Seeing by whiteknightgirl

Iggy's POV

The flock and I were back at our newest little hideout, a cave in Colorado. We'd just got beaten big time by the school's new creation; invisible flyboys. I, myself, had no trouble fighting them. Ehem, blind, duh.

But everyone else had gotten majorly injured and here I was, taking care of each injury. I had no idea that they were invisible until Max and Fang had told me. I couldn't believe that we'd gotten beaten just because the others couldn't see them.

"Guys." I cleared my throat as they all turned to me, "I think you need to learn how to fight-" Max cut me off.

"We know how to fight Ig but they were in-"

"Invisible, I know Max. You need to learn to fight without your eyes." I finished, my voice a bit dull, "You guys sucked out there just because you couldn't see them."

"Yeah, well, you couldn't see them either." Gazzy said, sticking his tongue out at me.

"No, but did I fight as well as I would have any other time? Yes." I reminded them, being careful with my choice of words.

Nudge spoke up now, "Maybe Iggy's right."

Max nodded, "Iggy, a small lesson starting now please?"

"Sure." I smiled. "First let's see if you can fight with your eyes closed at all." I took Max's windbreaker and tied it around her head, so she couldn't use her eyes.

"Alright, Max, I'm going to try and get you on the ground, you block." I said, my hand on her shoulder. She nodded.

I took a few steps back and said, "Go." I lunged at her, spun a round house kick into her chest and she was on the ground, pinned beneath my foot.

We tried a few more times with the same result every single time. She didn't get any better than before either.

I sighed, helping her up and pulling her 'blindfold' off. "Well this is embarrassing." She muttered under her breath.

"You need to hear me coming Max." I said, looking directly at her.

"Yeah, well who needs to learn to fight with their eyes closed anyway?" She asked, her voice defiant.

"Um, me." I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Oh, I um, I, I'm sorry, Ig, I-"

I cut her off, "It's alright. Let's take a break." I jumped off the cave edge and spread my wings, tilting them so the sun could warm my feathers. I let my face tilt upwards too, enjoying the feel of the sun of my face.

A light breeze lifted upwards and the aroma of wild flowers met my nose. I flew down towards the smell. I landed smoothly in the field of flowers, aware that Max had followed me down. I collapsed into the flowers, lying on my back lightly.

Max walked over and laid beside me. "Hey Max." I said, happiness sinking into my words. This place was pure bliss.

"How'd you- oh never mind. Can you try to explain how to fight without eyesight?" She asked, her voice more light than I'd heard it in a while.

My reply was, "Close your eyes Max. You can hear my voice, right?"

"Yeah." She said, her tone questioning.

"Tell me then, what does my voice sound like?" I asked tilting my head.

"Um, like… your voice…?" She asked.

"No, be creative. Is it high, low, slow, or fast? Husky, smooth, light, deep? What does it remind you of?" I pressed, looking for her answer.

"Uh… light, smooth, not too low but not too high. Midway if you know what I mean." She answered.

"Good." I grabbed her hand in mine, "What does my skin feel like Max?"

"Um… smooth, soft, warm…" She was getting confused.

"Take a deep breath, what do you smell?"

I heard her inhale, a long, deep breath, "Sweet, flowery, I also smell you… not quite sure how to describe that though." She giggled, a carefree sound.

"MmmHmm," I moved my body slightly away from her. "Which way did I move my body Max?"

"Uh… Uh… left." She thought a minute, "Yeah, left."

"Good." I nodded, moving back towards her, "See, your hearing, touch, all your other senses are just an extension of your sight Max. They're your eyes and they'll give you a map of everything if you'll let them."

"Ah. Hmm?" She was still confused.

"If I move right, you'll be able to hear it. If I move left, you can hear it. When your fighting, listen to what direction they move and then kick or punch in that direction. Fighting if just the beginning of what you can do though. It's so easy compared to other things. Such as constructing how a person looks.

"If you close your eyes and listen, feel, you can see things you can't see with your eyes. It can make the 'ugliest' things seem beautiful. You can taste and feel what the wind looks like. You can see things that aren't there. Like the sound of water rushing down a stream, you can smell the flowers. You can feel as carefree as the winds rushing through the tree branches."

"Wow." Max was at a loss for words, "I never thought about it like that. I never thought about it period."

I nodded, "Being blind is both a blessing and a curse. It's beautiful. It makes your accomplishments two times better, your failures two times worse. Your winnings two times richer and your losses two times more poor. Without bad there can't be good. It's the opposites that make it all worth while."

Max nodded, her movement made apparent by the wind, "I think, that next time the flyboys come, I'll be ready."