Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Winged Warrior ❯ Vacation ( Chapter 7 )

Those days would never stay, the last semester of school went fast even without break. The sun beat down on the village but the heat never broke out much above body temperature. A/C units blared all day and the shade was a treasure place outside. The war had taken certain spikes during the spring and many turns and twists during the hot month of June, people came back injured or over heated and others came back perfectly fine. Some didn’t even have to think about the weather because they wielded fire.

The heat seemed to be killing River every time he went out, he’d come in and down about a gallon and a half of ice water and then proceed to sit in front of the air conditioner as his wounds were being patched up or just plain out healed by Rain, who seemed to be rushing everywhere these days to help someone or something.

The month of June was on its last legs and the rue season of summer had begun only a few days before. Peace had been brought by a disabling injury to Engel ‘s leg by Alex trying to help River out of a hole during a decent battle with no causalities on either side. The battle fields became empty while the war began to cool down, the heat and their leader’s injury possible more important to the Bukes then killing a Tenshi clan member.

This particular day, River seemed to be talk a lot to Keith and Gwen alone. Alex was off playing with her little sister and brother. She’d occasionally glance over both to get a glimpse of River in the sleeve-less shirt, that boy had some arms on him and see what in the world he was talking to her parents about instead of to her. Her mind fiddled with the ideas of young marriage, which made her mind laugh, she was not going to settle down with him, well, at least not now, they hadn’t been dating that long. They were young, not even out of high school yet. This seemed too casual for a conversation like that; it was probably more about vacation away from the village.

Alex found out very quickly, that’s exactly what it was; the meeting was brought into the living room. According to River and her parents, it was a sort of tradition that the families vacation together, not only because of their friendship but because Gwen was the most trusted on the security staff to keep Rex safe while away. This year apparently they were going down to a lake in which they owned a camping ground. A residence that always read closed, as it was strictly for the Musha family, just a small place on a lake side, they owned the lake as well. Discussing the grounds made River uncomfortable, obviously, as his family owned quite a great deal of things there. As there was a break in the war, according to River, Rex thought it was a good time to get the week or so in, he was leaving the kingdom in the hands of his little brother George, who would call if anything major came up.

The trip would begin at the end of the week. It was the 26ths of June when the family was ready to pull out of town. A navy blue Ford Mustang pulled up to the house, white wing decal on the sides, the engine was silent but the music could be heard inside. It did not exceed legal limit and it wasn’t ear shattering. “Hey Alex, ‘Scruffy’s here!” Alan called up the stairs in a tease. It particularly annoyed Alex when her brother referred to River as ‘scruffy’ for some reason. She more associated scruffy with mongrels and men with beards down to the middle of their chest. River was not ‘scruffy’. She picked up her bag from the floor of her room and walked out, smacking Alan’s ear as she passed.

She reached the front door and walked out into the summer heat with a bit of a bitter sigh. She liked spring and fall. Summer was overly hot. She watched River climb out of the car, he was, of course, barely wearing a thing out of choice. A thin tank top and long jean shorts, though something immediately struck out to her-

“your hair!” She yelled rushing over to him. The once long locks of winter and spring were clipped down to only an inch. He looked so different; his beard was thinned and trimmed, he looked like a completely different man. “Wow, you look different.” She rain a hand up the back of his head while he just sort of chuckled.

“Better for heat really.” He smiled before putting a hand on her cheek. “Ack! How can you be freezing?” Alex questioned as he took her bag putting it in the trunk.. “Oh god, your AC is way up isn’t it?”“Sure is.” River smiled while shutting the trunk. “Just got this puppy as a birthday present. Wanted to test out the AC. Works great” He walked over and opened the door for her. “But I’m willing to turn it down for you, if you’d like?” The artic blast from the door made her shake. “Please and thank you.” Alex smiled leaning on the door just a bit. “Happy B-day.” She laughed just a bit before planting a kiss on his lips. “And that’s your present.” She joked. He just smiled at her. “Content with just that.” He smiled as he slid across the hot hood and then spin and got into his seat. “I was kidding.” She said with a sigh before getting in beside him. “Did you win the couch bed?”“sure did.” River laughed, as he waited for Keith and Gwen to get moving ahead off him.

“I’m guessing they picked arm wrestling out of the hat.” Alex laughed. He just nodded with a smug smirk. “Oh boy, did you actually wrestle any of them?” “Nope.” He continued to smile. “Aw, you big ol’ brute.” Alex teased, leaning over and hugging him. “you could have at least tried to be gentle with them. “ She scolded jokingly. “I can’t help what I am.” River laughed then felt her hand on the back of his head, messing with his hair. “Alex, you’re freaking me out” He mumbled while she literally petted his head. “I can’t help it, it’s so soft.” “I’m not a dog” River retorted, “Which reminds me, you get to meet Buddy” “Buddy?” “Yes, Buddy.”

“Aw, did you get a puppy?”“Yep.” “Awww, how sweet” Alex teased again before leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Is he with your parents in the RV? You know having an RV is cheating in camping.” She teased again, hugging his arm finally seeing her parents pull out of the garage. “I’m so sorry they’ve taken so long.” She mumbled a bit as she let go and watched him change from Neutral to Drive and follow her parents down the road. “Yes, he’s in the RV” River answered her first question. “And have you seen my room? A hotel is like the wilderness to my family Alex” River chuckled. “Still having problems with the rich thing, probably get over it eventually.” He smiled putting his arm around the back of her chair and watching the road. “Oh, and as for your parents, that’s all right, just meant more time alone in the car with you… let their minds wonder on that.” He chuckled.

“River Musha!” Alex hissed just a bit with a laugh herself. She slapped his hand when she felt his finger reach around and mess with the back of her head. “Pay attention to the road, not me crazy.” She smiled just a bit. “Or I will be forced to change cars on the way back.”“Aw, then I’ll have to listen to the radio and speed.” River joked. She laughed just a bit and put a hand on his own when he moved it down to the arm rest on the side of his seat. “I think my next car should have a bench seat up front.” He mumbled almost incoherently as he turned after Gwen and Keith. “Hm?” Alex questioned looking over him after staring out the window for a while.“A bench seat in the front, so you know… you could be a bit closer when I’m driving.” He smiled “Suppose it’d be more distracting though, “ He shrugged putting his arm back around the back of her chair, eventually moving it to her shoulders. “It’d be comfortable.” Alex mumbled holding on to his hand with both of hers, admiring the difference for only a second between his giant mighty paw and her own delicate but mighty hand. His hands often reminded her how easily broken she was, River was such a big guy and powerful at that, she may have been taller than average but it was a reality check with him all the time.

“Whatca thinking about?” River questioned after a couple minutes of silence. He figured she was either thinking or asleep.

“How crazy a camping trip with the Musha family is going to be.” Alex replied, putting her cheek on the top of his knuckles affectionately. “I mean one is bad enough, but all six at once, I may faint.” Alex teased. “Aw it’ll be fun, they shouldn’t bother you too much… Rain might but she’s the only one I won’t hit, so that’ll explain it all.”

“Aw, such a good brother.” Alex laughed.“Are you kidding? She’d kick my ass.” River returned with his crooked grin on. “Lot tougher than most of us will give her credit for… I mean she had to survive three months in the womb with me…” River laughed just a bit more. Alex didn’t really see Rain as the warrior type, but she supposed that River was right about being tougher than most would give her credit for, after all, she was the only girl among warrior boys. She was almost surprised that Rain wasn’t spitting and cursing, throwing her fist around with the rest of them now. Her mind, however, immediately became distracted by the three month statement. “Did they give you winged warrior sexual education or what?” Alex snorted looking at him. “I’m sure that was interesting. I haven’t managed to get that out of my parents yet.” Alex rolled her eyes. “Mind explaining a few things about it to me?”“Giving my girl friend the sex talk… kinky.” He joked, Alex slugged his arm. “Aw, you love it really.” He smiled at her. She just rolled her eyes and mumbled for him to continue. “Well, long story short, when a man and a woman love each other very much, they do ‘stuff’”“Do we lay eggs?”“You smartass.” “Just wondering.” Alex laughed. “If you weren’t blonde, I’d hold it against you.” River joked.“Ouch, low blow!”“I’ll give you a low blow.” He teased seductively, raising both eyebrows about three times with a corny expression laced across his face. She rolled her eyes again. “Anyway, enough with that kinky conversation.” He chuckled. “Well, I don’t need to explain the sperm and the egg because I know you’ve had that in school…. Cause I sat behind you in health.” He smirked just a tad bit. “Haha, behind.”“Hopeless male, please get to the point.”“ANYWAY.” River got back to his path. “Everything for us when it comes to embryonic development happens three times faster than a normal human would, which also make the pregnancies more brutal and even unhealthier. The mothers are almost always drained if the father isn’t around to aid.”“So it’s safe to assume that we aren’t having children?” Alex teased. “Like hell we aren’t” River joked, “If we don’t have little winged babies, then who will carry on the Musha name!”“Your brother’s sons?”“Yeah, whatever, they don’t count.” To that Alex just laughed and laughed. “You dork, it’s too early to be thinking about kids. Besides, you still aren’t getting any until you put a ring on it.”“Dammit I try.” River joked pulling into the campsite after Keith and Gwen. The group set up in a dead end like area. That curved into a circle, the set up a mutual meeting ground in the middle of the area. The Oceana and the Musha weren’t the only ones there. Rain had invited her boyfriend and his family. Blaze had chosen to bring his own supplies and camper for that matter for him to stay in with his girlfriend. As Alex listened to them all, it appeared that it was River and his parents as well as Cain in their own RV.

“You want to join us in here?” River questioned after everyone divided up and he stood by the large RV with a smile on his face. “I told you, that is cheating.” Alex stuck her tongue out and then looked over at her family’s specified area. They, too, seemed to have a camper, not as luxurious as the Musha’s RV but it wasn’t a tent. She let out a grunt of annoyance and then looked back to River who was suppressing a chuckle. “Oh laugh it up.” She slugged his arm. He only chuckled. “Let’s go for a walk… I think I just remembered something about this camp ground.” River smiled. “Mom dad, going on a walk, have my cell if you need me.” He called in, his father gave a grunty reply. The little husky puppy which Alex assumed was Buddy, jumped up on the couch in the RV and began to bark and whine out the window towards River. “I’ll be back, Buddy.” He laughed at the little puppy before he retreated to the depths of the RV. River only chuckled and then he removed the tank top and threw it into the RV, hitting Rain. “Oh thanks!” She laughed a bit before throwing it on to Buddy, who ran around trying to get it off, yapping loudly. The entire family seemed to laugh at that. River then took a hold of Alex’s hand.

“come on, before someone decides to distract us.” He smiled a bit at her. She smiled back shyly then called to her parents about the walk and said that she also had her cell if they needed her. They left before her parents could object. The woods were similar to their own woods back home, but more unkempt. They climbed upward for what seemed like hours. Finally they were climbing down and when they finished climbing down. They were on the edge of a large and sparkling lake. Alex let out a gasp at it. “Awesome, just what I was looking for,” He smiled as he took his cell phone out and set it on a rock by Alex then after he got a running start jumped in. “Hey!” She called watching him. “Are you supposed to be swimming in these waters?” She asked, she looked nervous that he was out in the water alone, without someone there to get him if he started to drowned.

“My family owns the lake, Alex.” River chuckled lightly. “Quit being such a worry wart and get your butt in here, the water’s great!” He swam a bit to the deeper section. She just sort of stared at him skiddishly. “Hey what’s wrong?” He asked before he went under. “River?” she piped shocked. He surfaced again within a second laughing. “River! Don’t do that!” “What’s your problem?” He laughed just a bit. “come on, put your phone down and get in the water!” “I can’t.” She replied sheepishly looking at her clothes. “I’m not wearing a bathing suit.” “So? Get in the water!”“I can’t!” She replied again. “Why not?”“I can’t swim”

“WHAT?!” River called out in shock. He swam over to the shallow edged and stood there, looking up at her. “All right, put your phone down on the rock by mine.” He instructed. Alex skittishly did so and then looked back to him uneasily. “Now come here and sit down on the edge.” He patted the area in front of him, so that’s where she sat. “I’ll gently ease you into the water..” He said cautiously as he picked her up from the bottom and gently moved her forward. Her arms clung to his neck terrified of what he was doing. “Alex, it’s okay, I’m not going to let you go or anything.” He said calmly kissing her cheek.

“Y-you better not.” She warned as she found herself in the water, still clinging to him for dear life. He was drifting slowly away from the shore. She put her feet down finally and stopped when her head was still above water. He didn’t stop in the slightest. He was about a foot away from her, still holding on to one of her hands. “This is as far as I can go before my head goes underwater.” He said with a smiled. “I’ll teach you here.” He beamed as he pulled her forward easily. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let go of you.” He said as he stepped forward, “I wouldn’t even think about it.” He said when she was finally drifted over to him. He held her close but far enough to give her legs distance. She clung to his arms frightened. “Alex.” He scolded slightly. “It’s very simply, just gently move your legs back and forth like a fish almost, only not at the same time, because you’ll end up propelling yourself up constantly and tiring out your legs pretty fast.” He explained, he waited until he knew that she was doing as he said and eased his grip. “I’m not letting go.” He reminded when her panicked eyes caught him. “not yet anyway.” He smiled, “We’ll have to work on it this week.” He said as he pulled her to himself and kissed her about the face and mostly the mouth. “You taste like lake water.” Alex gagged jokingly. He only licked her cheek. “And you taste like an Alex.” He laughed when she shoved him and then clung to him again. “Jeez, loosen up.” He said as he let his feet lift off the lake floor and gently began to swim back towards shore. “We’ll come back at a better time, preferable when we have sunscreen, I wouldn’t want you to turn red unless it’s my doing.” He joked, Alex seemed to blush more than he did, and then again, he channeled the blood to his ears instead of his cheeks so she never knew. He finally docked the two of them back on shore, sitting up on the edge next to her, watching their legs wade in the water. “They’ll expect us back soon.” He said calmly putting an arm around her shoulders. “And how are we going to explain why we’re all we- oh don’t even answer that.” She realized what she was saying before it fully left her mouth. “Aw, my mind isn’t that dirty.” He pouted before leaning over and kissing the cheek that he licked previously. “A bit corrupt but not that dirty.” She shook her head at him and mentioned that he could find a dirty joke in a convent. “Well, obviously when you have a bunch of women who don’t get nun.” He snickered at his own play on words. Alex shoved him. “Aw, you love it really.” She just smiled and blushed to that. “Score one for Musha.” He laughed before he turned her face towards him and kissed her again.

“My, my Mr. Musha, it seems that you are very ‘kissy’ today.” Alex chuckled putting her forehead against his. “Not that I mind.” She smiled brightly and then kissed him back once, twice, it took the sound of his cell phone to get them to stop.

“Hello?” River answered it. “Get off her.” It was Rain,

“Dammit, where are you?” “Cliff.” River looked up and waved to his twin sister. She waved back. “We’re coming back.” He chuckled before he hung up and helped Alex up. “I love you.” He reminded as he handed over her phone. She only blushed in response and leaned against him a bit as they started back towards camp. Upon arrival, their parents were all sitting around and laughing, not the picture they wanted to come back to, River theatrically flipped over his father and stood in front of him. “Please don’t tell me you’re telling baby stories.” He said quickly. Rex shook his head laughing. “Good, I’ll be in the hammock.” He said nonchalantly. Alex watched him disengage and then crawl into the large hammock.

The night was approaching and the temperature was dropping. So she decided her wouldn’t mind the company, but she did ask. “Mind if I join?” She questioned with a smile. “Hold on, let me see if my fat butt will let it be so.” He joked as he reached above looking at the weight limit. “Sure will, awesome, come on in.” He held perfectly still as Alex climbed in beside him. The two of them watched the night sky slowly appear. River pointed out stars and the moon. He made stories of consolations while the family continued to talk over by a fire they’d now made over a bit.

River’s mother, Leah, had been the only one to take much note of the two in the hammock, River may have been perfectly fine, but she was sure that Alex must have been freezing as the temperature continued to drop. She laid a blanket over the two of them. Sleep came easy in the gently swinging hammock, waking up hadn’t been so easy.

River caught the last part of the conversation between their families. Something about it being too dark for them to go feeling around for their stuff, that they were welcomed to stay with them in an extra bed, which wasn’t the couch bed. It must have been the loft bed that Cain was too small for, River and Blaze were too large for and Rain didn’t particularly like; besides she’d gone off with her boyfriend’s family in their pop up. Rex woke the two of them up and stabilized River before he went crashing back on Alex. She didn’t let go of his arm as they entered the RV, the entire Musha family seemed to favor it cold. The cabin was freezing. The bed was already out and ready. The two of them just crashed down on to it. Buddy, the little husky, jumped up and curled at their feet.
The morning light came a bit bitterly through the blinds. River lifted his arm up unconsciously blocking both his own and Alex’s eyes from the light. “Jemacrimity.” He made a word up of the back of his head as he crashed back down on the bed. He got up and shut the blinds down then returned to bed, almost oblivious to the fact that Alex was there at all until he laid back down and held on to her and started to fall asleep again. His eyes shot open and he stared wide eyed at her. He checked himself, clothed, he didn’t miss any party. He slowly and carefully checked her in safe areas to make sure she was still clothed. His curious hands were mistaken for just wanting to cuddle; she pushed herself against him and nuzzled her head into his chest.

“good morning.” Alex grumbled wrapping her arms around his waist it took a few moments for it to register. “oh god River.” She jumped back landing quietly on her feet almost like a cat. She felt herself over. “oh thank god.” “odd, I had the same reaction.” River laughed a bit as he patted the bed for her to lie back down. “I think those two up in the loft are your parents any how… don’t think they’d let us do anything… cause I can’t be discreet that I know of yet.” He chuckled; she crawled back onto the bed beside him and put her head down on his chest.

“You’re a pretty good pillow.” She mumbled as her arms went around his waist. “I’ll have to remember that for future reference.” She smiled up at him for a brief moment. Then she looked over to the chairs. “Seems our baby brothers are in here as well, and I’m guessing my sister, now what kind of example would we be if we were to do something ‘naughty’?” She whispered to him. “A kinky example” He whispered back chuckling before kissing her cheek. “oh well, I’m content like this.” He shrugged as he rubbed her shoulders. Alex looked at him with an eyebrow raised and her jaw ajar. “What? You don’t... want… me like that anymore?” Alex asked blinking a bit. Did she put him off that much about the whole thing and if she did was he worth trying to please? He looked at her like she grew another head or just started speaking like her tongue had swollen up to the size of a watermelon or something to that degree. “what gave you that crazy idea?” He asked with his eyebrow raised up. “As a male, I will always strive for that. Jeez.” He shook his head. “I’m just going to have to compromise and wait if I ever want to get there… now let’s stop talking about it and just have safe whole some ‘christian’ fun this week” He joked with a subtle laugh. “Oh go back to sleep before you start preaching about ‘jeeeeeesus.” She stretched the e out to tease him before she snuggled back into him. “I love you River.”“I love you too beautiful.” He replied naturally. Her face, of course, turned a nice shade of red. “You know, the red in your face really brings out your eyes.” He smiled to her: his crooked, flirty, corny smile. She couldn’t help but smile back. “Stop it.” She giggled quietly. “Or they’ll get the aloe and try to help my ‘sunburn’.” Alex finally let her face return to its normal creamy white color. He was smiling again. “What?” She asked putting her chin on his shoulder.

“Nothing, just being my normal fan boy self.” He chuckled putting his head down and closing his eyes. He didn’t say another word but Alex shook him slightly. He just chuckled and cuddled back into her. Their parent would find them, River above the covers and Alex curled halfway under still managing to hang on to one another. Rain took a photo for later blackmail and to send to Sam, who was not able to go due to lack of parental knowledge of the winged warriors.

They were both forced out of bed so they could curl the couch. Even little Buddy, still sleeping by their feet in the morning, growled in protest of any sort of move. River, however, picked up the dog and petted his head constantly to calm him down. Eventually Alex sat on the ground and played with the little puppy, while River helped his father with the couch bed.

The group in the humble campsite eventually left their little homes on wheels and went on a miniature hike, each kid paired off with someone else so they didn’t get lost. “Use the buddy system.” The Musha boys cracked all sorts of wise comment all morning long. It ranged from your mom jokes to just the dirtiest of comments. The boys were having fun though; Rain was obviously above all the nonsensical immaturity. She hung mostly with the adults, as did her boy toy, Jack, who was fairly average looking but notably human compared to the winged warriors around him. He had been adopted into the family in which he lived now when he was just a baby. He never knew any better.

Finally the group sort of even out into almost a single file line with the pairs almost marching in sync. River and Alex, of course, tended to fall behind so they could talk a bit more and not disturb the others. They mostly talked about the most pressing matter for the two of them: their memory. River’s seemed to be gradually making random appearances but Alex was having problems connecting the pieces in her mind and getting a grander picture. In many ways, she was glad that River was so descriptive and in a way, a good story teller or else there would be events that she may have never thought of until he’d gotten half of his own past figured out.

There were so many interesting stories about being a warrior. It was different seeing it from his excited bright eyes, but he made it seem so clear and bright. However, the truth was the war seemed to be a reoccurring theme in his happy words. He was a warrior. She could see it in him every day. He was becoming more of a soldier then the old friend that she thought she fell in love with before they returned… but there was a picture that she couldn’t get rid of in her dreams.

The dreams were vague but at the same time so clear. The sound was cracking but the visual was enough to give her some idea of what in the world was happening. She saw things in flashes but she kept seeing the face of a nerdy looking boy in glasses with short hair and a familiar face. She never got to pin down his eyes. If she could just get that minor glimpse, she could tell where she’d seen him before, the boy always looked mischievous and his smile was that of the Musha boys, that narrowed it down to three; she wanted to think it was River. She always felt so happy to see that boy’s face. It had to be River.

“Hey,” He called her out of her reverie as he usually did. “The war talk isn’t bothering you is it?” He asked nudging her cheek with his nose almost like an impatient dog wanting it’s owner to pet it. Alex replied with a half hearted ‘huh?’, and then realized what in the world was going on. She just shook her head putting an arm around his back smiling up at him.

“Hey, will you tell me about the Valentine’s Day song again?” Alex questioned as they continued on. His brow tightened and then relaxed as he tried to remember the song and with a laugh he nodded. “Do you think they’ll expect it from us this year now that we’re mature?” Alex giggled. He again nodded not really saying much. “Searching for the lyrics?” She questioned tapping his head.

River stuck his tongue out before he began lightly. “It’s something like.” He spoke and then cleared his throat. “It’s always been a mystery to me.” He sang lightly and then thought a bit more. “That’s not the exciting part anyway. I’m sure my sister has it on tape or something. We can ask her later on tonight or something.” He mumbled. “Cause he knew everything I would need, blah blah blah, you know.” He chuckled a bit after his little song.

Alex let off a light pout. “Aw, you’d sing the entire song for me if I asked you, wouldn’t you?” She asked teasingly. “Nah, you’re a manly man, things that romantic are lost in that skull of yours.” Alex shoved it off before he got to reply. She walked ahead and he grunted a bit before he followed after and grabbed her wrist, using a dancer’s spin to get her to face him. “It may be old, and it may be a little boy bandy, but those guys, flaming as they are, know how to woo a woman.” River whispered pulling her forward into himself. “So tell me.” He smiled a bit and began to sing just a few lines. “Can this be real, tell me can this be true, How can I put into words what I feel.” His voice was much different now that she could really hear it. He was trained; there was no doubt about it, a very well trained tenor. It almost made her want to blush while he held her a bit closer. “My life was complete, I thought I was whole, why do I feel like I’m losing control?” He was playfully dancing now. His sister and boyfriend had stopped and were staring back at them. The others were far enough ahead not to bother River’s antics. “I never thought that love could feel like this.” It was amazing just how much he could move while singing; he lifted Alex with that line and twirled once before setting her back down still singing. “But you changed my world with just one kiss. How can it be that right here with me, there’s an angel…” He paused longer then the song would have normally paused, caressing her cheek softly. “it’s a miracle.” He spoke softly.

By this time, Alex’s face was already redder then a fresh tomato. She thought that the teasing was just fun and games and she’d ended up convincing him to serenade her, with their entire family only a little bit away and his sister watching. It was hard not to be a little embarrassed. He didn’t seem to notice, and if he did, then he definitely didn’t care. His eyes never left her.

“Your love is like a river, Peaceful and deep” He smiled at the line about a river; she smiled too, blushing even more. “Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep.” He said presenting his hand to her and she took it to come along with the sport of it all. It was an awkward connection after that, but they was a hush chuckle and a giggle unheard by mortal ears that lingered in the air. “When I look into your eyes, I know that it's true” He paused again. “God must have spent a little more time on you”

“All right, Note taken. I was wrong.” Alex chuckled putting her head on his chest for a single moment, forgetting about the sticky hot climate and for a moment, enjoying being able to hug him, even if he was cheesy and used words like flaming but still sang the songs and danced the dance. “Oh god, I’ll be stuck to you.” Alex made a disgusted face pulling away suddenly. “Ew, boy sweat.” Alex walked ahead whipping her forehead obsessively. Rain and her boy seemed to be clapping and laughing at River who seemed absolutely dumbfounded. “Yep, you’ll be clapping when the snakes devoured Mr. Fluffer!” River shook his fist at Rain and then followed after Alex while Rain stood there with fake exasperation. She took off after him and suddenly, it was a Musha race, which snowballed into the other siblings. The moment they returned to the campsite, the four Musha siblings were spread about the campsite; Rain leaning in the shade reading a book still catching her breath, Blaze sitting at the fire pit, shirt off, getting his tanning in while playing with a fireball; Cain sprawled in the hammock, and River had probably jetted inside to find relief in air conditioning.

Vacationing with the Musha siblings was different at best, as they all seemed utterly detached from one another, but at the same time in sync in a strange connection that was neither fiction nor fact. The chain seemed to connect through their minds and it never seemed that one would care for the other until something was happening to the one and then it snowballed into the four of them together.

Alex chose to follow her warrior. “Hey Riv-!” Alex quickly shut the door after getting quite the eyeful of her warrior, front and back as he spun around quickly when he heard the door open, probably thinking that he closed and locked it. She went and sat in a chair as her face turned redder than ever before. River didn’t look at her when he exited the RV in a new light pair of shorts. He edged over a bit shaky to say anything.“You were bond to see it eventually.” He chuckled lightly looking away embarrassed. “Learn to lock the door.” Alex said with a slight twitch.

“I’ll keep that in mind for later.” River mumbled as he turned and entered the RV again. He returned with a small duffle bag under his arm. “Heading down to the lake.” He announced.

“Invitation or announcement?”

“Uh, both, Will”

“All right. I’ll be down in a little bit then.” The man playing with fire got up and went to his own camper. Then they were all up and about and almost as if only a moment had passed, dressed for swimming. The Musha boys, aside from Cain that wasn’t built for his own body yet, seemed to be built for their class. River was almost bulky compared to his stream-line older brother. They both looked like warriors, both had very defined muscles but River was comparatively a linebacker and Blaze was a track star.

It showed even more when they got to the water, River’s dive in caused almost a tidal wave affect, but Blaze slipped in the water without much of a disturbance. They, of course, both went sprinting off the cliff into the extremely deep waters instead of going to the beach in which River and Alex had been the day before, Cain made a bit of a run for it but Rain stopped him.

The two non-hostile Musha child seemed to take care of themselves none the less. Cain may have been only a kid, but it was obvious you didn’t want to mess with him, no matter how small he was, he had a bit of a warning that there was some defined muscle under there.

Rain was flat stomached, as to be expected, she had a slight hint of muscle but no more than sports could give her. She must have been talked into the two-piece she was wearing as she looked utterly uncomfortable in her skin. She smiled to Alex. “Join us, I could use someone who isn’t my brothers around.” Rain said. Alex chuckled a bit and nodded. “We’ll wait up, right Cain?” Rain asked tugging her brother back. “Yeah, sure okay” He said anxiously. It was obvious he wanted to be down with his brothers causing havoc, it was a wonder that kid was still alive between the fire and the punches. Alex leaned over and pinched his cheek. “Awwwww.” He swatted at her hand. “You’re precious, I won’t take long.” Alex promised, she returned with a long t-shirt on over whatever sort of suit she was wearing. Rain’s eyebrow rose with an inquiring expression to what in the world she was doing exactly. Alex shifted a bit uncomfortably and Rain just nodded.

“enough with your silly silent girl talk! COME ON!” Cain said grabbing onto their hands and leading them down to the beach where the boys were, boy applying sunscreen at the moment. Cain was bounding over like a hyper puppy. He tackled his brothers and they boy fell playfully. “Aw darnit Cain.” The both of them laughed, it was the first time, Alex noted, that she heard Blaze laugh. The boys were at work getting their partially fair skinned little brother lathered up before half tossing him into the water for a belly flop, in which he asked them to do.

The girls waded out in the shallower ends while the boys were off playing. It wasn’t long before the parents joined them down there along with Jack, Rain’s black hair blue eyed boytoy. He was noticeable not like the others. Alex didn’t remember his story exactly but he wasn’t a warrior while his parents were both warriors. She assumed he was adopted as an infant and was trust to know about the secret like Sam who technically according to River’s story web, they adopted then the Buke’s abused her in the forest and the two of them came to her rescue.

It was noticeable that all the Mushas seemed to be charmers as Angel, who was apparently, came with Blaze, called for him and he was over as though he walked across the water to come talk to her. Alex thought it was corny for a moment but then looked to River and chuckled, he’d do the same and she’d swoon or something. Cheesiness must have run in the family.

The evening was calm and peaceful; it appeared they’d spend the day out on the beach. Alex looked back to her father who asked if she needed anything to drink. She replied with a no, but in the time that she twisted her head back around, River was gone. Obviously this had gone off on the sibling radar as Rain and Blaze had taken off into the water. The two returned with a wild man, he was fighting every second of the way and if it weren’t for Blaze’s leverage on him, he probably would have sent both of them flying. They shoved him down on the shore and held him still as Rain tried to heal whatever was making him so violent. The crowd was around him so quickly that it was no surprise that he burst out with his wings out and flew up to the cliff and sat there trying to be alone for just a moment.

“Don’t.” Alex stopped the crowd from following him up as she looked up to him as his face went into his hands. “He needs to be alone.” She frowned

He remained like that the entire time. Silently going off and trying to figure out his problems, trying not to spread his obvious upset nature into the group. However, without his own consent, it sent Rain into a depression. The odd twins were just too connected to not feel almost the same thing. If there was one thing this week was convincing Alex, it was that if you cut River, Rain would bleed.

Alex put their stuff in back on the last day, a bit disappointed at she spent only a few days of fun with him before he went into his depression. “Do you want me to drive?” she asked with a sigh walking over to him sitting on a stump looking off into his own thoughts. “River?”“Wha?” He looked back quietly and then handed his keys off. “If you want to.” He said quietly. Alex stared at them for a moment and then looked back at him. She shook her head and then handed them back. “I’m going with my parents.” She said the aggravation built up in her voice. “And when you’re ready to be a human again, let me know.” She slammed his trunk down and went over to her family. River never made a move, except for looking back for a moment. He got in his car, and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Alex got into the car and just scoffed, she didn’t want him to change, and it was obvious that he had, and he’d changed for the worse. Her family was silent, they couldn’t say a single word to her in fear of getting an earful about how he was being ‘inhuman’ and ‘emotionless’. It just wasn’t worth the fight.

Little did they know, it would be quite a while before they saw River Musha again.