Flocking Together

            The end is near for another school year for Micah and his older brother (Matthew), with Micah wrapping up his sophomore year of high school at the age of 16 and Matthew getting ready to graduate at the age of 18! Also getting ready to graduate is a classmate of Matthew’s, as well as an ally of him and Micah, named Matt, who transforms into an eagle-human hybrid named Eaglemon to save the day. While Micah and Matthew are busy saving the day from Trekker and his army in Arcanum, Matt is busy saving the day in the sky from two evil eagle-human hybrids named Nawk and Vollava, who wish to become all powerful. In spite of receiving back-up from three comrades (Legalmon, Hack, and Flewey), keeping the peace from Nawk and Vollava is not all what it’s cracked up to be for Matt. On the eve of their last day of school, Micah and Matthew walk past Matt (who is leaning forward and walking slowly) as they head to class.

“Matt?” asked Micah.

“Oh. Hey, Micah.” responds Matt exhaustedly while lifting up his head and revealing a very tired look on his face.

“You don’t look so good.” said Matthew.

“Can you guys keep a secret?” asked Matt.

“Sure, Matt. What seems to be the trouble?” asked Micah. Matt leads Micah and Matthew around a corner and says, “This hero business is too much for me. Every second I get to rest, I get called into action, day and night. I’m only human! I can’t be in two places at once! I can’t take it anymore! When am I going to catch a break?!”

“Gee, that’s too bad.” responded Matthew.

“Can I ask you a favor, Micah?” asked Matt.

“Absolutely.” answered Micah.

“You don’t suppose you could invent something that would allow Eaglemon to take on his own life, do you? I still want to be able to power up as him and save the day. I just want him to be able to keep the skies safe without having to drag me along for the ride.” responded Matt.

“You mean like a clone?” asked Micah.

“You could say that.” answered Matt.

“I’ll see what I can come up with.” said Micah.

“Thanks. I owe you one.” responded Matt.

“Don’t mention it. I can’t promise you, though, that I’ll be able to fulfill your request. But, I’ll sure do my best.” replied Micah. Matt reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out a green shirt with gray feathers on the arms, handing it to Micah while saying, “Here. I’ve got more, so don’t worry about anything bad happening to this one. Whatever happens, thanks for trying.” Matt limps off to his class while Micah and Matthew head to theirs, finishing out the school day. After getting dismissed for the day, Micah immediately enters his laboratory after arriving home and begins constructing different devices, testing them out on Matt’s shirt afterwards to no avail. Seconds turn into minutes and minutes turn into hours for Micah as he tries desperately to help Matt out. Late at night, Micah exhaustedly finishes up another device with Matthew entering his laboratory before he could even test it out.

“Come on, Micah. It’s late.” said Matthew.

“I’m so close with this one. I can feel it.” responded Micah.

“Just test it out tomorrow. Right now, we need to get some shuteye for our LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.” replied Matthew.

“Ok, fine. This darn thing probably doesn’t work anyhow, just like the rest of my experiments.” says Micah annoyingly while following Matthew and tossing the device aside. After exiting the laboratory, the device lands on the floor and fires an electrical wave at Matt’s shirt, which turns it into Eaglemon. Eaglemon proudly sprouts his wings and says, “Look out, Nawk and Vollava! I’m coming for you!” Eaglemon flies out through a hatch in Micah’s laboratory and into the night sky while Micah and Matthew rest up. The next day, Micah and Matthew approach Matt as they head to their respective classes with Matt asking, “So, did you figure anything out?”

“I’ve tried and tried, but…nada. There is one more device I hadn’t had a chance to try out yet, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.” answered Micah.

“Ok. Just thought I’d ask. Thanks again for your help.” responds Matt while heading off to class. Micah and Matthew head off to their classes and go about their last day of school until getting dismissed for the summer. Micah and Matthew arrive home later and enter Micah’s laboratory with Micah picking up the device and aiming it at Eaglemon’s shirt before noticing its absence.

“Huh? It’s gone!” exclaimed Micah.

“I wonder what happened to it?” asked Matthew.

“This darn thing must have burned it up or something. It must be destroyed!” responds Micah angrily while placing the device down and grabbing a hammer. Before Micah could smash the device, Matthew stops him and says, “Micah, let’s just enjoy our summer vacation.” Micah groans in frustration and follows Matthew out of his laboratory, eventually having fun with the rest of his day until bedtime. As Micah and Matthew sleep at night, two silhouettes enter their home and kidnap their mother, stepfather, and younger brother (Christopher). The silhouettes then enter the home of Micah’s and Matthew’s father and stepmother, kidnapping them and subsequently kidnapping Micah’s three friends (Wesley, Sarah, and Jessica). Two bird-like silhouettes enter Matt’s home and kidnap his mother and sister while the other two silhouettes enter Micah’s laboratory and steal all his (and Matthew’s) powerups and inventions. The next morning, Micah and Matthew make their way into the kitchen for some breakfast, waiting for their mother.

“Mom? Are you feeling alright?” asked Micah. Micah receives no response and asks, “Mom?” Micah begins looking for his mother with Matthew joining in to no avail.

“I don’t see mom anywhere.” said Micah.

“She’s not the only one gone. I can’t find Christopher or Kyle either.” responded Matthew.

“What?!” exclaimed Micah. Micah enters his laboratory with Matthew following and discovers his powerups and inventions missing.

“We’ve been robbed! Where in the laboratory is mom, Kyle or Christopher?!” asked Micah astonishingly. Micah’s computer suddenly sounds a Red Alert with Trekker appearing on-screen.

“I should have guessed.” said Micah annoyingly.

“Micah…Matthew…we have something for you.” says Trekker menacingly while showing Micah’s and Matthew’s parents, stepparents, Christopher, and Micah’s friends.

“You’ve really done it this time, Trekker! As soon as I get there, you’ll be nothing but a pile of dust!” said Micah angrily.

“And how do you propose to do that?” asks Trekker menacingly while showing Micah’s and Matthew’s powerups and inventions.

“I’ll find a way!” responds Micah while heading to his Warp Machine. Matt suddenly appears in Micah’s Warp Machine and asks, “Guys! Have any of you seen my mother or sister?”

“Oh! I almost forgot!” says Trekker while showing Nawk and Vollava with Matt’s mother and sister in their talons.

“Mom! Lindsey!” exclaimed Matt.

“That’s right, Eaglemon!” said Nawk menacingly.

“Or should we say…Matt!” said Vollava menacingly.

“Thanks to my new friends here, we’re all going to conquer the world faster than crushing a brand new bolt. So, just try and stop us! Ha ha ha ha!” laughs Trekker while pointing a remote at the screen. Trekker presses a button and causes Micah, Matthew, and Matt to appear in an alternate version of their middle school in the gymnasium, where they come head-to-head with a nerdy girl causing a ruckus with irritating rambling. Micah, Matthew, and Matt cover their ears with Micah saying, “This girl has got to go!” Matt pulls out his Eaglemon Shirt and places it on, powering up and blasting an orange pellet at the girl, who goes flying back and hits a wall. The girl’s face turns red and angrily shouts, “You hurt Natalie! Must crush eagle man!”

“It’s Eaglemon, actually.” responded Matt.

“Natalie no like being corrected!” replies Natalie while charging towards Matt, Matthew, and Micah.

“You really shouldn’t have done that, Matt.” said Micah.

“I couldn’t help myself, ok? She was annoying the heck out of me!” replied Matt. Micah, Matthew, and Matt jump out of the way before Natalie could ram her head into them, instead ramming her head into another wall.

“Stupid boys make Natalie hurt head! Stupid boys must pay!” shouts Natalie angrily while pursuing Micah, Matthew, and Matt.

“I wish I still had my superpowers.” said Micah.

“Me too.” responded Matthew.

“Actually…” says Matt while reaching into one of his pockets. Matt pulls out a rock and squid suit, tossing them to Micah (who catches the squid suit) and Matthew (who catches the rock suit).

“I hadn’t had a chance to try those out yet, but now might be a good time to do so.” said Matt. Micah puts on the squid suit, powering up into a squid-human hybrid, while Matthew puts on the rock suit and powers up into a rock humanoid.

“Matthew, you are now Rockmon. Use your powers to your advantage.” says Matt while looking over at Micah.

“And Micah, you are now Squidmon. You harness the power of a squid with great swimming agility, firing bubbles, and a number of other features that I cannot remember.” continued Matt. Natalie inches closer to Micah, Matthew, and Matt, who all jump out of Natalie’s path again and cause her to run into another wall. Natalie shrieks in anger and charges after Micah, Matthew, and Matt, who all combine their attacks and make direct contact to Natalie, who disappears into thin air.

“I’m glad that’s over. Now, how are we going to get out of here?” asked Micah. Micah, Matthew, and Matt suddenly disappear and arrive inside a cave with boulders blocking their every path.

“Matthew…” said Matt.

“Stand aside. I got this.” responds Matthew while approaching a boulder. Matthew curls his hands up into a fist and smashes them onto the boulder with great force, causing it to burst into a million pieces.

“Whoa!” said Micah and Matt.

“Rock breaks rock. Nothing to it.” responded Matthew.

“Come on, guys. We’re not going to save our family (or friends) by standing here.” says Matt while leading Micah and Matthew deep into the cave. Micah, Matthew, and Matt encounter another boulder blocking their path with Matthew smashing it into pieces and clearing the way, only to arrive right back where they started.

“Tell me we didn’t go in a circle.” says Micah annoying while slapping his forehead.

“Let’s just try another path.” responds Matthew while approaching and smashing another boulder. Another path opens up with Micah, Matthew, and Matt pressing onward, only to wind up right back where they started again.

“Looks like we’ll just have to try every path. One of them is bound to lead somewhere.” says Matthew while smashing another boulder and opening up another path. Micah, Matthew, and Matt keep ending up where they started until coming down to the last boulder.

“This must be our way out.” said Matt. Matthew smashes the boulder and presses onward with Micah and Matt following, seeing a light at the end of the path.

“I see the light!” said Micah.

“We’re home free!” said Matt. Micah, Matthew, and Matt inch closer to the end of the path and jump into the light, getting warped to a classroom of the alternate version of their middle school.

“Weren’t we just here?” asked Matt.

“Déjà vu.” said Micah.

“We found our way out once. We can do it again.” says Matthew while a silhouette approaches them. The silhouette stomps and shakes the ground right behind Micah, Matthew, and Matt, who all turn around and find a silver warrior standing before them.

“Can we help you?” asked Micah.

“I am the Silver Power Ranger, and I am going to chop you up into little pieces!” responds the warrior while showing a sword.

“We don’t want any trouble, ok? We’re just trying to save our family and friends. If you could just be so kind to point us out to the nearest exit…” said Matthew. The Silver Power Ranger suddenly lunges at Micah, Matthew, and Matt, who all jump out of the way with the Silver Power Ranger saying, “Hold still!” The Silver Power Ranger jumps toward Micah, Matthew, and Matt while holding out his foot, missing his chance after Micah, Matthew, and Matt crouch. The Silver Power Ranger gets his foot stuck in a wall while Micah, Matthew, and Matt make a break for it with the Silver Power Ranger in pursuit.

“You can’t escape me! I am the all-powerful Silver Power Ranger!” said the Silver Power Ranger.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” responded Matt annoyingly. Micah jumps and clamps onto the Silver Power Ranger’s face with all his might.

“Get off me, squid boy!” says the Silver Power Ranger angrily while struggling to pull Micah off. After removing Micah from his face, the Silver Power Ranger slowly (and angrily) walks towards Micah, who blasts bubbles into his face with Matthew tossing a rock and Matt blasting an orange pellet at him, rendering him unconscious. The Silver Power Ranger vanishes and leaves behind a portal that Micah, Matthew, and Matt enter, appearing in an ocean. Micah swims in the water while Matt flies above, carrying Matthew in his talons. At one point, Micah, Matthew, and Matt encounter a giant rock formation with a nerdy-looking face on it sticking out of the water with a sign that says “Enter” with an arrow pointing down underneath it.

“Hang tight, guys. I’ll be right back.” says Micah while diving underwater. Micah swims to the ocean floor and finds a gate on the bottom of the rock formation that he opens, causing all the water to drain.

“I think this is our queue to proceed!” hollered Micah. Matt and Matthew come in for a landing to the (now drained) ocean floor, entering the rock formation and encountering some critters, who don’t look so kind to see the trio. Micah blasts bubbles at the critters, causing them to retreat while Micah, Matthew, and Matt press onward and find another portal.

“Oh, great. Another portal. I wonder where this one will lead us?” asks Micah sarcastically while inching closer to it with Matthew and Matt. Micah, Matthew, and Matt enter the portal and end up in the parking lot of the alternate version of their middle school.

“Let me guess. Another nuisance?” asked Matt sarcastically. A nerdy-looking boy suddenly appears in front of Micah, Matthew, and Matt with Matthew answering, “Yep.”

“I am Nerdy Boy, and I am going to make you all my slaves.” said the boy. Micah blasts a bubble at Nerdy Boy, who has no effect against it.

“Silly squid boy. Bubbles no hurt Nerdy Boy.” said Nerdy Boy. Matthew tosses a rock at Nerdy Boy, which also is ineffective with Nerdy Boy saying, “Rocks no hurt Nerdy Boy, too!” Matt fires an orange pellet at Nerdy Boy, which deflects and collides with Matt, rendering him unconscious.

“Stupid bird boy can’t hurt Nerdy Boy either!” said Nerdy Boy.

“He’s got no weakness!” said Matt.

“Everybody’s got a weakness. We just need to find it.” responded Micah. Nerdy Boy approaches Micah, Matthew, and Matt, who casually walk away while Nerdy Boy follows.

“Come back here. Nerdy Boy is getting mad.” said Nerdy Boy.

“We don’t want anything to do with you.” said Matthew.

“Nerdy Boy wants friends to play.” said Nerdy Boy.

“We’re not your friends. Now, leave us alone.” responded Micah. Nerdy Boy sheds a tear and suddenly grows angry.

“You hurt Nerdy Boy’s feelings. Now Nerdy Boy will crush not-friends!” said Nerdy Boy angrily. Nerdy Boy runs towards Micah, Matthew, and Matt as they continue to walk away, getting grabbed and thrown to the ground during the rage. Nerdy Boy then picks up a concrete parking block and holds it over his head, swinging it down and misses Micah, Matthew, and Matt after they roll out of the way.

“Nerdy Boy no like missing!” said Nerdy Boy angrily.

“Well, get used to it because we don’t like getting hurt.” responded Matt annoyingly. Nerdy Boy pursues Micah, Matthew, and Matt, swinging the parking block as they run.

“Stop running and let Nerdy Boy hit you!” said Nerdy Boy angrily.

“Never!” said Matt. Micah, Matthew, and Matt continue running from Nerdy Boy, who continues to pursue them with the parking block. At one point, Micah, Matthew, and Matt run by one of the basketball hoops with Nerdy Boy inadvertently hitting it with the parking block and rendering himself unconscious with it. Nerdy Boy fades into oblivion and leaves a portal behind, in which Micah, Matthew, and Matt enter and arrive at Trekker’s mansion.

“Bravo. But you guys aren’t finished yet!” says Trekker while clapping his hands. Trekker points at Nawk and Vollava, who suddenly swoop in and snatch Micah, Matthew, and Matt into their talons and take off into the sky, flying towards a volcano.

“Enjoy your hot baths, you freaks! Ha ha ha!” laughs Nawk while dropping Micah, Matthew, and Matt. As Micah, Matthew, and Matt plummet, Vollava swoops in and ties them up, joining Nawk as he watches.

“Well…this is it. Thank you guys for helping me save my mother and sister.” said Matt.

“Don’t mention it, Matt. It’s been fun.” responds Micah while subsequently closing his eyes. Matthew and Matt also close their eyes as they inch closer to the lava inside the volcano with Micah when suddenly, three bird-like creatures snatch and untie them with Matt opening his eyes.

“Legalmon! Hack! Flewey! You saved us!” says Matt while looking up.

“We just so happened to be in the neighborhood.” responded Legalmon.

“The timing was right according to my calculations.” said Hack.

“Speaking of timing, I think it’s a good TIME for us to give Nawk and Vollava what for.” said Flewey.

“With pleasure.” responds Matt while grabbing Micah and Matthew with his talons. Matt lowers Micah and Matthew into Trekker’s mansion while saying, “You guys do your thing with Trekker. My comrades and I will handle Nawk and Vollava.”

“Roger that.” replies while approaching Trekker and Trekker Jr. Micah and Matthew battle Trekker and Trekker Jr. while Matt battles Nawk and Vollava with his comrades. A while later, Micah and Matthew get stopped and strapped up by Trekker and Trekker Jr. while Matt and his comrades get halted by Nawk and Vollava, who lower Matt and his comrades into Trekker’s mansion.

“Right this way, gentlemen!” says Trekker while leading Nawk and Vollava to Micah, Matthew, and the rest of the captured family and friends. Trekker and Trekker Jr. strap down Matt and his comrades while subsequently rolling a ray gun towards Micah and his family and friends.

“Stand back, you guys. This could get messy. Jr., initiate countdown sequence!” said Trekker menacingly.

“5…4…3…2…1!” said Trekker Jr. Before Trekker could press the fire button, a bird-like creature suddenly swoops in and snatches Trekker to the astonishment of Trekker Jr., Nawk, and Vollava.

“Hey! Where’d my dad go?” asks Trekker Jr. while looking around. The creature suddenly swoops in and snatches Trekker Jr., Nawk, and Vollava, eventually revealing itself to be the cloned Eaglemon created by Micah’s device.

“Eaglemon?” asked Matt surprisingly.

“There’s two of them?” asked Matthew.

“That can only mean one thing…” said Micah. Micah and Matthew look at each other and say, “The device works!” Eaglemon releases Micah and his family and friends while Micah, Matthew, and Matt revert to normal.

“Thanks, Eaglemon! You saved us!” said Micah.

“No thanks are necessary, citizens!” responds Eaglemon while taking off into the sky. Micah, Matthew, and Matt watch as Eaglemon fly away with Micah subsequently saying, “All right, everybody. Show’s over. Let’s all go home.” Micah and his family and friends head to Trekker’s Warp Machine and warp themselves home with Micah, Matthew, and Matt being the last to leave, warping themselves to Micah laboratory. Micah grabs the device and places his Squidmon Suit on a chair while subsequently saying, “I wonder…” Micah points the device at the Squidmon Suit and fires an electrical wave at it, creating a Squidmon clone.

“Hear ye, creatures of the deep! Squidmon shall guard you all with his life!” says Squidmon while warping himself to an ocean with Micah’s Warp Machine. Micah puts his Squidmon Suit away while Matthew places his Rockmon Suit on the chair with Micah subsequently firing another electrical wave at it and creating a Rockmon clone.

“I, Rockmon, shall protect all creatures within the rock community!” says Rockmon while heading to Micah’s Warp Machine. After Rockmon disappears, Matt heads home while saying, “Thanks a bunch, Micah! Now I won’t have to save lives so much!”

“No problem, Matt. Glad to be of assistance.” responds Micah. After Matt warps home, Micah and Matthew head to the living room of their house, spending time with their mother, stepfather, and Christopher. Days pass throughout summer vacation with Micah and Matthew spending time with their family and friends while occasionally saving the day from evil with Matt’s help. The Eaglemon, Rockmon, and Squidmon clones find homes in their respective environments and fight crime on a regular basis, taking some of the pressure off of the heroic deeds of Micah, Matthew, and Matt.

 

The End