You remind me…
A Dark Ace and Cyclonis story. ((Not romantic!))
By Miyumi Sato-Hi
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Note: This takes place roughly six years ago. Dark Ace's "Daughters" are NOT cannon characters, neither are Cyclonis's dad and brother. Not a romance fic.
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The Dark Ace couldn't believe his luck. He had just betrayed his friends, his order, and even his family in order to follow after the Cyclonian Emperor, Master Hurican. Only to have the man kick the bucket a month after their victory. The emperor's eldest son refused to take the throne so now the Dark Ace was taking orders from a little girl. She's couldn't be more than eight years of age and she had looked terrified during her coronation ceremony.
That had been a week ago and he hadn't seen the child since. With an exasperated sigh, the Dark Ace opened the door to the kitchens. Only the hired help was supposed to go in but it was past midnight and truth be told, it's not like anyone would be there to give him heck anyways. Unfortunately for him there was someone there.
"Oh I'm sorry! I know I shouldn't be here…"
The Dark Ace paused at the doorway as the child looked at him fearfully from the sink. She had an empty glass in one hand and was too short to reach the sink, "Couldn't you have sent one of your servants to get you something to drink Master Cyclonis?"
She looked down and held the cup protectively, "I didn't want to wake them…"
With another sigh the Dark Ace walked towards the girl and picked her up, placing her on the counter next to the sink. He took the cup from her and filled it up with water before passing it back to her. He placed her back on the ground, "You should go back to bed now Master. Isn't it past your bed time?"
She pouted at him, "I don't HAVE a bed time. I'm Master Cyclonis!"
The sight of the little girl in her fuzzy dark purple pyjamas almost brought a smile to the Dark Aces lips. He managed to turn it into a smirk instead, "And yet you were worried about getting caught in the kitchens."
She frowned at him and sat down at the table in the corner of the kitchen, "I'm not scared of getting caught. It's not like anyone can punish me. I'm in charge, remember?"
The Dark Ace sighed again; this only proved his point that giving children too much power would only lead to trouble. He took a bottle from one of the counters and walked to the doors. A sniffling sound from the girl at the table stopped him, "Master Cyclonis… are you crying?"
The girl instantly stiffened but kept her back to him, "N-no."
He walked over to her curiously and she quickly wiped a tear away. Another took its place almost instantly. He sat down across from her, "Why are you crying child?"
She shook her head as more tears flowed down her face, "I'm not crying."
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. After a moment her passed her a tissue, "You are. Now tell me why."
The young girl looked away from the Dark Ace as she dabbed at her tears, "You wouldn't understand."
"You'd be surprised."
After a moment the young empress finally looked at him, her eyes were still brimming with tears, "It's just too much for me! I'm only eight years old and everyone expects me to finish my father's plans to rule the entire Atmos. I miss him and no one seems to care! I don't know what to do and my brother doesn't want to help me!" At this point her tears were rolling down her face again.
The Dark Ace sat silently across the table from the crying girl. He felt horrible. All this time he had only been thinking of what this child should do in order for his betrayal to mean something, he hadn't even thought of how hard everything must be for her. He had only known the old emperor for a few months before his death but he had known that the man had been close to his children.
He remembered how the old emperor hadn't approved of him changing sides at first. He had berated the Dark Ace about leaving his family, but in the end he had allowed the Dark Ace to join him.
Two small arms hugging him brought him back to the present. Master Cyclonis was now sitting next to him and… hugging him. The Dark Ace grimaced momentarily before giving the young girl a small hug in return, it was the least he could do.
After a moment the young girl muttered something sleepily. He looked at her, "What was that?"
"Thank you Dark Ace."
This time he couldn't stop the smile before it reached his face. "It's time for you to go to bed Master."
She didn't move from his side.
"Master Cyclonis?" He pulled out of her grip and looked at her, she was already sleeping. Once again he couldn't help but smile.
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The Dark Ace put the sleeping empress down on her bed and pulled her covers up to her neck. Winter was coming and he didn't want her getting sick. For a moment his thoughts drifted back to the two little girls he should be with…
He shook his head to clear away the memory, he had chosen to leave them; it wouldn't do to dwell on the past. He made to move away but the young girl grabbed his sleeve before he could pull away.
"Dad?"
The Dark Ace turned to look at the half asleep girl. She relinquished her grip when she realized her mistake, "I'm sorry."
He knelt down next to her bed, "It's alright child. Go back to sleep."
"But I'm not tired," She protested, only to yawn immediately after.
The Dark Ace smiled and begun to sing a familiar lullaby.
"Stars above lies lost in time
Hung to shine in ages past
I'll follow my star wherever it goes
As space's dark river flows deep and fast."
Cyclonis yawned again and closed her eyes.
"I'll wait on some hillside for you to appear
The love I've known only in dreams
We'll walk in the starlight, together, us two,
Until we see, dawn's golden beams."
The Dark Ace watched the sleeping girl for a few moments. Gently he wiped a lock of her dark hair away from her face. Perhaps it wouldn't be so hard to forget about his own daughters, not now that he had Cyclonis to watch over.
He stood up and walked to the door, turning back to look at the young empress, "You remind me of someone Cyclonis. You remind me of the daughters I left behind to serve your father."