You know, I saw the damn thing, and my mind drew a blank.

I just...froze.

It's not every day you see one of those...things. And the first thought as I went down was...Holy shit, was that for real?

OK, so the plan had some flaws. Little things. But still, on the whole, it had been a good idea. I still look back and think, if it hadn't been for that machine, the Sky Knight population would have found more than just a chink in it. But I guess this teaches me never to underestimate those kids again.

I mean, seriously. Who could have anticipated a flying hunk of metal with...BLASTERS on it? I mean, not even Cyclonia's greatest mechanic could put something like that together in ten minutes. God, I almost applauded them. Then I got thrown from my seat. And shit, I forgot my parachute. Had to steal some other Talon's ride. Damn undignified.

I'm not the best at going undercover. I tend to...stand out a little. I was rather surprised when no one found us. Pleasantly so. The Talons were supposed to lie low, however, not go around kidnapping the Storm Hawks' navigator. And then they HAD to blow their cover. Of course, Aerrow showed up. I'd been counting on him being there. I needed some actual competition. The actual crystal was just a toy, something I didn't have to get. The real prize was a little less obvious.

Cyclonis didn't even bother talking to me after this fight. She just glares at me whenever we cross paths, now. As if trying to figure out what the hell she's going to do with me. I don't like receiving that look, and I'm not too sure she likes giving it, either.

The other day, I was sitting around, fixing my skimmer, and Ravess walks in.

Shit.

"Dark Ace, you have a wrench I can borrow?"

"Yes," I mumbled. "Here." I toss her a spare. She grabs it without even looking. It pays to be a sharpshooter, I suppose. I pray she'll leave me alone...

"Mind if I join you?"

"Hmph." Of late, my mind has been providing me with less and less vocabulary. I normally make minute sound effects and hope the meaning gets across. Obviously, it did, because Ravess kneels beside her own skimmer and gets to work.

"Seen any cannons lately?" she asks all of a sudden.

"What?" I snap.

"Seen any cannons? Machines? Flying automobiles of death?"

I can tell she's holding back a snicker. "Why do you ask?" I mumble.

"Just rather hard to believe that THE Dark Ace got blasted from the sky by a hunk of scrap metal," she says, rather tartly. I stand. My blood was up. If she wasn't my coworker, I'd strangle her.

"Who in the WORLD put you up to this? Cyclonis?"

"No one in particular." She stands as well. I'm still a good few inches taller then her, though. She continues talking in that cool way of hers. "Just me, being curious. Wish I could have been there to see it."

"If you had been there, you would've been knocked down faster then you could say 'What the fuck'," I growl.

"I wouldn't count on it." And then, would you believe it, she walks away, with my wrench still in her hand. The moment she was gone, I kicked my skimmer so hard, I'm not sure what suffered more: the craft, or my foot.

I really hate Ravess.

God, at least I didn't shoot myself with my own crossbow. At least I didn't mess things up at Glockenchime. At least I don't have a delinquent for a brother. At least I'm not an uptight perfectionist.

At least Cyclonis still remotely trusts me.

Still, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the blueprint for that machine.

Impressive, I must say.

And the Storm Hawks? What goes up, must go down. What comes around, goes around. And the higher you climb, the harder you'll fall.

And when they DO finally fall, I'll be the one doing the pushing. And enjoying every moment of their downward spiral.

When you hit the ceiling, the only place you can go...is down.

Oh, that sucked. REALLY sucked. But...you never know. I might grow to like it eventually.