The night sky lit up with the light of a thousand fireworks. Piper's orange eyes reflected the light like a perfect mirror. Her face lit up with a small smirk combined with the fireworks. Piper felt the rough cloth she sat on under her fingers. She looked sideways to find Finn and Junko up to their usual tricks. They were whispering to each other on the other side of the Condor. Piper seen with each firework blast, Finn's face split into an even bigger smile than before. She chuckled silently with them for a while.
"Of course," Piper said barely audible even though no one was around her. "They probably have a plan against Stork, like usual." Her gaze shifted from the two giggling co-workers to thirty feet in front of them. She seen Stork's outline with each burst. Piper squinted to see a smile lying across his face.
"Wow," Piper whispered. "When do you see that? The things you see when you don't have a camera…" She trailed off, her eyes darting back to Double Trouble and the flurry of activity happening. She flipped over onto her stomach, deciding that this is just too good to pass up. Finn's blond hair streaked around the wallop as they appeared to have a huge thing in their hands. Piper's eyes caught the edge of the thing when the night lit up once more. It had "Property of…" in very nice writing. It hit her. That must be the bucket she put under the sink earlier that day. It was a very long day with no attacks cause of the holiday. It was the first day of summer. Piper spent the day cleaning up.
"How did they find it?" She wondered but decided to see what they were going to do with it. She faintly heard Junko and Finn's suppressed laughter from across the Condor. Her eyes flashed back to Stork. It appeared as if he hadn't heard it at all. She smirked as she watched Junko and Finn get closer and closer to Stork. Junko raised the bucket above Stork's head and tipped it. Green oozing stuff sloshed out onto Stork's head. Piper watched as Stork cringed under the ooze and seen Finn's face light up with laughter.
"FINN! JUNKO!" She heard Stork scream as Finn and Junko streaked across the Condor, heading straight for her. Piper dive-rolled out of the way as they ran past her. Finn flew over her blanket, not stopping once. Junko hit a bump in the blanket and landed flat on his face, skidding a couple of inches before stopping. Piper grimaced at the sound of impact. Even though Stork had a slow start and was on the other side of the Condor, he pounced on Junko as soon as he fell. Piper looked happily on the scene as Stork attempted to wrestle Junko but was thrown off with a single move. Junko rolled over in a fit of roaring laughter making him unable to stand.
"Junko, do you mind getting off my blanket, please?" Junko nodded, unable to talk and rolled his way off the blanket. "Thank you." Junko, once again, nodded as Finn made his way over roaring as loud as Junko.
"Did you see that?" Finn's words edgy from the suppressed chortle. "It was like 'eww' and 'gross' at the same time. Chica-cha."
Piper laughed "Yes, Finn, I was watching. Nice going." Piper hi-fived Finn.
"What?!" Stork said, giving piper a look of disgust. "I thought you had a better taste in this stuff."
"Stork, it's the first day of summer. Lighten up." Stork grimaced and walked back to his spot with Junko and Finn following close behind.
"Hey, want some company?" a familiar voice said. Piper smirked and turned to the right to see Aerrow and Radarr come toward her. "So what was that all about?"
"Oh, Junko and Finn played a prank on Stork again. Nothing new!" Aerrow smiled and Piper smiled back. Radarr looked back from one to the other, contorted and ran over to Stork, Junko, and Finn.
"Where's Radarr going?" Aerrow asked. Piper shrugged and laid back down on her blanket. Aerrow joined her and they watched the end of the fireworks together. Blue, green, red, and silver shone on Piper's face creating a different and beautiful hue each time. "Piper…"
"Yes, Aerrow…" Piper said sitting up to stare Aerrow in the face. His emerald eyes seemed say everything he couldn't. She leaned in and…
Piper opened her orange eyes to see a metal roof staring back at her. She swung her legs over her bedside, her pitch black shirt reaching mid-thigh. She stretched her arms up stroking her midnight blue hair in the process. It stood awry in the usual way and Piper sighed.
"It never stays the way I want it to." She jumped off the bed and walked over to a cracked mirror. The dresser beneath the mirror held many random knickknacks including a rare purple crystal she found a few days ago. It emitted a light pulsing glow which filled the entire room when it's dark outside. She sighed and looked into the mirror again, picking up a brush in the process. She pulled it through her hair and placed her headband in it. Satisfied with the look, she nodded and pulled on the usual clothes. She stepped through her door and strolled toward the bridge when suddenly a hand came out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Piper went to scream but the other hand came up to smother her mouth and extinguished her voice.
"Piper, calm down. It's me." Aerrow's voice whispered in her ear. She went limp in his arm. He let go of her and led her to a side hallway.
"Why did you do that?"
"Just wanted to get your attention. You do remember what day it is?"
"No, what day is it?" Piper said uninterested.
"It's the first day of summer." Piper's eyes widened. "What's the matter, Piper?"
"Umm, I think you should listen to the dream I had last night." Aerrow looked at her funny. "Follow me." Aerrow shrugged and followed Piper down to the engine room. The engine room was hot and there was a constant buzz of crystal energy. Piper smiled at the thing she does best. Aerrow shut the door with a soft whoosh and Piper turned around.
"What's up, Piper? You can tell me anything."
"Sit down and I'll tell you everything." Aerrow sat and Piper started. "It all started on the first day of summer…"