Sweet Dreams in the Atmos
We lived on the planet called the "Atmos, a largely mountainous world consisting of scattered masses known as terras. Directly below the terras, is the Wastelands, the most dangerous place on Atmos, with its infernal fires and wicked creatures. Because of the geography, travel is mostly dependent on flight. The technology of Atmos is based around energy-generating crystals, used to power the various devices. Patrolling the skies of Atmos are the Squadrons, all led by a Sky Knight, groups of warriors who pilot motorcycle-like vehicles called Skimmers that can semi-transform into flying machines. These warriors are loosely managed by the Sky Knight Council.
An evil ruler named Master Cyclonis and his servants, the Cyclonians, threatened Atmos. The original Storm Hawks led the Squadrons in a war against them, but were betrayed and defeated by one of their own(Dark Ace)." {descriptions by wikipedia} Cyclonis's daughter became the new Master Cyclonis when he had passed away.
Terra Quake had been without a Sky Knight squadron for as long as our generation could remember. Nothing bad had ever set foot here and this small place wasn't even mapped.
My best friend Diana and I had graduated a few months ago. We were both orphans finally free to live our lives. I was shy and quiet, while Diane was out going and not so quiet. As soon as we graduated we had found out someone had wanted to start up a squadron.
We jumped on the opportunity and went to try out. We didn't know who was going to be Sky Knight yet but we had found out the next week we were drafted to be on the squadron as fighters. We had met our squadron that night, finding out we were paired with the most popular guys we had graduated with. Unfortunately they were jerks.
There was Chet, a shorter good looking guy with brown hair and green eyes. He was the sharp shooter.
Chase was tactics and navigation. He had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He was medium height.
Josh was the gadget specialist and sharp shooter. He was also medium height. He had auburn hair and hazel eyes.
Shane was the heavy ballistics specialist and pilot. He was bald and had yellow eyes and was taller than normal. His skin was a dark chocolate color.
Diana was a fighter and crystal specialist. She had brown hair and brown eyes and she was shorter than normal. She loved the idea of being on a squadron with the hottest guys on the terra, of course.
Then we had Damon. He was taller than Chase and Josh but not taller than Shane. He had black hair and blue eyes. He somehow managed to become knighted as a Sky Knight.
And of course me. I was listed as fighter and swordsman. I was just a tad shorter than Josh and Shane. I had bright green eyes and medium length straight brown hair. I, on the other hand, had second thoughts about starting a squadron with these guys. I used to have a thing for Damon, but that was in high school, he barely knew I existed until now.
All of them were great fighters but Diana and I had them beat, they didn't know this yet. The council got us a small carrier and five skimmers. The terra's budget would supply us with five. We had not met with the council yet or any other squadrons or Cyclonians.
It had been about two months since we all moved into the ship. Like normal the terra remained boring and untouched. I really didn't talk too much with the guys, they usually teased me. We didn't get along easily. We were getting prepared to fly to Atmosia for the first time to meet some of the other squadrons and so they could test us at the council to be official. It took a day and a half to fly there.
This will be all of our first times flying off the terra. I was nervous but everyone else seemed to be excited.
"Aren't you excited to become official?" Diana asked as we sat around the table in our living quarters.
"Not really. This is going to put this terra back on the map. Back on the map means people will find us, that means, Cyclonians will find us." I sighed.
"That's why we are going to protect the terra." Damon rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, don't you think it was stupid to do this, not even having experience fighting evil?" I responded.
"Then why did you want to join if you're afraid and don't want fame?" Chet asked.
"I swear that's all you guys care about. Fame. Of course I'm afraid. I'm afraid of trying to protect the terra from the head talons. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to kick some regular ranked talon ass." I smiled.
"Oh, yeah defiantly, but I don't think we will have to worry about the big guys coming to such a small terra. You think about the negatives right away. Relax." Shane laughed.
"Well which ones do you consider the biggest threats?" Diane asked Damon.
"In order from big to biggest. There is Snipe, Ravess, Carver, Repton of the Raptors, Derek, Dark Ace, and Cyclonis herself. I can almost promise you guys we probably will never see them around here." Damon shrugged.
"Yeah don't worry Skyleigh." Diana smiled.
I sighed and got up to go to my room where I spent most of my time away from everyone.
"When you feel the engine turn on, hold onto something." Josh warned. I nodded and walked away.
I laid down after I had felt the ship lift off and napped for a bit. I woke back up feeling terrible. I got up and was extremely dizzy. I stumbled around and out to the living quarters.
"Wow. You look awful." Josh chuckled.
I threw him a nasty look and sat down at the table.
"So, who's your favorite Sky Knight?" Damon asked. "Mines Starling, she's hot for an older chick and kick ass."
"Oh! Mine is Tyco of the Revolutionaries!" Diane giggled.
"Starling." Chet nodded.
"Starling is hot, but Aerrow is the man." Josh pointed out. Chase agreed.
"What about you, Skyleigh?" Damon asked.
"It's obviously you dude." Chet laughed.
"That is defiantly wrong, she is crazy for Aerrow." Diana blabbed.
"I'm not crazy for him, he is my favorite." I nodded.
"Oh don't be ridiculous, you love the guy." She replied. "You'd have a heart attack meeting him."
"I'm sure they would too if they met Starling." I rolled my eyes.
"Probably." Damon went into deep thought.
"I wonder if they'll be on Atmosia tomorrow." Diane squealed.
"I hope so! That would be sick!" Chase yelled. "I hope the Storm Hawks are there so we can tell Aerrow how crazy you are."
"Yeah, I'll have to warn him to keep his distance." Damon snickered.
"You guys are horrible." Diane scowled.
"If I wouldn't be so interested in protecting people, I would be out of here." I snapped.
"Oh someone's cranky again." Josh snorted. "Go back to bed."
I shut up and went to go sit on the couch.
"You guys need to knock it off, why do you feel the need to pick on her all the time?" Diane shouted.
"Still in high school mode I guess. Nerds always get picked on." Chet smirked.
"How am I a nerd?" I flipped and stood up facing them.
"Your quiet and you wear baggy guy clothing. Goody two shoes… Not normal. Not to mention your old crush on me." Damon crossed his arms.
"Okay, here's the scoop, I realized you were an asshole and suddenly I wasn't attracted to you anymore. I will show you how different I can look tomorrow. I want to make a good impression on the people we meet." I sighed.
"What are you going to wear, a bag?" Chet cackled.
"Good one!" Josh snorted.
"Come on Skyleigh, lighten up, you know we don't mean it." Damon reassured.
"Yeah right... I don't believe you for a second." I growled. I turned on the TV and Diane and I watched cartoons for the rest of the night until we landed for the night.
I said nothing and went to bed before anyone noticed. I cried myself to sleep and slept dreamlessly.
My alarm started to freak out and I jumped out of bed right away. I actually made an effort to look decent.
I walked out into the living quarters and just glared at all of the guys waiting to hear a smart remark.
"Not bad…" Damon shut the fridge and leaned on it just watching me.
"Well you defiantly look better." Chet nodded from on the couch.
"A lot better." Damon chuckled.
"Back off, you had your chance once." I muttered sitting on the other couch.
Damon sat down next to me and threw his arm around me and got comfortable.
"Knock it off." I pushed his arm away and scooted over as far as I could.
"It's obvious that you did this to catch my eye." He shrugged like he knew.
"Get over yourself. I told you last night I did this to impress who ever we are going to meet today." I explained calmly.
"Ha! It's going to take more than looks to win Aerrow over." Shane laughed. "You act weird too."
"Don't start." Diane warned.
"You too." Chet snapped.
"I don't know how we got stuck with two loser chicks." Shane rolled his eyes. Diane's eyes narrowed and she went back into the hallway to her bedroom.
I tried to get up but Damon pulled me back down next to him.
"He's only joking… You take everything so seriously." He sighed.
"How are we joking? You said it yourself, we'd be better off without them two. They are annoying." Shane chuckled. I pulled away from him and stood before him obviously offended.
"We're annoying? We try to mind our business and you all have to ruin it and start picking fights with me and now Diana. I want off of this squadron. When we land don't include me on your damn roster." My eyes started to flood. "I can't live with you guys constantly putting me down. You did that enough in school."
I turned around and ran to Diana's room. I explained to her my decision, she told me that she would do the same. We were going to give up our dream because of them.
There was a knock at the door and Damon stood in the doorway. He came in grabbing her desk chair. He pulled it in front of us and took a seat.
"Please stay with us. I just got done talking with them and we will stop. We took it too far and I'm sorry. You guys were chosen because you were better than everyone else on our terra. We need you two." He sighed.
"You said this last week." Diana sighed. I felt the ship land.
"We're here. Please tell me they aren't leaving. Who am I supposed to make fun of if they leave?" Chet whined.
"Unbelievable!" Diane yelled. She got up and stormed out of the room I followed after her. She walked out of the ship and sat down on the nearest rock. "Why are they so mean?"
"Girls, please listen, we will be nice to you, it's a hard adjustment…"Chet tried to apologize.
"Please just lay off of us then. If you want us to stay, don't make fun of us so much." Diana sighed. "Especially Skyleigh."
"Deal." Damon glared at his friends in warning.
"Fine." Josh pouted.
"Wait can we still tease her on one thing harmlessly? Her thing for that Sky Knight?" Shane asked looking past us.
"As long as you aren't being mean. That's all we ask. Don't be mean and nasty." Diana nodded.
"Good, cause he's right behind you." Chet laughed.
"Then no you can't tease- Wait what?" She stopped for a second and looked behind her.
"I'm not stupid…" I sighed. Diane hit my arm.
"Is everything okay over here?" A voice behind me asked.
I glanced over my shoulder and there stood a guy about 20 with spiky red hair and deep emerald eyes about three feet away. I turned the rest of the way towards him and there was a Wallop next to him and another human about 20 as well with blond hair spiked up and back. They all looked at us like we were nuts. I was stunned and so embarrassed.
"See even your favorite squadron thinks you're a-" Shane started but was hit in the stomach my Damon.
"Do you want them to stay or not?" Damon finally yelled.
"Okay, I'm sorry. This will take some time to get used to not making fun of you." Shane sighed.
"Yeah you guys have done it since kindergarten, I could only imagine how hard it will be." Diane snapped.
"We have some things we have to work out…" Damon sighed next to me.
"Obviously." Diana whispered. I laughed nervously.
I backed away and went back into the ship. I took some Tylenol for my terrible headache and laid down on the couch.
"Skyleigh, I'm sincerely sorry. We will all learn to work together and learn to enjoy it. Please just don't leave us, give us a while. My job as a Sky Knight is to also keep piece and I didn't realize it." Damon knelt down beside the couch and put his hand on my arm that was across my stomach.
"Okay, I'm giving everyone one last chance. I don't like arguing… I don't like fighting when we are all on the same side… I want to get along with you guys, but you won't let me. I don't mind the small teasing, like siblings, but I do mind when you make me feel ugly and tell me I'm a loser. It hurts." I sniffled.
"I understand…" He sighed. "Come outside and let's make this right. We have some squadrons to impress and I don't think fighting is going to be a good way to do it."
"Okay. Look I know we all are completely different, but I will get along with you guys if you get along with Diana and I." I stated.
"Got it." He replied.
"Why are you guys fighting anyway?" A voice asked from the door way.
I didn't have to look who it was. My smile went from ear to ear. I sat up and held my head.
"Well we didn't get to pick who we wanted to have on the squadron… It just so happens we were from two different clicks in high school. Very different clicks..." Damon sighed. Aerrow came over to the couch and leaned on the back above me. My face must have been beat red. He was right there.
"You guys graduated together?" He asked.
"Yeah, the guys were the popular well known jocks. Diana was all over the place but was still more on the dork side with me and our other friends." I explained.
"So arguing happens a lot here I assume." Aerrow stated.
"We do pick on them, but we never mean it… We will find balance soon, I hope." Damon shook his head.
"Honestly this sounds like Piper and Finn on my ship. Piper takes things too seriously and Finn has too much fun picking on her and goofing off. Eventually things simmer but you will always have moments…" He rolled his eyes. "It's kind of funny since they just recently started dating."
"Na. No one on this ship will end up dating, I assure you." Damon laughed.
"I second that." I nodded.
"You wouldn't have said that a few years ago." Damon snickered.
"Hey, don't start arguing again." I stuttered.
"Fine then I won't bring up your past love interest and your current one." He got up and looked at Aerrow then me.
"That's good teasing. That I can live with until, you go too far with what you just said." I gave him a quick glare. "I don't like it but, that stuff I can live with."
"Oh by the way my names Damon, I'm Sky Knight." He held out his had to shake.
"Pleasure, I'm Aerrow of the Storm Hawks." Aerrow shook his hand and looked at me.
"She already knows who you are." Damon waited for me to react badly.
"I'm Skyleigh." I smiled getting up to shake his hand, ignoring Damon, "You and your squadron are amazing."
"Thank you." He smiled happily. "Nice to meet you, Skyleigh."
Him saying my name made me want to yell and dance around. He was as tall as Shane in person.
"Sorry we had to meet during one of our lovely quarrels." Damon apologized.
"Can't plan everything perfectly." Aerrow laughed.
We went outside to meet the others. Everything was calmer. Aerrow introduced us to Finn and Junko. I was in my glory, but I stayed more so away and minded my business. We met Piper, Stork, and Radarr. We all got to meet Diana's favorite Sky Knight, Tyco and his squadron. We also got to meet Starling of the interceptors, the Rex Guardians, the Absolute Zeros, and the Third Degree Burners.
It took about two hours to be introduced to them all. After Aerrow took us around we went into the council building to be tested. Damon went first and they tested our moves on moving targets in an arena. Everyone we met that day, were in the stands.
They tested us and passed us through. The other squadron made it as well. They began the closing ceremony.
"Squadrons step forward." The one in the more colorful robes spoke.
"State the name you would like to be known as, Damon." Another asked as we approached.
"The Wildfires." He smiled.
"Not bad." Diane nodded.
"Kane?" The gentleman asked the other Sky Knight.
"Typhoons." Kane grinned.
"The Wildfires and Typhoons. Congratulations, you are official squadrons." The more colorful robed guy spoke.