The Fight Inside
By Magus732
A freezing-cold morning washed over the Condor, bringing a icy, miserable draft over the deck of the ship. As Aerrow looked out from the bridge railing, he seemed beside himself. A conflict raged within, one that now could never be resolved.
"Aerrow, you alright?" Piper inquired worriedly. Lately, the redheaded Sky Knight had been cold and aloof. Distant.
"Just thinkin'..." He said softly after a moment of silence.
"About what?"
"The Dark Ace..."
"Aerrow, he's gone... as in 'not coming back'..."
"And that doesn't bother you!?" The young man walked toward the starboard side, fists clenched tightly in anger. The navigator walked closer and tried to put a hand on his shoulder, only to see him pull away from her comforting gesture.
"What's up with you lately, Aerrow? The team's worried about you..."
"I'm just angry, Piper... that's all..."
"Yes, I think we got that... what I want to know is: why? What are you so angry about?"
"I never got to bring the Dark Ace down..."
"So? None of us did, Aerrow. You're the only one taking it so hard..."
"You don't understand, Piper-"
"You're damn right, I don't understand! You've been a pretty lousy leader lately, and the best answer you can come up with is, 'you don't understand'? What the hell is wrong with you, Aerrow!?" Suddenly, the redhead's formerly empty eyes flashed with hate, and as he reached forward menacingly and backed her into a corner, his hands found her throat, clamping down mercilessly as she yelped in panic.
"Don't ever question me, Piper! I'm the leader for a reason! I brought this team together when we were nobody and nothing! What, you suddenly think you can run the Storm Hawks better than me!?" His burning rage seemed to consume him, but after a brief struggle, he let her go. His eyes suddenly seemed empty again.
"Piper, I... I'm sorry... I-I don't know what came over me..." The young woman panted scaredly before running back inside. The redhead turned his eyes back toward the skyline, sighing in defeat.
"What's wrong with me?" Aerrow said to himself softly. "Why am I so angry all the time?"
"Because you never got a chance to beat me, Aerrow... you never got to avenge your father's death..." Someone called to the redhead as he looked up from the floor. There, standing not 2 feet away, was...
"The Dark Ace!?"
Meanwhile...
"AHHH!!!" Everyone inside the Condor looked up from what they were doing. At first, no one believed that they had really just heard what they thought they heard. Finn was the first to speak.
"That sounded like-" The scream came again, much louder this time.
"Aerrow!" Piper yelled in panic as he saw the redhead in question go flying over the bridge rail, hanging precariously by one finger.
"Aerrow!!" Piper and Junko reached over the edge to grab the Sky Knight just as he lost his tedious grip.
"Hang on, Aerrow! We'll pull ya up!" Junko yelled as he yanked him up over the rail.
"Aerrow, what happened?" The navigator asked worriedly.
"It was... the Dark Ace!" Aerrow said disbelievingly.
"What!?" Finn said as he came up behind them, crossbow at the ready.
"The Dark Ace attacked me, knocked me over the rail, then took off on his Switchblade!" Aerrow insisted, somewhat forcefully.
"Are you sure you saw the Dark Ace, Aerrow? It couldn't have been anyone else?" Piper insisted.
"I'm telling you, it was the Dark Ace!" The others shared a look of concern. This wasn't a promising turn of events... for anyone.