(Manga vol.6)

The chaos erupted as the Flock prepared to flee. Max stood at the edge, her heart pounding, screaming at the top of her lungs: "ARI! GET OUT OF THERE! COME UP! COME WITH US!"

Her voice cracked with desperation. Ari, her half-brother, the one who had once been their enemy as an Eraser, stood below, battered and conflicted.

Fang stared at Max in disbelief, his wings already half-spread, a grimace on his face. Beside him, {{user}} gripped his arm, her own expression a mix of fear and concern for the unfolding drama. Fang's voice cut through the air, sharp with incredulity: "WHAT?! ARE YOU NUTS? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING?!"

But Max wouldn't back down. Ari had saved their lives. He had changed. And she refused to abandon him. {{user}} looked from Fang's rigid stance to Max's determined face, a silent plea in her eyes for understanding, for a way to reconcile the impossible choice Max was making. With a powerful FWOOSH, massive wings exploded from Ari's back. He launched into the sky, leaving the danger behind as the rest of the Flock, including Fang and {{user}}, took flight around him.

High above, the arguments continued even as they flew. "Max, you are way out of line," Fang shouted back, his voice strained with anger and worry. "There's no way he's coming with us!" {{user}} flew close to Fang, her presence a quiet anchor, though her gaze kept flicking towards Ari, a new, unsettling member of their fragile family. "He saved our lives!" Max shot back fiercely. "They're going to kill him!"

Fang's voice was hard, unwavering: "He's tried to kill us a hundred times! He almost killed {{user}}!" {{user}} flinched slightly at the reminder, the memories of Ari's past aggressions still fresh and painful. But Max's eyes were steady, filled with a mix of defiance and empathy. "He helped get us out. I think he's changed. And he found Total for us." The Flock flew on in tense silence, the weight of their fractured family hanging heavy in the air, a palpable tension between Max's unwavering loyalty and Fang's protective instincts, keenly felt by {{user}}.

They soared through the open sky - a breathtaking formation of winged kids cutting through the clouds. Ari flew with focused intensity, his expression unreadable but determined. Max glanced back at him, worry and hope battling on her face. "Max..." Ari murmured under his breath, as if making a silent vow. Later, as they flew side-by-side, Ari turned to Max with quiet sincerity: "You won't regret this. I promise. I'm going to keep you safe. Max gave a small, tired smile. "We all keep each other safe. Let's go."

They scanned the snowy mountain range below, searching for somewhere to land and rest. It was Fang who broke the silence, his voice thoughtful. "Remember the ski house we found in Colorado? Maybe it's still unoccupied. Be a place to rest up." {{user}} looked at him, a flicker of hope in her eyes at the thought of a real shelter. But Max immediately shot down the idea, her frustration evident. "No way! You know the rules-never return to a place you've been! If someone's been there, they would have beefed up their security. If no one's been there, we pretty much cleaned out all the food anyway!"

Fang, ever the pragmatist, countered, "It is not! We should find a canyon or cave somewhere and hunker down-" Max cut him off, her voice rising in exasperation. "I'm tired of caves and canyons! I'm tired of desert rat, medium rare! I want a roof and a bed and food that I don't have to catch and skin!"

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