet."

She looked back down at the little accessory. Icarus blinked and looked up at her. He felt embarrassment cement into his posture as he looked back down at his bag.

"Y-Yeah…Well- I'm not usually that sentimental."

He murmured, sounding less like hes stating fact and more like hes trying to save face. Why does he think that's a bad thing, anyway? He was clearly fibbing, though. Why else would he keep a memento of her? She looked back up at him, seeing the tense look on his face. she reaches out and taps his arm.

"Hey."

He turns his head to look back at her. She extends the bow out to him.

"Could you put it on for me?"

Icarus blinks a few time and looks down at her open palms as she holds the accessory out to him. His eyes flit up to her soft, smiling expression. He clears his throat, taking the small thing back from her.

"Uh, yeah. S-Sure thing."

Auggie sat patiently on her knees, staying still as he focused on where to put it. He leaned forward a bit and fervently raised up the bow, clipping it onto her right ear. He made sure it was fastened correctly before he scooted back. She let her smile grow a bit as she reached up to touch it.

"How do I look?"

Icarus stared for a moment. He told himself it was just a bow, nothing else. But his heart felt all toasty seeing her actually wear it. He felt himself grin too, the odd but nice energy they shared feeling almost contagious as his wings gave a joyous little flap.

"You look great, Auggie."

A few seconds of silence went by, the pair just exchanging gazes for no apparent reason. To be frank with you, not even I know what they were thinking of at the time.

But after those indefinable seconds passed, Icarus's eyes flicked back to his bag, his normal disposition returning.

"Ah! There they are!"

Auggie blinked for a second and brushed her hair over her shoulder. Icarus shuffled back over to his bag and stuck his hands inside with a determined expression, pulling out a couple plastic bags.

"Here. You look really hungry."

Auggie's nose twitched and her ears perked up slightly, but she kept still. She watched him pull out two baggies, both with plain, but thick sandwiches inside. Ham and cheese, from what she could smell. He held one out to her with his usual smile, but she didn't accept right away.

She lifted her chin from her knees and blankly stared at the food in his hand, her unreadable gaze unwavering. She's not sure why, or whats going on with herself, but her hands stay still as stone. She feels something zap her heart again, making her hesitant.

Icarus looks her over, studying her spaced out gaze. He raises an eyebrow.

"You're not lactose intolerant or anything, are you?"

"Wha- huh? Oh. No, I just—"

She snaps out of her daze, her eyes flitting back up to him. She forces her hand up and takes the sandwich from him.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry about it."

-He responds, his voice still carrying remanence of confusion. The pair silently ate together. But not a bad silence. Not at all, actually. Although they still had much to catch up on, now was a good time to just sit there and watch the constellations only now beginning to peak out from the darkness.

A little while later, Auggie turns up to Icarus, her hands instinctively protecting her sandwich. Perhaps without even realizing it.

"So…whats the full plan? You do have on of those, right?"

"'Course I do! We'll hit the skies first thing tomorrow. My navigation skills are pretty keen, so we CAN'T get lost."

He finishes his meal and leans back against the concrete wall, propping his arms behind his head. His beak opens with a squeaky yawn and he deeply inhales the chilled air. He opens his eyes and speaks again, his gaze drifted upwards at the sky.

"It should be smooth sailing. And once we get home, we'll be livin' it up."

Theres a short silence that follows. Auggie looks up at her friend. Something that she always couldn't help but notice was Icarus was he consistently and overwhelmingly calm all the time. Or at least, he seemed to be. You see, Auggie tried to read everyone she met. Like an open book, but not a novel. She found most people present themselves as bold as a comic book without even realizing it. But no matter how much she tried, Icarus was the only person she could never really pin. His movements said one thing, but his words said another. And then his actions said something that turns everything else on it's head!

It was confusing to watch. But it never really deterred her from trying.

She swallowed the last bite of her sandwich and brushed the crumbs off her hands, her eyes glued to his serene expression.

"You haven't changed one bit."

Icarus's eyes fluttered open and he looked down at her.

"Huh?"

-He hummed. Auggie cleared her throat quietly, realizing how random that most definitely sounded.

"I-I mean, since we were last together. You even look the same, you know?"

She cracked a smile. His expression followed, a smirk creeping over his beak. He let out a scoff and lowered his arms, crossing them over his chest as his wings gave a tiny flutter.

"I'd hope so. If you knew any other half bird guys I might get jealous."

"Oh shut up…You know what I mean."

"I know exactly what you mean! You missed seeing my beautifully handsome face!"

He gave her a nudge, Which Auggie batted away with a barley-suppressed simper.

"Hey, Quit putting words in my mouth."

"But that's my favorite past time! (Sigh)…But maybe its for the best. Its late, and it'd probably be wise to try and rest up as much as we can."

He pulled the blanket up from underneath them, fluffing it before placing it in her lap. He stretches and lays down on the concrete, his wings flopping carelessly at his sides.

"Stay warm. 'Night, Aug."

She looks down at the blanket, then up at him. She tried, strained even. But like always, she couldn't peek past those thick curtains of soothed expressions and smooth-talking he always used to hide whatever he was hiding. But right now, she didn't feel like digging deep. She just wasn't used to this unexpected kindness.

"Goodnight, Icarus. I'll see you in the morning."

Icarus's chest fell with a sleepy, but wistful exhale. He didn't say anything back, but she didn't need him to. She felt guilty for excepting, but she figured he would prefer if she did. So she draped the blanket over herself, her hidden wings feeling a small tremor from the cold. She finally extended those wings of hers, but only to wrap around herself. A motion she couldn't sleep easy without. It wasn't so much for warmth, but more like protection. Not from anyone in particular, just one of those unintentional tendencies you pick up, like humming while you sweep, or forgetting to lock your backdoor. Say, reader…you did remember to lock your backdoor, right?

Auggie took one last peek up at the sky. She always saw it as a deep, bottomless realm she would never be able to explore, the portal to a place just out of reach. But if her wings had formed properly in that artificial womb and she could fly up to it, would she thrive? Or would it just lure her close enough 'till it had the chance to suffocate her. The idea of staying in this muddled grease-pit made her sad, but the contrariety made her afraid. What if what lay ahead is worse than what she was leaving behind? But as she looked back over at her friend, she felt an odd sense of peace. She let her shoulders relax a bit. Perhaps…if she flew with him from now on, things wouldn't be so bad.

That made her feel a different type of warmth.

And with that, Auggie turned over, facing him as she nestled her face in her wings. She allowed her heavy eyes to drift closed, but even still she could see the stars glittering above them.

With surprising ease, She fell asleep, the presence of her companion still fresh to her senses.

~~~

A man sits patiently at a desk, clunky monitors with fuzzy-colored feeds crowding the shadowy space, the only thing illuminating the cramped room being the dim glow of those screens. He lets out a happy sigh, leaning back in his chair and propping his steel-toed boots up on the table. The man reaches over and clicks a key on the keyboard, rewinding the footage. The footage in question displaying two odd looking figures, figures that almost look like animals, if it weren't for the fact they stood up straight on two legs and wore clothes like people.

The man rewound the footage again, crossing his arms as he watched the pair bumble around frivolously from some security camera. A quiet chuckle erupts from him as he watches them with a sharp, tapered stare. The agent in the corner, dressed all in camo tightens his grip on his firearm, monitoring the man very closely.

"Sir."

-The agent begins perturbedly.

"Have you located the subjects?"

He straightens up, keeping his eyes trained carefully on the man, who lets out a unsettlingly cheery sigh. He turns his eyes to the agent.

"I sure did. I always find what I want."

The agent shudders, but keeps his tone steady.

"Right. I'll tell the general."

The agent picks up his chattering radio, speaking into it unintelligibly. The man slowly stands, his heavy boots thumping against the industrial flooring. He mutters under his breath, his voice threateningly low as he watched the prerecorded feed of the duo.

"All grown up now, are we? Stay right where you are."

Chapter Text

«Issue one»

“Cyber Truck Conundrum!”

Moth Rock, Michigan

~~~

Icarus's eyes twitched as the sun's warm rays castes a glowing orange aura over his face. His talons twitched and he exhaled a soft groan, his face scrunching before he opened his eyes. He groggily sits up, his wings slowly flexing and flapping as he began to wake the rest of himself to life.

Auggie glances over her shoulder, raising her head from her crossed arms, leaning on the concrete half-wall that divided the rooftop from the very edge. She watches Icarus heavily sit up, his eyes blinking blearily. She scoots back over to him.

"Finally, you're awake."

"Ghh…What time is it?"

"Not morning, that's for sure."

"If you were so bored, you could've woken me up."

-He yawns, scratching his stomach under his shirt.

"I tried! But you're the deepest sleeper that ever lived. Its kinda creepy."

"Well, I'm awake now!"

Icarus stood to his feet, his wings giving one big stretch before fluttering back to his sides. Auggie mimics his standing, but keeps her wings tucked tightly against her back. She fixes her askew shirt, but her barely visible wings snag Icarus's attention. She keeps them so firmly close to herself. They almost look painful. He thinks if she were to just extend a bit, her posture wouldn't be so tense. He barely remembers what they looked like from when they were younger, he just knows they were never good enough to fly with.

But it'd just be weird if he asked to see them, so Icarus kneels down, gathering his things into his bag. Auggie stares at his hands, still mesmerized by the seemingly bottomless pouch. He shoved his whole guitar in there! How does that even work!? Ahem. Anyway, He stands, slinging his stuff over his shoulder with weightless ease, stretching his arms over his chest to recover from his stiff sleeping position.

"No time like the present, Aug. Lets get moving!"

"Big talk for someone who slept in 'till 11."

"Hey, don't sass me. Remember who your navigator is."

And so, the pair made like a tree and got outta there. They walked forth through the busy city, The late summer sun beaming and the townsfolk buzzing around like thousands of bees to a richly packed hive. On one hand, it stressed Auggie out to be in. But on the other, it intrigued her to watch all those people go about their lives. Sure, sure, it sounds creepy when I put it like that, but it was interesting to observe, or even theorize what they might be rushing to do. To pick apart the complexity of human nature all from a safe distance. It was almost beguiling to watch what individuals will do without knowing they have a one-girl audience. It almost felt like for once she wasn't the zoo animal, but the one peering through the bars.

She took a break from her pointless study to glance back up at her friend, making sure she's following right. But he always tended to stride carelessly. not intentionally running into others, but not necessarily walking with purpose either.

They made their way out of the bustling town, Auggie taking one last look at the place before stepping past the location's sign, its message on the exiting side reading: "YOU'RE LEAVING MOTH ROCK CITY- AND DON'T COME BACK!"

…Yes. quaint indeed.

She turned her back to the town. Its…odd. She never thought it'd be this easy to leave. Had an exit been here all along? Even so, she barely had the courage to leave now, surveying her new surroundings. The main highway stretches on and on for as far as Auggie could see, like a black river of pure uncertainty. The pine trees stand all around, swaying in the damp breeze. They whistle and hum along with the wind like a line of circus dancers, trees so tall they beckon her to stare in awe.

Icarus takes a deep inhale of the crisp air, placing his hands on his hips. He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to get claustrophobic in that city anyways. Being out in the open made him feel free. He exhaled a energized sigh. Auggie breaks her eyes from the surrounding forest to look up at him.

"Looks like we should start walking now."

"Walk? Pft! You're silly. Some word of advice, always start your trip hitchhiking. See how far you can get that way."

"I don't hear any cars coming."

"Nah, If you're gonna ride in anything, its gotta be a semi. Not a car. they go really far, and the drivers LOVE listening to my life story!"

Icarus extends a thumb out and holds it over the highway, looking both ways. But the road lays silent. He tuts and looks back down at Auggie.

"Uhh…still don't hear anything?"

She leans out, one of her ears tilting up to focus. She strains, but the black river gives no secrets.

"…No."

They stand there for a silent minute. For some reason, Icarus expected some big truck to boom on its queue, but not even Auggie can hear anything coming.

Abruptly, something whizzes by, screeching to a silent halt next to them. It goes by so swift, the pair can't even tell what it is, even when its stopped right in front of their faces. Icarus lets out a startled squawk as he falls backwards, his wings shooting out to keep his balance. However, Auggie isn't granted the same luxury. She falls back in the grass, winded as her eyes dart up at what spooked her to the ground.

She blinks, not recognizing what she's seeing. A blockish, chrome vehicle sits there, the smooth, crunch-able hoods you'd usually see in a car replaced with sharp edges, every curve replaced with a harsh corner that made the whole thing look like a odd-shaped building block. Its truly unlike any car she's ever seen.

Icarus's eyes widen a bit, His jaw dropping as he lays his eyes on the truck.

"No way! That's a Cyber Truck!"

"A what??"

"A Cyber Truck! You know, those super futuristic pick-up trucks!"

"Never heard of them."

"Well, they're like, super high tech."

"Gosh…It looks so…unlike every other car out there."

Auggie gets up, brushing off her shorts as she watches the car curiously. The driver rolls down the window, the only passenger looking them up and down. A shorter, black haired man stares back at them, removing his eager hands from the small square wheel.

"Hey there-!"

"Hi…!"

"You two need a ride?"

"You bet! Nice whip!"

"Ha! Thanks. Here, I'll open the door. Wouldn't wanna you to smudge my 2024 all wheel drive chrome silver foundation series Tesla Cyber Truck!"

"Ah- Right."

Icarus shoves his hand into his trouser pockets. Auggie watches as the driver clicks some button off to the side, causing the door to pop open with ease.

The pair slide inside, getting settled on the smooth leathery seats, shivering as the chilly fabric of the seat clings to their legs. The door shuts with a quick snap and the driver shifts in his seat, adjusting his reflective golf glasses on his forehead. He fiddles with the too-small rearview mirror until he sees them through it, his hands still gripping the wheel a bit tight.

"S-So, where you headed?"

"As far as you can take us, brother!"

"Hah…I like that. Fellow travelers, I see."

"Uh huh. Where are you driving?"

"No where in particular…Me and my wife just like coming and going as we please…The names Neo, by the way!"

Auggie glances at the passenger seat. Wife? there's no one there…Anyway, Icarus leans back against the seat, crossing his arms loosely. Auggie diligently clicks her seatbelt into place, making sure the plastic is fixed tightly over her lap. She peers over at Icarus, narrowing her eyes. She nudges him, giving him a stern glare until he does the same. He groans and rolls his eyes, begrudgingly buckling his seatbelt with floppy, half-hearted hands.

"Tch. Square…"

-Mumbled Icarus under his breath. Of course, when you have ears like Auggie's, you hear stuff like this a lot. But you learn to ignore it after while.

Icarus shakes the scowl off his face when Neo glances back at the two again.

"So…you kids got a final destination in mind? Or just another pair of lost souls…?"

"Headin' back home to Farfelle, actually."

"In Texas? That's a long way from here…"

Auggie let him do most of the talking. She was never the best at small talk, and she didn't think it was necessary for this complete stranger to know where they were headed anyway. She stared out the window, watching all the rain-soaked pines rush by, the car silently humming around her. She let herself continue listening in on their conversation.

"…Love the Cyber Truck, by the way!"

Icarus's eyes glaze around the smooth, spacious interior. The driver chuckles shallowly, his fingers tapping on the wheel.

"Hah…Thanks. She's a beauty…H-Hey, mind if I flick on some TV?"

Auggie perks up and looks forward, raising an eyebrow. Neo keeps one eye on the road and one on the entirely digital center console, his eyes squinting at the bright screen as he fumbles for his streaming app. Icarus blinks, caught off guard by such a question. Auggie chuckles awkwardly.

"Uhm…Yeah…That's very futuristic…!"

"So you do mind? Because I missed Joosday night football and I was gonna watch the highlights."

'Joosday'? Whatever happened to Monday…? Uh, Anyway, The pair glance at each other. Was this guy joking? Sure didn't seem like it. He keeps tapping at the screen. Icarus pipes up, clearing his throat.

"Haha…Maybe you should focus on the road, Neo."

"Hm. Fine. How about some Caraoke? Me and my wife do it all the time."

"…Or…you could just listen to music?"

"OR we could do Caraoke! EXCLUSIVELY in the 2024 all wheel drive chrome silver foundation series Tesla Cyber Truck!"

Auggie leans over, whispering to her friend-

"Icarus, this guy is making me nervous. I think we should get him to pull over."

"I know, but maybe he's just…passionate. Lets just try and just thug it out."

"What!? Are you crazy!?"

"Huh? Crazy? Did someone say crazy?"

"U-Uh, no sir!"

"Yep! M-Maybe we shouldn't do any 'Caraoke'…Just so ya don't drain you're battery there."

"Ohoho…Right. Smart man."

Neo adjusts his shiny sunglasses and goes quiet again, staring at the road. The whole car falls silent. after an agonizing minute, He speaks up again, striking up a conversation like nothing ever happened.

"You know, I've had 12 different stitches on my hand recently."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"Mhm. Cyber Truck sliced at my hand with that ridged titanium when I tried to close the door. Tough love, am I right?"

"Uhm…Maybe you should get that fixed…?"

"Nah. When your the proud owner of the 2024 all wheel drive chrome silver foundation series Tesla Cyber Truck, you get it. She almost bit my leg off with that beautiful frunk of hers. (Sigh)…I love my car."

The two exchange concerned glances. Icarus's wings shuffle behind his back.

The car grows stagnant again, the only thing audible being the low hum of the vehicle's electric engine. Auggie shifts, feeling a welt of discomfort seep thickly into the air. She looks up at Icarus, giving him another 'we need to get out of here' look. He glances away, intentionally avoiding her gaze.

Neo pipes up again, but not to talk to them.

"Grok AI, what day is next Joosday?"

Ugh…Joosday? Again? The truck's vaguely female sounding artificial assistant responds in it's stupidly bland, monotone droan belonging to every AI 'helper'-

"I don't know how to help you with that."

"Grok- No riddles. How many days until next Joosday?"

"I don't know how to help you with that."

"Damnit! Grok! When is next Joosday, so I can watch the New York Caterpillars play football!"

…

"I don't know how to help you with that."

Neo inhales a deep, frustrated breath, his skinny hands tightening on the edges of the wheel. But he weirdly looks back at the two with a smile. Auggie jumps like he startled her.

"Women. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."

"Is Grok AI the only woman you talk to? Can't relate."

-Interjects Icarus. Then, out of nowhere, the Cyber Truck jolts forward in violent succession, That constant quiet hum growing to a louder, more concerning vrrrrrr…

The duo gasps, Auggie's head briefly whipping back, causing a brief dizzy spell. Icarus grips the edge of his seat, his back pressing against the leather due to the rapidly increasing speed. The bat girl's voice comes out as a shuddering squeak.

"U-Uh! Neo…What's happening??"

"Oh no…!"

"What does 'Oh no' mean?!"

"I-It seems as though the pedal is stuck!"

"WHAT?!"

"Th-The plate has gotten loose and lodged itself under the dashboard again-!"

"'AGAIN'? THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE?!"

"W-Well yes! This happens frequently in my 2024 all wheel drive chrome silver foundation series Tesla Cyber Truck! Th-This actually happened just last Joosday-! Its why me and my wife missed the game!"

"Can we please focus!?!?"

ALRIGHT- WILL EVERYONE SHUT UP ABOUT JOOSDAY!? ITS NOT A REAL DAY. WHY DID THEY ADD AN 8TH DAY?? Okay, okay. I need to calm down. But this rectangular prism just keeps getting faster and faster, the scenery around them blurring into nothing but dark green stripes. The digital interface flashes with an ominous red screen of death, beeping and screaming at the driver threateningly.

Neo fumbles between the steering wheel and the screen.

"U-Uh! Geez! …sorry about the noise! I'll turn on Joe mode!"

"J-Just slam on the breaks or something!!"

"Stay calm! I got her under control!! See- Just gotta turn on Joe mode!"

"SCREW JOE MODE! JUST STOP THE CAR!!"

The vehicle soars in speed, causing every passenger to be launched back against their seat. Auggie gasps, slinking back further into her seat. She hadn't been in many cars in her life, but this is definitely her worst ride ever. In an instant, it felt as though her stomach had dropped so far and so many times she might actually have trouble finding it after this whole ordeal. That is, if she survived it. Her ears pin back against her head, eyes wide as all she can focus on is the roaring, rushing road in front of them, launching everyone to their deaths probably.

Icarus too stares at the road in front of them, panting as if he had run a marathon. Oh, what a way to go. One of the gnarliest he could think of. But he really couldn't think of much is all of this chaos. He gulped and clutched his seatbelt, trying desperately to keep his calm, but it was as if his heart was doing a way-too-long drum-roll without his permission.

This Neo guy, despite the situation seems oddly composed. He was more dorkily nervous than afraid.

"Ah hah! I've got it!"

Neo stomps at the pedal, jostling the plate out from under the dash. The truck screeches to a sudden halt, sliding quite a bit on the damp road. Icarus quickly shoots his arm out in front of Auggie's chest as the Cyber Truck hisses at its passengers. It finally stops moving, coming to a jolting end.

Auggie and Icarus lay back against their seats, bodies shaking and hearts vibrating in their chests as the discord slowly smoothed out around them. Auggie clutches her chest, fully expecting to only make it out in pieces. She sits up— or tries to. But she's restricted by Icarus. He pants and slowly looks over at her before retracting his arm.

The crusty smell of a leaking battery faintly fills the air around them, the quiet only being broken with the truck's maddening bleeping alarm. Neo takes a few deep breaths before bumbling to fix stop the alarm. Once he finally does, everything is silent. There's been a lot of awkward silences in this Cyber Truck conundrum, but this one is filled with falling Adrenalin and anxiety instead of second-hand-embarrassment.

The driver exhales an flustered, breathy chuckle, turning around to meet the pairs gazes.

"H-Heh…Sorry about that! We'll be back on the road in a second-"

"Uh- Actually…You can drop us off here. Thanks."

Neo narrows his eyes, his brow furrowing. He sighs disapprovingly.

"Look, I'll have you know I had that situation entirely in my control! My Cyber Truck is just a wild girl."

"We understand, but I think It'd just be safer if we—

"SAFER? The 2024 all wheel drive chrome silver foundation series Tesla Cyber Truck is the SAFEST car on the market! Not ONCE have me and my wife gotten into any deadly crashes!!"

"O-Okay, listen. I see you're gettin' pretty riled up there, so lets just all take a deep breath—"

"No, YOU LISTEN! If you two can't handle us, then I'm more than fine with giving you guys the boot!"

"N-Neo…Where is your wife…?"

Neo shifts his optics to Auggie, getting this crazed look in his twitching eye as he grips the leather on his truck's seat. He mutters his next words through clenched teeth.

"How DARE YOU! This Cyber Truck IS MY WIFE! And you've DEEPLY offended us!"

The pair feel their blood run ice cold as the horrid realization dawns on them. This guy…is in love with his car. Even worse, his Cyber Truck.

They both slowly look over at each other, exchanging disgusted expressions. Neo huffs and aggressively clicks some buttons on the screen, the door to their right popping open.

"Get out! Leave me and my— Grok, what's a synonym for beautiful?"

"A synonym for beautiful is SUMPTUOUS."

"—Me and my sumptuous wife alone!!"

With no hesitation, the two scramble out of there, crawling over the seats and barely able to make it onto the road before the driver slams the door, speeding off silently.

and just like that, it was over. They stand at the side of the road, the gust of fresh, misty air and birds singing in the distance like music to their ears. Icarus is the first one to say something.

"…You know…on second though, I don't think Cyber Trucks are that cool anymore."

Now THAT'S character development if I ever wrote it! Wait…Did I write this? Auggie finally exhales, not even realizing she was holding her breath.

"…Agreed. How about we lay off hitchhiking for a while?"

"I can live with that. Hey Aug?"

"Hm?"

Icarus taps his beak, his tone shifting curiously.

"Sooo, If hes married to his truck, and we were inside the truck, does that mean we were inside his—"

"Icarus, don't make it any weirder than it already is."

"What? Just asking."

They stood at the edge of the road for a long minute or two. The sun shone behind feathery clouds, the strong scent of spiky, whispering pines that rose high enough to touch the sky, all rolling along with the wind. After that whole ordeal, although he'd never say it to her face, Icarus was grateful he was forced to wear that seatbelt…maybe just that time. What else is there to say?

While he stood deep in thought about only God knows what, Auggie suspired, still stroking the silky fur along her arm.

"…I guess we shouldn't waste daylight, huh?"

"Huh- Wha-? Oh, you still wanna walk?"

"We're seriously not gonna get a ride again, are we?"

Icarus chortled, a large grin pulling at his beak. She blinked and fixed her glasses, wondering what was so amusing. His shoulders shook with unbridled giggles as he looked back up at her, giving her an unconscious nudge with his wing.

"All you wanna do is walk! I think I was right to call you a square."

He Jeered. Auggie toyed with her skirt, pressing her Sisyphean wings pressing tighter against her back.

"Well, It's kind of all I can do..."

Not picking up on her insecurity, Icarus lets out a mocking sigh, standing up straight.

"You might not be able to fly, but I can."

"Oh yeah? how are you gonna pull that off?"

Auggie placed her hands on her hips, trying to challenge his audacious energy, although it looked like a forced joke compared to him. His grin faded to an impish smirk.

"Hm. Well, if you're gonna be like that, then I guess I'll just show you."

Without warning, he grabs her by the shoulders, yanking her to his chest. Auggie let out a weak squall, squeezing her eyes shut. She feels him holding her oddly with both arms, kind of lifting her off the ground a tad before a giant wave of wind ruffles through her fur. She feels the air around her suddenly turning cold, the general noises that accompanied the nature around her dampening in volume.

"You an open your eyes now, dummy."

Although not wanting to encourage him by responding to the word "dummy", she obliges, Blinking her eyes open. What she sees is…

The sky?

"Ha! You're lighter than I thought you'd be!"

As it very quickly clicks in her brain, her ears shoot upwards in disbelief, her legs suddenly squirming to coil around him for extra support. Her hands claw and grasp at his shirt, franticly trying to process their growing altitude. They had to be at least 50 feet in the sky, with no sign of getting any lower as Icarus carried her through the air. His wings flapped gracefully along the wind, his feathers slicing through the air with effortless precision.

"Hey! Quit wiggling around before I drop you."

Auggie shrieked and tightened her grip on him, finally breaking her wide, petrified eyes from the receding ground below them to franticly turn to him with a pleading expression.

"I-Icarus!!! Put me down!!"

"Come on, don't you trust me?"

"Of course I don't!!"

He huffs a dramatic, narked sigh.

"Hmph. I'm offended. Don't you remember our old acrobat routines?"

He grinned. She felt fragmented memories piece together. Memories of them at the circus…that swirly red tent posting up in her mind…She shook her head.

"W-We had nets under us all those times."

She yelps and clings tighter to him koala-style, a chilly brush of air feeling all to similar to the caress of death. But while Auggie cowers, Icarus inhales without a care.

"Relax. Live a little! For being a flightless creature, you're shockingly ungrateful in the face of opportunity."

Despite it being technically true, something about being called a "flightless creature" irked her the wrong way. Although this guy was on her last nerve, she attempted to take his suggestion of just relaxing. She couldn't slow her hammering heart, but she forced herself to look back down at the descending scenery.

The cloudy, frigid atmosphere invaded her ears and nose as her eyes darted across the landscape below. What is this foreign feeling? It must be the pulse pounding, lung chilling, fur prickling feeling of finally being able to touch the sky. Her eyes glitter with reflections of the cerulean cathedral around her and for just a moment, she wasn't afraid.

Until the world began to rapidly spin.

Auggie gasped, snapping out of her trance as she felt Icarus fold in his wings, their speed doubling as they rotated like a torpedo before stabilizing again.

"AHH! D-Don't do that!!"

"Aw! Barrel rolls are my favorite!"

He narrowly dodges treetops, leaving Auggie dizzy. She exhales a nauseous groan, but Icarus is more focused on the woods. Why does it feel like they've been traveling forever? He hums and looks out to the horizon.

"Hmm…We may need to land."

"…C-Can we?"

"I think we're going the wrong way."

He lands promptly, the tips of his talons lightly scraping on the pavement as his wings fluttered to a halt. She sighs shakily, taking the initiative to peel herself off of him, stumbling for a moment as she tried to gather her bearings. But that flight made her stomach feel all woozy and scrambled.

Icarus dug in his pocket and flapped out one of his many trusty maps. This one, being his map of Michigan.

"Luckily, I have a map for this."

"H-uh?"

Go figure. He turns the map in all directions, humming in thought as he surveys it.

"Yeeeah. We went the wrong way."

"Whose we?"

But unbeknownst to the duo, something looms high in the sky, way up in those clouds, stalking them like a stratospheric hunter closing in on their prey. It flies, high enough for the pair to be unable to hear them.

a…helicopter?!

Auggie's ears twitched as a faint sound invaded her senses. A sound that she'd never heard before. This weird rapid chopping noise…She immediately freezes, getting Icarus's attention. He pauses and looks back at her, his brow furrowing.

"What? What is it?"

"Do you not hear that?"

"…Well now I do."

He blinks and looks around. Auggie immediately turns around and looks up at the sky, Her eyes widen as she lays eyes upon the rapidly descending helicopter. the two scamper back, alarmed by the flying vehicle. Icarus raises an eyebrow, taking a single step closer. Auggie wants to beg him to quit that, but her throat has gone dry. Whats going on? Why is it landing so close to them?? But then, a muffled voice booms from the low flying vehicle, confusing them even more—

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE! DO NOT MOVE! I REPEAT, DO NOT MOVE!!"

Suddenly, the agents inside toss a giant net over them.

Auggie grunts and stumbles over, the weights on the thing pinning them down to the cement. She struggles against it, feeling like nothing but a rodent ensnared in some twisted trap. She feels her instincts spark, but she can't let them catch fire. But the tips of her fingers tingle, the only thing stopping her claws from emerging being sheer willpower, which is slowly waning.

Icarus yelps louder than he'd like as he falls with his friend, his wings automatically flapping erratically in a piss poor attempt at escape. But its like if you tried to wrestle a jujitsu-fighting octopus; Utterly hopeless and in vain.

Before they know it, four or so people, heavily armed and all decked in camo rush out and drag them into the helicopter, despite their vigorous struggling.

"WAIT! L-LET US GO! THIS HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF MISUNDERSTAND—"

-Icarus sputtered, voice cracking as he attempted to reason with them, but the two's fate had been long sealed. They haphazardly tossed them into the already moving chopper, the vehicle rapidly ascending just as fast as it descended.

Auggie groans dizzily, sitting upright with much labor. She peers up through her crooked glasses, trying to focus her vision on the man in front of her as the scent of some vinegar-y chemical seizes her nose. Icarus shakes his head, his eyes shooting up to the mysterious man in front of him.

This mystery man taps his heavy boot on the floor, a crooked grin on his pale face. He just sits there, staring at the two with baleful intent as a huge rifle sat threateningly in his holster. He leans in, his dulcet, yet twanged voice rings out.

"My, Its so exciting to finally see you two in the flesh. I have to say, I'm a huge fan."

Auggie and Icarus are speechless. Not a peep. Can you really blame them? The man stares back at them, his icy, crystal blue eyes peering into their very cores in a way that made them shiver. He tuts and leans back.

"Come on, I know you two are quite the chatterboxes. There's no need to introduce yourself, though. The Jestress and Fireball, right?"

Auggie felt her heart sink, She peered over at Icarus, seeing him match her mortified face. Their plumage stood on end as they looked between themselves and the mystery man. How on God's green earth did anyone know their old show names? The question spills from Icarus before he can stop himself.

"How…could you know that…?"

"See, I knew you could speak! Trust me, dear corvid. I've done all my research. I know everything there is to know about Spectral Entertainment, the hit circus freaks from the 40s, and how they 'disappeared' after a curious fire…"

The man smiles a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes as he studies the two's reactions. Auggie shifts, her tail tucking between her legs as she chews on her lips, her fearful eyes flickering around his face. Icarus's wings fidget behind his back, tail feathers shuffling, unable to meet eyes with this man.

"…But I'm getting ahead of myself here."

He catches on to Auggie staring and his smile falters for a second. He raises an eyebrow.

"What are YOU staring at, blood-sucker?"

There's a small pause where she stares deeply, almost knowingly into this mans creepily blue eyes. Auggie swallows hard, her voice an octave short of a whisper.

"I've…seen you before."

-She mutters, almost without thinking. The man scoffs and leans back, his sinister smirk creeping back onto his face.

"Oh, I'm sure you have. Boy, you two are just a hoot."

His expression then shifts when the sound of another aircraft fades into the foreground. He turns to look out the vehicle's open side, ANOTHER chopper pulling up beside them, just close enough for someone to step into this one. A tall, older, broad shouldered lady climbs in, seeming both in a rush, but trying to sternly keeping professionalism while dawning a military general uniform, adorned with many badges and accolades.

The man immediately straitens his posture, adjusting the collar of his too-tight turtleneck. The general steps beside him, giving him a dour look. (or maybe that's just how her face rests?)

"Hmph. You're late."

"Mr. Chandler. You've captured them."

"Pft. Duh, General Obvious."

The general stares at the two, her mouth slightly agape as she fails to stop herself from gawking at them with squinted eyes. She takes a step closer, leaning down slightly.

"Mother of god…"

"Hideous, right?"

"…Just not what I expected, Is all."

"W-Who are you people…? What's going on-?"

-Auggie trembles out, to afraid to be embarrassed by how weak and fragile she presents right now. The general's eyes widen and she steps back, clutching her pearls and blinking in disbelief.

"They…They can speak?"

"Yeah, I wish they couldn't. Its actually majorly annoying."

"What…Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Why does it matter? We're looking at two mindless beasts. Acting purely off instinct…"

The general looks between Icarus, Auggie and the man before schooling her shocked expression back to normal. The man smiles sardonically, stating his claim so surely, as if its fact. The pair glance over at each other, Icarus raising an eyebrow.

"'Instinct'? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce us! The names Rudolph Weeniewhistle Chandler, poacher extraordinaire. And this lady accompanying me is my loyal assistant—"

"That's enough out of you, Chandler. General Periwinkle to you two."

Rudolph keeps his confidant grin, smoothing down his voluminous, fire engine red hair. General Periwinkle stands firm and tall, adjusting her golden name tag before folding her hands at her front.

The duo's eyes widen, staring at them in astonishment. Slowly, Icarus and Auggie turn to look at each other, their faces unreadable. But they exchange eyes, almost like they're communicating in a secret language unbeknownst to anyone else. they both quickly glance down, almost like their hopelessly trying to hold something back.

Icarus covers his beak with his hand, the helicopter floor suddenly becoming his main focus. while Auggie plays with a strand of her hair, curling her lips inward. But as soon as she lets a tiny snort slip, its over.

Auggie bursts into a fit of giggles and cackles, kicking her feet and doubling over as if she was being brutally tickled. Icarus can't help busting up with laughter, holding his head with one hand as he quickly becomes breathless.

"Hey! What's so funny??"

Rudolph stomps his foot like a fussy toddler as Auggie wipes a tear from her eye.

"Hah— Sorry— J-Just—…"

"Wh-Who names their kid 'WeenieWhistle'??"

"Or Periwinkle???"

"Q-QUIT IT! THERE'S NOTHING HUMOROUS ABOUT OUR NAMES!"

"(Snort)—Alright Mr. Red Nosed Reindeer."

"That is ENOUGH!"

Icarus sucks in a deep breath, while Auggie clears her throat, but an immature snicker still plays on both their faces. General Periwinkle sighs and crosses her arms, glaring down at them disapprovingly.

"For being as…human-seeming as you are, You two…things have ZERO respect for your elders, and I will not stand to be disrespected."

"'Elder'? Speak for yourself, hun. I've been told I look extremely young for my age."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night…"

"See? I wish they couldn't talk."

"Uh, Y'all threw a net on us. I think respect went out the window a long time ago."

"Alright- I believe we've gotten off topic here. Chandler? A word?"

The disgruntled general pulls Rudolph to the side, lowering their voices to a harshly hushed whisper.

"We just got high key got clapped back, like, that was legit cheugy how our menacing vibe just got nuked. I'm shook."

"Shut up. Could you just shut up. Chandler—, why didn't you tell me they were so—"

"Frustrating? Unbearable? Irritating?"

"—Human. Why didn't you tell me how human they'd be?"

Rudolph crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow at her words as his face shifts from pouty to disturbingly serious.

"I have no idea why you keep saying this. Those things are far from people, I'll tell you what. Don't get so soft now, General. Theres one reason you decided to involve yourself in this, and it sure as hell isn't for 'public safety'."

Periwinkle tenses, her glare tapering as Rudolph quickly restored his maddening, veneer white smile.

"Remember whose in charge here, Chandler. Lets get the subjects back under control."

"Whatever you say, Peri."

They turn back around to face the distich, Who look at them weirdly. Clearly, General Periwinkle wasn't prepared to have to actually speak to these subjects.

"…That was an awkward amount of time to be whispering about us."

"Uhm…Why are we here again?"

"Listen up. In the next hour, You will be transported to The Pentagon, where we can do ample research on you both. Not only are you two illegal french immigrants, but genetically impossible."

That makes their ears perk. Research? I shudder to think what kind of research that could ensue. And something tells me the two feel the same way. What the general commands hushes them up quick. She continues, her stern eyes never faltering from the two, but Auggie can just sense the repugnance emanating from her grayed gaze.

"…Based off of past events regarding you two, it is for the safety of the public that you are contained promptly. Your contribution to scientific research won't be forgotten."

I can assure you that the two had no witty remarks to counter something like that. Safety of the public? Contained? I don't like the sound of that. They just sorta sat there for a moment, still attempting to process all this grave news. Rudolph just reclined cross-legged, inhaling the pair's dread like an addict to a meth pipe. He didn't avoid the two's eyes like Periwinkle did. No, he would actively seek contact with their fearful gazes.

A radio on the general's belt began to crackle with mixed chatter, causing her to pick it up and mutter an affirmation into it. Hey eyes flit over the defeated pair a final time before she steps aside to the exit, the same helicopter from before picking her up again.

"We'll lead the way and make sure there aren't any passing airplanes. Keep watch of them, Chandler."

"Oh, will do."

Periwinkle gives him a narrowed look before crossing to her aircraft, leaving the two with Rudolph.

He smiles even wider, almost like he's trying to hold back laughter. he opens up his posture, uncrossing his legs and leaning his elbows on his knees.

"Well, that was a ride, wasn't it?"

They stayed silent for a moment, until Icarus shuffled his wings, looking down between his legs.

"W-We never did anything wrong…"

Icarus gulped, his voice cracking as he feebly attempted to defend him and his friend, but Rudolph just chortled a knowing laugh.

"Ohoho, please. You two have committed grave sins other than just existing."

"H-How did you find us? How do you know all this about us?"

"A mix of extensive research, ancestry, and my prime hunting skills, really. But SOMEONE here having an affinity for telling every trucker he meets his life story helped too."

Auggie shot Icarus a sideways glare, who quickly looked away, whistling nonchalantly. Rudolph continues.

"But don't worry, you won't be taken to The Pentagon."

They blink and look at each other. Okay— Whiplash. Now they're not being taken to a government building? Then…where are they going…? Rudolph answers that question before Auggie and Icarus even have the chance to ask.

"You guys are coming back with me."

A shudder skitters down Auggies spine, Icarus's feathers immediately prickling all over. What could that possibly mean?

"As a hunter, I prefer a good chase. But something like that can be managed, if need be. I've had my eyes on you two for a while now. For the sake of exposition, allow me to explain!"

I hate this guy. Exposition is MY job! He leans back lazily, folding his tacky ring-littered hands in his lap.

"I've poached every animal there is. Every mammal, non-mammal, reptile, cetacean, ectotherm, and all things in between. Anything you can think of has met my formaldehyde tub once or twice. But like most things in life, it can get…repetitive after a while… But there's just one animal that I've never caught. And its whatever you things are."

He reaches down, dragging a parachute out from under the seat and sliding his long arms through the straps

"So why not shake things up? You two should be a nice addition to my collection."

I think they'd rather face being dragged to The Pentagon then the cold barrel of a gun. Speaking of guns, after Rudolph finished fixing the parachute on his back, he took his from his pristine leather holster, loading a thin, sharp dart.

Saying this scenario is scary is a disgusting understatement. Petrifying. Nerve fraying. Heart beating so hard its as if its trying to escape your ribcage. You might've felt something like that before. But coming to the grave realization that you're on the fast track to being slaughtered, skinned, preserved, sewn back together, stuffed, getting your eyes replaced with painted plastic beads and mounted on a wall as a very original experience.

And they felt every second of it.

Suddenly, it appeared although the world had rapidly shifted from a wacky travel comedy to a splatter/body horror straight-to-DVD monstrosity, and right now, the two desperately needed a genre shift.

Icarus leans over, whispering shakily to Auggie-

"We need to get out of here. This guys off his rocker!"

"Yeah, I'll say."

"Now, I'll tell you two what's going to happen here. You'll sit completely still while I prick you guys with this itty bitty dart, then I'll jump out of this chopper with my newest trophies for the taxidermy room under my arm!"

The duet look at each other. Psh, over their dead bodies! Auggie franticly looks back up at her friend, her eyes wide with panic. But she gains a twang of confusion when she sees him with an inappropriately cheeky grin.

"Icarus, please tell me you have an idea!"

"You're the brainy one."

"Come ON! I'm serious!"

"Well, you're not gonna like it."

"Anything! Anything to get us out of here!"

"Hm…If you say so."

"Hey, you guys suck at whispering."

Icarus sits up a bit taller, gazing into the blue eyes of pure evil with a stupid smirk.

"Sorry Mr. Weeniewhistle, but we've got other plans."

And so, he props his taloned foot on the very edge of the aircraft's exit before pushing off, sending them FLYING OFF THE HELICOPTER??

Wait wait wait. let me double check. That's…really how they go out?

~~~

Wind violently rushes In Auggie's thin, flapping ears. Her eyes, while wide with fear struggle to stay agape, her vision blinking with mini reoccurring blackouts. It a few seconds before she finally finds the chords in her to scream. She squirms, but she's still tightly tethered to Icarus with this stupid net.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!"

"HEY, DON'T BE SUCH A PESSIMIST! I-I CAN FIGURE THIS O— what?"

Auggie groans, her head dipping down limply as she passes out again. Icarus gives her face a few light slaps until her foggy eyes flutter open, head bobbing.

"GEEZ, STAY AWAKE FOR THIS!"

"H-Huh…AAAAAA!!"

"AW, THERE SHE IS! QUIT PASSING OUT!"

"ICARUS, I SWEAR ON EVERYTHING I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!"

"NOT IF I CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

He flaps his wings aggressively against the rope, straining as the quickly approaching trees below become a concern. But last minute, Hes able to free himself from the from the net, his wings extended above him.

he haphazardly grabs at the still very tangled up Auggie, hauling her into his taloned grasp as she yelps, desperately clung to the thing restraining her. finding a small clearing in the trees, diving down to the grassy plain. He drops her roughly onto the ground before touching down messily himself, barely landing on his feet.

Icarus leans up against a tree, gasping for breath as the chopper fades away above them, having seemingly lost them in the rich green.

For now.